Folly Detected OR, Some Animadversions on a Book called, A Brief Discourse concerning Singing in the Public Worship of God;
Put forth by one Mr. Isaac Marlow 1690, and an Appendix printed 1691.
Wherein the Weakness of his Arguments against Singing God's Praises, the dangerousness of his Assertions, and his unaccountable Confidence are laid open; and singing of Psalms, &c. in God's Worship proved a Gospel-Ordinance.
Matth. 5.19. He that breaketh the least of these Commandments, and teacheth Men so to do, shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
By JOSEPH WRIGHT.
London, Printed in the Year 1691. And sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey.
Animadversions upon I. M—'s Book called A Brief Discourse concerning Singing in the Publick Worship of God in the Church, printed 1690, and upon An Appendix, printed 1691.
Wherein the Weakness of his Arguments against Singing God's Praises, the dangerousness of his Assertions, and his unaccountable Confidence are laid open; and singing of Psalms, &c. in God's Worship proved a Gospel-Ordinance.
Matth. 5.19. He that breaketh the least of these Commandments, and teacheth Men so to do, shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.
By JOSEPH WRIGHT.
London, Printed in the Year 1691. And sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey.
Animadversions upon I. M—'s Book called A Brief Discourse concerning Singing in the Publick Worship of God in the Church, printed 1690, and upon An Appendix, printed 1691.
SIR,
I find you conceitedly Zealous in all your Book: Your first words are meer presumption; the Lord's poor afflicted People, are not so delivered out of the Hands of their Enemies, as to serve the Lord without the fear of them; tho notwithstanding we ought, 'tis true, to serve the Lord without the slavish fear of Men, in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of their life; for which end he hath given us his Son to die for us, and his holy Word as a Rule for Faith and Practice, and hath promised his holy Spirit to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace: and for our present Liberty let us bless God.
Your next Paragraph is like it; We are not most unhappy, neither all nor many, in the want of the perfect Union of the Church of Christ in this Life amongst themselves, &c. It will be sufficient that his Church has perfect Union with him, and that is their most happiness in this World: Nor is it evident that all of them did attain to one and the same Conception of the Mind and Will of God revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures, neither of lesser Moment or of greater Consequence at any time, but otherwise: Yet also both the things which you call of lesser Moment, (which you might have told us what they are) and those of greater Consequence too, ought to be duly weighed in the Scales of Holy Scripture, there being no liberty to us, to count anything God commands inconsiderable; so should weak Saints and bold Supplanters be prevented.
Your next Paragraph is more than the former, viz. [‘And witnessed to by the Sufferings of the purest Churches in our Age, who have born a lively Testimony, not only against the humane prescribed and precomposed Forms of Prayers, but of singing David's Psalms, and other Hymns or Songs precomposed by Man, as they are frequently used as part of the constant and ordinary Worship of God instituted in his Gospel-Church.’] This is a matter of wonder if it comes not from a Novice; or if it does, that such consult no Counsel, but expose such things which must be corrected, because not,
1. None of the purest Churches in this Age may be an example to us to follow further than they follow Christ, and therefore a useless Argument.
2. To say purest Churches in our Age; if it intends so, called amongst all Men, then it admits all which are so-called amongst Men to be so. But if it be to be restrained to the purest Churches of Christ, then to such as are so in their own Eyes, or others, or in Christ's. The last is hidden yet from us, and the other Notion is full of Emulation, as it is of Ignorance.
You should have told us who those purest Churches in our Age are, that we might consult them, and compare them, for I see we may not trust you; for though you may esteem some to be so, and which applaud you, I question whether they be not polluted even with what you assoil them; and for any in particular to assume it, is high presumption.
There are some Churches which are thought so, that allow their Members to be at the Assemblies of Presbyterians and Independents, yea, while they sing David's Psalms too; and that is as bad with you as other Forms of Prayers, in being witnessed against too; if you will not count such purest Churches, they will think so, and you beat the Air.
3. It is without ground that ever I heard or saw, that any true Church (let Degrees be waved) have suffered, against a Form of Prayer, or singing David's Psalms; nor hath it been put in anyone's Case, whether they were Affirmative or Negative-Sufferers. But all the Sufferings in our Age by the Saints Affirmatively, were for the Faith as it was once delivered to the Saints by Christ and his Apostles, in all the parts of his Church-Gathering and Discipline. And Negatively, against humane invented stated and imposed Traditions; nor was there a witness born by suffering against any other.
4. You say they witnessed by their Sufferings against singing David's Psalms, &c. which you affirm is a practice of so great an Error, as will lead them to Apostacy, for which they have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer. This is severe, filled, and set off with extreme Ingredients of Danger and Ignorance too. But having discharged that witnessing Sufferings in the Superlative Degree also, I will examine, how it is a great Error as will lead to Apostacy? and whether they which sing David's Psalms, &c. have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer?
Every Error is dangerous, but that which will lead to Apostacy is most dangerous. I have not observed any such Effects in any that have used it as yet, nor can singing David's Psalms be charged with such a vile Consequence to have followed it. Nor of all the Apostates, or Apostasies, which have not been a few, yet no one of them has been begun, or have had their Increment from singing David's Psalms; so that they must have an extraordinary Prejudice against it, and confidence in your Infallibility, that shall quadrate with you herein. These are very bold Assertions, condemning all that do use singing David's Psalms, &c. This is uncharitableness with an ill witness, which hath no one Instance; it is the manner of weak Politicks, that would hinder a thing which Truth and Reason doth further, to set fear of Sequels against the force of known Verity, which you take refuge at, though you know no one Error hath grown out of this Fountain. You say They have less to say for singing David's Psalms, &c. than they are for a Form of Prayer. This is Confidence with Ignorance because you have not yet known what they have to say.
What Form of Prayer is it which you intend? If you mean such as the Prelats injoin all their Ministers to assent and consent to, and that all People should conform to, on the Damage that may ensue upon Body and Goods, then you beat the Air; after whose Text they whom you respect never Preached nor Writ, nor sung David's Psalms, &c. Yet you say they have more to say; you mean by God's Word, else I grant it to your rebuke. Those you respect, do neither impose their Singing, nor judge them which dissent, but in all Bowels of Charity embrace them in whatsoever they may: you can condemn unheard, without Charity and Truth.
And I tell you if there could be as much said for imposed Forms of Prayer, and Baby-Baptism, as there can be said for social singing David's Psalms in private and public Worship to God; you and all your purest Churches are so defiled, as you cannot be cleansed without true Repentance of all your suffering Testimony and Witness you pretend to have given against Singing and Forms of Prayer; such ill Notions you propose.
Many of the Ministers and Members of the Baptists have offered the Pedobaptists, that if they can give us but one Instance that any new-born Infant was either required to be baptized, or that were baptized by our Lord Christ, or any of his Disciples, any Precept or Example in all the New Testament, though never so private, and we would yield, and contend no more against it; though we have so many pregnant Instances and publick Testimonies for us. And I am sure all Opposers would be confounded with the least evidence of Example, although many Circumstances were wanting: were there but a bare Practice to be seen, what a Structure would be raised upon it!
But notwithstanding our Lord Jesus Christ and his Disciples did sing in God's Worship, and Paul and Silas sang Praise in God's Worship; and the holy Spirit enjoined it without exception on the Church at Corinth, Ephesus, Coloss, thereby confirming it to be acceptable in the Worship of God; and in James's enjoining it to All Saints; and those Instances in the Revelations, which encourage the use and continuance of it, you slight them all, and say, We have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer.
You craftily forsook the proof of your Parallel, thinking to blind us with the Lord's Prayer, which you can dispense with as well as those you oppose, and begging the question under your Antagonist's Concession: but Men know not what they do, that deny those Forms of Praises in the holy Scripture, to be used in God's Worship.
And humble Christians ought always to be perswaded, that no Word, Psalm, Song or Prayer, is vainly or rashly inserted into that Volume, which infinite supreme Wisdom dictated, nor hastily censure any that use them verbatim in God's Worship at some time, without putting them upon, or censuring others.
And yet further, I would yield to a Pedobaptist, if he had either Precept or Example for him in all the New Testament: it may be you would not, because you had rather follow some in our Age: the which if doing so, you would consider; they'll tell you that in things they esteem good to practice, yet dare not impose. Have a care of breaking the Law of Charity, on purpose to cast the Shreds at their Heads which desire to keep it; and do not (Sampson-like) kill your self, on purpose to destroy others, lest many things done and approved by the Lord, be not so clear, as social singing David's Psalms in God's Worship.
King David was not the Author of all the Book of Psalms; most may be were collected by him, many might be his; some were long before him, and some long after him: if he collected some that were before him, some he did not, and others that were made in his days. It shows the Lord gave his Church Psalms to be sung in private and public Worship. They must have had brows that dare deny that God was not worshipped by singing of Psalms, which were sung by everyone that did sing Psalms since the beginning of the World, and that he is not by his Church to the end of the World still worshipped thereby.
The Book of Psalms, according to the original Sepher Tehillim, properly signifies the Book of Praises; not only styled so from the greater part, but even penitential Psalms, which contain Confession, Repentance, & promise of Amendment, yea whatever else therein contained, for thereby is Glory given unto God; as Josh. 7.19. Rev. 16.9. Heb. 13.15. as the Margent (which waits on the Text,) and such is the excellency of it, and all Scripture-Psalms being wonderfully contrived for all Saint's Occasions in what condition, and of what condition soever.
Singing Psalms was used as part of God's Worship from the beginning of the World, and must be unto the end of it, and for evermore; Job 37.7. No tolerable Interpretation can be given of this Place uttered by God himself, except it is understood of the Angels made the first Day, and that they were the Stars of Heaven for Brightness and Sons of God; for other Stars and Sons of God there were none at the laying of the Foundation of the Earth, and the Corner-Stone thereof; When the Morning-Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy; Called Angels of Light, 2 Cor. 11.14. and Stars for Brightness, Rev. 1, and 2. Morning-Stars, because made in the first Morning of the Worlds, that they might behold the Creation of all other Creatures, though they had no hand in it; and first praise God before any other living Creatures were made. These Morning-Stars and all the Sons of God sang together, and shouted for Joy at the beginning of the World; like the shouting and singing Praise to God, at the laying of the Foundation and Corner-Stone of the Temple, Zech. 4.7. Ezra 3.10, 11. all which were Worship unto God.
And that it was used as part of public and private Worship of God amongst the Jews, from the time they were a Nation; if David did collect the Book of Psalms, all which were afore, were delivered and given for the Worship of God, and used when first given, as well as those which were made by him, and as used in his time, some of which are supposed to have been afore Israel went into Egypt: Those in Exodus and Deuteronomy were by Moses delivered for the Worship of God, though not included in David's Book, save in substance. Whether the Book of Psalms was David's, or Asaph's, or other Prophets, or all of them were Instruments, it matters not, it being the pleasure of God there should be so many gathered into one Volume, which had been, as the Lord gave them, used as part of God's Worship, whether Moses, Deborah, and Barak, Hannah, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Jonas, or others in the Old Testament; all were delivered to be used as part of God's Worship by Song, and cannot with modesty be gain-said.
And it is unlearned to say, that not in the Wilderness-Condition of Israel after the Flesh, and so not in the Wilderness-Condition of Israel after the Spirit. Nor is there either ground or reason in what is urged thereabout, (as shall appear in its place) but a meer Fancy: all Israel sang the Praise of the Lord at the Red Sea, Psal. 106.13. and Moses delivered unto them that Song and others, which he put in their Hearts and Mouths, and which he did command to teach their Children even all along in the Wilderness, and to David, and afterward: And all the Children of Israel from the Red Sea were bound to teach and learn to sing the Lord's Songs in every Time and Generation wheresoever, and under what Condition soever, Deut. 31. 19, 21, 22. and chap. 32. I say, these Songs were always to be kept in their Hearts and Mouths for God's Praise in his Worship. And indeed a Psalm in any Language is more easily and readily learned by Heart, and put in the Mouth, better remembered, and commonly received and familiar for frequent use, than Words in another style.
Writing in Verse is very suitable where the Matter is laid deep in it, and truly wrought out of the Affections; as those Scriptures which shew forth greatest Passions of Affections are composed as sacred Flames of pearless love between Christ and his Spouse, in Canticles; the triumphant Joy and Praise by Moses and all Israel, and Deborah and Barak, (who all sang [saith the Word of God] and no Incongruity, as you do both dream and deny) the afflicting Grief of Hezekiah and Jeremiah in his Lamentations, and Habakkuk. Passion is most free in Verse, and hath the greatest Scope when tied to Numbers, as that Deut. 32. and Hannah, 1 Sam. 2.
But the Book of Psalms is a Croud of all Affections, Love, Joy, Fear, Hope, Anger, and Zeal, all acting their parts, and wound up to the highest strains by the Holy Spirit, breathing poetical Eloquence and most divine Wisdom in those holy Songs where the direful Agonies and Sufferings of our everblessed Redeemer, is the most precious Stone above all else, fitly contrived for all times; none can by singing them deny Christ come in the Flesh, as it is ill imagined, because it commonly speaks of that which is fulfilled, as it were with God from the Foundation of the World, who calls things which are not to us, and which shall be as though they were.
Divine Songs raise the Soul, and infuse Comfort; Common and Prophane do Satan's Service; and Spiritual, by Grace, Joy, and Zeal, do God's Service. If anything is able to warm and fire the Soul and sweeten and ease the hard things which God's Servants meet with here, this will: and was the special Solace at all times of greatest Difficulties, and very often then delivered of God, to praise him, and comfort and confirm them: and a most special Blessing I say again it is, whatever any think of it to the contrary, that such Heavenly Cordials are made ready for us.
The Singing of Scripture-Psalms has continued in use as part of God's Worship ever since Christianity was and will be to the end of the World. Christ and his Disciples used it, and gave orders for its Observation and Continuance. And the most ancient Records and Monuments of Antiquity which remain unto this Day. And it did never yet read any into Apostacy. Tertullian in his Apology, &c. saith, ‘Saints met afore Day to sing Psalms to the Lord.’ Basil in his Epistle saith, ‘When one of us hath begun a Psalm, the rest set in to sing with him, all with one Heart and one Voice; and this, saith he, is the common practice of the Churches in Egypt, Lybia, Thebes, Palestine, Syria, and those that dwell on Euphrates, and generally where Singing of Psalms is of any Account.’ And Eusebius testifies the like in his Ecclesiastical History.
And the New-Testament Songs, of which there are about twelve in Singing Stile, if that will do, which shows the Holy Spirit was not against Singing Stile, tho he did not translate the Hebrew Poetry into Greek Poesy, not at any time translating much together, seldom verbatim, but always the Substance and Truth of it; you do not know whether he did not translate in Hebrew Poetry, tho in Greek Words.
Those 12 aforesaid in the New Testament, being extended till the Judgment executed upon the Great Whore, which precedes the Marriage of the Lamb, do intimate the allowed continuance of the Singing in God's Worship; and singing Praise unto God will be forevermore: so were it, not a Type, all Duties in this Life else will cease, but the Triumphant Thanks, Praise, Love, and Joy shall be forever.
As touching Mens precomposing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, I shall not condemn they're doing; yet I will affirm, that for Profit and Delight, and which may truly be called Spiritual Songs, and the Word of Christ, the Psalms, in the Holy Scriptures must have the preeminence far above whatsoever hath since been, or ever shall be dictated in this World, the which if God had not so approved, he would have hinted it.
I come in the next place to Page 4. to your two Scriptures, Ephes. 5.18, 19. and Coloss. 3.16. to see if we have any better dealing.
You tell us that these two Scriptures are made a Foundation for vocal Singing together in the constant Worship of God in the Gospel Church, pag. 5.
You might have told us who made them so; that if they were taken away, all the Building would fall. it may be you suppose it, and so flatter yourself to prevail if you could dig them up, &c. You say that Ephes. 5.19. is not to be understood as speaking to your selves, but in the Original it is speaking in your selves, and that is keeping silence in the Church, compared with 1 Cor. 14.28. and Pool's Annot.
Then we may read it so, Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess, but be filled with the Spirit, that you may speak in your selves, keeping silence in the Church, in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord; any Novice would be ashamed of such an Interpretation: for this is a Duty enjoined to the whole Church, therefore they are all to be filled with the Spirit, and speak in themselves, keeping silence when they are all met together, at least while they are so speaking in themselves. If this at every Meeting, how much of the time, some of it may be, much of it may be, and all may be at one time, or at different times, so that some may be speaking in silence, and another vocally; if all at any time in silence, then the Men and Women too may be inditing and singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Hearts to God in silence, for this is to be in the Church-Assembly, an Assembly carrying on an Ordinance in Silence, and Women too as many Administrators as any. Do you well set your House on Fire on purpose to burn your Neighbours? This intimates both Ministers and Members must keep silent in the Church—tho filled with the Spirit, and speak in themselves, singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Heart, &c. not one Word heard. This is for while a silent Meeting: and time must be allowed for it, it is a Duty, and it is Quakerism.
Such a Meeting is a sign of something, but they must not tell what they are about, nothing must be seen, heard, or understood by one another, which is Barbarism and Confusion; for every particular Member may be upon different Things and Subjects in God's Publick Worship: this may be more like to lead to Apostacy than Social singing David's Psalms: but no Absurdity follows Truth.
Then seeing that this Ephes. 5.18, 19. is a Command to the whole Church in their Assembly and Worship, it doth necessitate a Social Singing with Vocal Voice, and Psalms, as part of God's Worship. That Expression, (Be ye filled with the Spirit) is Metaphorical, and intimating the Transport of Spiritual Joy Christians should be filled with when they celebrate God's Praises by Singing, they should be filled with all good Affections, as a due Preparation for this part of Worship: They that have a fulness of the Graces, Vertues, or Fruits of the Spirit, may be said to be filled with the Spirit. For it is not to be filled with its Essence without Operation, nor its Filling and Operations without natural Faculties: and natural Light improved with the Spirit bettereth and assists, and doth not destroy. And all extraordinary and ordinary Gifts, or Fillings of the Spirit, takes in for its affecting our Help. The sacred Scriptures, or Counsel of God, by which we are to be guided here to glory hereafter; so that they which by the help of the Spirit, have the holy Scriptures in a holy, humble, and sober Understanding, plentifully in them; without which none is capable to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth; they may be said to be filled with the Spirit, bringing the holy Scriptures to their Remembrance, leading them into all Truth, showing them things to come, yet unfulfilled, enabling them to learn and sing the holy Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, in the holy Scriptures. There is no filling of the Spirit contrary to the holy Scriptures, nor can the whole Church be filled with the Spirit, but the Matter must be holy Scripture, and it's a Command to the whole Church to speak in, or to themselves in Psalms, &c. which must be Scriptural Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, because they are so, and can be no other.
Now speaking to your selves, is our last English Translation, and good enough here; and one may as well except against every word else as the word To. And so the Unlearned in Greek must either believe you against it or it against you, which if not very credulous, they will adhere to the latter; both cannot, it being an uncertain Sound. I do not think that Pool was of your opinion about Singing, but on the contrary: And I tell you by the way, that Divine Things or Mysteries must not be brought to Words, but Words must be brought to them. It would be exceeding unsound (as hath been shown) to bring the Sense of the Text to yours: and tho some Critics might pick at Words, as you and others, yet if you were put to decline this compound Pronoun thro all Cases, you might be out; and those that critically note some Places may find to cavil where there want many words in the Original Greek and Hebrew too; but it is not good to strain Cavils with the Holy Text, nor force it by seeming Significations besides the Truth and Analogy of Faith; nor con those Scriptures, which are clear to be interpreted by such as are darker, especially where it hath no Fellow: This comes to pass because our Translation galls them.
Again, [speaking in yourselves,] may be the very same as speaking to your selves, (but not in your sense) for to and in, and among, are ordinarily put indifferently for the same, and are convertible Terms, according to the Analogy of Faith, Luke 17.21. To, or in your selves, implies a social Singing, a joining together with Speech and Voices in Singing. The compound Pronoun [...] signifies, and is not translated anywhere otherwise; and when it is to denote inward Speaking, Judgment, Trust, or the like, the Preposition [...], in, is always joined with it, as Mat. 3.9. & 9.21. Mark 9.50. Luke 3.8. 1 Cor. 11.13. 2 Cor. 1.9. Heb. 10.34. Jam. 2.4. In all which places the Preposition [...], in, [...], in your selves, is joined together: And [...], as in this Ephes. 5. is always translated to your selves, as Mat. 13.9. Luke 16.9. & 17.3. & 21.34. Acts 5.35. 2 John 8 and it is both improper, absurd, and ill [...]yntax, to translate it otherwise, or differ [...]nt from the same sense; so, in your selv [...], your Assemblies, or in your Family-Devot [...]ons; but too, or in yourselves, to be mute, n [...]ver a word to be heard nor understood of another, and yet to speak, and sing, and make Melody in the Heart to God, through being filled with the Spirit too; not so much as Humming, short of Quakerism: this is strange.
They which were filled with the Spirit used to be in a strait till they could speak to others besides themselves: Elihu said so, Job 32.18, 19, 20. David said so, and sang it too, Psal. 39.1, 2, 3. And so said they that were filled with the Spirit, they could not but speak that which they had seen and heard, Acts 4.20. But your Interpretation of the Pronoun [...], and of the whole Text Ephes. 5.19. is that ‘All God's People may be filled with his Spirit and may speak to themselves in silence, in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making Melody in their Hearts to God, in Publick Worship of him, and yet all silent, neither Sign nor Token of any such thing, not one Word (nor Hum) of what they are about all that while.’
You allege 1 Cor. 14.28. but it will not help you, you had better have letten this Ephes. 5.19. have been the same with Coloss. 3.16. which will be, so do what you can: And if you must needs to oppose the Churches Inheritance, one and the same would have served, and you had no need to have divided them.
But I will suppose that some may have a Gift, or by learning to speak such a Tongue at some time in the Church-Assemblies, as none could either understand, being all else unlearned, (as it may so be) 1 Cor. 14. Verse 16, 23, 24. and cannot interpret what is by such a one spoken, the Holy Spirit shows the inexpediency of his speaking and forbids its use in the Church at such a time only, and biddeth him speak to himself and to God. You say he must speak all he could so speak at that time, (or you say nothing); so then he is to be exercised in his Tongue, mute, keeping silence while that holds and is discharged joining with the Church in her Duties. Is this to be Men in Understanding or Children? And so if there were Ten in a like Condition, as what is possible may be, is it decently and in order, be they more or less, that the Church should be differently employed at one and the same time and instant? And are the Spirits of the Prophets so contradictory to them, that they will not suffer them to use common Discretion to take such Seasons to speak to themselves, &c. as that they may not lose the Benefit and Blessing in Union and Communion with the Church throughout all the Assembly, but as Ephes. 5. must have a whole Church Silent-Meeting awhile? So some at Corinth might keep the like. This is a strange Tongue, a part of Quakerism. But the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets in this Case also, that it doth not put them upon Disorder, Confusion or Indecency: And whatsoever any one's Gift or Learning may be, (for we must take notice of both, and not any great difference between them neither); for they that have learned a Tongue, are not inferiour to them that received it by Gift, as you may see in this Chapter: they, I say, must not interfere, or cause them to be speaking to themselves, and to God, in a silent mute frame, to either hinder themselves, or others, from the benefit of the Ordinances of God, in all the Assemblies continuance together: for every thing is beautiful in its time; but so is not the whole Church, nor any of her Members in her Assemblies, to be mute and silent, and yet speaking to themselves in singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Heart to God, nor any to withdraw his Communion from the Church at that instant, and be speaking to himself and to God in silence: I do not question but such might speak at a convenient time and place, in uttering all his Matter by word of Mouth to himself, and to God, and offend not, if he did it not as some do, to be heard and not understood of others, which must be his design that speaks where none can understand him.
