WE have in these Words a Directi­on how to behave our selves in the publick Worship of God; and I have made Choice of them at this time to justify the Practice of our own Church in her laudable Use of Musick, both Vocal and Instrumental, in her solemn Assembles. Which these two Expressions of making a joyfull Noise unto the Lord, and coming before his Presence with Singing, may be taken to im­port. Or if the former be not so very plain here for Instruments of Musick, as the latter is for Singing, yet we need not doubt, but it was intended, because mention is made of them in so many other Psalms of David, and particularly in the last Psalm. That none may therefore henceforth go about to sepa­rate [Page 2] those two things which agree so very well together, I will assert the Lawfulness, yea the Fitness and great Expediency of both Vocal and Instrumental Musick in the Church, during the solemn Worship of God there. But because some have been heretofore scan­dalized at it, and others may perhaps still re­main scrupulous about it, I will,

First, Speak a few Words in proving, that what was the Custom of Holy Men of Old, and what is recommended, to us by the Sacred Scriptures, and what was so early in Use in the Christian Church, must needs be lawfull notwithstanding all the Objections or Cavils that have been brought to the contrary.

Secondly, I will also endeavour to shew, that this Practice is not only barely lawfull, but also highly advantageous, and greatly available towards the more magnificent and solemn Worship of God.

That Musick has in it a natural Propriety to excite and heighten Devotion, will in some measure appear from the very Customs of the Heathen who did always use it in their Re­ligious Rites. Now even these had some Light, together with their Darkness, and were [Page 3] in the Right concerning a Religious Worship to be paid somewhere, though in the wrong as to its object, and did well to make their Religious Entercourses appear august and solemn, though they were ignorant of the Statutes and Ordinances of the God of Israel. Now Homer one of the ancientest Heathen Writers, gives us an account that the Greeks celebrated the Praises of their Gods and He­roes upon the Harp. Others tell us, how the Phrygians worshipped Cybelle with the Drum; and the Egyptians, Isis with the Tim­brel: And the third Chapter of Daniel en­forms us, that the Cornet, Flute, Harp, Sackbut, Psaltery, Dulcimer, and all kinds of Musick were used (amonst those Eastern Nations) in the Worship of their Idols. The Latines had also their Tibicines or Players up­on Wind-Musick, upon whom they set a great Value, and granted to them many Priviledges, because they were assistant at their holy Rites. Now although these Examples alone would not be throughly material to our Purpose, yet when in the Sacred Scriptures we also find Holy men in the Church of God recom­mending, approving and practising these [Page 4] things, we may safely from thence conclude, that even these Customs in the Heathen were not any Corruption of their Hearts, or De­lusion of Satan's, but a Remnant of that na­tural Light, and natural Religion, which was still left in them, and taught them to imi­tate what by divine Impulse and Inspiration was at first taught the Children of God, and afterwards by the Ordinance of his Prophets and religious Kings was continued and esta­blished amongst them.

