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 ...
Benjamin Keach 1640–1704London: printed for Author, 1691
xii, [6], 192, 55, [1] p. · 66k words · Wing K50 · ESTC R21273
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.
Answ. That the Psalm was extraordinary as to the Matter, is doubtful; because we know no Psalms but the Book of Psalms, or those called the Psalms of David: so that it is very likely it might be one of them; but let it be a Psalm, or an Hymn, given forth by the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, and sung too by the same extraordinary Spirit, yet this doth not weaken, but strengthen my Argument.
1. Because, as I said even now, all Gospel-Ordinances ⟨p. 63⟩were witnessed to by the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost, in the Apostles days; and so likewise they had extraordinary Gifts to discharge those Duties respectively.
1. They had an extraordinary Gift of Prayer, extraordinary Gifts to Preach and handle a Doctrine; the like in Interpreting and Prophesying, so no doubt likewise for Singing. But if after these extraordinary Gifts ceased in the Church, the Saints were to sing no more, but leave off that Ordinance, notwithstanding the Churches are enjoined to sing by the Holy Ghost:
Pray consider the direful Consequences of such an absurd Conclusion, i. e. the Apostles had an extraordinary Spirit, nay, an infallible Spirit, in Preaching, in Praying, in Prophesying, in Interpreting the Scripture; and in the whole of their Work, in the Administration of the Gospel, in respect of every Duty and Ordinance thereof; these are all ceased, since none have these miraculous Gifts now. From hence it will follow, There's none now can, or ought to Preach, Pray, Interpret, &c. or dispense any one Ordinance of the Gospel, &c. Nay, and 'tis not unknown to many, there are some have lately made use of this Argument against all Ordinances: And this I will say, and by the help of God stand by it too, That if Singing must be rejected or thrown away, by virtue of this Argument, viz. Because none have an extraordinary Gift to bring […] forth, all Ordinances are gone, or must be cast off. God deliver
⟨p. 64⟩
poor Christians from the pernicious Arguings of such weak Opposers of Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Besides, 'tis evident, none of those Duties and Gospel-Administrations, were tied up to such who […] those extraordinary Gifts, but that others who had but the ordinary Gifts, might and ought to attend upon the Administration of the same Duties and Ordinances, as well as those so miraculously endowed: for the main Business the Apostle strives to do there, was not to order the Matter of the Worship of the Gospel, but to regulate the Manner how those extraordinary Gifts in the Church should be used to prevent Confusion; and that all might be done to edification of the People, whilst God saw good to continue them in his Church. Doubtless there cannot be a stronger Argument brought to prove and confirm this Ordinance. The Holy Ghost inspired the Saints with Miracles, Gifts of the Spirit, to bring forth a Psalm, as well as to bring forth a Doctrine; and so witnessed to it, and established it as a standing Ordinance in the Church, as being of the same Nature and Authority with Prayer and Preaching, or any other Gospel-Institution. I will close this with one Argument.
Pray consider the direful Consequences of such an absurd Conclusion, i. e. the Apostles had an extraordinary Spirit, nay, an infallible Spirit, in Preaching, in Praying, in Prophesying, in Interpreting the Scripture; and in the whole of their Work, in the Administration of the Gospel, in respect of every Duty and Ordinance thereof; these are all ceased, since none have these miraculous Gifts now. From hence it will follow, There's none now can, or ought to Preach, Pray, Interpret, &c. or dispense any one Ordinance of the Gospel, &c. Nay, and 'tis not unknown to many, there are some have lately made use of this Argument against all Ordinances: And this I will say, and by the help of God stand by it too, That if Singing must be rejected or thrown away, by virtue of this Argument, viz. Because none have an extraordinary Gift to bring 〈…〉 forth, all Ordinances are gone, or must be cast off. God deliver ⟨p. 64⟩poor Christians from the pernicious Arguings of such weak Opposers of Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. Besides, 'tis evident, none of those Duties and Gospel-Administrations, were tied up to such who 〈…〉 those extraordinary Gifts, but that others who had but the ordinary Gifts, might and ought to attend upon the Administration of the same Duties and Ordinances, as well as those so miraculously endowed: for the main Business the Apostle strives to do there, was not to order the Matter of the Worship of the Gospel, but to regulate the Manner how those extraordinary Gifts in the Church should be used to prevent Confusion; and that all might be done to edification of the People, whilst God saw good to continue them in his Church. Doubtless there cannot be a stronger Argument brought to prove and confirm this Ordinance. The Holy Ghost inspired the Saints with Miracles, Gifts of the Spirit, to bring forth a Psalm, as well as to bring forth a Doctrine; and so witnessed to it, and established it as a standing Ordinance in the Church, as being of the same Nature and Authority with Prayer and Preaching, or any other Gospel-Institution. I will close this with one Argument.
