and when I sing I will sing with the Spirit c. 1 Cor. 14. 15. So doth the Apostle James join them together as of equal Worth Nature and Authority James 5. 13. From all which Considerations it appears â—inging is of the same Nature with Prayer even a Moral Duty These things I thought good to communicate to the consideration of all especially for the sake of some weak Christians Object What you then say some plead for a natural or carnal thing natural Religion and Worship Away with your Singing we thought all our Religion ought to be Spiritual Answ We plead for Spiritual Worship as well as you and say That all the Parts of Religious Duties must be Spiritual or they will not be accepted of God But what is this to the purpose Divers Ordinances in their original and proper Nature are Moral and part of natural Worship Is not Prayer in particular by all acknowledged so to be And may not Prayer be carnally performed too as well as Singing nay and so may any other Ordinance of Christ Another Man will tell you whilst you plead for Prayer you plead for a Moral Duty and a Branch of natural Worship But doth that detract from its Glory No sure all wise Men know it adds greatly to it Cornelius Act. 10. 1 2 3. was a Man much in Prayer tho a Gentile and without the knowledg of the Gospel or Law either as far as we know So the Mariners which were with Jonah in the Ship in their Distress tho Heathens 't is said every Man called upon his God Jonah 1. 5. But why shall any call Singing a low or carnal thing they have the least reason so to term it of any Ordinanâ—â— performed by the Spirit Pray are Angels sound in any carnal Ordinance or thâ—â—lorified Saints in Heaven What Ordinance can shine more glorious and subliâ—â— in its Nature than this of Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs if this be duly considered But as to the true or right manner of performance of this Duty as in all others we must have our recourse to the Word of God For though Prayer is a Moral Duty yet it is commanded and also the manner prescribed how to be performed as acceptable to God so is Preaching likewise Yet every Man by the Light of Nature is taught to instruct his Children and Servants nay and his Neighbours too as Matters may present So is Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs brought under express Institution 'T is required and enjoined on the Churches and Saints of God in the Gospel-days with Matter and Manner how to be performed as shall hereafter before I have done God assisting be fully proved so that 't is a mistake in our Brethren to think we plâ—â—â— for any natural Religion that is Carnal or Fleshly Though divers Precepts were Moral in their own Nature and so part of natural Worship due to God from his Creatures and known without the written Word the Duty I mean though not the Manner how to be performed And from the whole I draw this third Argument Arg. 3. That Duty which in its Original or Primitive Nature is Moral and a Branch of Natural Worship or Religion as well as it is given forth by Divine Institutioâ— is the iâ—â—â—spensable Duty of all the Lord's People for ever â—o be found in the practice of But Singing the Praises of the Lord is a Duty or Ordinance â—n its Original or Primitive Nature that is Moral and a Branch of Natural Worship or Religion as well as it is given forth by Divine â—nstitution Ergo Singing of the Praises of God is the indispensable Duty of all the Lord's People for ever All Men know Laws or Duties which are Moral in their own Nature lay all Men under a perpetual Obligation And that Singing is of such a Nature let what we have said be well considered Hereafter if I am answered I shall say more to it if God please to spare my Life CHAP. VIII Proving Singing of Psalms c. an Ordinance of Christ from the Practice of the Saints before the Law in the Law and under the Gospel MY next Argument shall be taken from the Practice of the Saints and People of God in all Ages of the World 'T is strange any should doubt of the truth of Singing the Praises of God if it be made appear it was the Practice of the People of God before the Law and also under the Dispensation of the Gospel 1. Not wholly to pass over what I have bâ—fore hinted of the Angels Singing though I shall but touch upon it here and do little more than cite a Passage out of a Sermon preach'd by Reverend Mr. Wells in the Supplement to the Morning Exercise these 〈◊〉 his words Singing is the Musick of Angâ—â—â— Job tells us the Morning Stars sang together Job 38. 7. Now these Morning Stars saith he as Pineda tells us are the Angels to which the Chaldee Paraphrase accords naming these Morning Stars Aciem Angelorum aâ— Host of Angels nay when this heavenly Host was sent to proclaim the Birth of oâ—â— dearest Jesus they deliver their Message in this raised way of Duty Luk. 2. 13. they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivering their Message in a laudatory Singing the whole company of Angels making a musical Quire nay in Heaven there is the Angels joyous Musick they sing Hallelujahs to the most High and to the Lamb who sits upon the Throne Rev. 5. 11. As I said before Singing as it appears by this Singing of the Angels is as ancient as the World it self and well-pleasing unto God he would never imply his Angels else in it as I shewed in the second Chapter But to our Business First That it was practised before the giving forth of the Law is evident from that â—assage before mentioned Exod. 15. 1 2 c. â—hen sang Moses and the Children of Israel 〈◊〉 Sâ—ng unto the Lord and spake saying I â—ill sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed â—â—oriously c. and spake Note in Singing here is a speaking and though they spake â—et the Holy Ghost saith they sang what they 〈◊〉 spake and though it were the whole Conâ—regation that sang yet it was as if it were â—ut one Man so united were they in their â—oice which will further appear in its proper place Also 't is worthy observing this very â—ong the Gospel-Saints shall sing at the destruâ—tion of Babylon Rev. 15. 3. Nay some conâ—lude they have already sung it though I am â—ot of that Opinion not believing any of the 〈◊〉 Viaâ—â— are by the seven Angels yet poured â—ut but that this Song shall be sung at that â—ime when the Saints have gotten temporal Victory over the Beast and Mystical Babylon is evident But let none mistake though the Saints can't yet sing that Song yet they may and ought to sing the Song of the Lamb which is to praise God for spiritual Victory obtain'd by Jesus Christ over Sin
Satan the World c. This is the chief Song we should sing and this we have perpetual cause or â—easong to sing But to returm it appears the Saints did celebrate the Praise of God by singing before the Law was given forth on Mount Sinai And then Secondly under the Law are a multitude of Instances of their Melodious Singing to God Moses as Mr. Wells observes penn'd the ninetieth Psalm and no doubt 〈◊〉 he and the Children of Israel sang it Dâ—vid and all the Lord's People sang in 〈◊〉 Worship of God in his time Also Hezekâ—â— sung and Asaph sung 2 Chron. 37. 30. 〈◊〉 Prophets sang the Jews sang before and 〈◊〉 the Captivity Nehemiah and the People 〈◊〉 him sung and praised God Thirdly The Lord's People in Gospel days were found in this Ordinance 〈◊〉 Practice of Singing the Praises of the Loâ—â— To pass by the Song of Zacharias and Elizabeth and Simeon How sweetly did 〈◊〉 sing 't is called by the Annotators the famoâ—â— Song of the blessed Virgin Luk. 1. 46. Alâ—â—â— our Lord Jesus with his Disciples after 〈◊〉 celebration of the Holy Supper the holy Ghâ—â— saith sung an Hymn they praised God 〈◊〉 they praised him by Singing Moreover 〈◊〉 and Silas sung Praises tho in Prison and 〈◊〉 Feâ— were fast in the Stocks Act. 16. Shâ—â— any Men now dare to say There are no Pâ—â—cedents for Singing Psalms and Hymns c. 〈◊〉 the New Testament certainly they will forbâ—â— to assert any such thing And now from 〈◊〉 whole take this Argument Arg. 4. That which was the Practice of 〈◊〉 Lord's People before the Law and under 〈◊〉 Law and also in the Gospel-Dispensation is 〈◊〉 indispensible Duty of the Saints and People 〈◊〉 God to practise in all Ages But Singing 〈◊〉 Praises of the Lord was the Duty of the Lord 〈◊〉 People before the Law and under the Lâ—â—nd also in the Gospel-time and Dispensation Ergo. 'T is the indispensible Duty of the Saints to â—â—actise singing the Praises of God in all Ages If any should go about to answer this Argument they must shew what Duty or Ordinance was ever practis'd before the Law under the Law and in the Gospel-Dispensation that notwithstanding is not obliging or binding to â—s or else they will say nothing to the purâ—ose but the Argument will stand as firm as Rock CHAP. V. Proving Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs an Holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ from Scripture-Precepts WE shall now prove and demonstrate that Singing of the Praises of God not only in Private but also in Congregations is a Duty incumbent on us in Gospel-Times as well as it was of Old As there is the same God of Mercies so the same Praises are to be rendered to him for his Blessings no doubt and in the same manner now that is by Singing as was then will appear 1. Because the Lord who alone appoints his own Worship hath commanded and 〈◊〉 it at our Hands and his Command and Pâ—â—cept is the Rule of our Obedience Rejoice 〈◊〉 Righteous Praise is comely for the Vprigâ—â— Praise the Lord sing unto him Psal 84 1 〈◊〉 3 4 5. Sing aloud unto the God of our Strenâ—â— make a joyful Noise unto the God of 〈◊〉 Make a joyful Noise unto the Lord come â—â—â—fore his presence with Singing Psal 100. 1 〈◊〉 Psal 95. 