| | PAGE. |
|———————————————————————————————–|——-|
| FAMILY WORSHIP, | 245 |
| A SERMON. By the Rev. James S. Sinclair, John Knox’s, Glasgow, | 248 |
| THE SINGING OF PSALMS. By the Rev. John Brown, of Haddington, | 256 |
| LETTER FROM REV. J. B. RADASI, | 259 |
| ACCOUNT OF MISSION TO FORCES IN ENGLAND. By the Rev. Murdo
Morrison Lochinver, Sutherland, | 261 |
| THE LATE MR. ANGUS MACLEOD, STRATHY POINT, SUTHERLANDSHIRE, | 264 |
| THE DIARY OF DUGALD BUCHANAN, | 268 |
| THE LATE MR. JOHN MACKENZIE, BOOR, POOLEWE, ROSS-SHIRE, | 272 |
| THE LATE MRS. MACKENZIE, CARNACH, STRATHERRICK, | 274 |
| LA NA CEISDE ANN — | 276 |
| NOTES OF ALEXANDER GAIR AND OTHER WORTHIES, | 279 |
| NOTES AND COMMENTS, | 280 |
| ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DONATIONS, | 281 |
| CHURCH NOTES, | 283 |
| THE MAGAZINE, | 284 |

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THE Free Presbyterian Magazine And MONTHLY RECORD.

VOL. XX.

NOVEMBER, 1915.

No. 7.

Family Worship.

THE observance of family worship was very common in Scotland in years that are past. But we have good reason to fear that this admirable practice has now become out of date in popular estimation, and that it is only in comparatively few households that it is still observed. The newspaper—valuable in a subordinate way—has usurped the place which belongs to the Bible, and the nation is everywhere poorer, morally and spiritually, on this account. It is plain to all who have studied carefully the history of religion among us that worship in the family has proved a blessing of incalculable value to many generations of our countrymen. Some, we believe, have received their first serious impressions of eternal things at the family altar, impressions which eventually issued in a change from Satan’s darkness to God’s marvellous light. Equally certain is it that thousands have derived moral benefit of a high order from this sacred institution. Scotland and England have risen to the high place which they occupy among the nations, as a result, under God, of personal and family religion. But, sad to say, declension has begun; the light of God’s Word is rejected from many homes; and we are in danger if not arrested, of universal decay and ruin. The voice of the Lord in this terrible war is a call to return to His Word and Worship.

In making a few observations on this important subject, let us notice, first, the Scriptural basis for family worship.

The Scriptures clearly teach us that as the individual is a unit formed by the Most High, so is the family. The marriage tie was constituted in Eden by the hand of the Lord, and the offspring of the marriage union are compared in Scripture to the branches of a tree. There is a certain oneness between the tree and its branches. It seems, therefore, plain that it is the natural duty of parents and children as one body or company, possessing certain mutual relations, responsibilities and advantages, to acknowledge together their Maker as the fountain of all their

good, and in the light of the special revelation of righteousness and mercy He has given, to confess their sins, and seek His forgiveness and help through Jesus Christ.

We observe also that there are concrete examples given us in the Scriptures of family worship. If we go back to the earliest times, we see that the visible Church was confined to particular families—Adam and his family, Noah and his family, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their families. The worship of the Church in those ages was family worship. We find that Abraham raised up altars for worship in the various places whither he went, and he is highly commended by the Lord for his attention to the religion of his family: “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord” (Genesis xviii. 19). Abraham was “the father of the faithful,” and a typical servant of God for all subsequent ages. We might also cite the cases of Joshua, Job, David, and others. All these prayed with and for their families. Joshua’s memorable resolution bears strongly upon the point: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Coming to New Testament times, we see that the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, taught His disciples to engage in united worship: “When ye pray, say, Our Father, which art in heaven,” etc.

True, we may not find a distinct, explicit case of family worship recorded in the New Testament, but that is quite unnecessary, as unnecessary as it is to find an explicit case of a woman sitting at the Lord’s Table in order to prove that women may sit there. Family worship was no ceremonial part of the old dispensation destined to pass away, but an institution adapted to, and binding upon all generations, as long as there is a family in the world. The New Testament has on record many cases of families and households being brought into the visible Church, and can it be supposed that these, with their greater privileges, were under less obligation to acknowledge and worship God than the people of the former dispensation? The supposition is absurd.

