smother one truth under another For albeit the women of Corinâth were become so mannish as that they would prophesiâ uncovered and withovt their veile the ensigne oâ their subiection yet doth not the Apostle meddle at all with that malady in this place but in the 11. cha. of the Epistle as himselfe noteth Here and in Tim. he simply forbids the thing there the manner of doing it Likewise for their being as forward to speake as their husbands and in their preâence it may be true in part and in some But what then Doth the Apostle in these places onely forbid their speaking uncouered and permit them to teach so it be veiled or forbids he onely their being as forward as their husbands but gives them leaue to speake in the Church so it be with good manners after their husboÌds which his answer insinuates Or is it not evideÌt to all that will not shut their eyes that he simply that severely inhibits them all speaking whatsoever in this exercise Are not the words plain enough Let the women keep silence in the Church for it is not permitted to them to speake but to be under obedience as the Law sayth And againe It is a shame for them to speak in the Church And in 1. Tim Let the women learne in silence with all subiection And I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority ouer the man but to be in subjection For Adam was first formed c. Do not and every one of the Reasons binde women to all âeace and deepe silence in the Church yea to such âd so absolute as that they may not so much as aske question for learning any thing themselues ver. 35. âuch lesse teach others any thing I therefore conâude this as a most certain and undeniable truth ââat the Apostle speakes here of such a gift and exârcise as women are simply forbidden to use in the âhurch and therefore not of an extraordinary gift âr exercise which they might use lawfully and did âoth before and a long time after the writing of this âpistle His last answer now comes in consideration which âs that the consiquence is ill women are forbidden and âherefore men are permitted to prophesie in the Church by ân ordinary gift If the consiquence seem not good why doth he so strugle as before otherwise to make an escape froÌâhe Argument let us coÌsider of the force of it which appeareth to me irresistable in these 3. things First the Apostle in and for this worke opposeth the men to the women sex to sex and so in prohibiting women he permits men When the H. Ghost opposing faith and works in the cause of iustification denies that we are iustified by works is not then the consequence good that therefore we are iustified by faith where he opposeth beleevers and vnbeleevers in the ââse of Saluation and teacheth that beleevers shall be saued doth he not teach consequently that vnbeleevers shall perish if consequences be not goodââ must confesse my selfe farre to seeke both in Logiââ and Divinity Secondly the reasons of the prohibition of womââ proue the consiquence which are all such as prefeââ the men before the women and subiect the women to the men in the Church and in this very work of prophesie of which he treateth But now if in prohibiting women he gaue not liberty unto men where were the prerogatiue of men aboue women which is the onely ground upon which he buildeth his prohibition Thirdly where verse 34. 35. It is not permitted for women to speak but if they will learn any thing to ask then husbands at home if their husbands might not speake neither nor any more then they what reason can be rendred of the Apostle so speaking Lastly M. Yates in denying this consequence sheweth that so he might deny something he tooke no great heed what it were The Apostle in this whole Chap takes order for some to prophesie and debarring women therefrom either admits men to the use of that liberty or els we must haue some third kinde of persons thought of which are neither male nor female My fourth Argument is from verse 29 and 32. Lââ the prophets speake âwo or three and let the rest iudgâ ând the spirit of the prophets are subiect to the prophets âhence I affirm that the Apostle speaks not of exâraordinary prophets or prophesying since they in âheir Doctrine could not erre and so were not subâect to any such iudgment or censure of others He ânswereth roundly though briefly in this place that âhese prophets were not infallibly assisted and more largây in another place that such prophets as haue an inâallible assistance are noâ subiect to this Rule but others âhat had but as the Apostle sayd Rom. 12. 6. meaner âifts were to be examined according to the pâoportion of âaith so that extraordinary prophets might mix some of âheir own with the extraordinary gifts of Gods spirit âhich was to be censured by such as had a greater meaâure for none are to thinke that all that haâ thâse extraordinary gifts were free from errour in their veây doctrine We see the strange gift of tongues was abused and so âight the rest be That one extraordinary Prophet had a greater meaâure and proportion of gifts then another I acknowâedge but that any one of them could erre in doctrin or was not infallibly assisted therein by the spirit â deny as a most pernicious errour weaking the foundation of faith and truth of the word of God neither hath Master Yates so much as enterprised an answer unto the Scriptures brought by me to proue the contrary which were Ephesians 2. 20. where the Ephesians as the houshold or Church of God are said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets c. chap. 3. 5. where he speaks of âmistery of Christ which in other ages was not mâ known unto the sonnes of men as it is now revealed uâ his holy Apostles and Prophets by the spirit When it apeares that the Church is as well built upon tââ foundation of the prophets to wit extraordinarâ which then were for of them he speaketh as upââ the doctrine of the Apostles and they as infalliblâ euen for the very foundation inspired by the Holâ Ghost as the other So that if the Prophets coââ erre in doctrine then the Apostles if in doctrinâ taught why not written and if one alone why nâ more or all and if they might erre how know ââ that they did not erre If he say the meaner in gift might erre but not the greater first the same folloâeth also touching the Apostles how much more touching the Prophets before Christ not comparible tâ those after him why then may there not be errors in the writings especially of those meaner gifts as without doubt some were in comparison of the rest what whether this wind will bring who seeth not Moreover whereas wee propound such interpretations and doctrines as we
