Shibboleth, or, Observations of severall errors in the last translations of the English & French Bibles together with many other received opinions in the Protestant churches, which being weighed in the ballance are found too light / written by John Despagne ... ; and translated into English by Robert Codrington ...

Of the Songs which without any proof are attributed to the Blessed Virgin, to Zachary and to Simeon, Luke Chap. 1. and 2.

I May adde to this the song of the Angels, vvho (it is said) did sing these vvords, Glory be unto God, &c. vvhen they published the Nativity of our Saviour. This is a common o∣pinion, follovved also by the English Bible in the Argument of the second Chapter of Saint Luke. But that vvhich may be spoken of it, hath been touched by others, vvhich is the rea∣son that I abstain to proceed any fur∣ther on it.

Nevertheless, the same Judgement may be made of this title, vvhich is given to these three other parcels of Scripture, which are called Songs, As

the Song of the Virgin, the Song of Zachary, and the Song of Simeon. So speak the Comm••n Places, so the Com∣mentators, and so Calvin himself as to the Song of the Virgin.

The Evangelist doth tell us that these vvords, to which the Name of a Song is given, were pronounced, but not that they were sung, either by the Virgin, or by Zachary, or Simeon, nor that they vvere so much as conceived or brought forth in the form of a Song, or measured by the Rules of Poetry.

It vvill not serve to affirm that their stile is Poeticall, and that cer∣tain passages in some of the Psalms, and other Hymns of the old Testa∣ment are inchaced in them; for some verses of a Song inserted into a dis∣course, do not make the vvhole di∣course to be an entire Song. Much less may vve conclude that it vvas sung by pronouncing. Hovvsoever it vvas, there is nothing of any cer∣tainty in it, to make the vulgar opi∣nion

to pass for an undoubted truth.

In all the New Testament there are but tvvo Songs, so named in express termes, And both those are in the Revelations onely, and onely in a Vision: Rev. 5. ver 9. 10. and Revel. 15. ver. 3. 4.

I do not say that those excellent words of the Virgin, of Zachary, and of Simeon may not in our vulgar tongues be put into the form of Songs, and sung in our publick Congregations; It is of great edification. But it is not convenient to believe for certain, that they vvere Songs in the Originall. Wherefore do vve not say as vvell that the vvords of Elizabeth dictated by the Holy Ghost are a Song also Luke 1?