these Spirituall men Certainly those Christians who did abound more then others of their Brethren in the graces and gifts of the spirit For so is the word taken Gal. 6. 1. You that are spirituall restore such a man And more expresly in this very Epistle 1 Cor. 3. 1. And I Brethren could not speak to you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as unto babes in Christ Here is an expresse opposition between a Carnall Christian and a Spirituall Christian the weaker sort of Christians being called Carnall and the stronger and more able Christians who were men in understanding being called spirituall To returne then to the place in hand The Apostle opposeth the Prophet and spirituall man that is the gifted Christian as our Saviour opposeth the Prophet and the righteous man Matth. 10. 41. Therefore when he spake before of Prophets or unto Phrophets he spake not to the private believers or Church-members in Corinth though never so well gifted but unto Prophets strictly and distinctly so called who were a ranke or order of men in the Church that was above the most eminent gifted Christians in respect of outward state and condition And this is the more probable because the Apostle doth seeme expresly to divert his speech from the Church unto the Prophets and other gifted men in the Church Chap. 12. 1. Now concerning spirituall gifts Brethren c. 2. Prophesy was a gift of the same nature and continuance with the gift of tongues as appeares by the Apostles perpetuall comparing of them together in this chapter But that the gift of tongues is ceased now and that it was an extraordinary gift while it was in the world I suppose Chillenden himselfe cannot deny Therefore how he can affirme the gift of Prophesy â—o be an ordinary and an abiding gift let himselfe judge 3 Prophesy was an interpretation of the deep mysteries of Scripture by inspirationor immediate revelation vers 30. If any thing be revealed to another and Ephes 3. 3 5. The mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed 1 Cor. 13. â— unto his holy Apostles and Prophets Whence they that believe the doctrine of the Gospell are said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Ephes 2. 20. And hereby is Prophesy distinguished from Doctrine 1 Cor. 14. 26. Prophesy being there signifyed by Revelation Doctrine noting an explication of the word by comparing Scripture with Scripture and by the Analysis of a Scripture into its simple Arguments which is the way of exposition now in use in the Church So vers 6. unlesse I come speaking to you either by Revelation or by knowledge or by Prophesy or by Doctrine That is unlesse I speak a Revelation which is Prophesy or knowledge which is Doctrine For what is Prophesy but the uttering of a Revelation And what is Doctrine but an uttering of knowledge That knowledge I meane which is attained by a studious search and enquiry into the meaning of Scripture Wherefore it must needs be that Prophesy was no ordinary but an extraordinary gift extraordinary in those dayes being given but to a few but much more extraordinary in our dayes being given to none 4 From the same place it is manifest that Prophesy was not a gift residing in the mind by way of habit but it was an impression transiently made upon the mind by the Holy Ghost like lightning in the ayre If any thing be revealed to another saith the Apostle Cleerely holding forth thereby that one Prophet might have the understanding of some spiritual gifted mystery given him while another was Prophesying and that not by the help and operation of any faculty of his own as his fancy judgement or memory but by Revelation or divine inspiration Now I would aske of those who call themselves Prophets in our dayes whether their fancy judgement and memory do not help them to all the glorious sublimated conceits which they so much boast of notions so transcendent that they many times leave all reason sense and truth many thousand leagues below them If they grant it then they can no longer plead this practice of prophesying in the Corinthians for their patterne it being of a more noble descent even immediately from heaven without the help and obstetrication of any naturall abilities If they deny it and have the face to affirm that they receive it by immediate Revelation then must I sound a retreate to all that are men in understanding and are not apt childishly to be tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine to the Law and the Testimonies if any man adde to the words of this book let him be accursed 5. The Prophets in the Church of Corinth were not private gifted Christians but such as had the power of the government of the Church as ordinary Pastors and Teachers Yea and those very Prophets and the rest of the gifted persons as I conceive were the Pastors and Rulers pertaining to the Church of Corinth For that Prophets had a Pastorall care seemes undenyable to me because Act. 13. â— Paul and Barnabas who were no private unordained men are called Prophets and it is a rule received without contradiction that every superiour order of Ministers did conteine the inferiour As for example an Apostle was a Prophet Evangelist Pastor Teacher Ruler and Deacon 1 Cor. 14. 36. 1 Cor. 9. 5 1 Pet 5. 1. Act. 6. 2. c. A Prophet in like manner was a Pastor Teacher Ruler and Deacon for Prophets were second in place to Apostles 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. And that these Prophets and other gifted persons did exercise pastorall Offices is cleere in this very Chapter First the whole Church came together to heare them vers 23. When they were come together one of them prayed in the name of the Congregation vers 16. To which they all consented by saying Amen They did also Preach the word and apply it to edification exhortation and comfort vers 3. of them that believed and the conversion of the unbelievers vers 24 25. Moreover they had a Power of rule and government to keep order and decorum in the Congregation As for example to enjoyne women silence in the Churches ver 34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches The Apostle saith not simply let women keep silence but let your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 2. women that is the women of your Church which are within the verge of your authority For do not ye judge them that are within 1 Cor. 5 12. they had also power to make way for a Prophet to speak when he hath any thing revealed to him vers 30 31 32. an act properly pertaining to the Ruler of the Congregation Act. 13. 15. Qu. If you aske then wherein did Apostles and Prophets differ Ans I answer in this The Apostles spake what they heard and saw 1 John 1. 1. It being essentiall to an Apostle to have
