PRELIMITED FORMS of Praising GOD Vocally sung by all the Church together Proved to be no Gospel-Ordinance In a Sober Discourse concerning SINGING With a Large APPENDIX Thereunto added Containing several Things not treated of before and wherein the Case of SINGING is more fully opened and discussed in divers principal Branches of it Greatly tending to the clearing and confirmation of the Truth discoursed of in the Former Part. By ISAAC MARLOW 1 Sam. 15.22 Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Rams London Printed for the Author 1691. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE Baptized Churches Of Christ in England and Wales Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour Honoured and Beloved Brethren AS the subject Matter of the following Discourse is in defence of the true Apostolical Scripture manner of Divine Service and of the Spiritual Worship of God which you have owned and suffered for and in which thrô the Grace of Christ you still continue and as it tends to the mutual Peace and Unity of the Churches so I hope that my Work and Service herein will find the greater acceptance with you And seeing it hath graciously pleased God to preserve you so stedfastly in the Truth under the greatest Trials and Sufferings of our Age it is to be hoped that the Errors of some Persons shall never corrupt your Minds from the Simplicity that is in Christ in any part of Divine Worship or to offer your Praises to God in such humane Forms and after such a manner as we have no example for nor can be any ways warranted from the Word of God And that those Churches which have had a watchful eye against the finest-spun Errors of their Day will not be now lull'd asleep by any among themselves to suffer the bringing in of such a humane Tradition as is utterly inconsistent with their professed Principles and to their Practice in other parts of Divine Worship but that they will labour to have Oil in their Vessels with their Lamps that so when the Bridegroom cometh they may be ready to enter into the Joy of their Lord. For though this Error is dearly fondled by some Christians and as it is observed mostly by such among us who have not well digested those things which they have received yet of about an hundred Churches in England according to the best and strictest Information I have received I hear of but seven or eight and those are in and about Norfolk Suffolk and Essex one of them lately in London and but four or five of all those Churches in South-Wales which own the Doctrine of Personal Election and final Perseverance and but two of all those Churches that are for the general Point that practise such formal Singing in the publick and constant Worship of God with the Ministry of the Word Some few also there are that use it at the Administration of the Lord's Supper To whom and to all others in particular of my Christian Brethren that herein differ from the Body of the Churches and are declining from the Truth and Spirituality of Gospel-Worship I humbly present that which the Lord hath convinced me of through the Light of the Holy Scriptures to remove the Mistake you are under concerning Singing And truly the Sense I have of the sad Effects of this apostatizing Principle in some Christians if it should grow and increase among us and the unwearied Endeavours of some Persons to lead us back to such Traditions of Men from which we were clean escaped with the Love I have for the Truth and Simplicity of the Gospel are the only Motives of my appearing in this Work or Service And it is matter of Grief and Lamentation to many Christians that while the Lord is saving his Church and People and is drawing of us with the gracious Cords of his Love that any should be departing from the Truth and Purity of his Worship which after so clear a light and recovery of it from the mists and darkness of Men is now called in question amongst our selves And it is somewhat marvellous to consider that some Persons who are studious and understanding in the Holy Scriptures should not see their Practice to be opposite to the positive Command of Jesus Christ through whose knowledg others that are weak are made to sin And that any should be so cold in their Love and Affections to Christ and so indifferent in their Obedience unto his revealed Will as that they should rather trust to others for what is truth than to take the pains to search the Scriptures for satisfaction from a good Understanding within themselves whereby they follow the Dictates of Men more than the Precepts of Jesus Christ But forasmuch as humane Forms of Worship do naturally proceed from a carnal and worldly Spirit we may then fear that some Christians excepting others that err through a mistaken Zeal having left their first Love begin to cast off their first Faith and to turn unto Mens Traditions of whom and to whom we may say as the Apostle did to those who were turning again to the weak and beggarly Elements of the Law O foolish Gal. 3.1 3 4. Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the Flesh Have ye suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain And is it a small and indifferent thing with you how and in what manner you worship God and offer your Praise unto him Have ye not as much reason to observe the Rule of Christ in praising and giving Thanks as well as in Prayer Baptism and other Ordinances in the Church If any should tell you that because Prayer and Baptism are commanded by Jesus Christ therefore you must use Forms of Prayer and Infants-sprinkling will you not say to them again That the Conclusion is not rational For though these are commanded yet the manner how these Ordinances are to be performed whether in and through the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit and by dipping or by humane precomposed Forms and sprinkling is not left to our own Wills but are also shewed to us in the holy Scriptures which are the Rule for the manner of performance of all the essential Parts of Gospel-Worship And if any should further say that Infants sprinkling is not expresly forbidden in the Scriptures and therefore it may be used by us will you not make reply that though it is not forbidden in such express words yet there being but one manner of Water-Baptism commanded by Christ and his holy Apostles whose Precepts and Examples therein we are bound to follow it is a sufficient Warrant for our practice of it and to exclude the form of Sprinkling as a sinful Practice in that it changeth the Ordinance and maketh void the Command of Christ through Mens Traditions And therefore if you
will not reject your Manner and Forms of Singing from the observation of the Command and Rule of Christ for the manner of Praising God which is contrary to your Manner and Forms I see not how you can escape the battering and confounding of your own Profession in other things Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousy 1 Cor. 10.22 are ye stronger than he Hath he not said What things soever I command you Deut. 12.32 observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it And have we not divers instances of his sore Displeasure for breaking his Rule of Worship as in Nahab and Abihu Lev. 7.11 to 19. who for offering of strange Fire died before the Lord And might not some have thought it a small matter to have eaten of the Peace or Thank-offering after the First-day or of the Vow-offering if any of it had been left on the Third-day but we see how great an Offence it was to make so small an Addition to God's Ordinance as that it should not be accepted neither should it be imputed unto him that offereth it it should be an Abomination and that Soul should bear his Iniquity 2 Sam. 6.6 Moreover We read how Vzzah lost his Life for touching the Ark of God because that they sought him not after the due order and how Vzziah the King for medling with God's Ordinance 2 Chron. 26.16 1 Chron. 