sinful mean to command men to Act either against clear light or doubtingly for whatsoever is not of Faith is â—in 7ly To impose any thing in the worship of God as necessary which the imposers call indifferent is unaccountable for it can be no sin in them to forbear imposing what themselves account indifferent but must be a sin in such as comply and Act that which they know is not indifferent but unlawful 8ly As every Christian is oblidged to endeavour the quiet of his own Conscience that it be not defiled or wounded by Acting worship which God hath not required since we are alwayes to exercise our selves to have a Conscience void of offence towards God so on the other hand we are to exercise our selves to have a Conscience void of offence towards men endeavouring Unity and peace in the Church of God not making causless Rents and Divisions not indulging groundless scruples Labouring to have no less clear grounds for our forbearing or non-complyance with the manner of worship observed by others than we have for Acting in our own manner when this is neglected men sin which way soever ignorantly for a good Conscience must have this for a ground of comfort as far as in them is as far as it 's possible without sin they have followed peace and unity Rents in the Church of God are of so afflicting and important consideration that nothing but danger of sin should make any separation 9ly Albeit this separation from Orthodox Protestants even in part as to our separat Assemblies be onerous to us judge otherwise who will yet obedience to God and preservation of a good Conscience must preponderat all other considerations therefore when such Terms for our Communion with them are imposed as we cannot comply with without evident danger of sin and violenting our Consciences then it 's not our sin to withdraw being driven into separate Assemblies 10th We being thus constrained to separate and worship God in the manner we judge most acceptable to him and find prescribed by himself it is our comfort that we have a Gospel Ministry according to the Institution of Christ among our selves and Gospel Ordinances as delivered and prescribed by him unto which our people conscientiously adhere 11th We find also the Ministerial charge of feeding the Church of God committed to Presbyters Acts 20. Verse 28. Where they are also called Overseers or Bishops the word of God never made difference between those Presbyters and Bishops tho' men without warrand of Scripture hath made a difference of their own devising for in this Scripture we find Parity of Ministerial power committed to them all without exception to feed and Oversee the flock which is a full Commission to guide and govern as well as to teach neither is this Commission by any Scripture either repealed or retrenched by prescribing imparity among Gospel Ministers nor can a few or many of these Ministers instruct a Commission or power to deprive any of them of that which Christ hath conferred on them all 12th It is also Gods great mercy to us and no small encouragement to our peoples stedfast adhering to the Communion whereof they are members that no Scandalous Ministers are permitted to Officiate with us such as common Swearers profaners of Sabbaths Adulterers Drunkards gaming and dancing untill Lords Day morning mockers of Piety aspersing all the gracious operations of the Spirit of Grace as meer Enthusiasm calling conversion and Regeneration meer cant and Melancholy fancies advancing mans free will as above Gods previous concourse and predetermination maintaining universal Redemption and the utter Apostacy of Saints c. nor are such permitted with us who are negligent of their charge making less then half a day in a fourthnight all the time they get for instruction or when they do instruct to tell the people they need not trouble themselves with Predestination or Adoption but live a good life with their neighbours and so be saved no such Ministers are of our Communion and we pitie the Souls that are under such conduct wheresoever they are for the blind are leading the blind and both ready to fall into the Ditch Ministers are peculiarly oblidged to be 1 Tim. 4. 12. An example of believers in word in conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity We have also by the tender mercies of our God Gospel Ordinances Administred in our publick Assemblies according to Scriptural Primitive simplicity not willingly omitting adding or depraving any part thereof nor hath the Author by all his elaborate discourse instructed any Deviation from Scripture institution in our publick Administrations tho' no doubt we are guilty as to the manner and spiritual performances Having then a Ministry and Gospel Ordinances according to Christs institution and our Ministers gifted by him with some measure of competent Qualifications for all Ministerial work diligent in their work and of Godly conversation we judge our selves safest as to our Consciences where we are and tho our desires were never so ardent for Peace and Unity in the Church yet what is now said and much more to this purpose said by others together with these two Scriptures Matth. 