A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

¹In the Ordinance of Singing, we must not make Noise, but Music; and the Heart must make Melody to the Lord. So the Text. Augustine complained of some in his time, That they minded more the Tune than the Truth; more the Manner than the Matter; more the Governing of the Voice, than the Raisedness of the Mind: And this was a great offence to him. Singing of Psalms must only be the joyous breathing of a raised Soul; and here the cleanness of the Heart is more considerable than the clearness of the Voice. In this Service we must study more to act the Christian than the Musician. Many in singing of Psalms are like the Organs, whose Pipes are filled only with Wind. The Apostle, Col. 3.16. tells us, we must sing with our Heart. We must sing David's Psalms with David's Spirit. One tells us, God is a Spirit; and he will be worshipped in Spirit even in this duty.

¹In the Ordinance of Singing, we must not make Noise, but Musick; and the Heart must make Melody to the Lord. So the Text. Augustine complained of some in his time, That they minded more the Tune than the Truth; more the Manner than the Matter; more the Governing of the Voice, than the Raisedness of the Mind: And this was a great offence to him. Singing of Psalms must only be the joyous breathing of a raised Soul; and here the cleanness of the Heart is more considerable than the clearness of the Voice. In this Service we must study more to act the Christian than the Musitian. Many in singing of Psalms are like the Organs, whose Pipes are filled only with Wind. The Apostle, Col. 3.16. tells us, we must sing with our Heart. We must sing David's Psalms with David's Spirit. One tells us, God is a Spirit; and he will be worshipped in Spirit even in this duty.

1. 1Doct. Non franges vocem, sed frange voluntatem, non serves tantùm Consonantiam Vocum, sed concordium Mo um. Bern. Aug.