Historic Sources on the Lawfulness of Man-made Hymns

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Charles Johnson

Puritan Board Junior
Hi friends,
I'm looking for historic quotes related to the lawfulness of singing non-inspired songs or non-psalms in the churches, either for or against. I was recently surprised by this quote from Edward Leigh, a Westminster Divine:
As we may lawfully sing Scripture psalms, so also Songs and Psalms of our own* inditing (say some) agreeable to Scripture, Sing unto the Lord a new Song, framed on a fresh occasion, therefore 1 Cor. 14. 26. a Psalm is named among those things which they had for the use of the Church. For seeing a Psalm is but a musical praier for the most part, therefore we may make Songs for our selves agreeable to the Word of God as well as prayers, and God knowing the efficacie of Poetry and Musick, to help memory and stirre up affection doth allow his people to use it for their spiri∣tual comfort as well as natural. The Apostle speaketh of Psalms, Hymns and spi∣ritual Songs, Ephes. 5. 19. & Col. 3. 16. Who can shew any reason to limit his speech to Scripture-psalms? Why may not one praise God in a Song for our deli∣verance in 88, or the Gun pouder treason?
 
See Matthew Winzer's review of Nick Needham's work on this and Needham's work for anything Matthew doesn't cover in his rebuttal. Leigh's earlier work for the Westminster Annotations indicate then at least (1645) he was not familiar with these other works arguing for inclusive hymnody. The marginal reference may indicate his source is Thomas Edwards who had several works on the views of the various sects at the time. https://www.cpjournal.com/articles-...tive-principle-the-singing-of-psalms-and-the/
 
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