the Church as hee alloweth to prophesie in the Church that is as two or three of the Prophets may speak by course in one Assembly so may two or three speak by course in a strange tongue so that one interpret 1 Cor 14. 27 29. Moreover whereas it is supposed by our dissenting brethren that all or most of the Church women excepted did prophesie they must upon the very same ground suppose that all or most of the Church women excepted spake strange tongues in the Church For in the same place where 't is said that every one of them had a Doctrine and Revelation 't is said also that every one of them had a tongue and an Interpretation 1. Cor 14. 26. Which tongues considered and compared together it will be found that if the reasons hold good and the consequences be valid which are brought for the prophesying of gifted members out of office and that therein they have the Church of Corinth a president the like reasons and al 's strong consequences will prove that any two or three of a Church who shall happilie have the gift of strange tongues may speak by course in the Church so that one Interpret and that the Church of Corinth is as good a president for this as for the other Let our Brethren therefore either make both these gifts prophesie and tongues in the Church of Corinth to bee extraordinary and miraculous and so neither of them to bee an ordinary president or otherwise they must make them both to be set forth for ordinary Patterns and presidents and so begin to cry up tongues as well as prophesying for if the gift of prophesie be such as men may attaine by industrie and study so is the gift of tongues I know no way to loose the knot without acknowledging that both the gift of tongues and that of prophesie were extraordinary and miraculous which is the truth These are the reasons which I lean to in this matter I come next to answere Objections The first three Objections I finde in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning Ordination But I shall answere other Objections also omitted there but which have been objected by others Object 1. The Prophets 1 Cor 14 were not immediatlie inspired with prediction for women that were so inspired might deliver their prophesie in the Church but there women are forbidden to speak vers 34. Answ 1. But where finde we that women which were prophetesses and immediately inspired were allowed to deliver their prophesie in the Church I suppose he had a respect to 1 Cor 11. 5. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head covered dishonoureth her head which is meaned of the publicke Assemblie for the Apostle is speaking of covering or uncovering the head in the Church But diverse Interpreters understand here by a woman that prayeth or prophesieth a woman that joyneth as a hearer in the publicke Assemblie and so vers 4. by a man that prayeth or prophesieth a man that is a hearer and joyneth in the ordinances So that the Geneva annotation upon verse 5. gives a good sence of that Text That women which shew themselves in publick and ecclesiasticall Assemblies without the signe and token of their subjection that is to saâ—… uncovered shame themselves See more for thâ—…s in Junius his annotations on the Arabike version in that place â—… If the Apostle by prophesying 1 Cor 11. 4. 5. Understand prophesying by immediate inspiration then the Objection may bee retorted and turned into an Argument against the Objectors For the sence of the word prophesying in the 11. Chap may give light to the word prophesying in the 14. Chap. 3. Peter Martyr loc com eccles 4. cap 1. Is indeed of opinion that women which were prophetesses and extraordinarly inspired might spâ—…ak in the Church provided that their heads were covered in token of foeminine subjection and that the forbidding of women to speak in the Church extendeth to such and so hee reconcileth 1 Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 13. with 2 Cor 11. 5. I doubt his opinion in this particular is not well grounded onely so farre I make use of it that if 1 Cor 11. 5. be meant of prophetesses praying or prophesying in the Church which the Objector hath to prove Then certainely the forbidding of women to speak in the Church cannot be understood universallie but with a reserve and exception of extraordinary cases But how can this exception of prophetesses consist with with the Text Let your women keep silence in the Church Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your women they had prophesying women as is supposed by these of the other opinion from 1 Cor 11. 