20. verses 25 26 27. and Luke 22. verses 24 25 26 and 27. Notwithstanding of all the Glosses put on them by men affecting preheminency yet to us they are so plain and awful that we dare not we cannot and by Gods grace will not countenance any thing that is there forbidden by Christ Since the Author doth so particularly desire that our people be not indulged in such affected distances good manners requireth that either the demand be granted or some reason why it cannot as for affecting distances we disown it wishing that God would open their eyes who make the distance for we look upon our selves as ridiculed First to barricado our way and then invite us to come in And if the Author be pleased to consider I will serve him with some necessary informations concerning his Book That he hath missed the Art of making Proselytes for many upon perusal of the Book are determined to a greater aversation and distance than ever before and no wonder considering First That they can expect no Gospel preaching in communion with the Author affirming that all preaching is either reading of the Scriptures or publishing of the Gospel to such as never heard it before our people heard the Gospel long ago and therefore can expect nothing but reading so that they must adhere to that communion where they know to find Gospel Preaching the great mean of Salvation for Faith cometh by hearing and how can they hear without a preacher Could this be a Load-stone to draw men by telling they need expect no preaching 2ly We are told in hyperbolicks for much reading that the Scriptures apply themselves but many find it otherwise requiring adventious help our Saviour and his Apostles explained and applyed Scriptures and our people find it necessary for their Souls being sensible that
AN ANSWER To a late BOOK Intituled a Discourse Concerning the Inventions of Men in the Worship of GOD. By William Lord Bishop of Derry WHEREIN The Author's Arguments against the Manner of Publick Worship performed by Protestant Dissenters are Examined and by plain Scripture and Reason Confuted his Mistakes as to matters of Fact Detected And some Important Truths concerning the Spirit of Prayer and External Adoration c. Vindicated By ROBERT CRAGHEAD Minister of the Gospel Job 17.9 The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Jer. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Jer. 30.2 I will give them one heart and one way Edinburgh Printed by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson Printer to Their most Excellent Majesties Anno Dom. 1694. TO the Right VVorshipful the MAJOR the ALDERMEN and BVRGESSES of the City of LONDON DERRY and of the Presbyterian perswasion THese Animadversions on the Bishop's Book are Dedicated to your Service the Author and his Labours being yours by Right Tho' this piece of Service be extorted having no apprehension of appearing in this manner had it not been the vindication of Truth the undeceiving of strangers and your uneasiness to find our manner of Worship exposed vilified and represented to the World as pure humane Invention and therefore nothing but Will-worship and yet worse being made as black as Heathens denying due Adoration to God and casting his Word out of our Assemblies a rare notion that all the polite Masters of most exuberant Invention had never the brow to brand our perswasion with before this Author appeared who will be singular And since we are now set out to the world as worse than the most degenerated and barbarous people that ever called themselves Christians and thereby a Clothing of wild Beasts forced on us as on many primitive Christians to inrage their Devourers it s presumed none can offend if by a just Vindication we strip our selves of this covering that the World may see we are no Savages However this may appear impar congressus as not standing on even ground with the Bishop yet Truth being on our side and he the first Aggressor there 's no fear but the God of Truth will throughly plead his own Cause Therefore lest by the Author 's bare naming of many Scriptures whether pertinent to this purpose or not any should be seduced or vainly think his Book cannot be answered by any of us who are arraigned and provocked or that we are haters of Light and unwilling our deeds should be made manifest whether wrought in God or not or that we are ashamed of our manner of Worship or that we have not the confidence to convince gainsayers and so suffer Truth to be betrayed by unreasonable silence and lest that strangers or our succeeding Posterity should be impressed with Calumnies for Truths tho I be the very weakest of my Brethren yet being in some special manner concerned in this place and a Book sent me by the Author am willing to try the strength of his Arguments trusting that God will appear to make the issue and result of this Debate conducive to the further strengthning and establishment of many fearers of God who desire to live and die in the Old