them that there was no such Singing practised under the Law as they now use And that the Psalms of David c. were not originally written in Rhime nor sung in their manner Then Thirdly They tell us they have Apostolical Injunction for it and the Example of Christ and his Apostles And when they have been forced to confess they cannot prove their Mode of singing from thence Then Fourthly As their Ultimum Refugium They tell us that Christian Churches have Liberty to order such accidental Modes and Circumstances of Divine Worship as are not particularly prescribed in the Word as they shall judge most for Edification And these External Modes and Circumstances of Worship they take to be in the power of the Major Part of a Church so far as to warrant their own practice therein Now if we should be no wiser than to follow such Direction it might lead us to Rome as well as to Geneva where their practice of Singing was at first Erected But this hath been sufficiently answered by Mr. Isaac Marlow in his Clear Confutation of R. A. and his five Commendators even from their own Confessions c. to which I refer you I shall only add a few Passages out of Mr. Mather's late Book called a Discussion c. where he saith in page 132 133. c. No Difficulty or Severity of the Times can alter the Rule given by Christ unto his Church And speaking of what some suppose may be done in point of Prudence besides that Rule He saith Prudence hath its Scope only in such things in Church-worship as are no part of the Worship but only Circumstances thereof related to Worship not as it is Worship but as an Action perform'd by Men all whose Actions must have Time and Place for them But when Place and Time come under an Institution there Prudence may not alter them nor may we swerve from the Rule for they then become Parts of Worship Now if our Brethrens practice as to their manner of Singing is not a part of Divine Instituted Worship but only an External Accidental Mode and Circumstance thereof as they themselves are pleased to tell us then why do they impose it upon their Churches as if it were the highest part of Divine VVorship surely they have No New Commission from Christ to exercise a Legislative Power by the Major part of the Members of their Churches who can never by their Vote make an External and Accidental Mode of performing an Outward Action a part of Divine VVorship if God hath not appointed it for none can alter the Nature of things but God alone But I have no leisure at this time to enlarge upon this Subject but shall beg of God to give you Understanding in this and all other parts of his Revealed Will and Subscribe my self Your Servant for Christs sake William Russel From my House in Barbican December 22. 1697. AN ANSWER TO Richard Allen's Essay Vindication and Appendix WHEREIN He endeavours to prove that Singing of Psalms with Conjoin'd Voices is a Christian Duty Animadversions on some Passages in R. A's Introduction â—ntroduc THE only way for us to Glorifie God and to make our Passage through this Vale of Tears in any measure comfortable is to pray and labour for more of those beautifying Graces of Charity Meekness and mutual Forbearance that so far as we have attained we may walk together by the same Rule and wherein we yet differ humbly wait upon God for a more compleat discovery of his Mind to us p. 2. Animadv Charity Meekness and Forbearanâ—â— are beautifying Graces indeed and were neveâ— more wanting than in this Censorious and Litâ—gious Age for the Contentions that have been raiâ—ed thro' the differing Opinions which some Meâ— have imbibed from those of their Brethren aboâ—â— Religious Matters are fomented to that degreeâ— that what were but small Sparks at the first aâ— now encreased into Violent Flames which threateâ— Ruine and Desolation on every Side As the Presence and Vigor of the fore-mentâ—oned Graces make Religion lovely and Christiaâ— Society comfortable so the Absence or Decaâ— thereof renders the one unamiable and the othâ— irksom and uneasie How delightful and invitinâ— is it on the one hand to behold Brethren dwelliâ— together in Vnity and forbearing one another in Lovâ— and how uncomfortable is that Prospect on the â—ther wherein little else save Strife and Contenâ—on are presented to our View It therefore greatâ— concerneth all those who would be accounted tâ— Sons of Peace and Well-wishers to the Prospeâ—â—ty of Sion to Pray and Labour indeed for more 〈◊〉 those cooling as well as beautifying Graces of Châ—rity Meekness and Forbearance for the quenchiâ— those Flames which the contrary Vices have kindleâ— and removal of those Causes of Uneasiness whiâ— have thereby been introduced He adds That so far as we have attained we maâ— walk together by the same Rule and wherein we yâ— differ humbly wait upon God for a more compleâ— discovery of his Mind to us An Excellent End the stronger who have arrived to higher Attaiâ—ments Bear with their weaker Brethren and nâ— Impose a Snare or Yoke upon their Consciences Introduc It 's too well known to be concealâ— that such different Apprehensions there are