Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	form_n	lawful_a	set_a	2,091	5	11.0014	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94166	A Christian, sober & plain exercitation on the two grand practicall controversies of these times; infant baptism and singing of psalms Wherein all the scriptures on both sides are recited, opened and argued, with brevity and tenderness: and whatever hath been largely discussed by others, briefly contracted in a special method for the edification of the saints. By Cuthbert Sidenham, teacher to a church of Christ in Newcastle upon Tine.	Sydenham, Cuthbert, 1622-1654.	1653 (1653)	Wing S6291; Thomason E1443_1; ESTC R209635	113,076	235

admire the unparallel'd variety of truth in that Booke so that if I were raised by some extraordinary gift to the greatest enlargement of composing a Psalme or spirituall Song on a speciall occasion I should come short of the variety and fulnesse of the least of these Psalmes and yet the ignorant standers by might more admire my gift and there would be more danger in it then to sing the Scripture Psalmes which have nothing from men to grace them but their owne native majesty and authority And truly it is somewhat odde for one to be set up by others or for any one to be set up himselfe as a spirituall Poet in the Church and the Church to sing his thoughts with the neglect of the Word of God which it furnished with such variety for the conditions of soules And as the Word of God in generall is so large and vast and various that all the Saints with their highest emprovements can never come up to the fulnesse of it and all the vast folioes that have been written by commentators of all sorts have hardly pierced the barke the shell the letter and all Saints of the highest attainement must digge into it as the onely visible Mine and we must not exclude the Psalmes as to singing from that fulnesse and variety seeing Christ himselfe when he distinguisheth the whole Scripture gives the Psalmes an equall part CHAP. IV. Concerning the Translation of Davids Psalmes and other spirituall Hymnes and Songs with the Answer to the Objection arising from it I Have endeavoured to prove the duty let us consider the strength of the maine Objections against it Ob. The first in order is that which carps at the Translation and that into Meetre as the humane invention the Translation say they is corrupt and especially as into Meetre and Tune if you will sing Davids Psalmes sing them in Hebrew as they were sung formerly this they much stick on Sol. To which I answer That in these Psalmes and Songs there was a set Meetre fitted to Tunes and Voices and musicall Instruments none can deny that observes the Dedications of most Psalmes and those of understanding that can read learned Gomarus may see it fully and with great exactnesse where the spirituall poesie of these Psalmes is excellently set forth 2. So farre as there is corruption in the Translation it is spurious and not to be approved of but corrected 3. But Translations according to the import of the words and sense of the text are as much the Word of God as the Text in the originall for the coherence of word and sense make up the copy entire and perfect 4. Which followes the Translation of the words in Meetre if it have the full sense of the words is as much the Word of God as if it were translated in prose or ordinary sentence for reading for it is not the way or method but the sense and meaning of the words that is the Word of God So that I may as well say when I sing in such a composition it is as much the Word of God as when I read the same words in the Bible onely they are orderly disposed for that action None must by this reason pretend to know the Word of God in reading or expounding but he that knowes the Hebrew and Greeke and that must be also in the first perfect copy immediately transcribed from inspired understandings for all things besides are either translations or additions or substractions from which two last comes perfect corruption So that a translation for singing or reading is the same Word of God as long as it hath the same substantiall truth in it and sing them which way you will either as they lie in the verse or as the same verse is digested into staves and with musicall notes it is all one as to the nature of singing and the translation may be as Orthodoxe in Meetre as in Prose so that you see what force efficacie that objection from the translation carries with it I confesse there are many defects in the translation into Meetre but there are the like in some copies in prose or continued sentence but as to the nature of the thing one verse may as well he made two according to musicall notation and yet retain the same continued sense as remain one only bounded by Arithmeticall figures as 1 2 3 c. Ob. But if any one say the Psalmes as thus translated into Meetre are but an humane invention and you worship God onely after a humane forme Sol. The Answer is at hand 1. To know the significancies of the tongues and how to translate them to edification is a speciall gift of Gods spirit 1 Cor. 12.28 29. 1 Corinth 14.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2. On this ground we read humane inventions when we read the Old or New Testament in any translation but the first copies of Hebrew and Greek wherein they were first written 3. Is it not more a humane invention for to sing any thing of my owne composing then for to sing the very matter and sense of the Word of God in my owne tongue and yet its usuall among these that are against this Ordinance to cry aloud It is a humane invention Antichristian 4. The translation of the Scripture for to be read is as much a humane invention as in poësie to be sung out this is an Objection urged for want of a better Ob. The next grand Objection is that we may as well use a set forme of Prayer as of singing Psalmes the one is as lawfull as the other the one stints the spirit as much as the other Sol. 1. There is no Divine holds that a set forme of Prayer is absolutely unlawfull for then no man may meditate before-hand what he ought to pray for nor consult with his owne mouth or Gods promises for if I meditate on what I neede and what God hath promised I forme such petitions and tye my selfe to them as necessary to be petitioned for and it may be I may have no occasion for a long while to begge any thing of God but the substance of these premeditated considerations of my want 2. Here lyes the unlawfulnesse of set forme of Prayer that it is composed by one and imposed by another to which I am limited let my wants be what they will requiring further additions when I neither study my owne wants nor am permitted to urge them to God in my prayer 3. This is a more suitable Objection against those that pretend to sing by a gift and doe make Psalmes or Hymnes or Songs for themselves and others with neglect of inspired Psalmes and Hymnes So singing of Psalmes and using a set forme of Prayer are very nigh of kin and hold much correspondency 4. But to sing the very words of these Scriptures with understanding is a command as hath beene formerly proved and if you take a set forme of praying for praying Scripture words and speaking to God in that

