A34693:95
Singing of Psalms a Gospel-ordinance, or, A TreatiseSinging of Psalmes a Gospel-ordinance, or, A Treatise
Singing of Psalms a Gospel-ordinance, or, A Treatise wherein are handled these particulars 1. Touching the duty itself, 2. Touching the matter to be sung, 3. Touching the singers, 4. Touching the manner of singing / by John Cotton ...Singing of Psalmes a Gospel-ordinance, or, A Treatise wherein are handled these particulars 1. Touching the duty itselfe, 2. Touching the matter to be sung, 3. Touching the singers, 4. Touching the manner of singing / by John Cotton ...
London: printed for J.R., 1650
OF THE SINGING OF PSALMS. › Chapter 5OF THE SINGING OF PSALMES. › Chapter 5
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. 1. Both these Reasons are too slender to confine Davids Psalms to Temple-worship. For 1. Though some of Davids Psalms were appointed to be sung by the Officers and Musical Instruments of the Temple, yet not above one part of three, considering the length of the 119. Psalm. There be an hundred and fifty Psalms in all, and of all these not above 57. are appointed to be sung by the Officers and Instruments of the Temple: and Psalm 119. is none of them; so that two parts of three are free from any express reference to the Temple.
Answ. 1. Both these Reasons are too slender to confine Davids Psalmes to Temple-worship. For 1. Though some of Davids Psalmes were appointed to be sung by the Officers and Musicall Instruments of the Temple, yet not above one part of three, considering the length of the 119. Psalme. There be an hundred and fiftie Psalmes in all, and of all these not above 57. are appointed to be sung by the Officers and Instruments of the Temple: and Psalme 119. is none of them; so that two parts of three are free from any expresse reference to the Temple.
2. The matter of some Psalms doth evidently argue, they were not appointed to be sung always in the Temple; or at least did agree more properly to other times then those, wherein the Temple stood. The 74th Psalm (which was a Psalm of Asaph, but joined with the Psalms of David) complained that the enemies had sent Gods Sanctuary into the fire, (as the Hebrew words be) and had defiled by casting down the dwelling place of her Name to the ground, ver. 7. The 44th Psalm, though it was committed to the sons of Corah, yet surely it was chiefly intended (as Paul applieth ⟨p. 23⟩part of it) to the times of the New Testament; For I suppose it could never be verified of any times of the Jewish Temple, (first, or second) that ever God gave up the people of Israel as sheep for meat, to be killed all the day, to be appointed for the slaughter to be sore broken in the place of Dragons, and covered with the shadow of death, when as yet though all this evil was come upon them, they had not forgotten their God, nor dealt falsely in his Covenant; nor their hearts turned back, nor their steps declined from his way ver. 7. to 23. Paul indeed acknowledgeth this very word to be accomplished in the Saints of the Primitive Churches in the Apostles times, (