Good Paths and therein to find rest to their Souls Yet I do freely declare to you my Worthy and Beloved Friends that the constraint of putting such a Book into your hands on so mean a subject ministreth to me some melancholy reflections for if ever any of my poor Labours had been worth your notice after I had finished my course it would been more comfortable to me if the subject had engaged a Discourse of things more profitable spiritual than meer Jejune forms knowing the people of London derry being as a Firebrand pluckt out of the fire stand in need of more suitable entertainment how to make due returns of gratitude for so signal deliverance than to be treated with a Dispute of Forms so remote from the power of Godliness and the present due sense of Works of Wonder done for this people which we are apt sinfully to forget tho peremptorly required to take heed lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen lest they depart from our heart all the days of our life but to teach them to our sons and sons sons God hath much to require of Derry more than other places in point of Gratitude August epist ad Marcell speaking of gratitude piously saith what better thing can we bear in our mind express with our lips record with our Pen hear more joyfully consider with greater pleasure or what better fruit can we bear than gratitude It cannot therefore be unseasonable to put you in mind of these things tho' ye know them or to improve this occasion for the help of others hereafter to retain a due impression and regard to the great Works of God there being no people in these Kingdoms whoever had more special and immediat appearing of Soveraign Dominion Wisdom and Mercy than this City if it be considered That after vast numbers of people were frighted into it as a place of refuge not knowing of one another nor what they should do when within these Walls having no Ruler but God alone as of different perswasions so of different sentiments many consulting a Surrender on Terms as most rational some few resolved against it of which I was an Eye Witness many secret enemies within corresponding with those without a potent Army under good Conduct closs about the City Streets Lanes and Walls often as in Fire with multitude of Bombs and many killed in Houses provisions failing and Soldiers almost starved yet sallying out waxed valiant in Fight when their Enemies strong and full found not their hands but fainted in the day of Battel when not only mens bodies were faint and sick with Famine but hope of relief being deferred made their hearts sick also yet when weakest were animated to that heroick resolve to put a period to their own miseries and perpetuat their loyalty by fighting to death when they could stay no longer within these Walls rather than yield I know of one fainting man who said within these three days we must either surrender or be dead men by famine but was smartly taken up by others replying he was not worthy to live who spoke it and while there was Dog or Cat in Derry yet remaining there should be no surrender and further told him you shall eat that Hat on your Head ere we yield At this time the City was all over Deaths and Corps and rare to see a Mourner for the nearest Relation when buried many fainting on the Streets for want of the Fruits of the Earth the City then appearing for no other use but to be a common Sepulchre to them all nothing remain'd but hope against hope only by the good Providence of God there were many Godly praying
Heavenly terms such as the Prophet Isaiah frequently useth of the Gospel Church as Isa 35. 10 25 8 51. 11. c. Because these praises shall be perfectly accomplished in Heaven and it 's observable that in the two last Verses of that 7th Chap. There are six future tenses that these things shall be whereupon the English Annot. commenting on the 17th vers of that Chap. he shall feed them expound them thus he shall provide for their Souls until he bring them to full Happiness so the Dutch Annot. give the same sense so Marlorat quoting many Protestant Divines so Mede and Durhame As for Rev. 19. That the state of the Militant Church is understood there the Text it self maketh it undenyable for after the overthrow of the seat of the beast other enemies are found gathering together with the beast and making up Armies to fight against the Church as is clear from verse 19th of that Chap. Therefore this cannot be the Church Triumphant the Author hath an easie custom of quoting many Texts without explication or pondering whether such Texts be real proofs of what he asserteth or not 2ly There being such grounds to judge that these two Chapters quoted by the Author speak of the Church Militant then let it be considered when or where could that multitude meet together of all Nations whom no man could number for stated Worship is this imaginable Next seing they could not meet for stated Worship then there can be no Pattern drawn by it for our Worship and 3ly Not being stated joynt Worship it 's impossible there could be Responses by Nations at so vast a distance If the Author will have it so that the Triumphant Church is meant in these places though Armies be found gathering against Christ and his Church though it were so which cannot be granted yet the Heavenly Host of Angels and glorified Spirits whatever be their manner of Worship and Adoration it can be no Pattern to us because First There is no Temple there Rev 21. 