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duty_n	bind_v	law_n	nature_n	1,568	5	5.4669	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80158	Responsoria ad erratica pastoris, sive, vindiciæ vindiciarum. Id est, the Shepherds wandrings discovered, in a revindication of the great ordinance of god: Gospel-preachers, and preaching. By way of reply and answer to a late booke, called, The peoples priviledges, and duty guarded against the pulpit and preachers encroachment. And their sober justification and defence of their free and open exposition of scriptures. Published by William Sheppard, Esq. Wherein Mr Sheppards pretended guard, consisting of ten propositions and ten arguments, is examined, and found to wear nothing by wooden swords. And all his replyes to Mr Tho. Halls arguments, and Mr Collinges arguments in his Vindiciæ ministerii, brought against not ordained persons ordinary preaching, are found but cavils and too light. And the truth still maintained, ... in that, preaching and expounding scripture publiquely, are proper acts to gospel officers; not common to all. Wherein also the great question, how far the spirit of God ... dothïnable them to understand scripture is opened, ... / By John Collings, M.A. and preacher of the Gospel in Norwich.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1652 (1652)	Wing C5331; Thomason E672_1; ESTC R207127	122,201	185

Scriptures as to the right use and understanding of them is necessary to the people as well as the preachers I observe a scurvy term As well as in every proposition If there be not a snake in that word I see nothing of falshood in this 4. That the people as well as Preachers are to abound in the knowledge of the Scriptures As wel as again Surely the cheat lies in that terme we will search it anon But admit it rightly understood After these comes in the Tripartite notion called the priviledge that should be guarded 1. That the gift of Scriptures exposition being a part of that prophecy which doth now remain is a gift common to all people of Christ out of office as well as the Preachers of Christ in office 2. That the people may as well use the gift of expounding Scripture as the Preachers 3. That it is the duty of all people of God as well as of the Preachers to expound Scriptures In the last place comes in the Rear-guard consisting of three other positions which are innocent truths if they have no daggers under their shirts more then a common Reader will see God willing we will search them anon 1. That all Gods people may and ought to expound Scriptures to themselves and one to another Query What the Author means by expounding 2 By one to another If by expounding he means speaking of the Scriptures or telling their thoughts or what they have heard or read or observed of the sence of the Scriptures and by One another he means privately It is granted 2. That such as have any singular gift herein above others are to exercise it as may be most for the profit of others This is true enough onely adding that they keep the limits by which Gods Word and their calling bounds them 3. That these expositions of Scripture of the people one to another have been frequently blessed of God for the begetting and encreasing of faith in the hearers This I feare will prove anon to be barely proved yet we dare not limit the holy one of Israel nor say but that they may have sometimes been so blessed although I believe you might have left out the word frequently I feare you will want Scripture proofe anon for that word These are his ten Propositions Now Sir although I could grant you and easily doe grant you severall of these positions to be true if rightly understood yet I shall examine what you have said to all them Partly because I have a suspicion upon some words in them not to have so honest a meaning as they have a looke And partly that I might see whether you have been guided by the Spirit in your applications of your many Scriptures to prove the points for which they are brought I will begin with the first of your Van-guard CHAP. IV. Wherein the fifth and part of the sixth page is examined and the first proposition is scann'd and opened viz. That the Scriptures doe as well belong to the people as the Preachers THe first proposition is That that the Scriptures doe as wel belong to the people as to the Preachers This point the Gentleman first proves Secondly cleares from objections 1. He proves it he should have done well to have opened it first Those two terms 1. Belong 2. As well as are not cleare We may say the government of the City belongs to the people of it but how quoad exercitium actus as to the exercise of the acts of government Are the keys of government theirs no sure Then farewell Magistracy and welcome Levelling But it belongs to them as it is for their good and peace and order as that under