Truth but not till then can we believe you nor regard what you say on this account If there had been no Scripture Psalms c. in being nor known to the Churches when the Holy Ghost enjoyned them to sing Psalms Or if the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit might not serve and enable us as well to put a Psalm or Hymn in order to be sung as a Doctrine in order to be preached Then you might say the Church was to wait for some extraordinary effusion of the Spirit or some miraculous Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs before they could perform that Duty nor could that Duty be performed longer than such gifts abode in the Church And if so you had said something but now we see you have said nothing that has weight in it but more of this anon You say With a whole Congregation every one together without exception lifting up their Voices together that is in singing Reply Must this way of Singing be exploded as an invention of men God forbid for then Moses and the whole Congregation were guilty of an invention of men and Deborah and Barak David and all Israel and which is worse Christ and his Apostles Paul and Silas nay and an invention of men is enjoyned on the Church for they all are enjoyned thus to be Sung together every one of them not one excepted take two or three Arguments further to make it appear the Churches were thus required to sing 1. That way Christ and his Disciples sung the Churches were to sing because Christ and his Disciples set the direct Pattern But Christ and his Disciples sung all together as is fully proved in the late Treatises Ergo. 2. If the Churches are enjoyned to sing and not one Member is exempted or excepted then they are all to sing and to sing together according to the Pattern given by Christ and his Disciples but the Churches are enjoyned to sing and not one Member exempted or excepted Ergo They all are to sing and to sing together according to the Pattern given by Christ and his Disciples Mat. 26 30 Mark 14.26 3. If singing Gods Praises were under the Law with Voices lift up together and the Saints are in the New Testament required to sing and no other way is prescribed or laid down how they should sing Then the Saints in the New Testament ought to sing as they sang under the old But such was the Singing of Gods People under the Law and the Churches are enjoyned to sing Psalms in the New Testament and no other way prescribed or laid down how they should sing Ergo. The Churches are now to sing in the times of the Gospel as Gods People under the Lqw But you say the former that is Singing with Voices together was unanimously concluded by the most part if not all the Baptized Churches to be Will-worship 1. Reply Suppose it was so concluded to be by them then might they not be mistaken Had they attained to a perfection of Knowledge in the whole Will of God or were those Churches appointed by the Lord to be our Pattern further than they followed Christ and the Primitive Church 2. We ask you whether or no generally the same Baptized Churches in those times did not as unanimously conclude and declare it too that for a Gospel Minister to have a Yearly Allowance or a competent Maintenance was an humane Invention and Antichristian We speak in part upon our own Knowledge and by good Information we have had from others that both those Gospel Duties and Ordinances were equally decryed and we suppose you are not Ignorant of it nay and we hear some Churches or members of those Churches are of the same Opinion still How now Dear Brother are you for building what was destroyed if not we are no more guilty in the one than you are in the other and to our grief since it was so concluded then we find it comes to be so hard a thing to bring our Churches to embrace the one or the other as they ought 3. What if through a hot and an unaccountable Zeal our Churches in the beginning of the last Reformation did throw away some pure Gold with much Antichristian dross ought they not now God hath graciously been pleased to open their Eyes to labour to recover the Gold again we mean both those great Gospel Duties viz. Singing of Scripture Psalms and the Ministers maintenance Honoured Brother The path of the Just is as a shining light that shines more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 God doth not discover all his whole Mind and Will to his people at once but some at one time and some at another And blessed be God there are some risen up of whom Mr. Steed is one who affirms That the Ministers of the Gospel ought to have a competent maintenance so that they may comfortably live of it and some others are risen up who do not only affirm that but also that the Churches ought to