Selected quad for the lemma: diversity_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
diversity_n	apostle_n	gift_n	teacher_n	686	5	9.5922	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90932	The preacher sent: or, A vindication of the liberty of publick preaching, by some men not ordained. In answer to two books: 1. Jus divinum ministerii euengelici. By the Provincial Assembly of London. 2. Vindiciæ ministerii euangelici. By Mr. John Collings of Norwich. / Published by Iohn Martin, minister of the Gospel at Edgfield in Norfolk. Sam. Petto, minister of the Gospel at Sand-croft in Suffolk. Frederick Woodal, minister of the Gospel at Woodbridge in Suffolk.	Martin, John, 1595 or 6-1659.; Petto, Samuel, 1624?-1711.	1658 (1658)	Wing P3197; Thomason E1592_2; ESTC R208851	240,824	381

147. they say Sometimes the Pastor is put before the Teacher as Eph. 4. 11. sometimes the Teacher before the Pastor as Rom. 12. 7 8. We may adde further that according to their own interpretation of 1 Cor. 12. 8. the Jus Divinum Min. page 97. word of wisdome denotes the Pastors work the word of knowledge the Teachers work and yet prophesie is put after these v. 10. To another prophesie And if any will build a conclusion upon the order of words which order will they stick to v. 8 10. Prophets are put after Pastors and Teachers v. 28 29. Prophets are set before Teachers 2. The enumerating of Prophets amongst Officers of the Church is not sufficient to evidence that Prophets were Officers for though some Officers be named yet we conceive that all which are named are not Officers for here are eight enumerated 1 Cor. 12. 28. first Apostles second Prophets third Teachers fourth Miracles fifth Gifts of healing sixth Helps seventh Governments eighth Diversities of tongues and elsewhere there are others to be added v. 10. Ephes 4. v. 11 12. ninth discerning of Spirits tenth the interpretation of tongues eleventh Evangelists Can any conclude that there were eight or eleven Officers in the Church in those days You may say that there were so many distinct Officers because so many are enumerated amongst Officers as well as that Prophets are Officers because reckoned up together with Officers Whereas some of those enumerated are gifts v. 4 30 31. and particularly prophesie is called a gift 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though I have the gift of prophesie Rom. 12. 6. Yea diverse of those gifts mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 28. did meet in one Officer the Apostles were Officers yet they wrought Miracles had the gift of tongues Act. 2. v. 3 4. Nay the gift of tongues is one Office if they be all Officers that be enumerated 1 Cor. 12. 28. Diversities of tongues and this gift was granted unto some before they were baptised Act. 10. v. 46 47 48. On the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost for they heard them speak with tongues and magnifie God Then answered Peter Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them to be baptized Here was the gift of tongues before baptisme and therefore according to our Brethrens principles before Church-Membership and if they were not yet Church-Members how could they be Church-Officers if they were not set in the Church how could they be set as Officers in it Yet if the enumerating of Prophets amongst Officers would prove them to be Church-Officers then the enumerating of the gifts of tongues amongst Officers in the very same verse 1 Cor. 12. 28. would prove those that had such gifts to be Officers also 3. If Prophets must be Officers 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11 12. those places may be intended of the extraordinary Prophets who did foretel of future events as Act. 11. 27 28. In those days came Prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth thorowout the world If such Prophets be intended in those forecited places and be extraordinary Officers yet this hinders not but that the Prophets mentioned 1 Cor. 14. may be onely by gift especially seeing the fourteenth Chapter is an entire Exhortation of it self and chiefly spent in holding forth Directions about prophesying and that to the whole Church without hinting any thing about foretelling things to come which must be their main work as Prophets if such a sort of Prophets were intended And this leads us to the second Position Propos 2. That some men have the gift of prophesie or that prophesying is a gift still continuing Argum. 1. That which was in use by Divine appointment in the primitive times and no Gospel-Rule can be shewn for the repeal or ceasing of it that must needs be still continuing If the Law which established the use of it be still in force or unrepealed surely the use of it ought to be continued for else the Law of Christ is broken and sin attendeth it But prophesying was in use by Divine appointment in primitive times and no Gospel-Rule can be shewn for the repeal or ceasing of it Ergo prophesying must needs be still continuing That prophesying was in use by Divine appointment in primitive times it cannot be denyed this 1 Cor. 14. almost thorowout is purposely to reprove an irregular use of prophesying and to direct in the right use and therefore as Mr. Shephard well observeth the Apostle doth grant and establish an use of it Now let our Brethren shew any Gospel-Rule to evidence that prophesying is now ceased which we have proved was once in use by Divine appointment We should not need produce a Rule to prove it is not ceased it is their work to prove that it is ceased Yet we shall add a few things which will conduce to the proving that it is not ceased Argum. 2. That which was practised in primitive times which was ordinary is still continuing But the prophesying mentioned 1 Cor. 14. was ordinary Ergo That prophesying mentioned 1 Cor. 14. is still continuing The Major will not be denyed if that which was practised then which was ordinary be not obligatory and binding to us we are to seek for a Rule for our duty The Minor is That the prophesying mentioned 1 Cor. 14. was ordinary for this we may refer the Reader to Mr. Rutherford's Due right of Presbyteries p. 466 467. where he proves by eight Arguments That these very Prophets mentioned 1 Cor. 14. were ordinary Prophets Indeed he asserteth that they were Officers in which he is against us but if his Arguments will hold to prove that they are ordinary Prophets then our Brethren must say either that they are Prophets by gift onely or else assert another sort of ordinary Officers for prophesying distinct from Pastors and Teachers or else retract and unsay what they have said For in their Jus Divin Minist p. 97. they speak thus The gift of prophecie is reckoned amongst the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and put in the midst of them 1 Cor. 12. 9 10 11. and contradistinguished from ordinary gifts vers 7 8. The word of wisdom the word of knowledge the word of wisdom denotes the Pastors work the word of knowledge the Teachers work but prophesying is different from both these Here our Brethren do plainly assert that prophesying is different from the work of Pastors and Teachers and therefore if prophesying prove an ordinary Office and continuing it must be a different office from Pastor and Teacher And here we cannot but observe how the Lord hath left them to a self-contradiction if the sundry Ministers of London publishing the first Book be of the province of London which published the second For in this Book called

