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fuch exalted means of grace? Or when contempt is put upon it, how can it convey any of the promised bleffings?

Many things have contributed to the prefent neglect and abuse of this ordinance, and I have been led to the following reflections in order to try to bring it again into repute. Happy indeed fhall I think myfelf, if the Lord fhould be pleased to make ufe of them, as any way conducive to the finging of his praises with the understanding. I fhall pray and labor for it: May he give his abundant bleffing.

One of the first and greatest causes of neglecting the finging of pfalms feems to have arisen from not attending to

CHAP. I.

The fubject of the book of Pfalms.

THE teftimony of Jefus is the spirit

of prophecy: For to him give all the prophets witness. With one voice they fpeak of his wonderful perfon, of his divine undertakings, and of his complete and eternal falvation. It is the spirit of their writings to reveal and to teach the good knowlege of the Lord. Whoever understands them perfectly will find the prophets

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prophets treating of the coming of Immanuel in the flesh as clearly as the evangelifts. When this moft blessed event was to be accomplished in the fulness of time, a new teftament witnefs, filled with the holy Ghoft, prophecied, faying, "Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, for " he hath according to his promise visited and redeemed his people, and hath "raised up an horn of falvation for us in "the house of his fervant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy pro

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phets, which have been fince the world "began." The Lord never left himself without witness. Ever fince the world began he had prophets, who foretold what Chrift was to be and to do, who teftified beforehand of the fufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

This is the fubject of the book of pfalms. It treats of Chrift, and contains the praises of the Father's love, and of the Spirit's grace, as they were manifefted in the perfon and work of Jefus Christ. The falvation of finners through him is. the greatest display of the covenant mer-. cies of the eternal Three; therefore the pfalms celebrate his wonderful person, and his divine undertakings-they defcribe his obedience and fufferings-his conflicts with, and victories over all his

enemies

enemies-his refurrection and afcenfionhis fitting upon the throne, the great King of all worlds, vifible and invifiblehis gathering together and perfecting the number of his elect-his coming at the last day to judge men and angels-and the glory which he will beftow upon his redeemed, when they shall be with him and like him, kings and priests unto God and his Father, and shall reign with him for ever.

What fubject can be more noble in itself than this? Here are the greatest tranfactions of the greateft perfonages, that poffibly can be the ever bleffed Trinity purpofing and covenanting to bring many fons unto glory-displaying their wisdom, and love, and power in an infinite degree, through the incarnation, obedience, and fufferings of the Godman, Jehovah Jefus, and through the effectual grace of the holy Spirit, calling and bringing the elect to experience the Father's love to them by faith in the Son's perfect falvation, and then guiding them fate by his council and might unto the glory provided for them. This wonderful theme is treated of in the book of pfalms in a manner fuitable to its dignity it is not only fpoken of, but alfo celebrated-not merely defcribed, but alfo praised. The language therefore is

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exalted.

exalted. The fentiments are fublime. The poetry is divine. And no wonder : the author is equal to the fubject. He is capable of extolling the mercies of that covenant, which reach from eternity to eternity, and of extolling them according to their true greatnefs. The pfalms are the compofition of the all-wife Spirit: for the holy Ghoft fpake by the mouth of David, and of the other infpired penmen. He guided both their hearts and their hands. The fentiments and the words are his for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God fpake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft-they fpake as he moved them-they indited the pfalms under his inspiration. The praises therein given of the person and work of the ever bleffed Immanuel are not human, but truly divine. What may not be expected from fuch an author? Who is by effential union one in the Godhead with the Father and the Son, and who is by his office to teftify of Jefus and to glorify Jefus. If the pfalms be read under his influence, they will be found equal to the fubject, in every view fuited to exalt the incarnate God, and if they be fung with grace in the heart, they will increase the faith and hope of every devout worshipper.

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There are several Pfalms which are applicable to none but Jefus Chrift, and many expreffions which could not be truly fpoken by any one, but by him who was God and man in one Chrift. Many will receive new luftre and emphafis, when viewed in the fame light. The proper pfalms, which are appointed to be read on the feftivals, do certainly treat of the birth, death, refurrection, and afcenfion of the Lord Chrift, and of the coming of the holy Spirit on the day of pentecoft, in confequence of Chrift's afcenfion: for, fays he, "If I go not away the comforter "will not come unto you; but if I go (c away, I will fend him unto you." Our reformers certainly understood thofe proper pfalms to be defcriptive of Chrift, and took them in the fame fenfe our Lord and his apostles did; who have quoted the book of pfalms eighty-two times. Their manner of quoting it demonftrates, that they took it for granted it was written concerning Chrift. Indeed many paffages cannot be applied to any one, but to him: for inftance he appeals to God to be tried according to his innocence-to be rewarded according to his righteoufnefshe defires to be judged according to the cleanness of his heart and hands-could any one of us fay, "Search me to the "bottom,

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