Gospel Music, Part 5
5. The uſefulneſſe of Singing Pſalms.
As for the uſefulneſſe of ſinging Pſalms; much may be ſaid. Singing is the making in a ſpeciall manner mans tongue to be his glory. Awake my glory, ſaith David, that is my tongue in ſinging to glorifie God. God hath not given ſpeech to man, but to glorifie him too. Nor whiſtling or hiſting, to call to one another, (as the Lord ſaith, he will hiſſe for a Nation, and Chriſt ſaith, his ſheep hear his voice, alluding to the whiſtling of the Shepherd) but for his glorie too. That we may call to one another to go up to the houſe of the Lord, or to any other pious buſineſſe. God hath given hearing to hear him in his Word, as well as men in the world; Speech to pray to him as well as to ſpeak to men: Sight to conſider of his works, as well a man to look upon his own: And therefore he hath given the naturall gift of Singing (a Muſick that excels all inſtrumentall) to the end to praiſe and worſhip him, every man quickning himſelf and others by ſymphonie, and ſinging concent together. Singing is the onelyonly active vocall propheſying that is allowed to women in the Church. 1 Cor. 11.5. In which dutie ſhe is to keep on her veil (the badge of her ſubjection to her husband) that as ſhe might not entice others eyes by the beautie of her face, ſo nor their eares by the ſweetneſſeof her voice. Singing is a great preparation to propheſying, both extraordinarie and ordinarie. The ſtorie of Eliſha is famous, in whom the extraordinarie ſpirit of propheſying was ſtirred up by Muſick, and his own troubled ſpirit of grief and unfitneſſe for propheſie was allayd and ſweetned. 2 King. 3.13, 14, 15. And Eliſha ſaid to the King of Iſrael, What have I to do with thee? &c. And Eliſha ſaid, &c. ſurely were it not that I regard the preſence of Jehoſbaphat the King of Judah, I would not look towards thee, nor ſee thee. But now bring me a Minſtrel. And it came to paſſe when the Minſtrel played, that the hand of the Lord (that is, the ſpirit of propheſie) came upon him. And he ſaid, Thus ſaith the Lord, &c. and ſo went on propheſying to the three Kings there met. If this Muſick being onelyonly inſtrumentall, made by a private perſon, and ſo onelyonly civill, did thus move the Prophet; how much more will vocall Church Muſick in ſinging Pſalms, inſtituted by God, incite graces?Cujus operâ, (ideſt fidicinis) perturbatus ipſius (ideſt Prophetae) animus ex praeſentiâ impii regis Iſraelitarum ſedaretur. Et ſpirituali carmine compararetur adcaeleſtia praedicenda, ſicut aliorum adea percipienda. Jun. in 2 Reg. c. 3. v. 13. &c. But if there was ſpirituall ſinging joyned with his playing, as Junius affirms, that Eliſha his ſpirit troubled with the ſight of the two wicked Kings there preſent, the King of Edom, and the King of Iſrael, was compoſed and ſweetned by ſome ſpirituall Song of that Minſtrel, and ſo fitted for that celeſtiall gift or office of propheſying, then is the place more expreſſe for our purpoſe. And for ordinarie propheſying, both preaching and hearing, let Miniſters and Chriſtians confeſſe their own experience, whether holy ſinging of Pſalms have not much fitted them for dutie, and after ſoaked in that they have ſpoken and heard. I knew a very learned and holy Divine that ſaid, Muſick fitted his ſpirit to make a ſpeciall choice of a fit Text. And Junius ſaith on that place, but now mentioned, that the muſick of him that plaid and ſung to Eliſha was in part to make the Kings fit to hear, as to make Eliſha fit to ſpeak prophetically. Many that are not yet brought ſo home to Religion as they ſhould, may be brought in to ſome love with religious duties for the ſake of that ſweet one ſingings of Pſalms. The Indians are drawn to the Churches in New-England, by delighting in their ſinging day, that is, their ſinging on the Lords day. If Saul's wicked ſpirit was oft allayd in private by the muſick of David (mentioned by the holy Ghoſt for our obſervation) David being called the ſweet Singer of Iſrael, how much more might he be taken with the publick Ordinance, as he was with the propheſyings of the Prophets, as his meſſengers alſo were, 1 Sam. 19.20, 21, 22, 23, 24? Learned Peter Martyr ſaith on this place, That the Prophets now met in their Colledge ſang ſome pertinent Pſalme; which Saul's meſſengers being overcome with a divine aw or tranſe, ſang with them. So he. And why not as ſome other think that Saul alſo might ſing with the Prophets, as well as ſay as the Prophets did, being by God put under the ſame aw, and into the ſame condition as his meſſengers. If carnall men may be thus catcht with ſpirituall ſinging, how much more may comers on in Religion be drawn further on, and excited in devotion. 1 Cor. 14.15, 16. I will pray with the ſpirit, and I will pray with underſtanding alſo; I will ſing with the ſpirit, and I will ſing with underſtanding alſo; elſe when you ſhall bleſſe with the ſpirit, how ſhall he that occupieth the roome of the unlearned *The Gr. is Idiot!(that is, the private weaker Chriſtian) ſay Amen. See the Apoſtle joynes praying and ſinging together under the ſame notion. And ſaith that the joynt performance of either in the Church draws all among them to ſay Amen, that is, to vote and devote the ſame deſires of ſoul with the reſt of the Congregation to God.