sing the praises of God and prove it too by undeniable Arguments and in that common way that was used by the Church of Israel under the Law and by the Lord Jesus and his Church and Churches under the Times of the Gospel And as it is now commonly used in most Churches of Christ in our days viz. with Voices lifted up together and hereby we do build what was wanting and restore an Ordinance too long neglected by some of the Churches of Christ Others contemn our way of preaching and call it a common Artificial acquired attainment as you contemn and call our Singing But how dare you so rashly affirm or intimate That this way of Singing is brought into some Churches by the guile and policy of Satan and compare it with Common Prayer have you an infallible Spirit Men may in some cases be bold in their assertions when they speak of some Truths that the whole Body of the Godly are established in But thus to speak against an Ordinance which almost all the Faithful people of God and Churches now and in every Age have received as an undoubted Truth of Christ is hard Especially considering how weak your Arguments seem to be or how little you have to say against it Sir this way of singing of Scripture Psalms is as certainly an Ordinance of Christ as Preaching Prayer c. are such and so it will appear one day say you what you please who affirm singing to be an Ordinance in the Church and yet sing not properly at all in any manner of way but wholly live in the neglect of this great Duty But you in Page 2. affirm you are for singing These are your words viz. The outcry is you are against singing in the Church if Persons in Judgment and Conscience testifie against common singing as that which ought not to be used in a Church of Christ which say you is false and as vile a Slander as the former for they are for singing that is for praising of God
read to them may not be in a joyful frame and so cannot sing all together with the Spirit and Understanding as is required 1 Cor. 14.15 Answ We do not believe any one Member is totally without a tuneable Voice or the faculty o◠Singing thô some may not have it to that degree o◠acuteness as some others no more than they may in Prayer yet such who can't pray so elequently or acutely express themselves ought to pray nevertheless as well as they can and so in Singing they may do it as well as they can 2. They are all to joyn in Prayer in their Hearts with the Minister but may be some may not so clearly and immediately understand some of the expressions their Ministers use and so with the Spirit and Understanding can't joyn in Prayer in their Hearts and so with you in your way of singing 3. Such who cannot may forbear either joyning in such Expressions either with you or us and such who are not in a joyful frame may forbear too we do not believe every one must sing always with the Church or they sin But thô they may not be in a joyful frame God nevertheless deserves his praises and he is in a very bad frame indeed that is out of a frame to laud and praise the Name of God the Apostle bids us rejoyce evermore and thô sorrowful yet always rejoycing in the Lord. Fifthly You say Singing is to be practised as that it may be for teaching and admonishing one another therefore Col. 3.16 some are to teach and some to be taught are all Teachers and all Admonishers at one time but none taught which is confusion 1 Answ By the way this shews Singing is not part of Prayer or praising of God in Prayer sure you do not use Prayer to teach or admonish one another 2. The Psalm hath the teaching and admonishing in it and all in singing Psalms may be said to teach and yet all by the Psalm are taught and admonished And since God hath commanded us to teach and admonish one another viz. In Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in our Hearts to the Lord how dare you contradict it or oppose our so doing 'T is a different way of teaching one another than in the way of a Ministers preaching and yet it is no confusion 't is a teaching and admonishing one another in singing of Psalms and how all may be sai◠in so doing to teach and yet be taught see Mr Keaches Book page 113 114 115 116 117 118 120. Did not Moses and the whole Congregation of Israel sing together Exod. 15.1 and were they not all nevertheless by that Song admonished c. and was that confusion You say if a Preacher should teach the people by uttering or speaking out a sentence of his Sermon and all his hearers should say it or sing it after him and so proceed would this say you be reputed an orderly way for the instruction and edification of the people So that this Scripture which is so frequently alledged to countenance common Singing is a plain and evident witness say you against it c. 1 Reply How many sentences of a Sermon may be contained in one or more of David's Psalms which Psalm may be and oft times is sung after the Sermon is ended and yet the People may be sweetly and in an orderly way instructed and edified thereby for did not Gods people of old thus sing in the words of David 2 Chron. 