WgmB; *:': - FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/defenfpOObeve ANNE R. WHereas OurTrufty and Well-beloved, Rich, Smith, of Our City of Z.o>jprepared for the Pre a New Edition of the Sermons, and other Worl written in Englijb, bj the Kight Reverend Fath in God, Dr. WiUUm BtveriAge, Bifkop of St. but finding. one pro- B 4 per 8 A Defence of the per for the Occafion, in the Li- turgy of St. Chryfofiome^ who li- ved above a thoufand Years be- fore, they took that out of the faid Liturgy, where it is ftill ex- tant, ( about the Middle of it ) and put it at the End of theirs. The fame may be obferved of the other Prayers, and Creeds, and Hymns, they being fuch as had been ufed in the Service of God, by his Saints and People, many Ages before -, and , therefore , might juftly be prefumed to be more acceptable to Him, than any new Inventions. So great Care did our Reformers take to keep to the good old Way, which the firft Chrifiims walked in, and to admit nothing that was Mew into her Conftitution, for that very Reafon, becaufe it was To. By which, among other Means, this Church ftill holds Communion with the whole Church Old Singing-Vfalmt. 9 Church of Chrift Militant here on Earth. Which is as great an Happinefs to Us, as it is an Ho^ nour to Her. The firft Draught of this Li- turgy was made towards the Be- ginning of K.Edward VTs Reign i but before it could be well let- tied, the fame was brought into another Form, and eftablifhed by Aft of Parliament, in the Fifth and Sixth Years of the faid King. But that Aft being repealed, in the Reign of Queen Mary, the Liturgy was laid afide till Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown. And then, again, it was found ncceflary to have fome Liturgy or other. But did they go about to make a New one ? So far from that, that they only repealed the forefaid Aft of Repeal, and fo re-eftablifhed the former, as it was left by King Edward^ with- )3 5 Cat IO A Defence of the out innovating any thing in the Subltence of it, nor making any other but one Alteration or Ad- dition of certain Leflbns, to be ufed on every Sunday in the Year, and the Form of the Litany al- tered and corre&ed, and two Sentences only added in the De- livery of the Sacrament to the Communicants*, and none other, or otherwife, as appears from the Aft for Uniformity, Primo Eliz.. by which it was eftablifhed. And fo it continued all her Reign* And when her Succeflbr, King James I. had heard all the Obje- ctions that could be made againft it, in the Conference at Hampton- Court, he, by his own Authority, ratify'd the fame, without any Alterations, except in fome few of theRubricks; and they alfo were fo inconfiderable^that fcarce anyinthofe Days could take no- tice of them •, and there are but few Old Shging-Vj alms. 15 it is, or, if fhe faw Occafion, al- ter here and there a Word •, but would by no means admit of a New one, how much foever it was recommended to her. And, therefore, all that have that Ho- nour for our Church, which is really due to her, can need no other Argument than this, that is drawn from her pious and prudent Example, to perfuade them to rejeft all New Tranfla- tions of the Pfalms, and Hill to keep up that which hath been ufed ever fince the Reforma- tion. Which fuggefts another Rea- fon, why they ought to do fo : For, as it is a great Prejudice to the New Translation, that it is New \ fo it is a great Advan- tage to the Old, that it is Old. As old as the Reformation itfelf : When the Church (I fpeak not of 1 6 A Defence of the of the State) was inflamed with more than ordinary Zeal for the Honour of God, and was, ac- cordingly, influenced and actu- ated with an extraordinary Mea- fure of his Holy Spirit, as it was neceflary (he fhould be, for the carrying on and finifhing fo great a Work in that critical Junfture* Infomuch that I haye heard it obferved by Divines, as well as other confidering Perfons, that what was done at that Time, is fcarce imitable in this. We may pretend to more Art and Lear- ning than they had •, but we can- not reach that Strain of Wif- dom, Piety, and Devotion, that runs through all their Writings, efpecially fuch as were defign'd for the Publick Service of GOD, and his Church. And therefore, we had need take heed how we meddle with any thing that was