Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A48172
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A Letter to a friend in the country concerning the use of instrumental musick in the worship of God in answer to Mr. Newte's sermon preach'd at Tiverton in Devon on the occasion of an organ being erected in that parish-church.
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Newte, John, 1655?-1716. Lawfulness and use of organs in the Christian Church.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing L1650; ESTC R24003
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96,894
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98
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Trumpet Drum or Cymbal and Pipe And says the same Clement ‖ Admonit ad Gentes p. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He that sprang from David and was before him the Word of God despising the Harp and the Citharn inanimate Instruments when he curiously formed by the Holy Spirit this World and the little World of Man sung to God by the Instrument of many Voices and he sung to this Instrument Man From all which I think it is manifest that this Father who flourished about the Year 196. had no great opinion of the usefulness of Instrumental Musick in the Service of God 2. St. Chrysostom a In Psal 144. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who flourished about the Year 398 or 400 speaks much to the same purpose Then that is under the Old-Testament Dispensation there were Organs by which Songs of Praise were offered up to God but now in the stead of Organs we make use of the Body For now we sing not only with the Tongue but with the Eyes the Hand the Feet and the Ears for if any one of these Members doth those things which bring praise and Glory to God for example If the Eye be not delighted with lascivious sights if the hands are stretched forth not to rapine but in alms-deeds if the Ears are ready to hear Spiritual precepts if the Feet run to the Church if the Heart does not Contrive deceits but breaths forth Charity the Members of the Body become a Psaltery and a Harp and they sing a New song not which consists of Words but Works Again on Psal 150. a Psalm on which the Author of the Sermon has built his discourse This Father speaks to the same effect * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As therefore the Jews did praise the Lord with all Instruments so we are in like manner commanded to Glorifie God with our Members by the Eye by the Tongue by the Ear and by the Hand c. and then after a little discourse more of this nature he adds In Psal 150. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. * Such Organs or Instruments were then permitted them for this cause even for the sake of their Weakness to stir up their Minds to perform their external Worship with some delight The same Father in another place thus delivers himself speaking of Instrumental Musick ‖ Chrysost oper Tom. 7th Edit Etoniens p. 222. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no Man deceive you these appertain not to Christians these are alien to the Christian Church all these things the Nations of the World seek after Does this give any one ground to suppose that the Primitive Christians had a mind or desire to have had this sort of Musick introduced amongst them 3. Isidore Pelusiota who flourished about the Year 425 or 430. speaks the same Language in this Case with his Master Chrysostom For thus saith he a Isidor Pel. Lib. 1. Epist 457. in Psal 150. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If ye seek an Explication of that Musick which the Scripture speaks of understand it after this manner Praise the Lord in the sound of the Trumpet that is memory of the Resurrection which will be with a Trumpet as it is Written Praise him with the Psaltery and the Harp that is with the Tongue and Mouth struck upon by the Spirit as with a bow or quil Praise him with the Timbrel and the Dance that is with the Flesh and Spirit from whence Prayers pass to God Praise him with the strings and Organ that is with the Heart and all the inward Parts and the Nerves which truly he calls the Organ praise him with the loud sounding Cymbals that is with the lips c. And again in another place b Id. Lib. 2. Epist 176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Divine Being by reason of their Childishness in which state they then were did tolerate or allow them to offer Sacrifices and Blood why do you wonder that he also allowed them that Musick which is performed or made by the Harp and Psaltery 4. Theodoret also who flourished about the year of our Lord 430 speaks much to the same purpose speaking of those who lived under the Old Testament Administration saith * Theodor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God indulged them the use of Musical Instruments of a sweet sound not that he was delighted with their Harmony but so by little little he put a stop to the deceit of Idols Again in another place the same Author †Comment in Psal 32.2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. shews how that Instrumental Musick was agreeable to the state of the Ancient Church under the Legal oeconomy but that it appertained to Christians to offer their Bodies to God and therefore saith All these things were performed according to the Legal Worship For they made use of Harps and Cymbals and Timbrels and other Musical Instruments and those things spoken of them agree to us if they are understood spiritually And we may render our selves an harmonious Organ to God and praise God by the Instruments of all the senses as well internal as external 5. I shall conclude with the Testimony of the Author Quaest Respons ad Orthodox This Piece of Antiquity is commonly bound up with Justin Martyr's Works and is cited by some as if it were a part of them But Learned Men now commonly conclude them to have been the product of some Person or other living about the latter end of the fifth Century or the beginning of the Sixth ‖ Quaest 170. Quaest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. then adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest Why do we use in the Churches those Songs after the manner of those Childish persons under the Law Answ To which Question the Author thus replys To Persons in a state of Childhood it is not agreeable simply to sing but to sing with inanimate Instruments with Dancing and Cymbals wherefore the use of Songs with those sort of Instruments and others agreeable to persons in a state of Child-hood is not received into the Churches but simple singing is retained in them Sir Having now presented you with these passages of some of the Primitive Fathers pray tell me whether all this looks as if they had been destitute of Instrumental Musick in their Religious Solemnities only from Necessity and not of Choice as our Author pretends Do they not all concur in this Viz. That Instrumental Musick was a part of the Legal Service and belongs not at all to Christian Worshippers It is evident from what the Fathers alledge in the present Case that Mr. Newts Necessity is a meer fancy of his own designed to support his tottering Hypothesis 5. He insinuates p. 10. in the Margin That the Primitive Christians wanted Instrumental Musick to help out and exalt their Devotions Did the Apostles
