THere are three main ends of Psalms:

1. That the praises of God (which Psalms do chiefly express) may bee cele­brated by all, Psal. 34.3. & 69.30.

2. That every Christian might not only be a visible Professor, but an audible Actor in these praises, Psalm 66.1, 2.

3. That all men might learn by heart the Principles of Religion, the Psalms (as Rivet saith) being a compen­dium of Scripture, affording all points necessary for do­ctrine and duty. Coloss. 3.16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching, and admonishing one another in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, &c.

From which words follow also these Conclusions:

1. That Scripture psalms (even David's Psalms, cal­led in Hebrew by the name of Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs) and no other, should be used in the Church; for no other are the word of Christ, and consequently cannot have that certainty, purity, au­thority [Page] and sufficiency that the Scripture psalms have.

2. That these Psalms of David must as well be trans­lated into Verse for Singing, as into Prose for Reading; yea, into such Verse as is proper for every Nation to take into Tunes, and that they should all be so transla­ted, that the Church might be fully furnished.

3. That they must bee translated very plainly for understanding, very smoothly for easie reading and remembring, and very sweetly for our delighting: o­therwise they cannot be suitable to those ends for which God hath ordained and indited a Psalm book, in his Word, for the edification of his Church.

Now that the Psalms of David may be thus transla­ted, since nothing in the Text may be omitted, but must (virtually at least) be put into the Translation, neither must any thing be added in the Translation that is not virtually in the Text: it must needs follow, that some latitude of paraphrastical expressions must be allowed; neither can any Translator, either by way of Verse or Prose, avoid it; for what (I pray you) is the translation of any Hebraism but paraphrase? The Vers-transla­tion therefore which require's exact measure and abun­dant metre, and some variety for the better help of me­mory and delectation of the minde, require's (often­times) a more ample paraphrase.

For the Matter therefore of the Vers-translation; let it be 1. The very words of the text, or 2. words to the same effect, or 3. an allusion to some parallel Scripture, or 4. an amplification of the plain scope of the text, or 5. an explication of the true sense of it, or 6. a fuller exposition of the Hebrew, of which there are at least five hundred instances to bee given in the Translation which I offer.

[Page]For the Manner of the Translation also, 1. Let it avoid all transpositions of the words (and conse­quently all interruptions of the sens) except what wee admit of usually in prose. 2. Let it retain som degree of sense in every line, and use no broken verses at all. 3. Let it be in usual & known tunes (& that for the most part in double meters, which is so excellent an help to memory, and a quickner of affection.) And for the rarer sort of tunes (generally harped on) let divers bee done in Aliters, according to the old 51, 113, and 148. 4. Let it avoid all hypermeters whatsoëver, except what do naturally run into one syllable. 5. Let the Verse be smooth in running, for harshness (as well as disorder in the words) will render it very difficult in reading. 6. Lastly, let the words be all pure, proper, seemly and significant; the want whereof was the most visible defect of the old Psalm-book, and was doubtless the first and principal of those causes that took off and alienated the mindes of Christians from this sweet and sacred duty. But now that the removall of all defects of the Psalm-book, (and to bring it in it's kinde to the degree and perfection of the Prose-translation) is in so ready and hopefull a way, let mee gratifie the Rea­der with a brief and plain Narrative of the whole busi­ness whereby the Providence will appear that hath brought it so about.

Whenas Francis Rous Esquire had many years ago put forth a Translation of the Psalms; which Book was by the first Parlament committed to the Assem­bly of Divines, who thinking to bring it nearer to the Original, did make it much more harsh and farr less acceptable then it was before, I (having put out a Translation of mine own and, a second Edition [Page] thereof, which found good acceptation, (as may ap­pear by the Epigramms which follow) addressed my self to M^r Rous, and was by him accepted, incouraged, and directed to amend all, and compose a new one out of his and mine.

