Fourthly, I observe, that it is a duty required not only to be per- formed by us alone, but in the assemblies of the faithful. We may sing by ourselves with great comfort: James v. 13, ' Is any merry? let him sing psalms.' As Jerome saith. The christian weaver at his loom may sing David's psalms. We may sing to ourselves for our solace and edification. But the duty pressed here is singing in com- ]3any and consort with others ; singing eavroi'i, to ourselves, is in whole ■congregations. In the Colossians, chap. iii. 16, it is, ' Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.' We are often pressed to this : Ps. cxlix. 1,2,' Praise ye the Lord ; sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of his saints. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him : let the children of Sion be joyful in their king ; ' Ps. xxix. 9, ' And in his temple doth €very one speak of his glory ; ' Ps. xcv. 1-3, ' Oh, come let us sing unto the Lord ; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great king above all gods.' Which place is the more to be regarded, be- cause it describeth the whole gospel worship, as the apostle himself interpreteth it, Heb. iii. ; and there it is put among the ordinary duties of the sabbath ; solemn prayer, ver. 6, 7 ; hearing of the word, ver. 8. But first he mentioneth thanksgiving in singing psalms to God with a loud voice ; so that you have an account of the usual christian sabbath,
414 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V, [SeH. XXIV.
hearing and preaching the word, solemn prayer and thanksgiving. Now to join with a humble and faithful people in the holy communion and in worship and praise, how pleasant is it ! All the pleasures of the carnal life are not comparable to it. Surely, if there be anything pleasant in the world to a gracious heart, it is the praises of God that flow from a believing and loving soul, that is full of the sense of the mercy and goodness and excellencies of the Lord. The unanimous conjunction of such souls in praising God in their assemblies is the heaven that we have upon earth.
Fifthly, I observe, it is such a duty here pressed, the great end of which is the glory of God, and the subordinate end our mutual edifica- tion ; for we are ' to make melody to the Lord,' and ' to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord ; ' and we are also ' to speak to one another ; ' which in the parallel place is explained to be ' teaching and admonish- ing one another in psalms and hymns,' &c. It is not meant of teaching from the psalms, but teaching in the psalms ; while we are singings we are teaching one another the tenor of the doctrine of godliness. Therefore if we would judge of the performance of this duty, all means must be measured by their respect unto the end, which is the glory of God. The more of the Spirit we have, the more we are excited to set forth his praises, and thereby quicken our delight and heighten our esteem of God : Ps. civ. 33, 34, ' I will sing unto the Lord as long I live ; I will sing praises to my God while I have a being. My meditation of him shall be sweet ; I will be glad in the Lord.' Jo}' beginneth and terminateth the duty. It is from delight in God that singing of psalms is so pleasant to us ; and the more we sing, the more we delight in God. So for the other end, spiritual instruction ; for we learn thereby to love, fear, and trust in God, and to humble ourselves if we be defective in any of these graces, and cannot speak to God with that confidence which his holy ones have done before us, especially now grace is more liberally dispensed in the new testament.
II. Having thus stated the duty as it is here recommended to us, I shall here prove — (1.) That it is a clear and unquestionable duty ; (2.) That it is a delectable duty ; (3.) That it is a very profitable duty.
1. It is a clear and unquestionable duty ; for the heathens look upon it as a fit worship for their gods to sing hymns of praise to them. If you think that this kind of arguing will not hold concerning the true God, who valueth not compliments, but loveth what is like him, I answer —
[1.] That God will not only be objectively praised, but actively praised, by ascriptions of honour to him : Ps. 1, 23, ' He that offeretli praise glorifieth me.' God counteth it a glory when his people speak good of his name. And it is a means to make us like him, for the impression of what we esteem and love is soon left upon the heart.