The Holy Spirit did not give the Church Directions and Rules for that Time and Generation only, or how extraordinary Gifts might be used, only the Lord knowing what Gifts, Natural or Spiritual, he would give, and what is fittest for our Generation, which these Rules respect all at all times.
I come to your second Part of the Foundation, as you call it, Coloss. 3.16. to which you say, ‘You confess, that vocal Singing is here to be understood, otherwise it could not be Teaching and Admonishing to others in Word and Deed, Vers. 17. Pag. 3.’
But you intend us nothing by this your Confession, you restrain it absolutely to Ministring Brethren; whose Work and Office it is to teach and admonish the other Members; and to such too only, as by an extraordinary Gift of the Spirit, such vocal Singing which was used in the Primitive Apostolical Church of Christ, which you say was, and cannot be denied.
All you say makes this Proposition following, viz.
That someone Person at a time may sing in the Church, if he has received a Spiritual Gift, (as Tongues and working of Miracles were received) that he can extemporarially, as the Spirit giveth his utterance, and instantly suggested into his Mind, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Matter, Tune, and Time, inspired; and it cannot is denied to be used now if there were any such; this is all.
But what if there were never any such, (may we look for it)? It is evident that the Holy Spirit requires all things should be done according to Men's natural understanding, whether they had Gifts or none, whether they had Learning or were Unlearned, whether they were Believers or Unbelievers: And that Understanding should be admitted in the disposing and ordering their Gifts and Duties, that even everyone here mentioned might receive Profit; so that all that you call Extraordinary, fell under the notice of all ordinary Capacities when demonstrated unto them: I shall make this a Maxim all my way.
Now I must take what you have said about this to pieces, as I have done the other. You say Coloss. 3.16. is meant for Ministering Brethren, whose Work and Office it is to Teach, &c. But the Text is plain, that it is written to all the Members as such, because not one Verse in all the Epistle can be taken from them, or doth speak to any other and the Holy Spirit particularized them as Members, (for even Pastors are Members too) viz. Wives, Husbands, Children, Parents, Servants, Masters, comprehend the whole; and all the distinction that is, that they which were Members only should say to Archippus, Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. Who must say this to their Pastor? who must see this Epistle read amongst them, and that it be read in the Church at Laodicea? It is no Particular of what degree soever, that the Holy Spirit made a Depositum to, or concredited the Epistles with; the Church consisteth not of them, but they of her.
I may be bold to assert, That those Hearts in which the Word of Christ dwells most richly, contain the greatest Treasures of the best Wisdom, Prov. 15.23. & 25.11.
Then I will consider;
First, What is meant by the Word of Christ?
Secondly, What it is to dwell in us richly in all Wisdom.
Thirdly, What Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs are, which are to be sung with singing Voice, with Grace in our Heart to the Lord.
First, The Word of Christ is verily that Word mentioned by the Holy Spirit in the first Chapter of this Epistle, Vers. 5. [The Word of the Truth of the Gospel.] Vers. 6. Which came unto them, as it is in all the World, and bringeth forth Fruit, as it doth in you since the day ye heard of it, and knew the Grace of God in Truth; whereof they had heard and learned, Vers. 7. It was not contrary to it, it was the Word of Christ; it was of Christ as the Author, and Speaker, and Redeemer, and Blesser, to cause it to bring forth Fruit, and able to save their Souls. Which takes in all the Holy Scriptures, and whatsoever is contained in them, and no other Word, or contrary thereto, from the Library of Christ, is the Word of the Gospel preached, proved and confirmed; it is the Word of Christ, as he is one with the Father and Holy Spirit from all Eternity, in sameness and oneness of Essence and Divine Nature, in which all Three are One only God. It is the Word of Christ, as spoken by him and of him, as our Redeemer, else we had never heard it nor of him; and it still speaks of him, both what he is, and hath done and doth, and will do for his Elect.
This is the Word of Christ, even the Word of God which must dwell richly in us, in all Wisdom; and every Saint of his must labor that it be so: it is not an uncertain Word instantly suggested, and vanisheth in the Air, or left to Tradition or uncertain Custody, but a sure Word, the Word of the Truth of the Gospel, which hath been less or more declared from the Foundation of the World, in the Covenant God hath made by Christ Jesus.
It is not the word Quakerism, or Quietists, &c. nor a transient Word, but the Word which is to dwell richly in all Wisdom, used in all Wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another therein: And lest the Poetical part of it should be thought of no use, or that which hath been sung should come into contempt, or be counted a Type; besides the use of it, as all other Scriptures which are in Prose, the Holy Spirit would that we always improve all our Wisdom to the suitable use thereof; so that which is in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, should be used as part of God's Worship, and Godly Exercise, singing with Grace in our Hearts at all times, that whatsoever we do in Word or Deed, we may do it in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving Thanks to God and the Father by him.
If this be so, as I doubt not to vindicate it against all opposition, then the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in Holy Scripture, are the Churches Patrimony, to be used and sung as part of God's Worship, (I shall meet with your Objections hereafter).
Secondly, To let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom; truly it being a Command, not for one Age, but all Times and Saints; not miraculous Gifts or Operations, except all Saints Gifts may be called so, (and truly too) this is verily to continue always, as long as the danger that Men may be drunk with Wine; so long as that is to be avoided, so long Saints are to be filled with the Spirit, and so long are they to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in them in all Wisdom, to direct its Improvement and holy Use, and against the Vice of Drunkenness. And here again, I add, Prov. 15.23. & 25. 11, 12. A Man hath Joy by the Answer of his Mouth: viz. If his Mouth answereth suitably, timing and subjecting his words aright, he hath Joy. A Word spoken, is either one Expression, or a Theam, or Speech, Song or Doctrine; in its season, how good it is? It is fitly spoken upon the Wheel, thrusting it on in its going; it is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver: And as an Earring of Gold, and an Ornament of fine Gold, so is a wise Reprover upon an obedient Ear. This shows that all Wisdom is required for the improvement of the rich in-dwelling Word of Christ, that all the parts thereof may be disposed of so, as the Method of all our Duties may fall in their proper places, and not disturb, hinder, or interfere with one another, &c. Prayer in its fit time, Singing in its fit time, Preaching in its fit time in the Church, and all other duties in their season; so are they beautiful in their time, and under what pretense soever, in the time of those Seasons, they must not be inverted.
I find you conceitedly Zealous in all your Book: Your first words are meer presumption; the Lord's poor afflicted People, are not so delivered out of the Hands of their Enemies, as to serve the Lord without the fear of them; tho notwithstanding we ought, 'tis true, to serve the Lord without the slavish fear of Men, in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of their life; for which end he hath given us his Son to die for us, and his holy Word as a Rule for Faith and Practice, and hath promised his holy Spirit to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace: and for our present Liberty let us bless God.
Your next Paragraph is like it; We are not most unhappy, neither all nor many, in the want of the perfect Union of the Church of Christ in this Life amongst themselves, &c. It will be sufficient that his Church has perfect Union with him, and that is their most happiness in this World: Nor is it evident that all of them did attain to one and the same Conception of the Mind and Will of God revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures, neither of lesser Moment or of greater Consequence at any time, but otherwise: Yet also both the things which you call of lesser Moment, (which you might have told us what they are) and those of greater Consequence too, ought to be duly weighed in the Scales of Holy Scripture, there being no liberty to us, to count anything God commands inconsiderable; so should weak Saints and bold Supplanters be prevented.
Your next Paragraph is more than the former, viz. [‘And witnessed to by the Sufferings of the purest Churches in our Age, who have born a lively Testimony, not only against the humane prescribed and precomposed Forms of Prayers, but of singing David's Psalms, and other Hymns or Songs precomposed by Man, as they are frequently used as part of the constant and ordinary Worship of God instituted in his Gospel-Church.’] This is a matter of wonder if it comes not from a Novice; or if it does, that such consult no Counsel, but expose such things which must be corrected, because not,
1. None of the purest Churches in this Age may be an example to us to follow further than they follow Christ, and therefore a useless Argument.
2. To say purest Churches in our Age; if it intends so, called amongst all Men, then it admits all which are so-called amongst Men to be so. But if it be to be restrained to the purest Churches of Christ, then to such as are so in their own Eyes, or others, or in Christ's. The last is hidden yet from us, and the other Notion is full of Emulation, as it is of Ignorance.
You should have told us who those purest Churches in our Age are, that we might consult them, and compare them, for I see we may not trust you; for though you may esteem some to be so, and which applaud you, I question whether they be not polluted even with what you assoil them; and for any in particular to assume it, is high presumption.
There are some Churches which are thought so, that allow their Members to be at the Assemblies of Presbyterians and Independents, yea, while they sing David's Psalms too; and that is as bad with you as other Forms of Prayers, in being witnessed against too; if you will not count such purest Churches, they will think so, and you beat the Air.
3. It is without ground that ever I heard or saw, that any true Church (let Degrees be waved) have suffered, against a Form of Prayer, or singing David's Psalms; nor hath it been put in anyone's Case, whether they were Affirmative or Negative-Sufferers. But all the Sufferings in our Age by the Saints Affirmatively, were for the Faith as it was once delivered to the Saints by Christ and his Apostles, in all the parts of his Church-Gathering and Discipline. And Negatively, against humane invented stated and imposed Traditions; nor was there a witness born by suffering against any other.
4. You say they witnessed by their Sufferings against singing David's Psalms, &c. which you affirm is a practice of so great an Error, as will lead them to Apostacy, for which they have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer. This is severe, filled, and set off with extreme Ingredients of Danger and Ignorance too. But having discharged that witnessing Sufferings in the Superlative Degree also, I will examine, how it is a great Error as will lead to Apostacy? and whether they which sing David's Psalms, &c. have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer?
Every Error is dangerous, but that which will lead to Apostacy is most dangerous. I have not observed any such Effects in any that have used it as yet, nor can singing David's Psalms be charged with such a vile Consequence to have followed it. Nor of all the Apostates, or Apostasies, which have not been a few, yet no one of them has been begun, or have had their Increment from singing David's Psalms; so that they must have an extraordinary Prejudice against it, and confidence in your Infallibility, that shall quadrate with you herein. These are very bold Assertions, condemning all that do use singing David's Psalms, &c. This is uncharitableness with an ill witness, which hath no one Instance; it is the manner of weak Politicks, that would hinder a thing which Truth and Reason doth further, to set fear of Sequels against the force of known Verity, which you take refuge at, though you know no one Error hath grown out of this Fountain. You say They have less to say for singing David's Psalms, &c. than they are for a Form of Prayer. This is Confidence with Ignorance because you have not yet known what they have to say.
What Form of Prayer is it which you intend? If you mean such as the Prelats injoin all their Ministers to assent and consent to, and that all People should conform to, on the Damage that may ensue upon Body and Goods, then you beat the Air; after whose Text they whom you respect never Preached nor Writ, nor sung David's Psalms, &c. Yet you say they have more to say; you mean by God's Word, else I grant it to your rebuke. Those you respect, do neither impose their Singing, nor judge them which dissent, but in all Bowels of Charity embrace them in whatsoever they may: you can condemn unheard, without Charity and Truth.
And I tell you if there could be as much said for imposed Forms of Prayer, and Baby-Baptism, as there can be said for social singing David's Psalms in private and public Worship to God; you and all your purest Churches are so defiled, as you cannot be cleansed without true Repentance of all your suffering Testimony and Witness you pretend to have given against Singing and Forms of Prayer; such ill Notions you propose.
Many of the Ministers and Members of the Baptists have offered the Pedobaptists, that if they can give us but one Instance that any new-born Infant was either required to be baptized, or that were baptized by our Lord Christ, or any of his Disciples, any Precept or Example in all the New Testament, though never so private, and we would yield, and contend no more against it; though we have so many pregnant Instances and publick Testimonies for us. And I am sure all Opposers would be confounded with the least evidence of Example, although many Circumstances were wanting: were there but a bare Practice to be seen, what a Structure would be raised upon it!
But notwithstanding our Lord Jesus Christ and his Disciples did sing in God's Worship, and Paul and Silas sang Praise in God's Worship; and the holy Spirit enjoined it without exception on the Church at Corinth, Ephesus, Coloss, thereby confirming it to be acceptable in the Worship of God; and in James's enjoining it to All Saints; and those Instances in the Revelations, which encourage the use and continuance of it, you slight them all, and say, We have less to say than they who are for a Form of Prayer.
You craftily forsook the proof of your Parallel, thinking to blind us with the Lord's Prayer, which you can dispense with as well as those you oppose, and begging the question under your Antagonist's Concession: but Men know not what they do, that deny those Forms of Praises in the holy Scripture, to be used in God's Worship.
And humble Christians ought always to be perswaded, that no Word, Psalm, Song or Prayer, is vainly or rashly inserted into that Volume, which infinite supreme Wisdom dictated, nor hastily censure any that use them verbatim in God's Worship at some time, without putting them upon, or censuring others.
And yet further, I would yield to a Pedobaptist, if he had either Precept or Example for him in all the New Testament: it may be you would not, because you had rather follow some in our Age: the which if doing so, you would consider; they'll tell you that in things they esteem good to practice, yet dare not impose. Have a care of breaking the Law of Charity, on purpose to cast the Shreds at their Heads which desire to keep it; and do not (Sampson-like) kill your self, on purpose to destroy others, lest many things done and approved by the Lord, be not so clear, as social singing David's Psalms in God's Worship.
King David was not the Author of all the Book of Psalms; most may be were collected by him, many might be his; some were long before him, and some long after him: if he collected some that were before him, some he did not, and others that were made in his days. It shows the Lord gave his Church Psalms to be sung in private and public Worship. They must have had brows that dare deny that God was not worshipped by singing of Psalms, which were sung by everyone that did sing Psalms since the beginning of the World, and that he is not by his Church to the end of the World still worshipped thereby.
The Book of Psalms, according to the original Sepher Tehillim, properly signifies the Book of Praises; not only styled so from the greater part, but even penitential Psalms, which contain Confession, Repentance, & promise of Amendment, yea whatever else therein contained, for thereby is Glory given unto God; as Josh. 7.19. Rev. 16.9. Heb. 13.15. as the Margent (which waits on the Text,) and such is the excellency of it, and all Scripture-Psalms being wonderfully contrived for all Saint's Occasions in what condition, and of what condition soever.
Singing Psalms was used as part of God's Worship from the beginning of the World, and must be unto the end of it, and for evermore; Job 37.7. No tolerable Interpretation can be given of this Place uttered by God himself, except it is understood of the Angels made the first Day, and that they were the Stars of Heaven for Brightness and Sons of God; for other Stars and Sons of God there were none at the laying of the Foundation of the Earth, and the Corner-Stone thereof; When the Morning-Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for joy; Called Angels of Light, 2 Cor. 11.14. and Stars for Brightness, Rev. 1, and 2. Morning-Stars, because made in the first Morning of the Worlds, that they might behold the Creation of all other Creatures, though they had no hand in it; and first praise God before any other living Creatures were made. These Morning-Stars and all the Sons of God sang together, and shouted for Joy at the beginning of the World; like the shouting and singing Praise to God, at the laying of the Foundation and Corner-Stone of the Temple, Zech. 4.7. Ezra 3.10, 11. all which were Worship unto God.
And that it was used as part of public and private Worship of God amongst the Jews, from the time they were a Nation; if David did collect the Book of Psalms, all which were afore, were delivered and given for the Worship of God, and used when first given, as well as those which were made by him, and as used in his time, some of which are supposed to have been afore Israel went into Egypt: Those in Exodus and Deuteronomy were by Moses delivered for the Worship of God, though not included in David's Book, save in substance. Whether the Book of Psalms was David's, or Asaph's, or other Prophets, or all of them were Instruments, it matters not, it being the pleasure of God there should be so many gathered into one Volume, which had been, as the Lord gave them, used as part of God's Worship, whether Moses, Deborah, and Barak, Hannah, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Jonas, or others in the Old Testament; all were delivered to be used as part of God's Worship by Song, and cannot with modesty be gain-said.
And it is unlearned to say, that not in the Wilderness-Condition of Israel after the Flesh, and so not in the Wilderness-Condition of Israel after the Spirit. Nor is there either ground or reason in what is urged thereabout, (as shall appear in its place) but a meer Fancy: all Israel sang the Praise of the Lord at the Red Sea, Psal. 106.13. and Moses delivered unto them that Song and others, which he put in their Hearts and Mouths, and which he did command to teach their Children even all along in the Wilderness, and to David, and afterward: And all the Children of Israel from the Red Sea were bound to teach and learn to sing the Lord's Songs in every Time and Generation wheresoever, and under what Condition soever, Deut. 31. 19, 21, 22. and chap. 32. I say, these Songs were always to be kept in their Hearts and Mouths for God's Praise in his Worship. And indeed a Psalm in any Language is more easily and readily learned by Heart, and put in the Mouth, better remembered, and commonly received and familiar for frequent use, than Words in another style.
Writing in Verse is very suitable where the Matter is laid deep in it, and truly wrought out of the Affections; as those Scriptures which shew forth greatest Passions of Affections are composed as sacred Flames of pearless love between Christ and his Spouse, in Canticles; the triumphant Joy and Praise by Moses and all Israel, and Deborah and Barak, (who all sang [saith the Word of God] and no Incongruity, as you do both dream and deny) the afflicting Grief of Hezekiah and Jeremiah in his Lamentations, and Habakkuk. Passion is most free in Verse, and hath the greatest Scope when tied to Numbers, as that Deut. 32. and Hannah, 1 Sam. 2.
But the Book of Psalms is a Croud of all Affections, Love, Joy, Fear, Hope, Anger, and Zeal, all acting their parts, and wound up to the highest strains by the Holy Spirit, breathing poetical Eloquence and most divine Wisdom in those holy Songs where the direful Agonies and Sufferings of our everblessed Redeemer, is the most precious Stone above all else, fitly contrived for all times; none can by singing them deny Christ come in the Flesh, as it is ill imagined, because it commonly speaks of that which is fulfilled, as it were with God from the Foundation of the World, who calls things which are not to us, and which shall be as though they were.
Divine Songs raise the Soul, and infuse Comfort; Common and Prophane do Satan's Service; and Spiritual, by Grace, Joy, and Zeal, do God's Service. If anything is able to warm and fire the Soul and sweeten and ease the hard things which God's Servants meet with here, this will: and was the special Solace at all times of greatest Difficulties, and very often then delivered of God, to praise him, and comfort and confirm them: and a most special Blessing I say again it is, whatever any think of it to the contrary, that such Heavenly Cordials are made ready for us.
The Singing of Scripture-Psalms has continued in use as part of God's Worship ever since Christianity was and will be to the end of the World. Christ and his Disciples used it, and gave orders for its Observation and Continuance. And the most ancient Records and Monuments of Antiquity which remain unto this Day. And it did never yet read any into Apostacy. Tertullian in his Apology, &c. saith, ‘Saints met afore Day to sing Psalms to the Lord.’ Basil in his Epistle saith, ‘When one of us hath begun a Psalm, the rest set in to sing with him, all with one Heart and one Voice; and this, saith he, is the common practice of the Churches in Egypt, Lybia, Thebes, Palestine, Syria, and those that dwell on Euphrates, and generally where Singing of Psalms is of any Account.’ And Eusebius testifies the like in his Ecclesiastical History.
And the New-Testament Songs, of which there are about twelve in Singing Stile, if that will do, which shows the Holy Spirit was not against Singing Stile, tho he did not translate the Hebrew Poetry into Greek Poesy, not at any time translating much together, seldom verbatim, but always the Substance and Truth of it; you do not know whether he did not translate in Hebrew Poetry, tho in Greek Words.
Those 12 aforesaid in the New Testament, being extended till the Judgment executed upon the Great Whore, which precedes the Marriage of the Lamb, do intimate the allowed continuance of the Singing in God's Worship; and singing Praise unto God will be forevermore: so were it, not a Type, all Duties in this Life else will cease, but the Triumphant Thanks, Praise, Love, and Joy shall be forever.
As touching Mens precomposing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, I shall not condemn they're doing; yet I will affirm, that for Profit and Delight, and which may truly be called Spiritual Songs, and the Word of Christ, the Psalms, in the Holy Scriptures must have the preeminence far above whatsoever hath since been, or ever shall be dictated in this World, the which if God had not so approved, he would have hinted it.
I come in the next place to Page 4. to your two Scriptures, Ephes. 5.18, 19. and Coloss. 3.16. to see if we have any better dealing.
You tell us that these two Scriptures are made a Foundation for vocal Singing together in the constant Worship of God in the Gospel Church, pag. 5.
You might have told us who made them so; that if they were taken away, all the Building would fall. it may be you suppose it, and so flatter yourself to prevail if you could dig them up, &c. You say that Ephes. 5.19. is not to be understood as speaking to your selves, but in the Original it is speaking in your selves, and that is keeping silence in the Church, compared with 1 Cor. 14.28. and Pool's Annot.
Then we may read it so, Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess, but be filled with the Spirit, that you may speak in your selves, keeping silence in the Church, in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord; any Novice would be ashamed of such an Interpretation: for this is a Duty enjoined to the whole Church, therefore they are all to be filled with the Spirit, and speak in themselves, keeping silence when they are all met together, at least while they are so speaking in themselves. If this at every Meeting, how much of the time, some of it may be, much of it may be, and all may be at one time, or at different times, so that some may be speaking in silence, and another vocally; if all at any time in silence, then the Men and Women too may be inditing and singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Hearts to God in silence, for this is to be in the Church-Assembly, an Assembly carrying on an Ordinance in Silence, and Women too as many Administrators as any. Do you well set your House on Fire on purpose to burn your Neighbours? This intimates both Ministers and Members must keep silent in the Church—tho filled with the Spirit, and speak in themselves, singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Heart, &c. not one Word heard. This is for while a silent Meeting: and time must be allowed for it, it is a Duty, and it is Quakerism.
Such a Meeting is a sign of something, but they must not tell what they are about, nothing must be seen, heard, or understood by one another, which is Barbarism and Confusion; for every particular Member may be upon different Things and Subjects in God's Publick Worship: this may be more like to lead to Apostacy than Social singing David's Psalms: but no Absurdity follows Truth.
Then seeing that this Ephes. 5.18, 19. is a Command to the whole Church in their Assembly and Worship, it doth necessitate a Social Singing with Vocal Voice, and Psalms, as part of God's Worship. That Expression, (Be ye filled with the Spirit) is Metaphorical, and intimating the Transport of Spiritual Joy Christians should be filled with when they celebrate God's Praises by Singing, they should be filled with all good Affections, as a due Preparation for this part of Worship: They that have a fulness of the Graces, Vertues, or Fruits of the Spirit, may be said to be filled with the Spirit. For it is not to be filled with its Essence without Operation, nor its Filling and Operations without natural Faculties: and natural Light improved with the Spirit bettereth and assists, and doth not destroy. And all extraordinary and ordinary Gifts, or Fillings of the Spirit, takes in for its affecting our Help. The sacred Scriptures, or Counsel of God, by which we are to be guided here to glory hereafter; so that they which by the help of the Spirit, have the holy Scriptures in a holy, humble, and sober Understanding, plentifully in them; without which none is capable to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth; they may be said to be filled with the Spirit, bringing the holy Scriptures to their Remembrance, leading them into all Truth, showing them things to come, yet unfulfilled, enabling them to learn and sing the holy Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, in the holy Scriptures. There is no filling of the Spirit contrary to the holy Scriptures, nor can the whole Church be filled with the Spirit, but the Matter must be holy Scripture, and it's a Command to the whole Church to speak in, or to themselves in Psalms, &c. which must be Scriptural Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, because they are so, and can be no other.
