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 Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Jer. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied Matth. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening Wolves London Printed for EDMUND PAXTON and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls chain over against the Castle Tavern neer to the Doctors Commons 1648. To all the faithfull in Christ Jesus and all other my Country-men who may chance at any time to be Readers of this Book BRETHREN MY hearts desire and prayer to God for you all is that you may be saved and that you may bee rooted and established in the faith of that Christ and Gospel which you have received and by which also you are saved if you continue stedfast unto the end be not removed from him that hath called you into the grace of Christ to give ear to seducers and false prophets who pervert the Gospel of Christ and subvert the faith of many Questionlesse the dayes are come upon us of which our Saviour hath foretold us long ago that many false prophets shall arise and deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect themseles who may therefore the more abundantly rejoyce in this confidence that God will keep them by his owne power through faith unto salvation when they shall perceive themselves planted upon a rock that is higher then the gates of hell stronger then the raine and tempests that assault them by the power of which they are enabled to stand even in such times as these which are the worst of times when so many hundreds fall on the right hand and on the left Amongst many other meanes which God J doubt not will teach you to make use of for your continuance in the faith the matter of this ensuing Treatise gives me occasion to speak of one which is a high prising of and diligent attendance upon the ministry â—he word that word I meane which is preached by those who are sent of God and this Church for the same purpose In my short experience I have observed that the Divells grand designe for the raising of his own Kingdome hath beene in all ages to hinder the efficacie and authority of the publik Ministry In the daies of Antichristian darknesse there was either no preaching at all or none but that which was delivered in a strange language by which the people received no benefit In latter dayes under the Prelates tyranny here in England what stone was left unrolled to discourage and undermine the most saithsull holy and learned ministers either by withholding from them a competent maintenance whiles many a prophane superstitious dotard and dumbe dogge had more then enough or by injoyning an ungodly compliance to humane and antichristian inventions Ceremonies Oathes Subscriptions c. which their consciences could not away with Hence many professors made it the greatest part of their religion and made this their rest even to goe up and downe to heare Sermons and speak against those persons or things that were the occasion of muzling the mouthes of so many of Gods messengers In these dayes the doore is opened so wide that who so will may now take upon him that high and holy calling and under pretence of preaching the Gospel vent privately and publikely all manner of untruths and because they cannot raise themselves to that high pitch of preferment which they aime at as long as godly Ministers beare witnesse against them both in Pulpits and Presses therefore they possesse their Proselites with all the prejudice they can against their Ministers either their calling is Antichristian or they are men of an Old Testament spirit or at best they are Black-coats Hence many who have acknowledged often with much comfort that God had made their Minister instrumental not onely to turne them first unto God but to build them up in faith and knowledge and all grace and have formeriy loved them so dearly that they could even have pulled out their eyes to have done them good yet now they disfrequent their company and their Ministry and lay themselves open thereby to all manner of Temptations and delusions and the farther they fall away the higher they raise up themselves in their owne esteeme giving forth that they are all taught of God and hence they take upon them desperatly to broach all manner of proud Atheistical conceits one questions whether there be any Heaven or Hell or any Resurrection from the dead another thinks himselfe to be as good a Christ as Christ the Lord and doth not fear to say that the God-head is as much in him as it was in Christ c. whose distemper is the more despreate because the nature of it is to admit of no remedy In the middest of this confusion whether shall we fly The Land is become like some deepe pit in a wildernesse into which are fallen Toades Mice Frogs Serpents and all manner of vermin and there they bite and devoure one another Religion is turned into a very gallimafra of errours and heresies and each heresy brands all other doctrines with the name of Heresie besides it selfe The wise and eternall God which made the world out of a Chaos and brought light out of darknesse in his rich mercy bring light and order out of this dismall hellish confusion and let all that love the Truth say Amen In order to which end I have under-taken in this ensuing Treatise according to the ability I have received to make forth this truth against Chillenden and all his followers that there is no ground either in reason or Scripture for private persons though never so well gifted to preach publickly unlesse they be thereto caled by the Church intending shortly if God permit to prove positively from the Scriptures that preaching is a work peculiar to Church-officers And before the Reader peruse the Treatise it selfe I shall desire him to take notice of these two particulars 1. That al the arguments which I have here undertaken to answer are stolen out of a Booke of Robinsons the famous Separatist entituled The peoples plea for prophesying I believe Chillenden would be content that the child should be divided for if it be wholly given to the right father upon my credit Chillenden must have no part in it 2. I have not taken
