Dialogue Concerning Regular Singing, Introduction
The Prologue, or Introduction.
THERE has ſeldom any Reformation, how Reaſonable & Needful ſoever, been bro't forward in the Church of Chriſt, or propoſed to conſideration; but thro' the Subtilty & Malice of Sat…n and his Vaſſals, the weakneſs of the Gifts & Graces of ſome of GOD's own Servants, and prevalency of Corruption remaining in them ſuch Propoſals and Eſſays, and the Promoters of them, have met with more or leſs Oppoſition.
THE Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory of our Nations, yea of our own Land, doth furniſh us with too many ſorrowful Inſtances of this ſort, both Ancient and Modern. For, altho' the Profeſſed Deſign of our Fathers of Bleſſed Memory, in leaving the Pleaſant L…nd of their Nativity, and coming to this Country, then an Howling Wilderneſs; was not a Reformation in Religion according to GOD's word, but a Progreſs in Reformation, or agoing forward unto any of the things of CHRIST, we are defective in; (as the late Venerable Higgi…ſen, (a)The cauſe of God — Stated. An Elect. Serm. 1663. p. 13.has reported to the World) yet how many amongſt us, thro' a miſunderſtanding & miſerable miſrepreſentation of the Errand of our Fathers into the Wilderneſs, have ſtill Retarded, and very much Obſtructed the execution of their Noble & Glorious Intention, in coming Hither? I'le mention two or three Particulars here. Firſt, We are fully ſatisfyed from our Platform of Diſcipline, as explained by the Famous Mr. R. Mather of Dorcheſter (the moſt Unexceptionable Expoſiter, of ſaid Platform. It being chiefly drawn up by him, (b)Mr. R. Mather's Life, in Dr. C. Mather's Magnal. Book 3. p. 128.and alſo from many other Writings of our moſt Eminent Divines, That the firſt Paſtors of the N. Engliſh Churches were not Morellians or Browniſts; and yet were very ſenſible that above 70 Years ſince, there were in too many in New-England, a ſtrong Diſpoſition to promote and practiſe upon, Browniſtical & Morellian Principles. …id not this give occaſion to Mr. R. Mather to write a Treatiſe to prove, That whatever Privilege & Liberty may belong to the Fraternity, the Rule of the Church belongs only to it's Presbytery? (c)Dr. C. Matler's Magnal …Did not this occaſion Mr. Norton's Expoſtulation, in his Epiſtle Dedicatory, before his Diſcourſe of the Sufferings of Chriſt? where having ſaid, I Appeal to any competently judicious & ſober-minded man, if the denial of Rule in the Presbytery, of a Deciſive voice in the Synod, and of the Power of the Magiſtrate in matters of Religion, doth not in this point tranſlate the Papal Power unto the Brotherhood of every Congregation;—He thus expreſſes himſelf; 'Thou that abborreſt Epiſ…, doſt thou commit Popery? Alas, Alas! Is there no medium between Boni…ce and Morellius, between Papacy & Anarchy—? If there be a Myſtery of Iniquity in the one, is there not an Univerſity of Iniquity in the other? Briefly Did not this early Diſpoſition to Corahiſm, give occaſion to Mr. Shepard of Charleſtown, to ſay, Let not the way of the Rigi… Seperatiſts—be acted over again here, till the Churches be buried in Confuſion. In caſe of Diviſions in Churches, hath not the Congregational-Way Balm for this wound appointed by Chriſt, but Morellius muſt be rak'd out of his Grave to be the only Phyſician?(a)Mr. Shepard's Elect. Ser. 1672. p 38.
AGAIN, Was there not long ago great ſtruggles to prevent the Riſing Generation in this Country being bro't under the Government of Chriſt in his Church, ſo that when grown up and qualified they might have Baptiſm for their Children? Is not thus much intimated in Mr. R. Mather's D…g Advice to his Son, the now very Reverend Dr. Increaſe Mather? (a)Magnal. B. 3. p. 129.And is not this very evident from that Paſſage in Mr. Norton's Life, This excellent Man, would fain have had inſerted in the Platform, agreed by a Synod, in the Year 1647, certain Propoſitions concerning the Watch, which our Churches are to have over the Children born in them; which Propoſitions were certainly the firſt Principles of New-England: Only the fierce Oppſitions of One eminent Perſon, cauſed him—to forbear urging them any further; by which means, when thoſe very Propeſitions came to be advanc'd and embrac'd in another Synod, more than twice Seven Years after, many People did ignorantly count them Novelties. (b)Idem. B 3 p. 34.Whence I obſerve, En Paeſſant, That it is no New thing for ſome Weak People, to declaim againſt ſuch things as Novelties, that were not generally practiſed within their Memory; tho' it's certain, they were highly eſteemed, by the Wiſeſt & Beſt of the Firſt Generation of New-England. But what Notion ſoever it proceeds from, we know, That Oppoſition to the work of Reformation, was judg'd by the Laſt Synod of theſe Churches to be one of the Provoking Evils of this Land.
NOW, tho' I could eaſily produce ſeveral other Inſtances to illuſtrate this point before us, I'll take notice only of one more: And that is, The oppoſition made in too many T…wns to the Reformation of our Fſaimody, notwithſtanding all that has been done to ſhow the Reaſonableneſs, Advantage & Neceſſity of it. And this brings me to ſay, That I have us'd my beſt endeavours, according to the meaſure God has given me, to prevent the riſe & afterwards the progreſs of ſuch an unhappy Controverſy in this place; yet then has been a great deal of Contention & Uneaſineſs amongſt us, about Singing by Rule, and I perceive there are ſome yet diſſatisfyed. Parva Scint…la maximum e…citat Incendium.
