Choir-service Vindicated.

A

SERMON,

PREACHED IN THE

Parish Church of Ross,

IN THE

COUNTY OF HEREFORD,

IN BEHALF OF

THE CHOIR OF THAT PLACE;

ON

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, 1829,

BY THE

REV. T. D. FOSBROKE, M.A. F.A.S. &c. &c. &c.

Published for the benefit of the Choir.

ROSS:

PRINTED BY W. FARROR,

AND SOLD BY T. B. WATKINS, HEREFford, Mr. Jew,
GLOUCESTER, And t. faeror, MONMOUTH.

Choir-service Vindicated.

11. CHRON. CHAP. XXXV; VER. XV:

" And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their places,

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according to the commandment of David."

IT was an opinion of all the ancient nations, that however invidious might be the ostentation of individuals for display and self-exaltation, no magnificence could possibly be too great for places of worship; and all the wealthy of a state were expected to be either founders of new temples, or benefactors to the old. Such was the general impression, for at no period of time has the Almighty suffered himself to be without witness. Indeed the necessities of our nature, all within us, and all without us, must inevitably generate Religion; for Atheism however pretended, never actually existed, or could exist. It never could imply more than confession of ignorance, as to the entity and acts of Deity. However rode the exhibition of religion

will be the finest known exemplar of rational piety.
He had endured strange vicissitudes; and severe af-
flictions; and had been rescued from the dangers of
such situations, by miracles, which proved to him,
that the very darkness of providence was visible and
might be even felt. In the hand, which had borne the
shepherd's crook, the Almighty had placed the scep-
tre; in the hand, which had wielded the sling, he had
placed the thunderbolt. All was wonder. He was
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not only fed, but aggrandized by the word, which
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proceeded out of the
of the mouth of God. How could

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he duly laud this ineffable being! How little was
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he, a mortal, a child of dust, beside the Almighty,
who reigneth from everlasting to everlasting! He
prostrated himself at the feet of him, who
him, who gave him

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a living soul! He confessed, that God was all; that
he himself was nothing. He sought his greatness
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only in the possession of an understanding, capa-
ble of knowing God, and of a heart, that can with

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reverential awe appreciate his infinite worthiness and power. He saw that this gift made man the

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SLIDADOS 2180 to man thus

AEDIAT

Lord of the Earth, and brought with it felicity. For
thus illuminated the mind unfolded a thous-
gupil yo
and charms,
charms, which would otherwise have escaped
observation, and rendered them at once a source
of pleasure and devotion: Indeed it is most certain
that through this influence of the Holy Spirit, man
is qualified rightly to admire the productions of his
Creator, to exalt himself above this sublunary

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sphere, and in higher realms to enjoy the presence of God, and be like to him and magnify him for

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It was natural for a man of such a mind and feelings to derive from music solace in adversity, and exultation in prosperity. It was natural impulse, by which he was taught to abate sorrow, and augment happiness. It was a pure and rational method of expressing piety and praise, worthy the huma ancestor of a holy Saviour. Accordingly he became the founder of Choir-service, in the celebration of divine worship. I do not mean that he was the first who connected music with the praise of God, for that was common among all nations, both oth before and after his æra. I only mean that he seems to to have been the first patron or author of its systematic incorporation with the Hebrew Liturgy. The history of this event is given as follows, in the Book of Chronicles." + And David

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spake to the chief of the Levites, to appoint their brethren to be the singers, with instruments of

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music psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding by lifting up the voice with, joy.So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass, and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, and Unni and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on

kenosubang & stum. Birgirenisip a Visoudne sy 1st. Chron. XV, 16, 19, 2201 votes10