1 2. O come let us sing unto the 〈◊〉 let us make a joyful Noise to the Rock of 〈◊〉 Salvation And many such Precepts are giâ—â— forth by the Holy Ghost as 't is well knoâ— to all 1 Chron. 16. 9. Sing unto him 〈◊〉 Psalms unto him and tell of all his wondâ—â— Works So Psal 68. 32. Sing unto the Lord 〈◊〉 the Earth O sing Praises unto the Lord. 2. Consider these Commands by which 〈◊〉 Lord established this part of his Worship of 〈◊〉 are as obligatory unto us in Gospel-Times 〈◊〉 they were then to them when first instituted â—â—cept it could be proved to be either Ceremoâ—â— or Judaical or hath received a change in 〈◊〉 Gospel And this is evident in many respâ—â—â— particularly as to Prayer that was a Duty 〈◊〉 and the Precepts contained in the Psalms 〈◊〉 the Prophets which enjoin it are of the 〈◊〉 Authority with those in the New Testament and equally bind the Conscience So also 〈◊〉 Fasting a Duty as one observes required 〈◊〉 the Prophets and not so clearly repeated 〈◊〉 any Institution under the Gospel as this 〈◊〉 Singing is and the same might be said for Days of Thanksgiving Nay and 't is obserâ—able how oft our Brethren upon all proper â—nd fit Occasions fly to those Precepts to press Prayer Fasting and Thanksgiving too If therefore Singing as it is laid down and enâ—oined in these Sacred Precepts in the Book of Psalms c. is not binding notwithstanding â—tis repeated and given forth in the New Testament afresh Why do you when you exhort â—o other Duties make use of Arguments and Proofs out of the Book of Psalms and the Proâ—â—ets in other Cases since the Commands thereof though neither Ceremonial nor Judaiâ—al are as you seem to affirm of any Force â—or obligatory to us This seems strange for â—ertainly Men have more reason in them than â—o press Obedience on Subjects to their Suâ—eriors by abrogated or antiquated Staâ—utes And shall the Lord's Ambassadors be more irrational in pressing Obedience to the Lord than meer rational Men are in Civil Affairs Now saith one Since there is no Man that questions whether Singing of Psalms was instituted and commanded of God of old how can they avoid the Power of such Precepts considering as he minds particularly Psal 81. ver 4 5. where Singing is called a Statute for Israel and the Law of the God of Jacob and ordained in Joseph for a Testament which saith he refers to a Time before they were brought into the Ceremonial Worship Hence saith he it inevitably follows that until any Man caâ— shew us that Singing of Psalms yea Singing of the Book of Psalms was Ceremonial or Judaical or are changed or abrogated 〈◊〉 the Gospel those Precepts lie upon us now with the same Power and Obligation as 〈◊〉 laid them under then for the Antiquity of a Law or Institution rather commends it to us than any ways abates of its Obligation so that had there been no other Institutionâ— for Singing of Psalms c. than what is 〈◊〉 the Book of Psalms we should have had sufficient Authority to be found in them A Manuscript called Psalmody He might have added Since especially it is of 〈◊〉 like Nature with Prayer viz. a moral Preceptâ— as well as brought into a written Law But 〈◊〉 all I might add 't is much more unreasonable to plead an exemption from the Force and Obligation of those Precepts since the Saints are injoined to sing those Psalms of David by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament for 〈◊〉 grant there are no other Psalms none called Psalms besides the Book of Psalms 3. To this take what
we may do the Will of God on Earth as the Angels do it in Heaven i. e. do what is his Will and do it so viz. with all readiness Mr. Caryl tells us They are not worthy to be reckoned Sons of God who have not a readiness or present disposition in them to join with all or any of his true Sons in this Work to celebrate the Praises of God at his graciouâ— Appearances in his mighty Works of Mercy c. Secondly As the Angels sang at God's laying the Foundation of the first Creation so also they sang at the beginning or bringing in the second Creation as Mr. Caryl also observes even at the Birth of Christ they sang Glory to God on High and on Earth Peace good Will to Men. To teach us that as we should sing the Praises of God for the Works of Creation and so much the more for the Work of Redemption Shall they sing to see the good Will of God towards us and shall we be dumb Shall we who are thus raised to Glory and magnified by the mighty God not sing or imitate the Angels to join together with united Voices to sing and celebrate his Praises When the Disciples rejoiced and sang those Hosannahs to Jesus Christ Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest Luke 19. 38. the envious Pharisees saith Mr. Caryl did not like the Musick and therefore said unto him from among the Multitude Master Rebuke thy Disciples By this it appears that the Devil is a great Enemy to Singing he does not love such Hosannahs and Praises should be sung to Jesus Christ he it is that rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience and 't was he no doubt that influenced and stirred up these Pharisees with Envy to have Christ's Disciples rebuked for singing and praising him in such a high and triumphant manner Take heed you that are God's People who do 〈◊〉 see it is your Duty to sing Hosannahs to Christ you do not forbid others so to do lest you are found in doing of it to degrade the Holy Jesus and take from him through the Temptation of Satan part of the chiefest Glory that is due to his glorious Name For pray observe the Answer of our Lord Jesus to those blind Pharisees Vers 10. I tell you if these should hold their Peace the Stones would immediately cry out as if he had said you labour in vain to suppress or hinder these to sing my Praises or to give Glory unto me for should they be silent the Stones would cry shame of them for neglecting their Duty and God would rather cause sensless Creatures to proclaim his Praise than to want it Object But some may say 'T is not said they sâ—ng Answ There is no doubt to be made but they sung all generally understand those Hosannahs were delivered in a Song Our Annotators hint that it might be the name of a Song that was used to be sung in Festivals Moreover they tell you that the Expressions seem to be taken out of Psal 118. 24 25 26. Also they were uttered as with one Voice The whole Multitude of the Disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud Voice Luke 19. 3â— and uttered these words Hosanna blessed it he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest As God always was praised with Singing so now they seem to be raised with holy Triumph to express his Praise in the highest manner and therefore they sung But that I may close this take one or two Arguments Arg. 1. If Angels in Singing do the Will of God do that which is pleasing and acceptable to God and in so doing worship God then Singing or to sing is the Will of God well-pleasing to him and is acceptable in his sight and is a part of his Worship But Angels in Singing do the Will of God do that which is well-pleasing to him and acceptable in his sight â—and in so doing they worship him Ergo To sing is to do the Will of God 't is well-pleasing to him and acceptable in his sight and in so doing we worship him I never met with any that deny Angels to sing the Praises of Jehovah but all as one Man grant 't is part of their great Work and Business And this being so my Argument needs no Confirmation but is unanswerable Arg. 2. If Heaven and all the Host of Heaven or all that is therein and Earth and all that is in it are commanded by the Holy Ghost to sing the Praises of God then 't is the Duty of Men and Angels to sing his Praise But Heaven and all the Host of Heaven and all that is therein 〈◊〉 Earth and all that is in it are so commanded to do Ergo 'T is the Duty of Men and Angels to sing the Praises of God See Psal 148. There and in divers other places all in Heaven and Earth all are commanded to praise God in the Heights that is to sing Hallelujahs as the Hebrew word signifies Vers 1. CHAP. III. Proving Singing the Praises of God to be a Moral Duty OUR third Argument to prove Singing 〈◊〉 Ordinance of God shall be taken from the Nature of the Duty it self which generally worthy Men call a Moral Duty as well as it is brought under express Institution and so consequently a Branch of natural Worship And now because some weak Christians are offended at this Phrase viz. calling Singing a part of natural or moral Worship or Religion I shall explain what we mean when we speak thus First of all not but that 't is a spiritual Ordinance and a positively Law but we must distinguish between Precepts that are purely Moral and meerly Positive Breaking of Bread and Holy Baptism are meer positive Ordinances and they had never been known nor practised if there had not been a positive Institution to give being to them but to fear God to love God to pray to God and divers other Precepts of the same Nature had been the Duty of all Man-kind if there had been no written Law or Prescription positively to injoin them on the Creature and that by the Law or Light oâ— God in the Conscience of Men as Paul sheweth in Rom. 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law those having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their hearts All Mankind throughout the World know by that of God written in their Hearts they ought not to wrong their Neighbours they ought not to Steal nor commit Adultery nor Kill c. They are taught in a word the substance of the whole moral Law of God hereby if not wholly darkned and obliterated by their Sin and horrid Lusts Even so we say if there had been no written Law or positive Injunction to pray and sing the Praises of God
yet the Light of Nature would have taught us thus to do Remarkable is that passage of Moses in Gen. 4. Then began Men to call upon the Name of the Lord Ainsworth sheweth that the Text is taken two manner of ways the Chaldee in the Masovites Bible saith Then in his days Men left off Praying or became prophane so that they prayed not in the Name of the Lord. Others understand it directly the contrary way i. e. Then Men begun to pray or call on the Name of the Lord or erected publick Worship Preaching in the Name of the Lord. So Ainsworth Take it either way it appears they knew it was their Duty to Pray and Preach yet there was no positive Law or written Precept for either in those Days nor for many Years after even till Moses came so that 't is clear these are parts of moral or natural Worship And so is Singing no doubt for as all the Heathen generally invocate their Gods pray to them so they sing their Praises as might abundantly be demonstrated And what is more clear further to evince this than that Passage of the Children of Israels's Singing after their great Deliverance at the Red Sea Exod. 15. 1. Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this Song c. Either they did it by the Dictates of their own Conscience as a part of Divine Homage due to God from the Law or Light of God in their own Hearts to magnify him for That wonderful Salvation or else by some special means of Inspiration or Injunction from the Lord though I incline to the former Plain it is this was before the Law was given forth or there were any written Prescription or Rule to walk by which clearly shews take it either way it was no Levitical Ceremony as some are ready to assert but a Duty it was and it has been practised by multitudes that never had any knowledg of the Scripture or positive Precepts Further to confirm what we have said upon this respect i. e. that Singing the Praises of God is a moral Duty and a part of God's natural Worship as well as Prayer take what Mr. Robert's says Singing of Psalms c. to God with the Voice saith he seems to be part of God's natural Worship which upon due consideration of God's Nature Man by the Light of Nature should perform to him though there were no particular Law requiring it nor Institution appointing it For 1. Singing of Psalms c. to God is a king of Prayer a Prayer not in Prose but in Meeter with Melody The Apostle joins them together as of like Nature And who can be so gross as to deny Prayer to be part of God's natural Worship 2. Singing of Songs to God was practised by God's People at the Red Sea before the Law was given forth or any particular Law for that Duty 3. Singing the Praises of God is a Duty of the first Commandment peculiarly requiring all natural Worship to be performed to him and so it is ranked by the Godly Learned and say Singing with Heart and Voice is a Moral Worship such as is written in the Hearts of Men by Nature As to pray in distress so when we have cause of solemn Thanksgiving unto God to sing his Praises Now saith he that which is a part of God's natural moral Worship is a Duty under the New Testament as well as under the Old natural Worship is always and in all times a Duty obliging semper tho not ad semper Doubtless even the Pagans by the Light and Law of Nature are bound to sing Praises unto God for his invisible Excellencies made known to them by his visible Works of Creation and Providence tho they never come to the Knowledg of the Scriptures of Psalms and Songs Roberts's Key to the Bible pag. 172. But further to evince this and make it appear yet plainer that it is without all doubt â— Moral Duty to sing forth the Praises of God I might argue thus All Men are to pray to God every one saith Prayer is a Moral Duty then all are bound to praise him since Praise is comprehended in Prayer as a branch or part of it This being granted readily by all I further argue Ought not every Person then to perform this Duty of praising of God in the highest and most acceptable manner they are capable to do none to be sure will deny this why then say I they are all therefore taught to sing by natural or moral Principles 't is evident First Because to sing forth the Praises of God or Man is the highest manner or mode of praising either God or Man that we know of or are able to attain unto which doth appear 1. Because when any Man naturally is filled with Joy and Gladness or sees extraordinary cause of rejoicing he by a natural Instinct falls into singing all the World knows this is so Now who is he on such occasions bound to rejoice inâ— and sing to but the Lord only who gave him those good things he possesseth or delivered him from those evil things he seared and so upon the one account or other filled his Soul with Joy and Gladness Why ought the Saints particularly to rejoice in Christ Jesus and sing to him but because all that Good their Souls are made partakers of is in and through him Why did the People break forth into those sweet and triumphant Songs of Praise to David when they sang Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands was it 〈◊〉 from the Consideration of those singular Blessings and Victories they had received from David and hoped further to partake of from his Hands as an Instrument in the Hand of God And if Moral Principles lead People forth thus upon all occasions of this nature to sing to the Instrument of Blessings and Salvation how much more to the great Agent and Author of them viz. the great God of Heaven and Earth who will not give his Glory in another c. 2. Because this way of praising of God by singing is called by the Holy Ghost a praising of him in the Heights or as the heavenly Hosts Praise God with Allelujahs or in the highest manner Praise ye the Lord praise ye the Lord in the heights Psal 148. 1. Praise ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Hosts vers 2. See Ainsworth The Angels singing forth God's Praises there can be no higher way doubtless to praise 〈◊〉 than that way by which the gloâ—â—â—â—s Sâ—â—â—â—â—ims and Cherubims do express and perform 〈◊〉 Also all the Godly in every Age have â—â—â—ified it as their stedfast Belief as well as â—â—e holy Scriptures bear Witness to it that this is the way by which the glorified Saints in Heaven do and we with them shall when we come thither celebrate the Praises of God viz. by Singing therefore this of singing sorth the Praises of God is the highest and beâ—â—â—â—y and manner Praises can be given to the â—ord
Mr. Wells affirms 〈◊〉 shall saith he take one Shaft out of the whole Quiver i. e. I shall use one Argument among many which is this viz. Wâ— always find this Duty of Singing Psalmâ— linked to and joined with other moral Duties thus the Psalmist joins Singing and Prayer together Psal 95. 1 6. O come let us sing unto the Lord O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker There is Prayer and Singing conâ—exed Singing being of equal necessity and authority with other Ordinances 〈◊〉 so the Apostle James joins these two together Is any 〈◊〉 you afflicted let him pray Is any 〈◊〉 let him sing Psalms Jam. 5. 13. You 〈◊〉 observe both these Services are equally calculated for Man's Necessity Thus Paul and Silas join them in their practice Acts 16. 26. And so Justicâ— Martyr in his 117â—â— Question ad Orthodâ—â—â— tells us That they sang and sent up Prayers to God the Primitive Church confirming David's Injunctions and the Apostolical Commands So that by these Instances we may observe that the Duty of Prayer and Singing have walked in the same Equipage and lay claim to an equal Authority from Divine Writ the Scripture jointly favouring both p. 177. Secondly This Duty and holy Ordinance of Singing in Gospel-Days is evident from these Prophetick Psalms I may speak saith Mr. Wâ—lls of Singing as Paul speaks of Timothy's Ordination 1 Tim. 4. 14. it was given by Prophesy There are divers Prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Saints singing in Gospel-times on Psal 108. 2. saith he Mâ—â—râ— observeâ— that there David pours forth his ardent Prayers and Wishes for the Kingdom of Christ And so Divines observe that the 100 Psalm is Prophetical Make a joyful Noise unto the Lord all ye Lands Serve the Lord with gladness Come before his Presence with Singing O sing unto the Lord a new Song Sing unto the Lord all the Earth Here we and all 〈◊〉 Gentiles be sure who believe in Christ are required to sing nay and to come into his Presence that is into his Publicâ— Worship with Singing The like 〈◊〉 1 Chron. 16. 23 24. Sing unto the Lord all the Earth shew forth from day to day his Salâ—ation Declare his Glory among the Heatâ—â— his marvellous Works among all Nations So Psal 66. 1 2. Make a joyful Noise unto 〈◊〉 God all ye Lands Sing forth the Honoâ—◠〈◊〉 his Name make his Praise glorious Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine 〈◊〉 strength so will we sing and praise thy Power These and many other Psalms are 't is evident Prophecies of Gospel-Times when the old Boundaries of the Church should be broken down to give an entrance unto the Gentiles into the Church of God and to shew us that is the Jews in their Church-State were to celebrate the Praises of God by Psalms so are we and as Israel sang the Praises of God in the Widerness and at the Red Sea and therein acknowledged the Benefits they received so 〈◊〉 we with Songs of Thanksgiving shew forth from day to day his Salvation and declare his Glory among the Heathen with a joyful and triumphant Noise otherwise we fall short of answering the Prophesy in our Day and Times and render not to God the Duty he requires And to all the prophetical Psalms I might add that pregnant Prophecy recorded by the Prophet Isa Chap. 52. 