The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. The eighth Objection, and Anſwer.
THoſe that may propheſie, may preach; for Obj. 8 prophecying is nothing elſe but ſpeaking to men, to edification, exhortation, and comfort, as the Apoſtle expreſly ſayes (k)1 Cor. 14. 3.: now what do men when they preach, but ſpeak thus unto men? or if there be any difference, it is in this, that prophecying is more excellent then preaching; for though the Apoſtle in this Chapter, doth labour to prefer and ſet it up above tongues (l)1 Cor. 14. 2, 3, 4, 5., yet in another place he prefers it unto Paſtors and Teachers, as appears (m)Eph. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28., in both which places, the Prophet is preferred before the Paſtor and Teacher; and no marvel; for though they agree with the Paſtor in this, that they edifie and ſpeak to men, yet they did more, foretold contingent futures, and opened hidden and myſterious Scriptures, by Revelation, and immediate inſpiration (n)1 Cor. 14. 30., which were things that Paſtors and Teachers could not alwayes do, or not without great pains and ſtudy.
But ſure we are, that all may propheſie; for all are bidden to deſire it, and follow after it, as they are bound and bidden to follow after charity (o)1 Cor. 14. 1., and it is for that end commended to them, all that Chapter over: and when they have it, they may uſe and exerciſe it (p)1 Cor. 14. 31.: ye may all propheſie, that is, imploy and exerciſe that gift which God hath given you, as thoſe that had their Maſters Goods, concredited unto them, are bid to occupy (q)Luk. 19. 13.; and becauſe we might be ſure the liberty is univerſal, the Apoſtle puts in that reſtraint he thought good, and that is of women, he permits not women for to ſpeak, but commands them to be in ſubjection, according to that ancient Law (r)1 Cor. 14. 34, 35.. Now in reſtraining them, he leaves all men at liberty; as in a Corporation, when there are Lawes made, that no forraigner ſhall exerciſe a Trade in that Town, that is not free, all freemen are thereby allowed: ſo here, no women ſhall ſpeak, therefore all men may.
Sol. 1. We fully grant, that all that may propheſie, may preach, and acknowledge it to be a ſuperiour, and more excellent endowment, but think it proper, and reſtrained unto Prophets only: the all in that is ſet down (s)1 Cor. 14: 3., is only meant of Prophets, ye may all propheſie, that is, all the Prophets, as it is, (t)v. 29.let the Prophets ſpeak two or three, and let the other judge; neither can this reſtriction be refuſed; for whoſoever doth propheſie, ſhewes thereby plainly, that he is a Prophet; for qualified acts denominate the ſubject wherein they are; he that ruleth is a Ruler, he that teacheth a Teacher, and he that propheſieth a Prophet. Saul was a moſt unlikely peece to make a Prophet, yet when he alſo propheſied, it could not be denied him (u)1 Sam. 19. 23, 24.. Now ſure we are, all are not Prophets, God indeed gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets (w)Eph. 4. 11, not all, ſo God hath ſet in the Church, ſome Apoſtles▪ and ſome Prophets (x)1 Cor. 14. 28., and therefore well might aske, are all Apoſtles, are all Prophets (y)v. 29.? as if he ſhould have ſaid, if all be, there be more then I have ſet; for I did ſet but ſome: though the eye be an excellent Member, yet if all the body were an eye, it would be an ugly and imperfect body, as the Apoſtle ſhews (z)1 Cor. 12. 17., caput eſt optimum, ſed non oportet ut totum ſit caput (a)Act. 11. 27. 28.: and ſurely, if all the Church were Prophets, it had been very improper for to have ſaid, in thoſe dayes came Prophets from Jeruſalem to Antioch (a); for if all were Prophets, there could no other come: ſo had it been to have numbred and named theſe Prophets, when they were come to Antioch, and ſay, there were in the Church, which was at Antioch, certain Prophets, as Barnabas, &c. (b)Act. 13. 1.; for they had all been Prophets; and it had been as impertinent for Moſes to have wiſhed, that all the Lords people were Prophets (c)Numb. 11. 29.; and though all be bidden to deſire it, and follow after it, as after charity, yet it will not follow, therefore all attained it; Interpretation was a thing that all were bound to ſeek for, and pray to God for (d)1 Cor. 14. 13.; yet that was a peculiar gift, that all had not, as plainly appears (e)1 Cor. 14. 26.: nay, it will follow, all are commanded to deſire and labour that they might propheſie, therefore all had it not; for what one hath, he cannot properly deſire, for all deſire ſuppoſeth abſence.