Singing is ſuch a notable promulgating and ſetting forth of the name and mind of God, that it is propheſied that Chriſt ſhould declare the mind and name of God under the notion of ſinging. Heb. 2.12. For which cauſe he (that is, Chriſt) is not aſhamed to call them (that is Saints) brethren, ſaying, I will declare thy Name unto my brethren, in the midſt of the Church will I ſing praiſe ☜unto thee; as you know he did by preaching to, and ſinging with the Apoſtles after the New Teſtament paſſeover, the Communion, as Moſes taught Iſrael a ſong after their Old Teſtament paſſeover, the ſeal whereof they received in AEgypt, and the thing ſignified, partly in AEgypt, and partly anon at the Red ſea. By ſinging we preſent unto our ſences and minds the lively type of heavenly joyes whether to be acted by the Church triumphant in Heaven, or under Heaven at the great reſtauration, when the ſpirituall Pharaohs, the Antichriſts of the world, ſhall be drowned in the Red ſea of their own blood. In three verſes of foure it is ſaid three times Allelujah by the Church ſeeing the fall of Antichriſt. Revel. 19.1, 2, 3, 4. Singing of Pſalms according to the Apoſtles preſcript is a making or acting the Word to dwell richly in us. Coloſ. 3.16. Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly in all wiſedom, teaching and admoniſhing one another in Pſalms. A filling of us in publick with the ſpirit, or an acting the graces of the ſpirit; a prevention of drunken idle ſongs and mirth in private. Epheſ 5.18, 19. Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the ſpirit, ſpeaking to your ſelves in Pſalms, &c. or by *Tho Gr. foreign will bear it, compared with ver. 18.ſpeaking to your ſelves in Pſalms.
To burthen you with no more of mine own obſervations touching the uſefulneſſe of ſinging; I will now refreſh you with the notions of others upon this point, ſo far as they ſpeak according to the rule.
Rabanus Manrus whoſe name, and parts, and time you have chronicled afore, ſaith, that into groſſer and heavier minds whom bare words do not ſo eaſily move, the ſweetneſſe of melodie makes ſome entrance for good things. So he. So in Saul.
Baſil, foreign &c. Baſil in Pſal.of whom alſo you heard afore, ſaith, Whereas the holy Spirit ſaw that mankind is unto vertue hardly drawn, and that righteouſneſſe is the leſſe accounted of, by reaſon of the pronneſſe of our affections to that which delighteth, it pleaſeth the wiſdom of the ſame Spirit to borrow from melodie that pleaſure, which mingled with heavenly myſteries, cauſeth the ſmoothneſſe and ſoftneſſe of that which toucheth the eare to conveigh, as it were by ſtealth, the treaſure of good things into mans mind. To this purpoſe were thoſe harmonious tunes of Pſalms deviſed for us, that which are in eares but young, or touching perfection of vertue as yet not grown to ripeneſſe, might when they think they ſing, learn. O the wiſe conceit of that heavenly teacher which hath by his skill found out a way that doing thoſe things wherein we delight, we may alſo learn that whereby we profit. So Baſil. And experience ſpeaks for it. For when we can hardly draw young people to other duties, they cheerfully learn and ſing Pſalms. And thoſe that are ancient who cannot go abroad to and among the ſecular and civill joyes of men, can ſit at home and praiſe God with a Pialme. And every well minded family by ſinging can make themſelves a little Church. And everie Church make themſelves a little Heaven.
