those that are Eucharistical and such all ours are now but were not so in the Days of the Apostles And the use of Hymns neither is nor can be denied by our Adversaries as well in the private Synaxes of the Apostolical Christians as in the Worship of the Temple The Hymn to Christ as a God in Pliny appeal'd to in the latter end of the second Pli. l. x. Ep. 97. Century as a very early evidence of the belief of his Deity seems to have been joined with the Eucharist For Pliny tells us on the same occasion of the Covenant the Christians entred into against all the liberties us'd by wicked Persons And the publick Singers are mention'd in the earliest distinct Accounts we have of their Offices not as newly introduc'd but as actually obtaining without any memory of a late Original Had the reasons of the things been all that had been requisite for raising of the Affections I cannot conceive any need our Adversaries can pretend for Singing That does no otherwise contribute to the raising of the Affections than as the assistance and Improvement of the Imagination may be supposed to contribute to it The Singing does not add a new Reason nor improve the old ones why the Affections should be raised But however they do dispose the Affections to follow Reason more readily and more vigorously than they would if they had not the assistance of a favourable Imagination and that by the Nature of the things themselves and in that regard Musick Instrumental also was acknowledged to have the same influence that Singing had by the Imagination over the Affections and to add to the advantages of Singing Vocally So it was that David's playing on the Harp cured Saul of the evil Spirit by curing that Melancholy which disposed him to receive the Influences of the evil Spirit So it was that the like use of Instrumental Musick dispos'd Elisha for the Influences of the good Spirit by composing that Passion which his Zeal against the Idolatry of the King of Israel had put the Prophet into it made him capable of being acted by the Spirit of Prophesy For chearfulness of Temper is one of the Dispositions required by the Rabinical Jews themselves for fitting Men for Prophesie That may possibly be the Reason why the Scriptures mention Instrumental Musick as receiv'd in the Schools of the Prophets especially when they were actually Prophesying as it should seem 1 Sam. x. 5. 1 Chr. xxv 1. to dispose them for the freer Influences of the Divine Spirit The Singing Hymns to such Instruments is call'd Prophesying in the places now mention'd So far the nature of the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel is from superseding this assistance of Instrumental Musick as our Adversaries would have us believe that on the contrary it contributed to it if we would rather believe the Scriptures and the actual Opinions of the sacred Writers So Miriam Prophesied with a Timbrel the Instrument most us'd by Women So Samuel's Disciples the Sons of the Prophets the Candidate expectants of that sacred Gift They also Prophesie with a Psaltery a Tabret and a Harp and a Pipe So the ordinary Officers in the Jewish Liturgicks were to Prophesie with Harps and Psalteries and Cymbals according to the order of King David 1 Chr. xxv 1 2. And Jeduthun is said to Prophecy with a Harp to give Thanks and to Praise the Lord v. 3. Why should we therefore think it strange that the Church of Jerusalem in the Revelations should be represented Rev. v. 8. xiv 2. xv 2. Harping with the Harps of God We see it was the proper Employment of Prophets according to the sense of the sacred Writers that is of those wherein that Church of Jerusalem did so much abound How could those Sacred Writers judge Instrumental Musick improper for a Spiritual Dispensation when they thought it so useful in an ordinary way to dispose Men for the receiving the Spirit of Prophecy IF our Adversaries would learn from XI The Benefit of Musick in Holy Offices thought natural and not ascrib'd to any extraordinary Providence the Scriptures they should reason from the Opinions received in the Ages of the Sacred Writers rather than from prejudices imbib'd from Modern Systems That would be the way to reason as they did then and the best expedient for finding the Sense of them who were us'd to that way of Reasoning They pretend that all the efficacy of Instrumental Musick then was due to a particular Interposition of God seconding his own Institution Had the Institution been singular and different from the Customs of other Religions or the event other than what would have been expected according to the opinions then receiv'd among those who had no regard to the Mosaical Institution there had been indeed some pretence for ascribing the Benefit rather to the extraordinary Interposition of God than to the Natures of the things themselves The jealous God who will not give his Glory to another makes choice of the most unlikely means in the opinions of those with whom he has to deal when he designs to challenge the Glory of the event entirely to himself So it was when he was pleas'd to restore the Sight of him that was born Blind by anointing his Eyes with Clay So when Naaman was to be Cured