meekness or not which is rather desirable than discernable in his Book The Author cometh more closs to his Work Page 3 and there placeth two sound Positions first in these words That it belongeth only to God to give Rules how he will be worshipped The 2d That the Holy Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's will concerning his Worship Ans I can desire no more of the Author but that the Superstructure be fitted to these Foundations they are so sure that God willing I shall stand by them to the end of this Discourse But if he who asserteth them be found going off or building Hay or Stuble upon them let him not take it ill if I help his memory as occasion offereth 3ly His Inference from these two viz. That from these two we may reasonably infer that it concerns us to keep as close as we can to those directions which God hath afforded us in his word without adding to omiting or altering any thing he hath there laid down for since God hath vouchafed us a certain direction for his worship in the holy Scriptures It 's to be supposed that all wayes of worship are displeasing to him that are not either expresly contained or warranted by Examples of holy men mentioned therein Ans This also is found provided alwayes that what is said of the examples of holy-men be duely cautioned for all the examples of holy-men mentioned in Scripture are not obligatory Some of them being â—ad even in the matters of God as Peter's dissembling for fear of the Jews here was a hurteful example of an holy man for Barnabas was carried away with this dissimulation Some of them affected Preheminency disputing who should be greatest these are no warrands for us to do the like seeing we are to follow them but as they were followers of Christ again some of their practices were by extraordinary gifts wherein they are above our Imitation Some of them were by special direction hic nunc for avoiding offence as Paul's circumcising Timothy such was his purifying of himself in the Temple according to the Ceremonial law these practices were not patterns for other holymen tho' contemporary with themselves nor do the practices of any men oblidge others without either some antecedent or concomitant evidence that it 's the revealed will of God such practices should be followed otherways men should be Idols to us making them Fathers of our Religion in which respect we are to call no man Father Page 3d. The Author distinguisheth worship into either inward or outward Ans The subject in hand requireth more distinctions of worship as into civil and Religious for many worshiped Christ on earth with civil worship only as a great Prophet and fame in the world intending no Divine Adoration next Ceremonial worship should have also been distinguished from Evangelical for by Levitical worship Sacrifices the observation of feasts divers washings were required which by the coming of Christ are abrogated these being carnal Ordinances and some better things provided for us our Saviour principally requiring such worship as is in Spirit and Truth not excluding external Adoration as it 's required Page 4. We have a Description of inward and outward Worship The inward Worship of God consists in the inward Homage and Subjection of our minds to him the outward consisteth of such acts and duties as serve to express this inward subjection of our Souls or that promote increase or contribute towards it Ans I pass the Description of the inward but the Description of the outward Worship is unsound and of dangerous consequence and had been easily helped if the Author had said it consisteth of such Acts and Duties as God hath appointed for his Worship but according to his Assertion there is an open Gap made for all the Humane Inventions that the fertile imagination of man can devise providing he but think they will serve to promote or contribute to inward Homage thus the Papists have brought in most of all their Idolatry and Superstitions and others may do the like if they but apprehend what they do may promote inward Worship Here my Author goeth off his Foundation that the Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's Will how He will be Worshipped and if I were of the Author's Judgment declared by this Description I would never have put Pen to Paper against the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God for it 's vain to open a wide Door for them and then forbid men to come in Page 4. We must remember that it 's in these outward Acts that we are more immediatly concerned as publick Worshippers Ans I do not take the Authors meaning to be so bad as his words in what is here asserted supposing the sense of his Words to be that men disputing of Worship they are more immediatly concerned in outward Worship than inward for certainly as acting Worship we are most concerned in the inward Adoration of the Soul as Christ hath taught that the Father seeketh such to worship as worship him in Spirit and Truth The last thing in the Introduction is the Distribution of Worship into its parts Praises Prayers Hearing Bodily Worship and Celebration of the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST Ans This Enumeration is not sufficient for why the Sacrament of Baptism is omitted no reason is given but the Author intending to Treat on no other Heads but such as he hath named I shall pass it though other substantial parts of Worship are also left out CHAP. I. Of Praises PAge 6. The Author doth forthwith fall upon the offering up of Praises to God by the use of Psalms and for its Authority quoteth 2 Chron. 