ARG. I. M. I. Yates.

FROM the Commiſſion of Chriſt Ioh. 20. v. 22. 23. all Propheſie in publick is to remitt, and retain ſins: and Chriſt grants this power to none but ſuch as he ſends, v. 21. and ordains there vnto, v. 22. But men out of office are neither ſent nor ordained thereunto, therefore in publick ought not to meddle with the power of the keyes. I know the exception will be this, that many out of office haue propheſied, the Scripture approving it. I anſwer, An ordinary rule is neuer infringed by an extraordinary example, but ever by an ordinary. To marry my ſiſter is inceſt; yet in Cain it was no inceſt, becauſe the example was extrordinary, I may not ſteale, and yet it was lawfull for the Iews to rob the Egiptians, becauſe that was Gods extraordinary permiſſion▪ extraordinary exſamples, as they make no rules; ſo they breake none: but ordinary examples, muſt euer follow the rule: and if they doe not, they breake it, Chriſt therefore laying down a perpetuall rule of binding and loſing to all ſuch as are ſent and ordained either by himſelfe immediatly, or by ſuch as he shall point thereonto, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that any ordinary example will breake this rule if it be not framed accordingly: therfore I conſtantly affirme, that no ordinary propheſie ought to be out of office. As for extraordinary, that can not oppoſe this rule, becauſe it is o • an other nature, and therefore is not to be limited within the compaſſe of an ordinary rule. Secondly, I anſwer, That all the propheſies out of office▪ were by the ſecret motion of the ſpirit, which was warrant for all ſuch a • had no calling by office thereunto.

ANSW. I. Robinſon.

THat all propheſie in publick (and in priuate alſo) is for the remitting and retaning of ſinnes. I acknowledge▪ but that Christ grants this power to none but to ſuch as he ſends and ordaines by the Commiſſion given Iohn 20. 21, &c. I plainly deny, and require his proofe. He ſhould then grant it to none but to Apoſtles: for the commiſſion there given, is peculiar conveyed to them immediatly from Chriſt, confirmed by the miraculous in breathing of the H. Ghoſt and by them to be exerciſed and diſpenſed principally towards unbeleevers; of all which nothing i • common to ordinary officers, As Chriſt then gives power of binding and looſing ſins to the Apoſtle • there, ſo elſe where, to ordinary Paſtors. Ephe. 4▪ Elſe where to the whole Church gathered together in one, Mat, 15. 17. 18. 1. Cor, 5. 2, Cor. 6. 6. 7, 8 9. 10. And Laſtly in other places to every faithfull brother confeſſing Ieſus Chriſt, Mat, 16. 18. 19. &c. and Cap. 18. 15. Luk. 17. 3. And ſince the power of binding and looſing ſinnes is onely by way of manifeſtation, and declaration of the word of God, the Law, and the Goſpell. Look unto whom the word of God is given, vnto him the power of binding and looſing ſins is giuen, though to be vſed by divers ſtates of perſons, after a diverſe order, which order doth in no ſort aboliſh the being of the thing, but only preſerues it from confuſion.

And where he takes it for granted that the examples for Propheſying out of office in the Scriptures were extraordinary, as Cains marryng of his Siſter and the Iewes (the Iſralites, he ſhould ſay (stealing from the Egiptians▪ his compariſons are without compaſſe, and his affirmations without truth. Theſe their practices were againſt the light of nature, and morall law (then written in the tables of mens hearts, and afterwards written in the tables of ſtone) ſ • ue as there was an extraordinary diſpenſation by the Lord of the Law, and God of nature. But what like is there in this, that a man (out of office) hauing receiued a gift of God, whither extraordinary, or ordinary, by which he is enabled to propheſie, that is to ſpeake to edification, exhortation and comfort of the Church ſhould ſo uſe the ſame good gift of God, in his time and order? What Eclipſe is here of the light of nature or violation of naturall honeſty? if M. Yates had remembred the Law which forbad men to Plough with an oxe and aſſe together, Deu. 22. 10. he Would not thus haue yoked together things of ſo vnlike kinde▪

And for the ſecret motion of the ſpirit by which in his ſecond anſwer he affirmeth that all propheſies out of office were, he ſpeaketh both that which is true, and againſt himſelfe. For what were theſe ſecret motions of the ſpirit, but the Prophets zeal for Gods glory, and mans good, which alſo were ſufficient on their part, for the uſe of the gift whither ordinary or extraordinary; whither in men in office or out, it was not material. So that, for the vſe even of an extraordinary gift there was required (at leaſt at all times) no extraordinary motion of the Spirit. But onely that which was, and is ordinary to them, and us. God therfore, for his own glory, and the good of his people giuing the gift, whither extraordinary or ordinarily unto a man he hath a warrant ſufficient from his zeale to Gods glory; and mans ſaluation, to uſe the ſame gift in his time, place and order. Of which hereafter.

M. Yates. A. R G. • ▪

FROM the execution of a publick function in the Church Prophecy ordinary is by preaching to bring the glad tidyngs of peace and good things to Gods people: and this the Apoſtle ſayes is not warrantable without ſending. Rom. 10. 15. We muſt feed the flock becauſe we are ſet ouer it Acts. 20. 20 to propheſy to Gods people is an honourable calling, and none ought to take it upon him, but he that is called of God as was Aron. Heb. 5. 4. The place of Iudas is called a Charge. Act. 1. 20. the miniſters are the light of the world. Mat. 5. 14. Stars in the right hand of Chriſt. Rev. 1. 20. Iohn was a man ſent from God. Ioh. 1. 6. Chriſt ſent his Apoſtles in the midſt of wolues. Mat. 10. 16. I haue not ſent theſe Prophets, ſayt • the Lord, and yet they ran. Ier. 23. 2. as many as found not their Genealogie to be from Levi (from Aaron he should ſay) were put from the prieſthood. Neh. 7. 64. All theſe places keep us to an ordinary rule▪ and for all ordinary prophecying there can be no exception from it, without an open breach thereof, as for all your places of prophecying out of office, they are all of them to be vnderſtood of the extraordinary: which cannot be tyed to ordinary rules. For ſo we should abridge God of his liberty: but we muſt beware of imitation, leaſt we become licentious.

ANSWER.

HERE is a long harveſt for a ſmall croppe, All that can be gathered hence either by reaping or gleaning is no more then that no man may exerciſe a publick function, or office of miniſtry in the Church without a lawfull ſending or calling from the Lord, by the meanes which he hath ſanctified. Which as it concerneth M. Yates well to conſider of, eſpecially, reckoning (as he profeſſedly doth) his Genealogy from the Pope of Rome: ſo doth it not impeach our prophets at all, who haue a lawfull calling for the uſe of their gift, though not ſo ſolemne (neither need they) as they who are to exerciſe and fulfill a conſtant miniſtery and charge. But for the word Sending, which he ſo much urgeth, it muſt be known, that as all that teach lawfully, whither in office or not, 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 were the extraordinary. Apoſtles ſent by Chriſt, who appointed them. Sending importeth a paſſing of the ſent from the ſender to an other, and ſo the Apoſtles were ſent by Chriſt to preach the Goſpell to the Iewes and Gentiles: but ſo are not Paſtors ſent by the Church (which calleth them) vnto others, but by her appoynted to miniſter to her ſelfe. They who were in their time Apoſtles, afterwards they might be ſent to miniſter: they who are Paſtors, are ſent by Chriſt, firſt as members, or in their perſons or perſonal gifts, that as paſtors they may afterwards be called to miniſter. And that M. Yates may haue for the cal • ng of our prophets, whereon to inſiſt, thus we pra • ſe. After the exerciſe of the publick miniſtery ended, • Rulers in the Church, do publickly exhort, and re • ire that ſuch of their own or other Church, as haue gift to ſpeak, to the edification of the hearers▪ ſhould •• the ſame, and this according to that which is writ •• , Act. 13. 14. &c. where Paul and Barnabas coming into the Sinagogue, the Rulers, after the work of the •• dinary miniſtery was ended (conſidering them not • Apoſtles which they acknowledged not, but one • as men hauing gifts) ſent unto them, that if they had a • word of exhortation to the People, they ſhould ſay

M. Yates. ARG. 3.

• Rom the true cauſes of propheſy in the new teſtament, • which are two, either immediate revelation, or impoſition • ands: the firſt is Act. 2. 17. & 10. 44. the ſecond. Act▪ • 7. & 19. 6. A third cauſe of publick prophecy connot be • n: therefore ordinary prophecy in publick out of office being • her by immediat revelation, or impoſition of handes, is •• wfull, You may ſay the contrary, But it will be without • arrant of the word.

ANSWER,

•• ▪ this Arg. are ſundry errors Logicall and Theo • ogicall. And firſt, why doth he not make Chriſts a thing upon the Apoſtles Iohn. 20. and the deſcending and ſitting of the cloven • iery▪ tongu • vpon them, Act. 1. cauſes of propheſy as well as impoſition of hands; Secondly impoſition of hands is •• cauſe at all of propheſy, to ſpeake properly, as M▪ Yates ſhould doe. (affecting the name of a Logitian▪ It is no naturall cauſe, for to imagine that men took the holy Ghoſt in their hands, and reached it to • thers, were ridiculous: neyther is it a morall cauſe, • in which there are propounded no Arguments, a • motiues of perſwaſion. It is indeed no more then ſigne denoting the perſon; not a cauſe effecting t • thing. Thirdly, if it were a cauſe, yet ſhould it n • be made the member of a diuiſion oppoſed to rev • lation, but a cauſe or meanes ſubordinate unto it • vnto the end: ſince it ſerued to the conveing of t • ſpirit, by which ſpirit all reuelation is, and by reue • tion all propheſy: extraordinary by immediat reue • tion, ordinary by mediate: both which they were • the Church, as is the latter now euen in men out • office, by meanes of their ſtudy, and Gods bleſſ • upon the ſame: elſe could there neuer be lawfull • fice, Paſtor or Teacher choſen in the Church to • worlds end. The gift of propheſy comes not by • office, But being found in perſons before, ma • them capable of the office by due meanes.

ARG. 4. M. Yates.

