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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	psalm_n	sing_v	song_n	3,893	5	9.5719	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92933	A Serious answer to a late book stiled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's epistle concerning singing wherein the chief scriptures and arguments are examined, and the weakness thereof shewed : together with an answer to the several reflections, and false charges, against both churches and persons, recommended to the elders, ministers, and members of baptized churches.	Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.; Steed, Robert, of Dartmouth.; Barrett, George.; E. M. (Edward Man)	1692 (1692)	Wing S2607; ESTC R42860	36,728	64

on this Subject he being very dextrous to take Gold or Dross out of other Mens Writings and present them as his own Neither have they any more specious Pillars to uphold this common way of Singing than those that are pleaded for in this Treatise of theirs which we have now answered But Lastly We do much wonder that Mr. Keach and Mr. Whinnel should give themselves the Stile of being renowned they being the Authors of that Book in which they give this Encomium of their being Men of Renown It is but their own Opinion of themselves not it may be of others that know them However Modesty would have caused them if they had exercised any to have forborn to have spread their own Praise But surely Mr. Whinnel and Mr. K. forgot the Wise Man's Sayings Prov. 25.27 For Men to search their own Glory is not Glory And Prov. 27.2 Let another Man praise thee and not thine own Mouth And elsewhere that same Wise Man tells us Some Men are wiser in their own conceit than seven Men that ●●n render a Reason They again enquire how we dare say that Singing of Psalms with Voices is not of Divine Institution In answer to which we ask them again How they dare to say that Singing of Psalms in Meeter with a tunable Voice by the whole Church and a mixt Multitude is of Divine Institution when not one Word of all they have written doth prove it It hath been already granted that Singing of Psalms in the Temple-Worship was of Divine Institution And we acknowledg that all the Songs and Psalms in the Old Testament are the undoubted unerring Word of God and of excellent use to all the Servants of God profitable for Doctrine and Consolation wherein are contained many excellent Experiences of God's gracious dealing with his People and many blessed Promises and Prophecies for the establishment of the Church and Servants of God But we say the Singing of those Psalms as they had respect to the Temple-Worship with their Musical Singing and Instruments with the Persons assigned for that kind of Exercise are all at an end You will find 55 of them directed to the Master of Musick and 15 of them called each a Song of Degrees and most of them directed to the Sons of Korah And by the most Learned and Renowned Men of our Age it is asserted that those Ordinances being ended by the Coming of Christ who was to destroy the City and the Sanctuary and to cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease It remains now that the Word of Christ dwell richly in us in all Wisdom and that we be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs c. And if that manner of Worship under the Law is ceased as is affirmed by the Learned and Pious that it is then can it not be in the manner of that Administration in any respect unless you will say that the Type and the Anti-Type are all one But if the Gospel be the Anti-Type of those Types then we must conclude that as they were outward in their Melody and Musick so the Melody now under the Gospel must be inward or spiritual That is the joyful Voice signifying the Melody and Joy of our Hearts to God expressed in Praising and Thanksgiving to God who hath revealed more of his Grace by Jesus Christ That he who is a Spirit may be worshipp'd in Spirit and in Truth As Learned Dr. Owen saith in his Exposition on Heb. 2.13 before cited And whereas they say that they utterly deny that Prayer is a lower sort of Worship than Singing We answer That if they mean Singing in their Sense we agree with them but if in the Sense of the Scripture we do affirm that Praises which are the matter of a Song is a Duty of a higher Nature than Prayer For 1. The praising of God is that Duty which Saints and Angels will be employed in for ever but Prayer ceaseth On this account it is that the Apostle tells us that Charity is the greatest because it always abideth 1 Cor. 13. 2. Praise is giving to God the Glory of his Mercy received but Prayer is the begging from God the Mercies he hath promised and which we stand in need of But we shall not follow them in all their Mistakes and Impertinencies They also tell us they are against the composing ●●sing and imposing set-Forms of Prayer But would they but make known the Reasons why they are against set-Forms of Prayer no doubt but they would have answered themselves in all they could substantially alledg for their set-Form Singing and have saved us the labour But it is a Question whether it be so or no For this we find that those very Arguments those very scornful Reflections that those that are for set-Form Prayer do use against them that are opposite to that formal Will-Worship do these use to them that are against their set-Form Singing or Praising of God As for instance Do the one call in Scorn Praying by a Spiritual Gift ex tempore Praying in a confused Manner so do these to the like purpose spenk of praising or singing Praise to God without a set-Form Pag. 39. In the like manner as the one say If you pray by the Spirit your Prayer would be of equal Authority to Canonical Scripture so do these concerning singing Praise without a set-Form Pag. 36. Do the one say in derision that those that are against set-Form Prayer are Enthusiasts or setters up of Enthusiasm so do these in their pretended sober Reply say against those that deny their set-Form Singing Pag. 57 c. We hear that one whose Heart and Mind we believe as well as Name is to that Book of theirs hath asserted that Enthusiasm came in with the Doctrine of Believers Baptism whereby he would make our Lord Jesus the Author and Promoter of it that Doctrine of Baptism aforesaid being originally from his Command and Practice It were easy to answer to all these Cavils and Scorns cast upon us but we shall forbear at present because we would first know from them seeing they say they are resolved to answer and so to hold on this Controversy what they have to say to wipe off these Slurs cast upon their manner of Praying and yet that they may be deservedly cast upon those that are for praising or singing Praise by the same Spirit assisting in the same manner as he doth in Prayer But by these things the Baptized Churches may behold what that Spirit is that would introduce this common Singing among them that hath been so long rejected by them even the same that hath brought in and maintain'd all that carnal Worship which by the Anti-christian Apostacy hath fill'd the World to this Day And hereby they may see whereto it would lead them even back to lick up the old Vomit which will be the more pernicious to them than others because they have been through

