Singing the Psalms the Duty of Christians, Sermons · Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
Ephes. 5. 19.
Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, Singing, &c.
I Have shewed it to be a Christians duty to sing David's Psalmes, answering many objections by the way, and acquainting you how a gracious spirit may apply and make use of every passage in them. I shall now proceed to shew how Christians may apply some passages in particular to their own cases. OnelyOnly let me first answer a scruple or two, which some have, in regard of some passages in David's Psalmes.
Obj. I cannot sing the 131 Psalm, will some one say, for I finde much pride and haughtiness in my heart, how then should I sing, Mine heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty?
Sol. 1. By the same reason thou canst not read it, and say, My heart is not baughty, &c.
2. If thou art a Christian indeed, thy heart is not haughty, as the heart of a naturall man is haughty.
3. Say thine heart is more haughty than becomes a Christians heart to be (I know no mans heart but is so) there is a word of admonition and instruction, to minde thee of that evill, and humble thee for the pride of thy heart.
Obj. But thou hast a proud heart still.
Sol. So thou hast perhaps, after much and earnest prayer to God against it, and many admonitions from the Word preached. David himself shewed pride, or somewhat as bad, when upon a false suggestion, 2 Sam. 16. 4. he presently sequestred all Mephibosheth's estate, before he heard what he had to say for himself. Besides, there's a sweet close of that Psalm, wherein David gives himself and others a seasonable admonition, particularly and quietly to wait upon God, Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
Obj. But how can we sing such passages of the Psalmes, as are nothing but exhortations to singing? This is giving to God his exhortations again (say some) and leaving the duty undone. Take Gods words he speaks to us, and speak them to God again.
Sol. I. By the same reason David did not praise God in singing those exhortations to praise him, The 48, 49. and 50th Psalmes are almost nothing else but exhortations to praise God; shall we say, that David, or whosoever was the penman, did not praise God in those Psalms. And yet I think, the Argument will hold as well for the one as for the other.
2. There's somewhat in those exhortations to admonish us of our dulness, and what need we have to be stirred up, to do that duty which all creatures owe, and in a sort yield unto the Lord their Maker.
3. As praying is the best preparation to prayer, for then (as Luther saith) we set upon it in Gods strength and not in our own: So singing these exhortations is an excellent means to prepare and raise our hearts; and therefore David begins and concludes many Psalmes with such Exhortations, as Psal. 136. &c.
4. We may say of such exhortations, as one saith of the 136 Psalm, that it is Solemnis celebratio nominis Dei sub exhortationis forma. 'Tis an excellent way of praysing God, to provoke and call upon our selves to praise him. What if a man in prayer speak to his own heart, and call upon himself to rouze and raise up his spirits, as David, Psal. 5. 7, 8. Awake my glory, &c. may he not be well said to pray when he doth so? And why may he not as well be said to praise God, when he stirrs up himself to that duty?
But to speak as the thing is, such forms are nothing but elegancies of expression, in the use of which we do indeed praise the Lord; and this if our opposites had understood, we had never been put to the trouble of answering such an Objection.
And now I shall proceed to A …econd …se of ….inform weak Christians how they may more especially improve some passages in David's Psalmes, as they are more suteable to their particular respective conditions or affections; and this is a second use to be made of singing, viz. the exercise and improvement of the graces of God in us.
For instance, perhaps thou art reported to say or do that which never entred into thy heart to conceive or think of, what comfort is there to thy soul in singing the former part of the seventh Psalm, and other like places, wherein David complains of the same abuses Suppose all goes against thee, and thon hast no visible means of relief, how pertinently mayest thou sing the eleventh Psalms When there is no faith, nor truth, nor trust in men, then I hope it is no hurt to sing the twel…th Psalm, Help Lord, for the godly man ceaseth, &c. When wicked men flourish, and the godly are afflicted, how proper is it to sing the 37 Psalm, and meditate, and apply those precious promises to confirm thy faith, and comfort thy self in a patient waiting upon God? If thy afflictions and affections are the same as David's and other holy mens were, thou mayest apply to thy self with much comfort such passages of the Psalmes as do particularly concern thee in thy condition, whatsoever it be, and so act the grace of God in thee.
