Antient Christianity revived being a description of the doctrine, discipline, and practice of the little city of Bethania : collected out of her great charter, the Holy Scriptures, and confirmed by the same for the satisfaction and benefit of the house of the poor / by one of her inhabitants who desireth to worship God after the way which some men call heresie.

TWO and TWENTIETHLY.

Singing of Psalms in Bethania, is a certain Divine and Spiritual Exercise, by which the Inhabitants thereof do ce∣lebrate the Praises of the most High God, and it is mainly and chiefly an Exercise of the Soul, being performed by the lifting up of the Soul and Spirit unto great Jehovah;* 1.1 and this Divine Mirth springeth up in the Souls of those who

are in Experience of some Spiritual Refreshments.* 1.2 Therefore, when any is merry, they sing Psalms, in which they teach and admonish one another with Hymns and spiritual Songs singing with Grace in their Hearts to the Lord,* 1.3 speaking also to them∣selves in Psalms and Hymns, and Spi∣ritual Songs; making Melody in their Hearts to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things, unto God, and the Father in the Name of our Lord Je∣sus Christ.* 1.4 So Jesus our Saviour re∣joyced in Spirit, and then said, I thank Thee,* 1.5 O Father, &c. Even so David lifted up his Soul to God, and then set his Soul to bless his Holy Name; and Job caused the Widows Heart to sing. Even so faith the Lord, My Servants shall sing for joy of Heart, for I have satiated the weary Soul, and I have Replenished every Sorrowful Soul. By all which, and much more that might be said, it appeareth that singing is a Work of the Heart and Soul, the which being inwardly refreshed, cal∣leth to the Tongue to awake and de∣clare it.* 1.6 And it is only proper to those and none but those, who are in Com∣munion with the Blessed Lamb, in some of Sions Glory. For none can learn these Spiritual Songs,* 1.7 but such who are Redeemed from an Earthly State, and have gotten the Victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and over

his Mark, and over the Number of his Name, so that it be the Redeemed of the Lord whom he hath recovered from Spiritual Babylon, that can say and sing,* 1.8 Thy Mercy endureth for ever. Therefore, Singing of Psalms, and Spiritual Songs,* 1.9 is no Gospel-Or∣dinance, neither is every individual Member of Gospel-Churches able to perform it: But it is properly a Go∣spel-Gift, and only belongs to those into whose Mouth the Lord hath put the New Song; For who can sing the Songs of Sion, while they sit by the Waters of Babylon? who though they do often remember her, and greatly desire to be there, yet they cannot sing her Songs: But their going forth is with Weeping, and they sow their precious Seed in Tears;* 1.10 working out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling; yet at last they rejoyce as in the joy of Harvest, and the ran∣somed of the Lord do return and come to Sion with Songs of Delive∣rance. Nevertheless, there be some in Gospel-Churches, who have both Power and Right to Sing, and they do it partly to Express the joy of their own Spirits,* 1.11 and partly for the Edifi¦cation of others, In which Song they set forth the Glorious Acts of God, his great Love to mortal men, the precious things to come, the Soul-re∣freshing Supper of the Lamb, the

Blessed Union between Christ a•••• his Spouse,* 1.12 and such like. Therefore to these it is a peculiar Gift; A•••• that Spirit that giveth the Gift of Do∣ctrine, of Revelation, of Tongue•• of Interpretation, doth also give th•• Gift of a Psalm;* 1.13 and as every 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hath received the Gift of any kind 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Nature whatsoever;* 1.14 even so he is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Minister as a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God and to wait up•••• his proper Ministry, with great Diligent for the Glory of God, & for the Edificati∣on of all that hears, that all may learn 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all may be comforted.* 1.15 So that every th•••••• is done by Gift in Bethania.* 1.16 And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for Art and Craft, they leave it to th•••• Crafts-men of Babel;* 1.17 for God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not be Worshiped with strange Fite•••• but is looking into the Churches for spiritual Worship, and spiritual Wor¦shippers; and therefore Paul would Pray in the Spirit, and Sing in the Spirit, and the Preachers would Preach as the Spirit gave them Ʋtterance. But if any say, We have not such Gifts now, and therefore cannot Act by them. It is answered in Bethania, That o•••• Cause is our being so full of Art. And so when the Crafts-men bid us sing,* 1.18 then we sing, and they put the Song into our Mouths, when indeed the Lord should put it there. And so when we should weep, because by the Waters of Ba∣bylon, we fall to singing,* 1.19 according as