NOW, it being my purpoſe to encourage Singing Meetings in the Town, in the long winter-Evenings, I tho't it prudence to make another Eſſay, introductory to my ſetting forward ſuch a Laudable Pra…tice, that if it be poſſible I might eaſe the Minds of all amongſt us, that remain diſſatisfy'd on this ſcore. And agreeably, I projected to draw up in form an Anſwer to all the Objections, I could remember to have heard about this matter, and at a Meeting call'd for that purpoſe to communicate it, to ſuch as would give their Attendance. For tho' in all my Converſation with Mankind, I never (in my opinion) obſerv'd a more Ridicu'ous & Groundleſs Controverſy; and altho' I have always eſteem'd the Objections againſt Singing by Rule, too weak & ludicrous to be mention'd in a Sermen; and knowing that, Rectumeſt Ind…x ſui ct Obliqui and conſequently, that having prov'd abundantly (in more Sermons than one, occaſionally; and in one Sermon eſpecially, Preach'd in ſundry Congregations) That Singing by Rule, or according to the Pattern in our Pſalm-Book, is agreeable to the Will of God: and having alſo ſeen ſundry Treatiſes on this head, that have been diſpers'd about the Town; in one of which, the chief Objections of our Anti-Regular-Singers, [let me uſe … Phraſe for ſhortneſs] are deſignedly and particularly and very ſolidly anſwer'd, I held my ſelf Excuſed from endeavouring an Anſwer to them. And that I might juſtly ſay in this caſe with the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 14.38. If any be ignorant, let hi…e be ignorant. i. e. ſays Mr. Clark, If any will not be bro't to a rig…t Underſtanding in theſe things, by all that I've ſaid, but is ſtill Contentious and U…ruly, be it as his own Peril; I'll trouble my ſelf no further about him, and don't you regard him.(a)Clark's Annotations is Lo….
FOR tho' I know it is the buſineſs & duty of the Miniſters of the Goſpel (acc…ing to the Example of Chriſt and his Apoſtles) to anſwer weighty objections againſt their Doctrine …r Practice, for the removing the Conſcientious ſcruples of the Weak & Ignorant; and ſtopping the Mouths of Gain-ſayers; yet I know alſo, that many objections are Refuted, by being Recited. The bare propoſing of them, to Unprejudic'd Perſons, is a ſufficient Repreſentation of their abſurdity. And as to others, of more Solidity, they are fully anſwer'd, tho' there be a Legion of them, if there be One Concluſive Argument on the other ſide. For Unqueſtionably, One good Argument for a thing, is of more value, than Ten Sophiſms, or inconcluſive arguments againſt it. And as I've often had occaſion to ſay publickly, If men will never Embrace any Articles in Religion, but ſuch as there are no Objections againſt, they muſt renounce all the …rticles of the Chriſtian Faith, and turn Scepticks in Religion. Having therefore as I ſaid, ſufficiently prov'd Singing by Rule, to be agreeable to the Will of GOD; I have ſufficiently proved all Objections againſt it, and Pleas to the contrary, to be utterly vain & inſignificant; and that ſuch ſtrive againſt God and oppoſe Religion, who oppoſe that: And hereupon (for ſometime) I ſuppoſed, as I ſaid, I had no obligations upon me, to take the method I'm now come into.
BUT being willing to become all things to all men (as far as I may with a good Conſcience and to Edification) I tho't, if on a Week-Day, and in a Diſcourſe, (not a Sermon) I could help any of my Nei'bours to light in this matter; and convince any of them, that they'r out of the way, in ſpeaking againſt this good Practice; It might be Time & Pains well ſpent.
AND, accordingly having firſt ſought to Heaven for Direction, and conſider'd in what method to proceed, I at length concluded to draw up my Th…'ts in the way of a Dialogue, between a Miniſter for Singing by Rule, and one of his Hearers vehemently ſet againſt it: Reſolved to give the Hearer all the advantage I poſſibly could in the Dialogue, and to ſet his Arguments & Objections in the beſt light, my little skill in arguing would allow me: And then to give an anſwer, according to my power, agreable to the nature of the Objection, and the Objector, & Anſwerer. Such Objections as are Grave, I'd anſwer Gravely; ſuch as appear Conſcientious, I'd give a ſoft anſwer to them; ſuch as are Untoward, I'd anſwer with more Smartneſs; and if any will make Merry objections, they I be ſo kind as to take a Merry anſwer: For thus variouſly have the moſt Celebrated Writers, [Marvel. Alſop. Dr. wild. Preſi Willard, Ne Sutor, &c. &c. Sic parvis Componere—! A mean Hand may write after an exact Copy.] Yea, the Amanuenſes of the Holy Ghoſt have taught us thus to anſwer thoſe, we've occaſion to controvert with. 1 Cor. 15.12. v 35, 36. Jam. 2.18—20.1 King. 18.27. Jud. 9.7, 21. Job 6.25.12. c. 2.13. c. 4.16. c. 3.21. c. 3.27. c. 5. Prov. 26.5. &c &c.