not be undermined by a treacherous Comprehension Should there be such a Comprehension as would take in Atheists Deists and Socinians into the Church it would really be a Treacherous Comprehension and tend directly to the Churches Subversion But if sober Protestant Dissenters who are sound as to the Doctrines they believe Lovers of Morality and of a good Life tho' somewhat differing in their Apprehensions as to less concerning matters from those of the National Establishment should be comprehended such a Comprehension would be far enough from undermining the Churches Foundation and would disclaim the Epithet of Treacherous The Church would be the more enlarged and strengthened by it and it would more conduce to her Glory her Beauty and her lasting Tranquility than a Hundred pair of Organs The Protestant Dissenters e're now have been thought of use to help to give a Check to the Growth of a Popish Faction amongst us And they are always ready to be helpful in that kind They would not undermine or betray the Church but do their utmost to strengthen and defend it It ought not to trouble us saith Dr. Goodman * Sermons p. 244. that some Men i. e. Protestant Dissenters should enjoy someshare of Advantage by this Revolution since it is not only what we vowed to God and promised to them in our Adversity but is that which cannot be denyed them consistently with our own safety And why should they not have an Advantage so great as that of a Comprehension amounts to Were there many more Persons of sound Doctrine of peaceable Tempers of Holy Conversations admitted into the Church would she be the worse for it Would it be Treachery to admit such for her Members I am satisfied our Author will never be able to prove it so If Persons are sound as to their Doctrines unblameable as to their Lives and promise to live peaceably under the Government and to endeavour in their Capacities its support Why should they be kept out of the Church for their suspecting some Un-scriptural Terms of Communion to be unlawful I have read some Interrogatories in the Bishop of Worcesters Irenicum In the Preface which I never yet met with a fair Reply to I wish our Author would allow them a serious perusal Saith that Learned and Reverend Prelate What possible Reason can be assigned or given why such things should not be sufficient for Communion with a Church which are sufficient for eternal Salvation what ground can there be why Christians should not stand upon the same Terms now which they did in the times of Christ and his Apostles Was not Religion sufficiently guarded and fenced in then Was there ever more and Cordial Reverence in the Worship of God What Charter hath Christ given the Church to bind Men up to more than himself hath done Or to exclude those from her Society who may be admitted into Heaven Will Christ ever thank Men at the great Day for keeping out such from Communion with his Church whom he will vouchsafe not only Crowns of Glory to but it may be Aure ole too if there be any such thing there The grand Commission the Apostles were sent out with was only to teach what Christ had commanded them c. I wish our Author would calmly consider these things But our Author extreamly dreads any thing of an alteration in his Church For saith he every alteration in so well ordered a Constitution will be for the worse and give too great an occasion for the Triumph of her Enemies who would be glad to have her honour laid in the dust 1. Will every alteration in so well-ordered a Constitution be for the worse Then the introducing of Organs into the Worship of God in Parish Churches will be for the worse for it is no part of this Constitution 2. But I am not of this Gentlemans Opinion that every Alteration in the Constitution of the National Church will be for the worse I humbly conceive some alteration may be made for the better Suppose the Cross in Baptism the Surplice and Kneeling at the Sacrament were left indifferent as to use as they are pretended to be in their own Nature Would not this be better than to make them necessary conditions of Communion with the Church by which many Persons of eminent Piety are excluded the Church who would otherwise be admitted into it These little things as they are esteemed by the Imposers themselves occasion great Heats and Contentions and fruitless Controversies which would soon have a period upon the leaving these things indifferent What if some exceptionable passages in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book were altered or expunged As the Rubrick concerning Baptism viz. It is certain by Gods Word that Children which are Baptized dying before they commit actual Sin are undoubtedly saved And those words used at the Interment of all Persons tho' never so Lewd and Vicious viz. Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great Mercy to take to himself the Soul of our Dear Brother here departed c. What if some Chapters of the Canonical Books were appointed to be read in the room of the Apochriphal Lessons What if one or both of the Parents were admitted to undertake for their own Children at Baptism to the laying by of God-fathers and God-Mothers What if the Pastoral Authority was taken out of the hands of the Lay-Chancellors and excercised only by the Clergy What if Persons supposing they were qualified for the Ministry by a Competent Knowledge by soundness of Doctrine an unblameable Life and by giving security to the Government of their Peaceableness and Loyalty were admitted to the Ministerial Function and the Exercise of it without giving their Assent and Consent to all things contained in the Liturgy or Book of Common-Prayer Suppose these and some such other alterations were made would it be for the worse I am satisfied they would not and our Author will never be able to prove they would be prejudicial or detrimental to the Church 3. But he offers at a Reason against all Alterations Because they would give too great occasion for the Triumph of her Enemies who would be glad to have her honour laid in the dust To which I have only this to say at present That such Alterations as would be for the enlargement of the Church for the strengthning her Interest and the rendring of her the more formidable to her Enemies would not occasion their Triumph although it might be the matter of their Grief and Envy I am prone to believe that few Persons who impartially consider the state of our Case in this Nation but will be forward to conclude that there is nothing which the real Enemies of the Church of England so much dread as a taking of the Sober Protestant Dissenters into the Bosom of the Church The Churches Enemies he saith would be glad to have her Honour laid in the Dust Then I am satisfied that the Moderate Dissenters are no Enemies to the Church
you are by this time convinced that somewhat more may be said against the use of Organs in Sacris than what is to be found in our Authors Sermon Thus I have done with the Argumentative part of his Sermon There are a few passages towards the conclusion of it which I would crave leave to make a few Remarks upon e're I put an end to this Letter He having finished the Argumentative part of his Discourse proceeds to entertain his Reader with a Panegyrick upon the Church and its Service and I will assure you a pretty lofty one too Take the whole Constitution of our Church Ser. p. 37. saith he as it stands the Envy of our Neighbours the great Bulwark against the Inundations of Heresie and Schisme the Hatred and Fear of the Church of Rome and I hope the Rock of Ages and there is no comparison between this and any other Establishment in the Christian World And presently upon this he presents you with a Prayer not to be found in the English Liturgy Against which let neither the Malice of Devils nor the Policy of Rome nor the Craft of Geneva be ever able to prevaile either to overthrow its Strength thro' a fatal Division among her Members or to rifle its Beauty thro' a Deluge of Vice or to undermine her Foundation by a treacherous Comprehension 1. He saith he hopes this Church is the Rock of Ages The Supream Governour of the Church is so Stiled Isa 26.4 But I never before read any Church on Earth so called and methinks it is a little too lofty for the best Ecclesiastical Society on Earth 2. What does he mean by the whole Constitution as it stands What! Does he intend the Arch-Bishops and Bishops Courts with the many Lay-Officers appertaining to them Does he intend the Singing-Men and Singing Boys Does he intend the Un-scriptural Rites and Ceremonies the use of which are enjoyned by the Church such as kneeling at the Reception of the Elements at the Lord's Supper the Cross in Baptism the Surplice c Does he intend the Common-Prayer-Book imposed upon all Ministers as to the use of it Does he intend Deans Arch-Deacons Canons a sort of Officers utter Strangers to the Primo-Primitive Christians Does he intend Pluralities and Non-residence And the reading some part of the Apocrypha for Lessons to the excluding some part of the Scriptures from being read in Churches And does he intend the use of Organs in Churches too Are these any part of the Constitution as it stands And if they are are these such mighty Bulwarks against Heresie and Schism Are these the Hatred and the Fear of the Church of Rome No those things in the Church of England which are the Hatred and Fear of the Church of Rome are the Doctrines and Worship and Scriptural Discipline in which the Church of England doth fully agree with the sober Protestant Dissenters The Church of Rome neither fears nor hates Diocesan Bishops as such for she has