An Answer to Marlows Appendix, Title page – Dedication
AN ANSWER TO Mr. Marlow's Appendix. Wherein his Arguments to prove that Singing of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, was performed in the Primitive Church by a Special or an Extraordinary Gift, and therefore not to be practiſed in theſe Days, Are Examined, and clearly Detected.
Alſo ſome Reflections on what he ſpeaks on the word ὑμνοσ, Hymnos: And on his undue Quotations of divers Learned Men. By a Learned Hand.
Pſal. 119. 141.
I am ſmall and deſpiſed: yet do not I forget thy Precepts.
1 Cor. 14. 22.
Wherefore Tongues are for a Sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but Propheſying ſerveth not for them that believe not, but for them that believe.
By B. KEACH.
London, Printed for the Author, and ſold by John Hancock in Caſtle-Alley on the Weſt ſide of the Royal-Exchange, and by the Author at his Houſe near Horſelydown in Southwark. 1691.
To all the Saints and Churches of Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſtian Salutation.
Honoured, and Beloved;
IT grieves me I have further occaſion to trouble you after this manner: I know not what ſhould move Mr. Marlow to write his Appendix, juſt at a time when he was told I was writing an Anſwer to his firſt Diſcourſe: he might have had a little Patience, and have ſtaid till my Treatiſe was publiſhed, whereby he might the better have perceived, whether what he wrote the laſt Year would abide the Teſt or Trial of God's Word or not: This is therefore his ſecond Attempt in publick againſt God's holy Ordinance of ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, &c. before any body appeared viſibly to oppoſe, or put a ſtop to his undue Proceedings. For what Call he had to begin this Controverſy at ſuch an unſeaſonable time, I know not; but ſince he has done it, certainly none can ſee any juſt cauſe to blame me for ſtanding up in the Defence of that Truth of Jeſus Chriſt, which I am ſo well ſatisfied about, and eſtabliſhed in, and that too as it is practiſed by the Church, to whom I am related as an unworthy Member, and above twenty Baptized Congregations beſides in this Nation. Tho before I went about it, I offered my Brethren (him or any other) a ſober and friendly Conference in the Spirit of Meekneſs, which I could not obtain, tho I did not give ſuch a publick Challenge as my Brother intimates in that ſtrange Epiſtle he hath wrote to me; but upon the coming forth of his Book, I was troubled, and would have had it been diſcourſed in the General Aſſembly, but that was not conſented to; and then I told my honoured and Reverend Brethren my purpoſe was to give an Anſwer to his Book, but did not enter upon it till I was urged by ſeveral, and particularly by Mr. Marlow himſelf, before divers Witneſſes, in ſuch kind of words as theſe, i. e. Anſwer me like a Man. Whether he is anſwered like a Man, or but like a Child, is left to your Conſideration, 'tis done according to that Light and Ability God hath been pleaſed to beſtow upon me.
But if he, or any of his Helpers, do ſee cauſe to reply, they muſt anſwer ſuch Perſons who have wrote upon this Truth, like Men, and Men too of great Parts, Learning and Piety, or let them not trouble me nor the World any more. As touching his Epiſtle to the Churches, I ſhall take but little notice of it, nor of that he hath writ to my ſelf, ſith in my Judgment, neither of them ſignify much; you are Men of greater Wiſdom than to be frightn̄ed out of an Ordinance, or deterred from ſeeking after the Knowledg of it, with theſe ſcurrilous Names of Error, Apoſtacy, Human Tradition, prelimited Forms, miſchievous Error, Carnal Forms, Carnal Worſhip, &c. Theſe are hard Words, and do not beſpeak a trembling Heart, nor a humble Spirit, and better becomes a Man that pretends to Infallibility. But what ſome Men want of ſound Arguments, they think to make up by hard Words and Confidence; but this will never do with you. How hath our Practice of baptizing Believers, &c. been branded with the reproachful Name of Error? and 'tis very obſervable how ſome Men of far greater Parts and Ability than my Brothers or mine, either have cried out againſt the Reign of Chriſt, Converſion of the Gentiles, and calling of the Jews, as a groſs Error, as witneſs Mr. Richard Baxter particularly of late. 