like nature Act. 8. 14 15 16 17. Act. 19. 3 4 c. 5. If these preachers had been private Christians dwellers at Jerusalem and had fled only for safety because the persecutio was hot in the City and when they were abroad took occasion to preach the Gospell is it not altogether probable that they vvould have returned home again to their families as soone as the persecution was ended No man can deny this Now I shall make it appeare that they staied forth above twice as long as the persecution lasted For the persecution began the ninth yeere of Tiberius Anno Christi 34. and it lasted till the time of Pauls coming to Jerusalem Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest which was about three yeere and a halfe after the persecution began in the yeere of Tiherius 12. and of Christ 37. Yet they that were scattered did not returne home though they might with safety for three or foure yeeres after this time Acts 11. 19. we read that they were got out of Canaan into Phenicia Cyprus and Syria preaching yet to the Jewes only This was in the fourth yeere of Cajus Caligula Anno Christi 41. For in that yeere did Antioch receive the Gospel and then was Barnabas sent thither from Jerusalem and thither he brought Paul after he had found him out and there did they two spend a whole yeere in preaching which was the next yeere after this I am speaking of for then came Agabus from Jerusalem and prophesied of a great dearth Acts 11. 28. which fell out in the second yeere of Claudius Anno Christi 43. according to the consent of Scripture and best Historians Therfore from the yeere of our Lord 34. till 41. were those Disciples a preaching that is some sixe or seven yeeres whereas the persecution ceased at three yeeres end more or lesse And yet we heare no newes of their returne but that they went on preaching in Phenicia Cyprus and Syria which to me I confesse is a very strong argument that they were not private Christians fled from Jerusalem for safety by reason of the persecution and so preached occasionally and accidentally but that they were Ministers sent abroad on purpose by the Apostles and at that time the rather because they would not adventure the surprisall of all their persons in one place lest the work of the Gospel should be retarded 6. They all that were scattered cannot be understood of the whole Church that is of all the beleevers in Jerusalem for the Text saith expressely that the Church that is beleevers staid at Jerusalem yea good store many housholds of them vers 3 and that when they all of whom the Evangelist speaketh were scattered abroad vers 1. And the truth iâ— it is a senslesse thing to imagine otherwise for if all the beleevers in Jerusalem were fled where could the Apostles be entertained where could they find harbour and protection that they should be able to lie couchant when ordinary private Christians could not yea and to what end and purpose should they stay when the Church for whose edification encouragement increase and government they there abode were all fled 7. Would not persecution much sooner take hold of the Heads and Ringleaders of a faction such as Christianisme waâ— then esteemed then of their followers Is it not probable that the Shepherd should be smitten before â—he Sheep were scattered can any man then think that the Church was fled and yet the Apostlâ—s continued quiet 8. That phrase Acts 11. 19. They preached to the Jewes only and that other Acts 8. 1. That they preached in the Regions of Judaea and Samaria seeme secretly to intimate what manner of men they were even such to whom Christ had spoken Acts 1. 8. Yee shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and in Samaria and Acts 13. 46. It was necessary that the Word of God should first be preached to you For which reasons I conceive that they who are here said to be scattered and to preach were not private gifted Christians but Ministers lawfully called and sent sorth to preach Let us here what Chillenden hath to the contrary Foure things hee sales whereof the three first are upon the point but one and therefore to them all I may returne one single Answer For whereas he saies 1. The Scripture gives no hint of it this appeares to be notoriously false from what I have proved by Scripture concerning them 2. Saith he They are onely called the Church at Jerusalem which is also false for they are not so called and if they were called so onely yet as long as the Scriptures are clear that by Church we are to understand the persons forementioned what matter is it for the name 3. saith he They preached onely upon occasion of the persecution Neither is this true for why then did they not returne home when the persecution was ended The persecution was the occasion why they were sent forth at that time rather then at another and if it were true then say we they did not preach meerely as guifted Bâ—ethren for then why preacht they not before persecution scattered them but as men called by thâ— present extraordinary necessity 4. Saith he Barnabas wâ— sent over to confirme them Aâ—sw So was Paul sent into Macedonia to help Acts 16. 