SINGING OF PSALMES A GOSPEL-ORDINANCE OR A TREATISE WHEREIN Are handled these Particulars 1. Touching the Duty it selfe 2. Touching the Matter to be Sung 3. Touching the Singers 4. Touching the manner of Singing By JOHN COTTON Teacher of the Church at Boston in New-England LONDON Printed for J. R. at the Sunne and Fountaine in Pauls-Church-yard and H. A. at the Crowne in Popes-Head-Alley 1650. OF THE SINGING OF PSALMES CHAP. J. Propounding the severall Questions about it and handling the First TO prevent the godly-minded from making melody to the Lord in Singing his Praises with one accord J meane with one heart and one voyce Satan hath mightily bestirred himselfe to breed a discord in the hearts of some by filling their heads with foure heads of scruples about the Duty 1. Touching the Duty it selfe of singing Psalmes with lively voyce whether there be any such Worship at all now to be allowed and practised in the dayes of the New Testament 2. Touching the matter to be sung whether Scripture Psalmes penned by David Asaph Moses Solomon Hezekiah Habakkuk Zachary Simeon Deborah Mary Elizabeth or the like Or songs immediately indited by some personall spirituall gift of some Officer or Member of the Church 3. Touching the Singers If vocall singing may be allowed Who must Sing 1. Whether one for all the rest the rest onely saying Amen or the whole Congregation 2. Whether women as well as men or men alone 3. Whether carnall men and Pagans as well as Church-members and Christians 4. Touching the manner of singing Whether the Psalme may be sung either 1. In Meeter Devised 2. In Tunes Invented 3. In Order after the Reading of it For the first Question wee lay downe this Conclusion for a Doctrine of Truth That singing of Psalmes with a lively voyce is an holy Duty of Gods Worship now in the dayes of the New Testament When we say singing with lively voyce we suppose none will so farre misconstrue us as to thinke wee exclude singing with the heart For God is a Spirit and to worship him with the voyce without the Spirit were but lip-labour which being rested in is but lost labour Isa. 29.13 or at most profiteth but little 1 Tim. 4.8 But this wee say As wee are to make melody in our hearts so with our voyces also In opposition to this there be some Anti-psalmists who doe not acknowledge any singing at all with the voyce in the New Testament but onely spirituall songs of joy and comfort of the heart in the word of Christ 1. Proofe for the Truth The first proofe for the truth is taken from the Commandement of the Lord by Paul who instructeth and exhorteth the Ephesians To speake one to another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. Ephes. 5.19 And so in Col. 3.16 Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes Hymnes c. which cannot be done without lively voyce And so in 1 Cor. 14.15 16. The Apostle commandeth the Church of Corinth that such as sing in the Church should not onely sing in the Spirit but with understanding also that is not onely with their own understanding for all that sung with the Spirit did so but with the understanding of the hearers that so he that occupied the place of the unlearned might be edified and say Amen at such giving of thankes Whence it followeth unavoydably That singing of Psalmes is not onely a making of melody to the Lord with inward grace in the heart but also with lively and audible voyce which is the point in Question Obâ—ect 1. This place in the Corinths maketh nothing to the cause in hand For these Corinthian Psalmes were not the Psalmes of David nor sung by the whole Congregation much lesse in Meeter and Tunes devised by men as ours be but they were spirituall songs immediately inspired and endited by the Holy Ghost and sung onely by him that received that gift as the Spirit gave him utterance Answ. Neither did wee alledge the place to prove the singing of Davids Psalmes by the whole Congregation in such like Meeter and Tunes as ours be These poynts doe all of them belong to the other Questions which follow to bee handled God willing â—n their place But to this purpose we alledge the place That singing of Psalmes in the New Testament is to be dispensed in Christian Churches not onely with inward grace in the heart making melody to the Lord but also with outward audible lively voyce which is the very point in hand and which this commandment of the Apostle doth clearely demonstrate 2. Object The Apostle to the Ephesians and Colossians doth not say Sing one to another in Psalmes but speake or preach one to another or in other wordâ— Teach and admonish one another The Psalmes dwelling in their hearts they were to dispense them in a way of Teaching and Admonishing But as for singing hee maketh no mention of that untill he came to teach them the manner of dispensing the words of Christ unto God in the end of the verse And then indeed hee teacheth them to sing in the Spirit making melody with grace in the heart unto God Answ. Such as tremble at the word as the framer of this objection professeth himselfe to doe they should rather bow their â—udgements and practise to Scripture and language then bow the â—ence of Scripture to their owne conceptions against the language of Scripture It is one thing to speake one to another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs as is done in singing another thing to preach and teach one another out of Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs It is true they were to Teach and admonish one another out of the Psalmes and the scope of Paul will reach that But if Paul had only meant that to wit That they should teach and preach one to another out of the Psalmes he would not have said Speake yee one to another in Psalmes or with Psalmes but out of the Psalmes or from the Psalmes for such is the language of the Holy Ghost in expressing such a duty Paul is said to have expounded and testified and perswaded the Jewes out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets Acts 28.23 So Philip is said to begin to Preach Jesus to the Eunuch {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from that Scripture in Isaiah or at that Scripture Act. 8.35 He did not Preach Jesus to him in speaking that Scripture Object If that speaking of the Ephesians one to another in Psalmes did not hold forth their expounding and preaching in Psalmes one to another but onely the bare reading or singing the letter of the Psalmes This were such a service wherein there in nothing of Christ held forth externally I speake not of the matter of the Psalmes which is full of Christ as other Scriptures but of the outward manner of dispensing it There is nothing held forth in the singing of it after the usuall
that dutie of singing For when God redeemed his people out of the Captivitie of Babel not onely their hearts the hearts of them who were returning to Zion were filled with rejoycing but even their tongues also with singing Psal. 126.1 2. And though the Trees cannot be said in proper speech to clap their hands for they have no hands to clap yet common sense will easily tell you that there is a Mataphor either in clapping of hands or in the trees If trees be taken properly then clapping of hands is put by a Metaphor for the flourishing fruitfulnesse of the trees of the field which by the blessing of God is wont to follow the prosperitie of the Church in such aboundance that their boughes and branches shall clap and dash themselves and their fruite one upon another whereby as by hands they reach forth refreshing and food to the children of the Church But if Trees be put by a Metaphor for trees of righteousnesse as the Saints are so called Isa. 61 3. then they shall clap their hands and shout for joy and sing aloud expressing externall signes of comfort to behold and consider the wonderfull goodnesse of the Lord to themselves and their brethren And so in the same verse Isai. 55.12 when the Mountaines and hills are said to break forth before the Saints into singing if there be not a Metaphor in singing then Mountaines and hills are put by a Metaphor for Princes and men of high degree as Psal. 72.3 which shall give example to others in holy rejoycing and particularly in singing praises to the Lord So that these Texts in Isaiah which you thought might excuse you from singing with the voyce which David exhorted to be done with a loud voyce they will not exempt you at all from this duty but rather bind you the stronger to it And therefore looke as when David saith I cryed to the Lord with my voyce Psal. 3 4. 77.1 a man shall detract from his meaning that shall say he cryed onely to God with his heart So when David exhorteth the Gentile Churches to make a joyfull noyse unto God with Psalmes you doe detract in like sort from his meaning when you make his meaning to be not that wee should sing unto God with our voyces but that we should onely make melody to him with grace in our hearts Such detracting from the Word is alike disallowed and accursed of God as is adding to the Word Object 2. Singing of Psalmes with the voyce is but a type of singing Psalmes with grace in the heart Answ. 1. No Scripture speaketh of it as a type nor doth any evidence of reason so declare it 2. You might as well say that Praying with the voyce was a type of praying with the heart and so is now abolished 3 If singing of Psalmes with a loud noyse had been a typicall worship David would not have exhorted us to the practise of it on the Lords day of the New Testament Psal. 95.1 2.7 4. Christ and his Apostles would not have used it in the Lords Supper which is a feast of the New Testament Mat. 26.30 nor would Paul and Silas have used it in prison among the Gentiles Acts 16.25 5. The light of Nature which is never wont to teach us types and shadows doth as well teach us to praise God in singing with our tongues in times of our rejoycing as to cry to God with our voyces in times of our distresses CHAP. IV. Propounding the second Question Stating it and Prooving it THe second Question about singing of Psalmes concerneth the matter of the Psalmes to be sung for there be some who doe not scruple singing with the voyce as the former sort did but singing of the Psalmes of David now in these dayes of the New Testament As conceiving Davids Psalmes were penned for Temple worship during the Paedagogy of the old Testament But now in the dayes of the New Testament when God hath promised to powre out his Spirit upon all flesh now the whole worship of God should be carried on not by set formes of Psalmes no more then by set formes of Prayer bâ—t by personall spirituall gifts whereby some one or other of the members of the Church having received a Psalme by the enditement of the Spirit he singeth it openly in the publique Assembly of the Church and the rest of the Brethren say Amen to it in the close But touching the persons of those who should sing it pertaineth to the third Question This second Question chiefly concerneth the matter to be sung whether the Psalmes of David or some Psalme or Hymne endited by the personall gift of this or that member of the Church Wherein we hold and beleeve 1. That not onely the Psalmes of David but any other spirituall Songs recorded in Scripture may lawfully be sung in Christian Churches as the song of Moses and Asaph Heman and â—than Solomon and Hezekiah Habacuck and Zachary Hannah and Deborah Mary and Elizabeth and the like 2. Wee grant also that any private Christian who hath a gift to frame a spirituall Song may both frame it and sing it privately for his own private comfort and remembrance of some speciall benefit or deliverance Nor doe we forbid the private use of an Instrument of Musick therewithall So that attention to the Instrument doe not divert the heart from attention to the matter of the Song Neither doe we deny but that in the publique thankesgivings of the Church if the Lord should furnish any of the members of the Church with a Spirituall gift to compose a Psalme upon any speciall occasion hee may lawfully be allowed to sing it before the Church and the rest hearing it and approving it may goe along with him in Spirit and say Amen to it When Christ ascended up on high to sit upon his throne of glory looke as Princes are wont to doe in the day of their Coronation Spargere Missilia Donaria so did he powre out his gifts abundantly on all sorts gifts of Miracles Healing Tongues Psalmes And the Churches were willing when they saw such speciall gifts of the Spirit powred out to make use of them as occasion served Whence it was that sundry of the members of the Church of Corinth as they had received a gift of Psalmes and tongues from the Lord Jesus so they had allowance from the Church â—o imploy their gifts to the publique edification of the Church But as such gifts now are not ordinarily bestowed which were at first given chiefly for admiration and conviction of Infidels 1 Cor. 14.22 so we would not call upon men now to preferre their ordinary common gift as more fit for the publique edifying of the Church before the extraordinary gifts of the holy men of God in Scripture who by the Spirit were guided to prepare spirituall songs suitable to all the conditions and affections and temptations of the Church and people of God in all ages So then the Question is
