PRELIMiTED FORMS OF PRAISING GOD (ISAAC MARLOW) 1691

Here is the first treatise written by Isaac Marlow concerning the properness of Congregational Singing.  To our knowledge it has never before been corrected and its English modernized and posted on the internet - ed.

In a Sober Discourse concerning SINGING.

With a Large APPENDIX, Thereunto added, Containing several Things not treat­ed of before; and wherein the Case of SINGING is more fully opened and discus­sed in divers principal Branches of it: Greatly tending to the clearing and confir­mation of the Truth discoursed of in the Former Part.

By ISAAC MARLOW.

1 Sam. 15.22.

Behold, to obey is better than Sacrifice; and to hearken, than the Fat of Rams.

London, Printed for the Author,

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO THE Baptized Churches Of Christ in England and Wales.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be multiplied unto you, from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Honored and Beloved Brethren,

As the subject matter of the fol­lowing Discourse is in defense of the true Apostolical Scripture manner of Divine Service, and of the Spiritual Worship of God, which you have owned and suffered for, and in which thrô the Grace of Christ you still continue, and as it tends to the mu­tual Peace and Unity of the Churches; so I hope that my Work and Service herein will find the greater acceptance with you.

And seeing it hath graciously plea­sed God to preserve you so steadfastly in the Truth under the greatest Trials and Sufferings of our Age, it is to be ho­ped that the Errors of some Persons shall never corrupt your Minds from the Simplicity that is in Christ, in any part of Divine Worship, or to offer your Praises to God in such humane Forms, and after such a manner, as we have no example for, nor can be anyways warranted from the Word of God: And that those Churches which have had a watchful eye against the finest­spun Errors of their Day, will not be now lulled asleep by any among them­selves, to suffer the bringing in of such a humane Tradition as is utterly incon­sistent with their professed Principles, and to their Practice in other parts of Divine Worship; but that they will labor to have Oil in their Vessels with their Lamps, that so when the Bride­groom cometh, they may be ready to enter into the Joy of their Lord. For though this Error is dearly fondled by some Christians, and as it is observed mostly by such among us who have not well digested those things which they 
have received; yet of about an hun­dred Churches in England, according to the best and strictest Information I have received, I hear of but seven or eight, and those are in and about Nor­folk, Suffolk, and Essex, one of them lately in London, and but four or five of all those Churches in South-Wales, which own the Doctrine of Personal Election and final Perseverance; and but two of all those Churches that are for the general Point that practice such formal Singing in the public and con­stant Worship of God with the Mini­stry of the Word. Some few also there are that use it at the Administration of the Lord's Supper: To whom and to all others in particular of my Christi­an Brethren, that herein differ from the Body of the Churches, and are decli­ning from the Truth and Spirituality of Gospel-Worship, I humbly present that which the Lord hath convinced me of through the Light of the Holy Scriptures, to remove the Mistake you are under concerning Singing. And truly the Sense I have of the sad Ef­fects of this apostatizing Principle in some Christians, if it should grow and 
increase among us, and the unwearied Endeavours of some Persons to lead us back to such Traditions of Men from which we were clean escaped, with the Love I have for the Truth and Sim­plicity of the Gospel, are the only Mo­tives of my appearing in this Work or Service.

And it is a matter of Grief and La­mentation to many Christians, that while the Lord is saving his Church and People, and is drawing of us with the gracious Cords of his Love, that any should be departing from the Truth and Purity of his Worship, which af­ter so clear a light and recovery of it from the mists and darkness of Men, is now called in question amongst our selves.

And it is somewhat marvelous to consider, that some Persons who are stu­dious and understanding in the Holy Scriptures, should not see their Practice to be opposite to the positive Command of Jesus Christ, through whose know­ledg others that are weak are made to sin. And that any should be so cold in their Love and Affections to Christ, and so indifferent in their Obedience 
unto his revealed Will, as that they should rather trust others for what is the truth than take the pains to search the Scriptures for satisfaction from a good Understanding within themselves, whereby they follow the Dictates of Men more than the Precepts of Jesus Christ.

But forasmuch as humane Forms of Worship do naturally proceed from a carnal and worldly Spirit, we may then fear that some Christians (ex­cepting others that err through a mis­taken Zeal) having left their first Love, begin to cast off their first Faith, and to turn unto Mens Traditions, of whom and to whom, we may say, as the Apostle did to those who were turning again to the weak and beggar­ly Elements of the Law, O foolish Gal. 3.1, 3, 4.Ga­latians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? — Are ye so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the Flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain, if it be yet in vain? And is it a small and in­different thing with you, how and in what manner you worship God, and offer your Praise unto him? Have ye 
not as much reason to observe the Rule of Christ in praising, and giving Thanks, as well as in Prayer, Baptism, and other Ordinances in the Church? If any should tell you, that because Prayer and Baptism are commanded by Jesus Christ, therefore you must use Forms of Prayer, and Infants-sprinkling, will you not say to them a­gain, That the Conclusion is not ratio­nal? For though these are commanded, yet the manner how these Ordinances are to be performed, whether in and through the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit, and by dipping, or by hu­mane precomposed Forms, and sprink­ling, is not left to our own Wills, but are also showed to us in the holy Scrip­tures, which are the Rule for the man­ner of performance of all the essential parts of Gospel-Worship. And if any should further say, that Infants sprink­ling is not expressly forbidden in the Scriptures, and therefore it may be u­sed by us: will you not make reply, that though it is not forbidden in such express words, yet there is but one manner of Water-Baptism commanded by Christ and his holy Apostles, whose 
Precepts and Examples therein we are bound to follow, it is a sufficient War­rant for our practice of it, and to ex­clude the form of Sprinkling as a sinful Practice, in that it changeth the Ordi­nance, and maketh void the Command of Christ, through Mens Traditions? And therefore if you will not reject your Manner and Forms of Singing, from the observation of the Command and Rule of Christ for the manner of Praising God, which is contrary to your Manner and Forms, I see not how you can escape the battering and confound­ing of your own Profession in other things.

Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousy? 1 Cor. 10.22.are ye stronger than he? Hath he not said, What things soever I command you, Deut. 12.32.observe to do it: thou shalt not add there­to, nor diminish from it? And have we not divers instances of his sore Displea­sure for breaking his Rule of Worship, as in Nahab and Abihu, Lev. 7.11, to 19.who for an offering of strange Fire, died before the Lord? And might not some have thought it a small matter to have eaten of the Peace or Thank-offering after the First-day, or of the Vow-offering if any of it 
had been left on the Third-day? but we see how great an Offence it was to make so small an Addition to God's Ordinance, as that it should not be ac­cepted, neither should it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it should be an Abomination, and that Soul should bear his Iniquity.2 Sam. 6.6. Moreover, We read how Ʋzzah lost his Life for touching the Ark of God because they sought him not after the due order; and how Ʋzziah the King for med­ling with God's Ordinance,2 Chron. 26.16. 1 Chron. 15.13. and burn­ing Incense before the Lord, contrary unto his revealed Will, was smitten with Leprosy unto his dying Day. But notwithstanding these Old Testament Examples, and the Word of Christ which saith, In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the Command­ments of Men; yet some there are a­mongst us, that dare adventure to break the Commands of Christ in their Vo­cal-singing together in the Worship of God, contrary to the Rule of Worship and Institution of Jesus Christ.

And therefore, seeing that their Practice is charged with the guilt of Sin; yea, and of such a Sin as indan­gers 
the well-Being and Peace of the Church of Christ, and the bringing of God's Displeasure upon us: I hope they will be awakened to a serious Con­sideration of what is proposed to them herein, as the Mind and Will of God: And surely if they were truly sensible of the natural Consequences of such a Practice of formal Singing, that the introducing of it into those Churches that have been established on contrary Principles, is the ready way to divide and break them into pieces, and that those Persons who should be instru­mental therein, would be looked upon as the Troublers of the Churches, and may be justly charged with Schism, it would be a Bar to their zealous promo­ting of it.

And it is rational to believe, that if such formal Singing should be admit­ted and embraced by the Churches, it would lay such a Foundation for other formal and carnal Worship, that if it is followed in its natural Tendencies and Consequences, it will greatly in­danger our reformed Separation, and make it easy for us to glide into the National Way of Worship. And there­fore 
whatever our mistaken Brethren may think of themselves, as if they were reforming the Gospel-Church, and restoring the Primitive Worship of God therein; yet the holy Scrip­tures witness against them, and I be­lieve that they will be found in this matter Leaders to Apostacy, and Defi­lers of the pure Worship of God with Mens Traditions: Which that the Lord may graciously prevent, and pre­serve the Churches in Peace and Union, and in the mutual fellowship of the Gospel, and that they may flourish and grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ, and become a great Mountain, and fill the Face of the whole Earth, is, and shall be, the Pray­ers of your unworthy, but affectionate Brother and Servant to his power, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

I. M.

The Author's EPISTLE TO Mr. Benjamin Keach.

Christian Brother.

As the holy Apostle Paul praised the Church of Corinth in all things so far as they kept the Ordinances of Christ as they were deli­vered to them, and yet faithfully re­proved their disorderly manner of eating the Lord's Supper;1 Cor. 11.2, 17. so in imitation of him, as our Example, I commend you in those things wherein you are praise-wor­thy, and do honor you for your labor in the Ministry of the Word which God has been pleased to bless, to the awak­ning of many Souls, and to the comfort of many Christians: But yet, Sir, see­ing you have divers ways (I think I may 
safely say) singled forth yourself more than others in London, in pushing for­ward the Practice of formal Singing, and in your private and public Challen­ges of Disputes, which have been divers times accepted of by some of our worthy Elders, but were never thought conveni­ent by others, and so have been laid aside; and in that, you have lately brought in the practice of it into your own Church, to the grief and trouble of many of your Members; I conceive that it is not im­proper for me to acquaint you in this manner, That I think I am divers ways engaged and do believe it is my Duty to employ the Talent which God hath gi­ven me, according to my Capacity, in the defense of his sacred Truth, against that mischievous Error which you so vigo­rously promote, to the disturbance of your Brethren. Have not you been for many years a Preacher up of spiritual Worship? how is it then that you are now so zealous for that which is asserted to be natural? Have you begun in the Spirit, and do you leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to go on unto perfection in na­tural Worship? On what Foundation does your Practice stand? We all agree 
that it is our Duty to praise and thank God as well as to pray unto him; and I be­lieve that you will not say but that we do thank and praise him in his Worship, though not with Songs in your way. And I am perswaded that our thanking and praising God in Prayer or Prayer-wise is suitable to the other ordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are only attained unto in our present Day, and is proportionably ac­cepted of God: and that as your manner of vocal singing together hath neither Di­vine Command nor Example for it in ei­ther the Old or the New Testaments, so your singing of formal precomposed stinted matter is no better than counterfeiting that excellent Gift of the Holy Spirit which was in the Primitive Gospel-Church. And herein also I believe that we do not differ, That by the Light of Nature, the Eternal Power and Godhead is made ma­nifest unto us from the things that do ap­pear; and that we are capable thereby to understand that we should perfectly keep the Law of God, and praise and worship him. But from hence ariseth a double Question.

1. Whether the Light of Nature itself, as it is in us, can direct us to the Man­ner 
how we should worship God, and whether we should rely on it under the Go­spel as our Rule of Worship?

2. Whether you will assert that merely natural Worship without Gospel-Institu­tions and Qualifications (for that which is Legal and Ceremonial is done away) will please God, and ought to be exercised in his Gospel-Church? Or,

3. Do you say that the acceptable man­ner of praising God in his Gospel-Church (for that is the chiefest Point in question) is discovered and warranted to us both from the Light of Nature, and Divine Reve­lations and Gospel-Institutions; and so because you have no Warrant from either of them for your Practice of formal Sing­ing together, do you shuffle between them both? If you say, that your Practice of singing Praises to God in his Church, is a constant Ordinance by Divine Revelation and Institution only; then you cannot pre­tend to the Practice of it from the Law or Instinct of Nature: and if you found it on the Law of Nature only; then you bring it into the Gospel-Church, without regard being had to the Tenor of the Go­spel, which is, that as God is a Spirit, so they that worship him must worship 
in Spirit and in Truth: as Christ saith, The Hour cometh and now is, Joh. 4.23, 24.when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Which is not to be understood of worship­ping in our natural Spirits only: For the Apostle saith,Rom. 8.8, 26, 27. that they that are in the Flesh, cannot please God. But ye are not in the Flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And that the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmi­ties: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered. And we are commanded to pray always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit: Ephes. 6.18And to pray in the Holy Ghost, and to be filled with the Spirit: Chap. 5.18, 19.speak­ing to selves in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. And I will pray with the Spirit: 1 Cor. 14.15.and I will sing with the Spirit. And the Apostle saith in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians; Rom. 8.15.Because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 
Hearts, crying, Abba, Father. And ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, Gal. 4.6.whereby we cry, Abba, Father. So that Gospel-Prayer and Singing is in, with, and by the help of the Holy Spirit. And there­fore if no regard be had to Gospel-Instituti­ons and Qualifications for Prayer & Sing­ing, but that they are to be practiced from the Law, Light, or Instinct of Nature only; then such Prayer and Singing, so performed, can't be part of Gospel-Worship; nor should they be knowingly suffered in any Gospel-Church. For the design of God in erect­ing the Gospel-Church was, that he might have a Spiritual House, 1 Pet. 2.5, 9.a Holy Priest­hood, to offer up spiritual (not natural) Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Moreover, if Singing and Pray­er are put together, and performed by you as spiritual Duties, why do you not follow the spiritual Rule and plain Gospel Order for Singing as well as Prayer? And if you put them together as natural Duties from the Law or Instinct of Nature only, with­out regard being had to Divine Instituti­ons and Qualifications, it is the ready way to bring the World by Shoals into the Go­spel-Church, and so to turn it by major Votes, which is no argument of Truth, 
into a natural Church-state. And it also opens a wide door for Forms of Prayer, as well as for Forms of Singing: for if the Practice of both are alike from the Law of Nature, and Singing be performed in stinted precomposed Forms; what reason can you render, why such Forms of Pray­er should not be used as well as such Forms of Singing? But if Singing and Prayer are not put together by you, as founded alike on the Law of Nature; how can you de­monstrate their Essences to be from the different Principles of Nature and Grace, when true Gospel spiritual Singing is from the Fountain of the Holy Spirit, as well as Prayer; and preserve the Gospel-Church from the Confusion of apparently-known natural and spiritual Persons, in having full Communion together, if natural Wor­ship, merely as such, should be allowed therein? Furthermore, what Scripture-Grounds and Reasons can you render (when you perform Prayer according to Gospel-Order in the Church, with a single Voice, by one at once, in subjection to the Rule of Christ, 1 Cor. 14.26 to 34. though Prayer is not expressly mentioned therein) wherefore you do reject the Psalm expressly named and annexed with other Gifts unto 
the Rule, from coming under the Order of it? And what can you say to the Practice of Women's vocal Singing in the Church, when it is so directly against the plain and positive Command of Christ?

To conclude this Epistle to you; it high­ly concerns you to consider whether your pra­ctice of Singing or what I have herein as­serted in this Treatise,1 Cor. 3.12, 13, 14, 15. Rom. 2.16. can stand our Trial at the Day of Jesus Christ, when both you and I shall appear before him, and receive our Loss or Gain according to the Gospel. And therefore that the Lord would graci­ously awaken you, and convince you of your Error, (which I am perswaded that one day or other you will be made ashamed of) and pardon your Sin and Injury to the Church of Christ therein, and prevent your build­ing of Hay and Stubble on the true Foun­dation, and make you an Instrument of his Glory, and his Peoples Comfort, as it hath been my earnest Prayers to God for you, so I desire in Love and Faithfulness to continue.

Issac Marow

There is no Alteration here made in the former Part, or Brief Discourse (be­fore published) except a larger Exposition of Ephes. 5.19. See pag. 5.

ERRATA.

In Appendix Page 10. Line 26, 27. add to laudes, dixerunt, they said Praises. Pag. 21. lines 3, and 9. To sing, add together.

A BRIEF DISCOURSE CONCERNING SINGING IN THE Publick Worship of GOD IN THE GOSPEL-CHURCH.

By J. M.

LONDON, Printed for the Author, 

Concerning SINGING in the Worship of God.

Seeing it hath pleased the Almighty God by his special Providence to de­liver his poor afflicted People in this Nation out of the Hands of their greatest Enemies, to serve him without fear; what then is expected from us, but that in all things we should serve him with one Con­sent, in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Lives? To which end he hath given us his blessed and holy Word as a Rule for our Faith and Practice.

But that which is most unhappy to many Saints who sincerely labor for, and long af­ter the perfect Union of the Church of Christ, is, That we cannot all attain to one and the same Conception of the Mind and Will of God revealed to us in the holy Scriptures. And though there are divers Things of the lesser moment in which we dif­fer, yet there are others of greater Conse­quence that ought to be duly weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary, lest through the Imbecility or Weakness of some Christians, and by the seeming plausible Arguments of others, there should be a falling away from 
the Truth so clearly manifested to us by the Holy Scriptures and witnessed to by the Sufferings of the purest Churches in our Age, who have born a lively Testimony not only against the humane prescribed and precom­posed Forms of Prayers, but of the singing of David's Psalms, and other Hymns or Songs precomposed by Man, as they are frequently used as part of the constant and ordinary Worship of God instituted in his Gospel-Church.

