An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Part 3 · Section 6
SECT. 6. The words of the Letter. Of divers other things jeerd at by the Epiſtler.
IF there were nothing amiſſe or out of order to be obſerved in the Pariſh meeting houſes; if there were never ſo full freedome from Communion-book-praying, and from Homily-book-preaching, as well as from Canon-book-ſwearing: if all bare-heads were barr'd out from thoſe places, and utterly rejected for ever being any ſpiritual over-ſeers again, afore they were inwardly qualified by Chriſts ſinne-crucifying and ſoul-quickning Spirit in a clenſ'd conſcience, and alſo outwardly and orderly call'd by Chriſts Covenant-ſervants in a clenſed Combinational Church. If there were an unanimous voting down of all double-reading, I mean that babbling-reading of two chapters, which is not ſeconded with the opening and expounding of the ſame, being it cannot but be confeſſ'd that 'twas ſuch a courſe as is quite contrary to what is commanded and commended in the Scriptures of truth, as all do well know, that are acquainted with what is written, Ezech. 33.2. Nehem. 8.8. Luk. 4.16. Act. 13.15. 1 Cor. 14.23.24. If there were no news amongſt them, of any one relick of all the Romiſh rites, or other humane inventions, as Matrimonial bands, Marriage Ring, ſign of the croſſe, white ſurplice, quiristers ſinging, funeral Sermons, Idol-ſureties of God-fathers and God-mothers, or groundleſſe application of publick or private baptiſme unto the infants of profane Parents; and if none but Chriſts own faithful friends and followers were admitted to be fed or phyſicked at his Supper feast:
Yet the meer ſight of a Monarchical put to stand in the ſtead of a Ministerial Pulpit, is a strange plea of a strange Apoſtacy from the commendable practice of the primitive Christians: Seeing that ſuch Coop is not of a ſufficient capacity to contain at once, any more perſons then one: Whereas it is of Moral equity, and conſequently of perpetual obſervation, that a rightly reform'd Presbyterial Church ſhould have all her Elders, who are engaged by vertue of their Office to begin and end all the publick Ordinances, and to tranſact all the open concernments of the City of God, for to stand and ſit together in the face and full view of the whole aſſembly; and by ſo much the more, ſeeing they are as plainly warranted, and ſo punctually preſcribed as they be to walk, and to walk according to the pattern ſhewed in the Mount, witneſſe Exod 25.40. Act. 7.44. Heb. 8.15. And as in all other points, ſo in this particular concerning the Elders pulpit, they are tyed and limited by their Commiſſion to hold conformitie with what is upon ſacred Record, as this is, and that not only neceſſarily implyed, but eminently expreſſed in ſeveral Scripture expreſſions: as Neh. 8.4. Eccleſ. 12.11. 1 Tim. 4.14. Rev. 4.6. & 5.6. & 19.4.
The Reply.
When I came to conſider this place of your letter, I was at a ſtand; I pauſed a while, not knowing what affections to ſtir in my ſelf; whither of mirth or mourning; that humour of Democritus, or the contrary of Heracl…tus. I ſaw I had reaſon to make my ſelf merry at your high, profound, rare, admirable conceit: But yet I had more cauſe to weep at this heinous and abominable wickedneſſe committed in the Pariſh meeting houſes. O unheard of villany! O unſufferable wrong! an expreſſe of the Luciferian pride! The Monarchical Pue is exalted above the Miniſterial Pulpit, it is put in its place, in ſtands in ſtead of it; were there no other, yet this were a ſtrong plea of a ſtrange Apoſtacy. Quis audivit talia? ſuch an abomination ought not to be committed in Iſrael; Conſider of it, take advice and ſpeak your minds. For this my ſoul ſhall mourn in ſecret. Non feram, non patiar, non ſinam. All other injuries and abominations might have been paſſed by, in compariſon of this: The Communion-book-praying might have been remitted; The Homily-book-preaching might have been forgotten; the Canon-book-ſwearing might have been buried, the bare-headed Prieſts, the babbling reading of two Chapters; All the Romiſh rites, the humane inventions, the bands of Matrimony, the Ring in Marriage, the ſign of the Croſſe, that ſmock of the Whore, the Quiriſters cherping, the ſermons at funerals, and the reſt of that trumpery might have been forgiven and pardoned, had it not been for this preſumptuous pue, and narrow Coop: For if there had been nothing amiſſe or out of order in theſe Pariſh meeting houſes; yet the meer ſight of a Monarchical Pue, ſuffer'd to ſtand in the ſtead of a Miniſterial Pulpit, is plea and argument ſtrong enough, that the Pariſh is Apoſtate, not guilty of a ſmall offence, ſome venial ſin or peccadillo; but fallen from grace, lapſed into that heinous guilt of Apoſtacy, and degenerated from the practice of the Primitive Chriſtians. By this the Elders are kept out from taking the higheſt place in the Synagogues, by this they are hindred to ſit round about the throne, by this they cannot ſit on the right and left hand, as Mother Zebedee deſired for her children in Chriſts Kingdome; by this they are excluded to ſtand and ſit together in the face and full view of the whole aſſembly, by which notice might be taken of them for prime and principal men; and a fearful trembling might fall upon any of the Combination that ſhould incur their indignation, no otherwiſe then a Malefactour is terrified at the ſight of his judge. Away then with this ſame Monarchical pue, this pinfold, this coop, ſince it is an obſtruction and derogation to the Miniſterial Pulpit, and Elders Bench; 'tis a Remonſtrance of Monarchy, and a Relick of Popery; and ſince Monarchy is thrown aſide, and Popery with it, hew this alſo down, and cast it into the fire: So ſhall we have theſe meeting houſes reformed and reſtored to their primitive conſtitution, room made for the Elders to ſit in their places, that they may begin and end all the publick Ordinances, and tranſact all the open concemments of the City of God. This a rare device, and at after I ſhall tell you what I think of it; in the Interim I return to conſider of your Ironical paraleipſis, in which you make your ſelf merry with many particulars; the uſe of which you ſcoff at as abominations in the Pariſh meeting houſes; and the firſt of theſe was.
1. The Communion-book-praying.
Touching this I ſhall only ask you whether you except againſt the whole or the parts,Hooker Eccl. pol. lib. 5. Sect. 26.27, 28. and when I ſee your exceptions, I ſhall return my anſwer. In the mean time I refer you to Mr. Hooker, and to Dr. Hammonds tract in vindication of the Liturgy, and view of the Directory, but eſpecially to Dr. Taylours Preface before his Collection of Offices; leaſt I ſhould draw a line after Apelles.
2. Homily-book-preaching.
St. Chryſostome calls all his Sermons Homilies, and if you look into the Ancients, thoſe Lectures which they made to the people, eſpecially upon the Epiſtles and Goſpels, were call'd Homilies; the word both in Greek and Latine authours is very ancient. To the word therefore, I ſee no reaſon you ſhould except no more then preaching, which in the Original is foreign, that ſignifies to proclaim, as a Herauld, the Word of God; now whether this be within, or without book, is not material. The Sheriff reads a Proclamation, what then? does he not therefore proclaim it? And a man reads a Sermon to the people, and this materially is the Word of God, ſuch that for the truth of it you dare not except againſt; ſhall you then diſavow it barely for the reading? This is a childiſh exception, yea, and very dangerous alſo;Hook. Eccl. pol. lib. 5. pag. 51. For then it would neceſſarily follow, that the vigour and vital efficacy of Sermons doth grow from certain outward accidents, which are not in them, but in their maker; his virtue, his geſture, his countenance, his zeal, the motion of his body, and the inflection of his voice, who firſt uttereth them as his own, is that which giveth them the form, the very nature, the eſſenſe of inſtruments available to eternal life. Put caſe a man cannot read, but deſires to have a Sermon read unto him, of Mr. Cottons, Mr. Burroughs, &c. I would now ask you, whether any good might come of it or no; if not, to what end are they publiſhed? what meerly to publiſh to the world, that the man is a man of rare parts, and to no benefit of the Reader? But if this laſt, in earneſt tell me why that the auditory may not be as much benefited by the Church Homilies read unto them, as they may be by any private mans works? ſhould you nor I find any profit by what we read, we might caſt away our books.
