particular, the Ministers of the Gospel are not or should not be
so utterly destitute 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 humane Composures
sung by the People of God; and 'tis not good to practise such pieces of
Worship without a Precedent.

_Ans_. 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 inspired, 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
compos'd by a good Man, we should be ready to take it for inspired
because mention'd in Scripture; as we do too {272} many Expressions of
the Saints in that divine History, and make every thing that a good Man
saith Heavenly and Divine: However if there can be no Pretence made to
such an Example in Scripture, yet so much Reason, Argument and
Incouragement as hath been already drawn from Scripture sufficiently
justifies this Practice, since we perform many Circumstantials of
Worship under the Influence of a general Command without express and
special Examples.

_Object_. 6. 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.

_Ans._ 1. To convert the Verses of _David_ into English Lines, to
confine them to an exact Number of Syllables, and to make Melody in
particular Tunes, may as well be called the Inventions of Men and
Will-Worship: But these Inventions are absolutely necessary for the
Performance of Divine Commands, and for the Assistance of a whole
Congregation to sing; with any tolerable Convenience, Order or Decency,
as the Reverend Mr. _Boyse_ has well proved.

Ans. 2. Those that refuse to sing Forms of humane Composure tho the
Sense be never so divine, generally allow it lawful to take any Parts
of Scripture and alter and transpose the Words into a Form fit for
Singing; But to take a mere Parable or Story out of the Bible, and put
Some Rhimes onto the End of every Line of it, without giving it a new
and pathetic Turn, is but a dull way of making spiritual Songs, and
without a precedent too. _David_ did not deal so with _Genesis_ and
_Exodus_, tho he loved the Words of the Law as well as we pretend to
val