Non terti

Pifcator faith. The five terms of Apostles, Prophets, &care five kinds, and as it were orders of officers. Our learned Whitaker and am ut tu, fed fecundum gra(a) Zanchius are more pofitive, Zanchius faith plainly, they dum cum are five orders, and (b) Whitaker faith, certainly the Apostle doth ftolo affignem. defcribe thefe kinds of Ministries in order, which Chrift instituted to Bez. cont. Jateach his Church. Our Rigid English Presbyters, who ftood by ab cap. I. the location of the Evangelift; according to the former Defi S. denique, quod facrarum nitions, till they had effected the temporary extruifion of Epi- quinque genecopacy: when that work was over, they forced him to take a ra, & quafi nother, and lower feat: God permitting Independency by a juft ordines. Piflaw of retaliation, to vex them welnigh to the extermination cat. Anal. ad of the Presbyterian Government, which a wrong extent of the Eph. 4. 11. Prophetick office clamouroufly, and impudently afferted, as Zanch. in 4. Presbyters had before ferved the Bishops, with the like con- prac. pag.662. cerning the Evangelift. The cafe was in fhort thus: the IndeCert Ogenera pendents fhrouded their gifted and unordained brethren, under minifteriorum, the lap of the Prophets mantle, Liberty of Prophefie being the In- qua Chriftus dependent Shibboleth, as parity of Minifters, had been before the ad ecclefiam Presbyterian. Whereat the London Minifters enraged, fay, The Juam docendam inftituit, Prophets were Church-officers, not only preferred before Paftors, and defcripfit Teachers, but also before the Evangelifts; fuffice this in anfwer to dine. Whitak the firft. We proceed to the fecond objection.

cont. To.2.

deo.

or

Obj. 2. Prophets mentioned, Eph. 4. 11. and I Cor. 12. 28. Pag. 530. Sewere either foretellers of future events by Divine Revelation, cundo refponor men extraordinarily raised to reform the Church: Which Fus divin. being true; the Evangelift may retain all allowed him by the 1 par. p. 97. former Definitions, without any of the furmized inconvenien- Obj.2. The ces, fince to foretel future events, or reform a corrupt Prophets were Church-ftate, required a more extraordinary affiftance, then extraordina predi&ters.or any of the works affigned to the Evangelift.

rily raised re

1 Anf. I grant the New Teftament fpeaks of Prophets, ofei- formers. ther fort, of the former Agabus, &c of the latter, John the 1 Anf. by conBaptift, though his work was not only, yea not principally the the word may ceffion, that regulation of things amifs in the Jewish Pædagogy, and their elsewhere be reduction to the antient ftandard of difcipline, but the intro-fo interpreted duction of a new orders and form of worship under the Kingdome, and Government of the Meffias, whofe forerunner he was.

2 Anf. I deny, that Prophets in either of those latitudes are fpoken of in these Texts, particularly.

2 Anf. by negation that it doth not fo fignifie in thefe texts.

Firft

Firft they

1. Firft not foretellers of future things, for these reawerenot perdi-fons. &ers because.

Firft their af

nature.

M

First, Because both Texts treat of a gathered, and governed figned works Church,and of her officers, unto whom works of another, and diare of another verse nature are affigned,even perpetual,ordinary,and yet continuing works, but prediction is difcontinued, or rarely found in the Church at this day: The work of our Prophet regiftred, Eph. 4. 11. Is the perfecting of the Saints, the work of the Miniftry, and the edifying of the body of Chrift, till we all come in the unity, &c. Indeed in 1 Cor. 12. 28. mention is made of fome extraordinary gifts. But, Firft there is no mention made of prediction. Secondly what are mentioned are feated apart, and diftinct from the Prophet, and might as well be the gift of Teachers, as of Prophets: For fome of the lower order of Church-officers received those miraculous effufions of the holy Ghoft, and wrought by them. So Philip, A&t. 8. 6. who though called an Evangelift, Act. 21. 8. was no more then a Presbyter, he being exprefly excluded from impofition of hands, which was a diftinct act of the Apoftolick office. Act. 8. 14, 15. And thus the feventy Difeiples, Luk. 10. 19. Thirdly, who ever received thofe gifts, the holy Ghoft in enumerating them separate, and diftin&t from officers, wills us to confider in what notion they received them, leaft confounding gifts and offices. Firft we make both temporary,, when only one was. That no office inftituted by Chrift in the Primitive Church was temporary, fhall be proved in the feventh exception, but that gifts were temporary, appears both in their prefent difufe: And in that thofe officers who exercised them once, could not alwaies do it, although the occafions were the fame. St. Paul, who one while cured multitudes of difeafed perfons, by handkerchiefs, and aprons taken off from his body and put upon theirs. Act. 19. 12. Another time advifeth Timothy to a phyfical care of his bodily health, leaft he should prejudice it by over much intentiveness upon the best things. 1 Tim. 5. 24. And is forced to leave his dear companion Trophimus fick at Miletum,while he travails elsewhere. 2 Tim. 4. 20. Secondly, we maim the yet continuing officer, of a part of his office; when he is to do the fame works of perfecting the Saints, &e.

