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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96865	Church-members set in joynt. Or, A discovery of the unwarrantable and disorderly practice of private Christians, in usurping the peculiar office and work of Christs own pastours, namely publike preaching. In way of answer to a book printed under the name of Lieutenant Edmund Chillenden (but indeed none of his) entituled Preaching without ordination. Wherein all the arguments by him produced, are fully answered and disproved, the truth of the contrary evidenced, and the office forementioned, thereby returned into the hands of the right owners. / By Filodexter Transilvanus.	Woodbridge, Benjamin, 1622-1684.	1648 (1648)	Wing W3423; Thomason E422_3; ESTC R204785	29,729	41

Chill If the Church have power it must be granted that first there must bee a Church having this power before there can be any Officers rightly ordained Therefore if men may not Preach before they be ordained how can men be compleated to the Faith and order of the Gospel Answ The meaning of this Argument I suppose is this the Church is before the Minister The Church is called by the Preaching of the Word therefore some who were no Ministers ordained must necessarily be supposed to be Preachers for without preaching no Church and without a Church no ordained Officer I list not now to take notice of every errour onely in reference to the present controversie I answer 1. The eldest Church had a Minister before it as every effect hath its Cause before it The first Churches were gathered by the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists who were men ordained and sent of God for that purpose John 5. 16. And being gathered were by the Apostles themselves commended to the care and watchfulnesse of ordinary Elders Act. 20. 17 28. Who were persons not onely gifted but ordained Act. 14. ●3 Tit. 1. 5. that through the hand of God going along with them Churches might bee edified increased multiplyed unto the worlds end Eph 4. 13. In succession of ages there has been succession of Churches and succession of Elders but both the one and the other miserably corrupted and defaced in the common deluge of Antichristianisme The way of Elders entring into their Office we acknowledge to have been corrupt in all its circumstances yet for the substance valid as Caiaphas his entring upon the Priesthood in such an irregular way was unallowable yet being entred it stood and God himselfe did not withold from him a Spirit of Prophesie in the time of his Priesthood which was a common signe of confirmation given unto men that were called to any weighty and publique Office in Israel But I perceive Chillenden ascribes not much to this Argument and therefore I have reason to say but little to it especially because learned men such as Mr. Rutherford and others have said so much to it in their late writings upon the controversies of these times Chill Chil. His second Argument in a word is this It is lawfull for a man that intends the Ministery to Preach before hee is ordained for tryall Ergo to Preach without Ordination is lawfull Answ Ans It is lawfull without all question for a man that intends the publique Ministery to Preach for tryall before them that are to judge but from hence to inferre that every private man of what condition soever who has no purpose nor inclinations to apply himselfe wholly and onely to the work of the Ministery may thrust himselfe upon a course of constant preaching publiquely before the Church without reference had to any tryall or judgement concerning his abilities is wild reasoning A man that Preaches for tryall is supposed to be called thereunto by the Church by vertue of which call if he accept of it he is a Minister in fieri though not in facto esse and may therefore lawfully performe those actions which tend to compleat him in the execution of that charge which he is entring upon all Ministeriall actions he may not performe unlesse he be Ordained for ordination is that which gives compleate Ministeriall power nor yet this single act of Preaching can he performe with such authority and confidence of Gods assistance as after he is ordained as 1 Tim. 4. 14. For his Call being but imperfect it can give him but an imperfect power how beit whatsoever actions are conducible to the end of his Call which is to give testimony concerning his abilities for the Ministery those he may performe till by Ordination his Commission be inlarged and extended to all Ministeriall actions The sons of the Prophets were wont to exercise their Propheticall gift before they were generally received and acknowledged as Prophets 1 Sam. 10. 5. 2 King 2. 7. c. The Apostles and 70 Disciples whom Christ sent forth Luke 10. 1. and Matth. 