• ot the Staljbr j^ PRINCETON, N. J. ^ Collection of Puritan Literature. Division *■*"■' ■ "_,«. Number V A SHORT TREATISE CONCERNING THE lfiwfullnefse of every maps e^ercifing his gift as God ilxalA calllum thereunto. y Biyfobn Spencer. ,i . i ' . . 1 i f ■ ■ — .-^. =»—»■ ' - " I ■ ■»—■ LONDON, Printed for lchn Sftncer^ and are to be Told by T Bites m A I SH ORT TREATISE CONCERNING THE^LAWFVLL- NESSE OF EVERY MANS exercifing his gift, as Gpdfhall call hitn thereunto, , He gifts of the Spirit are in every one for the goodof the whole body, and that there is no private gifts, nor private CbrUtians that. wee reade of in Scripture to proove at large out of the word I f God wnich fliall bee that*which fliall guide all our anions by, that what gift foever the Spirit giveth: It is for the goodof the whole body, and Co according to it's place in the body, the meafure of grace recei- ved he is to ufe it for the helpe of his fellow members, to the edi- fying of the tody : I may bring for the further clearing of this truth, the judgements of many worthy Divines, Calvin fpeaking of the communion of Saints hath thefe words ; The Saints -which Are gathered together into the fellow/hip ofChrifi wtth this condi- tion y that what ever benefit Cjod be ft ewes upon them y they Should continnally communicate one to another. Vrfinas on Communi- on of Saints hath thefe words : That all receiving one, who be- leeveth are in common pertakers ofChrtft & all his grace s^as being his membes, and then that every one ought readily and cheare fully to be flow their gifts and graces yfhicht hey had to the common com* moditie andfajepfall. Maftcr Perkins oh the Cteedc from our Vnion with Chrift, and our union and communion one with another faith; That a Chrifiian though he be the free ft man uppjt ear thy yet he is afervant toallmen, and efpecially to the Church of Cody to doe fervke $o,the members of it by love for the goodof all. And this good is procured when we c6nyey the gifts of God bc- i to wed on us to pur brethren, which is done thefe five waics.Firft by example, fcrondly by admonition , thirdly by exhortation, fourthly by cotifblation, fiftly by prayer, all which heeopeneth and preffeth to ahis purpofe. Matter Bolton in his general! di- rections for a comfortable walking with God, is full& large for fihis,bucto prove it by fcvcrall Scriptures, in Rommaus. iz. 6. having then gifts according to the grace thatisgivento us whe- (s) whether Frophefie let us prophcGe, let us according to the pro- portion offaith) the fitft of Cor. 12. and the £.Butthemanifcita- tion of the Spirit is given to every one to profit with aW.Sphef. 4« 1 1. 1 2. and he gave fbme to be Apoftles, fbme Prophcts/omc Evangelifts, ahd fome Teachers, and fomc Paftors for the edify- in of the body of Chrift ; £fhnfit,iu 5 .and the c 1 .Wherefore com- / <>%rj/. / fort your fclves together, and edifie on another even as y ee doc, y Heb. 2 . 13. but exhot one another daily while it is called to day, leaft any of you bee hardened through the dcccitfnlnelTe of finne, 1 Cor. 14. 51. For ye may all prophefie one by one, that all may lcarne and all bee comforted, in thefirft ot Peter the 4. and the 10. As every one hath received the gift, even Co mi- nifter the fame one to another as faithfull Stewards of the mani- ibld-gfaces of God : thus you have all thef e places to prove the Jawfu.lnciTe of all to cxercife the gifts as God fhall give them opertunitie with convcriiency, and alfothc Iudgements of many worthy Divines : now we fliall flicvr ycu the reafon of it why every one ought to communicate of what God hath befto wed on them for die good of the whole body, the firft reafon is be- caufe God himlelfe hath commanded jt,. The fecond reafon is, becaufe it was the very end of Gods, beftowing thefe gifts upon us, for the edifying of the body of Chrift. The third reafen is from our ncere union and communion one with anothcr.The fourth reafon is from our breathrens right to it, they have all light to our gifts and abilities. The fifth reafon is this, it is the \vayto inlarge our owne gifts and abilities. The fixt reafon is, Gods glory and trie Saints example. The feven reafon is becau/e of our enemies wiles, and iathans malice, all calling for it at our hands. Now to anfwer certain obje&ions that arc brought in againft the univcfalitie of this truth. The flrft objection is this, that none ought to preach but thole in office, none clfe may properly be faicj to Preach. To this I anfwer, that when the diiperfed Chriftians were icat- tered in that perfecution it is faid that they went about preaching and the hand of the Lord was with them, and great multitudes belccved and turned to the Lord, Aft* n. 19, 20, 21. But fome object and fay, that this js notifuch preaching as is mentioned in Rom. 10. 