As far as we know, This is the first time that this Appendix on Congregational Singing has been posted on the internet in a modern form. The posting of this article should not be understood to be an endorsement of the statements read. We post it for historical reasons and show both sides of the debate on congregational singing. Collins had. legalistic-moral-law- view of singing as well as everything else. Which shows in this treatise - ed.
An Appendix Concerning the Ordinance of Singing
My dearly Beloved, whether Church in general or Christians in particular, wherever this Appendix may come: Forasmuch as Singing is generally owned to be a Gospel -Ordinance; but the great doubt is with many, what ought to be the matter of the Song; and what manner and mode we ought to sing in? Also knowingly, that it is heartily desired by many officers, and other particular members of some Church of Christ, that they could agree together to perform the ordinance of God, especially at the Lord's Table, & Supper of the Lord, as Christ himself, and the Apostles, did; and that the Churches may come to the practice of this ordinance was practiced at other times by the Church in general, and saints in particular, which I hope, all Churches will further practice, as God shall enlighten them into it upon their diligent search.
That singing vocally and audibly has been and still is God's ordinance, is proved:
From the command of God, in Eph. 5.19, speaking to yourselves in Psalms, Hymans, and Spiritual Songs; singing, and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Col. 3.16, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord.
That the Apostle presses this as an ordinance is clear:
1. Because he speaks to the whole church, and as a public duty, not appropriated to any office, but as a command universally on all.
2. The apostle distinguishes this ordinance from that of preaching, or teaching doctrinally, which belongs to the officers, or occasionally, to a gifted Brother. For he does not say, as in other places, Teach and Admonish; but gives us the modification of this admonition in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs.
Argument II
As praising God is a moral duty, so singing is often linked with th3 moral duty, which is universally obliging and perpetually binding, namely prayer; James 5.13. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is there any merry? Let him sing Psalms. That this duty may particularly be done, this process; that it must be generally done; the former proves. Ao Acts 16.25, Paul and Silas join them together; they hymned God, or celebrated his praises with a hymn, or, Beza said, with singing and Justin Martyr tells us, for hymning they sang and sent up praises to God. Sell also, Psalm 95; Isa. 25.6.
Prayer, we all grant, is a Moral Duty and is always obliging. We ought to acknowledge God the giver of all good things, in praying to I'm for them; and surely praise God for the mercies received, is as great a duty and do praise to God with the heart is of the best ways of praising God, although we do grant, God may be praised after another manner.
Argument III
This is further confirmed by scripture pattern.
1. Christ and his apostles sang a hymn together in Matthew 26.30.
2. Godly princes have honored God this way, As Hezekiah, II Chronicles 19.30. So Jehoshaphat, II Chron. 20.21,22.
3. Worthy governors, as Nehemiah, took care to bless God this way, Neh. 9.1, so Moses, Ex. 15.
4. The holy apostles and churches in the New Testament have been honored. God thus, I Cor. 14-15.; Eph. 5.19; Col. 3.16.
5. Godly prophets were much in this practice, II Same 22 is a song of holy David, a little before his death, to bless God for many mercies; for Moses, Deut. 22 closes up his life with a song,
6. As singing has not been too low for kings and princesses, so not too choice for subjects. The body of the people sang, spring up, o well sing you unto it Psalm 149.1-2.
7. All sexes have practiced this work, women, as well as men. Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, sings a Song to God Ex. 15.21. So Deborah as Barak Judges 5.1.
8. Primitive Christians were much in this work. Tertullian says, When we come to the feast, we sit down before there is prayer; and after meals are passed, one comes forth with a psalm, either from the holy scriptures or else some spiritual song of his own comfort.
9. Eminent Fathers practiced it. Basil called singing, sweet incense. Augustine highly in commendation of this, and assures us, that Ambrose and Athanaius were confident with him in this thing.
10. This duty is further confirmed by Scripture prophecy, Divines observe the 100th Psalm is prophetical of Christ's kingdom, wherein there will be a great cause of rejoicing. So Isa. 52.7-8. Musculus says Those watchmen shall jubilee when they consider the great joy approaching Christ's redemption.
