The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the government of the Church of Scotland ... by Samuel Rutherfurd ...

CHAP. 5. SECT. 1. and 2.

T••••••hing the dispensation of the censures of the Church.

Authour.

WE proceede not unto censure, but in case of some knowne offence.

Answ. What if a member of your Church doe ••how himselfe in private, to some brethren, to be a non-regenerated person, and so indeede not a member of the visible Church, by your doctrine, he should be excommunicated for non-regeneration, which is against Christs way, Matth. 18. who will have such sinnes as, if de∣nyed, may be proved by two witnesses, onely to be censurable by the Church, else you shall retaine such an one, and admit him to prophane the Table of the Lord.

In this first and second Section I have nothing to examine but what hath beene handled already, especially the Peoples power in Church-affaires hath beene fully discussed; onely the Author will have the preaching of the word, a worship not pe∣cu••iar to the Church, but commune to those who are not in the Church-state at all, and that ordinarily in respect that Indians and Heathens may come and heare the Word, 1 Cor. 14. but this proveth not but that preaching of the word is proper and peculiar to the Church: but there is another mystery here, as from the first chapter, second Section, then preaching of the word is to be performed by gifted persons, yea ordinary preaching for the conversion of Soules, before there be any Pastors in the Church to Preach. Hence is that.

Quest. I. Whether conversion of soules to Christ, be ordinarily the proper fruite & effect of the word preached by a sent Pastor; or if it be the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and effect of the word preached by Pastors not as Pastors, but as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to preach, and so of all persons not in office, yet gifted to preach?

The Churches of New-England in their Answers to the thir∣ty two Questions, sent by the Ministers of Old-England, An∣swer by certaine Theses, which I set downe and examine.

1. The conversion of sinners followeth not alwayes the preaching of every one that is in lawfull office of the Ministery.

2. When conversion doth follow, it doth not follow from the preach∣ing of a Pastor, or by vertue of his office, but by the blessing of God.

Answ. 1. The former reason is most weake, conversion fol∣loweth not alway upon Christs preaching, and the Apostles their preaching did not alwayes produce conversion: but I pray you because they were not efficacious meanes of conver∣sion, doth it follow, Therefore they were not ordinary meanes? I thinke not.

2. The second is as weake, Conversion followeth not upon the preaching of a Pastor by vertue of his office, but by the blessing of God. What? Ergo, Pastorall preaching is not an ordinary meane of conversion? neither doth conversion follow upon preaching, by vertue of the gift, no more then by vertue of the office, but by the blessing of God: Ergo, neither is preaching of a gifted man, the ordinary mean of conversion, as you teach, nor are the Sacraments by this reason, ordinary meanes to seale up our communion with Christ, and the graces of the Cove∣nant, for Sacraments are efficacious meanes onely by the blessing of God, and not by vertue of the office; We doe not hold that the office hath influence, either in the word preach∣ed, or in the Soules of people, but it followeth not that the Pastorall preaching of these who are sent, Rom. 10. 14. Esa. 40. 9. and that with Pastorall authority, are not the meanes ap∣pointed of God for conversion, but here they confound meanes, actu primo, lawfull and ordinary, with meanes effi∣cacious, and, in actu secundo, blessed with successe from the Lord.

This we acknowledge (say they) that sound conversion of sin∣ners, argueth that the instruments of such conversion were sent of God, Rom. 10. 14, 15. Jer. 23. 32. yet we dare not say that Gods word is not effectuall to conversion, unlesse the man that speaketh it be a Mi∣nister, that is, a Church-officer, the contrary being evident, Joh. 4.

10. Act. 8. 4. Matth. 11. 19, 21. 1 Cor. 7. 16. and to say so, mere to limit the Spirit of God, where he hath not limited himselfe. 1 Cor. 12. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 27. 29.

Answ. 1. Sending Rom. 10. 14. is an officiall and authori∣tative sending, not onely a bare gifting and habilitating of the man sent, for it is such a sending, as the sending of Pro∣phets, whose feete were pleasant upon the mountaines, and the watch∣men who lift up their voice, Esa. 52. 7, 8. Nah. 1. 15. and this is not a naked gifting, but besides they were commanded by God to speake, and so had authority: now though private Christians be instruments of conversion, yet it followes no wayes, that they are preachers sent of God, in the sense that the Scripture speaketh, Rom. 10. 14. 15. and farre lesse in the sense that is spoken, Jer. 23. 32. for it is said these who pro∣phecie lyes in Gods name, and were not sent, shall profit the people no∣thing; now the sending denyed to be in these false teachers, is not onely want of gifts, but want of an authoritative command of God to preach, as is cleare, v. 21. I have not sent these Pro∣phets, yet they ranne; I have not spoken unto them, yet they prophecyed. When it is said, The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, to Ezeki∣el, &c. the meaning is not that Jeremiah was gifted onely, but beside 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an hability to prophecy, the Lord gave him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, authority by a speciall Commandement, saying, Go speake, Loe I have sent thee, &c. Now this immediate Comman∣dement from God himselfe speaking from heaven, or in a vi∣••on, is not in the Churches of the New Testament, yet God speaketh by the Elders and Presbytery to Pastors now, 1 Tim. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 9. 10. except you I say with Armini∣ans and Socinians, there is no neede now of the Churches sen∣ding, all gifted may preach the Gospell, without any Church-call.

3. This consequence is loose, conversion of sinners argueth that the instruments were sent of God; Ergo, the Preaching of Pastors •••• Pastors is not the ordinary meane of conversion.

Lastly, We deny not but private Christians may be instru∣ments of conversion, but the places which afterward shall be examined, prove not the point, that Pastorall preaching, in a constitute Church, is not the ordinary meane, but your Do∣ctrine

is that Pastors as Pastors doe onely confirme those in the faith, who are already converted, but that they convert none at all, as Pastors, but that the onely ordinary meanes of con∣version, and of planting of men in formall state of Church-mem∣bership are men gifted to preach, and not Pastors by office; Sending (say they) sometimes importeth but an act of Gods provi∣dence, whereby men are gifted, and permitted to do such a thing, though they be not commanded of God, nor do in obedience to God, but for sini∣sterous ends, so God sent the King of Assyria, Esay 10. 6. 2 King. 24. 2. So they that preached of envy, Phil. 1. 15. are sent: So Balaam was sent. 2. Some are sent who beside gifts and permission, have also a sincere mind to imploy their gifts, God by his Spirit stirring them up, 1 Joh. 7. 18. 3. Those are sent of God, who have both gifts, permissi∣on, and a sincere mind to imploy their gifts, and withall a lawfull cal∣ling to the office: if men want a lawfull calling to that office of the mi∣nistery, and are not sent of God the third way, yet may they preach and convert soules, as sent of God, the first and second way.

Answ. 1. There should have beene places of Scripture to prove that Balaam and the enviers of Paul, Phil. 1. 15. who preached Christ of envy, were sent the first way: for Balaam prophecied of the Starre of Iacob, as one lawfully sent and a called Prophet, as all other Prophets, (though hee was not a gracious man) for Numb. 24. 2. Balaam saw the visions of God, and the Spirit of God came upon him. 4. He saw the visions of the Almighty, and fell in a trance: and Isaiah, Ieremiah, Ezekiel had no other calling as Prophets, though in zeale and simplicitie of prophecying, they differed from Balaam: and Paul would never have rejoyced that these teachers preached Christ, Phil. 1. 15. if they had without all calling of God preached Christ; doubtlesse they had a calling of the Church to preach, except you thinke that none have a calling, as called pastors, but those who are converted.

3. By this distinction you hold that men may be ordinary Preachers gifted, and so sent of God to preach, and may and doe convert soules, though they have no calling of the Church; which unsound doctrine the Arminians and Socinians hold this day: for they teach,

1. That all gifted persons may preach the Gospel, and convers soules.

2. That all who are gifted to preach, are sent and lawfully called to preach, though the Church doe not call them.

3. That now since the Gospell is sufficiently revealed, and the Apo∣stles are dead, there is required no calling of the Church, to make one a Lawfull minis••er: And your Arguments they have, and you have their Arguments to evert all ministerie and order of calling of pastors; so teach the Arminians, and so Episcopius; disp. 26. thes. 4. 5. Necessitatem missionis jam cessare dicendum est, ac p••inde fas licitumve esse homini Christian••, non tantum in magno ne∣cessitatis casu, aut in enormi ecclesiae defectione, sed quovis etiam tem∣pore v••rbum divinum docere, si ad docendum sit idoneus, & qui do∣ari v••lunt, id serio & obnixè postulant. So doe the Socinians, A•• lr. Roddeccius in not is in lib. Smiglecii pag. 3. Confitemur & olim ••••l••sie ministros vocari potuisse, imo vocatos fuisse, & nunc etiam vo∣c••ri posse; in vero id quod olim factum est, & hodie fieri potest, ad m••nus ministrorum requiratur, hoc vere & perpetuo quaeritur; Ca∣t••ch si•• Raccoviensis, cap. 11. 305. 306. Cum per hujusmodi, ex prae∣s••ripto Apostolicae doctrinae constituuntur, & in his duabus rebus prae∣st ••ut, vitae innocontiâ & ad docendum aptitudine, propter ejusmodi constitutionem apud omnes authoritatem suam merito in venire debent. Smaleius in refut. thes. D. Frantzii parte 2. disp. 4. pag. 377. Hoc enim in questione est, an hujusmodi constitutio sit prorsus necessaria ad con∣stituendum verbi dei ministrum: hoc autem nos negamus, nihil enim tale, (quod caput reiest) in descriptione eorum, quae ad episcopum con∣stituendum requiritur, nec uspiam judicatum vel levissime videmus, cum qui talis sit, postea vocari, & mittiab aliquo debere, imo posse aliquem per se munus tale concupiscere vel aff••ctare manifeste scriptum legimus. Theoph. Nicolaid. in refut. tract. de miss. ministrorum cap. 10. pag. 80, 87. 88. Munus docendi non tam est honos, quam labor, la∣borem autem semper sumere li••et, h••ores non item: & pag. 91. Docet Paulus rect•• id fieri posse, unumqu••mque munus docendi aggredi, m••do ad id aptus sit, quod aggredi cogitat, vel cupit.

Quest. II. Whether or not all gifted persons may preach the Word of God publikely, and ordinarily, for the gathering in of soules to Christ, though they be destitute of all officiall authoritie, or Church calling to that ministery?

Our brethren hold all gifted persons not in office may ordinarily

preach publikely; So teach Mr. Robinson in a Treatise intituled The peoples ple t for prophecying, the Arguments of which booke I shall shortly discusse. Hence these considerations.

1. Distinct. There is one power of publike preaching in a Church not constitute, and another in a Church constitute; gifted persons in ex∣traordinary cases, where a Church is not planted, may publikely preach, but the case is otherwise in a Church constituted.

2. Distinct. Pastors not onely as gifted men, but as Pastors are ••illed of God, for the conversion of soules, and the visible Church is Christs visible kingdome, and visible society, to make persons mem∣bers of the invisible Church of the first borne.

3. Dist. Publike preaching, as it is the ordinary meane of saving such as beleeve, is proper and peculiar to the Church, both subjectively, as being onely in the Church, and objectively as being onely exercised on the Church members, perse, but upon P••gans by accident.

4. Dist. There is a call to an habituall and ordinary prophe••ying, here is required not onely a calling by gifts, but also a collation of au∣thoritie to the office, either immediately by God, or mediately by the Church, and there is a call to some particular or occasionall acts of ex∣horting, as the Martyrs and Stephen are called to give consession of their faith, and a King in battell, to exhort his army, or a Prince his Sub∣jects to piety, and to this latter there is no other call required, but the place and profession of the exhorter, though hee bee not by office a Pastor.