This being the subject of the following Discourse, I shall proceed to treat it with as much Brevity and Clearness as I can, to convince the Judgment of the mistaken Rea­ders (and to confirm and prevent others) from the practice of so great an Error as will lead them to Apostacy or Backsliding, who in this matter have less to say for themselves, than others have who are for a Form of Prayer.

Ephes. 5.18, 19.

And be not drunk with Wine, wherein is Ex­cess; but be filled with the Spirit: SpeakingGr. In. See Pool's An­notations. to your selves in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiri­tual Songs, singing and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord.

Col. 3.16.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom; teaching and admonishing one ano­ther in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord.

That which is needful, before we come to take notice of the several Heads to be treat­ed of, is, to consider of those three Texts which are made a Foundation for a vocal Singing together in the constant Worship of God in the Gospel-Church, tho some things therein I leave to discourse hereafter.

1st. Ephes. 5.19. Speaking to yourselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. 1. From these words there is not any Neces­sity for a vocal Speaking to be here un­derstood, but otherwise of speaking to your own Heart, as it's said,1 Cor. 14.28. But if there be no Interpreter, let him keep silent in the Church, and let him speak to himself, and to God. So that speaking to your selves, may be taken, as that is expressly said to be, of keeping silence in the Church, and is not limited to a vocal Speaking. 2. This is further confirmed, as the aforesaid Mr. Pool in his Annotations read it Gr. [in,] Speaking [in] your selves, in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and ma­king Melody in your Heart to the Lord. 3. That both the speaking and the Melody in this Text, cannot be limited to be vocally understood, but is inwardly in the Heart, is manifest from the preceding part of this Chapter, wherein the holy Apostle, naming of divers gross Sins and Enormities, exhorteth the Church of Ephesus to flee from them, and to have no Fel­lowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness, but rather reprove them, and not to be drunk with Wine, wherein is excess, but to be fil­led with the Spirit. Whereby it appears, 
that this Exhortation to the Church of Ephe­sus to speak to themselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and to be giving Thanks always,Ver. 20. &c. was principally design­ed, that instead of Filthiness and foolish Talking and Jesting, which are mentioned in the former part of the Chapter, they should rather be giving of Thanks,Ver. 4. as it is expressly said; and instead of having Fellow­ship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness, and being filled with an excess of Wine, to be filled with the Spirit, and to exercise them­selves in private Devotions towards God in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making Melody in their Heart to the Lord. So that from the main design of the Apostle's Discourse relating to the Text, both the Speaking and the Melo­dy here intended is to themselves, in their Heart: and whether you read the Text speaking [to] or speaking [in] your selves, it cannot necessitate a vocal Singing together, but a speaking inwardly in their Hearts. 4. Neither can this Text be taken, as some would have it, for a vocal Singing [together,] from the words to [your selves,] as if that did limit the Text to prove a Singing [together,] any more than building up your selves on your most holy Faith, Jude 20.praying in the Holy Ghost does confine that Text to be understood of teaching or edifying one another in a disor­derly way, speaking all together: or that from those words (yourselves — praying in the Holy Ghost) spoken in general unto the Saints, 
they are commanded to pray all vocally toge­ther. Moreover, if any say that the fol­lowing words, ver. 20. Giving Thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; are explana­tory of the former Verse; and being in such general terms, cannot exclude a vocal Sing­ing and Thanksgiving to God of the Church altogether, from being understood there­in: I do make reply, That though speaking to your selves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, ver. 19. and Giving Thanks always for all things, ver. 20. are from the Fillings of the Holy Spirit, yet I make a difference between them; for the one is li­mited (to your selves, and making Melo­dy in your Heart) to private Edifications, Praises, and Thanksgivings; but the other is in such general Words as may comprehend all Thanksgiving both vocal and mental in the Heart. So that the Apostle Paul is here pressing the Saints of Ephesus to endeavor after a plentiful measure of the holy Spirit of Christ, and to put forth his Gifts and Graces both in mental, and vocal, in private, and more publick Praising and Thanksgiving to God, according to the different occasions and circumstances that might attend them.

2dly. Coloss. 3.16. I confess that vocal Singing is here to be understood, otherwise, it could not be teaching and admonishing to others in Word and Deed, ver. 17. but yet herein is nothing to prove a vocal Singing to­gether by all the Church: For teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, &c. is meant 
of the ministering Brethren, whose Work and Office it was to teach and admonish the other Members, according to the Gift of the Holy Spirit they had received: And none can prove any more by these words [one ano­ther,] than what must be understood from Heb. 3.13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called, Today, &c. And therefore as the Word of Exhortation is not used in the Service of God in the Church, but in an orderly ministerial Way, by one at once; so teaching and admonishing one another, &c. must be used also according to Gospel-Rule, 1 Cor. 14.30, 31. 3. Nor can 1 Cor. 14.26. How is it then, Brethren, when you come together, eve­ry one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, &c. be understood of a vocal singing all together; for I think none will say that those words, Every one of you hath, &c. were spoken of their all having of all those spiritual Gifts, which cannot be thought of every Minister in that Church, ver. 28. and much less of all the Members: therefore it follows, that as all the ministering Brethren were not sup­posed to have all those Gifts, but every one of them had one or more of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit; so there is no Conclusion can be made, that all the Ministry had the Gift of Singing, or that there was any distinction of its Universality in Delivery more than of other Gifts in the same Text; besides, the Context from ver. 27, to 32. speaks of single Persons that must exercise in the Church, and therefore those words, Every one of you, can't be meant of all together.

That Spiritual and Vocal Singing was u­sed in the Primitive and Apostolical Church of Christ, is undeniable; and that such spi­ritual Singing is you allowed, is freely grant­ed: but the Question is, Whether David's Psalms, or any humane prescribed, or pre­composed Matter, may or ought not to be vocally sung by all the Church together, as part of the public, constant and ordinary Worship of God, instituted in his Gospel-Church. To demonstrate which, I shall treat of these six Particulars.

• I. Of the Essence or Being of Singing.
• II. Of David's Psalms.
• III. Of prescribed or precomposed Songs and Hymns.
• IV. Of Women Singing.
• V. Of the Order of Singing.
• VI. Of Scriptural and other Objections.

I. Of the Essence of Singing.

Though intelligible Singing for teaching and admonishing others cannot be without the use of the Organic Instruments of the Voice, the Essence or Being of Singing consists of an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man. And this must be granted: for we all do own that true Prayer may be made in our Hearts to God without the use of our Voice; otherwise, we deny all worshipping of God in the Church, save only what is done by the Minister, and 
exclude the Members of it from adding to, joining with, or having any share in Di­vine Worship; and consequently that no­thing can be properly called Sin that is only in the inward exercise of the Spirit, but that which is so manifested by Words or Deeds. And as I think that none will deny either the Principal, or its contrary Conse­quences; so the Scriptures do clearly wit­ness that the Essence of Prayer and Praises, and of Sin, do all consist in an inward Exer­cise of the Soul or Spirit.

First, The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit; for Paul saith,Rom. 7.7. That he had not known the Sin of Lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Psal. 94.11And the Lord knoweth the Thoughts of Man that they are Vanity: And that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually. Gen. 6.5.And Christ saith, That whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her, Mat. 5.28.hath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart. So that the Essence of Sin consists in the corrupt and evil Thoughts and Ima­ginations of the Hearts and Minds of the Sons of Men, tho not expressed by Words or Actions.

Secondly, The Essence of Prayer is in the Heart or Spirit:Neh. 2.4. for Nehemiah while he was in the King's Presence made his Prayer to God; which most rationally must be taken for secret Ejaculations and Heart-Prayer. And Hannah in the bitterness of her Soul prayed and spake in her Heart; 1 Sam. 1.13, &c.only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. And for 
the sighing of the Needy now will I arise, Psal. 12.5. Psal. 79.11 Ps. 102.20saith the Lord. Let the Sighings of the Prisoners come before thee. And the Lord heareth their Groanings. And this kind of Prayer our Lord himself used; for looking up to Heaven, Mar. 7.34.he sighed when he was opening the deaf Ears.Rom. 8.26 And these are the Prayers that the Apostle calls unutterable: for many times there is more in our inward Sighings, Groanings, Longings, Paintings, Breathings, and Suppli­cations of Heart and Spirit than can be ex­pressed by our Tongues; and God looketh on the Heart more than on the outward Appearance: 1 Sam. 16.7for he is a Spirit, seeketh spiritual Wor­shippers: And they that worship him, John 4.23, 24.must wor­ship him in Spirit and in Truth. And herein lies the Excellency of a true Christian, who being sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the Faculties and Powers of his Soul, he out­doth the most refined Hypocrite in the World, who may glorify God with his tongue, while his Soul is destitute of the Graces of the Holy Spirit; but the true Christian being bought with a Price, 1 Cor. 6.20glorifies God not only in his Body but in his Spirit, which is the Lord's.

Thirdly, If the Essence of Prayer is in­wardly in the Spirit, why not Singing also?1 Cor. 14.15. I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the Ʋnderstanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the Ʋnder­standing also. The Apostle expresses them alike because their Essences are alike in­wardly in the Soul or Spirit.

But some will say, This is meant for vocal Singing in the Church and therefore comes short of proving the Essence of Singing in the Spirit.

True, this is meant for Vocal Prayer and Singing in the Church,Ver. 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. which the Apostle calls Speaking, viz. in Prayer, Singing, and giving thanks. But in ver. 28. it is said, That if there is no Interpreter, let him keep si­lence in the Church, and let him speak to him­self, and to God. And that this speaking to himself, and to God, relates to the Gift of Singing as well as to other Gifts, is mani­fested, ver. 26, 27. in that, with other Gifts, a Psalm is there mentioned, and to be deli­vered or interpreted in a known Tongue: but in case there is no Interpreter, then the Psalm, &c. must be spoken to God, and to himself, for improving his own Soul. Now what can be more plain than that Singing and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, have their Essences in our Spirits,Phil. 3.3. wherein we are capable of worshipping God without the verbal and vocal Instruments of the Body? Moreover, as the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Prayer; so the same Spirit is also the Spi­rit of Joy:Rom. 8.26. and as there is unutterable Pray­er, so there is unspeakable Joy, 1 Pet. 1.8.and Rejoicing full of Glory, viz. inward Glory and Melo­dy in the Heart; see the Text. The Es­sence of Singing is in the Heart, such as cannot be vocally expressed by Words of the Tongue. And though vocal Joy and Sing­ing may be teaching to others, the 
speaking to (Gr. in) your selves (viz. in your own Hearts) in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord, is Musick of a higher strain, surpassing all verbal and vo­cal Melody in the Ears of God; as unspeaka­ble Joy and rejoicing full of Glory, excels that which is speakable.

Indeed we find in Scripture another kind of unspeakable Singing, which is more in­feriour than this we have treated of, viz. the virtual Singing of the Creatures.1 Chron. 16.32, 33. Let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein; Then shall the Trees of the Wood sing out—. Psalm 65.13.The Pastures are clothed with Flocks; the Vallies al­so are covered over with Corn; they shout for Joy, and they also sing. Now if the flourishing State of the Creatures, and of the Fruits of the Earth, is called a Singing, how much more properly may the harmonious Melody of the Spirit of God with our Spirits be called Singing, which is the Essence and Be­ing of it.

II. Of David's Psalms.

First, There was no Institution of Singing before David's time: for though we find the Song of Moses, Deut. 32. Ex. 19.19. ch. 20.22. Gen. 31.11. Gen. 37.7, 8, 9, 10. ch. 15.12, 13.containing a prophetical Description of the State and Accidents of the Jewish Church for time to come, yet this was no present Institution for the Church in the constant Service of God, but a way of Conveyance of his Word, which in those 
times was in diverse manners delivered to us,Num. 24.4. viz. by Dreams,Heb. 1.1. Visions, Words, Songs, and music, but now by Jesus Christ. And though we find the Songs of Moses, Num. 12.6, 7.and of Deborah, occasioned from those great Deli­verances of the Children of Israel, 2 Kings 3.15.yet none was instituted for the Levitical Wor­ship and constant Service of God till Da­vid's time,1 Sam. 10.5. who had prepared, prescribed, and set in order, Matter, Persons, and Things for the most splendid and perfect Worship of God, and Temple-State of the Church which should be in Solomon's Days. Now as the Law was a Shadow of good things to come, let us see what the Jewish Church in her Wilderness afflicted unsettled Tabernacle-State may be said to prefigure out to us in the case of Singing.

As for her Minority in the Wilderness through Sin and Unbelief, they had many Judgments which did befall them, and cut them short of the promised Rest, so that of six hundred Thousand Footmen that came out of Egypt, there was but two that en­tred into the Land of Canaan, wherein there were many Wars and Troubles that did attend them till the latter end of Da­vid's Reign: therefore while the Jewish Church met with so many Sorrows, Trou­bles, and Afflictions, the Worship of God was suited to her State; but when they had Rested from all their Enemies in David's time,1 Chron. 23.25. and Solomon a King of Peace and Type of Christ to reign over them, God was pleased 
to beautify, large, and perfect his Service and Worship according to the Temple-State, top Glory and Happiness of his Church and People.

Now if these things were a Figure of Gospel-times; what may we then say, but that as Moses and Deborah, for the signal Deliverance of that Day, sung to God through the Gift of the Holy Spirit; so the Church of Christ under the New Testa­ment have their occasional Songs, as the 144000, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb, who sang not David's Psalms;Rev. 14.3, 4. ch. 5.9. for no Man could learn their Song, but the 144,000 which were redeemed from the Earth. And the new Song for the opening of the Book of the Revelations, and the Song of Moses, and of the Lamb,ch. 15.2, 3, 4, 6, 7. by those that had gotten Victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the Number of his Name, about the going forth of the seven Vial-Angels with the se­ven last Plagues of the Wrath of God; but none of these were David's Psalms, or do warrant the singing of them, or any other precomposed Songs in Gospel-times, in the constant and ordinary Worship of God by all the Church, any more than those particu­lar Songs of Moses and Deborah were an In­stitution for the Jewish Church for the con­stant Service of God in their Day. For there was no such Institution of Songs in the Wilderness, nor while that Church was under Troubles, until David's and Solomon's time,Eccl. 3.11. Prov. 25.20. for the Temple Worship. For everything is beautiful in his time. As he that taketh away a Garment in cold Weather; so is he that singeth Songs to a Heavy Heart. And some­times it was unseasonable while it was yet an Institution.Psal. 137.1, 2, 3, &c. By the Rivers of Babylon there we sat down,—we hanged our Harps upon the Wil­lows—: They that carried us Captive, required of us to sing one of the Songs of Sion. How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land? Is any afflicted? Jam. 5.1.let him pray: Is any merry? let him sing Psalms. So then if Singing be the expressing of Joy, Gladness, and Mirth of Spirit, and the Church of Christ be now in a Wilderness, Mourning, Sackcloth-State; why should we imagine that Christ should appoint such an Ordinance for her constant universal Practice, while she is in such Estate that is so improper and contrary to her State and Spirit, but that the Typical Glory of the Jewish Church in Solomon's time shall be completely answered in the ex­ternal and spiritual Glory of the Church of Christ in her Kingdom-State.

Secondly, The Singing of David's Psalms was suitable to all the rest of the Levitical, Ceremonial, and external instituted Wor­ship of God in the Old Testament Church, in its most perfect splendent State in David's and Solomon's Days, consisting of a worldly Temple;Heb. 9.9, 10, 23. & ch. 7.12. ch. 8.13. ch. 10.1. for if the Sanctuary was worldly, the Temple was also worldly; and of car­nal Ordinances, which was a Figure for the time then present, and Pattern of Heavenly 
things, and Shadow of good things to come, but not the very Image of the things; and were imposed on them until the time of Re­formation, and change of the Priesthood, Law, Temple, and Service, or Worship of God; which things being all removed by Christ the Body and Substance of them,Acts 15.10.28. Rom. 7.6. who hath taken off that Yoak, and delivered us from the Law, that we should serve in New­ness of Spirit, and not in the Oldness of the Letter,2 Cor. 3.6. to bring in any part of the Levitical Ceremonial Institutions into Gospel-Wor­ship; for that is a mingling of Letter and Spirit, of Law and Gospel together.

Thirdly, David's Psalms were instituted, appointed, and appropriated, not only to vocal Singing but to diverse kinds of musi­cal Instruments, which are all named,1 Chron. 15.16 to 25. See Dutch Annot. on Psal. 9. Psal. 22. Psal. 16. & 1 Chron. 15.20, 21. 1 Chron. 13. ch. 14. ch. 28.12, 13. viz. Cymbals, Harps, Psalteries and Trumpets, together with vocal Singing; and limited by the Spirit, as divers, are of opinion, to certain Tunes or Parts of Musick, ordained and commanded by the Spirit of God, and of as great Force as Singing was. And therefore to follow the Old-Testament-In­stitution of David's Psalms, there will be a Necessity of having David's Instruments of Musick, and Tunes or Parts; and of the Courses and several Orders of the Levites: which Antichrist somewhat imitates, mix­ing together the Christian, Jewish, and Pa­gan Religion, instead of conforming to the true Apostolical Institutions and Pattern of Divine Worship.

