The Diatribe Proved to be Paradiatribe, Part 2
A brief Anſwer to the Pretences of Edmond Chillenden, for the lawfulneſſe of Preaching without ORDINATION.
CHILLENDEN, Pag. 5.
ELdad and Medad prophecied in the camp. Moſes ſaid, would God that all the Lords people were Prophets.
Numb. 11. from 26. to 30.
Anſ. It is one thing, to Prophecie; another, to Preach, Prophets and Preachers are not convertible, termes: becauſe there are Preachers, who are no Prophets. God hath ſet ſome in the Church; firſt Apoſtles, ſecondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers. 1 Cor. 12. 28. How ſhall they be diſtinguiſhed, if they be the ſame? Yet thoſe that can prove themſelves to be Prophets, ſhall have liberty (for me) to Preach without Ordination, and that not only in the Camp, but elſwhere.
Pag. 8.] Jehoſaphat ſent to his Princes to Teach in the Cities of Judah; and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them, and went about through all the cities of Judah. 1 Chron. 17. 7, 8, 9.
Anſ. Remember, none went to any city of their own head, but thoſe whom Jehoſaphat the ſupreme Magiſtrate ſent. What Jehoſaphat ſent you, and ſuch as you are? Here's no mention of Preaching. If Teaching and Preaching be alwayes all one; then do our Judges (though not Ordained) Preach at every Aſſize. In this ſenſe, that of the Princes teaching, v. 7. is moſt properly to be underſtood. And that in the 9. verſe, They taught in Judah, refers to the Prieſts and Levites ſpoken of in the 8. verſe. It remains on your part to prove, that the Princes preached ſermon-wiſe, or in the ſame manner and kind as the Prieſts and Levites did. However, here were none joyned with them but the Princes, 'twas Jeroboam only that made Prieſts of the loweſt of the people: Whoſoever would, he conſecrated him. But mark what follows.—And this thing became ſin unto the houſe of Jeroboam, even to cut it off and to deſtroy it from off the face of the earth. 1 King. 13. 33, 34.
Out of the New Teſtament, the inſtances of the Scribes, Phariſees, and Lawyers are brought; and with them are joyned the examples of Chriſt, Paul and Barnabas, pag. 9.
Anſ. The liberty given in the Jewiſh Synagogues, is no more a preſident for Chriſtian Churches then their exerciſe of power. It would anger you, if any ſhould ſay; They whipt and ſcourged in their ſynagogues ſuch Teachers as they did not like: and therefore ſo ſhould we do now. If none might preach among us unordained, but upon ſuch tearms, and the ſtanding Officers of our Congregations be the Judges; perhaps you might have occaſion to complain with St. Paul, Of the Jewes five times received I forty ſtripes ſave one, Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I ſtoned. 2 Cor. 11. 24, 25.
A certain Jew named Apollos borne at Ale…dria; an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Epheſus &c. Act. 18. from 24. to the end.
Anſ. This (as the former) is but an inſtance of the liberty given by the Jewes, or taken where as yet there was no Church in being. Take in all the commendations of the man, and in a like juncture of time others of like abilities may do the like: And yet this conceſſion will nothing avail to prove the ſenſe of your Poſition.
To that (pag. 12.) of the diſperſed Diſciples, out of Act. 8. 1, 4. compared with Act. 11. 9, 20, 24.
I anſw. In ſuch a condition of the Church as that was, (theſe caſes being much alike; no Order eſtabliſhed, and Order diſſolved) I ſhould not oppoſe that able men ſhould teach in love, as they are able, though out of Office. But under this pretence to plead for like liberty to every one that will aſſume it, in all places, and in all conditions of the Church; is as if one ſhould argue thus:—When there was no King in Iſrael, every one did that which was right in his own eyes: Therefore it is the liberty of the Subject for every one to do what they pleaſe, although they have a King.
Pag. 15. The next Scripture that offers it ſelf to be looked upon in this particular of Preaching without Ordination, is in 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11. As every one hath received the gift, even ſo miniſter the ſame one to another as good ſtewards of the manifold graces of God. If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the oracles of God, &c.
Anſ. Every one is to uſe his gift with reſpect to the gift it ſelf, and to his place and calling, and no otherwiſe: private perſons, in a private way; and publike officers, publikely. And be a mans gift never ſo ſmall, yet he muſt uſe it. For theſe words contain a precept. Not that every man is bound to be a Preacher, by this Text: but he that is a Preacher by office, is bound to preach with all his might. Compare this Text with Rom. 12. from the beginning of the 3. verſe, to the end of the 8. it may help to underſtand it. But you will never prove, That both together, or either apart, …o binde every Chriſtian to preach publikely, as he conceives himſelf to be able, though he be no Officer. I ſay, to binde: for the Apoſtle ſpea… …ot of a liberty which we may uſe or diſuſe; but of a duty which we muſt performe. The duty of Preaching lies upon none but upon thoſe that are Called. The ordinary regular way of Calling is by Ordination.
