Andrew, thankyou for this excellent thread and the work you've put into it.
The following is from William McEwen's Select Essays, which I also recently saw on Google Books.
The following is from William McEwen's Select Essays, which I also recently saw on Google Books.
On Singing of Praise.
Where can grave, sweet melody be applied, with such propriety, as to the sacred subjects of religion? By this, devotion is invigorated, joy is heightened into rapture, divine truths are better impressed upon the heart, and fixed in the memory. Distempered passions are allayed, and heavenly affections are inspired. Even as the hand of the Lord was upon the prophet, when he called for a minstrel, and the evil spirit departed from the king of Israel, while David touched, with his skilful hand, the sweet resounding harp. From the most remote ages, and from the most remote places of the world, have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.
To this heavenly mirth the Christian is inspired, not by the fumes of wine, wherein is excess; but being filled with the Spirit, he speaks to himself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in his heart unto thee. He makes the voice of his praise to be heard, not only in the public assembly, but in his private dwelling.
Though there are peculiar seasons of this duty, when it is more remarkably incumbent; yet he sees abundant reason to bless the Lord at all times, and to have his praise continually flowing from his lips. – Even in the night of his distress, oft times he has a song, when all joy would seem to be darkened, when his harp would seem to be turned into mourning, and his organ into the voice of them that weep. Thus Paul, with Silas, sung at the dead hour of midnight, though their backs were coloured with ignominious scourges, and their feet made fast in the stocks.
Though he despises not the melody of the voice, yet, by itself alone, he accounts it no more but bodily exercise, that profits little. Therefore, he uses it only in a subserviency to his devotion; and rests not in it as his ultimate end. What he chiefly attends unto, is, that he may sing praises with understanding, and with grace.
His praising is his reasonable service. And though the subject sung should not exactly suit his own case – though it should be some dreadful imprecation, uttered by the spirit of prophecy; some high, attainment, to which he is not arrived; some deep distress, which himself is unacquainted with – yet, by ejaculatory prayers, and serious meditation, he can digest even these seemingly foreign subjects into the nourishment of his soul, and sing of them to the praise and glory of God.
As far as in him lies, he wants to have these affections set a working, and these graces educed into exercise, that are naturally required by the theme of which he sings: be they holy joy, fervent love, burning gratitude, reverential fear, or godly sorrow. – But chiefly the grace of faith must never fail to be acted, in this as in other parts of worship. Christ is the chief musician, to whom his songs are inscribed. – Christ is his altar, by which he offers up his sacrifice of praise continually.
And here can I forget to celebrate the fulness and variety of that little bible, composed by the Hebrew king and prophet? What attribute of God does he not describe in lofty numbers? What work suffers he to pass uncelebrated or unsung? What moral duty, what Christian grace, is not here recommended? What possible case is not here painted? To what distemper of the soul may we not find here a sovereign remedy? Here the secure may find what is proper for their awakening, the disconsolate for reviving, the doubting for directing, the feeble for supporting, to make them be as David.
What mortal pen can equal the sublimity of his thoughts, the liveliness of his metaphors, the majesty of his descriptions? Which of his psalms may not say, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made?” – When he displays the glory of the God of Israel, thousands of mighty angels stand before him; “God is in the midst of them, as in mount Sinai.” Now he flies on the wings of the wind, and rides on flaming cherubim. – His lightnings lighten the world. The earth trembles at his approach. The mountains melt as the snow that covers them. The foundations of the world are discovered. The floods drive back their tides. The mountains skip like rams.
Now he sets him on a throne, of which justice and judgment are the foundation: and mercy accompanied with truth go before his face. Now he describes the fierceness of his anger; and rains down snares, fire, brimstone, and an horrible tempest. Darting his eye through distant ages, he brings down the Son of God to dwell in clay; a body is prepared him. The Jews are filled with rage against the Lord’s anointed. He hears his melancholy groans. Sees his heart melting like wax in the midst of his bowels. – But he leaves not his soul in hell. Messias lives, ascending on high, and leads captivity captive. Rejoice, ye worlds of blessedness. Be lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in.