Holy Mens, contained in the same Book, suited to the Levitical Service, and not to Gospel-Worship; for many of them were suited to particular Occasions and Experiences, and Accidents of that Day, as you may see by divers of their Titles; others were general, of Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt, and from divers other Ene­mies. Some were clear Prophecies of the Sufferings of Christ (which to sing now were to deny that Christ has come in the Flesh) and of his Church, and the Glory that should follow, under the Types and Names of David and Solomon; and many legal things, in which Gospel-Mysteries are wrapped up: some of which are hard to be understood by the greatest Proficients of our Day; and therefore improper to be sung by all the Church, who can't sing them with Un­derstanding; and others of them being Pray­ers and miserable Complainings, may as well justify the singing Prayers as finding Praises.

Fifthly, The Psalms of David were li­mited to Persons, viz. the Levites, who were the Ministers of the Songs,2 Chron. 29.25, &c. to 31. 1 Chron. 16.4. to 8. & ver. 36. ch. 25. 1 to 8. ver. 36, 41. Psal. 106.48. both by Voice and Musical Instruments; for the Peo­ple did not sing together with the Levites, but only bowed the Head and worshipped, and concluded with Amen, and praised the Lord with Amen, Hallelujah; or, Amen, Praise ye the Lord. Therefore from this Da­vidical Institution, there is no Ground, Pat­tern, or Example, for the Gospel-Churich to sing together.

Sixthly, Such singing of the Psalms of David is nowhere instituted, ordained, or practiced, either by Christ or his Holy Apostles; there is no Instance can be given in the New Testa­ment that any of David's Psalms were ever sung by any Persons or Churches, or that Christ or his Holy Apostles did ever use them, but as they did other Scriptures; or that the Holy Apostles whenever they had occasion to translate any one Text out of the Hebrew into the Greek Tongue, did ever turn them into Metre; and therefore find­ing no Institution nor Example, we have no Warrant for the Singing of them.

III. Of prescribed and precomposed Songs and Hymns.

First, If the Essence of Singing (as be­fore is shown) consisteth in an inward spi­ritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man, and that (as I shall further demonstrate) both the Matter and the Melody of it pro­ceedeth from the inward Graces and Opera­tions of the Holy Spirit with the Word; then surely no humane prescribed or pre­composed form of Singing can be accepted of God, but that which proceedeth from the Word of God, by the Dictates and Teachings of the Holy Spirit, which is ma­nifest from those two Texts, Ephes. 5.18, 19. Col. 3.16. says the Apostle, Be filled with the Spirit—. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you, in all Wisdom, &c. Here is the Fountain of Gospel-Worship, viz. the Word and Spirit of Christ, not the Word alone, for that cannot enrich the Soul in all Wisdom, without the Spirit of Wisdom to understand it: for to have the Word in the Head only, is but a poor thing, but we must have it to dwell richly in our Hearts by the Holy Spirit, to sing with the Understand­ing and with Grace in our Hearts to the Lord. And as the Word in the Head only cannot create Melody in the Heart without a Fullness of the Spirit; so the Spirit works not without the Word, but fills us with mat­ter from the Word, and is witnessed to by the Word; otherwise we know not the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error. Now the Essence of Singing consisteth of these two Parts, viz. Matter from the Word, and Melody by the Spirit; so that neither the Word nor the Holy Spirit can be wanting: and therefore whatsoever Forms are used which proceed not from within us, out of fulness and Enrichings of the Word and Spirit, cannot be spiritu­al Gospel-Singing.

Secondly, no humane prescribed or precomposed Forms are to be used in Gos­pel-Prayer or Singing, appearing from the Mi­nistration and Conveyance of the Spirit and Power by the Gospel.

First, The Gospel conveys the Spirit, as Paul saith, Who also hath made us able Mi­nisters of the New Testament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit; for the Letter killeth, but the 
Spirit giveth Life, or quickens. Here the Law is called the Letter, and the Gospel, Spirit; not because the Law was not spiri­tual, and the Gospel was not transcribed in the Letter; but 1st, Because the Law re­quired perfect Obedience to the Letter, on Pain of Eternal Death, and the Gospel sin­cere Obedience through the Spirit. 2dly, Be­cause the Legal Worship was more formal in the Letter, than the Gospel-Ministration, which is in Spirit. For we are the Circumci­sion, which worship God in the Spirit—; and have no Confidence in the Flesh, viz. in the for­mal and carnal Ordinances of the Law, and much less in the humane precomposed forms of Men. 3dly, Because the Law did not minister nor convey the Spirit to us it commanded in the Letter, but gave no spiritual Power to perform Obedience to it, which the Gospel did, by giving the Spirit with the Word. Therefore the Apostle calls the Gospel, the Law of the Spirit of Life. Rom. 8.2.And it is not through the Works of the Law that we receive the Spirit, nor mi­nister the Spirit, but through the hearing of Faith.Gal. 3.2, 5, 14. And this agrees with that great Commission which Christ himself gave to his Disciples, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations —. Lo, Math. 28.19, 20.I am with you always even to the End of the World. Not only by his outward Providence, which is over others as well as they but by his Spirit, which shall abide with us forever.John. 14.16. And the Pro­phet saith, As for me this is my Covenant with 
them saith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth, shall not depart out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever. Here the Word and the Holy Spi­rit are conveyed throughout all Generations to the end of the World, by the Covenant or Gospel of Jesus Christ. And as none can say that the Words which the Lord had put in his Mouth, were a humane prescribed form: but, as Christ himself saith,John 6.63. The Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life: So the same Words pro­ceeding from us by the same Spirit, are Spi­rit, in opposition to humane and legal forms, which reject and deny the sufficient successive Gifts of the Spirit. So that it is clearly mani­fest, that the sufficient Gifts of the Holy Spirit do still remain, and shall remain, for the Service and Worship of God, to the end of the World.

Secondly; The Gospel does minister and convey Power. For where the Spirit is, there will be Power. The Apostle saith, Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage (viz. of the Law) again to fear; Rom. 8.15, 16.but ye have re­ceived the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit gave a sufficient Power not only to the Apostles as such, or to the Saints in Rome, as partaking of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit in that present Day, but, Gal. 4.6. Because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of 
his Son into your Hearts, crying, Abba, Fa­ther. Here is the Reason of their Pow­er, because ye are Sons: therefore all that are Sons according to the measure of the Spi­rit of Adoption, which beareth Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God, have the Power to pray to God as to their Father.2 Tim. 1.7. For God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear, but of Power, and of Love, and of a sound Mind. 1 Cor. 4.19, 20.And the Kingdom of God is not in Word, but in Power. There were some in the Church of Corinth that were puffed up in their Minds, whose Speech the Apostle would not know or regard: but the Power of Religion was that which he looked for, and did expect to find amongst them; because the Kingdom of God (viz. his Gospel-Church) is not in Word but in Power. A humane prescribed Form is no Power and therefore is none of this Go­spel-Kingdom. Jude 19. These are they that separate themselves sensually, having not the Spi­rit. And the Apostle Paul prophesied of such a professing People that should arise in the Last Days; Having a form of Godliness, 2 Tim. 3.5.but denying the Power thereof, and from such, we must turn away. They had an outward Form of Godliness, but not the inward Pow­er; contrary to true Godliness, which hath its Form from the inward Power and Work­ings of the Holy Spirit with the Word. Now it is no wonder that these formal People deny the Power of Godliness; for an in­vented Form, and the Power is Opposites, 
and are inconsistent with each other: for if there be a spiritual Power, it refuses and de­nies the invented Form; for then there is no need of a prescribed nor pre-composed hu­mane Form: and if we use such a Form, we deny the Power, and reject the sufficient suc­cessive Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by relying on that Form. And so the Apostle argues, that as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the Truth: 2 Tim. 3.8.Men of corrupt Minds, Reprobate concerning the Faith.

Thirdly, Seeing that those Persons with whom I am chiefly concerned, do not only op­pose, deny, and refuse the Use of a humane prescribed and precomposed Form of Pray­er, but also of that Prayer which our Lord taught his Disciples; of which they rightly say, that it was but an Epitome of all Pray­er, and was never intended to confine Pray­er to the Compass and Form of those Words. For we find that none of those many Pray­ers in the New Testament were so limited, but according to the State and Circumstances of Persons and things, they made Supplica­tion by the Holy Spirit: and so must Singing also be left to the Liberty of the Holy Spi­rit of God. And one might think that I need not use farther Arguments; for their own Practice confutes their Error in Singing prescribed Forms, and testifies the Truth I am pleading for: for what Reason can be given for Forms of Singing when they deny all Forms of Prayer? and how can they re­ject a Form of Prayer or the Form of 
The prayer which Christ hath left us in the New Testament, while they maintain the use of a humane Form of Singing, which is nowhere found in the Holy Scriptures?

IV. Of Women Singing.

That Women ought neither to teach nor pray vocally in the Church of Christ, is ge­nerally believed by all Orthodox Christians, and is asserted from 1 Cor. 14.34, 35. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak: And 1 Tim. 2.11, 12. Let the Women learn in Silence with all Subjection: but I suffer not a Woman to teach, nor to usurp Authority over the Man, but to learn in silence. I therefore greatly mar­vel that any Man should assert and admit of such a Practice as Womens Singing; and that any Woman should presume to sing vo­cally in the Church of Christ when he posi­tively and plainly forbids them in his Word: for Singing is Teaching, Coloss. 3.16. and Speaking, Ephes. 5.19. both of which are plainly forbidden to Women in the Church. And besides, they are commanded to learn in silence with all Subjection. And if this be not Truth, I am at a loss how to find it. And such as deny the Authority of these Scriptures to forbid Womens Singing, do of necessity destroy the Authority of the Word of God, and leave us destitute of a Rule of Worship.

But some may say, Were there not Singing-Women in the Time of the Law? True, we read of Singing-Women; but as there was no Institution of them amongst the Priests and Levites, who were set apart by Name in their several Orders; so we find them nowhere concerned as such in the Worship of God, but either for Mirth and Delight or as Mourners for the Dead, in which they were very skillful in making of Lamentations both by Voice and Instruments of Musick, as was the Jewish Custom: which you may plainly see by these Scriptures, 2 Sam. 19.35. 2 Chron. 35.25. Jer. 9.17, 18. Amos 5.16. Eccles. 2.1, 8. Mat. 9.23.

V. Of the Order of Singing.

This we have plainly and clearly delivered to us in 1 Cor. 14.26 to 34. How is it then, Brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation. Let all things be done to Edifying. Here the Apo­stle speaks of the several Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and lays down a general Order for their Delivery. 1. The Tongue must be by two, or at most by three, and that by course: And let one interpret; that is, That in case there were many could speak with Tongues, they should not all exercise, to take up the whole time with that Gift, but only two or three of them, and that by course or turns. And if anything is revealed to another, that 
sitteth by, let the first hold his Peace: for ye may all prophesy one by one: the Dutch tran­slate it, one after another. Here is the Rule for our Practice, one by one, or, one af­ter another, by course or turns, they may speak with Tongues, and prophesy. And though only these two Gifts are particula­rized in the Rule, the Order stands for all the rest, as having relation to it. The universal Practice of all Christians allows this Order in the Gift of Doctrine, and we ourselves in the Gift of Prayer, that but one is to pray at once. And therefore see­ing that this Order is observed in the Gift of Prayer, which is not mentioned amongst those several Gifts; then surely we must al­low the Psalm, as one of those Gifts named in the Text, and relating to the Rule to be delivered after the same Order appointed for the other Gifts. And there is not the least color of pretense why any should break the Rule in one of these Gifts more than others, but that as they are named to­gether, and a general Order appointed for their Use and Delivery in the Church, so it must be observed for the Psalm, as well as for any other of those spiritual Gifts. And if I should see a Song delivered by the Gift of the Holy Spirit in this Order, I hope I should bless the Lord for so great a Presence of his Spirit amongst his People.

VI. Objections Answered.

The first Objection is, That Moses, Debo­rah, and Barah, sang together with the Chil­dren of Israel: and therefore it was in use be­fore David's Time in the Church.

Answer 1. It is certain that Moses delive­red his Song by the Gift of the Holy Spirit, and wrote it,Exod. 15.1 as he did other Scriptures, for a Memorial of Israel's Deliverance to future Ages: but that it was then brought in, or any part thereof, till David's Time, to the Levitical Service in the ordinary Worship of God, is nowhere evident. Nor can this Singing be any Rule either for Levitical or Gospel-Institution: for then we must bring in Dancing as well as Singing; for Miriam, the Prophetess, the Sister of Aaron, took a Timbrel in her Hand, and all the Women went out after her with timbrels and with Dances.

2. If we should suppose that Moses, Mi­riam, and Israel sang vocally together at one and the same time; we may rather take it for an extraordinary Exstasy of Mirth, Joy, and Gladness before the Lord, expressed by Dancing as well as Singing, (as David when he danced before the Ark,) than for any part of instituted Worship.

3. If we should conclude that all Israel did not vocally sing with Moses, but those whose Hearts the Lord had touched with a sense of that great Deliverance joined in 
Spirit with him,Acts 2.42. it is no more than what is evident from the like manner of Speech of the three thousand new Converts that conti­nued steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayer: for they did not all vocally pray together, nor actually break Bread; but join­ed with, and partook of those Ordinances by the Ministry. So that if you take it in either sense, it will make nothing for the establishing of a vocal Singing together in Gospel Worship.

Secondly, It is said,Judg. 5.1. It is said, Then sang Deborah and Barak: But Deborah did only vocally sing, and Barak joined in Spirit with her in the chiefest part of the Song: for how could Barak call himself Deborah? saying, Ʋntil that I Deborah arose, that I arose a Mother in Israel? And it is plain that she only did vo­cally sing unto the Lord, ver. 12. Awake, a­wake, Deborah; awake, awake, utter a Song: Arise Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou Son of Abinoam.

The second Objection is, That in Saul's Time Musick was used by the Prophets; 1 Sam. 10.5and therefore why not Singing and Musick too in their Wor­ship?

Answer. Numb. 11.16, 24, 26, Ex. 24.11.As others besides the Levites were Prophets; so I do not find that any of those Prophets were Levites, to whom alone both the Songs and Musick were afterward limi­ted, as the Ministers thereof in God's Service: and there being neither Institution nor Pra­ctice of it to be found, we have no ground 
to believe that it was in use in the constant Worship of God before David's Time.

The third Objection is, That if Music and Singing commence their Date from David's Institution, and were to continue for constant Temple-Worship, till Temple and Temple-Service were made void, by the Coming of Jesus Christ to erect a more spiritual Wor­ship; why should not Gospel-Singing conti­nue in constant use while Gospel-Temple re­mains, viz. till the Second Coming of Jesus Christ without Sin unto Salvation?

Answer 1. As God did separate literal Is­rael from the Egyptians, and all other Nati­ons,Exod. 19.5, 6. to be his peculiar Treasure and King­dom of Priests, to worship him: so by the first Promulgation of the Gospel, he called his Church out of the World, and separated them as a Chosen Generation, 1 Pet. 2.5, 9.for a Royal Holy Priesthood and Nation, to worship him ac­cording to his Will.

2. Though the words Temple and Taber­nacle are variously used in the New Testa­ment, and sometimes for one and the same thing and State of the Gospel-Church;Heb. 8. yet the Apostle doth plainly show that the De­dication of the Tabernacle by Moses with the Blood of the First Testament was the Patern and Figure of the Erection and De­dication of the Gospel-Church,Chap. 9. the Heaven­ly Tabernacle, by the Blood of the Second Testament, viz. of Jesus Christ; so that the first set up of the Gospel-Church is not the Antitype of David's and Solomon's 
Temple, but of Moses's Tabernacle; and Solomon's Temple is a Figure of greater things to come.

3. As in the time of the Levitical Taber­nacle-Worship, Singing was not established as part of that constant Service, but was on­ly a Gift on extraordinary Occasions, till the more glorious and perfect Temple-State of the Church should be erected: so under the first Institution of Gospel-Worship there were extraordinary Gifts of Singing, suita­ble to the then extraordinary Circumstances and Presence of God in his Church, which may possibly on extraordinary Occasions, now and then on fresh Effusions of the Holy Spirit, still appear in the Church in her now not perfect Temple, but rather Tabernacle-State, till this be ended, and that more glo­rious and perfect spiritual Temple and Tem­ple-Worship, whatever it be, shall be erect­ed when the Winter of Afflictions is passed,Cant. 2.11, 12. and the time of singing of Birds is come, at the Appearing and Kingdom of Jesus Christ, in which time there shall be the most glorious Perfection and full Completion of the spiri­tual Temple and Worship of God that ever was or shall be extant upon Earth.

4. And as the Old Testament-Tabernacle-State of the Church was to be beautified, perfected, and enlarged in the Temple-State and Temple-Worship, and was to continue till the Change and Translation of it into the Gospel-Church or Kingdom of Heaven: so this Gospel-Tabernacle-Church-State shall 
be perfected, enlarged, and beautified in the glorious New Jerusalem Temple and Wor­ship of God, which shall continue to the end of the World, and then be translated into the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Now as David and Solomon were Types of Christ, and the Old-Testament-Temple and Wor­ship were Shadows of the New-Jerusalem-Temple and Worship of God in the thousand Years: So the Institution of Singing in the Levitical Temple-Worship, shall be compleat­ly answered in the glorious Antitype and spiritual Temple-State in the thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom here on Earth, after such manner as God shall be pleased to appoint for suitable Worship to that Day, when the whole Creation that now groaneth under the Bondage of Corruption, shall be then delivered into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God.Rom. 8.21, 22.

