God in his Worship and our Glory viz. our Tongue is brought to shame hereby and 't is no less 〈◊〉 to rob God of the Glory of his Holy Ordinances and his Church and every particular Saint of the use and comfort of them so far as 〈◊〉 Body or Members thereof are employed in 〈◊〉 about them they being of no use at all And what is this but to turn all outward or external Worship into a spiritual inward or heart-business The Essence of Singing then if that word may be admitted lies no more in our Spiriâ— than the Essence of Preaching c. And shaâ—â— the Quakers or any other deceived People 〈◊〉 Person say when they meet together to preach pray or sing the Praises of God thaâ— in their Spirits they have the Essence of thoâ—â— Duties and so perform them to God notwithstanding there is not one of them verbally and vocally done certainly nothing can be more ridiculous Besides the main part Essence too if you please nay the whole of Singing lies in the Voice I speak of the act or thing 〈◊〉 self not of a right spiritual and Gospel-Performance of it for he may be said to preach who has not the Spirit of God to assist him in the doing of it nor is he affected with what he says as properly as he that preaches spiritually or by the assistance of the Holy Ghost in his own Heart Doubtless Birds sing as truly as any Men can be said so to do and so do those who sing prophane Songs tâ—ere's all the parts of Singing manifested in their Act so much difference there is between the doing of an Act or Work and the Manner Design Spirit and End in performing of it Fourthly to proceed By Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs therefore we understand a musical melodious Modulation or tuning of the Voice expressing our spiritual Joy for edifying one another and for glorifying of God 1. And that this is all the Singing the Holy Scripture speaks of and is meant or intended therein will yet further appear if we consider these things following First 'T is called the making of a joyful Noise Sing a loud unto God our strength make a joyful Noise unto the God of Jacob Psal 81. 1. O 〈◊〉 let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful Noise to the Rock of our Salvation Psal 95. 1. Let us come before his Presence with Thanksgiving and make a joyful Noise unto him with Psalms vers 2. So in Psal 98. 4 5 6. 100. 1 2. this is the Singing the Holy Ghost bears witness of 't is not meerly that in Word Joy or rejoycing in Spirit but an expressing of it wiâ—â— a melodious Voice or by making of a joyful Noise unto the Lord. Secondly What the act of Singing is or what it is to sing may be easily manifested by the Birds of the Air those melodious Notes they make God in his Word Cant. 2. 12. calls Singing and 't is easy to know when they sing and when they do not and 't is as easy to know when the Lord's People sing and which of them sing and who do not if Men will not shut their Eyes and Ears against an Ordinance of Christ and in opposing of it render themselves ridiculous to Mankind Thirdly Singing is distinguished from Prayer as another thing differing from any part or branch of it and that by the great Apostle himself and therefore it cannot be comprehended in that great Duty What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Vnderstanding also I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. Prayer all Expositors affirm consisteth in three parts as I hinted before 1. In confession of Sin c. 2. In supplication for what we stand in need of And 3. In giving of Thanks or in Praising of God with raised affections for what Mercies we have received from him As if the Apostle should say I will confess my Sins and Wants to God by â—he help of God's Spirit and with the inward â—ttention and utmost intention of my own â—pirit or greatest devotion and Fervour of Afâ—ections imaginable and so will I seek to him â—nd supplicate his holy Majesty for what I â—ant and so will I praise him and give â—hanks to him for all the good things I have â—eceived at his most bountiful Hands See our â—ate Annotation Phil. 4. 6. They mention there a Petition or Apprecation of Good to our selves or others and also in Prayer a Deprecation of Evils felt or feared 3. A grateful acknowledgment of Mercies received Benefits conferred and Deliverances vouchsafed Implying saith he that no Prayer is acceptable to God without this Ingredient of thankful resentment of his Favours Nor can I think that any gracious Soul doth ever leave out this sweet and great part of Prayer when he is at the Throne of Grace viz. Praising of God Therefore this the Apostle would do when he prayed But observe besides this and as something quite distinct from it he adds And when I sing I will sing with the Spirit c. If therefore Singing were comprehended in Prayer or praising of God when we pray unto him then the Apostle uses as great and palpable a Tautology as can possibly be nay and leaves all Men under a Cloud and Mistake if he meant nothing else or no more than praising of God in Prayer since all the World ever understood a clear distinct difference between those two things viz. Prayer or praising of God and singing of his Praises for though all right Singing to God is a praising of him nay and in the higheâ—â— manner that we in our mortal Bodies are capable to do yet all praisings of God are not singing of his Praise Moreover the difference there between Prayer c. and Singing 〈◊〉 clearly hinted by the Apostle James where he exhorts those in Affliction in an extraordinary manner to pray James 5. 13. Is any afflicted let him pray And is any merry let them sing Psalms Certainly he wills the Afflicted to praise God as well as to pray unto him but to such who are merry or whose Hearts were greatly lifted up or affected with the Love Mercy and Goodness of God why then and upon such Occasions to sing yeâ— to sing Psalms In which words by the way 't is worth noting to observe that the Apostle stirs up Christians to perform these Duties more than in an ordinary manner at suchâ— Times and Occasions for 't is a Man's Duty to pray whether he be afflicted or no and so in like manner 't is a Man's Duty to sing the Praises of God whether he hath such an extraordinary cause and special frame of Spirit upon him or not Fourthly 'T is easy to conceive of Singing or to know what it is if we consider how it differs from meer rejoicing in the Lord for a Man may rejoice in Spirit when he doth not signify
c. Ergo Christ and his Disciples have left a sufficient Rule to shew how singing of Psalms and Hymns should be performed This Argument cannot be denied therefore let our Brethren consider where the fault lies who do not see the way how to sing c. 'T is said Moses was faithful in all God's House as a Servant and was careful to do every thing according to the Patern shewed him in the Mount but Christ as a Son is faithful over his own House Now since Singing was required of the Churches by Christ for what the Apostles injoyned by the Spirit Christ injoyned in the New Testament certainly he has left a sufficient Direction how it ought to be performed otherwise it would reflect upon his Wisdom and Faithfulness Strange is Singing practised by Christ and his Apostles and injoined on the Churches and is there no certain way to know what that Singing is nor how it should be performed I stand in a maze to see how confused some are in their Minds and Sentiments about it one saying 't is only Heart-Joy others 't is no more than to praise or give Thanks to God in Prayer saith another 't is to be performed or done by one single Man alone in the Congregation tho not one Example or Precedent in all the Scripture in God's ordinary Worship for any such Practice O how hard is it to bring Men off from their own conceited Opinions or to receive a Truth they either 〈◊〉 prejudiced against or else not willing to have it to be received as an Ordinance of God! CHAP. XIII Shewing what the Matter is the Saints and Churches of Christ should sing i◠Gospel-Times opening what Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs are ONE Objection that is brought against Singing is this viz. We do not know what we should sing and therefore do not sing in our Congregations I must confess if Singing was practised and injoined and nothing was left in God's Word to shew us what it is we are to sing it would be strange and a sufficient Plea against the practice of it but such a thing could not stand consistent with the Wisdom of the Spirit But blessed be God 't is not so as we by his Assistance shall now further make appear For we have first our Pattern which is Christ's practice with his Disciples in this Case as in others 2dly The Rule which are those Precepts laid down in the New Testament Christ and his Disciples sung an Hymn And be sure the Matter of it was Spiritual it being performed by those Sacred and Holy Persons and in the Sacred Worship of God i. e. just as they had celebrated the Holy Supper But to speak to the Rule see Ephes 5. 19. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your Hearts to the Lord. So Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord. Here you have six Things observable or the words contain six parts First The Matter to be sung in the general viz. the Word of Christ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms c. singing with Grace in your Hearts Like as the Word of Christ ought to dwell in us richly that we may meditate thereon and be able to preach it hear it and understand it c. so to sing it The Word of Christ is therefore positively laid down to be the Matter we must and ought to sing in the general for we are injoined to have it dwell richly in us in this place more especially to sing it than on any other account Secondly The Singers that is the Church or Churches to whom he wrote more particularly the Saints and faithful in Christ at Ephesus and at Coloss and in them to all other Saints and Churches of Christ to the end of the World Thirdly More particularly the Matter to be sung viz. Psalms and Hymus and Spiritual Songs Fourthly The Manner or how it should be performed i. e. with Melody or Spiritual Joy in the Heart or Grace What he calls Melody in our Heart in one place he calls Grace in the Heart in the other The Tongue is the Instrument but it must be tun'd with Grace or the Musick will not be sweet in Christ's Ears In Singing of Psalms c. saith one a gracious Heart takes Wings and mounts up to God to join with the Celestial Quire It is Grace which fills the Heart for and sweetens the Heart in this Duty Fifthly The Master of the Chore the Preceptor as Mr. Wells saith viz. the Heart we must look to the Heart in Singing that it is purged by the Spirit God is the Creator of the whole Man and therefore will be worshipped and praised with the whole Man The whole Man is bought with a Price our Tongues as well as our Spirits are not our own therefore we ought to glorify God in our Bodies and in our Spirit which are the Lords 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. My Heart is fixed O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal 57. 7. Awake my Glory c. I my self will awake What was this which David calls his Glory all tell you it was his Tongue and in Singing and Praising of God the Glory of it much lies when the Heart is filled and fixed with Grace in the discharge of this Duty So in Psal 108. 1. O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give praise with my Glory Augustine saith It is not a musical String but a working Heart that is harmonious Mary sung with her Tongue and her Heart was in her magnificent Song And as saith another Godly Man When we sing Psalms c. let us take heed that we have the same thing in our Mind that we warble forth with our Tongues and that our Song and our Heart do not run several ways If saith Mr. Wells we in Singing only offer the Calves of our Lips it will too much resemble the Jewish Service Men may hear or pray as well as sing carnally therefore we should remember to do as the Apostle teaches to sing with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. Sixthly and lastly The End viz. to glorify the Lord and lift up his Praise God is to be our true and only Scope i. e. to set forth his Glory ought to be our ultimate End I mean when we sing and perform all other Duties of Religion Now then since the Word of Christ is the Matter in general that ought to be sung it appears we are not left without Directions by the Spirit about this Ordinance let Men say what they please for as 't is Christ's Word we should and ought always to preach and hear so 't is his Word we
Preach together who had Doctrines and at the same time every one that had a Psalm they would come forth with their Psalm and Singâ— and so those who had the Gift of Tongues and a Gift to interpret might do the like which the Apostle shews them was Confusion and if they did thus and Unbelievers come into their Assemblies at such time would not they say they were mad Now 1. to open this place of Scripture it will be necessary to consider what disorderly practice it was Paul reproves them of and no doubt it was the Confusion before mentioned two three or more bringing forth their Doctrine together and others who had other differing Gifts coming forth together with them too 't is very like at the same time 2. The Rule to regulate these Disorders And now let this once and for ever be noted and well heeded viz. That the ordinary way of the Administration of all Gifts and performance of all Ordinances in the Churches must be the Rule for the extraordinary Gifts and performance of Ordinances 3. Then in the third place we must consider the manner of the performance of Ordinances and exercise of Gifts according to the Nature of the Gifts and Ordinances And now as to the Gift of Teaching Interpreting Prophesying c. only one was to be the Mouth Let the Prophets speak one by one and let the other judg if any thing be revealed to him that sitteth by let the first hold his peace To act contrary to this Rule is Confusion and so of some other Gifts and Ordinances whole Nature were in themselves the same so they were to be done And now as to Singing that being always performed with Voices together both in the Old Testament and by Christ and his Disciples and by Paul and Silas and so enjoined on the Churches they who had a Psalm that is as I conclude a Psalm of David to bring forth by an extraordinary Spirit which might not be the Matter of the Psalm but the Manner of bringing it forth in an unknown Tongue and it may be in a Tune too that others might not understand and so upon both respects others could not sing with him nor the Church be edified he was not so to bring forth his Psalm unless there was an Interpreter who might give it forth to the People that they might sing together as always that Ordinance was practised in the Publick Congregation And this appears to be the sense of the place by Paul's own words When I pray I will pray with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding that is in a known Tongue to my own Understanding and to the Understanding of others And when I sing I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also that is If I sing in the Church I will not sing in an unknown Tongue so that others cannot understand what I sing and so cannot sing with me He doth not mean doubtless his own Understanding only but the Understanding of others also so that according to the Nature of the Ordinance all might be edified and all might be comforted Now this being so as I am well satisfied 't is the meaning of the Spirit what an endless stir is here of one Man's singing alone in the exercise of an extraordinary Gift which cannot be proved by the Wit of Man from the Text much less had it been so would it have been a Rule to the Churches in ordinary Administrations of Christ's Ordinances Though for several to preach together that would be Confusion yet to sing together would be none but the greater and the more sweet Melody as Mr. Sidâ—ultan â—â—ws Nor would the Unbeliever to hear a Congregation sing together say Are they not mad because this sort of Singing was always practised both among the Jews and also among the Gentile Nations And so much to this Text. And whereas you say If any one had such a Gift and came forth to sing alone in the Church as you fancy some did in that Church you should bless God for so great a Presence of his Spirit among his People pag. 23. I assure you I should charge him with introducing a Practice no where warranted in the Scripture and so no sign of God's Presence at all but a meer Innovation in God's Worship being without Precept or Example VI. Objections Answered I am now come to your last Thesis wherein you pretend to answer some of our Arguments and Scriptures for Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs And if I meet with any thing pertinent I shall reply to it or else pass it by as not worthy of an Answer And such is the first you bring as alledged by us from 〈◊〉 15. And the second is like to it about 〈◊〉 and Barak as if they together did not could no sing that Song when the Holy Ghost positively says they did The Holy Ghost saith that Moses and the Congregation of Israel sung and you would fain make us believe it was some extraordinary Extasy 〈◊〉 we from thence must have Dancing too which I have already fully answered Your third Reply That the Singing that was in the Temple was extraordinary and so in the Apostles Time Answ We deny the latter Singing was no more performed in the Gospel-time by an extraordinary Spirit and Manner than Prayer Preaching and all other Ordinances and by the Argument we have not those extraordinary 〈◊〉 now to perform one Duty so not another And if we must throw one Ordinance away from thence we must as the Non-Churches say lay them all aside and practise none at all till we are endowed with Power from on High as the Apostles were viz. to Preach Prophesy and sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs by Inspiration or by the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost For as Singing it being a moral Duty as well as Prayer so it was in the Church of the Jews before the Glory of their Temple-Worship so Prayer and Preaching being ordinary Duties and parts of Natural Religion as well as brought under Divine Institution for the more orderly and spiritual performance of them yet in the glorious Time of the Gospel were all done by an extraordinary Spirit or by Miraculous Gifts 't is evident therefore extraordinary Gifts in the Gospel-day were not only suited as you imagine to tune their Hearts and Tongues to sing the Praises of God only but also to Pray Preach Prophesy and so to perform the whole of Gospel-Ordinances and Worship which was to confirm each Ordinance in particular and the whole of the Christian Religion in general Mark 16 17 18 19. Heb. 2. 3 4. And therefore we have no more reason to lay aside or neglect Singing the Praises of God till those extraordinary Gifts shall return which we have no ground to expect ever will than we have to lay aside Prayer Preaching Baptism the Lord's Supper and every other Duty and Ordinance since Singing of Psalms c. is injoined on the Churches