Still further, we find that fearful woes are pronounced in the Scriptures on households that do not acknowledge God or serve Him. “The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked.” Forgetfulness of God is wickedness, though often not thought or believed to be so. Witness, again, the burning petitions of Jeremiah: “Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee (or own thee) not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name” (Jer. x. 25). These words—expressive not of malice, but of holy indignation—contain a solemn warning to families who neglect God’s Worship.

In view of the above teaching of Scripture, we think it is as plain as it possibly can be that social worship is obligatory upon all families to whom the Bible has come.

Perhaps some person may ask, “Is it right or Scriptural for people who are unrenewed, and without spiritual life, to engage in

family worship?” We answer without hesitation that it is. Read the 148th Psalm. There “dragons and all deeps,” beasts and all cattle, kings and judges, young men and maidens, old men and children, are all commanded without exception to “praise the name of the Lord.” If they are capable in a lawful sense of the high exercise of praising Him, surely they are capable in a lawful sense of the humbler exercises of reading His Word, and calling upon His name. We must not be wiser than God, and it is only a presumptuous sickly spirituality that He will frown upon, which forbids what He has expressly commanded. Do we forbid the unregenerate from engaging in public worship where a number of families are gathered together? No. If it is competent for them to engage in worship along with a number of families, it must be equally competent for them to do so when met as members of one family. It is further our personal opinion that, when the leader in worship does not feel himself or herself competent to engage in prayer extempore, such may lawfully use a form of supplication. While it is wrong to depend upon a mere formal repetition of words in prayer for acceptance with God, yet we think that the employment of a “form of sound words” in private, if necessary, is not wrong in itself. Witness the fourteenth chapter of Hosea, where the Lord puts the very words of supplication into the mouth of Israel, and observe also the pattern of prayer that Christ left with His disciples. Is it not entirely proper, and eminently helpful, for us oftentimes to use the very language of Scripture both in public and private at a throne of grace?

It would be an excellent thing if all families, where a measure of decency prevails, would regularly observe a form of family worship, and that not merely once a week on the Sabbath evening, but morning and evening each day. It would, to say the least, act in general as a preserving salt from many outward evils, to which fallen humanity is prone. The Lord also blesses the reading as well as the preaching of His Word unto salvation. It is open to us to hope that such a blessing might attend it.

The present time in the history of our country is one in which there should be renewed diligence in the matter of all religious exercises, public and private. God’s judgments are clearly in the earth. He is angry with us for, among other things, our practical atheism, forgetfulness of His being and claims, and our negligence of prayer. If ever there was a message from heaven to people asleep in spiritual death and indifference, it is at the present crisis. “What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not” (Jonah i. 6). Thus spoke “the shipmaster” to Jonah in the storm. The same call comes to every slothful soul to-day. It would be well if people who have become remiss in family worship or have been utterly neglectful of it, would awake and give it regular attention. Who can tell but the Lord, in His infinite mercy, might send us at present a special blessing as a nation?

A Sermon.

BY THE REV. JAMES S. SINCLAIR, JOHN KNOX’S, GLASGOW.

The Conversion of the Philippian jailor.—Acts xvi. 23-34.

THIS chapter of the Acts contains an account of the first fruits of the Apostolic preaching of the Gospel on the continent of Europe. Not that the truth concerning Jesus Christ had not reached any part of this continent before this date. For we read in the second chapter of the Acts, where the day of Pentecost is described, that there were present on that day “strangers of Rome” who came under the influence of the Holy Ghost, and heard the truth as proclaimed by the Apostle Peter. Doubtless, these strangers returned to Rome, one of the principal cities of Europe, and carried the truth of the Gospel with them. Still, we have no record of any public authoritative preaching of the Gospel on the European continent, until we come to the narrative before us. Paul, accompanied by Silas, had set out on his second missionary journey, and had visited various parts of Asia Minor, where he had previously laboured, “confirming the Churches.” It was the intention of these servants of Christ to break new ground in the interior of Asia, but as they tarried at Troas on the western coast, “A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia who prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us.” This vision, which was evidently of the Lord, led them to cross the Aegean Sea to the Macedonian province of Greece. Here they were divinely guided to the city of Philippi, where was a Roman colony.