done at that Time \ at leaft, not Old Singing- Pfalnts. I 7 fay as to lay it afide. If we do, we fhall foon find the Want of it. For, notwithftandingall our high Concerts of ourfelves, we Ihall find it difficult, if not im- poflible, to fubftitute any thing elfe in its Place, which will an- fwer the End for which it was defign'd, fo well as that doth. Wherefore, the Tranflation of David's Pfalms into Enghfr Me- tre, which was made at the Be- ginning of the Reformation, in the Reign of King Edward VI. and therefore favours of the Spi- rit which was then in our Church, upon that Account, ought to be highly valued, by all that have any Refpeft for the Reformation : And is, indeed, in itfeif more Valuable, than moft People are aware of. But to fet this in fo clear a Light, that all may fee it, it will be 1 8 A Defence of the be neceflary to proceed gradual- ly. For, we muft firft obferve, that our firft Reformers, bfeio rt very converfant in the holy So* \ ptures, ia Ecclefiaftical Hiftory," in the Writings of the Fathers, and in the Canons and Conftitu- tions of the Church of GOD in all Ages ; they found, that Pfal- mody^ or the Singing of Pfalms and Hymns to the Praife and Honour of Almighty God, al- ways made a confiderable Part of the Publick Service that his People performed to him in their religious Aflemblies. The chief End of all fuch Aflemblies being to worfhip his Divine Majefty, by exprefling their Revereu and godly Fear of his Supreme Authority over all the Worl by celebrating the Glory &*$* Ihines forth in his Creation and Government of it •, and by acknowledging and recounting his Old Swgwg-Pfalms. 19 his Goodnefs, his Mercy and Truth, and all the wonderful Works that he hath done, and Skii doth, for the Children of Men. Which could not be fo well done, as by the whole Con- gregation joining together in fmging fuch Pfalms and Hymns of Praife and Thankfgiving, as were compofed by his Holy Spi- rit in the Scriptures, or elfe in his Church, for that End and Purpofe. Which, therefore, ha- ving been praftifed in all the Churches from the Beginning of Chrifliamty, as well as before, our' Reformers took care to keep it up in this too. And for fiiot Purpofe, they appointed trie Pfalms of David, dictated to him by the Spirit of God, to »yepe3ted all over every iMonth in^the Year, by certain Portions every Day, and an Hymn after fach Leffon, both at Morning and 20 A Defence of the and Evening Prayer •, and always one, fometimes two Creeds : All which Pfalms, and Hymns, and Greeds, they ordered to be fa^4 or Jung in every Congregation; Said, where they could not be fung-, but Sung, wherefoever they could be fo. And that they might be always fung, at leaft, in all Cathedral and Collegiate Church- es, certain Perfons were appoint- ed, in each of them, to learn the Art of Singing by Mufical Notes, that by their Affiftance, the whole Congregation might join toge- ther in praifing God, by Singing, or making Melody, at leaft, in their Hearts, unto him. This being the bell Means that coujd be thought of, to raife up our Hearts to a due Pitch for fo hidi a Work : As they know by E%& perience, who have been loflg ufed\o it, fo as to be able to join heartily and fincercly in it. For Old Singwg-Vfalms. 21 For which Reafon alfo, befides thefe ftated Pfalras, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, after the third Colled both at Morning and Evening Prayer, there is an- other Hymn or Anthem to be liing in fuch Places, But what that (hall be, is not appointed by the Church, but it is left to the Difcretion of one who pre- fides there, to chufe fuch a one as he ihall judge moft proper to fet forth the Glory of God in general, or upon any particular Occafion, that ihall offer itfelf. In which, great Care ought to be taken, that it be fuch as will anfwer its End, and that the whole Congregation may under- ftand and join together in it, Otherwife, inftead of furthering, it will interrupt their Devotions. Which, whofoever (hall be the Caufe of, either by his Carelef- nefs,or Indifcretion in the Choice, ought 32 A Defence of the ought to be called to Account for it by his Siiperiours here, and will certainly be fo by the Supreme Judge of the World, at the laft Day. But there is fo much Art and Skill required to this way of Sing- ing, jhat it cannot be pra&i- fed in ordinary Parifli-Churches. Which our firft Reformers be- ing fenfible of, they did not ap- point the Pfalms and Hymns a- forefaid, to be only Sung, but ei- ther Sad or Sung •, that where they cannot be Jung, they may, at lead, be [aid. Not read, as the LefTons are appointed to be, by the Minifter only, but faid y that is, as the Word implies, re- peated by the whole Congrega- tion, the Minifter faying one Verfe, and the People another, as the firft Chriftians ufed to do. Which tho' it be not Singing, yet Old Singittg-Vfalms. 