best because each thought his course and faculty best Some thought best to spend the time in singing Psalms others thought the time better spent in delivering some doctrine others in speaking with strange Tongues c. 2. Or indeed rather in both these practises they Judaized As in Chap. XI they followed the customs and opinions of the Jews in praying vailed in wearing long hair and in their misconstruction of the Holy Sacrament so they did here both in speaking in a strange Tongue and in thus crowding to prophesie together The Jews read the Scriptures in the Hebrew Tongue and although it were unknown yet they would so read it and have an Interpreter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctor in his School whispered in the Hebrew If you conceive the strange Tongue here used by them to be Hebrew as there is the most reason to do so being a Church that Judaized in many other things and consisting in a great measure of Jews I need say no more to shew they Judaized in this So for many of the publick Ministers in their Synagogues to speak together to read interpret together their own records do so far assert it that they set the number how many together in each and in some allow good store In like manner you see in the Text how they thus crowded many speaking together confusedly in five distinct administrations One hath a Psalm others a Doctrine others a Tongue others a Revelation and some an Interpretation And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one means not that every one had all these but every one their something of these So every one must signifie if you read 1 Cor. I 12. Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas i. e. some for one and some for another not each one for all And thus the second question is answered And now to proceed in the Explanation of the Text. The extraordinary gifts of the the Spirit are comprized under two heads in Scripture Tongues and Prophesie XIX Act. 6. The Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied And vers 1 2 3 c. of this Chap. Desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesie For he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God c. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Where you see the Spiritual gifts in the first verse are divided into Tongues and Prophesie Now all these five are thus reduced to these two I. Speaking with Tongues That which is meant by it is couched under those two words Hath a Tongue hath an Interpretation That is Either to speak with strange Tongues himself or to Interpret them that do II. Prophesying What is comprized under that is explained by those three words Hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Revelation 1. The word Prophesying is taken for singing and praysing So 1 Sam. X. 5. Thou shalt meet a company of Prophets coming down from the high place with a Psaltery and a Tabret and a Pipe and a Harp before them and they shall prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chald. They shall praise him And Chap. XIX 24 25. And the Spirit of God was upon him also and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Rama 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he went on and praised And he stript off his cloths i. e. his royal robes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and praised 2. Prophesying means preaching declaring to the people the Doctrine of the Gospel So here hath a Doctrine The Apostles by the Imposition of hands ordained Ministers and gave them Spiritual abilities to prophesie or preach and unfold the Doctrine of Christ and Salvation So the Chaldee most commonly renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scholar one learned and able and that taught the people So even that in 1 Sam. XIX ult Is Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Scholars or Ministers It is usually said of these extraordinary gifts that they are Tongues and Prophesie but see Act. X. 46. They heard them speak with Tongues and magnifie God This magnifying God is to the same sense with prophesying For they magnified God these two ways viz Singing or praysing and preaching the glorious things of the Gospel 3. Prophesying means speaking some heavenly Revelation So here hath a Revelation and thus the word Prophesie is taken in its proper sense as some had in those times either a Revelation of something to come for a warning to the Church as Agabus Act. XI 28. who signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the World which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. And he is called a Prophet in 27. vers And you meet with him again in XXI Chap. 10. Or the Revelation was of something that God would have his Church to do as in Act. XIII 2. As they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Hence we may understand that in vers 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three That is one to sing prayse and one or two to preach But vers 30. If any have a Revelation let the first that had the Psalm give place and let him rather be heard as remembring that God might intend some special admonition to the Church by so special a Declaration To discourse of all these five would take five times as much time as is allotted me I shall therefore only meddle with the first at present Hath a Psalm and speak something concerning that great and heavenly work of singing of Psalms in Christian Congregations And that the rather because it hath been spoken against in the cross times that have gone over our heads wherein all Religion has been brought into dispute Although it is a question whether these Psalms mentioned in the Text were of their own dictating