Chapter II: Part 2

To close this Rank of Arguments, I might mention the Divine Delight that many pious Souls have found in the Use of spiritual, Songs, suited to their {266} own Circumstances, and to, the Revelations of the New Testament. If the spiritual Joy and Consolation that particular Persons have tasted in the general Duty or Singing, be esteem'd a tolerable Argument to encourage the Duty and confirm the Institution, I am well assured that the Argument would grow strong apace, and seal this Ordinance beyond Contradiction, if we would but stand fast in the Liberty of the Gospel, and not tie our Consciences up to meer Forms of the Old Testament. The Faith, the Hope, the Love, and the heavenly Pleasure that many Christians have profess'd while they have been singing evangelical Hymns; would probably be multiply'd and diffus'd amongst the Churches, if they would but breath out their Devotion in the Songs of the Lamb as well as in the Song of _Moses_.

Thus far have we proceeded in a way of Argument drawn from Scripture and the Reason of Things. Many Objections have been prevented, or sufficient Hints given for the Removal of them. Those that remain and seem to have any considerable Strength, shall be propos'd with an Attempt to answer them; for I would not have Christians venture upon the Practice of any thing in Divine Worship without due Knowledge and Conviction.

_Object_. 1. The Directions given for Psalmody in some Parts of the Old Testament, lead us to the Use of those Songs which are inspired, _Deut_. 31. 16, 19, &c. _And the Lord said unto_ Moses, _write ye this Song for you, and teach it the Children of_ Israel, _put it in their Mouths, that this Song may be a Witness for me against the Children of_ Israel; _for when I shall have brought them into the Land which I sware unto their Fathers, which floweth with Milk and Hony, &c. Then they will turn unto other Gods_. And in _Psal_. 81. 1, 2, 3, 4. Where we are required to worship God by Singing, we are not commanded to make a new Psalm, but to make one that is already made, for the words run {267} thus, _Sing aloud unto God our Strength, make a joyful Noise to the God of_ Jacob; _Take a Psalm and bring hither the Tymbrel, the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery, blow up the Trumpet in the New Moon, in the Time appointed, on our solemn Feast-Day, for this was a Statute for Israel, and a Law of the God of_ Jacob.

_Ans_. 1. I have cited these Texts at large wherein the Objection lies, that an Answer might appear plain in the Text to every Reader. How peculiarly do these Commands refer to the _Israelites_? The very Words of the Precept confine it to the _Jews_, to the Men that dwelt in _Canaan_, to the Worship that is paid with Tymbrels and Trumpets, to the Days of the New Moon, and solemn Jewish Festivals; and if we will insist upon there Scriptures as precise Rules of our present Duty and Worship, the Men that use Musical Instruments in a _Christian_ Church will take the same Liberty of returning to _Jewish_ ordinances, and use then same Text to defend them.

_Ans_. 2 But if we should grant our selves under the Gospel still obliged by these Commands, yet they do not bind us up intirely to inspired Forms of Singing, since the same sort of Expression is used concerning Prayer; Hos. 14. 2. _Take with you Words, and say unto the Lord, take away all Iniquity, and receive us graciously_, &c. Now who is there that esteems himself confin'd to use no other Prayer but scriptural Forms? In other Places, where these Duties are injoin'd, we are bid to pray, or to praise, or to sing; and why should we not be as much at Liberty to suit the Words and the Sense to our present Circumstances in Singing as well as Praying, or in praising with Verse as well as praising in Pros?

_Object_. 2. The examples of Scripture direct us to inspired Matter for Singing: _Deut_. 31. 21. Mosses _wrote this Song the same Day, and taught it the Children of Israel_. I _Chron_. 16. 7. David _delivered first this Song, to thank the Lord, into the Hand of_ Asaph _and {268} his Brethren_. Now in his dying Words, _the sweet Psalmist of Israel tells us, 2 Sam. 23. 1, 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his Word was in my Tongue_. And in the Days of _Hezekiah_, which was some Ages after _David_: 2 Chron. 29. 27, 28, 29, 30. Hezekia _commanded to offer the Burnt-Offering upon the Altar; and when the Burnt-Offering began, the Song of the Lord began also with the Trumpets and with the Instruments ordained by_ David _King of_ Israel, &c.. _Moreover_ Hezekiah _the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing Praise to the Lord, with the Words of_ David _and of_ Asaph _the Seer_.

