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FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/provesingOOalle 
 
Uf> 
 
 AN 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 To prove 
 
 Singing of PSALMS 
 
 With conjoin'd Voices^ 
 
 A Christian Duty: 
 
 And to refolve the Doubts 
 concerning it. 
 
 -*■?— 
 
 ., By RICHARD ALLEN. 
 
 — * — * — — ^ y & — 
 
 Pfal. 47, 7. 
 
 Since God, of all the Earth's the glorious King, 
 Lee ally that underftand, his Praifes fing. 
 
 Afts 17. 11. Tbtfe were more noble y w *fc*t 
 
 they f arch? d the Scriptwts daily , whether thofe 
 things wtrefo* 
 
 Union, Printed by /. D. for John Harris zi the 
 Harrow in little-Britain. 1696. 
 
• 
 
(iii) 
 
 To all the Members of 
 that Church ofChrifl, 
 to which I am mojl 
 immediately related. 
 
 Dearly Beloved ; 
 
 I Little thought ever to addrefs 
 my felf in Print unto you, 
 and efpecially about this Con- 
 troverfyi feeing, blefled be 
 God, we have hitherto fweetly 
 harmonizM in the main } and I 
 hope, by his Grace, we fhall al- 
 ways continue fo to do. I was fb 
 far fatisfied, in our having Liber- 
 ty to pra&ife, according to the 
 A 2 Judg. 
 
iv The Epijlle Dedicatry. 
 
 Judgment of our Minds, in that j 
 part of Divine Worfhip, which | 
 is the Subjeft of the following I 
 Sheets } that I intended not, in ■ 
 any fublick manner, to plead for 
 it. But feeing there are fome, to 
 whom this our Liberty feems trou- j 
 blefome, (who ought to confider, j 
 that they differ from tis, as much 
 as we do from them ) I thought the \ 
 Station wherein I am, tho unwor- 1 
 thy of it, obliged me to lay be- J 
 fore you, what I judg to be the 
 Counfel of God, in this, as well as 
 other Divine Matters : Which I 
 apprehended, might be molt conve- 
 niently done in this way ; therein 
 agreeing with the Sentiments, and 
 Advice of divers of our worthy 
 Brethren. I found it ne ■.. aary, 
 upon trial, to exceed the Bounds 
 I firffc propofed, left too much 
 Brevity fliould beget a greater 06- 
 fiurity ; which I was very defirous 
 to avoid, and have therefore in- 
 deavour'd to exprefs all things, 
 
 with 
 
The Efifile Dedicatory. V 
 
 with fuch Plainnefs, that, if pofll- 
 ble, they might be readily under- 
 ftood by every Capacity. To which 
 purpofe, I have caft into the Mar- 
 gin moil of thofe Citations, which 
 I thought needful to be made, out 
 of Human Authors. Which are 
 alledg'd for no other intent, but 
 only to illuftrate the fenfe ofWords, 
 to confirm fome Matter of Fad, or 
 to fome ether like purpofe, where- 
 in 'tis very reafonable their Wit- 
 ness fhould be received. As to 
 the Fundamental Proof of this Re- 
 ligious Pra&ice, wherein I expeft 
 the Acquiefcence of your Judg- 
 ments^ and Confciences, I therein 
 depend, only upon the Authority 
 of God's Word, and found Argu- 
 ments deduced from thence : That 
 fo in this, as well as all other Mat- 
 ters of Religion, * your Faith might * j com. 
 not ftand in the Wifdom of Men, 5* 
 
 hut in the Power of God. If you 
 find not every thing faid upon 
 any Texf, or Argument, which you 
 A 3 think 
 
v| The Epflle Dedicatory. 
 
 think needful, I intreat you pa- 
 tiently to fufpend your Judgment, 
 till you have confiderately read 
 over the whole; and, I hope, in 
 fbme other place, you will find 
 fullSatisfa&ion:, one and the fame 
 Text being feveral times alledgM 
 under divers Heads \ in clearing 
 which, what is wanting in any 
 one place, I have endeavour'd to 
 fupply in another i which feem'd 
 more convenient. If you remem- 
 ber not the words of fome Scrip* 
 tures, noted only in the Margin, 
 I defire you will turn to them in 
 your Bibles, which I have fome- 
 times omitted to fet down at 
 length, to avoid a greater Prolixity. 
 I hope you will find nothing here, 
 unfu table to a Chrijlian Spirit. If 
 any Reflexion fhould feem a little 
 too fharp \ I hope the occafion will 
 fufficiently juftify it. I trull, I 
 can truly fay, I have ainPd only 
 at Truth, and to prevent your 
 being unwarily mijled from it, by 
 
 the 
 
The EfifiU Etedkmrj. vii 
 
 IhcMftakes of others'. It wa* for? 
 your fakts aiorie^ my dear Bre- 
 thren, that I undertook this Ta$fc> 
 If any others upon their Defires, 
 flioukl receive any Benefit by it, to 
 you they are indebted. 
 
 To conclude, as I hope I fhall 
 ihew my felf ready to own and 
 retra& any Miftakes in this little 
 Tre^tife, if a^y fuch fhould be 
 t&e?$fi fliewji'./rte (with a Spirit 
 of Meeknefs): So if, after your 
 careful perufal of it, any thing 
 fhould therein ftill feem obfcure and 
 doubtful, I hope you will count 
 it but reafonable, to apply your 
 felves in a friend ly manner to me, 
 for farther Satisfaction, before ybii 
 pafs any Sentence againll it your 
 felves, or hearken to that of others. 
 That the Father of Lights may it* 
 radiate all our Minds, with a clearer 
 kaowledg of his Will, in this, and 
 ail-other Divine Truths, and build 
 us up to a greater degree, in all the 
 A 4 parts 
 
yiii The Efifile Dedicatory, 
 
 parts of Holinefs, is, and fhali be, 
 as in Duty bound, the Prayer 
 
 Your unworthy Servant 
 for Chrift's fake, 
 
 Rick Allen. 
 
 To 
 
( ix ) $3 
 
 To the READER. 
 
 AS our Accefs to the great GOD 
 in fokmn Atts of holy Wor- 
 fhip vs the mofi honourable and 
 deareft Privilege we do or can enjoy j 
 fo "'tis of the highefl Confequence to us 
 to know how to addrefs our felves to 
 him after a becoming and acceptable 
 manner. And who but the All-wife 
 God can direB us in fo great a Cafe ? 
 Who, as he befi knows the Perfections of 
 his own Nature, and the Defign of all 
 his Difpenfations towards us ; fo moB 
 perfettly underflands all the Circum- 
 fiances of our State, and the Meafure 
 of our Obligations to him ', and confe- £ X od. 25. 
 quently is alone capable of inftrutting 40. 
 
 us what manner of Worfhip it becomes Ezelc - 43* 
 Him to receive, and Us to give : and y?' l °'\ u 
 accordingly he claims the Right fl/Mac.i^S,? 
 prefer ibing to us how we fhall ferve him, 2 Tim. 3* 
 as his inalienable Prerogative; and li^iyi 
 has gracioufly reveafd his WiU in this 
 matter in fome degree by his Works, 
 
 but 
 
I To the Reader. 
 
 but efpecially by the more fure Word 
 of Prophecy, a* the different Admv 
 nifirations of the Old and New Te- 
 fiament did require. 
 
 While fome Men herein entirely neg- 
 UUing the DireUionboth of the Works 
 and Word of God^ have only govern' d 
 themfelves by the wild Conceptions of 
 their own extravagant Fancies, 'tis not 
 to be wonder 9 d at that they havegrcatty 
 erfd } and inftead of ^leafing the aU 
 mighty by regular Aits of Devotion, 
 have affronted him with moH abfufd 
 and grofs Abominations. And ( as 
 the Apoflk excellently defcribes their 
 Romr.21, State ) Becaufe when they knew 
 22,23, 25r God, they glorified him not as God, 
 neither were thankful, but became 
 vain in their Imaginations,and their 
 foolifli Heart was darkened : Pro- 
 felling themfelves to be wife, they 
 became Fools: And changed the 
 Glory of the Incorruptible God, 
 into- an Image made like to cor- 
 ruptible Man, and to Birds- and 
 four- footed Beafts, and creeping 
 things, &c. 
 
 And 
 
To the Reader. jfj; 
 
 And while others who have in fome 
 things of this nature yielded to the 
 Conduit of the Divine Will, have in 
 other things omitted to confult it, they 
 have always err'd either by Defect or 
 Excefs, bringing to the Altar fuch Sa- 
 crifices as have been blemifb 7 d with 
 Imperfedion or Superfluity, and have 
 Very much eclipfed the Glory of Divine 
 Worfhip, and thereby not a little ob- 
 jlrutted their own Spiritual Advan- 
 tage. 
 
 That it has thus happened to that 
 part of the Service of God which vs the 
 Subject of the enfmng Treatife,feems 
 to us very evident. For as the great eft 
 part of thofe who affume the Name of 
 Chriftians, pretending to adorn this Or- 
 dinance, have covered its native and 
 beauteous Simplicity with many fuper- 
 fiuous Ceremonies and unwarrantable 
 Additions \ and accommodated the 
 manner of their Religious Singing ra- 
 ther to the vain and frothy Humour of 
 the Theatre, than to the grave and 
 folemn Genius of the Temple -, rende- 
 ring it more apt to amufe the Mind, 
 
 and 
 
jft To the Reader. 
 
 and to gratify the fenfual part of Man, 
 than to compofe and calm the Soul, and 
 excite her to the mojl fpiritual Exersijes 
 cf Divine Contemplation and Love 7 
 (which latter are the great and pro- 
 per Defigns of ftnging Pf alms, Hymns, 
 and Spiritual Songs) ; Sofome others, 
 rvhofe righteous Souls have been vex*d 
 at thofe Abufes, thinking they could 
 never conceive too great an Abhor- 
 rence of them, or remove themfelves 
 at too great a dijiance from them,have 
 unhappily run into another Extream, 
 and bantffid this agreeable part of 
 holy Worfhip from the Houfe of Ood^ 
 injlead of rejloring it to its Primitive 
 and Genuine Purity and Beauty. 
 
 'Tis principally for the Information 
 of thefe well-meaning and pious Chri- 
 fiians, that the Worthy Author of this 
 Treatife has composed it, attempting 
 to fhew the Ground of this part of 
 Divine Worfhip both from the Light of 
 Nature, and that of Holy Scripture ; 
 How well he has acquitted himfelf in 
 the Management of this Argument, is 
 by himfelf fubmitted to the Judgment 
 
To the Reader. xiii 
 
 of the World in his Publication of it. 
 We {hall only fay , that at *tvs not our 
 bufimfs to ufe many words to prepoffefs 
 the Reader in his Favour , fo ^tis our 
 Opinion that the Book is able tofpeak 
 for it f elf, and needs not our Suffrage 
 to recommend it. 
 
 The Importance of the Matter (fince 
 it relates to the immediate Service of 
 the molt High God) commends it to 
 the ferious and attentive Thoughts of 
 thofe who defire to walk in all the Luke i. & 
 Commandments and Ordinances cf 
 the Lord blamelefs. And it behoves 
 all who value the facred Worjhip of 
 God, who love the Habitation of his Pfal. 25.8, 
 Houfe, and the Place where his Ho- 
 nour dwells, to pray tame ft ly for 
 larger Effufions of his Spirit for the 
 rectifying of thofe many Errors and 
 Diforders, all that Antichriflian Srnut 
 which has fo long fullied the once beau- 
 tiful Face of Chrifiianity : That all 
 fuperftitious Innovations may on the 
 one hand be abolijVd and purg'd j^ , ^ ? 
 away by him, as hevs the Spirit of ' 
 
 Judgment, and the Spirit of burn- 
 ing i 
 
ylv To the Reader. 
 
 ing v cwid that aU Divine Inftitutions 
 may on the Gther hand be reeftabliflPd 
 by him throughout the whole Church of 
 God, as he is the Spirit of Truth 
 and Order, that his holy Worfhip may 
 in all refpefts recover its prifiine Come- 
 linefs and Glory. 
 
 And in the mean time His much 
 to be defer* d and pray'd for^ that as he, ' 
 is the Spirit of Grace and Love, he 
 would fo foften the Tempers of all 
 fencer e Chrijiians, and fo powerfully 
 difpofe y em to mutual Charity and 
 Forbearance \ that if atprefent there 
 remain fome little Differences in our 
 Minds, there may be a happy Agree- 
 ment in our Hearts \ that if our 
 Notions and Opinions in fome leffer 
 Matters of Religion continue to jar, 
 yet our AfFe&ions and Defires may 
 always fweetly harmonize } feeing 
 we profefs to live in the joyful Ex- 
 pectation of that bleffed State that will 
 at once take away all Diforder from 
 our VnderfiandingSj our Wills and 
 our Voices ioo 1 and make us both 
 think and love and fpt ak alike , and 
 
 teach 
 
To the Reader. XV 
 
 teach us to fing^ after the molt excel- 
 lent manner , the immortal Praifes cf 
 Cod in Concert with the ravijhing 
 Airs cf the whole Hoft of Heaven^ 
 the innumerable Company of holy 
 Angels and glorified Saints, whofc 
 Employment and Happnefs it is to 
 make this Heavenly Melody to JLter* 
 nity. 
 
 Jof. Maifters, 
 William Collins, 
 Jofeph Stennett, 
 John Piggott, 
 Tho* Harrifbn. 
 
 Enat, Page 24. line 22. for bis, read thk, 
 P» 91* Marg, t. MtnM w tbt Flat*. 
 
Xvi The Contents. 
 
 THE Introduction, page i 
 Chap. i. Singing of Pfalms provd a 
 Chriftian Duty, and not peculiar to the 
 
 Jewifh Church, p. 5, &c. 
 
 — ■ - ' f rom its being a Moral Duty, — p.6 — 14 
 -•-, «f rom the Example 0/Chrift, — p. 14 — 24 
 • from the Apoftolical Injunctions there- 
 of, • p. 24—28 
 
 Chap. 2. Wiat Singing is. To at it properly de- 
 notes an Extenfion of the Voice, p. 28— 3$ 
 Vocal Singing prov\{ a Chriftian Duty, y. 3 $-39 
 Chap. 3, Ihe Lawfulnejs of conjoint Singing 
 •with many Voices together, p. 39 — 45 
 Objections againft conjoint imgmganfw.p 46-57 
 Chap. 4. The Marter to be fung in Religious 
 
 Worfhip, p. 58 
 
 The Scripiu<e Pfalms preferred before all Human 
 
 Compofures, and why, p. 59 — 61 
 
 Obf.ttions againft finging them anfw, p.di — 72 
 Chap. $ . Concerning the manner offinging,p. 7 2. 
 The Lawfnlnefs of tranflaiing the Pfalms into, and 
 fingingthem in Metre, or Rhyme, p. 73 — j6 
 The Pfalms, &c. provd to be written in Hebrew 
 
 Metre or Rhyme, ■ p. 77 —80 
 
 Metrical and Rhythmical Tranflations of 
 t'e Pfalms into Vulgar Tongues, and the 
 fingwg of them vindicated againft Reflections 
 
 thereupon p. 80 — 83 
 
 Chap. d. IpeLawfulnefs of finging by Artificial 
 
 'Tunes, — — p. 88— 90 
 
 Several Obji ttions agakfl it anfwered,p.$o — 103 
 Other Doubts about thk Divine Practice re* 
 
 inlv'd, p. 103 — 108 
 
 The Conclufion, and Poft*fcript % — p. 1 08— 1 1 2 
 
(i ) 
 
 An Ejjay to prove Sing- 
 ing ofPfalmr a Chri- 
 ftian Duty, 
 
 lhiroduHion. 
 
 p* i m i m i I S a Truth, not only 
 attefted in Scripture^ 
 but obvious to Experi- 
 *** ence, that the bell here 
 know but in part. , . This is fadly 
 evident by the different Senti- 
 ments^ even in religious Concerns, 
 that are everywhere found among 
 foraeof the Wifeft and moft Se- 
 rious Chriftians. And therefor^ 
 feeing, how much foever defir'dj 
 *tis hardly to be hoped, that in all 
 things we fhould have the fame 
 B Appre- 
 
Introduction. 
 
 Apprehenfions while here •, the on- 
 ly way for us to glorify God, and 
 to make our PafTage through this 
 Vale of Tears, in any meafure 
 comfortable, is to pray and labour 
 for more of thofe beautifying Gra- 
 ces of Charity, Meeknefs, and 
 mutual Forbearance : that, fo far 
 as we have attainM, we may walk 
 together by the fame Rule, and 
 wherein we yet differ, humbly 
 wait upon God for a more com- 
 pleat difcovery of his Mind to us. 
 It's too well known to be con- 
 cealed, that fuch different Appre- 
 henfions there are between us and 
 fome of our dear Brethren, about 
 Singing of Pfalms } which w r e are 
 fully perfwaded, with the genera- 
 lity of the Reformed Churches, is 
 an eminent Part of Ghriftian Wor- 
 fhip-, but divers of our Brethren 
 -are of a different Perfwaiion. I 
 hope I can truly appeal to God, 
 that'tis only a fincere love toTruth 
 hath prevailed upon me at this time 
 to offer my Thoughts about this 
 
 Matter ; 
 
introduBicft. 
 
 Matter ; and I heartily defire that 
 herein I may be guided by the 
 Word and Spirit of God. So far 
 as I can apprehend th^ Notions of 
 our Brethren, they themfelves 2re 
 of different Judgments abotit this 
 Practice. Some feem to think that 
 Singing was a part of the Worfhip 
 peculiar to the Jewifh Ghat ch, and 
 that therefore 'tis abolifhM Under 
 the New Teitament. Others feent 
 to allow of Singing ftillj but fup- 
 pofe it to confift only in joyfulnefs 
 of Heart, and that it ftiouldiiotbe 
 Vocal. Ag3in r others feem to al- 
 low of Vocal Singing, but deny 
 the warrantable nefs of conjoint 
 Singing^ with many Voices tcge- 
 the. Some Scruples arife about 
 the Matter , and others about the 
 Manner of our Singing. That 
 therefore I may in fome mea-fiife* 
 if poffibte, convince the Oppofers 
 of this our Praftice, fatisfy thofe 
 that are doubting, confirm thofe 
 that are wavering^ and defend it 
 from the heavy Charge which 
 B i feme 
 
Introduction. 
 
 fome bring againft it of being a 
 grotindlefs and fuperftitious Inno- 
 vation, I (hall endeavour to clear 
 thefe five things, 
 
 I. That Singing the Praifes of 
 God is a Chrtftian Duty, and 
 not peculiar to the Jewifh 
 Church. 
 
 II. What Singing is -, That 'tis 
 properly an A&ion of the 
 Voice 7 and not of the Heart 
 only. 
 
 III. That conjoint Singing of 
 many Voices together is war- 
 rantable. 
 
 IV. What we aretofing. 
 
 V. How we are to fing. 
 
 And under each of thefe I fhall 
 endeavour to remove all the Scru- 
 ples of our Brethren that diflent 
 from us, fofar as they come to my 
 hrind. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
(5) 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Proving Singing of Pfalms a 
 ChrtjHan Duty, from its Mo- 
 rality, the Example of Chrift, 
 and the Apoftolical Injun&i- 
 ons thereof 
 
 I T Shall endeavour to fhow, That 
 1 Tinging the Praifesof God is 
 a Chriftian Duty, and that it was 
 not peculiar to the Jewifh Difpen- 
 fation. 
 
