I had liberty to give mine opinion, espe cially in a matter, wherein the honor of God and of his word required me to speak openly. Let this be mine apology. If you are not convinced, if you will ftill fing human compofitions in preference to divine; pray do not quarrel with me. I am a man of peace. Go on your way, and let me go on mine. Let me fing God's pfalms, and you may fing any body's hymns. I have borne my teftimony. Forgive me this once, and do not fail to exercise that charity towards me which notwithstanding all that I have faid, I do ftill gladly exercise towards you.

There are feveral abuses among us relative to the mufic, which I wish to fee reformed, and fome of which I would point out. We have many good pfalm tunes, excellently compofed and fitted for public worship. These fhould be ftudied, in order that they may be well fung, and properly applied-Sung well to avoid the tedious drawling manner in ufe in most of our churches, which gives of fence to worldly people, and makes the ordinance dull and heavy to believersProperly applied, and fuited to the subject, that the found may as near as pomble express the sense: For want of understanding or attending to this, we very F 4 often

often hear a light tune to a mournful prayer, and heavy mufic fet to a joyful pfalm, which are grievous difcords.

In

the fervice of God every thing should be folemn. Our own minds require it, as well as his greatnefs; but especially in praifing him, we fhould try to fhut out whatever would diftract us, or dishonor him. When the heart is affected, or defires to be duly affected with a sense of the exceeding riches of his mercy in Jefus, the pfalm and the tune fhould help to excite, and to keep up the heavenly flame. If the pfalm be proper for this purpose, the tune fhould not defeat it. This was much studied in the primitive church. They had great fimplicity in their pfalm finging, which we are told was corrupted by the heretics. Complaint is made particularly of Arius, that he perverted finging into an entertainment. He had a taste for music, and he compofed feveral light frothy tunes, by which he fought to please trifling people, who with him neither loved the God, nor the praises of the God of the chriftians. Herein he fucceeded. His mufic was admired, and did a great deal of hurt. Let us take warning from hence. As far as we can, let our praifes of God be fung with fuch mufic as will folemnize our hearts,

hearts, and keep them in tune to make, melody unto the Lord..

I will only mention one thing more, which is a great impropriety, and to me very offenfive, and that is the pofture generally used among us in finging. Suppofe there had been nothing at all faid about it in the fcripture, judge ye with. yourselves, men and brethren, whether it be respectful and becoming to fit down to fing. When fubjects go upon any joyful occafion to addrefs their fovereign, is it a custom in any nation of the world to do it fitting? Does the perfon who pays homage fit, or he who receives it? But, it is not left to ourselves, or to what we may think right or wrong. The cafe is determined in fcripture, and there are precedents to go upon. The fingers and muficians food, when they performed in the temple fervice: So did all the people. 1 Chron. xxiii. 28, &c. "The office of "the Levites was to wait on the fons of "Aaron for the fervice of the houfe of "the Lord in the courts and in the "chambers, and in the purifying of all

holy things, and the work of the fer"vice of the houfe of God: And to "Stand every morning to thank and praife

the Lord, and likewife at evening.' This was their appointment; and we read of their fulfilling it, 2 Chron. v. 12.

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