10. might do and did many things by vertue of that Commission which then Christ gave them yet those things which he gave them in their last Commission as Apostles John 20. they neither did nor might doe when they were first sent out their Call did not reach to it So a man that intends the Ministery and is called to give tryall of his gifts may Preach in reference to that end which another may not though he may not administer the Sacraments nor yet make a continuall trade of Preaching Chill But sayes Chillinden if a man may Preach one Sermon why not two then why not twenty And if one moneth why not twelve moneths Because the Churches calling of him to Preach for tryall being a transient action having order and reference to Ordination as a more pefect and compleating action cannot imprimere indelebilem Characterem as Ordination doth My meaning is it does not nor cannot convey an habituall power of Preaching because it is not the ultimate last action that doth compleat a man in his Ministeriall Office 2 It exceeds the end of this Call which is supposed to be this namely to give a testimoniall concerning his faculty in preaching that others may judge whether he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach c. and not one or two or three Sermons to men that are judicious and discerning such as they that try others for the Ministry are or should bee is as sufficient for them to ground their judgement of a mans abilities upon as two hundred Hitherto Mr. Chillenden hath contended with reason and is proved but an ill Logician let us now enquire into his proofes from Scripture and see whether he be any whit a better Divine Chillend His first Argument is drawne from the example of Eldad and Medad and Moses words upon the report of it Numb 11. and 26. to 30. The Spirit rested upon them and they Prophesyed in the Camp And Moses said would God all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them Chillenden begins with the last part of the Argument first namely Moses his speech and afterwards presseth that example of Eldad and Medad more closely I shall goe trace him in his own method and see whether it leads to the conclusion pretended Answ Reader take notice Moses here wisheth that all the Lords people were Prophets not Priests or Levites I meane ordained Officiall men but Prophets such as Eldad and Medad c. Moses wisheth they were Prophets not ordained Officiall men He need not desire it for they that had a spirit of Prophesy were thereby extraordinarily and immediately ordained of God to the work of Prophesying For Prophesie was not a permanent habituall gift such as was in the power of the Prophet to exercise when he would but it was an impression made in the mind by the immediate operation and

notice of many places of Scripture written in the margin but of those onely to which he doth expressely referre his Reader partly because they are very unequally ascribed not paralell to the line to which they refer and partly because most of them are places from which he borrows words or phrases occasionally mentioned nothing at all pertaining to the maine scope many other things of lesse consequence I have passed over but nothing of moment as I know of Farewell F. T. Imprimatur Edm. Calamy An Answer to a Book entituled Preaching without Ordination THe Lieutenant before he comes to speak a word to the Question by himselfe propounded in the fore-front of his Book viz. Whether men may Preach except they be Ordained premiseth many things to consideration which are neither of any necessary dependance upon each other nor of any use imaginable either to the cleering and well stating of the Question or to the confirmation of his own opinion touching the Question For which reason I shall not now retreat so farre from the businesse in hand as to make an incursion upon his praecognita things which neither of us are concerned in as to this present controversie but shall there begin to answer where hee begins to make good his undertaking after hee hath brought about the Question as it were by countermarch into its former place and applyes himselfe to the proofe of the affirmative namely that it is lawfull for a person not ordained to Preach Thus farre onely I shall follow him as to make use of his method in premising some few Positions for the better stating of the Question between him and mee First then I cannot but take notice that every one of his stolen Arguments whereby hee labours to evince the lawfulnesse of preaching without Ordination are of equall force to prove the lawfulnesse of preaching without the Churches choyce and approbation the thing wherein himselfe and others of his way doe place the very essentials and vitals of a minister as to any outward call as may be seen in his positions Pag. 2 and 3. and then to what purpose is a Liberty of Choosing their Minister given to every particular congregationall Church as the thing whereby he is made a minister seeing every private gifted Christian eo ipso because gifted may take upon him to preach publikely though neither ordained nor yet Chosen by the Chruch for such an intrinsicall connexion doth this Author make between gifts and preaching that if his Arguments be sound there neede not intervene so much as the Chruches Election nay farther not so much as a tryall of those ministeriall gifts qualifications which himself acknowledgeth to be requisites before a person be ordained Thes 6. 