which and according to the rule of which they are to live If this Gentleman means by belonging what the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 3.16 That the Scriptures are profitable for all for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes God forbid but we should grant it and this belonging is proved by Deut. 29.29 and Ioh. 5.39 and Iude 3. and many other places But if this Genleman means that they should belong to them as the keyes to the Steward to open and apply them to the people he both contradicts himselfe for he tels us in other places of this book That they cannot expound and apply Scriptures authoritatively and he contradicts the Apostle too 1 Cor. 4.2 Mysterium distribuimus in verbum Dei Sacramenta P. Martyr ad loc Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Iesus Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Of which mysteries the Gospell is one Col. 1.16 And if he doth not meane that the Scriptures thus belong to the people 1. He sayes nothing to the purpose 2 His second objection is little worth of which more by and by for suppose we argue thus If the Scriptures be for the peoples use and belong to them for reproofe correction doctrine instruction in righteousnesse then the people may expound and preach them publiquely He sayes They are committed to Preachers and yet not so as excluding the people But The Preachers are especially Natura enim omnes jubet mutuò esse custodes ac defensores salutis nostrae alienae maxime veri fratres Pareus Immo quod tibi frater est proximus ideo es illius custos tibi illius salus est a deo commendata P. Martyr and by publique office and the duty of their place to take care of them but this hinders not but that every Christian is by duty bound in generall to take care of the soules of his fellow Christians and so of the truth We easily grant that private Christians are in the generall bound by the Law of God and nature to take a private care of their brethrens soules and bodies and of the truth so farre as to keep it in their own hearts and propagate it in their own families yea and to admonish reprove and exhort one another to watch over them if standing if any brother be fallen through infirmity to endeavour to restore him in the spirit of meeknesse But Sir they are not to take a publique care of nor are they put in a publique trust concerning their brethrene soules Neither are the Scriptures committed to them to teach others Quicquid enim ingenio humano ex cogitatum assuitur Scripturae ut pro divinitus revelato habeatur mendacium est Pareus in Apoc. c. 22. 1 Tim. 2.2 What the word of God doth not say in reference to the Ordinances and worship of God that we must not say For if we doe we shall adde to the Scriptures God must order every pin in the Tabernacle But the word of God no where saies that the people have the glorious Gospel of God committed to their trust to teach others out of it as 1 Tim. 1.11 1 Tim. 6.20 2 Tim. 2.2 and

you have quoted none that doth You have indeed brought in many but you have brought them in against their wils so none of them speake to prove what you would have them viz. that it is any where prophecied that the guift of prophecying and understanding the mysteries of Scripture by an extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit should abound under the Gospel as a standing guift to all the Saints Indeed most of them prove an increase of saving knowledge practicall experimentall knowledge of God and of things necessary to salvation and possibly of the knowledge we are speaking of to be acquired by ordinary means and waies but none of them of such an immediate inspiration to make them understand the Scriptures so as to be able to expound them where they are darke and their sense not obvious Nor doth that place quoted by you Mat. 11.11 prove any thing at all it being clearly to be understood of Christ whom the Jews counted least in the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in loc V. Dickson in Matthaeum You bring another reason p. 9. to prove that the people are to abound in the knowledge of the Scriptures as well as the Preachers Because they have many uses to put it to viz. to teach reprove exhort c. But all this they may doe though they have not so full a knowledge of the Scriptures as Preachers are and ought to have I grant you they are to labour for a knowledge in the Scriptures but not that they are tied by duty to seek for such a measure of knowledge as the Preacher is bound by duty to seek after But I hasten to your fift proposition p. 9 CHAP. VII Wherein is examined Mr. Sheppards 9 10 11 12 13 pages and his fifth proposition scann'd and examined YOur fifth proposition is this That the guift of Scripture exposition and explication being a part of the prophecy which doth now remain in the Church is a guift common to all