Therefore the Saints now are not to be dealt withal, as if still they were in their childish condition. Now how were the Jews dealt withal, because they were in their childish condition? Thus, they had outward external ethings to gain them to serve God, they worshipped God much in external things: As we deal with children, we give them apples and fine things to get them to do what we would have them do, so God dealt with them: And as children when they begin to learn, they must have a great many gays in their book; so God taught the Jews with outward ceremonies, which afterward the Scripture calls but beggarly rudiments, poor things. Children you know are pleased much with gay things, and they that would bring in Jewish ceremonies, or ceremonies of their own invention in the Church, they make account the Church is in her childish condition still, as if gay things would please them, therefore they must have pictures, and Images, and such things to please people, this makes the people of God beneath themselves as if they were yet children, and were to be pleased with such things as these. No, now in the state of the Gospel they are come to the adoption of sons. And so children you know are pleased as with sights, so with hearing of music, and pipes, and such things, so men would bring such things still into the Church in the time of the Gospel. I remember Just. Martyr in the 107. quest. ad orthodoxos, in answer to that about musical instruments, he saith that they are fit for children and fools, as ⟨p. 90⟩Organs and the like, and therefore he says, they were not in use in the Church.1 One of the most ancient Writers we have after the Apostles time gives this for a commendation of them. And indeed for the childish state of the Church those things are fit, but now when they are come to the adoption of sons, other services that are more spiritual, are more suitable and honourable, as a man that is grown to be a man, would think himself wronged much to be taught as a child, to be put off with gay things; so should the people of God under the gospel think it a great wrong that hath been done to them, when men have sought to teach them with gays and poor things, we are not still children, but so grown up to the adoption of sons as to receive our inheritance, and therefore are to have the privilege of such.
Therefore the Saints now are not to be dealt withal, as if stil they were in their childish condition. Now how were the Jewes dealt withall, becausethey were in their childish condition? Thus, they had outward externall ethings to gain them to serve God, they worshipped God much in externall things: As we deale with children, we give them apples and fine things to get them to doe what we would have them do, so God dealt with them: And as children when they begin to learne, they must have a great many gayes in their book; so God taught the Jewes with outward ceremonies, which afterward the Scripture calls but beggarly rudiments, poor things. Children you know are pleased much with gay things, and they that would bring in Jewish ceremonies, or ceremonies of their own invention in the Church, they make account the Church is in her childish condition still, as if gay things would please them, therefore they must have pictures, and Images, and such things to please people, this makes the people of God beneath themselves as if they were yet children, and were to be pleased with such things as these. No, now in the state of the Gospel they are come to the adoption of sons. And so children you know are pleased as with fsghts, so with hearing of musick, and pipes, and such things, so men would bring such things still into the Church in the time of the Gospel. I remember Iust. Martyr in the 107. quest. ad orthodoxos, in answer to that about musicall instruments, he saith that they are fit for children and fooles, as ⟨p. 90⟩Organs and the like, and therefore hee sayes, they were not in use in the Church.1 One of the most ancient Writers we have after the Apostles time gives this for a commendation of them. And indeed for the childish state of the Church those things are fit, but now when they are come to the adoption of sons, other services that are more spirituall, are more sutable and honourable, as a man that is grown to be a man, would think himselfe wronged much to be taught as a childe, to be put off with gay things; so should the people of God under the gospell think it a great wrong that hath been done to them, when men have sought to teach them with gayes and poor things, we are not still children, but so grown up to the adoption of sons as to receive our inheritance, and therefore are to have the priviledg of such.
- 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
