THE DIFFERENCES OF THE Churches of the separation: Containing, A DESCRIPTION OF THE LEITOURGIE AND ministery of the visible Church: Annexed: AS A CORRECTION AND SUPPLEMENT TO A LITTLE treatise lately published, bearing title: Principles and inferences, concerning the visible Church. Published, 1. For the satisfaction of every true lover of the truth especially the Brethren of the Separation that are doubtful. 2. As also for the removing of an unjust calumny cast upon the Brethren of the Separation of the second English Church at Amsterdam. 3. Finally for the cleared of the truth: & the discovering of the mystery of iniquity yet further in the worship & offices of the Church. Divided into two parts 1. Concerning the liturgy of the Church 2. Concerning the ministery of the Church: which hath two sections One of the Eldership: Another of the Deacons office whereto appertaineth the Treasury BY JOHN SMYTH Search the Scriptures: joh. 5.39. Try all things keep the good thing. 1. Thes. 5.21. Beloved: Believe not every Spirit. 1. joh. 4.1. The Spirits of the prophets are subordinate to the Prophets. 1. Cor. 14.32. 1608. Collegium Sancti Johannis Evangelistae in Academia Cantabrigiensi Cambridge bookplate To every true lover of the truth especially to the Brethren of the separation: Salutations. NOt long since I published a little method entitled principles & inferences concerning the visible Church: Wherein chief I purposed to manifest the true constitution of the Church, a matter of absolute necessity & now so cleared by the writings of the late witnesses of jesus Christ the ancient brethren of the separation as that it seemeth nothing can further be added, The absolute necessity of the true constitution appeareth, because if the Church be truly constituted & framed, there is a true Church: the true spouse of Christ: if the Church be falsely constituted, there is a false Church: & ●he is not the true spouse of Christ: Herein therefore especially are those ancient brethren to be honoured, that they have reduced the Church to the true Primitive & Apostolic constitution which consisteth in these three things. 1. The true matter which are saints only. 2. The true form which is the uniting of them together in the covenant. 3. The true property which is communion in all the holy things, & the power of the L. jesus Christ, for the maintaining of that communion. To this blessed work of the L. wherein those ancient brethten have laboured I know not what may more be added: I think rather there can nothing be added: but now Antichrist is perfectly both discovered & consumed in respect of the constitution by the evidence of the truth, which is the brightness of Christ's coming. Now all though they have also very worthily employed themselves in the liturgy, ministery, & Treasury of the Church, both in discovering the forgeries & corruptions which the man of syune had intermingled, & also in some good degree reducing them to their primitive purity wherein they were by the Apostles left unto the Churches: Yet we are persuaded that herein Antichrist is not utterly eythet revealed or abolished, but that in a very high degree he is exalted even in the true constituted Churches: In regard whereof, as also being enforced upon some courgie & ministry of the Church: The ministery I say consisting of the Presbytery & Deacons office, whereto apertyneth the Treasury, & that for these ends: partly that the truth we walk in may be manifested to the world, among whom our opinion and practice is so strangely & falsely traduced: partly that the differences betwixt us & the ancienter brethren of the separation may appear, & thereby men may be occasioned to try the truth from error & to hold it fast. And although in this writing something there is which overtwharteth my former judgement in some treatises by me formerly published: Yet I would entreat the teader not to impute that as a fault unto me: rather it should be accounted a virtue to retract erroers: Know therefore that latter thoughts oft times are better than the former: & I do profess this (that no man account it strange), that I will every day as my erroers shallbe discovered confess them & renounce them: For it is our covenant made with our God to forsake every evil way whither in opinion or practice that shallbe manifested unto us at any time: & therefore let no man plead now, as some have formerly done, these men are inconstant: they would have they know not what: They will never be satisfied & the like: For we profess even so much as they object: That we are inconstant in erroer: that we would have the truth, though in many particulars we are ignorant of it: We will never be satisfied in endeavouring to reduce the worship and ministry of the Church, to the primitive Apostolic institution from which as yet it is so far distant: Wherefore my earnest desire is, that my last writing may be taken as my present judgement & so far forth as it overthwarteth any former writing of mine let it be accounted a voluntary retractation & unseyned repentance of my former errors & evil ways before the whole earth. And let no man be offended at us for that we differ from the ancient brethren of the separation in the liturgy Presbytery & Treasury of the Church: for we hold not our saith at any man's pleasure or in respect of persons, neither do we bind ourselves to walk according to other men's lines further than they walk in the truth: neither let the world think that we approve them in all their practices: let them justify their proceedings or repent of them: we have (we willingly & thankfully acknowledge) received much light of truth from their writings for which mercy we always bless our God: & for which help we always shall honour them in the Lord and in the truth. But as Paul withstood Peter to his face & separated from Barnabas that good man that was full of the holy ghost & of faith, for just causses: So must they give us leave to love the truth & honour the Lord more than any man or Church upon earth. Now if any of the adversaries of us both shall hereby take occasion of offence, thereby to speak evil, or to withhold or revolt from the truth: let these men consider with themselves: First: that they even in that their Egyptian darkness wherein they walk have their most violent oppositions & deadly contentions: Again, the Apostle hath foretold that it is necessary their should be dissensions even in the true Churches that they which are approved may be known: besides the truth shall by our differences be further cleeked, & their Antichristian worship & Ministry more & more detected, & cast into the bottomless pit from whence it issued. Finally the Apostle saith that Christ is a stone to stumble at & a rock of offence to the disobedient aswell as a chief corner stone elect & precious to them that believe: & blessed are they that are not offended at Christ or his truth. So desiring the reader to weigh well what I plead & not to be offended at the manifold quotations which are of necessity that by places compared together the truth which is a mystery may appear & Antichristianisme which is the mystery of iniquity may be discovered, I cease, commending him to the grace of God in jesus Ch●ist, who in due time will bring his people out of Egypt & Babylon spiritually so called, though for a season they are there kept in Antichristian captivity & grievous spiritual slavery: which the Lord in his due time effect, Amen, Amen. john Smyth. The principal contents of this treatise & our differences from the ancient brethren of the Separation. 1 We hold that the worship of the new testament properly so called is spiritual proceeding originally from the heart: & that reading out of a book (though a lawful ecle●iastical action) is no part of spiritual worship, but rather the invention of the man of sin it being substituted for a part of spiritual worship. 2 We hold that seeing prophesying is a part of spiritual worship: therefore in time of prophes●yng it is unlawful to have the book as a help before the eye 3 we hold that seeing singinging a psalm is a part of spiritual worship therefore it is unlawful to have the book before the eye in time of singing a psalm ● we hold that the Presbytery of the church is uniform: & that the triformed Presbytery consisting of three kinds of Elders viz. Pastor's Teachers Rulers is none o● God's Ordinance but man's devise. 5 we hold that all the Elders of the Church are Pastors: and that lay Elders (to called) are Antichristian. 6 we hold that in contributing to the Church Treaturie their ought 〈◊〉 be both a separation from them that are without & a sanctification of the whole action by Prayer & Thanksgiving. THE DIFFERENCES OF THE CHURCHES OF THE Separation, Containing a description of the liturgy & ministery of the visible Church Annexed as a correction & supplement to a little treatise lately published bearing title principles, & inferences concerning the visible Church. THE FIRST PART. concerning the liturgy of the Church Cap. 1. of the Kingdom of the Saints. The visible Church by the Apostle is called a Kingly priesthood. 1. pet. 2.9. and the Saints are Kings & Priests unto God. Revel. 1.6. The Saints as Kings ●ule the visible Church. 1. Cor. 5.12. psal. 149.9. Mat. 18. 15-17. 1. Cor. 6. 1.-9. The visible Church is Christ's Kingdom. Mat. 8.12. joh. 18. 33-37. Act. 1.3, 1. Cor. 15.24.25. Hebr. 12.28. The members of the visible Church are called the children of the Kingdom. Mat. 8.12. And are under the government of the Church: Marc. 13.34, 1. Cor. 6.1.9. & under the governmennt of Christ. Luk. 19.27. The actions of the Church in administering the Kingdom are actions of opposition, difference, plea, & strife: as in admonition, examination, excommunication, pacification, absolution, etc. 1. Cor. 5. 3-5. & 6. 1-9. & 2. Ep. 2.6.7. Mat. 18-15-17. Revel. 2.2, 2. Chron. 19. 10-11. Hethetto appertaineth conference & disputation. Luc. 2.46.47. Act. 6.9. & 17: 2, compared with psal. 122.5. 1. King. 3. 16-27. In examination of opinions & facts also in conference & disputation evidences of all sorts may be produced for finding out of the truth. Revel. 2.2. 1. King. 3. 25-27. Evidences are of diverse natures: as confessions & lots: Josh. 7. 16-21. Oaths: Exod. ●2. 10.11. books of all sorts. Dan, 9 2-1, King. 14.19. Act. 7.22. & 17.28. 1. Cor. 15.33. Tit. 1.12. jude. vers. 14. compared with 1. Timoth. 1.4. & Luk. 3. 25-27. namely translations, dictionaries, histories, chronicles, commentaries, etc., all which may for evidence of the truth be brought into the Church by necessary consequence. Actions of administering the Church or Kingdom are not actions of spiritual worship properly so called, for as the Kingdom and priesthood of the old Testament were distinct as also their actions several: Heb. 7.14. Gen. 49.10. Deut. 33. 8-11. 2. Chron. 26.18. psal. 122 4-5: So are the Kingdom & priesthood of the new Testament & their actions also: which were typed by the other. Heb. 5.4.5. Act. 15. 7-29. with 13.2, 3. Chap. 2. of the priesthood of the saints. Thus much of the Kingdom: now followeth the priesthood of the Church. The saints as Priests offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by jesus Christ. 1. pet. 2.5. Spiritual sacrifices are such as originally proceed from the spirit: & they are called spiritual in opposition to the carnal or literal sacrifices performed by the sacrificing Priests of the old Testament: which originally proceeded from the letter: by proportion also see, joh. 1.17, 2. Cor. 3.6. Gal. 3.5. joh. 4. 20-24. The actions of the Church in dispensing the priesthood are actions of concord or union: Act. 4. 24-32. philip. 3.16. Ephes. 4. 3-6. Actions of the priesthood of the saints are actions of spiritual worship properly so called. Deu●. 33.10. 1. pet. 2.5. compared with Revel. 8.3. Heb. 13.10. philip. 2.17. Act. 13.2, 1. Cor. 11.4. & 14. 15.22.26-31. In the worship of God properly so called the saints are not to oppose, contradict, examine, or censure: to propound doubtful & controversial points of doctrine: but in union spiritual to offer up one & the same spiritual sacrifice to the Lord. Act. 4. 24-32. 1. Cor. 11. 18-20. & 10.16.17. If any thing doubtful or false be delivered in time of spiritual worship it is to be examined & censured afterward. 1. Cor. 14. 31-33.40. compared with Revel. 2.2. Act. 17.11. Chap. 3. of Spiritual worship & of the Spirit. Concerning spiritual worship consider these things following. 1. The Fountain from whence it proceedeth. 2. The helps whereby it is supported or furthered, 3. The essence or nature wherein properly it cousisteth. The Fountain from whence spiritual worship proceedeth is the spirit. Act. 1.4.5. & 2.4.17.18, 1. Cor. 12.4, 7.11. Eph. 5.18.19. The spirit signifieth 2. things. 1. the spirit of God. 2. the spirit of man: that is the regenerate part of the soul. Act. 2.17.18, 1. Cor. 12.4. Rom. 7.6. Galath. 3.2.3. The Regenerate part of the soul is either the sanctified memory, the sanctified judgement, the sanctified heart & affections, the sanctified conscience: from all these must spiritual worship proceed. Psal. 103.1. 2. Mat. 22 37, 1. Timoth. 1.5. The work of the holy spirit is to suggest matter & to move the regenerate part of the soul, 1. Cor. 12. 8-11, joh. 14.26, Luk. 24. 