The Holy Harmony: OR, A Plea for the abolishing of Organs and other Music out of the Protestant Churches of Great Britain, and demolishing of superstitious and idolatrous Monuments.  
WITH A plenary Expression OF The 

Parliaments Piety,  
City's Charity,  
countries' Constancy.    ECCLES. 4.11, 12. 
Also if two sleep together, then shall they have heat: but to one how should there be heat?  
And if one overcome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefold cord is not easily broken.  
LONDON, Printed by R. Austin, and A. Coe. 1643.   

The Holy Harmony.  
SOlomon the wisest of Kings did so love the peace of the Church, that he charged the daughters of Jerusalem not to awaken the Spouse of Christ until she pleased, Cant. 8.4. and when he built the Temple of the Lord, you shall observe greater noise at the dedication than erection, for there we heard Solomon's prayer, the people's submission and acclamation, 2 Chron. 7.3. but in the building of this holy pile not the noise of a hammer: it is a Holy Harmony when the King and people join in prayer and sacrifice, for I find it no prejudice to holy David in descending to the poorest, though holy expressions of his people; the Crown and Sceptre is not prejudiced in the observation of the meanest acts of devotion: the King of Niniveh prescribes not a fast to man, and beast, but himself also. Monarchy were miserable if it had this exemption.  
I find in this pious union between the King and people, a notable zeal, wherein it had been no point of treason, for the subject to have been more devout than his Sovereign; 'tis true, the Levites were there with their instruments of music, which David made to praise the Lord, which I conceive he was forced to do, to comply with the people, who were but newly except from under the Judges, in which time having no King, they did every man as he listed, and therefore were not fully reduced to civility, so that David happily suffered these plausible things, whereby to attract the people's recourse to the Temple, nature ever aiming at something that may please or profit, and a holy policy is tolerated, for God grants that nation a Bill of divorce, because of the hardness of their hearts: but we must know, that our hearty devotions are the only music for the house of God, Psalms and Prayers are not the heavenlier for Copes and Vestments, not the louder for wind-Instruments. Indeed I observe at the dedication of Nebuchadnezars image, the Cornet, Trumpet, Harp, Sackbut, Psaltery, and all instruments of Music, Dan. 3.7. were alarms appointed as Ushers to the adoration of those living statues to a dead image, as if the ear must be roused before the heart, or as if men's devotions were like Bucks, Boars or Hares, not to be roused without hollow, horns, and hounds, or as if men had slept all night in a strange lodging, and were to be awakened the next morning by the Weights of the town, with good morrow to your Worship, certainly that zeal is half dead the six days, that must have all that stir to awaken his nap the seventh; certainly this is no holy Harmony.  
Me thinks I affect that holy pastime, and devout derision of Eliahs' used to the Priests of Baal, when he was by the convincing, and converting of Isreal, to confound them, 1. King. 18.27. Cry aloud (says he) for he is a God, either he taketh or pursueth his enemies, or is in his journey, or it may be that he sleepeth, and must be awaked, but this would have been one of the devils sheetings, a great cry and no wool.  
Lazy and sluggish devotion is cold in operation, holy duties have their life, and vigour without such secondary assistance as is borrowed from leathern bellies: what needs such horrid shouts unless it be to confound the sweetness of a hymn? 'tis hard for the vulgar sort to know the Psalm which is clearly lost by the Organs, and the Choir, well may they admire the art of the Musician, but not edify themselves; yet many I suppose have gone to see the prayers, but th●y could not distuiguish by the sound they were so, yet was this applauded by the unholy, for the holiest harmony.  
The soul should appear to God, as God to Moses, in a soft, and a still wind, the holy and sweet sighs, or silent expressions of the soul are most acceptable, Paul knew the sweetness of this still Music, these heavenly breathe, and would have preferred one of them before a thousand crowds of sackbutts, this is the holy harmony.  
I find the ancient Romans had a kind of Vergers that went before their solemn processions, to proclaim silence that so there might be no disturbance to their devotions, for indeed me thinks it had been absurd for a people to speak to their God who must of necessity hold his tongue, but the new Romans being emptier of zeal, have their Organs to rouse theirs lest like those in a swoon they should die in a qualm of ardency; 'tis the organs of ourselves we should employ in that service. Poor Hanna obtained a son for never a word speaking. 1 Sam, 1.13. for Hanna spoke in heart, he lips did move only, but her voice was not heard, but mark she that conceived a prayer in her heart, forthwith conceives a son in her womb, such access to the heavenly throne hath the silentest prayer, they shall be fertile that are faithful, but as if the loudest prayers were the highest, Eli tells her she is drunk, which she devoutly disproves, nay my Lord, etc. even like him, more impotent, and holy they are in their censures, for they think all congregations drunk whose organs they hear not: but he that prays to be heard of men, men shall never hear that that man's prayer is heard, but we hope to have our desires heard, granted, and our sterile wombs opened by those sound, but not sounding expressions of our fowls, which is the holy harmony.  