of his Leaprode by Washing in Jordan rather than in Abana and Pharpar the Rivers of his own Country So when he reduc'd the Numbers of Gideon's Army from many Thousands to 300. Here on the contrary those very means are us'd which even the Heathens themselves had agreed on as most naturally conducive to the same end and which least needed an extraordinary Interposition of Providence in the Opinions of those who were to use them It was easy to foresee that they would ascribe the event to the natural Course of second Causes themselves and that in the way of reasoning suited to their Capacities they would also think they had reason to do so and that Gd intended they should do so whilst he signified nothing to the contrary And therefore God must have indeed intended they should think so if he did at all intend they should understand him rightly And who can think Sauls Servants particularly inspired when they recommended a Musician to their Master as an expedient against the Ailings caused by the evil Spirit The reason in all likelihood why they recommended it was because they knew it a likely Cure of Melancholy and they believed withal that when the Melancholy was cured the evil Spirit who was confin'd to Rules could not exercise his Malignity on a subject indisposed to receive his Influences This is a plain Account how the thing might be done in their Opinions by Instrumental Musick as an ordinary means without any pretence to Revelation which they neither did nor had any reason to pretend to The like Account seems most probable of the Case of Elisha when he also made use of Instrumental Musick
at present to follow this Argument as far as it would lead me It suffices now to observe that this Hypothesis seems generally alluded to in the Sacred Writers especially of the New Testament and therefore cannot indeed be thought so precarious as our Adversaries might otherwise conceive if they will suffer themselves to be led away with popular Prejudices without examining it The New Testament plainly enough distinguishes the Gift of Healing which Cured Diseases not caus'd by Devils directly from the Curing Infirmities caus'd by Devils which were sufficiently Cured by casting out the Devils that caus'd them And I think also that they mention no Aylings of the latter sort which may not be accounted for by their Power allow'd them by God on the Parts now mention'd However this Difference between Divine Prophecy and Diabolical Enthusiasm seems to have been generally agreed on that Prophecy requir'd Imagination but perfected and duly subordinated to the Nobler Faculties but Enthusiasm went no farther than the Imagination and therefore disorder'd and hindred the Understanding and the immaterial Faculties depending on it And our Adversaries must be very difficult indeed in their Concessions if they can doubt whether Instrumental Musick can affect the Imagination so as to Compose or Disorder it Yet this alone is sufficient for disabling Devils to Influence it if their Power be confined by Providence to disposed Matter and Musick may indispose the Imagination for their Influences and it be not withal in their Power to make or hinder Dispositions BUT our Adversaries have a strange XIII Such a Notion of the Spiritualness of our Religion as makes uncapable of Sensible Assistances is fundamentally inconsistent with the Doctrine of the Apostolical Age. Notion of the Spiritualness of our Christian Religion as if all Bodily and External Assistances were now perfectly useless and inconsistent with the Nature of our present Dispensation On this account they are averse to all Assistances of our Senses as well as this of Instrumental Musick But why should God have Instituted Sacraments for Assisting our Senses if the whole kind of such Assistances had been so derogatory to the Nature of his new Establishment Why should he have allow'd even Vocal Musick if even our Senses could contribute nothing to the raising of the Devotion of our Spirits I know our Adversaries are more willing to impute this Usefulness of Instrumental Musick rather to the extraordinary Interposition of God seconding his own Institution But why should they think it derogatory to the Providence of God that he should make use of the Power himself has given to the Natures of Things Or why should they deny the Experience of so many Heathens who tho' they regarded not the Institutions of the God of the Jews yet receiv'd the same Practice of Instrumental Musick on account of the Devotion they pretended to feel rais'd in themselves by it in their several false Religions This could be imputable to nothing but the Natures of the things themselves But where have they learned such a Notion of the Spiritualness of the Christian Religion that should exclude the Use or even the Necessity of Corporeal Assistances The Scripture is not more express in requiring a Spiritual Worship than it is in requiring that also of the Body Our Bodies are Temples of the Holy Ghost and we are accordingly requir'd to Glorifie God in our Bodies as well as our Spirits which are his 1 Cor. vi 19 20. The unmarried Woman is so to care for the things of the Lord that she may be Holy