conceived that a second oâ third especially seeming provided to speake by seating themselues in the same place with him migââ have something revealed further or otherwise theâ he had Which Revelation the Apostle doth not oppoââ to fore-going study as M. Yates thinketh but unto emulation and study of contradiction teaching thaâ the spirit alone must be heard in the Church speaking by whose mouth soever And that there is iâ the Church an ordinary spirit of revelation besideâ comfortable experience these places amongst many other do clearly prove Mat. 11. 28. 16. 17 Eph. 1. 17. Pâil 3. 17. M. Yates ARG. 9. FRom vocation ver. 29. 32. 37. these spirituall men are called Prophets and to imagine a Prophet without a calling that which the Scripture will not endure therefore all these ârophets either had immediate calling from God or mediate âom men or else they took it up themselves the two first weââant lawfull callings but this intollerable Numb 11. 28. the servant of Moses sayâs Forbid Eldad and Medad to prââesie his reason was because he thought they had no calling âhich had bin true if they had taken it up without immediate ââpiration But Moses knowing that it was from God wishâ that the like gift might be upon all Gods people so that âose were true Prophets for the instant by an immediate call âm God and the text sayes They added no further âââwing âat as the gift ceased so did they I. Rob. ASWER âT is true that spirituall men are called Prophets â or rather Prophets Spirituall men what is it theââ that makes a spirituall man but the gift of the ââirit and what a prophet ordinary or extraordinaââ but the gift of prophesie ordinary or extraordiââry Whereupon it followeth undeniable that so âany with us or elsewhere as haue the ordinary gift â ability to prophesie are Prophets though out of ââfice In this Argument he hath made a snare wherwith himselfe iâ taken unavoidably Secondly ââ affirme that our Prophets haue a calling which haâe declared formerly not to make them Prophâ by condition or estate for that they are by the gifts but for the use or exercise of the same gift bâfore bestowed upon them by the Lord through the labour and industry Of Eldads and Medads prâphesying we shall speak hereafter onely note wâ in the meane While how M Yates and rightly proportioneth their prophesying to their gift as wâ doe also ours according to that of the Apostle Haâing then gifts differing according to the grace that is ââven to us whether prophesie let us prophesie according â the proportion of faith or a ministery let us waite on ââ ministery Rom. 12. 6. 7. They then that haue a gifâ must prophesie according to their proportion M. Yates ARG. 10. FRom distinction v. 37. the Apostle from the whole Chââturnes himself to their Prophets and spirituall men sheâing plainely that these had some particular place aboâ the rest and he gives them speciall charge to obserue the thing he writes to the Church therefore those were in some callââ aboue others and to imagine the contrary is to run wide of tâ current of the whole Scripture to set men in publick place wiâout calling is the same with confusion and disorder I. Rob. ANSW THis Argument is founded upon the groundlesse presumption with the former viz. that there is in the Church no lawfull calling for men able to ârophesie but by officing them And for Pauls turâing his speach to the Prophets ver 37. it shewes inâeed that they were aboue the rest after a sort and so âhey are with us rightly preferred before others which want that endowment of the spirit by which âhey are enabled to speake to the edification of the Church The Confirmation of the Scriptvres and reasons brought in my booke to proue publick prophesying out of office by an ordinary gift AND before wee come to examine M. Yates his Answers to the Scriptures by me produced I âesire the Reader to obserue with mee these two âhinges first that I doe not affirme in my book âhat al the there alledged Scriptures are meant of orâinary but prophesie that the same is proued by them Neither will he I persume deny but that many âhinges are sufficiently proued from a scripture by âecessary consiquence and iust proportion besides the particular properly intended in it 2. That M. âates so puts the questian as that it is hard to say say whether he doe mee or himsefe the moâ iniury namely whether the places prove an ordânary gift of prophesie out of office For as I do not saâ that they proue the gift but the vse and excerciâ of the gift bestowed by God whether ordinary â extraordinary so neither would he haue dinied haâ he not leaped before he had lookt but that otheâ besides ministers haue an ordinary gift of prophesyâ Where the Apostle requires of him that desires an office of a Bishop that he be apt to teach 1. Tim. 3. 1. 2âand able to exhort with sound doctrine Tit. 1. 9. dotâ he not therein most evidently teach that the gift and ability to teach preach and prophesie not onely may but must both be and appeare to be in the person to be called to the office of ministery Heâ that is not a prophet or hath not the gift of prophesying or preaching for by his gift he is a prophet and by the use of it he occupies the place of a prophet before he be apointed a Pastor is an Idol shepherd set up in the temple of God neither doth the office giue on âo much indeed as encrease the gift but onely giues solemn commission and charge to use it The first Scripture by me brought is Numb. 11â 29. Where Moses the man of God wisheth that the whole people of the Lord were Prophets the Lord putting his spirit upon them This place saith M. Yates in his Answer speakes of the powring of the Spirit in an extraordinary manner may appeare by the occasion of the speach verse â4 c. Where he also in a tedious manner as his âânner is he proueth the gift of prophesying giân to the 70. Elders to haue been extraordinary âhich as I deny not so neither needed he to haue âoved But this I affirme that hence is proued the âwfullnesse of ordinary prophesying out of office â men inabled thereunto And first as Moyses wiâed that all the Lords people were Prophets the Lord âving his spirit unto them so the minister may and âght to wish that the Lord would so blesse the orâânary endeauours of his people now by his spirit as âat they all might be Prophets that is able for gifts â speak to edification The minister which desireth ât this enuieth for his owne and the Clergies sake âhich Moses would not that Ioshua should doe for âs Secondly Moses makes it all one to bee a ârophet and to have the Lord putting his spirit vpââ a man Now if the Lord so giving his spirit unââ a
