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

3. It is spoken without warrant of Antiquity, that Ambrose and Augustine took up the practise of singing Davids Psalms from Flavianus and Diodorus. For neither did they bring it in, (as was shown out of Tertullian;) nor is the slackness of some Churches in receiving an Ordinance, a just exception against the Ordinance, but rather a just reprehension of their negligence. And so much doth Augustine confess in his 119 Epistle, chap. 18. Where speaking of this practise of singing of Psalms, though it be, saith he, so useful to the stirring up of the heart in godliness, and to kindle the affection of divine reading: yet the custom of Churches is divers about it, and the most members of the African Churches, Pigriora sunt, have been more slothful in receiving it. Insomuch that the Donatists do reprehend us, that we sing soberly the divine Songs of the Prophets, whereas they inflame their drunkenness (as it were) by a Trumpet of exhortation to the singing of Psalms, composed by their own humane wit.

3. It is spoken without warrant of Antiquity, that Ambrose and Augustine tooke up the practise of singing Davids Psalmes from Flavianus and Diodorus. For neither did they bring it in, (as was shewen out of Tertullian;) nor is the slacknesse of some Churches in receiving an Ordinance, a just exception against the Ordinance, but rather a just reprehension of their negligence. And so much doth Augustine confesse in his 119 Epistle, chap. 18. Where speaking of this practise of singing of Psalmes, though it be, saith he, so usefull to the stirring up of the heart in godlinesse, and to kindle the affection of divine reading: yet the custome of Churches is divers about it, and the most members of the African Churches, Pigriora sunt, have been more sloathfull in receiving it. In somuch that the Donatists doe reprehend us, that wee sing soberly the divine Songs of the Prophets, whereas they inflame their drunkennesse (as it were) by a Trumpet of exhortation to the singing of Psalmes, composed by their own humane wit.

By which reproof of the Donatists, it may appear that the custom of singing Davids Psalms was in use in the African Churches, and in Milan also of former times; and that the Custom brought into the Church of Milan to keep the people awake in their night Watches against the Arian violence, was the singing of Psalms after the Eastern manner, with more curiosity of Music, and one side of the Singers answering another. And of this is Augustine to be understood in the ninth book of his Confessions, chap. 7.