Had indeed the reading of theſe Homilies, quite excluded Preaching, you had had ſome colour to except againſt them; but the words of the Rubrick are theſe, If there be no Sermon, then ſhall follow one of the Homilies already ſet forth; So that it preſuppoſeth there ſhould be a Sermon; but in caſe there be not, (as if you look into the paucity of Miniſters able to preach; when that Conſtitution was made, it was not poſſible there ſhould be) then it ordains Homilies to be read, which only differ from a Sermon in this, that the man hath it not without book. Put caſe one of your own ſhould in one Church read a Sermon that is in print; and in another, having committed it to memory, preach it to the people; would you not ſay that he did foreign proclaim Gods Word in both places? Indulge as much to us, and then we will ſay, he that reads, and after committing the ſame homily to memory delivers it without book, Preacheth. In a word, Impartially conſider theſe Homilies, that they are found for doctrin, plain for the ſtile, compoſed of the moſt neceſſary points of Religion, and framed to the capacity of the vulgar; ſo that thoſe Miniſters that were wont to read them, had taken the pains to have learned them without book, & viva voce have delivered them to the auditory, you had wanted what to ſay againſt them.
3. Canon-Book-ſwearing.
This exception might have been well ſpared; Firſt, becauſe the Canons were not to be ſworn too, but ſubſcribed; as was the engagement. Secondly, becauſe the holy Covenant, and the negative oath were preſſed upon us. You muſt then acquit yout party for what they did, before you can juſtly lay the preſſure of the conſcience upon us.
4. If all bare heads were barred out from theſe places, and utterly rejected for ever, for ever being any ſpiritual Over-ſeers again, afore they were inwardly qualified by Chriſts ſinne-crucifying and ſoul-quickning Spirit in a cleanſed conſcience; and alſo outwardly and orderly called by Chriſts Covenant-ſervants in a cleanſed Combinational Church.
The Reply.
To cover or uncover the head in theſe places in the time of divine ſervice, is a Ceremony; and therefore if the obſervation, or non-obſervation of Ceremonies be a ſuperſtition, he that uncovereth not his head, may be as ſuperſtitious as he who is bare-headed. The reaſon is, becauſe foreign which we uſually tranſlate ſuperſtition, hath foreign a fear in it, which proceeds from an imbecillity of the underſtanding, which fears where no fear is; is afraid that God will be diſpleaſed if ſuch or ſuch an external act be omitted, or ſuch or ſuch an act done; when one and the other may be omitted and done, as occaſions and circumſtances offer themſelves, and God no way diſpleaſed. The covering or uncovering of the head is one of theſe Ceremonies; and he that thinks he may not be uncovered out of a fear to offend God, is ſuperſtitious, yea, while he ſpeaks againſt all Ceremonies, is Ceremonious: And he that thinks upon no occaſion he may cover his head, is Ceremonious alſo; and yet for his ſuperſtition he hath a fairer excuſe than the other. For the one doth it for the moſt part out of contempt and perverſeneſſe, and in a diſobedience to ſome higher power; the other out of a kind of neceſſity, which his preſent condition may put upon him, (and 'tis a certain rule that charity diſpenſeth with all Ceremonies.) The one by it, may give occaſion to ſuſpect his irreverence; the worſt that can be made of the other, is, that he deſires to ſerve his God with fear and reverence, as judging himſelf in his preſence, before whom he cannot be too vile. The one, hath no countenance nor colour of any Scripture for what he does; the other looks upon thoſe plain words of the Apoſtle, Every man praying or propheſying, having his head covered, diſhonours his head: 1 Cor. 11.4.and thinks he is obliged to it, as indeed he is, till the meaning of the Text be otherwiſe cleared to him.
The queſtion then ought to be this, whether a man ought to be covered in the ſervice of God? If uncovered, why do you jear at our bare-heads? If covered, why do you not keep your own rule, but ſit covered at one part of ſervice, and uncovered at another? covered when a Chapter is read and expounded; covered all the time of Sermon, (which yet I hope you will not deny, is a chief part of Gods ſervice, which if you ſhould deny, I know not how you ſerve God,) and yet uncovered again, at the ſinging of a Pſalm, at your extemporarie, prayers before and after Sermon, at the adminiſtration of the Sacraments. Tell me what priviledge you have to diſpenſe with this Ceremony in one part of divine ſervice more than another, Let it then be but conſidered who it is that ſpeaks from heaven unto us; that in voce hominis tuba Dei, that it is God that ſpeaks by mans mouth, that the meſſage is his, and man onelyonly the Embaſſadour to deliver it; and then I think no man deſerves a ſcoffe, that hears it with a bare head.
