Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	gospel_n	2,434	5	6.1451	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47361	An answer to Mr. Marlow's Appendix Wherein his arguments to prove that singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, was performed in the primitive church by a special or an extraordinary gift, and therefore not to be practised in these days, are examined, and clearly detected. Also some reflections on what he speaks on the word hymnos, hymnos: and on his undue quotations of divers learned men. By a learned hand. By B. Keach.	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1691 (1691)	Wing K43A; ESTC R223737	27,870	57

AN ANSWER TO Mr. Marlow's Appendix Wherein his Arguments to prove that Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs was performed in the Primitive Church by a Special or an Extraordinary Gift and therefore not to be practised in these Days Are Examined and clearly Detected Also some Reflections on what he speaks on the word ὑμνοσ Hymnos And on his undue Quotations of divers Learned Men. By a Learned Hand Psal 119. 141. I am small and despised yet do not I forget thy Precepts 1 Cor. 14. 22. Wherefore Tongues are for a Sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not but Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them that believe By B. KEACH London Printed for the Author and sold by John Hancock in Castle-Alley on the West side of the Royal-Exchange and by the Author at his House near Horselydown in Southwark 1691. To all the Saints and Churches of Jesus Christ Christian Salutation Honoured and Beloved IT grieves me I have further occasion to trouble you after this manner I know not what should move Mr. Marlow to write his Appendix just at a time when he was told I was writing an Answer to his first Discourse he might have had a little Patience and have staid till my Treatise was published whereby he might the better have perceived whether what he wrote the last Year would abide the Test or Trial of God's Word or not This is therefore his second Attempt in publick against God's holy Ordinance of singing of Psalms Hymns c. before any body appeared visibly to oppose or put a stop to his undue Proceedings For what Call he had to begin this Controversy at such an unseasonable time I know not but since he has done it certainly none can see any just cause to blame me for standing up in the Defence of that Truth of Jesus Christ which I am so well satisfied about and established in and that too as it is practised by the Church to whom I am related as an unworthy Member and above twenty Baptized Congregations besides in this Nation Tho before I went about it I offered my Brethren him or any other a sober and friendly Conference in the Spirit of Meekness which I could not obtain tho I did not give such a publick Challenge as my Brother intimates in that strange Epistle he hath wrote to me but upon the coming forth of his Book I was troubled and would have had it been discoursed in the General Assembly but that was not consented to and then I told my honoured and Reverend Brethren my purpose was to give an Answer to his Book but did not enter upon it till I was urged by several and particularly by Mr. Marlow himself before divers Witnesses in such kind of words as these i. e. Answer me like a Man Whether he is answered like a Man or but like a Child is left to your Consideration 't is done according to that Light and Ability God hath been pleased to bestow upon me But if he or any of his Helpers do see cause to reply they must answer such Persons who have wrote upon this Truth like Men and Men too of great Parts Learning and Piety or let them not trouble me nor the World any more As touching his Epistle to the Churches I shall take but little notice of it nor of that he hath writ to my self sith in my Judgment neither of them signify much you are Men of greater Wisdom than to be frightn̄ed out of an Ordinance or deterred from seeking after the Knowledg of it with these scurrilous Names of Error Apostacy Human Tradition prelimited Forms mischievous Error Carnal Forms Carnal Worship c. These are hard Words and do not bespeak a trembling Heart nor a humble Spirit and better becomes a Man that pretends to Infallibility But what some Men want of sound Arguments they think to make up by hard Words and Confidence but this will never do with you How hath our Practice of baptizing Believers c. been branded with the reproachful Name of Error and 't is very observable how some Men of far greater Parts and Ability than my Brothers or mine either have cried out against the Reign of Christ Conversion of the Gentiles and calling of the Jews as a gross Error as witness Mr. Richard Baxter particularly of late 'T is Arguments I know you look for and if you find those of Mr. Marlow's to prevail against what I have said do not regard what I have wrote in the least for I would have your Faith as the Apostle speaks to stand in the Power of God and not in the Wisdom of Men. The smallness of the Number of our Churches who are in the Practice of this Ordinance I also know will signify nothing with you provided it be proved to be a Truth of Jesus Christ What tho there was not one of our Churches that had Light in it it would certainly the more concern them to enquire after it And tho he hath so coursly saluted me c. yet I am not concerned at it further than to bewail his Confidence and Ignorance to say no worse I know no Men in any Age who appeared first to vindicate a Truth which others call an Error but have met with the same Usage I meet withal from our Brother who I hope is a good Man and means well yet is he strangely beclouded As I have been a Preacher up of Spiritual Worship as he says and that too more than thirty Years tho a poor and unworthy one so through the Grace of God I hope shall continue to do unto the end of my days and 't is only Spiritual Worship you may perceive I plead for in contending for singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs none of which three can be without their special and particular form But must they needs be therefore carnal and humane Forms which appertain unto them I see 't is time to stand up for the Form of Ordinances for the Form of Doctrine and for the Form of sound Words for if we must part with singing of Psalms Hymns c. from his pretended Arguments about Forms all external Ordinances must go as well as that of Singing In a word we must give up our whole visible Profession and wait for those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit that were in the Primitive Time if we must not sing till we have that extraordinary Gift to do it which some had in the Apostles Days and the like in discharge of every Gospel-Ordinance which were to abide in the Church to the end of the World He may as well therefore say I do but counterfeit that excellent Gift in Preaching when I preach which was in the Primitive Gospel-Church as thus to charge me in the case of our singing by the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit Read his Epistle to me Append. p. 15. It seems to me as if my Brother does not understand the nature of Moral

