Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

48 graceand Lovebeyond 9ifes way of Gifts ; and if Love do out-fhoot Gifts in their own bow,then certainly there is a greater excellency in Love then in all Gifts. Now ifyou look in r Cor.S, you Thal find that it is faid concerning Love, that it edifies, KnoWledg puffeth up, but Charity, or Love, edifie ; Knowledg, that is, the gift of knowledg doth puff us up : the end ofgifts is edification ; it is the proper work of gifts to edifie, yet faith the Apofile, Love edifies, comparing Love and Gifts together, he fhews that Love edifies rather then Gifts : Now, I fay,if that Love do thus out-fhoot Gifts in their own bow, then certainly there is a great deal more excellency in Love,then in al Gifts, though theybe never fo great : Thus concerning Love. Secondly ; And concerning Grace and Holinefs in the ge- neral : Grace and holinefs is the proper and natural effed of the Spirit, as I may fo fpeak ; Gifts are, Opus adextra : You fbal find that voluntary and rational agents,have a Two-fold effed ; a man begets a child like himfelf, that's an natural ef- fed. ; then he makes a fool, or a hat, or a fhip, this is not a natural effed,this is an artificial effed : fo God the Father,he made the World,there is Opus ad extra: but hebegat his Son, and the Son is of the Father, fo the holy Ghofthath a Two- fold effed t The proper and the natural effed of the Holy Ghoft, is Grace, but the Opus adextra, is Gifts ; Grace and holinefs, is the proper effedof the Holy Ghoft, and therfore the Apofile Paul; fpeaking of Love, foy, Peace, and of other particular graces, faith, They are the Putsof the Spirit, Gal.5. 22. But the Pair of the Spirit, Love, ,lay, Peace,Gentlenefs, Goodnefs,Faith,&c. Again,Sin and corruption wil not fo eafily plant upongrace, as upon gifts; pride and corruption,wil more eafily plant up- onpfts,thenupon.grace, gifts do fooner gather filth,and foo- ner ruff then gracedoth, faith the Apoftle in that place I na- med even now,Knowledg puffed,' up,but Love edifies ; he fpeaks of knowledg, as.of, a gift, now faith he, KnoVeledg,-that puf- feth up. But how can knowledg, or how can any Spiritual gift puff one up ? Can that which is the Fruit or, the efeli of the Spirit of God, puff one up ? No, but occafion- ally,

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