If thou art a Christian, shouldest thou not admire and adore the Attributes and Excellencies of God and his Christ? and how canst thou do it better than in singing David's Psalmes? Wouldst thou (for instance) admire the work of God in exalting Jesus Christ to be a Prince and a Saviour) sing the 8, and 95, 96, 97, 98, and 99th Psalmes. Do the sufferings of Christ, and the fruits of them belong unto thee? then thou maist well sing the 22d Psalm. Hast thou experience of Gods support, supply, protection, direction? then thou mayest sing the 23d Psalm, with many others. Doth it not concern us to admire the Power, wisdome, and goodness of God in the works of Creation and Providence? If it do, why should not we sing the first part of the 19 Psalme, and the 104 Psalm throughout? Hast thou any affection to the Word of God, out of the experience thou hadst of the power of it on thy soul? why shouldst thou not sing the latter part of the 19 Psalm, and any part of the 119 Psalm? Hast thou any sence of sin, and wrath due to it? why mayest thou not sing the sixth, and 38 Psalmes? Psal. 3. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me, &c. So may all Gods people, for the most part say. If thou art one of them, then there's thy condition. David, when he was straitened by his enemies, goes to God, and so takes courage. Go thou and do likewise, and then there's thy affection to the same as his was.
Obj. But how can we sing such passages as are imprecations against wicked men?
Solut. Even these may be sung to good purpose, if our hearts be in a good tune.
1. We may meditate on them with fear and trembling at the wrath of God that hangs over the heads of all impenitent sinners.
2. We may work our hearts to patience and contentation, notwithstanding the present prosperity of wicked men, in assured confidence that God will destroy them, and their foot shall slide in due time.
3. We may use them as prayers, not against our particular enemies, but against all the implacable and incurable enemies of Christ and his kingdome.
Now I cannot enough wonder, that any Christians should be so much wanting to themselves in that heavenly exercise of singing Psalmes, which gives them so much advantage of acquainting themselves more and more with God, in sweet meditations on his infinite and most glorious Excellencies. Indeed I do not wonder, if some men care not for singing of Psalmes, when I consider the course of their conversations. David's Psalmes were many of them penned for the use of Gods people when they are persecuted, how shall they that are more like David's enemies, violent, deceitfull, threatning, vexing, persecuting and mocking, sing those Psalmes? They may well forbear to sing them, seing there are such testimonies and evidences against their ungodly practices in them. We have some now adayes that will have no repentance, no humiliation, or sorrow for sin; others that slight the Scriptures, or written Word; and 'tis no wonder these men should not care to sing David's Psalmes, being not able to abide the test of them, whilest their affections, actions, and opinions, are so contrary to them. David in the 84 Psalm laments the want of publick Ordinances. I marvel not that they who slight all Ordinances, under a pretence of living above them, care not to sing that, or other Psalmes. Whatever some men may dream, I make no question but others have found God graciously revealing himself unto their soules in this Exercise: yea; I believe that godly men (who are such indeed) have scarcely seen more of God in any Exercise than in this. To my thinking, there is not a more lively resemblance of heaven upon earth, than a company of godly Christians singing a Psalm together.
But that which is most strange (and 'tis a hard case indeed) is this, that never a passage can be found in all the Psalmes which will sute with some mens affections or occasions. If some do not, yet methinks others might; and yet they that except against some (if I mistake not) refuse all; so that it seems, there is nothing in them that will serve their turn, or suit with their conditions.
Obj. Yes, it will be said, there are some Psalmes, or parts of Psalmes, that suit well enough with our conditions, affections, and occasions, but that which fits us well enough, is nothing so fit for others.
