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-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
am not of our Authors mind that many Sects do sometimes meet in the Dutch Churches I suppose he was never Conversant among them to make the Remark I know some who resided a long while there and they assured me that in the Publick Established Churches few or none meet but they who are of the Established Religion The Arminians have places of their own to meet in so the Papist the Lutherans the Mennonists the Brownists c. It is rarely if ever that they frequent the Established Churches 2. But the Dutch Churches have the use of Organs very frequent amongst them almost in every Church I Answer 1. By way of Concession I confess it to be thus in most of their Churches in their larger Cities but yet I cannot Assent to what our Author adds That they are in every Church where the People are of ability to procure them That is really a mistake of the Author There is a Publick Church and a very large one which has them not in Leyden and it is the case of some others in other Cities 2. Altho' they have Organs in their Churches yet they pretend not as our Author does that they are to Exalt their Devotions and the more to Excite their Affections but they use them to Regulate the Voices of the People and to direct them in the Tune of the Psalm they are to sing 3. It also deserves our consideration that Organs were introduced into the Dutch Churches by some Magistrates against the Consent of the Dutch Ministers For at the National Synod held at Middleburg Anno 1581 and in the Synod of Holland and Zealand Anno 1594. it was Decreed * Voet's Pol. Eccles Part. 1. p. 561 562. and p. 593. Primum cantus Instrumentalis in Ecclesiâ aliquâ Hollandicâ N. Aedilis alicujus aut Aedilium istius loci privato judicio ac studio Anno 1637 introductus c. that they would endeavour to prevail with the Magistrates to banish Organs and Instrumental Musick out of their Temples And Voet informs us that it was introduced by some Civil Officer at first upon his own private Motion without the consent of the Ecclesiastical Synod Ne Conscio quidem aut consulto Ecclesiastico Synedrio are his words Let these things be considered and then let his Argument from the Dutch Churches carry as much weight with it as it can But supposing what our Author has offered us from the Dutch Churches and others may not be sufficient to gain the point he aims at then he returns from whence he set out and assures us Tho' none of the Reformed Churches abroad did use them at all It is sufficient that ours doth Ser. p. 14. to justifie their Lawfulness being by far the best part of the Reformation I answer 1. Whereas he saith it is sufficient that ours does use them to justifie their Lawfulness I humbly conceive it to be a Mistake If a thing be not antecedently Lawful in its self I do not think the Churches using it will render it Lawful Altho' his Holiness at Rome may pretend to a Prerogative to change things unlawful into Lawful yet I suppose the Church of England ne're claimed it The use of Instrumental Musick by a Church is no Argument of its Lawfulness unless it be first proved that that Church is absolutely an Unerring one 2. The Church of England makes use of the Cross in Baptism yet it is strongly questioned whether it is Lawful as used in this Church 3. The same Church Imposes certain Rites which she confesseth to be indifferent in themselves upon its Members as necessary Terms of Communion without a compliance with which Persons however Spotless and Holy in their lives however sound as to Doctrine shall be debarr'd her Communion But I am satisfied that the Practise of this Church will not render such an Imposition Lawful 4. If we would arrive at Satisfaction about the Lawfulness of a thing in the Worship of God with submission I conceive we are not to enquire whether it be the practise of a Church now in being but what Warrant that Church has for such a Practise 5. The Cathedral Churches it must be confessed make use of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God and we find it in some and but very few Parish Churches amongst us But the far greatest part of the Parishes have nothing of it Nay not one of a 100 Parishes parhaps of 500 Enjoy this sort of Church-Musick Therefore he cannot say that all in Communion with the Church of England do approve of the use of it I am satified that Multitudes do not And should Persons attempt to erect an Organ in some Parish Churches I nothing question but that they would meet with great opposition We find it was a long time ere our Author could bring his Parish to it He was no less than Ten Years in perswading his Parish to approve of this Musick Preface And now his Organ is where he would have it I very much question whether all the Members of his Congregation are satisfied with what their Guide has drawn them to Well so great an Authority I perceive has this Mans Church that if it practiseth any thing in the Worship of God although all other Reformed Churches disuse and disallow it that thing presently becomes lawful which I suppose you will grant me is no small absurdity But he obliges us with a Reason for the proof of this Ser. p. 14. For adds he Ours being by far the best part of the Reformation 1. Suppose this be allowed him for certain that the Church of England is the best Reformed Church in the World yet I am not so acute to perceive how it will thence follow that this Churches use of Organs in Divine Worship will justifie the Lawfulness of them For the best Reformed Church in the World may have some flaw in it 2. But what does this Gentleman mean by the Church of England when he Asserts it to be the best part of the Reformation Does he Exclude all the Dissenters of what ever Denomination from his Church And does he include the Vast Multitudes of Debauched Profane Atheistical Sotts who loudly pretend to be some of the best Members of the Church of England Or doth he Exclude them too 3. What does this Gentleman mean by his Church's being the best part of the Reformation Does he intend that it is best as to its Doctrine best as to its Discipline or best as to the Holiness of its Members If he designs it of its Doctrine I think other Churches may pretend to be as well Reformed as his For the Doctrine of the French Protestant Churches of the Dutch Reformed Churches of the Scotch Church and of the Hungarian Churches is much what the same with that of the Church of England As to Discipline let him prove that the Discipline exercised in the Church of England exceeds that of the French Protestant Churches the Dutch c. That the
