The Peoples Plea for the Exercise of Prophecy, Part 4
ARG. 4. M. Yates.
FRO Modiſtinction of ſpirituall gifts, 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6. verſe; gifts, adminiſtrations and operations. All theſe are to be referred to that general verſ. 1. Gifts therefore in this place muſt be but one kinde of ſpirituall gifts, and be diſtinguiſhed from the other two. The firſt then are meerly gifts: the ſecond, gifts & offices together: the third, rather the effect of a gift then the gift it ſelfe: and therefore the Holy Goſt knowing how to ſpeak aptly, gives more to the effect, then the cauſe: the worke then the worker: for in truth miraculous workes exceede all the vertue that poſſibly can be imagined to be in a mere creature: and therfore it is only a paſsiue beliefe, or faith whereby man is rather a patient, then an agent in the worke. Theſe 3. generall heads are deuided again, or rather exemplified by many particulars: firſt, verſe 8.9.10. all lay downe a kinde of ſpirituall gifts firſt a word of wiſdome, 2. a word of knowledge, 3. of miraclous faith, 4. of healeing. 5. operations of great works 6. propheſying, 7. diſcerning of ſpirits, 8. of tongues, 9. of interpretation. That ſome of theſe gifts are extraordinary no wiſe man will deny: yet that I may proue them all extraordinary, cōſider 3 things. Firſt, the cauſe: ſecondly, the effect: thirdly, the ſubiect. The cauſe without al doubt is the ſpirit; yet queſtion may be of the maner, & meaſure For maner, whether the ſpirit alone or the ſpirit aſſiſting our induſtry, and pains. I ſay alone, becauſe all theſe effects depend equally vponupon the ſame cauſe: and I hauehave no reaſon to ſay, that propheſy ſhould be more by my pains and induſtry, then ſtrange tongues, or any other gift: for then I ſhould magnifie the Holy Ghoſt in one gift more then another. That which is geuen by the ſole operation of the ſpirit is more then that which is come by through ordinary paynes. I Bleſſe God for his ordinary prouidence where my hand goes with the Lord in my ordinary affayres: But wherin I find the Lord do for me where I had no hand, there I ought to magnifie him much more: ſo in theſe gifts, if ſome were ordinary, ſome extraordinary, then the ſpirit ſhould not hauehave equal praiſe in thē all. The orator prouing Caeſar to deſerue more prayſe for his clemency towards Marcellus then all his famous victories, vſeth the maner of the cauſe to ſhew it. In thy warrs, O Emperour, thou hadſt Captains, and ſouldiers, vertue and valour; weapons and munition, &c. but ſparing Marcellus thou alone didſt it, to thee alone it belongs, and all the glory of it: ſo if propheſy in this place aboue all the reſt muſt come in for an ordinary gift, then may I ſay, O bleſſed Spirit, Propheſy is thy gift, yet do I acknowledge thy ordinary bleſſing upon my labours in this: but as for ſtrange tongues, and the reſt, I acknowledge they are thy meere gift, without all paine, and labour of mine, therefore the greater praiſe I giuegive thee. Were not this to diminiſh propheſy in regard of the reſt, which the H. Ghoſt prefers before them all? and therefore did ſhew as great power in that gift as in any other. The manner thē being all one in giving, the ſecond queſtion is whether they were given in the ſame meaſure. I anſwer, No, Rom. 12.6. and hereupon the Apoſtle commanded, that one Prophet ſhould be ſubiect to another, & willingly yeeld place to him, that had the greater meaſure. I leaue the cauſe & come to the effects, which learned men cannot diſtinguiſh. I will ſhew you my iudgement, & follow it as you pleaſe. To the two first gifts is given a word: by words we expreſſe our meanings, therfore the ſpirit doth not onelyonly giuegive a gift, but an ability & power to utter that gift for the greateſt good of the hearers. Brother, it is the part of a divine, to ſtudy for apt, and fit words; and indeed when God hath given us learning by exceeding great paines, yet wee find great imperfection for want of words. Now here I learne that the Spirit of God did extraordinarily ſupply this want, by giving unto men excellent utterance of heavenly things. The firſt two gifts are wiſdom & knowledge: wiſdom is a holy understanding of heavenly things with a prudent application of them to their ſeverall