5. Nay even your women must be silent saith the Apostle and the reasons which he addeth are so universall as to comdrehend even prophetesses they are commanded to be under obedience and to be in subjection which Martyr himselfe noteth holds true of prophesying women as well as others and that for that cause their heads were to be covered Another reason is added 1 Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceaved but the woman being deceaved was in the transgression It might be feared saith P. Martyr if women were permitted to speak in the Church Sathan should returne to his first wyle and deceave the man by the woman Surely he that made use of Evah might also make use of a prophesying woman to deceave and so much the more because now since the fall both man and woman are more subject to tentation So that both the Apostles command and the reasons of it seem plainly to exclude even prophesying women from speaking in the Church and if they be allowed to deliver extraordinary prophesies and revelations in the Church why not also to prophesie as other gifted members If that which is greater be allowed them why not that which is lesse And if prophetesses be excepted from the rule 1 Cor 14. 34. Why not also other women of excellent gifts Object 2. The Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 24 26. speaks of prophesie as a gift in all or most of the members of the Church and forbids it to none but women Answ 1. I have already proved from 1 Cor 12. 28 29. and 13. 2. and 14. 6. that prophesie even in those dayes was not a common but a rare and singular gift So ibid vers 5 when he saith I would that all spake with tongues but rather that yee prophesied hee intimateth that all of them did not prophesie 2. When the Apostle speaks by way of supposition vers 24 But if all prophesie this proves not that all did prophesie neither can the very supposition bee understood universally For if an unbeleever had come into their Assembly and heard all and every one of them prophesying sure he had been so farre from being wonne thereby that he had been more alienated from such a confusion 3. That which gives greatest collour to the Objection is vers 26. When yee come together every one of you hath
the Objection must prove two things else they conclude nothing against the necessitie of Ordination 1. That these Prophets were not sent and ordained but that their gifts and parts gave them a sufficient calling to interpret in the Church 2. That although they had no Ministeriall sending or vocation yet they were not extraordinary Prophets but that such Prophets are to continue ordinarly in the Church I beleeve it will trouble them to prove either Object 4. 'T is said of the house of Stephanus 1 Cor 16. 15. They have addicted or ordained themselves to the Ministerie of the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were not ordained by others but they ordained themselves Answ 1 This may well be understood as 't is by diverse of their devoting themselves to Minister to the necessities of the Saints by their works and labour of Love Which is else where called Ministering to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor 8. 4. Yea 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. 12. the administrations of service See also Ibid. vers 13. and Rom. 15. 31. Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alone is used in the same sence 2. Others give this sence that they did willinglie and zealously desire to do service to Christ in the Ministery of the Gospell according as they should finde a calling In which sence if a man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work 1 Tim 3. 1. So Isa 6. 8. Here am I send me He is very willing to the work yet hee dare not runne except he bee sent and get a commission Object 5. He that digged in the earth and hid his talent is condemned for it Mat. 25. 25. 30. Therefore he that hath gifts for preaching and administering the Sacraments cannot answere it to God except he improve and use those gifts Ans. 1. If that Parable be applyed to Ministeriall talents then it will prove not onely a perpetuall Ministery because the Lord saith to his servants Occupie till I come Luke 19. 13. But likewise that none ought to intrude themselves into that holy function except they have a calling as well as gifts for Mat 25. 14 15. that Lord called his owne servants Luke saith hee called his ten servants and delivered unto them his goods and unto one he gave five talents to another two to another one to everie one according to his severall abilitie Where wee have a distinction of the calling and ability suppose another man had been able enough yet if he bee none of the called ones that Parable cannot be applyed to him 2. This Objection may be made in the behalfe of women also many of whom receave excellent gifts from God yea it was foretold by Ioel and applyed by Peter that women as well as men should Prophesie Acts 2. 7. 