Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 1
HABAK. 3.1. A Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth.
THeſe wordes are the title of this Chapter, ſhewing the contents thereof.
It is called a prayer, and it is a Pſalme or Hymne, ſuch as Davids Pſalms; the Heathen Poets call them Odes, or Songs.
It is called the prayer or ſong of Habakkuk, both as compoſed by him, uſed by himſelf; and addreſſed to the uſe of the people of God in their captivity in Babylon.
It is a ſong upon Sigionoth.
The Hebrews affirm this ſong to be one of the hardeſt places to interpret in all the old Teſtament, becauſe it is full of dark Parables, ſuch as could not be well underſtood till he came, Who hath the key of David, who openeth and no man ſhutteth.
Our former Tranſlation readeth a Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet for the ignorances, and it is expounded diverſly.
Some underſtanding it a prayer to God for the pardon of all thoſe ſins which the people of God have committed ignorantly.
Others conceive thus, that ſeeing the Prophet in the behalf of the Church in the firſt Chapter had taxed God, of too much remiſneſs toward his people, in bearing with their ſins, and forbearing to puniſh them: and then again, fore-ſeeing how God in time would awake and puniſh them by the furious Chaldaeans, hee doth as much tax the ſeverity of God towards his Church.
Now, that God in the ſecond Chapter hath declared his juſtice in puniſhing his people, and reveiled the decree of his vengeance againſt his and their enemies; now the Prophet maketh this recantation and prayer for the ignorances, becauſe they not knowing the ſecret purpoſes of God, have been ſo forward to judg his ways.
But we muſt admit this confirmation, and the learned tranſlators of the Kings Bible, finding this to have been an errour in the former tranſlations, have followed the Originall more faithfully, and call it, The Prayer of Habakkuk the Prophet upon Sigionoth. Some ſay, this Sigionoth was ſome ſpeciall inſtrument of Muſick, upon which this ſong was ſung in the Church of God, and the laſt verſe of this Chapter ſaith.
To the chief ſinger on my ſtringed inſtruments. For as Titleman ſaith in this Pſal. the Prophet, Canendo orat, orando canit. By ſinging prayed, and by praying ſung.
So the 70 read foreign.
But Tremelius and Junius read, Oratio Habak. Prophetae ſecundum odas mixtas.
That is not accommodated to any ſet kind of verſe, but mixt of ſundry kinds.
And ſo they do not underſtand the word Sigionoth to be the the name of the inſtrument, upon which it was ſung: but the name of the verſe into which their prayer is digeſted.
As the Greeks and Latines had their ſeverall kinds of verſes.
Heroick, Iambick, Aſclepediake, Phaluciake, and ſuch like.
I cannot better expreſſe this to the underſtanding of the weakeſt judgment, then by referring you to the varieties of verſe in our Engliſh Pſalmes, that we ſing in the Church, for if they were all compoſed in one kind of verſe, they might all be ſung to one tune.
Some have their ſet tunes and admit no other, becauſe they are of a ſeverall kind of verſe. So I take it that this Sigionoth was the name of that kind of verſe, in which this Pſalme was written.
Thus much of the words of the title.
The things which we may make profit of in this title are theſe.
1 That the Prophet compoſeth a prayer for his own uſe, and for the uſe of the people in captivity.
2 That he putteth this prayer into a ſong or pſalme.
Concerning the firſt.
The contemplation of the Juſtice of God in puniſhing the ſins of his Church; Doct. of the vengeance of God revenging the quarrels of his Church, and of the mercy of God in healing the wounds of his Church, and reſtoring it again to health; doth give the Faithfull occaſion to reſort to God by prayer.
The reaſon is, becauſe theſe things well conſidered that God is juſt and mercifull, do breed in us Fear and Faith, which being well mingled in us, cannot chuſe but break forth into prayer.
Fear diſcerning the danger of his power wiſely, and Faith laying hold on the hand of his mercy ſtrongly.