vſes. Knowledge, or ſcience is an inſight into divers heavenly truths, yet wāting that prudent application: theſe two gifts with a fruitful uttrance of them could be no ordinary gifts ſtudied out by their own pains, but ſuch as the H. Ghost did immediately inſpire into them. I ſhould be very glad to heare that your Congregations were full of theſe wiſe and underſtanding men, then I doubt not but you would the ſooner recall your ſelues. The three next gifts, of faith, healing, and great workes are undoubtedly extraordinary, and were never to bee obtained, by any ſtudy of ours. For the foure last I doubt not but you will grant three of them extraordinary. Diſcerning of ſpirits was not by ordinary means but extraordinary, as you may ſee in Ananias, and Saphira, Simon Magus, and others, which were ſeene by an extraordinary Spirit. For ſtrange tongues, I hope you will not ſtand in granting it, if you conſider but the firſt originall of them Act. 2.2.…. and for interpretation of theſe tongues that was as difficult as the other: why ſhould you now ſtick at propheſy, which I will plainely ſhew was more difficult then both the reſt. For how ſhould either you or I come to be able to propheſy, except there were ſome skilfull in the originall tongues, as likewiſe the helpes of commentaries, and interpretations? You ſee God appointed theſe as means to helpe us to propheſy and where they are wanting, it is ſimply impoſſible for any man to become an ordinary Prophet: Indeed the H. Ghoſt can ſupply the want of both theſe: & therefore will you, nill you, it muſt be granted that this propheſy was extraordinary. For take way the ordinary means of propheſy, and then the thing it ſelfe will ceaſe. Now you may plainly underſtād that the Primitiue Chur. had not theſe means of propheſy, that you ſee we hauehave: they had not the originall tongues tranſlated, and therefore God gaue men extraordinary gifts in ſpeaking, and interpreting them: ſee then I entreat you how theſe two means being extraordinary inforce you to yeeld the other of the ſame nature. Were it poſſible for you to become a Prophet wanting the tranſlation of the new, and old Teſtament as likewiſe all interpretations, with which now through Gods bleſſing the whole world is repleniſhed? I know you will anſwer, and ſay no: then ſay, Propheſy in the Primitiue Church was extraordinary, becauſe the Gentiles had not ordinary tranſlations and interpretations of them.
ANSWER.
IF I ſhould follow M. Yates in his courſe I ſhould rather write one Sermon againſt an other then bring an Anſwer to an Argument. Briefly then, as I can, omitting other things, to that which concerns directly our preſent purpoſe. His affirmation that the gifts mentioned 1. Cor. 12. are onelyonly extraordinary, I doe deny: and anſwer his reaſons as followeth. And firſt, that (contrary to his unreaſonable reaſon) we both may & ought to magnify the H. Ghoſt more in one gift then another; ſince the ſame H. Ghoſt worketh more excellently and for our good in one gift, then in another: And ſecondly (as a further truth and more contrary to his ſtrange aſſertion) that in ſome works of the Spirit, though not here expreſſed, in which the Lord uſeth our induſtry & care, he is infinitly more to be magnified, then in any whatſoever the immediate and miraculous work of the ſame ſpirit, wherein he uſeth it not. For example, in ſaving faith and repentance: for the working of which by his ſpirit, God uſeth our careful hearing and meditation of his word, the Law and Goſpell. Thirdly, compare we even extraordinary gifts with extraordinary; we ſee, that God uſed the induſtry, and paines of the extraordinary Prophets for the reading and meditating in, and of the aDan. 9.13Law: and of the latter Prophets of the former Prophets bv. 2.writings: As alſo of the Apoſtles in the cRom. 4.10. & 4.3. &c.reading, knowledg and memory of them both: yea even of the very heathen authors, whoſe ſayings they ſometime quote in their propheſies or dAct. 17.28 1. Cor. 15.33. Tit. 1.12. 2. Tim. 4.13.ſermons: the like induſtry, or care not being required for the gift, or uſe of ſtrange tongues: and yet did the Holy Ghoſt much more excellently utter it ſelfe in their Propheſies, and ſermons, then in ther tongues, as M. Yates oft, and truly affirmeth.