Reflections we shall endeavour as the Lord shall enable us to manifest the Weakness of the main Pillars of their Assertion concerning the Singing before mention'd For we shall not spend our time to answer every Particular in that Treatise the Weakness whereof is most evident to any that will but take any serious notice of it it would be very tiresom and altogether needless First then we shall enquire whether Singing to the Praise of God according to the Expression of it in the Holy Scriptures be to be restrained or is only meant of declaring those Praises by a Musical Melodious tunable Voice To which we answer That Singing or Uttering the Praise of God are convertible Terms according to the Language of the Holy Scriptures As for instance Cant. 2.12 The time of the singing of Birds is come c. that as able Interpreters tell us is meant that a Rejoicing or Praising-time is come Deut. 32.44 And Moses spake all the words of that Song unto the People and in v. 43. it 's said Rejoice O ye Nations with his People which is elsewhere called Singing and sometimes Shouting Doubtless there was never a greater Song of Praise uttered to the Honour of Christ than that Luk. 19.37 38. when the Disciples rejoiced and praised God for all the mighty Works which they had seen Saying not Singing Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest That Musick uttered by them with their Voices made more Melody than any composed Songs that can be sung in Metre And as Mr. Caryl tells us upon that Scripture It was Musick the Pharisees did not like but would have them rebuked for so doing Obj. It is indeed frequently and earnestly pleaded by the Authors of that Book That Singing or Song bears that Acceptation of a Musical Melody with the Voice amongst all Mankind Answ To which we answer That if it hath pleased the Spirit of the Lord in the Holy Scriptures to make use of those words in another sense what have we to say to it or dare any that are truly pious to contradict it That Singing is in the Old Testament as well as in the New used in a Metaphorical Sense is apparent As where Singing to the Praise of God is ascribed to inanimate Creatures as well as to others See Psal 65.13 Isa 49.13 Jer. 12. So Job 38.7 if we take the Morning-Stars for the Angels as some do they need not the faculty of Speech or as others take the words for the whole Creation in their respective Kinds then the word Sing must be taken figuratively even for their Praising their Great Creator by ways sutable to their several Natures however a Supposition to the contrary would be highly ridiculous So in like manner in the New Testament as for instance 1 Cor. 14.15 where it appears that Singing and giving of Thanks be convertible Terms But especially we desire it may be considered seriously what may be the meaning of the Mind of God in that Scripture Heb. 2.12 I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren in the midst of the Congregation will I sing Praise to thee This Text was a Prophecy of Christ our Saviour quoted from Psal 22.22 For the opening of which we shall repeat the Exposition that the excellent Person Dr. Owen gives of it as followeth First What Christ will moreover do He will sing Praises unto God And Secondly Where he will do it In the midst of the Congregation The Expression of both these is accommodated to the Declaration of God's Name and and Praising of him in the Temple The singing of Hymns of Praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal part of his Worship And in the first Expression two Things are observable 1. What Christ undertakes to do that is to praise God Now this is only Exegetical of what went before He would praise God by declaring his Name There is no way whereby the Praise of God may be celebrated like that of declaring his Grace Goodness and Love unto Men c. 2. The Chearfulness and Alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this Work he would do it as with Joy and Singing with such a frame of Heart as was required in them who were to sing the Praises of God in the great Assemblies in the Temple 3. Where would he do this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Congregation the great Congregation as he calls it v. 25. 〈◊〉 is the great Assembly of the People in the Temple And this was a Type of the whole Church of the Elect under the New Testament The Lord Christ in his own Person by his Spirit in his Apostles and his Word by all his Messengers unto the end of the World setting forth the Love Grace Goodness and Mercy of God in him the Mediator sets forth the Praise of God in the midst of the Congregation I shall only add that whereas singing of Hymns unto God was an especial part of the instituted Worship under the Old Testament to whose Use these Expressions are accommodated it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this Praise of God in his Institution of Worship under the New Testament wherein God will ever be glorified and praised This was that which the Lord Christ engaged to do upon the Issue of his Sufferings and we may propose it unto our Example and Instruction Thus Dr. Owen on that Text Pag. 256. And again on the same Text Pag. 258. Moreover the Lord Christ by declaring that he will set forth the Praise of God in the Church manifests what is the Duty of the Church it self namely to praise God for the Work of his Love and Grace in our Redemption by Christ Jesus This he promiseth to go before them in and what he leads them unto is by them to be persisted in This is indeed the very end of gathering the Church and of all the Duties that are performed therein and thereby The Church is called unto the Glory of the Grace of God Eph. 1.6 that it may be set forth in them and by them This is the end of the Institution of all Ordinances of Worship in the Church Eph. 3.8 9 10. and in them they set forth the Praises of God unto Men and Angels this is the Tendency of Prayer the Work of Faith and the Fruit of Obedience It is a fond Imagination which some have fallen upon that God is not praised in the Church for the Work of Redemption unless it be done by Words and Hymns particularly expressing it All Praying all Preaching all Administration of Ordinances all our Faith all our Obedience if ordered aright are nothing but giving Glory to God for his Love and Grace in Christ Jesus in a due and acceptable manner And this is that which ought to be in our Design in all our Worship of God especially in what we perform in the Church To set forth his Praise to