Members of the Church of England are more Conspicuous for Holiness more Eminent for a Good Life than those of Others it is incumbent upon our Author to make good if he shall adVenture to Assert it But then he must not only prove that this Church is the best part of the Reformation but by far the best part So that this Church of his must surpass all other Reformed Churches with a high degree of Transcendency But he will prove the Church of England to be the best part of the Reformation and by far the best part too And this from a passage of the Learned Causabons The Passage this Ser. p. 14 15. If my Judgment does not fail me the sincerest part of the Reformation is in England where together with the study of Truth flourisheth also the study of Antiquity 1. It is observable that the Learned Causabon saith that the sincerest part of the Reformation is in England He doth not say that the best part of the Reformation is to be found in the Cathedrals only or in those few Parishes where they have Organs in their Churches Nor doth he say that the sincerest part of the Reformation is only to be found in the Church of England as a Body distinguished by some peculiar Rites and Old Canons from the rest of the Protestant Churches in the Nation No he only says that the sincerest part of the Reformation is in England 2. That the study of Truth and Antiquity flourishes in our Nation is undeniable But then it is as evident that Forreign Reformed Churches have had many Learned Divines amongst them eminent for the study of Truth and Antiquity and have at this day Such in the French Churches were Daille Blondel Cloud c. such in the Dutch Churches were Salmasius Rivet c. And at present there are many in the Belgick Provinces of the Reformed who are Eminent for the Study of Truth and Antiquity Such are the very Learned Spanheim Leydecker Triglandius Witsius Gronovius c. Ser. p. 15. Our Author for the greater Commendation of his Church saith This truly was and is the Design and Glory of our Church that it retains the Doctrine and Practise of the Primitive Chuch while it throws off the Corruptions and errors that were foisted into it in after Times But 1. Does the Church of England retain the Doctrine and Practise of the Primitive Church I rejoice to hear it Has it thrown off all Corruptions and Errours which were foisted into the Church in after-times Good News But I wonder then how our Authors Church came to Practise upon the Organ For there was no such Musick in the Primitive Churches as I think I have proved for 600 Years there was no sound of the Organ to be heard in the Christian Assemblies This was foisted into them in after-times Beside how came kneeling at the Reception of the Lord's-Supper to be used in our Church Whereas it was not Practised by the Primitive Christians Nay Genuflection was forbidden by the Custom of the Catholick Church and the Canons of the greatest General Councels on any Lords day in the Year And this Custom continued a Thousand Years in the Church as Mr. Baxter in many of his Books has proved The Cross in Baptism as a Dedicating Sign and as used in the Church of England was not found in the Primitive Churches Bowing at the Name of Jesus was no Primitive Practise The Exercise of the Power of the Keys by a Lay-Chancellour is not a Practise found in the Primitive Church The Imposing of Ministers upon Parishes against the consent of the People was no Primitive Practice The Excluding Parents from entring their Children into the Covenant at Baptism is not to be found the Practise of the Primitive Christians A Choir of Singing-Men and Lads was what the Primitive Churches were unacquainted with The Composing of a Liturgy and imposing it upon all Ministers to be invariably used by them was no practise of the Primitive Church at least for 300 or 400 Years The making the Surplice the condition of a Ministers Exercising his Office in Publick was not found in the early times of Christianity These things considered it is strange our Author should pretend that the Practise of his Church is so very agreeable to those of the Primitive Christians I suppose by the Primitive Church he intends the Church in some of the later Ages of Christianity 2. Do not the French and Dutch Churches those of Piedmont and the Protestant Churches amongst the Cantons c. retain the Doctrine and Practise of the Primitive Churches Let our Author prove they do not And this is their Glory too that they have thrown off the Corruptions and Errors that were foisted into the Church in after-times But our Author proceeds in the Commendation of his Church It allows saith he and maintains what is agreeable to Reason Ser. p. 15. Decency and Good Report whereby God may be Worshipped among us in Spirit and in Truth with Beauty and Devotion 1. And do not the Forreign Reformed Churches do the like Have they any thing of Indecency or Ill-report to be found in their Worship Is there any thing Unreasonable in their Devotions 2. That God may be Worshipped with Beauty says our Author What he intends by Beauty I know not some account a Meretricious Bravery and Paint to be Beauty The Papists Worship God with a great deal of Pomp and Gaiety and this they stile a Worshipping of God in Beauty They have Organs they have Altars they have Burning Lamps even by day in their Churches their Temples are curiously trimm'd and Adorned and this they account adds to the Beauty and Splendour of their Worship I hope our Author does not intend such a Beauty as this if he does he will find the generality of the Reformed Churches are against him and they will tell him that Gospel Worship in its Native Simplicity is its greatest Beauty If an External Bravery if Gaudy Temples and Glittering Ornaments are the Beauty of Worship then they of the Romish Communion will justly pretend to a more Beautiful Worship than his Church can Our Author continues to applaud his Church by saying Ser. p. 15. She retains the use of the Organ but not as it were absolutely necessary or as if the Essence of the Church did consist in it or that there could be no Church without it but only as to its benè esse its Flourishing estate An excellent remark this For 1. Doubtless the Essence of the Church doth not lie in a few tweedling Organ-pipes it would be wonderfully strange if it should 2. But yet the same Organs are necessary to its benè esse its Flourishing estate So that altho' the Church may be a Church without them yet the Church cannot be in a flourishing Condition without them But how does our Author prove it What mighty Arguments does he produce for the Confirmation of this Momentous Assertion Alas as to that matter
and if possible removing the Prejudices which the Adversaries of Church-Musick have against this practise It is highly requisite indeed that this be done or otherwise his Organ still will be upon a tottering Foundation He concludes That if this be not done in vain will the Arguments prove which set forth the Use and Advantages of this Institution He presumes he shall easily Answer the Objections which are brought against his New-Musick or Institution as he stiles it By the way a strange Institution which is neither appointed by Gods Law nor Mans in this Nation But for ought I know this Gentlemans Confidence may be somewhat taller than his Performance I shall present you with the Objections and consider the Reply he makes to them Object I. It is commonly said by those of a differing Perswasion in this matter from our Author Ser. p. 31 32. That Instrumental Musick is a Jewish Ceremony and an Appointment of the Law but was to be abolished in the Christian Church That altho' it might suit well enough with that Infant-state yet now by the coming of Christ it is to be done away as the other Ceremonies of the Law are But this is an Argument of no force with him And the Geneva Annotations must have the Epithite of Pernicious given them because they thus object against his Organ A few words to this 1. Some Men I observe have a particular Pique against any thing of Geneva the very word seems to be grating and unpleasant to them Sometimes in their very Prayers they will beg to be secured from the Plots of Rome and Geneva I wonder what mischief