 This I fhall prove thefe three 
 
 ways. 
 
 Firfti From its being a Moral 
 
 Duty. 
 Secondly, From the Example of 
 
 our Lord Jefus herein. 
 Thirdly, From the Apoftolical 
 
 Injunftions thereof. 
 
 B 3 Firft, 
 
6 § m & n g °i Pfettfts 
 
 geft* i > Firft, Singing the Praifes of Gad 
 fs not a tneer pqfitive Duty, but a 
 moral One, and confequently the Du- 
 ty of all Mm. Meer politive Du- 
 ties are fuch as receive ali their 
 Force, whereby we are obliged to 
 obferve them, from the Decia na- 
 tion of God's Will and Pleafure 
 by his Word, with relation there- 
 unto. Of this Nature were Cir- 
 cumcifion, and keeping the Paflb- 
 ver, under the Old Teiiament 3 
 And of this Nature are Baptifm 
 and the Lord's Supper under the 
 New. None of which had any 
 intrinfick Goodnefs in them till 
 God was pleafed to make them Du- 
 ties, by his Sovereign Command 
 requiring them. But there are 
 other Duties that are good in their 
 own Nature with a moral Good- 
 nefs : Of which Goodnefs the 
 * MicA8. * Prophet fpeaks \ He hath /hewed 
 thee, O Man, what is good ', name- 
 ly, to do juftly, to love Mercy, and 
 tq v?a}k humbly wkh thy God. Thefe 
 
 things 
 
a Moral Duty. 
 
 things he calls Good by way of 
 Eminency, and in oppofition to 
 other things which yet were not 
 without their Goodnefs, as being 
 commanded of God. And why ? 
 but becaufe thofe things are good 
 in themfelves antecedent to God's 
 commanding them in his Word, 
 Moral Duties of Religion do na- 
 turally refult from our Relation to 
 God as reafoaable Creatures. They 
 were originally written in the 
 Heart of Man by Nature, and may 
 ftill in a great meafure be difcern d 
 by ferious Attention and Confide- 
 ration, without any fpecial Reve- 
 lation. 
 
 Thus if we ferioufly confider 
 that God is our Creator, and we 
 dependant Creatures, we can't but 
 acknowledgit to be our Duty to 
 entertain adoring Thoughts of 
 him, and humble Thoughts of our 
 fdves. If we contemplate him as 
 our only Preferver and Benefailor, 
 we can't but acknowledg it cur 
 Duty to pray to him in all ojir 
 B 4 Wants, 
 
8 Singing of Pfalms 
 
 Wants, and praife him for all the 
 Good we enjoy. Again, if we 
 confider him as our only Good and 
 Happinefs^ we can't but conclude 
 it to be our Duty to love him a- 
 b.ove all. Thefe and the like Du- 
 ties are morally good, and there- 
 fore of an univerfal and immuta- 
 ble Obligation. 
 
 And that Singing the Praifes of 
 God is a Duty of this Nature, and 
 confequently the Duty of all Men, 
 I fhall prove by thefe following 
 Confiderations. 
 
 ift. r Tt5 a moral Duty for Men to 
 praife God with all the Faculties where- 
 * i Cor. 6. with he has endowed them. To * glorify 
 \$* 2 ?! bim 7 not only with the Faculties of 
 their Souls, but alfo with all the 
 Members of their Bodies. Now 
 'tis certain that Men have not on- 
 ly a Faculty to praife God in their 
 Hearts, by an inward acknow- 
 - ♦ ledgment of his Goodnefs and Ex- 
 cellencies, but alfo with their 
 Mouths i and this not only by 
 fpeaking, but alfo by finging his 
 
 Praife. 
 
a Moral Duty. 
 
 Praife. I can't therefore but con- 
 clude that 'tis a Moral Duty, and 
 futable to the Di&ates of right 
 Reafon, for Men to praife God, 
 not only in the former Ways, but 
 alfo in the latter, to wit, by Ting- 
 ing his Praife. This I take to be 
 a clear Demonflration. 
 
 2ly. Singing the Praifes of God, 
 was a Duty performed to him by the 
 heavenly Angels, at the difcovery of 
 his glorious Perfections in the Crea- 
 tion. Which I think evidently 
 fhews it to be the Duty of reafo- 
 nable Creatures as fuch, and con- 
 fequently a Moral Duty. That 
 the Angels did thus praife God, by 
 finging at his laying the Founda- 
 tions of the Earth, he himfelf te- 
 Itifies, Job 38. 7. When the morning 
 Stars fang together, and the Sons of 
 God f homed for joy. That by the 
 morning Stars here can't be meant 
 the material Stars in the Firma- ' 
 ment, to me feems plain, in that 
 they fang at his laying the Foun- 
 dations of the Earth, which 
 
 was 
 
io Singing of Pf alms 
 
 f Gco.i.1. * Wa s on t j ie £ rft Day Q f the Crea- 
 
 tion, whereas the material Stars 
 f Vcr. 19. were not m3( j e till the f 4th Day. 
 
 And therefore by the morning Stars 
 we are to underftand, with the 
 belt Expofltors, the Holy Angels, 
 called, in the following words, The 
 Sons of God y (as alfo Chan. 1.6. ) 
 And they are fitly calPd Stars in 
 the fame Senfe in which they are 
 
 JjaCor.n. elfewhere calPd \ { AngeU of Light. 
 
 Ur 3ly. Whatfozver was praCvifed in • 
 
 the Church of God, and approved by 
 bim 7 before the giving of the Law at 
 Mount Sinai, and never afterward 
 declared to be typical^ is a Moral Dit- 
 ty. I know of no Exception can 
 be made againft this Afiertion. 
 And that finging the Praifes of 
 God was thus praftifed, is evi- 
 dent, (Exod. 1 5. t .) Then fang Mo- 
 fes and the Children of Ifrael this 
 Song to the Lord. Nor will it fol- 
 low from this Argument, (as may 
 be objected) that praifing God by 
 mnfical Inftruments is alfo a Moral 
 
 Ever, 20. Duty, feeing they are alfo * men- 
 tioned 
 
4 Moral D: I \ 
 
 tioned in the fame Chaptc* : For 
 this doth not appear, as finging 
 docs, to be the Pra&ice of the 
 Church as fuch. But of this I 
 (hall fpeak more full/ in the hil 
 Chapter. 
 
 4Jy. Whatsoever vs injoin'd upon 
 0{l Men of all Nations, u a Moral 
 j)uty. For where do we ever fmd 
 Circumcifion, or any other meer 
 ppfitive and ceremonial Duty thus 
 enjoin'd ? But finging the Praifes 
 pf God is fo, (Pfalm 98. 4. & 
 1 00. 1 % 2.) Thus likewife in Pfal. 
 47. 7. from this general Reafon, 
 that God is the King of All the Earthy 
 (and not of Judea only) 'tis requi- 
 red that every one that hath under* 
 ftanding, fhould fing Fraifes to bint, 
 as your Margin reads it, exactly 
 futable to thef Hebrew Text. ^W 
 
 This Conclufion is inferred 
 from the fame Premifes, by one 
 who indeed differed from us in 
 other things relating to this Duty : 
 But upon this Argument., to prove 
 religious Singing it felf to be a Mo- 
 ral 
 
1 2 Singing of Pfalms 
 
 ral Duty, he hath fo well exprefl 
 
 fed himfelf, that I think it worth 
 
 while to fet down a few of his 
 
 Words, which are as follows % 
 
 *Gr*nth. * cc Altho (faith he) finging Praife 
 
 chriftia- ct to God be a Handing Ordinance 
 
 nifm.Re- * c in the Church,and that (lie hatha 
 
 div.;ac8. "^peculiar Intereft in it in fome re- 
 
 " fpeft ; neverthelefs I doubt not 
 
 u but this Duty of finging Praifes 
 
 <c to the Lord, extends it felf to 
 
 Cc the Univerfe as well as Prayer, 
 
 u and may be faid to be a part of 
 
 u that natural Religion which ob- 
 
 £C ligeth all Mankind. And hence 
 
 ct is the Invitation fo frequent in 
 
 ct the Book of Pfalms^ to all man- 
 
 u ner of Nations upon Earth, to 
 
 4C ling Praifes to the Lord, as Pfal. 
 
 ^ c 10Q, &C. 
 
 5ly. Whatever is preferred before 
 the moft excellent Parts of Ceremo- 
 nial IVorfbip^ as more pleafing to 
 God, is a Moral Duty. Thus to know 
 God, and to love him above all : to 
 love our Neighbour 06 our f elves : to 
 do Jujtice and Judgment : to be mer- 
 ciful 
 
a Moral Duty. i j 
 
 ciful to the Miferable. Tbefe Du- 
 ties are preferred before the * mofl * Prov.2iJ 
 excellent Sacrifices, which were the 3- 
 chief Parts of the Ceremonial ™ 12 ' 
 Worfhip. And why ? But becaufc ^oh 6.6* 
 the former are Moral Duties, and 
 good in themfelves, whereas the 
 latter were only pofitwe Duties, 
 and good becaufe commanded. 
 And that Singing to the Praife of 
 God is a Duty of the fame Nature 
 with the former of thefe, I con- 
 clude, becaufe 'tis, like them, pre- 
 ferr d before the mofl excellent 
 Sacrifices, as being more pleafing 
 to God. Thus the * Pfalmift tells * PfaL 69. 
 us -, That to fing to the Praife of 3°>?u 
 God, or (which is the fame) to 
 praife him with a SONG, is mwt 
 pleafing to him than (to facrifice) an 
 Ox or Bulloch Which were fome 
 of the moll coflly and excellent 
 Sacrifices. 
 
 From thefe Confutations laid 
 together, I doubt not but 'tis clear 
 (beyond all reafonable Exception) 
 that ftnging the Praifes of God, is 
 
 no 
 
t4 Singing enforced from 
 
 no lefs than a Moral Duty, and 
 therefore the Duty of all Men, and 
 confequently of every Chriltian. 
 
 Se&. 2. Secondly, I Ihdll prove that Singl- 
 ing to the Praife of God, is the 
 Duty of every Ghriftian from the 
 Example of Chrifl. That this wa& 
 his Practice in religious Worfhip 
 is recorded, Matth. 16. 30. Mark 
 1 4, 26. Now that every Ghrifti- 
 an is bound to follow the Example 
 of Chrift, none can doubt ; ex- 
 cept only in three kinds of Works, 
 viz,, his miraculous Ones, which he 
 did by a fpecial exertion of his Di- 
 vine Power, wherein we can't i- 
 mitate him : Or elfe thofe that 
 were peculiar to him as Mediator, 
 as to infdtute Ordinances in his 
 Church % to make Reconciliation 
 for Sin, and other fuch-like Works 
 wherein we have neither Ability 
 nor Authority to imitate him : Or, 
 thirdly, thofe which he did only 
 as a Mefnber of the Jevoijh Church, 
 as in being Gircumcifed, keeping 
 
 this 
 
the Example of Chrift. 1 1 
 
 the Paflbver, &c. wherein we 
 ought not to imitate him. In all 
 other Cafes I fuppofe 'tis, and muft 
 be univerfally granted, that the 
 Example of our Saviour hath the 
 Force of a Precept to every Chri- 
 ftian. And that our Saviour's 
 finging a Hymn with his Difciples 
 comes under either of thofe three 
 forementioned Exceptions, I can 
 fee no reafon to imagine : And 
 therefore thence conclude, that 
 'tis the Duty of every Chriftian* 
 according to his Example, to flng 
 to the Praife of God. 
 
 I know there are two Objections 
 made againft this Argument that 
 require fome anfwer. 
 
 i. It is affirmed that the word 
 Sung is not in the Original Text 
 
 2. That fuppofing our Saviour 
 did indeed fing y yet 'tis prefurrfd 
 that the Hymn which he fang might 
 appertain to the JeWilh Pailbvei ; 
 and fo be no more obligatory upoh 
 "Chriftians, from the Example et 
 Chrift, thanthePaObveritfelf. 
 
1 6 Singing enforced from 
 
 Ohftff* i . It is affirmed that the word 
 SVNG is not in the Original, but 
 added by the Tranflators^ and that 
 confequently all that aflert Singing 
 from thefe and the like Scriptures, 
 deceive other s^ and do very ill in }u~, 
 Jlifying the Translators in adding to 
 the Word of Cod. 
 Anfvo. A bold Prejfumption indeed ! for 
 any, and efpecially fuch as know 
 riot a word of the Original Text. 
 thus to arraign our Bibles : Ancl 
 fuch as ( fhould it be believed ) 
 would leave all Englifh Readers in 
 perplexing Doubts, when they 
 read the Mind of God in their Bi- 
 bles •, and when, inftead thereof, 
 they read the Additions of Men : 
 And for any to print and publifli 
 iagainlt their own Teachers and Bre- 
 thren^ fuch a heavy Charge as this 
 is, of being Deceivers of others in 
 the Matters of God, and juftify- 
 ing Additions to hvs Word, every one 
 furely mull needs look upon to be 
 a very ralh and unchriftian Pra- 
 &ice. 
 
 But 
 
the Example of Chrifl. 1 7 
 
 But let not any Chriftian be Hart- 
 led at this bold Preemption } for 
 I allure you 'tis as groundless, as 
 'tis bold. The* Original Word* W- 
 ufed in thefe Texts, not only fig- mv ** u 
 nifying to praife God ( as is pre- 
 tended) but alfo to do it by SING- 
 ING. This is attefted by the con- 
 current Evidence of the mofb 
 ■f Learned in the Greek Tongue :ft/^U>i- 
 And tho we ought not to receive a <tan quod 
 Religious Dottrine from any, how v ,jj? fcu 
 Learned foever, without fufficient ^necdc"- 
 proof of it from the Word of God • bro, K> m- 
 yet fare the concurrent Teftimony nis rfeam- 
 oifucb fhould befufficient to fatisfy co . : P r °- 
 us about the Senfe of a Word, in the [^ s ^. 
 Learned Languages. And they ckur^&iis 
 yet more particularly allure u^uicarmi- 
 tliat a Hymn doth neceflarily in-*™ red- 
 elude II three things : 1 . That the **?*' % c f: 
 C Matter*^ 
 
 Thtfdkr. Ling. Gwc*. Hymtium cano, Paffori&Uxic. 
 
 || Hymnilaudes furtdei cumcancico, hymni cancus 
 func continences iaudes dei. Si fie laus & non fie dei^ 
 non eft hymnus. Si fie laus 8c dei laus, & non caneeeur ? 
 non eft hymnus. Oporcec ergo uc fi fie hymnus habe- 
 as hsec cria, & laudejn, & dei, & canticum. Aug. in 
 
 Pfai 
 
1 8 Singing enforced from 
 
 Matter of it be Praife. 2. That it 
 be to God as the Objeft of it. And, 
 3. that it be SVNG. And that if 
 either of thefe be wanting, 'tis not 
 properly a Hymn. And accord- 
 ingly not only our Tranjlators do a- 
 fcribe Singing to our Saviour in 
 thefe Texts, but alfo Calvin, Be- 
 z~a, Pifcator the French Tranjla- 
 tors, and many others, mentioned 
 * in Sy- by the Learned * Mr. Pooh And 
 nopficri- f ure it mull needs feem hard to 
 UCt every confidering Chriftian, to 
 
 think that all thefe have confpired 
 together to impofe upon the World 
 an Addition to the Word of God\ 
 and efpecially feeing ALL TranJIa- 
 tions fo far agree herein, that there 
 is, I prefume, none that contradills 
 ours. For tho fome render it, 
 
 A 
 
 Pfol. 72. And thus alfo the Learned and Pious Dr. Do- 
 vcii tells Hs y out 0/Ruffinus, on Afts 16, 25. Hymnus 
 eft cantilena concinens laudem Dei. Mitfh. Hymnus eft 
 cancio qua laudes Dei decantancur. Pafforis Lex. Ton 
 
 may fie this more fully proved to be the Senft oj the word 
 v{av©~) by a Learned Minifter of Cbrift, in a jhort Difcourfi 
 attbeendofMr.K^clisBoo^ concerning tinging. 
 
the Ex Ample of Chrift* i 9 
 
 * A^Hymn being [aid \ yet this is * Hymno 
 io far from comraditting ours, di&o.r*/{* 
 which tells us they fang it, that in- Mont a*. 
 deed it implies the fanle thing, a 
 Hymn neceflarily including Singing, 
 as hath been proved. And tho 
 fome of our old Tranflations ren- 
 der it they faid Grace^ or they prai- 
 fcd God, yet none of them tell us 
 they did it nop by Singing. So that 
 tho they give us not the Senfe of 
 the Greek Text,/?) compleatly as our 
 Translation does, yet they contra- 
 dift it not. This may fuffice to 
 lliow, that our Translators are 
 not guilty of adding to the Word of 
 God, in tranflating thefe PafTages i 
 And that they are mucblefs guilty 
 of contradiung the Text, by 
 rendring the words they fung % in- 
 itead of they lamented, as is igno- 
 rantly (to fay no worfe) intimated 
 by a late Querijl. I have fearched 
 all the places where this -J* word is f ^r^ 
 ufed by the Seventy, and can find 
 nothing in them for this Suggelli- 
 on : And tho any Inftance ihouid 
 C 2 bg 
 
2 o Singing enforced from 
 
 be found, in prophane Writers, of \ 
 its being thus ufed, by way of An- 
 tithe/is, yet I think it would be 
 very unreafonable therefore to 
 take it in fuch a ftrain'd Senfe in 
 the Scripture. I fhall therefore 
 difmifs this Fancy, with only not- 
 ing, that, fnonld this new Inter- 
 pretation be admitted, then where 
 *ASst6. ?t i s * foid, Paul and Silas fang 
 25. Praifes to God and the Prifoners heard 
 them \ the meaning would be, 
 that they lamented fo loud, that the 
 Prifoners heard them. Which would 
 be no very good proof of their 
 fufferingjo>/w//7, a Commendation 
 which theH.Ghoft frequently gives 
 them. Yea, which is worfe, where 
 f Heb. 2. our Lord lays •, \ hi the midft of] 
 J 2. the Church will I fing Praife to thee : 
 The meaning is, according to this 
 fenfe, that he would difcharge the ' 
 Work of his Mediation with la- 
 menting, inftead of rejoicing and de- 
 light. So that upon the whole, I 
 think we have very juffc ground to 
 mj] ft upon it , That our Lord fang* 
 
 a 
 
tbto Ewampk :n Gfirift. 21 . 
 
