A47407:395
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.
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. Brother, who do you encounter with now? 'Tis evident this doth not concern as, you need not have taken so much time and pains to prove that which no Body that I know denies.
But before I come to reply to that, I cannot but take notice how you hug your former Notion of Essence of Singing; but I perceive your have found out the Essence of Singing, is not in the Spirit alone, but it has Matter and Form too: the Matter (you say) is God's Word; there you are right: you say, The Melody lies in the Heart, that is partly true, but there must be something else added to the Essence of Singing, or else you have it not; and that is the chief thing, the only thing from whence it's called Singing, that is, a melodious Voice, add that, and then you plead for Singing; take that away, and 'tis no more than inward Joy, or Rejoicing. Singing, Mr. Caryl tells you, is an Act of the Voice: 'Tis a melodious Noise, do not mistake your self in one of the most plain and easiest Acts of the Bodily Organ, or Act of the Tongue. But to the Business, no Hymn must be made nor composed from God's Word, it appears, without ⟨p. 136⟩the help and assistance of the holy Spirit. I am of your Mind.
But before I come to reply to that, I cannot but take notice how you hug your former Notion of Essence of Singing; but I perceive your have found out the Essence of Singing, is not in the Spirit alone, but it has Matter and Form too: the Matter (you say) is God's Word; there you are right: you say, The Melody lies in the Heart, that is partly true, but there must be something else added to the Essence of Singing, or else you have it not; and that is the chief thing, the only thing from whence it's called Singing, that is, a melodious Voice, add that, and then you plead for Singing; take that away, and 'tis no more than inward Joy, or Rejoicing. Singing, Mr. Caryl tells you, is an Act of the Voice: 'Tis a melodious Noise, do not mistake your self in one of the most plain and easiest Acts of the B•dily Organ, or Act of the Tongue. But to the Business, no Hymn must be made nor composed from God's Word, it appears, without