Geneva has done them For my part I cannot spell out the meaning of this inveterate Antipathy to that City I am informed that Geneva has a great deal of Charity for the Church of England for in its Prayers it has one Petition for the welfare of the British Church So that Geneva has Charity for these Gentlemen altho' they have none for her 2. But why is this Gentleman so wroth with the Geneva Annotations It is great pitty saith he that they should he Printed with the Bible Why what is the matter O they are contrary to the sense and meaning of the Bible in many places Are they so But I suppose our Author must be judge of that and then it is impossible they should escape a Censure But it may be our Author himself may be mistaken about the sense of many Texts of Scripture But supposing it for once to be true that the Geneva Annotations are contrary to the meaning of the Bible in many places is this Argument enough for the stiffing them that they may never be Printed more At the same rate I think the greatest part of the Annotations or Comments on the Bible ought to be supprest For how few are there but do mistake the sense and meaning of the Bible in many places Some will not except the Learned Dr. Hammond's nor Mr. Pool's with the Continuators nor those of the great Grotius And yet is it pity these should be Printed Should all the Annotations upon the Bible be supprest which have some things in them contrary to the sense and meaning of it I fear we should have but very few left 3. Methinks this Gentleman should have considered that these Annotations were first Published many Years ago when the Annotators had not such excellent Helps for the writing Annotations upon the Bible as we enjoy in the present Age. This methinks should somewhat have checked the sharpness of his Stile against these Annotators But alas He is utterly fallen out with Geneva tho' I believe he knows not why Non amo te Sabadi nec possum dicere quare Hoc tantùm possum dicere non amo te He is mightily prejudiced against Geneva and is resolved upon all occasions to mâ—ke discoveries of his displeasure 4. But how much soever this Gentleman is pleased to condemn these Annotations yet many Persons who have made a far greater Figure in the Church of England have commended them and appeared in their defence And here I cannot but take notice of what is said of them in the Preface to the Assemblies Annotations The Geneva Bible with the Notes was presented with a special Dedication to the Incomperable Princess Queen Elizabeth which was received with such acceptation of her Majesty and general liking of her People that from that time until the Edition of the last Translation of the Bible it was Printed by Hers and her Rightful and Royal Successors Printers above thirty times over Tho' it was their mishap without any merit to be noted with a black-coal as guilty of mis-interpretation touching the Divinity of Christ and his Messiah-ship and as Simbolizing with Arians and Jews against them both and this was publickly charged upon them by an Academical Doctor * Dr. H. in a Solemn Assembly of the University of Oxford But of this Crime they were more than absolved by Sir Thomas Bodly the famous Founder and Furnisher of the Publick Library his Letter written in their Defence and Praise which was read by the Doctor of the Chair in St. Marys Pulpit and by his and the Orthodox Governours of the University Silencing the Doctor for his Un-orthodox and Scandalous Sermons whereby the Church and State were involved in a high and heinous degree of guilt if the Notes were so unsound as he had suggested for allowing them to be Passable and Publick by so many Impressions I presume our Author never dreamt of this Passage But I wish he would consider it for the future But to come to the Objection its self Say the Annotators Instrumental Musick was a part of the Ceremonial Law and was well enough suited to that Infant state Well What saith our Gentleman to this He utterly dislikes it But do not many of the Primitive Fathers say the same Do not Clemens Alexandrinus St Chrysostome Isidore Pelusiota Theodoret and the Author Quest Respon ad Orthodoxos speak to the same purpose Consult the collected Passages I have given you above So that the Geneva Annotators can pretend to better Antiquity for what they say than our Author can produce The Primitive Fathers speak plain in our Case when as they have not a favourable Sentence to befriend our Authors Organ Where therefore now is the mighty boast of Antiquity But what will this Gentleman say if it should be proved to him That the Church of England in her Homilies so far agrees with Geneva here as to account the use of Organs in Christian Churches to be Unlawful This for ought I know may a little sweeten him Yet this I hope clearly to prove e're I conclude But let us see how our Author will confute this Objection well he hath two things to say to it 1. That the Institution of Musical Instruments in the Service of God was never a part of the Ceremonial Law and therefore the use of it was not to be done
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
A LETTER TO A Friend in the Country Concerning the Use of INSTRUMENTAL MUSICK IN THE Worship of God IN Answer to Mr. Newte's SERMON Preach'd at Tiverton in Devon on the Occasion of an Organ being Erected in that Parish-Church LONDON Printed for A. Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick Lane 1698. A LETTER TO A Friend in the Country Concerning the Use of INSTRUMENTAL MUSICK IN THE Worship of God c. SIR I Have according to your desire been at the pains to peruse the Discourse of Mr. Newte which he delivered a while since to his Auditory at Tiverton occasioned by the erecting of an Organ in the Publick Temple there Had he confined his beloved Musick to his own Parish I believe he might have sat down quietly and have solaced himself with his Harmonious Pipes without fear of a Contradiction But he was so ravished with his Organical Devotion that nothing less would content him than to fill the whole Nation with a noise of it Therefore out comes his Sermon in Print to tell the World what a mighty admirer he is of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God with what rare and raised Devotion he adores the Deity whilst that of others is low and inharmonious being deadned and flatned by the hoarsness of the Wind-pipe He discovers a mighty Zeal for this sort of Church-Musick as he stiles it and therefore has thought fit to oblige the World with a large Sermon to recommend and defend it But how grateful soever this sort of Musick may be to his more Elevated Genius He does ill to blame others for not approving it Why must he disturb his Neighbour with his fancy Others perhaps do not find this to be so great a help to Devotion as he confidently presumes it is To render his Discourse the more acceptable to the World He has Dedicated it to the Right Reverend the Bishop of Exon and whether it has met with his Approbation and Good-liking I have not heard but I am satisfied that some of the Clergy look upon it as a mean performance I perceive by his Epistle Dedicatory that this Gentleman has had a difficult Province of it in bringing his Organ into his Church He has been attempting it for Ten Years together and could never accomplish his design till of late And for ought I know at last he has as the Proverb speaks made more hast than good speed For is this