Now speaking to your selves, is our last English Translation, and good enough here; and one may as well except against every word else as the word To. And so the Unlearned in Greek must either believe you against it or it against you, which if not very credulous, they will adhere to the latter; both cannot, it being an uncertain Sound. I do not think that Pool was of your opinion about Singing, but on the contrary: And I tell you by the way, that Divine Things or Mysteries must not be brought to Words, but Words must be brought to them. It would be exceeding unsound (as hath been shown) to bring the Sense of the Text to yours: and tho some Critics might pick at Words, as you and others, yet if you were put to decline this compound Pronoun thro all Cases, you might be out; and those that critically note some Places may find to cavil where there want many words in the Original Greek and Hebrew too; but it is not good to strain Cavils with the Holy Text, nor force it by seeming Significations besides the Truth and Analogy of Faith; nor con those Scriptures, which are clear to be interpreted by such as are darker, especially where it hath no Fellow: This comes to pass because our Translation galls them.
Again, [speaking in yourselves,] may be the very same as speaking to your selves, (but not in your sense) for to and in, and among, are ordinarily put indifferently for the same, and are convertible Terms, according to the Analogy of Faith, Luke 17.21. To, or in your selves, implies a social Singing, a joining together with Speech and Voices in Singing. The compound Pronoun [...] signifies, and is not translated anywhere otherwise; and when it is to denote inward Speaking, Judgment, Trust, or the like, the Preposition [...], in, is always joined with it, as Mat. 3.9. & 9.21. Mark 9.50. Luke 3.8. 1 Cor. 11.13. 2 Cor. 1.9. Heb. 10.34. Jam. 2.4. In all which places the Preposition [...], in, [...], in your selves, is joined together: And [...], as in this Ephes. 5. is always translated to your selves, as Mat. 13.9. Luke 16.9. & 17.3. & 21.34. Acts 5.35. 2 John 8 and it is both improper, absurd, and ill [...]yntax, to translate it otherwise, or differ [...]nt from the same sense; so, in your selv [...], your Assemblies, or in your Family-Devot [...]ons; but too, or in yourselves, to be mute, n [...]ver a word to be heard nor understood of another, and yet to speak, and sing, and make Melody in the Heart to God, through being filled with the Spirit too; not so much as Humming, short of Quakerism: this is strange.
They which were filled with the Spirit used to be in a strait till they could speak to others besides themselves: Elihu said so, Job 32.18, 19, 20. David said so, and sang it too, Psal. 39.1, 2, 3. And so said they that were filled with the Spirit, they could not but speak that which they had seen and heard, Acts 4.20. But your Interpretation of the Pronoun [...], and of the whole Text Ephes. 5.19. is that ‘All God's People may be filled with his Spirit and may speak to themselves in silence, in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, singing and making Melody in their Hearts to God, in Publick Worship of him, and yet all silent, neither Sign nor Token of any such thing, not one Word (nor Hum) of what they are about all that while.’
You allege 1 Cor. 14.28. but it will not help you, you had better have letten this Ephes. 5.19. have been the same with Coloss. 3.16. which will be, so do what you can: And if you must needs to oppose the Churches Inheritance, one and the same would have served, and you had no need to have divided them.
But I will suppose that some may have a Gift, or by learning to speak such a Tongue at some time in the Church-Assemblies, as none could either understand, being all else unlearned, (as it may so be) 1 Cor. 14. Verse 16, 23, 24. and cannot interpret what is by such a one spoken, the Holy Spirit shows the inexpediency of his speaking and forbids its use in the Church at such a time only, and biddeth him speak to himself and to God. You say he must speak all he could so speak at that time, (or you say nothing); so then he is to be exercised in his Tongue, mute, keeping silence while that holds and is discharged joining with the Church in her Duties. Is this to be Men in Understanding or Children? And so if there were Ten in a like Condition, as what is possible may be, is it decently and in order, be they more or less, that the Church should be differently employed at one and the same time and instant? And are the Spirits of the Prophets so contradictory to them, that they will not suffer them to use common Discretion to take such Seasons to speak to themselves, &c. as that they may not lose the Benefit and Blessing in Union and Communion with the Church throughout all the Assembly, but as Ephes. 5. must have a whole Church Silent-Meeting awhile? So some at Corinth might keep the like. This is a strange Tongue, a part of Quakerism. But the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets in this Case also, that it doth not put them upon Disorder, Confusion or Indecency: And whatsoever any one's Gift or Learning may be, (for we must take notice of both, and not any great difference between them neither); for they that have learned a Tongue, are not inferiour to them that received it by Gift, as you may see in this Chapter: they, I say, must not interfere, or cause them to be speaking to themselves, and to God, in a silent mute frame, to either hinder themselves, or others, from the benefit of the Ordinances of God, in all the Assemblies continuance together: for every thing is beautiful in its time; but so is not the whole Church, nor any of her Members in her Assemblies, to be mute and silent, and yet speaking to themselves in singing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, making Melody in their Heart to God, nor any to withdraw his Communion from the Church at that instant, and be speaking to himself and to God in silence: I do not question but such might speak at a convenient time and place, in uttering all his Matter by word of Mouth to himself, and to God, and offend not, if he did it not as some do, to be heard and not understood of others, which must be his design that speaks where none can understand him.
The Holy Spirit did not give the Church Directions and Rules for that Time and Generation only, or how extraordinary Gifts might be used, only the Lord knowing what Gifts, Natural or Spiritual, he would give, and what is fittest for our Generation, which these Rules respect all at all times.
I come to your second Part of the Foundation, as you call it, Coloss. 3.16. to which you say, ‘You confess, that vocal Singing is here to be understood, otherwise it could not be Teaching and Admonishing to others in Word and Deed, Vers. 17. Pag. 3.’
But you intend us nothing by this your Confession, you restrain it absolutely to Ministring Brethren; whose Work and Office it is to teach and admonish the other Members; and to such too only, as by an extraordinary Gift of the Spirit, such vocal Singing which was used in the Primitive Apostolical Church of Christ, which you say was, and cannot be denied.
All you say makes this Proposition following, viz.
That someone Person at a time may sing in the Church, if he has received a Spiritual Gift, (as Tongues and working of Miracles were received) that he can extemporarially, as the Spirit giveth his utterance, and instantly suggested into his Mind, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, Matter, Tune, and Time, inspired; and it cannot is denied to be used now if there were any such; this is all.
But what if there were never any such, (may we look for it)? It is evident that the Holy Spirit requires all things should be done according to Men's natural understanding, whether they had Gifts or none, whether they had Learning or were Unlearned, whether they were Believers or Unbelievers: And that Understanding should be admitted in the disposing and ordering their Gifts and Duties, that even everyone here mentioned might receive Profit; so that all that you call Extraordinary, fell under the notice of all ordinary Capacities when demonstrated unto them: I shall make this a Maxim all my way.
Now I must take what you have said about this to pieces, as I have done the other. You say Coloss. 3.16. is meant for Ministering Brethren, whose Work and Office it is to Teach, &c. But the Text is plain, that it is written to all the Members as such, because not one Verse in all the Epistle can be taken from them, or doth speak to any other and the Holy Spirit particularized them as Members, (for even Pastors are Members too) viz. Wives, Husbands, Children, Parents, Servants, Masters, comprehend the whole; and all the distinction that is, that they which were Members only should say to Archippus, Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. Who must say this to their Pastor? who must see this Epistle read amongst them, and that it be read in the Church at Laodicea? It is no Particular of what degree soever, that the Holy Spirit made a Depositum to, or concredited the Epistles with; the Church consisteth not of them, but they of her.
I may be bold to assert, That those Hearts in which the Word of Christ dwells most richly, contain the greatest Treasures of the best Wisdom, Prov. 15.23. & 25.11.
Then I will consider;
First, What is meant by the Word of Christ?
Secondly, What it is to dwell in us richly in all Wisdom.
Thirdly, What Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs are, which are to be sung with singing Voice, with Grace in our Heart to the Lord.
First, The Word of Christ is verily that Word mentioned by the Holy Spirit in the first Chapter of this Epistle, Vers. 5. [The Word of the Truth of the Gospel.] Vers. 6. Which came unto them, as it is in all the World, and bringeth forth Fruit, as it doth in you since the day ye heard of it, and knew the Grace of God in Truth; whereof they had heard and learned, Vers. 7. It was not contrary to it, it was the Word of Christ; it was of Christ as the Author, and Speaker, and Redeemer, and Blesser, to cause it to bring forth Fruit, and able to save their Souls. Which takes in all the Holy Scriptures, and whatsoever is contained in them, and no other Word, or contrary thereto, from the Library of Christ, is the Word of the Gospel preached, proved and confirmed; it is the Word of Christ, as he is one with the Father and Holy Spirit from all Eternity, in sameness and oneness of Essence and Divine Nature, in which all Three are One only God. It is the Word of Christ, as spoken by him and of him, as our Redeemer, else we had never heard it nor of him; and it still speaks of him, both what he is, and hath done and doth, and will do for his Elect.
This is the Word of Christ, even the Word of God which must dwell richly in us, in all Wisdom; and every Saint of his must labor that it be so: it is not an uncertain Word instantly suggested, and vanisheth in the Air, or left to Tradition or uncertain Custody, but a sure Word, the Word of the Truth of the Gospel, which hath been less or more declared from the Foundation of the World, in the Covenant God hath made by Christ Jesus.
It is not the word Quakerism, or Quietists, &c. nor a transient Word, but the Word which is to dwell richly in all Wisdom, used in all Wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another therein: And lest the Poetical part of it should be thought of no use, or that which hath been sung should come into contempt, or be counted a Type; besides the use of it, as all other Scriptures which are in Prose, the Holy Spirit would that we always improve all our Wisdom to the suitable use thereof; so that which is in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, should be used as part of God's Worship, and Godly Exercise, singing with Grace in our Hearts at all times, that whatsoever we do in Word or Deed, we may do it in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving Thanks to God and the Father by him.
If this be so, as I doubt not to vindicate it against all opposition, then the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in Holy Scripture, are the Churches Patrimony, to be used and sung as part of God's Worship, (I shall meet with your Objections hereafter).
Secondly, To let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom; truly it being a Command, not for one Age, but all Times and Saints; not miraculous Gifts or Operations, except all Saints Gifts may be called so, (and truly too) this is verily to continue always, as long as the danger that Men may be drunk with Wine; so long as that is to be avoided, so long Saints are to be filled with the Spirit, and so long are they to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in them in all Wisdom, to direct its Improvement and holy Use, and against the Vice of Drunkenness. And here again, I add, Prov. 15.23. & 25. 11, 12. A Man hath Joy by the Answer of his Mouth: viz. If his Mouth answereth suitably, timing and subjecting his words aright, he hath Joy. A Word spoken, is either one Expression, or a Theam, or Speech, Song or Doctrine; in its season, how good it is? It is fitly spoken upon the Wheel, thrusting it on in its going; it is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver: And as an Earring of Gold, and an Ornament of fine Gold, so is a wise Reprover upon an obedient Ear. This shows that all Wisdom is required for the improvement of the rich in-dwelling Word of Christ, that all the parts thereof may be disposed of so, as the Method of all our Duties may fall in their proper places, and not disturb, hinder, or interfere with one another, &c. Prayer in its fit time, Singing in its fit time, Preaching in its fit time in the Church, and all other duties in their season; so are they beautiful in their time, and under what pretense soever, in the time of those Seasons, they must not be inverted.
For Instance, When the Church comes together, and mutually consenteth that one of them should preach the Word in a known Tongue, because there is not then there an Interpreter, then may not he which hath Matter to speak in another Tongue, may not he speak it to himself, and to God? For if he is a Prophet, his Spirit is subject to him, that he must not improve that time to the using it, but slay till he may edify himself with it conveniently and undisturbed, which he cannot do then, for he ought then to attend the Publick Ordinance which is in present use, else all things of the Churches Concerns, and God's Worship, will be in confusion, and neither decent nor in order, which in all Wisdom we are to attend and improve the in-dwelling Word of Christ, to worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness. And Wisdom is justified of her Children if they dance when piped to, and weep when mourned to, else not, &c.
We must let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom, &c. Richly, [...], Plusios, the Adverb, richly, or plentifully, [...], o, Plutos, Riches, Wealth, of [...], Polu, much; and, [...], Etos, a Year; because Riches is the return of many Years gathering; so the Word of Christ must dwell in us richly in all Wisdom, in all our plentiful Gatherings which we are made partakers of, in Reading, Praying, Meditating, Study, Hearing, Singing, holy Converse thrô the Assistance of the Holy Spirit: in the use of such means is this Riches and Wealth gathered pretentiously and enjoyed and kept. Nor were any Proficients herein, that did either despise those Duties and Means, or were careless, or had little Conscience about them, Mat. 7.7, 8. Joh. 5.39. So also David sang, Psal. 19.7, 8, 9. and sung again in the 13th part of the 119th Psalm, and again otherwhere.
And [Let] is an Injunction to all Saints to use all the means as aforesaid, gathering the returns thereof, laying it up in our Hearts plentifully, in all Wisdom, improving it when we are holy careful to dispense it in fit Seasons to God's Glory; it is to dwell, co-habit, and abide, continue, in all fulness, out of the Library of Christ's Word, which is the Word of God, the holy Scriptures, through the assistance of his Spirit: It is our School and School-master, to teach us when and how to pray, when and what to read, to profit, when and what to meditate, when and what to sing, when and what to speak and hear; this is the Fountain whereof the Prophet sings, Isa. 12. With Joy draw ye Waters out of the Fountain of Salvation.
Thirdly; The Holy Scripture is the Fountain and Word of Christ, and especial means under him, as aforesaid, from which may flow this rich fulness in Wisdom, to teach and admonish one another even in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs therein contained, and that in singing with Voice and Grace in our Hearts to the Lord.
And here I affirm that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, which are in the Library of Canonical Scripture, are those which Saints should sing socially as part of God's Worship to him. First, I shall prove Social Singing by Holy Scripture, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, to be intended in both these Texts, Ephes. and Coloss. under Consideration. Secondly, Give some Essays on what it is to sing with Grace in our Hearts, and make Melody in our Hearts to the Lord, towards the latter end of this Discourse.
1. By Social Singing, I mean Saints, as Saints, tho they be not all Ministring Brethren if some of them be, yet they are no other in my Intention here; (yet I shall reckon with such in Office, as you have it hereafter.)
Prayer, Singing, Preaching, Communion at the Lord's Table, Collection, and Discipline, are the permanent standing Ordinances of the Church of Christ, without exception to be made against any one of them, only Singing is called in question, wherefore I shall mainly speak to it; wherefore these two Texts Ephes. 5. and Coloss. 3. do require a Social Singing, as well as a Vocal Singing, which is confessed on Coloss. tho restrained to a Ministring Brother as his Work and Office: I have already proved it to be commanded to the whole Church. Now that in the Church at Colosse Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, may be sung vocally (as is confessed) and in the Church at Ephesus, they must not (as is denied); but the speaking and singing must be inwardly in the Heart, in vocal Voice heard, keeping silence in the Church, is a fond Conceit: For why should not one Church of Christ have allowance to have Singing vocally, and not another as well? And seeing there is neither difference in the Things to be sung, both Places say the same, viz. Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and both require the like Singing and making Melody in the Heart to the Lord, wherefore it must be Ignorance (or worse) that shall limit one short of the other: and the Grant to one is to both, and [...]ll else. And I affirm to all Men loving Truth and Honesty whatsoever; that whatsoever one Church of Christ may do acceptably to God in a matter of practice, as part of his Worship, all other Churches of Christ may, yea ought to do, if they can, the same.
So then I have it against all Contradiction, that the Church at Ephesus had the same Priviledg as the Church at Colosse; any, if anyone will be so pertinacious in Error as to grant my Affirmative, and deny it from Ephesians 5.19. let them do it at their peril, there is no reasoning with them. Likewise, what one Church of Christ may do as part of God's Worship, all others may do the same. Now the Church of Christ at Colosse had a Precept given them to sing Vocally, and Socially, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, as part of God's Worship, so have all the Churches of Christ in the World to the end thereof, all this stands together against all Opposition.
Nor is one or other of the Churches told that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, should be an extemporary Gift, instantly revealed as they were together in their Church-Meeting, and sung all of it by that Person only to whom by the Spirit that Gift was given, nor forbid to sing all; or that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in the Holy Scripture, must not be sung in the Church, which seeing they had been in constant use afore, and were no Type nor Shadow, must th [...]refore be continued. And furthermore, I will again put the case, That there were but one Instance of an Infant Baptized, would not all esteem that Man mad and out of his Wits, that should deny it to be practiced now, though it had been done by the greatest Spiritual gifted Person in the Primitive Times? And would not all Men rather conclude, the greater the Minister, the greater is the Confirmation and Approbation of the thing practiced?
Wherefore, I say, seeing you grant that Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, in the Worship of God in the Primitive Times, let the Persons be what they will; then it is the greater Confirmation of the practice, and is so far from taking it away, that it both seals the Truth and Authority of the Continuance of it unto the end of the World, as being that, which among other things, Christ commanded his Disciples to teach the Observation of.
All your Alligations are no better than those of the Non-Churchers, who deny either Baptism, Breaking of Bread, and all Ordinances of Christ to be observed and practiced by any in our Days. And they say that because Christ and his Apostles, by miraculous Power, preached and administered Baptism, and other Ordinances in the Churches in their Times, that we should impose it on all Men and Women now as binding and constant, and shew not alike Power: we do, they say, impose that Authority on them we never had, because we have not the like Power; and could we shew them it, they would readily submit to all the things we practice, could they see such Administrators. All that do these things now run afore they are sent, and act without Commission, they being only Spiritual gifted extraordinary Persons that were so commissioned, and could work Miracles, and they wait for God sending such.
The Ranters in their time said, God was gone out of Scripture-Forms, and therefore they ought not to be observed. The Quakers, their Successors, said, Scripture-Forms are Shells without Kernels, and Shadows without Substances, and not to be observed. Most of what you say against Scriptural Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, sung in the Church, is like all this; I wish you may make a good Retreat, for you are on a Precipice, and all that admire you—: for you ought not to take upon your self to deny that in one Church, which you confess to be in another by the Lord's Allowance; you to confess Singing to be a Primitive Practice in the Churches in the Worship of God, and deny its Continuance, all the miraculous Spiritual Gifts did confirm to us all the Duties which God required the Churches to practice.
Now, inasmuch as you confess that God doth not require more of his Church and People than he hath given them Abilities to perform, pag. 43. it being irrefragably proved, that God doth require all his Church, throughout all Ages, to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; it doth likewise confirm and assure us, that he hath given them Abilities and Qualifications to perform it, tho not that which you run upon, and would have, yet that which doth sufficiently, and to God acceptably, answer his Requirement, which is his Churches Patrimony, that you labor to deprive her of, but shall never prevail.
The next is your Demonstration in Six Particulars, viz.1. Of the Essence or Being of Singing.
2. Of David's Psalms.
3. Of Prescribed Precomposed Songs and Hymns.
4. Of Women Singing.
5. Of the Order of Singing.
6. Of Scripture and other Objections.
1. The Essence of Singing. What you would have by this new coined Appellation of the Essence: sure I am I have heard your Notion counted a dull Invention for it. Do you know what your Assertion about the Essence of Duties being in the Heart or Spirit, doth and may tend to? even to the exclusion of all vocal discharge or external Performance of every Ordinance of Christ; but especially your absurd and vile Notion about the Essence of Sin is to be abhorred, as leading into such an Error that your weak-head cannot perceive, nor are you aware of. God deliver our People from such a Teacher. All I can gather about it is, that whether Singing, Prayer, or Teaching, &c. and you do grant all three to have been in the Primitive Church, that except they be first truly rooted in the Heart, whatsoever is in the Tongue only, is not acceptable to God: And that many times all three may be inwardly in the Heart, in the Substance of them, it must be understood; for there is no need to draw them forth in length between our Heart and God, to speak to him, as must and ought to be to one another; for Prayer and Singing as well as Teaching is to be used outwardly for Edification. I see little in this first Particular but noise, and impertinent Expositions and Quotations; all signifies nothing in those four Pages, except you could prove that Singing ought to be Mental, which we deny; for indeed that is no proper Singing at all: for though there is a mental Praying, yet no proper mental Singing, which you do not it seems to understand, or otherwise will not grant; though all Mankind generally as one Man will tell you 'tis so: All are agreed about proper Singing, i. e. what a kind of Act it is of the bodily Organ, as they are agreed, what Speaking, Reading, Preaching or Crying is, &c. though you are not: the Objections you make, and Answers are insignificant.
2. Of David's Psalms. You say there was no Institution of Singing before David's time (that word Institution is not in Scripture, not that I gain-say its use if pertinently placed. I have affirmed Psalms and Songs were appointed to be sung, and commanded before David's time, in Worship to God, and that is as sufficient as any Institution can be; so that your Denial is of no value, nor all you say about wilderness-State, or your Notion in Parallels between Israel after the Flesh in all the time afore David, and so with the Gospel. Israel all the time till Christ's Second Coming, and between David's and Solomon's time, and the seventh thousand Years reign, which is but Conceit, and not for to establish Ordinances nor our worshipping of God upon, no more than that very little time of Solomon's Temple top-Glory could be a Type of as little time of the Glory you promise your self.
But that Singing should be a Type, and all the time till David a Type, and David's Psalms a Type; and all the time from Christ's coming in the Flesh a Type, till his second Coming. Moses's Tabernacle was a Temple, 1 Sam. 3.3. In New Jerusalem there shall be no Temple; for whatsoever any may think about a thousand years Reign on this Earth, and Christ's personal Presence all that time, yet it is no Article of Faith on which Communion depends, nor the Lord's present Worship. I say, all Types were fulfilled in Christ, who was and is the Body of all Shadows: and whatsoever did annul the Tabernacle and its Appurtenances which Moses made, did also annul and dissolve Solomon's Temple, and all its Top-glory. I have seen Men, and to my sorrow their Madness, who begun after this rate, and at length taught that the Jews must possess the Land of literal Canaan, and build a third Temple, prophesied of by Ezekiel, and offer all the Sacrifices, and observe the whole Law, till the Messiah's coming to reign, and should sing too (though we may not:) and I can tell what End they made.
Some make a great doe with personal Reign and 1000 years as if the knowledge thereof was of such import and concernment, and obliging to Duties and mighty Matters, as nothing like it; and whatever is their Text, that is their Faith and Doctrine too. But I see no such Cause nor Consequence: for it is not likely that a thousand Pounds can do more with them than infinite thousands of Pounds can not. If eternal Life, and infinite Blessedness, which will have no end, prevail not, I despair that 1000 years should, except Persons be conceitedly affected with sensible and ending Objects, and visible corporal Things, and pleasing carnal Enjoyments, the Delights whereof the like Nature can take in and apprehend; but such as are invisible Realities and eternal, they have no suitable Principle to, nor satisfactory Apprehensions of: And therefore from such Ideas as correspond therewith, like Tempe, Elyzium, Helicon, Parnassus, and the Turks Paradise, and the Jews present hopes that when their Messiah comes, they shall be made Lords, and enjoy all worldly Enjoyments above other Nations, and feasted on Behemoth, Zis, and the Wine of Paradise. Carnal things suit carnal Minds, which have induced some into irregular Courses. And yet this I will say more: and how far your Notions tend that way, which have no ground and fewer fruits to Edification, but are Notions taking up Mens Minds and Time too from practical Doctrines: And I care not who knows it, That I had rather be ignorant of some things God may give his Saints hereafter than be ignorant or negligent in what is my present duty to do. It is not for want what to say, that I pass many of your Lines, but because they are crude; and I am tired with your obtruding, by a huge pretense of Zeal, those things upon us.
