Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

II. Come we now to the Directions for the right manner of performing the same, which are set down by the Apostle in these words,¹ Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

1. 1Col. 3. 16.

1 First therefore it must be in the heart, or with the heart, i. e. our hearts must go with our voices, the one must be lift up as ⟨p. 99⟩well as the other.¹ For God is a Spirit, and therefore will be worshipped with our hearts and spirits, as well as with our bodies. And truly, singing with the voice, without the concurrence of the heart and spirit, is no more pleasing to God, than a sounding brass,² or tinkling Cymbal.

1. 1John 4. 24. Non vox, sed votum, non cho• dula musica, sed cor.
2. 2Non cantans, sed amans, cantat in aure Dei.

2 As we must sing with the heart, so with grace in the heart, that is, we must exercise the graces of Gods holy Spirit in singing, as well as in praying; labouring to express the same affection in singing the Psalm, as David had in penning the same; as if it be a Psalm of Confession, then to express some humility and brokenness of heart and spirit in singing it. If it be a Psalm of prayers and petitions, then must our affections be fervent. If a Psalm of praises and thanksgivings, then must our hearts be cheerful. And thus must the affection of the heart be ever suitable to the quality of the Psalm.