8. Thy Watchmen shall lift up the Voice with the Voice together shall they sing Which clearly saith Mr. Wells prognosticates this Musical Ordinance in Gospel-Times Musculus faith These Watchâ—en shall jubilee when they shall consider the great Joy approaching for the Redemption obtained by Christ There are two things which not only establish but sweeten and honour an Ordinance 1. Promises 2. Prophecies Christ himself was the Fruit and Issue of both These things clearly inform us 1. That Singing of Psalms c. is not a legal part of Worship but fuitable to Gospel-Times 2. That there is clear and manifest Institution of it nay and that these prophetical Gospel-Psalms and Prophecies are part of the Gospel being Prophecies of it as the first Chapter of John is What think you of those places of the Prophets and Psalms that speak of Christ as they are mentioned and recited in the New Testament are they not Gospel as well as any thing ye find therein taught or laid down anew Doth not the Apostle tell us That unto them that is to Israel the Gospel was preached as well as unto us And that in Promises and Prophecies it was preached to Abraham 3. Consider that there is no attainment under the Gospel of special spiritual Priviledges that can exalt Christians beyond thâ— practice of this Duty the more our Mercies are the greater are our Obligations 〈◊〉 praise God by Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs and so express the Joy of our Hearts by Singing forth the Praises of God they that attain to the greatest purity of Gospel-Worship and Institutions are to do as Moses and Israel did at the Red Sea Rev. 13. 3. 4. And they sang the Song of Moses the Servant of God and the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy Works 〈◊〉 God Almighty just and true are thy Way thou King of Saints Who shall not fear that and glorify thy Name O Lord for thou 〈◊〉 art Holy for all nations shall come 〈◊〉 worship thee for thy Judgments are 〈◊〉 manifest Manuscr Psalmody These were such that have attained to the Purity of Gospel-Institutions being purged 〈◊〉 by Fire from Antichristian Pollution being become as pure and transparent Glass having 〈◊〉 a perfect Conquest and Victory over Antichrist who are said thus melodiously to sing forth the Praises of God and to close this we 〈◊〉 sing in Heaven in the highest Glory and therefore it follows the highest state of Grace 〈◊〉 upon us be sure to be found in this so holy 〈◊〉 sublime Duty which as we have shewed in the Work of Angels Obj. But by the same Argument you bring to prove we ought to sing Psalms c. in Gospel-times from the Precepts given by David Why may we not as David did use an Instrument of ten Strings Answ 1. Singing with Instruments we say with Reverend Mr. Cotton was typical and so a Ceremonial Point of Worship and therefore ceased but Singing saith he with Heart and Voice is a Moral Worship such as is written in the Hearts of all Men by Nature As to pray in distress pag. 6. let it be observed that I am not alone in my Apprehensions as touching Singing being a Moral Duty Here you see that this worthy Man positively affirms the same And again he saith That singing of Psalms c. is not a Ceremony but a Moral Duty and so continueth in the New Testament Cotton's singing of Psalms pag. 23 24. But faith he suppose singing with Instruments were not typical but only an external Solemnity of Worship fitted to the Solace of
thing you call Essence a Heart-service only without the Bodily Organs and rendering your self to be but little better in your so doing than a mere Enthusiast and whilst you plead for Spiritual Worship and cry down all Forms you seem to overthrow all external Acts of Religion by intimating that because the Heart 〈◊〉 perform one Duty at some Seasons acceptably to God viz. Prayer without the bodily Organs why may not the Spirit or Heart perform Singing too say you And why not say I Preaching the Word Baptism and Breaking of Bread also The Quakers have not only got a Spiritual or Heart-Baptism and a Spiritual or Heart-Breaking of Bread but an assembling together for Heart-Preaching also And what you say about the Essence of these Duties being in the Heart and how 't is the Heart or Spirit only in Duty and Ordinances that God looks at and from hence seek to make void Singing with the Voice it doth as all Men may see strike through the Loins of all External Acts of Divine Worship as before shewed For as I told you in the first Chapter the Essence of Preaching and every other External Duty may as well be said to lie in the Spirit as this of Singing Psalms and Hymns c. Besides since God is so much pleased as you intimate with the bare Internal Worship of the Heart without the bodily Organs and with Prayer particularly why do you not excuse the Tongue from that Service likewise and say that External Expressions in Prayer or praising God with the Tongue is a low formal thing and to be rejected But I can't but smile at one of your first Expressions You say very right ours is an intelâ—gible sort of Singing But that which you â—lead for is such that no Body can tell what to â—ake of besure 't is no Singing at all as in the first Chapter I have proved I mean that which you call the Essence or Being of Singing in the Heart or inward Joy Brother I have shewed you that Singing and Preaching c. are Ordinances of a different Nature to that of Prayer Prayer may be performed in the Heart without the Tongue but there is no proper Singing or Preaching without the Organs of the Tongue and therefore all your whole Fabrick is overturned with one blast for this Error of yours is like that of the first Concoction If you have got no other proper singing of Psalms than what we plead for and practise nor no other can be found warranted in God's Word Then 〈◊〉 must be the true and right Ordinance and manner of performance of it likewise Let Men but destroy the practice of an Ordinance as 't is by so many practised and has been from the beginning and as we conceive and believe in a right manner unless they have another Form to present to our sight that we may have time to compare them with God's Word to see which may be nearest the Rule in our Judgments they do nothing but perplex the World as well as us You have presented us with one I must confess which only has that Name given to it by your self but it is not the thing i. e. it is no proper Singing at all You talk of the Essence of Sin in the Heart as well as the Essence of Duties being in the Heart or Spirit What do you mean can sin be no where but in the Heart because it is there or can a thing be where its Being or Essence is not There may be much Evil in the Eyes we read of Eyes full of Adultery Nay and I must tell you that the Essence or Being of Sin is in the Tongue likewise Pray see what the Apostle James saith In the Tongue 〈◊〉 a Fire a World of Iniquity so is the Tongue amongst our Members that it defileth the whole Body and setteth on fire the whole course of Nature and is set on Fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. Certainly the Essence of Sin is in the Tongue as well as in the Heart or you are out in your term and the Essence of Singing some will tell you is wholly in the Tongue And now since the Tongue doth thus dishonour God by the way let me tell you there is great reason it should not be idle but be imployed to praise and sing to the Honour of God If by Essence of Sin you mean the Rise Spring or Fountain of Sin I say you speak Truth and good sense too for it is out of the Heart that proceeds Fornication c. Yet some Sins may be said to have their proper Essence or Being in the Life as well as in the Heart and may rise from a Temptation from without also We will grant you likewise that the Heart is the Fountain or Spring of most Actions all our Duties must spring or flow from thence i. e. the Heart by God's Spirit must stir us up to do them 〈◊〉 does it follow from hence that many of 〈◊〉 Duties can be performed by the Heart or â—pirit without the Tongue Sure you will say 〈◊〉 Man can preach though the Matter be 〈◊〉 his Mind or Head c. No more say 〈◊〉 can they in a proper sense be said to sing Psalms c. Only one word more and I 〈◊〉 done with this In pag. 9. you speak of 〈◊〉 Fields rejoicing and singing We have â—ewed you that there is an improper or metaphorical Singing mentioned in the Scripture 〈◊〉 so that Scripture and some other places are to be taken and know that your singing is no 〈◊〉 a proper Singing than Abel's Blood which is said to speak was a proper Speaking as I said in the first Chapter be fore II. Of David's Psalms 1. You say There was no Institution of Singing before David's Time Answ We have proved Singing the Praises of God is a part of natural Religion and so a moral Duty in its own Nature as Prayer is and that the Heathen sang the Praises of God for his goodness in Creation that haâ—e no written Word And what is this then to the purpose if we should grant that Singing was not brought under an Institution till David's Time As touching what you say about the Israelites in the Wilderness how in trouble they did not sing 't is more than you know for I think you will find they were not far from the Wilderness when Moses and the Congregation sang Exod. 15. However our Lord Jesus and his Disciples sang when it was a sad Wildernessâ—time with them it was just the Night before our Blessed Saviour was betrayed And Paul and Silas sung in the Wilderness of a Prison and though the Saints are always sorrowful yet they are required ever-more to rejoice All outward Comforts of this World are not 〈◊〉 thousand part such cause of Joy and Singing as our spiritual Deliverance and Salvation by Christ is Do you think that outward Blessings here will better tend to tune our Spirits and Tongues to sing the Praises of God than the Love
