THE

BRITISH CRITIC,

FOR MAY, 1823.

ART. I. Observations upon the Metrical Version of the Psalms, made by Sternhold, Hopkins, and Others: with a view to illustrate the Authority with which this Collection was at first admitted, and how that Authority has been since regarded, in the Public Service of the Established Church of England; and thence to maintain, in this Venerable Service, the Usage of such Metrical Psalmody only as is duly authorized. With Notices of other English Metrical Versions of the Psalms. By the Rev. Henry John Todd, M.A. F.S.A. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, and Rector of Settrington, County of York. 8vo. pp. 126. 4s. Rivingtons. 1822. ART. II. An Inquiry into Historical Facts, relative to Parochial Psalmody, in reference to the Remarks of the Right Rev. Herbert, Lord Bishop of Peterborough. By Jonathan Gray. 8vo. pp. 80. 2s. Seely. 1821.

WHATEVER difficulties may exist respecting the authority upon which our Church Psalmody rests, the history of its origin and progress is sufficiently plain. The practice of congregational Psalm-singing became popular at an early æra of the Reformation, was noticed and permitted in the Statutes of Edward the VIth. and still farther protected by the Injunctions of Elizabeth. Without being enjoined in the Liturgy or Act of Uniformity, it was received as an established and lawful custom, and was confined, for any thing that has yet been discovered to the contrary, to what are now generally known as the authorised versions of the Psalms of David, and to the small collection of festival hymns which the printed copies of those versions have always

contained.

We are not aware that any material or notorious innovations occurred before the middle of the last century. At that period, Church-psalmody was at a low ebb, and with a

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view of rendering it at once more universal and more edifying, selections were printed from various translations of the psalms, and from the most approved and popular hymns. This practice is still to be observed in a considerable portion of our Churches, and although not strictly legal, and therefore not strictly proper, it is neither a test nor a symptom of a non-conformist spirit; but is adopted by sound, though indiscreet members of the Church of England.

There is another custom by no means to be confounded with the preceding, which like it is much more common than a sober Churchman could wish-a custom not of furnishing a congregation with ten or a dozen short hymns selected from Kenn or Addison, or other writers of the same stamp, but of publishing a massy volume of hymns collected from every point of the theological compass, culled from all the sweets of all the sects under heaven. This system originated with Wesley and Whitfield, and is confined with few exceptions to their disciples. It is not less at variance with the letter than with the spirit of our ecclesiastical laws. And nothing remains but for the Governors of the Church to prohibit such proceedings; and the Clergy in general to take away the pretence for them by abandoning any irregular psalmody to which they or their congregations may have become accustomed.

The first of these indispensable steps has been taken by more than one of our Prelates, and has met the fate of every other attempt to check the uncanonical inclinations of an active and numerous party. The Appendix to the Bishop of Peterborough's Primary Charge contains a short and satisfactory exposition of the laws respecting Psalmody, and an intimation that they must be complied with in his Lordship's Diocese. He is met as is usual in similar cases, first by a denial of his right to interfere, and secondly with a threat of the consequences of his interference. Famphlets and Reviews are set at work; ignorance and misrepresentation are pressed into the service, and with the civil sneers of evangelical wit and the characteristic closeness of evangelical logic, Bishop Marsh is proved to be an illinformed and tyrannical ruler. The process by which this feat has been achieved is sufficiently singular to demand attention. And the exposure, happily for our readers, is as plain, as it is unanswerable.

Mr. Gray of York is the Bishop of Peterborough's principal opponent. He does not enter into the difficult question of the King's right to issue ecclesiastical injunctions, not inconsistent with the Statute or Canon Law of the realm.

He does not appear to be aware that any thing can be lawful or unlawful in the transactions of the Church of England, without being provided for by the Act of Uniformity: but he contends that there is no authority for the use of the Old Metrical Version; and infers that we are at liberty to sing whatever Psalms or whatever Hymns we please. The inference thus boldly stated is somewhat surprising. A plain reader would suppose that if the Old Version be unauthorised, he is bound to confine himself to the New. But he will learn from Mr. Gray, that the Old Version was used universally and exclusively and lawfully for an hundred and fifty years, and therefore it is lawful to use an unauthorised version, and to sing any hymns which we may happen to fancy. This is the drift of Mr. Gray's argument; and of the writer who has reviewed and panegyrised it. And although neither seems prepared to say that he has proved this point, (as indeed their own admissions render it absolutely incapable of proof,) yet is this the precise question upon which they contradict Bishop Marsh, and have the modesty to declare that they refute him. Some praise for ingenuity and assurance, these gentlemen may claim; but their knowledge, their taste, and their infallibility are all pretty much upon

a par.

