an instance be given of any Text either in the Old or New Testament in which the word Prophet doth not signifie one in Office peculiarly called and sent Now if this be an irrefragable truth as indeed it is then the Apostles permitting all Prophets i. men in Office to prophesie is no warrant for gifted brethren if out of Office to do that work Thirdly Though what hath been already said be sufficient to infringe the Argument drawn from this place to warrant the preaching of men out of Office yet we adde for the more full Vindication of this Scripture that the Prophets here mentioned yea and throughout the New Testament seem not to be only Officers in the Church but extraordinary Officers immediatly inspired and sent by the holy Ghost which appears in that First They are not only mentioned and preferred before Pastors and Teachers the ordinary Officers of the Church Act. 13.1 1 Cor. 12.28 but also before the Evangelists themselves Eph. 4.11 12. who are acknowledged by all to have been Officers extraordinarily sent Secondly The gift of prophecy is reckoned amongst the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and put in the midst of them 1 Cor. 12.9 10 11. and contra-distinguished from ordinary gifts vers 7 8. the word of wisedom the word of knowledge The word of wisedom denotes the Pastors work the word of knowledge the Teachers work but prophesying is different from both these câ—â—sisting partly in the fore-telling of future events as Act. 11.27 28. In those daies came Prophets frâ—m Ierusalem unto Antiâ—â—h and there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout the wâ—rld 2. Partly in an infallible explication and application of the mâ—st difficult places of Scripture not by industry and labour but by the immediate illumination and teaching of the holy Ghost by whom the Scriptures were inspired Thirdly It is evident by the series of this Chapter that the Prophets herein spoken of and their prophesying was extraordinary ver 26. When you are come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Tongues Interpretation Revelation are joyned together ver 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace by which it appears that the Prophets here spoken of were inspired by the holy Ghost and that this gift of prophecy was an extraordinary dispensation of God given to the Primitive Church but now ceased and therefore this Text cannot justifie our Lay-Preachers who cannot without impudency pretend to such extraordinary Revelations as these had We might fill many Pages with Quotations of Authours that consent with us in this last Calv. Inst. l. 4. c. 3. sec. 10. c. Pet. Mart. loc com clas 4. c. 1. p. 558. Aret. prob lo. 61. de Prophetia Gerh. com loc tom 6. de Minist Ecc. Diodat in 1 Cor. 14. 1 6 23. Gomarus on Rom. 12.6 Synops. purioris Theolog. disp 42. thes 22. Our English Annotat. in 1 Cor. 14. Against this third Position asserting the Prophesying in this Chapter mentioned to be extraordinary there be many things objected which we shall answer for the further manifestation of the truth Object 1. The Apostle exhorteth the faithfull to desire this gift vers 1. and to seek to excell therein and therefore it is not likely that it was a miraculous and extraordinary gift Answ. It doth not follow that because it was to be desired therefore it was not extraordinary Other spiritual gifts were extraordinary yet saith the Apostle Desire spirituall gifts as much as he saith of prophesying Elysaeus desires a double measure of Elias spirit 2 King 2.9 was not that extraordinary The faithfull might in those daies in which such extraordinary gifts were usually given in the Church lawfully seek after them especially by praying to God for them which is the way prescribed vers 13. Let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret And it is apparent that in the Schools of the Prophets many did study and prepare that they might be fitted for this extraordinary gift of Prophecy 1 Sam. 19.20 2 Kin. 2.3 4. and 2 Kin. 3.15 and out of them God usually made choice of such as he emploied as his speciall Embassadors to his Church Object 2. The Apostle speaketh of such prophesying as is to the edification exhortation and comfort of the Church therefore of ordinary prophesying Answ. It follows not because extraordinary prophesying as well as ordinary was given for the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall Eph. 4.11 12 13. All the extraordinary as well as ordinary Officers were given by Christ for the gathering and edification of the Church And all gifts are to be emploied to this end 1 Cor. 14.26 Whether you have a Psalm or Doctrine or Tongue or Revelation or Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying Object 3. The Apostle in this Chapter speaks not of any thing extraordinary but laies down a generall liberty for all the members of the Church of Corinth to prophesie And this appears because he presâ—ribes Rules 1. For men how they should order their liberty for edification and then 2. for Women forbidding them altogether the liberty of prophesying Let your women keep silence in the Churches Women say they are here named in opposition to men and they only being prohibited all men may and ought to be allowed to prophesie in publique Answ. 1. It is absolutely false to say that the Apostle speaks of nothing extraordinary in this Chapter for he speaks of the gift of tongues vers 6 14 2â— 26. and of extraordinary Psalms and Revelations Answ. 2. It is also as false to say that the Apostle gives a generall liberty of