29. 30. Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph and they sang with gladness and Ephes 5. 19. and Col. 3. 16. Ans To all this we agree knowing it our duty to praise God by singing the Psalms of David But Page 7. Though the Scriptures recommend to us singing of Psalms yet in some cases they allow us to say them Ans 1. Who doubteth but we may Read or Say Psalms either in publick or privat But 2ly This saying Psalms is not to turn out singing of Psalms which is the ordinance of God I often read of singing but no where in Scripture of saying Psalms what induceth the Author to make so great a trouble to himself and his Reader I understand not only I know Papists have a way of Singing and muttering Psalms and Songs in their Worship But I find our Author resolved to prosecute this Saying instead of Singing for Page 8. 'T is certain the Word of God recommends to us Psalms and Hyms in prose c. and as to the Hebrew Psalms it's evident they are Poetical but the Poetry of them consists rather in the stile and manner of expression than in any certain measures or Verses And afterward we cannot find that
not think it lawful altogether to omit reading of the Word of God in a publick Christian Assembly conveened for the Worship of God for we are to expect the Assembly sanctified by the Word and Prayer to pass from much reading to no reading is too great haste Page 94. His fourth pretence is That the Scriptures are hard to be understood or applyed and therefore only so much of them ought to be read at a time as the Minister may apply to his Auditory Ans Albeit this pretence or Objection hath more to say for it self than the rest Yet we pretend to no manner of Reason against publick reading seing its both our principle and practice therefore it s not candide to represent us to the World as enemies to it and disputing against our common practice 2ly To Explain Scripture to the people we judge necessary and the very way of God fitted for Edification practised by our Saviour himself the Levites the Prophets and the Apostles and to represent us as Expounding or applying only a Verse is not fair that being your own way not ours to explain but a verse or two on the Lords Day it being common with us to expound ten times more Scripture every Lords Day than you do conceiving it a very mean discharge of a Ministers duty only to read and so have done and never found to be the way of Christ or any of his Apostles whose work in publick was always to Expound and apply Scripture and therefore our way in publick Gospel administrations is more agreeable to Christ and his Apostles way than yours Page 94. It s the opinion of the Reformed Churches that the Scriptures are plain in all things necessary to Salvation Ans And yet it s the general opinion of the Reformed Churches that Scripture should be Expounded to the people 2ly Though God in his mercy hath made the Essentials of Christianity plain yet nevertheless the Apostle made it his care to make known the whole counsel of God we are obliged to make full proof of our Ministry in helping the people to know their whole duty to God revealed in the Scripture 3ly If this argument of the author hath any strength it militateth against all Ministerial Instructions and that no more is necessary but read the Foundamentals of the Christian Religion to the people and so have done 4ly Do not some wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and whose duty is it so much as Ministers to prevent this danger by explaining these things that are hard to be understood But the Author still appears out of Charity with this Explaining and applying for Ibid The holy Scriptures when heard with humility and attention apply themselves better than any man can do Ans If it were as the Author saith then there is little use for a Ministry in the World and at most a reading ministry might do all let them but read well and the Scriptures will apply themselves the Christian World then is but cheated to be at so vast a charge for maintaining Ministers only to read 2ly To say that Scriptures apply themselves without any adventitous help or assistance is not sound the Author should leave place at least for the help of the Spirit of God without which Scripture will never apply themselves 3ly The Author here disputeth against the very Examples that Christ and his Apostles hath given us in applying of Scriptures not being of his mind that the Scriptures would apply themselves 4ly If the Scriptures apply themselves How was it then that the Disciples of Christ who cannot be said to want humility and attention and had often heard the Scripture yet continued so slow either to understand or believe the Scriptures they could never find the Scriptures applying themselves until Christ opened the eyes of their understanding Page 95. It ought therefore to be our first care to read them to the people often and solemnly that they may be acquainted with the whole body of them and then one word of Application may do more good than many Sermons Ans Besides all the Scriptures that we solemnly read and make use of in