25 yet it comes as near it, and an- swers the End of it, as much as it can be done in Parilh-Churches. Forafmuch as, by this Means, the whole Congregation joins toge- ther, as if they Sung, in offer- ing up their Praifes and Thanks- givings to their Almighty Crea- tor and Redeemer. And, there- fore, it always was, and ftill is, prattifed in all regular Parifh- Churches, to the Glory of God, and the great Edification of his People. Thus, our firffc Reformers took care, that Pfalmody fhould be kept up to the higheft Pitch in Cathedral, and, as well as it could be, in Prole, in Parochial Churches alfo. And this is all that the Laws then made pofi- tively requifite in this Matter. But then, there was another Way alfo found out, whereby ail 24 A Defence of the all forts of People might have the Benefit and Comfort of flng- ing the Praifes of God both at Church, and in all other Places •, and that was, by turning the Pfalms of David, and the other Hymns, into English Metre, that they might be more eafily got by Heart, and kept in Memory, and then fetting fuch plain mu- flcal Tunes to them, as might be eafily learned and pra&ifed, even by the meaneft of the Peo- ple. The firft that attempted this, was Thomas Sttmhold, Efq; Groom of the Robes to his Ma- jcfty King Henry VIII. and then to his Son King Edward VI. He, at firft, translated about Twenty of the Pfalms, which were then printed, with the Tranflator's Epiftle Dedicatory to the King, ftill Extant. Afterward, He, John Hopkins, and Others, un- dertook and finifti'd all the reft. And Old Singittg-Pfalms. 25 And then the whole was printed together, with this Title : The whole Book of Pfalmes, Collected into Engltjh Meeter by Thomas Sternholdjohn Hopkins, and others, conferred with the Hebrew, with apt Notes to fing them withal/. Set forth and allowed to be Jung in all Churches, of all the People together, before and after Morning and Evening Prayer, and alfo before and after Ser- mons : and moreover in private houfes, for their godly Solace and Comfort, lay- ing apart all ungodly Songs and Ba- lades, which tend only to the noxrijhing of Vice, and corrupting of Youth. James v. , If any he afflicted^ let him pray ) if any be mcr~ ry^ let him fing Tfalms. Col. iii. Let the Word ef God dnel plenteonfly in yow, in nil Wifdome, teaching and exhorting- one ano~ tlpr, in Pfahnes^Hjmncs, and fpirituall Songs, /nqing to the Lord , with Grace in your Hearts, London. Printed by G. M. for the Company c,f Stationers, Cum Frivilcgio Regit Regali, C This a6 A Defence of the This is the old Title of the Book, conftantly prefix'd to it in all the old London-Editions that I have feen, without any Alteration, except that when the Mufical Notes are left out in the Body of the Book , thofc Words, with apt Notes to jing them mthally are left out alfo, as it was neceflary they fhould be, in the Title ; and that the Words, with Grace , in the fecond Text of Scripture, are left out in fome Editions •, And fometimes one, fometimes both the Texts them- felves. But that is a great Fault, thofe Texts having been, doubt- lefs, put in from the Beginning, As appears from their agreeing neither with King James's nor the Bifhop's Tranflation of the Bible, and therefore muft be ta- ken out of that which was fee forth in King Edward\ or his Father's Reign. N c w. Old $inging-¥ faints. 