THE BREACH REPAIRED IN GOD'S WORSHIP 3/4

 

This is a continuation of the treatise by Benjamin Keach in favor of Congregational Singing, which was a large controversy in the 1600s - ed.

CHAP. XV.

Wherein Mr. Marlow's Book, and many other Objections raised against the singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, are fully and plainly an­swered.

Though all that is impartial, who shall read Mr. Marlow's Book against Singing, and consider what I have already said in this Trea­tise, will say, He is answered: Yet I shall now give a particular Reply to all that is anyways material contained in it, which I have not de­tected and answered before.

That which he insinuates, pag. 3, 4. about the Weakness and Imbecility of some Christi­ans about their reception of this Ordinance as a dangerous thing, needs no Reply; he would fain make his Reader think, to receive singing of Psalms, &c. as an Ordinance, is no less than a falling away from the Truth. ‘So clearly (saith he) manifested by the Holy Scripture, 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 Prayer, but against singing David's Psalms, and other Hymns or Songs precomposed by Man.’

Answ. 'Tis not a falling away from Truth, to restore a lost or neglected Ordinance of the Gospel, (as you I perceive dare not deny, but this of Singing is); The main difference is a­bout the Manner, or what Singing is. We say it is going forward in the glorious Work of Re­formation. What though some Baptized Chur­ches (who I do believe have attained to greater Purity in some things, than some others) have born such a Witness against Singing of David's Psalms; is it therefore no Ordinance of Christ? must they need to know every Truth of Christ? Is there any Church that is yet arrived at such a perfection of knowledge, that they need not the discovery of any Truth but what they have received? I am afraid some of those Churches are yet short of the knowledge and Practice of another Ordinance as well as this, and speak against it as against this, though it is one of the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Heb. 6. 1, 2. Are they against the Sing­ing of David's Psalms and Hymns, do ye say? God forbid! since the Holy Ghost hath enjoyn­ed the Churches to sing them, pag. 3, 4.

But to pass over this, you come to consider that Text, Ephes. 5. 14. Speaking to your selves in Psalms, &c.

Object. ‘From these Words, nor the Context relating to them, is there any Word for a vocal Speaking; but otherwise it must be understood, a speaking to your own Heart.’ These are your words.

Answ. 'Tis well you do not affirm this, Teaching is then a Preaching, from Psalms, &c. in ordinary Gospel-Administration; for some, there have been and maybe are now, that assert that (and I think we shall find you there too by and by) however, let the Speaking be what it will that is here meant, it is evident 'tis such a speaking that is used in Singing; for so the following words explain it, which you are not willing (it may be) to cite; Singing and making of Melody in your Hearts to the Lord.

You then mention Col. 3.16. ‘I confess (say you) that Vo­cal Singing is here to be under­stood, In Ephes. 3.19. it was not Vo­cal Singing, yet here he says, 'tis a Vocal Singing. otherwise, it could not be Teaching and Admonishing to others in Word or Deed; but yet there is nothing to prove Vocal Singing together, for Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms, &c. is meant of the Ministering Brethren, whose work it was to teach and admonish the o­ther Members, according to the Gifts 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, whilst it is called today: And therefore as the word Exhortation is not used in the Church, but in an orderly ministe­rial way, by one at once, &c. must be used also according to Gospel-Rule; 1 Cor. 14. 26. How is it, Brethren? when you come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, has a Doctrine, &c. be understood of a Vocal Singing all together; for I think I will say, that those words, Every one of you hath, &c. were spoken of all having those Spiritual Gifts, which can't be thought of every Minister in that Church, Vers. 28▪ much less of all the Members, &c. So cannot be supposed, that all the Ministering Brethren had the Gift of Singing, or was any distinction of its universality in deli­very, more than of other Gifts in the Text; besides the Context speaks of single Persons that must exercise in the Church, therefore those words [every one of you] mean all, &c.’

Answ. First of all; I cannot but take no­tice of how you contradict yourself in Ephes. 5.19. you would have the Apostle, by Teaching and Singing, to mean only a silent Speaking in their Heart, without a Voice.

But, in Col. 3. 16. you confess that intends a Vocal Singing: Do you think any Man, who has the least Light or Knowledge in the Scrip­ture can groundedly suppose, that the Apostle doth, in Ephes. 5. 19. (in these words, Speak­ing to your selves in Psalms, Hymns, and Spi­ritual Songs, singing and making of Melody in your Heart to the Lord. And in Col. 3. 16. in these words, Teaching and Admonishing one a­nother in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord) mean two different things? Surely there is not one Man to be found of your Opinion, for all generally, with one Mouth, affirm, the Apostle in writing to these two Churches, in­tends the one and the same Practice. Nor is there anything said by you to convince us to the contrary; for though the Duty seems to be said down in different words, yet it implies the same thing; speaking to your selves, and teach­ing and admonishing one another, are of the import on this occasion as expressed here; for the Speaking is in Singing, and so is the Teaching and Admonishing, as the close of the Text opens it to every understanding Man.

2. 'Tis observable how you seem to confound this great Duty injoined in ordinary Worship on these two Churches, with the exercise of those extraordinary Gifts, mentioned 1 Cor. 14. 26. which hereafter I purpose to explain, and shew the purport or main drift of the Spirit in that place in 1 Cor. 14, &c. If any Man did sing in an unknown Tongue alone, 'twas be­cause others were not capable to sing with him, and he from thence was not to use such a Gift in the Church, unless there was an Interpreter to give forth that Psalm or Hymn, that so all might sing with him, and be edified in that Ordinance as in others.

3. In the third place, which is yet worst of all, you would have this of Teaching and Ad­monishing one another in Psalms, &c. singing with Grace in your Heart, to refer to that Heb. 3.13. which you apply to such who had the Gift to preach Ministerially and to sing too by the said Gift. In answer to this, in the first place, I thought we should not have had you affirm, the Apostle means, by Teaching and Admonishing here in this place, to be Preach­ing, according to that (in your sense) you refer to in citing Heb. 3. 13.

Now as to the first part of your Assertion; had you read Reverend Mr. Cotton, it might have removed this Mistake, and so prevented your pains to trouble the Reader with such an Exposition of the Text: I find him answering an Objection, that directly includes part of yours, in these words following.

Object. ‘The Apostle to the Ephesians and Colossians doth not say, Sing one to another in Psalms, but speak or preach one to another; or, in other words, Teach and admonish one another; the Psalms dwelling in their Hearts they were to dispose of them in a way of teach­ing and admonishing; but as for singing, he makes no mention of that, until he came to teach them the manner of dispensing the words of Christ unto God in one Verse, and then indeed he teacheth them to sing in the Spirit, making Melody with Grace in the Heart.’

If I do not mistake you, this Objection contains part of what you say, and pray to take his Answer; I do not doubt but he gives the true sense of the place.

