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

Answ. Though Prayer and Preaching do hold forth spiritual gifts, yet all the Duties that tend to edification, do not hold forth spiritual gifts, but some of them common gifts only. The reading of the Scriptures tendeth to edification, as being it self an Ordinance of God, though exposition afterwards be added also, which is another Ordinance, Deut, 31.11, 12, 13. And yet reading of the Scriptures is no spiritual gift. Aquila, and Symmachus, and Theodotian, translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, and yet none of them were endued with spiritual gifts, or at best but common. To say Amen at the end of a public Prayer, tendeth to edification; and yet Amen may be said without holding forth any spiritual gift.

Answ. Though Prayer and Preaching doe hold forth spirittuall gifts, yet all the Duties that tend to edification, doe not hold forth spirituall gifts, but some of them common gifts onely. The reading of the Scriptures tendeth to edification, as being it selfe an Ordinance of God, though exposition afterwards be added also, which is another Ordinance, Deut, 31.11, 12, 13. And yet reading of the Scriptures is no spirituall gift. Aquila, and Symmachus, and Theodotian, translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greeke, and yet none of them were endued with spirituall gifts, or at best but common. To say Amen at the end of a publique Prayer, tendeth to edification; and yet Amen may be said without holding forth any spirituall gift.

But that which is ground of your scruple seemeth to be this, that that which is no gift of Grace, how can it redound to the Praise of Grace?

But the Answer is ready, that such things as help either the understanding, or the affection, and are appointed of God for his worship; they do tend to edification, and so to the praise of grace, though they may be performed by a gift of God in Nature or art, without any spiritual gift of Grace: Translation of the Scriptures into the Mother-Tongue, and the reading of them in a known tongue, do both of them help the understanding: and being appointed of God, they tend to the edification of the people in the Grace of Christ. The translating of the Psalms into verse, in number, measure, and meter, and suiting the Ditty with apt Tunes, do help to stir up the affection: And the singing of Psalms being appointed of God, they tend to make a gracious melody to the Praise of God and edification of his People. The sound of Aaron's Bells, and the blast of the silver Trumpets, and the workmanship of Hiram the Tyrian in Solomons Temple, did none of them hold forth any spiritual gift of grace: The gift of God in Nature and Art might each them all. Yet all these being appointed by God, the putting forth of these gifts did tend to the edification of the Church of God in the Grace of Christ.