 .1 Hymn: And vvc have no need 
 to inpsi- upon it right or wrongs as is 
 cauflefly laid of us, 
 
 2ly. 'Tis further objeded, That Object. 2. 
 tho it fhould be granted (as it 
 muft) that our Lord indeed fang 
 a Hymn, yet 'tis prefum'd that it 
 might peculiarly belong to the Paff- 
 over, and fo be no more obligato- 
 ry upon us, from the Example of 
 Chrifl, than the Paflbver it felf. 
 
 To clear this Doubt, ferioufly Anfw* 
 weigh thefe following things. 
 
 1. That both the Pajfover and 
 the Lord* s Supper had a facial and 
 peculiar refped to the Sufferings of 
 Chrifl for our Redemption. That 
 the Paflbver had fuch a peculiar re-* 
 fped thereto, appears in that the 
 Apoftle hereupon * calls Chrifl ow* 1 Cor. 5. 
 Pajfover facrificed for us. And that 7* 
 
 the Lord's Supper hath fo, is ma- 
 nifeft, in that we are commanded 
 therein, conftantly^fr) fiexv forth f1C0r.11. 
 the Lord's Death. And it being atf. 
 
 thus, I can fee no neceffity to de- 
 termine, that this Hymn was fun?, 
 C 3 by 
 
%% Singing enforfd from 
 
 by our Saviour, upon the Occafion 
 of either of thefe, exclufive of the 
 other: Being both, as refpe&ing 
 the glorious Work of our Redemp- 
 tion, matter of the bigbeft praift 
 find rejoicing. 
 
 But, 2. to fuppofe that it was 
 fiing only upon the Occafion of the 
 Paffover, is altogether groundlefs 5, 
 for had it been fo, what reafon 
 can be rendred why it fhould not 
 be fung immediately after it? as 
 'tis plain it was not. 
 
 3. Much Icfs is there any reafon 
 to imagine, that it was peculiar to 
 the Jewifh Paffhver, as a part ofit 7 
 and fo of the fame mutable Nature 
 with it : Singing to the Praife of 
 God being, as I conceive hath been 
 fufficiently proved, a Moral Duty \ 
 and therefore of universal and per* 
 petual Obligation, and fo fit to be 
 ufed upon that or any other joyful 
 Occafion. Bat, 
 
 4. There is the greateft reafon 
 to conclude, that our Lord fang 
 this Hymn with his Difciples, at 
 
 teaft 
 
the Examp/e of Chrift. §i 
 
 leaft efpecially, wpon the Occafion of 
 his own Supper, and the Commemo- 
 ration of his Sufferings, and re- 
 deeming Love therein } forafmuch 
 as it was immediately joinM there- 
 to, as the Evangelifts plainly fhevv. 
 
 Nor is there any Force againil 
 this Conclufion, in that Objedion 
 whkh fome make ; That, had this 
 Hymn belonged to the Lords Sup- 
 fer y doubtlefs the Apoftle would 
 have mentioned it, when he * fets * l Cor - 
 down the Infiitution of this Ordi- ll *b &g * 
 nance, as he bad received it from the 
 Lord. 
 
 For to this I reply, That were 
 there any Force in this Objection, 
 wemight alfo thence conclude,that 
 giving Thanks before the Cup, doth 
 not belong to it. Of which, tho it 
 be plainly exprefled by the f £wt««t2$. 
 vangelifts, yet the Apaftle makes no * 7# 
 mention: His Defign being, as I r * 4 ' 
 conceive, not fo much to give an 
 Account of all things pertaining to 
 the Lard's Supper, as to correft 
 thofe grofs Abufes, which were 
 C 4 crept 
 
24 Singing enforced from 
 
 crept into that Church, in the ufe of 
 this Holy Ordinance. 
 
 Thus we have fufficient reafon 
 to conclude, that our Lord SANG 
 this Hymn, with his Difcipies, and 
 that he fang it efpecially, if not 
 only, upon the Occafion of his 
 own Supper :> and confequently that 
 we have here an undoubted In- 
 fiance of his finding Praife to his 
 Father, as our Pattern. Which was 
 the fecond thing from which I pro- 
 pofed to prove Singing to the 
 Praife of God, to be the Duty of 
 every Chriftian* 
 
 SeB. 3. The third Argument proving it 
 fo, is grounded upon the ^pofioli^ 
 cal Injunctions thereof. 
 
 I begin with the Apoftle James* $ 
 f jam, r. words, * Is any merry, let him 
 *3« ftng Psalms \ which is an evident 
 Command ofthis Duty. Nor may 
 it reasonably be obje&ed, that this 
 is not a Command to every one, hut 
 only to thofe that are merry. 
 
 For 
 
 
the Apdftolical Injunctions. 2 5 
 
 for let it beconiider d, 1. That 
 'tis certainly the Duty of every 
 Chriftian to be merry or *f- chearfj t ivSvpS 
 or of good chear^ or (which is ^V h f rtn L 
 fame) to || rejoice in the Lord, what- ** f 2 \ * & 
 ever be their outward Condition. |j phii 4.4* 
 And 'tis hard to fuppofe, that any 1 Thefl^. 
 fincereChriftian(except under fome ltf * 
 extraordinary Viftemper of Mind) 
 fhould never be found in this re- 
 joicing, or cbearful Frame. And 
 when any one is fo, 'tis then, with- 
 out difpute, his Duty, from this 
 Injun&ion, to fing Pfalras. And 
 befides, 
 
 2. We * are commanded, as to Romi ~ 
 mourn in the Affli&ions of other ^q^^ llm 
 Chrijiians^ tho our felves are in Pro- 26. 
 fperity, fo to rejoice in their Pro- 
 fperity tho we our felves are in Af- 
 fliction. So that we can never 
 want a fit Occalion both for Mourn- 
 ing and Prayer, and' for Rejoicing 
 and Singing \ either upon our own 
 Account more immediately, or 
 upon the Account of otkrs. 
 
 3. Tho 
 
%6 Singing enforced from 
 
 3. Tho the Apoftle mentions a 
 Time of Mirth, or Joyfulnefs, as 
 the moft [fecial and peculiar Time 
 of finging Pfalms } yet he doth no 
 more reftrain it to that Time only x 
 than he reitrains the other Duty ot 
 Prtf^mention'd in the fameTbtf, 
 only to a Time of Affli&ivn. Which 
 none, I fuppofe, will think to be a- 
 ny Part of hisDefign. 
 
 Another manifeft Injunftion of 
 
 this Dnty we have from St. Mflf, 
 
 in his Epiftle to the Epbefians ? 
 
 * Ephcf. * Speaking, faith he, to your felves 
 
 $.19. in Pfalms, and Hymns , and fpiritu- 
 
 al Songs ', finging to the Lord. 
 
 And 'tis worth obferving, that this 
 Injun&ion, to fpeak tothemfclves (or 
 one another) in Pfalms, &:c. and 
 to fing to the Lord, is laid upon all 
 Chriftians, as much as the fore- 
 going Commands, to walk cir cum- 
 fpettly, to redeem the Timc^ to be filPd 
 with the Spirit \ all which, fure, «e- 
 very one mull: own to be Duties of 
 sin Vniverfal Obligation. 
 
 A 
 
the Jpoftolicd Injunctions. 27 
 
 A third Apoltolical Injunction 
 >f this Duty, we find in the E 
 tie to the * Colojfians. Where all 4 Col3.i6 
 hat are commanded to have the 
 Vord of Cfwift dndl richly in them^ 
 [and fare to endeavour this, is the 
 Duty of every ChriiHan) are alio 
 required to teach and admmifb 
 toother in Pfahns, Hymns, and Spiri- 
 tual Songs, and to ftng — to tfee 
 Lord. And 'tis worth oar Notice, 
 that the A pottle's mainDedgn ia 
 the foregoing Chapter, is to cau- 
 tion thefe Chriltians again it com- 
 plying with thofe falfe Teachers, 
 who perfvvad^ed them to obferve 
 the Jew'iih Ceremonies, he telling 
 them, that thefe wei e but * a Jha- *Col. 2.17 
 dow of good things to come, and con- 
 fequently now abolished. And 
 therefore 'tisunreafonahle to fap- 
 pofe, as fome do, that finding of 
 Pfalms, to which he here exhorts 
 them, is of the like Nature with 
 thofe Ceremonies. Thus what hath 
 been hitherto faid, I hope may be 
 abundantly fufficientjto fatisfy eve- 
 ry 
 
28 What Singing u. 
 
 ry ferious Enquirer,concerning the 
 firft General, viz.. That Singing to 
 the Praife of God, is the Duty of 
 every Chriftictn^ and that it was nor 
 peculiar only to the Jewifh Difpen- 
 fation. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Shewing what Singing is. That 
 in the proper fenfe of the Word, 
 it denotes an Extenfion of the 
 Voice, and a peculiar Modu- 
 lation of it. And that thus 
 to fing, is the Duty of Chri- 
 ftians. 
 
 HAving in the former Chapter 
 proved Singing to be a Duty, 
 continuing in full Force under the 
 Gofpcl, and obligatory upon every 
 Chriftian, let us now enquire what 
 Singing vs. Of which there is need 
 to fay"foraething,there being fome, 
 
 of 
 
 -> 
 
ffhat Singing is. 29- 
 
 : of late, who endeavour to per- 
 ; fwade us, That Singing is no other 
 than an inward joyfulnefs of Hearty 
 or, atmoft, but a chearful /peaking 
 forth the Divine Praife : And that 
 To every one that chearfully gives 
 Thanks to God, fings his Praife. 
 But I fhall fhew, 
 
 ift. That Singings in the proper 
 and native fenfe of the Word, 
 can't be performed without the 
 Voice. 
 
 ily. That 'tis an Expreflion and 
 Modulation of the Voice different 
 from meer fpeaking, and all other 
 Expreffions of it. 
 
 The former of thefe will be fuffi- Seel. 1 , 
 ciently manifeft, by confidering the 
 Force, and Vfe, of the Words ', whereby 
 the Scripture fets forth this Prague 
 to us. One of thofe -{ words, which, *W6 t 
 with its Derivatives^ is ufed, in 
 Scripture above a hundred times 
 to denote Singing, fignifies prima-.- f 
 niy (as the Learned f J4fW„yJ 
 obferves) to extend. And from Sana. 
 
 this 
 
3 o What Singing it. 
 
 tl?is general fenfc it takes three /r^r- 
 ticular ones: As, i. to fing? be- 
 caufe therein there is am extenfiort 
 of the fbfltf, 2. To behold a thing 
 diligently ^ hecaufe in fo doin/; 
 there is an Extcyijion of the £y^. 
 3. To offer Prefents, becaufe in that 
 Action there is an Extenjion of the. 
 Hand. Whence ^tis evident there 
 is no tinging properly, without an 
 Exten/ion 0! the Voice : Which will 
 be more clear by coniidering ano* 
 ft-\ * ther * word y which the Scripture 
 Vid. Pag- frequently ufes to denote this Rer 
 nin. Mer- ligious Pra&ice, whofe primary 
 ^ . & and general Senfe is to make any 
 e!g * loud Noifc \ and thence 'tis ufed to 
 denote Singing? plainly intimate 
 ing to us, that that confifts pro- 
 perly in making a laud Noife with 
 our Voices. Which will be more 
 manifefl, by observing that this 
 f Pf.81. 1. word is not only rend red to (ing? 
 & 51.14. but alfo \ to fing aloud, and to 
 !{$.!'/£ li fl™** f° r i°y- Again, we often 
 &^3. 4/ * ^ nc ^ Swgwgi an( * m( king a joyful 
 & 1 00.1,2. Noife joined together, as being of 
 
 the 
 
What Singing is. j I 
 
 the fame importance. From which 
 Confideratlons 'tis fure very rea- 
 sonable to conclude, that to fing is, 
 in its proper Signification, to make 
 a hud and joyful Noife with our 
 Voices i and that it denotes fuch 
 a peculiar Modulation of the Voice, 
 as is clearly different from meer 
 fpeaking, and all other Expreflions 
 of it whatfoever. Which is yet 
 further evident in that * Mofes+Exod,^ 
 could eafily, by his £#r, diftinguifh l8 « 
 the Noife of Singing from other 
 Noifes, as 'tis plain he did. 
 
 This little may fuffice to be faid, 
 in a general way, upon this Head ; 
 becaufe indeed it feems very unrea- 
 fonable, that there fhould be need 
 to fay fo much to prove that, which 
 the common Senfe of Mankind 
 does fufficiently inflruft them in : 
 for who that is not very much pre- 
 judiced, whether young or old, 
 would account a Perfon to fing, 
 when none hears his Voice, or when 
 they only hear him fpeak in a com- 
 mon manner ? 
 
 I 
 
3 % What Singing is m 
 
 Objeft. I know it may be objected, that 
 
 * J°t> 29. the * Widow's Heart is faid to fing ; 
 I 3 j fa That the f Mountains and HiUs arc 
 la . faid to break forth into Singing : And 
 || 1 Chron. that the fame thing is alfo |J afcri- 
 **• 33- bed to the 7W?« of the Field. 
 Anfw. But in the firft of thefe Scrip- 
 see Mr. tures, I conceive, the meaning 
 Caryl on plainly is, that fuch was the Joy- 
 tb* rim* fulnefs of the widow > s Hem ^ that 
 
 it caufed her Mouth to break forth 
 into finging. And therefore the 
 Seventy, according to this Senfe, 
 
 * 2To t twt tranflate it the * Widows Mouth 
 X«&<- initead of her Heart. Or if we 
 
 take Singing as apply'd to the Wi- 
 dow's Hearty as our Ferfion renders 
 it, (more exadly agreeable, I con- 
 fefs, to the Words of the Hebrew 
 •Korea- Text •,) then we mufl take it in a, 
 rtmdxci-.Metonyrnical Smfe for that joyful- 
 cunmoro- ne p f Hean which is the common 
 
 dSlT Source of it, asthe Learned f Dru- 
 oris ex ftus interprets it. 
 cordz pro- And as to the other Expreffions, 
 fidfchur, w here Singing is afcribed to the 
 
 tex™ Mountains, mU and TWP0* muft 
 
 of 
 
What Singing is. j $ 
 
 of neceffity underftand them figu- 
 ratively^ either with refpedt to the 
 Agents, or the Attion afcribed to 
 them. i. By the Mountains and 
 Hills, when laid to fmg, we may 
 underftand the Rulers and Magi- 
 jlrates among Gods People, as 
 thefe Words feem plainly to be u- 
 fed by the Pfalmifl , who fpeaking 
 of the Happinefs of Solomon's Go- 
 vernment as the Type, and of the 
 tranfcendently greater Happinefs 
 of Chrifth Government as the An- 
 titype of the former, faith, * The* ?{ -7 2 -l* 
 Mountains /hall bring Peace to the 
 People, and the little Hills, by Righ- 
 teoufnefs. And by the Trees of the 
 Field we may underftand the Peo- 
 ple of God, who are often com- 
 pared to Trees for their Fmitful- 
 nefs-, and are therefore by the 
 f Prophet called Trees of Right eouf- flia-tfi-j, 
 nefs. And if we thus take the 
 Agents in a Metaphorical Senfe, then 
 there is no reafon to underftand 
 the Adion of Singing afcribed to 
 them, in any other than a proper 
 D One; 
 
24 What Singing is. 
 
 One ; and fo it makes nothing a- 
 gainft Vocal Singing. 
 
 But, 2. if we take the Moun- 
 tains, Hills, and Trees, in a /&jr<i/ 
 Senfe, then we mult needs under- 
 ftand the Singing afcrib'd to them 
 in an improper and figurative One : 
 For none, i fuppofe, can imagine, 
 whatever Notion they have of 
 Singing , that thefe things can per- 
 form it, in a proper and literal Senfe. 
 But tho Singing muft be taken on- 
 ly in a figurative Senfe, when ap- 
 plyM to thofe things that have not 
 Tongues and Voices, and fo are al- 
 together uncapable of it in a lite- 
 ral One : Yet for any hence to con- 
 clude, that therefore it may be fo 
 underftood in thofe many Scrip- 
 tures where Singing is requir'd of 
 z#,to whom God hath given Tongues 
 and Voices to found forth the joy- 
 fulnefs of our Hearts in praifmg 
 him, would be a Concluiion, the 
 weaknefs of which,fure muft needs 
 be obvious to every one, that duly 
 confiders it : For 'tis a Rule agreed 
 
 upon 
 
Vocal Singing, &c. 3 5 
 
 upon by all, That in expounding 
 Scripture, or indeed any other 
 Writing, Words fhould be always 
 taken in their mofi proper and literal 
 Senfe, unlefs fome manifeft Reafon 
 require us to for fake that for an im- 
 proper and figurative One : The non- 
 obfervance of which Rule would 
 make the Scriptures of a very 
 doubtful Interpretation. 
 
 But to put this Matter more out Sett. 2. 
 of doubt ', as I have before fully 
 proved that 'tis the Duty of every 
 Chriftian to fing to the Praife of 
 God, which 'tis very reafonable to 
 under Hand of Vocal Singing, fee- 
 ing there is no other Singing in a 
 proper and literal Senfe ; fo I fliall 
 yet further prove that 'tis a Chri- 
 ftian Duty to fing in this proper 
 Senfe, viz.. vocally. 
 
 This will appear, 1 . From thofe 
 Places in the Old Teftament which 
 fet forth the Worfhip of the Go- * Ifi - ^ 
 fpel-Church. Thus the Prophet j^j} ™!J- 
 * faith, They fhall fing with tbe f £ om ™ } 
 D 2 VOICE, i$. 
 
