mon of his, an inestimable treasury of his scripture learning, in which he quotes several psalms, and directly applies them to Christ, as he also does in his other writings. His epistle to the Hebrews abounds with references, twenty. nine at least. The irid and ivth chapters are a comment on the xcvth pfalm: As the viith chapter is on the cxth: And the xth is on the xlth. Whoever will attend to the manner in which the apostle reasons upon these passages, will readily perceive, that he does not enter upon any formal proof of the design of the book of psalms, or of Christ's being the subject of them. He does not aim at any fuch thing; but takes it for granted, and argues upon it as an established truthi. Indeed it was at that time the belief of the whole church. There was then no doubt but all fcripture treated of him “ To him give ALL the prophets wir“ ness”-He was their one subject. But more especially in the psalms he was set forth, and was to be highly exalted, wich all the powers of poetry, and with the -sweetest sounds of instruments and voices. These hymns were inspired to celebrate his matchless fame and renown; that whenever believers felt themselves happy in the knowlege and love of Jesus, here C 5.... they they might find proper matter and suitable words to raise their gratitude, as high as it can be on this side of heaven. We have also the apostle's practice and experience to recommend his use of the psalms. He sung them with delight, as well as quoted them with propriety. His love to Jesus run as high, as love ever will upon earth. He speaks of him continually as the perfect delight of his foul, on whom he had placed all his affections, and whom he found every day worthy of more love, than his narrow heart could contain. O how precious was his Saviour, when he could say“ What things were gain to me, those I “ counted loss for Chrift: Yea doubtless, « and I do count all things but loss for " the excellency of the knowlege of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I 6 have suffered the loss of all things, and I do count them but dung, that I « may win Christ.” Happy Paul! what must he have seen in Jesus, who could account it an honor to suffer shame for his name, and an infinite gain to win Christ, though with the loss of all things? O happy, thrice happy man, who could carry the cross of Christ, and esteem iç, as his crown. God forbid, says he, that I should glory in any thing, except in the the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: For I count not my life dear to myself, so as I may but live and die fulfilling his will. And this was not a flight of fancy, or a mere rant of enthusiasın, but it was cool fober love, and arose from real experience of the pretiousness of Jesus to his heart. This heavenly lover was the fubject of his songs in the worst house of his painful pilgrimage. He was fo truly in body foul and spirit devoted to his Jesus, that how much foever he suffered, yet he could rejoice in the Lord. O what a proof did he give of it!-sufficient to shame our highest professions of attachment to the dear Redeemer. When he had been beaten with many and cruel stripes, put into a dismal dungeon, and even there with his feet in the stocks, his heart was then full of gratitude, and in tune to make delightful melody unto the Lord, yea brake out into psalms of praise--" At midnight Paul and Silas “ prayed, and sang praises unto God,” with a loud voice : for the prisoners heard them. O for more faith in Jesus to fill us more with this thankful and praising spirit. Lord, pour it out abundantly for thy mercies fake upon all those, who believe in thy holy name : : :. Let Let us make our boast of thee all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. · From these instances it is evident, that the new testament church understood the psalms in the same light, as the old. Believers always sung them with the same view, with hearts and voices making melody unto the Lord Christ. He himself confirmed this use of them: For he joined in this part of religious worship. The apostles quoted the psalms, and directly applied them to their blessed Lord. Yea, when the church met together in one place, the psalms were not only read and sung, but some abufes in singing them are corrected, which will lead me to consider CHAP, V. Rules laid down in fcripture for singing them aright. INGING of psalms is a divine ordi nance, and has an inward and an outward service. The inward consists in the proper frame and affection of the renewed and spiritual mind: For no man can use the psalms as an ordinance of God, who has not received the Spirit of God: Without him we can do nothing, being dead in trespasses and sins. And after he is re- " one |