2. I further answer that the work of the day being done according to the primitive use, it will be no excessive labour to the Minister: Because in the Celebration of the Lords Supper, he is not still in one continued speech, but hath the intermission of Action, and useth shorter Speeches which do not so much spend him. And the people bear a considerable part, to wit, in Gods praises, which were spoken then in their laudatory tone, and are now uttered by the singing of Psalms (which should not be the least part of the work.) And though their manner of singing was not like ours, in Rhythms and Tunes melodiously, (as neither were the Hebrew, Greek or Latin Poems so sung;) but as most think, more like to our Cathedral singing, or saying; yet it followeth not that this is the best way for us, seeing use hath made our Tunes and Metre, and way of singing more meet for the ends to which we use them, that is, for the cheerful consent of all the Church; Neither should any think that it is a humane unlawful invention, and a sinful change, to turn the old way of singing (used in Scripture times and long after) into ours; For the old way of singing was not a Divine institution, ⟨p. 98⟩but a use; and several Countries had their several uses herein: And God commandeth us but to Praise him, and sing Psalms, but doth not tell us what metre or tunes we shall use, or manner of singing, but leaveth this to the use and convenience of every Country: And if our way and tunes be to us by custom more convenient than those of other Nations in Scripture times, we have no reason to forsake them, and return to the old (Though yet the old way is not to be judged a thing forbidden.) And we see that custom hath so far prevailed with us, that many thousand Religious people, do cheerfully sing Psalms in the Church in our Tunes and way, who cannot endure to sing in the Cathedral or the ancient Scripture or primitive way, nor to use so much as the Laudatory Responses.
2. I further answer that the work of the day being done according to the primitive use, it will be no excessive labour to the Minister: Because in the Celebration of the Lords Supper, he is not still in one continued speech, but hath the intermission of Action, and useth shorter Speeches which do not so much spend him. And the people bear a considerable part, to wit, in Gods praises, which were spoken then in their laudatory tone, and are now uttered by the singing of Psalms (which should not be the least part of the work.) And though their manner of singing was not like ours, in Rithmes and Tunes mel•diously, (as neither were the Hebrew, Greek or Latine Poems so sung;) but as most think, more like to our Cathedral singing, or saying; yet it followeth not that this is the best way for us, seeing use hath made our Tunes and Meeter, and way of singing more meet for the ends to which we use them, that is, for the chearful consent of all the Church; Neither should any think that it is a humane unlawful invention, and a sinful change, to turn the old way of singing (used in Scripture times and long after) into ours; For the old way of singing was not a Divine institution, ⟨p. 98⟩but a use; and several Countreys had their several uses herein: And God commandeth us but to Praise him, and sing Psalmes, but doth not tell us what meeter or tunes we shall use, or manner of singing, but leaveth this to the use and convenience of every Countrey: And if our way and tunes be to us by custome more convenient than those of other Nations in Scripture times, we have no reason to forsake them, and return to the old (Though yet the old way is not to be judged a thing forbidden.) And we see that custome hath so far prevailed with us, that many thousand Religious people, do cheerfully sing Psalmes in the Church in our Tunes and way, who cannot endure to sing in the Cathedral or the ancient Scripture or primitive way, nor to use so much as the Laudatory Responses.