The fourth Objection is from Isa. 52.8, 9. Thy Watchmen shall lift up the Voice, with the Voice together shall they sing: for they shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into Joy, sing together ye waste Places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusa­lem. From whence some do assert a Sing­ing together in the Gospel-Church.

Answ. 1. That this Scripture hath no pro­per Relation to the meer Gospel-Sion and Gentile-Jerusalem, is clear from the Text itself, which speaks of the waste Places of Je­rusalem, and Redemption of literal Jerusa­lem, 
the Captive Daughter of Zion, when there shall no more come into her the Uncir­cumcised and the Unclean; which cannot be accomplished until the Return of literal Israel into their Kingdom-State at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

2. Then her Watchmen; it is not said her People, but her Watchmen, viz. her Pro­phets and Ministers, they shall sing together. The Dutch Translation reads it, they shall jubilee, or cry, or shout for Joy, or rejoice together: and verse 9. They translate, make ye a noise or sound, jubilee, or shout for Joy together, ye waste Places of Jerusalem. Which Scripture most properly relates to the great Jubilee, or thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom, and cannot be under­stood of a constant vocal Singing together by all the Church in the Worship of God in the Gospel-Tabernacle-State.

Fifth Objection is from those Words, Matth. 26.30. And when they had sung a Hymn, &c. From whence they do assert, that Christ and his Disciples sung an Hymn vocally together.

Answ. 1. The Word sung is not in Greek, but it is there read, And they having hymned; which Word is taken by divers learned Men to be of a general Signification of all kinds of Praises or Thanksgivings, and not confined to Songs only. Some of our old English Translators read that Text, And when they had said, Grace. And the Dutch, do not limit the word Hymnos only to 
Songs of Praise, but do admit of it to signify saying Thanks,See Dutch Annot. on Eph. 5.19. or Thank-giving to God.

2. There is no reason to conclude that the Disciples vocally sang together with Christ; but that Christ as their Minister hymned, and they in their Spirits joined with him:1 Sam. 1.11, 13. as Hannah said:—And spake in her Heart: for I have not met with any of our Reformed, how zealous soever they are to promote a vocal Singing together, that will admit that the Disciples, in Acts 4.24, &c. prayed all vocally together; but that they lift up their Voice by their Mi­nister, with whom they joined only in Spi­rit, but not with Voice: Notwithstanding the Text is stronger for it, than any Text in the New Testament is for their way of Singing: read the Text, ver. 23, 24. And being let go, they went to their own Company and reported all that the Chief Priests and El­ders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lift up their voice to God with one Accord, Ver. 31.and said, &c. And when they had prayed, the Place was shaken, &c. It is here said, they lift up their voice to God with one Accord: But in Matth. 26. it is only said, They hymned. Now if the word [they] must prove their vocal Singing together with Christ, much more will those words, [They lift up their voice to God with one Accord and said] prove their vocal Praying together. And let me plainly tell you, that if you assert a vocal Singing together from Matth. 26. you cannot deny a vocal Praying together from 
Acts 4. And if you assert a prescribed Form of Singing, you cannot possibly avoid the bringing in of a Form of Prayer: for the same Arguments used for the one, will serve to promote the other, with this Ad­vantage, that we have a form of Prayer pre­scribed by Christ himself in the New Testa­ment, but none of the Singing, except what relates to those mysterious Prophecies in the Book of the Revelations, which are no Rule for constant Singing.

But lest any weak Christians should from hence imagine that there is some ground for a vocal Praying together, as the manner of some is, I shall say something further, to de­monstrate that this Prayer was not made by all the Church vocally together, but by the Minister only, as their Voice to God. For the proper Signification of the words can­not be otherwise understood; It is said [they] in the plural Number, because not only the Minister, but the whole Church did with one Accord and Agreement of Spirit lift up their Voice (Gr. the Voice) to God; not Voices, in the plural Number, for then all did vocally pray together, but Voice, in the singular number; so that though many were of one Accord in Spirit, yet they all had but one single Voice, viz. of their Mi­nister, which they, by Agreement of Spirit with him, lifted up, as their Mouth to God in Prayer. And after this manner the A­postle proveth that the Promises made to Abraham's Seed,Gal. 3.16, 29. were made to Christ, be­cause 
they were made to Abraham, and to his Seed, in the singular Number. And therefore if the Apostle proveth that the Promises were made to Christ from the Word Seed, as of one, in the singular Number, there is as much reason to assert that the Word Voice was put in the singular number; properly to explain that by one voice they expressed themselves to God in u­nanimous Prayer. And we find that the Spi­rit of God useth the singular and plural Num­ber, not so much to follow the Grammatical Rules of humane Learning, as to express and demonstrate the Truth to us, as Gen. 1.1.See Willi­am Street, in his di­viding of the Hoof. Elohim Bara, the Almighties he created; which is significantly expressed for our learn­ing, that a Plurality of Divine Persons, the Trinity in the Unity of Essence, were con­cerned and wrought together in the Works of Creation. So that these seeming Diffi­culties do not arise from any real Absurdities or Errors in the Holy Scriptures, but from our Ignorance and want of Light to under­stand the Mysteries of God contained in them.

The sixth Objection is from Acts 16.25. And at Midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang Praises unto God, and the Prisoners heard them. Here also the word [sang] is not found in the Greek Tongue, and the Word hymnos, is to praise; they prayed and praised God in Prayer so loud, that the Prisoners heard them. And as this could not be by a prescribed form, for then we should deny 
them to have a sufficient Gift of the Holy Spirit; so there is no evidence that they prayed and praised vocally both together, but while the one prayed and praised, the other might only join in Spirit, and so each of them might vocally pray and praise the Lord by turns.

The seventh Objection is from Eph. 5.19.See Ains­worths An­not. on Psa. 3. Speaking to (Gr. in) your selves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, &c. which three Words are three several sorts of Titles of Psalms, taken out of the Book of Psalms, viz. 1st. in Heb. Mizmore, Gr. Psalmos, Hymns or Praise. Psa. 145. Songs, Psa. 30. Psalm 45. Psal. 48.120, &c. to Ps. 134. Psalms, on many other Psalms.English Psalm. 2dly. in Heb. Tehilla, Gr. Hymnos, English Hymn or Praise. 3dly. Hebrew Shir, Greek Ode, English Song or Lays: which three Words are found in the Titles of these Psalms. And some do say they signify three things or kinds of Songs, viz. 1st. Psalms, the Psalms of David; others, all sorts of spiritual Songs to be sung with Musick. 2dly. Hymns for humane pre-composed Songs of Praise. And 3dly. Spiritual Songs from the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and, as others say, are Songs com­posed, wherein are contained all sorts of spiritual Teachings. And from hence they assert the Singing of David's Psalms, and precomposed Hymns, as well as spiritual Songs.

Answ. 1. I think it is clear from the Scrip­tures, that however the Words may differ the one to the other, as to the extent of their Significations, yet they are used but 
for one manner of compounded Worship. 1st. For though the matter of a Song is so confined that it cannot be externally expressed without a humane Voice of Words, yet the Tone or Tune may be ex­pressed either by Voice, (though never used in the Worship of God without the matter) or by musical Instruments: both of which, as they were used according to the Instituti­on in the Old Testament-Worship, were Praises, or praising God; sometimes both in matter and manner; but at other times, the matter not properly being Praises, it consisted only in the manner of Delivery; as Psalm 17, is called a Prayer of David, and Psalm 50 was a mournful Prayer when Na­than came to David after he had gone into Bathsheba; but yet it was delivered to the chief Musician. And so are Songs some­times Praises, and sometimes Prayers and Complainings, Psalm 48, 120, 123, 130. And the whole Book of Psalms, though the mat­ter of it is not all Praises but Prophecies, mournful Prayers, and Lamentations, yet it is titled Tehillim, Hymns or Praises, because, as all of it, whether called Psalms, Hymns, or Songs, were after the same manner com­posed by the infallible Inspiration of the Holy Spirit,1 Chron. 16.19. 2 Chron. 29.27, 28. 1 Chron. 16.5, 6. ch. 15.16, to 25. so they were (many of them, if not all) alike delivered to the chief Mu­sician, and sung by melodious Voices and In­struments of Musick together; which out­ward Glory and Grandeur, suitable to that Temple-State, was to the external Honour 
and Praise of the highest God,2 Chron. 29.25, 26, 30. Psal. 4. Psalm 6. Psalm 48. Psal. 120. Psal. 123. Psal. 130. Psal. 145. whatever the matter of those Songs was. And as the matter of those Songs differ (not from the Titles of them) but yet were alike com­posed and delivered for Temple-Worship: So what spiritual Songs hath been, or here­after may appear in the Gospel-Church, by the special Gift of the Holy Spirit, though the matter may somewhat differ (not from the Titles of them, nor as those in Mourning and Lamentation) yet they were and shall be composed and delivered alike by the Holy Spirit according to Gospel-Order.

2. Those three Words, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, cannot be understood as three different things in the New Testament from the different Extent of their Significa­tions. 1st. Because no Old-Testament-Names do prove the Nature of New-Testa­ment-Things, as Circumcision, Censer, In­cense, Alter, Sacrifice, Passover, City Jeru­salem, Temple, are all things of a different Nature in the Old-Testament, to what they are sometimes used for in the New: So that Old-Testament-Names given to New-Testa­ment-Singing, do no more prove either the matter or manner to be the same or esta­blish Old-Testament-Singing in the Go­spel-Church, than the other Old-Testament Names do those Old-Testament-Things in Gospel-Times. 2dly. As those three Words are before proved to be indifferently ap­plied to one and the same thing in the Old Testament; so there is less reason that they 
should have different Significations in the New: for you may find that several Old-Testament Names are given to one Gospel-Thing;1 Pet. 2.5. Eph. 2.21, 22. Rom. 2.29. Heb. 4.14. ch. 9.26. ch. 13.10. 1 Cor. 5.7. as the Saints are called a spiritual House and Temple, a Holy Priesthood, and Jews; and Christ is called a High Priest, a Sacrifice, an Altar, and Temple: and there­fore it being usual to call Gospel-Things by divers Names of different Natures, in the Old Testament, there is no reason that those three Names, Psalms, Hymns, and spi­ritual Songs, John 2.19, 21. See Pool's Annot on Col. 3.16.which, as Pool confesseth, were promiscuously used, and which are here de­monstrated to intend but one thing in the Old Testament, should be understood of any more than of one thing or sort of Gospel-spiritual-Singing, respecting its Composure and Delivery.

Eighth Objection, It is a moral Duty for wicked Men to pray and sing Praises to God, which they are not able to do without a Form; therefore Forms are lawful.

Answ. 1.Prov. 21.4, 27. ch. 15.8. The Scriptures say that the plowing of the Wicked is Sin and that the Sacrifice of the Wicked is an Abomination to the Lord: and wherefore, but because what­soever Good he doth, or desireth, it is not for good Ends, to serve and glorify God, but to consume his Mercies upon his Lusts; he turneth all into Sin,Jam. 4.3. and therefore all he doth is but Sin: if he prays for Grace, he doth but play the Hypocrite with God, for as he knoweth not what it is, so he doth not desire it, for he loves his own Sins and Lusts 
more than Grace; and therefore his Prayers cannot be pleasing to the Lord, whilst he re­maineth a hardened Sinner.

2. All Men ought not only to pray, and praise God as their Creator, but to keep the whole Law in the perfect State of Inno­cency in which they were created in Adam; but now they have no power in themselves to perform the inward spiritual Works of the Law, to love the Lord their God with all their Hearts, &c. and to pray, and sing Praises to him; they can do neither of these sincerely in their Hearts:Rom. 7.14. for the Law is spi­ritual, and requires spiritual Obedience; but they are carnal, sold under Sin, and blinded in their Minds. And as they have not a true sense of their Sins, nor see their need of Christ; so they know not that they have cause to sing his Praise for their Being: And therefore for such to use a Form of Prayer or Singing, when they have no sense nor Understanding of what they pray for, or that they have cause to sing, is to mock God with their Lips with that which they have not in their Hearts. Besides, the putting of Persons in formal Worship is not the way to get the Spirit, but to rest on formal Du­ties, which hinder their coming to Jesus Christ.

3. As Forms are in many ways sinful and hurtful to the Souls of Men, so there is no need for them, as Crutches for Lame Men, to bring them to Jesus Christ; for where there is a true Conviction and sense of Sins, 
that Soul can cry against them; and if it is but with Lord, be merciful to me a Sinner, he shall (as Christ saith) be rather justified than with a formal Prayer, without Convictions: And when they are Sons, God sendeth forth the Spirit of Adoption into their Hearts,Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.15. that crieth, and teacheth them, whereby they cry, Abba, Father, without the help of humane Forms.

Ninth Objection, All true Believers and sin­cere Christians have continual cause to rejoice in the Lord, and magnify God in the highest Cele­bration of his Praise: and therefore it is their Duty in his constant Worship to sing his Praise.

Answ. Whatever Cause we have to rejoice in the Lord, and to glorify God in the high­est Celebration of his Praise, for Redempti­on-Grace, and those sure and everlasting Mercies confirmed to us in the Blood of Jesus Christ, yet it doth not from thence follow that we should constantly sing to God in his publick Worship.

1. Because that in this Life the Joys and Consolations of our Redemption-Grace, is mixed with Sorrows for Sins, Temptati­ons, Troubles and Afflictions, which de­prive us of the constant exercise of the Grace of Joy in our Souls. And, as Solomon saith, To everything there is a Season, Eccles. 3.1, 4.and a Time to every Purpose under the Heaven: A Time to weep, and a Time to laugh; a Time to mourn, and a Time to dance. And the Times of the Church of Christ are differently set forth,Cant. 2.11. and compared by the Holy Spirit to Winter 
and Summer; when the Flowers appear on the Earth, and the Time of the singing of Birds comes. And, as I have shown before, that the Jew­ish Church, through Sin and Unbelief, had her Wilderness and Tabernacle-State and Time of Trouble, which called for Mourn­ing and Humiliation more than Singing, so the Gospel-Church hath her Wilderness and Sackcloth-State, in which she must prophesy 1260 Days. Now as Sackcloth,Isa. 22.12. which beto­kens Mourning, and Singing, are inconsistent with each other; so we should not imagine that God requireth such Opposites in Na­ture both together. For he hath appointed unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them Beauty for Ashes, Isa. 61.3.the Oil of Joy for Mourning, the Garment of Praise for the Spi­rit of Heaviness. And as the Apostle saith,Jam. 5.13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray: Is any merry? let him sing Psalms. From which it is manifest that Affliction and Prayer, and Rejoicing and Singing, have their different Seasons: and that until the one be taken a­way, the other is not given. But some may think that the two Sackcloth-Witnesses in Rev. 11. are not the Church of Christ, but two particular Persons and eminent Witnes­ses that should arise. But to me it is plain that they must be understood of the visible Church of Christ: for if the three days and a half of their lying dead, as is gene­rally owned, and cannot be otherwise under­stood, be the space of three years and a half of Time; then also by the same Rule 
the 1260 Days of their prophesying in Sackcloth must be taken for 1260 Years, which is too long a time for one Age or two particular Persons to continue: And there­fore the two Sackcloth-Witnesses are the vi­sible Church of Christ,Rev. 13.7. which the Beast shall make War upon and overcome.Ch. 12.14. And so al­so must the Woman in the Wilderness be un­derstood of the Church of Christ under her Troubles and Persecutions in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ.Rev. 1.9. For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 3.12.shall suffer Per­secution. And we must thrô many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God. Acts 14.22Seeing, therefore, it is given to us not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his Sake; Phil. 1.29.and that God has ap­pointed his Church her Days of Mourning; and that thrô her falling away from her primi­tive Love and Zeal, she has lost much of those blessed Gifts of the Holy Spirit she then had. Let us not deceive ourselves, and think to recover the Gift of Singing with our carnal Spirits,Isa. 22.12, 13. in an improper and contrary Season, Israel-like, when we should mourn for the great Apostacy, Pride, Covetousness, and Carnality of Spirit which is found in the Church of Christ, and fast and pray for the Pardon of Sins,Isa. 32.15. the full Deliverance of the Captive Daughter of Sion, and the Return of the Holy Spirit, that the Wilderness may become a fruitful Field. And therefore as our Sins deprive us, and as God hath not al­lotted to us a Heaven of continual Joy and constant Singing in this present evil World; 
so the different Graces of his Holy Spirit, and Duties required of us, are suited to the different Circumstances of our Lives, which are mostly filled with Troubles, Sins, and Temptations. And though particular Saints may and oft-times do rejoice and glory in Tribulations when the Spirit of Glory rests upon them and raises their Hearts above their Troubles; yet this is but now and then at certain Times through a sight of Faith, when God is sealing his Love upon their Spi­rits, to encourage their Souls to persevere: Otherwise if it were constant, Troubles would be no more Troubles, nor Afflictions no more Afflictions; or, if their Joys were greater and more constant than their Sor­rows, it could not so properly be called a Sackcloth, mournful, afflicted State; for ei­ther of them which is most constant, and in which we have the greatest Share and Exer­cise of our Lives, deservedly beareth the Name. And therefore if particular Souls, or the Church of Christ in general, be in a State of Trouble and Affliction, they are so far incapable of the constant Exercise of the Grace of Joy, and consequently of constant spiritual Singing in the Public Worship of God, as their Troubles and Sorrows must needs exceed their Joys; and then the Gra­ces and Duties suitable to that State should be in exercise, as Long-suffering, Patience, Faith of Reliance, Meekness, Watching, Pray-ing, &c. which are more strongly injoi­ned, and often pressed on us in the New 
Testament for our constant Practice, then Singing, is, and that because our Troubles and Sorrows are more constant than our spi­ritual Raptures: So that from our Incapaci­ty of maintaining a constant and sufficient Exercise of the Grace of Joy in our Souls, through the Troubles, Sins and Temptations of this World, the Weakness of our Faith, and want of the sufficient Gift of the Holy Spirit, we are not now able to sing with the Spirit, and with the Understanding also, in the constant and publick Worship of God, and to press it beyond our Understanding, proportion of Faith, and measure of the gracious Gift of the Holy Spirit, when o­ther Graces should be in exercise, is a Sin.

