Breach Repaired in Gods Worship, Treatise 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Proving Singing of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, an Holy Ordinance of Jeſus Chriſt, from Scripture-Precepts.
WE ſhall now prove and demonſtrate, that Singing of the Praiſes of God, not only in Private, but alſo in Congregations, is a Duty incumbent on us in Goſpel-Times, as well as it was of Old. As there is the ſame God of Mercies, ſo the ſame Praiſes are to be rendered to him for his Bleſſings, no doubt, and in the ſame manner now, (that is, by Singing) as was then, will appear;
1. Becauſe the Lord (who alone appoints his own Worſhip) hath commanded and … it at our Hands; and his Command and P… cept is the Rule of our Obedience: Rejoice … Righteous; Praiſe is comely for the Vprig… Praiſe the Lord, ſing unto him. Pſal. 84 1, … 3, 4, 5. Sing aloud unto the God of our Stren… make a joyful Noiſe unto the God of … Make a joyful Noiſe unto the Lord; come …fore his preſence with Singing, Pſal. 100. 1, … Pſal. 95. 1, 2. O come let us ſing unto the … let us make a joyful Noiſe to the Rock of … Salvation. And many ſuch Precepts are gi… forth by the Holy Ghoſt, as 'tis well kno… to all. 1 Chron. 16. 9. Sing unto him; … Pſalms unto him, and tell of all his wond… Works. So Pſal. 68. 32. Sing unto the Lord … the Earth; O ſing Praiſes unto the Lord.
2. Conſider theſe Commands, by which … Lord eſtabliſhed this part of his Worſhip of … are as obligatory unto us in Goſpel-Times, … they were then to them when firſt inſtituted, … cept it could be proved to be either Ceremo… or Judaical, or hath received a change in … Goſpel. And this is evident in many reſp… particularly as to Prayer, that was a Duty … and the Precepts contained in the Pſalms … the Prophets, which enjoin it, are of the … Authority with thoſe in the New Teſtament and equally bind the Conſcience. So alſo … Faſting, a Duty (as one obſerves) required … the Prophets; and not ſo clearly repeated … any Inſtitution under the Goſpel, as this … Singing is; and the ſame might be ſaid for Days of Thankſgiving. Nay, and 'tis obſer…able, how oft our Brethren, upon all proper …nd fit Occaſions, fly to thoſe Precepts to preſs Prayer, Faſting, and Thankſgiving too. If therefore Singing, as it is laid down and en…oined in theſe Sacred Precepts in the Book of Pſalms, &c. is not binding, notwithſtanding …tis repeated and given forth in the New Testament afreſh; Why do you, when you exhort …o other Duties, make uſe of Arguments and Proofs out of the Book of Pſalms and the Pro…ets, in other Caſes, ſince the Commands thereof, though neither Ceremonial nor Judai…al, are (as you ſeem to affirm) of any Force, …or obligatory to us? This ſeems ſtrange, for …ertainly Men have more reaſon in them, than …o preſs Obedience on Subjects to their Su…eriors, by abrogated or antiquated Sta…utes; And ſhall the Lord's Ambaſſadors be more irrational in preſſing Obedience to the Lord, than meer rational Men are in Civil Affairs?
Now, ſaith one, Since there is no Man that queſtions whether Singing of Pſalms was inſtituted and commanded of God of old; how can they avoid the Power of ſuch Precepts, conſidering, as he minds, particularly Pſal. 81. ver. 4, 5. where Singing is called a Statute for Iſrael, and the Law of the God of Jacob, and ordained in Joſeph for a Teſtament; which, ſaith he, refers to a Time, before they were brought into the Ceremonial Worſhip? Hence, ſaith he, it inevitably follows, that until any Man ca… ſhew us, that Singing of Pſalms, yea, Singing of the Book of Pſalms, was Ceremonial or Judaical, or are changed or abrogated … the Goſpel; thoſe Precepts lie upon us now with the ſame Power and Obligation as … laid them under then; for the Antiquity of a Law, or Inſtitution, rather commends it to us, than any ways abates of its Obligation ſo that had there been no other Inſtitution… for Singing of Pſalms, &c. than what is … the Book of Pſalms, we ſhould have had ſufficient Authority to be found in them. (A Manuſcript called Pſalmody.) He might have added, Since eſpecially it is of … like Nature with Prayer, viz. a moral Precept… as well as brought into a written Law. But … all I might add, 'tis much more unreaſonable to plead an exemption from the Force and Obligation of thoſe Precepts, ſince the Saints are injoined to ſing thoſe Pſalms of David by the Holy Ghoſt in the New Teſtament; for … grant there are no other Pſalms, none called Pſalms beſides the Book of Pſalms.
