wo D I so OUTS es- Jon^ (d \\\ •V .^ .^.;.V-'X. FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY '^5Y^ i ' .;' 'v ''■;:-^ ^K- |ft -' !■ - - "' .-. -^^v. r- 1, V ■ '• - •' ' ' > » •"^ • j^; ■ • '•.••' •^ ^'' '• ". . M- ; r -'"O ■» >'. / ■ '■ " *> ' ' =>;^vH-r ■•'-' :' '''i";"i; 'v-^^ )-0' '■','. ','*;' ,' >"/^'-. •- \ T W O , 'SCOURSE THE ON"^ ^n PRAY E R, T H E O T H E R On SINGING of Psalms, From I COR. xiv.^ 15^. In whieK are fhewn The Obligation to thefe 1) tr t i e s ; the Nature of theni; ^nd the Manner and Ufefulncfs of performing them. » » ' " ' , '■ ■ • ■ • " • "; ' ■ ' 3 By JOHN GILL, D-D. ' .III. I Ill I I . I I I I ^ The Second Edition. L N D N: L-inted rnd Sold by G. Keith at Mercer's Chapel^ VJalheapfidt ; ani} J. Robinson at Bock-head^ South- •k. M.DCC.LI. ^PriQe SIX-PENCfE.J N \ ^S^' i [ 3 ] J^QV ^2 193! I Cor. xiv. 15. former Part. IVhat is it then ?- I will pray with the Spirit, and will pray ^^nth the under {landing aljb, TH E defign of this epiftle is chiefly to re- prove the Church at Corinth for the di- vifions and contentions, which were there fomented and kept up on account of theii: minifters ; fome being for Paul, fome for Apollo, and others for Cephas, and to remove fome irregu- lar practices from among them, which were either openly avowed or connived at by them ; fuch as continuing a wicked perfon in their communion, going to law with one another before heathen ma- giflrates, and tlie diforderly attendance of many of them at the Lord's table.. The apoflile having finilhed this part of his defign, does, in the twelfth chapter, largely infill on the fubjedt of fpiritual gifts ; where he gives an account of the diveriity of them, of their author, and of their various ufeful- nefs in the church of Chrift ; for which reafon he exhorts the members of this church to covet them carneflly, though he would not have them depend on them, fince they are not faving. In the thir- teenth chapter, he prefers charity or love to them, and fhews, that without this they are ufelefs and un- profitable to thofe who have them, In this four- teenth chapter, he prefles them to " follow after *' charity, and defire fpiritual gifts, but rather, " fays he, that ye may prophefy." He proves, by many arguments, and efpecially by that taken from edification, that prophefying in a known language, in th€ mother tongue, which is underftood by the people, is preferable to the gift of fpeaking in an A unknovYi) 4 A Difcourfe on Prayer. unkno"^n language, not underftood by the people, and fo unedifying to them. It is evident, that by prophefying, he means not only preaching, but praying, fince he inflances in it, and argues, in the words preceding my text, thus : " For if I pray in *' an unknown tongue, my fpirit prayeth, but my " underftanding is unfruitful ;" h. e. when I pray in an unknown language, being under the infpira- tion of the Spirit of God, I make ufe of that ex- traordinary gift which he has beftowed upon me, and my own fpirit is indeed refrefhed by it : But what I my fclf conceive, underftand, and exprefs, is ufelefs and unprofitable to others, who do not Underftand the language in which I pray ; there- fore, fays he, in the words of my text, " What is *' it then ?" What is to be done in this cafe ? What is moft: prudent and advifeable ? What is moft eligi- ble and defireable ? Muft \ not pray with the Spirit at all ? Shall I not make ufe of that extraordinary fift which the Spirit has beftowed upon me ? Shall entirely negled: it, and lay it aftde ? No, " I will ** pray with the Spirit ♦," I will make ufe of the gift I have J but then it fhall be in fuch a way and man- ner, as that I fhall be underftood by others, " I •' will pray with the underftanding alfo." In thefe words may be confider'd, I. The work and bufinefs of prayer, which the apcftle refolved in the ftrength of Chrift, and, by the aftiftance of his Spirit, to be found in the performance of ; " I will pray, &cy il. The manner in which he is defirous of per- forming this duty; " with the Spirit, and *' with the underftanding alfo." I. I fhall confider the work and bufinefs of pray- l^r, which the apoftle refolved, in the ftrength of Chrift, and by the afTiftance of his Spirit, to be found in the performance of. It will not be amifs, under 4 this A Difcourfe on Prayer, 5 this head, to enquire into the obje^l of prayer, the feveral parts of it, and its different kinds. I fhail begin, I . With the objecl of prayer, which is not any mere creature. Prayer is a part of religious wor- Ihip, which is due to God only. To addrefs a creature in fuch a folemn manner is idolatry. This is a fin the Gentiles ^ have been notorioufly guilty of, who have paid their devoirs this way, both to animate and inanimate creatures. The idolatrous heathen is thus defchbed by the prophet ^', " He *' maketh a god his graven image •, he falleth down ■ " unto it, and worfhippeth it, and prayeth unto it, *' and faith, deliver me, for thou art my god.'* Such a pra6lice as this, is an argument of great ig- /lorance and ftupidity ^ * ** They have no knowr " ledge, that fet up the wood of their graven image, ** and pray unto a god that cannot fave." 'Tis no wonder that their prayers fhould be in vain \ fmce^ *' their idols are filver and gold, the work of meiis *' hands : They have mouths, but they fpeak not; " eyes have they, but they fee not •, they have ears, " but they hear not.^' They are infenfible of the wants of their votaries, and unable to help them ; they are not in a capacity to give them the leail re- lief, or beftow the leaft temporal mercy on them : • " Are there any among the vanities of the Gen- *' tiles that can caufe rain ? or can the heavens give •' fhowers.'* Art not thou he, O Lord, our God? *' therefore we will wait upon thee -, for thou haft *' made all thefe things." The Papifts have fol- lowed the Pagans in their idolatrous prayers * to aagels, the virgin Mary, and other faints departed, And even to many that were not faints -, but it may A 2 be * What the Heathens pray'd to their Gods for, and what rites and ceremonies they ufed in prayer, fee AUx. ah AUx. Genial. Dierum, 1. 4. c. 17. ^ Ifai. xlit. 17. * lb. c. xlv. 20. * Pfal. cxv. 4, 5, 5. « Jer.xiv. 22. ^ Vid, Roman. Breviar. 6 . A Dijccurfe en Prayer, be faid to them, what EUphaz faid to Job^, in another cafe ^ •" Call now, if there be any that will *' anfwer thee ; and to which of the faints wilt thoQ ."^ttirn?" . God only is, and ought to be the objed of pray- er. " ,My prayer, fays David, fhall be unto the ^' God of my life ^" God has. a right to this part of worfhip from us, as he is the God of our lives, in whom we live, move, and have our being •, who grants us life and favour, and whofe vifitation pre- ferves our fpirits-, who daily follows us with his gcodnefs^ and loads us with his benefits \ to whom we are obliged for every mercy, and on whom the whole fupport and continuance of our beings de- -pend ; and we are under greater obligation ftill, as well as have greater encouragement, to addrcfs the throne of his grace, as he is the God of all grace, who has blefled us with all fpiritual bleflings, in heavenly places, in Chrift Jefus-, all which may afllire us, that his eyes are-.upon us, his ears arc open to our cries, that he has both a heart and a hand to help and relieve us ; he is a God that hears and anfwers prayer, to whom all flefh fhall come, who are fenfible of their need of him, and depend- ance upon him \ his arm is not ihorten'd, that it cannot fave, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear; nor did he ever fay to any of the feed of Jacob, feek ye me in vain. Though the Lord our God is but one Lord; there is but one God, which, with the fcriptures, we aflert, in oppofition to the polytheifm of the Gentiles, who had gods many, and lords many ; yet there is a plurality of Perfons in the Deity *; which arc neither more iil^* fewer tlian Three, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghofl, which Three are One; the Father is God, the Word is God, e Job V. I. ^ Pfal. xlii. 8.