2. I desire the Reader to take notice that when we preach for Ordination as a thing requisite to a Preacher we are to be understood according to the Analogy of these following advertisemntes 1. That by Ordination we mean an act of the Church whereby a person is solemnly set apart for the dispensation of the word Seales and Censures by way of peculiar office we doe therefore at this time wave all disputes about the persons ordaining and all other rites and circumstances pertaining to Ordination 2 Preaching we take in the strictest sense for an explication and application of the Word of God with all authority to the information exhortation reproof or comfort of them that hear 3 We acknowledge it a duty incombent upon all Christians whether eminently gifted or no even the least and meanest to reprove exhort in struct and comfort one another as occasion shall be offered in away of love and of equall and mutuall interest as members spiritually of one another and heyres together of the kingdome of life 4 In a Church that hath not its compleat constitution and organization which Chillenden Calls a Church not perfectly brought under Gospel order or in other Cases of absolute necessity we admit in reason of a liberty for private gifted Christians to preach the word though the Scripture hath neither any particular precept for it nor clear patterne of it as I know of Yet in no case can it be allowed that any private Christian though never so well gifted shall take upon him to preach to any Church unlesse he have at least the election and approbation of that Church which we suppose to be a sufficient outward call when the Churches condition is as it may be such as that it is morally impossible to have a better Jus divinum positivum cedit juri divino naturali when they are inconsistent each with other 5 If any Christian hath others in subjection under him he hath thereby authority to instruct reprove and exhort them out of the word of God Men were made immediatly for God immediatly for one another or for one another in the Lord. Religion hath the command of all mens faculties conditions and actions to referre and order them immediatly to Gods glory that the whole man may live wholly unto God He must therfore live unto God in respect of his power over others that is his power over others must be ordered and improved to Gods glory else he lives not wholly to God Hence we grant that a father or master in his family may instruct exhort and command his children and his household to doe justice and judgment A King or Magistrate in the Common-wealth may exhort and command his subjects to the generall dutyes of Religion For Religion refers all power to a Spirituall end But some power is immediatly Spirituall as the power of the Ministers of the Gospel the immediate end or object whereof is the Spitituall good of their people Other power is more remotely Spirituall which though it ames at Spirituall good yet it attaines it not but by the intervention of that power which is immediately Spirituall v. 8. The Magistrate ought to looke to the spirituall good of his people therefore he may command them to give diligent attendance to the Word preached and to practise according to what is taught and may make use of many perswasives and dissuasives as he thinks fit which is as much as any of the Kings of Israel ever did in any of their instructions or publique exhortations to their people The like may bee said of all other power domestique or military These things being premised the truth I shall undertake to defend against Mr. Chillenden is this That it is utterly unlawfull for any Christian whatsoever gifted or not gifted to take upon him ordinarily to Preach the Word in the name of the Lord with all authority before the Church publiquely assembled unlesse he be called and set apart thereto by the Church Hereof I might bring proofe sufficient but my warre is at this time defensive not offensive Let us therefore try what strength our adversary is of Having therefore first supposed that Churches have power to choose yea and to Ordain which is false their own Officers he inferres thus

