aciously_, &c. Now who
is there that esteems himself confin'd to use no other Prayer but
scriptural Forms? In other Places, where these Duties are injoin'd, we
are bid to pray, or to praise, or to sing; and why should we not be as
much at Liberty to suit the Words and the Sense to our present
Circumstances in Singing as well as Praying, or in praising with Verse
as well as praising in Pros?

_Object_. 2. The examples of Scripture direct us to inspired Matter for
Singing: _Deut_. 31. 21. Mosses _wrote this Song the same Day, and
taught it the Children of Israel_. I _Chron_. 16. 7. David _delivered
first this Song, to thank the Lord, into the Hand of_ Asaph _and {268}
his Brethren_. Now in his dying Words, _the sweet Psalmist of Israel
tells us, 2 Sam. 23. 1, 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his
Word was in my Tongue_. And in the Days of _Hezekiah_, which was some
Ages after _David_: 2 Chron. 29. 27, 28, 29, 30. Hezekia _commanded to
offer the Burnt-Offering upon the Altar; and when the Burnt-Offering
began, the Song of the Lord began also with the Trumpets and with the
Instruments ordained by_ David _King of_ Israel, &c.. _Moreover_
Hezekiah _the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing Praise
to the Lord, with the Words of_ David _and of_ Asaph _the Seer_.

_Answ_. There are nothing but Examples of _Jewish_, and very
ceremonious Worship; Nor do they effectually prove, that the _Jews_
themselves were forbid upon all Occasions whatsoever to use more
private Composures in their Synagogues, tho in the Temple 'tis probable
that for the most part they sung inspired Psalms. But it must be
remembred, that these Psalms are all suited to their Dispensation, and
yet without doubt they chose such out of them from time to time as best
fitted their present Case; and so will we Christians take as many of
the Psalms of _David_ and other Scripture-Songs, as are suited to our
Dispensation and our Circumstances; but there will be but very few in
Comparison of what the antient Levites might use, especially if we must
_sing the very words of_ David _and_ Asaph the Seer without Omission
or Paraphrase.

Object. 3. We cannot pretend to make better spiritual Songs than the
Spirit of God himself has made, therefore if we should neglect these,
and sing humane Composures, we should incur the Censure of the prophet
_Malachy_, Chap. 1. v. 13, 14. _Ye brought that which was torn, and the
Lame, and the Sick, thus ye brought an O