5 6 Vocal Singing 
 
 VOICE) when the good Tidings of 
 
 the Gofpel is preached. And the 
 
 HolyGhoft exptcfiy commands us 
 
 *Pfal. 9$.*to fing to the Lord, and make a 
 
 h 2- joyful NOISE to the Rock of our SaU 
 
 vation. Which Pfalm the Author 
 
 t ch.g. 7. to the t Hebrews teaches us to refer 
 
 & 4.7.^;- to the Gojbel-Church And why 
 pared mtb tKv$ fhould not be look , d upon a$ an 
 
 ' 95 * 7 ' Exhortation to us, a:; well as that 
 II Ifa.55.i. of the Prophet, \\ Ho, every one 
 that thirfieth, come ye to the Waters, 
 &c. and divers like Paflages in the 
 Old Teftament, I can fee no reafon 
 to fuppofe. 
 
 2. Thofe places, in the New Te- 
 ftament, where Chriftians are uni- 
 verfally exhorted to fing, plainly 
 denote Singing, in a prober fenfe, 
 viz.. with the Voice. As where the 
 *Eph.$. Apoflle bids us, * Speak to our 
 J 9* „ f elves, or one another in Singing ; I 
 •avion. ren der it one another, becaufe 'tis 
 the fame word with that fo ren- 
 dred in the following place, where 
 , the fame Apoftle requires us to 
 
 \tvJliu ^ teac ^ an< ^ a ^ mont fl 3 one # not b er m 
 
 Singing. 
 
a Chrifiian Duty. 37 
 
 Singing. In both which places the 
 Apoftle muft needs intend Vocal 
 Singings becaufe 'tis impoflible to 
 faak one to another ^ or teach and ad- 
 monifh one another in Singing with- 
 out the ufe of our Voices therein. 
 And tho the Apoftle requires us to 
 make Melody in our HEARTS, and 
 to fing with Grace in our HEARTS -, 
 yet this is not to exclude the Voice ^ 
 but only to teach us that in tbi*, 
 as well as all other Duties of Religi- 
 on, we fhould have a facial regard 
 to our Hearts : And take heed of 
 being like thofe Hypocrites * who * if a . 2 p. 
 drew nigh to God with their 13. 
 MOVTHS, and honoured him with 
 their LlPS^ but their HEART was 
 far from him. The Apoftle does 
 not require us to think only, but to 
 fing and make Melody. 'Tis true, 
 he cautions us to take heed that 
 this be not only a Lip-fervice^ but 
 that therewith we join fincere 
 Hearts and gracious Affellions. 
 
 3. All the Examples of Religi- 
 ous Singing which we have in the 
 D 3 New 
 
3 8 Focal Singing 
 
 NewTeftament, do with fufficient 
 plainnefs fhew, that they fpeak of 
 literal and vocal Singing. None, I 
 fuppofe, can think otherwife con- 
 * M 6 cern ^ n S 0lir * Saviour" s finging with 
 4 ' his Difciples. And when *f- Paul 
 Mark 14. and Silas fang in the Prifon, 'tis e- 
 26. vident it was with their Voices, be- 
 
 f Afts 1 6. cau f e fa prifiners heard them. And 
 if Cor. w h^n St. P^w/ tells us || he would 
 14. 1 V fi n & w ^ x ^ e Vnderflanding, 'tis 
 plain, by confidering his Defignin 
 that Difcourfe, he means he would 
 feng in a known Tongue, fo as to 
 be heard and underjlood by others } 
 and confequently it mull be with 
 his Voice. 
 
 Thus I take it to be very clear- 
 ly manifeft, from what hath been 
 faid, that Vocal Singing is the only 
 proper Singing , and that thus toftng, 
 is abundantly required of all Chri- 
 ftians. And therefore I can't fee 
 why thofe that content themfelves 
 only with, what they call, Heart- 
 finging, which, at the molt, is but 
 a figurative One, may not by the 
 
 fame! 
 
a Chrifiian Duty. 5 n 
 
 fame rcafon content themfelves 
 with a figurative Preaching, Reading, 
 &c. and fo at length reduce Pub* 
 lick AJftmblies into Silent Meetings ; 
 a thing ufed among fome, no very 
 good Friends to Chriftianity. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Shewing the Larvfulnefs of con- 
 joint Singing with many Voices 
 together. And, anfwering fe- 
 ver 'd Objections againfi it. 
 
 IN the preceding Chapter wc 
 have feen, that all Singing, in a 
 proper fenfe, is Vocal \ and that thus 
 to fing is undoubtedly the Duty of 
 all Chriftians. I come now to fhevv 
 the warrantablenefs of conjointSing- 
 ing, with many Voices together , 
 which fomequeftion the lawfulnefs 
 of, who yet feem to allow of Vo- 
 cal Singing by one Voice alone. 
 
 D 4 Now 
 
40 The lawfulvefs of 
 
 Now to fatisfy the Minds and 
 Confciences of Chriftians about 
 tlm y I defire the following things 
 may be ferioully confidered. 
 
 Sett, i F * r fti That any way and manner 
 of the Performance of a Moral Duty y 
 which was once approved of God^ and 
 hath never appeared to he typical^ is 
 ftitt warrantable to be ufed by the Chri- 
 Jlian Church. 
 
 There are Tome Duties which 
 are in themfelves undoubtedly Mo- 
 ral^ and confequently Vniverfal and 
 Perpetual^ in their Obligation, 
 which yet had fome things join'd 
 to them, as to the manner of their 
 Performance, which were as un- 
 doubtedly only typical and tempora- 
 ry. Thus Prayer is a Duty which, 
 I fuppofe, all will grant to be mo- 
 ral and perpetual. But the Jews, 
 * i Kings whenever they prayed, were * to 
 8.38,42, look) and f pre ad forth their Hands 
 44>4&' toward the Temple at Jerufalem^ and 
 Dan.6.10. t0 bf erve to prefent their Prayers 
 f Luke 1. t0 q 0( j 1 at t fo t ' $m jr J ncen f 6m 
 
 l0 \ Which 
 
conjoint Singing. 41 
 
 Which things we are taught to be 
 typical of the refpefc which, in all 
 our AddreiTesto God, we ought, 
 by Faith, to have to the Lord Je- 
 Jus, who is the * true Temple : And * J ohn *• 
 that in all our Prayers, we fhould *?• 
 hope for their Acceptance, only 
 upon the Account of his Mediation 
 and Right eoufnefs, which were ty- 
 pified by the * fweet Incenfe offer'd * Rer< 8 * 
 upon the Golden Altar. And there- 3 ' 4 * 
 fore tho the Duty of Prayer re- 
 main, yet thefe Modes of it are 
 done away. In like manner, tho it 
 mull be granted that feveral 
 things were, in the Jewifh Woi> 
 fliip, join'd with their Religious 
 Singing, which things being only 
 typical and ceremonial^ are done a- 
 way } yet Singing it felf ftill re- 
 mains in full Force, as well as 
 Prayer. And thus ought we alfb 
 to conclude concerning their way 
 , of Singing, with many Voices 
 conjoined together •, unlefs we had a- 
 ny fufficient ground to think, that 
 this their way of Singing was only 
 
 typical 
 
42 The Uwfulmfs of 
 
 typical and temporary. That God's 
 Church did then fmg conjointly is e- 
 vident, in that not only Mofes, but 
 
 * Exod. * Mofes Md the Children of IJrad, 
 '$• '• without exception of any, are faid 
 
 to fmg a Song to the Lord. W hence 
 we mull conclude that they all 
 fang this Song, with thetf Voices 
 joirPd together, unlefs we fliould fup- 
 pofe this vaft Congregation, of fo 
 many hundred thoufands, to fing it 
 fever ally, one after another - which, 
 I judg, none can think reafonable 
 to imagine. And again we are 
 t aCliron. told, that -f they which fang were 
 $. 13- AS ONE, to make ONE SOVND 
 in praifing and thanking the Lord. 
 And thus likewife after their re- 
 REzra ?• turn from their Captivity \ || They 
 « r - fung TOGETHER, by courfe,in prai- 
 
 fing and giving Thanks to the Lord^ 
 or, as 'tis verbatim in the Original, 
 W^ || ^ey || anfwered one another in ftnging-, 
 
 * Conci- or,as Mont anus interprets it, * They 
 uebanc. fang together harmonioufly *, for thus 
 
 the word Anfwer often fignifies to 
 agree, and harmonize together, or 
 
 corre- 
 
conjoint Singing. 4 j 
 
 correfpond one to another. Thus it 
 manifeftly appears, from thefe In- 
 ftances, that the People of God 
 fang with conjoined Voices under the 
 former Difpenfation. And there- 
 fore, feeing no reafon, as I know 
 of, can be rendred why their Sing- 
 ing after this manner fhould be more 
 typical, than Singing it felf\ which 
 hath been fufficiently proved Mo- 
 ral and Perpetual , I can't but thence 
 conclude, that 'tis ft ill warranta- 
 ble for a Chriftian Ajfembly to fing 
 together, with conjoinM Voices, 
 
 2. This further appears to be fb, 
 in that 'tis propheiled of the Chri- 
 ftian Church, not only that they 
 fhould * fing with their Voices, but* I&.$2. 
 alfo 'tis as expreily added, that 8 '?' 
 they fhould fing together, or con- 
 jointly. But, 
 
 3. We have yet a greater Proof 
 to warrant our thus Singing, name- 
 ly, the Example of the firft and 
 
 mofl pure Gofpel-Church, viz,. Chrift * Mac - l6 - 
 and his Apoftles. The * Evange- ??• , 
 lifts not only tell us that HE, buQ ar 4 ' 
 
 alfo 
 
44 The Urvfulnefs of 
 
 * «jjwi- alfo that THEY fung an Hymn, in 
 Wfc. the * plural Num ber. 
 
 Obje&. i know that 'tis by fome object- 
 ed, That they might be all faid to 
 fing, tho only Chrift expreffed the 
 Hymn \ even as it may be faid, 
 that a whole Congregation prays, tho 
 one only be the Mouth of it. 
 
 Anfa. But to fhew the weaknefs of this 
 Objeftion, confider, 
 
 i . That there is great difference 
 between Prayer and Singing, Pray- 
 er lies properly in the Deftres of 
 the Soul. And as a Man may fay 
 a Prayer, and yet not really pray ; 
 fo a Chriftian may truly and pro- 
 perly pray, tho he fpeak not a 
 word with his Mouth. But none 
 can, without the Voice, be truly 
 faid to [trig, in a proper and toera/ 
 Senfe •, and here is no neceffity to 
 have recourfe to an improper and 
 figurative One. 
 
 But, 2. fuppofing it could in a- 
 ny tolerable Senfe be faid, that they 
 fung,by only joining in their Hearts, 
 while Chrift alone expreiTed the 
 
 Hymn} 
 
conjoint Singing. 45 
 
 Hymn •, yet this can't be the Senfe 
 of the Evangelifls : Becaufe there 
 is fufficient reafon to believe, that 
 the Apoftles join d in their Hearts, 
 with our Saviour, in blefiing the 
 Bread, and giving Thanks before 
 the Cup, and yet 'tis not faid They^ 
 but He blejjed the Bread, and gave 
 Thanks. And why then it fhould 
 be faid THEY fang, what reafon 
 can be rendred, unlefs to fhewthat 
 they otherwise join'd with him in 
 Singing, than they did in blejjing 
 and giving Thanh viz.. not only 
 in their Hearts, but with their 
 Voices alfo ? 
 
 Thus I take it to be manifeft, 
 beyond all reafonable doubt^ that 
 not only the Church of God under 
 the Old Tejlament fang together with 
 conjoined Voices, and that it was 
 prophefied that the Goftel-Churcb 
 fhould fing together in like man- 
 ner -, but alfo that we have the 
 Example of our Lord Jefus and his 
 holy Apoftles for our Pattern in thus 
 Singing. And c&nfequently I con- 
 clude, 
 
a£ Conjoint Singing 
 
 elude, that 'tis ftill lawful for a 
 Religious Aflembly to join their 
 Voices together in finging the Di- 
 vine Praife. And here I might 
 well put an end to this Head, but 
 that there are feveral Objections 
 raifed againft Singing with the 
 conjoined Voices of a whole Reli- 
 gious Aflembly \ to which fome 
 Reply mult be made. 
 
 Sett. 2. x • 'Ti s obje&ed, that SO to fing 
 
 Ohjeft'. iS confufion. 
 
 dnfw! But > I hope, none will infift up- 
 on this, left they fhould be found 
 therein to refled dishonourably, 
 not only upon us their Brethren, but 
 alfo upon Mofes and the Church of 
 God under his Care j yea and, 
 which is much worfe, upon our 
 glorious Lord himfelf and his Holy 
 Apoftles, who thus fang, as hath 
 been fufficiently manifefted. 
 
 Ob). 2. 2 ' ' Tis faid > that the * Jpoftle 
 ^jCor.i^teacheth us another way of Singing, 
 i$, 26, by one alone, and that the Con- 
 gregation only fay Amtn, or 
 
 give 
 
defended. 47 
 
 give their AiTent thereunto. 
 
 But to this I anfwer, 1 . That jlnfw. 
 the whole Defign of the Apoftle in 
 this Difcourfe, Teems manifeftly 
 to be only to fhew, that all the 
 Gifts of the Church, whether or- 
 dinary or extraordinary, lhouldbe 
 exercifed fo as might be molt for 
 the Edification of it. And in or- 
 der to this he ffcews, 1. That 
 prayers , Thankfgivings , figging 
 Pfalms, and all other Parts of Pub- 
 lick Worfhip, ftiould be ordinari- 
 ly performed in the Language vul- 
 garly known, and underftood by 
 the Afiembly. Thus when he par- 
 ticularly fays, propofing his own 
 , Example to them, * Iwill pray and* Ver.i$* 
 ' fing with the Spirit : His Defign 
 feems to be to teach us, that we 
 I ftiould make ufe of theSpiritual Gifts 
 we have received, whether ordi- 
 nary, or extraordinary, fo as may 
 be for the improvement of our 
 own Spirits •, but yet fo as may be 
 alfo for the publick Good and Edi- 
 fication •, as it follows, I will pray 
 
 and 
 
48 Conjoint Singing 
 
 and fing with the Vnderfianding alfo: 
 That is, I will pray and fmg in a 
 Tongue known and underftood by 
 the People, as he afterward ex- 
 
 * Ver. 19. plains his own Meaning * , with- 
 out determining whether others 
 fhould join with him in his Sing- 
 ing with their Hearts only, or alfo 
 with their Voices : So that this 
 doubtful Paffage can't be fairly ai- 
 led ged, in oppofition to fo many 
 pain Proofs, which have been al- 
 ready given, to juftify Singing with 
 conjoined Voices. 
 
 2. He teaches that (to promote 
 a Publick Edification) as the feve- 
 ral Parts of Religious Worfhip 
 fhould be performed in a known 
 Tongue, fo they fliould alfo be per- 
 formed in due Place and Order, that 
 there may be a fweet Harmony a- 
 mong them. Thus when he fays, 
 
 f Ver. 2$. ^ Every one of you hatha Pfalm, 
 hath a Dottrine, hath a Tongue, hath 
 a Revelation, hath an Interpretation ; 
 he feems plainly to intimate, that 
 there were great Divifions and 
 
 Difor- 
 
defended. 49 
 
 Diforders among them. * One be- */*/** 
 ing for finging a Pfalm, while o- ^^utivt 
 thers at the fame time were for S pyl^ m 
 fome other Exercife. The Apoftle's ry one j$ 
 Determination therefore is, that /*/^,Chap. 
 all thefe things might be done, but *• I2 « 
 fo as fhould be molt for Edification ; 
 without determining whether he 
 that had a Ffalm, which he judg'd 
 for Publick Benefit, fhould (ing 
 it fingly by himfelf alone, or whe- 
 ther he fhould give it forth, fo as 
 that others might join their Voices 
 with his, in the finging of it. But, 
 
 3. Suppofing this were (as it is 
 not) a clear Inftance of one Per- 
 foifs having received a Pfalm by 
 immediate Inspiration, (as fome 
 underftand it) and finging it by 
 himfelf alone , yet there is no rea- 
 fon that this Inftance of extraordi- 
 nary Singing fhould be the only Pre- 
 cedent for our ordinary performance 
 of this Duty, as fome, without 
 ground, would have us believe. So 
 that, upon the whole, I hope, 'tis 
 Sufficiently clear, that this Dif- 
 E courfe 
 
50 Conjoint Singing 
 
 courfe of the Apoftle contains no- 
 thing againft, our finging with, 
 conjoined Voices. And consequent- 
 ly that there is no Force in the Ob- 
 jection grounded upon it. 
 Obje&.s. Some objed that this conjoint 
 Singing of all the Members of an 
 AiTembly at once, is contrary to 
 * i Cor. the Apoftle's Prohibition of * Wo- 
 14. 34. mm peaking in the Church. Whence 
 1 Tim. 2. t j K y j n f er t j iat Women, at leaft, 
 l% I2, muft be excluded from joining 
 thc; L Voices in publick Singing. 
 jinfw. But to this I reply, 1. That 'tis 
 very clear, by confidering the Con- 
 text in both Places, that the Apo- 
 ftle's Deiign was only to forbid 
 Womens authoritative fpeaking, by 
 peaching or diluting in the Church. 
 And that a Woman's fpeaking 0- 
 therwife, in a Church or Religious 
 AfTembly, mull be allowed, might 
 be fhewn in feveral Cafes. 'Tis 
 therefore groundlefs hence to in- 
 fer, that Women fhould be ex- 
 cluded from joining their Voices, 
 in humbly and thankfully finging 
 
 forth 
 
defended. 5 1 
 
 forth the Divine Praifes, in a Re- 
 ligious Aflembly. 
 