32-45. The work of the memory is to have in a readiness sufficiency of fit matter for the spiritual worship, psal. 103.2, & 119.16.93. The work of the judgement or understanding is to discern & judge truth from falsehood, right from wrong, good from bad, fit from unfit, 1. Cor. 14. 29-32, & 11.29, Colos. 1.9. & 3.16, Philip. 1.9.10. The work of the heart & affections is to be moved according to the quality of the matter & kind of the worship. jam. 5.13, Ezra. 3. 10-13, 1. Cor. 14.24.25. The work of the conscience is a sorrowful or comfortable testimony answerable to the matter handled, 1. Timoth. 1.5. Act. 23.1. Finally the work of the Regenerate part of the soul is an Echo correspondent to the work of the holy Spirit & the condition of the word of God which in time of spiritual worship is administered. psal. 27.8. Esay. 66.5. Mat. 13.9. Heb. 10. 5-7. Caut. 5.4. Chap. 4. of quenching the Spirit. In performing spiritual worship we must take heed of quenching the spirit. 1. Thes. ●. 19. 1. Cor. 14.30. job 32. 18-20. The Spirit is quenched two ways: By silence. By set forms of worship. Psal. 40. 13. 1. Cor. 14. 29-32. compared with. 1 Thes. 5.19.20. The Spirit is quenched by silence when fit matter is revealed to one that sitteth by & he wthholdeth it in time of prophesying: The Spirit is quenched by set forms of worship, for therein the spirit is not at liberty to utter itself, but is bounded in: contrary to. Act. 2.4. & 2. Cor. 3.17. compared with joh. 4.24. & Gal. 4.31. &. 5.1. Set forms of worship are either in the memory, or in the book. Saying set forms, of worship by rote is quenching the Spirit: & Reading set forms of worship out of a book is quenching the Spirit: for in the one the Spirit is not manifested but the strength of the memory, in the other the matter is not brought out of the ha●●, but out of the book: & so in neither of them the Spirit is at liberty. Chap. 5. of the helps of Spiritual worship. Thus much concerning the Fountain from whence Spiritual worship cometh: now follow the helps whereby Spiritual worship is furthered or supported. The helps are either inward or outward. The inward helps are only the word & the spirit. Eph. 5.18.19. Col. 3.16. Rom. 8.26. The outward helps are the manifestation of the Spirit: & the seals of the covenant: 1. Cor. 12.7. & 2.4. & Act. 2.4.42. with the instruments creatures & actions appertaining thereto. Instruments: as the tongue & ear, to speak, heat & taste withal: Act. 2.4.8. 1. cor. 11.24. Creatures as bread, wine, water: Act. 8. 36-39. 1. Cor. 11.23. Mat. 26. 27-29. Actions as speaking, hearing, breaking bread, pouring out wine, eating, drinking, washing with water, by consequent from the former places. The publishing of the covenant of grace & the putting to of the seals is only one concrete action or part of worship, for the publishing of the covenant giveth being ●o the seals, otherwise breaking bread & baptizing are but putting of seals to a blank. Chap. 6. concerning books & writing. Here a question is to be discussed: whither a book be a lawful help to further us in time of spiritual worship. Revel. 10.10.11. Ezech. 3.3.4. Books or writings are signs or pictures of things signified thereby. Writings are to be considered in the concrete or in the abstract. In the concrete writings import both the sign & the thing signified thereby, that is both the characters & the matter. In the abstract writings import the sign in relation to the thing signified thereby: vis: letters, syllables, words, syntax. Every writing is compounded of words. Every word is made of letters & syllables except that some letters & syllables are words. Lettreses or characters are significative. Revel. 1.8, & 13.18. Alpha, Omega, Chi. Xi, 〈◊〉. signify, first, last, 600, 60, 6. Words are significative in the first or second intention: as Amen in the first intention signifieth truth or truly. Mat. 5.18. Amen in the second intention signifieth Christ Revel. 3.14. So doth Logos signify also and many other words of Scripture. Syntaxe or joining of words in order signifieth discourse, As single words signify Logical relations or arguments. So Syntaxe or words compounded in sentence signifieth Axioms, Syllogisms, Method. Therefore words and syntax are signs of things, and of the relations and reason of things Hence it followeth that books or writings are in the nature of picturer or Images & therefore in the nature of ceremonies: & so by consequent reading a book is ceremonial. For as the Beast in the Sacrifices of the old Testament was ceremonial so was the kill of the Beast ceremonial. Chap. 7. Of the kinds of books or writings. Thus much of the nature of books or writings: Now follow the kinds of books or the distribution of writings. writings may be distinguished according to the subject or efficient. The subject of writings are paper, parchment, wood, stone, metal. etc. If writings be in paper or parchment they be called books, as may be gathered from. Deut. 31. 24-26. jerem 36.4. If writings be engraven in stone wood or metal it is called graving or carving: Exo. 28.11. 2. Cor. 3.7. Josh. 8.32. The efficient of writings are two: God, or man.. God himself first engraved the law in tables of stone. Exod. 31.18. Men are of two sorts: Inspired, or ordinary men. Men Inspired by the Holy Ghost are the Holy Prophets & Apostles who wrote the holy scriptures by inspiration. 2. Pet. 1.21. 2 Tim. 3.16. Rom. 1.2. namely the Hebrew of the old testament & the greek of the new Testament. The Holy Scriptures viz. the Originals Hebrew & Greek are given by Divine inspiration & in their first donation were without error most perfect & therefore Canonical. Ordinary men writ books of diverse kinds among the rest such as have the word of God or Holy Scriptures for their object are called Theological writings: among them Translations of the Holy Scriptures into the mother tongue are chiefly to be esteemed, as being the most principal, yet only as the stream issuing from the fountain, or as the greatest river of the main sea. No writings of ordinary men how holy or good soever are given by inspiration, & therefore are subject to error & imperfect & so Apocrypha. Chap. 8. Of the Originals or Holy Scriptures, & of the parts of Holy Scripture. Holy Scriptures (as all other writings whatsoever,) consist of two parts: of the tongue & character & of the substance or matter signified by the character. The tongue or character hath appertaining to it the grammar and the Rhetoric where of the tongue or character is the subject. The matter or substance of the scripture hath in it, Logic, History, Cronology, Cos mography, Genealogy, Philosophy, theology and other like matter. The principal part of the matter is the Theology A Translation of the holy originals may express very much of the matter contained in or signified by the original characters: it can express also much of the Rhethorickas Tropes & Figures of sentence. No Translation can possibly express all the matter of the holy originals, nor a thousand things in the Grammar, Rhetoric, & character of the tongue. A Translation so far forth as it doth truly & fully express any thing of the originals may be said inspired of God & no further. Hence it followeth that a translation be it never so good is mixed with men's devises, imperfect, not equipollent to the originals in a thousand particulars. The holy originals signify and represent to our eyes heavenly things therefore the book of the law is called a similitude of an heavenly thing. Heb. 9. 19-23. Holy Scriptures or writings began with Moses. Exob. 24.4. & 31.18. joh. 1.17. 2. Cor. 3.7. Before Moses holy men prophesied out of their hearts & received & kept the truth of doctrine by tradition from hand to hand: 2. Pet. 2.5. Jude vers. 14.15. Deut. 31.24. When Moses had written the law, he caused it to be put by the ark in the most holy place, as a witness against the people. deut. 31.26. therefore the Apostle calleth it the hand-writing in ordinances which was contrary to us, which Christ nailed to his cross. Col. 2.14. Eph. 2.15. Hence it followeth that the holy originals the Hebrew scriptures of the old testament are ceremonies. 2. Cor. 3.3.7. Nomb. 5.23.24. & by necessary consequent. The book or tables of stone typed unto the jews their hard heart void of the true understanding of the law. 2. Cor. 3.3. Heb. 8.10. Ezech. 36.26.27. 2. Cor. 3.14.15. The Ink wherewith the letters were written signified the Spirit of God: 2. Cor, 3.3. Heb. 8.10. compared with Exod. 31.18. The letters written or characters engraven signifieth the work of the Spirit, who alone doth write the law in our hearts. by proportion: also Deut 9.10. compared with Heb. 8.10 Reading the words of the law out of the book signifieth the uttering of the word of God out of the heart: by proportion. see also. 2. Cor. 3.2.3.6. 1. Cor. 12.7. The writings of the old Testament being ceremonial are therefore abolished by Christ only so far forth as they are ceremonial: Col. 2.14 20. Gal. 4.9. The thing signified by the book viz: the law of God & the new testament remaineth 2 Cor. 3: 11.7. Heb. 8.6.7.13. Chap. 9, How the Originals or Holy Scriptures are to be used. The Scriptures of the old Testament are commanded to the Church 2. Pet. 1.19. ●0 &. 2. Timoth. 3.16. as also the Scriptures of the new Testament: 1. Thes. 5.27. Col. 4.16. & by proportion. Here consider these things, 1. How the Scriptures are to be used: 2. How they are not to be used. The Holy Scriptures are the Fountain of all truth, joh. 17.17. compared with 2. Timoth. 3.16.17. They are the ground & foundation of our faith, Ephes. 2.20. compared with joh. 5.39. & 17.3. By them all doctrines & every Spirit is to be judged: Esay 8.20. 1. joh. 4.1. Act. 17.11. They are to be read in the Church & to be interpeted: Col. 4.16. compared with Luk. 24.27. & 1. Cor. 14, 27. & 12.10. by proportion. 2. Pet. 3.16. Nevertheless the Holy Scriptures are not retained as helps before the eye in time of Spiritual worship: Reasons are these. Chap. 10. Reason's proving the Originals not to be given as helps before the eye in worship. 1. Because Christ used the book to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15. & having by the use of the book fulfilled the law of reading he shut the book in the Synagogue, to signify that that ceremony of bookworship, or the ministery of the letter was now expired, & finished. Luk. 4.20. Ioh, 19.30. 3. Because reading words out of a book is the ministration of the letter, 2. Cor. 3.6. namely a part of the ministery of the old Testament which is abolished: Heb. 8.13: 2: cor. 3.11.13. & the ministry of the new testament is the ministery of the spirit. 2. Cor. 3.6. 3. Because upon the day of Pentecost & many years after the churches of the new testament did use no books in time of spiritual worship but prayed, prophesied, & sang Psalms merely out of their hearts. Act. 2.4.42. & 10. 44-48. & 19.6. 1. cor. 14. 15-17.26.37 4. Because no example of the Scripture can be showed of any man ordinary or extraordinary that at or after the day of Pentecost used a book in praying, prophesying & sing●ng Psalms: if yea: let it be done & we yield. 5. Because none of the books of the new Testament were written many years after the day of Pentecost, at the least seven years: & the Churches all that time could not use the books of the new Testament which they had not: 6. Because the Churches of the Greeks' had no books to use that they might use lawfully: for they understood not Hebrew: & the Septuagints translation ought not to be used or made, & the Apostles made no Greek translation: And if the Apostles read the Hebrew an unknown tongue in the Greek Churches it could not be a lawful worship, because it edified not: if they had the Hebrew before their eyes & interpeted Greek, let it be showed when & where & we yield unto it. 7. Because as in prayer the spirit only is our help & there is no outward help given of God for that kind of worship: So also in prophesying & singing. 1. Cor. 11.4. & 14.16, 8. Because it is against the nature of spiritual worship: for when we read we receive matter from the book into the heart, when we pray prophecy or sing we utter matter out of the heart unto the ear of the Church; Ezech, 2. 8-19, & 3. 14. Revel. 10. 8-11. 9 Because upon the day of Pentecost fiery cloven tongues did appear, not fiery cloven books. Ac●. 2.3. & always there must be a proportion betwixt the type and the thing typed: upon the day of Pentecost the fiery law was given in books Deut: 33.2. Exo: 24.4.12. upon the day of Pentecost the fiery gospel was given in tongues Act: 2.3. Mat: 3 11. Act: 1.5. the book therefore was proper for them, the tongue for us _____ 10. Because as all the worship which Moses taught began in the letter outwardly, & so proceeded inwardly to the spirit of the faithful: so contrariwise all the worship of the new testament signified by that typical worship of Moses must begin at the Spirit, & not at the letter originally. 2. Cor: 3.6.8. 1. Cor: 12.7. or else the heavenly thing is not answerable to the similitude thereof: Therefore as in prayer the book is laid aside, & that by the confession of the ancient brethren of the separation: so must it be also in prophesying & singing of Psalms as we are persuaded. 1. Cor. 11.4. & 14.15.16.26. Quere, whither the Prophets of the Church may not in time of Spiritual worship, take the originals, & interpret out of them a text, & then shut the book & prophecy from that ground of holy Scripture so interpreted. Luk. 4. 