notice of many places of Scripture written in the margin but of those onely to which he doth expressely referre his Reader partly because they are very unequally ascribed not paralell to the line to which they refer and partly because most of them are places from which he borrows words or phrases occasionally mentioned nothing at all pertaining to the maine scope many other things of lesse consequence I have passed over but nothing of moment as I know of Farewell F. T. Imprimatur Edm. Calamy An Answer to a Book entituled Preaching without Ordination THe Lieutenant before he comes to speak a word to the Question by himselfe propounded in the fore-front of his Book viz. Whether men may Preach except they be Ordained premiseth many things to consideration which are neither of any necessary dependance upon each other nor of any use imaginable either to the cleering and well stating of the Question or to the confirmation of his own opinion touching the Question For which reason I shall not now retreat so farre from the businesse in hand as to make an incursion upon his praecognita things which neither of us are concerned in as to this present controversie but shall there begin to answer where hee begins to make good his undertaking after hee hath brought about the Question as it were by countermarch into its former place and applyes himselfe to the proofe of the affirmative namely that it is lawfull for a person not ordained to Preach Thus farre onely I shall follow him as to make use of his method in premising some few Positions for the better stating of the Question between him and mee First then I cannot but take notice that every one of his stolen Arguments whereby hee labours to evince the lawfulnesse of preaching without Ordination are of equall force to prove the lawfulnesse of preaching without the Churches choyce and approbation the thing wherein himselfe and others of his way doe place the very essentials and vitals of a minister as to any outward call as may be seen in his positions Pag. 2 and 3. and then to what purpose is a Liberty of Choosing their Minister given to every particular congregationall Church as the thing whereby he is made a minister seeing every private gifted Christian eo ipso because gifted may take upon him to preach publikely though neither ordained nor yet Chosen by the Chruch for such an intrinsicall connexion doth this Author make between gifts and preaching that if his Arguments be sound there neede not intervene so much as the Chruches Election nay farther not so much as a tryall of those ministeriall gifts qualifications which himself acknowledgeth to be requisites before a person be ordained Thes 6. 2. I desire the Reader to take notice that when we preach for Ordination as a thing requisite to a Preacher we are to be understood according to the Analogy of these following advertisemntes 1. That by Ordination we mean an act of the Church whereby a person is solemnly set apart for the dispensation of the word Seales and Censures by way of peculiar office we doe therefore at this time wave all disputes about the persons ordaining and all other rites and circumstances pertaining to Ordination 2 Preaching we take in the strictest sense for an explication and application of the Word of God with all authority to the information exhortation reproof or comfort of them that hear 3 We acknowledge it a duty incombent upon all Christians whether eminently gifted or no even the least and meanest to reprove exhort in struct and comfort one another as occasion shall be offered in away of love and of equall and mutuall interest as members spiritually of one another and heyres together of the kingdome of life 4 In a Church that hath not its compleat constitution and organization which Chillenden Calls a Church not perfectly brought under Gospel order or in other Cases of absolute necessity we admit in reason of a liberty for private gifted Christians to preach the word though the Scripture hath neither any particular precept for it nor clear patterne of it as I know of Yet in no case can it be allowed that any private Christian though never so well gifted shall take upon him to preach to any Church unlesse he have at least the election and approbation of that Church which we suppose to be a sufficient outward call when the Churches condition is as it may be such as that it is morally impossible to have a better Jus divinum positivum cedit juri divino naturali when they are inconsistent each with other 5 If any Christian hath others in subjection under him he hath thereby authority to instruct reprove and exhort them out of the word of God Men were made immediatly for God immediatly for one another or for one another in the Lord. Religion hath the command of all mens faculties conditions and actions to referre and order them immediatly to Gods glory that the whole man may live wholly unto God He must therfore live unto God in respect of his power over others that is his power over others must be ordered and improved to Gods glory else he lives not wholly