the◠further Comfort and Establishment in his whol◠Mind and Will I should not have answered yo◠in the matter and if you or any body else shall see cause to reply I shall be ready to return an Answer if I find it do deserve or nee◠one if God is pleased to spare my Life and t◠enable me in the Work And now one word to you my dear Brethren and Sisters whose Souls are established in thi◠sweet and heavenly Ordinance First Consider how universally this Ordinance hath been practised of singing the Praise◠of God 1. By variety of Persons as Kings and godly Princes as Moses who was a King in Jesurun Deut. 33. 5. David Joshaphat Solomon c. By worthy Governours as Nehemiah c. by Prophets by the whole Congregation of God's People by Christ and his Apostles by the holy Martyrs of Jesus in the Primitive Times 2. In all places by Moses in the Wilderness Exod. 15. by David in the Tabernacle by Solomon in the Temple by Jehoshaphat in the Camp by Christ and his Disciples at the holy Supper by Paul and Sila◠in Prison 3. In almost all Conditions in times of Imprisonment in Persecution and Martyrdom 4. By all Sexes both Men Women and Maidens old Men and Children 5. Nay and how all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are called upon by the Holy Ghost to sing forth the Praises of God 6. Consider how God hath honoured it with his Presence and gracious Acceptance 2 Chron. 5. 13. with Victory over Enemies 2 Chron. 20. 21 22. 7. Confirmed by Miracles Act. 16. 25 26. Secondly Consider that Singing is 1. The Musick of Nature as Mr. Wells observes the Trees and Woods by a Metonymy are said to sing And what sweet Musick do the pretty Birds make in the Air and Woods 2. 'T is the Musick of Ordinances as appears by our Saviour's singing with his Disciples at the Celebration of one of the highest and most sublime Ordinances of the Gospel 3. Singing is the Musick and Melody of Saints 4. 'T is the Musick and Melody of Angels 5. 'T is and shall be the Musick and Melody of Heaven the glorious and glorified Saints and Angels send up their Praises this way But my Brethren be intreated to cry to God that you may pray and sing with the Spirit and with Vnderstanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. and with Grace in your Hearts labour after Holy and Heavenly Frames We must sing with Affections let your joyful Noise be from the sense of God's Love in a dear Redeemer to your own Souls Let it be by exciting your Graces let Faith be in exercise in this Duty as well as in Prayer and under the Word Let it be with inward Joy remember it is your Duty to rejoice evermore and what then can hinder your Singing God's Praises at any time Let it be for Spiritual Mercies and Blessings chiefly more for deliverance from your Sin than from your Suffering You have found that Singing is not only sweet and raising to the Spirit but also full o◠Instruction nay I have heard how God has blessed it to the Conversion of some Souls as well as to the Consolation of others Austis is very excellent to this purpose Quantu◠flevi in hymnis canticis suavè 〈◊〉 Ecclesiae tuae voces ill◠influebant 〈◊〉 eliquabatur veritas tua in cor meum ex ea effluebat inde effectus pietatis currebant lachrymae benè mihi erat cum eis How sweetly saith he have I wept in Hymns and Songs at the sounding of thy Church the Voices flew into mine Ears and thy Truth melted into mine Heart and from thence flew forth the Effects of Godliness the Tears ran down mine Eyes and it was well with me when I was with them Aug. in his Preface to the Psalms Cap. 6. FINIS AN ANSWER TO Mr. Marlow's Appendix Wherein his Arguments to prove that Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs was performed in the Primitive Church by a Special or an Extraordinary Gift and therefore not to be practised in these Days Are Examined and clearly Detected Also some Reflections on what he speaks on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymnos And on his undue Quotations of divers Learned Men. By a Learned Hand Psal 119. 141. I am small and despised yet do not I forget thy Precepts 1 Cor. 14. 22. Wherefore Tongues are for a Sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not but Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them that believe By B. KEACH London Printed for the Author and sóld by John Hancock in Castle-Alley on the West side of the Royal-Exchange and by the Author at his House near Horselydown in Southwark 1691. To all the Saints and Churches of Jesus Christ Christian Salutation Honoured and Beloved IT grieves me I have further occasion to trouble you after this manner I know not what should move Mr. Marlow to write his Appendix just at a time when he was told I was writing an Answer to his first Discourse he might have had a little Patience and have staid till my Treatise was published whereby he might the better have perceived whether what he wrote the last Year would abide the Test or Trial of God's Word or not This is therefore his second Attempt in publick against God's holy Ordinance of singing of Psalms Hymns c. before any body appeared visibly to oppose or put a stop to his undue Proceedings For what Call he had to begin this Controversy at such an unseasonable time I know not but since he has done it certainly◠none can see any just cause to blame me for standing up in the Defence of that Truth of Jesus Christ which I am so well satisfied about and established in and that too as it is practised by the Church to whom I am related as an unworthy Member and above twenty Baptized Congregations besides in this Nation Tho before I went about it I offered my Brethren him or any other a sober and friendly Conference in the Spirit of Meekness which I could not obtain tho I did not give such a publick Challenge as my Brother intimates in that strange Epistle he hath wrote to me but upon the coming forth of his Book I was troubled and would have had it been discoursed in the General Assembly but that was not consented to and then I told my honoured and Reverend Brethren my purpose was to give an Answer to his Book but did not enter upon it till I was urged by several and particularly by Mr. Marlow himself before divers Witnesses in such kind of words as these i. e. Answer me like a Man Whether he is answered like a Man or but like a Child is left to your Consideration 't is done according to that Light and Ability God hath been pleased to bestow upon me But if he or any of his Helpers do see cause to reply they must answer such
For if he brought out a Psalm of David in an unknown Tongue who could sing with him But if he had been to sing alone the Melody might have refreshed those who sung not 〈◊〉 as some say they have been in hearing the French Protestants sing who understand not their Language But to prevent this the Apostle Paul resolved when he sung he would sing with the Spirit and with the Understanding also because 't is the Matter sung that is fruitful to the Understanding and what is the Melody without that Your third Reason or Argument is taken from that in Ephes 5. 18. Be ye filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves c. Answ Doth not the Apostle pray that God would â—ill all the Saints with Joy and Peace Rom. 15. 13. And pray that they might be filled with the Fruits of Righteousness Now singing flows from that Joy that all the Saints ought to labour after and also from the Fruits of Righteousness we have an equal need to be filled with the Spirit to pray to meditate to praise God and to preach and hear the Word as well as to sing Psalms and Hymns c. But you say pag. 18. That the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every Member of the Church Answ 'T is granted But doth it follow because some had the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to pray must not the others who had not those Gifts no more than we have them now not pray at all Brother I am grieved to see how you are deceived and would â—eceive others But as they who had not the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to pray were notwithstanding to pray so they who had not the extraordinary or special Gift to sing were nevertheless to sing the Praises of God What you speak pag. 18. about the diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit from 1 Cor. 12. is rather more against the performance of those other Dâ—ties and Ordinances than Singing because Singing is not there mentioned But all that you say there has been answered already so is what you infer from Col. 3. 16. Ephes 5. 19. For to think the Apostle refers to the special Gift of Singing in those places is of a pernicious tendency for you may as well say the same of all other Precepts enjoined on the Churches and so free us from all Gospel-Obedience for want of such Gifts Why must not Spiritual Songs be allowed as well as Psalms and Hymns What do you mean in pag. 23 Brother you were better be silent till you can distinguish better between Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs and the manner of the bringing of them forth by a special Gift A Doctrine may be as Spiritual that is precomposed as that which was brought forth by a special Gift so may an Hymn or Spiritual Song though 't is by the ordinary Gifts or Help of the Spirit precomposed there cannot be an Hymn nor Spiritual Song without its Form but if it be a Spiritual Song it has a Spiritual Form The very word may convince yoâ— of your Error if the Song be taken out of Christ's Spiritual and Sacred Word the Form is Spiritual and if it be sung with a gracious Heart and Tongue 't is doubtless Spiritual Worship and acceptable to God I shall conclude this Section of yours with one honest and plain Argument That Assertion or Notion against Singing the Praises of God that hath a natural tendency in it to overthrow the practice of all Gospel-Ordinances as well as singing the Praises of God is a vile and pernicious Assertion or Notion But for a Man to assert the Saints and People of God now in these days ought not to sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs because we have not that special or extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to do it hath a natural tendency in it to overthrow the practice of all Gospel-Ordinances in these days Ergo. That Assertion is vile and pernicious The Major cannot be denyed the Minor I have abundantly proved in this Treatise In Sect. 4. You seem to Answer what we say about Singing being a moral Duty Which you say Is the refuge of some who cannot maintain their practice of formal Singing by Gospel-Institution Append. pag. 27. Answ You mistake we need no Gospel-Institution 't is as clear a Precept in these Scriptures Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. as any we have in the New-Testament But we say Singing the Praises of God is more than a mere positive Duty What you further say under this Head doth but betrary your own Ignorance about moral Precepts and needs no Answer I having fully explained it in this Treâ—â—â—e Is it absurd and irrational for us to make the Moral Law or Light of Nature a Rule to exert the Worship of God see Append. p. 28. 'T is not so much the matter of Moral Duties as the manner of the performance of them that renders them Spiritual and for the more orderly and spiritual performance of such Duties that are in their own nature Moral they are brought under Gospel-institution as Prayer Preaching and Singing the Praises of God are and therefore all Moral Duties must be discharged by the help of the Spirit and with Grace in the Heart if accepted of God In pag. 33. of your Appendix you repeat your former Objection against Womens Singing in the Church because the Apostle saith he suffered not a Woman to teach nor usurp Authority over the Man but to be in silence So that Christ say you makes it an usurpation of Authority for a Woman to teach or to speak or any ways to break her Silence in the Church But then say you 't is objected These Scriptures that forbid Womens teaching and speaking in the Church do intend only that they should not be the Mouth of the Church as in Prayer and Doctrine c. To this Objection against your Exposition of these Scriptures you give your Answers 1. That such a sense as this we speak of is against the Letter of these Texts 2. By asserting that in Singing together there is Teaching Instruction and Admonition pag. 34. Answ This kind of arguing against Womens Singing we have all ready fully refuted but for the sake of our good Women and to detect this falsity I shall add a word or two further in way of Reply 'T is a hard case that Women should be debarred to speak in any sense or any ways to Break Silence in the Church as you affirm through a mistake of the Text. 1. For then they must not ask a Friend how he or she doth when in the Congregation 2. She must not be suffered to be an Evidence in the Church against any Offender in the case of Discipline 3. Then she must not ask where the Text is if she comes too late for that is in some sense a speaking and breaking Silence 4. Nor must she then say Amen at the close of Prayer for that 's a breaking Silence 5. Which is worst of
