A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

The Apostle distinguisheth the Prophets from the Pastors and Teachers; 1 Cor: 12. 28, 29. Ephes: 4. 11. The Prophets are enumerate among the public Ministers which Christ hath given to the Church; Yet distinct from the ordinary Pastors and Teachers, 2. They are not only distinguished from Pastors and Teachers, but seem also to be set before them; yea, before the Evangelists, Ephes: 4. 11. And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, or as the Syriac readeth, and some Pastors and some Teachers, so distinguisheth Pastors from Teachers, as Mr. Bath also doth: understanding here five, degrees of those who labour in the Word and Doctrine, the first three extraordinary, the last two ordinary. I know 'tis not always preferred in honour and dignity, which is first mentioned: Yet I think our dissenting Brethren would not think it fit, nor suitable to enumerate their gifted and pro. phesying members, next to the Apostles, and before Pastors much less Evangelists, neither do I ground my argument simply and merely upon the enumeration, but upon such an enumeration as is noted, with first, second, third, 1 Cor: 12. 28. And God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, where he puts upon the Prophets the highest eminency and chiefest dignity next to the Apostles, which I think the prophesying Brethren of this age do not look for; Chrysostome, de divers: nov: Test: locis: serm: 50. proves the chief dignity of Apostleship from these words: First Apostles: Is it not as good an argument to prove the next dignity, to belong to prophecy from these words, Secondarily Prophets. 'Tis true helps are mentioned before governments in that same Text. But the Apostle hath left o• his numerical order, before he come at these, and besides, both the Deacon and the ruling Elder, are Church officers, and neither of ⟨p. 67⟩them Preachers, so that the disproportion is not so great when the Deacon is named before the ruling Elder: but that such Preachers or Interpreters who had no office at all in the Church, should be enumerate, not only among officers and Ministers of the Church, but before Teachers, and that in four Texts, Acts 13. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 28. ibid. vers: 29. Ephes: 4. 11.