VponUpon verſe. 8. he rightly deſcribeth wiſdome a holy vnderſtanding of heauenly things with a prudent application of them to their ſeverall vſes: and knowledge, an inſight into divers heavenly things, yet wanting that prudent application, with the fruitfull utterance of them: but that theſe could be no ordinary gifts ſtudyed out by their own payns, but ſuch as the Holy Ghoſt did immediately inſpyre into them, he barely affirmeth; and I thinke, ſingularly; but am ſure, vntruly. I maruailed what he would ſay to theſe two gifts of wiſdom & knowledge, to proue that they could not be ordinary: and did expect ſome ſpeciall reaſons for his ſo fingular interpretation: but behould a bare bone of affirmation brought by him without marrow, fleſh, ſkin, or colour of proofe. VVherein he is alſo the more blame-worthy, conſidering that he cannot be ignorant, how the moſt iudicious both at home, and abroad, doe vnderſtand theſe two gifts as meant of the two ſpeciall qualifications of the Paſtor, and Teacher; ordinary gifts of ordinary offices: of which miniſterius amongſt the reſt ordayned by Chriſt the one Lord of his Church. the Apoſtle ſpeaketh verſe 5. as verſe. 4. of their gifts, by that one ſpirit. VVhichWhich ordinary gifts all lawfull Paſtors, and Teachers (ordinary offices) then had, and beſides them, many others not in office? and by the grace of God, ſome amongſt vsus: and that by the help of nature ſtudy and prayer, and the bleſſing of Gods ſpirit therevpon. VVhichWhich bleſſing of God I will not deny to hauehave then been for degree extraordinary vponupon mens weaker indeuoures, for their furniſhing with theſe ordinary gifts: which makes nothing againſt our purpoſe. That the gift of faith is undoubtedly extraordinary is ſayd by him, but Doctors hauehave doubted of it. See for one, Beza in his great Annotations vpō the words, both affirming, and proueing; that by faith is meant an aſſent vntounto the doctrine propounded, which is an ordinary gift of the ſpirit.
VVhere he makes no doubt but wee will grant, that three of the foure laſt were extraordinary, he but threaps kindneſſe upon us, as we uſe to ſay. That Peters gift of diſcerning was extraordinary in the caſe of Ananias, Act … we confeſſe: but not ſo in the caſe of Simon Magus, Acts. 8. of whom he iudgeth by his words (as of the tree by the fruit) in which he did notoriouſly bewray himſelfe to be in the gall of bitterneſſe, to the diſcerning of any ordinary Chriſtian. The gift of diſcerning both of doctrine and manners, is in a meaſure required of every Chriſtian. Phil. 1.9.10. 1. Ioh. 4.1. Heb. 5.14. but is beſtowed by the giver thereof upon ſome more liberally; ſometimes extraordinarily, as then upon ſome in ſome caſes: ſometimes ordinarily, as both then and now on all ſuch as had, and hauehave more Chriſtian diſcretion then other men.
That interpretation of tongues was as difficult as ſtrange tongues immediatly inſpired, is not true. They who Acts 2.…. heard the Apoſtles ſpeake in their own tongue, and were able to ſpeake the Iewes language then in uſe, might interpret theſe ſtrange tongues unto the Iewes, without any extraord. gift: as M. Yates hearing a glorious Formaliſt ſpeak much Latin in his Sermon, can interpret that ſtrange tongue of his unto the people, without any extraordinary gift of interpretation: and ſo might it well be in the Church of Corinth with ſome, though the tongue were given extraordinarily.