the people of Christ out of Office as well as the preachers of Christ in Office This now well proved were worth something to your purpose Here are two things to be proved 1. That the guift of Scripture exposition and explanation is a part of the prophecie which doth now remain in the Church 2. That it is a common guift I am mistaken if I finde either of these well proved You should have proved the former first but you begin with the latter and I will follow your method Now to prove that this is a common guift you would prove 1. That all Gods people have Gods Spirit Jam. 4.5 1 Thes 4.8 1 John 4.13 Rom. 8.9 2. That this Spirit is a Spirit of illumination and Scripture interpretation Zech. 12.10 Rom. 8.15 26. Eph. 6.18 3. That by this they are or may be enabled to see the sense and meaning of Scripture 1 Cor. 2 12. Eph. 1.17 18. Jer. 31.33 Psal 40.7 8. Jo. 3.27 Jo. 10.26 Jo 6.44 45. Matth. 13.11 12 16. This is the substance of your ninth and tenth pages For the first I grant it that all Gods people have the Spirit But Sir surely you were not guided by this Spirit in the interpreting of Scripture when to prove this you quote Jam. 4.5 The words are these Doe you think that the Scripture speaketh in vain The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy Is that meant of the holy Spirit of God think you But the thing is truth that all Gods people have the Spirit now let us make it into an argument Whoso hath the Spirit of God hath the guift of expounding Scripture But all Gods people have the Spirit of God Ergo they all have the guift of expounding Scripture Nego majorem Prove Sir your first proposition and to this purpose I suppose you bring your next medium and tell us that this Spirit is a spirit of illumination and Scripture interpretation in all that have it Your Logick is this If the Spirit of God in all that have it be a Spirit of Scripture interpretation then whoso hath the Spirit hath that guift But the Spirit in all that have it is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation Ergo. Nego minorem The latter proposition is false I grant you that the Spirit is a Spirit of interpretation that is that the Spirit can teach a man the meaning of Scripture for all Scripture is dictated by the Spirit and ejusdem est interpretari ac condere Yet let me tell you you are beholden to me for granting you this for you have not proved it You indeed bring in against their wils the Prophet Zachariah proving it Zech. 12.10 where are these words I will poure upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications c. Here is no mention of the Spirit of Scripture interpretation Your other place is Ro. 8.15 26. v. 15. For you have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but you have rceeived the spirit of adoption whereby you cry Abba Father v. 16. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us c. Here is plain mention made of the spirit of bondage and adoption and supplication and intercession But you are a better Logician then I if you can from any of these Texts prove that the Spirit is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation though the thing be a truth Sir yet I say you are beholding to me to yield it you in arguing Nay I will grant you a little further that the Spirit of God in whomsoever it dwels doth so farre enlighten their minds in the knowledge of the Scriptures that they may see all that is necessary for them to know in reference to their own salvation But this the Spirit doth upon their reading and hearing imprinting a perswasion of the truth of what they heare and read upon their hearts But though I yield you easily that the Spirit is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation yet I deny that it is in all so Nay I shall question whether it be in any so as you would have it I grant you in these 1. That the Spirit doth dwell in all 2. That the Spirit can interpret Scriptures 3. That it doth doe as I have said But I conceive that which you would have is this That the Spirit by a secret immediate work doth enlighten men without the use of ordinary means such as are the understanding the tongues weighing consequences considering coherences c in the understanding of the Scriptures That a Saint quà a Saint by vertue of the Spirit dwelling in him is able to interpret any Scriptures so as to expound them to others This is a false and dangerous opinion I shall therefore spend a few words to shew you what assistance the Spirit of God ordinarily gives men in the opening of Scriptures That the Spirit of God hath by