* ^ See" my Doarinc of the Trinjty ftated and vindicated, -^V. c. 2. p. 25, ^'c. A Difcourfe on Prayer. J God, and tKe Holy Ghoft is God ; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God. Though the Perfons in the Godhead are more than One, yet the Godhead itfelf is fingle and undivided. Now God in either and each of the three divine PerfonSj may be pray'd unto. It is lawful for us to addrefs in prayer either God the Father, or God the Son, or God the Holy Ghofl: dillin(5lly, though not any of them to the exclufion of the others. This I men^ tion, to difentangle the minds of fome, who may Tiave fome fcruples and hefitations about praying to the diflinct Perfons in the Deity. Now it is eafy to obferve, that there are petitions directed to each of the three Perfons diilindlly ; of which I ihall give fome few mftances from the fcriptures. God the Father is fametimes fingly and diftin6lly prayed unto, though not to the exclufion of the Son or Spirit. It would be too tedious to reckon up all the inftances of this kind : The epiftle to the Epheiians will furnilh us with a fufficient number to our purpofe. In one place, the apoflle fays to them ; ^ '^ I ceafe not to give thanks for you, " making mention of you in my prayers, tha^t the " God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of *' glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wifdom *' and revelation in the knowledge of him •," where God the Father is prayed unto, as diflind: from the Lord Jefus Chrift, whofe God and Father he is, and diftin(5t from the Spirit of wifdom. and revelation, who as fuch is prayed for. And in another place, he fays, ^ '' For this caufe I bow my knees unto *' the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that he " would grant you, according to the riches of his " glory, to be ftrengthened with might, by hi^ " Spirit in the inner man, that Chrift may dwell *' in your hearts by faith " in which pafTage God the Father is addrefled, as the objed of prayer, diftind ^ Eph. i. i6, 17. * lb. ch. iii. 14, 16, 17. 8 A Difcourfe on Prayer. diftindt from Chrift and the Spirit •, the former c^ which he defires might dwell in their hearts by- faith, and that they might be ftrengtlien'd by the latter in their inner man. If thefe inflances were not flitiicient, others might be produced j but about God the Father's being the objed of prayer, there is no queftion nor hefitation. God the Son, the Lord Jefus Chrift, may be diftinfUy prayed unto, of which are many inftance^ in fcripture. Sometimes he is prayed unto in con- jumftion with his Father, as appears from all thofc paflages in the epiftles"", where " grace and peace *' are defired from God our Father, and the Lord *' Jefus Chrift-," and from many others fuch as thefe : " " Now God himfelf, and our Father, and *' our Lord Jefus, direct our way unto you •, and *^ the Lord, b. e. the Lord Jefus, make you to in- •* creafe and abound in love one towards another, *' and towards all men, even as we do towards you •,'* and, in another place, "^'^* Now our Lord Jefus *' Chrift himfelf, and God, evea our Father, which *' hath loved us, and hath given us everiafting con- ** folation and good hope, through grace, comfort '^^ your hearts, and ftablifh you in every good word *^ and work." Sometimes Chrift is prayed unto fingly and alone -, as by Stephen at the time of his death, when he prayed, faying, ^ " Lord Jefus re- *' ceive my fpirit :" By the apoftle Paul "^y when. he had " a thorn in the flefti, the mefTenger of Sataa " to buffet him ; for this, fays he, I befought the " Lord thrice, b. e, the Lord Jefus Chrift, as ap- «' pears from the context, that it might depart from ** me : And he faid unto me, my grace is fufHcient " for thee j for my ftrength is made perfeft in " weak- ^ Rom. i. 7. 1 Cor. i. 3. 2 Cor. i. 2. Gal. i. 3. J£p|i. i. 2. Phil. i. 2. Col. i. 2. 1 Theff. i. i. z Th^ff. i. 2. i Tim. i. .2. 2 Tim. i. 2. Tit. i. 4. Phil'/in. ver. 3. 2]ohn\'«r. 3. Rev.x. 4,1;. n 1 Their, iii. ii» 12. ' • 2 TheC ii. 16, 17. > Aasvii. 5^9. ^ 2 Cor. .\Ji. S, 9. «c A Difcourfe on Prayer. g weaknefs. Mod gladly therefore will I rather *' glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift *' may reft upon me." By the apoftle John, when Chrift faid to him, ' " Surely I come quickly, he *' replies. Amen, even fo, com.e. Lord Jefus." And by many others •, fuch as thofe mentioned by Ana- nias to Chrift, wheii he bid him arife, and go to Saul ', » *' Lord, fays he, I have heard by many of " this man, how much evil he hath done to thy *' faints at Jerufalem •, and here he hath authority " from the chief priefts to bind all that call on thy name. God the Holy Ghoft may be alfo prayed unto, as he is fometimes fingly and alone, and as diftindt from the Father and the Son •, * " The Lord di* " reft your hearts into the love of God, and into " the patient w^aiting for Chrift." By the Lord, 1 underftand the Lord the Spirit, whofe work it is, to dircd the hearts of believers into the love of God, and to fhed it abroad in their hearts -, who is mani- feftly diftinguiftied in this petition from God the Father, into whofe love, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, into a patient waiting for of whom, the hearts of the faints are defired to be direded by him. Sometimxes he is prayed unto diftinftly, in conjunc- tion with the other two Perlbns, as by the apoftle Paul ; " *' The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and " the love of God, and the comm.union of the Holy " Ghoft, be with you all. Amen." And by the apoftle John •, ^ " Grace be unto you, and peace, *' from him which is, and which v/as, and which *' is to come ; and from the {tvtn fpirits which are " before his throne, and from Jefus Chrift, who is " the faithful witnefs." By the feven fpirirs, can- Jiot be meant angels j for it cannot be thought that they, being creatures, ftiould be put upon a level with ' Rev. xxli, 20. ^ A8.six. 14. ^2 ThelT. iii. 5. * 2 Cor.xiii, 14. Z ^^^' ^- 4> 5* lo A Difcourfe on Fraytr. with the ciivine Being, and be with him addrefTed in fuch a folemn manner ; but by them we are to underftand the Holy Spirit of God, who is fo called either in allufion to Ifai. xi. 2. or on account of the feven churches of Afia, to whom John wrote by his dilates, or to denote the perfedion and fulnefs of his gifts and graces. Now though each divine Perfon may be lingly and difl:in(5lly addrefled in prayer, and all Three to- gether being the one God, be confider'd as the ob- jedt of it ; yet, according to the order of the Per- fons in the Deity, and fuitably to their feveral and diftind: parts, which they, by agreemeat, take in the affair of man's falvation, God the Father, the iirft Perfon, is generally addreffed as the object of prayer, though not to the exclufion of the Son and Spirit : Chrift is the Mediator, by whom we draw nigh to God ; and the Holy Ghoft is the enditer of our prayers, and who aififts in the putting of them up unto him. ' The firfl Perfon is ufually addrefTed in prayer under the charader of a Father, and as our Father; fo Chrift taught his difciples to pray, * " Our Fa- *' ther which art in heaven, ^^." and he is to be confidered in this relation to us, either as the Father of our fpirits, the Author of our beings, by whom we are provided for, fupplied, and fupported in them. In this manner the church in Ifaiah's time applied to him, faying 5 ^ " But now, O Lord, *' thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou *' our potter, and we are all the work of thy hand. *' Be not wroth very fore, O Lord, neither rcmem- ** ber iniquity for ever : behold, fee, we befcech *' thee, we are all thy people.'* Or he may be con- fidered as the Father or Author of our mercies, temporal and fpiritual, which he, in a kind ancj gracious manner, beftow^s on us, through Chrifr, and » Matt. vi. 9. y Ifai. Ixiv. g, 9. A Difcourfe on Prayer. 1 1 and that as the Father of Chrift, and as our Gpd and Father in Chrill. In this vi-ew the apoftle ad- drelTes him, when he fays, "" " Bleffed be God, " even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the *^ Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort." And, in another place %/' Bleffed be the God and " Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed *' us with all fpiritual bleffings in heavenly places in. ** Chrift." Now thefe feveral confiderations fur-' nifh out fo many reafons and arguments to induce and encourage us to apply to him, who is " the *' God of all grace," and is both able and willing to " fupply our need according to his riches in glory " by Chrift Jefus." The fecond Perfon, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is both God and man, is the Mediator between God and man. God, abfolutely confidered, is a " con- " fuming fire j" there is no approaching to him as creatures, and efpecially as finful creatures. Job, was fenfible of this, when he faid, ^ " He is not a *' man as I an), that I ftiould anfwer him, and we " fhould come together in judgment ; neither is " there any days-man betwixt us, that might lay" " his hand upon us both." Now Chrift is the Days-. man, the Mediator, the middle Perfon, who has opened a way for us to God, even " a new and living " way, which he hath confecrated for us, through " the vail, that is to fay, his fleftl^" He himfelf is " the way, the truth, and the life i" he is the way of accefs to God; " through him we, both Jews " and Gentiles, have an accefs, by one Spirit, unto ^' the Fatrher ;" he is the way of acceptance with Godi our perfons are " accepted in the beloved,'* and our '' fpiritual facrifices" of prayer and praife are " acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift:" The prayers of the faints are called *' odours ^ they are ..