〈◊〉 Voice p. 7. A Metaphorical Singing mentioned in Scripture p. 7. No mental Singing as there is no mental praying p. 12. The Essence of Singing no more in the Heart or Spirit 〈◊〉 the Essence of Preaching c. p. 14. Singing is a musical melodious Modulation or timing of 〈◊〉 Voice p. 15. 'T is not praising of God in Prayer p. 16. Wherein Singing and other praisings of God differ p. 16 17. Several distinct Noises of the Tongue or bodily Organ 19 20. They that 〈◊〉 not with the Voice sing not at all p. 21. Singing thâ— Praises of God proved our Duty from the Antiâ—â—â— of that Practice of the Angels singing at God's bringing 〈◊〉 the first visible Creation The Angels sung also at the â—â—nging in the second Creation or Work of Redemption 22 23 24. Singing an Act of the Voice and also an Act of God's â—â—rship p. 24. The Devil a great Enemy to the singing of God's Praise 〈◊〉 sing to Christ p. 25 26. An Argument to prove Singing part of God's Worship p. 27. Singing a Moral Duty proved by four Demonstrations â— 30 to p. 40. An Argument to prove it our Duty to sing Praise to God â—â—ken from its being a part of Natural Religion p. 41. Singing our Duty from the Practice of God's People beâ—re the Law under the Law and under the Gospel p. 41 〈◊〉 p. 45. Singing of Psalms c. our Duty proved from Scripture-Precepts p. 45 to p. â—2 Singing under the Law with Instruments of Musick typical p. 53. Singing the Praises of God proved to be our Duty because instituted under the Gospel and injoyned on the Churches p. 54 to p. 56. An Argument from thence p. 59. Obj. We cannot tell how to come at Singing answered p. 85. Singing God's Praises c. confirmed by a Miracle as other Gospel-Ordinances were p. 60. Obj. Singing was done by an extraordinary Gift therefore we must not sing now answered p. 62 146 147. The direful Consequents of such an Assertion p. 63. An Argument drawn from the extraordinary Gift in the Apostolical Church in bringing in a Psalm c. p. 64 65. Proving Singing of Psalms our Duty from the Practice of the Churches next after the Apostles Times p. 65 66 67. Shewing the form or manner of singing and that it ought to be with united Voices p. 70 71 72. Singing together with united Voices proved from the Practice of the Saints under the Old Testament p. 74 75. Proving Singing together in publick Worship our Duty from Scripture-Prophecies that relate to Gospel-days p. 75 76 77 78 79 80. Proving 'tis our Duty to sing God's Praises with united Voices from the great Noise singing in the Scripture is said to make p. 83. Four Sylogistical Arguments to prove singing together with united Voices the true manner of performance of this Duty p. 85 86 87 89. Shewing what Matter it is we should sing that the Matter in general must be the Word of Christ What is meant by Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs p. 90. Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. distinctly opened p. 91 92 93 94. Other Hymns may be sung besides David's Psalms p. 95 96 97 98. p. 154 160 161. Shewing who ought to sing God's Praises and that the whole Church ought so to do p. 10â— Obj. What ground to sing before or after Sermon Answered pag. 102. Obj. What ground for the Church to sing with Vnbelievers Answered p. 105 106 107 108 120. Mr. Marlow's Book examiâ—â— and answered p. 111. No Apostacy or going back to sing God's Praises p. 112. Speaking and Admonishing one another in Psalms c. what plainly opened p. 113 114. The speaking to our selves in Psalms Ephes 5. 19. and Admonishing one another in Psalms meanâ— one and the same thing p. 114 115. Paul speaks not to Ministers in those words but to the whole Church p. 117 118. The folly of Mr. Marlow laid open about what be speaks of the Essence of Singing p. 122. His Notion about the Essence of Singing c. tends to destroy all External Duties and Ordinances p. 123 124. It confirm Quakerism and their Silent Meetings p. 125 126. Obj. No Institution for Singing till David's Time Answered p. 127 128. Obj. Singing of David's Psalms only suited to Levitical Ceremonies and Temple Worship answered p. 129 130. Objections about the Matter of David's Psalms Answered p. 131. Mr. Marlow's Objections and Cavils against precomposed Hymns Answered p. 134 135. Like Rule for precomposed Spiritual Hymns out of God's Word as for precomposed Sermons largely proved p. 136 137. Obj. Women must not speak in the Church therefore must not sing in the Church Answered p. 139 140 141. Obj. 1 Cor. 14. 20 to 34. about an extraordinary Gift to sing Answered p. 142 143 144. What meant by Winter and time of the singing of Birds Cant. 2. opened p. 147 148. Obj. Singing in the Temple by an Extraordinary Gift Answered p. 146 147. Mr. Marlow's Reply to Isa 52. 8. about the Watchâ—â—â— singing together Answered p. 149 150. The Antitype of Solomon's Temple not the Church in the 1000 Years Reign p. 150. Mr. Marlow's Reply to Christ's singing an Hymn with â—is Disciples p. 151. His Objections from Acts 4. 24. Answered Dr. Du-Veil's sense of the Greek word Hymnos p. 151. Mr. Marlow's Reply to Paul and Silas's singing Answered p. 153. Obj. Moses's Song by Inspiration Answered p. 160. Obj. Prayer under the Law differs from Prayer under the Gospel and so singing differs also There were Shadows and Legal Rites used in them then largely Answered p. 162 163. Jewish Temple-Worship Jewish Day of Worship Jewish Mâ—sick in Worship the Levites Maintenance all Legal Rites and Shadows yet to meet together to worship God a time of Worship a Maintenance for Gospel-Ministers and Singing all moral and perpetual Duties p. 165 166 167 168. Obj. A greater Measure of the Spirit required to sing than to pray answered p. 170 171. Obj. None must sing but such who are Merry or have an extraordinary cause so to do Answered p. 172. Obj. No Command to sing in Publick Worship again answered p. 173. As much Rule to sing before and after Sermons as to pray at those times proved p. 173. The Cause of the Decays in Churches what p. 176. Obj. Precomposed Forms Carnal Answered p. 177. As much ground to object against precomposed Sermons p. 179. Obj. David's Psalms the Original not in Metre Answered p. 180. The dangerousness of Mr. Marlow's Cavils about the Form and Manner of performing Ordinances opened p. 181 182. Singing a piece of Art Answered p. 103. Obj. The Gift for Singing not continued in the Church Answered p. 185. Mr. Marlow's unchristian Conclusion of his Book answered with Reflections thereupon p. 186 187. Singing God's Praises an Vniversal Duty done by all sorts of Men at all times in Affliction and at Martyrdom p. 189 190. The Vse and excellent Profit of singing God's Praises p. 190 191 192. The Contents of our Answer
in Scripture tho I must confess I know none yet it could be no more a proper singing than the Blood of Abel which is said to speak is a proper speaking so that if they could shew us in any place of God's Word where any Godly Man is said to sing and yet his Voice was not heard it would signify nothing to their purpose in turning all singing unto Heart-Melody or inward rejoycing only without the Tongue expressing of it musically or in a melodious manner for this is just to destroy the Propriety of different Actions and Things said to be done As to the other Objection take what Mr. Sidâ—â—â—am in his Treatise of Singing saith in Answer to this Objection pag. 208. Obj. But if one say saith he when one prays all may be said to pray tho they do but consent it may be so in singing of Psalms c. Answ It is answered saith he All Ordinances must be considered according to their proper nature some Ordinances are so to be administred as that only one at once can perform it as publick Prayer and Preaching and yet there must be a distinction even in these my Silence in Prayer ought to be when I pray with another and yet I may be said to pray as well as he which is the mouth of the whole because my Heart is with him in the same Petitions and my Desires go equally with him but in Preaching where Silence must be likewise from the nature of the Ordinance yet tho I consent fully with the Matter and agree in all that is said with never so much Affection yet I can't be said to preach but only he that speaketh preaches So now as to Singing there is a difference likewise of another Consideration if only one sing none else can be said to sing tho they joyn with the Matter and agree to it in their Hearts for it is an outward Act and terminated in the Person that performs it And tho in my silent Conjunction I may readily praise God yet I can in no sense be properly said to sing with others without I do use my Voice and bodily Organs as they do This Consideration saith he may give light to Men that mind the nature and distinction of Ordinances in their Administrations that which is the Confusion of other Ordinances is the Beauty of this for two to preach or pray together at the same time and place were the greatest Confusion imaginable but for an hundred to sing together is most harmonious and pleasant so far from the breach of Order that Harmony is most discovered by it So far Mr. Sidenham I hope our Brethren do not think there is Confusion in Heaven where the Heavenly Host with one Voice-celebrate the Praises of God by singing to him 2. Further to prove that Singing properly can't be done without the Voice it is material to observe the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 104. 12. where our Dictionaries as well as our Annotators on the Bible shew it signifies giving a Voice and such a Voice too that is melodious in Odulation or tuning the Voice And saith Reverend Dr. Roberts To limit Singing only in the Heart and inward Melody of the Spirit is utterly besides the Apostle's intent and contrary to the nature of Singing and destructive to all Edification or Advantage to others by Singing Where do we read of singing in all the Scripture without a Voice How gross saith he and ignorant a Contradiction in the Adject and absurd Nonsense is it to talk of singing in the Heart without a Voice Dr. Roberts's Key of the Bible p. 177. Moreover Mr. Caryl whose Learning and excellent Parts and Wisdom shines tho dead through the World positively affirms That Singing is an Act of the Voice on Job 38. 7. So that it appears from hence tho there is Heart-Prayer Mental-Prayer and that may be said as properly to be Prayer tho the Voice be not heard as in Hannah's Case as that which is vocal yet there is no proper singing but that which is performed with the Tongue 3. Were it not so all Mankind are and would be mistaken in one of the common Acts of the bodily Organs and not be able to resolve so plain a Question What is it to sing or what is singing But so easy a Question is this to be answered that every Child can readily resolve it that is not above six or seven Years old nay if a Turk Indian or Pagan should come into our Assemblies that understands not one word of English and so can't distinguish in other Acts of Worship the one from the other yet if he hears us a singing he knows what that is and if but one Man sings tho the rest may shew their liking or approbation of it if any should say they all sing every one would say he told a Lie there was but one Man only who sung but in Prayer that being an Act of Worship that may be performed without the Voice 't is quite another thing all may be said to pray tho but one is the Mouth Now this being so what is become of Mr. Marlow's Essence of Singing for tho I shall not answer his Book until I come to the main Objections yet what he speaks in that place and upon that occasion I shall take notice of â—ere Now saith he what can be more plain â—han that Singing and other Gifts of the holy Spirit have their Essence in our Spirits wherein we are capable of worshipping God without Verbal and Vocal Instruments of the Body These are his very words I answer Some have so smiled at this Expression that they can't tell what he intends by â—t unless he would shew himself skill'd in Chymistry But since he meddles with Divine Things I must confess I am troubled to see such kind of words used that no Body knows what to make of them By Essence of a thing I always understood the Substance or Being of a thing Now if the Substance and Being of Singâ—ng and other Gifts of the Spirit by which I suppose he means other Duties of God's Worship which are to be performed by those Gifts â—ie in our Spirits and may be wihtout distinction performed acceptably to God without Verbal or Vocal Instruments of the Body â—hen farewel to Verbal or Vocal Preaching and Praying too It grieves my Soul to see the Hoâ—y Truths of God's Worship invaded Is not the Essence of Preaching in our Spirits as much as the Essence of Singing is there And are we not as capable in our Spirits to worship God in all other Ordinances without the Verbal or Vocal Instruments of the Body as well as in Singing without Voice by your Argument And let me tell you you have said more to justify the Quakers Silent Meetings than you are aware of Nay 't is an Argument as far as I know they may thank you for but by this way of reasoning there is no moâ—â— need of the poor Body to glorify
Secondly All Creatures are called upon to praise God to sing to him Now surely the Holy Ghost would not have injoyned this on all that have Breath if it did not belong to them and that which all Men are and ought to do is certainly a Moral Duty nay 't is evident there are more Precepts that injoin all Men to sing the Praises of God in the Old Testament than there are for them to pray unto him which seems to be done as if it were on purpose to silence those Mens Spirits whom the Holy Ghost might foresee would in some Age or another oppose this sacred Ordinance and so more reason to repeat it than that of Prayer that never was opposed or cavill'd against Thirdly That Faculty as one observes which God hath placed in Men to praise him in an harmonious or a melodious manner shews that it is a moral Duty belonging to all Men tho more especially the Saints of God to be found in the Practice of singing forth his Praise God who made nothing in vain but all things for his own Glory even the Tongue of little Birds to warble forth with their pleasant Notes the Praises of their Creator amongst the branches of the Trees Psal 104. 12. Who made our Tongues and placed that singing Faculty in them but the Almighty We see all Men and Women more or less are naturally as apt and ready to sing as to speak Now was this tunable and musical Tongue or that Faculty of Siâ—â—ing not given to us and to all Mortals think you to sing forth the Praises of our Creator Can any be so weak as to think it was given to be imployed to sing any other Songs but such as are sacred and divine If it be a great abuse of the Tongue or rather a Dishonour to God for any to imploy their Tongues to sing profane and carnal Songs that stir up Lust and promote Ungodliness as all will say doubtless it is then it follows clearly this tunable or melodious note or faculty of Singing that God hath placed in the Tongue can be for no other reason but that thereby viz. with a sweet and melodious manner they nay all of them might discharge this Duty of singing the Praises of the Almighty God And indeed upon this account as well as any other or more than upon any other the Tongue may be called our Glory i. e. because thereby we in the highest manner we are capable of do praise and laud the Name of God in singing and setting forth that Glory that is owing to him from Now if to sing God's Praise weâ—â— not the Duty of all Men it would follow God hath given them one Faculty in that Member for no use But of use it is and Men will use it too they will sing and say I they may nay more they ought but not to the Dishonour of God not filthy or vain and foolish Songs but such as may be to the Glory and Honour of his Name who made all Creatures and Things for his own Praise And since Mankind are naturally thus inclined to Singing and that this natural Gift and Faculty might be improved as all others to the Honour of God who as Austine in his Preface to the Psalms observes has left in his Word what they should sing and how to perform that Moral Duty Spiritus Sanctus videns obluctantem ad virtutis viam humani generis animam ad delect atiâ—nes hujus vitae inclinari delect abilibus modâ—lis Cantilenae vim suae Doctrinae permiscuit ut dum servitate carmine mulcetur audituâ— divini sermonis pariter utilitate miseratur The Holy Ghost seeing the Soul of Mankind strugling in the way of Godliness and being inclined to the Delights of this Life he mixed the Power of his Doctrine with sweet Singing that whilst the Soul was melted with the sweetness of the Verse the hearing of the Divine Word might be ingrafted with profit Austin in his Preface to the Psalms Object I know it is objected Hath not God given to the Tongue a faculty to laugh as well as to sing and is it their Duty to laugh Answ There is no doubt to be made but to laugh at some time is lawful and good it may be done without Sin though in much laughter there wants not Folly Man has not that Faculty in vain and many will tell you it is found in some Distempers very good for the Body and tends to remove them too besides it may refresh the natural Spirits when suppressed with Melancholy Gogitations But what a trifling Objection is this for as the one seems to be disallowed unless it be on some special Occasions so the other is given it appears on a far more excellent and subliâ—e Account and Consideration with frequent Injunctions to be found in it which is not to be found of Laughter therefore away with such contentious reasoning against Reason and Scripture too God hath injoined you to sing Psalms c. to hiâ— that dwelleth in Sion Psal 9. 11. Singing forth the Hâ—â—â—ur and Praise of his Name Psal 66. 2. That doth wondrous Works for the Children of Men for his Mercy endures forever Psal 107. 8. And so much the more ought Saints to be found in it because he delights to hear the sweet Voice of his Church Cant. 2. 14. Let me hear thy Voice for sweet is thy Voice c. not only of Prayer but of such sweet Praises too no doubt Christ's Ear is affected with this harmonious Praise when performed by his own Spirit with Grace in our Hearts it also elevates and carries up our Spirits to him The Cloud of the Lord 's Divine Presence saith one descended not before but when the Trumpets and Singers were as one to make one Sound to be heard in praising and giving Thanks to the Lord and when they lifted up their Voices in Praises to him saying For he is good for his Mercy endureth for ever then the Lord bowed his Ear and vouchsafed his gracious Presence to his People then the House was filled 〈◊〉 a Cloud even the House of the Lord 2 Châ—â— 5. 13. Then God takes possession of it as his Dwelling-place he is so affected with the Praises of his People when in a right manner they sing to set forth his Glory And as he minds for the neglect of this Ordinance in the Church viz. the not improving our Tongues and Faculties by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost in Singing the Praises of God he may withhold the Influences of his Spirit and may not be found to that degâ—â—â— in his Dwelling-place Fourthly We may perceive what the Nature of this Ordinance of Singing is if we consider how often it is in the Holy Scripture joined with Prayer When we are exhorted to pray to him to worship him we are called upon also to sing his Praises And thus Paul seems to join them together in his practice When I pray I will pray in the Spirit c.