The inspired writer gives details in this chapter of two outstanding conversions which took place in Philippi, those of Lydia, a native of Thyatira, and the jailor. Other conversions there manifestly were. The members of the households of these persons were brought to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and, no doubt, other men and women besides to whom there is no direct allusion. We read in the closing verse of the chapter that Paul and Silas “went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia, and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.” Lydia’s house was probably the place where the brethren gathered for fellowship and worship. It is apparent that the Lord’s dealings with Lydia differed somewhat from His dealings with the jailor. He dealt gently with Lydia when He opened her heart to attend unto the things which were spoken of Paul, but He gave a sharp awakening to the jailor. He dealt with him by terrible things in righteousness. Nothing less than an earthquake was sent to arouse him out of the sleep of death. The Lord is sovereign, and in His dispensations towards His people, He acts variously in some particulars,

though in the main things He is the same. Lydia and the jailor were both brought as sinners to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone as the divine Saviour, “able to save unto the uttermost,” and their faith was similar in its fruits. Both made a public confession of Christ at all costs, and were baptised in His name, and both exhibited the same warm, intense, self-sacrificing love to Christ’s servants and people.

It is our purpose on the present occasion, in dependence upon the Spirit of truth, to consider the interesting account given us of the jailor’s conversion, and in doing so, let us observe:—

I.—The character of the jailor prior to his conversion;

II.—The various steps in providence which led to this wonderful change in his case;

III.—His awakening to soul concern, as expressed in action, and in question, “What must I do to be saved?”

IV.—The words of Paul and Silas, in answer to his question, which proved instrumental in the change from darkness to light; and

V.—The evidences the jailor gave that his conversion was genuine.

I.—Let us observe the character of the jailor before his conversion.

We are told nothing explicitly about him in this respect, but we may safely gather what manner of man he was from his conduct towards Paul and Silas. These messengers of Christ had been brought before the magistrates of Philippi on the ground that they were disturbers of the peace, teaching customs which were not lawful to be received. They had cast out an evil spirit from a poor damsel who was “possessed with a spirit of divination,” and who was employed as a source of unhallowed gain by certain masters. She no longer possessed the spirit to divine, and so her masters, enraged at the loss, laid hold of Paul and Silas, and accused them before the magistrates. “The multitude rose up together against them,” with the result that the magistrates condemned Paul and Silas to be severely beaten, and then to be cast into prison, “charging the jailor to keep them safely.”

The jailor now makes manifest his character. Having received this charge, he not only “thrust them into the inner prison,” but “made their feet fast in the stocks.” He was determined to add pain to safety. He was of one spirit with the magistrates in their opposition to Paul and Silas, and in action towards them, he was, if anything, more cruel and severe. The jailor therefore shows himself to be a Gentile member of Adam’s fallen race—one of those who were “alienated and enemies in their minds by wicked works.” It is almost certain from what is told us afterwards that he had heard to some extent the truth concerning sin and salvation from the lips of Paul and Silas before they were brought before the magistrates, but he plainly did not like it. He hated the men and their message, and when he now has the opportunity,

he will make things as bitter for them as he possibly can. The poor jailor just exhibits the same spirit as is in every fallen creature by nature. “The carnal mind is enmity against God,” and enmity against His law and gospel. And many of those, whom the Lord has called by His grace, hated the truth as intensely as he did, before their conversion, though in providence they were not allowed to show their malice in the same way.

Let us behold, then, here a trophy of the free and sovereign grace of God in Jesus Christ. The Most High in the riches of His mercy invades the jail of Philippi, one of Satan’s strongest fortresses in the city, and snatches a brand out of the fire—one of the most unlikely men in the whole town to become, as we believe he did, an eminent follower of the despised Jesus of Nazareth. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”

II.—Let us now proceed to observe the various steps in providence, which led to this wonderful change in his case.

i. The first step I observe is the spiritual exercises of Paul and Silas in the prison. We are informed that “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them.” It is remarkable to notice the elevation of mind and spirit these servants of Christ had, during the midnight hour in the dark prison, with their feet fast in the painful stocks. Here we see, not defeated soldiers of Jesus Christ, though prisoners for His sake, but spiritual victors over all their enemies. His grace was sufficient to sustain them; His strength was made perfect in their weakness. They were more than conquerors through grace; and thus they were enabled, not only to pray, but to sing praises unto God, and that so loudly that the other prisoners heard them.

