Sole Question: On the nature, and quality, of divine praises

That God is not only to be entreated, but also devoutly praised, as the most perfect Being and the highest Good, is taught by D. Thom. art. 1. and D. Bonavent. in the preface to the psalter, which was wont to be done with musical instruments also resounding, among which was the Psaltery.

¶ The S. Doctor observes that the book received in the Church took its three names from this, Psalterium, because it was an instrument of ten strings for alluring men, with sweet melodies, to the keeping of the law of Moses, otherwise harsh. It is called by this name in Greek in Paralipomenon; in Latin Liber hymnorum, or soliloquiorum, for the psalms are woven together as songs addressing God. In Hebrew it is called Nablum, or Sepher Theillim, which is Liber Hymnorum. Moreover these songs were employed with instruments, nabla or psalteries, trumpets, and citharas, for the praises of God, especially before the Ark, and in the Jubilee.

The new Church, a pilgrim in this world, uses this same psaltery to solace and to soothe the sadness arising from the Bridegroom's absence, as Urban VIII. says in the preface to the Hymns, and S. Thomas pursues in the place cited.

David wove together new Canticles, as he often repeats, to be handed on to the new Church for the praising of God on account of the newness of the wonders and benefits of the Incarnation, Hierem. 31. The Lord will make a new thing. In the commandments, Ioan. 13. A new commandment I give you. In miracles, Ioan. 15. If I had not done works among them, which no other man has done, etc. which new things require new songs, as S. Thomas notes ad Psalm. 32.

On account of benefits also continuous He enjoins perpetual praises upon us, Psalm. 23. I will bless the Lord at all times, etc. as S. Thomas notes there. And that we may obtain benefits, and sing the praises of God worthily, He sets before us first the preparation of the instrument of the psaltery of ten strings, namely the observance of the Divine law; for he does not praise God worthily who despises Him by his works, as S. Thomas pursues at length in the preface cited, and ad Psalm. 32.

That the Church was wont to chant the praises of God is attested frequently by David in the Psalms, and with him S. Thomas in his commentaries. Therefore Psalm. 62. My lips shall praise thee, from the heart, as the Apostle says, Ephes. 5. Singing in your hearts to the Lord, and the Council of Agath. cap. 21. Tolet. IV. cap. 12. defines, not like that people of whom Matth. 15. This people honors me with their lips: but their heart is far from me, but with lips of discretion, Psalm. 65. I will pay you my vows, which my lips have distinguished. With lips consonant with the heart, Psal. 150. In cymbals well sounding. With lips of affectuous jubilation, Psalm. 118. My lips shall burst forth a hymn. With lips of confession, Psal. 50. Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth shall announce your praise. With lips of contrition, Habacuc: At your voice my lips have trembled. This S. Thomas pursues ad Psalm. 62.

But S. Bonavent. observes ad Psalm. 95. that God is ever to be praised with new songs, as the most excellent good, and therefore it is said: God is great, and exceedingly to be praised, that is, never sufficiently praiseworthy; rather His wonders are to be pursued with perpetual admiration. Therefore the name of man, ADAM, is marked with four Greek letters: αδαμ, which letters signify the four parts of the world: namely the East, the West, the North, and the South; and it expresses the cross of Christ: Therefore it is said: Tell among the nations that the Lord has reigned, it is understood a ligno, which the Jews scraped away, as the expositors of the Psalter note at Lorinum. New Canticles are surely owed to God, who by the precious redemption of the cross called man back from the four parts of the world to Paradise, which was erected toward the east, as S. Thomas notes in the preface cited and ad the cited Psalm.

Therefore He again stirs up the new song, Psalm. 97. Sing to the Lord a new song, because He has done wonderful things. His right hand has saved for Him, and His holy arm. The Lord has made known His salvation, etc. Therefore He says God is to be praised on the cithara; for it is an instrument on which the strings are drawn by pegs over two pieces of wood; they signify Christ, who, drawn upon the cross, gave forth so sweet a melody that He drew to Himself all creatures, even the witless and insensate, and recalled His spouse from the underworld, and leveled and fitted living stones for building the heavenly city. So S. Thomas ad the cited psalm, and in serm. de Resurrectione.