moral Holiness in one day than there is in another True a time of Worship is moral from the fourth Commandment nay and so may as some have learnedly shewed the seventh part of Time likewise but that Day lies in the Breast and Power of him who is the Lord of the Sabbath viz. Jesus Christ who in the New Testament hath appointed the first Day of the Week and not the last to be the Day of Gospel-Worship for us but the Jewish seventh Day as Reverend Calvin excellently hath shewed Institut pag. 124 125 126. was Ceremonial 1. Because called a Sign between God and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. 2. From the nature of the Law it self which was given forth and charged to be kept with such strictness that it plainly appears to appertain to the Yoke of Bondage they were not to kindle a Fire through all their Dwellings on their Sabbath nor to speak their own Words nor think their own Thoughts from hence Calvin shews God discovered the absolute need and necessity of a perfect and compleat Righteousness in order to Justification and Acceptation with God i. e. that the Creature must be without Sin or attain to a Cessation from the Thoughts of Evil which figured forth the necessity of Christ's perfect Righteousness and of that Spiritual Rest such who believe in him enter into All that are in the old Nature or whilst they remain under the old Covenant-state do labour and are heavy laden there is the six days work in the Antitype but when they come to Christ believe in Christ then they cease from their own Works and enter into Rest according as Christ hath promised Mat. 11. 28 29. then they enter into the Antitype of the Jewish Sabbath Heb. 4. 3. This also appears by the Nature of the Precept it self as laid down Exod. 20. wherein all may see it seems to be a meer carnal Ordinance like others which were imposed on the People till the Time of Reformation or till the Substance came What was it God enjoined on them but a cessation from all external Labour or Work In it thou shalt do no manner of Work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter 〈◊〉 thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor the Stranger which is within thy Gates Exod. 20. 10. Here as this Law was written in Tables of Stone are no Religious Duties enjoined on that Day but a ceasing from bodily Labour which fully shews the purport of it 4. 'T is called by the Apostle amongst other Mosaical Rites a Shadow of things to come but the Body or Substance of them is Christ Col. 2. 17. And thus you may see how to exclude Ceremonial Rites used under the Law that were joined to Moral Duties and yet preserve that which is Moral in them Doubtless though it is not our Duty to observe that Jewish Ceremony of the Seventh-Day-Sabbath which was given forth and enjoined on them yet the Law of the Fourth Commandment as to a time of Worship as before remains to us so doth Singing the Praises of God but the External Place of Jewish Worship the Time and external Rites of their Worship and the external Instruments of Musick then used in their Worship went away altogether and were buried with Christ Object Your twelfth Reply is To that we say of precomposed Forms of Preaching since the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit are ceased 〈◊〉 must now pray and preach by its ordinary Gifts and if we are allowed to use precomposed Forms of Preaching why not of they might say say you Prayer and Singing also pag. 46. Answ You seem to state this Objection not so fair as you ought because you know we do not plead for such precomposed Forms of Prayer as we do of Preaching and Singing But the Truth is if there was no more to be said against using those Forms of Prayer that some contend for than what you have said they might be lawful too Therefore I shall trouble the Reader with a recital of what you say to this Objection against precomposed Forms of Prayer and Singing and what you say for Forms of precomposed Sermons since you seem to be for one and against the other I do acknowledg say you and assert that we should not neglect Prayer till we have an Extraordinary Gift or Impulse of Spirit unto Prayer but we should constantly go to God as we can not only for continuance of those Mercies we have but for further supplies of our inward and outward Wants which are the chiefest part of Prayer But Singing proceeds from a fulness of enjoyment and is called a Breaking forth and therefore requires a greater Measure of the Holy Spirit for we can pray for what we have not but we should break forth into Singing for what we have â—therwise we mock God and draw nigh unto him with our Mouths and honour him with 〈◊〉 Lips when our Hearts are far from him and our fear towards him taught by the Precepts of Men and therefore when I consider the present State and Frame of the Churches of Jesus Christ I wonder that so many should be for Singing when their Hearts are so much below Prayer for if we should go from Saint to Saint we should find that this is the general Cry I have a dead and stony Heart I can't pray I want the Spirit Now if thus it be then where is the Spirit of Singing Will you lie and express that with your Lips to God which you have not in your Hearts Pag. 46 47. Answ The substance of what you say here is this viz. That a greater Measure of the Spirit of God is required in Singing than there is required in Praying but you give no Reason for it The Apostle saith When I pray I will pray with the Spirit and when I sing I will sing with the Spirit c. 1 Cor. 14. 15. He doth not hint he needed greater help to do the one than to do the other There is no Duty nor Ordinance of the Gospel that can be performed acceptably to God without the Spirit or the gracious Influences thereof And certainly no Man besides Mr. Marlow will say there is more need of the Spirit in its greater Influence in ordinary Occasions or in common Worship to praise God nay to sing his Praise than there is to pray and in the doing other Duties You mention that in Isa 52. 38. of Breaking forth Why is that then a Vocal Singing it was hinted by you even now to be some kind of shouting or rejoicing pag. 29. as if it was no such thing as here you seem to grant it to be when you think it will serve your turn another way But all may perceive by your arguing against Singing after the manner you do that though the Essence in your sense be in our Spirits and as others say Singing is comprehended in their Praying i. e. when they Praise God yet none of these in truth is proper Singing in your
as they suppose which was used in the Primitive Time in Singing was not continued and successively handed down to us Answ By the same manner they might object against the Bible and say We ought not to receive it because God did not continue the Gift of Tongues in the Church that by virtue of those Gifts the Old and New Testament without Humane Art might be delivered to us Nay and against Preaching too c. for those Gifts in the Apostolical manner of Preaching was not continued nor handed down to us nay what Ordinance had not lost its Primitive Form under the Apostacy The Conclusion AND now Brother suffer me to make a little Improvement likewise as well as you and notwithstanding your Conclusion savours of much Bitterness I would fain have mine end with all Sweetness if there is any Tartness I cannot well help it First Whereas you infer singing together of David's Psalms or any humane precomposed Forms is a corrupting the pure Worship of God in mingling Law and Gospel or humane and divine things together First I infer That to sing David's Psalms and Scripture-Hymns and sacred Songs taken out of the Word of Christ together in the publick Worship of God is an holy Ordinance of Christ and not in the least to mingle Law and Gospel together any otherwise than the Holy Ghost hath done it for Moral Duties are the same in the Law and Gospel Secondly Whereas you say This will lead us to return from whence we came at a Dog to his Vomit and as a Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire I say 1. You do not write like an humble and trembling-hearted Christian but shew too much Gall and Worm-wood in your Spirit And 2. I say to sing the Psalms of David and other sacred Scripture-Hymns and spiritual Songs is to build up the old waste places and restore the ancient Paths to dwell in and a going forward and not backward Thirdly You would you say have the Leaders among us seriously consider that are for such formal Singing as you call it whether they will be able to plead at the Bar of Christ for this Practice tho they may urge it on their fellow-Brethren here c. and you put up a kind of Prayer that God would give us a true sight and sense of the evil Consequences of this Error as you are pleased to call it that we may not cause his People to sin but that with sound Doctrine we may strengthen the weak Hands and feeble Knees c. Answ I must intreat you to consider whether you will be able to give a good account at the Bar of Jesus Christ for endeavouring to diminish from God's Word nay from Christ's New Testament for sure we are singing of Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs is one Ordinance found therein which you strive to take way and foolishly plead only for a thing called the Essence of it without the Act or discharge 〈◊〉 the Duty according to the nature of the Ordinance and so contrive a new kind of singing out of the dark Imagination of your Heart and add that in the stead of it which is not understood by the generality of Mankind and so make us to believe if you could that Christ hath left an Ordinance that there is no way to come to any Certainty how it should be performed and hereby also lay a just occasion of Offence or a Stumbling-block in the way of weak Christians to think they may practise Ordinances acceptably to God which requires the bodily Organs without the Body and so deny the Body to glorify God tho redeemed to that end and expose our Glory viz. our Tongue to Reproach and Shame and consequently rob God of some part nay one great part of his glorious Praise and his poor Church of much sweet Comfort and Soul-Refreshment in his blessed Ordinance as I have shewed in the first Chapter Moreover consider what an account you will have to give to the Judg of the Quick and Dead for saying when the Scripture saith they sung viz. Christ and his Disciples they did but give Thanks or say Grace from the remote and indirect Signification of the Greek Word or else sung alone and not his Disciples with him See what Reverend Mr. Cotton hath said in Pag. 14. of his Book in Answer to such a kind of Objection as you make mentioning that place of David Psal 3. 