I leave all men to judge Furthermore if the uttermost that you can gather from this place be granted you that this man did preach yet you cannot hence prove your calling to wit that a Lay man may publikely preach being not called by the Church when there is the meanes that may be afforded for that end because Christ sent this man out by his voyce and command and so must needs be extraordinary and that not because he wanted an extraordinary spirit but because he being no Church officer nor was mediatly called or sent but immediatly for as was said before some things were extraordinary besides penning of Scripture and the workes of Miracles as those actions performed by Timothy and Titus they were extraordinary persons c did and performed acts and offices that were extraordinary for their manner and their performances made them extraordiry men whence they are called Ewangelists and although they were mediatly called by the Church yet the execution of that to which they were called made them extraordinary but here this man was not onely extraordinary in what he did but also was extraordinarily sent from Christs owne vocall commission now if Timothy and Titus were extraordinary because they did actions extraordinary for their manner why is not this man extraordinary when he was not onely extraordinarily sent but did execute that also in an extraordinary manner to which purpose he was sent neither was a Church officer likewise it behoves you to prove that these actions performed by the scattered Christians and the woman and this man were perpetually so done by them and not once or twice which you cannot prove for there was good reason for them now to doe that but not as Church officers and so left imitable to posteritie but as the Christians for the necessitie that then was the woman and the man for the great joy that did then possesse them when Christ did those things for them To that other allegation of yours from that speech of Moses Numb 11.29 where he wishes that all the Lords people were Prophets is very impertinent to this purpose do you not know to what end this speech of Moses was or is your skill in comparing spirituall things with spirituall so weake that you know not how to apply them when they are compared or else in comparing them not right you apply them to a wrong end for according to your manner of reasoning the argument runs thus Moses wished that all the Lords people were Prophets therefore a Lay man or he that is no Church officer may out of extraordinary times preach the word publikely which is as farre from true reasoning as Jerusalem from Amsterdaâ—â— but you cannot bee so ignorant as you make your selfe that the meaning may be this that they were Prophets that is that they had a spirit of prophecie to sound forth the praises of God and to expresse the same by Timbrels and other Musicall Instruments as Elisha did in the same manner 2 King 3.15 but to put you out of all doubts because we will not use conjectures in so plaine a matter the true sence is this which doth best agree with the order of the story in this Numb 11.39 and in a plaine Narration you may be pleased to understand that these Israelites mentioned in the Chapter did murmure and complaine verse 1. Moses he being not able to beare this burthen desires the Lord in a possionate expression that be might die vers 14.15 But God moved with the complaint and griefe of his servant yeeldeth him helpers to beare his burden with him that so he might have the more comfort vers 16. these 70. men will he have furnished with his Spirit never placing any to doe a dutie to whem he gives not a measure of abilitie to doe the same and God did here extraordinarily call them to be assistant to Moses in this worke of government and to confirme this calling he did as he promised Moses tooke off the spirit that was on him and gave it to these Eldres vers 25. now so soone as this was done the Text saith they prophesied and did not cease which prophesie did consist in sounding forth Gods praises and also in ministring assistance to Moses in this worke of government now what Moses meant by wishing that all the Lords people were Prophets is easie to finde for his wish was spoken in relation to Eldad and Medads phophesying in the Campe peruse the Chapter well and you cannot but see in what sence Moses words are to be taken that had it not beene that those two Elders were in the Campe who were spoken against by Joshua Moses servant that expression had never beene uttered by him towards the people the two Elders being in the Campe a young man ran and told Moses and said Elad and Medad doe prophesie in the Campe and Joshua the servant of Moses said My Lord Moses forbad them Moses he answers him with a reproofe Enviest thou them for my sake saith he would God that the all Lords people were Prophets whereby it appeares that Moses his speech must needs carry a dependance and reference to those two Elders in the Camp or else it were very incongruous Now shall I aske you this question Had not Moses some ground for his wish and is not this wish spoken with reference to those two Elders I know you cannot deny it doth it not follow then by necessary consequence that as the Spirit that God took from Moses and put it upon these Elders and which Spirit Moses wished were in the Lords people was a spirit of Government