ought to expound Scripture to themselves and one to another This you prove by six Reasons which I will examine apart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Proverb We have had this said over and over again it was the substance of the seventh proposition Let us see if it be better proved here 1. Your first reason is because the Se●●●ure by exposition is made more usefull and profitable This doth not prove sir that therefore they ought to expound it to themselves or one to another This proves indeed that it ought to be expounded to them 2. Your second reason because they are to be alwaies teaching reproving comforting one another and this cannot be done without expounding c. How often shall I answer this crambe 1. This may be done by applying to themselves and others plaine and easie Scriptures for which there needs no expounding 2. By applying to themselves and others the sound interpretation of those that God hath call'd to that office to interpret his will 3. Thirdly you say Every private Christian hath in him a guift more or lesse and this is not to be hid To prove that they have a guift of Scripture interpretation you bring again 1 Cor. 12 17. I am sick of this tautologizing this is the third time I have met with this but I must look I see instead of strength of arguments for to be served with a flood of words I answer again you have not proved they have all a guift 2. If they had they must be called to the exercise or else every Souldier that hath the gift of warlike prudence might be a Colonell 4. They should covet more then this you say viz. to prophecy 1 Cor. 14.1 5. and to speak with Tongues too v. 5. They are as much bound to one as the other But Sir it was their duty to covet those gifts because then they were not ceased but not ours alike now the like may be said to that place Num. 11 29. Prophecy was an extraordinary gift of God then in date now ceased Moses did not wish they were all Priests 5. Your fifth reason is the same with the fourth you say All the people of God as well as the Preachers are commanded to labour for the highest degree of this guift and wherfore are they to labour for it if not to use it when attain'd 1 Cor. 14.1 39. 1 C r. 12 31. 1 Cor. 14.20 1. The substance of this was answered before 2. The second as wel as upon which all your strength lieth is not proved but I perceive you take great paines to prove that which none denies You say Io. 4 39. Page 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I suppose you meane Io. 5.39 We are commanded to search the Scripturet and Mr. Loigh te's you it is a metaphor taken from them that dig in mines and if so it noteth foure things 1. The breaking in pieces of the earth 2. The taking out the precious matter 3. The carefull laying of it up 4. The employing it to the use to which it serveth whence you infer p. 17. That it is the duty of all Christians industriously to study the word of God to breake it in pieces in his meditations draw and take out the spirituall sense and truths thereof carefully to lay up these in his soule and then bring them forth upon occasion for the profit of others and so no doubt it is Psal 1.2 Col. 3.16 Acts 17.11 Deut. 6.7 Mat. 13.51 Psal 119.11 Nihil necesse est ut similitudo aut Analogia quadret per omnia Erasmus de rat conc 428. To your foure particulars and your inference I answer shortly 1. I perceive you are good at making similitudes run on foure feet contrary to the knowne maxime I shall minde you of a rule in Divinity Theologia parabolica non est argumentativa and a Latin Proverb Similia ad pompam non ad pugnam 2. You are out in your metaphor for usually those that dig in the Mine are neither they that lay up the oare nor Mint it nor employ it Similitudo legitur proverbiorum 11. Monile aureum in naribus porci est mulier formosa magnum sane disc●imen inter porcū mulierem Hyperius de rat studii Theol. l. 2. c. 19. Ob. 5. 3. The care is to be purified in the furnace too and to receive a stampe before it be currant but Gods word is purified seven times 4. I grant all you say to be a Christians duty but what Christians and when and how this is the Question he that digs in the Mine must have a spade Christians must have gifts to doe it with and doe it by meanes and then imploy it according to the rule as the righteous man Psal 1.2 as the Colossians ch 3.16 and the Bereans Acts 17.11 in their families Deut. 6.7 6. You adde By this meanes especially Christians may as salt season themselves and others keepe them from corruption and destruction and they and their workes made savoury to God and good men and as a candle they will give light to all the family of God about them Math. 5.13 14 15. By this meanes what meanes by unlearned mens expositions of Scripture Saint Peter thought otherwise for he sayes they wil wrest them to their own destruction 1 Pet. 3.16 there is no speaking against experience Sir we have seen this a meanes to corrupt and pervert others to draw men off from Ordinances and duties and to a contempt of the messengers of the Gospell and meanes of grace instead of giving light they have beene like thieves in the