15.13 and burning Incense before the Lord contrary unto his revealed Will was smote with Leprosy unto his dying Day But notwithstanding these Old Testament Examples and the Word of Christ which saith In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men yet some there are amongst us that dare adventure to break the Commands of Christ in their Vocal-singing together in the Worship of God contrary to the Rule of Worship and Institution of Jesus Christ And therefore seeing that their Practice is charged with the guilt of Sin yea and of such a Sin as indangers the well-Being and Peace of the Church of Christ and the bringing of God's Displeasure upon us I hope they will be awakned to a serious Consideration of what is proposed to them herein as the Mind and Will of God And surely if they were truly sensible of the natural Consequences of such a Practice of formal Singing that the introducing of it into those Churches that have been established on contrary Principles is the ready way to divide and break them into pieces and that those Persons who should be instrumental therein would be looked upon as the Troublers of the Churches and may be justly charged with Schism it would be a Bar to their zealous promoting of it And it is rational to believe that if such formal Singing should be admitted and imbraced by the Churches it would lay such a Foundation for other formal and carnal Worship that if it be followed in its natural Tendences and Consequences it will greatly indanger our reformed Separation and make it easy for us to glide into the National Way of Worship And therefore whatever our mistaken Brethren may think of themselves as if they were reforming the gospel-Gospel-Church and restoring the Primitive Worship of God therein yet the holy Scriptures witness against them and I believe that they will be found in this matter Leaders to Apostacy and Defilers of the pure Worship of God with Mens Traditions Which that the Lord may graciously prevent and preserve the Churches in Peace and Union and in the mutual fellowship of the Gospel and that they may flourish and grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of Jesus Christ and become a great Mountain and fill the Face of the whole Earth is and shall be the Prayers of your unworthy but affectionate Brother and Servant to his power in Jesus Christ our Lord. I. M. THE Author's EPISTLE TO Mr. Benjamin Keach Christian Brother AS the holy Apostle Paul praised the Church of Corinth in all things so far as they kept the Ordinances of Christ as they were delivered to them and yet faithfully reproved their disorderly manner of eating the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11.2 17. so in imitation of him as our Example I commend you in those things wherein you are praise-worthy and do honour you for your labour in the Ministry of the Word which God has been pleased to bless to the awakning of many Souls and to the comfort of many Christians But yet Sir seeing you have divers ways I think I may safely say singled forth your self more than others in London in pushing forward the Practice of formal Singing and in your private and publick Challenges of Disputes which have been divers times accepted of by some of our worthy Elders but were never thought convenient by others and so have been laid aside and in that you have lately brought in the practice of it into your own Church to the grief and trouble of many of your Members I conceive that it is not improper for me to acquaint you in this manner That I think I am divers ways engaged and do believe it is my Duty to imploy the Talent which God hath given me according to my Capacity in the defence of his sacred Truth against that mischievous Error which you so vigorously promote to the disturbance of your Brethren Have not you been for many years a Preacher up of spiritual Worship how is it then that you are now so zealous for that which is asserted to be natural Have you begun in the Spirit and do you leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to go on unto perfection in natural Worship On what Foundation does your Practice stand We do all agree that it is our Duty to praise and thank God as well as to pray unto him and I believe that you will not say but that we do thank and praise him in his Worship thô not with Songs in your way And I am perswaded that our thanking and praising God in Prayer or Prayer-wise is suitable to the other ordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are only attained unto in our present Day and is proportionably accepted of God and that as your manner of vocal singing together hath neither Divine Command nor Example for it in either the Old or the New Testaments so your singing of formal precomposed stinted matter is no better than counterfeitiag that excellent Gift of the Holy Spirit which was in the Primitive Gospel-Church And herein also I believe that we do not differ That by the Light of Nature the Eternal Power and Godhead is made manifest unto us from the things that do appear and that we are capable thereby to understand that we should perfectly keep the Law of God and praise and worship him But from hence ariseth a double Question 1. Whether the Light of Nature it self as it is in us can direct us the Manner how we should worship God and whether we should rely on it under the Gospel as our Rule of Worship 2.
is not permitted unto them to speak And 1 Tim. 2.11 12. Let the Women learn in Silence with all Subjection but I suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurp Authority over the Man but to learn in silence I therefore greatly marvel that any Man should assert and admit of such a Practice as Womens Singing and that any Woman should presume to sing vocally in the Church of Christ when he positively and plainly forbids them in his Word for Singing is Teaching Coloss 3.16 and Speaking Ephes 5.19 both of which are plainly forbidden to Women in the Church And besides they are commanded to learn in silence with all Subjection And if this be not Truth I am at a loss how to find it And such as deny the Authority of these Scriptures to forbid Womens Singing do of necessity destroy the Authority of the Word of God and leave us destitute of a Rule of Worship But some may say Were there not Singing-Women in the Time of the Law True we read of Singing-Women but as there was no Institution of them amongst the Priests and Levites who were set apart by Name in their several Orders so we find them no where concerned as such in the Worship of God but either for Mirth and Delight or as Mourners for the Dead in which they were very skilful in making of Lamentations both by Voice and Instruments of Musick as was the Jewish Custom which you may plainly see by these Scriptures 2 Sam. 19.35 2 Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 18. Amos 5.16 Eccles 2.1 8. Mat. 9.23 V. Of the Order of Singing This we have plainly and clearly delivered to us in 1 Cor. 14.26 to 34. How is it then Brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to Edifying Here the Apostle speaks of the several Gifts of the Holy Spirit and lays down a general Order for their Delivery 1. The Tongue must be by two or at most by three and that by course And let one interpret that is That in case there were many could speak with Tongues they should not all exercise to take up the whole time with that Gift but only two or three of them and that by course or turns And if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his Peace for ye may all prophesie one by one the Dutch translate it one after another Here is the Rule for our Practice one by one or one after another by course or turns they may speak with Tongues and prophesy And though only these two Gifts are particularized in the Rule yet the Order stands for all the rest as having relation to it The universal Practice of all Christians allows this Order in the Gift of Doctrine and we our selves in the Gift of Prayer that but one is to pray at once And therefore seeing that this Order is observed in the Gift of Prayer which is not mentioned amongst those several Gifts then surely we must allow the Psalm as one of those Gifts named in the Text and relating to the Rule to be delivered after the same Order appointed for the other Gifts And there is not the least colour of pretence why any should break the Rule in one of these Gifts more than others but that as they are named together and a general Order appointed for their Use and Delivery in the Church so it must be observed for the Psalm as well as for any other of those spiritual Gifts And if I should see a Song delivered by the Gift of the Holy Spirit in this Order I hope I should bloss the Lord for so great a Presence of his Spirit amongst his People VI. Objections Answered First Objection is That Moses and Deborah and Barah sang together with the Children of Israel and therefore it was in use before David 's Time in the Church Answer 1. It is certain that Moses delivered his Song by the Gift of the Holy Spirit and wrote it Exod. 15.1 as he did other Scriptures for a Memorial of Israel's Deliverance to future Ages but that it was then brought in or any part thereof till David's Time to the Levitical Service in the ordinary Worship of God is no where evident Nor can this Singing be any Rule either for Levitical or Gospel-Institution for then we must bring in Dancing as well as Singing for Miriam the Prophetess the Sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her Hand and all the Women went out after her with Timbrels and with Dances 2. If we should suppose that Moses Miriam and Israel sang vocally together at one and the same time we may rather take it for an extraordinary Exstasy of Mirth Joy and Gladness before the Lord expressed by Dancing as well as Singing as David when he danced before the Ark than for any part of instituted Worship 3. If we should conclude that all Israel did not vocally sing with Moses but those whose Hearts the Lord had touched with a sense of that great Deliverance joined in Spirit with him Acts 2.42 it is no more than what is evident from the like manner of Speech of the three thousand new Converts that continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer for they did not all vocally pray together nor actually break Bread but joined with and partook of those Ordinances by the Ministry So that if you take it in either sense it will make nothing for the establishing of a vocal Singing together in Gospel-Worship Secondly It is said Judg. 5.1 It is said Then sang Deborah and Barak But Deborah did only vocally sing and Barak joined in Spirit with her in the chiefest part of the Song for how could Barak call himself Deborah saying Vntil that I Deborah arose that I arose a Mother in Israel And it is plain that she only did vocally sing unto the Lord ver 12. Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a Song Arise Barak and lead thy Captivity captive thou Son of Abinoam Second Objection is That in Saul 's Time Musick was used by the Prophets 1 Sam. 10.5 and therefore why not Singing and Musick too in their Worship Answer Numb 11.16 24 26 Ex. 24.11 As others besides the Levites were Prophets so I do not find that any of those Prophets were Levites to whom alone both the Songs and Musick were afterwards limited as the Ministers thereof in God's Service and there being neither Institution nor Practice of it to be found we have no ground to believe that it was in use in the constant Worship of God before David's Time Third Objection is That if Musick and Singing commences its Date from David's Institution and was to continue for constant Temple-Worship till Temple and Temple-Service was made void by the Coming of Jesus Christ to erect a more spiritual Worship why should not Gospel-Singing
Gospel-manner according to Gospel-Institutions and in a New-Testament-Spirit it is no more accepted of God than it was under the Law to sanctify and purify themselves with eating of Swines Flesh Isa 66.17 and the Abomination c. And as the moral Law of Moses nor the Law written in the Heart of Man by Nature does not discover the way and manner of Gospel-Worship so no essential part of such Worship is meerly Moral without Institution for if it were and on this bottom to be exercised in the Gospel-Church then Moral Persons as such being only in a moral Spirit and destitute of the saving Grace of Christ and Gospel-instituted-Qualifications for Church-Fellowship must be admitted into the Community of the Church and to the vocal Exercise of the Worship of God therein For such Worship and such Persons must naturally go together and cannot be divided So that if this moral Principle be followed in its natural Tendencies and Consequences it will lay Church-Communion common to Believers and such visible Unbelievers and indanger the Overthrow and utter Destruction of the Gospel-Church and the pure spiritual Worship of God therein and lay a foundation for a moral Church-state for meer natural Persons in a meer moral and natural Spirit to exercise moral and natural Worship unto God SECT V. THat Women should not vocally sing in the Worship of God in his Church Par. 1. pag. 21 22. is already shewed in the former Part of this Treatise But because I find that the Truth meeteth with great difficulties to be received though it comes with Divine Authority I shall say something farther here to this particular Head 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law This Scripture though it hath such a relation to the following Verse as to forbid the Womens asking of any Question in the Church during the Worship and Service of God therein yet it intends more than barely to restrain them from such a sort of speaking because by the moral Law they are put under subjection to the Men. Gen. 3.16 And therefore seeing that the Moral Law which Christ will have preserved as confirmed by him in his Gospel-Church takes away all Authority from the Woman then surely she must not teach nor admonish the Church of Christ in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs for that is an exercise of Authority The Apostle makes it so 1 Tim. 2.11 Let the Woman learn in silence with all subjection viz. Subjection in all things and ver 12. I suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurp Authority over the Man but to be in silence So that Christ makes it a Usurpation of Authority for a Woman to teach or to speak or any ways to break her silence in the Church And ver 13. Adam was first formed then Eve And Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the transgression And therefore she is not suffered because of her weakness to teach the Man but to shew her Subjection by keeping silence and therefore she must not vocally sing in the Church of God But some will object and say That these Scriptures that forbid Womens teaching and speaking in the Church and that command them to learn in silence do intend only that they should not be the Mouth of the Church as in Prayer and Doctrine to speak to God for them or from God unto them and that in Singing they do neither of these nor teach nor learn and therefore Womens vocal Singing in the Church is not forbidden Answer 1. This Objection and Exposition of these two Texts in favour of Womens Singing cannot possibly be the mind of Christ in them because it is contrary to the letter of those Texts For the Apostle saith indefinitely that Women must not speak nor teach in the Church and therefore we cannot in reason make an exception for their speaking or teaching in Singing any more than in Prayer or other Gifts of the holy Spirit 2. For any to assert that the Peoples vocal Singing together is neither for Learning Teaching nor Admonishing to one another but that this is from the Minister only by his Delivery of the Psalm or Hymn c. is at once to deny the usefulness of their vocal Singing together and thereby to condemn their practice of it for all things are for edifying of the Church as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14.26 28. How is it then Brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine let all things be done to edifying that is for building and instruction for our profit And we may see in the Gift of Tongues that if there be no Interpreter he must keep silence in the Church and speak to himself and to God and so in this case of Singing if it be not for the Edification of others to sing together it must not be vocally in the Church And in the former part of this Chapter it is mainly urged that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit should be put forth to the edifying of the Church Ver. 14 15 16 17. as ver 12. Even so ye forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual Gifts seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church 1st To pray and sing in a known Tongue and 2ly To deliver the Psalm the Doctrine and other Gifts of the holy Spirit by course or turns Ver. 27 31. one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted And therefore if the vocal Singing together of the People and of Women be not for the edification of the Church it is unprofitable and so is rejected by the Apostle Nor can such unedifying Singing that is neither for learning teaching nor admonishing one another be that Singing exhorted unto in Col. 3.16 Because that is for teaching and admonishing which is opposite to this Objection and therefore by the plain literal sense of the Text it is overthrown And if you should say that such vocal Singing together is for teaching and admonishing to one another then where are the Learners if all be Teachers and how do the Women learn in silence when all do vocally sing for it is impossible to reconcile such Contradictions of speech as Women's speaking teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs vocally altogether to their not speaking nor teaching but keeping silence and learning in silence in the Church Neither is there any reason to make the whole Church a Mouth which is compared to a Body having many Members as some would have it from Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one Mind and one Mouth glorify God for this cannot be meant of every Member or of the whole Church of Rome vocally together but of their being of one accord in Spirit and by one Mouth viz. of their Minister to glorify God the Father Par. 1.
they were under the Law is explained and answered Page 44 12. Precomposed Forms of Preaching is no ground for using such Forms of Singing Page 46 The CONTENTS of the APPENDIX Sect. 1. SHeweth that God was and is otherwise praised than by singing only Page 2 Sect. 2. That the Word Hymnos a Hymn signifieth simply a Praise Page 6 A Discourse of Christ's Hymning or Praising at his Institution of the Supper Page 12 Sect. 3. Of the Nature of the Command or rather the Exhortation to sing and that the Singing used in the Primitive Church was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit and also further proof that by Old-Testament-Names to New-Testament-Things are intended different Things than in the Old c. Page 13 14 20 24 Sect. 4. Of praising God as a Moral Duty and from Moral Qualifications only opened and clearly answered Page 27 Sect. 5. Womens Singing is more fully discussed and confuted Page 32 Sect. 6. A General Answer to those Prophetical Places of Scripture of All the Earths singing unto the Lord Page 38 Sect. 7. Premeditated stinted Forms for Prayer or Singing unlawful to be used Page 38 Sect. 8. Object That prestinted Forms of Singing are Spiritual Worship if their matter are agreeable to the Word of God and if sung with Grace in our Hearts opened and answered Page 43 Advertisement THere is no Alteration here made in the former Part or Brief Discourse before published except a larger Exposition of Ephes 5.19 See pag. 5. ERRATA In Appendix Page 10. Line 26 27. add to laudes dixerunt they said Praises Pag. 21. line 3 and 9. to singing add together A BRIEF DISCOURSE CONCERNING SINGING IN THE Publick Worship of GOD IN THE GOSPEL-CHURCH By J. M. LONDON Printed for the Author MDCXC Concerning SINGING in the Worship of God SEeing it hath pleased the Almighty God by his special Providence to deliver his poor afflicted People in this Nation out of the Hands of their greatest Enemies to serve him without fear what then is expected from us but that in all things we should serve him with one Consent in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Lives To which end he hath given us his blessed and holy Word as a Rule for our Faith and Practice But that which is most unhappy to many Saints who sincerely labour for and long after the perfect Union of the Church of Christ is That we cannot all attain to one and the same Conception of the Mind and Will of God revealed to us in the holy Scriptures And though there are divers Things of lesser moment in which we differ yet there are others of greater Consequence that ought to be duly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary lest through the Imbecillity or Weakness of some Christians and by the seeming plausible Arguments of others there should be a falling away from the Truth so clearly manifested to us by the Holy Scriptures and witnessed to by the Sufferings of the purest Churches in our Age who have born a lively Testimony not only against the humane prescribed and precomposed Forms of Prayers but of singing of David's Psalms and other Hymns or Songs precomposed by Man as they are frequently used as part of the constant and ordinary Worship of God instituted in his Gospel-Church This being the Subject of the following Discourse I shall proceed to treat of it with as much Brevity and Clearness as I can to convince the Judgment of the mistaken Readers and to confirm and prevent others from the practice of so great an Error as will lead them to Apostacy or Backsliding who in this matter have less to say for themselves than others have who are for a Form of Prayer Ephes 5.18 19. And be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the Spirit Speaking * Gr. In. See Pool's Annotations to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord. Col. 3.16 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. That which is needful before we come to take notice of the several Heads to be treated of is to consider of those three Texts which are made a Foundation for a vocal Singing together in the constant Worship of God in the Gospel-Church tho some things therein I leave to discourse hereafter 1st Ephes 5.19 Speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs 1. From these words there is not any Necessity for a vocal Speaking to be here understood but otherwise of speaking to your own Heart as it 's said 1 Cor. 14.28 But if there be no Interpreter let him keep silence in the Church and let him speak to himself and to God So that speaking to your selves may be taken as that is expresly said to be of keeping silence in the Church and is not limited to a vocal Speaking 2. This is farther confirmed as the aforesaid Mr. Pool in his Annotations read it Gr. in Speaking in your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord. 3. That both the speaking and the Melody in this Text cannot be limited to be vocally understood but is inwardly in the Heart is manifest from the preceding part of this Chapter wherein the holy Apostle naming of divers gross Sins and Enormities exhorteth the Church of Ephesus to flee from them and to have no Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness but rather reprove them and not to be drunk with Wine wherein is excess but to be filled with the Spirit Whereby it appears that this Exhortation to the Church of Ephesus to speak to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs and to be giving Thanks always Ver. 20. c. was principally designed that instead of Filthiness and foolish Talking and Jesting which are mentioned in the former part of the Chapter they should rather be giving of Thanks Ver. 4. as it is expresly said and instead of having Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness and being filled with excess of Wine to be filled with the Spirit and to exercise themselves in private Devotions towards God in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making Melody in their Heart to the Lord. So that from the main design of the Apostle's Discourse relating to the Text both the Speaking and the Melody here intended is to themselves in their Heart and whether you read the Text speaking to or speaking in your selves it cannot necessitate a vocal Singing together but a speaking inwardly in their Hearts 4. Neither can this Text be taken as some would have it for a vocal Singing together from the words to your selves as if that did limit the Text to prove a Singing together any more than building up your selves on your most holy Faith â—ude 20.
