church; 1 Cor. xii. 28. And of this sort do I reckon those prophets to be who are treated of, 1 Cor. xiv. 29-33. For that they were neither stated officers in the churches, nor yet the brethren of the church promiscuously; but such as had received an especial extraordinary gift, is evident from the context; see ver. 30. 37.

3. Again, an ordinary office with ordinary gifts is intended by this expression; Rom. xii. 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.' Prophecy here can intend nothing but teaching, or preaching, in the exposition and application of the word; for an external rule is given unto it, in that it must be done according to the proportion of faith, or the sound doctrine of faith revealed in the Scripture. And this ever was and will ever continue to be the work and duty of the ordinary teachers of the church, whereunto they are enabled by the gifts of Christ which they receive by the Holy Ghost; Eph. iv. 7. as we shall see more afterward. And hence also those who are not called unto office, who have yet received a gift enabling them to declare the mind of God in the Scripture unto the edification of others, may be said to prophesy.

And these things I thought meet to interpose, with a brief description of those officers which the Lord Jesus Christ granted unto his church for a season, at its first planting and establishment, with what belonged unto their office, and the necessity of their work. For the collation of them on the church, and their whole furniture with spiritual gifts, was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost, which we are in the declaration of; and withal it was my design to manifest how vain is the pretence of some unto a kind of succession unto these officers, who have neither an extraordinary call, nor extraordinary gifts, nor extraordinary employment, but only are pleased to assume an extraordinary power unto themselves, over the churches and disciples of Christ; and that such as neither evangelists, nor prophets, nor apostles, did ever claim or make use of. But this matter of power is fuel in itself unto the proud, ambitious minds of Diotrephists, and as now circumstanced with other advantages, is useful to the corrupt lusts of men; and, therefore, it is no wonder if it be pretended unto, and greedily reached after, by such

as really have neither call to the ministry, nor gifts for it,' nor do employ themselves in it. And, therefore, as in these extraordinary officers and their gifts, did consist the original glory and honour of the churches in an especial manner, and by them was their edification carried on and perfected; so by an empty pretence unto their power, without their order and spirit, the churches have been stained and deformed, and brought to destruction. But we must return unto the consideration of extraordinary spiritual gifts, which is the especial work before us.

CHAP. IV.

Extraordinary spiritual gifts. 1 Cor. xii. 5—11.

EXTRAORDINARY spiritual gifts were of two sorts. First, Such as absolutely exceed the whole power and faculties of our minds and souls. These, therefore, did not consist in an ■ abiding principle or faculty always resident in them that received them, so as that they could exercise them by virtue of any inherent power and ability. They were so granted unto some persons in the execution of their office, as that so often as was needful, they could produce their effects by virtue of an immediate extraordinary influence of Divine Power, transiently affecting their minds. Such was the gift of miracles, healing, and the like. There were no extraordinary officers, but they had these gifts. But yet they could work or operate, by virtue of them, only as the Holy Ghost gave them especial direction for the putting forth of his power in them. So it is said that 'Paul and Barnabas preaching at Iconium, the Lord gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands;' Acts xiv. 3. The workings of signs and miracles, is the immediate operation of the Spirit of God; nor can any power or faculty efficiently productive of such effects, abide in the souls or minds of men: these miraculous operations were the witness of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which he gave to the truth of the gospel. See Heb. ii. 4. with our exposition thereon. Wherefore there was no more in these gifts which absolutely exceed the whole faculties of our natures,

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but the designing of certain persons by the Holy Ghost, in and with whose ministry he would himself effect miraculous operations.

Secondly, They were such as consisted in extraordinary endowments and improvements of the faculties of the souls or minds of men; such as wisdom, knowledge, utterance, and the like. Now where these were bestowed on any in an ertraordinary manner, as they were on the apostles and evangelists, they differed only in degree from them that are ordinary, and still continued; but are of the same kind with them; whereof we shall treat afterward. Now whereas all these gifts of both sorts, are expressly and distinctly enumerated and set down by our apostle in one place, I shall consider them as they are there proposed by him.

1 Cor. xii. 7-11. 'But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit; dividing to every one severally as he will.' The general concernments of this passage in the apostle were declared, and the context opened, at the beginning of our discourse on this subject. I shall only now consider the especial spiritual gifts that are here enumerated by the apostle, which are nine in number, laid down promiscuously without respect unto any order or dependance of one upon another; although it is probable that those first placed, were the principal, or of principal use in the church.