3. To this, take what Mr. Wells affirms; … ſhall (ſaith he) take one Shaft out of the whole Quiver, i. e. I ſhall uſe one Argument, among many, which is this, viz. W… always find this Duty of Singing Pſalm… linked to, and joined with other moral Duties; thus the Pſalmiſt joins Singing and Prayer together, Pſal. 95. 1, 6. O come let us ſing unto the Lord—O come, let us worſhip, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
There is Prayer and Singing con…exed, Singing being of equal neceſſity and authority with other Ordinances … ſo the Apoſtle James joins theſe two together, Is any … you afflicted? let him pray. Is any …? let him ſing Pſalms, Jam. 5. 13. You … obſerve, both theſe Services are equally calculated for Man's Neceſſity. Thus Paul and Silas join them in their practice, Acts 16. 26. And ſo Juſtic… Martyr, in his 117… Queſtion, ad Orthod…, tells us, That they ſang, and ſent up Prayers to God; the Primitive Church confirming David's Injunctions, and the Apoſtolical Commands. So that by theſe Inſtances we may obſerve, that the Duty of Prayer and Singing have walked in the ſame Equipage, and lay claim to an equal Authority from Divine Writ, the Scripture jointly favouring both, p. 177.
Secondly, This Duty and holy Ordinance of Singing in Goſpel-Days is evident from theſe Prophetick Pſalms. I may ſpeak, ſaith Mr. W…lls, of Singing, as Paul ſpeaks of Timothy's Ordination, 1 Tim. 4. 14. it was given by Propheſy. There are divers Prophecies in the Old Teſtament concerning Saints ſinging in Goſpel-times, on Pſal. 108. 2. ſaith he, M…r… obſerve…, that there David pours forth his ardent Prayers and Wiſhes for the Kingdom of Chriſt. And ſo Divines obſerve, that the 100 Pſalm is Prophetical; Make a joyful Noiſe unto the Lord, all ye Lands. Serve the Lord with gladneſs: Come before his Preſence with Singing. O ſing unto the Lord a new Song: Sing unto the Lord all the Earth. Here we, and all … Gentiles be ſure who believe in Chriſt, are required to ſing, nay, and to come into his Preſence, that is, into his Public… Worſhip, with Singing. The like … 1 Chron. 16. 23, 24. Sing unto the Lord all the Earth: ſhew forth from day to day his Sal…ation. Declare his Glory among the Heat…; his marvellous Works among all Nations. So Pſal. 66. 1, 2. Make a joyful Noiſe unto … God, all ye Lands. Sing forth the Hono… … his Name: make his Praiſe glorious. Pſal 21. 13. Be thou exalted, O Lord, in thine … ſtrength: ſo will we ſing, and praiſe thy Power. Theſe, and many other Pſalms, are, 'tis evident, Prophecies of Goſpel-Times, when the old Boundaries of the Church ſhould be broken down, to give an entrance unto the Gentiles into the Church of God; and to ſhew us, that is the Jews in their Church-State were to celebrate the Praiſes of God by Pſalms, ſo are we: and as Iſrael ſang the Praiſes of God in the Widerneſs, and at the Red Sea, and therein acknowledged the Benefits they received; ſo … we, with Songs of Thankſgiving, ſhew forth from day to day his Salvation, and declare his Glory among the Heathen, with a joyful and triumphant Noiſe; otherwiſe we fall ſhort of anſwering the Propheſy in our Day and Times, and render not to God the Duty he requires. And to all the prophetical Pſalms, I might add that pregnant Prophecy recorded by the Prophet Iſa, Chap. 52. 8. Thy Watchmen ſhall lift up the Voice, with the Voice together ſhall they ſing.
Which clearly (ſaith Mr. Wells) prognoſticates this. Muſical Ordinance in Goſpel-Times. Muſculus faith, Theſe Watch…en ſhall jubilee, when they ſhall conſider the great Joy approaching for the Redemption obtained by Chriſt. There are two things, which not only eſtabliſh, but ſweeten and honour an Ordinance. 1. Promiſes. 2. Prophecies. Chriſt himſelf was the Fruit and Iſſue of both.
