86

"He will find in these two last such an Abfurdity and Confufion of Stile, with fuch a comparative "Poverty of Imagination, as will "make him very fenfible of what I "have been here advancing.

"Since we have therefore fuch a "Treasure of Words, fo beautiful "in themselves, and fo proper for "the Airs of Mufic, I cannot but "wonder that Perfons of Distincti"on fhould give fo little Attention " and Encouragment to that Kind "of Mufic, which would have its "Foundation in Reason, and which "would improve our Virtue in Pro"portion as it raised our Delight. "The Paffions that are excited by "ordinary Compofitions generally "flow from fuch filly and absurd "Occafions, that a Man is afham"ed to reflect upon them ferioufly; but the Fear, the Love, the "Sorrow, the Indignation that are "awakened

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B

i awakened in the Mind by Hymns "and Anthems, make the Heart "better, and proceed from fuch Coufes as are altogether reafona"ble and praife-worthy. Pleasure "and Duty go Hand in Hand, and "the greater our Satisfaction is, the "greater is our Religion.

<<

"Homer and Hefiod intimate to " us how this Art fhould be applied, "when they reprefent the Mules as furrounding Jupiter, and warbling their Hymns about his "Throne. I might shew from in"numerable Paffages in ancient "Writers, not only that vocal and

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inftrumental Mufic were made "use of in their religious Wort ip, "but that their most favourite Di"verfions were filled with Songs "and Hymns to their refpective "Deities. Had we frequent En"tertainments of this Nature a"mong us, they would not a little

"purify

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purify and exalt our Paffions, give "our Thoughts a proper Turn, "and cherish thofe divine Impulfes "in the Soul, which every one "feels that has not ftifled them by "fenfual and immoderate Plea"fures.

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"Mufic, when thus applied, "raises noble Hints in the Mind "of the Hearer, and fills it with great Conceptions. It strengthens "Devotion, and advances Praife "into Rapture. It lengthens out every Act of Worship, and pro→ "duces more lafting and permanent Impreffions in the Mind, than "those which accompany any tran"fient Form of Words that are "uttered in the ordinary Method of religious Worship.

"Divine Mufic diffufes a Calm"nefs all around us, it makes us << drop all those vain or immodeft "Thoughts which would be an B 2 Hindrance

"Hindrance to us in the Perform"ance of that great Duty of "Thanksgiving, which, as we are "informed by our almighty Bene"factor, is the most acceptable "Return which can be made for "thofe infinite Stores of Bleffings, "which he daily condefcends to pour down upon his Creatures. "When we make use of this pathe"tical Method of addreffing our"felves to him, we can scarce con"tain from Raptures! The Heart "is warmed with a Sublimity of "Goodness! We are all Piety and "all Love!

"How do the bleffed Spirits rejoice and wonder to behold unthinking Man proftrating his "Soul to his dread Sovereign in "fuch a Warmth of Piety as they "themselves might not be afhamed " of !"

"The

The royal Pfalmift's Opinion and Practice are well known.

&

Praife ye the Lord. Praise God in bis Sanctuary: Praise him in the Firmament of his Power. Praise him for bis mighty Acts: Praise him according to his excellent Greatness. Praise him with the Sound of the Trumpet:: Praife him with the Pfaltery and Harp. Praife bim with the Timbrel and Dance: Praife him with fringed Inftruments, and Organs. Praise him upon the loud Cymbals: Praife him upon the high-founding Cymbals. Let every ibing that hath Breath praise the Lord. Praife ye the Lord. Pfalm 150.

Nor is this Practice of finging the Praises of God with Inftruments, any where prohibited under the New Teftament Difpenfation, as fome well-meaning, but, in this Refpect, erroneous, People are willing to fuggeft For we find our Saviour took every Opportunity of

attending