And whereas its ſaid, women are reſtrained, therefore all men are allowed, all, in that place muſt be reſtrained to the thing in hand: as (f)1 Cor. 6. 12.all things are lawful, what properly and ſimply? no certainly; for it was not lawful for him to take Chriſts member, and make it the member of an harlot (g)v. 15.; but all things, that is, all things indifferent, and in my power: ſo let your women keep ſilence in the Churches, that is, your women Prophets, who thought they might ſpeak as well as men, and then it follows, men-Prophets may; for oppoſita ſunt ſub eodem genere proximo, as black and white, heat and cold: now it will not follow, ſome women may not, therefore all men may, as it will not follow, women may not be members of the Parliament, therefore all men may; but this will follow, women, though choſen by their Countries, may not fit there, therefore men choſen by their Countries may; for here the oppoſition is ſub eodem genere, ſo in the Salick Law in France, a woman, though ſhe be heire unto the Crown, yet may not weare it, therefore a man that is Heire unto it may.
2. We ſay, all Prophets were men in office; for they are reckoned in the ſecond place of ſuch as God had ſet in his Church (h)1 Cor. 12. 28., and counted among thoſe gifts, that Chriſt at his aſcenſion had given to her (i)Eph. 4. 11, 12., and were very uſeful in thoſe times of danger, to foreſee, and to foretel what was to come, as Agabas foretells the famine (k)Act. 11. 28, and the bonds and troubles that waited for Paul, as ſoon as he ſhould come unto Jeruſalem (l)Act. 21. 9, 10, 11., whereby thoſe bonds and troubles became a great deal lighter to him, and he was better able for to bear them, praemonitus praemunitus, a trouble or affliction unexp…cted, is like a blow upon the bare skin; but when expected and looked for, its like a blow upon the Armour; and therefore theſe praedictions are put among thoſe comforts of the holy Ghoſt, that Chriſt foretold, ſhould come unto them (m)Joh. 16. 13.; and ſo for opening myſterious Texts of Scripture, that were not underſtood ſo well before, as that in Joel, which the Apoſtle, as he was a Prophet, opens to them, and thereby frees them from that calumny that lay before upon them (n)Act. 2. 16, 17, 18, 19..
3. We ſay, all Prophets had extraordinary and proper Revelations; (o)2 Pet. 1. 21for the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt; and as of old time, ſo much more in the Goſpel-times; for the old Prophets ſpake with more uncertainty, in reſpect of their own knowledge, and underſtanding, of their viſions and apparitions, then the new ones did, as the Apoſtle plainly ſhews (p)1 Pet. 1. 10, 11, 12.; and Mr. Robinſon hath well obſerved, that the Revelations, and praedictions in former ages, were not ſo manifeſt and evident, as thoſe under the Goſpel-adminiſtrations, from that place of the Apoſtle (q)Eph. 3. 5.; and that theſe Prophets had Revelations, is manifeſt from, (r)1 Cor. 14. 30.If any thing be revealed to another that ſitteth by, let the firſt hold his peace; and its apparent, that the Apoſtle compares Prophecy to tongues, and other extraordinary gifts, throughout the Chapter: now when our adverſaries are thus qualified, to foreſee dangers before they can in reaſon be expected; to tell the iſſue and events of undertakings; whether a Parliament ſhall be concluſive, and be followed with ſucceſſe; whether he that puts on his Armour, may boaſt as he that puts it off (s)1 King. 20. 11., we ſhall acknowledge them for Prophets, and not before.
4. We ſay, the Reaſon why the Apoſtle doth ſo much advance and ſet up Prophecie, was, becauſe, beſide that which was extraordinary in it, and tended only to conviction, as tongues did, it had alſo ſomething in it that was ordinary, and tended alſo to inſtruction and conſolation (c)1 Cor. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4.; for though every Preacher was not a Prophet, yet every Prophet was a Preacher: theſe people had no minde to ordinary and common gifts, which many then had, except there were ſomething in it extraordinary, they cared not for it: he puts them therefore upon Prophecy, that had ſomething in it extraordinary, to allure their appetite, and ſomething ordinary, that commended it, and made it uſeful to the Church. Now though he that had the extraordinary had the ordinary, yet not contra, every Prophet was a Teacher, but every Teacher was not a Prophet Mr. Robinſons reaſons ſhould here be anſwered, but that it is punctually done already, by our reverend Brethren of the Province of London.