them nor Un-scriptural Ceremonies for she has a world of these nor of Arch-Deacons and Canons and other such Un-scriptural Officers for she has them Nor of Singing-Men or Singing-Boys for her Churches ring with them nor of a Liturgy as such for she has one nor of Organs for they are frequently found in her Temples nor of Crosses for she abounds with them 3 But this Constitution he saith is a Bulwark against the inundations of Heresie and Schisme Officers which Christ ne're appointed Modes of Worship which Christ ne're Instituted which the Apostles and Christians of the purest Ages ne're practised are not such a Bulwark Therefore if any such things are to be found in the Constitution of this Authors Church they are not Bulwarks against Heresie and Schism So excellent a Constitution as is that of the Church of England does not utterly prevent all Heresie and Schism For that there are many Hereticks in the Church of England is I think too apparent to admit of a denial Many Books and Pamphlets have of late been written by the Unitarians as they term themselves against the Doctrines of the Trinity the Incarnation c. But have these been written by Persons of the Presbiterian or Congregational Perswasion No but the Authors of those Books and Pamphlets declare themselves to be Members of the Church of England Here I would only refer you to Mr. Edward's Socinian Creed p. 182 183. Where you may find plain evidence for this It would be tedious to Transcribe what he saith I would rather you should peruse that Treatise Beside you find not so many if any at all of these Hereticks in the Church of Scotland The Scots have the Presbyterian Government established amongst them yet few or none of the Racovian Gentlemen are found to enfest them Whether this may be owing to their Constitution or no I shall not determine Yet if this of preventing Heresie may be thought a good Argument of the excellency of any Ecclesiastical Establishment some may be tempted to think the Scotish Constitution to be preferable to that of the English Church But as to Schism How does the Constitution of our Authors Church prevent Schism Are there not many Non-Jurors and Jacobites in the Established Church And are not they Schismaticks Has not a Doctor of the Church lately attempted to prove them so But to be short That which is the Bulwark in the Church of England against Heresie and is its Glory are the Excellent Doctrines which she maintains and adheres to in common with sober Protestant Dissenters are the holy Lives of many of her Members and the great Learning and Zeal of some of her Clergy who really believe the Doctrinal Articles * And such look upon the Articles not to be Articles of Peace only but Articles of Faith they have Subscribed and are both able and forward to defend them against the Assaults of Cavelling Socinians or Noisy Infidels This Gentleman ranks Geneva with Rome and begs that the Church may be secured from the Craft of the one as well as from the Policy of the other Geneva is at a very great distance from England therefore I cannot imagine the Church of England should be in any danger from that Quarter Had he prayed that the Church might be delivered from the Doctrines and Designs of Cracovians and Deists for ought I know it might have been somewhat more to purpose But in some Mens Opinion nothing more dangerous than Geneva And we know who have said that they had rather be Papists than Presbiterians That is they had rather be Idolaters and Slaves to Rome than be Reformed Protestants But from whence our Author borrowed this Cant about Rome and Geneva it is not difficult to guess for it was a usual saying of a great and admired Prelate A. B. L. Ecclesia Romana Turba Genevensis But another Petition in our Authors Prayer composed for his own use for it is his Nostrum is That the Foundation of the Church may
Newtes Chargeable Organ But our Author the better to countenance this Critical Remark of his cites a passage from a discourse of the Bishop of Derry Ser. p. 12. ‖ Of Inventions of Men in the Worship of God c. 1. §. 1. A Reverend Prelate saith he observes from hence if they had not approved the Jewish way of singing them which was with Instruments they would not have used a word that imported it And I think a Reverend Presbyter * Mr. Boyse Remarks p. 18. has long ago given a sufficient reply to the Argument of this Reverend Prelate For saith he I confess his Lordship would perswade us the Apostles recommend such Musical Instruments because the Apostle James when he exhorts those that were merry to sing Psalms uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.13 which he tells us signifies singing with Instruments But surely his Lordship can lay no stress upon this Argument when it is so apparently weak and so often concludes wrong of which I shall give him a Parallel instance of his own He tells us p. 111. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word generally used in the New Testament for Worship signifies to pay homage by kissing the hand And might he not as wisely infer from thence that we are still obliged to pay our external homage the same way But if he look again upon that passage of the Apostle James he will find this slender Criticism too weak a Foundation for Organs to stand upon because the Apostle could not reasonably suppose all those to have Instruments of Musick by them or to be capable of using them whom he there Exhorts to vent their Spiritual Joys by singing of Psalms Of which reply the Bishop has that I can find taken no Notice in his rejoinder Ser. p. 12. But our Author goes on Nay it is not to be doubted but that they who took so much care for the Regulating and well Ordering of the Church in after Ages would have cautioned against it if they thought it improper 1. That the Apostles took care for the Regulating and well Ordering of the Church in after Ages is not to be doubted but will it thence follow that they must needs have expresly cautioned against whatever might be improper in the Worship of God What thinks he Are Oyl and Cream and Spittle fit to be used in Baptism Are Kettle-Drums and Horns fit to be used in the Praising of God in the Sacred Assemblies of Christians Which things are used by the Papists sometimes in their Publick Devotions I will take leave to suppose for once that our Author will say these things are very improper And yet we do not find that ever the Apostles cautioned against them It is enough that they have in general cautioned against a Pompous Superstitious and Theatrical Worship 2. This Argument if such it may be called may easily be Retorted upon the Author of the Sermon and may be as well imployed if not better against Organs than for them For if Organs are of so excellent a use in the Worship of God of so great an efficacy to excite the affections to exalt the Devotions of Christians to compose their thoughts to drive away evil suggestions from their minds and to render People more Reverent and Serious in Sacred Solemnities all which our Author affirms of them It is strange the Apostles who took so much care for the Regulating the Church in after Ages should give no Charge to Christians about them They have been careful to instruct Christians as to Vocal Melody but as to the use of Instrumental Musick they are totally silent Certainly had the Apostles apprehensions of it been conformable to those of our Author they would not have passed it over in so absolute a silence This Argument I think recoils upon him to his own disadvantage But he has recourse to some other places of the New Testament which he presumes may do good service to the Cause he has espoused For he tells us That Instrumental Musick has an Analogy with the Angelical Songs and Heavenly Exultations in the Quire of the Blessed Saints who are represented Rev. 14.2 as Harpers harping with their Harps and having the Harps of God Rev. 15.2 Which places concern the Publick Worship of God in the Church the Joys of the Saints in Heaven and in Earth and the Triumphant Rejoicings of Christians for the Victory over their Enemies according to the Judgment of some Expositors In the Margin refering us to Baxter Bullinger and Hammond But to this a few things as 1. The obscurity of a considerable part of the Book of the Revelations is confessedly so very great that an Argument drawn from the Obscure part of it cannot be thought to be very satisfactory For if the premises are dark and of an uncertain sense the conclusion will not easily gain Credit Therefore I think it a weakness in any Man to go about to establish any Doctrine or Theological Position from any passage of the Revelations the sense of which may be very dubious or uncertain 2. But saith he Instrumental Musick has an Analogy with the Angelical Songs and Heavenly Exultations in the Quire of the Blessed Saints I suppose he means no more than that it does somewhat resemble the Angelical Songs and Heavenly Exultations in the Quire of the Blessed Saints Let this be granted him what would he thence infer What! That Instrumental Musick is now Warrantable in the Christian Worship I see no danger in denying the Consequence Because there may be some Analogy some resemblance between the Angelical Songs and Instrumental Musick I cannot think that sufficient Evidence of the Lawfulness of such Musick in the Sacred Assemblies of Christians The Joys at a Marriage Feast may somewhat resemble the Joys of the Saints above and the Sacred Scripture sometimes resembles these by those Rev. 19.9 is thus by many understood Shall we thence conclude that the Expressions of Joy at a Marriage Solemnity as Dancing