WHEN holy David, the great Pattern for Adoration and Praise, either up­on occasion of some signal Delive­rance received at the Hands of God; or being moved with a more than ordinary Impulse of the Spirit, to Laud and Magnifie his holy Name for the multitude of his Mercies.

Or when he more ordinarily Addressed himself unto him in Publick Prayer and Thanksgiving, ma­king known his Requests, making Profession of [Page 2]his Faith, complaining of the State of the Wicked; of the Malice of his Enemies; giving Encourage­ment to the Pious, or Comfort to the Afflicted; and upon most other Occasions incident to the State and Condition of Himself and People.

He presently composed a Psalm, and sent for the chief Prefect of his Choir, to sit and prepare it to some Musical Instrument, suitable to the Occasion, to Elevate his Mind, and to Excite his Devotion.

And when his Predecessor Saul was possessed with the Evil Spirit, the Royal Prophet having notice of it,1 Sam. 16.23. Took an Harp and play'd with his hand. So the latter part of the Verse says, Saul was refreshed and was well; and the Evil Spirit departed from him.

This Evil Spirit from the Lord, A Lapide in v. 14. was thought to be a deep Melancholy, which oppressed his Spirits and discomposed his Mind, and which might lye the heavier upon him, through the Instigation of the Devil, being most apt to work Mischief upon me­lancholy People, and to bring them into such a kind of Distraction. The proper Cure of this, was conclu­ded to be, a seasonable Application of Musick. The force of which, when made by the skilful Hand of the inspired Musician, the Devil could not withstand. But in spite of his Fomenting the Disease, Saul's Mind was exhilerated, and his Melancholy driven away.

It will not now be amiss, I hope, if from such In­stances of the Use and Power of Musick, I take the same Method of the Psalmist, in recommending to your Practice, the constant offering up your Pray­ers and Praises unto Almighty God, in this his own House of Prayer, and in order to the being more De­vout and Zealous in the Divine Worship and Service, [Page 3]according to the excellent Method of our Incompa­rable Liturgy, if I recommend also the Use of Church-Musick in order to your more Solemn, Live­ly and Affectionate Performance of it.

This being most proper to raise our Affections, to chear up our Hearts, and to Invigorate, as well as to Regulate our Desires; and likewise to drive away the Evil Spirit from us. I do not mean only such an heavy and melancholy Spirit as Saul's was, but a much worse; and no doubt, both raised and fo­mented by the Devil too, viz. The Spirit of Divisi­on, and Hatred, and Animosity. The Spirit of An­ger, of Envy, of Malice, of Revenge, and other such disorderly and mischievous Passions, which this will be apt to drive from our Minds, and is a pro­per Remedy against.

Those great Ends, among many others, which I shall hereafter shew, being very likely to be promo­ted by this means, will abundantly compensate for that Pious and Exemplary Beneficence we have shewn, in erecting this stately and magnificent Stru­cture of an Organ, now Dedicated to the Honour of God, the Service of his Church, and the Good of his People. By an happy Providence, is this again restored to that very Place, from whence the other, by Sacrilegious Hands, was sometime since, pull'd down and destroyed.

And I doubt not but those who have so freely contributed towards it, will conclude their Money put to a very good Use, and that they'l find a great Satisfaction in it themselves; and the greater con­stantly, as they see the Benefit and Advantage of it, redound both to themselves and others. And may the Blessing of God go along with it, and Descend [Page 4]upon the Heads of those particularly, who have been the Encouragers and Promoters of it.

To which, if it may in any wise contribute, I shall make it the Business of this Day to Assert the Lawfulness, and Recommend the Use of it. And this I have chosen to do, from a Consideration of these most express words of the Psalmist, to this pur­pose, in the Conclusion of that Divine Collection of his, in this last Psalm; which, by the Title it bears, [...] is Hallelujah, or Praise ye the Lord. Where­in he Exhorts All People to call upon the Lord, and to Praise him in his Sanctuary; and that with all kinds of Musical Instruments, particularly with string­ed ones and Organs.

I may very well here take for granted, I suppose, that Praise is one of the most Delightful, as well as one of the most Necessary Duties, we are obliged to perform towards God. That 'tis of an Eternal Ob­ligation upon us; and which engages all People, at all Times and in all Places. And also, That we are to take the best Course, and make use of the best Means, where they may be had, with respect to those Times and Places, to make this Duty most Affecti­onate and Ardent, considering our own Weakness and Indisposition; and likewise most Solemn and Acceptable, with Respect to the Majesty of God.

This I am to shew may be by Musical Instruments, and among them, The Organ, as being the greatest help to this sort of Devotion.

By Stringed Instruments in this place,Lorinus in loc. Felix Ca­jetan and others suppose is to be understood some sorts of them, now unknown to us. But according to the Hebrew word [...] Species Instru­menti Musici. (Semel extat) Buxtorf. in loc., it signifies such a one as is compounded of many sorts of Musical Instruments, [Page 5]and contains much variety of Musical Harmony and Melodious Sounds, like unto that of the Organ, now in use; but differs from it, in that they were to be play'd upon, without the help of Wind, which this is not.

And 'tis further observable, that an Organ in the Original is derived from a Root, which signifies to Love with ardency and vehemence. [...] Adamavit, Buxtorf. It seeming so to express the Nature of the Thing, whose use is to stir up the Affections of the Soul towards God, that Peo­ple cannot but be in love with it.

In treating of which I shall proceed after this method.

First, I shall assert the Lawfulness of Musick, both Vocal and Instrumental, and particu­larly of the latter, in the Time of Divine Service, as well in the Christian Church now, as in the Jewish Church heretofore.

Secondly, I shall shew the great Use and Advan­tages of it.

Thirdly, I shall Answer the most material Obje­ctions, which the Adversaries of Church-Musick, have against this Practice. And

Lastly, I shall conclude the whole, with an Ex­hortation to you to stick heartily and de­voutly to the performance of that Excellent Church-Service of ours, established in the Church of England, as being the fittest and best of any in the whole Christian World, to answer the ends of our Holy Profession, namely, to give us a peaceable and happy Life here, and to bring us to Heaven here­after.

I And first, I am to Assert the Lawfulness of Mu­sick, both Vocal and Instrumental, and particularly of the latter in the Time of Divine Service, as well in the Christian Church now, as in the Jewish here­tofore.

Towards the Proof of which, I shall draw some Ar­guments, * From the Light of Nature and the Reason of the Thing. * From the Authority of the Scrip­ture, and the Institution of David, consequent there­upon. * From the Sense of the Apostles in the New Testament. * From the Opinion and Practice of the Reformed Churches, both at home and abroad. And * particularly from the Judgment of the most Eminent Men among those, who dissent from our Church in other Matters.

This I take to be sufficient for the Proof of the Thing before us; after which, I presume, its Law­fulness cannot well be called in question.

§ 1. The Lawfulness of that cannot certainly, with any tolerable Reason, be denied, which all A­ges have Allowed and Approved of.1 Chron. 15.16.25. 1. Ecclus. 50.16, 17, 18. The High Priest taught the People to Praise God and Pray therewith. 2 Chro. 15.14. It was used at making a Co­venant with God. God's own People of old, made their Approaches unto the True God, in a Religious manner with the Solemnity of Musick, as well, as the Heathen, to their false Gods. Both finding such a Natural fitness in the Thing, as would be likely to Excite their Devotion, and make it the more acceptable. And therefore, this being the general Practice of all Nations, that we read of, seems to argue, such a way of Worship to proceed from the Dictates of Natural Religion, which, Men were not so much Taught as Born to.

