A Defense of Sundry Positions of the Congregational Way, Position 27
POSITION XXVII.
Iehoſaphat ſent Princes, who were neither Miniſters, nor intended ſo to be,See Anſw. to 32. Queſt. to teach with the Prieſts and Levites (viz.) at leaſt to incourage the people to hearken to the Prieſts and Levites, 2 Chron. 17.7, 8, 9. as Iehoſaphat did, 2 Chron. 20.20. yea, and was their mouth to God in Prayer, verſ. 2.5 to 13. As we conceive ſomething in that prophecying, 1 Cor. 14. to be extraordinary: So we conceive it to be ordinary, that ſome private men grown Chriſtians of able gifts, who may have received a gift of Propheſie, need no more extraordinary calling for them to propheſie in the Churches then for Iehoſaphat and his Princes to propheſie in the Church of Iſrael.
Theſe Poſitions thus laid down, are by you accuſed of injury to the Text, to which we anſwer.
1. Here alſo you fall ſhort of that ingenuity profeſſed in your Preface; for doubtleſſe Mr. Cotton, Reply. that denies any ordinary exerciſe of Prophecy, by men not called to the Miniſtery, cannot but in your judgement come neerer the truth, then thoſe that ſay (at leaſt as you give it out) that gifted men, not called to the Miniſtery, nor intended for it, may preach, which imply to be meant in an ordinary and ſtated way. When you ſay — yet that theſe did preach ordinarily and uſually to the Churches, like to Paſtors — is impoſſible to be proved. Now, though you ſtyle Mr. Cotton deſervedly, the Chief of the more ingenuous ſort of Congregationall men; yet you neither help forward accommodation, nor honour Mr. Cottons ingenuity by the leaſt mention of it, as you profeſſe.
2. You are ſo far from helping forward accommodation, that I know not how to excuſe you from making the breach greater then it was. For we have conſulted adviſedly with 73. & 80th pages of the 32. Queſt. and we can find no ſuch Poſition as you faſten upon the Elders: For page 73. they anſwer the 21. Queſt. viz. Whether do you hold it lawfull for mere lay, or private-men to ordain Miniſters in any caſe? And having proved the Affirmative by reaſons grounded upon the Word of God, they come to urge the conſent of ſome worthy Divines, and learned Writers, as Doctor Willet, Morney, Whitakers, and others; and in the Allegation of Morney, they ſhew that Morney expreſſeth himſelf, that ſome of our men expected not the calling of thoſe that under the title of Paſtors, oppreſſed the flock, but did at firſt preach without this formall calling, and afterwards were called to the Holy Miniſtery of the Word, by the Churches; and for this we have examples (ſaith Morney) Firſt in the Acts, where we read that Philip was but a Deacon, preached in Samaria without the calling of the Apoſtles, yea, without their privity, who for all that gave their allowance to that work. So that here he ſpeaks not of an ordinary and uſuall courſe in preaching to the Churches without Office, but an extraordinary caſe, of thoſe that becauſe of the corruptions of the times preached to the people without the calling of the Prelates in ſuch places, where they had either no Officers, or Popiſh Officers; neither doth he ſpeak of gifted men that intended not the Miniſtery, but of gifted men, that becauſe they durſt not enter by the ordinary door of Prelaticall ordination, preached to the people by vertue of their gifts, and that internall Prothumie, or deſire which God had wrought in them, and ſo ſoon as by the bleſſing of God upon their endeavours, they had ſo far prevailed, as that there were Churches giving them a calling, they imbraced that call: And this is that he proves lawfull by the Allegation of Philips example: So in the 80. page, their ſcope is to ſhew, that the Word may be made effectuall to Converſion, though the man that ſpeaks it be not a Church-officer. For the people of which they alledge the preaching of thoſe that were ſcattered by the Perſecution of Stephen, Acts 8.4. and 11.19, 20, 21. and Job. 4.39. where many of the