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thy mind is affected-leaft thou fhouldft prefent unto the Lord the fong of fools.

But chiefly keep thy heart diligently: Because out of it are the iffues of life. The man is what his heart is. If this be dead to God, nothing in him is alive: If this be right with God, all will be right. If he has a clean heart, and a right fpirit renewed within him, the holy Ghoft has made him a new creature in Christ Jefus, and has won the will and the affections over to God. This is his principal office in the converfion of finners. He therefore discovers truth to the understanding, in order that it may become defireable, and that the heart may be properly influenced by it. The heart is the commanding faculty. When this has once tafted the sweetness of the Father's love in Jefus, it will engage the whole man to feek for more. Love is very active, and will do or fuffer much to obtain and to preferve the beloved object.. Set this fpring a going, it will move all the wheels. The hands will work for God. The feet will run the way of his commandments. Love will make heavy burdens not grievous to be borne: Love will carry them a long time, and faint, not. Jacob ferved seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days

for

for the love which he had unto her. The labor of love is always delightful. When we know God to be our Father in Jesus, and have his love fhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, then his fervice becomes perfect freedom: Then duty is ennobled into privilege: Then obedience becomes willing, and filial: The beloved child finds free accefs to the Father's throne, and receives bleffed communications of his grace: For which his thankful heart offers the facrifice of praise, and it comes up with a sweet favor acceptable to God through Jefus Chrift. This is the melody of the heart. While it feels its infinite debt to free grace, is deeply convinced of its utter unworthiness, and is kept humble by the abiding sense of its imperfections, and of its indwelling corruptions, it is in a right frame to exalt the exceeding riches of divine mercy. Then it is difpofed to give God all his glory. This he requires, as his due, and it becometh well the righteous to pay it. When the heart is made willing to afcribe every good to his holy name, then it is right with God. All within is now in tune to join every golden harp, and every joyful tongue in heaven, which are afcribing bleffing and honor, and glory and power

to

to him that fitteth upon the throne, and to the lamb for ever.

This is the chief requifite in finging pfalms. The heart makes the beft mufic. The fineft compofitions, ever fo well executed with inftruments and voices are not a divine concert, unless the heart accompany them. David knew this well, and therefore he fet his affections to the highest pitch of praife, and he brought ALL of them to join. His whole heart entered into the performance, and rendered the concert full." I will praise thee, O Lord "my God, with ALL my heart, and I will

glorify thy name for evermore: For "great is thy mercy towards me." Thy fpecial covenant mercy is fuch towards me, that my very thoughts cannot rise up to its greatness: How then can I utter forth all its praife? I cannot; no, not even half of it. But though the debt be fo great, that I cannot count it up, yet I will the more extoll thee for it from day to day: I would engage my affections, and give them all up to this heavenly employment. I would have my whole foul in it. And yet the debt remains, rather increases. O for a more enlarged heart!. My praises continued are only acknowlegements, and I want them continued with growing hu mility-more in earth and more in heaven,

There

There I fhall praife better, when my heart will have nothing in it, but humble gratitude. Yet here I will not give over; but will carry on my joyful fong, till I can fing in a higher ftrain. "Praife the Lord, "O my foul, and all within me bless his "holy name: O give thanks unto him "for he is good, and his mercy endureth "for ever, Hallelujah."

The apostle Paul had his portion in the fame mercy, and had the fame grateful fense of it: He fang the pfalms of David with the fpirit of David. What he practiced himself he has recommended to others. He has given us fome rules about finging in the congregation, and he chiefly confines them to the heart accompanying the voice. Thus he directs the Ephefians"Be not drunk with wine wherein is ex"cefs, but be ye filled with the spirit, "fpeaking to yourfelves in pfalms and "hymns, and fpiritual fongs, finging and "making melody IN YOUR HEARTS unto "the Lord, giving thanks always for all "things unto God and the Father in the "name of our Lord Jefus Chrift." He would not have them meet together, as they formerly had done, to feaft without fear, and to drink unto drunkenness, inciting one another to greater riot and excefs by wanton and profane fongs: Which

was

was the custom at most of the heathen
banquets. They used to try to fill one
another with wickednefs. But ye have
not fo learned Chrift. Seek ye to be filled
with his fpirit, and use the means appointed
for that purpose: Among which finging
of pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs
is one of the chief. These several names
are expreffive of the different subjects treat-
ed of in the facred poetry; hymns are in
praise of Immanuel, fpiritual fongs are in
praise of his fpiritual kingdom, according
to the fenfe of the words in the Hebrew,
and according to the translation of them
in the Septuagint, as was before fhewn.
The manner of finging them it is here
faid was by joining together with their
voices, but especially with their hearts.
From thence comes the best melody.
Harmony in found is pleasant in our ears;
but harmony in affection is the music,
which enters into the ears of the Lord of
hofts. 66
My fon, give me thy heart:"
He will have no fervice without it. Prayer,
obedience, praife, every offering mult
come from the heart. He looks at this,
and this in all, and above all. This he
accepts, and teftifies his delight in For
it is the fame facrifice of praife, which will
for ever delight him. The church tri-
umphant has begun the fong, which will

be

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