The first mention that is made of this thing in the Scripture upon a Religious account, is before the Law was given from Mount Sinai, when Miriam the Prophetess the Sister of Aaron (to celebrate the Deliverance out of Egypt) took a Timbrel in her hand, and went forth with her women with Timbrels to accompany the Song of Moses, Exod. 15. 20. After that we read in 1 Sam. 10. 5. of a Company of Prophets who were met by Saul, coming down from the high place with a Psaltery, and a Tabret, and a Pipe, and a Harp before them, while they pro­phecied, and sang praises to God. In Conclu­sion, we read in 1 Chron. 15. 16. That Da­vid the King appointed singers with Instruments [Page 5] of Musick to welcom home the Ark at its return from the Philistines; that he also composed a Psalm upon that occasion, and left there be­fore the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Ark con­tinually, as every days work required, as we read 1 Chron. 16. 37. And this was the first establishment of the thing that we read of. This Custom when afterwards in the Reigns of evil Kings it had been neglected, Hezekiah in his good Reign restored, as we find in 2 Chron. 29. 25. And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord, with Cymbals, with Psalteries, and with Harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the Kings Seer, and Nathan the Prophet, for so was the command­ment of the Lord by his Prophets. To proceed yet on, Isaiah an inspired man and a Prophet, sung to his well beloved, a song of his beloved touching his vineyard, Isaiah 5. 1. The three Children sang a Hymn of Praise when they were cast into the fiery Furnace, and had that great Miracle wrought for their Deliverance. The Prophet Habakkuk in lofty Strains com­posed in just Measure, and fitted for the Skill of Musick, asswaged the publick Grief, fore­telling [Page 6] the acceptable day of the Lord, and the compleat triumphs of Christs passion. Yea all the Prophets, saith St. Ambrose, cantaverunt spiritualibus modulis, &c. they sang forth the O­racles of divine Redemption, in spiritual Hymns, and in melancholy Dirges lamented the hard-heartedness of their own Country­men the Jews. In the New Testament we read that our Saviour sang a Hymn with his Disciples a little before his Passion, Matth. 26. 30. And even in his highest Agony upon the Cross, he recited a part of one of the Psalms of David, Psal. 22. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Paul and Silas sang in Prison at Midnight, Acts 16. 25. And the Visions of S. John do represent the Man­ners of the Church; and even in Heaven they sing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb, Rev. 15. 3. All Antiquity does agree in this mat­ter, acquainting us that this was the constant practice of the Primitive Christians, Profane Authors, together with Sacred, joyntly atte­sting it. Of the first kind we have Pliny the younger, who when he had enquired into the Errour of the Christians (as he calls it) he takes notice of no other Prayers that they [Page 7] had, but a Verse or Hymn to Christ, direct­ed as to God. The Author of Philopatridis also observes that the Christians sang Hymns, etiam tota nocte, even all night long. Amongst the Ancient Fathers of the Church we have Justin Martyr mentioning their Hymns; and Clemens Alexandrinus calls them [...], their Daily Liturgies: and a Cloud of Witnesses might be brought for the confirmation of this thing. The Cathemerina of Prudentius, the Odes of Nazianzen, the Psalms of Athana­sius and Apollinarius, and the Hymns of Syne­sius, all yet extant, are so many standing proofs of this matter, and do sufficiently de­clare how much the Devotion of the Anci­ent Christians did consist in Harmony: They sang together in the Church, and they sang there also alternately; for so Philo mentions them singing with a Praecentor, and the Peo­ple answering the extreams or ends; and Pli­ny also joyns with him to this effect. They sang at home in the Family, and abroad in the Field at their daily Labour; they sang in Prison and under Persecution, yea and ma­ny times, moved with the Spirit of God, they sang forth Hymns of Praise even at the Stake, [Page 8] and amidst the Flames of Martyrdom.

So that for the first of these, Vocal Musick, I suppose there can be no Objection raised against it, or any doubt but that it was ever used in the Christian as well as the Jewish Church: but there lies an exception which some have framed against Instrumental Mu­sick, because we do not read that that was in use so early amongst the Primitive Chri­stians; and Justin mentions no other Musick used among them but the [...], the bare singing with the Voice, unaccompanied with any Musical Instruments. Now as to this Exception let these two things be consi­dered.

First, That if it were thus for a time a­mongst the Primitive Christians, yet is it not any good Argument for its Perpetuity, any more than that because the upper Rooms and the subterraneous Caverns were the places where the persecuted Christians did use to meet, therefore also these are still to be used rather than the Churches, now the Persecu­tion is (by God's Mercy) ceased, in a great part of the World: And Kings and Queens are become the nursing Fathers and nursing [Page 9] Mothers to the Church. If it were so for a Season we may and ought to look upon it as the necessity of the first Christians, rather than their Choice, and that they had not wherewithall to be at the charge of these Aids and Ornaments to their Religious Wor­ship, rather than that they withheld the Ex­pence, because they thought it unlawfull or unbecoming their Assemblies. For no soon­er did the Church begin to flourish, but they grew into use and esteem: And we read of St. Ambrose, who lived about the latter end of the fourth Century, soon after the time of Constantine, and who it is also said composed the Te Deum, the same Hymn of Praise which we still retain in our Liturgy directed to the glorious Trinity, that he joyned Instruments of Musick with the publick Service in the Ca­thedral Church of Milan, where he was then Bishop: Which Example of his was so well approved of, that by degrees it became the general Practice of other Churches there­abouts, and has since obtained in almost all the Christian World besides.

Secondly, Others have referr'd this to ano­ther Cause, namely, that as Inspiration in [Page 10] singing Psalms, (which was doubtless an ex­traordinary Gift common to the Primitive Christians) began to cease, Instruments and Skill were brought in in its Room, even as Learning and ordinary means took place in­stead of extraordinary Gifts: And this also might be another reason why Instrumental Musick was not so much in use at first, as it was afterwards. Now both these things to­gether, if one of them alone be not suffi­cient, I hope may pass for a good answer to that Exception that has been taken by some from that passage in Justin, or any other of a like kind (if any such be found) in the most ancient Fathers.

