and thirty thousand select persons, habited in white robes, aided in the devotions of the day. The king himself, clothed with a robe of fine linen, and wearing an ephod, led the procession, singing those striking words, descriptive of the acceptable worshipper, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place ?—He that hath clean hands and a pure heart;" is the response, "who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation ! At this moment, the interpreters of this psalm suppose, that the procession had ascended the hill, and had reached the gates of the city, when thechoir, consisting of many thousands, shouted with a loud voice, in those words, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall come in." Then another choir within the gates, responding, ask, "Who is this king of glory?" The procession replies, "The Lord mighty in battle ;" and again shout, "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall come in." The massy gates, in the form of a portcullis, were then probably thrown high in air, and as the ark was passing in, the city choir again sing, "Who is this king of glory?" and the procession following the ark, replies, "The Lord of hosts; he is the king of glory."

Is it possible, my hearers, to imagine a scene on earth of greater solemnity and grandeur? The elevation of the spot rendered the ark and the immense mul

titude conspicuous, and the voices and instruments audible. If limited to temples made with hands, the awful shout would have been too tremendous for mortal organs to bear. It rose to the concave of heaven, and died away with melting sweetness on the ears of the remotest persons of that countless multitude. And well may we suppose, that the assembly were greatly affected with a scene like this, and their hearts wrought up to a holy enthusiasm of devotion, at least for a moment. And as the concluding hymn exhorted them, that they "remembered God's marvellous works to their nation, and were mindful of his covenant, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations, even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac, confirmed to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant." As they saw the ark moving in the procession, enveloped in the cloud of glory, they gratefully remembered the protection, which He, who dwelt in the cloud, extended to their fathers in a thousand dangers, in Egypt and the wilderness. So sacred and so important has music been regarded in the worship of God, from the earliest times of which we have any history, especially among God's peculiar people, on ordinary and special occasions. Surely, then, we are not to regard it lightly, as a decent appendage of public worship, as a relief from graver thought and duty, but as a means of awakening within us pious and grateful feelings, and of expressing them in the most devout manner. We ought to engage in this part of devotion with the same solemnity and affection, with

which we do in prayer, fixing our minds on the thoughts we utter, and sending upward our hearts with our voices. I fear, that many who would feel condemned, if they suffered their thoughts to wander in prayer, think little of thoughtlessness and levity in singing. Yet many of the hymns we sing are direct addresses and prayers to the Deity. His venerable name is often repeated in them, which should never be uttered without holy fear. Is not the praise and thanksgiving which many of us utter in singing, formality and lip service; harmony it may be; but is it melody in the heart unto the Lord? While anxious to utter no discordant note, which should draw upon us the eyes and censure of our fellow-worshippers, still more anxious let us be, that our hearts be right with God, in the delightful exercise. Making melody to the Lord in the heart, what a sweet and heavenly accent would this give to our singing; a pathos it would give, which would awaken pious affections in others, and wrap an assembly in grateful enthusiasm.

Great, indeed is the influence of sweet and solemn music in our churches. We are not, perhaps, sufficiently sensible how great is its influence upon ourselves. They who never occupy the place where I stand, cannot well imagine the relief, and aid, and comfort afforded to the preachers of the gospel, by sacred music, well and feelingly performed. We, perhaps, are more conscious than others also, how much we are indebted to excellent singing, for preparing our hearers to receive the truth in the love of it from our lips. You remember, when the mind of Saul was agitated with strong

passions, with envy, and jealousy, and melancholy, nothing but his minstrel could soothe him to peace. And the good prophet Elisha, when somewhat ruffled by the presence of Ahab, first called for a minstrel to calm his mind, and then he felt the afflatus of the divine spirit, moving him to prophecy. So an assembly met for worship and instruction, by sweet and solemn music, is brought into that serious and serene frame of mind, which is adapted to receive the visits of the divine spirit, and the instruction of the sanctuary. Thus important is sacred music to the best improvement of the means of grace. But it is to be regarded with great reverence, as a direct act of devotion. As such, let us al. ways enter upon it, when the words of the hymn or anthem are addressed to the Deity, and no more trifle in praise than in prayer. Chiefly let us remember, that though a melodious voice and skill in the holy art are necessary, yet, the highest excellence in singing is grace in the heart. If this be absent, let us reflect with concern, that in the ears of God, the sweetest song and softest voice are like sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, inharmonious and offensive. Let it ever be our devout endeavor to sing with the spirit and with the understanding also, and to make melody unto the Lord in our hearts. It is plainly intimated in the scriptures, that this will be one of the delightful employments of the heavenly state, and will be a medium of praise for the redeemed through eternity. Let us on earth, then, sing with an heavenly frame of mind, and, then, at no remote time, we shall, with a choir

which no man can number, sing the song of Moses the servant of the Lord, and the song of the Lamb forever. But it is time that I remark,

III. That we should give feeling and spirit to our hymns and anthems of thanksgiving, by a grateful recollection of the tender mercies of God, to our fathers and to ourselves-" Make known his deeds among the people," says the text-"Talk ye of all his wondrous works." And, accordingly, the psalmist in the hymn of thanksgiving looks back to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, the founders of their nation; to Moses their lawgiver; and to the miracles of mercy, by which "a little one was to become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation." Let us do the same; for, except in point of miracles, our origin and history are as wonderful as that of the Israelites, and as strikingly evince the merciful providence of God. God selected Abraham, and called him away from his kindred and native land, to be the founder of their nation. And let us gratefully acknowledge, that he selected to be the founders of New England, men of like faith with Abraham; men who shrunk not from similar sacrifices for God, and a pure religion; men, who with the spirit of martyrs, left the land of their fathers' sepulchres, to enjoy the rights of conscience in a howling and unknown wilderness, and to worship God, as they thought, in greater purity than they were allowed to do at home. Their faith and patience were severely tried by persecution; those of them who were preachers were silenced, and often imprisoned, and fined beyond their