irradiation of the spirit of God stirinrg up a man at certain times to Prophesie Ier. 42. 7. Hence it was not in the power of man who had the power of Ordination in other cases to Ordaine a man to be a Prophet as in the time of the New Testament it was not in the power of men no not of the Apostles themselves to Ordaine another to the Office of an Apostle but all that were chosen to be Apostles were appointed immediately by Christ as the 11 Disciples and Paul Gal. 1. 1. and Matthias Act. 1. 24 25 26. This observation therefore is a nullity Had Moses spoken of a Function unto which Ordination had been applycable no doubt he would have wished that they might have been ordained before they had exercised it habitually but speaking of such a work unto which nothing was requisite but the powring out of the Spirit what need he speak more then he did 2. Let us apply it to the thing in hand grant that he had wished it to Christians now living I aske doth he wish a Spirit of extraordinary Prophesy such as theirs was as I shall prove anon or of ordinary Prophesy such as is common in these dayes of the New Testament if extraordinary then he had wished that which no Christian could have taken hold of for a spirit of extraordinary Prophesy hath not been in the world since the Scriptures were perfected if ordinary then it makes for us for then he wishes such a Spirit as doth not exclude but include Ordination the Scripture acknowledging no Prophets in our dayes but Ordained Preachers unlesse it be those false Prophets and false Teachers which the Apostle speakes of 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Iohn 4 1. For my part I judge he speakes of such a spirit which himselfe had and which was then powred down upon Eldad and Medad which was extraordinary and therefore not applicable to us 3. The speech it selfe is to be understood as it is uttered not indicatively but optatively For Moses doth not wish absolutely that all the Lords people were Prophets but quantum adse as for his part he envyed no man that had the Spirit as well as himselfe nor would he have his servant Joshua or any man else to envy for his sake but he wisheth all good to all men as it might be expedient for them This is the plain meaning of the place as he that reads may quickly understand The like speech hath Paul 1 Cor. 14. 5. I would that yee all spake with Tongues yet he saies before Chap. 12. 29 30. Are all Prophets Doe all speak with Tongues His meaning is the same with Moses he wo●●d not that the dignity of his person should stand in the way or bee any hinderance of others from partaking in the like gift q. d. As for my part I can easily beare yea I wish that that gift of Prophesy which is in me were common unto all nor will I have any man forbid for my sake and this I am perswaded is the sincere desire of every faithfull Minister even of the most eminent that your selfe Mr. Chillenden and all Christians might have the same spirituall gifts which they have if it might stand with the will of God and order in the Church But what then Is this any ground for a man to run before hee is sent Jer. 23. 21. But Chillenden it seemes doth judge the giving of the Spirit a sufficient sending For thus it followeth Chill That which made them Prophets was the Lords putting his spirit on them Why then should not men now to whom God hath given of his spirit with gifts utterance and knowledge be Prophets and Preachers The gifts of God are not given to be hidden under a Bushell or to be kept in a Napkin c. Answ Doubtlesse the Lords putting of his Spirit on them made them Prophets but this powring out of the Spirit did eminently include Ordination or that which was equivalent or transcendent to it even an impulsive command from the Spirit which they could nor resist Amos 3. 8. The Lord hath spoken who can but Prophesy Yea I conceive that the Spirit so over-powred them as that they were not masters of their own words and gestures but were acted by a secret Spirituall violence even above themselves to an high and extraordinary sublimity of speech and insolency of gesture to the astonishment of those that beheld and heard Of Saul it is said that when a Spirit of Prophesy came upon him he stript off his cloathes and lay down naked all that day and all that night 1 Sam 19. 24. And in respect of those insolent expressions and gestures which they were carryed forth to that did they receive the Spirit of Prophesy suddainly falling upon them it became an ordinary speech in Israel if they saw any strange and insolent carriage in a man yea though it came from an evil Spirit to say that he Prophesyed 1 Sam 18. 10. And we know that the Spirit falling upon an ungodly man so overmastered him that he spake what he never intended nor had any mind to speak Balaam I mean Num 23. 