our publick Assemblies wherein we are not behind with our neighbours I say besides it s our care to exhort our people to diligence in reading Scriptures in privat for the increase of Scripture knowledge the performance whereof they find to be blessed of God according to his promise Wishing our Neighbours were more exhorted to the same duty this serveth also to refel the Calumny insinuated in the Authors following words saying That our not reading looketh like a design on the people and is agreeable to the artifices of Romish Priests This Suggestion is irrational to say that Ministers are on a design of concealing Scriptures who exhort beseech and obtest the people to diligence in reading them in so much that its censurable amongst us if there be a known and common neglecter of this duty I wish these words Psal 15. 3. be dayly considered What the Author Pages 96 97 and 98 delivereth requireth no answer containing no new Argument and for calling the Scriptures a dead letter we abhor it tho the Author makes it the fifth pretence against reading Page 99. The pretence is That a Child may read the Scriptures and so perform this Duty Ans Neither do we make this a pretence against publick reading for tho it be true upon the matter that a Child may read yet we know that reading the Word of God in publick Christian Assemblies belongeth to the Ministers of the Gospel and accordingly we practise and employ no Children for that Work Page 100. The Author giveth instance of an advice in our Directory To read over all the Canonical Books of Scripture in order Ans Let the Reader observe that there 's no Apocripha to be read by this Advice 2ly That they directed no Canonical Scripture to be lest out of publick Gospel administrations so that they were on no design to conceal Scriptures from the people 3ly I know where this of reading the Scriptures in order was not only designed but begun by some of our number and considerable progress made but Persecution driving them from publick work and the people of our perswasion under great sufferings their Ministers were constrained to select such Scriptures as were most apposit for instructing exhorting and comforting an afflicted people All that I find further to the end of this Chapter beareth no argument but are meer groundless Invectives and I shall only say that if I found my self so keen for much publick reading and inclined to discourage privat reading of the Word of God I could not but suspect my self to be acted by a Pharisaical Spirit CHAP. 4. Of Bodily VVorship SECT 1. I Find a great Defect in all the Authors Discourse by his not stating the question betwixt Dissenters and him upon any of the Heads he Treateth which method requireth to be first done that so the Reader might know
good and wise men declare it to be the safest and best or that you have long professed it but see with your own eyes give it heart and time when no mortal eye can be witness as you have a value for these immortal substances that are yet breathing in your bodies for the retaining whereof you have no price to give and for the annihilation whereof you have no price to give but must endure an eternity whether we will or not what can we think of but is a very trifle when this eternity and what concerneth it is considered The necessity therefore of establishment in that religion which the eternal God hath appointed as the way to lead us to a blessed Eternity is great if we consider First the innat Atheism of our depraved natures whereby there is not only a privation of that primaeve knowledge God honoured man with but many perverse and erroneous apprehensions of God of happiness in him and the way to it Atheistical doubts concerning God Christ Heaven and Eternity These seeds of Atheism not only lurk undiscerned by many but often make horrid eruptions shaking yea overturning all the religion some have professed for many years because they have made it no part of their religion to be fixed in it then they are ready to cry out is there a God is there a Christ is there an Eternity can there be a Resurrection is there a Heaven or Hell Yet some are tormented with the fears of that the very being whereof they doubt orhers again forsaken of God speak blasphemously of the God of Heaven avow Atheism and tempt others to it while people are not established and their house never built on the rock they are obnoxious ro the worst of these Wo's nor hath religion power upon their Souls not knowing whether it be true or false many living as unconcerned with the religion they profess as if they had none being uncertain but all may prove otherwayes in the end and this uncertainty is an argument in reserve that the Devil improveth against seriousnes in religion labour therefore to have your feet fix'd on the rock that cannot sink under you that so your goings may be established knowing in whom ye have believed And that you may be established believe the Scriptures to be the very word of God the Scripture of Truth that cannot be broken trust fully the testimony and Veracity of God for if you fluctuate and waver in this every wind of temptation will be ready to shâ—ke you at the very Root and build what you will all will be overturned if this foundation be not firmly laid that all Scripture is by Divine inspiration And because I had known many poor