thing to gather the fruits of royal grace upon some solemn day, as that was of David's, 2 Sam. vi. 19. Saints only have the covenant graces, hypocrites may have a large share in these gifts, nay a larger portion than some saints themselves. Saul, Balaam, Caiphas, may have the gift of prophecy; Judas may preach, but only Thomas and those who are under the influence of grace, can believe, and it is a greater work, saith Luther, to believe, than to work miracles. * (2.) They differ in their nature and manner of operation. Covenant grace stamps on the soul the image of our heavenly Father, it is the divine nature, God's most curious workmanship, the form and portraiture, the representation and exemplar of God blessed for ever; grace is God's picture, if I may so speak, drawn to the life; it is a forming of Christ in the soul. Now gifts are no such thing-the devil himself hath great gifts, yet hath razed out the image of God; gifts are but the works of God's power and wisdom, such as the sun and stars; yea, even flies and atoms, they are in a sort dead, and we may call them God's lumber; some have noted that gifts are only the effects, but graces are called the fruits of the Spirit; † the one is husk of a common profession, at least, the shell of some rare endowments, but the other is the kernel of sincerity, and fruit of a gospel conversion. 66 to one (3.) They differ in their train and retinue, as to gifts none have all, either of all sorts, or any great eminency in all; hence it is said, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9. is given the word of wisdom, to another, knowledge," &c. Moses had a gift of government, not of eloquence; Paul had a gift of planting, Apollos of watering; some of the apostles were sons of thunder, others of consola* Præstat credere quàm miracula edere. +1 Cor. xii. 11. Gal. v. 22. tion; some ministers are fitter for opening Scriptures and clearing controversies-others are more for exhortation and conviction of the conscience; some think that pastors and teachers differ with respect to their gifts. But these covenant graces and mercies are linked together, they dance their round in the believing soul, hand in hand, as the word signifies,* 2 Peter i. 5. One grace strengthens another, as stones do in an arch; yea, all graces are radically in faith-some, indeed, have said, that every grace is but faith exercised; however, all graces are infused at once into the soul, though some get the lead as to exercise-the new man is perfect with a perfection of parts, though not of degrees, as it is with a new-born child. (4.) Gifts and grace differ in their several designs, ends, and effects. Gifts, offices and privileges, are but for others' advantage, and edification; they are given to profit withal.-1 Cor. xii. 7. When Christ ascended, he gave gifts to men-for what end? The apostle tells us "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. iv. 8-12. But now the end of grace is the soul's spiritual advantage, that by it Christ may take possession of the heart, that the soul may have some life and principle of opposition to beloved corruptions, and thereby be better helped to perform religious duties, walk with God, improve privileges, and be made meet for heaven. These, and such as these, are the ends of the graces of the covenant. A man may have rare gifts, yet have a base heart; he may have singular endowments, and yet not be helped thereby, to mortify one lust, perform one duty spiritually, or get one step nearer God: but covenant grace is profitable for those great ends and uses; gifts and grace may be said to differ as the sun and moon; the moon casts a light, * Επιχορηγήσατε. indeed, but no heat-but the sun sheds his quickening rays into this lower world-he quickens many things, and maketh all things verdant and fruitful. So doth covenant merey bring forth many precious things, and divine graces have a lively influence, whereby a man shall both save himself and others, 1 Tim. iv. 16; but a man may have gifts like an angel, and be never the nearer to heaven; he may direct others in the way to heaven, and yet not walk a step therein; he may teach others what he hath not learned himself; he may preach to others and be a castaway. * It is one thing to have the form of knowledge, another to have the power of grace; it is one thing to have angelical gifts, and another thing to have evangelical graces. All gifted persons are not gracious persons; never was any man saved by his gifts, and rarely have they, who have only gifts, been instruments to save others. I dare not say, that it is impossible that a graceless, yet gifted minister, should be a mean of conversion, for God is not to be limited, but it is not ordinary, as common experience testifies. 