A47407:472
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.
But let me tell you, no Body who shall read these Lines, (who does not know you) but must and would conclude, you are against all […] and external Ordinances; they are Expressions like what are oft sound in Quakers •ooks, and seem to be more directly levelled against that Carnal and Formal outward Ordinance of Water-Baptism, and Bread and Wine, (as the Quakers call them) than against Singing; because Singing the Praises of God, is so far from being a Carnal Ordinance, that 'tis that which all believe the Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven are found exercised in; […], and all the Saints shall be found in to all […]. Sure you have less cause thus to […] upon Singing God's Praises, than against […] outward Ordinance whatsoever you could object against.
But let me tell you, no Body who shall read these Lines, (who does not know you) but must and would conclude, you are against all 〈…〉 and external Ordinances; they are Expressions like what are oft sound in Quakers •ooks, and seem to be more directly levelled against that Carnal and Formal outward Ordinance of Water-Baptism, and Bread and Wine, (as the Quakers call them) than against Singing; because Singing the Praises of God, is so far from being a Carnal Ordinance, that 'tis that which all believe the Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven are found exercised in; 〈…〉, and all the Saints shall be found in to all 〈…〉. Sure you have less cause thus to 〈…〉 upon Singing God's Praises, than against 〈…〉 outward Ordinance whatsoever you could object against.
But I perceive what you aim at, viz. th• Matter must not be precomposed; that's the Formal Business with you. I will tell you, […] an extraordinary Gift of Singing was given to a Man, both in Matter and Manner, ye• it must be a Form to others that sing with him; for he must either write it, and so give […] forth to them, or else speak the words of the Hymn he has to sing, or else how should they sing with him? So that since you would […] none to sing but one Man alone, 'tis no marvel you so oppose the Singing of the Psalm of David, or precomposed Hymns taken […] of the Word of Christ.