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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92933	A Serious answer to a late book stiled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's epistle concerning singing wherein the chief scriptures and arguments are examined, and the weakness thereof shewed : together with an answer to the several reflections, and false charges, against both churches and persons, recommended to the elders, ministers, and members of baptized churches.	Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.; Steed, Robert, of Dartmouth.; Barrett, George.; E. M. (Edward Man)	1692 (1692)	Wing S2607; ESTC R42860	36,728	64

Churches So we do as boldly in the fear of the Lord declare that the Way of common Singing which they contend for is after the Rudiments of the World after the Traditions of Men but not after Christ It is their lawless Liberty they take thus to accuse and represent us without cause in this Epistle and the like that hath necessitated us for Truth 's sake that 〈◊〉 may not suffer by such false Reports to declare ●uch things concerning some of them which otherwise we should have buried in oblivion But it was not enough it seems that we should be thus scandalously represented by Mr. Wh. in the Epistle that did not give a sufficient vent to their Indignation when we look into the Book where we might expect nothing but Answers to his Arguments there also as we said before we must be exercised with the reading their needless causeless Reflections on Mr. Steed and with their most false slandering of the Baptized Churches in their first gathering We shall say little to their taunting Reflections against him or their imperious treating of him in their Answer to him Only whereas they impertinently say that Mr. Knowles preach'd up the Singing they plead for in the Forenoon and that he preach'd against it in the Afternoon We upon enquiry of the Members of that Church that were present at that time in the Assembly find it to be utterly false a meer Invention put into the Head of some unwary Person to vent which Mr. Wh. and Mr. Keach greedily take up to proclaim without Modesty Sobriety or Verity on which we may with great cause use their own exclaiming Expression Sad Case But it is not with Mr. Steed only that they thus deal but they exhibit a very grievous and a very false Charge against those of the same Profession that were more ancient in it than the Authors of this Reply who vent this Scandal or any of those that by their Epistle have commended the same When those ancient Brethren were convinced of their duty That Believers upon Confession of their Faith were the only Subjects of Baptism and accordingly sate down together in Communion as a Congregation or Church of Christ and many in the Nation began to enquire into the truth thereof they met with many harsh Censures and false Charges cast upon them to make the Truth of Christ contemptible viz. That they were corrupt in the Doctrines of the Gospel That they denied Subjection to Magistates that they held that to maintain Ministers was Antichristian c. They to clear themselves and to take off those false Charges did think it their duty to publish to the Nation a Confession of their Faith which when drawn up was read in the Churches being then seven in number and consented to by all the Members not one dissenting and subscribed by two of each Church in the name of the rest Which Confession of Faith was five times printed in that year 1644 and from that to the year 1651 without the least alteration of any one Article of what was first printed which Confession gave such general Satisfaction to most Christians of all sorts of differing Perswasions from us that it took off from many that Prejudice and Offence that was formerly taken by them against our Profession What the Judgment of those Churches 〈◊〉 their first Constitution was concerning the Maintenance of Ministers may be seen in the 38th Article in these words We do believe that the du● Maintenance of Ministers should be the free and voluntary Communication of the Church That according to Christ's Ordinance they that preach the Gospel should live on the Gospel c. And accordly they did then and we have ever since made it our Practice as a Duty required of all the Members of the Church that are able to give True it ●s that our Churches since the first have not been filled with many of them that have the Riches of this World the Poor receive the Gospel But this we can say with comfort and appeal to the Lord herein That according to our Abilities we have given to the Maintenance of our Ministers nor have any had any just cause to complain to the contrary that we know of although it hath been and is our trouble that we have not been able to make so great a Provision for them as we desire Herein we would be understood in this that we now assert concerning the Churches that we mean principally as they were in the beginning And we do find to our great Grief that which was then falsly charg'd upon us by those that did not know us is now as falsly with a far greater Aggravation of their Sin charg'd upon us by some of us who might have satisfied themselves had they perused our Confession of Faith But either