9. They that were scattered went every where Acts 8. and therefore Barnabas was sent to carry some time amongst them for their confirmation which he also did even a whole yeere and upward Acts 11. 26. Some other objections there are men of straw which the Lieutenant sets up to buffet which we scorne to owne Chill Arg. Come we therefore to the next Argument and that is drawn from 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold graces of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God c. Answ To which we answer leaving the Lieutenants Dandiprats for himselfe to play with first That it is indeed every mans duty to improve the gifts of God in him for the benefit of others provided that he minister the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hee hath received it that is in that way which is suitable to the condition of the guift he has received But withal we assum that no man in these dayes hath received the gift of ordinary publique preaching but he that is called and that his very calling is a principall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or guift which he receives from the grace of God Rom. 12. 6. Having then guifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differing according to the grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is given to us which guifts in the words following he clearly interprets to be those offices to which they were called Is there no way of communicating guifts but in a way of preaching Is there not as exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13 a
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
seeing you are divided into Sects according to the names and number of them that Baptized you I am glad that I Baptized no more of you then I did because I would not be the Captaine and Ring-leader of a Sect. This I say seemes to be the plain meaning of the words which cleerely holds forth to me that Apollo Baptized as well as Paul or Peter and therefore was a Minister in Office as well as they Let us heare what Chillenden hath to the contrary Chill 1 Saith he The Scripture is altogether silent in it Answ Not altogether for what I have spoken for it I have spoken from Scripture And if the Scripture had been altogether silent yet were it nothing to the purpose for there were many Elders of whose ordination the Scripture speaks not a word but leaves us to infer they were ordained because they did the works of Elders As Crispus Tychicus Titus Demas and others Chill 2 Saith he We only find this of him in Scripture that he was instructed in the way of the Lord c. Answ Whether this be true or no let the Reader judge from what I have spoken of him Chill 3 Saith he He could be no Officer in the Jewish Church because he imbraced Jesus Christ nor in the Gentile Church because he knew only the Baptisme of John Answ Bables as if first there were no Church of the Jewes yet that embraced Christ and beleeved 2. As if he might not be a Minister of the Gentiles though he knew only the Baptisme of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expertus He experienced onely the Baptisme of John That is he was Baptized onely with Johns Baptisme and the Holy Ghost had not fallen upon him in such sort as upon the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell in those dayes which is spoken to his commendation and the magnifying of the Grace of God in him that he should be so knowing in the way of God and fervent in the work of God though he had been Baptized only with water into the Name of Christ which was Johns Baptisme Act. 19. 4. and had not received the Holy Ghost as it was then dispenced which was Christs Baptisme in distinction from Johns Matth. 3. 11. He shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 3. As if he might not be an Evangelist as Timothy was and so no setled Officer in any Church but an itenerant Preacher to every Church where he came which for my part I think is the truth because he travelled up and down with the Apostles And so much for his third Argument Chill Act. 8. 4. therfore that they were scattered a road went every where Preaching the word And Act 11. 19 20. It was the Church that were scattered therefore it was the Church that Preached and all the Church at Jerusalem were not ordained Officers Answ The most that can be made out from this Argument is this That to Preach some times upon occasion when by reason of persecution we may not enjoy our own Teachers and have no other helpe but our own gifts is lawfull But with what appearance of consequence doth it follow from hence that it is not onely lawfull but necessary for so Chillenden makes it for a private gifted man though not ordained to preach in a Church already constituted and under the order of the Gospell where Ministers may be and are ordained in a regular way and their people may have free accesse to them Necessity sometimes is instead of a Call These that were scattered grant that they were private Christians did not therefore preach because they were gifted for then they should have preached before persecution had scattered them But the present necessity was instead of an Ordination at least it was a Call of God for them to preach without Ordination when by reason of disturbances Ordination could not be had 2. But the Text sayes not that the Church was scattered abroad but they all were scattered abroad which particular they refers not to the whole Church but unto those who kept company with Christ while he lived and with his Apostles at Jerusalem after he was ascended even the 70 Disciples Act. 1. 