Now, I fully believe that when Paul and Silas prayed, they not only raised their earnest petitions to the throne of grace in their own spiritual interests, but in the spiritual interests of others, yea, of their very enemies. Filled as they were with the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and remembering His gracious commands, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you,” they would not fail to pray for the man who had despitefully used them in the prison. Every pang of pain, which came from the stocks, would prompt them to pray that the Lord would have mercy upon his soul, and save him from going down to the pit. We are not expressly told this, but personally I feel convinced of the truth of it. Whether their faith rose to the height of being assured of his coming conversion is a different question, but that he, among others, was the subject of their prayers I think cannot be doubted. This is the wonderful way in which the Lord’s servants, when under the reigning influence of the Holy Ghost, recompense their enemies. They overcome evil with good, and seek the soul’s salvation of those who have injured them.

The Lord makes use of His people’s prayers in all ages as links

in the chain of His fulfilled purposes. Prayer is one of His ordinances. He moves His children and servants to pray for blessings on themselves and others, and then answers them, to the praise of His glorious grace.

1. The second step I observe in the movement of Providence in the jailor’s case is the earthquake. We are told that “suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.”

In succession to the prayers and praises of Paul and Silas, the Lord suddenly sent a great earthquake which shook the foundations of the prison, opened the doors of the various wards, loosed the bands of all the prisoners, and awoke the jailor out of sleep. He had fallen asleep at the post of duty, and now he had a stern awakening. Possibly Paul and Silas, and the other prisoners, at the first shock of the earthquake thought that it had come to destroy the prison and all its occupants. But they got a pleasant surprise. No injury was done to any one. The earthquake was a benefactor in disguise. It spoke of deliverance from bondage, and entrance into freedom. “The doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.” It appeared indeed to shadow forth beforehand the spiritual deliverance of the jailor, who, after he got the foundations of his heathen religion shaken to the very bottom, was ushered into the liberty of the glorious gospel of Christ.

The jailor, however, on his first awaking out of sleep, felt great consternation and thought all was gone. He saw the prison doors open, and immediately concluded that the prisoners had escaped. Knowing the Roman law that criminal negligence on his part in regard to the prisoners involved the penalty of death, he was determined, in the rage of despair, to take the law into his own hand, and drew out his sword with the intention of killing himself. We can see plainly here that this man’s soul was thrown into a terrible commotion. Pride, disappointment, despair took hold of him, and in full possession of his natural faculties, he deliberately resolved to commit the awful crime of self-murder, and thus launch his guilty soul into a lost eternity. For the moment, he is standing on the brink of self-destruction and perdition. But the Lord’s purpose of mercy shall stand, and He interposes to the rescue. This leads me to notice:

1. The third preparatory step towards the conversion of the jailor in the loving admonition addressed him by Paul, who cried, saying, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.”

Possibly some sound emitted by the jailor gave Paul to understand what he was about to do to himself—for the prison was in darkness, and nothing could be seen. The Apostle, animated by

the spirit of love towards the poor deluded and wretched man in such a perilous position, told him that all the prisoners were safe, and warned him not to do himself any harm.

The voice of Paul was here as the voice of a gracious God to the keeper of the prison. He had imagined that the prisoners had escaped, and that he was exposed to the penalty of death, and he was foolishly about to put an end to his life. And here is the very man, whom he had regarded with hatred as the principal evil-doer and disturber of the peace in Philippi, interposing for his help. Such a loving return for the cruelty that he had already shown towards Paul and his companion was to him something surprising in the extreme, utterly beyond anything that he had come in contact with heathendom, more like the action of God than of man. At that very moment, I believe he was convinced with supernatural effect that the words of the poor damsel were true, “These men are servants of the most high God, who show unto us the way of salvation.” He saw in the light of the little truth already known to him that he was about to do himself eternal harm, and that Paul and Silas were messengers sent of God to tell him of his danger. This is the point at which his soul was spiritually awakened to see his need of salvation. Thus I pass to the next general head.