Hence we find from the Testimony of Scripture, That before the Law was gi­ven by Moses, The Invention of Musick was so early, as to be in the Days of Lamech, the sixth from Adam; his Son Jubal, was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and the Organ, Gen. 4.21. i. e. He was the Author and Inventor of these. And in the Days of Job, who is thought to have lived before Moses, those Instruments of Musick which served to rejoyce and chear up Mens hearts at their Feasts, Job 21.12. God thought fit to Consecrate to a Religious Ʋse, and made them Instruments of much Honour to his Church, and much Devotion to his People, Dr. Hickman Conc. in Psal. 100. 1. p. 14. or Directions made in this Case by David, there were Instruments of Musick used, and a Song made upon a Religious Ac­count; as appears by these two Instances, of Miriam the Sister of Aaron, and of the Prophets who came to meet Saul. The former we read of Exod. 15.20, 21. who Celebrated the Deli­verance of the Israelites out of Egypt, was no less than a Prophetess, and she did it after this manner: She took a Timbrel in her hand, and all the Women went out after her, with Timbrels and Dances. And Miri­am answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, &c. 'Tis sup­posed here, that they sung to one another by turns, this famous Song of Moses; the Men beginning, and the Women answering them; or else the Propriety of Speech would not so well hold, of Miriam's an­swering them, &c.

The other Instance was after the Delivering of the Law, but before the Reign of David, 1 Sam. 10.5, [...] or any pre­script Appointment of it, 1 Sam. 10.5. where the Company of Prophets (are met by Saul) coming down from the High Place, with a Psaltery, and a Tabret, and a Pipe, and an Harp before them; while they Prophesied and sang Praises unto God.

If we look into the Practice of the Heathen World, we shall find Instances of the same kind. Homer, one of the ancientest Writers among them,Dr. Hammond in loc. mentions the Greeks usage in Celebrating the Praises [Page 8]of their Gods, with an Harp. The Phrygians with a Drum. And the Egyptians with a Timbrel. So the Idol-Worship in the Eastern part of the World, mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, was performed with all kinds of Musical Instruments and Musick.Dan. 3.5. And the Western, or the Roman had Musick a great Ingredient in their Religion, and erected a Colledge of Tibicines or Players upon Wind-Musick, and en­dowed them with great Priviledges, for their Solemn Performances herein.

§ 2. But this is nothing to the Endowments that were made by David upon the several Officers,1 Chron. 25. Chap. 23.5. which were concerned in its Performances both in the Ta­bernacle, and also the Temple.David being a King and a Prophet, could not only do this at that time, but pre­scribe the Use of it in the time of the Messias, whose Type he was. Psal. 45. & 146. He first gave the E­stablishment to it in the Jewish Church; and by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost, made such Heavenly Composures, as not only supplied the Jews with the most Excellent Forms of Prayer and Praise, upon all Occasions, befitting that State: But to whom all after Ages are beholding for their Instructions here­in, and for those lofty Strains of Divine Eloquence, which have wonderfully improved the Devotions of the Christian Church.

And 'tis from so great a Man,1 Sam. 13.14. as this, after God's own heart, as well as from the Reason and Useful­ness of the Thing, that we in a great measure owe, the Advantages of Vocal and Instrumental Musick among us.

The Light of Nature indeed has given great Di­rections in this Matter: But the Revelation of God to his Prophets, greater. Whereby Mankind in ge­neral have been loudly called upon by holy David particularly, and a great part of it has heard the [Page 9]Voice of the Prophet, and made use of such means, as have raised their Devotion to an higher pitch, than otherwise they could have done, and consequently have made the Praises of God more abundantly glori­ous. Psal. 66.2.

This is done by the help of Artificial Songs and Instrumental Musick, to supply the Defects, and to heighten the Performances of Corrupted Nature;Psal. 98. and to assist in Repairing that Voice of Joy and Gladness in serving the Lord, which had been mi­serably broken by Disobedience and Sin; and made in a great measure defective, and not so capable a­lone to reach the Delights, and to attain the Perfe­ctions of that blessed Imployment.

This sweet Psalmist (or Singer) of Israel therefore,2 Sam. 23.1. with divers other Prophets, who were Inspired be­sides him, for this purpose, as, Heman, and Asaph, 2 Chron. 5.12. and Jeduthun, and perhaps the Sons of Corah too, whom we read of among the Compilers and Singers of Da­vid's Psalms, introduced into the Church of God among the Jews, the Use of such Instruments, as were thought fit by them, being so Divinely Inspi­red, to raise the Spirit of Devotion among the Peo­ple, and to make them Celebrate the Praises of their Creator, in the most Solemn Manner,Psal. 57.8. and with the greatest Alacrity and Exultation as could be ima­gined; best becoming the Reason, and answering the End of the chiefest part of the Creation.

And from thence we may Argue, If this was Use­ful under the Jewish State, why not under the Chri­stian? Have not Christians sometimes the same Deadness and Dulness, and Spiritual Indisposition in the Service of God, which the Jews had, and which lack to be shaken off? Do not the Members [Page 10]of the Christian Church in the Performance of their Worship, labour under the same Defects of these sorts? And consequently, Do they not stand in need of some such Helps and Assistances, to move their Affections, to raise their Devotion, to shake off their Drowsiness, and to inspire their Thoughts with Chearfulness and Zeal, with Love and Veneration, when they make their Addresses unto him, in Pray­er and Thanksgiving? If they do, as 'tis too mani­fest they do; for that Reason, have they always had the proper, if not necessary Assistance of Church-Musick among them.

Of Vocal I might here mention the Hymns of the Blessed Virgin, of Za­charias, and of Simeon, Luke 1 and 2d Chapters. And what is said, in the opinion of Socrates, concerning St. Ignatius (who was supposed to be the Child, which our Saviour took and set in the midst before his Disciples, when he said Matth. 18.3. Except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.) That 'twas he who first brought the Alternate way of Singing into the Christian Church, having learnt this from a Vision of Angels, thereby concluding the better to stir up one anothers Affections, and coming nearer to the Heavenly Pattern, where the Seraphims cry one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, Isai. 6.3. S [...]cr. Hist. Eccles. l. 6. c. 8 Dr. Comber's Companion to the Temple, Part 2. § 8. And of the famous St. Ambrose, who added most melodious and artificial Singing to the Divine Service, in the Church of Mi­lan, whereof he was Bishop; and this way among the rest; which soon after was pro­pagated to others. He it was, who composed the most Seraphick Hymn, which is in the Church, called the Te De [...]m, in Honour of the Blessed Trinity; which noble Strains, 'tis thought, he received down by Tradition from the Compositions of the Apostles, or some other Primitive Christians, who were inspired with the Gift of Singing. And for that reason have we such frequent mention made of their Singing to and Praising God, with Spiritual Songs and Hymns, in the first and purest Ages of Christianity, when they were so unfortunate as to be under the severest Persecution; And to that Infelicity alone we owe the want of Instrumental Musick to help out and exalt their Devotion. And Pliny, giving an account to the Emperour Trajan, of the Christians, says, Hanc fuisse sum­mam vel Culpae vel Erroris Christianorum, quod essent soliti, stato die, ante Lucem convenire, Carmenque Christo, quasi De [...] dicere secum Invicem, Lib. 10. Ep. 97. de Christianis. It will be too tedious to mention what great things are spoken concerning the Singing among the first of Christians, both by the Greek and Latin Fathers, St. Chrysostom, St. Ba­sil, Just. Martyr, St. Augustine, Tertullian, &c. And that the grave and plain Tune to the Psalms, now retained in our Cathedral Churches, was set by Gregory the Great, who flou­rished about the end of the Sixth Century; a man very diligent in regulating and ac­complishing all the Publick Offices of the Church, whom none of his Successors ever e­qualled, Platina de Vit. Pontif. Greg. 1.— many other Authorities are reckoned up by the Bishop of Cork, in his Duty of Singing, &c. And I know not, why I might not with them, mention the Authority of the Worthies of our own Age, the great Lights of the English Church, Hooker, Hammond, and others, who were men of as great Learning and Piety as they, and why not of as great Authority among us, concerning that other way of Singing, with the Instruments of Musick, joyned to their Voices? If this be Ce­remonial, why not the other? and both be abolished, or neither. from the very beginning of Christianity the Apostles of our Lord, and the Primitive Christians practising it themselves, and recommended it to others. [Page 11]And Instrumental too, when it got Establishment in the World, and had the Protection of Kings and Emperours, being freed from the severe and lasting Persecutions it lay under for above Three hundred years together. And then afterwards, through the Disconsolateness of the Times which followed, it could not presently appear with that Splendour, as to have all those Ornaments and Advantages which might well belong to it.