5. Dist. There is a formall calling of the Church, as the laying on of the hands of the Elders, and a virtuall and interpretative calling or tacite approbation of the Church, when learned men of eminent gifts, not in office, do write Commentaries, Sermons on Canonick Scriptures, and tractates resuting heresies; to this the tacite approbation of the Church is required, but these have not ordinary pastorall care, nor are they the ordinary converters of soules to Christ, as the pretended Pro∣phets of Separatists are.

6. Dist. Gifted Christians may occasionally admonish, warne, re∣buke and exhort one another; 1. privately; 2. without any Pastorall care of soules as they are a Church, but onely as they occasionally con∣verse with them; 3. Excommuni officio charitatis, by the Law of na∣ture, charitie tying one member to helpe another; 4. Not authorita∣tively by speciall office; but all authoritie here is from the word occasio∣nally

spoken. The Pastor is to preach, 1. Publikely; 2. To the Church as the Church. 3. With a pastorall obligation to all alike, whe∣ther he converse daily with them or not. 4. Not onely by the tie of com∣mon Charitie, but by a vertue of a speciall office. 5. With authority both objective from the word, and officiall from his charge. 6. And is obli••ged to separate himselfe for this charge allanerly, as a watchman who must give an account in a speciall manner to Jesus Christ.

Our brethren hold that the ordinary and established way in the Church of Christ to the end of the world, is that all that are converted are made fit materialls for the visible Church by private Christians, as gifted of God to preach publikely, and to gather a true Church to Christ. 2. That none unconverted, as they are such, are under any pastorall care of Christs officers. 3. That Pastors as Pastors, doe con∣vert none, but onely confirme those who are already converted; and that if Pastors shall convert any to Christ, it is by accident, as we say, with Aristotle, Musicus curat aegrotum, a Musician cureth a sick man, which he doth no wayes as a musician: for Pastors doe convert as gifted persons, and not as Pastors, and conversion of soules is no proper Church-worke, but accidentall to Pastors.

But that none can take on him lawfully to preach the Word publikely, in the established and ordinarily approved way of Christ for the conversion of soules, but he who is not only gif∣ted, but also called thereunto by God and his Church, I prove.

1. Argum. If faith come ordinarily by hearing a Pastor sent of God, and such Pastors as are called messengers with good newes, and watchmen not onely gifted, but also instructed with authority of office, then are not gifted persons, because gifted, called of God to be ordinary converters of soules. But the for∣mer is true, Rom. 10. 14. for they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and of these the Prophet saith, Isa. 52. 8. Thy watchmen shall lift up the voyce. And it is thus confirmed, That Gospel which is the power of God and the wisedome of God to those who are saved, is the Gospel preached by such as are sent both to preach and baptise: but the Gospel preached by gifted men, only out of office, is not the Gospel preached by those who are sent both to preach and to baptise: Ergo, the Gospel preached by onely gifted persons voyd of all office, is not the power and wisdom of God to those who are saved. The assumption is granted, for gifted men out

of office may not lawfully baptise. I prove the proposition, 1 Cor. 1. 23. but wee preach Christ, &c. That this [wee] is to bee understood of those who are sent both to preach and baptise, is cleare, vers. 17. But Christ sent mee not to baptise, but to preach, that is, he sent mee not to baptise principally, Ergo, in one and the same Patent from heaven, Paul was warranted to preach, and to baptise, as one commission is given, Matth. 28. 19. to teach all Nations, and to baptise, yea it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 then it is such a preaching as must bee backed with the sealing by baptisme; also if he had meant that preaching was not peculiar to Apostles and other successors, hee should have said. But yet preach Christ crucified, &c. for Separatists do teach, with Socinians, that there was a multitude of unofficed Prophets at Corinth.

Robinson, as if he had learned in Socinus his schoole, saith to this, But for the word sending which he so much urgeth, it must bee knowne, that all who teach lawfully are sent by Christ, in respect of their personall gifts and graces, so ordinary officers are not sent by those who appoint them to minister, as was the extraordinary Apostles sent by Christ who appointed them. Sending importeth a passeth of the sent from the sender to another, and so the Apostles were sent by Christ to preach the Gospel to the Jewes and Gentiles, and so are not Pastors sent by the Church (which calleth them) unto others, but to minister unto her selfe, after the exercise of publike ministery is ended, the Church doe publikely exhort and require, as the Rulers doe Paul and Barnabas, Act 13. 14. that if they have any word of exhortation, they would say on.

Answ. Surely Mr. Yates, and wee both have much for us to urge the necessitie of sending, except men would runne unsent, and so be guilty of intrusion, for so doth the Scripture, Exod. 28. 1. Take to thee Aaron thy brother, &c. Numb. 1. 49. Thou shalt ap∣point the Levits over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all the vessels, and all that belongeth thereunto: so saith Hezekiah to the Levites, The Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, and to minister unto him: Esay 6. 8. And I heard the voyce of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who shall goe for me? 9. and hee said, goe and say to this people, Jerem. 1. 4. And the Word of the Lord came unto me, say∣ing, v. 5. Hos. 1. 1. and the Word of the Lord came to me, Heb. 1. 1. Joh. 1. 6. There was a man sent of God, Luk. 3. 2. Matth. 10. 5. Those

twelve Jesus sent forth, Isa. 48. 16. Isa. 61. 1. Heb. 5. 4. Joh. 20. 21. Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. Rom. 11. 1. Rom. 1. 1. Gal. 1. 1. Act. 14. 13. Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders in every Church, 1 Tim. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 ••im. 2. 2, 3. Tit. 1. 9, 10. If you urge not sending, you goe from the Scriptures.

2. He saith all who lawfully teach are sent of God in respect of per∣sonall gifts. But 1. where doth the holy Ghost speake so in the Scripture? All then who have gifts to be Kings and Magi∣strates are sent of God to the throne and bench? what bloody confusions would hence fellow? Yea if they have gifts to bee Kings and do not all flie to the throne, they resist the calling of God, and sinne in so doing, as Jonah did, and hide their Lords Talent. 2. Women in whose lipps is the Law of grace, Prov. 31. 26. and who are to teach the younger women, Tit. 2. 3. 4. are so sent of God to preach; O but (say they) they are forbidden to preach. I answer, true, then (to be gifted to preach:) is not all one with this (to bee sent to preach) for to bee sent to preach of God, is to be commanded to preach. If then women bee sent in re∣spect of gifts, they are commanded to preach, and that by God, and yet Gods Word forbiddeth them to preach; Ergo, that same will of God revealed doth command and forbid one and the same thing, which is absurd. Ergo, to be gifted is not to be sent to preach. 3. You here clearely side with Arminians and So••inians, for Episcopius a requireth no more to preach∣ing, but that the man bee idoneous and apt to teach. And b Theoph Nocolaides, that there be in him an holy life and aptitudo ad docendum alios, aptitude to teach others. 4. Arminians and So∣cinians teach that the sending, Rom. 10. 14. and other places are meant of extraordinary sending which is now ceased, since the Apostles are dead. So (c) Episcopius d and Arminians in their confession. e Socinus f Ostorodius expound the place, Rom. 10. 14. Paulum de suo duntaxat tempore loqui, and so there is no need of sending now: and Robinson sympathizing with them, saith, Ordinary officers are not sent now by the Church, as the Apostles were then sent of Christ; but the professors of Leyden g refuting the Arminians, say there is a necessitie of sending now as there was then, and h Calvin, i Beza, k Paraeus accord to this,

that Paul speaketh of ordinary calling. 4. The Word of God dif∣ferenceth the giving of gifts to the ministery, and the giving of authoritie, and sending authoritative by a lawfull calling, the one being collatio 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the other 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as Matth. 10. 1. Then he called the twelve, and gave them power, and v. 5. their sending and gifting by authoritie is cleare, these twelve he sent out: So Jer. 1. 5. I have separated thee, &c. this is calling and sending, & v. 9. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth, this is a giving of gifts, and Isa. 1. 1. Isaiah is gifted when he saw the visions of God, but Chap. 6. 7. he is sent and receiveth authori∣ty to goe, beside that v. 8, 9. and Job. 20. when Christ breathed upon the Disciples, hee giveth them the gifts of the holy Spirit, but when he saith, Go and teach, and as my father sent me, so send I you, he giveth them authoritie and sendeth them: yea though Prophets did prophecie true things that should come to passe, yet were they false Prophets, De••t. 13. 1, 2. because the Lord sent them not. And for the place, Rom. 10, 14. cited from Isa. 52. though Prophets hearing Isaiah and Jeremiah prophecie of the peoples returne from Babylon, should prophecy the same that Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophecied, yet not being sent of God, they should have beene false Prophets: and after the Spirit is en∣tered unto Ezecbiel, ch. 2. 2. and so he is gifted, yet is there ano∣ther sending, v. 3. then said the Lord unto me, &c. And might (I pray you) Baruch have preached all his Master Jeremiahs Pro∣phecies? But I thinke that should not have made him a Prophet: yea and Christ in whom was all fulnesse of gifts and grace, Job. 1. 16. Col. 2. 9. yet tooke not on him to be a Priest of the New Te∣stament till he was called of God, as Aaron, Heb. 5. 4, 5. Job. 1. 18. and Calvin, Musculus, Gualter, expone the Prophets and Pastors, prophecying peace, Isa. 52. to be the Prophets, who not onely were gifted to preach, but sent with speciall authority, to pro∣phecie the peoples deliverance out of Babylon. And lastly, by this also have the gifted Prophets a calling of God, to admini∣strate the Sacraments, because, if to be gifted, be to be sent of God, certainly they are gifted to administrate the Sacraments no lesse then to preach, and so l saith the Arminians, with

their Socinians, as m Socinus and n Smalcius, If they say, Christ requireth a particular Minister to the Sacraments, but not so to the word: I answer, to pastorall preaching he requi∣reth also a peculiar minister, as our brethren teach, from Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5 4. 5. but to teaching by vertue of a gift any gifted man is sufficient: the same distinction may as well hold that there is a pastorall administration of the Sacraments and a common administration of them by vertue of a gift, yea and o Gerardus observeth well, that to the calling of the ministery be∣longeth the administration of the Sacraments, as a speciall part thereof, 1 Cor. 12. 29. Ephes. 4. 11. Jam. 3. 1. 7. yea and if ministers bee stewards, 1 Cor. 4. 12. are they not dispensators of the Sacraments, by their office, as of the Word?

5. Robinson giveth for shame a sort of calling to the unoffi∣ced Prophets, to wit, that the Church requireth them, if they have a word of exhortation, to speake on, as Act. 13. But 1. not his Church, but the rulers required Paul and Barnabas to speake. 2. The Rulers knew them to be Apostles and Pastors by office, for there were Prophets there, Chap. 14. 1. but the Apostles would have none to preach, as Pastors by office, but such as are proved, and authorized by the Elders, 1 Tim. 3. 10. ch. 4. 14. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2, 3. 3. This calling of the Church is onely for orders cause in the constitute Church, but a thing not necessary by divine institution, and so the Socinians. So Smalcius p teach us that the Churches sending and calling in the Apo∣stolick Church was a custome, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 decorum arbitramur (saith Smalcius) u•• id observaretur; and and so saith q Andr. Raddecius, and the r Arminians have also the same distinction: But this place approveth not that every by person (so to speake) might preach in the Jewes Synagogues.

2. Argum. If Christ ascending on high led captivitie captive, and gave gifts unto men, some to be Apostles and some Pastors and Doctors, and that for the gathering of Christs body, and

if some, not all are Prophets, 1 Cor. 12. 29. then hath God ap∣pointed Pastors in office to bee the ordinary gatherers of soules in to Jesus Christ, and if this bee not said, when hee ascended on high, hee made all private Christians de jure, preachers to edifie publikely the whole Church, and if any bee not gifted, it is their owne fault, for they are obliged to bee such.

