4. We are commanded in the New Testament to sing psalms; and we are not commanded to compose new ones; nor can every one make psalms, who is commanded to sing psalms. And if it be lawful to sing psalms of our own or our neighbour's making, much more of God's making by his Spirit in his prophets.[370]
Object. They are not suitable to all our cases, nor to all in the assembly.
Answ. 1. We may use them in that measure of suitableness to our cases which they have. You may join with a man in prayer who expresseth part of your wants, though he express not all. Else you must join with no man in the world.
2. If ungodly men are present when the faithful speak to God, must we not speak our proper case, because they are present? The minister in church administrations speaketh principally in the name of the faithful, and not of hypocrites. Must he leave out of his prayers all that is proper to the godly, merely because some wicked men are there? No more must the church do in singing unto God.
3. They that cannot speak every word in a psalm just as their own case, may yet speak it as instructive; otherwise they might not read or say it.
But the sectarian objections against singing David's psalms are so frivolous, that I will not tire the reader with any more.[371]
[370] Matt. xxvi. 30; Mark xiv. 26; Luke iv. 16; vi. 6; John vi. 59; xviii. 20; Mark i. 21, 23, 29; iii. 1; vi. 2; 1 Chron. xvi. 7; Psal. xcv. 2; cv. 2; James v. 13; 1 Chron. xvi. 9.
[371] James v. 13; Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16.
Quest. CXXV. May psalms be used as prayers, and praises, and thanksgivings, or only as instructive? even the reading as well as the singing of them?
Answ. The sober reader who knoweth not what errors others hold, will marvel that I trouble men with such questions. But I have oft been troubled with those that (having no other shift to deny the lawfulness of written and set forms of prayer) do affirm that psalms are neither to be read or sung at all as prayers, but only as doctrinal scriptures for instruction.[372] But that this is false appeareth,