FROM diſtinction of ſpirituall gifts, 1. Cor. 1 • . 4. • . verſe gifts, adminiſtrations and operations. All theſe be referred to that general verſ. 1. Gifts therefore in this • ce muſt be but one kinde of ſpirituall gifts, and be diſtin • ished from the other two. The firſt then are meerly gifts: • ſecond, gifts and offices together, the third, rather the • ect of a gift then the gift it ſelfe: and therefore the Holy • oſt knowing how to ſpeake aptly, giues more to the effect, • en the cauſe: the worke then the worker for in truth mi • ulous workes exceede all the vertue that poſſibly can be • agined to be in a mere creature: and therefore it is only a ••• e beliefe, or faith whereby man is rather a patient, • n an agent in the worke. Theſe 3. generall heads are de • ed againe, or rather exemplified by many perticulars: firſt, • ſe 8. 9. 10. all lay downe a kinde of ſpirituall gifts, firſt a • rd of wiſdom, 2. a word of knowledge, 3. of miraculous •• th, 4. of healing. 5. operations of great workes 6. pro •• ying, 7. deſcerning of ſpirits, 8. of tongues, 9. of inter • tation. That ſome of theſe gifts are extraordinary no wiſe • n will deny, yet that I may proue them all extraordinary, • ſider 3 things, Firſt, the cauſe: ſecondly the effect: thirdly, • ſubject. The cauſe without all doubt is the ſpirit▪ yet que • n may be of the maner, and meaſure. For maner, whether • ſpirit alone or the ſpirit aſſiſting our induſtry, and pains I • alone, becauſe all theſe effects depend equally vpon the ſame • ſe: and I haue no reaſon to ſay, that propheſy should be • re by my paines and induſtery, then ſtrange tongues, or any • er gift: for then I should magnifie▪ the Holy Ghoſt in one • more then an other. That which is giuen by the ſole op • • ion of the ſpirit is more then that which is come by, through •• nary paines. I bleſſe God • or his ordinary providence • ere my hand goes with the Lord in my ordinary affayres: • t wherein I finde the Lord doe for me where I had no hand • re I ought to magnifie him much more: ſo in theſe gifts, if ſome were ordinary, ſome extraordinary, then the ſpirit sho • not haue equal praiſe in them all▪ The orator prouing C • to deſerue more prayſe for his clemency towards Marcellus t • all his famous victories, vſeth the maner of the cauſe to shew • In thy warrs, O Emperour, thou hadſt Captains, and ſo • diers, vertue and valour: weapons and munition, &c, But ſ • ring Marcellus thou alone didſt it, to thee alone it belongs • all the glory of it: ſo if propheſy in this place aboue all the • muſt come in for an ordinary gift, then may I ſay, O bleſ • ſpirit, Propheſy is thy gift: yet doe I acknowledge thy ordi • bleſſing upon my labours in this: but as for ſtrange tongu • and the reſt, I acknowledge they are thy meere gift, with all paine, and labor of mine, therefore the greater praiſe I g • thee, Were not this to deminish propheſy in regard of the • which the H. Ghoſt prefers before them all; and therefore • shew as great power in that gift as in any other▪ The man • then being all one in giuing, the ſecond queſtion is whit • they were giuen in the ſame meaſure. I anſwer, No, Ro • 12. 6. and hereupon the Apoſtle commanded▪ that one p • phet should be ſubject to an other, and willingly yeeld place • him, that had the greater meaſure. I leaue the cauſe, • come to the effects, which learned men cannot diſtinguis • will shew you my judgment and follow it as you pleaſe, To • two firſt gifts is giuen a word: by words wee expreſſe our m • nings, therefore the ſpirit muſt not onely giue a gift, but a • bility and power • o vtter that gift for the greateſt good of • hearers. Brother it is the part of a divine, to ſtudy for • and fit words; and indeed when God hath giuen us learn • by exceeding great paines, yet wee finde great imperfection • ant of words. Now here I learn that the ſpirit of God did • traordinarily ſupply this want, by giuing unto men excellent • terance of heauenly things. The firſt two gifts are wiſdome • knowledge, wiſdom is a holy underſtanding of heauenly th • • ith aprudent application of them to their ſeuerall vſes▪ Knowledge, or ſcience is an inſight into divers heauenly truth • • t wanting that prudent application: theſe two gifts with a • uitfull vtterance of them could be no ordinary gifts ſtudied • t by their own pains, but ſuch as the H. Ghoſt doth imme • iately inſpire into them. I shovld • e very glad to heare that • ur Congregations were full of theſe wiſe and underſtanding • en, then I doubt not but you would the ſooner recall your • l • es. The three next gifts, of faith▪ healing, and great • orkes are undoubtedly extraordinary, and were never to bee •• tained, by any ſtudy of ours. For the foure laſt I doubt not •• t you will grant three of them extraordinary. Diſcerning of •• irits was not by ordinary meanes but extraordinary, as you • ay ſee in Ananias and Saphira, Simon Magus, and others, • hich were ſeene by an extraordinary Spirit. For ſtrange • ngues. I hope you will not ſtand in granting it, if you conſi •• r but the firſt originall of them Act. 2. and for interpreta •• on of theſe tongues that was as difficult as the other: why • ould you now ſtick at propheſy, which I will plainely shew • as more difficult then both the reſt. For how should either •• or I come to▪ be able to propheſy, except there were ſom • • ilfull in the originall tongues as likewiſe the helps of com • entaries. and interpretations; You ſee God appointed theſe • meanes to helpe us to propheſie: and where they are wan • ng, it is ſimply impoſſible for any man to become an ordinary • rophet: Indeed the H. Ghoſt can ſupply the want of both • eſe: & therefore will you, •• ll you, it muſt be granted that • is propheſy was extraordinarie For take away the ordinary • eanes of propheſie and then the thing it ſelfe will ceaſe. now •• may plainly underſtand that the Primitiue Church had • t theſe means of propheſie, that you ſee wee haue: they had • t the originall tongues tranſlated, and therefore God gaue • en extraordinary gifts in ſpeaking, and interpreting them▪ ſee then I entreate you how theſe two meanes beeing extraordinary inforce you to yeeld the other of the ſame nature. Were i • poſſible for you to become a Prophet wanting the tranſlation o • the, new and old Teſtament as likewiſe all interpretation; • with which now through Gods bleſſing the whole world is r • pl • mshed; I know you will anſwer, and ſay no: then Propheſie in the Prunitive Church was extraordinary becauſe the Gentiles had not ordinary tranſlations and interpretations of them.

ANSWER.

IF I ſhould follow M. Yates in his courſe I ſhould rather write one Sermon againſt another then bring an Anſwer to an Argument, briefly then, as I can, omitting other things to that which concerns directly our preſent purpoſe. His affirmation that the gifts mentioned 1 Cor. 12. are onely extraordinary, I do • deny: and anſwer his reaſons as followeth. And firſt that (contrary to his unreaſonable reaſon) we both may & ought to magnifie the H. Ghoſt more in one gift then another: ſince the ſame Holy Ghoſt worketh more excellently and for our good in one gift, then in another: And ſecondly (as a further truth and more contrary to his ſtrange aſſertion) that in ſome workes of the Spirit, though not here expreſſed, in which the Lord uſeth our induſtry and care, he is infinitly more to • e magnified, then in any whatſoever the immediate and miraculou • worke of the ſame ſpirit, wherein • e uſeth it not. For example, in •••• ng ſaith and repentance: for the working of which by his ſpirit, God uſeth our careful hearing and meditation of his word, the Law and Goſpell, Thirdly, compare wee even extraordinary gifts with extraordinary: wee ſee, that God uſed the induſtry, and pains of the extraordiry Prophets for the reading and meditating in, and of the Law, Dan. 9. • 3 v. 2. and of the latter Prophets, of the former Prophets writings, As alſo of the Apoſtles in the reading, knowledge, and memory of them both, Rom. 4. 10. & 4. 3. &c. • ea even of the very heathen authors▪ whoſe ſayings they ſomtime quote in their prophe •• es or ſermons, Act. 17. 28. 1 Cor▪ 15. 33. T • . 1. • 2. 2. •• m. 4. 13. • he like induſtry, or care not being required for the • ift? or uſe of ſtrange tongues: and yet did the Holy Ghoſt much more excellently utter it ſelf in their Propheſies, and ſermons then in ther tongues a • M. Yates oft. and truly aſſumeth.

Vpon verſe. 8 be rightly deſcribeth wiſdom a holy • nderſtanding of heavenly things with a prudent appli • ation of them to their ſeverall vſes: and knowledge, 〈…〉 • ſight into divers heavenly things, yet wanting that pru • • ent applycation, with the fruitfull utterance of them▪ • ut that theſe could be no ordinary gifts studyed out by • eir owne paines, but ſuch •• the Holy Ghost did immediately conſpire into them, he barely affirmeth; and thinke, ſingularly; but am ſure vntruly I marveiled • hat he would ſay to theſe two gifts of wiſdom and knowledge to proue that they could not be ord • nary: and did expect ſome ſpeciall reaſons for his • ſingular interpretation: but behold a bare bone • • ffirmation brought by him with out marrow, fleſ • skin, or coulour of proofe. Wherein he is alſo t •• more blame-worthy, conſidering that be cannot b • ignorant, how the moſt iudicious both at home, an • abroad, doe vnderſtand th • ſe two gifts as meant • the two ſpeaciall qualifications of the Paſtor, an • Teachers; ordinary gifts of ordinary offices: of whi • miniſteries amongſt th • r • ſt ordained by Chriſt t •• one Lord of his Church▪ the Apoſtle ſpeaketh ver • 5. as verſe. 4. of their gifts, by that one ſpiri • Which ordinary gifts all lawfull paſtors and Teachers (ordinary offices) then had, and beſide them, many others not in office; and by the gra • of God, ſome amongſt vs: and that by the help • nature ſtudy and prayer, and the bleſſing of God • ſpirit therevpon. Which bleſſing of God I wil n • deny to haue then been for degree extraordina • upon mens weaker indevours, for their furniſhi •• with theſe ordinary gifts: which makes nothing againſt our purpoſe. That the gife of faith is undoubte • extraordinary is ſaid by him but Doctors haue doub • ed of it. See for one, Beza in his great Annotati • upon the words, both affirming, and proueing th • by faith is meant an aſſent vnto the doctrine propou • • d which is an ordinary gift of the ſpirit.

Where he makes no doubt but we will grant, that • hree of the four laſt were extraordinary, he but threaps • indneſſe vpon us, as we uſe to ſay. That Peters gif • • f diſcerning was extraordinary in the cauſe of Anna • ias Act. 5. we confeſſe: but not ſo in the caſe of Simon Magus Acts. 8. of whome he iudgeth by his wordes (as of the tree by the fruit) in which he did • otoriouſly bewray himſelfe to be in the gall of bit • erneſſe, to the diſcerning of any ordinary Chriſtian. The gift of diſcerning both of doctrine and manners • s in a meaſure required of every Chriſtian. Phil. • . 9. 10. 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Heh. 5. 14. but is beſtowed by • he giver thereof upon ſome more liberally: ſome • imes extraordinarily, as then upon ſome in ſome • aſes, ſometimes ordinarily, as both then and now • n all ſuch as had, and haue more Chriſtian diſcreti • n then other men.

That interpretation of tongues was as difficult as • trange tongues immediately inſpired, is not true. They • ho Acts 2. heard the Apoſtles ſpeake in their own • ongue, and were able to ſpeak the Iewes language • hen in uſe, might interpret theſe ſtrange tongues • nto the Iews, without any extraordinary gift: as M. • ates hearing a glorious Formaliſt ſpeake much La • ine in his Sermon, can interpret that ſtrange tongue of his unto the People, without any ex-traordinary gift of interpretation: and ſo might it well be in the Church of Corinth with' ſome, though the tongue were given extraordinarily.

Laſtly, it doth not ſhew plainly, that propheſie w • more difficult then strange tongues, though all we • true which he ſpeakes of the difficulty thereof. F • by all reaſon and experience a man then might. a • now may, become an ordinary Prophet for abilit • by ordinary helpes; but ſo neither could, nor can • ſpeake a ſtrange tongue, as there meant, but by e • traordinarie inſpiration, That ſimple neceſsitie • Commentaries and Interpretations which he require • for a mans becōming an ordinary Prophet, I da • e n • acknowledge: of great uſe they are, but not of ſimp • neceſsity: that prerogatiue Royall of ſimply neceſſity I would challenge as peculiar to the Holy Scripturs; which are able to make the man of God perfec • fully furniſhed to every good work. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17▪ But where he ads, that the Primitive church had not •• originall tongues tranſlated, it is ſomething for his, ye • and for the Popes purpoſe alſo, if it be true, and th •• the Church, eſpetially ſome good ſpace, after •• conſtitution, might be without the Scriptures in knowne tongue. But how unadviſed, and unskilf •• is he in ſo ſaying; how detracting frō Gods gracio • providence towardes his Church: and how partia • on the Clergies part, and againſt the Commonal • of Gods inheritance; For the thing then. The o • Teſtament was wholly tranſlated by the 70 Interpreters, at the inſtance of Ptolemy Philadelphus Ki • of Egipt into Greeke the mother tongue of the Corinthians; Ioſeph Ant. l. 12. 2. Iren. l, 3. 24. 25: Corenth beeing in Achaia and Acha • a in Greece: In which the ſame tongue they had alſo every part • f the new Teſtament then writen, as the moſt was. Which language was alſo ſo univerſally knowne • roughout the whole world, by reaſon partly of the • reeke Monarchy under Alexander, and partly of • e Greeke learning at Athens, as that the Apoſtle • ould write his Epiſtle in Greeke to the Romans, •• ough in Europe, as underſtanding the tongue ſuf • ciently. B • ſides, the Corinthians had had Paules and • ther Apoſtolicall mens preachings, and conferen • s amongſt them along time, which were uncom • arible better then all the commentaries in the world. And for the Corinthians abilitie for this work • is but reaſon we reſpect this Apoſtles Teſtamony • f them, which is, that they were enriched in all • tterance, and in all knowledge, 1. Corinth. 1. 4. In which two gifts as the abilitie for ordinary prophe •• doth properly conſiſt, ſo to appropriate them • nto extraordinary Prophets, conſidering the gene • ality of the Apoſtles ſpeech, and drift, with o • her circumſtances elſe where obſerued, were to fer • er them in uniuſt bondes of reſtraint.

And having thus wiped off his colours of reaſon▪ • hat the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 12. ſpeakes onely of ex • raordinary gifts, I will (by the grace of God) plainly • hew the contrary, & that he ſpeaks of ordinary alſo

And firſt, in teaching, ver. 3. that no man can c • Ieſus the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoſt, he points out gift and grace of the ſpirit, ordinary and common t • all Chriſtians.

Secondly, ver. 5. he ſpeakes of diverſities that i • of all the divers and ſeverall miniſteries ordinary and extraordinary in the Church under Chriſt th • Lord, and ver. 4. of ſeverall gifts for the ſame; an • ſo neceſſarily of the ordinarie gifts for the ordinari • miniſteries, then and now.