Arg. That Duty or Ordinance which was owned and witnessed to by the Lord in the New Testament, with Miracles, and the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, is to abide in the Church as a standing Ordinance. But Singing of Psalms, &c. was thus confirmed, owned, and ⟨p. 65⟩witnessed unto. Ergo, Singing of Psalms, &c. remains in the Church as a standing Ordinance.
Proving Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, a Gospel-Ordinance, to continue in the Church, from the practice of the Churches in the succeeding Ages next the Apostles Times, particularly in the second and third Centuries; with the practice of all the Godly generally in all Ages, nay, the most strict in Grace and Godliness till this present Age.
AS Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, was instituted and given forth by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel, and practised by Christ and his Saints in the Primitive Times: so we shall show you, from the best and most approved Ecclesiastical Histories, it was practised in the Ages next unto the Apostles Days.
AS Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, was instituted and given forth by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel, and practised by Christ and his Saints in the Primitive Times: so we shall shew you, from the best and most approved Ecclesiastical Histories, it was practised in the Ages next unto the Apostles Days.
And as Singing of Psalms, &c. (saith he) was used in the purest Primitive Apostolical Times in the Church-Assemblies: so ⟨p. 66⟩it was continued all along in the successive Churches hitherto, though it is too evident that some Corruptions and Vanities, by little and little, crept into this, as into other parts of God's Worship.
Singing of Psalms, &c. was used in the second Century, to celebrate Christ and his Deity, against the Calumny of Theodosi•• Euseb. Eccl. Hist. Lib. 5. cap. 28.
Eusebius tell us, that Pliny the Second, abo•• Anno 98, wrote an Epistle to Trajan the Emperor, that the Christians being gathered together before day, were wont to sing Hymns together, and praise Christ as God. And the same Eusebius affirmeth, that Philo-Judaeus did testify the same of this Christian Practice; and also assures us, that the said Pliny and Trajan lived in the Time of the Apostle John, who did not die till about 100 Years after Christ.
Eusebius tell us, that Pliny the Second, abo•• Anno 98, wrote an Epistle to Trajan the Emperor, that the Christians being gathered together before day, were wont to sing Hymns together, and praise Christ as God. And the same Eusebius affirmeth, that Philo-Judaeus did testify the same of this Christian Practice; and also assures us, that the said Pliny and Traja lived in the Time of the Apostle John, who did not die till about 100 Years after Christ.
This very Passage out of Eusebius, 1I find cited by Mr. •• berts, Mr. Wells, Mr. Cott••, and also by Mr. Sidenham […] others. But having the History. I need not mention them; yet for one Reason I shall add the same over again out of Mr. Sydenham's Treat. of Singing, p. 209.
This very Passage out of Eusebius, 1I find cited by Mr. •• berts, Mr. Wells, Mr. Cott••, and also by Mr. Sidenham 〈…〉 others. But having the History. I need not mention them; yet for one Reason I shall add the same over again out of Mr. Sydenham's Treat. of Singing, p. 209.
1This Epistle of Pliny is extant in Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. c. 17.
Eusebius (saith he) in his Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 35. quotes two Epistles of Plinius Secundus to Trajan the Emperor, testifying that the Christians were wont to assemble themselves, before day, to sing Psalms and Hymns together. The same doth Philo-Judaeus ⟨p. 67⟩testify, who lived in the Apostles Time, as the same Eusebius saith, Lib. 2. cap. 22. Now in the Time of Plinius and Trajan did the beloved Disciple live, saith Zanch on Ephes. 5. 18, 19.
Eusebius (saith he) in his Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 35. quotes two Epistles of Plinius Secundus to Trajan the Emperor, testifying that the Christians were wont to assemble themselves, before day, to sing Psalms and Hymns together. The same doth Philo-Judaeus ⟨p. 67⟩testify, who lived in the Apostles Time, as the same Esebius saith, Lib. 2. cap. 22. Now in the Time of Plinius and Trajan did the beloved Disciple live, saith Zanch on Ephes. 5. 18, 19.
Tertullian, who flourished near the Apostles Time, about 194, saith, the Christians were wont to sing out of the Holy Scripture, Apol. cap. 1. 9. as their usual custom.
