A92933:104
A Serious answer to a late book styled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's…A Serious answer to a late book stiled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's…
A Serious answer to a late book styled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's epistle concerning singing wherein the chief scriptures and arguments are examined, and the weakness thereof showed : together with an answer to the several reflections, and false charges, against both churches and persons, recommended to the elders, ministers, and members of baptized churches.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 baptized churches.
London : s.n., Printed in the Year, 1692
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly; If it be for the public Worship of the Church that this Direction is given; then as it was asserted by Mr. St. in his Epistle, it must not be by lifting up of Voices in Consort, because those ⟨p. 45⟩Psalms, &c. must be for teaching and admonition: therefore some are to teach, and some to be taught by them that sing those Psalms. But if all sing, they are all Teachers, and all Admonishers at one Time. Which is Confusion in the Judgment of our Lord, 1 Cor. 14.33. Now what do they answer to this, which is so plainly declared in that Direction given for the singing or uttering a Psalm in the Public Worship of the Church, as well as the bringing forth of the Doctrine? Verily nothing, but either a plain Contradiction of the Judgment our Lord hath given us in this matter, saying, tho it would be Confusion in Preaching or Praying, yet it is not so in Singing: which is still confidently to beg the Question, to dictate and not to prove, to set their Judgment, or the Opinion of Men, against the Judgment of the All-wise God: Or else they fly to that Instance of Moses his Song, Exod. 15.1. which how impertinently it is alleged, to guide us now in the Times of the Gospel, hath been already declared.
Fourthly; If it be for the publick Worship of the Church that this Direction is given; then as it was asserted by Mr. St. in his Epistle, it must not be by lifting up of Voices in Consort, because those ⟨p. 45⟩Psalms, &c. must be for teaching and admonition: therefore some are to teach, and some to be taught by them that sing those Psalms. But if all sing, they are all Teachers, and all Admonishers at one Time. Which is Confusion in the Judgment of our Lord, 1 Cor. 14.33. Now what do they answer to this, which is so plainly declared in that Direction given for the singing or uttering a Psalm in the Publick Worship of the Church, as well as the bringing forth of the Doctrine? Verily nothing, but either a plain Contradiction of the Judgment our Lord hath given us in this matter, saying, tho it would be Confusion in Preaching or Praying, yet it is not so in Singing: which is still confidently to beg the Question, to dictate and not to prove, to set their Judgment, or the Opinion of Men, against the Judgment of the All-wise God: Or else they fly to that Instance of Moses his Song,