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ESSAYS 
 
 AND 
 
 INQUIRIES 
 
 RESrECTIN'G 
 
 j:.HE GIFTS AND THE TEACHERS 
 
 Primitit^e Cfturcbes^. 
 
 BY ALEXANDER MACLEOD. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 PRINTED BY J. RITCHIE. 
 
 SOLD BY OLIPHANT, WAUGH & INNES ; W. CtVDE, PERTH ; 
 
 J. M'LAREK, STIRLING; DUNCAN, OCtE, AND STEVENS, 
 
 GLASGOW; E. LESSLIE, DUNDEE; G. CLARK, 
 
 ABERDEEN; W. M'DONALD, CRIEFF J 
 
 AND T. HAMILTON, LONDON. 
 
 1813. 
 
p ' 
 
 JL 
 
 
 '^""^^m^rr^^ 
 
 T "''^^rwr 
 
 J F the gospel of Christ, whicli is " the power of 
 
 God unto salvation," is infinitely the most important 
 subject with which the human mind cau be engaged, we 
 must assign to public teaching, which is the " mani- 
 festation of the truth," a very high phice among the 
 positive institutions of Jesus. By the publication of 
 ius own word, God has prepared multitudes for a hap- 
 py and glorious immortality — a result for which the 
 " wisdom of this world" was perfectly inadequate. 
 " For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world b^' 
 wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by (what was 
 reckoned) tlie foolishness of preaching, to save them 
 that believe." 
 
 How much also on the state of public teacliing de- 
 pends the benefit which we dei'ive from other divine 
 ordinances. The propriety and fervour of our pray- 
 ers to God, our delight and animation in the singing 
 of his praise,, and our discernment and consolation in 
 showing forth the Lord's death, as well as our general 
 regard to the commandments of God, will ordinarily 
 correspond to the measure of spiritual understanding 
 and enjoyment which he is pleased to impart to us by 
 means of pul^lic 'e;iching. " Take heed unto thyself 
 and unto thy doctrijK; ; continue in them : for in do- 
 ing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that 
 hear thee." 
 
 The Lord therefore has given to the church th^- 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 promise of pastors and teachers; and the church, 
 without glorying in men, hath reason to bless 
 God for these means of edification and comfort. Al- 
 though " neither is he that planteth (comparatively) 
 any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giv- 
 eth the increase," it seemed good in his sight to ap- 
 point the labour of planting and watering, in order 
 to " cause righteousness and praise to spring forth 
 before all nations." 
 
 Every change therefore made on the ordinance of 
 public teaching, must be followed by a train of great 
 practical consequences. Even when the truth is not 
 kept back, corrupted or opposed, any material defect 
 in the manner of its communication, greatly obstnicts 
 its success. Is this affected, perplexed, feeble, unin- 
 teresting, cold and tedious — or is it perspicuous, elo- 
 quent, animated, powerful and affectionate — and will 
 not the consequences differ immensely ? Consider how 
 small a portion of time is devoted to public teaching ! 
 To the soldier, the traveller, or the labourer, who has 
 but short inter\'als for rest and refreshment, it is not 
 of small moment, whether, in those intervals, he is fed 
 with wheat or with chaff — with strong m.eat, or with 
 milk only. Jesus has appointed one day in seven for 
 a season of special rest and refreshment for the souls 
 of his disciples. Only a part of that time can be de- 
 voted to teaching ; and as but 0)ie can be heard at 
 once, we ought not merely to consider, whether that 
 one be a wise or a weak man — we ought also to de- 
 termine, whether he has need to be taught himself 
 " the first principles of the oracles of God ;" or 
 whether, as a " scribe instructed unto the kingdom 
 of heaven," he " bringeth forth out of his treasure 
 f/tiiws new and old." 
 
Trefdcej. W 
 
 The subject of public teaching has l)ccn mucli dis-; 
 eussctl within a few years in a series of publications. 
 More than three-fourths of these have defended the 
 practice of promiscuous teaching or exhortation, in 
 opposition to those in which it is maintained, that pub- 
 lic teaching is the work of teachers only ; that is, of 
 q^ialified and^ selected persons. On both sides, it is, 
 allowed that the decision of this question not a little 
 in\o'lves the iixterests of religion. And we presume, 
 that the comparative loss of edification, is not the on- 
 ly evil resulting from' adherence to tlie wrong side of 
 it. The influence of this on the temper, unanimity, 
 subordination, harmony, peace and usefulness of Chris-, 
 tians, is truly a matter of very serious consideration. 
 
 The present question, we confess, is not at all a 
 novelty in the church of Christ. Among the Puri* 
 tans, and others also, both in this and forei^ coun-. 
 tries, there were persons who defended either promis- 
 cuous teaching, or something very like it. They who. 
 now defend the practice, tell us, that even the late Mr- 
 Newton of London objected to the dissenters in Eng- 
 land that it was neglected by them. This coincidence 
 in the opinions of men of different ages and coun- 
 tries, will pi-obably be regarded, as strong evi* 
 dence of the truth of these opinions.. But coinciden- 
 ces of this kind may be brought to support both sides, 
 of almost any question. The Scriptures must be fiiK 
 filled. " There is no new thing under the sun." The^ 
 older any opinion is, and the moi'e it has been receiv- 
 ed, there is the louder call to examine, whether it haSi 
 •any foundation in the word of God. 
 
 After a long, a full, and minute investigatl<3n of' 
 this subject, to which the writer of these pages was at. 
 first led, in circumstances exceedingly pre-disposing 
 
 a3 
 
■vi Pre/ace. 
 
 to tlie adoption of the sentiments wlilch he has been 
 compelled to reject, he is fully convinced, that in the 
 first churches there was no such thing as an ordinance 
 of exhortation by the brethren at large, distinct from 
 the public discourses of prophets and teachers. This 
 to many is a most obnoxious doctrine. They consider 
 it to be chargeable with hiding what has been splen- 
 didly calkd " the gifts of the brethren," with hinder- 
 ing the reformation of churches and the progress of 
 the gospel, with favouring the claims and pretensions 
 of priestcraft, and with being a fit associate for the 
 corruptions of national churches, if not of popery* 
 Some, or all these charges, have been brought against 
 it in various publications, according to the zeal of their- 
 respective authors. Ouj"'s then is theunpopular and 
 imgracious side of the question. Our arguments be- 
 sides are supposed to be clearly and irrefn^gably con-r 
 futed, and. the question to be completely and forever 
 set at rest, in favour of promiscuous exhoitation. 
 
 From the foregoing observations, the reader may 
 be induced to conclude, that tlie whole of these pages 
 are of a controversial nature. This, however, is net 
 the case. Our object has been to represent the aci 
 tual state of things in the first age, and to notice oc- 
 casionally what others have said respecting it. No 
 doubt some may think we have attended too much 
 to the statements of our brethren who differ from us. 
 But be tliis as it may, we readily allow, that mere ar- 
 gumentation of any kind is of little moment, compar- 
 ed with the illustration of divine truth ; and we trust, 
 that accordingly a considerable portion of the fol- 
 lowing pages will be found employed in attempting to 
 <^lucidate such passages and events of Scripture as 
 serve to place in a clear and just light the subject af/ 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 Jnquir}'. It is pleasing to turn from the opinions of 
 men to the oracles of God. " The works of the 
 Lord are great, sought out of all them that have plea- 
 sure therein." 
 
 Among those who fear God, there is but one opi- 
 Bion as to the importance of understanding the actual 
 state of things in the first Christian churches. To 
 what extent soever good men think themselves bound 
 to conform to the primitive practice, or whatever al- 
 lowance they contend should be made for difference 
 of circumstances, they all profess that the Scriptures 
 alone are the only rule of faith and practice. All ac- 
 cordingly endeavour to enforce their several opinions 
 9nd usages by producing what they conceive to be 
 Scripture authority. And how pleasing is it to con- 
 sider, that amidst the jarring of divers opinions rela- 
 tive to matters of inferior moment, every genuine be- 
 liever firmly adheres to the never- failing "faith which 
 was once delivered unto the saints." 
 
 It is obvious, that conclusions so different as ' teach-, 
 ing by select persons only,' and ' teaching by the bre- 
 thren promiscuously,' must be drawn from different 
 preyiises, or different views of the practice of the first 
 churches; and that on the one side or on the other, this 
 practice has been misunderstood. It may not there- 
 fore be improper to point out the difference be- 
 tween the manner in which those who argue for in- 
 discriminate teaching determine the practice of the 
 first churches, and the way in which we endeavour to 
 ascertain what that practice really was. 
 
 First then, they so- blend together the gifts of the 
 first churches, and the gifts which they suppose to be 
 now possessed, and so represent under one view the 
 primitive practice and their own, that the one cannot 
 
viil Preface. 
 
 be contcm plated witliout bcliolding the otlicr. Hence, 
 if thediff'erence between theprimitivepractice and their 
 own were ever so great, the reader is necessarily im- 
 pressed, in consequence of tliis mode of interweaving 
 them, with the idea that they are precisely the same^ 
 The primitive prophets and other gifted men are usu- 
 ally called " the brethren," or " members of the 
 church," and their public exercises, " the exercises of 
 the gifts of the brethren," and not of the prophets and 
 teachers. From this an easy and seemingly natural 
 transition is made to modern church members, and 
 their exhortations. Take an example from Mr Car- 
 son : ' The circumstance of the brethren of the first 
 
 * churches possessing miraculous gifts, is no more a 
 *■ reason why brethren who have not miraculous gifts 
 
 * should not exhort,' &c. Now supposing that the 
 brethren referred to were select individuals, who,, 
 in consequence of having received extraordinary gifts 
 of the Spirit, taught as prophets and teachers, can any 
 thing be more confounding in description, or more 
 unjust in argument, than to place them on the same 
 level, and to give them merely the same designation 
 with private unofficial church-members in the present 
 day > 
 
 Secondly, we remark, that they attend but occasion* 
 ally, and some of them not at all, to what was actU" 
 ally done in the first age. The manner of each will 
 appear afterwards ; for they materially differ the one 
 fiom the other. They rest the sentiment, not so 
 much on points of fact as on matters of theory — on, 
 such passages as " edify one another," and " comfort 
 one another with these words." Such admonitions, 
 though acknowledged by themselves to be addressed 
 liP. all indiscriminately witiiout reppect to age, sex, ox 
 
Vrtface, ix 
 
 condition, establish with them a distinct public insti- 
 tution. But to the endowments, designations and 
 character of those who arc known to have actually 
 taught, they pay but little regard ; and some of them 
 even censure those who act otherwise. In short, 
 they explain the general precepts which were deliver- 
 ed to the primitive disciples, independently of the 
 particular usages which unquestionably existed among 
 them. About these usages our brethren differ at least 
 as much from one another as they do from us. Hence 
 they disagree about the foundation, however they 
 seem to unite in raising the superstructure. 
 
 In the following pages, we hope that the eye of the 
 inquirer will, if we do not deceive ourselves, be pretty 
 uniformly directed to the circumstances and usages 
 of the first churches only. We have endeavoured 
 not to blend with these any existing system what- 
 ever ; but to represent the institution of God unmix- 
 ed and unencumbered with either our own practice or 
 that of others. And how indeed can we copy the 
 pattern shown in the mount, if we daub that pattern 
 (let our intention be ever so good) with colouring of 
 our own ? 
 