which those Elders were to share in with Moses and which would have produced a happy effect in the people if they had had the same Will you see an example to illustrate this point Let the example of Saul then bee here brought forth and which comes next to be answered That as he was extraordinarily called by God to his Kingly office so was this his calling confirmed to him by the pouring of his Spirit on him 1 Sam. 10.6 Such an example we have likewise in Gideon in the 6. Judges 34. Who by this signe of prophecie and other things joyning with it had his place confirmed to him the Spirit it selfe was a Spirit of government and of courage and magnanimity to support them and to fill them with sufficiency for the performance of those places that God had designed them to The prophecying it selfe consisted in sounding out Gods praises by the instinct of that Spirit they now had with Psiltery Tabret and Pipe and in this very sence are those places to bee understood of Gideon 1 Sam. 10.5 and Saul and Elisha as also a pregnant place to his purpose of Joduthun in 1 Chron. 25.3 who is said to prophesie with a Hurpe and to give thankes and praise to the Lord by all which it may appeare what is the true revealed intent of the holy Ghost in Moses speech to wit That the Lord would if hee so pleased poure upon these people who before did murmure a spirit of
government Paraphrased that so they might know how to carry themselves towards their God and his servant Moses their governour and these 70. Elders whom hee had extraordinarily and specially designed for that purpose To that other objection of Saul in 1 Sam. 10.6 and you have it 1 Sam. 6.10 but it is no great matter wee will passe that by because the whole booke almost is full fraught with ill applications and misconstructions to the place of Samuel then I answer that the meaning of Sauls prophesying is as was sayd before to sound forth Gods praises by the instinct of that Spirit he now had with those Prophets in the fifth verse Or changed his spirit the whole story is this Foure things Samuel had prophesied concerning Saul after his annointing and departing from him and that when these things came to passe Saul might be assured of Gods calling of him to be King the signes were these 1. That when he was departed he should sinde two men by Rachels Sepulchre vers 3. 2. That after that hee should meets three men going to Bethel to the house of God vers 3. 3. After that he should meete a company of Prophets with Harpe Tabret Pipes c. 4. When he came thus farre and saw these Prophers then the Spirit of the Lord should come upon him and he should prophesie with them Now when all these came upon 〈◊〉 he might be assured in the accomplishment of these prophesies that God had called him to be the ruler of the people and that he should doe them is nocasion served for the hand verse 7. of thâ— Lord was with hime so that it seemes undeninbly that Sauls prophesying amongst these Prophets was such prophesying as theirs was for so the words with them doe clearely intimate the spirit it selfe was poured upon him for the consirmation of his calling and the effect of that Spirit filling of him with strength and valour and also to sound out Gods praises and besides the holy Ghost hath thought sit to expresse the manner thereof the Spirit of the Lord came upon him now God gives his spirit either visibly or else invisibly the one is extraordinary the other ordinary Now the holy Glibst came upon Saub in a visible manner not by any locall appearance (n) The holy Ghost comes visibly not by any locall motion but by the signes he workes onely the signes is taken for the thing it selfe Vrsin Cau but by those signes which were produced to the eyes senses of the by standers his operations not by any locall or visible sight of himselfe but by those effects which he wrought The holy Ghost is given invisibly when hee bestowes his gifts not so much with infallible outward externall restimonies as by an inward operation on the faculties of the soule in measures and so is given to wicked men and the elect to wicked men at the best speculatively regenerating them to the elect both speculatively and practically The spirit then was given to Saul in an extraordinary manner visibly by those effects he did produce The gifts of the Holy Ghost as Mirâ—cles and Tongues Prophesies were given in the Apostles times in an extraordinary manner ibid. so that it appeares that his example serves your turne not one whit for if the holy Ghost came upon Saul in an extraordinary manner and that this his prophesying consisted in praysing God with Tabret Pipe as the Prophets did in the sift verse and hee with them then what can this prove to your purpose as the holy Ghost was given to the Apostles in the primitive Church extraordinarily immediatly because of those effects they did produce why not upon Saul who had this spirit given him immediatly as appeares by the effects they wrought in him as making him another man and by his prophesying all which were confirmations extraordinary to confirme his calling of being King which was extraordinary also the like we see in David 1 Sam. 16.13 who had the Spirit poured upon him in the same manner as it was on Saul and all to fit him for those weightie duties of his kingly office and although David had not such visible conspiouous