3. As to prescribed Songs and Hymns, and precomposed, I shall say little; let them that either use them or are for them, answer for themselves: Yet I do not see anything you have offered to amount to a solid Confutation, as you may hear more when I come to 1 Cor. 14. So I shall pass at present your third Particular; for whatever Truth you oppose, your many Arguments and Proofs against it signifies nothing.
4. Of Women Singing, &c. You say, ‘That Women ought neither to teach nor pray vocally in the Church of Christ, is generally believed by all Orthodox Christians, and say it is asserted from 1 Cor. 14.34, 35.’
But we must consider who you call Orthodox, &c. If you mean such as agree in Fundamentals of Faith, though they differ in Ordinances, then you take in for Orthodox Episcopacy, Presbyterians, Independents, &c. who all are for Women singing in the Church, and teaching too, if singing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs be teaching, as it is in your sense, else they are none of them Orthodox, or else all are not against Womens singing and teaching in the Church, for they are for Women singing in the Church.
But if you will restrain the word Orthodox Christians unto some certain Professors distinct from them all, (and account them Heterodox) then you steal away in a Presumption not hinted, and is next to a strange Tongue: For if you say the first, you are false to your own knowledge, and all Orthodox Christians do not generally believe it, but otherwise; else that Women singing in the Church Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, as part of God's Worship, is not that Teaching in the Church which they are forbidden to do.
Women are under heavy Circumstances if all spiritual things some imagine are to be imposed upon them; and what they are winked at in Civils, which is forbidden in the Word of God, 'tis no marvel they are of so little account, and useless in the Church.
Yet Women do speak and teach in the Church and must do so in their giving an account of their Conversion and their Faith, sometimes long and excellently too, and exceeding some Men, teaching by experience, in telling what God hath done for their Souls, and in giving their Evidence and Witness to Accusations in the Rule of Discipline, where some teachers and speak notably, and reprove soundly also, and give information that cannot be gain-said; and yet this neither clashes nor necessarily destroys the Word of God, nor leaves us without a Rule of Worship, though it may Mens Ignorance: None of those Teachings or Speakings are such as Women are forbidden, or commanded to learn in silence with subjection. And they speak in the Church when they tell the next to them the Proofs which were quoted; this is familiar, and yet breaks no Rule; of what you pretend (if you have not spoken the Truth, you are at a loss how to find it) so you be in more things than this. For it is evident you confound things, not minding Matters contained in the Word of God, which is such a sweet Harmony, as there is no Absurdity nor Contradiction in it.
There is Teaching which Women are forbidden in the Church, and yet Teaching which they are not forbidden in the Church, and there is learning in silence, and a learning vocally, which Women are allowed as abovesaid: likewise out of the Church they may pray and prophesy too if they are covered: How should it be a shame for them to be uncovered, if no Men see them, nor hear them? And what can a Woman do with her Hair on, if the Place where it groweth be not covered with it, none can tell? which cannot be meant but of someplace where it grows not, viz. the Face.
Pag. 22. Your fifth Particular, which is of the Order of Singing, (this you say) ‘We have plainly and clearly delivered in 1 Cor. 14.26 to 34. How is it then, Brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation: let all things be done to edifying.’
Here you say we have plain and clear the Order of Singing, &c. I say, If it be, you have not left it so, &c. That we may have what is given us therein, take it first as it is in the Original, viz. [...].
How is it, Brethren? when you come together, every one of you; this word, [...], everyone, is only read in the Singular Number, of [...], not near, but separate, as one Man is from another, in fifteen places in the New-Testament: and it includes each and all, and that without exception, except it is made, 1 Thess. 2.11. Eph. 4.16. Rev. 20.13. Phil. 2.4. which is the same word for every in all the places: [...], hath, it is near 130 times in the Present Tense [hath] in the New-Testament, and in no other sense as [...]. So that from the Notation of the word [hath], and the following intimation in the 30th Verse, which admits, that if anything is revealed to him that sitteth by, there is a manifestation between hath and what might be; therefore [hath] doth positively import, that at the Church's coming together, these five things specified in Vers. 26, were or might be in some or all of the Church-Members, even at their first coming together: for it is not said, if any of these be revealed, but, every one of you hath; those Particulars were enjoined afore, they might come already furnished with some or all of them: So that it appears, they were not then in the time of their Meeting, as extraordinary Gifts immediately given, or to be depended upon to be immediately given or received; for if so, the Text is no directive to the constant Worship of God, but to some extraordinary kind. Then I observe, that some or all the Church Members were furnished and prepared aforehand, and [had] even at their coming together, a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation; all which, for the constant Worship of God, which they were in such a manner to communicate, use, and improve in the Church now met, to God's Glory, and their own Edification, and Conviction of Unbelievers.
They had a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation, all ready to use and improve, else they might have, and depend on, or expect Silent-Meetings, for the Lord gives his Blessings to Saints in their private Meditations, Reading, Studying, Prayers and Converse, in increasing and multiplying Graces and Knowledge of himself, upon chewing the Cud, contemplating upon what they have been taught, seeking, asking, knocking, unto which great Promises are annexed, and fulfilled, and the Grounds and Substances of most precious Truths are received and digested before the Church meets, according as God distributes unto every one; so that some or all may have a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation, to use in the constant Worship of God; for God gives these ordinary Gifts when and to whom he pleases, and is not tied to give them when the Church is all met together only; we are tied to Means, and expect his Blessing in the Use.
Wherefore as that called Doctrine cannot be denied to be an ordinary and constant Gift or Means in the Church, and by all allowed to be digested, and one may or hath it as soon as the Church is met, because, as afore, it follows that the other Four are likewise to be in readiness even as that, or else that is all that is to be in readiness, and the ordinary and constant use in the Church; or else if the other Four are extraordinary, and immediately to be received in the instant of being met, so must Doctrine also: And this plain Text is Direction for extraordinary Gifts only, and none else, from first to last; and ordinary Gifts and constant Worship are not here to be found. But I am not of that mind, but that it is all of it respecting the ordinary and constant Worship of God in his Church, as met together in all Ages to the end of the World; therefore I must sort it a little, laying the word Psalm and Doctrine a little by, the last is not gainsaid, and speak unto the latter three, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation.
What, hath a Tongue; I say, this is by a Metonymy of the instrumental Cause and is put for Speech or Language, yea, a strange Tongue, (though the word Strange be not there) a Tongue which few or none might understand. But now whether this must be of necessity understood an immediate Gift here, because such there was, while the Church was met together, or such a Tongue, as were either Learned, for there might be as well Learned as Unlearned, or a Tongue naturally spoken, and yet strange to all, most, or some? The first it could not only respect, for then all the five Particulars may as well be so accounted extraordinary immediately given, and Prophesy and Prophets too in the after Verses, for such there were also in that time. But there were then also Teachers, Prophecy, Revelations, Interpretations in an ordinary manner, and is so still, (so must there be Singing too).
And a Saint of a strange Tongue, according to his Notion, may, upon occasion, be at an Assembly, and have a Gift to speak, but being where none can, interpret, he must keep silence there, and speak to himself and to God at another time, and give attendance to the Ordinances there, as if he had no Gift at all, according as he can understand them, else it will be confusion. I see no Objection but what will lie against the Text.
And if it comes to pass that there are Saints which cannot understand one anothers Tongue, so as what is taught, the Benefit should redound alike to either: And this might happen in Greece, where Corinth was; there were six Dialects in Greece, and each a strange Tongue to one another in very many words, and difference in the same word, either in [...]he Letters, Pronunciation, or Accents, or Syntax, all which must not be demonstrated here, viz. the Attick, Ionick, Dorick, Aeolick, Boetick, and Poetick: Yea, in our Britain there are many natural Dialects, as besides the little Islands adjacent, Cornwal, Wales, and South and North-Wales differ, so as they must have Interpreters to one another; and Scotch, English, and ours differ, and even in England too: And in Wales there is intermixture of both, so that at this day, where it doth happen that the Preacher speaks in the Welch Tongue, and there be but one English-man or other that understands it not, he must interpret every word in the English Tongue; and if the most part be English, and he speaks in that Tongue, he must also repeat verbatim all in the Welch Tongue, for their sakes that are there; which must be done, though tedious, according to this Rule, 1 Cor. 14.26. And these things I give for irrefragable Instances; wherefore if strange Tongues were not ordinary, and still to be spoken in the Church, some now might not speak nor hear; therefore the Holy Spirit requires it be not forbidden, Vers. 39. as foreseeing the necessity always of it.
Has a Revelation: This Greek word signifies a Declaration, Discovering, making Manifest, a Revealing. And this must be either extraordinary, foretelling things to come, or infallibly making known some Truth or practical Duty, which was not known or revealed afore, or ordinary, viz. An ability to open and prove, by God's Word, all or somewhat infallibly, all which some in the Church had already received, and might increase in Persons and Matter, as Vers. 30. and of which all might judge, which this latter sense might fall under. The first is not only removed afore, and further by this, That the Church is no Judg of infallible Revelations, but must receive them on the Author's account, the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore hath a Revelation, is also an ordinary Ability to declare, discover, and make manifest, what through the use of Means one hath attained for Edification or Interpretation, Vers. 6.
We must let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all Wisdom, &c. Richly, [...], Plusios, the Adverb, richly, or plentifully, [...], o, Plutos, Riches, Wealth, of [...], Polu, much; and, [...], Etos, a Year; because Riches is the return of many Years gathering; so the Word of Christ must dwell in us richly in all Wisdom, in all our plentiful Gatherings which we are made partakers of, in Reading, Praying, Meditating, Study, Hearing, Singing, holy Converse thrô the Assistance of the Holy Spirit: in the use of such means is this Riches and Wealth gathered pretentiously and enjoyed and kept. Nor were any Proficients herein, that did either despise those Duties and Means, or were careless, or had little Conscience about them, Mat. 7.7, 8. Joh. 5.39. So also David sang, Psal. 19.7, 8, 9. and sung again in the 13th part of the 119th Psalm, and again otherwhere.
And [Let] is an Injunction to all Saints to use all the means as aforesaid, gathering the returns thereof, laying it up in our Hearts plentifully, in all Wisdom, improving it when we are holy careful to dispense it in fit Seasons to God's Glory; it is to dwell, co-habit, and abide, continue, in all fulness, out of the Library of Christ's Word, which is the Word of God, the holy Scriptures, through the assistance of his Spirit: It is our School and School-master, to teach us when and how to pray, when and what to read, to profit, when and what to meditate, when and what to sing, when and what to speak and hear; this is the Fountain whereof the Prophet sings, Isa. 12. With Joy draw ye Waters out of the Fountain of Salvation.
Thirdly; The Holy Scripture is the Fountain and Word of Christ, and especial means under him, as aforesaid, from which may flow this rich fulness in Wisdom, to teach and admonish one another even in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs therein contained, and that in singing with Voice and Grace in our Hearts to the Lord.
And here I affirm that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, which are in the Library of Canonical Scripture, are those which Saints should sing socially as part of God's Worship to him. First, I shall prove Social Singing by Holy Scripture, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, to be intended in both these Texts, Ephes. and Coloss. under Consideration. Secondly, Give some Essays on what it is to sing with Grace in our Hearts, and make Melody in our Hearts to the Lord, towards the latter end of this Discourse.
1. By Social Singing, I mean Saints, as Saints, tho they be not all Ministring Brethren if some of them be, yet they are no other in my Intention here; (yet I shall reckon with such in Office, as you have it hereafter.)
Prayer, Singing, Preaching, Communion at the Lord's Table, Collection, and Discipline, are the permanent standing Ordinances of the Church of Christ, without exception to be made against any one of them, only Singing is called in question, wherefore I shall mainly speak to it; wherefore these two Texts Ephes. 5. and Coloss. 3. do require a Social Singing, as well as a Vocal Singing, which is confessed on Coloss. tho restrained to a Ministring Brother as his Work and Office: I have already proved it to be commanded to the whole Church. Now that in the Church at Colosse Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, may be sung vocally (as is confessed) and in the Church at Ephesus, they must not (as is denied); but the speaking and singing must be inwardly in the Heart, in vocal Voice heard, keeping silence in the Church, is a fond Conceit: For why should not one Church of Christ have allowance to have Singing vocally, and not another as well? And seeing there is neither difference in the Things to be sung, both Places say the same, viz. Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, and both require the like Singing and making Melody in the Heart to the Lord, wherefore it must be Ignorance (or worse) that shall limit one short of the other: and the Grant to one is to both, and [...]ll else. And I affirm to all Men loving Truth and Honesty whatsoever; that whatsoever one Church of Christ may do acceptably to God in a matter of practice, as part of his Worship, all other Churches of Christ may, yea ought to do, if they can, the same.
So then I have it against all Contradiction, that the Church at Ephesus had the same Priviledg as the Church at Colosse; any, if anyone will be so pertinacious in Error as to grant my Affirmative, and deny it from Ephesians 5.19. let them do it at their peril, there is no reasoning with them. Likewise, what one Church of Christ may do as part of God's Worship, all others may do the same. Now the Church of Christ at Colosse had a Precept given them to sing Vocally, and Socially, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, as part of God's Worship, so have all the Churches of Christ in the World to the end thereof, all this stands together against all Opposition.
Nor is one or other of the Churches told that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, should be an extemporary Gift, instantly revealed as they were together in their Church-Meeting, and sung all of it by that Person only to whom by the Spirit that Gift was given, nor forbid to sing all; or that the Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs in the Holy Scripture, must not be sung in the Church, which seeing they had been in constant use afore, and were no Type nor Shadow, must th [...]refore be continued. And furthermore, I will again put the case, That there were but one Instance of an Infant Baptized, would not all esteem that Man mad and out of his Wits, that should deny it to be practiced now, though it had been done by the greatest Spiritual gifted Person in the Primitive Times? And would not all Men rather conclude, the greater the Minister, the greater is the Confirmation and Approbation of the thing practiced?
Wherefore, I say, seeing you grant that Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, in the Worship of God in the Primitive Times, let the Persons be what they will; then it is the greater Confirmation of the practice, and is so far from taking it away, that it both seals the Truth and Authority of the Continuance of it unto the end of the World, as being that, which among other things, Christ commanded his Disciples to teach the Observation of.
All your Alligations are no better than those of the Non-Churchers, who deny either Baptism, Breaking of Bread, and all Ordinances of Christ to be observed and practiced by any in our Days. And they say that because Christ and his Apostles, by miraculous Power, preached and administered Baptism, and other Ordinances in the Churches in their Times, that we should impose it on all Men and Women now as binding and constant, and shew not alike Power: we do, they say, impose that Authority on them we never had, because we have not the like Power; and could we shew them it, they would readily submit to all the things we practice, could they see such Administrators. All that do these things now run afore they are sent, and act without Commission, they being only Spiritual gifted extraordinary Persons that were so commissioned, and could work Miracles, and they wait for God sending such.
The Ranters in their time said, God was gone out of Scripture-Forms, and therefore they ought not to be observed. The Quakers, their Successors, said, Scripture-Forms are Shells without Kernels, and Shadows without Substances, and not to be observed. Most of what you say against Scriptural Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, sung in the Church, is like all this; I wish you may make a good Retreat, for you are on a Precipice, and all that admire you—: for you ought not to take upon your self to deny that in one Church, which you confess to be in another by the Lord's Allowance; you to confess Singing to be a Primitive Practice in the Churches in the Worship of God, and deny its Continuance, all the miraculous Spiritual Gifts did confirm to us all the Duties which God required the Churches to practice.
Now, inasmuch as you confess that God doth not require more of his Church and People than he hath given them Abilities to perform, pag. 43. it being irrefragably proved, that God doth require all his Church, throughout all Ages, to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs; it doth likewise confirm and assure us, that he hath given them Abilities and Qualifications to perform it, tho not that which you run upon, and would have, yet that which doth sufficiently, and to God acceptably, answer his Requirement, which is his Churches Patrimony, that you labor to deprive her of, but shall never prevail.
The next is your Demonstration in Six Particulars, viz.1. Of the Essence or Being of Singing.
2. Of David's Psalms.
3. Of Prescribed Precomposed Songs and Hymns.
4. Of Women Singing.
5. Of the Order of Singing.
6. Of Scripture and other Objections.
1. The Essence of Singing. What you would have by this new coined Appellation of the Essence: sure I am I have heard your Notion counted a dull Invention for it. Do you know what your Assertion about the Essence of Duties being in the Heart or Spirit, doth and may tend to? even to the exclusion of all vocal discharge or external Performance of every Ordinance of Christ; but especially your absurd and vile Notion about the Essence of Sin is to be abhorred, as leading into such an Error that your weak-head cannot perceive, nor are you aware of. God deliver our People from such a Teacher. All I can gather about it is, that whether Singing, Prayer, or Teaching, &c. and you do grant all three to have been in the Primitive Church, that except they be first truly rooted in the Heart, whatsoever is in the Tongue only, is not acceptable to God: And that many times all three may be inwardly in the Heart, in the Substance of them, it must be understood; for there is no need to draw them forth in length between our Heart and God, to speak to him, as must and ought to be to one another; for Prayer and Singing as well as Teaching is to be used outwardly for Edification. I see little in this first Particular but noise, and impertinent Expositions and Quotations; all signifies nothing in those four Pages, except you could prove that Singing ought to be Mental, which we deny; for indeed that is no proper Singing at all: for though there is a mental Praying, yet no proper mental Singing, which you do not it seems to understand, or otherwise will not grant; though all Mankind generally as one Man will tell you 'tis so: All are agreed about proper Singing, i. e. what a kind of Act it is of the bodily Organ, as they are agreed, what Speaking, Reading, Preaching or Crying is, &c. though you are not: the Objections you make, and Answers are insignificant.
2. Of David's Psalms. You say there was no Institution of Singing before David's time (that word Institution is not in Scripture, not that I gain-say its use if pertinently placed. I have affirmed Psalms and Songs were appointed to be sung, and commanded before David's time, in Worship to God, and that is as sufficient as any Institution can be; so that your Denial is of no value, nor all you say about wilderness-State, or your Notion in Parallels between Israel after the Flesh in all the time afore David, and so with the Gospel. Israel all the time till Christ's Second Coming, and between David's and Solomon's time, and the seventh thousand Years reign, which is but Conceit, and not for to establish Ordinances nor our worshipping of God upon, no more than that very little time of Solomon's Temple top-Glory could be a Type of as little time of the Glory you promise your self.
But that Singing should be a Type, and all the time till David a Type, and David's Psalms a Type; and all the time from Christ's coming in the Flesh a Type, till his second Coming. Moses's Tabernacle was a Temple, 1 Sam. 3.3. In New Jerusalem there shall be no Temple; for whatsoever any may think about a thousand years Reign on this Earth, and Christ's personal Presence all that time, yet it is no Article of Faith on which Communion depends, nor the Lord's present Worship. I say, all Types were fulfilled in Christ, who was and is the Body of all Shadows: and whatsoever did annul the Tabernacle and its Appurtenances which Moses made, did also annul and dissolve Solomon's Temple, and all its Top-glory. I have seen Men, and to my sorrow their Madness, who begun after this rate, and at length taught that the Jews must possess the Land of literal Canaan, and build a third Temple, prophesied of by Ezekiel, and offer all the Sacrifices, and observe the whole Law, till the Messiah's coming to reign, and should sing too (though we may not:) and I can tell what End they made.
Some make a great doe with personal Reign and 1000 years as if the knowledge thereof was of such import and concernment, and obliging to Duties and mighty Matters, as nothing like it; and whatever is their Text, that is their Faith and Doctrine too. But I see no such Cause nor Consequence: for it is not likely that a thousand Pounds can do more with them than infinite thousands of Pounds can not. If eternal Life, and infinite Blessedness, which will have no end, prevail not, I despair that 1000 years should, except Persons be conceitedly affected with sensible and ending Objects, and visible corporal Things, and pleasing carnal Enjoyments, the Delights whereof the like Nature can take in and apprehend; but such as are invisible Realities and eternal, they have no suitable Principle to, nor satisfactory Apprehensions of: And therefore from such Ideas as correspond therewith, like Tempe, Elyzium, Helicon, Parnassus, and the Turks Paradise, and the Jews present hopes that when their Messiah comes, they shall be made Lords, and enjoy all worldly Enjoyments above other Nations, and feasted on Behemoth, Zis, and the Wine of Paradise. Carnal things suit carnal Minds, which have induced some into irregular Courses. And yet this I will say more: and how far your Notions tend that way, which have no ground and fewer fruits to Edification, but are Notions taking up Mens Minds and Time too from practical Doctrines: And I care not who knows it, That I had rather be ignorant of some things God may give his Saints hereafter than be ignorant or negligent in what is my present duty to do. It is not for want what to say, that I pass many of your Lines, but because they are crude; and I am tired with your obtruding, by a huge pretense of Zeal, those things upon us.
3. As to prescribed Songs and Hymns, and precomposed, I shall say little; let them that either use them or are for them, answer for themselves: Yet I do not see anything you have offered to amount to a solid Confutation, as you may hear more when I come to 1 Cor. 14. So I shall pass at present your third Particular; for whatever Truth you oppose, your many Arguments and Proofs against it signifies nothing.
4. Of Women Singing, &c. You say, ‘That Women ought neither to teach nor pray vocally in the Church of Christ, is generally believed by all Orthodox Christians, and say it is asserted from 1 Cor. 14.34, 35.’
But we must consider who you call Orthodox, &c. If you mean such as agree in Fundamentals of Faith, though they differ in Ordinances, then you take in for Orthodox Episcopacy, Presbyterians, Independents, &c. who all are for Women singing in the Church, and teaching too, if singing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs be teaching, as it is in your sense, else they are none of them Orthodox, or else all are not against Womens singing and teaching in the Church, for they are for Women singing in the Church.
But if you will restrain the word Orthodox Christians unto some certain Professors distinct from them all, (and account them Heterodox) then you steal away in a Presumption not hinted, and is next to a strange Tongue: For if you say the first, you are false to your own knowledge, and all Orthodox Christians do not generally believe it, but otherwise; else that Women singing in the Church Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, as part of God's Worship, is not that Teaching in the Church which they are forbidden to do.
Women are under heavy Circumstances if all spiritual things some imagine are to be imposed upon them; and what they are winked at in Civils, which is forbidden in the Word of God, 'tis no marvel they are of so little account, and useless in the Church.
Yet Women do speak and teach in the Church and must do so in their giving an account of their Conversion and their Faith, sometimes long and excellently too, and exceeding some Men, teaching by experience, in telling what God hath done for their Souls, and in giving their Evidence and Witness to Accusations in the Rule of Discipline, where some teachers and speak notably, and reprove soundly also, and give information that cannot be gain-said; and yet this neither clashes nor necessarily destroys the Word of God, nor leaves us without a Rule of Worship, though it may Mens Ignorance: None of those Teachings or Speakings are such as Women are forbidden, or commanded to learn in silence with subjection. And they speak in the Church when they tell the next to them the Proofs which were quoted; this is familiar, and yet breaks no Rule; of what you pretend (if you have not spoken the Truth, you are at a loss how to find it) so you be in more things than this. For it is evident you confound things, not minding Matters contained in the Word of God, which is such a sweet Harmony, as there is no Absurdity nor Contradiction in it.
