which is sinful are not unlike the Laws made by King Henry the Second in the times of Popish Profaneness and Darkness for the Regulation of Stews and Whorehouses as that no Stewholder should receive any mans Wife nor keep any Woman against her Will if out of remorse of Conscience she would leave that leud life c. upon which a late Historian well observes that such Canons and Constitutions could not make them who were bad in themselves to be good though they might happily keep some who were bad Dr. Fullers History of the Church book 5. pag. 240. from being worse For though natural Poysons may by art be so qualified and corrected to make them cordial yet moral Poysons viz. things sinful of themselves can never be so ordered and regulated but that still they will remain sinful and unlawful the only way to order and amend being to remove and extirpate them And therefore King Henry the Eighth did utterly suppress those Brothel-houses And the like course those two and thirty grave learned men who were chosen in King Edwards days to reform Ecclesiastical Laws and Observances thought fit to take with this superstitious Musick which the Church of Rome hath gone a whoring after Vibratam illam operosam Musicam quae figurata dicitur auferri placet It likes us well say they to have this quavering and curious kind of Musick quite taken away De Divino Officiis ca. 5. apud Amesium ubi supra And the reformed Churches abroad have laid it aside with one consent as hath been shewed whereby it is evident that they did not account it a good thing abused but a thing sinful and evil in it self So likewise the great Parliament in their Ordinance of May 9. 1644. in Mr. Scobells Collection Anno 1644. Ch. 38. thus reject them The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament the better to accomplish the blessed Reformation so happily begun and to remove all Offences and things illegal in the Worship of God do ordain that all Organs and Frames or Cases wherein they stand in all Churches and Chappels shall be taken away and utterly defaced and none others hereafter set up in their places whereunto all persons within this Kingdom whom it may concern are hereby required at their peril to yield due obience I have now examined all that I can meet with that hath been objected in this Cause and I know not what can be objected further unless being driven from all their other holds they will fly for refuge to the Authority of the Church as their manner is which if they do we may easily retort the Argument upon themselves and beat them with their own weapons If I held any Opinion according with the Church of Rome but contrary to the concurrent Judgment and Practice of all the choisest Saints and purest Churches I would even desire the Lord to write it in Stars and Sun-beams But such is the Musick now in question It is borrowed from the Church of Rome and they who write for it borrow their Arguments from Bellarmine who disputes for it against Peter Martyr as hath been shewed so that Papists and Semi-Protestants are almost the only Sticklers for it but the reformed Churches have cast it off which though it is not in it self a demonstrative or cogent Argument neither do I so intend it fot the Scripture is the only infallible Judge yet it is enough to confound and stop the mouths of such Objectors as pretend the Authority of the Church for this Chaunting Idol-Service For they take part with the Church of Rome in this particular against all the Reformed Churches To the Reader WHereas the Author in the foregoing Discourse asserts that the Reformed Churches have with one consent laid aside Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God that word Reformed Churches is not to be understood as including either the Lutheran Churches abroad or our Prelatick ones at home And moreover the Reader must consider that he therein speaks according to the declared Judgment of the chief and generality of their Writers For though it appears by learned Voetius Pol. Eccles part 1. l. 2 tr 2 sect 1. c. 3. that some Churches in Holland have Organs yet the Reader may there find the Judgment of the Netherland Synods to have been against them and that they were brought in among them but of late and that too not by any publick Authority but only on the private affection of some particular persons here and there besides a great cloud of witnesses against them not only from amongst Protestant Writers but many of the very Papists themselves and some in the elder ages of Christianity Moreover this Discourse of our Author was written in or neer the time of his unhappy leisure after the memorable Bartholomew 1662. and therefore before that Book of learned Voetius came forth Moreover it is certain that this Musick in the Worship of God is a much later Invention then many other Popish Corruptions are An Organ was long unknown in France or Germany the first of them being brought to King Pipin by Stephen Bishop of Rome and other Embassadors from Constantinus Copronymus as that excellent Historian and Antiquary Aventinus hath it Res adhuc Gallis Germanis incognita Organon appellant Annal. Boior lib. 3. pag. 300 Edit Ingolst 1554. which is seconded by Amoinus who adds that afterwards one George a Grecian Presbyter undertook to make one for Lewis