a time to set up Chargeable Organs in the Churches This was written when a stop was put to Trade by the Prohibition of the Clipt Money the use of which he only pretends to be lawful to expend vast Sums in the setting up some Musical Pipes when as the generality of the Poor complain and that not without reason that they have scarcely Money sufficient to buy Bread for their Families Is this a time to lavish a great deal of Treasure upon inanimate Organs when as the animate ones I mean the Poor are ready to famish for want of their Daily-bread What Harmony can there be in a costly Organ when we hear the bitter lamentations of the Needy and the piercing cryes of helpless Orphans Is this a time to regale our Ears with an Expensive and yet unnecessary Musick when we can scarcely find Money sufficient to defray the Charges of a necessary War against a Potent Prince and Inveterate Enemy abroad Why must it just at this very time be Erected I hope the Worship of God has heretofore been managed with as much Edification without it Well seeing he has obtained his desire in having mounted his Organ to the place he designed it for I wish it may inspire him as with Devotion to his God so with Charity towards his Neighbour But some Mens Charity is not very large at home and then usually much less abroad His many little spiteful reflections he makes upon Protestant Dissenters discover his Charity abroad to be very deminutive And whether the compliment he makes his Right Reverend Diocesan does not savour of a want of some degree of Charity towards those of his own way and Church I leave to you to determine I shall transcribe the Passage which I have a respect to for I think it deserves an Animadversion Thus then he Addresses his Lordship My Lord It is now highly to be wished if such a Wish be not too great in our days that all others who possess the same Station and Dignity in our Church with you were as Zealous and hearty in promoting the interest and defending the rights of its Constitution It would make some of us happy beyond our expectation and others beyond their design if not against their wills Then we might see our excellent establishment and old-Old-England flourish in our time as they did in that of our Forefathers In which Passage you cannot but observe what a vast commendation he heaps upon his Lordship and advances him far above those of the same station in the Church This Gentleman when he dropped this passage I suppose had almost forgotten the common Proverb Viz. That comparisons are odious He hereby tacitely accuses the other Reverend Bishops of a want of Zeal and heartiness in the promoting the interest and defending the rights of the Churches Constitution I wish this Gentleman would be pleased to shew us in what respects the other Reverend Bishops have been wanting to the Churches Interest For my part I would not in the least be thought to detract from the due praises of the Bishop of Exon. But why should many other Reverend Bishops of the same Order be marked out as Men too little concerned for the Churches interest When as it is apparent beyond a possibility of a denyal that they have appeared with a great deal of Warmth in defence of that Church and its rights That Man must needs be a great Stranger to the other Reverend Bishops who shall adventure to assert that they have been wanting as to their Zeal and heartiness in the promoting of the Churches Interest and defending of the Rights of the Churches constitution The present Arch-Bishop has written with great Learning and Zeal against Atheists in his Examination of Hobbs's Creed and against the Papists in his Elaborate Discourse of Idolatry The Reverend Bishop of Worcester has Learnedly pleaded the Cause of Christianity against Atheists and Deists in his Origines Sacrae and his Letter to a Deist With very great strength of Reason has he Confuted the Doctrines of the Church of Rome in his Rational Account His Idolatry of the Church of Rome and in many other Excellent Discourses And with wonderful Learning has he Vindicated the grand Doctrines of our Religion against Crellius and others of the Socinian party His Discourse of the Sufferings of Christ and that of the Trinity evidently prove this I suppose I need not tell you that with great briskness he has written against those too who are somewhat averse to the Churches discipline His Mischief of Separation will discover
praising of their God 2. Suppose these Harpers harping with their Harps are to be understood of the Church Militant Praising God here below which as he hints is the Opinion of some others yet I cannot see any advantage he will gain to his cause by it For 1. You very well know that it is a common thing in Scripture for matters relating to the New-Testament Worship to be dressed up in Old-Testament Phrases The words Priests Sacrifices Incense c. are a clear proof of this * Vid. Glass Philol. Sacr. p. 1348. 2. But methinks we have a Text in the Book of the Revelations which fairly discovers to us what we are to understand by Harps in this Prophecy Revel 5.8 It is said that the four Beasts and the Four and Twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them Harps and Golden Vials full of Odours which are the Prayers of the Saints Here we have the Worship of the New-Testament or the Praises and Prayers of the Saints under the Evangelical Administration adumbrated by Harps and Viols full of Odours What we are to understand by those Vials full of Odours is made plain to us in the following words Viz. Which are the Prayers of the Saints So then by Harps and the sound of them we are to understand the Praises of the same For both Praises and Prayers are there expressed by Phrases which allude to the Worship of God under the Legal Administration And thus does a Learned Prelate †Cooper Bishop of Galloway in his Commentary on the Revelations expound the place for saith he The Harp of a Christian wherewith he praiseth God is his heart the Strings of the Harp are the Affections of the Heart which must be well tuned and prepared before they can make any Melody to the Lord. To the same purpose speaks he on Revel 14.2 For saith he there There is an harping which we make to God our Heart is the Harp Sancti sunt Dei insignes Citharcedi Saints are excellent Harpers to God The Strings of this Harp are our Affections Now the Opinion of this Right Reverend Bishop I oppose to that of Dr. Hammond The Continuators of Mr. Pool's Annotations on Rev. 5.8 say thus He alludes to the Worship of God under the Old Testament where in the Temple they were wont to praise God with Instruments of Musick and offering up of Frankincense And these Persons I oppose to Mr. Baxter And saith Marlorate on Revel 5.8 By Harps we are to understand Hearts And him we oppose to Bullinger But I would entreat you to weigh a little 3. What the Learned Dr. More saith Mystery of Iniquity p. 221. He tells us of a Prophetick Scheme exceeding frequent especially in the Apocalyps which he stiles Israelitismus which he saith is a speaking of the Affairs of the Church under the Names and with allusion to such places or Persons or things as did of old concern the Israelites and People of the Jews and that in a Mystical or Spiritual meaning The frequency of this Scheme adds he is not to be wondred at if we consider that the People of Israel were one great and entire Mysterious Type or Sacrament of the Church of God such as