 2. The Apoftle admits Women 
 to * prophefy in the Church, in fome l ^ or * 
 fenfe,as is plain by his giving Dire- *' * : 
 dions about the manner of their do- 
 ing it. Yea,he fpeaks of their propbe- 
 fying as a thing ufualand cuitoma- 
 ry in the Chriftian Aflemblies. 
 Which propbefying is indeed under- 
 itood fomewhat varioufly by Inter- 
 preters : Some underftand it of 
 propbefying in the ftrider fenfe, for 
 foretelling of things to come ; 
 others of interpreting the Scripture 
 Prophecies , and they tell us that in 
 both thefe ways, when a Woman 
 w T as calPd of God to prophefy, by 
 fome extraordinary Gift, fhe might 
 do it in the Church, notwithfland- 
 ing the forementioned Prohibition 
 of the Apoftle. But both thefe 
 Interpretations are Ihewn to be 
 groundiefs, by Pifcator in his Notes 
 on the Place. And there is ano- 
 ther Senfe mentioned by him, vit. 
 Prophefying in a pa/Jive Senfe, by 
 E 2 hear- 
 
5 2 Conjoint Singing 
 
 hearing others prophefy : But this is ; 
 a Trope without Example, that ; 
 I may ufe the Expreffion of the I 
 Learned Mr. Jofeph Mede, who j 
 having rejected thefe three Inter- \ 
 pretations, he then goes on to fet j 
 down his own Notion of the Text \ \ 
 which becaufe, after conliderati- i 
 on, I judg to be the Truth, I fhall 
 give you in fome of his own : 
 f Diatribe words, as follows } -j- 4 Prophefying j 
 on i cor. c here fhould be taken for praifing j 
 llm ''i* 4 God in Hymns and Pfalrns. For 
 4 fo it is fitly coupled with Pray- 
 4 ing. As our Apoftle joins them 
 4 both together elfewhere, faying, 
 || i Cor. c || 1 will pray with the Spirit^ and I 
 *4* *5* 4 will pray with the Vndcrfianding 
 4 alfo : I will fing with the Spirit , I 
 4 and I will fing, that is, prophe- 
 4 fy, with Vnderjlanding alfo. For, 
 4 becaufe Prophets of old did three 
 4 things : Firft, Foretel things to 
 c come : Secondly, Notify the 
 4 Will of God to the People 
 4 And, thirdly, uttered themfelves 
 L in mufical wife, and, as I may 
 
 4 fo 
 
defended. 5 3 
 
 c fo fpeak in a Poetical Strain and 
 c Compofure : Hence it comes to 
 S pafs, that to prophefy in Scrip - 
 L ture, fignifies the doing of any 
 c of thefe three things, and a- 
 c mongft the reft, to praife God 
 *■ in Fb'/e, or mufical Compofure. 
 And this, faith he, I fhall prove to 
 you by two places of Scripture : 
 Thefe are 1 Chron. 25. 1, 2, 3. 
 and 1 Sam. 10. 5, to. upon both 
 which Texts he largely difcourf- 
 eth, for the confirmation of this 
 Notion. 
 
 And if this be the true Senfe of 
 the Apoltle, as I doubt not but it 
 is, then he here allows Women to 
 join their Voices with the reft of 
 the Congregation in finging of 
 Pfalms. Which alfo hereby ap- 
 pears to be the ufual Vrattke of that 
 Church. So far was he from de- 
 fining to prohibit their doing fo, 
 in the places above-cited, as the 
 Obje&ion fuppofes. 
 
 4. There is yet another Objecti-^; < 
 on againft thus finging^ which may 
 E 3 feem 
 
54 Conjoint Singing 
 
 feem to be of more weight, viz.. 
 That by fach a conjoint Singing, 
 not only all the Members of the 
 Church join their Voices together, 
 but others alfo join with them -, 
 and fo it is (as fome love tofpeak) 
 a Singing of Profeffors and Prophane 
 together } and what warrant, fay 
 they, have we for fuch a Mixture 
 in Divine Worfhip ? 
 jinfw. To this I anfwer, i. That tho 
 it be unwarrantable to join with 
 any in Communion at the Lord's 
 Table , beiides the regular Members 
 of a Chriftian Church, this being 
 an Ordinance peculiar to the Church 
 only: Yet 'tis otherwife in finging 
 the Praifes of God, this being a 
 Moral Duty, as hath been proved, 
 and fo no lefs the Duty of each 
 Pcrfonm the Aflembly, than of the 
 Members of the Church themfelves. 
 2. I grant that Prayer, Singing, 
 and all other Ads of Divine Wor- 
 fhip, are unacceptable to God, 
 *Prov.2i. yea, an * Abomination to him, 
 2?' if performed with a prophane 
 
 Mind. 
 
defended. ^ 5 
 
 Mind. But feeing we know not 
 the Hearts of any, we ought, when 
 we fee Perfons engaged in this, or 
 any other Duty of Religion, with 
 fceming Zeal and Attention, to 
 hope they do it fimtrtly^ as well as 
 our felves. 
 
 But, 3. fuppofing we could be 
 certain that any join p'oybantly 
 with us, in finging the Praifes of 
 God ; why fhould this hinder us 
 from the performance of Hm^ any 
 more than Prayer and other Du- 
 ties of Publick Worfhip, wherein 
 they may as eafily join with us as 
 in this ? efpeciaily confidering we 
 join not properly with them, bat 
 rather they with us. 
 
 But it maybe ftill obje&ed, that Obj. 5, 
 'tis very plain that the Apoftle in- 
 tended not that all the Members of 
 a Church fhould fing, but only 
 thofe that are gifted for it •, much 
 lefs did he intend that others 
 fhould join promifcuoufly with 
 them, feeing he requires that Per- 
 fons fhould be *filPd with the Spirit \ * E ph- 5- 
 E 4 and 1 * - 
 
^6 Conjoint Singing 
 
 *Col, 3. and that the * Word of Chrift 
 x * % fhould dwell richly in them, as necef- 
 
 fury Qualifications to fit them for 
 
 this Duty. 
 Anfw. To this I anfwer, u That the 
 
 Apoftle's requiring them to be fill' d 
 See Mr. with the Spirit, does not prove that 
 John none mu ft fing but fuch as have a 
 
 ?£ Vln> P eculiar G$ i for ' tis undoubtedly 
 
 flUrAth the Duty of every Member of the 
 
 tin spit. Chriftian Church, to labour to be 
 
 filled with, or by the Spirit. 
 
 2. To be filPd with the Spirit , 
 
 and to have the Word of Chrift dwell 
 
 richly in us, is not required as a ne- 
 
 ceflary Qualification, without which 
 
 none can, or ought to fing Pfalms } 
 
 but 'tis required as neceflary to our 
 
 performance of it in a due manner , 
 
 viz. with Grace in our Hearts. It 
 
 fhould therefore be the conftant 
 
 Prayer and Endeavour of every 
 
 one to be filPd with the Spirit, and 
 
 enriched with the Word of Chrift, or, 
 
 t 2 Pec. 2. which is the fame, f to grow in 
 
 1 8. Grace, and the Knowledg of our Lord 
 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrift, without 
 
 which 
 
57 
 
 which 'tis impoiTible to perform 
 this, or any other Religious Duty, 
 to the Glory of God y and the Cotn- 
 fort of our Souls. 
 
 Thus, I hope, fuch a fatisfa&o- 
 ry Anfwer hath been given to thefe 
 feveral Objections, that they can't 
 reafonably hinder us from con- 
 cluding, that 'tis undoubtedly war- 
 rantable for all the Members of a 
 Chriftian Aflembly, to join their 
 Voices together in finging the Praifes 
 of God. There being feveral un- 
 exceptionable Inftances of fuch a 
 conjoint Singing, in the Holy Scrip- 
 ture •, but none, as I know of, of 
 any one fingle Perfon's finging a- 
 lone, when aflembled with others •, 
 which is the only Singing that fome 
 plead for. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 53) 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Shewing the Matter to be fung 
 in iie r .gious Worfhip. The 
 Scripture Tfalms prefer* d be- 
 fore all humane Compofures, 
 a fid why. And divers Objecti- 
 ons anfwered. 
 
 HAving in the foregoing Chap- 
 ter endeavoured to fatisfy 
 the Confciences of Chriftians, con- 
 cerning the Lawfulnefs of Singing, 
 with all the conjoint Voices of a 
 Religious Afiembly, I come now 
 to enquire concerning the Matter 
 to be Jung. And thislhould be ei- 
 ther the Scripture Pfalms compofed 
 by the Prophet David, and other 
 holy Penmen of the Spirit of God ; 
 orelfe (uch Hymns as are exa&ly 
 agreeable to the Senfe of the Holy 
 Scripture, being composed by fuch 
 who, in the Judgment of a Chri- 
 
 ftian 
 
What we are to fing. 5 9 
 
 ftian Church, have a competent 
 Meafure of underftanding of the 
 Mind of God therein. I fee no rea- 
 fon to exclude either of thefe. But 
 yet, I conceive, the former are ra- 
 ther to be prefer'd for ordinary 
 v.fe , for thefe Reafons. 
 
 1. Becaufethe Apoftles require 
 
 us to fing * Pfalms, Hymns, and ^ ^"V* 
 Spiritual Songs. Which 'three are iflcSu** 
 known to be the ufual *f- Titles of ig m 
 the Scripture Pfalms. t ¥&\uqi 
 
 2. Becaufe thefe, doubtlefs, bell 9 1-| U:iO 
 deferve the Title ot Spiritual Songs , ^yi^nn 
 which were endited by the imme-&JM 
 diate Infpration of the Holy Spirit, ^^inf- 
 
 3. Becaufe wherefoever we read xvon ^ on 
 the word |j Pfalms in the New Te- the Title of 
 flament, the Divine Penmen gene- Mai. 3. 
 rally thereby raanijfeftly intend ffo li 5 " Lukc 
 Book of Scripure-Pfalms. And ^II'a. 
 therefore 'tis molt reafonable for Ads 1, 20, 
 us to believe that they intend tfce& 13.33, 
 /^m^atleall more efpecially, when 35- 
 they require us to fing Pfalms. 
 
 4. Becaufe finging the Scripture 
 Pfalms, is, I conceive, more likely 
 
 to 
 
6® What we are to fwg. 
 
 to conduce to the Comfort, and 
 Edification, of every Chriflian. 
 Thefe being altogether unexcep- 
 tionable i whereas the belt of hu- 
 man Compofures are not fo. If in thefe 
 latter there be but a feeming Deviati- 
 on from Truth, it may give caufe 
 of Scruple, in the finging thereof: 
 But now as to the Scripture- Pf alms 
 'tis otherwife •, For every Chri- 
 flian believing, that they were in- 
 dited by the infallible Guidance of 
 the Spirit of God, tho he fhonld 
 not at prefent clearly underftand 
 fome Expreflions therein, yet he 
 can't doubt of their Verity : And 
 therefore will more chearfully join 
 both Heart and Voice in finging 
 them. From thefe Confiderations 
 I can't but conclude that the Scrip- 
 ture-Pfalms fhould be preferM be- 
 fore all other, and more ordinari- 
 ly ufed. And that when any Mi- 
 nifter of Chrift makes ufe of other 
 HymnSjWhkh I think ought not to 
 be excluded, he ought, I humbly 
 conceive, to take great heed that 
 
 they 
 
IV bat we Are to fwg. 6 1 
 
 they be exa&ly agreeable to the 
 Senfe, and, as much as may be, to 
 the very Words of the Holy Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 But it may be obje&ed, that the Ob], i, 
 Apoftle directs us, not to Qng the 
 Pfalms of David, but the * Word *CoI. ^ 
 of Chrift, which he requires to dwell l6 > 
 richly in us, in order to our perfor- 
 mance of this Duty. 
 
 To this I anfWer, i. that tfttjtnfw. 
 Apoftle exprefly requires us to flng 
 Pfalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 
 by which, I have before (hewn, he 
 intends, at leaft more efpeciaily, 
 the Scripture- Pfalms. Nor does his 
 enjoining us to fing thefe, at all 
 thwart his other Direction, that 
 our Minds be enrichM with the 
 Word ofchrift, even in the ftri&eft 
 fenfeof the Phrafe, viz.. his Word 
 as contained in the New-Teftatnent 
 Scriptures, as 'tis taken in the Ob- 
 jection. For tho this be not necef- 
 fary to a meer [raging the Pfalms, 
 which indeed any one may do that 
 can but read them, or hear theih 
 
 read, 
 
62 What we arc to (ixg. 
 
 read, and hath a Natural Faculty of 
 Singing : Yet in order to fucb a 
 Singing of them as the Apoftle re- 
 quires, viz.. with Grace in our Hearts^ 
 'tis necefiary not only that our 
 Minds be mrictid by the Word of 
 Cbrift, but alfo that our Hearts be 
 transformed into the Image ofChrifi 
 reprefented therein. But, 
 
 2. I further anfwer, that the 
 Pfalms of David, are fitly calPd 
 the Word of Cbrifi^ upon two Ac- 
 counts. 
 
 (i.) Becaufe it was the Sprit of 
 
 Cbrifi that fpake in Vavid as well as 
 
 other Holy Prophets. See i Pet. t.ii. 
 
 (2.) Becaufe the Scriptures of 
 
 the Old as well as of the NexvTe- 
 
 Jlamentj and efpecially the Book of 
 
 Pfalms^ do chiefly treat of Cbrift^ in 
 
 their ultimate Senfe. And there- 
 
 * Mac. 13. fore, as * the Word of the Kingdom 
 
 J P- means the Gofpel-Word, which 
 
 treats of the Kingdom: And as 
 
 fMac 14. ^ t j ?c fameofjefus means the Fame 
 
 Geivrivo or Report concerning him, fo^the 
 
 •bjeftt. Pfalms may be fitly calPd the Word 
 
 of 
 
Whxt we are to fing. 6 J 
 
 cf Cljrift j becaufe they, in their 
 , ultimate Senfe, treat of him. And 
 fo, upon this double Account, ws 
 may be truly faid to iing the Word 
 vf Cbrift, when we iing the Ffabns 
 of David, and confequently this 
 Expreilion of the Apoftle makes 
 nothing againft our finging tfaofe 
 Pfalms. 
 
 ily. It may be objected, That tfaeOfcj. 2, 
 Pfalms of David are not well fit- 
 ted to the Occafions, and Cafes, of 
 Chriftians, they being compofed for 
 the ufe of the Jewiflo Church. 
 
 But in anfwer to this . let it be 
 confiderM - 
 
 1. Whether this Objection be 
 not as forcible againft reading 
 them, or any other part of the Old 
 Tejlament ? feeing the Ends we 
 fhould propofe to our felves in 
 finging^ are, in great part, the 
 fame with thofe of reading, viz. to 
 teach and admomfh our felves, and 
 one another. 
 
 2. The Pfalms 1 and other Scrip- 
 tures of the Old Tefiament , were, 
 
 as 
 
4< 
 
 64 What we are to fing. 
 
 as well as thofe of the New, de- 
 
 * Rom. 1 5. fignM, and * mitten, for our Learn- 
 ing and Comfort, who live under 
 
 this latter Difpenfation. 
 
 3. I doubt not but Chrifiians 
 may, both read, and fing, many 
 Parages in the Pfalms, with much 
 more Underftanding and Profit, 
 than the generality of the Jetvifh 
 Church could : tho they were pri- 
 marily compos'd for them. For, 
 the great Truths therein contain'd, 
 were, in a great meafure, vaiPd 
 from them ; but they are now clear- 
 ly reveafd to us. Thus much for 
 the fecond Objection. 
 Ob). 3. 3/y. It may be faid, that the A- 
 
 * EpheC$. poftle's Singing, requires being * fil- 
 
 led with the Spirit, and *f enriched 
 t Col. 3. wit h t k e tff orc i f thrift. But if we 
 may fing a prefcrib'd Form, out of 
 a Book, there is no need of either 
 of thefe, to enable us to perform 
 it. 
 Anfw. To this I anfwer, as before, that 
 thefe are not required to enable us 
 meerly to fing Pfalms ; but to enable 
 
 us 
 
What we are to fing. 6<$ 
 
 us to fing them in a right manner •, 
 namely, with a gracious temper of 
 Heartland holy Jiff cttions; without 
 which neither this, nor any other 
 Service, is acceptable to God. For 
 tho w T e may fmg Pfalms, yet we 
 can't thus fing them, without thefe 
 Qualifications. 
 
 4/y. It may beobjeded, ThatifOty. 4. 
 we make ufe of a fiinted Form in 
 Singing by the fame Rule, we may 
 introduce a fet Form of Prayer. 
 
 I anfwer, 1 . That there is much Anfw. 
 difference between Prayer and 
 Singing •, Prayer lying chiefly in 
 the Be fires of the Heart, but Sing- 
 ing, in a proper Senfe, in the Ex- 
 prejfions of the Voice. And feeing 
 all Chriftians are required to fing, 
 and that together, as hath been pro- 
 ved : Hence it follows, that there 
 mud be fome prepared Form of 
 Words ; in Singing which all may 
 harmonioufly join together. But 
 there is no need of the like Form of 
 Words in Prayer ', becaufe joining 
 together in that, requires only an 
 Vnion of Heart. F 2 , 
 
66 What we are to fwg. 
 
 2. There is much Difference be- 
 tween a Divine and Humane Form. 
 Doubtlefs for Chriftians to ufc a 
 Scripture Form of found Words, in 
 their Prayers, is a Matter, not of 
 Blame, but Commendation. But it 
 follows not therefore that there is 
 any ground for Men of a fallible 
 Sprite to compofe a Form of Pray- 
 er, in their own words, and impofe 
 
 . it upon others. 
 
 3. Had the Holy Spirit left us a 
 JBook of Prayers, in the Scripture, 
 and commanded us to pray by it -, 
 no ferious Chriflian, I prefume, 
 would objeft againft it. And 
 therefore feeing he hath left us a 
 Book of Pfalms, and commanded us 
 to fing them, as hath been manife- 
 fted, there is no reafon to fear, 
 that, by yielding Obedience here- 
 in, we fhould be alfo obliged to 
 the ufe of Forms of Prayer, imposed 
 by Men. Thefe things being duly 
 confider'd, I hope, may be fufficient 
 to remove all Difficulties in this 
 Obje&ion. 
 
 5%. 
 
What rve are to fing* 6j 
 
 phly. Some object, that many Obj. 5. 
 Expreflions of the Pfalmiit do fo 
 much exceed the Experience of moffc 
 among us, that they would be 
 guilty of Falfhood Ihould they re- 
 peat them. As for initance, how 
 few can truly fay with David, 
 * As the Hart panteth after the Wa-* Pf.42.1. 
 ter-Erools, fo panteth my Soul after 
 thee, O God? And how few can 
 truly fay with him, f- Lord, fw/wf pf. ijr* 
 Heart is not haughty? And many *• 
 
 other Expreflions of the like kind. 
 