^zCor.i. 3. a Eph.i. 3. "*» Jobix. 32, 33- *= Heb; X. 20. Johnxiv. 6. Eph. ii. 18. and i. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 5. ^ Rev. V. S. and viii. 3,14. B a A Difcourfe on Prayer. of a fweet fmelling favour to God •, which is owing to the mediation of Chrift, the Angel of God*s pre- fence, who flands continually at the golden altar before the throne, with a golden cenfer in his handv to whom is given much incenfe, with ^yhich he of- fers the prayers of all faints, and which makes them a fweet odour to God. Our encouragements to prayer, and to the exercife of grace in that duty^ are chiefly taken from, and our pleas for the blef-. lings of grace, are founded on thi Perfon, blood,^ righteoufnefs, facrifice, and intercefTion of Chrift. *' Seeing then, fays the apoftle % that we have a *^ great High Prieft, that is paffed into the hea- *' vens, Jefus the Son of God, let us hold faft our ^* profeflion: For we have not an High Prieft *' which cannot be touched with the feeling of our ** infirmities -, but was in all points tempted like as •* we are, yet without fm. Let us therefore come ** boldly to the throne of grace, that we may Qbtain ** mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.'^ And, in another place \ he exhorts and encourages, to this work in much the fame manner ; " Havings *' fays he, an High Prieft over the houfe of God, *^' let us draw near with a true heart, in full afTu- '* ranee of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from ^' an evil confcience, and our bodies wafhed with ♦* pure water." The third Perfon, the Holy Spirit, takes his partj^ and has a peculiar place in this work -, he is the Au- thor of prayer, the Enditer of it, who forms it in our hearts, creates breathings, and defires after fpi- ritual things, ftirs us up to prayer, and alTifts in it. Hence he is called, s " The Spirit of grace and of ^' fupplications ;" both the gift and grace of prayer come from him -, he informs us of our wants, ac- quaints us with our neceffities, teaches us, both ia what manner, and for what, we fKould pray ; for what fHeb.iv. 14,15,16. 'lb. chx. 2^,22. * ?cch. xii, i o. A Difcourfe on Pray&\ %f what his mod fuitable for us, and agreeable to the will of God to beftow on us, and helps us under aU our infirmities in prayer *, which is obferved by the apoftle, for the ufe, inftrucflion, and comfort of be- lievers j when he fays^, " Like wife the Spirit alfa '' helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what *' we (hould pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit *' itfelf maketh interceflion for us with groanings *' which cannot be uttered ; and he that fearcheth *' the hearts^ knoweth what is the mind of the " Spirit, becaufe he maketh interceiTion for the " faints^ according to the will of God." As Chrift is our Advocate with the Father, pleads our caufe, and makes interceflion at the right hand of God for the acceptation of our perfons and prayers, fo the Holy Spirit is our Advocate within us ; he m.akes interceffion for us in our own hearts ; he puts flrength into us ; he fills our mouths with arguments j and enables us to plead with God. Chrift is the Me- diator, through whom, and the Spirit, the AlTifter, by whom we have accefs to the Father. God^ aa the God of all grace, kindly invites us to himfelf ; Chriflj the Mediator, gives us boldnefs j and the Spirit of grace, freedom and liberty in our accefs unto him ; and this is what the fcriptures call ' " praying " with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and *' praying in the Holy Ghoil." But of this more hereafter. I proceed, 2. To confider the feveral parts of prayer; in which I do not defign to prefcribe any precife form of praying, but to obferve to you the method and. matter of it, which may ferve to direct and aflift you in it. It is proper to begin this work with a cele- bration and adoration of fome one or m.ore of the divine perfection« ; which will at once have a ten- dency to ftrike our minds with a proper fenfe of the dii'ine Majefty, glorify him, and encourage us i^i B 2 our ^ Rom.viii. 26, 27. ^ Eph.vl. 18. Jude, *i';r. 20, ^» tJf. A Dijccurfe en Prayer. our fupplications to him -, all which is highly nc- cefTary in our entrance on it. All the perfeAions of God are inftrudirv^e to us in this work, and ferve to influence our minds and afFecbions towards him, command our fear and reverence of him, engage our faith in him, ftrengthen our dependance on him, and raife in us expectations of receiving good things from him. The greatnefs, glory, power, and ma- jelly of God, the holinels, purity, and righteoufnefs of his nature, oblige us to an humble fubmifiion to him, and reverential awe of him. The confidera- don of his love, grace, mercy, and goodnefs, will not fuffer his dread to make us afraid. We learn from his omnifcience, that he knows not only our perfons, but our wants, and what is moft fuitable for us, when the moft convenient feafon, and which the beft way and manner to beftow it on us. It can be no fmall fatisfaflion to us, '' that all things are na- *' ked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom •' we have to do ^" the thoughts of our hearts are not hid from him -, the fecret ejaculations of our minds are known to him •, the breathings and defires of our fouls are before him -, he underftands the lan- guage of a figh and groan •, and when we chatter like a crane or a fwallow, it does not pafs unob- ferved by him. His omnipotence afTures us that nothing is too hard for him, or impoffible to him ; that he is " able to do exceeding abundantly above ** all that we afk or think -," that we can't be in fuch a low eftate, or diftrefled condition, or attended with fuch fbreights and difficulties ; but he is able to relieve, deliver, and fave us. We conclude from his omniprefence, that he fills the heavens and the earth ; that he is in all places, at all times ; that he is a God at hand, and a God afar off; that he is near unto us, where-ever we are, ready to afTift us, and will be *' a very prefent help in trouble." His immutahi- lity in his counfel, and fairhfulnefs in his covenant, yield A Difcourfe on Prayer. tg yield the " heirs of promife ftrong confolation.** Thefe give us reafon to beHeve that not one of the good things which the Lord has promifed fhall ever fail -, that what he has faid, he will do • and what he has either purpofed or promifed, he will bring to pafs : " He will not fuffer his faithfulnels to fail ^ " his covenant he will not break, nor alter the thing " that is gone out of his lips." You fee that the no^ tice of thefe things is necefiary, both for the glory of God and our own comfort. It is alfo very proper, when we begin our addrefs to God, to make men* tion of fome one or more of his names and titles, as Jehovah, Lord, God, &c. and of the relations he Hands in to us ; not only as the God of nature, the Author of our beings, the Donor of our mercies, and the Prefen^er of our lives, but as the God of grace, the Father of Chrifl, and our Covenant- God, and Father in Chrift. After this manner our Lord directed his difciples to pray, faying, " Our " Father which art in heaven, 6rV." In the next place, it highly becomes us to ac- knowledge our meannefs and unworthinefs, to make confefTion of our lins and tranfgrefTions, and pray for the frelh difcoveries and manifeftations of par- doning love and grace. When we enter into the divine prefence, and take upon us to fpeak unto the Lord, we fhould own with Abraham ^^ that we are *' but dull and afhes •," and with Jacob ', that we are '* not worthy of the leaft of all the mercies, and *' of all the truth which God has fhewed unto us." ConfefTion of fin, both of our nature and of our lives, is a very proper and necefTary part of this work. This has been the pracflice of the faints in all ages ; as of David, which appears from his own words ° ; *' I acknowledge my fin unto thee, and " mine iniquity have I not hid : I faid, I will con- " fefs my tranfgrefTions unto the Lord, and thou ^' for- ^ Gen. xviii- 27. * Chap, xxxii. 10. *" PfaJ xxxii. 