3. Argum. He who Matth. 10. 42. contradistinguisheth the prophet and the righteous man, as different persons, and having different rewards, he doth not acknowledge a righteous man to be a Prophet, hoc ipso, because he is a righteous man. But Christ doth contradistinguish them, v. 41. He that receiveth a Pro∣phet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophets reward, and he that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous mans reward; Ergo, Christ acknowledgeth them to differ. Now if a righteous man, hoc ipso, because hee is a righteous man, and a member of the Church, should exercise these same specifice acts with a Prophet, that is, if hee should publikely preach to convert soules, he should by this place bee a Prophet, and the reward of a Prophet should be given to the receiver of the righteous man, yea and more then the reward of a Prophet, in respect he is both a righteous man, and a Pro∣phet.

4. To all Prophets a speciall promise of Gods assistance and presence is made in the word, as Jerem. 1. 18, 19. Matth. 28. 20 Luk. 21. Verse 14. 15. Act. 9. Verse 17. But to these who are not prophets by office, there is no such promise in the word; Ergo,

5. All that are sent of God as ordinary converters of soules from the kingdome of darkenesse to the kingdome of Jesus Christ, must seeke out fit words, as the Preacher did, Eccles. 12. 11. 12. hee must convince and judge the hearer, and make manifest the secrets of the heart, as 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. he must cut the word aright, as a Timothy, 2 Tim. 2 15. he must give every one of the house meate in due season, Matth. 24. 46. he must know and try the wayes of the peo∣ple, Jerem. 11. 18. When he seeth the sword comming, he must warne the wicked to turne from his evill way, Ezech. 3. 18, 19. Hee must watch for soules, as one who is to give an account, Heb. 13. 17. Hee must ex∣hort

the people to bee reconciled to God, and this hee must pray and re∣quest in Christs stead, 2 Cor. 5. 20. And hee must give himselfe whol∣ly to reading, 1 Tim. 4. 15, 16. And not intangle himselfe with any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 calling, 2 Tim. 2. 4. All these cannot be done by Prophets not in office. And all these are duties of Pastors in office, and to ty private Christians, who are commanded to attend their owne callings were unreasonable, and repugnant to the Word of God. The proposition is cleare; no man can preach, but hee who must give himselfe to reading, and must watch and speake to the present case of the hearers; but especially such Preachers as are the onely ordinary converters of soules to Christ, must give warning that the unrighteous die not in his sinne: now to say that all these were duties incumbent to mer∣chants, artificers, fashioners, carpenters, cloathiers, were to mocke the word of God, and to say, these and these onely were the ga∣therers of a Church, and Kingdome to Christ, were unknowne Divinity.

6. All Prophets are set downe in Christs roll of lawfull officers. 2. The rules and canons for the right exercise of their ministery is set downe, especially seeing these pretended pro∣phets are presumed to be the greatest part of the visible Church. 3. The onely ordinary gainers of soules to Christs kingdome and visible Church, even to the second comming of Jesus Christ. 4. Seeing the Lord doth so often complaine of idle Pastors, of dumbe dogges, by whose sleeping, soules are losed. Now this Argument for the proposition seemeth most reasonable. In the old Testament Priests, Levites, Prophets; and all the edifying officers are set downe there, and so are the officers and canons anent their government set downe in the New Testament, Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 2. Act. 2. 17, 18. Io••l 2. 28. Act. 20. 28. But no such things are written in the old or new Te∣stament of gifted Prophets not in office.

7. All lawfull officers have power authoritatively from Iesus Christ to remit and to retaine sinnes, by the preaching of the Word. But Preachers out of office have no such power, Ergo, Preachers out of office, are not lawfull Prea∣chers.

The proposition is, Ioh. 20. 21. The assumption is evident,

for where are they sent as the Father sent his Sonne Christ? and that promise is made onely to the Apostles, and to their successors, Prophets without office are not the successors of the A∣postles.

a Robinson saith, the commission there given is peculiar to the A∣postles onely, and confirmed by the miraculous inbreathing of the holy Ghost, and by them to be dispensed principally to unbeleevers, of all which nothing is common to ordinary officers, but else where, this power is gi∣ven to the whole Church, Matth. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 6. 6. Yea to every faithfull brother, Matth. 16. 18. Ch. 18. 15. Luk. 17. 3. This is that which Anabaptists teacheth (as b Chemnitius saith) and the very doctrin of c Ostorodius, d Nicolaides, e Socinus, but except the miraculous inbreathing of the holy Ghost, there is nothing here pe∣culiar to the Apostles onely: for the loo∣sing and retaining of sinne, is nothing but binding and loosing of the sinnes, and this is nothing but the forgiving and retaining of sinne by the preaching of the word, and censures of the Church, and that binding and loosing, Matth. 16. is not given to the whole Church of beleevers, for the Text saith no such thing, but power of the keyes is given to Peter, that is, to the Church∣guides the successors of Peter. 2. Authoritative power of for∣giving of sinne, is not Matth. 18. said to bee ratified in heaven, but onely when the Church doth bind and loose; and forgiving, Luk. 17. is betwixt sister and sister, who have not power to bind and loose in heaven.

8. All Prophets are either ordinary or extraordinary, as is cleare in Gods Word; extraordinary now are not in the Church, and the ordinary Prophets now are not gifted to preach the Word, except as Timothy, from their youth they have beene trained up in the Scriptures, and have learning, sciences, knowledge of the tongues, if he would bee a man able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 3. 1 Tim. 3. hee must meditate, reade, and give himselfe wholly to these things, 1 Tim. 3. 15, 16. and so must leave his calling contrary to the Apostle his comman∣dement, 1 Cor. 7. 20, 21, 22. 1 Thess. 4. 11. Ephes. 4. 28. but if hee

have a gift for publicke preaching, he is to separate himselfe for it, seeing a gift is a token of Gods separation.

Quest. III. Whether the Arguments of Mr. Robinson for the p••o∣phecying of private persons, not in office, doe strongly conclude?

I shall set them downe in order and discusse them. If a Bishop must be apt to teach, then he must be tryed before he be•• admitted to the office. Ergo, while be is o••t of office he must prophecie.

Answ. This Argument concludeth not the Question, for by as good reason the sonnes of the Prophets or young Prophets, who behoved to exercise their gift, as 1 Sam. 10. 5. 2 King. 2. 7. 2 King. 4. 1. 1 King. 20. 35. before they bee fully received as Prophets, must be prophets and officers not in office differing from Prophets in office, even as their lay Prophets are diffe∣rent from Pastors, but an apprentise of a trade is not a different tradesman from the master to whom hee serves as apprentise, but he is onely different from him in degree. But their Lay-Prophets are tradesmen, not sonnes of the Prophets, not aym∣ing at the pastorall charge, but ordinary officers for conver∣ting of soules, and doe differ from Pastors, as those who are non-Pastors, differ from Pastors.

Robinson. If the Lords gifting of Eldad and Medad, Numb. 11. 29. with the spirit of prophecying, inabling them to prophecy, and made them extraordinary Prophets, why should not by due proportion an ordinary gift inabling a man to an ordinary prophecy, serve also to make him an ordinary Prophet? Now Moses in wishing that all the people were Prophets, wisheth as well the use, as possession of the gift.

Answ. The Jewes say that Eldad and Medad were of the 70. Elders, upon whom was powred part of that spirit of prophe∣cy, that was on Moses, and they say they were written in the 70. papers, but not elected, because they drew the papers 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a part and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Senex, but it is not like Joshu•• would have envied if they had beene now Judges, or that Moses would have likened them unto the people. However, pro∣phets they were. But both the Antecedent is false, and the consequence nulle, for if you meane by the Lords gifting of El∣dad

and Medad, a naked and a bare revealing to them of the visions of God, without an impulsive commandement from God, setting them on action to prophecie, (this impulsion is an authoritative sending and calling,) the antecedent is false, for that gifting of them onely made them able, but not formally authorized Prophets: but if the gifting of them did include both the gift and the command of God, to use the gift, as certainly it did, now the consequence is null, for the na∣ked giving of an ordinary gift, except God by himselfe, and now by the authority of his Church, command the use of the gift, no gifted man, because gifted, is by and by a Prophet, but he must have a commandement ecclesiasticke now to preach, as Eldad and Medad had impulsive commandement to prophecy; and if any be gifted by an ordinary way as Eldad and Medad was extraordinarily, then they are to be thrusted out to the pa∣storall calling, and none but a fleshly man will envie them.

Robinson, 2 Chron. 17. 7. Jehos••aphat sent his Princes to preach or teach in the cities of Iudah, and with them the Levites, so the 70. Interpreters, so Pagnine, so Ierom, and the English translation: Ergo, Princes are Prophets not in office, who may teach.

Answ. 1. Doctor Alexander Colveill my reverent colleague, and as learned, so well experienced in the Hebrew, saith that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is here taken for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and noteth the accusative case, and is to bee read; And he sent the Princes, as Buxtorfius noteth, Thesaur. l. 1. e. 12. and this Chaldaisme is to be seene in these bookes of the Chronicles written after the Captivitie, as 2 Chron. 5. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that they might praise Jehovah, and Chap. 32. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he writ letters also, to raile on the Lord, and so the parallell place, 2 King. 19. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the place, as the Doctor citeth, is well exponed by R. Salomon Iarc••i in his Commentary 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, it was proper to the Priests and Levites 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to teach & instruct, as it is writ∣ten,

Deut. 24. 28. according to al that the Priests and Levites shal teach you, do yee; but the Princes went with them lest they should have rebelled against their words, that they might com∣pell them to obey, &c. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in pihel signifieth this, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in kall, didicit, in pihel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he caused him to learne, Dan. 1. 3, 4. Nebuchadnezzar commanded also Penaz 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to teach them learning and the language of Chaldea; that honorable Courtier was not a Schoolemaster to teach the children of the captivitie himselfe, but he did it by others. The King of Syria saith to the King of Israel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 thou shall cure Naaman of his leprosie; the Maide exponed it, thou shalt cure him by another, Elisha shall cure him. Pilat scourged Jesus, but Livius saith, the Judge said to a burrio, i. Lictor, colliga ma∣nus: so Deut. 31. 22. Moses therefore writ this song the same day, and taught it, v. 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 teach them this song, and put it in their mouth. It was impossible that Moses in his owne person, could teach the peo∣ple, and put this song in their mouth, therefore he behooved to teach them by the Priests and Levites, as 24. 25.

2. The Hebrewes may read so, but he sent to his princes, for the letter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a note of the accusative case, of the dative, of the genitive, or of the accusative case with a certaine motion as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to David, or of David. Valet Haebraeis (inquit Schindle∣rus) ad, in, vel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 super, and it noteth a motion to a thing, Gen. 2. 22. & aedificavit, he made the rib in a woman 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iud. 8. 27. and Gideon made it in an Ephod 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2 Sam. 4. They annointed David 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to bee King. Then it must bee read, hee sent to the Princes, Benchail, &c. to teach in the Cities of Iudah, v. 8. and with them he sent Levites, v. 9. and they taught in Iudah: there is not the least signification in the Text that the Princes taught.

Robinson. Princes and Iudges are to open and expone the Law

by which they governe, else they governe with tyranny.

Answ. Judges are to convince the theefe and the murtherer, 1. In a coactive way, not in an ecclesiastick way. 2. As these sinnes are troublesonie and hurtful to the State and Common-wealth. 3 That others may feare to hurt the State by the like sinnes, not that the malefactors may be converted to God, and their soules may be saved; but your lay-Prophets simpliciter, not in ordine ad paenam, are the onely ordinary converters of soules.

