THE 
 
 REASONABLENESS 
 
 OF SETTING FOHTH 
 
 THE MOST WORTHY PRAISE 
 
 OF 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD 
 
 ACCORDING TO THE USAGE OF THE 
 
 PRIMITIVE CHURCH; 
 
 WITH 
 
 HISTORICAL VIEWS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NATURE, ORIGIN, AND PROGRESS 
 
 OF 
 
 METRE PSALMODY. 
 
 1 speak as unto wise men ; judge ye what I say. 
 
 1 Cor. x. 15. 
 
 BY THE REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D.D. 
 
 Late Principal of the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 PRINTED AND SOLD BY T. AND I, SWORDS ; 
 
 No. 160 Pearl-Street. 
 
 1814, 
 
TO 
 
 THE RIGHT REVEREND THE BISHOPS, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE REVEREND THE CLERGY, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
 
 IN THE 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
 
 THIS WOEK 
 
 IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED 
 
 BY 
 
 THE AUTHOR, 
 
- » 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 F 
 
 ROM numerous and credible testimonies 
 it appears that the usage of chanting the psalms 
 and hymns of public worship obtained in the 
 times of the apostles, and continued to be 
 common to all Christian nations, until about 
 two hundred and sixty years since, when it 
 was, in several parts of Europe, more or less 
 interrupted by the struggles of the reformation. 
 It does not appear from any of the histories or 
 tracts relative to "the Church of England, that 
 there was any difference between the psalmo- 
 dic usage of the Cathedral, Collegiate, and 
 Parochial Churches, until the year 1549, when 
 some of the parish-churches began to discon- 
 tinue the practice of chanting the psalms and 
 hymns, and others to reject the use of music 
 altogether in public worship. But notwith- 
 standing a temporary interruption, occasioned 
 by adversaries to primitive truth and order, 
 prosaic psalmody was re-established after the 
 lapse of a few years, and continues to be esti- 
 mated as one of our mother-church's brightest 
 ornaments. 
 In. every Liturgy, ancient and modern, we 
 a 2 
 
vi PREFACE. 
 
 find prosaic psalmody a constituent part of di- 
 vine service ; but those subjects are denuded 
 of the greater part of their intended effect, 
 when they are pronounced with a merely ver- 
 bal articulation. That they may have their 
 full operation upon the human mind, and also 
 become suitable oblations of homage to the 
 alone Hearer of prayer and praise, they require 
 a display of all the energies of ear and voice, 
 with accompaniments of the chastest and most 
 appropriate harmonies, which the science of 
 music can afford. 
 
 Without chanting, our services are destitute 
 of vocal psalmody ; for the appointed psalms 
 and hymns of public worship, when read, 
 become verbal scriptures addressed to the hu- 
 man understanding, rather than vocal praises 
 offered up to Almighty God. If this were not 
 the case, what reason can be assigned, why 
 the psalmody of the Jewish Church was or- 
 dained " by a perpetual ordinance," to be 
 celebrated by a choir, the grandest and the 
 most numerous that ever was upon earth; — 
 and why all cathedral establishments, through- 
 out the Christian world, ever have embraced, 
 and still hold fast this primitive usage " of 
 setting forth God's most worthy praise ?" 
 
 Attentive to the interchangeable relation sub- 
 sisting between prayer and praise, the church, 
 in every age and country, has appointed cer- 
 
PREFACE. vii 
 
 tain prosaic psalms and hymns to be sung, (or, 
 in cases of necessity, to be said J, as component 
 parts of its offices ; and this arrangement it 
 hath made for the express purpose of enliven- 
 ing devotion, by preventing that lassitude 
 which is apt to obtrude itself upon our frail 
 natures, when long engaged in religious acts 
 of merely verbal articulation. Without the 
 stimulating aids which music affords, it is ab- 
 solutely impossible to keep up the spirit of 
 devotion for any length of time, or to retain 
 the mind in such a state of engagedness and 
 activity, as the nature of social worship re- 
 quires. 
 
 To this important truth all Christian societies 
 bear ample testimony. Among those who 
 have no fixed form of worship, even the ever- 
 varying novelty of their prayers is found to be 
 insufficient for keeping up a spirit of devotion, 
 without the powerful auxiliary of music. 
 How much more then is music necessary, to 
 keep alive the same spirit, during the rotine of 
 our long and complicated offices; which, in 
 consequence of their fixedness and almost 
 perpetual identity, have nothing that can be 
 called novel to recommend them ?* 
 
 * Even this sameness is an excellency. " God is the same, yester- 
 day, to-day, and for ever, without any variableness or shadow of turn- 
 ing ;" — and therefore, meet and right it is, that cur *' reasonable 
 service" to him, should be like bim, the same from generation $e 
 generation. 
 
vni PREFACE. 
 
 To counteract, or rather to direct our un- 
 settled hearts, which are too apt to desire un- 
 limited changes and varieties in religious du- 
 ties; such changes and varieties have, from 
 the beginning, been established by our eccle- 
 siastical ancestors, as are well calculated to en- 
 gage the affections, enlighten the understand- 
 ing, and exhilerate the soul, during the times 
 of its more immediate preparation for entering 
 upon " the glory to be revealed." And there- 
 fore certain parts of the service are to be ut- 
 tered with a meek and humble voice, others 
 with the voice of firm faith and stedfast con- 
 fidence, and others with the elevated voice of 
 triumphant joy and gladness. 
 
 To obviate the complaint that our " morn- 
 ing service is too long;" dispensing rubrics 
 have allowed it to be abridged in various pla- 
 ces; but this complaint might be removed with 
 more effect, and to infinitely better purpose, 
 by giving a musical accompaniment to all those 
 parts of the service, which, by their construc- 
 tion and subject, evidently require it. Such 
 an intermixture of verbal pronunciation with 
 vocal intonation would naturally prevent that 
 lassitude, which is apt to intrude itself upon 
 us during the time of merely reading the ser- 
 vice. Not only would music remove the te- 
 dium superinduced by reading, but it would 
 give a renewed zest for the succeeding part of 
 
PREFACE. ix 
 
 the service, and stimulate the soul, so as to 
 keep it all the while " alive unto God." 
 
 If any apology for this publication be neces- 
 sary, let it be the consideration, that, in every 
 age and country, the clergy have been con- 
 sidered the legitimate guardians of " the most 
 worthy praise of Almighty God," and that al- 
 most all the essays on sacred music are the 
 productions of their learning and zeal. But 
 however numerous, and erudite many of 
 these productions are, not one of them, so 
 far as I can learn, has professedly been written 
 with the ends in view proposed in this work, 
 which is therefore the more necessary, as it 
 may serve to -fill up a chasm in the order of 
 clerical literature. 
 
 My professed aim is to revive the use of the 
 proper and primitive psalmody of the church, 
 and to bear testimony against a novelty, from 
 which it hath never derived any advantage. A 
 reverence for the holy scriptures, whether in 
 the originals, or in allowed translations, com- 
 pels me to disapprobate all poetical liberties 
 which have been taken with them ; but I beg 
 it may be remembered, and I mention it once 
 for all, that my reasonings against the use of 
 versified scriptures are not intended to militate 
 against the use of metrical hymns of human 
 eomposition, provided they are decent poetry, 
 
x PREFACE. 
 
 intelligibly expressed, and in harmony with 
 " the faith once given to the saints." 
 
 If I have written with ardour; the abun- 
 dance of the heart was my prompter. If I 
 have pushed arguments farther than was abso- 
 lutely necessary; a desire of elucidating the 
 subject, and of meeting every objection in all 
 its bearings, was the propelling cause. If I 
 have represented metre psalmody in its native 
 colours, and traced it up to its anti-episcopal 
 origin; it was with the view of convincing 
 Episcopalians, that it is no part of their ec- 
 clesiastical birthright. If I have given a suc- 
 cinct history of chanting; it was with the 
 view of inducing our clerical and lay brethren 
 to adopt and cherish the psalmody, which 
 was practised by Jesus, by his apostles, by 
 the Church in every age and country of 
 Christendom; and which hath been trans- 
 mitted to us, along with Christianity and Epis- 
 copacy y by our venerable mother the Church 
 of England. And, if I have repeatedly shown 
 the immutable alliance between prayer and 
 praise, and that neither of them can exist, to 
 any valuable purpose, without the other; it 
 was with the hope of exciting the members 
 of our Zion, the more fervently to practise the 
 one, and not to leave the other undone. 
 
 Let no person imagine, that I have tra- 
 
PREFACE. xi 
 
 versed an unexplored path, and removed the 
 thorns, thistles, and stumbling-blocks, which 
 the adversary had placed in my way, for the 
 sake of becoming a false witness for God, his 
 holy word, and the offices of the Church ! No 
 — Mendacity, I well know, has no claim to 
 acceptance with the God of truth. 
 
 I am not the only advocate for the senti- 
 ments contained in this book ; numbers of the 
 most erudite of my clerical brethren are of 
 the same mind. 
 
 In the course of correspondence on this 
 subject, Bishop Griswold writes thus: " That 
 metrical psalmody is but a modern invention, 
 I am very sensible, and most cordially agree 
 with you in the opinion, that it has added no- 
 thing to true devotion and the worship of God. 
 The conceit of versifying the psalms, though 
 it seems in some degree to unite the peculiar 
 advantages of the anthem and the chant, in no 
 less degree excludes the excellencies and effect 
 of both ; and owes its success, not so much 
 to its propriety and fitness for the holy sanc- 
 tuary, as to its gratifying the natural propen» 
 sity of mankind to be pleased with rhymes 
 and metre. Mankind are ever pleased to see 
 religion yield to sense, and conform to the 
 world, and especially to see the songs of Zion 
 assimilated to the carnal muse. The so ge- 
 neral indulgence of this propensity has long 
 
sii PREFACE 
 
 been to me a subject of serious and deep con- 
 cern."* 
 
 A variety of similar extracts might be ad- 
 duced. 
 
 Whatever degree of deference is due to 
 public opinion, it is to be presumed, that the 
 candid part of the community will not be of- 
 fended at beholding that opinion examined, 
 and weighed in the balances of the sanctuary 
 and of primitive practice; — and should it be 
 found wanting, they will no, doubt estimate it 
 as it deserves. But should any of my readers 
 be displeased at beholding the label Tekel\ ap- 
 pended to the system of metre psalmody, the 
 so long and so much applauded new way of 
 praising God, let me request them not to be 
 offended, but to think seriously of the adage; 
 Convince a man against his will, 
 He's of the same opinion still" 
 
 We complain of a prevailing want of the 
 spirit of praise in our churches ; but it is to 
 no purpose to make this complaint, unless the 
 grounds and reasons of it be explored, and 
 efforts be made to remove or counteract them. 
 To every person, who will take the trouble of 
 perusing the following sheets, without partia- 
 lity and without prejudice, the reasons for the 
 prevailing want of the spirit of praise will not 
 
 * Bristol, July 8th, 1813.— Extr. pub. Auc. rolente. 
 f Daaiei v. 27.) 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 xmly appear evident, but also the way in which 
 it may be removed. And who would not de- 
 sire to be endued with " the garment of praise" 
 in preference to " the spirit of heaviness?" 
 
 Every Episcopalian either does, or ought to 
 consider his Prayer Book, as next in import- 
 ance to his Bible ; and that the psalms and 
 hymns embraced by its several offices are to 
 be classed under one denomination, and the 
 metre psalms and hymns under another. The 
 former are constituent parts of the Book of 
 Common Prayer ; the latter are merely arbi- 
 trary adjuncts to it. In vain, therefore, do we 
 expect the spirit of praise to be revived by 
 the use of the secundaries, so long as we neg- 
 lect the proper use of the primaries. Metre 
 psalms and hymns are sung, — whilst the pro- 
 saic psalms and hymns are read; — but reading 
 a form of praise can no more be called an 
 act of devotion, than looking over a form of 
 prayer can be called an act of supplication. 
 
 In the presentation of every act of praise 
 to the divine Majesty, we offer either an ac- 
 ceptable or an unacceptable oblation. If the 
 offering be agreeable to the mind of God, he 
 accepteth it; but if it be not agreeable to his 
 will, it is rejected. Now we know that holy 
 scripture is agreeable to his will, because it 
 emanated from himself; but where shall we 
 find satisfactory evidence, that metrified scrip- 
 b 
 
xiv PREFACE, 
 
 tures are agreeable to his will ? From whence 
 did they emanate? — Whether, or how far, 
 the condescension of the Father of Mercies 
 may wink at the unwarranted liberties which 
 have been taken with his holy word, I presume 
 not to determine ; for such is his unbounded 
 clemency towards the erring children of men, 
 that he winked even at the times of the igno- 
 rance of idolatry itself.* But if there beany 
 doubts, and certainly there are many cogent 
 reasons for doubting both the propriety and 
 the lawfulness of using metrified scriptures in 
 the sanctuary ; why should we continue to of- 
 fer up to the divine Majesty an oblation, which 
 lies under even the suspicion of having a ble- 
 mish, when the Holy Spirit hath provided so 
 many lambs without blemish (scripture forms) 
 for the express purpose of being presented to 
 him with " the calves of our lips," on his 
 altar of praise ? In the oblation of any act of 
 will- worship, piety of intention may yield an 
 extenuation of the guilt, but can never avail 
 to effect a justification of the error. 
 
 I feel no hesitancy in asserting that the ob- 
 loquy which hath been heaped upon the pri- 
 mitive way of " setting forth God's most wor- 
 thy praise/' and the rejection of it by many 
 of the reformed churches, in order to make 
 
 * Acts xrii. S9. 
 
PREFACE. xy 
 
 room for the newly- invented metre psalmody 
 derived from Luther and Calvin, began to 
 damp the spirit of praise in the bosoms of 
 some of our ancestors ; — that the continuance 
 of singing metrified scriptures, and of only 
 reading prosaic acts of praise, increases the 
 disorder in us their posterity; — that metrified 
 scriptures are incompetent to excite devotion ; 
 — that there is no divine promise to bless the 
 use of the holy scriptures in any other form, 
 than in that of the originals, and of vernacular 
 translations;* — and that, however, with their 
 measured feet and rhyming cadences, metri- 
 fied scriptures may tickle and amuse the ear, 
 they are incapable of ameliorating the heart 
 with its affections. 
 
 Should any of my readers be disposed to 
 call in question the truth of these allegations, 
 let them search the scriptures, and find but 
 one text, either in the Old or New Testament, 
 that authorizes the versifying of any part or 
 parts of their divine contents ; or the assimi- 
 lating of the Songs of Zion to those of the 
 world ; or even the fitting of the Psalms of 
 David to " the tunes used in churches "\ 
 
 * See the Collect for the second Sunday in Advent. 
 
 f See an account of the origin of " the times used in churches" in 
 the Appendix, Sect. II. 
 
 To these tunes were the metre psalms of Sternhold and Hopkins, 
 and also those of Tate and Brady professedly fitted, as appears by 
 their respective title-pages. 
 
xvi PREFACE. 
 
 Let them take the trouble of searching the 
 annals of the Church, particularly the writings 
 of the 15th and 16th centuries, and they will 
 see what contrivances were practised to foist 
 rhyme psalmody into the Church, and to ex- 
 pel chanting out of it. And let them consult 
 the ecclesiastical historians of ancient times, 
 together with the liturgies of the primitive 
 church; and with one accord they will be 
 found to testify, that the practice of chanting 
 scripture hymns, selected verses of scripture, 
 such as the hymn for Easter-day, and also 
 hymns of human composition, such as the Te 
 Deum, the Gloria in Excelsis, &c. obtained 
 among all Christian nations, from the times of 
 the apostles down to the beginning of the 15th 
 century, when those usages suffered in some 
 countries a temporary interruption, and in 
 others a total excision. 
 
 In settling the present, and indeed every 
 question of reform, great regard is to be paid 
 to the coincidence between scripture testimony 
 and the primitive usage of the Church of Christ; 
 and therefore, to the diligent inquirer after 
 primitive truth and order, the direction given 
 by the prophet Jeremiah will never fail to be a 
 safe and sure rule of procedure-—" Stand ye in 
 the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, 
 where is the good way, and walk therein.*' 5 
 
 * Jeremiah vi. 16, 
 
PREFACE. xvii 
 
 As various objections have been offered to 
 the venerable and once universal usage of vo- 
 calizing the appointed psalms and hymns of 
 our holy offices ; these are collected, and an- 
 swered one by one, that the objector may see 
 that more deference hath been paid to his in- 
 dividual objection, than could have been done 
 in a general reply, consisting of one continued 
 argument. If, in any of these replies, the ob- 
 jector's partialities should appear to be treated 
 with what he may think too much freedom, 
 it is hoped, that candour of argument, and 
 the elucidations of historical evidence, will at 
 least obtain for them a patient perusal, and in- 
 duce him to consider them as reasonings offered 
 to wise men, u zealous for holding the truth in 
 a good conscience." 
 
 Great would be the change in the lives of 
 men, were the praises of God continually in 
 their hearts, or on their tongues ; they would 
 then resemble the glorified spirits in heaven. 
 If churchmen would commit the psalms and 
 hymns of the church to memory, and teach 
 them to their children, they might then, with- 
 out book, turn their duty into recreation, and 
 fill up many a vacant hour in their solitudes 
 and walks to good account ; instead of idling 
 away their time, or " whistling as they go 
 for want of thought, 5 ' as the manner of 
 some is. 
 
 2b 
 
xviii PREFACE, 
 
 Were the Christians of modern times to de- 
 vote themselves to the holy and heavenly ex- 
 ercise of scripture psalmody, as the primitive 
 Christians did; were we to pay as much regard 
 to the constituent acts of praise in the Church, 
 as the pious Jews of old did to those in the 
 Temple, we should have infinitely more of the 
 spirit of devout supplication, and infinitely 
 more of the spirit of unfeigned obedience, than 
 we do possess. 
 
 These assertions are founded upon the un- 
 controvertible fact, that we are more governed 
 by our affections, than we are by our under- 
 standings. 
 
 To win upon our affections, " the most 
 worthy praise" of our heavenly benefactor is 
 wonderfully calculated. Its language is poetic 
 and harmonious, its sentiments are interesting 
 and sublime, and it may be said to be the whole 
 of the scriptures in miniature. In these psalms 
 and hymns, every article of faith, every rule 
 of moral obligation, every institution of the 
 Gospel, and every thing appertaining to life and 
 godliness, are either expressed or implied.* 
 
 On these accounts, how precious ought the 
 i; most worthy praise" of our heavenly Father 
 to be in our eyes ? How worthy ought we to 
 esteem those psalms and hymns of " double 
 
 * s 
 
 ee BlaekvelTs Satred Classics, p. 219, to p. 223. 
 
PREFACE. xix 
 
 honour ;" — the honour of pronunciation in 
 the best manner that the rules of good read- 
 ing prescribe — and also the honour of super- 
 adding to a correct pronunciation those chaste 
 and simple harmonies called chants, which, 
 of all kinds of musical compositions, are the 
 best calculated for making " Jehovah's praise 
 to be glorious.' ' 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 ©EJECTION I. 
 
 Chanting is an innovation, and no novelties ought to be admitted 
 into public worship. We can do well enough without chanting 1 
 
 OBJECTION H. 
 
 (Chanting is a Popish custom, and therefore it ought not to be 
 admitted into our churches 13 
 
 OBJECTION III. 
 
 The rubrics are more favourable to metre psalmody, than they 
 are to chanting 21 
 
 OBJECTION IV. 
 
 We have a sufficient quantity of praise in our churches, without 
 ehanting S5 
 
 OBJECTION V. 
 
 Chanting takes up too much time 41 
 
 OBJECTION VI. 
 
 So great is the difference between metre psalmody and chanting, 
 that my ears can never be reconciled to it 44 
 
 OBJECTION VII. 
 
 As I have neither voice nor ear for music, if chanting be admitted 
 into our churches, 1 shall be deprived of the benefit which I 
 derive from responsive reading 50 
 
xxu CONTENTS. 
 
 OBJECTION VIIL 
 
 Page: 
 I am too old, and it ia too much trouble to learn to ehamt 5S 
 
 OBJECTION IX. 
 
 Let chanting be omitted during our life time, (say some aged per- 
 sons,) and when we are gone hence, let our posterity accept 
 or reject it, as they please 61 
 
 OBJECTION X. 
 
 Chanting is a liindrance to deTotion 65 
 
 OBJECTION XI. 
 
 Prosaic psalmody is not so edifying as metre psalmody 76 
 
 OBJECTION XIT. 
 
 Chanting is not so animating as metre psalmody 87 
 
 OBJECTION XIII. 
 
 It is inexpedient to use chanting, as there is no internal evidence 
 in the prosaic subjects themselves, that they ought to be sung 101 
 
 OBJECTION XIV. 
 
 The English language is not sufficiently harmonious, to admit of 
 being sung in prose ; and therefore, as poetry renders it more 
 fiowiDg and vocal, verse is better adapted to musical purposes 132 
 
 OBJECTION XV. 
 
 Chanting cannot be introduced into a church, without the aid of a 
 choir, and choirs generally monopolize the singing 141 
 
 OBJECTION XVI. 
 
 It is sufficient to chant one hymn at Morning, and another at 
 Evening Prayer 176 
 
 OBJECTION XVII 
 
 No prayers ought to be sung; and therefore, as chanting embraces 
 precatory subjects, it is improper to be admitted into the 
 church 18L 
 
CONTENTS. xxiS 
 
 OBJECTION XVIII. 
 
 Page. 
 If the vhole Book of Psalms, and other books and parts of books 
 of the Hebrew Scriptures are in poetry, there is no impro- 
 priety nor unlawfulness in turning them into English, or any 
 •ther vernacular poetry, " that they may be sung to the tunes 
 used in churches" 190 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The origin and progress of metrical hymnology 267 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 The origin and progress of metrical psalmody 26$ 
 
 SECTION HI. 
 
 The authorities on -which metre psalmody stands, exhibited in a 
 retrogade view 376 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 The rivalship between metre psalmody and cathedral musie 279 
 
 As the Author's situation is at a distance from the press, he craves 
 the reader's indulgence for such errors as may have escaped notice, 
 and begs that they may be considered as errores quos incuria type- 
 graphica facile fudit, ant humana parum cavit natura. 
 
THE 
 
 REASONABLENESS, &c. 
 
 OBJECTION I. 
 
 C 
 
 HALTING is an innovation; and no novel- 
 ties ought to be admitted into public worship. 
 We can do well enough without chanting. 
 
 REPLY.* 
 
 It is true that chanting is a novelty to every 
 one who hath not heard it before : but was not a 
 Bishop once as great a novelty in this country ? 
 Were not the episcopal acts of confirmation, 
 of ordination, and of consecrating churches, also 
 novelties to those persons who had never beheld 
 such scenes ? On the account of their being no- 
 velties in this country, were they therefore im- 
 proper, and unnecessary to be introduced into our 
 ecclesiastical ceconomy ? Could we have done 
 well enough without them? 
 
 * Let it be remembered, that, in these replies, no reference is made 
 to the diurnal psalms, because the rubrics are silent as to the manner 
 of using them. 
 
 A 
 
( ■ ) 
 
 Let the objector please to recollect, that, 
 though a Bishop may, with equal validity, per- 
 form all the parts of his episcopal duty, without 
 his canonicals ; yet he performs them with more 
 respectability, in the eyes of a congregation, when 
 clothed in the robes peculiar to his office.* In 
 like manner, though the psalmodic parts of pub- 
 lic worship may, without any musical accompa- 
 niments, be performed with equal piety and devo- 
 tion by those who are already pious and devout ; 
 yet, to the generality of people, those decora- 
 tions are powerful auxiliaries, as well as incen- 
 tives to piety and devotion; because they are 
 helps to the setting forth of God's " most wor- 
 thy praise" in the " clearest, plainest, most af- 
 fecting, and majestic manncr.' ? | 
 
 Let the objector also recollect, that, as there 
 never was a time without Bishops over the church, 
 so there never was a time without the usage of 
 chanting tlie psalms and hymns in its public 
 oiilces.J 
 
 Passing by the testimonies which might be 
 collected in favour of chanting, during the ages 
 of popery, we find the rubrical words sung or 
 mid placed before the psalms and hymns of 
 
 * The vestments of the Jewish High Priests were by God himself 
 appointed for " glory and beauty." Exi.d. xxviii. 2. 
 
 j Preface to the Book of Common Prayer. 
 
 ■t a Quoil universa ecclesin, me conciliis institutum, sed sempei 
 retentum est, auetoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur.'' 
 St. Aug. lib. iv. de Bap. c. 6. 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 morning and evening prayer, and also before 
 similar parts of the other offices of religion, not 
 only in all the revised editions of the English 
 Prayer Book, of which that of 1801 is the last; 
 but also in the proposed American Prayer Book 
 of 1785, and in the adopted one of 1790. 
 
 Now, if the compilers of the Books of Com- 
 mon Prayer had not been confident, that there 
 was no novelty in chanting the above-mentioned 
 parts of public worship, it is very improbable 
 that, in the rubrics, they would have ordered 
 them to be sung or said. 
 
 These portions of psalmody are uniformly sung 
 in all the English cathedrals, which are the 
 churches of the Bishops ; though they are gene- 
 rally said in the parochial churches, the seats 
 of the presbyters. 
 
 On the subject of a partial compliance with 
 the cathedral usage of chanting, Dr. Biss thus 
 writes: « It is the duty of parish churches, as 
 much as possible, to conform to the customs of 
 the cathedral churches, which are the mother 
 churches to all the parish churches within the 
 diocess, and should give the rule to them ; which 
 conformity may easily be effected, where the 
 parish churches resemble the cathedrals in hav- 
 ing choirs and organs/'* 
 
 The obvious inference from this assertion is, 
 
 * Dr. Biss's Beauty of Holiness. Note, p. 95. 
 
( * ) 
 
 that it is as much the duty of American parish 
 churches, which have choirs and organs, to con- 
 form to the musical usages of the English cathe- 
 drals, from whose Bishops theirs have derived 
 their consecration ; as it is the duty of English 
 parish churches, which have choirs and organs, 
 to conform to the usage of those cathedrals from 
 whose Bishops their clergy have derived their 
 ordination. 
 
 So far indeed is chanting from being an inno- 
 vation, that the want of it rather merits that ap- 
 pellation. In the manner of a chant, the song 
 of Moses was celebrated by the whole host of 
 Israel.^ This manner of singing the praises of 
 Jehovah was established by David, as u an ordi- 
 nance for ever, throughout the successive gene- 
 rations" of the Jewish Church. Our blessed 
 Lord honoured with his presence, and joined in 
 the psalmody of his mother church ; and after 
 his ascension, his apostles were " continually in 
 the temple praising God," in the forms of his 
 own inditing. Derived from Jesus and his apos- 
 tles, chanting became the usage of the first Chris- 
 tians, and along with Christianity was dissemi- 
 nated all over the world. Divinely protected dur- 
 ing a lapse of many centuries, it passed through 
 the tumults of the reformation, and hath been 
 safely transmitted to us by our venerable mother, 
 the Church of England. 
 
 * Exod. xr. i, kc. 
 
C 5 ) 
 
 About the year 370, St. Basil, a Bishop of the 
 times of primitive Christianity, and author of 
 one of the liturgies of the Greek Church, thus 
 expressed his sentiments concerning chanting. 
 
 " Whereas the Holy Spirit saw that mankind 
 is unto virtue hardly drawn, and that righteous- 
 ness is the less accounted of, by reason of the 
 proneness of our affections to that which delight- 
 eth ; it pleased the wisdom of the same Spirit 
 to borrow from melody that pleasure, which, 
 mingled with heavenly mysteries, causeth the 
 smoothness and softness of that which toucheth 
 the ear, to convey, as it were by stealth, the trea 
 sure of good things into man's mind. To this 
 purpose were those harmonious tunes of psalms 
 devised for us, that they who are either in years 
 but young, or touching perfection of virtue, not 
 as yet grown to ripeness, might, when they think 
 they sing, learn. O the wise conceit of that 
 heavenly teacher, who, by his skill, hath found 
 out a way, that doing those things wherein we 
 delight, we may also learn that whereby we 
 profit. 5 ** 
 
 The second part of the objection is; 
 u We can do well enough without chanting. v 
 This is an assertion without a proof, and I 
 beg leave to lay it in the balance with what Mr 
 
 * Hooker's Translation, p. 200. Eccles, Politv 
 a2 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 Hooker has advanced to the contrary. The 
 words of that illustrious author are: " and shall 
 this C x\%, the sum total of the puritan 9 s objections 
 to chanting J enforce us to hanish a thing which 
 all Christians in the world have received; a thing 
 which so many ages have held ; a thing which 
 the most approved councils and laws have so of- 
 tentimes ratified ; a thing which was never found 
 to have any inconvenience in it ; a thing which 
 always heretofore the best men and wisest go- 
 vernors of God's people did think they could ne- 
 ver commend enough ; a thing which, as Basil 
 was persuaded, did both strengthen the meditation 
 of those holy words which were uttered in that 
 sort, and serve also to make attentive, and to 
 raise up the hearts of men; a thing whereunto 
 God's people of old did resort, with hope and 
 thirst, that thereby especially their souls might 
 be edified; a thing which filleth the mind with 
 comfort and heavenly delight, stirreth up warm 
 desires and affections correspondent unto that 
 which the words contain, allayeth all kind of base 
 and earthly cogitations, banisheth and driveth 
 away those evil secret suggestions which our in- 
 visible enemy is always apt to minister, watereth 
 the heart to the end it may fructify, maketh the 
 virtuous in trouble full of magnanimity and cou- 
 rage, serveth as a most approved remedy against 
 all doleful and heavy accidents which befal man 
 in this present life; to conclude, so fitly accord 
 
< r ) 
 
 eth with the apostle's own exhortation, i speak 
 to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiri- 
 tual songs, making melody, and singing to the 
 Lord in your hearts,' that surely there is more 
 eause to fear lest the want thereof be a maim, 
 than the use a blemish in the service of God ?"* 
 
 To these testimonies of illustrious Ecclesias- 
 tics it is proper to add the declaration of a no 
 less eminent Laic, the erudite antiquarian and 
 musician, Doctor Burney, of Cambridge College, 
 Old England, a writer of our own times. His 
 evidence in favour of chanting is expressed thus : 
 " This mode of singing is venerable for its anti- 
 quity, and honourable for its universality. It has 
 never been applied to any other than the use of 
 the sanctuary. Its simplicity and dissimilarity 
 to secular music precludes levity in the composi- 
 tion, and licentiousness in the performance ; and 
 it possesses a beauty of character, and a variety 
 of expression, which intelligent hearers, free 
 from prejudice, will always discover and ad- 
 mire."! 
 
 But if these testimonies in favour of trie excel- 
 lent way of " setting forth God's most worthy 
 praise" are not altogether satisfactory to the ob- 
 jector, let him have the goodness to attend to ad- 
 ditional arguments, whilst we reason together. 
 
 * Eccles. Polity, B. v. p. 262. 
 
 t History of Music, vol. ii. p. 21. To this author I confess my ob- 
 ligations for many sentiments and historical facts for which I have not 
 been able to make the references, not having all the volumes in my 
 possession. 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 Every creature possesses musical powers, and 
 the faculty of enjoying musical sounds to a cer- 
 tain degree ; but man is endued with these capa- 
 bilities in a degree infinitely superior to that of 
 any other creature, of which we have any know- 
 ledge. His ear, his voice, and his organs of speech 
 are the best calculated for musical intonation, and 
 he feels an irresistible propensity to apply these 
 talents to his own gratification. The light and 
 airy part of our species cannot do without music 
 and songs of a character similar to their own. 
 The voluptuous person cannot do without his li- 
 centious and amorous ditties; nor can the bac- 
 chanalian do without his appropriate songs in ho- 
 nour of his jolly god. The huntsman cannot en- 
 joy the chase, without winding his horn ; the 
 sailor cannot heave his lead, without his Nep- 
 tunean chant ; nor can the warrior rush into the 
 field of battle, without the clangor tubarum of 
 iifes, clarinets, trumpets, horns, and drums. 
 And is ihe churchman the only character that 
 can do well enough without his appropriate songs 
 and music ? 
 
 Will the objector say, that the emancipated 
 Hebrews would have expressed their gratitude 
 sufficiently, without chanting the celebrated hymn 
 recorded in the 15th chapter of Exodus? Would 
 a joy and rejoicing for their miraculous passage 
 through the Red Sea have accorded with the 
 mere saying that hymn, or the hearing of it said 
 by others ? 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 Could the Jewish Church have done well enough, 
 without the musical establishment, which " was 
 ordained by a statute for ever throughout their 
 generations/ 9 for setting forth Jehovah 9 s great- 
 ness, goodness, mercy, and truth ? 
 
 Could our Lord have celebrated the Jewish 
 Passover, or instituted that of the Christian 
 Church, without chanting the appropriate hymns 
 of his own institution, without dishonouring the 
 law? 
 
 Could Peter and John, with their associates, 
 have sufficiently expressed their joy and grati- 
 tude, without lifting up their voice with one ac- 
 cord, to sing their triumphant hymn of praise 
 and prayer ? Or, what reason have we to imagine 
 that an earthquake would have been commission- 
 ed to give free egress from prison to Paul and 
 Silas, if they had not, at the midnight hour, 
 been engaged in intercourse with God, by praise 
 and prayer ? 
 
 Let the professor of Christianity, who says he 
 can do well enough without chanting, consider 
 that, if we are to be governed by scripture max- 
 ims, and the example of inspired persons, we 
 cannot do justice to ourselves, without the use 
 of supplication in a " meek and humble voice/ 9 
 neither can we do justice to God, without ascrib 
 ing the honour due unto his name with the ele- 
 vated voice of « praise and thanksgiving. 99 With- 
 out the u«e of prayer and praise, the spiritual 
 
( io ) 
 
 life can no more be kept alive, than the natural, 
 without inhaling and exhaling the common air. 
 
 St. John describes the redeemed of the Lord, 
 in their abodes of bliss, as having no other em- 
 ployment than that of singing hallelujahs " to 
 Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the 
 Lamb." Now, we cannot but think, that he 
 who prescribed them that employment, appoint- 
 ed what was most for his own glory, and the 
 felicity of his servants. 
 
 The Church, both under the Levitical and 
 the Christian dispensations, is said to have been 
 formed according to the pattern of things in the 
 heavens; but how dissimilar to the heavenly 
 original would the earthly copy be, were there 
 no hallelujahs chanted in Hie assemblies of the 
 saints; and were the opinion to prevail, that 
 Christians can do well enough without chanting ? 
 
 On the same principle that one says, « we can 
 do well enough without chanting," another thinks 
 he can do well enough without communicating 
 in the holy Eucharist. On the same principle 
 also, some persons select such of the evangeli- 
 cal precepts as are the most easily obeyed, and 
 think they can do well enough with a partial obe- 
 dience. And not a few seem to act, as if they 
 thought, that they could do well enough with a 
 religion of their own making, or with none at all. 
 
 What an astonishing difference between the 
 Christians of ancient and those of modern times! 
 
( 11 ) 
 
 In accordance with the apostolic injunction ; « Is 
 any merry ? let him sing psalms ;"* the hearts 
 of those heavenly minded persons were always 
 attuned to the songs of Zion ; insomuch so, that 
 whenever they assembled for public worship, 
 " every one had a psalm."f All the intervals of 
 labour, business, or domestic cares, were occu- 
 pied with chanting forth the praises of God their 
 Saviour, or in supplicating his direction and 
 blessing on all the works of their hands4 
 
 Can we reasonably think, that the bent of our 
 desires is towards God and heavenly joys, if our 
 hearts are so dull and languid, as to be unable 
 to sing and give praise ; or so indifferent to the 
 hallelujahs of the choirs of heaven, as to dis- 
 countenance the hallelujahs of the church upon 
 earth? Preparatory to our joining the heavenly 
 host, we must become like them ; for to beings 
 possessed of affections different from theirs, hea- 
 ven itself would be no heaven, and their raptur- 
 ous hymns would yield no delight. 
 
 Is it credible that our affections, the strings of 
 
 * St. James v. 13. 
 
 f 1 Cor. xiv. 26. 
 
 % Dr. Cave's Prim. Christianity. If the primitive Christians were 
 enthusiastically fond of psalmody, they were so in the good s< nse of 
 the word &vQoucrttta-p.oe, compounded of tv in, 6aoc Deus, and etoo 
 spiro seu flo, to breathe. And it appears that their psalmodic prac- 
 tice wr.s zealously imitated by their successors for many generations, 
 even down to the sera of the reformation; for the c I lants and an- 
 thems of religion were then as much relished all over Europe, not 
 onl) in church, but out of it, as oratorios and the opera have 
 been at any period of the last century, 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 our spiritual harp, are harmonized to the songs 
 of the celestial Zion, or that we entertain any 
 solicitude about our joining in the hallelujahs of 
 the New Jerusalem, if we cultivate no desires 
 of presenting ourselves on every returning day 
 of the Son of man, with a song of thanksgiving 
 and praise ? 
 
 How tremblingly alive ought our fears to be, 
 lest he, who, whilst on earth, refuseth to unite 
 with the minstrelsy of heaven, in lauding and 
 magnifying Jehovah's glorious name, should at 
 last be found unmeet for admission into the jubi- 
 lant choir of the Almighty King ! God, by his 
 prophet David, hath said, " Whoso offereth me 
 thanks and praise, he honoureth me; and to 
 him that ordereth his conversation aright, I will 
 show my salvation."* « His salvation is nigh 
 them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our 
 land. ,? j 
 
 Christian, be persuaded to bear in mind that 
 thou art a dependant being, trusting to the Father 
 of mercies for the preservation of thy present 
 life, and relying on the atonement and interces- 
 sion of thy Saviour Jesus, for the life that is to 
 come. Wilt thou then suffer thyself to be frozen 
 in the ice of cold indifference to thy benefactor's 
 praise ; or dost thou think, that for neglecting it, 
 he will never call thee into judgment ? 
 
 * Pea'm xlvlii. 1 f Fsa'rn Ixxxv. 9- 
 
IS 
 
 Our God is a great God, and a great King; 
 according to his greatness, so is his praise. He 
 h fearful in praises, alone doing wonders. There 
 is no end of his greatness, goodness, mercy, 
 and truth. Our tongues are not able to speak 
 all his praises, nor our voices to extol the bound- 
 less extent of his love to the children of men. 
 He inhabiteth the praises of eternity ; and all 
 the praises and glorifications which can be utter- 
 ed during the continuance of time and eternity, 
 to him of right do belong. Let every one, there- 
 fore, to whom God hath given the talents of voice 
 and ear, " come before his presence with a 
 song,"* and magnify his glorious name, which 
 is so transcendently excellent, that it is « above 
 all blessing and praise."f 
 
 OBJECTION IL 
 
 Chanting is a Popish custom, and therefore it 
 ought not to be admitted into our churches. 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Popery, ever since the commencement of the 
 reformation, hath been a sort of watch-word, 
 
 Psalm c. 2. f Nehemiah i*. 5. 
 
 B 
 
c ** ) 
 
 and, by many persons, even at the present time, 
 cyery thing in religion that does not suit their 
 own opinion and humour, is reckoned Popish, 
 and therefore erroneous. Such persons would 
 do well to consider, whether an individual, who 
 places such confidence in himself, as to estimate 
 his own opinion higher than the united sentiment 
 of the Christian world, has not assumed a chair 
 of infallibility as elevated as ever any Pope was 
 known to sit upon ? Self-conceit and obstinacy 
 create Popes in every country, and among all de- 
 nominations of Christians. In the estimation of 
 such Popes, no sort of popery is so detestable as 
 Romish popery. 
 
 So abominable did every usage of the Church 
 of Rome appear in the eyes of the anti -episcopal 
 reformers, that one of their number, the cele- 
 brated Mr. Cartwright, asserted, " it is more safe 
 for us to conform our indifferent ceremonies to 
 the Turks, which are far off, than to the Papists, 
 which are so near."* 
 
 To this assertion Mr. Hooker made the follow- 
 ing reply : " The Romans having banished Tar- 
 quinius the Proud, and taken a solemn oath 
 that they never would permit any man more to 
 reign, could not herewith content themselves, 
 or think that tyrannic was throughly extin- 
 guished, till they had driven one of their consuls 
 
 * T. O. fib. i. p. 131. Printed 1570. 
 
( A* ) 
 
 to depart the citie, against whom they found not 
 in the world what to object, saving only that his 
 name was Tarquinius, and that the common- 
 wealth could not seem to have recovered perfect 
 freedom, as long as a man of so dangerous a 
 name was left remayning. For the Church of 
 England, to have done the like, in casting out pa- 
 pal tyrannie and superstition, to have shewed 
 greater willingness of accepting the ceremonies 
 of the Turk, Christ's professed enemy, than of 
 the most indifferent things which the Church of 
 Rome approveth : to have left not so much as the 
 names which the Church of Rome doth give 
 unto things innocent : to have ejected whatsoever 
 that Church doth make account of, be it ever so 
 harmless in itself, and of ever so ancient continu- 
 ance, without any other crime to charge it with, 
 than only that it hath been the hap thereof to be 
 used by the Church of Rome, and not to be com 
 manded in the word of God : this kind of proceed- 
 ing might haply have pleased some few men, who 
 having begun such a course themselves, must 
 needs be glad to see their example followed by 
 us. But the Almightie, who giveth wisdome, and 
 mspireth with right understanding whomsoever 
 it pleaseth him, he foreseeing that which man's 
 wit had never been able to reach unto, namely, 
 what tragedies the attempt of so extreme altera- 
 tion would raise in some parts of the Christian 
 world, did, for the endless good of his Church, 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 (as we cannot ehuse but interpret it) use the bri- 
 dle of his providence restraining hand, to stay 
 those eager affections in some, and to settle their 
 resolution upon a course more calm and mode- 
 rate."* 
 
 The most remarkable allegation that ever was 
 preferred against chanting responsively, was ad- 
 vanced by the above mentioned Mr. Cartwrigltt, in 
 these words : " The singing of psalms by course,, 
 and side after side, although it be very ancient, 
 yet it is not commendable, and so much the more 
 • o be suspected, for that the devil hath gone 
 about to get it so great authoritie, partly by de- 
 riving it from Ignatius's time, and partly in 
 making the world believe that this came from 
 heaven, and that the angels were heard to sing 
 after this sort. Which, as it is a mere fable, so 
 is it confuted by historiographers, whereof some 
 ascribe the beginning of this to Damasus, some 
 others unto Havianus and Diodorus.f 
 
 To this allegation Mr. Hooker replied : " When 
 and how this custome of singing by course came 
 ~jp in the Church is not certainly knowne. So- 
 crates^ maketh Ignatius the Bishop of Antioch, 
 in Syria, the first beginner thereof, even under the 
 Apostles themselves. But against Socrates the;* 
 
 * Eccles. Polity, b. iv. p. 167, where please to sec the argument 
 continued 
 
 f T. U. lib. i. p. 203. 
 
 t Ecc!ss. Hist, lib vi.cpp 8 
 
C 17 ) 
 
 set the authorise of Theodoret*, who draweth the 
 original of it from Antioch, as Socrates doth : 
 howheit, ascribing the invention to others, Havi- 
 an and Diodore, men which constantly stoode in 
 defence of the Apostolique faith against the Bi- 
 shop of that church, Leontius, a favourer of the 
 Arians. Against both Socrates and Theodoret, 
 Platinaf is brought as a witnesse, to testifie that 
 Damasus, Bishop of Rome, began it in his time. 
 Of the Latin Church it may be true, which Pla- 
 tina sayth. And therefore the eldest of that 
 Church which raaketh any mention thereof, is 
 St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan at the same time 
 when Damasus was of Rome. Amongst the 
 Grecians, St. Basils having brought it into his 
 church before they of Neoeesarea used it, Sabel- 
 lius the heretique, and Marcellus, took occasion 
 thereat to incense the churches against him, as 
 being an author of new devices in the service of 
 God. Whereupon, to avoid the opinion of no- 
 veltie and singularitie, he alleageth for that which 
 himself did the example of the churches of 
 Egypt, Libia, Thebes, Palestina, the Arabians, 
 Phenicians, Syrians, Mesopotamians, and in a 
 manner all that reverenced the custome of sing- 
 ing psalmes together. If the Syrians had it 
 then from Basil. Antioch, the mother-church of 
 those parts, must needs have used it before Basil, 
 
 * Theod. lib.ii. cap. 24. f Plat, in vita Damasr. 
 
 t Basil, Ep. 63. 
 
 b2 
 
( " ) 
 
 and consequently before Damasus. The question 
 is then, How long before, find whether so long, 
 that Ignatius, or as auneient as Ignatius may be 
 probablie thought the first inventors. Ignatius, in 
 Trajane's days, suffered martyrdome. And of the 
 churches in Pontus and Bithynia, to Trajane the 
 Emperor, his own Vicegerent* there affirmeth, 
 that the only crime he knew of them, was, they 
 used to meet together at a certaine day, and to 
 prayse Christ with hymnes as a God, secum inxi- 
 cem one to another amongst themselves. Which, 
 for any thing we know to the contrary, might be 
 the self-same forme which Philo Jud&us express- 
 ed, declaring how the Essenes were accustomed 
 with hymnes and psalmes to honour God, some- 
 time all exalting their voyees together in one, 
 and sometime one part answering another, where- 
 in, as he thought, they swerved not mucli from 
 the paterne of Moses and Miriam.f Whether 
 
 * Plinii secunda epist. 
 
 f Isa. vi. 3. One cherub exclaimed, 
 
 " Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts!" 
 And the other cherub responded, 
 
 " The whole earth is full of his glory." 
 This hymn, performed by tht cherubim, divided into two choirs, the 
 ©ne singing responsively to the other, which Gregory Nazian. Carm. 
 18, very elegantly calls IZv/uVuvoy, etyrivtovov, ayytxaiv roto-ty, 
 is the pattern for the practice of alternate singing, which prevailed 
 in the Jewish Church, from the time of Moses, whose ode at the 
 Red Sea was thus performed (see Exod. xv. 20, 21.) to that of Ezra. 
 under whom the Priests and the Levites sung alternately. 
 *' O praise J ehovah, for he is gracious ; 
 " For his mercy endureth for ever." Ezra iii. 11. 
 See Bp. Lowth de Sac. Poesi Heb. Psal. xix. and notes on Isaiah, 
 p. 57. 
 Ad imitation of the cherubic manner of adoration is recommended 
 
( 19 } 
 
 Ignatius did at any time hear the angels praysing 
 God after that sort or no, what matter is it? If 
 Ignatius did not, yet one which must be with us 
 of greater authoritie did. J saw the Lord (sayth 
 the prophet Esay*) on an high throne, the sera- 
 phims stood upon it, one cryed to another, saying. 
 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, the whole 
 world is full of his glory. But whosoever were 
 the author, whatsoever the time, whensoever 
 the example of beginning this custome in the 
 Church of Christ, sith we are wont to suspect 
 things only before tryall, and afterwards either 
 to approve them as good, or if we finde them evil, 
 accordingly to judge of them, their counsel must 
 needs seem very unseasonable who advise men 
 now to suspect that wherewith the world hath 
 had, by their own accompt, twelve hundred years 
 acquaintance and upwards, enough to take away 
 suspicion and jealousie. Men know by this time, 
 if ever they will know, whether it be good or 
 evil, which hath been so long retained. As for 
 the devil, which way it should greatly benefit him 
 to hear this maner of singing pslames accompt- 
 ed an invention of Ignatius, or any imitation of 
 the Angels of heaven, we do not well understand.!" 
 The Church of Rome uses the Bible and the 
 
 by St. Paul to the Ephesians, xaxoovts? i>tvrois, loquentes invicera, 
 speaking in alternate response, singing or saying in the form of dia- 
 logue. Ephes. v. 19. 
 
 * Isaiah vi. 3. 
 
 f Ecdes. Polity, printed 1617, b. v. 261 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 Lord's Prayer. Is the Bible therefore a Popish 
 Book, and the Lord's Prayer a Popish Prayer I 
 There is just as much truth in saying, that the 
 Bible is a Popish Book, and the Lord's Prayer 
 a Popish Prayer, as there is in saying, that chant- 
 ing is a Popish usage. Though chanting has al- 
 ways been practised by the Church of Rome, the 
 adoption thereof into our churches will not any 
 more transform us into Roman Catholics, than 
 the practice of metre-psalmody hath changed us 
 into Lutherans and Calvinists. 
 
 It appears to have been a ruling sentiment 
 among the anti-episcopal reformers, that, so long 
 as any one usage of the Church of Rome was re- 
 tained, the reformation was imperfect. And as 
 that Church had always used prosaic psalms and 
 hymns, but no metrified scriptures, it seems to 
 have been thought a matter of necessity, to turn 
 the Psalms of David, and other selected scriptures, 
 into rhyme, in order to be used in that novel dress* 
 as a discriminating badge of separation from the 
 papacy. Bishop Burnet says: " Some poets, such 
 as the age afforded, translated David's Psalms 
 into verse ; and it was a sign by which men's af- 
 fections to that work ( the reformation^ were 
 every where measured, whether they used to sing 
 them or not."* 
 
 During the progress of the reformation, chant* 
 
 * History of Reformation, Part ii. p. 94. 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 ing was always kept in view by the episcopal re- 
 formers, as one of the prominent characteristics 
 of the Church universal. At the present time, 
 this usage is retained by Episcopalians through- 
 out the world; and as it always has been, so 
 doubtless it ever will be, even unto the consum- 
 mation of all things, when the never-ending chant 
 of the hallelujah of men and angels shall com- 
 mence. 
 
 OBJECTION HI. 
 
 The Rubrics are more favourable to metre- 
 psalmody, than they are to chanting* 
 
 REPLY, 
 
 To persons unacquainted with rubrical analogy ? 
 and the unavoidable ambiguities attendant on all 
 laws, whether ecclesiastical or civil, the words 
 sung or said appear to be of an evident and defi- 
 nite meaning ; but to nice examiners, their mean- 
 ing is not so obvious, as to admit of one interpre- 
 tation only. Had the rubrical expression been, 
 either sung or said, there could have arisen no 
 question concerning their precise meaning : and 
 the psalm or hymn thus rubricated must of neces- 
 sity be either sung, exclusive of saying : or said, 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 exclusive of singing. But the rubric uses the 
 words sung or said, and the practice of the ori- 
 ginal reformers, with that of their descendants, 
 affords the best interpretation of its meaning, 
 In the English cathedrals and collegiate churches, 
 the psalms and hymns of public worship arc nei- 
 ther sung exclusively of saying, nor said exclusive- 
 ly of singing; for the first part of each versicle is 
 said with an unmeasured and almost monotonous 
 intonation of voiee, and the remainder is sung 
 with a varied and measured flexion of voice. 
 Thus the psalms and hymns being partly said and 
 partly sung, are verily sung and said at the same 
 time.* 
 
 It hath been said, that in virtue of the disjunc- 
 tive conjunction or standing between the words 
 sung or said, it is left to the option and taste of 
 every congregation either to sing or to say the 
 psalms and hymns of our holy offices. 
 
 Cathedral practice is directly the reverse of 
 this last interpretation : and where shall we ex- 
 pect to find the spirit and intent of the rubrics 
 better preserved, than in the maternal seats of 
 the Church ? 
 
 A construction, founded upon the hypothesis,. 
 
 * 2 Chr. xx. 21. He appointed singers to praise the Beauty of 
 holiness, aud to say, Sec. 
 
 Ps. cxlv. 21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lo.-d, &c 
 
 St. Luke i. Ci. "Zncharias spake andpi'aised God. 
 
 Ephes. v. 19. Speaking and singing, &c. 
 
 Ps xs^ii 6. 1 will sing and ^eah praises unto the Lor' 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 that the particle or is always discriminative, and 
 therefore indubitably gives a choice of saying or 
 of singing* will no doubt be advocated by all per- 
 sons who wish to avail themselves of every plea 
 for indulgence and ease in the service of Almigh- 
 ty God, and who care but little for having his 
 H most worthy praise" celebrated in the most ap- 
 propriate and majestic manner that circumstan- 
 ces permit. Let such persons but consider how 
 ill this lukewarmness accords with the numerous 
 scripture texts expressive of our obligation not 
 only to speak f but to sing the praises of our gra- 
 cious Benefactor, and they will see that no inter- 
 pretation of a rubric can contravene the authori- 
 ty of a divine sanction for singing the " most 
 worthy praises" of the Almighty King. 
 
