bylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

Would we, in the song we sing to God, dilate on the graces of the Spirit, and on their varied actings? would we sing the humbling, and the elevating exercises of the saint? These are themes which enter largely into the compo sition, and constitute no small share of the beau ty, of our Bible Psalms. They have, too, this advantage above others; they are delinea. ted with infallibe correctness.

Is it our wish to embrace in our song, the distinguishing blessings of salvation? These are found in our divine odes. The grace of God in election,* in redemption,† in pardon,‡ in communion, are sung, in these inspired verses. Here, likewise, the saint finds assurance of safety in the vale of death, and of victory over the grave, together with the enjoyment of eter nal life. These, and their kindred blessings, give form and vitality to the whole system of scripture song.

Do the sufferings of the Son of God, by which he purchased his church, and his tri.

* Ps. 65. 4. † Ps. 39. 22. & 130. 7.8. t Ps: 32, I. 2. & 103. 3. Ps. 27. 4. § Ps. 23 & 16,

umph over the powers of death, occupy our attention? Do we wish to make these the subject of our praise? where are they sung in strains so melting, or in notes of such elevated sentiment, and expressive diction, as in the Book of Psalms? There we find the language he selected, when, suspended upon the cross, he suffered for us, the Father's wrath: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Into thine hand I commit my spirit.* There, too, we have his triumphal song. God is gone up with a shout--Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Would we sing his victorious march, in the spread of his gospel? All the language, in which it is described, is flat, compared with that which the Holy Ghost employs: Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness-Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth-The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteous

Psal. 22. 1. & 31. 5. † Ps. 68, 18

ness hath he openly showed-all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.*__ Would we sing the awful scenes at the close of time? Our Godshall come, and shall not keep. silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that he may judge his people.God is judge himself. Then to his saints will he shew the path of life; in his presence is fulness of joy; at his right hand are pleasures for evermore. Then too the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forgetGod.t Thus, there is no attribute of Jehovah which is not celebrated; no gift of grace which is not confessed, no devout emotion of the heart, which is not described, nor achievement of the Savior, which is not sung, in the im pressive language of the Holy Ghost.

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I know, indeed, it has been said, that the preacher feels regret, in being confined to inspired psalms; that, after he had delivered a

Gospel sermon, he could find no song by which he could, with propriety, close the so

Ps. 45. 3. 4. & Ps. 96. 10, & 98, 2.3. &c.

Psal. 50, & 16, & 9.

lemnities of the day. May we not venture to express our suspicion respecting those who talk at this rate, that their acquaintance with the scripture songs must be shamefully superficial; or, that they preach another gospel, than that of the blessed God. For certain it is, that thousands, in different ages, have, with great faithfulness, ability, and success, preached the Gospel of Christ, without feeling any difficulty, in selecting a scripture psalm appropriate to the occasion.

I am not so fortunate as to remember any specifications on this subject. The declarations, it is believed, are general, and so calculated to cover a defective information,or, something not quite so excusable, as the case may require. We shall rest this point, till gentlemen of candor specify the particulars, in which the scripture psalms are either defective in matter, suitable for christian psalmody, or, contain matter unsuitable to the purpose of evangelical worship. Only let them be careful, not to occupy a ground that would exclude all social praise from the sanctuary of God. It is to be suspected, that complaints of this stamp, originate not from defect, or

What is unfit in scripture songs, but from a vitiated taste in spiritual things. It requires more than unsupported assertion, or mere declamation, to satisfy the mind of him, who wishes to give a reason of his hope, that the songs of inspiration are not fit, as to matter, or not ample, as to variety, for all the purposes of evangelical praise. It is pity, indeed, that any christian should be found, who does not prefer the infallible dictates of the Spirit of grace, to the imperfect, however well intended, effusions of fallible men.

Take, then, this inspired Book; it conveys the balm of consolation to the afflicted heart, directs the emotions of the child of grace, teaches a due estimate of a world of sin and sorrow, cherishes a living hope in a living Redeemer, and furnishes a guide and support for that faith by which the christian lives. Here you find concentrated the light of inspired truth, whence its beams ray out on the night of time-It pours a flood of day on the vale of death, dis sipating its gloom, banishing its terrors, and giving a joyous prospect of the happy regions that lie beyond. Study the other pages of the Book of God a knowledge of them will ena.