left us a Pattern or an Example himself Is it not said they sang an Hymn viz. he himself with his Disciples And since there is no other Rule Mode or Manner of Singing differing from that practised by Moses and Israel before the Law and others after them and these in the New Testament what can be clearer the manner is plainly described But will your utter neglect of it upon this pretended Ignorance excuse you before the Lord ought you not to do it as well as you can But I am afraid rather some have taken up a Prejudice against it and do not desire to be informed about it But I shall from what I have said upon this last Proof draw one Argument and proceed to the next thing Arg. 1. That which Christ practised in Gospel-Worship and his Holy Apostles by the Authority of the Holy Ghost did injoyn on the Gospel-Churches as their Duty to do is the undoubted Duty of the Saints and Churches of Christ to do and perform to the end of the World But Christ did practise the Singing of a Hymn with his Disciples in Gospel-Worship and his Apostles did injoyn or require the Gospel-Churches to sing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs as their Duty by the authority of the Holy Ghost Ergo 'T is the undoubted Duty of the Saints and Churches of Christ to practise Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs to the end of the World The Minor as to the practice of Christ and his Disciples I have already proved the Scripture is plain read Mat. 26. 30. And when they had Sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives The same is recorded by St. Mark Chap. 14. 26. And his Apostles did injoin it on the Churches Ephs 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. As touching the Major if that be not granted farewel to all Gospel-Institutions For if neither Christ as our Pattern nor the Apostolical Institutions and Injunctions contained in the New Testament as our Rule gives no sufficient Authority as to do what was so practised and injoined what Ordinance can bind us CHAP. VII Proving Singing of Psalms c. An Ordinance because it was confirmed by Miracles as other Ordinances were MY next Argument to prove it is a Gospel-Ordinance to Sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs is taken from that visible witness that God did bear to it in the New-Testament it seems to me and others whose Eyes God hath opened that it was confirmed by a Miracle as all other Gospel-Ordinances more or less were Heb. 2. 3 4. As the whole of Christ's Doctrine or the Christian Religion was confirmed by Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to God's own Will and good Pleasure so were most if not all Gospel-Ordinances particularly 1. Meeting together on the first Day of the Week was miraculously owned and confirmed by that wonderful effusion of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 1 2 3. 2. Preaching the Word was after the same manner confirmed Whilst Peter yet speak these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word Acts 10. 44. For they heard them speak with Tongues and magnify God vers 46. 3. Baptism was as wonderfully confirmed at the Baptism of our Saviour for when he came out of the Water the Heavens were opened and to a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. 16 17. And the Spirit descended like a Dâ—ve and lighted on him 4. Laying on of Hands was after the like manner owned and confirmed And when Paul had laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with Tongues and magnified God Act. 19. 6. 5. Also when the Apostles had prayed 't is said the place was shaken where they were assembled and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 4. 31. 6. In the last place we find Singing also was in the same sort confirmed And at Midnight Paul and Silas prayed and Sang Praises 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 the Prisoners heard them And suddenly there was a great Earth-quake so that the Foundations of the Prison were shaken 〈◊〉 immediately all the Doors were opened and every Man's Bands were 〈◊〉 Act. 16. 25 26. Mr. Wells taking notice of this place saith God honoured the Ordinance of Singing c. with Miracles Behold here faith he an eminent Miracle Prisons saluting their Prisoners Liberty Paul and Sâ—lâ—â— Singing set God on working And if their Tongues were loosed in Duty their Hands shall be loosed for Liberty Singing and Praying can work â—â—â—ders Certainly had not this Duty as well as others been to continue in the Church as most acceptable to God he would never have witnessed to it after this manner but since he hath let such tremble that slight and contemn it As these Miracles confirmed the Gospel in general so all must needs confess each Ordinance thus owned and born witness to was miraculously confirmed and as others so this Joyntly with this Argument it is necessary also in the next place to consider how Singing of Psalms was brought into the Church in the Gospel-times as other Ordinances were even as a Doctrine Prophesying Interpreting c. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Nay and it seems it was in their Publick Assemblies when Unbelievers were admitted to come in among them as appears by vers 33. Object But this was an extraordinary Singing or a Singing by an extraordinary Gift and there are none have such Gifts now and therefore none must sing in these days since the miraculous Gifts are ceased Answ That the Psalm was extraordinary as to the Matter is doubtful because we know no Psalms but the Book of Psalms or those called the Psalms of David so that it is very likely it might be one of them but let it be a Psalm or an Hymn given forth by the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and sung too by the same extraordinary Spirit yet this doth not weaken but strengthen my Argument 1. Because as I said even now all Gospel-Ordinances were witnessed to by the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the Apostles days and so likewise they had extraordinary Gifts to discharge those Duties respectively 1. They had an extraordinary Gift of Prayer extraordinary Gifts to Preach and handle a Doctrine the like in Interpreting and Prophesying so no doubt likewise for Singing But if after these extraordinary Gifts ceased in the Church the Saints were to sing no more but leave off that Ordinance notwithstanding the Churches are enjoined to sing by the Holy Ghost Pray consider the direful Consequences of such an absurd Conclusion i. e. the Apostles had an extraordinary Spirit nay an infallible Spirit in Preaching in Praying in Prophesying in Interpreting the Scripture and in the whole of their Work in the Administration of the Gospel in respect of every Duty and Ordinance thereof these are all ceased since none have these miraculous Gifts now From hence it will follow There 's none now
moral Holiness in one day than there is in another True a time of Worship is moral from the fourth Commandment nay and so may as some have learnedly shewed the seventh part of Time likewise but that Day lies in the Breast and Power of him who is the Lord of the Sabbath viz. Jesus Christ who in the New Testament hath appointed the first Day of the Week and not the last to be the Day of Gospel-Worship for us but the Jewish seventh Day as Reverend Calvin excellently hath shewed Institut pag. 124 125 126. was Ceremonial 1. Because called a Sign between God and the Children of Israel Ezek. 20. 12. 2. From the nature of the Law it self which was given forth and charged to be kept with such strictness that it plainly appears to appertain to the Yoke of Bondage they were not to kindle a Fire through all their Dwellings on their Sabbath nor to speak their own Words nor think their own Thoughts from hence Calvin shews God discovered the absolute need and necessity of a perfect and compleat Righteousness in order to Justification and Acceptation with God i. e. that the Creature must be without Sin or attain to a Cessation from the Thoughts of Evil which figured forth the necessity of Christ's perfect Righteousness and of that Spiritual Rest such who believe in him enter into All that are in the old Nature or whilst they remain under the old Covenant-state do labour and are heavy laden there is the six days work in the Antitype but when they come to Christ believe in Christ then they cease from their own Works and enter into Rest according as Christ hath promised Mat. 11. 28 29. then they enter into the Antitype of the Jewish Sabbath Heb. 4. 3. This also appears by the Nature of the Precept it self as laid down Exod. 20. wherein all may see it seems to be a meer carnal Ordinance like others which were imposed on the People till the Time of Reformation or till the Substance came What was it God enjoined on them but a cessation from all external Labour or Work In it thou shalt do no manner of Work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter 〈◊〉 thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor the Stranger which is within thy Gates Exod. 20. 10. Here as this Law was written in Tables of Stone are no Religious Duties enjoined on that Day but a ceasing from bodily Labour which fully shews the purport of it 4. 'T is called by the Apostle amongst other Mosaical Rites a Shadow of things to come but the Body or Substance of them is Christ Col. 2. 17. And thus you may see how to exclude Ceremonial Rites used under the Law that were joined to Moral Duties and yet preserve that which is Moral in them Doubtless though it is not our Duty to observe that Jewish Ceremony of the Seventh-Day-Sabbath which was given forth and enjoined on them yet the Law of the Fourth Commandment as to a time of Worship as before remains to us so doth Singing the Praises of God but the External Place of Jewish Worship the Time and external Rites of their Worship and the external Instruments of Musick then used in their Worship went away altogether and were buried with Christ Object Your twelfth Reply is To that we say of precomposed Forms of Preaching since the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit are ceased 〈◊〉 must now pray and preach by its ordinary Gifts and if we are allowed to use precomposed Forms of Preaching why not of they might say say you Prayer and Singing also pag. 46. Answ You seem to state this Objection not so fair as you ought because you know we do not plead for such precomposed Forms of Prayer as we do of Preaching and Singing But the Truth is if there was no more to be said against using those Forms of Prayer that some contend for than what you have said they might be lawful too Therefore I shall trouble the Reader with a recital of what you say to this Objection against precomposed Forms of Prayer and Singing and what you say for Forms of precomposed Sermons since you seem to be for one and against the other I do acknowledg say you and assert that we should not neglect Prayer till we have an Extraordinary Gift or Impulse of Spirit unto Prayer but we should constantly go to God as we can not only for continuance of those Mercies we have but for further supplies of our inward and outward Wants which are the chiefest part of Prayer But Singing proceeds from a fulness of enjoyment and is called a Breaking forth and therefore requires a greater Measure of the Holy Spirit for we can pray for what we have not but we should break forth into Singing for what we have â—therwise we mock God and draw nigh unto him with our Mouths and honour him with 〈◊〉 Lips when our Hearts are far from him and our fear towards him taught by the Precepts of Men and therefore when I consider the present State and Frame of the Churches of Jesus Christ I wonder that so many should be for Singing when their Hearts are so much below Prayer for if we should go from Saint to Saint we should find that this is the general Cry I have a dead and stony Heart I can't pray I want the Spirit Now if thus it be then where is the Spirit of Singing Will you lie and express that with your Lips to God which you have not in your Hearts Pag. 46 47. Answ The substance of what you say here is this viz. That a greater Measure of the Spirit of God is required in Singing than there is required in Praying but you give no Reason for it The Apostle saith When I pray I will pray with the Spirit and when I sing I will sing with the Spirit c. 1 Cor. 14. 15. He doth not hint he needed greater help to do the one than to do the other There is no Duty nor Ordinance of the Gospel that can be performed acceptably to God without the Spirit or the gracious Influences thereof And certainly no Man besides Mr. Marlow will say there is more need of the Spirit in its greater Influence in ordinary Occasions or in common Worship to praise God nay to sing his Praise than there is to pray and in the doing other Duties You mention that in Isa 52. 38. of Breaking forth Why is that then a Vocal Singing it was hinted by you even now to be some kind of shouting or rejoicing pag. 29. as if it was no such thing as here you seem to grant it to be when you think it will serve your turn another way But all may perceive by your arguing against Singing after the manner you do that though the Essence in your sense be in our Spirits and as others say Singing is comprehended in their Praying i. e. when they Praise God yet none of these in truth is proper Singing in your
that Men should go about to restrain or withhold Praises from the Lord which are due to his holy Name and wherein we are said to glorify him Psal 50. 23. I am perswaded they will have but little Thanks from him one day for their thus doing And truly that want of God's Presence or liveliness of Spirit or that cause of Complainings that are in our Churches of which you speak may partly arise from hence i. e. from the general neglect of this great Duty in which God of old appeared amongst his People like a cloud to fill his House with his glorious Presence 2 Chron. 5. 13. owned also by God's gracious Testimony in giving his People 〈…〉 such eminent Victories over their Enemies 2 Chron. 20. 21 22. And when they had consulted with the People and appointed Singers unto the Lord that they should praise the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for 〈◊〉 Mercy endureth for ever And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set Ambushments against the Children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir which came against Judah and they were smitten Israel's Success saith Mr. Wells follows Israel's Singing If the Lord's People will be found in their Duty they shall not want God's Presence To this I might add that glorious witness of his Presence in delivering Paul and Silas out of Prison upon their Praying and Singing Praises to him Act. 16. There may 't is true be a natural Joy or false Rapture by an erring Spirit but that Joy and Presence of God we meet with in his own Way and Ordinance nay in the same Ordinance in which he met with his People of old we may be sure is to be prized and esteemed as no natural or counterfeit Joy say you what you please If in singing Psalms Hymns c. there is no other Rule or Directions given in the New Testament differing from the Practice of the Saints before the Law under the Law and in Gospel-days performed by Christ and his Disciples Then no Christian has cause in the least to doubt but so we are to sing since 't is a Duty and injoyned on the Churches in the New Testament Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. But this I have spoken largely to already likewise See Chap. 9. In Pag. 47. of your Book you say As to Forms of Prayer and Singing you have sufficiently treated of them before and that the sufficient Gifts of the Spirit shall continue for the Worship of God in the Gospel-Church to the end of the World and therefore your Business here you say is only to shew that the using a Form of Preaching is no Example for a Form of Singing Because say you there is reason for a Form of Preaching from God's Word and Example of Christ himself who read a Text and then preached from it though as he was not so others are not limited to that or any particular Forms yet it is lawful for them and required of them to compare Spiritual Things with Spiritual and to give themselves to reading and meditation and to hold fast the form of sound Words rightly dividing the Word of Truth So that where the Scripture gives us a liberty we may use it but it is our Sin to take it where it is forbidden as you say you have shewed in a form of Prayer and Singing Answ In vain is all this for all the Saints and Ministers of Christ in all the World know there is no one form of Preaching laid down in all the Scripture We have no direct Precept nor Example to preach in the form of taking a Text of Scripture and to raise a Doctrine from it and then Generals and Particulars with Application 't is left to the faithful Servants of God to make use of such a Form or Manner as the Spirit of God may help them to and the best Form or Method they ought and do make use of which they judg may most tend to the profit of the People That place you mention of our Saviour taking a Text and then preaching from it is scarcely true however 't is a greater proof for a Form of Reading the Scripture in our Publick Assemblies than for taking a Text to preach from it The Text saith He went into the Synagogue of the Jews on the Sabbath-day and stood up to read Aud there was delivered to him the Book of the Prophet Isaias and when he had opened the Book he found the place where it was written The Spirit of the Lord is upon me c. Luk. 4. 