both in Body and in Spirit vii 34. We are to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is our reasonable Service Rom. xii 1. And our whole Spirit and Soul and Body are to be preserved Blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. v. 23. If Service be expected from the Body as well as the Spirit How can it be disagreeable to the Nature of our Spiritual Religion that such Parts of Bodily Worship may be retain'd or introduc'd as may in their own Nature contribute to the Worship of the Spirit There was indeed near the Apostles times an Opinion introduc'd among the Philosophers Numenius perhaps may be the first that brought it in from whom Porphyry owns Plotinus to have borrowed what he has to this purpose That the Soul alone was the Man and that the Body was no part of the Man but a Prison to the Soul and therefore preternatural to it and to be avoided by it that it might be qualified for a perfect State And these did indeed so insist on the Spiritual Nature of Religion as to discharge the Body from any share in it The Good Man with them was the only Priest the Soul it self the only acceptable Temple the Devotion of the Mind the pleasing Sacrifice And the the way to union with God was to alienate themselves as much as was possible from the Body and from the external Societies of Men and to enure themselves to abstracted Operations of the Mind in order to the Cultivating of the Spirit which was the only Power that they thought capable of an Union with the Supreme Being This is that Philosophical Religion so much Celebrated by Plotinus Porphyry himself and Hierocles and several other of the later Philosophers Porphyry particularly was very much pleas'd with it as appears from his Sentences and his Books de Abstinentiâ but especially from his Epistle to Anebo where he does by these Principles undermine all Obligation to the Externals of the Heathen as well Ap. Jambli de myst Egypt Porphy vit Plotin as the Christian Religion This put him on Starving himself in his Lilybaean Retirement if his Master Plotinus whom he follow'd in these Opinions had not reclaim'd him This seems to be the Original of all that Enthusiasm that has decry'd the external Ordinances and Sacraments even of Christ himself upon Pretences to greater Perfection and several Fancies of the old Monks relating this way in Anastasius Sinaita of the Popish Mystical Divinity and Quietism of the Familists and Quakers of the Bourignonists and Philadelphians c. It is strange our Presóyterian Adversaries who dislike these Consequences in others so destructive of their own Discipline are notwithstanding insensible of the advantage they have given to others of justifying Separation from themselves by these Pretences of the Spiritual Nature of the Evangelical Worship by which themselves defended their own Separation from their own Superiours This might at least have warned them to a more accurate Examination of the Principle when they found they could not justifie the Consequences which followed from it For us it is abundantly sufficient that this Doctrine tho' taught by the Adversaries of the Apostles Age was notwithstanding perfectly different from the Sense of the Apostolical Church it self The Hereticks by this means evaded the Resurrection of the Body pretending the Resurrection promis'd was already past in their mystical Resurrection
Whence can they prove that even Gentile Churches who never were oblig'd by the ceremonial Law whilst they continu'd Gentiles might not by the Authority of their particular Bodies resume any of those Rights if they should judge them edifying in their own Circumstances without any regard to the Legislative Power by which they had been formerly imposed I know very well our Adversaries of the Separation are possess'd of Opinions very contrary to what I have now discours'd But if they will be pleased to examine them impartially they will find no better Authority for them than the modern Systems since and the School-men before the Reformation and the Reasonings of some Fathers not near to nor acquainted with the Originals of Christianity But these are Authorities by which they are unwilling to be concluded in other Cases If therefore they will be true to their Principles they will do well to lay aside these Prejudices and see what they can find for those Opinions in the Scriptures themselves which are the only Authorities they pretend to follow But when these Prejudices are laid aside they will not find those things so clearly decided there as they have been used to believe No nor in the Writings of the first and purest Originals of the Christian Religion AND yet I do not deny but that several V. The chief new Revelation made to the Apostles was that the Gentiles might be admitted into the new Peculium immediately without Circumcision of the Mosaical Precepts were indeed abrogated by the Gospel and so abrogated as that it is now unlawful to insist on them as they were then imposed What I design is only to shew that the general way of Reasoning us'd by our Adversaries neither has nor can have the least Countenance in the Writings of the New Testament This alone will suffice to shew that