Christ when he was to raise the daughter of jairus Mat. 9 would not work his miracle of mercy till he had excluded the minstrels (though a bedchamber be a fit place for such a pack then the house of God) our dumpish souls find small solace in such society, nor can they be raised from their slumbers in sin, nor receive the benefit of Christ's consolation, whilst they suffer themselves to be transported with the raving raptures of their foolish jollity, 'tis thence happily we are deprived from the blessed operations of the spirit of life, we approaching the tents of jacob rather to hear the noise of such instruments, than the divine voice of the charmer, who spoke as never man spoke.  
'tis worth the observation that saul's evil spirit was driven away with David's harp, which we know was the stillest instrument amongst the jews, for I conceive that not only much babbling but loud is discommended, though I know that deep sorrows, or strong sense of sin doth frequently make choice of violent, zealous, importunate and loud expressions, in which case if I mistake not, was the holy Paul, when he cried out, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? this is a holy harmony.  
Questonlesse the still devotions are deepest: which smoothly and strongly run in an unfathomed channel, hasting with a strong current into the main and uncircumscribed Ocean of God's mercies, than the whirling and shallow streams, which publish their grumbling peace, and are dammed up by boys in sport. The Pharisee procliams his Plaudite, when as the poor Publican dares hardly whisper his devotions, yet makes up a more approved Harmony.  
I dare avouch the Primitive times sent up speaking devotions with a little noise or pomp, their holy melody did not swell their cheeks, but their hearts with sighs, and eyes with tears, they sought not to give that a sound which was dumb, for they knew they prayed to him that was not deaf; for men in public to tie themselves to musical airs, is to publish himself a useless fiddle that can make no music till he be put in tune. Such anthems as those our Saviour used over Heirusalem, to which holy harmony had they given regard, they had not felt the Roman fire.  
Which divine harmony is the greatest matter that hath kindled the holy Tapers of these times, who had rather offer up the incense of sweet and heavenly prayer to almighty God, knowing that the still, or sweetly smelling, though silent, savour thereof, is more acceptable to him then all the bellowing of beasts sacrificed.  
These coares in our devotions doth the Parliament strive by all meanss to cut out, as careful confectioners from Apples, or Pears, or the stones from fruit, that so they may preserve with the Sugar of reformation the fruit itself,  else would putrify, or like wise Surgeons that embowel that body, they intent to embalm, 'tis much better to part with what we can spare, and will hurt being kept, then by keeping a snuff incense the owner to remove his candlestick, this might justly be suffered by the Church, and the Church not suffer by it. I hold it as great an error in us to affect the Pomp of the Romish Church, as for them to contemn the homely, yet decent, and holy dress of the Primitive, Christ chose a spouse that though she was black was comely, the wife attires not herself but in a modest, and civil manner, when as the whore useth garish flaunting, painting, crisping, to ensnare the silly beholder: whom she blindfold leads into the Chambers of death: had not the pomp and policy of Rome prevailed beyond her, she had had as few Proselytes, as Crowns, which whore, and bawd, our Parliament is wipping, and carting for her many fornications, and adulteries committed with the Kings of the earth, Rev. 17.2. this is the way to produce a Holy Harmony.  
Those watchmen of Israel, or strongmenn about the bed of Solomon had rather our Church should be found in the seamelesse coat of Christ, then arrayed in the royal apparel of Herod, Act. 12. for they find Christ arising from the hive of the worm in glory, and Herod made living food for the worms, so that now though I conclude not the same on our Church and theirs, who in all their blind (though garish devotions) look not on God, nor ascribe the excellency thereof (if any) to him, but to the visibility, and glory of their Church, and Pope, yet I say we may without sin expect a happy resurrection of ours from the dead errors borrowed from them in which she yet sleepeth, and also to see her laid like Sodom, a mark of divine vengeance, to increase our Harmony, how have they already given proofs of these pious purposes, having defaced those offensive monuments stopped, and exiled by all possible means the course of her menstruousnesse, and branded her with the marks of her prostitutions. This than must needs be the basis of their endeavours, for without some spiritual end no mortal men would ever involve themselves in such toils, or strive with Atlas to ease the groaning burden of a superior, an office not so painful as unthankful. I find in that Apologue of jotham, judg. 9 that the Olive would not leave his fatness, the Fig his sweetness, the Vine his cheeringnesse, to be a King. Questionless in that honourable Assembly there are Olives, Figs, Vines, which have declined the fat, sweet, and cheerings of their possessions and retirements, to groan under constant encumbrances, hazards threatened, censures proclaimed, and ruins (without God's infinite protection) to be expected, and all this for a Holy Harmony. I find in that place  a bramble that accepts the government, which happily may be the reason that ever since there hath been such scratching about a Crown, for there be brambles that endeavour, if not to be in the throne of Solomon, yet to be as the Lions on either side, so that their Sovereign might neither ascend nor descend, but the beams of Majesty must of necessity reflect upon them, whose lustre is peradventure not desired for its own splendour, but for that it affords them; like the Salamander, who loves not the fire because it is hot, but in respect of the antipathy between him and the cold: so I suppose such brambles regard not the royal gems belonging to the Crown, because they are as fixed stars, and cannot be disjointed from the regal possessor, they dearly adore those the Prince may spate ro gilled their blackberries, or if you will have it plainer, they affect not the religious acts of a Prince (which are the true imperial gems) but cherish any vice that may feed their luxury or avarice: these be the kind Ravilliacs of a Prince, and brambles in a Throne. The pious and insupportable care the Houses undergo to produce this Harmony is inexpressible; what depths of unknown troubles wade they thorough? At Sea they stand at the helm by turns, because the labour is great, and only thought to be the business of one watch, but in this task of theirs every man is at the helm, the whole voyage being sothered indissolubly, all men's labours are one, and one's is every man's, every Member being both the alarm that strikes, and the wheels also by which the alarm doth strike. Argos is feigned to have an hundred eyes, and him juno set to watch Io from jupiters' embraces, which he did, giving his eyes rest by turns, but these cannot do so, for one motion keeps them all waking, let who that likes unmantle this fiction by a farther application.  