2. Every true Christian, nor the Church of Christ in general, is not capable to sing Praises to the Lord in his public and constant Worship; because the greatest number of Christians, as it is believed, especially in our Day, have not attained to a sufficient Faith of Assurance of the Love of God in Christ Jesus unto their Souls,Rom 5.1 to 5. (which made the A­postles rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory) but have their doubtings be­tween Hope and Fear of what shall become of them to all Eternity:1 Pet. 1.8. And therefore while they are in the new Birth, or Babes in Christ, and have not met with the witnes­sing Power,Rom. 8.15. or persuasive Influence of the Holy Spirit with their Spirits, that they are the Children of God, they cannot sing his Praise for their Redemption: for if they are 
not sufficiently assured of it by Faith, they cannot so rejoice in it. And we should not think that God requireth more of his Church and People than he hath given Ability and Qualifications to perform.

Tenth Objection, Formal Prayer and Sing­ing were used under the Law: and therefore why not formal Prayer and Singing under the Gospel?

Answer. As the visible and successive Mi­nisters of the Worship and Service of God under the Law, were not called as spiritually converted regenerated Believers, but were an Election out of the natural and carnal Seed of Abraham in their Generations, by Succession unto the Ministerial Office: so the Body of the Old-Testament-Church was not called into that visible Church-State as spiritual regenerated Believers, but as the natural and carnal Seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And therefore as that People were carnally and nationally imbodi­ed into a visible Church-state; so their insti­tuted Worship was formal, literal, ceremo­nial, carnal, and typical, suitable to them, and the Design of God to make them and their Church-State a Type, Shadow and Fi­gure of his calling a spiritual People into a more spiritual Church-State, to serve him in more spiritual Ordinances in Spirit and in Truth: And therefore since Christ is come in the Flesh, and hath removed and abolish­ed the Mosaical and Levitical Church-State,Heb. 7.12, 17, 18. Chap. 9.8 to 11. the New-Testament-Writers have described Gospel Things in opposition to them, as 
Power to Form,Rom. 2.20, 29. 2 Cor. 3.11. Gal. 3.2, 3. 2 Cor. 3.6. Rom. 7.6. Chap. 1.28, 29. Phil. 3.3. Gal. 3.29. Chap. 4.21, &c. 29 to the End. Heb. 10.1. Chap. 9.1, 11, 23. Col. 2.17. as Spirit to Flesh, as Spiri­tual to Literal and Carnal, as spiritual Seed to fleshly or carnal Seed, as Shadows to Bo­dies, as Worldly to Heavenly, as Types and Figures of good Things to come: So that there is no legal instituted Worship, as found in the public Levitical Service and Circum­stances, that can be either proper or a suffici­ent Warrant for our Practice in Gospel-Times; and therefore it is our Duty to look more directly into the Gospel-Institutions for Gospel-Worship, than to confuse the Minds of weak Christians with Questions from the dark Shadows of the Law, which tend to Bondage, and have proved very mis­chievous to the Gospel-Church; for which cause many, whom God hath graciously en­lightned in the Holy Scriptures, have been forced to treat the more largely on Legal Ceremonies,2 Cor. 3.14, 15, 17. to remove the Vail of the Law, which to this day too much remains on the Minds of many Christians.

Eleventh Objection, Prayer under the Go­spel is an Ordinance of the same Nature as it was under the Law, and therefore Singing under the Gospel may also be of the same Nature, and intend the same thing as it did in the Legal Worship.

Answer. It is true that private Prayer is a Duty of the same Nature under the Gospel as it was under the Law, both with respect to the like Occasions, Wants, and Necessities of the Saints; and to the same Spirit, by which all true Believers do offer up spiritual [Page 45]and effectual Prayers to God. But as to the Conveyance and Delivery of Prayer as an Ordinance, in and for the public ministe­rial and ordinary instituted Service of God in his Church, there is a difference in Go­spel-Times to what it was under the Law: for such publick Prayers were conveyed and delivered formerly with dark Shadows, and carnal Ordinances, by which means the Spi­rituality of spiritual Persons (as David, of whom it is said, that he praised God by the Ministry of the Priests and Levites) in the public Worship of God was greatly vailed to what it now is,2 Chron. 7, 6. 2 Cor. 3.13, 14, 15. 2 Chron. 29.25 to 31. Nehem. 11.17, 22. since all those Forms, Ce­remonial Shadows, and carnal Ordinances are removed: for while the Priests were offering the Sacrifices, the Priests and Le­vites, in Songs with Instruments of Musick, delivered such Psalms of Prayers and Praises as were appointed for the publick Service of God. So that publick Prayers in the ordi­nary and constant Worship of God in the Old-Testament-Church, was ministered in a different manner to what it now is, and ought to be under the Gospel; and therefore whatsoever Singing hath been, or still may be in Gospel-Times, may as well differ from the Old-Testament-Temple-Singing. But having before shown that Temple-Singing was no Type of Singing in the Gospel-Ta­bernacle-Church-State, there is less need for any Reply to this Objection.

Twelfth Objection, Since the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit are ceased, we 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 Prayer and) Singing also.

Answ. 1. I do acknowledge 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 Injoy­ment, and is called a Breaking forth, Isa. 52.9.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 from what we have; otherwise, we mock God, and draw nigh unto him with our Mouths,Isa. 29.13. and honor him with our Lips, when our Hearts are far from him, and our Fear towards him is taught by the Pre­cepts of Men; and therefore when I consi­der the present State and Frame of the Churches of Jesus Christ, I much 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, saith one; and another mourneth under the Strength and Power of Sins and Temptations; and a third for the Light of God's Countenance: and the great Complaint is, I am dull and 
heavy, and cannot profit in Ordinances; and that which is worst of all, I am shut up in my Spirit, that I cannot pray, I want the Spirit of Prayer and Supplications. 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?

But some of these will say, Singing will raise my Spirit, I find Refreshment by it, and therefore I am for Singing.

To this I answer, That there may be a na­tural sensual Joy in the Heart when it is not from the Light and Influence of the Holy Spirit, and therefore we must beware that we make not our Spirits a Standard for the Worship of God, but that we try our Spi­rits by the Scriptures.

2dly. As to Forms of (Prayer and) Sing­ing, I have sufficiently treated of them be­fore, and that the sufficient Gifts of the Holy Spirit shall continue for the Worship of God in the Gospel-Church to the end of the World; and therefore my Business here, is, only to shew that the using a Form of Preaching, is no Example for a Form of Singing: if it is, why not of Prayer also? which you deny, because there is Reason for a Form of Preaching from the Word of God, 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 other particular Forms; yet it is lawful for them, and required of them, 
to compare spiritual things with spiritual; to attend Reading and Meditations, 1 Cor. 2.13. 1 Tim. 4.13, 15. 2 Tim. 1.13. ch. 2.15. 1 Cor. 4.6.and to hold fast the form of sound words, rightly dividing the Word of Truth as a Workman that needs not to be ashamed of his Work: as Paul, who saith, These things, Brethren, I have in a Figure trans­ferred to myself, and to Apollos for your sakes. So that where the Scriptures do give us Liberty, we may use it: but it is our Sin to take it where it is forbidden; as I have shown it is to use a Form of Prayer or Singing.

I could say more of the different Nature of Preaching to that of Prayer and Singing, but I think it is needless here, and therefore I shall conclude, with my humble Request to all those that are for Singing of David's Psalms, or any prescribed Forms of Singing, as the Custom is, that they would be pleased seriously to consider of these several things following.

1. That the vocal Singing together, ei­ther of David's Psalms, or any humane pre­composed Forms, is a corrupting of the pure Worship of Jesus Christ, in mingling of Law and Gospel, or humane and divine things together.

2. It will lead us to Apostacy, to return from whence we came, as a Dog to his Vo­mit, and as a sow that is washed to her wal­lowing in the Mire.

3. Consider seriously, you that are Leaders of the Lord's People, and are for such for­mal Singing, Whether the same Arguments 
you now urge to your Fellow-Brethren will be pleadable for your Practice at the Bar of Jesus Christ: you may plead them here to us, but will you not be ashamed to own them there? The Lord give you a true Sight and Sense of the evil Consequences of this your Error, that you may not cause his People to sin, but may yet with sound Doctrine strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble Knees, and make straight Paths for your Feet, Heb. 12.12, 13.lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.

4thly. Consider, that if you err from the Rule of Christ in offering your Praises to God, contrary to his own appointed Way, therein you do worship God in vain: and I fear it will be said of you, as it was to him that offered the Thank-offering under the Law,Levit. 7.11 to 19. which was to be eaten on the first and second Days: and if any of the Flesh of the Sacrifice of his Peace or Thank-offering were eaten at all on the third Day, that it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be im­puted unto him that offereth it: it shall be an Abomination, and that Soul shall bear his Iniquity.

5thly and lastly. It is the Duty of all, and of every individual Christian, studiously to judge of the Doctrine delivered to them, whether it be of Man or of God; and to conform to the Authority of the Holy Scrip­ture; as the noble Bereans did,Acts 17.10, 11. who searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things, 
preached by Paul and Silas, were so or not. And I am perswaded that it is for want of Zeal and Love to the Truths of Christ, and through that slothful and idle Spirit attend­ing so many Christians, that the Errors of Men do so prevail.

But to leave what I have said, I do be­seech you, courteous Reader, christianly to overlook that Weakness you may espy in my Delivery, and seriously to take notice not so much of that, as of the main of this Subject, without straining my Words beyond the drift and design of the body of my Discourse; and to consider, that the Au­thority of the Holy Scriptures is repug­nant to such formal and customary Sing­ing herein mentioned, and treated of, not with any Design to move Controversies or trouble others, but to prevent the Divisions that possibly may arise amongst our selves, through the Endeavours of some Persons to promote this Error in our Churches. And as I hope the Lord hath engaged my Heart herein; so he will bless my poor Endea­vours, to settle the Minds of my wavering Brethren, and to prevent any farther In­croachments of this Error, which hath been so generally rejected by us for many Years.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

Page 45. line 8. for formerly read formally. P. 47. near the end in Margent, add the Text Luke 4.17, &c.

AN APPENDIX TO THE FORMER DISCOURSE, Concerning SINGING in the Worship of GOD in the Gospel Church.

In the former Part of my Discourse on this Subject, I laid a Foundation ac­cording to the proportion of Faith which I received from the Light of the holy Scriptures, and have asserted something of the nature, manner, and order of Singing agreeable to the Dispensations of the Mind and Will of God unto his People, both un­der the Old and New Testaments. And finding myself concerned in the defense of the Truth of Christ, which some have erred from in their practice of formal Singing, I shall further treat this subject for the better clearing of it from divers things that 
lie in the way of some Christians' establish­ment in the Truth.

SECT. I.

1. I Shall premise, That to praise God, or praising of God is not confined to Songs of Praise; but that there are other ways and manners of praising God, then with such melodious Singing, as in Psal. 145.10. [All thy Works shall praise thee, O Lord,] and thy Saints shall bless thee; and in Psal. 148. throughout, the whole Creation is required to praise God, for he commanded, and they were created. Their very Being and Sub­sistence, and the order of Nature, is a Praise to the glorious Wisdom and Power of God. And David saith,Psal. 50.23. Whoso offereth Praise glori­fieth me, viz. God. And as praising God is glorifying, honoring, and magnifying of him, so also is glorifying God, often put for the same as praising of him, which in the following Scriptures do also differ from that of Singing; as in Mat. 21.16. where the Children crying Hosanna to the Son of Da­vid, [that is, Save now] is by Christ called Praise; and Luke 19.37. The whole Multi­tude of the Disciples began to rejoice and praise God, — saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord: Peace in Heaven, and Glory in the Highest. And this praising God, and Glory in the Highest, is, in Matthew and Mark, said to be crying Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest. And Luke 18.43. And immediate­ly he received his Sight, and followed him, glo­rifying God; and all the People when they saw it, gave Praise unto God. And Acts 3.8, 9. The lame Man walking and leaping praised God. And also Thanking,2 Cor. 4.15. chap. 9.11, to end. Phil. 4.16. chap. 1.3, 4. 1 Thes. 1.2. Phil. 1.4. is glorifying or praising God, which is by the ordinary Gift of the Spirit, always to be mixt with Prayer, as Paul did, making mention of the Saints with Thanksgiving always in every Prayer; and therefore as God is thus praised, glorified, and thanked, I can see no reason to confine his Praises to [Songs] of Praise only, which the Learned Dr. Owen strongly opposes in his Exposition of Heb. 2.12. notwith­standing the word in the Greek that is there put for Praise, is Hymneso se, I will hymn thee, viz. I will praise thee; his Words are these: ‘It is declared farther, (1.) What Christ will moreover do, He will sing Praises unto God; and (2.) where he will do it, in the midst of the Congregation: The Expression of both these is accommo­dated unto the Declaration of God's Name, and praising of him in the Temple. The Singing of Hymns of Praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal Part of his Worship. And in the first Ex­pression, two Things are observable. (1.) What Christ undertakes to do, and that is, to praise God. Now this is only Exegetical of what went before: He 
would praise God by declaring his Name. There is no way whereby the Praise of God may be celebrated, like that of de­claring his Grace, Goodness, and Love unto Men, whereby they may be won to believe and trust in him, whence Glory redounds unto him. (2.) The Chearful­ness and Alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this Work, he would do it as with Joy and Singing; with such a frame of Heart, as was required in them, who were to sing the Praises of God in the great Assem­bly in the Temple. (3.) Where would he do this [...] in the midst of the Congregation, the great Congregation, as he calls it, ver. 25. that is, the great Assem­blies of the People in the Temple. And this was a Type of the whole Church of the Elect, under the New Testament. The Lord Christ in his own Person, by his Spirit in his Apostles, and his Word, by all his Messengers unto the end of the World, setting forth the Love, Grace, Goodness, and Mercy of God in him the Mediator, sets forth the Praise of God in the midst of the Congregation. I shall only add (saith he) that whereas Singing of Hymns unto God, was an essential Part of the in­stituted Worship under the Old Testa­ment, to whose use these Expressions are accommodated; it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this Praise of God in his Institution of Worship under the New-Testament, wherein God 
will ever be glorified and praised. And he farther saith, — That he (viz. Christ, no sooner was delivered from his Suf­ferings, but) as he lands upon the Shore from that Tempest wherein he was tossed in his Passion, he cries out, I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren, in the midst of the Congregation will I sing praise unto thee. And thus we find that upon his Resur­rection he did not immediately ascend into Glory, but first declared the Name of God unto his Apostles and Disciples, and then took order that by them it should be declared and published to all the World. This was upon his Spirit, and he entered not into his glorious Rest until he had performed it. The Words themselves also do evidence it, in that Expression of celebrating God's Name with Hymns, with Singing. It was a Joy of heart unto him to be engaged in this work. Singing is the frame of, James 5.13. of them that are in a glad, free, rejoicing Condi­tion. So was the Lord Christ in this Work. — Moreover,Psal. 258. the Lord Christ by declaring, that he will set forth the Praise of God in the Church, manifests what is the duty of the Church itself, namely, to praise God. — This is indeed the ve­ry end of gathering the Church, and of all the Duties that are performed therein, and thereby.— This is the end of the In­stitution of all Ordinances of Worship in the Church, Eph. 3.8, 9, 10. and in them 
do they set forth the Praises of God unto Men and Angels? This is the tendency of Prayer, the word of Faith, and the fruit of Obedience. It is a fond Imagi­nation which some have fallen upon, that God is not praised in the Church for the work of Redemption unless it is done by Words and Hymns particularly ex­pressing it. All Praying, all Preaching, all Administration of Ordinances, all our Faith, all our Obedience, if ordered aright, are nothing but giving Glory to God, for his Love and Grace in Christ Jesus in a due and acceptable manner.’ So that it is mani­fested from the aforesaid Premises, that prai­sing of God is not limited to Songs of Praise.

SECT. II.

Of the word Hymnos, a Hymn.

That the word Hymnos signifieth [Praise] and is of such a general Signification, as that it is not to be confined only to Songs of Praise, is shown briefly in my former Discourse,Par. 1. p. 29, 33. wherein I cited Ainsworth on Psalm 3. who translates it Praise; and the Dutch Annotations, which do not limit it to Songs, but do also admit of it to signi­fy saying Thanks to God; to which former Testimony, I shall add some farther Evi­dence for the confirmation thereof.