29.30 Dare you say that way which God hath taught and commanded his people to teach and admonish one another may not be reputed an orderly way for instruction and edification of them evident it is he hath commanded them to teach and admonish one another in Psalms in singing Col. 3.16 2. We thus reason Either the Apostle gives directions in those Scriptures Eph. 5.19 Col. 3.16 to Ministers to preach from or out of Psalms Hymns c. or to them to pray and praise God in prayer or else he enjoyns them to be found in some other Ordinance or Duty distinct or quite different from either of the other namely to sing Psalms Hymns c. 1. Now he can't intend Preaching or Directions to Ministers because he doth not say Admonish one another from or out of Psalms but in Psalms Nor is there any shadow of reason why the Apostle should give particular Directions to Ministers to Preach out of the Psalms 2. Because in the same breath as we may say he exhorts them to sing so that according to all wise and worthy Expositors he means no other Teaching than that which is in singing of Psalms c. 3. Because he doth not direct his words to Ministers but to the whole Church even to all that are to be filled with the Spirit and to have the Word of Christ to dwell richly in them which is every Man and Womans Duty all that were or are filled with the Fruits of Righteousness or who have true Grace in their Hearts or have cause to rejoyce in God are required to sing Psalms 2. It cannot intend Prayer or Praising of God in Prayer because thereby we only speak to God and not to Teach and Admonish one another If we are no where in Holy Scripture said in Prayer or Praising of God in Prayer to Teach and Admonish one another then such an Exposition is to be exploded as erroneous but in Prayer c. we are no where said to Teach or Admonish one another Therefore it must intend some other Duty or Ordinance that is distinct or different to both the former Viz. That of Teaching and Admonishing one another in Psalms by singing of them together So that in opposition to what you say these places so frequently alledged do not only countenance that which you call common singing but positively enjoyns it on the Churches Sixthly This common way of Singing you say cannot be allowed in the Church because the Members cannot by lifting up their Voices sing together but it must be by some composed set stinted form of some ones making which they must have read to them or they must read it themselves line after line and so to sing say you doth not appear to be the Mind and Will of our Lord Jesus 1 Reply Are not the Psalms of David and other Scripture Songs set and stinted Forms and because they are so must they not be allowed in the Church God it appears doth enjoyn them and therefore allows them tho' you will not 2. But why must they be composed Forms of some ones making hath not the Holy Ghost left us in the Holy Scripture Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs we plead for no other Psalms but such that are of the Spirits composing or composed by the Spirit 3. We see where your sore is you are for Singing by Inspiritation viz. Psalms given immediately by some special Gift and hence are against the whole Churches Singing because if you should have such a
A SOBER REPLY TO Mr Robert Steed's EPISTLE Concerning SINGING WHEREIN All his Objections against that Way he calls the Common and Popular Way of Singing Psalms c. are Impartially Examined and in the Spirit of Meekness fully Answered Recommended to the consideration of all the Saints and Churches of Christ by divers Elders and Ministers of Baptized Congregations Who desire their Brethren who are against such Singing without prejudice to read these Lines and consider them LONDON Printed in the Year 1691. To all the Saints and Churches of Christ who are not Convinced that 't is their Duty to Sing the Praises of God Beloved Brethren IT is matter of great Grief and Trouble to us to see any of our People much more so many lying short for want of Light of this great Christian Duty of Singing Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs which as the Churches are enjoyned in the New Testament to do so we find it was always practised by the Lords People generally in their publick Assemblies in Gods Worship both in Time of the Law and Gospel But more especially to find some amongst