AN ESSAY. 23 Answer 1. There are many general promises of the pre- sence of Christ with his ministers, and the supply of his Spirit in the discharge of all their duties for the edification of the church : now, there are several performances which are necessary for the church's edification, to which there is no peculiar promise made of the assistance of the Spirit in express words : such are, translating the bible into our mother- tongue, composing our ser- mons or at least the substance and scheme of them before preach- ing, writing pious and useful treatises upon divine subjects, and diligent reading and study of books so written ; nor is there any more express encouragement to expect the presence of the Spirit in turning the psalms of David into rhyme and metre, than in composing new spiritual songs : and yet ministers that are fitted for such performances may pray and hope for divine assistance in them all, and trust in the general promises for help in particular services. Answer 2. There is no need of these gifts of criticism or of poesy for all christians nor all ministers, though it seems necessary that some should be furnished with them. A few persons in an age or a nation may translate the scriptures into the national lan- guage, and may compose a sufficient number of hymns to answer the chief designs and wants of the church for that day for public worship. Where there happen occasions very particular, the ministers of the gospel are not or should not be so utterly desti- tute of common ingenuity, as to be unable to compose or at least to collect a few tolerable verses proper for such a season. Object. 5. We find no instances in scripture of human com- posures sung by the people of God ; and it is not good to practise such pieces of worship without a precedent. Answer. Whensoever there was just occasion for an hymn according to some new and special providence, we almost every where find a new song recorded in scripture, and we call it in- spired, nor do I know any just reason to suspect or doubt of the inspiration ; but if there had been any one which was not the effect of an extraordinary gift, but only composed by a good man, we should be ready to take it for inspired because mentioned in ,scripture; as we do too many expressions of the saints in that livine history, and make every thing that a good man said', aeavenly and divine : however, if there can be no pretence made to such an example in scripture, yet so much reason, argument and encouragement as bath been already drawn from scripture sufficiently justifies this practice, since we perform many circum- stantials of worship under the influence of a general command without express and special examples. Object. 8. We ought to sing nothing to God but what is given us for this very end that it may be sung, lest we indulge will - worship and the inventions of men.
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