 A third interpretation of the rubric meets the 
 various exigencies of the Church, and renders it 
 canonical to say the psalmodic parts of public 
 worship, whenever the iron-hand of persecution 
 oppresses the faithful, and *' tunes their harp to 
 mourning, and their organ to the voice of them 
 that weep." 
 
 Under this interpretation, the English Episco- 
 palians, during the eleven years of the suppression 
 of Episcopacy, and proscription of the Prayer 
 Book, said the psalms and hymns of the offices 
 of religion ; and upon the same principle, and 
 in the same manner, did the Episcopalians in 
 Scotland perform their psalmody, during the long 
 
( 2* ) 
 
 protracted season of the " abomination of deso* 
 lation," which trampled them in the dust. 
 
 Io the days of her prosperity, the Church sings 
 and rejoices ; but in the days of her adversity, 
 she is sad, and her voice is scarcely heard. Al- 
 though she lifteth not up her voice, when ba- 
 nished from the sanctuary, yet she counteth it all 
 joy to partake with her Lord in his sufferings, 
 in hope to partake with him in his glory. 
 
 If the framers of the rubrics had not given a 
 decided preference to the usage of singing the 
 appointed psalms and hymns of public worship^ 
 to that of saying or reading them ; to what pur- 
 pose does the minister pray before the doxology 
 which ushers in the psalms of Morning and Even- 
 ing service, " O Lord, open thou our lips;" 
 and the people respond, " And our mouth shall 
 show forth thy praise V 9 What is the end in view, 
 when the minister addresses the people, saying, 
 " Praise ye the Lord ;" and they acclaim, " The 
 Lord's name be praised;" unless his address 
 and their acclamation are to be verified in spirit 
 and in truth ? 
 
 That the objection is without foundation, is 
 further evident from a consideration of the se- 
 cond of the enumerated ends of assembling for 
 public worship ; namely, " to set forth his (God's) 
 most worthy praise." Here the adjective is in 
 the superlative degree. And why? Because, at 
 the time that this exhortation was composed, a 
 
yivalship was set on foot between the newly in- 
 vented metre and the ancient prosaic psalmody 
 of the church.* To get clear of the dispute in 
 the most prudential manner, it was thought 
 advisable to testify a superior approbation of the 
 prosaic psalmody, by the expression " most wor- 
 thy praise," without taking any notice of the 
 metre psalms, which were deemed a very ques- 
 tionable species of praise.f 
 
 The expression u most worthy praise" is de- 
 finite, and indicates that the appointed psalms 
 and hymns of the offices in the Prayer Book are 
 the only acts of vocal psalmody included in the 
 definition. The circumstance of the metre 
 psalms and hymns being bound up with the Prayer 
 Book, no more constitutes them a component 
 part of that book, than their being bound up with 
 the Bible would make them a part of the sacred 
 volume. On the same principle also, the « Fa- 
 mily Prayers, and the Articles," though bound 
 up with the American Prayer Book, cannot any 
 more be considered component parts of it, than 
 the " Companion to the Altar" a component 
 part of the English Liturgy, because associated 
 with it in the same binding. 
 
 * In the first Prayer Book of Edward VI. printed in 154S, tbc 
 3 trvice begau with the Lord's Prayer. In the second Book of Ed- 
 ward, which was edited in 1551, the sentences, the exhortation, the 
 ■confession, :md the absolution were piofixed ; and in 1661 the general 
 thanksgiving wys ad< ! ed. 
 
 •f See the Savov Conferences, and Dr. Biss' Beauty of Hoiines* 
 
 c 
 
I 26 ) 
 
 The rubrics before the metre psalms and 
 hymns, allow them to be sung at certain points 
 of division between the offices ; but no where al- 
 low of their being ingrafted into any of them, 
 unless we consider the rubric after the consecra- 
 tion prayer, and that before Gloria in Excelsis 
 in the communion office, capable of effecting 
 such engraftment. Verily metre psalms and 
 metre hymns cannot be ingrafted into any of 
 the offices of our religion, without violating the 
 profession which is made in the preface to our 
 Prayer Book : « This Church is far from intend- 
 ing to depart from the Church of England, in 
 any essential point of doctrine, discipline, or 
 worship ; or further than local circumstances re- 
 quire." 
 
 There is one remarkable iustance of a rubric's 
 countenancing the old rivalship between metre 
 psalmody and chanting. In the communion of- 
 fice, a rubric orders, « Then shall be said or sung, 
 all standing, Gloria in Excelsis, or some proper 
 Hymn from the Selection." By means of this 
 rubric, and of another before Gloria in Excelsis 
 in the Morning Prayer, a minister may, without 
 incurring ecclesiastical censure, expel Gloria in 
 Excelsis from the public service, during the whole 
 period of his incumbency. 
 
 Another instance of rivalship between the 
 metre and prose psalms virtually arises out of a 
 collusion between the rubric before the ten selec- 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 lions from the prose psalms, and the first para- 
 graph of the ruhrie before the metre psalms, 
 whereby the minister, at his discretion, is allowed 
 to use the « whole Book of Psalms in metre," 
 and to reject by far the greater part of the Psalms 
 of David in prose. 
 
 However, the rubrics, before the proses in the 
 several offices, are rubrics of obligation, and 
 those before the rhymes, of permit or allowance 
 only, except in five instances, viz. before the deli- 
 very of the elements — before Gloria in Exeelsis — 
 in the office for the ordaining of Priests — in v the 
 office for consecrating a Bishop — and in the office 
 for consecrating a church or chapel. In these 
 instances, and in none other, the expression " shall 
 be sung" is connected with metre psalmody. 
 
 Between the rubrical words shall be sung or 
 said before the prosaic psalms and hymns, and the 
 expression before the metre psalms and hymns, 
 allowed to he sung, at the discretion of the minister. 
 there is a wide difference. The former is an au- 
 thoritative command ; the latter is only a permit, 
 or rather a mere connivance. The species of 
 music to which the words " shall be sung" refer, 
 is the canonical music of the Church ; that to 
 which the words " allowed at the discretion of 
 the minister" refer, is not her canonical music, 
 but a species of music altogether adventitious 
 and foreign, and which the Church is so far from 
 enforcing, or even recommending, that she but 
 
( 28 > 
 
 allows it ; or, in other words, connives at a prac- 
 tice, which she considers equally unpopular to* 
 condemn, as unecclesiastical to sanction. 
 
 Practice, founded upon ministerial discret ion, is 
 various as to its extent. In some churches, a 
 metre psalm or hymn is sung before Morning and 
 Evening Prayer ; in others none is used. With a 
 very few exceptions, no metre is sung after sermon 
 at Morning Prayer. In some churches, other 
 metre hymns are used beside the allowed ones. 
 
 By the rubrics of our Prayer Book there are 
 about forty allowances to exercise ministerial 
 discretion; and although, to the minister who 
 avails himself of them, they afford a shield 
 against the imputation of unrubricalness ; yet, to 
 him who rejects the indulgencies which they 
 offer, they become not laws of obligation. 
 
 For instance; instead of the psalms of the 
 day, an allowance is given to use one of the se- 
 lections ; but the minister rejects the allowance, 
 and uses the psalms of the day. An allowance 
 is given to omit certain parts of the Litany, but 
 lie is not deemed unrubrical if he uses the whole 
 of it. 
 
 In like manner, though an allowance be given 
 to use Tate and Brady's psalms, the minister's dis- 
 cretion being rubrically appointed the counsellor 
 to direct him, whether to accept or reject the 
 allowance, he is equally rubrical whether fee 
 does the one or the other. 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 The Mosaic law gave an allowance to hard- 
 hearted Israelites to put away their wives ; hut 
 that allowance did not oblige them to do so. 
 Neither do the allowances for curtailing the ser- 
 vice, or for using metre psalms and hymns, lay 
 our Clergy under a necessity of doing the one 
 or the other. 
 
 In our Church, the allowance for singing Tate 
 and Brady's psalms is submitted to the discretion 
 of the minister. A similar allowance for the use 
 of the same psalms, granted by the King of 
 England and his council, stands referred to " those 
 churches, chapels, and congregations, as shall 
 think Jit to receive the same. The only* differ- 
 ence between the proviso annexed to each of 
 these allowances, is, that, in the former case, 
 the psalms lie at the discretion of the minister ; 
 and in the latter, at congregational option. But 
 so far are English congregations from consider- 
 ing themselves bound to accept the Royal allow- 
 ance 9 that, at the present time, Sternhold's, Bra- 
 dy's, and also Merrick's are used occasionally in 
 several of the collegiate, and many of the parish 
 churches throughout the realm.* 
 
 The words sung or said are always placed 
 before subjects in prose, which admit not of 
 being sung to metrical music. Hence it appears 
 that the Church, in her offices, recognizes no 
 
 * Alo:t 20 years since Merrick's Version was introduced into 
 ftaeeii's College, Oxford, by its then head, the llew Dl\ Moukhousc, 
 
( oO ) 
 
 other sort of music than that to which prosaic 
 subjects are com mens urate ; and that wherever 
 7 io metrical music is practised, the appointed 
 proses are allowed to be said ; but that, wherever 
 metre psalms and hymns are sung, the prosaic 
 forms of praise are to be chanted ; because the 
 capability of singing metres is competent to the 
 singing of proses, the opportunities of instruc- 
 tion being equal. A wilful neglect, therefore, 
 to sing the prosaic psalms and hymns of the 
 offices of our religion, amounts to an intentional 
 non-compliance with the intent of the rubrics 
 relative to the canonical psalmody of the Church. 
 And, so long as any congregation rejects the 
 practice of chanting the prosaic psalms and hymns 
 of public worship, just so long may it be said to 
 be without canonical music. 
 
 Were metrified scriptures to be considered the 
 canonical psalmody of the Church, then it had no 
 canonical psalmody before the beginning of the 
 fifteenth century ; when, about the year 1412, John 
 Huss, one of the Bohemian reformers, invented 
 the method of versifying some of David's Psalms, 
 in the German language, for the use of his con- 
 verts from popery. But, if this invention be a 
 thing so very precious, and so conducive to the 
 glory of God and the salvation of men, as its 
 advocates think it is, why was it not revealed 
 and inculcated from the beginning? Why was 
 not the mystery of rhyme revealed to some of 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 the prophets either of the Levitieal or Evangeli- 
 cal dispensations ? What reason can be assigned, 
 why the Holy Spirit, during the ages of direct 
 inspiration, gave no communications concerning 
 the mighty art of versifying his own oracles ? 
 
 In none of the ancient archives of the Church 
 do we find any monument avouching the use of 
 metrified scriptures in the worship of Almighty 
 God, anterior to the fifteenth century. With jus- 
 tice, therefore, it may be deemed an innovation, 
 and " we need not be ashamed to avow the senti- 
 ment, that all novelty in religion — and under the 
 term novelty may be comprehended whatever 
 has come under that name for at least fifteen 
 hundred years past— carries the brand of error 
 on the very face of it.*'* 
 
 Whilst our blessed Lord sojourned upon this 
 earth, his ears were never saluted with rhyming 
 psalmody; nor does it appear that his apostles 
 had any knowledge of it. For a space of four- 
 teen hundred years it was a thing utterly unknown 
 among Christians. At the present time, metrified 
 scriptures are unknown to the greater part of the 
 Christian world ; and they are only tolerated by 
 the reformed Episcopal authorities of Europe, 
 and the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. 
 These allowances, to use metrified scriptures in 
 the worship of Almighty God, are so far from 
 
 * Bishop White's Lectures on the Catechrsm, p. 113 
 
being proofs that they are the proper psalmody 
 of the Church, that they are direct and perma- 
 nent vouchers to the contrary. 
 
 If there be any truth in history, any reliance 
 to be placed on canons, statutes, and public acts 
 of the Church, it may, without hesitancy, be af- 
 firmed, that metrified scriptures are a human in- 
 vention, the effervescence of a fiery opposition to 
 popery, unauthorized by scripture, introduced into 
 the Church of England by her avowed adversa- 
 ries, by means of provisos and cunning, during 
 a period of civil convulsion and ecclesiastical 
 discord, and retained merely by permits and pas- 
 sive toleration. 
 
 No person conversant with Church history can 
 be ignorant of these things ; but unfortunately 
 for the psalmodie parts of public worship, no re- 
 searches are less regarded than those which 
 refrr to the praises of God in his holy temple. 
 
 Whenever the inventions of men come in com- 
 petition with the revelations of God, the pre- 
 tence of improvement never fails to obscure the 
 fair horizon of primitive truth and order; and 
 scripture in a metrical or secularized form, be- 
 comes a rival to scripture in its original prosaic 
 form, and also to all authorized translations. 
 
 Let the scripture criterion, " By their fruits 
 ye shall know them," be fairly applied, and in- 
 stantly this rivalship will vanish. The good 
 fruits of psalmody in the words of holy scripture 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 have always been plenteous, and numerous are 
 the testimonies in its favour. But where shall 
 we find any account of the good fruits of metre 
 psalmody, the so much extolled new way of 
 praising God? 
 
 During a period of about 260 years, metrified 
 scriptures have cumbered the soil of the English 
 Church ; but as no accounts have as yet been given 
 of their producing any fruits, either to the glory 
 of God, or to the good of men, we are at liber- 
 ty to suppose, that " the time of their bearing 
 fruit is not yet come:"— and if so, when will 
 it come ? After a variety of conversations with 
 metre psalmodists and advocates for versified 
 scriptures, I have not been able to ascertain 
 that a single individual made profession, that his 
 soul magnifies the Lord, and that his spirit re- 
 joices in the God of his salvation, whilst he is 
 singing these artificial forms of praise. Some 
 have acknowledged that there was something 
 wanting in rhyme psalmody to fan the fire of 
 devotion, though they could not tell precisely 
 what it was; and others have confessed that 
 metre psalmody has in it more of recreation 
 than of devotion, and that its principal utility 
 consists in separating one part of the service 
 from another. 
 
 Among the various Christians opposed to the 
 hierarchy, metre psalmody hath always been 
 considered the perfection of praise. Among 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 well informed Episcopalians, it hath always 
 been reckoned a deformity imposed upon the fair 
 face of liturgical worship ; and in proportion as 
 church men have fallen below the standard of 
 primitive Christianity, they have fallen more and 
 more in love with the novelty. In proportion 
 as the excrescence hath increased, and spread 
 over the face, its deformity hath apparently les- 
 sened; and the mole, so long and so often re- 
 flected in the speculum of rhyme, hath become* 
 in the eyes of many of our people, superlatively 
 beautiful, and a sure symptom of spiritual health. 
 Condensing all the allowances which have, 
 at any time, been granted for using metrified 
 psalmody, I am warranted in saying, though- it 
 be allowed to stand, as it were, at the porch, it 
 is not permitted to advance farther ; — but as to 
 prosaic psalmody, it retains its right to its sta- 
 tion at the chancel. For ever it hath stood near 
 the altar, ". speaking and singing praises," 
 heightening the fervors of devotion in prayer, 
 enkindling the incense of gratitude in praise> 
 and brightening the intellectual faculty, the bet 
 ter to understand the scriptures, 
 
C 35 ) 
 
 OBJECTION IV. 
 
 ■*' We have a sufficient quantity of praise in 
 our churches, without chanting.'' 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 It is readily granted, that our morning and 
 evening services contain a sufficient measure of 
 prayer ; for they comprehend petitions for " all 
 those things which are requisite and necessary, as 
 well for the body as the soul." It is also granted, 
 that they contain a sufficient measure of the in- 
 cense of praise, which, in the exhortation, is 
 called " his (God's) most worthy praise." 
 
 Now, for the sake of argument, let us suppose 
 that metrical psalms and hymns (the species of 
 praise on which the objection is predicated) are 
 ecclesiastical acts of praise ; — let it be asked, 
 Where is their measure ? What rubric or crite- 
 rion is there for ascertaining how much, or how 
 many of them constitute a sufficiency, or even a 
 single act of praise ? Are they not altogether 
 fortuitous, sometimes more lines, sometimes 
 fewer, at the discretion of the minister, or that 
 of his clerk ? 
 
 Though the periods are assigned, at which, by 
 a rubrical permit, metre psalms and hymns are 
 tallowed to be sung ; yet the measure or quantity 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 of them, at any time of singing, is equally inde* 
 terminate, as are the length, breadth, and thick- 
 ness of an extemporary prayer. Having no mea- 
 sure of application, no canon nor rubric prescrib- 
 ing a certain portion at each time of singing, we 
 can never ascertain whether the quantity of me- 
 trical praise is sufficient or insufficient for the 
 occasion. 
 
 If the objector really believes that metrical 
 psalmody is implied in the definition, " his most 
 worthy praise; 99 let him have the goodness to 
 think of suitable replies to the following interro- 
 gatories. 
 
 Why are acts of prayer circumscribed hy forms, 
 when acts of praise are left to the discretion of 
 the minister % How comes it, that acts of praise 
 are made to depend upon the discretion of the mi- 
 nister, and acts of prayer upon the sanction and 
 authority of the aggregate body of the Church, if 
 they are duties of equal magnitude and of equal 
 obligation? If metrical psalms and hymns be 
 the praise implied in the definition, most worthy 
 grraise, and are left to the minister's discretion to 
 use whatever portions of them he pleases, why 
 is he not also left as much at liberty to use what- 
 ever prayers his discretion may select from the 
 Family Prayers bound up with the Prayer Book 2 
 
 Every well-informed churchman knows that 
 it is repugnant to the nature of Liturgical wor- 
 ship, to allow the minister's discretion so wide a 
 
C 37 } 
 
 latitude, that lie may alter, add to, or subtract 
 any prayer from the appointed offices. 
 
 It is the minister's bounden duty, and a pro- 
 minent part of his ordination engagements, to use 
 the acts of prayer and praise, just as he finds 
 them prescribed in his Prayer Book. If this were 
 not the case, acts of prayer being fixed, and acts 
 of praise being at the discretion of the minis- 
 ter, would stand upon different authorities. But 
 this were a contradiction in terms ; for the rubrics 
 specify the various acts of praise which apper- 
 tain to every service, and the exhortation desig- 
 nates them as fixed and unalterable, and annexes 
 to them the honourable epithet — " his (God's) 
 most worthy praise." Therefore they are the 
 appropriate psalmody of tire Church, and alone 
 afford a sufficiency of praise : whereas the me- 
 trical psalms and hymns, left at the discretion of 
 the minister, are no part of the public worship— 
 nor even necessary to it as concomitants. 
 
 When it is considered that metre psalms and 
 hymns are no constituent part of the Book of 
 Common Prayer, it is obvious to the meanest 
 comprehension, that they are not «• the most wor- 
 thy praise," which we are invited to set forth. 
 And indeed to this truth all our congregations 
 bear ample testimony, by their sitting whilst 
 they sing the metre psalms and hymns; they 
 would certainly stand, whilst they are sung, if 
 they considered them as acts of worship,* for 
 D 
 
( S8 ) 
 
 every one knows that siting is no suitable posture 
 either for prayer or for praise. 
 
 By persons not possessed of correct informa- 
 tion on this subject, it may naturally be imagin- 
 ed, that metre psalms and hymns are really 
 constituent parts of public worship ; as our clerks 
 and choristers generally give them out in these 
 or similar magisterial forms ;• — Let us sing to the 
 praise and glory of God 9 &c. — Let us continue 
 the solemn worship of Almighty God, by singing to 
 his praise, &c, — Let us conclude the solemn wor- 
 ship of JLlmighty God, by singing to his praise, 
 &c. — This is the very cant that was used in the 
 hottest times of puritanism. 
 
 Hearing so frequently these and similar pedan- 
 tic forms of giving out the metre psalms and 
 hymns, the generality of our people are unwa- 
 rily led to consider them as a kind of praise su- 
 perior to prosaic psalmody. But, let it be asked* 
 where do our clerks and choristers find these 
 editorial prefaces to the portions of metre psal- 
 mody, which they invite the people to sing ? By 
 what authority are they warranted to use any 
 prefatory address at all ? 
 
 The rubrics of the Prayer Book give no allow- 
 ance for a single word to be used at the enuncia- 
 tion of a metre psalm or hymn — the psalm, verse, 
 and quantity are simply to be named. Every 
 invitatory formula of giving out the metrical 
 psalmody is verily an invasion of the priest's of- 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 fice ;* of which, I trust, no well informed clerk 
 or chorister would intentionally be guilty. But 
 the tyrant custom has perpetuated the use of these 
 introductory forms, whilst most of our people 
 remain ignorant of their origin and intention. 
 
 They were first adopted by the avowed adver- 
 saries of our Mother Church, for the express pur- 
 pose of depreciating the use of prosaic psalmody, 
 and of impressing a belief, that metrical psalmody 
 only was acceptable to God, and the only true 
 way of vocally promoting his glory and honour 
 in the assemblies of his saints. Were the origin 
 of these forms unrecorded on the page of history, 
 the bombast and self-sufficiency of the diction 
 might teach us, that they did not originate la 
 that family, whose simple and reverend form of 
 announcing its vocal acts of gratitude and jubila- 
 tion is expressed in the language of scripture ; 
 " Praise ye the Lord."| 
 
 In the Morning and Evening Prayer, there is 
 both a certain and a sufficient measure of the in- 
 cense of praise ; which, in the exhortation, is 
 
 * It is the duty of the minister to give out the ecclesiastical psalm 
 or hymn, which he intends to be chanted; and this is done by recit- 
 ing the first strophe thereof. Bat it is incorrect in the minister to 
 give out the metre psalms and hymns, because they are foreign 1o 
 bis office, being no part of the Prayer Book. To a laic only this 
 duty belongs. 
 
 ■J- Psalm cl. 1. Rev. xix t, 3. In all the reformed Prayer Books 
 antecedent to the second of Edward VI. the minister pronounced 
 the word Hallelujah as prefatory to the succeeding act of praise, and 
 the people responded Hallelujah; bit in that book the word is trans- 
 ited into— Praise ye the Lord; and. The Lord's name be praised 
 
( *o ; 
 
 culled Goti*s most worthy praise. This measure 
 of praise is commensurate to the measure of 
 prayer, which embraces all those things which 
 are requisite and necessary as well for the body 
 as the soal; and is therefore the exclusive mea- 
 sure of psalmody recognized by the Church. 
 The individual portions of this aggregate mea- 
 sure of praise are called, Psalms, Hymns, and 
 (Janik'k's; and when sung, they correspond with 
 their tides; but when read* cr merely recited, they 
 do not : that k, when we read a psalm or hymn* 
 we use it as we would any other part of scripture, 
 whether historical, prophetical, or didactic, for 
 our own benefit ; but when we sing a psalm or 
 hymn, we use it as scripture offered up to God 
 as a form of praise of his own inditing. 
 
 The practice of reading or saying any psalm 
 or hymn in opposition to its title, and the nature 
 and import of its subject, is certainly a contradic- 
 tion in terms ; — and, to argue that it ought to be 
 read and not sung, because there is supposed to 
 exist already a sufficiency of vocal praise arising 
 from metre psalmody, implies a total want of 
 information on the subject. This supposition is 
 a non-entity, and unworthy of being advocated 
 by any churchman, who is capable of discrimi- 
 nating what is essential to Episcopal worship, 
 from what hath been derived from its adversaries. 
 
. ( 41 ) 
 
 OBJECTION V. 
 
 * Chanting takes up too much time." 
 REPLY. 
 
 This is not a rational, but a mere physical 
 objection. 
 
 By actual experiment it hath been ascertained 
 that the difference of time between the reading and 
 the chanting of all the hymns of morning prayer, 
 does not exceed eight or nine minutes at the ut- 
 most. And is this sufficient ground whereon to 
 build an objection to the primitive way of " set- 
 ting forth God's most worthy praise ?" 
 
 Time is the most precious of all the terrestrial 
 girts of God to the children of men. There is but 
 a single moment of it in the world at once, which, 
 when withdrawn, is instantly succeeded by an- 
 other. The present moment only is ours ; the fu- 
 ture lies hidden in the abyss of eternity. Wisely 
 do we appreciate the fleeting moments, if we 
 employ them so as to make them passports to the 
 glory which is yet to be revealed. Our bodies 
 and our souls have each of them claims upon our 
 time ; but we must not forget that God has a 
 superior claim. Every part of the Christian's 
 duty requires a portion of time commensurate 
 toxits nature and its final consequences, The ob- 
 
( ±2 ) 
 
 tation of praise is one of our most exalted du- 
 ties, and the time necessary to its due celebra- 
 tion will always ascend up before God, as a me- 
 morial of our love and gratitude to the author 
 and giver of every good and perfect gift. 
 
 It is impossible to apply any portions of our 
 time to better account, than those which we spend 
 in the oblation of God's most worthy praise in 
 the daily service of the Church. In no act of holy 
 worship docs mortal man so much resemble a 
 glorified spirit, as when he is engaged with all 
 his soul, with all his strength, and with all the 
 energies of his ear and voice, in chanting forth 
 the songs of Sion. 
 
 Perhaps the objector thinks, that prolonging 
 the time of ** setting forth God's most worthy 
 praise" beyond the usual time of reading it, may 
 prove an excuse for the minister's shortening his 
 sermon in proportion. And what if it should •? 
 Is sermonizing a duty equal to that of giving 
 glory to God in the highest? 
 
 A sermon is not mentioned, in the exhortation* 
 as one of the enumerated ends of assembling for 
 public worship; but, "to- bear God's holy word, 
 and to set forth his most worthy praise," are par- 
 ticularly specified as congregational duties. To 
 each of these there is a time, as well as a place for 
 celebration. And, if God's holy word is precious 
 in our eyes, the time necessary to reading it will 
 not appear tedious ; and whensoever the appointed 
 
( *s y 
 
 portions of it are announced by the minister? 
 the language of our affections will be, " speak* 
 Lord, for thy servant heareth :" and the time 
 requisite for H. setting forth the most worthy 
 praise," of the God of our salvation, will he time 
 profitably employed, if, preparatory to the cele- 
 bration of every act of praise, our mental cogita- 
 tions are, ** O God, my heart is ready, I will 
 sing and give praise; fork is a good thing to sing 
 praises unto thy name, O thou Most Highest." 
 
 It may be asked — Can any portions of our 
 time be more agreeably, or more profitably spent;, 
 than in making " a joyful noise before the Lord 
 the King — in singing psalms to his name — and 
 making his praise to be glorious ?" Let the ob- 
 jector say, — what portions of time that are spent 
 in this world have so near an alliance to the joyful 
 eternity of the redeemed of the Lord in their 
 mansions of glory, as those, which are employed 
 in presenting oblations of the sweet-smelling in- 
 cense of praise ? To the redeemed of the Lord, 
 in their abodes of bliss, how precious will those 
 portions of time appear, which, on earth, they 
 had spent in the praises of the author and 
 giver of all their mercies ! When the remem- 
 brance of every unpleasant time or occurrence 
 shall have been erased from their minds, the re- 
 collection of their holy jubilations in the Church 
 militant will heighten their relish for the halle- 
 lujahs of the Church triumphant. 
 
( i* ) 
 
 Seeing then, that God is the giver of every 
 moment of our time, how ill does it become anr 
 of us to speak, or even to think, of too much 
 time being spent in vocal acts of gratitude and 
 praise ? I say not, of what temper of mind this 
 grudging of time, for " setting forth the most 
 worthy praise" of the God of our salvation, is 
 the index ,• but this I say, a change of heart and 
 affections, in the objector, is absolutely neces- 
 sary before he be capable of relishing the inces- 
 sant hallelujahs, which are to be chanted in the 
 triumphant Church of our Lord, even Christy 
 u when time shall be no more." 
 
 OBJECTION VI. 
 
 « So great is the difference between metre 
 psalmody and chanting, that my ears can neve? 
 be reconciled to it." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 None of the human senses is so susceptible of 
 prejudices as that of hearing ; and we are more 
 under the influence of this sense than that of see- 
 ing* Hearing hath been called the intellectual 
 sense, because instruction can be communicated to 
 the mind more promptly by the ear than by tlie 
 
( ±* ) 
 
 vehicle of all the other senses put together. But 
 notwithstanding the super-excellency^ of this 
 sense, it is extremely liable to perversion, and 
 when once led astray, it is hard to be corrected, 
 as sounds are too fleeting to be made the subjects 
 of examination, as the objects of the other senses 
 are. 
 
 It were impossible for the most erudite musi- 
 cian, by arguments, to convince a man of a vitiated 
 taste, that his ear is corrupted. Arguments may 
 irritate, but can never produce conviction. If he 
 can only be persuaded to give a patient hearing 
 to music of a superior excellency than that to 
 which his ear hath been habituated, the door of 
 improvement is sufficiently opened; and if it is 
 not shut again by the hand of peevishness or im- 
 patience, the point is gained. 
 
 Setting aside the application of music to reli* 
 gious purposes, the ear sitting in judgment upon the 
 three sorts of music, namely, Chanting, Metre 
 Psalmody, and Song Tunes, would naturally de- 
 termine in favour of the latter, and estimate the 
 others according to their similarity or dissimila- 
 rity to the* object of its preference. And why ? be- 
 cause song music admits of ail the curvatures and 
 flexions which are capable of exciting its tenderest 
 sensibilities, and of eliciting the energies of all 
 the animal passions ; the words are pronounced 
 witli their proper accents, emphasis, and pauses, 
 and come to the mind in sufficiently quick succes- 
 
( *<5 ) 
 
 sion, so as not to keep it a moment in suspense for 
 their meaning. 
 
 The reasons why an ear unbiassed in favour of 
 metre music, would disapprobate it, are, the tar- 
 diness of its sounds, its syllabic dislocations^ and 
 its general neglect of all accent, emphasis, and 
 punctuation. The time for conveying sentiment to 
 the mind in this way, being so much protracted 
 beyond the time of doing it in the ordinary course 
 of reading or speaking, would infallibly produce 
 impatience, and impatience disgust. 
 
 In forming a judgment upon the merits or 
 demerits of chanting, the disinterested ear would 
 hesitate and deliberate ; and without deciding at 
 a first hearing, would say to the plaintiff, " I 
 would hear thee again.** 
 
 And verily this seems to have been the case 
 with many of the first converts to Christianity. 
 Several of the ancient Fathers inform us, that ido- 
 laters frequented the Christian assemblies, some 
 as spies, others out of mere curiosity, to hear the 
 Christians' doctrine, or to hear their music. With 
 the amiableness and rationality of the one, some 
 were delighted; with the simplicity,, novelty, and 
 grandeur of the other, multitudes were so cap- 
 tivated, that they thought favourably of the God 
 to whom it was addressed, and desired to be en- 
 rolled in the number of catechumens before 
 they departed. AVhat first captivated their ear* 
 ?ic-st captivated their hearts. 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 May I be permitted to ask, " Is it probable 
 that our modern syllabic psalmody would produce 
 similar effects upon Indians with- good ears 
 and honest intentions ? Dr. Burney, that able 
 judge of music, and discerner of its natural 
 operation on the human mind, affirms, that " iso- 
 chronous metre psalmody is more likely to drive 
 Christians with good ears out of the church, than 
 to draw pagans with good ears into it."* 
 
 It is natural for every person to prefer metre 
 music to prosaic, because eustom will always 
 advocate whatever is habitual ; and because the 
 one is congenial with song tunes, and the other 
 has nothing in its composition or character of a 
 secular nature. There exists such a reciprocity 
 ©f alliance between metre psalmody and song 
 music, that every metre psalm or hymn may be 
 sung to a song tune of the same measure with 
 itself; and every song may be sung to a metre 
 psalm tune of a measure equivalent to its own. 
 The quickness or the slowness, called the time 
 of the music, has no interference with the mea- 
 sure of the bars in either case. 
 
 The natural ear is no more a competent judge 
 
 * History of Music, vol. ii. note to p. 7. 
 
 Dr. Beattie says, " It seems as decent, at least, to imitate the 
 Roman Catholics as the Mahometans ; and jet, we (Presbyterians) 
 seem to have imitated the laUer, in banishing from our chinches 
 aU mu>ic, at least all good music ; that whhh weha\e retained i>eing 
 in general so very bad, that it is necessary for a person to have a 
 bad ear, before he can relish the worship of the Church of Scot- 
 land." 
 
 Stir JVilliam Forbes's Life of Dr. Beatie, p. 98. 
 
( *8 ) 
 
 of what species of music is exclusively commen- 
 surate to " the most worthy praise" of Jehovah, 
 than the natural man is capable of discerning 
 the c niri'ualities of his divine essence. Judg- 
 ing from the mere animal pleasure, which the ear 
 receives from sounds, a person would as natu- 
 rally dislike the music of " the song of Mosc9 
 and the Lamb," as he disapprobates the prosaic 
 psalmody of the Church. Such false guides are 
 our human likings and dislikings, that, whilst 
 they profess to be « lights to our feet, and lan- 
 terns to our paths,'* they frequently, to our shame 
 and mortification, prove themselves to be as de- 
 lusive as the wandering fires of the dreary desert. 
 That the public ear is extremely vitiated, 
 many and cogent proofs might be adduced. Is not 
 the infinite number of metre tunes in circulation 
 one proof of the alleged fact ? Is not the fre- 
 quent changing of one tune for another in endless 
 succession another proof? And as it is a proof 
 that the stomach of a man is deranged, when it 
 loathes its accustomed food, and with impatience 
 craves an unusual variety; so it is an equally 
 certain proof, that the ear of a churchman is 
 greatly vitiated, when he nauseates the musical 
 dainties of his Father's house, and with insatia- 
 ble appetite craves the exotic fruits which were 
 originally produced in the garden of his adversa- 
 ry? Is it a symptom of a healthy ear, to reject 
 the genuine music of the Mother Church, and 
 
( *9 ). 
 
 \o attach itself to that of the Meeting-house 
 and the Conventicle ? 
 
 But when we affect, that, as Christians, " we 
 are not of the world," and that it is meet and 
 right, and our bounden duty, " to have our con- 
 versation in heaven f 9 it becomes evidently pro- 
 per, that all our acts of religious worship should 
 be stamped with such prominent marks of cha- 
 racter, as may best serve to discriminate them 
 from every tiling of a secular nature. The sacred 
 declarations, " my kingdom is not of this world 
 — ye are not of this world;" the apostolic injunc- 
 tion, " be not conformed to this world;" and many 
 other texts of a similar import, unitedly lead 
 us to think, that, as the structure of the several 
 offices of our religion is radically different from 
 that of all associate or political formularities, 
 the psalmodic parts of those offices should be as 
 much discriminated from secular music, as the 
 music of the temple differed from that of idola- 
 trous nations. And this is really the case 5 for 
 all the appointed psalms and hymns of our pub- 
 lic worship are wholly incommensurate to secu- 
 lar music. Between the condition of prose and 
 that of verse, there is no more alliance than there 
 is between the condition of a freeman and that 
 of a slave.* The psalms and hymns of our holy 
 
 * According to Cicero (pro Poeta Archia) liberie ped<s, free feet, 
 denote prose; and vincti pedes, chained feet, characterize poetn 
 
 or verse. 
 
 E 
 
( so ) 
 
 offices are as dissimilar to the secularized psalms 
 of the poets and the songs of the world, as the 
 kingdom of our Lord, even Christ, is unlike to 
 any of the transient governments of this perish- 
 ahle earth. 
 
 OBJECTION VII. 
 
 " As I have neither voice nor ear for music, 
 if chanting be admitted into our Church, I shall 
 be deprived of the benefit, which I derive from 
 responsive reading." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 This objection is altogether selfish $ for the 
 whole extent of it is bounded by personal im- 
 perfection. It is also unfounded on fact; for 
 every person who can articulate words, hath his 
 equal share in the psalmodic offices, whether they 
 are sung or said, as chanting is nothing else than 
 musical reading. When the appointed psalms 
 and hymns are sung, a person who is unable to 
 join in " the more excellent way" of chanting 
 them, may still pronounce every word with the 
 same accent, emphasis, and sound of voice, 
 which he uses in reading them responsively— only 
 a little slower, « The change of the voice in 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 L-hanting a psalm or hymn is so small and natu- 
 ral, lhat every person is able to join in it; and 
 yet it is sufficient to raise and keep up the glad- 
 ness of our hearts."* 
 
 The psalmody of the Church is calculated to 
 benefit every member thereof: it belongs to 
 every individual alike, whether he sings or says 
 it. And it is the duty of every one to prepare 
 himself, by all the means in his power, to offer 
 his oblation of praise " with great gladness." If 
 the devout unmusical worshipper only reads those 
 acts of praise, whilst others, endued with ear 
 and voice, sing them, the rubric is obeyed, and 
 the words of the psalmist accord with the united 
 exertion of the reader and the singer, " I will 
 sing, and speak praises unto the Lord :" for 
 " God accepteth according to what a man hath, 
 and not according to what he hath not." 
 
 There are some who say that God hath not 
 given them a voice ; and others, that they have 
 not ear sufficient to distinguish one tune from an- 
 other. This deficiency in grown up persons is 
 to be ascribed rather to a neglect of cultivating 
 their portion of voice and ear during their 
 younger years, than to any original defect in their 
 musical organs : For, where is the person to be 
 found, who doth not use a varied intonation in 
 speaking ? And who is he, that hath got ears 
 
 * Law's Serious Call, eh. 15, 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 to hear, who cannot distinguish articulate iroui 
 inarticulate sounds? When those persons, who 
 say, they have no voice nor ear for music, happen 
 to he actuated by the passions of wrath, envy, 
 hatred, revenge, or by any other unruly affec- 
 tions of the mind ; or when they are surrounded 
 •with tranquillity, or exhilarated with joy ; how 
 readily are their voices harmonized to either of 
 these conditions, and their words uttered with 
 a corresponding intonation ! Whether a person 
 thinks of it or not, every sentence which he ut- 
 ters is accompanied with a musical intonation. 
 Monotony is not natural to man ; diversified in- 
 tonation is a part of his birthright. 
 
 True it is, the apostaey of our primeval pa- 
 rents debased the divine similitude, but did not 
 entirely deface it. Sin disordered, but did not 
 destroy our endowments of body and mind. Sin 
 has disharmonized our affections, and relaxed or 
 overstrained the goodly strings of our intellec- 
 tual harp. Every propensity of heart which was 
 once in perfect unison with the divine will, is 
 iiow in a state of partial discord. We need not 
 wonder then, if the ears and voices of some of 
 our species are in a state of unmusical intona- 
 tion. 
 
 During his state of innocence, all the parts of 
 creation were propitious to man ; but in our state 
 of guilt, the very elements wage continual war 
 with us, and our powers, both of body and mind. 
 
( S3 ) 
 
 are astonishingly under their influence. All the 
 corporeal senses are subjected to the power of 
 atmospheric influence, but none of them so much 
 as the celestial ones of seeing and hearing. The 
 voice and the ear of man arc susceptible either 
 of deterioration or of amelioration, in proportion 
 as the temperament of the atmosphere is propi- 
 tious or unfavourable to the nervous system. 
 
 If then, the most perfect organs of musical ar- 
 ticulation are susceptible of change, either into 
 a better, or into a worse state, in consequence of 
 the operation of external causes, why may it not 
 be admitted, that less perfect organs may be im- 
 proved by art and industry ? and however para- 
 doxical it may seem to say, that " such an one 
 hath created for himself a portion of voice and 
 ear;" yet, in some sense, the fact is undeniable : 
 for what difficulty is there so great, that perse- 
 verance cannot surmount? or what obstruction 
 so fixed, that patience cannot remove ? 
 
 " Unto every one of us," says St. Paul, " is 
 given grace, according to the measure of the gift 
 of Christ." In like manner it may be said, unto 
 every one of us is given a certain measure of the 
 gift of musical utterance, according to the mea- 
 sure of the gift of Christ — to some, in the pro- 
 portion of ten talents ; to others, that of five ; and 
 to a few, in that of only one. Let the man or the 
 w oman, to whom God hath seen proper to bestow 
 but one portion of his musical gift, beware of 
 
( 5i ) 
 
 topping the example of that servant who received 
 but one talent, lest for a similar neglect, he fall 
 into a similar condemnation. The same Apostle 
 also teacheth us, that, " the manifestation of the 
 spirit is given to every man to profit withal/" 
 Every gift is given for improvement, applica- 
 tion, and use ; and it ought not to be allowed to 
 be corroded with the rust of neglect, nor be per- 
 verted to unprofitable or hurtful purposes. When 
 human talents are consecrated to the glory of the 
 giver, God is honoured by his own gifts, and man's 
 happiness is promoted* 
 
 Persons unendowed with a musical measure of 
 ear and voice, cannot be supposed to be under the 
 same obligations to " make Jehovah's praise to be 
 glorious," as those who are possessed of them. 
 But can it be imagined that the mode of celebrat- 
 ing the offices of religion, ought to be adapted, 
 rather to the absence of talent, than to the pos- 
 session of it ? This were putting a negative upon 
 every exertion of voice and ear, and virtually pro- 
 hibiting those persons who do possess them, from 
 employing them in the Donor's service : it were a 
 denuding them of the privilege of presenting an 
 oblation to which they are competent, and which 
 ihey had prepared to offer with great gladness. 
 
 On the supposition that the manner of per- 
 forming the psalmody of the Church, ought to be 
 adapted to the measure of imperfection, and not 
 io that of qualification, the gifts of voice and cav 
 
( 6S ) 
 
 iiiivc been bestowed to no salutary purpose ; the 
 word sung, ought to be expunged from the ru- 
 brics ; and the minister, in compliment to one or 
 two deaf persons, ought to speak so loud as to 
 stun the rest of his congregation. 
 
 The extent of talent and improvement is cer- 
 tainly a just weight and measure, for the regula- 
 tion of every thing belonging to the sanctuary. 
 The widow's mite of brass or copper, was as ac- 
 ceptable as the rich man's talent of gold or sil- 
 ver : but it afforded no argument for reducing the 
 offerings of the rich to an equality with those of 
 the poor; nor did the widow think of with- 
 holding her mite, because she was unable to 
 give a talent. In like manner, the person who 
 is unable to sing as a leader, may sing as a 
 follower; and he whose voice and ear do not 
 qualify him to sing an upper part, may unite 
 with a lower one. 
 
 AVith no niggardly hand does God dispense his 
 gift$ to the children of men; and the difference 
 between the endowments of one person and those 
 of another, is occasioned principally by a higher 
 degree of application and perseverance in the one 
 than in the other. 
 
 Observe the persevering ingenuity of man 
 displayed in his improvements in the arts and 
 sciences— in every thing that promises honour, 
 pleasure, or profit. Observe the sedentary scholar 
 poring over his books, drinking knowledge at 
 
C 56 ) 
 
 every fountain of learning; the contemplative 
 philosopher contriving, and the ingenious artizan 
 constructing glasses for ameliorating the sight, 
 and tubes to aid the ear that is obtuse. And 
 shall little or no exertions be made in cultivating 
 the human voice and the hearing ear, to render 
 them capable of performing in the best manner 
 possible, the office for which they were created ? 
 
 Open the pages of history, and you will read 
 what incredible pains the singers on the ancient 
 theatres took to improve and retain their voices; 
 and by report we learn, how careful the modern 
 stage singers are in improving and retaining 
 theirs. 
 
 And who will say that the theatre has a higher 
 claim to improved voices, than the church? Is 
 any sort of music good enough for the worship of 
 Almighty God, and none too excellent for the se- 
 minaries of scenic fiction? During the times of 
 idolatry, the best of the spoils were always pre- 
 sented to Jupiter Maximus, and, at the present 
 time, the most improved voiees are no where to 
 be found, but in scenic temples, the still appro- 
 bated relicts of paganism ! 
 
 Were the hundredth part of the pains taken in 
 tutoring the voice for the purpose of glorifying 
 God, which is taken by scenic performers, for 
 the purpose of desecrating man, our churches 
 would be so many perfect choirs, full of the 
 praise, the glory, and the blessing of God. Nay, 
 
•( 57 ) 
 
 were half the pains which are taken in teaching 
 a parrot to sing, or a magpie to speak, bestowed 
 upon the smallest portion of human voice and ear, 
 especially at an early period of life, they might he 
 improved to a degree far surpassing expectation. 
 If God were more frequently in our thoughts, and 
 gratitude for his mercies more fervent in our 
 hearts, our mouths would he more full of his 
 praises, and we should hear no complaints of the 
 want of voice and ear. If the soul vehemently 
 longed after God, and thirsted after celestial joys, 
 as the hart panteth for the cooling stream, the 
 voice for praise would not he wanting, nor would 
 any one complain that he had no ear for the 
 music of the sanctuary. 
 
 He, who is really unahle to join with any of 
 the upper parts of a chorus, may always unite 
 with the fundamental one. A consciousness of not 
 being able to praise God as a leader, ought not to 
 prevent one singing as a follower. Only let him 
 take care that his voice be kept in due subordina- 
 tion; let him " of (he ability which God giveih" 
 sing as well as he can, or even (if he can do no 
 better,) speak the psalms and hymns of the 
 Church, he participates in the oblation of the 
 general jubilee of praise. If he do not sing ov 
 speak too loud, the rotundity of the bass will 
 always prove a sufficient covering to his voice, 
 and prevent any sensible discord. Under the 
 bass, as a musical umbrella, he may go on hh 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 way rejoicing in the grace of bis God, and in 
 the power of his might, " making a joyful noise 
 before the Lord the King." 
 
 If his voice yields no novelty to gratify the ears 
 of his fellow-worshippers, his heart may make 
 as perfect " melody to the Lord," as the heart of 
 those who display the iinest powers of voice and 
 ear. 
 
 " Let every thing that hath breath praise the 
 Lord," according to the law of its nature ; and 
 every human being magnify his glorious name, 
 " according to the measure of the gifts of Christ" 
 conferred upon him. 
 
 OBJECTION VIII. 
 
 " I am too old, and it is too much trouble to 
 learn to chant." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 If the objector hath not learned metre psal- 
 mody in his younger years, it were unreasonable 
 to expect that he should learn prosaic music at an 
 advanced period. Every person, who hath 
 learned to sing metre tunes by following the or- 
 gan cr chorister, may, in the same way, and with 
 equal facility, become acquainted with chanting, 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 The chants are few in number, and to any ear, 
 capable of musical discrimination, there can be 
 no great difficulty in becoming acquainted with 
 them, as they are stationary, the same chant 
 being sung to the same psalm or hymn, however 
 often it occurs. 
 
 There is in man a natural indolence, which i» 
 apt to increase with his years, and strengthen with 
 his age. In the affairs of religion, this indolence 
 is not only intrusive, but very operative; and 
 then we call it by another name — « the infirmity 
 of our mortal nature." 
 
 A want of resolution to perform our Christian 
 duty discovers itself in a variety of ways. It 
 pleads excuses for** doing those things which we 
 ought not to have done," and also for neglecting 
 to " do those things which we ought to have done." 
 It is eloquent in defending the omission of every 
 tiling in public worship, that is unfashionable, or 
 in any measure troublesome to flesh and blood. 
 Whatever trouble attends the purchasing of a field, 
 or a yoke of oxen, or any other article of mer- 
 chandize ; whatever inconvenience or fatigue at- 
 tends the going to such a city, or to such a place, 
 toy land, or by water, for the purpose of buying 
 or selling, in order to get gain, are readily 
 surmounted ; but the trouble of learning to sing 
 the constituent hymns of public worship, though 
 few in number, and extremely accessible to the 
 ear, is said to be too great ! 
 
( eo ) 
 
 Not to those whose shadows are like the sha- 
 dows of the evening, but to those who are hut a 
 little past the meridian of their days, do I address 
 this paragraph. Remember, and forget not, I 
 Jjeseech you, that he in whose service ye are em- 
 ployed, did not think it too much trouble to exert 
 his utmost stretch of voice, in prayer upon the 
 cross for you ; and now in glory neglects not to 
 mention your names among those for whom his 
 intercession is continued. 
 
 Granting, objector, that thou art somewhat 
 advanced in life, and that thou art well practised 
 in praising God with measures of human contri- 
 vance ; let me ask at what age is a person too old 
 to praise him in forms which the Holy Ghost hath 
 dictated? Be assured, that however much ad- 
 vantage thou derivest from the use of a species of 
 psalmody, which is only of human devising, thou 
 wilt experience a great deal more from a psal- 
 mody which hath the Holy Spirit for its editor. 
 
 By devoting a small portion of thy attention 
 to the genuine psalmody of the Church militant, 
 when thou shalt have joined the society of the 
 Church triumphant, thou wilt perceive that, by 
 anticipation, thou hadst verily antedated the hal- 
 lelujahs of the celestial choirs. 
 
( ** ) 
 
 \ 
 
 OBJECTION IX. 
 
 %i Let chanting be omitted during our life-time 
 ^say some aged persons), and when we are gone 
 hence, let our posterity accept ©r reject it, as 
 *hey please." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Such would be the effect of this objection, were 
 it once admitted, that the Church would continue 
 destitute of a musical accompaniment to God's 
 ■« most worthy praise," even unto the end of 
 the world. 
 
 Had the objectors, in the days of their youth* 
 been acquainted with prosaic psalmody, at the 
 .present time they would have made no opposition 
 to it. This is a virtual inference from their of- 
 fering no objections to their posterity's adopting 
 it. But, it ought to be remembered, that cathe- 
 dral music is verily a part of exery churchman's 
 inheritance, and that he cannot voluntarily con- 
 tinue a divestment thereof, without taking part 
 with those adversaries of the Church who first 
 effected it. 
 
 It is hoped that the moderation of senior years 
 will permit the objectors to be informed, or re- 
 minded, if they know it already, that, next to the 
 order of the priesthood, nothing characteristic 
 F 
 
( » ) 
 
 «f tlie Episcopal Church was, during the reign 
 of puritanism, more vigorously assailed, and 
 more ably defended, than the usage which I am 
 advocating. What was precious in the eves of 
 those defenders of primitive truth and order, 
 ought to be no less so in ours. Those Fathers in 
 Christ have set the copy, and it well becomes 
 us to write after so fair a pattern. A compliance 
 with the example of our ecclesiastical fathers 
 and brethren will take no oxen out of the ob- 
 jector's stalls, nor sheep out of their folds. It is 
 capable of doing them good, and incapable of 
 doing them evil. 
 
 In no stage of life does the obligation cease 
 " to set forth God's most worthy praise;" it be- 
 ing a duty incumbent upon * young men and 
 maidens, old men and children, to praise the 
 name of the Lord ; for his name only is excel- 
 lent, and his praise above heaven and earth." 
 
 In the words of the psalmist, the objectors 
 themselves acknowledge that " it is a good thing 
 to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises 
 unto the name of the Most Highest." Now, if it 
 is a good thing to do so at one time of life, it is 
 equally so at another. And if the objectors are 
 not singers, or have lost all animal pleasure in 
 hearing ** the voices of singing men and sing- 
 ing women," it becomes highly unreasonable 
 in them to desire the juniors of a congregation 
 lo rofrain from singing the appointed psalms and 
 
C 63 ) 
 
 hymns of the Church, merely because they have 
 uo relish for such performances. 
 
 However much the active and passive (i daugh- 
 ters of music" in aged persons* maybe obstruct- 
 ed in their respective functions, and the com- 
 plaint of good old Barzillai be renewed;! surely 
 no person will admit that this is a sufficient rea 
 son for ordering, or even requesting, « the chil- 
 dren" (the juniors) acclaiming in the temple 
 (the church), and saying, " Hosannah to the Sow 
 of David," to hold their peace. li\ every period 
 both of the Levitical and Evangelical dispensa- 
 tions, our Lord's prediction in the 2d verse of 
 the 8th Psalm, and its application recorded in 
 the 16th verse of 21st chapter of St. Matthew's 
 Gospel, has been verified: " Out of the mouth 
 of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected 
 praise." It is a circumstance worthy of remark, 
 that in every church where psalmody is culti- 
 vated, the music of the sanctuary has derived 
 its principal support from the juniors of the 
 community, particularly from the female juniors 
 of the congregation. 
 
 If the Apostles, who were by the immediate 
 agency of the Holy Spirit " guided unto all 
 
 * Quie cantante voluntas, 
 Sit licet eximius cithanedus, sieve Seleueus, 
 E.t quibus auratd mos estfulgere lacerna ? 
 
 Juvenal's Sat. X. line 210 
 What music, or enchanting voice, can cheer 
 A stupid, old, impenetrable ear? 
 