Sol. 1. There are severall uses of the Psalmes, as there are of other Scriptures; why may we not in singing as well as in hearing, apply to our selves that which is most pertinent to our proper cases? and so, those that are not in the same condition, may yet profitably sing the same Psalm, even as they may hear the same Sermon. Besides, all the Psalmes, and every part of them, are fitted to the occasions of all Gods people, so as there is nothing but ministers matter of sweet meditation, and praising God by a holy rejoycing in him.
I know not how well some Psalmes will sute with some mens affections or conditions. Once I am sure that Gods people from the beginning of the world to this day, have had cause, as to complain and pray, so to bless and praise the Lord in the very same manner, and upon the very same grounds as David did. Wherefore I beseech all those that fear God, to do what becomes them, viz. now and then to comfort and chear, and incourage themselves, and one another in Psalmes, Seek the Lord, and his strength, seek his face continually: seek him in prayer, and seek him too in singing of Psalmes; say as Luther was wont upon occasion, Come, Sirs, lets sing the 46 Psalm, and fear nothing.
There are, that would deal by us, as he that first made his enemy blaspheme God, and then presently stabb'd him at the heart, that so he might kill both body and soul at once, and so take a brave revenge (as he call'd it.) So do these in a sort; they vex us sufficiently, with seeing and hearing their ungodly and Atheisticall opinions and practises, and they would deprive us of our comfort in God, by singing Psalmes to his praise. Lets sing the 119 Psalm however, and say, It is time for thee, Lord, to work, for men have destroyed thy law. And so lets sing the 12 Psalm, and others, that thereby our hearts may be cheared, and we may be confirmed in faith to wait with patience upon our God, saying, as in Psal. 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death.
I shall conclude this with what Perkins saith on the eleventh of the Hebrews; he asks the question, why we sing those Ps…lmes now, which were appointed for the use of the Church in former times? and answer thus: That the Church, in all ages, consisted of a company of believers, and their faith is alwayes one and the same; and this makes all that apprehend Gods promises, to be like to one another in graces, meditations, dispositions, affections, desires, spiritual wants in the feeling and use of afflictions, in …urse of life and conversation, and in performance of du…ies to God and man, and therefore the same Psalmes, Prayers, and Meditations, are now as fit for the Church in these dayes, and are said and sung with the same use and profit to the Church in these dayes, as when they were made. Sure if it be a sufficient ground to reject singing of David's Psalmes; that they were penned for the use of Gods people in former ages, I know no reason, but that we may, for the same reason, take no notice of the other Scriptures, and say, What do they concern us? but I rather think, that there is no estate or condition wherein the people of God either are, or can be, but the holy Ghost foreseeing the same, hath prepared and recorded some Scripture-Psalmes suteable thereunto. And those Psalmes being chosen out according to the new occasions of Gods people, & sung by them with new hearts, will ever be found new Songs. Words of eternall truth (as one faith) are ever new, and never old. Dayly and hourly mercies are new mercies to renewed hearts (Lament. 3. 23. His mercies are new every morning) and when they praise the Lord for those mercies, there's a new song of praise put into their mouthes. And when God hath furnisht us with Psalmes, and Songs fram'd by his own Spirit to the purpose, nothing (for ought I know) but wretched ignorance and prophaneness will neglect to use them.
The objection of singing Psalmes composed by our selves and others, I have already answered, and shewed the absurdity of such a practice, unless we had any of an extraordinary spirit; which if there be, let us once sec it, and I make no question but we shall willingly acknowledg, the gift of God in them.
A third Use of singing Psalmes.A third use of singing Davids Psalmes, is a joyfull praising of God, or expressing our joy in the Lord: when a man is merry, naturally, and of course (as we say) he will laugh, leap, sing and dance; as when a man is sorry, contrariwise he is sullen, sits still, hangs the head, and saith nothing, Psal. 126. 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Exod. 15. 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel. So Mary, and Zachary, and Simon, Luke 1. & 2. brake forth into Songs upon the apprehension of Gods wonderfull goodness.
Obj. That was because the Spirit of God came upon them in an extraordinary manner.