To this I may add farther, that the New Testament is not without some Texts which seem to point out this thing, as in Rev. 14. 2. where the voice of harpers harping with their harps is mentioned; which place is ordina­rily expounded of publick Worship in the Church. And again in the Epistle of St. Paul to the Eph. 5. 19. the Apostle there speaking of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, adds in the Conclusion of the Verse the word [...] to the word [...]; and as the for­mer [Page 11] word signifies only singing, so this lat­ter does properly denote the use of the Psal­tery. But notwithstanding all these things, we find the Annotation which in the Geneva Bibles is affixed to the third Verse of the 150. Psalm runs thus; ‘ David maketh mention of those Instruments which by God's Com­mandment were appointed in the old Law, but under Christ the use thereof is abolish­ed in the Church.’ Now this indeed is ve­ry peremptorily said, but without offering us any proof of the thing. However I will ex­amine an Objection which is most common­ly brought by those men who side with the men of Geneva in this matter, and endeavour to shew you its Defects. Now the Objecti­on is, that Instrumental Musick is a part of the Ceremonial Law of Moses which vanish­ed with Christ: But it is a great mistake in any who look upon this as a thing of this na­ture; for had it really been such, it would either have been a Type of Christ, or at least it would have been of Moses his Institution, and yet it was neither the one nor the other. Not a Type, because its representation can­not be set forth; not of Moses his Institution, [Page 12] because in his time it bore no part in the Sanctuary. We read indeed of Trumpets upon Mount Sinai, which were to assemble the People together: And for the like use they were appointed unto Moses, as we read Numb. 10. 2. for the calling of the Assembly, and the journeying of the Camps, but they went no farther in his Days. So that this Objecti­on if it were of any Force, should rather be against our Bells that call us to Church, than our Organs or other Instruments that accom­pany our Psalms and Anthems when we are there. And yet I have not heard that any are offended with the former, and I hope there is as little cause why they should be so with the latter. For in short it was not Mo­ses but David who first applied Instruments of Musick to Religious Purposes, as I have before shewed, and this he might do partly out of a Sence of Natural Religion, and al­so farther as we may piously believe, (he be­ing an inspired Man and a Prophet) by the Spirit of God: And his example is the first of the kind which our own Church does fol­low, and which we look upon as Authentick in the case, and a sufficient Pattern for our [Page 13] Imitation: And although I do not see but why even a Jewish Ceremony or Custom if it were either ornamental or significant, or any way properly and naturally subservient to Religious Uses, (for instance, Sackcloth and Ashes, or the like) might be assumed and adopted into the Christian Service, if our Governors of the Church thought it fitting, they having a power left them to do all things for Decency, though they are not tied to the necessity of any thing in these matters as the Jews were, and which is indeed the very formal Difference between Jewish and Christian Ceremonies: Yet that none may be offended in this particular, the Church has determined nothing in the case, but left it to be taken as a voluntary and free Thing, and as it comes recommended from Holy David, a man after God's own Heart. If the Authority of the Geneva Divines may yet sway with some, let me only by way of Ballance to it, give you the Authority of the Assembly-Divines in this case, and I hope this may go at least as far as the other: Now they have given us this different sense of these matters in their Exposition of the last Psalm of David, [Page 14] ‘ David (say they) exhorteth men the better to stir up their Joy to praise God with Musical Instruments, and if Musical In­struments (as is granted) had that power then, how have they changed their nature since?’ To this I will only add farther the opinion of Mr. Baxter, a considerable man esteemed amongst those of the Separation from us in this Nation, let his Authority pre­vail where it can, most of his Arguments I verily think are unanswerable. And thus he has set them down in his Cases of Conscience, annexed to his Christian Directory. As,

Thus far, and more to this effect is said by him upon this Subject; which now leads me to the

Second thing I proposed, viz. The advan­tages that do redound from hence, and how it is highly conducing towards the more magnificent and solemn Worship of God.

