Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	reason_n	scripture_n	3,945	5	6.1612	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79512	Preaching vvithout ordination or, A treatise proving the lawfulnesse of all persons, of what degree, ranke, or trade soever, being inabled with sufficient guifts and qualifications from God by his spirit, to preach and set forth the Gospel, though no minister nor any other officer in the church of God. By Edmond Chillinden.	Chillenden, Edmund, fl. 1656.	1647 (1647)	Wing C3879; Thomason E405_10; ESTC R201879	25,344	34

way of the Lord being fervent in the Spirit spake and taught boldly mightily convincing the Jews Acts 18 2● and that publikely shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ 3. He knew the Baptisme of John he was so far taught in the way of the Lord to imbrace Christ as that he went beyond the Jewes and so could be no officer in the Church of the Jewes 4. He could not be any officer in the Christian Church because he knew onely the Baptism of John he was not yet come far enough in the knowledge of the Gospel for that These reasons I conceive are sufficient to evidence to all men that are not guided by a partiall Spirit that Apollos here preached not by vertue of any office or ordination but by the vertue and power of the Spirit of Gods operation in him But some may say this man was extraordinarily guifted by God and so by his extraordinary gift preached Object I answer that some things especially above other man is recorded of him as that namely he was a very eloquent man Answ Acts 18.24 and that he was mighty in the Scriptures and that he boldly taught and that by his teaching he mightily convinced the Jewes but that this did prove that he was extraordinarily indued with guifts from God I cannot see but do beleeve the contrary and for that I shall offer the Reader these reasons first because if God had extraordinarily inspired him he could not have been ignorant of the revealed will way and Councell of God declared in the Gospel and onely to have knowne the Baptisme of Iohn Acts 20.26.27 for none that God did so inspire but did know the whole Councel of God revealed as witnesse Paul and all the oiher Apostles Iohn 14.28 and 16.13 to 16. 2. Because if he had been so inspired then he would had no neede of Aquillaes and Priscillaes teaching or more perfect learning him the way of God for then he might better have taught them but we finde that when they had heard him they tooke him unto them and expounded or shewed him the way of God more perfectly and therefore for these reasons is it that I beleeve he was not extraordinari●y guifted of God and so much may serve to evidence the truth from those false glosses and misinterpretations that some have indeavoured to put upon this Scripture to hinder the Saints from following the rule and example of Christ and his faithfull Servants set forth to us in the Scriptures in preaching and declaring the Gospel without Office or Ordination 1 Cor. 11.1 I come now to Acts 8 1 4. compared with Acts 11.19 20 24. Where it is thus written And at that time there was a great persecution against the Church that was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles and in the 4. ver it is said thus therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word and in Acts 11.19 20 ver Thus now they that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that rose about Stephen travailed as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the word to none but the Jewes onely some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyreene which when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecian preaching the Lord Jesus and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord here Reader consider seriously what God by his Spirit hath recorded in these places of Scripture for our learning if it be well minded God doth as it were point out to us his foreseeing the errour and evill that men in this point would run into and therefore saith that all the Church except the Apostles were scattered so that I conceive that God doth point out here that the officers staid behinde and those that were scattered and went preaching the Gospel were no ordained men to that end And I conceive it cannot be thought nor gathered from what is in the Scripture related that these that were scattered this whole Church were ministers ordained men namely Pastours teachers or Elders it seems somewhat strange to me that the whole body of a Church should be ordained Ministers for that were to make the body monstrous and disorderly because as the Apostle saith 1. Corinth 12 17 ver If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling but now hath God set the members every one of of them in the body as it hath pleased him so that it is cleare that if God be the God of Order and doth all things orderly it cannot be thought that the whole body of this Church being at Jerusalem with the Apostles were all ordained Ministers Acts 8.1.3 they consisting at least of three thousand