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A53656
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An answer to the rector of Bury's letter to his friend wherein is shewed that has effectually, tho' unwllingly acquitted the dissenters from his malicious charge of their being corrupters of the Word of God, that his attempts against the titles of the Psalms and Hebrew Bibles are feeble and inconsistent / by James Owen.
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Owen, James, 1654-1706.
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1699
(1699)
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Wing O705; ESTC R38158
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19,581
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26
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Obscurum per Obscurius All are not so and those that are obscure to us might be otherwise to the old Hebrews Greg. Nyssen observed as the Rector adds that there was not an entire Agreement between the Christians and the Jews about the Titles which Mr. O. has declin'd to Answer to P. 3. You see tho' the Rector cannot Answer my Arguments nor defend his own he studies every little Advantage I told him I had not Greg by me tho' I see nothing in him as he represents him that makes against my Argument There is not an entire Agreement between the Greek Bible which was in the Hands of the Christians and the Hebrew Bible to this day in many more things than the Titles of the Psalms and yet we receive the Hebrew Bible as Divinely inspir'd and so we do the Titles of the Psalms But if the Rector cannot defend his old Arguments he hath found out a new one which is this The Titles of the several Books of Scripture are not Canonical and the Titles of the Psalms must run the same fate P. 3 4 5. And why so good Sir 1. The Titles of the Books of Scripture are acknowledg'd to be human Additions I never met with any Author Jewish or Christian that affirms them to be Canonical but the Titles of the Psalms are reputed Canonical by the Christian and Jewish Doctors and commented upon by them as such whereas they rarely take notice of the Titles of the Books of Scripture except it be now and then to tell us that they bear such Titles 2. The Titles of the Books of the old Testament in our Hebrew Bibles are put by themselves as distinct from the rest of the Books and are made the running Titles in the top of the Leaves But the Titles of the Psalms are made part of the Psalms themselves in all our Hebrew Bibles in which the Title if there be any to the Psalm is always the first Verse 3. All the Books of the Bible have Titles but so have not all the Psalms If they had been human Additions it had been as easie to have given a Title to each Psalm as to each Book of the Bible but the ancient Jews who durst not add to the Word of God would not prefix Titles to those Psalms which originally had none The Books of the Prophets as he goes on are thus entitled the Book of the Prophet Isaiah c. I cannot think the Inspir'd Prophets set these Titles on the head of their Books Here the Rector thinks aright for the Title he mentions is to be found only in the English Translation the Hebrew and Greek Bibles which he had not diligence enough to consult have no more than Isaiah He nibbles at a concession of Mine that it was a prevailing Opinion that all the Psalms were pen'd by David what then demands he will become of the Title of the 90. Psalm P. 5. I obviated this Query in the very next Line out of Theodoret who says David wrote it but adapted it to Moses I told the Rector that I presum'd the Titles were left out of the Liturgy Psalms because they were design'd to be Sung Vind. P. 53. 'T is my very Plea in Defence of the Church of England * Letter Page 6. saith he But you must thank me for it Mr. Rector for you thought of no such Plea in your Sermon but call on the Dissenters to prefix the Titles to the Singing Psalms if they be part of Scripture I objected that in the Parish Churches the Psalms that want Titles are read True saith the Rector 't is the fault of some the crime of others the unhappiness of others who cannot prevail with their People to bear a part in the rehaersing of them for the order of the Church is that they be said or sung said that is at least repeated alternatim by Minister and People which is a Species of singing P. 6. If the order be say or sing First how can it be a Fault a Crime to say the Psalms and not to sing them the Rubric allows both and therefore both are lawful No wonder the Rector charges us with Crimes he cannot prove since he doth so by his own Brethren he makes 'em Criminals for doing what the Rubric bids 'em do Secondly I thought saying and singing being mention'd disjunctively were different things but with the Rector saying is a Species of singing Does not this Man Ridicule the Rubric of the Church by makeing it speak Non-sense say or sing that is according to the Rector's Exposition sing or say This looks like defaming the Common-Prayer for which I remit him to the Censure of his Ordinary Thirdly I never yet cou'd see any Rubric or Canon for reading the Psalms alternatim Authors make mention of alternate singing which was us'd with great variety in ancient Times * Epist 36. Basil saith the Congregation was divided into two Parts and sung alternately one to another †Chr. 1 Cor. 14. Hom. 36. ad finem Chrysostom seems to allow the People no part in singing but the ecchoing out of the last Word of the Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that singeth singeth alone and all the rest Eccho forth the last Words And it may be this is the meaning of the Council of Laodicea Can. 15. Wherein they forbid all singing in the Church except by the Regular Singers Gregory the Great forbids any to sing in the Church but the Inferior Orders as the Sub-Deacons c. Lib. 4. c. 88. Perhaps he had an Eye to this Canon Dionysius who goes under the Name of the Areopagite says that the Bishop with the whole Ecclesiastical Order sing the Sacred Hymns Eccles Hierarch c. 3. It seems the People were wholly excluded from the Publick Praises The way of singing alternately is very ancient some derive it from Moses and Miriam Exod. 15.21 And Miriam answered them c. But it is uncertain how Miriam and the Women of Israel sung whether they sung in their Dances the very same Words that Moses and the Men of Israel sung or whether they sung the first Verse of Moses's Song by way of Intercalation as the Burden of that Song and it may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answer'd signifies no more than she said in which Sense the Word Answer is us'd in the New Testament Matth. 11.25 But it s evident here that it was different from the Manner of reading the Psalms with us for Miriam and the Women sung the first Verse of Moses Song and with us the Minister reads the first Verse of the Psalm which the People neither Read nor Sing It should seem by Josephus that the Levites only sung in the Temple at Jerusalem * Antiq. Judaic XX. 8. The Essenes as Philo affirms had one chief Singer who sung alone until he came to the last Words then all the People join'd with him ‖ Euseb Hist II. 16. Edit Christ Philo de vitâ Contempl.