Answ. ‘Such as tremble at the Word, saith he, (as the framer of this Objection pro­fesseth himself to do) they should rather bow their Judgments and Practice to Scrip­ture-Language than bow the Sense of Scrip­ture to their own Conceptions against the Language of Scripture; it is one thing to speak one to another in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, as is done in singing, and another thing to preach and teach one another out of the Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. 'Tis true, they were to teach and admonish one another out of the Psalms, and the scope of Paul will teach that; but if Paul had meant that, to wit, that they should teach and preach one to another out of the Psalms, he would not have said, Speak ye one to another in Psalms, or with Psalms, but out of the Psalms, for such is the Language of the Holy Ghost in ex­pressing this Duty; Paul is said to have ex­pounded and testified, and persuaded the Jews out of the Law of Moses, and out of the Prophets, Acts 28. 23. So Philip is said to do, begin to preach to the Eunich, from that Scripture in Isaiah, Act. 8. 35.’ Thus Mr. Cotton.

'Tis evident, my Brother, that Paul is not speaking here to Ministers, but to the whole Church, and he is not a laying down Directi­ons to gifted Brethren how they should preach and exhort one another that way, as sometimes he doth, much less about the exercise of extra­ordinary Gifts; but 'tis to enjoin and exhort the Churches to sing Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; how also they should perform this Duty to the Honour of God and their own Comfort, in ordinary Gospel-Administration. Dr. Roberts in his Key to the Bible, pag. 176. saith on these words for this purpose. ‘But Christians should be filled with the Spi­rit, not filled with Wine, but with the Spi­rit, and speak one to another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, &c. thus re­joicing with Heavenly Melody in your Hearts to the Lord: and the latter words in both places, Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. are, saith he, exegetical to those in the beginning of the Verses, explaining what he means by speaking, teaching, and admonishing, viz. thus, edifying one another in singing Psalms, &c. And it's an excellent way of speaking to themselves and to one another, when Christians sing Psalms, &c.—there­fore, saith he, that speaking to themselves, and teaching one another in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, is singing.’

As to singing with a vocal Voice, you have granted 'tis intended by the Holy Ghost in Col. 3.16. which is as much as I desire. What you hint or image of one singing alone has been fully answered, that never has been the Practice of God's People in God's ordinary Worship, neither in the Old or New Testa­ment; and as touching singing by an extraor­dinary Gift, more of that anon.

‘And, saith Mr. Sidenham, many think there can be no such use of Singing, as to teach and admonish one another by it; but if we consider, there are many Lessons to be learned one of another from this publick Conjunction of singing Scripture-Psalms.’

‘1. They teach one another, and by the very Act admonish one another, to get the same Frames these holy Men had in penning the Psalms, and in the variety and spiritu­ality of them to get David's Frame, in sing­ing David's Psalms, &c.’

‘2. 'Tis by this they teach one another the Unity and Harmony that is and should be among Saints, as one Body, that their Hap­piness and Joys are bound up together, and so the Misery of one is the Misery of the whole; and this is a glorious L [...]sson to know their Union together, as a Body equally con­cerned in the Joy or Sorrow of one ano­ther, equally interested in the Praises of God. There is no Duty practiced in all the Gospel, that doth fully express the Commu­nion of Saints, and represent Heaven, as the Saints singing together. The Lord's Sup­per doth represent the Communion of Saints very lively, but not so as mutual singing, when all at once, not by consent only, but expressly speak the same thing the same mo­ment. In the Lord's Supper, the afterward they were all one Bread, yet they all do not receive it at the same instant of time but may take successively the Elements; but in singing they all join perfectly at once, to sound forth the Praises of God, as if they had but one Heart and one Voice too. This is the perfect Emblem of Heaven, no jar­ring, all with one Voice and Heart, crying Hallelujah, Hallelujah.’

‘3. They teach one another this Lesson also, viz. with what Alacrity and Chear­fulness they should perform all their Duties together, and how with the sweetness of Love and Joy they ought to walk together.’

‘4. They teach one another how to carry themselves in all Conditions with a joyful and praising frame of Spirit, &c. and it shows a Soul is not in a right temper when he can­not sing over his Condition.’ To which I might add, not are they in that sweet Concord and Union with the Church, or hearty Affection that cannot join in one Heart and Voice with them.

‘5. They teach one another by singing, and admonishing one another (this way) to avoid anything that may hinder their Joys in Communion, and break their Harmony in spiritual Actions; all of which, and many more are great Lessons, and are taught na­turally by Saints mutual singing together,’ page. 211, 212.

Object. If any should object, How can Vn­believers join with the Saints in singing, if this be so?

Answ. This hath been answered already: there are the like Lessons, tho not to that degree and clearness, taught in uniting Hearts together in publick Prayer and Praises, in Prayer and in mutually joyning together equally in hearing God's Word: Nay, and all must grant, that the chiefest and nearest Communion is that of the Heart and Spirit: If therefore you may, and do admit such you speak of, to that Commu­nion and Liberty with you, how dare you, or can you deny them this? True, the Voice shows that Union is in the Heart or sets it forth; but the chief Fellowship and Unity are in the Spi­rit, as in the last Chapter I have shown.

Now I shall come to consider the Method or Form of your Book, or Heads you insist upon, which are laid down in six Particulars.  Of the Essence of Singing, (as you call it.)

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

I. Of the Essence of Singing.
Thus you begin, viz. ‘Though intelligible Singing for teaching and admonishing others cannot be without the use of the Organical In­struments of the Voice, yet the Essence or Be­ing of Singing consists in 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.’

And then come and tell your Reader the Essence of Sin is in the Heart, and the Essence of other things Good and Evil, and take four Pages in this kind of nonsensical way speaking, confounding the proper Acts God's Worship, nay, destroy them utterly, by starting an uncouth term, as here applied,  Essence; nay, and I perceive this mighty Man of Straw you have made and set up, you at a strange manner; 'tis, as it were, the on which all the stress of the whole Super­structure of your new-found Contrivance to evade God's blessed Ordinance of Singing laid; so that if this be razed, you must find another Singing in the New Testament besides this Essence of Singing, which you say is in the Heart; and I perceive 'tis only that inward joy of the Spirit that you mean by the Es­sence of Singing, and that to be all the Singing you would have the Saints to use in Gospel-days. And be sure if you have missed the mark here, your Book has nothing in it of instruction. A Man cannot be so vain as to at­tempt to overthrow an Act of Divine Wor­ship, as it hath been received and practiced for many Ages amongst all the Godly generally; but he must set up something in the room of it which he must call by that name, since God's Word bears positive witness to such a Church-Ordinance. A Gospel-Singing there is, as well as a Gospel-praying, preaching, &c. But ra­ther than it shall be that which indeed it is, as owned by the Law, and the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles, and most wise, learned, and truly Godly Christians, it shall be something else contrived in the darkness of your Mind.

Thus the Quakers have cast off the Holy Ordinances of Baptism, and the Lord's Sup­per, and have gotten spiritual Ones (in the blind Imaginations of their Hearts) in their minds; as you would have a Heart Singing of Psalms without the Voice, so they have got Heart-baptism without Water, and a Heart-breaking of Bread without Bread or Wine.

