5. Instrumental music is incompatible with directions for singing given in the N. T. («) Heb. xiii, 15:" Let us offer the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of the lips." This exhortation is given in terms of the O. T. (Psa. 1, 14; Ixix, 30, 31; cxvi, 17; Hos. xiv, 2, Sept.), yet the formal definition of praise makes it the produc- tion of the lips, not of the organ. (6) Eph. v, 19: " Singing and making melody (i\juWovt(q, touching the chords) in the heart to the Lord." Praise requires more than the mere "talk of the lips" (Prov. xiv, 23); but the accompaniment is not an instrument in the hand, but a living organ of some sort, (c) Col. iii, IG : " Sing- ing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." In this passage "grace" answers exactly to i^aXXoiTf? — " touching the chords" in the heart ; both passages har- monize in requiring something besides the voice, as do many others. Hut that something is not a machine in the hand. What is it? What was symbolized by all these cymbals, organs, harps, trumpets — these "things without life giving sound V" Tlie general idea of Christian people is that they all were intended to repre- sent grace in the heart — the working of a regenerated soul in gratitude to God. Hence the martyr's excla- mation, " O for a well-tuned harp !" and the prayers of godly people for their hearts to be put in " tune." John Bunyan's account of Mr. Fearing, who was always play- ing on the base, with many such allusions, chime in exactly with the whole idea of acceptable worshiji (.lohn iv, 24, "in spirit and in truth:" 1 Cor. xiv, 15, "I will sing with the spirit").
This idea is supported by the following considera- tions: {a) In the passages above cited "grace" in one answers to "melody" in the other, and both are in the heart. (6) This "melody," this ••grace," is <lift'crent from the "singing" — superadded to the "fruit of the lips." ((■) The " harps" hold the same relaiiun to praise
MUSIC
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that the vials of " odors" do to prayer. 1 Cor. xiv, 15 : "I will pray with the spirit" (Psa. cxli, 2; Rev. v, 8; viii, 3, 4). (d) They are eminently adapted to repre- sent " grace" in a variety of aspects. Take the follow- ing (with the trumpet as used in proclamation we have no concern here, but with the instruments of praise) :
(1) They represent grace as it deals with the deepest moving of the affections, both in sorrow and joy. In Isa. XV and xvi we have the workings of pity, even to hopeless commiseration, winding up with this: "My bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab ;" and like ex- pressions, Ixiii, 15; Jer. iv, 19; xlviii, 36; xxxi, 20, margin; comp. Jer. xxxi, 4 with Job xvii, 6. They combine the deepest mixture of sorrow and joy (Gen. xxxi, 27 ; Ezra iii, 10). The change of feeling is some- times very sudden (Job xxx, 31; 1 Chron. xiii, 8-11; Kev. xviii, 19-22). The same sound will give sorrow to one and joy to another at the same time (1 Sam. xviii, 6-9; Tsa. xcvi, 9-13; xcviii, 6-9, with Rev. i, 7).
(2) They represent the countless variety of gracious experiences, with their wude range of degrees and im- perfections, from Bunyan's " Mr. Fearing" up through tenor, alto, and treble, with leger-line above the clouds (2 Tim. iv, 6-8). The combinations of musical notes amount to millions of millions. The harp of a thousand strings is a low approximation to playing on the chords of the heart to the Lord. (3) They represent grace es- pecially in its pleasurable aspects — pleasing and being pleased (Psa. xcii, 1-4). Godly sorrow is real sorrow ; the harp has a solemn sound when played on the base. Still the power predominating, both in music and in grace, is joy (Rev. xiv, 3 ; xv, 3). During the battle, long before the triumph, the tabret and harp are heard amid the din of war (Isa. xxx, 32). The believer is sometimes a captive, and then he suspends his harp on the willow, because for the time he has no joy (Psa. cxxxvii, 2). In every case short of this he can joyfully touch the chords in the heart (Isa. xxxviii, 20; Hab. iii, 17-19). (4) They represent all this grace in the heart as something that has been put there (Psa. iv, 7). The natural melody of the soul is lost in the fall — the strings are broken : " Ye must be born again." The Ethiopian treasurer, when born of water and of the Spirit, went on his way rejoicing. Spiritual joy is not natural, but gracious ; neither is it unnatural, it fits the place; it is supernatural, restoring the soul to its orig- inal, and with greater security (Isa. xxxv, 10, " Ever- lasting joy upon their heads"). Ezek. xxviii, 13 gives some insight into this matter: "The workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes," etc. There is textual difficulty here of no ordinary breadth ; but whether the personage addressed be Ithobal, or Adam, or Abaddon, it illustrates the case in hand; each had the power of music concreated with him — especially Lucifer, son of the morning. There was a time when the morning-stars sang together, ApoUyon with the rest. Such tabrets and pipes must have been of a spiritual nature, as they •were of exquisite " workmanship" (Eph. ii, 10, " We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus luito good ■works;" so also Gal. vi, 15; v, 6). The new creation produces the faith which works by love, and harmonizes the music of Moses and the Lamb (Psa. cxix, 54 ; xl, 8 ; Eom. vii, 22; Heb. x, 9). The renewed soul sings that song which no other can learn. Such a one has the melody belonging to instruments of very honorable name (1 Chron. xvi, 42 ; 2 Chron. vii, 6 ; Rev. xv, 2 ; Isa. xxxviii, 20 ; Hab. iii, 19 ; Psa. Ivii, 7, " My heart is prepared— I will sing and \pa\io," Sept.). "(5) They represent grace in its perfection— the sublimity of heav- enly joy. Light has its own kind of sublimity; hence we read of "the inheritance of the saints in light." Light reveals objects at a distance; music carries us away. Music is incomplete unless voice and harp go together. Ezekiel's mellifiuous oratory could not be il- lustrated by the one without the other (Ezek. xxxiii, 32). The Temple music represented very fitly the joy of that house where the sweet Singer will preside, the