8. Which being misunderstood gave some colour to the old Pepuzian Heresie Object 6. If we hold Ordination necessary and essentiall to the calling of a Minister wee bring our selves into this snare that either the Ministers in the reformed Churches are not true Ministers but falsely pretended to be so or otherwise we must hold that those in the Church of Rome from whom the Protestant Ministers in the beginning of the Reformation had their Ordination were true Ministers of Christ. For if those in the Church of Rome who did ordaine were not true Ministers of Christ then they had no commission from Christ to make Ministers for him And who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean If so then the Protestant Ministers who first ordained other Protestant Ministers from whom Ordination hath come to us downwards having no Ordination but what they receaved in the Church of Rome they had not power to ordain others with such an Ordination as hath a divine stamp and character upon it This argument is much insisted upon by the Author of the Queries touching Ordination If it can do any thing yet it is no new light but the very same which hath been formerlie objected by Papists and answered by Protestant writers Whereof see one instance in Gerhard loc com tom 6. de Minist Eccles § 157. And now that those who drive so furiouslie after this Popish argument may forever be ashamed of it I returne these answeres 1. By retortion the argument will conclude as much against the Baptisme and Church estate of Independents Anabaptists and who ever they bee that make any use of this way of arguing against us For by this argument those who first gathered their Churches bapâ—…ized and incorporated them into the body of Christ were not only no true Ministers but no true Church-members having no other baptisme but what was receaved either in the Church of Rome or from those who were baptized in the Church of Rome But who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean Where note by the way that this argument of theirs will also make the Scripture it self unclean now because we have it out of an unclean thing the Church of Rome So that all that will stand to this argument must unchurch unbaptize unchristen themselves If they will have their recourse to that promise where two or three are met together there am I in the midst of them and think to lay the foundation of their Churches there without any derivation from the Church of Rome they must allow us to â—…o so too but then they must passe from their argument What will they say then Either there can bee in our dayes atrâ—…e Church with all the ordinances of Christ in it independent upon the Church of Rome and without building or leaning upon a lineall succession or derivation from the Church of Rome or there cannot If they hold the affirmative their argument is not worth a straw for Ordination being one of the ordinances of Christ which is here to be supposed and hath been in the precedent Chapter proved the reformed Churches had power to set it up and restore it by vertue of Christs own institution If the Negative our Opposits must all turne Seekers their Churches are no Churches their Baptisme no Baptisme c. 2. Suppose those protestant Ministers who first ordained other Ministers were themselves ordained by such as had no power to ordain them Nay suppose the first reforming Ministers to have been at the beginning of the Reformation no Ministers but private Persons not pretending to be ordained What will they conclud from this It proves nothing against that which wee hold concerning the necessity of Ordination For we plainly say that in extraordinary cases when Ordination cannot be had and when there are none who have commission and authority from Christ to ordain then and there an inward call from God enlarging the heart stirring up and assisting with the good will and consent of a people whom God makes willing can make a Minister authorized to Ministeriall acts Suppose this to have been the case at the first comming out from Popery
Prophets If not upon those Scriptures which are applyed by some to the prophesying Brethren or gifted Church-members 8. There are but three senses of the word Prophesying which I can finde any where else in the new Testament 1. For such prophesying as is competent to all converted and gifted persons when they are filled with a spirit of illumination and speak with other tongues as the spirit gives them utterance In which sense Ioel foretold that daughters as well as sonnes hand maids as well as men-servants young and old should prophesie Acts 2. 17 18. Which was accordingly fulfilled upon the day of Penticost for Acts 1. 14. and 2. 1. 4. This Spirit of Prophesie was powred out upon all the Disciples men and women 2. For such prophesying â—…s is the preaching of ordinary Ministers although I know no Text where without any controversie the word is used for the ordinary Ministeriall preaching Yet I understand the word to bee used in this sence though by allusion onely where of before Revel 11. 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundreth and threescore dayes cloathed in sackcloath 3. For extraordinary prophesying from immediate and miraculous inspiration in which sence it is often used in the new Testament as I shall shew anone But a fourth sense viz. The prophesying of gifted Brethren not sisters out of office and that publickly and by an ordinary gift I can finde no where and if we goe either higher or lower then the ordinary Pastorall preaching women as well as men might prophesie in the Scripture language Prophetesses as well as Prophets 9. The Apostle plainly distinguisheth Prophesie both from the word of knowledge and from the word of wisdom 1 Cor. 12. 