Sol. We deny not but the Spirit of God was upon some of them in a more than ordinary manner; but yet it was not so upon them all, all the children of Israel that sang with Moses had not an extraordinary spirit, onelyonly they were for the time much affected with the Work of God in their deliverance, and the destruction of the Egyptians, 2 Chro. 20. 27, 28. So Jehoshaphat and the men of Judah came to Jerusalem with Psalteries and Harps, and Trumpets unto the house of the Lord (no question but there was singing also) when the Lord had made them to rejoice over there enemies; and yet no more extraordinary spirit on them, than on Gods people now upon the like occasion. Their practice was a precedent for Gods people in all ages to do the like, when ever their hearts are inlarged in the apprehension of Gods goodness, to break forth into singing, and an holy rejoycing before the Lord. How do we answer the goodness of God unto us, if there be not affections and expressions suteable to his dispensations? We all allow shooting off great gunns, ringing of bells, &c. and why not as well singing of Psalmes?
When we come to the Congregation, one end of our singing is to express our joy in the Lord, for such mercies as his Word and Sacraments, and means of Grace; and that God hath given us his Sabbath and such solemn times; and therefore we come before him with singing, that so we may praise the Lord with gladness of heart, The 100 Psalm is called a Psalm of praise, and the 95 Psalm begins thus: O come let us sing unto the Lord, &c. If you read the 96, 97, and 98. you will finde many expressions to the same purpose. Whatever were the occasion of penning those Psalmes, it is clear, that the holy Ghost in them had respect to the Gospell-times, when all the ends of the earth should see the salvation of God, Psal. 98. 3. Heb. 4. The Apostle shews it plainly of the 95th Psalm, that the Holy Ghost in it speaks of the times after Christ was come in the flesh. Now if the promise, and their exspectation of those glorious Gospeldayes, did so rejoyce their hearts, how much more should we be affected, so as to sing and rejoyce at a higher rate than they did? How comely and pleasant a thing is it to sing a Psalm (as Christ and his disciples did) after our receiving the Sacrament, when God hath honoured us so much, as to admit us unto his Table, and given in the tokens and pledges of his love to our soules? And after Sermon too, why should we not sing and rejoyce, when we have understood the good word of God declared to us by his messengers, Nehem. 8. 12. Nehemiah and Ezra and the Levites willed the people to rejoyce upon such an occasion; and good reason, since the Word of God is sweet to every soul that savours it; and so our Sabbaths are speciall times of rejoycing in God, because the opportunities of publick Ordinances are renewed upon us.
Object. But you sing all dayes alike, fasting and feasting dayes, without any difference.
Sol. For answer to this question) which some think unanswerable) I acknowledge that singing is a most proper expression of joy, Jam. 5. 13. Is any merry, let him sing. But it will never follow from that place, that we must not sing when we are sorry: for then it will as well follow, that when we are not afflicted we must not pray. That place (I say) will infer the one as well as the other.
I do not say, that all Psalmes are fit for all occasions, but there must be a choice made; and to make that choice, there is some understanding more than ordinary required in him that appoints the Psalmes to be sung.