Robinson. There is an excellent Sermon (saith he) of Iel oshaphats to the Iudges, 2 Chron. 19. 6. and to the Levites, 9. 10. and a divine prayer, 8. 20. and Hezekiah hath an excellent Sermon to the Priests and Levites, in the very Temple, 2 Chron. 29. 4, 5. And Nehemiah taught the people the Law of the Lord: Kings are Shepheards and feeders, not onely by government, but also by instruction.

Answ. 1. These Sermons of Iehoshaphat and Hezekiah were first in time of extraordinary defections, when the Priests (whose it were to teach the people) were corrupted and turned dumbe dogs.

2. They were Sermons of Propheticall instinct and divine impulsions, as the very stile of them cleareth, and therefore cannot warrant Christian Princes to bee ordinary Prophets, except you make the King a nationall Pastor over Pastors, and two thousand Congregations; for if, as Prince, hee bee their Pastor, he is equally Pastor and teacher to all these Congre∣gations, and he must be as Prince, obliged to bee a Prophet to convert all: How exclude they a Pastor of Pastors and a dioce∣sian prelate, who introduce a nationall Pastor? Yea how de∣ny we a Pope, if the King carry both the swords, both of the spirit as a Prophet, and that ordinarily, by his calling to feed soules, and the civill sword to take vengeance upon evill doers? for whosoever preacheth the word of God as a Prophet, hath the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven committed unto him, to bind and loose, to remit and retaine sinnes on earth, and in heaven, for the preached Gospell is the keyes of the king∣dome, as is the power of Church censures. Then must the Kings have both keyes of Church and State, and what hindereth but they admit the King as King, and a nationall Pastor, to be the

head of the Church under Christ. 3. Consider the King as a Christian and gifted with learning, hee is parens patriae, and publick nurse father of the Church, and may occasionally up∣on some extraordinary exigent, at the meeting of the States, or when his armies are going out to battell, make use of the Word of God, to exhort them to generall duties of Religion, and Justice, and to be prepared for meeting with eternitie and judgement; and this he doth as a Christian father, his sub∣jects being his children: but what is this to inferre that the King as King is a Prophet, and an ordinary feeder of soules ex officio, by office, and that by knowledge and instruction, as Robinson saith, and an ordinary converter of soules, and such a Prophet as doth preach in the Church ordinarily, to the edify∣ing of the Church, and conviction and conversion of Infidels, and gathering of a people to God, as they say of their Pro∣phets out of office, 1 Cor. 14. 4, 5. 12. 23, 24, 25. 31. And upon the same ground a King who hath the spirit of adoption, may pub∣likely pray, as Jeboshaphat did for the Lord of hosts his presence, to goe out with his Armies against the enemies of the Gospel, but à speciei positione ad generis positionem male sequitur, hee may be the peoples mouth to God in such an exigence, and hee may give a word of exhortation anent duties generall of good sub∣jects; Ergo, hee is an ordinary Prophet, for the ordinary preaching of the Gospel to all his Subjects; it is a loose and vaine collection.

Lastly, Nehemiah a Prince taught the people, saith he.

I answer, Nehemiah was a Prophet and Author of Canonick Scripture, as was Salomon, and therefore his teaching pro∣veth not the point, Nehem. 1. v. 1. Nor can I finde where Nebe∣miah preached or prophecied to the people at all, but that Ezra the Scribe, Nehem. 8. and the Levites, Chap. 8. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 9. (which Robinson citeth without warrant) did instruct and ••each the people.

Robinson. And if it were not (saith he) the received order in Israel of old for men out of office to speake and teach in publicke, how did Scribes, Pharisees and Lawyers teach publickly among the Jewes, of whom yet many were not Levites, or Churchmen, but indifferently of any tribe? Phil. 3. 5. and how was Iesus admitted to dispute in

the Temple with the Doctors, Luk. 2. 46. and to preach in the Syna∣gogues, Matth. 9. 35. Luk. 4. 16, 17. and how were Paul and Barna∣bas desired, if they had any word of exhortation, to say on? Act. 13. 14. 15. For the rulers acknowledged Christ and Paul for no extraordinary Praphets, but onely admitted them to the use of their gifts.

Answ. 1. It is great ignorance, if you thinke Scribes, Pha∣risees and expounders of the Law were not Prophets, because they were not of the Tribe of Levi, for Priests behooved onely to bee of the Tribe of Levi, but Prophets, as Ieremiah and others, were extraordinarily raised up of God out of any tribe, as Calvin well observeth, and all versed in Scripture, and that they were teachers in office is cleare, Matth. 23. 2. They sit in Moses his chaire, v. 13. 14. &c. and the office of teaching, though abused, is also ascribed by Christ, to the expounders of the Law, Luk. 11. 46. and what is said of Pharisees in taking away the key of knowledge, is said of them, v. 52.

2. Christs asking of questions, and that when hee was 12. yeares of age, all wondering at his learning, Luk. 2. 42. was no act of prophecying: and granting it had beene the practise of the Iewish Church to admit a child of twelve yeares to preach in the Temple, and to admit hand over head, tradesmen, and all to prophecy in the Temple, it is an Argument from their cor∣rupt practise, à facto ad jus, and no more a rule for the preach∣ing of fashioners, cloathiers, mariners, in the Temple, then the Jewes their taking up stones in the Temple to stone Christ: and it is knowne that Christ did not publickly prophesie in the Synagogues till he was baptized (as all the learned thinke) and while his name and fame spread abroad, that a great Prophet was arisen, Luk. 3. 21, 22, 23. Luk. 4. 14, 15, 16. Yea and the Pha∣risees knew him to be a teacher sent of God, Ioh. 3. 2. And all the peo∣ple tooke him to be a Prophet, and therefore the rulers feared to apprehend him, and his doctrine and miracles got him the name of a Prophet sent of God, and Paul and Barnabas were known to be teachers in office, else the rulers would not have desired a word of exhortation, for they did not invite strangers promiscu∣ously to prophesie, and this you onely say, but doe not prove, and is more for us nor against us.

Robinson alleadgeth a place out of Ieremiah, 50. 3. 4. where it

is said, That Israel and Iudah in a spirituall conference shall incourage •••••• another (as Calvin saith) to repentance, and to joyne themselves to the true Church; which is nothing for publicke prophecying, for thus much private Christians, yea all that feare God, women not excepted, may doe in Christian conference, as is cleare, Zach. 8. 21. Mal. 3. 16. Psal. 42. 4. Esa. 2. 1, 2, 3. Heb. 3. 13. Heb. 10. 23, 24, 25.

The fourth place which he bringeth is, Matth. 10. v. 1. ••. 6. Christ sent out the twelve Disciples to preach the Kingdome of ••eaven to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel, but they were not Apo∣stles or Preachers in office, till his resurrection, but onely Apostles elect as you say, the major elect; For 1. they received not commission till after Christs resurrection, Ioh. 20. 22. 23. Matth. 28. 19, 20. 2. The least in the kingdome of God is greater then Iohn Baptist, for the Christian Church began not properly till his resurrection, and the Apostles being members of the Church of the New Testament, they could not be Apostles in office, before Christs death, except an adjunct be before the subject, and an officer before the incorporation, whereof he is an officer. 3. They were ignorant of many mysteries of Christ, his death, resurrection, nature of his Kingdome, Matth. 20. &c. which was unbeseeming Apostolick dignitie, to the which the highest degree if infallible revelation was requisite. 4. How did they returne, as non-residents to remaine with Christ till his death? 5. Ephes. 4. 11. Christ till he ascended on high, and not till then, gave some to be Apo∣stles, &c. Hence it must follow that the Disciples were Prophets not in office, and so did preach all this time.

Answer.

1. I answer these frivolous reasons. 2. I prove they were Apostles, or at least Prophets in office, before Christs death and resurrection.

And 1. They received not ample and largest commission to go and preach to all nations, before Christs resurrection, Matth. 28. 19. that is true, but what then? Therefore they received no commission as Pastors in office to preach to Israel, not to the Gentiles or Samaritans, it no wayes followeth; yea the con∣trary, a calling to a Pastorall charge they had, Matth. 10. 5. These twelve did Iesus send out, and commanded them saying, Goe, &c. And these directions and canons which concerne watchmen, 1 Tim. 3. are fully set downe, Matth. 10. when they receive both

gifts, v. 1. and authoritie and a calling, v. 5. and speciall instru∣ctions, v. 7, 8, 9, 10. how they should discharge and acquit them∣selves in their ministery, the like whereof is never given to lay-Prophets (I must crave leave to use this word.) To the 2. I answer, That it is false that Christ died and lived a member of the Iewish Church onely, he received the Sacrament of baptisme as a member of the Christian Church, as hee was circumcised and keeped the Law of Moses, to testifie hee was a member of Jewish Church; and it became him to bee a member of both Churches, who was to make of two one people, Ephes. 2. 15. And it is false that the Apostles were adjuncts of the Christian Church; as Apostles invested in their full Apostolike dignity, to preach to all the world, they were parts and members, not adjuncts of the Catholick visible Church of Christians: when Pastors are called adjuncts of the visible Church, it is cleare that they are made but accidents of the visible Church, & so that the Ministery is not simply necessary to the visible Church, which is the wicked doctrin of a Arminians, b Episcopius, c Socinus, Ni∣colaides, d & the Anabaptists taught the same, as saith e Gasti••s, But though the Apostles, as invested with full Apostolick au∣thority, be members of the Christian Church, and the New Ierusalem bee founded upon their doctrine, Ephes. 2. 20. Revel. 21. 14. yet this hindereth not, but as called Apostles and offi∣cers, limited to preach to losed Israel onely, Matth. 10. 5, 6, 7. they were members of the Jewish Church, and called Apostles. To the 3. I answer, ignorance of fundamentall points not ful∣ly proposed and revealed, if there bee a gratious disposition of saving faith, to beleeve these when they shall be revealed, such was as in the Lords Disciples, Matth. 16. 16, 17. Luk. 12. 32. Luk. 22. 28, 29. may well stand with the dignitie of young, and as yet limited Apostles, Matth. 10. 5, 6, 7. who had not yet recei∣ved the holy Ghost, in that measure, Act. 1. 8, 9. that was re∣quisite for Apostles, in their full Apostolicke charge, and made infallible pen-men of Canonick Scriptures, sent to preach to all the world. To the 4. I answer, They were not non-resi∣dents, because they returned to reside with Christ after they had casten out devils, Ioh. 4. 1, 2. (which your lay-Prophets by your owne confession cannot lawfully doe) not to bee idle, but

to learne more, and to be eye and care witnesses of the doctrine, life, death, resurrection and ascension to glory of Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 16, 17, 18. 1 Joh. 1. 1, 2, 3. Matth. 26. 37, 38, 39. Luk. 24. 50, 51, 52. Joh. 20. 19, 20. Act. 4. 20. which was necessary, that they might preach these things to the world. Nor is a Pastor in his studie attending, reading, as 1 Tim. 3. 15, 16. though he be not, then teaching, a non-resident. To the 5. I say, when Christ ascended unto heaven, Ephes. 4. 11. He gave some to bee Apostles, &c. but that gifting of Apostles is not to restrict the institution of Apostles, to the precise time of his ascension: for you grant that after the Lords resurrection, and before his ascension they were ordained Apostles, Matth. 28. 19. Joh. 20. 23. but the full sending of the holy Spirit to Apostles, Evan∣gelists, Pastors and Teachers, is ascribed to his ascension as a speciall fruite of his ascension, Act. 1. 8, 9. Joh. 16. v. 7, 8, 9. and therefore is their sending called an effect of the holy Spirit. For the second point, Giving and not granting that the Apo∣stles were not Apostles, till after the resurrection, yet will it not follow, that they were lay-Prophets, or Prophets out of office, for they might have beene Pastors in office, though not Apostles in office, for there were beside these, others in the Jewish Church, else where were Scribes, Pharisees, Lawyers, Doctors, all sitters in Moses his chaire? They were not Apo∣stles sure; what were they then? all teachers out of office? No; If then I prove that the Apostles were teachers in office, though it were granted that they were not Apostles (as in the fulnesse and plenitude thereof they were not) till Christ arose from the dead, I prove as much as taketh this argument for lay-prophets out of their hands. But that they were not non∣officed teachers, but called Apostles or Pastors, I prove.