Theſe things clearly inform us:
1. That Singing of Pſalms, &c. is not a legal part of Worſhip, but fuitable to Goſpel-Times.
2. That there is clear and manifeſt Inſtitution of it;*Manuſcript Pſalmody. nay, and that theſe prophetical Goſpel-Pſalms and Prophecies, are part of the Goſpel, (being Prophecies of it, as the firſt Chapter of John is). What think you of thoſe places of the Prophets and Pſalms, that ſpeak of Chriſt as they are mentioned and recited in the New Teſtament? are they not Goſpel as well as any thing ye find therein taught or laid down anew? Doth not the Apoſtle tell us, That unto them (that is, to Iſrael) the Goſpel was preached, as well as unto us? And that in Promiſes and Prophecies it was preached to Abraham?
3. Conſider that there is no attainment under the Goſpel, of ſpecial ſpiritual Priviledges, that can exalt Chriſtians beyond th… practice of this Duty; the more our Mercies are, the greater are our Obligations … praiſe God by Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; and ſo expreſs the Joy of our Hearts, by Singing forth the Praiſes of God: they that attain to the greateſt purity of Goſpel-Worſhip and Inſtitutions, are to do as Moſes and Iſrael did at the Red Sea. Rev. 13. 3.
4. And they ſang the Song of Moſes the Servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb, ſaying, Great and marvellous are thy Works, … God Almighty; juſt and true are thy Way, thou King of Saints. Who ſhall not fear that, and glorify thy Name, O Lord? for thou … art Holy; for all nations ſhall come … worſhip thee, for thy Judgments are … manifeſt. Manuſcr. Pſalmody.
Theſe were ſuch that have attained to the Purity of Goſpel-Inſtitutions, being purged … by Fire from Antichriſtian Pollution, being become as pure and tranſparent Glaſs, having … a perfect Conqueſt and Victory over Antichrist, who are ſaid thus melodiouſly to ſing forth the Praiſes of God; and to cloſe this, we … sing in Heaven in the higheſt Glory: and therefore it follows, the higheſt ſtate of Grace … upon us; be ſure to be found in this ſo holy … ſublime Duty, which as we have ſhewed, in the Work of Angels.
Obj. But by the ſame Argument you bring to prove we ought to ſing Pſalms, &c. in Goſpel-times, from the Precepts given by David; Why may we not, as David did, uſe an Inſtrument of ten Strings?
Anſw. 1. Singing with Inſtruments, we ſay with Reverend Mr. Cotton, was typical, and ſo a Ceremonial Point of Worſhip, and therefore ceaſed; but Singing, ſaith he, with Heart and Voice, is a Moral Worſhip, ſuch as is written in the Hearts of all Men by Nature. As to pray in diſtreſs, pag. 6. let it be obſerved, that I am not alone in my Apprehenſions, as touching Singing being a Moral Duty. Here you ſee that this worthy Man poſitively affirms the ſame: And again, he ſaith, That ſinging of Pſalms, &c. is not a Ceremony, but a Moral Duty, and ſo continueth in the New Teſtament, [Cotton's ſinging of Pſalms, pag. 23, 24.] But, faith he, ſuppoſe ſinging with Inſtruments were not typical, but only an external Solemnity of Worſhip fitted to the Solace of the outward Senſes of Children under Age, (ſuch as the Iſraelites were under the Old Teſtament, Gal. 4. 1, 2, 3.) yet now in the grown Age of the Heirs of the New Teſtament, ſuch external pompous Solemnities are ceaſed, and no external Worſhip reſerved, but ſuch as holdeth forth Simplicity and Gravity, &c. I might add, and by the ſame Argument we may not ſing, becauſe they uſed Inſtruments, &c. We muſt not pray, or their praying is no Rule to us, becauſe they offered them up to God with Incenſe, and divers ſuch like Abſurdities in other reſpects would follow; therefore there is now no other Inſtrument to be uſed in ſinging but that of the Tongue, well tuned with Grace, from a holy and ſpiritual Heart. But more of this hereafter. 'Tis enough to remove this Objection, Singing is given forth a-freſh in the New Teſtament, and no Inſtrument of Muſick mentioned. Which brings me to the ſixth and main Argument, to prove, Singing of Pſalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, a Goſpel-Ordinance.