prophesying to all to all the members of the Church of Corinth It hath been already proved that the liberty was given to such only as were Prophets v. 29 30 31. and these Prophets were persons in Office as hath been demonstrated and that they were exâ—raordinary Officers Superiour to Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Now all the members of the Church of Corinth were not Pâ—ophets 1 Cor. 12.29 nor had the gift of Propheâ—y as appears by the Apostles prayer for them 1 Cor. 14.6 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied c. Answ. 3. Women are not mentioned in opposition to the men in Corinth simply But in opposition to such as had extraordinary gifts whether of Tongues or of Prophecy or any such like And the scope of the Apostle is not to give liberty to all but to lay down rules to those that were Prophets and men in Office how they should regulate their prophesying for the edification exhortation and consolation of the people and then he wholly excludes the women from this work Answ. 4. We may further answer that by women here
are not meant women simply but Women-Prophetesses in opposition to men-Prophets formerly spoken of This seems to be intimated in the words of the Text Let your Women keep silence in the Church i. your prophesying women That there were women that did prophesie appears from Act. 21.9 Now the Apostle doth inhibit all women-Prophetesses from prophesying in the Church It is not permitted to them of what rank soever to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law Thus also 1 Tim. 2.12 But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man These Prophetesses might teach in private but nature it self forbids them to usurp authority over the man by teaching him in publique Object But doth not the Apostle say 1 Cor. 11.5 Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head It seems by this Text that the women did pray and prophesie in publique Answ. Women are said to pray and prophesie not by doing so actually in their own persons but by joyning with men in praying and prophesying And the meaning of the Text is Every woman that joyneth in praying or prophesying Thus Solomon is said to offer 120000. sheep not in his own person but by joyning with the Priests that did it Thus Pilate is said to scourge Jesus which he did not do in his own person but by his Officers Object 4. These Prophets were to be tried examined and judged ver 32. And therefore they were not Officers extraordinarily inspired Answ. 1. It follows not Their doctrine might be tried therefore they were not extrordinary Officers or immediatly inspired for the Apostles were extraordinary Officers as is confessed and yet their doctrines were to be tried The Bereaus are commended for it Act. 17.11 Ans. 2. Those who were extraordinarily inspired thoug◠they could not erre so far forth as they were inspired by the holy Ghost yet might sometimes in some particular cases give an answer out of their own hearts in which they might erre and be deceived Such was the case of Samuel when he saw Eliab 1 Sam. 16. Doubtlesse the Lords anointed is before me but it was not so Thus Nathan permitteth and encourageth David to build the Temple 2 Sam. 7. but herein he was mistaken Act. 21.4 The foretelling of Pauls danger at Ierusalem was from God But the consequence drawn from hence by the prophesying Disciples that therefore he should not go up to Ierusalem was from their own spirit Vide Bezam Object 2. A second Objection is taken from 1 Pet. 4.10 11. As every man hath receivid the gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth c. From hence is inferred that every man that is gifted may lawfully Preach the Word though he be not called and solemnly set apart to this work Answ. To this we reply 1. That we heartily assent to this Truth That every man that hath received a gift of God ought to improve it to the good of others And we limit not the word Gift in the Text as some do only to the gift of liberality though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sometimes put for that gift as 1 Cor. 16.3.2 Cor. 8.4 6 7. but extend it as Oecumenius not only to the possession of riches but to all endowments of nature which whosoever is possessed of is bound to communicate to those that want them as having received them of God to be thus distributed yea and with Piscator Calvin Bullinger and others to all spirituall gifts as knowing that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one for the profit of the whole and mindefull of the heavy sentence pronounced upon the slothfull servant who hid his Talent in a Napkin Mat. 25. 2. But we assert That these spirituall gifts are to be exercised by every one in his own sphere by private persons privately by those that are in Office publikely and in the Congregation It is very observable that Aquila and Priscilla private persons yet of eminent gifts insomuch as they knew the way of Christ more perfectly then Apollos himself who was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures kept their own place and whereas Apollos being a Minister in Office as appears 1 Cor. 3.5 preached publiquely in the Synagogues they as gifted Christians did not undertake to preach publikely but took him to them and privately expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. This is a notable patern for private Christians even of the highest form to walk by In this way they may finde emploiment for all their gifts in this way they may honour God and be promoters of the Gospel as were those