Edward Leigh on psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

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Edward Leigh, a lay theologian and contemporary of the Westminster divines, commented on Colossians 3:16:

Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spiritual Songs] See Ephes. 5.19. In both which places, as the Apostle exhorteh us to singing, so he instructeth what the matter of our Song should be, viz. Psalms, Hymns, and spiritual Songs. Those three are the Titles of the Songs of David, as they are delivered to us by the Holy Ghost himself; some of them are called Mizmorim Psalmes; some Tehillim Hymns; some Shirim Songs, Spiritual Songs.

For the reference, see Edward Leigh on psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
 
For the sake of historical honesty, Mark Jones has cited Edward Leigh on behalf of humanly composed songs. I would have to look into the original context of the quotation further before saying any more about it.
 
For the sake of historical honesty, Mark Jones has cited Edward Leigh on behalf of humanly composed songs. I would have to look into the original context of the quotation further before saying any more about it.
As much as it is important to understand what the beliefs were of the Westminster divines and the Puritans, I am far more concerned with how the ancient Churches in Ephesus and Colosse would have understood those words. I don’t think they would have seen them as a green light to write their own spiritual songs, but rather immediately would have understood them as the titles of the Psalms already in their possession.
 
As much as it is important to understand what the beliefs were of the Westminster divines and the Puritans, I am far more concerned with how the ancient Churches in Ephesus and Colosse would have understood those words. I don’t think they would have seen them as a green light to write their own spiritual songs, but rather immediately would have understood them as the titles of the Psalms already in their possession.

I agree with you. Still, I did not want to be accused of covering up inconvenient facts. Leigh's comments cited in the OP, however, came from a purely exegetical work, which I consider more significant than what is cited by Mark Jones from another source.
 
I agree with you. Still, I did not want to be accused of covering up inconvenient facts. Leigh's comments cited in the OP, however, came from a purely exegetical work, which I consider more significant than what is cited by Mark Jones from another source.
The same thing I think is made of Manton which I think has been discussed here, spec. by MW.
 
The same thing I think is made of Manton which I think has been discussed here, spec. by MW.
Thomas Ford is also interesting (quoted by Mark Jones). It is clear that he advocates exclusive psalmody, but it seems he either makes concessions for the sake of the argument (since he is arguing against those who will not sing psalms at all or not sing in worship at all) or his comments reflect that the full EP theory had not fully been developed with regards to the RPW and/or the application of EP outside of corporate worship, just before he argues for singing the psalms only and answers the objection like a modern EP proponent.
 
I think both may be true, that concessions may relate to the early state of the question. EP in full theory as it is usually defended now developed with the full argument sort of getting set in the early 19th century if I am recalling accurately as various in print contentions went on over the centuries. MW deals with Ford I think in an old thread.
Thomas Ford is also interesting (quoted by Mark Jones). It is clear that he advocates exclusive psalmody, but it seems he either makes concessions for the sake of the argument (since he is arguing against those who will not sing psalms at all or not sing in worship at all) or his comments reflect that the full EP theory had not fully been developed with regards to the RPW and/or the application of EP outside of corporate worship, just before he argues for singing the psalms only and answers the objection like a modern EP proponent.
 
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