Laughter and the like are Warrantable in the Solemn Worship of God Heavens Happiness in condescention to our weak Conceptions is frequently decyphred in Scripture by Comparisons and Images taken from Material things here below Will that warrant us to Conclude all those things fit presently to be adopted into the Spiritual Worship of Christians I cannot suppose our Author will own a thing so absurd and if he doth not he must confess his Argument inconclusive But the Saints above are represented Revel 14.2 as Harpers harping with their Harps and having the Harps of God Revel 15.2 Well be it so 1. Many Expositors explain those Texts as Importing the great Chearfulness and Triumphant rejoycing of the Saints in Glory and this in allusion to the sweet Melody of Old in the Temple of Jerusalem By Harps we may understand the Spirits of the Saints fitted and tuned by the Spirit of God And by the Musick of those Harps we may understand their great Chearfulness in their
of Instrumental Musick 2. That hereby he is inconsistent with himself 3. He Attributes this to Calvins intemperate Heat and Passion 1. He Asserts boldly that Calvin approved of Instrumental Musick But how does he prove it From the before cited passage But alas What does that passage make to our Authors purpose His province is to prove that Calvin owned the Lawfulness of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God under the Evangelick Dispensation But doth the fore-quoted passage out of Calvin warrant him to make such a Conclusion No such matter For Calvin only commends David for making use of Instrumental Musick in his Solemn and Publick Devotions according to the Command of God That is all can be rationally deduced from that Citation So that because Calvin commends and applauds David for the use of Instrumental Musick in Sacred Solemnities under the Legal oeconomy therefore Calvin Approved of the use of this kind of Musick in the Christian Churches 'T is a Consequence which will not easily gain the Assent of Considering Persons Some things which were commendable as done by David then may not be commendable as done by Christians now Should any one commend David for Dancing in his Praising of God therefore would it be Logical or reasonable thence to infer that such a Person commended the use of Dancing in the Praising of God now It would be an Intolerable Non-sequitur 2. Our Author saith too that Calvin is Inconsistent with himself in other places That Calvin in other places speaks against the use of Instrumental Musick in the Sacred Assemblies of Christians I believe to be true For saith he on Exod. 15.20 Musica Instrumenta c. Instrumental Musick is to be reckoned in the number of Legal Ceremonies which Christ has Abolished by his coming whereas now we must retain a Gospel Simplicity But is this Inconsistent with what he delivers on Amos 6.50 No such matter Distingue Tempora Distinguish of the Times and it will evidently appear that he very well agrees with himself As to the Legal Dispensation he approves of Instrumental Musick under it But under the Evangelical oeconomy he dislikes it and declares against it Here is nothing of Inconsistency But what our Author has advanced against him is inconsistent with Reason I wonder what possessed our Author when he dropped this passage that he should charge Calvin with inconsistency when as there appears not the least colour for such an accusation But some Men have such a Pique at Calvin whether it is the effect of their ill nature or Education I cannot say that if they cannot find faults in him they will make some And then he must be charged as inconsistent with himself c. 3. But this pretended Inconsistency he ascribes to his Intemperate Heat and Passion 1. This is not so much like a Christian at every turn to be publishing of Mens Faults and Infirmities He might have omitted that bitter Reflection without any detriment to his Cause or Argument The Musick of an Organ is of excellent use to Calm the Mind and Allay the Passions if you will believe our Author Whence I suspect that he was somewhat remote from his Charming Organ when he penned this Passage against Calvin for it smells strong of Passion 2. Melchior Adam in the Life of Calvin p. 109. saith That as to his Temper he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Somewhat prone to Anger But then withal he adds The Spirit of God had so taught him to Moderate his Passion that he was never heard to drop a Word unbecoming a good Man neither would he be soon Angry unless when he was concerned in the defence of Religion and had to do with rugged and stubborn Persons His Carriage towards Luther was remarkable his Modesty and Meekness conspicuous when Luther had treated him with severe Language For Reply'd he Etiamsi me Diabolum vocarit eum tamen Insignum Dei Servum