We may conclude therefore, That 'twas through the Necessity, and not the Choice of the Primitive Christians, that so helpful a Thing as Instrumental Musick in the Service of God, was not more early received into the Christian Church. And the justProlectat Aures Religio­sa Mulcedo. S. Cypr. Epist. ad Donatum. Vide S. Basil. Homil. in Ps. 1. S. Aug. variis in locis. Encomium they give of it, shews what was their Mind and Desire about it, though they were not able to bring it to effect.

§ 3. It is observable, That when the Apostle, St. Paul, recommends the use of Psalms and Hymns, Ephes. 5.19. Col. 3.16. and Spiritual Songs, and to singing and making Melo­dy in our Hearts to the Lord, Ephes. 5.19. And St. James, James 5.13. when he speaks of Singing in token of a Religious Joy, says, Is any merry, let him sing Psalms? By which, doubtless, they understood the Psalms of David, which are used in the Jewish Church. And by singing them, in both those places, it is to be [Page 12]supposed,Vide Criticos Guelpt. & Grot. in Ephes. 5.19. they mean with Instruments of Musick. And to make the Truth of this Observation the more manifest to you, it is plain they express themselves by words,Psalmus est in quo concinen­do adhibetur Musicum ali­quod Instru­mentum praeter Linguam. Hymnus est propriè Laudis Canticum, sive alta Voce, sive aliter Canatur. Oda non Laudes tantùm continet, sed Paraneses & alia Argumenta, Calvinus in Col. 3.16. which in the Original ( [...] and [...], from whence, that Instrument called the Psal­tery) signifie most properly, a singing with an Instru­ment.

And a ReverendBishop of Derry's Dis­course con­cerning the Inventions of men in the Worship of God, c. 1. § 1. Prelate observes from hence, ‘If they had not approved the Jewish way of Sing­ing them, which was with Instruments, they would not have used a word that imported it.’ Nay, it is not to be doubted, but (that they, who took so much care for the Regulating and well Or­dering of the Church in after Ages) would have cautioned against it, if they thought it improper, and that Singing with Instruments, was not consistent with the Spirit and Ʋnderstanding also. But the Lawfulness of this,1 Cor. 14, 15. and that Singing with the Spirit and Ʋnderstanding also, is consistent with Singing with Musical Instruments, I shall further urge from the New Testament; and the Analogy it has with the An­gelical Songs and Heavenly Exultations in the Quire of Blessed Saints,Rev. 14.2. who are represented Rev. 14.2. As Harpers harping with their Harps: And having the Harps of God, 15.2. Chap. 15.2. ‘Which Places con­cern the Publick Worship of God in the Church, The Joys of the Saints in Heaven and in Earth,Baxter, Bullinger, Hammond. and the Triumphant Rejoycings of Christians, for the Victory over their Enemies,’ according to the Judgment of some Expositors.

§ 4. And however meanly this way of making melody in our hearts unto the Lord, may be thought by some, it has been certainly of above a Thousand years standing in the Christian Church; and been Received and Approved of by the Reformed, as well as as the Popish Churches (and therefore no part ofThose that have gotten the Victory over the Beast, and over his Image, and over his Mark, and o­ver the Num­ber of his Name, stand on the Sea of Glass, having the Harps of God, Rev. 15.2. Popery). From these latter, I draw no President, any farther, than they agree with the Churches in the purest and best Times. And for the former, the Opinion of Luther, Calvin, and their Followers will bear me out, whose Judgments in this matter, I shall just mention.

Luther, speaking of the Communion-Service, that it ought to be in the Mother Tongue, says,Missam vernaculam opto magis quam promitto; quòd impar sim huic Operi, quia Musicam simul & spiritum desiderat. In vit. Lutheri. He laments the want of Poets and Musicians to Compose and Sing Godly Songs. Poetae & Musici nobis desunt, &c. ‘I rather wish, than promise it, being not sufficient for so great a Work, for it requires both Musick and a Spirit.’ It is plain from hence, what he meant, but because of the troublesome Times where­in he lived, he could not effect it.

But its Followers, it seems, who must be suppo­sed to have best understood their Teacher's meaning, have affected it. For, in a great part of Germany, Swedeland, Denmark, Switzerland, and part of Po­land, where his Doctrine is received, they have the Exercise of Vocal and Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God, as we have; and where they have not this Advantage, 'tis reckoned more their Unhap­piness than their Choice.

So likewise Calvin gives his Approbation of it, in some Places; but being a Man of intemperate Heat and Passion, is inconsistent with himself in others. I shall only mention one, which is his Com­ment on Amos 6.5. where he highly commendsDavid quum esset qui­etus postquam defunctus or at omnibus peri­culis, potuit etiam se ob­lectare, &c. David; That ‘whereas, being Musical and a Lo­ver of Musick, he might privately have delighted himself therewith, when he was now in Peace and Ease, and past all his Dangers:Quum ta­men David ap­plicuerit Mu­sica Instrumen­ta, ad Pietatis exercitium ut mentem suam ad Deum at tolleret; — ut scilicet resonarent Laudes Dei in Templo, ut indè una cum aliis Piis sese erigeret ad Pietatis Studium, Calv. in Amos c. 6. v. 5. yet he chose rather Musical Instruments to the Exercise of De­votion, that he might thereby raise his Mind to­wards God.—And that they sounding the Praises of God in the Temple, he might Excite both himself and others to the Study of Godli­ness.’

And the Dutch Where all Sects in Reli­gion may meet, and ma­ny do. Churches, which mostly follow him, have the Use of Organs very frequent among them, almost in every Church, where the People are of Ability to procure them.

But though none of the Reformed Churches a­broad did use them at all, it is sufficient that ours does, to justifie their Lawfulness, being by far the best part of the Reformation. Concerning which, omitting the Testimony of our own Eminent Di­vines, who may, by some People, be thought too partial, I will give you the Judgment of an Excel­lent Man, and a Forreigner, I mean the Learned Isaac Si me con­jectura non fal­lit totius Reformationis pars integerrima est in Anglia, ubi cum studio veritatis, viget Studi­um Antiquitatis; Ad Clem. Salmaf. Ep. 40. Casaubon: ‘If my Judgment (saith he) does not [Page 15]fail me, the sincerest part of the Reformation is in England, where, together with the Study of Truth, flourisheth also the Study of Antiquity.’

And this truly was, and is the Design and Glory of our Church, That it Retains the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Church, while it throws off the Corruptions and Errours that were foisted into it, in after times. It allows and maintains what is a­greeable to Reason, Decency, and good Report, whereby God may be worshipped among us in Spirit and Truth, with Beauty and Devotion.

And for this Reason it Retains the Use of Or­gans in her Divine Service, as well approving In­struments of Musick to adorn, as to heighten her Devotion. This being the chiefest of them all, and of such admirable Variety and Fulness, as in a manner contains all other Musical Instruments what­soever. Having such a grave Decorum with it, and such a singular Capacity, as is best able to keep an whole Congregation in decent Modulation of Voice, for singing the Praises of God; and with due Ele­vation of Heart, for the better offering up their Pray­ers unto him, which are certainly very great Advan­tages in a Christian Assembly.