it should be under Christ according as St. Paul has written 1 Cor. 10. That all things befel them in figures And this I humbly conceive is enough to enervate the Argument our Author has fetched from some verses in the Book of the Revelations 4. Give me leave to present you with the Learned Dr. Lightfoots * Doctor Lightfoot's Works Vol. 1. p. 350. opinion of the sense of that Text Revel 15. saith he of the beginning of the story of the Seven Vials John again calls us to reflect upon the Scheme of the Temple in Heaven which all along speaks according to the platform of the Temple at Jerusalem Here is a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and Harpers harping by it c. Singing the Song of Moses which as it calls to mind Moses and the People Singing upon the Red-sea-shore upon their delivery from Egypt so doth it plainly allude to the Musick at the Temple I could with as much shew of Reason Argue from a place in the Revelations that when Antichrist shall fall and the pure Worship of Christ shall be freed from all Antichristian Superstitions and Pompous Rites that then the use of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God shall cease too and be thrown out of the Churches with her other gaudy and needless Ceremonies For if we look into Revel 18. we have there an account of the Destruction of Babylon i. e. of the Roman Anti-Christian Hierarchy as the generality of Expositors understand it And upon the Destruction of this Anti-Christian Government it is said ver 22. And the Voice of Harpers and Musicians and of Pipers and Trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee That is say many all their Instrumental Musick shall be cast out of the Churches with their other Anti-Christian Trumpery For saith Aretius on the place Musicam primo loco ponit c. He puts Musick in the first place because all their Temples are filled with the sound of it There are Organs and Trumpets and Pipes but all these things made use of in Religion do displease the Lord as this place teacheth And Mr. Clerk on the same Text saith The Voice of Harpers and Musicians that is their Church-Musick shall be heard no More And ver 23. The light of the Candle shall shine no more in thee i. e. Their Consecrated Candles burning upon their Altars and before Images And much to the same purpose speaks the Learned Dr. More Mystery of Iniquity p. 428. Commenting on the same Text. There may be a more particularly contrived Allegory in reference to this Mystical City here meant as if we should understand rather the Musick at their Idolatrous Worship by these here specified which were only by a Diorismus And by these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as do technas Consuere Sophisticas and Politicas in Theology and Church Administration for the interest of their Hierarchy These Artifices Imperii in Imperio of those also that work curious work in the Scholastick Divinity Here you have a Ternary of Authors approving this sense of the Words and one of them an Eminent Doctor of the Church of England And if the words are to be understood in this sense I am satisfied they are a considerable Argument against the use of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God But whether this may be the sense or no I shall not contend yet thus much I think any Unprejudiced Person will grant me That this is as strong an Argument against the Sacred Use of Organs as any Mr. Newte has advanced from the Revelations to prove their use Lawful 4. I am now arrived at his Fourth Argument I shall crave leave to try the Strength of this too He delivers himself thus
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
he beggs your Diversion and assures you that the matter is even so and therefore you have Reason to believe him But I would ask this Gentleman could I come at him What! Was not the Church in a flourishing estate in the time of Constantine the Great And yet there were no Organs then to Exalt their Devotions Cannot the Church Flourish unless the sound of Organs be heard in every Worshipping Assembly Suppose the Church should have a Learned and Pious Clergy should have vast and numerous Assemblies consisting all of Pious Peaceable and Fruitful Members Suppose it should be smiled upon by a Religious and Zealous Magistracy and it should have nothing of Division or Animosity to infest it and should have all the Ordinances of Christ Administred in it according to the rule of the Gospel would not the Church be in a Flourishing estate altho ' the Ears of its Members were not regailed with an Organical Melody With submission to our Author 's great Learning and Judgment I humbly conceive it would 3. But the Mystery lies here some Persons are for setting up their Fancies in their Churches and the bringing in of their own Whims into Divine Worship and then presently they cry they are necessary to the Flourishing estate of the Church and that they Meliorate the Worship of God As if the Worship of God were not as Decent as Comely as Flourishing without them Methinks such Persons are just like a sort of Modish Ladies of our Times to whom altho' God has given pretty good Features and has put a considerable Comeliness upon them yet will they Paint and Dawb their Faces and beautifie themselves with their curious Washes and artificial Dyes and then they cry it is for the heightning of their Beauty for the giving an advance to their Comeliness But who does not see that this does not augment their Beauty but hide it And who would account a Painted Jezabel more Beautiful than a comely Rachel 4. If Organs do render the Church more Flourishing and Beautiful then an addition of Harps and Psalteries and Timbrels and Dances c. would yet give a greater advance to its Beauty and render it more Pompous and Flourishing Upon the same pretence these and many other such things might be introduced into the Worship of God All the Gay and Glittering Pomps and Rites of the Romish Church were brought in upon the same Foundation Ser. p. 15 16. Our Author proceeds and harps on a string he had touched before and tells us That God be thanked they do not stand singly in the defence of this Usage but that they have the concurrence of the best established Churches in the Christian World 1. Doubtless they must presently be the best Established Churches in the World who concur with him in the use of Organs 2. But I fear this Gentleman reckons without his Host That you may be convinced that our Author has but little reason for what he offers I shall give you a brief account of what Churches use Organs and what Churches Worship God without them The Churches which use them are the Popish Churches the Cathedral Churches in England and some very few Parish Churches Some of the Dutch Churches But this without the consent of their Ministers as was observed before Some few of the Lutheran Churches in Poland and Germany and the Greek Churches But then the Churches which Worship God without them are the greatest part of the parish-Parish-Churches in England The Dissenting Congregations Universally the Scotch Churches the Hungarian Transylvanian Churches the Churches of Piedmont All the Reformed Churches in Germany the Helvetian and the French Protestant Churches Many of the Protestant Churches in Poland and many of those in the Belgick Provinces This account being given you I leave you to judge what reason our Author had to say that the best Reformed Churches in the Christian World concurred with them in the use of Organs If he can prove the Popish the Lutheran and the Greek Churches to be the best Reformed Churches in the Christian World he may do somewhat to perswade us to be of the same Opinion but till then we must beg his pardon if we dissent from him He has I find Ser. p. 16. one entire Paragraph to the Old Bedlam tune of Forty one Forty one in which there are some things false But this Gentleman is not of Age enough to remmember the Transactions of those Times and therefore we shall pass it by as thinking it not fit to take notice of the eructation of his Gall. But now we are arrived at his Fifth Argument Argum. 