Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	pray_v	prayer_n	spirit_n	4,656	5	5.8534	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92933	A Serious answer to a late book stiled, A reply to Mr. Robert Steed's epistle concerning singing wherein the chief scriptures and arguments are examined, and the weakness thereof shewed : together with an answer to the several reflections, and false charges, against both churches and persons, recommended to the elders, ministers, and members of baptized churches.	Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.; Steed, Robert, of Dartmouth.; Barrett, George.; E. M. (Edward Man)	1692 (1692)	Wing S2607; ESTC R42860	36,728	64

of what he hath commanded Mat. 28.19 2. In the great gospel-Gospel-Duties of Prayer and Praising God he hath graciously promised the assistance of the Holy Spirit both what to pray for as well as how we are to pray Rom. 8.26 For we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us Where we observe that which respects the manner and frame of Heart in Prayer respects also the matter of Prayer Indeed we are poor Worms and know not how to order our Cause before him unless we are assisted both in Matter in the time of Worship as well as Manner And as it is in Prayer so is it in Praises which Duty ought certainly to be as spiritually performed as Prayer and we need as great assistance of the Holy Spirit to Praise as to Pray But if Gospel-singing the Praise of God be with a Musical Voice and the Form before composed in Verse then we know what to praise God for The Minister or some one brings that Matter composed in writing or in print in his Pocket and then what need will there be of the Spirit of God to help us what to pray for 3. But if it be objected that we ought before-hand to consider the Mercies we have received We readily grant it and do affirm that also in Prayer we ought to consider our Wants to beg Supplies and our Sins to beg Pardon But also in presenting them before the Lord we need the Assistance of the Spirit to order our very Requests before him And that it 's the Experience of every Servant of God that in Prayer to God and in Praises of God their Hearts are inlarged in matter far beyond the Preparations of matter in either of those Holy Exercises This is one of the most pregnant Arguments used against stinted Forms of Prayer by those Ministers that so do even that it is a stinting the Spirit of God in that Duty as also contrary to the blessed Design of the Lord Christ in his Ascension mentioned Eph. 4.8 And therefore we cannot see but it must necessarily follow but that if a set-Form of Praises composed and brought into the Church in the publick Worship of God is lawful or as an Institution appointed by him then certainly a set-Form of Prayer ought to be provided also as a part of the publick Worship of God for the Peoples Prayers And tertainly would they but seriously consider their own Arguments that perswade them to be against set-form Prayer the same would consute their Notions against set-form Singing if indeed they be against set-form Prayer For they that can so vehemently plead in that Book for reading Songs of Praise and for reading Sermons and call it Preaching in the Church why should they not be for reading Prayers there also especially when their Arguments for both are for the most part the very same that others urge for set-form Prayer As for what they most impertinently alledg for their Vindication in this Matter from the Song of Moses and the Hymn mentioned Mat. 26.30 with Col. 3.16 they will be considered in their due place Secondly We shall enquire whether for a mixed Multitude Professors and Prosane Believers and Unbelievers to sing in Consort in the Church be an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus according to his New-Testament-Institution 1. We desire it may be seriously considered that there is not the least mention of it in the New Testament by any Precept or Example wherein we are directed in the Worship of God Certainly if our Lord Jesus was most faithful in the House of God and if his Apostles did faithfully declare the whole Counsel of God to the Churches then they would not have failed to have declared this also So that it is purely a Humane Invention without any shadow of ground for it in the Scriptures before mentioned which are the only Rule to guide us in the solemn instituted Worship of God in his Church If this Arguments hold good against the common Practice of Infants Sprinkling called Baptism as undoubtedly it doth then it doth also as evidently prove that this way of common Singing is a Tradition of Men and not an Ordinance of our Lord Jesus 2. As there is not the least mention of it as aforesaid so it is directly contrary to what our Lord Jesus hath plainly declared both as to the Qualification of the Worshippers as well as to the manner of Worship in Gospel-Times Joh. 4.23 The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and i● Truth c. Can the Unbelievers the Ignorant and the Profane thus worship the Father are they thus qualified or are they capable so to do So that this Practice of theirs is a plain Contradiction to the Will of our Lord and Law-giver in that Affair of Solemn Worship which therefore ought to be rejected by all the upright in Heart 3. Hereby there is an Opportunity given them to make or to speak a Lie before the Lord to take his Name in vain while they speak that which they do not understand and utter that as the frame of their Hearts which they do not receive in their Minds nor can they know them or truly affect them while they remain in an unconverted Estate because they are spiritually discerned Now to be accessary unto or to promote such a Transgression in the solemn Worship of God which they unavoidably do who set up this common way of Singing is a Practice that cannot be justified There is more to be added to shew the great Irregularity of this common Practice which must be referred to its proper place Object But they object That we admit them to be present and to join with their Hearts in our publick Prayers which is as much or more than lifting up their Voices in singing in the Church Answ To which we reply That it is true we do admit them at the time of Prayer and Preaching to be present and so we can and do to the Spectators and Hearers when we partake of the Lord's Supper not knowing by what means the Lord may work upon them or give them Repentance unto Life But that which is affirmed that they join with us with their Hearts in Prayer is no true Assertion They do not so join with us because they cannot For the Holy Spirit who knows the Hearts of all Men plainly tells us that Persons while Unbelievers and Unconverted cannot so do as is most evident from that Scripture Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him on whom they have not believed Object But they say Some have been converted by their Singing for Psalms are full of Instruction c. Answ 1. We grant that Psalms are full of Admonition and Instruction but we deny that the Musical Tunes do instruct but the Matter it self that is sung And if it be Matter it self that doth only instruct as you would seem to acknowledg then it is not Musick but the Matter 2. Tho some should be

