A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

Object. 4. But the Apostle bids them desire that they may prophesy, vers: 1. how can one desire, or pray in faith for a miraculous and extraordinary gift of the Spirit. Answ: 1. He bids them not only desire, that they might prophesy, but that they might have other spiritual gifts, such as the gifts of tongues, So vers: 1. and the interpretations of tongues, and he wishes to them all the gift of tongues, now the gift of tongues was extraordinary and miraculous, as Acts 2. 6, 7, 8. They might desire both the one gift and the other, to glorify God, and to profit withal. 1 Cor: 12. 7. yea, they might pray for it in faith for these ends, and so much the more, because Mark. 16. 17. the promise is made to believers of that first age. And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, &c. And why might not the prayer of faith obtain the gift of prophecy, as well as recover the sick, Jam: 5. 15. although neither the one nor the other might be prayed for, with that absoluteness, and peremptoriness of desire, as saving mercies and graces necessary to salvation, which is intimated in part by the different phrase, noted by Erasmus, and others to be used, 1 Cor: 14. 1. follow after charity, [Greek or Hebrew], pursue it, or as (the Syriac) run after it, so follow after love, as never to be satisfied till ye overtake it, be earnest in the pursuit of it. But concerning tongues, prophecy, and the like, he addeth; and desire spiritual gifts [Greek or Hebrew] a word which falleth short of the other, not signifying any affecting of any thing with all our endeavour (as the other word doth) but only a high esteeming, valuing, admiring, wishing of a thing which, yet, if it be denied to us, we must sit down satisfied without it.

Object. 4. But the Apostle bids them desire that they may prophesie, vers: 1. how can one desire, or pray in faith for a miraculous and extraordinary gift of the Spirit. Answ: 1. He bids them not onely desire, that they might prophesie, but that they might have other spirituall gifts, such as the gifts of tongues, So vers: 1. and the interpretations of tongues, and hee wishes to them all the gift of tongues, now the gift of tongues was extraordinary and miraculous, as Acts 2. 6, 7, 8. They might desire both the one gift and the other, to glorifie God, and to profite withall. 1 Cor: 12. 7. yea, they might pray for it in faith for these ends, and so much the more, because