signes at his annointing as Saul had yet wee reade in 1 Sam. 16.18 that he was strong valiant a man of warre in so much that it is said 1 Sam. 18.14 15. that Saul was afraid of him all which things being laid together will evince this truth to wit that these were extraordinary Spirits in their manner of being given to certaine persons again if Saul were a Preacher as this allegation seemes to insinuate then a question would be asked to vvhom did he preach It is said indeed he prophesied but there is divers kinds of prophesie in Scripture onely the Text saith he prophesied with the rest of the Prophets but not that he preached to any for hee neither did as the Samaritan woman did nor as the man in whom the devils vvere and truly their actions and performance of them doe manifest a disparitie the woman went onely and told what things had passed betweene her selfe and Christ The man preached it but as for King Saul he prophesied by the instinct of that spirit he now had in praysing and singing with instruments of musicke to God which did confirme him in his extraordinary call of being King all which you could not chuse but know onely it seemes you are disposed to make the world merry To the next 1 Sam. 19.20 where Saul is said to send messengers to David and that they prophesied that is all one with the other 1 Sam. 10.6 and Sauls messengers here prophesied with the rest of the Prophets as Saul himselfe did there and their prophesying must needs have reference to the prophesying of the Prophets for so the words imply that when these messengers came and said the colledge or company of the Prophets then saith the Text they also prophesied and so also in the same manner did Saul himselfe prophesie Now what this prophesie was is expressed in 1 Sam. 10.6 as before was declared it consisted in sounding forth Gods praises with Tabret Pipe Harpe and as Jeduthun did 1 Chron. 25.3 and this was to declare the infinite power and mercy of God towards David whom Saul now had an intent to have slaine as appeares by the whole Chapter Saul sending his messengers and going himselfe yet all could not doe nor bring to a full period his wicked designes against David the like example wee have in 2 King 1. of those two Captaines and their fifties that came to apprehend the Prophet Eliah these men thinking to bring the Prophet to King Ahaziah their ends were frustrated and they themselves were consumed with fire from heaven wherein the power mercy of God was also manifested towards Eliah So that it appeares here it was the wonderful mercy of
no man knowes the things of man but the spirit of a man which is in him so nothing can reveale Gods love to the soule concerning Predestination and Sanctification but the Holy Ghost which sheds abroad the love of God in the hearts of his people and as Jesus Christ doth impart these things by his Spirit to his people so he sends his Ministers to preach the same not in the words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the Spirit Now I would intreat you in the next Pamphlet to tell me if there be not a large difference between the interpretation of the true and universall revealed meaning of the Holy Ghost in the sacred Scriptures as well by the understanding of the Originall and line reading pointing collation as by the Spirit himselfe And the certification of those things that concerne a mans Eternall Salvation by the same Spirit which lye hid in Gods everlasting love yet revealed in the Scriptures of which the Apostle here speaks It is true a man my run into extreames as well one way as in another And as he that is skilled in Arts and Tongues without the light of the holy Ghost cannot universally interpret apply Scripture according to the minde of Christ so a man that is destitute of skill in Arts and Tongues and hath nothing in him but that light which proceeds from Gods Spirit cannot on the other side expound according to the originall for God workes by meanes he will and doth convey his minde revealed so farre forth as men can comprehend him with the conjurison of those meanes he hath ordeined instrumentally to communicate himselfe now your selfe saith that this may be desired in those that want it besides the Apostle wishes that the Corinthians had the gifts of tongues calling it a spirituall gift now if this be a spirituall gift and ought to be desired and witout which a man cannot interpret according to that tongue in which the holy Ghost spake then God doth communicate himselfe more to him in larger measures of his revealed will by those meanes he hath ordeined and commended to that purpose then to him who is deficient in the enjoyment of those meanes by which he so conveyes himselfe and so he that is universally qualified and hath both these is fit for the vvorke of the ministery (Å¿) Therefore to the end that unquiet and troublesome men should rashly thrust in themselves to teach or rule it is expresly proviâ—ed that no mâ—n should without calling take upon him a publike officâ— in the Church unlesse called This we may oftentimes marke in Paâ—l when hee meanes to approve his Apostleship hee doth alledge his calling if so great a Minister dare not take this upon him but by the commandement of the Lord how great shamefulnesse shall it be if any man wanting either of these shall challenge such honour to himselfe Calv. iustit