bâ—tween us and some of our Dear Brethren aboâ— singing of Psalms which we are fully perswaded with the Generality of the Reformed Churches is an Eminent Part of Christian Worship but divers of our Brethren are of a different Perswasion page 2. Animadv But then the Question is what kind Vocal Singing is so I answer Not Conjoint Singâ—g of a precomposed Form either in Prose or â—etre with many Voices together whether of Believâ—s or Unbelievers in an Artificial Tune which is â—eaded for by this Author But such a Vocal â—nging of one Person at a time as is a Special Gift the Holy Spirit i. e. When a Person Sings by â—â—spiration of God without all help of Humane â—t or Skill having the Psalm Hymn or Spiriâ—al Song dictated for the Matter and directed â—t the Manner immediately from above Others â—no are present and have their Souls touched by â—e same Holy Spirit keeping silence with the exâ—rnal Voice but making Melody in their Hearts â—to the Lord. Now tho' the Generality of the Reformed â—hurches as he stiles them are for Set-form Singâ—g with United Voices in an Artificial Tune will â—eir Unwarrantable Practice make such Singing Justiâ—ble and Authentick Universality and Consent are â— good Arguments where the Point under Debate made a Case of Religion and cannot be defended 〈◊〉 Scripture Authority This Instance is brought 〈◊〉 his great Disadvantage if I had a mind to imâ—ove it against him For are not the Generality 〈◊〉 the Reformed Churches partly for Prelatical â—d partly for Presbyterian Government Some â—r Set-forms of Publick Prayer and Most for Inâ—nt-Baptism I would therefore ask him what â—e thinks of this Generality Are there not a great â—any Relicks of Rome yet standing and doth
to praise God by Singing Vocally Whether he understands by Faculty some connate power of the Soul in which sense the Understanding Will and Appetite are Faculties or as the Word in it's true Origination imports Facilitas agendi saith Calep. an Easiness to do a thing For if he takes it in the first Sense then 't is essential to the Soul and ought to be reckoned among the concreated Faculties which none of those who treat of the Soul have done that I have read of If he understands it in the second Acceptation viz. an Easiness to do a thing then common Experience will oppugn him for how few among the vast multitudes of Mortals have attained such a Faculty However he proceeds to this Conclusion whether his Premises will bear it or no That 't is a Moral Duty and suitable to the Dictates of right Reason for Men to praise God by Singing And takes it to be a clear Demonstration Answ Saying and Proving are two things Pythagoras had indeed obtained so great an Authority among his Scholars that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bare Assertion pass'd without Contradiction But Implicit Faith hath long since been abandoned by the sincere Disciples of Jesus and nothing short of Evident Proof should be admitted for Demonstration which is here wholly wanting If to praise God by Singing be suitable as he says to the Dictates of right Reason then those who are not of his Opinion in this matter have either wilfully rejected that Guide or are Metamorphosed into Irrational Beings either of which would be too uncharitale to suppose seeing those who dissent from him do believe with the Apostle that Religion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Reasonable Service Sect. 4. 2. His Second Consideration to prove that Singing the Praises of God is a Moral Duty is this Singing the Praises of God saith R. A. was a Duty perform'd to him by the Heavenly Angels at the Discovery of his Glorious Perfections in the Creation Which I think evidently shews it to be the Duty of reasonable Creatures as such and consequently a Moral Duty Essay p. 9. Answ First It is a Question whether the Heavenly Angels sang vocally or no because where the Scriptures are silent as they are in this matter we may very well Query about it Secondly If that Opinion oâ— the * Camero Praelect Tom. 2. p. 440 441. Schoolmen be true thaâ— Angelical Beings express their Minds to one another Sola Voluntate by the Will â—y then how can they be said to Sing in a Vocal â—anner When Angels have appeared and spake â— Men in assumed Bodies for the Execution of at present Service Almighty God was pleased to â—ploy them in they spake by the Mediation and â—nistry of the Organs of those assumed Bodies But â—gels considered meerly as Spirits have no Instruâ—nts for the sensible and orderly Articulation of â—â—nds which is properly * Note the Speech here spoken of is that which Philosophers term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speech uttered or pronounced Exâ—nal Speech and consequently â—nnot modulate the Outward â—ice without assumed Bodies â—ause such an Action is proper a Rational Agent acting by â— Ministry of Corporeal Organs Thirdly 'T is not evident to me that an Exâ—ple of the Angels as such is a sufficient Ground â— the Foundation of a Moral Duty to Men. For â— Glorious and High-exalted Station they are in â— the different