Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Of singing Psalmes.
1. AS to singing of Psalmes he speaks but little Pag. 262. §. 26. granting it a part of divine worshipe, and sweet and pleasant, when coming from the sense of God's love in the heart, and when it ariseth from the divine influence of the Spirit, whether it be in words of Davids Psalmes, or of the songs of others, such as Zachary, Simeon and Mary. And I need to say the less, seing I have said enough of this elsewhere, This man if he plaseth, may take some notice thereof, in my last book on the Sabbath, where I am speaking of the right sanctification of that day, in publick. I grant, we are to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, Col. 3:16. and we are to make melody in our heart to the Lord, Ephes. 5:19. But I dar not say, that no man must sing, but he who hath the sense of Gods love in the heart, seing I finde so many Psalmes sung, that were of a far other straine, as for example David's Penitential Psalmes, as they are called, such as Psal. 6. & 32. & 38. & 51. &c. as also that of Heman Psal. 88 and others. As for the influence of the Spirit, I acknowledge, that without that neither this, nor any other piece of worshipe can be rightly performed: but that neither this, nor any other part of religious worshipe should be gone about, till there come an Impulse of the Spirit; or till the soul finde it self in a fit frame, is that which I deny, for reasons given in the foregoing Chapter.
2. What are then his exceptions, against our singing of Psalmes? There is no footstep, saith he, in the Scriptures, of our formal and common way of singing. Answ. The Scripture mentioneth singing, and commandeth us to sing; but, it is true, prescribeth not this, or that particular mode of singing; but leaveth that to our liberty, that it may be done according to the general rules of the word, that is, that it be done with gravity, in a way suteable to the worshipe of God, without vanity, lightness and affectation; and such, I suppose, is our manner. Will he sing none, till he finde what mode of singing is particularly prescribed in the word? I fear he shall then lay it aside altogether: or will he waite till the Spirit inspire the notes and manner, as the matter? where is his warrand for this? is there a promise of such a communication?
3. He saith next, our way hath this peculiar abuse attending it, that thereby frequently horride and abominable lies are uttered unto God, while every profane wreatch must personate David's condition; and others also must sing Psal. 22:15. & 6:7. Answ. But he little considereth, that the same abuse, if it be an abuse, did attend their singing of old, as well as now; for these same Psalmes, and particularly Psal. 6. & …2. were put into the hands of the chiefe musician, and so were to be sung publickly by others; And we conceive the same of the rest, that want this express title, because of what we read 1 Chron. 16, 17. for there the 1…5 Psalm, which in the book of the Psalmes hath not these words, To the chiefe musician &c. prefixed, is expresly said, to be delivered by David, into the han…s of Asaph ▪ and his brethren. And why may not we sing with the words of David and of Asaph the Seer, as well as they did in Hezekiah's dayes. 2 Chron. 29, 30? Could the Levites, and others that joyned, say all that of themselves, that David did say of himself? Hence then he may see the ground of his mistake: for he supposeth, we should sing nothing but what is our owne particular case, as if the dispensations of God… towards others of his Children, did not concerne us; but what then meaneth the Psalmist Psal. 66:6. to say He turned the sea into dry land, they went thorow the flood on foot; there did we rejoyce in him? How could he and others say, that they rejoyced at the red sea, when the Lord brought his pe…ple thorow it, when they were not then in being? And how is it, that such as had gotten victory over the Beast, did sing the song of Moses, the servant of God Revel. 15:2, 3? As the joyful, so the sad condition of others, being turned into a song, may be mater of a song to us, as we are members of the same body; the favours & deliveries, bestowed upon others, should be looked upon by us, as favours conferred upon ourselves.
3. What next? And sometimes, immediatly after singing, they will, sayes he, in their prayers confess themselves guilty of these vices, for redemption from which they had been praising God with David. The inconsistency here is in owne imagination, for he supposeth, that the case of others, which we sing, we sing it as immediatly our owne: But may we not blesse and extol that God in praises, who hath redeemed others from these sinnes, under which we yet groan? And may not the singing of this contribute to the strengthening of our faith and hope of the like redemption? And may not we, in the singing of such experiences of others, be raised up to see what an high and rich favoure it is to be blessed with such a redemption? And cannot all this be done without hypocrisie?
4. But now I would know, what sort of praises, and songs, they would offer unto God? These, sayes he, that proceed from a pure heart, that is, from the word of life in the heart. And cannot we sing from … pure heart in the words of David, as well as they did, in the dayes of Hezekiah? But what is this word of life in the heart, which is made the original and leader of their songs? It is that sure, that is common to all men, Turks & Pagans, Scythians & Barbarians: And we look not upon that, as grace, from whence spiritual songs can arise. I would enquire, if the Spirit ever moveth them in their Assemblies to sing, and what for Psalmes they sing? Are they immediatly Inspired by the Spirit, or not? If not, how can they, according to their owne principles, sing them? If they be immediatly Inspired; how can others concurre, who never heard of them before? What if they do not agree with the present condition of every member of the Assembly? And how can others sing with them, without the same previous motion of the Spirit? Or is it enough, if one sing alone? And if so, how can that be an act of publick worshipe performed by the whole Assembly? These things, if he be for singing at all, in the publick worshipe of God, he would do well to cleare to us: And withal tell us, if the Spirit inspireth also the meeter in the song, and the tone of the singing?
5. He tels us next, that there is no warrand in tht New Covenant for Organs (which I plead not for, nor for any such instrument) nor for artificial musick with the voice. But if there be warrand for singing, (as there is, himself not denying) there must be warrand for some sort of artificial musick; for singing is something else than reading or speaking: and how is it distinguished, but by notes of modulation, and that must be either natural or artificial, and the first mus… be helped by the last, else in an Assembly, where one and the same thing is sung by all, there will be a discord, instead of a concord: And for the artifice, I shall not plead, that it be very fine: if it be modest and grave, I am satisfied. And he knoweth, there is no great ground of exception against our manner of singing, upon this account, in Scotland. This is all, he hath to say against our singing of Psalmes, and why he doth not declare unto us, what their peculia… way is, I know not.