5 which he takes from the Concession of some of the Dissenters particularly from the Reverend Mr. Baxter and the Assembly of Divines 1. He begins with Mr. Baxter and alledges his Testimony for the Defence of the Lawfulness of Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God I must confess I have a very high esteem of Mr. Baxter and am perswaded that he has done very great service to the Church of God by the many excellent Discourses he has published both in Practical and Polemick Divinity But yet I suppose it would be a mistaken Commendation of him to say that he was without all Mistake As to his judgment respecting the use of Organs I cannot close with it I shall consider Mr. Baxter's Arguments as our Author has propounded them and endeavour a Reply to them His Arguments as propounded by Mr. Newte are these 1. God set up Instrumental Musick long after Moses 's Ceremonial Law by David and Solomon I Answer 1 Instrumental Musick was made use of in the Worship of God as I conceive long before the times of David or Solomon Our Author has said enough to confute this First Argument in producing the Instance of Miriams praising God with Timbrels 2. Trumpets were used in the Worship of God as enjoyned by Moses's Ceremonial Law as we read Numb 10.10 In the day of your gladness and in your solemn days and in the beginnings of your Months ye shall blow with your Trumpets over your Burnt-Offerings and over the Sacrifices of your Peace-offerings that they may be to you for a Memorial before your God The same thing was part of the Ceremonial Law in David's time Psal 81.3 4. it is there said Blow up the Trumpet in the New-Moon in the time appointed in our solemn feast day for this was a Statute for Israel and a Law of the God of Jacob So that Instrumental Musick was set up by Moses's Ceremonial Law Therefore I conceive Mr. Baxter mistakes when he says that God set up Instrumental Musick long after Moses 's Ceremonial Law If by setting up he intends the first Appointment of this sort of Musick in Divine Worship Instrumental Musick was set up by Moses's Ceremonial Law and farther ratified by the Ceremonial Law in the times of David and Solomon That it was set up by Moses's Ceremonial Law to me seems apparent from Psal 81.4 5. before
attend This terrible word Unanswerable is enough to scare a Junior Disputant But perhaps all this Remark may be no other than a harmless Mormo only to Amuse not to do any Execution Therefore I shall look a little more narrowly into it If saith he Musical Instruments as is granted had that power then how have they changed their Nature since A few things will discover this Interrogatory not to be so very formidable as our Author presumes it to be 1. These were Means appointed of God to stir up the Affections of the Jewish People under the Legal oeconomy and doubtless God concurred with his own Institutions and made them useful to that end But they are not a means now thus appointed of God to be used in Gospel-Churches Therefore we have no reason to expect that God should thus concur with Persons in the Use of them in these times of the New-Testament Administration 2. At the same rate a Man may argue for the use of Sacrifices and Incense still For is it not very easie to say if Sacrifices and Incense were of use then to stir up the Affections How have they changed their Nature since And must this be looked upon as an Unanswerable Remark If not Why should our Authors be thought to be so But I shall offer you a few things more to this purpose when I come to consider the great advantages which as our Author avers acrue to Persons by this sort of Church Musick Thus having considered the Authority he has produced from those of the Separation as he stiles them in the behalf of his admired Musick I will endeavour to be even with him by presenting you with the Judgment of two Church-men directly against it 1. I shall offer you the Opinion of Mr. Maxwel a Scotish Divine but yet not of the Geneva Cut but of the true Prelatical Stamp In a Discourse of his Entituled The Excellency of the Church of England above that of Geneva He delivers himself thus We agree with the Reformed Divines that Instrumental Musick is neither a help to nor a part of Divine or Ecclesiastick Worship This I am satisfied is a much fuller Passage against Instrumental Musick in Divine Worship than is his citation from the Assemblies Annotations for it 2. But what will you say if I produce a very Eminent and Learned Bishop declaring against this sort of Musick in Christian Assemblies That I suppose may be sufficient to counter-poize Mr. Baxter's Testimony Well then the Reverend the Learned Bishop Taylor Delivers himself expresly against this sort of Church Musick For saith he The Use of Psalmody or Singing of Psalms Duct dub Lib. 3. p. 329. be cause it can stir up the Affections and make Religion please more Faculties is very apt for the Edification of Churches The use of Instrumental Musick may also add some little advantages to Singing but they are more apt to change Religion into Air and Fancies and take off some of its Simplicity and are not so fitted for Edification Ad Disciplinas aliquod Artificiale Organum non est ad hibendum said Aristotle as he is quoted by Aquinas Artificial Instruments are not fit to be applied to the Use of Disciplines that is The Musick of Instruments does not make a Man wiser or instruct him in any thing this is true and therefore they are not of themselves very good Ministries of Religion And then a little below in the same page he tells us from Chrysostom That those Instruments were permitted the Jews ob eorum Imbecilitatem For their Weakness Thus I suppose I have fully requited him for his Citation of Mr. Baxter By this time I presume you may be satisfied that I have fairly represented his Arguments and as fairly Answered them But now the method of his Discourse leads us to consider the great Use and Advantages of this sort of Musick For these he pretends are many But I am inclined to believe that Instrumental Musick in the Worship of God is nothing so useful as he imagines The Advantages which he confidently avers may be reaped by it may be rather the Suggestions of a warm Fancy than the Results of a well informed Judgment But that I may the more exactly suit my Answers to his Allegations I shall carefully trace him as to the steps he takes in order to his Advance to that Position Viz. That the Use of Organs is of very great Advantage in the Worship of God in these times of the Gospel Ser. p. 20. The First advantage of Organs he thus expresseth The Organ will Regulate the Untuneable Voices of the Multitude and make the Singing in the Church more Orderly and Harmonious It cannot be supposed but there will be great