 To fatisfy the Confciences of Anfw. 
 Chriftians about the ufe of fuch 
 Expreflions, and to inform their 
 Minds into the right ufe of them, 
 let it be confider'd, That, fhould 
 we, in reading fuch Expreflions, ap- 
 ply them to our felves, as our oven 
 Experiences, tho they are not fo \ 
 we fhould be no lefs guilty of Falf- 
 hood, than if we fo apply them, in 
 fingingthem: And therefore, both 
 in reading and finging, every one 
 Ihould endeavour to apply thefe, 
 and the like Expreflions, according 
 F 2 as 
 
68 What we are to fing. 
 
 as they find them, upon careful 
 Obfervation, to fute thttr feveral 
 Cafes. If we find them agreeable to 
 our own Experiences, then we fhouki 
 apply them by way of Comfort and 
 Thankfghtng : But if we find our Ex- 
 periences far below thofe Exprefii- 
 ons of DavicPs, then we fliouid ap- 
 ply them by way of Humiliation, 
 Inflruclion, Reproof, or Admonition ; 
 to excite and quicken our felves and 
 one another, to pwfi after fuch an 
 excellent frame of Spirit. Thus 
 doing, I doubt not but the weaieft 
 Cbriflians may make an edifying ufe 
 of the loftieft Expreffions of the 
 holy Pfalmift } tho he fo far out- 
 ftript than in his Spiritual Attain- 
 ments. 
 
 Objett.6. 6thly. 5 Tis by feme objected, 
 that the Pfalms contain many bitter 
 Imprecations againft the Pialmift's 
 Enemies, which to exprefs is con- 
 trary to the Law of Chrift, who 
 
 * Mac. s« bids us * love Gur Emmies % Liefs and 
 44* pray for them. 
 
 To 
 
Wh nt tve are to fing. 69 
 
 To this I reply : Firft, That Anfw. 
 moft of thofe feeming Imprecations 
 and Wijhcs of Deflruttion, againfl 
 the Enemies of God,and his Church, 
 which we meet with in the Pfalms, 
 are only Prophetical Declarations of 
 what fhould certainly befalthem: 
 And as fuch they are plainly ex- 
 prefs'd in the * Hebrew Text, as * Bi * ng . 
 divers fExpofitors note g*£ 
 
 2. Suppoiing iome of thofe Ex- Tenfe. 
 preffions can't be fo well thus inter- t SaDr. 
 pretedy yet being fpoken by a Pro- Hammond 
 phetical Spirit, they import no more ^JSfS 
 than the Pfalmift's Approbation of pf a i ms . 
 the Procedure of Divine Juftice, 
 which he forefaw would take hold 
 
 of fuch wicked Men. 
 
 3. Moft of thofe Imprecations are 
 but Defires that temporal and out- 
 ward Calamities might befal them, 
 for the Glory of God, and the Spi- 
 ritual Good of themfelves, or others. 
 This is plain by one Inftance, where 
 
 the Pfalmift thus prays, j| Put them tl K 9.2s. 
 in fear, O Lord, but 'tis that the 
 Nations may know themfehes to be but 
 F 3 Men : 
 
70 What we are to fivg. 
 
 Men : And thus may we judg of 
 others. And fure to wifh Tempo- 
 ral Calamities and Chaftifements 
 ( with an humble Submiffion to the 
 Divine Wifdom ) for fuch excellent 
 Purpofes 9 is no way inconfiftent with 
 Chriftian Charity. 
 
 4. "Tis an unworthy Thought 
 for any to fuppofe, that the Holy 
 t Ghoft hath endited Pfalms unsta- 
 
 ble to that Love and Charity^ which 
 eVery-where breathes through the 
 whole Scripture : Or, that either 
 the Pfalmift, or any other of the 
 People of God then, were allowed 
 to exprefs any thing therein with 
 fuch a Spirit of Eitternefs and Re- 
 venge^ as is now inconfiitent with 
 the Laws and Rules of Chriftiani- 
 * Exod. ty. No, the Saints were then * re- 
 23. 4, $• quired to have the fame Ttndemefs 
 Prov. 2$. anc [ charity to their Enemies as 
 2 r# now, efpecially to their Souls. Nor 
 is there any thing, as I know of, in 
 the Old Teftament to the contra- 
 ry : For that which we read in the 
 f Mac. 5. Gofpel, f Thoujbalt love thy Neigh- 
 43* hour y 
 
What we are to fmg. 7 j 
 
 bour, and HATE thine Enemy, is 
 not a Repetition of any Law ofGod y 
 requiring the Hatred of Enemies, 
 but the corrupt Glofs which the un- 
 charitable Scribes and Pbarifees had 
 put upon it. ? Tis true, the Israe- 
 lites were prohibited all Friendly 
 Commerce with the Nations that 
 inhabited the Land of Canaan be- 
 fore them, and commanded *«t-*Deut.7.2. 
 terly to dejlroy them : But this was 
 but to be the Executioners of the 
 Sentence, which God, the great and 
 righteous Judg, had juftly paft upon 
 them for their horri He Impieties 5 
 which none, I fuppofe, can reckon 
 unfit for Chriftians to do, or uns- 
 table toChriflian Charity, fhould 
 they have the like Call from God 
 to warrant them in it as they had. 
 I conclude therefore, that there is 
 nothing in the Divine Book of 
 Pfalms, but what every Chriftian, 
 by the gracious Illumination and 
 Afliftance of the Spirit of God, 
 may fing with a truly Cbriftian Spi- 
 rit, and with much Comfort and 
 F 4 Edtfi- 
 
7$ Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 Edification to themfel ves. And that 
 notwithftanding all thefe Objecti- 
 ons, we have juft ground to make 
 'em the chief Matter of our finging, 
 and prefer them before all others. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Containing an 'Enquiry into the 
 Manner of our Singing. Whe- 
 ther it Jhould be in Profe, or 
 Metre. Of the Metre of the 
 Pfalms. 
 
 HAving in the preceding Chap- 
 ter treated concerning the 
 Matter to be fung, and fhown that 
 it ought to be either the Scripture- 
 Pfalms^ or at lea ft fuch Pfalms or 
 Hyrnns, as are exaftly agreeable 
 with the Word of God : I come 
 now to difcourfe concerning the 
 -Manner of our Singing, and there- 
 in (hall inquire into two things. 
 
 Firfi, 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 7$ 
 
 Fir/I, W hethcr the Pfalms are to 
 be fung in Profe, that is, as we com- 
 monly read them in our Bibles, or 
 in Metre? Secondly, Whether it be 
 lawful to fing according to fuch 
 Tunes as are invented by Men? The 
 former of thefe fhall be confider^d 
 in this Chapter, and the latter in 
 the following. 
 
 As to the former Enquiry, con- 
 cerning finging in Profe, or Verfe 
 and Metre, I fee no reafon to de- 
 termine for either of thefe, exclu- 
 iive of the other. For this-, as well 
 as many other circumjlantial things 
 in the Worlhip of God, being not 
 particularly determined in the Scrip- 
 ture, mull be left to every Churdo 
 of Chrift, and the Minifitrs there- 
 of, to ufe that Method which they 
 judg will be moll for Edification. 
 
 But yet thus fai% I think, we may 
 fafely give our Judgment for fing- 
 ing in Verfe, or Metre, rather than 
 Profs. That finging in Profe being 
 much more difficult, it hath been 
 found neceflary where that is ufed, 
 
 to 
 
74 Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 to have a certain Order of Men to 
 perform this Service exciujive of 
 others, which I doubt not to affirm 
 to be altogether without warrant 
 in the Word of God. Whereas, 
 on the other hand, it hath been 
 found by Experience, eafy for all 
 Perfons in a Religious Affembly, 
 ( provided they exercife due Care) 
 to fingPfalms harrnonioujly together, 
 to their Comfort and Edification i 
 when translated into Metre. And 
 hereupon this latter way of finging 
 hath been, and is generally ufed 
 among the Proteftants, but the for- 
 mer among the Papifts : So far is 
 this our Pra&ice from that which 
 is frequently , though ignorantly, 
 charged upon it, as if therein we 
 were going back to Rome. 
 
 Queft. But it may be inquirM, what 
 Warrant we have from the Word 
 of God, to tranflate the Pfalms in- 
 to Englifh Metre to be fung ? 
 
 Anfw. To this I reply : Firft, That we 
 have as much ground for thvs, as 
 we have to tranflate the Scriptures 
 
 into 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 75 
 
 into the Englifb^ or any other 
 Tongue, to be read : For tho fuch a 
 Tranflation of the Scripture be no 
 where cxprefly commanded in the 
 Word of God ', yet forafmuch as all 
 are commanded to fearch the Scrip- 
 tures, and 'tis impoffible that the 
 greater number of Perfons fhould 
 thus do, unlefsthey are tranflated 
 into their own Language: Hence 
 'tis allowM by all Protejlants^ 
 that the Commands which injoin 
 the reading of the Scriptures by 
 all,do implicitly require the Tranf- 
 lation of them } and accordingly 
 that thofe who have faithfully and 
 learnedly taken Pains in fuch a 
 Tranflation of the Scripture, have 
 therein been greatly ferviceable to 
 the Intereft of God and his Church. 
 In like manner we argue in our 
 prefent Cafe, that feeing all are 
 commanded to fing the Pf alms, and 
 'tis impoffible the greater part 
 fhould fing them, unlefs they be 
 tranflated, nor fing them tiio tranf- 
 lated, fo commendably, unlefs tranf- 
 lated 
 
j6 Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 lated into Metre : Hence it equally 
 follows, that the Commands re- 
 quiring all to fing the Pfalms, do 
 implicitly require the Tranflation 
 of them, and fuch a Tranjlation of 
 them, as may render the ftngmg of 
 them molt eafy and tyain % to the 
 generality ot Chriftians} which 
 Experience hath abundantly tefti- 
 fied to be that of Mitre. 
 
 I therefore judg it very reafo- 
 nable to conclude, as before of the 
 Translators of the Bible, that thofe 
 that have faithfully and learnedly 
 taken Pains in this tranflating the 
 Pfalms, have in fo doing, been very 
 ierviceabie to the Intereft of God, 
 and his Church. And for any to 
 fpeak contemptuously offuchTranf- 
 lations of this holy Book of Pfalms 
 in ftrfe or Rhyme, ( provided they 
 truly exprefs the Senfe of the holy 
 Spirit ) is no lefs a Difhonour caft 
 upon the Word of God, than fo to 
 fpeak of any other Translation of 
 the Scriptures. 
 
 2. The 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 77 
 
 2. The Pfalrns and other Scrip- 
 ture-Songs are by the holy Pen- 
 men, written in Hebrew Vetfe- or 
 Metre: and therefore fure 'tis at 
 leaft as warrantable to tranflate 
 them into Englifh Verfe as Profe. 
 That they are written in Hebrew 
 rerfe^ and not in Profc^ tho denied 
 by fome, (very improper judges 
 of it) is attefted by the concur- 
 rent Evidence of the generality of 
 the Learned, both Antient and Mo- 
 dern. ? Tis faid that fome of the 
 prefent Jews deny it \ but Jofepkus, 
 a very learned one, and who, li- 
 ving while the Temple flood, and 
 the jews were in their own Land, 
 muft be concluded a far better 
 Judg of this matter, than any in 
 our day : " * He, fpeaking of the * Antiq. 
 cc Pfalrns, afiures us, that David I ud - lib ** 
 " compofed to the Honour of God, ^|* JJ 
 ct Odes and Hymns in *\ divers mlx /^ Hm 
 c€ hinds of Vcrfe, fome |[ Trimeter-']} r*$ *#? 
 cc and others Pentameter. $ rwi- 
 
 And again, fpeaking of t^^f^^! 
 •Song at the Red Sea, he faith,^^ 7 ^! 
 
 *WQM3tlF* 
 
 " Mo- 
 
7 8 Of the Manner of Singing* 
 
 * lib. 2. cC * Mofes compofed a Song, con- 
 "P- c |- r " taining the Praifes of God, and 
 vST" Thankfgiving, f*» Hexameter 
 j| Lib. ' 4. a J^r/e. And || fpeaking of his 
 cap. 8. cc Song recorded, Deut.32. he tells 
 
 * T^ cC us, that 'tis alfo an * Hexameter 
 w*°* cc Pm The like is attefted by 
 t Piiep. E- "|" Eufebius, and alfo by Hierom, 
 vang. ft>. Augufiine, "fheodoret, and divers o- 
 11. *. 5. t j ier ^ ut ^ ors ^infant an( i Modern, 
 It Lyra Da- cited at large by the learned || G0- 
 vidi5 # w ^n^ ; he himfelf alfo fully de- 
 
 monftrating the truth of it, by 
 giving many hundreds of Initances 
 of the feveral kinds of Verfe ufed 
 in the Pfalms, telling us further, 
 *Pag.io7- out of * Genebrard's Chronology, 
 cc That the firfl and only Perfon 
 cc ( among the Antients ) that de- 
 " nyM this, was Julian the Ap- 
 u ftate, who from his deadly and 
 cc impious hatred to the Chrifiians, 
 a denyM this Honour of compo- 
 M fing Verfes to the holy Prophets. 
 A very ill Example for any Chri- 
 f In Jo ftian to follow, *f- Mercerus like- 
 bum, cap. w jf e a very Earned Profeflbr of 
 ► * the 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 79 
 
 the Hebrew Tongue, hath much 
 concerning the Vtrfe and Metre of 
 the Pfalms, and the Book of Job, 
 which he tells us is written in P'erfe, 
 from the "beginning of the third 
 Chapter to the beginning of the 
 laft. The fame thing is affirmed 
 by the famous * Buxtorf, who di- *TIiefaur. 
 ftinftly fhews the feveral kinds of G ^™ mac ; 
 Verfe found in Scripture, and alfcr ° ' e " 
 thofe ufed by the later Rabbins. 
 Thus alfo *f / eufden now Pro- f Philolo- 
 feflbr of the Hebrew Tongue at8 us He ~ 
 Vtrecht. ggj I 
 
 Laftly, Englifti Readers may find r ' 7 * 
 this largely difcourfed by our in- 
 genious Country-man, |[ Mr. George li Pnparat. 
 Withers, who gives feveral ln-^ lP ^ 
 fiances, not only of the Ferfe of ap# 9 * ! 
 the Pfalms in the Hebrew Bible, but 
 alfo fhews, that divers of them 
 are in Rhyme, in the vulgar Notion 
 of it. The like is alfo affirmed, 
 and in part proved by the * learned * Excel, oj 
 Mr. Edwards. Scri P- P- 
 
 Thus we have a Cloud of learned 375 > &c# 
 Witneflcs, concurrently teftifying, 
 
 that 
 
go Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 that the Pfalms, and fome other 
 parts of Scripture, were originally 
 written in Hebrew Ferfe, and fome 
 in PJoyme, not much unlike ours. 
 
 And yet notwithftanding all this, 
 fome would have us believe that no 
 part of the Scripture was fo written. 
 And furthermore, that the Jews ufe 
 none in their Singing at this day, 
 but that all they do is in Profe, not 
 in Rhyme. Which Aflertion mufl 
 proceed from Ignorance, or what 
 is worfe: for 'tis well known to 
 thofe that are skilPd in their Lan- 
 guage, that they have now many 
 Songs in Hebrew Verfe and Rhyme , 
 which they fing with the conjoined 
 Voices of the whole Afieryibly. Out 
 of one of which, fang by them on 
 the Evening of their Sabbath, you 
 have a Citation concerning our 
 glorious MeJJia, mention'd by the 
 * Bxsrc on learned * Dr. Owen. 
 the Mr. >Tis further fuggefted to Men 
 P #I ° 8 ' this Divine Pra&ice, that 'tis whol- 
 ly new^ and that finging of Pfalms, 
 as we now ufe it, was never prafti- 
 
 fed 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 8 1 
 
 fed by any of our Brethren before its. 
 Whereas 'tis well known, that fe- 
 veral of the Baptized Churches have 
 been divers Years in the Pra&ice of 
 it. And a Reverend and Learned 
 Minifler of the Gofpel, in the Pre- 
 face to a Book, publifhed above for- 
 ty Years ago, againft Infant-Baptifm, 
 afTures us, that he, and the Church 
 under his Care, were none of thofe 
 that * refused finging of Pfalms to * Skyn- 
 the Honour of God. Yea, we are nerV Co7m 
 further told, not only that this™/,; 9^ 
 Practice is new among as, but alfo %$ 
 that it was never ufed in the World 
 by any other, till about the time o/Beza 
 and Calvin, in the lafi Century. 
 
 Which AfTertion is grounded up- 
 on the Authority of a very fcurri- 
 loiis -[ Author, tho cited with the f & Wac- 
 fplendid Title of Reverend, who r °P cba t 
 plainly difcovers himfelf to be ve- ^ j^j* 
 ry Popifhly affetted, if not a Papifi v 4« Sfof 
 for his main Defign in his Book, is y, 
 to blame Dr. Co/in, then Dean of 
 Peterborough, for choofing, when 
 beyond Sea, to communicate with 
 G Gcni* 
 
82 Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 Geneva, rather than Rome - 7 that is, 
 with thofe Protectants, rather than 
 the Papifts : Which Protectants he 
 very rudely inveighs againft, as 
 taking occafion, by fmging the 
 * Pag. 32. * Geneva Jigs ( for lb he profanely 
 calls the holy Pfalms of David^ 
 tranflated into French Metre) to 
 commit many Outrages, and Re- 
 bellions. To which he adds many 
 abufive Refle&ions upon Marot, one 
 of the Tranflators of them. And 
 all this grounded upon the Tefti- 
 raony of Maimbourg and Strada, 
 two Jefuit Writers. The grofs 
 Falihood, and Impertinence of 
 which, is largely fhewn by the 
 f Apolo- i earnec i ^ Jurieu, and by || another 
 ks &fir- Earned Author. After all which 
 matms % Scurrilities againft the Reformers 
 chap. 7. beyond Sea, tK\s Reverend Author 
 d^T'H^ * comes t0 Parallel them with ours 
 ftoire du ^ ere ^ anc * particularly with thofe, 
 Cahmfme, which he calls Puritans, and Sepa- 
 Lcctre 14. tifis ; and their finging the Pfalms in 
 * Pa 8* 47> French Metre, with ours doing it in 
 Englifh Metre. And here he is no 
 
 lefs 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. 8 $ 
 
 lefs lavilh of his bitter Invetfives 
 than before. 
 
