The woman-preacher of Samaria a better preacher, and more sufficiently qualified to preach than any of the men-preachers of the man-made-ministry in these three nations / by George Keith. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. 1674 Approx. 74 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A47200 Wing K236 ESTC R218789 23813445 ocm 23813445 109573 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A47200) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 109573) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1703:11) The woman-preacher of Samaria a better preacher, and more sufficiently qualified to preach than any of the men-preachers of the man-made-ministry in these three nations / by George Keith. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. [2], 25 p. s.n.], [London : 1674. Place of publication suggested by Wing. Imperfect: cropped, with loss of print. Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Society of Friends -- Ministry of women. Women clergy. Theology, Doctrinal. 2003-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-06 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2003-06 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Woman-Preacher OF SAMARIA ; A Better Preacher , and more Sufficiently Qualified to Preach than any of the Men-Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry in these Three NATIONS . Quia non cognovi literaturam , introibo in potentias Domini , Psal 71. v. 15. ( So the Ancient Latine , and so the Septuagint , in some Copies , and so the Hebrew it self , being rightly Translated ) In English thus . Because I know not Letters I will enter into the Powers of the Lord. By George Keith . Printed in the Year 1674. THE Woman-Preacher OF SAMARIA . COme hither all you Men-Preachers , of a Man-made-Ministry , in the three Nations ; whether Conformists , or Nonconformists unto the present way of the Ministry , and Worship in these Nations Established by an Humane Law , who cry out against Womens Preaching , and Speaking , and say , Women ought not to Preach , There should not be Women Preachers , They should keep them to the Affairs within the House , and not meddle with our holy Function . Behold , a Woman-Preacher ! the Woman of Samaria ( Iohn 4. ) who may be an Example unto you all ; and the best of you , and most Learned and Qualified of you all , have need to learn of her how to Preach . This Woman of Samaria may be your School-Mistress to teach you to Preach ; and it were good for you to learn of her , who though being dead , yet speaketh unto you . Verily , she is a witness for God , unto the true way of Ministry , and Preaching , against you all , and against all your false and invented ways . Oh for shame let alone your crying out against Women-Preachers ; while you are short , exceedingly short of this Woman-Preacher of Samaria : and , first of all , learn the true silence , and to have that mouth in you stopped , which God hath never opened ; that the true mouth which is of his opening , you may come to witness , or else for ever to be silent : that him you may know to open your Mouths , who hath the Key of David , who shutteth , and no man openeth ; and openeth , and no man shutteth . The Woman then left her Water-pot , and went her way into the City , and saith unto the Men , Come , See a Man which told me all things that ever I did , Is not this the Christ ? Then they went out of the City , and came unto him , &c. Iohn 4.28 , 29 , 30. Here she Preached Christ in few words , but very effectually , and with good success . Come , See a Man that told me all things that ever I did , is not this the Christ ? These were her words , few and short , but very material , and Pertinent ; and very powerful and effectual , as appeared by the good success her words had upon the men of the City : for it is said , Then ( to wit , after her speaking to them ) they went out of the City , and came unto him : and v. 39. it is said , And many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him , for the saying of the Woman , which testified , he told me all things that ever I did : but v. 41. it is said , and many more believed , because of his own Word . But , How came this Woman to be a Preacher of Christ ? First , Who taught her ? Secondly , Who called her ? Verily she was not taught by Men , nor by Men was she called , but by Christ. She had not been learned at the University , neither got she her Ordination , either by the laying on of hands , of a Bishop , or company of Men , called a Presbytery : yea we find no hands that Christ laid upon her in the outward , but spoke unto her , and talked with her , and she with him . So then she was taught of Christ himself , that he was the Messiah , or the Christ. She had heard of the Messiah that was to come , but she knew not that he was come , or who he was : yea for some time , though he was speaking unto her , she did not know him to be the Christ ; but when he said unto her , I that speak unto thee am he , then she believed , and went her way into the City , and Preached him unto the men of the City . So first of all , she was taught Christ , by Christ himself ; she was taught immediately , and being thus taught , she believed on him , and then she went and Preached him . This is an excellent Pattern , and Example unto all true Ministers , and Preachers of Christ ▪ First to be taught by himself , before they go Preach him unto others . Secondly to believe on him ; and having both heard himself , and from his own word , and testimony , believed on him , then to Preach him unto others . And this same Method Paul followed ; who , of a Persecutor of Christ , became a Preacher of him . First , he was taught Christ , by Christ himself , and that inwardly Christ was revealed in him ; When it pleased God , said he , to reveal his Son in me , that I should Preach him to the Gentiles . And Secondly , he was a believer in him , as he said himself , We having received the same Spirit of Faith , we believe , therefore we speak ; and , said David , I believe , therefore have I spoken . And what sort of Faith was this ? Was it onely an Historical Faith , which Hypocrites , and ungodly Men have , whereof Paul and David spake ? Nay surely , it was the true , saving , renewing , and sanctifying Faith , and according unto this , none ought to preach , who have not a measure of true and saving Faith , and who are not truly in some measure Sanctified and renewed , and by being Sanctified and renewed through Faith by the operation of the Holy Spirit , are fitted and prepared for the work of the Ministry . Now , by these two qualifications of a true and right Preacher of Christ , let us try the Ministers and Ministry of those called Preachers in these Nations ; both Conformists , and Non-Conformists , Both of them affirm , and hold it as their Principle , That true and saving Faith is not necessary unto a Mans being a Preacher : It 's true they say , if he be a true Believer , and godly Man , he will be the better Preacher , but a true and Lawful Preacher he is , and ought to be