man as that he thereby be inabled extraordinaâly to prophesie make him an extraordinary proâhet why should not by due proportion such a âift of the Spirit given by the Lord to a man as by which he is inabled to prophesie ordinarily serue alââ to make him an ordinary Prophet and so by conââquence if there be amongst us any though out of âffice so enabled to prophesie or preach what hinâreth them from being Prophets euen of the Lords own making by his spirits gift and worke upoâ their study and ândeauours And if they be Prâphets then may they Prophesie which Moses also â that place insinuates for in wishing that they weâ all Prophets he wisheth as wel the use as the posseâsion of the gift M. Yates may see a very learned maâIo Wolphius in his comment upon 2. Kin. 23. shewing by this place the libertie of priuate Christianâ that are able to speak and teach not onely in ordinary congregations but even in most solemn Councelâ The next place is 2 Chron. 17. 7. where Kinâââhosaphat sent his Princes to teach in the Cities of Iâdâââ and with them the Levites c. M. Yates accounts it a monstrous conceite that the princes should be publique teachers which saith he werâ onely by theyr presence and authority to back the Leuitesâ adding that the traslation is mended by Iunius anâ Tremelius c. but if the Iewes heard him professing the knowledge of Moses and the Prophets to speak so they would marvaile at his ignoranceâ of a thing so frequent and evident in their writings with whom it is and euer hath been a receaued truth that any of their wise men as they after the Scriptures math. 23. 34. 1. Cor. 1. 20. Iââ 18-18 call them may and ought to teach in theyr synagogues without respect had to office neither doth the translation of Iunius and Tremelius by any necessity make for him neither can it be set against me without violence to the originall from the simplicity âhere of they do with due reverence unto them be spoken seeme vnto mee some thing to turne aââe in the 8 ver. Pagnine the 70 Interpreters Ieromâd all our English Bibles carry it directly to our âse And if the conceit be monstrous that these princes âeached publikely it is not bred onely in my braine âe uery same scripture having been alledged very ââely by the publick Professour in the Vniversitie âLeyden in a solemne assembly as expresly proving â lawfull for others then ministers to teach publickâ And because much weight lieth upon this ground âhich yet hee thinketh very sandyâ and light I will âake it cleare to all indifferent mens indgments that âese Princes and so others in Israell and Iudah ââough no Levites nor Church officers might lawââlly teach and preach publickly in the Temple âynagogues and Cities First then all Princes Magistrates Indges âd Governours were bound to open expound and âply the Laws by which they governed according â the severall occasions offred otherwise they ruled â tyranny appetite which laws for al administraâons even of the common wealth were onely the written word of God wherupon I conclude that if â open expound and apply the word of God be to âreach and teach they then had not onely power âut charge so to doo 2 It may appeare what these Princes of Iekosapâ partaking of his power were to do in this cause which he himselfe and other godly kings haue doâ the sum of his most pithy sermon we haue recordâ 2 Chron. 19. unto the Iudges vers. 6. 7. and unto â Levites vers. 9. 10. 11. as also his divine prayer â to God in the publike Congregation chap 20. 5. c. Likewise the excellent sermon of King Heâ kiah unto the Priestes and Levites in the very Teâple 2. Chron. 29. 4. 5. c. also of Nâhâmiaâ with âthers teaching the people the Law of the Lord Neh. 10 the Kings and Princes being as shepherds feed the people as by Goverment so by instructiâ in the Law of their God Defend wee downe lowâ to the time of Christ and we shall see this matâ put out of al question Do we not read every wheâ how that the Scribs Pharisees and Lawers did teaâ publickly amongst the Iewes of whom yet maâ were no Levites or Church officers but indifferenâ of any tribe Phil. 3. 5. And if it were not the receâved order in Israel of old for men out of office â speake and teach in publick how was Iesus the ââ of Mary admited to dispute in the Temple with â Doctors Luk. 2. 46. and to teach ând preach in the Synagogues so commonly as he did Mat. 9 35. Luk. 16. 17. and how were Paul and Barnabas sitting dowâ in the Sinagogues sent unto after the lecture of the Lâây the ruler that if they had any word of exhortation ãâ¦ã people they should say on Act. 13. 14. 15. But if any man shall answer that these were exâordinary persons and so taught by an extraordinaâ gift he speakes the truth but to no purpose For âat was that to the order receiued in the Temple âd Synagogues and to the Rulers thereof who did ât beleeve in Christ nor acknowledge either his his Apostles authority but onely admitted them to the use of their gift as they would haue done âd did ordinarily any other men able to teach as also â rulers of the Synagogues of the Iews do at this ây The third place is mistaken by the printer in oâitting onely one prick which was corrected in any Coppies and might easily haue been obserued ââ the Reader For Ier 50. 45. it should be Ier. 50 â 5. M. Yates therefore upon this Scripture refutes âs owe guesse and not my proofe The fourth place is Math. 10. 1. 5. 6. where âhrist calling unto him his 12 Disciples sends them to âeach the Kingdom of heauen to the lost sheep of Israel His answer is that the 12 Apostles were called into ofâce and had their calling from the first election of Christ âut had a further confirmation after greater measure â Gods Spirit to lead them into al truth as a Iustice of âace may be put into office and yet receiue a further âonârmation yea and greater meanes to performe his plâââ â affirme on the other side and shal evidently ãâ¦ã it God assisting mee that these 12 were not actâ possessed of their Apostleship till after Christs surrection but were onely Apostles elect as you him the Major elect who hath not the office of âjor committed to him of a good space after Neiâ am I herein of the mind with the Papists to put Yates out of feare that Peter was not in office â Christ gave him charge to feed his sheep Joh. 21 whâ yet I am peâswaded never Papist held of his Apoâship but of his primicy and universall headshâ or Bishoprick but of the same mind whereof hâ selfe is in his first argument to wit that his comâsion Apostolick was actually conferred upon â ioyntly
