Church-Mufick Vindicated. A SERMON Preach'd at St. Bride's Church, on Munday November 22. 1697, BEING St. CECILIA's Day, The Anniversary Feaft of the Lovers of MUSICK. Publifhed at the Requeft of the Stewards. 1 A SERMON Preached on St. Cecilia's Day. 2 Chron. 5th Ch. 13th, and 14th. Verses. 13. It came even to pass, as the Trumpeters and Singers were as one, to make one Sonud to be heard in Praifing and Thanking the Lord; And when they lift up their Voice, with the Trumpets and Cymbals, and Inftruments of Mufick and prailed the Lord, faying, For he is good for his Mercy endureth for ever: That then the Houfe was filled with a Cloud, even the House of the Lord; 14. So that the Priests could not stand to Minifter by reafon of the Cloud; For the Glory of the Lord had filled the House of God. WE do not (I think) meet in the whole Book of God, with a more Signal Inftance of his favourable Ac 191 ceptance, of that Devout Employment in which we are now Converfant, (our praising him, and giving him Thanks, with Voices and Inftruments of Mufick) than we have in those words which I have now read to you, and which I have chosen for the Subject of my following Difcourfe; where we find it makes up a very confiderable part, of one of the moft Eminent Solemnities of Religion, that we ever heard of under the Legal Difpenfation; A Solemnity Regulated by the Wifeft amongst Men; and in which we cannot fuppofe any thing to have been allowed of, but what was fuitable to the Gravity and Majefty of the occafion: It was Solomon's Dedicating that Glorious Temple, which was justly Reputed the Nobleft Structure in the World; and his Solliciting the Almighty, that he would Arife into his Resting-place, He and the Ark of his Strength. To fet off a performance fo Remarkable as this, with all the Characters of a becoming Grandour, he Summons the Elders and Heads of Tribes, and even all the Men of Ifrael, to attend him at Jerufalem; where having offered up Sheep and Oxen without number, they accompanyed the Priefts who bore the Ark Ark of the Covenant, and conducted it with Reverence into the moft Holy place; whilft to add to the Magnificence of the Ceremony, the Levites which were the Singers, having Cymbals and Pfalteries and Harps, stood at the East end of the Brazen Altar, and with them a hundred and twenty Priefts Sounding with Trumpets; as you may read in the Verfes juft preceding my Text. And certainly, if an incredible Multitude of Spectators and Affiftants, if the quality as well as number of the Perfons Affembled, if the Stateliness and Beauty of the Scene and Action, if a Pompous expence of almost innumerable Sacrifices, and a Delightful Variety of all forts of Mufick, can give Life and Quickness, Majefly and Splendour to any performance; the Religious Festival which this Chapter gives an accout of, may juftly challenge the preference above all others, that ever occurred throughout the whole Jewifh Oeconomy: And therefore we find, that according to God's method of proceeding with that People, whofe more eminent Acts of Piery he ufually Honoured, with fome Senfible Demonftration of his favour, he Manifefted his Approval of this Devout Solem |