Kingdom of our _Lord Jesus_, and these are
lawful to be sung in a Christian Church; I am glad that our Friends of
a different Opinion will submit to sing any thing that belongs to the
Gospel; I rejoice that the Bible hath any such Pieces of Christian
Psalmody in it; lest everything that is Evangelical should utterly be
excluded from this Worship, by those who will sing nothing but what
is inspired; but how seldom are these Gospel-Songs used among our
Churches? how little respect is paid to 'em in comparison of the Jewish
Psalms? how little mention would ever be made of them, if it were not
to defend the Patrons of Jewish Psalmody from the gross Absurdity of an
entire Return to Judaism in this Part of Worship? But give me leave
also to add, that these Christian Hymns are but very short, and very
few; nor do they contain a hundredth Part of those glorious Revelations
that are made to us by _Christ Jesus_ and his Apostles; nor can we
suppose God excludes all other Parts of the Gospel from Verse and
Singing.

Most express words of Scripture furnish me with a _Third_ Argument,
_Eph_. 5. 19, 20. & _Col_. 3. 16, 17. Which are the two chief Commands
of the New Testament for Singing; both bid us _make Melody, and give
Thanks to God the Father, in the Name of our {261} Lord Jesus Christ_.
This is one of the Glories of Gospel-Worship, that all must be offer'd
to the Father in his Name. So very particular is our _Lord Jesus_ in
this Command, that his last Sermon to his Disciples mentions it four
times, _John_ 14. 13, 14. & 16. 23, 24. Nov why should we make
Conscience of praying in the Name of _Christ_ always, and offer up our
Praises in his Name when we speak in Prose? And yet when we give Thanks
in Verse, we almost bind our selves to take no more notice of the Name
of _Christ_ than _David_ or _Moses_ did. Why should every part of
Divine Worship under the Gospel be express'd in Language suited to that
Gospel (_viz_.) Praying, Preaching, Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and
yet when we perform that part of Worship which brings us nearest to the
heavenly State, we must run back again to the Law to borrow Materials
for this Service? And when we are employ'd in the Work of Angels, we
talk the Language of the Infant-Church, and speak in Types and Shadows?
While we bind our selves to the Words of _David_ when he inclines his
Ear to a Parable, and opens his dark saying upon the Harp, Psal. 49. 4.
we have given too great Countenance to thos