'Tis Arguments I know you look for, and if you find thoſe of Mr. Marlow's to prevail againſt what I have ſaid, do not regard what I have wrote in the leaſt; for I would have your Faith (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) to ſtand in the Power of God, and not in the Wiſdom of Men. The ſmallneſs of the Number of our Churches who are in the Practice of this Ordinance, I alſo know will ſignify nothing with you, provided it be proved to be a Truth of Jeſus Chriſt: What tho there was not one of our Churches that had Light in it, it would certainly the more concern them to enquire after it. And tho he hath ſo courſly ſaluted me, &c. yet I am not concerned at it further, than to bewail his Confidence and Ignorance, to ſay no worſe, I know no Men in any Age, who appeared firſt to vindicate a Truth, which others call an Error, but have met with the ſame Uſage I meet withal from our Brother; who, I hope, is a good Man, and means well, yet is he ſtrangely beclouded. As I have been a Preacher up of Spiritual Worſhip (as he ſays) and that too more than thirty Years (tho a poor and unworthy one;) ſo through the Grace of God, I hope ſhall continue to do unto the end of my days; and 'tis only Spiritual Worſhip, you may perceive, I plead for, in contending for ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, none of which three can be without their ſpecial and particular form. But muſt they needs be therefore carnal and humane Forms which appertain unto them? I ſee 'tis time to ſtand up for the Form of Ordinances, for the Form of Doctrine, and for the Form of ſound Words; for if we muſt part with ſinging of Pſalms, Hymns, &c. from his pretended Arguments about Forms, all external Ordinances muſt go as well as that of Singing: In a word, we muſt give up our whole viſible Profeſſion, and wait for thoſe extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit that were in the Primitive Time, if we muſt not ſing till we have that extraordinary Gift to do it, which ſome had in the Apoſtles Days, and the like in diſcharge of every Goſpel-Ordinance, which were to abide in the Church to the end of the World.
He may as well therefore ſay, I do but counterfeit that excellent Gift in Preaching (when I preach) which was in the Primitive Goſpel-Church, as thus to charge me in the caſe of our ſinging by the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit: Read his Epiſtle to me, Append. p. 15.
It ſeems to me as if my Brother does not underſtand the nature of Moral Duties, or natural Worſhip, but miſtakes, and thinks natural or moral Worſhip muſt needs be carnal, tho we never plead for the performance of any Duties that are moral naturally in themſelves, without the help and aſſiſtance of God's Spirit, and the Graces thereof in our Hearts. Is it not part of natural Religion and Worſhip, to fear God, to love God, and truſt in God, and that too with all our Hearts, and with all our Souls, and with all our Strength, and love our Neighbours as our ſelves? &c. Theſe Duties appertain to natural Religion; yet without the divine Help and Influences of the Spirit, we can do none of them in a right manner; no more, ſay I, can we pray, nor ſing the Praiſes of God, which are Duties comprehended in our fearing, honouring, worſhipping, and loving of him. And whereas Mr. Marlow reflects on me, as if I ſingled out my ſelf more than others in London, in puſhing on this practice of Singing. I muſt tell him, I have abundance of Peace in my Spirit in what I have done therein: And if our People (I mean, the Church to whom I belong) are one of the firſt Churches of our Perſwaſion in this City, found in the practice of this Sacred Ordinance, I am ſatisfied it will be to their great Honour, (and not to their Reproach) and that not only in ſucceeding Ages, but alſo in the Day of Jeſus Chriſt.
But, bleſſed be God, the greateſt number of our worthy London-Elders are as well ſatisfied in this Truth as my ſelf, and many of their People too, and will generally, I doubt not, in a little time get into the practice of it. Our Reverend Brother Knowllys 'tis known is clear in it, and has practiſed it for ſome Years, though at preſent 'tis not uſed in his Congregation. He told me lately, he is about to write in Vindication thereof, which he intends to publiſh in a ſhort time, if the Lord pleaſe to ſpare his Life.
