the same thing which the principal Person is to do to whom he is a Deputy So that if the Parish Clerk is the Ministers Deputy he may read Prayers Preach and administer the Sacraments and Marry and Bury the Dead as a certain Parish Clerk in a Country Town did who fancied himself to be the Ministers Deputy his Master being Sick and actually read the Burial Service from time to time at the Graves of the Deceased until he was severely reprimanded by the Bishop himself and threatned to be turned out of his Place if ever he presumed to do so any more Nor can the Vindicator excuse himself by saying That the Parish Clerk is the Ministers Deputy only in Singing For Singing i. e. to Tune Psalms and lead the Congregation in singing is not strictly speaking the Office of the Minister The Parish Clerk is to Name and Tune the Psalm and to Dictate or Read the Verses and Lines of it He is to be the Praecentor in a Parochial Congregation as is intimated in the 91 Canon where it is decreed amongst other Qualifications of a Parish Clerk That he shall be skill'd legendi cantandi scientiâ in Reading and Singing But 2ly The Vindicator is guilty of a very great Mistake in misapplying the Rubrick The Rubrick which he quotes which is before the Sentences at the Offertory does not concern any part of Divine Service or Singing of Psalms or the Sermon but the publishing of of Occcsianal Things as the giving Notice of Holy Days the Celebration of the Communion publishing the Banns of Matrimony Briefs Proclamations Declarations Citations and Excommunications as appears by the Words of the Rubrick which immediately follow the Nicene Creed which are these Then the Curate shall declare unto the People what Holy-days or Fasting-days are in the Week following to be observed and then also if occasion be shall notice be given of the Communion and the Banns of Matrimony published and Briefs Citations and Excommunications read It follows And nothing shall be proclaimed or published in the Church during the time of Divine Service but by the Minister Nor by him any thing but what is prescribed in the Rules of this Book or enjoined by the King or by the Ordinary of the place Which last Words the Vindicator quotes omitting the former Words of this Rubrick because I presume they made against him Besides the natural import of the Words of the Rubrick which the Vindicator quotes sufficiently shews that it does not cannot concern any part of the solemn Worship either reading Divine Service or singing of the Psalms 'T is an incongruity of Speech to call either the one or the other Proclaiming or Publishing And that which he lays the greatest stress upon is nothing to his purpose viz. those Words of the Rubrick which he quotes Nor by him any thing but what is prescribed in the Rules of this Book or enjoined by the King or by the Ordinary of the place Which does plainly respect what is Prohibited by the 72 Canon viz. That no Minister shall presume to appoint publick or private Fasts Exercises Lectures Prophecies Exorcisms c. without a lawful Command or Licence from his Superiors And 't is obvious what great Mischiefs would be consequent 〈…〉 an unbounded Liberty So that it is 〈…〉 That this Rubrick is far from countenancing or giving any strength or force to his 〈…〉 to prove what he contends for drawn from the Conformity of it to the Constitution of our Church and the Authority of Constitution And this Gentleman 's arguing from 〈…〉 to prove the Practicableness and necessity of introducing of his new Version into Churches and that 't is the Duty of all the Clergy especially to comply with it and receive and use it upon the score of Obedience which they owe to the Governour 's both in Church and State because of the Kings Allowance and the Bishops suppos'd Recommendation of it is either out of Ignorance or Design If the former behold the Learned Vindicator If the latter I 'll leave it to the Reader to give him a Name 'T is true the Rubrick before mentioned was confirmed by Convocation and Act of Parliament but does it therefore follow That Mr. Brady's and Mr. Tate's new 〈…〉 of the Psalms in Metre because allowed by the King and recommended by some of the Bishops is confirmed by the same Authority I leave it to any Man of Sense to judge and determine So that his Foundation failing all that he 〈…〉 upon it must totter and fall How unjust false and trisling How Illogical and Inconclusive are all his Arguments Inferences and Conclusions which he builds upon or deduces from it And how bold and rude and unaccountable are his base Reflections which without any Modesty or Respect or deference to their Character he casts upon the reverend Clergy of this fam'd Metropolis as well as the rest of the vast Body of the Clergy of the Two Provinces who generally speaking refuse to receive and use this new Version who indeed are very much oblig'd to the modest Vindicator for that honourable Character which he is pleas'd to bestow upon them representing them as Stubborn contumatious Violators of the Oath of Canonical Obedience and their