Samaritans believed upon the ſaying of the woman of Samaria, and that 1 Cor. 7.16. What knoweſt thou, O woman, but thou ſhalt gain thy husband? So that you do moſt miſerably wreſt their Allegations quite to another purpoſe, then that for which they intended them; for they never intended hereby to prove the lawfulneſſe of preaching by vertue of gifts, without Office, but only that thoſe which do preach without Office, may be inſtruments of converſion, much leſſe did they intend, as you would make the world believe, that theſe did preach ordinarily, and uſually to the Churches like Paſtors, and received maintenance; for they ſpeak of ſuch a kinde of preaching, as may be done by a gifted woman, as the woman of Samaria, or the believing wife, 1 Cor. 7. as well as by a gifted man. Neither do they ſpeak of the preaching of theſe that were ſcattered, as it was ordinary and uſuall, and like unto Paſtors, but only as performed by men, who (all of them at leaſt) [ſay they] were not Church-officers, and yet proved effectuall for converſion. When we read your marginall note, viz. This is but a little altered from Anſw. to 32. Queſt. p. 80.73. we imagined at firſt ſight, you had made ſome ſmall alteration in the language and phraſe, which we could well have born with; but we finde that you have made an alteration in the very ſcope and ſubject mater inſiſted upon by the Elders. You have taken away their living childe, and laid your own dead childe in the room of it; ſo that in your margent we have you (though in a mincing extenuating) what Ciecro deſires his adverſary, viz. Confitentem re…, confeſſing your own guilt, which is the greateſt expreſſion of ingenulty of all others in this Section.
3. But that we may give ſatisfaction to you, and to all men, (if it be the will of God;) we ſhall firſt declare our judgement concerning the point in debate, and then anſwer your Arguments, ſo far as we conceive them invalid.
Firſt, then we conceive that all the members of the Church (ſo far as their occaſions and calling will permit, ſhould ſtrive after ability by way of propheſying; to ſpeak to exhortation, edification and comfort, aHee Prophetiae donum tanquamalus praeſtantms maximè commendat Apoſtolus, cuiom…es ſtudeant, 1 Cor. 14.1, 2. Par…us in Rom. 12. col. 1197. i. e. This gift of Propecie, as more excellent then the other gifts, the Apoſtle moſt commends, for which all ſhould cover, 1 Cor. 14.1, 2.1 Cor. 1 p. 1. and the Hebrewes ought to have been teachers of others, though they ſtood in need to be taught the very Principles of Religion, Hebr. 5.12.
2. There are for the moſt part, (and may alwayes lawfully be) ſome in the Church, who devote themſelves to the ſtudy of the Scriptures, and other profitable ſtudies, that ſo they may be the better inabled to underſtand the meaning of the Word: Such were thoſe ſons of the Prophets, bred up under the Prophets, 1 Sam. 19.20. 1 King 20.35. 2 King. 2.3.5. Such were many of our Saviours Diſciples, who addicted themſelves wholly to learn to be fiſhers of men. Such (it is probable) were ſome of thoſe Prophets which were in Corinth, Antioch, and other Churches: For the Rules to be obſerved in the exerciſe of Prophecie, were not proper to the Church of Corinth alone, but the ſame were ordained in all Churches, 1 Cor. 14.33. And therefore Prophets, whom the Rules concern, were, or might be in all Churches; for having no publike Ʋniverſities, or Colledges for Chriſtians, 'tis probable this was the way of training up men for the work of the Miniſtery, under the Teaching Officers of the ſeverall Churches.
3. That ordinarily God choſe of thoſe that were ſons of the Prophets, to be Prophets; yet this was not univerſall: for ſometimes God raiſed up extraordinarily from amongſt the people. Thus Amos was a Heardſman, and yet choſen to be a Prophet: And this hath been done in an ordinary way in the Churches, that men that have made great proof in holineſſe and knowledge, have been called to publike Office.