4. Psal 77. 1. I cried to the Lord with my Voice Shall a Man detract from his meaning and say saith Mr. Cotton he cried to God only with his Heart So when David exhorteth the Gentile Churches to make a joyful Noise unto the Lord you do detract from his meaning when you make his meaning to be not that we should sing unto him with our Voice but that we should only make Melody to him in our Hearts such 〈◊〉 â—aith he from the Word is alike disallowed and accursed of God as adding to his Word or otherwise say I a diminishing from it Object But saith he you object singing of Psalms with the Voice is but a Type of that Melody in the Heart or to that purpose I find he speaks Answ 1. No Scripture saith he speaketh of it as a Type nor doth any Evidence of Reason declare it 2. You might as well say that praying with the Voice was a Type of praying with the Heart and so it is abolished 3. If singing of Psalms with a loud Voice had been a typical Worship David would not have exhorted us to the Practice of it on the Lord's-Day under the New Testament Psal 95. 1 2 7. 4. Christ and his Apostles would not have used it in the Lord's-Supper which is a Feast of the New Testament nor would Paul and Silas have used it in Prison among the Gentiles nor would the Apostle have injoyned it on the Churches 5. The Light of Nature is never wont to teach us Types and Shadows doth it not as well teach us to praise God in singing with our Tongues in times of our rejoycing as to cry to God with our Voices in times of distress Fourthly Whereas you would have us to consider that if we err from the Rule in offering Praises to God contrary to his Appointment whether we do not worship God in vain I say to you whilst we thus offer Praises to God it appears we worship him according to his Appointment and so acceptable to him and to his Glory and our Comfort Strange ours is not right and spiritual Singing and yet you can find no other way according to the Rule to perform that sacred Duty and Ordinance Thus I have answered your Book as well as the Lord hath been pleased to help me according to your Request for I was 〈◊〉 by you to do it you well know before several Witnesses But did not I think the Name and Honour of God lay at stake and the Information of manâ— of his dear Saints and People in order to
Persons who have wrote upon this Truth like Men and Men too of great Parts Learning and Piety or let them not trouble me nor the World any more As touching his Epistle to the Churches I shall take but little notice of it nor of that he hath writ to my self sith in my Judgment neither of them signify much you are Men of greater Wisdom than to be frightned out of an Ordinance or deterred from seeking after the Knowledg of it with these scurrilous Names of Error Apostacy Human Tradition prelimited Forms mischievous Error Carnal Forms Carnal Worship c. These are hard Words and do not bespeak a trembling Heart nor a humble Spirit and better becomes a Man that pretends to Infallibility But what some Men want of sound Arguments they think to make up by hard Words and Confidence but this will never do with you How hath our Practice of baptizing Believers c. been branded with the reproachful Name of Error and 't is very observable how some Men of far greater Parts and Ability than my Brothers or mine either have cried out against the Reign of Christ Conversion of the Gentiles and calling of the Jews as a gross Error as witness Mr. Richard Baxter particularly of late 'T is Arguments I know you look for and if you find those of Mr. Marlow's to prevail against what I have said do not regard what I have wrote in the least for I would have your Faith as the Apostle speaks to stand in the Power of God and not in the Wisdom of Mâ—n The smallness of the Number of our Churches who are in the Practice of this Ordinance I also know will signify nothing with you provided it be proved to be a Truth of Jesus Christ What tho there was not one of our Churches that had Light in it it would certainly the more concern them to enquire after it And tho he hath so coursly saluted me c. yet I am not concerned at it further than to bewail his Confidence and Ignorance to say no worse I know no Men in any Age who appeared first to vindicate a Truth which others call an Error but have met with the same Usage I meet withal from our Brother who I hope is a good Man and means well yet is he strangely beclouded As I have been a Preacher up of Spiritual Worship as he says and that too more than thirty Years tho a poor and unworthy one so through the Grace of God I hope shall continue to do unto the end of my days and 't is only Spiritual Worship you may perceive I plead for in contending for singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs none of which three can be without their special and particular form But must they needs be therefore carnal and humane Forms which appertain unto them I see 't is time to stand up for the Form of Ordinances for the Form of Doctrine and for the Form of sound Words for if we must part with singing of Psalms Hymns c. from his pretended Arguments about Forms all external Ordinances must go as well as that of Singing In a word we must give up our whole visible Profession and wait for those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit that were in the Primitive Time if we must not sing till we have that extraordinary Gift to do it which some had in the Apostles Days and the like in discharge of every Gospel-Ordinance which were to abide in the Church to the end of the World He may as well therefore say I do but counterfeit that excellent Gift in Preaching when I preach which was in the Primitive Gospel-Church as thus to charge me in the case of our singing by the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit Read his Epistle to me Append. p. 15. It seems to me as if my Brother does not understand the nature of Moral Duties or natural Worship but mistakes and thinks natural or moral Worship must needs be carnal tho we never plead for the performance of any Duties that are moral naturally in themselves without the help and assstance of God's Spirit and the Graces thereof in our Hearts Is it not part of natural Religion and Worship to fear God to love God and trust in God and that too with all our Hearts and with all our Souls and with all our Strength and love our Neighbours as our selves c. These Duties appertain to natural Religion yet without the divine Help and Influences of the Spirit we can do none of them in a right manner no more say I can we pray nor sing the Praises of God which are Duties comprehended in our fearing honouring worshipping and loving of him And whereas Mr. Marlow reflects on me as if I singled out my self more than others in London in pushing on this practice of Singing I must tell him I have abundance of Peace in my Spirit in what I have done therein And if our People I mean the Church to whom I belong are one of the first Churches of our Perswasion in this City found in the practice of this Sacred Ordinance I am satisfied it will be to their great Honour and not to their Reproach and that not only in succeeding Ages but also in the Day of Jesus Christ But blessed be God the greatest number of our worthy London-Elders are as well satisfied in this Truth as my self and many of their People too and will generally I doubt not in a little time get into the practice of it Our Reverend Brother Knowllys 't is known is clear in it and has practised it for some Years though at present 't is not used in his Congregation He told me lately he is about to write in Vindication thereof which he intends to publish in a short time if the Lord please to spare his Life And whereas Mr. Marlow affirms as if I had brought Singing into our Congregation to the grief and trouble of many of our Members it is false for 't is known the Church hath been in this practice near twenty Years after Breaking of Bread and near 14 Years on Thanksgiving-days in a mixt Congregation And what was done of late in bringing it in after Sermon on the Lord's Days was done by a regular Act of the Church in a solemn manner And though some of our worthy Brethren and Sisters are at present somewhat dissatisfied with it yet I doubt not but will in a little time see their Mistakes if such busy Men as he do not in an undue manner blow up Coals of Contention amongst us Can any sober Christian think he hath done well to publish the Private Affairs of a Particular Church to the whole World It seems to some as if he has hopes there will be a Breach in the Church upon the Account of our Singing the Praises of God but I hope he will find our worthy Brethreâ—â— understand themselves better than to go about to impose on the Church or Consciences of their Brethren or to