 Brvdcn. 
 f 2 Sam. xix. 35. 
 
c * > 
 
 truth," had not considered prosaic psalmody as 
 the true and proper manner of celebrating the 
 greatness, goodness, mercy, and love of God, 
 they would not have inlroduced it into all the 
 churches which they planted ; nor would their 
 successors, in every part of the Christian world, 
 even to the present time, have been so tenacious 
 «f it. 
 
 The hallelujahs of the choirs surrounding 
 the throne of God, as transmitted to us, and no 
 doubt for our imitation, by the beloved disciple 
 who in vision saw the choristers and heard their 
 performance, are all in prosaic diction, and ad- 
 mit of ! being sung in no other way than that 
 whose cause I plead. 
 
 The apostolic manner of " setting forth God's 
 most worthy praise," whilst we sojourn in his 
 militant Church upon earth, will prove to be an 
 anticipation of the celestial hallelujahs of the 
 Church triumphant; and the more we practise 
 the one here, (he better we shall relish the other 
 hereafter. It is a debt that we owe to God and 
 o ourselves, that our oblations of praise on this 
 ti r 'c the grave be similar to those of glorified 
 its and angels in (he realms of bliss eternal. 
 
( 65 ) 
 
 OBJECTION X. 
 
 « Chanting is a hindrance to devotion/ * 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 If a zeal without knowledge is to be found in 
 some persons, it is allowable to suppose that a 
 devotion without knowledge may possibly accom- 
 pany it. Devotion, like conscience, depends so 
 much upon antecedent knowledge, in connection 
 with constitutional feelings, that we are very 
 apt to suffer our prejudices to assume the cha- 
 racter of devotion, especially if we are more in- 
 fluenced by the mechanism, than by the spirit 
 •of our religious services. Hence it is, that in 
 some persons, devotion is interrupted by the mi- 
 nister's mistaking one word for another, by 
 omitting one of the collects, or by violating any 
 of the rules of good reading, whilst he is offer- 
 ing up the prayers, or reading the lessons. This 
 fastidiousness is highly inimical to devotion, as. 
 it places the person who is troubled with it, in 
 the condition, not of a meek and humble wor- 
 shipper, but in that of a snarling critic or a jea- 
 lous observer. The same fastidiousness tends 
 to produce a prejudice against ameliorating the 
 manner of performing any part of the public 
 services, and constitutes the basis whereon the 
 t* 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 objection to chanting is reared. With truedevo 
 lion, this principle has no connection. True 
 devotion is of too spiritual a nature to be inter- 
 rupted by those expedients, which persons, free 
 from prejudice, have in every age of the world 
 experienced to be its best auxiliaries. And, if 
 we give any credit to the testimony in favour of 
 ehanting, which has been given by some of the 
 most devout and learned Fathers of the Church, 
 we must either subscribe to their sentiment, or 
 acknowledge that our devotion is of a different 
 east from theirs. 
 
 Chanting is so far from being injurious to devo- 
 tion, that it is really propitious to it; just as the 
 harmony of regulated sounds tends to tranquillize 
 the mind more than a discordant buz, or a his- 
 sing whisper. Order is infinitely more subser- 
 vient to devotion than disorder. In ehanting, 
 the voices are in order ; but in responsive read- 
 ing, they are in disorder; for every one uses 
 whatever pitch of voice he pleases* and perhaps 
 not two persons in any congregation respond with 
 the same intonation. To an observant ear, the 
 general mass of response is extremely discor- 
 dant* and offensive; and however custom may 
 have so far reconciled us to it, as not to think of 
 its mechanical effect, yet undoubtedly it has its 
 
 * According to the authors who have written on the extent and 
 properties of the human voice, one note is capable of being divided 
 into 10,000 distinguishable sounds. 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 operation on our minds as well as on our ears. 
 And this operation cannot be a beneficial one ; 
 it tends to lull the mind into a stupor of indiffer- 
 ence, and to preclude every intellectual and cor- 
 poreal exertion. Indeed, this is the natural effect 
 of all discords produced upon a bass key; and 
 therefore reading the psalms and hymns on a bass 
 ground can never give that animation and vigour 
 to devotion, which both the ancient and modern 
 Fathers of the Church ascribe to chanting. 
 
 As evidence is more conclusive than reasonings 
 on the point before us, I shall present the reader 
 with a few quotations from the early Fathers, 
 to show how highly they approbated the usage 
 of chanting. 
 
 Clemens Alexandrinus has this remarkable 
 passage, alluding to the Church and its music : 
 »' This is the chosen mountain of the Lord, 
 unlike Citharon, which has furnished subjects 
 for tragedy. It is dedicated to truth; a moun- 
 tain of greater purity, overspread with chaste 
 shades. It is inhabited by the daughters of God, 
 the fair lambs, who celebrate together the vene- 
 rable orgies, collecting the chosen choir. The 
 singers are holy men ; their song is the hymn of 
 the Almighty King. Virgius chant, Angels glo- 
 rify, Prophets discourse, whilst music sweetly 
 sounding is heard."* 
 
 * Bishop of Alexandria about the vear 200, " Admonitio ad 
 gentes," Oxford, 1715. 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 Eusebius,* treating of the consecration of 
 churches throughout the Roman empire, in 
 the time of Constantine the first Christian Em- 
 peror, says, « There is one common consent in 
 chanting forth the praises of God. The perform- 
 ance of the service is exact, the rites of the 
 Church are solemn and majestic ; and a place is 
 appointed for those who sing the psalms ,* youths 
 and virgins, old men and young." 
 
 Chrysostomf says, « All Christians exercise 
 themselves in David's Psalms oftener than in any 
 other part of the Old or New Testament. The 
 grace of the Holy Spirit hath so ordered it, that 
 ihey should be recited or chanted night and day. 
 
 <( In the Church's vigils, the first, the midst, 
 and the last, are David's Fsalms. In the morn- 
 ing, David's Psalms are sought for ; and the first, 
 the midst, and the last, is David. At funeral 
 solemnities, the first, the midst, and the last, is 
 David. In private houses, where the virgins 
 spin, the first, the midst, and the last, is David. 
 Many, who know not a letter, can say David's 
 Psalms by heart. In the monasteries, the choirs 
 of heavenly hosts, the first, the midst, and . the 
 last, is David. In the deserts, where men,, who 
 have crucified the world to themselves, and. con- 
 verse with God, the first, the midst, and the 
 last, is David. In the night, when men are 
 
 * Bishop of Csesarea in 513. 
 
 t Archbishop of Constantinople in 403— in his. sixth Homily on 
 Penitence. 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 asleep, David wakes them up to sing ; and ga- 
 thering the servants of God into angelic troops, 
 turns earth into heaven, and makes angels of 
 mcu chanting David's Psalms." 
 
 Such was the discipline under which the pri- 
 mitive Christians was educated, that religion was 
 instilled into their minds at an early age ; it grew 
 up with their youth, and gathered strength with 
 their years; it mixed itself with all their ordi- 
 nary labours and recreations, so much so, that, 
 as Jerome* says, " You could not go into the 
 fields, hut you might hear the ploughman at his 
 hallelujahs, the mower at his hymns, and the 
 vine-dresser chanting the Psalms of David." 
 
 Such was the effect of chanting upon the idola- 
 trous nations of the earth, that it was a power- 
 ful auxiliary in the hands of the promulgators 
 of the gospel, in " turning them from darkness 
 unto light, and from the power of satan unto 
 God." It so affected the mind of the learned 
 Augustine,| in his gentile state, that after his 
 conversion he said of himself, « The voices flowed 
 in at my ears, truth was distilled into my heart, 
 and the affection of piety overflowed in sweet 
 tears of joy." 
 
 From the Apostolical Constitutions:}: we learn, 
 that « the women, the children, and the mean* 
 
 * Epis. ad Marcehum, torn. i. p. 127. 
 
 f Confess, lib. ix. c. 6. He was Bishop of Hippo, ha Africa, and 
 died in 430. 
 
 * Lib, ii, c 57. 
 
( ™ ) 
 
 est mechanics, could say all the Psalms of David 
 by heart; and that they chanted them at home 
 and abroad, even when employed in their labours ; 
 making them at once the exercise of their piety* 
 and the refreshment of their minds. By thus 
 recreating themselves, and, at the same time, glo- 
 rifying God, they had answers ready to oppose 
 temptation, and were always prepared to pray to 
 God, and to praise him, in any circumstances, 
 by a form of his own inditing." 
 
 "With the sentiments of the ancients concerning 
 prosaic psalmody, those of the most devout and pi- 
 ous among the moderns are in perfeet accordance. 
 The Rev. William Law says, " There is nothing 
 that so clears a way for your prayers, nothing 
 that so disperses dulness of heart, nothing that 
 so purifies the soul from poor and little passions, 
 nothing that so opens heaven, or carries your 
 hearts so near it, as these songs of praise. They 
 create a sense and delight in God, they awaken 
 holy desires, they teach you how to ask, and they 
 prevail with God to give. They kindle an holy 
 frame, they turn your heart into an altar, your 
 prayers into incense, and carry them as a sweet- 
 smelling savour to the throne of Grace."* 
 
 And Bishop Home, in the preface to his com- 
 mentary on the Psalms, says, " Such. is the ge- 
 neral character of these sacred Hymns 5 the ma- 
 
 * Serk>U3 Call, chap, xx, 
 
( n ) 
 
 jovity of which v*ere composed hy David, who 
 sought that peace in these pious effusions, which 
 was not to he found in empire. These composi- 
 tions convey those comforts to others which they 
 afforded to himself. They present religion to 
 tis in the most engaging dress; communicating 
 truth, which philosophy could never investigate, 
 in a style, which poetry can never equal. Calcu- 
 lated alike to profit and to please, they inform the 
 understanding, elevate the affections, and enter- 
 tain the imagination. Indited under the influence 
 of him, to whom all hearts are known, and all 
 events foreknown, they suit mankind in all situa- 
 tions. He who has once tasted their excellencies, 
 will desire to taste them again ; and he who tastes 
 them oftenest, will relish them best." 
 
 No part of the sacred volume was evermore es- 
 teemed for devotional purposes, than the hook of 
 Psalms. It was the vade mecum, or manual, both 
 of Jews and Christians. It appears to have been 
 the manual of Jesus himself; for he quoted 
 more largely and more frequently from it, than 
 from all the sacred writings put together. As 
 .David had predicted, the Psalms were our Lord's 
 " meditation all the day." At the institution of 
 the Holy Eucharist, Jesus chanted with his dis- 
 ciples the 136th Psalm j* on the cross he used a 
 
 * At the Passover, the Psalms which constituted the Hillel, are 
 the 113th, 114th, 115th, 116th, 117th, 118th; and on the last day of 
 
( ™ ) 
 
 part of the 31st, and expired with a part of the 22d 
 in his mouth. 
 
 On the day of his resurrection he expounded 
 to Peter and John all things concerning himself 
 out of the Scriptures in general, hut from the 
 Psalms in particular. 
 
 Deservedly, therefore, have all pious persons, 
 in every age and country, considered the Book of 
 Psalms as a most precious deposit. These divine 
 hymns have always been, and still continue to be 
 constituent parts of the service of every apostolic 
 church, and subjects of joy and gladness in all the 
 assemblies of the saints. 
 
 " Singing, (says Mr. Law,*) is as much the 
 proper use of a psalm, as devout supplication is 
 the proper use of a/orm of prayer. And a psalm 
 only read, is very much like a prayer that is only 
 looked over, or any other good thing not made use 
 of. You ought, therefore, to consider the chant- 
 ing of a psalm, as something that is to awaken 
 all that is good and holy within you ; that is to 
 call your spirits to their proper duty; to set you 
 in your best posture towards heaven ; and to tune 
 
 the feast these were chanted together with the 136th, and called the 
 Grand Hillel 
 
 It is probvble that our Lord, with the eleven apostles (Judas being 
 o-oneto expedite his nefarious purpose,) chanted only the 136th Psalm, 
 which served to characterize the whole selection with the title of Great 
 or Grand Hillel; and undoubtedly it was performed accoixling to the 
 usage of the Jewish Church, our Lord singing the first strophe of 
 each verse, and his apostles i espondiug with the next, " For he is 
 good, for his mercy en^ureth for ever, ' as the chorus. 
 
 • Setious Call, p. 18*. 
 
( w ) 
 
 all the powers of your soul, to worship and ado- 
 ration. 
 
 " The difference between singing and reading 
 a psalm, will easily he understood, if you consider 
 the difference between reading and singing a 
 common song, that you like. Whilst you only 
 read it, you only like it, and that is all; but as 
 soon as you sing it, then you enjoy and feel the de- 
 light of it ; it has got hold of you, your passions 
 keep pace with it, and you feel the same spirit 
 within you, that there seems to be in the words." 
 
 If the present rulers of the Church of England 
 tlid not consider the psalmodic parts of public 
 worship rendered more lovely in the ears of 
 all unprejudiced persons, and also more promo- 
 tive of piety and devotion, by chanting, than by 
 reading them, surely they would not continue 
 the usage of chanting in all the cathedral and col- 
 legiate churches of the realm. Nor would the 
 General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church in this country continue in our Prayer 
 Books those identical rubrics, which direct the 
 choral performances of the Mother Church. 
 
 In whatever region of the world true devotion 
 is found, it is one and the same thing ; and what- 
 ever usage, founded on Scripture, the universal 
 consent of the rulers of the Church has ascer- 
 tained to be subservient to devotion in one age of 
 the world, is equal!; so in another. If this had 
 not been an aeknowled, ^d axiom, and a regulator 
 G 
 
( n ) 
 
 of ecclesiastical procedure, the public reading ot 
 the holy Scriptures had long since been discon- 
 tinued, and set forms of prayer and praise had 
 ceased to exist many centuries before the Re- 
 formation. 
 
 It is extremely difficult to conceive how the 
 chanting of prosaic psalms and hymns could have 
 been so promotive of piety and devotion, during 
 the times of the apostles, the purest ages of the 
 Church, and among all Christian nations, even 
 down to the sera of the Reformation ;# and that 
 it should, about that period, begin to change, and 
 with a sudden start in the 16th century, so lay 
 aside all its former capabilities, and assume con- 
 trary ones, as to be thenceforth injurious to the 
 devotion of every subsequent generation of man- 
 kind ! For my part, I can just as easily believe, 
 that sometime in the 15th or 16th centuries, 
 the holy Scriptures ceased to be " the law of the 
 spirit of life," as I can believe that chanting then 
 began, and has ever since continued, to be ini- 
 mical to devotion. The very same arguments 
 which are calculated to produce a belief or a dis- 
 belief of the one, are equally applicable to ef- 
 fect a belief or a disbelief of the other. 
 
 The fact is— the change is not in the usage, 
 
 * Tn 1550 Archbishop Cranmer first adjusted the Litany in the 
 English language to a chant, and wrote to King Henry in these words : 
 " I trust it will excite and stir up the hearts of all men to devotion 
 and godliness." Collier's Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. p. 216. 
 
( « ) 
 
 but in ourselves ; and it has been infused into us, 
 by numberless arts and contrivances. From Lu- 
 ther no spirit of opposition to chanting ever ori- 
 ginated. That reformer was an advocate for it ; 
 and, at the present time, his genuine followers re- 
 tain it in their psalmodic practice. Calvin was a 
 bi(ter enemy to chanting, and a devotee to isochro- 
 nous music and rhyme psalmody. He is the foun- 
 tain from which every purling rill that has ever 
 threatened to submerge chanting, originally flow- 
 ed. But had that reformer been as careful to 
 avoid the Scylla of paganism, as he was to keep 
 at an immense distance from the Charybdis of 
 Rome, he would not have derived his notions 
 concerning sacred music from the former in pre- 
 ference to the latter.* 
 
 Finally— whereas the practice of chanting pro- 
 saic Scriptures, and prosaic human compositions 
 of a similar construction, hath been sanctioned 
 by Jesus, and adopted by his followers in every 
 age of the world, may I not ask, Who can justly 
 lay any thing to its charge ? If God and good 
 men have always been for it, who shall be against 
 it ? Is it not enough for the disciple that he be as 
 his master, and the servant as his lord? And 
 
 * Aristides Qnintilianus, lib. h. p 97, taught, that music, regulated 
 by poetic feet of long syllables, is grave, serious, and fit for hymns 
 ■which are sung in honour of the gods, at festivals, and during sacri- 
 fices " And Isaac Vossius (in his book De viribus Rhythmi, p. 86 et 
 128) advises the moderns "to dismiss all their barbarous variety of 
 notes, and retain only minims and crotchets."— This would indeed be 
 " inventis frugibus, glande vesci," 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 if the master chanted forth the praises of his 
 heavenly Father in prosaic forms, what degree 
 of credit can be due to the assertion of any one, 
 who says that " chanting is inimical to devotion ? 
 For my own part, so powerfully am I persuaded 
 that chanting is an effectual mean of exciting and 
 perpetuating devotion both in the sanctuary and 
 out of it, that, should one arise from the dead, 
 and tell me that it is unfavourable to devotion, 
 I would not believe him ;— .because the prophets, 
 and the apostles, and my adorable Saviour, in 
 their practice, have taught me otherwise. 
 
 OBJECTION XL 
 
 " Prosaic psalmody is not so edifying as metre 
 psalmody." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 If metrical psalmody is more edifying than 
 prosaic, why was the New Testament written in 
 prose, and why have we prosaic prayers and pro- 
 saic sermons ? If the assertion contained in the 
 objection be well founded, the Scriptures, the 
 prayers, and the sermons ought all to be iii 
 rhyme; for what is true of a part, is equally 
 true of the whole. 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 Under the sanction of this inference naturally 
 arising out of the objection, suppose that a mi- 
 nister, when visiting a sick person, were to use 
 the metre version of the 130th Psalm, instead of 
 the prose translation in the office — would a pre- 
 tence that the psalm is more edifying, more sub- 
 servient to devotion in the metrical than in the 
 prosaic form, excuse him to the sick person and 
 his friends, or shelter him from the censure of 
 his ecclesiastical brethren and superiors ? Would 
 not such a piece of conduct appear trifling, dis- 
 gusting, and repugnant to good order and Chris- 
 tian decency ? 
 
 Carry this predilection for rhyme into the desk 
 and pulpit, and observe the consequences. Let 
 ihe minister be supposed to introduce the psalms 
 of the day in their metrified form — would not 
 the congregation think that he was mad ? And 
 were he to give out a text from any of the me- 
 ire psalms or hymns, and preach in rhyme, they 
 would have ample reason to be confirmed in their 
 opinion. 
 
 There was a time when the adversaries to the 
 Church of England taught, that " Sternhold and 
 Hopkins's metre psalms were more edifying, and 
 better calculated to promote devotion, than the 
 prosaic ones of David ;" and therefore they tore 
 the latter out of their Bibles, to make room for 
 the former." They also held an opinion, " that 
 ho species of praise was acceptable to the divine 
 
( ?« ) 
 
 Majesty but that of rhyme psalms and hymns* 
 and that David's prose psalms afforded no edifi- 
 cation unless they were read as Scripture.* 
 
 At the commencement of metre psalmody in 
 Britain, it was customary to read each line, and 
 then to sing it ; that is, to read each line verbally, 
 and then to sing it syllabically. But, though 
 this custom was highly extolled, as the most per- 
 fect and edifying way of praising God that had 
 ever been devised, it hath long since been dis- 
 continued on account of its proving injurious to 
 the sense, and frequently involving the subject 
 in contradictions and absurdities. For example, 
 
 Header. The Lord shall come, and he shall not. 
 Singers. The | Lord shall | come and | he shall | not. 
 Header. Be silent, but speak out. 
 Si?igers. Be | silent j but speak | out.f 
 
 Sternhold's 50th Psa. v. 3. 
 
 Not finding the expected edification, and pro- 
 mised auxiliary to devotion, in this way of using 
 metrified psalms and hymns, many of those who 
 felt engaged to extract from them higher degrees 
 of devotion, than what were produced by reading 
 and singing them alternately, commenced the prac- 
 tice of reading the whole of the portion of metre 
 
 * Thomdike's just Weights and Measures, p. 99. 
 
 f This diagram represents the favourite isochronous music of the 
 Calvinistic Reformers, which made all the syllables of equal length, 
 and consequently of equal importance. 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 intended to be sung, that the singers might next, 
 without interruption, sing it syllabically. This 
 mode is less exceptionable than the former, as all 
 the edification, which the verses are capable of 
 affording, is communicated during the time of 
 reading them. 
 
 As metre psalms and hymns admit not of being 
 sung any other way than syllabic-ally, they ne- 
 cessarily reject all distinction between long and 
 short syllables, between all emphatic and unem- 
 phatic words, and between all accented and un- 
 accented syllables. In this way of singing, 
 a monosyllabic adverb, preposition, interjec- 
 tion, conjunction, the articles, and each indi- 
 vidual syllable of a polysyllabic word, have as 
 large a share of intonation attached to them, as a 
 monosyllabic word of the highest import and sig- 
 nificancy. A polysyllabic word is extended through 
 one or two bars of music, whilst each of the in- 
 cremental syllables engrosses as much time as 
 the primitive itself. The occasional, nay, fre- 
 quent departures of the poetry from the verbal 
 order of thought; the sensitive effect upon the 
 ear by the recurrence of the chiming syllables, 
 which engage too much of the attention to mere 
 sound ; the sense or sentiment pervading a whole 
 stanza, nay, sometimes two, and all punctuation 
 neglected ; how is it possible, that a species of 
 praise, bowed down with so many infirmities, and 
 loaded with so many imperfections, can be pro- 
 
( 80 ) 
 
 ductive of much good? At the least, it must be 
 acknowledged to be extremely incorrect. 
 
 A distinct articulation is a sine qua non to the 
 rightly hearing and understanding every word 
 of a subject, whether it be said or sung. " If 
 the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who will 
 prepare himself for the battle ?*' Take away the 
 printed words from before the eye, and it will be 
 impossible for a person to understand a subject 
 which is sung syllabically, unless he had previ- 
 ously committed it to memory, and with difficulty 
 then. He may indeed catch a monosyllabic 
 word now and then; he may with close applica- 
 tion discern the syllables of some dissected word, 
 but all the fruits of his attention will prove but 
 a mean recompense for his labour. The singers 
 may sing in an unknown language with equal edi- 
 fication to a hearer without book, as sing sylla- 
 bically " in the tongue wherein he was born." 
 
 Daily observation teaches us, that reading 
 syllabically is the eifeet of inability in the infant 
 scholar; and that reading verbally, with proper 
 accent, emphasis, pauses, and intonation of voice, 
 is the laboured acquirement of riper years. "Why, 
 then, should a species of praise performed with 
 the impotency of a child, be put in comparison 
 with one, that speaks praises with the tongue 
 and understanding of a man ? 
 
 St. Paul says of himself, and what he says is 
 more or less applicable to every one : " When I 
 
C « ) 
 
 was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as 
 a child, I thought as a child ; but when I became 
 a man, I put away childish things."* 
 
 If custom has lulled consideration asleep, and' 
 if sound has, at the expense of sentiment, en- 
 gaged the affections ; it cannot always be the case, 
 that we shall pay so poor a compliment to our un- 
 derstandings. To every unprejudiced mind the 
 resolution of St. Paul must not only appear ra- 
 tional, but also worthy of imitation; "I will 
 pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the un- 
 derstanding also ; I will sing with the spirit, and 
 I will sing with the understanding also ;" because 
 the gift of prayer and the gift of praise are equally 
 the donations of that Spirit who guideth his wor- 
 shippers unto all truth. 
 
 From a cool and dispassionate view of the ri- 
 valship which, for many j oars, hath been kept up 
 between metrified and prosaic Scriptures, it ap- 
 pears to be a lamentable fact, that the latter 
 have, in the estimation of many, lost much of 
 their wonted reverence and sanctity. Instead 
 of prescribing, according to the custom of ou? 
 forefathers, select portions of Scripture to be 
 committed to memory by their children and pu- 
 pils, parents and teachers recommend nothing 
 of a religious cast unless in verse, to be com- 
 mitted to the memory of youth, 
 
 • l Cor, xiii. U. 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 This practice, however it may tally with a 
 leading principle in the modern system of edu- 
 cation, which proposes to conduct youth to 
 knowledge in the primrose paths of ease only, 
 has a tendency highly inimical to the study of 
 prosaic authors. It prompts indiscriminating 
 youth to prefer shadows to realities, and pictures 
 to originals. It creates in them a predilection 
 for rhyme psalms and hymns, and an indiffer- 
 ence to prosaic ones. It impresses upon the ju- 
 venile mind an idea, that there is a degree of 
 elegance and beauty in verse, which is not to be 
 found in prose; and that metrified subjects are 
 much more entitled to their regard, than prosai© 
 compositions, whether human or divine. Hence 
 originate in young persons of lively genius an in- 
 satiable thirst for poetry, and an unwillingness 
 to peruse even the best prosaic writings. 
 
 To some subjects, the flowers of poetry may 
 add embellishments; but toothers, they are of 
 too meretricious a character to admit of the 
 smallest degree of assimilation. Fiction proudly 
 struts, crowned with poetic chaplets; whereas 
 truth admits of no decorations in preference to 
 the seamless vesture of unassuming modest dic- 
 tion. 
 
 If we critically examine the best of the speci- 
 mens of pagan hymnology which are extant, we 
 shall find that, in point of sentiment, they are 
 puerile, jejune, and empty; whereas, the speei- 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 mens of Bible psalms and hymns are sublime and 
 interesting in point of sentiment, manly and vi- 
 vid in their descriptions of the Deity, clearly ex- 
 pressive of the relation in which we stand to God 
 in time, and pleasingly illustrative of that, in 
 which the redeemed of the Lord are to enjoy the 
 beatific presence, when time shall be no more. 
 In the proper use of those psalms and hymns, the 
 soul is turned to God, just as naturally as the 
 leaves and flowers of innumerable plants and 
 trees follow the course of the rising sun. In the 
 proper use of Scripture prayers and praises, men 
 are changed into angels, and sinners into saints. 
 But when Scripture psalms and hymns are 
 adulterated with the mixtures which the sensual 
 muse hath suggested, little good can be expected 
 from them : nor does their manner of perform- 
 ance remove, but rather multiply objections 
 against them. By singing metrified subjects syl- 
 labically — and they admit not of being sung 
 otherwise — sentiment becomes perplexed, and ex- 
 pression unintelligible. In order that a subject 
 may be perfectly intelligible, and have its due 
 operation on the human mind, it is absolutely 
 necessary that it be expressed verbally, and in 
 the order of thought, with proper accent, em- 
 phasis, intonation, pauses, and cadences ; in a 
 word, with all the precision and perspicuity 
 which the general import and harmony of each 
 period require. Without these accompaniments, 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 die subject, whether it be said or sung, is little 
 else than «« sounding brass, or a tinkling cym- 
 bal." 
 
 In every one of these qualifications to render 
 a subject intelligible, and operative on the hu- 
 man mind, metre psalmody is grossly deficient $ 
 but prosaic psalmody embraces them all. In 
 prosaic music in the anthem form, I acknowledge 
 that a misappropriation of sound to sense fre- 
 quently occurs; but errors of this sort are of the 
 less consequence, as anthems are not constituent 
 parts of public worship. Between the nature of 
 anthems and that of chanting, there is a wide dif- 
 ference ; the former being the exclusive perform- 
 ance of a choir, the latter the conjunct musical 
 reading of a whole congregation. Chants are so 
 flexible in their nature, so subservient to the sub- 
 jects of which they are intended to be the vocal 
 representatives or the echo, that however their 
 notes may appear on the written or printed page, 
 they admit of division or prolongation as the ac- 
 cented or unaccented, the emphasized or unem- 
 phasized words or syllables may require. They 
 never demand any homage or obeysance from the 
 subject, but always accommodate themselves to 
 it in every particular. 
 
 Simple and easily learned, though grand and 
 majestic in point of expression, far removed 
 from the nature of secular music, and refusing 
 to be applied to any other purpose than the ser- 
 
( 83 ) 
 
 vice of the sanctuary, chanting admits of every 
 grace, every excellence, and every degree of 
 precision and perspicuity, which appertains to 
 good reading. Whatever be the subject, it is 
 recited in the chant form, with a suitable decora- 
 tion of harmonious sounds expressive of its sense 
 and import. The tutored and the untutored ear, 
 if free from prejudice, are delighted with the 
 majesty of the chords, and the solemnity of the 
 movements ; and the heart is inflamed with the 
 raptures of Jehovah's praise expressed in the 
 words of divine inspiration. 
 
 Comparing rhyme psalmody with ehanting, the 
 Rev. Mr. Thorndike thus writes : " The Church 
 uses prosaic psalms, supposing them all fulfilled 
 in Christ and Christians; whether particular 
 souls, or the body of his Church. Upon this ac- 
 count they are the exercise of Christian devotions ; 
 but not the psalms in rhyme. The music of them 
 hath proved too hard for the people to learn in an 
 hundred years ; and yet no way more commenda- 
 ble than the rhymes themselves are, and repeat- 
 ing a little in much time. The tunes used in ca- 
 thedral and collegiate churches are easy to learn, 
 and serve that order which law settleth for devo 
 tion."* 
 
 It is universally acknowledged, that sentiment 
 flows slowly or rapidly into the mind, according 
 
 * Just Weights and Measures, p. 9D 
 
 H 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 as a sentence is expressed in many, or in few 
 words: — and therefore, both in common dis- 
 course, as well as in the most studied composi- 
 tions, elisions of words frequently occur, where 
 the rigid rules of grammar require their inser- 
 tion. In poetry, though elisions and other viola- 
 tions of grammar frequently occur, for the sake 
 of measure or cadence syllables; yet, for the 
 purpose of extending the sentiment throughout a 
 stanza, when it cannot be squeezed into one or 
 (wo lines, more words are brought into an ex- 
 pression in the poetic form, than are used in the 
 prosaic. And thus, whilst prose, like a trusty 
 messenger, hastens to communicate to the intel- 
 lect whatever hath been committed to its trust, 
 poetry, like a trifling child sent on an errand, 
 loiters away the time, and stops every now and 
 then, to gather pebbles, or to catch a butterfly. 
 In a word, the primitive way of " setting forth 
 the most worthy praise" of our Lord and God, 
 is in every point of view, as much superior to 
 syllabic psalmody, as a whole is to any one of 
 its parts ; or as the orator's articulation excels 
 the sibilant sounds of the lisper, or the disjointed 
 pronunciation of the stammerer. 
 
C S7 ) 
 
 OBJECTION XII. 
 
 •• Chanting is not so animating as metre 
 
 psalmody." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 When we think of the impressions which eus 
 torn makes upon the mind, and that habit con- 
 stitutes, as it were, a second nature, ii may be 
 expected that an objection of this east will be 
 offered to chanting, whose rival, by long ac 
 quainta»e*c, imin oecome a confirmed favourite. 
 The ear accustomed to hear sung mxaoic finds no 
 difficulty in a transition to metre psalmody ; be- 
 cause both are measured and in rhyme. But in 
 a transition from rhyming music to chanting, 
 which has in it very little of measure, and no 
 vestige of rhyme, the ear at first exercises a de- 
 gree of repugnance. This repugnance the ear 
 conveys to the intellect; where, if the effect is 
 not obviated by some higher principle than that 
 of mere animal sense, the idea will arise, that 
 chanting is less animating than metre psalmody. 
 
 Comparing a slow tune with one of a quicker 
 lime, (supposing the measures are the same) we 
 say, the one is not so animating as the other. 
 And what is this, but saying, that the one is 
 more nearly allied to song music than the other ? 
 
( S8 ) 
 
 But, if song music be the central point around 
 which all metre music moves, (the latter being an 
 imitation of the former) it is impossible that any 
 comparison can be drawn between it and what is 
 unmeasured, or purely prosaic. Similar things 
 tidmit of comparison, but dissimilar do not. 
 Whatever preference, therefore, is given to me- 
 tre music over prosaic, is the e fleet of prior at- 
 tachments, arising from the ear's being i««bitii- 
 atcd to the one, and unaccustomed to the other. 
 In producing these attachments, reason and re- 
 ligion have no agency. 
 
 E>ery person of musical ear and discrimina- 
 tion will grant that there exists an intimate, al- 
 iiance between meire psalmody and song music, 
 for both are sung syllabically ; yet the latter is 
 more animating than the former, The reason is 
 obvious. In the one, the syllables are drawled 
 out beyond, and in the other, they are pronounced 
 in, the same time of reading or speaking then)'. 
 Let a singer take a stanza of the most lively 
 song, and sing it syllabieaily to any psalm tune 
 of an equivalent number of bars, and all its ani- 
 mation will evaporate. It is the quick succession 
 of syllables formed into words, accompanied with 
 appropriate music, communicating sentiment to 
 the mind, which principally constitutes the su- 
 perior vivacity of songs over that of metre psalm 
 tunes. If a stanza of one of the most joyful of 
 the metre psalms or hymns be sung to a lively 
 
( 89 J 
 
 song air of an equivalent measure, how much 
 more animating will it be, than when sung in 
 the common way? This experiment may serve to 
 prove that a slow syllabication is highly unfavour- 
 able to the giving animation to any subject, whe- 
 ther sung or read.* 
 
 Poetry and music, says Dr. Burney, have some- 
 times formed friendly alliances, but there never 
 lias been any permanent connection between them ; 
 and " when tlie sentiments of the poem are nei- 
 ther enforced nor embellished by melody, it seems 
 as if the words could be better articulated and 
 understood, by being read, or declaimed, than 
 when drawled out syllabically, according to the 
 manner of parochial psalmody. Metrical psalms 
 and hymns, which are simply didactic or declara- 
 tory, must ever be enfeebled by music ; whilst 
 such as are truly lyrie, and confined to passion 
 or sentiment, travel quicker to the heart, and 
 penetrate deeper into the soul, by the vehicle of 
 appropriate melody, than by that of declamation. 
 When there is no poetry truly lyric, there can 
 be no graceful or symmetric melody; and dur- 
 ing the last century, there was certainly none in 
 any language of Europe which merited that ti- 
 tle." Again, he says, " I wish not to set up one 
 art against another, or to give a preference to 
 singing over declamation; but to assign to each 
 
 * This experiment has succeeded among the Methodist?. 
 &2 
 
( 90 ) 
 
 its proper and due place and praise. There are 
 many passages in English poetry, which could 
 never he sung by the finest performer that ever 
 existed, with so much effect, as when spoken by 
 a first-rate declaimed And there are some lines 
 and stanzas, by which, an audience may be 
 more completely enraptured, when well set, and 
 well sung by a mellifluous touching voice than 
 by the most exquisite declaimer that ever exist- 
 ed." And therefore, " as recitative is the medi- 
 um between declamation and musical air, and 
 admits of the most perfect articulation, accent, 
 and emphasis, it is best suited to devotional pur- 
 poses in the offices of the Church."* 
 
 There are numerous reasons for affirming that 
 Thyme psalms and hymns are sung more for the 
 sake of sound, than for the sake of sentiment; 
 that is, more to gratify the feelings of the sensual 
 ear, with the harmony of sounds, than to ani- 
 mate the intellectual perceptions with sentiments 
 of devotion. If the reader should feel disposed 
 to controvert this assertion, let him, after singing 
 three or four stanzas, examine himself, to ascer- 
 tain the true state of his feelings, and he will find 
 that the words thus drawled out syllabically have 
 left upon his mind scarcely a single trace of the 
 subject ; — naught remains in the intellect, only a 
 pleasing echo seems to hang upon his ear. The 
 
 * History of Mussic, vol. ii. passim. 
 
( <* ) 
 
 memory retains but a faint recollection, if any 
 at all, of the sentiments contained in the lines 
 which had been sung, unless the singer had pre- 
 viously got them by heart ; and when he did com- 
 mit them to memory, he did it, not by singing 
 them syllabically, but by reading them verbally. 
 Uninfluenced by reason and religion, the na- 
 tural ear of man will always prefer the music 
 of the world, and those rhymes which are 
 the fruit of human imagination, to a psalmody 
 which is altogether incommensurate to secular 
 subjects. But the Christian, whose " conversation 
 (Gr. citizenship,) is in heaven, 5 ' ought to bear in 
 mind, that he is no worlding, no secularist, and 
 that whenever we assemble for religious purposes 
 in the house of our heavenly Father, we turn our 
 backs upon the world, and direct our eyes and 
 hearts towards the heavenly inheritance. We say 
 to the world, " Get thee behind me, Satan, for 
 thou savourest not the things that are of God :" 
 and we address our heavenly Father, the keeper 
 of our treasure, « Lord, we wait for thy loving- 
 kindness in the midst of thy temple." In the 
 courts of the house of our God, our affections, 
 our services, our words, and our voices, ought all 
 to be harmonized to those of angelic worshippers. 
 Nay, our Yery perceptions ought to be so disen- 
 gaged from whatever is secular, as to be wholly 
 celestial and divine. In the assembly of the 
 saints, pride yields to humility 5 superiority to 
 
( * ) 
 
 equality; pomp and splendour to confession of 
 poverty and meanness ; and our taste for secular 
 elegancy and refinement, to the simplicity en- 
 joined by the gospel of God our Saviour. Here, 
 the song9 and music of the orchestra ought not 
 to give rule for the performance of the songs of 
 Zion : far less, under the deceitful guise of com- 
 parison, to he allowed to enter into competition 
 with them. The former perish in the using of 
 •hem, but the latter are preludes nnd foretastes 
 of the hallelujahs of everlasting life. 
 
 The appointed psalms and hymns of the Prayer 
 Book are the proper songs of our Zion ; and there- 
 fore they ought to be sung with grateful hearts 
 and elevated voices ; but if our hearts take less 
 delight in singing them, than in singing metre 
 psalms and hymns, a proof hence arises, that our 
 hearts do not so much harmonize with the affec- 
 tions of the prophets, apostles, and first fathers of 
 the Church, as with the conceits of modern and 
 uninspired versifiers. If we are more exhilarated 
 by singing metre psalms and hymns of human 
 versification, than by chanting psalms and hymns 
 of divine inspiration, and other hymns also of a 
 similar construction — however reluctant we may 
 be to acknowledge it,— -this can, in truth, be called 
 nothing else, than a taking more delight in the 
 inventions of men than, in the appointments of 
 God. 
 
 All the spiritual hilarity that can accrue from 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 The use of metrified psalms and hyuins, must arise 
 from the sounds, or movements to which they are 
 sung. Sung, as they always are syllabically, 
 without accent, without emphasis, or with a mis- 
 placed one, and without punctuation, they are as 
 incapable of communicating sentiments to the 
 mind, as the same subject would be, if all its 
 syllables were pronounced on one note, and in 
 the same time as that in wiiich they are sung. 
 Let the experiment be made with any subject, 
 and the syllabic reading will be so far from en- 
 livening, that it will east a torpor and uninter- 
 estedness over the whole sentence. The ear will 
 become impatient at the fractional division of the 
 sentence, and the mind disgusted by being kept 
 so long in suspence as to its import. 
 
 With regard to chanting prosaic subjects, the 
 oase is quite otherwise. The time of chanting 
 and deliberate reading being nearly the same, 
 '>very word properly pronounced, regularly ac- 
 centuated, duly emphasised, reaches the intellect 
 without any of those interruptions which are the 
 inseparable concomitants of metre psalmody. 
 Beside, the subjects for chanting are calculated 
 to affect the heart infinitely more than those 
 which are metrical ,• because they are expressed 
 in fewer words, more in the order of thought, 
 more obvious as to their meaning, and free of 
 those tricks and disguises which the art of poetry 
 frequently uses to give elegance where simplicity 
 
( 9A ) 
 
 rejects it, and to add ornament to what is already 
 perfect. 
 
 If we examine the New Testament hymns, we 
 may form some idea of the eestaey of joy and tri- 
 umph with which they were chanted by the faith- 
 ful of ancient limes. What words can indicate 
 higher exultation of mind, than the song of Eli- 
 zabeth, of Mary, of Zacharias, and of Simeon ?* 
 Compared with these in their prosaic forms, ail 
 versifications of them are puerile and jejune. 
 if we compare the song of the heavenly host an- 
 nouncing the birth of the world's Redeemer, 
 with any existing verse translation, how digni- 
 fied and simple in the prosaic form — how quaint 
 and trifling in the metrical? Let the best 
 poet that ever existed undertake to versify the 
 triumphant hymn of Peter and John, recorded 
 in the Hh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles ; 
 his performance would be vapid and unanimating, 
 compared with the inspired original. Pope's ce- 
 lebrated Messiah loses much of its splendour 
 when compared with the diction of that bard, 
 who was rendered superlatively eloquent, by hav- 
 ing his iips touched by a coal from the altar of 
 Jehovah. As to Pope's parody on our Lord's 
 Prayer, on which every epithet of praise has been 
 lavished by critic s without Christianity ; every in- 
 telligent Christian, upon reading the first stanza, 
 
 * St L : , and ii. ?9— 3^ 
 
( 9^ ) 
 
 Hnifft pronounce it a j amble of J udaism, Paganism, 
 iru! Christianity. But it is in rhyme— .nd that 
 makes amends for every other blemish ' ! ! 
 
 Again — let any of the most celebrated poets of 
 the present time versify Isaiah's Cherubic hymn, 
 or St. John's Hallelujahs of the choirs around the 
 throne of ineffable glory ; how trilling and un- 
 important would be his lines — how crowded with 
 expletives and adventitious epitiicts — how damped 
 by unnecessary interjections — how much of the 
 darkness of earth, and how little of the light of 
 heaven— and. in a word, how prominent a proof 
 would the productions yield, that human imagi- 
 nation can be no successful rival for the palm of 
 excellence, when it dares to come in competition 
 with Divine inspiration ! 
 
 In the volume of Divine Revelation we have 
 such a profusion of psalms and hymns and spiri- 
 tual songs, calculated by infinite wisdom and good- 
 ness, " to make glad the cily of our God," that 
 one would think a desire of altering their form, 
 or of adding to their numbers, bore no small re- 
 semblance to the insatiableness of the ancient Is- 
 raelites, who loathed the manna which descended 
 from heaven, and lusted after the productions of 
 earth ! But if the manna of scripture forms of 
 praise does not prove to our taste as honey and the 
 honey comb; if it does not, like the most gene- 
 rous wine, or the choicest Cordial, exhilarate 
 our spirits, and make us rejoice in ihe Lord al- 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 ways ; the fault is not in the gift, but in the re* 
 ccivers. 
 
 In some places, our Lord could not do many 
 miracles on account of the infidelity of the in- 
 habitants ; and his general crimination of the 
 Jews was — that they had " made the word of 
 God of none effect, through their traditions." 
 
 If then rabinical traditions were made rivals 
 to saeied Scripture in our Saviour's time ; that 
 poetical traditions should become similar rivals in 
 any subsequent period, is no matter of surprise. 
 It is a prominent characteristic of our fallen na- 
 ture, that we are continually m given to change." 
 
 To counteract this roving disposition, the 
 prayers of the Church are fixed, and to each of 
 her offices belong appropriate portions of psal- 
 mody. These the Church calls God's ** most 
 worthy praise," but no where does she dignify 
 the metre psalms and hymns with that honour- 
 able appellation. 
 
 Obedient to the sacred injunction, " Rejoice 
 in the Lord ye righteous," the Church, in her 
 appointed psalms and hymns, continually " mag- 
 nilieth the Lord, and rejoiceth in God her Sa- 
 viour." With the Virgin Mother, she is always 
 seen with the holy child Jesus in her arms; and 
 her accents of faith, love, and joy in the Holy 
 Ghost, are, " Be it unto me according to thy 
 word." The Scriptures of truth are her counsel- 
 lors, the Psalms of David (not the metre psalms v 
 
t 97 ) 
 
 are licr meditation all the day. * The statutes 
 of the Lord are right, and rejoice her heart ; 
 the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth 
 light unto her eyes."* She lifteth up her voice, 
 and is not afraid of the enemy, because great is 
 the Holy One of Israel in the midst of her. She 
 would not act in her true character, were she to 
 sit down like a widow, and close her lips in si- 
 lence. She looks for the Lord Jesus, who shall 
 change the body of her humiliation, and fashion 
 it like unto his own glorious body ; and therefore 
 she rejoices and sings on the returning days of 
 the Son of man, and celebrates her Redeemer's 
 praises in words of his own inditing. Like the 
 smoke of the incense from the censer of Aaron, 
 on the great day of atonement, her eucharistie 
 incense of praise ascends up before God, in the 
 words of the cherubic hymn ; and in the words 
 of the Gloria in Excelsis, the oblation of praise 
 is finished, and rendered acceptable to the Tri- 
 une Majesty, through the ever grateful savour 
 of the incense of " the oblation of the body of 
 Christ" 
 
 Such is the religions joy that maketli glad the 
 <city of the living God ; that voice of praise and 
 thanksgiving, which it well becomes the just to 
 lift up unto God in the beauty of holiness. Such 
 was the mirth of tabrets and of trumpets? and 
 
 " Ps&lm xix. S, 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 the voices of the choirs of the ancient Jewish 
 Church ; sucli is the mirth of organs and of voices 
 praising God in the Church militant; and such 
 is the joy and exultation of harpers harping with 
 their harps, of cherubim and seraphim, and of 
 the innumerable choirs of the redeemed of the 
 Lord, in the Church triumphant. 
 
 Suffer me, reader, to present you with a por- 
 trait of this mirth. Behold her appearance and 
 her attire. 
 
 Her countenance is animated with the hope 
 of a glorious immortality ; and no wrinkle of 
 melancholy, or frown of discontent, is to be 
 seen on her forehead. On her eye-brows sit tran- 
 quillity and peace ; and their bending arches joint- 
 ly represent the celestial arch, the emblem and 
 pledge of divine mercy. Her eyes are illumin- 
 ated with a radiance reflected from the glory of 
 God in the face of the Saviour Jesus; and her 
 mouth is lovely in chanting forth " the most 
 worthy praises" of the heavenly King. Her 
 complexion and colour are the sure tokens of in- 
 ward peace and spiritual health ; for sickness and 
 mortality have no claim upon her immaculate 
 nature. She is decked in the robes of primeval 
 innocence, and her jewels are those of meekness, 
 gentleness, and purity. In her hand she holdeth 
 an harp ever in unison with the harp of David; 
 her voice is ever attuned to the songs of Zion, 
 and on her head is a crown of glory, the inesti 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 inable gift of the Virgin's Son. Graceful in all 
 her steps, she walketh to and fro in the courts of 
 the eternal King, or taketh her station as direc- 
 tress of the grand chorus around the throne of 
 the Ancient of days. On earth, she continually 
 magnifieth the Lord, and rejoiceth in God her 
 Saviour. She enters the courts of the Lord with 
 a song, and inspires the faithful to sing psalms 
 unto the honour of his name. In the days of 
 sickness and distress she tcacheth the daughters 
 of Zion to shake their head at the adversary; 
 and in the morning of the resurrection she caus- 
 eth the voice of melody to be heard through all 
 the chambers of the grave. She accompanies all 
 the children of the resurrection to the rest pre- 
 pared for them ; and teacheth them to sing the 
 song of Moses and the Lamb. With her jubi- 
 lant voice she exhilarates the abodes of bliss, 
 and makes the lofty arch of heaven to ring with 
 incessant hallelujahs.* 
 
 Who then is not in love with religious mirth? 
 
 Who would not eourt her with her numerous 
 graces and endowments, conferred upon her by 
 Him, who hath created her for his glory, and 
 the felicity of his chosen, and hath honoured her 
 with such distinguishing marks of his favour ? 
 
 If, readers, you desire to admit this heavenly 
 guest into your company, and to give her an upper 
 
 * This portrait of religious mirth is an imitation of a portrait of 
 Patience drawn by Bishop Home, fxonx an original by TerfcoHian, 
 
( 100 ) 
 
 room in your hearts, see that they be made pure, 
 as she is pure; see that your affections be duly 
 prepared for becoming her hand-maids. Be as- 
 sured that she will not associate with impure 
 thoughts, and unhallowed desires. She will keep 
 no company with wrath, anger, clamour, evil 
 surmisings, backbitings, or revenge. The com- 
 pany in which she delights, is faith, hope, and 
 charity ; truth, sincerity, and honesty ; with pa- 
 vienee, meekness, chastity, gentleness, and mu- 
 tual forbearance. These are her intimate com- 
 panions, her chosen friends, the society in which 
 her soul delighteth. With these, as her beloved 
 choristers, religious mirth sings; " O come, let 
 us sing unto the Lord, and show ourselves glad 
 in him with Psalms. We praise thee, O God; 
 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. O all 
 ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, praise 
 him and magnify him for ever, O be joyful in 
 the Lord, all ye lands; serve the Lord with glad- 
 ness, and come before his presence with a song. 
 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath 
 visited and redeemed his people. Show your- 
 selves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands ; for thou, 
 Lord, hast made me glad through thy works, 
 and I will rejoice in giving praise for the opera- 
 tions of thy hands. Let the people praise thee, 
 O God, yea, let all the people praise thee* 
 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is with- 
 in me, praise his holy name. With angels and 
 
( 101 ) 
 
 archangels, and with all the company of heaven, 
 we laud and magnify thy glorious name. For 
 thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord ; thou 
 only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most 
 High in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 
 Salvation to our God 9 who sitteth upon the throne; 
 and unto the Lamb. Blessing, and glory, and 
 wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and 
 power, and might, he unto our God for ever and 
 ever. Amen." 
 
 OBJECTION XIII. 
 
 * It is inexpedient to use chanting, as there is 
 do internal evidence in the prosaic subjects them 
 selves, that they ought to be sung." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Let the objector think of the musical estab- 
 lishment of the temple for the express purpose 
 of celebrating Jehovah's praise in prosaic forms 
 ^-of the practice of our Lord in countenancing 
 that establishment, and approbating its perform- 
 ances. Let him also consider that ail the New 
 Testament hymns are in prose, and that these, 
 with the Bible psalms, were chanted to airs de- 
 rived from the Temple service, by the Apostle? 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 and primitive Christians; and that this usage, 
 with Christianity itself, hath been transmitted 
 through the intervening ages down to our own 
 times; and then, let him say whether he thinks 
 ihat we moderns, or the governors of God's 
 Church in every period antecedent to our own 
 times, are the more competent judges, whether 
 prosaic psalmody is, or is not expedient? 
 
 It is a fact of universal notoriety, that the ru- 
 lers of the Christian Church have always consi- 
 dered the use of prosaic psalmody expedient to 
 he retained wherever it had been established, and 
 to be introduced where it was not previously 
 known. Indeed, it is highly improbable that a 
 few Christians, about three centuries since» 
 should be possessed of the mind of God relative 
 to psalmody, in a higher degree than all the 
 Christians who had gone before them. 
 
 On the plea of inexpediency, the use of the 
 Lord's Prayer, the public reading of the holy 
 Scriptures, and a iixed Liturgy, have, for many 
 years, been rejected by various sects of Christians, 
 and the inventions and traditions of uninspired 
 men have been made to supply their place. But 
 every churchman knows that the use of the 
 Lord's Prayer, the public reading of the holy 
 Scriptures, and a fixed Liturgy, are as expedient 
 and necessary at the present time, as they were 
 in the early ages of Christianity ; and that, under 
 the influences of the spirit of grace, the conti- 
 
( io^ ) 
 
 aued use of them is the only security the Church 
 can possess against infidelity, heresy and schism. 
 
 Were we to reject the manner of worshipping 
 God adopted by our first Fathers in Christ, our 
 doing so would be a condemnation of their prac- 
 tice, and virtually saying that we are wiser than 
 they. And who will say that modern Christians 
 are better judges of expediency or inexpediency, 
 in things pertaining to God, than the early Fa- 
 thers of the household of faith ? Are we more 
 conversant with the Scriptures, have we more of 
 the spirit of Christ, that we are warranted in 
 rejecting an auxiliary to devotion, of whose ex- 
 pediency they were universally ascertained ? Does 
 the blood of Christ run so warm in our veins, that 
 it is inexpedient to apply any stimulus to excite 
 Us vital energies ? Or rather, do not our coldness 
 and indifference to divine things betray them- 
 selves in numberless instances? 
 
 As we have the practice of the purest ages of 
 the Church for our ensample, every palpable de- 
 parture from it is not only inexpedient, but dan- 
 gerous. 
 
 To facilitate the present enquiry, let the ap- 
 pointed hymns of our offices be named according 
 to their order. 
 
( 10* ) 
 
 MORNING PRAYER. 
 
 Venite, exuUemus Domino. 
 