17 18. And he closed the Book so do not we and gave it again to the Minister vers 20. And began to say unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your Ears vers 21. We read of no more he spake unto them from that Scripture And as touching those general Directions you mention of comparing spiritual Things with Spiritual c. 1 Cor. 2. 13. the Apostle doth not prescribe a Form of Preaching but shews as our Annotators observe how they did disclaim those Orations of the Athenian Philosophers using a plain and spiritual Stile giving the naked Truths of God without any paint of gawdery Phrase speaking the Oracles of God as the Oracles of God fitting Spiritual Things to Spiritual Persons or opening one Scripture by another But certain it is they preached by an Immediate and extraordinary Spirit or Inspiration And so do not we but by an ordinary Spirit from the mediate Word and therefore must study and are left to use what Method we think may be as I said before most profitable for the Edification of the People so that although the Matter of our Sermons are God's Word and so Divine and Sacred yet the Form or Method you may as well call Formal and Human as so to call our Sacred Hymns c. God hath graciously owned nevertheless this form of Preaching and daily doth for the conversion of many Sinners and so he doth our way of Singing to the comforting and refreshing the Souls of many Saints We have matter to be sung plainly expressed viz. the Word of Christ in Psalms and they are well known and also Hymns and Spiritual Songs which are also easily known by such who are Spiritual whether they be the Sacred Word of Christ as to the Matter of them or not as it may be known that the Doctrine is so which we hear preached As touching David's Psalms they are formally God's Word as well as materially so and since we are exhorted to sing Hymns and Spiritual Songs I ask whether those Hymns and Spiritual Songs could be without a Form either immediately or mediately precomposed by the Spirit and whether the Spirit of God doth not may not assist God's Servants now in precomposed Hymns as he did of old Object But may be you will say They are not in Metre in the Scripture but other words are added to make them fit to be
speak 〈◊〉 other times which they are allowed to do In Sect. 6. You speak of those prophetical places of the Psalms c. urged by us for Singing under the Gospel-days where all the Earth is exhorted to sing unto the Lord Psal 96. 1. Psal 95. 1 2. Psal 100. 1 c. 1. This you would have refer to the preaching of the Gospel i. e. as the Apostles sound went â—orth into all the Earth Rom. 10. 18. confounding Preaching and Singing together one time and Prayer and Singing at another 2. You would have it chiefly to refer to the seventh thousand Years of the World or Reigâ— of Christ hinting in your first Part as if then there shall be a Singing besides the Essence of it in their Spirits but if that thousand Years you speak of shall be before the end of the World or Gospel-Dispensation pray where lie those Precepts that will authorize them in those days to sing and yet do not authorize or warrant us to sing now Shall they have a new Bible for those Times But if the Precepts for Singing then are contained in our holy Scripture and yet do not belong to us 't is good for us to consider whether other Precepts written therein do not wholly refer to those Times too nay all Ordinances till the Spirit comes down in an extraordinary manner and so now we must throw off all Gospel-Administrations and turn Seekers I am sorry to see such Stuff as this published to the World But what I have said or cited from the Writings of other Godly Men in respect of those Prophetical Psalms and other places of Scripture that enjoin the Gentile-Churches to sing the Praises of the Lord I would have you and others consider well of before you write again In Sect. 7. you heap up a company of confused words to no purpose about premeditated Matter for Prayer to oppose premeditated Hymns c. Append. pag. 38 39 40 41 42 43 c. Answ 1. The Form of Prayer Christ hath left us is a Rule for us in Prayer and we may premeditate what we intend to lay before the Lord it appears from thence and so is the Word of Christ our general Rule by which we must premeditate and precompose our Spiritual Hymns and Songs 2. But Prayer and Singing differ the one from the other we may use other words in Prayer than what we premeditated as the Spirit of God may help us But we are limited by God's Word to sing David's Psalms or else Hymns and Spiritual Songs composed out of the Word of God Now let them be either they must be so many words and no more or else none can sing with him that has the Hymn Now we say the extraordinary â—nfluences for Singing Preaching Interpreting c. are gone therefore every Ordinance must be performed by the ordinary Gifts and Influences of the Spirit or else we must have none at all Was Singing or any other Ordinance performed in the Gospel-Days by an extraordinary Spirit not performed then also and afterwards as well and as acceptable to God by the ordinary Gifts Shew if you can that other Ordinances which had such special Gifts then to attend them as well as Singing do notwithstanding remain Ordinances and yet Singing of Psalms and Hymns doth not so continue If therefore a Man should premeditate every word of his Sermon by the Assistance of the Spirit who dares to say he speaks not by the Help of the Holy Ghost or that his Sermon is not part of Spiritual Worship 'T is no matter whether we have our Sermons or our Hymns mediately or immediately composed and brought forth provided they be Spiritual and done by the help of the Spirit But to close all Are not David's Psalms part of Spiritual Worship and are not the Churches exhorted to sing them In Sect. 8. Appendix pag. 43 44 c. in answer to what we say That our Psalms and Hymns are Spiritual though precomposed you say 1. That such Forms are not Spiritual Worship because Singinâ— in the Primitive Gospel-Times was from the special Gift of the Spirit 2. Though say you the Matter of precomposed Forms of Singing be Spiritual yet the Heart must be Spiritual too or Grace and Melody must be in exercise in performing of them The Grace of Joy must be raised in the Soul to the heighth of Melody and so break forth Or to that purpose you speak pag. 44 45. Answ 1. We need no more the special Gift in Singing to render our Singing Spiritual than those special Gifts in Preaching to render our Sermons Spiritual 2. As to have Grace in our Hearts not only in the Habit but also in the Exercise in Singing we acknowledg it is necessary to a right performance of it And so 't is in Prayer Preaching and all other Spiritual Duties of Religion And let me tell you we need no greater assistance of the Spirit in Singing than in Praying or Rejoicing therefore what signifies that which you say pag. 45. Viz. The least exercise of true Grace in our Hearts in Prayer gives Essence or Being to Prayer so the least exercise of gracious melodious Joy gives Essence to inward Singing And say you as we ought not vocally to pray in the Publick Worship of God in the Church without a sufficient Gift of the Spirit so also we ought not vocally to sing in the Church unless it be by a sufficient Gift of the Spirit And seeing we have not such a Gift we are not capable of vocal Spiritual Singing 〈…〉 we must be contented as you intimate in pag. 46. with the Essence of it in our Spirits only Answ By this way of arguing you may lay Godly Christians under Temptations about Prayer especially in the Church because they may plead they have not the Gift whereas the Grace of Prayer viz. a broken Heart is that which God chiefly looks at and so should we too This makes no more against Singing than it doth against Praying And thus I must argue upon you If I have not the Special Gift of Singing I must content my self with the Essence of it in my Heart and yet as I have shewed the essence of it is not in the heart as it is in the Voice and so since if I have not the special Gift of Prayer I must be contented with the Essence of Prayer only Heart-Prayer and not pray vocally at all But you intimate that none ought to sing but such who are in the full assurance of the Love of God But you might as well say none ought to rejoice in the Lord nor to praise him but such only as well as to say what you do here against their Singing who want that assurance But you hint in pag. 46. as if we must be satisfied with your Essence of Singing viz. inward joy in the Heart till we come to the primitive perfection of Divine Worship c. Answ We doubt not through Grace but we are come to such perfection of
For we do say and testify we believe you are wholly without Singing in any proper Sense at all The Lord give us Moderation don't let us be bitter one against another I shall beg a part in your Prayers and intreat you to look over what Weakness you may see in this small Tract for I am you know but a Babe in Christ's School and know but in part And now to you my Beloved Brethren and Sisters who meet on Horselydown whom I hope I may say are my Joy and my Crown whose Souls are most dear to me and whom I can say I truly love and long after it rejoices my Spirit to see how generally you are inlightned into this Gospel-Duty but 't is no small grief to me to see since the Church in such a solemn manner agreed to sing the Praises of God on the Lord's Day to find some of you so much offended I am perswaded 't is for want of Consideration for you have no new thing brought in among you Hath not the Church sung at breaking of Bread always for 16 or 18 Years last past and could not nor would omit it in the time of the late Persecution And have not many of the honest Hearers who have stayed to see that Holy Administration sung with you at that time and yet none of you ever signified the least trouble And have we not for this 12 or 14 Years sung in mixt Assemblies on Days of Thanksgiving and never any offended at it as ever I heard What is done more now 't is only practised oftner and sure if it be God's Ordinance the often practising of it by such who find their Hearts draw out so to do cannot be sinful And on that Solemn Day when the Church would have it put up to see 〈◊〉 the Members stood affected about Singing almost every ones Hand was up for it or to give Liberty to the Church at such times to sing And when put up in the Negative but about 5 or 6 at most as I remember were against it Did any one of you at that time say if we did proceed to sing at such times you could not have Communion with us which if you had I perceive the Church nay every one of us who had born our Burden for many Years would have born it a little longer Besides did not the Church agree to sing only after Sermon and when Prayer was ended And if those few Brethren and Sisters who were not satisfied could not stay whilst we sung they might freely go forth and we would not be offended with them so far was the Church or my self from imposing on the Consciences of any But is it not hard that some of us should so long be laid under a Burden when the Church generally was against Singing at that time and you cannot bear it now it is come to be your Lot I am afraid the noise of these things are misrepresented abroad and therefore I thought it might not be amiss to rectify Mistakes in you or any other Brethren The matter of Difference that is at present between the Church and some few of our dear and beloved Brethren and Sisters is not about Singing it self nor singing with others for that has been all along the practise of the Church for many Years as before I hinted but only about singing on the Lords Day unless it be one Member except the Judgments of any other are lately changed But my Brethren will I hope seriously consider of the Matter and labour after that Christian Love Tenderness and Forbearance the Gospel calls for We are exhorted to bear one anothers Burdens and so to fulfil the Law of Christ For the Lord's sake let us not fall out by the way and lay things grievous on one anothers Spirits for we are not Lords over one anothers Faith but Helpers of each others Joy O my Brethren pray let us all watch against Satan and strive to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace I must confess divers of you did much desire me to answer Mr. Marlow's Book before this time but I hope you will excuse my neglect for some of you know the occasion of it â—tis done now and in the fear of God recommended to your perusal And O that the Lord would be pleased to bless it to your Satisfaction then shall I have cause to praise the Lord that I undertook the Work I can â—â—y you lie near my Heart and I would do any thing I am capable of to promote Truth and Peace amongst our selves and in all the Churches of Christ If any of you should say How can we be satisfied to have Communion with the Church when we believe 't is an Innovation that 's a hard word Arâ— you Infallible Is there not ground for you to fear you are mistaken or to think in the least 't is a doubtful case since so much is to be said for it and has been so generally received from the beginning by most enlightned Saints and you your selves with the Church for so long a time been in the Practice of â—t at other times Besides can you find any ground from God's Word that will warrant you to separate your selves from the Church upon this account and also may not the same or like Scruple rise in our Spirits against having Communion with you who we beâ—ieve lie short of a plain Gospel-Ordinance â—nd so through want of light diminish from God's Word as you say we add thereto by doing of it But far be it from us to have a thought to act that way towards any of you Moreover will not such a practice of a Separation from the Church upon this account justify other Godly Christians who are Members of such Churches who do not sing that are convinced as well as we it is their Duty to separate from those Congregations to joyn with such Churches as are in this practice Doubtless that Door that will let you out of this Church will let others out of those Churches I mentioned before and there are not a few such in this City There is one thing I think good to note here to prevent any mistake that tho I call Preaching a moral Duty yet to preach the Gospel only appertains to such whom God particularly hath gifted for that Work and who have a lawful call to it I shall conclude with the words of the Holy Apostle Finally Brethren farewel be Perfect be of good Comfort be of one Mind live in Love and Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. Which is the Prayer of him Who is Your unworthy Brother fellow Servant and poor Labourer in God's Harvest B. Keach From my House near Horselydown Southwark April 3d 1691. The Contents of the chief Things contained in the insuing Treatise WHat it is to sing Page 5. That there can be no proper Singing without the Voice pag. 6. 'T is not simple Heart-joy or inward rejoicing without