Argument IV
Let us further consider,
1. The singing is the music of nature, and shall not the saints sing? The valleys sing Psalm 65.134. The mountains and trees are said to sing, I Chron. 16.32-33.
2. Singing is the music of ordinances. Augustine reports of himself, that when he came to Milan and heard the people sing, he wept for joy. Beza confesses, that when he entered the Congregation and heard the people sing the 19th Psalm, he was greatly comforted. The Rabbins tell us, that the Jews, after the Feast of the Passover was celebrated, sang the 111th Psalm, and the five following. And Christ and his apostles sang a hymn after supper.
3. This is the Music of Agnels, Job 38.7. The heavenly host, when they proclaimed the birth of Christ, declared it in this raised way of singing, Luke 2.13; Rev. 5.11.
4. This is the music of the saints, in their triumphant state, in the bride-chamber, where will be eternal hallelujahs, Rev. 15.3, 19.-9; 5.9-11; Psalm 30.5.
Argument V
Also, it is worth our consideration:
1. That this duty has been performed in the greatest Numbers Num. 21.17; Psalm 149.1-2; Ex. 15.
2. In the greatest straits, Acts 16.25. Paul; and Silas sang in prison. This may serve to rectify the judgment of some, which ask the question, how can they sin when in trouble? When some persuaded Luther of the Dangers of the. church and what a black cloud did hang over the church's head, he then called for the 46th Psaqlm to be sung, as a charm against slavish fear, since called Luther's Psalm.
3. In the greatest deliverances this duty has also been performed, Ex. 15, when Israel was delivered from Pharoah's Host Psalm 126. So II Samuel 22. is a Song of Mercies and great deliverances. So shall the Goepl-church sing after a better manner. when it out of the wilderness, and led into the celestial Canaan, Rev. 5.9-12.
VI. Such has been the constant observation of this duty, that it has been performed in all places.
1. Moses praises God by singing in the Wilderness Ex. 15.
2. David praises God in the Tabernacle, Psalm 27.4-6.
3. Solomon and Hezekiah in the temple extoll Jehovah II Chron. 29.30
4. Jehoshaphat in the camp II Chron, 20.20-21
5. Christ and his apostles in a private room Matt. 26.30
6. Paul & Silas in prison Acts 16.25
7. The Primitive saints in public assemblies I Cor. 14.6; Eph. 5; Col. 3
Argument VII Consider how this ordinance has been crowned:1. With his own glorious appearance, II Chron 20.17-21.
2. Crowned with eminent miracles, Acts 16.25-26. As they were praising God, there was a great earthquake, the foundation of the prison was shaken, all the doors opened, and every man's bands loosed.
3. Honored with eminent victories, II Chron. 20.21.-22
Consider also:
1. This ordinance is of great benefit to the church: it is for admonition, Col. 3.16, and teaching
2. It can sweeten a prison as it did to Paul and Silas Acts 16.
3. It can prepare the soul for suffering so Christ sings before he dies Matt. 26.30
4. It enlivens and exhilarates the soul in trouble.
Objection: How can a serious Christian sin, where there is a mixed multitude?
Answer: By the same tule as we may pray and hear with them; for we ought to be as pure in praying as singing. Besides singing may be sanctified for the conviction of sinners, as well as praying and preaching is, though singing and praying properly belongs to the saints, and is best done by them, yet for a much as prayer praises are natural duties, aS WELL as a part of instituted worship; and all men are bound by the law of their creation to seek unto God for what they want, and praise him for what they have: we dare not when we are about that work to shut then out and say stand by yourselves Isa. 65.5. For praise is the natural duty of all, the proper duty of saints, the perfect acts of angels.
Question: But what may be the right mode and way of singing?
Answer: To sing, is not only meant the inward praise of the heart but also of the voice is apparent:
1. Because the Word says, Eph. 5.14; Col. 3,16. They should be speaking to one another, and admonishing one another in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. But we cannot admonish one another by silent speaking, and inward rejoicings.