women whom the Apostle honours with the Title of Labourers with him in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 They laboured not by publike preaching for this the Apostle permits not to women 1 Tim. 2. but by private advertisements and admonitions as opportunities were administred 3. Therefore it follows not that because all gifts are to be improved therefore a gifted brother may preach for first there are other waies of making use of our most excellent gifts then by preaching only and secondly It is required in him that will preach warrantably not only that he be fitted for the work but that he be appointed to the Office of the Ministry as hath been before fully demonsttated and therefore that we do not the same work twice we here supersede Object But doth not the Apostle in the 11. verse where he saith If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God warrant every man that hath the gift of speaking publikely to the edification of the Congregation to preach publikely provided he speak as the Oracles of God Answ. We answer negatively those words permit not every gifted man to be a Preacher but direct every Preacher in the right dispensation of that weighty Office Calvin excellently upon these words He that speaketh observes Qui publicâ authoritate rite ordinatus est He that by publike authority is rightly ordained to speak Let him speak as the Oracles of God And Estius Qui ad hujusmodi munus in Ecclesiâ vocatur He that is called in the Church to this work let him speak as the Oracles of God And thus some restrain the word Gift in the 10th verse As every man hath received a gift i. an Office even so minister c. and that not with out probability for it is evident that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken sometimes in Scripture not for gifts simply but for an Office as Rom. 12.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having gifts which the Apostle in the verses following expounds of Offices So also 1 Tim. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neglect not the
nourished in the wildernesse for a time times and half a time from the face of the Serpent verse 14. Note here 1. That by the 1260 daies and a time times and half a time is meant the whole time of Antichrists raign 2. That the Church during the whole raign of Antichrist should be in a sad lamentable and Wildernesse condition 3. That maugre all the fury of the ten-headed or two-headed beast yet notwithstanding the Church of Christ should be preserved and kept safe For there were two wings of a great Eagle given unto her to enable her to fly into the Wildernesse where she is fed and nourished 42. Moneths And all this is to be understood not onely of a Church entitative or a Church without Officers but of a Church instituted or Ministerial a Church administring Ordinances For this woman is not onely kept alive in the Wildernesse all the time of Antichrists raign but she is fed and nourished by Gospel-Administraâ—ions â—he is fed by the Two witnesses for the prophesying of the witnesses is contemporary with the womans flight into the Wildernesse Even aâ— Elias was nourished in the Wildernesse and kept safe from the fury and rage of Iezebel And as God reserved 7000. that had not bowed their knees to Baal c. and by good Obadiah preserved an hundred Prophets of the Lord alive all the time of Ahabs bitter opposition against them Even so was the Woman that is The Church of Christ reserved and nourished by the Ordinances Scriptures and Ministry of Christ though in a Wildernesse-condition all the time of Antichrist's prevalency The like to this we read of in the 11. of the Revelation where we have two things very observable for our purpose The one concerning the Temple measured and the outward Court unmeasured The other concerning the two Witnesses 1. Concerning the Temple measured and the outward Court unmeasured The outward Court was to be left out or cast out to wit as prophane and that which God will make no account of It was not to be measured but to be given unto the Gentiles that is the Antichristian party to be trod under foot forty and two Moneths that is all the time of Antichrists raign The meaning is as Mr. Mâ—de well observeth That the Antichristian Apostasie which he calls redivivus Ethnicismus shall prevail over the Christian Churâ—h and shall bring in a new kind of Idolatry into the places where the true Religion was professed But now the Temple and the Altar and they that worship therein are to be measured with a divine reed This measuring is an allusion to Ezek. 40.1 c. where the Temple with all in it was to be measured by Gods appointment to shew that that building was of God So must the true Church of Christ under Antichrist be measured that is kept pure from Antichrist's Idolatry walking exactly according to the Rule of the Word and also kept safe from Antichrist's rage and fury 1. Note here That though the outward Court was given to the Gentiles to be troden down yet the Temple with the worshippers therein was not given 2. That during the prevalency ofAntichrist the Temple and Altar and worshippers therein that is a true Church and a true Ministry and true Gospel-Ordinances are preserved and kept safe While the outward Court is worshipping the Beast the true Church is serving God according to his Word as in the inner Court of the Temple Our English Annotations say That by the measuring of the Temple and altar and the worshippers therein is signified 1. The fewnesse â—f the true Christians under Antichrist in comparison