Now all these bees do extremely labour to fetch in the honey on their laded thighs from all parts of the kingdom, into the hive of the Church, and common wealth, out of which to make one cake of pure wax of which may be made a blessed, and divine light, to guide us to a holy and heavenly Harmony. In which Act as good as great, this City hath not spared any encouragements that would possibly be given, whose helps to this Cause is not unworthy the name of Charity, though it may properly be styled a magnificent supportment; yet where the greatest works of God do require (though not want) the helps of men, they are termed charitable works.  
In the cause of a distressed Mother the aid of a son may come within the lists of Charity, though it be a duty enjoined by Nature; thus than the sustaining of our mother the Church in her infirmities, not only by seeking such remedies as may recover her health, and also reward the Doctor for prescriptive receipts, and the Apothecary's bills, I mean the chief reducers and their agents; this you do, and this Harmony you have endeavoured to advance, being as zealous, and largely free, as the heavens in showers, the Sun order, the sea in floods; where shall I begin my wonder, is it at your Hospitals the stately nurseries of infirm and diseased bodies, or those of crazed minds, or look upon the education of your infantry to breed up the good, or house of correction to castigate the ill, upon your free Alms to each Company belonging, your encouragements to deserving female servants, your large allowances to heavenly Dispenser's, your daily nourishments or shall I now name a Charity outstripping the vaunts of Rome, such a one that the sun may stand amazed almost to behold, Posterity would be startled to sum up the last great, spacious unpatternd, and vast charity, to the Irish Pilgrims, these were your brethren in Christ: so that now I am amazed at a greater disbursement; association, or what I may call it, a filial, ersonall, general assistance of your languishing Mother whose glorious rags you have striven to take off, whose holy homely ornaments you have like Solomon's Temple endeavoured to garnish not only with your gold, but blood, which holy harmony, as Paul speaks of that he heard, no tongue can express, nor few of your own hearts can conceive. This great unexampled act makes you more famous than all your holy edifices, stately granaries, pompous edifices, by which you shall live in a record beyond the applause of Speed, or any mortal Chronologer or Historian. Rome quakes more now at the name of London, then once at Carthage, in whose walls noble Essex shallbe held as terrible as their Hannibal, no Hannonian faction shallbe able to put a jar in your Music, nor no Scipio survive to triumph in y●●● spoils, whilst your dagger (the City's arms) wounds yours and God's opposers, and you enjoy that liberty which Paul made his dignity, being 〈◊〉 from all the Maligners of your prosperity: the twelve Companies, like the twelve Tribes, attending the Ark of the Almighty shall rear up their Standards and lead you thorough the wilderness, by the conquest of the Canantish. Confederates, till you arrive in the land of Promise where you shall find what I treat of, a Holy Harmony.  
Now behold the strength of a zealous association, like that holy oil 〈◊〉 Aaron's head, that came down to his garments; 'tis not the Heads of the kingdom now assembled, that give care to this heavenly melody, nor the shoulders, which is the Metropolis, but the skirts of the garments, the zealous countries, though not so wealthy in abilities, yet have the same garlands to wreath about their heads.  
Harfordshire, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, have furnished up an Army able to reduce Ireland, who have sent in 20000 able, wealthy, well armed, trained men, all of the army of the Lord of Hosts to fight this (nay his battle) who met at their rendezvous in Cambridge, and Bishop-Stratford, on Saturday last, where observe how ready the people of God are to obey his summons for upon Thursday the first of this june at the Fair at Bishop-Stratford: no sooner had some of his Excellency's trump summoned their appearance, but suddenly every man was in readiness, forsaking their wives with as great joy as first they met them, every man putting two months pay in his pocket, and have marched with a noble resolution to procure to us a Harmony here which shall be a preparation to that Harmony the Angels make at the throne of the Lamb, to whom be glory now, and for evermore. Amen.  
FINIS.