 The first verse of this Psalm determines the 
 manner of its performance. " O come, let us 
 sing unto the Lord ; let us heartily rejoice 
 in the strength of our salvation." The invitation 
 is to sing, not to read or to say* unto the Lord; 
 and however the ruhric may seem to give a choice 
 of singing or saying, yet it cannot contravene the 
 import of the subject before which it is placed. 
 
 Common sense revolts at the idea of the mi- 
 nister and people's pledging themselves before 
 God, to celebrate his praise by singing this 
 psalm; when by saying or reading it, they set 
 their practice in direct opposition to their profes- 
 sion. 
 
 People may plead the absolving power of the 
 rubric, or their inability to perform their engage- 
 ment; but to nullify the force of these excuses,, 
 the saying of the wise son of Sirach immediately 
 demands to be heard ; — " When thou towest a vow 
 unto the Lord, defer not to pay it," 
 
 * The word said was inserted to please the Dissenters, in the 
 rubrics of the second Book of Edward VI. in 1561. 
 
( 103 ) 
 
 Gloria Patri, &c. 
 
 This Doxology is both a creed and a hymn. 
 It is a test of our belonging to the household of 
 faith, and also a pledge of the glory to be re- 
 vealed.* 
 
 The word glory began the hymn of the hea- 
 venly host announcing the incarnation of the Sa- 
 viour, and whatever ascriptions of praise are pre- 
 sented to him that sitteth upon the throne and to 
 the Lamb, glory is always one of them. These 
 happy and intelligent spirits understand the full 
 import of the word glory, and therefore know 
 with what intonation of voice it ought to be pro- 
 nounced. They always (as St. John informs us} 
 sound it with a loud voice, with the voice of sing- 
 ing and triumph, with the voice as of a mull/tude* 
 and as of many waters. The internal evidence 
 contained in the angelic glorifications authorized 
 the usage of chanting them in heaven ; and a simi- 
 lar internal evidence contained in our Doxologies 
 authorizes the usage of singing them on earth : 
 and by thus copying the example of our elder 
 brethren, the will of the ever-glorious God is 
 •< done on earth as it is in heaven." 
 
 Our conceptions of the word glory are un- 
 
 * This Doxology was framed for the purpose of opposing Arian- 
 /s"W, and whs admitted into the Greek and Latin Churches about the 
 middle of the fourth century. The Lathis ascribe it '.n Darcasu^ L 
 
( 106 ) 
 
 doubtedly too low, if we insist upon its being 
 merely articulated : but whatever be the extent 
 of its meaning, or the honours it is intended to 
 express, Doxologies have always been celebrated 
 not only with a lifting up of the voice, but also 
 with the solemnity of bowing the head in the 
 Church militant ; and of prostration and the cast- 
 ing of crowns before the throne of God, in the 
 Church triumphant. 
 
 Te Benin lau&amw.* 
 
 This hymn to the adorable Trinity, among ail 
 the compositions ef men for the use of the sanc- 
 tuary, holds a distinguished place, as being fit 
 for the tongues and voices both of men and an- 
 gels. It cannot be used with too much devotion of 
 heart, or too much cngagedness of the affections. 
 To celebrate the praises of God in the words of 
 this hymn, the whole man, soul, body, and 
 spirit, ought ta unite in a display of their most 
 exalted energies. Here, the understanding, the 
 will, the memory and the affections, the speech 
 and the voice, find the most celestial and ecstatic 
 employment. 
 
 * This Hymn was originally composed in Latin by St. Ambrose, 
 Bishop of Milan, to be used at the baptism of two illustrious converts, 
 Augustine and Alvpius ; and was chanted in alternate response by 
 the Bishop and his two converts, on the Easter eve of A. D. 387, 
 ^vhen he admitted them into the Church by the sacrament of Bap- 
 dsm. Collier's Eccl Diet 
 
( 107 ) 
 
 In different churches, different portions of 
 Scripture have been selected, and different hymns 
 of human composition admitted as constituent 
 acts of praise, in their public offices ; but the 
 Te Deum is common to all. 
 
 That the Te Deum demands a display of the 
 talents of the voice and ear, and also an accom- 
 paniment of instrumental music, when it can be 
 obtained, is evident from the general tenor and 
 loftiness of its diction, and particularly from the 
 expressions, — " We praise thee, O God;— .To 
 thee all Angels cry aloud ; — To thee, Cherubim 
 and Seraphim continually do cry ; — .The glorious 
 company of the Apostles praise thee ; — The goodly 
 fellowship of the Prophets praise thee; — The 
 noble army of Martyrs praise thee ;—* The holy 
 Church, throughout all the world, doth acknow- 
 ledge thee." 
 
 If it be asked, what is the precise intonation 
 of voice with which the sentences, whose domi- 
 nant words are praise, acknowledge, cry, or ac- 
 claim, ought to be pronounced, the answer may 
 be obtained by consulting the writings of the be- 
 loved disciple. In the Apocalypse, wherever 
 mention is made of the angels, the cherubim, or 
 the company of the redeemed praising God, they 
 are represented as singing—singing with a loud 
 voice. Indeed Scripture affurds no account of 
 their having any other employment, than that of 
 singing Te Deums, and Hallelujahs to the eternal 
 
( 108 ) 
 
 Jehovah. Of this the primitive Christians were 
 so fully persuaded, that they scrupled not to as- 
 sert, that the sole employment of the Church tri- 
 umphant is, and for ever will be, a perpetual Hal- 
 lelujah, so diversified, as to comprehend the sub- 
 jects of creation, of providence, of redemption, of 
 sanctification, of salvation, of resurrection, and 
 of glorification, expressed in eueharistic forms 
 of praise. 
 
 What the angels, the cherubim, the seraphim? 
 and the whole company of the redeemed are re- 
 presented as- doing in the celestial Church, we 
 profess to do in the terrestrial, when we acclaim* 
 " We praise thee, O God." But unless we copy 
 their example in our acts of praise, unless we lift 
 up our hearts with our voices unto God in the 
 heavens, and triumph as they do in God the Sa- 
 viour, our practice and our profession are at 
 variance, and also in contradiction to the spirit 
 of the hymn. 
 
 Benedicite, omnia opera Domini. 
 
 This hymn is called the song of the three chil- 
 dren, and is generally thought to have been sung 
 as a trio in alternate response, by the three illus- 
 trious Jews, Shadrach, Mesek, and Abednego, 
 in a fiery furnace at Babylon. 
 
 The title of this hymn verily precludes the us 
 age of reading it, for it is denominated a canti^ 
 
( 109 ) 
 
 cle ;* and the internal evidence, which it contains, 
 for the propriety of singing it, arises from its 
 general import, and particularly from the cir- 
 cumstance, that every verse has the expression, 
 « Praise him, and magnify him for ever," for a 
 concluding chorus. 
 
 There is no other hymn of this construction to 
 be found in any of the offices of the Church, and 
 only two similar to it occur in the volume of in- 
 spiration, namely, the song of Moses in the 15th 
 chapter of Exodus, and the 136th Psalm. 
 
 In the 136th Psalm, the triumphant declaration, 
 « For his mercy endureth for ever," must un- 
 questionably be considered the chorus. And in 
 the song of Moses, the chorus is, " Sing ye to 
 the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the 
 liorse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea." 
 This chorus, it is presumable, was sung by 
 Miriam and her associates, after the 3d verse, 
 after the 8th, after the 13th ; and the grand cho- 
 rus, verse 18th, was sung after the 17th} both by 
 «the men and women singers, as a grand finale to 
 ■the whole piece. Now, if the song of Moses 
 
 * The title " Canticle" is a ruie for the manner of per^ 
 Forming this hymn, being- derived from canto, to chant or to 
 sing. 
 
 Dan. iii. 23, 24. In the 70th version in the Polyglot Bible 
 we read, " And Nebuchadnezzar, »x.ovvev ujj.vovv<ra>v eLwrwy 
 heard them singing praises ; and he was astonished," &.c. 
 The Syriac, Arabic, and other Eastern versions have the 
 same expression, 
 
 K 
 
( no ) 
 
 required a musical accompaniment in the wilder* 
 ness; and if the 136th Psalm required a simi- 
 lar performance in the Temple; it is unques- 
 tionable, that the Benedicite requires a musical 
 accompaniment in the Church. 
 
 In each of the first twenty-two verses, an apos- 
 trophic address is presented to the inanimate parts 
 of the creation, inviting them to " praise the 
 Lord, and to magnify him for ever." In the 
 three next verses, a similar invitation is given to 
 the animal tribes to unite in the same act of praise; 
 and in each of the subsequent verses, the invita- 
 tion is extended to every rational creature, whe- 
 ther visible or invisible, to join with us in accla- 
 mations of gratitude to the Lord and Giver of life 
 and happiness. 
 
 And would it not be highly absurd and contra* 
 dictory, thus to excite and summon every part 
 of the creation of God, to " praise and magnify 
 him for ever," unless we ourselves are disposed 
 to unite with them in the same divine employ- 
 ment? Nay, common sense proclaims, that in 
 ail the invocations, which we address to those 
 beings, to " praise the Lord," and to " magnify 
 him for ever," we verily engage to take our part 
 in the celestial exercise, in which we so earnestly 
 invite them to bear us company. 
 
( ill ) 
 
 Jubilate Beo. 
 
 This is a psalm of great exultation, and tri- 
 umph. It is thought to have been sung in the 
 Temple service, during the times of presenting 
 the peace-offerings, and is referred to in Lev. vii. 
 12, 13. We use it, in grateful acknowledgment 
 of God's wonderful love to us in Christ. 
 
 To produce all the internal proofs that this 
 psalm ought always to be sung, would require the 
 whole of it to be transcribed. Instead of doing 
 this, let a few extracts suffice. « O be joyful in 
 
 the Lord all ye lands serve the Lord with 
 
 gladness come before his presence with a 
 
 song enter into his courts with praise." 
 
 Here the dominant words joyful, gladness, song, 
 and praise, unequivocally speak their own mean- 
 ing, and loudly demand a musical accompaniment 
 to the psalm ; chaste in its modulation, majestie 
 in its harmony, and celebrated as becometh the 
 " beauty of holiness." 
 
 Bene&ictus. 
 
 Let any person of a devotional taste, and a 
 tolerable measure of ear and voice, read aloud 
 this beautiful and interesting hymn ; and it will 
 he impossible for him to do it, without giving it 
 a musical intonation. This perhaps may not be 
 
( 112 ) 
 
 observed by the reader himself; but by an atten- 
 tive hearer it will not pass unnoticed. This cir- 
 cumstance amounts to an internal evidence, that 
 the hymn requires a musical accompaniment, or 
 regulated tones of voice* so as to render it a so- 
 cial act of praise. 
 
 The manner in which Benedictus was originally 
 uttered ought also to be admitted, if not as an 
 internal, yet as a circumstantial document in 
 proof of the propriety of chanting it. At the 
 42d verse of the first chapter of St. Luke's Gos- 
 pel, we read that the mother of the Baptist " was 
 filled with the Holy Ghost," and that « she spake 
 out with a loud voice,"* whilst she pronounced 
 a Benedicta or eulogium on her sacred visitor* 
 At the close of Elizabeth's Benedicta (v. 46) 
 Mary's song, the Magnificat, commences; and 
 although there is no mention made of her being 
 filled with the Holy Ghost, or of her speaking 
 her hymn with a loud voice, it would be contrary 
 to truth to deny the one, and repugnant to the 
 analogy of custom among inspired hymnologists, 
 to call in question the other. But inferences 
 apart; — the 67th verse of the chapter gives a 
 direct answer to the question, whether Zacharias 
 
 * Elizabeth "spake with a loud voice" anpwurt <pa>v» p^ 
 jaAjf, exclamavit voce magna, elevata, excelsa. The words 
 ?av» fA.iya.hu always denote an intonation of voice quite dif. 
 ferent from ?a>v»> merely speech or verbal utterance. M*/>/*/.< 
 pty&hvnh Maria magnifies, extols, celebrates with praises* 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 pronounced his Bencd ictus with, or without a 
 musical accompaniment. In that verse we read, 
 that " Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, 
 and prophesied. 9 ' 
 
 To every person who is conversant with the 
 Scriptures, it is well known, that, among other 
 significations, the word prophesying denotes the 
 celebration of Jehovah's praise. 
 
 1 Sam. xix. 20. " And Saul sent messengers 
 to take David ; and when they saw the com- 
 pany of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel 
 standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of 
 God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they 
 also prophesied.- 9 
 
 It is impossible to form any idea of this act of 
 Samuel and the company of prophets under him, 
 unless it be admitted, that it was an academic 
 exercise of psalmody, or a rehearsal of certain 
 acts of praise preparatory to the celebration of 
 the next festival. 
 
 1 Chron. xxv. 1. « The sons, &c. who should 
 prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with 
 cymbals. -— V. 3. " Who prophesied with a harp, 
 to give thanks and to praise the Lord." 
 
 1 Cor. xi. 4, 5. " Every man praying or pro- 
 phesying" &c. " Every woman praying or pro- 
 phesying," &c. Here the word prophesying is 
 equally applied to every man and to every woman 
 in the Christian assembly. But women were not 
 allowed to speak in the Church, in the capacity 
 k % 
 
( *1* ) 
 
 of teachers or exhorters, therefore there were 
 only two things in which they could take a part, 
 the prayers and the praises of the assembly. 
 Hence it is evident that prophesying in this text 
 implies singing praises unto God. 
 
 From these, and other texts of similar import 
 which might be adduced, to show that the word 
 prophesying embraces acts of sacred praise, it ig 
 avident, that the act ascribed to Zacharias, when 
 it is said that " he prophesied" was — he sung 
 his Benedictus to the music of some appropriate 
 chant of the Church, of which he then was a 
 priest, and had formerly been a Levite. 
 
 In this hymn, Zacharias, full of the Holy 
 Spirit of prophesy, praised God with a joyful heart 
 and loud voice, for the redemption of his people* 
 and for the glorious intelligence, that the time 
 of Messiah's appearance was come. Silent for 
 the space of nine months, and now having reco- 
 vered his speech, Zacharias cannot be supposed, 
 coldly, and without emotion, to have merely said 
 his hymn. Had he been so insensible of the 
 inercies of redemption, as to have only spoken 
 his hymn, the stones of his house would have in- 
 stantly exclaimed t But, as other prophets were 
 wont to do, he spake and praised God ; his heart 
 was glad, his glory rejoiced, and his lips were 
 fain to utter forth the praises of the Lord God of 
 Israel, and the joy which he had in the long ex- 
 pected Author of man's salvation. And; wha$ 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 time so suitable for Zacharias to rejoice with ex- 
 ceeding great joy, and to speak good of the 
 name of Israel's God, as when he beheld under 
 his roof the desire of all nations, the Author of 
 great joy to all people? This juy, or rather ec- 
 stacy of soul, is well expressed in the etymology 
 of the word John, his son's name, and is the 
 truth of the angel's promise; St. Luke i. 14. 
 " Thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many 
 shall rejoice at his birth." 
 
 And are not we of the many, whom this pre- 
 diction comprehends ? Are not we of the many, 
 whose mouths were foretold would be full of his 
 praises, and the lifting up of whose voices would 
 be like the lifting up of the voice of the trumpet 
 of jubilee, when the joy of all the earth should 
 appear ? If one of the angelic choirs celebrated 
 Uie nativity of the world's Redeemer, and if the 
 holy men, to whom " the glad tidings of great 
 joy" were communicated, rejoiced with exceed- 
 ing great joy, singing a hymn of blessing and 
 praise for the glorious manifestation ;— -if we are 
 as sensible of the mercy, as they were thankful 
 for it, and as we ought to be; we would bless the 
 Lord God of Israel, and speak good of his name, 
 as heartily as they did, since the salvation which 
 he accomplished is as much our concern, as it 
 was theirs. If Zacharias and his pious cotem- 
 poraries were filled with exceeding great joy, at 
 beholding the first dawning of the Sun of High- 
 
( "6 ) 
 
 teousness, in what manner ought we to rejoice, 
 when we behold him not only in his meridian 
 splendour, but exalted above the heaven of hea- 
 vens, seated in ineffable glory, at the right hand 
 of the eternal Majesty? If our affections are 
 not sufficiently excited, by a visit from the Lord 
 God of Israel, to sing and speak good of his 
 name ; — if our spirits are not sufficiently elevated, 
 by the grace of redemption, to rejoice in God 
 our Saviour,*— what subjects are capable of pro- 
 ducing these effects upon us? Surely our ances- 
 tors of the household of faith, who rejoiced with 
 exceeding great joy, and took delight in making 
 Jehovah's praise to be glorious, will rise up in the 
 judgment against us, if we, wilfully, and with 
 & philosophic indifference, prefer the manner of 
 saying this truly evangelical hymn, when the 
 manner of using it as they did, is within the 
 sompass of our power. 
 
 EVENING PRAYER. 
 
 Cant ate Domino. 
 
 This is called a new Song, not that it is lite~ 
 rally so, but because the subjects contained in it 
 arc renewed unto us every day of our lives* 
 From the title new Song in the text of this psalm, 
 the ancients inferred* that it had an immediate 
 
( BB ) 
 
 reference to the novum seculum, the times of 
 Christianity. 
 
 In this song of triumph, all people, tongues 
 and languages, together with some of the most 
 stupendous parts of inanimate nature, are invited 
 to join in the universal chorus of their Creator's 
 praise. 
 
 Expressive of the wonders of redeeming love, 
 of protecting providence, of deliverance from 
 temporal and spiritual enemies, and of future 
 glorification, this psalm requires to he recited 
 with all the majesty of vocal and instrumental 
 music, which nature and art can afford. That 
 the praises of the God of our salvation ought te 
 he celebrated in the words of this psalm, with 
 every acquired improvement of voice, and with 
 a full instrumental accompaniment, is evident 
 from the claim to a display of all these, in the 
 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th verses. 
 
 Bonum est confitetH, 
 
 That this psalm ought rather to be sung thaa 
 said, is evident from the variety of musical ex- 
 pressions with which it abounds. " It is a good 
 thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing 
 
 praises unto thy name, O Most Highest Upon 
 
 an instrument of ten strings- and upon the lute 
 
 upon a loud instrument— and upon th$ 
 
 UarpJ* 
 
( "» ) 
 
 We acknowledge, in the 1st verse, that it is a 
 good thing to sing praises unto the name of the 
 Most Highest. In the 3d verse we also acknow- 
 ledge, that he " hath made us glad through his 
 works;" and in the same verse we pledge our 
 veracity, that we " will rejoice in giving praise 
 for the operations of his hands." 
 
 Instruments of music arc mentioned several 
 times in this psalm as accompanying the voice ; 
 but no conclusion can, from the want of them, 
 be drawn in favour of saying it. Instruments 
 are the auxiliaries, voices are the principals ; and 
 though we may not always have instruments to 
 accompany our voices, yet our affections, if har- 
 monized to the harp of David, may well supply 
 their place. Our voices, with th# accompani- 
 ment of eelestialized affections, will be the voices 
 of such as keep holy day ; and the chords of our 
 spiritual harp, ** love, joy, peace, long-suifering, 
 gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and tem- 
 perance," will produce such harmony, as he, 
 who planted the ear and reneweth the heart, 
 will approve and bless. 
 
 But, if we really believe that " it is a good 
 thing to sing praises unto the name of the Most 
 Highest ;" how say some among us, that saying 
 this and the other prosaic acts of praise is pre- 
 ferable to singing them ? If we are truly glad 
 because of God's works of creation, pro\idence, 
 and redemption, will not our gladness exceed the 
 
( 119 ) 
 
 bounds of a mere verbal pronunciation of the 
 words expressive of our joy ? If, with our soul, 
 body, and spirit, we verily rejoice in giving praise 
 for the operations of the Most Highest ; will not 
 this joy and rejoicing manifest themselves in an 
 elevation of voice, as joy and rejoicing are wont 
 to do on secular festive occasions ? 
 
 Religion hath its joys — ** rejoice in the Lord 
 always," is an apostolical injunction — and he, 
 whose soul is the most animated by the influxes 
 of the Holy Spirit, has the most cause to rejoice* 
 If we are unwilling to rejoice before God in time, 
 how must our affections be changed before we 
 can be qualified to rejoice before him in eternity? 
 The understanding and the judgment may appoint 
 the sacrifice, and mav even " put the wood in 
 order;" but it is the heart, with its affections, 
 that H puts the fire under," and makes our acts 
 of praise " a whole burnt-offering, a savour of a 
 sweet smell unto the Lord." 
 
 Deus misereutur* 
 
 It well becomes the spouse of Christ, upoi 
 every returning day of his triumph over all her 
 enemies, to appear before him in her vesture of 
 gold, wrought about with divers colours, and 
 shining with a radiance reflected from the word 
 an»i sacraments, and from acts of prayer iuid 
 praise. These not only make glad the heart of 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 jnan, and make his face to shine, but also send 
 forth a fragrance, even " the smell of a field 
 which the Lord hath blessed," 
 
 Throughout the Scriptures, prayer and praise 
 are correlative terms. There can be no prayer 
 without expressions of praise, and there can be 
 no act of praise without a mixture of prayer and 
 supplication. If a psalm or hymn has most of 
 petition, it is called a prayer; if otherwise, it 
 is considered an act of praise ; and frequently, 
 when a psalm or hymn contains equal portions of 
 prayer and praise, it is called a prayer. Hence 
 it is that the Gloria in Excelsis, in the body of 
 it, is called a prayer. 
 
 Because the Book of Psalms contains nearly- 
 equal portions of prayer and praise, it is called, 
 in the close translation of the Hebrew title, the 
 Book of Praises ; and yet, the 20th verse of the 
 72d psalm (Bible translation) has these words: 
 «* The prayers of David the son of Jesse are 
 ended." 
 
 Such is the intimate connection between acts 
 of prayer and acts of praise, that they recipro- 
 cate each other. Prayer produces praise, and 
 praise gives efficacy to prayer. Neither of them 
 can exist without the other. Indeed, such is the 
 relation in which prayer and praise stand to each 
 other, that they are to the Church, the body of 
 Christ, what inhalation and exhalation are to the 
 human frame. 
 
In prayer, we open our mouth wide, that God 
 may fill it with the manna of his grace, and the 
 honey of his promises in Christ. In praises, the 
 vital principle of the soul, inflamed by divine 
 love, exhales the fragrance of « myrrh, aloes, 
 and cassia," an odour of gratitude, " a savour 
 of sweet smell to be perpetual throughout all 
 generations." To pray, self-preservation is the 
 principal instigator; but to praise God, gratitude 
 is the primary agent. 
 
 It pleases the goodness of God, to favour us 
 with numberless mercies, which we never thought 
 of asking ; and for mercies, which we have im- 
 plored and received, we all confess that we are 
 not sufficiently thankful. But what avails the 
 confession, unless we determine instantly to cor- 
 rect our error? With whatever degree of fervour 
 we pray for any mercy, with the same degree of 
 fervour the grateful heart will always offer up 
 its praises and thanksgivings. 
 
 Our praises, alas! are too few, too imperfect, 
 and not sufficiently fervent, to bear any propor- 
 tion to our heavenly Father's tender mercy and 
 loving kindness. Our hearts are not sufficiently 
 penetrated with the goodness of God, to utter all 
 his praise ; and our supineness, in saying our acts 
 of praise, damps the sound of our voices, when 
 they ought to arise and ascend to heaven as im- 
 portunate memorials of gratitude to our merci- 
 ful Benefactor. 
 
 L 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 If it be asked, What internal evidence does the 
 J)eus misereatiir afford, that it ought to be sung, 
 rather than said — the answer is, Because we 
 thrice call upon all the people of God to unite 
 with us in one grand chorus of praise to the gra- 
 cious Author of every good and perfect gift. 
 
 W 7 e know that our praises can add nothing "to 
 the glory of the Divine Majesty ; yet they unite, 
 as it were, into a cloud, and then fall down upon 
 us, in a shower of temporal and spiritual bless- 
 ings. Were the earth to cease from sending up 
 its exhalations, it would soon become an arid de- 
 sert ; in like manner, without the inhalations of 
 prayer, and the exhalations of praise, the soul 
 of man would soon become a seed-bed for infide- 
 lity, and for thorns and thistles of offence. 
 
 Benedic anima mea. 
 
 It is impossible even to read this psalm, with- 
 out experiencing some portion of those devo- 
 tional fervours, with which it was originally 
 written. But the reader will perceive, especially 
 if he has a musical ear and a flexible voice, that 
 he cannot avoid elevating and depressing his voice, 
 according to the import of the several parts of 
 the psalm ; and thus he will perform the whole 
 to a sort of irregular chant. 
 
 After a devout soliloquy, « Praise the Lord. O 
 ir.y soul," the grateful worshipper proceeds to 
 
( 123 ) 
 
 enumerate the mercies lie hath received; — and 
 not satisfied with solitary acclamations of grati- 
 tude, he invites every part of creation to unite 
 with him in one grand Hallelujah. 
 
 The soul, thus magnifying the Lord, and re- 
 joicing in God its Saviour, may truly he said 
 to anticipate the joys of heaven. Out of the 
 abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and 
 the voice ascends to give glory to God, in the 
 presence of many brethren. 
 
 Gratitude heightens the enjoyment of every 
 mercy ; but ingratitude renders it of little value. 
 The grateful heart is always in a condition to re- 
 ceive additional favours, and renders it proper 
 that God should bestow them. The ungrateful 
 heart, insensible and unmindful of favours, dis- 
 qualifies itself for receiving further donations 
 from above. And hence it is, that the prayer of 
 the wicked (the ungrateful man) is an abomina- 
 tion to the Lord. 
 
 Afraid of falling into the sin of ingratitude, 
 the humble Christian, in this hymn, fervently 
 acclaims, ** Praise the Lord, O my sou!, and 
 forget not all his benefits." He observes that 
 " the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his 
 master's crib;" and considers, that as God hath 
 given him * more understanding than the beasts 
 ef the field, and made him wiser than the fowls 
 of heaven ;" so are his obligations to honour him 
 " in whom he lives, and moves, and has his being," 
 
( 124 ) 
 
 and (o si thank the Lord of all Lords ; for hi» 
 mercy endureth for ever." 
 
 An operative recollection of the benefits con- 
 ferred upon us by our all-gracious Father, is a 
 never-failing source of spiritual joy, and of tri- 
 umphant praise. By its fruits, it may always be 
 known. When the heart is truly grateful, the 
 mouth will sing and speak praise. With the 
 sweet singer of Israel, it will be heard to acclaim, 
 " Awake up, my glory ; awake, lute and harp ; I 
 myself will awake right early. I will give thanks 
 unto thee, O Lord, among the people ; and I will 
 sing unto thee among the nations. For the great- 
 ness of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens, and 
 thy truth unto the clouds."* 
 
 The spirit of prayer, and the spirit of praise, 
 are in effect one and the same thing ; but how 
 generally do we act as if we considered them 
 wholly unconnected? With the ten lepers, under 
 any grievous affliction or sickness, we are impor- 
 tunate in prayer, saying, " Jesus, Master, have 
 mercy on us ;"f but when the boon of our prayer 
 hath been granted, how few of us, with the soli- 
 tary leper, return, as he did, to give thanks with 
 <* a loud voice" to the Author of the implored 
 mercy ! 
 
 Indeed, so long as the psalms and hymns of 
 our religious offices are read, there is no other 
 
 * Ps*!m iTii. 9, 10. 11. t s t. Luke xvii. 12— 16, 
 
( 125 ) 
 
 way of offering up to the Divine Majesty the ap- 
 pointed oblations of praise and thanksgiving iu 
 our Prayer Books, but with a meek and humble 
 voice, the voice of supplication and prayer; (the 
 rhyme psalms and hymns being wholly inade- 
 quate to the purpose) — but whensoever it shall 
 please God to " clothe us with the garments of 
 praise, instead of the spirit of heaviness;" and 
 to induce us to wash our hands in innocency, and 
 present ourselves at his altar, then shall we 
 exhibit the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of 
 all Iris wondrous works which he hath done for 
 our souls ;— .then, and not till then, will it be in 
 our power to make our acknowledgments of the 
 loving kindness of the Lord, as the leper did, 
 and glorify God with " a loud voice," with me- 
 lody in our mouth, so as to be an example to 
 others, and with melody in our heart, so as to be 
 acceptable to God. Then will our heart rejoice as 
 David's did, and our mouth, in David's words, 
 will sing praises with understanding. An offer- 
 ing of a free heart will we then present unto the 
 Lord, and praise his name in words of his own 
 inditing. Our voices will then rise above a sibi- 
 lant whisper and a half-articulated pronunciation, 
 to the celestial melody " of the voice of praise and 
 thanksgiving, among such as keep holy day." 
 
 " Let all those who seek the Lord, be joyful 
 and glad in him ; and let such as love his salvation, 
 §ay alway, The Lord be praised." 
 1 % 
 
( *26 ) 
 
 " Oh that the salvation were given unto Israel 
 out of Zion ! Oh that the Lord would deliver his 
 people out of captivity ! 
 
 " Then should Jacob rejoice, and Israel should 
 be right glad: 9 * 
 
 COMMUNION, 
 
 Response to each of the first nine Command- 
 ments — " Lord have mercy upon us, and incline 
 our hearts to keep this law." 
 
 Response to the tenth Commandment—" Lord 
 have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws 
 in our hearts, we beseech thee." 
 
 After what hath been already adduced in vin- 
 dication of the propriety of singing psalmodic 
 prayers, nothing need be said here upon that sub- 
 ject. Suffice it therefore to observe, that we 
 have the example of the Church of England for 
 chanting these responses, ever since the year 
 1561, when the Decalogue was ingrafted inta 
 her Communion Office, in the second Prayer 
 Book of Edward VI. The adoption of this part 
 of the Jewish Liturgy is peculiar to the Church 
 of England. 
 
 The holy Gospel being announced : 
 
 Rubric — Here the people shall say, — '« Glory be 
 to thee, O Lord." 
 
 * Psalm Kii. 7, *. 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 No part of our offices has experienced more and 
 greater rubrical vicissitudes than this ascription 
 of glory to our blessed Redeemer. In the Prayer 
 Book of Edward VI. it was ordered to be sung 
 or said. At the revisal of the Prayer Book in 
 the time of Charles II. it was ejected ; yet custom 
 still continued it to be sung in all the English ca- 
 thedrals, and to be sung or said in most of the 
 parochial churches. It was admitted into the 
 American Prayer Book of 1790, and rubricated to 
 be said; but it is not noticed in the last English 
 revised Prayer Book of 1801. This ejaculatory 
 hymn is found in St. Chrysostom's Liturgy, which, 
 with that of St. Basil, are the two Liturgies of 
 the Greek Church. Concerning this hymn, 
 Chrysostom (de Circo) says, " When the deacon 
 begins to read the Gospel, we instantly stand up, 
 hcKprnviTet; aosa soi, kypie, singing, Glory be 
 to thee, Lord: 9 
 
 Because the rubric is decisive in ordering this 
 hymn to be said, I forbear from insisting upon 
 the propriety of singing it. But why a preclu- 
 sive saying should be affixed to this hymn, and 
 also to the Gloria Patri in several places of the 
 Liturgy, seems difficult to determine, when we 
 consider the dignity of the subject, and the 
 warmth of devotion with which they ought always 
 to be pronounced. 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 Trisagion. 
 
 st Therefore with Angels, and Archangels, 
 and with all the company of heaven, we laud and 
 magnify," &e. 
 
 In ancient times this was called the thrice 
 holy and triumphant song. This is the song of 
 the Cherubic choir in their abode of bliss. This 
 is the song, in which the Church upon earth unites 
 her voice with the minstrelsy of heaven, and an- 
 ticipates the joys, " which it hath not entered into 
 the heart of man to conceive." The ascription of 
 glory to our Lord Most High, points to that very 
 glory which was set before the Lamb of God, for 
 the sake of which " he endured the cross, despised 
 the shame, and poured forth his soul to make re- 
 conciliation for sin !" Who would not then lift up 
 his heart, flaming with the incense of gratitude 
 for such stupendous good-will to men ? Who would 
 not lift up his voice, and proclaim, "Holy, holy, 
 holy, Lord God of Hosts ; heaven and earth are 
 full of thy glory : Glory be to thee, O Lord Most 
 High ?" The more fervently the Church on earth 
 telebrates the praises of the Most High and Holy 
 One, who inhabiteth eternity, the more joyfully 
 will she lift up her head in the day of the resur- 
 rection, when music and the voice of melody shall 
 be heard through all the regions of the grave** 
 
 * Isaiah xxvi. 1ft.. 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 Gloria in ExceUis. 
 
 If, at (he creation (Job xxxviii. 7.) " The morn- 
 ing stars sang together, and all the sons of God 
 shouted for joy" — if at the annunciation of the 
 Saviour's birth, a multitude of the heavenly host 
 sang praises to God, saying, " Glory to God in 
 the highest, peace on earth, good-will to men" — 
 and if the choirs of the redeemed, enjoying the 
 glory that was set before them, are represented 
 performing one of their Hallelujahs, singing, 
 " Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanks- 
 giving, and honour, and power, and might, be 
 unto our God for ever and ever;" and another 
 Hallelujah, in this form, " Worthy is the Lamb 
 that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and 
 wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, 
 and blessing. Blessing, and honour, and glory, 
 and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the 
 throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever, 
 Amen" — it is certainly meet, and right, and our 
 bounden duty, that we, who hope to be numbered 
 with the saints of the Most High in glory ever- 
 lasting, should, while on earth, sing " salvation 
 to our God," and make a joyful noise before the 
 Lord, in the words of Gloria in Excelsis. 
 
 There is as much difference, in point of effect, 
 between the saying and the singing of this hymn, 
 as there is between a fruit-bearing tree decorated 
 
( iso ) 
 
 with its leaves and blossoms in the beginning of 
 summer, and the same tree enwrapped in snow, 
 and imprisoned in ice, in the depth of winter. 
 The former- is a lively emblem of the tree of life, 
 and the joys of heaven ; whilst the latter reminds 
 us of forfeited glory, the shroud, and the pri- 
 son of the grave. 
 
 Leaves and blossoms are not the fruits of the 
 tree, they are only the pledges and preparatives 
 for their maturity : in like manner, the musical 
 decorations, which are the suitable attendants on 
 psalms and hymns, are not praise, they are only 
 the foliage and blossoms of it. But if the tree 
 produces neither leaves nor blossoms, is fruit to. 
 be expected from it? And if we refuse to grant 
 to our psalms and hymns that foliage and blossom, 
 which they require, and which the Church has 
 always considered as the audible demonstrations 
 of the faith, love, and gratitude of the inner man 
 of the heart ; what estimate ean be made of the 
 fruits of praise without them ? 
 
 Leaves and blossoms are preludes to fruits for 
 the use of man, as acts of vocal praise are the 
 pledges of the " fruits of righteousness to the 
 glory of God." But, without the intervention 
 of its leaves and blossoms, the tree will yield no 
 fruit. Neither will the fruits of righteousness 
 be produced without the leaves of prayer, and 
 the blossoms of praise. The leaves of the tree, 
 like so many hands, are opened and expanded, t* 
 
I 131 ) 
 
 receive the benign influences of the elements ; but 
 the blossoms receiving their colour and fragrance 
 from the sun, continue to emit the same, until 
 their fruits commence. Just so it is with prayer 
 and praise. In prayer, the heart is expanded, 
 the affections are opened, soliciting the Christian 
 graces ; in praise, the perfume of those graces 
 ascends up before God. as a fragrant offering of 
 a sweet-smelling savour, or as " the smell of a 
 field which the Lord hath blessed." 
 
 Prayer is adapted only to the condition of pe- 
 nitents under the discipline of grace and mercy ; 
 but praise, like Noah looking backward to the 
 antediluvian world, and forward to the postdi- 
 luvian, waiteth upon God in the Zion of his 
 Church upon earth, and upon him in the Zion 
 t)f his Church in the heavens. Praise may be 
 rightly denominated the Janus of the temporal 
 and eternal worlds — of the Church on earth 
 clothed with grace, and of the Church in hea- 
 ven decorated with .glory. 
 
 What then, brethren, can better accord witk 
 our present views and our future expectations* 
 than that u we press forward towards the mark 
 for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus," 
 having " the glory that was set before him," and 
 which is also set before us, continually in view ; 
 gladdening the hours of our earthly pilgrimage 
 with the joyful songs of Zion; celebrating the 
 triumphs of redeeming love in forms which the 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 Holy Ghost hath dictated ; and inviting the inha 
 bitauts of heaven and earth to unite in our in- 
 spired hallelujahs of praise in the ordinary, and 
 in the eucharistie service of the sanctuary ?" 
 
 « Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of 
 Israel ; who only doth wondrous things. And 
 blessed be the name of his Majesty for ever: 
 and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty. 
 Amen, Amen."* Hallelujah. 
 
 OBJECTION XIY. 
 
 *' The English language is not sufficiently har- 
 monious, to admit of being sung in prose; and, 
 therefore, as poetry renders it more flowing and 
 vocal, verse is better adapted to musical pur- 
 poses." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Let a person of correct discrimination atten* 
 tively examine the verbal structure of any metre 
 psalm or hymn, and he will discover, that how- 
 ever harmonious it may sound to the ear, when 
 properly read; when sung syllabicalh, all the 
 beauty vanishes, and nothing remains but irw- 
 
 * Psalm Ixxii. 18, 19 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 properly accented and badly articulated syllables ; 
 and the more perfect the singing is, so much the 
 more deficient is the pronunciation.^ 
 
 The use of the accented syllables is so import- 
 ant, that they constitute almost the whole of the 
 harmony of composition, both in prose and verse. 
 By arranging the accents differently, a sentence 
 may be constructed, so as to be either easy and 
 vocal, or harsh and unmusical. In general, 
 those sentences are the most harmonious, which 
 admit of the greatest number of unaccented syl- 
 lables, and whose accents recur at ever- varying 
 and unequal times. That, which pleases the ear 
 in reading, is the intervals between the accents, 
 as the valleys between the hills delight the eye. 
 But if the intervals in reading are filled up with 
 a cluster of accented syllables, there is no divi- 
 sion in the tone, and the ear is thereby displeased 
 for the want of proper variety,. This is the rea- 
 son, that, whenever too many emphatic mono- 
 syllables are introduced into composition, they 
 never fail to obstruct the harmony of the sen- 
 tence. Those compositions, therefore, which 
 -contain a greater number of long words, must 
 1>e more harmonious than those which are con- 
 structed with monosyllables and dissyllables, 
 
 * Kccartse " the warble, the swell, the shake, and the impercep- 
 tible gradations of tone which music demands, actuate chiefly the 
 muscles of the larynx, and leave the tongue and the other organs oi' 
 •avilculat'.on almost unemployed." lien-its' Harm, of Language. 
 
 M 
 
( 13* ) 
 
 Jn our inetre psalms and hymns, there is such 
 a recurrence of monosyllabic words of undeter- 
 mined accent ; such crowds of expletives, parti- 
 cles, and conjunctions, most of which are of lit- 
 tle other use than as mere copulatives, that when 
 any one of these in singing are made of equal 
 importance with words of the highest significancy, 
 or such as determine the import of the poetical 
 period ; propriety is offended, and devotion itself 
 damped. Monosyllabic words are extremely 
 convenient for the structure of rhyme, particu- 
 larly when its measures are Iambic, Trochaic, 
 or Dactylic; and all our rhyme psalms and hymns 
 are in one or other of those measures. Poly- 
 syllabic words are too cumbrous and un wieldly 
 to be introduced into fabrics of this sort; and an 
 observer may see how carefully they have been 
 avoided in the framing of every system of sylla- 
 bic psalmody. Let the reader compare the metre 
 psalms, and other versified scriptures, with their 
 respective proses, and he will see, how frequently 
 the versifiers have substituted circumlocutions, 
 to get clear of long words; and what an immense 
 quantity of heterogeneous matter they have hitch- 
 ed into the subject, purely for the sake of rhyme ! 
 
 In point of intonation, accent governs language; 
 in point of sentiment, emphasis is the ruler; and 
 it is wonderful to observe the good agreement 
 which always subsists between them. Words of 
 one syllable have no natural accent, but ar« the 
 
( 18* ) 
 
 subjects of emphasis only. In words of two op 
 more syllables the accents are fixed, and if em- 
 phasis does not add something to an accented 
 syllable, it never dignifies an unacceuted one. 
 The only privilege belonging to emphasis is, 
 that it sometimes gives strength and even pro- 
 longation to monosyllables, which have no deter- 
 minate accent. Accent, however, has some ad- 
 vantages which emphasis does not possess. Pro- 
 nouncing Dictionaries, and the approved usage 
 of language, give a degree of fixture to accent; 
 but emphasis, as it depends so much upon the ear, 
 taste, and intellect of the speaker or the reader, 
 is frequently uncertain. And therefore, as the 
 one is uncertain, and the other is fixed, it be- 
 comes necessary, whether in singing prose or 
 verse, that strict regard be paid to the accents, 
 in order to render the subject intelligible. This 
 may easily be done in singing prose, but it cannot 
 be done in singing verse; for such is the nature 
 of music, that it cannot endure the restraints, 
 which syllabic measures, with regularly recur- 
 ring aecents, offer to put upon it. 
 
 The harmony of the accent appears in many 
 prosaic, as well as in metrified productions. We 
 meet with lines of Hexameters, Pentameters, 
 Sapphics, and others measures, in Cicero* Livy, 
 and other prosaic classics ;, and also a variety of 
 measures in the writings of the best English au- 
 thors, who have written professedly in prose. 
 
( 136 ) 
 
 This shows that the use of rhyme is not ia th« 
 least essential to that agreeable flow of language, 
 which results principally from the situation of 
 the accents, and which constitutes the harmony 
 both of prose and verse.* 
 
 To illustrate this position both to the eye and 
 to the intellect, let the following diagrams be ad- 
 duced. The first represents the accents accord- 
 ing to the poetry; and the other two, the accents 
 according to the prose of the first verse of the 95th 
 P»aim,inthe Prayer Book, and Bible translation. 
 
 In the poetry of Tate and Brady. 
 
 © J come, loud j an'thems \ let us | sing", 
 Loud J thanks to J our Al j migh ty j King"; 
 For | we our j voic es ) high should j raise* 
 "When J our sal j va tion's | Rock we | praise. 
 
 In the prose of the Prayer Book. 
 
 O come, J let us sing [ unto the J Lord ; J let us hear- { 
 ti \y re [ joice in the J strength of our j salvation. || 
 
 In the prose of the Bible. 
 
 Q come, | let us sing | unto the | Lord; | let us make j 
 af joyful I noise to the J rock of our [salvation. ||f 
 
 * Herries' Harmony of Language, p. 188. 
 
 jvln tlie poetry there is no variety of rhythmical phrase, all the 
 feet being trochees. 
 
 In the proses there ax*e no less than five varieties of musical feet ; 
 and they stand thus : 
 
 In the prose of the Prayer Book, the 1st foot is a spondee ; the, 
 2d an Anapaest; the 3d a Dactyl; the 4th a Spondee \ the 5th an 
 
( 137 ) 
 
 Here it is obvious that the poetry is cramped, 
 being confined to one sort of measure ; and that 
 the prose is free, continually varying its musical 
 measures, according to accent, emphasis, and 
 the progress of the diction. 
 
 Dr. Burney says ; " In applying music to words, 
 it frequently happens that the finest sentiments 
 and most polished verses of modern languages 
 are injured and rendered unintelligible, by an 
 inattention (o prosody. Even the simple and 
 plain rules of giving a short note to a short syl- 
 lable, a long to a long ; and of accentuating the 
 music by the measure and natural cadence of the 
 verse, which the mere reading would point out 
 to a good ear and understanding, are but too fre- 
 quently neglected.'* 
 
 And again he says; " Let the most inventive 
 composer try to set half a dozen Hexameters, 
 Pentameters, pure Iambics, or any other verses 
 that are in regular common or triple time, and 
 he will soon find that no resources of melody are 
 sufficient to disguise or palliate the insipid and 
 tiresome uniformity of the measure ; and for any 
 thing like expression) we may as well expect to 
 
 Ampcest; the 6th a Tribrach; the 7th a Dactyl; the 8ta a Dactyl; 
 and 'lire 9th an Amphibrach. 
 
 The feet of tlie prose in the Bible translation are, the 1st a Sport- 
 ive* the '2d an Anapxst; the 3d a Dactyl; the 4th a Spondee; the 
 5th a Tribrach; the Gth an Amphibrach; the 7th a Dactyl; the 8th 
 a Dactyl; and the 9th an Amphibrach. 
 
 In this maimer any portion of the psalmodic scriptures may be 
 scanned, 
 
 m % 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 be affected, by the mechanical strut of a soldier 
 upon the parade. In other metres, where feet 
 of different measures are intermixed, some va- 
 riety is indeed acquired ; but it is a misplaced 
 variety, whieh, without obviating the tiresome 
 effect of a confinement to two lengths of notes, 
 adds to it that of an awkward and uncouth ar- 
 rangement. The ear is fatigued with uniformity, 
 where it requires change; and distracted by 
 change, where it requires uniformity ."* 
 
 An English poet has comprised the general 
 character of parochial psalmody in one line, when 
 he says that it is 
 
 " Coldly correct — and regularly dull." 
 
 In reading poetry, particularly rhyming poe- 
 try or hearing it read, the ear, however pleased 
 it may be for some time, with the mechanical 
 recurrence of the same measures, and the uni- 
 sonous chimes of the rhyming syllables; by de- 
 grees loses that relish, then becomes satiated 
 with sameness, and finally quite fatigued; as the 
 eye would be, by beholding the same object at- 
 tentively for a length of time. 
 
 Were a person on horseback to ride a day's 
 journey uniformly in a walk, (in musical language, 
 in Spondees ;) or in a trot, (in Proceleusmatics ;) 
 or in a canter, (in Dactyls;) he would be much 
 
 k • Bumej'9 ^irtory of Music, vol. i p. 84, S5. 
 
( us ) 
 
 more fatigued at night, than if he had used ali 
 those movements occasionally diversified. In 
 like manner, a person is more fatigued by walk- 
 ing a few miles on a dead level road, than on one 
 that is varied with curvatures, elevations, and de- 
 pressions. 
 
 Possessing an endless variety of musical feet, 
 occasioned by a strict adherence to accent and 
 emphasis, prose has claims to a. musical alliance, 
 superior to what poetry can prefer. Fettered 
 and manacled as poetry always is, it can but 
 rarely avail itself of those advantages, which are 
 continually accessible to prose ; and it can seldom 
 apply those rules which are indispensably neces- 
 sary for promoting perspicuity, precision, strength, 
 and harmony in its periods. 
 
 If perfect harmony is looked for, it may be 
 found in the diction of the sacred scriptures; if 
 the ear desires to be gratified with a continually 
 varying modulation, let it listen to the poetic parts 
 of the Book of Revelation. They are already so 
 melodious, so full of musical variety, so abound- 
 ing with harmony, that a change from their ver- 
 nacular state into any other form, is both a de- 
 gradation to their sound, and an injury to their 
 sense. 
 
 So melodious are all the poetical parts of the 
 Old and New Testaments, that it is absolutely im- 
 possible for a Clergyman of taste and feeling, to 
 read any one of them without annexing such va- 
 
( *4© ) 
 
 pieties of intonation, as may entitle his perform- 
 ance to be called a song of Zion. In reading 
 them thus, the harmony of their sounds delights 
 the ear, the divinity of the sentiments captivates 
 the heart; and they appear to be what they really 
 are, " the voice of God, and not that of a man.? 
 That the English language in its natural pro- 
 saic state is more harmonious than in an artificial 
 and metrified form, and also better adapted to 
 musical purposes, the compositions of Tallis, Bird, 
 Purcel, Blow, Aldrich, Handel, Green, Kent, 
 Boyce, Nares, Hayden, and of other great mas- 
 ters, are indubitable and permanent proofs. The 
 most eminent composers of Europe have always 
 made choice of prosaic subjects, in preference to 
 verse, whereon to exert their musical talents; 
 and they have but rarely condescended, unless 
 at particular request 9 or for the sake of popula- 
 rity, to write music for rhyme. From numberless 
 volumes of prosaic music, I beg leave to mention 
 two compositions only, u The Oratorio of the 
 Messiah by Handel," and "The Oratorio of the 
 Creation by Hayden," which alone were suffi- 
 cient to prove the superior adaptation of prose to 
 music; and that the English language, without 
 being beholden to poetry, is sufficiently harmo- 
 nious and vocal, to engage the ear, and elicit the 
 energies of two of the greatest musicians that 
 e>er existed. 
 
( *41 ) 
 
 OBJECTION XV. 
 
 Chanting cannot be introduced into a church 
 without the aid of a choir, and choirs generally 
 monopolize the singing. 
 
 KEPLY. 
 
 During the first three centuries, when the 
 hand of bloody persecution was lifted up to ex- 
 terminate the Christian name, no choral esta- 
 blishments could have been successfully underta- 
 ken ; but when the Christians were favoured with 
 the blessings of peace under the protection of 
 Constantine and his son Constantius, choirs were 
 established in all the principal churches of the 
 empire, and several councils enacted laws for 
 their regulation.* 
 
 The reason for commencing these choral es- 
 tablishments is thus given by Mr. Bingham : " In 
 consequence of the decay or increasing imper- 
 fection in the performance, it became necessary 
 to introduce the order of singers into the church. 
 For when it was found by experience, that the 
 negligence or unskilfulness of the people rendered 
 them unfit to perform the service, without some 
 persons more curious and skilful to guide ancfc 
 
 * Calraet'a Dictionarv. 
 
( 142 ) 
 
 assist them ; then, a peculiar order of men was 
 appointed, and set over this business, with a de- 
 sign to retrieve and improve the ancient psalmody, 
 and not to abolish or destroy it. In some places, 
 it was thought fit, for some time to prohibit all 
 others from singing but these only ;* with design, 
 no doubt, to restore the consent of the ancient 
 ecclesiastical harmony, which otherwise could not 
 have been done, but by obliging the rest for some 
 time to be silent, and learn of those who were 
 more skilful in the art of music. These singers 
 sat in a desk called the Airibo, and always sung 
 by book. But (his was a temporary provision, 
 designed only to restore and revive the ancient 
 psalmody, by reducing it to its primitive harmony 
 and perfection ; that after a while, all the con- 
 gregation might the more regularly sing toge- 
 ther."! 
 
 Suidas, in his Lexicon, on the word Xopo$, says, 
 U The choirs of churches were, in the time of 
 Constantius, and of Flavian, Bishop of Antiock* 
 (between the years S37 and 404) divided into two 
 parts, who sang the Psalms of David alternately : 
 
 * The Council of Laodicea, held in A. D. 314 (or 319) forbid* all 
 persons to sing in the church, except the canonical singers. 
 
 Johnsonrs Vad. JMec. 
 
 f Though the canonical singers were, in the early ages of the 
 Church, reckoned an inferior order of clergy, it was not thought 
 hecessary that their ordination should be performed by a Bishop ; for 
 a Presbyter might perform it, using the words of the 4th Council of 
 Carthage : " See that thou believest in thine heart -what thou sing- 
 est with thy mouth; and approve in thy -works what thou beiievest 
 in thine heart." Bingham'.s Ant. of the Christ. Ch. Book in. ch. 7. . 
 
( I** ) 
 
 a practice which began at Antioch, and was thence 
 dispersed into all parts of the Christian world." 
 
 What the moderns call choral music, or sing- 
 ing in parts, was unknown both to the Jews and 
 Christians of remote antiquity. The choral mu- 
 sic of the Temple service was in unison, or ra- 
 ther a triplex unison $ the young men sung the 
 air or tune an octave above the aged, and the 
 boys and females an octave above the young men. 
 In this way the tune was sung upon three differ- 
 ent pitches of the voice. This triplex unison is 
 what is meant by the expression, as one,* in the 
 account of a grand choral exhibition at the dedi- 
 cation of Solomon's Temple ; and is the disposi- 
 tion of voice common to all the nations of the 
 earth, except the Europeans, who, ever since 
 the times of Guido, the inventor of counterpoint, 
 have adopted the use of artificial chords in all 
 their choral music. 
 
 To the introduction of organs into the church, 
 we are indebted for this taste for choral music. 
 
 Several of the ecclesiastical writers mention the 
 Organ as an instrument that had early "admission 
 into the Church, atperiods somewhat different in 
 different countries. To Pope Vetelian is ascribed 
 its first introduction at Some, in the 7th century ; 
 and ancient annalists are unanimous in allowing, 
 that the first organ that was seen in France, was 
 
 * 2 Cliror;. v. 1!? 
 
