on this Subject he being very dextrous to take Gold or Dross out of other Mens Writings and present them as his own Neither have they any more specious Pillars to uphold this common way of Singing than those that are pleaded for in this Treatise of theirs which we have now answered But Lastly We do much wonder that Mr. Keach and Mr. Whinnel should give themselves the Stile of being renowned they being the Authors of that Book in which they give this Encomium of their being Men of Renown It is but their own Opinion of themselves not it may be of others that know them However Modesty would have caused them if they had exercised any to have forborn to have spread their own Praise But surely Mr. Whinnel and Mr. K. forgot the Wise Man's Sayings Prov. 25.27 For Men to search their own Glory is not Glory And Prov. 27.2 Let another Man praise thee and not thine own Mouth And elsewhere that same Wise Man tells us Some Men are wiser in their own conceit than seven Men that â—â—n render a Reason They again enquire how we dare say that Singing of Psalms with Voices is not of Divine Institution In answer to which we ask them again How they dare to say that Singing of Psalms in Meeter with a tunable Voice by the whole Church and a mixt Multitude is of Divine Institution when not one Word of all they have written doth prove it It hath been already granted that Singing of Psalms in the Temple-Worship was of Divine Institution And we acknowledg that all the Songs and Psalms in the Old Testament are the undoubted unerring Word of God and of excellent use to all the Servants of God profitable for Doctrine and Consolation wherein are contained many excellent Experiences of God's gracious dealing with his People and many blessed Promises and Prophecies for the establishment of the Church and Servants of God But we say the Singing of those Psalms as they had respect to the Temple-Worship with their Musical Singing and Instruments with the Persons assigned for that kind of Exercise are all at an end You will find 55 of them directed to the Master of Musick and 15 of them called each a Song of Degrees and most of them directed to the Sons of Korah And by the most Learned and Renowned Men of our Age it is asserted that those Ordinances being ended by the Coming of Christ who was to destroy the City and the Sanctuary and to cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease It remains now that the Word of Christ dwell richly in us in all Wisdom and that we be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs c. And if that manner of Worship under the Law is ceased as is affirmed by the Learned and Pious that it is then can it not be in the manner of that Administration in any respect unless you will say that the Type and the Anti-Type are all one But if the Gospel be the Anti-Type of those Types then we must conclude that as they were outward in their Melody and Musick so the Melody now under the Gospel must be inward or spiritual That is the joyful Voice signifying the Melody and Joy of our Hearts to God expressed in Praising and Thanksgiving to God who hath revealed more of his Grace by Jesus Christ That he who is a Spirit may be worshipp'd in Spirit and in Truth As Learned Dr. Owen saith in his Exposition on Heb. 2.13 before cited And whereas they say that they utterly deny that Prayer is a lower sort of Worship than Singing We answer That if they mean Singing in their Sense we agree with them but if in the Sense of the Scripture we do affirm that Praises which are the matter of a Song is a Duty of a higher Nature than Prayer For 1. The praising of God is that Duty which Saints and Angels will be employed in for ever but Prayer ceaseth On this account it is that the Apostle tells us that Charity is the greatest because it always abideth 1 Cor. 13. 2. Praise is giving to God the Glory of his Mercy received but Prayer is the begging from God the Mercies he hath promised and which we stand in need of But we shall not follow them in all their Mistakes and Impertinencies They also tell us they are against the composing â—â—sing and imposing set-Forms of Prayer But would they but make known the Reasons why they are against set-Forms of Prayer no doubt but they would have answered themselves in all they could substantially alledg for their set-Form Singing and have saved us the labour But it is a Question whether it be so or no For this we find that those very Arguments those very scornful Reflections that those that are for set-Form Prayer do use against them that are opposite to that formal Will-Worship do these use to them that are against their set-Form Singing or Praising of God As for instance Do the one call in Scorn Praying by a Spiritual Gift ex tempore Praying in a confused Manner so do these to the like purpose spenk of praising or singing Praise to God without a set-Form Pag. 39. In the like manner as the one say If you pray by the Spirit your Prayer would be of equal Authority to Canonical Scripture so do