and when I sing I will sing with the Spirit c. 1 Cor. 14. 15. So doth the Apostle James join them together as of equal Worth Nature and Authority James 5. 13. From all which Considerations it appears â—inging is of the same Nature with Prayer even a Moral Duty These things I thought good to communicate to the consideration of all especially for the sake of some weak Christians Object What you then say some plead for a natural or carnal thing natural Religion and Worship Away with your Singing we thought all our Religion ought to be Spiritual Answ We plead for Spiritual Worship as well as you and say That all the Parts of Religious Duties must be Spiritual or they will not be accepted of God But what is this to the purpose Divers Ordinances in their original and proper Nature are Moral and part of natural Worship Is not Prayer in particular by all acknowledged so to be And may not Prayer be carnally performed too as well as Singing nay and so may any other Ordinance of Christ Another Man will tell you whilst you plead for Prayer you plead for a Moral Duty and a Branch of natural Worship But doth that detract from its Glory No sure all wise Men know it adds greatly to it Cornelius Act. 10. 1 2 3. was a Man much in Prayer tho a Gentile and without the knowledg of the Gospel or Law either as far as we know So the Mariners which were with Jonah in the Ship in their Distress tho Heathens 't is said every Man called upon his God Jonah 1. 5. But why shall any call Singing a low or carnal thing they have the least reason so to term it of any Ordinanâ—â— performed by the Spirit Pray are Angels sound in any carnal Ordinance or thâ—â—lorified Saints in Heaven What Ordinance can shine more glorious and subliâ—â— in its Nature than this of Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs if this be duly considered But as to the true or right manner of performance of this Duty as in all others we must have our recourse to the Word of God For though Prayer is a Moral Duty yet it is commanded and also the manner prescribed how to be performed as acceptable to God so is Preaching likewise Yet every Man by the Light of Nature is taught to instruct his Children and Servants nay and his Neighbours too as Matters may present So is Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs brought under express Institution 'T is required and enjoined on the Churches and Saints of God in the Gospel-days with Matter and Manner how to be performed as shall hereafter before I have done God assisting be fully proved so that 't is a mistake in our Brethren to think we plâ—â—â— for any natural Religion that is Carnal or Fleshly Though divers Precepts were Moral in their own Nature and so part of natural Worship due to God from his Creatures and known without the written Word the Duty I mean though not the Manner how to be performed And from the whole I draw this third Argument Arg. 3. That Duty which in its Original or Primitive Nature is Moral and a Branch of Natural Worship or Religion as well as it is given forth by Divine Institutioâ— is the iâ—â—â—spensable Duty of all the Lord's People for ever â—o be found in the practice of But Singing the Praises of the Lord is a Duty or Ordinance â—n its Original or Primitive Nature that is Moral and a Branch of Natural Worship or Religion as well as it is given forth by Divine â—nstitution Ergo Singing of the Praises of God is the indispensable Duty of all the Lord's People for ever All Men know Laws or Duties which are Moral in their own Nature lay all Men under a perpetual Obligation And that Singing is of such a Nature let what we have said be well considered Hereafter if I am answered I shall say more to it if God please to spare my Life CHAP. VIII Proving Singing of Psalms c. an Ordinance of Christ from the Practice of the Saints before the Law in the Law and under the Gospel MY next Argument shall be taken from the Practice of the Saints and People of God in all Ages of the World 'T is strange any should doubt of the truth of Singing the Praises of God if it be made appear it was the Practice of the People of God before the Law and also under the Dispensation of the Gospel 1. Not wholly to pass over what I have bâ—fore hinted of the Angels Singing though I shall but touch upon it here and do little more than cite a Passage out of a Sermon preach'd by Reverend Mr. Wells in the Supplement to the Morning Exercise these 〈◊〉 his words Singing is the Musick of Angâ—â—â— Job tells us the Morning Stars sang together Job 38. 7. Now these Morning Stars saith he as Pineda tells us are the Angels to which the Chaldee Paraphrase accords naming these Morning Stars Aciem Angelorum aâ— Host of Angels nay when this heavenly Host was sent to proclaim the Birth of oâ—â— dearest Jesus they deliver their Message in this raised way of Duty Luk. 2. 13. they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delivering their Message in a laudatory Singing the whole company of Angels making a musical Quire nay in Heaven there is the Angels joyous Musick they sing Hallelujahs to the most High and to the Lamb who sits upon the Throne Rev. 5. 11. As I said before Singing as it appears by this Singing of the Angels is as ancient as the World it self and well-pleasing unto God he would never imply his Angels else in it as I shewed in the second Chapter But to our Business First That it was practised before the giving forth of the Law is evident from that â—assage before mentioned Exod. 15. 1 2 c. â—hen sang Moses and the Children of Israel 〈◊〉 Sâ—ng unto the Lord and spake saying I â—ill sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed â—â—oriously c. and spake Note in Singing here is a speaking and though they spake â—et the Holy Ghost saith they sang what they 〈◊〉 spake and though it were the whole Conâ—regation that sang yet it was as if it were â—ut one Man so united were they in their â—oice which will further appear in its proper place Also 't is worthy observing this very â—ong the Gospel-Saints shall sing at the destruâ—tion of Babylon Rev. 15. 3. Nay some conâ—lude they have already sung it though I am â—ot of that Opinion not believing any of the 〈◊〉 Viaâ—â— are by the seven Angels yet poured â—ut but that this Song shall be sung at that â—ime when the Saints have gotten temporal Victory over the Beast and Mystical Babylon is evident But let none mistake though the Saints can't yet sing that Song yet they may and ought to sing the Song of the Lamb which is to praise God for spiritual Victory obtain'd by Jesus Christ over Sin
Secondly That we have Precedents for it in the Old Testament And say I it being no ceremonial Rite but a moral and perpetual Duty that in the Old Testament is as much a Rule for us herein as their religious reading the Scriptures and keeping of Days of Prayer and Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving if this be not so in vain are our People pressed and stirred up to those Duties by the Authority of those Texts in the Old Testament as I said in Chap. 4. pag. 47. Besides we find 't is prophesied of that in Gospel-days as has been shewed Sions Watchmen and desolate Souls or waste places should lift up their Voice and with their Voice together shall sing Isa 52. 7 8. And certainly that in Rev. 19. 1 2 3 4. those Hallelujahs that shall be sung in the Gospel-Churches at the downfal of Babylon will be doubtless with Voices since 't is said to be the Voice of much People as the Voice of many Waters and as the Voice of mighty Thunderings Christ saith Mr. Cotton and his Disciples when they received the Lord's-Supper which was a Church-Act they were an intire Congregation and they after Supper sung an Hymn To say that one sung it saith he and the others joined in Spirit saying Amen hath no foot-hold in the Text it might as well be said they all took the Bread they all blessed it and gave it in that one did it and all the rest joyned in Spirit and consented in that and in the blessing of it But 't is said they sung the Hynm not he alone yet he is said to give Thanks or to bless the Bread c. It is no strain of Wit saith he 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 Platform and Patern of the New Testament whereas the four living Creatures are four sorts of Officers so the twenty four Elders set forth the Brethren of the Church in respect of their ripe Age Gal. 4. 1 2 3. and twenty four in number answering to the twenty four Orders of Priests and Levites 1 Chron. 25. 9 c. and these are all said to joyn together in singing a new Song unto the Lamb. If his Exposition may not be admitted yet all Expositors agree that by the four Beasts and twenty four Elders are meant the Church and the Officers in the Church and then their singing together doth confirm the manner of Gospel-singing with united Voices together in God's Worship Object But what ground is there for the Church to joyn in singing of Psalms c. with Vnbelievers Answ 1. Unbelievers joyning with them is one thing and their joyning with Unbelievers is another And since 't is a Church-Ordinance as we have clearly proved all along it is what Rule or Ground hath the Church to put Unbelievers forth of their Assemblies if they knew them from others there may be Unbelievers in the Church and there may be Believers out of the Church 2. What ground hath the Church to pray with Unbelievers certainly the Communion together in Spirit is more close and intimate than that of uniting the Voice so that if it be unlawful to let them sing with us 't is unlawful to let them in their Hearts joyn in Prayer with us Must not the Children have their Bread because Strangers will get some of it Besides in the Church of Corinth when Singing was brought in amongst them as well as a Doctrine c. the Apostle speaks of Unbelievers coming into their Assemblies and 't is one Reason he gives why they should take heed to prevent Confusion and not to suffer one to bring in a Doctrine or many together and another an Interpretation and another a Psalm to put them all on Singing and so have all these Ordinances confounded together in a disorderly and confused manner So 1 Cor. 14. vers 26. compared with vers 23. 3. If Singing be a part of natural Religion or a moral Duty as Prayer is this Objection is gone for ever So that he that answers what we say here will do nothing unless he can make it appear Singing the Praises of God is a meer positive Precept and had never been known to be the Duty of Mankind without some written Law or Prescription Are not all Creatures called upon to sing and praise their Creator and have not Unbelievers cause to praise God nay sing his Praise for the Mercies and Blessings God doth bestow upon them Nay have they not cause to praise God for Christ and the Gospel c. What is Singing but praising of God And would you not have â—ny to do this but the Saints Ought not all Men on Earth to pray tho till they have Faith their Prayers are not accepted of God I shall conclude this Chapter with what Mr. Sidenham hath so well said to this Objection Many who grant Singing to be an Ordinance saith he among Saints yet stumble to sing in a promiscuous manner with others especially because so many Psalms c. are of such composition that doth not seem to concern a mixt multitude For opening of this I must lay down this general Position That Prayer and Praises are natural Duties belonging to all Men as Men though only the Saints can do them best and spiritually it is so upon all Men by the Law of Creation to seek to God for what they want and to thank him for what they have this is due unto God owing unto him as Creator and Benefactor and though Singing be a part of instituted Worship yet it is as an addition of Order and a regulation of a natural Duty And as there is no Man but is bound to pray for Mercies so none are exempted from praising God for Mercies though they sing in a lowâ—â— Tune than Saints Thus David calls in 〈◊〉 Creatures to bless and praise God as a natural Duty according to their several Capacities Psal 136. Psal 117. Psal 10â— Psal 20. 21 22. Praise is the natural Duty of all the proper Duty of Saints and 〈◊〉 perfect Duty of Angels and glorified Souls Object You will say They cannot perfâ—â—â— it aright Sol. 1. Their want of Ability doth 〈◊〉 discharge them from such a Duty engravâ—â— on their Consciences from the natural respects they have to God as a Creator 〈◊〉 perform which God gave them full power Let every Man do his Duty conscientiously he may afterwards come to do it spiritually 〈◊〉 though I should lose the sense of a Duty iâ— my Conscience yet the Duty lies on my Conscience from God's Authority and my Relation to him By the same Rule every one should abstain from performance of a Duty for 〈◊〉 of present Ability whereas the Duty muâ—â— be done and strength expected from Heaven and waited for according to the divinâ— manner of Dispensation 2. It 's not unlawful to join in any Act with others or to countenance them in
Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. That as the Priesthood or Leviâ—â—s sung together under the Law with Instruments of Musick it might typify out how the whole Church should sing spiritually with Grace in their Hearts to the Lord together under the Gospel You say in the next place pag. 15. Object There is no Institution to sing David's Psalms and that Christ nor his Apostles ever 〈◊〉 practised And also if the Apostles had occasion to translate any Text out of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 the Greek they did never turn them into Metre Answ There is an Institution to sing David ' s Psalms Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. If there be 〈◊〉 â—ther Psalms mentioned in the Scripture besides David's Psalms or the Book of Psalms and the Churches are required to sing Psalms as well 〈◊〉 Hymns Then there is a Gospel-Institution for singing of David's Psalms But there are no other Psalms mentioned in the Scripture besidâ—â— David's Psalms or the Book of Psalms and the Churches are required to sing Psalms as well as Hymns Ergo. The singing of David's Psalms or Psalms contained in the Book of Psalms is a Gospel-Institution That the Churches are required to sing Psalms we have shewed again and again Eph. 5. 19. If there be any other Psalms besides what are contained in the Book of Psalms which are so called you must shew which they be and then we will use those which we shall have the clearest ground to judg the Spirit of God may intend As to their translating any of them into Metre out of Hebrew into Greek it is remote to the Business we know not they did translate any Scripture at all out of Hebrew into Greek III. Of prescribed and precomposed Songs and Hymns First say you If the Essence of Singing as before is shewed consisteth in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man and that both the Matter and the Melody of it proceedeth from the inward Graces and Operations of the Holy Spirit with the Word then surely no humane prescribed Form of Singing can be accepted of God but that which proceedeth from the Word of God by the Dictates and Teachings of the Holy Spirit You mention Ephes 5. 18 19. Col. 3. 16. Pag. 15. Again pag. 16. Now the Essence of Singing consisteth of these two parts viz. Matter from the Word and Melody by the Spirit So that neither the Word nor the Spirit can be wanting and therefore whatsoever Forms are used which proceed not from within us out of a Fulness and Enriching of the Word and Spirit cannot be Spiritual Singings Answ Brother who do you encounter with now 'T is evident this doth not concern as you need not have taken so much time and pains to prove that which no Body that I know denies But before I come to reply to that I cannot but take notice how you hug your former Notion of Essence of Singing but I perceive your have found out the Essence of Singing is not in the Spirit alone but it has Matter and Form too the Matter you say is God's Word there you are right you say The Melody lies in the Heart that is partly true but there must be something else added to the Essence of Singing or else you have it not and that is the chief thing the only thing from whence it 's called Singing that is a melodious Voice add that and then you plead for Singing take that away and 't is no more than inward Joy or Rejoicing Singing Mr. Caryl tells you is an Act of the Voice 'T is a melodious Noise do not mistake your self in one of the most plain and easiest Acts of the Bâ—dily Organ or Act of the Tongue But to the Business no Hymn must be made nor composed from God's Word it appears without the help and assistance of the holy Spirit I am of your Mind But I hope you do not mean the miraculous or extraordinary Help or Operations of the Spirit because you are a speaking of the Administrations of the Gospel and Gospel-Worship in general Now there are two things to be â—â—â—â—â—dered in bringing forth a Doctrine viz. That 't is agreeable to the Word of God he that compiles a Sermon must be sure to see 't is God's Word i. e. congruous thereunto and provable therefrom or else 't is humane 2. He must bring forth and preach it by the help and assistance of the Spirit also or else it may still be Human no Divine Sermon So and in like manner in compiling of an Hymn it must be as to the matter the Word of Christ Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs singing c. Col. 3. 19. See here the Direction for the matter of an Hymn or spiritual Song it must be in general the Word of Christ as it must be the Word of Christ that is to be preached Even so also aâ— Hymn c. must be we say compiled out of the Word of Christ and in singing of it there must be the assistance of the holy Spirit But now will you say we have not the Spirit of Christ in composing the Hymn which is part of Christ's Word Take heed you are too full of hard Words and Censures another may nay and some do say so too we have no Rule to compose a Sermon and I will say and testify I know no more Rule for a precomposed Sermon to be preached than for a precomposed Hymn that is to be sung and I am satisfied I have equally in them both the like assistance of the Spirit Your speaking here of the Spiritualness of the Gospel above the Law doth nothing in your case We grant it and say Our Singing differs now under the Gospel as to the Spirituality of it to that under the Law as much as my other Gospel-Service or Worship doth Our Sermons are no more made for us in God's Word than our Hymns are and we have equal Direction in both these weighty â—â—ses and I must tell you this way of 〈◊〉 you use is enough if People did observe it to overthrow all visible Worship and Ordinances unless we could make it appear 〈◊〉 we had the immediate and extraordinary help of the Spirit in the discharge of them Away â—â—ith one with your carnal and human preaching 't is a Form invented and done by Art will you call this Gospel-preaching The Apostles 〈◊〉 as they were moved by a mighty Spirit within them you must preach by immediate inspiration and not precomposed Sermons or else your Sermons are formal Thus you open a Door for Quakerism and throw Stâ—â—bling-blocks before the weak I intreat you to consider of it 2. Doubtless what the Apostles did by an extraordinary Spirit in bringing in a Doctrine and an Interpretation c. is a Rule for us in the ordinary Gifts for they preached and prayed c. by the wonderful or extraordinary Influences of the Spirit and