16-20. Chap. 11. objections for book worship answered. The first objection. Reading in the old Testament was commanded by Moses. Deut. 31. 9-13. was amplified by David. 1. Chron. 16. & 25. was practised by josiah 2. Chron. 34.30. by Ezra & Nehemiah Nehem. 8.8. & 9.3. allowed by our Saviour Christ Luk. 4.16. & by the Apostles, Act. 13.14.15. etc. reported as a thing of ancient approved continuance. Act. 15.21. Answer to the first objection. First the reading commanded by Moses was only once every seven year. Deut. 31.10.11 & therefore it was no part of ordinary worship, & there is no commandment in Moses given either to the Priests or Levites for ordinary reading of the law in the Tabernacle. Secondly: Hence it followeth that reading in the old Testament was no part of the worship of the tabernacle or temple, or of the service performed by the Priests therein, for all the worship that was appointed by Moses for the Priests was limited to the holy place, whither the people were not admitted. Thirdly: therefore reading was of another nature performed in the utter court or Synagogue or else where, either by the levites or any other learned men of what tribe seever: Mat. 23.2. Luk. 4.16. Act. 13-15. compared with. Act. 15-21. Deut. 31 9-11. 1. Chron. 10.4.7.37.39. & 15. 1-8. & 28.13.2. Chron. 34.14.30.31. Nehem. 8. & 9 so no part of worship properly so called, but only a ceremonial ground or foundation, of inward or outward spiritual worship common to the Churches of all ages. last: it is not denied but that reading now is to be used in the Church: only we say it is not a part of spiritual worship, or a lawful means in time of spiritual worship. The second objection Reading is commanded in the new testament Colos: 4.16. 1. Thes: 5.27. and a blessing promised thereto Revel: 1.3. and the commandment is that it be practised in the church: therefore it is a part or means of the worship of the new testament. Answer to the second objection. Not every thing performed in the church is a part of spiritual worship, forall the parts of public administration of the Kingdom are done in the church, and yet cannot be said to be parts of spiritual worship properly so called. Chap: 1. and 2. Moreover when he commandeth his Epistles to be read in the Churches, his meaning is not strictly literal: that is, that the very words which he wrote should be repeated verbatim out of the book: but his meaning is that the fence of the words or the meaning of the Apostle should be related to the brethren, whither by reading the verywordes, by expounding the meaning by interpreting or translating. For if his meaning be that the very words he wrote be literaly read: them the Greek words must be repeated out of the book to all nations: which is contrary to. 1. Cor. 14.26. If his meaning be, that the sense should be given any way, by translating, by reading the translation, by interpreting his meaning in a paraphrase, commentary etc. then how will it follow that reading the Greek tongue which is not understood in the English Churches is a law full part of spiritual worship according to the literal signification of readings? Further the Apostle wrote his Epistles to the Collossians, & Thessalonians & the other Churches upon particular occasions for particular ends, and the commandment of reading then was special in those respects to them: and the intent of the Apostle is not to enjoin the reading of them every day & in time of Spiritual worship to all Churches: yet we do acknowledge the absolute necessity of reading & searching the Scriptures, joh. 5.39. Again that reading is a lawful yea necessary means or help to further us to Spiritual worship is not denied, but this is denied that it is a lawful help in time of worship, or a lawful part of Spiritual worship. For it is confessed & defended by the ancient brethren of the separation, that the originals are no lawful help in time of prayer: So say we they are no lawful help in time of prophesying & singing Psalms, & that by equal proportion for there is the same reason of helps in all the parts of Spiritual worship, during the time of performing the worship. The third objection. The Apostle 1. Tim. 4. 13-16. commandeth. Timothy & so all Elders to attend to reading where reading is joined with exhortation & doctrine & so importeth that it is to be understood of the joining of reading in time of Spiritual worship Answer to the third objection. The circumstances of the place being ●●el considered w●● afoard that Paul speaketh no● of the execution of his office, but of preparing himself to the execution of his office: which is attained by reading the Scriptures whereby men are fitted with matter fit to teach & exhort: for by this means the gift o● prophecy was preserved in Timothy us. 14. & by this means his proficiency should be manifested. us. 15. by this means he should the better save men's souls, us. 16. The fourth objection. Let it be granted that the Apostles & Evangelists used no books being extraordinary men & having the extraordinary direction of the spirit, for they needed no such helps of books as we do: Yet we being men ordinary have need of books, therefore they by the direction of the Spirit both have written books for our use, & have commanded us to use them. Answer to the fourth objection. This objection may aswell fit bringing of books into the time of prayer, from whence they are justly banished: for it may be said that the Apostles were extraordinary men, & needed no books for prayer, but we need books to help our infirmity: & why may not a man aswell say the Apostle commandeth the reading of prayers, & promiseth a blessing to reading of prayers in time of prayer as otherwise. Again, though the holy Spirit be not given to us in the same manner & measure as to the Apostles, yet we have the same Spirit to help us as they had, & to the same ordinary purposes, is he sent to us by Christ as to them: namely to help our infirmities: Rom. 8. 26. for the work of the ministry: Eph. 4.12. to be our anointing, 1. joh. 2.27. to lead into all truth: Ioh 16.13. to be our paraclete: joh. 14.16. & so by consequent to help us to pray, prophecy, & praise God. Again this objection seemeth to establish two forms of prophesying, one without books by the Apostles for many years in the Church: another with books afterward taught by the Apostles: & than it followeth that the Apostles gospel was yea & nay, who first taught & practised one way, & afterward taught & commanded to practise another way. last: The Apostles had the books of the Old Testament in the hebrew tongue, & so might have used them before their eye in time of prophesying, either to read out of them to the Hebrues, or to translate and interprett out of them to the Greecians: but they did neither of these, but only prophesied out of their hearts, as the Holy Ghost gave them utterance. Act. 2.4. Yea & taught the primitive Churches so to do: 1. Cor. 14.26. If it can be showed that they did use the books of the Old Testament in time of worship to read or interpret from them, let it be showed, & we yield: if not thus we hold & practise for the present. Here upon it followeth that neither reading the originals, nor interpreting or translating out of the originals the book being before the eye, is either a lawful part or means of Spiritual worship. Chap. 12. Of the writings of men. Writings of men are of diverse kinds: among them are translations of the holy Scriptures a most principal. To translate the originals into any mother tongue is aswell, & as much the work of a man's wit & learning, as to analyse the Scriptures Rhetorically or Logically, to Collect doctrines & uses Theologically, to give expositions & interpretations of places doubtful. The translator cannot conceive nor express in writing the whole mind of the holy Spirit contained in the originals, but only some good part of it: the expositor, paraphrast commentator may express as much as the translator, yea & in respect of some particulars, as Hebraismes, Grecisms & the like considerations, much more. There is as good warrant to translate the Scriptures as to expound analyse, & draw doctrines & uses from the Scriptures. Marc. 5.41, Mat. 1.23. & by proportion from 1. Cor. 12.10. & 14.13.27.39. There is no better warrant to bring translations of Scripture written into the church, & to read them as parts or helps of worship, then to bring in expositions, resolutions, paraphrasts & sermons upon the Scripture seeing all these are equally human in respect of the work, equally divine in respect of the matter they handle. Chap. 13. Of reading translations: & of the translation of the. 72. interpreters. Hitherto appertaineth this question, whether reading a translation be a lawful help or means in time of Spiritual worship or a lawful part of Spiritual worship. If originals must be laid aside as in time of prayer, so also in time of prophesying & singing, then much more must translations be laid aside at that time: as may further be manifested thus. Because the Septuagints translation was a grievous sin for many reasons. 1. For that the covenant of grace ought not to have been preached unto the gentiles till the fullness of tyme. Mat: 10.5 6. 1. Timoth 3.16. Rom. 16.25.26 compared with, Mat. 10.5.6. & 28.19. And therefore that the Septuagints by their translation did communicate it to the Grecians, before the fullness of time was their grievous sin. 2. Because all the Gentills ought to have been proselytes of the jews Church & to have come to jerusalem to worship▪ Exod 12. 43-49. Mat. 23.15. Act. 2.10. & aught to have learned their tongue & worship, which was prevented by the Septuagints translation. 3. Because the Hebrew characters & writings were Ceremonies & so ought not to have been profaned among the Grecians by their writings: & as the Philistims were justly plagued for the presence of the Ark, 1. Sam. 5. So might the Lord justly have plagued the Grecians for that the Oracles of God were among them, & fearfully abused by them. 4. If it were unlawful to sing one of David's Psalms in a strange nation as Babylon. psal. 137.4. then much more unlawful was it to translate the Scriptures into a strange tongue for all the Ceremonial law was bounded within the holy land. 5. The translation of the Septuagints out of Hebrew into Greek, is contradictory to the Lords mercy to the jews church & their special Privileges, see psal. 147.19.20. Rom. 3.1.2. Act. 10.28. & 22. 1.-18 Eph. 2. 11-15. Act. 13. 46-48. contrary also to Rom. 16.25.26. 6. Because that seeing the Hebrew writings were Ceremonies it was unlawful for the Septuagints to chandg them from their proper kind, & to picture them out by the Greek writings for the Greeks use. 7. Because the Septuagints did of purpose conceal many things as judging the gentiles unworthy to know them fearing also lest they should profane such holy mysteries wherein their consciences told them plainly that their translation was their sin: also they did pervert many things of purpose, ad something & infinitely corrupt their translation which was their grieve us sin. Hence it followeth that seeing the Septuagints translation was so grievous a sin, therefore the Apostles would never account it holy scripture coming from the holy ghost & so never approve the use of it in the Greek Churches. Again we never heard of any other translation before Christ, besides the Septuagints: or if there were any, it were unlawful by the same reasons before used against the Septuagints. Further: there could be no use of the Septuagints translation for reading in the Latin Church of the Romans. More over the new Testament being not written, none of it till 7.10. or 20. years after Christ's death, not all of it till john had written who was the survivor of the Apostles, how could there be a translation of the new Testament written during the Apostles lives? Besides it is never mentioned that ever any Apostle or Apostolic man or Church, either had from the Apostles or used by their direction or approbation a translation of any sort, whathoever before the eye in time of Spiritual worship: if yea: let it be showed. Lastly translations therefore began in the Church after the Apostles days in time of worship, & so were not from the beginning, in respect whereof they are a part of the mystery of iniquity in worship. Chap. 14. Of other arguments against reading translations in time of worship. 1. 1, Thes. 5.21. Try all things, keep that good thing. But no man ignorant of the tongues can try whether the translation be fit or good: & therefore no man ignorant of the tongues can strictly keep or read a translation in time of worship. 2. Rom. 14.23. 1. Timoth. 1. 4.-7 Heb. 11.6. whatsoever cometh not from faith is sin. But no man ignorant of the tongues can of faith use the translation seeing he cannot examine it whether it be good or bad, & so believe or refuse it. Therefore it is not of faith in him & so it is sin for him to use it before the eye in time of worship. 3. A translation made verbatim from the originals is absurd by reason of the difference of the dialects: & therefore unlawful seeing it edifieth not. 1. Cor. 14.26. A translation paraphrastical or a paraphrast if it be lawful in time of worship to be read then why not a written sermon. 