1. Argum. Judas was chosen one of the twelve and an Apo∣stle, Ergo, farre more were the rest. I prove the Antecedent, 1. Act. 20. Let another take his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his charge, 2. v. 17. He took part with us (say they) in this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in this ministery. 3. Matthias v. 25. was chosen in that place and Apostleship from which Judas fell. Now Lay-Prophets have no officiall Episcopacie, no Ministery, nor can any chosen in their place said to bee chosen to an Apostleship, Ioh. 6. 7. Have not I chosen you twelve? this choosing

was to an Embassage; saith Cyrill, Augustine, Euthymius, and all our Divines with them.

2. Matth. 10. 2. These are the names of the twelve Apostles▪ v. 5. he send them, What power he giveth to them in respect of al the world to remit and retaine sinnes, Iob. 20. that hee giveth to them toward the house of Israel, v. 11, 12, 13. under the name of offered peace, (Magis & minus non variant speciem) Mark. 13. 14. Mark. 3. 14. hee ordained twelve, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hee made twelve to be with him, which he might send to preach, Luk. 9. 1. and he called the twelve, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, be sent them, hee tooke them from their fi∣shing, and made them fishers of men; and Matth. 10. 10. hee cal∣leth them workmen worthy of their hire: private Prophets are not gifted, nor sent, nor taken from their callings, nor are they workmen deserving stipend, for that is due to Prophets by office, 1 Cor. 9. 13. 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17.

3. Those who have power to dispense the seales of grace, and to baptize, are not private or unofficed Prophets, but sent of God and in office, as Matth. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 17. and a Ro∣binson granteth this, and so doe Separatists teach b. But the Disciples of Christ, before his resurrection, baptized, Ioh. 4. 2.

4. Those who were witnesses of the life, miracles, doctrine of Christ, and preached the same, and confirmed it by mira∣cles, were pastors.

5. Those who were twelve selected men chosen, Luk. 6. 13. named Apostles, Mark. 9. 35. Mark. 10. 32. Luk. 8. 1. to whom the keyes of the kingdome were given, Matth. 18. 17, 18, 19. Matth. 16. 19. are not unofficed men.

6. This is a Popish opinion, and to be suspected, for Papists to advance Peter to a Popedome, will have him no Apostle, while after the resurrection, for c Bellarmine saith, Imposition of hands is essentiall to holy orders, and that the Apostle ordained no Presbyters while Christ was risen, and made the Apostles and gave them the holy Spirit: d The Councell of Trent hint∣eth at the same opinion; Bellarmine saith the Apostles were made Priests, at the last Supper, to sacrifice Christs body, but not Presbyters till after that, when they received the holy Ghost; and e Cardinall Hosius, f Martinus Ledesma, g Petrus a

Soto say the Disciples are made Apostles, Ioh. 21. h Toletus saith they had power before this time to preach, but not to forgive sinnes, in the Sacra∣ment of pennance while now. And i Car∣dinall Cajetan saith here was first the Sa∣crament of pennance ordained: and it is true k Cyrillus and l Chrysostome say that Iohn 21. Soli sacerdotes, onely Pastors by this place have power to forgive sinnes, but not by this place onely, for they say that Matth. 16. power is given, m Joannes de Lugo the Popes Professor at Rome, teach, that Joh. 21. the Apo∣stles first received this power. And jayne with him n Suarez o Thomas Sanchez, p Aegidius Coniuk q and Vasquez, though as good as they say the contrary, as r Panormitanus, a late Schooleman, s Avila, and t Sylvester, and u John Bishop of Rochester writing against Papists, and their Popes power of dethroning Kings, saith, how could the Apostles who are examples of good order preach and baptize, if they were meere Layicks, and not Pastors while, after Christ was arisen from the dead?

x Robinson citeth Luk. 8. 39. Christ biddeth the dispossessed man g••shew what great things the Lord had done for him, and hee went and preached it; now miracles are a part of the Gospel, and written that we should beleeve, Joh. 20. 30. and they prove that Jesus is the Sonne of God. Ergo, This man being no Prophet, preached the Gospel.

Answ. 1. This will not conclude the Question. 1. One man published one single miracle wrought upon himselfe, which is a part of the Gospel onely. 2. And upon a particular occa∣sion did show what things the Lord had done for him. 3. He is com∣manded to publish it to his friends, and domesticks onely, Matth. 5. 19. Go to thy house, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to thine owne friends, and show them what the Lord hath done for thee. Hence from this nar∣row antecedent a vaste and broad conclusion is drawne; Ergo, it is lawfull, because this man published one particular of the

Gospel, for any gifted man to preach the whole Gospell, be∣cause one man did it upon a miraculous occasion to his friends; Ergo, all gifted men may prophesie the whole Gospel to all the Churches ordinarily, it is a vaine consequence. 2. Because hee published one particular, upon a particular exigence, there∣fore any gifted man may ordinarily, and weekly and daily Preach for the conversion of soules. 3. Because hee published one miracle to his friends in a private way, therefore any gifted man may preach the whole Gospell in publick, to all the Church, truly here is a weake reason.

2. It is most like that this man was an intruding Prophet, like the Separatists Prophets, for he requested that hee might be with Jesus, and bee made a Disciple to preach the Gospell, as Calvin, Marlorat, Bullinger expone it; but Jesus suffered him not. Now if Christ had commanded him to be a Prophet, as Robin∣son will have him, he should have granted what he sought.

Lastly, the man did more then Christ commanded, for Mark. 9. 20. Hee published it in Decapolis throughout all the citie, whereas Christ had limited the publishing thereof to his friends and house onely.

Robinson saith, Luk. 10. The Seventie Disciples preached, and yet they were men out of office.

I answer. 1. The Seventie Disciples were Pastors in office. 1. Satan by their ministery fell from heaven as lightning, v. 19. Christ saith, Behold I give you power to tread upon serpents, Luk. 10. 1. Af∣ter these things the Lord apponted other Seventie, and sent them out; here is a cleare calling, they confirme their doctrine by mira∣cles, and casting out of devills, as the twelve Apostles. 2. Christ sent out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, also other Seventie, Ergo, as hee gave a calling to the Twelve, so hee did to these Seventie, and the same pa••••orall commission is given to them. Behold, I send you &c. Luk. 10. 3, 4, 5, 6.

3. The Seventie are called workmen, sent out to the Lords harvest, Luk. 10. 2. and the same is said of Shepheards in office, Matth. 8. 36, 37, 38. to whom wages are due, as to Pastors in Office, 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17.

3. It is said by Christ of these Seventie, He that heareth you heareth me, he that despiseth you despiseth me. Ergo, they were Am∣bassadors in Christs stead, as Pastors in office are, 2 Cor. 5. 20.

The Samaritane woman (saith Robinson) Job. 4. 28. Preached, and many of the Samaritans beleeved because of her, v. 39. and with∣out preaching of the word of God, none can beleeve, Rom. 10. 14, 15. If a woman may teach without the Church, then may a man teach in the Church.

Answ. 1. A woman may teach. 2. In a non-constituted Church, where there is no salvation, and they worship they know not what, Joh. 4. 22. 3. A woman may occasionally declare one point of the Gospel, that Maries Sonne is Christ; but hence it followeth not, Therefore, 1 a man, 2 in a constituted Church, 3 may ordinarily preach the whole Gospell to the Church in publick: a weake sparre for so vast a roofe.

2. He abuseth the place, Rom. 10. 14. and would hence prove that a woman or any gifted teacher, is a sent Preacher by whom faith ordinarily commeth; for otherwayes who dare deny but faith commeth by reading? and just as the Catechise of Rae∣covia exponeth the place, Rom. 10. 14. to evert the necessitie of a sent ministery, so doth Robinson expone the place.

Robinson, Act. 8. 1, 2, 3, 4. Act. 11. 20, 21. All the Churches were scattered abroad, except the Apostles, and those who were scatte∣red, preached every where the Gospell, Ergo, Disciples out of office may lawfully preach the Gospel.

Answ. Whether these of the scattered Church, who preached, were the Seventie Disciples, as learned Divines thinke, I dispute not; But that they were Prophets out of office, the Text saith not. But that they were extraordinarily gifted Prophets who preached, I conceive the text doth insinuate, for it is said, Act. 11. 21. The hand of the Lord was with them, the very word which is, Ezek. 3. 14. The hand of the Lord was strong with me.

2. In a scattered and dissolved Church, gifted persons may prophesie, Ergo, in a constituted Church gifted persons are the ordinary and onely Ministers of conversion, though they bee never called to the office, it doth no wayes follow.

Robinson saith, it is not reasonable to think that they were all extraor∣dinary Prophets, and that if they were immediately inspired, there had beene no need of so speedy sending of Barnabas from Hierusalem to Antioch with supply, though he were a man full of the holy Ghost, for •••• were such Prophets as well as ••ee, Ephes. 2. 20. and 3. 5.

Answ. Wee doe not affirme, that all and every one of the

Church, even women and children were extraordinarily gifted, but whether their gift was ordinary or extraordinary, the Text doth not say that they were Prophets out of office, and the Law of disputing saith, Affirmanti incumbit probatio; the hand of God was with them, as it useth to bee with Prophets.

2. They travelled as farre as Phenice, Cyprus and Antioch, preach∣ing the word of the Lord, this is that which the Apostolick planters of Churches did, as Master builders, laying the foun∣dation of Churches, and Calvin calleth them Ministers, planters of the Gospel. Nor is it like that Prophets not in office, would so travell and preach the Gospel to the Gentile ••s and Calvin saith, singulari Dei impulsu hoc factum, and that many were turned unto the Lord. 2. Barnabas saw the grace of God in them. 3. And exhor∣ted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord, Ergo, there was grace and a profession visible of cleaving to the Lord, before Barnabas came, and so a founded Church; and if it had beene done by gifted Christians of ordinary gifts, and wanting the spirit of Prophecy, the work had been the more illustrious, and it would not have beene concealed, yea and helpe in so great an harvest by Barnabas an Apostolick man, was very needfull, the number being so great of those who were converted to the faith, seeing the great Apostles sought helpe, and Paul tooke Titus and Timothy with him often, for helping the worke of the Lord.

The next Scripture (saith Robinson) is 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11. As every man hath received the gift, so let him minister as good stewards of the manifold graces of God; if any man speake, let him speake as the oracles of God.

Answ. This saith with us, for private Christians are not stewards; who gave them the keyes? Yea 1 Cor. 4. 1. it is a word of office, and it is not given to Ministers not in office, as Beza observeth well; he setteth downe one generall, that the Mini∣sters be ready to distribute, and then two species. 1 Preaching Ministers, that they speake the Oracles of God. 2. Serving Ministers, Elders and Deacons, that they minister out of the habilitie that God giveth them; and the place is against pri∣vate Prophets.

Robinson alledgeth, Revel. 11. 3. I will give power to my two witnesses, and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundreth and sixtie

dayes, clothed in sackcloth. The Clergie men are not onely witnesses against the Antichrist. In the Antichrists raigne, no Church officer, a•• an•• officer, witnesseth against him, but all for him, as both having their authority from him, and binding themselves to submit their do∣ctrine to his censure. The persons indeed that were officers, even Masse-Priests, Monkes, and Friers, witnessed some of them against him, but so did not their office, something was extraordinary, I acknowledge, in re∣spect of the then prevailing order, and in respect of their degree of gifts and graces, but no extraordinary and miraculous gift of prophecying: and Brightman exponeth the two witnesses to bee the holy Scrip∣tures and assemblies of the faithfull.

