§. XXVII.
By this it may appear, that as in Calling and Qualifying, so in Preaching and Praying, and the other particular Steps of the Ministry, every true Minister is to know the Spirit of God by its Virtue and Life to accompany and assist him; but because this relates to Worship, I shall speak of it more largely in the next Proposition, which is concerning Worship.
The last Thing to be considered and inquired into is, concerning the Maintenance of a Gospel Minister; but before I proceed, I judge it fit to speak something briefly concerning the Preaching of Women, and to declare what we hold in that Matter.
Women’s publick Preaching and Praying asserted.Seeing Male and Female are one in Christ Jesus, and that he gives his Spirit no less to one than to the other, when God moveth by his Spirit in a Woman, we judge it no Ways unlawful for her to preach in the Assemblies of God’s People. Neither think we that of Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 34. to reprove the inconsiderate and talkative Women among the Corinthians, who troubled the Church of Christ with their unprofitable Questions, or that, 1 Tim. ii. 11, 12. that Women ought to learn in Silence, not usurping Authority over the Man, any Ways repugnant to this Doctrine; because it is clear that Women have prophesied and preached in the Church, else had that Saying of Joel been ill applied by Peter, Acts ii. 17. And seeing Paul himself, in the same Epistle to the Corinthians, giveth Rules how Women should behave themselves in their publick Preaching and Praying, it would be a manifest Contradiction if that other Place were taken in a larger Sense. And the same Paul speaks of a Woman that laboured with him in the Work of the Gospel: And it is written that [94]Philip had four Daughters that prophesied. And Lastly, It hath been observed, that God hath effectually in this Day converted many Souls by the Ministry of Women; and by them also frequently comforted the Souls of his Children; which manifest Experience puts the Thing beyond all Controversy. Quest. 4. Ministers Maintenance. But now I shall proceed to speak of the Maintenance of Ministers.
[94] Acts 21. 9.