you are impartially to read and well weigh my sober Reply to my Brother's Appendix I am glad it came forth before all my Treatise was printed off though it is true it makes the Price more than I intended There is a Reverend and Learned Friend who meeting with Mr. Marlow's Appendix finding him quoting learned Authors in an undue and unaccountable manner to little purpose which because it might possibly amuse the Unlearned and more unwary Reader he has in love to this Sacred Truth and to deliver the Souls of Men and Women from Mistakes made some Reflections on what he has wrote on that account at the close of this Reply If the Lord please to bless what I and my Reverend Friend have said to the further clearing up the Truth I shall not be troubled at my Pains nor Charge I have been forc'd to repeat some things twice or thrice by reason of his leading me in such an unusual Path. This is all at present From him who is your unworthy Brother in the Gospel and Service of Jesus Christ B. Keach AN ANSWER To Mr. Marlow's APPENDIX FIrst of all you tell us That to praise God or praising of God is not confined to Songs of Praise but that there are other ways and manner of praising of him than such melodious Singing Answer We never yet asserted there was no other way or manner to praise God than by singing of his Praise Nor is there a Man who affirms any such thing that I know of but it is one thing to own those other ways of praising of God and another thing for you utterly to deny this way or the way we use in singing his Praise But I must tell you most Learned Men nay all that I have met with do conclude the Disciples or those Children you speak of Matth. 21. 16. Luke 19. 37. did sing those Hosanna's to the Son of David as I have shewed in the first Chapter of the foregoing Treatise I perceive you have now at last raised the Auxiliaries against this Blessed Truth of Jesus Christ But as a worthy Brother hinted the other day Dr. Owen is a press'd Man and as forced in so he doth you no service at all as will appear by what follows but more especially by what my worthy Friend has wrote at the close of this our Answer The Doctor from Heb. 2. 12. from the Greek word Hymneso se I will hymn thee i. e. I will praise thee saith 1. what Christ will do viz. He will sing Praise to God 2. Where he will do it i. e. in the midst of the Congregation The expression of both these he saith is accommodated unto the Declaration of God's Name and praising of him in the Temple The singing of Hymns of Praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal part of ' â—is Worship c. 2. The chearfulness and alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this Work he would do it with Joy and Singing These are the Doctor 's words as cited by you Appendix pag. 4. And thus did Christ sing with his Disciples in that great Representative Church as our Annotators call it Now what is this to your purpose the Doctor tells you that Hymneso se is Singing Praises to God And how do you know but Christ might also often sing in the Temple and in other great Congregations though we do not read of it since 't is said that many other things did Jesus that are not written Joh. 21. 25. 1. Especially considering since it was prophesied of him that in the great Congregation he should sing God's Praise 2. Because as the Doctor observes Singing in the Temple was one great part of God's Worship from whence 't is not likely our Saviour should neglect that part Moreover he positively affirms Christ did with chearfulness and joy give Praise to God by Singing 'T is well known Dr. Owen owned no other Singing than what we do he doth nowhere talk of the Effence of Singing in our Spirit and so exclude vocal or proper Singing 1. He acknowledges Singing is Praising of God so do we and say 't is one of the highest ways of Praising him too 2. He intimates there are other ways of praising of God besides Singing his Praise though it clearly holdeth forth that our Saviour would praise God that way namely by Singing And you would do well to observe what our late Learned Annotators speak upon that of Heb. 2. 12. these are are their words Christ and they are of one Father that is the Saints are here called his Brethren he by Nature and they by Grace and from one Humane Parent Luke 3. 23 38. and both of one Flesh He solemnly sung and Praised his Father with them say they at his Supper Matth. 26. 30. in that Representative Church Mark 14. 26. Yet we as I said before do readily grant as the Doctor intimates those other ways of Praising of God and that Prayer the Word of â—aith and the Fruits of Obedience hath a tendency to the Praise of God But if the Doctor and some other Learned Men should intimate that that Greek word Hymnos should in a remote sence signify Praising of God without Singing we ask Whether any oâ— them say those ways of Praises without Singing is the immediate genuine direct and primary signification of the word All your Helpers will fail you here There are other Greek words to express those other ways of Praise to God besides Hymnos You are upon a dangerous Rock you make it youâ— Business to trouble our People with the signification of the Greek word Hymnos a Hymn though you understand not that Language just after the same manner that the Pedâ—baptists do with the word Baptiz say they iâ— signifies washing as well as dipping which learned Fisher grants But how Take his words 'T is saith he so taken improperly indirectly collaterally by the by or remotely it so signifys viz. a washing But saith he the direct immediate genuine and primary signification of the word Baptizo is Immersion Dipping or to dip c. You it seems take the same way to destory the Ordinance of Singing God's Praises as they take to destory the Ordinance of Baptism But this will do your business no better than that will do theirs Dipping is Washing but every Washing is not Dipping Theirs is as Mr. Fisher observes an improper remote or indirect Baptism that they infer from the improper Signification of the Greek word Baptizo and so no true Baptism it all So you asserting from those Learned Men that the Greek word Hymnos signifies a 〈◊〉 or common praising of God in Prayer 't is say I but an improper indirect and remote sort of Singing of God's Praise that the Word will admit of in that sense and so no Singing at all If you discourse with learned Persons they will tell you that some Greek words do in an improper or remote sense bear several Significations but the direct genuine
For if he brought out a Psalm of David in an unknown Tongue who could sing with him But if he had been to sing alone the Melody might have refreshed those who sung not 〈◊〉 as some say they have been in hearing the French Protestants sing who understand not their Language But to prevent this the Apostle Paul resolved when he sung he would sing with the Spirit and with the Understanding also because 't is the Matter sung that is fruitful to the Understanding and what is the Melody without that Your third Reason or Argument is taken from that in Ephes 5. 18. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves c. Answ Doth not the Apostle pray that God would â—ill all the Saints with Joy and Peace Rom. 15. 13. And pray that they might be filled with the Fruits of Righteousness Now singing flows from that Joy that all the Saints ought to labour after and also from the Fruits of Righteousness we have an equal need to be filled with the Spirit to pray to meditate to praise God and to preach and hear the Word as well as to sing Psalms and Hymns c. But you say pag. 18. That the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every Member of the Church Answ 'T is granted But doth it follow because some had the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to pray must not the others who had not those Gifts no more than we have them now not pray at all Brother I am grieved to see how you are deceived and would â—eceive others But as they who had not the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to pray were notwithstanding to pray so they who had not the extraordinary or special Gift to sing were nevertheless to sing the Praises of God What you speak pag. 18. about the diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit from 1 Cor. 12. is rather more against the performance of those other Dâ—ties and Ordinances than Singing because Singing is not there mentioned But all that you say there has been answered already so is what you infer from Col. 3. 16. Ephes 5. 19. For to think the Apostle refers to the special Gift of Singing in those places is of a pernicious tendency for you may as well say the same of all other Precepts enjoined on the Churches and so free us from all Gospel-Obedience for want of such Gifts Why must not Spiritual Songs be allowed as well as Psalms and Hymns What do you mean in pag. 23 Brother you were better be silent till you can distinguish better between Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs and the manner of the bringing of them forth by a special Gift A Doctrine may be as Spiritual that is precomposed as that which was brought forth by a special Gift so may an Hymn or Spiritual Song though 't is by the ordinary Gifts or Help of the Spirit precomposed there cannot be an Hymn nor Spiritual Song without its Form but if it be a Spiritual Song it has a Spiritual Form The very word may convince yoâ— of your Error if the Song be taken out of Christ's Spiritual and Sacred Word the Form is Spiritual and if it be sung with a gracious Heart and Tongue 't is doubtless Spiritual Worship and acceptable to God I shall conclude this Section of yours with one honest and plain Argument That Assertion or Notion against Singing the Praises of God that hath a natural tendency in it to overthrow the practice of all Gospel-Ordinances as well as singing the Praises of God is a vile and pernicious Assertion or Notion But for a Man to assert the Saints and People of God now in these days ought not to sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs because we have not that special or extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to do it hath a natural tendency in it to overthrow the practice of all Gospel-Ordinances in these days Ergo. That Assertion is vile and pernicious The Major cannot be denyed the Minor I have abundantly proved in this Treatise In Sect. 4. You seem to Answer what we say about Singing being a moral Duty Which you say Is the refuge of some who cannot maintain their practice of formal Singing by Gospel-Institution Append. pag. 27. Answ You mistake we need no Gospel-Institution 't is as clear a Precept in these Scriptures Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. as any we have in the New-Testament But we say Singing the Praises of God is more than a mere positive Duty What you further say under this Head doth but betrary your own Ignorance about moral Precepts and needs no Answer I having fully explained it in this Treâ—â—â—e Is it absurd and irrational for us to make the Moral Law or Light of Nature a Rule to exert the Worship of God see Append. p. 28. 'T is not so much the matter of Moral Duties as the manner of the performance of them that renders them Spiritual and for the more orderly and spiritual performance of such Duties that are in their own nature Moral they are brought under Gospel-institution as Prayer Preaching and Singing the Praises of God are and therefore all Moral Duties must be discharged by the help of the Spirit and with Grace in the Heart if accepted of God In pag. 33. of your Appendix you repeat your former Objection against Womens Singing in the Church because the Apostle saith he suffered not a Woman to teach nor usurp Authority over the Man but to be in silence So that Christ say you makes it an usurpation of Authority for a Woman to teach or to speak or any ways to break her Silence in the Church But then say you 't is objected These Scriptures that forbid Womens teaching and speaking in the Church do intend only that they should not be the Mouth of the Church as in Prayer and Doctrine c. To this Objection against your Exposition of these Scriptures you give your Answers 1. That such a sense as this we speak of is against the Letter of these Texts 2. By asserting that in Singing together there is Teaching Instruction and Admonition pag. 34. Answ This kind of arguing against Womens Singing we have all ready fully refuted but for the sake of our good Women and to detect this falsity I shall add a word or two further in way of Reply 'T is a hard case that Women should be debarred to speak in any sense or any ways to Break Silence in the Church as you affirm through a mistake of the Text. 1. For then they must not ask a Friend how he or she doth when in the Congregation 2. She must not be suffered to be an Evidence in the Church against any Offender in the case of Discipline 3. Then she must not ask where the Text is if she comes too late for that is in some sense a speaking and breaking Silence 4. Nor must she then say Amen at the close of Prayer for that 's a breaking Silence 5. Which is worst of
Divine Worship as to know what Gospel-Worship is and also that we ought not to neglect one Ordinance more than another because we are not arrived to the height of Perfection I am sure the way you would lead poor Souls in is not to bring them forward towards perfection â—in Worship but to keep them back and hinder them in pressing on to that which some have not yet attained unto Moreover your folly appears too much in calling our Singing an Irregular way of Worship unless you had 〈◊〉 strength of Argument to convince your Reader what you say is true May be 〈◊〉 you had Truth on your side you might have 〈◊〉 like a Man But I am satisfied all wise Men will say there appears nothing less than Argument In both parts of your Book there are many words indeed but little else as I can see If what I have said have no more strength of Argument and Scripture and good Sense in it for Singing of Psalms c. than appears in your Book against it I do intreat my Reader to reject what I have said and 〈◊〉 it as worth nothing but if it be otherwise viz. upright even words of Truth O then ye Saints receivâ— this Ordinance and let what I have said by the assistance of God's Spirit be as Goâ—rds and as Nails fastened by the Master of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd Prov. 12. 10 13. One word more to those Texts in Paul's Epistles Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. where he enjoins those Churches to admonish one another in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs c. Can any Man suppose 〈◊〉 these words the Apostle exhorts Ministers to preach and so sing in Preaching or to admonish one another to pray and so to sing in Prayer How absurd would it be to affirm either Why then say I he can mean nothing else but this Ordinance of Singing c. Object But say some Did not the Lord's People of Old in their Captivity say How can we sing one of the Lord's Songs in a strange Land Psal 137. 4. Answ 1. Under that Dispensation the Lord's People had a special and peculiar Right to Temporal Blessings and when they were deprived of them and in Exile they might not see they had that cause to sing the Praises of God But our Promises and Privileges are better â—nd more inward and Spiritual And therefore under the Gospel-Days we find the Saints sung in the midst of their greatest Sufferings for as ouâ— Sufferings do abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2. I know not but we nevertheless might see cause to refuse as they did to sing the Lord's Song at the taunting and reproachful â—â—quests of an insulting Enemy the Lord's People are not to do the Lord's Work at the Devil's Instigation 3. But blessed be God we are not in Exilâ— we are delivered like Men that dreamed our Liberty and Mercies are great if we do not sin them away In the last place consider how acceptable and well-pleasing to God his Praises are in a Song read Psal 69. 30. I will praise the Name of God with a Song and will magnify him with Thanksgiving Versâ— 31. This also shall please the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs Two things you may observe from 〈◊〉 1. That to sing God's Praises is acceptable to him 2. That 't is no Ceremonial Rite but in it self a Moral Duty Sacrifices appertained to the Ceremonial Law and though acceptable to God in their Nature and Design yet Moral Duties have always had the preference He hath shewed thee O Man what is good i. e. that excells that which God most delights in to do justly love Mercy c. Mic. 6. 8. And this of praising God in a Song seems from hence to be a Duty of the same Nature 't is not only acceptable but very acceptable it pleases God better than shadowy Ordinances or the Offering of an Ox or Bullock Theâ— few things Brethren I thought good to add at the Close that you may stick close to this Heavenly Ordinance and not be removed by the subtil opposition of any Men whatsoever Remember there is no Truth of Christ but has met with its Opposers but though we can't as yet agree to sing the Praises of God together yet let us love one another and let not the practising or non-practising of this Duty for want of Light break our Communion one with another nor make a Breach in our Affections Let us walk as we have attained If any be otherwise minded God may reveal it to them Phil. 3. 15. Let us live holy Lives and not sing God's Praises and soon forget his Works that so though we can't all sing together on Earth yet may so walk to the Praise of his Glory that we may sing his Praises together in Heaven FINIS Some Reflections on Mr. Marlow's undue Citations of several Learned Men shewing the genuine and proper Signification of the word Hymnos By another Hand THE Foundation of Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs in the Publick Assembly of the Saints is too firmly laid in Scripture and in the Judgment and Practice of Christians in general to be shaken by the New Notions of some few amongst us whom I hope the Lord in his time will lead into the knowledge of this Truth and make them sensible of their injurous Attempts to overthrow and remove it particularly Mr. Marlow in his late Book and Appendix which are answered in the preceding Tract and no more is intended in these few Pages but some short Remarks on the two first Sections of the Appendix In the first whereof he would not have Praising God conâ—â—ed to Songs of Praise or Vocal and Melodious Singing For my part I know not where he will find an Antagonist in this Point for without Controversy it will be generally granted that all Creatures according to their Natures and Capacities are obliged to praise their great and bountiful Creatour and the allowance hereof doth not in the least injure the Duty which he strenuously pleads against As for his long Citation out of the Learned Dr. Owen on Heb. 2. 12. to me seems very little for his purpose for the Doctor after he had made some Reflections on the translation of the former part of the Verse saith in the rest of the words viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in the midst of the Church I will sing Praise unto thee the Original Heb. Psal 22. 24. is expresly render'd for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be render'd simply to Praise yet it s most frequent use when it respects God as its Object is to praise by Hymns or Psalms as the Apostle here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sibi hymnos canam I will sing Hymnes unto thee or te hymnis celebrabo I will praise thee with Hymns which was the principal way of setting forth God's Praise under the Old