these concerning singing Praise without a set-Form Pag. 36. Do the one say in derision that those that are against set-Form Prayer are Enthusiasts or setters up of Enthusiasm so do these in their pretended sober Reply say against those that deny their set-Form Singing Pag. 57 c. We hear that one whose Heart and Mind we believe as well as Name is to that Book of theirs hath asserted that Enthusiasm came in with the Doctrine of Believers Baptism whereby he would make our Lord Jesus the Author and Promoter of it that Doctrine of Baptism aforesaid being originally from his Command and Practice It were easy to answer to all these Cavils and Scorns cast upon us but we shall forbear at present because we would first know from them seeing they say they are resolved to answer and so to hold on this Controversy what they have to say to wipe off these Slurs cast upon their manner of Praying and yet that they may be deservedly cast upon those that are for praising or singing Praise by the same Spirit assisting in the same manner as he doth in Prayer But by these things the Baptized Churches may behold what that Spirit is that would introduce this common Singing among them that hath been so long rejected by them even the same that hath brought in and maintain'd all that carnal Worship which by the Anti-christian Apostacy hath fill'd the World to this Day And hereby they may see whereto it would lead them even back to lick up the old Vomit which will be the more pernicious to them than others because they have been through
declare his Name to give Glory to him by believing and the Profession of our Faith is the end of all we do Thus we have the Testimony of that worthy Person that Singing to the Praise of God is not to be restrained according to the Scripture to a Musical Melodious Tunable Voice But further we judg it worthy to be observed and seriously considered the Mind of God concerning that Singing mention'd Rev. 14.2 3. I heard a Voice from Heaven as a Voice of many Waters c. and they sung as it were a new Song before the Throne c. Note First it could not be a Song prepar'd in Meeter or any of the Songs mention'd in the Old Testament Because Secondly It was a Song they only could learn that were redeemed from the Earth Thirdly This they did with Harpers harping The Meaning of which as Learned Forbes tells us was the Hearts of the Redeemed Ones Fourthly The Matter and Substance is therâ— expressed And Learned Mede by this Song tells us the whole Mystery of Evangelical Worship is in it contained And Brightman on Rev. 15.2 tells us that Drusius on that Place saith they are called the Harps of God because God sendeth the Joy of his Spirit into their Hearts wherewith they may be able to give God his due Praise And by this Song of the Lamb saith Brightman is meant that whereof mention was made Rev. 14.3 wherein they do magnify God the Father for the Grace of their Adoption in Christ The Joy of their Heart is called a Song by a Metonymy the effect ariseth out of Faith in the Righteousness of Christ whereby we feel the fatherly Love wherewith God doth imbrace us which Song hath been always sung by the Saints in all Ages So that whereas they tell us where-ever Singing is mention'd in Scripture it must be understood with a tunable Voice it appears they did not consider these and such like Scriptures We shall only mention one more Job 29.13 I caused the Widow's Heart to sing for joy whereby it appears there is Heart-singing as well as by Expression in Meeter with the Tongue In which Text it appears that Joy and Singing are convertible Terms From all which and many other Scriptures that might be quoted or alledged it evidently appears that Singing to the Praise of God is not to be restrained to a melodious tunable Voice in the direct stated solemn Praising of God in his Church And that there are Praises sung to God in the Language of the Scripture in Praying and Praising and in all the Administration of Holy Ordinances when there is no tunable or musical Voice heard among them as appears from what hath been mention'd from Heb. 2.12 Which we shall further make evident by these following Considerations First We may conclude it to be a certain Truth that no sober Person will deny that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit wherewith our Blessed Lord furnish'd his Church upon his Ascension to be comâ—leat and sufficient for the fitting of his People â—nto every good Word and Work for every part of his Worship Eph. 4.8 11 12 13. yet there we find no Singing-Masters appointed which would have been absolutely necessary if musical or tunable Singing with the Voice was a Gospel-Ordinance The Old-Testament-Church had such as taught to sing Praise 1 Chr. 25.7 2 Chr. 25.13 which if the New-Testament-Church had needed we may reasonably judg or conclude she should have had them to a higher Degree than the former For the Worship prescribed in the Gospel ought to exceed that under the Law therefore if Musical Singing