in cold Weather so is he that singeth Songs to an heavy Heart And sometimes it was unseasonable while it was yet an Institution Psal 137.1 2 3 c. By the Rivers of Babylon there we sat down we hanged our Harps upon the Willows They that carried us Captive required of us to sing one of the Songs of Sion How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land Is any afflicted Jam. 5.1 let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms So then if Singing be the expressing of Joy Gladness and Mirth of Spirit and the Church of Christ be now in a Wilderness Mourning Sackcloth-State why should we imagine that Christ should appoint such an Ordinance for her constant universal Practice while she is in such Estate that is so improper and contrary to her State and Spirit but that the Typical Glory of the Jewish Church in Solomon's time shall be compleatly answered in the external and spiritual Glory of the Church of Christ in her Kingdom-State Secondly The Singing of David's Psalms were suitable to all the rest of the Levitical Ceremonial and external instituted Worship of God in the Old-Testament-Church in its most perfect splendant State in David's and Solomon's Days consisting of a wordly Temple Heb. 9.9 10 23. ch 7.12 ch 8.13 ch 10.1 for if the Sanctuary was worldly the Temple was also worldly and of carnal Ordinances which was a Figure for the time then present and Pattern of Heavenly things and Shadow of good things to come but not the very Image of the things and were imposed on them until the time of Reformation and change of the Priesthood Law Temple and Service or Worship of God which things being all removed by Christ the Body and Substance of them Acts 15.10.28 Rom. 7.6 who hath taken off that Yoak and delivered us from the Law that we should serve in Newness of Spirit and not in the Oldness of the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 to bring in any part of the Levitical Ceremonial Institutions into Gospel-Worship for that is a mingling of Letter and Spirit of Law and Gospel together Thirdly David's Psalms were instituted appointed and appropriated not only to vocal Singing but to divers kinds of musical Instruments which are all named 1 Chron. 15.16 to 25. See Dutch Annot. on Psal 9. Psal 22. Psal 16. 1 Chron. 15.20 21. 1 Chron. 13. ch 14. ch 28.12 13. viz. Cymbals Harps Psalteries and Trumpets together with vocal Singing and limited by the Spirit as divers are of opinion to certain Tunes or Parts of Musick ordained and commanded by the Spirit of God and of as great Force as Singing was And therefore to follow the Old-Testament-Institution of David's Psalms there will be a Necessity of having David's Instruments of Musick and Tunes or Parts and of the Courses and several Orders of the Levites which Antichrist somewhat imitates mixing together the Christian Jewish and Pagan Religion instead of conforming to the true Apostolical Institutions and Pattern of Divine Worship Fourthly The matter of David's Psalms and of other Holy Mens contained in the same Book suited to the Levitical Service and not to Gospel-Worship for many of them were suited to particular Occasions and Experiences and Accidents of that Day as you may see by divers of their Titles others were general of Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt and from divers other Enemies Some were clear Prophecies of the Sufferings of Christ which to sing now were to deny that Christ is come in the Flesh and of his Church and the Glory that should follow under the Types and Names of David and Solomon and many legal things in which Gospel-Mysteries are wrapped up some of which are hard to be understood by the greatest Proficients of our Day and therefore improper to be sung by all the Church who can't sing them with Understanding and others of them being Prayers and miserable Complainings may as well justify the singing Prayers as finging Praises Fifthly The Psalms of David were limited to Persons viz. the Levites who were the Ministers of the Songs 2 Chron. 29.25 c. to 31. 1 Chron. 16.4 to 8. ver 36. ch 25. 1 to 8. ver 36 41. Psal 106.48 both by Voice and Musical Instruments for the People did not sing together with the Levites but only bowed the Head and worshipped and concluded with Amen and praised the Lord with Amen Hallelujah or Amen Praise ye the Lord. Therefore from this Davidical Institution there is no Ground Pattern or Example for the Gospel-Churich to sing together Sixthly Such singing the Psalms of David is no where instituted ordained or practised either by Christ or his Holy Apostles there is no Instance can be given in the New Testament that any of David's Psalms were ever sung by any Persons or Churches or that Christ or his Holy Apostles did ever use them but as they did other Scriptures or that the Holy Apostles when ever they had occasion to translate any one Text out of the Hebrew into the Greek Tongue did ever turn them into Metre and therefore finding no Institution nor Example we have no Warrant for the Singing of them III. Of prescribed and precomposed Songs and Hymns First If the Essence of Singing as before is shewed consisteth in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man and that as I shall farther demonstrate both the Matter and the Melody of it proceedeth from the inward Graces and Operations of the Holy Spirit with the Word then surely no humane prescribed or precomposed form of Singing can be accepted of God but that which proceedeth from the Word of God by the Dictates and Teachings of the Holy Spirit which is manifest from those two Texts Ephes 5.18 19. Col. 3.16 saith the Apostle Be filled with the Spirit Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you in all Wisdom c. Here is the Fountain of Gospel-Worship viz. the Word and Spirit of Christ not the Word alone for that cannot inrich the Soul in all Wisdom without the Spirit of Wisdom to understand it for to have the Word in the Head only is but a poor thing but we must have it to dwell richly in our Hearts by the Holy Spirit to sing with the Understanding and with Grace in our Hearts to the Lord. And as the Word in the Head only cannot create Melody in the Heart without a Fullness of the Spirit so the Spirit works not without the Word but fills us with matter from the Word and is witnessed to by the Word otherwise we know not the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error Now the Essence of Singing consisteth of these two Parts viz. Matter from the Word and Melody by the Spirit so that neither the Word nor the Holy Spirit can be wanting and therefore whatsoever Forms are used which proceed not from within us out of a Fulness and Enrichings of the Word and Spirit cannot be spiritual Gospel-Singing
continue in constant use while Gospel-Temple remains viz. till the second Coming of Jesus Christ without Sin unto Salvation Answer 1. As God did separate literal Israel from the Egyptians and all other Nations Exod. 19.5 6. to be his peculiar Treasure and Kingdom of Priests to worship him so by the first Promulgation of the Gospel he called his Church out of the World and separated them as a Chosen Generation 1 Pet. 2.5 9. for a Royal Holy Priesthood and Nation to worship him according to his Will 2. Though the words Temple and Tabernacle are variously used in the New Testament and sometimes for one and the same Thing and State of the Gospel-Church Heb. 8. yet the Apostle doth plainly show that the Dedication of the Tabernacle by Moses with the Blood of the First Testament was the Patern and Figure of the Erection and Dedication of the Gospel-Church Chap. 9. the Heavenly Tabernacle by the Blood of the Second Testament viz. of Jesus Christ so that the first setting up of the Gospel-Church is not the Antitype of David's and Solomon's Temple but of Moses's Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple is a Figure of greater things to come 3. As in the time of the Levitical Tabernacle-Worship Singing was not established as part of that constant Service but was only a Gift on extraordinary Occasions till the more glorious and perfect Temple-State of the Church should be erected so under the first Institution of Gospel-Worship there were extraordinary Gifts of Singing suitable to the then extraordinary Circumstances and Presence of