else lest the Controversy to some more discreet and abler Pen. I cannot forget the two Brethren that oppoposed Singing the Praises of God and would not comply with the Church though they did not separate themselves from the Church when first the practice of it was received amongst us near twenty Years ago One of them soon after brought a great Reproach upon Religion by immoral Actions and came to nothing and the other sometime after turned Quaker and to my Face denied the Resurrection of his Body c. As to that way Mr. Marlow speaks of praising of God in Prayer without singing of Praises as being more suitable as he thinks to the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit I must tell him God's Word is our Rule and since God doth require his People to celebrate his Praises by singing Psalms Hymns c. doubtless that suits as well with the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit as such Gifts suit with Prayer Preaching c. And I fear one day he will not be found able to give any good account of himself in his bold Attempt in seeking to rob God of his glorious Praise by singing to him as he hath enjoined us to do nor do I fear but through the Help and Authority of God's Word I shall in the Day of Christ stand with Joy and Confidence before him upon this respect when possibly he may be ashamed if he has not sincere Repentance for what he has done Is it not a false Assertion for him to say as he doth in his Epistle to me That as to our way of Vocal Singing together there is neither Command nor Example for it either in the Old or New Testament I shall leave it to the Consideration of all wise and sober Men. Certainly all will conclude the Man is strangely left of God especially considering he builds his main Confidence from a remote and indirect signification of a Greek Word and yet as I am told understands not that Language neither My Portion is I perceive to undergo hard Censures from Men but 't is no more than my Blessed Master met with and what am I that I should complain One said He was a good Man but others said Nay but he hath a Devil and deceiveth the People John ● 12 20. The Lord increase Love among all the Saints and a bearing and forbearing a gentle and Christian Spirit We all know but in part And O that the Lord would be pleased to deliver Men who profess the Gospel from that horrid Sin of backbiting of their Neighbours and from that bitter and unaccountable Spirit of Prejudice that seems to be gotten into the Hearts of some from whence they seem to tear the Names of their Brethren to pieces through undue Offences These thnigs are matter of Lamentation and I fear the forerunner of a dismal Hour that is coming upon us Cannot Christians have the Liberty of their Consciences from their Brethren to practise a Truth according to their Light without being charged and censured after this manner with Carnal Forms and mischievous Error c. I shall not retain you longer but desire you whoever you are impartially to read and well weigh my sober Reply to my Brother's Appendix I am glad it came forth before all my Treatise was printed off though it is true it makes the Price more than I intended There is a Reverend and Learned Friend who meeting with Mr. Marlow's Appendix finding him quoting learned Authors in an undue and unaccountable manner to little purpose which because it might possibly amuse the Unlearned and more unwary Reader he has in love to this Sacred Truth and to deliver the Souls of Men and Women from Mistakes made some Reflections on what he has wrote on that account at the close of this Reply If the Lord please to bless what I and my Reverend Friend have said to the further clearing up the Truth I shall not be troubled at my Pains nor Charge I have been forc'd to repeat some things twice or thrice by reason of his leading me in such an unusual Path. This is all at present From him who is your unworthy Brother in the Gospel and Service of Jesus Christ B. Keach AN ANSWER To Mr. Marlow's APPENDIX FIrst of all you tell us That to praise God or praising of God is not confined to Songs of Praise but that there are other ways and manner of praising of him than such melodious Singing Answer We never yet asserted there was no other way or manner to praise God than by singing of his Praise Nor is there a Man who affirms any such thing that I know of but it is one thing to own those other ways of praising of God and another thing for you utterly to deny this way or the way we use in singing his Praise But I must tell you most Learned Men nay all that I have met with do conclude the Disciples or those Children you speak of Matth. 21. 16. Luke 19. 37. did sing those Hosanna's to the Son of David as I have shewed in the first Chapter of the foregoing Treatise I perceive you have now at last raised the Auxiliaries against this Blessed Truth of Jesus Christ But as a worthy Brother hinted the other day Dr. Owen is a press'd Man and as forced in so he doth you no service at all as will appear by what follows but more especially by what my worthy Friend has wrote at the close of this our Answer The Doctor from Heb. 2. 12. from the Greek word Hymneso se I will hymn thee i. e. I will praise thee saith 1. what Christ will do viz. He will sing Praise to God 2. Where he will do it i. e. in the midst of the Congregation The expression of both these he saith is accommodated unto the Declaration of God's Name and praising of him in the Temple The singing of Hymns of Praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal part of his Worship c. 2. That chearfulness and alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this Work he would do it with Joy and Singing These are the Doctor 's words as cited by you Appendix pag. 4. And thus did Christ sing with his Disciples in that great Representative Church as our Annotators call it Now what is this to your purpose the Doctor tells you that Hymneso se is Singing Praises to God And how do you know but Christ might also often sing in the Temple and in other great Congregations though we do not read of it since 't is said that many other things did Jesus that are not written Joh. 21. 25. 1. Especially considering since it was prophesied of him that in the great Congregation he should sing God's Praise 2. Because as the Doctor observes Singing in the Temple was one great part of God's Worship from whence 't is not likely our Saviour should neglect that part Moreover he positively affirms Christ did with chearfulness and joy give Praise to God