Answ. The two witnesses (saith a Junius) are the Ministers, for number, few, and for place, contemptible, so saith Couper; b and c Paraeus induceth many paires of witnesses, as in Bohemia, John Hus, and Jerome of Prague, An. 1415, 1416. in Saxonie, Luther and Melancthon; in Argentine Bucer and Cariton; in Helvetia, Zwinglius and Oecolampadius; in France, Farell, and Calvin, and these were Pastors in office. We need not stand upon the number of two, but because two is the least and fewest number, the witnesses were two. But first there is no reason to fetter and restrict the Text, to witnesses and Martyrs out of office, excluding the Ministers and Prophets in office, and to inferre thence that gifted persons in a constitute Church are the ordinary Ministers of conversion. 1. These two wit∣nesses did prophecie in the midst of Popish Babylon, where God had no visible Church. They did upon a particular exigence, being called thereunto as the Martyrs of Christ, to give a wit∣nesse for Christ against Antichrist, and they sealed the truth with their blood: but the consequence is null, a Martyr at the stake, though no Pastor, may give a confession of his faith, to the persecutors, as Stephen did. Therefore a gifted person not in office, may ordinarily preach in the Church. I would not buy such logick with a rotten nut. 3. Many women were wit∣nesses and Martyrs, and gave a testimony against Antichrist; Ergo women may preach in the Church: what vanitie is this?

2. Also if those witnesses had an extraordinary measure of gifts and graces to beare witnesse to the truth, it followeth not; Ergo, Christians gifted with an ordinary measure of the Spirit

are ordinary Prophets for the conversion of soules.

2. Though these witnesses were only unofficed Prophets, yet the prophecying ascribed to them, after they arose from the dead, will not inferre that unofficed Prophets are ordinarily to preach, for the rising againe of slaine Prophets is not to be exponed of the raising againe of the persons of unofficed Prophets to preach, but it is to be exponed of the rising a∣gaine of the buried Gospel; which in the ministery of faithfull Pastors and in other new Martyrs, Pastors and others arose againe from the dead, with the Spirit and power of these Mar∣tyrs, and that buried truth, that was in former times persecu∣ted by Antichrist did now revive againe to the wondering of Babylon; for the intent of the Spirit is to show that the Gospel, and true Church, slaine and buried, shall arise againe within a short time, as three dayes and a halfe.

4. It is vaine that he saith none of the Clergy witnessed and prophecied against Antichrist; he is not versed in the Churches history who teacheth so, for Monkes and Fryars were Mini∣sters, (though their office unlawfull) and as Ministers of Christ. Luther, Melancthon, and thousands other gave testimony against Antichrist.

Robinson addeth, Revel. 14. 6. Where an Angell flyeth in the midst of heaven, that is, in the visible Church, having the everlasting Gos∣pell to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kinred. That is, God raised men in the midst of popery, not miracu∣lously inspired (for you can show me no such) who preached the Gospel, not by vertue of an office; The office of a Friar, Monk, or Mass••-Priest, is no ministery of Christs appointment; and when they gave their clearest testimony, they were almost all excluded out of Rome, and so in respect of their personall gifts and graces, they were Angels of God, in respect of their office, they were Angels of Antichrist.

Answ. 1. There is no reason to reject the interpretation of d Junius, that this Angell was a type of the servants of God, who opposed Popery after the times of Bonifacius the eight, as Cassiodo∣rus the Italian, Arnoldus de villa nova, Occam, Dantes, Petrarcha, Ioann••s de Rupe the Franciscan, Wickliff; And Pareus e refers the type to Wickliffe, Marsilius Patavinus, Petrarcha; Our coun∣try man f Napper exponeth it of Luther, Melancthon, and Cal∣vin in the seventh age, Anno 1541, and it is false that they were

all excommunicated, and though the accident of their office, to be a Monke, a Fryar, was Antichristian, yet the ministery it selfe was of Christ, and by it they did preach against Anti∣christ, as they did validely baptize, for I hope they did not baptize as unofficed Prophets. Lastly, this Angel did not preach in the visible Church, but in the midst of Popery, and there∣fore doth not prove it is lawfull in a true visible constituted Church, for gifted Prophets out of office, to bee ordinary Preachers.

Robinson much urgeth the place, 1 Cor. 14. 1 Because the Apo∣stle speaketh of the manifestation of the gifts and graces common to all, as well brethren as ministers, ordinary as extraordinary. 2. Hee speaketh of the fruits common to all, edification, exhortation, and com∣fort, compared with, 1 Thess. 5. 11. 14. and of that which at all times remaineth amongst the Christians, to wit, love.

Answ. The cohesion of this Chapter with the former is cleare, charitie should be followed, because so excellent. Therefore cover gifts, which are most conducing to love and edification, and that is to prophecie; he proveth excellencie of prophecying above others, and teacheth in this Chapter the right ordering of publick Church meeting.

Now Robinsons Argument is this, if it stand good, As many as may love one another, and may edifie, exhort and comfort one ano∣ther, may expresse their love by publick prophecying, for edification in love: but all Christians, even such as are not in Church-state, nor offi∣cers, are to love one another, to edifie, exhort and comfort one another. Ergo.

The proposition is most false; women are obliged to love one another, and to exhort and edifie one another, Prov. 31. 26. Til. 2. 3. yet can they not prophesie in the Church, 1 Cor. 14. 34, 35. yea excommunicated persons are not loosed from the duties of love and mutuall rebuking in private, if they may bee exhorted as brethren, 1 Thess. 3. 15. They may exhort and re∣buke others, Levit. 19. 17. which the law of nature requireth, yea Peter as a Pastor out of love to Christ is to preach, Ioh. 21. 15. 16, 17. But therefore private Christians are not obliged to Pa∣storall preaching, and administration of the Seales, which are expressions of the love of Christ, yet to administer Sacraments

is an act of edification, is therefore every act of edification and love common to all, because to love, and in some private way, to edifie all, is incumbent as a dutie to all? nay a King out of love of Christ, should governe Gods people, a Captaine fight Gods battells, a Sea man saile, & a Professor teach in the Schooles; will it follow, because to love one another is common, that all private men may bee Kings, may kill men in battell, and that the Plowman should saile and invade the Mariners calling? this were Anabaptisticall confusion of places and callings, and should evert states, places, charges and callings, and overturne Church and State, and make the Church an old Chaos; the God of order hath not so ordered callings and places. But (saith the man) if the end, which is edification and comfort, continueth, therefore the gift of prophecying continueth.

Answ. 1. Prophecying continueth, who taketh it out of the world? It continueth in such, as God hath set in the Church for that end and use, 1 Cor. 12. 29. but not in all, and every Plowman, who in his place is obliged to edifie.

2. The Argument is also weake, that continueth, the end where∣of continueth, forso circumcision, passeover, sacrificing, the end of all which was edifying, should continue in the Church: Mr. Yates answered to him, extraordinary gifts, as strange tongues, miracles, are for edification, yet they continue not. Mr. Robinson answereth to him, strange tongues and the office of the Ministery doe not properly edifie, but the use of strange tongues.

I answer, there doth much weaknesse here appeare, love in Mr. Robinsons breast doth not edifie, nor his habit of prophe∣cying, but the acts of expressions of love, and the use of pro∣phecying, edifieth, and for that cause wee may well say that the office doth edifie

There being (saith Robinson) no other meanes to edifie, exhort, and comfort, left in the Church, but propbecying, Paul argueth from the common grace of love, as well upon brethren as officers, to ordinary, as to extraordinary, and at all times prophecying, that all out of office may prophesie to the worlds end, if they have gifts.

Answ. Is there no meanes to edifie, exhort, and comfort, but prophecying? and that prophecying publick in the Church and pastorall? that is denyed, what say you of private and do∣mestick

exhorting, praying, praysing, reading, and Christian conference, Coloss. 3. 16. Mal. 3. 16. Zach. 8. 21. are not they sin∣gular meanes of edifying? hath Christ left no meanes of edify∣ing, exhorting, and comforting, but the publick prophecying of Clothiers, Mariners, Fashioners? 2. Faith commeth by hearing of a sent minister, Rom. 10. 14. It pleased God by preach∣ing, of sent Pastors, 1 Cor. 1. 17. 21. to save those who beleeve.

Robinson. 2 Argu. v. 31. You may all prophesie, that all may learne, that all may be comforted; be speakes of prophecying of all, as largely as of learning of all, according to the received rule of exponing the notes of universalitie.

Answ. Women, ungifted brethren, infidels in the Church, by his owne grant, may learne, but they may not prophesie in the Church, Ergo, many more are to learne then may prophe∣sie: and the one (All) is narrower then the other, for all are not Prophets, 1 Cor 12. 29. therefore all may not prophesie in one and the same verse, 1 Cor. 11. v. 32. and Isa. 53. v. 6. the notes of universalitie, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (wee all) are taken divers wayes; yea one and the same word applyed to divers subjects is taken divers wayes, as 1 Sam. 12. 18. And the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel; and my sonne (saith the Wise man) seare the Lord and the King. Prov. 24. 21.

Mr. Yates said well, all ought to have the gift of hearing, but not of prophecying. Robinson answereth, every particular person is not bound to have the gift of prophecying, but if he speake to purpose, he must say, that no ordinary brethren out of office ought to have the gift of pra∣phesie, which if it be true, then ought none to strive for fitnesse to be∣come officers, neither were that reproofe just, Heb. 5. 11.

Answ. He speaketh to purpose, to destroy your Argument, which you destroy your selfe, while as you grant, many may learne who may not prophecie. 2. Hee may say truely, no ordi∣nary brethren out of office, but purposed to remaine artificers, are to strive for fitnesse to the office of ministery; but many out of office may have the gift of prophecying, who are not Prophets; and you grant, I thinke, many are gifted to be Kings, who neither are Kings, nor may lawfully exercise acts of royall ma∣jestie, without treason both to God and their King: For the place, Heb. 5. 11. the Apostle rebukes the Hebrewes, both offi∣cers

and people as dull of hearing, whereas they ought to bee teachers of others, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, (as you expone it) Prophets out of office, who ought to prophesie publickly to the edifying of the Church. But take home this Argument thus. Those whom the Apostle re∣buketh as dull of hearing, who ought to bee teachers and un∣officed Prophets, are obliged to be indeed such Prophets; for a rebuke is for the omission of a morall dutie which wee are ob∣lieged to doe, or for the committing the contrary, but he re∣buketh teachers in office, women, children, and ungifted brethren as dull as hearing, for that they ought to be Prophets & were not, Ergo, all, even teachers in office, women, children and ungifted brethren ought to be Prophets not in office. Now the conclusion is absurd and against your selfe, for you say, Pag. 58. every particular person in the Church is not bound to have the gift of prophecying, women are not bound I am sure, yet are women rebuked for being dull of hearing, and for that they ought to be teachers of others, and were not.

2. Hence it is cleare that you corrupt the word of God, and to be teachers, in that place, is to be such, as so aboundeth in the knowledge of God, as to teach, rebuke, admonish, and comfort mutually one another in a private way, not to preach publikely in the Church, for the ordinary conversion of soules, for which sort of Prophets you do contend.

Robinson addeth. The Apostle cannot meane extraordinary Pro∣phets, 1 Cor. 14. there could not bee such a number of extraordinary Prophets, now when extraordinary Prophets were beginning to cease in the Church.

Answ. 1. When the Church of Corinth abounded in every thing, in all knowledge, and utterance, and came behind in no gift, 1 Cor. 1. 5. 7. and so much grace was given them in Jesus Christ, v. 4. It is cleare there were abundance of Prophets even then in Corinth.