solemn Ingagement at their Ordination Opposers of the Authority of Convocations and Parliaments and Enemies to their Rights and Privileges Despisers of Government and disobedient to Governours both in Church and State Proud Disdainful Self conceited Envious Malicious what not c. I refer the Reader to his Book and only beg leave to select a few Passages which are Instances of his great Complement and Respect to the Clergy who are non Compliers and refuse to receive and use this new Version In the 23 p. are these Words And he seems to vacate both their Authorities i. e. of Convocation and Parliament who opposes that encouragement which it has already received from his Majesty and the Bishops and endeavors to enervate all their Efficacy and Strength by rendring them useless and insignificant And a little after in the same Page Whoever therefore it is that contradicts this Authority which they have freely consented should be vested in the King and the Bishops seems directly to oppose the Power of that sacred Body and to be a direct Enemy to the Rights and Privileges of a Convocation And again p. 25. Whoever therefore it is that opposes that Authority which the New Translation has obtained seems plainly to deprive the Convocation of those signal Honours and Immunitus appertaining to them which the Parliament has been pleas'd to confirm and the King and the Bishops are pleas'd to act by who have the executive Power c. And again p. 27 28. Therefore if any one reject this New Translation of the Psalms recommended to him by his Bishop I cannot see how he will avoid the Censure of casting a Scandalous Reproach upon the goldly Judgment of his Ordinary and palpably violating that religious Obligation
REMARKS Upon a Late PAMPHLET ENTITULED A Brief and Full Account OF Mr. Tate's and Mr. Brady's NEW VERSION OF THE PSALMS By 〈…〉 Divine of the Church of England LONDON Printed for William Keblewhite at the Swan in St. Paul's Church-yard 1699. Remarks UPON THE VINDICATION OF THE New Version OF THE PSALMS THE Vindicator of the new Version of the Psalms in Metre by Mr. Brady and Mr. Tate presuming in such an insolent manner to impose the Use of it upon the Clergy and People throughout the whole Kingdom and so saucily to reflect on those who will not comply with the proud imposing Humour and pay an immediate voluntary Obedience to it I beg leave to animadvert a little upon some Instances of his unaccountable Boldness and supercilious Arrogance in these following Remarks And first of all I cannot but observe That it is inconsistent with good Manners and the Deference which we owe to Antiquity and the Authors of the old Version of the Psalms in Metre which has been universally receiv'd and us'd throughout this Kingdom since the Reformation and which by the Vindicator's own Confession has administred singular Instruction and Consolation and unspeakable Benefit to those who have piously and devoutly us'd it to cast such an awkard and disingenuous Reflection on the Authors of it who have been the happy Instruments of celebrating the Praises of our Creator and Redeemer in the House of Prayer of bringing so much Glory to God and doing so much good in the World And though the old Version of the Psalms in Metre was compos'd by its Authors in a plain and humble Style sutable to the Age they liv'd in wherein there are some obsolete and uncouth Expressions which have a harsh and jarring Sound in the delicate and musical Ears of the ingenious and unsutable to the Modes of Speaking in this refined this politer Age yet 't is very undecent to ridicule and expose it and as unpardonable a Rudeness as for a converted Jew to scoff at the Stammering of Moses or ridicule the old Service of the Sanctuary because we have now a more Spiritual Worship sutable to Gospel-times a better and more perfect Tabernacle The Apostle of the Gentiles by his own Example taught his new Proselytes to pay Respect and Reverence to Circumcision and the Rites of the abolish'd Law though dead with Christ and nailed to his Cross and to give it an honourable and a decent Burial And the like Respect is due to the old Version when abolish'd by Convocation and silenc'd in a lawful Assembly But for this bold Imposer to attempt to recommend his new Version by railing at the old one and the Authors of it and impose the Reception and Use of his new Composure upon the Clergy and People before it has received the Stamp of Lawful Authority that of a Convocation I mean who as the proper Judges in Sacred Things are to inspect consider of and recommend all the Branches of publick Worship that is fixed and settled of constant and perpetual Use which when confirm'd by the Royal Allowance and Injunction is then and not before to be impos'd and generally us'd with a Nemine Contradicente both by the Clergy and People is unaccountable Insolence and unpardonable Presumption But to enter into the Merits of the Cause and to do the Vindicator Justice let us examin the Validity of his Arguments by which he labours to promote a general Reception of his new