whether the Psalmes of David and Asaph and such other Hymnes and spirituall Songs endited by the Prophets and recorded in Scripture be appointed by God to be ordinarily sung in Christian Churches or whether laying aside Scripture-Songs we are to sing onely such spirituall Songs as shall be endited by the personall but ordinary gifts of any ordinary Officer or member of the Church The former wee hold to be the Truth others the latter The Reasons of our Faith and Practise are these 1. Taken from the Commandement or exhortation of the Apostle Ephes. 5.19 Be you filled with the Spirit saith he speaking to your selves that is one to another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your harts to the Lord To the like purpose is his CoÌ„mandement and exhortation to the Colossians Chap. 3. ver. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord In both which places as the Apostle exhorteth us to singing so he instructeth us what the matter of our Song should be to wit Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs Now those three be the very Titles of the Songs of David as they are delivered to us by the Holy Ghost himselfe some of them are called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is Psalmes some {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is Hymnes some {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is Songs spirituall â—ongs Now what reason can be given why the Apostle should direct us in our singing to the very titles of Davids Psalmes if it were not his meaning that we should sing them Yea either we must exclude the Psalmes of David from the name of Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs or else we must be forced to acknowledge that we are exhorted to sing them as well as any other CHAP. V. BEfore we proceed to any further Reasons of the point let us first by the helpe of Christ cleare the Objections against this The Objections are many and some of them seeme more weighty and some more light let us unpartially and evenly by the Lords guidance weigh them all in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Object 1. If Paul had meant Davids Psalmes or Scripture-songs it had been an easie matter to have named Davids Psalmes or Scripture-songs as David himselfe named his songs the Psalmes or Songs of David when he delivered them to the chiefe Musitian and to his company to be sung Answ. 1. It may as justly be said if Paul had meant to exclude Davids Psalmes or Scripture-songs it had been as easie to have excluded them by name and to have limited them onely to such Psalmes and Songs as the Spirit should suggest unto their hearts Answ. 2. The Apostle expresly nameth Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs and they three are the very expresse Titles of the Psalmes in the Psalme-Booke Now why he should direct them to the very Titles of Davids Psalmes yet not meane the Psalmes that beare those Titles can a good conscience give a good reason for it Answ. 2. When David gave his Psalmes and Songs to the Musitians in Israel it was meete he should set his name to them or by some other marke make it appeare that the Psalmes were inspired and delivered by a Prophet of God But after the Book of Psalmes was generally knowne and received to be of divine inspiration as other Oracles of God the Psalmes are as usually alledged in the New Testament without the name of David as with it Luk. 24 44. Asts 13.33 Object 2. The Psalmes here committed to the spirituall Singers to be sung are the words of Christ which are to dwell richly in us Col. 3.16 But the Psalmes dedicated to the sonnes of Corah were the words of David and Asaph And so the Holy Ghost calleth them Not but that the words spoken by the mouth of David and Asaph where the words of Christ but that the words which are to be the spirituall songs of the Saints wherein they are to teach one another and to sing unto God they are words spoken to the heart by the voyce of the Spirit of Christ Besides the word of Christ is properly the Gospel by way of eminency in way of opposition to the Law given by Moses Answ. 1. The words of David and Asaph as they were the words of Chtist in the mouth of David and Asaph so they were the words of Christ also in the mouths of the sonnes of Corah or any other Singers in the Temple If any of them did not sing them with the Spirit of Christ as well as David and Asaph spake and penned them by the Spirit of Christ it was a sinfull defect in them but not in the word it selfe nor in the godly Singers of the Temple such as Heman and Jeduthun and others who were spirituall and holy men and sang them with melody in their hearts as well as in their voyces And it will be alike sinfull defect in the New Testament in such as sing the Psalmes of David to sing them without some measure of the Spirit of David For the Apostle expresly requireth that wee should sing with grace in our hearts But if the words of David and Asaph be the words of Christ and be sung of the Church with grace in the heart wee demand whether this act of the Church be not an act of Faith and of the obedeince of Faith to the word of Christ in that Text of the Appostle Answ. 2. It is an unsafe and unsavoury expression to speake of the words of David and Asaph as if they were onely the words of Christ in the mouths of spirituall Singers For if they were not the words of Christ in the mouths of carnall Singers also then the holy Scriptures were not the word of Christ if they be read by a carnall reader So the unbeliefe of man shâ—ll make the faith of God of none effect yea the word of God not to be the word of God Answ. 3. Let it be considered in the feare of God whether the words of David and Asaph sung with grace in the heart unto God be not as truly and properly in the Apostles sence the word of Christ as any Song endited by the private gift of any Saint of God now living If so then the Apostle encourageth us to sing the Psalmes of David and Asaph with their Spirit If not then there be Christians now that are carried by a more infallible Spirit then the Prophets were in old time And yet Paul speaketh of the Saints now as led by the Spirt of God Rom. 8.14 But Peter speaketh of the Prophets then as carried {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Which putteth this difference that such as are led by the Spirit may erre but such as are carried by the Spirit are carried and lifted
entitle them by such names How then can you say that to sing the Prophecies of David doth not yet appeare to be a worship of God commanded or taught in holy writ As for our common manner of singing of them wee shall have occasion to speake to that hereafter Object 5. Davids Psalmes considered not as Scriptures divinely inspired but as spirituall Songs seeme to be appropriated to the Temple-worship 1. Because they are appointed to be sung by proper Officers and Musicall Instruments belonging to the Temple as appeareth by the Titles of severall Psalmes 2. Because neither Christ nor the Apostles in their writings used them at all otherwise then as the other writings of Moses and the Prophets for instruction and illustration teaching us how to use the same Those Psalmes therefore as Songs being proper to that service of the Temple are abolished with the Temple worship Answ. 1. Both these Reasons are too slender to confine Davids Psalmes to Temple-worship For 1. Though some of Davids Psalmes were appointed to be sung by the Officers and Musicall Instruments of the Temple yet not above one part of three considering the length of the 119. Psalme There be an hundred and fiftie Psalmes in all and of all these not above 57. are appointed to be sung by the Officers and Instruments of the Temple and Psalme 119. is none of them so that two parts of three are free from any expresse reference to the Temple 2. The matter of some Psalmes doth evidently argue they were not appointed to be sung alwayes in the Temple or at least did agree more properly to other times then those wherein the Temple stood The 74th Psalme which was a Psalme of Asaph but joyned with the Psalmes of David complained that the enemies had sent Gods Sanctuary into the fire as the Hebrew words be and had defiled by casting downe the dwelling place of hir Name to the ground ver. 7. The 44th Psalme though it was committed to the sonnes of Corah yet surely it was chiefly intended as Paul applieth part of it to the times of the New Testament For I suppose it could never be verified of any times of the Jewish Temple first or second that ever God gave up the people of Israel as sheepe for meate to be killed all the day to be appointed for the slaughter to be sore broken in the place of Dragons and covered with the shadow of death when as yet though all this evill was come upon them they had not forgotten their God nor dealt falsly in his Covenant nor their hearts turned backe nor their steps declined from his way ver. â—7 to 23. Paul indeed acknowledgeth this very word to be accomplished in the Saints of the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times Rom. 8.36 but where shall wee finde the like innocency with the like calamitie met together in the children of Israel whilest the Temple was standing And is it credible the Psalme was confined to be sung in the Temple where they could not sing it but with a sad reproofe to themselves for their discord in practise and yet forbidden to be sung in the Churches of the New Testament where in some ages at least they might sing it both with heart and voyce and practise all of them keeping holy concent and harmony together 3. It appeareth by the Titles of such Psalmes as are directed to the Officers and Instruments of the Temple-Musick That there was something typicall or rudimentall in the manner of singing some of the Psalmes of David and Asaph in the Temple-worship But this doth no more argue that the whole service of God in singing Davids Psalmes was typicall or rudimentall then it will argue prayer to be a typicall and Temple worship because prayer in the Temple was offered with Incense and so with the Temple and with the Incense to be abolished He that will make the Psalmes of David as they are songs to be types of the spirituall songs of the New Testament and therefore now the singing of them to be abolished He might as well say with Mr. Smith that the Letters in the Scriptures of the old Testament were typicall typing out the Law written in our hearâ—s and so abolish all reading of the holy Scriptures now in the dayes of the New Testament 4. As it hath been shewed above that singing of Psalmes with lively voyce is not a ceremoniall but a morall dutie and so continueth now in the dayes of the New Testament so it may be as truly said that the singing of Davids Psalmes and other Scripture-songs is in like sort not a ceremoniall but a morall dutie and so of like continuance in the New Testament The Psalmes of David and Asaph and the rest are as full of holy and lively spirituall and evangelicall meditations and affections Instruments prayers and praises as any that we can expect to be endited by any Officer or member of the Christian Churches now Yea it is to be feared that the Psalmes compiled by the devoutest Christians now would fall short of those of David and Asaph in spirit and life How then can we make the Psalmes of David and Asaph ceremoniall types of the spirituall songs of the faithfull in the New Testament when as types are wont to be more carnall and worldly and literall and lesse spirituall and lively then the antitypes But here the anti-types are lesse spirituall and lively then the types 5. As for that other Reason taken from the practise of Christ and his Apostles who in their writings never used the Psalmes of David for spirituall songs as the writings of Moses other Prophets for instruction and illustration this is of as small force as the former For 1. Writings are not a place or season for the use of spirituall songs Psalmes are to be used for songs in Church Assemblies and private Soliloques and Conferences not in Writings And yet so farre as Psalmes may be used for songs in writing Paul so used them in his Epistles written to the Ephesians and Colossians where he â—nstructeth both Churches â—nd in them all others to sing these Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs Amongst which these Psalmes of David and Asaph if theâ— be not principally intended yet surely they are plainly included or else they are neither the word of Christ nor are they Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs 2. It is not credible that Christ never used the Psalmes of David and Asaph for spirituall Songs For the use of those Psalmes for Songs was doubtlesse a part of Gods worship whilest the Temple stood And if Christ had neglected any part of that worship which was then in force how then did himselfe say That it became him to fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 Besides many things Jesus did and said and so did the Apostles which are not written in the Gospel nor Acts nor Epistles Joh. 21.25 And yet this is said that he with his Disciples sung an Hymne Mat. 26.30 And Hymnes is the