pag. 522. and so is not he that is wanting in either true it is that Jesus Christ hath not greater adversaries then those that are greatly learned and unsanctified witnesse the Pharisees but yet againe he hath no greater friends and souldiers to fight his battels although vilified by the world then those who have those humane excellencies sanctified unto them to the other five answers because they are for their substance conteined in the first and are answered in that I will here passe them by and come to the next where you say All the call mentioned in Scripture was the peoples great necessitie and their great willingnesse to heare is most untrue yet to be admitted in cases extraordinary and if you had made that limitation you had done well but when your speeches are indefinite making no caution and restruction where it is required you shew your palpable ignorance for God hath prescribed other things as additionall to the calling of a Minister publikely to preach the Word besides the peoples necessitie and their owne willingnesse his orders must be observed not neglected now the peoples necessitie is to be relatively considered and so made their election but before a Minister can be compleatly fitted for the publike function of the Church hee must be ordained by the Presbytery for if none be fit for the publike function of the Ministery but men sufficiently learned as before was declared how can the people judge of his ability who have no knowledge therein And if the Apostles would not have any to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church which was a lesser and an inferior Church-officer why should those that are designed to a greater and more publike duty miss of that confirmation And (t) You should understand that the assurance of the inward calling dependeth upon the outward for albeit the Spirit of God worketh that assurance yet he worketh by the outward means by the judgement of the Elders and of the Church touching his aptnesse for the Ministery whilest he considereth that calling is not the calling of men but of God through the Ministry of men so that this separation of the knowledge of an inward calling from the outward is not only absurd but confirmes the Anâ—baptists which boast of an inward calling where no calling of the Church went before Cart. 2. rep to Whitg 1. part p. 260 261. although a man can plead never so much his inward calling yet sent he must be as well by the Church as by God himselfe and shew if you can any person in the New or Old Testament that ever publikely Preached unlesse in extraordinary cases but he was confirmed in his calling by the Church now what necessity you can plead is somewhat hard to be understood doubtlesse there was no necessity in you so to doe when there were godly Divines and others to do it or is your necessity so great as those Christians in the 8. Acts when there were none at all but the Apostles now at the persecuted Church at Jerusalem if you object that those Ministers that did so preach did not Preach Jesus Christ purely what of that they preached him truly did they overthrow any substantiall points of Faith the Apostle Paul notwithstanding did rejoyce when some preach Christ out of envy so although they preached him not purely yet they preached him truly To the next Spenc. That it may be lawfull in a mans family but not in a Church Answ And so it may be lawfull in a mans family but not in a Church For as there is no member of the body of Jesus Christ but is of the same nature of the whole a publike member of a publike body and the spirit proceeding from the head to every member is one and the same spirit and his gifts of like nature publike gifts of a publike spirit for the good of the whole body and so though they be members of one body and are to be assistant one to another in that body yet can these members performe the duties of each other indeed in the generall
God to David to deliver him from the hands of Saul his messengers the opportunitie being so that notwithstanding Saul sent time after time yet God so ordered the matter that these messengers being sent from Saul who was enraged against him vers 10. could not have accesse much lesse to doe him any wrong so gracious is the Lord that to vindicate his peoples innocency or else his owne in them that the strongest assaults of wicked men though attended with never so much policie shall challenge no successe but by his over-ruling power not that God had a speciall ayme that these men should be Preachers much lesse to be example therein to posteritie but onely that God might deliver David from the hands of Saul nay Saul himself who like Herod after he had sent forth the wise men to discover Christ but came not againe was now as much in his bedlam moods as Saul was at this time who went himselfe to Ramah and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he prophesied and rent his cloathes as an infallible testimony of a convicted conscience for pursuing so innocent a man as David was an excellent example wee have to this purpose in the 7. of John 46. of the Pharisees who sent their messengers to fetch Christ before them but contrary to their expectation that in stead of these mens intended fact of taking Christ Christ tooke them and as they came to apprehend Christ as Sauls messengers did David they were so wrought