Hooker ſaith, That muſicall harmonic if but by voice, conſiſting of high and lowe ſounds is of that force, and hath ſuch pleaſing effects in that very part of man which is moſt divine, that ſome have been thereby induced to think that the ſoul it ſelf by nature is, or hath in it harmony. A thing which delighteth all ages, and beſeemeth all ſtates. A thing as ſeaſonable in grief, as in joy; as decent being added to actions of greateſt weight, and ſolemnitie, as being uſed when men moſt ſequeſter themſelves from action. The reaſon hereof is an admirable facilitie which Muſick hath to expreſſe, and repreſent to the mind more inwardly then any other ſenſible mean, the very ſtanding, riſing and falling, the ſteps and inflections every way, the turns, and varieties of all paſſions whereunto the mind is ſubject; yea ſo to imitate them, that whether it reſemble unto us the ſame ſtate, wherein our minds already are, or a clean contrary we are not more contentedly confirmed by the one, then changed and led away by the other. In harmonie the very image, and character even of vertues and vice is perceived, the mind delighted with their reſemblances, and brought by having them often iterated into a love of the things themſelves. Yea although we lay altogether aſide the conſideration of dittie or matter, the verie harmonie of ſounds being framed in due ſort, and carried from the eare to the ſpirituall faculties of our ſouls, is by a native puiſſance and efficacie greatly available to bring to a perfect temper whatſoever is there troubeld; a part as well to quicken the ſpirits, as to allay that which is too eager; ſoveraigne againſt melancholie, and deſpaire, forcible to draw forth tears of devotion, if the mind be ſuch as can yeeld them. Able both to move and moderate all affections. The Prophet David therefore having ſingular skill not in Poetrie alone, but in Muſick alſo, judged them both to be things moſt neceſſarie for the houſe of God; left behind him to that purpoſe a number of Divinitie endited Poems, for the raiſing mens hearts, and the ſweetning of their affections towards God. In which conſiderations the Church of Chriſt doth retain it to this day. Thus far Hooker.
To all which (if not proceeding from a learned man profeſſing Chriſtianitie, but from the mouth of an Heathen) Chriſtian experience may ſeal to as moſt true.
Zanchie ſaith, Much and manifold is the uſe of this Muſick (viz. of ſinging Pſalms) 1. The glorie of God is held forth more illuſtrious, becauſe by this means the praiſes of God contained in Pſalms, and Hymnes are celebrated more magnificently and gloriouſly, with greater attention, and admiration of the auditorie, then if they were recited with a lower voice without ſinging. Which was the cauſe why the Levites in ſetting forth the great benefits of God to the people, did do it with ſweet harmonie. So before the building of the Temple, when they carried the Ark, they ſang with a ſhrill voice, Let God ariſe, and let his enemies be ſcattered. And when they returned conquerours they alſo ſung, that thereby the benefits of God might be better underſtood, more attentively heard, and more princelike admired. As on the other ſide, hereby the enemies were terrified. There is no Prince but thinks himſelf more honoured by ſinging forth his praiſe, then by recitall of the bare voice.
2. Uſe is the manifold profit. 1 Mans ſpirit is much cheered
by the ſweetneſſe of the harmonie. As like is delighted with like. For the mind of man is all harmonie, and therefore is much recreated with Muſick. Which the Heathens underſtood in their parables of Orpheus and Arion alluring the ſtones after them by the harmonie of the Harp, to build Thebans. But thoſe ſtories in the ſacred Scripture of Eliſha fitted for propheſie, and Saul pacified in ſpirit by Muſick, are moſt certain. 2 The Spirit of God is ſtirred up in us by ſinging. So Epheſ. 5, Be filled with the Spirit, ſpeaking to your ſelves with Pſalms. And therefore it is apparent that this Muſick in the Churches is not onelyonly lawfull, but neceſſarie.
Adde to all, that it is oft read that the Angels ſang. Iſa. 6. They cried, that is, they ſang, Holy, holy, holy, &c. ſo at Chriſts nativitie they ſang, Glory to God on high. Therefore it is a divine and celeſtiall thing. So far Zanch.
Dr. Ames in his Caſes of Conſcience, 1. Qu. What uſe hath ſinging above ordinarie pronouncing? Anſ. 1 It carries to the godly mind a certain ſweet delight. Pſal. 104.34. 2 It hath in it a more diſtinct and fixed meditation, ibid. 3. A more copious and ample profeſſion of godlineſſe, Coloſſ. 3.16. 4. A greater communion of mutuall edification in ſinging with others, Epheſ. 5.19. Qu. 2. Whether ſinging be more ſutable to joy or ſorrow? Anſw. More agreeable to joy, Jam. 5.13. But profitably it agrees to the commemoration of paſt ſorrowes, as appears by the penitentall Pſalms. As alſo ſometimes to remove preſent ſorrow, Prov. 25.20.