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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96932	Private-men no pulpit-men: or, A modest examination of lay-mens preaching. Discovering it to be neither warranted by the Word of God; nor allowed by the judgement, or practise, of the Churches of Christ in New-England. / Written by Giles Workman, M.A. and master of the Colledge School in Gloucester. In answer to a writing published by John Knowls.	Workman, Giles, 1604 or 5-1665.	1646 (1646)	Wing W3583; Thomason E354_9; ESTC R201096	26,327	32

have the gift of prophesie to use it Answ This is true but no proof of his Doctrine the truth is this Scripture concludes against him The A … le requires that they who have these gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Prophesie and Ministery or Deaconship exercise them in humilitie and fidelitie He that hath the gift of Prophesie must prophesie and he that hath the gift of Ministery or Deaconship must do the duty of a Minister or Deacon Now who be they who have these gifts They that are by office Prophets and Ministers or Deacons or they that have abilities onely If you say the former the sense is they that are by office Preachers must preach which is most true but not to his purpose If you say the latter then the sense is Preach he that can and it will follow baptize he that can and rule he that can too Now to prove that the Apostle doth not take gifts here for abilities onely as you do these Reasons I propose to consideration 1. The word Gift is used in Scripture as I expound for the Office it self or gifted calling So Ephes 4. 8. He gave gifts unto men what were those gifts See ver 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers The office of an Apostle that is a gift the office of a Prophet that is a gift and so of the rest And so Mr. Cotton expounds The way of the Churches of Christ in New-England c. 2. Sect. 2. this place his words are That they were gifts we willingly acknowledge because all the Offices and Officers of the Church were given to the Church as well as the spirituall gifts and graces whereby they do execute those offices for so saith the Ap●stle when Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts to men What gifts Some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists c. So ●e His Testimony I gladly use not onely as he is a learned and godly man but because in this and all other particulars wherin I shall use him as a witnesse he is not singularis testis but carries with him the voice of the Churches of Christ in New England and of many in Old-England too as we shall see anon So again Ephes 3. 8. Vnto me is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles c. q. d. God of his grace without any merit in me hath given me the gift to preach to the Gentiles And what was this gift See Rom. 11. 13. I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office His office of Apostleship to the Gentiles with answerable abilities that 's implyed was his gift to preach to the Gentiles So you see Gift is taken in Scripture as well for the office as abilities And so Mr. Cotton doth expound this place Rom. 12. 6. which John Knowles urges his words are citing this Text Having then different gifts c. gifts Ibid. c. 2. S. 1. saith he comprehending both offices and grace Now John Knowles must prove 't is not so taken here or he proves nothing hence 2. If we take gift in his sense for abilities onely then these absurdities will follow 1. We may then proceed from abilities to the exercise of other callings for if ability to preach be sufficient to authorize one to preach without any more adoo then also ability to baptize and to rule and govern is sufficient to authorize any to baptize and to take on them to rule govern and judge as Rulers Magistrates and Judges do For there is the same reason for this in other Callings as in Preaching And the Apostle in this place speaks generally of other Callings as well as of Preaching Whether prophesie let us prophesie c. ver 6. He that ruleth let him do it with diligence v. 8. So then he that concludes hence That whosoever hath ability to preach may preach must conclude also that he that hath ability to rule may rule of which the former is usurpation the latter Sedition We say gifts are but the foundation of a Calling they do not warrant any to do the works of that Calling without any more ado To a Calling two things are required 1. Gifts or endowments 2. Authority This is plain in Joh. 20. 21. As my Father hath sent me so send I you There Christ gives his Apostles Authority v. 22. He breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost There he gives them their gifts as we commonly call them viz. abilities for their Calling So Jesus before his Ascension gives the Apostles their Authority Matth. 28 19 20. Go ye therefore c. But for the plenitude of Apostolicall gifts they must wait at Jerusalem till after his Ascension Act. 1. 4. Wait for the promise from the Father which ye have heard of me Where Luk. 24. 49. where this promise is expounded to be endued with power from on high And that was when they were all filled with the holy Ghost Act. 2. 