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"in the words which man's wifdom

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teacheth, but which the holy Ghost "teacheth." To his words the understanding should bow, and with reverence receive them: Because they are his. Curiofity fhould be dumb. It fhould make no enquiry: "Are they fine words, poeti

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cal, dreft up with flowers and metaphors, "brilliant as Cowley, fmooth as Pope.' No, they are not; but they are revealed to make the man of God wife unto falvation, and they do. As fuch, the finest poetry of man is no more to be compared with them, than man is to be compared with God. His word is the great inftrument of falvation. It is the ordinance of God for every faving purpose. He works in it and by it, and therefore it is plain and fimple, that the glory may not be given to the means themselves, but to his almighty grace, which makes them effectual. How unlikely is the word preached fo to change a finner's heart, that he fhall be as much a new creature, as if a devil was made an angel; and yet this effect is daily produced, and by plain preaching too. Thus the most fuccessful preacher that ever was, declares-" My "fpeech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wifdom, but "in demonftration of the Spirit and of

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"power; that your faith fhould not stand "in the wisdom of man, but in the power " of God." And his power is promised, and is also experienced to this very day in the use of the means of grace. God does give his bleffing to them. What more fimple than the facraments? Yet through. Christ working mightily in them, they do answer the end of their inftitution? What fo unlikely as prayer to obtain all needful bleflings? and yet it is certain matter of fact, that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. So the pfalms, not trimmed up with human embellishments, but in the fimple dress of fcripture, do communicate holy joy in the Lord. He bleffes the means, because they are his own means, and when used in faith, he never fails to render them effectual. Here then let us look, not at fine words, but at God's word. Let us not be offended at its fimplicity: For it is purposely fo. It is written for profit, and not for amusement. As an inftrument, it has not the virtue in itself, that. the excellency of the power exerted by it may be of God. He would have all the glory. Our own joy in finging and, our neighbor's edification, fhall not arife from fine poetry, but from his effectual grace. How much is it to be wifhed, that this

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was more regarded in finging pfalms. Then fhould we hear no more of this objection; but believers in the use of this, and of all the means of grace, would be seeking not entertainment, but communion with God, which is our highest privilege, and they would be expecting the improvement of it, which is their highest happiness.

Another objection may be made to this collection. If all the pfalms be alike the word of God, why should these be selected, and the reft excluded? I do not exclude any, not a letter or tittle. They are all of equal authority, all given by the infpiration of the Almighty. There is the fame divine ftamp and impreffion upon every word. For which reafon I reverence what is left, as much as thefe: But these are sufficient for our use, and thefe, if rightly used, will lead us to understand and to value the rest. If any thing here faid fhould be the means of explaining the fubject of the book of pfalms, and of enabling believers to fee more of the glory of the Lord Jefus Chrift, then they will not only value this.collection, but will alfo, as occafion offers, fing the reft with increafing melody in their hearts unto the Lord.

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The collection of pfalms, which I have here made, cannot be fung aright by any one, unlefs he thus aims at the glory of God. He must be a true believer in Jefus, and made fenfible of the Father's love to him in his Son: Because they are chiefly fongs of praife, and require the mufic of the heart: He, who is in tune to make the beft melody, has the deepest fenfe of his obligations to free grace. He has found redemption through the blood of Jefus, and is convinced of his acceptance through the righteousness of Jefus. He fees all bleffings, temporal, spiritual and eternal provided for him by the Father's love in the Son's fulness, and by the faith of the operation of the holy Spirit he receives them, as he wants them, day by day. He feels himself a poor needy creature, unworthy of the least of those bleffings, and while he is in this humble frame he is thankful for the leaft. Then he is moft difpofed to give the glory of all his mercies to the eternal Three, and to acknowlege his debt in every appointed way. This makes him defirous of profiting others by finging the praises of that good God who has fo exceedingly loved him, and herein he has an especial regard to his brethren in Christ. church-member he frequents ordinances,

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enters into the spirit of them, prays in the holy Ghoft, hears and mixes faith with the word; fings with the congregation, and with his heart and voice tries to increase their melody. He lives the chriftian. In his walk and conversation he fhews forth the praifes of God. He glo rifies his Father which is in heaven, before men, and lets them fee, that they who are happy believers in Jefus have found their heaven upon earth. Thus he goes on his way, finging and rejoicing in the Lord-ready to join the great concert of faints and angels-yea he does join, afcribing with them all the good he has and hopes for to the free grace of the holy bleffed and glorious Trinity.

Reader, art thou one of this happy number? Is thy heart in tune to fing pfalms of praise to thy God? Is he thy Father which art in heaven, and doft thou love him for the unspeakable gift of his Son? Until he be known to thee in this dear relation, thou canst not be hapРУ in him either in earth or heaven. If thou art thinking he has mercy in store for thee, how waft thou brought to believe it? Was it in God's appointed way, and in his means? Didft thou hear his word declaring what thy ftate was, and didst thou yield to its teftimony, perfuad

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