would not have made use of it You can hardly meet that holy Musitian David without either an Instrument in his hand or a Song in his mouth with which he played and sung praises to God as in the second of Samuel Chap. 6. And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of Instruments made of Fir-wood even on Harps Psalteries Timbrels Cornets and cymbals Surely had not Musick beene pleasing to God David durst not have plaied before him nay I am confident he would not and if God himselfe delights in this harmony of his creatures shall man whose breath is in his nostrils dispise that which the ever living God seems to delight in We may observe also that Musicke was used oft-times before the Arke of God and when the Prophets prophesied and usually before a deliverance and after And we may read in the first of Chron. the esteem that David had of Musicke and the Professors of it for he appointeth Musitians to attend continually on the Arke And in the the Booke of Psalmes hee dedicated three and fifty Psalmes to the Chiefe Musitian Ieduthun to the end he should compose on them skilfully And in Nehem. cap. 12. you may take notice that the Musitians builded them villages round about Ierusalem that they might be neare the City to praise the Lord. Nor is it unworthy our observation that when God had recovered King Hezekiah of a dangerous sicknesse neare unto death adding fifteene yeares to his life having also miraculously set the Sunne ten degrees backward for his sake he exprest his thankfulnesse to God in this Song of his The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my Songs to the stringed instruments all the dayes of our life in the house of the Lord. See the 15 Chap. of Exodus how that after the Children of Israel were delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh and his hoste Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this song unto the Lord and spake saying I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea c. And in the same Chapter And Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron toâ—ke a Timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with dances And Miriam answered them Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he throwne into the sea Likewise in the second of Chron. Chap. 15. The people entred into a covenant to seeke the Lord with all their heart and soule They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets I yet more admire when I read the second of Chron. Chap. 5. The Levites which were the singers all of them of Asaph of Heman of Ieduthun with their sons and their brethren being arrayed in white linnen having Cymbals and Psalteries and Harps stood at the East end of the Altar and with them an hundred and twenty Priests sounding with Trumpets And it came to passe as the Trumpets and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praysing and thanking the Lord and when they lift up their voyces with the Trumpets and Symbals and instruments of Musicke and praysed the Lord saying For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever that then the house was filled with a cloud even the house of the Lord. So that the Priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God You see that God was pleased to grace this facred consort with the glory of his owne presence whereas had hee beene displeased they could not expect to have had more then Moses lot when he saw only the back parts of the Almighty Nay when we observe the poor Birds how they delight in chirping and warbling out their notes expressing their joy at the approach of the Spring as if God had sent them on purpose to tell us of the good tydings of a Summer neare at hand we must needs fancy that those pretty creatures by a naturall instinct are affected with Musick as being themselves the Choristers of the aire and we see that a bird though prisoner in a close cage cannot leave his nature but will imitate those sounds which are whistled to him and had not this bird beene naturally pleased with those noats whistled to him all the world could never have compelled him We see that irrationall creatures naturally love and are delighted with Musick and why should not man being indued with knowledge and understanding farre above all other creatures True it is the most commendable end of Musicke is the praise of God and very meet it is that Musicke should praise him whose gift it is My soule thou hast discovered the lawfull use and rare excellency of this Science now a while entertaine thy selfe with its manifold accommodations and benefits There is no law to be compared with Love nor any Art to the Art of Musick t is a refreshing to the minde oppressed with sorrowes the heart quickens the rest of the members and Musick that heart It is commendable I had almost said necessary for youth to exercise themselves in this divine Art for it fils the mind and affections with cleane thoughts and will not leave so much as one corner or cranee for unchaste imaginations so that the serious Practioners thereof are I may safely say at that instant of time not obnoxious to any sinne either in thought word or deed O my soule do thou ever love that which does resist sinne for it must needs bee of God Now some perhaps will object that Musick is hurtfull in regard of divers wanton and lascivious ditties but to this I deny that the Musick is hurtfull for take away those ditties and either sing or play those notes that were composed upon those ditties and you shall finde nothing but innocency and harmony in them now the fault is partly in the Poet and partly in the Musitian the fault on the Poets part is that hee contrives such wanton and idle words and on the Musitians part for composing on them And I confesse ingeniously that I could wish there were no roome for them in England also it is to bee wished that people of all sorts could sing their parts especially those that have ill ears for if you please to observe at the singing of Psalmes in the Church you shall heare such untunable voyces and such intollerable discords that no man or woman that hath well tuned voyces but are exceedingly displeased with it it being a hindrance to devotion And the Apostle saith Let all things be done decently and in order But sure I am there is no good soule but is pleased and delighted with harmony nay they must needs be so if they love their owne soule which it selfe is composed of harmony If all this cannot indeare
