is not any _religious Act_, or Part of _Worship_ in itself; [Sidenote:
_Publick Meetings their Use and Reason asserted._] but only an _outward
Conveniency_, necessary for our seeing one another, so long as we are
clothed with this _outward Tabernacle_: And therefore our _meeting_ at
set Times and Places is not a Part of our _Worship_, but a preparatory
Accommodation of our outward Man, in order to a publick visible
_Worship_; since we set not about the visible Acts of _Worship_ when
we meet together, until we be led thereunto by the _Spirit of God_.
_Secondly_, God hath seen meet, so long as his _Children_ are in this
_World_, to make use of the outward Senses, not only as a Means to
convey _spiritual Life_, as by _Speaking_, _Praying_, _Praising_, &c.
which cannot be done to mutual Edification, but when we hear and see
one another; but also to entertain an outward, visible _Testimony_ for
his Name in the World: He causeth the inward Life (which is also many
Times not conveyed by the _outward Senses_) the more to abound, when
his Children assemble themselves diligently together to wait upon him;
[109]so that as _Iron sharpeneth Iron_, the Seeing of the Faces one
of another, when both are inwardly gathered unto the _Life_, giveth
Occasion for the _Life_ secretly to rise, and pass from _Vessel_ to
_Vessel_. And as many Candles lighted, and put in one Place, do greatly
augment the _Light_, and make it more to shine forth, so when many are
gathered together into the same _Life_, there is more of the Glory of
God, and his Power appears, to the Refreshment of each Individual; for
that he partakes not only of the _Light_ and _Life_ raised in himself,
but in all the rest. And therefore _Christ_ hath particularly promised
a Blessing to such as assemble together in his _Name_, seeing he will
be _in the Midst of them_, Matt. xviii. 20. And the Author to the
_Hebrews_ doth precisely prohibit the Neglect of this Duty, as being
of very dangerous and dreadful Consequence, in these Words; _Heb._ x.
24. [Sidenote: _Assembling of ourselves is not to be neglected._] _And
let us consider one another, to provoke unto Love, and to good Works;
not forsaking the Assembling of ourselves together, as the Manner of
some is;--For if we sin wilfully, after that we have received the
Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins._
And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a particular Respect
to such as thus assemble themselves together, because that thereby
a publick Testimony for him is upheld in the Earth, and his Name is
thereby glorified; and therefore such as are right in their _Spirits_,
are naturally drawn to keep the _Meetings_ of _God’s People_, and never
want a _spiritual Influence_ to lead them thereunto: And if any do it
in a mere customary Way, they will no Doubt suffer Condemnation for it.
Yet cannot the Appointing of Places and Times be accounted a _Ceremony_
and _Observation_, done in Man’s _Will_, in the _Worship_ of _God_,
seeing none can say that it is an _Act_ of _Worship_, but only a mere
_Presenting_ of our _Persons_ in order to it, as is abovesaid. Which
that it was practised by the _Primitive Church_ and _Saints_, all our
Adversaries do acknowledge.
[109] Prov. 27. 17.
[Sidenote: Obj. 3.] _Lastly_, Some object, _That this Manner of Worship
in Silence is not to be found in all the Scripture_:
[Sidenote: _Answ._] I answer; We make not Silence to be the sole
Matter of our _Worship_; since, as I have said above, there are many
_Meetings_, which are seldom altogether silent; some or other are
still moved either to _preach_, _pray_, or _praise_: [Sidenote: _In
waiting for the Spirit’s Guidance, Silence is supposed._] And so in
this our _Meetings_ cannot be but like the _Meetings_ of the _Primitive
Churches_ recorded in Scripture, since our _Adversaries_ confess that
they did _preach_ and _pray_ by the _Spirit_. And then what Absurdity
is it to suppose, that at some Times the _Spirit_ did not move them to
these outward _Acts_, and that then they were silent? Since we may well
conclude they did not speak until they were moved; and so no Doubt had
sometimes Silence. _Acts_ ii. 1. before the Spirit came upon them, it
is said,--_They were all with one Accord in one Place_; and then it
is said, _The Spirit suddenly came upon them_; but no Mention is made
of any one speaking at that Time; and I would willingly know what
_Absurdity_ our _Adversaries_ can infer, should we conclude they were a
While silent?