 But the Reader may perhaps a 
 little wonder, what fhould caufe 
 his Reverence, and his Jefuit Au- 
 thors, to be lb angry at the Pfalms 
 in Metre, and upon what ground 
 they could charge the Proteftants 
 with Rebellion, upon the occafion 
 of thz finging of them? As to the 
 former, they were not offended at 
 the Pfalms meerly becaufe in Me- 
 tre ^ but becaufe t;hefe f Metrical * *& <fR* 
 Pfalms were in the vulgar Langua- watfotfs 
 ges. As knowing, that being fo, 00 ^ 
 they were a means ( as indeed they 
 were ) of fixing divers of the Di- 
 vine Truths therein contained, 
 more firmly in the Minds of the 
 Vulgar. 
 
 And as, to the latter, the whole 
 My fiery of that will be difcover'd* 
 if we confider that this delightful, 
 as well as Divine Practice, was i 
 great means of promoting the Re- 
 formation, which in the Popifh Di- 
 aled is RebeUion. And that it was 
 G 2 fo, 
 
84 Of the Manner of Singing. 
 
 * Mift. o/fo, we are informed by * Dr. Bur* 
 
 theRtfm. mt ^ an Hiftorian whofe Credit, 
 
 . 2. P- none ^ J fuppofe, will queftion, who 
 
 * 4 * tells us, 4C That the Pfalms being 
 
 u tranflated into Verfe, were much 
 
 " fung by all that lov'd the Reforma- 
 
 u tion. And having Ihewn how 
 
 frequent this Pra&ice of finging 
 
 the Pfalms, in Metre, was in the 
 
 Antient Churches, he further tells us, 
 
 that, " The Affettions of Men, to 
 
 " the Work of Reformation, were 
 
 u every where meafured, by their 
 
 u fi n gi n & 1 or not finging thefe 
 cc Pfalms. And we are further told 
 t Synod, by f Ur.Quick, c< That the Pfalms, 
 Vol.i. p. 5. 4t being tranflated into French Me- 
 u tre, at the beginning of the Re- 
 u formation, were fung by all forts 
 u and degrees of Men, in the Tem- 
 " pies, and in their Families. That 
 44 no Gentleman, profeifing the 
 ct Reform'd Religion, would fit 
 u down at his Table, without 
 u praifing God, by finging. That 
 u this holy Ordinance charmed the 
 u Ears, Hearts, and AfFe&ions, of 
 
 " Court 
 
Of the Manner of Singing. S 5 
 
 u Court and City, Town and 
 " Country. That this one Ordi- 
 cc nance only contributed mightily 
 cc to the Vownfal of Popery, and the 
 cc Propagation of the GofpeL Thus 
 we fee that the Papifts rage at the 
 Pfalms in Metre, and in the vulgar 
 Tongues, proceeds from the fame 
 Caufe, with their Rage againft the 
 Tranjlations of the whole Bible, into 
 vulgar Tongues, namely, becaufe 
 they knew this was a means of 
 opening the Eyes of People, to fee 
 their grofs Errors, and Forgeries. 
 And hence 'tis, they fo furioufly 
 cry'd out, Rebellion ! Rebellion ! And 
 think then, Chriftians, whether 
 your Brethren who plead for that 
 finging of Pfalms, againft which 
 the Papifts were always fo much 
 infianfd, are thereby endeavouring 
 to lead you back to Popery, as is by 
 fome fuggefted. Or whether thofe 
 feem not rather to dofo, who alledg 
 the bitter Enemies of the Refor- 
 mation, as their Reverend Authors 
 againft this holy Practice. 
 
 G 3 And 
 
F6 Of "the 3/ :g. 
 
 :re, I c: te it 
 
 iTCTtrfc- 
 
 :t Arc 
 
 :ny 
 gi' .to this excel- 
 
 lent Pi 
 
 w read, 
 
 :re fo r: Jts. 
 
 I r : : n that m^ and ravifh- 
 
 ing Sir Mch was rery often 
 
 -ir, in divers parts 
 
 about the time when 
 
 : the poor French 
 
 :!ifhM, a 
 
 ' :.-.■ :hs ftopt, from finging 
 
 : : praifes, by their bar- 
 
 n Account, 
 
 -~efs 
 
 of it. But yet it 
 
 becaufe 2t- 
 
 tefted :s of m 
 
 c 7 3nd 
 
 " rds of fbme 
 
 ma- 
 
 c . : To, who ce 
 
 <: 
 
Of the Maimer of Singing. 87 
 
 4 deny the matter ol Fa::, but rca- 
 4 lie. nirib'd it-like the Scribes 
 
 c and Pharifcts of old, to the Demi. 
 
 But I hope none of my Readers 
 will venture to be of their Mind 
 but rather, with the Reverend Re- 
 porter, ana divers >tbei pioosAii- 
 
 "ers, aicribe i: to rhe bolj jfygzk^ 
 appearing to bear a Testimony to 
 this Divine Practice, a: that time fo 
 fbrionfly op,. :'.;: ■ L:\ ■',* and 
 
 his cruel Inftnimcnts. A large wd 
 farticuk : ;: die is fi en. 
 
 :e learne ; - * L* *. 
 
 fkoT4l Letters. 
 
 Before I con:: peer, 
 
 that 5 tat cr.e - 
 
 of Jtauf, and & 
 
 f, is no: 8 aa&e&t Date 
 
 \d ?J)7 .: C: . 
 
 pretended, le: me ci:e the v.\: 
 
 d fpeahingot ri- 
 
 .nsin£^ 
 
 Theyr.ctcn.// fa 
 12 in Con:en:pla 
 4 - tion, but * npofe 5 
 
 4; andHvmns to thePraifeofGca. 
 G A M :: 
 
88 The Laxvfulnefs of 
 
 cC of all forts of Metre., and Mufical 
 <c Verfe, which they writ in grave 
 * fvfyois. u and folemn * Rhymes. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Shewing the Lwfulnefs of Ringing 
 by Artificial Tunes. Qb]e£iion$ 
 anfrver'd, The Qonclufion. 
 
 IN the Chapter lafl read, I hope 
 fome Satisfaction hath been given 
 to the fifth Enquiry, concerning 
 the Lawfulnefs of finging the 
 Pfalms^ in Metre, or Rhyme. 
 
 Seft. i; The lafl thing, to be accounted 
 
 for in this Chapter, is the Lawful- 
 
 nefs of ufmg Artificial Tunes, in 
 
 ilnging the Praifes of God. For the 
 
 clearing of which, I deiire that 
 
 thefe things may be conflder'd, 
 
 i. That we are commanded to 
 
 f iCor.14. jJ? do all things , in the Worfhip of 
 
 4°» God, decently and in order. 
 
 2. That 
 
Artificial Tunes in Singing. 89 
 
 2. That in many of the external 
 Modes, and Circumftances of Di- 
 vine Worfhip, there is no particu- 
 lar Prefcription, in the Word: but 
 Chriftian Churches are left at li- 
 berty, in tbefe things, to order them 
 fo, as they fliall judg moll for Edi- 
 fication. 
 
 3. That this Liber ty, as I con- 
 ceive, does not authorize any num- 
 ber of Men, in a Chriftian Church, 
 to prefcribe Rites and external 
 Modes, of Divine Worfhip, ac- 
 cording to their own Judgments, 
 and impofe them upon all others, 
 in their Communion. But thefe 
 things ought to be orderM by the 
 mutual Agreement of, at leaft, the 
 major part of the feveral Members 
 of it. 
 
 4. That feeing it is certain ( as 
 I trull hath been fatisfa&orily pro- 
 ved ) that 'tis the Duty of aU the 
 Members of a Religious Aflembly, 
 to fing the Praifes of God, and that 
 with conjoined Voices, it is necefTa- 
 ry, to the end that this may be done 
 
 decent- 
 
^o Singing with Art defended. 
 
 decently , and in order ^ thatfome^e- 
 neral Rule fhould be agreed upon, 
 according to which each may fb 
 order their Voice, as that the whole 
 AfTembly may fing harmonioufly^ 
 and without Confufion. Now fuch a 
 general Rule is that, which is ufually 
 caJPd a Tune, which therefore is 
 neceflary to the orderly performance 
 of this Duty. 
 
 Se&. z. And whereas it may be objected, 
 Ob), i. That this kind of Singing requires 
 lbme Skill in the Art of Mujick, for 
 the right performance of this part 
 of the Service of God. 
 Anfrv. I anfwer, the like Objection may 
 be made againft reading the Scrip- 
 ^twre, and other Duties of Religion, 
 which can't be performed to Edifi- 
 cation, without fome Skill in read- 
 ings which is a part of the Art of 
 Grammar, and is needful to be 
 learrfdby one means or other. And 
 all, I fuppofe, will grant, that the 
 •greater Proficients any are in this 
 Art, the more fit they are to per- 
 form 
 
Singing with Art defended. 91 
 
 form this Service, cf reading the 
 'Scripture, to pkBtick Edification, 
 provided withal they are otherwife 
 qualified, with the gracious Endow- 
 ments of the Spirit of God. 
 
 I know there are fome, who,Ofy>#.2. 
 through Miftake, feem to think it 
 a Difhonour to God, to plead for the 
 leaft ufe of Art , in any part of his 
 Service, the teaching of the Spirit 
 being fufficient, without Art, to 
 dired us therein. 
 
 But I entreat fuch to confider Anfw. 
 two things. 
 
 Firft, That there is no Contrari- 
 ety between the teaching of the Spi- 
 rit, and a fober ufe of Art § all ufe- 
 ful Arts and Sciences, being origi- 
 nally the Gifts of God, and EfFefts 
 of the common Illuminations of his 
 Spirit. The Arts of Plowing, Sow- 
 ing, and Threfking, and, by a like 
 reafon, all other ufeful Arts, are * jf a . 2 g. 
 originally taught by him, as the 24 — 19, 
 * Prophet tells us. Even by him t Jam.1.17, 
 who is the t Father of LIGHTS, he ^^ m M 
 being the Author of the Light of r /„ II9t ^ 
 
 Na- Pfalm. 
 
92 Singing with Art defended. 
 
 Nature and Art y as well as that of 
 Grace and Glory : And fo the Giver 
 of every good Gift. And feeing they 
 *Rom.n.are * from him^ they ought (in a 
 35. due manner) to be devoted to him. 
 idly. Conlider. that much Art 
 was ufed by the holy Pen-men of 
 the Scriptures in writing them : 
 As is evident in the Artificial Com- 
 pofure of fome Pfalms, and other 
 parts of Scipture, particularly the 
 119th Pfalm, where, as you may 
 partly fee in our Tranflation ( but 
 'tis more evident in the Original ) 
 eight Verfes together, throughout 
 the whole Pfalm, begin with the 
 fame Letter : And fo the whole is 7 
 by the Pfalmijl himfelf, divided 
 into two and twenty equal Parts, 
 anfwerable to the two and twenty 
 Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. In 
 which curious Compofure, I doubt 
 not, but he aimMatboth thcDe- 
 lightoi the Reader or Singer, and 
 alfb to facilitate the Remembrance of 
 the excellent Matter of this Pfalm, 
 which appears as a Star of the firft 
 
 Magni- 
 
Singing with Art defended. 9 j 
 
 Magnitude, among the reft of its 
 bright Companions. And feeing 
 then that Art was ufed by the in- 
 fallible Pen men, in writing the 
 Pfalms ; why fliould it be thought 
 unwarrantable, to make a fober ul$ 
 of it in Tinging them? 
 
 But there is yet another Diffi- Ob), 3. 
 culty, needful to be clear'd, which 
 is, that if wc praetrfe this conjoint, 
 and melodious Singing : By the 
 fame Rule, we m&yalfo introduce the 
 afe of Mufical Inftruments therewith, 
 as was the Practice of the Jewifh 
 Church of old, and is ft ill the Pr ail ice 
 of fome. 
 
 To remove this Scruple, I defire Anfw. 
 that thefe feven following things 
 may be confidered. 
 
 1 . That in thofe * Scriptures of* pfii. 95. 
 the Old Teftament, which call up- 1. & ioq. 
 on the Churches of the New y to *> 2m Ifa# 
 fing the Praifes of God, there is no 52# ' 
 mention of Mufical Inftruments. 
 
 Nor, 2. Is there any mention of 
 •em in thofe *f- Exhortations, which f Ja.§. 13* 
 wje have to this Pradice. in the E ^ h -5^9» 
 
 New ** 1 *' 
 
94 Singing with Art defended. 
 
 New Teflament, which only re- 
 quire us to fing, with Heart and 
 Voice, without any mention of Ink 
 Jlruments of Mufick. 
 
 3. The like is to be faid con- 
 cerning thofe Examples, which we 
 have of Religious Singing, in the 
 ♦Mat. 25. New Teftament, as * thofe of 
 
 3°- Chrijl, and his Apofiles. 
 Mar - J4- 4 . it hath been, I think, fuffici- 
 Ad.i5.25. entl Y proved, that finging the 
 Praifes of God is a Moral Duty* 
 and confequently perpetual, which 
 none, as I know of, do fo much as 
 pretend concerning the ufe of Mu- 
 fical Inflruments therewith. Yea, 
 5. I doubt not to conclude, that 
 the ufe of Mufical Inflruments, in 
 the Jemjh Worfhip, was to us no 
 other than typical. This I take to 
 be fufficiently clear, partly from 
 what hath been faid, and more ful- 
 ly from the mention we have of 
 fRev. 14. j* Harps in particular, in the Book 
 2. & 15.2. of Revelations 1 which, as there 
 mentioned, the generality of our 
 belt Modern Expofitors interpret 
 
 in 
 
Singing with Art defended. 9 5 
 
 in a * figurative fenfe, as having re- * Thus tbt 
 ference to the typical ufe of them, l l* m * 
 under the Law, and denoting the F ™ b *™ 9 
 fweet Progrefs and Effeiis of the Gof- ciuverus, 
 pel ; and the great Chearfulnefs of truly Mede, and 
 Chriftian Hearts, in praifing God for clark > ti- 
 the fame. Id like manner f Chryfo- gj 'Jg 
 yfow ( among the Antients) {peaks ^^ gg 
 of thofe Muiical Inftruments, ufed Am mtu- 
 under the Legal Difpenfation, z%t\orCA by 
 typical, and denoting that Joyful- **\ ' PooI > 
 w/i of Hearts, and that Harmony, QnJ™ 
 and Agreement of A/;Wj which from. 3. 
 fhould be found in Chriftians, tinging p. 634. is 
 God's Praifes under the Gof pel. And PC *49- 3* 
 that accordingly, we fliould labour 
 after fuch a Temper of Heart, in 
 our finghlg, when we are call'd up- 
 on fpiritually (as they were literally') 
 to praife God with the Harp, Cym- 
 bal, Pfaltery, &c. And this No- 
 tion, I take to be clearly manifeft, 
 by the holy Pen-man's joining 
 || Harps, with Golden Vials, and II Rev. 5.8. 
 Incenfe \ which we know to be typi- 
 cal of the Mediation, and Righteouf- 
 nefs of Chrifh 
 
 6. We 
 
q6 Singing with Art defended. 
 
 6. We have undoubted Tefti- 
 monies, that Religious Singing was 
 the frequent Practice of the Chri- 
 ftian Church, in the Ages near the 
 Apoftles time, which yet fay no- 
 thing of the ufe of Mufical Inftru- 
 ments, being join'd therewith. 
 .*Plinii,Iib.Thus* Pliny teftifies concerning 
 ro. Epift, the Chriftians in his days, at which 
 ioi. ad time John the beloved Difciple was 
 
 + TeS living .> as + Zam]) y notes - The 
 
 I j 8- p ' fame is confirmed by Eufebius, who 
 
 alfo mentions this Epiftle of Pliny : 
 
 And Tertullian likewife (who lived 
 
 in the third Century) fpeaks of 
 
 this as the frequent Pra&ice of the 
 
 Chriftian Church in feveral places 
 
 || Part'icu- of his || Works. And again, Au- 
 
 larly lib. 2. g U fline, a great Writer, famous for 
 
 cap 39- Learning and Piety, in the end of 
 
 the fourth Century, tells us that 
 
 * Confeff. * they then fang together , with Voices 
 
 Ub.^.cap.'j. and Hearts, but makes no mention 
 
 of Mufical Inflruments. And a little 
 
 lower he tells us, this was then the 
 
 Practice of almofl all the Churches 
 
 iq the World. And in the next 
 
 Book, 
 
Singing with Art defended. qj 
 
 Book, he treats more largely con- 
 cerning the lame thing \ which I 
 think needful to give fome difiinft 
 account of, becaufe I find him very 
 unfairly cited by * one, to a diredt * ^ r - c * &• 
 contrary purpofe, namely, to make P a ^ io ^ 
 us believe that thus to ftng was then 
 a new thing , that it got mtrance 
 with great difficulty •, that Muficai 
 InftrumentS) as well as Voices were 
 then ufed, in the performance of it ? 
 and that Augufline was againfl both *• 
 but how truly either of thefe things 
 are inferr'd,from Augufiitfs words, 
 let every Impartial Reader judg. 
 He, complaining that he was fome- 1 A»z4* 
 times thro Infirmity more afFeded^J^ 1 ^; 
 with the pleafant/iwtfdof Singing, liqilldo " 
 than with the excellent Matter ,thus aucem 
 fpeaks : 4t *f And fometimes being hanc ip- 
 <c immoderately careful to avoid*!" 1 fa . IIaa 
 
 * this Fallacy, I err (on the other ™£^ 
 " fide) by too much Severity ^ but U s cavens 3 
 ** fometimes to that degree, that I erronimia 
 
 * could wifli that all the Melody of fewicace. 
 « thofe fweet Songs, of which the f n ^ rd v u a Jj! 
 •' Pfalter of David is full, were uc me i os * 
 
 H u re-omne.tf^ 
 
 A. ' ' 
 
9$ Singing with Art defended. 
 
