And it may be observed, that how much soever the use of musical instruments, which were in this worship may be concluded to be particularly adapted to that dispensation, as they were typical of that spiritual joy, which the gospel church should obtain by Christ; yet the ordinance of singing remains a duty, as founded on the moral law; and accordingly we find, that the practice hereof was recommended, not only to the Jews, but to all nations. Thus it is said, _Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth_, Psal. xcviii. 4. And he speaks to this purpose, when he presses this duty upon _all lands_, whom he exhorts to _serve him with gladness; and to come before the Lord with singing_, Psal. c. 1, 2. And besides, it seems to be preferred before some other parts of worship, which were merely ceremonial. Thus the Psalmist says, _I will praise the name of God with a song. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock_, Psal. lxix. 30, 31. that is, God is more glorified hereby than he is by the external rites of ceremonial worship; especially when abstracted from those acts of faith, which add an excellency and glory to them. And this leads us to consider it as an ordinance practised by the New Testament-church. Some had songs given in to them by inspiration; as the virgin Mary, Zacharias, and Simeon, Luke i. 46, 47, & _seq._ chap. ii. 28, & _seq._ and sometimes the members of particular churches had a psalm given in by extraordinary revelation, 1 Cor. xiv. 26. and we can hardly suppose this to have been without a design that it should be sung in the church for their edification; especially considering it as an extraordinary dispensation of the Spirit: And, as the singing of a psalm in the church, is an act of public worship, it is reasonable to suppose, that the whole assembly joined together therein; and therefore this ordinance was not only practised by them, but had also a divine sanction, in that the Spirit was the author of the psalm that was sung: And we sometimes read of the church’s singing an hymn, which was no other than a psalm or spiritual song, at the Lord’s-supper: Thus our Saviour, in the close of that ordinance, sung an hymn with his disciples, that small church with whom he then communicated, Mark xiv. 26. And at another time, when he was _come nigh to the descent of the mount of olives_, it is said, that _the multitude of the disciples began to rejoice, and to praise God with a loud voice_, Luke xxix. 37. where, by _the multitude of the disciples_, we must understand all that followed him, who had, at that time, a conviction in their consciences, that he was the Messiah, from the miracles which they had seen him work; and we have an account of the short hymn which they sang; _Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest_, Luke xix. 38. This was not, indeed, sung in a church-assembly; however, it was with a _loud voice_, and herein they