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 is 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 't is 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 have 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 â—ught to be duly weighed in the Scales of Holy Scripture there being no liberty to us to count any thing 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 matter of wonder if it comes not from a Novice or if it do 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 an useless Argument 2. To say purest Churches in our Age if it intend 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 hid 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 any ones 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 were 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 extream 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 have 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 who 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
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
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
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 some one Person at a time may sing in the Church if he have received a Spiritual Gift as Tongues and working of Miracles were received that he can extemporarially as the Spirit giveth him utterance and instantly suggesteth into his Mind Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Matter Tune and Time inspired and it cannot be denied to be used now if there were any such this is all But how 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 Mens 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 every one here mentioned might receive Profit so that all what 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 of Ministring 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 particularizeth 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 fulfil 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 those 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 labour 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 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
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 â—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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath 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 judg 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. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath 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 have 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 is no Means ordinary to obtain extraordinary Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all things be done to edifying which is to build or found an 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 were extempory 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 have been yet for any thing 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 any one 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 every one 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 may indite 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
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