Thirdly, from ver. 8. where mention is made o • the word of wiſdom, and the word of knowledge, ordinary gifts of ordinary perſons, both in and out of office, now, and then

Fourthly, ver. 12. he compares the Church of Corinth to a body, hauing Christ the head▪ and each •• them members for their parts, of whome one had th •• gift, another that, given of God, for their mutual • good, but by them abuſed otherwiſe: whereupon I conclude, except there were in • orenth no ordinary gifts in Paſtors, Teachers, or others of God given and by them abuſed, that he ſpeaks not of extraordinarie gifts onely.

Fiftly, ver. 28. after Apostles, and Prophets, h • mentioneth Teachers, which were ordinary officers and therefore ſpeakes of ordinarie gifts and teaching▪ as alſo Helpers and Governours, who what were they • u • D •••• ns and Elders? or take the words as they are Helps and Governments: then which, what is • ow, or was then more ordinary, both in reſpect of • iniſtery and gift? Whereupon I conclude with good aſſurance, that the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 12. treats of • he gifts of the ſpirit, both extraordinary and ordi • nry.

ARG. 5.

FRom compariſon of propheſie & ſtrange tongues which ar • laid through all the 1. Cor. 14. Verſ. 1. prepheſie is prefered before all other ſpirituall gifts, which cannot be ordinary: for no ordinary and common gift is to be preferred before all extraordinary and ſpirituall gifts. D •• you will ſay, though it be not more excellent, yet it is more profitable: I anſwer it is both more excellent and more profitable: for the Apoſtle intends both extolling it for the end, which sh ••• s how good and excellent it is, as likewiſe for the uſe, making knowe the profit & benefit of it, That which is the beſt 〈…〉 of our deſire, muſt needs be the beſt: but of ſpirituall gifts, propheſie is the beſt obiect of our deſire, 1, Cor. 12. 31. Deſire the beſt gifs, chap. 14. 1. Co vet ſpirituall gifts, but rather that yee may propheſie, Secondly, as it is beſt to our ſelues, ſo is it the beſt to others as may appeare by the whole chapter. Thirdly, all other gifts are given for the good of propheſie, and not propheſy for them. As it is the beſt gift, ſo it is the moſt profitable, as being eſpecially for edification, exhortation, and comfort. But it may be you will obiect; Is not an ordinary gift of propheſie better then the extraordinarie gift of tongues, or at leaſt more profitable? I anſwer No: for the tongue, Acts 2. 3. 4. were more profitable to the Church then ever was the ordinary gift of any man: but compare ordinary with ardinarie, and extraordinary with extraordiny and wee grant propheſie the priveledge.

I. Rob, ANSWER.

TO this Argument he himſelf giues a ſufficie • anſwer in our name; onely he ſets it down ••• thing lam • ly; where if it came in all full ſtrength, would eaſily with ſtand the force of his Argument For where he ſhould ſay for us, if he ſpeake out th • ordinary propheſie is more excellent then, tongu • becauſe more profitable; he makes us to ſt ••••• thus, though it be no • more excellent, yet •• is more profitable: it being moſt plaine, that the Apoſtle prefer propheſie before tongues becauſe it tends more t • edification of the, Church according to which reſpect alone wee are to meaſure the excellency o • Church ordinances, and ſo to frame the obiect o • our deſire unto them. But what ſpeake I of more excellent, and more to edification? ſince the ſtrange tongues as there uſed without an interpreter, were ſo far from being comparible to ordinary propheſie for any good end or uſed as they were on the contrary moſt vaine and rediculous, as appeares, ver. 11▪ 22. 23. That then which he brings for the commendation of tongues from Actes 2. is nothing for tongues as uſed in Corenth. The former were as of ſimple neceſſity in themſelues unto the Apoſtles, for ſpreading of the Goſpell unto all nations, ſo then • there profitably uſed: but in Corinth ambiti • ly and profanely abuſed, which M. Yates ſhould • e obſerved but hath not in his compariſon, Laſt • • add as aiuſt anſwer to whatſoever he hath ob • ted, That tongues conſidered in themſelves, how • htly ſoever uſed▪ are not comparible for uſe and • or excellency vnto ordinary propheſying or prea • ng conſidered in it ſelf: ſeing that by it as well by extraordinary ſaying faith is wrought Rom. 10 •• ich none can ſay of ſtrange Tongues in them • ves, without a ſtrange Tongue both from truth • d ſence: no nor of any other ſpirituall gift.

And as it doth not appeare by the Apoſtles pre • ring of propheſie before tong • es, that therefore •• propheſie was extraordinary; ſo it appeare un • mee by the Corinthians preferring of tongues • for • it that it was but ordinary: & therefore diſ • arded by them in compariſon of the extraordina • ▪ and miraculous gift of tongues: whereas, had it • o been extraordinary, immediate and miraculous • oſt like it would have caried with it the like with •• other, or greater regard, in their eyes.

M. Yates. ARGVM. 6.

• ROM exemplification, ver. 6. if I come unto • ou • & • . I hope you will grant that the Apoſtle Paul had all thoſe ſpirituall gifts, and therefore speaking of ſ • propheſie as he had himſelfe, he muſt needs ſpeak of • traordinary: likewiſe he had the knowledge of tong • and yet prefers propheſie before all his languages, thou • hee ſpeake more then they ••• . Now the example in • own perſon muſt needs ſe • for •• he generall: and therfore if in the generall •• ſ ••• l • speak of ordinary proph • ſying, and in the particul • r of extraordinary, it wo • prove idle; for an example is of the ſ • me kinde w • the generall. Again in bringing foure particulers he p • revelation first, as the cauſ • of all the reſt; which ſhow • plainly he ſpeaks of ſuch propheſ • e, •• c • me by revelati • for revelation brings • •• n to knowledge, and knowled • teacheth wholſome 〈…〉 , and propheſie ſerveth to • ter it.

I. ROB. ANSWER.

I Do plainely deny the ground upon which • builds the whole weight of his argument which • that the example, and the thing exemplified muſt • of the ſame kind, How oft doth Chriſt exemplif • the ſufferings of his diſciples by his owne ſuff • rings, and the ſending of his Apoſtles by his fathe • ſending of him? were they therfore of the ſame kin • their ſufferings meritorious, and their ſendin • mediatorious, becauſe his was ſuch? But amongſt other evidences againſt him (wherewith all writing • divine, and humane are ſtored) ſee one, fitly paring • with this in hand. The Apoſtle provoking the Gal • thians • . 1 unto iuſt deteſtation of ſuch as preached a • ther Goſpel amongſt them, takes an example from • s owne preaching, veſ. 8. But though wee or an • ngell, from heaven preach, another Goſpell unto yov, • n that which we have preached vnto yov, let him be ac • rſed. As if he ſhould ſay, I have preached vnto you • rmerly iuſtification by faith without the works of • e Law of Moſes: they now preach vnto you iuſtifi • ation by the works of the law ioyned with Chriſt, • c. He exemplifieth their preaching by his▪ were • ey therefore of one kind both Apoſtolica • becavſe • auls was ſuch? It is ſufficient for an example if it • gree with the thing, which it is brought to exem • lifie in that for which it is brought. And ſo the • omming of Chriſt to iudgement, is by the Apoſtle • xemplified by the comming of a thief in the night. • . Theſſ. 5. Are therefore their commings of the • me kind? or is it not ſufficient that being moſt • ontrary in their kinds, they do yet agree in the ad • nct of ſuddeneſſe? So is it ſufficient, if Pauls ex •• aordinary Propheſying, and the Corinthians or • inary, agree in the adiunct or effect of profitable • eſſe or edification, which thing alone the Apoſtle • his exemplification hath reſpect unto. His obſer • ation about Revelation ſeems true, and good in it • elfe: but ſhews not plainely that for which he brings • , no nor hath ſo much as a plaine ſhew for it. For • hat ſhew hath it of proof that he ſpeaks of extraordinary propheſie, becauſe it comes from revelation except he takes it for granted, that there is in th • Church no revelation of the ſpirit for teaching bu • extraordinary, or miraculous: which how can I gra • or he aſſirme? Of this more Argum. 8.

M. Yates. ARG. 7.

FROM the fruition of ſpirituall gifts. 1, Cor. 14▪ 2. 6. hath a Pſalme, that is ſome admirable praiſe o • God, or doctrine, that is ſome worthy point of inſtruction; or a tongue, that is, can speak miſteries with admiration, or revelations of ſome ſecrets either for doctri •• or prediction; laſtly, or interpretation whether of ton • ues • doctrines, or Scripture: all theſe muſt needs bee had either by the ordinary païnes of the Church, or by the extraordinary gift of the spirit, you ſay by the one, and • by the other: and that I agree more with the ſcriptu •• then your ſelfe, conſider but the diſtinction • the gifts, and their admirable matter. A Pſalme muſt needs conſiſt of meeter, which required art to compoſe •• ▪ Secondly it could not for the matter of it, but ſound forth ſome worthy praiſe of God. Do you think the corinthian • did study the art of muſick, or likewiſe read ſome admirable divine books to find out ſweete matter to make their ſongs of? Alas, brother, give God the glory, it was no doubt ſome ſudden motion of the spirit, that did inflame the hearts of beleevers with ſome worthy matter of praiſing God. Doctrine, that is laid downe by our ordinary paines, is that we uſualy give vnto Doctors▪ which after long ſtudy, and reading the Scriptures is drawne unto ſome profitable heads pithily proved, and contrary errours refuted by it. I thinke in Corinth there were none of theſe Doctors, and yet I doubt not but they were as excellent: for ſuch Doctors as delivered theſe Doctrines had them after • more eaſie manner▪ even the immediate worke of the ſpirit. I hope with out any further diſpute you will yeeld • hat the having of a strange tongue was extraordinary, a • • ikewiſe the revelation and interpretation.

I. Rob. ANSW.

NOt to meddle with his deſcription of a Pſalm▪ Doctrine, &c. further then concernes our pre • ent occaſion: The firſt, a Pſalme was not ſo undoubt • dly, as he maketh it ſome ſudden to wit, extraordi • ary motion of the ſpirit &c. The ſcriptures rather in • inuate the contrary▪ and that theſe Pſalmes and ſpirituall ſongues were alſo (beſides Pſalmes of David) • nd thoſe then made by extraordinary motion (which will not deny) even ordinary and coneaved by or • inary men and motions. Ephe. 5. 18. 19. Col. 3. • 6. Jam. 5. 13. The ſcriptures are to be extended • largly, and to as common uſe, as may be, neither▪ • any thing in them to be accounted extraodinary, ſaue that which cannot poſſibly be ordinary which theſe might be For the finding out of ſweet ma • ter they had admirable divine books to read, even th • wonderfull divine ſcriptures; For muſicke, as witho • doubt many in that moſt rich and delicate City we • expert in it, ſo what reaſon he hath to require for t • Church ſinging then in uſe, ſuch ſtudy, and art, I ſee no • except it be becauſe he dwels too neere a cathedra • Church. Hee may ſee for the plaineneſſe of ſinging uſed in former times (and before the ſpouſe of Chri • the Church in all her ordinances was by Antichri • ſtripped of her homely but comely attire, and trick • up with his whoriſh ornaments) that which Auſ •• hath of this matter, Confeſſ. l. 10. c. 13.

For the ſecond which is Doctrine, he but thinks th • were no Doctors in Corenth. But he may well change • thoughts, if he both conſider how that Church abou • ded (in the body of it) even to exceſſe, in all knowled • and utterance, the Doctors two ſpeciall faculties as • ſo how this Apoſtle in his Epiſtle: c, 12. v. 28. affirme • expreſly that God had ſet in the Church, amongſt oth • officers, Doctors, or Teachers, Beſides that it is enoug • for my purpoſe if there were any in Corinth, thoug • not officer able by ordinary gift to deliuer Doctri • which (conſidering the fore-ſignified ſtate of th • church both in reſpect of Pauls miniſtry amongſt th •• and teſtimony of them, being in that Citty, which •• the chief of all Greece for gouerment, Greece alſo • ing the fountaine of learning, and eloquence) ca • • ot, I thinke, be reaſonably denyed.

To yeeld you without further diſpute that Revelation •• d interpretation were (viz. onely the immediate work • f the ſpirit, were in us more courteſie then wiſdom. • or Interpretation, I ſee not but, that either he him, • elfe who ſpeak the tongue by an extraordinary gift • r any other man that underſtood it, having ordina •• ability to interpret the matter delivered) both • awfully might and in conſcience ought ſo to doe • xcept he would quench the ſpirit both in reſpect of • e extraordinary gift of the tongue, and ordinary • ift of interpretation: but that the Paſtor or Tea • her might not doe this by his ordinary gift (which • yet a fort ſtrong enough to keep us from yeeld • g) were ſtrange to imagine. Beſides let it be no • d how the Apoſtle v. 13. exhorts to pray for the • ift of Interpretation: Now how a man might pray • r an extraordinary and miraculous gift, which hee wholy wanted, without an extraordinary motion, • r promiſe, and meerly upon the Apoſtles exhor • ation generall, I ſee not, but would learne of him • at can teach me.