because we have not those Gifts must we not be found in this Ordinance viz. to sing which is required in the New Testament we by the same Argument must lay all others aside likewise as the None-Churches have done from such a way of arguing as you use here the Lord deliver us But what you speak on this occasion doth not concern them that sing David's Psalms therefore if composed Hymns were not justified by God's Word as comprehended in Hymns and spiritual Songs Col. â— 16. then the Book of Psalms as our Brethren say are wholly intended and then they must be sung and them only but we see no reason so to believe Eusebiw speaks of the Christians singing of Hymns to Christ as to God in the first Century which shews it was the Practice of the Church in the Primitive Times to sing other Hymns besides those in the Book of Psalms As to Forms of Prayer the Lord hath left us a Form by which we are directed how to pray and so he has left us his Word and the Psalms of David that we may know how to compile our Hymns as well as our Sermons by the help and assistance of his Spirit there is no more a Form of Preaching left than there is a Form of Hymns and what tho Christians differ in their singing they also differ in their method or form of Preaching as much and your Argument say you what you will 〈◊〉 alike against the one as against the other But is it unlawful to premeditate what we design to ask of God in Prayer Have not some in Prayer and Fasting-days in Churches drawn 〈◊〉 several things as a Form of those Cases 〈◊〉 they agreed together to spread before the Lord and is this Form sinful think you But 〈◊〉 of this hereafter IV. Of Womens Singing Object You say Women ought not to sing in the Church because not suffered to speak in the Church and also because singing is teaching By the way then it appears the bare Melody in the Heart where you say is the Essence of Singing that is not Singing by your own Assertion Thus you destroy what you would build Answ But if Women may not speak nor â—â—ach in no sense in the Church they must not be admitted to give an account of their Conversion in the Church or how God was pleased to work upon their Souls for that Practice is full of Teaching and Instruction and has been blessed to the Conversion of some other Persons that have been by But I will be at the pains to transcribe what worthy Mr. Cotton hath said to this Objection it appears others have brought it before you The second scruple about Singers is saith he whether Women may sing as well as Men for in this Point there be some deal with us as Pharaoh dealt with the Isrâ—â—litesâ— who tho he was at first utterly unwilling that any of them should go to sacrifice 〈◊〉 the Lord in the Wilderness yet being 〈◊〉 length convinced that they must go then 〈◊〉 was content the Men should go but not 〈◊〉 Women Exod. 10. 11. So here some that were altogether against singing of Psalmâ—â— at all with lively Voices yet being convinced that it is a Moral Worship of God warranted in Scripture then if there must be a singing one alone must sing not all 〈◊〉 if all the Men only and not the Women He then mentions your Objection to which he replies 1. One Answer saith he may at once remove both Scruples and withal clear the Truth it is apparent by the Scope and Context of both these Scriptures that a Woman is not permitted to speak in the Church 1. By way of teaching whether in expounding or applying Scripture for this the Apostle accounteth an Act of Authority which is unlawful for a Woman to usurp over the Man 1 Tim. 2. 13. And besides the Woman is more subject to Error than the Man ver 14. and therefore might sooner prove a Seducer if she became a Teacher 2. Yet nevertheless in two cases it is clear a Woman may speak in the Church â— In way of Subjection when she is to give account of her Offence thus Peter questioned Sapphira before the Church touching the price of Land sold by her and her Husband c. and she accordingly spake in the Church to give her Answer to the Question Acts 5. 8. 2. In way of singing forth the Praises of God together with the rest of the Congregation for 't is evident the Apostle layeth no greater restraint upon Women for silence in the Church than the Law put upon them before for so himself speaketh in the place alledged 1 Cor. 14. 34. it is not permited to a Woman to speak but to be under Subjection 〈◊〉 also saith the Law 2. The Apostle then requireth the same Subjection in the Woman which the Law put upon them Now it is certain the Law yea the Law-giver Moses did permit Miriam and the Women in the Song of Thansgiving to sing the Praises of God Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea which may be a ground sufficient to justify the lawfulness of Womens singing together with the Men the Praises of the Lord and accordingly in the Primitive Churches it was the ancient Practice of Women to sing the publick Praises of the Lord we read recorded in the Ecclesiastical History Socrates Chap. 18 Greek Copy and Chap. 16. of the Latin Theodoret's third Book Chap. 17. Obj. But say you there is no Institution for Womens Singing Answ No need 't is a Moral Duty You may ask whether they are to praise God as well and demand a word of Institution for their Breaking of Bread with the Church for you know some demand a Proof for that V. Of the Order of Singing What need you talk of Order about Singing or of Womens Singing when the Essence of it being in the Heart is sufficient though the Act or Thing it self be never done But to proceed This you say we have plainly and clearly delivered to us 1 Cor. 14. 20 to 34. How is it then Brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath an Interpretation let all things be done to edifying That which you infer from hence is that this is the Rule for our Practice viz. one by one or one after another must speak and exercise their Gifts and not all together and so he that has the Gift of a Psalm he is singly or alone by himself to sing as in Prayer and Preaching Answ The Apostle directs that Church in the exercise of extraordinary Gifts There was 't is clear confusion about the exercises of those Gifts in the Church of Corinth it seems this was their practice some times viz. Every one of them who had a Doctrine and that had a Psalm and so of the rest would come forth with them together May be many
their Voice with one accord to God and yet did as you conclude do no more than pray as we do that is only one was the Mouth Answ 1. Some say they lifted up their Voice by an extraordinary manner by a miraculous Spirit that was upon them and all uttered the same thing together Prayer-wise 2. Others say they lifted up their Voice together in Singing And I find one great Author calling this the Apostles Song 'T is evident the Matter they uttered is part of the Second Psalm 3. Our Annotators intimate as if all their Voices were joined together in saying Amen Now there can be nothing concluded or inferred on any certainty for your purpose from hence If I should say that as they prayed for so they did the Text says yet when 't is said they lifted up their Voice to God with one accord they sung the Second Psalm it may be as probably so as any thing else However I have made it appear plain that it may be said there is a Praying together though but one is the Mouth but there is no Singing together 〈◊〉 but one sings and the rest are silent and sing not In your sixth place you reply to that in Acts 16. 25. about Paul and Silas singing Praifes you say just nothing pag. 32. For though Hymnos is nto praise yet say the Learned 't is such a Praising as is by Singing Here I perceive you would quarrel again with the Translators 't is plain you are not willing to have any Singing to be in your Bible If there is no Singing you should not have told us so much about the Essence of it don't abuse the Text 't is not said they prayed and praised God but 't is said they prayed and sung Praises unto God Though all Singing to God is a praising of him yet all Praising is not a Singing his Praises Your seventh Reply is from that in Ephes 5. 19. Your chief Business here is to shew how Psalms Hymos and Spiritual Songs are rendered Pray Brother let you and I leave those nice Distinctions to better Scholars than you or I pretend to be Some do say they refer wholly to the Titles of the Book of Psalms others 〈◊〉 the Psalms of David and to all Sacred Hymns and Songs Besides these 1. Here is Singing enjoined that 's evident 2. Here is the Word of Christ prescribed as the Matter in general to be sung 3. Here are Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs as the Form and this cannot be denied without palpable Violence offered to the Spirit But you would not have Old-Testament Names given to New-Testament Things in Singing but give no reason for it Prayer was called Prayer in the Old Testament and Praises called Praises and Laws called Ordinances and so they are called in the New And why not Singing calling Singing and Psalms of David called Psalms and Hymns called Hymns in the New Testament as well as in the Old These Cavils argue you want Matter to object against Christ's Ordinance of Singing as you fain would do You intimate as if the Holy Ghost had injoined Singing of such Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs that no Body knows what they be but you think they may be known hereafter as if we had an imperfect Gospel and can't understand the Duties of it till some extraordinary effusion of the Spirit comes upon us So it may be objected in other Cases as the Quakers do about Baptism and the Lord's Supper who cry down our Ordinances as none of those the Holy Ghost gave forth nor our Preaching neither but they are all spiritual Things and must be done by a Spirit of Inspiration pag. 34 35. Nothing can be more 〈◊〉 nor destructive to the Christian Religiâ—â— than such arguing as you use Your eighth Reply is to our proof of Singâ—â— being a Moral Duty and the substance of 〈◊〉 you say to this is 1. That the Wicked 〈◊〉 perform Moral Duties acceptably to God 〈◊〉 plowing of the Wicked being Sin and wince 〈◊〉 Minds are Carnal they cannot perform 〈◊〉 which is Spiritual And in regard they 〈◊〉 not their Sins nor need of a Christ they 〈◊〉 no cause to sing Or to this effect I find 〈◊〉 speaking pag. 37. Answ Doth it follow because they cannot 〈◊〉 nor praise God as they ought they ought 〈◊〉 to pray nor praise God at all God deliâ—â— them from such Doctrine And because 〈◊〉 cannot bless God nor sing to him for the work of Grace on their own Hearts or for 〈◊〉 Spiritual Mercies which they have not yet 〈◊〉 ought they not to sing his Praises for 〈◊〉 Works of God in Creation Provision Preâ—â—vation and all outward Blessings they have 〈◊〉 from him as their Creator and Beneâ—â—ctor Nay may they not sing his Praises for 〈◊〉 and the Gospel and for the Means of 〈◊〉 Conversion And why then did David 〈◊〉 upon all Men on Earth to sing and praise God I find you are so lift up here as to cry out against Forms that God hath ordained to be used 〈◊〉 there are many Forms of things that are 〈◊〉 and of Divine Institution All Spiritual Ordinances have Matter and Form 〈◊〉 is no Prayer nor Sermon neither tho ne'r 〈◊〉 Spiritual but it has its Form We read of 〈◊〉 Form of Doctrine Form of sound Words Baptism and Breaking of Bread have their Forâ—â— And if Men must attend as helps upon 〈◊〉 Forms of Religion they must do nothing 〈◊〉 mind wholly that which you call the Essence 〈◊〉 things within their Spirits But what is here 〈◊〉 gainsay what we say that this is a Moral Duty Moral Duties are perpetually obliging 〈◊〉 must be done as well as Men are able to 〈◊〉 them Must not all Men worship and adore the blessed God and discharge their Duties according to the Light and Law of God in their Consciences as far as they may be helped Why 〈◊〉 they suffered to hear the Gospel preached they cannot hear it you may say aright who havâ— not Faith therefore must not hear at all Your ninth Reply is to that about the continual Cause Christians have to praise God â—ay to celebrate his Praises in the highest manneâ— they are able and therefore as we say to sing his Praises in his Publick Worship This in general you grant Yet you say it doth not follow from thence we should so sing his Praises 1. Because in this Life our Joys and Consolations are mix'd with Sorrow and Affliction c. We are in our Sackcloth State c. Answ I have answered this twice already 〈◊〉 What though we have Sorrow and Afflictions 〈◊〉 God lose his Praises therefore As sorrowâ—â— saith Paul yet always rejoicing Nay 〈◊〉 have cause to 〈◊〉 â—nd praise God for Afâ—â—ctions and for his Presence and Help in and 〈◊〉 them Did not Christ and his Disciples sing just 〈◊〉 the most dismal Time of Sorrow and 〈◊〉 and Paul and Silas sung when in 〈◊〉 and their Feet were in the Stocks And 〈◊〉 not the
gone must all Gospel and Spiritual Forms go too In all Administrations we should see to our Spirits that they be not formal but that with Life and Spirituality we perform every Duty c. Have we not a kind of Form prescribed us by our Brethren and Sisters and others too when they put up their Bills and tell us what they would have us to ask or desire of God for them this would run us into strange Scruples Must we tell them they must not put words into our Mouths we must pray as the Spirit moves us and can't tell whether we shall pray for them or no Your eleventh Reply is this viz You intimate that we say that Prayer under the Gospel is an Ordinance of the same nature it was under the Law and therefore Singing under the Gospel may be of the same nature c. To this you say that it is true that private Prayer is a Duty of the same nature under the Gospel as it was under the Law But their Prayers you say were delivered formerly with dark Shadows and carnal Ordinances for whilst the Priest was offering the Sacrifices the Priests and Levites in Songs with Instruments of Musick delivered such Prayers and Psalms and Praises as were appointed for the publick Service of God Therefore say you whatsoever Singing hath been or still may be in Gospel-times may as well differ from the Old-Testament-Temple-singing Answ Here you have wounded your self and not us in the least It appears your Exception lies against our praying in Gospel-times as much as against our singing from thence For we must not sing with united Voices with Grace in our Hearts to the Lord or at leastwise the singing in such a form or manner under the Law is no Rule for us because they sing not only with their Voices but had Musical Instruments also Why now I reason thus We must not pray with our Voice in Gospel-days or at leastwise the Saints so praying under the Law can be no Rule for us because they had dark Shadows mixt with their Prayers as you affirm they had so that since we have the Essence of both these Duties in our Spirit which God looks more â—â—pecially at and we are capable to worship him acceptably without the Verbal and Vocal Instruments of our Body we must not with our Tongues neither pray ner sing the Praises of God the one follows as naturally from the Premises as the other by which all may see the Consequences of your Arguments against Singing Alas the true matter of the case is this If People would be rightly informed Vocal Prayer is God's Ordinance and a Moral Duty as well as instituted and the Saints praying and keeping Days of Fasting and Prayer and Days of Thanksgiving under the Law is a Rule for us but all Shadows and Ceremonies they used in Prayer under that Dispensation is nailed to the Cross of Christ or buâ—ied with him And so in like manner the singing the Praises of God with our Voices is God's holy Ordinance and a Moral Duty tho brought also under Institution yet all those Shadows and Ceremonies that they used in their singing under the Dispensation of the Law as Instruments of Musick c. are nailed to the Cross and buried with Christ as being Ceremonial The like might be said in respect of Preaching then and now for there were some things then in thaâ— Administration that might be shadowing yeâ— Preaching abides God's Ordinance for ever 〈◊〉 not in the Ministers Preaching under that Dispensation yet 't is evident to be so in respect 〈◊〉 that Maintenance God appointed his Ministers then May you not say that the Ministers of Chrisâ— under the Gospel ought not to have any Maintenance at all allowed them or at leastwise that Law of God that provided for his Ministerâ— under that Dispensation is no Rule for it because that was by Tythes c. which was 〈◊〉 Legal Right and abrogated by Christ 'T is known some have drawn such an Inference but I am glad to see our London-Elders better instructed for in the late Treatise called The Gospel-Ministers Maintenance vindicated which is recommended to all the Churches by them joyntly you may see tho they granâ— Tithes did appertain to the Mosaical Law and that that Law is abrogated yet they affirm the Equitableness of that Law remains And from hence they urge and press the Duty of the Ministers Maintenance now in Gospel-days on our People Take the words as they lie in that Book pag. 109. The Lord's People ought to be as careful in the discharge of their-Duty to Christ's Ministers now as the Israelites were to the Levites tho as we have already said their Portion is not the Tenths of Mens Increase nor the first Fruits which Law is abrogated yet the Equity of that Law that is a Moral Duty remaineth perpetually as the Apostle observes Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they that wait at the Altar partake of the Altar c. 1 Cor. 9. 