Church Pageantry Displayed, Chapter 10
CHAP. IV.
Organ Worſhip an improper Method to correſpond with the End of Religion. The Grand Organical Objection, conſider'd and anſwer'd. The ill Conſequence and the pretended good Effects of Religious Organs examin'd. Th' Erecting Organs in a Parochial Church — againſt th' Act of Ʋniformity, and an unneceſſary Charge to a Pariſh. Organs rob the Poor. Concluſion.
PRay Sir make your Conſcience Chancellor in the Cauſe, and tell me whether you really think the Heart-ſearching God is pleas'd with ſuch Theatrical Pomp, and noiſie Oſtentation in his Worſhip? Or whether your Organical Chanting will recommend your Devotion any whit the more unto a Holy God? Will that which tickles our itching Ears, be delightful Melody in th' Ears of th' Eternal Being? Will he be affected with that which pleaſes our diſtemper'd Fancies? What, has th' Almighty greater reſpect to the artificial ſound of an Organ-pipe, than to the dolorous Crys of a penitent Sinner? To affirm any ſuch thing, wou'd be wickedly to repreſent Almighty God, as if he were tinctur'd with the Vanity of degenerate Mortals.
It may be there are ſome Superſtitious Fops, and empty Noddies, that may admire and applaud a Worſhip dreſt up Ala…node de Rome, de Spain, de Portugal, (I had almoſt forgot St. Germans En lay) with the glitt'ring Ornaments of gaudy Ribbons, and tow'ring Top-knots, but I'm ſure wiſe and devout Proteſtants that know better things, will Pitty their Childiſh Simplicity, and Laugh at their Ridiculous Fooleries.
Lactantius Reprimands the Heathens ſeverely, for believing that their Gods did love what they affected,Lactant. Inſtit. Lib. 2. Cap. 7. and for believing that their Temples had ſo much the more Majeſty, by how much they were gay and adorn'd. So the Church of England ſpeaking of Church Images, Precious Veſtures, Hom. againſt the Peril of Idol. and Superſtitious decking of Churches. Part I. p. 12.and other Glittering Ornaments of the Church; ſaith, they've nothing at all profited ſuch as were Wiſe and of Underſtanding, but have greatly hurt the ſimple and unwiſe, occaſioning 'm thereby to commit moſt horrible Idolatry.
Objection, But Organs are helps to Devotion. You muſt know Sir that generally we're a Parcel of dull Souls, eſpecially at Church, and the Senſes of too many of us are extreamly ſtupify'd by Banly Opiats, that the moſt charming Magick in our Rubrick can't poſſibly revive us; and therefore have Thought of this Organical Expedient to New-vamp our Devotion. For, the Truth on't is, we're e'en tir'd (and I believe the moſt laborious Plow-man or Ditcher in the Pariſh, wou'd not like it as hard as the Times are) to be ſerv'd with Coleworts all the Year round, and therefore we're fully reſolv'd to get a few Eccleſiaſtical Dainties to revive our drooping Spirits.
To which I Anſwer in theſe following Particulars.
(1.) The Learned Biſhop Burnet ſaith,*Biſhop B's. Abridg. of the Hiſt. of the Church of England, Edit. 2. Preface p. 7. All the helps to Devotion, that the Goſpel offers are in ev'ry one's Hands. But Organs are not in ev'ry Bodies Hands, and therefore according to his Judgment are no helps to Devotion.
(2.) I muſt needs ſay, that's e'en a ſad lame Devotion, that ſtands in need of a few tweedling Organ-pipes to make it more brisk and lively. Methinks by th' Air of this Objection your Organical Friends want a little Bottl'd Ale, or a Dram of the Cask, but becauſe the Kirk-Wardens will not allow the Temple to be turn'd into a Tipling-Houſe, therefore you muſt have ſomething elſe for that Time, to elevate your depreſſed Minds; and nothing like to a pair of rouſing melodious Organs.
Surely Sir, we've a great many Phlegmatich Sinners among us, and I wiſh there be no Saulites in the Hierarchy, when there's ſuch violent Application made to Muſical Diverſions and Organical Plays. The Learned Parous ſaith, that, to Advocate for Organs is impertinent, for adds he, In the Church the Mind is not to be rais'd to God, and ſpiritual Joy, by Pipes, Trumpets, and Timbrels (which God of old indulged his People who were of a ſtiff neck and dull ſtupid Mind) but by ſacred Sermons,Hinc vero Organorum uſum templis velle defendere ineptum eſt— In Eccleſia excitandus eſt animus ad Deum & loetitiam non tibiis, tubis tympanis (quod veteri durae cervicis & ſtupidae mentis populo Deus olim indulſit) ſed ſacris concionibus, Pſalmodiis & Hymnis. Com. in 1 Cor. 14.7. p. 599. Edit. 2de. Pſalms and Hymns — Obſerve here, (1.) He calls the Votaries of Organs a fooliſh impertinent ſort of People. And it's no wonder, he brands 'm with ſo black a Character, when they leave the Subſtance and run after the Shadow. When an Heir is impleaded for an Idiot, the Judge commands an Apple — or a Counter — with a Piece of Gold — to be ſet before him, to try which he'll take; and if he takes th' Apple, or the Counter, and leave the Gold; he's then caſt for a Fool: For he knows not the value of things, or how to make a true Election. And are not our Organical Sinners thus fooliſh? For when Bugels, and Diamonds, Braſs Counters, and Gold are ſet before 'm; they leave the Diamonds and Gold of the Goſpel, and pleaſe 'mſelves with the Ceremonious Toys, and Baubles of an abrogated Law. And (2.) He Aſſerts, that ſpiritual Joy is not rais'd by Muſical Inſtruments; and if ſo, then the Church-uſe of Organs is notoriouſly impertinent. (3) He adds, that the Jews were indulg'd in the uſe of 'm, becauſe they were a ſtiff-necked ſtupid People. Now, methinks, our Organical Neighbours look as like a parcel of Stubborn Jews, as one Egge to another; and ſome of 'm are as ſtiff-necked Bigots, as ever the Jeruſalem Jews were when beſieg'd by Veſpaſian; and as an evidence of their more than Jewiſh Bigotry, they make Idols of Ceremonies, and had rather ſee the Kingdom run down with Proteſtant Blood than Part with the leaſt Hemm of a Conſecrated Frock; but they (forward Souls) will ſtep more than half way o're th' Hedge to meet his Holineſs of Rome.
But leſt you ſhou'd think I'm a little too uncharitable, give me leave to tell you, I deliver not my own Judgment, but that of the Church of England her ſelf, for ſhe in her Diſcourſe of Ceremonies — has this remarkable Paſſage — And whereas in this our Time, the Minds of Men are ſo diverſe, that ſome think it a great Matter of Conſcience to depart from a piece of the leaſt of their Ceremonies, they be ſo addicted to their Old Cuſtoms —
And that you have a Pack of dull Animals in the Prelatical Conſtitution, you acknowledg'd to me in your Fourth Letter, wherein you added, That theſe were the Poor Creatures that ſtood in need of a little Organical Aſſiſtance, and 'twas an Act of Charity to relieve 'm; and you may remember that in my Anſwer, I reſolv'd this, and a great many other Parochial Irregularities into the Ignorance, ill Morals, and ill Conduct of ſome dignified Drones among us, who labour more for the Fleece than for the Flock. But then Sir, I made a Diſtinction, and in particular aſſur'd you, that the Parſon of my own Pariſh, was a Man of good Morals, good Learning and of great Pains; and therefore was juſtly excluded from thoſe Cenſures. If all that wear his Coat had but his Learning, and exemplary Life; I'm ſure our Critical Adverſaries wou'd have no grounded occaſion to hit us i'th' Teeth with the Scandals of Clergy-Men.
(3.) If Organs may be us'd in Church-Worſhip, to elevate our Affections? Why mayn't other Inventions be added, that may as effectually Anſwer the ſame End? I'll grant you as much as you deſire, that Muſick may accidentally elevate a drouſie Mind; but ſo do a great many other things, as a Skeleton, a Bloody Lamb, Devotional Images and Pictures, and the Cruciſix, if you're i'th' Humor to believe Lutherans and Romans; but muſt they therefore be brought into Church, and made a Part of the Ceremonial Service? Riſum teneatis —
(4.) Are Organs helps to Devotion? The Papiſts ſay the ſame of their Images, Crucifixes, Lighted Candles, and all the ſtupendous Relicks mention'd in their Celebrated Legends.
Bellarmine makes a hideous Clamour about's Altars, Croſſes, Images,Apud nos Altaria, Cruces, Imagines— Relicks and pictur'd Walls, thoſe are they, ſaith he, that ſtir up Perſons to Piety. This is the very Language of our Organical Votaries: By which we may Conjecture, that there's a Snake in the Graſs, for they can't plead for an Organ, or Chant out an Eccleſiaſtical Ode, but th' Old Cardinals Cant muſt be the Burden of the Song, and then off it go's with a Bongrace.
The Papiſts ſay, they don't adore th' Image, but only uſe it as a viſible medium as they do Organs,Ne Imagini quidem Chriſti in quantum eſt lignum Sculptum ulla datur reverentia. Aquinas. by which they Worſhip the Inviſible God; and yet we count that Idolatry in 'm, and Pray Sir, are not our Organical Worſhippers equally Guilty? Or is that a Vertue in our Members of th' Engliſh Reformed Church, which is a Vice in the Panders of the painted Jezabel of Rome? And upon the ſame pretence as Organs are introduc'd into Divine Service, the Walls of our Church may be fill'd with devotional Pictures to enflame th'. Affections; in fine what's there that an Engliſh Proteſtant can ſay for an Organ, which an Italian Papiſt will not ſay for a Crucifix and Carved Images, the darling Inſtruments of Romiſh Devotion: The Truth on't is, for you t' aſſert that by th' uſe of Organical Melody your Affections are rais'd to the Supream Being, is in Effect the ſame, as if a Woman ſhou'd ſay, that ſhe keeps Company with another Man to raiſe her Affections to her abſent Husband.
(5.) By this Objection, you acknowledge not only the grievous lameneſs of your Church-Devotion, but th' ineffectualneſs of the Common-Prayer to Cure it; otherwiſe, what need of conſulting the Vitalian Oracle? This puts me in mind of Serenus Creſſy, *Vid. his Letter to Mr. B. about Baker's Book.who forſook the Church of England, becauſe (as be ſaith) he found no ſpiritual Devotion in't. And Hutchinſon, alias, "Berry the Prieſt Writes,†B. Cain and Abel, p. 134, 135. That the moſt of ſerious Godlineſs among Engliſh Proteſtants is found among thoſe call'd Puritans. But I'm ſure, the Modern Puritans have more Charity for their Friends and Neighbours, than th' Objector's Catholick Friend has.
Here's then a very conſiderable defect acknowledged; that the Prayers and Preachments of the Church are liveleſs and dull, for the Affections of theſe Organical Gentlemen are not excited by them, but that we mayn't always be dull and drouſy; her's a Muiſical expedient thought upon, and the Church-Worſhip ſhall be turn'd into a Stage-diverſion, and an Artificial contrivance: and which (I think) ſhou'd it univerſally prevail, will transform all Religion into meer Mechaniſm. However, I am glad to hear your languiſhing Devotion is of th' mending Hand; and that you are reſolv'd to ſhake off that Eccleſiaſtical Ruſt, which your Affections have contracted for the want of rouſing and powerful Pulpiteers. But oh the ſtrange Effects of Organ-Pipes! What charming influence have they on dull and Melancholly Souls! And now therefore, who more happy than the Inhabitants of Organical Pariſhes? By conſecrated Bells, they can drive away the Infernal Hobgoblins, (if they have but Faith enough to Believe what a Spaniſh Jeſuit will Swear to be true) and by the help of a pair of Melodious Organs, they may Conjure not only the lazy and Eſs-hole, but all the Calviniſtical Pariſhioners to Church, and ſo their Pews ſhall be as throng as three in a Bed.
This puts me in Mind of a certain Philoſopher, who complain'd that when he ſpake Soberly to the People, they gave him no Audience but playing on's Pipes Multitudes floct after him.
Oh rare Melody! What pity it's all our Parlors are not Converted into ſo many pompous Theatrical Quires; and that all our Bairnes and Servants are not train'd up in this Organical way. What more revicing than a Canonical Conſort of Muſick! What ſtrange and wonderful feats have been perform'd by the Melodious charms of Muſical Pipes.
Theſe were the ſweet Syrens that charm'd the famous Ʋlyſſes and's Companions. And Theophraſtus tells us, that by the Art of Muſick the pain of the Hip-Gout has been cur'd. Here's good news to our Gouty-Pariſhioners; if they can but make ſhift to creep to Church and lay their left Ear to the leading Organ-Pipe, the Cure is Effected, only they muſt be ſure to pay the Piper, for Money is all — Nay Zenocrates cur'd Mad-Men by the means of Muſick. Well then, if you'l be adviſed by a Friend; ſend your Organical Muſick to New-Bedlam, and firſt try the experiment there, for I'm ſure there are many in that diſmal Place that want help: Particularly two forlorn Church Parſons, Mr. Pr—d. Who you'l find 'ith Tenth Figure. And Mr. Perkins, who was put in but few Months ago by my Lord Mayor upon the Requeſt of his Grace of Canterbury, as the publick News told us. I'd have you make tryal of skill on 'm, for a good pair of Organs are an admirable Catholicon; and therefore don't deſpair of ſucceſs. And when you've turn'd Bedlam into a Colledge of Wiſdom, I do aſſure you, I'll heartily joyn Hand and Heart with you, and be the moſt forward in the Croud to Cry, Oh happy Cathedraliſts! And what mighty Advantage have thoſe that dwell near a Cathedral or an Organical Church! Where a Man Ears ſhall be conſtantly regail'd with Harmonious Melody, and the Health of the Body ſecur'd by the ſecret Charms of Canonical chanting: And what is more (for we've reſerv'd the beſt Wine till laſt) the ſweet and Melodious ſound of the Pipes (eſpecially if they be conſecrated) will Effectually diſpel all gloomy Thoughts out of your Minds, and you ſhall be as Merry as forty Beggars in a Barn, and never fall any more into the Quagmire of Melancholly and madneſs. But after all the Patriarchs of St. Davids, and St. Aſaph, muſt confeſs that the charming Melody of Organs has not been able to preſerve the Sacred Quire from the great Plague of Simony. But both Church and State have honorably Acquitted 'emſelves from this Guilt, by expoſing the Criminals to the Righteous and publick Cenſure of the Law.
But pray Sir, to be ſerious, upon what bottom do your Friends and you go? I've been told you can't regularly Erect a pair of Organs in your Pariſh-Church, unleſs you be Authoriz'd by ſome juſt Power; either by the King, Parliament, Convocation, Canons, or Rubrick. And if you're not authoriz'd by theſe or ſome or one of 'm, I humbly conceive you're accountable to Authority for a breach of the Law of Uniformity. But I'm ſure you've no power from His Majeſty, no warrant from any Statute Enacted by Parliament, nor from any Canon, or any Convocation, nor from any Rubrick in our Engliſh-Common-Prayer-Book, for the ſetting up Organ-Worſhip in your Parochial Church. And many of the Learned are of Opinion, that according to th' Act of Uniformity, and the Conſtitution of the Church of England, no particular Paſtor of a Pariſh-Church is allow'd to introduce new Rites and Modes of Worſhip into his Pariſh-Church over and above what are Appointed by the Act of Uniformity, without a warrant either from a Parliament, or Convocation.
The Church of England her ſelf ſpeaks expreſly to this very purpoſe in her Diſcourſe, about the Abolition of Ceremonies, Her Words are, That no Man ought to take in Hand, or preſume to appoint — any publick or common Order in Chriſt's Church, except he be lawfully called, and authoriz'd thereunto. Pray then Sir, have not your Organical Friends by their appointing this new Model of Worſhip, out-run Canons, Convocations, Rubricks, and Homilies, and travel'd as far as Rome it ſelf before ſome of their Brethren have crept as far as Canterbury? And pray Sir, mayn't overdoing the Rule, as well as underdoing? Mayn't exceſſes as well as defects in reference to the ſame Canon be a real Schiſm in the Church? How comes it to paſs that only defects in Diſſenters are Sins, and yet exceſſes in Conformiſts are ſuch Vertues? Why is't that a Man may advance towards Rome and be no Schiſmatick, but yet one glance o'th' Eye towards Geneva makes him a damnable one: What is't no Crime in a Church-Man to out run the Conſtable? In a word, mayn't the Statute of Uniformity be violated by a Supra-Conformity, as well as by Subter-Conformity? And if ſo, your Organ-Adorers ought to be Excommunicated ipſo facto, and not reſtor'd until they Repent and publickly revoke this wicked Error, As to Mr. Baxter's Arguguments for Organs, I'm ready to account for 'm if call'd upon —
And as to the Pariſh it ſelf, where theſe Organs are to be Erected: It's reported to be generally poor, and not without juſt reaſons, complains bitterly of ſome late unreaſonable Impoſitions laid upon't by Lay-kirk-Officers. And Sir, ſhall we encourage 'm to add to the Burthen? For you know that the purchaſe of a pair of Organs will be very chargeable. And muſt the Purſes of the poor Pariſhioners be ſqueez'd again to gratify the Muſical fancy of a few Perſons, that are a little more Merrily giv'n than their mortifi'd Neighbours.
Beſides, will any of our Friends be ſo unnatural to Poſterity, as to entail perpetual Italian Gabels, as an Inheritance upon 'm? For you and they can't but know, that a pair of Organs will be a conſtant Charge to the Pariſh; and you've already more Poor than you're well able to maintain.
Therefore in the Name of the Poor of the Pariſh, what do you mean? Will you bring in the Babylonian Bell and Dragon among 'm, to devour 'm a live? I've read that Pharoah's Lean Kine eat up the Fat Ones; but for the Fat Ones to eat up the Lean, is moſt horridly unconſcionably. But thus 'tis in ſome Towns and Pariſhes, as in ſome Fiſh-Ponds, Five or Ten great Jacks devour all the ſmall Fry; and ſo if things go on at this rate; in a ſhort time we muſt all joyn in Conſort with the Jovial Beggar and ſing, A begging we willgo —
The poor Pariſhioners muſt throw away their Money upon Organs; when ('tmay be) their Family want Bread at home. Nay, and theſe poor Sheep muſt not bleat neither, tho' ſeverely clipt; they muſt be dumb, and if any of them be ſo mad as plead Poverty, or complain of Oppreſſion, then a parcel of ſinful Scoundrels are immediately ſent to rifle the Houſe, and theſe (forſooth) are authoriz'd to turn Auctioneers, and to ſell the Poor man's Goods by an inch of Candle; and his Neighbour for's impertinence is conſign'd over to the Eccleſiaſtical Purgatory, (the moſt intollerable Grievance that the Engliſh Nation this Day groans under *Notes in uſum Sarum p.) where he's worri'd out of's Life, by a mercyleſs Crew of Infernal Locuſts, that feed upon the Sins of the People.
Now Sir, it's hop'd you're in ſome meaſure convinc'd how you and your Organical Companions, have Erred and ſtrayed from your Ways like loſt Sheep, and have followed too much the Devices and deſires of your own Hearts — for, from the whole, it's evident that Organ-Worſhip, was part of the Ceremonial Law, which is now abrogated; that the Apoſtolical and Primitive Fathers, have not as much as a favourable Sentence to befriend the Cauſe of your admired Organs, that Organ-Worſhip is a Popiſh Neoterical practice, foiſted into the Church, when Church-Men had proſtituted 'mſelves to the Babylonian Whore; and ever ſince this and ſuch like Meritorious Pomp has been accounted the greateſt Splendor of the Romiſh Hierarchy.
The Church of England her ſelf has born a very ample Teſtimony againſt you, and what will the true Sons of the Church, as they call 'mſelves, have no Umbrage of regard to her grave Dictates? To own her as a Mother, and yet to ſlight her Advice, ſhows that you mind your beloved Organs more than your Fifth Commandment. In a forequoted place, the Church complains bitterly of the exceſs and Multitude of Ceremonies, that the burthen of 'm was intollerable — Theſe are her own Words. And what will you add more, when your good Antient Mother complains there are too many already? One wou'd think that they that cry up the Church, the Church, ſhou'd ſhow greater degrees of Reverence to her Maternal Authority, and not prefer ſenſitive Contentments before their Mothers Bleſſing.
But I perceive that thoſe who Proclaim themſelves the Sons of the Church (and pray make Room for them, for they be bulky ones, God bleſs 'm) after all, are but a parcel of over-grown Children, that are paſt Correction: And Children will be Children ſtill, and therefore no wonder, that there are ſo many tak'n up with Childiſh Toys and Bartholomew trifles, but one wou'd think you and your Muſical Acquaintance big enough to be aſham'd to ride upon a Penny Colt, or a two Penny Gelding; tho the famous Alcibiades did once (to pleaſe a Child) Condeſcend
Ludere par impar equitare arundine longâ.
To play the Fool at Even or Old
And for a Hobby-horſe ride a Rod.
But if Organs are ſo eminently uſeful, pray ſhall I ask you a few Innocent Queſtions before we part.
1. Why have you been ſo long without 'm? No doubt but ye are the Men, and Wiſdom ſhall dye with you. But how then comes it to paſs that you did not think ſooner of this Eccleſiaſtical Artillery to mend your crazy Devotion? Or were our Organical Friends born under a Midſummer-Moon? Whether they were or not, I dare not pretend to ſo much Aſtrology as to determine it. But ſure I am, the Lord of their Firſt-Houſe was wonderfully culminant, or elſe it's impoſſible it ſhou'd ever enter into their Pericrany's to advance Folly and Vanity, Pride and Pomp into the Eccleſiaſtical Throne in ſo notorious a manner.
2. If Muſick in Divine Worſhip be ſo good; why don't you add more Muſical Inſtruments? For good added to good, makes the greater good; and you know two good things are better than one, and the more the Merryer. Ay but nothing compar'd to a pair of Organs: Oh Organs! dainty brave Organs! they're all in all, the very Cream of the jeſt and Prim'ſt Jannock 'ith oon. In a word, we've luckily hit upon a Soverain Remedy that'l never fail to rouſe up the moſt Phlegmatick Endymion in the Paroch.
3. If there be ſuch Excellency in Organs, why are there ſo many Pariſhes that were never yet honour'd with a Choir of Muſical Levites? If they're ignorant, and don't know the worth of this ſort of Muſical Devotion: Then the Beams of the Eccleſiaſtical Light are not ſo diffuſive and penetrating as is uſually pretended, and our Parochial Guides are accountable for this our damnable Sin of Ignorance. But and if they be poor, and can't purchaſe and maintain a pair of Expenceful Organs without ſelling their Patrimony; then in the Name of the poor Pariſhes of England, I humbly beg and beſeech all Parſons (by what Names or Titles ſoever dignified or diſtinguiſhed) who have their hundreds and their thouſands per Annnm, to contribute towards the purchaſing of Religious Organs for 'm, and towards the Annual charge that attend them; But mum, not a Penny I'll ſecure you.
But it's time to think of parting, for it's late: And beſides, you know it's exceſſive Cold; and that our Conſort of vocal and Inſtrumental Muſick has laſted long; longer than any that has been known in Salisbury-Court for theſe Seven Years laſt paſt.
… pray Sir, Excuſe my freedom, and attribute the Exorbitancy of my Pen, to that pleaſant motion which the very thoughts of Melodious Muſick put upon my juvenile Blood. And as to this trouble, I queſtion not, but you'l be ſo juſt as to place it to your own Account, becauſe your exceſs of Reverence for Eccleſiaſtical Muſick, and your earneſt Requeſt to me for my Sentiments about it, drew it upon your ſelf; and I hope you'l Love me never the leſs, becauſe I part abruptly, and conclude without Ceremony,
SIR, Your's Affectionately to ſerve you without the Accent of Organs.
ADVERTISEMENT.
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. Printed for A. Baldwin, at the Oxfard-Arms in Warwick-Lane, 1698.
End of the text · James Owen, Church Pageantry Displayed (1700)