2. It is not to purpose for lay-Prophets whether they were ordinary or extraordinary Prophets. They were Prophets as the Spirit of God calleth them, 1 Cor. 12. 29. set in the Church as officers, even as Apostles, and Governors, and Teachers, who are of∣ficers. And there is no reason that you should impose signifi∣cations on words, at your owne pleasure, without warrant of the Word. Now shew us in all the old, or new Testament, when

the word Prophet signifieth a naked gifted man out of office, in the Lords house, for you have as good warrant for you to say there were lay-Apostles, lay-Teachers, lay-Governors, who were gifted persons not in office, as you have for lay-Pro∣phets.

3. Multitude of Prophets may consist with the time, when Seers and foretellers of things revealed in visions were begin∣nings to cease, even as the gifts of the holy Ghost given abun∣dantly at the Pentecost, Act. 2. 17. 18. Ioel 2. 28. did consist with the time when things concerning Christ must now have an end, Luk. 22. 37. Luk. 24. 44.

Robinsons 3. Argument is. The Apostle in forbidding women to prophesie in the Church, licenceth men. 1. The Apostle in, and for the worke, opposeth the men to the women, Sexe to Sexe, and in for∣bidding women, hee must license men, when the holy Ghost opposeth faith and workes in the cause of justification and denyeth that we are justifi∣ed by workes, is not then the consequence good, we are justified by faith? 2. If in prohibiting women he gave not libertie to men, where were the prerogative of men above women, which is the onely ground upon which hee buildeth the prohibition? 3. Ver. 34. 35. Women are not permitted to speake in the Church, yet may they speake to their hus∣bands at home; now if the husbands might not speake in the Church more then the women, what reason can be rendred of the Apostle his so speaking? 4. The Apostle in the whole Chapter, taketh order that some should prophesie in the Church, and debarring women therefrom, he must either admit men, or then we have a third sort of Persons to prophesie, who are neither men, nor women.

Answ. Here is a great noyse of Arguments for just nothing, and a faire sophisme, concluding that secundum quid, which should be concluded 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; for we deny not but some men in office are permitted, yea and commanded to prophesie in pub∣lick; and we grant that Sex and Sex are opposed, but the op∣position made by Robinson is creeple and throwne-backed, for all and every one of mankind are not permitted to prophesie, as all and every woman is forbidden to prophesie or teach in the Church; by the Lawes of France a woman may not sit on the Throne and sway the Scepter; but friend, can you say then the Lawes of France doth license any Frenchman whatsoever he be to sit on the throne and be King? Mr. Robinson proveth

men are licensed to preach, Sed indefinita propositio in materia contingente ••quipollet particulari, but he knoweth all men are not licenced to prophesie in publick, for ungifted men are not sent of God, and we say, neither all gifted tradesmen, never called by the Church, nor educated in Schooles, or sent of God to preach in the Church. This he covereth and proveth never, onely he setteth downe foure armies of Arguments to prove, I know not what, to prove forsooth that men may prophesie in publike, and not women, but who denyeth that? And the similitude of faith and workes crooketh here, for saving faith is opposed to all good workes whatsoever, both in kind and individualls, for wee are neither justified by good workes in specie, nor by any one good worke in individuo, but though all women be debarred from teaching in the Church, yet are not all men licensed to teach in the Church, but onely those (say we) who are called of God, as was Aaron. 2. I would bandy the Argument thus; It is not permitted to women to administer the Sacraments, Ergo, It is permitted for any man, though not a Prophet by office, to administer the Sacraments. The Antece∣dent is Pauls, the consequence is yours; and so all these foure Arguments prove not what is in question, to with that; Ergo, a gifted person not in office may preach publickly.

Mr. Robinson addeth, In restrayning women he sheweth his mea∣ning to be of ordinary, not of extraordinary Prophets, because women immediatly and extraordinarily inspired, might speak without restraint, Exod. 15. 20. Jud. 4. 24. Luk. 2. 36. Act. 2. 17, 18.

Answ. Robinson cannot show that the same kind of prophe∣cying in women, v. 34. is taxed by Paul, which is regulated in men, v. 26, 27, 28. and therefore that connexion is denied, hee restraineth women from ordinary prophecying in the temple, Ergo he speaketh of the ordinary prophecying of men; for, 1. he compareth prophecying with tongues, extraordinary with ex∣traordinary, and he desireth them to covet to prophesie, or∣dinary he cannot meane, for in all the Word you find not pri∣vate professors are commanded to desire to bee ordinary Pro∣phets, for so God should command them to pray, that they might leave their callings and stations, contrary to 1 Cor. 7. 20. and give themselves to study sciences and tongues: for if the holy Ghost command the meanes, he must command the end,

and if hee command the end, hee must command the meanes. But v. 34. he setteth downe a new canon about women who tooke on them to prophesie publickly, and hee inhibiteth so much as ordinary prophecying, yea so much as speaking in the Church; and I deny not but a Irenaeus, b Eusebius, yea and Tertullian, Cyrill, Chrysostome, Theophylactus, with warrant teach, that alwayes women extraordinarily inspired may pro∣phesie, for in that God immediately exalteth them above men. But for ordinary prophecying in publick, it is of morall equi∣tie, and perpetuall, that the women should not teach, for Adam was first formed; this Paul bringeth as a morall argu∣ment against womens preaching.

His fourth Argument is from 29 and 32. verses. Let the Pro∣phets speake two or three, and let the rest judge. The Apostle cannot (saith Robinson) speake of extraordinary Prophets, for they cannot erre, but are infallible; but the Prophets here spoken of are not infalli∣ble, because they are to be censured, and their doctrine judged by the Prophets: now if such could erre, our faith were not immediately buil∣ded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles.

Answ. This is before examined by me, the consequence is null, for the holy Spirit (saith Pareus) did not dite all things which the Prophets spake, they might have mixed in some thing of their owne.

Robinson saith, that Paul could not have said, (if any thinke him∣selfe to be a Prophet, &c. let such an one acknowledge that the thing I wrote are the commandements of the Lord) if these had beene extraor∣dinary Prophets, they should have knowne Pauls writings undoubtedly to have beene the Canonick word of God, and could not have beene ig∣norant thereof.

Answ. This presupponeth that these extraordinary Pro∣phets might have beene ignorant, that the Apostles comman∣dements was the commandements of the Lord, which is not ab∣surd, for Nathan and Samuel were ignorant of Gods will in some points, for Prophets see and know sometimes as men, and sometimes as Prophets, in the former they may erre, in the latter they are infallible.

He subjoyneth. The word of God came it to you, or came it from you? if the word of God came after a sort to the Corinthians, and not

from them, then were they not immediatly and extraordinarily inspired, whereas indeed the Word of God came from the Apostles.

Answ. This proveth not the point, for hee condemneth the arrogancie of some immediately inspired Prophets, Came the word of God from you? that is, are yee above the Apostle to whom the word of God was committed, that it may bee preached to all the world, that it might come from the Apostles to others? Or came it to you onely, as to the only Apostolick teachers, that you neede no admonition? but hence it follow∣eth not, but they were extraordinarily inspired Prophets, for Peter might be rebuked, though an Apostle & a chief one. Neither is it any imputation to Paul, or to any who hath received the Spirit in measure, to be censured. It is true, Canonick doctrine, as it is such, cannot be censured, but the teachers thereof, though infallible, even Paul, Act. 17. 10, 11. and every spirit is to bee tried, whether they be of God or no, 1 Joh. 3. 1. yea to say that the Church cannot be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and A∣postles (as Mr. Robinson saith, pag. 68.) if these Prophets extraordi∣nary can erre, or can bee subject to the censure and judgement of the Church, is the very argument of Papists; for they say, that the Word of God borroweth authoritie quoad nos, in respect of us, from the Church, and is to be beleeved, because Peter, Paul, the Prophets and Apostles, the then present Church, say it is the Word of God. So a Stapleton (as Whittakerne teacheth) that Christ was the Sonne of God, dependeth to our faith upon the testimony of John Baptist. See Bellarmine, Gregorius de Valent. Gretser; So three famous commentators say, b Jansenius, c Car∣dinalis Cajetan, and d Cardinalis Toletus. But our Divines answer, that the Word of God is true in it selfe, and the au∣thentick ground of our faith, not because the Prophets and Apostles say it is the word of God, not because Paul or an Angel from heaven saith it is so, Gal. 1. 8. for even the Prophets and Apostles were but men, and so their testimony not infallible, but because God himselfe saith so. See for this e Rivetus, f Whittakerus, g Bucerus, h Calvinus, yea and the Fathers most expressely say, that the Prophets and Apostles are not the

foundation of our faith, nor their word, because they were infallible, but Gods word, by their mouths and penne. So i Thea••••••lact, k Chrysostome, l Beda, m Ambrosius, n Oc∣cam, and o Gerson doe roundly acknowledge that their Popes word is not the foundation of faith, quia Papa potest hereti••ari, because the Pope may erre. What? because Samuel was de∣ceived in calling Eliah the Lords annointed, are not his bookes a part of canonick doctrine, whereupon our faith is builded?

Lastly saith p Robinson, Pastors must preach and pray before they hee put in office, otherwise they cannot bee tr••ed, if they bee apt to teach, as they must be, 1 Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 1. 9. It is decreed that all may preach, q Ministers, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, and if there beam, ex ipsa plebe, any of the common people, who would imploy their gift for the good of the Church, and it is practised in the Colledges, where all must preach, though they were never Priests.

Answ. 1. It is lawfull, that these ayming at the office; 2. Brought up in humane sciences; 3. Called by the Church preach, by way of tryall, before they be admitted to the office: but hence it cannot be concluded, that tradesmen and artifi∣cersvoyd of learning and ignorant of the Scriptures should preach, not for try all, or as ayming at the office of the Mini∣stery, but as ordinary ministers of the conversion of soules to the faith, and that without any calling of the Church either to the office, or to the degree preparatorie to the office.

2. All gifted should preach, yea and in England ought to bee put in office, where there is a reading ministery which Christ never ordained to bee in his house, and this the harmony of confession and Synods teach, and no more. It is a fault that in Colledges all doe preach, whether Christ hath called them, or not; such unsent runners Mr. Robinson cannot approve. r Am∣brose saith at the beginning it was granted that all should preach, and baptize, that the Church might grow; and s Origen said the same. But otherwise t Hieronymus saith, it is praesumptio temeri∣tatis, a rash presumption for any to preach, who are not sent; and u Theophylact calleth them false Prophets; x Augustine will have them all to come before Christ, and so to bee theeves

and robbers who commeth not sent, Sicut Moses & Prophet••, as Moses and the Prophets were sent. y Coachman saith, if preach∣ing be tyed to the ministery, and that order, there shall neither bee faith nor grace in a Church where there is no ministery.

Answ. It followeth not, for faith may come by reading, by conference, and you expone, Rom. 10. 14. As Arminians and Socinians doe. 2. We as Embassadors pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. Ephes. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 29. Are all Pro∣phets? Ergo, would you say no reconciliation in a land with∣out apostolick Ambassadors? It followeth not, ex negatione unius medii, for then there should be no grace, nor salvation, where there be none of your lay-Preachers.

Coachman. Knowledge, judgement, utterance, with gravitie, autho∣ritie, power, maketh a man a Minister, whether he be in office or not; Preaching is accidentall to the office, and no part of the office, but onely an ornament or appendix of it, a Minister is in full office of the order of Priesthood, though he never preach; an office maketh not a Prea∣cher, it maketh him onely such a peoples Preacher, when they have chosen him, hee preacheth by vertue of his gift, not by vertue of his office.