before they can make Application to our Case of Instrumental Musick they should first shew upon what Consequence it comes to pass that any of the Mosaick Rites are made unlawful by the Establishments of the Gospel and then that this particular of Instrumental Musick is concern'd in that Consequence This has not been that I know attempted by them tho' absolutely necessary if they will reason acurately For this purpose I shall desire them to remember that the great dispute of the Apostolical Age was concerning the Coalition of the Jews and the uncircumcis'd Gentiles into one Society and Communion of Gods peculiar People in order to the partaking of the same publick Worship on Earth and their being thereby entitl'd to the Spiritual benefits promis'd by God as his part of the Covenant to that peculiar People which he was pleas'd to own as his and to receive into his Covenant For the Principal thing design'd in those new Revelations made to the Apostles in the Acts was to shew that the Gentiles were to be admitted into the new Peculium without any Obligation to observe the Law of Moses as it had been particularly impos'd on the Jewish Nation That is without any Obligation to incorporate themselves into the particular Nation of the Jews This God shew'd by his effusion Acts x. 44. of his Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his Companions tho' uncircumcis'd purposely to let St. Peter know that they were not to be reputed as common and unclean and uncapable of joyning in Holy Offices on the Terms of the new Peculium on that account alone of their not being Circumcis'd as St. Peter hath thought before when he saw the Vision of the unclean Beasts and Reptiles The design of this was not to assert their actual Holiness or being actually of the new Peculium without Baptism as many of our separating Adversaries have understood it That was no Dispute at that time but it was only to let St. Peter know that they were capable of being admitted into the new Peculium immediately by Baptism without being Circumcis'd So St. Peter understood it who took care they should be Baptized tho' he did not insist upon their being Circumcis'd which he would never have done if he had thought them as much excus'd thereby from Baptism as from Circumcision This Revelation to St. Peter was that which satisfied the rest of the Apostles when they Expostulated with him concerning his freer Conversation with Cornelius than was allowable Acts xi 18. by their former Opinions Afterwards they were farther Confirm'd by the miraculous effusions of the Spirit on the Gentiles Converted by St. Paul and St. Acts xiv 2â— xv 4. 12. Barnabas without any Circumcision that might qualify them for it But most of all by those ordinary Manifestations of the Spirit then accompanying their Baptisms even of Persons uncircumcis'd nay which Circumcis'd Persons could not pretend to till they were also Baptized It being the peculiar Prerogative of our blessed Saviour's Baptism that it was not only of Water but also of the Spirit Thence St. Paul argues to the Gal. iii. 2. Galatians as a thing very notorious that they had not receiv'd the Spirit by any ritual Observances of the Law but by the Obedience of Faith And very solidly even according to the Notions of those times For the Holy Spirit being own'd for the Principle of Consecration of the holy People I mean of the Mystical which was also own'd for the only true Consecration it thence appear'd that Baptism alone without Circumcision was sufficient for admitting a Person into the Holy People which was one of the proper Titles of the peculiar People which were in immediate Covenant with the Supreme Being NOW this Constitution of the new Peculium VI. This was consequently a repeal of the Mosaical dispensation so far as it was inconsistent with it was perfectly inconsistent with the Old one The Old one admitted none to their Sacrifices by which Gods Covenant with them was transacted but only Circumcis'd Persons No Gentiles therefore could be admitted into it till they were first Circumcis'd that is Incorporated into the Jewish Nation and thereby made liable to all the Impositions on that Nation And that by the express Command of God who had excluded all uncircumcis'd Persons from partaking of those Sacrifices of the Jewish Temple and consequently from the Archetypal Heavenly Sacrifices represented by them and from all the Mystical Benefits of the Archetypal Sacrifices which were apply'd to the Communicants in the external Sacrifices as well as represented by them By the new Covenant grounded on these new Revelations the Gentiles were admitted into the new Peculium by Baptism immediately without any Obligation to Circumcision or to Incorporation into the Jewish Nation Both of them therefore being confessedly divine establishments were to be receiv'd as far as they were consistent with each other The first was to take Place confessedly till the second was introduced because so long it had no Rival that might pretend equal Authority with its self Afterwards it was to give way on account of that general Authority every
