N00406:120
The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession…
The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession and exercise thereof defended, against all the calumnies of one George Keith, a Quaker, in a book lately published at Pennsylvania [sic], to undermine them both. / By the minsters of the Gospel in Boston, ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]The principles of the Protestant religion maintained, and churches of New-England, in the profession and exercise thereof defended, against all the calumnies of one George Keith, a Quaker, in a book lately published at Pensilvania [sic], to undermine them both. / By the minsters of the Gospel in Boston, ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Richard Pierce, 1690
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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. As for Singing: he doth not Condemn the thing, for fear he should provoke his Friends the Singing Quakers: but two Things he has to Charge us guilty of, Singing with artificial music, & Notes or Tones, and singing on a Book: To the first, 'tis so foolish, that it is not worth a Reply; for would he have singing without singing? What Melody can there he without Notes, & Tones measured ⟨p. 57⟩measured by Art? Doth he think Singing is only making a confused Noise? or doth the Spirit tune mens voice by immediate Inspiration? or are men only to sing in the Spirit, i. e. sing and not sing? To the 2nd. Singing on a book pleads nothing for praying on a book, having different Reasons. In prayer there is but one speaks, and the other are only to join their Amen; but in Singing there is to be a joint Expressing themselves, by all the Community; there must therefore be a known matter that is to be sung, and that in such a Metre as is accommodable to the Tune sung by them; the very nature of the thing calls for this: and sure he will not say all this will come at once to all alike by immediate Inspiration. Till therefore we can find better, we may make use of David's which are suited to all Conditions of Gods people. These Christ Himself with His Disciples made use of, and that at the Sacrament, Ma•. 26. 30. When they had sung a Hymn, which is a Scripture Title of some of David's Psalms, which are distributed into Psalms, Hymns and Songs, to which the Apostle adviseth Christians, Col. 3. 16. and these we are sure were given by Inspiration; That any now made by men are so, there is nothing to prove.
2. As for Singing: he doth not Condemn the thing, for fear he should provoke his Friends the Singing Quakers: but two Things he has to Charge us guilty of, Singing with artificial musick, & Notes or Tones, and singing on a Book: To the first, 'tis so foolish, that it is not worth a Reply; for would he have singing without singing? What Melody can there he without Notes, & Tones measured ⟨p. 57⟩measured by Art? Doth he think Singing is only making a confused Noise? or doth the Spirit tune mens voice by immediate Inspiration? or are men only to sing in the Spirit, i. e. sing and not sing? To the 2nd. Singing on a book pleads nothing for praying on a book, having different Reasons. In prayer there is but one speaks, and the other are only to join their Amen; but in Singing there is to be a joint Expressing themselves, by all the Community; there must therefore be a known matter that is to be sung, and that in such a Meeter as is accommodable to the Tune sung by them; the very nature of the thing calls for this: and sure he will not say all this will come at once to all alike by immediate Inspiration. Till therefore we can find better, we may make use of David's which are suited to all Conditions of Gods people. These Christ Himself with His Disciples made use of, and that at the Sacrament, Ma. 26. 30. When they had sung a Hymn, which is a Scripture Title of some of David's Psalms, which are distributed into Psalms, Hymns and Songs, to which the Apostle adviseth Christians,