The Papists, or Church of Rome, also have, by the subtlety of Satan, and pride of their own Spirits, changed and corrupted these and other Ordinances of the Gospel another way, they have set up something in their stead, which they call by their Names; for, first, they have that they call Baptism, but it is not Christ's Baptism, but Rantism, with many Ceremonies added to it. They have that they call the Supper, but 'tis not Christ's Ordinance, but another thing, &c. Also let me tell you, in the fear of God, you have adventured to raze or take away Christ's Ordinance of Singing, and have invented something to put in its room, which you call a Gospel-singing: And I am afraid you little think of the bitter Consequences of this Attempt of yours, and how you seem hereby to ridicule (though not wittily, I have better thoughts of you) the whole of Go­spel-Ordinances, by turning them into a thing you call Essence, a Heart-service only without the Bodily Organs, and rendering yourself to be but little better in your so doing, than a mere Enthusiast; and whilst you plead for Spi­ritual Worship, and cry down all Forms, you seem to overthrow all external Acts of Reli­gion, by intimating, that because the Heart performs one Duty at some Seasons acceptably to God, viz. Prayer without the bodily Organs; why may not the Spirit or Heart perform Sing­ing too? say you. And why not, say I, Preach­ing the Word, Baptism, and Breaking of Bread also? The Quakers have not only got a Spiri­tual or Heart-Baptism, and a Spiritual or Heart-Breaking of Bread, but an assembling together for Heart-Preaching also: And what you say a­bout the Essence of these Duties being in the Heart, (and how 'tis the Heart or Spirit only in Duty and Ordinances that God looks at) and from hence seek to make void Singing with the Voice, it doth (as all Men may see) strike through the Loins of all External Acts of Di­vine Worship, as before showed: For as I told you in the first Chapter, the Essence of Preach­ing, and every other External Duty, may as well be said to lie in the Spirit as this of Sing­ing Psalms and Hymns, &c. Besides, since God is so much pleased, as you intimate, with the bare Internal Worship of the Heart, without the bodily Organs, and with Prayer particu­larly, why do you not excuse the Tongue from that Service likewise, and say, that External Expressions in Prayer, or praising God with the Tongue, is a low formal thing, and to be rejected?

But I can't but smile at one of your first Ex­pressions; You say very right, ours is an intel­igible sort of Singing. But that which you lead for is such, that no Body can tell what to make of; be sure 'tis no Singing at all, as in the first Chapter I have proved; I mean, that which you call the Essence or Being of Singing in the Heart, or inward Joy. Brother, I have shown you, that Singing and Preaching, &c. are Or­dinances of a different Nature to that of Prayer; Prayer may be performed in the Heart without the Tongue; but there is no proper Singing or Preaching without the Organs of the Tongue, and therefore all your whole Fabric is over­turned with one blast: for this Error of yours, is like that of the first Concoction; If you have got no other proper singing of Psalms, than what we plead for and practice, nor no other can be found warranted in God's Word, Then must be the true and right Ordinance, and manner of performance of it, likewise. Let Men but destroy the practice of an Ordi­nance, as 'tis by so many practiced, and has been from the beginning, and as we conceive and believe in a right manner, unless they have another Form to present to our sight, that we may have time to compare them with God's Word, to see which may be nearest the Rule in our Judgments, they do nothing but per­plex the World as well as us. You have pre­sented us with one, I must confess, which only has that Name given to it by yourself, but it is not the thing, i.e. it is no proper Singing at all.

You talk of the Essence of Sin in the Heart, as well as the Essence of Duties being in the Heart or Spirit. What do you mean? can sin be nowhere but in the Heart, because it is there? or can a thing be where its Being or Es­sence is not? There may be much Evil in the Eyes; we read of Eyes full of Adultery. Nay, and I must tell you, that the Essence or Being of Sin is in the Tongue likewise. Pray to see what the Apostle James saith, In the Tongue a Fire, a World of Iniquity: so is the Tongue amongst our Members, that it defileth the whole Body, and setteth on fire the whole course of Nature, and is set on Fire of Hell, Jam. 3.6. Certainly the Essence of Sin is in the Tongue, as well as in the Heart, or you are out in your term; and the Essence of Singing, some will tell you, is wholly in the Tongue. And now since the Tongue doth thus dishonor God, (by the way) let me tell you, there is the great reason it should not be idle, but be employed to praise and sing to the Honour of God.

If by Essence of Sin, you mean the Rise, Spring, or Fountain of Sin, I say you speak Truth, and good sense too; for it is out of the Heart that proceeds Fornication, &c. Yet some Sins may be said, to have their proper Essence or Being in the Life, as well as in the Heart, and may rise from a Temptation from without also.

We will grant you likewise that the Heart is the Fountain or Spring of most Actions, all our Duties must spring or flow from thence; i. e. the Heart by God's Spirit, must stir us up to do them: does it follow from hence, that many of the Duties can be performed by the Heart or Spirit without the Tongue? Sure you will say,  Man can preach, though the Matter is his Mind or Head, &c. No more, say can they in a proper sense be said to sing Psalms, &c. Only one word more, and I am done with this. In page. 9. you speak of Fields rejoicing and singing. We have shown you, that there is an improper or meta­phorical Singing mentioned in the Scripture, so that Scripture and some other places are to be taken, and know that your singing is not a proper Singing, then Abel's Blood, which is said to speak, was a proper Speaking, as I said in the first Chapter before.

II. Of David's Psalms.
1. You say, There was no Institution of Sing­ing before David's Time.

Answ. We have proved Singing the Praises of God is a part of natural Religion, and so a moral Duty in its own Nature, as Prayer is; and that the Heathen sang the Praises of God for his goodness in Creation, that have no written Word: And what is this then to the purpose, if we should grant that Singing was not brought under an Institution till David's Time?

As touching what you say about the Isra­elites in the Wilderness, how in trouble they did not sing, 'tis more than you know, for I think you will find they were not far from the Wil­derness when Moses and the Congregation sang Exod. 15. However our Lord Jesus and his Disciples sang when it was a sad Wilderness time with them, it was just the Night before our Blessed Saviour was betrayed. And Paul and Silas sang in the Wilderness of a Prison, and though the Saints are always sorrowful, they are required ever more to rejoice. All outward Comforts of this World, are not thousand part such cause of Joy and Singing, as our spiritual Deliverance and Salvation by Christ is. Do you think that outward Bles­sings here will better tend to tune our Spirits and Tongues to sing the Praises of God, than the Love of God in Jesus Christ, Pardon of Sin, Justification, Union, Communion, Adop­tion? &c. No, no, here is the Spring of Joy, and cause of true spiritual Singing, and none can learn David's Psalms, nor any other Scrip­ture-Hymns or Songs thus to sing them, but the 144,000; none but such who have that new Name, that new Nature, can learn this Song as thus to sing it, Rev. 14.3. And let me tell you, this Singing of the hundred and forty-four thousand spoken of, was under the Reign of Antichrist, for the seven Angels with their seven Vials came out of the Temple after­wards, who destroy Babylon.

Take what our late Annotators speak on the place. ‘The New Song here spoken of is probably the same with that we met with before, chap. 5.11. sang by the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts, and the Elders; called a new Song, either for the excellency of it or because sung unto God after Christ was manifested in the Flesh. The design of it was, to declare the worthiness of Christ, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Blessing. A new Song, signi­fies a Song which praises God for new bene­fits received from him. During the Reign of Antichrist, none could learn this Song, to give Power, Riches, Wisdom, Strength, Ho­nour, Glory, and Blessing, but a small num­ber redeemed through the Blood of Christ.’ Annot. on Rev. 14.3. This shows o­ther Spiritual Songs may be sung besides Da­vid's Psalms in Gospel days; this was none of those.

