be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine For these latter expressions seem to explain the former And I hope he will allow the Apostle Peter to have preacht in the 2 Acts from the 14th to the 40th ver And yet what he spoke is call'd an Exhortation v. 40. Nay to put the matter out of doubt 't is said of John the Baptist 3 Luke 18. That many other things in his Exhortation he preached unto the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again he saith That interpreting the Scriptures applying 'em and exhorting the people from 'em in a Christian Auditory is never call'd Preaching Now either those many discourses of the Apostles recorded in the Acts are not Preaching or else quite contrary to the Bp's notion Preaching was interpreting the scriptures applying 'em and exhorting the people from ' em For I would fain know what else he can make of the Apostle Peter's Sermon 2 Acts from the 14th to the 40th 3 Acts from the 12th to the end 4 Acts from the 8th to the 20th Of Stephen's 7 Acts. Of the Apostle Peter's 10 Acts from the 34th to the 44th Of the Apostle Paul's 13 Acts in which single instance the Bp. will find almost all his Notions overthrown together For v. 15. After the reading the Law and Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue send to Paul and his company this Message Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of Exhortation for the people say on The Apostle addresses himself to comply with their proposal And accordingly his discourse contains an Explication of several passages out of the Old Testament relating to the promised seed of Abraham an application of 'em to our Blessed Saviour and an exhortation to 'em from thence to believe in him and not despise and reject him And this very discourse the Apostle calls declaring glad tidings or preaching for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 32. If the Bp. object this discourse was not in a Christian Auditory 't is easily answer'd What can the difference of the Auditory signify to alter the nature of the discourse As if the very same discourse in a Synagogue shou'd be preaching but quite another thing in a Christian Church 'T is plain here that the Apostle preacht when he interpreted the Scriptures relating to Christ applyed 'em and exhorted the people from 'em so that these are the same thing And if he still pretend that such Exposition and Application had some other name given it when us'd in a Christian Auditory than that of preaching I shall to remove this shadow of a pretence farther add I suppose he will not doubt but the Apostle Paul either found or at least planted a Christian Church at Rome long before his two years expir'd and yet he is all that time said to preach the kingdom of God among ' em So no doubt there was a Christian Churâ—h at Ephesus and yet Timothy residing there is exhorted to preach the word to be instant in season and out of season And in the place I first alledg'd the Apostle Paul was desirous to preach the Gospel to those at Rome whose Faith was already so eminent and so publickly known and celebrated And indeed tho the Gospel be in the strictest sense only news to those that first hear it yet it dos not cease to be good tidings or a joyful message for being often repeated So that since the Bp. has so ill hap in every one of his Criticisms I wou'd advise him to be more sparing and deliberate in offering 'em to publick view for his talent dos not seem to lye much that way IV. The Scriptures have left it to human prudence to determine What portion of 'em shall be read in our publick Assemblys and in what order and method To clear this We must consider there are two ways of Reading the Scriptures in order to the peoples instruction from ' em As either 1. When some considâ—rable portion of 'em is read together As some part of a Book or Epistle a Psalm c. For the division of the Scriptures into chapter and verse are but a matter of late Invention 2. When several passages are read out of several Books of the Old or New Testament which are parallel to each other and serve to explain the same Doctrine or clear and enforce the same duty And tho the phrase of Reading the Scriptures be by common custom appropriated to the former yet if we will speak strictly It dos as truly belong to the latter and 't is of this latter way of Reading the Scriptures for the people's instruction that we have the clearest warrant from the examples of the Apostles and the accounts given us in the New Testament of the practice of the Christian Church Nor do those banish either of these ways of reading either an entire portion or several parallel Texts that interpose an explicatory and applicatory Paraphrase between the several parts that are read Nor dos the Bp that I can find so much as pretend to produce any thing from Scripture against the intermixing such a paraphrase in our reading the Scriptures Now if he consult all the Sermons of the Apostles recorded