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faculty, he will endeavor to exprefs his happiness in God.

We meet with feveral paffages to the fame purpose in the new teftament, in which there are very particular rules laid down for finging. Thus the apoftle speaking in his own perfon directs the Corinthians, how they might pray and praise with profit." If I pray in an unknown tongue

my fpirit prayeth, but my understand"ing is unfruitful. What is it then? I "will pray with the fpirit, and I will

pray with the understanding alfo: I will fing with the spirit, and I will fing "with the understanding alfo," that my whole foul may be engaged in giving of thanks, and that others may be edified.

He enlarges upon this to the Ephefians: He propofes finging of pfalms as the means of being filled with the Spirit, and fhews what fort of finging was moft likely to do this, namely using fcripture hymns, fcripture pfalms, and fcripture fongs indited by the holy Spirit, and then he prefcribes the manner of finging, believers were to speak audibly with their voices to one another, and with their hearts to the Lord, fo that they might make melody with both, and they might always and for all things be giving of thanks to God and the

Father,

Father in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

The fame directions are given to the Coloffians: The apostle would have the word of Christ to dwell in them richly in all wisdom both of theory and practice: And to this end he advises them to try to edify one another by finging of pfalms. They were to aim at mutual teaching and admonition, finging with grace in their hearts unto the Lord, and whatever they did in word or deed all was to be done in the name of the Lord Jefus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

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And the apostle James lays down a general rule without any exception, that whenever a believer is happy in God, it is his duty and his privilege to express it in finging of pfalms, both as a proper ac knowlegement to the Lord for his goodnefs, and alfo as the most likely means to preferve and to increase this holy joy

Istany of you in a happy frame? let him fing pfalms."

3. These commands and directions are greatly enforced by the promises made to finging of pfalms. All the commands of God have a promise included in them, and they fuppofe that whenever the commands are kept in faith, they will be accepted

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cepted in and through Chrift Jefus. With refpect to God himself to whose praise and glory we fing them, he declares-" Them

that honor me, I will honor." : We certainly honor him by finging of pfalms. He has appointed this fervice: He has revealed the hymns which we are to sing: And in ufing them we wait on him in his own means for his promised bleffing, which he will not deny to those who give him all the honor of what they are in Christ, and of what they do by the Spirit of Christ. When they afcribe to him all his glory, he will accept the facrifice of praife, and will manifeft his acceptance of it.

With refpect to the brethren, the promises are many and great-fuch as Singing pfalms together is the means of exercifing and increafing the graces of the Spirit, of making the word of Chrift dwell more richly in them, of teaching and of admonishing one another, and thus giving and receiving mutual edification. O come and praise the Lord with me, and let us magnify his name together, keeping up the communion of faints in this as well as in every other ordinance.

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With respect to ourselves it is the means of preferving holy joy in the heart. If any one be fenfible of God's infinite love to

his foul, this is the proper expreffion of it: And if it be expreffed with an humble and thankful heart, this is the right way to increase joy in God. It is the fame where they have attained to the fulness of joy. There the faints fing without ceasing. The fong which they begun upon earth will be continued in heaven, and it will be their perfect happiness to fing for ever and ever the praises of God and the lamb.

Confider thofe authorities, ye that have flighted this ordinance. Has it been the uniform practice of the church of God in all ages to join in finging his praises? Was it by his exprefs command? Has he given us a collection of hymns, the very words which we are to fing? Has he promised to accept our thanks and praifes, and while believers have been offering them with grateful hearts, has he constantly made them the means of increafing their joy in the Lord? Was it for the benefit of others, that the church might receive edifying, and that each might bear his part by stirring up and exciting thankfulness in one another? O do not then neglect fuch a bleffed ordinance: But rather pray the Lord to enable you to rejoice with them that rejoice, to fing with them that fing. Have you not mercies

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to ask? Why then will you not join the church in afking? Have you not mercies. out of number to thank God for? Why then will you not take your part in praif ing him for his goodnefs? Why will you rob yourself of the pleafure of doing it? Why will you not profit your neighbor ? And why will you not give God the glory due unto his holy name? Be affured it becometh you well to be thankful at all times and in all places, especially in the great congregation. May you have your fhare in the fervice, and your fhare in the bleffing promised to it..

If you are convinced it is part of the public worship of God, in which you are required to join, as much as in the prayers or in hearing the word, then take heed. you join properly. You may fing, and yet greatly abuse this holy ordinance. There are many fingers in the church, who take no pains either to keep the time, or to follow the tune, and who thereby fhew they think it of no confequence, how the praises of the moft high God are fung. Solomon differed much from them. He thought it a great per fection in praifing God, that among the many thousands of voices and inftruments, which were founding forth his praise at one time, there was not a fingle difcord

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