Secondly, You say, The sing­ing of David's Psalms, was suitable to all the rest of the Le­vitical Ceremonies, and Temple-Worship, pag. 12, 13.

Answ. There is no doubt but the Singing of David's Psalms with Instruments of Music was suited to the order of the Levites and to the Temple-wor­ship. What then, must not we sing Psalms in the Gospel days, with Grace in our Hearts to the Lord? We know no Psalms, but David's Psalms, or those called the Book of Psalms; and the Holy Ghost doth enjoin the Gospel-Churches to sing Psalms, as well as Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Will you take it upon yourself to countermand God's holy Precept? Will you say ‘Very Tightly Bound’ we must not sing Psalms, when the Churches are exhorted so to do? Pray, when you write again, tell us what Psalms they are the Holy Ghost there speaks of, if not them, or some other of them called the Psalms of David.

True, all Types, Shadows, and Ceremonies▪ are removed and done away; but Singing the Praise of God was no Ceremony, but a Moral Duty, and performed by the Children of Isra­el, before the Law of Shadows and Ceremonies was given forth, Exod. 15. 1, 2. You may well say Prayer was a Ceremony because they were diverse ceremonial Rites used in the perfor­mance of it, particularly that of Incense.

2. Did not Christ sing a Hymn after the Supper? Would he have left that as a Pattern to us, and annexed it to such a pure Gospel Ordinance, had it been a Ceremony, and only belonging to the Jewish Worship? Or, would the Apostle Paul have given, by the Authority of the Holy Ghost, such a Precept to the Church of Coloss to sing Psalms, &c. who strives so much to take off from Jewish Rites Days and Ceremonies? Had singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs been a Jewish Ce­remony, he would not have done thus. This is sufficient to convince any sober and unbiased Person, i. e. that Singing the Praises of God is a Gospel-Duty; and that it did not belong on­ly to the Jews, in the Days of the Old Testa­ment. But you contradict this yourself; for afterward you grant that the Saints, when the extraordinary Gifts are given, as you suppose they will in the thousand Years Reign, you intimate then they shall sing as we do, or else I know not what you mean.

How shall they use a legal and Typical Rite, that only appertained to the Jews and Levites, in that glorious state of the Church? Doubtless, their Singing of Old, with musical Instru­ments, was a Figure of that sweet spiritual Melody the Saints should make from a well-tuned gracious Heart, and with united and me­lodious Tongues together in the Gospel-days, as I have again and again shown; and this, therefore, is not mixing Law and Gospel toge­ther, but continuing a Gospel-Ordinance in the Church that is of Gospel-Authority, both from Precepts and Examples, as I have proved in this Treatise: so that I have answered your second, and third, and part of your fourth Thesis together.

Thirdly, (you say) ‘The matter of David's Psalms and other holy Men, were suited to par­ticular Occasions, and Experiences, and Ac­cidents of that day, as may be seen by divers of their Titles. Some Prophecies of the Suf­ferings of Christ, &c. And some Places hard to be understood, so improper to be sung by all the Church, who can't sing them with Vnder­standing, as well as justifying the singing Pray­ers as well as Praises.’ Page 14.

Answ. Most of the Book of Psalms contains proper Instructions for most Occasions the Peo­ple of God can find: What was written afore Time the Apostle says was written for our Learning. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Re­proof, for Correction, and for Instruction in Righteousness, 2 Tim. 3. 16. If all Scripture, then the Book of the Psalms, and for instruction by Singing them too, because so required by the Holy Spirit, Eph. 5. 19. Coloss. 3. 16. May you not as well say they are of no use to us? The Book of Psalms good Men look upon as the Heart of our Sacred Bible, and as fruitful a Book for Saints in Gospel-times as any Book in the Old Testament; but if there be any Psalms that can't so well be sung as some others, God's People are at their liberty whether they will sing them or no: however, unless you can tell us there are others called Psalms, besides these, you say nothing, for we are required to sing Psalms. And as to those things contained in David's Psalms that are hard to be understood, they may be opened to the People before they are sung.

As touching singing Prayers, I have spoken to this already. Though we are against humane Forms of Prayer, yet the Singing of David's Psalms (wherein there are some Prayers) are of Divine Institution, and therefore 'tis lawful to sing Psalms and Hymns that have some Expres­sions Prayer-wife in them. Our Brethren say, praising of God in Prayer, is Singing; and indeed, if they did not thus conclude, I am perswaded they could not satisfy their Consci­ences to lie wholly short of this Duty; and therefore in their sense, singing of some part of Prayer is lawful, or else Singing is something they do not as yet own, nor can tell us what it is.

As to what you say in the fifth place, p. 14.

Object. That David's Psalms were limited to the Levites.

Answ. 'Tis nothing to your purpose, 'tis ra­ther an Argument for singing Psalms by the whole Church; for the whole Church is that spiritual Priesthood, to offer up spiritual Sacri­fices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ▪ 1 Pet. 2. 5. That as the Priesthood, or Levites, sung to­gether under the Law, with Instruments of Mu­sick, it might typify out how the whole Church should sing spiritually with Grace in their Hearts to the Lord together under the Gospel.

You say in the next place, pag. 15.

Object. There is no Institution to sing David's Psalms, and neither Christ nor his Apostles ever practiced them. And also if the Apostles had oc­casion to translate any Text out of the Hebrew the Greek, they did never turn them into Meter.

Answ. There is an Institution to sing David's Psalms; Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. If there be either Psalms mentioned in the Scripture, be­sides David's Psalms, or the Book of Psalms, and the Churches are required to sing Psalms as well Hymns; Then there is a Gospel-Institution for singing of David's Psalms. But there are no other Psalms mentioned in the Scripture be­sid David's Psalms, or the Book of Psalms, and the Churches are required to sing Psalms as well as Hymns. Ergo. The singing of David's Psalms, or Psalms contained in the Book of Psalms, is a Gospel-Institution.

That the Churches are required to sing Psalms, we have shown again and again, Eph. 5. 19. If there be any other Psalms besides what is contained in the Book of Psalms, which are so-called, you must shew which they are, and then we will use those which we shall have the clearest ground to judge the Spirit of God may intend.

As to their translating any of them into Me­tre, out of Hebrew into Greek, it is remote to the Business; we know not they did translate any Scripture at all out of Hebrew into Greek.

III. Of prescribed and precomposed Songs and Hymns.

First, (say you) ‘If the Essence of Sing­ing, as before is shown, consisteth in an in­ward Spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man; and that both the Matter and the Melody of it, proceedeth from the inward Graces and Operations of the Holy Spirit with the Word; then surely no humane pre­scribed Form of Singing can be accepted of God, but that which proceedeth from the Word of God, by the Dictates and Teachings of the Holy Spirit.’ You mention Ephes. 5.18, 19. Col. 3.16. Pag. 15.

Again, pag. 16. ‘Now the Essence of Sing­ing consisteth of these two parts, viz. Mat­ter [from the Word], and Melody [by the Spirit]: So that neither the Word nor the Spirit can be wanting; and therefore whatso­ever Forms are used which proceed not from within us, out of fulness and Enriching of the Word and Spirit, cannot be Spiritual Singings.’