M. Yates. ARG. 8.

FROM preſent Revelation v. 30 In the verſ going before is laid downe in what order they ſhall propheſie even as it was before for strange tongues: yet here is further injunction and that is of ſilence, if any thing • more weight ſhall be reveiled unto another: why ſho • the other keep ſilence if it were knowne before, that th • man ſhould speake after him; if it were ordinary prop • ſying and ſuch as our paines, and study brought us un • then were it fit that we ſhould have our liberty to goe • and not be interrupted by another, but the Apoſtle up •• the Revelation to another even ſiting by injoynes ſilence • the preſent ſpeaker, which if his Revelation had been ſ •• died before could not be any motive, or perſwaſion why • ſhould yeeld to the other, that is now upon the ſudden • take his place: this were for one Prophet to diſgrace an • ther: but the cleare ſence is to any man that will not wr • gle, that becauſe it pleaſeth the ſpirit to inspire one ſittin • by with ſome more excellent matter, either in regard • the ſame ſubiect or ſome other, the Apostle enioynes • • ence.

• . Rob. ANSW.

TO his queſtion why the former ſpeaker ſhould k •• ſilence if it were knowne before that a ſecond ſhou • speak after him it is eaſily anſwered: that ev •• therefore he was to keep ſilence, that is, to take • himſelfe i • ••• time, as being to thinke in modeſt • that the cond • its of the ſpirit of God did not run i • to his veſſell alone, but that others alſo might recei • • the fulnes of the ſame ſpirit to ſpeake • ſome • ing further to the edification of the Church; eſpecially ſitting down in ſome appoynted place which it ſhould ſeeme verſ. 36. and Act. 13. 14. he • at purpoſed to propheſie vſed to take: and which • der I thinke the Iewes yet obſerve in their ſyna • ogues. And where he addes, that if it were ordinary • opheſie and ſuch as our ſtudy brought us vnto, then we •• • fit we ſhould have our liberty to goe on and not to be in •• upted by another, which he alſo accounts a diſgrac • g of the former; I would know of him whether • ere not as fit, & much more, that the extraordinary • rophets immediately inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt • d who could not erre, ſhould have their liberty • go on uninterrupted? Is not this without all com • ſſe of reaſon, that the extraordinary Prophet in • i • ed, ſhould not have as much liberty to goe on • ithout being interrupted, as the ordinary, who • ight Worthily deſerve to be interrupted for ſpea • ng untruly or impertinently? although I doe not • ink that the Apoſtle requires any interruption of • e former by the latter (which were rude) if not • orſe) but onely a convenient ceſſation, or place gi • ng to a ſecond by the firſt ſpeaker, as hath been • d. Now the exception of diſgrace to the former • the latters ſpeaking is well to be minded, that it • y appear • ow evill cuſtomes do infect the minde •• godly men, ſo as they think it a diſgrace that on one ſhould giue place to another to ſpeake aft •• him further, or otherwiſe then he hath done. But • was not ſo from the beginning: but ſince they, wh • under Chriſt ſhould be ſervants of the Church, hav • been her maſters, and have exerciſed this magiſt • riall teaching now in vſe, Where ordinarily one a • lone in a Church (divers others in divers places better able then he, ſitting at his feet continually t • learne) muſt be heard all his life long; thinking it • diſgrace to have another to ſpeake any thing furthe • then he hath done: Which was the very di • eaſe i • the Church of Corenth: wherein he that ſpeake fir •• would take up all the time himſelfe; whereas •• ſhould in modeſty haue conceived, that a ſecond o • third (eſpecially ſeeming provided to ſpeake by ſeating themſelues in the ſame place with him) mig •• have ſomething revealed further, or otherwiſe the • he had.

Which Revelation the Apoſtle doth not oppo •• to fore-going ſtudy (as M. Yates thinketh) but unto emulation and ſtudy of contradiction: teaching tha • the ſpirit alone muſt be heard in the Church, ſpeaking by whoſe mouth ſoever. And, that there is i • the Church an ordinary ſpirit of revelation; beſide • comfortable experience, theſe places amongſt many other, do clearly prove, Mat. 11. 28. & 16. 17▪ Eph. 1. 17. P • il. 3. 17.

M. Yates ARG. 9.

FRom vocation, ver. 29. 32. 37. theſe ſpirituall men are called Prophets, and to imagine a Prophet without a calling that which the Scripture will not endure: therefore all theſe • rophets either had immediate calling from God, or mediate • om men; or elſe they took it up themſelves: the two firſt we • • ant lawfull callings, but this intollerable. Numb, 11. 28. • he ſervant of Moſes ſay • s, Forbid Eldad and Medad to pr • • eſie: his reaſon was, becauſe he thought they had no calling • hich had bin true, if they had taken it up without immediate •• piration: But Moſes knowing that it was from God, wish • that the like gift might be upon all Gods people: ſo that • oſe were true Prophets for the inſtant by an immediate call • m God: and the text ſayes, They added no further▪ ••• wing • at as the gift ceaſed, ſo did they,

I. Rob. ASWER.

• T is true, that ſpirituall men are called Prophets, • or rather Prophets, Spirituall men: what is it the • • that makes a ſpirituall man, but the gift of the •• irit? and what a prophet ordinary or extraordina •• , but the gift of propheſie ordinary or extraordi •• ry? Whereupon it followeth undeniable, that ſo • any with us, or elſewhere, as haue the ordinary gift • ability to propheſie, are Prophets, though out of •• fice. In this Argument he hath made a ſnare wherwith himſelfe i • taken unavoidably. Secondly, •• affirme that our Prophets haue a calling which ha • e declared formerly not to make them Proph • by condition or eſtate, for that they are by th • gifts, but for the uſe or exerciſe of the ſame gift b • fore beſtowed upon them by the Lord, through th • labour and induſtry. Of Eldads and Medads pr • pheſying we ſhall ſpeak hereafter, onely note w • in the meane While, how M, Yates, and rightly, proportioneth their propheſying to their gift as w • doe alſo ours: according to that of the Apoſtle, Ha • ing then gifts differing, according to the grace that is •• ven to us, whether propheſie, let us propheſie according • the proportion of faith, or a miniſtery, let us waite on •• miniſtery, Rom. 12. 6. 7. They then that haue a gif • muſt propheſie according to their proportion▪

M. Yates. ARG. 10.

FRom diſtinction, v. 37. the Apoſtle from the whole Ch •• turnes himſelf to their Prophets, and ſpirituall men, she • ing plainely, that theſe had ſome particular place abo • the reſt: and he gives them ſpeciall charge to obſerue the thing he writes to the Church: therefore thoſe were in ſome call •• aboue others: and to imagine the contrary, is to run wide of t • current of the whole Scripture: to ſet men in publick place wi • out calling, is the ſame with confuſion and diſorder,

I. Rob. ANSW.

THis Argument is founded upon the groundleſſe preſumption with the former: viz. that there is in the Church no lawfull calling for men able to • ropheſie, but by officing them. And for Pauls tur • ing his ſpeach to the Prophets. ver 37. it ſhewes in • eed, that they were aboue the reſt, after a ſort: and ſo • hey are with us rightly preferred before others which want that endowment of the ſpirit, by which • hey are enabled to ſpeake to the edification of the Church.

The Confirmation of the Scriptvres and reaſons brought in my booke to proue publick propheſying out of office by an ordinary gift.

AND before wee come to examine M. Yates his Anſwers to the Scriptures by me produced, I • eſire the Reader to obſerue with mee theſe two • hinges▪ firſt, that I doe not affirme in my book • hat al the there alledged Scriptures are meant of or • inary but propheſie: that the ſame is proued by them Neither will he (I perſume) deny, but that many • hinges are ſufficiently proued from a ſcripture by • eceſſary conſiquence, and iuſt proportion, beſides • he particular properly intended in it. 2. That M. • ates ſo puts the queſtian, as that it is hard to ſay▪ ſay whether he doe mee or himſefe the mo • iniury: namely whether the places prove an ord • nary gift of propheſie out of office. For, as I do not ſa • that they proue the gift, but the vſe, and excerci • of the gift beſtowed by God whether ordinary, • extraordinary, ſo neither would he haue dinied (ha • he not leaped, before he had lookt) but that othe • beſides miniſters, haue an ordinary gift of propheſy • Where the Apoſtle requires of him that deſires an office of a Biſhop, that he be apt to teach, 1. Tim. 3. 1. 2 • and able to exhort with ſound doctrine Tit. 1. 9. dot • he not therein moſt evidently teach, that the gift and ability to teach, preach and propheſie, not onely may, but muſt, both be and appeare to be in the perſon to be called to the office of miniſtery? He • that is not a prophet, or hath not the gift of propheſying or preaching (for by his gift he is a prophet, and by the uſe of it he occupies the place of a prophet) before he be apointed a Paſtor, is an Idol ſhepherd ſet up in the temple of God: neither doth the office giue on • o much indeed as encreaſe the gift, but onely giues ſolemn commiſſion and charge to uſe it.

The firſt Scripture by me brought, is Numb. 11 • 29. Where Moſes the man of God wiſheth that the whole people of the Lord were Prophets, the Lord putting his ſpirit upon them.

This place, ſaith M. Yates in his Anſwer ſpeakes; of the powring of the Spirit in an extraordinary manner may appeare by the occaſion of the ſpeach, verſe • 4. &c. Where he alſo in a tedious manner (as his •• nner is) he proueth the gift of propheſying gi • n to the 70. Elders to haue been extraordinary: • hich as I deny not, ſo neither needed he to haue • oved. But this I affirme, that hence is proued the • wfullneſſe of ordinary propheſying out of office • men inabled thereunto. And firſt, as Moyſes wi • ed that all the Lords people were Prophets, the Lord • ving his ſpirit unto them; ſo the miniſter may and • ght to wiſh that the Lord would ſo bleſſe the or •• nary endeauours of his people now, by his ſpirit, as • at they all might be Prophets, that is, able for gifts • ſpeak to edification. The miniſter which deſireth • t this, enuieth for his owne, and the Clergies ſake • hich Moſes would not that Ioſhua ſhould doe for • s. Secondly Moſes makes it all one to bee a • rophet, and to have the Lord putting his ſpirit vp •• a man. Now if the Lord ſo giving his ſpirit un •• a man, as that he thereby be inabled extraordina • ly to propheſie, make him an extraordinary pro • het, why ſhould not by due proportion, ſuch a • ift of the Spirit given by the Lord to a man as by which he is inabled to propheſie ordinarily, ſerue al •• to make him an ordinary Prophet? and ſo by con •• quence, if there be amongſt us any though out of • ffice ſo enabled to propheſie, or preach what hin • reth them from being Prophets euen of the Lords own making by his ſpirits gift, and worke upo • their ſtudy, and • ndeauours? And if they be Pr • phets then may they Propheſie: which Moſes alſo • that place inſinuates: for in wiſhing that they we • all Prophets, he wiſheth as wel the uſe as the poſſe • ſion of the gift. M. Yates may ſee a very learned▪ ma • Io. Wolphius in his comment▪ upon 2. Kin. 23. ſhewing by this place the libertie of priuate Chriſtian • that are able to ſpeak and teach not onely in ordinary congregations, but even in moſt ſolemn Councel •

The next place is 2▪ Chron. 17. 7. where Kin • •• hoſaphat ſent his Princes to teach in the Cities of I • d ••• and with them the Levites, &c.

M. Yates accounts it a monstrous conceite that th • princes ſhould be publique teachers, which ſaith he wer • onely by theyr preſence and authority to back the Leuites • adding that the traſlation is mended by Iunius an • Tremelius &c. but if the Iewes heard him (profeſſing the knowledge of Moſes and the Prophets to ſpeak, ſo they would marvaile at his ignorance • of a thing ſo frequent and evident in their writings with whom it is and euer hath been a receaued truth that any of their wiſe men as they after the Scriptures math. 23. 34. 1. Cor. 1. 20. I •• . 18-18▪ call them, may and ought to teach in theyr ſynagogues without reſpect had to office: neither doth the tranſlation of Iunius and Tremelius by any neceſſity make for him: neither can it be ſet againſt me without violence to the originall: from the ſimplicity • here of they do (with due reverence unto them be ſpoken) ſeeme vnto mee ſome thing to turne a •• e in the 8 ver. Pagnine, the 70 Interpreters, Ierom • d all our Engliſh Bibles carry it directly to our • ſe. And if the conceit be monſtrous that theſe princes • eached publikely, it is not bred onely in my braine: • e uery ſame ſcripture having been alledged very •• ely by the publick Profeſſour in the Vniverſitie • Leyden in a ſolemne aſſembly, as expreſly proving • lawfull for others then miniſters to teach publick • . And becauſe much weight lieth upon this ground • hich yet hee thinketh very ſandy • and light, I will • ake it cleare to all indifferent mens indgments, that • eſe Princes, and ſo others in Iſraell, and Iudah▪ •• ough no Levites, nor Church officers) might law •• lly teach and preach publickly in the Temple, • ynagogues, and Cities.