14, 1 5. but it is manifeftand clears that they ftrive about words and to no purpofe at all ; for there was that very Preachings and that ycxy fending as is there mentioned in that A? teath M tenth to the Rom. and the 15% for that preaching of the xliipetfcd £ Chriftians was made necefTary for the working of faith, elfe the text faith nit right, in faying they beleeved .• But fbme farther object and lay, that thefe were all Church-officers, and fo might Preach where ever they came. To this I anfwer, that it could not be fo, for wee never read in all the whole booke of God, that all the members of a Church was offiiceis, but this is aparenr, that all the members were fcat- tered enly Apoftles, as you may lee k in the 8. of the *ABs the firft. I (hall gi e you another inftance in the fourth of Uhn and the 357. It is laid that many of the Samaritans beleeved at the report of the woman ; if it befb, then one of thefe muft needes befall thofc that hod none ought- to Preach but thole that arc Church-officers , and this woman was a Church-offic€r,>and fo a Harold and an Imbaffador, and fo fent and fbPrcaened, or elie that the fpirit was miftaken that fed they beleeved. .Another inftance we have ofbne that was no Church officer and yet a Preacher and a publi/lier of the GofpeJ, in the eighth ofLft^S a °d the 38, 39. the man out of whom the devills were caft out 1 Ghrift fent him away, and bid him goe and declare what great things he had done to him, and the text faith, that he went and preached in the Cities. Itis manifeft that this man was no Church-officer and yet a preacher ofthc Gofpel. Againe, what thinke you of Mofes deiire, when hee defired that all the Lords people were Prophets, either Afofes fay you jeared or elfe he wifhed that all good people were Church-officers which could not be, Numb. 11. 20. Whatthinkeyou of Saul in the fir ft of /o.f Sam. «*. 10. And when they came thither to the hill, a company / of the Prophets met him, and the fpirit of God came upon him and he prophefled : fo alio the 19 of Sam. and the 20.and Saule fent mcfTengers to take 'Davicl, and when they law the com- pany of the Prophets propheflng and Samuel ftanding as ap- pointed over them ; the fpirit of God was upon the mcfTengers . ofSauiy and they prophefied all, fee inthe 24 verfe, and he ftript off his cloathesalfoarrd prophefied, new none of thefe were Church-officers. But they further object, and fay; that thefe had an extraordi- Baric fpirit given them, and therefore might. To this I anfwer, that none had this extraordinary fpirit, but thofc that pened the Scriptures or that was able to Yvorke Mi$acl« f But tbeie, It is apparent (5; •parent i.i the Atls. and in thefe places, ha«j not fuch a Spirit as worked Miracles, or thai pened Scriptures, And yet prophefied. Againetothislanfwerc, that fuchaSpkit as that they had, Is promifed to the people of Cod* in our dayes, in ihc fecond or ihc Acls. and the 28. And enemy fervants and one my hand- maids,! will power out in thefe dayes of my fpirir,and they fha'H prophefie, but to this promife ibme anfvverc, that it was made good in the Apoftles times • and we muftnot looke for the mak- ing good of this promife in our days. To this I anfwere that in the Apoflles times, they were called the laft times,* but if then they were the lafl dayes much more now. And lb may look for the fulfilling of this promife, and we ought alfo to pray for the making good of it. The fecond obieel is this, for none unleiTe he be skijd in arts and tongues, Is fit for the vvorke of the meniftrie , to this I an- fwere that the fcriptures doth plainely affirme, that the true un- demanding of fcripture, comes not by humane learning, by arts and tongues, but by the ipirit of God, in the firft Cor* 2.1 2.1 3. Now we have not received the ipirit of the world, but the ipirit which is of God, that we might know the thinges that are freely given us of God : which thinges wc ipeake not with the words, which mans wiidome teacheth , but which the Holy Ghoft tea- cheth us, comparing fpirituall things with fpirituall. . Secondly I anfwer, that the naturall man cannot find out thefe things, be he never io well qualified, with ah humane wit domeand learning. In the firft of Cor. 2.14. But the naturall man perceivcth not the things of the ipirit oi God, for they are foolillineiTe unto him, neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpiritualiy deferned, in the firft Chap, and the 20. ver. where is the wile , where is the Scribe, where is the difputer of this Woridhath not God made fool ifh the wifedomeof this world. Thirdly I anfwere, that the want of furniture in skill and arts and tongues,Shall not hinder any from this knowledg,wben the Lord is pleafed,in the holy meanes apointed to fend forth his ip- irit, with fuch ilh:minations,& infufions into the ibule, in the firft of Cor. 2. 