deliverances from Saul or the deliverance of the Church from Aegypt or Babylon or from other enemies may justly own and beare that Title For when David acknowledgeth and professeth that in his Songs the Spirit of the Lord spake by him and that his word was in his tongue 2 Sam. 23.2 What Spirit of the Lord was that but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus And what are then such Songs but the Songs of the Lambe through whose Redemption the Church and Saints enjoy all their deliverances And surely the Song of the Lambe recorded in Revel. 15.3 4. seemeth evidently to point at sundry Psalmes of David out of which it was compiled and collected and which therefore were suitable and fit to be sung upon occasion of their victory over the Beast especially with respect and reference to those speciall sentences which were fetched from thence though with some small variation such as is wont to be found in all the Scriptures of the New Testament quoted out of the old Rev. 15.3 Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almightie Just and true are thy wayes Thou King of Saints And ver. 4. Thou onely art Holy Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name For all Nations shall come and worship before thee For thy Judgements are made manifest Psal. 86.10 Thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone Ver. 8. Among the Gods there is none like unto thee nor any works like thy works Psal. 111.2 The works of the Lord are great Ver. 4. And Wonderfull Ver. 7. The works of his hand are truth and judgement Psal. 71.22 O thou Holy One of Israel Psal. 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name Psal. 9.16 The Lord is knowne by the Judgement which he executeth Psal. 64.9 All men shall feare and shall declare the worke of God For they shall wisely consider of his doings In as much therefore as these who got the victory over the Beast are said to have sang the Song of the Lambe and this Song of the Lambe is expresly fetched from severall words of praise to the Lambe in severall Psalmes of David One of these two things if not both will from hence justly be deduced 1. Either this That any of those Psalmes of David may be sung to the praise of the Lambe out of which those words of praise are fetched as when the people of God are said to have praised God with such a word in a Psalme it is meant they sung the whole Psalme as 2 Chron. 5.13 20.21 Ezra 3.11 all of them pointing at Psalme 136. Or else secondly That it may be lawfull upon speciall and extraordinary occasions to compile a spirituall Song out of Davids words of praise dispersed in severall Psalmes of David and other Psalmists in Scripture and to sing them composed together as a Psalme of praise unto the Lord And both these willingly admit For these are still the divine Meditations and spirituall expressions of the holy men of God in Scripture which God hath prepared for the setting forth of his own glory Object 7. As the Apostle writing to Timothy about Prayer in generall and prescribing no forme of prayer it is therefore justly argued that we are to use no set formes of Prayer at all So the same Apostle exhorting the Churches to sing and not prescribing any formes of Psalmes hence it followeth that he alloweth not the singing of Davids Psalmes And whatsoever Arguments strike against stinted formes of Prayer strike against all formes of Psalmes also as stinting and quenching the Spirit c. Answ. 1. It is not true that the Apostle exhorting to Sing doth not prescribe any formes of Psalmes For in the same Texts where he doth exhort the Churches and people of God to sing he doth direct them also to sing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs which are the expresse titles of the very formes of Psalmes endited by David and Asaph as hath been shewed above Neither can it be truly said that he alloweth not the singing of Davids Psalmes Unlesse it might be truly said that the Psalmes of David are neither Psalmes nor Hymnes nor spirituall Songs Answ. 2. The Scripture putteth a manifest difference between these two set formes of Prayer and set formes of Psalmes also between set formes devised and prescribed by men and set formes appointed by God Set formes of Prayer the Lord did never ordinarily prescribe unto his people neither in the old Testament nor in the New but set formes of Psalmes no man doubteth were ordinarily prescribed in the old Testament and wee suppose in the New also in the Texts alledged Againe set formes devised and appointed by men I will not deny to be justly rejected by the true meaning of the second Commandement but God that forbad us to make to our selves any Images or imaginations and inventions for worship did never forbid himselfe to devise and appoint for us what forme of worship himselfe pleased either in the old Testament or in the New And therefore what ever Arguments strike against set formes of Prayer invented and prescribed by men there is none of them strike against set formes of Psalmes appointed by God Neither can it with any colour be pretended that the Psalmes of David being devised and appointed by the Holy Ghost himselfe should either stint or quench the Spirit unlesse it might be thought that Gods own Ordinance to convey and quicken and enlarge the Spirit should become an impediment and restraint to the Spirit Object 8. The edification of the Church and body of Christ under the New Testament ought to be carried on by the personall and proper gifts of Gods Spirit Eph. 4.7 8.11 16. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Rom. 12.4.6 1 Cor. 12. But in singing of Psalmes of David there is no more personall gift manifested then there is in reading a stinted forme of Prayer Answ. These Scriptures prove that God hath given the gifts of the Spirit for the edification of his Church and that they who have received the gifts of the Spirit should employ them to the edification of the Church And some of those Scriptures prove also that they who haue received any gifts though outward gifts of wealth and honour should improve and employ them to the good of the Church But none of them prove that all the edification of the Church should be carried on by the personall and proper gifts of the present members of the Church For then the Church should not be edified now in these dayes by the gifts of the pen-men of Scripture whether Apostles Prophets or Evangelists which is expresly repugnant to some of the Scriptures alledged by you For in Eph. 4.8 to 13. and in 1 Cor. 12. it is expresly said that God gave Apostles Prophets and Evangelists for the edifying of the Church till the whole body of Christ be perfected at the day of his comming And least you should dreame
of new Apostles to be raised up in every age the Holy Ghost telleth us the Church of the Jewes at their last conversion shall be built upon the foundation of the Lambes twelve Apostles Rev. 21.14 The twelve Apostles of the Lambe shall have a fundamentall influence in the rearing and building of the Church of the Jewes not by their resurrection to life againe in those dayes but by the power of the Spirit breathing in their gifts and writings And as Abel being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 and that to edification So the Apostles though dead speake also and David being dead speaketh and singeth likewise to the edification of the body of Christ till we come to sing Hallelujahs in heavenly glory Say not these writings of the Apostles and Evangelists of David and the Prophets doe not speake to the edification of the Church but as they are expounded and applyed by the spirituall gifts of the Ministers and people of God in each age For the very reading of them is an Ordinance of God and no Ordinance of God is empty and beggarly and destitute of the Spirit which is the vanitie of mens traditions and may not be imputed to any of Gods Ordinances Neither ought you to say That in singing the Psalmes of David there is no more personall gift manifested then there is in reading a stinted forme of Prayer For 1. in reading a stinted forme of prayer there is no gift of the Spirit at all manifested but rather as I conceive a manifest breach of the second Commandement of God which is a grieving of the Spirit But in singing of the Psalmes of David there is a gift of the Spirit manifested even the gift of obedience to the command of the Apostle And that is the personall gift of him that singeth And secondly all the treasures of the gifts of the Spirit breathing in the Psalmes of David are likewise manifested in the reverent and holy singing of them You might more truly have said there is no more personall gift of the Spirit manifested in singing the Psalmes of David then in reading the Psalmes of David because either of both those duties are alike acts of obedience to Gods Commandement But if you had so said your objection had answered it selfe Object 9. Many of Gods people now have gifts to compose spirituall Songs as well as carnall Poets to make carnall Sonnets or as drunkards that make Songs of Gods people Now every one that hath a gift is to administer it by Christs Command 1 Pet. 4.10 And if any for want of experience of such a gift in themselves should question it they may consider the promise of powring out the Spirit in a more plentifull measure now in the dayes of the New Testament then in the old Answ. 1. Though many of Gods people have gifts to compose spirituall Songs as well as carnall Poets carnall Sonnets and Drunkards prophane Sonnets yet that will not argue that the spirituall Songs which many of Gods people have gifts to compose are fit to be sung in the publique holy Assemblies of the Saints no more then the carnall and prophane Sonnets of drunken Poets are fit to be sung in civill Assemblies Let drunken carnall Poets sing their carnall Sonnets in their Tavernes and Ale-houses and such of Gods people as have received a gift to compose a spirituall Song fit for their private solace sing it in their private houses But every spirituall Song fit for private solace is not fit to be sung in the solemne Assemblies of the Church for publique edification no more then it is fit for every private Christian who hath a gift to compose a spirituall prayer to utter and powre forth the same in the publique Congregation of the Church Answ. 2. It is more then probable that many of the people of God in the old Testament had gifts to compose spirituall Songs besides David and Asaph and yet unlesse their gift were carried along by an infallible Spirit they were not received among the Songs of the Temple Answ. 3. Suppose that spirituall Songs composed by an ordinary gift might be received among the publique Songs of the Congregation yet will it thence follow that the Church shall be bound to sing onely such Songs and deprive themselves of the Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs of David and Asaph which were composed with a farre larger measure and power of the Holy Ghost Answ. 4. It is readily granted that as every man hath received a gift so let him administer and dispense it according to the Text alledged 1 Pet. 4.10 But yet in Christs way every private gift is not fit for publique Administration nor every publique gift fit to be administred to the shouldring out of a greater gift then it selfe Answ. 5. If such as want the experience of such a gift of spirituall Poetry in themselves should be encouraged to expect it from the promise of powring out the Spirit on all flesh in the dayes of the Gospel Acts 2.17 they might as well looke for the gifts of tongues and healing and miracles For it is the same Spirit though not the same measure which is there promised to be powred out upon all flesh Let every man administer the gifts of the Spirit according to the measure which he hath received within his own line Object 10. But the Lord is as full of the Spirit now to helpe us to endite Psalmes as in the dayes of David and Asaph And it seemeth a dishonour to Christ to dispense his word by reading and singing without the exercise of the glorious and various Administrations of the spirituall gifts of the New Testament Answ. 1. The Lord is as full of the Spirit now and as able to furnish us with a Propheticall Spirit now to endite Propheticall Scriptures as he did furnish the Prophets in the old Testament But yet God thought it no dishonour to Christ to leave us the Scriptures of the old Prophets for our edification in the New Testament as well as in the old It is the same Spirit of the same Christ that spake by the Prophets of the old Testament and speaketh in the Saints of the New And it is no dishonour to Christ to dispense his word and to guide the body of his Church as well by the unity of the same Spirit as by the variety of the divers gifts of the Spirit now And though we doe not exercise the glorious and various Administrations of the spirituall gifts of the New Testament in the enditing of New Psalmes no more then in the enditing of new Scriptures Yet wee can neither sing the old Psalmes of David nor read the old Scriptures of the Prophets acceptably to God nor comfortably to our selves without the exercise of the gracious and various spirituall gifts of the New Testament Object 11. Wee have examples in the New Testament of exercising personall gifts as well in singing as in praying and Prophecying 1 Cor. 14. Which Epistle is directed to all