necessarily follow that any ordinary example will breake this rule if it be not framed accordingly therfore I constantly affirme that no ordinary prophesie ought to be out of office As for extraordinary that can not oppose this rule because it is oâ an other nature and therefore is not to be limited within the compasse of an ordinary rule Secondly I answer That all the prophesies out of office were by the secret motion of the spirit which was warrant for all such aâ had no calling by office thereunto ANSW I. Robinson THat all prophesie in publick and in priuate also is for the remitting and retaning of sinnes I acknowledge but that Christ grants this power to none but to such as he sends and ordaines by the Commission given Iohn 20. 21 c. I plainly deny and require his proofe He should then grant it to none but to Apostles for the commission there given is peculiar conveyed to them immediatly from Christ confirmed by the miraculous in breathing of the H. Ghost and by them to be exercised and dispensed principally towards unbeleevers of all which nothing iâ common to ordinary officers As Christ then gives power of binding and loosing sins to the Apostleâ there so else where to ordinary Pastors Ephe. 4 Else where to the whole Church gathered together in one Mat 15. 17. 18. 1. Cor 5. 2 Cor. 6. 6. 7 8 9. 10. And Lastly in other places to every faithfull brother confessing Iesus Christ Mat 16. 18. 19. c. and Cap. 18. 15. Luk. 17. 3. And since the power of binding and loosing sinnes is onely by way of manifestation and declaration of the word of God the Law and the Gospell Look unto whom the word of God is given vnto him the power of binding and loosing sins is giuen though to be vsed by divers states of persons after a diverse order which order doth in no sort abolish the being of the thing but only preserues it from confusion And where he takes it for granted that the examples for Prophesying out of office in the Scriptures were extraordinary as Cains marryng of his Sister and the Iewes the Isralites he should say stealing from the Egiptians his comparisons are without compasse and his affirmations without truth These their practices were against the light of nature and morall law then written in the tables of mens hearts and afterwards written in the tables of stone sâue as there was an extraordinary dispensation by the Lord of the Law and God of nature But what like is there in this that a man out of office hauing receiued a gift of God whither extraordinary or ordinary by which he is enabled to prophesie that is to speake to edification exhortation and comfort of the Church should so use the same good gift of God in his time and order What Eclipse is here of the light of nature or violation of naturall honesty if M. Yates had remembred the Law which forbad men to Plough with an oxe and asse together Deu. 22. 10. he Would not thus haue yoked together things of so vnlike kinde And for the secret motion of the spirit by which in his second answer he affirmeth that all prophesies out of office were he speaketh both that which is true and against himselfe For what were these secret motions of the spirit but the Prophets zeal for Gods glory and mans good which also were sufficient on their part for the use of the gift whither ordinary or extraordinary whither in men in office or out it was not material So that for the vse even of an extraordinary gift there was required at least at all times no extraordinary motion of the Spirit But onely that which was and is ordinary to them and us God therfore for his own glory and the good of his people giuing the gift whither extraordinary or ordinarily unto a man he hath a warrant sufficient from his zeale to Gods glory and mans saluation to use the same gift in his time place and order Of which hereafter M. Yates A. R G. â FROM the execution of a publick function in the Church Prophecy ordinary is by preaching to bring the glad tidyngs of peace and good things to Gods people and this the Apostle sayes is not warrantable without sending Rom. 10. 15. We must feed the flock because we are set ouer it Acts. 20. 20 to prophesy to Gods people is an honourable calling and none ought to take it upon him but he that is called of God as was Aron Heb. 5. 4. The place of Iudas is called a Charge Act. 1. 20. the ministers are the light of the world Mat. 5. 14. Stars in the right hand of Christ Rev. 1. 20. Iohn was a man sent from God Ioh. 1. 6. Christ sent his Apostles in the midst of wolues Mat. 10. 16. I haue not sent these Prophets saytâ the Lord and yet they ran Ier. 23. 2. as many as found not their Genealogie to be from Levi from Aaron he should say were put from the priesthood Neh. 7. 64. All these places keep us to an ordinary rule and for all ordinary prophecying there can be no exception from it without an open breach thereof as for all your places of prophecying out of office they are all of them to be vnderstood of the extraordinary which cannot be tyed to ordinary rules For so we should abridge God of his liberty but we must beware of imitation least we become licentious ANSWER HERE is a long harvest for a small croppe All that can be gathered hence either by reaping or gleaning is no more then that no man may exercise a publick function or office of ministry in the Church without a lawfull sending or calling from the Lord by the meanes which he hath sanctified Which as it concerneth M. Yates well to consider of especially reckoning as he professedly doth his Genealogy from the Pope of Rome so doth it not impeach our prophets at all who haue a lawfull calling for the use of their gift though not so solemne neither need they as they who are to exercise and fulfill a constant ministery and charge But for the word Sending which he so much urgeth it must be known that as all that teach lawfully whither in office or not are sent by Christ in respect of their personall gifts and graces so ordinary officers are not sent by those who appoint them to minister as were the extraordinary Apostles sent by Christ who appointed them Sending importeth a passing of the sent from the sender to an other and so the Apostles were sent by Christ to preach the Gospell to the Iewes and Gentiles but so are not Pastors sent by the Church which calleth them vnto others but by her appoynted to minister to her selfe They who were in their time Apostles afterwards they might be sent to minister they who are Pastors are sent by Christ first as members or in their persons or personal gifts that as pastors they may afterwards be