4. A paraphrast, comentarie or exposition upon a chapter which containeth more of the contents of the originals & the holy ghosts meaning is unlawful to be read in time of worship: therefore a translation of a chapter which containeth less is unlawful also to be read in time of worship. 5. Levit. 22.22. Malach. 1.8.13.14. Mat. 22.37. Rom. 12.1.2. Psal. 119.45. & 103.1. God will be served with the best we have. But there is no one translation the best we have: seeing the Lord may in time of worship minister better to him that administereth, if he understand the originals if he understand not the originals he hath it not at all: for it is another man's work: & therefore no one translation written may be read in time of worship. 6. Deut. 16 16. 1. Chron 21.24. Eph 4 8. Rom. 12.3. we must worship God with our own not with another man's with that which cost us something not with that which cost us nothing. But for one ignorant of the tongues to read the translation & offer it to God is to offer to God: not he man's labour not his own: that which cost him nothing but is another man's cost: therefore it is unlawful. 7. Reading a translation is not commanded nor was ever practised by Christ, the Apostles, or th● primitive Church's in time of worship: & so being devised by man is in the account of vayre worship. Mat. 15.9 & will-worship. Col. 2.23. & so a kind of Idolatry & therefore the translation itself before the eye in time o● worship an Idol & so hath a curse denounced against the use of it in time o● worship. Revel. 22.18. Exod. 20.4.5. 8. A translation being the work of a man's wit & learning is as much & as truly an human writing as the Apocrypha (so commonly called) writings are: & seeing it hath not the allowance of holy men inspired, but is of an hidden authority: it may be justly called Apocryphon, for the signification of the word importeth so much & therefore not ●o be brought into the worship of God to be read. 9 All the arguments used against the reading of homilies & prayers may be applied against the reading of translations in time of w●rship As: 1. They do st●nt or quench the spirit which is contrary to. 1. Thes. 5.19.20. 2 Cor. 3.17. 2. They are not the pure word of God & so contrary to Eccles. 12.10. Mat. 15.9. 3. They are the private works of men: contrary to. 1. Cor 12.7.8. 2 Pet. 1.20, 4. They are the private openings or interpretations of the prophecies of Scripture: contrary to. 2 pet 1.20. 5. They contradict the gifts bestowed by Christ upon the Church for the work of ●e ministry: con●trary to. Eph. 4.8.11.12. Act. 2.4. joh. 16.7. 6 They derogate from the virtue of Christ's Ascension & dignity of his Kingdom: con●●ary to Eph. 4.8. 7. They blemish Christ's bounty to & care of his church. contrary to. joh. 14.16.18.26 8. They disgrace the Spirit of God setting him to school. contrary to. 1: joh. 2.27. 9 They bring into the Church a strange ministration contrary to. 1. Cor. 12.5. & so a new part of the gospel or covenant contrary to, Gal. 3.15. 10. They do not manifest the spirit which cometh from within, but manifesteth the letter which cometh from without. 2. Cor. 3.6. 11. Therefore they are not spiritual worship joh. 4.24. compared with. 2. Cor. 3▪ 1●. Gal. 5.1. & 4.31. 12. Children may read a translation perfectly well: But children cannot perform a●● part of Spiritual worship: therefore reading a translation is no part of Spiritual worship. Quere: whither between the parts of Spiritual worship, that is between prayer, prophesying & singing Psalms, a man may not interpose the reading of a scripture or chapter not intending it as worship, but as a further prepara●on to worship. Chap. 15. Objections for translations answered. The first Objection. Rom. 4.3. What faith the Scripture & then followeth the Septuagints translation Heb. 3.7. The holy ghost faith & then follow the wo●des of the Septuagints translation: & it is observed that the Apostles quote the words of the Septuagints translation, not only where they expound the meaning of the holy ghost: as Heb. 10.5. & Rom. 4.3. Where the Apostles follow the Septuagints not the Hebrew, but also in their devises besides the original: as in the second Caynan Luk. 3.36.37. & in the 75. persons of jacobs' Family, Act. 7.24. where as there is, but one caynan & 70. person● in the Hebrew. Answer to the first Objection. If the originals themselves are not to be used as helps in time of Spiritual worship, as hath been proved then this objection is of no force ●or translations. Secondly: if it were of force to bring translations to be read in the time of worship ●t were available thus far even to bring in to the time of worship the errors of the translations: for so this objection importeth that the Apostles quote the Septuagints errors, & whereas it is said by some that in the Apostles intention it is no error, sith meriting to Theophilus & the Grecians, rather than he would hazard their faith by ●●aundging the Septuagints errors & corre&ing such an approved Translation, he 〈◊〉 ought it meet to follow that received devise of theirs contrary to the truth the ●oly Ghost therein yielding to man's infirmity as in the cases of Polygamy. & Diverce, 〈◊〉 fury in the Old Testament: It is thus answered th●t the Holy Ghost needeth 〈◊〉 the lies of men, to work his work, nor the Septuagints errors to support the faith 〈◊〉 ●heophilus & the Grecians: And this mischief followeth hereupon that rather 〈◊〉 the ●ayth of Theophilus & the Grecians, should be endangered the credit o● the 〈◊〉 Scriptures should be hazarded their being found in then such devises errors and contradictions. And further it is t●e thing by connivency to pass by sin ●s wa● the co●●●ation of Polygamy Divorce & Usury: See Act. 17.30. Another thing to translate 〈◊〉 from a translation into them original, which is to approve them, & this whosoever affirmeth, speaketh little less than blasphemy. Thirdly: therefore as Antiehrist hath polluted all God's ordinances so hath he violated the original criptures: And therefore one Caynan must be put out: For so me ancient copies have it not: & for 75. There must be read seventy all: Penned for Pantss: as Rom. 12.11. Kairo, Kurio, & it is possible easily to mistake so small a matter in copying out any thing as experience teacheth. Lastly fully to answer the objection whatsoever is good in the Septuagints translation was taken out of the New Testament, & ancient Fathers of the Greek Church: For it is manifest by histories that the Septuagints translation is lost, & this that goeth under the name of the Septuagint is a patchery made out of ancient writings: and therefore the Holy Ghost doth not aim at the Septuagints Translation at all as is imported in the Objection. The second Objection. The were Greekes & Grecians: Hellenes: Kai Hellenistai. As may appear Act. 6. 1. Rom. 1.16. The Greeks' were of the Progeny of the Greeks' aswell as of the country: The Grecians were jews by Progeny, & borne in Grecia: Therefore Paul calleth himself an Hebrew of the Hebrews: Philip 3: 5. Now these Grecians had forgotten their Language & spoke Greek only: And having Synagogues in the Cities where they dwelled, h●d the Septuagints translation read unto them, & the Apostles coming into their Synagogues did approve that act of thei●s of reading the translation & so it followeth that reading translations is lawful in worship. Answer to the second Objection. The distiction of Greeks' & Grecians is vain as appeareth by these places compated together: Act. 21.39. & 18.2.24. with Act. 6.1. Philip. 3.5. For Paul was borne at Tarsus in Cilicia, & Aquila at Pontus, & Apollo's at Alexandria, And yet are all called jews not Hellenists or Grecians: & Act. 6.1. The Helenists murmured against the Hebrues, the Helenists did understand the Hebrew tongue, & had not forgotten their own Language. Secondly: it cannot be proved by Scriptures that the Helenists had the Greek translation read unto them in the Synagogues, it is manifestly otherwise by the reasons used before against the translation of the Septuagints. Thirdly, the worship of God properly so called of the whole Church of the jews▪ was performed in the Holy place at Ie●usalem, & so that which was performed in the Synagogue was not properly the worship of the whole Church of the jews: but was of that nature that passed between Christ & the Doctors in the temple: Luk. 2.46. compared with Act. 17.2. Fourthly if the Helenists did read the Septuagints translation as a part of their proper worship having forgotten their own Language, therein were committed these sins. 1. Forgetting their tongue one part of the ceremonial law. Nehem. 13.24. 2. ●●●tuting worship in a common tongue which was as unlawful as sacrificing a dog 3. Therefore it was a false worship, as it was a false worship to sacrifice an unclean beast under the law Lastly if they did read the Septuagintes translation & the Apostles came in & heard, it doth not follow they did allow it as a part of the worship of the new testament, no more than they did allow circumcision to be: neither did they in deed give any allowance unto it at all, seeing they came to the synagogues where was the greatest concourse of people not to worship, but to draw them to Christ, not to approve their doings but to disprove them. The third objection. Deut: 31.12. the reasons that are alleged for reading the law are perpetual, and therefore the law of reading is perpetual: the moral reasons are, hearing, learning, fearing god, & keeping his laws. Answer to the third objection. First the law of reading is not moral in the parricular act, but in the equity: for it was commanded to be done but once in seven year at the feast of tabernacles Deut. 31.10. & if it had been moral in the particular act it should have been from the beginning, (which was not so, seeing it began with Moses,) & it should continue a●ter the end of the world: for moralities endure for ever: But books & so reading of books shall perish. Secondly it is moral in the equity, that is, tha● all means must be used to attain the knowledge of the truth whereof reading is a principal, & yet hence it followeth not that reading is either a part or means of Spiritual worship: For books are things merely artificial as are pictures & images, Genes. 4.22. Finally let it be granted that reading is moral it doth not hereupon follow that it is lawful in time of Spiritual worship as a part or help thereto. Seeing that reading is searching the Scripture, or preparing to the worship, & not worship itself, & seeing that when a man doth worship, he is not to prepare to worship as he doth that readeth: though I deny not but that one part of worship ●s a preparation to another. The fourth objection. Reading the law was performed in the Synagogue, & it was not tied to the temple or the holy place, which is an argument that reading is not ceremonial but moral, for no part of ceremonial worship was performed from the tabernacle or Temple. Answer to the fourth objection. The argument followeth not: for although all ceremonial worship was to be performed at jerusalem joh. 4.20, Yet it is so to be construed as intended by the woman according to the laws direction: namely, of the worship which the Priests performed as sacrificers: 〈◊〉 may be seen: D●●●▪ 1●. 5-7. & us▪ 11-19. For otherwise some ceremonial worship; as namely circumcision was performed any where in the land of Israel, for the males must needs be circumcised at 8. days old, & it was impossible to bring the males some of them 100 miles within eight days space. see Chap. 20. Again suppose reading the law to be a moral action (which yet is not so) hence it followeth not that reading the law is a part of Spiritual worship or a lawful help thereto in time thereof: for by the same reason every moral duty may be made a part or means of Spiritual worship, which is absurd, for that is to confound the second table of the law, & the duties thereof with the first table & the duties thereof & the gospel with the law. The fifth objection. Luk. 4.16. Christ stood up to read, & read his text, & then preached out of it: Now his actions are our instru&ionss: & therefore we are to read words out of a book in time of preaching or prophesying. Answer to the fifth objection. To this objection many things may be answered. First in that it was done in the Synagogue by Christ which was neither Priest not Levite, it is an argument 〈◊〉 it was no proper part of the worship of the old testament, but of that nature a● was th●t ●●crise performed by Christ & the Doctors in temple: so that reading most property is searching the scriptures, which is not worship. Secondly: Christ had the O●●g●●●e● the Hebrew text of Esay the Prophet, & read or interpreted out of it, for it is doubtful whither he uttered the Hebrew words or speak the sense of the Hebrew in the Syriacal dialect: & therefore from hence reading a translation cannot be concluded▪ but either reading or interpreting the originals. Thirdly: Hence cannot be concluded that manner of p●eaching now used ehat a man shall taKe his text, & then divide it into parts analysing it Rhetorically, & Logically, collecting doctrines & uses from every member or argument or word of his text all this while he having his book before his eye● to help him at all assays: a thing whereof I am assured the holy Scriptures yieldeth no warrant that it may be accounted a part of Spiritual worship: For although the Scriptures may be so handled, & that for very profitable use, yet that is rather a Scholastical lecture, than an Ecclesiastical worship: it is rather an inquisition & searching of the holy Spirits intent and purpose, then prophesying. last: If we must needs be tied to this example of Christ (which I see no reason for seeing reading was of the Old Testament) than the example of Christ shall bind also thus far, as that the book shall be laid aside, so soon as the text is read, & the book that is used shallbe the Originals: which is nothing for vocal but for mental reading, or for interpreting, & which I never have thought to contradict, but wherein I am ready to be overruled: For this particular see the Quere in the Chap. 10. See also the quere Chap. 14. For interposing the reading of the translation between the parts of worship a● a further preparation & help to worship succeeding. Thus much conce●●ing the answer to Objections made for the lawful use of ●●●●lations in time of worship. Chap. 16. Of the lawfulness of translating the Scriptures. & the use of translations in our account. Although before Christ's coming it was unlawful to translate the Holy Originals from their ceremonial tongue into any vulgar mother tongue: yet the partition wall being now broken down, translations are lawful & that for these reasons. Math. 28. Christ commandeth to go teach all nations, & therefore all nations may have the Holy Scriptures translated into their own vernacular tongue, that thereby they may learn the truth. The Scriptures are a Creature or ordinance of God: & therefore as it is lawful to picture a man, a bird a fish, a fowl, an angel virtue or vice, so is it lawful to picture out or resemble the Hebrew & Greek original Scriptures by any vulgar translation of any tongue or Language whatsoever. Again as God sent the confusion of tongues as a curse Genes. 