( 1*4 ) 
 
 sent from Constantinople, as a present from the 
 Emperor Constantine Copronymus V. in 757, to 
 King Pepin. 
 
 Venerable Bede, who died in 735, says nothing 
 •f the use of organs, or other instruments in the 
 British churches or convents, when he is very 
 minutely describing the manner, in which the 
 psalms and hymns are chanted. But according 
 to the testimony of several ecclesiastical histori- 
 ans, organs became common in Italy and Ger- 
 many during the 10th century, and in England, 
 and in other parts of Europe, during the eleventh. 
 
 About the middle of the 12th century, the 
 Gregorian chants began to be organized by voi- 
 ces, in the manner which was afterwards called 
 discant, or singing in parts. To some persons 
 this innovation gave great offence, and a complaint 
 against it was preferred to Pope John XXII. who, 
 with the advice of his conclave, in 1322 issued, at 
 Avignon, a Bull, threatening excommunication 
 against any person or persons who should con- 
 taminate the chants of the Church. But at the 
 end of the Bull there is this favourable clause; 
 " It is not our intention wholly to prevent the use 
 of concords in the sacred service, particularly 
 on high festivals, provided the ecclesiastical chant 
 or plain song (canto fermo) be carefully preserv- 
 ed."* 
 
 * Poet. Saact Extraraff. Commun. Kb. iii 
 
( 145 ) 
 
 The preclusion of change was always a fa- 
 vourite point with the heads both of the Greek 
 and Roman Churches ; and all their choral esta- 
 blishments seem to have been made with a re- 
 ference to the choirs of Solomon's Temple. 
 
 If we peruse the ecclesiastical records of our 
 forefathers, we shall find that, during the long 
 protracted period* of British submission to the 
 See of Rome, the due celebration of the psalmo- 
 dy of the sanctuary was a favourite object of the 
 rulers of it, from the highest to the lowest. 
 There never was a time, in which choral esta- 
 blishments were deemed unnecessary ; and rarely, 
 and at long intervals, and not without the sanc- 
 tion of the supreme authority, were there any 
 material alterations made in the sacred music. 
 Rome was the central point, from which emanated 
 all the sacred music of Europe, and its papal 
 impress hath always been, semper eadem. Among 
 qualifications for a Romish priest, none was 
 deemed of more importance in the discharge of 
 the clerical function, than a good ear and voice, 
 accompanied by an acquaintance with sacred mu- 
 sic. Musical missionaries were, from time to 
 time, sent from Rome to Britain, to instruct and 
 form choirs for churches and convents; and 
 clergymen of musical talents were occasionally 
 sent to Rome, in order to perfect themselves in 
 
 * About 940 j ea^s 
 
 N " 
 
( 146 ) 
 
 the art of singing the canto fermo, and to obtain 
 a complete knowledge of the choral establish- 
 ments of the Roman college. But, the English 
 were not the only people who enjoyed those ad- 
 vantages ; a similar intercourse was kept up, un- 
 til the sera of the Reformation, between Rome 
 and every nation of Europe, which bowed to her 
 supremacy. This accounts for that similarity, 
 and almost indentity of harmony, observable in 
 the sacred music of almost all the nations of 
 Europe, at the time of the Reformation ; — till 
 which period, little other music was known or 
 practised, than that of the Church of Rome r 
 
 During the Reformation, it would seem, that 
 the qualifications of ear and voice, and skill in 
 music, necessary for a Popish priest, were so 
 much undervalued, that the absence of them was 
 a recommendation for admittance into the Pro- 
 testant priesthood. To w hat else can it be ascribed, 
 that, among the various denominations of Protest- 
 ants, the clergy are generally less conversant 
 with music, and its application to the service of 
 Almighty God, than with any other branch of 
 science ? 
 
 But, although an acquaintance with the psal- 
 mody of the Church is not made a requisite in our 
 candidates for the ministry, yet it is implied in 
 the last paragraph of the rubric before the me- 
 tre psalms and hymns. The expression, " It 
 shall be the duty of every minister, with such 
 
( fcfr ) 
 
 assistance as he can obtain from persons skilled in 
 music, to give order concerning the tunes to be 
 sung, at any time, in his church,*' verily supposes 
 every minister to be possessed of such a measure 
 of skill in music, as admits of receiving assistance ; 
 for without this, every thing beyond the minis- 
 ter's own capabilities, is nothing else than direc- 
 tion. Indeed, both the paragraphs of this ru- 
 bric are as propitious to the minister's being di- 
 rector of the music and psalmody of his church, 
 as the rubrics before and throughout the several 
 offices constitute him director of the prayers of 
 the church. Nor could the case be otherwise, 
 for all the offices of public worship are choral, 
 that is, antiphonal services. The minister alone 
 recites the prayers and supplications, and the 
 people, as a chorus, respond the Amens and suf- 
 frages. The minister alone recites the first veiv 
 sicle of each appropriate act of praise, and the 
 singers of the choir and congregation respond in 
 one chorus. 
 
 Because the minister alone leads the prayers 
 of a congregation, an opinion is entertained by 
 some persons, that a clerk alone is capable of 
 conducting the psalmody. Were a congregation 
 as well acquainted with the music, as they are 
 with the prayers; — were there no more disneulty 
 in singing in time and tune, than there is in sav- 
 ing the responses ; — and did a congregation sing 
 with energy, zeal, and understanding, so as to 
 
( m ) 
 
 stand in no need of a stronger body of voice to 
 guide, direct, and control them, than what an 
 individual is capable of emitting, a solitary clerk 
 might be their conductor. But, when we take 
 into the account the general ignorance of people 
 in sacred music, the carelessness of some, and 
 the impotency of others, it is evidently a matter 
 of necessity, that a choir should have the con- 
 ductorship of the psalmodic offices, so that they 
 may be celebrated with propriety, dignity, and 
 animation, as becometh " the beauty of holiness.'* 
 
 An opinion hath been advanced that an organ 
 supersedes the necessity of having a choir : but 
 this is a mistake, for it is much easier, and more 
 natural for the untutored ear and voice of a pro- 
 miscuous assembly to keep in time and tune with 
 the human voice, than with instrumental sounds, 
 be they ever so perfect. The organ was never in- 
 tended to direct the music of a congregation, but 
 to be an auxiliary to the choir, to enable it the 
 more effectually, as well as the more easily, to 
 discharge the office of conductorship. In an or- 
 chestra of many instruments, the organ never 
 leads, it only serves to fill up the harmony with 
 its combination of chords, and varieties of stops. 
 
 The universal consent of the Christian world 
 hath always maintained, that God's " most wor- 
 thy praise" is best set forth by regular choirs, 
 and that the sole use of organs in churches con- 
 sists in a subserviency to these, as faithful eo- 
 
( 149 ) 
 
 ailjutofs. " Such is the natural imbecility of the 
 human voice, that few can keep to the pitch in 
 which a tune is begun, especially in long hymns, 
 or a succession of many verses. Consequently 
 the congregation, as experience shows, is gradu- 
 ally sinking its voice ; yea, the voice of each in- 
 dividual sinks in a different degree, so that the 
 longer the singing is continued, the more griev- 
 ous the dissonance becomes. To remedy this im- 
 perfection, a support is wanting; and this support 
 is justly expected from the assistance of instru- 
 mental music ; for the firmest and most powerful 
 voice of the Precentor (leader of the choir) is 
 borne down by the weight of the sinking mul- 
 titude. Instrumental music therefore, if thus 
 applied, being not improper in the house of God, 
 (having been once appointed, and never forbidden) 
 organs were introduced into the Church."* 
 
 In opposition to choirs, as well as to the use 
 of organs in public worship, a novel opinion hath 
 been advanced, that no instrumental music is 
 suitable to the Christian Church. 
 
 The eye and the ear may be considered as re- 
 lative senses. The eye divides light into seven 
 colours, and the ear divides sound into seven 
 notes ; and each of the seven prismatic colours, 
 when measured on a plane surface* is exactly 
 equivalent to its corresponding note in the ga- 
 
 * Preface to the Tune Book of the Church of the United Br€ 
 thren. 
 
 n 2 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 mut, as delineated on a Diapason scale. « This 
 is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous" to our 
 eyes, and no less so to our ears ! It is also mar- 
 vellous, that the eye and the ear are the only or- 
 gans of perception, which have ever derived any 
 co-operation or assistance from mechanical aids ; 
 and that, whilst the other senses, which refuse 
 auxiliaries, are liable to be cloyed with satiety ; 
 the eye, glad of assistance, is never satisfied 
 (satiated) with seeing, nor the ear, with all its 
 instrumental aids, weary with hearing, The eye 
 is open during the hours of light only ; the ear is 
 equally open during the hours of light as of dark- 
 ness ; to it " the darkness and the light are both 
 alike." 
 
 There is no stage of human life in which the 
 ear fmdeth not pleasure and profit from miiiical 
 sounds properly applied ; — pleasure, as a relaxa- 
 tion from corporeal or mental fatigue; — profit, 
 as an auxiliary to devotion, and the effusions of 
 gratitude. From the nursery rattle and whistle 
 up to the ecclesiastical organ, infancy and old 
 age derive appropriate delights. 
 
 The ear courts the company of instrumental 
 music, as naturally as the eye courts the aid of 
 glasses; and although the human voice tran- 
 scends the tones of the mosi perfect instruments, 
 as far as the works of the Creator excel the in- 
 ventions of man, yet the ear is fain to add to 
 the voice those graces, which are easily elicited 
 
( 151 ) 
 
 from instruments, but are difficult of execution 
 by the human organs of sound. 
 
 Is it not then as unreasonable to reject the use 
 of instrumental aids to the voice, in celebrating 
 the praises of Almighty God, as it would be to 
 reject the use of glasses, to aid the eye in read- 
 ing his holy word ? Little do those persons, who 
 are opposed to the use of instruments in the ser- 
 vice of their Creator, think of their inconsist- 
 ency, in approbating the use of bells (which are 
 musical instruments as well as organs, violins, 
 clarinets, &c.) to convoke his worshippers to the 
 house of prayer and praise ! 
 
 The spirit of God inspired the prophets with 
 skill to compose psalms and hymns of praise to 
 Jehovah, and under the immediate direction of 
 the same spirit, the principals of the twenty-four 
 courses or choirs of musical Levites presided 
 over the service of song in the house of the Lord. 
 
 Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, David 
 established the most numerous choir that ever 
 existed on this earth ; and the appointed auxilia- 
 ries to the voices were " all manner of instru- 
 ments made of fir wood, even harps, psalteries, 
 timbrels, cornets, trumpets, and cymbals."* Now 
 all this vocal and instrumental apparatus (which 
 was once enjoined, but never prohibited) was for 
 
 * This choir consisted of 288 vocal, and 4000 instrumental per- 
 formers. 1 Chron. xxiii, 5, and xxv. 6, 7. 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 the express purpose of " making Jehovah's 
 praise to be glorious." 
 
 " How ill then does it become mortal man to re- 
 probate that which God hath appointed for his 
 own glory ! What presumption to think of reject- 
 ing choirs and instruments of music from the as- 
 semblies of the saints, when the King of saints, 
 during the days of his residence upon earth, ap- 
 probated them by his presence, and now, seated 
 on the right hand of the Majesty on high, assigns 
 them a station around his throne ! 
 
 It is granted, that, in the Church Militant, 
 choirs are apt to monopolize the singing; but 
 this is principally owing to the fluctuating nature 
 of metre music. Some tunes are so full of « the 
 spirit of heaviness," that the young will not learn 
 them ; others are so light and airy, that the aged 
 cannot learn them ; and thus no congregation will 
 ever be able to sing the unsatisfying variety 
 which originates in singing schools. This has 
 always been, and ever will be the case with metre 
 tunes; but with regard to prosaic music, it is 
 quite otherwise. Such is its assimilation to the 
 psalms and hymns of the Church, that the words 
 dignify the music, and the music animates the 
 words, so that the tunes are soon learned, easily 
 remembered, and once learned remembered for 
 ever. As to their introduction into a church, 
 that may be effected without the aid of a choir, 
 provided the clerk, instead of saying the Doxo- 
 
( iw ) 
 
 logy after the psalms and hymns of Morning and 
 Evening Prayer, chants it to the appropriate 
 music of the psalm or hymn to which it is affixed. 
 And thus, each psalm and hymn, after the con* 
 tinuanee of this practice for a few months, may 
 easily be sung in the proper music of its own 
 Doxology. 
 
 It is not a little surprising to think, how in- 
 ventive of objections and obstructions the spirit 
 of opposition to the primitive way of setting forth 
 God's " most worthy praise," hath been for 
 nearly three centuries, and still is ! Were there 
 no authority for those usages to be found in scrip- 
 ture, it would be more excusable to depreciate 
 them; but both the Old and New Testament 
 yield permanent proofs of their divine appoint- 
 ment and approbation. At the dedication of So- 
 lomon's Temple, " It came even to pass, as the 
 trumpeters and singers were as one to make one 
 sound to be heard in praising and thanking the 
 Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with 
 the trumpets, and cymbals, and instruments of 
 music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he 
 ts good, for his mercy endureth for ever: that 
 then, the house was filled with a cloud, even the 
 house of the Lord ; so that the priest could not 
 stand to minister by reason of the cloud ; for the 
 Glory of the Lord had filled the house tff God."* 
 
 * 2 Chron. v. 11, &c. " For he is good, kc." was the grand 
 Chorus of this celebration. 
 
( 15* ) 
 
 From other Books of the Old Testament it ap- 
 pears, that the 24 courses or choirs of the Le- 
 vitical ceconomy were as essential to the setting 
 forth Jehovah's " most worthy praise," as the 
 24 courses or fraternities of the priests were to 
 the oblation of the Liturgy and the attendant 
 sacrifices. Nor did this choral establishment 
 cease to exist, in consequence of the Babylonish 
 captivity: though its duties were interrupted dur- 
 ing that period, yet Ezra and Nehemiah revived 
 and invigorated it after the re-building of the 
 temple; and with various honours or depres- 
 sions, according to the prosperity or adversity of 
 the nation, it subsisted until the annihilation of 
 the Jewish civil and religious polity, by the arms 
 of the Romans. 
 
 That choirs and prosaic psalmody are appror 
 bated in the New Testament, no person can deny, 
 who reads the account of the heavenly host or 
 choir, chanting forth, in prosaic diction, the-mys'- 
 tery of redeeming love at the moment of the in- 
 carnation; — of our Lord's joining frequently in 
 the choral services of his Mother Church; — of 
 the Apostles and first Christians, even for some 
 time after the ascension, being continually in 
 the temple " praising God" in conjunction with 
 the successors of the choirs established by David ; 
 — and of the choral celebrations of divine praise 
 performed by the cherubim, angels, and spirits 
 
( 155 ) 
 
 of just men made perfect, around the throne of 
 the Most High. 
 
 The choirs of the temple have been succeeded 
 by those of the Church, as they are to be suc- 
 ceeded by the choirs of the redeemed « in glory 
 everlasting." And thus, glory hath been as- 
 cribed to the Triune God, under one dispensation 
 of types and shadows, under another of " grace 
 and truth," and ever will be under the dispensa- 
 tion of " glory, honour, and immortal life." 
 
 It is evidently the design of the Creator, that 
 men should be associated for the purpose of cho- 
 ral praise ; for, to what other purpose were a 
 musical ear and voice bestowed upon them ?* God, 
 in his wisdom, hath allotted two very different 
 conditions of voice to the male sex, and but one 
 to the female. The voices of boys, until the age 
 of manhood, are almost feminine, a certain de- 
 gree of clangor being the only mark of difference. 
 At the commencement of manhood, the intona- 
 tion is always lost, or so confused, that the voice 
 runs into fourths, fifths, or octaves; and this 
 state of confusion renders the voices of young 
 men altogether unmusical for an indeterminate 
 space of time. After the organs of sound have 
 undergone their appointed change, the voice as- 
 
 * Qusere. To what can it be ascribed, tbat all of us approbate, and 
 t »ke so much delight in the choral performances of the songsters of 
 the groves; and some of us show so >nuch opposition to choral per 
 formanees in the assemblies of the s 'tints'. 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 gumes either a remote alliance with the feminine 
 intonation, or settles down upon the Bass, an 
 octave below its puerile condition ; but^ the bril- 
 liancy and smoothness of the female voice conti- 
 nue the same, or nearly so, even to the extreme 
 verge of life. 
 
 For what purpose, it may be asked, hath God 
 made all these arrangements of the human voice, 
 if not for the express purpose of enabling us, with 
 more varied notes and inflexions, and with greater 
 combinations of sounds, to make his praise to be 
 glorious, and our hearts to rejoice before him ? 
 
 Under a pretence that the voices of boys change, 
 and become for a while incapable of taking a 
 part in psalmody, little attention is paid to their 
 tuition in the science of sacred music ; it is no 
 longer a branch of public education ;* and the 
 admonition, " train up a child in the way he 
 should go," is so much neglected, that the organs 
 of voice and ear, for want of cultivation and ex- 
 ercise when they are flexible and docile, become 
 so rigid and untunable in many persons after they 
 have arrived at maturity, that the performance 
 of a duty, which, in youth had been easy, nay 
 
 * Chaucer, in his " Prioresse Tale of the Littel Scole of Christen 
 7 forms us that in his time, the chants of the Church werr 
 
 taught in common \vith reading. 
 
 " Children lerned yere by yeie, 
 Swiche manere doctrine as men used there; 
 This is to 9hv, to sing en an' I to ride" 
 
 Chaucer died in 140*. 
 
( *to ) 
 
 pleasant to learn, becomes in advanced years la- 
 borious to most persons, impossible to some, and 
 ungracious to all. 
 
 At the age when the masculine tenor or bass- 
 voices commence, young men generally begin 
 their career of life. The apprentice and jour- 
 neyman can hardly spare one evening in a week 
 *o practise psalmody. The pupil at school is said 
 to be too young to learn to sing the songs of Zion ; 
 and it is -questioned whether, amidst his other 
 studies, time could be spared for sacred music. 
 The student at college calculates, that as the 
 study of sacred music is no where inscribed on 
 those pavements, whereon collegiate honours 
 stand, it is an unnecessary accompaniment to li- 
 terature, and therefore may very properly be 
 omitted. The young gentleman of family and 
 fortune is apt to think it beneath his dignity, to 
 study the music of the psalms and hymns of pub- 
 lic worship, in the society of his inferiors, and 
 that it is quite sufficient for him to contribute his 
 quota of the clerk and organist's salary. And, 
 do we not frequently observe some of the most 
 influential characters, who are known to be no 
 enemies to music, and to be possessed of a suf- 
 ficient measure of voice and ear, sitting demurely- 
 silent during the oblations of vocal praise? Little 
 do such characters think how operative their ex- 
 ample is upon the general mass of a congregation. 
 It is like to cold water poured upon a dormant 
 Q 
 
( 158 .) 
 
 lire, instead oi" the excitement of a vivifying 
 breath of air. 
 
 An acquaintance with secular music is not al- 
 ways propitious to what is sacred ; nay, frequently 
 the reverse. How often have we seen, in a do- 
 mestic circle, females possessed of exquisitely fine 
 voices, of the most delicate ear and refined taste, 
 sometimes with, and sometimes without an in- 
 strumental accompaniment, warbling forth some 
 trifling song, pouring out the most mellifluous 
 notes with all the graces which the science of 
 music affords ; who, alas ! in the house of God, 
 are seen sitting mute, as if bereft of ear, bereft 
 of voice, and as if they had no interest in their 
 Almighty Maker's praise— as if" they cared for 
 none of those things V 9 
 
 But this is all to be placed to the account of the 
 tyrant fashion, and to a mistake in early educa- 
 tion. 
 
 Pardon, amiable readers, pardon my thus 
 holding up your error for you to look at it. I 
 place it before your eyes, with a hope that your 
 ingenuous minds will acknowledge the truth of 
 the remark, and be instantly led to correct your 
 error. 
 
 As to our sex, how musical and even vocifer- 
 ous are they apt to be around the festive board ? 
 When conversation begins to flag, and the ebuli- 
 lions of wit and humour have partly evaporated, 
 a song becomes in request. Then, he, who could 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 not, or would not join in singing the songs of 
 Zion, in the house where " the bread of his 
 God" is exhibited, and the cup of salvation 
 standeth full, raiseth his voice like a trumpet, 
 and sings, or joins in singing some favourite 
 fashionable song, more proper for a votary of 
 Venus or Bacchus than a worshipper of the 
 Lord of heaven and earth ! 
 
 If the alms of the Centurion, with his prayers 
 and praises, ascended up before God, as memo- 
 rials of his benevolence of heart and rectitude of 
 intention, we may justly fear, lest such songs as 
 are calculated to inflame the passions, pervert the 
 affections, and alienate the heart from God, 
 should also ascend to heaven, and there become 
 accusers of all such as take pleasure in them. 
 
 Glory not in your claims to the title of Chris- 
 tian, ye who can sing in your social hours, and 
 vet decline to unite your voice with the minstrelsy 
 of heaven.^ Your voices, your ear, your fine 
 taste were never designed to enable you to act 
 the pagan ; they were given you for the purpose 
 of enabling you, so much the more gracefully to 
 act the Christian. 
 
 In social life, there is no person to be found, 
 who delights not in hearing, or in singing the 
 songs which accord with his ruling propensities ; 
 and whether they are virtuous, or whether they 
 are vicious, when clothed in a musical dress, 
 iheir charms are not only multiplied, but their 
 
( 160 ) 
 
 power of doing good or evil is mightily strength- 
 ened. In an appropriate clothing of harmony, 
 sacred offiees become more lovely and engaging 
 in the ears of a worshipping assembly; and de- 
 corated with the ornaments, which music can 
 always lend, irreligious, and even trifling sub- 
 jects become more meritrieious and seductive. 
 And of what are the songs of the pure in heart 
 the certain indications ? — of their purity. What 
 are the songs of the impure in heart, but the de- 
 tectors of their inward depravity ? — Are not the 
 frivolous, trifling, and perverse affections of the 
 heart frequently displayed in corresponding looks, 
 gestures, and tones of voice ? The whole of the 
 human race, unless the most consummate hypo- 
 crisy prevent it, exhibit, as occasions offer, visible 
 or audible tokens of inward perceptions, arising 
 from fear or hope, pleasure or pain ; and these 
 are more or less commensurate to the degree of 
 delight, indifference, or abhorrence, with which 
 the cause and its effect are contemplated. 
 
 On this principle it is that the worldling and 
 ihe impure in heart are dull and languid, during 
 the service of Almighty God; but active, joyous, 
 and happy, when engaged in the service of their 
 darling pursuits. 
 
 It is well known, that music and songs are an 
 indubitable index of the affections and disposi- 
 tions of the heart ; and that such as a person's 
 ivourite songs and music are, such are his ruling 
 
I 161 ) 
 
 propensities. A person, therefore, may as correctly 
 discover to himself the true state of his heart, 
 by recollecting what sort of music and songs 
 please him the most, as he can ascertain the com- 
 plexion and features of his countenance, by " be- 
 holding his natural face in a glass." 
 
 " Show me his music and songs," said a sage 
 of ancient times, * and I will show you the 
 man."* 
 
 Seeing then that secular songs and music are 
 so very operative on the human heart, as to be- 
 come the never-failing indices of its desires and 
 propensities ; it is evidently proper, and even ne- 
 cessary, that music should accompany the words 
 of the songs of Zion, in order to produce their 
 full operation upon the heart of a worshipping 
 assembly. For a setting forth God's most wor- 
 thy praise," an organ may be made an useful 
 auxiliary, a choir may act as a faithful conduc- 
 tor; but these are insufficient of themselves 
 without the united voice of the whole congrega- 
 tion. It is as much an act of sacrilege to with- 
 hold from God the praises due unto his name, as 
 it is to apply to a secular purpose any of those 
 things which have been dedicated and consecrated 
 to it. And it ought to be remembered, that, 
 when in baptism our whole man was devoted to 
 
 * Judge Hale. A writer of his life reports, that he also said, 
 "■' Let me be ballad-maker for the nation, I care not who are leg-is- 
 ?ator*" & 
 
 2 
 
( 162 ) 
 
 God, our ears and voices were component parts 
 of that dedication. 
 
 In the concluding collect of Morning and 
 Evening Prayer, our verbal prayers are said to 
 be offered up to Almighty God " vdth one ac- 
 cord;" and by parity of reason, our vocal pray- 
 ers, called by the general expression " God's 
 most worthy praise," ought to be presented to 
 him « with one accord" also. But « the most 
 worthy praise" of Jehovah cannot be celebrated 
 " with one accord," unless the " young men and 
 maidens, old men and children,"* unite in har- 
 monic accordance, with one heart, and with one 
 voice. It is therefore the duty of every one, who 
 hopes to join in the harmony of the choirs of the 
 redeemed of the Lord around the throne of in- 
 effable glory, to join either verbally or vocally 
 with the choirs of the redeemed in the sanctuaries 
 of the Church militant;. 
 
 With a view of exciting the members of our 
 /ion to cherish the canonical psalmody of the 
 Church, I beg leave to solicit their attention t» 
 the following " Reasons, briefly set down, to per- 
 suade every one to learn to sing," found on the 
 back of the title-page of a work entitled, « Psalms, 
 Songs, and Sonnets, &e." by the celebrated com- 
 poser Mr. Bird, one of the gentlemen of the 
 Chapel Royal of Edward VI. printed in 3, 4, h 
 and 6 parts* A. D. 1611. 
 
 * Psalm Gsiyiii. tit. 
 
( 163 ) 
 
 « 1st. It is a knowledge easily taught, and 
 quickly learned, when there is a good master, 
 and an apt scholar. 
 
 " 2d. The exercise of singing is delightful to 
 nature, and good to preserve the health of man. 
 
 " 3d. It strengthens all the parts of the breast, 
 and opens the pipes. 
 
 " 4th. It is a singular good remedy for a stutter- 
 ing and stammering in the speech. 
 
 " 5th. It is the best means to preserve or to pro- 
 cure a perfect pronunciation, and to make a good 
 orator. 
 
 M 6th. It is the only way to find out where nature 
 hath bestowed the benefit of a good voice ; which 
 gift is so rare, that there is not one among a 
 thousand that hath it ; and in many, that excel- 
 lent gift is lost, because they want art to express 
 nature. 
 
 " 7th. There is not any music of instruments 
 whatsoever comparable to that which is made 
 by human voices, when the voices are good, and 
 the same well sorted and ordered. 
 
 " 8th. The better the voice is, the meeter it is to 
 honour and serve God therewith ; and the voice 
 of man is chiefly to be employed to that end. 
 
 " Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum. 9 * 
 
 It is much to be lamented that music has shar- 
 ed the same fate with other precious gifts of God* 
 
( 16* ) 
 
 and that with them it has been forced into the 
 service of iniquity, and compelled to become an 
 incentive to vice; but this ought to stimulate the 
 Christian to use his best endeavours to restore it 
 to its primitive and sacred use, and as a grateful 
 return to the Giver of all good gifts, employ this 
 noble talent in his service. And as it is the boun- 
 den duty of choirs to observe the strictest decency 
 and order* that they may prove acceptable con- 
 ductors of the appointed acts of praise ; so ought 
 they to " believe in their hearts what they sing 
 with their mouths, and approve in their works 
 what they believe in their hearts," that so God 
 may be glorified by their ministry. 
 
 Having exhibited the nature, character, and 
 utility of choirs, it is next in order, to offer some 
 remarks concerning the duty of an organist. 
 
 In order to obtain the true and beneficial effect 
 of an organ, it is absolutely necessary that the 
 organist should enter into the spirit of his office, 
 and be actuated by the same principle which di- 
 rects every officer of the household of God; 
 otherwise he not only neglects his call, but be- 
 trays his trust. No person in a church more 
 readily betrays his inattention and want of true 
 devotion, than an organist ; nor is it to be won- 
 dered at, that many sincere and devout persons, 
 consider an organ improper in the church, when 
 perhaps they have never heard one properly used. 
 An organist of correct taste and sound principles 
 
( 165 ) 
 
 would think himself highly culpable, were he, 
 by the interspersion of heterogeneous decorations, 
 to defeat the ends proposed by his office. Such 
 an organist, possessed but of few powers as to 
 execution, will prove of more real benefit to the 
 church, than the most skilful performer desti- 
 tute of Christian principles, who plays for no 
 other end than that of securing his salary. 
 
 Let the following considerations therefore bo 
 duly appreciated by our organists. 
 
 1st. It is highly expedient that an organist be 
 a churchman ; that he properly understand and 
 Yalue the Prayer Book; that he enter into the 
 spirit of " God's most worthy praise f 9 that he 
 continually bear in mind the importance, the so- 
 lemnity, and the sacredness of his office ; and 
 that his duty consists, not in gratifying the sensual 
 ear, but in exciting the devout affections of the 
 heart. 
 
 2d. The organist ought to commit to memory 
 all the tunes (whether chants or metre tunes) 
 appointed by the minister at any time to be sung 
 in his church, so as to be able to play them with 
 ease, gracefulness, and affection ; and that he 
 may the more promptly adapt the stops, the 
 chords, and the time itself, to the immediate 
 subject of the psalm or hymn, whose music he 
 is playing. For however necessary it may be 
 that the general ratio of time be preserved both by 
 the organist and the singers ; yet, as the subjects 
 
( 166 ) 
 
 of the hymn change from praise to 'petition, from 
 triumphant gratitude to humble supplication, and 
 vice versa; — so ought the time, as well as the 
 stops also, in which they are sung, vary in a due 
 proportion. Uniform strict time throughout is 
 too artificial and mechanical either to excite, or 
 to accompany the various movements of devo- 
 tional feelings in the Christian worshipper ,• and 
 therefore the time of the music, to have its pro- 
 per effect, ought to he regulated according to the 
 varying strains of the subject, and the affections 
 to which they are commensurate. Without a 
 change of the time, a change of the stops will 
 produce little better efFect than the playing a 
 tune first in a major and then in a minor key. 
 This remark applies particularly to chanting, 
 which is not tied down to the mechanical system, 
 to which metre music is subjected. But in this, 
 great judgment and discretion are to be exercised. 
 
 3d. In order to refresh the memory, and excite 
 the affections of the congregation, it is expedient 
 that the organist play over the tune (whether it 
 be a chant or a metre tune) as a prelude to the 
 singing; that the interludes between the verses 
 be short, not exceeding the time usually allowed 
 to a period in good reading; and that the inter- 
 ludes be adapted to the subject, leading gently 
 and insensibly into the succeeding strophe. 
 
 4th. The organ should at no time overpower 
 and drown the voices, but yet have sufficient 
 
( 167 ) 
 
 strength of sound to prevent their sinking ; and 
 the stops should he varied according to the variety 
 in the subject, so as to render the instrumental 
 sounds as much as possible an echo to the sense. 
 For chanting, the swell and the choir organ 
 ought to be used in general, and the full organ 
 in doxologies, and the most triumphant acts of 
 praise only, as full choruses. 
 
 5th. The softer the organ is played, the more 
 graces are admissible ; and the louder, the greater 
 simplicity is required. Where there is a choir, 
 the organist ought to play all the chords of tho- 
 rough bass ; but where there is no choir, simpli- 
 city of chords is preferable ; as thereby the air 
 of the chant or metre tune will be the better dis- 
 tinguished and followed by the congregation. 
 
 6th. The organist should always bear in mind* 
 that a psalm or hymn is not sung for the sake of 
 the music; but that the music is used for the 
 sake of the psalm or hymn. 
 
 7th. As to voluntaries like intruders into 
 
 the service of Almighty God, they consume time 
 unnecessarily and unprofitably, and not unfre- 
 quently do they feed a desire for the amusements 
 of the theatre, rather than promote the devotion 
 of the sanctuary. It appears that voluntaries 
 crept into the church without authority, since 
 the Reformation $ and are retained in it by mere 
 sufferance. 
 
 If the appointed psalms and hymns of the 
 
( 168 ) 
 
 Morning and Evening Services were chanted, as 
 they always ought to be, there would be no va- 
 cuum either in the heart or in the ear, to be filled 
 up with an inarticulate voluntary ; and as the fes- 
 tivals of the Church require a more than usual 
 quantity of music, an appropriate anthem would 
 better comport with the solemnity of the occasion, 
 than any assemblage of the most delicious sounds 
 which an organ is capable of emitting. A vo- 
 luntary is but a miserable substitute for chanting 
 the psalms of the <lay ; and the singing of a dox- 
 ology, or gloria in excelsis, ought in all good 
 conscience, to supersede it. But if, to gratify 
 a fastidious taste for the music of the orchestra, 
 voluntaries must be retained, let them be under 
 proper regulations, and performed in subjection 
 to the rubric. To render them as unexceptiona- 
 ble as possible, let the organist play a regular 
 discant upon one of the chants, or one of the 
 metre tunes, as a ground; this practice would 
 serve two purposes, that of recreation, and as a 
 remembrancer to the congregation. In this way 
 the chants may be introduced with the greatest 
 ease, anil if repeated at proper intervals, the 
 music would ingratiate itself with the people, 
 and become familiar, and fixed in their memories. 
 By duly appreciating these suggestions, mu- 
 sicians would cause the organ to be well spoken 
 of, and to be a valuable auxiliary to devotion : 
 but every deviation from them tends to make 
 
( ** ) 
 
 it to be evil spoken of, and to defeat the very pur- 
 pose, for which it hath a station in the house of 
 God. 
 
 Should a question arise concerning the number 
 of parts admissible into a church, the answer 
 turns upon the consideration of its having, or 
 not having a choir. If it has no choir, the Air 
 or first Treble with the Bass only should be al- 
 lowed. These, well sung throughout a church, 
 will have a better effect without the other parts 
 than with them; because, when the singers of 
 the four parts are scattered fortuitously through- 
 out a church, the more chorded the music is, so 
 much the more discordant it will be. To make 
 the harmony of four, or even of three parts per- 
 fect, it is absolutely necessary that a competent 
 number of the best singers be located in some 
 suitable part of the church, where the effect of 
 their voices may be the most operative in direct- 
 ing the general voice of the congregation. All 
 the members of a choir, placed within a certain 
 compass of space, stand in the same relation to 
 each other as the pipes of an organ, or as the 
 several instruments in an orchestra, constituting, 
 as it were, one large and complex instrument — 
 one as to unity of design, and one as to unity of 
 performance. 
 
 As a choir of twenty good singers are quite 
 sufficient to direct and give a proper tone to the 
 P 
 
( i*0 ) 
 
 pinging of any of our largest congregations ; let 
 them be apportioned thus ; 
 
 Eight to sing the Bass ; 
 
 Six, the Air or first Treble, commonly 
 called the Tune ; 
 
 Four, the second Treble ; 
 
 And, two, the Counter or Alto. 
 As the Bass is the foundation or basis whereon 
 the upper parts stand, and by the strength of 
 which they are supported, it is rarely possible to 
 make it too powerful, provided the tones are- 
 smooth and even. It bears the same relation to 
 the upper parts, that the Base in Architecture 
 does to the shaft with its entablature and orna- 
 ments. Proportion must regulate the one as 
 well as the other; in the one case, to gratify the 
 correct eye ; in the other, to please the chaste 
 ear ; according to the musical adage, " When the 
 Bass goes well, all goes well." 
 
 But the principal melody of the piece lies in 
 the Air of the tune, or first Treble, and it ought 
 to be always performed with strength and bril- 
 liancy of intonation. When the Air is sung by 
 men, it loses much of its energy and effect; but 
 when sung by females, the acuteness of their 
 voices renders it predominant, and it becomes 
 a distinct center for the ether parts to move 
 around it. In the Air, the words are best ar- 
 ticulated and distinguished, and it meets the tu~ 
 
( m ) 
 
 tored and the untutored ear with acceptance and 
 delight. Too much pains, therefore, cannot be 
 taken in learning to perform tiiis part with ac- 
 curacy, with elegance, and with religious dig- 
 nity. 
 
 The Editors of the Monthly Anthology have 
 well treated this subject, saying, " The princi- 
 pal Air is the soul of the piece, it ought to be 
 more distinctly heard, and its effect should be 
 heightened as much as possible by the auxiliary 
 efforts of the other parts. Giving the character 
 to the piece, it ought to be placed in the most 
 conspicuous station, and assigned to those voices 
 which are naturally the most expressive of melo- 
 dy. The voices of women are one eighth higher 
 than those of men ; they are more flexible, and 
 consequently more capable of the graces of mu- 
 sic. Good trible voices exceed, on a moderate 
 calculation, the number of good tenor voices, in 
 the proportion of twenty to one. On account, 
 therefore, of the superior delicacy of the female 
 voice, and of the greater number of trible per- 
 formers, to them ought to be assigned the prin- 
 cipal air of the piece. Owing to the general de- 
 ficiency in musical science, which characterizes 
 American masters, and to the almost total want 
 /of refinement in the public ear, the ancient prac- 
 tice of giving the Air to the tenor, and casting 
 the trible voices into the shade, still prevails. 
 Male performers resist the improvement with a 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 zeal similar to (hat, with which they would resist 
 an invasion of (heir natural or political rights : 
 but they are contending against nature, and 
 against science, and the contest must finally be 
 vain. We find that the violin, the haulboy, the 
 flute, and indeed the greatest proportion of mu- 
 sical instruments strive to imitate the treble. The 
 female voice has been in all ages the favourite of 
 genius. It was designed to be (he soul of har- 
 mony, and to inspire delight. Whoever pos- 
 sesses any refinement of soul, owns its claim to 
 precedence, and delights even in its tyrannical 
 sway. 5 ' 
 
 To the Air, the second Treble ought always to 
 act, not as an assuming rival, but as an attentive 
 handmaid; and as the Counter contains but a 
 minimum of the Air, so ought it to be sung with 
 a minimum of voice. It completes the chord of 
 each note of the Air, and gives an agreeable zest 
 to (he whole, provided it be sung with judgment 
 and taste — but otherwise, it is intolerable. 
 
 In churches without organs, it frequently 
 happens, that the pitch notes are given too low, 
 to admit of the deepest notes of the Bass; or too 
 high, to allow the highest notes of the Air and 
 upper parts to be uttered with ease and distinct- 
 ness; therefore the use of a pitch-pipe, or a me- 
 tallic tuner, may be recommended. 
 
 It is also advisable, that there be in every choir 
 a principal director, who ought always to sing 
 
( m ) 
 
 the Bass ;— .a principal, together with an instru- 
 mental performer, on the Air, and on each of the 
 other parts. The instruments may be, 
 
 A Bassoon, or Drawing Trumpet on the Bass ; 
 
 A Clarinett on the Air or first Treble ; 
 
 A Hautboy on the second Treble ; 
 
 And a Hautboy on the Counter. 
 
 Stringed instruments would be preferable, were 
 it not on the account of tuning, and the prejudices 
 of mankind. 
 
 Having thus shown the antiquity, universality, 
 and utility of choirs and instrumental music, in 
 a setting forth the most worthy praise" of Al- 
 mighty God, I hope the reasons which have 
 been adduced for their continuance will be ad- 
 mitted by every unprejudiced mind. I well know, 
 however, that some will believe the words I have 
 written, and some will not ; for there are, as there 
 always have been, some of the wisest men, and 
 of the greatest talents in other particulars, who 
 have not musical discernment sufficient to distin- 
 guish between good and bad music, even between 
 one tune and another. And yet, some of these 
 great and wise men in other particulars, have 
 thought themselves qualified to write, talk, and 
 decide about music, in a more peremptory manner, 
 than those of the greatest feeling and genius, 
 who have long made it their particular study. 
 
 Wherever an opposition to choirs and chanting 
 exists, it is generally fomented by persons of the 
 P ^ 
 
( 17* ) 
 
 above description. From the female part of the 
 community no objections to choirs and good sing- 
 ing are ever offered; and hence we may infer, 
 that if the males were as propitious to choirs as 
 the females are, every obstruction to cathedral 
 music would be easily surmounted.* 
 
 Whilst shame and confusion of face belongs to 
 our sex, for their backwardness to devote their 
 ears and voices to the glory of God in acts of vo- 
 cal praise and gratitude; to the female sex much 
 commendation is due. We behold that more de- 
 vout and pious part of our species in greater num- 
 bers at the altar and in the choir;— .a token that 
 their hearts are better attuned to the harp of 
 David, and more obedient to the command of 
 Jesus.f 
 
 O ye pious and devout souls, how much indebt- 
 ed are we to you, for the religious impressions of 
 ouryounger years, for your nursing care both of 
 our souls and of our bodies ! Your song lulled us 
 to sleep in our cradles, and your voices exhilarate 
 our hearts to sing glory to God in his sanctuary, 
 Your society cheers us amidst the manifold chan- 
 ges of this mortal life, and when our spirits re- 
 
 * The introduction of chanting into eertain ehurches hath 
 been accused of exciting disquiets, and unpleasant feelings in the 
 minds of some devout people. Christianity itself lay under a simi- 
 lar imputation. — In consequence of the nativity of Christ, Herod 
 was troubled, and ailJerusalem with him. At Philippi, St. Paul was 
 the innocent cause of a mob ; and the common epithet bestowed upon 
 ibe apostles was, " Turners of the world upside down!" 
 
( 175 ) 
 
 turn to God who gave them, to you it belongs to 
 close our eyes in death. 
 
 Decorated with " the ornaments of a meek 
 and quiet spirit,"* cultivating with the two evan- 
 gelical Marys a love for your Redeemer, the 
 warmth of which our sex pretend not to equal, 
 — go on to take delight in the offices of religion, 
 and glory in your goodly practice of visiting the 
 temple of your God, and of pouring forth your 
 most mellifluous notes to the honour and praise of 
 his ever-glorious and adorable name. " Let the 
 word of Christ dwell in you richly, in psalms 
 and hymns and spiritual songs/' making melody 
 with your hearts and voices unto the Lord. Thus 
 prepared on earth, ye will in due time be called 
 to join the choirs of the redeemed of the Lord in 
 glory everlasting. 
 
 In ecstacy of joyful anticipation, I behold you 
 with the myriads uf your brethren standing in 
 shining circles around the throne of the Ancient 
 of days, with voices sweet as the harps of Angels, 
 clothed in white robes, and with palms in your 
 hands, singing, Salvation to our God, who sit- 
 ieth upon the throne, and to tlie Lamb, for ever 
 and ever. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen. 
 
 * " Adorn yourselves (says Tertullian) with the virtues to be found 
 in the prophets and apostles. Let simplicity be your white, chastity 
 your vermilion ,• dress your eye-broivs with modesty, and your lips 
 with reservedness. Clothe yourselves with the silk of probity, the 
 fine linen of sanctity, and the purple of chastity. 
 
 " Jf God finds you thus adorned, he will love you himself." 
 
 Tertul ad Uxoret, 
 
( 1™ ) 
 
 OBJECTION XVI, 
 
 " It is sufficient to chant one hymn at Morn- 
 ing, and another at Evening Prayer." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 To give a musical accompaniment to one hymn 
 at Morning, and to one hymn at Evening Prayer, 
 whilst the others are refused a similar measure 
 of attention, would certainly be giving an undue 
 preference to the chanted ones over the merely 
 read ones. But, if a congregation are capable 
 of vocalizing one act of God's " most worthy 
 praise" in the morning, and another in the even- 
 ing, they are, or may easily become, capable 
 of vocalizing the whole complement of praise. 
 
 If it be a good thing, once at Morning Prayer 
 and once at Evening Prayer, to appear in the 
 presence of God with a song ; certainly it is no 
 less so, to sing all the appointed praises of the 
 Lord, for memorials of his holiness, nay, to pre- 
 sent ourselves before him " compassed about with 
 songs of salvation." 
 
 "Where is the person, who, in the Venite sings 
 unto the Lord, and heartily rejoices in the strength 
 of his salvation, can be cold and lifeless, and re- 
 fuse to chant either the Gloria Patri, or the Glo- 
 ria in Excelsis? 
 
( ** ) 
 
 Who is be that professes himself a member of 
 « the holy church throughout the world," who 
 will on any account whatsoever, except that of 
 deficiency of voice and ear, set his practice and 
 profession so much at variance, as to refuse to 
 celebrate the praises of God in the words of the 
 Te Deum? 
 
 Does any person think so lightly of the fine 
 arts and sciences, which are founded upon the 
 works of creation and their several analogies, as 
 not to feel an exultation of heart sufficient to 
 eause him to set forth the Creator's " most wor- 
 thy praise" in the words of the Benedicite? 
 
 Or can that heart be any thing else than a 
 stranger to the fervors of devotion, and dead to 
 every principle of the spiritual life, who refuses, 
 in the words of Jubilate, to be joyful in the Lord, 
 and to come before his presence with a song? 
 
 Are there any of our communion, who arc 
 so insensible of " the inestimable love of God in 
 the redemption of the world, by our Lord Jesus 
 Christ," or so ungrateful for " the means of 
 grace," and so indifferent to « the hope of glory," 
 as to resolve to « bless the Lord God of Israel" 
 for <( visiting and redeeming his people," in the 
 words of the Benedktus, with a meek and humble 
 voice of supplication, in preference to a full and 
 harmonious one of praise ? 
 
 What churchman, who hath got a measure of 
 ear and voice sufficient for " singing unto the 
 
( 178 ) 
 
 Lord a new song," in the words of Caniait 
 Domino, will not acknowledge, in the words of 
 Bonum est conjiteri, that, " it is a good thing to 
 give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises 
 unto the name of the Most Highest ?" 
 
 What estimate can we make of his devotion, 
 or even of his courtesy, who, in Deus miscreatur, 
 invites " all nations to rejoice and he glad," and 
 twice repeats the invitation, " Let the people 
 praise thee, O God ; yea, let all the people praise 
 fhee f and at the same time excuses himself 
 from participating in the entertainment to which 
 he hath so cordially invited them ? 
 
 And, if there lodges in the hreast of any Chris- 
 tian, gratitude enough to entitle him to the cha- 
 racter ; can he, with any satisfactory pretences, 
 excuse himself from setting forth God's " most 
 worthy praise," in the Benedic anima mea $ Can 
 he refrain from lifting up his voice on high, when 
 he pronounces the words, " Praise the Lord, O 
 sny soul ; and all that is within me praise his holy 
 name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget 
 not all his benefits. O praise the Lord, all ye 
 works of his, in all places of his dominion." 
 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and fail not to show 
 forth all the appointed praises of the God of thy 
 salvation " within the ports of the daughter of 
 Zion." 
 Jn the third petition of our Lord's Prayer we 
 
( «* ) 
 
 are taught to pray, " Thy will be done on earth, 
 as it is in heaven." 
 
 Of the service performed by the heavenly host, 
 psalmody is the most exalted part, if not the 
 whole; and of what kind of psalmody the hal- 
 lelujahs of the celestial choirs consist, both as 
 to subject, form, and manner of performance, 
 St. John hath given us ample information in his 
 Apocalypse. The subject is ascriptions of glory 
 and praise ; the form is, not metrical, but purely 
 prosaic; and the manner of celebrating these 
 acts of praise is not simply saying, but singing 
 them with " a loud voice," « the voice as of a 
 multitude," " the voice as of many waters." 
 
 Similar to the acts of praise presented to God 
 by the choirs of the Church triumphant, are the 
 acts of praise interspersed throughout the offices 
 of that branch of the Church militant, to which 
 we belong ; but alas ! our manner of presenting 
 them to God is dissimilar. We but read our acts 
 of praise, when the heavenly host sing theirs. 
 In the performance of our psalmodic worship, 
 manner is an inseparable adjunct both to form 
 and matter ; for the petition expresses manner in 
 the word as as, or in like manner as it is done 
 in heaven. 
 
 Therefore, when we pray, « Thy will be done 
 on earth, as it is in heaven," we express a hearty 
 desire that the praises of the Lord of heaven and 
 earth may be celebrated by his saints upon earth, 
 
( 180 ) 
 
 with similar forms of praise — with a similar ele- 
 vation of voice — and with similar affections of 
 heart, to those of the celestial worshippers. In 
 the use of this petition, we not only pledge our- 
 selves to copy after the heavenly pattern, hut 
 also promise to use our hest endeavours to pro- 
 mote the intent and fulfilment of the petition, to 
 its full extent ; that so, in all things, and par- 
 ticularly in our acts of praise, God may he glo- 
 rified on earth, as he is glorified by the hallelu- 
 jahs of the blessed spirits in heaven. 
 
 Fired at the thought that we are capable, 
 through the blessing of God upon our endeavours, 
 of uniting our voices and praises with the voices 
 and praises of the heavenly host around the 
 throne; well may we exclaim, " Blessed is the 
 man who trusteth in the Lord ; yea, blessed is the 
 man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart 
 are thy ways. Blessed are the pure in heart, for 
 they shall see God. Blessed, Lord, are they 
 that dwell in thy house, they will be ahvays 
 praising thee." 
 
 «< We praise, and bless, and acknowledge thee, 
 both in heart and voice ; even Thee, O Father, 
 begotten of none ; Thee, O Son, the only begot- 
 ten of the Father; Thee, O Holy Ghost, eter- 
 nal Comforter. To this Holy and Undivided 
 Trinity be glory for ever and ever. Amen."* 
 
 * Augustine's Med. p. 23. 
 
( 181 ) 
 
 OBJECTION XVII. 
 
 a No prayers ought to be sung; and therefore, 
 as chanting embraces precatory subjects, it is 
 improper to be admitted into the church." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Every minister, whether he thinks of it or not, 
 pronounces the prayers with a confirmed inflex- 
 ion of voice. This inflexion is a musical accom- 
 paniment to the words which he pronounces, 
 and might be written on lines and spaces, were 
 there a gamut expressive of all the changes of 
 the human voice throughout the five or six 
 notes, by which elocution is bounded. All ver- 
 bal intercourse, as well as reading and preach- 
 ing, admits of the same remark.* 
 
 As a stimulus to devotion, as well as a pre- 
 ventative of that sluggishness in sacred duties, 
 to which our sinful natures are subjected; from 
 the earliest ages of Christianity, regular melodies 
 have been devised, to attend the responses and 
 other prominent parts of public worship, whether 
 deprecatory, supplicatory, or eucharistie; so 
 that, whilst the people joined in pronouncing the 
 same word at the same time, with one heart and 
 
 * See Herries on Elocution, 
 
( 182 ) 
 
 with one mouth, they might also unite in a pro- 
 perly regulated intonation of voice adapted to the 
 subject. 
 
 Before I enter upon an analysis of the question, 
 it seems proper to remark, that though chanting 
 the supplications in the Decalogue may not be 
 strictly, but interpretatively, authorized by the 
 rubric, an objection to chanting them, because 
 they are precatory, would be made with a very 
 ill grace, when all the penitential psalms, and 
 the 42d hymn, which is called a " Prayer for 
 Ministers," are rubrically allowed to be sung in 
 rhyme. 
 
 If it be allowable to sing any precatory subject 
 in rhyme, why not the same subject in prose? 
 
 The supplication after each of the first nine 
 commandments is expressed thus ; 
 
 " Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our 
 hearts to keep this law." 
 
 In the 9th verse of the 51st metre psalm, there 
 is a similar supplication, in these words : 
 
 " Blot out my crying sins, 
 
 nor me in anger view ; 
 Create in me a heart that's clean, 
 
 an upright mind renew." 
 
 The supplication after the Tenth Command- 
 ment is expressed thus : 
 
 / . 
 
( 183 ) 
 
 « Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these 
 thy Laws in our hearts, we beseech thee." 
 
 In the rhyme form, a similar supplication is 
 contained in the 51st Psalm, verse 1. 
 
 " Have mercy, Lord, on me, 
 
 as thou wert ever kind j 
 Let me, oppress'd with loads of guilt* 
 
 thy wonted mercy find." 
 
 And 119th Psalm, verse 5th* 
 
 ** O then that thy most holy will 
 
 might o'er my ways preside* 
 And I the course of all my life 
 
 by thy direction guide." 
 
 Verse 10th. 
 
 « With hearty zeal for thee I seek? 
 
 to thee for succour pray ; 
 O suffer not my careless steps 
 
 from thy right paths to stray ." 
 
 Each of these quotations is a form of prayer ; 
 and the principal difference between them is, 
 that the one is expressed in prose, and the other 
 in rhyme. By what authority then does it be- 
 come lawful to sing the above, or any similar 
 prayer in rhyme, and unlawful to sing the same 
 in prose? 
 
( 18* > 
 
 " Can forms of prayer be deem'd a crime, 
 Merely for the want of rhyme ?" 
 