that prudent application these two gifts with a âuitfull vtterance of them could be no ordinary gifts studied ât by their own pains but such as the H. Ghost doth immeâiately inspire into them I shovld âe very glad to heare that âur Congregations were full of these wise and understanding âen then I doubt not but you would the sooner recall your âlâes The three next gifts of faith healing and great âorkes are undoubtedly extraordinary and were never to bee ââtained by any study of ours For the foure last I doubt not âât you will grant three of them extraordinary Discerning of ââirits was not by ordinary meanes but extraordinary as you âay see in Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus and others âhich were seene by an extraordinary Spirit For strange ângues I hope you will not stand in granting it if you consiââr but the first originall of them Act. 2. and for interpretaââon of these tongues that was as difficult as the other why âould you now stick at prophesy which I will plainely shew âas more difficult then both the rest For how should either ââ or I come to be able to prophesy except there were somââilfull in the originall tongues as likewise the helps of comâentaries and interpretations You see God appointed these â meanes to helpe us to prophesie and where they are wanâng it is simply impossible for any man to become an ordinary ârophet Indeed the H. Ghost can supply the want of both âese therefore will you ââll you it must be granted that âis prophesy was extraordinarie For take away the ordinary âeanes of prophesie and then the thing it selfe will cease now ââ may plainly understand that the Primitiue Church had ât these means of prophesie that you see wee haue they had ât the originall tongues translated and therefore God gaue âen extraordinary gifts in speaking and interpreting them see then I entreate you how these two meanes beeing extraordinary inforce you to yeeld the other of the same nature Were iâ possible for you to become a Prophet wanting the translation oâ the new and old Testament as likewise all interpretation â with which now through Gods blessing the whole world is râplâmshed I know you will answer and say no then Prophesie in the Prunitive Church was extraordinary because the Gentiles had not ordinary translations and interpretations of them ANSWER IF I should follow M. Yates in his course I should rather write one Sermon against another then bring an Answer to an Argument briefly then as I can omitting other things to that which concerns directly our present purpose His affirmation that the gifts mentioned 1 Cor. 12. are onely extraordinary I doâ deny and answer his reasons as followeth And first that contrary to his unreasonable reason we both may ought to magnifie the H. Ghost more in one gift then another since the same Holy Ghost worketh more excellently and for our good in one gift then in another And secondly as a further truth and more contrary to his strange assertion that in some workes of the Spirit though not here expressed in which the Lord useth our industry and care he is infinitly more to âe magnified then in any whatsoever the immediate and miraculouâ worke of the same spirit wherein âe useth it not For example in ââââng saith and repentance for the working of which by his spirit God useth our careful hearing and meditation of his word the Law and Gospell Thirdly compare wee even extraordinary gifts with extraordinary wee see that God used the industry and pains of the extraordiry Prophets for the reading and meditating in and of the Law Dan. 9. â3 v. 2. and of the latter Prophets of the former Prophets writings As also of the Apostles in the reading knowledge and memory of them both Rom. 4. 10. 4. 3. c. âea even of the very heathen authors whose sayings they somtime quote in their propheââes or sermons Act. 17. 28. 1 Cor 15. 33. Tâ 1. â2 2. ââm 4. 13. the like industry or care not being required for the âift or use of strange tongues and yet did the Holy Ghost much more excellently utter it self in their Prophesies and sermons then in ther tongues aâ M. Yates oft and truly assumeth Vpon verse 8 be rightly describeth wisdom a holy ânderstanding of heavenly things with a prudent appliâation of them to their severall vses and knowledge ãâ¦ã âsight into divers heavenly things yet wanting that pruââent applycation with the fruitfull utterance of them âut that these could be no ordinary gifts studyed out by âeir owne paines but such ââ the Holy Ghost did immediately conspire into them he barely affirmeth and thinke singularly but am sure vntruly I marveiled âhat he would say to these two gifts of wisdom and knowledge to proue that they could not be ordânary and did expect some speciall reasons for his â singular interpretation but behold a bare bone ââffirmation brought by him with out marrow flesâ skin or coulour of proofe Wherein he is also tââ more blame-worthy considering that be cannot bâ ignorant how the most iudicious both at home anâ abroad doe vnderstand thâse two gifts as meant â the two speaciall qualifications of the Pastor anâ Teachers ordinary gifts of ordinary offices of whiâministeries amongst the râst ordained by Christ tââone Lord of his Church the Apostle speaketh verâ 5. as verse 4. of their gifts by that one spiriâ Which ordinary gifts all lawfull pastors and Teachers ordinary offices then had and beside them many others not in office and by the graâ of God some amongst vs and that by the help â nature study and prayer and the blessing of Godâ spirit therevpon Which blessing of God I wil nâ deny to haue then been for degree extraordinaâ upon mens weaker indevours for their furnishiââ with these ordinary gifts which makes nothing against our purpose That the gife of faith is undoubteâ extraordinary is said by him but Doctors haue doubâed of it See for one Beza in his great Annotatiâ upon the words both affirming and proueing the by faith is meant an assent vnto the doctrine propouââd which is an ordinary gift of the spirit Where he makes no doubt but we will grant that âhree of the four last were extraordinary he but threaps âindnesse vpon us as we use to say That Peters gifââf discerning was extraordinary in the cause of Annaâias Act. 5. we confesse but not so in the case of Simon Magus Acts. 8. of whome he iudgeth by his wordes as of the tree by the fruit in which he did âotoriously bewray himselfe to be in the gall of bitâernesse to the discerning of any ordinary Christian The gift of discerning both of doctrine and manners âs in a measure required of every Christian Phil. â 9. 10. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Heh. 5. 14. but is bestowed by the giver thereof upon some more liberally someâimes extraordinarily as then upon some in some âases sometimes ordinarily as both then and