Bishop Marsh had argued, and his lucid and powerful reasoning is quoted and assented to by Mr. Todd, that as the Act of Uniformity required Chapters to be read from the Bible, and left it to the King to determine what translation of the Bible should be read, so the Royal Injunctions having permitted Psalm-singing, it must be left to the King to determine what metrical version should be sung. And although no act of the King or the Convocation can now be found by which the Old Version of the Psalms was authorized, yet such act must be inferred from the manner in which it had been printed; viz. with an assertion of being allowed and licensed, and from the persons by whom it was printed, viz. the King's Printers. To our unenlightened minds this argument appears legitimate and conclusive. But Mr. Gray and his colleagues deny that there is any analogy whatsoever between the prose and the metrical versions, because the use of the former is enjoined and the use of the latter permitted. They cannot or will not perceive that Bishop Marsh reasons thus-With respect to the Bible in prose, we are commanded to read in a certain manner, and the version to be so read is appointed by the King-With respect to metrical Psalms, we are permitted to sing them at certain times, and the version to be so sung must be allowed or

authorized in the same maner as before.-There is no compulsory singing whatsoever, but there is a permission to sing from a permitted version.-The Bible is appointed to be read in Churches, because the law requires it so to be-The Psalms are allowed, because the law allows congregational singing. So much for the reason of the thing; the a priori propriety of singing what we please, or of singing what is provided for us by ecclesiastical authority. On this point at least, it does not require the acuteness of a Marsh, to detect and expose the miserable blunders of his antagonists.

Having given us this specimen of his logic, Mr. Gray. proceeds to make us acquainted with the extent of his information respecting the publication and introduction of the Old Version of the Psalms. The Bishop of Peterborough had touched lightly upon this part of the subject; and as his assertions are encountered by a decided and not a very courteous contradiction, persons slightly acquainted with Church history might have been easily misled, if Mr. Todd had not taken up the cause. With that depth and accuracy of literary knowledge, before which Socinians and Calvinists have been alike compelled to retire, Mr. Todd investigates the progress and character of our various metrical Psalms, restores Sternhold and Hopkins to their original and proper station, and scatters the flimsy pretensions of the Yorkshire Antiquarians like dust before the wind. His labours when contrasted with those of Mr. Gray exhibit a happy specimen of the difference between superficial and solid learning.

The first historical mention of singing in church, distinct from that which is prescribed in the Rubric, occurs in the Statute 2 and 3 of Edward VI. c. i. The Statute enacts that the Order of Divine Worship, then recently agreed upon and set forth, should be henceforth observed; and that such of the Clergy as should officiate in any other manner should be liable to certain severe punishments. "Provided that it shall be lawful for all men as well in Churches, Chapels, or other places, to use any Psalms or Prayers taken out of the Bible at any due time, not letting or omitting thereby the service or any part thereof mentioned in this book." "The proviso," says Burnet, (Part II, Book I, 1548,) "for the Psalms and Prayers, taken out of the Bible, was for the singing Psalms which were translated into verse and much sung by all who loved the. Reformation." "About this time," says likewise Fuller, (Book VII, p. 31,) "David's Psalms were translated into English Metre, and if not publicly commanded, generally permitted to be sung in all

Churches." The various translations are described with minuteness by Mr. Todd and Dr. Cotton. The latter in a letter to the Editor of the Christian Remembrancer, (Vol. III, p. 327,) gives the following compressed account of the whole.

"In 1549 we have published a portion of the Psalms by Sternhold, 37 in number, (not 51 as stated by Hawkins and Wharton) in the same year the seven Penitential Psalms by Sir Thomas Wyatt; the Canticles or Ballads of Solomon by William Baldwin; and the whole Psalter by Robert Cowley, a printer. In 1550, we have the Book of Genesis in metre by William Hunnis, under the quaint title of a Hixe full of Honey, likewise Certain Psalms of David,' in metre, by the same. About this time were also published several Psalms in metre, by Miles Coverdale, with an introduction illustrative of his design in making them public. In 1551, Sternhold's Psalms were republished with seven additional ones, by John Hopkins. In 1553 were published the first fourteen chapters of the Acts of the Apostles in verse, by Christopher Tye, one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal; and about the same time, the Proverbs, some chapters of Ecclesiastes, with certain Psalms, drawn into netre by John Hall.'"

We desire no stronger presumptive proof of an historical fact, than that which is thus afforded of the introduction of Metrical Psalmody into the Church during the reign of Edward VI. and of the correctness of Burnet's interpretation of the Proviso in the fore-mentioned Statute.

Mr. Vernon observes (Gray's Inquiry, p. 49,) that the proviso "gives no protection to any version of the Psalms except the prose version established by the Act," and Mr. Gray proceeds to reason upon this declaration as if it proved that the Act did not allude to metrical singing. The reverse is as certain as such a fact can be. The proviso unquestionably extends to some practice relating to Psalmody not enjoined or provided for in Edward's Prayer Book. There is no reason to believe that any such practice existed, except it were a practice of singing Psalms, &c. in metre. We know that such a practice did prevail, that it was encouraged by the King himself, and his immediate attendants, and was favourably received by all lovers of the Reformation. And although the Act did not protect any metrical version, yet such protection might be obtained from a different quarter, viz. from the separate and independant authority of the Convocation, or the King. The prose versions of the Bible were not sanctioned by Parliament, and therefore it is absurd to contend that such a sanction was requisite for the metrical versions. The Psalms of Sternhold were printed