or penned by others the former whereof seems more probable yet the very mode and work of their singing Psalms shews that it was a practise in the Christian Church from its very beginning Nay though this place speak it not clear yet others do That it was the practise to sing Davids Psalms in the publick Congregation the whole Congregation together You know what arguments are brought against this our practise 1. That the Congregation is not holy enough to joyn with in the performance of this Duty the very same argument which some urge against the reception of the holy Sacrament 2. That they being set forms are too narrow to express our particular wants and thanksgivings 3. That every one doth not understand and we should sing with understanding vers 15. Therefore I shall take up this Discourse the rather to shew that singing of Davids Psalms is a Duty incumbent upon Christians For the clearing of this I shall First speak something of the nature of this work which will speak it moral and upon that account fit to be used in the Christian Church And secondly the Evidence of the use of it in the first times And first of the Nature of this Duty Many things are spoken of the excellency of the book of Psalms and many may be spoken of the Excellency of singing Psalms
the Doxology is added to it by Saint Matthew and omitted by Saint Luke 1139 Prayers were sometimes performed with great silence in the Temple p. 351. Prayers of the Jews consisted in Benedictions and Doxologies p. 427. Private Prayers in what part of the Temple they were performed p. 464. Dayly Prayers of the Jews were eighteen in number what they were 690 Praying for the dead founded by the Rhemists on that Text 1 John 5. 16. refuted 1094 Preaching was one part of Prophesie Singing Psalms and foretelling of Things from Divine Revelation were the two others 785 Precepts there were say the Jews six hundred thirteen Precepts in the Law of Moses 1114 Pre-existence of Souls some of the Jews held it 569 1352 Preparation of the Sabbath what 358 Presbyters and Elders were to judge in Pecuniary Affairs 755 Preservation of God how he preserves all Men alike and yet not all alike Page 1213 Presumption Monuments of Mercy were never set up in Scripture to be encouragements to Presumption 1276 Priestess one born of the Lineage of Priests of these the Priests commonly took themselves wives 379 Priesthood and High Priesthood only differed in two things 585 Priests married Gentlemens Daughters p. 42. One hundred sixty Priests were married in Gophna all in one night p. 52. Priests were the setled Ministry of the Church of Israel they always lived upon Tithes when they studied in the University Preached in the Synagogues and attended on the Temple Service p. 86. They were called First Plebeian Priests for Priests were not made but born so some of them were poor yet being of Aaron's seed though unlearned they had their Courses at the Altar Secondly Idiots or Private because still of a lower Order Thirdly Wâ— thier being besides the High Priest Heads of the Courses Heads of Families Presidents over Offices And such as were Members of the chief Sanhedrim p. 110. The Marriage of the Priests was a thing of great concern on purpose to keep them uncorrupt p. 379. Priests and Levites what was lawful and unlawful in them p. 382. Priests were examined by the Great Council whether they had any blemishes which if they had they were sent away arraied in black p. 388. Chief Priests Elders and Scribes how distinguished 469 Prince of this World the Devil how so called 591 592 Probatica or the Sheep Gate was not near the Temple contrary to the common Opinion 507 Prodigies very memorable which happened forty years before the destruction of the Temple what 248 Prophane or polluted and unclean distinguished 199 200 Promises given to Israel in the Law are most generally and most apparently Temporal Promises p. 1331 c. Scarcely any Spiritual much less any Eternal Promises in the Law of Moses p. 1332. In the Books of Moses they were all for earthly things as they belonged to the Jews p. 1332. Why God gave them such Promises p. 1333. There were spiritual Promises before the Law p. 1333. The Gospel State happy in the better Promises p. 1332 1333. God intended Spiritual Things under Temporal Promises p. 1333. Why God did not speak out Spiritual and Eternal Things but only obscurely hinted them in such Temporal Promises 1333 1334 Prophesie comprehends the singing of Psalms to Preach and Foretel something from Divine Revelation p. 785. From the death of the later Prophets the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Prophesie ceased from Israel p. 802. Prophesie expired at the fall of Jerusalem p. 1048. Prophesie was one of the two extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit p. 1157. Prophesie Revelation and Urim and Thummim was gone from the Jews for four hundred years before Christ came p. 1284 1288 1289. Prophesie was sometimes performed by ill Men as Caiaphas and Balaam 1288 to 1291 Prophesying what it was in Saint Paul's time 1157 1158 Prophets Schools of the Prophets were little Universities or Colledges of Students their Governor some venerable Prophet inspired with the Holy Spirit to give forth Divine Revelations c. p. 86. Prophets how divided by the Jews p. 407. How unrolled and distant Places put together p. 407 408. Prophets put for Prophetical Books of Scripture p. 458. From the days of Zachary and Malachy the Jews expected no Prophets till the coming of the Messiah p. 522. Prophets were not the standing Ministry of the Church neither under the Law nor under the Gospel but occasional and of necessity p. 1034 1049. The Books of the Law and Prophets only were read by the Jews in their Synagogues the rest they read not 1102 Proselyte what Page 234 Proselytes Fearers of the Lord are used for Proselytes every one of them are blessed 689 Prosperity of the wicked did once occasion both weeping and laughing p. 706. Prosperity or Peace outward in the things of this World is no sign of Peace with God p. 1053. It 's sometimes a sign of God's enmity proved from Ecclesiastes 5. 