now ân all such as had and haue more Christian discretiân then other men That interpretation of tongues was as difficult as âtrange tongues immediately inspired is not true They âho Acts 2. heard the Apostles speake in their own âongue and were able to speak the Iewes language âhen in use might interpret these strange tongues ânto the Iews without any extraordinary gift as M. âates hearing a glorious Formalist speake much Laâine in his Sermon can interpret that strange tongue of his unto the People without any ex-traordinary gift of interpretation and so might it well be in the Church of Corinth with ' some though the tongue were given extraordinarily Lastly it doth not shew plainly that prophesie wâ more difficult then strange tongues though all weâ true which he speakes of the difficulty thereof Fâ by all reason and experience a man then might aâ now may become an ordinary Prophet for abilitâ by ordinary helpes but so neither could nor can â speake a strange tongue as there meant but by eâtraordinarie inspiration That simple necessitie âCommentaries and Interpretations which he requireâ for a mans becoÌming an ordinary Prophet I daâe nâ acknowledge of great use they are but not of simpâ necessity that prerogatiue Royall of simply necessity I would challenge as peculiar to the Holy Scripturs which are able to make the man of God perfecâfully furnished to every good work 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17 But where he ads that the Primitive church had not ââ originall tongues translated it is something for his yeâ and for the Popes purpose also if it be true and thââ the Church espetially some good space after ââ constitution might be without the Scriptures in knowne tongue But how unadvised and unskilfââ is he in so saying how detracting froÌ Gods gracioâ providence towardes his Church and how partiaâ on the Clergies part and against the Commonalâ of Gods inheritance For the thing then The oâ Testament was wholly translated by the 70 Interpreters at the instance of Ptolemy Philadelphus Kiâ of Egipt into Greeke the mother tongue of the Corinthians Ioseph Ant. l. 12. 2. Iren. l 3. 24. 25 Corenth beeing in Achaia and Achaâa in Greece In which the same tongue they had also every part âf the new Testament then writen as the most was Which language was also so universally knowne âroughout the whole world by reason partly of the âreeke Monarchy under Alexander and partly of âe Greeke learning at Athens as that the Apostle âould write his Epistle in Greeke to the Romans ââough in Europe as understanding the tongue sufâciently Bâsides the Corinthians had had Paules and âther Apostolicall mens preachings and conferenâs amongst them along time which were uncomâarible better then all the commentaries in the world And for the Corinthians abilitie for this work â is but reason we respect this Apostles Testamony âf them which is that they were enriched in all âtterance and in all knowledge 1. Corinth 1. 4. In which two gifts as the abilitie for ordinary propheââ doth properly consist so to appropriate them ânto extraordinary Prophets considering the geneâality of the Apostles speech and drift with oâher circumstances else where obserued were to ferâer them in uniust bondes of restraint And having thus wiped off his colours of reason âhat the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. speakes onely of exâraordinary gifts I will by the grace of God plainly âhew the contrary that he speaks of ordinary also And first in teaching ver. 3. that no man can câ Iesus the Lord but by the Holy Ghost he points out gift and grace of the spirit ordinary and common tâ all Christians Secondly ver. 5. he speakes of diversities that iâ of all the divers and severall ministeries ordinary and extraordinary in the Church under Christ thâLord and ver. 4. of severall gifts for the same anâ so necessarily of the ordinarie gifts for the ordinariâ ministeries then and now Thirdly from ver. 8. where mention is made oâ the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge ordinary gifts of ordinary persons both in and out of office now and then Fourthly ver. 12. he compares the Church of Corinth to a body hauing Christ the head and each ââ them members for their parts of whome one had thââ gift another that given of God for their mutualâ good but by them abused otherwise whereupon I conclude except there were in âorenth no ordinary gifts in Pastors Teachers or others of God given and by them abused that he speaks not of extraordinarie gifts onely Fiftly ver. 28. after Apostles and Prophets hâ mentioneth Teachers which were ordinary officers and therefore speakes of ordinarie gifts and teaching as also Helpers and Governours who what were they âuâDââââns and Elders or take the words as they are Helps and Governments then which what is âow or was then more ordinary both in respect of âinistery and gift Whereupon I conclude with good assurance that the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. treats of the gifts of the spirit both extraordinary and ordiânry ARG. 5. FRom comparison of prophesie strange tongues which arâ laid through all the 1. Cor. 14. Vers 1. prephesie is prefered before all other spirituall gifts which cannot be ordinary for no ordinary and common gift is to be preferred before all extraordinary and spirituall gifts Dââ you will say though it be not more excellent yet it is more profitable I answer it is both more excellent and more profitable for the Apostle intends both extolling it for the end which shâââs how good and excellent it is as likewise for the use making knowe the profit benefit of it That which is the best ãâ¦ã of our desire must needs be the best but of spirituall gifts prophesie is the best obiect of our desire 1 Cor. 12. 31. Desire the best gifs chap. 14. 1. Covet spirituall gifts but rather that yee may prophesie Secondly as it is best to our selues so is it the best to others as may appeare by the whole chapter Thirdly all other gifts are given for the good of prophesie and not prophesy for them As it is the best gift so it is the most profitable as being especially for edification exhortation and comfort But it may be you will obiect Is not an ordinary gift of prophesie better then the extraordinarie gift of tongues or at least more profitable I answer No for the tongue Acts 2. 3. 4. were more profitable to the Church then ever was the ordinary gift of any man but compare ordinary with ardinarie and extraordinary with extraordiny and wee grant prophesie the priveledge I. Rob ANSWER TO this Argument he himself giues a sufficieâ answer in our name onely he sets it down âââ thing lamâly where if it came in all full strength would easily with stand the force of his Argument For where he should say for us if he speake out the ordinary prophesie is more excellent then tonguâ because more profitable he makes us to stâââââ thus though it be noâ
