Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	gospel_n	grace_n	law_n	6,499	5	5.2144	4	false

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

declare his Name to give Glory to him by believing and the Profession of our Faith is the end of all we do Thus we have the Testimony of that worthy Person that Singing to the Praise of God is not to be restrained according to the Scripture to a Musical Melodious Tunable Voice But further we judg it worthy to be observed and seriously considered the Mind of God concerning that Singing mention'd Rev. 14.2 3. I heard a Voice from Heaven as a Voice of many Waters c. and they sung as it were a new Song before the Throne c. Note First it could not be a Song prepar'd in Meeter or any of the Songs mention'd in the Old Testament Because Secondly It was a Song they only could learn that were redeemed from the Earth Thirdly This they did with Harpers harping The Meaning of which as Learned Forbes tells us was the Hearts of the Redeemed Ones Fourthly The Matter and Substance is ther● expressed And Learned Mede by this Song tells us the whole Mystery of Evangelical Worship is in it contained And Brightman on Rev. 15.2 tells us that Drusius on that Place saith they are called the Harps of God because God sendeth the Joy of his Spirit into their Hearts wherewith they may be able to give God his due Praise And by this Song of the Lamb saith Brightman is meant that whereof mention was made Rev. 14.3 wherein they do magnify God the Father for the Grace of their Adoption in Christ The Joy of their Heart is called a Song by a Metonymy the effect ariseth out of Faith in the Righteousness of Christ whereby we feel the fatherly Love wherewith God doth imbrace us which Song hath been always sung by the Saints in all Ages So that whereas they tell us where-ever Singing is mention'd in Scripture it must be understood with a tunable Voice it appears they did not consider these and such like Scriptures We shall only mention one more Job 29.13 I caused the Widow's Heart to sing for joy whereby it appears there is Heart-singing as well as by Expression in Meeter with the Tongue In which Text it appears that Joy and Singing are convertible Terms From all which and many other Scriptures that might be quoted or alledged it evidently appears that Singing to the Praise of God is not to be restrained to a melodious tunable Voice in the direct stated solemn Praising of God in his Church And that there are Praises sung to God in the Language of the Scripture in Praying and Praising and in all the Administration of Holy Ordinances when there is no tunable or musical Voice heard among them as appears from what hath been mention'd from Heb. 2.12 Which we shall further make evident by these following Considerations First We may conclude it to be a certain Truth that no sober Person will deny that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit wherewith our Blessed Lord furnish'd his Church upon his Ascension to be com●leat and sufficient for the fitting of his People ●nto every good Word and Work for every part of his Worship Eph. 4.8 11 12 13. yet there we find no Singing-Masters appointed which would have been absolutely necessary if musical or tunable Singing with the Voice was a Gospel-Ordinance The Old-Testament-Church had such as taught to sing Praise 1 Chr. 25.7 2 Chr. 25.13 which if the New-Testament-Church had needed we may reasonably judg or conclude she should have had them to a higher Degree than the former For the Worship prescribed in the Gospel ought to exceed that under the Law therefore if Musical Singing be that which is now required then the best Voices in Singing do most acceptably perform that Duty to God at least in the outward part of it and therefore it would be absolutely necessary that all Christians both Men and Women should learn from such as can teach them to elevate their Voices and Tunes in the highest Strain Seeing they call this an Ordinance of the New Testament and that no other can be called Singing though Persons with never so great a Sense of the Majesty of God and of their Mercies received with the greatest spiritual Melody and Inlargement of Heart utter his Praise but no such Gifts being given nor any such Art required we may safely conclude it is not a Gospel-Ordinance Secondly If Musical singing with the Voice be a Gospel-Ordinance as they assert then assuredly the Songs of Praise recorded in the New Testament would have been written in Greek Verse as an example for others to have followed them in their Language But that it is otherwise is manifest to all that can read the Greek Testament Moreove● It is not said that those that uttered those Songs d●● it with a Musical tunable Voice but only that they spake after a solemn and audible manner those Praises As may be seen from the Song of the blessed Virgin Mary to those mention'd in the Revelations Lastly Whereas they frequently say that we admit or allow of no singing Praise to or praising of God in the Church but what is in Prayer We answer We are indeed for praising of God with our Supplications to him for Mercy But if the Holy Spirit fills any that are qualified for the Administrations of his House with the Joy of the Lord and so with the matter of Praise such may express it without mentioning any Petitions with a solemn chearful audible Voice as the Spirit of the Lord may give Utterance either with or without a tunable Voice to the Glory of God and Refreshing of others Which is singing Praise in the New-Testament Language whereunto they have not nor can they prove that according to the Scripture-Dialect aforesaid a musical tunable Voice is essential We shall now come to the second Enquiry which is as followeth Quer. 2. Whether singing the Praise of God in the Church of Christ ought to be by a composed Form by the whole Multitude assembled Professors with the Profane or Ignorant or the Church-Members of all sorts lifting up their Voices together in Consort In answer to this Question that we may the more distinctly resolve it we shall divide it into several Branches or Particulars and speak to them severally Namely First We shall consider whether singing the Praise of God in the Church of Christ may be performed by a composed stinted Form Answ 1. In answer to which we desire it may be remembred that the Institutions left by our Lord Jesus in the Gospel as they are very plain so they are more Spiritual and require more of the Spirit than under the Law therefore we have a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit promised It being a State of more Grace as well as of more Truth Therefore our blessed Lord and Saviour as he procured by his Death so by his Resurrection and Ascension he sent his Holy Spirit unto us to fit us for the Worship of God that we might have more intimate Converse with him in the Observation