to God Hence we grant that a father or master in his family may instruct exhort and command his children and his household to doe justice and judgment A King or Magistrate in the Common-wealth may exhort and command his subjects to the generall dutyes of Religion For Religion refers all power to a Spirituall end But some power is immediatly Spirituall as the power of the Ministers of the Gospel the immediate end or object whereof is the Spitituall good of their people Other power is more remotely Spirituall which though it ames at Spirituall good yet it attaines it not but by the intervention of that power which is immediately Spirituall v. 8. The Magistrate ought to looke to the spirituall good of his people therefore he may command them to give diligent attendance to the Word preached and to practise according to what is taught and may make use of many perswasives and dissuasives as he thinks fit which is as much as any of the Kings of Israel ever did in any of their instructions or publique exhortations to their people The like may bee said of all other power domestique or military These things being premised the truth I shall undertake to defend against Mr. Chillenden is this That it is utterly unlawfull for any Christian whatsoever gifted or not gifted to take upon him ordinarily to Preach the Word in the name of the Lord with all authority before the Church publiquely assembled unlesse he be called and set apart thereto by the Church Hereof I might bring proofe sufficient but my warre is at this time defensive not offensive Let us therefore try what strength our adversary is of Having therefore first supposed that Churches have power to choose yea and to Ordain which is false their own Officers he inferres thus
Chill If the Church have power it must be granted that first there must bee a Church having this power before there can be any Officers rightly ordained Therefore if men may not Preach before they be ordained how can men be compleated to the Faith and order of the Gospel Answ The meaning of this Argument I suppose is this the Church is before the Minister The Church is called by the Preaching of the Word therefore some who were no Ministers ordained must necessarily be supposed to be Preachers for without preaching no Church and without a Church no ordained Officer I list not now to take notice of every errour onely in reference to the present controversie I answer 1. The eldest Church had a Minister before it as every effect hath its Cause before it The first Churches were gathered by the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists who were men ordained and sent of God for that purpose John 5. 16. And being gathered were by the Apostles themselves commended to the care and watchfulnesse of ordinary Elders Act. 20. 17 28. Who were persons not onely gifted but ordained Act. 14. â—3 Tit. 1. 5. that through the hand of God going along with them Churches might bee edified increased multiplyed unto the worlds end Eph 4. 13. In succession of ages there has been succession of Churches and succession of Elders but both the one and the other miserably corrupted and defaced in the common deluge of Antichristianisme The way of Elders entring into their Office we acknowledge to have been corrupt in all its circumstances yet for the substance valid as Caiaphas his entring upon the Priesthood in such an irregular way was unallowable yet being entred it stood and God himselfe did not withold from him a Spirit of Prophesie in the time of his Priesthood which was a common signe of confirmation given unto men that were called to any weighty and publique Office in Israel But I perceive Chillenden ascribes not much to this Argument and therefore I have reason to say but little to it especially because learned men such as Mr. Rutherford and others have said so much to it in their late writings upon the controversies of these times Chill Chil. His second Argument in a word is this It is lawfull for a man that intends the Ministery to Preach before hee is ordained for tryall Ergo to Preach without Ordination is lawfull Answ Ans It is lawfull without all question for a man that intends the publique Ministery to Preach for tryall before them that are to judge but from hence to inferre that every private man of what condition soever who has no purpose nor inclinations to apply himselfe wholly and onely to the work of the Ministery may thrust himselfe upon a course of constant preaching publiquely before the Church without reference had to any tryall or judgement concerning his abilities is wild reasoning A man that Preaches for tryall is supposed to be called thereunto by the Church by vertue of which call if he accept of it he is a Minister in fieri though not in facto esse and may therefore lawfully performe those actions which tend to compleat him in the execution of that charge which he is entring upon all Ministeriall actions he may not performe unlesse he be Ordained for ordination is that which gives compleate Ministeriall power nor yet this single act of Preaching can he performe with such authority and confidence of Gods assistance as after he is ordained as 1 Tim. 4. 14. For his Call being but imperfect it can give him but an imperfect power how beit whatsoever actions are conducible to the end of his Call which is to give testimony concerning his abilities for the Ministery those he may performe till by Ordination his Commission be inlarged and extended to all Ministeriall actions The sons of the Prophets were wont to exercise their Propheticall gift before they were generally received and acknowledged as Prophets 1 Sam. 10. 5. 2 King 2. 7. c. The Apostles and 70 Disciples whom Christ sent forth Luke 10. 1. and Matth. 