Therefore the excesses of goodness and of diffusion, inexplicable and rather to be pursued with jubilation, He says: All you nations, clap your hands; shout to God with a voice of exultation. Because the Lord is high, etc. and Psalm. 47. Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised. Because behold the kings of the earth have gathered together, according to that Psalm. 1. The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together in one against the Lord, and against His Christ. Behold again the excesses of the Passion of Christ, exceedingly praiseworthy; that they may never be praised enough.

Hence you will perceive the saying of Aristotle primo Eth. cap. penult. That the best things have not praise, but something greater and better, not because God is not to be praised, but because His goodness and benefits can never be matched by praises; because, as it is said, Ecclesiastici 43. He is greater than all praise.

Observe still, that God is not praised so that our praises and the conceptions we form of His eminence may be made known to Him; for He is the searcher of hearts, but so that, hearing His pre-eminence and eminent excellences, we may be raised up to admiration of God, as S. Bonavent. notes above, and D. Thom. art. 1. and Tannerus num 47.

Therefore the praise of God profits the very one praising, as it is said, Psalm. 49. The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me; and there is the way by which I will show him the salvation of God.

For praises are offered to God as owed by justice, a sacrifice of justice, Psalm. 4. and because they inflame toward penance and return to God, Psalm. 50. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit, etc. The heart is inflamed toward the praises of God; the sacrifice of praise toward mortification, etc. See D. Bonavent. ad Psal. 49. whom Tannerus imitates, 47. after Boëtius in the prologue to music.

Therefore praises are raised up in song; as D. Thom. also says art. 2. for according to the diverse sounds of melody the minds of men are diversely disposed, as Aristotle says, 8. Polit. cap. 5. 6. and 7.

Although song, when restrained by delectation, abstracts from consideration, yet if the Divine praises are sung attentively and devoutly, they raise up and inflame to the love of God and devotion, as D. Augustinus says lib. 11. confess. cap. 33.

Truly, moderately and devoutly, musical instruments, if any are added, are to be employed; for the saying of Aristotle is widely known, 8. Polit. cap. 6. Neither are pipes to be brought into discipline, nor any other artificial instrument, say the Cithara. For such music moves more to delectation. They were employed more frequently in the Synagogue, for that stiff-necked people, to soften them somehow for grasping Divine things.

In the Church also they are conceded, but neither vain, nor tuned to wanton melodies; for this would be a grave sin, as Caietanus warns ad art. 2.

Therefore the Council of Trent gravely warns session 22. in the decree on things to be observed in Mass: Let them banish from the Churches that music, in which whether through the organ or through song something lascivious or impure is mixed, etc.

Musical songs are to be employed, joyful ones indeed for increasing spiritual joy; and mournful ones for the holy sadness of penance; for such is the nature of music, that him whom it meets joyful it makes more joyful, and him whom it meets sad it increases in that kind of sorrow, as S. Thomas notes on the Lamentations of Jeremiah, at the beginning.

Therefore Valentia quaest. 9. teaches, that to set up vain and alien things in the Divine office formally, from the intention that they are vain, as a part of the Divine office, is a grave sin of superstition; for this stands in the way of the end of Divine worship. But if it is done only materially, not from intention, but by applying only consonance to the Divine words, it can be mortal per accidens, if they gravely provoke to evil, or by reason of scandal per se, as he says with Caietano art. 2. and in the summa, under the word Organorum usus, he maintains it is not a sin. But if shameful things are inserted of a delectation kind, it will be a mortal sin, by reason of provocation to evil, and to add another mortal from another head of religion, he teaches with Caietano; nor can there be in this a vincibile or invincible ignorance which would excuse from mortal.

You will say. Vincibile ignorance sometimes excuses from mortal.

Valentia answers that it does excuse sometimes, if it is not so easy to learn, or because from the subject matter vincibile ignorance draws away from mortal.