followed , and heard , and maintained , though he be not in the least a godly Man , or true Believer , if he be a Scholar , and can Preach in a Form of Sound words , if he have Latine , Greek , and a little Hebrew and Logick , and such like Natural Arts and Sciences , it is enough to qualifie him to be a Preacher ; and this Principle Iames Durham , a great Presbyterian , expresly holds in his Book , called , An Exposition upon the Revelation , in his digression concerning the Ministry , and I my self have had sundry debates , with both Conformists , and Non-Conformists so called , touching this same thing ; both affirming that true Faith and Piety was not needful to a Mans being a Preacher , but that Letter Learning was needful ; so that he could not be a Preacher without Letters , but he could be a Preacher without Faith and Piety . Oh abominable Doctrine ! And this same Rule both follow , in their trying of mens qualifications unto the Ministry ; they try what knowledge they have in strange Languages , and Arts and Sciences Natural , and what they can say upon pla●es of Scripture , but never one word they question them concerning the work of God in their hearts , or concerning their Faith and Piety . But alas ! how can they try them concerning the work of Grace in their Hearts , seeing they acknowledge th●● have not a discerning themselves , whereby to know them surely and infallibly ; yea , they affirm there is no such discerning in these dayes , as whereby men can be known to be truly gracious . And doth not sad Experience shew it , that the generality of those Preachers have not true Faith and Piety , their Lives and Conversations are so gross and Carnal ? Yea , do not many of themselves see it , and have they not complained of it ? And yet doth not this Principle of theirs , That wicked Men may be Preachers , and ought to be Received , lay a Foundation for a wicked 〈◊〉 ? And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being laid with their own Hands , will not wicked Men come in thick and throng ? And will not th●se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have all like themselves ? If they can have a wicked Man ▪ will not the wicked prefer him to another that but seems to be a godly , and may , or may not be , and thus in process of time the whole Ministry will consist of ungodly men , the wicked being still preferred by the wicked ; and carrying it by most Votes , as among them called Presbyterians , or by the Authority of the Bishop , as among the Episcopal . Oh! for shame never say , that you are for a godly Ministry , while you both lay such a Foundation for the ungodly . And Secondly , as both sorts hold that true Faith and Piety is not necessary to a Mans being a Preacher , so they hold that immediate revelation , and to be immediately taught by Christ himself , is not necessary , either to his being , or better being , yea , they wholly exclude it , and affirm that all immediate Revelation and Teaching by Christ himself , so as to teach Men the Truths of the Gospel , is ceased since the Apostles dayes , and is no more to be expected while the World lasts ; so Iames Durham , concerning Prophecying in his afore said Book , and in the first Page of that Book , he saith , God hath spoke his last words to his Church , by Iohn , in the Revelation ; and so the Church nor any in the Church is not to hear any word from God , or Christ himself ; nay , he hath spoken his last words sixteen hundred Years ago . Oh gross blindness and darkness ! Is the Lord wholly absent from his Church ? Or if he be present with her , and in her , doth he never speak himself ? Hath he lost the power of his Speech , or his willingness to speak , that he hath been so long silent ? Surely , nay , as it is written , Our God will speak , and not keep silence , he is not so unkind , nor hard-hearted , as those Men would make him , so as not to speak himself . And as concerning the immediate Teachings of Christ , who is such a Stranger unto them , and their Principles , who know not that they deny them , and are Enemies unto them , and that one of the main things of Controversie betwixt them and us lyeth here ; they say , the immediate Teachings of Christ are all ceased , since the Apostles dayes ; We say , not , and we are Witnesses of the contrary in our Experience , who witness the New Covenant fulfilled , they shall be all taught of the Lord , that is , immediately , else what doth the new excel the old , and first Covenant in ? For under the old they were taught of the Lord mediately , as by Moses and the Prophets ; but under the new , they are taught of God himself , who dwelleth in them , and walketh in them , and is their Teacher , Shepheard , and Husband . And now , How can these Men be taught of the Lord himself , or immediately to Preach Christ , who deny the thing it self ? How can we have Charity unto them to believe they are so taught , while they deny that any are so taught in those days ? And then what is their Preaching of him ? it is but by hearsay , and report ; they are all short of this Woman , She both heard Christ himself , and saw himself , which none of them , ( as they confess , ) have ever done : they say they have never seen him , nor heard him , nor spoken with him , and yet they preach ; whereas she both heard him , and saw him before she Preached him ; and thus did John , and the Apostles Preach him : That which was in the beginning , which we have seen with our eyes , and heard with our ears , and our hands have handled of that Word of Life we declare unto you ; for the Life was manifested , and we have seen it , and delare it unto you , that you may have fellowship with us , &c. Now which of the two ways of Preaching are the best ; to Preach only from a hearsay by others , or from a fight , and hearing of Christ himself ? Surely this was the best , and therefore this Woman is a better Preacher , than all your University men , and Doctors , amd Batchelors : she learned more of Christ from himself , in that small time , ( perhaps not one hours length ) than your Doctors , and University men have yet learned , for all their many years Studying ▪ labouring , Reading , and Hearing : As Christ , upbraided the Jews , that they had neither heard his Fathers Voice , nor seen his shape ; so it may be said of them ; yea , they say it themselves , they have neither heard him , nor seen him . Alas for such Teachers ! What should men hear them for ? they can tell us no more of him , but as they have heard it from men , or read it in the Seripture ; and all their knowledge is fron the Scripture , and all have the Scripture as well as they , and so without them , by the Scripture , may know as much of Christ as they , and save both their pains , and their Money . And as concerning this Woman , it is manifest , that as she heard him , and saw him outwardly , so she both heard him , and saw him inwardly , and was taught by his spirit in her heart ; for had she not been inwardly taught , and heard inwardly , she could not have believed on him , which she did : neither had the outward