5. J 6 A Difcourfe on Prayer. *« forgaveft the iniquity of my fm." So Daniel^ when he fet his face unto the Lord God, to feek by prayer and fupplications^ made confeflion both of his own and of the fins of others ; " I prayed unto •' the Lord my God, fays he "^ and made my con- *^ feflion, and faid, O Lord) the great and dread- ♦* ful God^ keeping the covenant, and mercy to •* them that love him, and to them that keep his *' commandments. We have fmned and commit- *' ted iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have ** rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, *' and from thy judgments •, neither have we hear- *' ken'd unto thy fervants the prophet, which fpake •' in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our *' fathers, and to all the people of the land." And the apollle John, for the encouragement of be- lievers in this part of the duty of prayer, fays " " If " we confefs our fms, he, h. e. God, is juft and •* faithful to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us *' from all unrighteoufnefs :" Not that confeflion of fm is either the procuring caufe, or means, or condition of pardon, and cieanfing, which are both owing to the blood of Chrift; in juftice and faith- fuinefs to which, and him that fhed it, God forgives the fins of his people, and cleanfes them from them 5 but the defign of the apoftle is to Ihew that fin is in the faints, and is committed by them, and that con- feflion of fin is right and acceptable in the fight of God ; and, to animate and encourage them to it, he takes notice of the juftice and faithfulnefs of God in pardoning and cieanfing his people, through the blood of Chrift, which, as he had a little before ob-* ferved, " cleanfeth from all fin." Nay, we are not only to make confeflion of fin in prayer, but to pray for the pardon and forgivenefs of it. Chrift direded his difciples to this part of their duty, when he bid them pray after this manner p ; " Forgive us our " debts, ^ Dan. ix. 4,5,6. • i Johiii. 9. p M*tt. vi. xz. A Difcourfe on Frayer. iy ^* debts, as we forgive our debtors.'* This has beeix the conftant practice of the faints, as' of Mofes ^ j " O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongft ^' us, and pardon our iniquity and our fin, and *' take us for thine inheritance." Of David ' ; ^' For thy name's fake, O Lord, pardon mine ini- " quity, for it is great." Yea, he fays ' to the Lord, ^' For this, fhall every one that is godly pray unto *' thee, in a time v/hen thou mayeft be found.'* And of Daniels " O Lord, hear^ O Lord, for- " give ♦, O Lord, hearken and do, defer not, for ^' thine own fake, O my God ♦, for thy city and thy ^' people are called by thy name.'' Now it ought to be obferved, that very frequently when the faints pray, either for the forgivenefs of their own, or others fms, their meaning is, that God would, in a providential way, deliver them out of prefent dillrefs, remove his afflicting hand, which lies heavy on them, or avert fuch judgments which feem to hang over their heads, an4 very much threaten them ', which, when he does, is an indication of his having par- doned them. We are to underftand many petitions of Mofes % Job"^, Solomon % and others, in this fenfe : Befides, when believers now pray for the par- don of fin, their meaning is not that the blood of Chrift ftiould be flied again for the remiflion of their fms ; or that any new a(5l of pardon ihould arife in God's mind, and be paiTed by him ; but that they might haye the fenfe, the manifeftation, and appli- cation of pardoning grace to their fouls. We are not to imagine, that as often as the faints fin, re- pent, confefs their fins, and pray for the forgivenefs of them, that God makes and pafTes new a6ls of pardon \ for he has, by one eternal and compleat a6l of grace, in the view of his Son's blood and fa^rifice, freely and fully forgiven ail the trefpaiTes of « Exod. xjpciv. 9. ' Pfal. xxv. 1 1 . » Pfal. xxxii. 6. * Dan. ix. 19. " Exod. xxxii. 32. Numb. xiv. 19, 20. *^ Jpkvii. 21, » I Kings viii. 30, 34,^36, 39, 50. \ l8 • A Difccurfs on Prayer, of his chofen ones, all their fins palV, prefent, and to come ', but whereas tliey daily fin againfl God, grieve his Spirit^ and wound their own confciences, they have need of the frcih fprinklings of the blood of Jefus, and of renewed manifeftations of pardon to their fouls ^ and it is both their duty and intereft to attend the throne of grace on this account. Another part and branch of prayer lies in putting up petitions to God for good things, temporal and fpiritual mercies, the bleflings of nature and of grace. As we ought to live in a dependance on divine pro- vidence, fo we Ihould daily pray for the common fuilenance of our bodies, the comfort, fupport, and prefervation of our lives •, as our Lord has taught us, faying^, " Give us this day our daily bread." Our requeils in this way ought, indeed, to be fre- quent, but not large ; we fhould not feek great things for ourfelves. Agur's prayer "^ is a proper copy for us to follow ; " Two things, fays he to *' the Lord, have I required of thee, deny me ** them not before I die-, remove far from me '^ vanity and lies : Give me neither poverty nor ** riches ; feed me with food convenient for me^ *' left I be full and deny thee, and fay, who is the- ** Lord ^ or left I be poor and fteal, and take the ** name of my God in vain." The fpiritual blef- fings we ftiould aflc for, are fuch as God has laid up in the covenant of grace, which is ordered in all things, and fure, Chrift has procured by his blood, the gofpel is a revelation of, and the Spirit of God m akesinterceflion for in our ov/n hearts, according to the will of God j for thefe things we ftiould " pray ** in faith, nothing wavering ^ j for this is the con- *' fidence that we have in him, h. e. God, that if *' we afk any thing according to his will, he heareth '^ us j and if we know that he hear us, whatfoever " we y Matth. vi. n. ^ Prpv. xxx. 7, 8, 9. • James i. Q.- I John V. 1 4, J c . • 8 A Difccurfe on Prayer, ig ** v/e alk, we know that we have the petitions that *' we defired of him.'* When we pray for fpecial mercies, fpiritual bleffings, fuch as converting grace for unconverted friends and relations, we ought tp pray in fubmiflion to the fecret will of God. Thankfgiving for mercies received, is another thing which we fhould not be forgetful of at the throne of grace ; '* In every thing, by prayer and *' fupplication, v/ith thankfgiving, fays the apoflle\ " let your requefls be made known to God." As we have always mercies to pray for, fo likewife ta return thanks for ; it becomes us to " continue in *' prayer %" for conftant fupplies from heaven, and to " watch in the fame with thankigiving," b. e. to Wait for the bleflings we have been praying for ; and when we have received them, to watch for a proper opportunity, and make ufe of it, to " offer *' the facrifice of praife to God, that is, the fruit of " our lips, giving thanks to his name." When this part is neglected, it is highly refented by the Lord,; as appears from the cafe of the ten lepers'', wheji *' one of them faw that he was healed, turned back;, *' and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell " down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; *' And he was a Samaritan ; upon which our Lord •' fays, Were there not ten cleanfed ^ but where are *' the nine ? there are not found that returned to " giv^ g^ory to God, fave this flranger.'* Before we conclude the exercife of this duty, it Is proper to deprecate fuch evils from us, which are either upon us, or we know we are liable to, or may befal us j fuch as the temptations of Satan, the fnares of the world, the diflrelTes of life, public calamities, fcfr. This v/as in part pra'flifed by Daniel : " O " Lord, fays he % according to all thy righteouf- " nefs, ^ Phil. iv. 6. « Col. iv. 2. ^ LukejTi'ii. 15, 16, 17, i8* * Dan. ix. 16. 20 A Difcourfe on Prayer. " nefs, I befeech thee, let thine anger and thy fury *' be turned away from thy city Jerufalem, thy holy *' mountain •, becaufe for our fins, and for the ini- ** quities of our fathers, Jerufalem and thy people *' are become a reproach to all that are about us.** And this is intimated by Chrifl to his difciples, in that excellent dire6tory of prayer he gave them, part of which was this ; * " Lead us not into tempta- *' tion, but deliver us from evil." At the clofe of this work of prayer, it is neceflary to make ufe of doxologies, or afcriptions of glory to God •, as we begin with God, we fliould end with him ; as in the entrance on this duty, we afcribe greatnefs to him, fo at the conclufion of it we ihould afcribe glory to him. Such an afcription of glory to God, we find, was ufed by Chrifl at the end of the prayer he taught his difciples, in this manner ; * " Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the •' glory." By the apoflle Paul ^ in this form ; *' Unto him, h. e. God, be glory in the church, by *' Chrifl Jefus, throughout all ages, world without *' end." And in another place thus' ; " Now unto •' the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only " wife God, be honour and glory, for ever and *' ever." By the apoflle Jude in thefe words ^ ; *' Now unto him that is able to keep you from " falling, and to prefent you faultlefs before the •' prefence of his glory, with exceeding joy ; to the *' only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majefly, *' dominion and power, both now and ever." And by the apoflle John after this manner'; " Unto *' him that hath loved us, and waflied us from our '^ fins in his own blood, and hath m.ade us kings and *^ priefls unto God and his Father •, to him be glory " and dominion for ever and ever." Thefe, and fuch like afcriptions of glory to God, Father, Son, and ^ Matt. vi. 13. g Ibid. ^ Eph. ifi. 21. ' i Tim, i. 1 7. ^ Jude, ver. 24, 25. ^ Rev. i. 5, 6. / A Difcmrfe on Prayer. 