III.—The jailor’s awakening to soul concern as expressed in action, and in question, “What must I do to be saved?” No sooner did he see the imminent danger in which he was of being lost eternally, and recognise that Paul and Silas were God’s messengers, able and willing to instruct him in the divine way of escape, than he showed an intense anxiety to come into friendly converse with them. The inspired writer tells us that “he called for a light, sprang in, came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Observe his actions. “He called for a light.” The prison was dark and his soul was dark. He earnestly sought for light, and got it. He “sprang in.” Before this, he would have wished to be as far as possible from Paul and Silas, but now he desires their company. “Came trembling”—trembling with fear as a sinner on the brink of eternal destruction, and trembling with shame for the way in which he had dishonoured God and despitefully used His servants. “And fell down before Paul and Silas.” What a change of attitude! The men whom a few hours before he could have trampled under his feet, he now almost worships—paying them next to divine honours. “And brought them out.” His new regard for them was no mere empty sentiment, it showed itself in practical kindness. He would fain make reparation for the injury he had done. Realising that they were God’s servants, doing His work, and feeling his responsibility to a greater authority than the magistrates of Philippi, he brings them out, be the temporal consequences what they may.

Observe, now, the great question which he put with tremulous respect to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” If his actions showed a remarkable change of attitude towards these messengers of Christ, his spoken question makes it perfectly clear what was the great concern that agitated his mind. He is deeply anxious to be “saved.” Saved from what? Certainly not from any temporal death or punishment. By bringing out Paul and Silas, he proved that he did not care what punishment the magistrates would inflict upon him. It is plain that he desires to be saved from at least two great evils of infinite moment—from sin and its penal consequence, hell. He feels himself trembling under the load of enormous guilt on the brink of perdition; he has heard that these Jewish teachers were proclaiming a way of salvation from these dreadful evils; and so he entertains a hope that even he may yet be saved, if he only knew what to do to attain this great and desirable end. An intense conflict between strong fear and weak hope proceeds in his breast.

He puts the question, “What must I do?” This question may be viewed in two ways. First, it may be regarded as an expression of the legal principle that is naturally rooted in the human mind since the beginning. God entered into a covenant of works with man in the estate of innocence, the substance of which was, “Do, and thou shalt live.” “Obey the law’s precepts and thou shalt obtain eternal life for thyself and thy posterity.” Man broke this covenant by disobedience, and rendered himself incapable of ever gaining eternal life by His works again. But though so fallen, he does not see this, and imagines that he can and must do something by way of merit towards his own salvation. This notion continues in his mind, even after he hears that the salvation of the gospel is entirely salvation by grace, until it is broken by the power of the Spirit of God. We might not wonder though the poor jailor who knew so little would be under its influence. Or secondly, the question may be viewed as simply a confession of general ignorance of what was necessary in order to obtain salvation. And certainly there are soul doings or exercises, whereby a sinner under the influence of the Holy Spirit is brought into vital union with Christ, and saved from sin and hell. Salvation is without doubt a free gift from God through Jesus Christ, but the sinner is not made the subject of it apart from certain vital soul exercises. The jailor was therefore in the right way when he came confessing his ignorance to Paul and Silas, and asking them to instruct him as to the way of salvation.

It would be a great mercy, my friends, if we would see many persons with the same question laid upon their consciences and spirits, and seeking the way of peace with intense concern, even though they should be to some extent under the influence of the legal spirit, or showing great ignorance as to the truth. Many of God’s most eminent saints were thus to begin with. Luther is an outstanding example. When burdened with an awakened conscience, he thought he should secure God’s favour and eternal

salvation by His works and penances, and continued thus a long time, until he was spiritually taught otherwise.

IV.—I now proceed to observe the words of truth, spoken by Paul and Silas, which were made instrumental in the jailor’s change from darkness to light. “And they said, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

1. Let us notice that they pointed him to Jesus of Nazareth as the one Saviour. These names, Lord Jesus Christ, speak of the Saviour’s person and offices. He is the Christ, the promised deliverer and prophet of the Church; He is Jesus, the priest who saves His people from their sins by the sacrifice of Himself; He is Lord, “God over all, blessed for ever,” and the King, whom the Father, in connection with the covenant of grace, has set upon His holy hill of Zion, and made governor over the nations. This glorious person is the one Saviour of that which was lost, and they direct the jailor to this Christ alone for the salvation he so much needs.

2. Let us next observe that they instructed him that it was by faith in this Saviour that he would become personally interested in His salvation—not by any works of merit or righteousness that he could do. Saving faith may be defined as a personal, living, soul reliance upon Jesus Christ as the Divine Redeemer and Almighty Saviour.