hearing and seeing made her blessed ; for many heard and saw him outwardly , and yet were not blessed : But , said Christ to his Disciples , Blessed are your eyes , for they see , and blessed are your ears , for they hear ; this was inwardly , they both heard and saw inwardly , and this made them blessed , whereas others heard and saw outwardly , and therefore were not blessed , as the Disciples , and this Woman was . Yea that she was taught inwardly , and that more largely , and fully , than by what she heard outwardly it doth manifestly appear from her words , in that she said , He hath told me all things that ever I did : now this could not be outwardly , for he told her but some things outwardly , as concerning her Husbands that were dead , and how the man she had , was not her Husband ; and certainly , in so small a time as they had together , words outwardly could not have told her the half , yea , not the hundred part of all that ever she did ; she was therefore inwardly taught by him , and told all these things . Christ Jesus the Word , the Life , the Light in her heart told her , as he well could , even in a moment ▪ or the twinkling of an Eye bring all things before her , and tell her all things in her whole Life ; and certainly this was it that made her to believe him , to be not onely a Prophet , but more than a Prophet , even the true Messiah , or Christ. He who hath told me all that ever I did , this must be Christ , this cannot but be more than any of the Prophets , who told me some things , but no Prophet could tell me all but Christ onely , who is the true God , and knoweth all things , and searcheth all my my inward parts and thoughts . 3. As concerning her Call , ( as was said ) she had it not from Men , and indeed we read not of any outward Call she had from Christ ; but certainly he who taught her inwardly , called her also inwardly , by his Holy Spirit ; yea , so powerful was her inward Call , and the motion of the Spirit of Christ within her , that it caused her to make hast , she tarried not to carry home her water pot , for it is said expresly , she left here water-pot , and went into the City , and said unto the Men , Come , see a Man , &c. But as for their Call , it is wholly from Men , and by Men ; for as they deny all immediate Teaching , so they deny immediate Calling unto the Ministry ; yea , their Principle that immediate Revelation is ceased , and that the Scripture is the onely Rule , obligeth them to deny all immediate Calling , as well as immediate Teaching . Behold then how she hath this third qualification of a true Preacher which they want ; she was called immediately by the Spirit of Christ in her heart ; she ran not unsent , it appears the Lord sent her , and was with her by his Spirit , by the good effect her Testimony had ; for , as it is said , many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him , &c. And this was through her Preaching . They did not despise her because she was a Woman , they did not say unto her ( as many now say ) thou art a Woman , thou should not Preach ; neither did they say unto her , thou art but Ignorant and unlearned , as Men commonly say now unto our Friends whom God hath taught , by his Holy Spirit , though they have not the Tongues , nor the Natural Arts , and University Learning ; Why do ye Preach who are unlearned , and have not been at the University ? I say , these Men , they neither upbraided her with her being a woman , nor secondly , with her being unlearned ; nor thirdly , that she wanted her Call , and was idle , or medled with a business that did not concern her ; they did not say unto her , Go home to your wheel , and your Spinning , and such like words , as men commodly now say to Women Friends , whom the Lord hath taught and Called by his Spirit to testifie of him , as he did this Woman of Samaria . Nor fourthly , did they upbraid her with the place , as men commonly also now do , who wonder , and gaze , and mock , and scorn , if they see or hear any speak any thing of Christ in the streets ; O , say they , this is not the Church , go to Church , if ye would Preach , this is not a fit place to Preach in . These Men of the City did not so unto this Woman , though she came unto them , and spake unto them , where she first found them , which might be in the streets or any where else . 4. Also , this Woman , no doubt very unexpectedly , and far from any design she had before had unto this work , became a Preacher , little knew she , or little did she think , before she met with Christ , and heard him , that she should preach him , nay verily , she knew nothing of it at all , nor had she any such design before hand ; far contrary unto these Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry , who have designed it long before hand , and it was a design of their Parents and Relations even from their Child-hood : Yea , this was the End , and final moving cause , of their being sent first to the Grammar-School , and then to the University ; a design they should be Preachers : Quod est ultimum in Executione , est primum in intentione : i. e. what is last in Execution is first in intention , so it was first of all intended . A Father hath three Sons , one of them he thinks may be fit to be made a Lawyer , another to be a Doctor of Physick , a third ( and that commonly the greatest Dunce or Dolt of the three , finding him not so fit for other things ) he resolves he will have him a Minister , or Preacher , that it may be a Living to him ; and so away be send● them all to the Grammar School , and from that to the University ; and thus one becomes a Preacher only by that which is Natural and Artificial , as the other two becomes the Lawyer and Physitian , here is nothing of God or Christ seen more in the one than in the other : Is it not so generally among them ? They are become Preachers by a design or contrivance of their Parents , or themselves . As soon as they become but so old , as to have so much Natural wit as to see they must make some shift how to Live , and looking about the many Trades , they readily see it is the far easiest of many , or most Trades to be a Preacher , to get money , for it is little labour in respect of many other labours , and much gain , and also brings Honour , for if he had been of never so mean a degree , and of the most abject and mean Parents in all the Countrey , yet to become a Preacher , maketh him to be esteemed a Gentleman , and be called Sir ; and perhaps , to be advanced to be a Bishop , and then he will be called , my Lord. But how many either of one sort or another of them , whether Episcopal or Presbiterian , are to be found , who have been called from some other Calling or Occupation they were in before , to leave it , and go to Preach Christ , as this Woman was called from her Water Pot immediately to go Preach him , in a City of Samaria , called Sychar ? And yet thus were the true Servants of the Lord called , who were Mechanick Men , and Tradesmen , both Prophets , and Apostles ; Elisha was called from the Plough , Amos from the Heard , who was an Herd-man , and a gather of Sycomore Fruit ; and the Apostles , many , or most of them from their Fish-Nets , who were Fishers ; Matthew from the Receipt of Custom , who was a Publican , and Luke was a Physitian , and Paul a Tent-maker : and so most part of all whom God ever sent to Preach had their Employments before , and not one ever became a Preacher by an Humane design or intention before hand in order unto a Living , and to get money as they do : and so this is a fourth difference betwixt this Woman-Preacher of Samaria and them , wherein she excelleth them . Her Preaching was not any Humane design , either of her , or any Man , or men else , but it was wholly Divine , it was of the Lord alone , he designed it , and not Man ; whereas their preaching commonly and generally is a Humane design , and contrivance from first to last , to get money , and Worldly Honour and preferment with much ease and idleness . 