be that which is now required then the best Voices in Singing do most acceptably perform that Duty to God at least in the outward part of it and therefore it would be absolutely necessary that all Christians both Men and Women should learn from such as can teach them to elevate their Voices and Tunes in the highest Strain Seeing they call this an Ordinance of the New Testament and that no other can be called Singing though Persons with never so great a Sense of the Majesty of God and of their Mercies received with the greatest spiritual Melody and Inlargement of Heart utter his Praise but no such Gifts being given nor any such Art required we may safely conclude it is not a Gospel-Ordinance Secondly If Musical singing with the Voice be a Gospel-Ordinance as they assert then assuredly the Songs of Praise recorded in the New Testament would have been written in Greek Verse as an example for others to have followed them in their Language But that it is otherwise is manifest to all that can read the Greek Testament Moreoveâ— It is not said that those that uttered those Songs dâ—â— it with a Musical tunable Voice but only that they spake after a solemn and audible manner those Praises As may be seen from the Song of the blessed Virgin Mary to those mention'd in the Revelations Lastly Whereas they frequently say that we admit or allow of no singing Praise to or praising of God in the Church but what is in Prayer We answer We are indeed for praising of God with our Supplications to him for Mercy But if the Holy Spirit fills any that are qualified for the Administrations of his House with the Joy of the Lord and so with the matter of Praise such may express it without mentioning any Petitions with a solemn chearful audible Voice as the Spirit of the Lord may give Utterance either with or without a tunable Voice to the Glory of God and Refreshing of others Which is singing Praise in the New-Testament Language whereunto they have not nor can they prove that according to the Scripture-Dialect aforesaid a musical tunable Voice is essential We shall now come to the second Enquiry which is as followeth Quer. 2. Whether singing the Praise of God in the Church of Christ ought to be by a composed Form by the whole Multitude assembled Professors with the Profane or Ignorant or the Church-Members of all sorts lifting up their Voices together in Consort In answer to this Question that we may the more distinctly resolve it we shall divide it into several Branches or Particulars and speak to them severally Namely First We shall consider whether singing the Praise of God in the Church of Christ may be performed by a composed stinted Form Answ 1. In answer to which we desire it may be remembred that the Institutions left by our Lord Jesus in the Gospel as they are very plain so they are more Spiritual and require more of the Spirit than under the Law therefore we have a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit promised It being a State of more Grace as well as of more Truth Therefore our blessed Lord and Saviour as he procured by his Death so by his Resurrection and Ascension he sent his Holy Spirit unto us to fit us for the Worship of God that we might have more intimate Converse with him in the Observation
of what he hath commanded Mat. 28.19 2. In the great Gospel-Duties of Prayer and Praising God he hath graciously promised the assistance of the Holy Spirit both what to pray for as well as how we are to pray Rom. 8.26 For we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Where we observe that which respects the manner and frame of Heart in Prayer respects also the matter of Prayer Indeed we are poor Worms and know not how to order our Cause before him unless we are assisted both in Matter in the time of Worship as well as Manner And as it is in Prayer so is it in Praises which Duty ought certainly to be as spiritually performed as Prayer and we need as great assistance of the Holy Spirit to Praise as to Pray But if Gospel-singing the Praise of God be with a Musical Voice and the Form before composed in Verse then we know what to praise God for The Minister or some one brings that Matter composed in writing or in print in his Pocket and then what need will there be of the Spirit of God to help us what to pray for 3. But if it be objected that we ought before-hand to consider the Mercies we have received We readily grant it and do affirm that also in Prayer we ought to consider our Wants to beg Supplies and our Sins to beg Pardon But also in presenting them before the Lord we need the Assistance of the Spirit to order our very Requests before him And that it 's the Experience of every Servant of God that in Prayer to God and in Praises of God their Hearts are inlarged in matter far beyond the Preparations of matter in either of those Holy Exercises This is one of the most pregnant Arguments used against stinted Forms of Prayer by those Ministers that so do even that it is a stinting the Spirit of God in