Answ. Brother, who do you encounter now? 'Tis evident this doth not concern as you need not have taken so much time and pains to prove that which no Body that I know denies.

But before I come to reply to that, I cannot but take notice how you hug your former No­tion of Essence of Singing; but I perceive you have found out the Essence of Singing, is not in the Spirit alone, but it has Matter and Form too: the Matter (you say) is God's Word; there you are right: you say, The Melody lies in the Heart, that is partly true, but there must be something else added to the Essence of Singing, or else you have it not; and that is the chief thing, the only thing from whence it's called Singing, that is, a melodious Voice, add that, and then you plead for Singing; take that away, and 'tis no more than inward Joy, or Rejoicing. Singing, Mr. Caryl tells you, is an Act of the Voice: 'Tis a melodious Noise, do not mistake yourself in one of the plainest and easiest Acts of the Bodi­ly Organ, or Act of the Tongue. But to the Business, no Hymn must be made nor composed from God's Word, it appears, with­out the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit. I am of your Mind.

But I hope you do not mean the miraculous or extraordinary Help or Operations of the Spi­rit because you are speaking of the Admini­strations of the Gospel, and Gospel-Worship in general.

Now there are two things to be ordered in bringing forth a Doctrine, viz. That 'tis agreeable to the Word of God; he that compiles a Sermon must be sure to see 'tis God's Word, i.e. congruous thereunto, and provable therefrom, or else 'tis humane.

2. He must bring forth and preach it with the help and assistance of the Spirit also, or else it may still be Human, no Divine Sermon.

So, and in like manner in compiling of a Hymn, it must be as to the matter, the Word of Christ; Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all Wisdom, teaching and admo­nishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and spi­ritual Songs, singing, &c. Col. 3. 19. See here the Direction for the matter of a Hymn or spiritual Song, it must be in general the Word of Christ; (as it must be the Word of Christ that is to be preached.) Even so also a Hymn, &c. must be (we say) compiled out of the Word of Christ, and in the singing of it there must be the assistance of the Holy Spirit. But now will you say we have not the Spirit of Christ in composing the Hymn which is part of Christ's Word? Take heed! you are too full of hard Words and Censures; another may, nay, and some do say so too, we have no Rule to compose a Sermon, and I will say and testify, I know no more Rule for a precomposed Ser­mon to be preached, than for a precomposed Hymn that is to be sung, and I am satisfied I have equally in them both the like assistance of the Spirit. You're speaking here of the Spiritualness of the Gospel above the Law, doth nothing in your case. We grant it and say, Our Singing differs now under the Gospel as to the Spiritu­ality of it to that under the Law, as much as my other Gospel-Service or Worship doth.

Our Sermons are no more made for us in God's Word than our Hymns are, and we have equal Direction in both these weighty issues; and I must tell you, this way of you use is enough, if People did observe it, to overthrow all visible Worship and Ordi­nances, unless we could make it appear, we had the immediate and extraordinary help of the Spirit in the discharge of them. Away, with one, with your carnal and human preach­ing, 'tis a Form invented and done by Art, will you call this Gospel-preaching? The Apostles as they were moved by a mighty Spirit within them; you must preach by immediate inspiration and not precomposed Sermons, or else your Sermons are formal. Thus you open a Door for Quakerism, and throw Stumbling-blocks before the weak: I entreat you to con­sider of it.

2. Doubtless what the Apostles did by an extraordinary Spirit in bringing in a Doctrine and an Interpretation, &c. is a Rule for us in the ordinary Gifts; for they preached and prayed, &c. by the wonderful or extraordinary Influences of the Spirit: and because we have not those Gifts, must we not be found in this Ordinance, viz. to sing, which is required in the New Testament; we by the same Argu­ment, must lay all others aside likewise, as the None-Churches have done: from such a way of arguing as you use here, the Lord deliver us. But what you speak on this occasion doth not concern them that sing David's Psalms; there­fore, if composed Hymns, were not justified by God's Word as comprehended in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Col. 316. then the Book of Psalms, as our Brethren say, is wholly intended, and then they must be sung, and them only, but we see no reason so to believe. Eusebiw speaks of the Christians singing of Hymns to Christ as to God, in the first Century, which shows it was the Practice of the Church in the Primitive Times to sing other Hymns besides those in the Book of Psalms.

As to Forms of Prayer, the Lord hath left us a Form, by which we are directed how to pray; and so he has left us his Word, and the Psalms of David, that we may know how to compile our Hymns as well as our Sermons, by the help and assistance of his Spirit: there is no more a Form of Preaching left than there is a Form of Hymns: and what tho Christians differ in their singing, they also differ in their method or form of Preaching as much; and your Argument (say you what you will) alike against the one as against the other. But is it unlawful to premeditate what we design to ask of God in Prayer? Have not some in Prayer, and Fasting-days in Churches, drawn several things as a Form of those Cases they agreed together to spread before the Lord, and in this Form sinful think you? But of this hereafter.

IV. Of Women Singing.

Object. You say, Women ought not to sing in the Church, because not suffered to speak in the Church, and also because singing is teaching.

By the way, then it appears, the bare Melody in the Heart, where you say is the Essence of Singing, that is not Singing, by your own Asser­tion. Thus you destroy what you would build.

Answ. But if Women may not speak nor each in no sense in the Church, they must not be admitted to give an account of their Con­version in the Church, or how God was pleased to work upon their Souls: for that Practice is full of Teaching and Instruction, and has been blessed to the Conversion of some other Persons that have been by.

But I will be at the pains to transcribe what worthy Mr. Cotton hath said to this Objection, it appears others have brought it before you.

‘The second scruple about Singers is, saith he, whether Women may sing as well as Men? for in this Point there be some deal with us, as Pharaoh dealt with the Israelites who, tho he was at first utterly unwilling that any of them should go to sacrifice to the Lord in the Wilderness, yet being at length convinced that they must go, then was content the Men should go, but not Women, Exod. 10. 11. So here, some that were altogether against the singing of Psalm at all with lively Voices, yet being convin­ced that it is a Moral Worship of God, war­ranted in Scripture, then if there must be a singing, one alone must sing, not all, (if all) the Men only and not the Women.’ He then mentions your Objection, to which he replies.

‘1. One Answer, saith he, may at once remove both Scruples and withal clear the Truth; it is apparent by the Scope and Context of both these Scriptures, that a Woman is not permitted to speak in the Church.’

(1.) By way of teaching, whether in expounding or applying Scripture; for this the Apostle accounteth an Act of Autho­rity, which is unlawful for a Woman to u­surp over the Man, 1 Tim. 2.13. And be­sides, the Woman is more subject to Error than the Man, ver. 14. and therefore might sooner prove a Seducer, if she became a Teacher.’

(2.) Yet nevertheless in two cases it is clear a Woman may speak in the Church. In way of Subjection, when she is to give an account of her Offence; thus Peter questi­oned Sapphira before the Church, touching the price of Land sold by her and her Hus­band, &c. and she accordingly spoke in the Church, to give her Answer to the Question, Acts 5. 8. 2. In way of sing­ing forth the Praises of God together with the rest of the Congregation, for 'tis evi­dent the Apostle layeth no greater restraint upon Women for silence in the Church, than the Law put upon them before, for so himself speaketh in the place alleged, 1 Cor. 14. 34. it is not permit­ed to a Wo­man to speak, but to be under Subjection, also saith the Law.’