men do teach us, otherwise we could not sing our selves. So that we may see, that we be yet within the Limits of Babel, but do not hearken to the Voice that saith,* 1.20 Come out of her my People; and again, Go out of the Ci∣ty into the Field. Therefore Betha∣nia, who is poor in Spirit, and hath left Art and Craft to Babel, and to the Earthly Jerusalem; if any of them have a Gift to Preach,* 1.21 then he preach∣eth according to his Gift, and all the rest are silent while he Preacheth; and so it is observed also in Prayer, and all the rest are silent, only Act in their Spirits,* 1.22 And so if any have the Gift of a Psalm, then he only singeth to whom the Psalm is given, but all the rest hold their Pe••ce, and are Ex∣ercised only in their Spirits, and so are Edified. For if all the whole Con∣gregation should say the same Words,* 1.23 after the Preacher hath said them, it would be great Confusion; and if all should Pray the same Words that the Minister prayeth, it would appear Ri∣diculous. Even so, when one singeth by a Gift, and all that are present sing the same things after, or with him, is it not great Confusion and Disorder? For he only singeth by a Gift, and all the rest learn of him, and speak his Words, and so are whol∣ly guided by another,* 1.24 and there is no∣thing springeth from any Root of

Matter in themselves; and after this manner we may teach divers Birds to say, what we have said to them: Yea, Prophane Persons, and Carnal Pro∣fessors, that have nothing of Divini∣ty in them, may sing as well as the most Divine and Spiritual. There∣fore this cannot be Gospel-Worship which consisteth not in bodily Exer∣cise,* 1.25 but in Spirit and Truth; an•• therefore we are to observe a spiritual Method in the Management of it. A•••• did not sing in the time of the Law for there were Masters of the Musick who did instruct and order the Singe•• in the Exercise of Songs.* 1.26 These were Asaph, Heman, Ethan and Jeduthan Asaph and Heman were Seers in the Words of God, and These with their Brethren was set over the Song, to in∣struct and train up Singers in that Di∣vine Exercise; and the Number of them with their Brethren, that were instru∣cted in the Songs of the Lord, Al•• that were Cunning, was Two Hundred Fourscore and Eight;* 1.27 but this was during the time of the first Taber∣nacle and Temple, which was called, A Worldy Sanctuary. And yet that Service of the Song was only pecu∣liar to those who were instructed in it. But we are now, or should be at least under a more Spiritual Ministration. Therefore all our Service should be done in Spirit,* 1.28 also in Newness of Spi∣rit,

and not the Oldness of the Let∣ter.* 1.29 Now when the Spirit of the Holy God hath inspired the Spirits, and Refreshed the Souls of any of the Inhabitants of Bethania; so that the Tongue of the Dumb is prepared to sing;* 1.30 then the Hearts in which the Root of the Song doth lye, Inditeth a good Matter, and so they have li∣berty to use their Tongues for ought appears, and sing in Metre or in Prose, as the Song of Moses, and De∣borah,* 1.31 and David. Also the Song of Jesus, when he rejoyced in Spirit, and said, &c. Moreover, the Song of the Four Living Creatures, and the Twenty Four Elders, is in Prose, both in English and Greek. For they said, Thou art worthy to take the Book,* 1.32 and to open the Seven Seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast Redeem∣ed us to God by thy Blood, &c. So the Song that was sung upon the Sea of Glass, is uttered in Prose; for they sing the Song of Moses, and the Song of the Lamb, saying, Great and Marvellous are thy Works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy Ways, thou King of Saints. Even so also the Song at the fall of Babylon, which is an Hebrew Song, is in Prose, and is concluded by the Four Living Crea∣tures, and Twenty Four Elders,* 1.33 in these two Hebrew Words, Amen, Hal∣lelujah; yet they sometimes, and often

use a certain kind of Metre, not ex∣actly according to the Method of the Poets, which only Elevateth the Affections of the sensitive Life, but in the Spirits Dialect; and such that pierceth through the sensitive. Life, into the rational Soul, and Edifieth it; which is the only Design of Divinity, in all its various Opera∣tions.

