The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,…

3. As to that teaching which is in Singing, it doth not lie in a Ministerial way, and therefore not intended by the Spirit of God here; Preaching or Teaching is not Singing, nor Singing Preaching or Teaching, though there is a Teaching in it. You must learn better to distinguish between different Duties and Ordinances, before you take upon you to teach others. Read what I have before said, and also what Mr. Cotton, Sidenham, &c. have said, as you will find it repeated in this Treatise, in respect of the Nature of Teaching and Admonition that is in the Ordinance of Singing, ⟨p. 35⟩and you may further see how you miss and abuse these Scriptures: for he or she that reads the Scripture may be said in some sense to teach, there is much teaching in it; yet sure a Woman may be suffered to do this, as a case may present it self, both in the Church, or at home either, in her Husbands presence, and not be deemed to usurp Authority over him: for the Usurpation the Apostle speaks of, respects a Woman's own Husband (if not chiefly) as well as others; and therefore if she must not sing in the Church, so by your Argument she must not sing nor read the Scripture at home in the presence of her Husband, because there is a kind of teaching in both those Duties; and if she should, as you intimate, she would not only break Silence, but usurp Authority over the Man, i. e. her Head and Husband, which is forbid. The Lord deliver poor Women, and Men too, from such kind of Doctrine as this.

3. As to that teaching which is in Singing, it doth not lie in a Ministerial way, and therefore not intended by the Spirit of God here; Preaching or Teaching is not Singing, nor Singing Preaching or Teaching, though there is a Teaching in it. You must learn better to distinguish between different Duties and Ordinances, before you take upon you to teach others. Read what I have before said, and also what Mr. Cotton, Sidenham, &c. have said, as you will find it repeated in this Treatise, in respect of the Nature of Teaching and Admonition that is in the Ordinance of Singing, ⟨p. 35⟩and you may further see how you miss and abuse these Scriptures: for he or she that reads the Scripture may be said in some sense to teach, there is much teaching in it; yet sure a Woman may be suffered to do this, as a case may present it self, both in the Church, or at home either, in her Husbands presence, and not be deemed to usurp Authority over him: for the Usurpation the Apostle speaks of, respects a Womans own Husband (if not chiefly) as well as others; and therefore if she must not sing in the Church, so by your Argument she must not sing nor read the Scripture at home in the presence of her Husband, because there is a kind of teaching in both those Duties; and if she should, as you intimate, she would not only break Silence, but usurp Authority over the Man, i. e. her Head and Husband, which is forbid. The Lord deliver poor Women, and Men too, from such kind of Doctrine as this.