3. As singing is proper in times of mirth, so it is not altogether improper in times of mourning; and though this may seem strange, yet it is most true, and I prove it thus. Because Gods people were wont to lament themselves and others in Songs; so Jeremy lamented the sad estate of Judah, David's Psalmes were penned in times of great distress and danger, as appears by the many dolefull complaints in them. The 102d Psalm is entituled, A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, &c. and 130 Psalm begins, Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord. To clear it yet further, give me leave a little to discourse the nature of Musick, which is somewhat strange in this respect, That it will sute with different, yea contrary affections. Some Philosophers conceited the soul to be an Harmony once, the soul of the world is a symmetry of all the parts made in number, weight, and measure. Certainly of all sensible things, there is none so much affects the soul, as melodious sounds; I say, nothing affects the soul so much, be a man merry or sorry. If he be merry, it will provoke him to more mirth, raise & rouze his spirits more than they were before. Therefore singing is very proper when we are joyed, & would praise the Lord with gladness of heart. If a man be sad, musick will set it on, and make him more Melancholique than he was before, so some understand Prov. 25. 20. As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart. I conceive the meaning to be this, If when a man is in heaviness, one should come to him in a lightsome, gamesome manner, (as if Job's friends had brought minstrells and Musick with them) he would vex and distemper, and increase his grief the more. Certainly Musick, as it may be ordered, will provoke mourning; hence the custome grew of solemnizing Funeralls with Musick. So when the Rulers daughter was dead, there were Minstrells among others; and if any say, That was to allay, and not to increase their grief, I desire them to look Jer. 9. 17, 18. and there they may see that there were cunning women, who profest an art of mournfull Ditties, and were hired on purpose to enhance affections of that kinde in others. So 2 Chron. 35. 25. The singingmen and women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations. For certain, a dolefull sad Ditty sadly sung, will never make any laugh, unless it be an errant fool. So a fit Psalm (a penitentiall Psalm you may call it, if you please) sung to a sad tune, is as apt to melt and move our hearts upon a day of humiliation, as any exercise we can use, and an apt expression also of such affections as should be in us upon such an occasion. Some have sung for sorrow, as David penn'd and sang many Psalmes when his heart was as full of grief and anguish as it could hold, and so he eas'd and breath'd his heart by pouring it out before the Lord in a dolefull Song, lamenting his sad condition. And why may not we as well lament our own and others sad conditions, in singing of David's Psalmes? some of which you know are sad complaints of his miseries and sufferings, mixt with earnest prayers for deliverance. Sure David was not very merry when he sang many of his Psalmes; whence I gather we may sing even when we are sorry, and so lament and bemoan our selves before the Lord.
Besides, if our hearts be very sad indeed, singing may revive them, since all utterance is an ease to any grief. So some conceive that Christ chose to sing a Psalm after supper, thereby to chear up his own heart, and his Disciples also. Musick certainly will allay passions, 1 Sam. 16. v. 14. An evil spirit from the Lord troubled Saul, ver. 20. And when David plaid on his harp, the evil spirit departed from him. Not that there is any efficacy in Musick to drive away devils, but because in a naturall way it disposed and settled Saul for ease, by raising up his heart and spirit out of his melancholy dumps, tempering his rage, and moderating his griefs and discontents, by which the Devil took advantage to drive him into frenzy fits and furies. If by spirit, in that place, we understand (as some) onelyonly that which is called Motus animorum, as a spirit of fear, a spirit of jealousie, &c. then questionless, the Musick had a naturall efficacy to recover Saul out of his melancholy moods. 2 King. 3. 15. The Prophet Elisha finding some distemper in his spirit, occasioned by the presence of an idolatrous King, and the present distress of Gods people, called for a musician to chear and compose his spirits, that he might be the better fitted for prophesie. Some have conceived and said, that the spirit of prophesie never came upon a sad soul. How true that is, I leave others to judge. Nor shall I contend if any say there was somewhat extraordinary and supernaturall in those cases. However, this I think may be gathered from them, That musick hath a vertue in it to compose, and quiet, and refresh, and chear the spirit of a man, when he is overgone with melancholy. So Gods people in times of distress and danger, when they feel themselves too much dejected and sadded, may chear themselves up by singing a Psalm together. As for our singing on fasting dayes (which some are offended at) we say as before, 'tis not so much to make our selves merry, as to move and melt our hearts. 'Tis no absurdity; nor impossibility neither, for Christians to sing with tears in their eyes.
When a day of thanksgiving comes, we sing to another tune, in way of rejoicing, exalting and triumphing in God our Saviour. On Sabbath and Lecture dayes we sing partly to express our joy in God, for giving us such opportunities and seasons of spirituall edification, by the use of his Ordinances; and partly to compose our spirits, and so fit them for hearing the Word preached. And this I conceive to be the reason, why commonly we sing a Psalm before Sermon.