13. Why even so it is in the case of singing the Praises of God Under the Mosaical Law the Lord's People used Musical Instruments in that Ordinance which was a Legal Rite and is abrogated but Singing is a Duty still and from hence too it appears so to be upon the very same scot of Account viz. because the Equity of it in all respects remains and is the same i. e. God deserves equally to be praised now as then 〈◊〉 there is the same reason we should sing his Praises now as they had Nay since we have received greater Grace greater Light clearer Discoveries of his Will and greater and more glorious Blessings and Priviledges than they had we having the Substance of those things which they had but the Shadow of there is more reason we should sing the Praises of God now than they had then For now under the Gospel the time of singing of Birds is come Cant. 2. 12. 〈◊〉 't is to be done more spititually without Musical Instruments only with our Voices together with Grace in our Hearts to the Lord Col. 3. 16. In like manner also Israel in their assembling together to worship God which also is a moral Duty had then a glorious external Temple to worship in as well as Musical Instruments in their Worship but because 〈◊〉 under the Gospel have no such glorious external Temple must we not meet together to worship God at all or was their assembling together so to do no Rule for us to perform that great religious Duty 't is easy to 〈◊〉 Ceremonial Rites and places then used from moral and perpetual Ordinances and to shew how those external Rites and Shadows are gone and yet that part which is moral remains forever The same holdeth good in respect of the Jewish Day of Worship as well as to their Place of Worship and Musick in their Worship for there is no more natural or
judgment for it it be you contend against that which all Christians say they do own and perform But to proceed There may be 't is plain an extraordinary Spirit of Prayer at some times and an extraordinary Influence in Preaching and an extraordinary Occasion to perform those Duties likewise and so in Singiug But must not we therefore be found in the performance of each of these Duties at any other time And have not all true Christians always in themselves the chiefest cause or ground of Singing forth the Praises of God that can be viz. the consideration of Redeeming and Regenerating Grace though sometimes to such degrees they do not find that liveliness in their Spirits to do it Moreover we ought to strive to be filled with the Spirit that we may both Pray Preach and Hear also But sometimes we have not those fillings of the Spirit in such a measure as at other times yet must Pray Preach Hear and Sing also for the Argument or Motive of Singing as of our other Duties doth not lie in our being so exactly qualified to do it or in our extraordinary fitness for the Duty but in the requirement of God 't is his Ordinance and may be our Sin if we are not so fit to praise God as we should be nor are no more fit to pray and hear the Word preached Object But some may object Doth not James only injoin Singing of Psalms when People are merry or find great cause of inward Joy in the Lord Answ No by no means this must not be granted for if so then People must never pray but when they are afflicted Do but read the Text Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 5. 13. Sure 't is the Duty of the Lord's People to pray as well when they are not afflicted but are in Health and in Prospirity 't is always on fit and proper Occasions to be done but when afflicted more especially then in a more than ordinary manner to be in the Duty of Prayer So and in the like manner 't is our Duty to rejoice and sing the Praises of God always on all proper Occasions but when any are more then ordinarily lifted up with the Goodness of God or filled with the Comforts of the Holy Spirit which is intended doubtless in that phrase Is any Merry then they should in an especial manner sing Psalms or Hymns of Praises to God Also from hence we may argue that as it is the Duty of one afflicted Person thus by himself to pray so when the whole Church is afflicted they in an especial manner should keep days of Prayer together and so they oftentimes do on such an account Yet it is the Duty of the Church to pray at other times notwithstanding Why so it is in the case of Singing when the whole Church of God hath received some signal Mercies in an especial manner they ought together to give Thanks to God and sing his Praise but yet notwithstanding they ought to sing the Praises of God at other times as well as pray at other times and nothing is in the least hinted here in this place by the Apostle James to the contrary Object But we have no Command to sing in our Publick Assemblies either before or after Sermon nor any Precedent that any Gospel-Church did so Answ You must take heed and avoid needless Questions and Contentions We have no Command to pray in our Publick Assemblies either before or after Sermons nor no Precedent that any Gospel-Church did so Must we not use that Practice therefore I am sure this Argument is as strong against the one as 't is against the other Obj. But we are commanded to pray always and that is a very convenient time when the Word of God is preached every thing is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Answ So we are commanded to rejoice evermore 1 Thess 5. 16. and in every thing to give thanks to God Phil. 4. 4 6. And to sing his Praises is the highest way or manner of rejocing and giving Thanks to God we are capable of attaining to as it appears in all the Scripture And also by the example of the Holy Angels who this way rejoice and give Thanks to God Besides the Preacher may pray before he comes out of his Closet or secretly in his Heart when in the Pulpit and answer those general Precepts so that you may see what such kind of Cavilings will bring us to 'T is evident we read of several Sermons the Apostle Peter preached and Paul too and some of them in Church-Assemblies but no more mention is made of praying before or after their Sermons than is of their Singing And is it not as convenient a time when we hear the Excellencies of Jesus Christ and the infinite Love of God and the Happiness of Believers opened then to sing and praise God as it is a proper Season to pray to God for a Blessing upon the Word there is the like parity of Reason for the one as there is for the other If any has the advantage 't is the Ordinance of Singing for two Reasons the one is a Precept the other a Precedent The Precept is given us by David containing a Prophecy of the Gospel-days and Gospel-Church Psal 100. 1. Make a joyful Noise unto the Lord all ye Lands Come before his presence with Singing So Psal 95. O Come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful Noise to the Rock of our Salvation And vers 2. Let us make a joyful Noise unto him with Psalms This all People i. e. the Gentile-Churches are required to do as well as others and to do it too when they come into the Presence of God which 〈◊〉 Expositors say intends our coming into God's Presence in his Publick Worship Moreover the Watch-men and desolate Places or Souls who have been like desolate Places saith 〈◊〉 Prophet shall lift up the Voice with the Voice together shall they sing Isa 52. 7 8. And these Watch-men are those whose Feet are beautiful 〈◊〉 the Mountains who preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad-tidings of good things And this very Text the Apostle applies in geâ—â—â—al to Gospel-Ministers in their publick Preaching of Christ in Christian Assemblies see Rom. 10. 15. But we having so largely in this Treatise opened this we shall say no more to it here As touching Examples we have the Church of God viz. Israel of old who sung together in Exod. 15. 1. and in many other places 〈◊〉 always generally when they came together to worship God as they prayed to him so they sang Praises to him which we have proved is no Ceremony of Moses's Law but a Moral Duty and so a Perpetual Ordinance And in the New-Testament we have the Example of Christ himself with his Disciples who after that part of Publick Worship viz. celebrating the Holy Supper sung an Hymn together O how sad a thing is it
out by the Spirit and enjoyned on the Churches which is enough to shake the Faith of our People in respect of other Ordinances which they have as much reason to say may not belong to us but shall be practised in time to come when the Church as the Seekers say shall attain its first or original Purity See Pag. 27. of his Discourse 5. And lastly like a wary and fore-seeing Man to be sure to carry his Cause he retires to his last Fort and Strong-hold and affirms That the Ordinance of singing of Psalms Hymns c. was only in the Primitive Time performed by an extraordinary Gift and unless we have such a Gift we must not sing the Praises of God now in these days Tho I have said enough to detect this 〈…〉 Conceit yet since he leads me in this Path I must I perceive reply again as I have already done that this Objection lies equally against Prayer Preaching and interpreting the Scripture c. sith all these Gospel-Duties and Ordinances in the Primitive and Apostolical Days were performed by the said extraodinary Gifts of the Spirit If he could make this appear there was no need for him to trouble us with the Greek word nor with any of his other Mediums he uses to exclude Gospel-Singing it cannot but appear by this last shift he acknowledges that Singing is somewhat more than that Praising of God he speaks of But these things betray the Man's Integrity or rather his Weakness and shew he doth not argue but plays the part of a Sophister though not a cunning One because his Nakedness plainly appears to the meanest Capacity through his pittiful threadbare Covering For if he had thought his other Mediums would have 〈◊〉 his turn or held the Test we should not have I am perswaded heard any of this But however we will come to examine his pretended Arguments he brings to prove this Affertion His first Argument to prove Singing was always performed from a special Gift is in Appendix pag. 14. For as the Grace of 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 of the Spirit saith he and 〈◊〉 God had 〈◊〉 the Oil viz. the Spirit of Joy for Mourning so the primitive Church had some earnest of it and did rejoice in hope of the Glory of God and through the abundance of the Spirit wherewith she was baptized her Ministers delivered the Word of God in extraordinary ways and manners viz. by Prophesying Tâ—â—gues and melodious Singing Answ 1. Have not Believers now the Holy Spirit as well as they had it then though not in such an extraordinary manner And have not we the Fruit of it i. e. Joy Peace c. in believing Also you mistake your self Joy doth not appertain to the Gifts of the Spirit but 't is a â—ruit of the Graces of the Spirit Do not the Saints now rejoice in hope of the Glory of God as well as they did then There is no such cause or ground from the Reception of Tongues or the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit as you intimate to sing the Praises of God For many our Saviour saith shall say in that Day We have prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name have done many wonderful Works To whom he will say Depart from me I know ye not And the Apostle saith Though I speak with Tongues of Men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal 1 Cor. 13. 1. From whence it appears that inward Joy and Peace of which you speak as the Cause of Singing in the Apostles Times did not flow from that extraordinary Gift of the Spirit but from the saving Graces of the Spirit either it flows from the consideration of common or external Mercies and Blessings wherein all are concerned to sing the Praises of God who gives them fruitful Seasons filling their Hearts with Joy and Gladness or else it flows from those special and internal Blessings which only concern the Saints viz. Union with God Communion with God Faith Love c. Tongues were for a Sign not for them who believe but for them who believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. Extraordinary Gifts were to convince Unbelievers of the Truth and not for the Joy and Comfort of such who did believe Men that have the Gift of Tongues may be graceless and so without Christ and perish eternally in Hell therefore the extraordinary Gift of the Spirit fits not tunes not the Heart nor Tongue to sing the Praises of God You may as well deny the Saints may not ought not in these our Days rejoice in God nay not praise him in any other manner of ways as well as not fing from this Argument you make use of here on this account Therefore it follows that you strangely mistake pag. 15. Appendix in intimating when Paul exhorts the Saints to covet after the best Gifts he means the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit for certainly those are the best Gifts that most tend to the edification of the Church which Tongues could not be said to do And in the very next words he speaks of a more excellent ways viz. that of Charity or Love which refers to the Graces of the Spirit And of so little use were those special or extraordinary Gifts to the Church that if there were no Interpreter they were to be silent and not use them in the Church at all who were that way gifted 2. You confound Tongues which did appertain to all sorts of Gifts with Prophecy and Singing He that had a Doctrine might have the Gift of Tongues to bring it forth so might he that had the Gift of Prophecy and he also that had the Gift to Interpret and so might he also that had the extraordinary Gift to bring forth a Psalm And pray why must ordinary praising of God be now admitted and Preaching Prophesying and Interpreting the Scripture by the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit be still allowed and yet Singing by the same ordinary Gifts must not be admitted What Reason do you give for this Is not this to darken Counsel with words without Knowledg I have demonstrated that the End of those extraordinary Gifts that were then in the Church in the Administration of every Duty and Ordinance was to confirm the ordinary practice of all those Ordinances and so to continue them in the Church to the end of the World And God hath equally honoured and confirmed Singing of Psalms c. to continue and the â—â—â—ctice thereof to abide as of any otheâ— Ordinance You need not therefore spend your time to prove the Apostles Prayed Preached Prophesied and also Sung by an extraordinary Gift we acknowledg it but say this is no moâ—e against our Singing than against our Praying c. who have not now those special Gifts 2. He that had a Psalm of David might bring it forth in an unknown Tongue as well as he that had a Doctrine and so not to the Edification of the Church