thy wisdome knowest what is fittest for us wee beseech thee make us in prosperity to remember that all wee have or enjoy comes from thee and that we may make a right use of them to thy glory rendring thee thanks continually for them And in adversity order us so that we may remember and acknowledge that what we suffer is deservedly for our sinne and ingratitude Lord make us as thou wouldest have us to be then shall we be happy MEDITAT XV. Meditations of the covetous rich-man and the poor labouring-man SEe the difference betweene the rich-man and the poor-man how penurious and griping is the one being never at rest nor quiet for feare hee shall lose that he hath or that his plots bargaining or over-reaching will not take effect How doth he labour and toyle to increase his wealth scarce enjoying one good houre how doth hee impoverish himselfe by his greedy desires depriving himselfe of the benefit of those good things God hath given him when the other is content with little being not certaine of that little neither having nothing but what he labours for and many times failes of that by reason of sicknesse or ill pay-masters and yet this poore man I le warrant you enjoyes more happy dayes in one yeare then the rich-man doth in seven and sleepes more sounder ten to one then the other What difference is there in their dyet the rich-man perhaps hath variety of dainties at his table and may have them when he will if covetousnesse hinder not the poore-man he is sure of nothing but if any comes its welcome be it more or lesse nay if it be but a dish of herbs or roots he is as well content with it as the rich-man with all his dainties See the difference of their habiliments the rich-man he is cloathed in purple and fine linnen when all the pride the poor-man hath is to cover himselfe with a homely garment to keepe out the weather not regarding either fashions or costly rayment See the difference of their mindes how proud scornfull and above measure exalted is this rich-man how disdainfully doth he looke upon his inferiours as if they were not worthy to behold his pride how doth he trample the poor underfoot and looks as high as if all the world were under his power when the poor-man he contents himselfe with his humility and low thoughts being courteous loving and kinde to his neighbours living meekly and in the feare of God See the difference of their lives the rich-man his thoughts are most on his lands goods cattell tenants purchasing and what hee shall eat and drinke when the poor-man his study is to serve his God and to get his bread by the sweat of his brows this is all his delight Now you may see the difference the rich-man hee spends all or the greatest part of his time in pride covetousnesse gluttony idlenesse and worldly vanity the poor-man in his dayly labour and service of God O rich-man consider that thou hast a soule to save or to damne therefore spend not thy time so lavishly and foolishly let God have a part of it here lest hee deprive thee of the riches of his heavenly Kingdome hereafter Consider that thy wealth was not given thee on those termes thou shouldest forget him that gave it to thee Tell mee what joy canst thou have with all thy riches and possessions when death comes to summon thee to another world where thou must give an account for all thy actions will thy riches save thee no all the riches and possessions of this world will not keepe thee from that fearfull sentence Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire nay rather will they encrease thy account Therefore have a care whilest thou hast time to spend it in the service of thy God remembring that upon this moment depends eternity MEDITAT XVI Meditations of the sufferings of Gods dear children in this world and of the benefit they shall receive thereby O God what need wee care for these light afflictions here in this world they cannot last long and who would not willingly embrace them to purchase a better world nay to gain the Kingdome of Heaven Our Blessed Saviour he suffered ten thousand times more then any of us nay he suffered more then we are able to suffer and are we to good to beare a part rather let me not live then to bee such a sonne as the father will not correct Suppose a man hath a wound in his body and that wound full of dead flesh would he not willingly indure to have that dead flesh cut out rather then to have it gangren and destroy the whole body even so is it with the soule there is a wound in the soule by sinne and God sends crosses and afflictions to cure the soule Lord let my wound smart rather then my body perish let my body smart for a little time here rather then my soule burne for ever in Hell Holy David said It was good for him that he was afflicted for before he went astray was it good for him and is it not good for us sure none of us are so good as he for he was a man after Gods owne heart and knew very well that afflictions were good for him otherwise he would not have said so he remembred that whom God loves he chastiseth even every son whom he receiveth nay they are bastards and not sonnes that will not endure correction Lord how did the blessed Apostles and Martyrs suffer these were sawne asunder others stoned some whipt and scourged others crucified their faith was exercised in watchings fastings shipwracks imprisonments being naked and destitute of all comfort How were many others of Gods deare children tormented Daniel in the Lions den Ionas in the Whales belly Sampson among the Philistims Ieremy in the Dungeon besides multitudes of others whose tortures have beene very great and certainly none of these should have suffered thus had not God loved them and saw it fit for them surely hee did it to weane them from the world and worldly things and that their everlasting happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven might by their patience here bee improved where is all joy and no sorrow where is fulnesse of all beatitude Therefore consider O my soule and comfort thy selfe with these Meditations and feare neither want imprisonment nor death for all these shall work for the better to them that love God MEDITAT XVII Meditations of the covetous desire men have to attain riches LOrd what adoe is there in this world to gaine riches how doe men labour and toyle to get a little muck or dirt they think nothing too much no time so well spent in any thing as in the purchase of this unrighteous mammon when God knows whether they shall live to enjoy it one houre How vigilant and carefull are they to rise early and sit up late scarce enjoying one good houre in all their life time Nay many men there are and God knowes too