_Answ_. There are nothing but Examples of _Jewish_, and very ceremonious Worship; Nor do they effectually prove, that the _Jews_ themselves were forbid upon all Occasions whatsoever to use more private Composures in their Synagogues, tho in the Temple 'tis probable that for the most part they sung inspired Psalms. But it must be remembred, that these Psalms are all suited to their Dispensation, and yet without doubt they chose such out of them from time to time as best fitted their present Case; and so will we Christians take as many of the Psalms of _David_ and other Scripture-Songs, as are suited to our Dispensation and our Circumstances; but there will be but very few in Comparison of what the antient Levites might use, especially if we must _sing the very words of_ David _and_ Asaph the Seer without Omission or Paraphrase.

Object. 3. We cannot pretend to make better spiritual Songs than the Spirit of God himself has made, therefore if we should neglect these, and sing humane Composures, we should incur the Censure of the prophet _Malachy_, Chap. 1. v. 13, 14. _Ye brought that which was torn, and the Lame, and the Sick, thus ye brought an Offering, saith the Lord, should I accept this of your Hands_?

Ans. 1. Can we pretend to make better Prayers {269} than the Spirit of God has made and scatter'd up and down thro' all the Old and New Testament? Can we compose better Sermons than _Moses_ or _Solomon_? Better than our Saviour and his Apostles preach'd, and the Spirit of God hath recorded? Why then should not we use Scripture Forms of praying and preaching, as well as of Singing? And tho we may hope for the ordinary Assistance of the Spirit in our Prayers and Sermons, yet how can we expect that these shall be as good as those which were compos'd by his extraordinary Inspiration?

Ans. 2. Divine Wisdom accommodates its Inspirations, its Gifts, its Revelations, and its Writings, to the particular Cases and Seasons in which he finds a Saint or a Church. Now tho we cannot pretend to make a better Prayer than that of _Ezra_ or _Daniel_, or our Lord, for the Day and Design for which they were prepared; yet a Song, a Sermon, or a Prayer that expresses my Wants, my Duties or my Mercies, tho it be compos'd by a humane Gift, is much better for me than to tie myself to any inspired Words in any part of Worship which do not reach my Case; and consequently can never be proper to assist the Exercise of my Graces or raise my Devotion.

Ans. 3. I believe that Phrases and Sentences used by inspired Writers are very proper to express our Thoughts in Prayer, Preaching or Praise; and God has frequently given Witness in the Hearts of Christians how much he approves the Language of Scripture; but 'tis always with a Proviso that those Phrases be clear, and expressive of our present Sense, and proper to our present Purpose: Yet we are not to dress up our Prayers, Sermons or Songs in the Language of _Judaism_ when we design to express the Doctrines of the Gospel: This would but _darken Divine Counsel by Words without Knowledge_; it would amuse and confound the more ignorant Worshipers, 'twould disgust the more Considerate, and give neither {270} the one nor the other Light or Comfort: And I think it may be as proper in our Churches to read a Sermon of _Moses_ or _Isaiah_ instead of preaching the Gospel, as to sing a Psalm of _David_ whose Expressions chiefly refer to _David_ the Shepherd, the King, the Fugitive, the Captain, the Musician and the _Jew_. In short the Prayers, Sermons and Songs in Scripture are rather Patterns by which we should frame our Worship and adjust it to our present Case, than Forms of Worship to which we should precisely and unchangeably confine our selves. And as Sermons which are conformable to the Holy Scripture in a large Sense may be called the _Word of God and the Word of Christ_, and are usally and justly so called if they are agreeable to the Scripture and drawn from thence; so Hymns of Humane Composure according to the Spirit and Doctrines of the Gospel may be as well termed the _Word of Christ_, which is the proper Matter for Christian Psalmody. _Col_. 3. 16. whereas in the strictest and most limited Sense of the Word nothing deserves that Title but the _Hebrew_ and _Greek_ Originals.

Object. 4. In the New Testament there are Promises of Divine Assistance to Ministers and private Christians in preaching the Gospel and in Prayer; But we have no Promise of the Spirit of God to help us to compose Psalms or Hymns for our private Use or for the Use of the Churches; and how can we practise in the Worship of God what we have no Promise of the holy Spirit to encourage and assist us in?

_Ans_. 1. There are many general Promises of the Presence of _Christ_ with his Ministers, and the Supply of his Spirit in the Discharge of all their Duties for the Edification of the Church: Now there are several Performances which are necessary for the Churches Edification, to which there is no peculiar Promise made of the Assistance of the Spirit in express Words: Such are, Translating the Bible into {271} our Mother-Tongue, Composing our Sermons or at least the Substance and Scheme of them before preaching, Writing pious and useful Treatises upon divine Subjects, and Diligent Reading and study of Books so written; nor is there any more express Encouragement to expect the Presence of the Spirit in turning the Psalms of _David_ into Rhime and Metre, than in composing new Spiritual Songs: And yet Ministers that are fitted for such Performances may pray and hope for Divine Assistance in them all, and trust in the general Promises for Help in particular Services.