[Sidenote: Inst.] But if it be urged, That a whole _silent Meeting
cannot be found in Scripture_;
[Sidenote: _Answ._] I answer; Supposing such a Thing were not recorded,
it will not therefore follow that it is not lawful; since it naturally
followeth from other _Scripture Precepts_, as we have proved this
doth. [Sidenote: Silent Meetings_ are proved from _Scripture_ and
_Reason.] For seeing the _Scripture_ commands to meet together, and
when met, the Scripture prohibits _Prayers_ or _Preachings_, but as
the Spirit moveth thereunto; if People meet together, and the Spirit
move not to such Acts, it will necessarily follow that they must be
silent. But further, there might have been many such Things among
the _Saints_ of _old_, though not recorded in _Scripture_; and yet
we have enough in _Scripture_, signifying that such Things were. For
_Job_ sat silent _seven Days with his Friends together_; here was a
long _silent Meeting_: See also _Ezra_ ix. 4. and _Ezekiel_ xiv. 1.
and xx. 1. Thus having shewn the Excellency of this _Worship_, proving
it from _Scripture_ and _Reason_, and answered the Objections which
are commonly made against it, which, though it may suffice to the
Explanation and Proof of our _Proposition_, yet I shall add something
more particularly of _Preaching_, _Praying_, and _Singing_, and so
Proceed to the following _Proposition_.
§. XVIII. [Sidenote: I.] _Preaching_, as it is used both among
_Papists_ and _Protestants_, is for one Man to take some Place or
Verse of Scripture, and thereon _speak_ for an Hour or two, [Sidenote:
_What Preaching is with the_ Protestants _and_ Papists.] what he hath
studied and premeditated in his Closet, and gathered together from his
own Inventions, or from the Writings and Observations of others; and
then having got it by Heart, (as a _School-boy_ doth his _Lesson_)
he brings it forth, and repeats it before the People: [Sidenote: _A
studied Talk an Hour or two_.] And how much the more fertile and
strong a Man’s _Invention_ is, and the more industrious and laborious
he is in collecting such _Observations_, and can utter them with the
_Excellency_ of _Speech_ and _human Eloquence_, so much the more is he
accounted an able and excellent Preacher.
[Sidenote: _True _Preaching_ by the _Spirit.] To this we oppose,
that when the _Saints_ are met together, and every one gathered to
the _Gift_ and _Grace_ of God in themselves, he that ministereth,
being actuated thereunto by the Arising of the _Grace_ in himself,
ought to speak forth what the Spirit of God furnisheth him with;
not minding the _Eloquence_ and _Wisdom_ of _Words_, but the
_Demonstration_ of the _Spirit_ and of _Power_: And that either in
the Interpreting some Part of _Scripture_, in case the Spirit, which
is the good Remembrancer, lead him so to do, or otherwise _Words_ of
_Exhortation_, _Advice_, _Reproof_, and _Instruction_, or the Sense
of some _spiritual Experiences_: All which will still be agreeable to
the _Scripture_, though perhaps not relative to, nor founded upon any
particular _Chapter_ or _Verse_, as a _Text_. Now let us examine and
consider which of these two Sorts of Preaching is most agreeable to the
_Precepts_ of _Christ_ and his _Apostles_, and the _Primitive Church_,
recorded in Scripture? For, _First_, as to their _Preaching_ upon a
_Text_, if it were not merely customary or premeditated, but done by
the immediate Motion of the _Spirit_, we should not blame it; but to
do it as they do, there is neither _Precept_ nor _Practice_, that ever
I could observe, in the _New Testament_, as a Part of the _instituted
Worship_ thereof.
[Sidenote: Object.] But they _allege_, _That Christ took the Book of_
Isaiah, _and read out of it, and spake therefrom_; _and that_ Peter
_preached from a Sentence of the Prophet_ Joel.