Translation and evince it to be the Duty both of the Clergy and People especially the former to receive and use it in all Churches and Chappels throughout the Kingdom Which I am apt to think upon a strict Enquiry and close Examination will appear to the impartial Reader to be very vain and tristing illogical and inconclusive There are Three Arguments which he advances and chiefly insists upon to this purpose viz. The Agreeableness of this Design with Reason the Conformity of it with the Constitutions of our Church and the Authority of Convocation and its Subserviency to the Advancement and Increase of Piety 1. He insists on the Agreeableness of this Design with Reason And both this he tell us and the other Arguments which he has chosen to insist upon are plainly intimated in the Letter of the Bishops which he says is this P. 13. His Majesty having allowed and permitted the Use of a new Version of the Psalms of David by Mr. Brady and Mr. Tate in all Churches Chappels and Congregations I cannot do less than wish a good success to this Royal Indulgence And I do heartily recommend the Use of this Version to all my Brethren within my Diocess So that here the Vindicator argues from Two Things viz. the Royal Allowance and the Bishop's Recommendation 1. He argues from the Royal Allowance which he would make tantamount to an Injunction at least a Recommendation whereas it is neither the one nor the other 1. Not an Injunction neither expresly nor by implication The Royal Allowance in this Instance is of the same Force and Validity with an Imprimatur prefixt to a Book or Sermon which barely permits the Printing and Publishing of it the Licenser being satisfied that nothing is contained in it contrary to the Government the Doctrine of the Church of England and good Manners but does not ingage any one to buy or read it The Royal Stamp upon the Title-page of a Sermon preached at Court Published by his Majesty's special Command carries with it no more than the Force of a Licence though of a Superior Nature for the Printing and Publishing of it but does not injoin all the Subjects of England Clergy and People to pay an universal Respect to it or to receive and use it as they do the Book of Homilies the Common Prayer and the Bible They that are dispos'd to buy and read and use such a Sermon that is honoured with the Royal Licence or Allowance may if they please if not they may refuse so to do and I hope there is no Disobedience in the Refusal And so much with submission I think is intimated in the Terms of the Royal Allowance prefixt to the new New Version of the Psalms which the Vindicator recites viz. P. 7. His Majesty taking the same into his Royal Consideration is pleased to order in Council That the said new Version of the Psalms in English Metre be and the same is hereby Allowed and Permitted to be used in all Churches Chappels and Congregations as shall think fit to receive the same So that they that think fit to receive and use it may and they that do not may let it alone and consequently may use the old Version if they please Which by the Vindicator's Leave is not forbid to be used by the Royal Allowance though very illogically he concludes it is p. 22 27. of his Vindication Where then Good Mr. Vindicator is the Royal Injunction or any Thing like it And consequently where is the Disobedience upon
a Non-compliance which you so magisterially and insultingly Charge the Clergy and People with who refuse to receive and use the new Version And indeed I cannot but wonder That the Vindicator and his Authors who perhaps are the same should expect more than they themselves desired For it may be observ'd That the Royal Order and Allowance in that Instance of Indifferency before mention'd is conform to the Prayer of the Petition P. 7. And humbly praying his Majesty's Royal Allowance That the said Version may be used in such Congregations as shall think fit to receive it And perhaps the Petitioners could obtain no more the King probably not thinking it practicable to make his Order absolute and injoyn the Reception and Use of the new Version until it had received the Censure and Approbation of a Convocation In the Interim the Petitioners having paid the Secretary's Fees for the Order the new Version with the Royal Allowance was to take its Fate and 't was rude and unreasonable for the Vindicator and his Authors to rail and strom and grow angry and scatter their Invectives because it was no more successful and did not meet with an universal Reception and consequently answer the Expence perhaps of a Lusty Sum for obtaining the Royal Instrument and the Impression Add to this in the next Place That there is not one Word in the Royal Allowance that amounts to a Recommendation or looks like it but rather the contrary may be inferr'd from the Coldness and Indifferency which are legible in the Terms of the Royal Allowance And yet the Vindicator has the Confidence to affirm That the new Version has not only the Allowance but the Recommendation of Authority P. 3. Well but though the King neither injoyns