 Again, it may be observed, that instead of appeal- 
 ing to the general precepts referred to for a complete 
 representation, or indeed any representation at all, of 
 the public teaching of the first churches, we follo\T 
 •what appears to us a more excellent way. We think 
 it incumbent on us to prefer matter of fact to theory ; 
 and in the present case we have it in our power to do 
 so. We endeavour first of all to ascertain the nature 
 of the gifts which are known to have been communi- 
 cated to the first believers of the gospel ; we examine 
 in what manner, and to what extent, these gifts were 
 
X Trefacr. 
 
 communicated ; and we contemplate their actual teach- 
 ing and worship in public, as exhibited " in deed and 
 in truth," and not as described by argument and in- 
 duction from theoretical premises or precepts expres- 
 sed in general terms. 
 
 By some it will doubtless be concluded from this 
 view of the plan which we propose to follow, that in- 
 stead of exhibiting the practice of the first churches, 
 a vain attempt is made to explain the subject of spi- 
 ritual gifts — a subject which is said to be exceedingly 
 obscure, and at any rate but little connected with 
 teaching and exhortation. Yet they who speak most 
 strongly of the difficulty of this subject, have them- 
 selves argued from the practice of inspired men in fa- 
 vom- of promiscuous teaching by those uninspired. 
 
 The subject of spiritual gifts is considered as ob- 
 scure, because we have no experience of these. But 
 it ought to be remembered, that, as matters of fact, 
 miracles and inspiration, which constitute the subject 
 of spiritual gifts, are as clear and intelligible to us as 
 are many of the events of ancient, and even of modern 
 times, of which we have no experience. What experience 
 have we ofthe genius of Milton, or of the talents of New- 
 ton ? Have we any experience of the climates and 
 customs of distant regions ? Have we felt as they 
 do who live under a vertical sun ? or do they feel as 
 we do in the severity of a winter storm ? It was the 
 want of this kind of experience which made the king 
 of Siam expel as deceivers the European missionaries 
 who informed him of the ordinary appearances of an 
 European winter. With equal reason, and on the 
 same principle, our countryman Hume has argued 
 that a miracle is contrary to experience, and therefore, 
 impossible, or at least impossible to be proved. 
 
Preface. xi 
 
 The effects of miraculous agency, like the ordinary 
 Occurrences of providence, were as evident to persons 
 of the weakest, as to those of the strongest capacity. 
 As matters of fact, miracles are still as level to our 
 Apprehension as any historical event whatever. Can 
 any thing be more evident, than that Moses and the 
 prophets w ere inspired ? that Jesus wrought miracles ? 
 that the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples ? and that 
 they consequently prophesied, spoke in foreign tongues, 
 preached the gospel to mankind, and did many won- 
 derful works ? Is it not as clear that Stephen, Phi- 
 lip, Timothy and Titus preached the gospel of Christ 
 by means of extraos-dinary gifts, as that Luther, Knox, 
 Whitfield and Swartz preached the same gospel with- 
 out such endowments ? Nor is it less clear, that Je- 
 sus healed the car of Malchus by miracle, than that 
 Peter had cut it off" with a sword ? or that the apostle 
 John spoke Greek by inspiration, as that Eabsha- 
 kch spoke in the language of the Jews without inspi- 
 ration ? Cuiious, unprofitable questions do not in the 
 least invalidate the evidence of plain well-attested 
 facts of whatever kind ; nor ought curious and specu- 
 lative questions about known events, to interfere witli 
 practical considerations which flow from their nature 
 and effects. If this endeavour is vvortl\y of being 
 committed to the care and infiiiencc of the Head of 
 the church, no doubt he will give a blessing with it. 
 But if, by endeavours of this kind, we should not 
 greatly contribute to the prosperity of the church of 
 Christ, we may yet promote its prospciity and our 
 own, by frequent fervent praters for her to the God 
 of all gi-ace. " Pray for the peace of Jenibulem : 
 they sliall prosper that love thcc." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ESSAY I. Pag. 
 
 Ox ihe difference, between spiritual gifts, and the 
 
 saving ififluetice of the Holy Spirit, 1 
 
 ESSAY II. 
 On the gifts of prophecy and tongues, 30 
 
 ESSAY III. 
 
 On the manner and extent of the communication 
 
 of spii-itual gifts, 62 
 
 ESSAY IV. 
 
 Only they nho had spiritual gifls taught in the 
 
 first churches, 74; 
 
 ESSAY V. 
 
 Hon- fur do ordinary means supply the want of 
 
 extraordinary ? 1 72 
 
 Postscript. — Hints on the question. Is promis- 
 cuous exhortation in churches necessary, 
 that pastors and teachers may be obtained? 188 
 
 Co>:cLi-sio}^, 1 99 
 
ESSAY ft; 
 
 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, and ike 
 saving Influence of the Holt/ Sjn'rit. 
 
 jCtLlthough in many cases it may now be difficult 
 to determine whetlaer the abilities of a Christian are 
 competent to the work of public teaching, or adapted 
 for the performance of private duties only, there can 
 be no difficulty in pointing out the wide and obvious 
 difference between the ordinary and extraordinary 
 operation of the Holy Spirit. A clear understanding 
 of this difference lies at the foundation of just views 
 of the means by which public worship was conducted 
 in the first churches, their instruction and growth 
 were promoted, and the conversion of unbelievers was 
 accomplished. We shall therefore endeavour to point 
 it out with care, but with all possible brevity. And 
 first of all, a few remarks will be made on the terms 
 by which the spiritual gifts are in general denomi- 
 nated. 
 
 In various passages, the epithet spiritual, is alone 
 employed to denote spiritual gifts. Our translators 
 have therefore inserted the word gifts, and marked it 
 as a supplement, in 1 Cor. xii. 1. xiv. 1. 12. In o- 
 ther passages of Scripture, gifts are denoted by this 
 word alone, without the epithet spiritual. Only in 
 one place does this epithet occur, where the word gift 
 
 A 
 
2 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 is also added : " For I long to see you, that I may 
 impart to you some spiritual gift," Rom. i. 11. Dr 
 Owen observes, that ' whenever they are called 
 ' TtvivicxrtKne, there ^x^ta-ftxTx, denoting their general 
 ' nature, is to be supplied ; and where they are called 
 ' X.'^^ta-ftxTit only, Tvivfixrty.cc is to be understood, as ex- 
 ' pressing their especial difference from all others *.' 
 
 Mr Carson, however, thinks it quite certain, that 
 because the epithet spiritual is connected with the 
 word gift in the passage last quoted, ' this proves, 
 ' that where the word is not thus qualified, it can have 
 ' no such restriction t ;' and he is at great pains to 
 establish this position. We shall wave much of what 
 occurs to us on the other side, because Mr C. contra- 
 dicts this himself. He observes, ' The gift referred 
 
 * to, 1 Tim. iv. 14-. and 2 Tim. i. 6. was a spiritual gift. 
 ' How do we know this ? By the name I* No, but from 
 
 * the circumstances and account of it.' p. 50. Now, 
 tiie word gift is employed in Scripture to denote va- 
 rious expressions of the munificence of God. And 
 Mr C. observes, p. 48. ' Redemption is called a gift, 
 
 * Rom. v. 15, l6. vi. 23. ; continence is considered a 
 ' gift, 1 Cor. vii. 7-' But how does Mr C. know these, 
 rather than other things, to be meant in these passa- 
 ges by the word gift .'' Is it by the name ? No, but 
 by the circumstances and account of them. And are 
 not these considerations equally necessary, and equally 
 sufficient, to ascertain in every case the specific appli- 
 cation of the word gift .'' Hence the passages in the 
 epistles to Timothy which are quoted by Mr C. are in 
 direct opposition to his positive affirmation, ' That 
 ' wherever the word gift is not qualified by the epithet 
 
 * Discourse on Spiritual Gifts, p. 111. Edit. 2d, Lond. 1717. 
 •}• Carson's Answer to Ewing's Attempt, p. 49. 
 
end the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 3 
 
 ' spiritual, it cannot be restricted to the extraordinary 
 ' endowments, which have ceased ;' for, in manifest 
 inconsistency with this, he restricts it himself in the 
 preceding quotations, and in others also, (Rom. xii. 6. 
 1 Cor. xii. 31.) on which to argue would be tedious 
 and fruitless. It may however be of consequence to 
 attend to his remarks on Eph. iv. 7. 
 
 ' It appears to me,' says Mr C. ' that every thing is 
 ' considered to be a gift vvliich may be called grace. 
 " But unto every one of us is given grace according 
 * to the measure of the gift of Christ." Besides, 
 ' Christ's giving grace according to thje measure of 
 ' his gift, is considered in the 8th verse as the ful- 
 ' filling of the words of the Psalmist, " Wherefore he 
 ' saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity 
 . ' captive, and received gifts for men," ' p. 57. — Now, 
 this very consideration is subversive of Mr C.'s hy- 
 pothesis J and had he extended the quotation to the 
 following words, viz. Apostles, prophets, &c. as the 
 context, to make the sense complete, manifestly re- 
 quires, his explanation would appear to be exceedingly 
 forced. In reference to the same event, namely, the 
 effusion of the Holy Spirit after the ascension of Jesus, 
 Peter, in addressing the multitude that first witnes- 
 sed its accomplishment, uses the following words : 
 " Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, 
 and having received of the Father the promise of the 
 Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now 
 see and hear," Acts ii. 33. Nothing can be more evi- 
 dent, than that the object of the prophecy of Joel, 
 which was the promise of the Father for which the 
 disciples were to wait at Jerusalem, is the grace ac- 
 cording to the measure of the gift of Christ, concein- 
 ing which Paul writes to the Ephesian believers, but 
 
•i On the Diference between Spiritual Giftf, 
 
 this was not the grace of God in the salvation of men. 
 —Mr C. argues, that as every believer has grace, 
 (that is, saving grace), so every believer must have a 
 spiritual gift. Now this will be allowed, if it can be 
 proved, that the word grace always means the saving 
 grace of God, or that, in the place before us, the word 
 has this meaning. The ordinary signification of the 
 word grace is well enough understood by Christians in 
 general, and Mr C. need not be tol^, that grace is 
 used as well as gifis, in considerable latitude of appli* 
 cation ; and that its specific meaning must in every 
 place be determined by the connection. But of all 
 the particular acceptations of this word, none occurs 
 more frequently, or is less liable to be misimderstood, 
 than that of gifts, and q^ce. Speaking of the gospel 
 which he preached among the Gentiles, the apostle says, 
 *' Whereof I was made a minister, according to the 
 gift of the grace of God given unto me, by the effectual 
 working of his power," Eph. iii. 7. Is not this the 
 very language of the 4th chap, concerning gifts and of- 
 fice ? In many other places, the word grace has the 
 same import. Rom. i. 5. xii. 3-^6. xv. 15. Gal. ii. 
 9. Eph. iii. 8. 1 Cor. i. 4. iii. 10. 
 
 The indefinite phrase in this place, " every one of 
 us," cannot occasion greater difficulty, nor render its 
 application proper to that grace of which all Christians 
 partake, any more than the same phrase in another 
 place, which refers exclusively to the gifted men. 
 *' The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every 
 vian to profit withal," 1 Cor. xii. 7. Mati is not in 
 the original in any of these places. The expression 
 is elliptical ; and the relative supplied must be like 
 the antecedents who are spoken of, namely the per- 
 sons endowed v/ith supernatural gifts. After enume- 
 
and tfie savhig Influence of the Holy Spirit. 5 
 
 rating the several gifts, the apostle adds, " But all 
 these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, divid- 
 ing to EVERY MAN Severally as he will," ver. 11. As 
 here, so in other places, such phrases as the one in 
 question are frequently used without restriction, in 
 reference to a particular description of men, whether 
 this comprehend a large majority, or only a small 
 minority of the human race, 1 Cor. iv. 5. Therefore, 
 though in point of number, the gifted men were but a 
 certain proportion of the church at large, even as the 
 believers were of the whole of the unbelieving multi- 
 tude, this indefinite mode of expression would have 
 been as suitable in the one case as in the other, because 
 in both it woixld have had an indefinite application to 
 the whole of a particular class. 
 