And whereas Mr. Marlow affirms, as if I had brought Singing into our Congregation, to the grief and trouble of many of our Members; it is falſe, for 'tis known the Church hath been in this practice near twenty Years after Breaking of Bread, and near 14 Years on Thankſgiving-days in a mixt Congregation. And what was done of late in bringing it in after Sermon on the Lord's Days, was done by a regular Act of the Church in a ſolemn manner: And though ſome of our worthy Brethren and Siſters are at preſent ſomewhat diſſatisfied with it, yet I doubt not but will in a little time ſee their Miſtakes, if ſuch buſy Men as he do not in an undue manner blow up Coals of Contention amongſt us.
Can any ſober Chriſtian think he hath done well to publiſh the Private Affairs of a Particular Church to the whole World? It ſeems to ſome as if he has hopes there will be a Breach in the Church, upon the Account of our Singing the Praiſes of God; but I hope he will find our worthy Brethren underſtand themſelves better than to go about to impoſe on the Church or Conſciences of their Brethren, or to ſtrive to pull down that which the Church and themſelves too, have been a building for ſo many Years. Can there be a Man ſo left of God as to countenance any Perſons to make a Schiſm in a Congragation, becauſe they cannot forgo a Duty they have ſo long been ſatisfied in the practice of, and ſo the whole Body to ſubmit to the Sentiments of a few Perſons, as if they had Power over our Faith? We do not ſay our diſſatisfied Brethren ſhall ſing with us, or we will have no fellowſhip with them; no, God forbid we ſhould impoſe on their Conſciences. We do not look upon Singing, &c. an Eſſential of Communion; 'tis not for the being, but for the comfort and well-being of a Church. We have told our Brethren (ſince we ſing not till after our laſt Prayer) if they cannot ſing with us, nay, nor ſtay with the Church whilſt we do ſing, they may go forth, and we will not be offended.
Should any countenance, through a hot and unaccountable zeal, ſuch a Schiſm, it would make ſtrange Confuſion in our Churches. And ſince he thus publickly hints at this private Caſe amongſt us, I had I thought a clear Call to open the matter plainly as it is, to clear my ſelf and the Church, to all who may read his Epiſtle and this my Anſwer, for we have done nothing we have the leaſt cauſe to be aſhamed of, or unable to juſtify in the ſight of God or Man.
I ſhall add one word to the conſideration of the Brethren of our Church, I doubt not but they will conſider it.
1. If they look upon us as equal in Knowledg and Uprightneſs towards God with themſelves, they may ſee we have the ſame ground to be offended with them in diminiſhing from God's Word, as they may be with us, for adding (as poſſibly they think) to God's Word.
2. And let them conſider 'tis a horrid Evil to break the Bond of Spiritual Union, and unawares to wound the Body of Chriſt.
Whoſe Work is it thus to do, but the Devil's? and what a reproach doth it bring upon the Truth? and how grievous is it to all truly Godly Ones, and grateful to the Enemies of our Sacred Profeſſion? Beſides, upon ſuch a trifle, can it be ſo hainous a Crime to be found often in that Duty, which they with us have ſo often and long been in the practice of, and in a mixt Aſſembly too, many and many times? Beſides, brought in by almoſt an unanimous Agreement in a ſolemn Church-Meeting, there being not, above five or ſix that ſhewed any publick diſſent, nor they neither ſignifying any ſuch diſſatiſfaction, i. e. that if we ſang at ſuch Times, they could not bear it; nor do I hear they do deſire us now to decline the ſaid practice. Love will cover a greater Fault than this, for they may ſee cauſe to believe 'tis not Self-Intereſt, but the Glory of God we wholly aim at. But to return.
The truth is, I wonder any ſhould be taken with his Book, for I never ſaw any thing come out in Print upon any controvertible Truth, that has leſs of Argument in it, or more of Confidence. And 'tis not my Thoughts alone, nor more deſtructive Mediums made uſe of to the whole of the external Parts of Religion. Nay, one told me very lately, that one of our diſſatisfied Members intimated to him, as if our Bible was not truly or rightly tranſlated; and it ſeems to riſe from what Mr. Marlow hath aſſerted in his Book about the word Hymnos. I fear'd that would be the Effect of his Attempt, if any Body regarded what he hath ſaid upon that account.