2j Now, from this the Original Title of the Book, there are fe- veral things much to beobferv'd, to our prefent Purpofe. As firft, That thefe Pfalms were/ef forth ^ and allowed to be fung in all Church- es. Which could not be, with- out the Royal Authority : None having Power over all the Churches in the Kingdom, but the King himfelf. And, there- fore, altho' his Letters-Patents, or his Sign-Manual, cannot be now produced ^ yet that they who firft printed or fet forth this Book, had his Order or Li- cence under his Hand for it, can- not be doubted. For otherwife, they durft never have prefumed to have faid, that it was fet forth and allowed to be fung ia all Churches. And if they had done it at firft, they would fooa have been queftioned for it, and thofe Words ordered to be left C 2 out q8 A Defence of the out in all future Editions, But we fee they have been kept in all the Reigns ever fince. From whence we may certainly con- clude, that this Tranflation of the Pfalms ftands upon the fame Bottom with the laft, and all o- ther Tranflations of the Bible; that is, upon the Royal Prero- gative and Authority. The fame thing appears alfo from the laft Words in the Title- Page, Cum Privilegio Regis Regali. For, the Company of Stationers coukl never have publifh'd to the World, that they had the King's Royal Privilege for the printing of this Book, unlefs they had it under his Hand and Seal, with all the Formalities wherewith fuch Grants ufed to be made by the Crown. And if they had afliiroed to themfelvres any fuch Privilege, which cannot be fup- pofed, Old Singing»l?falm$. iy pofed, without the King's Grant* that would foon have been de- tected, and other People would faave printed it as well as they. Whereas, none ever publickly attempted to do it in London* Which plainly (hews, that it was owned, and acknowledged by all, that the Company had this Pri- vilege granted them from the King \ who, be furc, would ne- ver grant them the Privilege of printing any Book, but what he himfclf had firft allowed of. And if they had no other, this very Privilege was a fufficient Allow- ance of it. But, here was plain- ly both the King's Order for the printing it, and his Grant to that Company only to do it. Which is more than they can pretend to, for the priming the Nexv Verfion. For, though it be f^id to be printed fgx the Com- pany of Stationers , thofe Words, C 3 Cum go A Defence of the Cum Privilegio Regis Regally are not added. Which they would certainly have added, in the Ti- tle-Page of the New, as well as of the Old Verfion, if any fuch Privilege had been granted to them. And if they have no fuch Privilege for it, as they have for the other, how they can print it in oppolition to the other, is a Thing which the Company would do weil to confider of. Another Thing to be ob« ferved from the Title of this Book, is, that the Pfalms were let forth with apt Tunes to fmg them voithaU There were in thofe Days, feveral Perfons eminent for their Skill in Mufick \ many of their Gompofitions being ftill extant, and admir'd. And thefe, it feems, did not only fet Tunes to the Pfalms* but fuch as were apt and proper for the Subjeft- matter of each Pfalm. And where the Old Singing-V faints. 3 1 the fame Tune would ferve in- differently for feveral Pfalms, they fet it only to one, and re- ferred to that in the other. By which means, the People fooa learned to fing any of the Pfalms in their proper Tunes, both at Church, and in their own Houfes, or wherefoever elfe they were. And that was one of the great and pious Ends for which thefe Pfalms were then fet forth ia this manner, that they might be fung, not only in all Churches, by all the People together, but likevvife in private Houfes , for their godly Solace and Comfort \ laying apart all ungodly Songs and Balades, which tend only to the nourishing of Vice, and corrupting of Youth : As it is exprefled ia the Title-Page. And if this had been generally obferved ever ilnce the firft Edition of this Book to our Days, as it was for fome C 4 time 3 2 A Defence of the time in the Reign of Queen £//- z.abeth, our Youth had not been fo corrupted, nor Vice fo ram- pant, as now it is. But that which is chiefly to beobferved in the Title, is, that this whole Book of Pfalms, col- lected into Englifl) Metre by Tho. Stemhold^ John Hopkins, and O- thers, was conferred with the He* brew- Though they who did it, were, doubtlefs, good Men, and as good Poets as the Age afford- ed, and, at leafb, one of them in great Favour at Court} yet it was not fet forth and allowed to be ufed in all Churches, till other learned Men had conferred or compared it with the Hebrew. So great Care was then taken, that nothing might be ufed publickly in the Church, as the Word of G O D, but what was really fo. For, although this Book be part of Old Singing-Vfdtns. 