4. The use of this gift in the church at that time and season was manifold : for the principles which believers proceeded on, and the doctrines they professed, were new and strange to the world, and such as had mighty prejudices raised against them in the minds of men; the persons by whom they were maintained and asserted were generally, as to their outward condition, poor and contemptible in the world; the churches themselves, as to their members, few in number, encompassed with multitudes of scoffers and persecuting idolaters, themselves also newly converted, and many of them but weak in the faith. In this state of things, this gift of miracles was exceeding useful, and necessary unto the propagation of the gospel, the vindication of the truth, and the establishment of them that did believe; for, — (1.) By miracles occasionally wrought, the people round about who yet believed not were called in, as it were, unto a due consideration of what was done and what was designed thereby. Thus when the noise was first spread abroad of the apostles speak- ing with tongues, the " multitude came together, and were con- founded," Acts ii. 6. So the multitude gathered together at Lystra upon the curing of the cripple by Paul and Barnabas, thinking them to have been gods, Acts xiv. 11. When, therefore, any were so amazed with seeing the miracles that were wrought, hearing that they were so in the confirmation of the doctrine of the gospel, they could not but inquire with diligence into it, and cast out those pre- judices which before they had entertained against it. (2.) They gave authority unto the ministers of the church , for whereas on outward accounts they were desjnsed by the great, wise, and learned
4GS OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. [BOOK IX.
men of the world, it was made evident by these divine operations that their ministry was of God, and what they taught approved by him. And where these two things were effected, — namely, that a sufficient, yea, an eminently cogent ground and reason was given why men should impartially inquire into the doctrine of the gospel, and an evidence given that the teachers of it were approved of God, — unless men were signally captivated under the power of Satan, 2 Cor. iv. 4, or given up of God judicially unto blindness and hardness of heart, it could not be but that the prejudices which they had of themselves, or might receive from others, against the gospel, must of necessity be prevailed against and conquered. And as many of the Jews were so hardened and blinded at that time, Rom. xi. 7-10, 1 Thess. ii. 14-16, so it is marvellous to consider with what arti- fices Satan bestirred himself among the Gentiles, by false and lying signs and wonders, with many other ways, to take off from the testimony given unto the gospel by these miraculous operations. And this was that which miracles were designed unto towards un- believers,— namely, to take away prejudices from the doctrine of the gospel and the persons by whom it was taught, so disposing the minds of men unto an attendance unto it and the reception of it: for they were never means instituted of God for the ingenerating of faith in any, but only to provoke and prevail with men to attend unprejudicately unto that whereby it was to be wrought ; for " faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," Rom. x. 17. And, therefore, whatever miracles were wrought, if the word preached was not received, if that did not accompany them in its powerful operation, they were but despised. Thus, whereas some, upon hearing the apostles speak with tongues, mocked, and said, "These men are full of new wine," Acts ii. 13; yet upon preaching of the word, which ensued, they were converted unto God. And the apostle Paul tells us that if there were nothing but miraculous speaking with tongues in the church, an unbeliever coming in would say they were all mad, 1 Cor. xiv. 23, who by the word of pro- phecy would be convinced, judged, and converted unto God, verses 24, 25. (3.) They were of singular use to confirm and establish in the faith those who were weak and newly converted ; for whereas they were assaulted on every hand by Satan, the world, and it may be their dearest relations, and that with contempt, scorn, and cruel mocking, it was a singular confirmation and establishment, to behold the miraculous operations which were wrought in the approbation of the doctrine which they did profess. Hereby was a sense of it more and more let into and impressed on their minds, until, by an habitual experience of its goodness, power, and efficacy, they were established in the truth.
CHAP. IV.] OF EXTRAORDINARY SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 409
Prophecy is added in the sixth place: "AXXw 8s irptxpy-sla, — "To another prophecy ;" that is, is given by the same Spirit. Of this gift of prophecy we have sufficiently treated before. Only, I take it here in its largest sense, both as it signifies a faculty of prediction, or foretelling things future upon divine revelation, or an ability to declare the mind of God from the word, by the especial and imme- diate revelation of the Holy Ghost. The first of these was more rare, the latter more ordinary and common. And it may be there were few churches wherein, besides their elders and teachers, by virtue of their office, there were not some of these prophets. So of those who had this gift of prophecy, enabling them in an eminent manner to de- clare the mind of God from the Scriptures unto the edification of the church, it is expressed that there were some of them in the church at Antioch, Acts xiii. 1, 2, and many of them in the church at Corinth, 1 Cor. xiv.: for this gift was of singular use in the church, and, therefore, as to the end of the edification thereof, is preferred by our apostle above all other gifts of the Spirit whatever, 1 Cor. xii. 31, chap. xiv. 1, 39; for it had a double use, — 1. The conviction and conversion of such as came in occasionally into their church assemblies. Those unto whom the propagation of the gospel was principally committed went up and down the world, laying hold on all occasions to preach it unto Jews and Gentiles as yet unconverted ; and where churches were gathered and settled, the principal Avork of their teachers was to edify them that did believe; but whereas some would come in among them into their church assemblies, per- haps out of curiosity, perhaps out of worse designs, the apostle de- clares that of all the ordinances of the church, this of prophecy was suited unto the conviction and conversion of all unbelievers, and is ofttimes blessed thereunto, whereby this and that man are born in Zion. 2. This exposition and application of the word by many, and that by virtue of an extraordinary assistance of the Spirit of God, was of singular use in the church itself; for if all Scripture given by inspiration from God, so expounded and applied, be " profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous- ness," the more the church enjoy eth thereof, the more will its faith, love, obedience, and consolation be increased. Lastly, the manner of the exercise of this gift in the church unto edification is prescribed and limited by our apostle, 1 Cor. xiv. 29-33. And, (1.) He would not have the church burdened even with the most profitable gift or its exercise, and therefore determines that at one time not above two or three be suffered to speak, — that is, one after another, — that the church be neither wearied nor burdened, verse 29. (2.) Because it was possible that some of them who had this gift might mix somewhat of their own spirits in their word and ministry, and