the Emperor His words are these Adduxit vero Baldricus Domino Imperatori Presbyterum quendam Georgium nomine bonae vitae hominem qui se promitteret Organum more posse Graecorum componere Quem Imperator gratanter suscepit quia Deus illi quae ante se inusitata erant Regno Francorum attribuebat gratiarum actiones reddidit ac Tanculfo sacrorum scriniorum Praelato commendavit publicisque stipendiis curare jussit ea quae huic operi necessaria forent praeparare mandavit de Gest Franc. lib. 4. cap. 64 cap. 114. This is placed by Calvisius in the year 826. and that sent to Pipin was about threescore and ten years before Though withall I know some Writers give them somewhat an older standing The Centurists of Magdeburg have these words Cent. 7. cap. 6. Tandem anno 666. in pleno numero Bestiae Apocalypsis 13. cantum latinum cum Organis Ecclesiae â Vitaliano Pontifici susceperunt missamque deinde c. At last in the year 666. in the full number of the Beast in the 13th of the Revelations the Churches they speak of the Churches in England received Latine Singing with Organs from Pope Vitalian and thereafter began to say Latine Mass and set up Altars with idolatrous Images from whence followed both Prayers to the Dead and Exorcisms and other prodigious practices of the Papists For which they there cite Bale For my part I suspect they and he were therein deceived both because of what is before mentioned from Aventinus
is said of those that might not be eaten Whosoever toucheth the Carcase of them shall be unclean Vers 24. And this was a thing of so great weight that the Lord uses those vehement expressions about it Ye shall not make your selves abominable with any of those unclean things and creeping things c. 43. verse of that Chapter For I am the Lord your God you shall therefore sanctify your selves It did make the person abominable who did defile himself with those things We read of two kinds of uncleanness of Beasts under the Law 1. There was an Uncleanness of Beasts for Sacrifice and an Uncleanness of Beasts for Food That distinction of Clean and Unclean referred to Sacrifices that was from the first entrance of Sin into the World Therefore in Noah's time there were so many Clean and so many Unclean Beasts with him in the Ark. 2. The uncleanness of the Beasts for Meat seems now to be appointed by God there having been a more general liberty in the time of Noah and ever since to eat of any wholesom living Creature God now laid a restraint upon it by Moses Quest But why such a difference Is not every Creature of God good Answ They are good in themselves It is not any natural Uncleanness but an instituted Uncleanness that Uncleanness that is in them by virtue of the Ceremonial Law And the Reason is The absolute supream authority and dominion of God over all his Creatures He would have all men know That whatsoever they eat it is by his allowance and they must forbear so far as he restrains them And this further account may be given of it That it did make up and strengthen that Partition Wall between Jew and Gentile which the Lord thought good to set up in those times The Gentiles being unconvinced of any such things and the Jews being strictly trained up to it Quest What Creatures be they that were Clean and what were Unclean Answ They be set down at large in Levit. 11. And there be three Rules observable about the Beasts which were Clean and which were Unclean which might be eaten and touched and which might not and they were known thus 1. By the parting the Hoof. 2. By chewing the Cud. 3. By the properties and dispositions of them 1. Such as parted the Hoof were Clean. Levit. 11.3 Whatsoever parteth the Hoof and is cloven footed among the Beasts that shall ye eat And they that did not were Unclean This plainly notes a right distinguishment of things that God requires of his people That we should walk in them with a right foot distinguishing of things that differ Phil. 1.9 10. And this I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment that ye may approve things that are excellent The Margin renders it thus That you may discern of things that differ For many things there are of a different nature which a Christian should distinguish as the difference between the Law and the Gospel between our general and particular Callings that there be not an intrenching of the one upon the other This is one property the parting of the Hoof. 2. The second is the chewing of the Cud which intimates Meditation ruminating on the things of God digesting Spiritual Food for the Word is compared to Food Amos 8.12 I will send a Famin in the Land not a Famin of Bread nor a thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the Lord. The Word of God is Spiritual and it must be chewed and ruminated upon by deep and serious Meditation Psal 1. Blessed is the Man that meditateth in Gods Law day and night Luk. 2.19 It is spoken in the praise of Mary that she pondered on those things and laid them up in her heart It is the misery of Sinners and unclean Creatures that they cannot ponder the path of Life Prov. 5.6 Her feet go down to death her steps take hold on hell lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life The want of a meditating considering frame of heart undoes poor sinners they cannot consider what they do they are not serious in meditating and ruminating on the word of God 3. There is a third difference and character between the Clean and the Unclean and that is in the properties of each Some had good properties and some bad As the Swine which wicked men are compared unto for that fowl and dirty disposition and property of wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2.22 The Dog is turned to his vomit and the Sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire So that as the Dog licks up his vomit again so many a poor Sinner that hath been washed and made clean and hath confessed his sins and vomited up his filthiness he licks it up again and returns to the same sin he had vomited up by confession like the Dog and Swine This uncleanness of the Beasts did intimate two things 1. A distinction of persons 2. The necessity of forbearing Communion with some kind of persons 1. That there is a difference of persons clean and unclean Men which is intimated by clean and unclean Beasts It is common in Scripture to speak of men under such resemblances and especially wicked men to compare them to unclean Beasts We see it in Peters Vision Acts 10. He saw all manner of four-footed Beasts and creeping things c. vers 15. What God hath cleansed call not thou common nor unclean And so hereupon when Peter was meditating on this Vision the Spirit said unto him go down with these men doubting nothing for I have sent thee And he had incouragement to go and preach to the Gentiles by that Vision This Sheet let down with unclean Beasts signifies the Gentile people There is a great distinction in the Godly themselves and much more in Wicked and Ungodly Men. Daniel represented the four Monarchies by four Beasts The Lyon of Babylon the Bear of Persia the Leopard of Greece and the Roman Monster This speaks thus much That some persons are clean and some are unclean godly and ungodly clean and unclean 2. It bespeaks a restraint of Communion with wicked men Eating is an action of Communion and not eating implies a restraint of Communion Therefore when it is said to Peter kill and eat the meaning is go and communicate with the Gentiles Our Communion with Christ is set forth by eating and drinking eating his flesh and drinking his blood having inward Communion with him thereby So to eat or not to eat of such and such Beasts is to have Communion or not to have Communion with such or such Persons Some men must be abstained from as unclean that is wicked and ungodly men the neglect whereof God often reproves Ezek. 44.7 He reproves them that they had let in strangers into his Sanctuary And vers 23. They shall teach my people the difference between the Holy and Profane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean Men of
p. 593. Ainsworth on Psalms p. ult of Musick in Temple Ames Fresh Suit against Ceremonies part 2. cap. 4. sect 6. pag. 405 406. Didoclav Altar Damasc cap. 8 p. 490 491 c. Cotton of Singing of Psal c. 3. p. 12. who do with one mouth testifie against them most of them expresly affirming that they are a part of the abrogated legal Pedagogy so that we might as well recall the Incense Tapers Sacrifices New Moons Circumcision and all the other shadows of the Law into use again But Aquinas himself also though a Popish Schoolman pleads against them upon the same account quia aliquid figurabant and saith the Church in his time did not use them ne videatur judaizare lest they should seem to judaise Aquin. secund secundae Qest 91. Art 2.4 Yea Tilenus himself before his Apostacy for what his Judgment was afterwards in this particular I do not know but in his first which were his best times he saith Instrumenta inanimata sive ea sint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicunque in Ecclesiam revocant Synagogam pridem sepultam hac in parte refâ—diunt operosum illud machinamentum quod Antonomastice vocant Organon Vitaliani Papae inventum ac donum illis arrideat qui magnae meretrici supparasitari quam Christianae simplicitati studere malunt non absimiles Ethnicis quos Lactantius ad Templa ventitare ait non tam Religionis gratia quam ut videant audiant quod oblectet lib. 2. cap. 7. quibus publicorum Conventuum finis non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syntag. part 2. disp 49. thes 49 50. What it was that was the thing intended and signified by these dark shadows is not without some obscurity and difficulty to determine But yet it may be found out as in other Types so in this by considering the nature of the thing it self and by diligent observing the hints and intimations that are given by the Spirit of God in the Scripture For the meaning of the Types is seldom fully and explicitly declared and held forth but for the most part briefly and obscurely hinted and so left by God to be collected by the Christian Wisdom and Industry of his people The Silver Trumpets then are conceived to hold forth the Promulgation of the Gospel the preaching of the pure Word of God by his Messengers See Ainsworth on Numb 10. For which as there is a clear and fair analogy and proportion in the things themselves so there be some hints of Scripture that seem evidently to look this way As when Solomon saith the Tongue of the just is as choice Silver Prov. 10.20 so the Messengers of God