candle eclipsing the light of truth and holinesse a little more time will convince you Sir of your mistake in this surely a diligent attendance upon the preaching of the Gospell by Christs commission officers were a better meanes to these ends I am now come to your ninth position That those that have received any speciall gift of prophecy or Scripture exposition are to exercise and use it so as may be of most advantage to the Church Primò termi ni axiomatis explicandisunt Chappell in Meth. conc 133. Your not opening your proposition makes you speak very darkly and puts me to much trouble you should have told us 1. What you meane by gift of prophecy 2. Who are those that have that same speciall gift 1. If you meane by gift office as the Apostle hath it 1 Tim. 4.14 it is granted but then it makes nothing to your purpose 2. For the guift of prophecy none hath it now 3. For the gift of expounding Scripture those that have it are bound to exercise it in their place and calling otherwise it cannot be for Gods glory or the Churches good But I suppose your meaning is That there are some not in office that have an ability to expound Scripture and they are bound to use it as shall be most advantagious to the Church Keeping the rules of Gods word and the bounds of their

applyed to both and the people are called Priests and Preachers Priests in a common notion But yet let me tell you I doe not thinke their services are both alike For 3. He that Ministred the Gospell of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy Ghost was one that was in office and had grace given him of God to be a Minister of the Gospel of Christ Ro. 15. ●6 Shew me where in that sense the people are called Priests You tell us next that that place Deut. 6. Doth contain and command more then bare reading the Scriptures and and preaching of them to a mans owne family onely and to this purpose you tell us that that Text in Deut. seems to be a Metaphor taken from whetting an instrument by which it is made more sharpe and so more usefull So the word of God c. I wonder how many words you would have to restraine a Text here are four or five 1. To thy children 2. In thy house 3. When thou lyest downe and risest up 4. Vpon the posts of thy house and thy gates Let the indifferent reader judge whether this Text be not enough restrained For your observation of the metaphor I say nothing for it is nothing to the present purpose But p. 29. You say suppose there come twenty or an hundred in of the neighbours may you not preach to them also c. Sir we can give you no license to preach to any To the law and to the testimony if that say you may you may if not you may not this Text in Deuteronomy gives you no liberty to preach to them nor doe I know any that doe you may doubtlesse if they come occasionally to joyne with you in a family duly go on with your duty before them but if you make it your businesse to call them into your charret to see your zeale for the Lord of hostes I know no Scripture will justifie you I passe on to our second and third grant as you say Scriptures misapplied We doe nay the word of God doth grant you that you may privately occasionally extraordinarily and by way of discourse reprove admonish encourage exhort comfort support but we doe not grant it you from Pro 20.22 or Mal. 3.10 there is not a letter in them to any such purpose no more is there in Io. 2.17 nor in Gal. 6.2 nor in Acts 18.26 Apollos was more then a gifted brother Sir indeed we grant it from Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.13 Es 2.2 your other five places are shamefully applyed to shew you that it is not the spirit of God that immediately and specially directs you in applications of Scriptures alwayes We doe grant also that private persons if called to it may make open confessions of their faith and apologies on their own defence and magistrates may make charges and in them make use of the Scriptures But now let us heare what you will conclude If they may doe this then they may without any call preach the Gospell publikely in a constituted Church I deny this shamefull consequence Sir are families constituted Churches or meetings of people at assizes constituted Churches fy fy surely your mind if we may judge of it by your Logick is to abuse not convince your readers but to defend your weake cause you tell us 1. The texts named and duties pressed doe as much appertain to preachers as people what then Sir therefore the preachers may also exhort c. privately we doe not goe to conclude from those Scriptures what you may not doe but what you may doe 2. You tell us The preachers have forced these termes occasionally extraordinarily and privately upon the texts there being not any one word in any of them holding forth any such distinction or intention only in Acts. 18.26 a place very neare to one of their texts there is this that Apollos a man then doubtlesse out of office did mightily convince the Iewes and that publikely by the Scriptures proving that Iesus was the Christ Nor can we understand what they meane by these terms or how to make any certain definition of them or to give to our selves any certain rules for the guiding our selves therein the duties enjoyned are common and necessary the command generall and indefinite how then are such destinctions warrantable 3. Let the force and use of the words and the nature of the duties thereby enjoyned and the use and sense of the words in other Scriptures Acts 2.4 Heb. 10.22 23 24 25. Acts 15 32 13 15 11 23. Titus 2.3 Heb. 5 12. 