4. An additional inference is, if covenant mercies be thus sure, then it lets us see the truth of our religion. If the mercies thereof be thus sure, as I have demonstrated, then let us be established in our persuasion of the verity, certainty and infallibility of Christianity; if these be sure mercies, who can doubt of the reality thereof? Every thing in the gospel is made sure, and you may venture your souls upon it; since God hath confirmed these things as a sacred oracle from heaven, who dare dispute them? The God of truth cannot lie nor deny himself; he is so good that he cannot deceive, and so wise that he cannot be deceived. † There is in * Se fully in Rom. ii. 17-24. 1 Cor. ix. 27. + Divino præcepto intonante obediendum est non disputandum. Aug. him neither imprudence in promising, nor inability in performing. "Heaven and earth may pass away, but 66 not one iota of his word shall fail." You are to believe these things without hesitation, and give your full assent to them; as the mystery of godliness is great, so it is without controversy. Grotius* observes that our Christian religion doth transcend all the religions in the world in three things. First, "in the certainty of its maxims;" secondly, " in the spirituality of its precepts;" thirdly," in the transcendency of its rewards.” We have the unerring testimony of heaven for what we believe; which is surer than any logical conclusions, philosophical speculations, yea, or mathematical demonstrations, and I may add, than Old Testament dreams and visions; so the apostle seems to extol God's speaking to us by his Son above the divers manners of his speaking to the Fathers, Heb. i. 1, 2; nay, the apostle Peter asserts that we have in the Scriptures a more sure word of prophecy, than that voice which came to Christ in the holy mount, from the excellent glory, 2 Pet. i. 18, 19; not that any thing can be more sure than the very undoubted words of Jehovah, who is truth itself; but a more sure, that is, most sure, a comparative for a superlative, for the former visions being from God, as well as the prophecies, were themselves as sure as they; but the meaning is, that the Scripture testimony is more sure than that vision, employed as an argument to convince others, or secundum nos, for the authority of the Scriptures is beyond the testimony of angels; nay, above the credit that Aut hæc admittenda religio, non tantum ob factorum testimonia, de quibus jam egimus, verum etiam ob ea, quæ religioni sunt intrinseca: cum nulla ex omnibus sæculis ac nationibus proferri potest; aut præmio excellentior, præceptis perfectior, aut modo quo propagari jussa est admirabilior.-Hug. Grot. de Veritat. Relig. Christ. lib. 2, cap. 8, p. 52. John ix. 32. Acts xxvi. 22, 23. Acts xvii. 11. might be given to men, for men might suspect Peter and the other apostles, as though this apparition were but a fiction of their own brains-therefore, he appeals to the undoubted prophecies in the Old Testament, which were by long use settled in the hearts of the godly Jews, who believed all that the prophets spake as coming from God; therefore our Saviour declares that they that believe not Moses's writings, will not believe his words, John v. 45-47, and hence it was that they examined doctrines by the prophets; nay our Saviour himself, affirms, "that if they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead, Luke xvi. 31, therefore, the apostles had the prophets as patrons of their doctrine, and thence did the faithful fetch a confirmation of the gospel.* The sum of this text is, then, to demonstrate the verity and certainty of the gospel by evidencing the consent of prophetical and apostolical testimony for its fuller confirmation; as if he had said, if you distrust me in commending the evangelical doctrine, I send you back to the prophets, whom, without any exception, you account holy and faithful. These testify of the truth of the gospel, therefore this consent should be evincing and satisfying. Hence it is, that the disciples of Christ have professed such a plerophory, and abundant acquiescence in their persuasion of Christ's being the Messiah and Saviour of mankind; so John vi. 69, "We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God;" and Simon Peter acknowledged it, Matt. xvi. 16; yea, unbelieving Thomas at last cried out " My Lord, and my God,” John xx. 28, as being overcome with the 66 *Habebant apostoli prophetas tanquam patronos doctrinæ suæ ; fideles quoque inde petebant evangelii confirmationem.-Calv. in loc. Vide sis Mart. Arct. et cætera in Locum. + Full assurance. |