God in his Church which may possibly on extraordinary Occasions now and then on fresh Effusions of the Holy Spirit still appear in the Church in her now not perfect Temple but rather Tabernacle-State till this be ended and that more glorious and perfect spiritual Temple and Temple-Worship whatever it be shall be erected when the Winter of Afflictions is past Cant. 2.11 12. and the time of singing of Birds is come at the Appearing and Kingdom of Jesus Christ in which time there shall be the most glorious Perfection and full Completion of the spiritual Temple and Worship of God that ever was or shall be extant upon Earth 4. And as the Old Testament-Tabernacle-State of the Church was to be beautified perfected and enlarged in the Temple-State and Temple-Worship and was to continue till the Change and Translation of it into the Gospel-Church or Kingdom of Heaven so this Gospel-Tabernacle-Church-State shall be perfected inlarged and beautified in the glorious New Jerusalem-Temple and Worship of God which shall continue to the end of the World and then be translated into the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven Now as David and Solomon were Types of Christ and the Old-Testament-Temple and Worship were Shadows of the New Jerusalem-Temple and Worship of God in the thousand Years So the Institution of Singing in the Levitical Temple-Worship shall be compleatly answered in the glorious Antitype and spiritual Temple-State in the thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom here on Earth after such manner as God shall be pleased to appoint for suitable Worship to that Day when the whole Creation that now groaneth under the Bondage of Corruption shall be then delivered into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 22. Fourth Objection is from Isa 52.8 9. Thy Watchmen shall lift up the Voice with the Voice together shall they sing for they shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion Break forth into Joy sing together ye waste Places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his People he hath redeemed Jerusalem From whence some do assert a Singing together in the gospel-Gospel-Church Answ 1. That this Scripture hath no proper Relation to the meer Gospel Sion and Gentile Jerusalem is clear from the Text it self which speaks of the waste Places of Jerusalem and Redemption of literal Jerusalem the Captive Daughter of Zion when there shall no more come into her the Uncircumcised and the Unclean which cannot be accomplished until the Return of literal Israel into their Kingdom-State at the second Coming of Jesus Christ 2. Then her Watchmen it is not said her People but her Watchmen viz. her Prophets and Ministers they shall sing together The Dutch Tranflation reads it they shall jubile or cry or shout for Joy or rejoice together and verse 9. they translate make ye a noise or sound jubile or shout for Joy together ye waste Places of Jerusalem Which Scripture most properly relates to the great Jubile or thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom and cannot be understood of a constant vocal Singing together by all the Church in the Worship of God in the Gospel-Tabernacle-State Fifth Objection is from those Words Matth. 26.30 And when they had sung an Hymn c. From whence they do assert that Christ and his Disciples sung an Hymn vocally together Answ 1. The Word sung is not in the Greek but it is there read And they having hymned which Word is taken by divers learned Men to be of a general Signification of all kinds of Praises or Thanksgivings and not confined to Songs only Some of our old English Translators read that Text And when they had said Grace And the Dutch do not limit the word Hymnos only to Songs of Praise but do admit of it to signify saying Thanks See Dutch Annot. on Eph. 5.19 or Thank-giving to God 2. There is no Reason to conclude that the Disciples vocally sung together with Christ but that Christ as their Minister hymned and they in their Spirits joined with him 1 Sam. 1.11 13. as Hannah said And spake in her Heart for I have not met with any of our Reformed how zealous soever they are to promote a vocal Singing together that will admit that the Disciples in Acts 4.24 c. prayed all vocally together but that they lift up their Voice by their Minister with whom they joyned only in Spirit but not with Voice Notwithstanding the Text is stronger for it than any Text in the New Testament is for their way of Singing read the Text ver 23 24. And being let go they went to their own Company and reported all that the Chief Priests and Elders had said unto them And when they heard that they lift up their Voice to God with one Accord Ver. 31. and said c. And when they had prayed the Place was shaken c. It is here said they lift up their Voice to God with one Accord But in Matth. 26. it is only said They hymned Now if the word they must prove their vocal Singing together with Christ much more will those words They lift up their Voice to God with one Accord and said prove their vocal Praying together And let me plainly tell you that if you assert a vocal Singing together from Matth. 26. you cannot deny a vocal Praying together from Acts 4. And if you assert a prescribed Form of Singing you cannot possibly avoid
Christ under her Troubles and Persecutions in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.9 For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer Persecution And we must thrô much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 Seeing therefore it is given to us not only to believe on Christ but also to suffer for his Sake Phil. 1.29 and that God has appointed his Church her Days of Mourning and that thrô her falling away from her primitive Love and Zeal she has lost much of those blessed Gifts of the Holy Spirit she then had Let us not deceive our selves and think to recover the Gift of Singing with our carnal Spirits Isa 22.12 13. in an improper and contrary Season Israel-like when we should mourn for the great Apostacy Pride Covetousness and Carnality of Spirit which is found in the Church of Christ and fast and pray for the Pardon of Sins Isa 32.15 the full Deliverance of the Captive Daughter of Sion and the Return of the Holy Spirit that the Wilderness may become a fruitful Field And therefore as our Sins deprive us and as God hath not allotted to us a Heaven of continual Joy and constant Singing in this present evil World so the different Graces of his Holy Spirit and Duties required of us are suited to the different Circumstances of our Lives which are mostly filled with Troubles Sins and Temptations And though particular Saints may and oft-times do rejoice and glory in Tribulations when the Spirit of Glory rests upon them and raises their Hearts above their Troubles yet this is but now and then at certain Times through a sight of Faith when God is sealing his Love upon their Spirits to incourage their Souls to persevere Otherwise if it were constant Troubles would be no more Troubles nor Afflictions no more Afflictions or if their Joys were greater and more constant than their Sorrows it could not so properly be called a Sackcloth mournful afflicted State for either of them which is most constant and in which we have the greatest Share and Exercise of our Lives deservedly beareth the Name And therefore if particular Souls or the Church of Christ in general be in a State of Trouble and Affliction they are so far uncapable of the constant Exercise of the Grace of Joy and consequently of constant spiritual Singing in the publick Worship of God as their Troubles and Sorrows must needs exceed their Joys and then the Graces and Duties suitable to that State should be in exercise as Long-suffering Patience Faith of Reliance Meekness Watching Praying c. which are more strongly injoined and oftner pressed on us in the New Testament for our constant Practice than Singing is and that because our Troubles and Sorrows are more constant than our spiritual Raptures So that from our Incapacity of maintaining a constant and sufficient Exercise of the Grace of Joy in our Souls through the Troubles Sins and Temptations of this World the Weakness of our Faith and want of the sufficient Gift of the Holy Spirit we are not now able to sing with the Spirit and with the