Spyridion a Shepheard, was called to be Biſhop of Trimithous, Socrates Eccl. Hiſt l. 1. c. 8. p. 232.a City of Cyprus: Ambroſe, a Conſul (being yet but a Catechumeniſt) came into the Church Aſſembly at Millain, and ſpake much, and very powerfully by way of exhortation to the diſſenting Brethren, and was by an unanimous vote choſen for their Biſhop at that inſtant, before he was Baptized. Socrat. Eccleſ. Hiſt. l 4. c. 24, 25. p. 335.So when God was pleaſed to make known his Will by immediate revelation, he was pleaſed many times to make uſe of the ſons of the Prophets. The ſons of the Prophets that were at Bethel, 1 King 2.3, 5.and Jericho, could tell Eliſha, that his Maſter ſhould be taken from him; yet ſometimes God was pleaſed to reveale his will to thoſe that were not ſons of the Prophets. Thus, though none were to be deſigned by the Church, as one of theſe two or three that muſt propheſie in a Church-meeting, but Prophets; yet if any thing were revealed to him that ſate by, he had the liberty to expreſſe it; ſo that it is well obſerved on the one hand by W. Muſculus upon the place, that the Apoſtle ſaith not, Duo, vel tres prophetent, ſed Prophetae duo vel tres prophetent; that is, he doth not ſay, Let two or three propheſie, but let two or three Prophets propheſie: So on the other hand upon theſe words; If any thing be revealed to him that ſits by, let the firſt hold his peace: he hath theſe words, Non dicit, ſignificet loquenti, ut ille hoc Eccleſiae proponat, ſed dicit, ſurgat & ipſe, & loquatur: ne que dicit, ſervet ſibiipſi, ſed prior taceat: ne videlicet illicitum putetur ei loqui in Eccleſia qui non ſit in ordine Prophetarum, ſed de numero ſedentium & auditorum, i.e. He ſaith not, Let him ſignifie it to him that is ſpeaking, that he may propheſie the thing to the Church; but he ſaith, Let himſelf alſo ariſe, and let him ſpeak; neither ſaith he, let him keep it to himſelf, but let the firſt hold his peace; viz. leſt it ſhould be thought unlawfull for him to ſpeak in the Church, who is not in the order of the Prophets, but in the number of thoſe that ſit by,Aretius in 1 Cor. 14.26. and are auditors. In like manner Aretius, Inde fieri poteſt, ut quos Eccleſia deputavit ad munus interpretandi, non habent revelationem loci propoſiti, ſed alius in turba ſedens: Hence it may come to paſſe, that thoſe whom the Church hath deputed to the Office of interpreting, may not have the revelation of the place propounded, but ſome other fitting among the multitude.
4. That now that extraordinary revelations are ceaſed, yet it may be lawfull for ſome members of the Church, which are not Officers, to preach or propheſie publikely; and,
1. To thoſe that are not in Church-fellowſhip.
2. To thoſe that are in Church-fellowſhip, and want Officers.
3. To thoſe that are in Church-fellowſhip, and have all Officers compleat.
For the firſt,
Firſt, it may be lawfull for a Church, having perſons indowed with parts fit for the work, to ſend them forth as Meſſengers to preach to Heathens for their converſion.
Reaſ. 1. By the ſame reaſon that the Church of Antioch ſent forth Paul and Barnabas to preach in Salamis, Paphes, Pergo, Antiochia, &c. for the converſion both of Jewes and Gentiles, by the ſame reaſon a true Church may ſend forth men of excellent parts to preach for the converſion of Heathens; For Paul and Barnabas did not now go forth by vertue of their Apoſtolicall Commiſſion, by which they were inabled to preach to all Nations: for ſo they ſhould have had no need to have been ſeparated by faſting, prayer, and impoſition of the hands of the Elderſhip; for that Commiſſion they had long before this ſeparation: but they went as Meſſengers ſent out of God by the Miniſtery of the Church of Antioch; and when they returned, they render an account to the Church of their ſervice in the work to which they were recommended by the Church, Acts 14.27. Now if Paul and Barnabas, who without the recommendation of the Church of Antioch, might have preached in all theſe places, were ſent forth by the Church, what doth this but demonſtrate unto us a power in the Churches, to ſend forth Meſſengers, though they be neither Apoſtles, Paſters, nor Teachers, who ſhall preach as gifted men, ſent forth by the Church for that purpoſe? For, if Paul and Barnabas, who were Apoſtles, did preach as Meſſengers ſent of God, by the Miniſtery and recommendation of the Church to ſuch a work, by the ſame reaſon may perſons gifted, preach by vertue of ſuch a recommendation.