language it is not only lawfull but is the excellency of some Saints who seldome make a Petition but they urge it in Scripture dialect and shew the Word of God to dwell richly in them thus for singing to praise God or sing to God in his owne forme of words in the spirit and understanding what can be more suitable to God and sweet to the soule 5. There is a great deale of difference betweene praying and singing as to the method of performance though praying and praises may be considered in the same duty yet praying and singing require a distinct method for the very words to sing Psalmes and Hymns and Songs import a speciall method of the voice in a set tune and proportion whereas prayer in the method of performance requires no such exactnesse if one should take on him to sing and not in a set forme and tune he would be ridiculous to all hearers but a man hath a larger liberty in prayer and is not tyed to such strait connexions heighths and falls stops and pauses but the nature of this Ordinance calls for it else it cannot be done gracefully though there be grace in the heart And if the Apostle had not meant by singing of Psalmes singing musically he would have onely bid them praise in the generall and have left out the outward expression of it which cannot be acted but in a set forme 6. If singing were not in a musicall manner as before it were the same with prayer for you may sing out a prayer and praise in praying Thus in Davids Psalmes How many Psalmes which were matter only of petition yet were sung with faith and confidence in God For performance the Apostle James distinguisheth them apparently Is any sick let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalmes and the other Apostle Let us pray with the Spirit and understanding and sing with the Spirit c. Now wherein lies the difference In prayer you have variety of workings and considerations there is Deprecation Imprecation Acclamation and Admiring Pleading and urging promise and the like So in singing there are the like the difference is onely in the set and musicall way of expression which requires a more set forme before-hand to rule my outward carriage by in that Ordinance whereas in prayer we are not tyed to such a severity of method and so need not have our words so formed Another plea which is somewhat scurrilous by the ruder sort yet much urged is that we lye when we sing Psalmes and affirme that we cannot but lye when we sing the phrases of many Psalmes As that of David O Lord I am not puffed in minde I am as a weaned childe c. To which I replie in generall that some may not have the frame of these expressions when they sing and so may performe a duty which may be but as a lye to them But 1. In speciall there is no Saint but can in some measure say what ever David saith in that or any other Psalme describing the spirituall qualification of his heart all graces are in every Saint there in the seede and habit and in a proportion though all are not so eminent and apparent in the bud and fruit though no godly man is free from pride yet he cannot be a godly man that is a proud man in actu signato which hath never been humbled and brought out of himselfe thus all along the 119. Psalme that Anatomy of a Saints inward parts when David saith He delights in the Law of God He hopes in Gods mercy His soule longs after God He keepes his Commandements He hates every evill way c. every godly man may sing these and all other Psalmes and speak truth for the reality of these frames are the same in every gracious heart 2. Whatever I finde to be the case of any Saint I may make it mine according to the likenesse of my condition to it and yet not a lye 3. One great use of singing is to commend the excellency of such graces which are and have beene in others to sweeten the harshnesse of other duties and to stirre and quicken the heart to the endeavouring after such like frames therefore some Law-givers have put their Lawes into verse first that the people might take a pleasure in them and sing them as their recreations and be the more insinuated into obedience 4. I can tell no lye so long as in the sincerity of my soule I study my duty and sing with desire after such qualifications from the contemplation of the beauty of them in such holy men though I doe not finde the present frame so high as I breathe after and such men found at present Ob. But this Objection grant it in its full Latitude proves nothing against the nature of the Ordinance of singing but the persons who sing who are not fitly qualified to some expressions Againe others plead Psalmes that are sung are not suitable to my condition Sol. 1. That is nothing still against the Ordinance of singing if it do not fit you it fits others But 2. There is nothing in Scripture-expressions but all Saints at all times may make some use of in the very reading or singing if not so particularly yet as to the generall nature of instruction and edification it is profitable Saints must read all Scripture with faith and understanding though every place may not so directly open their present condition and why may not they sing as well all Psalmes 3. It should be the care of Officers in the Church to be very choice in picking out Psalms fit for the Church according to the nature of the body and times and seasons and I could wish there were more choicenesse observed in that particular yet the Ordinance remaines still the same 4. When I sing any of these Psalmes I should by Faith personate the same state of the Church or the Saints as when I apply promises made to others I doe their conditions as if it were spoken to mee 5. It is for want of Divine study of the nature of these Scripture-expressions and the mystery of them that we say such a Psalme is unsuitable to our conditions for if when I read understandingly I can get profit by them I can the same when I sing them 6. If it doe not reach my condition as to a particular case I am troubled withall or the providence I am eminently under yet it concernes the state of the Church and I may sing them as a Member of the same Body and sympathising with them either in sorrow or joy in afflictions or triumphs which is a speciall way to act the graces of Saints somtimes to sing what concernes others as themselves as to pray for others as themselves this is like Christs heart in heaven Lastly you have opportunity enough to chuse Psalmes for your emergencies It is good to keepe the harmonie of the whole Body in the maine Ob. That which followes next as urged against