The Patrons of another Opinion will say we must sing the Words of _David_, and apply them in our Meditation to the things of the New Testament: But can we believe this to be the best Method of worshiping God, to sing one thing and mean another? besides that the very literal Sense of many of many of these Expressions is exceeding deep and difficult, and not one in twenty of a religious Assembly can possibly understand them at this Distance from the Jewish Days; therefore to keep close to the Language of _David_, we must break the Commands of God by _David_, who requires that we _sing his Praises with Understanding_, Psal. 47.7. And I am {251} perswaded, that St. _Paul_ if he lived in our Age and Nation, would no more advise us to sing unintelligible Sentences in _London_, than himself would sing in an unknown Tongue at _Corinth_, 1 Cor. 14. 15, 19. 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. 'Tis very obvious and common to observe that Persons of Seriousness and Judgment that consider what they sing, are often forced to break off in the midst, to omit whole Lines and Verses, even where the best of our present Translations at used; and thus the Tune, and the Sense, and their Devotion is interrupted at once, because they dare not sing without understanding, and almost against their Consciences. Whereas the more unthinking Multitude go on singing in chearful Ignorance wheresoever the _Clerk_ guides them, a-cross the River _Jordan_, thro' the Land of _Gebal, Ammon_ and _Amalek; He leads 'em into the strong City, he brings them into_ Edom; Anon they follow him _thro' the Valley of_ Bacha, till they come up to _Jerusalem_; they wait upon him into {252} the Court of Burnt-Offerings, and _bind their Sacrifice with Cords to the Horns of the Altar_; they enter so far into the Temple, till they join their Song in Consort with the _high sounding Cymbals_, their Thoughts are be-darkened with the Smoke of Incense, and cover'd with _Jewish_ Veils. Such Expressions as these are the beauties and Perfections of a _Hebrew_ Song, they paint every thing to the Life: Such Language was suited by Infinite Wisdom to raise the Affections of the Saints of that Day: But I fear they do but sink our Devotion, and hurt our Worship.