hath required for the edification of the Church to the end of the world Neither is it credible that Christ would take us off from singing the Psalmes of David and Asaph which were of divine and infallible inspiration and leave us to an uncertain and common gift of private brethren If it be said the Church of Corinth wanted not such gifts of Psalmes nor such members as did compile 1 Cor. 14.26 Answ. It is true neither did they want gifts of tongues and of Revelation in the same Text But these were extraordinary gifts fit to glorifie Christ in his first ascension into Glory and fit to commend and confirme the Gospel to Pagans but no where promised to be continued to Churches in after ages nor no where commanded to be imitated much lesse our common gifts and the Psalmes endited by the same to be substituted in their roomes and Davids Psalmes to be silenced that our Psalmes might be attended CHAP. VII Concerning the Singers and first whether one alone to sing or the whole Church THe third Question about Singing of Psalmes concerneth the Singers For though vocall Singing be approved and also the Singing of Davids Psalmes yet still it remaineth to some a Question who must sing them And here a threefold scruple ariseth 1. Whether one be to sing for all the rest the rest joyning onely in spirit and saying Amen or the whole Congregation 2. Whether women as well as men or men alone 3. Whether carnall men and Pagans may be permitted to sing with us or Christians alone and Church-Members Touching the first of these Scruples It is out of doubt 1. That a Christian man for his own private solace and edification may sing a Psalme alone by himselfe as Asaph had his Songs by night Psal. 77.6.2 It is granted that he who had a spirituall and extraordinary Gift of enditing a Psalme might sing it himselfe and the rest of the Church joyne with him in Spirit saying Amen though in the old Testament he that endited the Psalme gave it to the Master of Song to be sung publiquely by others as well as himselfe But the Question is of Singing the Psalmes of David and other Scripture Psalmes whether they are to be sung by the whole Congregation or by one alone for all the rest the rest joyning onely in the Spirit and in the close saying Amen And to make good this latter way Object 1. It is alledged In the Church of Corinth one had a Psalme 1 Cor. 14.26 And he that had a Psalme sung in the Spirit and was directed to sing with understanding also that is in a tongue understood by the whole Church that they might joyne with him in Spirit and say Amen ver. 15 16. Answ. This onely concerned the extraordinary Psalmes endited by such as had also a gift of Tongues as well as of Psalmes For therefore it is that such are directed as they sing in the Spirit that is by a spirituall gift so to sing with understanding also to wit with the understanding of the Church But this concerneth not the Singing of the Psalmes of David which now are not given by any peculiar gift to any one man Object 2. It is also alledged That Singing of Psalmes is an act of Prophecy And the Prophets were to speake one after another and if any thing were revealed to another that sate by the first was to hold his peace 1 Cor. 14.30 31. Answ. Prophecy is taken two wayes in Scriptures to omit other acceptions of the word not pertinent to the point in hand 1. Sometimes more strictly and properly for Preaching that is for expounding and applying Scripture to edification 2. Sometimes more largely for the publishing of spirituall things to the glory of God and edification of our selves or others And in this sence Master Perkins in his Propheticâ maketh two parts of it 1. Preaching of the Word 2. Prayer for which he quoteth Gen. 20.7 Abraham is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee he quoteth also 1 Chron. 25.1 where the Sonnes of Asaph Heman and Jeduthun who were Singers are said to Prophecy with Harpes Which argueth that singing of Psalmes as well as Prayer may in some sence to wit in this large sence be called an act of Prophecy But in this sence Paul doth not speake of Prophecy for hee doth expresly distinguish it from Prayer and much more from singing 1 Cor. 11.4 5. And in this 14 Chapter to the Corinthians hee doth plainly distinguish prophecy from singing Psalmes for when he exhorteth them to covet after spirituall gifts chiefly that they might Prophecy 1 Cor. 14.1 it is not his meaning they should chiefly covet after the gift of enditing or singing of Psalmes but rather after the gift of Preaching to wit of expounding and applying Scripture to edification When therefore Paul directeth the Prophets to speake one by one ver. 30 31. He speaketh not of that kind of Prophecy whereby many may sing one and the same Psalme together but of the other kind of Prophecy which is Preaching Howbeit true it is also that if many shall sing severall Psalmes at one and the same time together in one and the same Congregation it would breed the like confusion in the Church as if the Prophets should speake two or three or more of them at once If it be said Why is it not a confusion for so many voyces to joyne together in singing a Psalme though it be one and the same Psalme Answ. No more now in the New Testament then it was in the Old when the Trumpeters and Singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising the Lord and when they lift vp their voyce with the Trumpeters Cymbals and Instruments of Musick and praised the Lord saying for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever 2 Chron. 5.13 For then God shewed his approbation and acceptance of that concourse and consent of so many voyces together by filling the house of the Lord with a Cloud which was a gracious signe of his visible presence with them and acceptance of them and of their worship And surely If the concourse and consent of so many voyces had been a confusion doubtlesse it would have been as much displeasing to God in the old Testament as in the New For God is not a God of confusion in the Churches of the Saints whether of the New Testament or of the old 1 Cor. 14.33 And if our desire be the will of God may be done on earth as it is done by the Angells in Heaven we reade of a multitude of an heavenly hoast of Angells praising God and saying Glory be to God on High c. without any confusion Object 3. Scarce any example can be given of any entire Congregation that sang together mentioned in Scripture Answ. 1. Though no example could be given yet it is a sufficient warrant for the Duty if any Precept have been given of it in Scripture and the Precept is plaine
Tabernacle God forbid any Christian soule should please it selfe in comparing the Praises of the holy and glorious God to the golden calfe for though the Singing of the praises of God by carnall men may be compared to the employment of Aegyptian Jewells to that end for which they are used yet that end being the praising of God and in such a way as God hath enjoyned to all men it is not an employment of Aegyptian Jewels to the making of a golden calfe but to the Praises of the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of all them that beleeve Nor is there any resemblance between putting the Arke upon a Cart to be carried by Oxen which should have been carried by Levites and the permitting of men out of the Church to joyne in singing the Praises of the Lord For neither doe the members of the Church to whom the Lord hath chiefly committed the singing forth of his praises lay aside this dutie and leave it to Non-Members as the Levites laid aside the carrying of the Arke and left in the Cart and Oxen neither are Non-Members as a Cart and Oxen upon whom this dutie was never laid But are all of them enjoyned as to heare his Word and to call upon his Name so to sing forth the praises due unto his Name from all his creatures There is much more just cause of feare lest this new opinion of Rejecting of singing of Davids Psalmes and disallowing any Psalmes to be sung but such as are invented by ordinary common gifts and the same to be sung onely by them that invent them least this new Opinion I say be worse then the new Cart of the Philistims for that was to carry the Arke of God to his place but this new Opinion tendeth to carry this Ordinance of singing Psalmes out of the Countrey And there is the like cause of feare least this over-prizing our personall spirituall common gifts and the Psalmes endited by them above the Psalmes of David be not indeed the erecting of a golden calfe in stead of the Cherubims of the Tabernacle Object 5. If Pagans and prophane persons may sing they may prophecy also in Christs spirituall Temple Answ. It hath been shewed above that Prophecy is taken two wayes in Scripture 1. More properly for preaching the Word that is expounding and applying Scripture to edification 2. More generally for speaking or publishing the holy things of God to the glory of God In the former of these wayes it is not for Pagans or prophane persons ordinarily and allowably to Prophecy in Christs spirituall Temple which is his Church But in the latter way it is not unlawfull as to say Amen to the publique prayers of the Church and thereby to expresse their joyning in prayer which is one act of Prophecy so to joyne with them in singing Psalmes which it hath been shewed above is a dutie common to them with the Church as well to joyne with them in hearing the Word Wherein whether they edifie the Church or no certain it is it tendeth to the glory of God that Gods praises should be set forth by all the sonnes of men And it is a further glory to God that such Pagans and prophane persons should sing the word of God to their own conviction and confusion of face And from both some edification and comfort redoundeth to the Church to see the wicked convinced and Gods Name to be glorified For it is an honour to God and a comfort to his Church that our God is not as their God our enemies being judges and witnesses Object 6. The godly Jewes would not suffer the Samaritans to build the Temple with them though they offered themselves Ezra 4.2 3. And if singing be Prophecying in any sence and any way tending to the comfort or edification of the Church why should we suffer prophane persons to sing with us Answ. That the godly Jewes did reject the Samaritans from building with them it was not out of morall consideration as if it were unlawfull for Heathens to contribute their assistance to the worship or Ordinances of God but out of a ceremoniall respect because no Heathens or unclean persons might be allowed to come into the Temple of the Lord Act. 21.28 2 Chron. 23.19 But by the death of Christ the Partition wall of Ceremonies is broken downe and wee may allow Heathens and prophane persons to come into our holy Assemblies 1 Cor. 14.24 which they would not admit Certain it is the godly Jewes themselves did receive liberall contributions and oblations from the Kings of Persia towards the building and maintenance of the Temple Ezra 7.21 to 24. and Chap. 8.24 to 30. which was a morall acknowledgement of the honor due to the God of Israel as wel by Gentiles as Jewes If therefore the Jewes would accept acknowledgment of morall homage and service from Heathens and prophane persons to the God of Israel why may not Christians accept from Pagans and prophane persons their acknowledgement of morall homage and service to our God in singing forth his praises amongst us Object 7. Such carnall and prophane people are not worthy to take the Name and Praises of God in their mouthes nor are they able to make melody to the Lord by singing to him with grace in their hearts as is required Col. 3.16 Answ. 1. If we speake of the worthinesse of desert John Baptist was not worthy to loose the latchet of Christs shooe much lesse to sing forth his glorious praise But if we speake of the worthinesse of fitnesse though it bee true their uncleane lips are not fit to take the holy word of God into their mouthes yet the holy word of God is fit to come into their minds and mouths also to convince and reprove them of their Apostasie from God and rebellion against him Deut. 31.19 And howsoever they be unfit and unworthy to take Gods Name and Praise into their mouths yet surely the Lord is worthy of all Praise and Glory Blessing and Thankesgiving from them and all the Creatures which he hath made Answ. 2. It is true carnall and prophane persons are not able to make melody and sing to the Lord with grace in their hearts yet that defect doth no more excuse carnall persons from singing then it doth excuse them from Prayer which they cannot performe acceptably to God without a Spirit of grace and faith To Pray and so to Sing without Faith is a sinne but not pray at all is a greater sinne the one is Hypocrisie the other Atheisme Object 8. Though the Scribes and Pharisees joyned in the Temple-Songs upon the words of David in the worldly Sanctuary yet the melody made by such carnall and cleane mouths was farre more beautifull and glorious then ours in the Assemblies made with a multitude of all manner of Singers upon the same words of David and Asaph For although they that sang in the Temple in those dayes were carnall yet they were appointed to sing