Reaſ. 2. God hath left a power to the Church, to propagate the Goſpel, by uſing means for the converſion of thoſe that are unconverted. Now, becauſe all unconverted perſons cannot come to heare in the Church-aſſemblies, therefore Chriſt hath left power to the Churches, to ſend out Meſſengers for this purpoſe, to preach the Goſpel to them; otherwiſe there were no means left by Chriſt to be uſed by the Church, for the converſion of thoſe that lie in a ſtate of Heatheniſme, and cannot, or will not be at the charge and pains of repairing to Church-aſſemblies.
If it be ſaid, Let the Church ſend forth ſome of her teaching Officers. Objection.
The work of the Officers is properly to attend the flock, Anſwer. and therefore though a Church in the want of other fit perſons may ſend out one of her officers for a time, yet if ſhe have thoſe that are not in office, that are indowed with eminent abilities for the work, they are never the leſſe fit, becauſe not in Office: For, if they were Officers they ſhould act amongſt Heathens, not as Officers to ſuch a Congregation, but as men ſent out by ſuch a Church, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Gifted perſons not in the Miniſtery may preach to Churches wanting Officers. That they may preach by way of probation, in reference to a Call, you your ſelf will grant, and there is the ſame reaſon, in caſe the teaching Officers ſhould die. Suppoſe an eminent gifted member, that hath been bred at School and Ʋniverſity for many yeers, ſhould be deſired by the Congregation to exerciſe his gifts amongſt them, till God would inable them to chooſe another Paſtor and Teacher, this gifted perſon, though not in the Miniſtery, nor intending it, might exerciſe his gift amongſt them, upon this ground, which ſhall appear in the confirmation of the third thing which is yet of a higher nature.
3. Gifted perſons not in the Miniſtery, may preach in a Church that hath all Officers compleat: For the underſtanding of which, we will lay down certain Poſitions:
1. No Believer as a Believer, may challenge a liberty to preach or propheſie publikely: For though it were with Moſes to be wiſhed, that all the Lords people were Prophets, Numb. 11.and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them; yet for as much as God hath not indowed all them with parts fir for the work, all may not propheſie; ſome there are that have need of milk, Heb. 5.13.becauſe they are unskilfull in the word of righteouſneſſe, for they are babes, and ſo not able to propheſie.
2. No Church-member (though a Brother) meerly as a Church-member, may challenge a liberty of publike propheſie. This appears becauſe the Apoſtle exhorts the Corinthians to ſtrive after ablitie to propheſie, 1 Cor. 14.1. which ſhewes, that they might not propheſie meerly in the capacity of Church-members; for if ſo, God would have entailed abilities upon all the Fraternity of the viſible Church at their firſt admiſſion. There were in the Church of Corinth, ſome that occupied the room of the unlearned, 1 Cor. 14.16. that expreſſed themſelves no otherwiſe then by ſaying Amen, with an audible voyce, when thoſe that poſſeſſed the room of the learned gave thanks, as Tertullian, and Juſtin Martyr tell us, and therefore, when the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 14.23, 24. If all ſpeak with tongues, &c. but if all propheſie, &c. he is not to be underſtood of the whole Fraternity, but only of thoſe that were in a capacity to ſpeak with tongues, and propheſie. Now, that all were not indowed with theſe gifts, appeares, 1 Cor. 12.10.29.