2 1 and Spirit, are neceflary at the finifhing of our flip- plications, fince the mercies and bleffings wc have b.een either petitioning, or returning thanks for, come from him •, befides, they ferve to fhew forth the praifes of God, and to exprefs our fenfe of gra- titude to him, our dependance upon him, and our expectation of receiving good things from him. The whole of this exercife of prayer Ihould be concluded with pronouncing the word Amen \ as a t.eflification of our hearty aflent to what we have ex- prefTed, and of our fincere defires and wifhes, that what we have been praying for might be accom- plifhed, and of our full and firm perfuafion and af- fured belief that God is able, willing, and faithful to perform all that he has promifed, and give what- foever we have been afking of him, according to his ^yill. But I proceed, 3. To confider the feveral forts and kinds of prayer, or the various diftributions into which it may be made, or the different views in which it may be confidered, Prayer may be confidered either as mental or vo-? cal. Mental prayer is what is only conceived in the mind ; it confifls of fecret ejaculations in the heart, which are not expreffed with an audible and articu- late voice. Such was the prayer of Hannah, of whom it is faid '" ; that " as fhe continued praying *' before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth, *^ Now Hannah fhe fpake in her heart, only her ^^ lips moved •, but her voice was not heard, thercr " fore Eli thought fhe had been drunken." Vocal prayer is that which, being conceived and formed in the heart, is expreffed by the tongue, in words, with an audible and articulate voice, fo as to ^be heard and underflood. This the prophet intends, when he fays " ; '' Take with you words, and turn f^ unto the Lord, fay unto him. Take away all ini- C 2 " 4^i^yi f I Sam. i. 12, 13. " Hof. xiv. 2. 22 A Difcduf'fe 071 Prayer, *' quity, and receive us gracioufly ; fo will we reris- *' der the calves of our lips," Again, prayer may be confidered either as private or public. Private prayer is that which is either performed in the family, by the head or mailer of it, the reft joining with him in it, or by a fociety of Chriftians in a private houfe, or by a fingje per- fon, in fecret and alone ; concerning which Chriil gives thefe directions and inftra.u}'j' Ttirov (puai ^vo (3.C?iy5 oivn'hn(^itxi hTv ex run Effji^. 'flv ^oirifov {Ai'v, tftva; -crspt/;)/?* ©iiJy, t K}\.oyi c-(ji.ov oi ^ctaiXiicH ^.a to oivTiCov. Paulo poH", osVa ^e Wi ra ti? t>j\ riu^-^v anj'xovja rcov wafi' UVlcu; QlMf, jC r-^V AtyVTp/.U.V 'ILvSBoHSCV CD-jpie'p^OJ/lo." "oJO» lUifl ^VfAuluVf AUfc* Stromat. 1.6. p. 635 Ed. Pari f ,^ ' hfjitfuv 01 f»? ^Epa-arftav To^v feJEo/)/, xay r,v in rpt? m TElpaxt;, xa.\tt rr,v Ictij K^ ryi» Ecw/pay, fjuscref'avb'jlx rl rev r,}\.iov >o 'crpos ^ycriv Ko[[a,(pifofi,tyov r8r^<; viMoSilei;: Pcrp%yr. de Abftinent. I.4. ^.8. p. 153. £d. Cantahr. €>ibi» dneniiXdv')^ iV'xa'i. It). '§.12. p. 168. / A Difcourfe onfinging ofPfalms. 3 9 " from the body, they fing an hymn, and die '." And, in another place, explaining that fymbol of Py- thagoras, " That drink-offerings are to be poured " out to the gods, by the ear of the cups ; by this, " fays he, is intimated, that we ought to honour the *« gods, and fing hymns to them with mufic, for " tnis goes through the ears ""'. Very remarkable is a pafTage of Arrianus, the ftoic philosopher •, " If, *' fays he, we are intelligent creatures, what elfe " fhould we do, both in public and private, than ^' to fmg an hymn to the Deity, to fpeak well of " him, and give thanks unto him ? Should we not, '' whether digging or plowing, or eating, fmg an '^ hymn to God ? Great is God, who has given us " thefe inftruments, by which we till the earth. " Great is God, that has given us hands, a faculty '' of fwallowing, and a belly ; that we fecretly grow " and increafe, and that, whilft we fleep, we breathe ; " each of thefe things ought to be taken notice of in " an hymn : But the greateft and moft divine hymn " we ought to fmg is, that he has given us a reafon- ^' able faculty of ufmg thefe things in a right way: " What fhall I fay, fmce many of you are blind ? " ought not fome one to fill up this place, and give *' out an hymn to God for you all ? If I was a " nightingale, I would do as a nightingale ; and if " a fwan, as a fwan; but fince I am a rational crea- *' ture, I ought to praife God ; this is my work ; " this I will do ; nor will I defertthis ftation to the " utm.oft of my power •, and I exhort you to the felf " fame fong"." And in another place he fays, " This ^ Ilyfi TO cruyua, 'srcc^ci^ovlit;^ ottu^ Si xccQoi^ulioTriV aTrcxfivua-i ra cru' fjiscl©^ Try ■vVv%'5>' Optf/X£vot TsAsylwcrty. Ibid, §. l8. p. I 70. " S-TTcv^ag TE 'croi£r<79ai Tor? QioTq xotlcc to »? Tuv tK'srafA.acruv. 'Ej>- Isyflsv 7a p YivWlP.e Ti/xay Ta? ©£»$ xj vfAveTv rv jxao-ixr, avrn yoif ^ta turuv x^per. lb. de vita Pythag. p. 200. Ed. Cantabr, " 'Et "yap vav i\yji\t.iv ^ a.>Ovi Ti e^ei *)|M.a? ^ rov jxeytrov, sTtoci rlv TuvTr,'; EJiTrXrifyfla Tvjv ;)^a;pav, jcJ vinfi mrccfiuv t>ta.oidoi]a, rov vfjuvov tlv Uq rev ©£61/ ; h ySv drt^uv r/{A.m, liroiav ra, rn^ drjovt^y h xv)cv<^ to. Ttt Ki'Kve, \vv ^l y^uyixi; hiA.i, Cpwi' fja ^sT top 0i6v raro /x« to ifyov ert- rioiw d'JTo, ao' iyy.ocroc'hi\-\'ijj 'X■i^v rativ ravTYiv^ t(p6^ov av dioolat* kJ vf^dq IttI ty.v cIvIyiv rocvrnv u^nv crapaxj^XaJ. An tan Epiilet. 1. i. C. l6, p 127, 128. Ed. Cautabr. ° Ka» ^'?M i^ taro to tfyr^v jjp, vyL.v{ki rov Qioiy x^ ocilbv tir l/x-at/'I^, kJ irrpo? £ya, x^ -arpo? -nroXTitf?. Jb. 1. 3. C 26. p. 3^Q. P Pburnutus de natura deorum, p. 22, 23. Ed. Gale. •J He> o^otus dc y'lta. Homcri, C 9. p. 58. Ed. Grono^j. ' Pau/anias in Fkccicisy five 1. lO. p. 620. Ed. Hanoi;. . * Opera, p- 551- Ed. Pari/. 4°. 1630, of thefe hymns to the gods, itcmovQ'mAlex.'shAkx. Genial. Dier. I.4. c. 17. propQ finem. A Difccurfe onfinging of Pfahns. 4 1 were direfted to it •, and confequently that it is a part of natural religion and moral worfliip. Moreover, 2 . It is evident, that the people of God fung fongs of praife to him before the law was given by Mofes. When the Lord fo remarkably appeared for the chil- dren of Ifrael, by delivering them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and .carrying them fafely through the Red-Sea, though their enemies were drowned in it ^ ** Then fang Mofes and the children of Ifrael this ** fong, unto the Lord, and fpake, faying, I will *' fmg unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed glo- ** rioufly ; the horfe and his rider hath he thrown " into the fea', i^c" Miriam and the Ifraelitifh women, fung the fame. This is the firll fong the fcriptures make mention of; though, the Jews "fay, Adam fung one before. Now, by what law did the Ifraelites fing this fong } it could not be by the Le- vitical law -, for that fyllem of laws was not as yet given to that people ; and when that body of laws was delivered to them, we do not find that fmging of God's praifes was any part of it ; it is not to be met with in the whole body of Jewilh laws, given out by Mofes ; why then Ihould it be reckoned of ceremonious, inflitution, or a part of worlhip pecu- liar to the Old Teftament ^. Nor was it by any pofi- tive law, or according to any part of external reve- lation God had made to the fons of men, the chil- dren of Ifrael fung ; for no fuch pofitive law was extant, or any fuch revelation made, as we know of : It remains then, that in doing this, they aded according to the dictates of their confciences, and the examples which might have been before them, by which they were influenced, as to cry to the Lord when in diftrefs, fo to fing his praifes when they were delivered. 