Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	bishop_n	pope_n	time_n	3,262	5	3.6734	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44281	Gospel musick, or, The singing of Davids psalms, &c. in the publick congregations, or private families asserted, and vindicated, against a printed pamphlet, entitled, Certain reasons by way of confutation of singing psalms in the letter, objections sent in, in writing, scruples of some tender consciences by thy loving brother, N.H., D.D., M.M.S. ; vnto which is added, the iudgement of our worthy brethren of New-England touching singing of psalms, as it is learnedly and gravely set forth in their preface to the Singing psalms, by them translated into metre.	Homes, Nathanael, 1599-1678.	1644 (1644)	Wing H2567; ESTC R13654	26,991	33

praises of Halal to praise Odes or spirituall Songs are peculiar Hymnes of some speciall matter of praise shorter in quantity and of an higher forme and straine of Divine Poetry and these say they the Hebrewes call Schirim of Scur to sing ** The word SCHIR is the title of those short psalmes of degrees which for their excellency and use and form are called Psalmes of Degrees some nice criticismes may be made on the words by some but not solid enough to ground a distinction for all three The Apostle applies two of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all three sorts of canticles viz. Psalmes Hymnes and spiritual sangs Ephes 5.19 Yet I must tell you by the way that these words in Hebrew doe not make such a precise difference For Tehillim is the generall Title of all the Psalmes Mismor the particular Title of most Psalmes Ad Schir the promiscuous Title sometimes of other Psalmes as well as of the Psalmes of Degrees Nor doe the Greek words make such a distinguishing difference For a Psalme is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing And a Hymne of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing praise And an Ode called a spirituall Ode or Song by our translators is of the word A' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing So that it seemes to me that the Apostle useth many words to signifie that all our singing of what sort soever should be of divine things and not vain things to glorifie God and not to please our foolish phantasies But whether we distinguish the one way or the other we see the Apostles presse the dutie of spirituall singing whether of this kind or that kind whether called of men by this name or that name In which injunctions the Apostles are so cleare that very few since the comming of Christ that I know of have made scruple of the thing And if any have of late they never mention these places as if either they did not remember them or could not answer them 2. The unquestionednesse of Singing in former Ages Augustine Aug. Tom. 1. Retractat lib. 2. cap. 11. who flourished about 385 years after Christ makes mention of one Hilarius should seem he was a Roman because he saith he was of the order of Tribunes who through hatred of the superstitious Priests was wont to dislike Ecclesiasticall singing of Psalmes Against whom the said Augustine as he saith himselfe wrote a book in the behalfe of Ecclesiasticall or Church-singing of Psalmes which book began thus They that make mention Zanchie that was a famous Writer some 50. yeares since saith that some argued against singing of Psalmes He tells us their Arguments 1. That Elijah derided the singing of Baals Priests 2. Christ bids us pray in our secret Chambers 3. Hanna is commended for silent prayer she moving only her lips 4. The Church of Rome when it was more pure did not sing as witnesse whereof at this day there is nor Organs nor singing in the Popes secret Chappell Which arguments are so silly that they deserve no answer I leave them to those that scruple at singing to answer for sure they will find that in that 1 Kings 18. There is not the least intimation that Baals Priests sang They will easily say that privat prayer and singing of Psalmes are two distinct things They wil question if the Church of Rome while purer did not sing which is doubtfull as we shall see in the antiquity of the practice of singing in all ages since Christ whether it will follow that not singing was any part of the purity of the Church of Rome If it had the Popes would not so observe the omission of it in their more secret Chappell Sure their Apostle Peter whose successors the Pope pretends to be did sing with Christ and his Apostles at the holy Supper And thus you heare all the question that hath been made that I know of of singing in all ages till this age wherein every old Heresie is revived stripping Christ of all Anabaptisme that began to oppose Reformation in famous Luthers time is risen againe taking away Baptisme from beleevers children Antinomianisme that opposed in worthy Pareus his time is sprung up to take away commandements and duties Familisme in H. N. the authour his time is sprung up to take away the signes of grace and set up immediate revelations Arminianisme in Pelagius and Socinus his time the brood of him is sprung up to take away the power of grace and the condition of faith to advance nature and universall redemption Socinianisme in the time of Hereticall Arrius is started up again to take away the Deity of Christ Epicurisme as ancient as the time of the Sadduces is risen which takes away the immortalitie of the soule Antisabbatarianisme that was rank in the reigne of the Prelats B. White D. Heilin D. Poclington c. is now revived taking away the Sabbath And so the opinion of the Hilarians unlawfulnesse of singing Psalmes is risen again from the dead that before lived in Hilarius his time to take away this Gospel ordinance and sweet solace of the sanctified soule But before the great fall of Antichrist there must be a great falling away of seeming Christians as the Scriptures warn us If we have not a mind to fall away let us keep close to the Scriptures The Scriptures hold forth to us most clearly this Gospel-musick or be sure of it it had been buried with the Jewish ceremonies But being Moses taught the Israelites singing before the Tabernacle was built Exod. 15. And Christ and his Apostles injoyn and practise singing after all Davidicall musicke and Temple Hymnes were down and the best reformed Churches ever since have practised let us not lose our sweet ordinance all little enough to cheer our soules 3. The ancientnesse of the use of Singing Quo antiquius eo melius To make good what I say that singing of Psalmes hath been in practice among all reformed Churches up to the time of Christ and his Apostles and to begin at these times and so ascend for the ancienter the practice the more authority is in the example 1. At this time the Churches in England 1643. Scotland Holland Geneva New England practise it 2. In Luthers time 1540. above an hundred yeares since it was in much esteeme with him and godly persons He would say to his Christian company when he heard of the threats of Princes and Popes and Bishops against him Come come said he let us sing the 46. Psalm and let them all doe what they can Rabanus Maurus 847. a Commentator on the Bible who flourished about An. Dom. 847. commends the honest plain song the plain singing of Churches in ages preceding him Gregory the great flourishing An. 590. An. Ch. 590. dislikes not singing but that men should be chosen to doe that onely who attended so to singing as to neglect holinesse of life just as our Cathedrall men who sing the Scriptures