10. might do and did many things by vertue of that Commission which then Christ gave them yet those things which he gave them in their last Commission as Apostles John 20. they neither did nor might doe when they were first sent out their Call did not reach to it So a man that intends the Ministery and is called to give tryall of his gifts may Preach in reference to that end which another may not though he may not administer the Sacraments nor yet make a continuall trade of Preaching Chill But sayes Chillinden if a man may Preach one Sermon why not two then why not twenty And if one moneth why not twelve moneths Because the Churches calling of him to Preach for tryall being a transient action having order and reference to Ordination as a more pefect and compleating action cannot imprimere indelebilem Characterem as Ordination doth My meaning is it does not nor cannot convey an habituall power of Preaching because it is not the ultimate last action that doth compleat a man in his Ministeriall Office 2 It exceeds the end of this Call which is supposed to be this namely to give a testimoniall concerning his faculty in preaching that others may judge whether he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach c. and not one or two or three Sermons to men that are judicious and discerning such as they that try others for the Ministry are or should bee is as sufficient for them to ground their judgement of a mans abilities upon as two hundred Hitherto Mr. Chillenden hath contended with reason and is proved but an ill Logician let us now enquire into his proofes from Scripture and see whether he be any whit a better Divine Chillend His first Argument is drawne from the example of Eldad and Medad and Moses words upon the report of it Numb 11. and 26. to 30. The Spirit rested upon them and they Prophesyed in the Camp And Moses said would God all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them Chillenden begins with the last part of the Argument first namely Moses his speech and afterwards presseth that example of Eldad and Medad more closely I shall goe trace him in his own method and see whether it leads to the conclusion pretended Answ Reader take notice Moses here wisheth that all the Lords people were Prophets not Priests or Levites I meane ordained Officiall men but Prophets such as Eldad and Medad c. Moses wisheth they were Prophets not ordained Officiall men He need not desire it for they that had a spirit of Prophesy were thereby extraordinarily and immediately ordained of God to the work of Prophesying For Prophesie was not a permanent habituall gift such as was in the power of the Prophet to exercise when he would but it was an impression made in the mind by the immediate operation and
therefore Chillendens inference from that to ours is most notoriously inconsequent Put it briefly in some forme Eldad and Medad having the Spirit did prophesy Therefore they that have the Spirit now may forthwith prophesy No more but up and ride Because they prophesyed de facto for they could not choose does it follow that every spirituall man may now doe it de jure They spake by the impulsion of the Spirit which impulsion was an authoritative sending or calling doth it therefore follow that they who are onely gifted and have no such extraordinary impulsion may prophesy though not called thereto by the Church They spake spirituall mysteries immediately inspired and therefore could not erre doth it therefore follow that any private gifted Christian may undertake publiquely and with all authority to expound and apply the Word which in these dayes Prophesyes and Visions being ceased cannot bee done as may bee most for edifying without some insight into the Logick Grammar and Rhetorique which are none of them any part of those gifts that Chillenden acknowledgeth to bee requisite to make a man able for the worke of the Ministery If the Apostles and Prophets in writing the Scriptures have laid Arguments and words together it is requisite for the better understanding of the Scriptures that a man bee able to take their Arguments and words a sunder which how it can bee done without some insight into Logick and Grammar I have neither Logick enough to conceive nor Grammar to utter though above all I acknowledge a necessity of a spirituall illumination and opening of the understanding by the Holy Ghost that a man may discerne of the spirituall meaning of that which lyeth hid under the Letter By all which besides that which is already spoken it may appeare how invalid that inference is which Chillenden makes by way of interrogation thus Why then should not men now to whom God Chill hath given of his Spirit with gifts of utterance and knowledge bee Prophets and Preachers Answ Because their gifts upon whose practise this Doctrine is grounded were extraordinary and therefore whether they expressed them with or without Ordination it maketh nothing pro or con as to our present question which is to be understood of ordinary preaching But besides those gifts carryed a Commission in their hand to every man that received them that he might lawfully and must necessarily make use of them to his praise that gave them The extraordinary powring out of the Spirit in such an immediate suddaine plentifull and powerfull manner was equivalent to a voice or Call from heaven and gave sufficient authority for the actuall exercises of those gifts But as for ordinary functions in the execution of which gifts were necessary as well as in Prophesy there did ever concurre a Call from God either immediately or mediately by his Church without which Call whosoever should intrude into the doing of the work pertaining to that function was a false Priest false Apostle false-Prophet false-Teacher In the Ministers of the New-Testament it is perpetually required that there be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ability in respect of gifts but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power or liberty in respect of Call in all the Ministeriall actions they performe And if the gifting of men did enable them with pleny-potency for preaching in a publique Ministeriall way I see no reason why Paul or any other being put upon it to shew their authority by which they preached should alwayes plead their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or lawfull Call and not their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ability in respect of gifts which they perpetually doe and not they onely but the Scriptures themselves put an expresse difference between gifting and sending the two essentials in a Ministen the one materializing him the other formalizing him as I may so speak as Joh. 20. 