Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	new_a	sing_v	song_n	2,447	5	9.7529	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93244	A sermon preached at Bridgwater in Somersetshire, July the 17th, 1700, at the opening of the organ lately erected there by John Shuttleworth ...	Shuttleworth, John, 1670 or 71-1750.	1700 (1700)	Wing S3717A; ESTC R43740	17,045	35

to the lawfulness of either Neither can it any way be proved that a Thing is therefore uncapable of being admitted among the Christian Institutions because it was made use of as a Type among the Jews Altho' at the same time it will be impossible to prove that Instrumental Musick was so used All that remains then upon this Head is to prove that those Properties I have laid down do belong to it and that they do so appears by the consent of most Men herein who are not prepossessed or of an untoward Nature and I know no better Touchstone of the natural Power of a Thing to excite the Affections religiously than the general Judgments of the wisest Men. But it is said * A. N. p. 16. Singing is an articulate Sound but organical Musick an inarticulate one and also that † Ibid. Singing expresses methodically the Conceptions of the Soul but the other not But what if it be inarticulate or do not express the Conceptions of the Mind methodically Must all Things of that nature be banished from God's Service What then will become of kneeling lifting up the Hands Eyes and the like Altho' with Submission I conceive these Things do no more belong to the Musical Modulation of the Voice than to the Harmony of Pipes but to the pronunciation of the Words which one accompanies as well as the other It is said too that Orginical Musick * A. N. p. 50. 51. doth not better the Singing and that * A. N. p. 50. 51. nothing can do that but Instruction from a Singing-Master 'T is true the most proper way to teach People to sing well is a Singing-Master's Instructions yet an Organ will be of use even to the Masters themselves when they sing in Parts especially to prevent Discord and Mistakes and to keep their Voices up to their true pitch for it is easie to observe in Cathedrals how a whole Choir falls considerably from the Key they began in when they sing without the Organ 'T is true likewise that many hold Vocal Musick to be sweeter than Instrumental yet I think no competent Judge will deny that a Consort of Vocal and Instrumental together is sweeter than either alone In large Parochical Congregations this may easily be discerned because an Organ very much hides and covers the harshness of many Voices too often complained of there But farther it is urg'd the Apostles and Primitive Christians are much to be blamed if the use be so for not using Instruments and that therefore * A. N. p. 79. their Devotion was not so spiritual or exalted as ours but indeed their nearness to our Saviour's time and the commonness of miraculous Gifts and operations then among them must needs imprint such strong Ideas of Love Reverence and the like upon their Minds as to raise their Souls to a great pitch of Piety and besides the rage of Persecution which at first prevailed and held on after miraculous Gifts were discontinued as it rendred their state improper to admit such ornamental Helps as this more suitable to the prosperous estate of the Church which is enough to secure them from Blame herein in regard the use of Instruments is not absolutely necessary so did it most surely affect their Minds in such sort as was suitable to their condition at least However I Question not but in after Ages they stood in need of this Help as well as we and many of those who wanted it must be thought to have their Minds less exalted in their Devotion oftentimes than they would have been if they had enjoyed the sound use hereof * See the Preface Tho' much may be said to excuse their neglect in not introducing them speedily but as a farther Answer hereunto since it is evident that Organical Musick was not introduced among the Jews till David's time several hundreds of Years after their Sectlement in Canaan it may be said as well that the Jews before David's time did not Worship God in so exalted a manner as they did after and were therefore to be blamed and whatsoever Answer may be given to this will serve in our Case But it is urged the Primitive Christians thought the use of Organs unlawful and several * See the Preface Authorities are produced to prove it which when enquired into will hardly be found to vote on the side they are pretended but I have not time to examine them here and when all is done no humane Authority in the World is of force against apparent Reason and Scripture and those who are against us herein will take none against their Opinions 4. Instrumental Musick is lawful and commendable because it is said Rev. 5.8 9. And when he had taken the Book the four Beasts and twenty four Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them Harps and Golden Vials full of Odors which are the Prayers of the Saints and they sung a New Song Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by the Blood c. Now if Musical Instruments were unlawful in the Christian Service on Earth then certainly the Holy Ghost would never have represented the Worshippers of Christ in Heaven using them in their own Act of Worship and then how can any one doubt but that this is a fit Precedent for us to introduce them in ours since this relation is no obscure Prophecy but plain matter of Fact It will not follow as well that † A. N. p. 30. Incense is to be established in the Christian Service from hence tho' at the same time I shall not assert the unlawfulness of that because the Elders are not represented using Vials of Odors as their own Act of Worship but to denote the Prayers of the Saints by a visible Representation as most Things were delivered to John in Vision and as it was impossible to set forth the Prayers of others to the Eye unless by some corporeal adumbration of them so nothing was so fit to set them forth by as Incense which was a known Type of Prayers Neither doth it follow that Altars and the like which are represented to be in Heaven in this Book of Revelations are to be established now because the Angels are no where brought in using them in their own Worship but representing something future thereby Nor again because the Joy of a * A. N. p. 29. Marrriage-Feast is said to bear resemblance to the Joys of Heaven doth it therefore follow that Laughter Dancing c. the Expressions of Joy at a Marriage-Feast are to be introduced because we are no ways obliged to endeavour to possess our selves of any thing which can be compared to Heavenly Happiness and besides it were vain to do it As to what is said that it may as well be argued † A. N. p. 31. when Antichrist shall fall the Church shall be delivered from Instrumental