4. Now gifts and abilities are not enough without Authority Christ we see gives these distinctly and the Apostles went not with one without the other If gifts without Authority or Calling were sufficient Vzzah might have carried the Ark as well as the Priests he and others had as able bodies and as good shoulders as the Priests if abilities were enough And there had been more Apostles then ever Christ made there were Preachers at Corinth who thought themselves and others thought them too in abilities before Paul whom they looked on and bade others look on him as one in respect of them base in presence and in speech contemptible And have not private persons Gifts to baptize as well as to Preach since Scripture and Reason shew that Baptisme is also in respect of Gifts a businesse inferiour to Preaching And have not Lawyers and some other private men Gifts to do those things that belong to the Judges and Magistrates office And by this Doctrine every such one may ay and must step up into the Judges and Magistrates seats of Justice Must I say because they teach that Gifts are their warrant sufficient and that ●od requires the exercise of them All then who have gifts to be Judges and Magistrates are sent of God to the Bench and Sword What bloodie confusions would this breed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a confusion as is inconsistent with and would soon subvert the Offices And will it not be the same in Ecclesiasticall Offices Yes 't is of Church matters Paul there speaks 1 Cor. 14. and saith God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints Yet extraordinary gifts that is miraculous we will grant bring authority with them therefore as these men take on them to prophesie which was an extraordinary and Temporary office of which anon as appears Ephes 4. 11. so could they speak with Tongues too we

would not question their Authority but hear and defend their Preaching 2. If all that can may and must preach the Ministers office were needlesse What need of Authority by office to do that which every one may and must do without it For Jo Knowls saith 't is Gods ordinance and the Apostle commands it and then I hope every one must do it In this City what use was there of Justices of Peace if every one here that hath any knowledge in such things and who would be found ignorant might do the Justices work in determining Causes and punishing offendors Preaching is the chief part of the Ministers office 't is the first and principall act of the Key of Authority or Cotton Keys of the Kingd c. 5. Rule And if it were the will of the Lord Jesus that this first and principall part of the Ministers office should be done promiscuously by any as well as by officers why then may not other lesse principall Acts be done by them too and what need then any office for this purpose To conclude about this place Doth St. Paul here speak of * This was one of the extraordinary degrees of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery in those dayes in which some persons by especiall inspiration of the holy Ghost were enlightned in the knowledge of Gods mysteries to expound them in the Church to which was often times ioyned the Revelation of secret and future things Diodat in loc prophesying by the Spirit i. by Revelation as some do interpret his meaning or of ordinary Preaching as others If of the former then Revelation is the gift and the sense is he that hath Revelations must prophesie which we grant If he speaketh of ordinary preaching as I think he doth then we say either prophesying here is a generall word containing under it the two Offices or Faculties immediately following viz. Teaching and Exhortation which answer to Pastors and Doctons Ephes 4. 11. And then the meaning is He that hath received the Gift i. the Office of Pastor or Doctor must wait on Exhortation or Teaching Or if with others we make not Appellat Prophetiam non solum eorum quae futura praescientiam sed eorum etiam quae sint occulta cognitionem Theodoret so many offices in this place as Pastors and Teachers to be two severall officers but say Exhortation and Teaching to be but two severall gifts in the same office yet none of them say that Paul speaks here of any other Exhorters and Teachers but such as are by office Ministers Nor that St. Paul speaks here of any other Prophets but such as were by office Prophets Prophets were set in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 29. set as officers even as Apostles and Governors and Teachers who are officers And you have as good warrant to say there were Lay-Apostles Lay-Teachers Lay-Governors who were gifted men Ruthers Right of Presbyt c. 5. S. 1 p. 300. not in office as you have to say there were Lay-Prophets or Prophets not in office Thus Divines expound this place either sense serves our turn and crosseth our Writers If this Exposition be not liked let this Writer or any other for him prove that there are in Scripture any other ordinary Prophets besides Pastors and Teachers or if he cannot prove that which will be hard to do let that be proved which he afterwards affirms that prophesie is here di●●inguished from offices as one particular differs from another else he saith nothing to the purpose nor can he conclude any thing certain or probable hence For we say Pastors and Teachers are the ordinary Prophets and none besides them Kno. It is the businesse of a Servant of God to use those Gifts for the edifying of the Church which God doth bestow on them for that same end Answ This is true but