3. It may eafily be obferv'd, that ^yhen pfalmody was in the moft fiourifliing condition among the I^ raelites, « Exod. XV. I, 20, 21, « T/V. Targum, in Cant. i. i. and my rotes upon it. 3 42 A Difcourfe onjinging ofFfalmi. raelites, under the diredlion and influence of David their king, the fweet Pfalmift of Ifrael, it was not confined to that people \ but all nations of the earth were called upon, and exhorted to fing the praifes of God, even by the Pfalmift himfelf ; •' Make a joy- *' ful noife unto God, all ye lands," Heb. all the earth, " fing forth the honour of his name ; make '> his praife glorious. Let the people praife thee, *' O God, let all the people praife thee. O let the " nations be glad and fing for joy ; for thou flialt " judge the people righteoufly, and govern the na- *^ tions upon earth. Selah. O fing unto the Lord " a new fong ; fing unto the Lord all the earth, " fing unto the Lord ; blefs his name, ihew forth " his falvation from day to day *." Now if finging was not a part of moral worfhip, but of a ceremo- nious kind, and peculiar to the Old Teftament- difpenfation, the nations of the earth would have had no concern in it •, it would not have been obli- gatory upon them, but proper only to the Ifraelites, to whom alone pertaineth the giving of the law and the fervice of God. 4. Nothing is more manifeft, than that when ce- remonial worfhip was in its greateft glory, and legal facrifices in higheft efteem, that finging of Pfalms and fpiritual fongs was preferred unto them, as being more acceptable to God ; " I will praife the name *' of God with a fong, and will magnify him with ^' thankfgiving, fays David ; This alfo fhall pleafe " the Lord better than an ox or bullock, that hath *' horns and hoofs'"." Now can any other reafon of this difference be given, than that the facrifice of an ox or bullock was of ceremonial inftitution •, whereas, praifing God was a part of moral worfhip, which might be performed in a fpiritual and evangelic manner } 5. When ^ Pfal. Ixvi. I, 2. Ixvii. 3, 4. and xcvi. i, 2. * Pfal. Ixix. 30, 31. A Difcohrfe dJifliiging of Pfdms. 43 5. When the ceremonial law, with all its infti- tiited rites^ was abolifheci, this duty of Tinging re- mained in full force. The apoflle Paul, in his epiflles written to the churches at Ephefus and Co- lofTe^ declares in the one, that the middle wall of partition, between Jew and Gentile, v/as broken down : Meaning the ceremonial law, and that which was the caufe of enmity between both ; even " the " law of commandments, contained in ordinances^ *' was aboliflicd^:" And in the other, fays, " Let *' no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in re- " fpe*5i of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of *' the fabbathdays^ which are a Hiadow of things to *' comcj but the body is of Chrid^-," and yet, in both% exhorts them to fing " pfalms, hymns, and *' fpiritual fongs." Now it is not realbnable to fup- pofe, that the fame apoflle, in the fame epiflles^ written to the fame perfons, fhould declare them difengaged from fome things, and under obligation to regard others, if thefe equally belonged to the ceremonial law, and were alike peculiar to the Old Teilament-difpenfation. 6. This praftice of finging the praifes of God, has been performed by creatures who were never fubjeft to the ceremonial law 5 by whom I mean not the Gentiles, who have been already taken notice of, but the angels, who, though fubjed to the moral law, fo far as their nature and condition will admit of*, yet, in no one inftance, were ever concerned in ceremonial fervice. Now thefe holy and fpiritual beings were very early em.ployed in this divine and heavenly work of finging ; thefe morning liars, fo called for their brightnefs and glory, fang together -, ;hefe fonsof God, by creation, fhouted for joy, when the foundations of the earth were faftened, and the corner y Eph.ii. 14, iz, * Gol.ii. i6, 17. * Eph. v. ig. Col.iii. 1^, F 44 -^ Difcciirje cnfinglng cf PfalmSi corner Hone thereof laid^ : As t:hey did alfo when the corner ftone of man's redemption was laid i^^ the incarnation of the Son of God ; at which time ** there was with the angel, a miiltitvide of the hea- '' venly hoft, praifmg God, and liiying,. Glory to <' God in the higheft, and on earth peace, good " will towards men""-," who likcwife will join with the faints in Hallelujahs and longs of praife to God, throughout an endlefs eternity. For, 7. We may lay of this duty what the apoftle fays of charity ••, that it never faileth> though prophefies, tongues, and knowledge fhall. For, when all ordi- nances, whether of a moral nature, or of pofitive infbitution, fhall ceafe, fuch as prayer^ preachings baptifm, the Lord's -fupper, and the like ; this will continue, and be in its greateft glory and perfection .- This will be the employment of faints when raifed out of their dufty beds, on the refurredion morn, in- the power and virtue of the refurreftion of their rifen Lord. " Thy dead men fhall live, together with,- or " as my dead body, Ihall they arife :' Awake and *' fmg, ye that dwell in the daft ; for thy dew is as '' the dew of herbs, and the earth fhall caft out the *' dead ^ :" Thefe having^eir fouls and bodies re- united, fhall come to the Zion above, with fongs and everlafling joy upon their heads : Thefe fhall fband upon the mount with the Lamb, and fing in the height of it, even that new fong which no one can' learn, but thofe who are redeemied from the earth. But I proceed, III. To confider the fubjeft-matter of finging, or \yhat that is which is to be fung. The diredion of the apoflle Paul in this cafe, is certainly to be re- garded, who, in twodiilinfl epiillesV exhorts to the Imging of pfalms, hymns, and fpiritual fongs ; and' what thefe are, it w^ill be proper ta enquire. And, ■ ■■• - ,;'-.By ^ Job xxxviii. 6, 7. ^ Lukeii. 14. ^ i Cor. xiii. 8. <" Jfa, xxvi. 19. ^ Eph. F. 19. Col. iii. 16. A DifcGUrfe onfinging ofPfalms, 45 I'. By pfalms, is meant the book of pfalms,com- pofed by David, Afaph, Heman, and others, under the infpiration of the Spirit of God ; which is the only fenfe in which this word is ufed throughout- the whole New Teftament : Nor is there any reafon to believe, that the apoille Paul defigns any other in the above-mentioned places ; or the apoflle James, when he fays ^, ^' Is any merry ? let him fing pfalms.'* Thofe who are of a different mind, ought to ihew in, what other fenfe this word is ufed, and where, and what thofe pfeims are we are to fing, if not the pfalms of David, &c. fince it is certain, there are pfalms which are to be fung under the New Tefta- ment-difpenfation. %, By hymns, we are to underftand, not fach as are compofed by good men, without the infpiration of the Spirit of God. I obferve indeed, from an- cient writers, and from ecclefiailical hiftory ^ that fach compofitions v/ere made ufe of very early, even from the times of the apoftles 5 and I deny not but that they may now be ufeful ; though a great deal of care Iliould be taken that they be agreeable to the facred writings, and the analogy of faith, and that they be exprelTed, as much as can be, in fcripture- ianguage ; yet, after all, I muft confefs, that I can- not but judge them, in a good meafure, unnecefTary, fince we are fo well provided with a book of pfalms and fcriptural fongs, indited by the Spirit of God,, and fuitable on all occafions : However, I cannot think that fuch compofures are defigned by the apoille 5 nor can I believe that he would place fuch. F 2 between^- / . . ■ s James v. 1 3. ^ Clemens Ahxandr. Paedagog. I. 3. c. 1 2. in fine, p. 266. Ed. Tarlf. Tertullian. Apolog. c. 39. p. 36. Ed. Rigalt. Eufeb. Ecdef. Hift. 1. 2. c. 17. p. 95, 56. and 1. 5. c.28. p. 196. and ]. 7. c: 24. p. 271. Ed. Valef* Of thefe hymns, fee more in Fabricii Biblioth. Grace Vol. <;. c. i. p. 195, 196,. ^r., and Bibliograph. Antiq. c. 1 1. p. 368, t^c. Thefe were firil ob- jeded to by Paul of Samofata. Eufeb. 1. 7. c. 30. p. 28 1, and prohibited by the council of Laodicga, in Can. 59. 4 6 A Difcourfe onfmgtng of Pfalms. between pfalms and fpiritual fongs, made by men infpired by the Holy Ghoft, and put them upon a level with them., to be fung equally with them, to the edification of the churches ; therefore, I take hymns to be but another name for the book of pfalms 5 for the running title of that book may as Vvrell be, the book of hymns, as of pfalms ; and fo it is render'd by Ainfworth, who alfo particularly calls the 145''' pfalm, an hymn of David: So thepfalm which our Lord fung with his difciples, after rhe flipper, is called ah hymn, as the pfalms of David in general, are called, by Philo the Jew ', V^oj, hymns, as they are alfo fongs and hymns by Jofephus ". 