 But if the discussion were allowed to rest here, it 
 might perhaps be supposed we had overlooked the con- 
 nection between the 6th and 7th verses of this chapter; 
 where, of God the Father it is said by the apostle, 
 " who is above all, and through all, and in you all •" 
 •^and then verse 7- " But unto every one of us is 
 given grace." Now it does not seem more evi- 
 dent, that " air in the Gth verse, and " every one" in 
 the 7th, have not the same extent of application, than 
 that the " whole church," and the word " all," in 
 1 Cor. xiv. are not of equal extent. " If therefore the 
 whole church be come together into one place, and all 
 speak with tongues, and there come in those that are 
 unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say, that ye 
 are mad ? But if all prophesy, and there come in one 
 that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced 
 (convicted) of all, he is judged of all," verses 23,24!. 
 " Are all prophets ? do all speak with tongues ?" are 
 interrogations wliich show who those were, who could 
 
 A3 
 
6 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 all speak with tongues and prophesy. — See also Rom. 
 V. 19 — If then the apostle, in Eph. iv. 7. had been 
 speaking of the saving grace of God, his language 
 would have properly comprehended every believer of 
 the gospel ; but since, as we have shown, he evident- 
 ly speaks of the grace of fitness for peculiar functions 
 in the church of Christ, the word comprehends only 
 those who, in the same place, are particularized as 
 having the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. 
 
 Mr C. is farther of opinion, that ' the church at 
 
 * Corinth, from their carnality valuing these (gifts) 
 
 * more than those fruits of the Spirit,' (the Scripture 
 phrase is " the fruit of the Spirit,") ' which are equal- 
 ' \y gifts of the Spirit, it appears were beginning to 
 ' appropriate to the former the denomination of spi- 
 
 * ritual gifts,' p. 50. The supposition, that the Corin- 
 thians were beginning to appropriate to the extraordi- 
 nary gifts of the Spirit, the denomination of spiritual 
 gifts, to the exclusion of the fruit of the Spirit, ap- 
 pears, if not the most indefensible, certainly one of 
 the most conjectural and ill grounded in all his book. 
 Paul is the only person by whom the denomination in 
 question is thus applied. The fruit of the Spirit is 
 no where called spiritual gifts ; and if the Corinthians 
 were carnal in withholding from it this denomination, 
 why does the apostle not reprehend, but rather sanc- 
 tion this carnality, by always applying this language 
 to the gifts, but never to the fruit of the Spirit? 
 
 * But,' says Mr C. ' that they are not exclusively gifts, 
 
 * is both clear in itself, for whatever the Spirit of God 
 
 * communicates must be a spiritual gift, and is also 
 
 * clear from what the apostle teaches on the subject,' 
 p. 50. In the latter part of the sentence he refers to 
 1 Cor. xii, 1., &c, which the reader may consult for 
 
and the saving Irifluence of the Holy Spirit. 7 
 
 himself. With respect to the assertion, that it is 
 clear in itself, for whatever the Spi)it of God commu- 
 nicates must be a spiritual gift, we presume the falla- 
 cy of this will be made manifest in the sequel. In 
 the mean time, we observe, that the Spirit of God 
 operates universally in all the works of God. " By 
 his Spirit he garnished the heavens," Jobxxvi. 13. 
 The Spirit of the Lord bestowed martial skill and va- 
 lour on the judges and kings of Israel, Judg. iii. 10. 
 vi. 34. Psal. cxliv. It was said to Mary, " The Holy 
 Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
 Highest shall overshadow thee,"— to which is attribute 
 ed the conception of the Son of God, Luke i. S5, 
 The re-animation of the bodies of the saints will be 
 effected by the same power, Rom. viii. 11. Now in 
 all these operations, something is supposed to be com- 
 municated or effected, as well as when gifts and fruit 
 are spoken of; but how preposterous would it be, to 
 call the something communicated, for instance in the 
 resurrection, a spiritual gift ? yet Mr Carson's argu« 
 ment requires this palpable misapplication of the lan- 
 guage of Scripture. Indeed to explain the meaning 
 of words by the nature of things, in opposition to 
 their actual and established acceptation, which is the 
 jus et norma loquendi, would introduce universal con- 
 fusion and uncertainty, and even sanction as the 
 soundest logic, the versatile vexatious practice of pun- 
 ning and playing upon words. 
 
 The foregoing remarks will, we are afraid, appear to 
 some to be too extended on a topic which may per- 
 haps be deemed by them a mere strife of words. 
 Here then we shall have done with it, and proceed to 
 show wherein consisted the difference between the 
 fruit of the Spirit, and the spiritual gifts. 
 
8 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 1st, " The fruit of the Sphit is love, joy, peace, 
 long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, 
 temperance," Gal. v. The spiritual gifts are such as 
 " prophecy, tongues, the interpretation of tongues, 
 and the working of miracles." The latter are accord- 
 ingly distinguishable from the former, as the imple- 
 ments of the husbandman are from the produce of 
 the soil. Sj)iritual gifts were given for the purpose of 
 cultivating and bringing to maturity the fruit of the 
 Spirit. " I have planted, Apollos watered ; but God 
 gave the increase. For we are labourers together of 
 God : ye are God's husbandry ; ye are God's build- 
 ing," 1 Cor. iii. 6. 9. 
 
 2d, As a further illustration of the difference be- 
 tween the fruit of the Spirit and the spiritual gifts, 
 we may remark, that the former was produced only 
 by believers, while the latter were possessed by some 
 who never knew the Lord after a saving manner. In 
 order to bring forth good fruit, the tree must be good ; 
 but without this quality it may be adorned with good- 
 ly gifts. These several effects of the agency of the 
 Spirit not only differ from each other, but they are in 
 a manner contrasted in the 13th chapter of 1 Cor. 
 " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of an- 
 gels, and have not love, I am become as sounding 
 brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the 
 gift of prophec}'^, and understand all mysteries, and 
 all knowledge ; and though I have all faith, so that I 
 could remove mountains, and have not love, I am 
 nothing." Here it is supposed that a man destitute 
 of love, the most eminent fruit of the Spirit, might 
 notwithstanding possess the most useful and splendid 
 spiritual gifts. Balaam, Saul the son of Cis, and 
 Judas Iscariot, with many others, Heb. vi. 4, 5. had 
 for a time cxtraordinaiy gifts, but never the fruit of 
 
Mtid the saving Ittfluence of the Holy Spirit. 9 
 
 the Spirit. On the other side, all genuine believers 
 have produced the latter, while few comparatively ever 
 enjoyed the former. By means of the extraordinary 
 operation of the Spirit, men indeed became servants, 
 qualified for every kind of office in the church ; but 
 by his ordinary operation, they became sons in the 
 house of God *. Saving grace takes possession of 
 the whole man, transforms the soul into the image of 
 God, and imparts to it a new and holy nature. Not 
 only is the mind savingly enlightened, but a principle 
 of spiritual life is infused into the soul, by which it 
 is disposed and enabled to consecrate all its powers 
 to the service of God in faith, and love and holiness. 
 But gifts have not this efficacy. They may indeed 
 in the exercise of them greatly move the affections of 
 their possessor ; but they do not cleanse the heart, 
 they do not renew the mind, nor transform the soul 
 into the image of God. These different results cor- 
 responded to the design of each kind of spiritual in- 
 fluence. That of his extraordinary agency, of which 
 the accompanying symbols were a mighty rushing 
 wind, and cloven tongues of fire, was to deliver to 
 the church the oracles of God ; and to confirm the 
 inspiration of them, " by signs, and wonders, and 
 various miracles :" that of his ordinary influence, 
 which is often compared to the dew of heaven, was to 
 endow men with the understanding, faith and love of 
 the doctrine of Scripture, to purify their hearts from 
 the defilement of sin, and to enable them to observe 
 the laws and institutions of the word of God. 
 
 The fact, that men who were unsanctified in heart 
 did notwithstanding possess extraordinary gifts, being 
 
 • Some sentences following are in substance borrowed from 
 Dr Owen, though the expression be dilFerent. 
 
10 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 undeniable, it therefore follows, that to be " born of 
 the Spirit," " to have the Spirit himself bearing wit- 
 ness with their spirits that they are the children of 
 God," " to have the love of God shed abroad in their 
 hearts by the Holy Spirit," " to be sealed by that 
 Holy Spirit of promise," to have the earnest of the 
 Spirit in their hearts," " to aboimd in hope through 
 the power of the Holy Spirit," — it follows, that all 
 these things are included in the saving operation of 
 the Spirit, and they are accordingly effected in believ- 
 ers, only as the subjects of redeeming mercy. " Be- 
 cause YE ARE SONS, God hath sent forth the Spirit 
 of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father," 
 Gal. iv. 6. But none of these things could possibly 
 belong to gifted men as such, because some miracu- 
 lously gifted persons were not the sons of God ; nor 
 will any one pronounce holiness, love, hope and joy, 
 effects of miraculous operation. Such men as Judas 
 were not sealed by the Spirit until the day of redemp- 
 tion. " Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of 
 you is a devil ?" Hence the affecting declaration of 
 the Lord Jesus ; " Many will say unto me in that 
 day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy 
 name ? and in thy name cast out devils ? and in thy 
 name done many wonderful works ? And then I will 
 profess unto them, I never knew you : depart fiom 
 me ye that work iniquity," Mat. vii. 22, 23. 
 
 Although persons of very different characters were 
 sometimes the subjects of the ordinary and extraor- 
 dinary operation of the Spirit, we ma^' just observe, 
 in order to avoid misconception, that for most part 
 gifts were conferred only on genuine believers, that 
 unbelievers retained their gifts no longer than they 
 continued to maintain a credible profession of the 
 
atid the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 1 1 
 
 gospel, and that though some inspired believers fell 
 into glaring sins, yet saving grace and spiritual gifts 
 being mutually helpful to each, none excelled in re- 
 spect of either, so much as those who at the same 
 time enjoyed the benefit of both extraordinary illumi- 
 nation, and also the blessing of that ordinary saving 
 illumination, which is the peculiar privilege of the 
 saints *. 
 
 3d, Extraordinary powers were given to men per- 
 haps not tintil long after they had believed the gospel, but 
 the saving influence of the Spirit invariably and of 
 necessity accompanied the reception of the gospel at 
 the very first ; for it is undeniable that men receive 
 the Holy Spirit when they believe. Pro v. i. 23. Eph. 
 i. 13. 
 
 4th, The fruit of the Spirit is attributed also to 
 the Word of God, without which it is never produced 
 by the agency of the Spirit alone. The ilkimination 
 of the mind, the renewal of the heart, and the subse- 
 quent improvement, comfort and usefulness of belie- 
 vers, are attributed respectively to the efficacy of the 
 word and the operation of the Spirit ; and hence to 
 the joint influence of both these causes, 1 Pet. i. 22, 
 23. Rom. XV. 13. 2 Thess. ii. 13. But miraculous ef- 
 fects are produced by the agency of the Spirit alone : 
 the word, as in the other case, is not said to be the 
 cause of these. Hence the peculiarity of the lan- 
 guage of Scripture respecting the extraordinary influ- 
 ence under which inspired men both spoke and acted. 
 Sometimes the Spirit is represented as being himself 
 the only speaker : " As the Holy Ghost saith, To- 
 
 • Various proofs of this might be mentioned, which are 
 here omitted, for the sake of brevity. 
 