2. As the apostle says, there must be melody in the heart; so he says well, we must sing one contains the inward frame, the other, the outward act. Sing with the voice, as well as with the heart.
3. Singing in scripture is every part in the distinction from reading, praying, & speaking, and commonly signifies a modulation of the tongue, or expressing anything musically. And so 'tis a musical speaking. None will say when they hear a man speaker pray that that man is singing. This would make the greatest confusion in ordinances imaginable, Hence 'tis said, Christ and his disciples sang a hymn or praised God by singing. And that Paul and Silas sang vocally and audibly is plain for 'tis said the prisoners heard them Acts. 16.
Objection: If singing is with the voice, why not with Lute, Harp, Organs, and other instruments?
Answer: In the New Testament the voice and heart are only God's instruments. The voice is still required, because it is the immediate interpreter of the heart. And though artificial instruments are laid aside from God's worship, not natural ones.
2. The Union of Heart, tongue, and voice make the spiritual way of worship under the Gospel complete. We have not anything as typical now to look at, as the lute and harp were in the law, as also those ceremonies which typed out Christ's sacrifice. Vurt when the substance came, the shadow ceased. So the Spirit is more abundantly poured out, we have no need of those instruments, but there needs soul and body always to sing forth the high praises of God.
Objection: Every man that preaches profitably has a set form in his head and heart, how he will deliver his message, & yet many may be said to preach with the assistance of the Spirit. Also, it is lawful for a man to consider what he wants before he goes to God by prayer. For order is necessary in prayer as well as in preaching as Christ has directed us Matt. 6 in that form of prayer and yet, notwithstanding this consideration and order in his mind, he may be said to pray with the Spirit's assistance. So in like manner, it is lawful to compose a hymn, grounded on the word of God in a set form and deliver it to the people, either by memory, or as written, as well as deliver a sermon a set of notes, or strength of memory, which is a like grounded on the word of God.
2. Moroever, to speak of an extraordinary gift to sing in the church, is the ready way to weaken the authority of the scripture. For how came so many so much to the scriptures, but by pretending to extraordinary gifts and new revelations?
3. It is the ready way to make hypocrites and impose deceit upon the whole church. For how easy is it for man to compose by the strength of parts an excellent hymn, and deliver it by the strength of memory and pretend he is immediately inspired?
4. God never made any such promise of giving an extraordinary gift of singing, prayer, supplication, or preaching. If there has been such a gift promised, it has been made by Christ, as the gift of tongues and miracles was, and then no doubt but the saints would have been instructed to seek for it, and such as had it would have been commanded to wait on it, as God does exhort his wait on teaching had ruling Rom. 12.5.
5. To be sure Christ would not ordain an ordinance of that consequence as singing is of, which most of the churches in the world must want the use of, for the want of a pretended gift. That Christ has appointed this ordinance in his church we have shown; that he never promised any extraordinary gift of singing, is clear. Therefore we may conclude, as God ordinarily gives every Christian a Spirit of prayer., so he also has ordinarily given them a gift to sing praises to God: and as many might pray better if they used it more, so many may want a gift of singing for want of use.
6. As for that in I Cor. 14.26, one has a Psalm and another a doctrine, &c. It does not concern us to expect that gift as they had because they had a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, and an interpretation of a psalm in an extraordinary manner. Yet, we say, though we have not the Spirit of prayer, as the Church had, Acts 4, to make the place shake, as the effect of it, nor cannot preach extraordinary as Peter did to the 3,000 & to the house of Cornelius; yet we say not, preaching and prayer is ceased. So though none should have an extraordinary gift so sing now, as they have in the church at Corinth, yet the duty remains still in the church, as a standing ordinance, as well as prayer and preaching.
Objection: But what Psalms must we sing? David's or a composure of our own from the holy scriptures?
Answer: As for singing the holy Psalms of holy David, as they are in meter; as long as they retain the sense and meaning of the reading psalms, which I think they generally do, I have nothing against the thing or those which shall do it.