cited which place the Learned Dr. Hammond thus Paraphrases And this is but agreeable to the Ordinances of Divine Service given by God himself on Mount Sinai for all posterity most strictly to observe 3. The Ceremonial Law was not given all at once but was compleated by degrees For Sacrifices were instituted first Then the eating of Blood was prohibited Then Circumcision was enjoined c. And then a greater number of Ceremonies were added by Moses at the giving of the Law and at length the Ceremonial Law had its utmost Complement in the time of Solomon Before the Law of Moses there was the use of Musical Instruments by Miriam Then the use of Trumpets enjoined by the Law of Moses and then a greater number of Musical Instruments were added by David and Solomon 4. Many things were added to the Ceremonial Law in the times of Solomon as Candlesticks Lavers c. But more I shall add of this when I come to consider Mr. Newtes Answers to Objections Argum. 2 Mr. Baxters Second Argument to prove the Lawfulness of Instrumental Musick is this It is a Natural help to the minds alacrity and it is a Duty and not a Sin to use the helps of Nature and lawful Art tho' not to Institute Sacraments of our own I Answer 1. Let it be supposed that Instrumental Musick is a Natural help to the Minds alacrity yet will it not presently follow that it may be admitted to have a room in Divine Worship How many things are there which are Natural helps to the Minds alacrity which yet I suppose our Author will not allow may have a Sacred Use in the Solemn Assemblies of Christians As 1. Dancing is thought by many to be a Lawful Art and was used by Miriam and David in Conjunction with their Musick and has a tendency to exhilerate the Mind Yet I suppose this will not warrant the use of it in Christian Assemblies 2. The use of sweet perfumes is a Natural help to the chearing of the Mind at least to most Persons Is it therefore Lawful to bring in the use of Incense again into the Worship of God And to recal that Ceremony of the Temple 3. A Glass of Wine is a Natural help to the Minds alacrity Psal 104.15 Wine that maketh glad the heart of Man But will it thence follow that in the Worship of God Persons my drink round True it is in one part of Divine Worship we make use of Wine but the Gospel warrants us to do that But the Question is Whether we may make use of it in any other part of Worship to exhilerate the Spirits without a Commission When we can find a Precept in the Gospel for the use of Instrumental Musick we will readily rejoice in its Harmony 2. Mr. Baxter's Similitude taken from a Pair of Spectacles which are comfortable helps in reading the Bible methinks does not reach the Case For we being commanded to read the Bible if our Eyes which are the senses as we imploy in the discharging that Duty are weak we are obliged to make use of Spectacles or of some other Lawful Art to help the sight to strengthen the Eye that it may be enabled to discern objects with the greater distinctness So if there is any defect in the Organs imployed in Singing if there be a Natural debility in them or such a driness as renders the Voice hoarse c. I make no question but it may be lawful to make use of some means to strengthen the Organs and to remove that hoarsness wherewith a Person may be infested But alas Musical Instruments are of no efficacy in the Case They cannot clear the Voice nor will they enable Persons to sing with the greater strength or sweetness For they cannot corroborate the Organs nor moisten the Arteria asperia We are commanded to Sing Psalms of Praise to God so that Christians are obliged to sing according to the best Skill they have Let Persons make use of Lawful Art if they will to better their Voices and to dispose them to sing the more sweetly and melodiously But this will not warrant the Introduction of Instrumental Musick into the Worship of God For that will not render the Voice the more Musical Seeing we are commanded to Sing it will not be amiss for Persons to endeavour to gain some skill in the Art of Singing if they can that they may perform that duty the more decently and with the less disorder and confusion So if God had enjoined us the use of Musical Instruments in his Worship we should have been under an Obligation to have procured such as would yeild a sweet sound and have endeavoured to have gotten the best we could But because God commands us Vocal Musick it does not therefore follow that we may make use of Instrumental Mr. Baxter's Third Argument is to this purpose Argum. 3 Jesus Christ joyned with the Jews that used it and never spake a word against it I Answer it may be so He was Circumcised too and eat the Passover and never spake a word against them But that I suppose is no Argument for the lawfulness of those Sacraments in the Christian Church Argum. 4 Mr. Baxter's Fourth Argument is this No Scripture forbiddeth it therefore it is not unlawful This Argument as made use of by some Men has frequently been encountred and foiled 1. If he means that no Scripture does expresly forbid it and from thence concludes it Lawful then will it follow that what ever things the Scripture does not expresly forbid may lawfully be used in the Woâ—ship of God Which allowed will be a very fair plea for a Multitude of Popish Ceremonies Then Holy-water Crucifixes Altars Oyl Salt and Cream in Baptism may be harmlessly used For the Sacred Scriptures do not any where expressly caution against them Upon this pretence how many things might be introduced into the Christian Worship And the Christian Worship be rendred as Ceremonious as that under the Law Upon the same pretence Persons might erect a Gallows in the Church to put People in mind of the Justice of God Or Ministers might be ordered to hold and brandish a naked Sword with their hands during the delivery of their Sermons to excite their Auditory to the greater Reverence and to mind them that the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit These and Multitudes of the like might be introduced into the Worship of God upon the same grounds for the Scripture forbids them not At this door most of the Superstitions and Dotages of Men in the Worship of God have entred When God has by his Soveraign Order â—amed a Religion for the Heart Men are ready to usurp an Authority to frame one for the Sense to dress the Ordinances of God in new and gawdy Habits to take the Eye or the Ear with a vain Pomp saith one * Charn on the Attributes p. 749. 2. Instrumental Musick was a part of the Temple Service which Service was Typical and