are said to lift up their voice as a Trumpet Isai 58.1 set the Trumpet to thy mouth Hos 8.1 And in Ezek. 33 3-6 the faithful discharge and execution of their Office is expressed by blowing the Trumpet So when it is said in that great Prophesie concerning the Restauration of the Jews Isai 27.13 that in that day the great Trumpet shall be blown it is understood by Interpreters concerning the sounding of the Silver Trumpet of the Gospel throughout the world So Calvin in Isai 27.13 of whose Renown for a spiritual and solid Interpreter we need not speak Tubae spiritualis nempe Evangelii clangor c. So the Dutch Annotators in Isai 27.13 understand by this great Trumpet in a spiritual way the Trumpet of the Gospel whereby God hath called and gathered unto himself a Church out of all People and Nations of the World So Mr. Davenport of the true Messiah p. 21. The sounding of Trumpets to give notice of the Jubile typed out the preaching of the Gospel which began in Johns Ministry and Christ seconded it Luk. 4.18.22 And both these and all the rest of their Musical instruments were expressions and signs of Joy Psal 89.15 and 98.6 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound with Harp with Trumpets with sound of Cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord the King They were therefore fit Resemblances to shadow out that heavenly Musick and inward Melody of the Joys and Graces of Gods Spirit in the Hearts of his people The Apostle therefore exhorts us to sing unto the Lord but instead of calling upon us for Musical instruments he requires the Spirit of Grace in the Heart and Melody in the Heart Ephes 5.18 19. Colos 3.16 The making a joyful noise with Instruments continueth not saith Mr. Cotton of the singing of Psalms cap. 3. p. 12. save only so far as it is kept alive in the Antitype the affections of our Hearts our praecordia making melody with the songs and professions of our Lips and with the gracious and peaceable conversations of our Lives Yea so clear and obvious are these significations of the Jewish Musick notwithstanding some some little obscurity that Tilenus himself though dark enough in other things could not but see it such is the evidence of the thing it self Festum clangoris saith he continuam spiritualem laetitiam Evangelici praeconii tuba excitandam denotabat the Feast of Trumpets denotes those continual spiritual rejoicings raised in the heart by the pleasant sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel Syntag. par 1. disp 52. thes 61. 4. But suppose the signification of the Jewish Musick could not be found out as indeed it is an hard thing to find out the meaning all their Types and Ceremonies Yet nevertheless we are delivered by Jesus Christ not only from their Types and Ceremonies but also from all their yokes and burthens and from all such Ordinances and Observations as did befit them and belong unto them as in that estate of infancy and childhood Junius therefore upon the History of Miriams praising the Lord with Timbrels and with Dances distinguisheth thus Eorum quae lege imperata sunt alia ad rei futurae praesignificationem pertinuerunt alia singularem illius Ecclesiae habuerunt significationem Quaecunque res futuras praesignificaverunt ea post Complementum in Christo usurpare est impium quae Ecclesiae illius fuerunt propria vel singularia eadem nunc usurpare est ridiculum Jun. in Exod. 15.20 which overthrows that deceitful Rule of Bellarmine which he repeats and makes use over again and again when he saith Ceremoniae Judaeorum propriae sunt illae quae ad aliud futurum significandum erant institutae At Ceremoniae quae fundantur in Ratione naturali ut genua flectere similes non sunt propriae Judaeorum atque ad hoc genus pertinent instrumenta musica porro talem esse Templorum Dedicationem apparet c. Bell. tom 2. de Cultu Sanct. lib. 3. c. 5. tom 3. de Missa l. 2. c. 15. tom 4. de Bon. Oper. in partic l. 1. c. 16. where besides the impropriety of expression for kneeling in Prayer is not so fitly called a Ceremony being an outward gesture which both the
All this pointed them to and was most eminently fulfilled in Jesus Christ the only true High Priest in and by whom alone God speaks his mind and works his Image in us In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 and he is holy and harmless and separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners He wears the true Vrim and Thummim always upon his heart Illuminations and Perfections Lights and Graces in the highest And we have nothing of either but what we have from him Our Lights are from him 2 Cor. 4.6 Matth. 