converted by their Musical Singing yet it cannot be a Rule to judg that way of Singing to be an instituted Ordinance of Christ in the Church Some we know have declared they have been converted by the hearing of Common Prayer yet we suppose they will not therefore acknowledg that Common Prayer is an instituted Ordinance of Christ Also some have professed that they have been converted by partaking of the Sacrament in the way of the Nation And thereupon it is not many Years since several Learned Men imployed their Wits in writing large Treatises to prove it to be a converting Ordinanc●● And therefore that all without Exception ought to be admitted to it But we do suppose it is not their Judgment Object They again pretend they do not join w●●● Unbelievers but Unbelievers with them in th●● Work Answ 1. Then by this poor Excuse if Unbelievers will come and partake with them at the Lord's Supper of the Bread and the Wine they may permit them so to do and pretend that they do not join with Unbelievers in that Ordinance but they with them And so quickly bring the World and the Church into One that is Christ and Belial to have Communion together unto which this Practice and the Reason for it have a direct Tendency 2. If they plead for this Practice as lawful as that which is a converting Ordinance as that which is warranted by the Word of God Certainly they do more than permit they do admit and call them to it Object But it is further and earnestly urgeds that it is a natural Duty that all without exception are enjoined to do Answ 1. We grant that Worship was due to God by the Light of Nature And say further that Spiritual Worship was due from Man as his Creature inasmuch as God is a Spirit but the outward Means of that Worship what would be acceptable unto God was not known by the Light of Nature This was only known by positive Institution and depended not on the Law of Creation Adam in Innocency knew that God was to be worshipped yet by Nature he did not know by what outward Acts he was to pay this to his Creator This depended on the Direction of God as the Sovereign Lawgiver should prescribe And therefore we find the positive Institution of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil c. The Pillars upon which the Worship of God stands cannot be known but by Revelation 2. We say that as God alone knows how and by what means himself will be worshipped so it is not in the Power of Men or Angels to prescribe Worship to his Creature and that it is an intrenchment upon his Soveraignty for any so to do Man being to observe whatsoever he and he only hath commanded 3. It is evident that in all the instituted Worship that God hath prescribed it is with all Plainness both in Matter and Manner And that God hath always done even in the first Institution God gave to Adam not to eat of the forbidden Fruit It was with that plainness and clearness that no Objection could be made by him in his disobeying the Command of God Also in all the Tabernacle and Temple-Worship every particular direction thereunto to the very Pin in the Tabernacle was given to them that they might not vary from without Sin And therefore the least Addition or Detraction from it was severely punished by God And now it is much more plain under the Gospel-Administration tho more Spiritual And the Worshippers that are admitted to perform or celebrate it in his Church are required even in the outward part both as to their Qualifications and Exercise to be more Spiritual than under the Law 4. Therefore tho the Obligation to worship is natural and that it is to be performed with the highest Reverence and Affection concreated with Man yet the whole of external Worship is positive and depends upon Institution Nature is silent therein otherwise than as it regulates with respect to Conveniency and Decency in common with other actions in matters of less moment than Worship to wit Marriage and Meats Man was created with an Instinct for Nutrition and Procreation but was directed unto the means and manner of both by Institution So in the present Case that God is to be honoured and praised is an innate Principle but the means how or which way or by whom it is to be manag'd in his Church depends only on his Soveraign Will and Pleasure declared in his Word Which that he will be thus worshipped by a mix'd Multitude lifting up their Voices together in Musical Singing he hath no where declared in his New Testament and therefore the pretence of proving it from its being a natural Worship falls to the ground having not the least weight in it to justify such a Practice Obj. It is further argued by them That Moses and the Children of Israel that were a mix'd Multitude sung by a composed Form therefore we ought to do so now Answ 1. We desire it may be seriously considered that this alledged of the Song of Moses belongs to the Old-Testament-Dispensation unto which we now in Gospel-times are not to have recourse to direct us in the positive Part of Worship we must therein hearken to the Son and not to the Servant We may as well argue as many do from the Children of Israel's with their Off-spring being as the Apostle saith all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea for the Baptism of Infants now and so in like manner from Circumcision as to conclude from their manner of Singing to such a manner now 2. It is plain that it was an extraordinary Song on an extraordinary Occasion that we do not find was enjoined to be sung afterwards in their Tabernacle or Temple-Worship Nor do we find that ever the whole Congregation were afterwards to sing in Consort or with all their Voices together which they cannot deny Therefore if it were not admitted for a constant Practice then nor any such thing commanded by our Lord Jesus since to his Gospel-Churches we may wonder with what shadow of pretence they should alledg it to justify such a kind of Singing now They have only this poor sorry Evasion concerning their not Singing afterwards so in consort together That the Levites the Singers sung together and therefore all may now sing together which is a strange way of fallacious Arguing easily to be seen and exploded by all But consider those Levites or Singers had a positive Direction from the Lord so to do Let them produce such a Command from the Lord Jesus our Lord and Law-giver for his Churches now and the Controversy will be ended 3. If the manner of singing the Song of Moses be a Pattern for us now then must the Women sing by themselves with Musick and Dancing a● they did then Exod. 15.20 There cannot be t●● least reason given but if one be admitted so m●●● the other if it be a directing