3. Church-members, upon whom God hath beſtowed eminent parts, that are able to divide the Word of God aright, and to weild the ſword of the Spirit with dexterous abilities, may lawfully preach publikely in the Aſſembly of the Church. This may appeare,
1. From the end of gifts, which is the uſe of them for the edification of others, as well as of our ſelves. Now private or mean gifts are of private uſe, but publike or eminent gifts are of publike uſe. When the young man told Moſes that Eldad and Medad propheſied, and Joſhua exhorted Moſes to forbid them, it was becauſe they exerciſed that office that was (as they thought) peculiar to Moſes; but Moſes is well content, Numb. 11.29. I would (ſaith he) all the Lords people were Prophets, and God would put his Spirit upon them;ut contra nihil tantopere expetam quam ut ſinguli qui in populo Jehovae ſunt eodemſpiritu inſtrcti prophetare poſſint, Jun. Paral. Appen. par. 3. p. 353. q. d. if God would put his Spirit upon all the people, as well as upon my ſelf, they might all lawfully propheſie, as well as my ſelf: for together with extraordinary gifts, there went along an extraordinary call to exerciſe thoſe gifts. So the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the exerciſe of propheſie, Rom. 12.6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace which is given to us, whether propheſie, let us propheſie according to the proportion of fatith: So that where there is the gift, there may be a lawfull exerciſe of the gift in an orderly manner.
2. That which Church-members, not in Office, nor intending Office, may lawfully ſtrive after, that they may lawfully exerciſe, being once obtained; But Church-members may lawfully ſeek after an abilitie to propheſie publikely, 1 Cor. 14.1. Follow after, &c. and v. 12. even ſo ye, for as much as ye are zealous of ſpirituall gifts, ſeek that ye may excell to the edifying of the Church. Thoſe that are fit to be inſtrumentall in a publike way, muſt not be men of vulgar and triviall parts, but muſt excell, that they may edifie the Church; the concluſion is, ſome Church-members (though not in Office, nor intending Office) may propheſie publikely.
3. From a like neceſſity at this day of the exerciſe of acquired gifts, with that the churches had in thoſe times of the exerciſe of infuſed gifts. If in thoſe times when the Apoſtles did often viſit the churches, the Euangeliſts did water the churches, and there were in the churches many Prophets, that not only addicted themſelves to the ſtudy of the Scriptures, but were alſo extraordinarily many times, aſſiſted by the Spirit of God; yet if a Brother, that had a Revelation muſt have a liberty to utter his revelation for the edification of the Church, how much more now, when there are neither Apoſiles to viſit, nor Euangeliſts to water, nor Prophets extraordinarily gifted to expound the Word? but in many Congregations not one teaching Officer, in the moſt, but one Miniſter indowed with acquired gifts, if any Brother have an excellency of acquired parts, he not only may, but ſhould be ſtirred up to inploy his talent, as God ſhall offer occaſion for the good of the Church.
4. Church-members, how ever eminently gifted, may not preſume to ſpeak in the Church-aſſembly, before they have a calling to the work by thoſe whom it doth concern: Paul, though an Apoſtle, did not offer to preach in the Synagogue at Antioch, in Piſidia, till the Rulers of the Synagogues had ſent unto him for that end, otherwiſe, through the corruption of men, there might be great confuſion in the Church, and the Officers much diſturbed by the proud interpoſition of Exthuſiaſtick ſpirits (for ſuch may ariſe in the pureſt Churches) venting their frothy phantaſmes, tanquant ex tripode dicta, as if they were the undoubted Oracles of God Now, if there may be diſcerned a ſpirit of erroneous pride in the men that deſire to ſpeak, they ought to be denied, and admoniſhed; but if they be holy, able, humble men, of whom the Church may preſume that they will ſpeak to edification, in ſuch a caſe the preaching officers muſt have a ſpirit of humility, to give way unto them, 1 Cor. 14.32. The ſpirit of the Prophets are ſubject to the Prophets, that is, the Prophets have a command of their ſpirits, that they can eaſily give way to any to ſpeak, and themſelves ſit down as auditors, provided they be ſuch as expound, divide, and apply the Word profitably. And that this is the meaning of the place, appears by that which followes, verſ. 33. For, God is not the author of confuſion, but of peace.
Now we will conſider your Arguments, with which you endeavour to prove theſe Texts to be abuſed.
This Text cannot be generally underſtood of all that were ſcattered, Anſwer. your ſelves explain it of men, not of women, 1 Cor. 14. Of gifted men, and called to that work by the Church, not of ungifted and uncalled men; yet the words in their indefinite latitude, will prove the preaching as well of ungifted men, and uncalled, as others.