Musical Harmony, whether by Voice or Instrument, but especially by both together, is so pleasing and agreeable to that part of man which is most Divine, that some Philo­sophers have called the Soul Harmony; all have agreed it to have a compleat Share of [Page 16] Harmony in it. Hence it is that Melody is a thing which delights all Ages, and becomes all States of Life; 'tis as seasonable in Sorrow, as in Joy; as suitable an attendant on publick Actions, as diverting in private Recreations; as capable to raise Devotion, as to procure Delight; and as subservient to the ends of Religion, as conducive to the Pleasure of So­ciety. The reason hereof according to the judicious Mr. Hooker is, ‘An admirable Fa­culty which is in Musick, to express and re­present to the Mind more inwardly than any other sensible thing, the Rising and Falling, the Turns and Varieties of all Pas­sions whereunto the Soul is Subject: Yea and so to imitate them, that whether it re­semble the same State we are in or a con­trary; we are not more contentedly con­firmed by the one, than changed and led away by the other: Hence it is, that some sorts of Harmony are apt to move and stir our Affections, others to draw us to a grave and sober Mediocrity, and there is that will carry us into Extasies, filling the Mind with a heavenly joy; so that although we should lay aside the subject-matter of [Page 17] the Psalm or Hymn, yet even the very Harmony of Sounds being carried from the Ear to the spiritual Faculties of the Soul, is by a native power greatly avail­able to bring to a perfect temper whatsoe­ver is there troubled; apt as well to quic­ken the Spirits, as to allay that which is too eager, sovereign against melancholy and despair, forcible to draw forth Tears of Devotion, and able both to move and moderate all Affections. Boetius tells us this is wrought by vertue of the answera­bleness of the Notes in Musick to those in Nature:’ And therefore a well composed Harmony, shall have even a natural Efficacy to work changes for the better in humane Af­fections, to enliven and stir up those that are dull, and to compose and pacifie those which are irregular: So that not only the Psalms of the Church, but even the Voluntaries, be­ing suitably framed, may have a good effect upon the Mind, and even influence and dis­pose it to sober and Religious purposes. Let me also give you a few Eulogies hereof from the antient Fathers of the Church, who found the Benefits of it in their Religious Exercises, [Page 18] and have thus commended it to us. First, Justin Martyr, says of the single or plain Song which only was in use in his time. ‘That it stirs up the Mind with a certain Plea­sure unto an ardent Desire of that which is celebrated in the Song, that it allays the Desires and Affections of the Flesh, that it drives away evil Thoughts, and makes the Mind pregnant and apt to bring forth ho­ly and Divine Fruits; that it makes the generous Contenders in Piety Valiant and Strong in Adversity, and brings a Medi­cine and Remedy to all the evil Accidents of our Life: He also adds, that St. Paul in his spiritual Armory, calls this the Sword of the Spirit, for it is all of it the Word of God that is celebrated in the Mind, in the Song, and in the Verse; it drives away evil Spirits, and the pious mind is by the Songs of the Church perfected in vertue.’ The next that I shall mention is St. Basil, and he also speaks after this manner. ‘Whereas the Holy Spirit saw that Mankind was diffi­cultly drawn unto Vertue, and that Righ­teousness was the less accounted of by rea­son of the proneness of our affections to [Page 19] that which delighteth; it pleased the wis­dom of the same Spirit, to borrow from melody that pleasure which mingled with Heavenly Mysteries, should convey as it were by stealth the treasure of Good things into mens Minds. Oh the wise contrivance of that Heavenly Teacher! who hath by his skill found out a way, that doing those things wherein we delight, we might also meet with those things whereby we profit.’St. Augustine also in his Confessions joyns in this matter, and says, ‘I am induced to ap­prove of the Custom of Singing in the Church, that through the Delight of the Ear the Minds of the infirm may raise them­selves to a pious Affection. And speaking of himself, he tells us, that he has often wept piously being thereunto moved by the sweet Harmony in the Church.’ The last of this kind that I shall mention, is that of St. Chrysostom in his Homily upon the 41st. Psalm, who there speaks to this effect, ‘No­thing raises the Mind so much, and affects it being raised, and frees it from the earth, and sets it loose from the Bonds of the Bo­dy, and fills it with the love of Wisdom, and [Page 20] makes it despise the things of this World, as a divine Hymn harmonically composed.’ And that Musick is thus apt to move the Mind to pious Dispositions, and raise it up to a pitch above it self, and in some measure as it were to inspire it divinely, at least to fit it for such Inspiration, we may gather from the Customs of the Prophets of Old, (already mentioned) of whom we read that while they prophecied, they came down from the high Place with a Psaltery, and a Tabret, and a Pipe, and a Harp before them: and the Spirit of the Lord came also upon Saul who met them, and he be­came a new man, and prophesied with them, 1 Sam. 10. 5. 6. Another wonderfull effect we read of that Musick had upon him was, that when an evil Spirit from the Lord was up­on him, whether it were a deep Melancholy that he was fallen into, which might be ex­cited and heightned by the Devil's Suggesti­on, as most Interpreters think; or whether it were an actual Possession of Satan's, as some of the Jewish Rabbins would have it; yet when David played skilfully upon the Harp it departed from him. The manner of this Cure is also variously adjudged by Expositors, [Page 21] some thinking it a Hymn or Religious Psalm that David sang, and that thereby the Devil was the more effectually chased away from Saul; others attributing it only to the Notes of Musick, and their natural Efficacy in the subduing of all black Melancholy and De­spair; all Anger, Malice and Envy, or the like foul Passions whereby the Mind can become overwhelmed, or enraged and cast down into a condition truly Diabolical; whatever were the root of the Malady, or whatever might be the true cause of the Remedy, we find the Cure was effectually wrought by the Harp of David. I forbear to mention some other wondrous effects of Musick related by the Ancients, as Plutarch, Pythagoras, &c. Because they are not so proper to be considered upon a Religious Account; but the foregoing ones are abundantly sufficient to let us see that there is something in Musick that has a great Propriety to Religious Purposes: And there­fore as Holy David first composed Godly Psalms, in number and measure, (he being admirably skill'd in divine Poesy) and was moreover the Author of adding Melody, both Vocal and Instrumental, for the raising [Page 22] up of mens Hearts, and moving their Affe­ctions towards God; so likewise the Church of Christ doth at this day retain it as an Or­nament to God's Service, and a help to her own Devotion.

