A47407:114
The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,…
The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, proved to be an holy ordinance of Jesus Christ with an answer to all objections : as also, an examination of Mr. Isaac Marlow's two papers, one called, A discourse against singing, &c., the other, An appendix : wherein his arguments and cavils are detected and refuted / by Benjamin Keach ...
London: printed for Author, 1691
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, an Holy Ordinance of… › Chapter 3
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But further, to evince this, and make it appear yet plainer, that it is without all doubt • Moral Duty to sing forth the Praises of God, I might argue thus; All Men are to pray to God; every one saith Prayer is a Moral Duty, then all are bound to praise him, since Praise is comprehended in Prayer, as a branch or part of it. This being granted readily by all, I further argue; Ought not every Person then to perform this Duty of praising of God in the highest and most acceptable manner they are capable to do? none to be sure will deny this; why then, say I, they are all therefore taught to sing by natural or moral Principles 'tis evident.
First, Because to sing forth the Praises of God or Man, is the highest manner or mode of praising, either God or Man, that we know of or are able to attain unto: which doth appear.
1. Because when any Man naturally is filled with Joy and Gladness, or sees extraordinary cause of rejoicing, he by a natural Instinct falls into singing, all the World knows this is so. Now who is he on such occasions bound to rejoice ⟨p. 33⟩in• and sing to, but the Lord only, who gave him those good things he possesseth, or delivered him from those evil things he seared? and so upon the one account or other filled his Soul with Joy and Gladness. Why ought the Saints particularly to rejoice in Christ Jesus, and sing to him, but because all that Good their Souls are made partakers of, is in and through him? Why did the People break forth into those sweet and triumphant Songs of Praise to David, when they sang, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? was it […] from the Consideration of those singular Blessings and Victories they had received from David, and hoped further to partake of from his Hands, as an Instrument in the Hand of God? And if Moral Principles lead People forth thus upon all occasions of this nature to sing to the Instrument of Blessings and Salvation, how much more to the great Agent and Author of them, viz. the great God of Heaven and Earth? who will not give his Glory in another, &c.