ble you to understand and to apply this sacred manual of inspired song; but exchange it not for the shallow poetry of erring man. This leads me to My third argument: THE SUPERIOR EX- CELLENCE OF INSPIRED PSALMS. any my design to derogate from the merit of man's productions. Claim for them all the respect you justly can; still they are human. The structure is the work of man, and must be imperfect. The sentiment must be comparatively feeble, the views narrow, and the thought shallow. Will not the effect be proportionably superficial? the effect cannot be more perfect than its cause. Is it not likewise to be expected, that man's moral imperfections will tinge his fairest works? But how highly elevated, above all this, is the character of the liv. ing word of God, in Zion's inspired' songs! There we find unspotted purity; the holiness of God transcribed. In those compositions is depth of thought, fulness of meaning, and an energy, which evinces their divine original. It is not merely the lighter powers of the mind that these address, nor the transient affections of the heart, which they awaken. The harp, the organ, the well modulated voice, are all adequate to the production of such effects. The language of inspiration does more. It seizes the mind, arrests the understanding, subju. gates the will, purifies the conscience, elevates and regulates the affections, and transforms into its own image, the whole man. Who dare venture, to assert these things of the best productions of uninspired men? The christian will not forget, that the Book of Psalms was dictated by the Spirit of God, and contains very remarkable exhibitions of his diversified operations on the human heart, in the various circumstances, in which he places, or finds the saint. And, if he say, he esteems more highly the psalms, which are the production of the Spirit that sanctifies him, than he does the imperfect works of feeble man; let not his more liberal neighbor, who professes to see no difference between them, or, perhaps, who prefers the latter, brand his character with the odious appellation of bigot. The preference of the one, may have more of the semblance of modern liberality, that of the other, has not less of the character of ancient piety. I hold myself justified in choosing the best ver sion of inspired compositions, rather than the most perfect effusions of uninspired man.* I HAVE NOT INDUBITABLE EVIDENCE OF THE PROPRIETY OF USING HUMAN COMPO SURES IN THE PSALMODY OF THE CHURCH. This is my fourth reason. And I hesitate more, when I uniformly see the admission of such, exclude those of the Spirit's inditing. We should not venture, if a pure offering be in our power, to present to God one of a doubtful character. The denunciations of divine displeasure against those who do so, • Milton, whose genius, it is somewhere said, "might have harmoniously mingled with the angels that announced the Mes siah to be come," makes one of the devices of Satan against the Savior, an attempt to turn his attention to "Eolian charms and Dorian lyric odes," rather than to the hymns, and psalms, and Hebrew songs, of inspiration. And the language, by which he represents the Redeemer repelling the assault, is applicable, not only to the productions of the Grecian muse, but to all human composures, ▸ when put in competition with the word of God: Remove their swelling epithets thick laid Such are from God inspired,"-Parad· regained, B. 4. He needs to be but slightly acquainted, with the hymn books of the day, to percieve an affected air of familiarty, in addressing, or in speaking of, he Redeemer of men, which is as inconsistent with the dignity of worship, as with reverence. It is the cant of enthusiasm, which is equally abhorrent to good sense, and devout feeling. 1 should not be forgotten.* We are sure the language of inspiration, furnished us by God himself, will not be unacceptable in our offerings to him. But are we certain, after our rejection of his, that our own will find, before him,a gracious acceptance? When God furnishes us with words for a special purpose, let us prefer them to all others. In so doing we shall honor him. The Redeemer of souls, at a most interesting crisis of his mediation, poured forth the addresses of his heart in the language of the Book of Psalms. With that which is doubtful, in the worship of God, we should not venture. He pronounces himself a jealous God. I know, indeed, that the thoughtless temerity of the spirit of innovation, is not likely to be deterred in its progress, by fear of divine disapprobation. There is usually, in such cases, the prevalence of some powerful passion, the boisterousness of whose rage, drowns, for the time, the suggestions of caution, and, not unfrequently, the authoritative voice of God himself. Until the storm shall have subsided, and the charm of novelty ceased to captivate, it is vain to hope, • Mal. 1. 14. that attention will be seriously turned, to a diligent comparison of such courses with the word of God. There is, notwithstanding, entertained a confident hope, that the time in which impious license has been taken with the Book of Psalms, has nearly expired. Whether there be danger of a corruption of worship, in the instance before us, or, a ground of charge for taking away any portion of the word of God, from its appointed use, deserves the careful inquiry of all concerned. The Holy One of Israel has encircled his institutions with a solemnity, which prohibits profane intrusion. The whole limit of his mountain is most holy. Hear what he says and lay it to heart. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.* Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar↑. This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart fur from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men‡. But in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the * Deut. 12. 32. † Prov, 30, 6. + Isa. 29. 13. |