taken when it hath general terms affixed to it every one We may use the same Argument against those that bring it we may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are frequently and far more usually taken in Scripture for other gifts besides Office and such gifts as persons not in Office do enjoy and therefore gift is rather to be taken here in larger sense then Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Rom. 5 ver 15. Not as the offence so is the free gift ver 16. The free gift is of many offences unto justification Rom. 6. ver 23. The gift of God is eternal life Rom. 11. ver 29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance 1 Corin. 1. ver 7. Ye come behinde in no gift 1 Cor. 12. ver 31. Covet the best gifts In all these places and many more the word for gift is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same word that is used for gift 1 Pet. 4. ver 10. And in those places gift cannot be taken for Office with any colour of reason in most of the places such gifts are intended as every Christian doth enjoy And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for Grace Act. 13. ver 43. Perswaded them to continue in the Grace of God Rom. 1. ver 7. Grace to you and peace 1 Cor. 1. ver 3. 2 Cor. 1. ver 2. and therefore the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not necessarily limit it unto Office for these are applyed unto all Christians 2. That it is to be administred as Stewards doth not restrain it unto Office for it is not said as Stewards of the Mysteries of God as 1 Cor. 4. 1. but as Stewards of the manifold Grace of God And every Christian is a Steward of the Grace yea of the manifold Grace of God for he shall give an account of all the Grace he hath received as Stewards doe as the parable of the Talents sheweth Mat. 25. 14 c. Luk. 12. 48. Unto whomsoever much is given of himshall be much required Whether gifts or Graces be afforded an account will be required not of Officers only but of whomsoever they be given unto And how harsh would it sound to read the Text that way As every man hath received the Office even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Office of God How improper is it to say a man is a Steward of an Office If Steward were a name of Office as our Brethren would have it then it were to be read thus As Officers of the manifold Office of God 3. The acts of exhorting and ministring are not peculiar to Office and therefore the instancing in those two acts ver 11. doth not prove it to be restrained unto Office Such as are no Officers may exhort others Hebr. 3 13. 10. 25. and also they may Minister 2 Cor. 9. 1. and Hebr. 6. ver 10. Ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister Here not the Officers only but the beleeving Hebrews in general are highly commended for ministring to the Saints and therefore Ministring is not peculiar to Office All which considered how that Text 1 Pet. 4. 10. 11. can safely be restrained to Office we finde not especially seeing Officers are particularly and plainly directed unto their duties in the next Chapter of the same Epistle 1 Pet. 5. ver 1 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort That the Apostle should crowd in this exhortation to Officers only and then spend eight verses in admonitions to all the Saints and then begin again to speak to Officers Chap. 5. ver 1. ●● how unlikely a thing is it Surely this is not usually found to be the method of this Apostle And therefore that interpretation of ver 11. He that speaketh i. e. he that by publick authority is rightly ordained to speak or he that is in Office hath nothing from the word to warrant it Who may speak is declared ver 10. Every man that hath received the gift And whereas it is said Abilities do not authorize to act out of our Sphere and calling We answer Though abilities do not authorize to act yet Gospel-rules doe authorize those that have abilities and do speak it to belong unto their place and calling to Minister one unto another If it had been said in the time of the Law As every man hath received the gift even so Minister the same He that judgeth of Leprosies He that killeth a sacrifice A Physitian might then have judged of Leprosie or a Butcher have killed the Sacrifice if no particular prohibition had been found elsewhere Unless some word of God doth limit preaching to Officers as it did judging of Leprosies and killing of sacrifices to the Priests such argnings are of no force As for what they observe from 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6. the Apostle declareth that though there be diversities of gifts administrations and operations yet there is the same Lord but if the operations be not intended of miraculous operations as some think yet such as have gifts may be authorized for Ministration and operation for ought is there clearly asserted None can Minister without gifts but such as have gifts are not there denyed liberty for Ministration nay they seem to have an allowance ver 7. Thus much for the second Argument from Gospel-commands CHAP. VI. Wherein the Third Fourth and Fifth Arguments are urged for the proving the lawfulness of Gifted-Brethrens Preaching though not Ordained Argum. 3. From a Gospel-promise THat practise which hath a Gospel-promise annexed to it is undoubtedly warrantable But the preaching of some men who are not ordained Officers hath a Gospel-promise annexed to it Ergo The preaching of some who are not ordained Officers is undoubtedly warrantable The Major is undenyable for the Lord will not countenance any sinful practice with his promise That which hath a promise annexed to it a man may act in faith therein and so the practise must needs be warrantable The Minor is proved Matth. 25. 29. For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance 1. Here is a promise He that hath i. e. if he useth exerciseth and improveth what gifts he hath to him shall be given i. e. he shall increase his gifts his labors shall be followed with a Divine blessing he shall be abundantly blessed The talent is taken away from that servant that hid it that did not improve it and it is given to him who had used his Talents ver 28. And Christ addeth this as an incouragement to an improvement of all Talents received for unto him that hath 2. Here are the persons who share in this promise not Officers onely but every man that hath i. e. that improveth what he hath Whatsoever gifts or Talents a man hath here is a promise annexed to the laying of them forth for Jesus Christ We restrain not these gifts to preaching gifts