[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: 1. Christ_’s and_ Peter_’s Speaking was
not by Premeditation._] I _answer_, That _Christ_ and _Peter_ did it
not but as immediately actuated and moved thereunto by the Spirit of
God, and that without Premeditation, which I suppose our Adversaries
will not deny; in which Case we willingly approve of it. But what
is this to their customary conned Way, without either waiting for
or expecting the Movings or Leadings of the Spirit? Moreover, that
neither _Christ_ nor _Peter_ did it as a settled Custom or Form, to be
constantly practised by all the Ministers of the Church, appears, in
that most of all the Sermons recorded of _Christ_ and his _Apostles_
in Scripture were without this, as appears from _Christ_’s Sermon upon
the Mount, _Matt._ v. 1. &c. _Mark_ iv. 1. _&c._ and _Paul_’s Preaching
to the _Athenians_, and to the _Jews_, &c. As then it appears that
this Method of Preaching is not grounded upon any Scripture Precept,
so the Nature of it is contrary to the Preaching of Christ under the
_New Covenant_, as expressed and recommended in Scripture; for Christ,
in sending forth his Disciples, expresly mentioneth, that they are
not to speak _of_ or _from_ themselves, or to forecast beforehand,
but that which the _Spirit in the same Hour shall teach them_, as
is particularly mentioned in the three Evangelists, _Matt._ x. 20.
_Mark_ xiii. 11. _Luke_ xii. 12. Now if _Christ_ gave this Order to
his Disciples before he departed from them, as that which they were
to practise during his Abode outwardly with them, much more were they
to do it after his Departure, since then they were more especially to
receive the Spirit, _to lead them in all Things_, and to _bring all
Things to their Remembrance_, John xiv. 26. And if they were to do so
when they appeared before the Magistrates and Princes of the Earth,
much more in the Worship of God, when they stand specially before him;
seeing, as is above shewn, his Worship is to be performed in Spirit;
and therefore after their Receiving of the _Holy Ghost_ it is said,
_Acts_ ii. 4. _They spake as the Spirit gave them Utterance_, not
what they had studied and gathered from Books in their Closets in a
premeditated Way.
[Sidenote: Franciscus Lambertus_’s Testimony against the_ Priests
_studied Inventions and Figments._] _Franciscus Lambertus_, before
cited, speaketh well and sheweth their Hypocrisy, _Tract._ 5. of
_Prophecy_, Chap. 3. saying, “Where are they now, that glory in their
Inventions, who say, A fine Invention! A fine Invention! This they call
Invention, which themselves have made up; but what have the Faithful
to do with such Kind of Inventions? It is not Figments, nor yet
Inventions, that we will have, but Things that are solid, invincible,
eternal, and heavenly; not which Men have invented, but which God hath
revealed: For if we believe the Scriptures, our Invention profiteth
nothing, but to provoke God to our Ruin.” And afterwards, “Beware,
(saith he) that thou determine not precisely to speak what before thou
hast meditated, whatsoever it be; for though it be lawful to determine
the Text which thou art to expound, yet not at all the Interpretation;
lest if thou so dost, thou take from the Holy Spirit that which is his,
to wit, to direct thy Speech, that thou mayest prophesy in the Name of
the Lord, void of all Learning, Meditation, and Experience, and as if
thou hadst studied nothing at all, committing thy Heart, thy Tongue,
and thyself wholly unto his Spirit, and trusting nothing to thy former
Studying or Meditation; but saying with thyself, in great Confidence
of the divine Promise, _The Lord will give a Word with much Power unto
those that preach the Gospel_. But above all Things be careful thou
follow not the Manner of _Hypocrites_, who have written almost Word
for Word what they are to say, as if they were to repeat some Verses
upon a Theatre, having learned all their Preaching as they do that act
_Tragedies_. And afterwards, when they are in the Place of Prophesying,
pray the Lord to direct their Tongue; but in the mean Time, shutting
up the Way of the Holy Spirit, they determine to say nothing but what
they have written. O unhappy Kind of _Prophets_, yea, and truly cursed,
which depend not upon God’s Spirit, but upon their own Writings or
Meditation! Why prayest thou to the Lord, thou false Prophet, to give
thee his Holy Spirit, by which thou mayest speak Things profitable, and
yet thou repellest the Spirit? Why preferrest thou thy Meditation or
Study to the Spirit of God? Otherwise why committest thou not thyself
to the Spirit?”