We underſtand not the Text of all as your ſelf confeſſe. Reply. If it may be underſtood of any that were ſcattered being not Officers, we have what we deſire. Will it follow, The text taken in its indefinite latitude, muſt needs be wreſted; therefore it is wreſted by us, who take it in a definite latitude? eſpecially ſince no reaſon is, or (we ſuppoſe) can be by you brought, why we may not take it in a limited ſenſe, and yet deny it to be taken in an unlimited ſenſe. Is not this an ignorance of the Elench? Can you ever inferre contradictorium propoſitionis negatae, with this medium? St John ſaith, Chriſt hath made us Kings and Prieſts, &c. Becauſe theſe words,Rev. 1.6. Kings and Prieſts taken in their indefinite latitude, will inferre, that the people of God are temporall kings, having Soveraign power over others; and Prieſts to offer up corporall ſacrifices to God, as the Prieſts of the Law did? Will it therefore follow, that he that ſhall expound theſe words in a definite latitude, as importing only that in Chriſt they have overcome the Law, Death, Sin, the World, and do triumph over them; that they are Prieſts by a ſpeciall ſequeſtration of themſelves from the world, to offer up ſpirituall ſacrifices to God the Father, do pervert and abuſe this Text?
Queſtionleſſe, there were Elders amongst them, Anſwer. it may be the Seventy Diſciples were not quite out of Commiſſion, certainly Philip was amongst them, who was an Euangeliſt, &c.
Suppoſe that amongſt thoſe that were ſcattered and preached, Reply. ſome were Elders, yea, preaching Elders: Suppoſe the Commiſſion of the Seventie (by vertue of which they were to carry neither purſe nor ſcrip, nor ſhoes, neither were to ſalute any man by the way, Luke 10.1, 2. Nullos dum habes hic Apoſtolos, ſed Diſcipulos illorum, & Diſcipulori… Diſcipulos, ſic quovis medio utiliter Deus uti poteſt. Aretius in Acts 11.but to go before the face of Chriſt, two, and two into every city and place whither Chriſt himſelf would come) were in full force at this time: Laſtly, Suppoſe that Philip were an Euangeliſt amongſt them: Will it from hence follow, that all that preached were Church-officers; and that none of them were gifted perſons out of Office; and conſequently, that thoſe that ſay, that all were not Officers that went preaching, do abuſe the Text? certainly this is a wide conſequence: But you ſay,
They were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt, Anſwer. Acts 2.4.10. and 4.31. which made them Doctors, the firſt day, and gave both ability and a call to ſpeake the Word, &c. Reply.
But did their extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoſt make them all Officers, yea or no? (for you ſuppoſe that all received the Holy Ghoſt;) If ſo, then there was a Church of Officers, and none over whom thoſe Officers were ſet, and that were under the authority of Office. If the gifts did not make them Officers, then we have what we aſſume, viz. Gifted perſons not in Office may preach; yea, if all the members of a Church, had gifts fit for the work, all might preach, Numb. 11.29. 1 Cor. 14.12.31.
If it be ſaid, Objection. theſe were extraordinary gifts by immediate inſpiration.
So were the gifts of the Officers in thoſe times. Anſwer. Now by the ſame reaſon you deny Church-members, though orderly called to the work, (we mean not to the Office) becauſe eminently gifted for it, a liberty to exerciſe their gift, becauſe their gifts are not extraordinary, as were thoſe of the Primitive Chriſtians; By the ſame reaſon you may deny Officers, though both orderly called, and competently gifted, a liberty to exerciſe their gift, becauſe their gifts are not extraordinary, as were the gifts of the Primitive Officers.
Again, if a Brother, gifted by immediate inſpiration might preach or propheſie publikly in thoſe Churches where the Officers were gifted by immediate inſpiration; then a Brother eminently gifted by Gods bleſſing upon his labour and induſtry, being orderly called thereunto, may preach in thoſe Churches where the Officers are gifted, only by Gods bleſſing upon their labour and induſtry, without any immediate inſpiration.
That theſe did preach ordinarily, Anſwer. and uſually to the Churches, like to Paſtors, and receive maintenance for the ſame, as ſome do in London and elſewhere, is impoſſible to be proved.