11.6.7. so hath he sent the knowledge of the tongues as a blessing, Act. 2.6.8. & because the extraordinary knowledge of the tongue is ceased, the ordinary knowledge of them is left for our use▪ which can never be attained unto, but by grammars & dictionaryes wherein the Hebrew words of the old Testament & Greek of the new Testament are interpreted, & if it be lawful to express in our own tongue all the Hebrew & Greek words singly as in Grammars & Dictionarves, than it is lawful so to do with them all jointly in syntax, & that is a translation whece it followeth that translations of the holy scriptures are lawful & necessary. Further: All the members of the Church cannot possibly attain the knowledge of the tongues, which notwithstanding they must endeavour to their utmost. 1▪ Cor. 14.1.5. & seeing the Holy Ghost hath commanded all to try & search & read: 1. Thes. 5.21. joh. ●. 39. Colos. 4.16, & all cannot try, search, or read the originals, they must needs have translations & other Theological writings, for their better help to the true understanding of the original Scriptures. last: these places of scripture compared together are sufficient warrant for the law fullness of translations: Mat. 1.23. Marc, 5.41. 1. Cor. 14, 27. Now further we have the translations of Holy Scripture in this account: viz: The translation agreeable to the originals. 1. Is a secondary Scripture, yet much inferior to the originals. 2. It may be read in the Church & sung in times. 3. It may be expounded in the Church. 4. It may be so used as a means to prepare us to spiritual worship. 5. That the matter of the translation agreeable to the originals is inspired: but not the writing or character. 6. That it may be made the ground of our faith. 7. That it may be made an instrument to try doctrine by. This we hold affirmatively: Negatively we hold thus. ●. That reading the English translatinon is no part of the spiritual worship of the new Testament properly so called: viz: o● prayer, prophecy, singing of Psalms. ●. That reading the English translation is no lawful means or help in time of Spiritual worship. 3▪ That the worship of the New Testament must not begin in the book or letter outwardly: but must proceed originally from the heart & Spirit: All other public & private uses of translations we allow. Chap. 17. Concerning the use of the translations for the hearers. Hitherto appertaineth another question: whither the hearers may have their translations or the originals to read or search in time of prophecy. The answer is Negative that it is not lawful for these reasons. First: the Prophets & Apostles wrote books, but did never divide their books into chapters or verses: Henry Stephen first made the verses of the new Testament: therefore that chapter & verse were of man's invention, hence it followeth before chapter & verse came in the hearers could not turn to search their books in time of hearing. Secondly: the Apostles in quoting testimonies of the Prophets do not quote chapter & verse, but only say: it is written: by Zachary, by jeremy. The Scripture saith: The Holy Ghost saith, etc. Thereby teaching us that there is no use of Chapter and verse for searching in time of hearing: For no doubt they preached as they wrote. Thirdly: never was there any mention made of any hearer that ever had his book to search in time of hearing. Fourthly: Searching quotations hindereth attention: for the mind & affections are distracted from hearing by seeking the places: seeing the mind & heart should follow ●he voice of the speaker, as in prayer, so also in Prophesying. Nehem. 8.3. Lastly manuscripts being few & very dear & large (there being yet no printing found out) all could not have or bring their books, but there is only one kind of true & profitable hearing, either all to have books and search, or none to have them: therefore bringing books & searching them in time of hearing was not from the beginning: Therefore that also is a part of the mystery of iniquity in hearing the word. Chap. 18. Of the nature of essence of Spiritual worship & the essential causses & kinds thereo: Thus much concerning the helps of Spiritual worship: Now followeth to be considered the nature or essence thereof, which may appear in two particulars: viz: First in the essential causses of Spiritual worship. Secondly in the proper kinds or parrs of the worship of the new Testament. The essential causses of Spiritual worship are the matter and the so●●●●. The matter of God's worship is the holy Scriptures which containeth the word o● God, or the Gospel, the subject whereof is Christ jesus: The form or soul that quickeneth it is the Spirit. Colos. 3.16. compared with Eph. 5.18.19.20. This may be illustrated by the ceremonial worship of the Old Testament & the essential causses thereof. The matter of the ceremonial worship of the Old Testament was the beasts, incense, Oil, fat; corn, wine, & the like Creatures whereof the sacrifices, offerings, perfumes, lamps, & bread were made, with all the actions thereto appertaining. Proportionable hereto is the matter of our spiritual worship Christ jesus & his merits: the word of God contained in the Scriptures which offereth Christ jesus unto us: the seals of the covenant with all the actions thereto appertaining. The form of the ceremonial worship of the Old Testament consisting in Sacrifices, (besides the manner of doing) appeared in 4. things: too whereof must be absent for the most part viz: honey & leaven: too must always be present: fire & salt: Marc: 9.49. compared with Leuit. 2.11.13, & 9.24. 1. Cor. 5.6 8. Proportionable hereunto the form of our Spiritual worship consisteth in the fire of the Spirit working with the word: Act. 2.3.4. Mat. 3.11. Luk. 12.49▪ 50. & 24.32. 2. Tim. 2.6.7. jerem. 23.29. In the salt of sound doctrine & grace. Mat. 5.13. Colos. 4.6. In the unleavened bread of sincerity & truth. 1. Cor. 5.8. which was also signified by absence of honey which hath a faculty to leaven. As the fire came down from heaven, wherewith the sacrifices were offered; jevit. 9.24 So the holy Ghost like fire came down upon the primitive Church, to make their Spiritual sacrifices acceptable: So must it do also upon ours: A●●. 2.3.4. As the fire was daily preserved to offer withal. Levit. 6.12 13. & strange fire might not be offered: Levit. 10.1. So whatsoever worship is offered up & is not kindled with the Spirit of grace in our hearts is abominable: 1. Cor. 12.7.10. 1. Pet. 2.5. Hence it followeth that the worship that beginneth in the book or translation cometh not originally from the Spirit, but from the letter or ceremony, & so is not properly of the new Testament, but of the Old: 2. Corinth. 3.6. If the translation be made by one without, it cometh from a strange fire, & cannot be accepted, but is subject to a curse. Thus much of the essential causses: now follow the kinds of Spiritual worship, which are 3▪ Praying, Prophesying, & singing Psalms: Psal. 50.14 17. 1. Cor. 11.4. & 14 15-17 26. jam. 5.13. Revel. 19.10. Therefore praying & prophesying are joined together as parts of worship: 1. Cor. 11.4 & men must be uncovered at both of them. Likewise praying & singing Psalms are put together in the same sense: 1. Cor. 14.15.17. jam. 5.13. Act. 16.25: Finally: Prophesying & Psalms are coupled together for the same purpose, 1. Cor. 14.26. Prayer is the showing of our requests to: God by the manifestation of the spirit: Phil. ●. ●. Rom. 8.26.27. 1 Cor. 14.15. Singing Psalms is the showing of our thanksgiving to God by the manifestation of the spirit. Phil. 4.6. 1. Cor. 14. 15-17. Prophesying is the publishing of the covenant of Grace by the manifestation of the Spirit, Act. 2.4.11.17.18. 1 Cor. 2.4. & 12.7.10. Gal. 3.5. & it serveth specially & properly for them that believe: 1. Cor. 14.22. Psal. 50.16.17. & it pleased the Holy Ghost to choose that word to signify unto us, that as the prophets by inspiration of the Holy Ghost prophesied without books, so must we: the difference is in this that thei● inspiration was extraordinary, ours is ordinary. Revel, 19.10. The matter of all these 3. parts of Spiritual worship is one & the same, viz: God's word or the Scriptures, yet handled diversely. In prayer God's word or the Scriptures are delivered by way of petition in di●ection to God, requesting things for us optatively. In thanksgiving God's word or the Scriptures are delivered by way of recompense or retribution to God, indic●tiv●ly or imperatively. In Prophesying the word of God or the Scriptures are delivered demonstratively, by way of doctrine, exhortation, consolation, reprehension, & by such like forms. Howsoever it be handled or delivered the matter is one & the same the manner of delivering different: for whithor we pray, prophecy or sing, it must be the word or scripture, not out of the book, but out of the heart, 1. Cor. 12.7.11. The demonstration of the spirit & power. 1. Cor. 2.4. The manifestation of the spirit 1. Cor. 1▪ 2.7. The ministration of the Spirit. 2. Cor. 3.8. The administering of the spir t. Gal. 3.5. The ministration of the gift. 1. Pet. 4.10. The dispensation of grace. 1. Pet. 4.10. Are all one in effect, & are opposed to the ministry of the letter or the Ceremonial worship. 2. Cor. 3 6. The ministration of the old Testament is called the ministry of the letter, seeing it dispensed the ceremonial & literal ordinances & began in the letter: for the Church, Ministry, worship, Government, Temple, Tabernacle, City, Country, Meat, Drink, Apparel, cattle, Fruits of the earth, etc. Were all literal & ceremonial. The ministration of the New Testament is called the ministry of the Spirit: seeing it dispensed the true & spiritual ordinances typed by the foresaid literal ordinances, & beginee●● in the spirit originally, though prepared by the letter. 2. Cor. 3.6- 8.24.17. compared with Revel 10.10.11. Hence it folleweth that all book worship is judaisme, & so Antichristian, & therefore by consequent Idolatry, now under the new Testament. Thus much of the kinds of Spiritual worship of the new Testament. Chap. 19 How the worship of the Old Testament did type the Spiritual worship of the new Testament. The literal or typical worship of the Old Testament was performed in two places. viz: either in the holy place or in the court. The Ceremonial worship performed in the holy place did type most properly the worship of the Church of the new Testament which was typed by the holy place. Revel. 11.1.2.2. Cor. 6.16. Heb. 8.2. & 9.11. 1. Pet. 2.5. The worship of the tabernacle or holy place consisted of 3. parts. 1. that which per●eyned to the brazen altar. 2. that which was performed at the golden altar. 3. that which concerned the table of show bread: Exod. 37. & 38. compared with Exod. 29.38. Exod. 30.7, 8 & Levit. 24. 1-9. Exod. 30. 34-38. At the brazen altar were offered Sacrifices propitiatory & Eucharistical. Levit, 1.3. & 7. 1-11 which signified prayer for pardon of sin through Christ's sacrifice. Heb. 10. 4-14 22. & thanksgiving. Heb. 13.15. compared with Hose. 14.3. & prophesying or publishing the gospel: Gail. 3.1. For in Preaching Christ is as it were anatomised. At the golden altar was offered the sweet perfume which signified prayer & thanksgiving. psal. 141.2. Revel. 8.3.4. & by proportion. Nomb. 16. 46-48 Apoc. 5. 8-14. & preaching the gospel, 2. Cor. 2. 