 The objection to chanting the suffrages to the 
 Decalogue cannot be supported either by scrip- 
 ture, or by argument, when the rubrics, by fair 
 construction, do not forbid it ; and when almost 
 every rhyme psalm that is allowed to be sung in 
 our churches contains more or less of prayer 
 and supplication. Indeed, it is equally impossi- 
 ble, from scripture, or from reason, to disprove 
 the lawfulness of singing prosaic prayers and 
 praises, as it is to prove the lawfulness of sing- 
 ing rhyme or metrificd prayers and praises. 
 
 The word prayer, as a noun, or in the verbal 
 form, occurs in the Psalms frequently; — sixty- 
 seven of the Psalms, in their capitations, are 
 called prayers, and the 20th verse of the 72d 
 Psalm (Bible translation) says, " The prayers of 
 David, the son of Jesse, are ended." Now, if the 
 objector is steady to his purpose, on the pretence 
 that precatory subjects ought not to be sung, he 
 will disqualify for singing nearly one half of 
 the metre psalms, and also a very great propor- 
 tion of the metre hymns. 
 
 Reasoning apart; the example of Paul and 
 Silas ought to silence this objection for ever. 
 " At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang- 
 praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them."*. 
 
 * Aclsx^i 25. 
 
( «» ) 
 
 This translation is strictly conformable to 
 Beza's Latin, but not to the original Greek, of 
 which the words are irpoG-ev%oi*£vo( vfuow, which 
 Beza translates hymnos canebant. Here the 
 word irporsvxofuioi is wholly overlooked. Arias 
 Montanus' translation is, orantes laudabant, 
 which is strictly conformable to the original ; and 
 in English is, praying they praised. Our trans- 
 lation, following Beza's mistranslation, makes 
 the devotional act of Paul and Silas to be simply 
 an act of praise ; but the Greek text represents 
 it as a compound act consisting of prayer and 
 praise. And this is the general character both 
 of the Old and New Testament psalms and hymns. 
 And a good reason for this combination of prayer 
 with praise, in the Christian's most exalted acts 
 of adoration, arises out of the union subsisting 
 between his temporal and his spiritual condition, 
 his afflictions and his mercies, his means of grace 
 and his hopes of glory. In the glorified state, 
 the redeemed of the Lord are never represented 
 as engaged in a compound act of prayer and 
 praise, because hope is swallowed up in vision, 
 and faith in fruition. Their acts of adoration 
 are represented as being purely unmixed, acts 
 of the most refined gratitude, acts of the most 
 jubilant joy.* 
 
 * The only instance of prayer simply so called, which St 
 John hath recorded, is- in the 10th verse of the 6th chapter 
 of his Apocalypse, where the Martyrs address God in an 
 
 q3 
 
( 186 ) 
 
 So contracted is prevailing sentiment concern- 
 ing the interchangeable nature of prayer and 
 praise, that it would sound, not a little queer, 
 in the ears of some persons, to be told, that 
 they sang some of their prayers. But it would 
 surprise no person to be told, that such an one 
 whispers, that such another one mutters them, 
 and that a great many only look at them. And 
 is it not the case, and a lamentable case it is, 
 that some persons merely whisper those respon- 
 sive prayers, which by the rubrics are allowed 
 to be sung; and that others run those over, which 
 by the rubrics are appointed to be said, with 
 such precipitancy and haste, as not to allow them 
 lime for making any suitable impression upon 
 their minds ; whilst the generality of a congre- 
 gation make the ordinary and extraordinary re- 
 sponses with so inarticulate and inaudible a pro- 
 nunciation, as if they were ashamed to speak out 
 in the house of God ; or as if they lived in an 
 age of bloody persecution, and were afraid of 
 discovering to their persecutors, that an assem- 
 bly of out-la wed Christians was gathered to- 
 gether ! 
 
 As in most of the temporal concerns of life, 
 there is a fashion or predominant taste; so is 
 there a fashion or over-ruling taste displayed in 
 the manner of celebrating the offices of religion 5 
 
 £xpostulatory form, after the manner of a chorus, vow fjnynxui 
 ,Wit;h a loud voice. 
 
C iw ) 
 
 as if the duties thereof centered in ourselves, and 
 had no other object than that of self-gratification ; 
 as if the religious fashion, whatever it be, that 
 is the most agreeable to our own feelings and hu- 
 mour, did of course please God the most; and 
 as if there were no other criterion than that of 
 opinion, whereby to ascertain the measure of 
 devotional propriety. Thu3, whispering the 
 JLmens, and all the responses, is, by many, thought 
 to be much more genteel, than pronouncing them 
 with an audible voice. Sitting during the times 
 of prayer is reckoned, by some of our politest 
 members, more gentleman and lady-like, than 
 the old-fashioned and humiliating practice of 
 kneeling. 
 
 Fashion frequently shows its superiority over 
 common sense and religious propriety, in com- 
 pelling all the worshippers in a pew, after the 
 service had commenced, or even had made con- 
 siderable progress, to rise from their knees and 
 evacuate the seat, for the purpose of giving ac- 
 cess to some superior, who had been belated; 
 just as if, in the holy sanctuary, devotion to- 
 wards God admitted of being superseded by a 
 eall for the exercise of courtesy towards a fellow 
 mortal^ 
 
 The practice of bowing at the name of Jesus,* 
 though it be an old-fashioned one, is generally 
 
 * Isa. xlv. 23. and Rom. xiv. 1L, "As 1 live., saith the Lord, 
 eT«ry k&ee shaiJ bo%o to me." 
 
( 188 ) 
 
 observed ; if for no other reason, yet for this, 
 that no inconveniency attends it. But why do 
 we bow at the name of Jesus in the Gospel, and 
 not at all times, when that blessed sound salutes 
 our ears? Surely the rubric of gratitude for our 
 redemption, and the rubric of dependance on him 
 for final acceptance, demand our presenting him 
 this tribute of respect as often as we hear or 
 pronounce the ever-blessed and joyful word, Jesus, 
 the Saviour. 
 
 Nothing tends more effectually to damp our 
 devotion, and formalize our acts of worship, than 
 a carelessness and ease in performing our reli- 
 gious duties ; than a lukewarmness and indiffer- 
 ence, in performing or omitting our proper parts 
 of them. The admonition, " Whatsoever thy 
 hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might," is 
 infinitely more applicable to things belonging to 
 the due celebration of public worship, than to 
 the discharge of the duties of our temporal voca- 
 tion, as the one looks only to time, but the other 
 to eternity. 
 
 In these modern times of what is called ra- 
 tional religion, enthusiasm is as much deprecated 
 as ever the inquisition was ; the affections are 
 hushed to sleep, or not permitted to manifest 
 themselves in outward actions; and Christian 
 duty, even in the sanctuary itself, is, alas ! too 
 much reduced to a state of philosophic coldness, 
 and of uninteresting decency of deportment! 
 
( 189 ) 
 
 Were one of our modem, philosophical Chris- 
 tians carried in a vision, to behold St. Chrysos- 
 tom (e. g.) with his Constantinopolitan Christians 
 in the church of St. Sophia, like a well mar- 
 shalled army under their heroic general, vio- 
 lently besieging* the throne of Grace with their 
 irresistible prayers and praises ; at one time 
 prostrate in prayer ; at another, rivalling the 
 thunders of the heavens with their Aniens, or 
 the trumpet of Sinai with their Hallelujahs; 
 and during their acts of praise and exclamations 
 of Amen, standing on tip-toe, as if to get so 
 much nearer heaven ; would he not pronounce 
 them, Bishop and all, a set of mad enthusiasts ? 
 And, giving an unmeasurable preference to the 
 manners and decencies of his own cotemporaries, 
 would he not thank God, that it was his lot to 
 have been born in a more dispassionate and ra- 
 tional age of the world ? 
 
 * St. Jerome (TI. Proem Com. in Gal.) says, that Amen was pro- 
 nounced by the people in his time, in such a manner, that it resem- 
 bled the sound of thunder. Clemens Alexandrinus (Stromat. Lib. 7) 
 sa} S; that in the African Churches, where the people always prayed 
 standing, at pronouncing Amen, they raised themselves on tip-toe, 
 to express their earnestness. And Jems himself (.Matt ii. 12.) hath 
 informed us, that, " The kingdom of heaven suj~eret,\ viote7-.ee > 
 find the via lent take it by force," 
 
C 190 ) 
 
 OBJECTION XVIII. 
 
 ** If the whole Book of Psalms, and other 
 Books, and parts of Books of the Hebrew scrip- 
 tures are in poetry, there is no impropriety or 
 unlawfulness in turning them into English, or 
 any other vernacular poetry P that they may be 
 sung to ike tunes used in churehw." 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 When we consider that the Bible poetry de- 
 rives not its character from measured feet, as all 
 European poetry uniformly does; it is evident 
 that scripture poetry is incapable of passing into 
 any form of verse, which bears no analogy to 
 its original conformation.* 
 
 There is no similarity between Bible poetry, 
 and the measures of Homer, Virgil, Horace, or 
 of modern versifiers. Every classical scholar 
 knows the method of scanning Greek, Latin, 
 French, and English poetry ; but rules for scan- 
 ning the poetry of the Hebrew scriptures have 
 eluded the search of the most erudite and inqui- 
 
 * " The Hebrew language, like that of the Syrians, Ara- 
 bians, Abyssinians, &c. is incapable of the restraints of feet 
 or measures." Scaliger's Animad. in Chron. 
 
 " Erant enim pu^-fAot Hebrceorum, non tptrpot, sed legre 
 aoluti, cujusmodi etiam erant, et nunc quoque sunt, eorum 
 saltationes." Grot, in Luc. c. i. v. 46. 
 
( m ) 
 
 sitive students. The sacred poetry of the Bible 
 is high as heaven, and bids defiance to measures, 
 which are solely adapted to earth. Like its di- 
 vine Author, it is not within the grasp of human 
 ken, and incommensurate to the inventions of 
 human imagination. " It is a kind of poetry," 
 says Calmet, (per se) " having no parallel in the 
 poetry of human invention ; the most pompous, 
 the most majestic, and the most sublime that can 
 be conceived. The expression, the sentiments, 
 the figures, the variety, the action, every thing 
 is inexpressibly grand and surprising."* 
 
 Should it be asked, what are the characteris- 
 tic marks which essentially discriminate poetic 
 from prosaic diction? Bishop Lowth has given a 
 full and satisfactory answer. 
 
 « Poetry, in every language, has a mode of 
 speaking of its own, nervous, grand, sounding ; 
 enlarged and exaggerated by words ; exquisite and 
 elaborate in the composition ; in its whole habit 
 and colour different from common custom, and 
 frequently, as with a liberal indignation, burst- 
 ing the bounds within which usual discourse is 
 contained — Reason speaks slowly, temperately, 
 gently; it disposes matters regularly; it marks 
 them out clearly, openly ; it explains them dis- 
 tinctly; it principally studies perspicuity, that 
 nothing may be left confused, obscure, or involv- 
 
 * See Calmet on the wo'd; and Bishop Lowth's Prelections on 
 the Poeuy of the Hebrews. 
 
( 192 ) 
 
 ed. But the passions have no regard to these 
 things. The conceptions flow rapidly; they 
 struggle within ; the more vehement of these 
 rush forth temerariously, as they can ; they do 
 not seek, but seize hold of what is vivid, ardent, 
 animated ; — in one word, reason uses plain prose, 
 the passions speak poetically."* 
 
 In regard to the poems of the Hebrews fall- 
 ing into regular lines, often into regular stan- 
 zas, according to the pauses of the sentences; 
 which stanzas and lines have a certain parity or 
 proportion to one another, these consist of verse; 
 ■ — of verse distinguished from prose, not only by 
 the style, the figures, the diction ; by a loftiness 
 of thought, and richness of imagery; but by 
 being divided into lines, and sometimes into sys- 
 tems of lines; which lines, having an apparent 
 equality, similitude, or proportion one to another, 
 are in some sort measured by the ear, and regu- 
 lated according to some general laws of metre, 
 rhythm, harmony, and cadence. 
 
 V* hatever it might be that constituted Hebrew 
 verse, it certainly did not consist in rhyme, or 
 similar and correspondent sounds at the ends of 
 the verses. And it plainly appears, that, as the 
 final syllables of the correspondent verses, 
 whether in distiches or triplets, are not similar in 
 sound to one another ; it is manifest, that rhyme 
 
 * Lect. XIV. on the sacretl Poetry of the Hebrews, 
 
C *93 ) 
 
 OL* similar endings are not an essential part of 
 Hebrew verse. The grammatical forms of the 
 Hebrew language in the verbs and pronouns, 
 and the plurals of nouns, are so simple and uni- 
 form, and bear so great a share in the termina- 
 tion of words, that similar endings must some- 
 times happen, and cannot well be avoided ; but 
 so far from constituting an essential or principal 
 part of the art of Hebrew versification, they 
 seem to have been no object of attention and 
 study, nor to have been industriously sought after 
 as a favourite accessary ornament."* 
 
 In translations of the psalmodic parts of holy 
 scripture, much more of the poetical character 
 is retained in those that are literal, than in those 
 that are free. Of this Bishop Lowth has given 
 the following specimens. 
 
 " 1. He hath made a memorial of his wonders : 
 gracious and of tender mercy is Jehovah. Psalm 
 cxi. *. 
 
 " 2. Behold ! an heritage from Jehovah are 
 children ; a reward, the fruit of the womb. Psalm 
 cxxvii. 4. 
 
 " 3. Trust ye not in princes; in a son of man. 
 in whom is no salvation. 
 
 " His breath goeth forth ; he returneth to his 
 earth ; in the day his thoughts perish. 
 
 "Jehovah shall reign for ever; thy God, O 
 Zion, from age to age." Psalm cxlvi. 2, 3, 10. 
 
 * Bishop Lowth's Prelim. Dis. to his Version of Isaiah, p 10. 
 
 R 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 The correspondent versions in the Bible and 
 Prayer Book are mere prose ; but these retain 
 the outlines and the features of the original, and 
 from that cause alone are still poetry. 
 
 As a specimen of New Testament poetry, let 
 the celebrated hymn recorded in the 4th chapter 
 of the Acts of the Apostles, be presented to the 
 reader, distributed into verses, according to the 
 manner in which it was originally sung. 
 
 " 1. Lord ! thou art God, who hast made heaven 
 and earth ; and the sea, and all that in them is ; 
 
 " Who, by the mouth of thy servant David, 
 hast said ; Why did the heathen rage, and the 
 people imagine a vain thing ? 
 
 " 2. The kings of the earth stood up ; and the 
 rulers were gathered together ; 
 
 «« Against the Lord ; and against his Christ. 
 
 " 3. For, of a truth, against thy holy child Je- 
 sus, whom thou hast anointed ; Herod, and Pon- 
 tius Pilate, with the Gentiles ; and the people of 
 Israel were gathered together ; for to do whatso- 
 ever thy hand and thy counsel determined before 
 to be done. 
 
 « 4. And now, Lord ! behold their threatenings ! 
 And grant unto thy servants, that with all bold- 
 ness they may speak thy word ; 
 
 « By stretching forth thine hand to heal ; 
 
 tf And that signs and wonders may be done, by 
 the name of thy holy child Jesus." 
 
 From this specimen, a correct idea of the 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 hymnology of the first Christians may be formed. 
 Unlike to the arts and sciences invented by man, 
 which are susceptible of the improvements of 
 succeeding times, Christianity was the purest and 
 most perfect at its first promulgation, and every 
 alteration or pretended improvement was verily 
 a diminution of its original excellency. Under 
 the immediate direction of the Holy Spirit lead- 
 ing them into all truth, and bringing all things 
 recorded in the Law and the Prophets to their re- 
 membrance, the Apostles and first Christians, 
 whenever they prayed or sang praises, not only 
 availed themselves of their perfect knowledge in 
 the then existing scriptures, but also in their 
 intimate acquaintance with the Liturgy of the 
 Jewish Church, that they but adapted the forms 
 contained in them either to particular circum- 
 stances, or to the renovated state of things under 
 the reign of the Messiah. 
 
 Jesus Christ was no innovator — no violent in- 
 discriminating reformer; he always honoured the 
 religious solemnities of the Jewish church ; and 
 his immediate followers never ceased to attend 
 the temple-service, until they were either ex- 
 communicated, or forcibly driven from it. But 
 their ejection from the temple was with them no 
 argument for rejecting either its forms of prayer 
 or praise. Indeed, almost all the forms of 
 prayer or praise recorded in the New Testament, 
 are extracts from the temple-service. 
 
( i»« ) 
 
 Having duly appreciated these preliminai-y ob* 
 servations, we are prepared to enter upon the 
 merits of the objection before us. And as the 
 truth of the proposition contained in the objection 
 has for se many years, and among almost all the 
 different sections of the Reformation, been ad- 
 mitted ; it is necessary to be precise in our rea- 
 sonings and adductions of scripture to disprove it. 
 liet me therefore crave the reader's patience and 
 unprejudiced attention, whilst we reason together. 
 
 If we look at the title-page of our Bibles, the 
 very first word that presents itself is, Holy, 
 " Holiness to the Lord" is the indelible super- 
 scription on all the revelations of the High and 
 Holy One who inhabiteth eternity. And when we 
 consider that the same characters of sanctity and 
 immutability, which belong to the Son of God, 
 the Logos or Word incarnate, are indiscrimi- 
 nately annexed to the Logos or Word of revelation, 
 with what awe and reverence must we behold the 
 inestimable volume ? That God, who is jealous 
 of a rival, should share the attributes of his ho- 
 liness and immutability with the scriptures, must 
 needs cause us to stand in awe of them, and to 
 exclaim— *How dreadful is this book! It is none 
 other than the Word which Jesus hath spoken, 
 by which he will judge the quick and the dead 
 at the last day ! Surely in this book, life and 
 death are set before us, as it contains the rule of 
 present action, and the rule of future judgment! 
 
( iw ) 
 
 Whether the law of the Most High be written 
 or traditionary, its dignity and obligation are the 
 same ; for in every age of the world, " holy men 
 spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 
 
 During the protracted longevity of the ante- 
 diluvians, the Law was altogether oral, and per- 
 haps retained in the memory of the faithful 
 partly by the aid of hieroglyphics or picture 
 writings ; but as the life of man, after the flood, 
 was first reduced to the contracted span of one 
 hundred and twenty years, and then limited to 
 three score and ten, it became necessary that 
 man should be endued with a knowledge of pre- 
 serving and transmitting the divine communica- 
 tions, in a more certain and diffusable manner, 
 first by letter-writing, and then by printing. 
 
 Recorded on the pages of perishable materials, 
 the xvords of eternal life now stand ; and if they 
 are not written on the tablets of our hearts, and 
 made the rule of our inward thoughts, and of 
 our outward actions, they will stand up in the 
 judgment and demand our condemnation. If we 
 keep our Bibles shut as so many sealed books, 
 they will not always remain so ; their divine Au- 
 thor will one day open them, and we shall then 
 be judged according to what in them is recorded. 
 
 Thiuk not, brethren, because these books, 
 framed of earthly materials, shall indiscrimi- 
 nately with all other things, share in the general 
 conflagration* that their contents shall be ex- 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 punged or forgotten : no ! our own memories will 
 retain large portions of them; and could we sup- 
 pose that they will then prove treacherous, which 
 we can hardly admit, — they will he all remem- 
 bered by their divine Author, for ** eternal law 
 resteth in the bosom of God.'-* 
 
 By the original charter granted to Adam, man is 
 invested with the power of " subduing the earth," 
 and with " dominion over the fish of the sea, 
 and over every living thing that moveth upon the 
 earth."f But however this power and dominion 
 over the works of the Creator's hands ma\ have 
 been contracted after the fall, or extended after 
 the flood, or amplified still more after the advent 
 of Christ ; no such power and dominion hath ever 
 been given over the tvords that have proceeded 
 out of his mouth. Like their divine Author, 
 they remain for ever and ever the same. When 
 the earth and the works that are therein shall 
 have been consumed by fire ; when the very hea- 
 vens shall have been rolled together like a scroll, 
 ©r changed like a vesture, the word of the Lord 
 shall be the same, and his (its) years shall not 
 fail. " One joU or tittle of the law shall not fail, 
 till all be fulfilled," is the solemn declaration of 
 ihe legislator himself. 
 
 To be the permanent textuaries of his holy 
 wordy divine Wisdom saw proper to select the 
 
 » Hooker's Esei. Pclitr. p. B. f Gen. i, 2* 
 
( 199 ) 
 
 Hebrew and Greek languages— «thc one copious* 
 rhetorical, and compounded— the other concise, 
 majestic, and radical. The Hebrew and Greek 
 originals are properly called the Holy Scriptures, 
 and all faithful translations of them are entitled 
 to that high appellation in a secondary sense only. 
 But because God is no respecter of persons, he 
 suffered not his holy word, in the language of 
 the Jew and in that of the Greek, to be conceal- 
 ed from other nations ; on the day of Pentecost 
 he sanctioned translations, when his Holy Spirit 
 enabled the Apostles to speak the wonderful 
 works of God in the languages of all nations un- 
 der heaven. But the scripture history of that 
 memorable event hath given no reason for believ- 
 ing that the Holy Spirit authorized versified 
 translations or paraphrases, either of the original 
 scriptures, or of the future prosaic translations 
 of them. The art of versification, in the 
 ancient or modern sense of the word, seems to 
 have been no part of the donation of that ever- 
 memorable day; for all the New Testament 
 hymns, both in the original, and in all author- 
 ized translations, are expressed in a diction 
 entirely free from the fetters and manacles of 
 measured feet and rhyme. 
 
 In authorized translations, « the -vord of God 
 abideth for ever ;" but the word of God, when 
 metrified, ceases to be " the law of the spirit of 
 life;" for the poetical license, the leaven of hu> 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 man imagination, " leavens the whole lump." In 
 the prosaic form, we properly denominate every 
 authorized version of the scriptures, " The Bi- 
 ble ;" but no well informed Christian will call a 
 rhythmical version by that thrice honourable ap- 
 pellation. 
 
 The title, " The Psalms of David in metre," 
 at the very first glance, suggests the idea of 
 their having been compelled to undergo a meta~ 
 morphosis. And every change is necessarily ei- 
 ther for the better, or for the worse. The word 
 metre, or measure, would seem to imply, that 
 the words only of the authorized version had 
 undergone a change, not of substitution, but of 
 order and collocation in the several periods. 
 But this is not all the import of the word; it ex- 
 tends even to a measurement of the sense and 
 sentiment of the subject to which it is applied. 
 In point of sentiment, for the sake of measure, 
 many passages are altered, not a few are ex- 
 changed, and some are wholly ejected: so that 
 the metre version and the prose translation speak 
 different things. The interjectional parts of all 
 metre versions are so numerous that they almost 
 bid defiance to credibility itself. In the nature 
 of the thing, it cannot be otherwise. Any two 
 things, which are incommensurate to one an- 
 other, can never be made to tally. Sooner may 
 the quadrature of the circle be ascertained to 
 absolute perfection, than the freedom of prose 
 
( 2»i ) 
 
 be made to comport with the servitude of 
 poetry. 
 
 If-then the Psalms in a metrical form cannot 
 be called scripture ; so neither in strict propriety 
 can they be called a human composition. And if 
 they can neither be called scripture, nor a human 
 composition, under what class of writings ought 
 they to be ranged ? The subject is divine, pre- 
 cious as the most fine gold. To this as a head, 
 the art of poetry hath subjoined a breast and arms 
 of silver, a belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, 
 zudfeet partly of iron and partly of clay ! 
 
 Such a mixture of the purer with the baser 
 metals, nay, even with clay itself, must be the re- 
 sult, whenever human imagination undertakes to 
 alter, or accommodate to its own taste, the dic^ 
 iion and style of any part or parts of the sacred 
 and intactible volume. Nay, every mixture of 
 the fruits of human fancy with the holy scrip- 
 tures, is virtually prohibited in the following texts : 
 — « Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled 
 seed." 5 * — " Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with 
 divers seeds; lest the fruit of thy seed which 
 thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, 
 be deflled."f 
 
 To the natural philosopher the rationale of 
 these prohibitions is obvious ; and to the Chris- 
 tian philosopher, by a transfer of ideas, their 
 import and propriety are equally discernible. 
 
 * Levit xix. 19. t DeufaxiL 9. 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 If it be an absurd action to put « a piece of 
 new cloth to an old garment," or to put " new 
 wine into old bottles ;" it must be equally, if not 
 more absurd, to put patches of linsey-woolsey 
 upon the ephod of Aaron, and to ingraft pieces 
 of cloth of any kind whatsoever into the seamless 
 eoat of the blessed Jesus. 
 
 The word of God is a whole of itself, " wo* 
 ven from the top throughout ;" and every addi- 
 tion, alteration, or suppression, but tends to de- 
 base and destroy it. This talent has engaged the 
 search and learning of pious men in every ag£ 
 and country; and the internal in conjunction 
 with the external evidence of its divine authen- 
 ticity, proclaims, that it is neither to be alloyed 
 with the fruits of human imagination, nor its 
 shape and superscription to be changed. 
 
 We are not to suffer it to lay « wrapped up in 
 a napkin," but rather to " carry it to the ex- 
 changers," the translators and printers, that 
 faithful duplicates of it may be multiplied, for 
 the purpose of enriching all nations that dwell 
 on the face of the earth.* Thus shall the voice 
 of the Prophets, of the Apostles, and of Jesus 
 himself, be heard in the Christian synagogues, 
 
 * This is done in Europe and America by numerous Bible socie- 
 ties, whom unborn generations shall call blessed. 
 
 Next to the Hebrew original, in point of antiquity, stands the 
 Greek version, called tlie Septuagint, because translated by seventy 
 interpreters, it was made in Egypt about the year l ^84 before Christ, 
 The first Knglish version of the Old and New Testaments was print 
 *d ;n l5'o6- t and the first s£ereot\ pe edition in 1806, 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 and from house to house, speaking in all lan- 
 guages, " the wonderful works of God," and 
 showing the way of salvation, " to all kindreds, 
 tongues, and nations, that dwell on the faee of 
 the earth. 
 
 Darting into future times, the scripture-actu- 
 ated soul contemplates the fulfilment of the pro- 
 phecy ; — " As the rain cometh down, and the 
 snow, from heaven, and returneth not thither, 
 but watereth the earth, and raaketh it bring forth 
 and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and 
 bread to the eater; so shall my word be that go- 
 eth forth out of my mouth : it shall not return 
 unto me void ; but it shall accomplish that which 
 I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where- 
 to I sent it. 99 * 
 
 But where is the person to be found, who says 
 that this prophecy is more likely to receive its 
 accomplishment by means of versified scriptures, 
 than of prosaic ones ? No member of any Bible 
 society has ever indulged so wild a dream. No, 
 so far from it, that all the Bibles edited by Bible 
 societies are bound up without metre psalms. 
 The addition of metre psalms to Bibles distribut- 
 ed among the Christians of the East would mili- 
 tate against their utility ; for they never had any 
 knowledge of metrified scriptures, and would be 
 apt to suspect the fidelity of the whole transla- 
 
 * Isaiah lv. 10, 11. 
 
( 20* ) 
 
 tkm, at beholding such an unwarranted liberty 
 taken with one book of it.* 
 
 During a period of nearly fourteen centuries, 
 whilst the original scriptures, and all transla- 
 tions of them were retained in manuscripts, it is 
 no matter of wonder, though some words had 
 slipt into the text, some words had been omitted, 
 or one word miss-written for another, through 
 the hurry, inattention, or natural frailty of tran- 
 scribers ; but by collating a variety of manuscripts 
 of different dates, and in different languages, the 
 true and genuine reading has been recovered, and 
 the exact meaning of the originals ascertained. 
 This has been the occupation of some of the 
 most learned men of the European world during 
 the best part of their lives, and grammatical 
 knowledge faithfully applied has proved a happy 
 substitute for immediate revelation. Indeed, 
 grammatical precision is the only human guar- 
 dian of scripture veracity. 
 
 Translations of holy scripture are so much the 
 more perfect, in proportion as they are literal. 
 And hence it is, that they must necessarily lose 
 some portion of the elegancy and sublimity of 
 
 * Several years since an old African negro accosted the writer thus; 
 ** Massa! 'merica churchman got two kinds of psalms ; African one, 
 David. Why two P one good enough. God told David good words; 
 who told Tet a Brady ? Tet a Brady mend David psalms ? No, no, 
 jTiassa, God word nil good, good no need mending." 
 
 This man's name was Primus, and oue of the slaves of Levin 
 Handy, Esq. in Stepney-parish, Maryland. He was a well informed 
 Christian, and told the writer that he had been a communicant in the 
 Church of Carthage. 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 the originals. " For, the same things uttered in 
 Hebrew, and translated into any other tongue, 
 not only these things, but the Law itself, and the 
 Prophets, and the rest of the Books, have no 
 small difference, when they are spoken in their 
 own language."* In the Hebrew and Greek 
 scriptures there are many words, many idioms, 
 and many national customs, for which no other 
 language affords an exact equivalent. " It is 
 however incumbent on every translator to study 
 the manner of his Author, to mark the peculiari- 
 ties of his style, to imitate his features, his air, 
 his gesture, and, as far as the difference of lan- 
 guage will permit, even his very voice ; in a word, 
 to give the just and expressive resemblance of 
 the original. If he does not carefully attend to 
 this, he will sometimes fail of entering into his 
 meaning; he will always exhibit him unlike him- 
 self ; in a dress, that will appear strange and un- 
 becoming, to all that are in any degree acquainted 
 with him."f 
 
 Every authorized translation of the scriptures 
 is regarded as the representative, or fac simile, 
 of the Hebrew and Greek originals ; and there- 
 fore, the more closely a translation resembles 
 the original, so much the more faithful it is. 
 In like manner a picture, which resembles life, 
 and exhibits every peculiarity of feature, air, 
 
 * Prologue to the Book of Ecclesiasies. 
 
 f Bishop Lowth's Prelim. Disc, to his Version of Isaiah, p. 32, 
 
 s 
 
( 206 ) 
 
 and complexion in the original, is much more es- 
 teemed than one bearing a distant resemblance, 
 be it ever so fine, or ever so flattering. The one 
 is a true likeness, and therefore is a faithful re- 
 presentative of the original ; the other a fictitious 
 imitation, and consequently an untrue represen- 
 tative of the person for whom it was drawn. 
 
 If it be said that metre versions of the psalms 
 and other scriptures are expressed in words syno- 
 nimous to those of the prose translation; let it 
 be asked — Who would not prefer the words of 
 the authorized translation, the acknowledged 
 representative of the originals, to synonyms and 
 circumlocutions, of whose right to be consi- 
 dered the legal representatives of the originals, 
 there may exist a doubt ? Who would not consi- 
 der a written instrument, having the proper seals 
 and signatures appended to it, of infinitely higher 
 authenticity, than a duplicate ever so well imi- 
 tated? Close and fair translation is one thing, 
 and loose and rhythmical paraphrase is another. 
 There can be no such thing as a true metrical 
 translation of one language into another; every 
 pretence of the kind is a mere deception. Every 
 prosaic translation, be it rendered ever so faith- 
 fully and critically, loses some portion of the 
 spirit of the original ; but every rhythmical ver- 
 sion is not only a departure from the original, in 
 point of diction, and the verbal order of thought; 
 but it embraces whatever meaning the versifier 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 thinks proper to give it. So frequently have the 
 versifiers of David's Psalms departed from the 
 original, and all authorised translations, by the 
 use of synonyms and circumlocutions, by addi- 
 tions, alterations, and suppressions, that, in 
 numberless instances, scarcely a feature of simU 
 larity between the prose and the verse is dis- 
 cernible. 
 
 What Jerome said of the alterations in the La- 
 tin Vulgate, " cum apud Latinos tot sint exem- 
 plaria, quot codices, ct unusquisque, pro arbitrio 
 suo, vel addiderit, vel subtraxerit quod visum 
 est,"* is equally applicable to the metre versions 
 of David's Psalms, which, since the beginning 
 of the 15th century, have inundated a great part 
 of the northern hemisphere. Were David, at the 
 present time, to behold all these versions of his 
 divine odes, he would reject every one of them 
 as spurious translations; just as Livy would 
 have disowned a version of his works, which ap- 
 peared in the 9th century in Iambics; and Virgil, 
 a version of his Eneid, which appeared in the 
 10th century in monkish rhyme. 
 
 Every person acquainted with the structure of 
 languages, knows that there are not two words 
 in any language possessed of the same quantity, 
 though they may have the same kind of mean- 
 ings and therefore, with all the aid of rules and 
 
 • Dr. Marsh's Theol. Lect p. 72. 
 
( 298 ) 
 
 rhyming dictionaries, the difficulty of apportioli- 
 ing the feet, and chiming the cadences, has not 
 only occasioned many erasures, but also many 
 departures from the textual subject. For_ the 
 sake of m a sweetly-sounding line," and a pro- 
 perly rhyming cadence ; to prevent lame feet ; to 
 restrain the subject within, or to extend it so as 
 to fill up the number of feet and lines in the pro- 
 posed measure, the versifier is frequently re- 
 duced to the necessity of going beyond, of falling 
 short, or of going to the right or to the left hand 
 of his subject. The translator into prosaic dic- 
 tion has it always in his power to make choice of 
 the vocables, which are the most appropriate 
 and expressive of the import of the original, and 
 the liberty of making the general harmony of his 
 periods but a secondary consideration ; whereas 
 the versifier, being always obliged to make the 
 measures and cadences of his lines a matter of 
 primary importance, is frequently under the ne- 
 cessity of adopting words less appropriate, and 
 less expressive of the original. Consequently, 
 every attempt to versify any part or parts of the 
 sacred code, and at the same time to retain 
 their spirit and intent, is futile, and attended with 
 absolute impossibility. 
 
 No book of the sacred volume hath been so 
 often, and so unmercifully tortured on the rack 
 of rhyme, as the Book of Psalms. 
 
 Madam Dacier, in the preface to her transla- 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 tion of Homer, assures us, « that the Books of 
 the Prophets, and the Psalms, even in the vul- 
 gate, are all full of such passages, as the great- 
 est poet in the world could not put into verse, 
 without losing much of their majesty and pathos." 
 , Dr. Beattie says, « Tate and Brady are too 
 quaint, and where the Psalm rises to sublimity 
 (which is very often the case) are apt to sink into 
 bombast. Sternhold and Hopkins are in general 
 bad. Watts is too paraphrastical. King James' 
 version, considering the age and the author, sur- 
 prisingly good."* — « The modish tricks and or- 
 naments of verse appear to me not very graceful 
 in serious poetry of any sort ; but in sacred 
 poetry I consider them as worse than ungraceful, 
 as even indecent."f — « Does not the spirit of 
 such compositions evaporate, when it is strained 
 through the syllable-squeezing alembic? Did 
 you ever see a version of the Psalms of David in 
 metre, of Job, or the Song of Solomon, that 
 possessed all the pathos, simplicity, and subli- 
 mity of the prose translation V 9 \ 
 
 Writing on the sublimity of the holy scriptures, 
 Mr. Addison says ; " The human mind can con- 
 ceive nothing more elevated, more grand, more 
 glowing and beautiful, and more elegant, than 
 what we meet with in the writings of the Hebrew 
 bards. The almost ineffable sublimity of the 
 
 ■ Sir W. Forbes' Life of Dr. Beattie. Let. 115. f Let. 125. 
 
 4 Let. 2. 
 
 S % 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 subjects they treat of is fully equalled by the 
 energy of the language, and the dignity of the 
 style. After perusing the Book of Psalms, let 
 a judge of the beauties of poetry read a literal 
 translation of Horace or Pindar, and he will find 
 in these such an absurdity and confusion of style, 
 with such a comparative poverty of imagination, 
 as will make him sensible of the vast superiority 
 of the scripture style. And therefore, « As 
 psalms may, in prose, as easily as in verse, be 
 adapted to music, why should we seek to force 
 those divine strains into the measures of Roman 
 or modern song? He who translated Livy into 
 Iambics, and Virgil into monkish rhyme, did 
 not act more absurdly. In fact, sentiments or 
 devotion arc rather depressed than elevated by 
 the arts of the European versifier."* 
 
 And Dr. Johnson says ; " It has been the fre- 
 quent lamentation of good men, that verse has 
 been too little applied to the purposes of worships 
 and many attempts have been made to animate 
 devotion by pious poetry. That they have very 
 seldom attained their end is sufficiently known, 
 and it may not be improper to inquire why they 
 have miscarried. 
 
 Let no pious ear be offended, if I advanee, io 
 opposition to many authorities, that poetical de- 
 votion cannot often please. 
 
 * Dr, CeaH^'s Mora* and Critical Discourses, vol. ii. p. 41£ 
 
( m ) 
 
 The doctrines of religion may indeed be de- 
 fended in a didactic poem; and he who has the 
 happy power of arranging his verse, will not 
 lose it, because bis subject is sacred. A poet 
 may describe the beauties, and the grandeur of 
 nature, the flowers of the spring, and the har- 
 vests of autumn ; the vicissitudes of the tides, 
 and the revolutions of the sky ; and praise the 
 Maker for his works, in lines which no reader 
 shall lay aside. The subject of the disputation 
 is not piety, but the motives to piety ; that of 
 the description is not God, but the works of God. 
 
 Contemplative poetry, or the intercourse be- 
 tween God and the human soul, cannot be poe- 
 tical. Man admitted to implore the mercy of his 
 Creator, and plead the merits of his Redeemer, is 
 already in a higher state than poetry can confer. 
 The essence of poetry is invention ; such inven- 
 tion as, by producing something unexpected, sur- 
 prises and delights. The topics of devotion are 
 few, and being few, are universally known ; but 
 few as they are, they can be made no more ;— * 
 they can receive no grace from novelty of senti- 
 ment, and very little from novelty of expression. 
 Poetry pleases by exhibiting an idea more grateful 
 to the mind than things themselves afford. This 
 effect proceeds from the display of those parts 
 of nature which attract, and the concealment of 
 those, which repel the imagination. But reli- 
 gion must be shown as it is 5 suppression and ad 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 ditiort equally corrupt it ; and such as it is, it i« 
 known already. From poetry, the reader justly 
 expects, and from good poetry always obtains 
 the enlargement of his comprehension, and ele- 
 vation of his fancy ; but this is rarely to be hoped 
 by Christians from metrical devotion. What- 
 ever is great, desirable, or tremendous, is com- 
 prised in the name of the Supreme Being. Om- 
 nipotence cannot be exalted ; Infinity cannot be 
 amplified; Perfection cannot be improved. 
 
 The employments of pious meditation are Faith, 
 Thanksgiving, Repentance, and Supplication. 
 Faith, invariably uniform, cannot be invested by 
 fancy with decorations. Thanksgiving, the most 
 joyful of all holy effusions, yet addressed to a 
 Being without passions, is confined to a few 
 modes, and is to be felt, rather than expressed. 
 Repentance, trembling in the presence of the 
 Judge, is not at leisure for cadences and epithets. 
 Supplication of man to man may diffuse itself 
 through many topics of persuasion ; but suppli- 
 cation to God can only cry for mercy. 
 
 Of sentiments purely religious, it will be found, 
 that the most simple expression is the most sub- 
 lime. Poetry loses its lustre and its power, be- 
 cause it is applied to something more excellent 
 than itself. All that verse can do, is to help the 
 memory, and delight the ear; and for these pur- 
 poses it may be very useful ; but it supplies no- 
 thing to the mind. The ideas of Christian The- 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 ology are all too simple for eloquence, too sacred 
 for fiction, and too majestic for ornament. To 
 recommend them by tropes and figures, is to 
 magnify, by a concave mirror, the sideral he- 
 misphere."* 
 
 By every unprejudiced reader, these illustra- 
 tions and reasonings will be admitted as an am- 
 ple demonstration, that the spirit of devotion is 
 not to be found in metrical psalms and hymns, 
 but in scripture forms and the prosaic hymns of 
 the Church only. If God, in his revealed word, 
 hath not sufficiently opened every well of salva- 
 tion, and every store-house of spiritual suste- 
 nance ; in vain shall we apply to the wells of our 
 own digging, and the store-houses of our own 
 contriving. If the Prophets and the Apostles 
 Lave not, in their writings, sufficiently shown un- 
 to us the way of salvation, do we expect sup- 
 plementary directions from the uninspired versi- 
 fiers? Is it likely that holy scripture, is» the sim- 
 ple, but majestic dress of prosaic diction, is un- 
 able to " make us wise unto salvation," until it 
 has been compelled to appear in the meretricious 
 plaits, flounces and furbelows of verse ? If " the 
 Law of the spirit of life" is deemed sufficient to 
 *« guide our feet into the way of truth and peace," 
 to what purpose do we borrow the puerile aids 
 which poetry offers ? It is by the writings of the 
 
 * J)r. Johnson's Lives of the Potts. Art. W^te 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 Prophets and Apostles that we are now to regu- 
 late our lives, and hereafter to be judged; and 
 if we are not drawn to God by the instrumenta- 
 lity of his prosaic scriptures, it were presumption 
 to expect to be drawn to him by humanly para- 
 phrased or metrified ones. 
 
 Scriptures adulterated with mixtures of hu- 
 man imagination may tickle and amuse the sen- 
 sual ear, but will never " prick any man to the 
 heart," and cause him to exclaim, " What shall 
 I do to^be saved?" Nor, indeed, is there any 
 promise, nor any reason for believing, that they 
 will ever prove to any one « the power of God, 
 and the wisdom of God unto salvation." But, 
 if the scriptures, unadulterated with the con- 
 ceits of human fancy, " are able to make men 
 wise unto salvation," and the Apostles' declara- 
 tion that they are, is decisive, why then should 
 they be changed from their vernacular state, into 
 a humanly devised condition, in order to accom- 
 plish a purpose, to which they are commensurate 
 in their prosaic state only? 
 
 This doctrine is affirmed in the 6th Article, 
 thus; — " Holy scripture eontaineth all things 
 necessary to salvation: so that, whatsoever is 
 not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is 
 not to be required of any man, that it should be 
 believed as an article of faith, or be thought re- 
 quisite or necessary to salvation." 
 
 £ut metrified scriptures are no where to he 
 
( 2*5 ) 
 
 found in our Bibles, nor can they be proved by 
 either scripture texts, or by fair deductions from 
 the general import of the canon of scripture, to 
 be agreeable to the mind of God ; it follows that 
 they are neither rules of faith, nor requisite, 
 nor necessary to salvation. 
 
 In the latter clause of the 17th Article we 
 read ; " that will of God is to be followed, which 
 we have expressly declared unto us, in the Word 
 of God." 
 
 And the 20th Article affirms that—" The 
 Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremo- 
 nies, and Authority in controversies of Faith: 
 And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain 
 any thing that is contrary to God's word written; 
 neither may it so expound one place of scripture, 
 that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, al- 
 though the Church be a Witness and a Keeper* 
 of Holy Writ, yet as it ought not to decree any 
 thing against the same, so besides the same ought 
 it not to enforce any thing to be believed for ne- 
 cessity of salvation." 
 
 Every expression in this article is as propitious 
 to the point in view, as the most zealous advocate 
 for the intactableness of Holy Scripture can de- 
 
 * Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture. St Mark xvi. 15. 
 
 Ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, 
 and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts i. 8. 
 
 We are witnesses of all things which he did. Acts x. 39. 
 
 It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1 Cor. iv. 2. 
 
 Keep the sayings of the Prophecy of this Book. Rev. xxii. t>. 
 
( 216 ) 
 
 sire. One of the most cogent arguments that 
 can be adduced, to prove that Holy Writ is not 
 to be interpolated with expressions of human dic- 
 tion, is contained in the affirmation, " The 
 Church is the witness and keeper of Holy Writ. ,, 
 
 As a witness, the Church bears its testimony 
 to the truth of Holy Writ ; and as a keeper, it 
 acts as an appointed conservator of the integrity 
 of the same. As a witness, and keeper of the 
 two Testaments, the Church not only bears its 
 testimony to their canonicalness and sufficiency 
 for every thing belonging to life and godliness ; 
 but also it keeps watch over the Holy Scriptures, 
 that neither the original text be adulterated, nor 
 the approved translation be perverted— that no- 
 thing be altered, nothing be added, nothing be 
 suppressed — that in making translations of the 
 original scriptures into other languages, ** the 
 will of God be followed," and not « the devices 
 and desires of our own hearts.*' 
 
 The whole of ecclesiastical authority, as it re- 
 spects the scriptures, is purely confidential. 
 * The glorious Gospel of the blessed God was 
 committed to my trust.'**—* " This charge I com- 
 mit to thee."| — * Keep that which is committed 
 to thy trust.":): — " Hold fast the form of sound 
 words."§ — " The things which thou hast heard 
 of me among many witnesses, the same commit 
 
 * 1 Tim. I 11. f 18. * vi. 20. § 2 Tim. i. 13. 
 
( aw ) 
 
 thou to faithful men, who shall he able to teach 
 others also."* — " A Bishop must be blameless, 
 holding fast the faithful word."\ 
 
 Now this faithful word is the written (JiaS-wz) 
 covenant or dispensation of mercy, for accom- 
 plishing the redemption and salvation of mankind 
 by Jesus Christ. Illustrative of the immutable 
 nature of this covenant, dispensation, or testa- 
 ment, St Paul adduces the parallel of a human 
 testament. *' Though it be but a man's (JW^kj*) 
 covenant (testament,) yet if it be (xeKvpa/Mvvv Jw^jj- 
 xjjv, authenlicatnm testamentumj confirmed, (au- 
 thenticated by seals and signatures, and the death 
 of the testator) no man disannulled), or addeth 
 thereto.":): 
 
 Actuated by this view of the subject, the 
 Church of England hath always withheld its ap- 
 probation from metrified scriptures ;§ and our 
 own Church has verily done the same, in its giv- 
 ing only a bare allowance for the use of them. 
 But it is questionable, whether the Church, in 
 giving an allowance to use metrified scriptures in 
 its assemblies, has not gone beyond its confiden- 
 tial powers ; as the right to give such an allow- 
 ance cannot be said to come within the sense of 
 
 * 2 Tim. ii. 2. f Titus v. 7. * Gal. iii. 15. 
 
 § The allowance for the use of Tate and Brady's I'salms was no 
 act of con vocational authority; but a mere placebo to the petition 
 of two individuals, domesticks of the King's household. See the 
 Allowance in the Appendix, Sect. III. 
 
 T 
 
( 218 ) 
 
 the official words, « Witness and Keeper of 
 Holy Writ," 
 
 Before a civil tribunal, a witness is bound to 
 f declare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
 but the truth ;" he is not at liberty to use men- 
 tal reservations, or to perplex his evidence with 
 mixtures of adventitious testimony irrelevant to 
 the case in hand. In like manner, a Witness, 
 as being always in the presence of God, giving 
 his testimony concerning Holy Writ, is to « de- 
 clare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
 but the truth." He is neither to wrest* the 
 scriptures, nor to adulteratef them with any of 
 
 ■ 2 Pet. iii. 16. Here the original word a^tt^/xto* signifies, 
 unsettled, unstable, unsteady, given to change. Irptfixou, 
 torqueo, tormentis distraho, distorqueo, perverto, depravo. 
 Hed. Lex. To distort, crook, to distort the limbs on a rack, 
 to put to the rack, to wrest, or torture the scriptures to make 
 them speak an unnatural sense, which was never intended. 
 Parkhurst's Gr. Lex. Therefore the words att^ktoi ff-rpt* 
 fi\ov<7t may be rendered, innovators, or persons given to change^ 
 distort the scriptures into an unnatural form and signification. 
 And this is precisely the case with all poetical versions of 
 those divine books. 
 
 f 2 Cor. ii. 17. We are not as many who (aatTaxeyovre?, cau- 
 ponantes, adulterantes) corrupt the "Word of God. The word 
 jcA7r>i\ivoe, from KX7r»\Gs y a vintner, signifies to make a gain 
 of any thing, especially by adulterating it with heterogeneous 
 mixtures. 
 
 Isaiah i. 22. Ot x.&7M\ct trcv fjurycvri voi c/vov y/stT/, thy 
 vintners mix the wine with water. St. Paul uses this word 
 to denote the adulterating or mixing the word of God with 
 human imaginations. 2 Cor. iv. 2. " Not handling the Word 
 of God deceitfully ;" here the original word, foxoujTtS) adul- 
 terantes, adulterating, mixing the Word of God, has a simi- 
 lar import. 
 
( 2*9 ) 
 
 those mixtures and adventitious accompaniments 
 which are the natural fruits of a luxuriant imagi- 
 nation. Such testimony has a direct tendency 
 to " make the Word of God of none effect." 
 This done in the prosaic form sets scripture at 
 variance with itself; and in the metrical form 
 establishes a rivalship between scripture in the 
 garb of poetry, and scripture in the garment of 
 prose. 
 
 As the guardianship of the Jewish scriptures 
 was annexed to the Levitical priesthood ; so the 
 charge of both Testaments hath been committed 
 to the ministers of the evangelical dispensation. 
 This is significantly denoted in the ceremony of 
 the Ordinary's presenting the newly-ordained mi- 
 nister with a Bible, whilst he pronounces the 
 words, « Take thou authority to preach the 
 Word of God, &c." 
 
 Thus, in our Church, every Clergyman be- 
 comes a Keeper of Holy Writ, and has the breast- 
 plate of Faith committed to his trust. This 
 breast-plate is infinitely more valuable than that 
 of Aaron, and may not improperly be termed the 
 Christian pectoral. And, as the precious gems 
 in the Aaronitic pectoral were set according to the 
 pattern exhibited to Moses, and their disposition 
 was never to be altered; so the gems in the 
 Christian breast-plate, the pectoral of faith, set 
 by the Son of God, admit not of alteration, ad- 
 dition, or suppression, from the hand of man. 
 
( 220 ) 
 
 The ministerial commission, " Go ye into alt 
 the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture," verily implies, that correct translations of 
 Holy Writ be presented to each people, " in the 
 language wherein they were born," and that the 
 missionary be able to speak «« the wonderful 
 works of God" in the language of the people to 
 whom he is appointed to " show the way of sal- 
 vation." But whether a minister preaches to a 
 society of converts in a strange land, or to an 
 established congregation in the land of his na- 
 tivity, it is equally incumbent upon him to " di- 
 vide the tvord aright," to quote the scripture 
 testimony for the doctrine he advances, word for 
 word as it stands in his Bible. If he is mighty 
 in (he scriptures, and his texts well chosen, and 
 properly applied, the scriptures, which he intro- 
 duces into his own compositions, will appear as 
 " apples of gold set in pictures of silver," giving 
 a life, a brilliancy, an evangelicalness to his ser- 
 mon, which, though a mere human composition, 
 is thereby rendered consentaneous to the divine 
 will. But, if scripture texts are not quoted 
 verbatim, they are not true scripture, they are 
 not " apples of gold," they are counterfeits, no 
 where to be found on the pages of the Law, the 
 Prophets, or Apostles. Now, if it be acknow- 
 ledged to be the indispensible duty of a steward 
 of Jesus Christ, that, without addition, alteration, 
 or suppression, he express the scriptures whieU 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 he quotes in his addresses to his fellow-mortals ; 
 the duty of being equally precise is not diminished 
 whenever, professedly in the words of scripture, 
 he addresses the God of the scriptures. 
 
 True it is, we never behold the evangelical 
 pleaders from their pulpits quoting the divine 
 law in metre, in their addresses at the bar of 
 their clients' consciences ; but we frequently be- 
 hold this law* disguised in verse, used as popu- 
 lar appeals to the Div ine Majesty ! The clergy 
 address the people in prosaic scriptures; and the 
 people address God in metrified ones ! 
 
 We can hardly imagine any thing more out of 
 order, than to address the people in sermons, 
 lectures,f &c. in the scripture forms of the 
 prose translation; — and to address the God of 
 the scriptures in scripture texts metamorphosed 
 into the form of common ballads. Surely a 
 practice, that is so repugnant to common sense, 
 can never be supposed to accord with infinite 
 wisdom ; and yet it obtains in all our churches ; 
 — none of our people putting the question to him- 
 self—** Is there not a lie in ray right hand ?" 
 