And first, in Constantine's Greek Lexicon, though it tells us that Hymenaeus is a Nuptial Song; and Hymnos, Hymnus, Laus Deorum, the Praise of the Gods, &c. Yet he also confesses hymneo, dico hymnum, I say an Hymn, (as well as) hymnos canto, I sing Hymns; ca­no vel dico laudes, I sing or say Praises. Ne­que solum de Diis, ut quidam tradunt, dicitur, sed etiam de hominibus & aliis rebus: Neither is it spoken only of the Gods, as some say, but also of Men and other Things. Hymno, etiam Kateuphemismon pro conqueror; that is, Hymno, also Kateuphemismon, is put for conque­ror, to complain; convicior, to accuse or re­proach; Hymnein, for lamentari, to lament. So in the English Greek and Latin Lexicon by Andrew Symson Minister, it is Hymnus, Ephes. 5.19. Coloss. 3.16. a Song containing Praises to God: yet he also saith Hymnum cano, Hymnum dicto, to sing a Hymn, to say a Hymn, Mat. 26.30. Mar. 14.26. to praise, to give thanks unto God. This word (viz. Hymnus, saith he) signifieth also to complain, which is a more foreign Signification. And though these Lexicon-Writers do apply the use of the word to Songs of Praise and Nup­tial Songs, we see they do also admit of its simple signification to praise without Songs. But that which chiefly concerns us is to con­sider the use that is made of it in the Holy Scriptures. And,

1. The LXXII learned Translators of the Old Testament out of Hebrew into the Greek Tongue, were not so well acquainted 
with it, as such a proper limited word, to sig­nify Marriage-Praise or Songs of Praise; for if they had, then surely they would have used the word Hymnos in Psal. 78.63. — And their Maidens were not given to Marriage: in the margin it is, Heb. praised; lo hullalu, shall not be praised, which the Septuagint translates Epenthesan, and use not the word Hymnos for Marriage-Praise.

2. In Mr. Leigh's Critica Sacra on Matth. 26.30. Mark 14.26. Acts 16.25. Heb. 2.12. I find these three Authors cited, who do witness clearly for me, though he also brings two more to gloss the matter over, and with himself endeavors to balance his other Evidence in favor of our modern Translators.

First, it is there said that Hymneo signi­fies laudare, gratias agere, to praise, to give thanks. 2. Arabs, & laudem dederunt, Mat. 26.30. and they gave Praise. 3. Novarinus, Quum dixissent laudes, when they had spo­ken Praises. 4. Interpres Euthimii, Dictis lau­dibus, having spoken Praises. He also shows us, that the Hebrew word Odah in Isa. 25.1. is from the word Jadah, and signifieth Confessi­on, and is applied sometimes to Mans Sins, as in Joshua 7.19. and sometimes to God's Properties and Works, Psal. 26.27. & 107.8, 15, 21, 31. And also Arius Montanus tran­slateth Odaeh in Latin Confitebor, that is, I will confess; which is in the aforesaid Text in Greek Hymneso, and in our English Bibles I will praise. And in Isa. 12.4. in Hebrew 
Hodu la Jehovah, in Greek Hymneite Kurion; by Montanus in Latin is translated Confitemini Domino, in our English Bibles, Praise the Lord.

3. There are diverse Places of Scripture where the Hebrew word Tehillah, and the Greek word Hymnos, are in our Modern Bi­bles now in use, translated as Praise; as Psal. 40.3. And he hath put a new Song in my Mouth, even Praises unto our God; in Hebrew Shir Chadash, Greek asma kainon, a new Song; Heb. Tehillah, Gr. Hymnon, Praise. And Psal. 65.1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion; Heb. Tehillah, Gr. Hymnos, Praise. And Psal. 71.6. My Praise shall be continual of you; Heb. Te­hillathi, Gr. Hymnesis mou, my Praise. And Psal. 22.22. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren; in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee; Heb. Ahalelaecha, Gr. Hymneso se, I will praise thee. And Psal. 119.171. My Lips shall utter Praise; Heb. Tehillah, Gr. Hymnon, Praise. And Psal. 148.14. He also exalts the Horn of his People, the Praise of all his Saints; Heb. Tehillah, Gr. Hymnos, the Praise. And in all the aforesaid Scriptures Tremellius and Junius in their Latin Transla­tion render it Laus, that is, Praise.

4. Our more ancient English Bibles bear a fuller Testimony to the proper Signification of the word Hymnos in divers other places than the later modern Bibles do. In Psal. 40.3. Tehillah and Hymnon are rendred a Thanks­giving: See the Bible printed by Thomas Ray­nolds 1549. and by Edward Whitchurch in 1540, and 1541. and by Christopher Barker 1585. 
and his Deputies 1591.All these old Bibles, ex­cept Tho. Reynold's, are to be seen in Sion-Colledg, London. and in a Bible print­ed in 1535. And in Heb. 2.12. the word Hymnos. is translated as Praise, without the ad­dition of the word sing, according to Psal. 22.22. where Hymneso se is translated, I will praise thee. See Tho. Raynolds, Ed. Whit­church, Chris. Barker, and in his Deputies, and in the Old Bible printed 1535. and in Acts 16.25. the word Hymnos is translated Laud, that is, Praise: Paul and Silas prayed and lauded God, without the addition of the word sing. See Tho. Raynolds, the Deputies of Chris. Barker, and in Ed. Whitchurch's Bi­ble, and in the Old Bible printed 1535. the same Text is translated as Praise: And in Mat. 26.30. and Mark 14.26. it is translated as, And when they had said Grace, that is, given Thanks (from the Latin word gratias Thanks) See Tho. Raynolds, Edw. Whitchurch, and in the Bible printed in 1535. And in Mat. 26.30. and Mark 14.26. it is translated, And when they had praised, they went out, &c. See Christoph. Barker's and in his Deputies Bi­bles. And by Tremellius and Junius in their Latin Translation out of the Syriac Tongue, the two last Scriptures are rendered Laudes, that is in English, Praises.

Seeing therefore that there is such clear and undeniable Evidence, that the word Hymnos a Hymn signifies simply Praise, we have the less reason to marvel wherefore the aforesaid learned Doctor Owen did not limit the word to the singing of Hymns, Heb. 2.12. For inasmuch as he allows of Singing in ge­neral 
terms, omitting there to express his Mind in the manner of performing of it, he would surely have asserted vocal melodious Singing from the word Hymneso, as the most proper Exposition of the Text, if its proper Signification were confined to Songs of Praise, and consequently had given a far different Exposition of those words than what is clear­ly asserted by him: and therefore the Doctor by his expounding of the Text so indefinite­ly of praising God, he does plainly allow of the general Signification of the Word, and so denies its particular limitation to Songs of Praise. Moreover, Augustine Marlorate in his Catholick and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the holy Gospel after St. Matthew, gathered out of all the singular and approved Divines and translated out of Latin into English by Thomas Tymme Minister, on Matth. 26.30. saith, ‘It is uncertain with what words they praised God here, and whether they sang this Praise, or spake it simply. The Greek word in this Place signifies that they gave the Praise due unto God, but it doth not thereupon follow that they did sing it.’

So that the aforesaid Evidence clearly proves that the word Hymnos signifieth sim­ply Praise, which though our late Modern English Bibles in Matth. 26.30. Mark 14.26. Acts 16.25. Heb. 2.12. do read it, sing a Hymn, and sing Praise, yet there is ground to believe that their affectation to vocal sing­ing together of the metrical Psalms of Da­vid, through their mistake of the Mind of 
Christ concerning Singing under the New Testament has overswayed them more than the natural signification and particular limi­tation of the word itself to Songs of Praise. For what reason can be given for its different and particular Signification in the New Te­stament, from its general Signification given by the same Translators in the Old? And why should not the same words Hymneso se be in Heb. 2.12. translated, I will praise thee, without the addition of the word sing, as well as they are so translated in Psal. 22.22? And wherefore should our later Translators differ from those more ancient in the New Testament more than in the Old? Surely it must be granted that the words sung and sung in those four Scriptures, were an imprudent Addition to those sacred Texts. And there­fore there can be no foundation nor warrant from the word Hymnos for such vocal melo­dious Singing at or after the Lord's Supper, seeing the word cannot be any proof either that Christ did or did not sing at his Institu­tion of that Ordinance: and in that, as I have premised, God is otherwise to be prai­sed than by vocal Singing. Moreover, if there were, as there is no proof that Christ did then sing with melodious Voice, yet that could be no warrant for such formal vocal Singing together as is used in our day: For as we should not suppose but that the Practice of Christ therein should agree with the Rule of Worship, whereby the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were to be appointed, otherwise to be 
exercised in his Church; so we should ra­ther conclude, that because Christ did sing (if it could be proved, as it cannot) who had the Spirit without measure, and be­cause the primitive Gospel-Churches had the special Gift of Singing, that therefore we might also sing in the public Worship of God, or at the Supper, after the same Order with a single Voice, if we had the sufficient Gift of the Holy Spirit for it. But to affirm, that because Christ did sing at that Ordinance, if it were so (as it is not to be proved that he did) and because that Singing was used in the primitive Church, therefore it is binding on us now as a con­stant Ordinance, is to bind us to the constant use of that Gift of the Holy Spi­rit we never had.

SECT. III.

I Come now to the discourse of that which I find is made the greatest Plea for such vo­cal Singing together, and that is, say they, It is commanded by Christ in the New Testa­ment, and therefore we must practice it in the constant Worship of God. And that I may the better remove this grand Obstacle of the Truth, as they make it, in not under­standing the true Nature and Intentment of Christ's Command concerning Singing, I shall premise two things.

• 1. That such Spiritual Singing as was used in the Primitive Apostolical Church, was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit.
• 2. That the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every particular Member of the Church of Christ for publick Wor­ship.

First, It is evident that such Spiritual Sing­ing as was used in the Primitive Apostolical Church was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit.Gal. 5.22. 1 Joh. 2.27. Isa. 61.3. Eph. 1.14. Rom. 5.2. For as the Grace of Joy is a Fruit of the Spirit; and as God had promised the [Oil] (viz. the Spirit) of Joy for Mourn­ing, so the primitive Church had some Ear­nests 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 Pro­phesy, Tongues, and melodious Singing, which I shall here demonstrate, was also a special Gift of the Holy Spirit; for after the Apostle had exhorted the Corinthians to covet earnestly the best Gifts, and to desire Spiritual Gifts, 1 Cor. 12.31. chap. 14 1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.and to seek, that they might excel to the edifying of the Church; and that he that spake in an unknown Tongue, should pray that he might interpret, for if (saith he) I pray in an unknown Tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my Ʋnderstanding is unfruitful. He mentions Prayer and Singing, saying, What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the Ʋn­derstanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, and 
I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say, Amen, at thy giving of Thanks, seeing he un­derstandeth not what thou sayest? From whence I observe, that as the Saints of Corinth were moved by the Apostle to covet after the best Gifts; so it is evident, that both the Prayer and Singing here mentioned, were from the special and excellent Gifts of the Holy Spi­rit; for as the strange Tongues, and the Interpretations of them, which were then given to the Gospel-Church, were from the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, so this Prayer and Singing with the Spirit, and with the Understanding also, being with the Inspiration of strange Tongues, and from the extraordinary Gift of Interpre­tations of them, delivered in a known Tongue for the edifying of the Church, must needs be granted to be an extraordinary Gift of Prayer and Singing: For though Prayer in some other places may be taken as a more common Gift of Grace from the holy Spirit, and so might occasion some scruple, if it were to be found joyned with Singing without any adjunct, to demonstrate Singing to be a Gift of an higher attain­ment than Prayer is; that Singing also was a more common Gift than is here asserted: yet seeing that it is no where in the New Testament so expressed and joyned with Prayer, but with a sufficient adjunct, to shew that it is an higher Gift than ordinarily 
Prayer is (as James 5.13. where Affliction exerts Prayer, but spiritual Mirth in a suf­ficient fulness of Joy from the Holy Ghost, puts forth Singing) and that it is here joined with a more than ordinary Gift of Prayer; there is no reason for such a doubt, but to conclude that Singing is an extraordinary Gift of the holy Spirit. Moreover, common Reason tells us so far as it is elevated, to discern spiritual Things, that spiritual Sing­ing is an excellent Gift of the Holy Spirit from its different manner of delivering the Word of God; for as the excellent Gifts of the Spirit that were for the ministering of the Word, consisted in an extraordinary Inspiration of Light and Understanding, together with a sufficient Power and Capa­city to open and declare the wonderful Counsels and Works of God; so they were sometimes farther evidenced to be such ex­cellent Gifts, in that the same sort of Wor­ship that was performed by a more ordi­nary gift and way of Delivery, viz. Prayer, giving Thanks, Teaching, and Admo­nishing, were delivered with Interpretations of Tongues, and some of them with melo­dious Singing, which were both a Witness of and suitable to the extraordinary Gifts and Inspirations of the Holy Spirit, but not of the common Gifts: Nor doth the Bles­sing and Thanksgiving mentioned in the following Verses, afford an Argument to make Singing a common Gift; for as the Dutch Annotations on the word [Bless] 
allow that it is to be understood with re­spect to this Gift (viz. of Singing) of the Holy Spirit, being given to make publick Thanksgiving in the Church; so to me it is plain, that this Singing, Blessing, and Thanks­giving, are meant of but one and the same Gift, which the Apostle is here speaking of under these several Names; the Nature of the two latter as having relation to the Gift of Singing, as the immediate preceed­ing, and annexed subject Matter treated of, are Denotives of the nature of the Song be­fore-mentioned. For though we do allow and maintain that Blessing and Thanks­giving have relation to Prayer also, yet seeing that Singing is here last mentioned and that the Apostle speaks of giving Thanks, not so as any ways to intimate to us, that it is to be understood of ordinary Thanksgiving mixt with Prayer, but trea­ting of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of Thanksgiving as such a Gift, saying, For thou verily givest thanks; and, A­men, at thy giving of Thanks: by which words, relating to the Gift of Singing, and both of them, as appears in the Text, being accompanied with the extraordinary Gift of an unknown Tongue or Tongues,See Samu­el Clark's Annot. must be taken to denote a Thanksgiving, or a Blessing of God, with the extraordinary Gift of Melodious Singing.

2ly. In ver. 26. it is said, How is it then, Brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a 
Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpre­tation: Let all things be done to edifying. All had, or doubtless might have had, the Psalms of David to read; and therefore as none can say, but that to have the Doctrine and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, were some­thing more than to be able to read, or make a bare recital of some part of the holy Scriptures: So there is the same reason to conclude, that the having a Psalm, was some­thing farther than to be able to read or sing them out of a Book; and that as sometimes the Doctrine as well as the Tongue, the Revelation, and the Interpretation, were the special Gifts of the Spirit, so was the Psalm also.

3ly. Singing is a special Gift of the Holy Spirit because it is annexed to the fillings of it as his Fruits and Effects. Eph. 5.18, 19. Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; which plainly shows it to be the Fruits of a more than ordinary Fulness and Gift of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly; the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every Member of the Church of Christ for Public Worship, ap­pears from 1 Cor. 12.4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 28, 29, 30. Now there are diversities of Gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of Operations, but it is the same God, which worketh all in all. For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of Wisdom, to another the word of Knowledge, by the same Spirit: To 
another Faith by the same Spirit: To another the Gifts of healing by the same Spirit: To another the working of Miracles; to another Prophesy; to another decerning of Spirits; to other divers kinds of Tongues; to another interpretation of Tongues: But all these work­eth that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will, &c. and Rom. 12.4, 6, 7. So that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, are severally divided and distri­buted as God is graciously pleased to bestow them for the benefit and edification of the Church; and though the Gift of Singing is not expressly named, yet it is included in the Word of Wisdom and Gift of Teaching, which are comprehensive of all manner of Teaching, as well in Singing as other­wise.

Having proved that such spiritual Singing as was used in the Primitive A­postolical Church was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit and that the Gifts of the Spirit were not alike distributed to the Members of the Gospel-Church for publick Worship: From whence it follows, that e­very Member, or the whole Church, as they have not the like spiritual Gifts, so they are not capable of the like spiritual Singing; I now come to answer the said Objection and to open those Scriptures that are brought to prove, that Singing is commanded by Christ in the New Testament, so as to bind us to the constant use of it in the Gospel-Church.

1st. Scripture that is brought to prove vo­cal Singing commanded for constant Wor­ship, is 1 Cor. 14.15,See more part 1. pag. 8. 26. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the Ʋnderstanding also. How is it then, Brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revela­tion, hath an Interpretation? Let all things be done to edify. 1st. In verse 15. there is no positive Command but Paul's Example, which we should follow according to the measure of the Gift of Christ which is not now attained by us for such vocal spiritual Singing. 2dly. Nor can verse 26. be taken for a positive Command to sing a Psalm, see­ing it is put by way of Question: If they had a Psalm, a Doctrine, &c. and that what Gift or Gifts of the Spirit every one of the ministering Brethren had, the Command was that they should put them forth for the edify­ing of the Church. Nor can this Text be a positive Command for singing a Psalm in the constant Worship of God, any more than it is a Command for the constant Use of the other extraordinary Gifts of the Spi­rit together mentioned with the Psalm: Neither is there any color of Reason to think that the Psalm should be vocally sung by all the Church together, any more than that the Doctrine, and the Revelation, and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, should be delivered or said vocally together, or any of them, otherwise than according to the general Rule in the following Verses.

