xxi. 11, 12; for grateful joy, xxix. 13; for derision and contempt, xxx. 9; and with the divine approbation, xxxv. 10. Elihu complaining of the degeneracy of manners in his day, says, "By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. But none saith, where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night; who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven," Job xxxv. 9-11. These expressions appear to refer to former times, when men sought after God, and employed themselves in his praise; but implies that such characters had become very scarce in the time of Elihu..

The degree of wisdom, too, employed in these songs, is stated in connexion with what man possesses above the beasts of the earth, and the fowls of heaven. Neither are these songs recorded in the scriptures, and of course they make no part of plenary inspiration. They stand, therefore, as a part of human composition; although our opponents might class them, perhaps, with compositions not merely human. To this, however, I have no objections..

It will now be recollected, that from the creation to the flood was 1656 years, from the flood to the Exodus from Egypt, 857-in all, 2515; in which, no song is recorded, or any poetic composition but the book of Job. The doctrine of our opponents, however, would lead to the conclusion, that, either there were no songs of praise offered to God, during that period, or, that they were unacceptable, not being the songs of scripture. It appears to me, therefore, that the patriarchs had no difficulty in offering up their songs of praise to God, although they have not the marks of inspiration, nor has God seen good to preserve

them.

I have not here offered the opinion of historians about the flourishing of music and poetry in Chaldea before and during the time of Abraham; of their having been taught in Egypt by Hermes, called Mercury Trismegistus; these not being the authority which the demand of Mr. M'M. requires; nor indeed is there occasion for any proof except the unerring word of God. It proves that songs were employed in the worship of God, which are not among the songs of inspiration. But of this we shall yet find additional evidence as we proceed. The objection, however, has

been suggested, that, the Psalms, which David and other psalmists composed, may have been the very same which had been before dictated by the spirit, to the patriarchs; and that being lost, or never having been written, they were given anew by the same spirit, for the use of the church under the law. This objection would rest upon a supposition, extravagant enough at all events. But to meet it fairly, it must intend either literally the same, or only substantially the same. To suppose the first, would be to allege that, before the deluge, they had their Moses and Aaron, tabernacle and temple, and all the other localities of the Jews and surrounding nations. As this must appear absurd at first blush, it can only mean that they were substantially the same, and to this I have no objections; as, the doctrines of grace-the precepts of obedience and the exercises of the heart, must be substantially the same, under every dispensation; although there may be a great variety in the particular and local circumstances, by which they are marked, which require a correspondent variety in the songs, by which they are celebrated. This variety and adaptation to circumstances, is strongly marked, in the songs of scripture, under both dispensations. This objection, therefore, of which I should never have thought, had it not been suggested that it might possibly be made, is laid by for the present; and the argument, for the use of an uninspired psalmody by the patriarchs, remains in full force.

CHAPTER II.

History of Psalmody under the Law.

The Exodus from Egypt, introduces a new era in the history of the church, and another dispensation of divine grace It opens too with a song of praise, appropriate and sublime. From that time, until the time of David, we have a record of five others; that is, six songs in the space of more than 400 years. These are, the song at the Red Sea, the 90th Psalm-the very short one at Beer-the song of Moses at Jordan-the song of Deborah and Barak-amd

the song of Hannah. But, that there were other songs in their religious meetings, and for signal victories, we have sufficient evidence; and that they were even numerous, we have reason to believe. When worshipping the golden calf, they performed so loud that, at first Joshua thought there was war in the camp; but upon a nearer approach he found it was the voice of singing; and although this worship was offered to an idol, it was obviously conducted, in its leading features, according to the manner of true worship. Indeed, the expression by Moses and the apostle, "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play," appears to allude to the manner of worship, and which David afterward practised before the ark. But the one

was marked with reverence to the true God; the other with devotion to a worthless idol. The same observation may be made respecting Aaron's proclamation: "To-morrow is a feast unto the Lord," and the peoples praises, "These be thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt," which, altogether, show that, in that day, praise was a part of public worship, whether false or true; and that they were in the practice of making their songs expressive of the circumstances, or exercises, of the moment, and pointedly adapted to the occasion.

In the time of Phineas also, and the elders that outlived Joshua, we find that religious festivals were observed at Shiloh, where the ark was kept, and that, on these occasions, songs and music were a part of the service; yet these make no part of the scripture anthology.