This I did, and tendred with a Petition to the said Parlament, who referred it to a Committee of Di­vines to report; which report being never made during the Sitting of the said Parlament, there was neither op­portunity nor safety to print and publish it, till I obtain­ed an Order from His Highness for security of the Copie. And then not being at leasure in person to at­tend the Press, som errors escaped without correction, which might easily have been prevented, and for the present may be tolerably amended with a pen.

In this long vacancy that was, there were published two other Psalm books; one by the Scots, the other in the name of M^r White of Dorchester deceased: Both these do take the greatest part of that which is well done in them, wholly or partly out of M^r Rous his and mine. Compare Psal. 1. of the Scot's Translation with Ours, the 16. of that with Mine, the 119. of the other with M^r Rous his. Their own Verse consist's generally of single rime, and that very imperfect: it consist's also of bro­ken Verses and multitudes of Transpositions; (the great inconvenience whereof I must needs lay open to your view in the ensuing pages) insomuch as if all the bro­ken and disordered lines, and all which they have borrowed out of Ours were taken away, I appeal to those that search and see, whether one whole Psalm would be remaining in either of the said Transla­tions.

If now any shall imagine that Wee go in a way to [Page] make our Composure too curious, I answer no; for (to be sure) wee take in plainness, and then all Art and Industry is little enough to shun a harsh Translati­on: becaus as ill cooking spoil's good meat, and make's men loathe; so ill Psalmodie (like the loosness of Ely's sons) make's men abhorr the offering of the Lord: to recover whose appetites to this Ordinance, there had need to be an exquisite composure.

Now to give the Reader som account of the particu­lars under publication, I desire that hee may understand,

I. That I do not magnifie my self, but (as the Apostle saith, in another case) I magnifie my Office; so say I, (in this) I magnifie God's ordinance: many ravishing expressions wee have heard in praier, (though not alto­gether composed out of Scripture) how much more might wee bee stirred with Psalm-composures out of Scripture, if it were indeed exactly don? as to the wor­thiness of this work, I say, in relation to men, that it is not all mine own; and in reference to God, I say it is not one jot mine own, except the Errata; and truly they are not all mine own neither.

II. Much less do I endeavour to cast aspersions upon any, or to triumph in the ruines of an old Psalm-book; which, as in many things, it may easily bee mended, so in som respects it is heard to bee excelled, nor in all de­fects is easily redressed; wherefore I have mentioned the faults but sparingly, as may appear by these particulars.

1. There are many unseemly phrases unmentioned; as, I do not lust to haunt or use; be bold and have a lust; yea from my youth I had a lust; and in other places, so Trade often used for Religion, &c.

2. Many obsolete words; as, glory goodly dight; the woful hearted wight; thousands of Neat and Kine; the spring­ing [Page] wels and bourn, ay, eke, agast, revere, and many more.

3. There are many more examples to the other heads but for swelling the View into a volume.

4. I have but instanced in one or two examples for the 7^th head whereof are many hundreds, were it not ne­cessary to compare them with the text still, and so to set down both, which were too troublesom and tedious; for omissions, additions and mistakes are not easily judg­ed of, but by them that know the text verie well.

5. I hinted not how manie faults may oft be spied out of one example, let mee give a short one, Psal. 107.27. Or had of sense no feel; First the word is clipt, No feel for no feeling; Secondly transposed, of sense no feeling, for no feeling of sense. Thirdly improper, for wee say, no sense or no feeling, but, no feeling of sense is an improper Pleonasm.

6. I omit to mention of Apocryphal Psalms and tunes which are many, and (as all men know) need to bee re­dressed.

III. Lastly, I do least of all intend disadvantage to any man's interest by this work; wherefore I crave the concurrence of all good people, that the old Psalm book (more exceptionable then the Common-Praier-book) may (without farther prejudice against singing Psalms) bee removed, and a compleat one come in the room.

The only end of this enforced pains and publication beeing this;

1. To discover the original Caus that impedeth Psalm-singing, and the effectual Cure. 2. To engage all parties interessed to accommodation for the pub­lick good. 3. To acknowledg the deserved honor of those worthy Men that have encouraged and do encourage this necessary Work.