Souls oppressed with temptations to doubt of all that is wâ—itten their hope and comfort burn'd up and almost consumed with such fiery darts before they would utter them to any and some such at this day fainting under such suggestions as they are ashamed to make known to their dearest Friends for the establishment and help of such to believe the Scripture of Truth First observe what you have by nature of the Image of God yet remaining what awfull indelible impressions you have of a God over you which you cannot shake fully off it 's written on your heart that there is a God that he is infinitely great and Omnipotent that he is just Holy wise and good now that which you yet find written on your heart you find the same in the written word of God whether would you go What can you betake your selves to but to the Testimony of God written both in your hearts and in the word of God revealed to us If you should reject the Scriptures you reject also the witness of God in your Souls this meditation God hath made very conducive for quieting and fixing some Souls Consider also that what the word of God publisheth of the depravation of our nature you find even as it 's written natural enmity against God which inclineth us if we could to hide our selves from him as Adam to say depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways we are informed by the word of God that the heart is deceitful above all things that every imagination of the thoughts of our heart are only evil continually that we rebell and are disobedient to God that we are slow of heart to believe and bent to backsliding c. All these things and many moe we find by nature and wofull experience What is predicted and promised in the word of God concerning the salvation of sinners by a Redeemer his death Resurrection conquest and Kingdom c. Are exactly found as the written word of God hath revealed them what God hath promised of pouring out his Spirit in the latter days is found as it 's written the power of God still appearing in converting sinners making many new creatures and all things new with them making them love what they hated and hate what they loved making a warfare against sin daily where sin was committed with greediness c. This Sanctifying grace of the Spirit is a continued witness multitudes of miracles both under Old and New Testaments were wrought for confirmation of Gods Holy Word and promise which without violence to our very reason cannot be denied either to be wrought or the finger of God being wrought these are blessed helps which our merciful God hath provided for confirming unstable Souls and to secure us that the Scriptures are the word of God our maker and judge and above all to depend on the Spirit of Christ which leadeth into all Truth When God in his mercy hath determined and fixed your judgements that the Scriptures are Gods word and Truth so as you can with confidence adventure Soul and Eternity according to the doctrine there delivered then make choise of the Truth receive it in love and gratitude blessing God for so great a benefit that many millions of Souls are deprived of be diligent in reading of it labouring and praying to understand it make Gods Testimonies the men of your counsel let it dwell richly in you seek the law of God written in your hearts sell not the Truth at any rate be not ashamed of any of his words lest he be ashamed of you let no flatteries or threats of men make you wander from the commandments of your God Search out especially for the great Salvation recorded in the word of God and published by a Gospel Ministry search until you find the sent Saviour of the world accept of him subject and devout your selves to him joyn and give your own selves to the Lord do this personally distinctly and deliberatly and leave it no longer as a duty you hope will be done but while it 's called to day allow it heart and time as the most enriching work you ever were or shall be about under the Sun blessing God that he allows and requires to subscribe our selves the Lords and to
no where prescribed to us such a rule Therefore mens reading much cannot be the reason why they are nearest the rule if there be any such rule make it appear and if there be no rule prescribing how much with what colour can it be said you come nearest the rule for it 's yet under debate but that less reading and expounding what is read to edification will be found nearer the rule than much reading where no help is given for peoples understanding the Scriptures 6ly These come not nearest the rule who read too much and more than God hath given direction to read as any part of his Service or Worship but you know who read Apocrypha in God's publick Service which he hath given no rule for therefore such come not nearest the rule 7ly These cannot be said to come nearest the rule who read too little or may be never that which God hath prescribed to be read but you know who lay aside a considerable part of the Scriptures from their publick Service Worship and then those who do so are not nearest the rule If it be said that no Scriptures are left out but such as are less proper and profitable for ordinary Assemblies yet the word of God saith all Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for Doctrine reproof c. Again if it be said that Ministers are allowed to