But yet also I do think that we are at our liberty to compose other parts of portions of God's word to that end, provided our hymns are founded directly on God's word. These very hymns may be called the word of God, or Spiritual hymns. For as a learned man said, it is the sense and meaning is the word of God, whether professed in meter,m and further says, we may as well be said to sing God's word, as to read it. It is only orderly composed and disposed of for that action. Every duty must be performed according to the Analogy of Faith, and founded on God's Word. All prayer or preaching, that does not correspond with the sacred writ, notwithstanding any pretense of extraordinary inspiration, I am to explode out of God's worship. Asn as praying and preaching must correspond with the sacred record so must singing. And as we count them the best prayers and sermons, that fullest of scripture, so those hymns that are founded on the sacred scriptures, can no more be denied to be of the Spirit, than a man's preaching or prayer, which is full of the word of God.
But how must we sing?
1. With the understanding, I Cor. 14.15. As we must pray, so we must sing. We must only be guided by the tune, but words of the psalm, matter more than manner else this would be more the work of a chorister than a Christian. Upon this, Davenant cries out, Adieu to the bellowing of the papists, who sing in a un unknown tongue. God will not understand us in this service which we do not understand ourselves.
2. We must sing with zeal and affection. Love is the fulfillment of the law. It is a notable saying of Augustine, "'Tis not crying, but loving sounds in the ears of God that makes the music Isa. 5.1.
3. We must sing with grace, Col. 3.16. It is grace, not nature, that sweetens the music. One well notes that grace is the root of true devotion,. God will not hear sinners when they pray no, nor when they sing, they make a noise like a cracked string of a lute or viol. The raven only croaks it is the nightingale sings. The singing of wicked men is but disturbance, nor obedience. The saints above sing their hallelujah in glory, the saints below must sing their psalms with grace.
4. We must sing with spiritual joy. Singing is the only triumphant gladness of a gracious heart. We must sing, as David danced before the ark, with shouting and rejoicing, II Samuel 6.13.
5. We must sing with faith. This grace only puts pleasantness upon every duty, Heb. 4.2. We must bring faith always to Christ's Table, or else as Augustine says, if faith is asleep, Christ is asleep. Faith carries on this ordinance of singing, so as it may be accepted by God.
6. We must sing with excited grace, not only with grace habitual, but excited and actual. We must stir up the grace in us, I Tim. 4.14. And cry out as David, Psalms 57.8. Awake love, awake delight. The clock must be pulled up before it can guide our time. God loves active grace in duty, that the soul should be readily trimmed when it presents itself to Christ in any worship.
7. We must sing in the Spirit, as well as pray in the Spirit, I Cor. 14.15-16; Jude 20. The Spirit must breathe as well as grace Acts. Devenant says they are called Spiritual Songs, in point of their original. The Spirit excites and completes the soul to this holy service. Thus Eph. 5.18. He exhorts us to be filled with the Spirit, and so called us to sing spiritual songs as the effect of this fullness. This wind must fill our organs before we can make music. It is so-called John 3.8.
8. We must take great care to keep our hearts while about this work. One observes without this we may please men with the artificial suavity of the voice, and displease God with the odious impurity of the heart.
9. Neglect not a preparatory prayer for singing, as well as other duties. It is Jehovah that is the great harmonist, who must pur every heart in tune, serve up every peg of affection, and train every string of meditation, Prov., 16.1.
10. Labor to see your interest in Christ clear when you go about this work. If we are not in Christ, we are certainly out of tune. It is Christ who must put acceptance upon this service as well as others. Here the altar must sanctify the gift. Christ perfumes the prayers, Rom. 5.8. And he must articulate their singing. Though we have Essau's garments, he can give us Jacob's voice. If we are in him, he can raise our hearts to a pleasing elevation.
11. Let us sometimes raise our hearts into holy contemplations, let us think of the music of the Bride-chamber, there shall be no cracked strings, displeasing sounds, harth voices, nothing to abate our melodies. There shall be no willows to hang our harps upon Psalm 137.2. In the bridechamber, there shall be no sorrow to interfere. When we sing the Song of the Lamb, there shall be no grief to jar our harmony, for which day let us pray.
Finis
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