22. I saw no Temple there that is such a Temple as is on Earth though there be another kind of Temple there called God's Temple that glorious Habitation above but no Temple for such Worship as we must have and there being no Temple therefore no pattern for us 2ly It hath pleased God to give us a compleat Pattern for his Worship already so that we need not say Who shall go up to Heaven for it 3ly The Scriptures contain the Revelations of God s Will concerning his Worship but the Scriptures do no where reveal this that the Worship of Angels is to be imitated by us Do you know how to place your selves about the Throne Have you Crowns to cast down before the Divine Majesty Have you Palms in your hands and white Robes Men have need of sobriety in drawing Arguments from Symbolical or Enigmatick Theology 4ly The Laws for their Worship is not only unknown to us but they are not Laws to us and therefore it 's but presumption to make them Laws to our selves 5ly Where Responses are used amongst men the answerers are restricted and limited to such a Form of Words and must wait for one another their Clergy must begin Who can imagine that the multitude doth lead Angels Clergy and all as here the Author maketh up the Choir yea Christ himself one of the number as the Author placeth him Verse 5. of Chap 7 For it's Christ that speaketh out of the Throne and this of it self doth make the urging of Responses from these Scriptures the more dangerous 6ly All then that could be made of these Scriptures is That blessed Harmony amongst all the glorious Inhabitants in Praising God each directing Praise to the same Divine Majesty one part not depending uppn what another shall speak as is the manner of Responses amongst Men. 7ly Neither our Saviour nor his Apostles did ever institute nor practise any such manner of Worship by Responses though the Apostle Paul was caught up to the Third Heavens yet he bringeth us no News out of Heaven for this new manner of Worship if he saw it yet it was not expedient or lawful to acquaint us with it I grant it 's storied of one Ignatius a Popish Bishop not the good old Ignatius that in a Dream he saw the Angels Worshipping by Responses and this being published the Novelty pleased the vain humours of many and so Responses came in fashion Object But this manner of Worship is recorded and are not all Scriptures for our instruction Ans All Scriptures are for our instruction I grant but for our imitation I deny many things are written whereby we should be instructed that we cannot and should not imitat Some Angels pour out Vials on the Earth some on the Fountains and Rivers But is this an Example for you to perform the like Others cast down their Crowns before the Throne but sure you cannot imitat this you will not cast down your Crowns till you get them 'T is far wiser work to be labouring for a firm Hope that they shall at length be put on our Heads Page 11. I make no question but this is taken by allusion from the manner of the Churches praising God on Earth Ans 1. But his Reader may still question it for all the Author sayeth saying and proving differ much 2. Consider this is again begging the Question as if it were evinced already that Worship by Responses is the instituted manner of Worship on Earth which we still deny seeing no Probation 3ly Can it be warrantably asserted that Angels must be beholden to us for Instruction how to Adore God in Heaven 4ly The Author thus runneth himself into a vitious circular Argumentation the Angels learn of us and we learn of them and so round Ibid And there is nothing in it but what is agreeable to the Command of Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs which supposes every one to have a share in them either by turns or bearing a part Ans 1. The place quotted is Coll. 3. 16. I question not but the Author knows the Original Words of that Text where it 's found the words one another is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your selves and so it 's Translated Ephes 5. 19. Speaking to your selves taking Instruction to your selves by Psalms What can this make for Responses 'T is said in the same Scripture Let the word of Christ dwellrichly in you and singing with grace in your hearts But who is the answerer 2ly That therefore it 's done by turns or bearing a part is said but no appearance of proof 3ly The Author supposeth this singing to be publick but grant it were yet he who singeth is to receive instruction to his own Soul by the Psalm he singeth and beareth his part when he singeth joyntly with others and by this good example teach one another but the Author goeth on It was common for one to sing and the rest to hearken