The first is λόγος σοφίας, the word of wisdom. Λόγος here is of the same signification with 77 in the Hebrew; which often signifies a thing or matter. Wherefore the word of wisdom, is nothing but wisdom itself. And our inquiry is, What was that wisdom which was a peculiar and an especial gift (in those days) of the Holy Ghost. Our Lord Jesus Christ promised unto his disciples that he would give them a 'mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay nor resist;' Luke xxi. 15. This will be

our rule in the declaration of the nature of this gift. That which he hath respect unto, is the defence of the gospel, and its truth, against powerful persecuting adversaries. For although they had the truth on their side, yet being men ignorant and unlearned, they might justly fear that when they were brought before kings and rulers, and priests, they should be baffled in their profession, and not be able to defend the truth. Wherefore this promise of a mouth and wisdom respects spiritual ability and utterance in the defence of the truth of the gospel, when they were called into question about it. Spiritual ability of mind is the wisdom, and utterance or freedom of speech is the mouth here promised. An eminent instance of the accomplishment hereof we have in Peter and John; Acts iv. For upon their making a defence of the resurrection of Christ, and the truth of the gospel therein, such as their adversaries were not able to gainsay nor resist, it is said, that when the rulers and elders saw their Tappηoíav, that is their utterance in defence of their cause with boldness, and so the wisdom wherewith it was accompanied, considering that they were unlearned and ignorant, they were astonished, and only considered, that they had been with Jesus;' ver. 13. And he it was, who, in the accomplishment of his promise, had given them that spiritual wisdom and utterance which they were not able to resist. So it is said expressly of Stephen, that his adversaries were not able to 'resist the wisdom and spirit' whereby he spake; Acts vi. 10. Wherefore this gift of wisdom in the first place was a spiritual skill and ability to defend the truths of the gospel, when questioned, opposed, or blasphemed. And this gift was eminent in those primitive times, when a company of unlearned men were able upon all occasions to maintain and defend the truth which they believed and professed before and against doctors, scribes, lawyers, rulers of synagogues, yea princes and kings, continually so confounding their adversaries, as that being obstinate in their unbelief, they were forced to cover their shame by betaking themselves unto rage and bestial fury; Acts vi. 10-14. chap. vii. 54. chap. xxii. 22, 23. As hath been the manner of all their successors ever since.

Now although this be an especial kind of wisdom, an eminent gift of the Holy Ghost, wherein the glory of Christ and

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honour of the gospel is greatly concerned; namely, an ability to manage and defend the truth in times of trial and danger, to the confusion of its adversaries; yet I suppose the wisdom here intended, is not absolutely confined thereunto, though it be principally intended. Peter speaking of Paul's Epistles, affirms that they were written according to the wisdom given unto him;' 2 Pet. iii. 15. That is, that especial gift of spiritual wisdom, for the management of gospel truths unto the edification of the church of Christ, which he had received. And he that would understand what this wisdom is, must be thoroughly conversant in the writings of that apostle. For indeed the wisdom that he useth in the management of the doctrine of the gospel, in the due consideration of all persons, occasions, circum stances, temptations of men and churches, of their state, condition, strength or weakness, growth or decays, obedience or failings, their capacities and progresses, with the holy accommodation of himself in what he teacheth or delivereth, in meekness, in vehemency, in tenderness, in sharpness, in severe arguings and pathetical expostulations, with all other ways and means suited unto his holy ends, in the propagation of the gospel, and edification of the church, are inexpressibly glorious and excellent. All this did he do according to the singular gift of wisdom that was bestowed on him. Wherefore I take the word of wisdom here mentioned, to be a peculiar spiritual skill and ability, wisely to manage the gospel in its administration unto the advantage and furtherance of the truth, especially in the defence of it when called unto the trial with its adversaries. This was an eminent gift of the Holy Ghost; which considering the persons employed by him in the ministry for the most part, being known to be unlearned and ignorant, filled the world with amazement, and was an effectual means for the subduing of multitudes unto the obedience of faith. And so eminent was the apostle Paul in this gift, and so successful in the management of it, that his adversaries had nothing to say, but that he was subtle and took men by craft and guile; 2 Cor. xii. 16. The sweetness, condescension, self-denial, holy compliance, with all which he made use of, mixed with truth, gravity, and authority, they would have had to be all craft and guile. And this gift when it is in any measure