they were willingly ignorant or negligent in enquiring but resolv'd to calumniate and therefore in the 9th Page of the said Book they charge us with the same things in these words It is a Question whether the said Baptized Churches in those times did not as unanimously conclude and declare too that for a Gospel-Ministry to have a yearly Allowance or a competent Maintenance was a humane Invention or Anti-christian We speak say they in part upon our own Knowledg and by good Information we have had from others To this Charge we answer That nothing can be more falsly asserted or more slanderously uttered For if this their Charge have the least shadow of Truth against the Baptized Churches in their first beginning here in England they must needs be the grossest fort of Hypocrites in professing the contrary by their Profession of Faith and yet believing and practising quite otherwise to what they solemnly professed as their Faith in that matter And we believe they cannot give one true Instance that any Church of the Baptists that are sound in the Faith ever did in the least conclude or declare against a competent Maintenance for a Gospel-Ministry as a humane Invention or Anti-christian since those times To conclude as to this matter concerning their unworthy Reflections and false Accusations tho we might instance in mo●● 〈◊〉 one sort or other in that Book we must declare that we do wonder that any Persons professing Piety would commend that Book as a sober Discourse ●●●●out any Limitation or Exception against 〈◊〉 gross and fulsom Slanders which with so much Confidence are delivered whatever their Judgments be concerning the Controversy about Singing Moreover We hope the Baptized Churches their Elders Ministers and Members do hereby at least see great cause to suspect and to be very cautious in believing that Spirit that would perswade them to the way of common or popular Singing which would make way for its Entertainment by such notorious Falshoods and abominable Slanders which were certainly devised by the Father of Lies thereby to offend or stumble the Weak tho otherwise honest and well-meaning Having now answered to some of their unrighteous and scandalous Reflections we shall endeavour as the Lord shall enable us to manifest the Weakness of the main Pillars of their Assertion concerning the Singing before mention'd For we shall not spend our time to

of what he hath commanded Mat. 28.19 2. In the great Gospel-Duties of Prayer and Praising God he hath graciously promised the assistance of the Holy Spirit both what to pray for as well as how we are to pray Rom. 8.26 For we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Where we observe that which respects the manner and frame of Heart in Prayer respects also the matter of Prayer Indeed we are poor Worms and know not how to order our Cause before him unless we are assisted both in Matter in the time of Worship as well as Manner And as it is in Prayer so is it in Praises which Duty ought certainly to be as spiritually performed as Prayer and we need as great assistance of the Holy Spirit to Praise as to Pray But if Gospel-singing the Praise of God be with a Musical Voice and the Form before composed in Verse then we know what to praise God for The Minister or some one brings that Matter composed in writing or in print in his Pocket and then what need will there be of the Spirit of God to help us what to pray for 3. But if it be objected that we ought before-hand to consider the Mercies we have received We readily grant it and do affirm that also in Prayer we ought to consider our Wants to beg Supplies and our Sins to beg Pardon But also in presenting them before the Lord we need the Assistance of the Spirit to order our very Requests before him And that it 's the Experience of every Servant of God that in Prayer to God and in Praises of God their Hearts are inlarged in matter far beyond the Preparations of matter in either of those Holy Exercises This is one of the most pregnant Arguments used against stinted Forms of Prayer by those Ministers that so do even that it is a stinting the Spirit of God in that Duty as also contrary to the blessed Design of the Lord Christ in his Ascension mentioned Eph. 4.8 And therefore we cannot see but it must necessarily follow but that if a set-Form of Praises composed and brought into the Church in the publick Worship of God is lawful or as an Institution appointed by him then certainly a set-Form of Prayer ought to be provided also as a part of the publick Worship of God for the Peoples Prayers And tertainly would they but seriously consider their own Arguments that perswade them to be against set-form Prayer the same would consute their Notions against set-form Singing if indeed they be against set-form Prayer For they that can so vehemently plead in that Book for reading Songs of Praise and for reading Sermons and call it Preaching in the Church why should they not be for reading Prayers there also especially when their Arguments for both are for the most part the very same that others urge for set-form Prayer As for what they most impertinently alledg for their Vindication in this Matter from the Song of Moses and the Hymn mentioned Mat. 26.30 with Col. 3.16 they will be considered in their due place Secondly We shall enquire whether for a mixed Multitude Professors and Prosane Believers and Unbelievers to sing in Consort in the Church be an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus according to his New-Testament-Institution 1. We desire it may be seriously considered that there is not the least mention of it in the New Testament by any Precept or Example wherein we are directed in the Worship of God Certainly if our Lord Jesus was most faithful in the House of God and if his Apostles did faithfully declare the whole Counsel of God to the Churches then they would not have failed to have declared this also So that it is purely a Humane Invention without any shadow of ground for it in the Scriptures before mentioned which are the only Rule to guide us in the solemn instituted Worship of God in his Church If this Arguments hold good against the common Practice of Infants Sprinkling called Baptism as undoubtedly it doth then it doth also as evidently prove that this way of common Singing is a Tradition of Men and not an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus 2. As there is not the least mention of it as aforesaid so it is directly contrary to what our Lord Jesus hath plainly declared both as to the Qualification of the Worshippers as well as to the manner of Worship in Gospel-Times Joh. 4.23 The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and i● Truth c. Can the Unbelievers the Ignorant and the Profane thus worship the Father are they thus qualified or are they capable so to do So that this Practice of theirs is a plain Contradiction to the Will of our Lord and Law-giver in that Affair of Solemn Worship which therefore ought to be rejected by all the upright in Heart 3. Hereby there is an Opportunity given them to make or to speak a Lie before the Lord to take his Name in vain while they speak that which they do not understand and utter that as the frame of their Hearts which they do not receive in their Minds nor can they know them or truly affect them while they remain in an unconverted Estate because they are spiritually discerned Now to be accessary unto or to promote such a Transgression in the solemn Worship of God which they unavoidably do who set up this common way of Singing is a Practice that cannot be justified There is more to be added to shew the great Irregularity of this common Practice which must be referred to its proper place Object But they object That we admit them to be present and to join with their Hearts in our publick Prayers which is as much or more than lifting up their Voices in singing in the Church Answ To which we reply That it is true we do admit them at the time of Prayer and Preaching to be present and so we can and do to the Spectators and Hearers when we partake of the Lord's Supper not knowing by what means the Lord may work upon them or give them Repentance unto Life But that which is affirmed that they join with us with their Hearts in Prayer is no true Assertion They do not so join with us because they cannot For the Holy Spirit who knows the Hearts of all Men plainly tells us that Persons while Unbelievers and Unconverted cannot so do as is most evident from that Scripture Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him on whom they have not believed Object But they say Some have been converted by their Singing for Psalms are full of Instruction c. Answ 1. We grant that Psalms are full of Admonition and Instruction but we deny that the Musical Tunes do instruct but the Matter it self that is sung And if it be Matter it self that doth only instruct as you would seem to acknowledg then it is not Musick but the Matter 2. Tho some should be

Grace farther delivered from it than many others and therefore their turning back will be the more grievous and provoking to the Spirit of the Lord though our gracious Lord is pleased to deal very gently with his People in all their Weaknesses or Mistakes while a perverse Spirit is not found among them Wherefore we declare We have no disgust against nor would we maintain any Distance or Difference with those Brethren whose Apprehensions may not be the same with ours in this matter about Singing who carry it not only piously but peaceably in their Stations and among the Churches Some of whose Names are set to the Recommendation of this Book which we in the Substance of it have endeavoured to answer tho without their Knowledg or Consent For we believe they are so sober and righteous that whatever their Opinion might be of the Argument they would never have set their Names to such a universal Appropation without a faithful Witness against those abominable and lamentable extravagant false Accusations Reflections and Slanders contain'd in it As for Mr. Whinnel whose misguided Zeal may have misled him with some Misinformings to reflect upon us without cause as he hath He being a Person of a very courteous and obliging Conversation we hope he will for time to come if not better consider his Arguments for that common set-form Singing which he doth endeavour to promote yet at least forbear such causless Reflections against those that do in Judgment and Conscience dissent from him in that matter As for Mr. Keach who hath been the chief Instrument to raise up this Controversy which may occasion more Contention than Edification in the Baptized Churches we heartily desire he may for time to come labour after the things which make for Peace We know and he himself also how long he hath maintained a Wall of Partition between him and the rest of the Baptized Churches allowing no Church-Communion but such as can agree with him in his Opinion and Practice of Laying on of Hands upon the Members of the Church both Men and Women which Practice we find no where commanded by our Lord Jesus nor his Apostles yet we have not made it a Bone of Contention between him and us neither concerned our selves for many Years to make any publick Contest about it but to say no more of that matter only what relates to the Book it self 1. Whereas in the Title of it it 's recommended by divers Elders and Ministers of Baptized Churches mentioning the Names of several some of them affirm they never set their Hands to it saying they know not how their Hands came there and that the Epistle it self to which their Names are set they never saw until they saw it printed And where●● in the Title it 's farther said it is recommended by divers Elders and Ministers of the Baptized Churches we know that some of them are not Ministers nor Elders nor so much as Members in Communion with any Baptized Church as we know of 2. He hath very unjustly charged the Churches which were first gathered that they were of Opinion and did unanimously declare that for a Gospel-Minister to have a Yearly Allowance was an Human Invention and Antichristian whereas the contrary to which they have declared in their Confession of Faith printed by them soon after they came together as may more at large be seen in the former part of our Answer and it may farther appear what their Practice was in those Times by a late Printed Book entituled The Life and Death of Mr. Hanserd Knowlls written in his Life-time with his own Hand wherein he hath left this Testimony pag. 23 24. that he was Pastor to a Church in the Year 1645 and he received from the Church always according to their Ability most of the Members being poor What Man fearing God and desiring to preserve the Truth he himself professeth durst affirm so false a thing And what use may be made of it by such as are glad of any Opportunity to speak Evil of the Ways of God we leave to the Consideration of all Men. Finally We earnestly intreat the Baptized Churches their Elders Ministers and Members to consider what hath been said concerning this Question about Singing and that they would not any of them rashly or hastily upon any plausible Pretences be perswaded to set up that Way of set-form Singing which those Churches in times past did on matur● Deliberation from the Light afforded reject together with set-form Prayer But the Lord grant that we all may be pressing after more Purity b●th in the Form and Spirit of Holy-Worship n●t declining to any thing that is not of Divine Ins●●tution In the mean time bearing one with another in Love wherein we may be of differing Ap●rehensions in those or other Matters that are of ● lower Concernment not being desirous of vain ●lory provoking one another studying and earne●●●y labouring every one of us to maintain Peace a●● Holiness in our Souls in our Families and in th● Churches of our Lord Jesus that the God of Love and Peace may be with us We shall conclude with that Word Heb. 1● 20 Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight ●hrough Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen We subscribe our selves Your Brethren in the Faith and Fellowship of the Gospel William Kiffin George Barrett Robert Steed Edward Man FINIS Errata Pag. 16. l. 11. for we r. some P. 23. l. 16. r. in them do they ADVERTISEMENT THere is now coming forth a Book entituled Truth Soberly Defended in a Serious Reply to Mr. B. Keach's Book called The Breach Repaired in God's Worship or Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs proved to be an Holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ As also a Vindication of a Book entituled Prelimited Forms of Praising God vocally sung by all the Church together proved to be no Gospel Ordinance With a Postscript in Answer farther to a Book entitled Folly Detected Published by M. Joseph Wright And 〈◊〉 a Paper called an Appendix or a brief Answer to Mr. Marlow Notion of the Essence of Singing by T.W. And to a Paper called an Answer to a brief Discourse concerning ●●nging by H. K. Whereunto is added a brief Narative of the ●ise Occasion and Management of the present Controversy of ●●nging between I. M. and Mr. B. K. with some Reflections on Book called Truth Vindicated or Mr. Keach's Sober Appeal ans●red Wherein also his Abuses c. are detected under the ●nds of several worthy Pastors of Churches By Isaac Marlow Price bound together 1 s. There is also published a Book ●itled A Treatise of the Holy Yrin-unity in two Parts The first ●●serteth the Deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in the ●●ty of Essence with God the Father The second in defence the former answereth the chiefest Objections made against 〈◊〉 Doctrine By Isaac Marlow Price bound 10 d.