A42758:108
An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…
An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of ruling-elders and of the authority of presbyteries and synods with a postscript in answer to a treatise lately published against presbyterial government.An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of ruling-elders and of the authority of presbyteries and synods with a postscript in answer to a treatise lately published against presbyteriall government.
Edinburgh: printed for James Bryson, 1641Edinburgh: printed for Iames Bryson, 1641
Part 1 › Chapter 5: Our third Argument taken from Romans 12.8.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But to pass this, there are other things which better deserve an answer: for one might object, 1. That the Apostle seemeth to speak of several gifts only, not of several offices. 2. If he speak of Offices, by what reason make we Prophecy and Ministry general kinds, and all the rest particular offices. 3. Why would the Apostle put the Deacon before the Elder. 4. Bishop Andrewes in his Sermon of the worshipping of Imaginations, maketh a fourth objection, that by our interpretation of this place, we make Qui miseretur to be Latin for a widow.
But to passe this, there are other things which better deserve an answer: for one might object, 1. That the Apostle seemeth to speake of severall gifts onely, not of severall offices. 2. If hee speake of Offices, by what reason make we Prophesie and Ministery generall kindes, and all the rest particular offices. 3. Why would the Apostle put the Deacon before the Elder. 4. Bishop Andrewes in his Sermon of the worshipping of Imaginations, maketh a fourth objection, that by our interpretation of this place, wee make Qui miseretur to be Latine for a widow.
To the first of these we answer, The Apostles Protasis speaketh of several offices, not in the same, but in several members: how then should we make his Apodosis to speak of ⟨p. 37⟩several gifts in the same, and not in several office-bearers of the Church: wherefore, as seeing, hearing, tasting, &c. do differ subjectively in respect of the members, which do see, hear, &c. So speaketh the Apostle of teaching, exhorting, ruling, &c. as they are in different office-bearers. It is least of all credible which Bilson saith de Eccles. gubern. c. 10. p. 186.187. that the Apostle speaks not of the gifts of office-bearers, but of gifts distributed unto all the members of Christs mystical body, even unto women. He had showed us a great secret, if he could have made it appear, that all who are in the Church, women and all, may both prophesy and rule. In this he shall have the praise of out-stripping the Separatists. We know that private Christians may teach and exhort one another; but they do not so devote themselves thereto, as altogether to wait upon teaching and exhorting, which is the case the Apostle speaketh of.