 " Removed from mine Ears, and 
 *verunta-< t from thofe of the Church 5 and 
 men cum a fnethinks the fafer way is what 
 E™!Z?& I remember hath been often told 
 mc.is,quas "" me concerning ^thanajm, B\mop 
 fudi ad u of Alexandria, who can fed the 
 cancus Ec*<* Rehearfer of the Pfalm, to found 
 hl^imor' CC itf6rth with &ch a moderate a\- 
 dn^rccu^' deration of the Voice, that he 
 peratse fi-' t% was more like a Speaker, than a 
 dei mc«: tc singer. But doth Juguftine {top 
 & nuncip. h ere ^ as thefore-mention'd Author 
 iro^o"" 1 vei T unfairly does, in citing him ?, 
 non can'u, No ', but he immediately goes on 
 ted rebus thus, * c * Yet when I remember 
 £ ch-ti t fr Q Tears which I pour d forth 
 
 "ifquS^^ at the fin § in S of th y Cllurcll > 
 voce & ( this being a means, as he had ex- 
 
 conveni- plain'd himfelf before, to affeft his 
 entiffiai.a Heart with the Divine "Truths, fung 
 moduLti- by them) c at my firft Converfion, 
 taiitur ; anc * eve ^ now when I am m'ord 
 ma£nam'm* u not fo much with the 7##e, as 
 flituti bu- * with the Things which are fung, 
 jus utilita* cc wj^ie t j ie y are f un g with a r/^v 
 
 SoS fU8a ^'^ aild with the moft a B rcc - 
 LiwkM-" abk Melody) I then again ao 
 Vm*. " know- 
 
Singing with Art defended. gy 
 
 <c knowledg the great Benefit of this 
 cc Pra&ice. Thus if we take his 
 words together, as we certainly 
 ought, we may eafily fee how re- 
 .mote they are from that fenfe, 
 which was violently fqueez'd out 
 of them. And, 
 
 Laftly, Some of the Antients 
 not only fpeak of Religious Sing- 
 ing, as the frequent Practice of the 
 Church, without any mention of 
 Mufical Inftruments being join'd 
 with it, but alfo.fo as to exclude 
 them. , 
 
 Thus the Author of thofe * Que- * Rcfponf. 
 /lions and Anfwtrs,* formerly taken ad orchod, 
 to be Jujtin Martyr, who liv'd in 
 the id Century, (but rather a Wri- 
 ter of the %th) fpeaks, f "Why f qucft. 
 _ 4C do we ufe Songs, after the man- 107. 
 u ner of thofe that were in an || In- 1| v))rn ^ % 
 • u fant State, under the Law ? The 
 Anfwer to this Queftion is as fol- 
 lows. Cm Simply to frag, is not pro- 
 C( - per to Infants, but to fing with 
 t; # Lif clefs Inflvuments ', wherefore * d-ifiyv? 
 >*', finging with the ufe of fuch In- Qiy&v»f* 
 H 2* '" jlru- 
 
ico Singwg with Art defended. 
 
 Ci firuments^ agreeing to thofe in an 
 
 u Infant -St att, is not (now) ufed 
 
 " in the Churchy but fimple Tinging 
 
 tl (without them) remains therein. 
 
 And very fully to the like pur- 
 
 * h Pfal. pofe we find * Chryfofiom fpeaking 
 
 1 45. Tom, ( a bout the beginning of the fifth 
 
 3. p.82 4 . Century ) u i?^^ (faith he) 0/0/i 
 
 c< fang Pfalms, and we fing with 
 
 ct him, at this day. He had a Harp 
 
 + vwgSv u tuned with ^ /*/<?fc/i Strings, 
 
 rf-vfw^y. u the Church hath one now with 
 
 !| nvtfSv u |i living ones : Our Tongues, the 
 
 ip\d%)/. 4t Strings of our rational Harp, 
 
 Cc make indeed different Sounds, 
 
 cc but they harmonise in the Ex- 
 
 ** preifions of Piety. For Men and 
 
 Lc Women, old and young, are di- 
 
 *' ftinguifti'd, in regard of Sex and 
 
 tc -<^ 1 Y et they are not diftin- 
 
 *v(Av»Jiat* u guilh'd, in refpedt of their * /#*r- 
 
 4c wony in finging : for the Minds 
 
 4C of every one, governing their 
 
 " Voices, make owe Melody of them 
 
 44 all } as alfo David himfelf fig- 
 
 44 nifies, calling upon every Age;, 
 
 44 and each Sex 7 to make a Harmony 
 
 « in 
 
Singing with Art defended. i o I 
 
 iC in Tinging, while he faith, * Let * Pf. 15°- 
 €c every thing that bath Breath, praife ^ 
 
 u the Lord. 
 
 So that, confidering thefe things 
 together, you fee 'tis fufficiently 
 manifeft, that tho we have unque- 
 ftionable Authority, from thzlVord 
 of God, to fing the Divine Praifes, 
 with conjoined Voices in the beft: 
 manner we can, yet we have not fo, 
 to join Mufical Inftruments there- 
 with. Nor are we oblig'd (as one 
 fuggefls) to obferve therein all 
 thofe feveral Rules, that were pre- 
 fcrib'd to the Jews in their Tinging, 
 as a part of the TV^/e-worlhip. 
 Nor need we, for the defence of 
 our Pra&ice, give any diftindt An- 
 fwer to thofc many impertinent 
 Queftions that are ask'd, about 
 their chief Chanter^ their being clo- 
 thed in white Linen, their Cymbals^ 
 Pfalteries, Harps, Trumpets^ Organs^ 
 or other Mufical Inftruments. Nor 
 have we any ground to think ( as 
 is further fuggefted ) that thofe 
 that fing in Profe^ and have Mufick^ 
 H 3 and 
 
102 Singing with Art defended. 
 
 and are clothed in white' Linen^ and 
 have Chorifters, with a Chanter to give 
 Injlruttions, have more warrant for 
 their Pradice, than we have: Thcfe 
 Additions to this Divine Practice, 
 fufficiently appearing to be only 
 typical in the Juvijh Church, and 
 confequently, I conceive, fuferjii- 
 thus in the Church of Rome^ or 
 any other that ft ill pra&ifeth futa- 
 ble thereunto. Nor need we, more 
 particularly, make any Reply" to 
 other Queries^ about this matter. 
 Vv hat hath been faid, I hope., may ; 
 prove fufficient, if duly coniiderM, 
 to help thbfe, that need any help 
 herein, to arifvver all needful Que- 
 ftions that may be ask'd about it : 
 And to take oif the Edg of every 
 % that is laid to the Root of this 
 Tree 6t God's own planting, and 
 not fprung up to the juft Trouble , 
 much lefs to the defiling of any, as 
 is unworthily fuggeited, by a late 
 Oppofer. Nor let any tender Chri- 
 ftian fear hisabufed Application of 
 ofc wor^s of our Saviour 7 to this 
 
 his 
 
Singing with Art defended. I0 3 
 
 bis own Appointment, * In vain do * M.n. i$; 
 they worfhip me 1 teaching for Doihine $• 
 
 the Commandments of Al.n. 
 
 But it is yet enquired, what Pre- Quejt. 
 cept or Precedent we have for Singings 
 either at the Lord's-Supptr^ or icfure- 
 or afttr our Sermons ? For, 'tis laid, 
 nothing fhort of this will end the Con- 
 troversy. 
 
 I reply, that as to fmging at the Anfa. 
 Lord's -Supper, we have Chrift's 
 own Example, for our Precedent^ 
 which hath been fiiewn to be equi- 
 valent to his Precept. And as to 
 finging before j or after Sermon , we 
 are expreily commanded to -{- come f Pftl. 9$* 
 before God's Pre fence with Sing- U ' 
 ing 7 which I have ]J before ihewnij°p' ! * ^ 
 to be no lefs an Injunction upon 
 u*y than divers others in the Old 
 Teftament, which none queftion to 
 be fo. But whether this is to be 
 done before Sermon, or after it, ov 
 lotb y is not indeed particularly de r 
 termiifd in Scripture, any. more 
 than we are therein particular 
 enjein'd, to pray before and after S 
 H 4 
 
104 Singing with Art defended. 
 
 mon. But as the Reafon of the 
 thing is lookM upon, by all, a fuffi- 
 cient Rule in th'vs, fo ought it to be 
 in the other. For as we have abun- 
 dant reafon to humble our felves be- 
 fore God, and pray to him, both 
 before and after Sermon, in thefenfe 
 of our own Vilenefs and Weaknefs : 
 fo we have no lefs reafon to re]oice 
 before him, and fing his Praife, at 
 loth thofe times, in the fenfe of his 
 immenfe Goodnefs. And when any 
 fliall give us a more particular Pre- 
 cept, or Precedent for the former, 
 I doubt not but we fhall be able, 
 readily to produce the fame for 
 the latter. 
 
 But there is yet a farther Ob- 
 je&ion, which I juffc now remem- 
 ber I have feveral times met with, 
 againft this Duty, namely, that 
 if finging the Praife of God be a mo- 
 ral Duty, and of [perpetual Obligation , 
 how comes it to be fo frequently omitted 
 in a time of Perfecution ? 
 
 To this I anfwer : i. That 'tis 
 poffible this, and other Duties, may 
 
 have 
 
Singing with Art defended. 105 
 
 have been too much omitted ( as 
 to the publick performance of them) 
 in a time of Perfecution, through 
 Infirmity and overmuch- Timorouf- 
 nefs: And therefore 'tis very un- 
 fafe arguing from the Pra&ice, evert 
 of good Chriftians, in performing 
 or omitting of Duties, to prove 
 their Obligation or Non-obligation } 
 they being (tho fincere in the main) 
 liable to manifold Infirmities and 
 Miftakes. 
 
 2. All Chriftians, I fuppofe, will 
 readily grant that we are under 
 moral and perpetual Obligations to 
 promote the Glory of God, and 
 the Salvation of our Neighbours, 
 as much as poffible we can : And 
 that, in order to this, we ought 
 not only privately to pray, and con- 
 verfe together, about the Matters 
 of Religion } but that the Members 
 of a Chriftian Church ought pub- 
 lickly to aflemble together, openly 
 to profefs the Do&rines of Salva- 
 tion, and * hold forth the Word of* Phil. %: 
 Iftfe in publick preaching, for the i<s. 
 
 Con- 
 
lo6 Singing with Aft defended* 
 
 Converiion of Singers. Nor vviit 
 any, I conceive, Conclude againft 
 the conflant Obligation of theie 
 Duties, becaufe they have been of- 
 ten omitted, in a hot Perfection \ 
 which Omiffion perhaps hath fome- 
 times proceeded from overmuch 
 fear of the Violence of the Enemy* 
 I iky perhaps, becaufe I would not 
 venture pofnively to condemn any 
 .Cbriftian Church in this matter. 
 * Tr-cep- There beings as I think all Divines 
 * u affirma-allovv, much difference between the 
 ti?a o urinative: and. Negative Pre- 
 
 gaist ^- ce p| S> even f the Moral Law :, in 
 ncm ad"" ^at the litter not piily bind always, 
 Temper; .hm alfo ta all, times -^ whereas the 
 negtfrai former, tho they bind always^ yet nqt 
 <&fig^ i times, but only to fuch Op- 
 
 portunities as God, in his good 
 TxmtJ tdepce, affords for the perfor- 
 
 *Hr. Thee* mance of them. The Determina- 
 bg.parss s ^ion of which Opportunities mull, 
 ;; -lag-feat meafure,be left to the pioqs 
 ^ judgment of Chriftian Churches, 
 .aud the Minilfcers thereof. 
 
 . • - ... . . 
 
 " -;. The 
 
Singing with Art defended. 10J 
 
 3. ThcOmiffionof this Duty of 
 Religious Singing hath not been fo 
 general as, the Objection fnppofes. 
 I have been afTur'd by feveral credi- 
 ble Perfons, that fome Congrega- 
 tions of dillenting Chrillians. did 
 conftantly f ng Pfalms, in all their 
 Religious Aflemblies, in the lat- 
 ter Perfection amongft us, and 
 yet were fo prefervM, by the good 
 Providence of God, that this Pra- 
 ctice proved no Injury to them: 
 And as to the Primitive Churches, 
 tinder the ten firil Perfections, we 
 are aflur'd by * Pliny, tho an Hea- * Lib. jo. 
 then, that it was their ufual pra- E P\ ?OTad 
 dice to aflemble together before Jra l ztm y 
 day \ and that among other parts of 
 Worfhip, they were wont, in thofe 
 Aifemblies, to join together in fing- 
 ing Hymns to Cbrift as God. The 
 fame is affirm'd by ~\ Tertullian and f Apat 
 other Chriftian Writers who lived C3 P» 39* 
 in thofe firft Ages. 
 
 So that if thefe things be well 
 confider'd, it will, I hope, fuffici- 
 ently appear, that neither this Ob- 
 jection, 
 
jo8 Conclufion. 
 
 je&ion r nor any preceding ones, 
 Lave any force againft the univer- 
 fal, and perpetual Obligation of 
 this Doty. 
 
 The CONCLVSION. 
 
 1 Shall therefore, my dear Bre- 
 then, here conclude, defiring 
 that thefe things may be ferioufly 
 confider'd, and calmly weighM in 
 the Ballance of the Santtuary. And 
 then I hope they will be of fome 
 ufe, to fuch as have not hitherto 
 had fufficient opportunity of look- 
 ing into the Grounds of this Reli- 
 gions Pra&ice. If any Light break 
 forth to your Minds, concerning 
 this part qf God's Worfhip, by 
 reading this little Treatife, readily 
 and thankfully imbrace it, and live 
 no longer in the negleti of this 
 excellent Duty. Let nothing hin- 
 der us from joining together here, 
 in warbling forth the Praifes of our 
 God, which we doubt not will be 
 
 the 
 
Conclufwn. 109 
 
 the Work of glorified Saints to 
 Eternity. 
 
 But if after all, we fhould not 
 be every one exa&ly of the fame 
 Mind and Judgment^ in this mat- 
 ter, yet * hft Brotherly Lave cotf-*Hcb. 1$. 
 tinue. And, -f endeavouring to hep *• 
 
 the Vnity of the Sprit in the Bond of* ? ,4 * 
 Peace, let us all jointly labour to 
 promote the common Intereft of 
 God and Souls. 
 
 And as for thofe of us, who are 
 fully perfwaded of our Duty, in 
 Religious Singing, let us endea- 
 vour, as much as in us lies, to per- 
 form it even in the outward part of 
 it, with all poffible Decency and 
 Order : But efperially let us in this, 
 and all other parts of Divine Wor- 
 fhip, look well to our Sprits. And 
 labour that both our Hearts and 
 Lives may harmonize with our ex- 
 cellent Profeffion. That, in our 
 whole Paflage through this evil 
 World, we may give convincing 
 Proofs, that we have not only the 
 Name and Form 7 but alfo the Life 
 
 and 
 
.no Conclufion. 
 
 and ?of£Y of Godlinefs. That at 
 * Afts 20. laft we may * fmifh our Cow ft with 
 2 4- Joy, and may f have Hope in our 
 * Vt07 ' l *'JJcatb, and comfortable Satisfacti- 
 on, that, through the perfed Sa- 
 crifice and Righteoufhefs of our 
 dear Redeemer, we ffcall thereby 
 be tranfiatcd from this imHrfeU 
 State, and exalted into Man/ions 
 pf 7 there with the general 
 
 mUy of Saints and Angels to 
 B Rev. 5.13, fijjff Hallelujahs jj to fc#i that fits up- 
 'hrone, and to the Lamb for 
 ever and ever. 
 *He*>. 13. * Now the God of Peace, that 
 2c 3 21. brought again from the dead our. Lord 
 Jcfis^ that great Shepherd of the Sheep, 
 'through the Blood of the everlafling 
 ' Covenant p thus jgiakt.us perfect in 
 every good Work to do his Will, work- 
 ing in' us that which h~well-pkafing 
 in his fight, through -%fm Chriji. 
 f Rev. 22. And then \ come Lord jefm, come 
 a°. cruelly. . Amen. 
 
 POST- 
 
POST-SCRIPT. in 
 
 IT being averted in riiis Treatife, that the 
 Divine Book of Pfalms arc writ en by 
 the Holy Pen-men, in Hebrew Mt^ and 
 fome of them in Rhy;r.e, not only ia the 
 original Senfe of the Word, as it dm I 
 no more than Vtxfi or * Number, bataifoin * r JW$e»V f 
 the vulgar Notion of it ; it was defoed by * Rhythm 
 worthy Minifter, that I fhouki fet down two ooteinm- 
 cr chrce Examples of it, which I was rite tasmu rue- 
 more willing to comply with, becaufe of the rus, feu 
 Confidence of a late Writer, who vefcteres modulus, 
 not only ro affert the contrary, but alio co certa di- 
 appeal co the Learned chef ein,iu thefe words, menfione 
 " Befides ("faith he} the Learned stmcugEc propor- 
 tt you know, chat ic could not be tte Praffice ticne con- 
 " of the JewiCh Church to fmg in Rhyme * ftans. Sea- 
 " becaufe neither the Song of Maps* &>-&*- pl& Lixic, 
 * c tah) nor the Book of Pfalms, as they are 
 " in the Hebrew., are any of them in &~>px 3 
 ? but all in Profe. The Examples foil 
 
 Pfa!. 8. 5. 
 
 ij^rn u)1:h- no 
 : (iiban "a D-?irpt 
 
 ' W$4f thing is Man ! thou (km Id ft him far is mkdf 
 
 The Son tf Man ! to have thy Vifits khd. 
 
 ^n\?nurt|53 p 
 
 To fie thy Power greet, and view thy Glory bright, 
 As, in the holy place, fve had oj the a fight. 
 
 Pfcl 
 
112 Vofi-ferift, 
 
 Pfai. 1 1 5. 7. 
 
 Tj/tn, my Soul, to thy Rtfofe and Re/t, 
 Btcmft Jehovah hath thee greatly blifi. 
 
 Pfal. 148. 1, 2. 
 
 tJjojprrip— rr» i^Sri 
 : nranoa vrtfyn 
 
 < ▼ T 
 
 jW/£ y* the Lord from Heaven bigk t 
 Pxaife him in heights above the Sty : 
 Pralje him all ye bis Angels pure : 
 Praife him all ye bis Armies fare. 
 
 You have feveral more Inftances of this 
 kind of Rhythmical Poems ,colleftcd out of the 
 
 * Excel 0} Pfalms, by the Reverend Mr. * Edwards, and 
 $£r.p. 3 78. the learned f Buxtorf. And tho the reft of the 
 
 f Thef. Pfalms, and fome. other parts of Scripture>are 
 Gram. not written in fuch Rhymes^ they are wrirten in 
 Ling.SancY Poetical Vtrje, as is (hewn by thefe Authors and 
 p.6 1 2>6 1 5. others mention d U before : Which certainly 
 
 11 P»77 3 ^- & ycs us ^ cau ^ e t0 vvonc ^ er at t ^ le Boldnejs 
 of the fore-mention'd Writer in affirming all 
 to be in Profe •, and (hews we had need ob- 
 
 * 1 Theff. f erve *e Advice of the holy Apoftle, * Provt 
 
 5. 21! ' a tt things ^ boldfaft that which is good, 
 
 finis. 
 
* 
 

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