2 Chron. 17.7 8 19 6 7. 2 Tim. 2 16 17. be well weighed and then let the preachers tell us if they can wherein these things doe differ from preaching and how they may be done without preaching To these cavills I answer 1. If the preachers have devised the distinctions of Occasionally and Extraordinarily and privately you are beholden to them for it for you your self make use of them p. 23. and tell us that but in some cases it may be done ordinarily and constantly 2. Though the very word privately should not be found in Scripture yet words are found that argue the same thing Heb. 3.13 exhort one another which is a terme of a private notion and differing from exhorting the congregation 3. The peoples inquiry concerning the interpretation of Scripture was privately Math. 24.3 Mar. 13.3 Math. 13.36 contrary to the practice of many publikely to dispute with the Preachers when they have done their sermons or interrupting them when they are preaching 4 As the term extraordinarily is not put in so neither is it needfull for the duties commanded them are to be done ordinarily viz to admonish reprove comfort support c. 5. Though it be no where said they must doe it onely privately yet withall it is no where said they may do it in a constituted Church that hath publike officers to preach to them 6. Neither is there any one example of any not gifted with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Chost nor in office that did it publikely 7. If Apollos mentioned Acts 18.25 26. were at that time out of office which yet by your favour is not doubtlesse yet he was no private person for it is more then probable he had the extraordinary gift of proph●●cy and to be sure he was to be a minister in office 1 Cor. 3.5 8. The very putting in of that terme Acts 18.28 and that publikely argued that it was not ordinary for private persons or any not in office to speake publikely in the Synagogues 9. It is an easie thing for men to pretend ignorance when they have no mind to understand to helpe you By privately we meane not in publike assemblies and congregations By extraordinarily we meane they may doe it 1. Where no Ministers in office can be procured or resorted to till such time as the congregation can be supplyed regularly 10. The duties enjoyned are common and

meane that what is no way forbidden in Scripture neither by any generall precept nor by any particular precept neither directly nor by consequence is not unlawfull then we grant you that what is not forbidden in that sense is not unlawfull But every thing not commanded or allowed is in that sense forbidden for Rev. 22.18 It is forbidden to adde any thing to the word of God But then we deny your Minor and say that the ordinary preaching of persons uncalled publikely in constituted Churches or publike assemblies if they be such as have not the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which are now ceased is forbidden 1. For how shall they preach except they be sent Ro. 10.15 and no man takes this honour to himself 2. It is no where commanded nor allowed therefore implicitly forbidden 3. Consequentially they are forbidden for it is an act of office which they are by your own confession forbidden Math. 28.18 19. ● If you meane by not forbidden not forbidden in so many words we deny your Major and say it doth not follow a thing is lawfull because it is not forbidden in so many words For upon this score the Surples the Crosse in Baptisme bowing at the name of Jesus in short most of the Popish ceremonies are not thus forbidden But you say this duty is alike necessary with prayer and you know not any reason why the same rules and liberties should not be granted in one as the other that it be done in all places and at all times and all manner of wayes 1 Tim. 2.8 Eph. 6.18 1 Thes 3.10 1. We grant you that expounding of Scripture is necessary but it is not alike necessary for every private Christian to expound Scripture as to pray Prayer is a piece of naturall worship Preaching a piece of Instituted worship and we must keep to the Institution God hath bid all pray he hath not bid all preach 2. The places of Scripture you quote prove nothing for