be the holy will of God that the Hebrew Scriptures should be translated into English Prose in order unto reading then it is in like sort his holy will that the Hebrew Psalmes which are Poems and Verses should be translated into English Poems and Verses in order to Singing The Consequence is evident and undeniable For presupposing that God would have the Scriptures read of English men as well as of other Nations then as a necessary meanes to that end he would have the Scriptures translated into the English Tongue that English People might be able to reade them In like sort presupposing that God would have the Psalmes of David and other scripture-Scripture-Psalmes to be sung of English men as hath been evinced above in the second Point then as a necessary meanes to that end he would have Scripture-Psalmes which are Poems and Verses to be translated into English-Psalmes which are in like sort Poems and Verses that English People might be able to sing them Now as all Verses in all Poems doe consist of a certaine number and measure of Syllables so doe our English Verses as they doe in some other Nations runne in meeter also which make the Verses more easie for memory and fit for melody A second ground of this Point is this If it be not lawfull to translate Hebrew Psalmes which are Verses into English Verses which runne in number measure and meeter of syllables then it is not lawfull to expresse the elegancy of the Originall language in a translation for it is an artificiall elegancy which the holy Pen-men of Scripture used that they penned the Psalmes and such like Poeticall books of Scriptures not in prose which men use in common speech but in verses which observe a certain number and measure of syllables and some of them run in meeter also as those know that know the Hebrew and as Buxtorf sheweth in his Thesaur. pag. 629. Now surely then it were a sacrilegious nicenesse to thinke it unlawfull lively to expresse all the artificiall elegancies of the Hebrew Text so farre as we are able to imitate the same in a translation Yea doubtlesse it were a part of due Faithfulnesse in a Translator as to declare the whole Counsell of God word for word so to expresse lively every elegancy of the Holy Ghost as much as the vulgar language can reach that so the People of God may be kindly affected as well with the manner as with the matter of the holy Scriptures And for the English Tunes that wee use in singing of Psalmes take this for a ground Since God hath commanded us to sing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs and amongst others those of David and yet withall hath hid from us the Hebrew Tunes and the musicall Accents wherewith the Psalmes of David were wont to be sung It must needs be that the Lord alloweth us to sing them in any such grave and solemne and plaine Tunes as doe fitly suite the gravitie of the matter the solemnitie of Gods worship and the capacitie of a plaine People As to instance in a like case when the Lord instituted the Paschall Supper and therein a whole Lambe to be eaten the head feet and purtenances and made no mention what drinke they should use in it whether wine or water or beere or other liquor It was therefore left to their libertie to use any such liquor as they were wont to drinke fit for such meate as was to be eaten and for such stomacks as were to feed upon it So here when the Lord appointed us to sing Davids Psalmes and doth not appoint us in what Tunes He therefore plainly leaveth us to our libertie to make use of such Tunes as are suitable to such an Ordinance and to them that partake in it Object 1. It will not follow that because the word is to be dispensed in a knowne tongue and so translated into it therefore Hebrew Songs into English Song For the former we have the warrant of the Word to dispense it for edification exhortation and comfort but no word for the other nor no gifts of that kinde given for the Churches profit to dispense the word this way Such Songs therefore and such Tunes which are called grave Church-Tunes are not of God Nor doe I beleeve that the Levites invented any New Tunes I have no faith to beleeve that ever God betrusted mans corrupt nature to frame any thing in Gods worship to his praise But suppose God had so farre honoured the worldly Singers then yet it will not follow that the Lord Jesus alloweth us the like libertie now He will not now allow any flesh to boast in his presence who is not able to bring to passe so much as a good thought Answ. To weaken the argument for translating Hebrew Songs into English Songs and Tunes taken from the like warrant of translating Hebrew Scriptures into English Scriptures This objection denieth that we have either the like word or the like gift or the like libertie Whereto our answer is wee have all alike equally For 1. that wee have the like word for singing Hebrew Songs hath been proved above out of Colos. 3.16 Eph. 5.19 And the same word that commandeth us to sing them commandeth us also the translation of Hebrew Songs into English Songs as a necessary meanes to the acceptable singing of them For if we should sing Hebrew Songs in the Hebrew tongue the People the body of the Church should sing without understanding which were directly contrary to the Apostles Direction 1 Cor. 14.15 2. That we have also the like gift of translating Hebrew Songs into English Songs as well as Hebrew Prose into English Prose is evident by the event For wee have not onely as many but more Translations of the Hebrew Psalmes into English Psalmes then of the Hebrew Bible into the English Bible If it be said such a gift of translating Hebrew Songs into English Songs is but a Poeticall gift not a spirituall gift Answ. It might as well be said the translating of the Hebrew Scriptures into English is not a spirituall gift but a Grammaticall or Rhetoricall gift Whatsoever the art or skill be Grammaticall Rhetoricall Poeticall they are all of them gifts of God though common and given chiefly for the service and edification of the Church of God 3. That we have also the like liberty of inventing Tunes appeareth from what hath been said already For if God have given us liberty and warrant to sing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs then we must sing them in some Tunes Now the Tunes of the Temple are lost and hidden from us so that wee cannot sing them at all and therefore we must sing such other Tunes as are suitable to the matter though invented by men But you doe not beleeve that the Levites ever invented any New Tune Answ. Either the Levites invented New Tunes or the Psalmists delivered musicall Accents and Notes together with the Psalmes which seeing we understand not either
Augustine but vehemently opposed by one Hilary a Ruler there because they sang out of a Booke Hence Augustine turned a Patron for it forced thereto rather by the importunity of the people then of his own accord as being destitute of weapons out of the word of God for it and therefore afterwards repented of it and wished the Custome removed Answ. 1. Tertullians testimony alledged above doth evidently evince that the singing of Scripture-Psalmes and so of Davids was in use in the Church before Flavianus and Theâ—dorus were borne Apologet. cap. 39. For Tertullian was about 140. yeares before them 2. The practise brought in by Flavianus and Diodorus was rather some new fashion of singing Davids Psalmes then the singing of them For as Theodoret reporteth it they were the first that divided the Quire of Singers into two sides and appointed one side of them to answer the other in the singing of them and used the same at the Monuments of the dead and that sometimes all the night long But these inventions savoured rather of superstition then of pure Primitive Devotion though they wrought a good effect upon Theodosius when Flavianus sent those Songs to be sung at his Table to moderate his wrath against the Citizens of Antioch see Theodoret Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 24. Zozomen Hist. Eccles. lib. 7. cap. 23. 3. It is spoken without warrant of Antiquity that Ambrose and Augustine tooke up the practise of singing Davids Psalmes from Flavianus and Diodorus For neither did they bring it in as was shewen out of Tertullian nor is the slacknesse of some Churches in receiving an Ordinance a just exception against the Ordinance but rather a just reprehension of their negligence And so much doth Augustine confesse in his 119 Epistle chap. 18. Where speaking of this practise of singing of Psalmes though it be saith he so usefull to the stirring up of the heart in godlinesse and to kindle the affection of divine reading yet the custome of Churches is divers about it and the most members of the African Churches Pigriora sunt have been more sloathfull in receiving it In somuch that the Donatists doe reprehend us that wee sing soberly the divine Songs of the Prophets whereas they inflame their drunkennesse as it were by a Trumpet of exhortation to the singing of Psalmes composed by their own humane wit By which reproofe of the Donatists it may appeare that the custome of singing Davids Psalmes was in use in the African Churches and in Millain also of former times and that the Custome brought into the Church of Millain to keepe the people awake in their night Watches against the Arrian violence was the singing of Psalmes after the Easterne manner with more curiosity of Musicke and one side of the Singers answering another And of this is Augustine to bee understood in the ninth booke of his Confessions chap. 7. 4. It is not true That Augustine became a Patron of singing Davids Psalmes rather forced to it by the importunity of the people then of his owne accord For hee saith expresly in the same Chapter of the same Epistle That the practise of singing Psalmes and Hymnes is to be done without doubting seeing it may be defended out of the Scriptures in which wee find both the Doctrines and Examples and Precepts of Christ and of his Apostles for it And the same Augustine in his first Tome and third Rule as it is titled Nolite saith he cantare nisi quod legitis esse cantandum Quod autem non ita Scriptum est ut cantetur non cantetur that is doe not sing but what you reade is to be sung but that which is not written that it should be sung let it not be sung Nor is it true that Augustine repented that the custome of singing Davids Psalmes was brought into the Church or that he wished rather it were taken away For though when hee saw his heart more taken up with the melody of the Tune then with the sweetnesse of the matter he could have wished the sweetnesse of the melody removed from his owne eares and from the Church yet still he would have them sung after the manner of the Church of Alexandria and Athanasius And then correcting himselfe But when J remember saith he my Teares which J powred out at the singing of thy Church in the first restoring of my Faith and how J am still moved not with the Song but with the matter sung when it is sung with a cleare voyce and convenient tune or modulation J doe againe acknowledge the great utility of this Institution And though he doe waver between the perill of delight to the sence and experiment of wholsomnesse to the soule yet his scruple was not of the lawfulnesse of singing Davids Psalmes but partly of the pleasantnesse of the Tunes which might be more artificiall then the gravity of the Ordinance required partly of the expediency thereof to himselfe till his heart were more spirituall His writing against Hillarius jubentibus fratribus doth not argue he wrote against his will but by a good call in defence of singing Davids Psalmes against a man that tooke up any occasion to carp at Gods Ministers August Retract lib. 2. cap. 11. Object 4. Besides it is to be noted that Formes of divine Service and Letanies begun to be used at the same time in many places In the French Churches and in Constantines Courâ— and Campe both himselfe and his Souldiers using a Forme of Prayer the Churches as is wont under Christian Magistrates growing proud and lazie At which time they had also their Regular and Canonicall Singers appointed hereunto by Office The Psalmes composed by private Christians whom they call Idiots being interdicted in one and the same Counsell of Laodicea till at length all was turned into a Pageant in the yeare 666. the fatall figure of Antichrist it being impossible as it seemeth that the lively gifts of Gods Spirit in his people should breath any longer when Formes are once set up in the Church c. Answ. Though Constantine appointed a forme of Prayer to his Souldiers Euseb. lib. 4. de vit. Constantin cap. 20. yet wee doe not reade that hee limited them to the use of it much lesse that formes of divine Service and Letanies were brought into the Church in his time nor scarce of an hundred yeares after Neither were Regular and Canonicall Singers brought into the Church in his time The Councell of Laodicea which allowed them and interdicted Psalmes composed by divers Christians was neare about sixty yeares after him 2. Their forbidding any to sing but such as were appointed to sing Concil. Laodic Can. 15. though they did it to abuse the Peoples abuse of the Psalmes by singing out of Tune yet their care might better have been bestowed in learning the people to know and keepe the Tune and in advising such as had lowd and strong voyces and were skilfull of Song to have led and kept the people in a
the Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 in all places And consequently that Church is to be Precedentiall in dispensing personall gifts in this Ordinance of Singing as well as in any other Answ. 1. The Directions given in that Epistle to the Church of Corinth we willingly grant are Precedentiall to all the Churches as well as the Directions given in other Epistles to other Churches And the Directions there given be that in dispensing spirituall gifts Prophecy be preferred before Tongues nor any Tongues dispensed without interpretation That order be observed without confusion That divers may speake without interruption That no man may speake without subjection That women be not permitted to speake unto usurpation That all things be done to edification And all these Directions are Precedentiall to all such Churches as have received the like gifts But there is no direction given to the Church of Corinth or any other that every man should have a gift of tongues or a gift of compiling a Psalme or if he have a gift of compiling a Psalme for his private use by an ordinary Spirit that then he should present it to be sung before the whole Church and the Church to say Amen to his Psalme For the gift of Psalmes which the Apostle there speaketh of was not an ordinary gift to compile some spirituall Ditty in verse but extraordinary as joyned with the gift of strange Tongues For it appeareth by the Context that the gift of Tongues was used by the Members of the Church of Corinth foure wayes 1. In speaking mysteries ver. 2. 2. In prayer ver. 14. 3. In singing ver. 15. 4. In thankesgiving ver. 17. So that the singing there mentioned was by an extraordinary gift as the Tongues were in which it was dispensed Object Indeed the gift of Tongues wherein these Psalmes seeme to be uttered was extraordinary but it doth not follow that the gift of composing those Psalmes was an extraordinary gift no more then prayer wherewith it was joyned ver. 15. or Prophecy ver. 26. Singing Psalmes and Prophecy differing no otherwise then Poetry and Prose and if it was extraordinary in the Corinthians wee have no warrant for publique ordinary singing in the New Testament from any example Answ. 1. As the gift of Tongues was extraordinary so was every Ordinance dispensed in it whether Prayer or Psalme or Prophecy all of them extraordinary both for sublimity of matter in the Spirit he speaketh Mysteries ver. 2. and for power and demonstration of the Spirit and for suddennesse and dexteritie of utterance without previous study or meditation as Acts 2.4.11 What though there be an ordinary gift of Prayer and Prophecying as well as of singing Yet neverthelesse the Apostles and Prophets had an extraordinary gift of Prayer and Prophecying and so had those Corinthians also an extraordinary gift though in lesse measure of Praying and Prophecying and Singing also It is not credible that he who would have new wine put into new Bottles would powre forth ordinary and common matters in new Tongues and so raise extraordinary expectation of ordinary things Answ. 2. It is an uncouth comparison to make no more difference between singing Psalmes and Prophecy then between Poetry and Prose In Prophecy we open the Scriptures and Counsels of God in Psalmes we open the Counsels and thankesgivings of our own hearts In Psalmes we sing to glorifie God in Prophecy we speake to edifie men you might with farre more reason and congruitie have said That Prayer and singing Psalmes differ no otherwise then Poetry and Prose And yet there is more difference even between them then so as the Apostle James noteth James 5.13 Answ. 3. When you say that if the singing in the Church of Corinth was extraordinary then wee have no warrant for our publick ordinary singing in the New Testament from any example Neither doth the Argument follow nor if it did is it of any force For though this example of singing in the Church of Corinth was extraordinary yet that singing of Christ and his Disciples at the last Supper was ordinary Mat. 26.30 And though there were no example of puhlique ordinary Singing in the New Testament yet it is enough that there is a precept of publique ordinary Singing given to the Churches both of the Ephesians and of the Colossians Eph. 5.19 Colos. 3.16 And what the Spirit speaketh to those Churches it speaketh to all CHAP. VI Propounding a second and third Argument for the singing of Davids Psalmes HAving thus by the helpe of Christ cleared the first Argument for the Singing of Davids Psalmes and such like Scripture-Psalmes Let us now proceed to a second Argument taken from the end and use of the Psalmes of David The Psalmes of David and Asaph and the like were written for a threefold end as we see expressed by the Apostle Col. 3 16. to wit 1. For Instruction or Teaching 2. For Admonition 3. For singing Praise and Thankesgiving to the Lord Now if the Psalmes of David and the like were written as doubtlesse they were in the Old Testament for this three-fold end and each of them of morall that is of generall and perpetuall use and none of them abrogated in the New Testament looke then as it would be a sacrilegious sinne to take away from the Psalmes either of the two former uses the use of Instruction or Admonition so it will bee alike Sacriledge to deprive them of the three-fold use by forbidding them to be sung for praise and thankesgiving to the Lord Whereto a third Argument may be added taken from the duty of singing of Psalmes every Sabbath and the defect of provision of other Psalmes if the Psalmes of David and other Scripture-Psalmes be refused It appeareth from Psalme 95.1 2 7 c. That when we present our selves before the Lord to heare the voyce of his word as we do every Lords day wee should come before his presence with singing of Psalmes If so then some must have a gift either to prepare set formes of Psalmes aforehand for every Sabbath day or at least a gift upon the present occasion suddenly to invent and utter a Psalme fit for the present Sabbath from weeke to weeke Neither of both which are easie to be beleeved For if it were so then doubtlesse Christ would have appointed some or other Officer to attend to this duty of compiling Psalmes as hee hath appointed Elders to attend to the Ministery of the Word and Prayer Acts 6.4 Or else he would inspire some or other Member of the Church with such a Gift and Spirit of Psalmistry as might suite the occasions of the Church from Sabbath to Sabbath But neither of both these doe wee finde either in the Scriptures of the New Testament or in experience we finde neither Ordinance appointing it nor Providence granting it And yet evident it is that the gracious providence of God is not wanting in supplying well ordered Churches with all such gifts of Preaching and Prayer and Rule and the like as God
in Colos. 3.16 where the whole Church of Colosse is exhorted to have the word of Christ dwell richly in them not onely to Teach and Admonish one another as well in the Psalmes as other Scriptures but also to sing the Psalmes with holy melody to the Lord If God had reserved this Dutie to some select Choristers he would have given some direction in the New Testament for their Qualification and Election But since he speaketh nothing of any such select Musitians he commendeth this Dutie to the whole Church Answ. 2. It is not safely said that scarce any example in Scripture can be given of any entire Congregation that sang together For 1. In Exod. 15.1 Moses and the chilrdren of Israel are said to sing a Song of Thankesgiving to the Lord And the same they that sang this Song the same are said soone to forget Gods works and not to waite for his Counsell but to fall a lusting Psal. 106.12 13 14. which was the body of the people 2. Christ and his Disciples when they administred and received the Lords Supper which was a Church Act they were an entire Congregation And they after Supper sung a Psalme or Hymne Mat. 26.30 To say that one sang it and the other joyned in Spirit saying Amen hath no foot-hold in the Text It might as well be said they all tooke the bread they all blessed it and brake it and gave it in that one did it and all the rest joyned in Spirit and consented and like enough to the blessing of it said Amen 3. It is no straine of wit but a solid and judicious exposition of the fourth Chapter of the Revelation to make it a description of a particular visible Church of Christ according to the platforme and patterne of the New Testament where as the foure living Creatures are the foure sorts of Officers so the twenty-foure Elders set forth the brethren in the Church who are as Elders in respect of their ripe age Gal. 4.1 2 3. and twenty-foure in number answering to the twenty-foure Orders of Priests and Levites 1 Chron. 25.9 c. And these are all said to joyne together in singing a new Song unto the Lambe Rev. 5.8 9 10. Object 4. If the whole Church should sing together then all the members were Teachers For the Apostle biddeth us to Teach and Admonish one another in Psalmes Colos. 3.16 But the same Apostle denyeth all to be Teachers 1 Cor. 12.29 Answ. Though the Apostle bid us to Teach and Admonish one another in Psalmes yet he doth not say that we should teach one another by singing Psalmes together But hee there holdeth forth a twofold use and improvement of the whole word of God dwelling richly in us and a threefold use and improvement of the Psalmes The whole word of God dwelling richly in us is to be improved to the Teaching and admonishing of one another but the Psalmes are to be improved not onely to both these ends as all the rest of the Word beside but to a threefold end also even to the Singing of Praises to the Lord Now in this third end all the Congregation may joyne in improving the Psalmes thereunto though not in the Publique teaching or Admonishing of the Church by them yet in setting forth the Praises the Counsels the workes of God declared in them Answ. 2. Though not every one that Singeth a Psalme may be said forthwith to Teach or Admonish them that sing with him yet hee that appointeth the Psalme to be sung may be said to teach and Admonish the whole Congregation that are to sing it or heare it Julian the Apostate tooke himselfe to be admonished yea and reproved when the Christians sang in his hearing the 115. and 97. Psalmes which declare the vanity of Idâ—ls and the confusion of such as worship them as is recorded in the Church-Story by Socrates Theodoret Nicephorus Answ. 3. Though the Apostle deny all to be Teachers his meaning is onely to deny that they are all Teachers by publique Office to attend upon Expounding and applying Scripture to publique edification But it was no part of his meaning either to forbid private Teaching or Adomition of one another for then Aquila and Priscilla had gone too farre in instructing Apollos Acts 18.26 or to forbid the quickening and edifying of the Spirit of one another by singing together Psalmes of Instruction Admonition Consolation to themselves and Prayers and Praises to the Lord CHAP. VIII Whether Women may sing as well as Men THe second scruple about Singers is Whether women may sing as well as men For in this point there be some that deale with us as Pharaoh dealt with the Israelites who though he was at first utterly unwilling that any of them should goe to sacrifice to the Lord in the Wildernesse yet being at length convinced that they must goe then hee was content the men should goe but not the Women Exod. 10.11 So here some that were altogether against singing of Psalmes at all with lively voyce yet being convinced that it is a morall worship of God warranted in Scripture then if there must be a Singing one alone must sing not all or if all the Men onely and not the Women And their Reason is 1. Because it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 how then shall they Sing 2. Much lesse it is permitted to them to Prophecy in the Church 1 Tim. 2.11 12. And singing of Psalmes is a kind of Prophecying One answer may at once remove both these scruples and withall cleare the Truth It is apparent by the scope and context of both those Scriptures That a woman is not permitted to speake in the Church in two cases 1. By way of Teaching whether in expounding or applying Scripture For this the Apostle accounteth an act of Authority which is unlawfull for a Woman to usurpe over the man 2 Tim. 2.13 And besides the woman is more subject to Error then the man ver. 14. And therefore might soone prove a Seducer if she became a Teacher 2. It is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church by way of propounding Questions though under pretence of desire to learne for her own satisfaction but rather it is required shee should aske her husband at home 1 Cor. 14.35 For under pretence of Questioning for learning sake she might so propound her Question as to Teach her Teachers or if not so yet to open a doore to some of her own weake and erroneous apprehensions or at least soone exceed the bounds of womanly modesty Neverthelesse in two other cases it is cleare a woman is allowed to speake in the Church 1. In way of subjection when shee is to give account of her offence Thus Peter Questioned Saphyra before the Church touching the price of land sold by her and her husband which her husband had concealed by his lye And shee accordingly spake in the Church to give answer to his Question Acts 5.8 2