Discord and Jarrings in a mixed company of Singers where few perhaps have had the Benefit of Art to Tune and help their Voices 1. How can the Organ Regulate untuneable Voices or make them Harmonious in the Church If they are Untuneable or not Tuneable I am certain they cannot be Harmonious any more than there can be Harmony in Singing without a Tune But I suppose that word was intended rather to make the Sentence Tuneable than True 2 But I believe his meaning to be that the Organ will Regulate the untuned Voices of the Multitude and render them the more Harmonious To this then I Answer That the Organ may sometimes drown the Voices of the Multitude by its lowder noise but I am not in the least satisfied that it will render Untuned Voices the more Harmonious For if the Voices are not Harmonious the Organ will not make them so If there are Jarrings and Discords in a mixed Company of Singers when the Organ does not found I cannot see how the Organ will help them by its Harmony to be more Orderly and Melodious For Persons who have not had somewhat of Art to help their Voices know not well how to sing in Consort with an Organ 3. But if Persons have untuned Voices I suppose there may be a much better Cure for this than an Organ If they are but taught to sing by some Artist their Voices will be more Harmonious than an Organ can make them to be And less than Five hundred Pound Sterling will be enough to procure an Artist or two to Instruct a Large Congregation in Vocal Musick and to bring them to some competent skill in Psalmody The Dutch and French Protestants in their Churches sing very Harmoniously and that because they are instructed in the Elements of Vocal Musick from their Child-hood For at the same time their Children are taught to Read they are taught to Sing So that it is not the Melodious sound of an Organ that prevents Discords and jarrings amongst them but their skill in Vocal Musick and this Persons may arrive to by some Instruction from an Artist much sooner than byâ—â—n Organ The Musick of an Organ he saith will both grace the service Ser. p. 21. and please the Offerer How
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-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
of England For they are not willing that her Honour should be laid in the Dust but rather desire that her real Honour should be secured and advanced He has a very tart Reflection or two upon the French Protestants who have betaken themselves hither for shelter from the dreadful storm of Persecution in France His concluding passage to them is this It is certainly too just a Reflection upon the integrity of these Protestant Refugees to partake of the protection of the Church Ser. p. 38. without obeying the Laws of her Communion Such do but too like the Vipers Brood eat out the Bowels of their Mother that nourishes them up and maintains them with ability to support themselves The Compassion I have for these distressed Protestants strongly pleads with me to say something in their behalf and justification Therefore I cannot well pass by this charge our Author has drawn up against them without making some few Remarks upon it 1. Methinks this Gentleman's Musick might have inspired him with so much Charity as to have restrained him from such Unchristian Reflections as these Why must these poor Persecuted Souls be made the Objects of his Spleen Is this his Charity to lash the miserable who by fiery Popish Persecuting Zeal are forced from their Native Country their Houses and Possessions Did any of the Apostles ever discover such a Temper The French King has driven them out of his Territories for the Worshipping of God according to their Consciences and must the same thing here be made a crime by Protestants For this must their integrity be questioned It is really hard very hard that poor persecuted Souls who have suffered so much for Worshipping God according to the Convictions of their own Minds from a Popish Party should yet be condemned for the same by English Protestants The Protestant Refugees Worship God in a way they were trained up in in their own Country they are perswaded it is a way agreeable to the Word of God nay as agreeable to it as any other way of Worship they meet withal in the World and therefore they see no reason to desert their own way of Worship for one they are not so well satisfied in I remember that the Reverend Bishop of Sarum in the Preface to his Translation of Lactantius's Relation of the Death of the Primitive Persecutors p. 17 18. speaks to this purpose It is an Essential right of Humane Nature to Worship God according to our Conviction which is in us Antecedent to all Humane Government and can never become subject to it 2. Whereas he saith Is is a just Reflection upon the integrity of these Protestant Refugees to partake of the protection of the Church without the obeying the Laws of her Communion I rather think it to be an Argument of their great Integrity that they still adhere to their own way of Worshipping God which they judge to be best although they expose themselves to the frowns of the Clergy of our Author's Church and thereby they are debarred from having a share in his Churches Charity I have not long since met with some Letters Written by some of these despised Refugees residing in Germany Printed in the Year 1690. In which there is one Letter directed to the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of the Church of England * Letter 5. p. 34. In which they thus fairly and candidly declare their Sentiments to their Lordships viz. If Episcopacy is of Divine Right it follows from hence that neither the Churches of France nor those of Holland nor those of Germany nor those of Switzerland nor Geneva c. have truely had either Ministers or Sacraments since the Reformation And would you My Lords shut up the Ministry of the Gospel and the Sacraments of Jesus Christ in the Church of England only And a little after they add If you Renounce this Opinion that Episcopacy is of Divine rite you must at the same time revoke the Custom of Reordination which is but a dependance upon it You cannot imagine how many good Souls find themselves scandalized at this custom that has been chiefly a very great trouble to the French Ministers who are dispersed every where to be obliged to receive a second Ordination from your Hands before they are able to execute their Office in the Church of England For we must sincerely tell you that we know many Persons whom this very consideration hath disswaded to retire into England I wish our Author would consider this complaint of the French Protestants 3. Suppose this Gentleman had lived in the Marian days and had for his security been forced to retire into some Foreign Protestant Country as Geneva Switzerland c. would he not have thought it hard Measure if Protestants there should have made tart Reflections upon him for his not approving of and complying with their Discipline in all things Would he have liked it if any of them should have blamed him for Worshipping of God according to the Convictions of his own Mind As the Reverend Bishop of Sarum * Preface before cited p. 16. well saith No Man has that Superiority over any other Mans Reason as to expect that it should always accomodate its self to his And saith the same Reverend Prelate in another place There is a Tyranny in most mens nature which makes them desire to subdue all others by the