And therefore, I say, she retains the Use of the Organ, but not as it were absolutely necessary, or as if the Essence of the Church did consist in it, and that there could be no Church without it: But only as to its Bene esse, it's flourishing estate; to which, with respect to the suitableness of the Times and usefulness of the Thing, it does abundantly conduce. And God be thank'd, we do not stand singly in Defence of this Usage; we have all, I mean all the best established Churches in the whole Chri­stian [Page 16]World, to concur with us herein, who are of Ability to make so great a Provision, for the better carrying on the Worship of God in the As­semblies of his People. And if we approve our selves to these, 'tis no matter if we disregard the Novelty and Phantasticalness of some singular Hu­mours, and be concerned no otherwise than to Pity and Discountenance the groundless Cavils, unreason­able Prejudices of any to the contrary.

'Twas only through the Iniquity of some Times, as in our long Rebellion, this Use was Sacrilegi­ously discontinued, to the Infamy of the Nation, the Dishonour of God, and the Detriment of his Church in these Kingdoms. And no wonder, that such an unheard of way of Reformation, by melting of Organ Pipes into Bullets, and pulling down of Churches, should be by such Pretenders to Religion, who not only discountenanced all Decency in Di­vine Worship; but destroyed that Worship it self, so far as it was promoted by the Publick Exercise of our incomparable Liturgy, the Gloria Patri, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed and the Decalogue; all which remarkably suffered an Eclipse together.

And it's but fitting now, That since the memory of the Profaneness, Irreligion and Sacriledge of those Days is so offensive, and has been so long a Scandal to us, we should endeavour to blot out a part of the remaining Odium, by Restoring this ancient Use in our Churches, which we have so much Reason, Religion, and Authority for.

And if now, the Judgment of Antiquity, the Use of this among the Jews, God's own Appointment of it by his Prophets,2 Chro. 29.25. and the Scriptures of the New Testament no where forbidding it, or supposing it [Page 17]to be only a Temporal Command, though only from the Severity of the Churches Persecution it was sometime discontinued; but afterwards it flourish­ed again, in the Christian Church, when that did; And in the Nature of the Thing it be of perpetual Use, and in the Opinion of the most Learned and Pious Men, of a very good one, be not sufficient Arguments to justifie its Lawfulness, nothing will. I am sure nothing can prove it unlawful.

§ 5. But perhaps, what will be of greater Au­thority with many among us, to Confirm the Law­fulness of this, beyond all which has been hitherto said, will be the Opinion of some Eminent Di­vines, who have separated from us, as particularly Mr. Baxter, and the Assembly of Divines, which I shall mention before I dismiss this Particular, that you may see, How much they agree with us in this Matter.

Mr. Baxter in his Five Disputations, gives his O­pinion of Church-Musick in these very words: ‘As for Organs,P. 112. or other Instruments of Musick (says he) in God's Worship, they being a Help, partly Natural and partly Artificial, to the Ex­hilerating of the Spirits for the Praise of God, I know no Argument to prove them simply Unlaw­ful, but what would prove a Cup of Wine unlaw­ful, or the Tune and Metre and Melody of sing­ing unlawful.’

And more largely does he deliver himself in these Five Arguments in his Cases of Conscience, Quest. 127 annexed to his Christian Directory.

As 1. ‘God set it up long after Moses's Ceremo­nial Law, by David, Solomon, &c.No bad Precedents in Devotion. 1 Sam. 18.6. 1 Chro. 15.16. 2 Chron. 5.13. & 7.6. & 23.13. Psal. 98. & 150..’

2. ‘It is not an Instituted Ceremony meerly, but a Natural Help to the Mind's alacrity: And it is a Duty, and not a Sin, to use the Helps of Na­ture and Lawful Art, though not to Institue Sa­craments, &c. of our own. As it is lawful to use the comfortable Helps of Spectacles in Read­ing the Bible, so is it of Musick to Exhilerate the Soul towards God.’

3. ‘Jesus Christ joyned with the Jews that used it, and never spake a word against it.’

4. ‘No Scripture forbid deth it, therefore it is not unlawful.’

5. ‘Nothing can be against it, that I know of, but what is said against Tunes and Melody of Voice. For whereas they say, That it is a Human Invention: so are our Tunes (and Metre and Version) yea, it is not a Human Invention; as the last Psalm and many other shew, which call us to Praise the Lord with Instruments of Musick. —And whereas some say, That they find it do them harm; so others say of Melodious Sing­ing: but, as wise Men say, they find it do them good. And why should the Experience of some prejudiced self-conceited Person, or of a half-man that knoweth not what Melody is, be set a­gainst the Experience of all others, and deprive them of all such Helps and Mercies, as these Peo­ple say they find no benefit by.’—More to this effect he adds in Justification of the Lawfulness of Musick in the Service of God.

To this Opinion of Mr. Baxter's, I shall add that of the Assembly of Divines, very different from those of Geneva on this last Psalm.

‘He (say they, speaking of David) exhorteth them, that they might Praise God the better, to stir up their Joy with Musical Instruments'Tis to be noted, That the Assembly refer the meaning of this Psalm to those two pla­ces of the Apostle, Ephes. 5.19. Col. 3.16. where they farther say, It seemeth most pro­bable, that by Psalms, he means the Psalms of David set to the Harp or Psaltery; by Hymns, certain Ditties made upon special occasions; and by Spiritual Songs, such as were not Composed before hand, and Prickt before them with Musical Notes, but such as men endited by an extraordinary Gift. — And Mr. Pool's Annot. on Ephes. 5.19. Most take Psalms to be such as anciently were sung with Musical Instruments..’ And, The Remark upon it is unanswerable, If Musical In­struments (as is granted) had that Power then, how have they changed their Nature since?

These Authorities are great enough, I hope, to balance any thing can be said, by any of the Sepa­ration, to the contrary. But I shall speak some­thing more in Justification of the Lawfulness of this, when I come in the Third Place to Answer the Ob­jections against it.

Having spoken thus much concerning the Law­fulness of Church-Musick, which was the First and Chief Thing to be done.

II I proceed in the Second Place, to shew the great Use and Advantages of it.

And These are so many, that 'tis an hard matter not to be long, if not tedious in their Enlargement. But, for my more Regular proceeding, I shall reduce them to these Five Heads.

1. It will Regulate the untunable Voices of the Multitude, and make the Singing in the Church more orderly and harmonious.

2. It will stir up the Affections of Men, and make them the fitter for Devotion.

3. It will compose their Thoughts, and drive away Evil Suggestions from their Minds.

4. It will prepare them for the being better Edi­fied in the Divine Service they are about.

Lastly, It will make the whole Service of God be the more Solemn and August, and the People more Serious and Reverential, when they are at it; and more Silent and Grave at their coming in, or going out of the Church.

These are some of the chief Uses of the Organ which my Meditations suggest, and of them briefly in their order.

(1.) Then the Organ will Regulate the untune­able Voices of the Multitude, and make the Singing in the Church more orderly and harmonious. It cannot be supposed, but there will be great Discord and Jarrings in a mixed Company of Singers, where few perhaps have had the Benefit of Art to tune and help their Voices. And where there is such, Confusion and Disorder will naturally follow, which should not be permitted in the Praises of God, if it may be avoided: For we are to endea­vour to make his Praise glorious; Psal. 66.2. and to set it forth after the best manner we can. Praise should be ut­tered in wisdom, Ecclus. 15.10. and the Lord will prosper it, says [Page 21]the wise Son of Syrach. It being somewhat un­reasonable to suppose, God will be delighted with such unpleasant and harsh Tones in his Service, as Men in their common Diversion would not endure. They seek to Accomplish themselves by the Help of Art to sing well and regularly, to please them­selves and hearers.

And think ye, when they sing to God, it be no matter, whether they sing well or not? They are to pay him the best Services; and in this Case the best are the sweetest, and most harmonious and re­gular, when their Hearts and their Voices are kept in the best Tune, as they will be with the help of an Organ, which is therefore to be allowed as most useful; this being the only sort of Musical Instru­ments which is able to do so, having such a Maje­stick Loudness, and decent Modulation going a­long with it, as will keep all in, and at the same time, both grace the Service, and please the Offerer.

