Serm. I. IV. The End of Singing is two-t fold mutual Edification. S. 1. The Glory of God. This is the ultimate End of a Chriftian in all his Actions, and especially Religious; Whofo offereth Praise, Pf. L. ult. glorifies me. I need not tell you, that we can't make God more glorious than he is neceffarily, effentially, and eternally; but by praifing God, we acknowledg and proclaim his Glory. §. 2. Mutual Edification; and particularly, (1.) Inftruction and Admonition: Teaching and admonishing one another, &c. Now this End is admirably anfwer'd by Pfalms, Hymns, and Songs, in which important Truths are many times molt agreeably propos'd, more easily imprefs'd, and better remember'd than otherwife. Upon which ac count it has been ufual in all Ages, even thofe moft remote from the prefent time, and in all places where there has been any Religion profefs'd, or publick B 5. Worship Serm. I. Worship paid to a Superior Being, to deliver what they counted facred Mysterys in Verfe, and to fet that Verfe to Tunes. needs not be infifted on. Is But this (2.) Comfort. According to that, Is any man afflicted? let him pray: any merry? let him fing Pfalms. But as all these things will fall, in under other Heads, I am allow'd only to mention 'em and that feems fufficient to anfwer my Defign, which was to fhow the Na→ ture of the Ordinance. From what has been faid, I night draw feveral ufeful Inferences; but confidering that my Difcourfe is but introductory to the reft, fhall only mention two or three things, to which the General Heads fairly lead me: As, 1. That our Singing fhould be as mufical as may be For tha where God has deny'd a Voice or an Ear, he will not require what he has not given, yet furely we fhould ferve him with the belt we have, and improve every Talent to the best advantage, feeing we muft muft account for it: and we may Serm. I. imagine what the Confequences of ~~ our Neglect will be, if we confider that awful Text, Curfed be the De-Mal.I. 14. ceiver which hath in his Flack a Male, and voweth and facrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Indeed our best shall be accepted, be it ever fo mean; but nothing lefs fhall be regarded, be it ever fo good. And the Reafon is obvious; be caufe to put off God with any thing short of the best, must needs be a high Affront to him, who is infinitely exalted above all Blefing and Praife, and deferves infinitely better from us than our beft can be. It's true, the Mufick of our Voice is a matter of lefs impor tance than the Melody of our Heart, but not therefore, to be neglected; becaufe a, very minute Circumstance may be expreflive of a great deal of Duty or Difobedience, as fufficiently appears in the Cafe of our firft Parents... In a word, I may apply to the prefent Cafe that of our Lord in ano+ ther; These ought ye to have done, Luke XI. and not left the other undone and 42. lay Serm. I. lay the ftrefs of what I have faidupon that of the Apostle, Glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirits, which are his. 1 Cor. VI. 20. 2. If the Object of Singing is. Scriptural Songs, then undoubtedly we must not mingle our own Inventions, Fancys, and private Opinions, with the great and obvious Truths of the Gofpel, in those Compofures which we fing in the Worship of God. And I think this fufficiently intimated in the Text; Let the Word of Chrift dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in Pfalms, Hymns, and fpiritual Songs. If men don't in every Ordinance keep to this Rule, to the Law and to the Teftimony, their Sacrifices cannot be acceptable, but muft fall under Mat.XV.9.that Cenfure, In vain do they wor fhip me. And this is one Abomination in the Church of Rome, that they fing not only what is unfcriptural, but antifcriptural too, yea infinitely abfurd and ridicu lous; as I might fhew by Inftances enough to enlarge this Difcourse gem, &c. into a Volume. Tu per Thoma 3. If the Manner of Perfor-Serm. I. mance be with Grace in our Hearts, then we must fee to it that we be fincerely devoted to that God whofe Praises we fing, and not fing the Lord's Songs with unhallow'd Lips. We must alfo endeavour to have every Grace (as before mention'd) in its proper and lively Exercife, and tune our Hearts as well as Voices. We must offer a reafonable Service, understand and attend to the Senfe of what we sing, left we be no wiser than the Fowls Job of the Heaven, who fing they know XXXV.11 not what. We must fet our felves as in the Prefence of the All-feeing God, that a Senfe of his Infpection may awe us into a decent Reverence, and make us watch against every thing unfutable to the Solemnity of Worship, and impertinent to the Bufinefs before us: Believing and being firmly perfuaded, that as we muft account for every Action in general, whether good or bad, fo in a very particular manner for every A& of Worship; and that of every idle Word we must give an account in |