§. XIX. [Sidenote: _2. The Words Man’s Wisdom brings beget not Faith._]
_Secondly_, This Manner of Preaching as used by them (considering
that they also affirm, _That it may be and often is performed by Men
who are wicked, or void of true Grace_) cannot only not edify the
Church, beget or nourish true Faith, but is destructive to it, being
directly contrary to the Nature of the _Christian_ and _Apostolick
Ministry_ mentioned in the Scriptures: For the _Apostle preached the
Gospel not in the Wisdom of Words, lest the Cross of Christ should be
of none Effect_, 1 Cor. i. 17. But this Preaching, not being done by
the Actings and Moving of God’s Spirit, but by Man’s Invention and
Eloquence, in his own Will, and through his natural and acquired Parts
and Learning, is in the Wisdom of Words, and therefore the _Cross of
Christ_ is thereby made of none Effect. The Apostles _Speech_ and
_Preaching_ was not _with enticing Words of Man’s Wisdom, but in
Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power_, that the Faith of their
Hearers _should not stand in the Wisdom of Men, but in the Power of
God_, 1 Cor. ii. 3, 4, 5. But this Preaching having nothing of the
Spirit and Power in it, both the Preachers and Hearers confessing
they wait for no such Thing, nor yet are oftentimes sensible of it,
must needs stand in the enticing Words of Man’s Wisdom, since it is
by the mere Wisdom of Man it is sought after, and the mere Strength
of Man’s Eloquence and enticing Words it is uttered; and therefore no
Wonder if the Faith of such as hear and depend upon such Preachers and
Preachings stand in the Wisdom of Men, and not in the Power of God.
The Apostles declared, That they _spake not in the Words which Man’s
Wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth_, 1 Cor. ii. 13. But
these Preachers confess that they are Strangers to the _Holy Ghost_,
his Motions and Operations, neither do they wait to feel them, and
therefore they speak in the Words which their own natural Wisdom and
Learning teach them, mixing them in, and adding them to, such Words as
they steal out of the Scripture and other Books, and therefore speak
not what the _Holy Ghost_ teacheth.
[Sidenote: 3. _The Church’s Method was to speak by _Revelation.]
_Thirdly_, This is contrary to the Method and Order of the _Primitive
Church_ mentioned by the Apostle, 1 _Cor._ xiv. 30, _&c._ where in
_Preaching_ every one is to wait for his _Revelation_, and to give
Place one unto another, according as Things are revealed; but here
there is no waiting for a _Revelation_, but the Preacher must speak,
and not that which is revealed unto him, but what he hath prepared and
premeditated beforehand.
[Sidenote: 4. _The Spirit is shut out by Priests from being the
Teacher._] _Lastly_, By this Kind of Preaching the Spirit of God,
which should be the chief Instructor and Teacher of God’s People, and
whose Influence is that only which makes all Preaching effectual and
beneficial for the edifying of Souls, is shut out, and Man’s natural
Wisdom, Learning, and Parts set up and exalted; which no Doubt is
a great and chief Reason why the Preaching among the Generality of
_Christians_ is so unfruitful and unsuccessful. Yea, according to this
Doctrine, the Devil may preach, and ought to be heard also, seeing
he both knows the Truth, and hath as much Eloquence as any. But what
avails Excellency of Speech, if the Demonstration and Power of the
Spirit be wanting, which toucheth the Conscience? We see that when
the Devil confessed to the Truth, yet Christ would have none of his
Testimony. And as these pregnant Testimonies of the Scripture do prove
this Part of Preaching to be contrary to the Doctrine of Christ, so
do they also prove _that of ours_ before affirmed to be conformable
thereunto.