 In another point of view, the use of metrified 
 scriptures appears to be an extravagant and un- 
 
 * That the Book of Psalms is a constituent part of the divine law, 
 is testified by the Legislator himself, in St. John's Gospel, chap. xv. 
 verse l 25, compared with Psalm xxxv 19. 
 
 f The Allowance lo use Tate and Brady's Psalms in worshipping 
 assemblies is a higher compliment, than hath ever been conferred 
 upon any of the best sermons, &c. extant. 
 
 t 3 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 justifiable thing, as it implies that the Church 
 authorizes poetical paraphrases, whilst it gives 
 no warrant for the public use of prosaic ones. 
 And is not this a ranking the poet above the Pro- 
 phets and the Apostles — human imagination above 
 dhine revelation — the metrified scriptures of 
 man's devising above the prosaic ones of God's 
 appointment ? Can this be called observing the 
 ratio of excellence in the persons to whom these 
 dissimilar scriptures are addressed — artificial 
 scinptures to the persons in Deity, and jfac-smn- 
 lies of the original ones to the individuals of a 
 congregation ? In the public reading of the Holy 
 Scriptures, the minister, with truth can say to 
 his congregation, Of God's own do we give unto 
 you ; but in the use of metrical scriptures, can 
 he, with any shadow of truth, say unto God, — 
 w Of thine own have we given unto thee ?"* De 
 we think that, because our sensual ears are 
 pleased with the jingle of rhyme, God also must 
 needs be pleased with it? Is the taste of our 
 sensual ears to be the measure of taste to him 
 who planted the ear ? Perish the thought, that 
 sinful man should dare to give rules to the Most 
 High; — rather ought we humbly to follow his 
 steps, than proudly decline into devious paths, 
 with the presumptive hope that he will follow us. 
 Certainly we shall stumble in our ways, when 
 
 • 1 (Jhron xxix. 14. 
 
( 223 ) 
 
 we depart from the ancient paths, to walk in 
 paths of our own devising — ■" a wav" which the 
 supreme wisdom " hath not east up."f Feeble 
 in the extreme must he the vision of our '* inner 
 man," if we prefer the penumbral shades of hu- 
 man fancy to the meridional splendour of the 
 Word of God ! If the Apostles and succeeding 
 Christians walked with God in the illumination of 
 prosaic acts of praise for fourteen centuries, why 
 should modern Christians reject such lights, and 
 give a preference to the ignis fatuus of scripture 
 \ersification ? Or, does any Christian imagine 
 that the psalmodic parts of the Old and New 
 Testaments are so much in the condition of raw 
 materials, that they are unfit to he used as Hal- 
 lelujahs of the sanctuary, until they have been 
 made to pass through the manufactories of the 
 poets? And have they improved them? Are those 
 sacred hymns the more valuable for their being 
 diluted with human mixtures ? And does it ap- 
 pear that a larger portion of the Holy Spirit 
 hath been poured out upon the scripture versifi- 
 ers of these last centuries, than was conferred 
 upon the Prophets of the Old Testament, and the 
 Apostles of the New ; or indeed upon the whole 
 aggregate of the Church, during a space of four- 
 teen hundred years ? 
 Now, seeing these interrogatories admit not of 
 
 * Jer.xviii. 15, 
 
( 82* ) 
 
 solutions propitious to the objector's hypothesis, 
 the general conclusion is, that, however humour, 
 vanity, and self-conceit may be tenacious of the 
 novelty, yet reason and revelation are opposed to 
 it. And however an affectation of seeming wi- 
 ser than the written word may blind the eyes of 
 our understanding ; and a show of superior illu- 
 mination in will-worship may gratify our carnal 
 feelings ; the declaration of the Author of sacred 
 scripture, " one jot or one tittle shall not pass from 
 the Law?,"* ought to make us think seriously, 
 whether many jots, and many tittles, have not 
 been made to pass from the Law, since the Eu- 
 ropean versifiers first began to secularize the 
 Psalms into the shape of common ballads. 
 
 Commenting upon this text,. St. Basil says, 
 M If then, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from 
 the Law, how can it be safe for us to neglect even 
 the smallest thing ?"f Or (it may be added) to 
 admit of those mixtures and departures from au- 
 thorized translation, which are the unavoidable 
 concomitants of all poetical versions of the di- 
 vine oracles ? 
 
 Because the oracles of paganism were given 
 in hexameters, it was thought advisable to com- 
 pose all the hymns of polytheistic worship in 
 verse also; and indeed, until the times of Hero- 
 dotus,:): all history, and every part of heathen 
 
 * St. Matt. v. 18. f Basil. Proem, de Sp. Sancto. 
 
 J He recited his history at the Olympic games, in 445 A. C. 
 
( 225 ) 
 
 education, was written in verse of some sort or 
 another. But surely, Christians, with the Bible 
 in their hands, have fairer copies to imitate, 
 than those that were written during the night of 
 heathenish ignorance and superstition. We, on 
 whom the glorious Gospel of God the Saviour 
 hath shined in all the splendors of «« grace and 
 truth," have no need of copying the steps of our 
 idolatrous ancestors; or of saying to ourselves, 
 if as they served their Gods" with hymns of Del- 
 phic verse, " so will we serve the Lord our God." 
 
 In one instance, it had been well, if our an- 
 cestors of the 15th and 16th centuries had taken 
 a lesson from then* idolatrous forefathers^ in im- 
 itating the precision with which they guarded 
 their laws as well as their images against every 
 possibility of change. They made it capitally 
 penal to alter one single word of their hexauie- 
 trical laws, or one single feature of their idol- 
 gods. Nay, banishment was inflicted upon Ter- 
 pander, one of the most celebrated poet-musi- 
 cians of ancient Greece, for adding one string 
 to his Lyre. 
 
 If Christian nations as highly appreciated the 
 Holy Scriptures, as idolatrous nations valued 
 their laws, and their idols, and their instruments 
 of music, they would certainly consider them 
 equally saered and intactable. But this has not 
 
 * u Fas est erum ab boste doceri." Adage 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 been the ease ; for we have seen the Word of life 
 sported into the measures of heathen song ; — the 
 songs of Zion assimilated to those of the sensual 
 muse ; — and the sacred Charter of the Priesthood 
 prostrated into rhyme, and put into the mouth 
 of every singer of a congregation, who thought- 
 lessly uses it as his own act and deed ! What can 
 be more ungrateful to the feelings of every one 
 who duly appreciates the sanctity of the scriptures 
 and the episcopal office, than to behold all « the 
 singing men and singing women" of a Christian 
 assembly personifying the Bishop of their souls, 
 and commissioning one another, and all the clergy 
 present, a second time to preach the Gospel ? And 
 who could suppose that ever the Witnesses and 
 Keepers of Holy Writ would have given an allow- 
 ance to use the Charter of the Priesthood in a 
 way that Jesus never intended ? But what lengths 
 will not a spirit of innovation go, when once it 
 hath taken possession cf the mind of man? 
 
 Suppose the laws of any country were turned 
 into verse, without a special act of the supreme 
 authority; no person would consider himself 
 amenable to such un unconstitutional code. Were 
 the Laws of the United States published in rhyme, 
 (with a view of rivalling the prosaic forms) by 
 any authority inferior to that which enacted them; 
 what lawyer would quote such rhymes at the bar 
 —.bin for the sake of frolick and burlesque ? 
 And were one of the faculty to defend his cause 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 in earnest, by such unconstitutional laws, would 
 not the Judges avert their angry brows, and 
 command the pleader to observe order ? Would 
 such a ballad-code be even so winked at, as to 
 escape legislative cognizance ? And would not 
 every good citizen, zealous for his country's ho- 
 nour, be fired with indignation against the author 
 of a burlesque upon the fundamentals of social 
 peace and order ? 
 
 Now, if human laws cannot be constitutionally 
 turned into rhyme, or verse of any sort, unless 
 by an act of authority paramount to that which 
 had enacted them ; what estimate can be made 
 of the lawfulness of versifying any part or parts 
 of the divine Law, without the express command 
 of the Legislator himself? And where is this 
 commission to be found? 
 
 What would ye think, brethren, of any cler- 
 gyman or laic who should undertake to publish 
 the Prayer Book in rhyme ? In what words could 
 ye sufficiently express your abhorrence of such 
 a publication, and your indignation against its 
 author ? Would ye not call the work, a work of 
 impiety, bordering upon sacrilege ; and its author, 
 if not an infidel, yet a contemner of the venera- 
 ble and sacred forms of the Church? And would 
 not the ecclesiastical arm be stretched out to in- 
 flict condign punishment on the offender? 
 
 Now, if we are faithful guardians of the 
 lesser things, how much more assiduous ought 
 
( 228 ) 
 
 we to be in keeping watch over the greater ? If 
 we are zealous conservators of human ordinan- 
 ces, lest they be invaded by the rapacious hand 
 of innovation, how much more ought our zeal 
 to be upon the alert, to discountenance every in- 
 novation that assaults the Book of the Oracles 
 of Almighty God—the very Book, on which all 
 Christian offices are predicated ? 
 
 Not only do unprejudiced reason, the analogy 
 of things human and divine, and the illustrations 
 and deductions of argument, point out the im- 
 propriety, the unlawfulness, and the danger of 
 using unwarranted liberties with the Holy Scip- 
 tures ; but they themselves, in several places by 
 implication, and in others in express language, 
 declare their nature and essence to be intactible, 
 and that they admit neither of addition, altera- 
 tion, nor suppression. 
 
 One of the injunctions of the Levitical ceco- 
 nomy is not to be evaded by the most zealous ad- 
 yocate for metrified scriptures. " Ye shall not 
 add unto the word which I command you; — nei- 
 ther shalj ye diminish ought from it."* 1 
 
 "Were it possible to metrify any part or parts 
 of the word of God, without addition, ulteration, 
 or suppression, it might be alleged that this 
 prohibitory injunction does not affect the point in 
 controversy ; but as it hath been demonstrated in 
 
 * Deuteronomy iv. 2. 
 
( «*» ) 
 
 the former part of this section, that every attempt 
 to versify scripture hath failed, and that the fai- 
 lure was principally occasioned by the necessity 
 the versifier was under to add to, diminish, or ea> 
 pand the subject, for the sake of measures and 
 cadences ; it is therefore as clear as any problem 
 in Euclid, that the inhibition, " Ye shall not add 
 unto the word which I command you ; neither 
 shall ye diminish ought from it," expressly pro- 
 hibits every attempt to versify any part or parts 
 of the ivord of God. 
 
 With prefatory rules of conduct the same pro- 
 hibitory injunction is repeated; « Take heed to 
 thyself that thou be not snared by following them, 
 after that they be destroyed before thee ; and that 
 thou inquire not after their gods, saying. How 
 did these nations serve their gods ? Even so will 
 I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the 
 Lord thy God. What thing soever I command 
 you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, 
 nor diminish from it."* 
 
 This injunction given to the Jewish Church 
 refers to every part of the private and public 
 worship of Jehovah : — and as psalmody was a 
 principal part of that worship, and the insepara- 
 ble concomitant of sacrifice, we must consider 
 it as one of those ordinances which the worship- 
 pers were inhibited from « adding thereto or di- 
 minishing from it." 
 
 * DeUt xii. 30, 31, 32, 
 
 u 
 
( 230 ) 
 
 Exodus xx. 22, and 25. " The Lord said unto 
 Moses,— If thou wilt make me an altar of stone, 
 thou shalt not build it of hewn stone :— .for if thou 
 lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." 
 
 By this communication, Jehovah allowed Mo- 
 ses to build him an altar of stones in their natu- 
 ral shape, but forbade him to use hewn stones. 
 And the reason for inhibiting the use of hewn 
 stones— stones altered from their natural shape 
 into an artificial one— is assigned, " If thou lift 
 up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." 
 
 Now, unless we can suppose that God's holy 
 word is less worthy of his conservative regard, 
 than a Jewish altar was ; we must admit that his 
 holy scriptures are, by the exercise of the versi- 
 fier's art upon them, as much desecrated and ren- 
 dered improper for the service of the Christian 
 sanctuary, as natural stones hewn by the stone-cut- 
 ter's tools became thereby polluted or unhallowed 
 *— and unfit materials for an altar of sacrifice, 
 under the Mosaic dispensation. 
 
 The Jewish psalmody was fixed. The music 
 must also have been fixed, or it would have been 
 impossible for about five thousand performers to 
 have kept together in time and tune, as they had 
 no characters for music*. And there is no dif- 
 
 * Dr. Burney says, ** Xeither the ancient Jews, nor the modern, 
 have ever had any characters peculiar to music; so that the melodies 
 used in their religious ceremonies have, at all times, been tradition- 
 ary, and at the mercy of the singers. The conjecture that the He- 
 brew points were at first musical characters is confirmed by a learned 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 Acuity in supposing that the musical airs of the 
 temple-service were just as much under the di- 
 rection and guidance of the Holy Spirit as the 
 sacred hymns. For, if the Spirit of God conde- 
 scended to give wisdom in all kinds of 6i cunning 
 work" for the service of the temple, why may 
 we not believe, that be gave wisdom also to de- 
 vise appropriate music to accompany the psalms 
 and hymns of his own inditing? And if this was 
 the case, and there is no reason for supposing 
 that it was otherwise, the music of the temple 
 was included in the inhibition, not to add thereto, 
 nor to diminish from it." 
 
 Of what kind of poetry the Temple-Hymns 
 consisted, our Hebrew Psalters 1 * are the perma- 
 nent vouchers ; — and of the kind of music to 
 which those hymns were sung, every synagogue 
 throughout the world affords a variety of speci- 
 mens. As the Hebrew Psalms consist of couplets, 
 
 Jew, whom I have consulted on that subject, who says, that the 
 points still serve two purposes. In reading the Prophets they merely 
 mark accentuation; but in atiaging them, the y regulate the melody, 
 not only as to long and short, but high and low notes." 
 
 Hist, of Music t vol. i. />. 25 1. 
 
 * By the aid of the Masoretie points, and numberless alterations in 
 the text, professedly for the sake fcausa rhetrij of metre, Bishop 
 Hare, in 1756, published the Book of Psalms, fmetrice divisusj in 
 Hebrew metre, in lines of sometimes equal numbers of syllables, and 
 sometimes unequal ; and frequently with rhyming cadences. But 
 Bishop Lowth published " A large confutation of Bishop Hare's 
 Hebrew metre/' in 1753. This publication has silenced the assertion, 
 that rhymes, and modern metres are characteristic of the Hebrew 
 Psalms, and other scriptures. 
 
 Dr. ti ray's Hebrew Job, metric^ divisus, stands in the same pre- 
 dicament, as Bishop Hare's Hebrew Psalms, metrice dtvisi >•— both 
 were fabricated out of compliment to rhyme ! 
 
( 232 ) 
 
 and sometimes triplets, of lines of unequal syl- 
 lables, without rhyming cadenees, unless when 
 they happen by mere chance, it is impossible 
 to sing them to metrical music. Indeed, the 
 traditionary music to which they are, and always 
 have been sung in the synagogue, is exactly of 
 the same character as the fcantofermoj plain 
 chant of the Church, which is partly measured, 
 and partly at discretion. 
 
 But all the hymns of idolatrous worship were 
 always in measured verse; and consequently 
 their music also was measured throughout. That 
 this was the case, is evident from the specimens 
 of ancient Greek music which are published in 
 Dr. Burney's History of Music* 
 
 Such being the difference between the Psalmo- 
 dy of Judaism and the Hymnology of Heathenism, 
 that the one consisted of measured lines, and the 
 other of unmeasured ones; it was absolutely im>- 
 possible for the former to have assimilated to 
 the latter, without adding to short lines, and 
 subtracting from long ones ; or in other words, 
 without making it " pass through the syllable- 
 squeezing alembic of the poets." 
 
 Hence it is evident that the prohibitory injunc- 
 tion, " Thou shalt not add thereto, neither shall 
 
 * During the fi>st ages of Christianity, s>llabie and metrical music 
 stem to have been used in the temples arid theatres of the Pagans 
 only. Hist, of .Music, vol ii. p. 15. 
 
 See the specimens ef Pagan music and hymnology in toI. i. p. 89 
 
( SS3 ) 
 
 ye diminish from it," precludes the versifying of 
 the Hebrew Psalms ; and of consequence, the 
 versifying of every future translation of them* 
 
 Under the evangelical dispensation, the same 
 injunction is repeated, and that under the most 
 awful sanction. 
 
 M "I testify (saith Jesus the Amen) unto every 
 man that heareth the words of the prophecy of 
 this Book ; if any man shall add unto these 
 things, God shall add unto him the plagues that 
 are written in this book : and if any man shall 
 take away from the words of the Book of this 
 prophecy, God shall take away his part out of 
 the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and 
 from the things which are written in this Book."^ 
 
 This is a most awful declaration, enough to 
 intimidate the heart of the most daring versifier 
 that ever existed. This line of circumvallation, 
 for the preservation of Holy Scripture in iis pure 
 and immaculate state, is infinitely more tremen- 
 dous, than that which was drawn around Sinai, 
 at the promulgation of the Decalogue ! 
 
 We know that the quibbles of syllogism, and 
 the sophistry of metaphysics have been made to 
 unite, in limiting this declaration to the Book of 
 the Apocalypse; but every correct Christian 
 scholar knows that the words, «« Book of this 
 prophecy," and " Prophecy of this Book," are 
 
 * Rev. xxii. 18, 19, 
 U % 
 
( 234 ) 
 
 equivalent expressions ; and that the demonstra- 
 tive pronoun this refers, not to one individual 
 section of the Book of Prophecy, but to the 
 whole of it. The Book of Prophecy is an one 
 and undivided whole — it is what we call the 
 canon of scripture ; and every paragraph of it, 
 from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the 
 Apocalypse, was uttered under the superintend- 
 ence of the Spirit of Prophecy, who employed 
 holy men to be his amanuenses and prolocutors 
 to their cotemporaries, and who, though dead, 
 still speak to us in their writings. These writ- 
 ings are the unchangeable word of an unchange- 
 able God; and therefore admit not of additions, 
 alterations, or suppressions imposed upon them 
 either by the wisdom or the folly of man. 
 
 Sufficient reason there is for surmising that 
 the scripture versifiers either had never read, or 
 had never sufficiently considered the extent of the 
 injunction twice pronounced in the Book of Deu* 
 teronomy, and once in that of St. John's Revela- 
 tions; yet it were presumptuous, to say with 
 what degree of reverence for their Bibles they 
 were actuated, during the several periods of their 
 poetical exercises. But one thing relative to the 
 Subject is well known. The generality of those 
 Protestants, whose ancestors of the Reformation 
 were the most violent opposers of Bible -psalmo- 
 dy, and the most zealous advocates for versified 
 miptures, haye gradually turned the public read? 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 ing of the scriptures out of their churches ; and 
 at the present time, in very few of them, is scrip- 
 ture read as a constituent part of public worship;* 
 and where any is read, the selection is merely 
 casual, at the discretion of the minister, or read, 
 as the custom is in Scotland, by the parochial 
 schoolmaster. 
 
 The freedom fpoetica licentiaj which is neces- 
 sary to be assumed by the poet, to enable him to 
 versify psalms and other scriptures, has an im- 
 mediate tendency to lower their dignity, and to 
 diminish the awful distance between him and their 
 august Author; and it is much to be feared that 
 the license assumed by the poet imperceptibly 
 infuses itself into raetre-psalraodists, before they 
 are aware of it, causing them to make an undue 
 sacrifice to artificial scriptures, at the expense 
 of the natural ones ; — and to the animal sense 
 of hearing, at the expense of the heart with its 
 affections. 
 
 That a regard for metrified scriptures superior 
 to that which is paid to prosaic ones exists, daily 
 observation fully evinces. Instead of committing 
 the Psalms of David to memory, as was the cus- 
 tom of ancient times; now, portions of Tate and 
 Brady's have the preference. In mauy worship- 
 ping assemblies, where scarcely any prosaie 
 
 • Socinianism is one of the dire consequences of ejecting the Holv 
 Scriptures out of worshipping assemblies. 
 A scripture-calendar is peculiar to Episcopal Churches. 
 
( 256 ) 
 
 scriptures arc reach scripture paraphrases in 
 abundance are swag; and in assemblies where 
 prosaic scriptures are read as constituent parts of 
 daily service, there exists a cold unwillingness to 
 sing the praises of God in scripture forms, and 
 a lively propensity to sing in metrical forms, the 
 fruits of human imagination. 
 
 It is one of the consequences of exercising the 
 art of versification upon the word of God 9 that 
 scriptures in one form have become rivals to 
 scriptures in another. And it is an undeniable 
 fact, that the prayers, the praises, and the sa- 
 crifices, which, during the ages of paganism, 
 were offered to the image of Diana, at no time 
 exceeded the profusion of respect, and the plau- 
 dits of admiration, which, for upwards of two 
 and a half centuries, have been presented before 
 the shrine of metrical psalmody ! # 
 
 In the prayer prescribed by our blessed Lord, 
 the first petition is — « Hallowed be thy name." 
 
 * " xVre the prophetic writings the subjects of inquiry ? They 
 are reduced to the low standard of the versus inopes rerum, nugde* 
 que canone of the heathen verse--wriq-hts 3 and subjected to the 
 metrical rules of ethic poesy ; those ftdse embellishments and tinsel 
 ornaments, invented by the (^entiles after thev had changed the truth 
 of (iod into a lie" Spearman? s Letters on the LXX. p. 482. 
 
 <l And it is not an open enemy that has lift up his heel against me, 
 and done me this dishonour," may the scripture say ; " but it is he 
 who did eat of my b'ead, even thou my companion, my guide, and 
 mine own familiar friend : we took sweet counsel together, and walk- 
 ed in the house of <-iod as friends." No truth is more obvious to an 
 unprejudiced mind, than that ethnicized scriptures are, in their 
 nature and consequences, as inimical to the originals , and all autho- 
 rized prosaic translations, as the religion of nature is to that of 
 ■revelation.; for both in reality but betray th« cause which they pre- 
 tend to support. 
 
( «w ) 
 
 All Christians acknowledge that this is a very 
 comprehensive petition, embracing all the names, 
 offices, titles, attributes, prerogatives, and pro- 
 perty of every sort, which appertains to our hea- 
 venly Father. But the Holy Scriptures are the 
 property of God; this is also coufessed, for we 
 call them the word of God. They are ours 
 in a secondary sense, as a matter of trust only. 
 They have not been given to man, after the man- 
 ner of earthly things, to " have dominion" over 
 them, and to apply them to the purposes of self- 
 gratification. Like the forbidden fruit, and the 
 sacraments, they are things of an absolute na- 
 ture, and admit not of alterations and improve- 
 ments suggested by human imagination. They 
 are the unalienable property of their divine Au- 
 thor, who, though he is gracious and liberal Of 
 his favours, is yet jealous of his prerogatives, as 
 well as watchful over his property. 
 
 If then, David and other M holy men spake as 
 they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" and if, 
 participating of the sanctity and eternity of it's 
 author, Holy Scripture cannot but be considered 
 God's exclusive, and therefore intactable property, 
 bearing both his seal and signature, in all good 
 conscience we are bound to honour it with many 
 honours, and to pay it all the respect and rever- 
 ence which are in our power to confer. But, who 
 will say that metrifying, interpolating, and secu- 
 larizing scripture into the sluice and condition of 
 
( 238 ) 
 
 a common ballad, is honouring, respecting, and 
 hallowing it? Is not a tampering with the oracles 
 of Jehovah a freedom that would be deemed cul- 
 pable, if taken with the ordinances of man ? And 
 bow ill does the altering of the words that have 
 proceeded out of his mouth, from their natural 
 into an artificial condition, accord with " the 
 reverence and fear of his holy name," which 
 we profess to cultivate? Respect for the all-gra- 
 cious Speaker is infinitely better manifested, by 
 attentively treasuring up his words in our hearts, 
 and faithfully transcribing them into our lives, 
 than by turning them into rhyme, under any pre- 
 text whatsoever. 
 
 How is it possible then, that the metrifying of 
 any part or parts of divine revelation can comport 
 with the full intent of the petition, " Hallowed 
 fee thy name?" 
 
 Not only have the Psalms and other scriptures 
 been degraded* from the station which they hold 
 in the canon of scripture, by putting them into 
 the condition of common ballads; but the use to 
 which they are put in that form bespeaks their 
 servile condition. In this condition they are no 
 
 • No sooner were the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the 
 'Jen Commandments expunged from the Churches throughout the 
 Island of Britain, than they wefe-hung up in taverns, boarding-houses, 
 and shops of every description, in a. metrical form, printed in large 
 •haracters, some as they came f om thr press, others handsomely 
 framed; — and multitudes took pleasure in repeating tho«e rhymes, 
 •whilst they disdained to look at the original prose !! ! 
 
 O rhythmic mania, of what impiety hast thou not been guilty? Of 
 what act of sacrilege bast thou net been a promoter i 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 component parts of divine service, they are only 
 voluntaries, or vocal pauses between the several 
 parts of it. In their prosaic state, the psalms 
 and other scriptures have the same duties to per- 
 form as the priests of old, attending the taber- 
 nacle of witness : but in their ballad-form, they 
 may be said to resemble the Gibeonites, who were 
 •nly hewers of wood, and drawers of water. 
 
 There is certainly a want of congruity in hav- 
 ing two sets of psalms ; the one, Holy Scripture, 
 and the other, neither scripture nor human com- 
 position, but a compound of both. In churches, 
 where all the prosaic psalms of morning and 
 evening service are only read; it frequently hap- 
 pens that some portions of those very psalms in 
 metre are sung as interludes! 
 
 Who is so blind as not to see the impropriety 
 of this practice, and that it originates from in- 
 correct views of the nature of the rival psalms?* 
 
 It hath been said, that we ought to be familiar 
 with the Holy Scriptures ; and that, in the exer- 
 cise of this familiarity, we may commit our me- 
 ditations to paper either in prose or verse. 
 
 My subject leads me not to take cognizance of 
 
 * The distinction between prosaic and metre psalms, which 
 denominates the former " the rending Psalms," and the latter 
 " The singing Psalms," is a very unfair one, a3 it tends to sanclioa 
 an opinion, that prosaic psalms are fit to be read only, and that me- 
 tre ones are exclusively deserving of being sung. This distinction 
 was at first admitted into ecclesiastical writings, either in italics or 
 with marks of quotation; but in process of time it hath found its ware 
 mto the text. Deception has many subterfuges ! 
 
( 240 ) 
 
 private opinion, or private practice founded upon 
 individual taste ; yet, I may warrantably affirm, 
 that the generality, if not the whole of studious 
 Christians will be able, much more successfully 
 to write their devotional meditations in prose, 
 than in verse. Humility and self-abasement, the 
 direct opposites to the license of poetry, will for 
 ever hang like a mill-stone around the neck of 
 the Christian poet, and render his lines vapid, fee- 
 ble, and unanimated, nothing better than rhyming 
 prose. And what advantage does he gain by put- 
 ting the scriptures into this state ? Does the sa- 
 cred edifice of Revelation become more venera- 
 ble in his eyes, after being humanized? Or are 
 the joints of the already " squared stones and 
 timber" rendered more compact and perfect, by 
 exercising M the saws, hammers, and axes," of 
 the art of poetry upon them ? 
 
 If this be the familiarity recommended, it is 
 fair to assert, that in the proportion of manufac- 
 turing the scriptures thus, will be our reverence 
 and respect for them. A familiarity with the 
 scriptures, so that we may thereby " become 
 wise unto salvation, is highly commendable. St. 
 Paul approves of the Christians of Berea, for 
 « searching the scriptures daily;" and enjoins it 
 upon the Colossian and the Ephesian Christians, 
 to " let the word of God dwell in them richly, 
 in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." 
 But such a familiarity as prompts men to make 
 
( 24* ) 
 
 ihe scriptures themes or exercises for a display 
 of poetical talents, savours more of vanity and 
 pride, than of humility and godly reverence. 
 If we call God our Father, it does not follow, 
 that we ought to be as familiar with him, as with 
 our earthly parents. And if we are intimate 
 with his holy word, ought we to treat it as a 
 fund for subjects of amusement or recreation? 
 
 It is more than probable, that a great propor- 
 tion of the metrified seriptures, with which Eu- 
 rope and America abound, owe their existence, 
 as much, if not more, to trials of skill in versifi- 
 cation, than to any better principle. The heart 
 of man is deceitful to itself; and from a retros- 
 pective condemnation of my own practice in this 
 particular, I am led to think, it may have been 
 the case with other versifiers of scripture, that, 
 whilst they imagined they were doing God service, 
 they were committing the wildest of idolatry — 
 burning incense to their own vanity and presump- 
 tion ! Ah ! how little do we know ourselves, un- 
 til we are sent to some Ananias for instruction!* 
 It is not foreign to our subject to remark, that 
 verse or poetry (including the idea of measured 
 feet and rhymiug cadences) is not the style or 
 form of diction which is natural to man ; — it is 
 merely that of art and contrivance. What nation 
 
 * A learned Jew in Newport, R. I. many years sinc< j , first suggested 
 this question to the writer; " By what authority have you Christians 
 turned David's Psalms into verse?" 
 
 X 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 op society of men ever spoke, wrote, or did bu- 
 siness in hexameters, pentameters, in blank 
 verse, or even in rhyme, which is the lowest or- 
 der of verse ? Nay, let a man take it into his 
 head, to adopt the notion of speaking in rhyme, 
 it is easy to say, how we would estimate his un- 
 derstanding, as well as his courtesy. 
 
 Let a poet,* intending to metrify any part or 
 parts of the sacred scriptures, imagine himself 
 standing in the midst of a synagogue of the pro- 
 phets, to receive their sentence on his proposed 
 scheme of versifying the Psalms of David, and 
 other scriptures. 
 
 In what manner would they make their reply 
 to his proposition ? Would they say, Go on, and 
 prosper, and the Lord be with thee ? Or rather, 
 would not they express their astonishment at 
 his presumption? Would not the fire of indigna- 
 tion flash from every eye, and resentment kindle 
 upon every cheek? Would not those venerable 
 men exclaim, Novelist ! art thou wiser than the 
 Giver of all wisdom ? W T hat hast thou, that thou 
 hast not received ? And hast thou received more 
 than the Giver hath reserved to himself? Art thou 
 
 * All the rites of heathen mythology have their origin in the di- 
 vine communications, just as all fiction is founded in truth ; and a 
 scholar, with the Bible in his hands, may easily discern, in ever)- ce- 
 remony and usage of paganism, a mimicry and perversion of some 
 part of the worship or discipline instituted by Jehovah. By perver- 
 sions of these, the nations of the earth, as if by common consent^ 
 " turned the truth of God into a lie;" and in the doing so, their poets 
 were the principal agents. 
 
( 243 ) 
 
 able to give counsel to the all-wise Jehovah; 
 Hast thou found out wisdom which was hidden 
 from God? God hath spoken, and wilt thou alter 
 the words which have gone out of his mouth ? 
 He worketh, and no man can let it ; he speaketh, 
 and no man can add wisdom to his words. Look 
 unto the heavens, and see ; aud behold the clouds 
 which are higher than thou ; and then say, canst 
 thou alter the ordinances of heaven, or subvert 
 the seasons of the year? Look into thy Bible, 
 and behold in it the verbal representative of Je- 
 hovah ; and say, wherein his holy word is erro- 
 neous, deficient, or redundant. If thy wisdom is 
 able to correct and amend it, then art thou wiser 
 than God ! Shall not his excellency make thee 
 afraid, and doth not a fear of his displeasure fall 
 upon thee ? Hearken unto God, hold thy peace, 
 and he shall teach thee wisdom. Set not up thy 
 horn on high, and speak not with a stiff neck, 
 saying, " I am able to add harmony to his words, 
 I can render them more grand and majestic than 
 he hath done ;" for the proud boasie? is art hbomi* 
 natiou, and he who taketh his name in vain shall 
 not go unpunished. God is not a man, that he 
 should change; nor does the Ancient of days take 
 pleasure in mutability. He hath, by his Holy 
 Spirit, supplied his servants with abundance of 
 the incense of praise to accompany the appointed 
 white lambs of the evening and morning oblation, 
 and the other sacrifices have also their ample 
 
( *• ) 
 
 smareof the same sweet-smelling odour to attend- 
 them. And darest thou to roh the Most High, 
 by substituting thy own rhymes in the stead of 
 what he himself hath appointed and commanded 
 10 be used for praising and magnifying his glori- 
 ous name? With equal impunity a High Priest 
 of our Law might have substituted party-coloured 
 ! ambs in the stead of white ones; as thou, to 
 rhange the psalms of the sweet singer of Israel 
 irom their Bible state into the measures of secu- 
 lar poetry. Impious, to think of compelling the 
 swigs of Zion to assimilate with the songs of the 
 ticathen, whs know not Israel's God. Tremble 
 at the thunders of Sanai, and remember that the 
 Lord Jehovah is a jealous God. 
 
 And were the poet to present himself before 
 ♦ ; the glorious company of the apostles," on the 
 same business, doubtless they would address him 
 in some such manner as the following. 
 
 Thou art none of us ; we know thee not; whence 
 »K thou : by what authority dost thou undertake 
 fo chiu^-ej to interpolate, mutilate any part or 
 puns of? the revelation of Jesus ? He spake as 
 never maa spake : grace was poured out upon his 
 lips, mm the lire of the Holy Ghost, sitting on? 
 his tongue, irradiated every word that proceeded 
 out of his month. Ignorant and unlearned as 
 v. e were at our iirst acquaintance with the Lord, 
 we received such a portion of his eloquence, that 
 oar persecutors remarked, that we had beea 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 with Jesus. Nay, out of the ahundance of his 
 grace, we have received a mouth and wisdom 
 which our adversaries have not heen able to gain- 
 say nor resist. But, who art thou, who presum- 
 est to think, that thou art able, in thy proposed 
 versifications, either to improve or give addition- 
 al efficacy to the writings of the Prophets and 
 the Apostles ? It is not in rhyme, that the ser- 
 vants of Jesus preserve the word of his testimony; 
 it is in prose, whether in the originals, or in ver- 
 nacular translations. If thou desirest to become 
 a witness for Jesus, give thy testimony in the 
 diction of his Prophets and Apostles, but not in 
 the perfidious lines of rhyme. Wast thou pre- 
 sent with us on the dav of Pentecost, when Jesus 
 sent down the Holy Ghost to guide us unto all 
 truth? Wast thou born during the times of pri- 
 mitive Christianity, the ages of direct inspiration ? 
 Nay, thou wast born many centuries after the 
 cessation of extraordinary illumination, and canst' 
 have no pretence, that a divine impulse prompts 
 thy undertaking. The imagination of thy own 
 heart hath dictated to thee this unhallowed con- 
 ceit, which verily is a reflection on the wisdom 
 of the all-wise God. Thou sayest in thine heart, 
 " I am wiser than God, I can make men wise 
 above all that is written, I can increase the sub- 
 limity of his scriptures by versifying them, I can 
 give them additional majesty by turning them into 
 rhyme !" Shall the creature say to the Creator, 
 
( 2M ) 
 
 Why Last thou made me thus 2 Shall the natnraf 
 man, who is at enmity against God, undertake 
 to give improvements to the scriptures of truth, 
 the glorious word of reconciliation ? If verse 
 were the best method of making men wise unto 
 salvation, the divine wisdom would have dictated 
 them in verse; but they are in a diction quite un- 
 like the metrical writings of the heathen; and 
 thy aim is to pervert, distort, and mix them with 
 thy own conceits, in order to assimilate the songs 
 of Zion to those of the carnal muse. Thy ima- 
 gination lifteth itself up against God ; thou ex- 
 altest thyself against the Almighty. Thou aim- 
 est at becoming a partner with God in his divine 
 revelations, and at rivalling his prosaic scriptures 
 )> thy mctrificd ones. In writing the original 
 scriptures, thou hast had neither part nor lot with 
 *he Prophets and Apostles. In transforming 
 iliem into the likeness of the hymns of paganism, 
 Jiou wilt be found to have thy part and lot with 
 lie adversaries to truth. Thy heart is not right 
 in the sight of God ; repent therefore of this thy 
 wickedness, and pray God, that the thoughts of 
 thy heart may be forgiven thee. Remove not 
 [no ancient land-mark, which the Prophets and 
 ApoLUcs have set ; so shall thou have peace at 
 ;hy latter end. 
 
 As to prosaic hymns of human composition, 
 vritten under the direct influence of the Holy 
 Spirit: they stand upon quite a different ground 
 
( 2 * r ) 
 
 from that of versifications or paraphrases of hofr 
 scripture. Such hymns as the Te Deum. Trisa- 
 gium, and Gloria inExeelsis, were admitted into 
 the church before the grace of inspiration was 
 discontinued ; but when the Holy Spirit saw that 
 that gift was no longer necessary, general councils 
 interfered, and put a stop to the admission of all 
 subsequent human compositions into the sanctu- 
 ary. And hence it is, that all the prosaic hymns 
 of human composition, which are to be found in 
 any of the ancient Liturgies, are of date co-eval 
 with the times of inspiration. 
 
 With respect to metre hymns of human com- 
 position, though they have no claim to the sanc- 
 tion of inspiration, as they originated in the end 
 of the fourth century ; yeU being no where in 
 scripture directly or indirectly interdicted, they 
 have long been admitted into worshipping assem- 
 blies ; and they may still be continued, provided 
 they are in measures commensurate to their sub- 
 jects — intelligibly expressed — in unison with the 
 general harmony of scripture — having allusions 
 to scripture subjects — but embracing no texts un- 
 der any degree of rhythmical alteration. 
 
 It hath already been shown how hostile to scrip- 
 ture precision are the measured feet and chiming 
 syllables of rhyme — and the numberless tricks, 
 tropes, and whims, which are the inseparable 
 concomitants of all poetical versions or paraphra- 
 ses of the word of God, It hath also been points 
 
( 248 ) 
 
 ed out, that, as poetry is an effort of the human 
 imagination, and is most successfully displayed 
 in works of fancy, it cannot do otherwise than 
 run wild, whenever it undertakes to operate upon 
 subjects, which have emanated, not from the hu- 
 man heart, but from the spirit of infinite wisdom 
 and truth. And, did our limits permit, it were 
 no hard task to adduce confessions from the works 
 of some of the most celebrated poets, that the 
 art of poetry is more congenial with fiction, than 
 with truth. Proofs also could be adduced, to de- 
 monstrate that the poetical license, when exercis- 
 ed in versifying scripture, becomes an assumed 
 privilege for trifling with the oracles of Al- 
 mighty God. 
 
 The quaintness of expression, the bombast of 
 diction, the measures of feet, and the chiming 
 cadences of rhyme, may humour the human 
 fancy, gratify the vanity of man, and tickle the 
 sensual ear; — yet, it is much to be feared, that 
 the ultimate tendency of all pretended improve- 
 ments of the diction of holy scripture, is to 
 throw mankind into a condition similar to that of 
 those persons, concerning whom St. Paul thus 
 says; " They became vain in their imaginations, 
 their foolish heart was darkened, and professing 
 to be wise, they became fools." And indeed, this 
 is the very condition,* into which every one is in 
 
 Quxre. What would be the condition of any nation five or six hun- 
 dred years henee, which, from a predilection for one Book of the scrip- 
 
( 2i9 ) 
 
 danger of falling, who desires, by humanly-con- 
 trived means, to " become wise above what is writ- 
 ten.'** A thirst for knowledge superior to what 
 God had communicated, occasioned the defection 
 of our primeval parents ; and a similar thirst 
 cannot but produce a similar effect upon every 
 one of their posterity. 
 
 From a serious consideration of the blind at- 
 tachment which actuates the admirers of versi- 
 fied scriptures, I have often been led to think of 
 the case of one of the kings of Judah ; of whom 
 it is recorded, that, «« he was diseased in his feet, 
 until his disease was exceeding great; yet in his 
 disease, he sought not to the Lord, but to the 
 physicians."| And, is not this precisely the case 
 of every one who prefers the paraphrases of the 
 poets (o the psalms and hymns of the Prophets 
 and Apostles — the fruits of human imagination 
 to the fruits of the tree of life ? 
 
 Even the putting of prosaic and metrical psalm- 
 ody into opposite scales, is a proof that a rival- 
 ship still subsists between them. But, how dif- 
 ferent are their claims to precedency ? Prosaic 
 psalmody entered with the shepherd, «« by the 
 door into the sheepfold ;" — but metrical psalm- 
 ody " climbed up some other way." And the 
 
 fures in verse, should be impelled to versify the whole for public us; 1 ? 
 Would it not be fair to say, that the consequences. \> hich would arise 
 fcom the use of a versification of the whol? Hook, would be in propor- 
 tion to those, which daily arise from the use of versified pails of V.'. 
 * iicm. i. 21. and 1 (Jar. iv. 6. f 2 Cferca. ml i^. 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 footing, which at first it obtained by intrusion, 
 it now holds by prescription. 
 
 A rivalship, for ought I know, may be kept up 
 between metrical and prosaic psalmody, even un- 
 to the day of judgment; but then it will most as- 
 suredly cease. For the word of the Lord en- 
 dureth for ever ; but every thing that exalteth 
 itself against this word, shall be brought low, 
 and cease to exist.* This is the " sure word of 
 prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take 
 heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, 
 until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your 
 hearts. For prophecy came not in old time by 
 the will of man ; but holy men of God spake as 
 they were moved by the Holy Ghost."| 
 
 Holding fast the Book of God, us the intacti- 
 tole charter of human redemption, well may we 
 exclaim in the words of St. Paul to the Romans ; 
 *« O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom 
 and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are 
 his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! 
 For who hath known the mind of (he Lord ? Or 
 who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first 
 given to him. and it shall be recompensed unto 
 him again ? For, of him, and through him, and 
 to him. are all things \ to whom be glory for 
 ever. Amen."i 
 
 * All the Hallelujahs of the church triumphant, recorded by Si? 
 Jfohn in his Apoealvpse, are in prosaic diction. 
 
 \ t Pet. i, iy, SI." * Horn. xi. 53—35. 
 
( 251 ) 
 
 « Let the word of Christ," brethren, ( the 
 originals or the vernacular scriptures J dwell in 
 you richly in all wisdom; teaching, and admo- 
 nishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and 
 spiritual songs ; singing with grace in your hearts 
 to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or 
 deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giv- 
 ing thanks to God and the Father by him."* 
 
 Having thus exhibited a full, and I trust satis- 
 factory demonstration of the impropriety, and the 
 unlawfulness, of turning the Psalms of David, 
 and other parts of holy scripture, into verse ; I 
 proceed to the consideration of the ostensible 
 plea, «« that in that form they may he sung to the 
 tunes used in churches." 
 
 As syllabic psalmody seems, by all the anti- 
 episcopal reformers, to have been considered the 
 consummate point of excellency, the very shib- 
 boleth and test of reformation, nay even of Chris- 
 tianity itself; it is necessary to examine this plea 
 minutely, in order to ascertain its nature, object, 
 and tendency. 
 
 Ever since the end of the fourth century, the 
 Church of Rome had used in her public offices a 
 variety of metre hymnsf of human composition, 
 
 * Colos. iii. 16, 17. 
 
 f About the year 390, Prudentius (Quintus Aurelius) a Spaniard, 
 by profession first a lawyer, then a judge, then a soldier, then the 
 first Christian Hymnologist, composed a number of metre hymns, 
 which, by some means or another, found their way into the Church 
 of Rome; but soon after Gregory came to the pontificate (in 590) ; 
 he ejected all metre music from the offices of religion, " beeause it 
 
( 252 ) 
 
 *n many of the measures both of the Greek and 
 Roman poets. This is apparent from history, as 
 well as from the most ancient breviaries and 
 missals which are extant. But in none of these 
 are any metrified scriptures to be found. The 
 yersifiealion of scripture, therefore, next to the 
 rejection of Episcopacy, became a point of so 
 great importance for securing a line of demarka- 
 tion between non-Episcopalians (particularly those 
 of the Calvinian section) and Episcopalians whe- 
 ther Protestant or Popish, that its votaries, how- 
 ever much they differed from one another in ar- 
 ticles of faith and doctrines of practice, yet were 
 unanimous in declaiming against the use of pro- 
 saic or scripture psalmody, and in extolling me- 
 tre psalms and the tunes used in their churches. 
 
 Indeed no better scheme, for disseminating and 
 fixing the peculiar tenets of each party, could 
 have been devised, than that of giving different 
 versifications of the Psalms of David, the Bible 
 in miniature, as Luther calls them. The putting 
 the psalms out of the form of close translation, 
 into the artificial guise of verse, was a sure and 
 certain expedient, whereby those reformers 
 might, without alarming the cursory reader or 
 singer's jealousy, be made to express whatever 
 peculiarities of opinion the versifier thought 
 proper to ingraft into them. 
 
 ■was too gay and heathenish." In process of time, however, most of 
 Pruch-ntius' ejected hymns were restored, and by succeeding authori- 
 ties others also were added. Fkxiry's EccL Hist. torn. viii. p. 150. 
 
( 253 ) 
 
 To the French metre psalms, written partly 
 by Marot, and partly by Beza, and published 
 under the auspices of Calvin, music was set by 
 three Swiss musicians. It is this music which 
 was, by way of eminence, called, " The tunes used 
 in churches."* Those tunes have generally 
 among the Calvinists been called " The Refor- 
 mation-tunes," because they mightily subserved 
 the views of that reformer. To the measures of 
 those tunes the first English rhyme psalms were 
 professedly " fitted ; 99 for the title-page of Stern- 
 hold and Hopkins's version professes the metres 
 to be "fitted to the tunes used in churches: 99 and 
 various editions of Tate and Brady's psalms pay 
 the same compliment to the tunes used in churches. 
 The profession made by Sternhold and Hopkins 
 was made sometime before those tunes had crept 
 into any of the churches of North or South Bri- 
 tain ; and the compliment was renewed by Tate 
 and Brady long after they had got possession of 
 them. 
 
 St. Paul lays it down as an axiom, or self-evi- 
 dent truth, that « the less is blessed of the bet- 
 ter."! Now, if we apply this axiom to the ease 
 of "fitting the Psalms of David to the tunes used 
 in churches,' 9 the argument will run thus. 
 
 " The less is blessed of the better," the supe- 
 rior, or the more excellent, not by a reduction of 
 
 * See a farther account of those tunes in the Appendix, Sect. IT 
 A He*>. vii. 7. 
 
( 254 ) 
 
 excellency in the superior to a level of character 
 in the inferior; but by a conformation of deport- 
 ment in the inferior, to the will, and dignity of 
 character in the superior. But, in the case of 
 fitting the Psalms to the tunes used in churches, 
 the former, the superior, were changed from the 
 majesty of prose, into the puerilities of rhyme, 
 out of respect for the latter : — as if the tunes used 
 in churches had been fprccstantioresj the better, 
 the more excellent, and the Fsalms (minores) 
 the inferior, or the less excellent. 
 
 Therefore, because the songs of the sweet 
 singer of Israel were dagraded from their vene- 
 rable seat among the prophetic writings, and se- 
 cularized into the unhallowed condition of com- 
 mon ballads;* unless sufficient reason can be 
 given for believing that the tunes used in churches 
 are of higher authenticity than the Psalms, we 
 jnust consider the fitting of them to those tunes 
 ft presumptuous undertaking — a direct inversion 
 of the Apostle's axiom ; and that, instead of 
 " the less being blessed of the better," the better 
 was blessed of the less; which were not only 
 absurd to say, but impious to affirm. 
 
 But the plea for titling the Psalms to the tunes 
 used in churches, or indeed to anv music of man's 
 
 * The rhyme psalms of Sternhokl and Hopkins were sung to com- 
 mon song-tunes from the latter times of Henry VlJf. to the year 1548, 
 v.-hen they, with '* the tunes used iv the Calvinistic churches of 
 France, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland, first introduced them- 
 selves into t lie Church of England. See Appendix, Sect. HI 
 
( 255 ) 
 
 devising, carries on the very face of it its own 
 refutation. For it is a matter of notoriety to all 
 the world, that the Psalms had been sung in the 
 Hebrew language by the Jewish Church from the 
 year 1491 before Christ, the year of the Exodus 
 out of Egypt, and by the same church in the same 
 language, during every period of its prosperity and 
 its adversity down to the present times ; — and also 
 by the Christian Church, in vernacular prosaic 
 translations, during a period of fourteen centuries, 
 in all 3900 years, without any pretended necessity 
 or expediency, for turning them into the mea- 
 sures of Heathen song, fov the purpose of singing 
 them to times of a similar construction. 
 
 If, therefore, psalms, hymns, and spiritual 
 songs* of God's inditing, without the mixtures 
 of human imagination, have been presented to 
 him as acts of vocal praise and thanksgiving, 
 ever since the times of Moses, who, in all proba- 
 bility derived the practice from his progenitors in 
 the holy line (for aught any man can prove to 
 the contrary) even up to Adam :— why not con- 
 tinue the same manner of celebrating the praises 
 
 * ^Yu.\y.ot, Psalms. The Book of Psalms, and other 
 psalmodic scriptures, together with such texts as the Easter 
 substitute for Veiiite Exultemus, celebrated with voices and 
 instruments unitedly. 
 
 T,uvo;, Hymns. The above forms of praise, celebrated with 
 voices only. 
 
 ilSiti 7rviuju*.rtH.!th Spiritual songs or odes, such as Te De- 
 um, or Gloria in Excelsis, whether celebrated With voices 
 und instruments, or with voices on!v. 
 
( 2S6 ) 
 
 of Almighty God, from generation to generation, 
 even unto the end of the world? 
 
 Seen in this point of view, the latter clause of 
 our usual Doxology appears with increasing im- 
 port, and extended application. 
 
 With a view of giving permanency to metrical 
 psalmody, both the I^utherans and the Calvinists 
 edited authorized collections of metre psalms and 
 hymns, with appropriate metre tunes; but within 
 less than a century after the dates of those pub- 
 lications, new versions of psalms, and new tunes 
 hogan to supersede the authorized ones. 
 
 To secure a degree of permanency to Stern- 
 hold and Hopkins's version, it was printed in 1562 
 with the tunes to which it had been professedly 
 fitted, and tacked for the first time to the Prayer 
 Book. But neither could these expedients, nor 
 others, too numerous to be inserted here, endue 
 it with any portion of permanency; for Tate 
 and Brady's version, after the lapse of a few 
 years, supplanted it, and imitations, set in score* 
 quickly became rivals of the very tunes to which 
 the rhymes of Sternhold and Co. had been pro- 
 fessedly fitted. 
 
 As rivals of the King's chaplain and poet-lau- 
 reat's version, one by Smart, and another by Mer- 
 rick, a few years afterwards, presented themselves 
 as candidates for the palm of excellence and po- 
 pular approbation. The votaries of the former 
 vvere few— those of the latter many. Smart's 
 
( 237 ) 
 
 version, I believe, never found its way into any 
 of the churches, and but into few of the conven- 
 ticles ; whilst Merrick's, set to original tunes by 
 some of the most eminent composers, under the 
 auspices of Dr. Monkhouse, master of Queen's 
 College, Oxford, have found admission into many 
 of the parish churches, and some of the cathe- 
 drals and colleges. So that, at the present time, 
 three sets of metre psalms, and three sets of metre 
 tunes are used in the English churches, as con- 
 gregational taste directs the freedom of choice. 
 
 During the time that our Church was one with 
 that of England, Sternhold and Hopkins's psalms, 
 with the tunes used in churches, were the allowed 
 metre-psalmody, until both were gradually su- 
 perseded by Tate and Brady's psalms, with im- 
 proved imitations of the Geneva tunes. And 
 those tunes, in their turn, have experienced so 
 frequent and great vicissitudes, either from alter- 
 ations, or from substitutions, that but few vesti- 
 ges of them are now extant. Not one of the 
 Reformation tunes now remains in any of our 
 ehurches, except the solitary Old Hundreth;* 
 they have vanished like the baceless fabrie of a 
 
 * This tune is commonly thought to be one of Luther's; but Huss 
 had applied it to his version of the 128th Ps*lm,. before Luther Ger- 
 manized his lOUth Psalm to it. The fact is> it neither belongs to Lu- 
 ther nor Huss; for it was one of the popish chants to the 100th Psalm 
 of the Vulgate; and Dr. Boyoe, in his collection of Cathedral music, 
 has retained it in its original form. This chant is set to the hymn 
 for Trinity Sunday in the Churchman's Choral Companion to his 
 Prayer Book. 
 
 yo 
 
( 2B8 ) 
 
 >ision, and Sternhold's version is remembered 
 only for the sake of quoting its botchings and bar- 
 barisms. 
 