5. She preached Christ freely , as she had freely received , so she freely gave ; She did not begin to Contract , or Covenant , or bargain with them before hand , for monie , or for any Worlds good ; she said not unto them , what money or Hire will ye give me , and I will preach Christ unto you ? Nay , nay , she was not of such a Mercinary Spirit , she was more Noble ; far unlike the preachers of the Man-made-Ministry in these daies , whether Episcopal , or Presbiterian , as well as Popish , where all is done for money , no money , no preaching , as the old proverb is , No penny , No Pater Noster ; And was it not so generally among the Presbiterians , while they had the publick places , and the Law of the Nation to stand by them , and for them , who of them all preached without a stipend ? Which is in plain English , Wages or Hire ; for stipend being a Latine word , signifieth properly Wages or Hire , but they will not have it called Wages or Hire , lest they should seem to be Hirelings ; they will take the Hire , they will seek it , yea , exact it , yea , strain and distrain , and poind , and cast into prison for it , and take away a poor mans pot or pan , or platter for it , as was done to some of our Friends in the Presbiterian time , and this to pay those mens stipend , who were called Godly men of the finest sort of the Presbiterians : A strange thing of exacting wages of them , and forcing them to give them money , who never hired them , nor heard them , and so took none of their Merchandise , and yet thus it was , as they are living at this day , who can witness it done thus unto them , so ( as is said ) they would take the Hire , and force it , but they will not have it called Hire , but stipend ; they must put a Latine face upon it , that it may not appear in it's own deformed and ugly shape , it must be called stipend , and not Hire , whereas the proper English of stipend , is Hire ; And now that they are out of their publick places , having gone out through fear , if any of them preach now and then in private places , without a set stipend , that is but in order to propagate , and carry on the Presbiterian design , that they may be set up again , and recover their places , and Hires again . But which of them can say in the sight of God , at this day , they preach freely without an eye to money or outward reward ? So that if they got nothing by it yet preach they must : Who of them all can say , Woe unto us if we Preach not the Gospel , for a necessity is laid upon us to Preach ; Who of them have got their mouth opened by Him to Preach , who openeth and no man shutteth , and shutteth and no man openeth ? Has not Man , and the power and dread of Man , oft shut their mouths , and Man , with a little of his forbearance , or winking at them , opened them again ? how much of this has been seen these years by past among these called , or accounted the best sort of them ? where were they to be found in times of hazard , when the power and dread of man threatned them to suffer imprisonment , or Fining , or the like ; so that it was likely they would be apprehended , and haled to prison , to ly there they knew not how long , or have a Fine taken of them . Did they preach then openly and in view ? Could their voice be heard in the streets ? No surely . But if an Indulgence come , or that the Magistrates wink a little at them , and they observe it , then they will come out of their holes , and creep forth a little into common view or observation . And thus man shutteth them , and man openeth them ; for they know not him nor his opening , who openeth and no man shutteth , and shutteth and no man openeth . And doth not all this exceedingly bewray and discover them to be of a Covetous , and Mercinary Spirit , Hirelings indeed , who flee from the sheep in a time of hazard , whereas the good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep . Surely this Woman of Samaria was of a more noble Spirit , who Preached both freely , and boldly . 6. Though she was a Woman , yet she was not afraid to bear Testimony of Christ , she did not call them , to whom she preached into a Cellar , or Vault under the ground , or some private place , but openly , and publickly she preached him to a great company , so many heard and believed because of her saying , and yet no doubt there was a hazard so publickly to confess him , and own him in that day ; and though some believed in him , yet others were enemies to him , who were Samaritans . 7. The Manner how she preached Christ , is observable , she preached him from her own experience , as what she found done by him in relation to her own condition . Come , said she , see a man who hath told me all that ever I did , Is not this the Christ ? Who , among them all , thus preach him from their own experience ? or who preach him as the Psalmist did , who said Come , and I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul ? who of them can say , I have met with the Lord , and he hath convinced me of all my sins , and told me all that ever I did , and has set all things before me , and made me hate all my sins , and loath both them and my self because of them , Is not this the Christ ? Also it is observable , the pithy and effectual way of hear reasoning , by Question , or Interrogation , which implyeth both a strong affirmation , and a clear inference or induction from the premises , leaving it as it were unto themselves to judge , or conclude , Is not this the Christ , who has told me all that ever I did ? this cannot be a meer man , this cannot be only a Prophet , this must be the Christ , seeing he hath told me all that ever I did . How effectually doth she reason , as she was taught by the Spirit of Christ in her , though she never learned the Art of Logick , yet surely she reasoned most effectually , and saw more into the reason of the thing , than all the University men have done unto this day , by all their artificial Logick . And her Reason , or Argument runs thus . He who telleth a man or woman all that ever they have done , must be Christ : but this man has told all that ever I have done , therefore this is the Christ , or is not this the Christ ? The first Proposition