of the Idâ—latrous ones as the Priests and Levites that worshipped in the inner Court were few in comparison of the people that worshipped in the outward 2. That Gods people while Antichrist raged should have a place in the Wildernesse where they might serve God according to his will as the Jewes offered sacrifices on the altâ—r in the Temple and which should be for safety as a Sanctuary unto them Isai. 8.14 Ezek 11.16 Therefore Temple and altar and worshippers and all are measured So Jerusalem is measured after the captivity that it may be inhabited again Zech. 2.1 2 3 4. c. 2. The Second thing observable is concerning the two Witnesses who are said to Prophesie in sackcloth 1260. dayes that is all the time of the raign of Antichrist By the Two Witnesses in general are meant Omnes Veritatis divinae interpretes assertores saith Mr. Mede All the Interpreters and assertors of divine truth qui soedam illam lachrymabilem Ecclesi ae Christi contaminationem assiduis querelis deflereâ—t c. who should by their daily complaints bewaile the foul and lamentable pollution of Christ's Church These Witnesses are said to be two for the fewnesse of them and because two witnesses were sufficient to confirm any truth and also in alâ—usion to Mosâ—s and Aâ—ron in the Wildernesse To Elijah and Elisha when the Israelites worshipped the Calves and Baal To Zerubbabel and Iâ—hoshua in Babylon and after the return of the Israelites from captivity For our parts we conceive that by the Two witnesses in a more especial manner are meant the True Ministers of Jesus Christ who are called Witnesses of Christ Act. 1.8 and whose proper Office it is to bear witnesse to truth and holinesse against all the Heresies Blasphemies Idolatries and ungodlinesse of Antichrist Now these two witnesses are said to Prophesie though cloathed in Sackcloth all antichrists reign which is a clear and demonstrative argument to us That there hath been a true Ministry preserved by God from the beginning of the Christian Church even to this very day notwithstanding the great and universal Apostacy that hath been in it And our learned Protestants in divers Books have given us a Catalogue of the faithful Ministers of God and other godly men whom the Lord raised up in all ages of the Church to bear witnesse against the growing and spreading abominations of Antichristianisme in the Christian World 3. The third thing we offer to consideration is To beseech our people accurately to distinguish between the Church of Rome and the Antichristianisme of the Church of Rome as between a man and the Plague-sore that is upon him and between a Field that is full of tares and yet hath some Wheat in it It is certain that the Church of Rome was a true Church in the Apostles dayes when the faith of it was spread throughout the World and it is as certain that afterwards by little and litle it apostatized till at last Antichrist set up his throne in that Church And yet still we must distinguish between the Church and the Apostasie of it between the Corn and the Tares that are in it Thus the Apostle seems to do 2 Thess. 2.4 where he puts a difference between the Temple of God in which the man of sin shall sit as God and between the man of sin sitting
Prophets saying Let us go after other gods So in the Apostles times there rose up many false Teachers who desired to be Teachers of the Law understanding not what they say nor whereof they do affirm Who crept into Houses and did leade captive silly Women laden with sin and led away with divers lusts which false Teachers could countenance or at least connive at any errour though never so absurd and destructive to the tenents which themselves professed yet they did ever joyn in resisting the Truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the Faith It was the danger of the Christian Churches planted by the Apostles to be assaulted and deluded by false Teachers among the beleeving Romans there were some to be marked and to be avoided which did cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which they had learned and those Seducers did not serve our Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and by their good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple Among the Corinthians there were False Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvell for Satan though he never change his nature and malice yet he oft alters his habit and pretences and when he cannot prevail as an opposer he turns professour and preacheth and so transformeth himself into an Angel of Light and therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of righteousnesse These cried down the Ministry and Apostleship of Paul to set up themselves and their own errours which forced that holy Apostle to insist so largely in defending his Ministry in the 12. Chapter of that Epistle Among the Galatians there were some that troubled them whom Paul wisheth were cut off and these perverted the Gospel of Christ and by whom the Galatians were soon removed from him that called them into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel For even Satan and his messengers when they cannot prevail by their cunningly devised fables Then as Luther observes the Devil hath his Gospel and his agents will broach new truths such as Paul and the rest of the Apostles knew not Among the Ephesians Paul fore-told that after his departure grievous wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flock also of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them And the Apostles have foretold