14-16. Upon the table of showbread, was the candlestick, & twelve loaves of unlevened bread with incense: upon every one of them, which had this signification. The Candlestick with his 7. lamps burning with oil olive continually d●est e●●ning & morning by Aaron & his sons, Levit. 24. 1-9. Signified that the Church (which 〈◊〉 the golden Candlestick. Apoc. 1.20. Zach. 4.) by his seven lamps, that is the ma●●●●d gifts of the Spirit, Revel. 4.5. Zach. 4.6. d●est by Aaron & his sons, that is the doctrine of the Church, being kept pure, & caused to thine bright by the Prophets of the chu●●● Mat. 5.14.15. nourished & fed continually with oil olive, that is taught daily by the ●●●rit, Zach. 4.14. Revel. 11.4. doth continually give light, instruction & direction to a●l ●er members. Psal. 119.105. Mat. 5.16. 2. Pet. 1.19. The showbread with incense thereupon afterward burnt upon the golden altar, Levit. 24.7.9. Signified that the twelve tribes that is the Church continually present before the Lord are accepted through Christ's perfume, Revel. 8.3.4. are fed wi●h Christ jesus the true bread of life, joh. 6.35. are enlightened by his word & Spirit, which are the true lamps of knowledge, Revel. 4.5. Chap. 20. Of that which was performed in the court. A● the holy place with the altar & Priests did properly Signify the Church, worship, & Saints, Revel. 11.1. 1. Pet. 2.5, under the new Testament: So the cou●t without the holy place whither all the people came & the typical service performed there, did signify the confused assemblies of Antichristian persecutors & their ceremonial worship, Revel 11▪ 2 which the Spirit in that place caleth gentiles or heathen in those respects. The parts of typical service performed in the court were reading & Music, wherein the Levites were chief agents, Deut. 31.9. 1. Chron. 16.4. compared with us. 7. 37.39-42. & Chap. 25. 1-6-31. Nehem. 8. 7-9.18. & 9. 3-6. Though the P●eisis also & any of the people might read & sing, Mat. 23.2.3. Luk. 2.46. & 4.16.17. Act. 13.14.15. Nehem. 8.8. Marc. 14.26. The Scriptures read & tuned Musically were, prophecies, prayers, thanksgivings, 1. Chron▪ 25. 1-6. Deut. 31.10, & 2. Chron. 34.30. Psal. 7●. for prophecies for instru&ion. 1. Chron. 16, 7-36. Psal. 146.147.148.149, 150. compared with Revel. 19, 1-8, For thanksgivings: Psal. 102. the title, & 92. title, for prayers. As Musical Instruments & playing upon them was typical, because it was Artificial: So reading of a book was typical also because it is merely Artificial, Hence it followeth that reading prophecies was a type of prophesying, reading prayers a type o● praying, & eading thanksgivings a type of praising God or thankfulness To conclude: as it followeth not that seeing prayers were read in the old testament ●s prayers, th●●●or we may read prayers now: for prayers no more doth it follow that ●hough in the old testament they read Psalms & prophecies, we may do so now: namely, in the time of worship, or a● parts, or helps of Spiritual worship, properly so called. Therefore as the ancient brethren of the Separation have taken all books from before ●he eye in time of prayer, so do we take all books from the eye in time of prophesying & singing: & that by the same reason they being all equally excellent parts of Spiritual worship, for God is as much honour in prophesying & Psalms, as in praying & ●●ey all of them remain in the triumphant Church in heaven: even as they were all practised by Adam in Paradise before his fall: & therefore are properly moral, & Spiritual worship. The second part of the Ministry of the Church. The first section of the Eldership or Presbytery. Chap. 1. Of the names or titles of the Elders. Thus much concerning the liturgy of the Church, now follow the offices of the Church, viz: the Presbytery & Deaconry, Phil. 1.1, Esay. 66.21. Nomb. 3. 5.-10, & 16: 5 ●8. & 17. Chap. The Presbytery of the church is the company of the Elders which are for the church 〈◊〉 the public actions of the Church, either of the Kingdom or priesthood, Heb. 13.17 〈◊〉 Thes. 5.12. 1. Timoth. 4.14. & 5.17. The presbytery is uniform consisting of Officers of one sort, Esay. 66.21. compared ●●ith Exod. 28.1. & with Nomb. 11.24.25. 1. Timoth. 3. 1-8. Act. 14.23. philip. 1.1. Ie●em. ●. 14. Ezech. 34. 1-16. These Officers are called Elders, Overseers, or Bishops, pastors, Teachers, Governors, ●●aders, prepos●ti, which are several names of one & the same office consisting of several ●●orks or qualifications For every one of these officers must be. 1. An Elder or Ancient in years, 1. Timoth. 3.6. & 5.1. 2. Oversee the flock, 1. pet. 5.2. Act, 20.28. 3. Feed the ●●ock, 1. pet. 5.2. Act. 20.28. 4. Able to teach, & exhort with wholesome doctrine & convince the gainsayers, 1. ●●oth. 3.2, Tit. 1.9. Eph. 4, 11. 5. Govern the Church. 1. Tim. 3.4.5. 1. Cor. 12.28. 6. Led the Church in all the public allaires thereof Heb. 13.17. 7. Are preferred to place of honour. 1. Thes. 5.12. 1. Tim. 5.17. & special labour. 1. Timoth. 3.1. Seeing all the Elders must teach, exhort, convince, feed, oversee, rule & lead the church therefore they may all administer the seals of the covenant: for that is a chief work of feeding & applying the covenant & that particularly. Chap. 2. Of reasons proving the Elders to be of one sort, viz: all Pastors. First in the Old Testament there was but one kind of Priests, who had all equal authority to administer all the holy things: excepting the high Priest, who typed forth Christ jesus the high Pre●st of our confession: so proportionably in the New Testament, there ●s but one ●ort of Elders who succeed the Priests in the dispensation o● holy things. Esay. 66.21. As in the Old Testament there was the sanhedrim which consisted of 70. ancients for the administration of the Kingdom, which was a type of the visible church, all which E●ders in their fi●st institution Nomb. 11.25. did prophecy & were of one kind under Moses: so in the new Testament under Christ jesus, which is the King of the church, there is a s●n●d●i●n or Eldership cons●●●ing of Auneie●s of one kind who administer 〈◊〉 t●e good of the Church, Reve●. 4.4. & 5.6. Again, If Pastor, Teacher, Elder had been 3. Offices formally differing the Apostle intending to teach the several offices of the Church, would have mentioned them. 1. Timoth. 3. But there he only mentioneth Bishops & Deacons according as Phil. 1.1. 〈◊〉 Bishops are only of one sort or kind. Moreover, if the Apstles had ordained 3. Kind's of Elders, Act. 14.23. they would h●ve mentioned them with the ●se●eral kinds of ordination: but that i● not d●●e: for in o●e phrase their election and ordination is mentioned: go their ordination being one, their office is one & not three. Further, if their had been 3. Kind's of Elders at Ephesus then the Apostle at Mil●●um would have given them several charges as having several duties lying upon them: but the Apostle Act. 20.28. giveth them one general charge common to them all, namely the duty of seeding the work of the Pastor● go▪ they are all Pastors. Besides. Eph. 4.11. Pastors & teachers are all one office: for where as the Apostle had spoken distributively before of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists as intending them several offices, he speaketh copulatively of pastors & teachers, exegetically teaching 〈◊〉 they are both one office. ●●stly, if all the Elders have the pastors gifts, & the works of the pastor, & the pasto●● ordination, than they have all the pastors office: But all the Elders have the pastors gi●●● v●z: the word of wisdom or the gift of exhortation. Tit. 1.9. & therefore the pasto●● work as Act. 20.28: 1. Pet. 5.2. which is feeding or exhorting, & so the same ordination Act. 14.23. Therefore all the Elders have the same office of the pastor: & so a●● all of one sort. Hence this consectary ariseth that the Eldership consisting of three sorts of El●ers is the invention of man, having both an Antichristian Ministry and Government in it. And therefore when the Popish prelacy was suppressed, & the triformed presbytery substituted, one Antichrist was put down & another set up in his place: or the beast was suppressed & his image advanced. And therefore as they that submit to the prelacy are subject to that woe of worshipping the beast, so they that submit to the triformed Presbytery are in like manner liable to the woe denounced against then that worship the image of the beast. Chap. 3. Objections for three sorts of Elders answered, The first Objection. 1, Tim. 5.17. In this place the Apostle maketh two sorts of Elders viz. 1. Those that Rule only: 2. Those that Teach & Rule. & Eph. 4.11. the Apostle maketh two kinds of those that Teach, Pastors, & Doctors. Therefore there are three kinds of Elders formally differing each from other. Answer to the first Objection. The Apostle to Timothy teache●h that Elders are to be honoured for two works well ruling, & laborious or p●ni●ul-teaching: & the place doth not import a distribution of officers, but a commendation of several works of one office: & the Specialty consisteth not in the works of ruling & teaching which are common to all Elders: but in the quality of the works viz: wel-ruling 〈◊〉 pain●ul-teaching as if the Apostle should say: Elders are ●o be had in double honour for wise Government: but much more are they to be honoured for their laborious & painful teaching: that this is so: see Tit. 1.9. & 1. Thes. 5.12.13. compared with 1. Tim. 3.1.4. In Timo●hie the Apostle saith every Bishop must be Didacticos: & P●oistamenos: & therefore that some El●ers are only Di●f●cticoi, & not Proistamenoi. i● contrary to the Apostles' intent: Further in Titus the Apostle expoundeth Didactico● to be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine & to convince the gainsay●es: how then shall some of the Elders be Rulers only? Again the Apostle in that place of the Ephesi●ns speaketh copulatively of one office, & exegetically of the principal work of the pastor which is teaching: he doth not say: some pastors, some teachers, but he saith pastors & teachers expounding the former by the latter viz: feeding by teaching which is the principal part of feeding, & for which pastors are chiefly commended, 1. Tim. 5.17. if they labour therein painfully. The second Objection, 1. Cor. 12.5.8.28. The Apostle saith. there are divers●tyes of ministries: namely one that hath the word of wisdom: another the word of knowledge: another that hath Government us, 28. Therefore the Eldership consisteth of 3. forts of Elders viz: of the pastor that ●ath the word of wisdom of the teacher that hath the word of knowledge: of the Ruler that hath the quality of government. Answer to the second Objection. First it is granted that there are diversities of ministries as Eph, 4.11, 1. Tim, 3.1.8. philip, 1.1, Namely. Apostles, prophets, Evangelists, pastors, Deacons: yet is followeth not hereupon that Elders are of diverse sorts as is pleaded, see us. 28. Again the word Diaconia, signifieth sometime any Spiritual work, proceeding from any member or officer of the Church, as 2, Cor 8 4, alms is called Diaconia: 1, Pet. 4.10 Deaconein signifieth any work that proceedeth from any gift: So it may signify here: & all the works that follow almost may be referred thither: only there are certay he Energemata, mentioned verse 10. The third Objection. The Apostle Rom 12. 6-8, maketh an opposition between prophecy & an office: & maketh five kinds of officers Pastors, Teachers, Rulers, Deacons, Widows. Answer to the third Objection. That is denied to be the true resolution of the place of the Romans: for although there be five several actions repeated, yet it doth not follow that there are five several officers to perform those actions: For one person may perform then all & yet be no officer, viz. teach, exhort, rule, distribute, show mercy, 1 Cor 14.3.26.31, Roman 12.13 1 Cor, 5.5. Again the distributive particle Eite four times repeated, in prophecy, Diaconia, exhorting, & teaching, importeth thus much: That the Apostles intention is not to subordinate teaching & exhorting to Diaconia, but to oppose each of these 4. particulars to other as thus, Prophecy is the manifestation of a gift, 1 Cor. 14.3. Diaconia is the office, & there are diverse kinds thereof, 1 Cor. 12.5. Teaching is one action or work of the prophets or officers, 1 Cor, 14.26 Exhorting is an other action or work of them, 1 Cor. 14 3 Hence it followeth that teaching & exhorting are aswell subordinate to prophecy as to Diaconia. But there, if Diaconia be the genus to those five species following, than I say that Diaconia signifieth not an Office, but a work: And of works there are those five kinds. That Diaconia doth sometime signify a work is plain: 1 Cor. 8.4. 