70 A OYSCOUtiStt ON THE HOLY S1'112rT, ---- people, chap. ii. 1. that is, when God granted that ign al privilege unto the church, of the immediate revelation of his will unto them by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which constituted men true prophets of the Lord: Satan stirred up others to pretend unto the same spirit of prophecy for his own malicious ends, whereby there werefalseprophets also among the people. But it may be it will be otherwise now under the gospel church state. No, saithhe; there shall be false teachers among you, that is, persons pretending to the same spiritual gift that the apostles and evangelists had, yet bringing in thereby damnable heresies. Now, all their damnable opinions they fathered upon immediate revelations ofthe Spirit. This gave occasion to the holy apostle John to give that caution, with his reason of it, which it expres- sed, t John iv. 1, 2, 3. which words we have opened before. And this false pretence unto extraordinary spir- itual gifts, the church was tried and pestered withal, so long as there was any occasion to give it countenance, namely, whilst such gifts were really continued unto any therein. What way then had God ordained for the preservation and safety of the church, that it should not he imposed upon by any of these delusions? I answer, there was a standing rule in the church, whereby what- soever was, or could be offered doctrinally unto it, might certainly and infallibly be tried, judged, and de- termined on. And this was the rule of-the written word, according to that everlasting ordinance, To the law and to the testimony, ti they speak not according to this word, it is because there is seo light in them, Isa. viii. 20. This in all ages was sufficient for the preservation of the church from all errors and heresies, or damnable doc- trines, which it never fell into, nor shall do so, but in the sinful neglect and contempt hereof. Moreover, the apostle further directs the application of this rule unto present occasions, by advising us to fix on fundamental principles which are likely to be opposed, and if they are not owned and avowed, to avoid such teachers, what- ever spiritual gift they pretend unto, 1 John iv. 2, 3. 2 John ix. lo, 11. Butyet, because many' in those days were weak in the faith, and might be surprised with such pretences, God had graciously provided and be- stowed the gift here mentioned on some, it may be, in every church, namely, of discerning of spirits; they could, by virtue of the extraordinary gift and aid there- in of the 'HolyGhost, make a true' judgment of the spirits that men pretended to act, and to be actuated by, whether they wereof God or no. And this was ofsin- gular use and benefit unto the church in those days: for, as spiritual gifts abounded, so did a pretence unto them, which was always accompanied with pernicious designs. Herein therefore did God grant relief for them who were either less skillful, or less wary, or less able on any account to make a right judgment between those who were really endowed with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and those who safely pretend thereunto. For these persons received this gift, and wereplaced in the church for this very end, that they might guide and help them in making .a right judgment in this matter. And whereas the communication of these gifts is ceased, and consequently all pretences unto them, unless by some persons phrenetical and entftusisstical, whose madness is manifest to all, there is no need of the continuance of this gift of discerning spirits, that standinginfallible rule of the word, and ordinary assistance of the Spirit, being every way sufficient for our preservation in the truth; unless we give up ourselves to the conduct of corrupt lusts, pride, self conceit, carnal interest, passions and temptations, which ruin the souls of men. 22. The two spiritual gifts here remaining, are speak- ing with tongues, and their interpretation. The first communication of this gift of tongues unto the apostles, is particularly described, Acts ii. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. And although they were at that time endowed with all other gifts of the Holy Ghost, called power from above, Acts i. 8. yet was the gifi of tongues signalized by the visible pledgeof it, the joint participation ofthe same gift by all, and the notoriety of the matter thereon, as in that place ofthe Acts is at large described. And Godseems to have laid the foundation of preaching the gospel in this gift, for two reasons: (t.) To signify that the grace and mer- cy of the covenant was now no longer.to be confined unto one nation, language, orpeople, but to be extended unto all nations,' tongues, and 'languages of people under heaven. (2.) To testify by what means he would sub- due the souls and consciences of men unto the obedience of Christ and the gospel, and by what means he would maintain his kingdom in the world. Now, this was not by force and might, by external power or armies, but by thepreaching ofthe word, whereof the tongue is the only'instrnment. And the outward sign of this gift in tongues o0fire evidenced the light and efficacy wherewith .ti
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