For howſoever Fear be an effect of weakneſſe, yet doth it ſerve to good uſe in the fitting of us to prayer; becauſe,
1 Fear breedeth humility, which is neceſſary in prayer, as St. James adreſſeth.
Caſt down your ſelves before the Lord: and St. Peter, Jam. 4.10. 1 Pet. 5.6.Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God.
And howſoever the proud deſpiſe humility, as too baſe a vertue for heroick and generous ſpirits, St. Peter commendeth it for a ſpeciall ornament.
Deck your ſelves inwardly in lowlineſſe of mind. 1 Pet. 5.5.That feare which is in the reprobate, doth drive them quite away from God, but the fear of the elect brings them to his hand, and caſteth them at his feet, the Publican full of fear, yet it had not power to keep him from the Temple, nor from prayer, rather becauſe he feared, he came to Church to pray.
2 Fear breedeth in us a deſire to approve our ſelves to God, and keepeth us in awe, ſetting both our ſins always in our own ſight, and our ſelves in the ſight of God, which ſheweth, what need we have to fly to him.
3 Fear doth ſerve for a ſpur, to put us on, and to mend our pace, that we may foreign, run the way of Gods Commandements; For men run for fear.
With this fear is joyned faith, which layeth hold on the comfortable promiſes of God, and ſo filleth us with the love of him, that we reſolve under the ſhadow of his wings, we ſhall be ſafe.
This alſo doth break forth into prayer, as the Prophet ſaith, I believed, therefore did I ſpeake.
Fear directed by Faith, will ſoon finde the face of God.
For fear humbleth us, faith directeth this humiliation to the mighty hand of God.
Fear makes us ful of deſire, faith directeth our deſire to God.
Fear makes us runne, faith ſheweth us the face of God, and biddeth us runne thither; and thus the contemplation of Gods juſtice and mercy doth fill the heart with zeale, and the ſpirit of ſupplications, as in this preſent example.
The Church ſeeth God remiſſe in forbearing them, it feeleth God ſharp in puniſhing them, it diſcerneth him juſt in avenging them, and it is promiſed mercy and favour in delivering them, therefore the Prophet teacheth them to pray.
We are taught to think on theſe things,1 Ʋſe. which may move us to ſeek the face of our God, and that is a work for the ſoul, when it keepeth a Sabbath of reſt unto the ſervice of God, as appeareth in the Pſalme,Pſal. 92. for the day wherein the Church doth conſider the juſtice and merciemercy of God.
Our idle and wandring thoughts runne all the world over in vain imaginations, we could not beſtow them better then in ſweet contemplation of the works of God here in the government of the World.
We are taught alſo when we behold theſe things to pray to God, for prayer being a conference with God, we cannot offend him in any thing that we ſhall ſay out of fear and faith. This duty is by God commanded, he hath directed it, he hath promiſed his Spirit to helpe us in it, hee hath made many promiſes to them that uſe it aright, and it is here preſcribed as a ſovereign remedy againſt affliction to uſe it, for it is fitted for the uſe of the Church in captivity in Babylon.
This prayer being made for the uſe of the Church,2 Doct. as we have ſaid, we are taught.
That the afflictions of this life cannot ſeparate the ſociety of the faithful, but that even in exile, they will aſſemble together, to do ſervice to their God, and therein alſo to comfort one another.
1 The reaſon is in reſpect of themſelves, the faithfull are one body, and the ligaments and bonds of their communion are love and peace, therefore much water cannot put out this fire of charity, neither can the flouds drown it; ſo afflictions are in Scripture reſembled in flouds and waters.
2 In regard of the ſervice, they know it to be a debt from them, an honour to God, and though each of them in ſeverall may do it, yet when a Congregation meeteth together, their conjoyned zeal is like a bonefire, for every ones zeal enflameth another.
What needed the faithful elſe to ſeek out corners and private places to aſſemble in, in the times of perſecution for their devotion, if ſingle and ſeverall perſons, had been either ſo fervent in it ſelf, or ſo acceptable with God: ſo that before perſecution ceaſed, they began to build Oratories for their meetings.