that to preach the Gospel is nothing else ât to carry or bring glad tydings of Christ before âomised then come into the world It is also my âpliciây to thinke since by the tydings which this âman brought many of the Samaritans beleeued on ââist in a measure ver. 39 and that without preaching â word of God none can beleeve Rom. 10. 14. 17. that ârefore she preached unto the Samaritans the same ârd of God in a measure also and that as truely âectually as euer M. Yates did to his parishionners âugh she went not up into a pulpit as he doth And ât he may iudge aright of this matter let him call minde that those Samaritans receiued the bookes Moses as did the Iewes and as they looked for the âessias or Christ promised to and of Abraham ââing themselues for the children of the Patriarks â true worshippers of God as they had been ver. â 28. and being so prepared were easily made as âions or corne feilds white unto the Haruest ver. 35. âd so this woman by declaring unto them that by which this Iesus the sonne of Mary proued himselâ to be the Christ or Messias promised preached faiâ unto them most properly and effectually euen tââaine point of âaith then in controuersie both in âdea and Samaria and Galilââ and the countries the unto adâoyning which was that Jesus was the Châââ I suppose M. ââtes hath not suffuciently thought these things and do hope that in godly modesây â will suffer himselfe to be better informed And for coââradictâoâ between these 2. proposition A womaâ may not teach in the Church and A womâ may teach out of the Church or where no Church as it was in Samaria it must be by other Logiâ then I haue learned But he will then demand as â doth how this Womans preaching can serue ây âââ I answer uery well by good consiquence of reasâ thus If a woman may lawfully teach out of â Church to the begetting of faith as this women dâ but not in the Church because she is a woman â sex then a man against whom that reason of restrâ of Sex lieth not may lawfully teach both without within the Church Of which consiquence mâ hereafter Another Scripture is Act. 8. 1. 4. with cha. 11. â 20 21. where it is recorded how all the Church at ârusalem was scattered abroad except the Apostles â that they which were scattered abroad went euery wâ preaching the word c. M. Yates answereth that besides the Apostles which âere in office there were seventy disciples which Christ âefore his death had made laborers in his haruest therâre these might preach or any other that had an extraordiâary gift of prophesie the one by vertue of his office gift âgether the other by commission from the Holy Ghost to âxercise that gift which they had receaued in the day of ââticost or any other But sayes your authur compare this âace with Acts 11. 19. 20. 21. and the truth will fulâ appeare I answer ââ will fully appeare against yov for âhrist charged both his Apostles and likewise the 70. âisciples that they should preach to none but the Jewes ând therefore it is sufficient that they had so many preaâers in office already by the commission of Christ to goââorow all those places neither wâlâ I dâny that âere might be others whom the Holy Ghost immediately âised up to manifest the excellent gifts that were to be âwred downe upon the Church in the primatiue times His answer is uery darke and ambiguous but in which are contained sundry errors evident enough â He makes those of the dispersioâwhich went about âeaching the word to be of the 70 disciples Luk. 10. âd others the like furnished with an âxârâordinary gift â prophesie but seemes to allow them for no officers â the beginning of his answer when he thus speaâeth Besides the Apostles which were in office there were â0 Disciples c. yet afterwards in these words and âârefore it is sufficient that they had so many preachers â office already by the commission of Christ to go thorow all thesâ places c âe besââ wâs some office or othâ upon them Secondry âe misseth in two Scripture which in his answere âe pointeth at the former âAct 2 where he gathereth that others besides the twelve receâued the gift of prophesie extraordinaâ at the day of pentâcost the âecând âif I mistake noâ is Math. 10. 5. 6. where he âaks the edict or prohâbâtâon of Christ âaid upon the Apostles and as hâ saâth upon the 70. Disciples of preaching to âny â Jeâs âârr aboue the reach thereof euen unto this tiâ of the dispertion whereas it reached only to the deaâ of Christ when the wall of partition between Ieâ and Gentiles was broken downe âfter which the were by the expresse wârds of their Commission â preach to all people beginning indeed at Ierusalem ââarrying there till they were indued with power from â high and so proceeding to all nations Luk. 24. 47. 4â as it is also recorded Act. 11. 20. that some of the dispersion preached the Lord Iesus to the Grecians â Aâtioch 3ly it is plaine by that which I haue foâmerly said that neither these 70 disciples no nor tââ2 were by Christ possessed of any office before hâ death no nor yet furnished with any extraordinaâ gifts of prophesie the Euangelist who knew weâ and is worthy to be beleeued bearing also witnesâ with mee that the Holy Ghost was not yet giuen becaâ that Iesus was not yet glorified John 7. 39. Lastly it is altogether unreasonable to imagine the they who were scatered and preached abroad being the body of the Church at Ierusalem excepting the Apostles were all officers and little more reasonable to thinke that they were all extraordinarily ândâed with the spirit of prophesy For first there is no circumstance in the text âeading that way and to imagine extraordinary and miââculous things without good euidence is extraordinary ãâ¦ã and pâesumption 2. the onely ãâ¦ã giuen unto them aââ âll he Church which ãâ¦ã ey that were scatâeâed abâoââ aâd againe ââââ 1â âey which were scâttered abroââ ãâ¦ã th ãâ¦ã Cypruâ Cyrene c. nothing ãâ¦ã any ââââce of ministry 3. Their preaching heââ and ââeâe is ãâ¦ã noted to be by reason of their catering hither and ââ ther through persecution and not of any eâtââârdinary gift and dispensation committed unto theâ Fourthly if they had been extraordinary Prophetâ immediately and extraordinarily inspired there had been no need of so speedy sending of Barâabas from Ierusalem to Antioch with supply though he were a man full of the Holy Ghost for so were such Prophets as well as he Ephe. 2. 20. 3. 5. I conclude therefore as before that these mens preaching was by a gift ând liberty common unto them and us The next Scripture is 1. Pet. 4 10. 11. As euery man hath receiued the gift so minister the same one to another as