12 On the Difference hetneen Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 day, if ye will, hear his voice, harden not your heart." 
 " Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the lat- 
 ter times some shall depart from the faith." " He 
 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith 
 unto the churches." Sometimes he is spoken of as 
 using the instrumentality of men. " The Spirit of 
 the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my 
 tongue." Again, we find the testimony and decision 
 of the Spirit distinguished from those of the indi- 
 viduals by whom he spoke to men. " The Spirit of 
 truth, which procecdeth from the Father, he shall 
 testify of me ; and ye also shall bear witness, because 
 ye have been with me from the beginning. " It seemed 
 good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you 
 110 greater burden than these necessary things." The 
 Spirit is also represented as absolutely governing men 
 in reference to particular actions. Jesus *' was led by 
 the Spirit into the wilderness." " And now, behold," 
 said Paul, " I go bound by the Spirit unto Jerusalem, 
 not knowing the things which shall befal me there." 
 But sometimes by a different construction, the Spirit is 
 considered as if he were merely a subordinate agent, 
 or the means by which inspired men spoke or acted. 
 Simeon " came by the Spirit into the temple." " How 
 then doth David by the Spirit call him Lord." " A- 
 gabus signified by the Spirit, that there should be a 
 great dearth throughout all the world." " No man, 
 speaking by the Spirit, calleth Jesus accursed ; and no 
 man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy 
 Ghost." " He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, 
 speaketh not unto men but unto God ; for no man 
 understandeth Jmn : howbeit by the Spirit he speaketh 
 mysteries." This latter kind of phraseology is indeed 
 employed to express the spiritual influence common 
 
and the saving Injluence of the Holy Spirit. IS 
 
 to all believers, Rom. viii. 13, 14. Yet in the passages 
 last quoted, and in some others, where the same phra- 
 seology is used, the scope of the connection renders it 
 abundantly striking and unequivocal, as expressive of 
 that influence which was extraordinary, and which 
 therefore is not combined with the efficacy of the word 
 of God. 
 
 The work of the Spirit of God may be illustrated 
 from that spiritual influence which is the direct re- 
 verse of it. It is incontrovertfbly a doctrine of 
 Scripture, that Satan employs a fatal influence on 
 the minds of all wicked men. Acts xxvi. 18. Eph. ii. 
 2. ; the ordinary effects of which are, ignorance, 
 pride, entire pollution of soul, and the perversion 
 of the powers of the mind and body to the service of 
 sin, especially to the malevolent work of persecuting 
 the saints. " He that committeth sin is of the devil." 
 " Cain was of that wicked one, and slew his brother : 
 And wherefore slew he him ? Because his own works 
 were evil, and his brother's righteous." " Marvel not, 
 my brethren, if the world hate you," 1 John iii. 8. 12, 
 13. But actual possession by demons has been con- 
 fined to a few only of the human race. In these, the 
 evil spirits are said to have spoken, using, no doubt, 
 the organs of the possessed. Unusual mental facul- 
 ties, and prodigious bodily strength, were sometimes 
 the consequences of demoniacal agency, Mark v. 3, 4. 
 Actsxvi. l6. The afflictions brought upon human 
 beings by means of evil spirits, were altogether singu- 
 lar and affecting ; such as, a state of extreme and pecu- 
 liar insanity, violent, excessive agitations and convul- 
 sions of body, and both dumbness and deafness pre- 
 ternaturally induced. The remedy for these terrible af- 
 flictions lay in the extraordinary agency of the Holy 
 
 B 
 
li On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 Spirit. Jesus gave the twelve disciples " power and au- 
 thority over all devils, and to cure diseases/' Luke ix. 1 . 
 On the other hand, the cure for the more malignant 
 and fatal, though apparently easy and imperceptible in- 
 fluence of the devil in the adversaries of Christ, is con- 
 tained in that benign and secret energy of the Holy 
 Spirit, which accompanies the gospel of the grace of 
 God. " In meekness instructing those that oppose 
 themselves; if God peradventure will give them re- 
 pentance to the acknowledging of the truth ; and that 
 they may recover themselves out of the snare of the 
 devil, who are taken captive b^' him at his will," 2 Tim. 
 ii. 25, 26. 
 
 5th, Extraordinary illumination was connected 
 with extraordinary elocution, ordinary illumination 
 imparted no unusual faculty of utterance. God has 
 indeed not only connected, but in general proportion- 
 ed intelligence and language in the constitution of all 
 rational beings. The poverty of ideas in savages and 
 children, bears an exact proportion to the fewness of 
 their words ; while advancement in knowledge, and 
 the growth of the reasoning faculty in enlightened 
 people, are marked by a corresponding acquaintance 
 with the meaning and powers of language. The con- 
 nection between words and ideas remarkably appear- 
 ed in Adam before the fall, on an occasion thus mark- 
 ed by our great poet Milton : 
 
 I nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood 
 Their nature, with such knowledge God endu'd 
 My sudden apprehension ; 
 
 Yet we must distinguish the knowledge of the 
 jaeaning and powers of language, from the faculty of 
 a ready elocution ; for many persons of extensive in- 
 
and the saving Injluaice of the Holy Spirit. iu 
 
 formation have been bad orators. Nor must we con- 
 found an irksome unedifying loquaciousness^ with the 
 freedom of speech wliich has been happily employed to 
 convey to society the intellectual treasures of the wise 
 and good. This freedom of speech {xu^^na-iet) was 
 remarkably the privilege of inspired men. Superna- 
 tural clearness, vivacity and strength of conception, 
 were expressed by that clear, animated, energetic 
 language, which, above every human composition, 
 adorns the sacred Scriptures. Both the thought and 
 expression having been given by the same Spirit, 
 knowledge and utterance went hand in hand. Psalm 
 xlv. 1. Matt. X. 19, 20. also ch. xxi. 15. 1 Cor. ii. 13. 
 —Ordinary illumination is distinguishable from this, 
 as not being necessarily connected with great elocution. 
 Can it be a matter of doubt, whether any one may be 
 so taught by the Holy Spirit as to have his under- 
 standing enlightened, — his heart melted and made 
 glad by a sense of redeeming love, — his will made 
 subject to the law of God, and his affections purified 
 and set on heavenly things, without any other means 
 of expressing the thoughts and feelings of his soul, than 
 merely broken sentences rendered abundantly intel- 
 ligible and delightful by lively emotions and a coim- 
 tenance glistening with joy .'' The degree of utterance^ 
 however, of which Christians in general are possessed, 
 is known from experience ; the perfection of this in 
 inspired persons is evident in Scripture. 
 
 The highest degree therefore of the ordinary work 
 of the Spirit in the illumination of believers, is not to 
 ])e compared, as the means of teaching others, with 
 the very lowest degree of his work in the inspiration 
 by wliich the docti'ine of Scripture was given to man- 
 kiijd ; neither dreams, visions, and other original and 
 
i6 On ike Difference between Spiritual Gi/isj 
 extraordinary revelations, nor the knowledge of future 
 events, as the names, characters and actions of persons 
 to be born, the revolutions of kingdoms, and the vicis- 
 situdes of the church of God, belong to the spiritual 
 understanding which is common to the saints. Nor 
 is the performance of any kind of miracle effected by 
 the largest measure of the grace by which they fulfil 
 the benevolent and self-denied duties of their Christ- 
 ian profession. And in regard to those who statedly 
 taught in the chuiches, the effects of spiritual gifts 
 being called revelation, knowledge, prophecy, and doc- 
 tiine, 1 Cor. xiv. 6. 26. which things are all to be con- 
 nected with con-esponding utterance, ch. i. 5. mani- 
 fests how wide the difference as teachers, was between 
 them and their brethren who had not spiritual gifts. 
 Gifts were given for one end, saving grace for another. 
 Considering then the declared intention and the known 
 effects of each, it seems as inconsiderate and erro« 
 neous to affirm, that saving grace alone fitted men to 
 be teachers, as that spiritual gifts made them saints. 
 Therefore until " the heart also of the rash shall un- 
 derstand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammer- 
 ers shall be ready to speak plainly,"' there is no scrip- 
 ture authority for employing them as teachers. 
 
 6th, The saving work of the Spirit, though in every 
 case made manifest in its effects, was quiet, reserved, 
 unobtrusive, compared with his miraculous operation, 
 which was energetic, bold, impetuous, biilliant and ir- 
 resistible. By means of the former, the church of 
 Christ received a new life ; by means of the latter, it 
 became an organized body. The one resembled tlie 
 insensible actions of the vital spirit in all the stages 
 from infancy to manhood, the other may be likened to 
 the ostensible actions of man as he came vigorous and 
 
end the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 17 
 
 perfect from the hands of the Creator, or to the mighty 
 achievements of gigantic strength. — ^Accordingly no 
 visible signs ever accompanied the communication of 
 the Spirit in making men partakers of eternal life. 
 But miraculous powers were imparted with the accom- 
 paniment of visible signs, which arrested the attention 
 of beholders. On our blessed Lord the Spirit de- 
 scended in the form of a dove. Cloven tongues of 
 fire, and a mighty rushing wind, accompanied the 
 communication of gifts to the hundred and twenty 
 disciples. On others generally who received the gifts 
 of the Spirit, the apostles laid their hands. But 
 whether these signs took place or not, the effects of ex- 
 traordinary gifts gave evidence of their existence. 
 It was presently known, that Eldad and Medad pro- 
 phesied in the camp, that Saul also was among the 
 prophets, and that the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha. 
 On the day of Pentecost, in the family of Cornelius, 
 and in the city of Ephesus, the believers spoke with 
 other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. We 
 need not multiply examples. The grand incontroverti- 
 ble evidence which then attested the veracity of the 
 preachers of the gospel, was the testimony which God 
 bqre them, " both with signs and wonders, and di- 
 vers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghostj according 
 to his own will," Hcb, ii. 4. Hence of every gift in 
 particular it is said, " the manifestation of the Sprit is 
 ^ven to every one to profit withal," 1 Cor. xii. 
 
 7th, The last point of difference which we shall notice, 
 is, that the one dispensation of the Spirit was intended 
 to be temporary, the other to be permanent. This in- 
 deed is the principal reason why we distinguish be- 
 tween them, as either ordinary or extraordinary. The 
 cessation in the church of extraordinary gifts, (probably 
 
 B 3 
 
18 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 at the decease of the gifted brethren of the first age), 
 seems to be intimated by Paul in his first epistle to 
 the Corinthians. " Charity never faileth, but whether 
 there be prophecies, they shall fail, whether there be 
 tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, 
 it shall vanish away," ch. xiii. 8. That they did cease, 
 is certain ; but that there was an influence of the Spirit 
 to be enjoyed by the church in all ages, is equally cer- 
 tain ; this being not only implied in the continuance 
 of the fruit of the Spirit, verse 13. but clearly and 
 positively promised in the everlasting covenant, which 
 the I^ord Jesus ratified by the shedding of his blood. 
 Compare Isaiah lix. 20, 21. with Heb. viii. 10, 11. 
 
 But though the extraordinary dispensation of the 
 Spirit has ceased, the benefits of it have not ceased ; 
 we richly enjoy the greatest of them in the oracles of 
 God. Yet when we consider, that the immediate 
 consequence of that which was temporary, was merely 
 the appointment to office in the church, of the persons 
 who were subjects of it, while the effect of that which 
 IS permanent is the restoration of the church itself to 
 the image and enjoyment of God, may we not say 
 with the apostle on another occasion, " If that which 
 is done away was glorious, much more that which re- 
 maineth is glorious," 2 Cor. iii. 11. 
 