that Duty as also contrary to the blessed Design of the Lord Christ in his Ascension mentioned Eph. 4.8 And therefore we cannot see but it must necessarily follow but that if a set-Form of Praises composed and brought into the Church in the publick Worship of God is lawful or as an Institution appointed by him then certainly a set-Form of Prayer ought to be provided also as a part of the publick Worship of God for the Peoples Prayers And tertainly would they but seriously consider their own Arguments that perswade them to be against set-form Prayer the same would consute their Notions against set-form Singing if indeed they be against set-form Prayer For they that can so vehemently plead in that Book for reading Songs of Praise and for reading Sermons and call it Preaching in the Church why should they not be for reading Prayers there also especially when their Arguments for both are for the most part the very same that others urge for set-form Prayer As for what they most impertinently alledg for their Vindication in this Matter from the Song of Moses and the Hymn mentioned Mat. 26.30 with Col. 3.16 they will be considered in their due place Secondly We shall enquire whether for a mixed Multitude Professors and Prosane Believers and Unbelievers to sing in Consort in the Church be an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus according to his New-Testament-Institution 1. We desire it may be seriously considered that there is not the least mention of it in the New Testament by any Precept or Example wherein we are directed in the Worship of God Certainly if our Lord Jesus was most faithful in the House of God and if his Apostles did faithfully declare the whole Counsel of God to the Churches then they would not have failed to have declared this also So that it is purely a Humane Invention without any shadow of ground for it in the Scriptures before mentioned which are the only Rule to guide us in the solemn instituted Worship of God in his Church If this Arguments hold good against the common Practice of Infants Sprinkling called Baptism as undoubtedly it doth then it doth also as evidently prove that this way of common Singing is a Tradition of Men and not an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus 2. As there is not the least mention of it as aforesaid so it is directly contrary to what our Lord Jesus hath plainly declared both as to the Qualification of the Worshippers as well as to the manner of Worship in Gospel-Times Joh. 4.23 The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and iâ— Truth c. Can the Unbelievers the Ignorant and the Profane thus worship the Father are they thus qualified or are they capable so to do So that this Practice of theirs is a plain Contradiction to the Will of our Lord and Law-giver in that Affair of Solemn Worship which therefore ought to be rejected by all the upright in Heart 3. Hereby there is an Opportunity given them to make or to speak a Lie before the Lord to take his Name in vain while they speak that which they do not understand and utter that as the frame of their Hearts which they do not receive in their Minds nor can they know them or truly affect them while they remain in an unconverted Estate because they are spiritually discerned Now to be accessary unto or to promote such a Transgression in the solemn Worship of God which they unavoidably do who set up this common way of Singing is a Practice that cannot be justified There is more to be added to shew the great Irregularity of this common Practice which must be referred to its proper place Object But they object That we admit them to be present and to join with their Hearts in our publick Prayers which is as much or more than lifting up their Voices in singing in the Church Answ To which we reply That it is true we do admit them at the time of Prayer and Preaching to be present and so we can and do to the Spectators and Hearers when we partake of the Lord's Supper not knowing by what means the Lord may work upon them or give them Repentance unto Life But that which is affirmed that they join with us with their Hearts in Prayer is no true Assertion They do not so join with us because they cannot For the Holy Spirit who knows the Hearts of all Men plainly tells us that Persons while Unbelievers and Unconverted cannot so do as is most evident from that Scripture Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him on whom they have not believed Object But they say Some have been converted by their Singing for Psalms are full of Instruction c. Answ 1. We grant that Psalms are full of Admonition and Instruction but we deny that the Musical Tunes do instruct but the Matter it self that is sung And if it be Matter it self that doth only instruct as you would seem to acknowledg then it is not Musick but the Matter 2. Tho some should be