There is Teaching which Women are forbidden in the Church, and yet Teaching which they are not forbidden in the Church, and there is learning in silence, and a learning vocally, which Women are allowed as abovesaid: likewise out of the Church they may pray and prophesy too if they are covered: How should it be a shame for them to be uncovered, if no Men see them, nor hear them? And what can a Woman do with her Hair on, if the Place where it groweth be not covered with it, none can tell? which cannot be meant but of someplace where it grows not, viz. the Face.
Pag. 22. Your fifth Particular, which is of the Order of Singing, (this you say) ‘We have plainly and clearly delivered in 1 Cor. 14.26 to 34. How is it then, Brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation: let all things be done to edifying.’
Here you say we have plain and clear the Order of Singing, &c. I say, If it be, you have not left it so, &c. That we may have what is given us therein, take it first as it is in the Original, viz. [...].
How is it, Brethren? when you come together, every one of you; this word, [...], everyone, is only read in the Singular Number, of [...], not near, but separate, as one Man is from another, in fifteen places in the New-Testament: and it includes each and all, and that without exception, except it is made, 1 Thess. 2.11. Eph. 4.16. Rev. 20.13. Phil. 2.4. which is the same word for every in all the places: [...], hath, it is near 130 times in the Present Tense [hath] in the New-Testament, and in no other sense as [...]. So that from the Notation of the word [hath], and the following intimation in the 30th Verse, which admits, that if anything is revealed to him that sitteth by, there is a manifestation between hath and what might be; therefore [hath] doth positively import, that at the Church's coming together, these five things specified in Vers. 26, were or might be in some or all of the Church-Members, even at their first coming together: for it is not said, if any of these be revealed, but, every one of you hath; those Particulars were enjoined afore, they might come already furnished with some or all of them: So that it appears, they were not then in the time of their Meeting, as extraordinary Gifts immediately given, or to be depended upon to be immediately given or received; for if so, the Text is no directive to the constant Worship of God, but to some extraordinary kind. Then I observe, that some or all the Church Members were furnished and prepared aforehand, and [had] even at their coming together, a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation; all which, for the constant Worship of God, which they were in such a manner to communicate, use, and improve in the Church now met, to God's Glory, and their own Edification, and Conviction of Unbelievers.
They had a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation, all ready to use and improve, else they might have, and depend on, or expect Silent-Meetings, for the Lord gives his Blessings to Saints in their private Meditations, Reading, Studying, Prayers and Converse, in increasing and multiplying Graces and Knowledge of himself, upon chewing the Cud, contemplating upon what they have been taught, seeking, asking, knocking, unto which great Promises are annexed, and fulfilled, and the Grounds and Substances of most precious Truths are received and digested before the Church meets, according as God distributes unto every one; so that some or all may have a Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation, to use in the constant Worship of God; for God gives these ordinary Gifts when and to whom he pleases, and is not tied to give them when the Church is all met together only; we are tied to Means, and expect his Blessing in the Use.
Wherefore as that called Doctrine cannot be denied to be an ordinary and constant Gift or Means in the Church, and by all allowed to be digested, and one may or hath it as soon as the Church is met, because, as afore, it follows that the other Four are likewise to be in readiness even as that, or else that is all that is to be in readiness, and the ordinary and constant use in the Church; or else if the other Four are extraordinary, and immediately to be received in the instant of being met, so must Doctrine also: And this plain Text is Direction for extraordinary Gifts only, and none else, from first to last; and ordinary Gifts and constant Worship are not here to be found. But I am not of that mind, but that it is all of it respecting the ordinary and constant Worship of God in his Church, as met together in all Ages to the end of the World; therefore I must sort it a little, laying the word Psalm and Doctrine a little by, the last is not gainsaid, and speak unto the latter three, Tongue, Revelation, Interpretation.
What, hath a Tongue; I say, this is by a Metonymy of the instrumental Cause and is put for Speech or Language, yea, a strange Tongue, (though the word Strange be not there) a Tongue which few or none might understand. But now whether this must be of necessity understood an immediate Gift here, because such there was, while the Church was met together, or such a Tongue, as were either Learned, for there might be as well Learned as Unlearned, or a Tongue naturally spoken, and yet strange to all, most, or some? The first it could not only respect, for then all the five Particulars may as well be so accounted extraordinary immediately given, and Prophesy and Prophets too in the after Verses, for such there were also in that time. But there were then also Teachers, Prophecy, Revelations, Interpretations in an ordinary manner, and is so still, (so must there be Singing too).
And a Saint of a strange Tongue, according to his Notion, may, upon occasion, be at an Assembly, and have a Gift to speak, but being where none can, interpret, he must keep silence there, and speak to himself and to God at another time, and give attendance to the Ordinances there, as if he had no Gift at all, according as he can understand them, else it will be confusion. I see no Objection but what will lie against the Text.
And if it comes to pass that there are Saints which cannot understand one anothers Tongue, so as what is taught, the Benefit should redound alike to either: And this might happen in Greece, where Corinth was; there were six Dialects in Greece, and each a strange Tongue to one another in very many words, and difference in the same word, either in [...]he Letters, Pronunciation, or Accents, or Syntax, all which must not be demonstrated here, viz. the Attick, Ionick, Dorick, Aeolick, Boetick, and Poetick: Yea, in our Britain there are many natural Dialects, as besides the little Islands adjacent, Cornwal, Wales, and South and North-Wales differ, so as they must have Interpreters to one another; and Scotch, English, and ours differ, and even in England too: And in Wales there is intermixture of both, so that at this day, where it doth happen that the Preacher speaks in the Welch Tongue, and there be but one English-man or other that understands it not, he must interpret every word in the English Tongue; and if the most part be English, and he speaks in that Tongue, he must also repeat verbatim all in the Welch Tongue, for their sakes that are there; which must be done, though tedious, according to this Rule, 1 Cor. 14.26. And these things I give for irrefragable Instances; wherefore if strange Tongues were not ordinary, and still to be spoken in the Church, some now might not speak nor hear; therefore the Holy Spirit requires it be not forbidden, Vers. 39. as foreseeing the necessity always of it.
Has a Revelation: This Greek word signifies a Declaration, Discovering, making Manifest, a Revealing. And this must be either extraordinary, foretelling things to come, or infallibly making known some Truth or practical Duty, which was not known or revealed afore, or ordinary, viz. An ability to open and prove, by God's Word, all or somewhat infallibly, all which some in the Church had already received, and might increase in Persons and Matter, as Vers. 30. and of which all might judge, which this latter sense might fall under. The first is not only removed afore, and further by this, That the Church is no Judg of infallible Revelations, but must receive them on the Author's account, the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore hath a Revelation, is also an ordinary Ability to declare, discover, and make manifest, what through the use of Means one hath attained for Edification or Interpretation, Vers. 6.
Has an Interpretation; which is Can Expound, or an Explanation, 1 Cor. 12.10. John 1.39. Mat. 1.23. Luk. 24.27. where the same word is used, and may imply an ordinary ability or pre-received Gift, or Learned, as well as an instantly inspired in the time while met together; yea, the Church must know that one can interpret, afore they suffer one to speak in a strange Tongue. If this has no place here, then all those five Particulars are all extraordinary and miraculous Gifts, and instant Inspirations, and so felo de se, and no rule for ordinary, and most generally pre-conceived, and pre-received to Meetings, at least the Grounds of them; therefore all those particulars are so, and respect the same Gifts which Saints commonly have to edify one another, and not Inspirations, for there are no means ordinary to obtain extraordinary Gifts.
Let all things be done to edifying; which is, to build, or found a House; and by a Metaphor, to Admonish, to Correct, to cause one to profit. Now so must all those Particulars be used, that the whole House of God, his Church, may receive this Benefit, so they are not extraordinary, excepting ordinary, for they are all of them, not any more than of ordinary use in the Church, and for that they all are.
Now I will return to the two first, viz. Psalm, Doctrine. Every one of you hath a Psalm: Psalmon, a Psalm; I will let it go for a general Name of all singing to God, as Doctrine may go for all Teaching; and some of these five Particulars may be near of Kin one to another. But sure I may be, that what kind soever it is, it cannot be instantly inspired Singing, for the Reasons aforesaid; and also I think there were never such extraordinary Gifts used in Publick Worship, that a Psalm was extemporary, instantly, on a sudden inspired, and sung as fast as inspired in the Church; but it was received afore the Meeting began, and committed to writing by an infallible Prophet, and so committed unto the Church, for her Use and Edification; and they which expect otherwise must look for an infallible Prophet above all that has been yet, for anything I know. How easy is it for a People to be imposed upon by one who pretends to an extraordinary Gift, when it may be no more than a common, may be a natural Gift?
Wherefore I take [hath a Psalm] to be, as hath a Doctrine, (in some respects, though not all) then as Doctrine may be premeditated, so may a Psalm be preconceived; all the Particulars are the common Benefit of the Church and its Blessings for its Edification, of which there is no denial, and it may be feared there hath been too much formality in Prayer and Preaching too, and so in singing, that being as unlike to escape as other things, but that doth not null a Duty.
And thence I will affirm, that Psalms, &c. already in the Holy Scriptures, are every way to be preferred to and above what can be premeditated, or preconceived by anyone whatsoever; forasmuch as here, and our Saviour, and Paul and Silas; and in the Ephesians, Colossians, and James, the word is used in a general way, and not of any extemporary, or instantly inspired, it doth shew plainly all those Psalms were the then known Psalms already in use, and such as without hesitancy they might with Heart and Voice join together to sing: And they which do not condemn preconceived Doctrine, or Notes, may by no means do it against Scripture-Psalms, according to James, every particular Person might sing Psalms. For what is possible may be; so then everyone must have, or expect extraordinary, extemporary Inspirations, or they must betake themselves to ordinary prereceived preconceived Psalms, and Spiritual Songs. The first is not pretended, that it ever was or will be in this World; the latter then is the thing I seek for, and it cannot be denied me; and one of these two will follow, that either the Psalms, &c. which are already in the Scriptures, or those that can invite, and bring them into the Church for its edification, or else both. I indeed prefer the first, though I will not condemn the other till I hear what in them is amiss.
Nor dare I condemn the use of any Forms verbatim used in Publick, which hath been made by the Lord for the edification of his Church since the World began, (which were not typical) so they are used to edification, and decently, and in order. And I will shew my Opinion in Doctrine also, That the Teaching and Preaching of Christ and his Apostles or Disciples, were after the same manner, as are their Writings, using no strict nor topical Order, but freely passing, and suddenly, from one Matter to another, as the Spirit led them, the Grounds whereof they had afore Mat. 13.52.
And why cannot a spiritual Person as well choose a Scripture-Psalm, as choose a Text to speak, or a Chapter to expound, it being plain a Psalm is allowed, yea, commanded to be sung, and were sung in Private and Publick? Could not Believers under all the Types, &c. in the Law, be Spiritual to as high a degree as any now? They were commanded to sing Praises with understanding, Psal. 47.7. Wherefore as in many things, so in this, we are to use the directive Light of Nature, which Grace destroys not, but perfects it by supernatural Relief, whereby it becomes sufficient to guide us in those things, and the Obligation of the Church unto it immutably, for the ordering all its Affairs, as the Times and Seasons of her Assemblies, the Order and Decency wherein all things are to be transacted in them; the bounding of them as to the number of Saints, exceeding the proportion capable of Edification: Especially Advantages are to be made use of in the Order and Worship of the Church, such as are Methods in every Duty, in Preaching; what Translation in Psalms, which and what Tunes in singing; continuance in Publick Duties, and how oft the Lord's Supper, and the like: The things themselves being divinely appointed, are capable of such general Directions, in and by the Light of Nature, as with ordinary Christian Prudence be on all occasions applied and accommodated unto the Use, Practice, and Profit of the Church. This respect of the Gospel-Church-State unto the Light of Nature, the Holy Spirit demonstrates in his frequent Appeals unto it, in things which do belong unto Church-Order, 1 Cor. 7.29, 33. & 9.7, 11, 14, 15, 16. & 14.8, 9, 10, 11, 32, 33. notwithstanding the Commendations of the Wisdom and Gifts which they came not behind in.
And furthermore, this Epistle was not written or directed to Brethren in Office, if there were then any such, but to the Church as such, for there is no mention of any in Office; some were for Paul, some for Apollo, some for Cephas, and some for Christ; and such as were most fit, were with Paul at that time in the upper parts of Greece, 1 Cor. 16.15, 16, 17, 18. And the Conclusion saith, they were Assistants in writing this Epistle, there being a Church when there are not Brethren in Office, which is the Custos Rotulorum of all Divine Things to be observed. The Church is essential before its ordinary Officers, and cannot, as to its continuance, depend on any succession of theirs, which they have none but what is given unto them; and when they have such, I do not mean they should do anything without, or in distinction from them, but in concurrence, whence all may be esteemed the Acts of the whole Church, (see if you please Clemens Romanus his Epistle to this Church, in the second Century, celebrated for a venerable Work by all that read it, &c.)
There is no ground to conclude those Particulars to be only the Work of Ministering Brethren in Office. Also, it ought to be noted, Sing [...] the Praises of God, being always per [...]rmed in God's Worship, with united Voices, and not one Man to sing in the Church alone; it follows, that so it was, and ought to be practiced now, and was then in the Church of the Corinthians. And thus sang they in the Jewish Church, and thus Christ and his Apostles sang, and Paul and Silas, and this was and hath been the practice or manner of religious Singing always amongst the Godly in all Ages; no Instance can be given of one Man singing singly alone in the Church, either by an extraordinary or ordinary Spirit; nor can it be proved from this place, whatsoever Men dream or fancy to the contrary. O how vain and dangerous a Position is it to assert, none must or ought to discharge this Sacred Ordinance, unless with immediate Inspiration, or by an extraordinary Gift? for by the same Argument, none must nor ought to Preach, nor Pray neither, &c. unless miraculously and immediately inspired; 'tis known, some erroneous and deceived People have asserted the same things. Ordinances must be considered in their Administrations, according to the Nature and Quality, and how always performed: Thus this Mr. Marlow, like a poor ignorant and unwary Person, seems to justify and plead for the practice of those Impostors, called, The sweet Singers of Israel, who plead for one single person to sing in Publick Worship alone, and that too by Inspira [...]; both Matter and Mode must be all [...]mediately given to him, or else all his carnal or formal Worship, &c.
And now I come to the VIth, [Objections Answered.] I will be as brief as I can, because I suppose there are few but your own. I have proved, That Moses and the Children of Israel did sing together, Psal. 106.12. and that in Worship to God. And Moses did put the Lord's Songs in their Hearts, and in their Mouths, by Command, and all their Child [...] after them, Deut. 31.19, 21, 22. unto while they are a People. And Deborah and Barak sang both, Judg. 5.1. and no incongruity, the Holy Spirit saith it. Nor is it anything against our Singing, that formerly there were Musick or Tunes, or Sacrifices; their Faith was the same with ours, though it was not so plainly, yet it was savingly revealed. Singing Praises to God were no Figures nor Types, no more than their Faith by which they were accepted. Singing God's Praises were afore the Law, under the Law and the Gospel, and so no Type; nor was their Singing with Musick a Rule for us, for we have a Gospel-Command, which is our Rule, and so had they for what they did in that.
P. 26. Your Objections and Answers, many of them, are trifling; and your division between Israel's Wilderness-State, and David and Solomon's Temple-State, is your pleasant Dreams, a Chase which I have something else to do than to follow. Cant. 2.11, 12. [Birds] is not in the Original. Heb. 8.9. You make all things, building of the Tabernacle and first Testament, to be a Pattern or Figure of the Erection and Dedication of the Gospel-Church, &c. and make neither it nor Solomon's Temple to be a Figure of Christ, quite beside the Design of the Holy Spirit, and the Nature of the things: Christ is the Antitype of them all, and no Body can make these things what they were not like your self.
P. 29. Christ and his Disciples saith, the Holy Spirit did sing; when they had hymned, is the same. Let your Learned Men say what they please, few or none of them were of your Notion, against singing in the Church; and they which translated, sung a Hymn, were as learned as they: And as some of the old Translations read that Text Grace if you should preach only by that Translation, I know what you would be accounted of, or others you mention. I have seen a Translation which calls Solomon's Song, A Ballad of Ballads, and Paul the Knave of Jesus Christ; and I have seen Grace in Rhime. Nor will your Dutch Translation avail you more, than the French Protestants will me, which saith, Chante le Cantique, Mat. 26.30.
The like is your Instance about lifting up their Voice; as if Singular, which is not, because it is their Voice, which is Plural. There may be the Voice of a Multitude, In Rama was a Voice heard, which were Bethlehem and all the Coasts thereof, a Voice of all, for their Children which Herod slew from two Years old and under, Mat. 2.18. Rev. 9.9. The Voice of their Wings was as the sound of Chariots, of many Horses running to the Battel. [...], the same Greek word in all, Acts 2.6. [...], when this Voice was made, Margent, it was many spake it, and heard it; it could not be by one person, but many made this Voice, it being but one Matter; and Rev. 14.2. saith it clearly.
And see Numb. 21.3. Deut. 1.45. Judges. 20.13. Acts 19.34. Rev. 19.6. where Voice is the Speech of many: thus are we imposed upon by an Imagination; and I might have expected that because it is in Ephes. 5.19. said Heart not Hearts, that therefore it must be singular too; how it scaped is much; they could by one Spirit make one Voice, and lift up their Voice together. You run many dangerous Quibbles: it doth not necessitate the like in all publick Prayers, nor at any time except the free Operation of the Spirit, which may be without confusion; wherefore you have said nothing to confute a vocal Singing together but show your Weakness, &c.
And I assert a vocal Singing together from Mat. 26.30. and Acts 4.24. a vocal Praying together; and I will assert a prescribed Form of singing Psalms in the Scriptures, and yet avoid bringing in a prescribed Form of Prayer, invented either by you or any in our days, except you will prove your selves as infallible as Scripture; for the same Arguments will not promote one and the same, because they differ not a little in their Infallibility: for before the Law, and under it, Believers had prescribed Forms of Singing, but none of Prayer; and tho the Lord's Prayer be alleged for a Pattern, I fear too few understand it, and it would be intolerable Pride for any to forbid its use, or to prescribe a Form because Christ did so. It is dangerous to make that Negative which the holy Spirit makes Affirmative. Paul and Silas did both pray and sing Praise; Nature can do this, how much more they that are filled with the Spirit, which all Saints are required to be? The Prisoners did hear them, tho you will not: many have afore now learned Psalms, and can sing them together. To deny we ought to sing in a mixed Congregation, is so foolish and frivolous a Notion, that I need to say nothing to it: What have we to do with others, or to judge them who are without? Must not the Church sing Psalms, &c. and worship God together, because Strangers are assembled with them? If they must not sing God's Praises in such a Congregation, they must not pray then, because others will 'tis like, and daily do, join in their Hearts with the Church in that Ordinance, which is a closer Union than that of uniting the Voice: nay, we must not admit them so much as to say Amen to our Prayers if this were so. The Church is met together to worship God; and ought they to omit so great and God-glorifying an Ordinance, because some Unbelievers may be amongst them? If Sinners do that which they have no warrant to do, let them answer for it: you may as well forbid them to read the Psalms of David, &c. as not to sing them, Reading being also an Ordinance of God as well as Singing and Praying. They make the Psalm no more their own in singing it, than they do in reading it.
Pag. 36. You tell us that in this Life the Joys and Consolations of our Redemption-Grace are mixed with Sorrows for Sin, Temptations, Troubles, and Afflictions, which deprive us of the constant exercise of the Grace of Joy in our Souls, so that it is not a time to sing.
So had all the Saints from the beginning of the World since Sin entered into it, not David excepted, nor Christ nor his Disciples, nor Paul nor Silas, which sung under raw Stripes, unwashed or plaistered to mitigate their Pain; and the Church under the New Testament were under as ill Circumstances as any can be, and yet are commanded to sing Psalms, and to rejoice, and again to rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.
Indeed notwithstanding your great pretence to both knowledge and Power, you talk like one that is neither truly seasoned with Grace nor Experience in the true sense thereof, you do so confound things and jumble them, having gotten a Notion, but want that which you condemn others for. What different Seasons soever Joy and Sorrow and Affliction may have, they are not at such an unreconciled distance, but may meet in one day and less: We may mourn with them that mourn, and rejoice with them that rejoice, undeceived too.
Your Words rather enforce Saints to continue in their Unbelief, which is the cause of their want of Spirit and Joy, flattering compliance through their Weakness, perswading them their Case is worse than under the Law, who did sing under all their Doubtings, Despondencies, which were the way to quicken them, if Ordinances be: to sit in a doubting moping Condition as if to be truly religious were the most disconsolate Condition in the World, affrighting to such as are ignorant of it. A poor ignorant Saint hath more true Joy in any Condition than all the Hectors on the Earth. And as it is no reason that you have rejected singing Praise to the Lord many years, except your Humour must be an Example: some that are as serious as you, and talk as much, have rejected such things as you call Truth in your opinion as long; but as you began, you make an end, and so shall I.
By telling you, that though yourself and others may think you have done the Church or Truth service, what Gift soever you have, for my part I do seriously think you have done foully amiss, thrusting a crude and undigested thing with no advantage to your Talent, but many ways to the Scandal and Detriment of the Gospel, directly opposing what Christ hath commanded, which though I be sure of, yet would I not rashly censure those that modestly differ from me; for this Theme hath not been much controverted as yet that I have seen.
And you had done better afore you printed it, to have made Enquiry how many were otherwise minded, and where, and have sent it to them, to have had returns or approbation; but it is easy for Persons to be puffed up with their own conceit: I have admired at the Church at Corinth that had really such great Gifts and Parts among them, and yet even such were incapable to use them to real advantage for themselves or others, so no marvel what is now.
In the next place, I will propose something to this Subject, as I proposed, pag. 28.
That seeing singing Psalms in Praise to God, is both an ancient, commanded and commendable Work, which hath been truly proved, as we see through all Series of Times, from the beginning of the World, Christ, and his Apostles gave order for it, for the comfort of those which make conscience of it right in using it, doth abundantly prove it so to be.
This ought to provoke us to enquire, and that with all diligence, how this Worship may be solemnized by us aright; for much excellent Duty is spoiled in the observation of it; hearing, reading, praying, preaching, partaking at the Lord's Table, giving to the Poor, are all excellent things in themselves, holy Duties; but the simple doing of them is not enough, or all, no it is the least part of them; there may be a Praying which is Sin; reading, and not consider; hearing a savor of Death, partaking at the Lord's Table to Judgment; giving all to the Poor, and profit nothing.
Wherefore as in Singing, &c. so all our Duties ought to be done in Spirit and Truth, with Understanding and Grace in our Hearts to the Lord, we must in all our Duties have especial care to our Hearts, understand the inward Man thereby; to it, God looks directly; the Grace of the Heart, Spirit, and Understanding, is the same: It is a right understanding of that, and an entire desire to offer to God in his Worship what he requires; the Understanding must join fervently with what the Lips utter, Psal. 4.7. 1 Cor. 14.15
Consider, that singing Psalms is to be reverently performed for God's Glory and Honour, and not for the pleasing our selves, so that one must suit his inward Thoughts to the Matter; if it be of Praise to God, our Hearts must be elevated and chearful; if therein be Prayer, fervent; if threatning, great awe of God; if Deliverance, raised in hope; if Judgment, fear; if Duty, holy purpose to obey; if of Promises, to believe; of Prophecy, with attentive admiration of the Wisdom of God: thus may that be attained which is called Grace in the Heart to God, and with the Spirit and Understanding also, and in Spirit and Truth: it shall not be a Lip-service, an Exercise of Diversion, or Vanity, (as among many) but of Piety and true Worship to God, it will bring the whole Man in a right frame, and make the outward deportment such, as the reverence and gravity that such a sacred Work doth require; and the same is the tendency of all Ordinances whatsoever.