Paul and Silas say in effect to the jailor that he must look wholly away from himself or any righteousness or strength of his own, and seek to exercise reliance or trust in this wonderful Person, in order to obtain eternal salvation. Renouncing all hope or help in the creature, he must fall in with God’s way of salvation by Christ and rest his soul for an endless eternity upon the divinely provided Saviour. The Lord Jesus had borne the sins of many, satisfied justice, and secured deliverance from eternal death, and entrance into eternal life for lost sinners of the human race, and the only way of salvation was to believe upon His name, and upon no other.

Now, it is further clear that their words of instruction are here presented in the form of an exhortation or command. “Believe” is in the imperative mood. Faith is a duty as well as a grace. They taught the jailor and all others that so far from its being presumption for a sinner—any sinner—to receive and rest upon the Lord Jesus for salvation, that all are under an imperative command from God to do so, and that it is sinful to disobey. Paul and Silas showed the jailor that he was entirely welcome to come to Christ, and to rest upon Him for eternity. Not that they implied that the jailor or any other has ability of himself to exercise saving faith—faith is the gift of God—but rather that this same Saviour was able to bestow a complete salvation upon a lost sinner. They believed that the Lord who sent them to give the command to sinners to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ was able to make the word effectual to produce the faith required, and they had personal experience that He did so in the case of many souls.

1. I observe in conclusion on this head that they also held out the hope of salvation to the jailor’s house as well as to himself. “Thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Not that they meant that his house would be saved, apart from saving grace given to each member of it, but that the Lord was extending special encouragement to believing parents to seek and expect the salvation of their children. The jailor was encouraged to hope that he might be instrumental by faith in Christ, not only in his own salvation, but in the salvation of his family. “I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.”

V.—The fifth and last general point is the evidences the jailor gave that his conversion was genuine. He showed his faith by his works. “Faith worketh by love.” “He that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”

He took the servants of Christ whom he had previously injured “the same hour of the night and washed their stripes.” He would fain heal the wounds that had been unjustly and cruelly made in their bodies. He was baptised, and this implied that he made a deliberate confession of faith in Christ, and of willingness to follow Him through good report and evil report at all costs, loss of position, loss of means, or loss of life. To be baptised nowadays may involve no self-sacrifice whatever, but things were different in the Apostolic age. As he had opened his heart to Christ and His servants, so he also opened his house. He set meat before them. “I was hungry and ye gave me meat.” And finally we are told that he “rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” There was nothing of an outward kind that was fitted to give him joy. His future prospects as to earthly comfort were dark and unpromising. It was no outward gain of any kind to him to identify himself with the persecuted followers of the despised Jesus of Nazareth. His faith was heaven-born and was taken up with heavenly objects. He rejoiced in the great salvation he had obtained—in the good hope through grace of eternal life. He rejoiced in God his Saviour. This joy of his bore testimony to the divine and heavenly reality of his faith, and the wonderful passage from darkness to light and death to life that had taken place in his history.

Finally, let me press the importance upon you, my hearers, who are still far from God, of concern as to your soul’s salvation. Time is short. Eternity is near. If you die out of Christ, there is nothing before you but a fearful looking for of judgment, the worm that dieth not, and the fire that shall not be quenched. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Your only hope is to flee to Christ, the one almighty and all-sufficient Saviour, and in dependence upon His grace, seek to believe upon Him who is able to save unto the uttermost. “None perish that Him trust.” May the Lord, in His infinite mercy, constrain and enable sinners to believe upon the Son of God, who is “the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him” (Hebrews iv. 9).

The Singing of Psalms.

BY THE REV. JOHN BROWN, OF HADDINGTON.

“I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”
—I Cor. xiv. 15.

NO part of the Christian worship is more plainly warranted by the oracles of God than the ordinance of Singing of Psalms. The ancient Hebrews practised it at the Red Sea before their system of ceremonial worship was prescribed them by God (Exod. xv.) It was preferred to the most pompous sacrifices, even while the ceremonial observances remained in their vigour (Psalm lxxix. 30, 31). The divine obligation to it remained in full force when the ceremonial law, with all its rites, was abolished (Ps. xlvi. 1-7, lxvii. 4; C. i. 4, Eph. v. 19, Col. iii. 16, James v. 13). We have it enforced with the most engaging example of the angels who kept their first estate (Job xxxviii. 6, 7, Luke ii. 13, 14, Rev. v. 11, 12), and of apostles and saints (Acts xvi. 25, I Cor. xiv. 15, etc.); nay, of our Redeemer Himself (Matt. xxix. 30). This exercise, performed in a manner suited to the dignity of the glorified state, will be the everlasting employ of established angels and ransomed men (Isa. xxvi. 19, li. 11; Rev. v. 9-13).