We are therefore yet to expect a proof, that this Prophet mentioned, I Cor. 12. 28. was a foreteller of things to come, and long enough we may expect it: fince St. Paul a little after in the fame Epiftle, affigns him another work; 1 Cor. 14. 3.

He

2. Predi

0.45

He that prophefteth speaketh unto men, unto exhortation, edification, and comfort. There are not only diftinct from prediction, but are ordinary, and continuing office-works; In doing whereof (let it be noted) the Prophet was to wait for a May, or permittance from the Church. 1 Cor. 14. 31. ye may all prophefie one by one, that all may be edified, and all may be comforted. But how may all Prophefie? even in fubjection of Spirit unto their fellow Prophets. ver. 32. And the Spirits of the Prophets are fubject unto the Prophets. Which being understood, either of the Prophets power over his own Spirit, that he might, or of his Brethrens power over him, that he must be fubject in fpeech, filence, denies he had the fame impulfe with old Teftament Prophets All which were Predicters, and never lefs able to command themselves, or liable to be commanded by others, then in that action. See Jer. 6. 11. Amof. 7. 12, 13, 14. Secondly Inspiration, or the gift of foretelling things to come, ation was a was promifcuously beftowed, both upon men and women, gift promifcu without diftinction of Sex; when Philips daughters are called oully bestowpropheteffes, A&t. 21. 8. I hope we do not take them for ed upon both Church-officers, or of the order mentioned 1 Cor. 12.28. (fince exes, both then the rule could not have been given. 1 Cor. 14. 34. Let men, but woyour women keep filence in the Churches, for it is not permitted them men are proto fpeak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also faith hibited to the law) but that they were infpired by bymne, Spiritual fong, or the fenfe of prophefie in otherwife, to foretel future events, and probably St. Pauls ha- thofe texts. zards and fufferings at Jerufalem. Certainly bleffed Anna was fuch a Propbeteffe,her Prediction concerning our Lord Jesus then newly born, is recorded. Luk. 2. 36, 37,38. And there was one Anna a prophetess, he coming in at that inftant, gave thanks som mothe likewife unto the Lord,& fpake of him to all them that looked for Re demption in Jerufalem. Befides St. Paul. 1 Theff. 5. 20. gives a general Caveat, not to quench the Spirit: But if Prophets, and Prophefies in the objected Texts, muft be interpreted by Predicters, and prediction; he tranfgreft his own order, when he imposed filence upon women in the Church, fince they received, and might.exercife that gift as well as men.

I

men and wo

3. Presby ters deny these prophets have been

Thirdly, Presbyterian commentators, will neither allow to the Prophets mentioned in these Texts to be Predicters, nor Predicters. their work to be prediction. The London Divines fay. the Prophets both in this place(they mean 1Cor. 14.3.)and where ever elfe Jus divin. in Scripture mentioned, were an order of Ministry, not only gifted in part pag. brethren, but conftituted officers in the Church, thus 1 Cor. 12. 28. 96.

G

God

Tranfit a

qui dono vati

God hath fet in his Church, firft Apoftlès, Jecondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers. Thus they. Calvin faith, The Apofile paffetb primo gradu from the first degree to Prophets, by which name he doth not underad prophetas ftand foretellers of future events, but men enabled by Special grace to quo nominenon interprete, and wifely accommodate. Scripture unto prefent occafions, intelligit eos, for he prefers prophefie to all other gifts, as more edifying then they; cinandi polle- which commendation prediction doth not deferve. Furthermore when rent fed qui he defines the prophets work, (or at least handles what he ought frinfingulari, non cipally to do) be faith he must use bis whole endeavour to comfort, exmodo interpre bort,& inftruct,but these are diftinct from prediction. We underfiand tanda, fed inpræfentem u- therefore by prophets in this place, chiefly excellent interpreters of Jum prudenter Scripture, fecondly men indued with a more then ordinary prudence accommodan- dexterity, to speak appofitely to the Churches prefent neceffitics, be as da fcriptura, it were the messengers of the divine will. Thus he. This is gegratia polle- nerally the Proteftant opinion, hence Whitaker replying to phetiampre Bellarmine, who cenfeth Prophets in these Texts, as the firft fer omnibus member of the objection doth, faith in fcorn. (a) Í let pass bom aliis donis, Clerk-like Bellarmine underftands foretellers of future events by fra quia plus adi- plets., and this fhall fuffice in anfwer to the firft member of ficationis affe the objection.