_Ans_. 2. There is no need of these Gifts of Criticism or of Poesy for all Christians nor all Ministers, tho it seems necessary that some should be furnish'd with them. A few Persons in an Age or a Nation may translate the Scriptures into the National Language, and may compose a sufficient Number of Hymns to answer the chief Designs and Wants of the Church for that Day for publick Worship. Where there happen Occasions very particular, the Ministers of the Gospel are not or should not be so utterly destitute of common Ingenuity, as to be unable to compose or at least to collect a few tolerable Verses proper for such a Season.

_Object_. 5. We find no Instances in Scripture of humane Composures sung by the People of God; and 'tis not good to practise such pieces of Worship without a Precedent.

_Ans_. Whensoever there was just Occasion for an Hymn according to some new and special Providence, we almost every where find a new Song recorded in Scripture, and we call it inspired, nor do I know any just Reason to suspect or doubt of the Inspiration; but if there had been any one which was not the Effect of an extraordinary Gift but only compos'd by a good Man, we should be ready to take it for inspired because mention'd in Scripture; as we do too {272} many Expressions of the Saints in that divine History, and make every thing that a good Man saith Heavenly and Divine: However if there can be no Pretence made to such an Example in Scripture, yet so much Reason, Argument and Incouragement as hath been already drawn from Scripture sufficiently justifies this Practice, since we perform many Circumstantials of Worship under the Influence of a general Command without express and special Examples.

_Object_. 6. We ought to sing nothing to God but what is given us for this very End that it may be sung, lest we indulge Will-worship and the Inventions of Men.

_Ans._ 1. To convert the Verses of _David_ into English Lines, to confine them to an exact Number of Syllables, and to make Melody in particular Tunes, may as well be called the Inventions of Men and Will-Worship: But these Inventions are absolutely necessary for the Performance of Divine Commands, and for the Assistance of a whole Congregation to sing; with any tolerable Convenience, Order or Decency, as the Reverend Mr. _Boyse_ has well proved.

Ans. 2. Those that refuse to sing Forms of humane Composure tho the Sense be never so divine, generally allow it lawful to take any Parts of Scripture and alter and transpose the Words into a Form fit for Singing; But to take a mere Parable or Story out of the Bible, and put Some Rhimes onto the End of every Line of it, without giving it a new and pathetic Turn, is but a dull way of making spiritual Songs, and without a precedent too. _David_ did not deal so with _Genesis_ and _Exodus_, tho he loved the Words of the Law as well as we pretend to value the Words of the Gospels and Epistles. The most part of the New Testament as it stands in our Bible was never given us for Psalms, Hymns and spiritual Songs; but for divine Instruction and Materials for this and other Duties, that so we might borrow the Doctrines and {273} Discoveries of the New Testament, and compose Sermons and Songs out of them: But if we take Chapters and Verses promiscuously out of the New Testament, and make them jingle and rhime, and so sing them, we are guilty of singing what God never commanded to be sung, as much as if we compos'd spiritual Songs by humane Art agreeable to the Sense of Scripture and the Christian Faith.