A SERIOUS ANSWER TO A Late BOOK STILED A REPLY to Mr. Robert Steed's EPISTLE concerning SINGING WHEREIN The chief Scriptures and Arguments are examined and the Weakness thereof shewed TOGETHER With an ANSWER to the several Reflections and false Charges against both Churches and Persons Recommended to the Elders Ministers and Members of the Baptized Churches Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Jer. 20.10 I heard the defaming of many Report say they and we will report London Printed in the Year 1692. To the Elders Ministers and Members of the Baptized Churches throughout England and Wales Beloved in our Lord IT is a great Truth that as we are not to omit any thing in the Solemn Worship of God that is of his Appointment so we are not to admit any thing that is not of his Institution under any pretence whatsoever to be intruded upon us But it is greatly to be lamented that there is a proneness in Professors except by Grace prevented to turn aside from this Holy Rule either through the Infirmity of the Flesh or the Deception or Infection which through Temptation they meet withal in the World whereof there hath been and still is continually sad Experience An Instance whereof we have in the matter we have now to present to your serious Consideration When it pleased the Lord in Times past to inlighten some gracious Holy Persons in that great Ordinance of Baptism as it was commanded by our Lord and Saviour and practised by Him and his Apostles and the Primitive Churches And therefore to cast off Infants Sprinkling which was set up in the room of it as a Humane Invention They were then also on Scripture-Grounds well weighed and seriously considered convinced that the common way of praying to God or praising of God in what manner soever it were performed by a composed Form as usually then was and still is the Custom of many Protestants was not of Divine Institution and therefore to be rejected And accordingly it was in those Days laid aside by the Baptized Churches whom the Lord then graciously and eminently owned by many signal Tokens of his Presence among them But now to our great Grief some whose Duty and Place it was to have setled and further to have established the Churches in that Work of Reformation are declined from it asserting with Heat and Confidence that to sing by a composed Form with a whole Multitude lifting up their Voices together the Ignorant and Profane the Unbelievers or Unconverted with the Church-Members is an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus which they practise and with vehement Earnestness are contending for whereby the Peace and Edification of the Churches is hindred and the Minds and Consciences of many gracious Souls perplexed and intangled By this they are not only building again what hath been destroyed but thereby also there is plain Introduction unto a farther declining in Prayer and others of the Holy Ordinances of our Blessed Lord and Law-giver This common or popular way of Singing they also with great endeavour are labouring to promote in all the Churches by their publick pleading for it by Preaching and Printing in the defence of it And therein they not only vehemently contradict and oppose whatever is presented by any from the Holy Scriptures to deliver them or others from that Humane Invention which hath been so long rejected by the Churches aforesaid but they also take a licentious Liberty to reflect upon them that would hinder their design in this matter not only most falsly aspersing them but also uttering a most false Accusation and Slander against the Baptized Churches in their first gathering laying that to their Charge as a received Principle owned by them which they had openly declared against to the whole World in their Confession of Faith which was in those Days Printed and Published whereby they stigmatize or brand them with the deepest Hypocrisy that depraved Mortals can be guilty of These Things which are matter of great Lamentation are either evidently insinuated or plainly declared in a late printed Tract concerning Singing in answer to a small Sheet published by Mr. R. Steed which was intended chiefly for and therefore written by way of Epistle to that Church to which he is related which by some Friends that had perused it was given also into the Hands of the Members of other Churches wherein he only gives his understanding of what the Holy Scriptures speak concerning that Subject without mentioning or reflecting on any others that are of a contrary Mind But Mr. Keach who is the chief Promoter of this Controversy so as to heighten it to a Contention said It must be answered and that he would answer it And we do not question on good grounds but that he and Mr. Whinnel by his Instigation joined together to contrive that Answer which they have printed Tho Mr. Keach as we are informed did say to some that Mr. Wh. was not the Author of it It 's very probable that he was not the principal but Mr. K. expects to have the greatest Honour in due time of that Enterprize as being the chiefest Contriver of it But that their Book might pass with the greater Applause and