But, pray, what Call has he to rebuke me, after this publick manner, eſpecially before the whole World? If I had done any thing amiſs in his Judgment in that Matter, I could wiſh he had had more Wiſdom and Prudence, or elſe leſt the Controverſy to ſome more diſcreet and abler Pen.
I cannot forget the two Brethren that oppopoſed Singing the Praiſes of God, and would not comply with the Church, (though they did not ſeparate themſelves from the Church) when firſt the practice of it was received amongſt us near twenty Years ago. One of them ſoon after brought a great Reproach upon Religion by immoral Actions, and came to nothing, and the other ſometime after turned Quaker, and to my Face denied the Reſurrection of his Body, &c.
As to that way Mr. Marlow ſpeaks of praiſing of God in Prayer, without ſinging of Praiſes, as being more ſuitable (as he thinks) to the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit. I muſt tell him, God's Word is our Rule; and ſince God doth require his People to celebrate his Praiſes by ſinging Pſalms, Hymns, &c. doubtleſs that ſuits as well with the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit, as ſuch Gifts ſuit with Prayer, Preaching, &c. And I fear one day he will not be found able to give any good account of himſelf in his bold Attempt, in ſeeking to rob God of his glorious Praiſe by ſinging to him, as he hath enjoined us to do; nor do I fear, but through the Help and Authority of God's Word, I ſhall, in the Day of Chriſt, ſtand with Joy and Confidence before him, upon this reſpect, when poſſibly he may be aſhamed, if he has not ſincere Repentance for what he has done.
Is it not a falſe Aſſertion for him to ſay as he doth, (in his Epiſtle to me) That as to our way of Vocal Singing together, there is neither Command nor Example for it, either in the Old or New Teſtament? I ſhall leave it to the Conſideration of all wiſe and ſober Men. Certainly all will conclude the Man is ſtrangely left of God, eſpecially conſidering he builds his main Confidence from a remote and indirect ſignification of a Greek Word, and yet, as I am told, underſtands not that Language neither.
My Portion is, I perceive, to undergo hard Cenſures from Men; but 'tis no more than my Bleſſed Maſter met with; and what am I that I ſhould complain? One ſaid, He was a good Man: but others ſaid, Nay, but he hath a Devil, and deceiveth the People. John …. 12, 20.
The Lord increaſe Love among all the Saints, and a bearing and forbearing, a gentle and Chriſtian Spirit. We all know but in part. And O that the Lord would be pleaſed to deliver Men, who profeſs the Goſpel, from that horrid Sin of backbiting of their Neighbours, and from that bitter and unaccountable Spirit of Prejudice that ſeems to be gotten into the Hearts of ſome; from whence they ſeem to tear the Names of their Brethren to pieces through undue Offences. Theſe thnigs are matter of Lamentation, and I fear the forerunner of a diſmal Hour that is coming upon us. Cannot Chriſtians have the Liberty of their Conſciences from their Brethren, to practiſe a Truth according to their Light, without being charged and cenſured after this manner, with Carnal Forms, and miſchievous Error? &c. I ſhall not retain you longer, but deſire you, whoever you are, impartially to read and well weigh my ſober Reply to my Brother's Appendix: I am glad it came forth before all my Treatiſe was printed off, though it is true it makes the Price more than I intended.
There is a Reverend and Learned Friend, who meeting with Mr. Marlow's Appendix, finding him quoting learned Authors in an undue and unaccountable manner, to little purpoſe, (which becauſe, it might poſſibly amuſe the Unlearned and more unwary Reader) he has, in love to this Sacred Truth, and to deliver the Souls of Men and Women from Miſtakes, made ſome Reflections on what he has wrote on that account, at the cloſe of this Reply. If the Lord pleaſe to bleſs what I and my Reverend Friend have ſaid to the further clearing up the Truth, I ſhall not be troubled at my Pains nor Charge. I have been forc'd to repeat ſome things twice or thrice, by reaſon of his leading me in ſuch an unuſual Path. This is all at preſent,
From him who is your unworthy Brother in the Goſpel and Service of Jeſus Chriſt, B. Keach.