thought venerable, when they are far from elegant not to fay, that the Language of our Forefathers, even where it may feem very uncouth at prefent, had in its Tine frequently full as much Propriety and Beauty, as ours. And feveral Words of it have been, for that Reason, revived by fome of our best modern Authors. But at least the Matter, comprifed in the Words, of which I am speaking, is fo highly refpectable, that the Mind, which is affected only by the Phrase, and not by the Sense, must be a light one indeed.

Again, it is true alfo, that the Tunes, to which these Pfalms are fung, are most of them plain and flow; and the Voices of many in the Affembly unharmonious, and apt to be ill-managed. But Tunes, defigned for the Multitude to join in, who have never been regularly instructed, must be plain and flow, and such as they have been accustomed to: for which Purpose the Number fhould be moderate. Ours are many of them recommended, and as it were confecrated, by long Ufage. Confeffors for the Proteftant Cause have compofed them. Martyrs for it have yielded up their dying Breath in them. And feveral of them are thought, by competent Judges, no Way deficient in real Melody.

Melody. Amongst a Variety of People, Part of them with bad Ears, and moft of them with untaught Voices, there will be fome, that had better totally abftain; only attending to the Senfe, as well as the Sound, of what is uttered by the rest; and others, that should moderate themselves to a prudent Degree of Lowness, till they have learnt, how to exert themselves more properly. But all who are, or can be qualified, and there are few who cannot, should bear fuch a Part as they are able. It may be done, without in the leaft difordering the more fkilful Singers, who perform the very ufeful Office of raifing and fupporting the Tune. This in many Congregations is done by the Organ, the Charity Children, or both. But then the Organ fhould exprefs the Tunes plainly and distinctly, and make very moderate Intervals between the Lines; the Children fhould be taught to fing in exact Time and Concert with it; and the whole Congregation should accompany them fervently, yet with Prudence. Taking this Care, though there should still happen to be fome little Discords, they would be intirely loft in the general Chorus: the Effect of which would be noble and elevating, if we took rightly into our Thoughts the whole of

the

the Matter, instead of cavilling at minute Particulars.

Confider the Nature of a wild Multitude, in its original favage State, met together at the Call of fome vehement ungoverned Paffion : how alarming the Concourse, how frightful and horrid the confused and hideous Cries of it muft be. Then confider the fame Multitude, foftened and cultivated by the gentle Influences of Religion, and unanimously affembling at stated Seafons, to fing forth the Praises of the wife and good Parent of all, and echo to each other the Precepts of a rational and mild and beneficent Life here, as the Means of obtaining eternal Felicity hereafter. Can there be a happier Change of Scene, a fweeter and more pleasing View? And fuppofe the Harmony made by them were ever fo little better, than houting unto God with the Voice of Triumph, as the Scripture expreffes it, and making a joyful Noife unto the Rock of their Salvation': yet what worthy and humane and pious Heart is there, that would not be charmed with the Sound, and zealously join in it? We are disposed thus on other Occafions. Amongst our Ancestors, who judged of Propriety as difcreetly as our

1 Pf. xlvii. 1. XCV. 1.

felves,

felves, (to fay no more) the very highest joined humbly and cheerfully with the lowest of their Fellow Christians in the Duty of Pfalmody, however artlessly performed. And I intreat you to reflect what it is, either to disdain, or be afhamed, or be too indolent, to lift up our Voices to the Honour of our Maker, when we come into his House profeffedly to worship him, and he hath commanded that one Part of his Worship shall be this.

But if we will not employ our Lips in the Service, we may ftill fix our Minds upon it: at least, we should not hinder others from doing either. And particularly we should abstain from giving the bad Example, and the Offence, of indecently holding Converfation at that Time: for which there cannot furely be so preffing an Occafion, but that it may very safely be deferred till after Church, if not altogether omitted.

In the finging of Pfalms, different Perfons ufe different Poftures. The Profe Pfalms, I believe, are and ever have been repeated by all Perfons every where, ftanding. In the Verfe Pfalms we all ftand at the Doxology. And in what goes before, the Reason for doing it is exactly the fame, and a very ftrong one that the whole is fung to the Glory of God, and of

ten

ten directly addreffed to God. Accordingly we read in the Old Teftament, that not only the Levites were to fland every Morning to thank and praife the Lord, and likewife at Even", but that when they waited with Inftruments of Mufic to praise the Lord, all Ifrael flood"; and again, that they said to the People, stand up, and bless the Lord your God. We read likewife, that in a Vifion of St. John, in the Book of Revelation, a great Multitude, which no Man could number, food before the Throne, and cried with a loud Voice, Salvation to our God; and in another, that they who had gotten the Victory over the Beast, food and fang the Song of Mofes, and of the Lamb. Standing therefore, as it is plainly the fittest Pofture in itself, is the authorized one alfo: and were it more uncommon than it is, would be far from a dishonourable Singularity. But ftill, as very many in most Congregations, either have by long Habit been prejudiced in Favour of fitting, or, though they difapprove the Cuftom, feel a Difficulty of quitting it, unless every one did: they should not be cenfured for a Practice by which they mean nothing amifs; but kindly encouraged to an