(2.) It will stir up the Affections of the Soul, and make them the fitter for Devotion.

There are very few Men of such sprightly and ardent Minds towards the Service of God, but some­times they will want a little quickning and stirring up to keep the regular and intent in the Duty they are about. And, as for the generality of Peo­ple, they are flat and dull, and too listless about such a weighty Business. And therefore, if this Indisposition can be rectified by the help of such a Musical Instrument, as in all probability it will, since 'tis its Nature thus apparently to excite and raise Mens Affections, we must conclude it to be a migh­ty Advantage to Religion.

And that it will do so, we have two very re­markable Instances in the Scripture for the imme­diate Confirmation of it: Both taken from that known practice of the Prophets in the Old Testa­ment; who, for the promoting of the Spirit of Prophecy within them, and the better raising their Intention towards God at that time, they called for the Musicians to play before them. The one, and the clearest of the two, is that 2 Kings 3. where when Jehoram and Jehoshaphat, the Kings of Israel and Judah made their joynt Importunity to Elisha to get them Water, for want of which their Hosts were greatly distressed;2 Kings 3.15, 16, 17. he bid them bring him a Minstrel. And it came to pass, when the Minstrel play'd, the Hand of the Lord came upon him: And he said, Thus saith the Lord, make this Valley full of Diches, &c. It shall be filled with Water, that ye may drink, &c. The other Instance is that 1 Sam. 10.5. when the Spirit of the Lord was to come upon Saul, to make him a Prophet, and to stir up the same Spirit in those Old Prophets who were sent to his Ordination, that they might Prophecy together, 'tis said,1 Sam. 10.5. The Company of Prophets came down from the High Place, with a Psaltery, and a Tabret, and a Pipe, and an Harp before them, &c.

In both which places, 'tis observable, That 'twas nothing but Instrumental Musick, which was made use of in those Cases, to awaken their Souls, and to stir up the Spirit of Prophecy in them. And from thence I argue A Fortiori, Of Musick used in the Schools of the Prophets, vide Bp. Stilling­steet's Orig. Sa­cr. l. 2. c. 4. § 6, 7 If these were able to stir up the inspired Principles of their Souls, for such a mighty Thing, as the Conveying the Prophetick Spirit into another, among the Jews; certainly they may well be concluded proper and useful for [Page 23]the stirring up the Spirit of Prayer, and to move the Affections of the Soul, that they may be the sitter for the Worship of God, in the Christian Church.

I may well here subjoyn, what I find by many quoted concerning the regulating and sweetning, as well as stirring up of the Affections of the Heart towards God by this means; insomuch, that it will delight in Sorrow as well as Joy, and make a Man chearful, even in his Lamentation and Mourning for his Sins, and when he is doing the severest Pe­nances for them. The Reason whereof is excel­lently well set forth by our Judicious Mr. Hook­er. Eccl. Pol. lib. 5. § 38.

And so on­ward that excellent Man.

So that you see the admirable Use of Musick to regulate the Affections, as well as to move them in our Devotion.

I might here mention what wonderful Effects may be found in Prophane Authors concerning the Powers of Musick, as the Learned Casaubon and Gro­tius have observed. We are told of a famous Mu­sician, who by Playing on his Instrument, could work up Alexander the Great, to such a sit of Rage, as to force him, with great fury and wrath, to grasp his Sword, ready for any Combat: and then again, by a curious turn of Art, presently be able to allay that Passion, and produce in him the quite con­trary Effects of Gentleness and Mildness. The La­cedemonians, a most obstinate sort of People,Plutarch of Musick. when divided among themselves, and at Variance even to a Civil War, were directed by the Oracle to hear the famous Terpander play upon his Harp, which, when they had done, they made up the Difference with Tears in their Eyes, and embracing one ano­ther, returned Friends. Homer introduces Achilles in the height of his Fury towards Agamemnon, appea­sed by MusickThe Greeks were careful to teach their Children Musick, deeming it requisite, by the Assistance thereof, to Form and Com­pose the Minds of Youth to what was decent, sober and vertuous; believing the Use of Musick beneficially efficacious to incite to all serious Actions, &c. Ibid..

We are told also, ThatGrotius in 1 Sam. 10.5. Pythagoras did mollifie sierce Minds by Musick. That Asclepiades did stop the Rage of Sedition. Damon reduc'd Petulant and Debauched young Men to Modesty and So­briety. And Xenocrates cure Mad-men by the same means.

But I shall leave these, hoping we have no such to try the Experiment upon, and proceed

(3.) To another Use of Church-Musick, and particularly of the Organ, viz. That it will com­pose Men's Thoughts, and drive away Evil Sugge­stions from their Minds at their Devotion. The Devil be sure is then most busie to ply his Mischie­vous Suggestions, and to endeavour the discompo­sing of Men's Minds, when at their Devotion they are seeking the Ruin of his Kingdom. Then it is, That he often injects Evil Imaginations before us; and tempts us, by raising inordinate Passions in our Hearts, and tries to make us wander from the great Business we are about.

But then, the seasonableness of Musick will help to recall our Minds, and keep them from such a Roving and Wandring away from it. It will be a means to keep them from evil Objects, and from the sly and malignant Insinuations of Evil Angels, which Represent them to our Minds. It will tend much to rid these,Just. Mart. Quest. 107. of all those sad and gloomy and melancholy and lustful Imaginations, which may disturb and discompose them. It will dispel those Clouds which make them heavy and dull. It will discharge those irregular Passions, which do tor­ment and vex them; and keep the Heart from being fretted with anxious Thoughts and racking Fears [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26]and distracting Doubts, which at that time may lye heavy upon them, and bring it in such a sedate and even Temper, as is best for Divine Contemplation and Prayer.

Musick will bring the Soul into such an Harmo­nious Order, as will make it ever enjoy a pleasant state of Peace and Tranquility. The Reflections it will prompt it to make, on all that is good and great; and the Meditations it will Exalt in us, of the wonderful Works of the Creation and Provi­dence, and the Happiness is laid up in store for good People, will always make glad the City of God, the Tabernacle of the most Highest, which the Soul of Man may be said to be: And whatsoever does so, will be a Torment and Vexation to those Evil Spi­ritsDoemones fugat Depellit­que. Ibid. who seek her Destruction.

Hence we may take up a Saying, which is father­ed upon Luther; Scimus Musicam Doemonibus etiam invisam & intolerabilem esse: That the Devils can­not endure, but perfectly hate Musick. And we have reason to believe it, because there is no such thing in Hell; but the opposite to that, viz. weep­ing, and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth. Quite op­posite to the Representation of the state of the Bles­sed in the Kingdom of Heaven, where is Singing and Rejoycing and Gladness. And to fit our selves for their Society, in the glorious Presence of God, we must have our Minds calm'd, our Passions sub­dued, and our Souls tempered with the Precepts of Religion, for the surer Reception of which, will the Charms of Musick give a great Preparation. And

(4.) This is another Use and Advantage of it; It will prepare us for the being better Edified in our Divine Service. For, when our Affections are here­by Raised, our Thoughts Composed, and our Minds made Sedate and Calm, as we have seen, then shall we be in the fittest Disposition, the more seriously to attend upon, and the more eagerly bent to re­ceive such Divine Instructions, as shall in the fol­lowing Service, be offered to our Understanding. The Soul will then be qualified to take the best Im­pressions; the Head and the Heart will be enliven­ed; and the Ears and Eyes will be opened, through those most sweet and charming Sounds, whereby the Treasure of Goods Things will be convey'd into the Mind, and take the deeper Root in us; and so the whole Man will be Edified in the Precepts of Religion.

Thus Instrumental is Musick to make us most Knowing, as well as most Devout. Our Reason too, will reap a great Benefit by it, and we shall become the more Rational, and have a clearer insight into the Things above, by being awakened thereto, in the Service of God, with stringed Instru­ments and Organs.