We have no knowledge of the language employed by Jephthah's daughter, except that from the song at the sea, that of Deborah and Barak, and of the damsels of Israel; when David had slain Goliah, we would be led to conclude, that it had an express relation to the events, circumstances and characters of the occasion, accompanied with thanksgiving to God for the victory vouchsafed.

"The Book of the wars of the Lord," and "the Book of Jasher," are quoted with approbation; the one by Moses, the other both in Joshua and in Samuel. These are said by the learned to have been poetical compositions; the first a history much in the manner of Job, the other, a book of poems, relating to different occasions and events. In these we have evidence of books, not inspired, being

quoted with approbation, and a quotation from one of them inserted in Num. xxi. from the middle of the 14th to the end of the 15th verse: which appears to have been sung by the Jews, as probably more of it was. Indeed it is quite out of the question to suppose, that we have all the songs, which were used with divine approbation, during either of the periods mentioned. If then the patriarchs sung the praises of God, as the evidence we have produced provesif they had the divine approbation, as appears from their characters and the statement of Elihu-and if under these circumstances they sung songs which are not in scripture, we have before us evidence, which might satisfy any reasonable mind, that under at least two dispensations, the patriarchal and legal, songs not in seripture, in other words, human composition, were used with the divine approbation.

This proof therefore appears to be complete, without taking into view Solomon's 1005 songs, of which we have but one, Jeremiah's lamentations for Josiah, and the songs of the singing men and singing women on the same occasion, 2d Chron. xxxv. 25; with many others on various subjects and different events.

It is to me, however, inexplicable, how the professed advocates of scripture psalmody, can pass by a large proportion of scripture songs, and while they severely censure us for taking away from the book of life, if a psalm of David is omitted, can, not only without scruple, but with a determined and persevering resolution, pass a number of others, as appropriate on many occasions, and dictated by the same spirit. The consistency of this course is, I confess, to me not very apparent.

Mr. M'Master has a curious note on this subject, in which he says, "This subject came before the General Assembly of the Scottish Church, in 1647, 1648, 1686, and before the Associate, (Burger) Synod, in 1747. These bodies appear to have fully admitted the lawfulness of using in psalmody any scripture song. But they approved not of loose paraphrases. Their caution and long exclusive use of the book of Psalms, show that they deemed it sufficient; and that any thing beyond it was rather an allowable indulgence, than an indispensable privilege.

Upon the merits of this question, I give no opinion

Whatever may be said of its lawfulness, we know it is not expedient, to seek the matter of our psalmody beyond the book of Psalms. There is a sufficiency. It is selected by the spirit of God, and by the church's Head given for this purpose. True religion has never progressed where it has been departed from. Were my opinion asked, I would say: Study, understand, digest, use well, the book of Psalms; and it is more than probable, you will be content." Apology, p. 76.

On the above note I' remark, first: That in the proceedings of the General Assembly, they say nothing of loose or close paraphrases; but have manifested a considerable solicitude to have the other songs of scripture reduced to metre for the purpose of public worship; as I shall have occasion to show hereafter in their own words.

I would also observe, that if the reader can distinguish between an allowable indulgence, and an indispensable privilege, in the worship of God, and give each its proper place and importance in his service, he can perform more, a great deal, than the writer. I have been accustomed to think, that, if a religious exercise were allowable, it was also a privilege; and although in the use of meats and drinks and matters of indifference, a thing lawful, may not be expedient, I have it yet to learn, if such a distinction. subsists between the Psalms of David and the other songs of scripture. Sure I am, it is not found in the bible. If then the use of others are lawful, it would appear to me to be expedient, our author to the contrary notwithstanding. Indeed Mr. M'Master has not given a single reason, for the inexpediency of using other scripture songs, except the two little words, "we know;" which he appears to think ought to establish either principle or fact. Is it then because by the admission of other scripture songs, we set the people to thinking, or induce them to open their eyes to the subject, that it is inexpedient to introduce them? Is it from this apprehension that it is known not to be expedient?

But after this statement of what Mr. M'Master knows, and after his refusal to give an opinion on the merits of the question, not willing to leave us altogether in the dark, he kindly enough tells us what opinion he would give were it asked. We are not then to take what our author says