An answer to a late book intituled, A discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of God, by William, Lord Bishop of Derry wherein the author's arguments against the manner of publick worship performed by Protestant dissenters are examined and by plain Scripture and reason confuted, his mistakes as to matters of fact detected, and some important truths concerning the spirit of prayer and external adoration, &c. vindicated / by Robert Craghead ...

INTRODUCTION.

THE Author beginneth his work with a Scripture so awful, and apposite, that it would have been a singular help to his memory, if the same had been written on top of every Page, before his Book had been filled up, the words are;

Mark 7. 7. In vain do they worship me, Teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men, this obligeth every man who hath a concern for his Soul, to examine the Worship he offers to God, whether it be such as God hath instituted, &c.

Ans. All this is good and necessary, wanting nothing but due observation, for all of us should testifie the veneration we owe to so important warning from the Mouth of Christ. Let us come then to a fair Tryal, who are most guilty of teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men, and what he offereth according to reason shall be admitted, whether it breath a Spirit of meekness or not, which is rather desirable than discernable in his Book.

The Author cometh more closs to his Work, Page 3, and there placeth two sound Positions, first in these words,

That it belongeth only to God to give Rules how he will be worship∣ped. The 2d, That the Holy Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's will concerning his Worship.

Ans. I can desire no more of the Author, but that the Superstru∣cture be fitted to these Foundations, they are so sure, that God wil∣ling I shall stand by them, to the end of this Discourse: But if he who asserteth them be found going off, or building Hay or Stuble upon them, let him not take it ill if I help his memory as occasi∣on offereth.

3ly. His Inference from these two, viz. That from these two we may reasonably infer, that it concerns us to keep as close as we can,

to those directions which God hath afforded us in his word, without adding to, omiting, or altering any thing he hath there laid down, for since God hath vouchafed us a certain direction for his worship in the holy Scriptures; It's to be supposed, that all wayes of worship are displeasing to him, that are not either expresly contained, or warranted by Examples of holy men mentioned therein.

Ans. This also is found; provided alwayes that what is said of the examples of holy-men be duely cautioned, for all the examples of holy-men mentioned in Scripture are not obligatory.

Some of them being ••ad even in the matters of God; as Peter's dissembling for fear of the Jews, here was a hurteful example of an holy man, for Barnabas was carried away with this dissimulation. Some of them affected Preheminency, disputing who should be greatest: these are no warrands for us to do the like; seeing we are to follow them, but as they were followers of Christ: again, some of their practices were by extraordinary gifts, wherein they are above our Imitation: Some of them were by special direction hic & nunc, for avoiding offence, as Paul's circumcising Timothy, such was his purifying of himself in the Temple, according to the Ceremonial law: these practices were not patterns for other holy∣men, tho' contemporary with themselves, nor do the practices of any men oblidge others, without either some antecedent or conco∣mitant evidence, that it's the revealed will of God, such practices should be followed; otherways men should be Idols to us, making them Fathers of our Religion, in which respect we are to call no man Father.

Page 3d. The Author distinguisheth worship into either inward or outward.

Ans. The subject in hand requireth more distinctions of worship; as into civil and Religious; for many worshiped Christ on earth, with civil worship, only as a great Prophet and fame in the world, intending no Divine Adoration: next Ceremonial worship should have also been distinguished from Evangelical; for by Levitical

worship, Sacrifices, the observation of feasts, divers washings were re∣quired, which by the coming of Christ are abrogated; these being car∣nal Ordinances, and some better things provided for us: our Saviour principally requiring such worship, as is in Spirit and Truth, not excluding external Adoration as it's required.

Page 4. We have a Description of inward and outward Wor∣ship; The inward Worship of God, consists in the inward Homage and Subjection of our minds to him; the outward consisteth of such acts and duties, as serve to express this inward subjection of our Souls, or that promote, increase, or contribute towards it.

Ans. I pass the Description of the inward, but the Description of the outward Worship is unsound, and of dangerous consequence, and had been easily helped, if the Author had said it consisteth of such Acts and Duties, as God hath appointed for his Worship; but according to his Assertion there is an open Gap, made for all the Humane Inventions that the fertile imagination of man can de∣vise, providing he but think they will serve to promote, or con∣tribute to inward Homage; thus the Papists have brought in most of all their Idolatry, and Superstitions; and others may do the like, if they but apprehend what they do, may promote inward Wor∣ship. Here my Author goeth off his Foundation, that the Scrip∣tures contain the Revelations of God's Will, how He will be Wor∣shipped; and if I were of the Author's Judgment, declared by this Description, I would never have put Pen to Paper against the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God; for it's vain to open a wide Door for them, and then forbid men to come in.

Page 4. We must remember that it's in these outward Acts, that we are more immediatly concerned as publick Worshippers.

Ans. I do not take the Authors meaning to be so bad as his words, in what is here asserted, supposing the sense of his Words to be, that men disputing of Worship, they are more immediatly concerned in outward Worship than inward; for certainly as a∣cting Worship we are most concerned in the inward Adoration of

the Soul; as Christ hath taught, that the Father seeketh such to worship, as worship him in Spirit and Truth.

The last thing in the Introduction is the Distribution of Wor∣ship into its parts.

Praises, Prayers, Hearing, Bodily Wor∣ship, and Celebration of the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST.

Ans. This Enumeration is not sufficient; for why, the Sacra∣ment of Baptism is omitted, no reason is given, but the Author in∣tending to Treat on no other Heads, but such as he hath named, I shall pass it, though other substantial parts of Worship are also left out.