Firſt then, all Princes, Magiſtrates, Indges, • d Governours were bound to open expound, and • ply the Laws by which they governed, according • the ſeverall occaſions offred? otherwiſe they ruled • tyranny, & appetite: which laws for al adminiſtra • ons even of the common wealth were onely the written word of God: wherupon I conclude, that if • open, expound, and apply the word of God, be to • reach, and teach, they then had not onely power▪ • ut charge ſo to doo.

2 It may appeare what theſe Princes of Iekoſap • (partaking of his power) were to do in this cauſe, which he himſelfe, and other godly kings haue do • the ſum of his moſt pithy ſermon we haue record • 2 Chron. 19. unto the Iudges. verſ. 6. 7. and unto • Levites verſ. 9. 10. 11. as alſo his divine prayer • to God in the publike Congregation. chap 20. 5. &c. Likewiſe the excellent ſermon of King He • kiah unto the Prieſtes, and Levites, in the very Te • ple, 2. Chron. 29. 4. 5. &c. alſo of N • h • mia • with • thers, teaching the people the Law of the Lord. Neh. 10: the Kings, and Princes being as ſhepherds feed the people, as by Goverment, ſo by inſtructi • in the Law of their God Defend wee downe low • to the time of Chriſt, and we ſhall ſee this mat • put out of al queſtion. Do we not read every whe • how that the Scribs, Phariſees, and Lawers did tea • publickly amongſt the Iewes; of whom yet ma • were no Levites or Church officers, but indifferen • of any tribe, Phil. 3. 5. And if it were not the rece • ved order in Iſrael of old, for men out of office • ſpeake, and teach in publick, how was Ieſus the •• of Mary admited to diſpute in the Temple with • Doctors; Luk. 2. 46. and to teach, • nd preach in the Synagogues ſo commonly as he did; Mat. 9, 35. Luk. 16. 17. and how were Paul, and Barnabas, ſitting dow • in the Sinagogues, ſent unto, after the lecture of the L • • y the ruler, that if they had any word of exhortation 〈…〉 people, they ſhould ſay on? Act. 13. 14. 15.

But if any man ſhall anſwer, that theſe were ex • ordinary perſons and ſo taught by an extraordina • gift, he ſpeakes the truth, but to no purpoſe, For • at was that to the order receiued in the Temple, • d Synagogues, and to the Rulers thereof, who did • t beleeve in Chriſt, nor acknowledge either his, his Apoſtles authority; but onely admitted them to the uſe of their gift, as they would haue done, • d did ordinarily, any other men able to teach: as alſo • rulers of the Synagogues of the Iews do at this • y.

The third place is miſtaken by the printer, in o • itting onely one prick, which was corrected in any Coppies, and might eaſily haue been obſerued •• the Reader, For Ier, 50. 45. it ſhould be Ier., 50 • 5. M. Yates. therefore upon this Scripture refutes • s owe gueſſe, and not my proofe.

The fourth place is Math. 10. 1. 5. 6. where • hrist calling unto him his 12 Diſciples ſends them to • each the Kingdom of heauen to the lost ſheep of Iſrael. His anſwer is, that the 12 Apoſtles were called into of • ce, and had their calling from the firſt election of Chriſt • ut had a further confirmation after, & greater meaſure • Gods Spirit to lead them into al truth, as a Iuſtice of • ace may be put into office, and yet receiue a further • on • rmation, yea and greater meanes to performe his pl ••• . • affirme on the other ſide, (and ſhal, evidently 〈…〉 it God aſſiſting mee) that theſe 12 were not act • poſſeſſed of their Apoſtleſhip, till after Chriſts ſurrection but were onely Apoſtles elect, as you him the Major elect, who hath not the office of • jor committed to him of a good ſpace after. Nei • am I herein of the mind with the Papists (to put Yates out of feare) that Peter was not in office • Chriſt gave him charge to feed his ſheep Joh. 21, (wh • yet I am pe • ſwaded never Papiſt held of his Apo • ſhip, but of his primicy, and univerſall headſh • or Biſhoprick) but of the ſame mind, whereof h • ſelfe is in his firſt argument, to wit, that his com • ſion Apoſtolick was actually conferred upon • ioyntly with the reſt. Iohn. 20. 22 23.

1 Now if the commiſſion Apoſtolike were but t •• giuen, they were but then, & not before actually • poſtles, except he will ſay they were Apoſtles, be •• they had commiſſion, that is calling from Chriſt to bee. I would now ſee how hee can ſalue • wound, which he hath given himſelfe.

2 After that the Lord Ieſus had Mat. 11. 11. p • ferred Iohn Baptiſt aboue all the Prophets whi • were before him, he yet adds in the ſame place th • the least in the Kingdom of heauen is greater then •• The leaſt▪ that is the leaſt Miniſter; In the kingdom • heauen that is in the church of the new teſtamēt pr • porly called, which began not till after the death • Chriſt who liu • d and dyed a member of the Iewi • • urch. the Apoſtles then being officers of the • urch of the new teſtament, and Kingdom of hea •• , and not of the old or Iewiſh Church, it cannot •• that they were Apoſtles in act, before Chriſt • ath: except an adiunct can be before the ſubject, • d an officer before the corporation in & of which is an officer.

• . Conſidering the ignorance of theſe diſciples at •• time in the maine miſteries of Chriſt: of the na • e of his kingdom, his death and • e • ur • ection, • at. 20. 21. Luk. 24. 20. 21. &c. • oh • . 20. 9. Mar. • . 14. as alſo, how utterly 〈…〉 they were gifts befitting Apoſt • l • cal teaching (for which) • eing an extraord • nary diſpenſotion, and that in • higheſt degree) extraord • nary, & infallible revela & direction of the ſpirit was • equiſit, wher with •• y were but firſt, ( • s it ſeemet • ) • p • inckled John. • . and afterwards more plentifully filled at the day Pentecoſt) they were as fit for an Apoſtleſhip as •• vid was for Sauls armour which he could not • eild nor goe wi • h.

4. Beſides, if they had the office of Apoſtleſhip • mmitted to them Mat. 10. how was it that they • ntinued not their miniſtration in that office; but •• rning after a few dayes to their maſter, continu • with him as his diſciples till his death. Chriſt Ie • did not keepe a company of none-reſidents about • m for his Chaplins, as M. Yates inſinuates againſt •• .

Laſtly, we are expreſly taught, Eph. 4. 8. 11. • Chriſt • ſ • ended on high, he gaue gifts unto men▪ Apo • Prophets, &c. The Apoſtles then were firſt giuen • tually at the Lords aſcenſion, and Were before o • deſigned to become Apoſtles, or Apoſtles • lect, • not ordained▪ nor poſſeſſed of any office: and therfore preached, and that with warrant from Chr • without office.

The next Scripture is, Luk. 8. 39. by M. Y • thus opened: Christ hauing deliuered the man poſſeſſ • • ids him go, and ſhew what great things God had • for him: and it is ſayd he went and Preached (that is • be to their purpoſe) by ordinary paines and ſtudy, he pr •• ched the Goſple. And with pitty upon us poore ſo • that cannot distinguiſh the publiſhing of amiracle, • the gift (he ſhould ſay the work, if he diſtinguiſh as he ought) of preaching; he addeth that if ••• had minded to haue made him a publike preacher, he • firſt have taken him with him, and inſtructed him, • then haue ſent him abroad.

1. Let it be obſerued, that the word uſed by M • for his preaching, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the ſame word which commonly uſed for the moſt ſolemne preachi • that is, by the Apoſtles and Euangeliſts, Second • Chriſt bids him, Mar. 5. 19. Go home and declare • great things the Lord had done for him, and had had c • paſſion on him, and ver. 20. he is ſayd to haue publiſh • in Decapolis (Luke hath it, 〈…〉 • great things Ieſus had done for him. Which he do • , what elſe did hee, but preach, publiſh and de • e the great loue and mercy of God, in and by Ie • Chriſt towards miſerable ſinners for the curing of • ir bodily and ſpirituall maladies? 3. Where he • es the pybliſhing of this miracle and the preaching of • Gospel diuers things, and pitties us poo • e ſoules that cannot distinguiſh between them: as Chriſt bade the • en of Jeruſalem, not to weep for him, but for them • s; ſo ſurely had he need t • pitty not us herein, • himſelfe in his ſo great miſtaking. Are not the • acles of Chriſt ſtoried in the Scripture a maine • of the Goſpel? and the publiſhing of them a • of the preaching of the Goſpel? And when M. • s opens & publiſheth a miracle of Chriſts (as this • did) doth he not as well and as truly preach the • ſpel as at any other time? Let the wiſe iudge, • is to be pittied. To ſhut up this point, it is ſayd • 20. 30. that Ieſus did many other ſignes, &c. and • . 21. But theſe are writen that yee might beleeue that • s is the Christ, the ſonne of God, and that beleeuing • might haue lefe through his name. The publiſhing • of the ſignes & miracles which Chriſt did, is the • ching of faith in his name, to ſalvation: which • man therefore did, eſpetially amongſt them • ch were not ignorant of the Law of Moſes, and • miſe of the Meſſiah to come: which, by his glorious miracles done by his owne power, and in his o • name, he both declared and proued himſelfe to • Joh. 5, 36 & 10. 37. 38. And where he adds, that C • gaue this man commiſſion to do that which he di • , but • mirs who gaue ours ſuch authority, I anſwer euen • ſame Chriſt, as then immediately, ſo now media • by thoſe unto whome he hath giuen authority u • himſelfe for the ordering of the gifts of his ſpirit his Church. And ſufficient it is for the queſtion •• tween him and me, if it appeare (as in this pe • that Chriſt hath giuen commiſſion to men o • office by an ordinary gift, to publiſh and preac • publick the Goſpel of ſaluation.

I doe quote next in my booke, Luk. 10. • which for that W. E. omitteth, and leaues out, • Yates thanketh God; but in truth he hath more • to •• anke him, for ſparing him a place which ſo p • nantly proueth the preaching of the kingdom of • by men out of office: except he can aſſigne ſome • found office, and the ſame but of two or three • laſting, as ver. 17. to thoſe 70 there ſent.

We are in the next place to come unto Joh. 4 • 29. 39. which he openeth and anſwereth with a • ration, as the fo • me • place, wit • pitty and com • ſion on this manner, • ſimplicitie, with contr • tion to his owne writing ſimplicity that cannot ſee b • preaching of the Gospel, and carrying tydings of a • that told her (to wit▪ the woman of Samaria) • th • ngs that euer ſhe did, is not this (ſaith ſhe) the Christ? • t beſides ſimplicity, here is contradiction: for ſayes M▪ • binſon, and that truly, a woman is not ſuffered to ex • iſe an ordinary gift of propheſie in the Church; and▪ • ll the women of ſamaria ſerue your turne that it is law •• ll for men to exerciſe ſuch a gift?

It is indeed my ſimplicity to thinke that the Goſ • (as the word importeth) is nothing elſe But glad • dings: and that to preach the Goſpel is nothing elſe • t to carry or bring glad tydings of Chriſt before • omiſed, then come into the world. It is alſo my • plici • y to thinke, ſince by the tydings which this • man brought, many of the Samaritans beleeued on •• iſt in a meaſure, ver. 39 and that without preaching • word of God none can beleeve, Rom. 10. 14. 17. that • refore ſhe preached unto the Samaritans the ſame • rd of God in a meaſure alſo, and that as truely & • ectually as euer M. Yates▪ did to his pariſhionners • ugh ſhe went not up into a pulpit as he doth. And • t he may iudge aright of this matter, let him call minde, that thoſe Samaritans receiued the bookes Moſes as did the Iewes: and as they looked for the • eſſias, or Chriſt promiſed to, and of Abraham: •• ing themſelues for the children of the Patriarks▪ • true worſhippers of God, as they had been, ver. • 28. and being ſo prepared, were eaſily made as • ions, or corne feilds white unto the Harueſt, ver. 35. • d ſo this woman, by declaring unto them that, by which this Ieſus, the ſonne of Mary, proued himſel • to be the Chriſt, or Meſſias promiſed, preached fai • unto them moſt properly and effectually, euen t • • aine point of • aith then in controuerſie both in • dea and Samaria and Galil •• , and the countries the unto ad • oyning; which was, that Jeſus was the Ch ••• I ſuppoſe M. •• tes▪ hath not ſuffuciently thought theſe things, and do hope, that in godly modeſ • y • will ſuffer himſelfe to be better informed.