read all the Scriptures in publick and yet if men be tasked every Lords day and Holy day they must hold by their Task Page 78 For the more Solemnity of these readings our Church joyns with each of them Praises Thanksgivings or Confessiones according to what we find practiced in the Holy Scriptures Ans If what they joyn to these readings be not Instituted of God then let the Author conscientiously mind his second position Page 3. That the Holy Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's Will concerning his Worship and beware of adding or joyning what is not prescribed by these Scriptures Page 79 It 's ordered in our Church that the Ministers shall explain some part of the Holy Scriptures every Lords day and exhort their Congregations in a Sermon Ans If there be no more Scripture explained but the Text before a Sermon your hearers are at a great loss tho' you should read twenty Chapters every Lords day and explain nothing but a Text. SECT 3. Page 82. The Author chargeth dissenters with the neglect of teaching the principles of Religion saying That tho' a man frequent your meetings all his life yet he has no security or hardly possibility of Learning from your publick teachings all the great mysteries of his Religion or the necessary principles of his Faith And hence it happens that hardly any one man in his life ever goes through the necessary articles of Faith or of practice in his publick Sermons and for the truth of this I appeal to your selves Ans The Reader who is a stranger to us may readily think how can this be false being asserted by a person of such Note and with such confidence appealing also to our selves for it's truth and seing he hath appealed to our selves I declare upon certain knowledge that what he hath asserted is a most unjust imputation for which he hath cause to ask forgiveness of God and I do appeal to many thousand now living who are ordinarly witnessess to the contrary and many of the Authors own perswasion know the contrair with what peace of conscience can any man thus impose upon strangers And impress future generations with that which is so far from truth it being publickly known that we ordinarly and orderly go through all the Heads of our Christian Faith in our publick Sermons Page 82. You have no Summary of principles injoyned either to be read or taught in your publick Assemblies tâ— aâ— Catechism you have but neither your directory nor practice make it any part of your Lords-days-Service and besides your Catechism is such that it no wayes answers the design of a Form of sound words I have already shewed that such a Form should contain only the first and necessary principles of the Oracles of God in such words and methods as may make it easily apprehended and retained by the weak and unlearned which make up the bulk of the people but your Catechism is full of hard words School Terms and abstruse notions no wise necessary to be known by the generality of Christians c. Ans Our Catechism is above the Authors censure and men of as great Authority and abilities as he of his own perswasion have still spoken of that Book with regard and recommended it to others as sound and profitable he doth but lessen himself by his Reflections against that Composure let the Reader judge what mean arguments he hath against it only he sheweth what Spirit he is of 2ly Whereas it 's not injoyned as any part of our Lords-days-Service Ans Tho' our Catechism be a sound and full Summary of Christian principles yet we know it to be but a humane Composure and therefore make it no part of our worship if by Service he understandeth worship as he frequently useth these words Service and worship Promiscuously we must have Institution for what we offer to God in his Service yet these principles are frequently explained on the Lords day and that not only occasionally but in order according to the method of our Catechism 3ly But the Author hath shewed that such a Catechism should contain only c. Ans The Author hath said but not shewed to his Reader that it should be as he saith except all he saith must be taken for demonstration 4. But our Catechism is full of hard words Ans It s good the Author hath no worse to say otherways we should hear of it 2. But why doth he not give instances of these hard words Some who have read our Catechism say They find not such a hard word in it all as god father and god-mother nor such words as God the Son hath redeemed me and all mankind 3. It was necessary our Catechism should have words significant and expressive of the matter and if any of these words be less obvious to the capacity of young or ignorant people we are at pains to explain such words 5ly But our Catechism is too long Ans And what if the Catechism of some others be too short give instances of what is redundant or superfluous we would think our Catechism very defective if it wanted the Doctrine of the Creation and of Mans Fall from God the Attributes of God the Natures of Christ and his Offices the nature of Justifying Faith and Sanctification c. Page 83. Besides all this it is so long and intricat even the shorter that not one Child in ten ever gets it by heart nor one in five hundred retains it as I have found by experience Ans I would gladly be acted by the Spirit of meekness but the Author's words are so provocking even in