Breach Repaired in Gods Worship, Treatise 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Proving 'tis our Duty to ſing the Praiſes of God with united Voices, from the great Noiſe ſuch are ſaid to make when they ſing.
THis appears by that in Exod. 32. 17, 18. And when Joſhua heard the noiſe of the People as they ſhouted, he ſaid to Moſes, There is War in the Camp, verſ. 17. And he ſaid, It is not the Voice of them that ſhout for maſtery, neither is it the Voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noiſe of them that ſing, do I hear, verſ. 18. Certainly one Man's Voice could not have made ſuch a Noiſe, nothing can be more clear, but that they ſung with united Voices together.
Obj. But here it is objected, This was in praiſe of the Golden Calf, and ſo no rule.
Anſw. 'Tis no matter to whom they ſung, it was their Sin and horrid Wickedneſs to give that Divine Worſhip and Praiſe to a molten… mage, that belonged to God only; but there is no queſtion but they ſung now to this falſe God, as they had done, cap. 15. to the true God of Heaven and Earth, and therein lay part of their wicked and horrid Deed.
The ſecond Scripture is Pſal. 81. 1, 2. Sing aloud unto God, make a joyful Noiſe: which cannot be apply'd to one Man's Singing, and divers others in the Book of Pſalms before cited.
The third place is that in Rev. 19. which is a Prophecy of that triumphant Singing tha… ſhall be in the Church throughout the Earth, or in all Nations, at the downfal of Babyl… And after theſe things I heard a great voice … much People in Heaven, ſaying, Alleluj… verſ. 1. And I heard as it were, the Voice of … great Multitude, and as the Voice of many W…ters, and as the Voice of mighty Thundrings, ſaying, Allelujah; for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth, Verſ. 6. That Singing that is repreſented to John by theſe kind of Noiſes, can … ſignify the Singing of one ſingle Man in … Congregation: and though it is ſaid to be, … at that time to ſuch a degree, and on that occaſion extraordinarily performed, yet it makes not againſt ordinary Singing, which is a Goſpel-Precept (as hath been proved); for as there are times of extraordinary Prayer, ſo of extraordinary Praiſe and Singing to Jehovah. Moreover, it follows no more that we muſt not ſing at all, unleſs we have an extrordinary cauſe to be merry or rejoice in God; then it doth follow we may not pray at all, unleſs we are afflicted, James 5. 13.
I ſhall now ſhut up this with three or four Arguments, and proceed to the next Chapter.
Arg. 1. If it was never commanded of God, nor the Practice of his People under the Old Teſtament, nor in the New, in the ordinary Worſhip of God▪ for one Man alone to ſing by himſelf in the publick Congregation; then for any to attempt to bring ſuch a Practice into the Church would be a great Evil, and an abſolute piece of Will-worſhip, or an Innovation. But it was never the Practice of God's People under the Old Teſtament, nor in the New, nor commanded of God in the ordinary Worſhip of God, for one Man alone to ſing by himſelf in the publick Congregation. Ergo, For any to attempt to bring ſuch a Practice into the Church, would be a great Evil, and an abſolute piece of Will-worſhip, or an Innovation.
The Major certainly every Man will grant, that is reſolved not to add to, or diminiſh from God's Word, or doth believe there muſt be no Additions nor Alterations to what is laid down in Chriſt's New Teſtament: for by that Argument, if one new Practice may be admitted, others may.
As to the Minor, if any can ſhew me in the Old or New Teſtament, that any one Man in the ordinary Worſhip of God was allowed thus to do, I muſt confeſs my Argument is loſt; but if they cannot do that, 'tis unan…ſwerable.
Arg. 2. If ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, be injoyned on, or required of the Churches by the Holy Ghoſt in the New Teſtament; and that there is no other way, manner, or … preſcribed, than what was uſed by the S…ts under the Old Teſtament, and by Chriſt and his Diſciples in the New, viz. a ſinging together with a melodious Voice; then that way the … ſung under the Old Teſtament, and Chriſt … his Diſciples under the New, is to be our Rule … Practice in Singing, and there is no other. … ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual … is enjoyned on, or required by the Holy Ghoſt … the Churches in the New Teſtament, and … is no other way, manner or mode preſcr…d than what was uſed by the Saints under the Old Teſtament, and by Chriſt and his Apoſtles … der the New. Ergo, To ſing together with a melodious Voice, is to be our Rule and Practice in ſinging, and there is no other.
No body will ſurely deny my Major; if any can find another way, manner or mode preſcribed, let him ſhew it us. As to the Minor, that ſinging of Pſalms, &c. is injoyned, I know no body doth deny it.