 Did some consider this subject, they would not 
 scornfully reject the doctrine of divine influence, as the 
 abiding privilege of the church of God j nor would 
 they deride the enjoining of the practical holiness of 
 the apostolic age, as an extravagant pretension to vie 
 with apostles and prophets ; they would not sneer at 
 the idea of divine teaching and aid, in order to under- 
 stand and obey the will of God revealed in Scripture, 
 as if this were professing to have the gift of inspi- 
 ration. Either the fruit of the Spirit does not exist at 
 
and the saving Injluence of the Holy Spirit. 19 
 
 all, or it is still produced by the Spirit as in former 
 times. None indeed can consistently deny, that the 
 Holy Spirit is the author of love, joy, peace, except 
 those who deny that such things are essential to 
 Christian character. In fact, they speak of the church 
 of God in former times, and of the church of God now, 
 as the heathen poets did of the golden and iron ages 
 of the world. And they may well do so, if the Spirit 
 of God does not now, as formerly, illuminate, renew 
 and comfort the heirs of salvation. . But know, O 
 man ! whosoever thou art that thus judgest, if God 
 spared not some who prophesied, cast out devils, and 
 did many wonderful works, because they imitated not 
 the holy example of Jesus and of his genuine disciples, 
 neither will he spare thee ! " If ye live after the flesh, 
 ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify 
 the deeds of the body, ye shall live," Rom. viii. 13. 
 
 Inattention to the difference between the miracu* 
 lous and saving operation of the Spirit, has doubtless 
 opened a wide door for the introduction of manifold 
 and pernicious errors. Some who have degraded the 
 gx)spel of God into a system of cold philosophical spe- 
 culation, or a defective code of unsanctified morality, 
 have, by greatly confounding the ordinary with the 
 extraordinary work of the Spirit of God, almost en- 
 tirely got rid of the doctrine of divine influence in the 
 salvation of men. Others, running to the opposite ex- 
 treme, have claimed as a common privilege, and ex- 
 plained as matters of their own experience, various ex- 
 traordinary operations which have ceased. ' Almost 
 ' all the enthusiastical errors, which are recorded in 
 * church history have arisen from this source *.' Ac- 
 cordingly, many deluded persons have in every age 
 cacried on a wild traffic in dreams, visio)is, notices, 
 • Ewjng's Attempt, p. 42. 
 
20 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 signs, omens, revelations, impressions, and divers 
 prognostications. Some, as the French prophets in 
 the reign of Queen Anne, have professed to be super- 
 naturally inspired, and to be endowed with the power 
 of working great miracles, as the raising of the dead. 
 These stiong delusions are greatly subservient to the 
 devices of the adversary of souls, and to the calumnies 
 of despisers of the gospel and of spiritual worship, wlio 
 never fail to misrepresent the illumination and en- 
 joyment common to all the children of God, by as- 
 sociating their scriptural profession of "these necessary 
 things" with the extravagant pretensions to extraordi- 
 nary communications of visionaries and rhapsodists. 
 
 But though it were highly unjust to class good men, 
 on account of partial mistakes, with those who wander 
 to the extremes of error, it must be acknowledged to be 
 a frequent mistake among even good men, to associate 
 together in doctrinal discussions, and to apply to the 
 common experience of the saints, passages of Scripture, 
 which doubtless speak of the peculiar state and duties 
 of inspired persons. Not that ordinary Christians are 
 supposed now to speak or act by the inspiration of the 
 Spirit, but they who did so, being in certain passages, 
 viewed by some expositors as in the ordinary condition 
 of believers, and not in their extraordinary one of in- 
 spired persons, these passages are therefore erroneous- 
 ly applied to the ordinary agency of the Holy Spirit; 
 as, for instance, " I was in the Spirit on the Lord's 
 day," Rev. i. 1 0. Mr Riccaltoun of Hobkirk, who makes 
 excellent remarks on " the Spirit and inspiration," has 
 yet in part forgotten to distirjgiiish between the two 
 grand dispensations of the Spirit. * All/ he says, ^ who 
 * believed in Christ, had the Spirit given them, even in 
 ■' a sensible manner, by the laying on of the hands of 
 
and the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 21 
 
 ' the apostles ; insomuch that the apostle says express- 
 ' ly, " If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is 
 ' none of his." ' Here the communication of spiritual 
 gifts by the hands of the apostles, is injudiciously con- 
 founded with his indispensable influence on all who be- 
 lieve. Again, he observes, ' There never was, nor 
 ' ever will be, a real Christian, who is not as really 
 ' inspired with the truths of the gospel, as the apostles 
 
 * themselves were, and by the same Spirit too, though 
 
 * in a different manner and degree, which accordingly 
 ' produces the same effects proportionally,' vol. i p. 4.20. 
 and 422. In this quotation, the effects of apostolic 
 inspiration are erroneously identified with those of 
 the saving influence of the Spirit, which was equally 
 indispensable in all believers, whether they were in* 
 spired or not. 
 
 There have been also practical errors on this subject, 
 which, though they cannot be classed with the wild 
 enthusiasm of the French prophets, yet will be owned 
 to have been exceedingly disgraceful and injurious to 
 the cause of truth. From the days of the apostles 
 until now^, and from the lofty head of the Roman hier- 
 archy to the most inconsiderable dissenter from all 
 hierarchies, strange misconceptions of the nature and 
 design of miraculous agency, have frequently operated 
 in a powerful manner, to the confusion and oppression 
 of professing Christians, by the introduction among 
 them of offices and usages which were peculiar to such 
 as were miraculously gifted. To the Judaism of the 
 first age many have added what we may venture to 
 call the miracleism of succeeding ages, insomuch that 
 Dr Owen had much reason to observe, that ' as in 
 ' these extraordinary officers and their gifts, did con» 
 ' sist the original glory and honour of the church in 
 
2:2 Oil the Difference hehveen Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 ' an especial manner^ and by t])em was their edifica- 
 
 * tion carried on and perfected ; so by an emptij pre- 
 ' ience unto their jf;o«'cr, without their order and spirit, 
 ' the churches have been stained and deformed, and 
 
 * brouglit to destruction.' 
 
 It will appear by the instances which follow, how 
 persons who are confessedly entitled to a portion of 
 our regard, are apt to fall iuto practical errors with re- 
 spect to tliis subject. 
 
 In early ages of the church, exorcism was perform- 
 ed on men before they were baptized, as if this were 
 the same thing as the casting out of devils in the first 
 age. Of heretics in particular, it was said by Vincen- 
 tius, bishop of Thibarus, ' If they would turn and come 
 
 * to the Lord, we have a rule of the truth which the 
 ' Lord commanded the apostles sayiwg, Goin my name, 
 
 * lay on hands, and cast out devils *.' This fancied or- 
 dinance of casting out devils, where there were none 
 such to be cast out, nor power to expel them if there 
 were, was supposed necessary to precede baptism ; 
 which was again followed by another fancied ordinance, 
 the imposition of hands, to impart to the baptized the 
 Holy Spirit. Cyprian of Carthage, who, as well as 
 many of his cotemporaries, was not a little devoted 
 to the ecclesiastical traditions which began in those 
 days greatly to accumulate, says in reference to his 
 own practice, ' This custom is now observed by us, 
 ' that they who are baptized in the church, may re- 
 ' ceive the Holy Spirit through the prayers of the go- 
 
 * vernors of it and the imposition of their hands t.' 
 Even the church of England still holds that the Holy 
 Spirit is communicated in baptism and ordination. 
 
 Prefixed to a small treatise on baptism by John 
 
 * King'*; Enquiry, Part ii. p. C9. -f P. 99, oT the same. 
 
atid the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. QS 
 
 Norcott, printed in London in the year 1721, is a list 
 of recent publications, among which we observed the 
 following : ' Laying on of hands on baptized believers 
 
 * as such, proved a gospel ordinance of Christ ; by 
 
 * Benjamin Keach.' Now, Benjamin Keach was a 
 good and faithful preacher of the gospel, and like 
 Aquila of old, he laid down his neck for the name of 
 Jesus. But, alas ! his publication in favour of this 
 supposed ordinance, must have been the cause of 
 bondage and trouble to scrupulous consciences, and a 
 sad handle to the fickle, the sanguine and censorious. 
 Indeed a long controversy on this subject was carried 
 on by the Baptists of that age, as may be seen in 
 Crosby's Hist. vol. ii. p. 277. Besides Mr Keach, 
 Messrs Grantham, Ives, D'Anvers, and others, engaged 
 in the controversy. Dr Owen relates, that some in 
 his time contended for anointing the sick with oil; 
 which he justly observes was to turn the practice into 
 a lie ; because, being once the token of certain heal- 
 ing and recovery, when such did not follow, it be- 
 came a mere deception. Mr Whiston and others con- 
 tended for this in a recent period. See Whiston's 
 Life, voh i. pp. 296, 297, 298. 314. 7I. 77. Flavel 
 too somewhere speaks of persons who contended, that 
 all should teach publicly, because it is written, " Ye 
 may all prophesy one by one." This passage we have 
 ourselves heard applied to the brethren at large ; and 
 we could not but think at the time, that they might 
 all prophesy, and work miracles likewise, provided 
 they were able. 
 
 I am very sorry to add to the number of those inat- 
 tentive to the difference between spiritual gifts 
 and sanctifying grace, one whom I much esteem 
 and respect. Mr Haldane, in his Observatiom on 
 
24 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 the association of believers, 8iC., we are sorry to 
 say, expresses a fear, lest discussions on the sub- 
 ject of spiritual gifts, should prove inimical to the 
 work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of men. 
 With particulai- reference to the reasoning of Messrs 
 Ewing and Aikman, ' a weapon,' he observes, ' is put 
 ' into the hands of those who deny the operation of 
 ' the Spirit in the present day, the force of which it 
 
 * is impossible to resist,' p. 40. But let no man's 
 heart fear because of this mighty weapon. Such as 
 it is, we have it in possession, and we shall find it a 
 necessary instrument in repelling the assaults of the 
 adversaries of this rioctrine. The matter ought there- 
 fore to have been very differently stated. Unless the 
 distinction in question be clearly established, it will 
 be difficult, if not impossible, completely to confute 
 the arguments which are used against the continued 
 existence of divine operation. This we think has 
 been made evident in the preceding illustration. But 
 we have at hand another kind of evidence. Dr 
 Tomline, bishop of Lincoln, in his late boasted Refu- 
 tation of Calvinism, affiims, in opposition to the ne- 
 cessity of divine influence, that those to whom the 
 gospel was preached, Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles 
 in general, ' expressed their faith in Christ before 
 
 * the Holy Ghost was poured out upon them *.' 
 ' We are authorised to attribute their faith to the vo- 
 
 * luntary exercise of their reason.' * They were con- 
 
 * verted before they received the Holy Ghost +.* 
 Unfortunately however for the Doctor's argument, 
 there was no necessary connection of any kind be- 
 
 • Tomline's Refutation of Calvinism, as quoted in the Edin- 
 burgh Quarterly Review and Magazine, No 2. p. 254. 
 
 ■+ See Scott's Reniaiks on the Refutation, Vol. i. pp. 31. 37.= 
 
and the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 25 
 
 tween the work of the Spirit in conversion, and the 
 reception of extraordinary endowments ; which he 
 has most egregiously confounded with it : but fortu- 
 nately for the satisfaction of Mr H. the Doctor has 
 furnished him, not only with ground for candidly 
 withdrawing the charge he brings against his brethren, 
 but for considering his own unavoidable exposure to 
 it, on account of his palpable disregard of the differ- 
 ence between the spiritual gifts of the first age and 
 the saving operation of the H0I3' Spirit. Both being 
 distinguished in Scripture, they ought by no means to 
 be confounded by us. To blend together a number 
 of different propositions, may seem to some to wear 
 the appearance of great simplicity of method, great 
 strength of argument, and plaiimess of speech, while 
 it is in fact calculated to conceal the variety and de- 
 fiice the beauty and harmony of divine revelation, and 
 to foster innumerable mistakes in judgment and irre- 
 gularities in practice. 
 