15 21. who were all or most Evangelists 1. From the very beginning of the Book the Evangelist sets himselfe to relate the Acts of the Apostles together with the 70 Disciples though he instanceth most in Peter declaring how the spirit promised to be given them after Christs ascention did work effectually in their Ministery Therefore here he observes the same method 2. This is the more probable because he instanceth so suddainly and immediately in Philip ver 5. thereby shewing whom he meaneth-by they all vers 4. For had he spoken of a man that had pertained to a new company of whom he had made no mention before he would then have said a certain man named Philip or some such expression to give notice that he was directing his speech to another and a new subject But speaking so immediately of Philip it argues he is still upon the same company I meane the 70 Disciples who abode with the Apostles and received their commission from Christ as well as the Apostles upon whom also the Holy Ghost was powred down together with the Apostles Act. 2. they were therefore men ordained by Christ himselfe John 15. 16. to go and preach the Gospell Chillenden grants that Philip was ordained but it was saith he to be a Deacon an Office that did not bind him to preach Not remembring that the same man is expresly called an Evangelist Act. 21. 8. and that after he was chosen a Deacon and such as he was such seeme all the rest to be even Evangelists 3. It is said they went every where as Evangelists were wont to do preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is in the Greek a word that is never used but for preachers by function and though the word be a participle denoting an act and not a faculty yet it alwayes notes such an act as is performed by vertue of an Office 4. They did not only preach but it should seem they did Baptize too Act. 8. 12. 16. 38. and though Philip be the man whois there onely mentioned yet it is most probable that the rest who were scattered abroad Baptized also For Act 11. 21. a great number beleeved and turned to the Lord. Now the manner in those dayes vvas to Baptize men so soone as ever they made profession of Faith Act. 22. 16. and Act. 2. c. And therefore vve are to think the same of these at Antioch that they also were Baptized nay the rather because there is no other time mentioned vvhen nor person by vvhom they vvere Baptized Some of the Apostles vvere aftervvards sent dovvn to themfrom Jerusalem not to Baptize them but rather to confirm give the holy Ghost to them being already Baptized for that I find to be the end of their undertaking many other journeyes of the
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 â—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. â— 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. â— 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
seen the Lord and many Revelations they had of things not conteined in the Scriptures of the Old Testament which the Prophets had not 6 But be they what they will be their practise cannot be brought down as a precedent for private Christians in our dayes to prophesy because the gift of prophesy perished in that age when the Scriptures of the Old and New-Testament were accomplished For prophets were both in time and dignity before Pastors and Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. But the most honourable Office in the Church from thenceforth to the end of the world 1 Tim. 6. 14. is the Office of Pastors and Teachers 1 Tim. 5. 17. therefore prophesy is ceased being an extraordinary gift peculiar to Prophets onely not to all gifted believers Let us now heare what Chillenden sayes to the contrary Chill First saith he the whole body of the Church of Corinth was not extraordinarily gifted Answ Very true For some were Prophets not all Therefore the particle all vers 31. is not to be understood of the whole Church Chill Secondly saith he The Apostle forbids women to Preach because they must be subject to their husbands therefore he gives all men that were gifted leave to Preach Answ If this Argument be good it will infer a liberty for all men to preach of what condition soever as for gifted men for may not I argue thus No woman may preach because she is a woman Therefore every man may preach as well as infer this therefore every gifted man may preach unlesse the prohibition made to women reacheth only to gifted women And by the same reason that Chillenden upon that supposition of womens not preaching infers a liberty of preaching to men with this restriction if they be gifted by the same reason will I infer the same liberty for men with this restriction if they be ordained But for my part I conceive the Apostles prohibition as it reacheth generally to all women so it is intended specially against women which had or pretended that they had a spirit of prophesy for such then were in those dayes Act. 21. 9. though there be none now And I am inclined the rather thus to think because the Apostle doth not say simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Ai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which particle Ai as Scaliger the great observes is evermore determinative in the Scripture pointing out some speciall or individuall So that the Apostle doth hereby strictly forbid women though Prophetesses to preach in the Church and that for a morall reason which a positive precept doth not supersede because they must not usurpe authority over the man And therfore is the Church of Thyatira blamed for suffering that woman Jezebel to preach notwithstanding she called her selfe a Prophetesse Rev. 2. 