Edition of the Psalmes Object 4. What delight can the Lord take in such Praises of himselfe where sinfull men or the Man of sinne hath an hand in making the melody Answ. God delighteth that his will should be obeyed at least he abhorreth that his will should be disobeyed though by sinfull men 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Since God commandeth all men in distresse to call upon him and all men in their mirth to sing his Praise what is mortall sinfull man Dust and Ashes that he should forbid what God hath commanded God knoweth how to allow yea and to reward what is his own when yet he taketh no pleasure in the sinfull manner of performance of any Dutie God tooke notice of Ahabs humiliation and rewarded it with respite of temporall judgements though he tooke no pleasure in his sinfull hypocrisie 1 Kings 21.27 28 29. And yet they that had an hand in making the Melody of the English Psalmes whether in old England or New were men of a better spirit then Ahab But I can but marveile why you should put in the man of sinne as having any hand at all in making this Melody For neither the man of sinne by whom I suppose you meane Antichrist nor any Antichristian Church have had any hand in turning Davids Psalmes into English Songs and Tunes or are wont to make any Melody in the Singing of them yea they reject them as Genevah Gigs And they be Cathedrall Priests of an Antichristian spirit that have scoffed at Puritan-Ministers as calling the People to sing one of Hopkins Jiggs and so hop into the Pulpit God keepe all Anti-Psalmists from the like Antichristian Spirit They that have been in Antichristian Churches can tell you that Popish Churches are not wont to sing Davids Psalmes translated into verse in their own Countrey Meeter but they onely sing the Prose of Davids Psalmes in Cathedrall Notes Which how farre your selfe close withall I leave to your selfe to consider CHAP. XI Of Reading the Psalmes in order to Singing THe last scruple remaining in the māner of singing Concerneth the order of singing after the Reading of the Psalmes For it is doubted by some and concluded by others that reading of the Psalmes is not to be allowed in order to singing We for our parts easily grant that where all have books and can reade or else can say the Psalme by heart it were needlesse there to reade each line of the Psalme before hand in order to singing But if it be granted which is already proved that the Psalmes to be ordinarily sung in Publique are Scripture-Psalmes and those to be sung by the body of the Congregation Then to this end it will be a necessary helpe that the words of the Psalme be openly read before hand line after line or two lines together that so they who want either books or skill to reade may know what is to be sung and joyne with the rest in the dutie of singing It is no unwarrantable invention of man brought into the worship of God to make use of such meanes which the light of Nature teacheth us to be either necessary or convenient helpes either to the hearing or understanding of what it said in the worship of God Scaffolds erected in Meeting houses are inventions of men no expresse precept nor example in Scripture calleth for them and yet the light of Nature easily suggesteth it that they helpe to hearing and so to edification in as much as they draw multitudes of people to sit within the Ministers voyce That which helpeth the very outward sence of hearing helpeth also knowledge and understanding and so edification And therefore no man taketh exceptions at Scaffolds as inventions of men though they be used to helpe forward Gods worship and spirituall edification because they are not brought in nor used for spirituall meanes immediately but remotely so farre as they are fit to helpe the outward sence of hearing and so understanding Of like use is reading in order to Singing It giveth the People to heare and so to understand what is to be sung that so they may joyne with the rest in singing of the Psalme and by Singing be stirred up to use holy Harmony both with the Lord and his People Object 1. The Scripture mentioneth no ordinary reading in any Church but that which is joyned with interpertation Answ. 1. The Scripture doth expresly mention Baruch to have read the word in a Church Assembly without adjoyning any interpretation to it Jer. 36.6 7. Answ. 2. As Preaching of the word is an Ordinance so reading the word in order to Preaching is an Ordinance also In like sort as singing of Psalmes is an Ordinance so reading the Psalmes in order to singing is allowable also Answ. 3. It is mentioned in Scripture that the children of Israel did all joyne in singing the Song of Moses at the Red Sea Exod. 15.1 Now it is not credible that they who were bred and brought up in bondage were brought up to reade It were much if one of a thousand of them could reade If most of them could not reade how could they joyne in singing that Psalme unlesse some or other read or pronounced the Psalme to them Answ. 4. Though it be true that the Church of Israel had such an Ordinance amongst them that after the reading of the Law or the Prophets some or other of the Priests or Levites or Prophets were wont to expound the same to the people Acts 13.15 15.21 Neh. 8.7 8. yet the very reading of the word it selfe was also an Ordinance though no Exposition followed Deut. 31.11 12 13. Deut. 27.14 to 26. Object 2. The Scripture prescribeth not what Officer shall performe this act to reade the Psalme in order to singing Answ. The Scripture prescribeth this as it doth many other matters of ordering Gods house to wit under generall Rules It is no where expresly prescribed in Scripture who shall be the Mouth of the rest in the publique Admonition or Excommunication of an Offendor yet by generall Rules it may easily be collected That publique dispensations of the Church doe ordinarily pertaine to the publique Officers of the Church Any of the preaching or ruling Elders may warrantably goe before the people in putting the words of the Psalme into their mouths Object 3. This reading of the Psalme doth hinder the melody the understanding the affection in singing Answ. If a mans prejudice against reading doe not hinder himselfe Reading hindreth none of these not melody for the Reading is not in the art of singing but in the pause nor the understanding for it helpeth such as cannot reade or want Books to understand what is to be sung which otherwise they could hardly perceive nor the affection for when the melody is not interrupted and the understanding furthered the affection is rather helped then hindred or if it be hindred lay the fault where it is rather in a coy or cold heart then in a distinct and intelligent Reading CHAP. XII Answering the
Objections brought from the ancient Practise of the Primitive Churches OBject 1. That practise which was anciently used in the Churches immediately after the Apostles times is most probable to be nearest the constitution of the Apostles and that practise which followed a great while after it is most probable to be furthest off as the water is purest and clearest nearest the fountain and runneth more troubled and muddy afterwards Now the practise of singing Psalmes which were made by the faithfull was first in use For those Psalmes which the Primitive Christians used before day in the time of Persecution wherein they sang Praises to Christ their God as Pliny writeth to Trajan they are said to be made of the faithfull These were in use even in Johns time after he was called from Banishment after Domitians death to order the Churches which practise also continued about three hundred yeares wherein there was more purity in Doctrine and Discipline as useth to be under Persecution then afterwards Answ. 1. This Syllogisme falleth short of Truth in both the Propoâ—â—tions For it is not alwaies true that the practise which was used in the Churches immediately after the purest times is nearest to their constitution as the water is purest and clearest next the fountaine and that which followeth a great while after it is furthest off As water neare the fountaine may fall out to be troubled and so become lesse cleare and pure then in his running course further off The night following the day though it be nearest to the day yet it is more darke then the day following after though it be further off from the day before The Elders and People that lived in the dayes of Joshuah they served the Lord but when that Generation were gathered to their Fathers there arose another Generation after them which knew not the Lord and they did evill in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim Judg. 3.7 to 11. Paul forewarneth the Elders of Ephesus He knew that after his departure grievous Wolves should come in amongst them not sparing the flocke Acts 20.29 30. And Eusebius complaineth out of Hesesippus That after the Apostles times the Church did not long remaine a chast and undefiled Virgin Histor. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 26. 2. Neither is it true that the practise of singing Scripture-Psalmes followed a great while after the Apostles times as if the faithfull had onely made use of their own personall gifts in compiling Psalmes for the first three hundred yeares For it is evident that in the next Century after the Apostles times the Church did as Tertullian testifieth Apologet Chap. 39. Deo canere either de Scripturis Sanctis or de proprio ingenio that is either out of the holy Scriptures or out of their own gift Yea and Pliny himselfe which is all the Testimony you alledge of the Churches practise for three hundred yeares he doth not expresse what Psalmes they sang whether out of the holy Scriptures or out of their own gift or that any one alone did sing but that they did Carmen Christo quasi Deo dicere suo invicem Plin. Epist. lib. 10. Epist. 97. Which Tertullian and others expresse they did Caetus antelucanos habere ad canendum Deo Christo Apologet. cap. 2. They met before day to sing Praises to God and Christ and to confederate Discipline 3. Though they had made use of their personall gifts more then they did in the times of the Primitive Persecutions during the first three hundred yeares yet that would not argue they neglected the use of Davids Psalmes much lesse would it incourage us to neglect the use of Davids Psalmes now During the times oâ— those bloudy Persecutions as the sufferings of the Saints abounded so did their Consolations through Christ abound also As God honoured sundry of them with miraculous gifts so especially with a large measure of spirituall joy in the Lord which might furnish them with more enlargement of heart to compile Psalmes to set forth his Praise then God is wont to bestow in more peaceable times 4. Though sometimes they sang Scripture-Psalmes and sometimes spirituall Songs by personall Gifts yet both sorts evidence the judgement and practise of those times touching vocall Singing They did not onely make melody to the Lord with Grace in their hearts but with Songs also in their mouths Yea Justin Martyr who flourished within fiftie yeares after the Apostles time or whosoever was the Author of those Questions and Answers ad Orthodoxes amongst his works though he speak of Musicall Instruments as utterly unfit for Church Assemblies yet simple singing with the voyce he much magnifieth as that which stirreth up the heart to spirituall joy and holy desires as that which subdueth the passions and concupiscences of the flesh as that which scattereth the evill suggestions of spirituall enemies as that which watereth and refresheth the soule to fruitfulnesse in good Duties as that which stirreth up courage and constancy in wrestlings for the Truth and as that which giveth some medicine to all the griefes which befall a man through sad and sorrowfull Accidents in this life Justin in Answ. to Q. 107. 5. After the three hundred yeares after Christ were expired yet not long after the times of Persecution returned in the dayes of Julian the Apostata when the Christians of Antioch together with the women and children sang such Psalmes of David as cursed and reproached Heathen Idolls and Idolaters Socrates Eccles. Histor. lib. 2. cap. 16. in Gn. cap. 18. Theodoret expresseth by name Psal. 115. Psal. 68. Histor. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 17. 6. Although before the three hundred yeares were expired wee reade in Eusebius that one Nepos though a Millenary was well respected as for other good gifts and works so for divers Psalmes and Hymnes composed by him which some brethren did willingly use a long time after yet wee suppose that was such a practise as your self would not allow to sing set formes of Psalmes invented by men and to continue to sing them after their departure and in the meane time to refuse set formes of Psalmes endited by the Holy Ghost as if the Psalmes endited by an extraordinary measure of the Spirit were more uncleane then the Psalmes endited by the common gift of an Ordinary Elder or Brother Object 2. Samosatenus the Heretick who denyed the Diety of the Lord Jesus was the first that within those first three hundred yeares opposed this singing by personall gifts Answ. Not out of respect to Davids Psalmes but to avoyd the Hymnes which did set forth the Glory and Godhead of Christ and to bring in Psalmes which did set forth his own Heresie and therewith his own Praises as Eusebius testifieth Eccles. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 24. in lat cap. 30. in gr. Object 3. The practise of singing Davids Psalmes was a later invention brought into the Church of Antioch by Flavianus and Diodorus And hence this custome was taken up by Ambrose and