us That in the last times errours shall abound and men shall not only privily as then but even boldly and arrogantly as it is now bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And the most groundlesse errours because more sutable to our depraved natures draw more in a day then the most solid truths can obtain in many years Luther thus complains It is a grief and lamentation that Satan more hinders and wounds the Gospel by his ministers and phanatical spirits then all the Kings Princes and Prelates which with their open force have persecuted it or yet continue in the persecution of it How hard a thing is it to prepare a people for the Lord Ten years are spent before the foundation of a Church is well laid and when it is laid there creeps in some simple and ignorant fanatick that can say and do nothing but rail at Gods faithfull Ministers and this silly idiot in one moment overthrows a work of so many years Whose heart doth not bleed at the thoughts of such a sad disaster And therefore the hearers and followers of Seducers shall multiply many shall follow their pernicious wayes by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of In the Church of Pergamus There were some who held the doctrine of Balaam and also some that held the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which thing saith God I hate In Thiatyra there was the woman Iezabel though never called of God to any office yet she called her self a Prophetess and who taught and reduced many of Gods servants to commit fornication And in the last dayes the holy Ghost fore-tels expresly That men shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits And therefore the Ministry is and shall be perpetually necessary in the present and future ages And hence it is that Satan and his messengers do so extreamly traduce and vilifie the Ministers of God who withstand their errours and multitudes of men who drive on various interests and scarcely agree in any one thing yet they can all unanimously agree in this to Oppose and so much as in them lies to Extinguish the Ministers and will entertain no thoughts of peace but upon this condition that the Ministers be abolished and then they seem to promise to themselves and others rest as if they would proceed no further which is much like that wherewith Demosthenes refuted Alexander that that league must needs be destructive to the flock wherein the Keepers and Shepherds of the flock must be abandoned And if this be once obtained the people shall soon finde That when the Shepherd is smitten the flock will be scattered Mat. 26.31 Secondly As the need is perpetual and as great in these times as in former so God is careful to provide for the necessities of his Saints as well in the later times as in the former dayes This needs no proof because many rather now think that God neglected all former Saints in comparison to us and so magnifie the Saints of this present age that they either condemn or lightly esteem the generation of righteous men that lived before us But however sure it is that God is tender of his youngest children and that the Primogeniture shall not carry all away If our elder Brethren had a double portion yet God hath provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect However we are sure that the Covenant is the same to us that it was to them Christ the Mediator of the Covenant is the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever The relation of the Church to hi m is tender Acts 9.5 and Christ undertaking is as full a ever so to preserve the Church That the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Thirdly As our need and Gods care are perpetual so the great and sole ordinary means which our Lord in his tender regard to the souls of his hath appointed to heal our nature so corrupt to clear his mysteries which are so high to detect the frauds of Satan which are so prevalent and to counter-work seducers which are so many and so active is the Ministry of the Word For God hath not revealed any other way in Scripture whereby he hath promised to call home his elect effectually to separate them from an evil world to be a peculiar people to himself then by the preaching of the Word Therefore the Ministry is perpetually necessary to bring in
is in him and for Christians to speak often one to another in evil times to teach admonish exhort one another to pray together and one for another but all this comes short oâ— the Ministers duty there being a vast difference between this private charitative way of exhorting which belongs to all Christians and the office and work of the Ministry as hath been above distinguished Object 6. Private Christians Act. 8.4 11.19 when they were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word Therefore gifted men though not ordained may also preach the Word Answ. This instance which is much insisted upon by many is not of strength to conclude the lawfulnesse of preaching by gifted un-ordained persons For First Some allowing these scattered Christians to have been private persons yet do rationally distinguish between a Church constituted and a Church scattered and dissolved between what may be done in a Church gathered and in an ordinary way and in the gathering of a Church and in the â—ase of necessity It is not recorded that these did preach while they were at Ierusalem in a setled Church but when they were scattered then they went every where preaching what warrant soever this instance may give to persons uncalled to preach amongst Indians and in places where