1. That they may be sung may be proved by reason ; the word limiteth not, and therefore we have no reason to make any restraint. They are part of the word of God, full of matter that tendeth to instruction, comfort, and the praise of God, which are the ends of singing ; and therefore, unless we will bring a disparagement upon the scriptures, we cannot deny them a ])art in our spiritual mirth. Besides, thus it hath been practised by Christ himself, by the apostles, the servants of the Lord in all ages ; and there is no reason why, in these dregs of time, we should obtrude novel restraints upon the people of God. That Christ himself sang scripture psalms may be probably collected out of Mat. xxvi. 30, 'Tfivi'iaavre^;, ' when they had sung a hymn,' &c. ; which hymn, that it was one or more of David's psalms, may be proved by these reasons to those that do not wrangle rather than scru})le. (1.) By the custom of the Jews ; they were wont to end the paschal supper with solemn psalms or hymns ; they sang six psalms in the night of the passover, when the lamb was eaten ; the p.salms were cxiii. to cxix., which were called by the Jews the Great Hallelujah, as Lucas 13rugensis, Scaliger, Buxtorf, and others skilled in their customs do inform us ; and it is more than I)robable that Christ followed their custom herein, because in all other things he observed their usual passover rites. (2.) From the word itself, they sang a hymn. Now what shall we understand by this but such a hymn as was usual in that age ? If any should report the
^ ' Post aquam manualem et lumina, ut quisque de scripturis vel proprio ingenio potest, provocatur in medium Deo canere.' — 2'ertul, in ApoL, cap. 29. See the notes of Pamelius on that place.
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manner of our assemblies, and should say after such exercises they sang a psalm, without any other description, what can rationally be understood but the psalms in use amongst us ? Now the psalms or hymns then in use were the psalms of David. (3.) The evangelists specify no new hymn made for this purpose, who are wont to mention matters of far less moment and concernment. Grotius, indeed, is singular, and thinketh that the 17th of John was this hymn ; but that is a solemn prayer, not in metre or measured words, hath not the style of other hymns and songs ; and those words were spoken by Jesus alone, the disciples could not so properly join in them : ' These words spake Jesus, and lift up his eyes/ &c., John xvii. 1.
That hymn which Paul and Silas sang, Acts xvi. 25, was probably also a scriptural hymn ; such were used in that age. Certainly it must be such a hymn as both were acquainted with, or else how could they sing it together ? If the practice of the apostles may be inter- preted by their instructions, the case will be clear. In Col. iii. 16, and Eph. v. 19, Paul biddeth us ' speak to one another, i/raX/iot? koX v/xvoi<; Kol (oSai<i Trvev/jLarLKai^;, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.' Now these words (which are the known division of David's psalms, and expressly answering to the Hebrew words Shurim, TehilUm, and Mizmorim, by which his psalms are distinguished and entituled), being so precisely used by the apostle in both places, do plainly point us to the Book of Psalms.
2. Scripture psalms not only may be sung, but are fittest to be used in the church, as being indited by an infallible and unerring Spirit, and are of a more diffusive and unlimited concernment than the private dictates of any particular person or spirit in the church. It is impossible any should be df such a large heart as the penmen of the word, to whom God vouchsafed such a public, high, and infallible conduct ; and therefore theh excellent composures and addresses to God being recorded and consigned to the use of the church for ever, it seemeth a wonderful arrogance and presumption in any to pretend to make better, or that their private and rash effusions will be more edifying. Certainly if we consult with our own experience, we have little cause to grow weary of David's psalms, those that pretend to the gift of psalmony, venting such wild, raw, and indigested stuff, belch- ing out revenge and passion, and mingling their private quarrels and interests with the public worship of God. But suppose men of known holiness and ability should be called to this task, and the matter propounded to be sung be good and holy, yet certainly then men are like to suffer loss in their reverence and affection, it being impossible that they should have such absolute assurance and high esteem of persons ordinarily gifted as of those infallibly assisted. Therefore, upon the whole matter, I should pronounce, that so much as an infallible gift doth excel a common gift, so much do scriptural psalms excel those that are of a private composure.
Thirdly^ There are divers other lesser scruples which I shall handle briefly. Some will have no singing with the voice at all, because the apostle saith, 'singing within your hearts.' Ay ! but the apostle saith there too, ' speaking to yourselves.' The inward part must not exclude the outward ; the lively voice doth not only give vent to affections, but in-