in the Acts he will find that they did read or what is the same did recite verbatim and propose to the consideration of the people several passages of the word of God all tending to illustrate and prove some truth or duty of the Christian Religion And their practice herein was conformable to that of our Blessed Saviour who employd the first Christian Sabbath I mean the day of his Resurrection not in reading an entire portion of Scripture but in expounding to the two Disciples all those passages in Moses and the Prophets that related to himself and his death resurrection and ascention 24 Luke 24 Luke from the 13th to the 28th Nor do I find in that account given of the Worship of Christian Churches 1 Cor. 14 chap. any mention made of Reading the Scriptures as a distinct thing from Doctrine and Interpretation So that I know of no one precept or example in all the New Testament relating to the Christian Church for this way of reading unless what may be inferr'd from the 4 Col. 16. And when this Epistle is read omong you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea But then we must not urge the Inference from these words too far for I know of none that think themselves oblig'd by it to read a whole Epistle at one time tho no doubt it was fit the Colossians shou'd so read this Epistle then as we shou'd be as forward to read a much longer that came newly to us from the same inspired Pen. And yet because reading an entire portion of Scripture was so constantly practis'd in the Old Testament and the reason of it seems in part to extend to us I do
children and using this common Jewish custom as our Saviour did of laying his hands on their heads while he prayd I shou'd not much quarrel with it tho why the Parish-Minister's Prayers and Blessing under whose Pastoral care they are shou'd not be as significant I know not But I understand no good reason why the Bishop shou'd be order'd to say in the Collect us'd on this occasion That he lays hands on 'em by the example of the H. Apostles to certify 'em by this sign of God's favour and gracious goodness towards ' em For I take the Arguments which the learned Daillé has produc'd against his Romish Adversaries in his admirable Discourse about Confirmation to prove That the Apostles laid hands on the newly-baptiz'd only to communicate the extraordinary gifts not the ordinary sanctifying influences of the H. Spirit to be unanswerable How come our Bishops then to lay hands on children after their Example when they do not pretend to any such power of communicating those extraordinary gifts as the Apostles had Nay what divine warrant have they to certify children by this sign of God's favour and gracious goodness towards ' em What promise can they produce of God's annexing his favour to this sign If they can produce such a promise here is a New Sacrament of divine Institution in the Christian Church besides Baptism and the Lord's-Supper If they can produce none here seems to be a new Human Sacrament For according to the definition of the Church-Catechism Here is an outward visible sign viz. The Imposition of hands 'T is a sign of spiritual grace no less than God's favour and gracious goodness The Sign is made a means of conferring it because those that use it profess to do it in imitation of the holy Apostles who did certainly by their Imposition of hands communicate the holy Spirit And 't is expresly made by the Collect a pledge to assure 'em of it Here wants nothing then but Christ's Institution which if it be not produc'd here is in the proper sense of the word a sinful Invention of men in the worship of God And we shall have the greater reason to be jealous of it if our Author advance the doctrine of it into an Essential Article of our Religion However we may hence perceive that 't was not in vain that the Church Catechism puts so wary an Answer into the childrens mouths when that Question is propos'd How many Sacraments are there Answ Two only as generally necessary to Salvation viz. Baptism and the Lord's-Supper But if Confirmation be a Sacrament of divine Institution at all I know not why it shou'd not be as necessary to Salvation as either of the other If it be not Why is it retain'd I know indeed there is a sort of Confirmation which those excellent Divines Mr. Hanmer and Mr. Baxter plead for i. e. They wou'd have adult persons oblig'd publickly to own their Consent to the Baptismal Covenant in order to their Admission to the Lord's-Supper But then they wou'd have this done at such years when they are capable of professing an understanding serious and credible consent to it But this can no way excuse the common practice of the Establisht Church in admitting children to it as soon as they can say the Creed the Lord's-Prayer and Ten Comandments tho no such understanding consent to their Baptismal Engagements can be expected from ' em For this is no better than perverting a most useful practice and agreeable to the general