24 These Prophets therfore w●●● rather passive then active in their Prophesyings which I conceive to be the reason why the Hebrewes for Prophesying use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal the passive voyce Prophetaties est there being no Hebrew word of the active signification to expresse it by intimating that men were rather passive then active in Prophesying Hence they could not use those expressions and gestures which are naturally most perswasive as men in Preaching doe but such as they were acted too by the Spirit yea and what they spake they spake from the Spirit even divine misteries immediately inspired wherein it was impossible for them to erre though such they might bee as they themselves understood them not whereas our Preaching consists in an explication and application of the Word which the simple and unlearned may wrest through their ignorance either to a wrong sense in explication or to a wrong subject in Application And lastly the end of this spirit of Prophesy was to bee as a sensible signe of confirmation to them that received it that God had called them in particular to some great and eminent imployment Numb 11. 16 17. Hence t is said verse 25. They Prophesyed and ceased not so the Chaldee translateth it but the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they added not viz. to Prophesy any more as D●ut 5. 22. These words hee spake and hee added no more intimating that then indeed they Prophesyed but not from thenceforth continually because the Spirit was given them but as a temporary gift and miracle for confirmation of their Office As unto Saul 1 Sam. 10. 6. and Caiaphas the High Priest John 11. 50 51 52. Now lay all these together and it will appeare that in efficient matter forme and end the Prophesying spoken of Num. 11. was extraordinary and

writings of Moses and the Prophets that any of their wise men might teach though not ordayned Answ Hereof we have not one word of proofe besides Luk. 2. 46. in the margent as if Luke were either Moses or one of the Prophets where he relates that Christ being but 12. yeeres old disputed in the temple with the Doctours Was Christ one of the wise men or is every disputation a Sermon or were those Doctours intruders doing what they did without authority Doth not Christ say of them that they sate in Moses seate Matth. 23. 2. For my part I judge them to be professors of Divinity or Tutors who were wont to instruct younger men at certaine state-seasons answereable to our Termes Act. 22. 3. For which end they lived together in a Colledge 2 Kings 22. 14. The Tutors and instructors being therefore called Fathers 1 Sam. 10. 12. and the Scholars sons of the Prophets 2 Kings 2. 15. As to that which Chillenden urgeth farther from the example of Iehosaphat Hezekiah Nehemia c. we give this Short answer That what they spake was either a judicicall charge which every Judge may give to the grand Jury as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. or 2 a Propheticall or 3 a Magistraticall act and so not precedentiall to private Christians For a Magistrate by vertue of his Office hath a spirituall power though not an Ecclesiasticall or Church power to pray exhort and blesse the people and to make use of other naturall and generall mediums of spirituall good according to what I premised Thes 4. For which end Magistrates had often if not alwayes a Spirit of Prophesy as the 70 Elders whereof Eldad and Medad were two Num. 11. Saul David c. Chill It was the customs of the Jewes to let men Preach who were no ordained Ministers As Scribes Pharises and Lawyers Answ These at least were Prophets Matth 23. 2. Chill Why did they suffer Christ to dispute in the Temple Answ Disputation is no preaching Nor doe I think that that disputation was in the Temple where the solemn worship of God was wont to be on the Sabbath but in some of the buildings about the Temple which were called by the name of the Temple Chill Christ was permitted to preach in the Synagogues Luke 4. 16 c. Though the Iewes did not acknowledge him to be a Prophet sent of God Ergo. Answ It was permitted him especially in Nazareth his owne country Luke 4. 16. because he began not to preach till he was 30 yeeres old and at that age his Majesty and the miracles which he wrought had made way for him because every man esteemed him as a Prophet sent of God Luke 4. 14. and 3. 15. 21 22 23. Mat. 5. ●0 21. And as for those who knew him not and for a long time he was but little knowne out of his owne country their permission of him to preach argues nothing for they did presume that none would offer to preach but such as had authority and therefore when he taught before those that knew him not They aske him the question plainly Matth 21. 23. By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority Chill Paul and Barnabas preached publikely yet the Iewes tooke no notice of them as of Ministers ordained Answ Chillenden I suppose meanes the same which his Master Robinson has writ before him of Pauls preaching at Antioch Act. 13. 14 15. To which we Answer that it is false that the Iews tooke no notice of them to be ordained Ministers For it was knowne that they were come to Towne and the Ruler of the Synagogue sent unto them vers 15. their fame therefore was great at Antioch A whole yeere before this time they had preached the word there and brought many to Christ where also were many other Prophets and Teachers that had preached the word both to Jewes and Greekes Act. 11. 