‘2. The Apostle then requireth the same Subjection in the Woman which the Law put upon them. Now it is certain, the Law, yea, the Law-giver Moses, did permit Mi­riam, and the Women in the Song of Thansgiving, to sing the Praises of God: Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he was thrown into the Sea, which may be a ground sufficient to justify the lawfulness of Womens singing together with the Men the Praises of the Lord; and accordingly in the Primi­tive Churches it was the ancient Practice of Women to sing the publick Praises of the Lord, we read recorded in the Ecclesiastical History, Socrates Chap. 18 Greek Copy, and Chap. 16. of the Latin, Theodoret's third Book, Chap. 17.’

Obj. But (say you) there is no Institution for Women Singing.

Answ. No need; 'tis a Moral Duty. You may ask whether they are to praise God as well and demand a word of Institution for their Breaking of Bread with the Church? for you know some demand Proof for that.

V. Of the Order of Singing.

What need you talk of Order about Singing, or of Womens Singing, when the Essence of it being in the Heart, is sufficient, though the Act or Thing itself be never done.

But to proceed;

This you say we have plainly and clearly delivered to us, 1 Cor. 14. 20, to 34. How is it then, Brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath an Interpretation; let all things be done to edifying.

That which you infer from hence is, that this is the Rule for our Practice, viz. one by one, or one after another, must speak and ex­ercise their Gifts, and not altogether; and so he that has the Gift of a Psalm, he is singly, or alone, by himself to sing as in Prayer and Preaching.

Answ. The Apostle directs the Church in the exercise of extraordinary Gifts. There was, 'tis clear, confusion about the exercises of those Gifts in the Church of Corinth; it seems this was their practice sometimes, viz. Every one of them who had a Doctrine, and that had a Psalm, and so of the rest, would come forth with them together. Maybe many Preach together who had Doctrines, and at the same time▪ every one that had a Psalm, they would come forth with their Psalm and Sing and so those who had the Gift of Tongues, and a Gift to interpret, might do the like, which the Apostle shows them was Confusion; and if they did thus, and Unbelievers come into their Assemblies at such time, would not they say they were mad?

Now, 1. to open this place of Scripture, it will be necessary to consider what disorderly pra­ctice it was Paul reproves them of; and no doubt it was the Confusion before mentioned, two, three, or more, bringing forth their Do­ctrine together; and others, who had other differing Gifts coming forth together with them too, ('tis very like at the same time).

2. The Rule to regulate these Disorders. And now let this once and forever be noted, and well heeded, viz. That the ordinary way of the Administration of all Gifts, and perfor­mance of all Ordinances in the Churches, must be the Rule for the extraordinary Gifts, and performance of Ordinances.

3. Then in the third place, we must consi­der the manner of the performance of Ordinan­ces, and exercise of Gifts, according to the Na­ture of the Gifts and Ordinances.

And now as to the Gift of Teaching, Inter­preting, Prophesying, &c. only one was to be the Mouth; Let the Prophets speak one by one, and let the other judge: if any thing be revealed to him that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. To act contrary to this Rule is Confusion; and so of some other Gifts and Ordinances, whole Nature were in themselves the same, so they were to be done. And now as to Singing, that being always performed with Voices together, both in the Old Testament, and by Christ and his Disciples, and by Paul and Silas, and so en­joined on the Churches; they who had a Psalm, that is, as I conclude, a Psalm of David, to bring forth by an extraordinary Spirit, which might not be the Matter of the Psalm, but the Manner of bringing it forth in an unknown Tongue, and it may be in a Tune too that others might not understand, and so upon both respects, others could not sing with him, nor the Church be edified; he was not so to bring forth his Psalm unless there was an Interpreter who might give it forth to the People, that they might sing together, as always that Ordinance was practiced in the Publick Congregation. And this appears to be the sense of the place in Paul's own words; When I pray, I will pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding; that is, in a known Tongue, to my own understanding, and to the understanding of others. And when I sing, I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also: that is, If I sing in the Church, I will not sing in an unknown Tongue, so that others cannot understand what I sing, and so cannot sing with me. He doth not mean, doubtless, his own Understanding only, but the Under­standing of others also; so that, according to the Nature of the Ordinance, all might be edi­fied, and all might be comforted.

Now this being so, as I am well satisfied 'tis the meaning of the Spirit, what an endless stir is here of one Man's singing alone in the exercise of an extraordinary Gift, which cannot be pro­ved by the Wit of Man from the Text? much less had it been so, would it have been a Rule to the Churches in ordinary Administrations of Christ's Ordinances. Though for several to preach together, that would be Confusion; yet to sing together would be none, but the greater and the more sweet Melody, as Mr. Sidenham. Nor would the Unbeliever, to hear a Congregation sing together, say, Are they not mad? because this sort of Singing was al­ways practiced, both among the Jews and al­so among the Gentile Nations. And so much to this Text.

And whereas you say, If anyone had such a Gift, and came forth to sing alone in the Church, (as you fancy some did in that Church) you should bless God for so great a Presence of his Spirit among his People, pag. 23. I assure you, I should charge him with intro­ducing a Practice nowhere warranted in the Scripture, and so no sign of God's Pre­sence at all, but a meer Innovation in God's Worship, being without Precept or Exam­ple.

VI. Objections Answered.

I am now coming to your last Thesis, wherein you pretend to answer some of our Arguments and Scriptures for Singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. And if I meet with anything pertinent, I shall reply to it, or else pass it by as not worthy of an Answer. And such is the first you bring, as alleged by us from verse 15. And the second is like to it, about and Barak as if they together did not, could no: sing that Song, when the Holy Ghost positively says they did. The Holy Ghost saith, that Moses and the Congregation of Israel sang, and you would fain make us believe, it was some extraordinary Ecstasy, we from thence must have Dancing too, which I have already fully answered.

Your third Reply, That the Singing that was in the Temple was extraordinary, and so in the Apostle's Time.

Answ. We deny the latter, Singing was no more performed in the Gospel-time, by an extra­ordinary Spirit and Manner, than Prayer, Preach­ing, and all other Ordinances; and by the Ar­gument we have not those extraordinary now to perform one Duty, so not another.

And if we must throw one Ordinance away from thence, we must (as the Non-Churches say) lay them all aside, and practically none at all, till we are endowed with Power from on High, as the Apostles were, viz. to Preach, Prophesy, and sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spi­ritual Songs, by Inspiration, or by the extraor­dinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

For as Singing, (it being a moral Duty as well as Prayer, so it was in the Church of the Jews before the Glory of their Temple-Wor­ship): so Prayer and Preaching, being ordinary Duties, and parts of Natural Religion (as well as brought under Divine Institution for the more orderly and spiritual performance of them), yet in the glorious Time of the Go­spel were all done by an extraordinary Spirit, or by Miraculous Gifts; 'tis evident, therefore, extraordinary Gifts in the Gospel-day, were not only suited (as you imagine) to tune their Hearts and Tongues to sing the Praises of God only, but also to Pray, Preach, Prophesy, and so to perform the whole of Gospel-Ordinances and Worship, which was to confirm each Or­dinance in particular, and the whole of the Chri­stian Religion in general, Mark 16, 17, 18, 19. Heb. 2. 3, 4. And therefore we have no more reason to lay aside or neglect Singing the Praises of God, till those extraordinary Gifts shall return, (which we have no ground to expect ever will) than we have to lay aside Prayer, Preaching, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, and every other Duty and Ordinance since Singing of Psalms, &c. is enjoined on the Churches as well as other Ordinances are.