Answ. 1. Here are Socinian mysteries revealed, z Gerardus saith, by this meane the Heretickes called Pepuziani permitted, in the primitive Church, to women, the Ministery of the Sacraments. And upon this ground the Socinians and Anabaptists proceeded, that except a man would digge his Talent in the earth, hee may preach, though he have not a calling of the Church; so doth Mr. Coachman make talents, as judgement and utterance, enough to constitute one a Minister, whether he be called to the office, or not. And Gerardus setteth downe a good answer of a Lu∣ther to the Argument. God giveth talents, but to those whom hee calleth, therefore gifted men should in the use of their calling attend and accept the calling of God. It may be the Church perversly set, de∣nyeth a calling to one who is gifted. Then I say, let him use his talent in private. God reapeth not where he doth not sow.

2. This is a wild saying, A man is a Minister whether he be in office or not. A ministery is essentially an office, or a place that the Lord hath called a man unto, else define what an officer is, and how can he expone that, Rom. 10. 14. how can they preach

except they he sent? if as our Divines doe? then none are sent, but such as are called to the office, and this is against him, if as S••ini••ns say, all gifted men are sent of God to preach, then gifts essentially constituteth a sent man, and what is a sent man, ••ut a man called to the office?

3. Preaching is accidentall to the office of a man that mak∣eth court and the world his conscience, it is true indeed, but that preaching is accidentall to the office of a Pastor, is Popish and Prelaticall; for what is essentiall to the office? to admi∣nister the Sacrament and consecrate the body of Christ? Well said for the Popish cause. b Pope Eugenius in his decree and the councell of Florentine teach us, that the essential forme of the office of the Priests is in these words, receive power to offer a sa∣crifice in the Church, for the living and the dead: for saith c Scotus and the Councell of d Trent teach us, that all the essentials of the Priesthood be in two. ••. In a power to consecrate Christs bo∣dy, and this is given in the last Supper. 2. In a power to ab∣solve a sinner, so saith e Meratius the Jesuite, where the rea∣der shall observe silence of preaching the word, and f Bellar∣mine saith the same; g Gulielmus Eslius saith, the essentiall and most principall worke of the Priest is to offer Christs body, and then to absolve from sinnes, and this they have from their h Master Aquin••s, and further warrant for a Priest essentially dumbe, you may find in Suarez, And Vasquez doth collect from i the fainzed Canons of the Apostles from k Clemens his Epistles, such a Priest. I desire (if preaching be accidentall to the office of a Pastor) to know if feeding of the people, Act. 20. 28. and ••eeding the flock, Ezekiel, 34. 2. be all in administring of the Sacra∣ment. It is strange, if a watchman as as a watchman, and by office, should not preach and give warning, Ezek. 3. 17, 18. if an Ambassadour, as an Ambassadour, in Christs stead should not pray the people to be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5. 20. if a Pastor, as a Pastor, should not feed the flocke with knowledge, Jer. 3. ••. 15. if as a workeman and a Minister he should not divide the word aright, 2 Tim. 2. 15. if as a fisher he should not catch men; but of this enough. Lastly, 1 Cor. 1. v. 17. Christ sent mee not to

baptize, but to preach, Joh. 4. 2. Christ baptized none, but was sent to preach, Luk. 4. 43.

Notes

• Author of the Treatise of the way of the Churches of Christ in New England. Chap. 5. Sect. 1.
• Quaest. 29.
• Episcopius.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Robinson, the peoples pea for the exer∣cise of prophe∣cying against Mr. Yates, Arg. 2. pag. 6.
• a

  Episcop. disp. 26. 4 5.
• b

  Theophil. Nicolaides tract. demissiono minist. cap. 10. cap. 88.
• d

  Remonstr. in confess. cap. 21. sect. 2. 4.
• e

  Socinus tract. de ecclesia cap. 1. pag. 140.
• f

  Ostorodiut Inst. cap 42. Raddecius in not. Simgle••ii pag. 5. ipse textus doce•• de solis apostoli•• sermonem esse.
• g

  Profes. Leyd. eens. con∣fess. cap. 2. sect. 2. 3.
• h

  Calvinus Comment. in Rom. 10.
• i

  Beza ann••••. de ministerio vel ordinariovel extraordinarie debet intelligi.
• k

  Pareus de ordinaria etiam vocatione debet intelligi.
• l

  Arminiani in Apolog. cap. 25. fol. 246.

  Quid obstat cur in casu necessitatis non potest •• fideli aliquo, infa••s aqua ting•••• out inter ••deles cana Domini non celebrari posse••?
• m

  Socinus tr••c. de eccles. pag 15.
• n

  Smalcius disp de minist. sect. 7.
• o

  Gerardus tom. 6. loco comm. de mini∣sterio ecclesia∣stico. c. 3. sect. 1. n. 67. pag. 74.
• p

  Smalcius in refut. thes. Franzii par. 2. disp. 4. pag. 377. Non negamus ex ist a consuctu••••ine primi∣tivae ecclesiae Apost••licae consequii ••llud etiam nunc fieri posse—sed hoc est in questione, an ejusm••di constitutio sit prorsus necessaria ad constituendum verbi dei ministerium.
• q

  Andr. Raddecius in notis ad lib. Smiglecii pag. 3.
• r

  Remonst. in Apolog. cap. 21. sol. 227. missio∣nem esse necessariam concedimus necessitate ordinis & decori.
• a

  Robinson Peoples plea, Arg. 1. pag. 2, 3.
• b

  Chemnitius loc. com. part. 3. cap. de Eccles. pag. 314.
• c

  Ostorodius in Instit. cap. 42. pag. 438.
• d

  Nicolaides in defens. tract. Socini de ecclesia & ministerio, cap. 1. pag. 146.
• e

  Socinus tract. de eccles pag. 14.
• Peoples plea for prophecy∣ing, pag. 34.
• Plea pag. 39. 39.
• Pag. 38, 39.
• Calvin praelect. in Ierem. 1. 1.
• Pag. 39.
• Robinson, pag. 39 40.
• a

  Remonst. in confess. cap. 22. sect. 1.
• b

  Episcop. disp. 26. Thesi. 4, 5.
• c

  Socinus tract. de ecclesi. per totum & pag. 14, 15.
• d

  Nicolaides in desens. Socini tract. de eccles. cap. 1. pag. 118.
• e

  Gastius de cata-Baptista∣rum erroribus lib. 1. pag. 35.
• It is a vaine thing to say that teachers of all Israel, re∣maining in Is∣rael were non∣residents, that is, Pastors not attending their charge.
• a

  Iustific. pag.
• b

  Confess. of Separatists, Art. 21.
• c

  Bellarmin. desacr. ord. lib. 1. cap. 9.
• d

  Concil. Trident. Sess. 23. cap. 4.
• e

  Hosius in confes. Polonica tit. 50.
• f

  Martinus Ledesma in 4. qu••st. 36. art. 4. ad. 1.
• g

  Pet. a Soto de sacram. ordi∣nis Lect. 5.
• h

  Toletus com. in Ioan. 21. an. 21:
• i

  Cajetanus comment. in Ioan. 21. ideo hoc loco instituitur & promulgatur Sacramentum poenitentiae.
• k

  Cyrillus lib. 112. cap. 56.
• l

  Chrysostome in Ioan. homil. 88.
• m

  Joan. de Lugo, tomo de Saram. paenit disp. 18. sect. 1.
• n

  Suarez disp. 7. de cen∣sura sect. 6. not. 6.
• o

  Sanchez in decalog. lib. 2. c. 13. n. 13.
• p

  Aegidius Coniuk de Sacr. disp. 24. n. 236.
• q

  Vasquez Tom. de ex∣com. dub. 18. n. 9.
• r

  Pano••mit. in dic••. a nobis, &c. n. 10.
• s

  Avila de censur is part. 2. cap. 7. disp 1. Dub. 9.
• t

  Sylvester verbo subsolvo 1. n. 8.
• u

  Ioan. Episcop. Rossens. de potest. Papae in temporabus lib. 2. cap. 3.
• x

  Peoples plea, pag. 42, 43.
• Pag. 44.
• Pag 44, 45, 46.
• Pag. 46, 47, 48, 49.
• Calvin Com. in Act. 11 21.
• Pag. 49.
• a

  Iunius an∣not. in locum Apocalyps.
• b

  Cooper on Revel. 10.
• c

  Pareus com∣ment in Apoca∣lyps. cap. 10.
• Pag. 52, 53.
• d

  Iunius an∣not. in cap. 14.
• e

  Paraeus in locum.
• f

  Napper Comment. on the Revel. ch. 14.
• Par. 54. 55.
• Pag. 97.
• pag. 59. and 63.
• Pag. 59.
• a

  Irenaus adversus Hares. lib. 2 cap. 57.
• b

  Fusebius, bistoria eccles l. 5. cap. 7. Tertullian. Cyrill. Chrysostom. Theophylact. Robinson, pag. 66, 67.
• Par••us com. ibi.
• Pauls presby∣tery, chap. 16. pag. 251, 252. pag 69. 70.
• a

  Stapleton apud Whittaker. de sac. Script. Authorit. l. 3. c. 3. arg. 3. sect. Bellarmine, Valentinian Gretserus.
• b

  Transenius harmon. c. 36.
• c

  Cajetan com. in loan. 5. in hoc ab ho••nine non accipio.
• d

  Toletus in. Ioh. 5. tom. 1.
• e

  Rivetus tom. 1. contrav. trac. 1. q. 6.
• f

  Whittakerus to. 2. desac. Scrip. authorit. lib. 3. c. ••r. 5.
• g

  Bucer in Ioan. 5. de testimonio Baptistae.
• h

  Calvinus in art. 17. v. 10, 11.
• i

  Theapl••y••. in a••t 1•• ibid.
• k

  Chrysost in Ioan. hom. 39.
• l

  Beda in Ioan. cap 5.
• m

  Ambrosius in ••. Tim.
• n

  Occam. d••ale. l. 5. ca. 2 par. 1. & c. 3. proba∣tu•• quod pap•• Canonice electus manens papa potest errare a fide & bareti∣cari, quindecem ration••bus.
• o

  Gerson de infallibilitat Papae, consid. 12
• p

  Robinson. Pag 70. 71.
• q

  Synod of England.
• r

  Ambrosius com. in 4 Eph. ut ••resecret plebs & multiplica∣retur, omnibus inter initia con∣cessum est & Exangelizare, & Baptiza••e.
• s

  Origenin Num. hom. 11. cap. 8.
• t

  Hieronymus comment. in Matth. in prcaemi••.
• u

  Theophy∣lact. in art. 20.
• x

  Augustin. contr. Faustum, lib. 16. c. 12.
• y

  Coachman.
• z

  Gerard. loc. com. tom. 6. de Minister. eccles. c. 3. sect. 1. n. 70 pag. 78, 79.
• a

  Luthe••us tom. 2. Com. in Ps. 8. fol 96 lat. tradidi•• qui∣dem Dominus talenta servis. sed non ••••si ••••catis. expecta igitur & ••u donec vo∣cc•• is, interea∣ne amb••••s.
• b

  Fugeni•• de-〈…〉〈…〉.
• c

  Scotus in l. 4. d 24 q. 1.
• d

  Concil••i T••i. d••ntine. s••ss. 14. cap. 1.
• e

  Lodo Mera∣tius tom. 3. trac. de erdi. disp. 7. sect. 1. Bishops preach not, nor is it essentiall to their office, and ther∣fore Papists by contempt call our Ministers, predicant preachers, saith Gerard, tom. 6 q. 3. n. 294 pag. 336.
• f

  Bellarm. tom 3. de sacr. ordin. l. 1. c. 4.
• g

  Guliel. Estius l 4. dist. 24. s. 3.
• h

  Aquinas supplem. q. 34. act. 4. 5.
• i

  Canon. Aposto. lic. 2. 9. 17, 18. 25. 42. 43.
• k

  Clemens in Epist. 3. ad Iacob.