Isaac Watts

“ But we must despair of hearing the New Song of the Lamb in its Perfection and Glory, till Babylon the Great is fallen, and the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, till the New Heavens and the New Earth appear, till all the former things are passed away, and all things are made New. ”

“ Whensoever there was just Occasion for an Hymn according to some new and special Providence, we almost every where find a new Song recorded in Scripture, and we call it inspired, nor do I know any just Reason to suspect or doubt of the Inspiration; but if there had been any one which was not the Effect of an extraordinary Gift but only compos'd by a good Man, we should be ready to take it for inspired because mention'd in Scripture ”

“ I believe that Phrases and Sentences used by inspired Writers are very proper to express our Thoughts in Prayer, Preaching or Praise; and God has frequently given Witness in the Hearts of Christians how much he approves the Language of Scripture; but 'tis always with a Proviso that those Phrases be clear, and expressive of our present Sense, and proper to our present Purpose: Yet we are not to dress up our Prayers, Sermons or Songs in the Language of Judaism when we design to express the Doctrines of the Gospel: This would but darken Divine Counsel by Words without Knowledge ”

“ Those that refuse to sing Forms of humane Composure tho the Sense be never so divine, generally allow it lawful to take any Parts of Scripture and alter and transpose the Words into a Form fit for Singing; But to take a mere Parable or Story out of the Bible, and put Some Rhimes onto the End of every Line of it, without giving it a new and pathetic Turn, is but a dull way of making spiritual Songs, and without a precedent too. David did not deal so with Genesis and Exodus, tho he loved the Words of the Law as well as we pretend to value the Words of the Gospels and Epistles. ”

“ Now tho we cannot pretend to make a better Prayer than that of Ezra or Daniel, or our Lord, for the Day and Design for which they were prepared; yet a Song, a Sermon, or a Prayer that expresses my Wants, my Duties or my Mercies, tho it be compos'd by a humane Gift, is much better for me than to tie myself to any inspired Words in any part of Worship which do not reach my Case; and consequently can never be proper to assist the Exercise of my Graces or raise my Devotion. ”

“ I advise the Reading and Meditation of it more frequently than any single Book of Scripture; and what I advise I practise. Nothing is more proper to furnish our Souls with devout Thoughts, and lead us into a World of Spiritual Experiences: The Expressions of it that are not Jewish or peculiar, give us constant Assistance in Prayer and in Praise: But yet if we would prepare David's Psalms to be sung by Christian Lips, we should, observe these two plain Rules. ”

“ By Reading we learn what God speaks to us in his Word; but when we sing, especially unto God, our chief Design is, or should be, to speak our own Hearts and our Words to God. By Reading we are instructed what have been the Dealings of God with Men in all Ages, and how their Hearts have been exercis'd in their Wandrings from God, and Temptations, or in their Returns and Breathings towards God again; but Songs are generally Expressions of our own Experiences, or of his Glories ”

“ If the spiritual Joy and Consolation that particular Persons have tasted in the general Duty or Singing, be esteem'd a tolerable Argument to encourage the Duty and confirm the Institution, I am well assured that the Argument would grow strong apace, and seal this Ordinance beyond Contradiction, if we would but stand fast in the Liberty of the Gospel, and not tie our Consciences up to meer Forms of the Old Testament. ”

“ The very Words of the Precept confine it to the Jews, to the Men that dwelt in Canaan, to the Worship that is paid with Tymbrels and Trumpets, to the Days of the New Moon, and solemn Jewish Festivals; and if we will insist upon there Scriptures as precise Rules of our present Duty and Worship, the Men that use Musical Instruments in a Christian Church will take the same Liberty of returning to Jewish ordinances, and use then same Text to defend them. ”

“ He that believeth may eat all Things, and should not be forbidden: He may partake of Flesh {276} and drink Wine; he may tast of the various Pleasure of the Gospel, and sing the New Song: Another who is weak eateth Herbs, and satisfies himself with ancient Melody. ”