is clear unto all men , because it is he only who is God , that knoweth all the doings of a man , so it is he only who can tell them all unto them , and so this He , who hath told me all that ever I did , must be more than any Man , or Prophet , who may know some things , but know not all , He must be Christ , who is God. And as I said before this was inwardly , and not outwardly , he could not tell her outwardly all that ever she did in so short a time , but inwardly he could in a moment ; even as the outward light of the Sun in a moment representeth things unto our eye in the outward , and letteth us see in a moment , all at once , as it were a thousand things ; and thus she was taught , and thus she reasoned concerning him : And thus also hath the Lord taught us to reason concerning Him. He who hath in wardly conuinced us of our sins , and told us all the sins that ever we did , and brought them to remembrance before us , when we had forgotten them , or cast them behind our backs , this is the Christ , this Light in us must be the Light of Christ ; or this He in us must be the Christ , and not any meer humane , or natural Light , this must be Divine , Spiritual , and saving , yea , the Saviour , the Christ : so she Preached him , and so the Lord hath taught us to Preach him . But so do not these Men of the Man-made-Ministry Preach him ; Nay , but the contrary : for , say they , That is not Christ which convinceth every man of his sins , and tells him all that ever he did , it is but a humane principle , not Divine ; it is but Natural , not Spiritual ; a natural Light , and so instead of Preaching him thus , as he is in the hearts of People convincing them of sin , and shewing them their sins , they plainly deny him , they confess them without , but deny him within ; and so deny his Divinity , and Divine power and Godhead : for if he be God , is he not within ? and that both in Believers , and Unbelievers , doth he not by his Spirit convince the world of Sin ? Is he not the Light of the world , who lighteth every man that cometh into the world , that all men through him might believe ? as Iohn declared , Chap. 1. Yea , so contrary are they unto the being of Christ within , that they plainly , and openly deny him , to be really and properly , and immediately , or essentially within his Saints ; yea , to say , that he is , they call it Blasphemy : O , say they , he is in us by his Graces , and by his Operations , or Virtue , but not immediately , or essentially : He is in us , say they , immediatione virtutis , but not immediatione suppositi : i. e. he is in us immediately by his Virtue , but not by himself ; as the Sun appeareth in us by his Virtue or heat : yea , the real in-being of the Spirit of God by himself , they have generally denyed , and judged some among themselves who have affirmed it : And yet how clear and full is the Scripture unto this Truth ; that Christ is not only in all men by his Light , but also upholdeth all things by his Word and Power , which canot be separated from him ; and if he were not every where , he could not be infinite ; and as he is in all , so he hath his several ways of operation , and manifestation in all , in Unbelievers after one manner , and in Believers in another , according unto their several capacities , and conditions . 8. She Preached him as One they could both come unto , and see immediately , as she had heard him , and seen him her self , so she had a great desire that they also might see him , Come and see , ( said she ) she did not thus Preach unto them , it is enough for your Faith , O ye men of Samaria , that others have heard of Christ , and seen him , and from what they have heard and seen , to have reported of him unto you ; Oh! Nay , but Come and see , And after this manner did all the true Servants of God , Preach unto Peopole , O tast and see , said David ▪ That which we have heard and seen , we declare unto you ( saith John in the Name of all his Brethren ) that you may have fellowship with us ; that ye may hear with us , and see with us , and handle with us , of that Word of Life : But so do not these Men of the Man-made-Ministry ; neither Episcopal , Presbyterian , nor Independent , so called ; None of them all say or Preach , Come and see Christ himself , or hear himself ; Nay , nay , that is all ceased ( say they ) Christ is gone into Heaven , and will not come again till the last day , he has left us the Scriptures , and the Sacraments in his room ▪ we cannot know him otherwise , but by these visible things , we cannot see himself , nor hear himself , all immediate Revelation is ceased , there is no Vision of God or Christ to be expected in this life nor immediate teaching , or hearing of Christ himself O sad , and Comfortless Doctrine ! but this is their Doctrine , nor Christ's . I will rather hear this Woman of Samaria , than hear them , She bids Come and see Christ himself ; they say there is no seeing of him , nor hearing of himself , so long as we live upon earth : Oh blind and deaf men , who because they have neither heard him , nor seen him , therefore deny this blessed priviledge ! Oh that people should follow after them , and not see these blind men ! What great matter can they tell of Christ ? what great or excellent thing can they attain by their Preaching , who deny that they can either hear him , or see him while they are upon Earth ? But who , in some measure hear him not , nor see him while on Earth , be this told unto you as from the Lord , it will be in vain for you to think to hear him , or see him to your Comfort and Joy hereafter . 9. Again , the Method of this Womans Preaching was not like their School Method , who make a Tale of an hours length , and yet never come to the matter it self ; who take a Text from some place of Scripture , and raise from it so many points of Doctrine , which they have studied so long before hand ; and must study a day , ( and some perhaps two or three days ) to preach one hour , and then to deliver off unto the people that dry , dead and barren stuff , that they have scraped and gathered together out of so many old and Worm eaten Authors , which they cannot say is their experience , and have not received it from the Lord. But they are Theeves , and have stolen it , yea perhaps it is an hundred times stolen , having come through so many hands ; who have stollen the words of God concerning the conditions , and experiences of the Saints , as the false teachers , and Prophets of old , of whom the Lord said Jer. 23. Behold I am against these Prophets who steal my Words , &c. They shall not profit the People at all . And is not this fulfilled abundantly ? Where is the profitting of the people ? doe they not remain still in their sins and wickedness ? And as for these made , and composed Sermons ; by art and cunning of mans wisdom and Spirit , it is plain deceit , and is expressly so called in Scripture , where the Apostle said , That with feigned words the false Teachers should make merchandize of the People . according unto the Greek properly and truly it is thus : With made , or composed Speeches , or Discourses , they shall make Merchandise of you . And so it is seen at this day : for as they make their Sermons by Art , and take great pains ( as they say ) to Compose , and Frame them , so they make Merchandise of them , and sell them unto the people for Money ; yea , cause people to give them Money , over , and over again for the same ; and thus they they beguile them , and make Merchandise of them also : so did not this Woman ; she did not go home and study what she should say , but she spoke what freely rose in her heart , as the Lord taught her ; and though her words were but few , yet they are very material and weighty , and came no doubt from the Wisdom of God revealed in her , for her own wisdome could never have taught her such excellent words , and so excellently to prove that he was the Christ from her own experience . He hath told me all that ever I did , is not this the Christ ? 