19 20 21 25 26 27 28 13. 1 2. Chill Act. 18. 24. to that end Apollos was no ordained Minister yet he preached That Apollos was no ordained Minister is said but not proved For my part I judge he was 1 He was a teacher in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 3. 5. and that an eminent teacher in so much as that his hearers had advanced him into a competition with Paul or Peter 1 Cor. 1. 12. and preferred him before them And there were no ordinary constant Preachers but such as were ordained in the Apostles dayes Yea and the Scripture intimates that he had as good authority to Preach as Paul himselfe though not given him in such an extraordinary manner 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers c. If the Apostles calling himselfe a Minister in that place argues sufficiently that he had authority to Preach why doth it not argue the same in Apollo the rather because the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used is generally in Scripture ascribed to Ministers in Office or in Commission whether ordinary or extraordinary 2 Cor. 3. 6 6 4 11 23. Ephes 3 7. 6. 21. 1 Thes 3. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 6. Act 1. 17. 6. 4. 20. 24. And why should it not signify the same here 2 The Apostle speaking to the Corinthians of what esteem they should have toward the Ministers of the Gospel adviseth them to judge of them as they are even as of Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of Christ 1 Cor. 4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now a Steward is such a one as doth dispence the houshould affaires by Commission under his master A Steward then of the mysteries of God is such a one to whom Jesus Christ hath either by ordinary or extraordinary Call committed the Preaching of the Gospell unto his Church A dispensation of the grace of God givon me to you-wards saith the Apostle Ephes 3. ● Now such a Steward was Apollo as well as Paul 1 Cor. 46. Therefore Apollo was a Minister in Office called of God either extraordinarily as was Paul and the Apostles or ordinarily by the laying on of hands as were Pastours and Teachers 3. It seemes that Apollo did Baptize as well as Preach which yet farther argues him to be a Minister in Office for though Chillenden claime authority for unordained persons to Preach by vertue of their gifts yet I find not that he allowes them to baptize by vertue of their gifts for when the Apostle saith vers 13. Were you Baptized in the name of Paul he adds ver 14 15. I thanke God I Baptized none least any should say that I Baptized in mine own name q. ● Those whom I Baptized did I Baptize them into mine own name that from thenceforth they should call themselves Paulists Or did Cephas Baptize those into his name whom he Baptized that they should call themselves Cephists Or did Apollo Baptize any of you into his name that they should call themselves Apollonists Yea saith the Apostle

these Spirituall men Certainly those Christians who did abound more then others of their Brethren in the graces and gifts of the spirit For so is the word taken Gal. 6. 1. You that are spirituall restore such a man And more expresly in this very Epistle 1 Cor. 3. 1. And I Brethren could not speak to you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as unto babes in Christ Here is an expresse opposition between a Carnall Christian and a Spirituall Christian the weaker sort of Christians being called Carnall and the stronger and more able Christians who were men in understanding being called spirituall To returne then to the place in hand The Apostle opposeth the Prophet and spirituall man that is the gifted Christian as our Saviour opposeth the Prophet and the righteous man Matth. 10. 41. Therefore when he spake before of Prophets or unto Phrophets he spake not to the private believers or Church-members in Corinth though never so well gifted but unto Prophets strictly and distinctly so called who were a ranke or order of men in the Church that was above the most eminent gifted Christians in respect of outward state and condition And this is the more probable because the Apostle doth seeme expresly to divert his speech from the Church unto the Prophets and other gifted men in the Church Chap. 12. 1. Now concerning spirituall gifts Brethren c. 2. Prophesy was a gift of the same nature and continuance with the gift of tongues as appeares by the Apostles perpetuall comparing of them together in this chapter But that the gift of tongues is ceased now and that it was an extraordinary gift while it was in the world I suppose Chillenden himselfe cannot deny Therefore how he can affirme the gift of Prophesy ●o be an ordinary and an abiding gift let himselfe judge 3 Prophesy was an interpretation of the deep mysteries of Scripture by inspirationor immediate revelation vers 30. If any thing be revealed to another and Ephes 3. 