When ſome of your party were preſt with this argument, at laſt they came to this reſult,Bayly pag. 122. that there was a neceſſity for all men to keep on their hats all the time of divine actions, more particularly at the time of the Celebration of the Sacrament. For this act was a right ſignificant to the communicants of their table-honour and fellowſhip with Chriſt; alſo, that the Miniſter at the Celebration muſt be uncovered, and that in ſigne of his ſervice to the Communicants as the Lords much honoured children, ſitting covered when they eat of their fathers meat. This irreverence with the reaſon of it, if you diſclaim, as I hope you do, it lyes upon you to ſhew me a reaſon, why a man may be irreverent at any other part of Gods worſhip: which I interpret the covering of the head out of contempt and obſtinacy to be, which guilt you may unadviſedly draw upon your ſelf, when you impute to us in a ſcoffe bare-heads.
2. Theſe you ſay ſhould be utterly rejected from being my ſpiritual Over-ſeers again.
What will you caſt us aſide with the ſhavelings of Rome? not rejected, but utterly rejected? rejected for a poor Ceremony, that we were bare-headed in Gods ſervice? never to be made ſpiritual Over-ſeers again meerly for this? This were a very harſh ſentence; but you lenifie it with two exceptions, that of inward, and an outward calling.
3. Afore they were inwardly qualified by Chriſts ſinne-crucifying and ſoul-quickning Spirit in a cleanſed conſcience.
This your qualification is exceedingly to be deſired; O how happy were the Church, if all the Overſeers were quickned by that Spirit, which would effectually work in them a crucifying of ſinne, and a new life, that their conſcience were cleanſed by the blood of Chriſt, and a pure faith! that her Nazarites were purer than ſnow, whiter than milke, that they were more ruddy in body than rubies, and that their poliſhing was as ſaphire. But this is rather to be wiſhed than hoped for; while this world ſtands, Saul will be among the Prophets, and Judas among the Diſciples. So then you have here put an impoſſible talk upon your ſelf and all others, to be aſſured of an Over-ſeer before you receive him, that he is inwardly qualified by Chriſts ſinne-crucifi d and ſoul-quickning Spirit in a cleanſed conſcience. For this requires a great deal of more ability in the Rulers of the Church, than ever can be found in any mortal man: For not to ſpeak of the impoſſibility of a grounded and certain perſwaſion of true grace in the heart of an hypocrite, who hath no grace at all: how is it poſſible to attain to any grounded certainty of true grace in the heart of another man? conjectures we may make, and in charity judge it is ſo, but this is no evidence of aſſurance. For the hid man of the heart, and the new name, are not certainly known to any man, but he that hath them. You muſt then abate very much of this propoſition, before any wiſe man will be of your judgment. And if men muſt not be admitted for Over-ſeers, till you know them to be thus inwardly qualifyed, nor you nor we ſhall ever admit any Over-ſeers. Gifts I graunt they all ought to have, before they be admitted into that order; but ſuch as men may judge of, foreign, abilities in learning, outward evidences of grace witneſſed by a holy life; but whether they have foreign, gratias gratum facientes, that muſt be left to the ſearcher of all hearts. To us a Briſtol ſtone may gliſter like a Diamond, and till we know the contrary, it were folly to reject it.
4. And alſo outwardly and ord rly called by Chriſts Covenant-ſervants in a cleanſed Combinational Church.
This is your ſecond reſtriction, by which you would reject the Pariſh Over-ſeers as you call them: the old Miniſters. But now ſee how farre it will take hold of thoſe among your ſelves.
1. For firſt, if this outward calling be neceſſary, then what will become of your Itinerants, who never pleaded this outward call, but their gifts only.
Secondly, For thoſe old Miniſters that turn unto you, and for gaine dance after your pipe, they then muſt renounce their old orders, and be newly ordained by you; which were, as if a man that had received his commiſſion from his Prince, ſhould ſlight that, and take up another from the people; that I ſay not it juſtifies that old exploded maxime, laid upon Wickleive, Praelatus in mortali peccato exiſtens deſinit eſſe Praelatus.