Therefore, Ʋſe. though ſome do ſeparate from our ſociety, others tarry with us to diſturbe our peace, ſome cry out againſt the uſe of our Churches, let us thank God, that we have liberty of Religion, and places to meet in, to ſerve our God: and let us not neglect the ſociety of the Church. Ecce quàm bonum, & quàm jucundum: Behold, how good, and pleaſant a thing it is to ſee one holy congregation ſet upon God by prayer.
This prayer made for the uſe of the Church, doth teach,3 Doct. that ſet prayers are both lawfull and neceſſary to be uſed by the faithfull; both in their private and publique meetings.
And this is proved by theſe examples in holy Scripture.
God himſelfe preſcribed to the Prieſts a ſet form of bleſſing the people, which they conſtantly uſed, for God ſaid to them.
Thus ſhall ye bleſſe the children of Iſrael, numb. 6.23. &c.and ſay unto them.
The Lord bleſſe thee and keep thee.
The Lord make his face ſhine upon thee, and be mercifull unto thee.
The Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
The 92. Pſal. is called a Pſalm for the Sabbath.
The 102. Pſal. is a prayer for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.
Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to praiſe the Lord with the words of David, 2 Chron. 29.3….and of Aſaph the Seer; which is the 136. Pſal.
This was alſo uſed by Jehoſhapht.2 Chron. 20.21.
And in the Goſpel the Diſciples came to Chriſt and told him that John had taught his Diſciples to pray, and deſired him to teach them, and he taught them the Lords Prayer, which doth imply, in the judgment of the beſt learned, that John had taught his Diſciples a ſet form.
The reaſons are firſt for hlep of the infirmities of ſuch as have good affections in them but cannot ſo well expreſs them that they may be directed, leſt they ſhould utter any thing raſhly of themſelves.
For thus the ſpirit helpeth their infirmities by thoſe who can direct them, and in themſelves uſing theſe ſet formes.
This much advanceth the ſervice of God, when men before hand have their petitions drawn, and ſhall need nothing but zeal and faith in the delivering thereof to God.
Herein we are like to poore petitioners that come to the King, who not truſting themſelves with their own ſuites, do get ſome wiſer than themſelves to ſet down their mindes, and then they have nothing to do but to importune the Soverreign Majeſty of the King to hear them, and to grant their requeſts.
This ſerveth for the maintenance of Unanimity, the Congregation knowing before they meet, what they ſhall aske at the hands of God; it reſteth that they bring affections fit to joyn one with another in ſupplications.
This maintaineth outward Uniformity, when the whole Congregation joyn together in an outward worſhip, and ſervice of God.
This admoniſheth us.
1 To take it for a great bleſſing of God that he hath provided theſe helps for our weakneſſe. Ʋſe.
2 It ſheweth us that God for our good doth ſo labour to fit us to his ſervice, as that he is pleaſed that one of us be helpfull to another therein.
3 It reproveth thoſe who out of a preſumption and overweening of the graces of God in themſelves, do not onelyonly deſpiſe thoſe helps themſelves, but diſgrace them in others: in which number we may reckon all the depravers of our Church prayers.
4 Here the prayer of the Prophet is uſed.
This teacheth that the fitteſt perſons to be uſed for direction of devotion are the Prophets, and Apoſtles,4 Doct. and Miniſters of the word.
The reaſon is, becauſe they are the moſt fit to ſpeak to God for us, and to teach us how to ſpeak to him, who are ſet apart to ſpeak to us for God and to inſtruct us from him.
Theſe are the Phiſitians of our ſouls, and ſhould beſt know our diſeaſes and defects; and therefore beſt able to direct us to the remedy, for as in the ſtate of bodily health many ſuperficially in-ſighted in ſome empericall Phyſick, do hurt themſelves, by being their own Phyſitians.
So in the ſtate of the ſpirituall man, many do overthrow their ſpirituall health, by preſuming to be their own Divines, and truſting too much to their own skill.
Therefore it is wiſedome for the flock to be directed, Ʋſe. eſpecially in the ſervice of God by their Paſtours, and to hear his voyce, let Habbakuk teach Iſrael how to pray.
