A92933:91
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.
2. It is plain, as hath been declared, Exod. 15.20. that Miriam and the Women did not sing with the Men: they sung by themselves with Timbrels and Dancing. If that Example be authentic to justify Women's Singing now, then it must be by themselves with Music and Dancing; which as yet they dare not plead for now to be practised. As for Deborah, her Song was by an extraordinary Inspiration; and it appears by the manner of her expressing it, that she spake it or sung it alone; though Baruch might join with her in Spirit: neither is there the least Intimation in the Scripture that she sang in the Congregation. But what a ⟨p. 39⟩pitiful irrational Argument is this; because a Woman, extraordinarily called and inspired, uttered or sung a Song by that extraordinary Inspiration, on an extraordinary occasion; therefore all the Women in a Church may ordinarily, though under no such Inspiration, sing a composed Song of another's making, though they have no direction for it in the Word of the Lord, but are rather commanded and enjoined to be silent there. Surely it is a bad Cause that cannot be supported or pleaded for, but by such incoherent groundless Inferences as these, which they might be ashamed to publish.
2. It is plain, as hath been declared, Exod. 15.20. that Miriam and the Women did not sing with the Men: they sung by themselves with Timbrels and Dancing. If that Example be authentick to justify Womens Singing now, then it must be by themselves with Musick and Dancing; which as yet they dare not plead for now to be practised. As for Deborah, her Song was by an extraordinary Inspiration; and it appears by the manner of her expressing it, that she spake it or sung it alone; though Baruch might join with her in Spirit: neither is there the least Intimation in the Scripture that she sang in the Congregation. But what a ⟨p. 39⟩pitiful irrational Argument is this; because a Woman, extraordinarily call'd and inspir'd, uttered or sung a Song by that extraordinary Inspiration, on an extraordinary occasion; therefore all the Women in a Church may ordinarily, though under no such Inspiration, sing a composed Song of another's making, though they have no direction for it in the Word of the Lord, but are rather commanded and enjoined to be silent there. Surely it is a bad Cause that cannot be supported or pleaded for, but by such incoherent groundless Inferences as these, which they might be ashamed to publish.