33 of the Holy Scripture given by Infpiration of GOD, yet it being written Originally in the Hebrew Tongue, no Tranflation of it in- to any other Language, either in Profe or Verfe, is any farther the Word of GOD, or can be pro- perly called a Tranflation of the Pfalms, than as it agrees with the Hebrew Text. Where it difa- grees, it is not of divine Infpi- ration, but humane Invention. And, therefore, they who under- take to tranflate this, or any o- ther part of the Holy Scripture, had need be very careful of what they do. For, this is not to be dealt with like other Books, where a Tranflator may take the Liberty to vary from the Text, and to mend it too, where he fees caufe : As he often- may : There being no humane Com- pofition r but is liable to many Faults, which another may fee C 5 better, 34 A Defence of the better than the Author. But it is not fo with the Word of GOD. There is no mending of that, nor fo much as varying from it, with- out a Fault •, And a great one too : Not only in that to give that as the Mind of GOD re- vealed in Scripture, which is not there revealed, is plain belying Him, and His holy Word •, But likewife, in that by this means, many may be infenfibly led into dangerous, if not damnable Er- rors and Herefies •, as many have been, by falfe Tranflations of G O D's holy Word. For, moil People reading the Scripture no otherwife than as it is tranflated Into their own Language, they look upon every thing which they find in fuch a Tranflation, as the Word of G O D •, efpecial* ly, if it be publickly owned and commonly ufed, as fuch, among them. And if there be any thing in Old Slnging-VJalm. 3 5 in it, contrary to, or differing from, the Mind of GOD expref- led in the Original, they, not- withftanding, receiving it as His Word, are unavoidably drawn into Miftakes, and fometimes fuch, as may endanger both their own Welfare, and the Peace of the Church. For the prevent- ing of which Mifchief, when this Tranflation of the Pfalms was made, it was not fuffered to be published, till fome who well un- derftood the Hebrew^ had exa- mined every Part of it, whether it agreed with the Original, and correfted it, where it did not. And how faithfully they, to< whom this great Work was re- ferred, difcharged the Truft: re- pofed in them, appears fufEcient- ly from the Work itfelf. For feveral well skilPd in the Hebrew Tongue, in our Age, have ob- C 6 ferved g 6 A Defence of the ferved this Tranflation to agree fo exa&ly with the Hebrew Text* that they could not but wonder, how Tbo. Sternhold) John Hofkins^ and fuch others, could make it. Not confidering, that we have it, not as it was at firft made by them, but as it was afterwards adjufted, by other learned Men,to the Original. And if any one will take the Pains to compare this Tranflation of the Pfalms, with that in the Bible, made out of the Hebrew y in King James Vs Reign, he will find, that it ge- nerally gives the fame Senfe of the Text, as that doth ^ in fuch places alfo where that differs from the Old Tranflation in our Common-Prayer-Books : Except where this latter feems to give the Senfe more clearly than the other. In fome places, I confefs, it differs from both ; Bat they are fuch, where the Text is fo ob- Old Singing!? f alms. 57 obfcure, that Interpreters do not agree about the Meaning of it. In which Cafe, it is very obfer- vable, that this Old Translation follows the Septujgwt) the moft anctent and moll authentick Tranflation that is Extant. Which fhews, not only the great Learning, but likewife the ex- traordinary Care and Diligence that wasufed in the reviewing of it : That we might have the Senfe of the Hebrew Text, where it was doubtful, according to the moft approved Interpreters of it. But in plain uncontroverted pla- ces, this Old Tranflation in Verfe generally agrees fo exactly with the New in Profe, though made above 60 Years before it, that if the latter was not in fbme places taken out of the Old, the Old muft needs be drawn from the lame Fountain with it, or, at leaft, reduced to it : And fo it plainly 38 A Defence of the plainly was, not in a curfory and ,; fuperficial manner, but with fo