Credit it is in the beginning of it recommended by an Epistle as a very sober Answer subscribed with several Names at the Conclusion of it Some of those Persons whose Names are there subscribed are such as we have no Communion with being such as are called Free-willers or Arminians holding a falling away from true Grace And some others whose Names are set down have professed that they did not subscribe it And some that did give their consent say they had not done it had it not been for Mr. Keach's Importunity And one of the chief of them saith that he never saw the Epistle till after it was printed to which his Hand was subscribed So that it 's ushered in with a gross Forgery in the beginning of it as it is carried on with unchristian Reflections and false Accusations which certainly cannot consist with Christian Sobriety or common Honesty whatever may be pretended But Mr. Keach who knows how to take Refined Gold out of another Man's Mine or Lines made ready to his Hand and present it as his own finding tho to the great prejudice of him whose indeed it was may know also how to take the Liberty to subscribe other Persons Names tho without their Consent The serious Consideration of these Things as they have been matter of Trouble and Sorrow to us so they have engaged some of us who have hitherto been silent as to these things now to appear for the Truth of our Lord against such Innovations And therefore to endeavour that the Churches may not be abused nor their Members deceived by such Artifices as these are We do not intend to answer every seeming Argument and carping Cavil or to take notice of every unseeming Reflection contained in
that printed Book of theirs But shall chiefly insist on the main Pillars of their pretended Reasons for that sort of Singing which they would perswade the Churches to entertain as an Ordinance of our Lord and Saviour For if the Foundation fail the Building cannot stand And we shall return a Reply to some of the most gross most false and grievous Accusations and Reflections that are therein so boldly vented and shall leave it with you in the fear of the Lord diligently and seriously to consider and to search the Scriptures waiting for the Spirit of Truth to lead you into this as well as into all other Truths that either concern your most Holy Faith or Practice whereby you may be preserved from turning aside to those Humane Traditions from which you have been delivered which we desire and pray that the Lord may bless unto you for these gracious Ends before-mentioned That which we shall endeavour with as much plainness and brevity as the matter will bear to lay before you are these following Particulars First We shall detect and answer to some of those false Reflections and Accusations cast upon us and the Baptized Churches which are contain'd in Mr. Whinnel's Epistle and in the Book it self Secondly We shall manifest the weakness of the Foundation on which they build their Practice of common or popular Singing which will be apparent by an Impartial Examination of these following Enquiries 1. Whether Singing to the Praise of God according to the Phrase or Expression of it in the Holy Scriptures be to be restrained or only is to be understood of uttering the Praise due to the most High God by a Musical melodious Modulation or tuning of the Voice as they are pleased to describe it 2. Whether Singing to the Praise of God according to the direction given us by our Lord in the New Testament is to be performed by a composed stinted Form by a whole mixt Multitude with the Church-Members in the solemn Assembly of the Church lifting up their Voices together in Consort 3. Whether those Scriptures Col. 3.16 Eph. 5.19 do command or justify such a sort of popular Singing in or by the Church as aforesaid which they so earnestly contend for 4. Whether that Hymn spoken of Mat. 26.30 and Mark 14.26 or the Hymning or as it is translated the Singing the Praise of God by Paul and Silas Acts 16.25 do further justify that Practice which they plead for And First Concerning their Reflections on us or Accusations against us we find Mr. Whinnel insinuating in the beginning of his Epistle as if Custom not Conscience did hinder us from joining with them in their way of Singing To which we answer First That it is a very unbecoming Censure in which there is not the least Grain of Truth or Charity exercised by him The same rash and unjust Judgment may as well be given against him and others for not conforming to the Common Prayer or the Liturgy of the Church of England by those that are zealous for it which we suppose he would reckon to be a very false and a very uncharitable Censure Secondly We do declare to him and to all Men That the Lord knows it is not Custom or a long disuse or neglect of it that makes us averse to that Practice of theirs But Judgment and Conscience knowing on a deliberate and serious Consideration that it hath no more Foundation from any Precept or Example of our Lord Jesus or his