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
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
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
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
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
decent melody But otherwise for their prohibiting of singing of Psalmes composed by private men and the reading of any books in the Church but the writings of the Prophets and Apostles as they doe in Canon 59. that so they might establish the reading of Scripture-bookes and the singing of Scripture-Psalmes It is so farre from superstition that it tendeth rather to preferre divine Institutions above humane Inventions When they interdicted the Psalmes composed by private Christians whom they called Idiots or as we call them in our language simple fooles You are not ignorant that an Idoll in their language signifieth no more but a private man and in the same sence the Apostle himselfe useth it 1 Cor. 14.16 though the Translators turne it unlearned Neither doe Formes of Gods Praise stop the breathing of the lively Gifts of Gods Spirit when the Formes are no other but such as were indited by the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost For when the Psalmes of David and of other holy men of God were commended to the Church of Israel and by them were ordinarily sung in the Temple and elsewhere would you say it did hinder the free passage of the breathing of the lively gifts of Gods Spirit either in the Ministery of the Priests or in the writings and Sermons of the Prophets Surely Elisha found it otherwise 2 Kings 3.15 and the whole Church of Judah As for 666 which you call the fatall figure of Antichrist judge you in your own soule before the Lord whether it doe more savour of an Antichristian spirit for the whole Church to sing the Psalmes of David with one accord or to sing Te Deum or some other Anthem devised by a private spirit one man alone Sure it is as we said before Antichristian Churches doe utterly reject the singing of Davids Psalmes in the Meeter of each Nation in their Mother Tongue yea and do reproach such Psalmes as Genevah jiggs so farre are they off from closing with singing of them as an Invention of their own Object 5. Let no man thinke that the singing of Davids Psalmes is an Ordinance of God because many Christians have found their affections stirred as Augustine also did in the singing of them This doth not justifie this practise no more then it doth Preaching by a false calling because some have found conversion by it no more then it doth the receiving the seale of the Supper in a false Church and that with the Idolatrous gesture of kneeling because some have found quickning and strengthening Grace therein For Gods goodnesse many times goeth beyond his Truth Answ. We cannot say That Gods goodnesse goeth beyond his Truth though sometime he shew a man mercy out of his way For we have the truth of Gods word to testifie that so sometime he doth as Saul found converting grace in going to Damascus to persecute the Saints But this we say that when God doth thus he either convinceth a man of the error of his way before he shew him favour in it as he did Saul or else the way it selfe or Dutie is of God though there be some falling in the circumstance of it Many of Israel that came to the Passeover in Hezekiahs time in their uncleannesse yet they found mercy with the Lord But it was because the Ordinance and Duty was of God the failing was onely in the manner of Preparation to it 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. But if Micah set up an invention of his own in his house though he may promise himselfe a blessing in some orderly circumstance of it as he did Judg. 17.13 yet let him be sure he shall finde a curse in stead of a blessing according as God hath exprest it Deut. 7.26 It is granted and bewailed that there hath been found some sinfull failings in sundry circumstances of some Ministers callings And yet because the substance of the calling was of God many have found saving blessings in attending on their Ministery And the Lords Supper administred by them being of God though the gesture in which it was received was corrupt the Lord was pleased to accept and blesse what was his owne and to passe by sinnes of ignorance in his people But can it ever be proved that when any practise of Gods worship hath been but an humane and Antichristian invention that it hath been neverthelesse blessed with the communication of spirituall affections and that not seldome and rarely but frequently and usually not to one or two Saints but generally not to the weakest but to the strongest Christians We are verily perswaded no such instance can be given since the world began God is not wont to honour and blesse the wayes of superstition with the reward of sincere devotion But surely God hath delighted to blesse the singing of his holy Psalmes with gracious and spirituall affections not onely in Augustines time in Justine Martyrs before him but from age to age to his Saints usually generally and abundantly so that doubtlesse the servants of God defraud their soules of much spirituall good and comfort who defraud themselves of the Fellowship of this Ordinance But â—ere is the misery of the present age that those Ordinances that men have practised either without the knowledge of the true grounds thereof or without the life and sence of the comfort of them or without the sincere love of them they have therefore afterwards in the houre and power of Temptation cast them aside and so forsaken the holy Institutions of God to embrace please themselves in their own imaginations How much more safe were it for humble and sincere Christians to walke in Gods holy feare and in sence of their own ignorance infirmities and temptations to suspect their own private apprehensions and humbly to beg a Spirit of Light and Truth to lead them into all Truth and meekly to consâ—lt with Brethren without setting up any Idoll or forestalled Imagâ—nation in their hearts before they resolve to runne a by-way to the griefe and scandall of their Brethren It is a Palsey distemper in a member to be carried with a different motion from the rest of the body The Lord heale our swervings and stablish us with a Spirit of Truth and Grace in Christ Jesus FINIS