what thou sayest? for thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.” 1 Cor. xiv. 14-17. 3.  Further, the apostles did account public prayer to be of more concern than serving of tables, and providing for the necessities of the poor, yea, to be a principal part of their ministerial office, and therefore resolve to addict and “give themselves to the ministry of the word and to prayer,” Acts vi. 4; and this was the church’s practice in the purest times, Acts i. 13, 14, whose pious action is for our imitation. 4.  And Jesus Christ hath made gracious promises to public prayer, viz., of his presence with those who assemble in his name; and of audience of their prayers, Matt, xviii. 19, 20.  Would Christ so crown public prayer were it not his own ordinance?

2.  Singing of psalms is a divine ordinance, being,

1.  Prescribed; “be filled with the spirit:  speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs,” Eph. v. 18, 19.  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs,” Col. iii. 16.

2.  Regulated; the right performance thereof being laid down, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also,” 1 Cor. xiv. 15, 16.  “Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord,” Col. iii. 16.  “Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord,” Eph. v. 19.

3.  The public ministry of the word of God in the congregation is a divine ordinance.  “We will give ourselves,” said the apostles, “to the ministry of the word and prayer,” Acts vi. 4.  The ministry of the word is a sacred ordinance, whether read, preached, or catechetically propounded.

1.  The public reading of the word is a divine ordinance, (though exposition of what is read do not always immediately follow.) For, 1.  God commanded the reading of the word publicly, and never since repealed that command, Deut. xxxi. 11-13; Jer. xxxvi. 6; Col. iii. 16. 2.  Public reading of the scriptures hath been the practice of God’s church, both before Christ, Exod. xxiv. 7; Neh. viii. 18, and ix. 3, and xiii. 1; and after Christ, Acts xiii. 15, 27, and xv. 21; 2 Cor. iii. 14. 3.  Public reading of the scriptures is as necessary and profitable now as ever it was.  See Deut. xxxi. 11-13.

2.  The public preaching of the word is an eminent ordinance of Christ.  This is evident many ways, viz: 

1.  Christ hath commanded that the word shall be preached.  “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” Mark xvi. 15.  “Go ye, therefore, and disciple ye all nations; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,” Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.  “As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matt. x. 7.  See also Mark iii. 14.  “I charge thee,” &c.  “Preach the word,” 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2.  “Necessity is laid upon me, yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel,” 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17.  “Christ sent me—­to preach the gospel,” 1 Cor. i. 17; with which compare also Acts xx. 28, and 1 Pet. v. 1-4.