That which is not affirmed by the Elders, Reply. need not be proved by them. We have already proved, that eminent gifted perſons, being orderly called thereunto, may lawfully preach, though not in Office; and if by ordinarily and uſually you mean, that toties quoties, as oft as the Church ſhall have need, (ſuppoſe by reaſon of the ſickneſſe, death, or juſt abſence of the Paſtor, or any other lawfull ground and occaſion) and his calling and condition will permit, we ſuppoſe the perſon eminently gifted may preach, though for divers moneths together. And if he do the work, why may he not receive the wages, not in the capacity of a Paſtor, but of one that hath done the work that deſerves wages? Suppoſe he hath ſpent his means in many yeers painfull ſtudy in the Ʋniverſity, may he lawfully preach, and yet muſt he neceſſarily famiſh, becauſe he is not in the Paſtorall relation? May he lawfully diſpence unto them his ſpirituall things, and may he not lawfully receive of them a diſpenſation of their temporall things? May he (nay muſt he by a conflux and concentering of all things that make up his Call to ſuch a work, for ſuch a time) uſually and ordinarily tread out the corn, and yet his mouth be muzzled during all that ſpace? May he lawfully communicate unto them by teaching them in the Word, and may he not lawfully communicate with them in receiving, who are freely willing to communicate with him in giving all good things?
In the Church of Iſrael, none beſides the Prieſts and Levites, Anſwer. did ordinarily propheſie, either in the Temple, or in the Synagogues, unleſſe they were either furniſhed with extraordinary gifts of prophecy, as the Prophets of Iſrael; or were ſet apart, and trained up to prepare for ſuch a Calling, &c.
In caſe that either thoſe whoſe Office it is in an ordinary way to propheſie be unable many of them to the work; Reply. or the people grown bold in ſinfull courſes, ſo that they ſleight and contemn them: If the King, and certain choyce men of the Princes of the Realm be able, and in parts no way inferiour to thoſe able men, whoſe Office it is to preach unto the people, they may, they ought to propheſie, as well as Kings, Princes, Noble-men, being gifted, may ſit in Eccleſiaſticall Synods, and declare what they conceive to be the minde of God therein. And this Jehoſaphat and his Princes did, by vertue of that generall equity which is of perpetuall uſe, whereby eminent gifts are to be put forth upon juſt occaſion, for the Publike good, though by men not in Office.
Luther, and the firſt Preachers in the beginning of Reformation, were not Church-officers, nor could be, unleſſe we will ſay, that the Antichriſtian Hierarchie could inſtitute a Chriſtian Miniſtery; and yet they preached lawfully, as gifted perſons, ſtirred up by God in a time of defection and apoſtaſie: And ſo Jehoſaphat and his Princes preached, not meerly as King and Princes, for then all Kings and Princes might preach, but as King and Princes gifted, and ſingularly ſtirred up to the work by Almighty God. That a King, and Princes eminently gifted and ſtirred up by an internall prothumie and deſire wrought upon their ſpirits, to preach, is of perpetuall uſe in all ſuch caſes of defection, as was in Jehoſaphats time: Nor will this confound the matters of God, and the Kings matters: But ſtill the Prieſts and Levites ſhall preach ordinarily by vertue of Office, and the King and Princes only occaſionally by vertue of gifts. And as they may preach themſelves in all ſuch caſes: ſo they may ſend forth eminently gifted men, though the Churches through corruption ſhould neglect or refuſe to call them; and this belongs to Civill Magiſtrates as they are cuſtodes utriuſ que tabulae. Neither are Kings, or thoſe ſent out by them, limited to particular Congregations but may call the people to ſuch places, and at ſuch times as they ſhall judge moſt to tend to edification. Thus Joſhua called all Iſrael to Sechem, Joſh. 24.1.and preached unto them before his death.
They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the Sea, Iſaiah 11.9.
Thus ſaith JEHOVAH, Stand ye in the wayes, and ſee, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye ſhall find reſt for your ſouls, Jeremiah 6.16.
For in Chriſt Jeſus, neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but a new creature.
And as many as walk according to this rule, Peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Iſrael of God, Gal. 6.15, 16.