Breach Repaired in Gods Worship, Introduction – Treatise 1
The Introduction.
IT cannot but be lamented to ſee what Temptations many Men have been laid under, by the great Enemy of Truth, in every Age of the World, in their fierce oppoſition againſt one or another bleſſed Ordinance and Inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt; and this not only by bad Men, but alſo by Men fearing God: All which, no doubt, ariſes, either from their Ignorance, or elſe from that Prejudice there is in their Hearts againſt it; from a fond Conceit that it can't be a Truth of Chriſt, becauſe they never looked upon it ſo to be, (nor ſome wiſer than they); nor are they willing to believe it to be a Truth, ſince ſome (who have not ſuch Light and Knowledg in other bleſſed Truths) do practiſe it: as if, becauſe ſome Men, who hold and maintain ſome groſs Errors and Falſities, can hold and practiſe no Truths at all; whereas 'tis evident, the Church of Rome, which is Mystical Babylon, are ſound in the Doctrine of the Trinity, as far as I can gather, and poſſibly in ſome other Points alſo: For they believe the Reſurrection of the Body, and the Eternal Judgment, and that Chriſt died without the Gate of Jeruſalem: but I am afraid ſome Men have a Fancy they know all the whole Mind of Chriſt, and that they need not be taught any other Truths, than thoſe which they have received: notwithſtanding can't but know, the Church is but newly come out of the Wilderneſs, or Popiſh Darkneſs; and not ſo fully neither, as to be as clear as the Sun, as in due time ſhe ſhall.
Reformation, 'tis evident, is a hard and … ficult Work, and ever was; 'tis no eaſy th…g to reſtore loſt Ordinances, I mean, ſuch as have for many Years been neglected, and ſtrangely corrupted, through that Antichriſtian Darkneſs that hath for ſo many Ages and Generations overſpread the Earth, which is manifeſt … reſpect of Baptiſm, and Impoſition of Hands upon Baptized Believers (as ſuch.) One would even ſtand and wonder to ſee how many godly, learned, and good Men, ſhould be ſo dark as to maintain, and that reſolutely too, that corrupt Practice of Pedo-Baptiſm, (or rather Rantiſm) conſidering it hath not the leaſt footing in the Word of God, but is ſo directly contrary to the Nature and Conſtitution of a Goſpel-Church, and Adminiſtration of New-Teſtament-Ordinances. But let not thoſe of our own Perſwaſion much longer wonder at this, ſince ſome of them ſeem as blind and dark in another Bleſſed Truth, and Sacred Ordinance of the ever glorious God, that hardly was ever oppoſed as by them; but hath been generally owned in every Age of the Church, and that by the moſt godly and enlightned Chriſtians from the beginning of the World till of late days; and not now neither, but by ſome People of the Baptized Way, and others who are againſt all Ordinances. I muſt confeſs no Man (through the Grace of God) can be better ſatisfied touching the Truth of Baptiſm, as practiſed by my Brethren, than I am, and of the true Order and Conſtitution of our Churches, and ſoundneſs of their Faith in all the Fundamentals of Religion; yet do I not think we have arrived to ſuch a perfection of Knowledg of all practical Truths, that we need not enquire after any thing which we may not yet have underſtan…ing in.
I muſt confeſs, (as one obſerves) that the great Deſign of Satan is, and always was, to put a Cheat upon God's People, as well as to hold the World in Blindneſs and Wickedneſs; by the one (ſaith he) Satan holds Men in a ſtate of Impenitency, and by the other he deludes Chriſtians to neglect their Duties, and to obſtruct their own Comfort and Priviledg. He acts as well in the ſhape of an Angel of Light, as of a Prince of Darkneſs, ſtirring up vain Scruples and Objections, eſpecially in the Minds of weak Chriſtians, and filthy Imaginations in thoſe who have not yet turned to God.
I muſt confeſs, I my ſelf, when firſt God enlightned me into his Truth, was an oppoſer of this Sacred Ordinance; but it was not for want of Ignorance, and partly through Prejudice, perhaps to ſuch who I eſteem, and even looked upon ſince that time, a corrupt People, and falſe in their Church-Conſtitution, and polluted with humane Innovation, or Inventions of Men: the abuſe of an Ordinance is ſubject to raiſe Mens Spirits to a diſlike of the thing it ſelf.
But, bleſſed be God, I have, for near twenty Years laſt paſt, been fully convinced of the Truth of the Ordinance I now contend for, and have an equal eſteem for it, (through Grace) as I have for any other Truth, knowing every Word of God is pure; and have found no little comfort in the practice of it, publickly in the Church, and in private alſo.
And that all may ſee upon what Authority we have received, and do practiſe this Ordinance of ſinging of Pſalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, I have wrote this Treatiſe; and do hope, with the Bleſſing of God, it may tend to eſtabliſh ſuch who own it to be an Ordinance of Chriſt, and convince others, who either oppoſe it, or through want of Light, live in the neglect of it.