And for us howſoever the ſpirit of contradiction, which likes nothing long, have laboured long to diſgrace our publique Service, yet becauſe many faithfull and godly Paſtours of the Church have zealouſly joyned their united forces of piety and charity to compoſe this book, and the approbation and authority both of Church and Common-wealth hath commanded it to the uſe of our Congregations, and the malignity of all the times ſince hath not been able to remove it, let us embrace it, and uſe it as Gods ordinance, ſealed with the ſeal, the double ſeal both of preſcription of time, and good ſucceſſe in the uſe of this Church of England.
2 He putteth this prayer into verſe, and maketh a ſong of it, and fitteth it to be ſung by the Church with an inſtrument of Muſick, for ſo the laſt verſe of the Chapter directeth it to the chief Singer on my ſtringed inſtruments.
This manner of praiſing God is ancient, and of much uſe in the Church.
Mr. Beza hath taken the paines to collect fourteen ſongs, eleven out of the old Teſtament, and three out of the new, which he hath interpreted by way of Paraphraſe, and hath annexed them to his Paraphraſe of the book of Davids Pſalmes, and they are tranſlated into Engliſh.
I ſhall not loſe my labour nor you your time, to ſhew you where you may finde them.
Exod. 1.15. The ſong that Moſes taught Iſrael to ſing to the praiſe of God for their deliverance from Pharoah and his armies, which is of ſuch excellency, being a type of the deliverance of the Church, from the adverſary power of the world, and the tyranny of the beaſt; that there is mention of it in the Revelation. Rev. 15 3.And they ſung the ſong of Moſes the ſervant of God.
Deut. 2.32. When Moſes drew neer his end he maketh a Propheticall ſong for the uſe of the people, both to commemorate Gods mercies to them, to lay open the judgements of God againſt them, to chide their rebellions, and to comfort them with types of grace in the revelation of the Meſſiah. And promiſing them the gift of the ſpirit of repentance to returne them into the favour of their God.
3 The triumphant ſong of Deborah and Barak, Judg. 5.after the victory of Jabin, King of the Cananites.
4 1 Sam. 2.1. the ſong of Hannah, the Mother of Samuel, in thankſgiving, for the bleſſing of her fruitfulneſſe, conteining in it both thankſgiving, doctrine, and prophecy.
5 2 Sam. 1.19. the elegie of David, bewailing the death of Saul and Jonathan.
6 2 Sam. 7.18. A ſong of David in thankſgiving to God, after Nathan the Prophet had from God told him, that the Meſſiah ſhould be the Sonne of David.
7 Iſaiah 5. Conteining the rebuke of the people, which is a Satyricall Pſalme.
8 Iſaiah 26.1. the ſong of the Church conteining conſolation and prophecy.
9 The ſong of Hezekiah, when God comforted his ſickneſs with promiſe of recovery. Iſaiah 38.
10 The ſong of Jonah in the belly of the Whale.
11 Is this ſong of Habbakkuk
In the New teſtament we hauehave three.
The ſong of the bleſſed Virgine: Magnificat.
The ſong of Zechariah: called Benedictus.
The ſong of Simeon: Nunc dimittis.
Beſides frequent mentions of ſinging to inſtruments upon ſeveral occaſions, where the ſongs themſelves are not recorded.
From whence I gather theſe two obſervations.
1 That Poetry is ancient, and hath been of uſe in the Church of God, and in Gods ſervice and worſhip, for theſe were the Anthems of the Church in former times.
2 That Church-muſique hath had the ſame honour, both of reverend antiquity and holy uſe.
The firſt point concerning the ancient, laudable, and holy uſe of Meeters, which we call Poetry, ſo continued through the whole courſe of the Bible, as you have heard, doth ſhew that God requireth of us in his worſhip, not only plain faithfulneſſe, ſoundly and ſincerely to expreſſe our ſelves in his ſervice: but he requireth alſo that we ſhew all our learning, wit, and art in our compoſitions, according to the ſtrict lawes of a Verſe: thoſe were the Ballads of former times.