persons such a thing was never heard of nor yet never any Scripture produced holding forth or hinting any such thing for in these Scriptures here is onely thus much said the whole Church at Jerusalem except the Apostles were scattered and they being scattered went preaching every where Jesus Christ and this is all that is in the Scripture mentioned of them and no office nor ordination at this time minded But though they had no office all of them yet some of them had Object and the rest were extraordinarily by God inspired and guifted by his Spirit I confesse there is mention of Philip who was an ord●ined officer as you may see in Acts the 6. and the 5. ver Answ But what office is it that he had not an office binding him to preach his being ordained into that office was to no such and as you may see in Acts 6.1 2. There it is declared that Philipe office was to serve tables to look to the daily administration for the poor to wit a Deacon and not to preach the Gospel for that was besides his office and no and of being ordained this I leave by the wise to be judged That they were extraordinarily inspired to mē seems unreasonable and that for these reasons First Because there is not the least tittle in the text than giveth any hint that way Secondly Because the onely titles given them are all the Church that was at Jerusalem except the Apostles were scattered and they were some of them men of Cyprus and Cyrene and nothing minded in the least of extraordinary gift or endowment Thirdly Onely their preaching here and there is noted and spoken of ●and that by reason of their persecution they became so scattered and not by reason of any extraordinary gift bestowed on them Acts 8.3 and 11 19 20. 4. Because that if so be they had had any Apostolicall function or ordination or extraordinary gift of the Spirit then in my understanding there had not been any need of so suddain nay not at all of a sending of Barnabas from Jerusalem to Antioch Acts 11.22 23.29 though

indeavour to cleare them from those false glosses which have been put on them which have hindred the appearing of this truth I shall also answer such objections as seemingly may lye in the way 1. The first Scripture to prove the thing in hand is written in Numbers 11 26 to the 30 the words are these at the 26 verse but there remained two of the men in the camp the name of the one was Eldad the name of the other was Medad and the spirit rested one them and they were of them that were written but went not out unto the Tabernacle and they Profied in the Camp and in the 29 verse Mosen said would God that all the Lords people were Prophets the Lord will put his spirit on them Reader take notice Moses here wishes that all the Lords people were Prophets the Lord putting his spirit on them I h●pe none will say that he wished that all the Lords people were Priests or Levits I meane ordained officiall men but they were all Prophets 1 Cor. 14.3.21 Rom. 12.6 to 9. Teachers or Preachers of Gods will and minde one to another for their good and edification that which Moses wisheth here is that all the Lords people were such as Eldad and Medad were and they were no Officers neither Priests nor Levites and yet we finde they prophesied in the Campe by reason of the Spirit of God resting on them and not because they were ordained Officers for then I conceive Iosuah would not have complayned of them as may appeare in the 27.28 verse but Moses maketh it all one to be a Prophet and the Lord putting his spirit on a man Mat. 25.14 to 29. Luke 19.12 to 24. Mat. 5.15.16 Marke 4.21 Luke 8.16.17 Ephes 4.7 to 17. 1 Tim. 5.17 Act. 10.34.35 Iam. 2.1 to 10. 1 Cor. 1.19.20.27.28 Iohn 3.5 to 9. Mat. 13.11.16.17 and Mat. 11.25.26 then why should not men now to whom God hath given of his spirit with guifts of utterance and knowledge be a Prophet and Preacher and that of the Lords owne making for Moses doth wish the use or exercise of Gods spirit and graces in men as the having and possessing of them for the guifts of God are not given to be hidden under a Bushell or to be kept in a napkin but to be made use of to the prayse and glory of God that is the giver of them who hath given guifts unto men for the workes of the Ministery for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of his body which is his Church and people so then I thus argue if any man now that is a Member of the Church of Christ though not ordained unto whom God hath given sufficient guifts and qualifications by his Spirit whereby he is made able to preach he is not onely to possesse it but to imploy it for the perfecting of the Saints labouring in the word and doctrine of Jesus Christ 2. And seeing God is no respecter of persons but gives his guifts by his spirit to whom he pleaseth where by all men that partake of those guifts are inabled to prophesie or preach though not ordained what should hinder them from being Prophets and Preachers ●nd that of the Lords own making by the free guift of his spirit seeing it bloweth where it lifteth assoone upon a Cobl●r Tinker Chimneysweeper