supported, if not plainly taught, in her ritual. The English reformers attempted a sinful compromise with the corruptions of the church of Rome. In the language of Macaulay, "The scheme was merely to rob the Babylonian enchantress of her ornaments; to transfer the full cup of her sorceries to other hands, spilling as little as possible by the way. The Catholic doctrines and rites were to be retained in the church of England."59 The great effort of a large party in this church at present is to reinstate these popish doctrines and rites-an effort which Roman Catholics regard with the deepest interest. The celebrated Dr. Wiseman expresses, in the liveliest terms, his gratification at "the movement" of the Oxford Tractarians "towards Catholic ideas and Catholic feelings." He has "watched its progress with growing interest," because he saw in it the surest guarantee and principle of success. The course which we (papists) ought to pursue seems simple and clear, to admire and bless, and, at the same time, to second and favor, as far as human means can, the course which God's providence has opened, and is pursuing; but to be careful how we thwart it. It seems to me impossible to read the works of the Oxford divines, and especially to follow them chronologically without discovering a daily approach towards our holy church, both in doctrine and affectionate feeling. Our saints, our popes, our rites and ceremonies, offices, nay, our very rubrics are precious in their eyes, far alas beyond what many of us consider them."60 59 Review of Hallam's Constitutional History. See in the Appendix a further illustration of this. 60Cited in Rev. H. H. Beamish's Letter to Dr. Pusey, p. 9. CHAPTER XII. PSALMODY OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH. THE singing of spiritual songs constituted, from the beginning, an interesting and important part of religious worship in the primitive church. The course of our remarks on this subject will lead us to consider, I. The argument for Christian psalmody as a part of religious worship. II. The mode of singing, in the ancient church. III. The changes in the psalmody of the church. I. Argument for the psalmody of the primitive church. 1. From reason. Praise is the appropriate language of devotion. A fervent spirit of devotion instinctively seeks to express itself in song. In the strains of poetry, joined with the melody of music, it finds an easy and natural utterance of its elevated emotions. Can it be doubted, then, that that Spirit which was shed abroad upon the disciples after our Lord's ascension, would direct them to the continued use of the sacred psalmody of their own Scriptures, indited by the inspiration of the same Spirit? Is it unreasonable to suppose, that the glad spirit with which they continued praising God, might direct them to indite other spiritual songs to the praise of their Lord, whose wondrous life and death so employed their contemplations, and whose love so inspired their hearts? The opinion has been expressed by Grotius, and is supported by many others, that we have, in Acts 4: 24—30, an epitome of such an early Christian hymn to Christ.1 2. From analogy. The singing of songs constituted a great part of the religious worship of all ancient nations. In all their religious festivals, and in their temples, those pagan nations sung to the praise of their idol gods.2 The worship of the Jews, not only in the temple, but in their synagogues and in their private dwellings, was celebrated with sacred hymns to God. Many of the loftiest, sweetest strains of Hebrew poetry were sung by their sacred minstrels on such occasions. Christ, himself, in his final interview with his disciples, before his crucifixion, sung with them the customary paschal songs, at the institution of the sacrament ;3 and, by his example, sanctified the use of sacred songs in the Christian church. All analogy drawn from other forms of religious worship, pagan and Jewish, requires us to ascribe to the primitive Christians the use of spiritual songs in their public devotions. 3. From Scripture. The same is clearly indicated in the writings of the New Testament. Without doubt, in the opinion of Münter,4 the gift of the 1 Comp. Augusti, Denkwürdigkeiten, Vol. V. 248. Theocritus, cited by Gerbert, Musica Sacra, T. 1. Pref. Comp. 61. § 5, in which are many references of a similar kind. 3 The collect for such occasions is comprised in Psalms 113–118, the first two before the paschal supper, and the remainder after it. The theory has been advanced, but without reason, that Christ himself indited the hymn on this occasion. Neither is it necessary to suppose that all the hymns above-mentioned were sung by him and the disciples at this time. 4 Com. Münter, Metrisch. Uebersetz. der Offenbar. Johann. Vorrede, S. 17. Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was accompanied with poetic inspiration, to which the disciples gave utterance in the rhapsodies of spiritual songs. Acts 2: 4, 13, 47. The opinion of Grotius and others, with reference to Acts 4: 24-30, has already been mentioned. But there are other passages which clearly indicate the use of religious songs in the worship of God. Paul and Silas, lacerated by the cruel scourging which they had received, and in close confinement in the inner prison, prayed and sang praises to God at midnight. Acts 16: 25. The use of psalms and hymus, and spiritual songs, moreover, is directly enjoined upon the churches, by the apostle, as an essential part of religious devotions. Col. 3: 16. Eph. 5: 19. The latter epistle was a circular letter to the Gentile churches of Asia;5 and, therefore, in connection with that to the church at Colosse, is explicit authority for the use of Christian psalmody in the religious worship of the apostolical churches.6 The use of such psalmody, evidently, was not restricted merely to the public worship of God. In connection with the passage from Ephesians, the apostle warns those whom he addresses against the use of wine, and the excesses to which it leads, with evident reference to those abuses which dishonored their sacramental supper and love-feasts. In opposition to the vain songs which, in such excesses, they might be disposed to sing, they are urged to the sober, religious use of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. The phraseology, therefore, indicates that they were not restricted to the use of the psalms of David merely, as in the Jewish worship; but were at liberty to employ others of appropriate religious character in their devotions. It seems also that the Corinthians were accustomed to make use of songs composed for the occasion. 1 Cor. 14: 26. And 5 Neander's Apost. Kirch. I. 450, 3d ed. 6 All this is shown at length by J. G. Walch, De Hymnis Ecclesiae Apostolicae. though the apostle had occasion to correct their disorderly proceedings, it does not appear that he forbade the use of such songs. On the contrary, there is the highest probability that the apostolical churches did not restrict themselves simply to the use of the Jewish Psalter. And the evidence is sufficiently clear, that the primitive churches very early employed, in their devotions, not merely the psalms, appropriately so called, but hymns and spiritual songs indited for the worship of the Christian church. Grotius and others have supposed that some fragments of these early hymns are contained, not only as above-mentioned, in Acts, but perhaps, also, in 1 Tim. 3: 16. Something like poetic antithesis they have imagined to be contained in 1 Tim. 1: 1. 2 Tim. 2: 11—13. The expression in Revelation, "I am Alpha and Omega; the first and the last," has been ascribed to the same origin, as has also Rev. 4: 8, together with the song of Moses and the Lamb, Rev. 15: 3, and the songs of the elders and the beasts, Rev. 5:9-14. Certain parts of the book itself have been supposed to be strictly poetical, and may have been used as such in Christian worship, such as Rev. 1: 4-8. 11: 15—19. 15: 3, 4. 21: 1-8. 22: 10-18. But the argument is not conclusive; and all the learned criticism, the talent, and the taste that have been employed on this point, leave us little else than uncertain conjecture on which to build an hypothesis. 4. From history. The earliest authentic record on this subject is the celebrated letter from Pliny to Trajan, just at the close of the apostolical age, A. D. 103, 104. In the investigations which he instituted against the Christians of his period, he discovered, among other things, that they were accustomed to meet before day, to offer praise to Christ as God, or as a God, as some contend that it should be rendered. The expression 7 Carmen Christo quasi Deo dicere secum invicem.-Epist. Lib. |