21 22. First he sends them As my Father hath sent me so send I you then he gifts them Receive you the Holy Ghost Ier. 1. 5. I have separated thee c. There 's his sending and ver 9. The Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth there 's his gifting Isayah is gifted Isa 6. 6 7. but withall he is sent v. 8 9. so Ezekiel chap. 2. 2. cum ver 3. So every Preacher of the Gospel must be gifted 1 Tim. 3. 2. Apt to teach And yet withall he must be sent Rom. 10. 15. How shall they Preach unlesse they be sent which sending though the Lieutenant will have it to be by infusion of gifts and that without any reason alleadged or any thing like it as may be seene in his Book Pag 23. must needs import an authoritative mission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the cleere etymology of the Greek word which manifestly alludes to the name of an Apostle a name given by Christ himself to them who were first sent by his command to preach the Gospel Luke 6. 13. And it signifies one that is sent not any way but as the Ambassadours of Princes use to be sent with their masters mandates This is also cleer by the very letter of the Text. For they that are sent are they that bring the glad tydings of Salvation And who are they The watchmen saith Isaiah in the place from whence these words are borrowed Isa 52. 8. who in Hebrew are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the very simple word by which the Apostle Cals the Elders of Ephesus who were ordained Officers and in them all the Ministers of the Gospel to the worlds end Act. 20. 28. Over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers or Watch-men as they are called in Jsaiah To say nothing at this time that it is a manifest abuse of the word sending to interpret it of sending by gifts infused in which sense if Chillenden will undertake to shew where it is taken but once in all the whole Scripture I will undertake to shew that it is taken above a hundred times in that sense which I now contend for But of this place more hereafter In the meane time I suppose this last consequence is sufficiently battered partly because the Spirit of Prophesy spoken of Numb 15. carryed along with it an impulsive command or immediate Call from God and partly because the Prophesy it selfe was extraordinary and therefore cannot be compared in any due proportion with our Preaching that from the requisites or non-requisites into the one we may inferre the requisites or non-requisites to the other no more then we may argue thus Mr. Chillenden being unordained doth fight therefore being unordained he may Preach Chill But let us see what followes The gifts of God are not given to be hid under a Bushell Anws From hence our Saviour infers that the Ministers of the Gospel whom he then sent into the world to Preach should cause their light to shine forth before men Matth 5. 16. What is this to privat gifted Christians
writings of Moses and the Prophets that any of their wise men might teach though not ordayned Answ Hereof we have not one word of proofe besides Luk. 2. 46. in the margent as if Luke were either Moses or one of the Prophets where he relates that Christ being but 12. yeeres old disputed in the temple with the Doctours Was Christ one of the wise men or is every disputation a Sermon or were those Doctours intruders doing what they did without authority Doth not Christ say of them that they sate in Moses seate Matth. 23. 2. For my part I judge them to be professors of Divinity or Tutors who were wont to instruct younger men at certaine state-seasons answereable to our Termes Act. 22. 3. For which end they lived together in a Colledge 2 Kings 22. 14. The Tutors and instructors being therefore called Fathers 1 Sam. 10. 12. and the Scholars sons of the Prophets 2 Kings 2. 15. As to that which Chillenden urgeth farther from the example of Iehosaphat Hezekiah Nehemia c. we give this Short answer That what they spake was either a judicicall charge which every Judge may give to the grand Jury as Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. or 2 a Propheticall or 3 a Magistraticall act and so not precedentiall to private Christians For a Magistrate by vertue of his Office hath a spirituall power though not an Ecclesiasticall or Church power to pray exhort and blesse the people and to make use of other naturall and generall mediums of spirituall good according to what I premised Thes 4. For which end Magistrates had often if not alwayes a Spirit of Prophesy as the 70 Elders whereof Eldad and Medad were two Num. 11. Saul David c. Chill It was the customs of the Jewes to let men Preach who were no ordained Ministers As Scribes Pharises and Lawyers Answ These at least were Prophets Matth 23. 2. Chill Why did they suffer Christ to dispute in the Temple Answ Disputation is no preaching Nor doe I think that that disputation was in the Temple where the solemn worship of God was wont to be on the Sabbath but in some of the buildings about the Temple which were called by the name of the Temple Chill Christ was permitted to preach in the Synagogues Luke 4. 16 c. Though the Iewes did not acknowledge him to be a Prophet sent of God Ergo. Answ It was permitted him especially in Nazareth his owne country Luke 4. 