Dr. Begg, Section 5
James Dodson
SECTION V.
Arguments in favour of employing Organs, and other Musical Instruments, in the Worship of God, in Gospel Times, Answered.
Various arguments have been urged in support of using organs and other musical instruments in the worship of God in the New Testament Church. Some of these it may be
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proper to state and consider. They are such as the following:—
We read of instrumental music being employed in the worship of God before the Law, in the instance of Miriam—(Exod. xv. 20); the custom, therefore, was not introduced by the Law, nor abolished with it.*
ANSWER.—We read of sacrifices being offered by the patriarchs before the giving of the Law, in the instances of Abel, Noah, Abraham, and others—(Gen. iv. 4; viii. 20; xv. 9, 10); but in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is proved that the sacrifices of the ceremonial law are now abolished, and that “Christ, by one offering, hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”—(Heb. x. 14.) At Sinai there was a republication of what God had formerly revealed to the Church, and the ceremonies of worship formerly approved by God, along with the ordinances which were then given, were
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* This and a number of the following arguments are urged by the pious Bishop Horne in his Commentary upon the 150th Psalm, and it is believed they are the arguments usually employed.
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arranged and digested into a regular system by Moses, who was faithful as a servant in the house of God. It has already been proved that this music was a constant attendant of sacrifice, and intimately connected with it from the days of David, and the blowing of trumpets from the days of Moses;* but as the sacrifices under the Law terminated in the death and sacrifice of Christ, it is most reasonable to conclude, that all the concomitants of that typical service were also abolished with them.
2. Musical instruments were used in the temple in Old Testament times, and there is no commandment in the New Testament for laying them aside, and therefore they may still be used.
ANSWER.—There is no need for any particular commandment laying them aside, since the whole temple service, of which instrumental music was a part, is now abolished; and we can have no authority to recall it into the worship of the Christian Church, without as particular an institution for it, as it had under the Law, any
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* Section I.
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more than we have to introduce any of the other abrogated rites of the Jewish religion.*
3. If instrumental music was of Divine appointment under the Law, it cannot be improper under the Gospel.
ANSWER.—Instrumental music was of Divine appointment under the Law, as were all the other parts of that prefigurative service. In the Jewish temple sacrifices were daily offered, incense was offered with prayers, and various instruments of music were employed with the voice in praising the Lord, and all by Divine appointment. This, however is no proof that sacrifices, incense, and musical instruments are proper in the service of the Gospel Church. The temporary service of the Jewish temple, God, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, appointed “until the time of reformation,” (Heb. ix. 10), when the law of carnal commandments should be abolished—(Eph. ii. 15.) But the design of the whole system of Jewish sacrificature is now fulfilled and abolished in
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* See Hall’s “Gospel Worship,” Chap. iv., Sec. 4.
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the death of Christ, who, “by His own blood entered in ONCE into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Christians must not “turn away to the weak and beggarly elements” of the law (Gal. iv. 9); for that carnal and figurative worship has now no glory under the gospel, “by reason of the glory that excelleth.”—(2 Cor. iii. 10.)
4. Vocal music was as much connected with the typical service of the temple as instrumental, and no good reason can be assigned why instrumental music should be abolished as a legal ceremony, and vocal music, which was as much so, should be retained.
ANSWER.—The singing of psalms and hymns is retained in the practice of Christ and His apostles; and whilst Paul inculcates the abolition of ceremonial rites, he enjoins Christians to sing the praises of God, as a duty of continued obligation under the gospel. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, he states that “the middle wall of partition is broken down, and that the law of commandments contained in ordinances is abolished” (Eph. ii. 14, 15); but in the same
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epistle, he exhorts them to “speak to themselves, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs; SINGING and making melody in their heart to the Lord.”—(Eph. v. 19.) In the Epistle to the Colossians, he states that Christ hath “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances, and taken it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.” He also adds, “Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat or drink, &c., which are a shadow of things to come.”—(Col. ii. 14, 16, 17.) But in the same epistle he exhorts them to “let the word of Christ dwell in them richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs; SINGING with grace in their hearts to the Lord.”—(Col. iii. 16.) These are good reasons why SINGING the praises of God, though a part of the service of the Jewish temple, should still be retained in the Christian Church. There is, however, no such reason for employing instruments of music, and if the apostle had designed them to be retained, as no part of that system which is abolished, he would certainly have given directions to that purpose, as well as about the
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SINGING of psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.
5. When the beloved disciple was in spirit admitted into the celestial choir, he not only heard them singing hymns of praise, but he heard likewise “the voice of harpers, harping with their harps” (Rev. xiv. 2), and why that which saints are represented as doing in heaven, should not be done by saints upon earth, no good reason can be assigned.
ANSWER.—It is not certain that this passage of scripture is descriptive of the heavenly state. Taking it, however, for granted, it must be considered that this is figurative language, and nothing can be more erroneous than to give the figurative language of prophecy a literal interpretation. In the Book of Revelation there are many allusions to the pompous typical service of the Jewish temple, among which this passage is evidently one. In the seventh chapter of this book, twelve thousand are represented as sealed from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, making in all one hundred forty and four thousand. In the beginning of this fourteenth
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chapter the same number is represented as “standing with the Lamb upon mount Zion, having their Father’s name written in their foreheads.” It is added, “I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps, and they sung a new song before the throne, which no man could learn, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”—(Rev. xiv. 1, 2, 3.)
This passage of scripture then, if considered as descriptive of the heavenly state is only a proof that instrumental music, with all the service of the Jewish temple, had, under the blessing of God, been the means of preparing those sealed from the twelve tribes, for the services and enjoyments of the heavenly state, which is fully perfective of their temple service and worship on earth; but can be no proof that this music is to be employed by the gospel church on earth, any more than the many allusions to the different parts of the Jewish temple service, contained in the prophetic descriptions of the Book of Revelation, are a proof that the services alluded to are to be
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admitted into the worship of the Christian Church.*
6. Other reformed churches, as those of England† and Holland, use the organ in the worship of God, why then should not we admit
* “In the Apocalypse, no doubt, we read of ‘harpers harping on their harps;’ but the book where this occurs is a symbolical book, and it would be absurd to understand it in any other than a symbolical sense. If the ‘harpers’ are to be understood literally, the offering of ‘incense’ referred to in that book must be understood literally too. The beast with the seven heads and ten horns must be a literal beast, and the woman that sits on the back of it must be a literal woman. Who in his senses would contend for such a principle of interpretation in regard to these? But this must be contended for and maintained, before any argument can be drawn from the ‘harpers’ of the Book of Revelation in favour of the use of instrumental music in the gospel church.”—Mr Hislop.
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† Though organs are used in the Church of England, they are severely censured in one of the established homilies of that Church. A fact which took place at the Reformation is recorded and improved in these words:—“A woman said to her neighbour, what shall we now do at church, since all the saints are taken away, since we cannot hear the like piping, singing, chanting, and playing upon the organs that we could before?” To which it is answered, “Dearly beloved, we ought greatly to rejoice, and to give thanks to God, that our churches are delivered from all those things which displeased God so sore, and filthily defiled his holy place, and his house of prayer.”—Homily of the Place and Time of Prayer, Part II.
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organs into the Established Church of Scotland?
ANSWER.—It has already been proved that organs were not used in the worship of the New Testament Church, until the ages of Popish ignorance, will-worship, and idolatry; and if these Reformed Churches still retain some superstitious and unauthorised practices, so far from following them, we should be the more diligent in keeping pure and entire the worship of God. Our religious worship must be regulated by Divine authority, and not by the opinions and practices of men. If we have not the example and authority of Christ and His apostles for the use of organs, the sentiments and conduct of modern Reformed Churches is of little avail. We have a Master in heaven, and must call no man master on earth; but be followers of the best of men, only in so far as they are followers of Christ.
7. The music of the organ, well regulated, tends to calm the passions and enliven the affections in the worship of God; it thus assists our devotion, and gives us pleasure in the way of duty.
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ANSWER.—This argument supposes that we may accommodate the worship of God to our own taste and feelings, and model it in such a way as to enliven our affections, and give us pleasure; whereas our worship must be founded upon the Word of God, and our sentiments and feelings, and all our active principles must be regulated by its authority.
It has already been proved that instrumental music in gospel worship is a Judaizing and Popish corruption, and however grateful it may be to the feelings of those who are peculiarly alive to the charms of music, and who delight in the pleasures of sense; yet no corrupt addition can give pleasure to those whose consciences are influenced by a regard to Divine authority, and who are desirous to be found “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Christ knew what was in man, and if He had judged organs proper to soothe the passions, exalt the affections, and assist the devotions of His people, He would certainly have appointed them. He has made full provision for their comfort, but has nowhere
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appointed organs for that purpose. His people are to “speak to themselves, and to teach and admonish one another, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual SONGS, singing with grace in their hearts to the Lord.” This is the music appointed in New Testament times to soothe the passions and enliven the affections of the followers of Christ; to assist their devotions, and fill them with pleasure in the way of duty; and none may add to or diminish from the ordinances of the King of Zion.
8. The organ is a most powerful majestic instrument, peculiarly fitted for sacred music, and tends greatly to perfect and embellish the public worship.
ANSWER.—This argument is similar to the former, and scarcely requires a separate answer. Such arguments are founded upon the supposition that the ordinances of Christ may be altered according to circumstances, and that men may add to them whatever they shall judge expedient, or agreeable to their inclinations. False and unreasonable supposition! It is the duty of Christians “to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded them.” This desire to
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embellish the worship of God has been always a fertile source of corruption, and frequently has led men to “make void the law of God, by their own traditions.” How important and applicable is the exhortation of the apostle? “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”—(Col. ii. 8.)