 The composing, editing, and teaching of metre 
 music, has, in this country, for several years, 
 been no inconsiderable article of traffic ; almost 
 all the teachers have been both the composers 
 and publishers of text-books for their scholars j 
 and, with a few exceptions, the great body of the 
 rhythmic college has consisted of non-episcopal 
 professors. In consequence of the vast number 
 of teachers and of tunes, a person who, in his 
 younger years was a singer, in more advanced 
 life is obliged to become a hearer. Every suc- 
 ceeding teacher introduces new tunes, and every 
 succeeding minister also does the same, to the 
 expulsion of others less favoured. And thus, 
 metre music resembles " a leaf tossed to and fro, 
 and shaken with the wind" of private or public 
 opinion. Without becoming a perpetual scholar, 
 no person is able to keep pace with the strides of 
 the giant Innovation, and no Christian assembly 
 can ever become so acquainted with metre psalm- 
 ody, as to unite in it generally. The idea of one's 
 becoming a perpetual scholar, for the sake of 
 learning a thing that so much resembles the pur- 
 suit of a rainbow, cannot but bring to our re- 
 membrance that saying of the Apostle, «* ever 
 learning, and never able to come to the know- 
 ledge of the truth." 
 
( 259 ) 
 
 How long permanency may be attached to the 
 collection of metre tunes published under the sanc- 
 tion of the ecclesiastical Convention of Maryland, 
 or to the selection edited under the auspices of 
 the ecclesiasticl Convention of New-York, the next 
 generation will be better able to foresee than the 
 present. But, if their fate should prove to be 
 the same as that of the metrical code both of 
 the Lutherans and of the Calvinists, and there 
 is no reason for thinking that it will be different, 
 they will afford an additional proof, that metre 
 music is of too fugitive a nature to admit of per- 
 manency, and that it so much resembleth the 
 transient condition of man, that one set of tunes 
 eometh and another goeth, and " never continu- 
 ed! in one stay." 
 
 Dissatisfied with the fluctuating nature of mc^ 
 trical psalmody, let us next inquire, whether 
 prosaic psalmody has any better claims to perma- 
 nency. 
 
 In making this inquiry, we must consult the 
 usage of the Jewish, the church of our elder 
 brethren. 
 
 If we apply to the rabbies, and request the 
 sentiments of their church concerning the per- 
 manency of the music of the temple, we shall 
 find them unitedly asserting, that many of the 
 chants of Solomon's temple are, at the present 
 time, sung in their synagogues, and that all their 
 
( 260 } 
 
 music, so far as memorial tradition* can be de- 
 pended on, is according to that divine original 
 
 Whether this statement be literally correct, 
 no man living can positively determine. Any how, 
 we may safely grant, that it is intentionally cor- 
 rect, for we know, that there is not only an 
 identity of many of their chants, but a striking 
 similarity pervading the whole of them, in all 
 the synagogues of Europe and America. And 
 • if this be the case, as it undeniably is in those 
 countries, we may warrantably suppose it to be 
 the same, in all synagogues throughout the world. 
 These facts concur in affording a proof, that the 
 Jewish chants, presently used in their syna- 
 gogues, are derived from one common origin; 
 and that could have been none other than the 
 musical service of the temple. 
 
 Recollecting that the ancient Jews were the 
 most musical people that ever existed — that their 
 music and their performers, both vocal and in- 
 strumental, not only enjoyed the sanction of Is- 
 rael's God, but were held in so great estimation 
 among men, that they procured them favour 
 during their several captivities — that their music 
 and sacred songs constituted the major part of 
 their national worship — that our blessed Lord 
 himself frequently joined in the psalmody of the 
 
 * It does not appear that the Jews ever had any musical characters, 
 unless the Masoretie points were such. 
 
( 261 ) 
 
 temple, and sanctioned it by his personal pre- 
 sence, and particularly at the time of his institut- 
 ing the holy Eucharist — that the twelve Apos- 
 tles, and almost all the first promulgators of 
 Christianity, were Jews by birth and education, 
 and consequently attached to their national 
 psalmody ; we may rest assured that the original 
 melodies of the Christian Church were derived 
 from the musical code of the temple-service. 
 
 Destined to destruction, the city of Jerusalem 
 had not the honour of beholding the true subjects 
 of its King invested with their proper character, 
 '• Christians/ 9 the anointed ones of Jehovah/ 
 That honour devolved upon a city of the Gentiles, 
 and Antioch became, and long continued to be, 
 the central point of all communications bearing 
 the Christian seal and signature. 
 
 St. Augustine informs us, that St. Ambrose 
 brought from Antioch the manner of chanting 
 the psalms and hymns, which he established at 
 Milan, about the year 375, and which was after- 
 wards called the Ambrosian chant.* From Mi- 
 lan, these chants were disseminated all over Eu- 
 rope, but being principally retained in the me- 
 mory, on account of there being no regular nota- 
 tion then extant, when Gregory came to the pon- 
 tifical chair, in 590, they were so greatly de- 
 based and incorrect, that he found it necessary 
 
 * August Confess. Lib. IX. c. X 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 to collect them, and then to correct such as were 
 erroneous, and to supply what had been lost. 
 These chants were henceforth called the Gregorian 
 chants, and were introduced into Britain by Au- 
 gustine.* 
 
 Besides St. Ambrose, Augustine, and Gregory, 
 who left clear testimonies of their approbation, 
 and even of their cultivating chanting in the Ro- 
 mish Church, ecclesiastical historians are unani- 
 mous in recording the sanction that was given to 
 chanting by St. Basil, Chrysostom, and Cyprian, 
 in the Greek Church. St. John Damascenus is 
 celebrated by the writers of his life, and by ec- 
 clesiastical historians, as being the compiler and 
 reformer of chants in the Greek Church in the 
 eighth century, as Gregory had been in the Romish 
 Church in the sixth.f And so tenacious are the 
 Greeks of their ancient melodies, that the nota- 
 tion of them is said to be the same as that in 
 which they were set by Damascenus. 
 
 The ancient notation of the Choral Books of 
 the Russian Church was continued until about 
 the year 1780, when, by the authority of the 
 Empress and the Archbishops and Bishops, the 
 
 * Itedoe. Keel. Hist. 
 
 t Dc Libris Ecel. Ur.rcorum. 
 
 Specimens of the ancient notation have been found in No. 1. M. S. 
 Missal of the 9th century in the Ambvosian library at Milan, No, M 
 if the ilth ceotn'ry in the British Museum. Dr. Burneifs History 
 of Mime, vol. ii. p. 40. 
 
 These musical characters very much resemble the Masoretie 
 points. 
 
( 263 ) 
 
 •Id choral books were called in, and new ones 
 edited with the same chants set according to the 
 modern notation. 
 
 Before Augustine's arrival (An. 596) in Britain, 
 the British had been in possession of the Antio- 
 chean chants from the time of their conversion 
 to Christianity, about the year 56, by St. Paul 
 and Joseph of Arimathea.* 
 
 From the arrival of Augustine to the sera of 
 the Reformation, a period of about 940 years, 
 the Gregorian chants, with few, or no other 
 changes than such as would unavoidably arise 
 from the manner of performance, were the fixed 
 and canonical music, not only of Britain, but of 
 all the other nations of Europe in communion 
 with the See of Rome. Accordingly, we find 
 that, during the early times of the church, the 
 middle ages, and even down to the Reformation, 
 such a similarity, if not an identity of sacred 
 music obtained among all Christians throughout 
 the known world, as could have originated from 
 one common fountain only. Even amidst all the 
 vicissitudes of human affairs incident to a lapse 
 of eighteen centuries, cathedral music still re- 
 tains unequivocal marks of its Jewish origin, as 
 any person may easily perceive, by comparing 
 the chants of the church with those of the syna- 
 gogue. 
 
 * Bishop Still'msflcct's Origines S*cr. passim , 
 
( 264 ) 
 
 Of musical permanency in the chant form, an 
 evidence, more satisfactory than the following, 
 cannot be desired. " The chant to the Te Deum. 
 as published by Meibomius, from a copy nearly as 
 vld as the hymn itself, and another publication of 
 the same by Glareanus, in 1547, correspond ex- 
 actly with that which was published by Marbeck, 
 at thc4ime^f the Reformation.* 
 
 Henry and Cramner, who were both musicians 
 of taste and discrimination, gave all the encou- 
 ragement in their power to cathedral music, and 
 to sanction its continuance ; and although until, 
 and after the accession of Elizabeth, every thing 
 was done that could be done by its enemies, to 
 annihilate it, and to erect metre psalmody on its 
 ruins ; yet during her reign, cathedral music 
 was no where more successfully cultivated, and 
 more ably defended, than in England. The old 
 chants were collected and revised, and composers 
 of correct taste and primitive principles published 
 such works, as not only secured the interest of 
 its friends, but conciliated the good will of many 
 of its enemies. And from these publications, 
 Dr. Boyce formed his " Collection of English 
 Cathedral Music," which will be admired so 
 long as the English language and correct taste 
 shall keep each other company. 
 
 Were chanting a matter of mere taste or opi- 
 
 * JBuraej's History *f Mus:c, vftl. ii, p. 585 
 
( 265 ) 
 
 aion, it would be continually subjected to the iu- 
 fluenee of those caprices, which the changeable 
 humour of man might think proper to exercise 
 upon it ; but as each chant is set to some portion 
 of Holy Scripture, or some established hymn 
 of the offices of religion, the music derives from, 
 its immediate superior a measure of its own im- 
 mutability, and also a portion of its own sanctity. 
 There being an unchangeable alliance fixed be- 
 tween the appointed psalms and hymns, and their 
 appropriate harmonies, persons of tolerable ears 
 and voices, not only learn with case to sing the 
 songs «f Zion, but retain them in their memories 
 without distraction ; the children grow up with 
 the practice of singing them ; and thus, the 
 chants along with the words may, by occasional 
 rehearsals, under the guidance of a person skil- 
 ful in the art, be transmitted from one generation 
 to another.* 
 
 He who, without prejudice, listens to this 
 most excellent and venerable way of " setting 
 forth the most worthy praise of Almighty God,*' 
 will naturally ask, What doth hinder me from 
 learning thus to sing the songs of the Almighty 
 King? And, he who can thus sing them, and 
 does sing them, " with grace in his heart,*' will 
 find a renewal of love, peace, and joy in the 
 Holy Ghost, every time that he is engaged in 
 those celestial acclamations. 
 
 * In this way the Gregorian chants have been retained to the pre- 
 sent times in Italy, Spain, and other countries of Ejprope. 
 
 z 
 
( 266 ) 
 
 Amidst the ruins of cloud-cap'd palaces, the 
 demolition of sacred edifices, and the revolutions 
 of empires; — amidst the discordant jarrings of 
 civil and religious contentions, the various oppo- 
 sitions to primitive truth and order; and in defi- 
 ance of the restless and insatiable spirit of no- 
 velty; — chanting, as " an ordinance for ever 
 throughout the generations" of the Jewish Church, 
 and also throughout those of the Christian, hath 
 jnaintained its existence, its venerahle form, and 
 its divine eifeet. 
 
 Chanting hath always heen the legitimate way 
 of " setting forth God's most worthy praise/ 5 
 lipon earth ; and to chants only are the hymns of 
 angels and glorified spirits in heaven commensu- 
 rate. Chanting, like the sun, « shineth more 
 find more, unto the perfect day," when it will 
 lisher in the never-ending hallelujah, " Salvation 
 to our God, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever." 
 Amen. 
 
 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, 
 the only wise God, be honour and glory, for ever 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The Origin and Progress of Metrical Hymnologif. 
 
 i 
 
 T has been imagined by some writers, that 
 worldly prudence had at first dictated the expedi- 
 ency of introducing metrical hymns into the of- 
 fices of Christianity, in order to conciliate the 
 good-will of idolaters, who had been always ac- 
 customed to hear no other kind of music but 
 what consisted of prosodically measured feet. 
 But if the Christians of the Roman empire, an- 
 tecedent to the time of Prudentius,* never 
 thought of this expedient, when they stood more 
 in need of softening measures, and a conformity 
 to some apparently innocent externals of Pagan 
 worship, than after their religion had received 
 from Constantine the sanction of imperial laws ; 
 the introduction of metrical hymnology into the 
 worship of the true God must have been less 
 awing to worldly prudence than to erroneous 
 
 * He vas born in 6iS, and died in 395. Biog. Diet. 
 
( 26S ) 
 
 principle. It is likely that, as many influential 
 Pagans had but lately conformed to the church, 
 some of them still retained more or less attach- 
 ment to their former hymnology and music ; and 
 therefore, it is very supposable, that a latent 
 tendency, to have hymns introduced into Chris- 
 tian worship similar to those of polytheism, had 
 commenced this innovation. 
 
 During the fourth century, the church Mas 
 exceedingly agitated by esery species of heresy, 
 ami convulsed by schism in a variety of forms; 
 ►—and what time more congenial with pride, va- 
 nity, ignorance, and the remainders of paganism I 
 la convulsive times, the church hath had fre- 
 quent cause to lament, that the inventions of men 
 have been violently obtruded upon the worship 
 of God in his temple. In the end of this cen- 
 tury, the Latin verse hymns of Prudentius began 
 to ikid admittance into the Roman Church; and 
 the Greeks soon followed the example of the 
 Liitiiis, in admitting metrical hymns into their 
 churches. From Socrates, the historian, (lib* 
 YJ. c. S) we learn that the heretics used to sing 
 r^tre hymns, marching through the streets of 
 Constantinople, in procession ; with which the 
 vulgar were so much captivated, that the ortho- 
 dox, under the direction of St. Chrysostom, 
 thought it necessary to follow the example, 
 vhieh had been set them by their inveterate ene- 
 mies. Processional singing had been long prae- 
 
( 269 ) 
 
 used both by the Jews and Pagans, bin no men- 
 tion is made of it among Christians before this 
 period. 
 
 From the end of the fourth century to the 
 present time, metre hymnology hath been culti- 
 vated by almost every denomination of Christians ; 
 yet the Church of England recognizes no metre 
 hymns except those in two of her offices ; but our 
 Church not only recognizes those, but fifty one 
 besides, which she allows to be sung in public 
 worship, " at tlve discretion of the minister." 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 The Origin and Progress of Metrical Psalmody. 
 
 Among the first reformers, who interested 
 themselves about the manner of singing the 
 Psalms, we have not only Wickliff, Huss, Je- 
 rome of Prague, and Zingle, but also Luther, 
 Cranmer, Calvin, Beza, Buchanan, and John 
 Knox ; who, though each of them had different 
 ideas of the subject of sacred music, yet all 
 agreed in stripping it of all the energy and em- 
 bellishments of measure and melody, as indeed 
 the Calvinists did likewise of harmony. 
 
 It is said to have been the opinion of Handel, 
 that Luther was the author of metrical psalmody ; 
 z 2 i 
 
( 270 ) 
 
 but this is far from being the case ; for J. Httf s»# 
 
 in the beginning of the 15th century, WicklifF,f 
 towards the end of the 14-th, and the Albigenses 
 in 1210, were all metre psalm singers. 
 
 Luther's metre psalms and spiritual songs were 
 published at Wirtemburg in 1524 and 1525; and 
 besides the numerous metrical hymns and psalms 
 of Luther and his friends, there was a metre 
 version of the whole Book of Psalms published 
 at Augsburg in 1525, by John Boschenstein. 
 
 The bold and intrepid reformer Luther, being 
 himself a lover and judge of music, was so far 
 from banishing it from the church, that he rather 
 multiplied the occasions for its use. Indeed, Lu- 
 ther must have had an insatiable passion for 
 rhyme and music; as besides turning most of the 
 ancient ecclesiastical hymns, the Creed, the Lord's 
 Prayer, and many other parts of his Liturgy, 
 into German verse, in order to be sung ; he wrote 
 his Catechism in rhyme, which was set to music 
 In four parts by Henry of Gottingen ; and even 
 ♦ he Confession of Augsburg he turned into verse, 
 and had it likewise set to music* 
 
 In Luther's Epistle to Senplius of Zurich, 
 the musician and scholar of Henry Isaac, Luther 
 places music above all arts and sciences, except 
 theology; a3 that and religion are alone able to 
 >ooth and calm the mind. In the same epistle 
 
 * Kuss was birnt at Constance in 1415. 
 
 • Yn<-k!!!TfKe \ ;;l Lathenror'.h in 13U 
 
( sri ) 
 
 he says, « We know that music is intolerable 
 to demons ; M and therefore thus concludes; " I 
 verily think, and am not ashamed to say, that 
 next to theology, no art is comparable to music."* 
 
 It does not appear in the life or letters of Lu- 
 ther and Calvin, that those reformers had ever 
 conferred or corresponded with one another ; and 
 yet it hath been said, that it was by the advice of 
 Luther that Calvin established his Psalmody; 
 with which, both Germany and France was soon 
 overrun. Germany was certainly furnished with 
 innumerable psalmodists and hymnologists long 
 before Calvin, who was born in 1509, became the 
 head of a sect. Calvin was in his 36th year when 
 Luther died in 1546* 
 
 It appears that the ancient ecclesiastical tones 
 regulated the music of the Lutheran Church at 
 the time of the reformation ; for most of the old 
 melodies to the evangelical hymns are composed 
 in one or other of them. The Cantamen or an- 
 thems and services used in this reformed church 
 in the German language, are, however, as elabo- 
 rate and florid, as the metres set to Latin words 
 used in Italy, during the celebration of the mass. 
 
 The hymn book of (he Picards and Bohemian 
 brethren, printed with musical notes at Ulm, ia 
 1568, shows that the melodies used by those sects 
 
 * " Scimusmusicamd:eraoniJ>usetiamiiivisam et intolerabilem esse; 
 — Plane judico, nee pudet asscrere post Theolo^iam esse nullam 
 artem, <|use possit musics jequari." 
 
 Lnthc's Ep. ad Senpl. Znr, 
 
originated from the chants, to which the ancient 
 Latin hymns of the Romish Church were sung. 
 For in this book there are translations and imi- 
 tations in German metre, of most of the hymns 
 and proses still used in the Romish Church ; such 
 as the Stabat Mater dolorosa ; the Te Deum lau- 
 damus; Lux beata Trinitatis; Pange lingua 
 gloriosi, &c. 
 
 About the year 1540 Clement Marot, a French 
 poet, versified and dedicated to Francis I. thirty 
 of David's Psalms, which were sung, in defiance 
 of the censures of the Sorbonne, by the King 
 and Queen, and by the principal personages of the 
 kingdom, to the favourite airs of the times. 
 
 Having fled to Geneva, to avoid persecution, 
 Marot versified other twenty of the psalms. 
 These, with the thirty formerly published at Paris, 
 were printed at Geneva in 1543, without music, 
 but with a preface written by Calvin. Marot dy- 
 ing the next year, Beza versified the rest of the 
 psalms in the same manner; and the whole book 
 of psalms, in French rhyme, was published at 
 Strasburg in 1545. These psalms were instantly 
 in so great demand, that they could not be printed 
 fast enough, and were sung to common song-tunes, 
 by the Lutherans and Calvinists from a principle 
 of piety, and by the Romanists in frolic and bur- 
 lesque.* 
 
 * Ftorirccod de Rem. de Is Naissanee et Pr ogres, de PHeresi? 
 
( ff ) 
 
 As yet, these psalms had not found admission 
 into any of the conventicles, and therefore were 
 not taken notice of publicly by the Romish Church ; 
 but in the year 1553, when they appeared in the 
 same book with the catechism of Calvin, and the 
 Genevan Liturgy, the Romanists took the alarm, 
 and prohibited the farther public use of them. 
 After the promulgation of this prohibition, a 
 metre psalmodist became another name for Re- 
 former, Hugonot, and Calviuist. And the pur- 
 poses to which this lamentable musie was often 
 applied, during the struggles and growth of Cal- 
 vinism, seem to have been worse than the music 
 itself; as, according to writers of the opposite 
 party, it was made the signal of tumult, sedition, 
 sacrilege and rebellion.* 
 
 Of the music to which Marot and Beza's French 
 rhyme psalms were sung in the Calviuistic chur- 
 ches, we have the following account iw Dnylc's 
 Dictionary, under the word Marot: — " A profes- 
 sor in the university of Lausanne has informed 
 me, that a certitieate, under Beza's own hand, in 
 the name of the ecclesiastical society, siill sub- 
 sists, dated 1552, declaring that Guillaume Franc 
 first set music to the translation of the psalms, as 
 they are sung in churches." 
 
 The same person is likewise acknowledged to 
 be the author of that music, in a Geneva edition 
 
 • Maimburg's Hist, de Cahinism, Iiv. ii. p. 9§. 
 
( *™ ) 
 
 of 1564. After this composer of music for Marot 
 and Beza's psalms, a variety of composers have 
 succeeded one another to the present time, so that 
 the tunes are innumerable, and of all sorts of 
 merit and demerit. 
 
 Having thus traced metre psalmody, from its 
 minute beginning in Germany, France, and Swit- 
 zerland, it is next in order to relate its arrival 
 and progress in England. 
 
 During the reign of Henry VIII. several of the 
 Psalms of David were turned into English rhyme, 
 hy Sir Thomas Wyatt, and published in 1549. 
 Indeed, almost all the English poets, good, bad, 
 and indifferent, during that and the subsequent 
 reign, attempted to versify more or less of that 
 divine book.# 
 
 All the performances of those gentlemen have 
 long been buried in oblivion ; and the most ancient 
 display of poetical talent in turning (he Psalms of 
 David into English rhyme, records the labours 
 of a fraternity, whose names are, Sternhold, 
 Hopkins, Cox, Whittingham, Norton, and Wis- 
 dome.f 
 
 * See a long list of the English versifiera, whom Pope has ho* 
 loourecl with nitchesin his Duuciad. 
 
 f Bishop (Jorbett's Epigram, addressed to the ghost of Robert 
 Wisdome. { W. ^as buried at Ccrfax Church, Oxford.) 
 Thou once a body, now but ay re, 
 .Arclfebotcher of a p&idm or prayer, 
 
 From Cor fax come 
 And patch us up a zealous lay, 
 With an old ever and for ay 9 
 Or all and sow?, 
 
( 2 ^ ) 
 
 Sternhold, who was groom of the robes to 
 Henry VIII. and afterwards of the bed-chamber 
 to Edward VI. versified only 51 of the psalms; 
 Hopkins, who was a clergyman and schoolmas- 
 ter in Suffolk, versified 58; and the rest of the 
 company, each according to the initials of his 
 name set over his particular versification. These 
 metre psalms were at first published in detached 
 numbers, and sung to common song-airs. An 
 entire collection of them was not published until 
 1562, when it was tacked, for the first time, to 
 the Book of Common Prayer, under the follow- 
 ing title ; " The whole Book of Psalms, collected 
 into English metre, byT. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, 
 and others, conferred with the Ebrue ; with apt 
 notes to sing them withal. Imprinted by John 
 Bay." 
 
 In this edition there was no bass, nor upper 
 parts, only the tunes, and these, as appears by 
 collation, the same as those of Guillaume Franc, 
 Gaudimel, and Claude Le Jeune, in the Psalm 
 Books of the Calvinists. 
 
 These are the apt notes* — the tunes used in 
 Churches, to which the psalms of Sternhold and 
 
 Or such a spirit lend me, 
 
 As may a h\ mn down send me, 
 
 To purge my brain. 
 But, Robert, look behind thee, 
 Lest Turk or Pope should find thee, 
 And go to bed again. 
 
 Poems, London, 1647, p. 4f . 
 These apt notes were first imported from Geneva into Lnglas^l 
 1 3 _Horton, one of the rhyming fraternity. 
 
C 276 ) 
 
 Co. were professedly fitted ; and to which, as a 
 prototype for future imitations, the psalms of 
 Brady and Co. were professedly fitted also. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 The Authorities on which Metre Psalmody stands, 
 exhibited in a retrograde View. 
 
 The General Convention of the Protestant Epis- 
 eopal Church in the United States of America, 
 holden in Philadelphia, thus allowed the use of 
 the Psalms of David in metre. 
 
 " By the Bishops, the Clergy, and the Laity, 
 of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Unit- 
 ed States of America, in Convention, this 13th 
 day of October, in the year of our Lord 1789. 
 
 " This translation of the whole Book of Psalms 
 into metre, with Hymns, is set forth, and allowed 
 to be sung in all Congregations of the said Church, 
 before and after morning and evening prayer, and 
 also before and after sermons, at the discretion 
 of the minister." 
 
 This allowance, for the use of metre psalms, is 
 predicated upon a recommendation of the Bishop 
 of London, dated May 23. 1698. in these words :— h 
 
 u . His Majesty having allowed ard permitted 
 the use of a new version of the Psalms of David, 
 by Br. Brady and Mr. Tate, in all churches* 
 
( W ) 
 
 chapels, and congregations; I cannot do less 
 than wish a good success to this royal indulgence : 
 for I find it a work done with so much judgment 
 and ingenuity, that I am persuaded it may take 
 oft' that unhappy objection which hath hitherto 
 lain against the singing psalms, and dispose that 
 part of divine service to much more devotion. 
 And I do heartily recommend the use of this ver- 
 sion to all my brethren within my diocess. 
 
 " H. London." 
 
 This recommendation stands upon an act of the 
 King and Council, expressed thus: — 
 
 " At the Court at Kensington, Dec. the 3d, 
 1696, present the King's most excellent majesty 
 in Council. 
 
 " Upon the humble petitions of N. Brady and 
 N. Tate, this day read at the board, setting forth 
 that the petitioners have, witli their utmost care 
 and industry, completed a new Version of the 
 Psalms of David, in English metre, jilted for 
 public use; and humbly praying his Majesty's 
 Royal allowance, that the Version may be used 
 in such congregations as think fit to receive it : 
 
 " His Majesty, taking the same into his Royal 
 consideration, is pleased to order in council, that 
 the said new Version of the Psalms in English metre 
 be, and the same is hereby allowed and permitted 
 to be used in all churches, chapels, and con- 
 gregations, as shall think tit to receive the same. 
 
 " W. Bridgman." 
 2 A 
 
C 278 ) 
 
 And tliis allowance and permission is predicated 
 upon a Proviso, in the act of uniformity for the 
 use of the Common Prayer Book, 1548, in these 
 words : — 
 
 " Provided also, that it he lawful for all men, 
 as well in churches, chapels, oratories, or 
 other places, to use openly any psalm or prayer 
 taken out of the Bihle, at any due time ; not 
 letting or omitting thereby the service, or any 
 part thereof mentioned in the said book. 
 
 * And hence it is, that the title-page of Stern - 
 hold and Hopkins' book of metre psalms and 
 hymns has these words ; 4i set forth and allowed 
 10 be sung in all churches of the people together, 
 before and after morning and evening prayer, 
 and also before and after sermons ; and more- 
 over in private houses, for their godiy solace and 
 comfort."* 
 
 These rhymes were at first " only allowed in 
 private devotion," says Dr. Heylin, ** but by lit- 
 tle and little they were brought into the Church ; 
 permitted rather than allowed to be sung before 
 and after sermons ; afterwards printed and bound 
 up with the Common Prayer Book ; and at last 
 added by the stationers at the end of the Bible. 
 For though it is expressed in the title-page of 
 these singing psalms, that they were set forth and 
 allowed to be sung in all churches, before and af- 
 
 * Stcvpc-'s Memorials, voJ. B. n. 86. 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 ier morning and evening prayer, and also before 
 and after sermons; yet this allowance seems 
 rather to have been a connivance, than an appro- 
 bation: no such allowance being any where found 
 by such as have been most industrious and con- 
 cerned in the search."* 
 
 Thus, it appears from historical testimony, 
 that the whole superstructure of English metre 
 psalmody rests upon a Proviso as its grand corner 
 atone 5— a Proviso so interpreted as to be nothing 
 else than a puritanic pious fraud. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 The Rivalship hetween Metre-Psalmody and 
 Cathedral Music. 
 
 Henry VIII. who began, and his children who 
 completed the reformation of religion in England, 
 being all musicians, and consequently able to dis- 
 tinguish harmony and melody from noise and jar- 
 gon, took care to support the dignity of music in 
 the service of the cathedrals; which has not 
 been the ease with the founders of other Protest- 
 ant churches. Yet notwithstanding the King's 
 superior judgment in music, and its adaptation to 
 
 • Heylin's History of the Reformation, p. 127. 
 Ou<zre. Was metre psalmody from heaven, or of men: 
 
( SSO ) 
 
 the service of the sanctuary, the puritanic re- 
 formers, according to « The seventy-eight faults 
 and abuses of religion,*' in the Protestation of 
 the clergy of the lower house wkhin the pro- 
 vince of Canterbury, presented to the King in 
 1536, declared, that, " Synging and saying of 
 mass, mattins, or even song, is but roaring, 
 howling, whistling, mummying, conjuring, and 
 jogeling; and the playing upon organs a foolish 
 vstnitie."* 
 
 In 1B39 a book of ceremonies was published, 
 in which is the following passage favourable to 
 choral music. (Section, Service of the Church.) 
 •• The sober, discreet, and devout singing, music, 
 and playing with organs, used in the Church in 
 the service of God, are ordained to move and 
 stk the people to the sweetness of God's word, 
 the which is there sung ; and by that sweet har- 
 mony, both to excite them to prayer and devotion, 
 and also to put them in remembrance of the 
 heavenly triumphant church, where is everlasting 
 joy, continual laud, and praise to God.'*f 
 
 In the Litany of Henry's Prayer Book, pub- 
 lished in 15i6, the supplications are printed with 
 black ink, and the responses with red* Before 
 the Litany there is this rubric; — « And it is to 
 be remembered, that that which is printed in 
 black letters is to be said or sung of the Priest 
 
 * Strype'a EeeL Mem. Appendix to vol. i. p. 178. 
 ■j Strvpe's L^l Mem. Appendix ».o vol L p. 2M, 
 
( *Si ) 
 
 with an audible voyce, (that is to say) so loude 
 and so plainlie, that it may be well understande 
 of the hearers. And that which is in the red, 
 is to be answered of the quier, soberly and de- 
 voutly." 
 
 In 1547, the Compline, a sort of final chorus 
 at evening prayer, was sung in English, in the 
 King's chapel, before any act of Parliament had 
 enjoined it. 
 
 In 1548, the English Liturgy, or Book of Com- 
 mon Prayer, was published and ordered to be 
 used ; but books could not be furnished for the 
 whole kingdom in one year, and therefore the 
 order could not be obeyed until Whitsunday of 
 1549, when it was used for the first time in St. 
 Paul's, London. 
 
 In 1549, all images were taken down and de- 
 stroyed. All antiphonaries, missals, brevia- 
 ries, offices, horaries, primers, and proces- 
 sionals, were called in and destroyed. Calvin, 
 Martyr, Bucer, and the Zwinglians, bred schisms 
 among the Reformers, and augmented the num- 
 ber of puritans and fanaticks throughout the 
 English nation.* 
 
 In 1550, Archbishop Cranmer first adjusted 
 the Litany in the English language to a chant. 
 Concerning the words and music thus arranged, 
 he wrote to the King thus: " I trust it will 
 
 Hevlin's EcoL Hist- p. $5, >0 
 2.12 
 
( 388 ) 
 
 excite and stir up the hearts of all men to devo- 
 tion and godliness."* And soon after this, in 
 the same year, under the sanction of the King 
 and the Archbishop, John Marbeek, organist 
 of Windsor, published a notation of the cathe- 
 dral service in the English language, which be- 
 fore had been in Latin, ever since the time of 
 Augustine, a period of 9i0 years. The title of 
 this musical prayer book is — « The Book of 
 Common Prayer noted." 
 
 No other music for the cathedral service was 
 printed during the reign of Edward VI. but that 
 of Marbeck, which was simple Canto fermo, 
 without counterpoint. 
 
 The fears of those who wished well to the Eng- 
 lish cathedral service were somewhat abated, on 
 finding that the " thirty-two commissioners," 
 under Edward VI. in their «* reasonable com- 
 plaints against the abuse of music," had confined 
 their censures to that species of singing which 
 was productive of confusion, and rendered 
 unintelligible those parts of the service which 
 required the greatest reverence and attention. 
 And in the forty-one articles prepared in 1551, 
 not a word is said concerning cathedral chanting, 
 musical services, or parochial psalmody. 
 
 That there were just grounds for complaints 
 against the abuse of music, will readily be grant* 
 
 • CuHier's EccL list to). ii p. 21 & 
 
( *8& ) 
 
 ed, when" Dr. Tye, the first of ecclesiastical com^ 
 posers in Edward's reign, in imitation of Stern- 
 hold and Hopkins* psalms, turned the first four- 
 teen chapters of the Acts of the Apostles into 
 English rhyme ; an absurd undertaking, and 
 which was rendered still more ridiculous, by the 
 elaborate music to which he set these rhymes* 
 consisting of fugues and canons of the most ar- 
 tificial and complicated kind. 
 
 In 1553, Mary ascended the throne. During 
 her short reign, ecclesiastical music was again 
 transferred to Latin words, which seems to have 
 been the principal change that the revival of the 
 Romish rites and ceremonies occasioned in cho^ 
 ral singing; as metrical psalmody had not yet 
 been generally received into parochial churches. 
 
 In October, 155i, the laws of Edward concern- 
 ing religion were all repealed; and in November, 
 Bishop Bonner set up the old worship at St. Paul's 
 on St. Catharine's day.* During the subsequent 
 years of Mary's reign, the public service was 
 every where performed in the Roman manner 
 throughout the kingdom. 
 
 In the reign of Queen Mary, all the Protestants, 
 except those who courted martyrdom, sung 
 Stcrnhold and Hopkins' psalms CsottovoceJ with 
 a low tone of voice ; but after the accession of 
 Queen Elizabeth, like orgies, they were roared 
 
 * Fuller's Ecclesiastical History, cent. 17. B. 8. 
 
( 284 ) 
 
 aloud in almost every street, as well as church, 
 throughout the realm ; and " as the puritan fac- 
 tion increased in strength and confidence, these 
 metre psalms prevailed in most places, so as to 
 thrust the Te Deum, the Benedictus, the Mag- 
 nificat, and the Nunc dimittis, quite out of the 
 church."* 
 
 In Scotland, psalmody was practised by the re- 
 formers very early in the Reformation, but al- 
 ways in prosaic forms, until about the year 1555, 
 when it appears that Elizabeth Adam son, a fol- 
 lower of John Knox, died singing rhyme psalms ! 
 — And at the time of an insurrection, it is said 
 of the insurgents, that after insulting the Bishops 
 and the Queen Regent, " search was made for 
 the doers, but none could be deprehended ; for 
 the brethren assembled themselves in such sort, 
 in companies, singing psalms, and praising God, 
 that the proudest of their enemies were asto- 
 nished."! 
 
 Elizabeth began her reign on the 17th Nov. 
 4558$ her coronation was celebrated in the Ro- 
 man manner; and according to Camden4 the 
 Romish religion was continued about six or seven 
 weeks after the death of Mary, in the same state 
 as before. 
 
 On the 28th April, 1559, Elizabeth gave the 
 
 * Heylin's History of the Reformation, p. 127. 
 
 7 Neal's History of the Puritans, p. 99. 
 
 i Fuller's Ecclesiastical History, vol. ilp. 51; 
 
( 2S3 ) 
 
 royal assent to the bill for the uniformity of 
 Common Prayer, or English Liturgy, which 
 was to take effect on the 12th May : but so eager 
 was her Majesty to hear the reformed service, 
 that she anticipated its restoration, by having it 
 performed in her own chapel on Sunday, May 2d, 
 four days after the act had passed.* 
 
 This Liturgy was printed the same year by 
 Grafton, with the following title; " The Book 
 of Common Prayer, and Administration of the 
 Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of 
 the Church of England/' And the license con- 
 tained in the rubrics, allowing it to be " said or 
 sang," and ordaining that in choirs and places 
 where they sing, the anthem shall follow certain 
 parts of the service, is a plain indication that the 
 cathedral service' was then authorized, and the 
 parochial tolerated. 
 
 In the same year, Elizabeth published injunc- 
 tions for the Clergy; the 49th of which is con- 
 cerning choral music. According to this injunc- 
 tion, says Ile^lin, " as plain song was retained 
 in most parish churches for the daily psalms, so 
 in her own chapels, and in the choirs of all ca- 
 thedrals, and some colleges, the hymns were 
 swig in a more melodious manner, with organs 
 commonly, and sometimes with other musical 
 instruments, as the solemnity required. Here 
 
 ^-Stv/pe's Eeetesastka! A&osfej vol L y 1.91. 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 no mention is made (adds this writer) of singing 
 psalms in metre, though afterwards they first 
 thrust out the hymns which are herein mentioned, 
 and by degrees do they also the Te Deum, the 
 Magnificat, and the Nunc dimittis."* 
 
 By the moderation, liberality, and intelligence 
 of this injunction, choral music was saved from 
 litter extirpation in England ; for the outcry and 
 violence of the Puritans against playing upon or- 
 gans, curious singing, and tossing about the 
 psalms from side to side (meaning antiphonal or 
 responsive singing), were at this time so great, 
 that they could only be restrained by an exertion 
 of all the powers and firmness of this princess. 
 
 In the year after the publication of the English- 
 Liturgy, a choral work appeared with this title ; 
 " Certain Notes set forth in three and four parts, 
 to be sung at the Morning Communion and Even- 
 ing Praier, very necessary for the Church of 
 Christe, to be frequented and used: and unto 
 them be added divers godly Praiers and Psalms 
 in the like form, to the honour and praise of God. 
 Imprinted at London, over Aldersgate, beneath 
 St. Martin's, by John Day, ±560." 
 
 Notwithstanding the attention that was paid 
 to choral music by her Majesty, and the Deans 
 of cathedrals throughout the kingdom, it was in 
 frequent danger of utter abolition, by the fury 
 
 * Bishop Sparrow's Col, of Inju^.— EecL Hist p. 289. 
 
( 287 ) 
 
 with which some of the reformers, actuated by 
 a spirit of change and extirpation rather than 
 of reformation, attacked every thing that was 
 right, wrong, or even indifferent, in the ancient 
 service of the Church. One of Bishop Latimer's 
 injunctions to the prior and convent of St. Mary- 
 house, in Worcester, so early as the year 1537, 
 when Bishop of that diocess, runs thus; " Item, 
 Whenever there shall be any preaching in your 
 monastry, that all manner of singing, and other 
 ceremonies, he entirely abolished."* 
 
 Among the proposals prepared by the Puritans 
 for further reformation, in 1562, there is the fol- 
 lowing — " That the psalms may be sung dis- 
 tinctly by the whole congregation, and that or- 
 gans may be laid aside. ,, f And Bishop Burnet 
 says, " that organs and curious singing were 
 near being banished the church ; their continu- 
 ance being carried by only one vote, and that 
 given by the proxy of an absent member."^: 
 
 In 1565, the ecclesiastical composers, encou- 
 raged, probably, by the reception of the former 
 publication, and the favour of the Queen, printed 
 another collection of offices, with musical notes, 
 under the following title ; « Morning and Even- 
 ing Prayer and Communion, set forth in four 
 parts, to be sung in churches, both for men and 
 
 * Burnet's History of the Reformation, P. II. Col. No. 23. 
 
 f Neal's History of the Puritans, [». 180. 
 
 $ Burnet's History of the Reformation, P. Ul. p. 105. 
 
( 283 ) 
 
 children, with dyvers other godly prayers and 
 anthems, of sundry men's doyings." 
 
 This publication, with the former, by John 
 Day, in 1560, fixed for nearly a century the style 
 of English choral music. In both these, says 
 Dr. Barney, " the movement was grave, the har- 
 mony grateful, and the contrivance frequently 
 ingenious." 
 
 In i570, Cartwright, one of the most vio- 
 lent and intolerant of the reformers, attacked 
 cathedral music; and afterwards Field and Wil- 
 cox, two puritan ministers, with Brown, the 
 founder of the Brownists, vended and uttered 
 from the pulpit and the press, every objection 
 and defamation they could invent against this 
 venerable usage. But Hooker, then master of 
 the Temple, undertook its defence, which may 
 lie seen in the 5th book of his Ecclesiastical Po- 
 lity, sections 38 and 39. 
 
 In 1571, in the confession of the Puritans, 
 they say ; " Concerning singing of Psalms, we 
 allow the people's joining with one roice, in a 
 plain tune, but not of tossing the psalms from 
 one side to the other, with intermingling of or* 
 gans."* 
 
 And in 15S6, when the Puritans were framing 
 innumerable bills for further reformation in the 
 Church, a pamphlet was dispersed in spite of all 
 
 * Neal's History of t'ae Puritans, p. 290. 
 
( 289 ) 
 
 the restrictions at that time laid on the press, en- 
 titled, " A request of all true Christians to the 
 House of Parliament f* which, among other 
 things, prays, " That all Cathedral Churches 
 may be put down, where the service of God is 
 grievously abused by piping with organs, singing, 
 ringing, and trowling of psalms from one side 
 of the choir to another, with the squeaking of 
 chanting choristers, disguised (as are all the rest) 
 in white surplices ; some in corner caps, and silly 
 copes, imitating the fashion and manner of An- 
 tichrist the Pope, that man of sin and child of 
 perdition, with his other rabble of miscreants 
 and shavelings."* 
 
 So enthusiastically were the Puritans attached 
 to rhyme psalmody, that during the reign of 
 Elizabeth, they devoted cathedral music to de- 
 struction, and strove with great zeal to have no- 
 thing sung in churches, but in the syllabic man- 
 ner; — pretending that no music was suitable to 
 a whole congregation, but what was sung sylla- 
 foically. And innumerable field -preachers, and 
 street-preachers persuaded the undistinguishing 
 multitude, that syllabic singing was the only 
 kind of praise which God would take delight in 
 hearing. 
 
 In England, for more than a century after the 
 commencement of the reformation, the spirit of 
 
 * Neat's History of. the Purit^no, p= 480 
 
( 290 ) 
 
 change being fomented by an intercourse with the 
 Calvinists in France, Geneva, Holland, Frank- 
 fort, and Scotland, not only prevented the rest- 
 less and turbulent part of the nation from being 
 satisfied with an emancipation from the gripe of 
 Popery ; — but numberless riots and outrages seem 
 to have derived a sort of sanction from the use 
 of metrical psalmody. 
 
 The total suppression of the cathedral service 
 in 1643 gave a grievous wound to sacred music ; 
 not only checking its cultivation, but annihilating, 
 as much as possible, the means of restoring it, 
 by destroying all the choral books, as entirely as 
 those of the Romish communion had been at the 
 time of the reformation. Nothing now but syl- 
 labic unisonous psalmody was authorized in the 
 church. Organs were taken down, organists and 
 choir-men turned adrift, and the art of music, 
 and indeed all the arts, but those of killing, cant- 
 ing, and hypocrisy, were discouraged. 
 
 This accounts for much of the barbarism into 
 which music was thrown during the reign of 
 James I. and Charles I. 
 
 The loyalists in Charles' time were attached to 
 the Hierarchy and the ancient rites of the church, 
 which included the organ, and the solemn and 
 artificial use of voices ; but if they had any one 
 custom or enjoyment, which excited in the Puri- 
 tans a more acrimonious hatred, it was that of 
 celebrating religious rites with good music. The 
 
( 291 ) 
 
 Cavaliers, in their turn, were equally inimical to 
 the coarse, vociferous, and clamorous psalmody 
 of the Puritans ; so that a reciprocal and univer- 
 sal intolerance prevailed throughout the realm, 
 for more than half a century. 
 
 During the grand rebellion and interregnum, 
 musicians, who had employment either in the 
 chapels-royal, cathedrals, or public exhibitions 
 in the capitol, were forced to skulk about the 
 country, and solicit an asylum in the houses of 
 private patrons, whose mansions, and abilities to 
 protect them, must have been very precarious. 
 Such was the persecution, under which music 
 groaned during those disorganizing times ! In 
 consequence of the musicians being hunted from 
 place to place, and their minds being thereby dis- 
 harmonized, all the publications of the interreg- 
 num, says Dr. Burney, rt are wretched and va- 
 pid, notwithstanding the praises which some 
 poets have bestowed upon them." 
 
 At rallying points, metre psalmody proved a 
 mighty auxiliary to the fife and drum. The 
 heads of Hie opposite belligerents frequently or- 
 dered select metre psalms to be sung at the bead 
 of their respective armies, as preparatory to bat- 
 tle; and sometimes the legions of the contending 
 parties met each other on the bloody field, sing- 
 ing the same psalm. Cromwell commenced this 
 pious artifice, and with him the 109th was a fa- 
 vourite fighting psalm. From this circumstance, 
 
( 292 ) 
 
 that psalm hath ever since been called « the curs- 
 ing psalm." 
 
 So long as the civil wars continued, declama- 
 tion, exclamation, and vociferation of metre 
 psalms, were the characteristic marks of the 
 reigning taste ; and most of the musical produc- 
 tions of that period were printed to metrical 
 words, from the year 1657 to the year 1663 inclu- 
 sive; probably to humour the prevailing opinion. 
 Canto fermo was then totally discountenanced, 
 sr.d but little instrumental music printed during 
 this unmusical period. 
 
 From the death of Charles I. till the restora- 
 tion, though the gloomy fanaticism of the times 
 had wholly prohibited the public use of every 
 species of music, except unisonous and syllabic 
 psalmody,* yet music seems to have been zeal- 
 ously cultivated in private, during the usurpation, 
 in the hopes of better times, and a revival of a 
 better taste in the nation. 
 
 In 1652, Hilton, an ejected organist, ventured 
 
 * This was perfectly in accordance with the sentiments of the 
 gloomy, stern, and inflexible Calvin; whose doctrines were so rigid 
 and comfortless, that he seems to have determined upon shutting up 
 local monasteries for the express purpose of making Carthusians of 
 all mankind. The only amusement which he ever allowed his fol- 
 lowers, was psalmod}', aud that of the most unmeaning and monoto« 
 nous kind; without harmony, quantity, variety of accent, rhythm, 
 i»nd most of the constituent parts of mere melody. 
 
 f Not a musical instrument was suffered within the walls of Ge- 
 neva, for more than a century after the reformation; and all music, 
 except this metrical psalmoxly,was proscribed, wherever the doctrines 
 of this reformer were received." 
 
 Maimburtfs History of Calvinism. 
 
( 293 ) 
 
 to publish " A choice collection of Catches, 
 Hounds, and Canons, for three and four voices, 
 for the benefit and comfort of the royalists, dur- 
 ing the triumph of their enemies, and the sup- 
 pression of cathedral worship, and all public 
 amusements." 
 
 At the restoration, though the fanatical spirit 
 was by no means annihilated, yet it was obliged 
 to give way to the riotous and unbounded joy of 
 the adherents to royalty, and friends to ancient 
 establishments in church and state. This change 
 drew from their retreats all the then surviving 
 organists, who had been degraded from their liv- 
 ings, and involved, as well as the clergy, in all 
 the calamities occasioned by the civil war. Of 
 the twenty-six Bishops, who had been ejected, 
 only nine were then alive. Archbishop Laud had 
 fallen by the hands of a public executioner, and 
 it is uncertain how many others had fallen by 
 poison, or the hand of private assassination. Of 
 the gentlemen of Charles I.'s Chapel, only three 
 claimed their former stations. 
 
 When the Liturgy had been declared by an or- 
 dinance of the hoiise of Lords, Jan. 4th, 1664, 
 ** A superstitious Ritual," the Directory, pub- 
 lished by the assembly of Divine's at Westminster, 
 to which the Parliament referred all matters con- 
 cerning religion, established a new form of wor- 
 ship, in which no music was allowed but metre 
 psalmody 5 for which the following rules were en- 
 
( 294 ) 
 
 joined :— « It is the duty of Christians to praise 
 God publiekly by singing of psalms together in the 
 congregation, and also privately in the family. 
 In singing of psalms, the voice is to be audibly 
 and gravely ordered ; but the chief care must be 
 to sing with understanding and with grace in the 
 heart, making melody unto the Lord. That the 
 whole congregation may join herein, every one 
 that can read is to have a psalm book, and all 
 others disabled by age or otherwise, are to be ex- 
 horted to learn to read. That for the present, 
 where many in the congregation cannot read, it is 
 convenient that the minister, or some fit person 
 appointed by him, and the other ruling officers, 
 do read the psalm line by line, before the singing 
 thereof." 
 
 In the opinion of those who were then in power, 
 it was thought necessary for the promotion of 
 true religion, " that no organs should be suffered 
 to remain in the churches ; that all choral books 
 should be torn and destroyed ; painted-glass win- 
 dows broken ,• the cathedral service totally abo- 
 lished ; and that those retainers to the church, 
 whose function it had been to assist in such pro- 
 fane vanities, should betake themselves to some 
 employment less offensive to the Lord." 
 
 In consequence of these tenets, collegiate and 
 parochial churches had been stripped of their or- 
 gans and ornaments; monuments defaced; se- 
 pulchral inscriptions engraven on brass torn up ; 
 
( 295 ) 
 
 libraries and repositories ransacked for musical 
 service-books of every kind, which, being all 
 doomed alike superstitious and ungodly, were 
 committed to the flames, or otherwise destroyed ; 
 and the utmost efforts used at total extirpation, 
 And indeed, their endeavours had been so effec- 
 tual, that when the heads of the Church set 
 ahout re-establishing the cathedral service, it 
 was equally difficult to find instruments, perfor- 
 mers, books, and singers able to do the requisite 
 duty. For organ-builders, organ-players, and 
 choir-men, having been obliged to seek new 
 means of subsistence, the former became com- 
 mon carpenters and joiners ; and the latter, who 
 did not enter into the King's army, privately 
 taught the Lute, Virginal, or such miserable 
 psalmody as was publickly allowed. 
 
 In a slow and gradual manner, the several 
 choirs throughout the kingdom were supplied 
 with masters ; and at first, for want of boys ca- 
 pable of performing their duty, the trible parts 
 were either played upon cornets, or sung by men 
 in falset. And indeed the cathedral service had 
 been so long laid aside, that scarcely any two 
 organists performed it alike, till the appearance 
 of Edward Law's book of instructions for the 
 performance of the cathedral service, printed at 
 Oxford in 1630. This book was re-printed in 
 1664, and nothing of the kind had appeared since 
 the year 1550, in which Marbeck's book was 
 
( 296 ) 
 
 printed. It is now upwards of 180 years sine* 
 the printing of Law's book, which shows the 
 stationary condition of cathedral music in Eng- 
 land. 
 
 As to organs, the difficulty of procuring them, 
 upon short notice, seems to have been greater 
 than that of finding either performers, or musie 
 to perform. L was therefore found expedient 
 to invite foreign organ-builders of known abili- 
 ties, and to give them premiums to settle in ths 
 country. 
 
 The reign of Charles II. was more favourable 
 to English native music than any other, except 
 that of Elizabeth. Though Cranio fermo J plain 
 chant underwent little or no alteration, yet the 
 compositions in the anthem-form were numerous, 
 and by the first rate composers. And in 166i 
 was published, " A collection of divine services 
 and anthems sung in his majesty's chapel, and all 
 the cathedral and collegiate choirs of England 
 and Ireland," by James Clifford. This work 
 contains chants for the Venite, Te Beum, Bene- 
 dicete, Jubilate, Magnificat, Cantate Domino,Nunc 
 dimittis, Beus misereatur, the daily psalms, and 
 Qjiicunque vult ; together with directions for the 
 understanding of that part of the divine service 
 performed with the organ, in St. Paul's cathedral 
 en Sundays, &c. 
 
 This musical uniformity accords with the act 
 passed in the l*th year of Charles II. (section.- 
 
( 297 ) 
 
 " Concerning the Service of the Church," 5th 
 paragraph ;) in these words ; " And whereas 
 heretofore there hath been great diversity in say- 
 ing and singing in churches within this realm ; 
 some following Salisbury use, some Hereford 
 use, and some the use of Bangor, some of York, 
 some of Lincoln; now from henceforth all the 
 whole realm shall have but one use."* 
 
 Music had little or no public patronage during 
 the reign of James II. and William and Mary. 
 However, the latter reign was much embellished 
 by the valuable productions of Purcell. In the 
 17th century music was on the decline in England, 
 but Purcell revived and invigorated it. 
 
 By the fidelity and exertions of succeeding 
 eminent masters — by the uniform perseverance 
 of the heads of the English church, and the 
 constitutional authorities of the state, acting un- 
 der the protection of Almighty God, the venera- 
 ble and universal usage of cathedral music hath 
 been preserved, and transmitted down to the 
 present time. 
 
 * See the Preface to the English Prayer Book 
 
 THE END.