The Peoples Plea for the Exercise of Prophecy, Part 7
M. Yates. ARG. 7.
FROM the fruition of ſpirituall gifts. 1. Cor. 14.26. hath a Pſalm, that is ſome admirable praiſe of God, or doctrine, that is ſome worthy point of inſtruction; or a tongue, that is, can ſpeak miſteries with admiration, or revelation of ſome ſecrets either for doctrine or prediction; laſtly, or interpretation whether of tongues, doctrines, or Scripture: all theſe muſt needs bee had either by the ordinary pains of the Church, or by the extraordinary gift of the ſpirit, you ſay by the one, and I by the other: and that I agree more with the Scripture then your ſelfe, conſider but the diſtinction of the gifts, and their admirable matter. A Pſalm muſt needs conſiſt of meeter, which required art to compoſe it. Secondly, it could not for the matter of it, but ſound forth ſome worthy praiſe of God. Do you thinke the Corinthians did ſtudy the art of muſick, or likewiſe read ſome admirable divine bookes to finde out ſweet matter to make their ſongs of? Alas, brother, giuegive God the glory, it was no doubt ſome ſudden motion of the Spirit, that did inflame the hearts of beleevers with ſome worthy matter of praiſing God. Doctrine, that is layd down by our ordinary pains, is that which we uſually giuegive unto Doctors, which after long ſtudy, and reading the Scriptures is drawen to ſome profitable heads pithily proved, and contrary errours refuted by it. I think in Corinth there were none of theſe Doctours, and yet I doubt not but they were as excellent: for ſuch Doctors as delivered theſe doctrines had them after a more eaſie manner, even the immediate worke of the ſpirit. I hope with out any further diſpute you will yeeld that the having of a a ſtrange tongue was extraordinary, as likewiſe the revelation and interpretation.
I. Rob. ANSVV.
NOT to meddle with his deſcription of a Pſalme, Doctrine, &c. further then concernes our preſent occaſion: The firſt, a Pſalme was not ſo undoubtedly, as hee maketh it, ſome ſudden to wit, extraordinary motion of the ſpirit &c. The ſcriptures rather inſinuate the contrary, and that theſe Pſalmes and ſpirituall ſonges were alſo (beſides the Pſalmes of Dauid) and thoſe then made by extraordinary motion (which I will not deny) euen ordinary and conceaued by ordinary men and motions. Ephe. 5.18.19. Col. 3.16. Iam. 5.13. The ſcriptures are to be extended as largely, and to as common uſe, as may be, neither is any thing in thē to be accounted extraordinary, ſaue that which cannot poſſibly be ordinary, which theſe might bee. For the findeng out of ſweet mater they had admirable divine books to read, even the wonderfull divine ſcriptures; For muſicke, as without doubt many in that moſt rich and delicate City, were expert in it, ſo what reaſon he hath to require for the Church ſinging then in uſe, ſuch ſtudy, and art, I ſee not, except it be becauſe he dwels too neere a cathedral Church. Hee may ſee for the plaineneſſe of ſinging uſed in former times (and before the ſpouſe of Chriſt the Church, in all her ordinances was by Antichriſt ſtripped of her homely but comely attire, and tricked up with his whoriſh ornaments) that which Auſtin hath of this matter, Confeſſ. l. 10. c. 13.
For the ſecond which is doctrine, he but thinks there were no Doctors in Corinth. But he may well change his thoughts, if he both conſider how that Church abounded (in the body of it) even to exceſſe, in all knowledge & utterance, the Doctors two ſpeciall faculties, as alſo how this Apoſtle in this Epiſtle: c, 12. v. 28. affirmeth expreſly that God had ſet in the Church, amongſt other officers, Doctors, or Teachers. Beſides that it is enough for my purpoſe if there were any in Corinth, though not officer able by ordinary gift to deliliver doctrine; which (conſidering the fore-ſignified ſtate of that Church, both in reſpect of Pauls miniſtery amongſt them and teſtimony of them, being in that Citty, which was the chiefe of all Greece for governement, Greece alſo being the fountaine of learning, and eloquence) can not, I think, be reaſonably denyed.
To yeeld you without further diſpute that Revelation, & Interpretation were (viz. only) the immediate work of the ſpirit, were in us more courteſy then wiſdom. For Interprecation, I ſee not, but that either he himſelfe who ſpake the tongue by an extraordinary gift, or any other man that underſtood it, having ordinary ability to interpret the matter deliuered) both lawfully might, & in conſcience ought ſo to doe, except he would quench the ſpirit both in reſpect of the extraordinary gift of the tongue, & ordinary gift of interpretation: but that the Paſtor or Teacher might not doe this by his ordinary gift (which is yet a fort ſtrong enough to keep us from yeelding) were ſtrange to imagine. Beſides, let it be noted how the Apoſtle v. 13. exhorts to pray for, the gift of Interpretation: Now how a man might pray for an extraordinary and miraculous gift, which hee wholy wanted, without an extraordinary motion, or promiſe, and meerely upon the Apoſtles exhortation generall, I ſee not, but would learn of him that could teach me.