Thirdly, Here you would faſten upon us again the old Sophiſme, that there is no outward and orderly calling but by Chriſts Covenant-ſervants in a cleanſed Combinational Church; which you ſhall make good ad Graecas Calendas.
Fourthly, You ſay that this outward and orderly calling muſt be had in a cleanſed Combinational Church. So that if the Combinational Church be not purifyed and cleanſed, what aſſurance can any man have of his outward calling? Are the Anabaptiſt Churches clean? Are the Antinomians clean? Are the Millenaries clean? Are the Quakers clean? yet all theſe are Combinational, and they ordain their Miniſters. It ſeems then that unclean Combinational Churches both outwardly and orderly call'd: or elſe all theſe have no Paſtours. But I proceed with your words.
5. If there were an unanimous voting down of all double-reading, I mean that babling reading of two Chapters, which is not ſeconded with the opening and expounding of the ſame, being that it cannot but be confeſſed, that it was ſuch a courſe as is quite contrary to what is commanded and commended in the Scriptures of Truth, as all do well know that are acquainted with what is written, Ezek. 33.2. Nehemiah 8.8. Luke 4.16. Acts 13.15. 1 Cor. 14.23, 24.
The Reply.
1. Reading the Scripture publickly was of great uſe in the Primitive Church, and to that purpoſe they had their foreign or publick Readers officiated; even Julian before he became an Apoſtate, was ſuch a one in the Church of Nicomedia. Nazianz. foreign. Juſt. Mart. Apol. 2. Tertull. Apol. cap. 39. & lib. 2. ad uxorem. Chryſ. hom. 3. de Lazaro.It was one part of their Liturgy, as you may read in Justin Martyr and in Tertullian, Commentaria Apoſtolorum, aut ſcripta Apoſtolorum leguntur. We meet together, and there is Divinarum Scripturarum Commemoratio; and that you be not miſtaken in Tertullians meaning, Ibi fomenta fidei de Scripturarum interlectione. And here alſo is double-reading at leſt for you, for it was interlectio. And therefore Chryſoſtome wiſheth the people to get them Bibles, and diligently to read them, foreign, as in their Temples; obſerve that. They therefore uſed not to call the giving forth a Text, and preaching upon it the reading of the Scripture. Now that reading is preaching, that is proclaiming the will of God, is evident. Moſes had in old time, in every City thoſe that preach him, ſince be is read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day. Dives brethren are ſent to Moſes and the Prophets, and to what end but to read them? Acts 15.21. Luke 16.for they were dead, and vivâ voce could not preach; and had not the reading of them been a ſufficient Sermon to reclaime them, in pub iſhing Gods anger to ſuch looſe men, Abrahams counſel had been to little purpoſe. Further Saint Paul commands that that Epiſtle which he wrote to the Coloſſians be read in the Church of Laodicea, upon which words Doctor Davenat hath this note, Errare eos, qui ipſam lectionem Scripturarum negant facere ad aedificationem populi in fide & charitate, Col. 4.16.niſi accedat eodem tempore en…rratio, & explicatio earundem per praedicatorem; which he that liſt may ſee proved by Maſter Hooker at large.Hook. Eccl. Pol. lib. 5. Sect. 22. For let men extoll Sermons as they pleaſe, Plus apud me valebit vera ratio, q…am vulgi opin…o, that hath taught me that the Scripture it ſelf any way made known, is ſufficient to make the man of God perfect. Sufficit ad fidei apprehenſionem, aſſenſum, ad fidem ingenerandam, augmentand…m, c nfirmandam; and to ſay the contrary is to joyne with the Papiſt in their load clamours, That the Scriptures are obſcure and inſufficient to ſalvation.
That there may be babling-reading I deny not, as there may be babling prayer and babling preaching; but then let the Bablers anſwer for their coldneſſe, and not the Ordinance be thought the worſe of. How other men are affected I know not; to me a Chapter diſtinctly read, punctually accented, and harmoniouſly tuned, enters and more inſenſibly ſurprizes my ſoul, than any Expoſition I have heard upon it. And I rejoyce in it, becauſe in the one, I hear methinks God from heaven immediately ſpeaking unto me; in the other, God only ſpeaking by his ſervant. And therefore I have always endeavoured to ſpeak to my auditory in the words of God, and have ever caſt by all other phraſes and expreſſions, when I could ſerve my ſelf out of the Scriptures.