much Art and Difcretion, that it often renders the Senfe clearer than the other doth And where a place is equally capable of a double S?nfe, fo that fome Tran- flations give it one Senfe, fome another, this ftrives to take in both, that we may be fure to have the right : As I have fbme- times found, in comparing this Tranflation with the Text. For which I muft thank the New Ver- florid in that it gave me the Oc- cafion of looking thus narrowly into the Old. For though I had always a good Opinion of it, I could never elfe have thought we had had fuch a Jewel among us 7 which if it was but as rare as it is common, all the Learned, that ftudy the Scripture, would Itrive to get it at any rate. But, Old Singlng-V faints. 39 But, can we fay as much of the New Vtrfion, which is now brought into competition with it ?• I heartily wifh, we could. But I do not hear, that this was ever conferred with the Hebrew, as the other was } nor fo much as that any of our Bifhops, or other learned in that Language, were appointed or authorized to do it; And there is too much caufe to fufpect, that it was never done. For, if we may take our Meafures of its agreeing or difagreeing with the Hebrew Text, from its agreeing or not agreeing with the Pfalms in the New Tranflation of the Bible, made out of the // without which, theDefign of the Place is wholly loft : As it plain- ly is in this New Alteration of the Old Verfion , where that Word is neither expreflcd, nor fo much as implied. So difficult a thing it is, to alter any thing in the Old Verfion, without making it worfe. E i But 78 A Defence of the B u t let us try another Place ; where a Word occurs, that, at fifft Sight, may feem the ftran- geft of any in the Book. It is in the Tranflation of thefe Words of the Pfalmift: There Jhall no evil befal thee, neither jhall any flagu* come nigh thy dwelling, Pf. XCL 10. Which the Old Veriion in Meeter renders thus : Thoujhdlt not need no?ie ill to fear, With thee iPftall not mell ; RFor-.et the plagvefiall once come near The hovfe where thou dofi dwell. Here, in the firft Line, are two Negatives, which was ufual here- tofore, and as Emphatical in £«- glijh, asmGreek. But that which they are fo much difpleafed with here, is the Word mell. If it had been meddle, they would have liked it well enough j for then the Senfe would have been plain Old Singing-Vfdms. 79 plain to them alfo, the very fame that it is in the Text, It fall not hefal thee) or meddle with thee. But, what is this Word mell? In plain Englijh, it is nothing but the very Word meddle rightly fpelt and pronounced, as our learned Etymologift hath obfer- ved *, and it is ftilt pronounced fo in the Northern Counties, figni- fying, to mingle onefelf with any other's Perfon, or Matter, And, therefore, how ftrange foever the Word may feem, it is much ftranger, that- any fiiould be dif- pleafed with it, for its being rightly fpelt. They fhould ra- ther commend this Verfion, for keeping up the right Pronuncia- tion of the Word, which other- wife might have been loft - 7 at leaft, in fome Places, where it hath been long corrupted. But, let us now hear how well they who undertook to. mend the Old E 4- Trail- So A Defence of the Tranflation, have mended the matter in this place. They have thus altered it in fome late Edi- tions. No evil thou Jhalt need to fear^ With thee it frail go well. Where we may pbferve, that as in altering the Word Rede, they come fhort of the Senfe of the Text, fo here they go beyond it. For, it is not herefaid, It frail go well with thee , that is more than is in the Text, which faith only* no evil frail befal thee. So that this Alteration fails as much in adding to G O D's Word, as the other doth in diminifhing from it. Both which Faults ought to />e carefully avoided in all Tran- flations of the Holy Scripture, as they are in this Old one in Mee- ter, fo exa&ly, that it is evident from thefe, as well as from many other Old Sittgittg-Vfalnts. 