And though vaine, obſcene, wanton, lying rithmes, now printed, do carry the name of Ballads wholly, yet holy ſongs have been ſo called, if you look in your old Church Bibles, that were firſt printed in Engliſh, you ſhall finde the Song of Solomon or the Canticles called Solomons Ballad, or the Ballad of Ballads. The reaſons why God deſired and delighted in this form of worſhip.
1 Becauſe this gift of holy Poetry is of and from himſelf, he is the Authour of it, and the ſweet Singer of Iſrael learned it of him, to honour him in Hymnes, therefore the Apoſtle calleth them ſpirituall ſongs, that is inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt; & it is juſt that thoſe ſpirituall graces, which derive their being from him, ſhould be conſecrated in their uſe to him. And this is cleer, that there is no poetry ſo ancient as the holy Hymns of the Church.
2 St Auguſtine, in his preface to the Pſalmes, ſaith. Spiritus ſanctus videns obluctantem ad virtutis viam humani generis animam, & ad delectationes hujus vitae inclinari delectabilibus modulii Cantilenae vim ſuae doctrinae permiſcuit, ut dum ſvavitate Carmine mulcetur auditus divini ſermonis pariter utilitas inſeratur.
He ſaith, he hath obſerved that both yong children, and thoſe of more yeares, who have at Church given no heed to the reading of the Prophets and Apoſtles, have been ſo taken with the delight of the Pſalmes, that they have learned to ſing them at home, and upon the way, which alſo brought forth good effects in them, by the power of that good Spirit which endited them; quia miſcuit utile dulci.
St Augnſtiue reſembleth the wiſedome of God herein to the art of the Phyſitian, who gives his patient things wholeſome, but not very taſtfull in ſome ſweet ſirrups, or liquours, which may convey it without diſtaſt into the body.
3 This expreſſure of the zeal of Gods glory in verſe, being the labour of the brain, the marrow of wit, the earneſt wreſtling of the ſoul ſtriving to glorifie God, as David ſaith, With the beſt member, that we have, doth beſt preſent the inward man, the hid man of the heart, as St. Peter calleth it, to Almighty God.
The Apoſtle biddeth us to affect the beſt gifts. They that do only read a Pſalme, or a Prayer in a book, have done little, but they that love the dead letter, an enlightened underſtanding, and ſanctified affections, they pray and praiſe God.
They that wiſely compoſe their own meditations, and exexpreſſe their own hearts in their own words, holy hearts in holy words, do mount a degree higher.
But they that honour God with art and nature, obſerving the lawes of time, number, and meaſure; as Bernard ſaith, they have Eruditam mentem, a learned mind, and they are come, ad provectam aetatem, to a ripe age.
Solomon excelled in this kinde, whoſe Nuptiall Hymne is called worthily Canticum Canticorum. It is a good obſervation of St. Bernard, that the Proverbs of Solomon, which is Diſciplina morum, the diſcipline of manners, and Eccleſiaſtes which is Diſciplina amorum, the diſcipline of loves, the one correcting our vain love of our ſelves, the other of the world, muſt go firſt, and then our underſtanding and affections will be fitted to make ſuch Verſes.
4 This kind of honouring God in Ditties and Hymnes, doth pleaſe God in the Church, becauſe even ſuch of the learned Heathen, who had no other light but the light of nature, have yet in this kind honoured the unknown God.
Therefore Lactantius writing to the Heathen to bring them to the knowledge of the true God, proveth the Divinity by the very teſtimonies of their Poets, who in Poeticall raptures have given teſtimony to this truth.
1 He nameth the moſt ancient of Poets that we do read amongſt the heathen;De falſa relig. 1.1. Jude 23. Orpheus, who lived about the time when Thola judged Iſrael.
He did celebrate the honour of one God, whom he called foreign, Quod ante ipſum nihil ſit genitum, ſed ab ipſo ſint cuncta generata. He ſpake alſo of the immortality of the ſonnes of this god.
foreign,
As Lactantius ſaith, he could not reſt in Jupiter, ſeeing he heard Saturn was his father, nor in Saturn, who was ſaid to be the ſonne of the heaven, nor in the heaven, which was but a part of the world, & eguit authore: and wanted an authour.
