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

Object. 2. It is one of the peculiar privileges of the Church, that the public dispensation of the Word is committed only to them, Rom. 3.2. & 9.4. But singing for the matter of it, is nothing else, but the word, Col. 3.16. And the act of singing in public, is the public dispensation of it.

Object. 2. It is one of the peculiar priviledges of the Church, that the publique dispensation of the Word is committed onely to them, Rom. 3.2. & 9.4. But singing for the matter of it, is nothing else, but the word, Col. 3.16. And the act of singing in publique, is the publique dispensation of it.

Answ. 1. The public dispensation of the Word, to wit, by Preaching, that is, by exposition and application of the word, and that in way of office, is committed only to the Church, and to some select members of the Church, chiefly for the Churches sake, though the benefit thereof may redound also to men without. But the public dispensation of the word is not so confined to the Church, but that occasionally men without may publicly as well as privately, dispense the counsel and will of God both to the Church▪ and to men out of the Church. And it may be a sin ⟨p. 47⟩both in Gods people and in others, not to hearken to it. Pharaoh Necho (though neither Israelite nor Proselyte) yet by his Ambassadors did publicly declare the counsel of God to Josiah: and it was a dangerous sin in Josiah, that he did not hearken to the words of Necho, which the Text saith, were from the mouth of God,