13. and from Mal. 2. 2. p. 1053. The Prosperity of wicked Men is an Argument of the Last Judgment and future state 1104 Protestant Church and Religion where they were before Luthers time 1201 Providence of God not a Rule for Men to go by but his Word 1276 Psalms put for the Hagiographa p. 265. Singing of Psalms was one part of Prophesie p. 785. Singing of Psalms in Christian Congregations is a great and heavenly work p. 1158. The Primitive Christians sung David's Psalms in their publick Congregations p. 1158. The singing whereof is a Duty incumbent upon Christians p. 1158 to 1162. Our Saviour the Apostles and the Primitive Church practised it 1159 to 1162 Ptolemais also called Acon a City of Galilee how situate 60 Ptolomy is in something amended 320 Publican what his business p. 171. Publican Heathen what 215 Publicans were odious to the Jews p. 152 c. They were of several Degrees 466 467 Purgatory the Doctrine of it p. 1341. The improbability ridiculousness and irreligion of the Papists holding that the Patriarchs were in it 1342 1343 Purification days of a Woman after Child bearing when accomplished p. 391 392. Purification after touching a dead Body what 790 Purifying water Children were born and brought up in some Courts under ground to be made fitter to sprinkle the Purifying water 34 Purifyings some were performed in a longer and others in a shorter time 586 Purim the Feast of Purim opposed by some of the Jews 578 Putting away for divorcing what p. 146. Putting away a Husband by the Wife c. among the Jews what With the Form thereof 759 Pythons what 175 Q. QUAKARISM Popery and Socinianism are great Heresies Page 1280 1281 R. RAbban Jochanan ben Zaccai something of his History Page 652 653 Rabbi an haughty Title not common till the times of Hillel which in later times was much affected 232 233 Rabbins of Tiberias were mad with Pharisaism bewitched with Traditions blind guileful doting and magical and such a like work is the Jerusalem Talmud which they made there it 's not possible to suppose that
I may allude to that expression Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all So may I say in reference to this Duty all Duties are excellent but this includes all In singing of Psalms there is what is in other Services and more Prayer is our duty Praise speaking of Gods works singing are our Duties but this last is all it is like the holy Incense mixt of all these perfumes The excellency of this duty will appear further under these four heads First It is an action that helps up and keeps up the heart in a Spiritual frame as much as any See the Apostle arguing for singing upon this account V. Ephes. 18 19. Be filled with the spirit Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And V. James 13. Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merry Let him sing Psalms If the heart would be up in mirth use this to help it up being not yet come into frame If it be up use this to keep it that it be not transported The Heart by spiritual musick is called up to beat in the right mean As David by his Harp calmed Sauls spirit so this is proper to beat down immoderate mirth And so on the other hand it is proper to free the mind of lumpishness and sadness as Elisha being put into a passion and disturbance at the sight of the King of Israel called for Temple Musick to pacifie and allay his discomposed mind 2 King III. 14 15. And Elisha said as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat the King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee But now bring me a Minstrel And it came to pass when the Minstrel played that the hand of the Lord came upon him See a strange passage in Jer. XX. at the 12. vers the Prophets heart is quite down O Lord of Hosts that tryest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I opened my cause At the 14 vers his heart is lower yet Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed But in the midst of these sorrows and dejections he falls to praising and singing unto God At the 13 vers Sing unto the Lord praise ye the Lord. He strives to wind up his heart to a right pitch with Sing unto the Lord. As God requires outward and inward worship so a spiritual frame for inward worship may be forwarded by the outward composure Gazing drowsiness hinders the activity of the Soul but the contrary temper furthers and helps it Singing calls up the Soul into such a posture and doth as it were awaken it t is a lively rowzing up of the heart Secondly This is a work of the most meditation of any we perform in publick It keeps the heart longest upon the thing spoken Prayer and hearing pass quick from one Sentence to another this sticks long upon it Meditation must follow after hearing the word and praying with the Minister for new sentences still succeeding give not liberty in the instant well to muse and consider upon what is spoken But in this you pray and meditate praise and meditate speak of the things of God and meditate God hath so ordered this duty that while we are imployed in it we feed and chew the cud together Higgaion or Meditation is set upon some passages of the Psalms as IX Psal. 16. The same may be writ upon the whole duty and all parts of it viz. Meditation Set before you one in the posture to sing to the best advantage eyes lift up to Heaven denote his desire that his heart may be there too hath before him a line or verse of prayer mourning praise mention of Gods works how fairly now may his heart spred it self in Meditation on the thing while he is singing it over Our singing is measured in deliberate time not more for Musick than Meditation He that seeks not finds not this advantage in singing Psalms hath not yet learned what it means Thirdly This is a Service in which we profess delight in the thing we have in hand Yea even in sad mourning ditty we delight so to mourn Psal. C. 1. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye Lands serve the Lord with gladness T is a noise of joy and gladness It speaks that we delight in Gods Ordinances that we are about As Musick at Table shews we make a Feast of delight of what God hath provided Solatur voce laborem He that sings at his work shews that his work goes on with contentedness David at his harp and composing Psalms to the honour of God what delight did he take therein So that in singing there must be two things I. The Ditty to be applied by Meditation And II. Tuning the Voice to it in the best liveliness we can as delighting in the work Nay Fourthly This is a Service wherein one is cheared from another It is a joynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One takes mirth life and warmth from another a holy servor and emulation as the Seraphins Esa. VI. strive to outvy one another in praising God Who is there but while he is joyning with the Congregation in this Duty feels such an impression and excitation his own string wound up by the consort of the Quire T is a story goes of St. Austin that it was one means of his conversion the hearing the heavenly singing of Psalms at Milan As all our Duties here in publick carry some bond and badge of communion we come to pray together hear together and so profess our selves Christians together we being all Scholars in the School of Christ so this of singing together more especially speaks it out But herein is not only a sign of communion but also mutual excitation As David speaks when he was at this work Psal XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together We do as it were joy one another to put on all as much as we can to joyn together in the praise and honour of God I need to say no more to shew that so excellent a Duty could not but be setled by Christ with others in the Christian Church the very nature of the thing may speak it I shall therefore only speak to three things I. The warrant of Christ for the observance of this Duty II. The admonitions of the Apostle for the same purpose And
III. An Instance or two of the practise of all the Church And all this will serve for illustrating the second thing I propounded for the clearing this Duty viz. Secondly The Evidence of the use of it in the first times I. Our Saviour the very next thing he did after signing sealing and sanctionating the New Testament was to sing a Psalm And who then can doubt of the institution of this as a New Testament-duty Matth. XXVI 28. 29 30. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins But I say unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives Let us stick here a little and from this singing of an hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may observe three things 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number Beza approves of Erasmus here for departing from the Vulgar That hath it Hymno dicto He cum cecinissent Beza hereupon Ut intelligatur Apostolos una cum Christo cecinisse That men might understand that the Apostles joyned with Christ in singing And very true for it was the custom among the Jews in all companies that celebrated the Passover so to do for though one chiefly rehearsed yet all had some share in the Quire And so in the case in the Text though the Psalm were of their own composing yet the Congregation bare some part in it as Miriam with Moses XV. Exod. 21. Apostolos cecinisse the Apostles sung Was Judas there or no I wonder it is not confessed by all the World it is so plain that he eat the Passover received the Sacrament and stayed the Psalm and was present till all rose from the Table And Christ knew him and yet gave the Psalm and sung with the whole Table And Peter and John knew him and yet it were peevishness to think that they joined not in the Quire when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung What can they say to this that refuse to joyn with us in this exercise Will they can they say that Judas was not there But if that be granted that he was gone yet at the eating the Passover it is well known every company sung together without bogling 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung What The very same that every company did viz. The great Hallel as it was called which began at the CXIII Psalm and ended at the end of the CXVIII No expositor but grants this and no reason to the conrary for Christ complied with all the rites of the Passover and started not from them in this Here the Lord of David sings the Psalms of David What Christ saith by way of posing If David in Spirit call him Lord how is he his Son We may say the like by way of admiration If David in spirit call him Lord how did he descend to make use of his Poetry What says our Caviller now Set forms are too strait for the Spirit He that had the Spirit above measure thinks not so but useth such He that gave the Spirit to David to compose sings what he composed That All-blessed Copy of peace and order could have indited himself could have inspired every Disciple to have