“ Or, An Enquiry how the Psalms of David ought to be translated into Christian Songs, and how lawful and necessary it is to compose other Hymns according to the clearer Revelations of the Gospel, for the Use of the Christian Church.
To speak the Glories of God in a religious Song, or to breath out the Joys of our own Spirits to God with the Melody of our Voice is an exalted Part of Divine Worship. But so many are the Imperfections in the Practice of this Duty, that the greatest Part of Christians find but little Edification or Comfort in it. There are some Churches that utterly disallow Singing ”

“ Those Persons therefore that will allow nothing to be sung but the words of inspiration or Scripture ought to learn the Hebrew Music, and sing in the Jewish Language; or at least I can find no Congregation with which they can heartily join according to their own Principles, but the Congregation of Choristers in Cathedral Churches, who are the only Levites that sing Praise unto the Lord with the Words of David and Asaph the Seer, 2 Chron. ”

“ Confirms this Sense, for the Word of Christ must dwell richly in us in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual Songs. Now tho the Books of the Old Testament may in some Sense be called the Word of Christ, because the same Spirit which was afterwards given to Christ the Mediator did inspire them; yet this seems to have a peculiar reference to the Doctrine and Discoveries of Christ under the Gospel, which might be compos'd into spiritual Songs for the greater Ease of Memory in learning, teaching and admonishing one another. ”

“ The Second Argument shall be drawn from the several Ends and Designs of Singing, which can never be sufficiently attain'd by {257} confining ourselves to David's Psalms, or the Words of any Songs in Scripture. The first and chief intent of this part of Worship, is to express unto God what Sense and Apprehensions we have of his Essential Glories; and what notice we take of his Works of Wisdom and Power, Vengeance and Mercy; 'tis to vent the inward Devotion of our Spirits in Words of Melody, to speak our own Experience of divine Things, especially our religious Joy ”

“ The Faith, the Hope, the Love, and the heavenly Pleasure that many Christians have profess'd while they have been singing evangelical Hymns; would probably be multiply'd and diffus'd amongst the Churches, if they would but breath out their Devotion in the Songs of the Lamb as well as in the Song of Moses.
Thus far have we proceeded in a way of Argument drawn from Scripture and the Reason of Things. Many Objections have been prevented, or sufficient Hints given for the Removal of them. Those that remain and seem to have any considerable Strength, shall be propos'd with an Attempt to answer them ”

“ Take a Psalm, and bring hither the Timbrel, the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery, blow up the Trumpet in the New Moon, in the Time appointed on our solemn Feast-Day, &c. Psal. 84. 3, 6. The Sparrow hath found an House, and the Swallow a Nest for her self, where she may lay her Young, even thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, &c. Blessed is the Man whose Strength is in thee, in whose Heart are the Ways of them, who passing thro the Valley of Bacha make it a Well, the Rain also filleth the Pools. Psal: 108. 2, 7, 8, 9. Awake Psaltery and Harp, I my self will awake early. God hath spoken in his Holiness ”

“ And it is granted by all, that the Ministers of the Gospel in our Day are to acquire and improve the Gifts of Knowledge, Prayer and Preaching, by Reading, Meditation and frequent Exercise, together with earnest Requests to God for the ordinary Assistance of his Spirit, and, a Blessing on their Studies ”

“ After all, if the literal Sense were known, yet the Application of many Verses of David to our State and Circumstances was never design'd, and is utterly impossible; and even where it is possible, yet 'tis so exceeding difficult that very few Persons in an Assembly are capable of it; and when they attempt it, if their Thoughts should be enquir'd one by one, you would find very various, wretched, and contradictory Meanings put upon the Words of the Hebrew Psalmist, and all for want of an Evangelical Translation of him. ”

“ When David is recounting the Wonders of God in planting the Children of Israel in the Land of Canaan, he begins his Song thus, We have heard with our Ears O God, our Fathers have told us {245} what Works thou didst in their Days, in times of old, how thou didst drive Out the Heathen with thy Hand, and plantedst them, how thou didst afflict The People, and cast them out. ”

“ We breath out our Souls towards him, and make {244} Addresses of Praise and Acknowledgment to him. Tho I will not assert it unlawful to sing to God the Words of other Men which we have no Concern in, and which, are very contrary to our Circumstances and the Frame of our Spirits; yet it must be confest abundantly more proper, when we address God in a Song, to use such Words as we can for the most part assume as our own: I own that 'tis not always necessary our Songs should be direct Addresses to God ”

“ Judah and Israel may be called England and Scotland, and the Land of Canaan may be translated into Great Britain; The cloudy and typical Expressions of the legal Dispensation should be turned into Evangelical Language, according to the Explications of the New Testament: And when a Christian Psalmist, among the Characters of a Saint, Psal. 15. 5. meets with the Man that puts not out his Money to Usury, he ought to exchange one that is no Oppressor for an Oppressor or Extortioner, since Usury {247} is not utterly forbidden to Christians, as it was by the Jewish Law ”

“ A Fear and Jealousy of admitting any Forms humane Composure in the Worship of Singing will scarce permit their Lips to practise that to which their Understandings have given their Assent. I would intreat such to give this Discourse a thoughtful Review; and tho they may not judge every Argument conclusive, nor every Objection sufficiently remov'd, yet if there be but one unanswerable Reason it ought to be attended to; and the whole put together may give such Light and Satisfaction as may incourage the Practice of this Duty. 'Tis very easy to make Cavils and Replies to the strongest Reasonings ”

“ If the Addition of humane Testimony concerning the Practice of Churches in former or later Ages might have any influence to establish the Consciences of those who are doubtful in this Matter, I might acquaint them that the Churches of Germany and the Eastland Churches, use many Divine Hymns which are compos'd on several Subjects of the Christian Religion, without any Pretence to extraordinary Gifts. ”

“ And when we are employ'd in the Work of Angels, we talk the Language of the Infant-Church, and speak in Types and Shadows? While we bind our selves to the Words of David when he inclines his Ear to a Parable, and opens his dark saying upon the Harp, Psal. 49. 4. we have given too great Countenance to those who still continue the use of the Harp while they open the dark saying.
The Fourth Argument may be thus drawn up. There is almost an infinite Number of different Occasions for Praise and Thanksgivings; as well as for Prayer, in the Life of a {262} Christian ”

“ I know not one Instance in Scripture, of any later Saint singing any part of a Composure of former Ages, that is not proper for his own Time, without force Expressions that tend to accommodate or apply it. But there are a multitude of Examples amongst all the Scriptural Songs, that introduce the Affairs of preceding Ages in the Method I have described. ”

“ Paul, when he mentions the Name and Honours of Christ can hardly part his Lips from 'em again: {254} His Expressions would run ever bright and clear; such as here and there we find in a single Verse of his old Composures, when he is transported beyond himself, and carried far away from Jewish Shadows by the Spirit of Prophecy and the Gospel. ”

“ And must these Affections be confin'd only to our own Bosoms, or never break forth but in Jewish Language, and Words which were not made to express the {259} Devotion of the Gospel? The Heaven and the Hell that we are acquainted with by the Discovery of God our Saviour, give us amore distinct Knowledge of the future and eternal State, than all the former Revelations of God to Men: Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel ”

“ The Church of England approves this Practice, as appears in those Spiritual Songs at the End of the old Translation of the Psalm-Book, and some Churches among the Dissenters. The Christians of the first Ages were wont to meet together on a Day appointed before it was Light, and to speak a Song to Christ as to God. ”

“ When he comes to Psal. 40. 6. and reads there Words, Mine Ears hast thou opened, he should learn from the Apostle to say, A Body hast thou prepared for me, Heb. 10. 5. Instead of binding the Sacrifice with Cords to the Horns of the Altar, Psal. 118. 27. we should offer up Spiritual Sacrifices (that is the Prayer and Praise of the Heart and Tongue) acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Where there are any dark Expressions, and difficult to be understood in the Hebrew Songs, these should be left out in our Psalmody, or at least made very plain by a Paraphrase. ”

“ We cannot pretend to make better spiritual Songs than the Spirit of God himself has made, therefore if we should neglect these, and sing humane Composures, we should incur the Censure of the prophet Malachy, Chap. ”