agnoscam Tho' he should call me Devil yet God forbid but that I should account him an Eminent Servant of God I very much question whether Mr. Newte with all the stock of good nature of which he is possessed improved we must suppose by the Melody of his Organ would give a milder Answer to a Dissenter who should Assault him with hard words May our Author but equal Calvin notwithstanding his contempt of him The Writers of his Life assure us that he printed his Institutions before he was Twenty five Years Old Every other Week he Preached throughout the whole Week He taught in the Publick Schools three days in a Week Melch Adam In usâ Calvin p. 74. Every Thursday he Presided in the Presbytery every Friday he held a Lecture He Illustrated many of the Sacred Books with Learned Comments sometimes he was imployed in writing Replies to the Enemies of Religion At other times he wrote of other necessary matters so that persons may wonder that one Man should be sufficient for Labours so many and great Now say I Let our Author go and do likewise this will procure him greater Reputation than ever he is like to gain from his Organ or his Sermon in the Defence of it Thus I have I hope fetched off Calvin from being an Approver of Instrumental Musick in the Sacred Assemblies of Christians But now let us consider what he saith as to the Followers of Calvin The Dutch Churches saith he which mostly follow him have the use of Organs very frequent amongst them almost in every Church where the People are of ability to procure them 1. I cannot but take notice of his Gloss upon his Text his Marginal Remark with respect to the Dutch Churches Where all Sects in Religion may meet and many do That there are many Religious Sects in Holland cannot be denied But that all Sects are there perhaps this Gentleman may not be so easily able to prove We have too many Sects in England too We have Jews and Socinians Anabaptists Quakers Muggletonians Arminians Calvinists Antinomians Sabbatarians Papists and of late Philadelphians amongst us I do not see that Diocesan Prelacy does effectually secure us from these Sects And these Sects may meet in our Churches if they please and many of them do As Calvinists Arminians Socinians Antinomians and Deists I suppose you will not think it strange that I assert that Socinians are to be found in this Authors Church For it is most apparent that the Racovian Gentlemen who have of late alarm'd the Nation so much with their Anti-Christian Pamphlets are Persons who have crept out of the Church and not out of the Conventicle to suit my Phrase to our Authors liking But I can tell our Author where he may find a Christian Nation freed almost if not quite from all these Sectaries If he will but step on tother side the Channel he will there find that the French Nimrod has taken an effectual course to root out all Sects and has Dragooned hâ—s Subjects into Uniformity But on second thoughts I
I will presume that altho' he has read some Authors who write for the lawfulness of the use of Organs in the Sacred Assemblies of Christians yet he has scarcely read any who have written against such an use of them For I am satisfied he talks as if he had not Some Mens Libraries are as Partial as themselves and will scarcely afford an Author who determines a Question on that side they are against There are other Arguments of considerable strength to be met withal against the Lawfulness of Organs in Sacris beside those produced by our Author Be pleased to consult some of our Protestant Writers against the Papists and you will soon be satisfied as to this I humbly conceive I have suggested some Objections already which our Author has not mentioned But let this be a third Objection Object 3. The use of Organs in Christian Assemblies for Divine Worship condemned as unlawful by the Book of Homilies And herein the Church of England in her Homilies agrees with the Geneva Annotators Now that the use of Organs in the Worship of God is condemned by the Homilies is most plain For in the Homily of the time and place of Prayers Part II. there is this objection supposed to be made by one who cared not to frequent the Parish-Churches viz. Alas What shall we do at Church Since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights we were wont to have are gone Since we cannot hear the like Piping Singing Chaunting and playing upon the Organs that we could before To this it is replied But Dearly beloved we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of all those things which displeased God so sore and filthily defiled his House and his place of Prayer The complaint of the Person who refused to frequent the Parish Churches was amongst other things that there was no playing on the Organs there And to this the Answer is That we ought to rejoyce and to give God