XXXVIII. Touching musical harmony whether by instrument or by voice, it being but of high and low in sounds a due proportionable disposition, such notwithstanding is the force thereof, and so pleasing effects it hath in that very part of man which is most divine, that some have been thereby induced to think that the soul itself by nature is or hath in it harmony1. A thing which delighteth all ages and beseemeth all states; a thing as seasonable in grief as in joy; as decent being added unto actions of greatest weight and solemnity, as being used when men most sequester themselves from action. The reason hereof is an admirable facility which music hath to express and represent to the mind, more inwardly than any other sensible mean, the very standing, rising, and falling, the very steps and inflections every way, the turns and varieties of all passions whereunto the mind is subject; yea so to imitate them, that whether it resemble unto us the same state wherein our minds already are, or a clean contrary, we are not more contentedly by the one confirmed, than changed and led away by the other. In harmony the very image and character even of virtue and vice is perceived, the mind delighted with their resemblances, and brought by having them often iterated into a love of the things themselves. For which cause there is nothing more contagious and pestilent than some kinds of harmony; than some nothing more strong and potent unto good. And that there is such a difference of one kind from another we need no proof but our own experience, inasmuch as we are at the hearing of some more inclined unto sorrow and heaviness; of some, more mollified and softened in mind; one kind apter to stay and settle us, another to move and stir our affections; there is that draweth to a marvellous grave and sober mediocrity, there is also that carrieth as it were into ecstasies, filling the mind with an heavenly joy and for the time in a manner severing it from the body. So that although we lay altogether aside the consideration of ditty or matter2, the very harmony of sounds being framed in due sort and carried from the ear to the spiritual faculties of our souls, is by a native puissance and efficacy greatly available to bring to a perfect temper whatsoever is there troubled, apt as well to quicken the spirits as to allay that which is too eager, sovereign against melancholy and despair, forcible to draw forth tears of devotion if the mind be such as can yield them, able both to move and to moderate all affections.
The Prophet David having therefore singular knowledge not in poetry alone but in music also, judged them both to be things most necessary for the house of God, left behind him to that purpose a number of divinely indited poems, and was farther the author3 of adding unto poetry melody in public prayer, melody both vocal and instrumental, for the raising up of men’s hearts, and the sweetening of their affections towards God. In which considerations the Church of Christ doth likewise at this present day retain it as an ornament to God’s service, and an help to our own devotion. They which, under pretence of the Law ceremonial abrogated4, require the abrogation of instrumental music5, approving nevertheless the use of vocal melody to remain, must shew some reason wherefore the one should be thought a legal ceremony and not the other.
In church music curiosity and ostentation of art, wanton or light or unsuitable harmony, such as only pleaseth the ear, and doth not naturally serve to the very kind and degree of those impressions, which the matter that goeth with it leaveth or is apt to leave in men’s minds, doth rather blemish and disgrace that we do than add either beauty or furtherance unto it. On the other side, these faults prevented, the force and efficacy of the thing itself, when it drowneth not utterly but fitly suiteth with matter altogether sounding to the praise of God, is in truth most admirable, and doth much edify if not the understanding because it teacheth not, yet surely the affection, because therein it worketh much. They must have hearts very dry and tough, from whom the melody of psalms doth not sometime draw that wherein a mind religiously affected delighteth. Be it as Rabanus Maurus6 observeth, that at the first the Church in this exercise was more simple and plain than we are, that their singing was little more than only a melodious kind of pronunciation, that the custom which we now use was not instituted so much for their cause which are spiritual, as to the end that into grosser and heavier minds, whom bare words do not easily move, the sweetness of melody might make some entrance for good things. St. Basil himself acknowledging as much, did not think that from such inventions the least jot of estimation and credit thereby should be derogated7: “For” (saith he) “whereas the Holy Spirit saw that mankind is unto virtue hardly drawn, and that righteousness is the less accounted of by reason of the proneness of our affections to that which delighteth; it pleased the wisdom of the same Spirit to borrow from melody that pleasure, which mingled with heavenly mysteries, causeth the smoothness and softness of that which toucheth the ear, to convey as it were by stealth the treasure of good things into man’s mind. To this purpose were those harmonious tunes of psalms devised for us, that they which are either in years but young, or touching perfection of virtue as yet not grown to ripeness, might when they think they sing, learn. O the wise conceit of that heavenly Teacher, which hath by his skill, found out a way, that doing those things wherein we delight, we may also learn that whereby we profit!”