us so resolute in Opposing of it and others to make Divisions upon the Practice thereof and yet find so little Argument against it Mr. Steed as it seems to us hath not so fairly stated the Question as he should which ought to have been this Viz. Whether Singing the Praises of God by the whole Church in their publick Assemblies be a Gospel Duty or not However we have read and considered this ensuing Answer to his Epistle and finding it so fully and soberly done think it necessary to recommend it to all your Considerations hoping it may tend to enlighten many of your Souls who as yet have doubts about it which that it may we shall commit it to the Blessing of the great God and remain Yours in the Work of the Gospel Joseph Masters William Collins Richard Adams James Jones Hercules Collins J. Warner Richard Mariot Abednego Smith Leonard Harrison Benjamin Dennis Joseph Wright Benjamin Keach Jo. Hammond William Groome R. Allen Samuel Bagwell John Christopher To the Elders Minisiters and Members of the Baptized Churches throughout England and Wales Beloved in our Lord THat common Proverb used amongst us viz. That Custom is a second Nature we find true in things Natural and Religious Old Customs tho never so bad are hardly left Jer. 13.23 and long neglected Duties we come up slowly to And that which makes Reformation in any thing the more difficult is that Opposition it usually meets with many times from those whose Duty and Office doth in a special manner Oblige them to restore every Trdth of God that 's fallen in our Streets And such hath been our case tho much to be lamented that when it pleased God to open the Eyes of many amongst us into that holy Ordinance of Singing his Praise both in Private and Publick and from the clear Evidence of his Word made us sensible that this part of Divine Worship so frequently commanded and commended in Holy Writt both to Jews and Gentiles is as Ancient as the World and will continue when Time shall be swallowed up in Eternity We had then no Mind to have published our thoughts to the World nor to have troubled the Churches with any Dissertations about it But endeavoured to have a Friendly Debate with our Brethren who were conven'd to consult the Churches Welfare But our Endeavours theretn being obstructed by the Opposers of this Truth Soon after some of them from an imprudent Zeal to maintain their own mistaken Sentiments openly opposed this holy Truth of God and took unto themselves a kind of lawless Liberty not only to calumniate those who endeavoured the restoration of this Ordinance but also to Reproach the Truth of God in this particular by calling it Will-Worship Formal Carnal Invented c. which put us upon a necessity unless we would betray the Truth of Christ by a sinful silence to discover their great Mistakes and unaccountable Absurdities and Prevarications herein to all that desire to wait upon God in the way of Holiness and to remove the Stumbling-blocks that busie men have endeavoured to trouble those Churches with who desire to live in peace This hath occasioned the publishing of this little Treatise now in thine hand which is hereby recommended to thy diligent and candid perusal and whoever thou mayest be that readest I have onely these few things to desire of thee Make the Word of GOD thy Rule in Judging lay by all Prejudice weigh what thou findest in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and do not judge before thou hast read what is said for this holy Ordinance And remember that every Truth of God hath some Adversaries and if thou wilt not receive Truth untill its Adversaries have nothing to say thou must receive no Truth at all untill the Devil is bound and all the Nations of the World undeceived Wait at the Throne of Grace in a humble Spirit for Light in this particular if thou art yet in the Dark concerning this holy Institution And whether thou dost own and practise this Ordinance or not see that thou put on Charity towards those that are otherwise minded and if you cannot all agree to sing the Praises of God together here on Earth I am sure all the Children of God will harmonize in this Work in Heaven Now that the Lord might bless this little Treatise to thy Establishment in the Truth of Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs to his own Glory and thy Souls and others Comfort and Edification is the Desire and shall be the Prayer of thine in the Lord Thomas Whinnel A Sober Reply to Mr. Robert Steed's Epistle SIR HAD you wrote private Letters to your own people about your sentiments concerning singing the praises of God to obstruct the restoration of that blessed Gospel Ordinance and not have published it to the World we might have seen no