Understanding also in the constant and publick Worship of God and to press it beyond our Understanding proportion of Faith and measure of the gracious Gift of the Holy Spirit when other Graces should be in exercise is a Sin 2. Every true Christian nor the Church of Christ in general is not capable to sing Praises to the Lord in his publick and constant Worship because the greatest number of Christians as it is believed especially in our Day have not attained to a sufficient Faith of Assurance of the Love of God in Christ Jesus unto their Souls Rom 5.1 to 5. which made the Apostles to rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory but have their doubtings between Hope and Fear of what shall become of them to all Eternity 1 Pet. 1.8 And therefore while they are in the new Birth or Babes in Christ and have not met with the witnessing Power Rom. 8.15 or perswasive Influence of the Holy Spirit with their Spirits that they are the Children of God they cannot sing his Praise for their Redemption for if they are not sufficiently assured of it by Faith they cannot so rejoice in it And we should not think that God requireth more of his Church and People than he hath given Ability and Qualifications to perform Tenth Objection Formal Prayer and Singing were used under the Law and therefore why not formal Prayer and Singing under the Gospel Answer As the visible and successive Ministers of the Worship and Service of God under the Law were not called as spiritual converted regenerated Believers but were an Election out of the natural and carnal Seed of Abraham in their Generations by Succession unto the Ministerial Office so the Body of the Old-Testament-Church were not called into that visible Church-State as spiritual regenerated Believers but as the natural and carnal Seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. And therefore as that People were carnally and nationally imbodied into a visible Church-state so their instituted Worship was formal literal ceremonial carnal and typical suitable to them and the Design of God to make them and their Church-State a Type Shadow and Figure of his calling a spiritual People into a more spiritual Church-State to serve him in more spiritual Ordinances in Spirit and in Truth And therefore since Christ is come in the Flesh and hath removed and abolished the Mosaical and Levitical Church-State Heb. 7.12 17 18. Chap. 9.8 to 11. the New-Testament-Writers have described Gospel-Things in opposition to them as Power to Form Rom. 2.20 29. 2 Cor. 3.11 Gal. 3.2 3. 2 Cor. 3.6 Rom. 7.6 Chap. 1.28 29. Phil. 3.3 Gal. 3.29 Chap. 4.21 c. 29 to the End Heb. 10.1 Chap. 9.1 11 23. Col. 2.17 as Spirit to Flesh as Spiritual to Literal and Carnal as spiritual Seed to fleshly or carnal Seed as Shadows to Bodies as Worldly to Heavenly as Types and Figures of good Things to come So that there is no legal instituted Worship as found in the publick Levitical Service and Circumstances that can be either proper or a sufficient Warrant for our Practice in Gospel-Times and therefore it is our Duty to look more directly into the Gospel-Institutions for Gospel-Worship than to confuse the Minds of weak Christians with Questions from the dark Shadows of the Law which tend to Bondage and have proved very mischievous to the gospel-Gospel-Church for which cause many whom God hath graciously enlightned in the Holy Scriptures have been forced to treat the more largely on Legal Ceremonies 2 Cor. 3.14 15 17. to remove the Vail of the Law which to this day too too much remains on the Minds of many Christians Eleventh Objection Prayer under the Gospel is an Ordinance of the same Nature as it was under the Law and therefore Singing under the Gospel
of Christ in offering your Praises to God contrary to his own appointed Way therein you do worship God in vain and I fear it will be said of you as it was to him that offered the Thank-offering under the Law Levit. 7.11 to 19. which was to be eaten on the first and second Days and if any of the Flesh of the Sacrifice of his Peace or Thank-offering were eaten at all on the third Day that it shall not be accepted neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it it shall be an Abomination and that Soul shall bear his Iniquity 5thly and lastly It is the Duty of all and of every individual Christian studiously to judg of the Doctrine delivered to them whether it be of Man or of God and to conform to the Authority of the Holy Scripture as the noble Bereans did Acts 17.10 11. who searched the Scriptures daily whether those things preached by Paul and Silas were so or no. And I am perswaded that it is for want of Zeal and Love to the Truths of Christ and through that slothful and idle Spirit attending so many Christians that the Errors of Men do so prevail But to leave what I have said I do beseech you courteous Reader christianly to overlook that Weakness you may espy in my Delivery and seriously to take notice not so much of that as of the main of this Subject without straining my Words beyond the drift and design of the body of my Discourse and to consider that the Authority of the Holy Scriptures is repugnant to such formal and customary Singing herein mentioned and treated of not with any Design to move Controversies or trouble others but to prevent the Divisions that possibly may arise amongst our selves through the Endeavours of some Persons to promote this Error in our Churches And as I hope the Lord hath engaged my Heart herein so he will bless my poor Endeavours to settle the Minds of my wavering Brethren and to prevent any farther Incroachments of this Error which hath been so generally rejected by us for many Years FINIS ERRATA Page 45. line 8. for formerly read formally P. 47. near the end in Margent add the Text Luke 4.17 c. ADVERTISEMENT There is now coming forth a Book intitled A Treatise of the Holy Trinunity in two Parts The First asserteth the Deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in the Vnity of Essence with God the Father The Second in Defence of the former answereth the chiefest Objections made against this Doctrine By J. M. Chap. I. THE Case is briefly stated Chap. II. Sheweth that there is but one God the Creator and Former of all things Chap. III. Asserteth a Plurality of Divine Subsistences Chap. IV. Of the Father Chap. V. Proveth the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. By his Names 2. That God in the Old Testament in divers Places is Christ in the New 3. By seven particular Texts of Holy Scriptures 4. That Christ pre-existed his Incarnation in his Divine Nature and is no Angel incarnate but is Coeternal with the Father 5. His Deity is proved by his Works And 6. By Divine Worship given to him Chap. VI. Proveth the Deity of the Holy Ghost 1. That he is a Person 2. His Deity is asserted from several Texts of Scripture 3. By his Works 4. By Divine Worship given to him Chap. VII Proveth the Unity of the Holy Trinity Chap. VIII Containeth some Explications of the Holy Trinunity 1. Of the essential Being of God 2. Of the Divine Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit 3. Of the Distinctions of the Divine Nature and the Persons and some Shadows by way of Comparison of the incomparable and inconceivable Being of God and of the Union of Christ's two Natures PART II. Chap. I. Answereth Objections against the Scriptural Proofs of Christ's Deity Chap. II. Answers to Objections drawn from several Texts of Scriptures Chap. III. Answers to several Arguments against the Deity of Christ Chap. IV. Answers to several Objections against the Scriptures that prove the Deity of the Holy Ghost Chap. V. Answers to some Objections drawn from divers Scriptures to disprove the Deity of the Holy Spirit Chap. VI. Answers to some Scriptures from whence our Adversaries assert that the Father only is the true God With a general Answer and Conclusion Price bound one Shilling AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER DISCOURSE Concerning SINGING in the Worship of GOD in the gospel-Gospel-Church IN the former Part of my Discourse on this Subject I laid a Foundation according to the proportion of Faith which I received from the Light of the holy Scriptures and have asserted something of the nature manner and order of Singing agreeable to the