 The Quakers, if we mistake not, are the only people 
 that uniformly and completely confound the inspiration 
 by which the Scriptures were dictated, we do not say 
 with the saving illumination of believers, but with that 
 inward universal light which they attribute to, and which 
 is no doubt possessed by all mankind. Shall it then be 
 left to the Quakers, to confute the systems that scai'cely 
 . allow of any influence of the Spirit in the salvation of 
 men ? Mr H., I am sure, would not entrust them with 
 this work : and yet an uncandid opponent might prove 
 logically enough, tliat, according to the statement of 
 Mr H., they would be the fittest persons for it. So 
 clearly however are both the miraculous and saving 
 operation of the Spirit taught in the word of God;, 
 that, did we choose to rummage the volumes of those 
 
 C 
 
26 On the Difference between Spiritual Ci/ls/ 
 
 who are known to have held doctrines subversive bf 
 every fundamental truth of revelation, hundreds of ci- 
 tations might be produced to show, that they did not 
 theoretically deny the influence of the Spirit in the 
 salvation of men. But " they say and do not." 
 This doctrine is praciically disregarded by them. 
 An eminent writer justly observes, ' We should hard- 
 
 * ly go beyond the truth in asserting, that for the 
 
 * most part their notions on this subject are so confused 
 ' and faint, that the}^ can scarcely be said, in any fair 
 
 * sense, to believe the doctrine at all *.' And we may 
 also remark, that, in proportion as men deny or per- 
 vert this doctrine, they act in the same manner in re- 
 gard to the depravity and guilt of mankind, the di- 
 vinity and atonement of Christ, the necessity of holi- 
 ness or gospel morality, and the efficacy of the word 
 of God, to which is attributed, in conjunction with 
 the Spirit's influence, the peace, hope, holiness, and 
 joy of believers. And do they not sap the foundation 
 of all these together, by their erroneous and defective 
 representations of the moral perfections of God ? 
 
 It is obvious then, that without carefully distin- 
 guishing between the miraculous and saving work of 
 the Spirit, it will be difficult to prove the inspiration 
 of the apostles of Christ, in opposition to such writers 
 as Dr Priestly. The clearness, energy and certainty 
 with which the oracles of God were delivered to man- 
 kind, were as miraculous in their nature, as the mighty 
 deeds which were performed on the bodies of men. 
 We distinguish therefore between the extraordinary 
 dispensation of the Spirit, and his continued agency 
 in all who beheve the gospel. On this ground we re- 
 sist both the unbeliever, who calls in question the in- 
 • Wilbeiforce's Pract'crJ View, &:c. p. 7.1 
 
ovuUhc saving Injluence of the Holy Spirit. 27 
 
 spiratioii of the sacred penmen, and the spin-ious en- 
 thusiastj who arrogates to himself similar illumination. 
 On the same ground, we jvistify our own professions 
 of having the Spirit of Christ, ward off the shafts of 
 ridicule, and show that they who throw them (whether 
 secret or open enemies of true religion) know not the 
 Scriptures, nor the saving grace of God. And further, 
 if believers wish to be able, on the one hand, to detect, 
 and expose the artful and arrogant pretensions of de- 
 signing men to the powers, prerogatives and functions 
 which ceased in the church at the withdrawment of 
 miraculous agency, or, on the other, to preserve the 
 church now from the " enmity contained rn ordinan- 
 ces," sometimes brought in by even good men, they 
 will pay particular attention to the work of the Spirit 
 of God, as being either ordinary or extraordinary. 
 Nor will even this be sufficient. We must further de- 
 termine which of th" offices in the first churches were 
 extraordinary and temporary, which ordinary and per- 
 manent. Some attention will be given to this topic 
 in a subsequent place. 
 
 When therefore Dr Paley says, 'If any man ask, 
 ' what is meant by the scripture expressions, regenerate 
 
 * — born of the Spirit — 7iew creature, &c .'' we answer, 
 
 * Nothing, nothing to us, nothing to be sought for or 
 ' found in the present circumstaiices of Christianity .*' 
 we, for our part, must answer again, " Art thou a 
 teacher of Israel, and knowest not these things ?" But 
 when any consider us to be following hard in the track 
 of that dignitary, because we refuse to acknowledge 
 the promiscuous exhortations of brethien, for instance, 
 (and this is our chief crime in their view), as stand- 
 ing in the stead of the work of extraordinary office-bear- 
 ers, we beg leav€ to say to them, " How forcible are 
 
28 On the Difference between Spiritual Gifts, 
 
 riglit words ! but what doth your arguing reprove !" 
 The heedlessness manifest in such accusations, is the 
 test excuse for the injustice of them. This excuse we 
 willingly admit. Some of our opponents, we are con- 
 vinced, have not attended to the subject with sufficient 
 care to speak of it in a just and consistent manner *. 
 We ought at the same time to remember the danger 
 we are in of urging too far distinctions, which have 
 their foundation in truth, and which must therefore 
 be established for the illustration of it. We formerly 
 adverted to the advantage which personal religion, and 
 the gift of inspiration, derived from each other mu- 
 tually. Though entirely distinct, and accordingly re- 
 siding in some instances with persons of the most op- 
 posite characters in the sight of God, both were form- 
 ed for the clossest and most endearing imion as the 
 offspring of the same parent, and the instruments of 
 promoting jointly, as well as severally, the same 
 glorious design. And therefore we conceive, that 
 though in almost every passage of Scripture, there 
 may be a primary reference either to the one or to the 
 
 * The above quotation from Paley is made by Mr Carson in 
 his answer to Mr Ewing, p. 15. Dr Paley appears to have chang- 
 ed his mind very materially, upon this subject. We wish that 
 a j)rofes$ion of reptntance had accompanied it. In the volume 
 of SeiTTions which he appointed his executors to print, and de- 
 liver to his hearers, after his death, and which they have been 
 obliged to publish, finding it impossible to confine it to the 
 circle of readei's for whom alone it was intended, there are three 
 discourses, in which the universal necessity and existence of the 
 influences of the Holy Spirit in all Christians, in every period, 
 are maintained with no little energy, and with his accustomed- 
 perspicuity Indeed it is pleasant to remark, the very oji- 
 
 posite style of this and of several of the posthumous Sermons, 
 and of some of the foiracr works of this able author 
 
and the saving Influence of the Holy Spirit. 29 
 
 ether, there are some in which both are included. 
 But the number of places, in which either of 
 them is alone spoken of, will enable the Christian 
 teacher to treat with sufficient accuracy the passages 
 in which both are comprehended, as the work of 
 one and the same agent. Similar attention will be 
 equally necessary in a variety of cases, where different 
 but related objects may be smnmarily spoken of, which 
 in other parts of Scripture, are clearly and distinctive- 
 ly represented. 
 
 CS 
 
ESSAY II. 
 
 On Prophtcy and! Tongues. 
 
 JL HE use which was made of prophecy and tongueSj 
 especially in Corinth, the importance of understanding 
 the practice of the church there, the opposite views 
 which are taken of their practice, and the contradictory 
 «'onclusions which are drawn from it, render it neces- 
 sary for us to offer some remarks on these two gifts. 
 
 Prophecy, in point of order and importance, de- 
 jnands our attention in the first place. On our know- 
 ledge of the nature of this gift, depends, in no small 
 degree, our understanding of the practice of the first 
 churches. The word of God, we are convinced, speaks 
 of the prophetic character and function, with a copious- 
 jiess, perspieuit}'^ and precision, that leave little room 
 for either great mistakes or keen discussion. 
 
 Prophecy was not, like many of the gifts of the 
 primitive churches, peculiar to the economy of the 
 new covenant : it was frequently possessed and largely 
 emplo^'ed by a particular class of men during the ex- 
 istence of the old covenant. We shall not therefore con- 
 fine ourselves in our remarks upon it to the New Tes- 
 tament Scriptures, more especially as no attempts have 
 been made to represent as uninspired teachers, that 
 dass of persons who are acknowledged in the Old 
 Testament as the prophets of Jehovah. Now, if 
 ihese were the same with the description of persons who 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. SI 
 
 are denominated prophets in the New Testament, it will 
 necessarily follow^ that the claims of the latter stand 
 in every respect on a footing with those of tlie former. 
 
 Prophets are invariably represented as persons who 
 received communications from God, either in dreams 
 and visions, or by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. 
 As in a subordinate sense, Moses was a God to Aaron, 
 so, in a corresponding sense, Aaron was a prophet to 
 Moses, Exod. iv. l6. : he declared to Pharaoh, and 
 to the children of Israel, what Moses had in a manner 
 revealed to him. It was this relation to Moses, the 
 viceroy of Jehovah himself, and not, as some have 
 supposed, his having been the chief speaker in the 
 presence of Pharaoh, that in this case conferred oa 
 Aaron the appellation of prophet. Yet even at this 
 time he appears to have been entitled, on other 
 grounds, to the prophetic character. Num. xii. 
 
 Now, as every imposture, forgery or counterfeit is 
 contrived in imitation of some original, of which it is 
 sure to exhibit a pretty accmate general likeness, we 
 may easily discover in the pretensions of the false 
 prophets a sufficiently correct sketch of the charac- 
 ter of the true. Those bold impostors stole the 
 word one from another, and lied in affirming, " I 
 have dreamed, I have dreamed !" yet these spurious 
 dreams were received by the people with the greatest 
 cordiality. 
 
 Unless the true Messiah, with his apostles and pra- 
 phets, had been expected or acknowledged among men, 
 many false Christs, apostles and prophets would not 
 have pretended to sustain those characters, Mai-k xiii. 
 22. 2 Cor. xi. 13. And had not the primitive church- 
 es been richly endowed with the prophetic spirit^ 
 they had not stood in need of aa apostolical admoni- 
 
S^ Oh Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 tlon to try the spirits whether they were of God, be- 
 cause many false prophets had gone out into the world, 
 1 John iv. 1. Let any man now attempt to introduce 
 himself to enlightened persons as a prophet of the 
 Lord, and they will presently reject his claims as ex- 
 travagant and prophane j because there is not on 
 earth a true prophet, on whose acknowledged reputa- 
 tion such claims could be founded. 
 
 The description then of prophets that the New Tes- 
 tament brings to our view, does not exhibit persons in- 
 ferior to those who are recognised by that name in the 
 Old. Highly as the people esteemed John the baptist, 
 their respect for him altogether arose from their being 
 persuaded that John was a prophet, Luke xx. 6. 
 Hence in their presence the chief priests and the scribes 
 durst not assert that his baptism was of men, because a 
 denial of his inspiration would have doubtless implied 
 a denial of his prophetic character. But had they un- 
 derstood the easy expedient of reducing him to the 
 humble rank of a good man, who was indeed entitled 
 to be called a prophet, because he exhorted the people, 
 while nevertheless, under that character, he might 
 teach erroneous doctrine, (as any fallible mortal, how 
 upright soever, may do occasionally), they could after 
 all have reconciled their opinion of the baptism of John 
 with the notion of his having been a prophet. The 
 admiration which was excited in the breasts of the 
 people by the wonderful works of Christ, compelled 
 them to exclaim, *' That a great prophet is risen a- 
 mong us, and that God hath visited his people," Luke 
 vii. l6. The two disciples who were going to Em- 
 maus after his resurrection, described him as " a prophet 
 mighty in deed and in word before God and all the 
 people," Luke xxiv. 19« These passages show what 
 
Of I Prophecy and Toiigues. 35 
 
 kind of persons ihey were who, before the day of Pen- 
 tecost, supported the character of prophet. 
 