such Cause as now we do to answer your Epistle When we heard you were a writing we expected it would have contained an answer to what hath lately been published in vindication thereof by Reverend Mr. Knowles Mr. Keach Dr. Wright Mr. Whinnel c. but we now see no such thing attempted but contrarywise only a heap of words being little elfe than the substance of what Mr. Marlow hath troubled the World and Churches with And it seems as if the Sermon you formerly preached against this Holy Truth of Christ was the muddy Fountain from whence his lines proceeded and that it was you those worthy Persons in the dark contended with which was hinted to some of us some time since But truly Sir this way of yours seems new as well as strange Hath any controversible Truth met with such usage you at once give up the cause provided those weighty Treatises so full of Scripture Arguments are not answer'd for all men may see all that you have said fully answered before your Epistle was printed
directed unto is when a person is merry or comfortable which certainly is to be suitable to his praying when afflicted and sorrowful which is not by reading a prayer of anothers composing but by pouring out his Soul in earnest Requests to God as he shall be assisted by the Holy Spirit In like manner the Singing here intended is not the reading and tuning of a Psalm out of a Book or writing of anothers composing but his solemn expressing the praise of God and his joyful thanks to God as the Holy Spirit doth assist him with a tuneable Voice or otherwise shall Prayer be with the Spirit and singing praises which is the highest worship be by a form Surely say you we are otherwise directed by the Word of God 1 Cor. 14.15 And we are counsell'd to labour to be filled with the Spirit if we will speak to our selves in Psalms and Hymns Eph. 5.19 which if it may be performed by reading and tuning a Psalm or Song indited for us may it not be by a person in a carâ—â—â— as much as by one in a Spiritual state and frame This Singing say you that a Christian in his chearfulness is directed unto we humbly conceive is explained Eph. 5.4 Neither foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Where Believers are directed how to improve their merry and chearful seasons first negatively not as the World commonly doth in foolish talking and jesting to stir up laughter and vain mirth by Secondly positively to recreate their Spirits by getting up and holding forth their joy and comfort in praising and blessing the Name of the Lord as he shall graciously enable them whether with Metre Tunes or otherwise 3 Reply That a person should sing when in a joyful frame by influence or help of the Spirit we deny not as a person afflicted is so to pray and not by reading of a prayer yet singing of Psalms is one thing and prayer another may not a Man spiritually sing one of Davids Psalms or other Scripture-Hymns or Sacred Songs because he did not compose it himself Do you suppose that every Man and woman in those Times had that special Gift to bring forth a Psalm for 't is evident every Man and Woman some time or another may be merry or joyful in the Lord and then they lie without exception under the same obligation to sing Psalms You it seems admit of Singing with a tuneable Voice Nor indeed is there any other singing known to Mankind Now if every Man has not the special Gift to bring forth a Psalm both Matter Manner and Tune c. by an immediate help of the Spirit we find you suppose they cannot sing Psalms according to this Precept nor must they sing any Psalms but of their own enditing Doubtless the weakest person that had no special Gift If merry in the Lord is bound and obliged to sing Psalms as well as any other therefore singing was not tyed up to persons who had a special Gift so to sing Besides the Psalms are contained in the Holy Scripture which we are to sing the matter being already composed by the Spirit therefore praying and singing greatly differ thô both are to be performed by the assistance of the Spirit Brother there is a Book of Psalms left for us in Gods Word to sing by but no Book of Prayers is there left for us to pray by therefore you say nothing Nor is that doubtless true which you conceive from Eph. 5.4 i.e. that the Apostle there gives directions about singing but rather 't is about speaking viz. that we should not in our common discourse c. use foolish talking nor jesting but that God should be always in our Minds and we ready always to give thanks to him For as Men are subject to sing foolish Songs when merry which the Apostle James implicitely reproves and gives directions then to sing Psalms so they are as ready to use jestings and foolish talkings