The banqueting-house, or, A feast of fat things a divine poem, opening many sacred…The banquetting-house, or, A feast of fat things a divine poem, opening many sacred…

Had I not wrote so lately in Justification of pre-composed Hymns taken out of God's Word, I should have spoken fully to it here. We are exhorted to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and since we have none left in Form in the Scripture, it follows, that those who God hath gifted ⟨image 6⟩that way, ought to compose them; for a Hymn or Song cannot be without its Form. Certainly God doth not enjoin a Duty on us, that he hath not left sufficient Rule how to come at it, nor have we any ground to expect the extraordinary Gift any more.

Had I not wrote so lately in Justification of pre-composed Hymns taken out of God's Word, I should have spoken fully to it here. We are exhorted to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and since we have none left in Form in the Scripture, it follows, that those who God hath gifted ⟨image 6⟩that way, ought to compose them; for a Hymn or Song cannot be without its Form. Certainly God doth not enjoyn a Duty on us, that he hath not left sufficient Rule how to come at it, nor have we any ground to expect the extraordinary Gift any more.

Nor is there, as I have lately shown, any more reason to object against compiling Sacred Hymns to be sung out of the Word of Christ, than there is to object against pre-compiled Sermons that are to be preached, though I am satisfied the Lord doth enjoin his Churches to sing the Psalms of David, both in Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. we reading, of ⟨image 7⟩no other Psalms but the Book of Psalms; so by Hymns and Spiritual Songs I see no reason to doubt but he intends all Sacred Hymns, &c. taken out of the holy Scripture by the help of God's Spirit. Mr. Marlow cites a Passage out of Learned Ainsworth, as if he favoured his Notion of Praising God only without Vocal Singing; yet I have lately met with a Book of that worthy Man on the Psalms of David, where I find him speaking thus, These Psalms (saith he) have ever since by the Church of Israel, by Christ and his Apostles, and by the Saints in all Ages, been received and honoured as the Oracles of God, cited for Confirmation of true Religion, and sung in the public