8. 9. 10 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another prophesie now what is that gift and manifestation of the Spirit which is supposed to be given to gifted and prophesying-members must it not fall under that enumeration 1 Cor 12. 7 8 9 10 11. Is it then the interpretation oâ—… opening of Scripture that is the Teachers part the word of knowledge Is it both to interpreâ—… and apply Scripture that is the pastors part the word of wisdome Is it to prophesie that is more nor either the word of 〈◊〉 or the word of wisdome and is therefored 〈◊〉 from both 10. In that Text last cited prophesie is mentioned not only as a gift by which the Spirit worketh for the profite and edification of the Church but as a Ministery function and adâ—…inistration in the Church for veâ—…s 4. 5 6. The Apostle teacheth us that there are diversitiâ—…s 1 Of gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Of administrations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Of operations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereafter in reference to all these three he addeth the enumeration of the particulars ver 8. 9 10. In a Prophet hterefore there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministerium as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently used in the new Testament for the Ministery not onely of ruling Elders and Deacons Rom 12. 7. of Pastors and Teachers yea of Evangelists and Apostles Ephes 4. 12. Col 4. 17. 2 Tim 4. 5. 11. Acts 1. 17. 25. and 12. 25. and 20. 24. and 2â—… 19. Rom. 11. 13. 2 Cor 4. 1. and 5. 18. and 6. 3. and 9. 1. and else where the English translators in these places render it sometimes Ministerie sometimes Office sometimes indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in the new Testament for any Ministring to the necessities of the poore Saints by charity and almes But no body that I know doth imagine or can imagine that this is the sense of the word 1 Cor 12. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore I conclude that the Prophets in these primitive times had an office or Ministery in the Church 11. The word Prophesying is often used in the new Testament for that which is extraordinary and by Revelation Mat. 26. 68. Rev 1. 3. Acts 21. 9. Luke 1. 67. Revel 22. 10. 19. Revel 10. 11. Mark 7. 6. 1 Peter 1. 10. Jud 14. John Baptist is called a Prophet Luke 1. 76. and 7. 28. Matth 21. 26. and 14. 5. Christ himselfe is called a Prophet Matth. 13. 57. Luke 7. 16 and 24. 19. John 4. 19. and 9. 17. Elymas the Sorcerer is called a false Prophet Acts. 13. 6. Prophesying in the name of Christ is joyned with other miraculous gifts Mat 7. 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderfull workes Acts 19. 6. and when Paul laid his hands on them the holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied In this sence is the word used when 't is said that Cajaphas prophesied John 11. 51. the same word is used for propheticall prediction 1 Tim 1. 18. according to the prophesies which went before on the Rev. 2. 22. Jezebel did call her selfe a Prophetesse 12 Prophecy as Paul speakes of it is so farre from being a common priviledge of gifted Saints out of office that it is one of the speciall and rarest gifts which the Apostles themselves had or could have 1 Cor. 13. 2. And though I have the gift of prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge which stands there between the gift of tongues and the faith of miracles again 1 Cor 14. 16. Now brethren if I come unto you speaking with tongues what shall I prosite you except I shall speak unto you either by Revelation or by knowledge or by Prophesying or by Doctrine The first two Revelation and knowledge are immanent in the Apostle The other two Prophesying and Doctrine are transient from the Apostle to the Church What shall my gift of tongues profite you saith he or how shall you be edified or satisfied thereby unlesse either I utter some Revelation unto you by Prophesying or utter my knowledge unto you by Doctrine so distinguishing Prophesying from Doctrine as greater then it because Prophesying proceeds from Revelation Doctrine from knowledge in him that teacheth 13. I have yet another reason which I think will be a hard knot to our dissenting Brethren the Apostle compareth in that 14. Chap the gifts of tongues and the gifts of prophesie He commendeth both as desirable vers 1. and wisheth to them all both these gifts vers 6. but rather prophesie as comparatively the better for edifying the Church Et magis minus non variant speciem There are both good and desirable gifts of the Spirit given to profite withall 1 Cor. 12. 7 10 11. The Apostle also alloweth as many to speak with tongues in