strength of their Understandings Id. p. 11. And such Men have an implacable hatred to all that do not render themselves to their Reasons and think that they are affronted when other Men refuse to submit to them So that he who would strike at Persecution in its root must begin here and endeavour to soften Men especially towards those who differ from them in matters of Religion I wish this Gentlemans rare Musick had softened his Spirit a little more toward the Protestant Refugees who somewhat differ in apprehension from him But I think I need say no more in Vindication of these distressed Protestants than what has been said heretofore by a Doctor of the Church of England †Dr. Crakanthorp Defensio Ecclesiae Anglicanae p. 254. against the Arch-Bishop of Spalato a great Papist The Arch-Bishop I remember objects Churches at London are open by Royal Concession to the French the Dutch the Italians but all these are infected with the Venom of Calvanism and by these Puritanism is cherished and promoted in England These abominate the Profession and Rites of the Church of England To which the Reverend Doctor thus replies in the behalf of the Church of England Fuisse Scimus gratissimis animis c. We gratefully remember and acknowledge that in the times of the Marian Persecution England experienced the same Offices of Humanity and Piety abundantly done her by the French the Dutch the German Churches and those of Geneva We now truly pity their condition because by you and your Cruelty they are become Exiles And we extreamly rejoyce that our England can
now be a safe Port and a Sanctuary to them But then as to that part of the Objection in which the Arch-Bishop saith that the Foreign Protestants abominate the Profession and Rites of the Church of England the Doctor Answers thus In Doctrine and the profession of the Orthodox Faith there is no disagreement between us this being intire some difference as to Rites and Discipline is to be allowed of on both sides The rashness of your Victor all pious and prudent Persons have heretofore condemned Euseb l. 5. c. 23. and still condemn He would force those from Communion who differed from him in certain Rites Nor Irenaeus nor Policarp nor your very Popes themselves of a more sound judgment as Amicetus Pius Higinus Telesphorus Sixtus were of this Temper They observed their own Rite and manner of Fasting yet they maintained Peace with others who came to them from other Churches although they fasted in a contrary way and manner And then he concludes all with this Remark Nec tibi tuisque Sanguine Sanctorum Ebriis c. Neither does it sufficiently satisfie you and yours who are drunk with the blood of the Saints that our Brethren p. 255. banished their Country and stript of their Fortunes by your Tyranny should be Exiles and Miserable among us but you would not have them to be or to behold the Light You would not have any place in the World for them to set their feet upon This is pleasing to you in this the Roman Beast does Exult and Triumph Hoc Ithacus velit magno mercentur Atridae The Reverend and Charitable Doctor knew how to pity the poor distressed and banished Protestants He condemned them not for their Dissent from the Church of England but he applauds the Churches Charity in maintaining and supporting them So there be but an accord in Doctrine he is willing that some difference in Rites and Discipline should be allowed He reflects not upon their Integrity because of their Descent But I find Mr. Newte is quite of another Genius Well If the French Protestants among us live quietly and peaceably under the Civil Government if they are Religious towards God Righteous towards Men and of Sober Conversations why should any Persons be displeased with them for the observation of their own Ecclesiastick Rites and Discipline Is the Church of England any thing the worse for it Does it hereby suffer any diminution in its Revenue Are not her Dignities still the same And may not the Sons of the Church be as Holy and Devout as if we had none of these People among us Mr. Newte quietly enjoys his own freedom and Worships God in the way be best approves of and let him not be displeased that others do so too He has no warrant to make his own Sentiments a standard for Others But he saith They are too like the Vipers Brood Ser. p. 38. who eat out the Bowels of their Mother that nourisheth them up and maintains them with Ability to support themselves If Vipers destroy their Mother it is but one Viper destroys another But I hope the Protestant Refugees are not Vipers nor the Church of England a Viparous Mother But I cannot understand how the Church of England is the Mother of the French Protestants for they were not born of her they are of another distinct Family They are got into England for shelter for a time and why should not the Church be very kind to her Sisters Children in distress notwithstanding some few differences as to External Discipline for these are no other than what they derived from their own Parent And Mr. Newte's Children if he has any may as wisely quarrel with the Children of another Man for not being like their Father as he may blame the French Protestants for some little accidental Differences in opinion from his Mother the Church of England I do not see why this Author and his Church should not patiently tolerate some smaller differences in matters of Religion in the French Refugees without offence Beside I would have this Gentleman to consider that the English Protestant Dissenters do largely contribute toward the Maintenance of these Protestant Refugees as well as the Church of England But how does it appear that the French Protestants do destroy the Church of England I never heard of any one step they have made towards it This is a suggestion too black and malevolent to spring from Christian Charity He charges some with Pretending to Preach and Pray by the Spirits extraordinary Assistance Who they are he reflects on Ser. p. 43. I know not For beside the Quakers I think none pretend to Preach and Pray by the immediate Assistance of the Spirit Thus Sir I have given you my thoughts of Mr. Newte's Sermon But I fear by this time I have almost tired you And upon the Review of what I have written you I find that I am chargeable with two faults the one is the frequent Repetition of the same things the other the prolixity of this Letter As to the first of these I have this to say in my justification that I was drawn sometimes to say the same thing over again because the Author of the Sermon abounds so much in Repetition So that the Fault is rather his than mine And I was willing to reply even to all his Arguments though sometimes what he offers for a new Argument is only an old one in a new dress of words for otherwise perhaps he might not have thought his Sermon Answered Which thing has even necessitated me sometimes to repeat what had been said before Then as to the Prolixity of this Letter I hope you will excuse it seeing I was willing amply to give you my thoughts of every passage in the Sermon which I conceived might well be excepted against But I am assured your Candor is so great as to pardon small Faults and as to greater Mistakes I readily submit to your Friendly Correction desiring to approve my self to be Honoured Sir Your Humble Servant ERRATA PAge 1. line 9. for a read the. p. 2. l. 6. for Neighbour r. 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