Dispensations of the Mind and Will of God unto his People both under the Old and New Testaments And finding my self concerned in the defence of the Truth of Christ which some have erred from in their practice of formal Singing I shall farther treat on this Subject for the better clearing of it from divers things that lie in the way of some Christians establishment in the Truth SECT I. 1. I Shall premise That to praise God or praising of God is not confined to Songs of Praise but that there are other ways and manners of praising God than with such melodious Singing as in Psal 145.10 All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee and in Psal 148. throughout the whole Creation is required to praise God for he commanded and they were created Their very Being and Subsistence and the order of Nature is a Praise to the glorious Wisdom and Power of God And David saith Psal 50.23 Whoso offereth Praise glorifieth me viz. God And as praising God is glorifying honouring and magnifying of him so also is glorifying God often put for the same as praising of him which in the following Scriptures do also differ from that of Singing as in Mat. 21.16 where the Children crying Hosanna to the Son of David that is Save now is by Christ called Praise and Luke 19.37 The whole Multitude of the Disciples began to rejoyce and praise God saying Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest And this praising God and Glory in the Highest is in Matthew and Mark said to be crying Hosanna to the Son of David Hosanna in the highest And Luke 18.43 And immediately he received his Sight and followed him glorifying God and all the People when they saw it gave Praise unto God And Acts 3.8 9. The lame Man walking and leaping praised God And also Thanking 2 Cor. 4.15 chap. 9.11 to end Phil. 4.16 chap. 1.3 4. 1 Thes 1.2 Phil. 1.4 is glorifying or praising God which is by the ordinary Gift of the Spirit always to be mixt with Prayer as Paul did making mention of the Saints with Thanksgiving always in every Prayer and therefore as God is thus praised
Clark's Annot. must be taken to denote a Thanksgiving or a Blessing of God with the extraordinary Gift of Melodious Singing 2ly In ver 26. it is said How is it then Brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying All had or doubtless might have had the Psalms of David to read and therefore as none can say but that to have the Doctrine and other Gifts of the holy Spirit were something more than to be able to read or make a bare recital of some part of the holy Scriptures So there is the same reason to conclude that the having a Psalm was something farther than to be able to read or sing them out of a Book and that as sometimes the Doctrine as well as the Tongue the Revelation and the Interpretation were the special Gifts of the Spirit so was the Psalm also 3ly Singing is a special Gift of the holy Spirit because it is annexed to the fillings of it as his Fruits and Effects Eph. 5.18 19. Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs which plainly shews it to be the Fruits of a more than ordinary Fulness and Gift of the holy Spirit Secondly That the Gifts of the holy Spirit were not given alike to every Member of the Church of Christ for publick Worship appears from 1 Cor. 12.4 6 8 9 10 11 12 28 29 30. Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit And there are diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom to another the word of Knowledg by the same Spirit To another Faith by the same Spirit To another the Gifts of healing by the same Spirit To another the working of Miracles to another Prophesy to another decerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another Interpretations of Tongues But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will c. and Rom. 12.4 6 7. So that the Gifts of the holy Spirit are severally divided and distributed as God is graciously pleased to bestow them for the benefit and edification of the Church and though the Gift of Singing is not expresly named yet it is included in the Word of Wisdom and Gift of Teaching which are comprehensive of all manner of Teaching as well in Singing as otherwise Having proved that such spiritual Singing as was used in the Primitive Apostolical Church was from a special Gift of the holy Spirit and that the Gifts of the Spirit were not alike distributed to the Members of the gospel-Gospel-Church for publick Worship From whence it follows that every Member or the whole Church as they have not the like spiritual Gifts so they are not capable of the like spiritual Singing I now come to answer the said Objection and to open those Scriptures that are brought to prove that Singing is commanded by Christ in the New Testament so as to bind us to the constant use of it in the gospel-Gospel-Church 1st Scripture that is brought to prove vocal Singing commanded for constant Worship is 1 Cor. 14.15 See more part 1. pag. 8. 26. I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also How is it then Brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying 1st In verse 15. there is no positive Command but Paul's Example which we should follow according to the measure of the Gift of Christ which is not now attained by us for such vocal spiritual Singing 2dly Nor can verse 26. be taken for a positive Command to sing a Psalm seeing it is put by way of Question If they had a Psalm a Doctrine c. and that what Gift or Gifts of the Spirit every one of the ministring Brethren had the Command was that they should put them forth for the edifying of the Church Nor can this Text be a positive Command for singing a Psalm in the constant Worship of God any more than it is a Command for the constant Use of the other extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit together mentioned with the Psalm Neither is there any colour of Reason to think that the Psalm should be vocally sung by all the Church together any more than that the Doctrine and the Revelation and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit should be delivered or said vocally together or any of them otherwise than according to the general Rule in the following Verses 2dly Ephes 5.18 See more part 1. pag. 4 5 c. 19. From this Scripture I have shewed before that there is no warrant for vocal Singing but that speaking to your selves may be properly taken for inward speaking in the Heart and have cited Mr. Pool who renders it speaking in which the word to in this Text as we read it is there shewed to import But if it were granted as it is not that vocal Singing was here intended yet this Exhortation is no such positive Command as to make it binding for the constant Worship of God any farther than to such a Gift of the Spirit for this Exhortation respects our being filled with the Spirit and speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs are annexed as his Fruits and Effects and therefore the latter cannot be attained without the former so that we are under as strict a Command to be filled with the Spirit Col. 3.16 for the inriching of us with the Word of Christ to dwell in us in all Wisdom as we are to sing yea to be filled with the Spirit being primarily commanded as the efficient cause to Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs then to be filled with the Spirit should be primarily sought after and instead of runing into humane Forms of Worship to obtain the Spirit and the Increase of his Graces in our Souls we should seek more earnestly for the Spirit to raise up our Hearts above our ordinary frames to worship the Lord in the Beauties of Holiness Besides this Exhortation given to endeavour after the fillings and inrichings of the Word and Spirit warrants none either disorderly to improve his Gifts or to counterfeit their Attainment of them 3dly Col. 3.16 See more part 1. pag. 7. This Command or rather this Exhortation to teach and admonish one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs is given neither absolutely to require Impossibilities of us nor yet to break any other Command nor to interfere with the order and manner of God's Worship and therefore this Scripture intends no more than to stir up the Church of Coloss to the Attainment of this spiritual Gift of Singing 1 Cor. 12.31 Chap. 14.1 Phil. 3.11 as well as of other