20. Chill But Chillenden saith that women Prophetesses might Preach and proves it from Luke 2. 36. Exod. 15. 20. Judges 4. 24. Answ Women though Prophetesses never took upon them publiquely to teach the Church The places alledged do not prove the contrary nor any thing like it As for Anna Luke 2. 38. The Text saith she came in at that instant namely into the Temple and gave thankes unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem What is this to the purpose Is a particular thanksgiving before three or foure people and in all probability there were not many more at least in hearing a publique preaching before the Church And whereas it is said she spake of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem it must needs be understood privatly and from house to house for all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem which were many thousands were not then in the Temple to heare her speake And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate comming in at that instant signifieth that it was by meere accident that she came to the Temple at that time and therefore I do not beleeve that any of Jerusalem came thither to meet her To Miriam Exod. 15. 20. I answer That all that is said of her is this that shee and her maydens sang praises together to God though shee brought up the chore being a prophetesse And what they sang was no more then the very same which the men had sang before them for the text saith shee answered them ver 21. compared with ver 1. But what is this to publike preaching before the Church Because we allow women to singe in the Church must wee therefore allow them to preach in the Church Singing is for the edification of the members of the Church in particular not of the whole Church collectively therefore to sing is not properly to speake in the Church for he that singeth speaketh to himselfe Eph. 5. 19. To Deborah Iudges 5. which I suppose is the place you meane I say the same Deborah and Barak sang which is no preaching nor yet is it recorded whether publikely before the Church or privately as Mary and Elizabeth each to other Though I conceive also that in her case there might be some peculiarity shee being extraordinarily raised up to be a Queen and Judge in Israel and in that respect superior to all the men in Israel nor subject to any and therefore not equally bound with other women to observe the Apostles rule Chill But saies Chillenden The Apostle exhorts that the Church should judge of the Doctrine ver 29. If they had beene extraordinary Prophets they could not erre and then there had beene no need of iudging Answ The Apostle doth not exhort that the Church should Judge but the other prophets for as some had the gift of tongues speaking suddainly in a language they understood not and therefore God gave to others a gift of interpretation of tongues 1. Cor. 14. 27. 18. so many might be suddainly inspired with a spirit of Prophesy and therefore others had a gift of discerning of spirits whereby they knew a Prophet of God speaking from the spirit of God from a minister of Satan transformed 1 Cor. 12. 10. into an Angell of light for in those dayes there were false Prophets gone abroad who called themselves the Prophets of God I hill The Apostle ver 37. 38. exhorteth them to acknowledge the things hee writes to be the commandments of God Could they be thus infallibly guided by the spirit and yet must Paul call on them to acknowledge the things he writes to be the commandments of the Lord Jesus Answ Boys play As if 1. something might not be revealed to an Apostle and not to a prophet seeing something might be revealed to one Prophet and not to another ver 30. As if 2ly the Apostle did not here put an apparent distinction between a Prophet and a spirituall man if any man think himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall saith he as also a Prophet is distinguished from a righteous man Matt. 10. 41. ascribing to both a spirit of judgement the one by a propheticall gift for prophets could judge ver 29. the other by a gift of wisdome whereby the spirituall man judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. As for that phrase Let him acknowledge it doth not necessarily carry with it the force of an exhortation but of a simple affirmation as it were signifying who are the true Prophets of the Lord and who not as in the same phrase t is prophesyed that towards the latter end of the world good men shall grow better evill men worse Rev. 22. 11. Chill But vers 39. The Apostle puts them upon the use of meanes for this prophesying which argues the gift was not extraordinary Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T is in the Greek as vers 1. Be zealously affected towards or zealously desirous after spirituall gifts and what he meanes by it himselfe expounds vers 12 13 Even so yee for asmuch as yee are zealous of spirituall gifts seek that you may excell to the edifying of the Church Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret And this is all the meanes the Apostle prescribeth which is far from arguing that the gift was attaineable in a way of ordinary study and industry Though we also acknowledge that the spirit of prophesy might be quenched through the neglect and dissolutenesse of him who sometimes formerly had received it FINIS