2dly. Ephes. 5.18,See more part 1. pag. 4, 5, &c. 19. From this Scripture I have shown before that there is no warrant for vocal Singing; but that speaking to your selves may be properly taken for in­ward speaking in the Heart, and have cited Mr. Pool, who renders it speaking [in], which the word to, in this Text, as we read it, is there shown to import. But if it were granted (as it is not) that vocal Singing was here intended, yet this Exhortation is no such positive Command, as to make it binding for the constant Worship of God, any farther than to such a Gift of the Spirit; for this Exhortation respects our being filled with the Spirit, and speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, are annexed as his Fruits and Effects; and therefore the latter cannot be attained with­out the former: so that we are under as strict a Command to be filled with the Spirit,Col. 3.16. for the enriching of us with the Word of Christ to dwell in us in all Wisdom, as we are to sing, yea, to be filled with the Spirit, being pri­marily commanded (as the efficient cause) to Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: then to be filled with the Spirit, should be primarily sought after, and instead of run­ing into humane Forms of Worship, to ob­tain the Spirit, and the Increase of his Graces in our Souls, we should seek more earnestly for the Spirit, to raise up our Hearts above our ordinary frames to wor­ship the Lord in the Beauties of Holiness. Besides, this Exhortation given to endeavor 
after the fillings and enriching of the Word and Spirit, warrants none either disorderly to improve his Gifts, or to counterfeit their Attainment of them.

3dly. Col. 3.16.See more part 1. pag. 7. This Command, or rather this Exhortation, to teach and admonish one another in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, is given neither absolutely, to require Impossibilities of us, nor yet to break any other Command, nor to interfere with the order and manner of God's Worship, and therefore this Scripture intends no more than to stir up the Church of Coloss to the At­tainment of this spiritual Gift of Singing,1 Cor. 12.31. Chap. 14.1. Phil. 3.11. as well as of other Gifts, exhorted to covet af­ter: and as the Apostle gives us an example by his own Endeavours to press after the Per­fection of a Resurrection-state: and we are also as strictly commanded to be perfect,Mat. 5.48. as our Father which is in Heaven is perfect; to walk as Christ walked;1 John 2.6. 1 Pet. 1.15. and as he which hath called us is holy, so to be holy in all manner of Conversation; as we are to sing. And there­fore the nature of this Command for Singing, is no more absolute than the others are, for our pressing after the Perfection of Grace, and of other special Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

And if this Command be so absolute and so universal, as to require the vocal Singing to­gether of all the Church in the constant Worship of God because it is written in general to the Saints at Ephesus and Coloss: Then surely those positive Commands for Prayer, which are more universally and 
strongly enjoined on all Christians, may be said to require their vocal praying together; for we are commanded to pray always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit, 1 Thess. 5.17. Ephes. 6.18.and to pray without ceasing. Yet surely you will not say from these Exhortations, because they are general to the Saints of Ephesus, and to the Church of the Thessalonians, that the whole Church must vocally pray together, or that Women should pray at all vocally in the Church; nor is there any reason from the Text, or any other part of this Epistle, or from any other Word of God, why those Exhortations for Singing, should include the Women and all the Church, more than the others do for Prayer.

But some may object and say, that Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, are for teach­ing and admonishing the Church, and therefore they must continue as part of the constant Worship of God to the end of the World. To which I reply;

1. That if you will have this Argument ser­viceable to prove the constant use of Psalms and Hymns, it will be equally serviceable to prove the constant use of spiritual Songs, for all three are alike set forth in the Text for teaching and admonishing. And if you will grant that there is an absolute necessity of a successive Gift of the Holy Spirit, by his im­mediate Dictates for Spiritual Songs (which some do, though others do not) why is there not as much reason to grant a necessi­ty for the Gift of the Holy Spirit, for Psalms 
and Hymns? For to be filled with the Spi­rit, is primarily set forth as the Fountain of all three, which are his Fruits and Effects, and therefore there is no reason to deny a necessity of the special Gift of the Holy Spi­rit for any one or two of them, more than for the others; and then if all three are from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit, there is an Exclusion of humane precomposed stinted Forms. But though I thus argue to clear the Truth from these Objections, yet I make no difference between them, as respecting their composure by the special Gift of the Spirit, so of their manner of Delivery in the Go­spel-Church, for all three are alike, as hath been proved before. To which I shall here add:See more part 1. pag. 35. That seeing we have three or four se­veral Names together of Old-Testament­things and Types, viz. Rev. 8.1, 3, 4. There was silence in Heaven for half an hour, while the Angel offered up the Incense, with the Prayers of the Saints, alluding to the custom of the Jews, Luke 1.8, 9, 10. who while the Priest was offering Incense, they made their pri­vate Prayers before the Lord, as appears in that it was by the whole Multitude in the outer or Great Court of the Temple, where the Priests did never use to minister their publick Service in God's Wor­ship, but in the inner Court, called, therefore, the Court of the Priests, for which cause it could not be publick ministerial Prayer. See the Dutch Annotations on these Scriptures, Luke 1.8, 9, 10. 1 Kings 6.36. 2 Chron. 4.9. Exod. 40.26, 33. and Dr. Franois Ro­berts in his Key of the Bible, on Rev. 8.1. and Mr. Joseph Mede in his Key of the Revelations, on Chap. 8.1. And the aforesaid Dr. Roberts on Pages 112, and 122. also shows, That Psalms, Hymns, and Songs, do answer the three Hebrew and Greek Words in the Titles of the Psalms; as 1st, [...] Mizmor, [...], a Psalm: Psal. 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. 2dly, [...] Tehillah, [...], an Hymn: Psal. 145. in which Psalm, though the LXXII. have not [...], a Hymn, but [...], a Praise, which for sense are one and the same, Hymn signifying Praise; yet the very word [...] is in Greek in the Titles of Psalm 6, 54, 60, 66. and in the close of Psalm 71. according to the Greek, but which is Ps. 72. According to the Hebrew, ver. 20. The Greek saith, Ended are Hymns of David Son of Jesse. 3dly, [...] Schir, [...], an Ode,—a Song: Psal. 30, 45, 46, 65, 68, 108, & 120, to 135. which account of these three words, serves to confirm what was cited before out of Ains­worth, Part 1. page 33.Censer, Incense, the Golden Altar, and the Smoak that per­tained to and accompanied the Peoples Pray­ers 
at the Temple, to express the Antitype, viz. the Intercession of Jesus Christ accompa­nying Gospel-Prayers. We may as well un­derstand Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, not to intend the same that were pre­scribed under the Law for Temple-Worship, but rather in such like manner; that the word Psalmos, which comes from another Greek Word, which signifies gently to beat or strike, and relates to Psalterium, a Psaltery, a musical Instrument, like a Harp; to Psal­mista, a Psalmist, or a Composer of Songs to musical Instruments; and signifies a Psalm or Lessen to be sung to a musical Instrument; doth set forth the sweet Strikings or Touches of the Spirit of Christ upon our Souls, which produceth Melody in our Hearts, and was sometimes vented by the Melody of the Voice: and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, the matter of Praise, and Doctrine exerted or put forth by one and the same special Gift of the holy Spirit, though expressed under so many Old Testament Names. But if we go 
about to limit these three Words, Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, to their legal Use and Significations; we may by the same Rule confine the others also, to intend a le­gal material Censer, Incense, Golden Altar, and Smoke, and so bring in this legal Cere­mony, that accompanied Prayer as well as Old-Testament-Singing, into the Gospel-Church. Moreover, understanding those Words of the legal Use and Signification of David's Psalms, Hymns, and Songs, affords a strong Argument for the lawful use of pre­script and stinted Forms of Prayer, as Dr. Roberts observes; saying, that the Scripture-Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, are most of them Prayers to God, and Praises of God, and so they are set Forms of such Prayers and Praise. And if it be warrantable to sing prescribed and set-Forms of Prayer and Praise, it is equally lawful otherwise to deliver such set-Forms of Prayers (and Praises Prayer-wise) and to say them as well as sing them, and I cannot see it possible for those that are for singing of David's Psalms, and yet deny the Lawfulness of prescribed and precomposed Forms of Prayer, to answer the Doctor's Argument, but that such forms of Prayers and Praises must stand or fall together.

2. These Words teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiri­tual Songs, are no more binding for the con­stant use of them, than teaching and admo­nishing by the extraordinary Gifts of Pro­phecy, Doctrine, and Revelation, proves that 
such Gifts shall continue for the constant Worship of God in the Gospel Church to the end of the World.

SECT. IV.

It is objected,See more Part 1. pag. 36. That it is a Moral Duty to praise God, and therefore we ought to sing his Praise in his constant Worship.

Answer. This I have spoken somewhat unto already in the former Part; but finding it is made the Refuge of some Persons, who cannot maintain their Practice of formal Singing by Gospel-Institution, I shall take the more notice of it here: For though they do assert their manner of Singing, both from the Gospel-Institution, and the moral Law, (for if it is a moral Duty, it must be so by the moral Law) yet as I have plainly proved before, that there is no foundation in the New Testament for such a Practice; so their flying to the moral Law seems virtually to confess the same; seeing that other Worship hath been maintained by them from Gospel-Institutions: and therefore they not being able to produce (that which is not, viz.) such a Gospel-Institution, nor to make their Practice to appear in any example of the A­postolical Churches found in the New Testa­ment, I shall now demonstrate how little re­lief they can have from the Moral Law, ei­ther given by Moses, Rom. 2.12 to 17.or written in the Heart 
of Man by Nature, which is in substance the same.

1. As to the Moral Law of Moses, Exod. 20.3, 5. Deut. 6.13. Mat. 4.10.though it requires Worship to be given to God alone, yet the Manner of it under the Old-Testa­ment was not alike Moral, but Ceremonial, Temporary, and Changeable, according to the Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to his Gospel-Church; otherwise if the man­ner of Worship under the Law, were alike moral and durable as the Command itself to worship God, we are then as firmly bound to the observation of that which we call, and in truth is, Mosaical and Ceremonial Wor­ship, as of the moral Command to worship God: But that which was Ceremonial, was no other than the peculiar manner of exer­ting or putting forth of that, morally com­manded in the Worship of God during the Time and Dispensation of the Law.

2. It is an absurd and irrational thing for any to make the Moral Law or Light of Na­ture written in the Heart of Man by Na­ture, a Rule to exert the Worship of God; when nothing is more certain than that the Law and Light of Nature is through the Fall much obliterated and corrupted, that we know not perfectly what it was in the state of Innocency, or that it did simply of it self discover to our first Parents before they sin­ned, the perfect manner how they should worship God: For God by Institution allow­ed Adam to eat of every Herb and of the Fruit of every Tree of the Field yielding 
Seed;Gen. 2.16, 17, and 3.1, 2, 3, 23. and by Institution he commanded A­dam in the state of Innocency, that he should not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And therefore seeing that Adam had a supernatural Revelation of the Mind and Will of God therein for his Obedience, and not unlikely for his resting on God's Sab­bath, otherwise he might have been dressing the Garden of Eden on that day, or tilling the Ground from whence he was taken, it not being possible for him to know what time had pas­sed before he was created, but by a superna­tural Revelation given to him. It is rather rational to believe that he had other Institu­tions given to him for the manner of exer­ting or putting forth his Worship unto God; otherwise, we must allow, that from his very instinct of Nature he knew the Mind of God, as it was in God himself, though unrevealed to Adam by supernatural Revelation; which I think will hardly be affirmed by any. And then if the pure Light of Adam's Nature be­fore the Fall was not sufficient of itself to discover the Will of God for his perfect O­bedience to it, why should any go about to make it a Rule for the manner of exerting the Worship of God now when it is corrupt­ed, and when we are so opposite in our Na­tures to the Law of God? As the Apostle saith,Rom. 7.14 Chap. 8.7 The Law is Spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under Sin. And that the natural Man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God. Be­cause the Natural Mind is Enmity against God; 1 Cor. 2.14for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither 
indeed can be. Rom. 8.8.So then they that are in the Flesh, cannot please God. For though the visible things that are seen, do declare the Eternal Power and Godhead, and the Law of Na­ture binds us to worship God; yet as Moses said,Exod. 10.26. We know not with what we must serve the Lord until we come thither. So the manner how is not known by this Law, but by the Divine Revelation and Institutions of God unto us, without which the Sons of Men are left to the uncertain Dictates of their own Hearts; by which, as their Practice in all A­ges hath witnessed, they have greatly varied from each other, and grossly erred from the Mind and Will of God in his Worship. Yea, and if Christians do so much difference in their Apprehensions concerning the Will of God recorded in his written Word, what Union can be expected if instead of cleaving to that as our Rule of Worship, we should ad­here to the Light of Nature, which cannot savingly reveal Christ?Mat. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.11 to 15. How should it then reveal unto us the manner of Christian Wor­ship, which is now discovered by Gospel-In­stitutions, through which alone our moral Duty is exerted? Moreover, as Gospel-In­stitutions do not destroy nor repugn, but ex­ert and shew forth the moral Commands; so our moral Obedience to them,Rom. 8.3. through our weakness in the Flesh, and want of Perfecti­on in them,Gal. 5.6. cannot be accepted by God, but as they are performed according to Gospel-Qualifications.Heb. 11.6. So that whatever may be said for the Morality of praying or praising God, 
yet if it is not done in Gospel-manner, ac­cording to Gospel-Institutions, and in a New-Testament-Spirit, it is no more accepted of God, than it was under the Law to sanctify and purify themselves with the eating of Swines Flesh,Isa. 66.17. and the Abomination, &c. And as the moral Law of Moses, nor the Law writ­ten in the Heart of Man by Nature, does not discover the way and manner of Gospel-Worship; so no essential part of such Wor­ship is merely Moral without Institution: for if it were, and on this bottom to be ex­ercised in the Gospel-Church, then Moral Persons, as such, being only in a moral Spi­rit, and destitute of the saving Grace of Christ, and Gospel-instituted-Qualifications for Church-Fellowship, must be admitted in­to the Community of the Church, and to the vocal Exercise of the Worship of God therein: For such Worship and such Persons must naturally go together, and cannot be divided. So that if this moral Principle be followed in its natural Tendencies and Con­sequences, it will lay Church-Communion common to Believers and such visible Unbe­lievers, and endanger the Overthrow and ut­ter Destruction of the Gospel-Church, and the pure spiritual Worship of God therein; and lay a foundation for a moral Church-state, for meer natural Persons, in a meer moral and natural Spirit, to exercise moral and natural Worship unto God.

SECT. V.

That Women should not vocally sing in the Worship of God in his Church,Par. 1. pag. 21, 22. is already shown in the former Part of this Treatise. But because I find that the Truth meeteth with great difficulties to be received, though it comes with Divine Authority, I shall say something farther here to this par­ticular Head.

1 Cor. 14.34. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under o­bedience, as also saith the Law. This Scrip­ture, though it hath such a relation to the following Verse, as to forbid the women asking of any Question in the Church, du­ring the Worship and Service of God there­in; yet it intends more than barely to re­strain them from such a sort of speaking, be­cause by the moral Law they are put under subjection to the Men.Gen. 3.16. And therefore see­ing that the Moral Law, which Christ will have preserved, as confirmed by him in his Gospel-Church, takes away all Authority from the Woman, then surely she must not teach nor admonish the Church of Christ in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; for that is an exercise of Authority: The Apostle makes it so, 1 Tim. 2.11. Let the Woman learn in silence with all subjection, viz. 
Subjection in all things; and ver. 12. I suf­fer not a Woman to teach, nor to usurp Autho­rity over the Man, but to be in silence: So that Christ makes it a Usurpation of Au­thority for a Woman to teach or to speak, or any ways to break her silence in the Church. And ver. 13. Adam was first formed, then Eve: And Adam was not deceived, but the Woman being deceived, was in the trans­gression: And therefore she is not suffered, because of her weakness to teach the Man, but to shew her Subjection by keeping si­lence, and therefore she must not vocally sing in the Church of God.

But some will object and say, That these Scriptures that forbid women teaching and speaking in the Church, and that com­mand them to learn in silence, do intend only that they should not be the Mouth of the Church, as in Prayer and Doctrine, to speak to God for them, or from God unto them; and that in Singing, they do neither of these, nor teach, nor learn, and there­fore Women's vocal Singing in the Church is not forbidden.

Answer 1. This Objection and Exposi­tion of these two Texts in favor of Wo­mens Singing, cannot possibly be the mind of Christ in them, because it is contrary to the letter of those Texts: For the Apostle saith indefinitely, that Women must not speak nor teach in the Church, and there­fore we cannot in reason make an excep­tion for their speaking or teaching, in Sing­ing 
any more than in Prayer, or other Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

2. For any to assert that the Peoples vo­cal Singing together, is neither for Learning, Teaching, nor Admonishing to one ano­ther, but that this is from the Minister on­ly by his Delivery of the Psalm or Hymn, &c. is at once to deny the use of their vocal Singing together, and thereby to con­demn their practice of it; for all things are for edifying of the Church, as the Apostle saith,1 Cor. 14.26, 28. How is it then, Brethren, when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine? —let all things be done to edifying; that is, for building and instruction for our profit. And we may see in the Gift of Tongues, that if there be no Interpreter, he must keep silence in the Church, and speak to himself, and to God: and so in this case of Singing, if it is not for the Edification of others to sing together, it must not be vocally in the Church. And in the former part of this Chapter, it is mainly urged that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit should be put forth to the edifying of the Church,Ver. 14, 15, 16, 17. as ver. 12. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. 1st. To pray and sing in a known Tongue; and 2ly. To deliver the Psalm, the Doctrine, and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, by course or turns,Ver. 27, 31. one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted: And therefore if the vocal Singing together of the People and of 
Women, be not for the edification of the Church, it is unprofitable, and so is rejected by the Apostle. Nor can such unedifying Singing that is neither for learning, teaching, nor admonishing one another, be that Sing­ing exhorted unto in Col. 3.16. Because that is for teaching and admonishing, which is opposite to this Objection, and therefore by the plain literal sense of the Text, it is overthrown. And if you should say, that such vocal Singing together, is for teaching and admonishing one another; then where are the Learners, if all are Teachers? and how do the Women learn in silence, when all do vocally sing? for it is impossible to reconcile such Contradictions of speech, as Wo­men's speaking, teaching, and admonish­ing one another in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, vocally altogether, to their not speaking nor teaching, but keeping silence, and learning in silence in the Church. Neither is there any reason to make the whole Church a Mouth (which is compared to a Body having many Members) as some would have it from Rom. 15.6. That ye may with one Mind and one Mouth glorify God: for this cannot be meant of every Member, or of the whole Church of Rome vocally to­gether, but of their being of one accord in Spirit, and by one Mouth, (viz. of their Mi­nister) to glorify God the Father,Par. 1. pag. 31. like Acts 4.24. which is fully opened before.