16. because he began not to preach till he was 30 yeeres old and at that age his Majesty and the miracles which he wrought had made way for him because every man esteemed him as a Prophet sent of God Luke 4. 14. and 3. 15. 21 22 23. Mat. 5. â—0 21. And as for those who knew him not and for a long time he was but little knowne out of his owne country their permission of him to preach argues nothing for they did presume that none would offer to preach but such as had authority and therefore when he taught before those that knew him not They aske him the question plainly Matth 21. 23. By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority Chill Paul and Barnabas preached publikely yet the Iewes tooke no notice of them as of Ministers ordained Answ Chillenden I suppose meanes the same which his Master Robinson has writ before him of Pauls preaching at Antioch Act. 13. 14 15. To which we Answer that it is false that the Iews tooke no notice of them to be ordained Ministers For it was knowne that they were come to Towne and the Ruler of the Synagogue sent unto them vers 15. their fame therefore was great at Antioch A whole yeere before this time they had preached the word there and brought many to Christ where also were many other Prophets and Teachers that had preached the word both to Jewes and Greekes Act. 11. 19 20 21 25 26 27 28 13. 1 2. Chill Act. 18. 24. to that end Apollos was no ordained Minister yet he preached That Apollos was no ordained Minister is said but not proved For my part I judge he was 1 He was a teacher in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 3. 5. and that an eminent teacher in so much as that his hearers had advanced him into a competition with Paul or Peter 1 Cor. 1. 12. and preferred him before them And there were no ordinary constant Preachers but such as were ordained in the Apostles dayes Yea and the Scripture intimates that he had as good authority to Preach as Paul himselfe though not given him in such an extraordinary manner 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers c. If the Apostles calling himselfe a Minister in that place argues sufficiently that he had authority to Preach why doth it not argue the same in Apollo the rather because the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used is generally in Scripture ascribed to Ministers in Office or in Commission whether ordinary or extraordinary 2 Cor. 3. 6 6 4 11 23. Ephes 3 7. 6. 21. 1 Thes 3. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 6. Act 1. 17. 6. 4. 20. 24. And why should it not signify the same here 2 The Apostle speaking to the Corinthians of what esteem they should have toward the Ministers of the Gospel adviseth them to judge of them as they are even as of Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of Christ 1 Cor. 4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now a Steward is such a one as doth dispence the houshould affaires by Commission under his master A Steward then of the mysteries of God is such a one to whom Jesus Christ hath either by ordinary or extraordinary Call committed the Preaching of the Gospell unto his Church A dispensation of the grace of God givon me to you-wards saith the Apostle Ephes 3. â— Now such a Steward was Apollo as well as Paul 1 Cor. 46. Therefore Apollo was a Minister in Office called of God either extraordinarily as was Paul and the Apostles or ordinarily by the laying on of hands as were Pastours and Teachers 3. It seemes that Apollo did Baptize as well as Preach which yet farther argues him to be a Minister in Office for though Chillenden claime authority for unordained persons to Preach by vertue of their gifts yet I find not that he allowes them to baptize by vertue of their gifts for when the Apostle saith vers 13. Were you Baptized in the name of Paul he adds ver 14 15. I thanke God I Baptized none least any should say that I Baptized in mine own name q. â— Those whom I Baptized did I Baptize them into mine own name that from thenceforth they should call themselves Paulists Or did Cephas Baptize those into his name whom he Baptized that they should call themselves Cephists Or did Apollo Baptize any of you into his name that they should call themselves Apollonists Yea saith the Apostle
seeing you are divided into Sects according to the names and number of them that Baptized you I am glad that I Baptized no more of you then I did because I would not be the Captaine and Ring-leader of a Sect. This I say seemes to be the plain meaning of the words which cleerely holds forth to me that Apollo Baptized as well as Paul or Peter and therefore was a Minister in Office as well as they Let us heare what Chillenden hath to the contrary Chill 1 Saith he The Scripture is altogether silent in it Answ Not altogether for what I have spoken for it I have spoken from Scripture And if the Scripture had been altogether silent yet were it nothing to the purpose for there were many Elders of whose ordination the Scripture speaks not a word but leaves us to infer they were ordained because they did the works of Elders As Crispus Tychicus Titus Demas and others Chill 2 Saith he We only find this of him in Scripture that he was instructed in the way of the Lord c. Answ Whether this be true or no let the Reader judge from what I have spoken of him Chill 3 Saith he He could be no Officer in the Jewish Church because he imbraced Jesus Christ nor in the Gentile Church because he knew only the Baptisme of John Answ Bables as if first there were no Church of the Jewes yet that embraced Christ and beleeved 2. As if he might not be a Minister of the Gentiles though he knew only the Baptisme of John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expertus He experienced onely the Baptisme of John That is he was Baptized onely with Johns Baptisme and the Holy Ghost had not fallen upon him in such sort as upon the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospell in those dayes which is spoken to his commendation and the magnifying of the Grace of God in him that he should be so knowing in the way of God and fervent in the work of God though he had been Baptized only with water into the Name of Christ which was Johns Baptisme Act. 19. 