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scripture_n	apostle_n	church_n	way_n	2,608	5	4.6000	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96865	Church-members set in joynt. Or, A discovery of the unwarrantable and disorderly practice of private Christians, in usurping the peculiar office and work of Christs own pastours, namely publike preaching. In way of answer to a book printed under the name of Lieutenant Edmund Chillenden (but indeed none of his) entituled Preaching without ordination. Wherein all the arguments by him produced, are fully answered and disproved, the truth of the contrary evidenced, and the office forementioned, thereby returned into the hands of the right owners. / By Filodexter Transilvanus.	Woodbridge, Benjamin, 1622-1684.	1648 (1648)	Wing W3423; Thomason E422_3; ESTC R204785	29,729	41

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 ●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. ● 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. ● 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

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

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. ●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. ● 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. ● 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

seen the Lord and many Revelations they had of things not conteined in the Scriptures of the Old Testament which the Prophets had not 6 But be they what they will be their practise cannot be brought down as a precedent for private Christians in our dayes to prophesy because the gift of prophesy perished in that age when the Scriptures of the Old and New-Testament were accomplished For prophets were both in time and dignity before Pastors and Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. But the most honourable Office in the Church from thenceforth to the end of the world 1 Tim. 6. 14. is the Office of Pastors and Teachers 1 Tim. 5. 17. therefore prophesy is ceased being an extraordinary gift peculiar to Prophets onely not to all gifted believers Let us now heare what Chillenden sayes to the contrary Chill First saith he the whole body of the Church of Corinth was not extraordinarily gifted Answ Very true For some were Prophets not all Therefore the particle all vers 31. is not to be understood of the whole Church Chill Secondly saith he The Apostle forbids women to Preach because they must be subject to their husbands therefore he gives all men that were gifted leave to Preach Answ If this Argument be good it will infer a liberty for all men to preach of what condition soever as for gifted men for may not I argue thus No woman may preach because she is a woman Therefore every man may preach as well as infer this therefore every gifted man may preach unlesse the prohibition made to women reacheth only to gifted women And by the same reason that Chillenden upon that supposition of womens not preaching infers a liberty of preaching to men with this restriction if they be gifted by the same reason will I infer the same liberty for men with this restriction if they be ordained But for my part I conceive the Apostles prohibition as it reacheth generally to all women so it is intended specially against women which had or pretended that they had a spirit of prophesy for such then were in those dayes Act. 21. 9. though there be none now And I am inclined the rather thus to think because the Apostle doth not say simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Ai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which particle Ai as Scaliger the great observes is evermore determinative in the Scripture pointing out some speciall or individuall So that the Apostle doth hereby strictly forbid women though Prophetesses to preach in the Church and that for a morall reason which a positive precept doth not supersede because they must not usurpe authority over the man And therfore is the Church of Thyatira blamed for suffering that woman Jezebel to preach notwithstanding she called her selfe a Prophetesse Rev. 2. 20. Chill But Chillenden saith that women Prophetesses might Preach and proves it from Luke 2. 36. Exod. 15. 20. Judges 4. 24. Answ Women though Prophetesses never took upon them publiquely to teach the Church The places alledged do not prove the contrary nor any thing like it As for Anna Luke 2. 38. The Text saith she came in at that instant namely into the Temple and gave thankes unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem What is this to the purpose Is a particular thanksgiving before three or foure people and in all probability there were not many more at least in hearing a publique preaching before the Church And whereas it is said she spake of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem it must needs be understood privatly and from house to house for all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem which were many thousands were not then in the Temple to heare her speake And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate comming in at that instant signifieth that it was by meere accident that she came to the Temple at that time and therefore I do not beleeve that any of Jerusalem came thither to meet her To Miriam Exod. 15. 20. I answer That all that is said of her is this that shee and her maydens sang praises together to God though shee brought up the chore being a prophetesse And what they sang was no more then the very same which the men had sang before them for the text saith shee answered them ver 21. compared with ver 1. But what is this to publike preaching before the Church Because we allow women to singe in the Church must wee therefore allow them to preach in the Church Singing is for the edification of the members of the Church in particular not of the whole Church collectively therefore to sing is not properly to speake in the Church for he that singeth speaketh to himselfe Eph. 5. 19. To Deborah Iudges 5. which I suppose is the place you meane I say the same Deborah and Barak sang which is no preaching nor yet is it recorded whether publikely before the Church or privately as Mary and Elizabeth each to other Though I conceive also that in her case there might be some peculiarity shee being extraordinarily raised up to be a Queen and Judge in Israel and in that respect superior to all the men in Israel nor subject to any and therefore not equally bound with other women to observe the Apostles rule Chill But saies Chillenden The Apostle exhorts that the Church should judge of the Doctrine ver 29. If they had beene extraordinary Prophets they could not erre and then there had beene no need of iudging Answ The Apostle doth not exhort that the Church should Judge but the other prophets for as some had the gift of tongues speaking suddainly in a language they understood not and therefore God gave to others a gift of interpretation of tongues 1. Cor. 14. 27. 18. so many might be suddainly inspired with a spirit of Prophesy and therefore others had a gift of discerning of spirits whereby they knew a Prophet of God speaking from the spirit of God from a minister of Satan transformed 1 Cor. 12. 10. into an Angell of light for in those dayes there were false Prophets gone abroad who called themselves the Prophets of God I hill The Apostle ver 37. 38. exhorteth them to acknowledge the things hee writes to be the commandments of God Could they be thus infallibly guided by the spirit and yet must Paul call on them to acknowledge the things he writes to be the commandments of the Lord Jesus Answ Boys play As if 1. something might not be revealed to an Apostle and not to a prophet seeing something might be revealed to one Prophet and not to another ver 30. As if 2ly the Apostle did not here put an apparent distinction between a Prophet and a spirituall man if any man think himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall saith he as also a Prophet is distinguished from a righteous man Matt. 10. 41. ascribing to both a spirit of judgement the one by a propheticall gift for prophets could judge ver 29. the other by a gift of wisdome whereby the spirituall man judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. As for that phrase Let him acknowledge it doth not necessarily carry with it the force of an exhortation but of a simple affirmation as it were signifying who are the true Prophets of the Lord and who not as in the same phrase t is prophesyed that towards the latter end of the world good men shall grow better evill men worse Rev. 22. 11. Chill But vers 39. The Apostle puts them upon the use of meanes for this prophesying which argues the gift was not extraordinary Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T is in the Greek as vers 1. Be zealously affected towards or zealously desirous after spirituall gifts and what he meanes by it himselfe expounds vers 12 13 Even so yee for asmuch as yee are zealous of spirituall gifts seek that you may excell to the edifying of the Church Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret And this is all the meanes the Apostle prescribeth which is far from arguing that the gift was attaineable in a way of ordinary study and industry Though we also acknowledge that the spirit of prophesy might be quenched through the neglect and dissolutenesse of him who sometimes formerly had received it FINIS