especlally at Feasts which are not convenient Therefore St. Paul gives directions to avoid them and to give thanks to God for all we have and demean our selves with gravity and an Holy and Heavenly Spirit 5. Now we come to the fifth and last thing you insist upon viz. you say you shall speak a little to the last particular you mentioned which is this viz. But it may be said is there no way to revive that Ordinance of Singing or bringing forth a Psalm in the Church as it was in the primitive times or as we have it recorded 1 Cor. 14.26 First You say the Church hath that which is chiefly intended by it in their solemn giving of Thanks and praising of God together as they have continual occasion and opportunity for it Reply Why do you say the Church hath that which was chiefly intended if the Church hath not the Ordinance or thing it self is not this like what some say of Sprinkling viz. Thô Baptism was performed by dipping or applying the subject to the Water in the primitive times and we use sprinkling say they yet we have that which was chiefly intended by it for we use water and apply it to the Subject and sprinkling with the Blood of Christ is mentioned as well as washing in his Blood and we use the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost when we do it c. What is it your Church hath Why you praise God together and so you ought aad may every hour and yet have none of this Ordinance because praising of God in prayer is not singing of his praises thô praising of God be the chief thing intended yet t is no other than a musical or melodious singing of his praises which if you do not so you have not the chief thing intended Why should God enjoyn his people to sing his praise if to praise him in prayer without singing was sufficient is not this to exalt your Wisdom above the Wisdom of God or to make void a Gospel precept by your Tradition read that in Matthew 2. It may be confidently expected say you that if the Lords people did more earnestly pray and wait for a more plentiful pouring forth of the Holy Spirit there might be more assistance afforded for enditing and uttering a Psalm or Spiritual Song according to the primitive pattern 1 Reply If you have that which was chiefly intended by singing what need is there to expect any more of the Spirit to be performed to endite a Psalm or to pray for such pourings forth of the Spirit to that end thô we all have cause to pray for more of the Holy Spirit to be poured forth yet not to revive the practice of any Gospel Ordinance which we see plainly the Churches were enjoyned to perform for if we want it to revive one Duty we want it to revive all 2. Prayer is an Ordinance Preaching is an Ordinance Baptism and the Lords Supper are Ordinances and you are found in the discharge of all
Book of the Lamentations was a mournâ—ul Song and thô their case was deplorable yet they â—ung It is the Lords mercies we are not consumed beâ—â—use his compassions fail not Lam. 3.22 The Lord is â—â—y portion saith my Soul c. the Lord is good unto them â—â—at wait for him ver 24 25. Thus they sung then â—nd thus we may and ought to sing now We grant when Babylon is down the Tongues of many 〈◊〉 have been dumb shall sing i. e. many shall then 〈◊〉 converted and from thence shall sing but we 〈◊〉 before that time comes have obtained that Grace 〈◊〉 Blessing have as much cause to sing now as they shâ—â— then But since that will be a day of general Convâ—â—sion or wherein multitudes shall be brought inâ—â— Christ it is noted as a special time of singing 4. Do you think there wants now such a measure the Spirit that is sufficient to put any one Gospel Oâ—dinance into practice The smallness of the Gifts 〈◊〉 Measures of the Spirit cannot justifie any person the neglect of any Gospel Duty you forget yâ—â—â—self singing of Psalms is a Gospel Precept and theâ—â—fore we must that way praise God or we neglect a duâ—â— 5. What you speak of formal Singing c. affâ—â—â— us not we plead for no such thing but say our sing is Spiritual as our preaching and praying is so and invention but a Sacred Institution of the Gospel 6. What you speak concerning the Lords Peoâ—â—â— after the Captivity in the rebuilding the Temple â—â—â—ving no Urim and Thumim c. makes against your 〈◊〉 we would know whether there was any one Oâ—â—â—nance they neglected from such pretences viz. tâ—â—â— had no Urim and Thumim nor Ark of the Covenâ—â—â—â— or wanted some other visible demonstranion of Gâ—â—â— presence or special Gifts to perform it the Lord pen your eyes to do as they did who as they fouâ—â— written in the Law of Moses presently set about 〈◊〉 work without waiting for any visible or special â—â—â—dence of Gods Spirit or presence with them 〈◊〉 were accepted with God He that forced himself in haste to offer a Sacrâ—â—â—â—â— and would not wait you say was sharply repâ—â—â—ed 1 Sam. 13.12 and sustained great damage bâ— tho he seemed to make a fair plea for what he 〈◊〉 the Lord grant say you it may not be so 〈◊〉 those who out of pretended Zeal to restore an Oâ—â—â—nance would bring in that which is not of Diâ—â—â—â— Institution but humane Invention and Compositâ—â—â— c. page 13. 