Yet do not think all this while I am againſt Expoſitions. I perſwade them, I like them, I encourage them. But yet I do not think every man fit to be an Expoſitour. Grammar teacheth the meaning of words, Rhetorick of Tropes and Figures. Logick judgeth of the ſtrength and weight of reaſons; ſo that he who is not skilfull in all theſe Arts, is no fit man to be an Expoſitour; for either he will fall ſhort in the language, or not diſcern betwixt what is properly, and what is Tropically or figuratively ſpoken: or elſe be to ſeek upon what medium the concluſion is inferred. Without theſe inſtrumental Arts no man ſhall be able foreign, to divide aright the Word of God.
He that will give forth and maintain a Paradox contrary to the judgment and practice of the whole Church, had need of mighty and evident arguments to evince it. And ſuch you have here vented. viz. That reading of Chapters in the Church that is not ſeconded wich opening and expounding of the ſame, is quite contrary to what is commanded and commended. I expect your demonſtration to prove this; do not think you ſhall gain upon me by ſuch a crafty inſinuation as this is; [being that it cannot but be confeſſed] when nor I, nor any other ſober man ever confeſſed any ſuch thing, much leſſe that this courſe is quite contrary to what is commanded and commended; when we finde no ſuch courſe extant upon command; and though we allow the thing to be commendable, yet in the places by you cited, we finde no commendation at all given to it. For they are bare relations of what was done and no more; and that we do the like may very well be warranted by them; but that by them there is ſuch a neceſſity impoſed, that Scripture may never be read except expounded, you ſhall never prove: or that not to do it, is quite contrary to what is commanded and commended. This might ſerve in anſwer to all the places you alledge; but I ſhall more particularly conſider them.
You firſt produce the Prophet, Ezek. 33.2. Sonne of man ſpeak to the children of Iſrael, and ſay unto them, when I bring a Sword upon a Land, if the people of the Land take a man of their Coaſts, and ſet him for their Watch-man, &c. What ſyllable do you here finde of reading firſt a piece of Scripture, and then expounding it? That every Prophet ſent by God is a Watch-man, that it is his duty to acquaint them with the meſſage he hath received from God, and of the danger they are in; if they hear it not; and of the danger he is in, if he give them not warning: thus much might properly be concluded out of this context; but to your concluſion, I do not diſcerne that this place ſhews the leaſt favourable countenance. For I hope ſuch a Watch-man as Ezekiel was, a Prophet might ſtand upon his Watch and give warning, without reading any parcel of Scripture before extant, and expounding it to the people. For my part I have alwayes conceived that the Prophets delivered viſions immediately received from God, and that they were not ordinarily Expoſitours of Propheſies or Revelations entruſted to other Prophets. Shew this, and it may evince in part what you intend; In part I ſay, but not in the whole; for you muſt prove that they firſt read, and that they never read any part of the Scripture to the people, but that they expounded it; or elſe you prove nothing.
The next Text you produce, is Nehem. 8.8. The Levites cauſed the people to underſtand the Law, and the people ſtood in their place, and ver. 9. So they read the Book in the Law of God diſtinctly, and gave the ſenſe, and cauſed them to underſtand the reading.
I obſerve firſt, that in Joſiahs time I finde the like done, that the book of the Covenant which was found in the houſe of the Lord, 2 Kings 23.2.was read in the ears of all the people, and yet there I read of no Expoſition.
Secondly that this in Nehemiah was done preſently after their return from the Captivity, in which time both the Law and ſenſe might be forgotten, and therefore there might be the more reaſon for it.
Thirdly, That they read the Law firſt diſtinctly, before they gave the ſenſe, the neglect of which, is that we complain of; for a Text only is taken, and that preached upon, but the Scripture is ſeldome read or expounded.
Fourthly, the example is particular, and except you can prove that it was brought into a rule, ever after to be ſo done, and never otherwiſe, from it you cannot conclude a general, no more then I can out of that practice of Joſiah, where I finde it read, and not expounded, conclude that therefore it muſt be read and not expounded.
