Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

Here it may not be improper to remark, that the spirit and the
understanding are seldom united in our congregational singing. Those
whose hearts are right with God have generally no skill in music; and
those who are well skilled in music have seldom a devotional spirit, but
are generally proud, self-willed, contentious, and arrogant. Do not these
persons entirely overrate themselves? Of all the liberal arts, surely music
is the least useful, however ornamental it may be. And should any thing
be esteemed in the church of God but in proportion to its utility. A good
singer among the people of God, who has not the life of God in his soul,
is vox et praeterea nihil, as Heliogabalus said of the nightingale's brains,
on which he desired to sup, "He is nothing but a sound." Some of those
persons, I mean those who sing with the understanding without the spirit,
suppose themselves of great consequence in the church of Christ; and
they find foolish superficial people whom they persuade to be of their
own mind, and soon raise parties and contentions, if they have not every
thing their own way; and that way is generally as absurd as it is
unscriptural and contrary to the spirit and simplicity of the gospel.
It is very likely that the singing of the Jews was only a kind of
recitative or chanting, such as we still find in the synagogues. It does not
appear that God had especially appointed these singers, much less any
musical instruments, the silver trumpets excepted, to be employed in his
service. Musical instruments in the house of God are, at least, under the
gospel, repugnant to the spirit of Christianity, and tend not a little to
corrupt the worship of God. Those who are fond of music in the theatre
are fond of it in the house of God, when they go thither; and some,
professing Christianity, set up such a spurious worship, in order to draw
people to hear the gospel. This is doing evil, that good may come of it;
and, by this means, light and trifling people are introduced into the church
of Christ; and, when in, are generally very troublesome, hard to be
pleased, and difficult to be saved.
Did ever God ordain instruments of music to be used in his worship?
Can they be used in Christian assemblies according to the spirit of
Christianity? Has Jesus Christ, or his apostles, ever commanded or