Arg. 3. If whatſoever was writte… aforetime, or given forth in the Old Teſtament by the Spirit, eſpecially which were moral Duties; nay, and given forth afreſh in the New, was, as to matter and manner, for our Inſtruction and Learning; and ſinging of Pſalms, and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, which is a moral Duty, was given forth aforetime, nay, and it is given forth afreſh in the New; then the matter and manner of Singing, as practiſed in the Old, and practiſed in the New, was for our Learning and Inſtruction, that we ſhould do the ſame. But whatſoever was written aforetime, or given forth in the Old Teſtament by the Spirit eſpecially, which were moral Duties, nay, and given forth afreſh in the New, as to matter and manner, was for our Inſtruction and Learning; and ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, which is a moral Duty, was given forth aforetime in the Old Teſtament, and afreſh in the New. Ergo, Singing of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, as to matter and manner, as practiſed in the Old Teſtament and in the New, was for our Learning and Inſtruction, that we ſhould ſo do, and practiſe the ſame.
The Major cannot be denied, the Minor is proved from that in Rom. 15. 4. For whatſoever was written aforetime, was written for our Learning, 2 Tim. 3. 16. and from what I have ſaid in this Treatiſe, wherein 'tis evinced, that Singing, &c. is a moral Duty, and given forth both in the Old and New Teſtament.
If any object and ſay, that then we muſt ſing nothing but David's Pſalms, or the Songs contained in the Old and New Teſtament. I anſwer, The Matter that then was ſung was God'… Word, or Divine and Holy Songs, and ſo muſt the Matter of our Songs be the Pſalms of David, or the Word of Chriſt, i. e. ſuch things that are certainly Divine and Sacred, congruous with the Word of God or ſpiritual Songs.
If they object about the manner uſed under the Law with Muſical Inſtruments. I anſwer, … plead for no other manner than was practiſed in the New Teſtament as well as in the Old; … under the Old we read of ſinging together with united Voices without Inſtruments, and the ſame in the New: So that unleſs Inſtruments of Muſick (as Organs, &c.) were uſed in the New Teſtament, they are unlawful to be brought into the Worſhip of God; and in vain is it for any to object againſt Singing, becauſe Muſical Inſtruments were uſed under the Old Teſtament, ſince the one is given forth in the New, viz. ſinging Pſalms, without mention made of Inſtruments of Muſick, and ſo practiſed alſo. But to that Objection I purpoſe to give a full Anſwer when I come to conſider of Mr. Marlow's Book.
Arg. 4. If Chriſt and his Diſciples never practiſed, nor injoyned on the Churches any Ordinance or Duty, but they left a ſufficient Rule how ſuch Ordinances or Duties ſhould be performed; and yet Chriſt and his Diſciples did ſing, and injoyned ſinging of Pſalms, &c. on the Churches; then they left a ſufficient Rule how ſinging of Pſalms, &c. ſhould be performed. But Chriſt and his Diſciples did practiſe and injoin ſinging of Pſalms and Hymns, &c. Ergo, Chriſt and his Diſciples have left a ſufficient Rule to ſhew how ſinging of Pſalms and Hymns ſhould be performed.
This Argument cannot be denied; therefore let our Brethren conſider where the fault lies, who do not ſee the way how to ſing, &c. 'Tis ſaid, Moſes was faithful in all God's Houſe, as a Servant, and was careful to do every thing according to the Patern ſhewed him in the Mount; but Chriſt, as a Son, is faithful over his own Houſe. Now ſince Singing was required of the Churches by Chriſt (for what the Apoſtles injoyned by the Spirit, Chriſt injoyned) in the New Teſtament, certainly he has left a ſufficient Direction how it ought to be performed, otherwiſe it would reflect upon his Wiſdom and Faithfulneſs. Strange! is Singing practiſed by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and injoined on the Churches, and is there no certain way to know what that Singing is, nor how it ſhould be performed? I ſtand in a maze to ſee how confuſed ſome are in their Minds and Sentiments about it! one ſaying 'tis only Heart-Joy; others 'tis no more than to praiſe or give Thanks to God in Prayer; ſaith another, 'tis to be performed or done by one ſingle Man alone in the Congregation, tho not one Example or Precedent in all the Scripture in God's ordinary Worſhip for any ſuch Practice. O how hard is it to bring Men off from their own conceited Opinions, or to receive a Truth they either … prejudiced againſt, or elſe not willing to have it to be received as an Ordinance of God!