Wherefore as singing of Psalms is a Duty well-becoming the Lord's People in all Conditions, and of all Conditions in all Ages, as the due acknowledgment of his Kindness: It was one of King David's Jewels in his Crown, that he is still the sweet Singer of Israel; and we cannot but commend it in him, that he bound himself to it; and in commending it in him, we lay a necessity of it in our selves; for whatsoever things are honest, and of good report always, Phil. 4.8. How can we but think that all those Worthies above-mentioned, had not a most Heavenly Spirit, who was so much employed in this Divine Work? Doth it not sometimes raise our Hearts, when we do but read seriously those ravishing Songs of so-often repeated Praises, having nothing many times but Praises in their Mouths? How much would it rejoice and refresh our Hearts, to be skilled and accustomed in this heavenly Work our selves?
O, therefore, let God's Praise, be much in our Mouths; for in the Mouth of the upright, his Praise is comely, Psal. 33.1. Seven times a day did David praise him, Psal. 119.164. Yea, his Praise was continual of him, Psal. 71.6. And he that offereth Praise, glorifieth him, Psal. 50.23. Praise our God, for it is good; sing Praise, for it is pleasant, Psal. 135.3. & 147.1. Let us rejoice and triumph in his Praise, Psal. 106.47. Here is a further Benefit, we are confirmed in this Duty, we do it not at random; nor is it Will-worship, nor leadeth to Apostacy, we do it upon Certainty and Truth; we have encouragement in Private and Publick to observe it, it being a necessary Duty, not left to our Wills and Pleasures; it informs us in the Matter and Manner of the Psalms in the Holy Scripture, through the help of the Spirit making melody in our inward Man, that we may not, for want of so doing, bring the Duty into Contempt with God or Man. I advise, that such as will understand this, do read his Book with it, comparing together.
Now when I had finished these Animadversions, I was unawares, upon April 23, 1691. visited with an Appendix, consisting of 48 Pages; which assaults me with a pretense greatly tending to the clearing and confirmation of the Truth discoursed in the former Part, as the Preface of the first Part shows.
Verily, I am exceedingly burdened in my Thoughts, that such a Man had no better Conduct, than to print his first Part, till he had better consulted such as he might; but truly I am grieved at my Heart, that his Pretences being so high, he should force me to buy his first Part twice, or else I may not have his Appendix to answer. One may think he intends to make a Trade on it, to sell the same thing twice; he ought to have printed his Appendix by itself, if it must needs to be published, and not impose upon any, one thing twice: I do not like it, and he might have had a little patience to have seen how his first was resented before he troubled us with more, for which either he or I must be ashamed. I say, truly, to the best of my apprehension, he will get little, save some Money, for what he hath hung to his first book, as will appear when well considered.
In his first Section of it, he tells us, ‘That he shall premise, that to praise God, or praising of God, is not confined to Songs of Praise, but that there are other Ways and Manners of praising God, then with such melodious Singing.’ What an Invention is here, as strange as to see the Sunshine!
I will suppose he hath had always an Antagonist to seek, so that this is needless, and all he hath said to it, and Dr. Owen too, though I may not believe everything which either saith, no or from that Text Heb. 2.12. But although this worthy Author would not have God's Praise confined to Songs of Praise only, no more would anyone. What makes this for you, that would confine it from all Songs ever since Christianity began, if not a thousand Years afore, till a thousand Years Reign in any ordinary Gift or Manner: Thus did not Dr. Owen; and I tell you that you have abused him (and I fear your own Conscience) in your Quotation, for in your 5th Page, line 29, Appendix, you draw a black Line— betwixt God, and this; which if filled up, as it ought to have been, would have drawn a black Line upon your Book and Appendix, as the Reader shall see; the words you have left out are these following, viz. (to praise God) [for the Work of his Love, and Grace in our Redemption by Christ Jesus, This he promised to go before them in. And what he led them unto, is by them to be persisted in]. This indeed is the End of Church-gathering, and of all Duties that are performed therein and thereby.
Now all that had acquaintance with the Doctor, knows, that notwithstanding he would not have to praise God in the Church to be restrained to melodious singing God's Praise, yet he did own it a Duty which ought to be performed and persisted in, amongst others, to sing Praise to God with melodious Voice, in Private and Publick: And those words which you have left wittingly out, do of necessity imply it, what [Christ leads them unto, is by them to be persisted in]. Now Christ did lead his Church unto singing Praise to God, by his personal Example, and joining with them, Matth. 26.30. and commanded it in the Church as aforesaid; wherefore it is a Duty by them to be persisted in, as well as to praise God other ways; and sure I am, this was Dr. Owen's Judgment and Practice, which I will challenge anyone to disprove, both after this was printed as well as afore. And Dr. Owen's Labours, and unwearied Pains and Honesty, may not be abused by curtailing his Words and true Meaning; nor the Reader, who it's probable hath, not his Book to see whether he be wronged or not.
Dr. Owen would not have God's Praise to be restrained to Words and Hymns, particularly expressing it; but all Ordinances, Faith, and Obedience, ordered aright, to be giving Glory to God, and they must have more Confidence than Honesty that deny it. But here is no exception against praising God by particular Words and Hymns in God's Worship; wherefore you have beat the Air, or Dust into your Eyes, discovering a deceitful Pen.
And I may guess such is your Anger against particular Words and Hymns of Praise to God, that you would very fain deny even all Words and Hymns to be singing melodiously Praise to God, at all in Metre, or Verse or Song, or else all your Labour in your 2d Section is in vain if some gain is not in it: for you would cast a Mist by your long Harangue in this 2d Section, that we might not know in all the New Testament, in what sense to take the word Hymns in; or whether in any place it denoteth a Song to be sung to the praise of God melodiously. I could give as many critical Names, but I like not and do stick to our last English Translation, as apprehending those that did it to be every way their Equals that oppose it.
Nor is your Supposition like this; how much without measure Christ himself had of the Spirit, seeing they all sung a Hymn as well as he who had not received extraordinary Gifts in that nature; that Christ's Practice did agree with the Rule of Worship, whereby his Church in all Ages by him was appointed.
Wherefore because Christ and his Disciples did sing all together in an ordinary Manner, and no other Psalms were spoken of to be such but Scripture-Psalms, and Singing was used in the Primitive Times, it is our Duty now; and because you have not, you will not receive it, let it be on your own Peril.
Your 3d Section is deceitful in your two first Propositions.
You say, That such Spiritual Singing as was in the Primitive Church, was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit, for the proof of which you allege ten Scriptures or more, to prove that there were Spiritual singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs melodiously in God's Worship, or else you say nothing. 2dly. And that it was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit; both which I grant, and yet you get nothing; for you do not say in your Proposition, it was from an extraordinary Gift (as much as any Miracle or immediate strange Tongue inspired) but a special Gift. It was so, if it were ordinary, to sing with the Spirit, and with Understanding also; but you can never prove these two to be extraordinary Gifts, viz. Spirit and Understanding; inasmuch as Understanding is the greater, without which the other is unfruitful: the Understanding was an ordinary Gift in all, and exhorted to be observed, which had not been, and must direct every Gift whatsoever in its use for Edification; wherefore as he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks with Tongues, 1 Cor. 14.5. and yet that Prophecy is an ordinary Gift, and such as every Member is to have less or more, for they are all exhorted to covet it, and it is a continued Gift in the Church always. A strange Tongue without an Interpreter, is a meaner Gift than Prophecy, both for the Church, and in respect of our Understanding; for Prophecy will help it aright, but the Understanding must direct and guide a strange Tongue, or else it becomes unprofitable; thus is your first Proposition rendered invalid.
Your second Proposition is impertinent, viz.
2dly. That the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every peculiar Member of the Church of Christ for Publick Worship.
The veriest Novice would have made a better; who did ever affirm such a piece of Ignoramus? The Holy Spirit did never give Gifts alike to every Apostle, Evangelist or Elder, nor it may be never will; much less to every particular Member; though every particular One had not Gifts alike for publick Worship, nor ever will in this World, yet every particular Member ought to have less or more of every Gift and Grace of the Spirit ordinarily, or else there will be no communion between Information and Acceptation, which every Gift either tendeth to edify and build, else he that speaketh is unfruitful. If either Experience do not speak to Experience, and Spirit to Spirit, so that there is a likeness of Gift between Speaker and Hearer, or else he hath not an Ear to hear, or the Speaker but an Imagination; there is a likeness as to the nature of the Gift in each in the Quality, though not in the Quantity: in all things that tend [...] the perfection of the Saints and God's Worship, were not one thing in the Primitive Times and another now.
All your Stories are told in your third Section, on the page. 13. is conceited Tautologies, Objections to no purpose, and answering to as little compared with your former Part. On p. 20. you say, that the 26th ver. of 1 Cor. 14. cannot be taken for a positive Command to sing a Psalm, seeing it is put by way of question [if they had a Psalm, &c.] You dare deal ill with holy Scriptures. Pray in what Copy did you ever read that 26th verse so? I could never find that word [If] nor any that I have heard of. Would you bring Scripture to your Opinion, which all your Discourse is strong of? you have hoped for a credulous Reader, but we must beware of you.
Your Fourth, I leave to them concerned: a little to your 5th Section, &c.
In your handling 1 Cor. 14.34. you say, this Scripture though it hath such relation to the following verse, as to forbid Women asking any Question in the Church, during the Worship and Service of God therein, yet it tends to more, &c.
1. We are (seeing it is so) to enquire what is meant by Church. 2dly. What is meant during the time of Worship and the Service of God therein? The Church cannot be understood here but as it is in an Assembly together precisely: then her Assembly is either when the Lord's Day comes, or the time therein appointed by her to meet; whether few or more come, then the Church is met. And I question if Women be looked to, that they say nothing, nor ask Questions in the Meeting-place from first to last, or that it is any Evil in so doing; but if it intends that after the Minister hath begun till he ends, then I think Men may not ask Questions in your Opinion while another is speaking. But Women are under such Circumstances as Men are not. I grant, yet it is the Church in and to which they are to give an account of their Faith, and evidence against an evil Doer, and Acknowledgment of their Faults when dealt with in the Church; therefore in several Cases Women cannot be under Silence, nor hindered giving good Counsel, and teaching in some kind, yet not that Teaching which they are forbidden in the Church, for all your Confidence, with unreconcilable Objections, it is through your ill handling them.
If she will learn anything, she must ask her Husband at home. She must come into the Church to learn too, or else what doth she there if not to learn? She must learn in Silence. So must everyone else while one is speaking. What if she has no Husband? how if she be more able to teach him, or he is an Unbeliever? What if she is a Virgin or Widow? Truly as she must learn in Silence, as all others, while one is speaking, so she may learn all that come to her if she asks her Husband at home left to learn all that will hear her pray or prophesy. If she has no Husband, she hath power in her own House, and all the Church Members and Pastors too, may come and hear her, it is no Church meeting, else Women may not pray nor prophesy anywhere at all in Men's hearing. All the Members may teach and learn one another in Psalms, &c. but all Males and Females may not teach and learn one another in the time of publick Worship except in this, and this is commanded without exception, but an Exception is made against anything else but Psalms in time of Worship; nor is it possible that a Woman should be in a Transgression to lead Men to be deceived herein, which otherways might be, nor doth she usurp Authority over the Man by answering him in the same Sayings and Melody; for she harmonizes with him, and shows her greatest Agreement, more than her Silence forced, till she can vent it; but she joins with her Heart, making melody therein with all others to the Lord, and is not guilty of any Breach of the moral Law (more than Miriam, and Deborah, Hannah, or the Virgin Mary,) which you can set up and pull down at your pleasure if one had nothing else to do but to trace you.
Your Sixth Section is a Presumption, what shall be fulfilled in the 7th thousand Years of the World, and we must not sing till then by your leave; so let it go for your redolent Dream.
All your Appendix is out of my Question; such as is concerned, may look to you; I will hope I have spoken in seriousness, tho not so much as you would, yet longer than I would, if I knew how to help it. I commend it to the Wise to judge.
The 70 and vulgar Latin upon Psal. 19. the latter end of the 4th Verse, translate, He hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun, which countenances Idolatry, instead of, he hath set in them a Tabernacle for the Sun.
SIR,
That Question the Lord useth to convince his Servant Job of his unadvised words, I would have you to consider, Job 38.2. Who is this that darkens Counsel by Words without knowledge? for I find some hard words made use of by you in your little Book, to darken and obscure a plain Truth: And the best Construction I can put upon them, is, to hope you did deliver some things ignorantly, not well understanding what you have affirmed: And therefore that I might discharge my Duty towards the Lord, (in bearing Witness to and for that God-honouring, Gospel-adorning, and Soul-comforting Ordinance of Singing Psalms, &c. in the Publick Worship of God, to his Glory and our mutual Edification) and also toward you, in showing your great Mistakes and Errors, which, whilst you have militated against the Truth, you have run into, and to remove that Stumbling-block you have laid before the Weak, and shall not trouble my self at present to trace you in all your Mistakes that are out in Print, because that hath been done by other Hands, but shall with all convenient brevity shew your Mistake and Error about that which you call the Essence of Singing, Sin, and Prayer; desiring the Lord to bless it to your Conviction.
What I shall at present take notice of, shall be in Answer to this Question;
Whether the Essence of Sin, Prayer, and Praise, consists only in the Heart, or in an inward Spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man? as Mr. Marlow endeavors to prove, Pag. 5, 6, 7, of his Book of Singing.
§. I shall first of all endeavor to explain the Term Essence, to see what it imports in its proper Notion, and then apply it to the above Particulars. The Essence of a Thing is the Nature and Being thereof. Est totum per quod res in proprio esse intrinsicè constituitur, saith the Author of Ars sciendi. Sive est totum illud per quod res est id, quod est. 'Tis that which gives Being to a Thing; it denotes the bare Nature of a Thing abstract from all Modes and Accidents. Whatever may be separated from the Nature of a Thing, and yet the Thing still remain, this doth not appertain to the Essence of it. This term [Essence] as I humbly conceive, belongs primarily and properly (Entibus realibus) to real Beings, in opposition to Nonentia & entia rationis: for all Modes, Accidents, & Entia rationis, tho they have Existence, yet have no Essence properly so called because Essence (as Schuler speaks) is formale Entis, the very nature of a positive Being; and therefore real positive Beings alone are said to have Essence. But in a large Sense and borrowed Acceptation, 'tis sometimes applied to Modes and Accidents, whether they be Actions, Relations or Privations, &c. and so denotes their Nature and Being, such as it is. But so much for the term [Essence], which properly denotes the Quiddity, the Nature and Being of a Thing.
Now whether the Essence of Sin, Prayer, and Praise, does consist in the Heart, Mind, or Spirit, I conceive will be easily made appear by opening the true Nature of these Things; because the Essence of a Thing, and the Nature of it, as before minded, is all one.
§. 1. First then as to the Nature of Sin. I humbly conceive it lies here; 'Tis the want of that Rectitude and Conformity to the Law (whether it be of Nature, Quality or Action) that ought to be found in a rational Creature; I say, rational Creature because 'tis the Property or Adjunct of reasonable Creatures. Brutes are not under a Law, properly so-called, and consequently are not Subjects capable of Sin. I place its Nature in the want of Rectitude, with relation to the Law; because 'tis a privative, not positive Being. All positive Beings are derived from God: and if Sin hath properly an Essence, God must be the Creator of it, which is Blasphemy to assert. And from this very Notion, that Sin hath a positive Essence, the Manichees fell into the Heresy of two first Principles. They taught there were two chief independent Beings, namely, a good God and a bad One, from whom they derived all Good and Evil: Into which Heresy Austin is reported to have fallen in his first Days; concluding that Sin, if it was a positive Being, must certainly have an efficient Cause.
Let all things be done to edifying; which is, to build, or found a House; and by a Metaphor, to Admonish, to Correct, to cause one to profit. Now so must all those Particulars be used, that the whole House of God, his Church, may receive this Benefit, so they are not extraordinary, excepting ordinary, for they are all of them, not any more than of ordinary use in the Church, and for that they all are.
Now I will return to the two first, viz. Psalm, Doctrine. Every one of you hath a Psalm: Psalmon, a Psalm; I will let it go for a general Name of all singing to God, as Doctrine may go for all Teaching; and some of these five Particulars may be near of Kin one to another. But sure I may be, that what kind soever it is, it cannot be instantly inspired Singing, for the Reasons aforesaid; and also I think there were never such extraordinary Gifts used in Publick Worship, that a Psalm was extemporary, instantly, on a sudden inspired, and sung as fast as inspired in the Church; but it was received afore the Meeting began, and committed to writing by an infallible Prophet, and so committed unto the Church, for her Use and Edification; and they which expect otherwise must look for an infallible Prophet above all that has been yet, for anything I know. How easy is it for a People to be imposed upon by one who pretends to an extraordinary Gift, when it may be no more than a common, may be a natural Gift?
Wherefore I take [hath a Psalm] to be, as hath a Doctrine, (in some respects, though not all) then as Doctrine may be premeditated, so may a Psalm be preconceived; all the Particulars are the common Benefit of the Church and its Blessings for its Edification, of which there is no denial, and it may be feared there hath been too much formality in Prayer and Preaching too, and so in singing, that being as unlike to escape as other things, but that doth not null a Duty.
And thence I will affirm, that Psalms, &c. already in the Holy Scriptures, are every way to be preferred to and above what can be premeditated, or preconceived by anyone whatsoever; forasmuch as here, and our Saviour, and Paul and Silas; and in the Ephesians, Colossians, and James, the word is used in a general way, and not of any extemporary, or instantly inspired, it doth shew plainly all those Psalms were the then known Psalms already in use, and such as without hesitancy they might with Heart and Voice join together to sing: And they which do not condemn preconceived Doctrine, or Notes, may by no means do it against Scripture-Psalms, according to James, every particular Person might sing Psalms. For what is possible may be; so then everyone must have, or expect extraordinary, extemporary Inspirations, or they must betake themselves to ordinary prereceived preconceived Psalms, and Spiritual Songs. The first is not pretended, that it ever was or will be in this World; the latter then is the thing I seek for, and it cannot be denied me; and one of these two will follow, that either the Psalms, &c. which are already in the Scriptures, or those that can invite, and bring them into the Church for its edification, or else both. I indeed prefer the first, though I will not condemn the other till I hear what in them is amiss.
Nor dare I condemn the use of any Forms verbatim used in Publick, which hath been made by the Lord for the edification of his Church since the World began, (which were not typical) so they are used to edification, and decently, and in order. And I will shew my Opinion in Doctrine also, That the Teaching and Preaching of Christ and his Apostles or Disciples, were after the same manner, as are their Writings, using no strict nor topical Order, but freely passing, and suddenly, from one Matter to another, as the Spirit led them, the Grounds whereof they had afore Mat. 13.52.
And why cannot a spiritual Person as well choose a Scripture-Psalm, as choose a Text to speak, or a Chapter to expound, it being plain a Psalm is allowed, yea, commanded to be sung, and were sung in Private and Publick? Could not Believers under all the Types, &c. in the Law, be Spiritual to as high a degree as any now? They were commanded to sing Praises with understanding, Psal. 47.7. Wherefore as in many things, so in this, we are to use the directive Light of Nature, which Grace destroys not, but perfects it by supernatural Relief, whereby it becomes sufficient to guide us in those things, and the Obligation of the Church unto it immutably, for the ordering all its Affairs, as the Times and Seasons of her Assemblies, the Order and Decency wherein all things are to be transacted in them; the bounding of them as to the number of Saints, exceeding the proportion capable of Edification: Especially Advantages are to be made use of in the Order and Worship of the Church, such as are Methods in every Duty, in Preaching; what Translation in Psalms, which and what Tunes in singing; continuance in Publick Duties, and how oft the Lord's Supper, and the like: The things themselves being divinely appointed, are capable of such general Directions, in and by the Light of Nature, as with ordinary Christian Prudence be on all occasions applied and accommodated unto the Use, Practice, and Profit of the Church. This respect of the Gospel-Church-State unto the Light of Nature, the Holy Spirit demonstrates in his frequent Appeals unto it, in things which do belong unto Church-Order, 1 Cor. 7.29, 33. & 9.7, 11, 14, 15, 16. & 14.8, 9, 10, 11, 32, 33. notwithstanding the Commendations of the Wisdom and Gifts which they came not behind in.
And furthermore, this Epistle was not written or directed to Brethren in Office, if there were then any such, but to the Church as such, for there is no mention of any in Office; some were for Paul, some for Apollo, some for Cephas, and some for Christ; and such as were most fit, were with Paul at that time in the upper parts of Greece, 1 Cor. 16.15, 16, 17, 18. And the Conclusion saith, they were Assistants in writing this Epistle, there being a Church when there are not Brethren in Office, which is the Custos Rotulorum of all Divine Things to be observed. The Church is essential before its ordinary Officers, and cannot, as to its continuance, depend on any succession of theirs, which they have none but what is given unto them; and when they have such, I do not mean they should do anything without, or in distinction from them, but in concurrence, whence all may be esteemed the Acts of the whole Church, (see if you please Clemens Romanus his Epistle to this Church, in the second Century, celebrated for a venerable Work by all that read it, &c.)
There is no ground to conclude those Particulars to be only the Work of Ministering Brethren in Office. Also, it ought to be noted, Sing [...] the Praises of God, being always per [...]rmed in God's Worship, with united Voices, and not one Man to sing in the Church alone; it follows, that so it was, and ought to be practiced now, and was then in the Church of the Corinthians. And thus sang they in the Jewish Church, and thus Christ and his Apostles sang, and Paul and Silas, and this was and hath been the practice or manner of religious Singing always amongst the Godly in all Ages; no Instance can be given of one Man singing singly alone in the Church, either by an extraordinary or ordinary Spirit; nor can it be proved from this place, whatsoever Men dream or fancy to the contrary. O how vain and dangerous a Position is it to assert, none must or ought to discharge this Sacred Ordinance, unless with immediate Inspiration, or by an extraordinary Gift? for by the same Argument, none must nor ought to Preach, nor Pray neither, &c. unless miraculously and immediately inspired; 'tis known, some erroneous and deceived People have asserted the same things. Ordinances must be considered in their Administrations, according to the Nature and Quality, and how always performed: Thus this Mr. Marlow, like a poor ignorant and unwary Person, seems to justify and plead for the practice of those Impostors, called, The sweet Singers of Israel, who plead for one single person to sing in Publick Worship alone, and that too by Inspira [...]; both Matter and Mode must be all [...]mediately given to him, or else all his carnal or formal Worship, &c.
And now I come to the VIth, [Objections Answered.] I will be as brief as I can, because I suppose there are few but your own. I have proved, That Moses and the Children of Israel did sing together, Psal. 106.12. and that in Worship to God. And Moses did put the Lord's Songs in their Hearts, and in their Mouths, by Command, and all their Child [...] after them, Deut. 31.19, 21, 22. unto while they are a People. And Deborah and Barak sang both, Judg. 5.1. and no incongruity, the Holy Spirit saith it. Nor is it anything against our Singing, that formerly there were Musick or Tunes, or Sacrifices; their Faith was the same with ours, though it was not so plainly, yet it was savingly revealed. Singing Praises to God were no Figures nor Types, no more than their Faith by which they were accepted. Singing God's Praises were afore the Law, under the Law and the Gospel, and so no Type; nor was their Singing with Musick a Rule for us, for we have a Gospel-Command, which is our Rule, and so had they for what they did in that.