What you say on the 27th Page, about the Winter of Afflictions, when that is past, and the time of the Singing of Birds is come, at the appearance of Christ's Kingdom, which will fully perfect the Glory of Temple-worship.

You mistake that Text in Cant. 2. for all Ex­positors generally agree, that that Place re­sers to two things; first, to the coming of Christ in the Flesh, the time of the Jewish-Church-state, or the dark and cloudy days be­fore Christ came, is set forth by Winter; 'tis known the Afflictions and Miseries of God's People, before Christ came, was great, but then the glorious Sun arose, or the Day-spring on high visited the Earth, (Luk. 1. 79.) and the longed-for Spring came in, and then the of the Turtle was heard in that and other Lands; and the Birds of Heaven and Earth be­gan to sing, I mean, both the Angels and Saints also, with Grace in their Hearts, in a most spiritual and heavenly manner, to the Lord.

Secondly, By Winter may be meant, as they shew, that time while a Soul abides in its natural estate, and when regenerated by the Grace of God, then Winter is past, and then the time for that Soul to sing has come; and such also then hear the Voice of Christ, that blessed Tur­tle, sweetly by his Spirit, speaking peace to their Souls.

But if, in the third place, it should also allude to the Churches final Deliverance from all out­ward Afflictions in the latter Days, and so they have an extraordinary Cause to praise God, and sing his Praises forth in those Times for temporal Salvation; doth it follow from thence we must not sing forth his Praises till then? 'tis a horrible mistake, to think Saints are more to be concerned to singing to the Lord for outward Blessings, and worldly Peace and Prosperity on Earth, than for their spiritual Blessings, and Privileges through Christ, for the redemption of their Souls from Sin and eternal Wrath; no: For these Mercies we have infinitely more cause to sing, than for all those great things you hint at; besides, that Song will be rather the Song of Moses, than the Song of the Lamb; the one was for temporal Deliverance and Salvation, the other is for spiritual and eternal Mercies. True, when that time comes when we shall sing both those Songs together, then the Me­lody may be the sweeter; but though there are extraordinary times of Prayer and Praises, yet that ought not to hinder the Saints from pray­ing and singing at other times.

Your Reply in the fourth place, to that in Isa. 52. 8, 9. viz. Thy Watchmen shall lift up the Voice, with the Voice together shall they sing, is nothing to the purpose at all: What though the word will bear their making a noise, or shouting, yet 'tis a Joyful Noise, or a Noise of Singing, and a Singing with their Voice to­gether as a foundation of the great Jubilee.

And now, though you would have this place to refer to the thousand Years Reign, yet the Apostle applies it positively to the time of the Gospel, see Rom. 10. 15. Come, the Day of Gospel-Grace, Gospel-Light, Gospel-Glory, and Privileges, is like the great Jubilee, when desolate Souls, who like waste places come to be renewed, and the Church rebuilt, and Or­dinances restored, this is the time to sing, this is the chief cause of Joy and Gladness. Ma­ny Men ignorantly apply Prophecies to the thousand Years Reign, that refers to the time of the Gospel which began in the Apostles days: besides, there is a Doubt in the Hearts of many Men about that thousand Years; 'tis a Myste­ry not yet understood clearly.

No doubt, the Antitype of Solomon's Tem­ple (say you what you please) was the Gospel-Church in the days of the Apostles, and so downward, and not the thousand Years Reign: for the Glory of the second Temple, was a Type of the Glory of the Church in the latter days of the World, as the best of our Exposi­tors have excellently opened it to be so: there­fore, what you speak, pag. 28. makes against yourself; for if the Institution of Singing which was in the Levitical Temple-worship, was completed as to the Antitype in the A­postles Days, as touching the beginning of it, and not as you imagine; and there is no doubt but 'tis so, for when the Anti­type came, then the Shadow of Aaron's Order, and musical Instruments, fled away, and then nothing was left but Singing with Heart and Voice, by the Spirit, to the Lord.

Your first Reply is, to that of Christ and his Disciples singing a Hymn after the Sup­per, pag. 29. which (you say) might be no more than giving Thanks, or saying, Grace.

Answ. We have answered this Objection fully already; but by the way, had it been no more than his giving of Thanks, why doth the Holy Ghost expresses it in the plural number? 'tis said, He took Bread, and blessed it; and he took the Cup, and gave Thanks, (so some Tran­slations render it); but now at the close 'tis said, they sung a Hymn.

Besides, multitudes of Learned Men do tell you, that from the Greek word [hymneo], they hymned; it is truly and rightly translated into English, they sung an Hymn.

Dr. DuVeil, who was as Learned a Man as most this present Age has in it, saith, in his lite­ral Explanation of the Acts of the Apostles, Chap. 16. ver. 25. page. 67. thus; ‘Hymns are Songs, which contain the Praise of God. If it is Praise, and not of God, it is not a Hymn; if it is Praise, and of God, if it is not sung, it is not a Hymn: it must there­fore, that it may be a Hymn, have these three things, viz. 1. Praise; 2. And of God; 3. And a Song.’ Now this being a Hymn our Saviour and his Disciples used in praising God, the Doctor affirms, they sang; and so did Paul and Silas. But this is the old way of such whoever opposed a Truth, when pinched, presently fly out upon the Translators, 'tis so to be read in the Greek, &c. whereas all the World knows, that as our Translators were able Scholars, so they were very holy and up­right Men: Besides, our Annotators, and all Expositors, generally say 'tis truly rendered; and 'tis a bad thing unjustly to find fault with the Translators of the Holy Bible.

To persuade your Reader, if you could, that the Disciples did not sing with our Savi­our, (or they did not sing together) you bring, that Passage of Hannah's mental praying, or speaking in her Heart, 1 Sam. 1. 11, 13. How impertinent this is, I may leave to all. You sup­pose still because there is a Mental or Heart-praying, there is a Mental or Heart-singing al­so: you may, after the same manner say, there is a Mental or Heart-preaching likewise. There is no proper Singing, I tell you again, without the Voice.

But you think you have done it at last, from Acts 4. 24. Where it is said, The Di­sciples lifted up their Voice with one accord to God; and yet did, as you conclude, do no more than pray as we do, that is, only one was the Mouth.

Answ. 1. Some say they lifted up their Voice in an extraordinary manner, by a miraculous Spirit that was upon them, and all uttered the same thing together Prayer-wise.

2. Others say, they lifted up their voice to­gether in Singing: And I find one great Author calling this the Apostles Song. 'Tis evident, the Matter they uttered, is part of the Second Psalm.