Haec illum ratio perduxit ad primo genitum illum deum, cui aſſignat & tribuit principatum: this brought him to the firſt begotten god, to whom he aſſigned primacy, he paſſeth over Homer and Heſiod, as finding nothing in them: but Virgil, who lived about the time of Chriſt, and excelled in Poeticall invention, hath much honoured God in his Verſes, according to the Light that ſhined on him.
I need not follow Lactantius any further, having in him overtaken the point which I have delivered, that ſeeing God hath had honour from Poetry amongſt the heathen, much more in his Church let him be ſo honoured.
St. Paul hath tranſplanted ſome of thoſe flowers of Poetry,1 Cor. 15.33. which grew in the gardens of the heathen into his own holy Epiſtles.
From Menander the poet he took that excellent ſaying, that evill words doe corrupt good manners, Acts 17.28and he took it out of a wanton Comoedy called Thais.
From Epimenides they took that imputation on them of Candie. foreign
Now ſince God had honour from heathen Poets, much more is he honoured within the Church, by thoſe raviſhed ſpirits, within a lofty ſtrain, ſound out his prayſes, or their own ſorrowes, and wants.
5 This kind of writing as it is moſt delectable, ſo it is moſt hard and difficult of all others, the ſtrict laws of Verſe; exacting choice of words to take their places in there meaſure, and the inſpired wit affecting ſuch ſublimity and ſvavity of matter and order, as is often involved in tropes and figurative, and parabolicall Phraſes; ſo that all readers of holy Scripture, finde the poeticall parts of the Bible exceeding difficult, more then the hiſtoricall and morall.
Now, where moſt coſt is beſtowed of ſearch, to finde out the meaning of the holy ghoſt, and moſt delight is reaped, it being found, that doth tarry by us better, and we hold it with ſtrongeſt retention. This pleaſeth God well, that we hide his word in our hearts, that we do not runne it out in a leake.
This doctrine of the holy uſe of Poetry in the worſhip and ſervice of God ſerveth, Ʋſe.
1 To ſtir us up to affect the beſt gifts of all in Gods worſhip: if there be any way more excellent then others, to uſe that in our prayers, and thankſgivings, and prayſes of our God.
I remember what David ſaid to Araunah, the Jebuſite, when he offered to give him his threſhing floore to erect an altar upon it for God.
I will not offer a burnt Offering to the Lord my God, 2 Sam. 24.24.of that which coſt me nothing.
Let it coſt us the higheſt ſtraine of our invention, the lowdeſt extenſion of the voice, the earneſteſt intention of the heart, we have nothing good enough for him, all we have is of him, let it be all for him, and for the advancement of his glory.
2 Seeing this kind of exerciſe of Hymns and Pſalmes hath been by Gods holy Servants conſecrated to the worſhip of God, let us beſtow our wit and inventions that way, not in deviſing Satyres to gird and laſh our Brethren; not in amorous and wanton evaporations of our luſtfull affections; not in baſe flattery of the corrupt times, and ſoothing of ungodly perſons, not in broaching and venting uſeleſſe fictions, the ſcumme and froth of idle and unſanctified brains, but let our wits and pens be exerciſed in glorifying of our God, and our readings rather beſtowed in the Pſalmes and Hymns of holy Scripture, then in the vain and artleſſe, dull and brainleſſe Ballads and Poems, which fly abroad amongſt us, and devoure precious time, which ſhould be better ſpent, and tranſport affections which ſhould bend their ſtrength to Gods ſervice.
2 I conſider that this ſong of Habakkuk was directed to the Muſician, to be fitted to the ſtringed inſtruments, ſo to be, not onelyonly ſung, but played in the meetings of the Church: from whence I collect.
That Church-muſique hath the honour of antiquity, and of holy uſe alſo.
I need not prove this out of the old Teſtament, for the examples grow ſo thick there, that he hath read little in the Old Teſtament, that hath not informed himſelfe of the Churches uſe and practiſe therein.
We have Myriams conſort. Exod. 15.20. There were Timbrels and Dances, all the women came out after them.