Administration they and we are â—er make it improbable that they should be â—ule or Standard for our Obedience Jesus Christ â— Head of his Church having not taken upon â— the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham â— any where referred us to them but to himâ— for Direction in all the parts of Duty â—erefore saith Christ †Mat. 4.19 and John 1.43 Follow â— and the Apostle called â—n the Corinthians to be ‖ 1 Cor. 11.1 â—owers of him as he was of Christ â—e Heavenly Angels are Glorious Creatures Miâ—ring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation and exâ—te the Will of God in Perfection But as exâ—ent Beings as they are 't is not said in the Hoâ— Scriptures Be ye holy for the Angels are holy â— Be ye perfect as the Angels are perfect But * Levit. 11.44 and 1 Pet. 1.16 be ye holy saith the Loâ— for I am holy and †Mat. 5.48 be ye perfeâ— saith Christ even as your Fatâ— which is in Heaven is perfect â— ought all to Pray that the Will of God may â— done in Earth as it is in Heaven But how â— the Angels of whom there is no Evidence nor much as Probability of their Singing Vocally in Hâ—ven be a Rule or Precedent of such a Practice hâ— below This is a dark Region our Souls are now â— and we know but very little of the State and Eâ—ployment of the Heavenly Angels that they â— Glorious Spirits and do continually Adore â— Magnifie God the Holy Scriptures inform us â— that they praise him by Vocal Singing the Sacâ— Records are not only silent but 't is also Wâ— incompetent to Spirits as such who are Incorâ— real Beings and so incapable through the Defecâ— proper external Organs of a Vocal Celebration of Adorable Perfections In a word the Celestial Anâ— are pure Intellectual Substances separated from Matter and therefore cannot be supposed to Sâ— in R. A's Sense that is with the External Voice But he proceeds to prove the Point asserted â— the Reader may see that he has Ground for wâ— he says his Proof is That the Angels did â— praise God by singing he himself testifies Job 7. When the Morning Stars sang together and the â— of God shouted for joy That by the Morning Sâ— here can't be meant the Material Stars in â— Firmament to me seems plain in that they â— at his laying the Foundatâ— of the Earth which * Gen. 1.1 waâ— the first day of the Creatâ— whereas the Material Sâ— were not made till thâ— fourth day †Ver. 19. And therefâ— by the Morning Stars we are to understand â— the best Expositors the Holy Angels called in the following Words The Sons of God as also Chap. 1.6 And they are fitly called Stars in the same sense in which they are elsewhere called * 2 Cor. 11.14 Angels of Light Essay p. 9 10. Answ I do not think notwithstanding the Assurance he speaketh with that by the Morning Stars we are to understand the Holy Angels and â— know all the best Expositors do not conclude with him †Vid. Crit. Sacr. in loc Rabbi Abenezra understands the Planets the Learned Drusius and Grotius Material Stars with whom also accord the LXXII Interpreters who make a plain Distinction between the Morning Stars and the Sons of God â—eading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stars simply and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels or the Sons of God So (a) Synop. Critic Mercer Lyra Menoâ—bius Tirinus Cartwright and sundry other Learned Men do not take the Morning Stars
placed after â—he Destruction of the Amorite when it was long â—efore compare Exod. 12.35 51. with Numb â—1 24 'T is Hierom's Observation upon Amos 2. â—hat In reciting the Praises of God the Order of Hiâ—â—ory is not kept but it often falls out that things first â—â—me are mentioned last and the last first Sect. 3. Now if any shall Object that to admit of these Trajections may be of dangerous Consequence to Religion because the Enemies of the Holy Scriptures may improve them against Christ and Christianity I Answer Trajections are usual in all other Writings and if the Style of the Holy Scriptures be an Objection against them in the Minds of any upon that Account by the same Rule they may reject all other Writings in the World because they have their Trajections as well as the Holy Scriptures But some will be ready to say If the Holy Scriptures are full of Trajections and other sort of Figures how shall we who are Illiterate Persons know them and will not this tend to a Confining oâ— the Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures to Learned Men only and so to an Enslaving of us to theiâ— Dictates and Authority I Reply Humane Learning is singularly useful in Translations and in giving the Grammatical Historical Topographical anâ— Chronological Explications of the Holy Scriptures buâ— 't is Divine Learning alone that instructs to the Kingdom of God and makes a Man wise to Salvation For 't is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation thaâ— leads into the Saving Knowledge of Christ and thâ— Spiritual Understanding of the Mysteries of thâ— Gospel And therefore if a Man or Woman be ignorant of Humane Learning meer Strangers tâ— Arts and Languages yet if they have Divine