for disposing himself to receive the Spirit of Prophecy He pretends no Revelation for it nor indeed could he do so if he was yet indispos'd for it till he had us'd the remedy of Musick For if he had been capable of Inspiration without the use of Musick he might as easily have answered the principal Question demanded of him as have used one Revelation for an expedient to qualify him for a second But it has appeared that the practice was already received in the Schools of the Prophets which might easily put Elisha in mind of it when he found his case required it And for its being receiv'd in those Schools no divine Revelation is that I know so much as pretended The most likely original therefore is its natural conduciveness to dispose the Mind for being acted by Prophetick Inspirations The Heathens used it for that end purely on account of its natural usefulness for that purpose The Priests of Cybele the Galli advanc'd their Enthusiasm by the use of Cymbals So did the Bacchae in the Rites of Bacchus who for the time were transported besides themselves and knew not what they did so absolutely they were under the power of that emotion of Mind which they believed Prophetick They brought themselves to that Condition among other means by this also of Instrumental Musick The Passage of Nero ridicul'd by Persius is famous to this purpose Torva Mimalloneis implerunt cornua bombis To the same purpose I conceive may be referr'd those Passages of the New Testament that require our rejoicing always that forbid our grieving as well as quenching of the Holy Spirit that require perfect Concord between married Persons that their Prayers might not be hindred By all these things it appears that in the received Opinions of those Ages Cheerfulness of Temper was thought to dispose for the Influences of the good Spirit and Melancholy for the Influences of the evil one and that Musick Instrumental as well as Vocal contributed to promote that Cheerfulness and to remove that Melancholy These Opinions being supposed and alluded to in the Scriptures ought therefore to be taken for the measures of Interpreting them And what is there in this Hypothesis that can in Reason be suppos'd Temporary Can we suppose God to have made new Rules for the Influences of the two Spirits now that were not in the Age of the Apostles Or supposing the Rules the same Can we suppose any Change in the Nature of Instrumental Musick that may now make it unuseful for those very same ends for which it was then believ'd so very Advantageous OUR Adversaries who have been always XII The Influences of Good and Evil Spirits upon Man such as may be promoted or obstructed by Instrumental Musick more intent on the Words than the Reasonings of the Scriptures have not I think so well consider'd the Rules of Providence by which both Spirits are confin'd in Acting upon Mankind The rather because they are rather supposed than delivered in express Terms But God does not deal with Mankind Arbitrarily nor suffer Spirits to Influence him otherwise than may be consistent with that Free will that he has given him in order to the making him capable of Rewards and Punishments and of Political Government That the good Spirit suggests good Thoughts and that the evil Spirit tempts by injecting evil ones is undoubtedly supposed in the Scriptures But the manner how this is done is not so clearly Explain'd Yet it is certain that neither of them do it to the uttermost of their Natural Power The Holy Spirit being Omnipotent could do more Good and the Evil Spirit tho' Finite yet being so much Superiour to Man could do more Mischief than we see is done by them They might assume Bodily Shapes and propose their Arguments as visibly to us as we do to one another But this is not the way of Conversation observ'd They might impress Ideas immediately upon our Imagination if God had been pleased it should have been so But that had been too great an Imposition upon our Humane Liberty As for that immediate Conversation with them which separated Spirits have with each other of that we are incapable whilst we our selves are in Bodies Even our superiour Soul uses the Imagination and is incapable of framing any distinct Ideas of things that are not Material The way therefore remaining how Spirits may Influence us without violence to our Liberties is by their Exciting or Compounding Ideas already in us on fit Occasions when external Objects are before us that may Invite us to what is Good or Insnare us to what is Evil. So the Inspiration of the Good Spirit is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a putting us in Mind of what we knew before on the Season wherein we are to Practice For the adapting Thoughts to the Seasons of Practice is that upon which the Event does principally depend This therefore the Good Spirit may do undoubtedly as well in Ideas of the Understanding as of the Material Faculties And there was no sort of Prophecy wherein both sorts of Faculties were not concern'd Prophetick Dreams had their principal Scene in the Imagination Prophetick Visions not only there but also perhaps in the External Senses The Bath Col. was to the Sense of Hearing Even the Mosaick Degree of Prophecy was a Conversation with the Deity under a