And for co •• radict • o • , between theſe 2. propoſition A woma • may not teach in the Church, and A wom • may teach out of the Church, or where no Church (as it was in Samaria) it muſt be by other Logi • then I haue learned. But he will then demand as • doth, how this Womans preaching can ſerue • y ••• I anſwer, uery well, by good conſiquence of reaſ • thus: If a woman may lawfully teach out of • Church to the begetting of faith as this women d • but not in the Church, becauſe ſhe is a woman • ſex: then a man againſt whom that reaſon of reſtr • of Sex lieth not, may lawfully teach both without within the Church. Of which conſiquence m • hereafter.

Another Scripture is, Act. 8. 1. 4. with cha. 11. • 20 21. where it is recorded how all the Church at • ruſalem was ſcattered abroad except the Apoſtles, • that they which were ſcattered abroad, went euery w • preaching the word, &c.

M. Yates anſwereth, that beſides the Apostles which • ere in office, there were ſeventy diſciples, which Christ • efore his death had made laborers in his haruest: & ther • re theſe might preach, or any other that had an extraordi • ary gift of propheſie: the one by vertue of his office & gift • gether, the other by commiſſion from the Holy Ghoſt to • xerciſe that gift which they had receaued in the day of •• ticoſt, or any other, But ſayes your authur, compare this • ace with Acts 11. 19. 20. 21. and the truth, will ful • appeare. I anſwer •• will fully appeare againſt yov: for • hriſt charged both his Apoſtles, and likewiſe the 70. • iſciples, that they ſhould preach to none but the Jewes: • nd therefore it is ſufficient that they had ſo many prea • ers in office already by the commiſſion of Chriſt▪ to go • • orow all thoſe places: neither w • l • I d • ny, that • ere might be others whom the Holy Ghoſt immediately • iſed up to manifeſt the excellent gifts that were to be • wred downe upon the Church in the primatiue times.

His anſwer is uery darke and ambiguous, but in which are contained ſundry errors evident enough. • He makes thoſe of the diſperſio • which went about • eaching the word, to be of the 70 diſciples. Luk. 10. • d others the like furniſhed with an • x • r • ordinary gift • propheſie: but ſeemes to allow them for no officers • the beginning of his anſwer, when he thus ſpea • eth, Beſides the Apoſtles which were in office there were • 0. Diſciples &c. yet afterwards in theſe words, and •• refore it is ſufficient, that they had ſo many preachers • office already by the commiſſion of Chriſt to go thorow all theſ • places, &c, • e beſ •• w • s ſome office or oth • upon them. Secondry, • e miſſeth in two Scripture which in his anſwere, • e pointeth at: the former • Act. 2▪ where he gathereth, that others beſides th • twelve, rece • ued the gift of propheſie extraordina • at the day of pent • coſt: the • ec • nd • if I miſtake no • is Math. 10. 5. 6. where he • aks the edict or proh • b • t • on of Chriſt • aid upon the Apoſtles, and (as h • ſa • th) upon the▪ 70. Diſciples of preaching to • ny • Je • s, •• rr aboue the reach thereof, euen unto this ti • of the diſpertion, whereas it reached only to the dea • of Chriſt, when the wall of partition between Ie • and Gentiles was broken downe: • fter which the were by the expreſſe w • rds of their Commiſſion • preach to all people, beginning indeed at Ieruſalem • • arrying there, till they were indued with power from • high, and ſo proceeding to all nations. Luk. 24. 47. 4 • as it is alſo recorded Act. 11. 20. that ſome of th • diſperſion, preached the Lord Ieſus to the Grecians • A • tioch. 3ly, it is plaine by that which I haue fo • merly ſaid, that neither theſe 70 diſciples (no nor t • • 2,) were by Chriſt poſſeſſed of any office before h • death; no nor yet furniſhed with any extraordina • gifts of propheſie: the Euangeliſt (who knew we • and is worthy to be beleeued) bearing alſo witneſ • with mee, that the Holy Ghoſt was not yet giuen beca • that Ieſus was not yet glorified, John. 7. 39.

Laſtly it is altogether unreaſonable to imagine th • they who were ſcatered and preached abroad, being the body of the Church at Ieruſalem (excepting the Apoſtles▪ were all officers: and little more reaſonable to thinke that they were all extraordinarily • nd • ed with the ſpirit▪ of propheſy. For firſt, there is no circumſtance in the text • eading that way: and to imagine extraordinary, and mi •• culous things without good euidence, is extraordinary 〈…〉 and p • eſumption. 2. the onely 〈…〉 giuen unto them a •• ▪ • ll he Church which 〈…〉 ey that were ſcat • e • ed ab • o •• : a • d againe •••• 1 • . • ey which were ſc • ttered abro •• ▪ 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 Cypru • & Cyrene, &c. nothing 〈…〉 any •••• ce of miniſtry. 3. Their preaching he •• and •• e • e is 〈…〉 noted to be by reaſon of their catering hither and •• ther through perſecution, and not of any e • t ••• rdinary gift, and diſpenſation committed unto the • . Fourthly, if they had been extraordinary Prophet • immediately, and extraordinarily inſpired, there had been no need of ſo ſpeedy ſending of Bar • abas from Ieruſalem to Antioch with ſupply, though he were a man full of the Holy Ghoſt, for ſo were ſuch Prophets as well as he Ephe. 2. 20. & 3. 5. I conclude therefore as before that theſe mens preaching was by a gift▪ • nd liberty, common unto them and us.

The next Scripture is 1. Pet. 4, 10. 11. As euery man hath receiued the gift ſo minister the ſame one to another as good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God; if any man speake, let him ſpeake as the oracles of God, if any ma • miniſter let him doe it as of the ability which God giueth▪ that God in all things may be glorified, &c.

This (ſaith M. Yates) is little to the purpoſe, onely thus much: would the Apoſtle perſwade, that wee ought to be harberous one of another, and that without grudging, becauſe all that we haue is giuen us of God, who hath left us not as ingroſſers of his benifits, but as good diſpoſers to his glory and our brothers good.

He that veiweth the place with out prejudice, cannot but ſee, that the Apostle would perſwade more then ſo much: and that M. Yates doth injuriouſly encloſe the Apoſtles words, ver. 10. to verſe 9. which though they lie in common to both, yet belong much more to the verſe following, v. 9. He exhorteth to hoſpitality, and v. 10. riſeth from that particular to the more general uſe of al gifts or graces, & ſo v. 11. brings for example, two ſpecialties. 1. the gift of propheſie in ſpeaking. 2. the miniſtering of the ability which God giueth bodily or otherwiſe in the Church. neither can the Apoſtles meaning without extream violence bee reſtrained to ver. 9. which ſpeakes onely of hoſpitality: which is but the uſe or miniſtering of that one gift or grace of liberality. He ſaith in the tenth verſe. As euery man hath receiued the gift: that is as one hath receiued this gift, another that, and every one ſome: ſo miniſter the ſame one to another: that is, ſo let every ſuch perſon mutually in the bond of • ove as ver. 8. communicate his gift: as good diſpoſers • f the manifold grace of God: that is knowing that • very one what gift ſoever, he hath received, • s but as the Lords Steward therein. Is Liberality • lone a manifold grace? and Hospi • ali • y alone the mi •• ſtering of a manifold grace of God? To the miniſte • ing of a manifold grace, the Apoſtle perſwades, and therefore not onely that wee ought to be harborous one to another, which is but the miniſtering of one grace.

Two other Scriptures from the Reu • la • ion follow. The former is cha. 11. v. 3. I will giue to my two witneſſes, and they ſhal propheſie a thouſand two hundred ſixty dayes, clothed in ſackcloth.

Th • s is meant ſaith M. Y • tes) of the 2 Teſtaments, and the inſtruments that God ſhould raiſe up to uſe as faithfull witneſſes againſt Antichriſ: but what is this for an ordinary gift of propheſie? Surely in this there is ſome extraordinary thing, becauſe it is ſaid God will giue power, that is giue them life againe: for Antichriſt ••• k • ll theſe witneſſes when he ſtopped the current of the Holy word of God, and ſhut the mouthes of the miniſters, &c.

His expoſition I will not deny (nor need to feare) ſaue as with great partiallity on the clergies part, he make the miniſters of the word of God, that i • , men in office, the only faithful witneſſes againſt ancichriſt. wheras the contrary is moſt true; and that in Antichriſts reign no church officer, as an officer witneſſed againſt him, but all for him: as both hauing their authority by him, and binding themſelues to ſubmit their 〈…〉 trine to his cenſure. The perſons indeed, that were alſo officers, euen Maſſe-preiſt, Monkes and Friers, witneſſed ſome of them againſt him, but ſo did not their offices, or they in reſpect of them, (which is all one) but rather with him, as aduantaging his ſtate and Hierarchy. Something extraordinary I doe with him acknowledg to haue been in them, in reſpect of the order then preuailing, and of the bondage ſpirituall under which all both things and perſons were: as alſo of the degree of theire ordinary both gifts and graces to put them forth in ſeruice of the truth: but that theſe witneſſes againſt Antichriſt had any extra ordinary, or miraculous gift of propheſie (which he inſinuateth, and muſt affirme if he will draw them from our part) is meerly imagined both againſt experience & their own plea. But for the opēing of this place, I referre the reader to our learned Countryman M. Brightman, where he ſhall find affirmed, and proued, that theſe two prophets were the holy Scriptures and Aſſemblies of the faithfull.

The other ſcripture is Reu. 14. 6, where the Angell flieth in the midſt of heaven hauing the euerlaſting Goſpell to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to euery nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.

By heauen (ſaith M. Yates) is to be understood the uiſible Church, and by the Angell the learned men that God hath euer raiſed up in the midſt of popery to carry the bleſſed word of God in the midſt of heauen that is raiſed from the earthly curruption of Antichriſt, but not as yet a • the height of purity, &c.

As I doe not conceive of any ſuch miſtery in theſe words. (flying in the mideſt of heauen) but onely that theſe Angells ſhould roundly and clearly, ſpecially in reſpect of former times, publiſh the Goſpell farr, and neer, as is the flying of a bird in the airy heauen or firmament ſpeedy and euident; ſo, that ſignified, I aſſent to his expoſition, as being alſo no way preindiciall, but much aduantageable to my purpoſe. For if thoſe learned, and Angell-like men were to publiſh the goſpell in the mideſt of popery; and that neither by an extraordinary, or miraculous gift, nor by uertue of their office, then is publick propheſying out of office by an ordinary gift approuable. The firſt part I hope he will eaſily grant; if not, let him name the man miraculouſly inſpired in the midſt of popery. For the latter, the office it ſelf or function was no miniſtery of Chriſts appointment, as being the office of a Frier, Monke, or Maſſe-prieſt, ſo their power to adminiſter it was from or by the pop • as vniuerſall Biſhop: that is, as Antichriſt. in reſpect then of the Goſpell which they had preached▪ and of their gifts & graces perſonal, by which they wer both enabled & prouoked there n̄to, they were Angels of God; but in regard of there office, and power Eccleſiaſticall▪ and Hierarchicall, Angels of Antichriſt. Beſides that when they gaue their cleareſt teſtamony againſt Antichriſt, they were, for the moſt part, all excommunicated out of the Church of Rome, and ſo being no members could not be officers of any Church. Whereupon I conclude, that the witneſſe which they ga • e to the truth, was but perſonall and not miniſteriall ſo far forth as it was of God or by him approued. And thus it appeareth how in the quoting of thoſe ſcriptures, we haue not offred abuſe to Gods word, as he abuſeth vs, but haue with good conſcience, as in the ſight of God, noted them as ſeruing to proue lawfull, publique propheſie by an ordinary gift out of office.

Laſtly 1. Cor. 14. comes into handling, with the proofs thence taken: which what weight they haue ſhall appeare after reherſall of ſome more generall conſiderations promiſed in my booke, in the ſame place, for the better underſtanding of the point, as, 1. that the Church of Corinth aboue all other Churches, did abound with ſpirituall gifts both ordinary and extraordinary. 2. that they abuſed theſe gifts too much unto faction and ambition. 3. that there upon the Apoſtle takes occaſion in the beginning of the 12. Chap. and ſo forward, to draw them to the right uſe of the gifts of God, which was the imploiment of them to the edifying of the body in loue 4. and Laſtly, that hauing layd down chap. 13. a full diſcription and large commendation of that grace of loue, cha. 14, and the beginning of it, he exhorts to, propheſying, and to the ſtudy and uſe of that gift which though it were not ſo ſtrange a thing as was the ſudden gift of tongues. nor which drew with it ſuch wonder and admiration, yet was it more profitable for the Church: and though a matter of leſſe note, yet of greater charity, which muſt beare ſway • n all our actions, Whereupon I lay downe the firſt reaſon for brethrens, though no officers, liberty in theſe words Becauſe the Apoſtle ſpeakes of the manifeſtation of • gift or grace common to all perſons, as well bre • heren as miniſters, ordinary as extraordinary, and • hat at all times which is loue: as alſo of ſuch fruites • nd effects of that grace, as are no leſſe common to • ll, then the grace it ſelf, nor of leſſe continuance in • he Churches of Chriſt, to wit, of edification, exhor • ation, and comfort, verſe. 3. compared with 1. Theſſ. 5. 11, 14.

