Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A26724
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Psalms and hymns composed and fitted for the present occasion of publick thanks-giving, October 24, 1651 by W. Barton ...
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Barton, William, 1598?-1678.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing B1003; ESTC R37079
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9,118
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33
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PSALMS and HYMNS Composed and fitted For the present Occasion Of Publick THANKS-GIVING October 24. 1651. By W. Barton Preacher of God's Word LONDON Printed by William Du-Gard October 21. M. DC LI. Psal. 47. 6. Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises Psal. 66. 2. Make a joiful nois unto God all yee lands sing forth the honor of his Name make his prais glorious To the Right Honorable THE PARLAMENT OF THE COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND Most Renowned Prospered and most Candid Christian SENATORS THe LORD of Life and Glorie who asscended up on high and led our Captivitie captive hath in these later daies appeared on Earth as hee ever doth in Heaven in behalf of his Spous and hath dispensed unto you the friends of the Bridegroom most incomparable Signal Victories and Conquests in her behalf for which you have worthily enacted manie Sweet and Solemn Daies of Triumphant Thanksgivings which Thanksgivings beeing indeed much advanced by singing of Psalms it is a thousand pities that the Psalms in use are not by this daie cured of so manie grievous defects and gross absurdities as have been of long time discovered in them For although those gross faults were generally corrected by a worthie Member of your Honorable Hous in an Edition by him put forth manie years ago yet was that endeavour wholly dashed by a reference to the Assemblie who under an opinion of bringing them most strictly to the Original made them in manie places more dark and disorder lie then could bee well amended for the present upon which consideration I was emboldened with the assent of Mr Rous the first Autor and with the assistance of som Godlie Learned men to endeavour a new Translation both cleer and smooth and accurately compared with the Original which having effected presented it pleased your Honors to refer it to Mr N. Mr B. and Others to review report to the Hous but they accounting the said Translation too Poëtical do intend to compile a new one out of it more strictly to the words which doubtless will produce that obscuritie of Phrase and deformitie of Style which marr'd the other and made it less acceptable and profitable to the People and for which verie reason this new Composure of mine was more accurately framed having formerly put forth a Translation of mine own which was not wholly innocent of that Original error which indeed the Translators do not alwaies so easily apprehend Now becaus this Review of the Committee may bee very tedious to wait for it beeing a year and more since the Order past the Hous and I cannot perceiv they are half waie in the work and when it is don it must needs varie from the express Text by Paraphrase or Metaphrase for a great part and becaus the Opportunities are becom indeed Importunities and very urgent I presume to dedicate to your Honors this short Assaie of Psalms and Hymns beeing readie to print and publish the whole Book if it pleas your Honors to allow mee the securitie of my Copie that no man print it from mee and those that are interessed therein without which favor the present printing of the whole would endanger my utter undoing having already endebted my self so deeply upon the said account But if after publication of all your Honors shall receiv better satisfaction by anie other endeavours I shall fully rest satisfied in this that it shall bee determined by the Supreme Autoritie of England which from the first I have publickly owned obeied honored praied for pleaded for and praised God for as a singular Blessing to this Nation under which wee may lead peaceable and quiet lives in all Godliness and Honestie and if anie fearing God bee otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto them In conscience and confidence whereof I rest Your Honors most dutiful and devoted Servant for Jesus sake W. Barton TO HIS EXCELLENCIE The Lord General CROMWEL Right Honorable YOu do very well know that no Opinion is more unscriptural or irrational then to denie the Dutie it self of Singing Psalms and Spiritual Songs of Prais to the glorie of God for even Nature dictateth no less to the verie Heathens and the Scripture is so express and urgent for it that as well wee may denie praier as this kinde of Prais Neither can the mistake of manie disswade the pious practiser of this Dutie to desist but rather provoke his zeal like David dancing before the Ark blinde Bartimeus crying after Christ or the Children crying Hosanna and Verily if such should altogether hold their peace the Stones would sing I acknowledg that most of the Psalms exstant do want a more exquisite Composure and I denie not but Christians gifted that waie may compose and sing new Songs to the glorie of God in the Congregations but if those Songs bee not composed out of Scripture I believ they will want that gravitie and weight that Majestie and Autoritie which these have to excite affection and edifie the understanding Wherefore having Composed a few of this kinde very proper for the Seasons and Solemnities GOD's gracious Providence bestow's upon us I humbly crave leav most Noble LORD to present these and especially the Souldiers Hymn to Your Lordship's pious and prudent Animadversion hoping to obtein Your Honor's Approbation of this Scriptural Collection as a livelie Description of the Condition You have so much experienced And that You will saie and manie after You That this Scripture is at this Daie fulfilled in our ears and in Your persons GOD Almightie preserv Your EXCELLENCIE to bee an Happie Instrument of Our full Deliverance and the strong Establishment of Englands Common-wealth together with the Flourishing Estate of the whole Church of Christ as praieth Your EXCELLENCIE'S most humble Servant W. Barton To the Courteous Reader THE poor and imperfect Translation of the present Psalm-Book not yet throughly amended by anie hand gave occasion to som to saie more wittily then wisely That Hopkins and Sternhold had persecuted David more then Saul did and hath made som men to abhor the offering of the Lord Yet those Autors did rarely doubtless for those Times and are registred in Chronicles among men of Note and their labors have certainly edified Godlie men and glorified God although in these Times of glittering Knowledg and the perfection of Language and other Gifts the great defects and faults of these Psalms crie aloud for amendment and certainly when once vvee have in our flock a male I mean a compleat Book Mal. 1. 14. then to offer these lame and blinde Psalms and so to sacrifice a corrupt thing will bee cursedly evil but to desert the Dutie wholly since som Psalms are tolerably translated is certainly a sin I conjecture with my self what hath more prejudiced this Dutie then the weakness of the Translation namely the wicked application of Psalms by malevolent Spirits as I heard somtime a Hedg-priest give forth the 21 Psalm at such time as the Book