§. XX. [Sidenote: Object.] But if any object after this Manner, _Have
not many been benefited, yea, and both converted and edified by the
Ministry of such as have premeditated their Preaching? Yea, and hath
not the Spirit often concurred by its divine Influence with Preachings
thus premeditated, so as they have been powerfully borne in upon the
Souls of the Hearers to their Advantage?_
[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, Though that be granted, which I
shall not deny, it will not infer that the Thing was good in itself,
more than because Paul was met with by Christ to the converting of
his Soul riding to _Damascus_ to persecute the Saints, that he did
well in so doing. [Sidenote: Paul _persecuting was converted, is
therefore persecuting good?_] Neither particular Actions, nor yet whole
Congregations, as we above observed, are to be measured by the Acts
of God’s Condescension in Times of Ignorance. But besides, it hath
oftentimes fallen out, that God, having a Regard to the Simplicity
and Integrity either of the Preacher or Hearers, hath fallen in upon
the Heart of a Preacher by his Power and holy Influence, and thereby
hath led him to speak Things that were not in his premeditated
Discourse, and which perhaps he never thought on before; and those
passing Ejaculations and unpremeditated but living Exhortations, have
proved more beneficial and refreshing both to Preacher and Hearers
than all their premeditated Sermons. But all that will not allow them
to continue in these Things which in themselves are not approved,
but contrary to the Practice of the Apostles, when God is raising
up a People to serve him, according to the _primitive Purity_ and
_Spirituality_; yea, such Acts of _God’s Condescension_, in Times of
Darkness and Ignorance, should engage all more and more to follow him,
according as he reveals his most _perfect_ and _spiritual Way_.
§. XXI. [Sidenote: II.] Having hitherto spoken of _Preaching_, now it
is fit to speak of _Praying_, concerning which the like Controversy
ariseth. [Sidenote: _Of_ Prayer, _how the outward is distinguished
from the inward_.] Our Adversaries, whose _Religion_ is all for the
most Part _Outside_, and such whose Acts are the mere Product of Man’s
natural Will and Abilities, as they can preach, so can they pray
when they please, and therefore have their set particular Prayers. I
meddle not with the Controversies among themselves concerning this,
some of them being for _set Prayers_, as a _Liturgy_, others for such
as are conceived _extempore_; It suffices me that all of them agree
in this, That the Motions and Influence of the Spirit of God are not
necessary to be previous thereunto; [Sidenote: _The Priests set Times
to preach and pray, deny the Spirit._] and therefore they have _set
Times_ in their publick Worship, as before and after Preaching, and in
their private Devotion, as Morning and Evening, and before and after
Meat, and other such Occasions, at which they precisely set about the
performing of their Prayers, by speaking Words to God, whether they
feel any Motion or Influence of the Spirit or not; so that some of
the chiefest have confessed that they have thus prayed without the
Motions or Assistance of the Spirit, acknowledging that they sinned
in so doing; yet they said they looked upon it as their Duty to do
so, though to pray without the Spirit be Sin. We freely confess that
_Prayer_ is both very profitable, and a necessary Duty commanded, and
fit to be practised frequently by all _Christians_; but as we can do
nothing without Christ, so neither can we pray without the Concurrence
and Assistance of his Spirit. But that the _State_ of the _Controversy_
may be the better understood, let it be considered, _First_, that
_Prayer_ is twofold, _inward_ and _outward_. [Sidenote: _What inward
Prayer is._] _Inward Prayer_ is that _secret Turning of the Mind
towards God_, whereby, being secretly touched and awakened by the
_Light of Christ_ in the Conscience, and so bowed down under the Sense
of its Iniquities, Unworthiness, and Misery, it looks up to God, and
joining with the secret Shinings of the _Seed of God_, it breathes
towards him, and is constantly breathing forth some secret Desires and
Aspirations towards him. It is in this Sense that we are so frequently
in Scripture commanded to _pray continually_, Luke xviii. 1. 1 Thess.
v. 17. Ephes. vi. 18. Luke xxi. 36. which cannot be understood of
_outward Prayer_, because it were impossible that Men should be always
upon their Knees, expressing _Words_ of _Prayer_; and this would hinder
them from the Exercise of those _Duties_ no less positively commanded.
[Sidenote: _What outward Prayer is._] _Outward Prayer_ is, when as the
Spirit, being thus in the Exercise of inward Retirement, and feeling
the Breathing of the Spirit of God to arise powerfully in the Soul,
receives Strength and Liberty by a superadded Motion and Influence
of the _Spirit_ to bring forth either audible _Sight_, _Groans_, or
_Words_, and that either in publick Assemblies, or in private, or at
Meat, _&c._
[Sidenote: _Inward Prayer necessary at all Times._] As then _inward
Prayer is necessary at all Times_, so, so long as the Day of every
Man’s _Visitation_ lasteth, he never wants some Influence, less or
more, for the Practice of it; because he no sooner retires his Mind,
and considers himself in God’s Presence, but he finds himself in the
Practice of it.