Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	ghost_n	holy_a	son_n	15,178	5	5.4375	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26830	The lawfulness and expediency of church-musick asserted in a sermon preached at St. Brides-Church upon the 22d. of November, 1693 being the anniversary meeting of gentlemen, lovers of musick / by Ralph Battell ...	Battell, Ralph, 1649-1713.	1695 (1695)	Wing B1149; ESTC R10687	9,816	28

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 FINIS