We have Jephthaes Daughters conſort,Judg. 11.34. meeting her victorious Father with Timbrels and Dances.
We have Davids full example in the Tabernable: Solomons conſtitution, for the full Muſique of the Temple.
If any object, that theſe be thoſe old things, which are done away, but now all things are made new, thoſe were but ſhadows and ceremonies ſerving onelyonly for thoſe times, but now antiquate and aboliſht.
Let me tell them, that in the time of the Goſpell, where the Church hath more cauſe of joy, then ever it had before, we can give no cauſe to abate any thing of Gods worſhip.
Who can deny, but that the firſt tydings of the birth of Chriſt was proclaimed by an Angell, and the Proclamation was ſeconded by a Quire of heavenly Souldiers, even a multitude of them, the whole conſort of heaven praiſing God.
The Anthume which they ſung is upon record in the living Book of the Goſpell. Gloria in excelſis.Luke 2.14 Ob.
But yet the ſinging and Muſick of inſtruments in the time of the Law were ſhawdows of things to come, at the coming whereof they muſt ceaſe, whereof then were they ſhadows.
It is anſwered of the inward and ſpirituall joy of the faithfull for the coming of the Meſſiah.Sol.
Had not then the faithfull before Chriſt this inward and ſpirituall joy? and why ſhould we which have it more in the inward man, expreſſe it leſſe in the outward worſhip.Pſ. 48.10. David ſaith, According to thy name ſo is thy praiſe to the ends of the earth.
Chriſt ſaith, I have manifeſted thy name to them that thou gaveſt me: doth it not follow well, where there is manifeſtum nomen; there ſhould be, manifeſta laus.
The Church uſe to prayſe God with inſtruments of Muſick, the Church hath more cauſe to prayſe God ſince the coming of Chriſt then before, why ſhould any thing not repealed and forbidden to be uſed be neglected, to manifeſt Gods prayſe.
Ob. But all things in the Church muſt be done to edification, Muſick doth not edifie.
Sol. Then was it never of lawfull uſe in the Church, and David and Solomon did ill to bring it into the Tabernacle, and the Temple, and the Church did as ill to contiune it, if it be without edification.
But if ever it ſeemed for edification, why not now as well as ever, it is the ſame God that is now ſerved whom they worſhipped, and as Auguſtine, Tempora variata, ſunt fides vna, times vary, but faith is one: how, where and when did Muſick looſe that honour, that uſe, in the Church of God?
Ob. But it ſpendeth time which were much better beſtowed in hearing the Word of God preached.
Sol. I anſwer, it was uſed, when much more was to be done in the Church, then we have now to do, and they thought it not tedious.
They had many Sacrifices to offer, and the time ſpent in prayer, and hearing of the word; yet they uſe it.
Ob. But popiſh ſuperſtition hath ſo defiled it, that it is not now fit to receive it in our Chriſtian Churches.
Sol. I finde that our fathers before the coming of Chriſt were not ſo ſqueamiſh, to like their own holy worſhip the worſe, becauſe Idolaters did uſe ſome of their formes of worſhip; for
Nebuchadnezzar, made a golden image and that was worſhipped with all kinde of ſtil and loud Muſick, yet that did not defile the holy worſhip of the Church.
It is a dangerous rule of religion to menage it by oppoſition, they are not all opera Diaboli, workes of the Devill; which the devill doth, for you know, that he confeſt Chriſt, which many Scribes and Phariſees did not. They that condemne all that popiſh ſuperſtition hath alſo abuſed, may want a candle to light them to bed.
I profeſſe ſincerly, I cannot ſee but that the ſame motives that bgan to bring in Muſick into the Church, may hold it there ſtill for any thing that I can ſee.
1 In reſpect of God, to glorifie him in the beſt manner that we can by any gifts of art or nature. And Muſick being one of them, we ſee how much it hath decayed, and how much Students in that excellent art have been diſcouraged from that kind of ſtudy ſince the Church caſt out Muſick.
2 In reſpect of Gods ſervice, the more pompe and ſolemnity is uſed, the more glorious is the houſe of God made and the more differing from our common houſe of habitation.