sensible Representation tho' not of any particular living Creature that might have been Represented by an Image The Jews therefore do reasonably require in him who would be dispos'd for the Spirit of Prophecy a lively Imagination as well as a good Understanding So that no good Man who wants either of them is by his Goodness alone dispos'd as is requsite for receiving the Gift of Prophecy But the Imagination requisite for the Influences of the Good Spirit was such as was Calm and Sedate free from tumultuous Passions and ungovernable Fancies and consistent with the most accurate use of Reasoning This therefore was the Reason why the first Christians imputed the Heathen Divinations of the Pythiae the Sibyls the Bacchae c. rather to Enthusiasm and malignant Spirits than to a Gift of truly Divine Prophecy because of the Brutish Transports and indecent undisciplin'd Behaviour into which those Persons were driven when they surrendred themselves to the Conduct of those pretended Deities And what difficulty is there why grave and grateful Tunes of Instrumental as well as Vocal Musick might not contribute to the allaying the Passions and to invigorate the Imagination to such a degree as would still be consistent with Decorum and perfect Subjection to the Nobler Faculties which this Divine Principle kept in possession of their Native Right of Government On the other side the Evil Spirits were not believed in the Apostles Days so pure from Matter as they have been since the modern Aristotelean Philosophy received at Second-hand from the Spanish Arabians has prevail'd It was rather the Grossness of their Aërial Cloathing that was then thought
from Sin For the rising of the Body could not be thought a Reward if the being in the Body was preternatural and a State of Punishment Thence also it proceeded that so many of those first Hereticks defiled the Flesh as not belonging to them and condemn'd Marriage as contributing to confine Souls to Bodies upon this very Pretence of being themselves Spiritual and being therefore for a more Spiritual way of Worship But it is as certain that this Doctrine was different from the Doctrine of the Apostles as it is certain the Apostles were for the Holy Treatment and Resurrection of the Body and that they Condemn'd those for Hereticks who Reason'd from this Principle insisted on by our Adversaries of which they had otherwise no better means of Information How therefore can our Adversaries Reason loosly for the Reformation of Christianity from that same Principle which we see was contrary to the very Foundations of truly Primitive Apostolical Christianity Which was the Foundation of most of those Heresies which were then Condemn'd by that Unquestionable Authority FOR my part I can see no Difference XIV The same Reasons that prov'd Bodily worship useful in the Mosaick Discipline prove it so still in this particular between the Old and the New Peculium We have Bodies as well as they and of the same frail Make and Constitution as theirs were Our Souls are also of the same Kind as dependent on our Bodies as theirs and as apt to be Influenc'd by them Providence has impos'd no new Rules that we know of for the Influences of Good and Evil Spirits from what were impos'd then What then should hinder but that still our Minds should be Influenc'd by the Good and Evil Dispositions of our Bodies as much as formerly And that in order to the receiving the Influences of both sorts of Spirits And certainly they cannot think that Musick has lost any of that Influence on our Bodies that it had formerly How can they therefore doubt but that it might still have the same effect on the like Bodies alike Influencing the same kind of Souls The Church is still as much a Body as it was then and as much oblig'd to Worship God in Assemblies tho' not confin'd to one particular Nation as it was then And the Apostle requires that all Acts of the Worship in Assemblies were to be perform'd with a design of Edifying the whole Assemblies He permits no Exercise of Gifts even of the Divine Spirit there but such as were for common Edification But the Edification of Assemblies is not otherwise performable than by Sensible and Corporeal Significations These are the only means by which the whole Body can Communicate in the Devotion of every particular by which they can mutually give and receive Edification It is therefore still as impossible to signifie a great Honour for the Deity Ador'd in such Assemblies but by Signs greatly affecting the very Senses And what is done in the Name of the whole Body ought to be suited to the Dignity of the Body represented That must be by Signs by which Bodies usually signifie their great Respect by the Customs of such Bodies But Bodies do not usually signifie their great Respect in their Worldly intercourse otherwise than by Pomp and Magnificence They cannot therefore signifie it in Affairs of Religion by Signs mean and ordinary Especially if their Design be to signifie it to the Senses and for the Edification of others For certainly Signs which signifie a mean or no Respect on other occasions cannot be thought to signifie a great one in the Affairs of Religion It is on