4. and had not received the Holy Ghost as it was then dispenced which was Christs Baptisme in distinction from Johns Matth. 3. 11. He shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire 3. As if he might not be an Evangelist as Timothy was and so no setled Officer in any Church but an itenerant Preacher to every Church where he came which for my part I think is the truth because he travelled up and down with the Apostles And so much for his third Argument Chill Act. 8. 4. therfore that they were scattered a road went every where Preaching the word And Act 11. 19 20. It was the Church that were scattered therefore it was the Church that Preached and all the Church at Jerusalem were not ordained Officers Answ The most that can be made out from this Argument is this That to Preach some times upon occasion when by reason of persecution we may not enjoy our own Teachers and have no other helpe but our own gifts is lawfull But with what appearance of consequence doth it follow from hence that it is not onely lawfull but necessary for so Chillenden makes it for a private gifted man though not ordained to preach in a Church already constituted and under the order of the Gospell where Ministers may be and are ordained in a regular way and their people may have free accesse to them Necessity sometimes is instead of a Call These that were scattered grant that they were private Christians did not therefore preach because they were gifted for then they should have preached before persecution had scattered them But the present necessity was instead of an Ordination at least it was a Call of God for them to preach without Ordination when by reason of disturbances Ordination could not be had 2. But the Text sayes not that the Church was scattered abroad but they all were scattered abroad which particular they refers not to the whole Church but unto those who kept company with Christ while he lived and with his Apostles at Jerusalem after he was ascended even the 70 Disciples Act. 1. 15 21. who were all or most Evangelists 1. From the very beginning of the Book the Evangelist sets himselfe to relate the Acts of the Apostles together with the 70 Disciples though he instanceth most in Peter declaring how the spirit promised to be given them after Christs ascention did work effectually in their Ministery Therefore here he observes the same method 2. This is the more probable because he instanceth so suddainly and immediately in Philip ver 5. thereby shewing whom he meaneth-by they all vers 4. For had he spoken of a man that had pertained to a new company of whom he had made no mention before he would then have said a certain man named Philip or some such expression to give notice that he was directing his speech to another and a new subject But speaking so immediately of Philip it argues he is still upon the same company I meane the 70 Disciples who abode with the Apostles and received their commission from Christ as well as the Apostles upon whom also the Holy Ghost was powred down together with the Apostles Act. 2. they were therefore men ordained by Christ himselfe John 15. 16. to go and preach the Gospell Chillenden grants that Philip was ordained but it was saith he to be a Deacon an Office that did not bind him to preach Not remembring that the same man is expresly called an Evangelist Act. 21. 8. and that after he was chosen a Deacon and such as he was such seeme all the rest to be even Evangelists 3. It is said they went every where as Evangelists were wont to do preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is in the Greek a word that is never used but for preachers by function and though the word be a participle denoting an act and not a faculty yet it alwayes notes such an act as is performed by vertue of an Office 4. They did not only preach but it should seem they did Baptize too Act. 8. 12. 16. 38. and though Philip be the man whois there onely mentioned yet it is most probable that the rest who were scattered abroad Baptized also For Act 11. 21. a great number beleeved and turned to the Lord. Now the manner in those dayes vvas to Baptize men so soone as ever they made profession of Faith Act. 22. 16. and Act. 2. c. And therefore vve are to think the same of these at Antioch that they also were Baptized nay the rather because there is no other time mentioned vvhen nor person by vvhom they vvere Baptized Some of the Apostles vvere aftervvards sent dovvn to themfrom Jerusalem not to Baptize them but rather to confirm give the holy Ghost to them being already Baptized for that I find to be the end of their undertaking many other journeyes of the
prevoking one another to love and to good works Heb. 10. 24. a comforting one another with good conference 1 Thes 4. 18. c. 2 Some conceive and that not without ground that it is a precept peculiarly directed to Church officers There is but one word in the text that seemes to make against it and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle would have them minister to one another which word seems to extend the Apostles exhortation to all in generall But for my part I see no reason why the word should not be englished in in own native and proper signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad suos to his own that is to those that are related to him and the neerer the relation is which any man has to others the more strictly is he bound to communicate the guift he has received from God to them for their good As neighbours to neighbours Masters to their families Parents to their children Pastors to their people and generally every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad suos as the word is used John 20. 