In anſwering the former part of the Reaſon he is • ery large but more negligent, as it appeares in his • enying that the Apoſtles ſpeaks of a gift common • o all perſons, and in more then denying, for his rude • erme I will conceale for his credits ſake, that it was • ōmon to all perſons at al times admiring how I dare • ffirme any ſuch thing: adding: that loue was enioy • ed to all but this gift onely of ſuch, as did excell a • ongſt them: whereas the uery gift, which I ſpeake • f in that place, or grace rather, as I there call it, was one other▪ but the grace of loue; as any that will may ſee in the reaſon: which generall grace ough • to man • feſt, and expreſſe it ſelfe in the ed • fying uſe of all •• e ſpecial gifts of the ſpirit, which by it are ſet • wo • ke and m •• ed, as the leſſer wheels of a clock by the greater. & from which grace the▪ Apoſtle provoketh the Church to the ſtirring up of the gift of propheſie, unto • d • fication, as well now as then. and whereas, to my ground, as he puts it, and as after a ſort I intended from ver. 3. compared with 1 Theſſ • 5, 11. 14. viz. that ſince the end which is ed • fication▪ exhortation, and comfort continueth, therfore the gift of propheſie alſo continueth, he anſwreth; that there are many, means to effect one end, & yet ſome of them may ceaſe yea all of them, & others come i • their roomes, • s for extraordinary gifts, ordianry: & ſo for Apoſtles, ordinary Miniſters: inſtancing furthe • in tōgues, which ver. 26. are for ed • fication; he neither ſpeakes ſo properly, as is meet, nor all admitte • which he ſaith, takes away the force of the Argum • Strange tongues, to ſpeake properly, and expreſly as in diſputing, are no meanes of edifying the Church but the interpretation, and applycation of the matter of the tongues: neither doth the office of the miniſterie in it ſelfe edify. but the uſe and exerciſe of it in teaching, and exhorting? no nor yet the gift of propheſying, but as it is uſed in ſpeaking, as ver. 3. hee that propheſieth, that is uſeth the gift of propheſy, ſpeaketh unto men, to exhortation edefication & •• mfort. There being then no other means to edifie •• hort & comfort in the Church but propheſying; the • poſtle, as appeareth by the two places ſet together • ying theſe duetyes from the common grace of loue • s well upon bretheren, as officers, ordinary as ex •• aordinary, and at all times, in the Church, therein • iues warrant to an ordinary exerciſe of propheſy in •• e Church by men out of office, to wit hauing • ifts and abilityes anſwerable, to the end of the • orld.

The ſecond Argument is from ver. 21. where the Apoſtle ſaith, ye may all propheſie one by one, that • ll may learne, and all may be comforted, he ſpeaks • f all propheſying as largly as of all learning.

This, ſaith he, is abſurd: are all the Church Prophets •• all may propheſie who ſhall learne? the Holy Gh. • yes all but that is to be underſtood of ſuch as haue • ifts: all ought to haue the gift of hearing, but the •• ke is not of propheſying: and I ſay this gift was ex •• aordinary for how could all men ſtudy the Scrip • ures when they had them not in their natiue • ongues?

It were abſurd indeed, if I thought, that euery per • on in the church were to propheſie: but why ſhould • e chalenge me, or I purge my ſelf of this abſurdity? • hereas the contrary is moſt evident, both in the • ords of the queſtion, which are that others hauing • eceiued a gift thereunto, may ought to ſtir up the ſame, and to uſe it in the Church; and every when in the handling of it. By all then I mean all that ha • gifts: and ſo take all for propheſying as largly, y • in the ſubiect, according to the receiued rule of o • pounding the notes of vniverſality, as the other a • for learning. His queſtion, if all may propheſie w • ſhall learne; is eaſily anſwered. For they who propheſie at one time may learne at another: It is th • diſeaſe of the exalted Clergie to ſcorn to learne any thing of others then themſelves, and almoſt o • of another. Where he further ſayth, that all oug • to haue the gift of hearing, but the like is not p • pheſying, It is true and that euery particular perſ • in the Church is not bound to haue the gift; but if • ſpeake any thing to the purpoſe in hand, he muſt • further and ſay that no ordinary brethren out of off • ought to haue the gift of propheſie: which if it w • true, then ought none to ſtriue for fitneſſe to beco • officers: neither were the reproofe iuſt which the Apoſtle layes, not onely, nor ſo much, if at all, up •• the officers, as upon the brethren, H • b. 5. 11. that f • the time they ought to be teachers. Of his unwort • miſtaken about the Scriptures not being in the Corinths natiue tongue, which he makes the only grou • of his Anſwer, elſewhere. To conclude this argumen • The Apoſtle writing to the Church of Corinth, y • may al propheſie one by one, cannot be underſtood • extraordinary Prophets, except wee conceiue that t •• • ody of that Church was or might be prophets ex • raordinary, and miraculouſly inſpired: which, cōſide • ing the ſuper-excellency of that State by me elſewhere laid downe, is a preſumption aboue my reach and leaſt of all agreeing with M. Yates his iudgment in his anſwer to the next Argument, which is, that extraordinary propheſie did then begin to ceaſe • n the Church.

The third Argument is from ver. 34. where the Apoſtle reſtrains women from propheſying, or other • peaking in the Church with authority as alſo 1. Tim • . 11. 12. and in forbidding women, giues liberty to • ll men gifted accordingly, oppoſing women to mē • ex to ſex, and not women to officers: and againe, in • eſtraining women ſhewes his meaning to be of ordinary not extraordinary propheſying: for women • mmediately extraordinarily, and miraculouſly inſpi • ed might ſpeake without reſtraint, Exod. 15. 20. • udg▪ 4. 24. Luk. 2 36. Acts 2. 17, 19.

It is a pitteous thing to ſee how M. Yates intaggles himſelfe about this Argument, ſtraining all the • eyns of his wit, if not of a more tender part, his conſciene, to draw ſome face of anſwer upon it: That which hath any ſhew of anſwer either in that place, or any other throughout his tedious and perplexed diſcourſe, I will relat and refute: confirming the Argument clearly, as I am perſwaded, to any indifferent • udgment.

His firſt anſwer, or exception is, that it is moſt abſurd to imagine that the Corinth. women did follo • their ſtudy, and tooke ordinary paines to make ſermons. Secondly that extraordinary propheſie d • ceaſe, and that not all at once, but firſt in women & that the Apoſtle therefore eſpecially aimes at them, • though, to wit in their own iudgment the ſame meaſu • were ſtill upon them, as well as in former time • when Chriſt that ſaues both man and women woul • extraordinarily manifeſt himſelfe in both, yet firſt a • ter a ſufficent manifeſtation of his grace & goodneſ • he withdrew thoſe extraordinay gifts from that ſ • then afterward from the other: His third anſw • upon which he doth moſt inſiſt, is, that the Apoſ • forbids two generall faults in the women; the one that th • would pray, and propheſie uncouered, 1. Cor. 11. • imitating the Pythoniſſes and Sibelles of the Genti • in laying aſide their vaile, and ſpreading their haire • gainſt▪ decency, and comlineſſe: the ſecond that in th • huſbands preſence, they would be as ready to ſpeake • they: and therefore the Apoſtle finding the women to • buſe this gift, prohibits the uſe of it, whether ſimply or • he cannot iudge. Fourthly, he admires by what Log • this will follow; women are forbiden to propheſie, therfore men haue liberty: which, ſayes hee, is an ill conſ • quence.

In his firſt Anſwer or rather exception, he m • takes both the ſtate of the queſtion, and alſo the • ture of the ordinance. The queſtion is not of the ſtudy, or ability of theſe women, which yet I thinke was greater then he maketh account of, but of their forwardnes to teach which was certainly too great. And what conſequence is this? The Corinthian women were not ſufficiently furniſhed to teach by an ordinary gift therefore they needed not to be reſtrained from teaching. Nay therfore they needed much more ſuch a bridle of reſtraint to be caſt upon them; eſpecially conſidering their manniſh bouldneſſe, and immodeſty inſinuated againſt them here by the Apoſtle, in part, but much more chap. 11.

Neither for the ſecond poynt, are they that ſpeak in the exerciſe of propheſie, to make a ſermon by an houreglaſſe, as M. Yates gathers; that were to abuſe the time and wrong the gifts of others (but briefly to ſpeak a word of exhortation, as God enableth, & that after the miniſteriall teaching be ended, as Act. 13. queſtions alſo about things deliuered, and with them euen diſputations, as there is occaſion, being part or apurtenances of that exerciſe, 1. Cor. 14. 35. Act. 17. 2. and 18. 4,

For the Prophets gifts and abilities then, as under the law a bullock or lamb, that had any thing ſuperfluous, or lacking in his parts might yet be offered for a freewill offering, but for a vow it was not to be accepted. Lev. 22. 23. ſo in this exerciſe of Propheſie, as in a free will offering, according to the gift of God, that which is leſſe perfit, and exact, may farr better be accepted, then if the ſame were preſented in the Paſtors vowed ſeruice, and miniſtration.

For his ſecond Anſwer: As it is true, that extraordinary propheſie did ce • ſe by degrees, ſo is it not certaine, but a meere preſumption, that it ce • ſed firſt in women, but moſt untrue it is, that the Apoſtle there aims at all •• the ceaſing of that gift in women, Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories worthy of credit in this kind, doe certifie, that the ſtreame of the ſpirit was ſo far from being neare dry at this time, as that it ranne a ſtrong current wel nigh a hundred yeares after, for all the extraordinary gifts thereof, as for the caſting out of Deuils, foreſeing and foretelling of things to c •• e, healing the ſicke, & raiſing of the dead, of wh • n d • uers ſo raiſed liued many yeares after, witneſſe amongſt others Iraenaeus, adv. Her. lib. 2. c. 57. whom alſo for the ſame purpoſe Euſ. Hiſt. Eccl. l. 5. c. 7. alledgeth: And euer or women, Euident it is by the Scriptures that extraordinary Propheſie in a very plenteous manner by them, & that in the preſents of men continued in the Church many years after Pauls writing of this Epiſte. Philip the Evangelist had four daughters vergins which did propheſie, Act. 2. 1. 9 and that in the preſence of the Apoſtle. Lo, four extraordinary Propheteſſes in one houſe. and the daughters of one man: ſo that • itherto the conduit of the ſpirit of propheſie kept • is courſe as well upon their daughters as ſons. Ioel, 2. Act. 2. So Rev. 2. 20. we read how the woman Jeſabel • alling her ſelfe a propheteſſe, taught and by teaching •• duced the Lords ſervants in the Church of Thya • yra, • n which place, as the errors and evils of the perſon. • s condemned, ſo is the former order of the Church manifeſted to be, that women, propheteſſes extraordinary, might teach. Laſtly, the prohibition of women by the Apoſtle is perpetuall, and not with reſpect to this, or that time as it appeares by the reaſons there of, both in this place, and in the Epiſtle to Timothy, and ſuch as equally belong to former times and latter: and no more to the latter end then to the beginning or meddle time of the manifeſtation of the grace and goodneſſe of Chriſt.

What can be more abſurd then to ſay that theſe reaſons, The women muſt be under obedience, 1. Cor, 14. 34. & not uſurpe authority ouer the man, but be in ſilence, becauſe Adam was first formed, then Eve. An • Adam was not ſeduſed, but the women, &c. 1. Tim. 2. 12. 13 14. were not morrall and perpetuall? Were not thoſe reaſons and grounds for womens ſilence in the Church, without extraordinary diſpenſation by miraculous inſpiration, of as great force ſeuen yeares before, as when Paul wrote this Epiſtle? It is therefore moſt cleare that the Apoſtle aimes not at all, at any ceaſing of the gift of extraordinary propheſie now growing on, but at the uniuerſall, and abſolute reſtraint and prohibition of womens propheſying, not extraordinary, but ordinary.