1 Reply How unreasonably and impertinently yoâ—â—ring the passage here in of Sauls offering a Sacrifice to atone for his sin of Disobedience let all wise â—â—en judge for as it belonged not to him so hiâ— Conscience told him he should forbear the doing of 〈◊〉 But we know it belongs to us and to all the Churches of Christ to sing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs and sure you cannot be so censorious to â—â—dge we do that which belongs not to us and also â—â—rce our selves to do it against the light of our Conscience 2. The second thing asserted by you is as bad and 〈◊〉 Unchriâ—â—â—â—n as the former viz. That our Zeal to â—estore a lost Ordinance is but pretended in which â—ou hint as if we were but a company of Hypoâ—â—ites in what we do herein God will judge between you and us who alone is able and whose â—â—ace and right it is you presume too far on Gods â—rerogative 3. How dare you say singing of Psalms c. â—ith Voices together for that we suppose you mean 〈◊〉 not of Divine Institution but of humane invention and composition David's Psalms and other Scripâ—â—re Hymns and Spiritual Songs are not of humane â—omposition unless part of the Holy Bible is a piece 〈◊〉 humane Invention and for the singing of such â—salms it is commanded or positively required or â—â—joyned on us and on the Churches of the Saints 〈◊〉 evident to all whose eyes are enlightened from â—â—ph 5.19 Col. 3.16 and that our Saviour with his â—isciples Moses and all Israel Paul and Silas sung â—â—gether hath been proved beyond doubt 4. Should one man force himself to sing alone in â—â—e Church under pretence of a specfal Gift you â—ight see cause to charge him after that manner i.e. â—â—cing himself so to do there being no Command neiâ—â—er Precept nor Example for such a practice therefore such an act would be humane and not of Diâ—â—ne Appointment 5. Saul did not what God commanded and therefore 〈…〉 reproved nay more than that 〈…〉 enough to fear upon the like accâ—â—◠〈…〉 our People do not sing Psalms 〈…〉 commanded to do but strive to 〈…〉 pâ—â—ctice of it Our Saviour saith He 〈◊〉 breaks the least of these Commandments and teaches 〈◊〉 so to do shall be called the least in the Kingdom of â—â—â—ven Matth. 5.19 Not that we have so little Châ—â—â—â—ty as to charge you as guilty herein but you wâ—â—â—â— do well to consider that passage 6. It grieves us to see such lines should drop 〈◊〉 your Pen as your Epistle is made up of sinâ—â— we 〈◊〉 what wise men who have no great love to you us speak not only of you but of the Baptists in â—â—neral upon the account thereof and here is room â—â—deed for them to say we in restoring Baptism c. but force our selves without any power received 〈◊〉 on high But when you can prove we may and oâ—â— to restore one lost Ordinance without a special â—â—sure of the Spirit c. and not another we shall â—ther consider of what you have said Some say 〈◊〉 have read your Epistle that the Baptists are turn Quakers Enthusiasts and what not We hope our Reverend Brethren who are not convinced of Singing but dare not censure others 〈◊〉 see cause to prevent the coming out of any more 〈◊〉 kind of stuff for the time to come and find out 〈◊〉 other way to put an end to this unpleasant Conâ—â—â—versie which all know was begun by Mr. Marâ— thô the more which is said against singing of Psalâ—â— c. we are sure it will tend for the further cleaâ— it up to be the duty of the Churches You to close your Epistle would have your peâ—â—â—â— to consider what a presence of God was with the â—â—â—tized Churches formerly with continual addition 〈◊〉 them c. however it hath been unduly represeâ—â—â—â— by a Zealot for common singing to the contrary â— Reply That our Churches were blessed in those tiâ—â—â— we deny not and yet this is weakly added by 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ce they walked up according to 〈…〉 received but we have little 〈…〉 should be prosperous or alike 〈…〉 hath convinced us of this a 〈…〉 â—ould we willfully neglect them 〈…〉 mean we know not Is not Prayer you say a moral duty as much as singing 〈◊〉 be why then do they not call upon all to lift up their Voices â—â—â—ether in prayer c. there be many bundreds that can speak â—â—â—ibly that cannot sing at all or not