# William Ames of Singing (on the Psalms)



## crhoades (Jan 13, 2007)

William Ames, _Conscience and Cases Thereof_, 1639 Book IV

Chap. XIX
Of Singing

Question I. What use has Singing above the ordinary pronunciation?

1. A.1. It brings a kind of sweet delight to godly minds, Psalm 104.34
2. A.2. It has a more distinct and fixed meditation, Ibid.
3 A.3. It has a more copious and ample profession of piety, Col. 3.16
4. A.4. It has more command of mutual edification, if it be with others, Eph. 5.19

Question II. Whether Singing do equally agree to the mind in trouble and in joy?

5. A.1. It doth more properly agree to joy, James 5.13 because of the sweet dilation of the heart, which it makes a show of yet it well agrees to the profitable recording of past sorrow, as appears by these Psalms which are called Penitential; and sometime to the removing of sorrow, Prov. 25.20.

Question III: How are we to sing those Historical Psalms which belong to other persons, and times?

6. A.1. If we so meditate of them, that we reap consoloation, and hope from them, Rom. 15.4.
7. A.2. To this end, we ought in our thoughts to put on, as it were, the person, either of the, of whom those Psalms were composed, or of them who composed them, that whatever is spoken there, we may, in some sort, take it as spoken to ourselves.

Question 4. How may we sing those Psalms aright, which contain dire imprecations in them?

8. A.1. We may upon occasion of those imprecations meditate with fear and trembling, on the terrible judgments of God against the sin of impenitent persons.
9. A.2. We may thereupon profit in patience, and consoloation, against the temptations which are wont to arise from the prosperity of the wicked, and affliction of the godly.
10. A.3. We may also pray to God that he would hasten his revenge (not against our private enemies, but) against the wicked and incurable enemies of his Church.


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## jaybird0827 (Jan 13, 2007)

Chris,

This is good stuff and I found it particularly encouraging today. Thanks, brother.


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## crhoades (Jan 13, 2007)

jaybird0827 said:


> Chris,
> 
> This is good stuff and I found it particularly encouraging today. Thanks, brother.


 
You're welcome. I would love to find the time to retypeset the whole book with modern spellings and find someone to publish it. There is much gold to be had in the work.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 22, 2007)

Excellent! Thanks Chris!


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