Object. There hath been Women Prophe­tesses who have prophesied in the Church, 
and it is said that their Sons and their Daugh­ters shall prophesy, and accordingly, we have mention made of women praying and prophesying; and wherefore may they not vocally sing as well as pray and prophesy?

Answ. First, It is doubtless lawful, and the duty of Women to improve the several Graces of the Holy Spirit, and that if their Hearts are raised by such a Gift of the Spi­rit in the joy of the Holy Ghost, they may sing as well as pray and prophesy; but none of these must be done by them in the assem­bly of the Church, for part of the instituted vocal Worship of God therein: For I see no ground to believe that any of those Wo­men Prophetesses sent of God, and men­tioned under the Old Testament, did ever deliver their Prophecies to the People in a Church-ministerial way and order; but as they were inspired by the holy Ghost, and as occasion offered, so they delivered the Word of God;2 Chron. 34.22. as the Prophetess Huldah did to Hilkiah and other Messengers which Josiah the King sent unto her. And as Anna did, who though she delivered her Prophecy to the People in the Temple, yet it was not as part of the instituted, constant, legal Temple-Worship, for that was appropria­ted only to the Priests and Levites; but she accidentally coming in at the same instant while Simeon was testifying of Christ, she al­so spake of him unto all them that waited for Redemption in Jerusalem.Luke 2.27, 28.

2. Though there is mention made of Wo­men's praying and prophesying in 1 Cor. 11.5. yet this cannot be meant of Prayer and Prophesy in the Public Worship and Service of God in the Gospel-Church, for that is not lawful, as hath been shown; for though they have the benefit, and may par­take, and put themselves under all the Or­dinances and Privileges (excepting those that relate to Government) in the Church; yet Women must not administer any pub­lick vocal Worship therein, and therefore it is spoken of more private Prayer and Pro­phesy out of the Church in their Families or otherwise, as they were spirited, and oc­casion presented, as Aquila and Priscilla ex­pounded the Way of God more perfectly to Apollos, Acts 18.26. or as Elizabeth by the Holy Ghost blessed Mary, or as Philip's four Daughters who did prophesy as it is most probable in their Father's House,Acts 21.8. or as those Prophetesses before cited under the Old Testament. And therefore if women pray­ing and prophesying, expressly mentioned in the Scriptures, cannot be understood of their vocal exercise in the constant Worship of God instituted in his Church; then surely there can be no reason given for their vocal Singing in the constant Service of God, when there is no such mention made of it as there is of their praying and prophesying in the New Testament.

SECT. VI.

As to those prophetical places in the Psalms,Psal. 96.1, 2. and 100.1, 2. &c. of all the Earth's Singing unto the Lord, it is not worth my labor to answer unto them in particular, seeing there is so much in the former part of this Trea­tise to reconcile them to the Truth in hand; and therefore I shall only say, That inas­much as the Apostles sound went into all the Earth, Rom. 10.18and their Words unto the Ends of the World, viz. of the known World, and that there was then the Spiritual Gift of vo­call Singing; those Scriptures may be ap­plied to that primitive Gospel-time, but their more complete fulfilling, shall be in the great Sabbath, which I believe will be the seventh 1000 years of the World, which is that Rest that remains to the People of God,Heb. 4.9. Isa. 52.9. Psal. 96, & 97, & 98. so much prophesied of throughout the Scriptures, when the whole Earth shall be at rest and qui­et, and shall break forth into Singing.

SECT. VII.

If it is lawful to premeditate on the matter of Prayer, we may also as well premedi­tate on the matter of Singing; and if such premeditated matter of Prayer and Singing, 
may be delivered in the Worship of God, and limited to those premeditated Words, wherefore is it not lawful to use prescribed Forms?

Answ. First, This Argument takes that for granted, which is not wise to be granted, viz. that vocal prayer: and consequently Singing, may be limited to premeditated Words. True, it is lawful to premeditate on the matter of Prayer, for if we deny this, we cannot go to God in that Duty, with a sense of our wants upon our Hearts, and that the same wants which we are sensible of be­fore we pray, may and ought to be spread at the Throne of Grace in Prayer; but yet we are not to limit our selves in Prayer to any premeditated matter nor words before Prayer. For though our wants, or the mat­ter of Prayer, be thought on before Prayer, yea, and it may be sent up to Heaven by in­ward Prayer, before we come to our vocal Duty; as we should always strive to main­tain the Workings of Grace in our Hearts, either in Prayer or Praises to God, or other­wise, for the improving of our selves in the Knowledg of spiritual things, yet we should not form that premeditated matter, to tye our selves in those very words, to express our Minds no God in the Duty of vocal Prayer: for tho such premeditated words may express our present Requests as fitly as any others; yet to limit our selves to them, is a quench­ing of the holy Spirit, in that our Hearts are engaged and limited to the matter of those words only (otherwise our Hearts are either idle or differing from our Lips, which is Con­fusion) whereby we are barred from any far­ther Inlargings on the same or other new matter, that may be presented to us by the various Workings and Leadings of the Spi­rit of Christ in us, while we are praying; and therefore as we experience and own such a thing as the various Workings and Lead­ings of the holy Spirit sometimes in Prayer, we must then deny the use of limited Forms of Words to be lawful; for in Prayer we are sometimes broken in Spirit, under a sense of our Sins, and have our Hearts chiefly in­gaged in humble Supplications for the Par­don of them; and at other times our Faith is most active to lay hold on the precious Promises, and to plead with God; and when the Spirit raises our Souls in a sense of the Mercies and Grace of God to us in Christ Jesus, and sheddeth the Love of God abroad in our Hearts; then our Mourning is turned into Thansgivings and Praises by the Spirit. Now such various Workings as these, might not all be on the Heart in Premeditations,Rom. 9.1, 2. Chap. 10.1. and Chap. 5.2, 3. Ephes. 1.15, 16, 17, 18. Chap. 3.14, 16. Phil. 1.3, 4. as they may pass on the Soul in one single Duty of Prayer, as may be collected from these Scriptures. From whence we may see that the holy Apostle in his constant Prayers for those Churches, had the mixture of Sorrow, and of the Grace of Joy and Thanksgiving to God.

But some may further say, That the Spi­rit of Christ can variously affect our Hearts, 
and direct us to premeditate such a Form of Prayer, that may suit the different Actings of his Graces in us in Prayer; and this recon­ciles the use of a stinted premeditated Form, with the various Workings of the holy Spi­rit in Prayer.

My Answer is, That the Spirit of Christ can redirect our Meditations in those various things that he himself may help to engage our Hearts, in vocal Prayer, according to the same stinted Words as were premeditated in our Hearts before. But as we cannot find any warrantable Footsteps thereof in the New Testament; and as this is not the known way of the Spirit in Gospel-Worship, so to assert that the Spirit of Christ does redirect and limit the Form of Prayer, so as to suit his various Actings in us while we are pray­ing, does create these following Conse­quences. 1. That no Improvement can be made of other matters in Prayer,Psal. 78.41. and that no other things can be expected from God in Prayer, than what our Thoughts were fixed upon before Prayer, which is a limit­ing and tempting of the Holy One of Israel, not to meet with his People as he hath pro­mised, those who remember him in his ways; Isa. 64.5. Chap. 65.24. Dan. 9.20, 21. Acts 10.30. Luke 3.21. Acts 11.6.and as the Lord by the Prophet saith, While they are yet speaking, I will hear; and as Dani­el and Cornelius while they were praying, had a Message from God in answer to their Pray­ers; and also Jesus Praying, the Heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bo­dily Shape like a Dove upon him. Which Exam­ples 
do demonstrate that God was wont of old, to meet with his People in the Duty of Prayer; and it is the daily Experience of many Christians,James 4.8. that while they are draw­ing nigh to God in the Duty of Prayer, God is drawing nigh to their Souls, and giving them many Tokens and fresh Assurances of his Love and Favour to them. 2. It is a Temptation to us to neglect Prayer, unless we find the matter performed in us, fit for vocal Prayer; for if the Spirit composes the matter in our Premeditations for us to be stinted to in our verbal Prayers, then we must wait for those Workings of the Holy Spirit in us before we can go to Prayer; or else we must approve of our going to Pray­er, without a premeditated stinted Form, and to rely on the gracious Income and Gui­dance of the holy Spirit, for the well-per­formance of it; as the Apostle saith,Rom. 8.26. The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought (that is, we have not the full Foreknowledge of what we should pray for, viz. of the matter of our Prayer) but the Spirit itself maketh Intercessi­on for us (viz. in Prayer) with Groanings which cannot be uttered. So that the Spirit itself does help our Infirmities, and supply our fore-Ignorance of the matter of Prayer, which we may not have a full and sufficient knowledge of, but by the help of the Holy Spirit in Prayer; and therefore Prayer must not be limited to premeditated Forms. 3. This seems to reflect on the Spirit's suffici­ent 
Power to form an extemporary Prayer, as though he were not able to furnish the Soul with sufficient matter and words to express it by, immediately from his Dictates, but that he must first have time to precompose the matter of Prayer, and afterward limit himself to it, lest his immediate Help and Guidance of us in Prayer, should not be so good a Composure for our Acceptance with God through Jesus Christ, as his premedi­tated stinted Form. And therefore seeing that we are not to tie ourselves in Prayer to premeditated Forms, this Argument cannot draw in a prescribed Form of Prayer, nor Singing, to be allowed in Gospel-Worship.

SECT. VIII.

Obj. The singing of humane precomposed stinted Forms of Psalms, and Hymns, and Songs in the Church, are spiritual Worship if their Matter be agreeable to the Word of God, and if they are sung with Grace in our Hearts.

Answer. First,Par. 1. pag. 15, 16, &c. & pag. 43. That such Forms are not spiritual Worship, is proved in my former Discourse; and appears from the proof I have made herein, that the primitive Gospel-Singing was from the special Gift of the holy Spirit, and also from the foregoing Section: for if such premeditated or prescribed Forms are not lawful, we cannot expect that the 
Spirit should own them with his actual Pre­sence in his Graces, to make them spiritual Worship: Unto which preceding Evidence I refer the Reader: and shall farther add, in answer to the latter part of this Objection, That it is not the use of precomposed Forms of spiritual Words, or matter so-called, be­cause they are scriptural, or agreeing to the sense of the holy Scriptures, which were gi­ven by the Spirit, that are Spiritual Wor­ship; because a Soul that useth such forms of Worship, may have Grace in his Heart. For true Spiritual, Worship does not barely con­sist of spiritual Words, and some Grace, un­less they are spiritual Words from Grace. For if a Soul should be praying or singing to God with spiritual Words, and with the habit of Grace in his Heart, and is not in some exer­cise of it together with these words, will you say that this is spiritual Worship, when it is only verbal, and the Graces of the Spi­rit of Christ, in the Heart of the Person, is in no degree active with them? no surely.

2. Though we are exhorted to sing with Grace in our Hearts, Col. 3.16.yet it is not enough bare­ly to sing with Grace, but with the Grace of Melody (see the other Text, Ephes. 5.19.) that is, so to be filled with the Spirit, as that by his gracious influencing Power, not only the Matter is formed from the Word, and according to the Word of God; but that the Grace of Joy is raised up in our Souls to that height of Melody, as wanteth to be vented forth by the Tongue. For Singing is called 
a breaking forth;Jam. 5.13. Isa. 52.9. Chap. 65.14 and it proceeds from the Joy of Heart, and Mirth of Spirit. And if any should farther say, that there is as much reason to conclude, that no Prayer also is spiritual Prayer, if there be not a powerful Influence of the Holy Spirit to form it in our Hearts: I shall thus answer; That the more or less our Prayers are formed and produ­ced by the Influencings of the Holy Spirit in us, the more or less our Prayers are spi­ritual Prayers. And as we cannot deny, but that the least exercise of true Grace in our Hearts in Prayer, gives essence or being to inward spiritual Prayer; so the least exer­cise of gracious melodious Joy gives essence to inward spiritual Singing. And as we ought not vocally to pray in the public 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 is by a sufficient Gift of the Holy Spirit. And seeing we do have not such a Gift, we are not capable of vocal spiritual Singing. But as for Prayer, it is believed, and it is apparent­ly manifest, that there are many Christians that are in the exercise of the Grace of Pray­er for many years, that do not attain to the full assurance of the Love of God, in his e­ternal Purpose of their Salvation; much less so as to have the melodious Joy of the Spirit filling their Hearts with the Comfort of it. Moreover, Prayer is a lower Attainment, and therefore there is not the same necessity for an extraordinary Gift of the Spirit to 
qualify us for the exercise of it in the pub­lick Worship of God, as there is for Singing. And as there is reason to believe, that suita­ble to the vocal melodious Singing, and other excellent Gifts of the Holy Spirit, that were in the Primitive Church, there were also ex­traordinary Gifts of Prayer and Supplicati­ons, so as we have now only attained to the ordinary Gift of Prayer and Prophecy,Col. 3.9, 12 Ephes. 1.16 Phil. 4.6. Col. 4.2. we have suitable to them the ordinary way of praising and thanking God, which we find were ordinarily mixed with Prayer. And therefore with respect to the Essence of spi­ritual Singing, yea, and of vocal Praises Pray­er-wise, we are in a suitable degree sometimes in the true exercise of it, as we are of other Gifts of the Holy Spirit: And as these increase in the Church of Christ in their proper times, so may that of Singing also from the Essence of Melody in the Heart, and of vocal Praises Prayer-wise, till we come to the primitive pattern and perfection of Divine Worship, going from strength to strength, till every one appears before the Lord in the heavenly Zion. Psal. 84.7.But while we are in this Wilderness-state, if we worship God sincerely according to that measure of Grace which we have re­ceived, it is accepted of him according to that a Man hath,2 Cor. 8.12. and not according to that he hath not: And it is more pleasing to God to hear our Heart-Melody without or with an ordi­nary Voice, than to hear a melodious Voice without a suitable melodious spiritual Heart, somewhat like (tho not in personal Qualifica­tions) 
the Publican's Prayer, which was rather heard,Luke 18.11 to 15. than the Pharise's self-righteous thank­ing God. And for any to say, that they have the inward Melody in the use of outward me­lodious Forms: we may rather conclude, that it is carnal and sensual, instead of spiritual; and from the sense and workings of Nature, rather than from the gracious actings of the holy Spirit of Christ. I will not say but that God may somewhat own a sincere Soul, that hath no greater Light in his way of Worship. But this I dare affirm, that the more we come up to his perfect Rule, the greater our Peace and Comfort shall be, and that whatever Comfort a Soul may meet with in any part of Divine Worship, coming short, or going be­yond the Rule of Christ, it is no Seal of God's Acceptance of it as so performed, but it is rather a Token of his inexpressible conde­scending Love, in taking notice of such a Soul that sincerely loves his ways; though perhaps the Mist of Antichrist is not perfect­ly cleared from off his Eyes. But though I confess a Possibility of a sincere Soul meeting with something of God's Presence in such an irregular way of Worship, and dare not presume to limit the free Grace of God; yet there is little reason to expect any comfort­ing Presence of God in such a way, for the holy Scriptures run contrary to it. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth, and worketh Righte­ousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: not in our ways, but in God's ways we may expect to meet with his blessed Presence. And 
therefore as such humane presented Forms are opposite to the prescribed Ways of God and are a bar to the free exercise of the Gra­ces of the Holy Spirit in us, there is reason to fear, that the inward Joy (tho of a sin­cere Christian) in the use of outward melo­dious Forms, is not from the Fountain of the Holy Spirit. And herein I humbly conceive the Mistake lies, that such a Soul being some­what affected with spiritual things, and the vocal Melody pleasing the sensual Appetite and raising a natural Joy in the Heart; then because there is something spiritual, it is all counted spiritual, not considering that as we have two Natures, so the workings of each of them may meet together; as in James and John, who had doubtless a true spiritual Zeal for Christ, which their natural Passion fell in with to a sinful Revenge against those Samari­tans that slighted their Lord and Master: But Christ rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of.

And now, Christian Reader, I renew my Request unto you in the close of my former Part: And if my labor herein hath been anyways helpful to you for your establish­ment in the Truth, render to God the Father of Lights, and giver of every good Gift, the Glory, and Praise, to whom alone it is due. Amen.

FINIS.