The pleasing Force of which is so irresistable, that Men must do Violence to their Natural Tem­pers (unless they are monstrously bad) to with­stand it: This being so artificially fitted, as will make at the same Time a curious Address, as well to the Judgment as the Imagination, and must capti­vate both, unless so dull and stupid, as to be beneath the Capacity ofThe Musick of Orpheus and Amphion, had influence up­on Fishes and Beasts. Sir William Tem­ple's fourth Essay upon Poetry. The Powers of Musick (says he) are either felt or known by all men, and are allowed to work strangely upon the Mind and the Body, the Passions and the Blood, to raise Joy and Grief, to give Pleasure and Pain, to cure Diseases, and the mor­tal Sting of the Tarantula, to give motions to the Feet, as well as the Heart, to compose disturbed Thoughts, to assist and heighten Devotion it self, Ibid. p. 288. The Tarantula is a most venomous Spider, some say a Fly, so called from Tarantum, a Nea­politan City, where they most abound, whose Sting is deadly, yet curable by divers Sounds of Musick, Sand's Travels, fol. 249. I appeal to the Experience of Dissenters, whether they are not much affected, and think themselves edified with the pleasing Tone and Cadencies and Elevations of the Voice of their Preachers? and then, Whe­ther they might not be assisted with the sweeter Sounds of Musical Instruments? Bruits.

St. Augustine, among his Confessions which he makes to God in several Books, says, speaking of Church-Musick,Quantum fle­vi in Hymnis & Canticis tu­is, suave sonan­tis Ecclesiae tuae vocibus commotus acri­ter. Voces il­lae influebant Auribus meis, & eliquabatur Veritas tua in Cor meam, & ex eâ, Aestuebat inde affectus Pietatis, & currebant Lacrymae, & bene mihi erat cum eis. Aug. Confes. lib. 9. in Calce cap. 6. ‘How much did I weep at thy Hymns and Songs, being vehemently moved with the Voices of thy Melodious Church. Those Voi­ces did flow in at my Ears, and thy Truth was melted into mine Heart, and from thence boiled up such an Affection of Piety, as did make my Tears to run down, and then it was well with me, because of them.’

It seems he was so affected therewith, that he shed Tears in token of a Religious Joy, when his Ears were delighted with the Voices which sung forth the Praises of God, and his Heart Instructed in the Mat­ter of them. And notwithstanding, he seems to be afraid of being carried away with the former to the hurt and prejudice of the latter: yet he was forced to acknowledge, the great Profit the Church did re­ceive by such a Custom, so fit for EdificationConfes. l. 10. c. 33..

I shall conclude this Particular with the words of St. Basil to this effect,Eccl. Pol. l. 5. § 38. [...], &c. as I find them Translated by our Judicious Mr. Hooker.

Thus advantageous does the Use of Church-Mu­sick appear to be, to prepare us the better for Edifi­cation in the Divine Service.

(5ly. and Lastly) I come now in the last place to shew, That the Organ will make the whole Service of God be the more Solemn and August, and the People more serious and Reverential when they are at it; and more Silent and Grave at their coming in or going out of the Church.

There is, besides at the several Times when the Psalms are sung, some other proper Tunes customa­rily made use of for the Organ to play some taking Lesson or decent Florish or other by it self, which goes by the Name of Voluntaries; and is chiefly to answer this last Use and Advantage of it.

This sort of Musick, is either made just before the Service begins, which seems a very proper time for it, to engage the Congregation to a serious Thoughtfulness, and to a civil Deportment and Be­haviour, when they are taking their Places, and a­bout to enter upon the most Solemn Acts of Religi­on in the Worship of God. Or it is also used at the end of the Psalms, before the Lessons be read, to strike a reverential awe upon our Spirits, and to melt us into a fit Temper to receive the best Impres­sions from the Word of God. And it is contrived as a new Ornament and Grace to carry us through the whole Service with Seriousness and Devout At­tention, with Alacrity, Sobriety and Peace. Or lastly, It is used at the end of the whole, to take off some little whispering Disturbances,Vide Bishop of Cork's Du­ty of Singing, Cap. 3. through the Le­vity of some People, and to drown that ungrateful rushing Murmur and Noise which the stirring of so many People together, at that time of going out of the Church, must occasion.

It being well provided and designed by the Pie­ty and Prudence of our Governours, to let nothing there be heard in the House of God, but what is grateful and becoming that holy Place. And espe­cially during the Time of Divine Service, all Things should be performed with as great Silence and Re­verence as is possible. Nothing is then to be heard but the Word of God, and the Voice of humble Supplicants; the Prayers of the Devout, and the Praises of such as be joyful in the Lord.

And therefore by the way, the indecent Noise which is too often made by the opening and clap­ping fast of Pew-doors (a reason why anciently Seats in the Church had no Doors to them) and the nau­seous [Page 31]Rawkings, and unnecessary Coughing and Spitting, which are made by the People, though little regarded, come within the Censure of a Distur­bance, and may doubtless in a great measure be a­voided, if they be not at that time very much indi­sposed for Civility as well as Devotion.

Thus I have shewn, and I hope in some measure proved, The Use and Advantages, as well as the Lawfulness of Organs in the Christian Church.

It remains now that we make our sincere and con­stant Attendance to the Performance of our Duty in this best part of it established among us, where our Devotion being raised with the additional help of Musical Instruments, we may best acquaint our selves with the Excellency of our Service, and the Advantages of it.

III But there remains still another Particular to be discoursed in the Third place, that imports the An­swering the Objections, and, if possible, removing the Prejudices, which the Adversaries of Church-Musick, have against this Practice. And if this be not done, in vain will the Arguments prove which set forth the Use and Advantages of this Instituti­on. I confess the former are more easily answered, than the latter taken away; however, having gone so far, I shall now briefly make an Attempt on both, and pray for Success.

Object. 1 The Principal Objection I shall begin with, which is brought against this Custom and Practice of our Church, is, That it is a Jewish Ceremony, and an Appointment of the Law, but was to be abolished in [Page 32]the Christian Church. That, though it might suit well enough with that Infant State: yet now by the Coming of Christ, it is to be done away, as the other Ceremo­nies of the Law are. This is the utmost force of the Objection, as warranted by the Geneva Annota­tions on this Psalm, expresly speaking to that ef­fect.

And 'tis great pity such pernicious Annotations should be suffered to be printed with the Bible, so contrary in many places, to the sense and meaning of it. But for Answer to this Objection, which is very peremptorily made without any offer of proof to justifie it,

Sol. 1 I say First, That the Institution of Musical In­struments in the Service of God, was never a part of the Ceremonial Law, neither was it appointed or prescribed by the Law; and for that Reason, the use thereof, as of other Ceremonies, was not to be done away at the Coming of Christ. And now to shew, That 'twas no part of the Ceremonial Law, is very manifest for these two Reasons. 1. Because they were in use before that Law was given. And, 2. They were not established any where by the Law, nor till above Five hundred years after the Ratifying and Sealing of it up.

As to the former, Their being in Use before the Law, appears, in that Miriam the Prophetess celebra­ted the Israelites Deliverance out of Egypt, with the Ceremony of Musical Instruments, on that Religious Account,Exod. 15.20. Exod. 15.20. And so likewise, they might be used on other such like occasions, as they were when Saul was made a Prophet; 1 Sam. 10.5. which was before the Institution of these, though long after the Time of Moses.

In short then, The Ceremonial Law was given and compleatly ratified by Moses: But we cannot find any where that he gives an Institution to these Things;Except the Trumpet for the Calling of Assemblies, &c. Numb. 10. Instruments of Musick were not appoint­ed in Divine Service in his Time, though possibly they might be used then by others, as well as Mi­riam.

