attending the Temple Service, where instrumental Music was conftantly made use of; and he never, upon any Occafion, forbid the Use of Instruments in religious Worship, which he certainly ought to have done, had such a Method of praifing and worshipping God been inconsistent with the Purity and Spirituality of the Gospel Dispensation. Nay, the New Testament itself being Judge, instrumental Mufic is so far from being inconfiftent with the spiritual and reasonable Service of the Gospel, that it is made use of in the more spiritual, rational, and refined Songs and Worship of Angels.

And when he had taken the Book, the four Beasts, and four and twenty Elders, fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them Harps, and golden Vials full of Odours, which are the Prayers of Saints. And they jung a new Song,

1

Long, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the Seals thereof: for thou waft flain, and bast redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation; and bast made us unto our God Kings and Priests: And we fhall reign on the Earth. Rev. 5. 8, 9,

10.

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb Food on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four Thousand, baving his Father's Name written in their Forebeads. And I heard a Voice from Heaven, as the Voice of many Waters, and as the Voice of a great Thunder: And I heard the Voice of Harpers harping with their Harps: And they jung as it were a new Song before the Ikrone, and before the four Beasts and the Elders: And no Man could learn that Song, but the hundred and forty and four Thousand, which

avere redeemed from the Earth. Rev. 14. 1, 2, 3.

Imitating these fine passages, our Milton has thus nobly represented those harmonious Beings.

*" Then crown'd again, their golden Harps [they took,

"Harps ever tun'd, that glitt'ring by their Side "Like Quivers hung, and with Preamble sweet "Of charming Symphony they introduce "The sacred Song, and waken Raptures high: "No one exempt, no Voice but well could join "Melodious Part; fuch Concord is in Heav'n."

The Christians in the first Ages of the Church are full in their Recommendation of divine Harmony. Is any merry? Let him fing

PSALMS.

St. James.

Let the Word of Chrift dwell in you richly in all Wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in PsaLMS,

and HYMNS, and SPIRITUAL SONGS,

finging

finging with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord.

St. Paul to the Coloffians.

Speaking to yourselves in PSALMS and HYMNS and SPIRITUAL SONGS, finging and making Melody in your Heart to the Lord.

St. Paul to the Ephefians.

I will fing with the Spirit, and I will fing with the Understanding also.

St. Paul to the Corinthians.

And when Christ and his Apostles had fung an HYMN, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

St. Matthew.

"The Christians used on a set " folemn Day, to meet together be"fore Sun-rifing, and to fing a

mong themselves an HYMN to

"Chrift, as God."

Pliny to Trajan.

This Evidence is abundantly fufficient to satisfy serious and candid Chriftians that there is no Impropriety in our making use of Hymns as well as Pfalms in our religious Adoration of almighty

God.

Some gloomy Beings indeed there are, who explode all Music, vocal and instrumental. What fuch Perfons mean to make of themselves when they arrive at Heaven, where there is an eternal Hallelujah, fung in full Chorus before the Throne of God, I leave them to confider. At present however, I think the strong Sentiment of Shakespear, with little Softning, is not unapplicable:

a

"The Man that hath no Music in himself, "Nor is not mov'd with Concord of sweet

[Sounds,

"Is fit for Treasons, Stratagems, and Spoils; "The Motions of his Spirit are dull as Night, "And his Affections dark as Erebus:

"Let no fuch Man be trusted."

Various