votion of those who made it, if they have ahy, as it does either the Pfalms, or Liturgy.

The Reader may further confider, that where it can be, the Pfalms fhould be fung with Inftrumental Mufick. There can be no doubt, but that the Compofers did intend they should be so used, if we may believe not only the Hebrew Titles, as they are commonly understood, but the very words of fome of the Pfalms. The CL (to mention no more at prefent) invites People to praise God with no lefs than Eight forts of Mufical Inftruments. Some indeed would have it, that this was a part of the Ceremonial Law, and therefore abolished by Chrift; but I never faw any thing that look'd like an Argument for this Opinion: On the other fide we are fure that Inftrumental Mufick was used in the Worfhip of God by Miriam, juft after the Children of Ifrael were come out of the Red-Sea, Exod. xv. 20. before one word of the Ceremonial Law had yet been mentioned; and the Holy Apoftle James advifes, (James V. 13.) thofe that are Merry [to Sing] as we Tranflate it, but, as the word properly fignifies, [to Sing to the Harp, or by touching fome Inftrument of Mufick.] That this is the meaning of the word elsewhere, no one can reasonably doubt, and why it muft otherwife be understood in this place I fee not. Further, in the xiv of the Revelations we have a great multitude of them who were redeem'd from among Men, who followed the Lamb, and were the First-fruits unto God, v. 4. reprefented as playing upon the Harp, ver. 2. on Mount Sion] ver. 1. By thefe, no queftion, is meant great numbers of Chriftian Primitive Saints, Wor fhipping God either in the Church here on Earth, or elfe in Heaven above: And 'tis all one whether we take it for the Church Triumphant, or Militant, for we may be fure, that neither the one nor the other would be defcribed by the Holy Ghoft, as a 4

Wor

Worshipping God in an unlawful manner. Would any of our Diffenters defcribe either Heaven, or the Apoftolical Church, by faying, that the Paftors wore Mitres and Rochets, and the People Worship'd towards the East, and bow'd their Bodies at the Name of Jefus? no furely; and the reafon is plain, namely, because they think that Habit, and these Ceremonies unlawful. And for the fame caufe we may be fure the Scripture would never have decyphered to us the Church of God, either in Heaven, or Earth, as Worshipping God with Mufical Inftruments, if there had been any Sin, or Fault in the ufe of them: So far from that, that I fuppofe all Devout, and rightly-inform'd Chriftians fhould choose to Sing the Pfalms with Inftrumental Mufick.

But if a fincerely good Man have not Skill, or opportunity to use the Pfalter in this manner, when he meets with the mention of Mufical Inftruments, in Singing, or Reading the Pfalms, let him fay in his own mind, [Let thofe that can, ufe thefe Inftruments to enliven their own, and other Mens Devotions, I am fo far from being averfe from any thing, that may be a means of railing Mens Affections in the Service of God, that I would advise them to use their beft skill to this purpose: Nor can Mu fick be fo well imploy'd to any other ufe, as to the exciting Mens Zeal and Pleafure in Worfhipping their Creator. But as for me, and others, who want thefe means, let us offer up our Devotions with a fincere Heart, and a pure Mind; and this, I doubt not, fhall be more acceptable to God than founding Brafs, or the loudeft and best-tuned Cymbals.]

However, it is certain that the Pfalms were originally defign'd to be fung publickly in the Church, where all that could,were allowed to join with Voice as well as Mind. In the primitive Church the People

made

made their Refponfes by repeating the Acrostichia or latter part of every Verfe, or larger Period. And there can be no reason why the People fhould lofe their fhare, or be debarr'd of this Privilege in our Parish-Churches, where the Pfalter is only Read;. for why fhould the People be filent, when the Pfalms are read, fince they may, and ought, if they are able, to perform their parts, when they are Sung? and 'tis the more reasonable, that they fhould joyn with their Tongues, as well as Hearts, when 'tis confider'd that a great part of the Pfalter is the Speech, or Voice of the Church Univerfal addreffing herself to God. 'Tis true, the alternate Reading the Pfalms one Verfe by the Minifter, the other by the Congregation, founds harfh in fome nice Ears, and has on this account been complained of by fome of our Diffenters; and for the fame reason they might have condemned that primitive, or heavenly way of Worship which St. John heard, Rev. xiv, 2. for that was [like the noife of many Waters,] and therefore not very harmonious, and agreeable; but yet does fo nearly resemble the found which a numerous Congregation makes with their Refponfes, efpecially in the Pfalms, that one would be tempted to think, that 'tis the very thing which St. John means.