Plowman or any other Tradseman as to the greatest learnedst Doctors in the world Then I here demand the reason why he namely the Cobler Tincker c. may not be permitted to manifest the gifts and graces of God in him by Preaching and declaring the Gospel as the other to wit the Learned man I confesse my self ignorant of any reason against it in the whole word of God but greatly for it and layes it on all men that have received the gift so to administer 1 Pet. 4.10 11. so to use it as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God Obj. But some object and say that this spirit here that those to wit Eldad and Medad had was not the spirit of prophesie but of Government Answ I answer I shall not deny but they had the spirit of Government but that they had not besides it the spirit of prophesie I leave by the wise to be judged for looke into the text the 26 verse of Numb 11. and if we will not be willfully blind we cannot but see and know they had also the spirit of prophesie For saith the text Eldad and Medad propesied or preached in the Campe Now if they had done nothing but concerning Government without question Ioshuah would not haue desired Moses to forbid them in regard that God had made known that he would take off the spirit that was on Moses and give it unto the seaventy and this Joshuah could not but know For the Lord saith to Moses in the 16 ver Gather unto me seaventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of people and Officers over them Now from hence it is plaine that Ioshuah knew they were Officers that is Magistrates and if in point of Government it was that which they did then I conceive Ioshuah would not have said Moses forbid them Secondly The Lord saies I will come down and talke with thee and I will take of the Spirit that is one thee and will put it on them Now it is cleere in the Scriptures that Moses had not onely a spirit of Government but a spirit of Prophecy or preaching of prayer and supplication Exod. 14.15 Deut. 18.15 Act. 7.37 Therefore if God tooke of that spirit that was upon Moses and gave it to the seauenty whereof Eldad Medad were then it cannot be restrained only to Government but it must extend to all the rest of operations and workes of it as to prophecie or preach the great matters of Gods law to his people Obj. But some may further object and say these were Officers and such as Moses knew to be so therefore it will not follow from hence that all may preach though guifted except they be Officers as these were Answ I grant they were Officers in the Common-wealth of Israel to wit Magistrates but what is this to the thing in hand to wit Preaching without Ordination for there is no mention that they were either Priests or Levites or any Officers of the Church neither did their Office bind them to prophesie I leave it to be judged whether it was any principall end in their Office binding them to preach neither can it be gathered from the Scriptures because they were Officers therefore they preached no but because God had powred on them Iob. 32.18.19.20 Ioel. 2.28 Esa 44.3 Act. 2.17 end filled them with the spirit as Elihu like new bottles and as wine that hath no vent therefore they must speake and open their lips that they might be refreshed and this was the cause of their prophesying or Preaching because of the powerfull worke and operation of the spirit of

to affirme is very absurd and tha for these reasons because it was never heard of nor in all the written word of God hinted at especially concerning this Church of the Corinths that the whole body of them were extraordinarily guifted 2. because the Apostle doth restrayne woemen from preaching or others speaking in the Church from whence it is playne Luke 2.36 Exod. 15 20. Iudg. 4.24 that this prophesying is ordinary and lies in common to all the Servants of Jesus Christ for woemen that were extraordinarily guifted I affirme and the Scripture cited with me might preach and did without restraint so that from hence I thus argue that the Apostle forbidding and prohibiting woemen from preaching gives liberty to all men guifted for to preach and againe I argue from this ground that they were not Officers ordained nor extraordinarily guifted because the Apostle opposeth women to men Sex to Sex and not woemen Officers or extraordinary guifted men for then I conceive the Apostle would nor have aid let your woemen keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted for them to speake but the Apostle would have aid let your woemen keep silence in the Churches because they are no Officers nor have any Ordination not any extraordinary guift therefore they are to be silent in the Churches but he saith it is not permitted for them to speake not out of any such consideration as before minded but because of the Command of God they are to be under obedience and to learne in silence for it is a shame for woemen to speake in the Church 3. because the Apostle exhorts that the Church should judge of the Doctrine that these Prophets or Preachers should teach as appeares by verse 29. let the Prophets speake two or three and let the rest judge for the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets now if they were extraordinary Prophets and infallibly guided they could not err and so the Apostle might have spared his labour of pressing them to judging of their Doctrine delivered Ephes 2.20.35 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Tim. 16.17 Psal 19.7.8 for such Prophets or Preachers as were extraordinarily guifted I affirme could not err and so were not subject to any such Judgement as the Apostle calle● for at the hands of the Church of Corinth and for any to say that Prophets extraordinary could or might err is to weaken and shake greatly the ground and piller of our faith and if they might err then the Apostles and if in Doctrine taught why not in writing and if this were true we were of all men most miserable but we know we have a more sure word of prop●ecie whereunto we do well to take heede and diligently to marke and study and upon this sure word we know is our faith built even of the Prophets and Apostles 2 Pet. 1.19 that we are guided by the unering spirit of God need not their Doctrine should be called in question or so judged by any of the Sonnes of men therefore these Prophets here spoken of were not extraordinary but ordinary by reason the Apostle commands the rest of the Church to judge and try their Doctrine Agayne the Apostle saith in the 37 and 38 verses that if any man think himselfe a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge the things that I write are the Commandements of God but if any man be ignorant let him he ignorant still by all which it appeares plainly that they were but ordinary Prophets or Preachers and had no other then ordinary guifts and indowments for could they be thi●s infallibly guided by the spirit and yet must Paul call on them to acknowledge the things he writ were the Commandements of the Lord Jesus in my understanding he might have saved this labour for he could not but know that such that had the same measure and manner of the infallible spirit with him could not be ignorant of the Doctrine and Commands of Christ therefore it is most apparant and playne that they were but ordinary Preachers and preached by an ordinary guift such as is common by the promise of God to be powred forth upon all flesh and hence is it that the Apostle in the close of all exhorts them to the use and study of this preaching and declaring of Jesus Christ as appeares in the 39. verse in these words wherefore brethren covet to prophesie or preach where is to be noted he puts them on to the use and study of meanes even the word and Gospell of God which is able to make the man of God perfect to all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16.17 thereby furnished so that in my understanding it cleerely appeares they were not extraordinary Preachers but ordinary for extraordinary Prophets or Preachers were at no time exhorted to any such thing that ever I read of to the use and study of meanes immediately to be fitted or furnished 1 Cor. 2.12 Act. 2.1 to 5. but immediately without any meanes freely given to them of God without any study or labour as may be seene plentifully in the Scriptures cited so that from all that which hath been said it is most apparant and cleare and that from the further exhortation which the Apostles uses to the Churches and Saints of God it is lawfull yea necessary for them to preach to declare to make knowne and set forth yea and that publikely the Gospel of Jesus Christ for our Saviour saith that which I have told you in your eares do you preach upon the house tops and the Apostle in Rom. 12. at the 6. saith having then guifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us not Ordination whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of what not Ordination but of Faith and the Apostle exhorts the Collosians the 3. and 16. to have the word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdome whereby they should be inabled with grace in their hearts not Ordination to teach and admonish one another and build them up in their most holy faith the same Apostle in Hebrews the 10.23 to the 25. verse provokes that Church to hold fast the profession of Faith without wavering to consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good workes to exhort one another and blames them in the 5. Chapter and the 12. verse for not being frequent in the exercise of the guifts of the spirit in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ by which they might for the time have been teachers of others and for the neglect they had neede to be taught themselves againe the first principles of Religion there be some Scriptures more which is cast in the way as opposing this truth in Romanes the 10 and 15. how shall they preach except they be sent and so they argue that ordination is the sending here intended but that there is any such thing here minded peruse the Scripture I understand the sending here is the being furnished with gifts