the contrary taken as an Affront to Honour excellent Persons in a way unsuitable to their Character tho' the same Significations might justly be reputed Honourable if perform'd to an inferiour Person to whom they had been proportionable This Consideration must make all Significations short of the utmost that can be done dishonourable when paid to an Infinitely Perfect Being The Magnificence therefore of the Worship of God ought to be such as it us'd to signifie the greatest Respect to the Senses of the Spectators if the Respect be to be signified Sensibly I know not how our Adversaries can deny any part of this Reasoning on the Principles now mentioned BUT I know they do pretend Authority XV. The VVorship of God in Spirit not oppos'd to that which is Sensible Corporeal but to the Literal Sense of the Law of Moses for this way of Arguing God is a Spirit says our Saviour and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth St. Joh. iv 24. This is spoken with relation to the Worship of the Jews at Jerusalem and the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim and therefore must signifie something Spiritual in the Christian Religion which was not so in the Worship of the Jews and the Samaritans But this might very well be true without making external Worship inconsistent with the spiritual Nature of the Christian Religion The true Account of this Matter I take to be this That in what was common to the Jews and the Samaritans there were two Parts the Sensible and the External Part which was proper to themselves and which the Christians were not concern'd in and the Mystical and Spiritual which was principally design'd by God which was thenceforward to obtain as the peculiar Glory of the Christian Religion So the New Testament is oppos'd to the Old that it is not of the Letter as the Old was but of the Spirit 2 Cor. iii. 6. that is that the New Testament is really the same with the Old the same thing in the Spiritual Sense which was prefigur'd by the Literal Sense of what was enjoyn'd on the Jews then Thus the Letter and Circumcision are taken for Circumcision in the Literal Sense Rom. ii 27. by a known Hendiadis and Circumcision of the Heart is said to be in the Spirit not in the Letter v. 29. So the Service in newness of the Spirit is oppos'd to that which had been in the oldness of the Letter Rom. vii 6. And when the Jews understood our Saviour's Discourse concerning Eating his Flesh and Drinking his Blood in a Carnal Sense he Corrects their Mistake by telling them That the Words he had spoken to them were Spirit and Life St. Joh. vi 63. that is by warning them that his Words were to be understood not Literally but Mystically Life is join'd with Spirit in our Saviour's Words exactly as it is by the Apostle when he also tells us that the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 2 Cor. iii. 6. intimating that the Life promis'd by Moses when he set Life and Death before the Israelites was not to be expected from the Observation of the Literal Sense of the Mosaical Law but the Mystical which was a strong Obligation to the New Peculium Because the Mystical Sense even of the old Law which was the principal Sense design'd by God was suppos'd to be the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are joyned together Rom. xv 1. So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. viii 3. The plain Importance of these Expressions seem to have been this That in the Reasonings of the New Testament in matters of this Nature the mystical Benefits represented and covenanted for by these Symbols of the Law were never supposed to be performed by the Symbols them selves otherwise than as they represented and applyed the Archetypes answering them under the Gospel Thence it followed that in separation from those Evangelical Archetypes the Legal Symbols must have been perfectly useless and insignificant in relation to those greater Benefits expected by them which of themselves they were no way able to perform So the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us that it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Heb. x. 4. Why so but to let his Nation see the necessary Obligation that lay upon them to qualifie themselves for being received to the Christian Eucharistical Sacrifices which answered those bloody Sacrifices under the Gospel if they desired the mystical Benefit of a true Expiation So he again Warns the Galatians That in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth nor Uncircumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing but the new Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. vi 15. Here we see the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ascrib'd to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Baptism which was Instituted instead of Circumcision under the Gospel For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was alone to be expected by the Spirit which was the Prerogative of our Christian Baptism This was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. xii 2. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joined with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. iii. 5. which could be no other than that of our Christian Baptism as it is also described St. Joh. iii. 5. This by the way gives a clear account why the Law is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. viii 3. For Flesh is ordinarily used in the old Testament also as a Symbol of Weakness as the Spirit is of Strength And the Apostle plainly warns that the Spirit was not received by the works of the Law but by the hearing of Faith Gal. iii. 2. So the Apostle shews that the literal Jerusalem to which the separating Jews pretended could give no Title to that Liberty which both Parts agreed to be a privilege of the true Peculium as the Off-spring of Sarah the Free Woman So far from that that he observes that that Jerusalem was even then in Bondage with her Children But the Jerusalem continues he which is above is Free which is the Mother of us all Gal. iv 25. 26. So he also elsewhere observes that it was the Seed of Abraham's Faith not of his Flesh that had a just Right to Inherit the Promises made to his Seed Rom. iv 10 11 12 13 17 18. ix 7 8. This therefore seems to be the true account why the legal Symbols are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when compared with the Originals which were to succeed them under the Gospel The same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are also said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. iv 9 Plainly in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is frequently ascribed to the Mystical Spiritual Benefits expected by them but in vain For the Reasoning of the Apostles supposed that they are really to be expected only from the Rites which were to succeed those legal Symbols under the Gospel So we read the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. ii 4. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. ix 23. Eph. iii. 16. Col. i. 7. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. xi 33. Alluding all to the Mystical Senses of the Law and the Benefits signified and conveyed by them So again the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. i. 7. with relation to the Spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so literally poured out then upon the Christians but not on the dividing Jews who kept to the literal Institutions of the Law which afforded them no Riches of this kind whilst they obstinately persisted in their Separation Justly therefore they might be stiled in this Sense Poor when compared with the richer Institutions of the Gospel which in that Age yielded these invaluable Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge in so very great abundance The same Expression of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with relation to the mystical Benefits of these external 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus explained is used also in Philo * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. de Ops. Mâ—act p. 5. before St. Paul as well as Ignatius after him This is abundantly sufficient to shew that these are the true Interpretations of the Expressions objected by our Adversaries according to the Notions and Language of that Age. THESE things thus explained will XXXI So explain'd they conclude nothing to the purpose of those Fathers or our Adversaries make it appear how very different the Reasonings of these Fathers and our Adversaries are in these Matters from those of the Apostolical Writers from whom they borrow them The whole design of them as used by the Apostolical Writers is against Jews who either would not come over to the Christian Communion on the terms prescribed by the Gospel of Communicating with the Uncircumcised Gentiles in the Holy Offices of the Christian Religion or who were inclined to a defection from it as soon as they understood that these terms were expected from them out of zeal for their former Notions which were contradicted and at length abrogated by these new Revelations of the Gospel and out of zeal for their whole Law which was imposed on them as a particular Nation and on the Gentiles whilst their Incorporation into that particular Nation was required by God as a Condition of their Admission into the true Peculium which now they found repealed by these new Revelations of the Gospel The using these Rudiments without a design of defection was so far from being blamed by the Arguments now mentioned that it was practised by the Apostles themselves as Jews till the dissolution of the Temple that it was urged and insisted on by those many Myriads of believing Jews who were zealous for the Law with a perfect good understanding with the Apostles that St. Paul himself who had said most of any against the Obligation of the Law comply'd with Act. XXI 20. 23 24. them and was urged to do so by the chief Apostle St. James But a breach is plainly supposed in the Arguments insisted on by our Adversaries A not coming over to Christ or relapsing from him and stopping with the Paedagogue who was to bring them to Christ was that which was to continue them in or reduce them to the State of Childhood This made them Rudiments and Elements when they went no further than the Mosaick Institutions This made