comfort for the afflicted whether in body or minde You may see Gods providence and power delivering his people out of prison out of the fire out of the Denne of Lions out of the hands of their enemies out of shipwracke at Sea His feeding Elias by a Raven in the wildernesse and thousands of such like preservations and deliverances you may see and learn wisdom temperance patience faith hope and charity humility meeknesse and brotherly kindnesse Here you may see all sorts of sin and how to avoid them and you may see that bitter herb too called punishmeÌ„t due to sinners also you may see the good lives of Gods children and the rewards they have in the Kingdome of Heaven You may see Gods Attributes his power wisdome and love to mankind You may see our Saviours love in his sufferings for man his miracles and wonders and thousands of other comfortable flowers Certaine it is that no Garden in the world is like this this is pleasant and beautifull it yeelds comfort to all the happinesse of this Nation is such that they may walke and delight themselves in it at all times when other Nations are hardly permitted to looke in Let us then consider admire love and praise our good God for his infinite mercy to us in affording us that happinesse which no Nation in the world exceeds us in Let us adore and magnifie his marvellous clemency and goodnesse to us unworthy sinners let us extoll and land his name and let us be shewing forth his praise from generation to generation MEDITAT XXIII A Meditation on Musick in which as it were by way of digression the lawfulnesse of that Science is asserted O God! thou great Architect and composer of all things though I cannot but wonder at and admire those rare Arts and Sciences with the knowledge of which thou hast endued the sonnes of men yet of all that of Musick as it most nearly affects my sense so doth it most highly raise my admiration What a multitude of inventions is there in this Science that although it hath beene studied by millions of men for thousands of years and ever since Iubal who was the father of all such as did handle the Harp and Organ as we may see in Genesis Chap. 4. yet none could ever attaine to the full scope or perfection of it Yet thus much I may safely say for the honour of our Nation that for the generality of Musicke they have not beene inferiour to any Nation in the world And as this Science is none of the meanest so I am sure it is one of the most difficult for let a man read the Theory all the dayes of his life and he shall come short of the Practicke so let him use only the Practicke and he will yet be unskilfull for want of the Theory so that the way to make a Musitian compleat is to study both But let us view this Science in some particular branch of it see but the quality of a singer let him begin at the age of five or six and continue untill gray hayres he will I am sure confesse that hee is not yet perfect in his quality there is something more for him to do if he could find what it is he discovers a want of skill and will be studying for alteration or addition now all this while this is but one part of the Science neither is it otherwise with Instrumental Practitioners although they labour either upon the Organ Virginall Lute Violl or Harpe all their dayes yet they will finde themselves much below that Alt of perfection Now if it bee thus difficult with vocal and instrumental men surely it must needs bee far more difficult with composers who professe the greatest and most excellent part of Musick surely their study and travell must undoubtedly far exceed all others I could shew you the infinite variety exacted to be in a composer but I am not now to dispute but meditate And for the repute of this Noble Science it hath alwayes beene in highest esteeme among the best and greatest Worthies of the world for it is well knowne that divers Kings and Princes tooke great pleasure and have arrived to an high pitch of knowledge in it for instance King Henry the eight who composed a Song of eight parts a thing worthy his great name Lewis the late French King composed divers Songs and many Princes of Italy have beene excellent in this Science having published to the world divers sets of Songs famous Queene Elizabeth of happy memory was no small Practitioner of this Art Nor may we without great admiration observe the strange power and efficacy of this Science When David played on his Harp the evill Spirit liked it so well he would not stay to heare it but left Saul who of a King was become his subject and certainly if there bee any that hate the laudable use of this quality we may suspect that this evill Spirit delights to dwell with them where hee may not be troubled with it Nay which is more strange the Prophet Elisha could not prophesie untill an Instrument was brought to him and played on as you may see in the second of Kings Chap. 3. But now bring me a minstrell and it came to passe when the minstrell played that the hand of the Lord â—ame upon him and hee prâ—phesied Observe wee the twentieth Chap. of the second Booke of Chron. that when Iehoshaphat had consulted with the people hee appointed Singers unto the Lord that should praise the beauty of holinesse as they went out before the Army and to say Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever And when they began to sing and to praise then the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir which were come against Iudah and they were all smitten and â—â—…e escaped See the tenth Chap of Samuel verse 5. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God where is the Garrison of the Philistines and it shall come to passe when thou art come thither to the City that thou shalt meet a company of Prophets comming downe from the high place with a Psaltery and a Tabreâ— and a Pipe and a Harpe before them and they shall prophesie and the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee and thou shalt prophesie with them and shalt be turned into another man and the Spirit of God came upon Saul and hee prophesied among them See the first of Chron. Chap. 25. Moreover David and the Captaines of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Iedutbun who should prophesie with Harps with Psalteries and with Cymbals See cap. ib. The six sons of Ieduthun under the hands of their father Ieduthun who prophesied with Harps to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Now we may plainly see that Kings and Prophets went both to prophesie and to battaile with Musicke And surely Musick was a furtherance to them otherwise they