not as he applyes it That private persons gifts are bestowed on them for this end that they should be preachers of Gods Word we deny it must be proved And to what end then are womens gifts given them who must not preach He can no more hence conclude that private persons may preach then that every Lawyer gifted in the Law may step into the Judges Seats at Westminster and do their work For a Lawyer is bound to use those gifts God hath given him in the Law for the good of his brothers estate as well as a Christian is bound to use his gifts of grace for the good of his brothers soul Must every Lawyer therefore say 't is his businesse to do the Judges and Magistrates functions He would soon be taught to his cost that it was his usurpation if any should be so mad to enterprise it For satisfaction we answer 1. There are other wayes of using gifts for the edifying of the Church besides preaching Family-governors and Parents must edifie their children and family and God gives them gifts in prayer and knowledge and for that purpose And Christians must exhort and comfort and so edifie one another in Christian Conference and discourse and God gives them gifts for it ay to women many times no mean gifts this way as Scripture shews us in Priscilla and others and experience in many and yet no woman must preach yet hath she a large field to exercise her edifying gifts in 2. Sometimes Gifts are onely pretended In St. Paul's time some desired to be teachers or would be teachers who were 1 Tim. 1. 7. not qualified for such a businesse Wherefore the Apostle in that Epistle gives Timothy order that a Novice should not be admitted Cap. 3. 6. into the Ministery such having an eye to the honos credit but weigh not the onus burden of the work And as his perswasion of his own gifts will make him aspire so the tickling of applause in the exercise of his gifts would swell him with pride and endanger him And St. James hath an eye to this I think when he saith speaking of censures My bretbren be not many masters 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teachers indeed a Iam. 3. 1. Teacher hath a mastership and therefore a woman is forbidden to teach for that were to usurp authority over the man 1 Tim. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 34. * Reprehendit eos qui cum ad docendum vocati non sint tamen munus illud privato ausu affectant ac proindè ex ambitione jus rigidae censurae sibi ●n proximos arrogant Pisca in loc Let there not be many amongst you that attribute to themselves the authority of teaching reproving and censuring of others as thinking themselves more wise more holy and more sufficient Diodat in loc Beza's note on this place is Agit de eo morbo qui pervulgatus est in corporis etiam morbis quo fit ut plures sint medici quam aegroti Sic solet quivis existimare se ad docendum quàm ad discendum aptiorem i. St. James treats of that disease which is common also in the

diseases of the body by which it comes to passe that there are more Phisitians then Patients So every one is wont to think himself fitter to teach then to learn So he 3. Where be gifts indeed fit for the Ministery such must desire the office and the exercise thereof Hear the Apostle to all such This is a true saying if a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth 1 Tim. 3. 1. a good work God doth and the Church must encourage and receive such into the Ministery as are fit for it and encourage them to desire and undertake it For the charge is so great as the great Apostle felt that some sensible of it need incouragement and drawing a spurre as much as some others do a bit a barre What means e●se that phrase of our Saviour Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrust Matth 9. or cast out Labourers into his Vineyard We in our dayes may with compassion look upon as great a Harvest in the three Kingdoms as our Lord Jesus did in Judea As He commands we must pray the Lord of the Harvest to Gift and send more out where they are wanting The Church and such as are intrusted in this businesse must call and they must enter into office and then be Preachers This is Christs order to be called to the office of the Ministery then preach they that do not this do for ought I know crosse Christs order preach unwarrantably and walk disorderly in this particular We come to the second place alledged for Lay-mens preaching and that is Act. 8. 1. At that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad thorowout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles 4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word Here he supposes that these who preached here were private persons in the same condition as Lay-men with us And therefore our Lay-men may preach so as they do even as these Primitive Christians did 1. We will examine his proof that these Preachers were private men and if he makes not this good he proves nothing 2. We will shew that if it could be proved that these were private men this example will no way help to prove the lawfulnesse of that practise which our Lay-preachers use and plead for 1. How doth he prove them private men this is all this proof which is nothing satisfactory Kno. They were not the Apostles as it is apparent v. 1. and at this time there were no Offi●ers in the Church save the Apostles and Deacons as we read of Answ We grant they were not the Apostles for they stayed at Jerusalem v. 1. and he grants there were Deacons and they were more then Lay-men for he cals them Officers and the Scripture shews that they had imposition of hands Act. 6. 