Nor is this exercise of inconsiderable usefulness. The whole glories of Jehovah, as made known to creatures, and all the wonders of His creating power, His redeeming love and providential care, belonging to its extensive theme, it is an excellent means of conveying holy instructions (Col. iii. 16); of inspiring heavenly affections (Ps. lvii. 7, 8); of recreating holy souls (James v. 13); and, in fine, of bearing up and comforting amidst grief and trouble (Acts xvi. 25, Ps. cxix. 54). And hence it is seasonable, not only in this valley of tears, but even in the most distressful condition (Ps. ci. 1, Hab. iii. 17, 18).

It is a duty which ought to be practised by every person in secret by himself (Jas. v. 13, Ps. cxix. 62-164), by every Christian family and society (Ps. cxviii. 15, Acts xvi. 25), and in every public worshipping assembly and congregation (Isa. xxxv. 1-10, and lii. 7-9; Rev. v. 9, 10, xiv. 3, xv. 3, etc.)

This duty being of so much importance we ought to perform it under the special influence of the Holy Ghost (I Cor. xiv. 15, John iv. 24); with understanding of the warrantableness, matter, manner, and end of our praise (Ps. xlvi. 6, 7; I Cor. xiv. 15); with an holy ardour of affection and vigour of mind (Psalm lvii. 10 and ciii. 1, 2); with grace in our heart, making melody therein, to the Lord (Eph. v. 19, Col. iii. 16); in the name of Christ as mediator between God and us (Col. iii. 16, 17; I Peter ii. 5); and with an earnest aim to glorify God (Col. iii. 16, I Peter iv. 11). The matter ought to be prudently suited to our occasions

and conditions (Ps. cxii. 5, Eph. v. 15); nor ought the melody, or in social worship, the harmony of voices to be overlooked (Psalm cl.)

No doubt, one may compose spiritual hymns for his own and others religious recreation; but, to admit forms of human composure into the stated and public worship of God, appears to me very improper. (1) It is extremely dangerous. Heresies and errors, by this means may, and often, have been very insensibly introduced into churches, congregations, or families. (2) There is no need of it. The Holy Ghost hath, in the Psalms of David and other scriptural songs, furnished us with such a rich collection of gospel doctrines and precious promises; an extensive fund of solid experiences; an exhaustless mine of gospel grace and truth; an endless variety to suit every state or condition, in which, either our own soul or the Church of Christ, can be upon earth. These were framed by Him who searcheth the hearts and knows the deep things of God; and hence must be better adapted to the case of souls or societies than any private composition whatever. (3) Though the Holy Ghost never saw meet to leave us a liturgy of prayers, yet, from the poetical composition thereof, it is plain He intended these psalms and songs for a standing form of praise in the Church. It is certain they were used in this manner under the Old Testament. The Holy Ghost hath, under the New, plainly directed us to the use hereof (Col. iii. 16, Eph. v. 19). The psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs there recommended, are plainly the same with the Mizmorim, Jehillim, and Shirim mentioned in the Hebrew titles of David’s Psalms (Ps. iii. iv. v. and cxlv., cxx.-cxxiv.)

It hath been pretended, the language and manner of these Psalms are not suited to the spiritual nature of our gospel-worship. That, however, may as well be urged against the reading of them as against the singing of them; nay, against the reading of a great part of the Old Testament in our Christian worship. It is certain, many passages in the Book of Psalms or of other Scripture songs are expressive of the exercises of faith, repentance, love, or the like graces, which still remain of the same form as under the Old Testament. The predictions are either accomplished, and so may be sung to the honour of God’s mercy and faithfulness; or, if not accomplished, may be sung in the hopes that God will accomplish them in His time. The history of what God did for His Jewish servants and Church may be sung with admiration of His love, wisdom, power, and grace therein manifested. It is further to be considered that much of what related to David, or the Jewish Church, was typical of the character and concerns of Jesus Christ and the Gospel Church, and so ought to be sung with a special application thereto.