rent, nam pro

rat, quod clo

gium in rerum

futurarum predictionem minime competeret, deinde cum definit prophetia munus, (vel faltem trallat quod precipue agere debeat docer eum incumbere in confolationem, exhortationem, doctrinam. Hec autem a vaticinijs funt diftin&ta, funt ergo nobis propheta boc loco, primum eximin fcripture interpretes, deinde non vulgari prudentia, & dexte ritate praditi ad circum fpiciendam præfentem ecclefiæ neceffitatem,ut appofite loquantur. fint hac ratione quafi divine voluntat is internuncii. Calv. in 1 Cor 12.28. (a) Mitto bic quamcite, Bellarminus per prophetas cos intelligit, qui futura prædicant. Whitak controv. To. 2. pag. 530.

с

2 they were Secondly, thefe Prophets were not extraordinarily raifed not extraor- reformersed t dinarily raifed reformers. Because

1. Some

what was amifs in the

Prophet.

Becaufe fomewhat was amifs, both in the Prophets, and in the Church whereof they were officers, but the Apostle orders the reformation of both.

Firft, That fomewhat was amifs in the Prophet appears (befide what hath been already inftanced) in the many Apoftoli cal cautions, and rules givenfor the regular administration of his gifts, 1 Cor. 14. per tot for inftance a prophetical gift, a choife, though not the only one, was the gift of tongues, compare Act. 2. 4. with..xer. 17. 18. you will find the gift of tongues conferred upon.the Apoftles, to enable them to Prophefie.And Act. 19.6. fpeaking with tongues, and prophecy: g or gift and office are coupled now in the mifimploy

a

ment

ment of this gift, he Corinthian Prophet was delinquent, and ede frig is therefore reproved by the Apoftle1 Cor. 14.586. ver, 34)-ngis ax10 ver. 23. ver. 26. money deim 20 bib med 20 -art of he Obj. Is it faid the Apostle perpetually, or very frequently, dit liv filgnev ftinguisheth in that Chapter betwixt tongues and prophe

fie.

Sol.I answer to grant it no more is gained, then that,First they were diverse actions, which is no bar to their performance by one and the fame perfon at feveral times. Secondly, though the actions were, and might fometimes be diverfe, yet they vibrama were not alwaies fo, nor did the diftinction confift in the fepa rate nature of the things, but in the feveral capacities of the hearers: For the Linguift might at once. fpeak with tongues, and prophefie unto intelligent perfons, while at the fame time he fcattered his words in the air and was a Barbarian to the ignorant. Thirdly, a nigh obferver will eafily difcern the Aibot na poftle evidencing in this feeming oppofition, the fubferviency of tongues unto edification, which is the Prophets principal work, thus who fpeaks with tongues ought to accommodate bis difcourfe to the capacity of his hearers. i Cor. 34. 15. is to pray that he may interpret. 1 Cor. 1413.) and a rule is given that others Corinthian fhould do it, if the Linguift do not, or cannot, 1 Cor. 14, Church wan27.

اد

2. The

ted reforma

Paul not the

3. Obj. the

Secondly, the Church of Corinth as well as the Prophet, tion, and St. ftood in need of reformation, but the Apoftle leaves it not un- Prophets to the Prophet, but takes courfe about it himself, whether in gives orders groffer mifdemeaners, thats they might be speedily punished, about it. 1 Cor. 5.3. or in flighter offences that they might be, t tolera ted until his coming, 1 Cor. 11. 34. now had either of thefe things belonged to the Corinthian, Prophets cognizance, either the Apostle would not have intermedled at all, or given the fpecial reason why he thus of neceffity invaded the Prophets Prophetical priviledges, that they might be preferred to him and his Suce cal order ceffors for the future; and thefe acts not hang upon the file, were paralel. as presidents to his prejudice. Thus, we difmifs the fecond }. objection The third enters. de or Obj. The diffenting brethren, reduce Prophets, and Evan- Pag. 116.2 gelifts to a parallel order, where they follow () Bul-functionis vo linger, whose words upon the Texodafelen Apoftless, Prophets, cabula, & and Evangelifts are names ofrone function, and though various, quamvisionmeet at laft in one order,office,or officer, si ob of movsobre 10, "Trecidunt.

C

C3;

G 2

i

avReason of diffentersTM **

b. Unica

riains eindem

Bullinger ad! Firft Eph.4. 11.