AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 9i io. In the last place, weplead the event even in the days wherein welive: for the Holy Ghost doth continue to dispense spiritual gifts for gospel administrations in great variety, unto those ministers of the gospel who are called.unto their office according unto his mind and will. The opposition that is made hereunto by profane scof- fers, is not to be valued. The experience of those who are humble and wise, who, fearing God, do inquire in- to those things, is appealed unto. Have they notan ex- periment of this administration? Do they not find the presence of the Spirit himself by his various gifts in them by whom spiritual things are administered unto them? Have they not a proofof Christ speaking in them by the assistance of his Spirit, making the word mighty unto all its proper ends? And as the thing itself, so va- riety of his dispensations' manifest themselves also unto the experience of believers. Who see not how different are the gifts of men, the Holy Ghost dividing unto every one as he will? And the experience which they have themselves who have received these gifts, of the especial assistance which they receive in the exercise of them, may also be pleaded. Indeed, the profaneness ofa con- trary apprehension, is intolerable among such as profess themselves to be Christians. For any to boast themselves, they are sufficient of themselves for the stewardly dis- pensation of the mysteries of the gospel, by their own endowments, natural or acquired, and the exercise of them, without a participation of any peculiar spiritual gift from the Holy Ghost, is a presumption which con- tains in it a renunciation of all or any interest in the pro- mises of Christ madeunto thechurch, or the continuance of his presence therein. Let men be never so well per- suaded of their own abilities, let them pride themselves in their performances, in reflection of applauses from persons unacquainted with the mystery of these things; let them frame to themselves such a work of the minis- try, as whose discharge stands in little or no need of these gifts, yet it will at length appear, that where the gifts ofthe Holy Ghostare excluded from their adminis- tration, the Lord Christ is so, and the Spirit himselfis so, and all true edification of the church is so, and so are all the real concerns of the gospel: and so have we, as 1 hope, confirmed the second part of the work of thb Holy Ghost, with respect unto spiritual gifts, namely, his continuance to distribute and communicate unto the church to the end of the world, according unto the powers andduties which he hash erected in it, or requir- ed of it. ®0v-- CHAP. VIII. OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, WITH RESPECT UNTO DOCTRINE, RULE, AND WORSHIP; HOW ATTAINED, AND IMPROVED. THERE remain yet two things to be spoken unto with respect unto the gifts which the Holy Ghost bestows on the ministers of the gospel, to qualify them unto their office, and to enable them unto their work: and these are, (I.) What they are. ,(G.) How they are to be attained and improved. In our inquiry after the first ; or what are the gifts whereby men are fitted and enabled for the ministry, we wholly set aside the consideration of all those gracious qualifications of faith, love, zeal, compassion, careful tender watchful. ness, and the like, whereon the holy use of their minis- try doth depend I For our inquiry is only after those gifts whereon depends the very being of the ministry. There may be a true ministry, in some cases, wherethere is no sanctifyinggrace; but where there are no spiritual gifts, there is no ministry at all. They are in general abilities for the due management of the spiritualadminis- trations of the gospel in its doctrine, worship, and dis cipline, unto the edification of the church. It is not easy, nay, it may be unto us, it is not possible to enu- merate, in particular, all the various giftswhich the Holy Ghost endows the ministers of the gospel withal. But whereas all the concerns of the church may be referred unto thesethree heads, of doctrine, worship. and rule, we may inquire what are the principal spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost with respect unto them distinctly?
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