10. Her Preaching had this good effect , They came unto him saw himself , and heard him ; and as some believed because of the Womans saying , so it is said , Many more believed because of his own word , and then their Faith had sure footing , and found the right Foundation , to wit , his own word : then they generrally came to hear himself , and so believed , because they heard himself , as they declared themselves ; yet she was an occasion unto them by her speaking : But whom hath these of the Man-made-Ministry brought this length , that they are come unto Christ himself , and heard him , and seen him ? nay , both Teachers and People cry out generally , this is not to be expected in this Life , all Vision , and Revelation is ceased : And no doubt as they came unto him outwardly , and heard him , and saw him outwardly ; so they came unto him , and heard , and saw him inwardly , otherwise they could not have believed in him , nor loved him as they did , nor been blessed by him , if they had not seen him , and heard him with another eye than the outward , which many heard him , and saw him him with , who remained Unbelievers , and were not blessed . And so now by these Ten Instances , it is manifest , how this Woman-Preacher of Samaria , was a better Preacher than any of the Men-Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry , who called the men of Sychar out of the City unto Iacob's Well to see Christ : now Sychar signifieth Drunkenness , and doth fitly answer unto the natural , and unconverted state , and now Iacob's Well Typefieth the Spirit of Christ , which is the Well of Living-water in true Believers , and so out of the natural state , and Spirit of this World , she called them unto the Spirit of Christ , there to come unto him , and to see him . The 29th of the First Month , 1673. Post-script . BUT say , the Men-Preachers of the Man made-Ministry , Women ought not to Preach , because the Apostle expresly saith , But I suffer not a Woman to teach , nor to Vsurp Authority over the Man , but to be in silence . To which I say , first , what if I should understand by the Woman in this place , the flesh , as Bernard , an Ancient Father in the Church , ( who is of great account both among them called Papists and Protestants ) doth understand it ; for thus he writeth about five hundred years ago , In sermone de septem Spiritibu● , Fol. 87. Edit . Paris . Ad Spiritum enim debet fieri Conversio Carnis , ut serviat ipsa , & non serviatur ei , ut dicat Spiritus servo sno , veni , & veniat , fac hoc & faciat illud , sic enim erit uxor nostra , sicut vitis abundans , & salvabitur per geuerationem filiorum ▪ qui sunt opera bona , si fuerit ipsa quidem in lateribus domus nostrae i. e. in abscondito , & humili loco , anima vero resideat in medio tanquam domina , tanquam Pater familias , tanquam Iudex . That is , in English ; For the Flesh ought to be Converted unto the Spirit , that she may serve , and not be served ; that the Spirit may say unto his Servant , come , and it cometh ; do this , and it doth it ; for so our Wife shall be , as a fruitful Vine , and shall be saved by bearing of Children , which are good works , if she be indeed in the sides of our House , that is , in a secret , and low place ; but let the Soul remain in the midst , as a Mistress , as a Master of the Family , as a Judge . Behold , how Bernard understandeth by the Woman ( which Paul suffereth not to teach ) our flesh , and Paul speaking of this Woman , that she shall be saved in Child-bearing ; Bernard expoundeth these Children to be good works , notwithstanding she shall be saved ( saith Paul ) in Child-bearing , or in bearing of Children , if they continue in Faith and Charity , and Holiness , with Sobriety , 1 Tim. 2.12 , 13 , 14 , 15. And that the Apostle saith , if they continue what is to be understood by these words ? Whether outward and Natural Children ; or such Children as Bernard expoundeth to be good works ? Or is a Woman saved by bearing outward , and Natural Children , to wit , Male , or Female Children , or can the Faith and Holiness of these Children save the Woman ? I have made use of the Authority of Bernard , in this place , not as if I would have People believe this Exposition simply or mainly because Bernard hath said so ; But indeed , because the Men of the Schools , and those called Clergy-Men , lay such weight upon the Authority of the Fathers , who commonly say , We are to receive the Exposition of the Scripture from the Fathers , and ( if the Expoposition of a Scripture be called in question ) we are to hear , what such an Ancient Father , as Bernard , or Agustine ▪ or Ierome saith upon it , and that is to determine the Case , if especially the Scripture it s●lf say nothing to the contrary ; Let them hear therefore Bernard in the Case ▪ and leave off their proud and insolent words against the People called in derision Quakers , as if they understood the Scriptures all contrary to the mind of the Ancient Fathers , ( for let this be told them , that not onely in this particular , but in most of all the things of weight , wherein we differ from the present Clergy-men so called , we have the Ancient Fathers more on our side , than they have , as it may be made appear ( if God permit ) in due season ) And also let those weak and illiterate Man made-Ministers , who pretend so much to Learning , and reading ( and yet have so little of it ) forbear their frothy jearings , and mockings of our Friends as touching the meaning of the Scriptures , lest in so doing they be found mockers of them whom they call their Fathers , of whom either mediately or immediately they borrow , or rather steal any thing they have to say , though oft knowing neither what they say , nor whereof they affirm , I have had an occasion given me , not long ago by some of these Men to return them this advice : some of them going about to represent it , as a most ridiculous , and inconsistent Exposition to expound , by the Woman ( which Paul permitted not to speak ) the flesh ; for , say they , If the Woman be the flesh , then , who is the fleshes Husband ? Now , let them hear Bernard ( a Man I am verily perswaded far excelling them both in Piety and Learning ) who saith , the flesh is to be subject to the Spirit ( or Spiritual part in us ) and so she shall be our Wife , a fruitful Vine in the sides of our House : by which flesh , is not to be understood sin , or sinfull Concupiscence , but the animal or inferior part of a Man , which is the Creature of God , and is of good use unto them who are Sanctified and renewed . And as concerning the Woman mentioned by Paul , in his first Epistle to Timothy , Chap. 2. v. 12 , 13 , &c. not onely Bernard , as I have shewed , but Augustine ( who Lived twelve hundred Years ago , and one of the most Renowned Fathers in the Church in those dayes , and who is of great account at this day both among Papists and Protestants ) doth by the woman understand the flesh , and by her Children , he doth understand good works ; for thus he writeth , Libro de trinitate . 