Rules of Scripture into an empty Formality or rather a solemn Trifling and Mockery Having dispatch't the First I come to consider the Bp's II CHarge against the practice of Dissenters which I shall deliver in his own words But the most sad and deplorable defect of your performance of this duty is your casting out the Reading of the Word of God from most of your publick Assemblys directly contrary to God's Institution and Ordinance for the Instruction of his Church Insomuch that in many of your Meetings setting aside a verse or two for a Text or Quotation at the discretion of the Teacher the voice of God is never publickly heard among ' em This is matter of fact and undeniable And in all the Meetings of the North of Ireland in a whole year perhaps there is not so much Scripture read as in one day in our Church by the strictest enquiry I cou'd make c. Sure 't is a sad thing that a man may go to most Meetings many years and never hear one entire Chapter read in ' em Answ T is really deplorable that some men when they write for a Party make so little conscience of Truth as to offer the most barefac't untruths for undeniable matters of fact And I am sorry that the Bp. shou'd be so unfortunate in his Enquirys as to meet with no better Informers than such as have so grossly impos'd upon his credulity in the accounts they have given him of the practice of Dissenters And therefore to ease him of these sad thoughs that he seems possest with on this occasion I must relate matters of fact more truly to him viz. That 't is the general practice of the Ministers in the North of Ireland for about three quarters of the year For in most Meetings the Winter quarter is only excepted to read every morning an entire portion of Scripture usually a whole Chapter or at least so much of one as they can go thro with in an Exposition of half an hours length And upon the best enenquiry I can make he will find very few Meetings if any at all that vary from this practice What Apology then can he make not only for his charging 'em with casting-out the Reading of the Scriptures but for his telling us that perhaps there is not so much Scripture read in all the Meetings in the North of Ireland in a year as in one day in the Establisht Church Let us suppose there are 40 Meetings in the North of Ireland and let us suppose in each Meeting half a Chapter read every Ld's-day for three quarters of the year And this is the least that is really read for they more commonly read a whole Chapter yet by this computation there will be near 800 Chapters read in those Meetings in a year And will his Lordship persuade us that there is as much read in one day in the Church If he mean that there is as much read in one day in all the Parish-Churches in the North there 's nothing like Truth in his Assertion If he mean there is as much read every day in each Parish-Church as his words seem to import what he asserts is so ridiculous that one wou'd think if he had no regard to truth yet he shou'd have some to common sense in his accusations Nay I must add that I look upon his Lordship's charge as so unjust that if we take the Scriptures to be read when-ever they are verbatim recited to the People
his Church or towards our selves do's suggest as matter of our grateful acknowledgments And these are so stated a Part of our Worship that the Directory requires the Minister either in his Prayer before or that after Sermon to offer such Thanksgivings and accordingly suggests these Heads of 'em admirably agreeable to the strain of the Gospel He is to give thanks for the great Love of God in sending his Son Jesus Christ to us For the Communication of his H. Spirit for the light and liberty of the glorious Gospel and the rich and heavenly Blessings reveal'd therein as namely Election Vocation Adoption Justification Sanctification and hope of Glory For the admirable goodness of God in freeing the Land from Antichristian Darkness and Tyrany and for all other National Deliverances c. and for many temporal Blessings 2. By singing of Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs in which duty they consult the Peoples edification by putting such Metre versions of the Psalms of David into their hands as adapt 'em for this use of 'em which the Scripture enjoyns And I am sure those in use among 'em as the Scots Barton's or Patrick's versions are incomparably better then that obsolete one which is still retain'd in the Parish-Churches tho for what reason is hard to imagine unless it be from a spleen against Reformation of which some think the least step very dangerous One would think then our manner of Praising God were unexceptionable But his Lp. it seems has very different apprehensions of this matter of which he gives us this Summary and very strange Account The Case then between our Church and you in this point I think impartially stands thus Our Church Praises God every Day with 5 or 6 Psalms besides other Hymns of his own