The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,…

1. Because, as I said even now, all Gospel-Ordinances ⟨p. 63⟩were witnessed to by the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost, in the Apostles days; and so likewise they had extraordinary Gifts to discharge those Duties respectively.

1. They had an extraordinary Gift of Prayer, extraordinary Gifts to Preach and handle a Doctrine; the like in Interpreting and Prophesying, so no doubt likewise for Singing. But if after these extraordinary Gifts ceased in the Church, the Saints were to sing no more, but leave off that Ordinance, notwithstanding the Churches are enjoined to sing by the Holy Ghost:

Pray consider the direful Consequences of such an absurd Conclusion, i. e. the Apostles had an extraordinary Spirit, nay, an infallible Spirit, in Preaching, in Praying, in Prophesying, in Interpreting the Scripture; and in the whole of their Work, in the Administration of the Gospel, in respect of every Duty and Ordinance thereof; these are all ceased, since none have these miraculous Gifts now. From hence it will follow, There's none now can, or ought to Preach, Pray, Interpret, &c. or dispense any one Ordinance of the Gospel, &c. Nay, and 'tis not unknown to many, there are some have lately made use of this Argument against all Ordinances: And this I will say, and by the help of God stand by it too, That if Singing must be rejected or thrown away, by virtue of this Argument, viz. Because none have an extraordinary Gift to bring […] forth, all Ordinances are gone, or must be cast off. God deliver ⟨p. 64⟩poor Christians from the pernicious Arguings of such weak Opposers of Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Besides, 'tis evident, none of those Duties and Gospel-Administrations, were tied up to such who […] those extraordinary Gifts, but that others who had but the ordinary Gifts, might and ought to attend upon the Administration of the same Duties and Ordinances, as well as those so miraculously endowed: for the main Business the Apostle strives to do there, was not to order the Matter of the Worship of the Gospel, but to regulate the Manner how those extraordinary Gifts in the Church should be used to prevent Confusion; and that all might be done to edification of the People, whilst God saw good to continue them in his Church. Doubtless there cannot be a stronger Argument brought to prove and confirm this Ordinance. The Holy Ghost inspired the Saints with Miracles, Gifts of the Spirit, to bring forth a Psalm, as well as to bring forth a Doctrine; and so witnessed to it, and established it as a standing Ordinance in the Church, as being of the same Nature and Authority with Prayer and Preaching, or any other Gospel-Institution. I will close this with one Argument.