3 5. The mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed 1 Cor. 13. ● unto his holy Apostles and Prophets Whence they that believe the doctrine of the Gospell are said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. 20. And hereby is Prophesy distinguished from Doctrine 1 Cor. 14. 26. Prophesy being there signifyed by Revelation Doctrine noting an explication of the word by comparing Scripture with Scripture and by the Analysis of a Scripture into its simple Arguments which is the way of exposition now in use in the Church So vers 6. unlesse I come speaking to you either by Revelation or by knowledge or by Prophesy or by Doctrine That is unlesse I speak a Revelation which is Prophesy or knowledge which is Doctrine For what is Prophesy but the uttering of a Revelation And what is Doctrine but an uttering of knowledge That knowledge I meane which is attained by a studious search and enquiry into the meaning of Scripture Wherefore it must needs be that Prophesy was no ordinary but an extraordinary gift extraordinary in those dayes being given but to a few but much more extraordinary in our dayes being given to none 4 From the same place it is manifest that Prophesy was not a gift residing in the mind by way of habit but it was an impression transiently made upon the mind by the Holy Ghost like lightning in the ayre If any thing be revealed to another saith the Apostle Cleerely holding forth thereby that one Prophet might have the understanding of some spiritual gifted mystery given him while another was Prophesying and that not by the help and operation of any faculty of his own as his fancy judgement or memory but by Revelation or divine inspiration Now I would aske of those who call themselves Prophets in our dayes whether their fancy judgement and memory do not help them to all the glorious sublimated conceits which they so much boast of notions so transcendent that they many times leave all reason sense and truth many thousand leagues below them If they grant it then they can no longer plead this practice of prophesying in the Corinthians for their patterne it being of a more noble descent even immediately from heaven without the help and obstetrication of any naturall abilities If they deny it and have the face to affirm that they receive it by immediate Revelation then must I sound a retreate to all that are men in understanding and are not apt childishly to be tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine to the Law and the Testimonies if any man adde to the words of this book let him be accursed 5. The Prophets in the Church of Corinth were not private gifted Christians but such as had the power of the government of the Church as ordinary Pastors and Teachers Yea and those very Prophets and the rest of the gifted persons as I conceive were the Pastors and Rulers pertaining to the Church of Corinth For that Prophets had a Pastorall care seemes undenyable to me because Act. 13. ● Paul and Barnabas who were no private unordained men are called Prophets and it is a rule received without contradiction that every superiour order of Ministers did conteine the inferiour As for example an Apostle was a Prophet Evangelist Pastor Teacher Ruler and Deacon 1 Cor. 14. 36. 1 Cor. 9. 5 1 Pet 5. 1. Act. 6. 2. c. A Prophet in like manner was a Pastor Teacher Ruler and Deacon for Prophets were second in place to Apostles 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. And that these Prophets and other gifted persons did exercise pastorall Offices is cleere in this very Chapter First the whole Church came together to heare them vers 23. When they were come together one of them prayed in the name of the Congregation vers 16. To which they all consented by saying Amen They did also Preach the word and apply it to edification exhortation and comfort vers 3. of them that believed and the conversion of the unbelievers vers 24 25. Moreover they had a Power of rule and government to keep order and decorum in the Congregation As for example to enjoyne women silence in the Churches ver 34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches The Apostle saith not simply let women keep silence but let your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 2. women that is the women of your Church which are within the verge of your authority For do not ye judge them that are within 1 Cor. 5 12. they had also power to make way for a Prophet to speak when he hath any thing revealed to him vers 30 31 32. an act properly pertaining to the Ruler of the Congregation Act. 13. 15. Qu. If you aske then wherein did Apostles and Prophets differ Ans I answer in this The Apostles spake what they heard and saw 1 John 1. 1. It being essentiall to an Apostle to have