But, in Answer to the latter, it is plain, That they were an Institution of David's in his most flourishing state; and the first time we read of their Establishment, is, at his welcoming home of the Ark from the Philistines: 1 Chro. 15.16. And David spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their Brethren to be Singers with Instruments of Musick, Psalteries, and Harps and Cymbals sounding, by lifting up the Voice with Joy. According to which, this, afterwards went by the Name of David's Commandment, 2 Chro. 29.25. and the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets. Up­on a very remarkable occasion it was so called, when good King Hezekiah restored this Custom a­gain,Ezra 3.10. which in the Reign of some evil Kings had been neglected.

From both which places, it appearing to be of David's Institution, could not be a part of the Ce­remonial Law, which was compleated before by Moses, Deut. 12.32. in these words (after he had bid Israel hearken unto the Statutes and unto the Judgments which he was to teach them — he says) What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: Thou shalt not add thereto, Deut. 12.32. nor diminish from it.

Sol. 2 I Answer in the Second Place, That if this Use of Instrumental Musick was a part of the Ceremo­nial [Page 34]Law, and to be done away in Christ; it would have been as those other Typical Things were, a Shadow of somewhat to come, which was to be done away by the Coming of that Substance; but no such thing being to be made appear, we may rationally conclude, this is not to be done a­way under the Gospel. But the same Reason for its first Institution, will always hold good, as long as People have dull and irregular Affections to be stirred up, and raised fit for to supply. And 'tis as proper now in the Christian Church, to stir up Mens Minds, to compose their Thoughts, and to inflame their Devotion therewith, as it was in the Reign of David, and therefore as reasonable that it should be continued.

Object. 2 It is again objected against this Custom, That 'tis not so edifying in the Christian Church, as we plead for; nor so proper, where we are not to wor­ship God, with External Ceremonies, and the outward Formality of Serving him, as the Jews did; but in Spirit and in Truth.John 4.23. And for this Reason Instrumen­tal Musick ought to be abolished.

Sol. Sol.To which I Answer, That it is no way Repug­nant to the most Spiritual Worship whatsoever: But so far from being prejudicial to it, that 'tis highly advantageous to make the Christian Wor­ship the more Spiritual, and to stir up the Affecti­ons of the Soul in order thereunto; and by means of it, to make us the more stedfastly and devout­ly to cleave unto the Lord; and the more Attentive­ly to heed the Things that are spoken in his Ser­vice, [Page 35]for our better Edification, which I have al­ready shewn. And the Experience of those, who have professed seriously to have received great Be­nefit by it, is a farther Argument to convince us of its Use; which, when we have Experienced likewise, will, I hope, oblige us to make the same Acknowledgment.

There be some other Objections among us a­gainst this Thing, of lesser Note, which scarce de­serve a serious Answer. Some say, They don't like it, and they shall never endure it. Well, it may be so; but then it must argue the want of Prudence in them, and Respect to their own Credit, in not concealing that Dislike, because of the mean Opi­nion Men commonly have of suchAsinus ad Lyram. Fab. Ae­sopi, &c. 414. By Sir R. L. Creatures as do not love Musick.

Such a Dislike argues a morose, sowre, and ill­natur'd Disposition, or else a stupid, dull and hea­vy Temper, and that in no small degree neither. Otherwise, so harmonious and piercing a Thing as that, which is so every way adapted to accost and captivate with pleasure, the Affections of a well composed Soul, must of necessity move it to a li­king and a loving of itThey must have hearts very dry and tough, says Mr. Hooker, Eccl. Pol. l. 5. § 38. And sure he is of a rugged temper, and hath an ill composed Soul, who feels not these Effects (meaning of calm'd Souls, raised Affections, and mollified Hearts, by means) of that grave and pleasant Harmony which doth accompany this Office; and we may fear he is not of David's Spirit, whose Ears are offended, whose Spirit is disturbed, or his De­votion hindered by Vocal or Instrumental Musick, says Dr. Comber's Companion to the Tem­ple, Part I. Sect. 8. § 2. Whoever find themselves wholly insensible to these Charms, would, I think, do well to keep their own Counsel, for fear of Reproaching their own Temper, and bringing the Goodness of their Natures, if not of their Understandings into question, &c. Sir William Temple's Essay of Poetry at the very end, p. 340. ‘This being wrought (as Boetius acquaints us) through the answerable­ness of the Notes in Musick to those in Nature.’

But however, if some People cannot conceal the present bent of their particular Disaffections, and the Dissonancy of an ill Temper, yet how do they know they shall never like this Thing?

To say so, does farther Argue a great Obstinacy and Perversness of Mind in them; and that they say, They cannot, when in truth They will not. Certainly, nothing but an invincible Ignorance can Excuse them in such a Saying, because 'tis plain there is no such an impossibility in the Thing, but all People may like it, if they will. And to speak so for the future, That they never shall, shews a Pro­phetick Spirit of Perversness, That having too much Cause to know the Inflexibility and Stubborn­ness of their own Natural Tempers, they believe they shall never be able to polish and amend them; and by all their Endeavours to make their Passions obey their Reason.

But to regulate these, I must prescribe Church-Musick as the best means; and if Mens Prejudices against the Service of our Church, be not too great and unreasonable, which is most to be feared, That being duly and devoutly attended to, will in all probability effect the Cure.

So shall we be brought to live as Brethren, Converse as Neighbours, and go up to the House of God as Friends; there joyntly to partake of the great Blessings and Benefits of our Excellent Service. On which, it shall suffice at present to Remark, That though there be great Harmony and Sweetness in our Church-Musick, yet none comparable to that in the Liturgy it self. So,

IV I come now in the last place, To conclude the whole, with an Exhortation to you, to stick hear­tily and devoutly to the Performance of that Ex­cellent Church Service of ours Established among us, as being the best and fittest of any in the whole Chris­tian World, to answer the Ends of our Holy Professi­on, namely, to give us a peaceable and happy Life here, and to bring us to Heaven hereafter.

This Last is the great. End we are all to Aim at, and That the best Means to direct our Aim and to carry us thither. A Church we have the happi­ness to be Members of, which for the Soundness of its Doctrine, and Regularity of its Worship, is the Beauty of Christendom, and the Glory of the Reformation.

The Value of whose Discipline is only lessened for want of a stricter Execution, and That, though moderate in it self, if raised to its Primitive Usage, would be thought too rigorous and severe, and not well able to comport with the Difficulty of the Times, to solve a present Exigence.

But take the whole Constitution of our Church, as it stands, The Envy of our Neighbours, the great Bulwark against the Inundations of Heresie and Schism, the Hatred and Fear of the Church of Rome, and, I hope, the Rock of Ages, and there is no Comparison between this and any other Establish­ment in the Christian World: Against which, Let neither the Malice of Devils, nor the Policy of Rome, nor the Craft of Geneva, be ever able to pre­vail; either to overthrow its Strength through a fa­tal Division among her Members, or to rifle its Beauty, through a Deluge of Vice; or to under­mine [Page 38]her Foundation by a Treacherous Comprehen­sion.

Every Alteration in so well an ordered. Constitu­tion, will be for the worse, and give too great an Occasion for the Triumphs of her Enemies, who would be glad to have her Honour laid in the Dust.

This was not long since the wished for Asylum of our oppressed Neighbours, who would then have thought themselves the happiest Christians in the World, if they could but have obtained such an Establishment, or but the Favour of her Prote­ction; but being, even beyond their Expectation, ready to receive them, is not however so heartily embraced and stuck to, as might well be expected from her, and pretended by many of those who are fled to us for Refuge.

And I speak it with astonishment, That they, who thought they could never do or speak enough to promote its Interest, and advance its Glory, should hold so treacherous a Correspondence with those who unwarrantably separate from us, and can­not ever be thought to wish well to her Peace, when they so industriously seek to divide her In­terest.

