“passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the ful" ness of God.

"That we may truly value the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus"Glorying in his Gospel, as being the power of God to "salvation-counting all things but loss and dung for the "excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, that we may "win him, and be found in him; not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the "faith of Christ.

"That in all estates and conditions, we may learn to "live by faith.

66.

"In regard of our temporal life, with all the various "circumstances of it, whether prosperity, that by his grace of faith, we may keep our hearts in an holy "frame of humility, meekness, disengagement from "the world, and all outward confidences; or adversity, "wherein this grace may serve to sweeten our afflic❝tions, to support us under them, teaching us to profit "by them, to bear them meekly, to triumph over them; "assuring the heart, that nothing is but by the disposal "of God's providence, who is infinitely wise, and mer"ciful, and faithful.

"In regard of spiritual life, both for our own justifi"cation, that we may not expect it from our own ser"vices or graces; not having our own righteousness, tut "that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous"ness which is of God by faith. And so for the life of "sanctification; that we may not live unto ourselves, but "unto him who died for us, and rose again-that our con"versation may be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, stand"ing fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for "the faith of the Gospel. Always remembering that we 66 are not our own, but bought with a price, and therefore Ib. ii. 7. Rom. i. 16. Phil. iii. 8. Ib. iii. 9. Phil. i. 27.

Eph. iii. 17. "2 Cor. v. 15.

"should make it our business to glorify Christ with our "bodies and Spirits, which are his.

"That he would work in us a lively faith, as may "make us rich in good works, that we may demean our"selves as becomes our professed'subjection to the Gospel "of Christ; walking worthy of that vocation wherewith we "are called, as becomes children of light-Being holy in "all manner of conversation-putting on the Lord Jesus "Christ; exercising ourselves unto godliness-Walking "uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel, diligently "following every good work-Shewing, out of a good con“versation, our works, with meekness and wisdom-That "we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all “things-Considering that we are created in Christ Jesus "unto good works, that we should walk in them-Having 66 our conversation in Heaven; walking worthy of the Lord, "unto all pleasing, being fruitful in all good works. That every one of us who professeth the name of Christ, may "depart from iniquity-Because for this reason was the "Gospel preached to those that are dead in sin, that they may live according to God in Spirit.

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"That we may give all diligence, to add to our faith, "virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to "patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kind

ness; and to brotherly kindness, charity; that these "things being in us, and abounding, we may not be bar66 ren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus "Christ, but may hereby clear up unto ourselves the " evidence of our calling and election.

"That we may deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, "living soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present

"1 Cor. vi. 20.

James, ii. 20. 2 Cor. ix. 13. Eph. iv. 2. "Ib. v. 8. Rom. xiii. 14. 1 Tim. iv. 7. Gal. ii. 14. 1 Tim. v. 10. James, iii. 13. Tit. ii. 10. Eph. ii. 10. Phil. iii. 20. "Gal. i. 10. 2 Tim, xii. 19.

“world, looking for that blessed hope, and that glorious "appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus "Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us "from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar peo"ple, zealous of good works-considering that he shall be "revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming "fire, to take vengeance on those who obey not his Gospel, “who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from "the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, "when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to "be admired of all them that believe in that day-For if "he that despised Moses's law, died without mercy, under "two or three witnesses, of how much sorer punishment “ shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot "the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the cove "nant an unholy thing; and hath done despite to the Spirit "of grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by "Christ Jesus, would make us perfect, establish, strength"en, settle us-That we may continue in the faith, ground"ed and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the "Gospel, being rooted and built up, and established in the "faith-laying aside every weight, and the sin that does so "easily beset us: and running with patience, the race that " is set before us-Holding fast our profession, without "wavering; that we may abide in Christ, and his words

may abide in us-Continuing in the things which we "have learned-Being faithful unto the death, that he 66 may bestow upon us a crown of life.

"That the word of Christ may dwell in us richly, in all "wisdom-that we may grow in grace, and in the know"ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ-Being fil"led with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus

Tit. ii. 12, 13.

2 Thess. i. 7.

Heb. x. 1, 2.

"1 Pet. iv. 8. 2 Pet. i. 5-8. "Heb. x. 28. 1 Pet. vi 10. Col. i. 23. Ib. ii. 7. "Ib. x. 23. John, xv. 7. 2 Tim. iii. 14.

"Christ; unto the glory and praise of God-That we may "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

"That having fought a good fight, and finished our course, "and kept the faith, we may receive the crown of righte"ousness, which, at the last day, the Lord, the righteous "Judge, will bestow upon all those that love his appearing"That he would carry us, through faith, unto salvation.

"And because, when we have reckoned all the duties "we can, we shall leave out many particulars, therefore, "for the supply of those which we cannot specify, we

may use some general form answerable to that exhorta❝tion of the Apostle-That whatsoever things are true, "whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are "just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are "lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be "any virtue, and if there be any praise, that we may think "of and do these things.

"Being blameless and harmless, the sons of God, with"out rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, "among whom we may shine as lights in the world."

No. III.

ΩΔΑΙ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙΚΑΙ.

EPH. V. 19.

THE neglect of PSALMODY, in the congrega

tions at large, has contributed very much to damp the ardour of devotion, and, consequently, to cause an indifference to the Christian religion. Less of instrumental, and more of vocal music, (in which all the people should unite with heart and voice,) would conduce greatly to the revival of decayed piety. It would render our

religious assemblies interesting where they are now cold, and merely formal.

Psalmody, it is well known, is confined, in the greater part of country churches, to a few, and is become a matter of mere amusement, both to the hearers and performers. To many, it is tedious and disgustful.

The whole congregation, women and children, as well as men, should sing simple tunes, such as are easily learned, and, at the same time, deeply affect the the heart, while they please the ear. The instrument should not be so loud as to drown the voices. An organ, under the hands of an ambitious player, usually overcomes the melody of the voice, and grates discord on the ear of piety.

When all join, to the best of their power, in singing well-composed hymns, all must be affected; and psalmody will, like prayer, become a powerful means of grace. As it is now conducted, religion seems to have little or no concern with it. Some of the congregation sit with indifference or impatience; others divert themselves, as well as they can, with observing the grimaces of the singers; while one or two, amateurs and practitioners of music, lend an ear, as critics on the skill of the performers.

The soft and sweet melody, in some of the places of religious worship frequented by various dissenting congregations in London, is highly delightful to an uncorrupted ear, while it warms the heart with devotion, meliorates the disposition, and leaves the hearer full of pious sentiments to God, and charitable affections to As far as I am able to judge, psalmody requires

immediate reformation.

The Apostle says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in " you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing

* Col. iii. 16.