6. so they were not all private persons But grant it was not a Deacons office to preach how doth he prove there were no other officers at this time He must prove out of Gods Word that before this persecution there were no other Officers and if these were all private persons at Jerusalem he must prove that the Apostles gave them no Commission to preach when they went thence and supposing this then that God did not give them commission by immediate Revelation till he prove this there is nothing hence to satisfie them that seek Scripture-warrant but onely to beguil inconfiderate people All that is said for this is there were none as we read of He may read of them if he will as others do But by this time doth he mean before this scattering by this persecution or after If before I answer two things 1. A very learned man saith that the seventy Disciples Rutherf Due Right of Presbyt c. 5. S. 1. p. 292. Id. ibid. p. 293. were Pastors in office v. 1. The Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them not onely to preach but to work miracles and this makes them more then private persons And the same man tels us that learned Divines think that these of the scattered Church who preached were the seventy Disciples 2. Grant that the first commission of these seventy Disciples was but temporary and that all these before this dispersion were at Jerusalem but private persons No need of other Preachers at Jerusalem whilest all the Apostles were there and Deacons were not made till need required them Act. 6. But after this dispersion he may read of others if he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophets and Evangelists the Apostles fellow-labourers in the work of the Ministery That there were such see Act. 13. 1. chap. 15. 32. and often And Act. 21. 8. we shall finde that Philip one of the seven Deacons and one of these that were scattered abroad is now an Evangelist And that these Prophets and Evangelists were Officers is plain Ephes 4. 11. Now can this Writer finde the time when they were put into office He will have Philip and all the rest of the scattered Christians to go from Jerusalem private persons Philip but a Deacon at most afterwards we finde some of them Prophets some Evangelists can it be proved they were not appointed to these Functions when they left Jerusalem It will be hard to prove it yet that and more then that must be proved as we shall see anon or his Argument and Cause fals for any help it can have from this place Wherefore I oppose these three considerations against what is said to prove that these Preachers were private persons 1. The Apostles had a charge from the Lord Jesus to preach the Gospel to every creature and herewith they had power as to preach themselves so to authorize and send forth other men to that work And this they did practise every where as opportunity offered and necessity required witnesse the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles sending forth Prophets and Evangelists the Apostles Assistants in their extraordinary work to plant and gather Churches or to confirm them that were planted and to ordain Pastors and Teachers in setled Churches And how will it be proved that the Apostles did not give Authority to these men to preach the Gospel as they went Was there not need when the Apostles themselves must stay at Jerusalem v. 1. and the Gospel must be preached abroad at the sametime And is it probable nay is it not to question the Apostles care that they being trusted with the spreading of the Gospel should let these men go and give them no order to preach it which if they did it's enough especially since this persecution came by Gods Providence for this very end that they whom peace held together in comfortable fellowship at Jerusalem being dispersed might spread the Gospel as they went Is there any Scripture Reason or sense to the contrary And if the Apostles gave them order to preach then

of Tongues and to speak with Tongues in the Scripture sense what is it Not to speak Tongues as we learn by study and pains-taking as by study we learn the Latin Greek Hebrew Caldee c. This indeed is a Gift of Tongues but not in the Scripture sense but such Tongues as are given by God without mans pains for Tongues are a signe to unbeleevers 1 Cor. 14. 22. T is when men do by the Spirit of God speak those Tongues which they never learned and which the hearers know they are ignorant of otherwise they cannot be a signe to them being unbeleevers So the Apostles known to be unlearned men on the sudden the holy Ghost descending on them spake many severall sorts of languages at which the hearers were amazed Now how will John Knowls avoid this but that he and all Lay-preachers are commanded here thus to speak with Tongues See what absurdities follow wresting Scripture which wresters have for their pains Kno. He Paul would that they all did speak with tongues but rather that they prophesie c. from whence we gather that a man may prophesie though he cannot speak with tongues Answ You gather that which is not there sown In my Logick all that you can gather hence is that the Apostle here prefers prophesying which was most edifying before speaking with The Corinthians did more desire the gift of tongues as that which caused more admiration Dioda in loc 1 Ioh 4. 