AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS. - 65' ed by the shadow of Peter as he passed by, Acts v. lb. his seed, the wicked unbelieving world. And hereof, And again, many were so by handkerchiefs and aprons carried from the body of Paul, chap. xix. 12. And the reason of these extraordinary operations iu.extraor- nary cases, seems to have been the encouragement of that great faith which was then stirred up in them that beheld those miraculous operations, which was of sin- gular advantage unto the propagation of the gospel;. as the magical superstition of the ßoman church, sundry ways, endeavouring to imitate these inimitable actings of sovereign divine power, hath been a dishonour to the Christian religion. 15. But whereas these healings were miraculous o- perations, it may be inquired why the gift of them is constantly distinguished from miracles, and is placed as a distinct effect of the Holy Ghost by itself; for that so it is, is evident both in the commission of Christ granting this power unto his disciples, and in the innumeration of these gifts in this and other places. I answer, this seems to be done on a threefold account: 1. Because miracles, absolutely, were a sign to them that believed not, as the apostle speaketh of tongues, they were a sign not unto them that believe, but unto them that believ- ed not, 1 Cor. xiv. 22. that is, which served for their conviction. But this work of healing was a sign unto believers themselves, and that on a double account: For, first, The pouring out of this gift of the Holy Ghost, was a peculiar sign and token of the coming of the kingdom of God. So saith our Saviour to his dis- ciples, Heal the sicle, and say unto them, the kingdomof God is come nigh unto you, Luke x. 9. This gift of healingbeing a token and pledge thereof. This sign did our Saviour give of it himself, when John sent his disciples unto him to inquire, for their own satisfaction, not his, whether he were the Messiah or no, Matth. xi. 4, 5. "Go," saith he, « and shew John these things " which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their 0 sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and " the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor ". have the gospel preached unto them :" which was the evidence of his own being the Messiah, and bringing in the kingdom of God. The Jews have an ancient tradi- tion, that in the days of the Messias all things should be healed but the Serpent. And there is a truth in what they say; although, for their parts, they understand it not. For all are healed by Christ but the Serpent and namely, of the healing and recovery of all things by Christ, was this gift or sign unto the church. Where- fore he began his ministry after his first miracle, with healing all manner ofsickness, and all manner ofdiseases among the people, Matth. iv. 23, 24, 25. (2.) It was a sign that Christ had borne and taken away sin, which was the cause, root and spring of diseases and sick- nesses, without which no one could have been miracu- lously cured. Hence that place of Isaiah, chap. liii. 4. Surely he hall; borne our griefi, and carriedour sorrows: which is afterwards interpreted, by being wounded for our transgressions, and being bruisedfor our iniquities, ver. 5. As also by Peter, by his bearing our sins in his own body on the tree, 1 Peter ii. 24. is applied by Mat- thew unto the curing ofdiseases and sicknesses, Matth. viii. 16, 17. Now, this wasfor no other reason, but be- cause this healingof diseases was a sign and effect of his bearing our sins, the causes of them, without a supposi- tion whereof healing would have been a false witness un- to men. It was therefore on these accounts a sign unta believers also. 76. Idly, Because it had a peculiar goodness, relief, and benignity towards mankind in it, which othermira- culous operations had not; at least, not unto the same degree. Indeed this was one great difference between the miraculous operations that were wrought under the Old Testament, and those under the Newt that the for- mer generally consisted in dreadful and tremendous works, bringing astonishment, and oft-times ruin to man- kind; but those other were generally useful and bene- ficial unto all, But this of healing had a peculiar evi- dence of love, kindness, compassion, benignity, and was suited greatly to affect the minds of menwith regard and gratitude. For long afflictive distempers or violent pains, such as were the diseases cured by this gift, do pre- pare the minds of men, and those concerned in them, greatly to value their deliverance. This therefore, inan especial manner, declared and evidenced the goodness, love, and compassion of him that was the author of this gospel, and gave this sign of healingspiritual diseases by healing bodily distempers. And, doubtless, many who were made partakers of the benefit hereof, were great- ly affected with it; and that not only by walking, and leaping, and praising God, as the cripple did who was cured by Peter and John, Acts iii. 8. but also unto faith 39
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