10. or the ipirit fearcheth all thinges, ycthedecpe things ofGodinthci5,*vr/: Blithe that is fpintuall, Iudgeth all things, Fourthly I anfwere, chat God counts k his glory fometkrws to hide this thing from the wife & prudent ; and to revcaie them A 3 wnto w unto babes, and fucklings.. Such that arediftitude of humane learning in arts and tongues, which muft needs be the meaning ofthatplafein the n.of Matt. 25. Fiftly I anfwere, that there is not onely grounds , and princi- ples of laving truths, given to fuchthat are diltitude of humane learning, and the like 3 but to understand a Proverbe and the inter- pretations of words, of the wife : and there darke faying Pro* ■V2rbsi 1. 6q, Pfalme. 25. 12. Laitly I anfwere, that the Apoftles defiriug that others might underftand thele things. -pr aye th to God for them,not that God "Would give them skill in arts and tongues , though it might be defired , in thofe that want it. But that God would giye them the fpint of wifdome , and revelation in the knowledge of his ionncEpkef. 1.17. Thus you have the fecond obie& anfwered,as God hath ina- bled me. The third obie& is this,that none ought to excercife thefe gifts in fuch a publike way but thofe that have a call to it. To this I anfwere that all the call mentioned of in holy fcrip^ tures,was the peoples great neceflity, and their great willing- neffetoheare them and receive them. Andtheaprobationof godly minifters , and all this I have had for my call, but if none might Pre^chithe Golpell, unleffe he had the coafent of all. None ihould preach arnongft us,thatis for the 3.obiet5r. The fourth obie£t is this , that it may happily be lawfull in a lnans family, but not in a Church, Ifpeakein the worlds langu- age their reafon is, becaufe one is publike, and the other private. And God hath given a private fpirit , and this is to private men to excercife privately with. He hath alio given a publike fpirit, and this is for publikc perlons, which they call themfil ves, for a publike ufc. To this I anfwere , that there is no members, of the body of Icfus Chrift. But is of the fame nature of the whole , a publike member of a pubfike body, and the fpirit proceeding , from the head to every member is one, and the fame fpirit, and his gifts of like nature; publike gifts of a publike fpirit, for the good of the whole body. And fo in its place, according to its meafureto be ufed, what ever gift it bejthat fo though the members be many, yet the body is but on, every on member of the head , and all members one of another , and though die members ha vcfcve- ~~ ~ rail (7) rail officios , yet every member in the body hach fbme officio , and ufcfuil gift , aud that not for its owne profit alone : or the profit of two or three members next it,but for the good of the whole body, God having fo placed the members in the body, that the chiefeft cannot fay to themeanclt, I have no need of you, nor the mcaneft cannot alfo fay to the chiefeft, I am not to care tor you, but every member to have the lame care one of a- nother, though this care bee manifefted divcrfly, according to the fcverall officies they have in the body; and the feverall gifts given it for difchargc of the fame, for though in refpe# of the Politic of Congregated bodics,the more part arc out of officie, yet as we arc all one body in Chrift,and members on of another, their is never a member out of office, and that for the fcrvicc of the whole: there are no more private Chriftians, then private members of Chrift, neither in any other fenfe, can they properly be called private Chriftians, then they may alfo be called private members of Chrift. Seeing that in the whole booke of God, we finde no fuch phrafe as private Chriftian , or private fpiri'«Thus have I laboured,as the Lord hath helped me to difcover the law- fulneflc of my pra&ife, both publikc andprivate:I have laboured to anfwer all the obiedtions, that I ever had againft it unleffe it ' be this that though it be Iawfull , yet not at this time, and that for this realbn , becaufc happily it might hinder the worke of reformation. To this I anfwer, that in the worke of reformation, it is neccf- fary that all errors fhould be brought to light,and that all truths fhould be dif covered j this I finding out of Gods word to be an error that is held commonly amongft us, that rather then any man fhould be a publifher of the Gofpel of Chriffy-nlcffe he were skild in arts and tongues, andientforth by our Prelates, thou- fands of our meeting houfes fhould be fhut up, and the people ftarved for want of roode, though God hath abundantly provi- ded for them : I thought no time fo fie to publifh this truth by my praclife as now at this time when God hath given us fuch glorious hopes of a glorious reformation, and when fo many of thofe that pittics poore foules to fee them lie in ignorance and bltndneiTe,and have power in their hands t/> redi effc it. Tnerfbre I thought no time fb leafonable as this tmie, ?nd thus have you ail the objections that are brought againft me ?nfu cicd. That which occafioncd nac to put ihcfc few lines forth to the (8) view cf the world, hath beerie by the importunity of many that beare good will to Sion>& to this truth : alfb the ev^ill afpertioas that arc caft upon me for th« my pra