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 â—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 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 any one 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 thâ—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 practised 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 practised 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 practised by any in our Days And they say that because Christ and his Apostles by miraculous Power preached and administred 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 practise 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 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 practise 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 labour 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 Womens 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 Appelation 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 Errour 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 understand or otherwise will not grant though all Mankind generally as one Man will tell you 't is 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 knowledg 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 wordly 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 less 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 an huge pretence 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 any thing 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 signify nothing 4. Of Womens 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 Womens 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 Womens 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 knowledg 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 't is 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 teach and speak notably and reprove soundly also and give
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 Psalms as part of God's Worship That Expression Be ye filled with the Spirit being 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 effecting 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 an 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 shewing them things to come yet unfulfilled inabling 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 were 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 shewn to bring the Sense of the Text to yours and tho some Criticks 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 more dark especially where it hath no Fellow This comes to pass because our Translation galls them Again speaking in your selves 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 any where 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 â—yntax to translate it otherwise or differâ—nt from the same sense so in your selvâ— your Assemblies or in your Family-Devotâ—ons but to or in your selves to be mute nâ—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 beside themselves Elihu said so Job 32.18 19 20. David said so and sung 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 alledg 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 oppose the Churches Inheritance one and the same wouâ—d 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 an one spoken the Holy Spirit shews 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 imployed at one and the same
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 timeing 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 Ear-ring of Gold and an Ornament of fine Gold so is a wise Reprover upon an obedient Ear. Which sheweth that all Wisdom is required to the improvement of the rich in-dwelling Word of Christ that all the parts thereof may be disposed 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 pretence soever in the time of those Seasons they must not be inverted As for Instance When the Church is come 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 be 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 plentiously 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 sung 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 what it is to sing with Grace in our Hearts and making Melody in our Heart 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 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
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 afterwards 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 remembred and commonly received and familiar for frequent use than Words in another stile 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 ever-blessed 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 Service and Spiritual by Grace Joy Zeal do God Service If any thing be 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 what ever any think of it to the contrary that such Heavenly Cordials are made ready for us The Singing of Scripture-Psalms have continued in use as part of God's Worship ever since Christianity were and will be to the end of the World Christ and his Disciples used it and gave order for its Observation and Continuance And the most antient Records and Monuments of Antiquity which remain unto this Day And it did never yet lead 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 shews 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 preceeds the Marriage of the Lamb do intimate the allowed continuance of the Singing in God's Worship and singing Praise unto God will be for evermore so were it not a Type all Duties in this Life else will cease but the Triumphant Thanks Praise Love and Joy shall be for ever As touching Mens precomposing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs I shall not condemn their 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 preheminency 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 your self to prevail if you could dig them up c. You say that Ephes 5.19 is not to be understood 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 thus 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 much Administrators as any Do you well to set your House on Fire on purpose to burn your Neighbours This intimates both Ministers and Members must keep silence 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 that 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
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 an 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 were 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 were 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 Judg. 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 shewed 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 alledged 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 mix'd Congregation is so foolish and frivolous a Notion that I need say nothing to it What have we to do with others or to judg 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 't is 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 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 entred 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 Knowledg and Power you talk like one that is neither truly seasoned with Grace and 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 inforce Saints to continue in their Unbelief which is the cause of their want of Spirit and Joy flattering a 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 in 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 begun you make an end and so shall I. By telling you that though your self 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
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 't is certain that Actual Sin in the Thoughts doth not consist in an inward spiritual Exercise of the Mind or Spirit this in it self 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 it self 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 knowledg 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 't is in the Soul or Spirit as its Subject and in this sense 't is 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 't is in the Spirit as its Subject tho 't is true in part yet 't is nothing to his purpose for here 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 't is 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 shews 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 honour 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 shewed him that the Essence of Prayer is not only in the Spirit § 6. As to the Nature of Singing I conceive it lieth here 'T is an Ordinance of God and an holy Action of a reasonable Creature wherein by a fit Modulation of Voice sutable to the nature of the Matter sung they sound forth God's Praises 'T is a Mode of speaking 't is 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 be wanting But Singing is a Mode and Adjunct of the Voice and therefore when we speak of proper not Metaphorical Singing it always presupposeth the Voice as its Subject and can in no wise be performed without it 'T is 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