nor recommends yet perhaps the Bishops do from whence the Vindicator would infer That 't is the Duty both of the Clergy and People to pay an universal Compliance and Obedience And this is the next Topick from which he argues viz. The Bishop's Recommendation Against the Validity of which as it is recited by the Vindicator to evince what he contends for I have these Exceptions 1. It does not appear that either the Bishop of London or any other Bishop is the Author of it there being no Name subscrib'd as there is to the Royal Allowance and is usual in such Cases It may be a Recommendation from Tom Thumb or John a Styles for any Thing that appears to the contrary 2. The King's Allowance being the Foundation upon which the Recommendation is pretended to be built It cannot be suppos'd That either the Bishop of London or any other Bishop would be guilty of so great a Prevarication as to misrepresent falsely report and partially and imperfectly recite the Royall Allowance on which they found their Recommendation Now that the Royal Allowance is misrepresent falsely reported and partially and imperfectly recited in the aforesaid Recommensdation is evident The Words are these P. 13. His Majesty having allowed and permitted the use of a new Version of the Psalms of David by Mr. Brady and Mr. Tate in all Churches Chappels and Congregations So runs the Preamble of the Recommendation so far it goes and no farther omitting what follows in the Royal Allowance viz. As shall think fit to receive the same Which is a Limitation and Restriction and a Signification That the King did not intend to impose or injoin the reception and use of this new Version upon any but intirely left it to the discretion and pleasure of the Clergy and People whether they would receive it and use it or no but the Recommendation by that Misreprentation and false recital of the Royal Allowance looks Trickish and Designing as if the intent of it was to insinuate That the Royal Order was positive and absolute and did tantamount to an Injunction for the universal Reception and use of this new Version But 3dly Supposing tho' not granting that this Recommendation was really and bona fide the Bishops and Subscribed by one or more of them in which 't is possible That through haste an hurry of Business or the pressing of their more weighty Affairs they may be impos'd upon and prevail'd with to Subscribe a Paper purporting a Recommendation drawn up ready to their Hands either by the Vindicator or his Authors without critically examining the Royal Allowance yet the King's Order and Allowance which is the Postulatum the Basis the Foundation on which the Recommendation is founded being misrepresented and falsely and imperfectly recited the Recommendation is invalid and signifies just nothing For a false Recital is no Recital at all and consequently all the Arguments Inferences and Conclusions which the Vindicator builds upon or deduces from it fall to the Ground and are meer impertinence And so much for his First general Argument which is drawn from the Agreeableness of this Design with Reason Let us now examine the Second and see whether any better Fate will attend it 2. His Second Argument to evince what he contends for he deduces from the Conformity of it to the Constitution of our Church and the Authority of Convocations And so says he p. 21. it plainly appears in as much as it i. e. the new Version is allow'd of by the King and recommended by the Bishops And for this he quotes the Rubrick before the Sentences at the Offertory And nothing shall be proclaimed or published in the Church during the time of Divine Service but by the Minister Nor by him any thing but what is prescribed in the Rules of this Book or injoined vy the King or by the Ordinary of the place Thus far the Rubrick Then follows the Vindicator's Comment Observations Arguments and Conclusions from it Where by the way says he thus much we may Observe That no Clerk of a Parish can Sing in the Church but as he is directed by his Minister and as he acts as his Deputy Very well Argued Mr. Vindicator a very natural Inference and logical Conclusion from the Premisses Nothing shall be proclaimed or published in the Church during the time of Divine Service but by the Minister Ergo No Parish Clerk can Sing in the Church but as he is directed by his Minister and as he acts as his Deputy Whereas the Inference lay quite on the other side and it would have been more naturally Inferr'd and logically Concluded from the Premisses as he quotes and applies them Therefore no Parish Clerk can Sing in the Church at all because nothing is to be proclaim'd or published in the Church during the time of Divine Service but by the Minister And here by the way I must observe Two Things 1. What a horrid Blunder the Vindicator is guilty of in calling the Parish Clerk the Ministers Deputy 2. That he misapplies the Rubrick 1. The Vindicator is guilty of a horrid Blunder in calling the Parish Clerk the Ministers Deputy A Deputy is one who is to execute the Office of his Chief and to do