P. 26. Your Objections and Answers, many of them, are trifling; and your division between Israel's Wilderness-State, and David and Solomon's Temple-State, is your pleasant Dreams, a Chase which I have something else to do than to follow. Cant. 2.11, 12. [Birds] is not in the Original. Heb. 8.9. You make all things, building of the Tabernacle and first Testament, to be a Pattern or Figure of the Erection and Dedication of the Gospel-Church, &c. and make neither it nor Solomon's Temple to be a Figure of Christ, quite beside the Design of the Holy Spirit, and the Nature of the things: Christ is the Antitype of them all, and no Body can make these things what they were not like your self.
P. 29. Christ and his Disciples saith, the Holy Spirit did sing; when they had hymned, is the same. Let your Learned Men say what they please, few or none of them were of your Notion, against singing in the Church; and they which translated, sung a Hymn, were as learned as they: And as some of the old Translations read that Text Grace if you should preach only by that Translation, I know what you would be accounted of, or others you mention. I have seen a Translation which calls Solomon's Song, A Ballad of Ballads, and Paul the Knave of Jesus Christ; and I have seen Grace in Rhime. Nor will your Dutch Translation avail you more, than the French Protestants will me, which saith, Chante le Cantique, Mat. 26.30.
The like is your Instance about lifting up their Voice; as if Singular, which is not, because it is their Voice, which is Plural. There may be the Voice of a Multitude, In Rama was a Voice heard, which were Bethlehem and all the Coasts thereof, a Voice of all, for their Children which Herod slew from two Years old and under, Mat. 2.18. Rev. 9.9. The Voice of their Wings was as the sound of Chariots, of many Horses running to the Battel. [...], the same Greek word in all, Acts 2.6. [...], when this Voice was made, Margent, it was many spake it, and heard it; it could not be by one person, but many made this Voice, it being but one Matter; and Rev. 14.2. saith it clearly.
And see Numb. 21.3. Deut. 1.45. Judges. 20.13. Acts 19.34. Rev. 19.6. where Voice is the Speech of many: thus are we imposed upon by an Imagination; and I might have expected that because it is in Ephes. 5.19. said Heart not Hearts, that therefore it must be singular too; how it scaped is much; they could by one Spirit make one Voice, and lift up their Voice together. You run many dangerous Quibbles: it doth not necessitate the like in all publick Prayers, nor at any time except the free Operation of the Spirit, which may be without confusion; wherefore you have said nothing to confute a vocal Singing together but show your Weakness, &c.
And I assert a vocal Singing together from Mat. 26.30. and Acts 4.24. a vocal Praying together; and I will assert a prescribed Form of singing Psalms in the Scriptures, and yet avoid bringing in a prescribed Form of Prayer, invented either by you or any in our days, except you will prove your selves as infallible as Scripture; for the same Arguments will not promote one and the same, because they differ not a little in their Infallibility: for before the Law, and under it, Believers had prescribed Forms of Singing, but none of Prayer; and tho the Lord's Prayer be alleged for a Pattern, I fear too few understand it, and it would be intolerable Pride for any to forbid its use, or to prescribe a Form because Christ did so. It is dangerous to make that Negative which the holy Spirit makes Affirmative. Paul and Silas did both pray and sing Praise; Nature can do this, how much more they that are filled with the Spirit, which all Saints are required to be? The Prisoners did hear them, tho you will not: many have afore now learned Psalms, and can sing them together. To deny we ought to sing in a mixed Congregation, is so foolish and frivolous a Notion, that I need to say nothing to it: What have we to do with others, or to judge them who are without? Must not the Church sing Psalms, &c. and worship God together, because Strangers are assembled with them? If they must not sing God's Praises in such a Congregation, they must not pray then, because others will 'tis like, and daily do, join in their Hearts with the Church in that Ordinance, which is a closer Union than that of uniting the Voice: nay, we must not admit them so much as to say Amen to our Prayers if this were so. The Church is met together to worship God; and ought they to omit so great and God-glorifying an Ordinance, because some Unbelievers may be amongst them? If Sinners do that which they have no warrant to do, let them answer for it: you may as well forbid them to read the Psalms of David, &c. as not to sing them, Reading being also an Ordinance of God as well as Singing and Praying. They make the Psalm no more their own in singing it, than they do in reading it.
Pag. 36. You tell us that in this Life the Joys and Consolations of our Redemption-Grace are mixed with Sorrows for Sin, Temptations, Troubles, and Afflictions, which deprive us of the constant exercise of the Grace of Joy in our Souls, so that it is not a time to sing.
So had all the Saints from the beginning of the World since Sin entered into it, not David excepted, nor Christ nor his Disciples, nor Paul nor Silas, which sung under raw Stripes, unwashed or plaistered to mitigate their Pain; and the Church under the New Testament were under as ill Circumstances as any can be, and yet are commanded to sing Psalms, and to rejoice, and again to rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.
Indeed notwithstanding your great pretence to both knowledge and Power, you talk like one that is neither truly seasoned with Grace nor Experience in the true sense thereof, you do so confound things and jumble them, having gotten a Notion, but want that which you condemn others for. What different Seasons soever Joy and Sorrow and Affliction may have, they are not at such an unreconciled distance, but may meet in one day and less: We may mourn with them that mourn, and rejoice with them that rejoice, undeceived too.
Your Words rather enforce Saints to continue in their Unbelief, which is the cause of their want of Spirit and Joy, flattering compliance through their Weakness, perswading them their Case is worse than under the Law, who did sing under all their Doubtings, Despondencies, which were the way to quicken them, if Ordinances be: to sit in a doubting moping Condition as if to be truly religious were the most disconsolate Condition in the World, affrighting to such as are ignorant of it. A poor ignorant Saint hath more true Joy in any Condition than all the Hectors on the Earth. And as it is no reason that you have rejected singing Praise to the Lord many years, except your Humour must be an Example: some that are as serious as you, and talk as much, have rejected such things as you call Truth in your opinion as long; but as you began, you make an end, and so shall I.
By telling you, that though yourself and others may think you have done the Church or Truth service, what Gift soever you have, for my part I do seriously think you have done foully amiss, thrusting a crude and undigested thing with no advantage to your Talent, but many ways to the Scandal and Detriment of the Gospel, directly opposing what Christ hath commanded, which though I be sure of, yet would I not rashly censure those that modestly differ from me; for this Theme hath not been much controverted as yet that I have seen.
And you had done better afore you printed it, to have made Enquiry how many were otherwise minded, and where, and have sent it to them, to have had returns or approbation; but it is easy for Persons to be puffed up with their own conceit: I have admired at the Church at Corinth that had really such great Gifts and Parts among them, and yet even such were incapable to use them to real advantage for themselves or others, so no marvel what is now.
In the next place, I will propose something to this Subject, as I proposed, pag. 28.
That seeing singing Psalms in Praise to God, is both an ancient, commanded and commendable Work, which hath been truly proved, as we see through all Series of Times, from the beginning of the World, Christ, and his Apostles gave order for it, for the comfort of those which make conscience of it right in using it, doth abundantly prove it so to be.
This ought to provoke us to enquire, and that with all diligence, how this Worship may be solemnized by us aright; for much excellent Duty is spoiled in the observation of it; hearing, reading, praying, preaching, partaking at the Lord's Table, giving to the Poor, are all excellent things in themselves, holy Duties; but the simple doing of them is not enough, or all, no it is the least part of them; there may be a Praying which is Sin; reading, and not consider; hearing a savor of Death, partaking at the Lord's Table to Judgment; giving all to the Poor, and profit nothing.
Wherefore as in Singing, &c. so all our Duties ought to be done in Spirit and Truth, with Understanding and Grace in our Hearts to the Lord, we must in all our Duties have especial care to our Hearts, understand the inward Man thereby; to it, God looks directly; the Grace of the Heart, Spirit, and Understanding, is the same: It is a right understanding of that, and an entire desire to offer to God in his Worship what he requires; the Understanding must join fervently with what the Lips utter, Psal. 4.7. 1 Cor. 14.15
Consider, that singing Psalms is to be reverently performed for God's Glory and Honour, and not for the pleasing our selves, so that one must suit his inward Thoughts to the Matter; if it be of Praise to God, our Hearts must be elevated and chearful; if therein be Prayer, fervent; if threatning, great awe of God; if Deliverance, raised in hope; if Judgment, fear; if Duty, holy purpose to obey; if of Promises, to believe; of Prophecy, with attentive admiration of the Wisdom of God: thus may that be attained which is called Grace in the Heart to God, and with the Spirit and Understanding also, and in Spirit and Truth: it shall not be a Lip-service, an Exercise of Diversion, or Vanity, (as among many) but of Piety and true Worship to God, it will bring the whole Man in a right frame, and make the outward deportment such, as the reverence and gravity that such a sacred Work doth require; and the same is the tendency of all Ordinances whatsoever.
Wherefore as singing of Psalms is a Duty well-becoming the Lord's People in all Conditions, and of all Conditions in all Ages, as the due acknowledgment of his Kindness: It was one of King David's Jewels in his Crown, that he is still the sweet Singer of Israel; and we cannot but commend it in him, that he bound himself to it; and in commending it in him, we lay a necessity of it in our selves; for whatsoever things are honest, and of good report always, Phil. 4.8. How can we but think that all those Worthies above-mentioned, had not a most Heavenly Spirit, who was so much employed in this Divine Work? Doth it not sometimes raise our Hearts, when we do but read seriously those ravishing Songs of so-often repeated Praises, having nothing many times but Praises in their Mouths? How much would it rejoice and refresh our Hearts, to be skilled and accustomed in this heavenly Work our selves?
O, therefore, let God's Praise, be much in our Mouths; for in the Mouth of the upright, his Praise is comely, Psal. 33.1. Seven times a day did David praise him, Psal. 119.164. Yea, his Praise was continual of him, Psal. 71.6. And he that offereth Praise, glorifieth him, Psal. 50.23. Praise our God, for it is good; sing Praise, for it is pleasant, Psal. 135.3. & 147.1. Let us rejoice and triumph in his Praise, Psal. 106.47. Here is a further Benefit, we are confirmed in this Duty, we do it not at random; nor is it Will-worship, nor leadeth to Apostacy, we do it upon Certainty and Truth; we have encouragement in Private and Publick to observe it, it being a necessary Duty, not left to our Wills and Pleasures; it informs us in the Matter and Manner of the Psalms in the Holy Scripture, through the help of the Spirit making melody in our inward Man, that we may not, for want of so doing, bring the Duty into Contempt with God or Man. I advise, that such as will understand this, do read his Book with it, comparing together.
Now when I had finished these Animadversions, I was unawares, upon April 23, 1691. visited with an Appendix, consisting of 48 Pages; which assaults me with a pretense greatly tending to the clearing and confirmation of the Truth discoursed in the former Part, as the Preface of the first Part shows.
Verily, I am exceedingly burdened in my Thoughts, that such a Man had no better Conduct, than to print his first Part, till he had better consulted such as he might; but truly I am grieved at my Heart, that his Pretences being so high, he should force me to buy his first Part twice, or else I may not have his Appendix to answer. One may think he intends to make a Trade on it, to sell the same thing twice; he ought to have printed his Appendix by itself, if it must needs to be published, and not impose upon any, one thing twice: I do not like it, and he might have had a little patience to have seen how his first was resented before he troubled us with more, for which either he or I must be ashamed. I say, truly, to the best of my apprehension, he will get little, save some Money, for what he hath hung to his first book, as will appear when well considered.
In his first Section of it, he tells us, ‘That he shall premise, that to praise God, or praising of God, is not confined to Songs of Praise, but that there are other Ways and Manners of praising God, then with such melodious Singing.’ What an Invention is here, as strange as to see the Sunshine!
I will suppose he hath had always an Antagonist to seek, so that this is needless, and all he hath said to it, and Dr. Owen too, though I may not believe everything which either saith, no or from that Text Heb. 2.12. But although this worthy Author would not have God's Praise confined to Songs of Praise only, no more would anyone. What makes this for you, that would confine it from all Songs ever since Christianity began, if not a thousand Years afore, till a thousand Years Reign in any ordinary Gift or Manner: Thus did not Dr. Owen; and I tell you that you have abused him (and I fear your own Conscience) in your Quotation, for in your 5th Page, line 29, Appendix, you draw a black Line— betwixt God, and this; which if filled up, as it ought to have been, would have drawn a black Line upon your Book and Appendix, as the Reader shall see; the words you have left out are these following, viz. (to praise God) [for the Work of his Love, and Grace in our Redemption by Christ Jesus, This he promised to go before them in. And what he led them unto, is by them to be persisted in]. This indeed is the End of Church-gathering, and of all Duties that are performed therein and thereby.
Now all that had acquaintance with the Doctor, knows, that notwithstanding he would not have to praise God in the Church to be restrained to melodious singing God's Praise, yet he did own it a Duty which ought to be performed and persisted in, amongst others, to sing Praise to God with melodious Voice, in Private and Publick: And those words which you have left wittingly out, do of necessity imply it, what [Christ leads them unto, is by them to be persisted in]. Now Christ did lead his Church unto singing Praise to God, by his personal Example, and joining with them, Matth. 26.30. and commanded it in the Church as aforesaid; wherefore it is a Duty by them to be persisted in, as well as to praise God other ways; and sure I am, this was Dr. Owen's Judgment and Practice, which I will challenge anyone to disprove, both after this was printed as well as afore. And Dr. Owen's Labours, and unwearied Pains and Honesty, may not be abused by curtailing his Words and true Meaning; nor the Reader, who it's probable hath, not his Book to see whether he be wronged or not.
Dr. Owen would not have God's Praise to be restrained to Words and Hymns, particularly expressing it; but all Ordinances, Faith, and Obedience, ordered aright, to be giving Glory to God, and they must have more Confidence than Honesty that deny it. But here is no exception against praising God by particular Words and Hymns in God's Worship; wherefore you have beat the Air, or Dust into your Eyes, discovering a deceitful Pen.
And I may guess such is your Anger against particular Words and Hymns of Praise to God, that you would very fain deny even all Words and Hymns to be singing melodiously Praise to God, at all in Metre, or Verse or Song, or else all your Labour in your 2d Section is in vain if some gain is not in it: for you would cast a Mist by your long Harangue in this 2d Section, that we might not know in all the New Testament, in what sense to take the word Hymns in; or whether in any place it denoteth a Song to be sung to the praise of God melodiously. I could give as many critical Names, but I like not and do stick to our last English Translation, as apprehending those that did it to be every way their Equals that oppose it.
Nor is your Supposition like this; how much without measure Christ himself had of the Spirit, seeing they all sung a Hymn as well as he who had not received extraordinary Gifts in that nature; that Christ's Practice did agree with the Rule of Worship, whereby his Church in all Ages by him was appointed.
Wherefore because Christ and his Disciples did sing all together in an ordinary Manner, and no other Psalms were spoken of to be such but Scripture-Psalms, and Singing was used in the Primitive Times, it is our Duty now; and because you have not, you will not receive it, let it be on your own Peril.
Your 3d Section is deceitful in your two first Propositions.
You say, That such Spiritual Singing as was in the Primitive Church, was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit, for the proof of which you allege ten Scriptures or more, to prove that there were Spiritual singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs melodiously in God's Worship, or else you say nothing. 2dly. And that it was from a special Gift of the Holy Spirit; both which I grant, and yet you get nothing; for you do not say in your Proposition, it was from an extraordinary Gift (as much as any Miracle or immediate strange Tongue inspired) but a special Gift. It was so, if it were ordinary, to sing with the Spirit, and with Understanding also; but you can never prove these two to be extraordinary Gifts, viz. Spirit and Understanding; inasmuch as Understanding is the greater, without which the other is unfruitful: the Understanding was an ordinary Gift in all, and exhorted to be observed, which had not been, and must direct every Gift whatsoever in its use for Edification; wherefore as he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks with Tongues, 1 Cor. 14.5. and yet that Prophecy is an ordinary Gift, and such as every Member is to have less or more, for they are all exhorted to covet it, and it is a continued Gift in the Church always. A strange Tongue without an Interpreter, is a meaner Gift than Prophecy, both for the Church, and in respect of our Understanding; for Prophecy will help it aright, but the Understanding must direct and guide a strange Tongue, or else it becomes unprofitable; thus is your first Proposition rendered invalid.
Your second Proposition is impertinent, viz.
2dly. That the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not given alike to every peculiar Member of the Church of Christ for Publick Worship.
The veriest Novice would have made a better; who did ever affirm such a piece of Ignoramus? The Holy Spirit did never give Gifts alike to every Apostle, Evangelist or Elder, nor it may be never will; much less to every particular Member; though every particular One had not Gifts alike for publick Worship, nor ever will in this World, yet every particular Member ought to have less or more of every Gift and Grace of the Spirit ordinarily, or else there will be no communion between Information and Acceptation, which every Gift either tendeth to edify and build, else he that speaketh is unfruitful. If either Experience do not speak to Experience, and Spirit to Spirit, so that there is a likeness of Gift between Speaker and Hearer, or else he hath not an Ear to hear, or the Speaker but an Imagination; there is a likeness as to the nature of the Gift in each in the Quality, though not in the Quantity: in all things that tend [...] the perfection of the Saints and God's Worship, were not one thing in the Primitive Times and another now.
All your Stories are told in your third Section, on the page. 13. is conceited Tautologies, Objections to no purpose, and answering to as little compared with your former Part. On p. 20. you say, that the 26th ver. of 1 Cor. 14. cannot be taken for a positive Command to sing a Psalm, seeing it is put by way of question [if they had a Psalm, &c.] You dare deal ill with holy Scriptures. Pray in what Copy did you ever read that 26th verse so? I could never find that word [If] nor any that I have heard of. Would you bring Scripture to your Opinion, which all your Discourse is strong of? you have hoped for a credulous Reader, but we must beware of you.
Your Fourth, I leave to them concerned: a little to your 5th Section, &c.
In your handling 1 Cor. 14.34. you say, this Scripture though it hath such relation to the following verse, as to forbid Women asking any Question in the Church, during the Worship and Service of God therein, yet it tends to more, &c.
1. We are (seeing it is so) to enquire what is meant by Church. 2dly. What is meant during the time of Worship and the Service of God therein? The Church cannot be understood here but as it is in an Assembly together precisely: then her Assembly is either when the Lord's Day comes, or the time therein appointed by her to meet; whether few or more come, then the Church is met. And I question if Women be looked to, that they say nothing, nor ask Questions in the Meeting-place from first to last, or that it is any Evil in so doing; but if it intends that after the Minister hath begun till he ends, then I think Men may not ask Questions in your Opinion while another is speaking. But Women are under such Circumstances as Men are not. I grant, yet it is the Church in and to which they are to give an account of their Faith, and evidence against an evil Doer, and Acknowledgment of their Faults when dealt with in the Church; therefore in several Cases Women cannot be under Silence, nor hindered giving good Counsel, and teaching in some kind, yet not that Teaching which they are forbidden in the Church, for all your Confidence, with unreconcilable Objections, it is through your ill handling them.
If she will learn anything, she must ask her Husband at home. She must come into the Church to learn too, or else what doth she there if not to learn? She must learn in Silence. So must everyone else while one is speaking. What if she has no Husband? how if she be more able to teach him, or he is an Unbeliever? What if she is a Virgin or Widow? Truly as she must learn in Silence, as all others, while one is speaking, so she may learn all that come to her if she asks her Husband at home left to learn all that will hear her pray or prophesy. If she has no Husband, she hath power in her own House, and all the Church Members and Pastors too, may come and hear her, it is no Church meeting, else Women may not pray nor prophesy anywhere at all in Men's hearing. All the Members may teach and learn one another in Psalms, &c. but all Males and Females may not teach and learn one another in the time of publick Worship except in this, and this is commanded without exception, but an Exception is made against anything else but Psalms in time of Worship; nor is it possible that a Woman should be in a Transgression to lead Men to be deceived herein, which otherways might be, nor doth she usurp Authority over the Man by answering him in the same Sayings and Melody; for she harmonizes with him, and shows her greatest Agreement, more than her Silence forced, till she can vent it; but she joins with her Heart, making melody therein with all others to the Lord, and is not guilty of any Breach of the moral Law (more than Miriam, and Deborah, Hannah, or the Virgin Mary,) which you can set up and pull down at your pleasure if one had nothing else to do but to trace you.
Your Sixth Section is a Presumption, what shall be fulfilled in the 7th thousand Years of the World, and we must not sing till then by your leave; so let it go for your redolent Dream.
All your Appendix is out of my Question; such as is concerned, may look to you; I will hope I have spoken in seriousness, tho not so much as you would, yet longer than I would, if I knew how to help it. I commend it to the Wise to judge.
The 70 and vulgar Latin upon Psal. 19. the latter end of the 4th Verse, translate, He hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun, which countenances Idolatry, instead of, he hath set in them a Tabernacle for the Sun.
POSTSCRIPT.
Reader, I never saw Mr. Keach's Book, called, The Breach Repaired, &c. till after I had quite finished this Tract; but since I came up to London I have seen it, and also Mr. Marlow's Sheet he has dispersed amongst the Churches, &c. wherein he pretends Mr. Keach has misrepresented what he has written, and contradicted himself, and intimates as if he had left most or great part of his chief Arguments unanswered: which I find to be such a piece of Pride, Falshood, and Arrogance, as hath been hardly seen. For if any wary and discreet Reader compares those Books, they will see 'tis no such thing which he boldly affirms; which I suppose Mr. Keach, or some other Person for him, will suddenly make appear to his shame. 'Tis a strange and unaccountable way to answer a Book, to leave all the argumentative Part, and to quarrel with a few words, and that without any just reason too, which will appear to all unbiassed and understanding Men, upon a strict Examination of the Matter.
This Man ('tis judged by wise and thinking Men, who are not of our Mind) has done more hurt, and brought more reproach on the holy Name of God, than any one Person for many years; and a Shame it is to his Abbeters who countenance him in his nonsensical and ridiculous way of Scribbling, in opposing a precious Ordinance of God.
Reader, I never saw Mr. Keach's Book, called, The Breach Repaired, &c. till after I had quite finished this Tract; but since I came up to London I have seen it, and also Mr. Marlow's Sheet he has dispersed amongst the Churches, &c. wherein he pretends Mr. Keach has misrepresented what he has written, and contradicted himself, and intimates as if he had left most or great part of his chief Arguments unanswered: which I find to be such a piece of Pride, Falshood, and Arrogance, as hath been hardly seen. For if any wary and discreet Reader compares those Books, they will see 'tis no such thing which he boldly affirms; which I suppose Mr. Keach, or some other Person for him, will suddenly make appear to his shame. 'Tis a strange and unaccountable way to answer a Book, to leave all the argumentative Part, and to quarrel with a few words, and that without any just reason too, which will appear to all unbiassed and understanding Men, upon a strict Examination of the Matter.
This Man ('tis judged by wise and thinking Men, who are not of our Mind) has done more hurt, and brought more reproach on the holy Name of God, than any one Person for many years; and a Shame it is to his Abbeters who countenance him in his nonsensical and ridiculous way of Scribbling, in opposing a precious Ordinance of God.
FINIS.
An APPENDIX: OR, A Brief Answer to Mr. Marlow's Notion of the Essence of Singing.
By T. W. Pastor of a Baptized Congregation.
An APPENDIX: OR, A Brief Answer to Mr. Marlow's Notion of the Essence of Singing.
By T. W. Pastor of a Baptized Congregation.
