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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A77253 The preachers plea. By David Bramley, a preacher of the Gospel. Bramley, David. 1647 (1647) Wing B4240; Thomason E374_2 16,799 26

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of it for the Preachers sake as accept and prize it for the Authors sake to wit Christ and the lesse thou seest of man in mens preaching be carryed on to see the more of Christ in it to the prayse of his free grace by a gracious heart in the words of grace saying Matth. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes even so Father for so it seemes good in thy sight Reader then let it not seeme evill in thy sight that the Babes of Christ should reveal to one another and to others what Christ hath revealed to them For out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings God soundeth strength Psalm 8 3. that he might still the Enemy and the Avenger and that all may learn and all be comforted 1 Cor. 14.30 31. which is the will of him who is the husband and head of his body the Church In whom I a member of his am thine to serve him David Bramley THE Preachers plea. 1 CORINTH 14. ● Greater is he that Prophesieth then he that speaketh with Tongues THE Apostle Paul knowing the excellency of Tongues and the benefit that might by the blessing of God redound to the Churches by the right use of them inasmuch as they were then of divers languages as appeares in 1 Cor. 14.26 and so had need to be instructed every one in his own language whereby onely they could be edified appeares in the 9.10 and 11. verses whereupon Paul saith I would that yee all spake with Tongues And this he speaks either to the Prophets in particular that they might be able to speak to the understanding of the Churches ingenerall who were then of divers tongues or else to the Church ingenerall that they might every one as well as any one be able to understand the Prophets in what language soever they spake or prophesied Now Paul likewise seeing the Church ready to abuse this excellent guift of Tongues to vain ostentation and withall ready to preferre it above the gift of prophesy the most excellent spirituall gift being most of all necessary for the Churches edification he exhorts them in the first verse to follow after charity and to desire spirituall gifts but rather that they may prophesie and the reason he gives verse 2 3 4 as I before did and then having shewed the excellency of both these gifts that each might have their due without offence to either he shewes the excellency of it above the other verse 5. I would that yee all spake with tongues but rather that yee prophesied for greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with tongues as if hee had said to speak with tongues is the most desirable humane gift but yet farre inferior to prophesying which is the most excellent spirituall gift for the Church For greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with Tongues So then these two are distinct gifts the one humane the other divine the one excellent the other most excellent the one necessary for the Churches edification the other of absolute necessity the one may be in the Church the other must be and as tongues may be without prophesie so may prophesie be without the tongues And so the sum of all is this Doct. That to speak with tongues is not essentiall to the being of a Prophet Or That Divine Prophesying is not restrained to Humane Learning This is very cleare from the words in the Text Greater is he that prophesieth c. Intimating thus much that they are two distinct gifts and that a man may have the gift of tongues without the gift of prophesie and that another may have the gift of prophesie without the tongues Yea the same is also specified in the 39. verse where the Apostle saith Brethren covet to prophesie and forbid not to speak with tongues And in 1 Cor. 12.10 to another the working of miracles to another prophesie to another discerning of spirtts to another divers kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues Likewise verse 28 29 30. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers and after that miracles then gifts of healings helps in Government diversities of tongues where he sheweth by way of order both the dignity and distinction of gifts and among many those of Prophesie and speaking with Tonngues Then he goes on by way of quaere Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Are all workers of miracles Have all the gifts of healing Doe all speak with tongues Doe all interpret So that it is very cleare that to speake with tongues is not essentiall to the being of a Prophet Now the reasons why divine prophesying is not restrained to humane learning may be these Reas 1. Because prophesying is the greater gift For greater is he that prophesieth c. Now the greater may not nor must not be restrained to the lesser but the lesser to the greater the greater is not tyed to the approbation of the lesser but the lesser to the approbation of the greater And without all contradiction The lesse is blessed of the greater Heb. 7.7 Matth. 23.17.19 Reas 2. Because prophesie is one of the capitall fruits and benefits of Christs victory and ascension derived to his Church as in Ephes 4.8.13 Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Wherefore divine prophesying cannot bee restrained unto humane learning Reas 3. Because prophesying is restrained to the gift of God onely Rom. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent And in Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Reas 4. Because no true Prophet though never so profound a Scholar in humane learning ever did or will preach or prophesie by vertue of his humane learning nor will take upon him to preach the Gospel because of it but by vertue and because of his spirituall illumination and sanctification by the Spirit thereunto and so Paul prophesied and preached Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 14.18 there saith he I thank God I speake with tongues more then you all yet Paul prophesied not by vertue hereof but onely by the grace of God that was in him Compare this place with 1 Cor. 15.10 where hee saith By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all and lest any should yet conceive hee