Laſtly, it doth not ſhew plainly, that propheſie was more difficult then ſtrange tongues, though all were true which he ſpeakes of the difficulty thereof. For by all reaſon and experience a man then might, and now may, become an ordinary Prophet for ability by ordinary helpes; but ſo neither could, nor can hee ſpeake a ſtrange tongue, as there meant, but by extraordinary inſpiration. That ſimple neceſsity of Commentaries and Interpretations which he requireth for a mans becomming an ordinary Prophet, I dare not acknowledge: of great uſe they are, but not of ſimple neceſsity: that prerogatiue royall of ſimply neceſſary, I would challenge as peculiar to the holy Scriptures; which are able to make the man of God perfect, fully furniſhed to every good worke. 2. Tim. 3.16.17. But where he addes, that the Primitiue Church had not the originall tongues tranſlated, it is ſomething for his, yea and for the Popes purpoſe alſo, if it bee true, and that the Church, eſpecially ſome good ſpace, after her conſtitution, might be without the Scriptures in a knowne tongue. But how unadviſed, and unskilfull is he in ſo ſaying? how detracting from Gods gracious providence towards his Church: and how partiall on the Clergies part, and againſt the Commonalty of Gods inheritance? For the thing then. The old Teſtament was wholy tranſlated by the 70. Interpreters, at the inſtance of Ptolemy Philadelphus King of Egipt, Ioſeph Ant. l. 12. c. 2. Iren. l. 3. c. 24.25.into Greeke the mother tongue of the Corinthians; Corinth being in Achaia, and Achaia in Greece: in which the ſame tongue they had alſo every part of the new Teſtament then written, as the moſt was. VVhichWhich language was alſo ſo univerſally known throughout the whole world, by reaſon partly of the Greeke Monarchy under Alexander, and partly of the Greeke learning at Athens, as that the Apoſtle could write his Epiſtle in Greek to the Romans, though in Europe, as underſtanding the tongue ſufficiently. Beſides, the Corinthians had had Pauls and other Apoſtolicall mens preachings, and conferences amongſt them a long time, which were uncomparably better then all the commentaries in the world. And for the Corinthians ability for this worke, it is but reaſon we reſpect this Apoſtles teſtimony of them, which is, that they were enriched in all utterance, and in all knowledge, 1. Cor. 1.4. In which two gifts as the ability for ordinary propheſie doth properly conſiſt, ſo to appropriate them unto extraordinary Prophets, conſidering the generality of the Apoſtles ſpeech, and drift, with other circumſtances elſe-where obſerved, were to fetter them in uniuſt bonds of reſtraint.
And having thus wiped off his colours of reaſon, that the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 12. ſpeakes onelyonly of extraordinary gifts, I will (by the grace of God) plainly ſhew the contrary, and that he ſpeakes of ordinary alſo.
And firſt, in teaching, v. 3. that no man can call Ieſus the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoſt, he poynts out a gift and grace of the ſpirit, ordinary and common to all Chriſtians.
Secondly, v. 5 he ſpeakes of diverſities, that is, of all the divers and ſeverall miniſteries ordinary and extraordinary in the Church under Chriſt the Lord, and v. 4. of the ſeverall gifts for the ſame; and ſo neceſſarily of the ordinary gifts for the ordinary miniſteries, then and now.
Thirdly, from v. 8. where mention is made of the word of wiſedom, and the word of knowledge, ordinary gifts of ordinary perſons, both in and out of office, now, and then.
Fourthly, v. 12. he compares the Church of Corinth to a body, having Chriſt the head, and each of them members for their parts: of whom one had this gift, another that, given of God, for their mutuall good, but by them abuſed otherwiſe: whereupon I conclude, except there were in Corinth no ordinary gifts in Paſtors, Teachers, or others of God given, and by them abuſed, that he ſpeakes not of extraordinary gifts onelyonly.
Fifthly, v. 28. after Apostles, and Prophets, he mentioneth Teachers, which were ordinary officers, and therefore ſpeakes of ordinary gifts and teaching; as alſo Helpers and Governours, who what were they but Deacons and Elders? or take the words as they are, Helpes and Governments: then which, what is now, or vvas then more ordinary, both in reſpect of miniſtery and gift? VVhereupon I conclude vvith good aſſu…ance, that the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 12. treats of the gifts of the ſpirit, both extraordinary and ordinary