Appointment and in his own Words and Method and yet is deserted and condemn'd by you in this very point as teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Whereas you who only Praise him in a piece of a Psalm of a few verses and in a method of your own finding out persuade your selves that you keep the Ordinances of God pure and unmixed from human Invention And this his Lp. Recommends to the serious consideration of Dissenters as they will herein expect to bear the Tryal of God's Judgment in this matter p. 24. Answer I must confess my self amaz'd to read these words and am willing rather to impute 'em to his forgetfulness and inconsideration then to arraign his judgment or sincerity But he is so far from having sum'd up this matter with the impartiality he pretends to that he has been so unfortunate as scarce to have said one true word in his Representation on either side As will appear upon a particular Examination Our Church saith he praises God every Day with 5 or 6 Psalms besides other Hymns of his own Appointment and in his own words and method What do's his Lp. mean Has God indeed appointed the Psalms of David to be the stated Forms of Thanksgiving in the Christian Church as Thanksgivings are distinguisht from Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs as I have shewn him they plainly are He is so far from having prov'd any such thing that since his Lp. has learnt us the way of challenging I must use the freedom of demanding his Proof of it For I take it to be a rash Assertion and of dangerous consequence I have shewn him already that the New Testament recommends no other use of the Psalms of David in our publick Praises except singing 'em Nor indeed are they expresly mention'd at all tho we suppose 'em intended in 5 Eph. and 3. Col. But when the Ap. Paul so often commands us to to give thanks for all men In all things to give Thanks to joyn Thanksgiving with all our Prayers he never recommends the Psalms of David as Forms of such Thanksgivings And no wonder For besides that we have frequent particular Occasions of publick Thanksgiving which there is nothing in the Psalms adapted to even the Psalms themselves do not contain the principal matters of Christian Thanksgivings For they make no express mention of the infinite love of God the Father of our Ld. J. Christ in sending his own Son as our great Prophet to reveal his will to us and dye for us as our Attoning Sacrifice that he might redeem us by his precious blood in raising him from the dead exalting him to such glory and dignity as the Head of his Church and Head over all things to it and in appointing him the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that believe and obey him Nor do they so clearly mention these great and precious promises made to us thro this Mediator of a better Covenant especially those that relate to our adoption and to the heavenly glory And yet these and the like instances of the matchless love of God discover'd to us in J. Christ that glorious mirrour of divine love are so proper matter for our express grateful acknowledgments that they shou'd make up the principal part of our publick Thanksgivings as they do in all those solemn ones recorded for our imitation in the New Testament And indeed without 'em this part of Worship in a Christian Church wou'd be most grossly defective and unsutable to the Gospel as the last and clearest Revelation of the will of God I deny not but we may in our Christian Thanksgivings make use of the expressions of H. David when we celebrate God's works of Creation or of his common or special Providence because so far they contain sutable matter of Praise for a Christian as well as for a Jewish Assembly But for celebrating the great work of Redemption which ought to be the chief work of our Praises on that day which is now call'd the Ld's day as being consecrated to the glory of our Redeemer as Lord of the New Creation 't is evident the Psalms of David cannot serve us but we must derive the subject of those Praises entirely from the New Testament And therefore to suppose as the Bp. here dos that the Psalms of David are to be the chief stated part of our Christian Praises is no better than to reduce the Christian to the imperfection of the Jewish Church And this is so plain that as I observ'd before when the Ap. recommends the singing the Psalms of David yet he joyns Hymns and Spiritual Songs with 'em which no doubt were to run in a strain more suited to the Evangelical dispensation I confess the Bp. has found out a wonderful knack of turning the Psalms of David into Christian Hymns by adding the Gloria Patri to 'em as if that Doxology alter'd the matters of Praises contain'd in ' em So when he saith Our Church praises God with 5 or 6 Psalms and other Hymns of his own Appointment Why dos he call the Thanksgiving of Zacharias the Virgin Mary and Simeon Hymns which the Scripture calls not so And why dos he take it for granted instead of