"For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves
with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not
to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they
frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the
praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense,
the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of
the law. The Papists, therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well
as many other things, from the Jews. Men who are fond of outward pomp
may delight in that noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us
by the apostle is far more pleasing to him. Paul allows us to bless God
in the public assembly of the saints only in a known tongue. The voice
of man, although not understood by the generality, assuredly excels all
inanimate instruments of music; and yet we see what St Paul determines
concerning speaking in an unknown tongue. What shall we then say of
chanting, which fills the ears with nothing but an empty sound? Does any
one object, that music is very useful for awakening the minds of men
and moving their hearts? I own it; but we should always take care that
no corruption creep in, which might both defile the pure worship of God
and involve men in superstition. Moreover, since the Holy Spirit
expressly warns us of this danger by the mouth of Paul, to proceed
beyond what we are there warranted by him is not only, I must say,
unadvised zeal, but wicked and perverse obstinacy."
—Calvin’s Lecture on Psalm 33:2
From http://heidelblog.net/2013/06/calvin-instruments-in-public-worship-is-the-restoration-of-shadows/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment