Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	ceremony_n	church_n	rite_n	3,560	5	9.9325	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04473	A clear confutation of Mr. Richard Allen, and his five commendators, from their own confessions, collected out of the vindication of his essay, and fairly improv'd against them, to the overthrow of their conjoined singing in artificial tunes in gospel-worship. To which is added, an answer to Mr. William Collins's defence from the charge exhibited against him in my book, entituled, The controversie of singing brought to an end, &c.	Marlow, Isaac.; Marlow, Isaac. The controversie of singing brought to an end.	1696 (1696)	Wing M692B; ESTC R180372	25,446	47

so or does account them indifferent Circumstances yet he does not use them in his church as accidental or circumstantial parts of a common civil action as such but of his Divine Worship and therefore whatever he calls them they are essentials of it for there are no circumstances of worship but what are essential to the compleat performance of it It 's true there are Circumstances attending Worship that are not of Worship but of actions meerly as such as one particular fixed hour of the day for Christians to meet together does attend the time and place of their Worship but one particular prefixed hour is but a circumstance of the action of meeting as such and so no essential circumstance of Worship as time and place is for another hour may serve as well but without the circumstances of time and place the Worship it self cannot be And notwithstanding Mr. Allen tells us plainly that artificial Tunes Metre and Rhime are not essential to singing yet I perceive that he himself in effect makes them essential to it For he says that 't is his Opinion that to sing in Rhime and Metre is more easie to be performed in an harmonious and regular manner than in prose and that singing in artificial tunes is requisite for the more regular performance of it Now is not that which is requisite for the more regular performing of that Worship essential to it seeing it is not so regular without it Surely if artificial Tunes Rhime and Metre are either his Rule or make his Rule of Singing whatever it be more perfect for that Worship they must needs belong unto it and be essential to the more compleat performance of it than without those modes and circumstances Sixthly To me it seemeth plain that Mr. Allen's terms of accidental modes and circumstances are only to gild over his Error that our People may the easier swallow it down and how much he writes after the Copy of the Church of England in the preface to the Book of Common-Prayer appears from the following Citation out of it For it 's there said That the particular forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies appointed to be used therein being things in their own nature indifferent and alterable and so acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon weighty and important Considerations according to the various exigency of Times and Occasions such Changes and Alterations should be made therein as to those that are in place of Authority should from time to time seem either necessary or expedient And concerning their Ceremonies that have had their beginning by the Institution of Man 't is there further said That those that remain are retained for Discipline and Order which upon just causes may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with God's Law From whence I Observe 1. That as t is ' said the particular Forms of the Service of the Church of England are things in their own nature indifferent and alterable so Mr. Allen makes his singing in Rhime and Metre and by artificial Tunes but indifferent things that are alterable for he says that singing the Divine Praises may be performed without them as well as a Person may be rightly baptized after another manner than with his face upward pag. 13 82. 2. That as the Ceremonies of the Church of England originally instituted by Man are for Discipline and Order so Mr. Allen says That all the accidental Modes and Circumstances of Divine Worship must be ordered suitable to the general Rules thereof viz. saith he so as may be most for Order and Edification page 81. 3. As the Ceremonies of the Church of England are not to be esteemed equal with God's Law so Mr. Allen calls his ways of singing in rhime and metre and by artificial tunes with conjoin'd voices but accidental modes and circumstances that he asserts are not equal with the essential parts of Divine Worship prescribed in the Word of God 4. The same Scripture that is used in the preface to the Book of Common-prayer for their Ceremonies is used in Mr. Allen's Essay page 88. for his mode of singing in artificial tunes 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order which to understand otherwise than of the Order and Decency prescribed in the Word and before laid down in the Rule of Worship in the same Chapter is a Subversion of the Word of God 5. I may also add That as the Church of England did formerly press their Forms and Ceremonies of Worship under the Notion of indifferent things upon the Consciences of the Dissenters who by no means could be made to swallow them down tho' gilded over with their Terms so tho' Mr. Allen has declared against imposing of his accidental modes and circumstances of Worship yet he and his Companions have so far followed the former steps of the Church of England as to press their modes and circumstances which they own are no essential parts of Gospel-worship so hard upon our Churches as to occasion many Troubles and Distractions among us So that Mr. Allen and his five Companions agree so well with the Preface to the Book of Common-prayer about the nature of humane modes and circumstances of Worship that we have reason to believe they have learnt their Notions from the Church of England whereby they are infecting our Churches with such Principles as will naturally lead them to conform at least to their worship Seventhly I shall take some Notice of what Mr. Allen refers us to in page 81. Where he tells us that he has shewn the Difference between the parts of Divine Worship and the accidental modes and ways of its performance in his foregoing page 15. And in page 47. speaking of those accidental modes and circumstances of Divine Worship as are not particularly prescribed in the Word he says That there are many such every one must needs know whereof some instances saith he have been given pag. 15. where I find Mr. Allen mentioneth the three following particulars 1. He there saith For a Man to provide for his Family all I presume saith he will grant to be a Christian yea a Moral Duty but 't is at the Liberty of every man's choice in what just way he doth it whether by the use of this or the other Art or Trade Answer What is this to our case of Divine Worship because every man has liberty to choose and use what lawful Art or Trade he pleaseth for the maintenance of his Family therefore must Christians have so great a Liberty to choose and practise what accidental modes and circumstances of Worship they please If this be granted then if our Churches please they may practice not only common Singing but the Common Service of the Church of England Common-Prayer Common Baptism or Sprinkling of Infants Common Gossips to Answer for them Kneeling at the Altar and at Confession and Absolution Bowing to the East and Name of Jesus and may