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Footnotes
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[Vid. Plat. Phæd. c. 36. p. 41 … 43.] ↩
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[“Though there was no great matter in the ditty.” As You Like It, v. iii. 35.] 1886. ↩
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[See Ecclus. xlvii. 8, 9.] ↩
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[Whitg. Def. 606. “Touching singing, piping (as you call it), surplice and cope wearing, I answer with Œcolampadius, ‘These things be ree unto Christians, which holy or godly bishops may either add … or take away … as the time requireth . . Those things that be indifferent are not repugnant to the word of God.’ ” T. C. ii. 214. “Under pretence of indifferent things, he seemeth to allow of organs; which beside the popish abuse reneweth Judaism.”] ↩
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[I Adm. ap. Whitg. Def. 742. “As for organs and curious singing, though they be proper to popish dens, I mean to cathedral churches, yet some others must also have them. The Queen’s Chapel, and these Churches must be patterns and precedents to the people of all superstitions.” Id. ibid. 605. “They ministered the Sacraments plainly, we pompously, with singing, piping, surplice, and cope wearing.” Whitg. Answ. ap. Def. 606. “As for piping, it is not prescribed to be used at the Communion by any rule that I know. Singing I am sure you do not disallow, being used in all reformed churches, and an art allowed in Scriptures, and used in praising of God by David.” T. C. i. 168. al. 133. “I have answered before … especially seeing that M. Doctor will not defend the piping and organs, nor no other singing than is used in the reformed churches: which is in the singing of two psalms, one in the beginning and another in the ending, in a plain tune, easy both to be sung of those which have no art in singing, and understanded of those which because they cannot read cannot sing with the rest of the church.” Whitg. Def. 607. “I have heard no reasons as yet to improve the manner of singing used in this church of England, neither do I say that I allow no other ‘singing than is used in other reformed Churches.’ For I would not have any church to arrogate that perfection unto itself, that it should think all other churches to be bound unto it: it was the original cause of the pride of the Church of Rome. I have only said that other reformed Churches allow singing: which is true.”] ↩
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[De Instit. Cleric. II. 48. in Auctar. Biblioth. Patr. Colon. i. 618. “Primitiva Ecclesia ita psallebat, ut modico flexu vocis faceret resonare psallentem: ita ut pronuncianti vicinior esset quam canenti. Propter carnales autem in Ecclesia, non propter spiritales, consuetudo cantandi est instituta: ut, quia verbis non compunguntur, suavitate modulaminis moveantur.” (Raban, Abbot of Fulda, Archbishop of Mainz, 785-856.)] ↩
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Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰ̑δε τὸ Πνευ̑μα τὸ Ἅγιον δυσάγωγον πρὸς ἀρετὴν τὸ γένος τω̑ν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ διὰ τὸ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἐπιρρεπὲς του̑ ὀρθου̑ βίου καταμελου̑ντας ἡμα̑ς, τί ποιει̑; τὸ ἐκ τη̑ς μελῳδίας τερπνὸν τοι̑ς δόγμασιν ἐγκατέμιξεν, ἵνα τῳ̑ προσηνει̑ καὶ λείῳ τη̑ς ἀκοη̑ς τὸ ἐκ τω̑ν λόγων ὠϕέλιμον λανθανόντως ὑποδεξώμεθα.—Διὰ του̑το, τὰ ἐναρμόνια ταυ̑τα μέλη τω̑ν ψαλμω̑ν ἡμι̑ν ἐπινενόηται, ἵνα οἱ παι̑δες τὴν ἡλικίαν ἢ καὶ ὅλως οἱ νεαροὶ τὸ ἠ̑θος τῳ̑ μὲν δοκει̑ν μελῳδω̑σι τῃ̑ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ τὰς ψυχὰς ἐκπαιδεύωνται.—ὢ τη̑ς σοϕη̑ς ἐπινοίας του̑ διδασκάλου ὁμου̑ τε ᾄδειν ἡμα̑ς καὶ τὰ λυσιτελη̑ μανθάνειν μηχανωμένου. Basil. in Psal. [i. p. 125.] ↩