Breach Repaired in Gods Worship, Treatise 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. VIII.
Proving Singing of Pſalms, &c. an Ordinance of Chriſt from the Practice of the Saints, before the Law, in the Law, and under the Goſpel.
MY next Argument ſhall be taken from the Practice of the Saints and People of God in all Ages of the World. 'Tis ſtrange any ſhould doubt of the truth of Singing the Praiſes of God, if it be made appear it was the Practice of the People of God before the Law, and alſo under the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel.
1. Not wholly to paſs over what I have b… fore hinted of the Angels Singing, though I ſhall but touch upon it here, and do little more than cite a Paſſage out of a Sermon preach'd by Reverend Mr. Wells, in the Supplement to the Morning Exerciſe, theſe … his words; Singing is the Muſick of Ang… Job tells us, the Morning Stars ſang together, Job 38. 7. Now theſe Morning Stars (ſaith he) as Pineda tells us, are the Angels to which the Chaldee Paraphraſe accords, naming theſe Morning Stars Aciem Angelorum, a… Hoſt of Angels: nay, when this heavenly Hoſt was ſent to proclaim the Birth of o… deareſt Jeſus, they deliver their Meſſage in this raiſed way of Duty, Luk. 2. 13. they were foreign delivering their Meſſage in a laudatory Singing, the whole company of Angels making a muſical Quire; nay, in Heaven, there is the Angels joyous Muſick, they ſing Hallelujahs to the moſt High, and to the Lamb who ſits upon the Throne, Rev. 5. 11.
As I ſaid before, Singing, as it appears by this Singing of the Angels, is as ancient as the World it ſelf, and well-pleaſing unto God, he would never imply his Angels elſe in it, as I ſhewed in the ſecond Chapter. But to our Buſineſs,
Firſt, That it was practiſed before the giving forth of the Law, is evident from that …aſſage before mentioned, Exod. 15. 1, 2, &c. …hen ſang Moſes, and the Children of Iſrael, … S…ng unto the Lord, and ſpake, ſaying, I …ill ſing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed …oriouſly, &c. [and ſpake.] Note, in Singing, here is a ſpeaking; and though they ſpake, …et the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, they ſang what they … ſpake; and though it were the whole Con…regation that ſang, yet it was as if it were …ut one Man, ſo united were they in their …oice, (which will further appear in its proper place.) Alſo 'tis worthy obſerving, this very …ong the Goſpel-Saints ſhall ſing at the deſtru…tion of Babylon, Rev. 15. 3. Nay, ſome con…lude, they have already ſung it; though I am …ot of that Opinion, not believing any of the … Via… are by the ſeven Angels yet poured …ut, but that this Song ſhall be ſung at that …ime when the Saints have gotten temporal Victory over the Beaſt and Myſtical Babylon, is evident. But let none miſtake, though the Saints can't yet ſing that Song, yet they may, and ought to ſing the Song of the Lamb, which is to praiſe God for ſpiritual Victory obtain'd by Jeſus Chriſt over Sin, Satan, the World, &c. This is the chief Song we ſhould ſing, and this we have perpetual cauſe or …eaſong to ſing. But to returm, it appears the Saints did celebrate the Praiſe of God by ſinging before the Law was given forth on Mount Sinai.
And then, Secondly, under the Law are a multitude of Inſtances of their Melodious Singing to God: Moſes, (as Mr. Wells obſerves,) penn'd the ninetieth Pſalm; and no doubt … he, and the Children of Iſrael, ſang it. D… vid, and all the Lord's People, ſang in … Worſhip of God in his time: Alſo Hezek… ſung, and Aſaph ſung, 2 Chron. 37. 30. … Prophets ſang; the Jews ſang before and … the Captivity, Nehemiah and the People … him ſung and praiſed God.
Thirdly, The Lord's People, in Goſpel days, were found in this Ordinance … Practice of Singing the Praiſes of the Lo… To paſs by the Song of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and Simeon: How ſweetly did … ſing? 'tis called by the Annotators, the famo… Song of the bleſſed Virgin, Luk. 1. 46. Al… our Lord Jeſus, with his Diſciples, after … celebration of the Holy Supper (the holy Gh… ſaith) ſung an Hymn; they praiſed God, … they praiſed him by Singing. Moreover, … and Silas ſung Praiſes, tho in Priſon, and … Fe… were faſt in the Stocks, Act. 16. Sh… any Men now dare to ſay, There are no P… cedents for Singing Pſalms and Hymns, &c. … the New Teſtament? certainly they will forb… to aſſert any ſuch thing. And now from … whole take this Argument.
Arg. 4. That which was the Practice of … Lord's People before the Law, and under … Law, and alſo in the Goſpel-Diſpenſation, is … indiſpenſible Duty of the Saints and People … God, to practiſe in all Ages. But Singing … Praiſes of the Lord, was the Duty of the Lord … People before the Law, and under the L… nd alſo in the Goſpel-time and Diſpenſation. Ergo. 'Tis the indiſpenſible Duty of the Saints to …actiſe ſinging the Praiſes of God in all Ages.
If any ſhould go about to anſwer this Argument, they muſt ſhew what Duty or Ordinance was ever practis'd before the Law, under the Law, and in the Goſpel-Diſpenſation, that notwithſtanding is not obliging or binding to …s, or elſe they will ſay nothing to the pur…oſe; but the Argument will ſtand as firm as Rock.