third Argument is from ver. 34. where the Apostle restrains women from prophesying or other âpeaking in the Church with authority as also 1. Timâ 11. 12. and in forbidding women giues liberty to âll men gifted accordingly opposing women to meÌâex to sex and not women to officers and againe in âestraining women shewes his meaning to be of ordinary not extraordinary prophesying for women âmmediately extraordinarily and miraculously inspiâed might speake without restraint Exod. 15. 20. âudg 4. 24. Luk. 2 36. Acts 2. 17 19. It is a pitteous thing to see how M. Yates intaggles himselfe about this Argument straining all the âeyns of his wit if not of a more tender part his consciene to draw some face of answer upon it That which hath any shew of answer either in that place or any other throughout his tedious and perplexed discourse I will relat and refute confirming the Argument clearly as I am perswaded to any indifferent âudgment His first answer or exception is that it is most absurd to imagine that the Corinth women did folloâ their study and tooke ordinary paines to make sermons Secondly that extraordinary prophesie dâcease and that not all at once but first in women that the Apostle therefore especially aimes at them â though to wit in their own iudgment the same measuâ were still upon them as well as in former timeâ when Christ that saues both man and women woulâ extraordinarily manifest himselfe in both yet first aâter a sufficent manifestation of his grace goodnesâ he withdrew those extraordinay gifts from that sâ then afterward from the other His third answâ upon which he doth most insist is that the Aposâ forbids two generall faults in the women the one that the would pray and prophesie uncouered 1. Cor. 11. â imitating the Pythonisses and Sibelles of the Gentiâ in laying aside their vaile and spreading their haire âgainst decency and comlinesse the second that in the husbands presence they would be as ready to speake â they and therefore the Apostle finding the women to abuse this gift prohibits the use of it whether simply or â he cannot iudge Fourthly he admires by what Logâ this will follow women are forbiden to prophesie therfore men haue liberty which sayes hee is an ill consâquence In his first Answer or rather exception he mâ takes both the state of the question and also the âture of the ordinance The question is not of the study or ability of these women which yet I thinke was greater then he maketh account of but of their forwardnes to teach which was certainly too great And what consequence is this The Corinthian women were not sufficiently furnished to teach by an ordinary gift therefore they needed not to be restrained from teaching Nay therfore they needed much more such a bridle of restraint to be cast upon them especially considering their mannish bouldnesse and immodesty insinuated against them here by the Apostle in part but much more chap. 11. Neither for the second poynt are they that speak in the exercise of prophesie to make a sermon by an houreglasse as M. Yates gathers that were to abuse the time and wrong the gifts of others but briefly to speak a word of exhortation as God enableth that after the ministeriall teaching be ended as Act. 13. questions also about things deliuered and with them euen disputations as there is occasion being part or apurtenances of that exercise 1. Cor. 14. 35. Act. 17. 2. and 18. 4 For the Prophets gifts and abilities then as under the law a bullock or lamb that had any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts might yet be offered for a free-will offering but for a vow it was not to be accepted Lev. 22. 23. so in this exercise of Prophesie as in a free will offering according to the gift of God that which is lesse perfit and exact may farr better be accepted then if the same were presented in the Pastors vowed seruice and ministration For his second Answer As it is true that extraordinary prophesie did ceâse by degrees so is it not certaine but a meere presumption that it ceâsed first in women but most untrue it is that the Apostle there aims at all ââ the ceasing of that gift in women Ecclesiasticall Histories worthy of credit in this kind doe certifie that the streame of the spirit was so far from being neare dry at this time as that it ranne a strong current wel nigh a hundred yeares after for all the extraordinary gifts thereof as for the casting out of Deuils foreseing and foretelling of things to cââe healing the sicke raising of the dead of whân dâuers so raised liued many yeares after witnesse amongst others Iraenaeus adv. Her lib. 2. c. 57. whom also for the same purpose Eus Hist. Eccl. l. 5. c. 7. alledgeth And euer or women Euident it is by the Scriptures that extraordinary Prophesie in a very plenteous manner by them that in the presents of men continued in the Church many years after Pauls writing of this Episte Philip the Evangelist had four daughters vergins which did prophesie Act. 2. 1. 9 and that in the presence of the Apostle Lo four extraordinary Prophetesses in one house and the daughters of one man so that âitherto the conduit of the spirit of prophesie kept âis course as well upon their daughters as sons Ioel 2. Act. 2. So Rev. 2. 20. we read how the woman Jesabel âalling her selfe a prophetesse taught and by teaching ââduced the Lords servants in the Church of Thyaâyra ân which place as the errors and evils of the person âs condemned so is the former order of the Church manifested to be that women prophetesses extraordinary might teach Lastly the prohibition of women by the Apostle is perpetuall and not with respect to this or that time as it appeares by the reasons there of both in this place and in the Epistle to Timothy and such as equally belong to former times and latter and no more to the latter end then to the beginning or meddle time of the manifestation of the grace and goodnesse of Christ What can be more absurd then to say that these reasons The women must be under obedience 1. Cor 14. 34. not usurpe authority ouer the man but be in silence because Adam was first formed then Eve Anâ Adam was not sedused but the women c. 1. Tim. 2. 12. 13 14. were not morrall and perpetuall Were not those reasons and grounds for womens silence in the Church without extraordinary dispensation by miraculous inspiration of as great force seuen yeares before as when Paul wrote this Epistle It is therefore most cleare that the Apostle aimes not at all at any ceasing of the gift of extraordinary prophesie now growing on but at the uniuersall and absolute restraint and prohibition of womens prophesying not extraordinary but ordinary In his third answer he dealeth worse then in any of the other in labouring to