India Christiana. A discourse, delivered unto the Commissioners, for the Propagation of the Gospel…

I. THERE is a Joyful Sound, which is to be heard among the Children of Men, where the Gospel is Published, and where the Ordinances of it are Established. The Sound of the Silver Trumpets which Entertained the Ancient Israelites, in and for their Solemn Assemblies, was no less Typical than Musical. In these Days of the New-Testament, we have the Substance of the Instrumental Music, which was of old used in the Worship of GOD; the Shadow is vanished away. The Shadow was of old confined unto the Temple; But the Substance we have now in every Synagogue. The usage of Instrumental Music in our Public Worship of GOD, hath been long since disrelished among His Faithful People. Justin Martyr long ago exploded it. Yea, Aquinas, himself as late as less than Five hundred Years ago decried it. Indeed, it was one of the Last Things which the Man of Sin introduced, in the Worship of our SAVIOUR, which he had already filled with a Multitude of Superstitions. We will then for the present look on the Jewish Trumpets, and Organs too, as a part of the Abrogated Pedagogy. Yea, but the Trumpets of the Gospel, these we have still sounding in our Ears. But the Sound has diverse properties assigned unto it, which it will be proper for us, now to take notice of.

I. THERE is a Joyful Sound, which is to be heard among the Children of Men, where the Gospel is Published, and where the Ordinances of it are Established. The Sound of the Silver Trumpets which Entertained the Ancient Israelites, in and for their Solemn Assemblies, was no less Typical than Musi•al. In these Days of the New-Testament, we have the Substance of the Instrumental Musick, which was of old used in the Worship of GOD; the Shadow is vanished away. The Shadow was of old confined unto the Temple; But the Substance we have now in every Synagogue. The usage of Instrumental Musick in our Publick Worship of GOD, hath been long since disrelished among His Faithful People. Justin Martyr long ago exploded it. Yea, Aquinas, himself as late as less than Five hundred Years ago decried it. Indeed, it was one of the Last Things which the Man of Sin introduced, in the Worship of our SAVIOUR, which he had already fill'd with a Multitude of Superstitions. We will then for the present look on the Jewish Trumpets, and Organs too, as a part of the Abrogated Pedagogy. Yea, but the Trumpets of the Gospel, these we have still sounding in our Ears. But the Sound has diverse properties assign'd unto it, which it will be proper for us, now to take notice of.