Apostles to warrant it than common set Form of Prayer hath In which we are the more confirmed by the weakness of the Arguments which by them and others are produced for the Justification of it But Secondly He doth positively affirm in that Epistle That they had no mind to have published their Thoughts to the World or to have troubled the Churches with any Dissertations about it but endeavoured to have a Friendly Debate with their Brethren who were conven'd to consult the Churches Welfare But that their endeavours therein were obstructed by the Opposers viz. of that common way of Singing And that soon after some of them from an imprudent Zeal not only openly opposed it but took to themselves a lawless Liberty to calumniate those who endeavoured the restoration of it c. Answ To all this bold Calumny we answer that we believe he cannot prove any part of it to be true It is a very false Suggection which is uttered either from a false Information or great Forgetfulness or from a sinful Contrivance For first Whereas he saith they had no mind to have publish'd their Thoughts about it c. but that they were obstructed in their Desires and Attempts to have a friendly Debate c. We reply What was the reason that before any Person that was contrary-minded to that Practice of theirs had said or printed any thing publickly against it that this Opinion of theirs concerning Singing was preach'd up and frequently and vehemently prest by several of them in variety of Assemblies and asserted in Print to the view of all Men by Mr. Keach in his Treatise call'd Gold Refin'd and in his great Book of Scripture Tropes and Metaphors and by Mr. H. C. in a select Treatise on that Subject though with more Sobriety than any we have seen since that hath been published on that Controversy by any of them Had they no mind to publish their Dissertations about it Was their publick Preaching and publick Printing for it against their Minds which was done by them before any Person did openly contradict them in it Who can believe it And all this before there was any motion or mention of a friendly Debate about it that we know of neither as yet do we know of any such Motion seriously made except it were for a Liberty to introduce it by a major Vote in a Church of Christ c. which was long after they had endeavoured to promote it by their Endeavours aforesaid If we were blame-worthy in this matter it was in being so long silent wherâ— by they took the opportunity to leaven so many honest Souls and to beguile so many Churches iâ— their Number be so many as they boast of with this irregular Doctrine and Practice hereby it was that to such a heigth of Confidence Mr. Keach was come who makes Breaches more than he repairs any that when one did but once preach on that Subject of Singing in the Church to which he belongs on a Lord's Day far enough off from Mr. Keach's Congregation because he did it not according to his Sentiments he coming the next day or shortly after in much affection to visit him Mr. Keach having heard of his Preaching as before mention'd immediately falls upon him as soon as ever he came into Mr. Keach's House with a most severe and very uncivil passionate Reprimand for daring to preach after that manner contrary to his Judgment as if he had the preheminence over all But when Mr. Marlow did but endeavour
Scripture because they are resolv'd not to entertain it Obj. But they again cavilingly object Can this be proved by any other place of Scripture if not say they it must be rejected Answ To which we reply That the Lord is here pleased to give a most plain Direction how a Psalm is to be brought forth or sung in a Gospel-Church not by a composed Form but by special Gift and not by the whole Assembly lifting up their Voices in consort but by one who hath received such a Gift And this being so evidently declared should we not rest satisfied with it Shall we question the Truth of a Divine Oracle because but once mention'd though it be never so plainly delivered Our Lord Jesus is but once called a Surety Shall we therefore question or deny the Truth of it as the Socinians do Heb. 7.22 Surely on this Ground the Hebrews might have rejected the Apostle's Proof of the Being and Excellency of the Priestly Office of our Lord and Saviour that he was a High-Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck because it was but once mention'd in the Old Testament Psal 110.4 Thus having we hope evidently proved that the musical tunable Singing of a composed Form by a whole Assembly with Voices in consort is no Ordinance of our Lord Jesus We shall now examine the Scriptures they earnestly urge to justify their Practice Q. 3. Whether those Scriptures Eph. 5.19 â—ol 3.16 do command or justify that kind of Singing in the Church of Christ which they plead for In answer to this Enquiry it being that on which Mr. Keach and Mr. Whinnel do bottom their Assertion for the introducing the common and popular Way of Singing into the Baptized Churches We shall