thanks that the Church was delivered from these things which were so displeasing to God and so defiling to his House This was the Opinion of the Church of England in the days of Queen Elizabeth Namely that Organs in Churches are displeasing to God and filthily defiling to his House So that in the judgment of our Authors Church the use of Organs in the Worship of God is unlawful Now the Homilies and the Doctrine contained in them are approved received and established by the Supream Authority of Church and State Canons of Convocation and Acts of Parliament as the late Bishop of Lincoln has clearly proved * Dr. Barlow's Cases of Conscience of setting up Images in Churches p. 21 22. Queen Elizabeth expresly ordered these Homilies to be read in the Churches as you may see in the Preface to those Homilies And Article 35 doth approve and confirm the Doctrine of the Homilies as good and wholesome For saith that Article The Second Book of Homilies the several titles whereof we have joined under this Article doth contain a Godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former Book of Homilies which was set forth in the time of Edward VI. and therefore we judge to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly as they may be understood by the People Whence it is apparent the Church approves of those Homilies 1. As containing a Godly wholsom Doctrine 2. As to the reading of them in the Churches So that hence I infer that it is the profest Judgment of this Authors Church that it is a Godly and wholsome Doctrine namely That Organs in Churches are displeasing to God and do filthily defile his holy House Our Author has subscribed these Articles of the Church and so has thereby approved of the Homilies and now let him Reconcile his Sermon to the Homilies if he can Had the Geneva Annotators said but as much as do the Homilies against Organs O how Tragically would he have exclaimed as if they meant no less than the total Subversion of the Church well perhaps by his next we may have him bestowing the Epithite of Pernicious upon the Homilies too Object 4. If the Praising of God with Organs be thus Lawful in the Worship of God as our Author pleads then will it for the same reason be lawful to introduce other Musical Instruments into the Worship of God such as Harps and Trumpets Psalteries and Cymbals c. and other Rites too as Dancing c. For upon our Authors Principles these are lawful to be used in the Worship of God also And so it will be lawful to dress up the Christian Worship with as much Pomp and Ceremony as was that of the Temple which I think none will assert who duely understand the Nature of Gospel Worship Object 5. That Opinion which impeaches Christ and his Apostles of want of Wisdom in making provision for the Edification of the Church is false but such is the Opinion of our Author Therefore his Opinion is Absurd The Major of this Argument is unquestionable the Minor is evident from the Author of the Sermon For saith he Ser. p. â— Instrumeâ—â—â—â— Musick is the most proper means to quicken our hearts and to raise 〈◊〉 â—…fections and to make us the more devout Now most certainly our â—…thor impeaches hereby our Lord and his Apostles of want of Wâ—sdom For to institute a less proper means to raise Affections and excite Devotion and to neglect the most proper means argues a want of Wisdom But according to him Christ and his Apostles have neglected to appoint the most proper means to raise the Affections and excite the Devotions of Christians Therefore in effect his Opinion charges them with a want of Wisdom For it is most certain that altho' our Lord and his Apostles have instituted Vocal Musick yet have they not appointed Instrumental for the raising the Affections of Christians and quickning their Devotions And so they have neglected to prescribe the most proper means for the attaining of these ends in our Authors Judgment Object 6. But to conclude I would interrogate our Author were I by him whether according to the Act of Uniformity and the Constitution of the Church of England the particular Pastor of a Parochial Church is allowed to introduce new Rites and Modes of Worship into his Parish-Church over and above what are appointed by the Act of Uniformity without a Warrant either from a Convocation or a Parliament And whether Supra-conformity be not as much a Transgression of the Statute of Uniformity as Subter-conformity This Gentleman cannot plead that he has an Injunction from the Kings Majesty nor a Warrant from any Statute enacted by Parliament nor from any Canon of any Convocation nor from any Rubrick in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book for the setting up his Organ in his Parish-Church Therefore what has induced him to put his Parish to so great a charge I cannot well imagine Thus I hope