no Churches nor Ministers are yet can it not warrant them in their preaching in our Churches in which Ministers are or may easily be had Secondly It may justly be denied that the Christians here spoken of were private Christians it may be asserted that they were men in Office and had commission to do what they did This appears 1. From the first verse where it is said At that time there was a great persecution against the Church which was at Ierusalem and they were all scattered abroad throughout the Regions of Iudea and Samaria except the Apostles These All that were scattered must be either All the Teachers and Church-Officers or all the Beleevers not all the beleevers for it is said in the 3. verse That Saul made havock of the Church entring into every house and haling men and women committed them to prison And Act. 11.22 there is expresse mention made of the Church at Ierusalem notwithstanding the persecution Had all the Beleevers been scattered what should the Apostles have done at Ierusalem their tarrying would have been dangerous to themselves and useless to the Church And therefore we judge that by all is meant all the Church-Officers of whom there were many at Ierusalem were scattered except the Apostles and when they were scattered they went every where preaching the Word To make the Interpretation clearer observe First That the word All is used here with an exceptive particle which necessitates it to be meant not of beleevers but of men in office for if all relate to beleevers then it will follow that there was not one Beleever left in Ierusalem except the Apostles The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Genitive case in the New Testament being alwaies exceptive to the utmost as appears Ioh. 8.10 Act. 15.28 22.22 Mar. 12.32 but this we are sure is false as hath been already proved Secondly That it is said That they that were scattered went every where preaching the Word It is not said teaching which may be actus charitatis but Preaching which is actus officij How can they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. The Reverend Assembly of Divines in their Answer to the Reasons of the Dissenting Brethren observe that those that were scattered went about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to the act of men in office and they desire the Brethren to produce one Scripture where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used concerning any that are not Preachers by Office they bring many where it is used concerning those that were in Office even by the pen-man of this history and conclude that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had their Commission to preach before this persecution though the persecution occasioned their preaching in Iudea and other places Thirdly Act. 8.5 there is but one of this scattered number named and he was a person in office to wit Philip not the Apostle but who is numbered among the Deacons Act. 6. and called an Evangelist Act. 21 8. By the singling out of this one who was in Office we may judge that the rest were persons in office as well as he Fourthly 'T is probable that these that were scattered did baptize as well as preach which we gather from Act. 11.26 It is said there There was a Church setled at Antioch which could not be unlesse they were first baptized but there were none in Antioch to baptize them if they of the dispersion did not for Barnabas Agabus and other Prophets came not to Antioch till the Church was founded Act. 11.25 26 27. and this Church of Antioch is expresly said to be founded by the scattered brethren Act. 21.19 now baptism is to be performed only by men in office Mat. 28.19 Fifthly These scattered brethren are said to be Prophets and Teacherâ— Act. 13.1 where mention is made of Lucius of Cyrene who in all probability was one of the scattered Preachers as appears Act. 11.19 20. where it is said That some of these scattered were men of Cyrene If it be said that there is no where mention made of the Ordination of or any commission given to these scattered brethren It is answered that it doth not follow that therefore they had none because none is mentioned It is sufficient for us that there are Scripture-Reasons to perswade us that they had a Commission They did a work peculiar to Officers of the Church as hath been proved which godly men out of Office durst not have done they had successe and the blessing of God upon their labours which he promiseth not to those that go in an evil way as hath been demonstrated But let thus much suffice for this instance Obj. 7. All the People of God are called Priests Rev. 1.6 why then may they not preach Answ. They are indeed all made Priests unto God and Kings unto God not unto men They are Priests not ministerially but spiritually not as to the ministeriall function but as to the offering up of spirituall Sacrifices unto God Thus it is expounded 1 Pet. 2.5 Praier Thanks-giving and Almes-deeds are called Sacrifices in Scripture and these a Beleever offereth up to God and so he is made a Priest to God Secondly All are made Priests unto God but are all made Prophets Are not all made Kings And may therefore all exercise regall jurisdiction amongst men May all be Magistrates Away with such fanatick Monasterian conceits If we be Priests let us sacrifice our lusts if Kings let us rule over our passions and our pride this would quickly prevent such unwarrantable practices and put a happy issue to these Disputes Object 8. But if a Master of a Family may instruct his own Family why may he not