8f other Inftances, that there is no meddling, or, to fpeak more properly, no mefling with it f without fpoiling it. This may ferve as a Specimen of what may be faid in Defence of the Old Verfion of the Pfalms, againit the New Alterations that have been made in it. I never heard who made them, nor by what Authority it was done, or whether by any at all : But who- foever it was, he took upon him a greater Task than he was a- ware of, and more than was fit for one Man to undertake* For, this Old Verfion of the Pfalms in Meeter, was the Work of ma- ny, if not of moft of the learn- ed Men of that Time. Though it was compofed, at firft, by few T yet, as I have already obferved, it was afterwards reviewed and compar'd with the Hebrew \ which E A Defence of the all the Members of them, both in the Upper and Lower Houfe, knew, all along, that this Old Translation of the Pfalms was ufed in all the Churches through- out the Kingdom, and particu- larly in thofe to which they them- felves belonged ; and yet we do not hear that any of them ever cenfurM it, or fo much as com- plained of it, much lefs con- demned it to be caffc away, or de* fir'd that a New one might be made and ufed inftead of it. If any of them had done thus, they would, certainly, have taken care that fuch a one might have been made, and reviewed by them- felves,or fome appointed by them to do it, that it might be fet forth with their Approbation, as well as by the King's Autho- rity : But feeing that was never done, it is evident, that all the Convocations that have been held fince Old Singing-V faints. 91 fince the Reformation, have ap- proved of this Tranflation, fa far, at leaft, that it might be ftiH continued in the Church, and never judged it either neceflary or expedient, that any other fhould be brought in, or the Old one fo much as alter'd ; which would be a great Reproach to them, and fo to the whole Church of EngUnd reprefented by them, if there was any real Neceflity of either. A nd as the whole Church in general, fb every particular Bi« (hop, Parfon, and Vicar in it, is concerned to defend himfelf from the Afperfion which would be hereby caft upon him. For, they having all, in their refpedtive Diocefes and Parifhes, the Care of Souls committed to them, are obliged, in Confcience, to fee that the People under their Charge, 9* A Defence of the Charge, have all things neceflary to the Salvation of their Souls, and every thing the beft they can get in its kind. But they have all fuffer'd their Flocks to ufe this Old Verfion of the Pfalms in their Churches, and they themfelves have joined with them in it, and fo have commen- ded it to them by their own Pra- ctice, which they can never an- fwer to GOD or their own Con- ferences, if it was fuch a Verfion as was not fit to be ufed by them, but deferred to be banifhed out of their Churches, that another might be brought in , which fhould be more for their Edifi- cation. For, I do not hear, that anyone of them ever admonifti'd his People of this, or told them, it was not his fault they had not bet" ter Pfalms : For his part^ he did not like them, but would endeavour to get them better asfoon as he could i but Old Singing-V faints. 9$ but they mufiftay till better could be made, and allowed to be fung in Churches. In the mean while? they muft take heed how they vfe theft Old Pfalms ? for though they might, perhaps? be tolerable? and ferve well enough for the blind Times they were made in? yet now they are grown old and mufiy? and very unwholfome Food for their Souls. This every Minifter was bound, fome way or other, ta give his People Notice of, if there was any fiich Occasi- on, as is now pretended, for it: And they were highly to be bla- med for not doing it. But we never heard of any that have done it} and, therefore, ought, in juftice and Charity, to con- clude, that the whole Body of the Clergy, down from the Re- formation to the laft Year, never looked upon it as a Crime, but were fully fatisfy'd with their and their People's ufing the Old Ver- 94 be made and allowed before now. And, withal, I confider'd how much it behoves all that are really for our Reformed Church, to ftand up for thofe who re- formed it, and for what they did to that intent and purpofe •, who did all things fo well, that if the Difcipluie, Worfhip, Manner of Life, and every thing elfe, as well as Do&finer, eftablifh'd by them, could have been kept up and pra&ifed according to their pious Model and Defign, ^ our Church, as then reformed, might, uj^ler God's Protedtion, have eontinu'd fo, without Interrup- tion, to the End of the World. Now Mercy and Truth prefervc it! FINIS.