Wesley Corpus

'They who have received this gift ought not to use it as a trade, to get money thereby. Yet it may be lawful for such to receive what may be needful to them for food and clothing.' In this there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. 'We judge it noways unlawful for a woman to preach in the assemblies of God's people.' In this there is a manifest difference: for the Apostle Paul saith expressly, 'Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak.... And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.' (I Cor. xiv.34-5.) Robert Barclay, indeed, says, 'Paul here only reproves the inconsiderate and talkative women.' But the text says no such thing. It evidently speaks of women in general. Again: the Apostle Paul saith to Timothy, 'Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. For I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man'(which public teaching necessarily implies),'but to be in silence. (I Tim. ii. 11-12.) To this Robert Barclay makes only that harmless reply: 'We think this is not anyways repugnant to this doctrine.' Not repugnant to this, 'I do not suffer a woman to teach'! Then I know not what is. 'But a woman " laboured with Paul in the work of the gospel." 'Yea, but not in the way he had himself expressly forbidden. ' But Joel foretold, "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." And "Philip had four daughters which prophesied." And the Apostle himself directs women to prophesy; only with their heads covered.' Very good. But how do you prove that prophesying in any of these places means preaching 11. 'All true worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving of His own Spirit. We ought not to pray or preach where and when we will, but where and when we are moved thereto by His Spirit. All other worship, both praises, prayers, and preachings, which man sets about in his own will, and at his own appointment, which he can begin and end at pleasure, do or leave undone, as himself sees meet, are but superstitions, will-worship, and abominable idolatries.' Here lies one of the main differences between Quakerism and Christianity.