Fifthly, Were we againſt Expoſitions, you might well produce this practice of Nehemiah againſt us; but we like well that after the Chapter read, there follow a ſhort Expoſition. Theſe two then might well like Abraham and Lot live together; and why then ſhould there be any wrangling and controverſie between my heard-men and thy heard-m…n about this matter? Preſſe not your neceſſity, that it muſt be ſo and not otherwiſe, and we have done.
The third place you alledge, is Luke 4.16. where we finde that our Saviour read the Text of the Prophet Iſaiah, and applyed it; and ſo much liberty ſhall be granted to any Miniſter, if he be able to do it aright. The Text was a Propheſie, and every Propheſie is obſcure, till light by the opening of it be brought to it. This did our Saviour, and this do you, and it ſhall not diſpleaſe. The reading of the Text may be proved from hence, and the lawfulneſſe of a Commentary or Expoſition upon it; but that neceſſity which you would enforce, never. This is ſtill to be demonſtrated.
The fourth place, is Acts 13.15. Which no way proves what you intend; for there we thus read, after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Rulers of the Synagogue ſent unto them, ſaying, Ye men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation to the people, ſay on, then Paul ſtood up — and ſaid, Men and brethren.
1. Tremellius and Beza obſerve upon this place, that firſt in their Synagogues there was the reading of the holy books, that is the Law and the Prophets, which they divided into ſo many Sections, as there were Sabbaths in the year, and to every Section out of Moſes, applyed a Section out of ſome Prophet, that was moſt agreeable unto it. Theſe readings then could not be very ſhort, for otherwiſe they could not go through the whole in one year.
2. Theſe readings being ended, then a Maſter of the Synagogue they had, who gave liberty to preach. Upon which Aretius notes, that Admonemur hic, obſervandum foreign & modeſtiam in proponenda doctrina, quod non obſervant ſpiritus phanatici qui ſolent paſſim diſcurrere, more furioſorum, & quoſvis caetus interturbare ſuis clamoribus ſine certa vocatione.
3. It appears not here, that Saint Paul preached upon any part of Moſes or the Prophets, that was then read, neither was he moved by the Ruler of the Synagogue to do it, but only to make an exhortation. So that you can never conclude from this place that the Scripture may not be read, except expounded.
Your laſt place is out of 1 Cor. 14.23, 24. which makes leſſe to your purpoſe then any of the reſt; the words are, If therefore the whole Church be come together in one place, and all ſpeak with tongues, and there come in thoſe that are unlearned, and unbelievers, will he not ſay, that ye are mad? But if all propheſie, and there come in one that believeth no, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all.
The Apoſtle in this Chapter ſhews ſome inconveniences that might happen, even upon that gift which then God beſtowed. viz. an ability to ſpeak divers languages. That in this verſe is, that this their confuſed oſtentation of tongues might alienate two ſorts of people, the weaker Chriſtians, whom he calls Idiots, and thoſe, who were not yet converted, whom he calls unbeleevers. For put caſe, that any of theſe ſhould come into the Congregation, and hear them ſpeak confuſedly in unknown languages, would he not ſay you were mad? for mad men do uſe to babble that which no man underſtands; but ſober men clear words, which are intelligible. But in Propheſie now there is no ſuch inconvenience to be feared, but the quite contrary profit to be expected. For if it happen that all in the Church Propheſie, that is, out of the Oracles of God, declare his juſtice and wrath againſt ſinne, his mercy toward the penitent; ſhall enlarge themſelves about the true worſhip of God, the obedience and pious life that ought to be in Chriſtians, of ſanctification, of juſtification by Chriſt, of eternal life, a life of joy to the good and believers; of a life of pain to wicked men and Infidels: Theſe or the like being heard from your mouths, Infidels and unlearned men will ſay, God is in you indeed. i. e. that you never ſpeak ſo aptly and wiſely of ſuch divine things, but by aſſiſtance and motion of Gods Spirit.
This being now the genuine ſenſe of the words, I put it to your ſelf to judge, whether you can any fair way deduce your concluſion from them. That there was then ſuch who did inſtruct the people, and preach unto them all neceſſary points of ſalvation, may eaſily be collected from hence, and that God beſtowed upon them extraordinary abilities to performe that duty. But that Scripture may never be read, except expounded, he that can conclude from hence, I ſhall ſay, that he may as quickly gather that an Ape being like a man in ſomething, therefore he is a man.