As for these Psalms, which contain denunciations of Divine vengeance upon the enemies of God and His Church, we are to consider, that these expressions were dictated by the infallible

Spirit of God; that the objects of them were foreseen to be irreconcilable enemies of Christ and His Church; that those who sing them only applaud the equity of the doom, which God hath justly pronounced upon such offenders; and that they are to be sung with a full persuasion of the event, as a certain, awful and just display of the glory and tremendous justice of Jehovah. Though we ought, therefore, never to apply them to particular parties or persons who have injured us, yet to decline using them, out of a pretence of charity, is to suppose ourselves wiser than Him, Whose understanding is infinite, and more merciful than the Father of Mercies, Who is full of compassion, and delighteth in mercy. Moreover, as these external enemies, devoted to destruction, were in some sense emblematic of our spiritual enemies, within or without us, the passages may be sung with application to ourselves, as directed against these principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses, in high places, with whom we have to wrestle, while on earth (Eph. vi. 10, 19; 1 Pet. v. 8, 9; Rom. viii. 13; Gal. v. 17, 24).

The Book of Psalms is one of the most extensive and useful in Holy Scriptures, as it is everywhere suited to the case of the saints. It is at first much mixed with complaints and supplications, and at last issues in pure and lasting praise. That Heman composed Psalm lxxxviii., Ethan the lxxxix., and Moses xci. is certain. Whether these under the name of Asaph were mostly penned by him, or only assigned to be sung by him as a master of the Temple-music, as others were to Jeduthun, or to the sons of Korah, or other chief musicians, we cannot determine. Some, as Psalm lxxiv., lxxix., cxxvi., and cxxxvii. appear to have been composed after the begun captivity to Babylon; but by whom we know not. The rest, including these two marked with the name of Solomon, might be composed by David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel.

Twenty-five of the Psalms have no title at all; and whether the titles of the rest are of Divine authority is not altogether agreed. But when it is considered that these titles everywhere appear in the Hebrew originals; and how often they serve as a key to the Psalm, and are sometimes connected therewith by the accentuating points, there is no real ground to suspect the authenticity thereof. Nor are interpreters agreed with respect to the signification of some of the Hebrew words standing in these titles. We think that Maschil always signifies that the psalm is designed for instruction (Psalms xxxii., xliii., xliv., liii., liv., lv., lxxiv., lxxviii., lxxxviii., lxxxix.); Michtam denotes the precious or golden nature of the psalm, as xiv., lvi., lx.; Altaschith, that the scope of the psalm is to deprecate destruction, lvii., lix.; Muthlabben, that the psalm was composed on the occasion of the death of his son, or of Goliath the duellist (Psalm ix.); Aigeleth Shabar, that its subject is Jesus Christ the Hind of the morning (Psalm xxii.); Jonath-Elem-Rechokim, that David is therein represented as a mute

dove among foreigners (Psalm lvi.), Shoshannim. Shoshannim-eduth, or Shusham-eduth, may either signify, that Christ and His people, who are lilies, or lilies of the congregation or testimony, are the subject of it; or that it was sung on an instrument of six strings (Psalms xlv., lx., lxxix., lxxx.) as Sheminith denotes an instrument of eight strings (Psalms vi., xii.) Mahalath may either signify the disease, and Mahalath Leanoth the afflicting disease, or Mahalath may signify a wind-instrument of music (liii. and lxxxviii.) Neqinath and Neqinoth denote stringed instruments of music (Psalms iv. and lxi., etc.); Nehiloth, wind-ones (Psalm v.); Gittith, a musical instrument or tune invented at Gath (Psalms viii., lxxxi., and lxxxiv.); Alamoth, the virginals, or a song to be sung by the virgins (Psalm xlvi.); Shiggaion, or Shigionoth, may denote the diversified matter or tune of the psalm (Psalm vii.) The cxxth, and fourteen next following, are called Songs of Degrees, perhaps because they were sung on the different steps of the Temple-stairs, or were sung at certain halts made by David and the Israelites, when they brought up the Ark of God from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem; or were sung by the Hebrews at their different rests, when they came up from the country to their three solemn feasts; or were partly sung by the Jews at their different halts in their return from Babylon.