 When the extraordinary powers on that day impart- 
 ed to the disciples, had excited in the people the great- 
 est wonder and amazement, Peter addressed them in 
 these words : " This is that which was spoken by the 
 prophet Joel : And it shall come to pass in the last days, 
 saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, 
 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and 
 your young men shall see visions, and your old men 
 shall dream dreams j and on my servants, and on my 
 hand-maidens, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, 
 
 and they shall prophesy," Acts ii. 17, 18. As the 
 
 light and glory of the Messiah's kingdom far exceeded' 
 those of every former period, Is it conceivable, that Joel 
 gave a higher description of the latter days than the 
 event fully verified ? Or was Peter ashamed to direct 
 the attention of the people to the things which they 
 then saw and heard, as the accomplishment of Joel's 
 prediction > In fact, the agreement between the pre- 
 diction and the event, is too manifest to be disputed. 
 Peter unquestionably represented Joel as describing th& 
 same Spirit of prophecy, by which he was himself in- 
 spired to predict the effusion of it in the last days. 
 What resemblance has this to exhortation in modern 
 times ? And if such exhortation is a thing distinct from 
 prophecy, can we be instructed by having them con- 
 founded ? 
 
 Dr Whitby observes, that the fathers used ai-guments 
 against the Jews to convince them that God had left 
 their church, and had owned and embraced the So- 
 cieties of Christians, because he had left them no pro- 
 phets, but had transferred that gift to the Christians. 
 
 Although all the prophets of the Lord were actually 
 
34 Oh Prophecy and Tongiies. 
 
 inspired, they had not all the same measure of the gift 
 of jnspiialion. - Some prophets were certainly greater 
 than others j as among the twelve there were " the 
 chiefest of the apostles," But the reviving fruit of in- 
 spiration always grew upon the tree of life, though 
 every separate branch was not equally loaded. God in 
 " sundry portions, (^roAi^^Eg*?,) and in divers manners, 
 spake to the fathers by the prophets," Heb.i. 1. Hence 
 it is certain, that though more of divine truth was re- 
 vealed to David and Isaiah than to Obadiah and Mala- 
 chi, the writings of these four prophets are to be equally 
 regarded as different portions of the oracles of God. 
 *' For the prophecy came not in old lime by the will of 
 man j but holy men of God spake as they were moved 
 by the Holy Ghost," 2 Peter i.21. 
 
 If the prophets of the first churches were at all in- 
 spired (and how could they be prophets without in- 
 spiration ?) it would be vain and fruitless speculation to 
 inquire in what degree they were inspired. The mea- 
 sure of inspiration could not aflfect their character as pro- 
 phets. Different orders of beings are distinguished and 
 compared according to their rank and office in creation. 
 On the same principle of discrimination, men class and 
 arrange different inanimate substances, as metals, mi- 
 nerals, vegetables, &c. agreeably to the nature or in- 
 trinsic value of each sort. Thus the smallest piece of 
 gold excels in quality the largest of silver. In like 
 manner kings and prophets are distinct orders of men, 
 whose rank or character is not affected by the extent 
 of territory which the former possess, or the degree of 
 inspiration with which the latter are endowed. Who- 
 ever therefore had the gift of prophecy on this account 
 belonged to that class of persons who were next in impor- 
 tance to the apostles thenaselves. There does not then 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 35 
 
 appear to be any better reason for distinguishing those 
 of the first churches into superior and inferior prophets, 
 than for the fancy of the Jews who reckon up eleven 
 kinds or degrees in prophecy j which they rest on the 
 most futile distinctions, (see Lowth on Hebrew poetry, 
 Vol ii. p. 62' Gregory's translation). In fact we may 
 venture to question whether any two prophets, or in- 
 deed any two persons, ever possessed the same acquain- 
 tance precisely with either divine or human things. 
 What vast variety do we observe in the figures, coun- 
 tenances and voices of men ? And do we not discover 
 in their minds as endless diversity and modification ? 
 
 In the epistle to the Romans the apostle thus addresses 
 them : " For I say, through the grace given unto me, 
 to every man that is among you, not to think of him- 
 self more highly tlian he ought to think ; but to think 
 soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the 
 measure of faith," ch. xii. 3. — This injunction seems to 
 hare been directed to those among them who had 
 spiritual gifts, and who on this account were liable to 
 indulge in too much self-gratulatlon. As every one of 
 them was to judge soberly of himself according to the 
 measure of his faith*, (and taking the language in any 
 sense this will be found a much soberer standard 
 than many will choose to be measured by), it is enjoin- 
 ed on the prophets to exercise their peculiar gift accor- 
 ding to a corresponding rule, or indeed the same rule 
 differently expressed, " the proportion of faith." Whit- 
 by, by a quotation from Philo, shows that the measure 
 of one's faith signifies the strength of it. But inde- 
 
 * This wc apprehend is the faith spoken of in 1 Cor. xii. 9. 
 and xiii. 2. which certainly was not saving faith. 
 
36 On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 pendenlly of such evidence, what else can be the mean- 
 ingof theseexprcssions? If any oneis attachedlothe idea, 
 9S founded on this passage, of explaining Scripture ac- 
 cording to what has been called the analogy of faith, 
 he will find most judicious observations on it in iheiv*'' 
 Preliminary Dissertation of Dr Campbell. The pro- 
 phets, however, were not expositors of Scripture, but 
 the original organs of the Holy Spirit. Now, the de- 
 gree of inspiration was precisely in proportion to the 
 measure of their failh. Beyond the sure ground of the 
 inspiration they received, it was not the duty of the 
 prophets to proceed ; for if they delivered in the 
 church the mere suggestions of their own minds, they 
 must be liable either to advance error, or at least to 
 occupy the time to very litile purpose. 
 
 It may be observed in passing, that prophetic Inspi- 
 ration is distinguishable, by its suddenness and vigour, 
 from that of other gifted men. To the prophets, as 
 they sat in the church, something is supposed to have 
 been revealed by a powerful afflatus of the Spirit, 
 ■^vhich, as it were, impelled them to speak more than 
 one at a time. So too the prophets of old were in a 
 manner constrained to speak. Both Jeremiah and Amos 
 make use of strong figures to express the urgency to 
 speak which they felt under divine inspiration, Jer. xx. Q. 
 Amos iii. 8. The apostle notwithstanding, directed 
 that no prophet to whom any thing might be revealed, 
 •should stand up In the church before the first had done 
 speaking. They could all speak in rotation, because 
 the spirits of the prophets were subject to the prophets. 
 God did not impel them to speak unseasonably, or by 
 pluralities, the things which he gave them by the 
 Spirit ; and therefore he was not the author of the con- 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 37 
 
 fusion, which their disorderly practice occasioned in 
 the church *. 
 
 That the prophets of the first churches were actually 
 and literally prophets, and not mere exhorters, is evi- 
 dent from their possessing the faculty of foretelling fu- 
 ture events. " And in these days came prophets 
 from Jerusalem to Anlioeh. And there stood up one 
 of them, named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit, 
 that there should be great dearth throughout all the 
 world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius 
 Cesar," Acts xi. 27, 28. The same person afterwards 
 foretold Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem ; and, after 
 the manner of the ancient prophets, he accompanied 
 the prediction with the affecting symbolical action of 
 binding his oivn hands and feet with Paul's girdle, 
 chap. xxl. Jl. Nor nas he the only prophet that gave 
 previous intimation of the apostle's sufferings. Since 
 he had directed his course towards Jerusalem, the 
 Holy Ghost testified in EVERY city, that bonds and 
 
 * Although ICor.xiv. 31. Auvflts-^'s «/«§ xxi'mx TtruvTii 7r^o(pf,Tiv- 
 uv, should undoubtedly he rendered, not, as in our common ver- 
 sion, " Ye may all prophesy one by one," but " Ye are all 
 able to prophesy one by one," or successively, yet this appears 
 to he of no consequence as to the duty of churches in the pre- 
 sent time ; unles-s, as some think, these prophets were unin- 
 sjjired exhorters ; which we are now considering. It is how- 
 ever of consequence to do justice to the oracles of God. " Ye 
 are all able to prophesy," &,c., is certainl)- the literal and 
 grammatical rendering, although Macknight's, " Ye can all 
 ])rophesy," &c. also gives the sense. But " ye may," &c. 
 does not convey the apostle's meaning ; because he is not giv- 
 ing the prophets liberty to speak, for that was never denied 
 them, but shewing them that they could refrain from speaking, 
 tliough under inspiration, until the first speaker had finished 
 his discourse. 
 
 D 
 
58 On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 imprisonment awaited him, Acts xx. 23. Similar to 
 this was the warning which the sons of the prophets 
 ^vho were at Bethel, and those again who were at 
 Jericho, gave to Elisha, that Elijah his master was 
 about to be taken away, 2 Kings ii. 3. Paul nevertlieless 
 proceeded on his journey, and coming to Tyre, he 
 there found disciples, who said to him by the Spirits, 
 " that he should not go up to Jerusalem," Actsxxi;4. If 
 these facts do not elevate these prophets to the sublime 
 heights of Isaiah and David, they at least place them 
 on a level with ancient prophets of less note ; a level 
 on which modern exhorters cannot with sobriety and 
 decency pretend to appear. The church of Christ, 
 however, was not without prophets, whose predictions 
 are great and interesting. The apostles Paul and John 
 revealed the grand events of future generations. Yet 
 we ought to remember, in judging of the gift of pro- 
 phecy in the first age, that the Scriptures of the New 
 Testament are intended not to furnish us with many 
 new predictions, but to illustrate and confirm the pre- 
 dictions of ancient times. We are therefore to look 
 for the use of the prophetic gift, not so much in the 
 foretelling of future events, as in those other exercises 
 in which it was employed previously to the coming of 
 our Lord. 
 
 May it not then suffice to say with respect to the nature 
 of the prophetic function, that our Lord himself, in his 
 Sermon on the mount, connects prophesying in his name 
 with casting out devils, and doing many wonderful 
 works ? Mat. vii. 22. Paul ranks the gift of prophecy 
 xvith speaking the languages of men and angels j and 
 with removing mountains, or performing the greatest 
 miracles, 1 Cor. xiii. Often in Scripture are the pro- 
 phets ranked next in order to the apostles, Eph. iii. 5. 
 
Ou Propliecij and Tongues. 39 
 
 I Cor. xii. 28, 29- Prophecy is accordingly pronoun- 
 red the best gift, 1 Cor. xii. 31. and chap. xiv. 1. 39. 
 They who exercised it in the church were greater than 
 tliose who spoke with tongues, except they also inter- 
 preted, and the church received edification. 
 
 Is it then a matter of doubt, whether prophecy was 
 an ordinary, or an extraordinary gift ? Mr Ballantine has 
 said, ' It is plain' (very plain to be sure, i. e. he wishes 
 this given up to him, without any argument,) ' it was 
 * an ordinary, not an extraordinary gift.' This posi- 
 tion being granted, it irresistibly follov/s, as the same 
 ivritcr asserts, that ' they were to desire it before any 
 '-extraordinary gift, as being more useful!' Can any 
 thing be more absurd than this conclusion ? Yet it fairly 
 follo'.vs from the premises. The absurdity then of the 
 conclusion demonstrates the fallacy of the premises. 
 It really ' shocks all common sense' to be told, that 
 what is noiv called a gift for exhortation, should be 
 more useful than any of the extraordinary gifts of the 
 Spirit. By this kind of reasoning, the apostles, pro- 
 phets, evangelists, &c. are utterly degraded, and the ex- 
 horting brethren exalted to super-eminence. This is a 
 greater evil than that of which Solomon complained, 
 " Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low 
 place." " I have seen servants upon horses, and princes 
 walking as servants upon the earth," Eccles. x. 7, 8. 
 
