The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. The ſeaventh Objection, and Anſwer.
WHat was done in the firſt Chriſtian-Church, Obj. 7 may now be done; for primum in unoquo que genere eſt menſura & regula reliquorum; but private Chriſtians were preachers in the firſt Church, for we finde all the Church ſcattered, except the Apoſtles (n)Act. 8. 1.; and all they that were ſcattered abroad, went about preaching the word, not teaching and diſcourſing, as private men may do, but preaching foreign, and their preaching was aſſiſted by the hand of God, ſo that many were gained to the faith, and its very like baptized, and formed into a Church, as appears (o)Act. 11. 19 20, 21.; for though there were ſome ſent unto them from Jeſalem, yet they altered nothing, nor added anything to what was done before, but approved, and incouraged.
Sol. 1. The Church from whence theſe Preachers went, was under perſecution, and the places where they preached were unſetled, as appears by ſending of John and Peter to Samaria, where Philip preached, for to ſettle them (p)Act. 8. 14, 15, 16, 17., and Barnabas to Antioch, where others of them had converted many, as appears (q)Act. 11. 22, 23, 24.: now we muſt not argue from a perſecuted unſetled Church, unto a ſetled one; for we undertake not to determine, what may be done in times of trouble and perſecution; for in the ſtating of the queſtion, we ſay expreſly, that in every ſetled, well-ordered Church, ſome ſhould attend and act in holy things.
2. Theſe were not ordinary, if private Chriſtians, for they were of thoſe that were believers, when Stephen was put to death (r)Act. 11. 19., and ſo had an extraordinary meaſure of the holy Ghoſt beſtowed upon them; for the place was ſhaken where they were aſſembled, and they were all filled with the holy Ghoſt, and ſpake the word with boldneſſe (s)Act. 4. 31., and we are ſure that one of them, namely Philip, who went down to Samaria, did many miracles; for unclean ſpirits went out of many of them, and many that had palſies, and were lame, were healed (t)Act. 8. 6, 7.. Now when our preaching Brethren can ſhew ſuch miracles and wonders, we ſhall receive them, and acknowledge them, and not before.
3. All were not ſcattered that were believers; for then the Apoſtles would not have ſtayed behinde; for they knew it was the property of a good S…eward, to ſeek his flock, when ever they are ſcattered from them (u)Ezek. 34. 11, 12, 13., and we finde in the next words, that Saul made havock of the Church, entering into every houſe, and haling men and women, committed them to priſon (w)Act. 8. 3.; ſo that there were left in Jeruſalem, in every houſe, both men and women that were believers, and private Chriſtians, notwithſtanding this diſperſion, and thoſe private Chriſtians and believers were not a few; for he compelled many for to blaſpheme (x)Act. 26. 10; and we finde a Church ſtill at Jeruſalem, as well as the Apoſtles, as its ſaid (y)Act. 11. 22; the all therefore in the firſt verſe, muſt be reſtrained, and is capable of limitations.
4. By all therefore, we believe and think, is meant all Preachers and Teachers, except the Apoſtles; for the enemy had found, that the Apoſtles were too hard for them, by that experiment and tryall they had made before (z)Act. 5. 40., and were reſolved to meddle no more with them; but when they ſaw inferior perſons medling, as Stephen, they reſolved to try what metall they were made of, and finding Stephen malleable, as unable to reſiſt their ſtones, as they were the wiſdom and ſpirit by which he ſpake (a)Act. 6. 10., they were encouraged to ſet upon the other Preachers; for there were many Preachers in Jeruſalem, befides the Apoſtles; for no doubt the ſeventy were yet there, and were inabled and commiſſioned before (b)Luk. 10. 1, 2.; and had their gifts augmented, according to that promiſe, in that great effuſion of the holy Ghoſt (c)Act. 2. 4., and their Commiſſion inlarged, according to that promiſe (d)Luk. 24. 49; and thoſe, which at the firſt were made but Deacons (e)Act. 6. 5, 6., yet when they had uſed the Office of a Deacon well, and had by that means purchaſed unto themſelves a good Degree, and great boldneſſe in the faith, they were made higher Officers, inabled to baptize as Philip did (f)Act. 8. 12, 13. 37, 38., who was alſo, upon farther tryall, made an Evangeliſt, as we finde him called by this Evangeliſt (g)Act. 2…. 8.; and for the other that went down to Antioch, that are called men of Cyprus and Cyrene, its like they were Commiſſioned Officers; for they planted the Church at Antioch, which was not done without baptizing, and that only by Officers that had Commiſſions (h)Mat. 28. 19.; and men of good judgement think, that Lucius of Cyrene, ſpoken of (i)Act. 13. 1., was one of theſe that were diſperſed and travelled, who is in that place expreſly called a Prophet, and ranked even with Barnabas and Saul.
And therefore Mr. Robinſon doth ill, to ſay there is nothing ſaid, that may inſinuate they were in office; for theſe are ſtrong inſinuations.