3. Our Annotators intimate, as if all their Voices were joined together, in saying Amen. Now there can be nothing concluded or inferred on any certainty for your purpose from hence: If I should say, that as they prayed, for so they did the Text says; yet when 'tis said they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, they sang the Second Psalm, it may be as pro­bably so as anything else. However, I have made it appear plain, that it may be said, there is a Praying together, (though but one is the Mouth) but there is no Singing together, one sings, and the rest are silent, and sing not.

In your sixth place, you reply to that in Acts 16. 25. about Paul and Silas singing Praifes, you say just nothing, pag. 32.

For though Hymnos is not praise; yet, say the Learned, 'tis such a Praising as is by Sing­ing. Here I perceive you would quarrel again with the Translators: 'tis plain, you are not willing to have any Singing to be in your Bi­ble. If there is no Singing, you should not have told us so much about the Essence of it: don't abuse the Text, 'tis not said, they prayed and praised God; but, 'tis said, they prayed, and sung Praises unto God. Though all Sing­ing to God, is a praising of him, all Prai­sing is not a Singing his Praises.

Your seventh Reply, is from that in Ephes. 5. 19. Your chief Business here is, to shew how Psalms, Hymos, and Spiritual Songs are rendered.

Pray, Brother, let you and I leave those nice Distinctions to better Scholars than you or I pretend to be. Some do say, they refer wholly to the Titles of the Book of Psalms; others to the Psalms of David, and to all Sacred Hymns and Songs.

Besides these, 1. Here is Singing enjoined, that's evident.

2. Here is the Word of Christ prescribed, as the Matter, in general, to be sung.

3. Here are Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs as the Form; and this cannot be denied, without palpable Violence offered to the Spirit.

But you would not have Old-Testament Names given to New-Testament Things, in Singing, but give no reason for it; Prayer was called Prayer in the Old Testament, and Praises called Praises, and Laws called Ordinances; and so they are called in the New: And why not Singing calling Singing, and Psalms of Da­vid called Psalms, and Hymns called Hymns in the New Testament, as well as in the Old? These Cavils argue you want Matter to object against Christ's Ordinance of Singing, as you fain would do. You intimate, as if the Holy Ghost had injoined Singing of such Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, that no Body knows what they be; but you think they may be known hereafter; as if we had an imperfect Gospel, and can't understand the Duties of it, till some extraordinary effusion of the Spirit comes upon us. So it may be objected in other Cases, as the Quakers do about Baptism and the Lord's Supper, who cry down our Ordinan­ces, as none of those the Holy Ghost gave forth, nor our Preaching neither, but they are all spi­ritual Things and must be done by a Spirit of Inspiration, page. 34, 35. Nothing can be more destructive to the Christian Religi­on, than such arguing as you use.

Your eighth Reply is to our proof of Sing­ing being a Moral Duty; and the substance of what you say to this, is, 1. That the Wicked perform Moral Duties acceptably to God, plowing of the Wicked being Sin, and whence Minds are Carnal, they cannot perform which is Spiritual: And in regard they, not their Sins, nor need of a Christ, they have no cause to sing: Or to this effect, I find in speaking, pag. 37.

Answ. Doth it follow, because they cannot sing nor praise God as they ought, they ought to pray nor praise God at all? God prevents them from such Doctrine. And because they cannot bless God, nor sing to him for the work of Grace on their own Hearts, or for his Spiritual Mercies which they have not yet received, ought they not to sing his Praises for the  Works of God in Creation, Provision, Pre­servation, and all outward Blessings they have received from him as their Creator and Bene­factor? Nay, may they not sing his Praises for God, and the Gospel, and for the Means of Conversion? And why then did David enjoin upon all Men on Earth to sing and praise God?

I find you so lift up here, as to cry out a­gainst Forms that God hath ordained to be used, there are many forms of things that are, and of Divine Institution. All Spiri­tual Ordinances have Matter and Form; is no Prayer, (nor Sermon neither) though near Spiritual, it has its Form. We read of Form of Doctrine, Form of Sound Words: Bap­tism, and Breaking of Bread, have they're For.  And if Men must attend (as helps) upon the Forms of Religion, they must do nothing mind wholly that which you call the Essence of things within their Spirits. But what is here gainsay what we say, that this is a Moral Duty Moral Duties are perpetually obliging, and must be done as well as Men are able to them.

Must not all Men worship and adore the bles­sed God, and discharge their Duties according to the Light and Law of God in their Consci­ences, as far as they may be helped? Why have they suffered to hear the Gospel preached? they cannot hear it (you may say) aright, who have not Faith, therefore must not hear at all.

Your ninth Reply is, to that about the con­tinual Cause Christians have to praise God, say to celebrate his Praises in the highest manner they are able, and therefore (as we say) to sing his Praises in his Publick Worship: This in ge­neral you grant.

Yet you say it doth not follow from thence we should so sing his Praises.

1. Because in this Life our Joys and Con­solations are mix'd with Sorrow and Afflicti­on, &c. We are in our Sackcloth State, &c.

Answ. I have answered this twice already What though we have Sorrow and Afflictions,  God loses his Praises, therefore? As sorrow­ (says Paul) yet always rejoicing: Nay, I have cause them to and praise God for Af­fections, and for his Presence and Help in and them.

Did not Christ and his Disciples sing, just the most dismal Time of Sorrow and pain? and Paul and Silas sang when in, and their Feet were in the Stocks? And not the hundred and forty-four thousand a new Song under Antichrist's Reign? For Expositors generally agree, that that place to that Time: And 'tis plain, before the Angels came out of the Temple, clothed in white Raiment, these sing for being by Christ's Blood from among Men­ this we still say is the chief cause of Sing­ing: And shall we be such Hypocrites, to be affected with outward Blessings, then inward Spiritual and Eternal Blessings? did not the Christians, in the Time of the Persecutions, when they suffered the Torments Men could invent, sing Psalms, Hymns unto God? This can be no more than that there were such Persecutions, since they that relate the Story of their Suffer­ings, gave us an account of this their Practice. Nay, and though they were discovered by their singing, and put to death, yet they would not decline this sacred and sweet Duty.

Object. 2. But, secondly, you say, ‘Euery true Christian, nor the Church of Christ in general, is able to sing Praises to God in Public Worship because the greatest number of them have not to the Faith of As­surance of the Love of God in Christ; they are Babes,’ &c. pag. 42, 43.

Answ. And therefore may they not praise God? This is a strange Doctrine What is Singing to God, but to celebrate Praises? and must not weak Christians this as well as strong, because they have not arrived at the Faith of Assurance? alas this but to fill up Paper, or the number of Obje­ctions to no purpose, for you will not allow the strong to sing, no more than the weak and yet in pag. 5. of your Book you affirm, Spiritual and Vocal Singing was used in Primitive and Apostolical Church, which is undeniable  Let me tell you, there is no Christian but may see cause to praise God, nay, to sing his Praise. the weak Ones, and those under trouble, as well as the Strong: But no Church imposes upon every Member to sing; they who can't see they have caused, may forbear at such times; for though all are called upon to rejoice evermore, yet doth God give all, at all times, ability thus to do? such may be the temptations of some, that they can't do it, or at leastwise not to such a degree.