Learning are taught and instructed by the Holy Spiriâ— and yield Obedience thereunto they come to knoâ— the Mind of the Lord in the Holy Scriptures anâ— to be sensible Witnesses of the same while otheâ— with all their Humane Literature and Skill iâ— Originals not regarding the Inward Revelatioâ— of the Spirit of God upon their Minds but dâ—pending upon and trusting to their Natural anâ— Acquired Abilities which cannot possibly unfolâ— the Mysteries of the Gospel spiritually unto them are in the dark about the Things of God and wholly void of all Spiritual Sense and Understanding of them These know more indeed of the Outward â—etter which is but as the Cabinet to the Jewel at the other coming to the Spirit and Life are â—ruly made Possessors of the Jewel it self The Holy â—criptures with respect to all saving Spiritual Underâ—tanding thereof are as a Sealed Book till the Lion â—f the Tribe of Judah breaks off the Seals and oâ—ens the Sacred and Spiritual Contents to the Soul And hence it is that so many Learned Doctors â—nd Rabbies have Ears and hear not Eyes and â—e not and Understandings and perceive not â—ecause they consult with Flesh and Blood with â—heir own Carnal Wisdom and Reasonings and â—eject the Counsel of God which he gives in by â—he Spirit of his Son to direct and guide us â—to all Truth But they that wait upon the â—ord in the true Poverty and Humility of their â—wn Spirits and do purely resolve their Faith â—to the Glorious Power of God without any Mixture of the Wisdom of Man these have the â—yes of their Minds opened by the Great and â—ble Illuminator Christ Jesus to see the Works â—f the Lord and his Wonders in the Depths of â—oly Scripture while the meer Letter-Wise cannot â—ith all their Worldly Wisdom discern them â—or the Things of God saith the Apostle knoweth no â—an but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 No Man can â—er come Spiritually to know the things of God â—at is the Mysteries of the Gospel but by the Immeâ—ate Revelation of the Spirit of God He hath reâ—â—aled them to us by his Spirit v. 10. Now as they were â—â—rst revealed unto the Apostles by the Spirit so â—â—st they again be revealed unto us tho' we have â—â—em in their Words already by the same Spirit or â—â—ere is no possibility of Knowing and Understanding 〈◊〉 them Spiritually Sect. 4. R. A. 3. Much less is there any Reason to imagine that it was peculiar to the Jewish Passover as a part of it and so of the samâ— Mutable Nature with it Singing to the Praise oâ— God being as I conceive hath been sufficientlâ— proved a Moral Duty and therefore of Unâ—versal and Perpetual Obligation and so fit tâ— be used upon that or any other Joyful Occasion Essay p. 22. Reply 3. He hath not sufficiently proved Singinâ— to the Praise of God to be a Moral Duty as I havâ— shewn in my first Chapter where his Notion oâ— the Moral Duties of Religion as being Originaâ—ly Written in the Heart of Man by Nature anâ— still in a great Measure to be discerned by serâ—ous Attention and Consideration without anâ— Special Revelation and his Five Considerations tâ— prove the Morality of Singing according to thâ— aforesaid Notion are Examined and Disproved and therefore the Singing he contends for is nâ— of Universal and Perpetual Obligation R. A. 4. There is the greatest Reason to coâ—clude that our Lord Sang this Hymn with hâ— Disciples at least especially upon the Occasioâ— of his own Supper and the Commemoration â— his Sufferings and redeeming Love therein foâ— asmuch as it was immediately joyn'd thereto â— the Evangelists plainly shew Essay p. 23. Reply 4. This Answer is coincident with hâ— Second in my Reply whereunto I have shewâ— the frequent use of Trajections in the Holy Scriâ—tures that Immediety of placing a Word or Seâ—tence doth not always prove Immediety of Timâ— Concord or Relation and that there is a greateâ— Probability that this Hymn appertained to the Passâ—ver than to the Lord's-Supper R. A. Nor is there any Force against this Conclusion in that Objection which some make That had this Hymn belonged to the Lord's-Supper doubtless the Apostle would have mention'd it when he * 1 Cor. 11.23 c. sets down the Institution of this Ordinance as he had received it from the Lord. For to this I reply That were there any Force in this Objection we might also thence conclude that Giving of Thanks before the Cup doth not belong to it Of which tho' it be plainly express'd by the †Mat. 26.27 Mark 14.23 Evangelists yet the Apostle makes no Mention His Design being as I conceive not so much to give an Account of all things pertaining to the Lord's Supper as to correct those Gross Abuses which were crept into that Church in the Use of this Holy Ordinance Essay p. 23 24. Rejoinder The Force of the Objection is rather strengthned than weakned by his Reply For tho' the Apostle doth not immediately mention in so many Words that the Lord Jesus Gave Thanks before the Cup as Matthew and Mark do yet they being express'd before he Brake Bread and the Cup said to be taken after the same manner his giving of Thanks before