50. A DISCOURSE 014 but they change not the heart, they renew not the mind, they transform not the soul into the image of God. Hence, where grace is predominant, every notion of light and truth which is communicated unto the mind is immediately turned into practice, by having the whole soul cast into the mould of it; where onlygifts bear sway, the use of it in duties unto edification is best where- unto it is designed. (3.) As to effects or consequents, the great difference is, that on the part of Christ; Christ cloth thereby dwell and reside in our hearts; when con- cerning many of those who have been made partakers of these other spiritual endowments, he will say, Depart fromme, I never knewyou, which he will not say of any one whose soul he bath inhabited. 16. These are some of the principal agreements and differences between saving graces and spiritual gifts, both sorts of them being wrought in believers by that one and self -sane Spirit which divideth to every oneas he will. And for a close of this discourse I shall only add, that where these graces and gifts in any eminency or good degree are bestowed on the same persons, they are exceedingly helpful unto each other. A soul sanctified by saving grace, is the only proper soil for gifts to flou- THE HOLY SPIRIT, rish in. Grace influences gifts unto a due exercise, pre- vents their abuse, stirs them up unto proper occasions, keeps them from being a matter of pride or contention, and subordinates them in all things unto the glory of God. When the actings of grace andgifts are insepar- able, as in prayer, the Spirit is a Spirit of grace and supplication, the grace and gift of it working together, when utterance in, other duties is always accompanied with faith and love, then is God glorified, and our own salvàtion promoted. Then have edifying gifts a beauty and lustre upon them, and generally are most success- ful, when they are clothed and adorned with humility, meekness, a reverence of God, and .compassion for the souls of men. Yea, when there is no evidence, no ma- nifestationof their being accompanied with these and the like graces, they are but as a parable or wise say- ing in the mouthof a fool. Gifts, on the other side, ex- cite and stir up grace unto its proper exercise and ope.. rations. How often is faith, love, and delight in God excited and drawn forth unto especial exercise in believ- ers by the use of their own gifts. And thus much may suffice as to the nature of these gifts in general: wenext consider them under their most general distributions. CHAP. III. OF GIFTS AND OFFICES EXTRAORDINARY: THE H spiritual gifts whereof we treat, respect either powers and duties in the church, or duties only. Gifts that respect powers and duties are of two sorts, or there have been, or are at any time, two sorts of such powers and duties: the first whereof was extraordinary, the latter ordinary, and consequently the gifts subser- vient unto them must be of two sorts also, which must further be cleared. 2. Wherever power is given by Christ unto his church, and duties are required in the execution of that power, unto the ends of his spiritual kingdom, to be performed by virtue thereof, there is an office in the church. For an ecclesiastical office isan especial power given by Christ unto any person or persons for the performance of espe- cial duties belonging unto the edification of the church in an especial manner. And these offices have been of two sorts: (1.) Extraordinary. (2.) Ordinary. Some AND FIRST OF OFFICES. seem to deny that there was ever any such thing as ex- traordinary power or extraordinary offices in the church. For they do provide successors unto all whoare pleaded to have been of that kind; and those such as look how far short they come of them in other things, do exceed them in power and rule. I shall not contend about words, and shall therefore only inquire what it was that con- stituted them to be officers of Christ in his church, whom thence we call extraordinary; and then if others can duly lay claim unto them, they may be allowed to pass for their succcessors. 3. There are four things which constitute an extra- ordinary officer in the church of God, and consequently are required in, and do constitute an extraordinary of- fice: (1.) An extraordinary call unto an office, such as none other have or can have by virtue of any law, order, or constitution whatever. (2.) An extraordinary power
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