upon by his powerfull speeches that in the 46. verse they cry out That never man spake like this man and you may better conclude that these servants of the Pharisees were Preachers then Sauls messengers and the reason is stronger in them then in the other for Sauls messengers prophesied among the Prophets when there was not such neede but onely here that the workes of God might be made manifest turning that into good which these men intended for evill and never returned againe to give Saul account of his message But here these men that came to Christ had their eyes opened and had some smatterings of illumination that he was Christ and did also returne to the Pharisees againe declaring Christs saying Never man spake like this man these men had beene better presidents for you to have proved the point all the marrow of the businesse I see lies in this one word Prophesie which if you were at a dead lift as here you are can never helpe you considering its divers acceptations As for that you say afterwards that these men were no way extraordinary for so your words imply they had no extraordinary spirit Ergo were not extraordinary Here you shew your selfe either very ignorant in the Scriptures or else your writing at this time was very rash and inconsiderate and because I have here just occasion to speake of that I mentioned before let me aske you this question If nothing were extraordinary but the penning of Scripture and the workes of Miracles Qyest how shall we dispute against the Hierarchie to prove that Timothy and Titus were extraordinary Officers by those offices and acts which they did if nothing were extraordinary but what you say for you affirme when it was objected that these men had extraordinary spirits that none had extraordinary spirits but they that pen'd the Scriptures or wrought Miracles implying that because they had not extraordinary spirits in penning Scriptures or working Miracles therefore they were not extraordinary and so you have with one puffe taken away all the strength of the Antiepiscopall partie and given occasion to them to triumph in the discord which they maliciously attribute to our Divines for my part I leave you either to cleare your selfe or else to acknowledge your errour for it is manifest abroad in the world that by reason of the ill unadvised rash inconsiderate impertinent Pamphlets that are now extant setting some aside the adversaries of a through reformation do not sticke to say in their Bedlam fits that all dissentions about the Church are set on foot by the occasion of our best and sincerest Divines To the next you say that such a spirit as this was promised to all Gods people It is most true that God hath promised to his people a spirit of Prophesie but now all the question is what this kinde of Prophesying is because it serves much for the illustration of this point and the opening of this Text there are then divers acceptations of the word Prophesie in Scripture 1. It is taken in the strictest sence for foretelling things to come thus the Prophets as Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel were Prophets 2. For publike preaching the Word by Sermons to the Church so it is taken and attributed to the Shepherds of Israel men in a publike office in the Church Ezek. 34.2 Isa 56.10 3. For private interpretation yet not being contrariant to publike doctrines that are true for the use and benefit of the Church so it is taken in 1 Cor. 14. now although these men here of Corinth did according to their gifts given them Wee doe not read in all these two Epistles to the Corinthians that there were any setled Pastors and therefore these mens prophesying in the publike meetings was without all doubt extraordinary exercise publikely yet they did not doe it as publike Church Officers but as men private not in what they did but as they were for there were now as is thought no publike Church Officers and the Apostles with their fellow Labourers did continually visit them both by personall presence and Epistles 4. For sounding forth Gods praises by musicall instruments as Harps Pipes c. so it is taken in 1 Sam. 10.5 1 Chron. 25.3 5. For professing and celebrating God so all Gods people doe prophesie and are likewise Prophets Gen. 20.7 Matth. 10.32 Now in what sence you take this speech in the 2. Acts 18. is presently proved for you take it to be meant of a Spirit of prophesie to consist not only to interpret Scriptures privately but publikely too and it so appeares because you bring this Text to prove a promise made to some nay to all Gods people to enable them publikely to dispence the heavenly Misteries of Salvation but now what reason can you bring to prove this Text is to be so expounded I see not if you can produce none but your own fancy then you will give me leave to dissent from you for this reason you know the Scriptures call Gods people Prophets as before was instanced and if they are Prophets then they have a propheticall office which consists according to your description in publike Preaching of the Word of God as well as professing it only you are deficient in your proving it unlesse your bare affirmations bee proofes but Sir one word with you let me tell you as a friend you have done wonderfull wrong to the sacred Scriptures thus to abuse them by such wretched and extorted Expositions the true meaning