A47407:228
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 9
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. Though it is true they praised God, and it will bear that sense, yet, as Mr. Cotton and all learned Men I can meet with say, the Greek word signifies, their Praising of God in a Hymn. That is to say, they praised God by Singing. [See Dr. Du-Veil on Act. 16. 25.] Where is the Man that saith the Word will bear a praising of God without Singing? if there should be such a Person, I perceive (by my converse with several Learned Men) that I shall bring twenty, may be an hundred to that one that will refute and contradict him in what he says.
But let this be considered, viz. Though all spiritual Singing is a Praising of God, yet all Praisings of God, are not Singing his Praise.
I have already proved that Singing in the Spirit in a melodious manner, is the highest manner to express the Praises of God that the Scripture bears witness of; so that 'tis no marvel that some tell you it signifies Praising of God. But it is a poor sorry Cause that puts Men upon a temptation to quarrel with the Translators of the Bible, who from the word they hymned, positively affirm, they sang a Hymn. This is enough to stumble many weak Christians, who from such Dangerous and unnecessary exceptious may be ready to conclude, the Holy Bible is not truly translated in other places, and so may not know what to receive as a Truth, especially when they shall render a Greek word Singing, and another shall say it signifies no more than giving of Thanks. Yet Mr. ⟨p. 72⟩Marlow seems to affirm no less, pag. 30. All know these are two different things, and tho he says truth, that says they praised God, when they sung an Hymn • yet if they did no more than in the common manner say Grace, or give Thanks, he that says they Sung, tells an untruth; in plain English, he lies; and so every Man will say: Should I give Thanks after Supper, and one that is by should say I sung a Hymn, would not others who were with me wonder at his Impudence, and say he related a false Story, and testify I did no more than say Grace, or give Thanks?