If the Addition of humane Testimony concerning the Practice of Churches in former or later Ages might have any influence to establish the Consciences of those who are doubtful in this Matter, I might acquaint them that the Churches of _Germany_ and the _Eastland_ Churches, use many Divine Hymns which are compos'd on several Subjects of the Christian Religion, without any Pretence to extraordinary Gifts. The Church of _England_ approves this Practice, as appears in those Spiritual Songs at the End of the old Translation of the Psalm-Book, and some Churches among the Dissenters. The _Christians of the first Ages were wont to meet together on a Day appointed before it was Light, and to speak a Song to Christ as to God_. Thus _Pliny_ the _Roman_ testifies in a Letter to _Trajan_ the Emperour in the Beginning of the second Century. _Tertullian_, who flourish'd about the Beginning of the Third Century, relating the Manner of Administration of the Lord's Supper, asserts _That after they had eat and drank what was sufficient for those that must worship God by Night, &c. Every one was urged to sing unto God publickly either out of the holy Scriptures, or according to their own Genius and Ability_, Apol. C. 39. _Origen_, who flourish'd in the Middle of the Third Century, speaks of _singing Hymns or Praise to the Father in or by Christ in good Rhime, Tune, Metre and Harmony. Origen de Orat. Sect. 6. _Eusebius_, B. 7. C. 19. quotes _Dionisius_ writing against Nepos thus, _Altho I heartily love _Nepos_ for his Faith, his Study of Knowledge and the holy Scriptures, as well as {274} for various Psalms and Hymns composed by him, which are used to this Day by some Brethren, yet, &c. In the Acts of the Council of _Antioch_ mention'd by _Eusebius_, B.7. C.30. It was one of the Accusations of _Paulus Samosatenus_ the Heretick Bishop of _Antioch_, that he _abolished those Psalms which were wont to be sung to the Honour of the Lord Jesus Christ as novel and compos'd by Modern Authors, and that he appointed Women on Easter Day in the Middle of the Church to sing Psalms in his Praise_. And in the Fragment of an anonymous Author extant in _Eusebius_ we find the Heresy of _Artemon_, who denied the Divinity of Christ, confuted not only by the Scriptures and the Writings of the precedent Fathers, but also by the _Psalms and Hymns of the Brethren which were formerly compos'd by them, wherein they sung Praises to the WORD of God, declaring Christ to be God_. Such a private composed Hymn was that which _Clemens Alexandrinus_ mentions as one commonly known among the Christians in his Days, beginning _Kaire Phos_, or _Hail Light_. _Spanheim_ in his sixth Chapter of the fourth Century of his Christian History speaks thus, _Besides Hymns and Songs, and private Psalms, of which there was a great Number in their solemn Assemblies, the Psalm Book of_ David _was brought into the Western Church in this Age in the Time of_ Damasus _and_ Ambrose; _but in the Eastern Church the singing of_ David _'s Psalter by Antiphona's or Responses was brought in by_ Flavianus Antiochenus. The Use of Psalms compos'd by private Persons seems not to be forbidden in the Church till the Council of _Laodicea_ in the fourth Century.

CONCLUSION.

THUS have I drawn together my Thoughts upon this Subject at the Request of several Ministers and private Christians who practise Psalmody in this Method themselves, and sing the Songs of the {275} Lamb as well as the Psalms of _David_ in their publick and private Worship, and especially at the Celebration of the Lord's Supper. I had design'd and almost prepar'd a larger Discourse, wherein the Duty of Singing and the Manner of Performance would have been consider'd. But this Essay has already swell'd beyond the Bulk propos'd: There are many that would rejoice to see Evangelic Songs more universally encouraged to the Honour of their Lord _Jesus_, and to the Joy and Consolation of their Fellow-saints. If the Spirit of God shall make any of these Arguments I have used successful to attain this glorious End, I shall take pleasure in the Release of their Souls from that part of _Judaism_ which they have so long indulged. I hope the Difficulties that appear'd frightful and discouraging will be lost, and vanish by a diligent and fair Perusal of what is written; yet those that pay a sacred Reverence to the Inspired Writings, may still find it hard to yield to the Conviction; Scruples and Reliques of an old Opinion will perhaps hang about their Consciences still: A Fear and Jealousy of admitting any Forms humane Composure in the Worship of Singing will scarce permit their Lips to practise that to which their Understandings have given their Assent. I would intreat such to give this Discourse a thoughtful Review; and tho they may not judge every Argument conclusive, nor every Objection sufficiently remov'd, yet if there be but one unanswerable Reason it ought to be attended to; and the whole put together may give such Light and Satisfaction as may incourage the Practice of this Duty. 'Tis very easy to make Cavils and Replies to the strongest Reasonings; but let us have a Care lest we rob our Souls and the Churches of those Divine Comforts of evangelic Psalmody, by a Fondness of our old and preconceived Opinions. _He that believeth may eat all Things_, and should not be forbidden: He may partake of _Flesh {276} and drink Wine_; he may tast of the various Pleasure of the Gospel, and sing the New Song: _Another who is weak eateth Herbs_, and satisfies himself with ancient Melody. _Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not_, and _let not him which eateth not judge him which eateth, for God hath received him_, Rom. 14. 2.

If the Hymns and spiritual Songs which are here presented to the World are so unhappy as to discourage the Design of this Essay, I will censure and reprove them my self: If they are condemned as being unsuitable to the Capacity or Experience of plain Christians, I will easily confess a Variety of Faults in them; 'twas hard to restrain my Verse always within the Bounds of my Design; 'Twas hard to sink every Line to the Level of a whole Congregation, and yet to keep it above Contempt. However among so great a Number of Songs I hope there will be some found that speak the very Language, and Desires and Sense of the meanest Souls, and will be an Assistance to their Joy and Worship. The Blemishes of the rest may serve to awaken some more pious and judicious Fancy to a more successful Attempt; and whoever shall have the Honour of such a Performance, I promise my self a large Share in the Pleasure. But we must despair of hearing the _New Song of the Lamb_ in its Perfection and Glory, till _Babylon the Great is fallen, and the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ_, till _the New Heavens and the New Earth_ appear, till _all the former things are passed away, and all things are made New_.