3. By fpiritual fongs, may be meant the fame pfalms of David, Afaph, i^c. the titles of fome of which, are', fongs, as fometimes a pfalm and fong, a fong and pfalm, a fong of degrees, and the like -, together with all other fcriptural fongs, written by men infpired by God •, and are called fpiritual, be- caufe the author of them is the Spirit of God, the writers of them men moved and a6led by the fame Spirit-, the fubjed-matter of them fpiritual, de- jfigned for fpiritual edification, and oppofed to all profane, loofe and wanton fongs. Thefe three words, pfalms, hymns, and fongs, anfwer to OniDID, D^bnil, and Cun'ti^, the titles of David's pfalms •, and are, by the Septuagint, ren- dered by the Greek words the apoftle ufes. I fhall not trouble you with obferving to you how thefe three are diftinguifhed by learned men "", one from afnother, but only obferve, what has been remarked by others before me ; that whereas the apoftle, in his exhortations to finging, direfts to the titles of David's pfalms, it is highly reafonable to conclude, that ' L. de Matat. nom. k 1. de Somniis & alibi. ^ Antiq. I. 7. c. 12. ^ So Pfal. XXX, xlv, xh'i, xlviii, Ixv, Ixvi. Ixvii, Ixviii, Ixxv, Ixxvj, Ixxxiii, Ixxxvii, Ixxxviii, xcii, cviii, cxxvi, to cxxxiv. "» Vid. Zanchium, Grotium^ Sc Hammond, in Eph. v. 1 9. Bezam in. Col. iii. 16. ^ Leigh'' s Critica Sacra in voce, v^juv^. A Difcourfe onJJnging of Pfalm. 47 tJiat it was his intentiorx that we Ihould fing them : But, inalmuch as there are fome queries, fcruples, and objedions about the finging of them, it will be proper to attempt a iatisfadlory anfwer to them. (i.) It is inquired, whether the book of Pfalms was originally written in verfe or metre ? The rea- fon of this enquiry is, that if it fliould appear that it was not originally written in Hebrew metre, then there is no reafon why it fhould be tranflated into metre in another language, and fo confequently not to h^ fung in the manner we do. To which, I an- fwer, That the book of Pfalms, with fom.e other wri- tings of the Old Teftament, were originally written in metre, is univerfally allowed by the Jews, and does alfo appear from the different accentuation of them, from that of other books. Jofephus", a learned Jew, luys, '^ That David being free from *' war, and enjoying a profound peace, compofed *^ fongs and hymns to God, of various metre ; fome *•' trimetre, /. e. confiiling of three feet, and others *■' pentametre, /. e. of five feet.'' David's Pfalms fcem to be of the Lyric kind ; hence Jerom, who, of all the fathers, beft underftood the Hebrew lan- guage, calls '^ David, our Simonides, Pindar, AU '•' caeus, Flaccus, Catullus, and Serenus," who were all of them Lyric poets. And, in another place, he fays, ^' If it fhould feem incredulous to any that the *' Hebrews have metre, or that the Pfalms or the " Lamentations of Jeremiah, or almoft all the *' fcriptural fungs are compofed after the manner of '' our Flaccus, and the Greek Pindar, and Alcaeus, *> and Sappho ; let him read Philo, Jofephus, Eu- ^^ febius Caefarienfis, and he will find, by their tefti- " monies, Tb-? yaf Tr«|^-«Tftf?, Ttf5 «« Wivla/x-iTftf? iTrohrio-iv. Jofeph. Antiq, 1. 7, C. 12. §3. 4^S, A DifcDtirfe mfinghig ofFjhhm. *f -mdnies, that what I fay is true°.'* The learnecj Qomarus, in his Lyra % has given out of the Pfalms, and other poetical books of the fcripturcs, feveral hundred of inflances of verfc of the Iambic, Tro- chaic, Dacflyiic, Anapaeftic, Choriambic, Ionic, An- tifpaftjc,. and Paeonic kind, which he has compared with a like number out of Pindar and Sophocles. The Jews indeed have now loil the knowledge of the facrcd poetry, and have been, for many hundred of years^' unacquainted with it : though R. Benjamin Tudelenfis "^ fays, that there lived in his time, at Bagdad, one R. Eleazar, and his bretliren, who kncvv how to fing die fongs as the fingers did, when die ; temple was flanding. But be this as it will, there is reafon enough to conclude, that the book of Pfalms v/as originally written in verfe ; and there- fore it is. lawful to betranflated into verfe, in order to be fung in the churches of Chrift. (2.) It is queried, whether the book of Pfalms is' fuitable to the pfefent gofpel-difpenfation, and pro- per to be fung in gofpel-chufches. I anfwer. No- thing is more fuitable to the gofpel-fiate, or more proper to be fung in the churches of Chrift 5 fince it is fo full of prophecies concerning the perfon, of- fices, grace and kingdom of the MelTiah \ concern-' ing his fufferings, and death, his refurredion, afcen- fion, and feffion at the right hand of God; which are now more clearly underftood, and are capable of being fung by believers, in a more evangelic man- ner -than when they were firft compofcd : Befides,' this' • Da^iti, SimonUes nofter, Phdv^rus 8c Aieaeus, Flaceus quoque Catullui Sz Seretius Chriftum lyra perfon at. Hi iron. Ep. ad Paulin. inter opera ejus. Tom. 3. p. 3. Ed Pari/. Quod fi cui videtur incredulum metra fcilicet efle apud Hebraeos, 8c in morem noftri Flaccid Graecjque Pindari Sc Alcaei, k Sappbusy vcl Pfalteriumy vcl Lamentationes Hterem'ae,ve\ omnia fermefcripturarum cantica comprehend!, legzt Phi/onem, Jofcpbuviy Origenemy Gae/ariffr/^m' Bufehiumy Sc eorum teftimonio me verum dicere comprobabit. lb. p. 8. P Inter ejus opera. Tom. 2. p. "? 17, ts'c. 1 k.Be»jamtn.M^jraotvQ\hmex&num:'p.yo,yi.EdM£mpereur, / ^ Difcourfe onjiriging ofTfalms. 49 Vhls book is full of exceeding great and precious promifes, as the ground of the fsith and hope of God's people •, it is a large fund of experience, a rich mine of gofpel-grace and truth, and is abun- dantly fuited to every cafe^ ftate and condition, the church of Chrift^ or a particular believer, is in at any time. A little care and prudence ufed in the choice of proper pfalms^ on particular occafions^ would fully difcover the truth of this. (3.) It is objefled, that perfons often meet with things which are not, and which they cannot make their own cafe ; yea^ fometimes with what is fhock-* ing and ilartling to a Chriilian miiid ; fuch as im* precations and curfesj on enemies or wicked men. And it is afkedj Should perfons fmg cafes not their own^ and fuch things as thefe now mentioned ; would they not be guilty of lying to God, and of want of that charity to men which is fo much recom- mended under the gofpel-difpenfation ? To which, I reply. That as to finging cafes not our own, this is no more lying to God than reading them is. Tinging; being but a flower way of pronunciation in a m.ufical manner ; therefore, if this ought to deter perfons from finging, it fliould alfo from reading : Befides,- in public worfhip, we fing not as fingle perfons, but* in conjuncftion with, and as parts of the comimunity,* and body of the people ; fo that what m.ay not be fuitable to one, rnay be fo to another, and in both/ the end of praife be anfv/ered. Moreover, when we fing the cafes of others, and which we cannot m*ak-e' our own, we fing them as fuch, and not as our bwa fenfe and experience ; which yet may be- very ufeful^ to us, either by way of example, or advice, of com** fort, or inflru6lion, of admonition, and the like :'^ And if this fhould not be the cafe, yet there are two^ other principal ends of finging, viz, the praife and^ glory of God, and the edification of others, which- may beattaiped thi3 way;, and, after all,- thef^me- objedion '^6 A Difcourfe onfinghig ofTJdlmi. objem daaiy j^ f^tlcc o^^ncrtuf xj xfoloT^v ; ^»o it ^»Tq ex- xX»!cri«t^ -CTfoaif/Iai (lege, 'sxaprifnlxi ) iK ruv da(A,otluy ^ Xf^^*^ '''^'' ToiBTuv opyuvuVf x^ ruv aMwv rur v)j7r»ot? ovlut d^yuo^luvy *Cj VTroyJT^nTrix TO «crai dirXuq, Autor Quaeft. & Refponf. ad orthodox, inter yuftin, opera, p. 462, Ed. Pari/, A Difcourfe onfinging ofPfalms, 5 3 dilcharge of this duty, or of its being done in con- cert, between two or more perfons ; no doubt but it is lawful for a fingle perfon to fing the praifes of God alone, at home, in his own houfe, in his clofet, when he thinks proper ; and it may very laudably be performed in Chriilian families, where they are able to carry it on with decency and good order ; yea, any two, or more perfons, may join together in this part of divine fervice, as Paul and Silas did in prifon % who, " at midnight, prayed and fang ^' praifes unto God ;" which is an inftance of Ting- ing vocally, and in concert ; and was attended with fome miraculous operations, with which all gof- pel -ordinances were at firft confirmed ; and which brought on, and ilHied in the converfion of the jailor. But what I fhall chiefly attend to, will be to prove that gofpel-churches, or the churches of Chrift, un- der the gofpel-difpenfation, ought to fing the praifes of God vocally ; and this I ihall do from the fol- lowing confiderations. I. From the prophecies of the Old Teftament, which declare, that the churches, in gofpel-times, fliould fing ; and in which they are called upon, ex- horted, and encouraged to do it. In many of the pfalms, which refpe6l the times of the Mefliah, and the gathering of the Gentiles to him under the gof- pel-difpenfation, fuch as the47*\ 68^**, and 95'^ the people of God are frequently invited to fing praife unto him, and make a joyfiil noife unto him with pfalms. Likewife, in the prophecies of Ifaiah % it is declared, that not only the watchmen, gofpel- minifters, fuch whofe feet are beautiful on the mountains, who bring good tidings, and publiih peace and falvation, " fhall