11.27 our Graces are from him Joh. 1.16 of his fulness have we all received Grace for Grace For the Law was given by Moses ver 17. these legal shadows of terror and darkness but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Grace instead of legal terror and rigour Truth that is accomplishments and performances instead of shadows and promises came by Jesus Christ It follows ver 18. no man hath seen God at any time that is by any Light or Grace or Power of his own but the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him The true Vrim and Thummim is in the Pectoral of Jesus Christ all our Illuminations and Perfections are in him 4. Whereas this Vrim and Thummim were lost in the Captivity in Babylon and wanting in the second Temple Ezra 2.63 Nehem 7.65 They wanted this as they did some other vessels and monuments as the Golden Pot of Manna Aarons Rod that budded some think also the Ark and the two Tables of Stone were wanting in the second Temple but as to the Vrim and Thummim those Texts seem clear for it nor had they the Cloud of Glory as in the Tabernacle and in the first Temple or Fire from Heaven The end of all this Dispensation was to teach them to look and long the more earnestly after Jesus Christ the true spiritual Glory of the Temple and Church of God whose coming was now approaching and drawing on apace These abatements of that former outward Glory were preparations for more spiritual Dispensations under the Gospel wherein those outward Glories were not to be expected and in the mean time they had the Law of Moses and the written Word of God in the Old Testament which they were to cleave and stick close unto Mal. 4.4 But when Christ came he restored to his Church in a more glorious manner the true Vrim and Thummim Light and Grace was poured forth abundantly even upon such who by reason of the long intermission of those extraordinary Operations of the Holy Ghost had not so much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghost or no. Acts 19.2 6. The Jewish Writers have a saying and a tradition amongst them that after the latter Prophets Haggai Zechariah and Malachy the Holy Ghost went up and departed from Israel They mean in those extraordinary operations of it and they reckon Vrim and Thummim as one of the degrees of the Holy Ghost inferior to the Spirit of Prophesie but superior to that Bath-qol as they call it the Daughter of a Voice or an Eccho from Heaven which was heard sometimes in the second Temple and which they say took place in the second Temple when Prophesie and Urim ceased We read of such Voices from Heaven to Jesus Christ Matth. 3.17 Joh 12.28 29. 2 Pet. 1.17 18. and he adds in the next verse we have a more sure Word of Prophesie This Bath-qol or Voice from Heaven it was a Prologue and a Preface and Type as it were of that true Voice of the Father the eternal Word of God Jesus Christ who came down from Heaven by whom God hath in these last days spoken to us who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in former times unto the Fathers but now only by his Son Heb. 1.1 2. 8. The eighth piece of the holy Pontifical attire was the Mitre of which the Text saith And he put the Mitre upon his head And it is said Exod. 28.39 thou shalt make the Mitre of fine Linnen This was one of the last Garments that was put on therefore Zechariah desires this in the clothing of Jehoshuah as the perfecting of the Mercy Zech. 3.5 and I said let them set a fair Mitre upon his head so they set a fair Mitre upon his head As to the shape and fashion of this Garment it was not unlike that which the other Priests wore and is called a Bonnet It was made of Linnen-cloth wrapped about the head in a round and high-crowned fashion after the manner of the East Some compare it to the Turkish Turbants or Tullibants some translate it a Hat As to the outward form and inward mystery of it there is little difficulty For a Mitre or a Hat upon the Head was an Ornament of Authority and Superiority over others Ezek. 21.26 Remove the Diadem Job 29.14 My Judgment was as a Diadem in which places is radically the same word as here in Exod. 28. The Mitre therefore was an Ornament and Ensign of illustrious sacred Eminency and Superiority in the High Priest over others It pointeth us to the Princely Dignity and Kingly Office of Jesus Christ He is the great High Priest and indeed both Priest and King of his Church the true Archbishop the chief Shepherd as Peter calls him 1 Pet. 5.4 Believers are called a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 but Christ is so much more He is not only a Priest but a Prince and a Prevailer with the Lord on our behalf 9. The ninth and last piece of the holy Priestly attire is the Golden Plate of which the Text saith Also upon the Mitre even upon his forefront did he put the Golden Plate the holy Crown It is called Exod. 39.30 the Plate of the holy Crown so called for that it was made say some somewhat like a Crown Compare Exod. 29.6 The use and nature of it is described fully in Exod. 28.36 37 38. The Inscription Quodesh la Jehovah may be rendred more emphatically the Holiness of Jehovah It speaks three things 1. The Royal yea the Divine Holiness of Jesus Christ that absolute Holiness whereby he sanctifies both himself and us Joh. 17.19 wherein he doth that really which Aaron did typically He is indeed the Holines of Jehovah Jehovah tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness is his Name Jer. 23.6 Hence he often appears with a Crown of Gold upon his Head as Rev. 14.14 2. His bearing our iniquities and taking away our sins which are found even in our holy things Exod. 28.38 There is a mixture in the best we do Many Believers are apt to be discouraged about it My Prayers are so full of unbelief and deadness and wandrings they deserve abhorrence and not acceptance Well but the High Priest here bears the iniquities of all the holy things of the Children of Israel 3. His causing us to be accepted