But fome I have met with, who could by no means judge a Profe-Tranflation, as this is, fit to be Sung; for no other reafon, that I could find, but only this, that they had been used to fing no Pfalms, but fuch as were Tranflated in Verfe, or Rhyme: But they who are of this Opinion ought to confider, that the Primitive Church ufed no Tranflation of the. Pfalms, but only fuch as this, I mean, not in Metre, or Verfe, but in Profe, and that the Hebrew itfelf, though it be in a Poetick Style, yet cannot be meafured by Feet, or Syllables; and confequently, tho' thefe Rhyming Tranflations are very ufeful, yet

they

they ought not to exclude the more Primitive way of Singing, or Chanting the Pfalms, as ufed now in our Choirs, in a Profe, or plain Translation.

II. as to the Translation which is here explained, and Vindicated, and which is commonly used in our Churches, it ought to be valued by all English Proteftants, if for no other reafon, yet becaufe it

is

part of that Bible, with which the Eyes of our Ancestors in King Henry the Eighth's Time were first enlightned with Divine Truth: And they who were chiefly concern'd in the Tranflating and Publishing of it, were three Men that were very useful Inftruments in the Reformation of Religion, by Writing, Preaching, and Suffering for it; I mean, William Tindall, John Rogers, and Miles Coverdale; fome account of whofe Lives and Deaths hereafter follows.

Though I would not be thought a Friend to the Superftition of the Papifts, who pay fo much honour to the Reliques of their Saints and Martyrs; yet, as the Gifts of Dying Friends are to be prized above their real intrinfick Value; fo I think a greater regard fhould be paid to the Writings of Martyrs and Confeffors, than to thofe of other Men: Because none can deferve more of the Church, and all that love Religion, than they who have shed their Blood in defence of it. They have effectually prov'd themselves to be in earneft; and there fore what good they have done, or faid, challenges a peculiar honour, from all that are themfelves Friends to Religion. And as I value the Writings of the New Testament the more, because they who Penn'd them, did all, or most of them, Die to teftify the Truth of what they had Written: So I cannot but have the greater refpect for this Pfalter, and the Liturgy, whereof 'tis a part, when I confider how many of thofe, who Tranflated thẻ

one,

.

one, and Compofed the other, did actually Die in the Caufe of God, and his Truth, and thereby gave the greatest demonftration, that they acted all along in this matter with the greatest integrity.

This English, Pfalter was firft Publifh'd, together with the reft of the Bible, in the Year of Chrift 1535, and Dedicated to Henry VIII. by Dr. Coverdale, and was called [Tindall, and Coverdale's Bible] because it was well known that the former had a fhare in that Performance, as well as the latter: But Mr. Tindall was Imprifoned before the Work was finished, and therefore Dr. Coverdale was obliged to complete, and publish it. In the Year 1539 there was another Edition of it, with many confiderable Alterations, begun at Paris, encouraged by the King himself, at the Inftigation of the moft Reverend Archb, and Martyr Cranmer, and the Lord Cromwell, and afterwards finifhed in London; the furious Papists in France having, by I know not what Arts, not only interrupted the Work, but burnt many of the Books, fo far as they were Printed, tho it is faid that the French King had exprefly given leave for the Printing it. Dr. Coverdale had the care and infpection of this Edition committed to him: This is that which was called [the Great Bible] and the Pfalter now used in our Liturgy is according to this Edition, without any obfervable Variations, except in the Spelling. Mr. Rogers in the Year 1537. put out an Edition of this Bible, under the borrow'd Name of Thomas Matthews, with an Index, and Notes, and another in 1551, which I have seen. Thefe feveral Editions do fo agree in the main, that one cannot justly call them distinct Translations, and yet in many particulars they differ from one another; I may have occafion accidentally to mention fome few in thefe Papers.

It