Singing of Psalms a Gospel-ordinance, or, A TreatiseSinging of Psalmes a Gospel-ordinance, or, A Treatise

Answ. 1. The Directions given in that Epistle to the Church of Corinth, we willingly grant are Precedential to all the Churches, as well as the Directions given in other Epistles to other Churches. And the Directions there given be, that in dispensing spiritual gifts, Prophecy be preferred before Tongues, nor any Tongues dispensed without interpretation; That order be observed without confusion; That divers may speak without interruption; That no man may speak without subjection; That women be not permitted to speak unto usurpation; That all things be done to edification. And all these Directions are Precedential to all such Churches as have received the like gifts. But there is no direction given to the Church of Corinth, or any other, that every man should have a gift of tongues, or a gift of compiling a Psalm; or if he have a gift of compiling a Psalm for his private use by an ordinary Spirit, that then he should present it to be sung before the whole Church, and the Church to say Amen to his Psalm. For the gift of Psalms, which the Apostle there speaketh of, was not an ordinary gift to compile some spiritual Ditty in verse, but extraordinary, as joined with the gift of strange Tongues. For it appeareth by the Context, that the gift of Tongues was used by the Members of the Church of Corinth, four ways: 1. In speaking mysteries, ver. 2. 2. In prayer, ver. 14. 3. In singing, ver. 15. 4. In thanksgiving, ver. 17. So that the singing there mentioned, was by an extraordinary gift, as the Tongues were, in which it was dispensed.

Answ. 1. The Directions given in that Epistle to the Church of Corinth, we willingly grant are Precedentiall to all the Churches, as well as the Directions given in other Epistles to other Churches. And the Directions there given be, that in dispensing spirituall gifts, Prophecy be preferred before Tongues, nor any Tongues dispensed without interpretation; That order be observed without confusion; That divers may speake without interruption; That no man may speake without subjection; That women be not permitted to speake unto usurpation; That all things be done to edification. And all these Directions are Precedentiall to all such Churches as have received the like gifts. But there is no direction given to the Church of Corinth, or any other, that every man should have a gift of tongues, or a gift of compiling a Psalme; or if he have a gift of compiling a Psalme for his private use by an ordinary Spirit, that then he should present it to be sung before the whole Church, and the Church to say Amen to his Psalme. For the gift of Psalmes, which the Apostle there speaketh of, was not an ordinary gift to compile some spirituall Ditty in verse, but extraordinary, as joyned with the gift of strange Tongues. For it appeareth by the Context, that the gift of Tongues was used by the Members of the Church of Corinth, foure wayes: 1. In speaking mysteries, ver. 2. 2. In prayer, ver. 14. 3. In singing, ver. 15. 4. In thankesgiving, ver. 17. So that the singing there mentioned, was by an extraordinary gift, as the Tongues were, in which it was dispensed.