1. Pet. 4.10. last: the Apostle that knew how to speak would never have made teaching & exhortation members dist●●outive with prophecy & Diaconia, If he had intended to have made them species subordinate to Diaconia; therefore questionless that is not his intention. The Apostle by the commandment of Christ writeth to the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia: Revel. Chap. 1, & 2. & 3. That is to the Pastors which are but one in every particular Church for so the words are to the angel of the Church of Ephesus, etc. Answer to the fourth Objection. First, it can never be proved by the Scriptures that there was, but one pastor in a Church: It is plain, Act. 20.28. That there were many in the Church of Ephesus (that was one of those seven Churches) that did perform the work of the pastor which is p●●mainein, to ●eed, even all the Elders of Ephesus: Act. 20. verse 17, compared with verse 28. And therefore there were many Pastors in the Church of Ephesus in paul's tyme. Again, all Churches had Officers of one sort, & one kind of Presbytery, & therefore as all the Elders of Ephesus were Pastors, so were all the Elders of the six Churches of Asia & of all other Churches wheresoever in the world, if they had many Elders. Further, the Angel of every one of those Churches doth not signify one pastor only in every, Church, but either the College of postors if they were many, or the company of the most sincere & holy men that most opposed the corruptions of the Church, or were most holy & zealous in life & doctrine: that an angel signifieth a company of men is plain Revel. 14.6.8.9. & 18.4. Lastly, in all likely hood there were some extraordinary men yet living in the churches either Prophet's o● Evangelists that had extraordinary gifts, whose Zeal & holiness might w●nne unto then special estimation in the Churches: in regard whereof it might be that the Holy Ghost intending his Epistles to the whole Church, chiefly directeth them to these persons so qualified as men best able to prevail with the Church & calleth them Angels, whither one or more: As john the Baptist is called an Angel. Marc. 1.2, Chap. 4. Of the diverse gifts of Elders. Seeing all the Prophets of the Church must have gifts fit for edification, exhortation 〈◊〉 consolation: the Pastors of the Church must have gifts for the performance of the same works kat, exochen, after an excellent manner & in a greater measure. The Pastors excelling the prophets of the Church in the gifts of doctrine exhortation, consolation, may also excel one another in gifts: for all the Elders have not the same measure or degree of gifts. In respect of the measure of gifts in the Elders, some excelling in one gift some in an●ther, the Holy Ghost may give several titles to the Elders or pastors. Every Elder according as the excellency of his gift is, so must he endeavour himself 〈◊〉 edifying of the Church & in the stirring up the gift God hath given unto him: 1. pet. 4. 10.11. Mat. 25.29. 2. Tim. 1.6. 1. Cor. 14.12. Although some Elder excel in one gift some in another, yet it followeth not that therefore they are several officers formally di●●ering one from another: for not the degree measure or excellency of a gift or gifts, but the several kind & nature of gifts & works make several kinds of offices: 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6. The Elder that excelleth in government most properly may be called a ruler or Governor, although he have the gifts & power to teach, exhort, comfort, apply, & that by virtue of his office. Tit. 1.9. Heb. 13.17. That Elder that excelleth in doctrine & convincing the gainsayers may most properly be called a Teacher or Doctor, though by virtue of his office he may administer of other pastoral duties: Act. 18.28. & 19.1. 1. Cor. 3. 4-6. compared with Tit. 1.9. Eph. 4.11. 1. Pet. 5.2. The Elder that exceleth in exhortation, consolation & application, may most properly be called a pastor or shepherd, though by virtue of his office he is to teach convince & govern. Act. 20.28. Tit. 1.9. Eph. 4.11. 1. Pet. 5: 2. As the Apostle doth, 2. Tim. 1.6. 1. Pet. 4.10. So may the Church give a charge to the Elder in ordination to stir up, attend to, & use his proper & most pregnant & familiar gift: which he is to mind: & accordingly to endeavour himself in his administration & thus shall every one as his gift is excel therein to the edification of the Church. 1. Corinth. 14.12. Thus shall all men that have excellency of gifts when they shallbe added to the church be employed in the honourable service of the Church: whereas if there be but one pastor in a Church, men of more excellent gifts being added to the Church shall sit still, lose their gifts & look on: which alone is an argument sufficient to overthrow the fancy of one pastor only in one Church. Chap. 5. Of the works of the Presbytery or Elders in the priesthood of the Church. Thus much concerning the presbytery: Now follow the works of the Elders, or the presbytery. Which are of two sorts. 1. Works of the priesthood of the Church: 2. Works of the Kingdom of the Church. For the prophecy of the Church is comprehended under the priesthood as a branch of it. Deut. 33.10. Revel. 1.6. with 1. Cor. 14.31. Act. 2.17.18. The works of the priesthood are: prophesying, that is publishing the covenant of grace or the new Testament, whereto appertaineth putting to the seizes: praying singing psalms of praise & thanksgiving unto the Lord, The office of the Eldership or the work of the presbytery is to lead & moderate the Church in these Spiritual Sacrifices, in regard whereof they have their names: as Leaders, prepositi: etc. Although the presbytery lead & moderate these Spiritual Sacrifices, yet the brethren are interessed in using their gifts for the performance of all these parts of Spiritual worship, 1. Cor. 14.31.26. Revel. 2.6. 1. pet. 2.5. & that when the whole Church is come together in one 1. Cor. 14.23. yet things must be done in order, 1. Cor. 14.33.40. Exception. The administration of the scales of the Covenant some to appertain only 〈◊〉 Elders or presbytery, as sa●●●●ing did only to the priests: Mat. 2.6. & 26. ●6-●0 〈◊〉 14.12. Chap. 6. Of the presbytery or Elders in the Kingdom of the Church. The works of the Kingdom are Admonition, Conviction, Examination, Disputation, 〈◊〉 communication, Absolution, & handling all matters of difference betwixt brother & ●●other: & if there be any of like nature. The Eldership is to lead & moderate the Church actions & speeches in these matters & causses of the Kingdom & government. Deut. 16. 18.-20. & 1. 14-18. 2. Chron. 19.5. ●1. 1. Cor. 6. 1-8. 1. Thes. 5.12.13. 1. Tim. 5.17. Heb. 13.17. The brethren are all interessed in all the parts of administration though the Elders ●●●d & moderate them. 1. Cor. 5.4.5. 1. Th●●●. 1● & 2. Ep. 3.6. Revel. 2.2. & 1.4. & 1.11. & 1.6. The brethren jointly have all power both of the Kingdom & priesthood immediately from Christ: Revel. 1.6. 1. Pet. 2.5. 2. Cor. 6. 16-18. Mat. 18.20. & that by virtue of the covenant God maketh with them, Gen 17.7. with Act 2.39. Rom. 4.11. Gal. 3.14.16 Therefore when the Church wanteth an Eldership, it hath never the less power to Preach, Pray, Sing Psalms, & so by consequent to administer the seals of the covanant: also to admonish, convince, excommunicate, absolve, & all other actions either of the Kingdom or priesthood: by necessary consequent. When the Church hath chosen & ordained herself Elders, than the Church loseth none of her former power, but still retaineth it entire to herself to use when occasion seweth: by necessary consequent. The presbytery hath no power, but what the Church hath & giveth unto it: which the Church upon just cause can take away: Colos 4.17. Gal. 1.9. Revel 2.2. 1. cor. 16.22 The Church hath some power which the presbytery alone hath not, viz, power of Elections & communication: 1. Cor. 5.4.5. Act. 6.5. & 14.23. & so by consequent of all other Sentences. The second Section. Chap. 1. Of the Treasury of the Church, & the Deacons office. Thus much of the office & works of the preebytery: Now follow the office & works of the Deacons. The Deacons office respecteth the body & bodily necessities of the Saints: Act. 6.2. which is called serving tables in that place: as also bodily service of the Eldership & Church, Esay 66 21 compared with Ezech 44. 10-14 Nomb 3. 5-10 In respect whereof the deacons may be termed the servants of the Eldership & church ●s the Levites were given to serve the priests & the people in the tabernacle, nomb. 3. 5-10 The Deacons in the new testament are answerable to the Levites in the old testamet: ●s the Elders are answerable to their priests: Esay 66, 21. compared with 1. Chron 26.20 The Deacons office especially is occupied about the treasury of the Church. 1. chron. 16.20. compared with Act. 6.2. joh. 13.29. Concerning the treasury consider these things. 1. Who are to contribute & what is to be given to the treasury. 2. Of what nature the treasury is, & when it is to be collected. 3. How the treasury is to be employed & at whose appointment. Chap. 2. Who are to contribute. They that have but two mites (as the poor widow in the gospel) are to contribute to the treasury, Luk 21.2. aswell as they that are wealthy, us. 4. Exod. 35. 20-29. They that have much are to give much, Luk. 21.4. Act. 4.34. They that have but little are to contribute a little, by proportion. All the members of the Church are to contribute something, because the alms or contribution is the manifestation of grace, even of our bowels of mercy & compassion, & a part of our holy communion, 1. Cor. 16.2. 2. Cor. 8. 2-3 7. Act. 2.42. Luk. 21.4. As all Rivers go into the sea & flow out of the sea: so we must all cast into the treasury, & all receive from the treasury again as our necessities are. Quere: whither they that are maintained by the treasury are to contribute into the treasury: as the officers & poor brethren. Chap. 3. What or how much is to be given to the treasury. So much is to be given to the treasury as may serve for supplying the present necessities of the Church, Act. 2.45. & 4.34.35. In the necessities of the Church the rick must sell their goods & possessions for the help of the Church, Act. 2.45. & 4.34.35. In the necessities of the Church the brethren must contribute not only according to their ability, but even beyond their ability: & their extreme poverty must abound to their rich liberality, 2. Cor. 8.2.3. 1. Pet. 4.11. A man is accepted of the Lord according to that which he hath, & not according to that he hath not, in contributing if their be a willing mind though only two mites be given, 2. Cor. 8.12. Luk. 21.3. If in the necessities of the Church the rich brethren do not relieve the poor by contributing to the treasury & otherwise, they are unworthy members of the Church: & unnatural parts of the body: & are to be censured according to the rule: Mat. 18. 15-18.1 Timoth. 5.20. Deut. 15. 7-11.1. Cor. 12.22.25.26. The rich that have friends that are needy of the Church, must relieve them themselves, & must not chardg the Church with them, 1. Tim. 5.4.16. under nephews & widows all poor friends are to be understood by proportion. Quere: whither: if a brother have wife & children & friends to relieve that are without: The Church is bound to relieve him so far forth as he may also relieve them. Chap. 4. Of what nature the treasury is. The treasury is holy. Act. 2.42. 1. Chron. 26.20, compared with Mat. 27.6. & 2. Cor. 8.4 ●. Hence therefore follow these two consectaries. 1. Every holy ordinance of God must be sanctified by prayer & thanksgiving, 1. Tim. 4.3 ●. & therefore Alms or contribution to the treasury must be sanctified by prayer & thanksgiving: see for this point, 2. Cor. 9. 12-15. & us. 8-11. 1. Chron. 29. 10-20. 2. There ought to be a separation in alms & contribution to the treasury aswell as in other parts of our Spiritual communion, Act. 4.32. & 5.13. 2. Cor. 6.17. Act. 2.42. Heb. 13. ●6. 2. Cor. 8.7. therefore they that are without if they give any thing must lay it a part several from the treasury & it must be employed to common use, Mat. 27.6.7. The treasury is Holy in these respects. 1. In regard of the persons that contribute who are Holy. 2. In respect of the grace manifested in contribution which must be: 1. Sympathy or compassion, 2. freeness or voluntary offering, 3 liberality or bountifulness: Rom. 12.13. ●5. 16. 2. Cor. 9. 5-7. 3. In regard of the persons & uses whereto it is employed which are the Saints & their necessities 2. Cor. 8.4. & 9.12.1. 4. In regard of the Lord himself: it being a Sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased, ●hilip. 4.18. Heb. 13.16. And a memorial of the Saints before the Lord. Nomb. 31. ●0. 54. Phil. 4.17. & a testimony of the love of the brethren, 2. Cor. 8.8.24. & so consortable to the conscience. Chap. 5. When the treasury is to be collected. The treasury is to be collected every first day of the week, when the whole Church comes together to break bread, Act. 20.7. compared with 1. Cor. 16.2. Reason's hereof are diverse as followeth. 1. Because the Lord's Supper is weekly to be administered, & so from the Treasury ●eekly there must a portion be employed to the provision of bread & wine & other ne●ssaryes for the more seemly administration thereof, Act. 20.7. compared with 1. ●or. 16.2. 2. Because the Elders are worthy of double honour, which is yielded them by weekly maintenance according to their labour & necessities 1. Tim. 5.17- 18. Gal. 6.6. 3. Because the poor of the Church are weekly to be relieved, & other necessities con●●ually supplied Act 6.1. & 2.42. Hence it followeth that when the greatest communion of the church is held, the co●●niō of this grace also of ministering to the necessities of the saints should be exercised Quere: At what time of the Lords day, & after what manner the Treasury is to 〈◊〉 collected. Chap. 6. How the Treasury is to be employed. The Church Treasury is to be employed to these Special uses. 1. Maintenance of the Elders especially such among them as are most painful in the ●ro & doctrine, 1. Tim. 5.17.18. The Elders that are of ability ought not to require maintenance of the church, but ought rather to contribute to the treasury, Act. 20.35. The elders may sometime upon good grounds work with their hands for avoiding offence & helping the Church. Act. 20.34.35. 