20. tongues which they most affected because it served most ad pompam for applause and admiration That this is all you can gather hence you shall see in an instance Let me thus argue I would that you should love your brother but rather that you love God whence I gather that a man may love God though he do not love his brother this is false as the Apostle teaches us and so is your collection unlesse you can prove by Scripture that it is contingent that prophesie and tongues should be in the same person As indeed thus I may argue I would have you a good Artist but rather a good Christian hence I gather a man may be a good Christian though no good Artist But that it is thus contingent that tongues and prophesie be in the same person you are to prove Mr. Cotton you see is against you The same persons saith he that Keys of the Kingd of Hea. c. 5. had the gift of prophesie in the Church of Corinth had also the gift of tongues which put on the Apostle a necessity to take them off from their frequent speaking with tongues by preferring prophesie before it And we shall finde the twelve first Disciples at Ephesus receiving the Act. 19. 6. Spirit by Paul's laying on of hands spake with tongues and prophesied They who spake with tongues prophesied But grant him that one man may have the gift of prophesie and not of tongues yet one Church hath not the gift of prophesie is in no Church but the gift of tongues is in the same If one man hath the one gift another hath the other in the same Church They spake with tongues and prophesied go together if 1 Cor. 13. 8. Act. 19. 5. not in the same person yet in the same Church Kno. All may prophesie v. 31. Answ The Minister had told him that these all were not Lay-men but Prophets v. 29. 32. Kno. Herein He the Minister hath put his Reader in as great doubt as before to know who these Prophets are which the Author hath not here expressed either because he was ignorant of it on else because he feared that if he should rightly define them it would make little to his purpose and therefore glosseth it over as well as he could Answ No such ignorance nor cause of fear we shall define them and then let the Reader judge whether our definition of them be not as much to our purpose as his definition he gives by and by is little to his purpose To answer therefore a 1 Cor 14. 29. 32. The Scripture here saith they were Prophets and Prophets were set in the Church b 1 Cor. 12. 28 Ephes 4. 11. Rutherf Right of Presbyt c. 5. S. 1 p. 300. as Officers even as Apostles and Evangelists and Teachers and Pastors who are Officers as a learned man observes But to help John Knowls and his Reader in this great doubt I will tell him who these Prophets were by the help and in the words of two men too mighty in the Scriptures for him to slight so easily Dr Rainolds and Mr. Beza Hear the first Illi sine controversia Prophetae sunt Paulo qui extraordinariis quibusdam Dr. Rainolds de lib. Apocr praelect 34. donis ornati erant Ex ii● etiam quae illis attribuuntur manifestum est superiores eos fuisse Pastoribus Doctoribus c. i. They without controversie are Prophets in Paul's sense who were indued with extraordinary gifts And it is manifest by those things which are attributed to them that they were superiour to Pastors and Doctors So He. Hear the other Revelationem conjungo prophetiae ut plane hic opus sit caelesti Beza in loc quodam dono peculiari quod homines suo marte consequi non possint Prophetia est effectum Revelationis i. I joyn revelation to prophesie that to prophesying there is need of a peculiar heavenly gift which men cannot attain unto by their own industry and endeavour and prophesie is the effect of revelation So He. These men no children in Scripture-knowledge tell us these Prophets were without controversie men of extraordinary gifts that it is manifest they were superiour to Pastors and Teachers that prophesie is an effect of revelation joyned Way of the Churches of Chr in N. Eng. c. 2. S. 2. with Revelation And saith not the Scripture the same Observe 1. They were Officers Ephes 4. 11. and 1 Cor. 12. 28. All there mentioned are spirituall gifts So Mr. Cotton 2. They were extraordinary Officers such as the Apostles and Evangelists were This is evident in the last cited places Ephe. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Mr. Cotton on those places saith The Apostle Loc. cit reckoneth up here ministeries or offices which God hath set in his Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets under whom your Evangelists are comprehended as being of equall rank with them So He and speaking of Evangelists saith Whose office was alike extraordinary Ibid. S. 8. as that of Apostles and Prophets 3. They were in order and place above Pastors and Teachers the ordinary Ministers so they are placed Ephes 4. 11. Some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists not onely before Pastors and Teachers but before Evangelists And the Apostle is more curious in enumerating 1 Cor. 12. 28. First Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers It is evident by the words of order Loc. cit that he intendeth to reckon the first sorts in their due order As Apostles are before