first premise some Considerations which we desire may be seriously pondered First That those Scriptures supposing they intend a Direction for publick Worship in the Church which we do not grant on the Reason hereafter to be mention'd do plainly testify against the admitting of the Profane the Ignorant and the Unconverted to sing in the solemn Assembly of the Church of Christ forasmuch as they are to be sung for the Teaching and Admonition of others Did the Lord Jesus ever appoint the Ignorant Profane or Unbelievers to be Teachers in or Admonishers of his Church according to his New-Testament-Dispensation Can there be the least shadow of Proof produced for it Certainly as it was then told them in that Epistle of Mr. Steed's which they pretend to answer that he never appointed any to administer Teaching and Admonition to his Church but such as are orderly added to it and are qualified by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit being solemnly allowed or orderly called to such an holy Exercise this being such a Truth which they could not nor did they dare directly to gainsay How grosly do they endeavour to evade it by saying that they are allowed to worship God which is as much as to say to attend on the Worship of God in the Church Now we appeal to their own Consciences whether there be not a great difference between being at or attending on it as them that do worship God and administring Teaching and Admonition to the Church Which if the singing of the Psalms and Hymns c. here mention'd are for that end and use as it 's evident from these Scriptures they are then such Persons are plainly excluded from any such solemn Exercise in the Church if the meaning of it be for a Directionâ— for the publick Worship of God in the Church as they would insinuate Moreover that it plainly excludes such from that kind of Singing in the Church is most evident inasmuch as it is expresly declared that the Singing there spoken of is to be brought forth from the Word dwelling richly in them Col. 3.16 and from being fill'd with the Spirit Eph. 5.19 Now are Unbelievers c. capable of being so qualifi'd in any degree Indeed in their Way of Singing by a compos'd Form there needs no more than the reading or hearing a Psalm or Song read to them and then they are sufficiently furnish'd for it be they never so ignorant profane or unbelieving In answer to which they say they detest such a Singing But why then do they plead for the Singing of such before mention'd who can sing no otherwise but in a carnal formal Manner Can they in truth say they detest that they allow and openly practise and vehemently contend for Secondly These Scriptures if they be as they say to direct the Church in its publick Worship do also plainly exclude the Women from singing in the Church They are expresly forbidden to teach or admonish in the Church but are commanded to be in silence without any exception that they may teach by Singing but not by an ordinary Speaking as we have before declared Thirdly In like manner if it be meant as aforesaid those Psalms and Hymns c. there mention'd are not intended to direct the Churches to sing David's Psalms or any other Psalms recorded in the Scriptures for then certainly our Lord Jesus would have caused them to have been translated into Greek Verse or Meeter for the use of the Churches in those times and as a Pattern for time to come But none ever did or can assert any such thing neither is that Saying of theirs of any weight whereby they would seem to prove that because the word Psalm c. is there mention'd that it must needs be meant of those called the Psalms of David c. because say they God hath given us a Psalm-Book but not a Prayer-Book an Expression which they have borrowed from others in the Scriptures For in that sacred Book there be abundance of the Prayers of holy Men recorded as well as their Songs and especially that our Lord Jesus hath left as a Platform in the manner of a Form of Prayer usually called by the name of the Lord's Prayer Therefore if we may take their Songs and read and sing them in the Church why may we not also take those Prayers at least such as we may think most sutable to our present occasion and read them there for our Prayers in the Church Let them shew if they can why there is not as much reason for the one as for the other Moreover The Book of Psalms as they were sung in the Old-Testament-time for which season they were ordained were a part of the Temple-Worship Now if that be our Rule for Musical singing of them now as it must be if they be those Psalms that be here commanded to be sung Musically as a part of the New-Testament-Church's publick Worship then it must be our Rule in all parts which must be necessarily included in this Counsel if the Meaning of it be as they affirm and so there must be Instruments of Musick with Singers or Quiristers in the performance of it except they can prove that one part is abolished and the other remains For what God hath joined