2. Maintenance of the widows & by consequent other officers that want maintenance: 1. Timoth. 5.3.4.16. Act. 6.1. 3. Relief of the poor brethren, also orphans, & widows of brethren deceased. Act 2.44. & 4.32. 2. Cor. 8. & 9 chap. & that not only of the own, but of other true Churches especially of them from whom they received the faith, Rom. 15.27. 4. Provision for necessary uses: as places, vessels, bread, wine, & other implements so the common necessities of the whole body. Exod. 35. 25-29. Nomb. 7: 1. Chron. 29. 1-● Quere: whither it the charge of bread & wine be very great as it falleth out in som● countries & some years, & the officers & poor want maintenance, the Lords supp● may not be deferred, & not be administered every Lord's day. Chap. 13. At whose disposition the Treasury is. Seeing the Deacons are the hands of the Church as it were, & the servants of the b●d● in the bodily necessities, therefore the delivering of the treasury, & so the custody of pertaineth to them. 1. Chroh. 26.20. The Eldership as they are to oversee the flock, & to inquire into the occasions & 〈◊〉 fairs of the whole body & as they are officers for the whole body & in the Church name, therefore it apertey●●● unto them for the Church to oversee the treasury: & take accouts of it. & to appoint the disposition of it, 2. King 22.4. Act. 11.30. &. 4.35. The Church is the owner & primary possessor of the treasury, & the chief Lord 〈◊〉 under: Christ: & unto the Church must the account be made finally. Thus much concerning the Deacons office & works: & concerning the treasury 〈◊〉 the Church. FINIS. Certain demands, whereto we desire direct & found answer, with proof from the Scriptures. 1. Concerning the Kingdom & priesthood of Christ. Wither the Kingdom & priesthood of the old Testament were not distinct & several, both in person, office, & actions. Wither the Kingdom & priesthood of the old Testament were not typical, sha●● win● out the Kingdom & priesthood of Christ? Wither the Kingdom & priesthood of Christ are not distinct, buth in office & acts though united in one person? Wither as Christ is both King & Priest, so also the Saints are not by Christ anointed to be Kings & Priests unto God? Wither the office & actions of the Saints in the Kingdom & priesthood, are 〈◊〉 distinct & several, though united in person? Wither the office & actions of the Kingdom in the old Testament were not of 〈◊〉 position, difference, plea, & strife? Wither the office & actions of the Kingdom of the Saints in the new Testament are not of the same nature? Wither the office & actions of the priesthood of the Old Testament were not of union, concord, & agreemt in Sacrificing. Wither the office & actions of the priesthood of the Saints in the new Testament be not of the same nature? Rom. 15.6. 2. Concerning the Spirit & Spiritual the Letter, & Literal. Wither in this phrase & the like (viz. The manifestation of the spirit) the Spirit doth not signify principally, both the Spiritual & regenerate part of the soul, & the Spiritual matter in the regenerate part. Wither the manifestation of the Spirit doth import either the Spiritual matter which a man bringeth out of a book by reading: or the Spiritual & gracious gestures & motions which a man expresseth in reading & performing other actions. Wither quenching the Spirit be not to withhold & restrain the Spiritual matter which by the Spirit of Sanctification is stirred up in the regenerate part of the soul. Wither reading words contained in a book doth manifest the Spirit; that is, express the Spiritual matter which is the regenerate part of him that readeth or rather doth not clean put it by, leave it, & diverteth to an other subject & so quencheth it. Wither the letter doth not properly signify the literal & ceremonial, ordinances of the old Testament, 2. Cor. 3 0. Which began outwardly signifying & conveying Spiritual matter into the regenerate part of the soul from without? Wither reading the words contained in a book be not as much & as truly literal beginning outwardly & conveying matter inwardly as the sacrificing of a beast in the Old Testament? Wither sacrificing in the Old Testament may not as truly be accounted the manifestation of the Spirit as reading: seeing sacrificing did express the Spiritual matter Christ jesus, & was done with a grace by the Priests, even as reading, doth express the Spiritual matter of the book Christ jesus, & is performed with a grace by the reader? 3. Concerning, writing, & Reading. Wither letters or characters are not invented by the wit of man to express the articulate sounds of natural speeths: & whither the inventors of letters are not mentioned in histories? Wither writing be not the invention of man by the same reason. Wither reading be not the invention of man by the same reason? whither writing & reading be not things merely artificial though speaking be natural? Wither writing & reading being mere artificial devises may be properly called Spiritual worship: & whither if reading be Spiritual worship, writing be not so also? Wither that because the manu●rie trade of the butcher & cook in killing roasting or boiling the Sacrifices, of the engraver in the stones of the breastplate of the apothecary in the anointing oil, of the Mason & carpenter in the hewing of stone & wood, & so consequently of the scribe or painter in writing & reading, were literal & ceremonial either worship or actions in the old Testament, they may now be called Spiritual worship or actions in the new Testament: & whither one rather than another: & why? 4. Of the Holy Scriptures & translations. Wither the holy Scriptures viz: the originals Hebrew & Greek do not contain in them infinite depth of truth: & whither the holy Spirit did not intend by them to signify all the truths, which all the men of the earth, either heretofore, now, or hereafter truly collect from thence? Wither the holy originals do not contain more matter than the Prophets & Apostles that wrote then did conceive? Wither the Hebrew & Greek tongue in their idioms, words & phrases are not plentifuly more comprehensive & significative of matter than any other language whatsoever? Wither as the original Scriptures are the image of the mind of God: so a translation be not the image of the original Scriptures. Wither the image can possibly express the thing thereby signified, fully. Wither it be possible for any language verbatim without paraphrast to express the Hebrew & Greek text of the holy originals fully? Wither a translation made by the most learned & holy men of the earth doth or can express truly & fully the holy ghosts meaning in the originals? Wither therefore a translation made by the most learned & holy men of the earth be not an Apocrypha writing of an ordinary man? Wither if any Apocrypha writing may be brought into the worship of God to be read all may not: & whither if some Apocrypha writings must be cast out of the church why not all, yea the translation also? 5. Of worship, & use of books in time of worship in the new Testament. Wither prayer, prophesying, & singing Psalms be the true & only parts of the worship of the new Testament? Whether reading be either prayer, prophecy, or a Psalm? Wither reading be lawful in time of prayer, prophecy & singing Psalms? Wither reading doth not put matter into the heart of him that readeth, & worship be not the producing of matter out of the heart of him that worshippeth? Wither the Apostles & primitive Churches did ever pray, prophecy, & sing psalms out of books, after the day of Pentecost. Act. 2? Wither they did not pray, prophecy, & sing Psalms as the holy ghost gave them utterance? Wither the place 1. Cor. 14.26. doth not teach that a man must have a Psalm, have doctrine, that is in ●is heart, whence he must produce it by the manifestation of the Spirit? Wither if 2 book must be laid aside in prayer, it must not be so also in prophecy & singing Psalms & why? Wither if a book be retained in prophecy & a psalm, it may not be so also in prayer & why? Wither thet be two kinds of prayer, prophecy, & Psalms, one with books, another without books: or one sort of prayer without books▪ & two sorts of prophesying & Psalms: with & without books & why: & whither this can be warranted by the Apostles doctrine & practice? 6. Concerning a Psalm. Wither as in prayer & prophecy one alone speaketh, & the rest pray 〈◊〉 prophecy by consent. 1. cor. 11.4. so in a Psalm one only must speak, & the rest must consent. 1. cor. 14.16. Wither in a Psalm a man must be tied to metre & Rhythm, & tune, & whither voluntary be not as necessary in tune & words as in matter? Wither metre, Rhythm, & tune, be not quenching ●he Spirit? Wither a psalm be only thanksgiving without metre, Rethme or tune, yea or nay? 7. Concerning the Elders or Presbytery. Wither all the Elders must not be able to teach, & rule as the Apostle saith, didacticoi, & proistamenoin. 1. Timoth. 3. Wither didacticos that is apt to teach be not expounded by the Apostle, Tit. 1.9. by three particulars: viz: 1. to teach wholesome doctrine: 2. to exhort: 3. to convince the gainsayers? Wither Teaching & Ruling be not the two parts of feeding? Wither feeding that is Teaching, Ruling, exhorting, comforting be not the pastors office, & therefore all the Elders pastors? Wither the Eldership hath not all their power from the Church? Wither the Eldership hath a negative voice in the church that nothing can be concluded without them? Wither if most or the Church consent & the Elders dissent, the matter cannot pass against the Elders dissent? Wither seeing the church may depose & excommunicate the Eldership they may not pass other sentences without or contrary to their liking? Wither may not a man propound his matter to the church without acquainting the Elders with it in the first place. Wither in the second degree of admonition a man is not bound to take an Elder for witness? Whether one Elder only in a church be God's ordinance & whither if there be chosen any Elder there must be chosen more than one? Wither the seals of the covenant may not be administered, there being yet no Elders in offiice? 8. Concerning the Treasury & contribution. Wither the treasury be not Holy? Wither contribution be not an action of the communion of the Saints? Wither as in other parts of communion so in this, there ought not to be a separation from them that are without? Wither the action of contribution must not be Sanctified by prayer & thanksgiving? A Recapitulation of the Chapters to be found according to their pages. The first part concerning the liturgy of the Church. Chap. 1. Of the Kingdom of the Saints. pag. 1. Chap. 2. Of the priesthood of the Saints. pag. 1. Chap. 3. Of Spiritual worship & of the Spirit. pag. 2. Chap. 4. Of quenching the Spirit. pag. 2. Chap. 5. Of the helps of Spiritual worship. pag. 3. Chap. 6. Concerning books & writing. pag. 3. Chap. 7. Of the kinds of books or writings. pag. 4. Chap. 8. Of the originals or holy Scriptures, & of the parts of holy Scripture. pag. 4. Chap. 9 How the originals or holy Scriptures are to be used. pag. 5. Chap. 10: Reasons proving the originals not to be given as helps before the eye in worship. pdg. 6. Chap. 11. Objections for bookworship answered. pag. 7. Chap. 12. Of the writings of men. pag. 10. Chap. 13. Of reading translations, & of the translation of the 72. interpreters. pag. 10. Chap. 14. Of other arguments against reading translations 〈◊〉 time of worship. pag. 11. Chap. 15. Objections for translations answered. pag. 13. Chap. 16. Of the lawfulness of translating the Scriptures, & the use of translations in our account. pag. 17. Chap. 17. Concerning the use of the translation for the hearers. pag. 18. Chap. 18. Of the nature or essence of Spiritual worship & the essential causses & kinds thereof. pag. 18. Chap. 19 How the worship of the old Testament did type the Spiritual worship of the new Testament pag. 30. Chap. 20. Of that which was performed in the court. pag. 21. The second part of the Ministry of the Church. pag. 22. The first section of the Eldership or Presbytery. pag. 22. Chap. 1. Of the names or titles of the Elders. pag. 22. Chap. 2. Of reasons proving the Elders to be of one sort viz: all Pastors. pag. 23. Chap. 3. Objections for three sorts of Elders answered. pag. 24. Chap. 4. Of the diverse gifts of Elders. pag. 26. Chap. 5. Of the works of the Presbytery or Elders in the priesthood of the church. pa. 27 Chap. 6. Of the works of the Presbytery or Elders in the Kingdom of the church. pag. 28. The second section. Chap. 1. Of the treasury of the Church & the Deacons office, pag. 28. Chap. 2. Who are to contribute. pag. 29. Chap. 3. What or how much is to be given to the treasury. pag. 29. Chap. 4. Of what nature the treasury is. pag. 29. Chap. 5. When the treasury is to be collected. pag. 30. Chap. 6. How the treasury is to be employed. pag. 30. Chap. 7. At whose disposition the treasury is. pag. 31. Certain demands, pag. 31. FINIS.