So then, Singing of Psalms is u∣sed in Bethania, For the Song of Hosannah was sung very near it;* 1.34 but it is used there as a Gift of the Holy Spirit, peculiar only to him that hath it; and not as an Ordi∣nance of God, which respecteth all. Yet nevertheless, Praising of God is an Ordinance of God, according to the Principles of Nature, proper to all Creatures; and so all the Works of God do Praise him, but do not Sing unto him, except only when their Spirits are Elevated; and then the Trees of the Wood sing out and clap their Hands,* 1.35 when the Celestial Influences have quickened them, in the Spring and Summer: and their Voice is uttered in their Leaves, Blossoms, and Fruit. But when those Influences are with∣drawn, then they retire, and are si∣lent all the Winter Season; and so the Sun, Moon and Stars,* 1.36 do Praise the Lord by the Influences of his

own Vertue that is in them; yea Dra∣gons, and all Deeps, Fire, Hail, Snow, Stormy Wind, Mountains, Trees, Cedars, Beafts, Cattle, Creep∣ing Things, Flying Fowls, all these,* 1.37 in their proper Nature, Praise the Lord, and Sing unto him in that Sea∣son when he putteth the Song into their Mouth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 32.7.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 101.1.
• * 1.3

  James 5.13. Col, 3.16. Ephes. 5.19.
• * 1.4

  Verse 20.
• * 1.5

  Luke 10.21. Psal. 25.1. Psal. 103.1. Job. 29.30. Isa. 65.30. Jer. 31.25.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 57.8.
• * 1.7

  Rev. 14.3. Chap. 5.3.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 107.2.
• * 1.9

  1 Cor. 12.4. Rom. 12.6. 1 Cor. 14.26. Psal. 40.3. Psal. 137.4.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 126.5. Phil. 2.12. Isa. 9.3. Isa. 35.10.
• * 1.11

  Exod. 15.16. Judg. 5.20. Rev. 19.9. Isa. 27.2.
• * 1.12

  Chap. 5.1.
• * 1.13

  1 Pet. 4.10.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 12.6, 7.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 14.31.
• * 1.16

  Rev. 18.22.
• * 1.17

  Lev. 10.1. John 4.24. 1 Cor. 14.21. Acts 2.4.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 40.3.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 137.1.
• * 1.20

  Rev. 18.4. Mich. 4.10.
• * 1.21

  Rom. 12.6.
• * 1.22

  1 Cor. 14.30. Verse 26.
• * 1.23

  1 Cor. 14.23.
• * 1.24

  Job 19.28.
• * 1.25

  1 Tim. 4.8.
• * 1.26

  1 Chron. 15.19. Chap. 16.42. and 25.1.
• * 1.27

  1 Chron. 25.7. Heb. 9.1.
• * 1.28

  Rom. 1.9.
• * 1.29

  Chap. 7.6.
• * 1.30

  Isa. 35.6. Psal. 45.1.
• * 1.31

  Exod. 15. Jude. 5. 2 Sam. 22.23. Luke 10.21.
• * 1.32

  Rev. 5.9. Chap. 15.2, 3.
• * 1.33

  Rev. 19.4.
• * 1.34

  Mat. 21.9.
• * 1.35

  Psal. 145.10. Isa. 24.7. Isa. 55.13.
• * 1.36

  Psal. 148.3.
• * 1.37

  Psal. 148.7, 8, 9, 10.