lift up the voice, and ** that with the voice together Ihall they fing-," but alfo the churches under their care, and fuch fouls G 2 they '^ Afts xvi. 25. * Ifa. Ui. 7, S, 9. and xxxv, i, 2> 6, 10, aid xxvi, I. and liv. 2« 54 ADifcciirfe onfinging ofPfdms. they are made ufcful to, are called upon to " break *' forth into joy, and fing together •," yea, it is pro- mifed, that the Gentile church, under the name of *^ the wiidernefs, and folitary place, fliali be glad *' and rejoice, even with joy and Tinging ; that even *' the tongue of the dumb fhall fing. and the ran- *' fomed of the Lord return, and come to Zion " with fongs and everlafting joy upon their heads." Moreover, that in that day, meaning the gofpel- day, fhall this fong be fung in the land of Judah, in the gofpel-church : " We have a flrong city ; fal- *' vation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks." To add no more, how exprefly is the Gentile church exhorted and encouraged to this work, in another part of thefe prophecies ? where it is faid, " Sing, *' O barren, thou that didft not bear; break forth " into fmging, and cry aloud, thou that didft not " travail with child •, for more are the children of *' the defolate than the children of the married wife, " faith the Lord." BlefTed be God, thefe predic- tions are, in a great mcafure, fulfilled; gofpel- churches among the Gentiles, as well as ixi the land of Judea, have lift up their voices, and fung the praifes of God according to thefe prophecies •,, which is, at once, a confirmation of the authority of the ■fcriptures, and of the truth of this ordinance. But, 2.1 prove it to be a duty incumbent on gofpel- churches, under the New Teframent-difpeiifation, from exprefs precepts and dire(^t:ions given to them concerning it. It is not only prophefied of in the Old Teftament, but it is alio commanded in the New, that they fhould fing. The church at Ephe- fus was a gofpel-church, as was alfo that at CoiofTe; and they are both exprefly enjoined as fuch, by the apollle Paul, who in this, as in other things, had the mind of Clirift, to '' fing pfalms, hymns, and fpiri- *' tual fongs ^." Befides, if fmging was not a duty belong- 5' Eph^ V. 19. Col. iii. 16. A Difcoiirfe mfinging ofPfaltns. 5 5 belonging to New Teftament- churches, why fliould any diredlions about it be given to them ? fuch as to fing with grace in their hearts, with the fpirit, and with the underftanding ; and to do it in fuch a manner, fo as to fpeak to themfelves, and to teach and admonifh one another "". . 3 . That New Teftament-churches fhould fing, will more fully appear from New Teflament-inftances and examples. There are not only prophecies and precepts, but alfo precedents in favour of this prac- tice ; and the firft inftance of this kind I fhall men- tion, is, that of Chrifl and his apoftles, who fungan hymn, as a church, at the clofe of the Lord's-fupper ; of this the evangelift allures us ; " When they had *' fung an hymn, fays he, they went out unto the " mount of olives *:" Our ears are continually din- ned, by thofe who are of a different mind from us, with an old tranfiation, in which, they fay, the words are rendered, " When they had given thanks.'* But, Firft, This work was done already; " he, /. e. *' Chrift, took the cup, and gave thanks." Se- condly, A different word from that is here ufed, and which, in its firft and primary fenfe, fignifies to fing an hymn, or fong, to the honour of God. And, Thirdly, This old tranfiation muft be a falfe one, fmce it fixes fuch a charader of rudenefs and arro- gance upon the apoftles, as is unbecoming the difci- ples of the meek and lowly Jefus ; what, they give thanks ! what bufinefs had they to give thanks ? Had they done fo, they had took upon them an of- fice, and thruft themfelves into a province that did not belong to them. Who fiiould give thanks but Chrift, the mafter of the feaft, who was then in perfon prefent at his own table ? No, they fung an hymn in concert, with their Lord at the head of them ; which hymn was either one of Chrift's com- pofing on that fpecial occafion, or rather was a part of ' I Cor. xlv. 15. Eph.v, 19. Col, iii. 16. *Matt. xxvi. 30. 56 A Difcourfe onfmging ofPfalms. of the Hallel *', the Jews fung at the paflbver, which began with the 113'*', and ended with the 118'*, pfalm ; the firft part of which they fung before they fat down to eat, and the other after they had eaten< and after they had drunk the fourth and laft cup ; which laft part feems to have been poftponed the eating of the Lord's-fupper, as containing in it fe- veral verfes fuitable to that ordinance, efpecially the clofing part, which is this ; " I will praife thee for ** thou haft heard me, and art become my falva- ** tion. The ftone which the builders refufed, is ** become the head-ftone of the corner. This is the " Lord's doing ; it is marvellous in our eyes. This *^ is the day which the Lord hath made ; we will ** rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I befeech ** thee, O Lord. O Lord, I befeech thee, fend *' now profperity. BlefTed be he that cometh in the ** name of the Lord. We have blefled you out of •' the houfe of the Lord. God is the Lord which '' hath fhewed us light. Bind the facrifice with ** cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou *' art my God, and I will praife thee ; thou art my *' God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the '' Lord, for he is good : for his mercy endureth for *' ever ^" For my own part, it would be agreeable to me, if this was always fung at the celebration of this ordinance. But to return to my argument. This hymn, or pfalm, was fung by Chrift and his apoftles, as a church 5 which, though one of the leaft of the churches, yet the pureft that ever was on earth 5 where Chrift fung, according to his promife made long before, when he faid**, " I will declare thy *' name unto my brethren : In the midft of the con- " gregation will I praife thee ;" which the author of the epiftle to the Hebrews^ cites in this manner ; " I ^ Vid. Buxtorf. Lex. Talmud, in voce, 7^1! col. 613, ^c, Light/oot^ Vol 2. p. 354, 444, 1160. ^ Pfal. cxviii. 21, to the end. ^ Pfal. ;£xii. 22. I A Difcoiirfe cnf.nging of Pfalms. 57 *^ I will declare thy name unto my brethren, and *^ in the midft of the church will I fing praife unto " thee, i^V^.r,v ro yi auuoe. T»j *« ^rcynfo[A.iviiq, rov ^pr^v ©etf yn<.r,v vi^jhTv. Eu' Jeb Eccl. Hift. 1. 3. C.-53 p. lOv ttoMo-icv >iV7ri7f. yujjin. 'dd Zenam^ P- 5^9- Ed. PariJ. * Vid. Fabricii Jkiiblioth. Craec. Vol. 5. C. i. ^. 24. p. I^S- A Difcotirfe onjingtng ofPfatmSf 6§ ^' tinual holy day j hisfacrifices are prayer and'praife; ** the fcriptures are read before eating of food •, and, *' whilil eating, pfalms and hymns are fung ; and, ** at nighty before he goes to bed, prayer is per- ** formed again ^'^ And, in another place, he ob-- ferveSj that *' a man^s love, friendihip, and good- will to God, fhoiild be Ihewn by thankfgiving and linging of pfalms * ; and he himfelf compofed an hymn to Chrift, which is ftill extant at the end of his PaedagogLie. Tertullian, who lived about the fam^ time, has many things in his writings, which fhew that fing- ing of pfalms, both publickly and privately, was praftifed in his day ; in one place ^, he fays '^ Af- " ter wafhing of hr:nds, and lighting up of candles, " meaning at their Chriilian meetings, and love^ *' feafts, everyone might come forth, and fingta " God, either out of the holy fcriptures, or what " was of their own compofmg.'* And, elfewhere% among the arguments he makes ufe of to prevail ovt Chriilians to marry among themfelves, this is one % *' Pfalms and hymns, fays he, are harmoniouHy *' fung between the happy pair •, and they provoke " each other to fmg the better to their God/* And in another place ', he fpeaks " of the reading of the " fcrip-; ' *A9ra? ^£ ^i^ ayla >aa,VY,yv^\^ dyia' dvllxsi Swo^i (Jt^r v?.a\ x^ niKlup, ev%at waAjy. Clement. Alex. Stromat. 1. 7. p. 728. Ed. ^ artf* ^o? T« 0£a, 'ErpoTtpCv onvian >c) v/^v/'ctej t5 vh to, ^aQv) rrAv)iir,xi, >^ uq i^icrxva-B xaVi}^r,(piv. Origen. Usfl ivx^i<;' Ed. Oxon. 1686. *" Sonet pfalmos (vel pfalmus) convivium fobrium : Kt ut tibi tenax memoria eft, vox canora ; ngo^rcdere hoc munus ex more. Cyprian. 2Lom the v/hole it may| concluded, that this ordinance of finging of pfalr| as it was uied by Chrift and his apoftles, fo it ^l continued in the ages next to them ; and thol it has been dragged through the finks of poj yet it ought not to be rejected on that accoui Had our reformers treated the ordinances of Chj in fuch a manner^ becaufe they found them c| rupted, we Ihould have had no ordinance nowj! being : Let us rather do all we can to clear thij ' every degree of fuperftition, and reftore it to 1] native firnplicity and fpirituality. F I N I S.