'Tis certainly too just a Reflection upon the In­tegrity of these Protestant Refugees, to partake of the Protection of the Church, without obeying the Laws of her Communion. Such do but too like the Viper's Brood, eat out the Bowels of their Mo­ther that Nourishes them up, and Maintains them with Ability to support themselves.

But let us be more Consistent with one another, and with our Christian Duties; and waving all by-Respects and sinister selfish Ends, let us firmly adhere to its Doctrine, Discipline and Worship: So shall we best Secure the Protestant Religion in General, by Securing this best part of it Established among us: But chiefly hereby shall we Secure our League with Heaven, and the Interest of our Immortal Souls, far beyond our Temporal Welfare and In­terest, which this however, through the Blessing of God, will honestly promote, and therefore the more securely help to obtain.

We have all things that we can desire to accom­plish Those great Ends; we of this Town particu­larly, have the Daily Sacrifice of Prayer in this House of God; we have with others an Accurate Form of Prayer, containing the most proper Me­thod and pious Matter, and suitable Expressions, fit for our Devotion. We have proper Psalms ap­pointed to Praise God with, and proper Lessons, and constant Sermons to Instruct us in our Duty. We have excellent Collects, and a most pathetical Litany to solicit our Heavenly Father, for the Mercies we want, and to avert the Judgments and Dangers we fear. And now by a kinder Provi­dence to our selves, than to our Neighbours, we have the most proper Means of Instrumental Mu­sick, to quicken our Hearts, and to raise our Affe­ctions, to make us the more Devout.

All so Edifying and Instructive, that it must be our fault, if we be not constantly made the wiser and better for being here. It behoves us therefore to take care that we be here often, and that our Hearts be full of Faith and Love, of Humility [Page 40]and Devotion when we come, and then we need not doubt of having been heard and accepted when we go away.

And I must remind you, That since now we have the best Advantages of any Church in the World, we should endeavour to be the best Chri­stians in the World. We must be most wanting to our selves, if we be not; and our Accounts at the last, will be required according to the Talents given.

We may perhaps have the Vanity to imagine, That God will Excuse us for our well Meaning, though in many Things we come short of our Du­ty. But let us not deceive our selves, and think to mock God, 'Tis only doing of it will make us acceptable.

Let us then endeavour to be as good Christians as we ought to be, by doing what is required of us; So shall we oblige God to dwell among us, and to delight to bless us, with what we wish, with Health and Happiness, with Peace and Plen­ty; but above all with the Security of our Church and Religion, which we are most of all to de­sire.

For the doing of what is required, is the best Sacrifice we can offer unto him. 'Tis by our good Lives, we Praise and Engage him most. This makes the best Musick in the Ears of the Almigh­ty, and is the Chief Melody of our Hearts, to which Musical Instruments are purely subservient, as being a proper means to excite our Devotion, to quicken our Minds, and to raise our Affections towards him. But all this is to make us the more enflamed in our Love, and more ready in our [Page 41]Obedience.'Tis a severe Judgment not to be so af­fected. Ezek. 33.30, 31, 32, 33. It being almost impossible to know God, and to be lively and devoutly affected to­wards him, but we must be obedient to him. And then, we shall love what he loves, and hate what he hates; consequently we shall be more just in our Dealings, more upright in our Conversations, and more holy and sincere towards God and our Neighbour. Every way better fitted to glorifie him in Heaven, when we can in fervent Devotion, be raised to glorifie him here, with our cheerful Hearts and vertuous Lives, through the help of Musical In­struments.

It will now Argue a great deal of Arrogance and Singularity in any of us, to speak against the Use of These, which the generality of Christians, not on­ly in this Age, but in those that have been purer and better, have approved of, and looked upon, as of singular Use and Advantage, for those great Ends; and to help us forward in our way to Happiness, according to the Primitive way of Worship, by Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, and making Melody in our Hearts unto the Lord.

Surely this which is the Entertainment of Angels and just Men in their glorified State, ought not to disgust any of us, who should endeavour the ut­most we can to be qualified for their Company, and to bear a part of their happy Employment, which is with constant Readiness and Agility to obey the Will of God, and with Everlasting Songs of Praise to magnifie his ever glorious Name. This we are to begin here, and to perfect with them above in the Quire of Heaven.

And I will not detain you any longer at pre­sent, from the grateful Harmony which is to fol­low, through the Excellency of our Organ, and the Sweetness of so many well tuned Voices as joyn in Consort with it.

The Art of Singing Psalms, which some of you have happily learnt, may not unfitly be reckoned among those that are Divine: and has no less than the Holy Ghost for its Original, who taught the Patriarchs, the Prophets and the Primitive Christi­ans, to utter the Praises of God with a Song. It be­ing so commendable, and so religious an Accom­plishment, as does become the greatest Person, and is not debased by the meanest; and in all probabi­lity, will not only raise your Esteem, but your De­votion too.

By the Grace and Melody of this Vocal and In­strumental Musick together, I hope This Congregation will be kept in a continual Fervor fit for Devotion, and for retaining such Instructions from this Place, as may conduce to the making us first Sober and Re­ligious Christians, then happy and glorious Saints.

The Charms of which may in time melt us into Love, and so charitable an Affection, as that we may all seek the Good and Welfare of each other. And, I hope, bring the Use of Artificial Singing and Divine Anthems again in request, and be both studied and practised too, as they were in the ear­lier Times of Christianity, immediately after the ceasing of that sort of Inspiration, in singing Psalms and Hymns, which was then extraordinary, and to supply the place of it.

Even as now, since the Expiration of some other Extraordinary Gifts which were then in the Church, the latter Ages must be supplyed from Study and Learning, if at all. And the Pretenders now to Preaching and Praying by the Spirit, without these, will be altogether as vain, as their ex tempore Sing­ing can be supposed to be without the Advantages of Art.

I am perswaded, if any thing takes us off from that Vanity, and prevents greater Confusion and Discord from the Minds of Men, it will be the Charms of Musick, which by the Subtlety of its Na­ture, and the Insinuating Sweetness of its Sound, will strike deeper into the Heads of some, than the closest Reason possibly can into their Hearts. It may work out that Malady which first discompose them, and then moves them to discompose others; and have the same effect it had upon Saul, in making them well, and the Evil Spirit depart from them, and they be turned into other Men. Into Men of calmer Tempers, more Innocent Dispositions, and more Regular Affections.

It is reported to be the Saying of an Heathen Poet, That God loves not those which love not Musick. An Opinion indeed too Extravagant for a Christian Entertainment. However, we may observe this Curse commonly attends an Immelodius Constitu­tion, That it argues a querulous, humoursom, ill-composed and ill-natured Temper, or else a very sowre and melancholy oneSpiritus San­ctus non residet super hominem maeslum. [...] 1 Kings 19.11, 12.: which in the Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors, is quite unfit to entertain the Shechinah, or Glorious Presence of God. Among Minds disturbed with Passion, and polluted Hearts, is not to be found the Divine and Gentle Spirit. Nay, [Page 44]we suppose the Good Angels themselves will acquit the Guardianship of those,Cavete Scoti! among whom they find such an uneasie Habitation. While they are most Harmonious themselves, they will like and befriend us most, when we are so too.

And if we truly are so, nothing will more con­tribute to our Peace, Unity and Agreement among each other; But we shall be all knit together in one Common Bond of Amity and Friendship; in one Communion and Fellowship. By this means we shall be brought to mind the same Thing, to walk in the same Way, and at last Arrive at the same Happiness and blessed Society of Saints and Angels above, from a zealous and devout Imitation of them here; who readily do the will of God in Heaven, and teach us to do the same on Earth, if we hope ever to come where they are, and with them to sing Eternal Praises and Hallelujahs unto him that sit­teth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever­more. Amen.

To which Place God of his infinite Mercy bring us All, through the Merits and Mediation of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom with thy self and blessed Spirit of Grace, be ascribed, as is most due, by us and by all the World, all Glory, Power, Might, Majesty and Dominion from henceforth and for ever. Amen.