10. and the like in Mark 5. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad tuos to thine owne Then the meaning of the Apostle here is this That all Church-officers should be ready to communicate the guifts they have received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those over whom God hath set them which is the same advise which the same Apostle gives them cap. 5. 2. Feed the flock of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is amongst you And for my part I am the rather inclined to this interpretation because the Apostle having said in the verse next before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hospitall one towards another here presently he changes the word thereby intimating some change of sense and bids them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one another but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his own But 3. whether this be so or no the place is cleere against the preaching of private unordained persons For though the Apostle should speake here generally to all Christians that they should communicate their gifts each to other for mutuall edification yet he doth as it were purposely except a communication of gifts in a way of Preaching making that a peculiar priviledge to him whose office and work it is to Preach by vertue of his calling ver 11 Let him that speaketh that iâ— he whose Office and work it is to Preach let him speak as the Oracles of God For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is he that preacheth as also 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. The generall Rule then is this as if the Apostle had said I will that all men generally improve the gifts they have received to the benefit of others as much as they may Specially let the Pastâ—ur or preacher the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him play the good Steward with his gift in preaching and the Deacon with his in Ministring c. thereby intimating that when he spake to Christians in generall in the former verse advising them to ministration of their gifts he did not meane they should do it in a way of Preacâ—ing and so usurpe the Office of the Pastour no more then he doth allow those who might be gifted for the Deaconry to turne the Deacon out of his Office and play the Deacon themselves when he saith in the words following let him that ministers that is the deacon let him doe it as of the ability which God giveth Arg. 6 We are now come to the last of Chillendens Arguments wherin we doubt not but to find him as unsuccessefull as in all the rest Chill 1 Cor. 12. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall Answ I take the scope of this whole chapter to be this namely to declare the wisedome of God in constituting and ordering his Church the mysticall body of Christ Iesus and proportionating one member of it to another so geometrically as that it abides in a wholesome crasis and symmetrie without schisme and deformity as from the order of the members in the body naturall each to other ariseth the unity consistency and beauty of the whole ver 15. 23. 25. 26. c. And this order in the Church is nothing else but a due correspondency and aequipoysing of inferiors and superiors ver 27 28. 29. I should therefore much wonder if this chapter should afford any argument for Chillendens confounding error As to those words ver 7. the manifestation of the spirit c. the meaning is that though there be diversities of gifts administrations and operations in the Church ver 4 5 6. yet the manifestation of the spirit that is the spirit manifesting it selfe in those extraordinary gifts in what man soever it be is given for this one end namely the Churches edification though the gifts be many yet their end is but one quid hoc ad Rhombum Chill 1 Cor. 14. 1. The Apostle writing to the whole Church of Corinth saith thus follow after charity and desire spirituall gifts but rather that you may prophesy Answ We deny that the Apostles exhortation is directed to the whole Church nay Chillenden himselfe denyes it and sayes expressely that the Apostle speakes of prophesying by those who were enabled with sufficient gifts in this very place and that indeed is his scope from the 28. and 29. ver of the 12. Chapter even to give directions to gifted persons in the Church of Corinth and his directions are two that they doe all in love chap. 13. without which knowledge puffeth up chap. 8. 2 That of all spirituall gifts they should affect prophesy But what is this to the whole Church But the Apostle sayes you may all prophesy ver 13. Answ Not all the whole Church for he had said before chap. 12 29. are all prophets The Church is the finall object for whose edification prophesy is Chap. 14. 12. not the efficient cause But the Apostles meaning is that all that were Prophets might prophesy For after he had given direction to those that spake with tongues ver 22. 23. he comes to give direction to the Prophets for their number ver 29. and for their order ver 30. and therefore of them is to be understood that which follows you may all Prophesy Now these Prophets were not private gifted Christians but men of eminency and authority in the Church of Corinth and extraordinarily inspired with a spirit of prophesy as I shall now prove onely I cannot but take notice how Chillenden fayles in the maine foundation of this his Argument viz. that these Prophets were ordinary gifted believers which I can no way assent unto for these reasons following 1. It is most evident that the Prophets spoken of throughout this whole Chapter are persons contradistinguished from private gifted Christians For saith the Apostle vers 37. If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual c. Who are