preaching onely but for praying which none denies you yet you set your Scriptures as if they should prove both but there is no such matter Your third argument is this That the word doth command it for it doth every where command to exhort Pag. 32. warne teach comfort reprove edifie one another and this cannot be done without the opening and application of Scripture therefore it is commanded for it is an undeniable rule that when any thing is commanded that also is commanded without which the other thing cannot be done To bring your argument into forme it must be thus That which is commanded is lawfull that is unquestionably true But the ordinary preaching and expounding of Scriptures by persons meerely gifted not called to the office in publike assemblies and constituted Churches is commanded Ergo. This I deny Sir You prove it thus Where the End is commanded all necessary meanes is commanded but exhorting warning teaching reproving edifying one another is an end commanded and the ordinary preaching and exp unding Scripture by persons meerely gifted not called to the office in publike assemblies and constituted Churches is the necessary meanes to that end therefore this is commanded 1 To this I answer Sir that I grant God hath commanded private persons to comfort reprove exhort edifie one another this is an end commanded 2. That God hath allowed yea and commanded them the use of necessary meanes to this end without which the end could not be attained 3. I say that although by publike preaching this end is promoted yet this is not the onely necessary meanes but Christians may be edified by their brethren without this and therefore it doth not follow this is commanded them 4. Through the ignorance of the preachers this more probably would be a meanes to pervert them 2 Pet. 3.16 5. This argument would prove that they are command●d to administer the Sacraments too and do all pastorall acts for they are commanded say you to edifie one another and these are meanes of edification 6. This argument would prove that all Saints though not gifted nor any wayes proved or approved may preach and doe all other pastorall acts for they are all bound to edifie one another and these are meanes in order to this end By this time Sir I believe you understand your own fallacy For what you say that the Scriptures have enjoyned these duties and no where restrained time place or manner I answered that before there must be a time and place too Sir observed or else you may prove they are bound to preach when the Minister is praying and preaching as well as what you doe and for the manner you your self have set downe one p. 25. and pretended to bring Scripture for it You say you Know no reason why they may not speak publikely by exhortation to men as well as in prayer and praise to God I will tell you Sir 1. Prayer and praise are both pieces of naturall worship preaching a piece of instituted worship in performance of which you must keep to the institution 2. The Scripture doth not so fully prove nor indeed at all prove your duty of publike preaching 3. By this argument the vilest men in the world may yea and are bound to preach for they are bound to pray Acts 8.22 Your fourth maine argument as you call it is this It being forbidden for women to preach publikely in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 1 Tim. 2.12 It is strongly implied that it is permitted for men to doe it As the forbidding of certain persons the entry into the Congregation of the Lord doth necessarily imply that all others not forbidden might enter otherwise that prohibition of the Apostle had been alogether impertinent and uselesse For there were at that time no women in office but extraordinary prophetesses who did and might speake publikely c. Your argument is this The Apostle forbidding onely of women to teach and prophecy gives liberty to all men to expound Scriptures publikly but women are forbidden to prophecy or teach publikely Ergo. 1 Cor. 13 34. 1 Tim. 2.12 If any reasonable satisfaction would have served this argument and the authors and the Abetters of it it would never have come halting on to the stage againe I know of twice it hath been beaten off The Brownists appears with it first holy Mr. Rutherford knockt it downe in his due right p. 301. Chillenden brought it on againe the Author of the Booke called Church-members set in joint knockt it downe the second time p. 30. of that Booke to it therefore hath beene already answered It will infer a liberty for all men as well as gifted men Church-members set in joynt 308. Rutherford due Right 301. and if you put in if they be gifted why may we not put in if they be ordained 2. It will infer that all men may administer the Sacraments too because all women are forbidden 3. It is to be understood of women that had or pretended to have the gift of prophecy