To all which is produced, pag. 18. concerning Prophets and Prophecying and uſing of gifts, out of 1 Cor. 12 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 1 Cor. 14. 3, 39. I anſwer ſummarily—
It's granted, That all Orders, Officers, or Members of the Church, above Miniſters, may preach as well as they, whether Ordained or Unordained: … Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts, and Prophets. For Prophets, ſuch as were under the New Teſtament, they are alwayes placed next unto the Apoſtles, and before Paſtors and Teachers. 1 Cor. 12. 28, 29. Act. 13. 1. yea, before the Evangeliſts, Eph. 4. 11. In the Primitive times there were many ſuch, yea many in one Church, or at Antioch and Corinth. Whether theſe were Ordinary, or Extraordinary, it is eaſie to judge by the continuance, or diſcontinuance of them in the Church in afte…-ages, and at preſent. If there be any ſo gifted by the Holy Ghoſt, above Ordained perſons, that they are worthy to take place of them and of Evangeliſts; let them by all meanes have the liberty of their gifts, and their proper denomination: I think Ordinary Miniſters ſhould give them the right hand both of fellowſhip & place.
As for any kind of Prophets, or prophecying in the publike Congregations, below Miniſters, and their Miniſtery, there is none to be found in any enumeration of Scripture, either in Rom. 1…. 1 Cor. 12. or Epheſ. 4. where we were moſt like to find it. And therefore it is ſtill with me reſolved, that the Prophets and Prophecying which we read of in 1 Cor. 14. was extraordinary. He that believes three kinds of Prophets under the New Teſt. let him diſtinguiſh them.
But of theſe things more pa…ticularly and at large, when the Lord gives time and ſtrength.
One writes for Preaching without Ordination; and might upon the ſame grounds have added, without Election. Another for Preaching by him wh… is not Called to be a Miniſter. Ordination is thought to be th… weaker part; but Calling is the thing ſtruck at. Yet I am not much ſollicitous about the neceſſity of the Calling, that hath a ſtrong promiſe to ſupport it to the …nd of the World, … I humbly offer my part, in the Anſwer following.
Some Notes belonging to the Treatiſe hereafter anſwered, Omitted by the Printer.
ADde therefore, pag. …1. lin. 13. to the margin.—Budaeus. H. Steph. Theſ. p. 35. l. 4. Theſ. ling. Grae. Novum uſum huic verbo tribuere. p. 38. l. 16. foreign, apud Euſtach. Theſ. lin. Gre. tom. 1. 1732. C. & 17…7. E. Carthwr. in Act. 14. 23. P. 29. l. penult. theſe words ſhould have been ſetdown at large. Quicunque ad docendum idoneus eligitur & vocatur ſuffragio & voce Ecclefiae, is verus eſt verbi Miniſter; ſiquidem vocatio & electio legitima facit Miniſtrum. Ordinatio verò eſt illius vocationis declaratio coram coet… Eccleſiae; ſicut non Coronatio facit Regem, ſed Electio: Coronatio verò eſt ſole…nis duntaxat ren…nciatio, & declaratio regis. Aegid. Hun. contra aſſert. Arturi. Vocatio propriè & eſſentialiter conſiſtit in electione. Ames. Caſ. Conſ. l. 4. c. 25 ſect. 28. Ordinatio ſeu Conſecratio, nihil alind est quàm legitima Electio. Voet. p. 267.
Errata's in the Marg. of the Anſwer.
Pag. 3. for eſſentiaam, read eſſentiam. p. 5. debeat, r. debet. p. 6. foreign r. foreign. p. 17. l. 29. mancipitur, r. mancipatur. lin. 32. ligere, r. eligere. p. 18. l. penult. ſaltem, r. ſolum. p. 10. l. 13 after praeire enim, adde debent. lin. 14. cum, r. cor. l. 25. eſſenſum, r. aſſenſum. p. 34. & dominus, r. ut Dominus. p. 44. in ſtead of the words there found in the beginning, read thus: Omnes illi actus qui pertinent ad vocationem, vel tendunt ad electionem, &c.
In the Anſwer it ſelf.
Pag. 9. lin. 1. after et, adde pro. l. 9. after that is, adde in. p. 9. l. 29 for foreign r. foreign. p. 11. l. 3. foreign, r. foreign. l. …. foreign, r. foreign. p. 25. l. ult. Comitur, r. Committitur. p. 34. l. 13. after foreign, blot out often. p. 66. l. 9. porrectione, r. porrectionem. p. 77. l. 1. for to …abylon, r. of Babylon.