above themselves by the Holy Ghost and cannot erre and so was David and Asaph 4. Though the words of Christ be the Gospel yet the words of David are not to be shut out of the Gospel for the Gospel was preached to Israel when David and the other Prophets were preached yea and some parts of Moses also Heb. 4.2 Joh. 5.46 Object 3. But if the Apostle had intended to commend to the Churches the singing of the Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs of David and Asaph what need was there for him to exhort either the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit or the Colossians to have the word of Christ dwell richly in them for such a service For any small measure of the Spirit and of the Word will suffice to sing the Psalmes of David and Asaph in their words and in the meeter and tunes accustomed But to invent new spirituall Songs fit to teach and admonish the Church would require a full measure of the Spirit and a rich treasure of the word to dwell in us And therefore Paul biddeth the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit in singing the spirituall songs of the New Testament as drunkards are filled with wine and in the strength and spirits of their wine invent and sing their wanton Sonnets Answ. 1. Paul did exhort them to be filled with the Spirit as drunkards be with wine not that they might invent and sing spirituall Songs as drunkards doe wanton Sonnets for neither doe drunkards filled with wine usually invent Sonnets but sing such as they learned before when they were sober nor doth the Apostle speake of inventing Songs at all either wanton Songs by drunkards or spirituall Songs by the faithfull but onely to be filled with the Spirit as drunkards be with wine that so they might avoyd the riotous and excessive mirth of Drunkards and employ and improve their holy mirth and joy to the singing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs for their own mutuall edification and consolation and for holy thankesgiving and praise unto the Lord Answ. 2. Though it doe not require such a full measure of the Spirit nor rich portion of the Word dwelling in us to sing a Psalme invented and penned to our hands yet a full and rich measure of the Word and Spirit will be needfull to performe all those duties which the Apostle in those Texts calleth for For the Apostle calleth to the improvement as of the whole word of Christ unto the teaching and admonishing of one another so of the Psalmes not onely unto those two heads but also besides those unto a further third end to wit unto the singing of them unto Gods praise Now to be able to improve the whole word of God to these two spirituall ends and the Psalmes to all those three spirituall ends doth require a full and rich measure both of Spirit and Word to dwell in us Answ. 3. It will require a full and rich measure both of Word and Spirit to dwell in us to direct and appoint a fit Psalme out of the Booke of Psalmes suitable to the present occasions of singing to Gods praise and to the instruction and admonition of the Church according to the present estate of their affections or afflictions their consolation or conversation in hand Answ. 4. It will require a fuller and richer measure of the Word and Spirit to dwell in us then a carnall heart would imagine even to utter a Song with such grace in the heart as might make melody to the Lord It requires a good measure of the indwelling Spirit and word of God to pray in the Spirit but much more to sing in the Spirit wherein our senses delighted with the melody are apt to steale away our hearts from spirituall fervency Deborah found her heart dull to be awakened so much as to utter the song which shee had prepared by the Spirit for her and Barak to sing together Judg. 5.12 Awake Awake saith shee Awake Awake Deborah utter a song that fourefold ingemination Awake Awake Awake Awake utter a song argueth in the best of Gods servants a deepe drowsinesse of spirit when wee should come to utter a spirituall Song spiritually like as that fourfold ingemination to the Church of Hierusalem to Returne Returne Returne Returne Cant. 6.13 argueth a deepe and strong aversenesse of the Spirit of the Jewes unto Conversion and returning to the Lord Object 4. The Apostle calleth the whole word of Christ dwelling in us Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs neither doth he limit us to one Prophet more then to another unlesse you will say that the words of Christ in the Gospel or which was prophecied by the rest of the Prophets were not spirituall songs But the Apostle calleth them all Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs as well as Davids if they dwell in the heart For the words of Christ there to wit in the heart are songs for the Spirit or else they are no songs to any man Therefore as yet to sing the Prophecies of David after our common manner is no worship commanded or taught us in holy Writ Answ. 1. It is a groundlesse Assertion to say that Paul calleth the whole word of God dwelling in us Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs For why then should the Holy Ghost give that style and Title of Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs onely to the Booke of Psalmes and to none else of all of the Bookes of the Prophets or Apostles Againe if Paul called the words of all the Prophets Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs why then did not the Prophets in their own language pen them with musicall accents as well as the Psalmes of David and Asaph Besides if the words of all the Prophets were spirituall Songs why then did the Prophets themselves finde the Bookes of their own Prophecies bitter in their bellies Rev. 10.10 There be many words of the Prophets that are more fit matter for humiliation and mourning before the Lord then fit to be sung as spirituall songsâ—nto the Lord But suppose there be many words of Christ and of his Prophets that are fit matter for spirituall reâ—oycing as indeed all the Doctrines and promises of Grace be yet what warrant have wee to sing them as in some Cathedrall Churches and Colledges the Bible-Clerks doe sing their Chapters out of the old and New Testament Answ. 2. Whether the words of Christ in the Gospel or in the Prophets be spirituall Songs or no yet if the Psalmes of David be also the words of Christ if they likewise dwell in our hearts and if they be spirituall Songs too then it will unavoydably follow That the same word of the Apostle that commandeth us to sing Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs commandeth us also to sing the Psalmes of David and Asaph unto the Lord unlesse you will say that the Psalmes of David and Asaph though dwelling in the heart are neither Psalmes nor Hymnes nor spirituall Songs howsoever the Holy Ghost
In way of singing forth the Praises of the Lord together with the rest of the Congregation For it is evident the Apostle layeth no greater restraint upon the women for silence in the Church then the Law had put upon them before For so himselfe speaketh in the place alledged 1 Cor. 14.34 It is not permitted to the women to speake but to be under subjection as also saith the Law The Apostle then requireth the same subjection in the woman which the Law had put upon them no more Now it is certain the Law yea the Lawgiver Moses did permit Miriam and the women that went out after her to sing forth the praises of the Lord as well as the men and to answer the men in their Song of thankesgiving Sing yee to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he throwne into the Sea Exod. 15.20 21. Which may be a ground sufficient to justifie the lawfull practise of women in singing together with men the Praises of the Lord And accordingly the ancient practise of women in the Primitive Churches to sing the publique praises of the Lord wee reade recorded in the Ecclesiasticall History Socrates 2. Booke Chapter 18. of the Greeke Copie and Chap. 16. of the Latine Theodoret third Booke Chapter 17. CHAP. IX Whether carnall men may sing as well as godly Christians THe third scruple about the Singers remaineth Whether carnall men and Pagans may be permitted to sing with us or Christians alone and Church-members What wee beleeve in this poynt may be summed up in these three particulars 1. That the Church and the members thereof are called to sing to the Praises of God and to their mutuall edification For they were Churches of Christ and members of Churches whom the Apostle exhorteth to speake to themselves and make melody to the Lord with Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs Eph. 5.19 Colos. 3.16 2. That the Praising of God with Psalmes is comely for all the upright whether received into the Fellowship of any particular visible Church or no For so much the words of David hold forth Praise is comely for the upright Psal. 33.1.3 3. Though spirituall gifts are necessary to make melody to the Lord in singing yet spirituall gifts are neither the onely nor chiefe ground of singing but the chiefe ground thereof is the morall duty lying upon all men by the Commandement of God If any be merry to sing Psalmes Jam. 5.13 As in Prayer though spirituall gifts be requisite to make it acceptable yet the duty of Prayer lyeth upon all men by that Commandement which forbiddeth Atheisme it is the foole that saith in his heart There is no God of whom it is said they call not upon the Lord Psal. 14.1.4 Which also may serve for a just Argument and proofe of the poynt 1. If by the Commandement of God and indeed by the light of Nature if all men be bound to pray unto God in their distresses as even Jonah's Marriners will confesse in a storme Jonah 1.6 then all men are likewise bound to sing to the praise of God in their deliverances and comforts For the word runneth alike levell Is any afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes James 5.13 A second proofe may be taken from the generall Commandement to all men upon earth to sing to the Lord Psal. 96.1 Sing unto the Lord all the earth Psal. 100.1 2. Make a joyfull noyse unto the Lord all yee Lands come before his presence with singing Psal. 68.32 Sing unto the Lord all the Kingdomes of the earth O sing Praises unto the Lord And indeed the grounds and ends of Singing though some of them doe more peculiarly concerne the Church and people of God and therefore they of all others are most bound to abound in this Dutie yet sundry of the grounds and end of Singing are common to all the sonnes of men and therefore none of them to be exempted from this service As the soveraignty of God The Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal. 95.3 And therefore make a joyfull noyse to him with Psalmes ver. 2. He is to be feared above all Gods Psal. 96.4 And therefore sing unto him all the earth The greatnesse of Gods workes of Creation and Providence they are other grounds of Singing and they concern all the sonnes of men in common Psal 145.6 to 10. The Lord giveth food to all flesh ver. 15 16. Therefore let all flesh blesse his holy Name ver. 21. Let every thing that hath breath Praise the Lord for his mightie Acts and for his execellent Greatnesse Psal. 150.2 to 6. The end of singing is to praise the Lord for his goodnesse and to stirre up our selves and others to serve the Lord with chearfulnesse glad hearts And therefore Travellers Prisoners Sickmen Seamen being saved from severall distresses by the good hand of God they are all of them commanded to praise the Lord for his goodnesse and to declare his wonders before the sonnes of men Psal. 107.6 to 32. Object 1. Against the singing of all sorts of men in the Congregation carnall as well as Christian is taken from the examples of Song set forth in Scripture which both in the old Testament and in the New were onely performed by the Church and Church-members As the Song of Moses at the red Sea was sung by Moses and the children of Israel Exod. 15.1 His other Song Deut. 32. he was commanded to teach it to the children of Israel Deut. 31.19 The Song of Deborah was sung by her and Barak Judg. 5.1 Under the Kings of Judah and after the returne from Captivitie the Officers of the Church onely sang for the more orderly carrying on of that Ordinance 1 Chron. 6.31 32. 16.4 Neh 11.22 23. In the New Testament Christ and his Apostles sang in a place apart from others Mat. 26.30 In the Church of Corinth none but the brethren had libertie of Prophecy in Teaching or Singing Psalmes In the Revelation the foure Beasts and the twenty-foure Elders and the 144000. who sung the praises of God and of the Lambe were apparent representations of the Church her Officers and Members Rev. 5.9 14.3 15.1 2 3 4. Answ. 1. All these examples prove no more but what we willingly grant and what in the former part of this discourse we have been occasioned to maintaine and prove to wit that it is lawfull not onely for one man alone but for a whole Church Officers and Members to sing the praises of the Lord in heart and voyce together with one accord and so much all these places doe evince 2. We live not by examples onely but by precepts also And evident precepts have been alledged already for the generall practise of Singing by all the sonnes of men upon the face of the earth 3. Some of these examples doe allow even wicked men and Apostates to sing though it be to upbraide and convince their