on this Subject he being very dextrous to take Gold or Dross out of other Mens Writings and present them as his own Neither have they any more specious Pillars to uphold this common way of Singing than those that are pleaded for in this Treatise of theirs which we have now answered But Lastly We do much wonder that Mr. Keach and Mr. Whinnel should give themselves the Stile of being renowned they being the Authors of that Book in which they give this Encomium of their being Men of Renown It is but their own Opinion of themselves not it may be of others that know them However Modesty would have caused them if they had exercised any to have forborn to have spread their own Praise But surely Mr. Whinnel and Mr. K. forgot the Wise Man's Sayings Prov. 25.27 For Men to search their own Glory is not Glory And Prov. 27.2 Let another Man praise thee and not thine own Mouth And elsewhere that same Wise Man tells us Some Men are wiser in their own conceit than seven Men that ●●n render a Reason They again enquire how we dare say that Singing of Psalms with Voices is not of Divine Institution In answer to which we ask them again How they dare to say that Singing of Psalms in Meeter with a tunable Voice by the whole Church and a mixt Multitude is of Divine Institution when not one Word of all they have written doth prove it It hath been already granted that Singing of Psalms in the Temple-Worship was of Divine Institution And we acknowledg that all the Songs and Psalms in the Old Testament are the undoubted unerring Word of God and of excellent use to all the Servants of God profitable for Doctrine and Consolation wherein are contained many excellent Experiences of God's gracious dealing with his People and many blessed Promises and Prophecies for the establishment of the Church and Servants of God But we say the Singing of those Psalms as they had respect to the Temple-Worship with their Musical Singing and Instruments with the Persons assigned for that kind of Exercise are all at an end You will find 55 of them directed to the Master of Musick and 15 of them called each a Song of Degrees and most of them directed to the Sons of Korah And by the most Learned and Renowned Men of our Age it is asserted that those Ordinances being ended by the Coming of Christ who was to destroy the City and the Sanctuary and to cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease It remains now that the Word of Christ dwell richly in us in all Wisdom and that we be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs c. And if that manner of Worship under the Law is ceased as is affirmed by the Learned and Pious that it is then can it not be in the manner of that Administration in any respect unless you will say that the Type and the Anti-Type are all one But if the Gospel be the Anti-Type of those Types then we must conclude that as they were outward in their Melody and Musick so the Melody now under the Gospel must be inward or spiritual That is the joyful Voice signifying the Melody and Joy of our Hearts to God expressed in Praising and Thanksgiving to God who hath revealed more of his Grace by Jesus Christ That he who is a Spirit may be worshipp'd in Spirit and in Truth As Learned Dr. Owen saith in his Exposition on Heb. 2.13 before cited And whereas they say that they utterly deny that Prayer is a lower sort of Worship than Singing We answer That if they mean Singing in their Sense we agree with them but if in the Sense of the Scripture we do affirm that Praises which are the matter of a Song is a Duty of a higher Nature than Prayer For 1. The praising of God is that Duty which Saints and Angels will be employed in for ever but Prayer ceaseth On this account it is that the Apostle tells us that Charity is the greatest because it always abideth 1 Cor. 13. 2. Praise is giving to God the Glory of his Mercy received but Prayer is the begging from God the Mercies he hath promised and which we stand in need of But we shall not follow them in all their Mistakes and Impertinencies They also tell us they are against the composing ●●sing and imposing set-Forms of Prayer But would they but make known the Reasons why they are against set-Forms of Prayer no doubt but they would have answered themselves in all they could substantially alledg for their set-Form Singing and have saved us the labour But it is a Question whether it be so or no For this we find that those very Arguments those very scornful Reflections that those that are for set-Form Prayer do use against them that are opposite to that formal Will-Worship do these use to them that are against their set-Form Singing or Praising of God As for instance Do the one call in Scorn Praying by a Spiritual Gift ex tempore Praying in a confused Manner so do these to the like purpose spenk of praising or singing Praise to God without a set-Form Pag. 39. In the like manner as the one say If you pray by the Spirit your Prayer would be of equal Authority to Canonical Scripture so do these concerning singing Praise without a set-Form Pag. 36. Do the one say in derision that those that are against set-Form Prayer are Enthusiasts or setters up of Enthusiasm so do these in their pretended sober Reply say against those that deny their set-Form Singing Pag. 57 c. We hear that one whose Heart and Mind we believe as well as Name is to that Book of theirs hath asserted that Enthusiasm came in with the Doctrine of Believers Baptism whereby he would make our Lord Jesus the Author and Promoter of it that Doctrine of Baptism aforesaid being originally from his Command and Practice It were easy to answer to all these Cavils and Scorns cast upon us but we shall forbear at present because we would first know from them seeing they say they are resolved to answer and so to hold on this Controversy what they have to say to wipe off these Slurs cast upon their manner of Praying and yet that they may be deservedly cast upon those that are for praising or singing Praise by the same Spirit assisting in the same manner as he doth in Prayer But by these things the Baptized Churches may behold what that Spirit is that would introduce this common Singing among them that hath been so long rejected by them even the same that hath brought in and maintain'd all that carnal Worship which by the Anti-christian Apostacy hath fill'd the World to this Day And hereby they may see whereto it would lead them even back to lick up the old Vomit which will be the more pernicious to them than others because they have been through

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