Secondly, It is so to take heed of the very entrances of the course described. Have there been such evils in any of us as where- in it is evident that the Spirit is grieved? as we love our souls, we are to take care that we do not vex him by a continuance in them. And if we do not diligently and speedily recover ourselves from the first, the second will ensue. Hath he been grieved by our negligence in or of duties, by our indulgence unto any lust, by compliance with or conformity to the world? let not our continuance in so doing make it his vexation. Remember that whilst he is but grieved, he con- tinues to supply us with all due means for our healing and recovery :
CHAP. VII.] APPLICATION OF THE DISCOURSE. 419
he will do so also when he is yet vexed; but he will do it with such a mixture of anger and displeasure as shall make us know that what we have done is an evil thing and a bitter. But have any proceeded farther, and continued long thus to vex him, and have refused his instructions, when accompanied, it may be, with sore afflictions or inward distresses, that have been evident tokens of his displeasure? let such souls rouse up themselves to lay hold on him, for he is ready to depart, it may be for ever. And, —
Thirdly, We may do well to consider much the miserable condi- tion of those who are thus utterly forsaken by him. When we see a man who hath lived in a plentiful and flourishing condition, brought to extreme penury and want, seeking his bread in rags from door to door, the spectacle is sad, although we know he brought this misery on himself by profuseness or debauchery of life; but how sad is it to think of a man whom, it may be, we knew to have had a great light and conviction, to have made an amiable profession, to have been adorned with sundry useful spiritual gifts, and had in estimation on this account, now to be despoiled of all his ornaments, to have lost light, and life, and gifts, and profession, and to lie as a poor withered branch on the dunghill of the world! And the sad- ness hereof will be increased when we shall consider, not only that the Spirit of God is departed from him, but also is become his enemy, and fights against him, whereby he is devoted unto irrecoverable ruin.
A DISCOURSE
SPIKITUAL GIFTS,
CHAPTER I.
Spiritual gifts, their names and signification.
The second part of the dispensation of the Spirit in order unto the perfecting of the new creation, or the edification of the church, con- sists in his communication of spiritual gifts unto the members of it, according as their places and stations therein do require. By his work of saving grace (which in other discourses we have given a large account of), he makes all the elect living stones; and by his communication of spiritual gifts, he fashions and builds those stones into a temple for the living God to dwell in. He spiritually unites them into one mystical body, under the Lord Christ as a head of influence, by faith and love; and he unites them into an organical body, under the Lord Christ as a head of rule, by gifts and spiritual abilities. Their nature is made one and the same by grace, their use is various by gifts. Every one is a part of the body of Christ, of the essence of it, by the same quickening, animating Spirit of grace ; but one is an eye, another a hand, another a foot, in the body, by virtue of peculiar gifts: for "unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ," Eph. iv. 7
These gifts are not saving, sanctifying graces; those were not so in themselves which made the most glorious and astonishing appear- ance in the world, and which were most eminently useful in the foundation of the church and propagation of the gospel, such as were those that were extraordinary and miracidous. There is something of the divine nature in the least grace, that is not in the most glorious gift, which is only so. It will therefore be part of our work to show wherein the essential difference between these gifts and sanctifying graces doth consist: as also, what is their nature and use must be inquired into; for although they are not grace, yet they are that without which the church cannot subsist in the world, nor can believers be useful unto one another and the rest of mankind,
CHAP. I.] OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 421
imto the glory of Christ, as they ought to be. They are the "powers of the world to come ; " those effectual operations of the power of Christ whereby his kingdom was erected and is preserved.
And hereby is the church-state under the new testament differ- enced from that under the old. There is, indeed, a great difference between their ordinances and ours; — theirs being suited unto the dark apprehensions which they had of spiritual things; ours accom- modated unto the clearer light of the gospel, more plainly and ex- pressly representing heavenly things unto us, Heb. x. 1. But our ordinances with their spirit would be carnal also. The principal difference lies in the administration of the Spirit for the due per- formance of gospel worship by virtue of these gifts, bestowed on men for that very end. Hence the whole of evangelical worship is called the " ministration of the Spirit," and thence said to be " glorious," 2 Cor. hi. 8. And where they are neglected, I see not the advantage of the outward worship and ordinances of the gospel above those of the law; for although their institutions are accommodated unto that administration of grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ, yet they must lose their whole glory, force, and efficacy, if they be not dispensed and the duties of them performed by virtue of these spiritual gifts. And, therefore, no sort of men by whom they are neglected do or can content themselves with the pure and unmixed gospel institutions in these things, but do rest principally in the out- ward part of divine service, in things of their own finding out ; for as gospel gifts are useless without attending unto gospel institutions, so gospel institutions are found to be fruitless and unsatisfactory without the attaining and exercising of gospel gifts.