SIR,
That Question the Lord useth to convince his Servant Job of his unadvised words, I would have you to consider, Job 38.2. Who is this that darkens Counsel by Words without knowledge? for I find some hard words made use of by you in your little Book, to darken and obscure a plain Truth: And the best Construction I can put upon them, is, to hope you did deliver some things ignorantly, not well understanding what you have affirmed: And therefore that I might discharge my Duty towards the Lord, (in bearing Witness to and for that God-honouring, Gospel-adorning, and Soul-comforting Ordinance of Singing Psalms, &c. in the Publick Worship of God, to his Glory and our mutual Edification) and also toward you, in showing your great Mistakes and Errors, which, whilst you have militated against the Truth, you have run into, and to remove that Stumbling-block you have laid before the Weak, and shall not trouble my self at present to trace you in all your Mistakes that are out in Print, because that hath been done by other Hands, but shall with all convenient brevity shew your Mistake and Error about that which you call the Essence of Singing, Sin, and Prayer; desiring the Lord to bless it to your Conviction.
What I shall at present take notice of, shall be in Answer to this Question;
Whether the Essence of Sin, Prayer, and Praise, consists only in the Heart, or in an inward Spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man? as Mr. Marlow endeavors to prove, Pag. 5, 6, 7, of his Book of Singing.
§. I shall first of all endeavor to explain the Term Essence, to see what it imports in its proper Notion, and then apply it to the above Particulars. The Essence of a Thing is the Nature and Being thereof. Est totum per quod res in proprio esse intrinsicè constituitur, saith the Author of Ars sciendi. Sive est totum illud per quod res est id, quod est. 'Tis that which gives Being to a Thing; it denotes the bare Nature of a Thing abstract from all Modes and Accidents. Whatever may be separated from the Nature of a Thing, and yet the Thing still remain, this doth not appertain to the Essence of it. This term [Essence] as I humbly conceive, belongs primarily and properly (Entibus realibus) to real Beings, in opposition to Nonentia & entia rationis: for all Modes, Accidents, & Entia rationis, tho they have Existence, yet have no Essence properly so called because Essence (as Schuler speaks) is formale Entis, the very nature of a positive Being; and therefore real positive Beings alone are said to have Essence. But in a large Sense and borrowed Acceptation, 'tis sometimes applied to Modes and Accidents, whether they be Actions, Relations or Privations, &c. and so denotes their Nature and Being, such as it is. But so much for the term [Essence], which properly denotes the Quiddity, the Nature and Being of a Thing.
Now whether the Essence of Sin, Prayer, and Praise, does consist in the Heart, Mind, or Spirit, I conceive will be easily made appear by opening the true Nature of these Things; because the Essence of a Thing, and the Nature of it, as before minded, is all one.
§. 1. First then as to the Nature of Sin. I humbly conceive it lies here; 'Tis the want of that Rectitude and Conformity to the Law (whether it be of Nature, Quality or Action) that ought to be found in a rational Creature; I say, rational Creature because 'tis the Property or Adjunct of reasonable Creatures. Brutes are not under a Law, properly so-called, and consequently are not Subjects capable of Sin. I place its Nature in the want of Rectitude, with relation to the Law; because 'tis a privative, not positive Being. All positive Beings are derived from God: and if Sin hath properly an Essence, God must be the Creator of it, which is Blasphemy to assert. And from this very Notion, that Sin hath a positive Essence, the Manichees fell into the Heresy of two first Principles. They taught there were two chief independent Beings, namely, a good God and a bad One, from whom they derived all Good and Evil: Into which Heresy Austin is reported to have fallen in his first Days; concluding that Sin, if it was a positive Being, must certainly have an efficient Cause.
But afterward better understanding its Nature, he bewails his Error and rejects the Notion with great Abhorrence (as may be seen in his Confessions.) Sin therefore I conclude, hath no positive Being, neither hath it an efficient, but rather (if I may so call it) a deficient Cause. 'Tis the want of that Rectitude which should be in the Creature, with reference to God's Law. And so St. John defines it, 1 John 3.4. [...], (i.e..) Sin is the transgression of, or the want of due conformity to the Law of God. Hence the Learned Turrettine defines it thus, (saith he) Hinc sequitur rationem formalem peccati in [...], & privatione consistere, quae notat carentiam rectitudinis seu bonitatis secundùm prescriptum Legis debitae inesse Creaturae rationali, sive ea naturae sit, seu qualitatum, sive actionum, &c. Lib. 1. P. 651. And others thus, 'Tis an Inclination, Action, or Omission, opposing the Law of God, or wanting that due legal Rectitude it ought to have.
§. 2. But so much for the Nature of Sin in general, which is usually divided into Original, and either Inherent, or Imputed and Actual; and that either of Thought, Word, or Action. Original Sin respects Man's Person and Nature, of which he is guilty as soon as born. For first of all, we are born without that original Righteousness wherewith Adam was created, and which the Law of God requires should be in us; because we were in Adam as a public Person, whose Duty it was to have kept himself in the Estate wherein God made him; so in this respect we have not due conformity to the Law of God, even in our very Natures and Qualities. Now this very want of original Righteousness is properly Sin, because it is the want of what ought to be in us. We have not that moral Image of God, consisting in knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness, which God gave us in our first Parents. Our Natures are deprived of original Righteousness, and those moral Perfections wherewith Adam was created, and are now propensity and prone to all Sin; and this is that we call Original Sin, and of which we read in Scripture, especially Psal. 51.5. Eph. 2.1. Job 14.4, &c.
§. 2. But so much for the Nature of Sin in general, which is usually divided into Original, and either Inherent, or Imputed and Actual; and that either of Thought, Word, or Action. Original Sin respects Man's Person and Nature, of which he is guilty as soon as born. For first of all, we are born without that original Righteousness wherewith Adam was created, and which the Law of God requires should be in us; because we were in Adam as a public Person, whose Duty it was to have kept himself in the Estate wherein God made him; so in this respect we have not due conformity to the Law of God, even in our very Natures and Qualities. Now this very want of original Righteousness is properly Sin, because it is the want of what ought to be in us. We have not that moral Image of God, consisting in knowledge, Righteousness, and Holiness, which God gave us in our first Parents. Our Natures are deprived of original Righteousness, and those moral Perfections wherewith Adam was created, and are now propensity and prone to all Sin; and this is that we call Original Sin, and of which we read in Scripture, especially Psal. 51.5. Eph. 2.1. Job 14.4, &c.
2ly, We are born guilty of Adam's actual Transgression which he first committed, which by just imputation becomes ours, because then Adam stood not as a private, but as a public Person: all were to stand and fall in him, he being the Root and Representative of Mankind. Adam, therefore, being made our Head in that first Covenant, by Divine Ordination, therefore his Transgression is accounted ours; we sinned in him as our public Head and fell with him as the Branches fall with the Body of the Tree, according to that of the Apostle, in him all sinned, and all died, Rom. 5.12. But thus much for Original Sin.
§. 3. Now Mr. Marlow, in his description of the Essence of Sin, (as he improperly and confusedly is pleased to call it) seems wholly to exclude Original Sin, (tho I am apt to believe he is no Arminian) for when in Pag. 6. he saith, The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit; (1.) Either by this Expression, he means the same as he did before, Pag. 5. when he spoke of Singing. The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit, (that is) it consists in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man: And if so, then he wholly excludes Original Sin, which doth not consist in the Act or Exercise of the Mind, but is born with us, and speaks only of Actual Sin; and neither doth he speak of all Actual Sin, but only of one Species or Kind, namely of Heart and Thought; and if he takes the term (Essence) in its proper signification, it belongs to no Sin, which (as I said before) is a privation, unless he is running himself, and would have others follow him, into the old exploded Error of the Manichees. And, lastly, neither is it a description of the Essence of actual Sin in the Thoughts; for let him mean what he will by Essence of Sin, 'tis certain that Actual Sin in the Thoughts, doth not consist in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Mind or Spirit; this in itself is no Sin, but a natural Act of a reasonable Creature; the being therefore of this very Species of actual Sin, consists not in the Exercise of the Soul or Mind considered in itself, but as it relates to God's Law, and wants such due conformity to it as it should have. Therefore I am perswaded, that either Mr. M. is under some pernicious Error in Judgment concerning Sin, or else that he doth not understand what he asserts, (I hope the latter.) The word Essence is a hard Term, especially when we talk of the Essence of Sin; and I have too much cause to fear, from mine own knowledge, that by this means he hath laid a Stumbling-block before the Weak, to cause them to err in Judgment concerning Sin, and other things that his Notions lead to: I hope the Lord will make him sensible of it, and give him Repentance.
§. 4. Or, secondly, by the Essence of Sin in the Spirit, he means, 'tis in the Soul or Spirit as its Subject; and in this sense 'tis in part true, (tho the word Essence in a proper sense must not be allowed) for the Soul of Man is the proper Subject of Sin, yet not exclusive of the Body; for the whole Man, which consists of Body and Soul, is the Subject of Sin. But if he means thus, 'tis in the Spirit as its Subject; tho 'tis true in part, yet 'tis nothing to his purpose, for there is no description of the Nature of Sin wherein it consists, which is the very thing he pretends to declare, but only a relation of what Subject it is in; all one as if a Person should ask me, What is the true Nature and Essence of Whiteness? And I reply thus, Whiteness is in the Wall: you may very well answer, so it is in Milk, and in a Man's Body, &c. But what is this to the Nature of it? And the same I reply to Mr. M. Actual Sin is in a Man's Words and Actions, as well as in his Thoughts and Spirit. But I suppose he takes not that Expression in this latter sense, viz. the Essence of Sin is in the Spirit as its Subject; but in the former, 'tis in the Spirit, as it consists in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man, which he intimates to be his meaning in the words just preceding that particular; for, saith he, Pag. 6.
§. 3. Now Mr. Marlow, in his description of the Essence of Sin, (as he improperly and confusedly is pleased to call it) seems wholly to exclude Original Sin, (tho I am apt to believe he is no Arminian) for when in Pag. 6. he saith, The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit; (1.) Either by this Expression, he means the same as he did before, Pag. 5. when he spoke of Singing. The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit, (that is) it consists in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man: And if so, then he wholly excludes Original Sin, which doth not consist in the Act or Exercise of the Mind, but is born with us, and speaks only of Actual Sin; and neither doth he speak of all Actual Sin, but only of one Species or Kind, namely of Heart and Thought; and if he takes the term (Essence) in its proper signification, it belongs to no Sin, which (as I said before) is a privation, unless he is running himself, and would have others follow him, into the old exploded Error of the Manichees. And, lastly, neither is it a description of the Essence of actual Sin in the Thoughts; for let him mean what he will by Essence of Sin, 'tis certain that Actual Sin in the Thoughts, doth not consist in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Mind or Spirit; this in itself is no Sin, but a natural Act of a reasonable Creature; the being therefore of this very Species of actual Sin, consists not in the Exercise of the Soul or Mind considered in itself, but as it relates to God's Law, and wants such due conformity to it as it should have. Therefore I am perswaded, that either Mr. M. is under some pernicious Error in Judgment concerning Sin, or else that he doth not understand what he asserts, (I hope the latter.) The word Essence is a hard Term, especially when we talk of the Essence of Sin; and I have too much cause to fear, from mine own knowledge, that by this means he hath laid a Stumbling-block before the Weak, to cause them to err in Judgment concerning Sin, and other things that his Notions lead to: I hope the Lord will make him sensible of it, and give him Repentance.
§. 4. Or, secondly, by the Essence of Sin in the Spirit, he means, 'tis in the Soul or Spirit as its Subject; and in this sense 'tis in part true, (tho the word Essence in a proper sense must not be allowed) for the Soul of Man is the proper Subject of Sin, yet not exclusive of the Body; for the whole Man, which consists of Body and Soul, is the Subject of Sin. But if he means thus, 'tis in the Spirit as its Subject; tho 'tis true in part, yet 'tis nothing to his purpose, for there is no description of the Nature of Sin wherein it consists, which is the very thing he pretends to declare, but only a relation of what Subject it is in; all one as if a Person should ask me, What is the true Nature and Essence of Whiteness? And I reply thus, Whiteness is in the Wall: you may very well answer, so it is in Milk, and in a Man's Body, &c. But what is this to the Nature of it? And the same I reply to Mr. M. Actual Sin is in a Man's Words and Actions, as well as in his Thoughts and Spirit. But I suppose he takes not that Expression in this latter sense, viz. the Essence of Sin is in the Spirit as its Subject; but in the former, 'tis in the Spirit, as it consists in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Mind of Man, which he intimates to be his meaning in the words just preceding that particular; for, saith he, Pag. 6.
The Scriptures do clearly witness, that the Essence of Prayer and Praise, and of Sin, do all consist in an inward Exercise of Soul or Spirit. And then proceeds to prove each in particular, viz. First, (saith he) The Essence of Sin is in the Spirit. This plainly shows, he takes the Expression in the former sense, which we examined above. But in my Judgment he speaks one thing for another, for there is a great deal of difference between the Essence of Sin as in the Spirit, and the Essence of Sin consisting in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Soul or Spirit. But in such dark Shades do Men wander, when they oppose the Truth of God which they should love and honor. But hitherto of the Nature of Sin.
§. 5. As for the Nature or Essence of Prayer, I conceive it thus; Prayer is a Duty we owe to God, and an Action of a reasonable Creature, whereby he expresseth his Mind to the Lord, sometimes with words, and sometimes without words, in petitioning for things agreeable to his Will. Prayer is therefore either Mental or Vocal; these are two Species of Prayer in general. Now to say Vocal Prayer is not Prayer because Mental is, is all one as to say, two Species cannot agree in one Genus, or that a Man is not an Animal, because a Brute is; but such Absurdities are unworthy Confutation. The Essence therefore of Prayer, consists not in the Mode of performance, whether it be done with the Mind only, or with the Voice also. Therefore when Mr. M. saith, Pag. 6. The Essence of Prayer is in the Heart or Spirit: This is true in the general of one Species of Prayer, namely, Mental; but not of Vocal Prayer; for the Nature and Essence of this consists in the Voice, as well as in the Mind; and tho God will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, Joh. 4. yet who doubts but Spiritual Worship may be performed by bodily Organs? As to the other Scriptures he mentions, to prove his lame definition of Prayer, they relate only to Mental Prayer, and the Scripture is as plentiful in other Instances for Vocal Prayer, had he been willing to collect them; but this indeed would have shown him, that the Essence of Prayer is not only in the Spirit.
§. 6. As to the Nature of Singing, I conceive it lieth here: 'Tis an Ordinance of God, and a holy Action of a reasonable Creature, wherein, by a fit Modulation of Voice, suitable to the nature of the Matter sung, they sound forth God's Praises. 'Tis a Mode of speaking; 'tis a solemn or melodious way of sounding forth the Praises of God. And how this which is a mode of speaking can consist in the Heart and Spirit, (i. e. in an inward exercise of the Soul) where there is no speaking at all, for my part I cannot understand, unless Accidents may exist separate from their Subjects, which is contrary to the Rules of all Logick. Whereas therefore Mr. M. Pag. 7. thus argues, If the Essence of Prayer be inwardly in the Spirit, why not of Singing also? Not to repeat what I have said of Prayer, I reply, for very good reason; Because Prayer may be performed by the Mind without the Voice: mental Prayer, is an Action and Accident of the Mind; this is not separate from its subject, though the Voice is wanting. But Singing is a Mode and Adjunct of the Voice; and therefore when we speak of proper, not Metaphorical Singing, it always presupposes the Voice as its Subject, and can in no wise be performed without it. 'Tis true, a Man may praise God with his Heart and Mind, for there is mental Praise (though no mental Singing) as well as mental Prayer: but vocal Praise, whether by Speaking or Singing, cannot be performed without the Voice, (saith Dr. Roberts) how gross and Ignorant a Contradiction in the Adject, and absurd nonsense is it, to talk of Singing in Heart without the Voice? Methinks I cannot but admire, that any Man of common Understanding, should expose to the view of the World, such nonsensical gross Absurdities, to justify his long neglect of a holy Ordinance of God, that is as ancient as the World, and will continue to the Glory of God when it ends. But farther to convince him, or any others that are misled by him, that the Essence of Singing is not in the Spirit, &c. 'twill appear thus.
1. If Singing, in its Nature and Essence, is a Mode of Speaking, then the Essence of Singing doth not consist in a Spiritual inward Exercise of the Soul or Mind, &c. (for here is no Speaking, consequently no Singing) but Singing in its Nature and Essence is a Mode of Speaking; for seeing it consists in a Modulation of the Voice, therefore nothing else but a Mode of Speaking, and consequently implies and presupposeth Speaking.
2. If there can be no Singing without Speaking, then the Essence of Singing doth not consist in an inward Act of the Mind. This is plain, because there is no Speaking, and the Essence of a thing cannot be there, where the thing itself is not. But there can be no Singing without Speaking, as appears thus: If Accidents cannot exist separate from their Subjects, then there can be no Singing without Speaking: But Accidents cannot exist separate from their Subjects (Accidentis enim esse est inesse) 'tis the very Nature and Essence of Accidents to exist in another, and therefore Singing an Accident cannot be without Speaking (its proximate Subject) and consequently consists not in an inward Act of the Mind only.
3. If you confine Singing to the Heart and Spirit because God will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.24. and those that sing, ought to sing with the Spirit and Understanding, 1 Cor. 14.15. By the same Rule (as you have been told by others) you may confine Prayer and Preaching to the Heart and Spirit, to the Internal Acts of the Soul or Mind; for we ought to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding, and Ministers ought to preach with the Spirit and Understanding. In short, the Consequence of your Discourse about that which you call the Essence of Prayer and Singing (as the Reverend Mr. Knollyes and Mr. Keach have told you) opens a wide Door for silent Meetings, and establisheth the Quakers in their mute Principles; though God is a Spirit, yet he requires us to worship him with our Bodies as well as our Spirits, 1 Cor. 6.20.
§. 5. As for the Nature or Essence of Prayer, I conceive it thus; Prayer is a Duty we owe to God, and an Action of a reasonable Creature, whereby he expresseth his Mind to the Lord, sometimes with words, and sometimes without words, in petitioning for things agreeable to his Will. Prayer is therefore either Mental or Vocal; these are two Species of Prayer in general. Now to say Vocal Prayer is not Prayer because Mental is, is all one as to say, two Species cannot agree in one Genus, or that a Man is not an Animal, because a Brute is; but such Absurdities are unworthy Confutation. The Essence therefore of Prayer, consists not in the Mode of performance, whether it be done with the Mind only, or with the Voice also. Therefore when Mr. M. saith, Pag. 6. The Essence of Prayer is in the Heart or Spirit: This is true in the general of one Species of Prayer, namely, Mental; but not of Vocal Prayer; for the Nature and Essence of this consists in the Voice, as well as in the Mind; and tho God will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, Joh. 4. yet who doubts but Spiritual Worship may be performed by bodily Organs? As to the other Scriptures he mentions, to prove his lame definition of Prayer, they relate only to Mental Prayer, and the Scripture is as plentiful in other Instances for Vocal Prayer, had he been willing to collect them; but this indeed would have shown him, that the Essence of Prayer is not only in the Spirit.
§. 6. As to the Nature of Singing, I conceive it lieth here: 'Tis an Ordinance of God, and a holy Action of a reasonable Creature, wherein, by a fit Modulation of Voice, suitable to the nature of the Matter sung, they sound forth God's Praises. 'Tis a Mode of speaking; 'tis a solemn or melodious way of sounding forth the Praises of God. And how this which is a mode of speaking can consist in the Heart and Spirit, (i. e. in an inward exercise of the Soul) where there is no speaking at all, for my part I cannot understand, unless Accidents may exist separate from their Subjects, which is contrary to the Rules of all Logick. Whereas therefore Mr. M. Pag. 7. thus argues, If the Essence of Prayer be inwardly in the Spirit, why not of Singing also? Not to repeat what I have said of Prayer, I reply, for very good reason; Because Prayer may be performed by the Mind without the Voice: mental Prayer, is an Action and Accident of the Mind; this is not separate from its subject, though the Voice is wanting. But Singing is a Mode and Adjunct of the Voice; and therefore when we speak of proper, not Metaphorical Singing, it always presupposes the Voice as its Subject, and can in no wise be performed without it. 'Tis true, a Man may praise God with his Heart and Mind, for there is mental Praise (though no mental Singing) as well as mental Prayer: but vocal Praise, whether by Speaking or Singing, cannot be performed without the Voice, (saith Dr. Roberts) how gross and Ignorant a Contradiction in the Adject, and absurd nonsense is it, to talk of Singing in Heart without the Voice? Methinks I cannot but admire, that any Man of common Understanding, should expose to the view of the World, such nonsensical gross Absurdities, to justify his long neglect of a holy Ordinance of God, that is as ancient as the World, and will continue to the Glory of God when it ends. But farther to convince him, or any others that are misled by him, that the Essence of Singing is not in the Spirit, &c. 'twill appear thus.
1. If Singing, in its Nature and Essence, is a Mode of Speaking, then the Essence of Singing doth not consist in a Spiritual inward Exercise of the Soul or Mind, &c. (for here is no Speaking, consequently no Singing) but Singing in its Nature and Essence is a Mode of Speaking; for seeing it consists in a Modulation of the Voice, therefore nothing else but a Mode of Speaking, and consequently implies and presupposeth Speaking.
2. If there can be no Singing without Speaking, then the Essence of Singing doth not consist in an inward Act of the Mind. This is plain, because there is no Speaking, and the Essence of a thing cannot be there, where the thing itself is not. But there can be no Singing without Speaking, as appears thus: If Accidents cannot exist separate from their Subjects, then there can be no Singing without Speaking: But Accidents cannot exist separate from their Subjects (Accidentis enim esse est inesse) 'tis the very Nature and Essence of Accidents to exist in another, and therefore Singing an Accident cannot be without Speaking (its proximate Subject) and consequently consists not in an inward Act of the Mind only.
3. If you confine Singing to the Heart and Spirit because God will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.24. and those that sing, ought to sing with the Spirit and Understanding, 1 Cor. 14.15. By the same Rule (as you have been told by others) you may confine Prayer and Preaching to the Heart and Spirit, to the Internal Acts of the Soul or Mind; for we ought to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding, and Ministers ought to preach with the Spirit and Understanding. In short, the Consequence of your Discourse about that which you call the Essence of Prayer and Singing (as the Reverend Mr. Knollyes and Mr. Keach have told you) opens a wide Door for silent Meetings, and establisheth the Quakers in their mute Principles; though God is a Spirit, yet he requires us to worship him with our Bodies as well as our Spirits, 1 Cor. 6.20.
Vocal Prayer, and vocal Singing, may and ought to be with the Spirit; and 'tis of no other Prayer and Singing the Apostle there speaks, but what ought to be done to the edification of the Church. But who shall be edified by your inward Singing, that you plead for? That Ordinance of Singing that the Church of God before the giving of the Law of Sinai, and under the Law practised, and our Lord Jesus by his Command and Example to his Churches, hath injoyned them to practise in their Assemblies in the Gospel-day, is vocal Singing, to their mutual Edification, Col. 3.16. which you and others neglecting, and some opposing, do therein militate against a positive Statute-Law of Heaven; Rob the Church as much as in you lieth of an Ordinance which our Lord Christ hath ordained for their edification and comfort; lay stumbling blocks before the weak, to lead them into Errour; which the Lord make you sensible of, and give you true Repentance for, lest you repent it when too late; take heed of adding Sin to Sin, and kindly accept of the Admonitions that have been given you in Private and in Publick; quarrel not with those that have shewed your Mistakes, but seriously consider of what hath been said, and the Lord give you true repentance for what you have done in opposing so plain a Truth of God.
FINIS.
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