3 In reſpect of our ſelves, we have need to have the help of outward things, to draw us on with delight, to entertain our thoughts with cheerfulneſſe, to incite and move our affections, to quicken our devotion, and to blow the fire of our zeal, and to relieve our naturall wearineſſe in Gods ſervice.
Theſe reaſons brought in the ſong and inſtruments into the Church, and gloriouſly was it ſetled in Solomons time in the temple, according as his Father David had left it in the tabernacle, where he deſigned to that ſervice men of cunning 288.1 Chrom. 25.7.
Ob. But Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and the primitive Church, had no ſuch muſique in Churches.
Sol. They had no Churches, but in their meetings, they ſung Pſalmes, ſo did Chriſt and his Apoſtles in the roome where he kept his laſt Paſſeover, and in the Emperour Trajanes time,Mat. 26.30 which was before the death of St. John. Pliny writeth to the Emperour of the manner of the Chriſtians: this one amongſt the reſt, that, They did meet together early in the morning, and ſung Hymns to their Chriſt.
But after Religion had found favour with Princes, and began to appear in peace, then came in Churches, and Church Ornaments, then were Liturgies deviſed, and uſed, then were inſtruments of muſique intermixed with the ſervice, and God glorified in all.
St. Aug. Confeſſ. 9. Cap. 6.
Quantum flevi in Hymnis & Canticis ſvave ſonantis Eccleſiae tuae, voces illae influebant auribus meis, & eliquabatur veritas tua in cor meum, & ex ea aeſtuebat, inde affectus pietatis & currebant lachrymae, & benè mihi erat cum eis.
In the next Chapter, hee tels how the Arrians attempted the taking of Ambroſe B. of Millain, whom they accuſed of hereſie, and Juſtina the Empreſſe bearing them out in it, they meant him a miſchief, he went to the chief Church, and much people followed him, ready to diſpatch their holy Biſhop, St. Auguſtine and his Mother were amongſt them, and there Aug. ſaith; Tunc inſtitutum ut Hymni & Pſalmi canerentur more orientalium Eccleſiarum ne populus moeroris taedio contabeſceret, quod ad hodiernum diem retentum eſt, &c. The Hymns and Pſalmes were ordained to be ſung, &c.
Ob. It is a means often to carry away our thoughts more with the tune then with the matter. St. Auguſtine maketh it one of his Confeſſions, that he was ſo tranſported.
Sol. And may not the ſame happen in our ſinging of Pſalms? let us not lay our faults to the charge of the Church, what good ſhall we go about, but we ſhall finde Satan buſie to divert us from it.
Obj. It is coſtly to maintain Muſique in our Churches, and that mony were better beſtowed on the poor, and other better uſes.
Sol. What, better beſtowed on the poor then upon God himſelf: is the cheapeſt religion the beſt? they had poor in the time of the Law, and yet that hindered not the magnificence of the Temple, and the Ornaments thereof, and the maintainance of Gods worſhip, alit pauperes 288. in Templo ut ante. The earth hath not the like glory now to ſhew, as that of Gods Houſe: And ſhal Aaron that vvas but for a time be thus glorious, and ſhall Melchizedeck a Prieſt for ever vvant honour.
It is true, that it hath been policy in theſe later times, to keep the Church lean, and to ſtrip it out of all outward pomp, and to transfer Gods inheritance into the hands of ſtrangers. But remember the great Commandement, Thou muſt love God above all things; and ſo doing he ſhall have the beſt of all that thou art, the beſt of all that thou haſt.
Our prayer is. Sicut in coelo, as in heaven; and Chriſt promiſes is to the juſt, that they ſhal be as the Angels of God in Heaven:Reve. 15.3. there they ſing the ſong of Moſes the ſervant of God, and David ſaith,
Bleſſed is the people that can rejoyce in thee: Pſa. 89.15.we have more cauſe to uſe both voices and inſtruments in his praiſe, becauſe he hath redeemed us from Satan, hath made us all Prieſts of the high God, to offer to him the calves of our lips, and with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed.