Against Idolatry and Superstition, Sermon 2 · Part 8
VIII. Organs and Cathedral Musick.
IT is true, they had Musical Instruments in the Worship of God under the Law; but
1. There was then a clear word of Institution for them. The Trumpets of Silver and Cornets of Horn, were instituted by the hand of Moses, Numb. 10. in the ten first Verses, and Levit. 23. 23, 24. and in Davids time there were added Cymbals of Brass, and Harps and Psalteries of fine Wood, 1 Chron. 16. 4, 5. and that by Authority and direction from God, for so was the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets, 2 Chron. 29. 25. and therefore they are called the Instruments of Musick of the Lord, 2 Chron. 7. 6. and we reade also of Timbrels, Organs, and Ten-stringed Instruments, Psal. 149. 3. & 150 4.
But there is not one word of Institution for them under the Gospel, but on the contrary they are cashiered and excluded out of Gospel-worship▪ by that general Rule which the Apostle layes down concerning all the p…rts of Gods Worship, 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be done unto edifying; and ver. 15. I will sing with the Spirit, and I will sing with understanding also; but the Chanters and Ch…risters are Barbarians to all the people, for they play and sing no body knows what, so that the understanding cannot edifie by it. If I know not the meaning of the voice, he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian into me, 1 Cor. 14. 11. It is therefore a strange Comparison which some have used, who have said they know no Argument to prove the Organs simply unlawful, but what would prove a Cup of Wine unlawfull. For we must remember, that the Question is concerning the use of them in the Worship of God: and therefore the Answer is, That there is a vast disparity of Reason between a Cup of Wi…e and Organs, for the one is instituted, the other not. Christ hath appointed and commanded us to …se …read and Wine in his Worship in the Sacrament of the Supper, but he hath not appointed Cathedral Musick.
2. I do not finde in the Scripture, that th…se Musical Instruments were a part of their Synagogue-worship, which was Moral, but rather of their Temple-worship, which was Ceremonial. In their Synagogues they had the publick Moral Worship of God, Reading and Expounding the Law, &c. Acts 13. 15. Some think they had Trumpets also in their Synagogues to call the people together, but this was a Moral use of them, for which we use the ringing of a Bell. But the Scripture is clear, that the Musical Instruments were appointed to be used continually before the Ark, 1 Chron. 16. 4, 5, 6. And the Singers and Trumpeters▪ stood at the East end of the Altar at the dedication of the Temple, 2 Chron. 5. 12. And in Hezekiahs time, when the burntoffering began, the song of th… Lord began also, with the trumpets, and with the Instruments ordained by David King of Israel, 2 Chron. 29. 27 28. But seeing Christ is come, and hath caused the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease, and the City and the Sanctuary being both destroyed, as Dan. 9. 26, 27. all the Worship that was affixed thereto is ceased with it.
3. There was a typical signification in them. The Silver Trumpet signified the sounding of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel through all the world, the Preaching of the pure Word of God by his Messengers, who are said to lift up their voice as a trumpet, Isa. 58. 1. S…t the trumpet to thy mouth, Hos. 8. 1. The t…ngue of the just is as choice silver, Prov. 10. …0. and …th th…se, and all the rest of their Musical Instruments, were expressions and signs of joy, Psal. 98. 6. & 89 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. They were therefore fit resemblances to shadow out that heavenly Musick, and inward Melody of the joyes and graces of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his people. The Apostle therefore exhorts us to sing, but in stead of Musical Instruments, he requires the melody of the heart, Eph. 5. 19. and grace in the heart, Coloss. 3. 16.
But 4. Suppose the signification of the Jewish Musick could not … found out, (as indeed it is an hard thing to finde out the meaning of all their Ceremonies) we are delivered not onelyonly from their Types and Ceremonies, but also from all their Yokes and Burthens. These things were a part of the burthensome P…dagogie, which the Church was under in the time of its Non-age and Childhood, but now the time of Gospel-freedome is come, Gal. 4. 1. And therefore Aquinas, though a Popish Schoolman, yet he rejects and pleads against these Instruments of Musick, as being then used amongst the Jews quia populus erat magis durus & carnalis, for which reason also they were so much encouraged with promises of temporal things. And this Superstition was not brought into the Church of Rome it self in his time, who lived about 400 years ago, and he saith the reason was n… videatur Judaizart, lest they should seem to Judaize. And he doth also well observe, that Musical Instruments do more stir up the minde to delight, then frame it to a right disposition, they raise natural, rather then true Spiritual joy: which they that commend them as an help partly natural and partly artificial, to the exhilarating of the spirits for the praise of God, may do well to consider. They are such an help as God hath not appointed, and what God doth not appoint, h… is not wont to bless. But why should we not have Trumpe…s in the Worship of God as well as Organs? for the Jews had Trumpets also. And why must we have them onelyonly in Cathedral Churches? If Organs be too dear for every poor Parish, yet they might get Citherns or Bagpipes. And why should there not be Dancing in the Worship of God as well as Piping? For those old Idolaters in Exod. 32. did not onelyonly shout, but also danc…d and played before their Idol. Eras…us, though in many things a Papist, yet he saw the evil of this, that whole flocks of Boyes should be maintained at a great charge, wasting also their own precious time in perdiscendis hujus…o…i gannitibus, which Dr. A…es …enders thus, in learning this gibble gabble. And all the first Reformers condemn it with one mouth, Zuinglius, Calvin, Peter Martyr, and others, as a part of the Legel P…dagogis; so that we might as well recall the Incense, Tapers, Circumcision, and all the other Shadows of the Law into use again.