been a David but submits to order which God had appointed sings the Psalms of David and tenders the Peace of the Church and takes the same course the whole Church did 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung a Hymn In what Language Here is a question indeed and that might provoke a Scholastical dispute both in Divinity and Antiquity In Divinity Did they sing in the original Hebrew That was not now understood In Antiquity Had they a translation of the Psalms and Hagiographa now Yea they had the LXX But all that sung understood not the LXX But had they a Vulgar Translation in their own Tongue This draws into another question viz. What was their Tongue I should answer Not the Syriack we now read but the old Syriack or Chaldee which they call Turgumica And I should answer to the former question That they had the Hagiographa now in the Tongue as well as the Prophets of Jonathans translation and I find in both Talmuds that each speaks to it to confirm it However who thinks they sung in a Tongue they understood not or in any other but the Vulgar And here is our warrant for our framing the Psalms into our Tongue and Metre Thus have we seen the Example nay institution of our great Master II. Now let us hear our great Apostle the Apostle of the Gentiles In two places he speaks to this subject besides what he says in this Chapter Ephes. V. 18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. And Col. III. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Where let us take up three things as we did in the former 1. Observe how spiritual a pitch he set this at and what elevation of Heart he ascribes to it Be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymus c. It is the very vent and issue whereby a spiritual frame breaks out in its chiefest demonstration The more we are filled with the Spirit the more we break out this way and a most fit vent it is to the Spirit when both Tongue and Heart speak and put forth themselves in their best vigor by singing to the praise of God when the heart is full of spiritual fervor this excellent way So in that place to the Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you When it does it will break out in all wisdom and in Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns c. 2. Observe the three Titles he useth Psalms Hymns Spiritual Songs They are variously indeed taken but very generally for the Psalms of David Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms upon any subject Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Psalms of Praise Spiritual Songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cantica magis artificiosa Psalms about which is employed greater art and curiosity Others differ upon particulars but agree upon this that by these three are meant the Psalms of David and other Songs in Scripture What If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Psalms of David upon any subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymns be such Psalms as are picked out and used for special occasions as Hallel those of Degrees and for every day So that word seems to imply from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is used to express the Psalms that Christ and his Apostles
sung at the Passover which were ordinarily used by the Jews for that occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritual Songs were other Songs in Scripture besides Davids So you read of the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb in XV. Revel 3. 3. Observe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. V. The English translates it to your selves i. e. inter vos mutuo among your selves as Beza well and as that in Col. III. explains it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admonishing one another Which speaks it a publick exercise and of communion where all joyned and stirred up one another III. Further examples of this Exercise in the New Testament we might observe in the Revelations That Book speaks of the State of the Christian Church and one great work of it is singing Rev. V. 9. And they sung a new song c. The ordinary practise was to sing the Psalms of David but they sung a new song and that is there set down Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. So in Rev. XIV 23. And I heard the voice of Harpers harping with their harps And they sung as it were a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemed from the Earth This place speaks according to the acceptation of the Jews how they shall sing when Messiah brings them out of Captivity for there is mention among them of one hundred and forty four thousand of the twelve Tribes And so upon other occasions you find the Church singing as in XV. Chap. 2 3. But that that I shall fix on is that in 1 Cor. XI 5. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head What is meant by the woman prophesying Not preaching For that is forbidden them in the Chapter wherein the Text is 34. vers Let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted them to speak c. Nay nor so much as to ask any question which in the Jewish assemblies at their Sermons was ordinary vers 35. And if they will learn any thing let them ask their husbands at home Neither is meant by this prophesying prophesying in the proper sense i. e. foretelling things to come For it is a question whether any woman in Corinth nay in rerum natura now Philips daughters excepted Act. XXI 9. did thus prophesie But it is plain the Apostle speaks of the ordinary Service which whole Congregations joyned in and the praying and prophesying here used is praying and praising or singing Psalms Take the Apostles own gloss in this Chapter vers 15 I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Understanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Understanding also As all the Congregation joyned in prayer with the Minister and said Amen vers 16. So all the Congregation Men and Women joyned with him that had and gave the Psalm and sung with him For the Conclusion I might produce even endless Encomiums and Extollings of this work in Christian Writers viz. That it is the work of Angels the Employment of glorified Saints the musick of Heaven c. I confess I want words to express the excellency of this Duty Now to make some Use of what I have said I. If I were in a vulgar or unlearned Congregation I would give rules for singing of Psalms with profit and among divers especially these two 1. To mind what is sung not only that the Heart go along with the Tongue in general but to be carefully observant of what is sung There is variety of matter in most Psalms they pass from one thing to another This we should carefully observe now I pray now I mourn for my sins for the Church of God c. To this I may apply that in vers 15. I will sing with the understanding if the place speaks in reference to a mans own understanding of what he prays or sings but the Apostle there means of singing and praying to be understood by others 2. To apply to our selves the matter we sing as far as it may concern us To bear a part with David not in word and tune but affection This way we must use in hearing or reading the Scripture to bring it home to our own concernment So likewise in this action of singing Thus did they Revel XV. 3. They sung the song of Moses that is they applied Moses song in Exod. XV. unto themselves And this the leisure for meditation gives you opportunity to do At male dum recitas incipit esse tuus He that illy repeats another mans verses makes them ill verses but withal makes them his own But here I will alter the words a little Si bene recitas If you sing right sing Davids Psalms but make them your own Let the skill of composure be His the life of devotion yours II. If I thought there were any here that made scruple of this ordinance I would speak a word or two to them Let me say but two things First There is no plain ground why to refrain from singing but most plain grounds why to sing A thousand times we are bidden Sing never forbidden Sing not So of the holy Sacrament t is commanded in Scripture Do this but never Do it not Secondly Where a Duty is commanded and a scruple ariseth from some circumstance it is safer to go with the Command than from it It is commanded in Psal. XXXIV 3. O magnifie the Lord with me c. The scruple is that some prophane persons sing that set forms are too narrow c. It is warrantable now notwithstanding these scruples to keep up to the Command but not contra not warrantable to omit the Command because of these scruples There is no extinguishing a Duty because of some particular doubts concerning it This rule holds good of the reception of the holy Sacrament III. I might speak by way of incitation to all to make Conscience of this Duty Fail not to joyn with the Congregation in the performance of it stir up your hearts while you are conversant about it Say to your selves as David to his Instruments Awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early I will say but this Qui vult cantare in Coelo discat cantare in terris He that will sing in Heaven let him learn that divine exercise on Earth As S. Paul saith of Charity 1 Cor. XIII 8. Charity never faileth but whether there be prophesies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But charity only remains and goes to Heaven with us So I say of this Duty Praise only of all the Services we perform to God here goes along with us to Heaven There is no
supposed but that the four and twenty were thus divided that half or more of every Course were continually resident in Jerusalem and about it that they might unfailingly be ready for the Service when the time of their Course came and the other part or half of every Course was up and down dispersed through the Land only at and about Jericho there was a great number constantly of every Course residing there as the others did at Hierusalem who when the Week of their Course came went up either to assist their Bretheren of the course in their Service or to help to cater provisions for them while they served 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They ordered for their Brethren saith one gloss upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That their brethren might have sufficient of Water and Provision saith another And as for the rest of that Course that were neither at Hierusalem nor at Jericho but dispersed up and down the Country they and the Levites and the Stationary men that were appertaining to that Course met together in their Synagogues according as they were near together and fasted and prayed and read the Law and made supplications that their Brethrens Service now in hand at Hierusalem might be accepted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel that was of that Course saith the Mishneh even now cited gathered themselves into their Cities and fasted c. Where by the word Israel is not meant the Israelites or Stationary men of that Course as they stood in opposition and distinct to Priests and Levites but it meaneth all the Priests and Levites and Stationary men that were of that Course who were dispersed through the Land of Israel in distinction to those that were then at Hierusalem at the Service As the Courses were every one of them thus divided in regard of place and attendance so was every one of them also distinguished into degrees 1. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The head of the Course who was President over them all and who resembled that eminent person from whom the Course took its name the most of these Heads no doubt were of the great Sanhedrim and though in the affairs of the Temple the Sagan Katholikin Immercalin and Gizbarin of whom hath been spoken already were above them yet in this great Council they were all equal and these altogether are those that are so frequently mentioned by the Gospels as Members of that Judicatory by the name of Chief-priests 2. There was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The heads of the houses of their fathers p p p Maym. in Kele Migdash per. 4. for the President of the Course divided the Course so among the Houses of the Fathers that every House or Family might serve its day And those that were in these several Families under the Head of the House of their Father were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 private or ordinary Priests These Courses entred on the Sabbath and on the next Sabbath they went out 2 King 11. 7. 2 Chron. 23. 4. serving only a Week at a time and so their attendance was required twice in the year The serving of every Course was thus divided q q q Talm. Ier. Tosaph ubi supr The Course that had five houses of Fathers in it three served three days and two served four days The Course that had six houses of Fathers in it five served five days and one served two days The Course that had seven houses of Fathers in it they served every one their day The Course that had eight houses of Fathers in it six served six days and two one day And the Course that had nine houses of Fathers in it five served five days and four served two days r r r Tosaph ibid. In their attendance the men of the Course were permitted to drink Wine in the night but not in the day because it might be that the service of their brethren might be too heavy for the house of the Father that was to serve and they might be necessitated to come in and help which they might not do having drunk Wine But the men of the house of the Father that were to serve might not drink Wine either by day or by night Whosoever knew his course and the house of his Father he was forbidden Wine only for that day that his Fathers house served He that knew his course but not his fathers house the knowledge of which in long continuance might be lost he was forbidden Wine all that Week In some exigents the Priests might serve though they were unclean f f f Maym. in Biath Migdash per. 4. Every Offering either of the Congregation or of a particular person the time for the offering of which is fixed as all the offerings time of the Congregations be they dispence with the Sabbath and with uncleanness but that is with uncleanness or defiling by the dead only As for example the time fixed for such a Sacrifice is come and the most of the Congregation that should offer it are defiled by the dead as 2 Chro. 30. 17. or the Congregation is clean but the Priests that should offer it are defiled by the dead or both of them are clean and the Vessels of the Service are so defiled yet must it be offered in this uncleanness and the clean and unclean may be imployed about it alike and they may all go into the Court But those that are unclean with any other uncleanness as by fluxes issues touching of creeping things any carcass or the like may not be imployed about the Service nor may they go into the Court. CHAP. VII Of the Levites SECT I. Of the Porters and Guards of the Temple THE a a a 1 Chron. 25. 26. Levites were divided into Porters and Signers b b b Erachin per. ◠in Gemar fixed Offices which they might not change one to intrude into anothers Office and neither of them into the Priests The distribution of Porters into four and twenty Courses is not so clearly legible in the Scripture as is such a distribution of the Priests and Singers for the Courses of both those are both numbred and named and so are not these And yet do these two Texts 2 Chron. 3. 14. and 1 Chron. 26. 17 18. hold out so fair a propability of such a thing that it may almost as readily be concluded upon as may the other For in the former the Porters go in the very same Equipage as to the matter of division into Courses with the Priests and Singers He appointed the Courses of the Priests according to the order of David his Father and the Levites to their charges to praise and minister before the Lord as the duty of every day required the Porters also by their Courses at every Gate And in the latter the first Fathers of the Porters are summed up to the very same number that the first Fathers of the other Courses were namely to four and
them 243 619 Sixth hour was twelve a Clock or high-noon the Jews used to pray evening morning and at noon so did the Apostles after Converts to the Gospel 844 Slaughter at one time five hundred thousand the greatest ever recorded in History 78 So how used 593 Marg. Sodomites besides the Men of Sodom 80 Solomon was but twelve years old when he made choice of Wisdom above all p. 73 125. He exceeded all Kings upon Earth in Wisdom Power Peace and Magnificence 47 Songs and Musick what was used on the Sabbath and at other times 923 924 Son variously used Page 659 Son of God in Scripture only applicable to Christ In the plural number it belongs to Saints p. 504. Christ called the Son of God 535 Sons of God in Gen. 6. and Job 1. what 995 Son of Man Christ so called often but only by himself to shew his humanity and his being the second Adam p. 471 491 537. Others called by that Name why p. 537. A Title given to Christ what p. 678. As opposed to the Son of David what p. 679. Son of Man is a Chaldean Phrase 996 Sosipater in all probability was Sopater of Berea 315 Souldiers their Duties 462 Space the utmost space within the great Wall was commonly called the first Temple 1089. * Spirit of God is often used in the Scriptures for the Holy Ghost but ever in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim plural to shew his descent from the Father and the Son against the Greek Church 482 Spirit being born of it what p. 571 573. In Scripture it is compared to Fire and Water the reasons 600 Spirits seven Spirits put for the Holy Ghost a common speech among the Jews 341 Standing was the posture of the Jewish people when they heard their Teachers 241 Star what it was the Wisemen saw where it was they saw it and how upon the sight of it they could conclude that it related to a King of the Jews 437 438 Stationary Men were Israelites that did attend the Temple Offerings and Service these stood to be a representative Congregation c. 924 925 Stephen his accusation before the Sanhedrim The Heads of his Vindication 279 280 Stile of the Jews much followed in the New Testament 213 214 Stocks in the House of the Lord what and of what use 2017. * Stoned what Criminals were to be stoned with the manner of it 282 Stoning a Capital punishment how used among the Jews 2007. * Strangers which was that part of the Temple into which strangers might not come 1089. * Strangled things about not eating them what 293 Strangling a Capital punishment among the Jews how performed 2006. * Stripes whipping or Scourging upon the censure of the Judges and the receiving forty or thirty nine stripes what 901 Study Ministers were to be fitted for their Ministry by Study so were the Priests and Levites accomplished Prophets and inspired Men were only occasional Teachers but those the constant for Prophesie was but sometimes and now and then long wanting as under the second Temple and the People could only be taught by Learned Men because then the Scriptures were in an unknown Tongue to the common people 357 Sufferings sometimes called Baptism 250 Sun and Moon being darkned signifies the Eclipsing the Glory and Prosperity of a Kingdom or a People 344 Sunsetting began and ended the day among the Jews 642 643 Suppers of Christ several p. 258. The Supper in which Satan entred into Judas was two days before the Passover day came 258 260 Shushan the Palace portraied on the East Gate and why 1052. * Swearing by the Temple the custom of the Jews 256 Swine hated by the Jews loved by the Romans 231 Sychar and Sichem the same p. 593 597. Sychar the reason of the name 597 Sycophants were at the first good Officers but afterwards the Term became a reproach 449. Marg. Synagogue in every great Town the Jews had a Synagogue and a Divinity School p. 299. In the Synagogue were had Prayers Reading and plain Sermons in the Divinity School were the high Dogmatical and Controversal Points about their Law p. 299. Every Synagogue had Civil as well as Sacred Governors and Rulers who Judged and Sentenced in Worldly Matters and that both within and without Judea p. 302. So that the Jews were generally judged by their own Magistrates p. 302. Episcopus an Overseer is a Synagogue Officers Term so are most of his Qualifications fetched thence mentioned in the 1 Tim. p. 308. There were four hundred and sixty Synagogues others say more in Jerusalem p. 363. The Land was full of Synagogues which were frequented every Sabbath day and the second and fifth Days of the Week p. 370. The Antiquity and Divine Institution of Synagogues p. 608 to 613. High Places were Synagogues p. 608. It s the Idolatry rather than the Places rebuked in Scripture p. 609. There were very many Synagogues Page 610 Synagogue Days or Times of meeting there were three every week viz. the second and the fifth Days of the week as well as the Sabbath besides Holy Days 291 610 611 Synagogue Officers how they sat in their Synagogues 611 Syria exceeding numerously inhabited by the Jews and in divers things privileged with Canaan some question whether after Davids conquest of it it was not a part of Canaan p. 219. From thence had Israel their greatest afflictions p. 425. It comprehended all the Country of the Jews both within and without Jordan by which we see the Heathens as well as the Jews came to Christ. 645 646 Syrian Language was the common speech of the Jews 419 T. TAbernacle its Form Idea Representation Dimensions Silver Foundation Walls and Juncture p. 716 717. The Curtains of it p. 718 719. Of the most Holy place p. 719. The Table of Shew-bread c. p. 720. The Motions and Stations of the Ark and Tabernacle p. 2060. 2062. * High places were lawful till the Tabernacle was set up in Shilo p. 2060. * How long it abode there p. 2060. * The removal of it from Shilo to Nob thence to Gibeon was by divine Warrant Page 2061. * Tabernacles The Feast thereof p. 243. Feast of Tabernacles the Nature Occasion and Reason of its Institution p. 477. The manner of the Celebration thereof p. 974 to 979. There was more rejoycing in this Feast than any other p. 974 c. The variety of Sacrifices then used 974 975. The Palm and Willow Branches p. 975 976. The Pomeâ—iteron Apples p. 976. The pouring out of Water with their Rejoycing and Rubrick of every days Service 977 to 979 Tables the two Tables the Golden and the Marble in the Porch described p. 1078. * The Shewbread Table with the manner of placing the Loaves upon it 1082. * Talmud of Jerusalem was compiled by R. Jochanan President of the Sanhedrim about A. C. 230. p. 369. The Talmud hath two parts the Mishneh and Gemera it is the Jews Council of Trent it s the sum of their Doctors