a Story or King James the first as some of his Nobles were exercising themselves at leaping lays the King pleasantly to 'em you talk of leaping I wou'd leap over yonder Wall and pointed at a high Wall that was near 'em Yes Sir says a Parasite that stood near him I believe your Majesty cou'd leap over it Hold Man reply'd the King I did not say I cou'd leap over it but I wou'd do it that is if I were able The Rector shews his good Will to confirm his Assertion and has made some feeble attempts in his R. R. to attack the Masora the Fence of the Law * Masora est sepimentum legis Elias Levita but the Wall is too high to be leap'd over and too strong to be broken down and therefore in his Letter he wisely declines it lest he shou'd break his Shins and be forced to a dishonourable Retreat But is he in earnest when he says the Hebrew Bibles have been corrupted in all Ages And has he made this good It seems all Ages are comprehended in the Time of Ezra and Justin Martyr for he mentions no more and he has not prov'd that they were corrupted then Our Bibles must be Corrupt indeed if every Age has been practising upon ' em According to the Rector it has been the Work of every Age to Corrupt the Bible It 's well if he allows us any sound part in it for that which has been always in the Corrupting must be a very Corrupt Thing at last The Rector swou'd at least have paid as much deference to the Holy Bible as he wou'd to the Prophane Works of Homer and Virgil which none will say have been corrupted in all Ages It 's a little unlucky that this Man cannot quarrel with the Dissenters but he must quarrel with the Bible also He might have left the sacred Volumes alone though he were dispos'd to reproach us However he has one Consolation that he is not singular in his Hypotheses for he has Mahometans Papists and Deists in his Interest who unanimously charge our Scriptures with material Corruptions I shall add one thing more and I have done The Rector's Letter which bears Date April 8. 1699. came not to my Hands until Aug. 16. nor did I hear any thing of it before I saw it I presume the Rector design'd it for the Private Vse of his Friend of whose Candid Acceptance he was well assur'd and not for such ill-natur'd People as will take nothing upon Trust but Critically examine his weak Reasonings and vindicate themselves from his unjust Criminations He publish'd his Letter as Aristotle did some of his Books concerning which he saith I made 'em Publick as if I had not made 'em Publick * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gell. Noct. Attic. XX. 4. He told us above that his blind Evidence of the Cameronian Story may be sufficient for Private Conviction though not to be allow'd in Publick Forms of Justice p. 20. Perhaps this Epistle which manifestly recedes from the Laws of Justice was design'd for Private Conviction However since it came accidentally to my Hands and no return is made to it by his Vtopian Friend I have been so kind to the Rector lest he should think himself slighted as to Answer his Letter with all the plainness and faithfulness which may seem necessary to regulate his Faith towards the Scriptures and Charity towards his Brethren FINIS Books Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel Books written by the Reverend Mr. J. Howe OF Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of Foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in reference to other Mens Sins A Sermon Preach'd at the Funeral of Mr. Richard Adams M. A. Sometime Fellow of Brasen-Nose Colledge in Oxford The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls In a Treatise on Luke 19.41 42. With an Appendix wherein somewhat is occasionally discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost and how God is said to will the Salvation of them that perish A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict Enquiry Whether or no we truly love God A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson the late Wife of Hen. Sampson Doctor of Physick who died Nov. 24. 1689. The Carnality of Religious Contention In two Sermons Preach'd at the Merchants Lecture in Broadstreet A Sermon for Reformation of Manners A Sermon Preach'd on the Day of Thanksgiving Decemb. 2. 1697. To which is prefix'd Dr. Bates's Congratulatory Speech to the KING A Calm and Sober Enquiry concerning the Possibility of a Trinity in the Godhead A Letter to a Friend concerning a Post-script to the Defence of Dr. Sherlock's Notion of the Trinity in Unity relating to the Calm and Sober Enquiry upon the same Subject A View of that part of the late Considerations to H. H. about the Trinity Which concerns the Sober Enquiry on that Subject Books written by J. Flavel THE Fountain of Life opened or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory Containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original Excellent and Immortal Nature of the Soul are opened c. The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contriv'd by the Father and accomplish'd by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto God's Elect. The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence c. Navigation Spiritualiz'd Or A new Compass for Sea-Men c. Two Treatises the first of Fear the second the Righteous Man's Refuge in the Evil Day A Saint indeed The great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity Or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie Being the Second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners Or Boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry Spiritualiz'd Or the Heavenly Use of Earthly Things Jehovah our Righteousness Or the Justification of Believers by the Righteousness of Christ only Asserted and Applied in several Sermons By Sam. Tomlins A. M. A most familiar Explanation of the Assemblies Shorter Catechism By Jos Allein A Paraphrase on the New Testament with Notes Doctrinal and Practical By Mr. Richard Baxter An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry Minister of the Gospel near Whitchurch in Shropshire Sermons and Discourses on several Divine Subjects By the late Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. David Clarkson B. D. and sometime Fellow of Clare-Hall Cambridge Folio A Body of Practical Divinity containing 176 Sermons upon the Assemblies Shorter Catechism By Tho. Watson Folio