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"worship: Few can pretend fo great a "value for them as myself: It is the "most artful, moft devotional, and di"vine collection of poefy; and nothing

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can be fuppofed more proper to raise a

pious foul to heaven, than fome parts "of that book; never was a piece of ex"perimental divinity fo nobly written, "and fo justly reverenced and admired." Happy would it have been for the chriftian world, if his followers had ftopt just where he did. He declares it was far from his thoughts to do what they have done. It never came into his head to lay afide the book of pfalms in public worfhip. Think of this, and weigh it carefully, ye that idolize Dr. Watts, and prefer his poems to the infallible word of God. It would be well for you, if you valued pfalms as much as he did: For he fays none valued them more. Then you would have looked upon them in his light: For having already in your hands the most devotional and the most divine collection, you would not have thought of any other, knowing it was impoffible to have a better, but you would have used this, and would have found it too, as Dr. Watts did, the most proper to raise the foul to heaven. Bleffed fentiments! I honor the memory of Dr. Watts for

this glorious teftimony. I can fay nothing that can bear harder upon those perfons, who contrary to his opinion, have entirely left off finging the pfalms of God in the church. He never intended to countenance fuch a practice. He declares it was far from his thoughts, yea, he abhorred the very thought, and in fo faying he has upon record condemned it. Here I reft the matter. If the admirers of Dr. Watts will not be determined by his authority, I am fure they will not by mine: And therefore I take my leave of them. Farewell. May the Lord guide you into all truth.

There are several 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-Sing well to avoid the tedious drawling manner in ufe in most of our churches, which gives offence to worldly people, and makes the ordinance dull and heavy to believersProperly applied, and fuited to the fubject, that the found may as near as poffible exprefs the fenfe: For want of understanding or attending to this, we very F 5

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 ftudied 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 taft for mufic, 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 praises 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 posture generally used among us in finging. Suppose 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 ourfelves, 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. ii. 28, &c. The office of the "Levites was to wait on the fons of "Aaron for the fervice of the house of "the Lord in the courts and in the "chambers, and in the purifying of all

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holy things, and the work of the fer"vice of the houfe of God: And to ftand every morning to thank and praise "the Lord, and likewife at evening.' This was their appointment; and we read.

of

of their fulfilling it, 2 Chron. v. 12. where it is faid, "they stood at the east "end of the altar:" And we are certain that all the congregation of Ifrael ftood at the fame time: for it is exprefsly mentioned. When the royal prophet is encouraging the priests and people in the heavenly work of praife, he thus addreffes the priests, Pfal. cxxxiv. "Behold, bless

ye the Lord all ye fervants of the Lord, "who by night stand in the houfe of the "Lord: Lift up your hands in the fanc66 tuary and blefs the Lord. The Lord "that made heaven and earth blefs thee "out of Sion." So again fpeaking to priests and people, Pfal. cxxxv. "Praise

ye the Lord, praife ye the name of the "Lord, praise him O'ye fervants of the "Lord: Ye that stand in the house of "the Lord, in the courts of the house of

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our God, praise ye the Lord, for the "Lord is good: Sing praifes unto his

name for it is pleafant." Standing to fing is recommended in thofe fcriptures, and was accordingly practifed both by clergy and laity: When they thanked the Lord morning and evening in the words of David the man of God, they fung his praises ftanding. It is a decent posture. People of fashion think it fo: For they ftand up even in the play-house, at the

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