Answ.I answer; That is not unprofitable, which is of absolute Necessity before any other Duty can be acceptably performed, as we have shewn this Waiting to be. Moreover, those have but a carnal and gross Apprehension of God, and of the Things of his Kingdom, who imagine that Men please him by their own Workings and Actings: Whereas, as hath been shewn, the first Step for a Man to fear God, is to cease from his own Thoughts and Imaginations, and suffer God’s Spirit to work in him. We must cease to do ill, ere we learn to do well.[108]For we must cease to do evil, ere we learn to do well; and this meddling in Things spiritual by Man’s own natural Understanding, is one of the greatest and most dangerous Evils that Man is incident to; being that which occasioned our first Parents Fall, to wit, a Forwardness to desire to know Things, and a Meddling with them, both without and contrary to the Lord’s Command.
[108] Isa. 1. 16, 17.
Obj. 2.Set Times and Places for Meetings. Secondly, Some object, If your Worship merely consists in inwardly retiring to the Lord, and feeling of his Spirit arise in you, and then to do outward Acts as ye are led by it, what need ye have publick Meetings at set Times and Places, since every one may enjoy this at Home? Or should not every one stay at Home, until they be particularly moved to go to such a Place at such a Time; since to meet at set Times and Places seems to be an outward Observation and Ceremony, contrary to what ye at other Times assert?
Answ.I answer, First, To meet at set Times and Places is not any religious Act, or Part of Worship in itself; Publick Meetings their Use and Reason asserted.but only an outward Conveniency, necessary for our seeing one another, so long as we are clothed with this outward Tabernacle: And therefore our meeting at set Times and Places is not a Part of our Worship, but a preparatory Accommodation of our outward Man, in order to a publick visible Worship; since we set not about the visible Acts of Worship when we meet together, until we be led thereunto by the Spirit of God. Secondly, God hath seen meet, so long as his Children are in this World, to make use of the outward Senses, not only as a Means to convey spiritual Life, as by Speaking, Praying, Praising, &c. which cannot be done to mutual Edification, but when we hear and see one another; but also to entertain an outward, visible Testimony for his Name in the World: He causeth the inward Life (which is also many Times not conveyed by the outward Senses) the more to abound, when his Children assemble themselves diligently together to wait upon him; [109]so that as Iron sharpeneth Iron, the Seeing of the Faces one of another, when both are inwardly gathered unto the Life, giveth Occasion for the Life secretly to rise, and pass from Vessel to Vessel. And as many Candles lighted, and put in one Place, do greatly augment the Light, and make it more to shine forth, so when many are gathered together into the same Life, there is more of the Glory of God, and his Power appears, to the Refreshment of each Individual; for that he partakes not only of the Light and Life raised in himself, but in all the rest. And therefore Christ hath particularly promised a Blessing to such as assemble together in his Name, seeing he will be in the Midst of them, Matt. xviii. 20. And the Author to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the Neglect of this Duty, as being of very dangerous and dreadful Consequence, in these Words; Heb. x. 24. Assembling of ourselves is not to be neglected.And let us consider one another, to provoke unto Love, and to good Works; not forsaking the Assembling of ourselves together, as the Manner of some is;—For if we sin wilfully, after that we have received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins. And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a particular Respect to such as thus assemble themselves together, because that thereby a publick Testimony for him is upheld in the Earth, and his Name is thereby glorified; and therefore such as are right in their Spirits, are naturally drawn to keep the Meetings of God’s People, and never want a spiritual Influence to lead them thereunto: And if any do it in a mere customary Way, they will no Doubt suffer Condemnation for it. Yet cannot the Appointing of Places and Times be accounted a Ceremony and Observation, done in Man’s Will, in the Worship of God, seeing none can say that it is an Act of Worship, but only a mere Presenting of our Persons in order to it, as is abovesaid. Which that it was practised by the Primitive Church and Saints, all our Adversaries do acknowledge.
[109] Prov. 27. 17.
Obj. 3.Lastly, Some object, That this Manner of Worship in Silence is not to be found in all the Scripture:
Answ.I answer; We make not Silence to be the sole Matter of our Worship; since, as I have said above, there are many Meetings, which are seldom altogether silent; some or other are still moved either to preach, pray, or praise: In waiting for the Spirit’s Guidance, Silence is supposed.And so in this our Meetings cannot be but like the Meetings of the Primitive Churches recorded in Scripture, since our Adversaries confess that they did preach and pray by the Spirit. And then what Absurdity is it to suppose, that at some Times the Spirit did not move them to these outward Acts, and that then they were silent? Since we may well conclude they did not speak until they were moved; and so no Doubt had sometimes Silence. Acts ii. 1. before the Spirit came upon them, it is said,—They were all with one Accord in one Place; and then it is said, The Spirit suddenly came upon them; but no Mention is made of any one speaking at that Time; and I would willingly know what Absurdity our Adversaries can infer, should we conclude they were a While silent?
Inst.But if it be urged, That a whole silent Meeting cannot be found in Scripture;
Answ.I answer; Supposing such a Thing were not recorded, it will not therefore follow that it is not lawful; since it naturally followeth from other Scripture Precepts, as we have proved this doth. Silent Meetings are proved from Scripture and Reason.For seeing the Scripture commands to meet together, and when met, the Scripture prohibits Prayers or Preachings, but as the Spirit moveth thereunto; if People meet together, and the Spirit move not to such Acts, it will necessarily follow that they must be silent. But further, there might have been many such Things among the Saints of old, though not recorded in Scripture; and yet we have enough in Scripture, signifying that such Things were. For Job sat silent seven Days with his Friends together; here was a long silent Meeting: See also Ezra ix. 4. and Ezekiel xiv. 1. and xx. 1. Thus having shewn the Excellency of this Worship, proving it from Scripture and Reason, and answered the Objections which are commonly made against it, which, though it may suffice to the Explanation and Proof of our Proposition, yet I shall add something more particularly of Preaching, Praying, and Singing, and so Proceed to the following Proposition.