In his third anſwer he dealeth worſe then in any of the other, in labouring to ſmother one truth under another. For albeit the women of Corin • th were become ſo manniſh, as that they would propheſi • uncovered, and withovt their veile, the enſigne o • their ſubiection, yet doth not the Apoſtle meddle at all with that malady in this place, but in the 11. cha. of the Epiſtle, as himſelfe noteth, Here and in Tim. he ſimply forbids the thing: there the manner of doing it. Likewiſe for their being as forward to ſpeake as their huſbands, and in their pre • ence, it may be true in part, and in ſome. But what then? Doth the Apoſtle in theſe places onely forbid their ſpeaking uncouered and permit them to teach ſo it be veiled? or forbids he onely their being as forward as their huſbands, but gives them leaue to ſpeake in the Church, ſo it be with good manners &, after their huſbōds which his anſwer inſinuates? Or is it not evidēt to all that will not ſhut their eyes, that he ſimply, & that ſeverely, inhibits them all ſpeaking whatſoever in this exerciſe, Are not the words plain enough? Let the women keep ſilence in the Church, for it is not permitted to them to ſpeake, but to be under obedience, as the Law ſayth. And againe, It is a ſhame for them to ſpeak in the Church. And in 1. Tim, Let the women learne in ſilence with all ſubiection. And, I ſuffer not a woman to teach, nor to uſurpe authority ouer the man, but to be in ſubjection. For Adam was firſt formed, &c. Do not and every one of the Reaſons binde women to all • eace and deepe ſilence in the Church, yea to ſuch • d ſo abſolute, as that they may not ſo much as aske queſtion for learning any thing themſelues, ver. 35. • uch leſſe teach others any thing? I therefore con • ude this as a moſt certain and undeniable truth, •• at the Apoſtle ſpeakes here of ſuch a gift and ex • rciſe as women are ſimply forbidden to uſe in the • hurch, and therefore not of an extraordinary gift • r exerciſe, which they might uſe lawfully and did • oth before, and a long time after the writing of this • piſtle.

His laſt anſwer now comes in conſideration, which • s, that the conſiquence is ill, women are forbidden, and • herefore men are permitted to propheſie in the Church by • n ordinary gift.

If the conſiquence ſeem not good, why doth he ſo ſtrugle as before otherwiſe to make an eſcape frō • he Argument? let us cōſider of the force of it, which appeareth to me irreſiſtable in theſe 3. things. Firſt, the Apoſtle in, and for this worke oppoſeth the men to the women, ſex to ſex and ſo in prohibiting women, he permits men. When the H. Ghoſt oppoſing faith and works in the cauſe of iuſtification, denies that we are iuſtified by works is not then the conſequence good, that therefore we are iuſtified by faith where he oppoſeth beleevers and vnbeleevers in the •• ſe of Saluation and teacheth that beleevers ſhall be ſaued doth he not teach conſequently, that vnbeleevers ſhall periſh? if conſequences be not good •• muſt confeſſe my ſelfe farre to ſeeke both in Logi •• and Divinity.

Secondly, the reaſons of the prohibition of wom •• proue the conſiquence which are all ſuch as prefe •• the men, before the women, and ſubiect the women to the men in the Church, and in this very work of propheſie, of which he treateth. But now if in prohibiting women, he gaue not liberty unto men▪ where were the prerogatiue of men aboue women which is the onely ground, upon which he buildeth his prohibition?

Thirdly, where verſe 34. 35. It is not permitted for women to ſpeak but if they will learn any thing to ask then huſbands at home, if their huſbands might not ſpeake neither nor any more then they, what reaſon can be rendred of the Apoſtle ſo ſpeaking?

Laſtly M. Yates in denying this conſequence, ſheweth that ſo he might deny ſomething, he tooke no great heed what it were. The Apoſtle in this whole Chap, takes order for ſome to propheſie? and debarring women therefrom; either admits men to the uſe of that liberty, or els we muſt haue ſome third kinde of perſons thought of, which are neither male nor female.

My fourth Argument is from verſe 29 and 32. L •• the prophets ſpeake • wo or three, and let the reſt iudg • • nd the ſpirit of the prophets are ſubiect to the prophets. • hence I affirm, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks not of ex • raordinary prophets or propheſying, ſince they in • heir Doctrine could not erre, and ſo were not ſub • ect to any ſuch iudgment, or cenſure of others. He • nſwereth roundly, though briefly in this place, that • heſe prophets were not infallibly aſſisted▪ and more larg • y in another place, that ſuch prophets as haue an in • allible aſſiſtance are no • ſubiect to this Rule: but others • hat had but as the Apoſtle ſayd, Rom. 12. 6. meaner • ifts were to be examined according to the p • oportion of • aith, ſo that extraordinary prophets might mix ſome of • heir own wi • h the extraordinary gifts of Gods ſpirit, • hich was to be cenſured by ſuch as had a greater mea • ure: for none are to thinke that all that ha • th • ſe extraordinary gifts were free from errour in their ve • y doctrine. We ſee the strange gift of tongues was abuſed, and ſo • ight the reſt be.

That one extraordinary Prophet had a greater mea • ure, and proportion of gifts then another, I acknow • edge; but that any one of them could erre in doctrin or was not infallibly aſſiſted therein by the ſpirit • deny, as a moſt pernicious errour, weaking the foundation of faith, and truth of the word of God: neither hath Maſter Yates ſo much as enterpriſed an anſwer unto the Scriptures brought by me to proue the contrary: which were Epheſians 2. 20. where the Epheſians as the houſhold, or Church of God, are ſaid to be built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, &c. & chap. 3. 5. where he ſpeaks of • mistery of Chriſt, which in other ages was not m • known unto the ſonnes of men, as it is now revealed u • his holy Apoſtles and Prophets by the ſpirit. When it apeares, that the Church is as well built upon t •• foundation of the prophets, to wit extraordinar • which then were, for of them he ſpeaketh, as up •• the doctrine of the Apoſtles, and they as infallibl • euen for the very foundation, inſpired by the Hol • Ghoſt, as the other. So that, if the Prophets co •• erre in doctrine, then the Apoſtles, & if in doctrin • taught why not written, and if one alone, why n • more, or all? and if they might erre how know •• that they did not erre? If he ſay the meaner in gift might erre, but not the greater; firſt the ſame follo • eth alſo touching the Apoſtles, how much more touching the Prophets before Chriſt. not comparible t • thoſe after him, why then may there not be errors in the writings eſpecially of thoſe meaner gifts as without doubt ſome were in compariſon of the reſt? what whether this wind will bring who ſeeth not? Moreover, whereas wee propound ſuch interpretations and doctrines, as we gather from the Scriptures, by diſcourſe of reaſon, and ſo may erre; they, on the contrary every one of them d • livered doctrine by immediate inſpiration of the ſpirit, in which by reaſon of the divine impreſſion which it made in their hearts, differencing it from all both humain collection and Diabolicall ſuggeſtion, they could not erre, or miſtaken; but know infallibly when. and wherein, they • ere moued by the holy Ghoſt. Beſides there is not alike • aſon of ſtrange tongues, and propheſie, for the conſide • tion in hand, ſince the Church is not built upon the •• undation of ſtrange tongues, as upon the foundation of • opheſie; neither was the matter of the ſpeach inſpired • t the language onely, except the ſame perſons were • rophets alſo▪

Laſtly, if there were the like reaſon of tongues. and •• opheſie, yet except men might erre in a tongue, and • e • m themſelues inſpired extraordinarily when they • ere not, which were abſurd to affirme; it could not e • nce any poſibility of erring in doctrine by extraordi • ary Prophets.

The laſt Argument in my booke I take from ver. .37 • 8. If any man think himſelfe to be a prophet, or ſpirituall let • im acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the • ommandements of the Lord: But if any be ignorant let him be • gnorant.

M. Yates taxeth mee for making a Prophet, and ſpiritu • ll man all one, ſince by a ſpirituall man is meant ſuch as excel • ed in any ſpirituall gift, propheſie, or other, But without cauſe: ſince I neither mean more nor need more for my purpoſe, then that a Prophet bee included in the general of a ſpirituall man. But wherefore doth he not anſwer the Argument or minde where the force thereof lieth? which is in the▪ words following; let him acknowledge that the things that I write are the commandements of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. The extraordinary Prophets, were guided as immediately and infallibly by the reuelation of Gods ſpirit. as Paul himſelf, and might as▪ wel haue required of him to acknowlede that the things which they ſpeake were the commandemen • the Lord, as hee of them: neither was it poſſible that th • or any of them ſhould bee ignorant, that the thi • which he ſpake were the commandements of the Lo • Which Argument is alſo much ſtrengthned, and mad • in my iudgment, unanſwerable; by that which we fin • ver. 36 Came the word of God out from you, or came it unto • onely? which words the Apoſtle doth not direct unto • women, as M, Yates miſconceaueth with great erro • and contrary both unto reaſon, and to the expreſſe Gre •• text which will not beare it, but to the Prophets; w • whome hee dealeth, and that by way of compariſon w • himſelf, from whome, to wit, by immediate revelatio • the word of God came after a ſort to the Corinthia • Which plainly proues that they could not be extraord • nary prophets, from whom the word of God came u • the Church as well as from himſelfe: they being inſpir • immediately by the Holy Ghoſt as well as he.

The Chriſtian Reader may finde, beſides theſe, othe • reaſons from this Scripture laid-downe by our worth • countryman M. Cartwright in his Confutation of the Rh • miſts, Sect. 5. for the iuſtification of this exerciſe as ordinary and continuall.

The other Arguments in the ſame place of my book • to the ſame purpoſe, though M. Yates could no • but take knowledge of, yet he not thought good to meddle with, One of them onely I will annex in this place word for word, as there I haue ſet it down.

It is the commandement of the Lord by the Apoſtle that a Bishop be apt to teach, and that ſuch Elders or Bishops he called as are able to exhort with ſound doctrine & to conuin • the gain-ſayers, 1. Tim, 3. 2. Tit. 1. 9. now except men, before they be in office may be permitted to manifeſt •• eir gifts in d • ctrine ſo in prayer, which are the two main •• rks requiring ſpeciall qualifications in the teaching •• ders, Acts. 6, 4. how ſhal the Church, which is to chooſe •• em. take knowledge of their ſufficiency, that with •• th and good conſcience they may call them, and ſub • it unto them for their guides? If it be ſayd, that upon • ch occaſion, triall may be taken of mens gifts: he that ſo • ith, grants the queſtion, but muſt know beſides, firſt that • ens gifts & abilities ſhould be known in Some meaſure, • efore they be once thought on for officers: and ſecondly, • at there is none other uſe or triall of gifts, to wit in and • y the Church, but in propheſying▪ for every thing in the • ords houſe is to be performed in ſome ordinance there • nothing thrown about the houſe, or out of order in it • nd other ordinance in the Church ſaue this of propheſie • there none, where in men out of office are to pray and • each, &c, Laſtly, M. Yates in denying this liberty, be •• des other euils, reproueth the practiſe of all reformed • hurches, and of the the Church of England with them. • is not onely permitted as lawfull, but required as ne • eſſary where I line that ſuch as haue bent their thoughts • owards the miniſtery, ſhould before hand uſe their gifts • ublickly in the Church: and intollerable bondage it • ould bee thought by them to have paſtors ordained for • hem as all there are vnto the places in which they are to miniſter, of whoſe ability in teaching they had not taken former experience. And not onely ſo, but it hath been further decreed in a ſolemne Synod, that in all Churches • he •• her ſpringing up, or growing to perfection, the order of prophe • ie ſhould be obſerued according to Pauls inſtitution, and that • nto that fellowſhip, to wit of Prophets, ſhould be admitted • ot onely the miniſters. but alſo the Teachers, and of the Elder • and Deacons and euen of the uery common people, ex ipſa plebe. if there were any which would confer their gift • • eived of the Lord to the common benifit of the Church, • Harmon. Synod. Belg: de pro • hetica, Ex Synodo Embd • Can, 1. 2. And for England it ſelfe; what will M. Yates • to the Common places, as they are called; or Sermons, as • deed they are in the Colledges, not onely permitted u • but impoſed upon diuers, who neuer receiued order prieſthood? What to ſuch as preach by the Biſhops • cence, without any ſuch order? yea to all ſuch as are • dained and called miniſters, but haue not actuall char • & ſo are theas Popiſh accidents in the Sacrament, wi • out a ſubiect? Laſtly, it might be ſhewed, if need we that greater liberty then he alloweth, is uſed by diuers the Romiſh Church, the Spirituall Egipt, and houſe bondage for Gods people: ſo as the bondage of the v • Hager of Rome is not ſo great in this caſe, as he wo • bring upon Sarah her ſelfe.

The Lord giue unto his people courage to ſtand • this liberty amongſt the reſt, wherewith Chriſt ha • made them free; and unto us who enioy it. grace to • the ſame unto his glory, in our mutuall edification • men.