12. upon the words of the Apostle to Timothy ; She shall be saved by bearing of Children : In that Sex of Male and Female ( saith he ) the Apostle Paul from this may be understood to have figured the Mystery of something more secret ; his words in Latine run thus : In isto Sexu Masculi & Faeminae Apostolus Paulus occultioris cujusdam rei figurasse Mysterium , vel hinc intelligi potest . And again , the same Augustine writeth thus , Tractatu in Psal ▪ 83. Salva ergo erit Mulier quae in typo carnis accipitur , per filiorum generationem , id est , si faciat opera bona . That is , in English , the Woman therefore shall be saved , which is taken in the Type of the flesh , by the Generation of Children , that is , if she do good works . I Answer , secondly , If I should so far condes●end , or agree unto them , as to take the words of Paul , for Women , in the common sense of speech , what will they gain by it ? That no Women are to speak in the Church ; or that Women in no case are to speak in the Church ? if so , why then are they sound so great and palpable transgressors themselves , who not onely permit , but command Women frequently to speak in their own Churches , even in their most publick Assemblies . And verily , if the thing were not so publickly and ordinarily practised in this Land. I should almost be ashamed to mention it , the matter it self is so shameful a thing . How is it , I say ( to you I speak who are called Ministers of the Kirk of Scotland ) that ye not onely permit , but command , yea , and force Women , and that of the worst sort , to wit , Whores , and Adulterous Women , and who have committed Fornication again , and again , and that without any real signs of true Repentance , to come in before the Face of the whole Congregation , to speak . And the place wherein they are appointed to stand , is not much unlike to your Pulpits , but that it is larger , that it may hold three or four ; and I my self , as many with me , have seen it filled , with as many as it could well hold , and these unhonest Women are commanded to speak publickly in the Church ; yea , the Preacher , ( after he himself hath made an end , ) calleth them by their particular Names one by one , and bids them speak to the Edification of the Congregation ; and so they must all speak one by one , to the Edification of all ; and those who are most impudent , and least sensible either of their sin , or their shame , will readily speak most , but in great Hipocrisie and deceit , for you your selves know , that a true Penitent is rarely to be found among them . If you say , This is not Preaching or Teaching , but only a confessing of their sins , and asking God Mercy , and the like ; I answer , Is not confessing their sins , speaking , and asking Mercy of God ( so that the Congregation may hear ) is not this speaking ? Now , the Apostle saith , 1 Cor. 14.34 . Let your Women keep silence in the Churches , for it is not permitted unto them to speak . So the Apostle useth this general word ( to speak ) And yet surely confessing of sin , and praying for forgiveness , so that the Congregation may hear , is speaking ; yet it is permitted unto these ▪ Whorish and Dishonest Women at that time to exhort the People , and warn them to beware of the snares of the Enemy , and the like words ; and this i● a sort of Teaching : and I my self have heard some of them , who had learned the knack of it , more than others , spake by way of Exhortation , and Instruction , that she seemed to speak almost as well , and to as good purpose , as the Preacher himself . Now , let all Sober , and Impartial People judge in this Case , betwixt those Men , and us ; they not onely permit , but command dishonest Women , ( who have been Whores , ) to speak in the Church , whereas we command no Woman at all to speak in the Church ; but this we say , if God by his Spirit move or command a godly , sober , Religious Woman to speak in the Church , we are not to forbid her , yea , we are to hear her , and we may be both edified , and refreshed by her Testimony , it being the spirit of God which speaketh unto us , in her , and by her . Yea , That the Apostle did not forbid all Women in all cases to to speak , is plain , for in the same Epistle , chap. 11. v. 5. he sheweth , how the Woman is to be covered , that Prayeth , or Prophecyeth , which plainly holdeth forth , that some Women at least , did both Pray , and Prophecy in the Church , in his day , ( yea , and ye your selves allow Women to Sing in the Church , which is a sort of speaking , and if they sing publickly in the outward hearing , why may they not pray publickly in the outward hearing , for both is a sort of speaking , seeing in both they utter words . ) What sort of Women then is it , whom Paul doth not permit to speak in the Church ? in these two places above-mentioned , 1 Cor. 14.34 . and 1 Tim. 2.12 , 13. &c. taking them for Women in the common litteral sence ) Verily , let us but look into the Context , or words going before , in both places , and that will clear it : for they are such women , as need to be taught themselves ; even , First , Unlearned Women , Secondly , Tatling Women , that were not yet come to the true silence . Thirdly , Unruly , Proud Women , that were not come to the true subjection , all which is implyed in these words , Let the Women learn in silence , with all subjection ; for no doubt there were such Women among them of Ephesus ( where Timothie then was ) who had need of these Instructions : And Fourthly , vain Women , who were given to vain and gaudy Apparel , such as Gold , or Pearls , or costly Array , and were not yet come to be covered with the Spirit of the Lord. Fifthly , Such as Usurped Authority over the Man. Sixthly , Such as were in the Transgression , and deceived as the first Woman was . Seventhly , Such Women as transgress the Law , and not come to be under Grace , as said Paul , They are to be under Obedience , as also saith the Law : so read the words going before , and behind , in both places , and you may observe , that a seven fold sort of Women are not permitted by Paul to speak in the Church , and as is said , no doubt there were of all these sorts of Women among them of Corinth , and Ephesus , who were not permitted to speak , who had need of these Instructions , for commonly such particular Instructions are not given , concerning such things , where there is not need , or where none are guilty . But what if Paul had said so concerning all the Women at Corinth , and Ephesus , ( where Timothy at this time was when he wrote to him , concerning Women ) that he did not permit them to speak , will it therefore follow that no Women are to speak in any Case in the Church ? I will put you in mind of one of your School Rules , which is this , a particularibus ad universale non val●t consequentia , i. e. from particulars unto universal the consequence is not valid : therefore , though it had not been permitted either unto some or all of these two particular Churches of Corinth , or Ephesus , to speak ( because they might at that time , being but young , not have the requisite qualifications ) it will not follow , that Universally all Women every where else ought not to speak ; yea , these called Presbyterians may remember , how they have both allowed , and countenanced Women both to Pray , and speak of their Experiences ▪ in their private Meetings , and yet they cannot deny , but their private Meetings are a Church ; for inded a Church , according to the Greek , and Latin word , is nothing else but a Convention , or gathering of the People , whether few , or many ; so that Three , Six , or Twelve , is as really a Church , as 300 , 600 , or 1200. And further , let us once more take notice of the Apostles words , and we shall find , that they do not signifie , an absolute forbidding of Women in any case to speak , teach , or Preach in the Church ; I permit or suffer not a Woman ( said he ) to teach in the Church , but if they will learn any thing , let them ask their Hu●bands at home ; For the better understanding of which , I am to remember you , that even according unto Pauls own words , there was in that day a two-fold manner of speaking in the Church : One by Commandment , another by permission , and this distinction Paul himself useth , writing unto the Corinthians , when he said , as touching some particular things , 1 Cor. 7.6 . But I speak this by permission ( said he ) and not of Commandment ; also in divers other places , he writeth thus , I say , not the Lord , now this sort of speaking was used in the Church , in two particular Cases ; 1. In the propounding , or asking of a Question , for there were in the Church , some who asked Questions , and some who Answered , the Unlearned Asked , and the Learned Answered , which is the most proper way of Catechising . 2. This sort of speaking , to wit , by Permission , was used in the Church in matter of Advice , and Counsel , relating to the affairs of the Church , where men ( according to the Wisdome given them of God ) finding the Spirit of the Lord present with them , enlightning them , and directing them , might speak their mind , in Cases , by way of Counsel and Advice , as seeing the Expediency and use of it , for a certain time , though they were not to enjoyn it as a Command . And Paul himself useth this same Distinction , destinguishing betwixt things lawful , and things expedient ; so that some things may be lawful which are not expedient , and some things may be both lawful and expedient , and yet not commanded of God ; and a man ( as immediately taught by the Spirit of the Lord in his heart ) may see , both the lawfulness , and expediency of a thing , and may speak by the spirit of the Lord moving him , in the Church , concerning both the lawfulness and expediency of that thing , and yet he may say , I speak not this by Commandment , as if what he said were a Commandment unto them ; yea the Spirit of the Lord may command and move him to declare unto them , that the thing in hand before them , is not a Command , but an Expedient thing , and fit to be done at that time . Now in these two Cases of speaking by Permission in the Church , as first in that of asking Questions ; and , secondly , in that of giving Advice or Cousel simply , by a permission : if they would contend , that Women ought not to speak in the Church , all that they can pretend with any shew , or colour of Reason , at most is , That Women are not to speak in the Church by permission : if they speak , they are not to do it by permission , but by commandment , whereas it is permitted unto Men , at times to speak in the Church by permission , when not by commandment : an unlearned man may be permitted to ask a Question in the Church , which is not permitted unto a Woman , nor is it needful , for she may ask her Husband at home . But if the Spirit of the Lord Command or move a godly and Spiritually Learned Woman to speak , in this case she is the Lords , more than her Husbands , and she is to speak , yea , though the Husband should forbid her , for she ought rather to obey God than Man. And in Christ Iesus there is neither Male nor Femal● but all are one in him ▪ as the Apostle said . So both these Cases are in a matter of Freedom or Permission , not in a matter of Necessity or Command : therefore though Women may not speak by permission , which Men may do , yet they may speak by Command , as when the Lord commandeth or moveth them by his Spirit . And that Women spake in the Church , is most evident , from the second Chapter of Acts , which was a very solemn time , and also a very solemn Convention , for the Scripture saith Expresly , Acts 1.14 . that among the Apostles , Mary with other Women were present , and it is said , Acts 2.4 . And they were filled with the Holy Ghost , and began to speak with other Tongues , as the Spirit gave them utterance . So here the Women were filled with the Holy Ghost , and spake , as the Apostles did ; for it is said so of them all universally : and it appeareth further , that the women spoke , in this solemn Assembly from the Apology of Peter , which he made in the defence of the womens Prophecying or speaking , out of Ioels Prophecy , where it was Prophecyed by Ioel , that the Lord would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh , both Male and Female Sons and Daughters , Men Servants and Maid-Servants , and they shall Prophecy ; and so that Prophecy was eminently fulfilled at that time as at other times afterwards . And also before this time , the Lord made use of women , to witness , speak , or declare , and that unto the eleven Apostles , that Christ was risen from the dead , Luke 24.9 , 10. And was not this Convention a Church ? And did not the Lord after his Resurrection first of all appear unto a woman , to wit , Mary Magdalene ? And did not he command her to speak unto the Apostles , and Instruct them concerning his Resurrection ? Go ( said he ) unto my Brethren , and say unto them , I ascend to my Father , and your Father , and to my God , and your God. Yea , and not onely the Scripture , but also the Church History telleth us of women , who taught and Instructed Men , as particularly that woman , who converted the Nation of the Iberians unto the Christian Faith , as Eusebius relateth . FINIS .