And thus much also as to my Second Par­ticular, the Expediency as well as Lawfulness of this Practice.

But after I have said all in Vindicating of this Custom, we do not condemn any other foreign Churches as guilty of any material Defect if they do not receive it, nor while we say it may, do we assert that it must be used; or although it be even expedient, yet it is not altogether necessary; but this may be tru­ly said of it, that it is an agreeable attendant and a Suitable Ornament to Religious Servi­ces; though no part of the Substance thereof: but it is to be placed in the Classis of those things which by Divines are called Evange­lical Councels, or Precepts of Perfection: things, which when they are seasonably, and decently, and reverently used are apt to raise men's Hearts and Affections to greater De­grees of Piety, and to produce larger Portion of Zeal and Devotion in our spiritual Exer­cises. [Page 23] Thus kneeling down in Prayer, set­ting apart festival Solemnities, making Obla­tions, building of Temples and beautifying them, and the like, are things that have a tendency in Nature, or (at least) by univer­sal Custom to encrease Religion as well as to adorn it; to raise holy Thoughts and pious Dispositions within, by suitable Aids and Or­naments from without; making the aimia­bleness of God's Tabernacles excite the Ar­dency of our Thanksgivings there, and the beauty of Holiness conduce to (or at least concur with) the Spirit of Prayer, and there­fore when this is superinduced by the Piety of Christian Governors, we maintain against all Opposers the Lawfulness and Decency, yea the fitness and great expediency of it in the Church of Christ.

Finally, whatsoever accidental Abuses may creep in amidst the use of these laudable things, we earnestly disswade and disallow, advising all Persons to be very carefull and circumspect in the use thereof, lest their Minds should stray, and it might happen to them as it did sometimes to St. Augustin, who in his Confes­sions [Page 24] laments his Inadvertency in this point, ‘owning, that when the Musick affected him more than the Subject-matter of the Psalm or Hymn, he was greatly to be blamed.’

Indeed the Heart is the best Psalmist, and the inward Affection of the Soul is the best Musick in God's ear, and it is purely for the sake of this, that the other is used. We also disapprove of all other Defaults of a like kind; that is, where-ever the use of Edification is les­sened or lost, which may happen either when the words are not to be understood by the Hearers, or when they are not suited to the true Christian Temper of Prayer and Praise, or when the Airs of our Anthems and Hymns are not grave and solemn, and befitting the House of God, rather than the House of Rim­mon. But on the other hand, these Faults be­ing prevented (as God be thanked due care is taken in our own Church that they should be) the Efficacy of Musick is truly admirable, and does mightily edify, because it does most powerfully excite the Passions and Affections; the very heart and Soul towards God. By this our Minds may be raised and spiritualized in [Page 25] their flights towards Heaven, our Devotions quickned and enflamed with a greater Zeal and Fervency in our Religious Addresses, and when the Fire is thus kindled within, we shall become the more fit and ready to speak with our Tongues, and to begin here upon Earth, that which is to be a part of our eternal Em­ployment in Heaven; namely, To sing Halle­lujahs to the Praise and Glory of God, the Fa­ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to whom, let us ascribe all Glory, and Majesty, Dominion, and Power, both now and ever. Amen.