 Ailhoagh MrB.'s positions and inferences carry 
 along with them their own refutation, and although 
 Mr Ewing has evinced, in the clearest and most con- 
 vincing manner, that the primitive prophets spoke by 
 the inspiration of God, the doctrine of Pv-Ir B. has taken 
 fast hold of the minds of many 5 and I apprehend it has 
 tended on this subject to warp the better judgment; 
 even of Mr Haldane. 
 
'to On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 InsJead of meeting Mr Ewing's arguments, he has, 
 I nm sorry to say, perplexed the subject with objec- 
 lions and difficulties of his own creating. These 
 however I shall now endeavour to obviate. 
 
 He observes, p. 55. 'It is taken for granted, that 
 ' the prophets in 1 Cor. xiv. spoke by immediate in- 
 ' epilation. But I find in that very chapter, a sharp 
 
 • reproof 'o them, amongst others, for erroneous ssnti- 
 
 * ments. What I says the apostle, came the word of 
 
 * God out from you, or came it unto you only ? If any 
 ' man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let 
 
 • him acknowledge that the things that I write are the 
 'commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ig- 
 ' norant, let him be ignorant.' 
 
 I do not wonder that Mr H. has interpreted the 
 apostles's w-ords in this sense ; others did the same be- 
 fore him. It is the general sentiment of all those who 
 maintain the duty and propriety of indiscriminate 
 teachino by all the males in churches, and it seems first 
 of all to have given origin to this favourite idea. But 
 as to the erroneous sentiments of the prophets and 
 spiritual men, what were these? The apostle has not men« 
 tioned one in all this chapter, nor can Mr H. show that 
 he has. The manifest intention of the verses quoted 
 by Mr H. and of the whole chapter, is not to correct 
 erroneous sentiments, but to rectify disorderly practices. 
 Had the apostle in the preceding context been refuting 
 or reproving erroneous doctrine, then the particular 
 reproof which Pilr H. has quoted would be naturally 
 lUiderstGod as implying a censure of those who taught 
 such doctrine. But since his object was of another 
 kind — the resulation of their conduct and manner 
 while they prophesied, Vv-e are obliged to undei stand his 
 leproo: as pointed against the irregularities which were 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 4 1 
 
 introduced into the churchy by the speaking of several 
 prophets at the same time, the use of foreign tongues, 
 and the speaking of the women. Accordingly he re- 
 quired them tounderstand the things which he said, 
 not as the doctrine, but as the lyraXxt the command- 
 ments of the Lord. Had a similar reproof to the pro- 
 phets and spiritual men been administered in the fol- 
 lowing (the XV.) chapter, in which the apostle proves 
 the doctrine of the resurrection, in opposition to some 
 among them who said that there was no resurrection 
 of the dead, it would in that case be obvious to under- 
 stand him as reproving the prophets and spiritual men 
 for erroneous sentiments. The case, however, as it 
 stands, is entirely different ; for while a man might 
 prophesy with his head covered, and a woman with 
 her head uncovered, (ch. xi. 4, 5.) their inspiration is 
 not denied, but their behaviour is corrected. Or while 
 one might speak mysteries by the Spirit in a foreign 
 language, or several prophets prophesy at the same 
 time, the existence of their gifts is not called in ques- 
 tion, but directions are given how to use them to edi- 
 fication. — Not only were the disorderly practices of 
 these prophets consistent with their being inspired, 
 but they even prove their inspiration. Who but a king 
 Asa, or a Jehoshaphat, or a Hezekiah, could have op- 
 pressed the people, or made a league with the king of 
 Israel, or sinned in the matter of the ambassadors of 
 Babylon ? And who but inspired teachers could have ex- 
 hibited the scene which the xivth of 1 Cor. describes ? 
 In short, the expostulation of the apostle implies both 
 the possession of spiritual gifts, and impropriety in the 
 use of them. And his appeal to the prophets and spi- 
 ritual men (ver. 37.) is itself an acknowledgment of 
 their superior endowments. 
 
 D3 
 
42 On Prophcci/ and Tongues. 
 
 Their improprieties of conduct do not, after all, bear 
 such characters of sin as mark the behaviour of Moses 
 and Aaron at the water of Meribah in Kadesh, of 
 Jonah in regard to Nineveh, and of Peter and Barna- 
 bas towards the Gentile converts at Antioch. Tlie 
 doctrine which was spoken by inspiration, was invari- 
 ably true ; but even the best of inspired men could 
 say as to obedience, " In many things we offend all," 
 James iii. 2. It is not disputed whether Timothy had 
 extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, yet directions of every 
 kind are given him, " that he might know how to be- 
 have f conduct J HIMSELF in the house of God." The 
 necessity of these directions is very obvious from this, 
 that even inspired persons might act inconsistently 
 with the light of nature and a sense of decency, 1 Cor. 
 xi. 13— 15. Nor was the great apostle of the Gentiles 
 above the necessity of watchfulness and self-denial, 
 1 Cor. ix. 27. Spiritual gifts did not confer a holy na- 
 ture, far less perfection of character upon an)\ 
 
 Mr H. again observes, p. 36. ' I find the brethren 
 ' repeatedly exhorted to covet to prophesy. Does this 
 ' mean, that they were to covet an office next in dignity 
 ' to the apostles ?' 
 
 If the gift of prophecy to which they were command- 
 ed to aspire, was not that which would place them next 
 to the apostles, it must have been, according to Mr H.'s 
 hypothesis, that uninspired faculty of prophecj^, or ex- 
 iiortation, by which men taught, with other things, 
 erroneous sentiments. That believers were command- 
 ed earnestly to desire the former, as being the best and 
 most useful gift, and not the latter, seems to us highly 
 probable. But with respect to Mr H.'s question, I 
 would remark, that another might ask with equal pro- 
 priety, did the nature of the case leave any room l"or 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 4iJ 
 
 incredulity. Was a certain man of Lydda, named 
 Eneas, who had kept his bed eight years_, and been 
 sick of the pais}-, confidently to expect that he himself 
 was to be suddenly cured by a great miracle ? But 
 both miracles and prophecy were at that time matters 
 of promise, and therefore proper objects of expectation 
 and desire. The commonness of either, in comparison 
 of its appearance in former times, cannot sully the lustre 
 of the heavenly gift ; or if this circumstance must re- 
 duce tlie value of prophecy, must it not likewise inva- 
 lidate the evidence of miracles ? — But docs Mr H. 
 really mean, that the apostle commanded the Corin- 
 thians, who were enriched " in all utterance and in all 
 knowledge, to desire spiritual gifts, to seek that they 
 might excel to the edifying of the church, to seek that 
 they might prophesy," 1 Cor. xiv. 1. 12x 3Q. while at 
 the same time he meant nothing should be aspired 
 after, besides an ability to speak like ordinary church- 
 members in the present day ? But where does Paul 
 exalt an ability of this sort above that assemblage of 
 spiritual gifts which were confessedly miraculous, and 
 which, as Mr H. acknowledges, were " eminently the 
 manifestation of the Spirit ?" With these extraordinary 
 endowments, he does not class an ordinary faculty for 
 exhortation, nor does he indeed mention such a thing 
 at all. It is impossible therefore to reduce to this 
 modern standard, those who ranked so high among 
 the miraculously gifted men. 
 
 The strength of Mr H.'s objection seems to lie in the 
 supposed presumptuousness of seeking the highest and 
 most useful qualifications. But there is no presumption 
 cither in seeking or in exercising qualifications of any 
 kind. Presumption usually appears in arrogating 
 qualifications, or in attempting to perform duties with- 
 
.44 On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 out them. Could any thing have been more agi-ecable 
 to the genuine operation of love and humility, than 
 the desire of that kind of eminence which prophecy 
 bestowed — eminence in doing good to the souls of 
 men ? Do we not now judge it to be consistent with 
 the purest love to God and to his people, to wish for 
 as great a resemblance, even to an apostle, in know- 
 ledge and utterance, as well as in holiness and useful- 
 ness, as is attainable in the present state ? How do 
 some judge of what is called a gift for exhortation ? 
 Do they not view it as the best gift, and speak of it 
 as a lawful object of desire ? Respecting the principal 
 standing office in the church, is it not said in Scripture, 
 " If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a 
 good work ?" 
 
 ' I also find,' says Mr H. ' the gift of prophecy 
 * comparatively undervalued at Corinth, Now I can- 
 ' not persuade myself that those next in order to the 
 ' apostles, and consequently possessing superior talents 
 ' to all others, were in much danger of being despised,' 
 p, 36. — But strange as it may appear, the very posses- 
 sion of supernatural talents emboldened men occa- 
 sionally to set themselves in opposition to those who 
 in this respect were far their superiors. This cor- 
 responds to what happens among all other classes of 
 men, who suppose themselves to be on a level. A 
 supposed equality with Moses in regard to inspiration, 
 afforded a pretext to Aaron and Miriam for speaking 
 against him. " And they said. Hath the Lord indeed 
 only spoken by Moses ? hath he not also spoken by 
 us ?'' Num. xii. Does not every reader of the New 
 Testament know very well, that Paul himself was com- 
 paratively undervalued and despised at Corinth ? yet 
 among the Corinthians, he truly performed " the signs 
 
Oil Frophcctj and Tongues. 4j 
 
 of an apostle ;" and as to gifts^, he could " speak with 
 more tongues" (in more languages) than they all could. 
 It was not therefore without a very obvious reason, that 
 he waincd them against despising Timothy, who had 
 been appointed to the work of the Lord according to 
 prophecy, and had received a gift by the imposition of 
 the apostle's hand. " Now if Timotheus come, see that 
 he may be with you without fear, for he worketh the 
 work of the Lord, as I also do. Let no man therefore 
 despise him," 1 Cor. xvi. 10, 1 1. Is it any wonder 
 then, that men who are taught to make an over-ween- 
 ing estimate of their own talents and proficiency, shoukl 
 be inclined to despise the best means of instruction 
 with which we have been acquainted .'' 
 
 In a note. p.S6. we find a plausible objection, which, 
 as it involves a variety of considerations, requires to 
 be pretty fully answered. ' It is not a little extraor- 
 ' dinary, that the false teachers should have had so 
 ' great success in the church at Corinth, in which, ac- 
 
 * cording to our brethren, there were so many prophets 
 ' speaking under immediate inspiration. How came 
 ' these prophets to be misled .'' or how came it, that 
 ' they did not oppose the false teachers with the same 
 
 * success as the apostle, whose epistle produced so 
 
 * great an effect ? they were indeed inferior to liim, 
 
 * but if it was knovm that they spoke by inspiration, 
 
 * those who rejected them would equally have reject- 
 ' ed him.' 
 
 If there is any force in this argument, it presses as 
 much on the hypothesis of Mr H. as it does on that 
 of the writers whom he opposes. He observes, p. 3.5. 
 
 * that there were prophets, who are classed next in 
 .' order to the apostles, is certain, 1 Cor. xii. 28. but 
 ' that all who arc said to prophesy were of this ordev 
 
46' On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 ■* is by no means clear.' And is it easier for Mr H, 
 to account for the disobedience of the chiircli, by sap- 
 posing that there were some only of their prophets who 
 spoke by inspiration, than if he granted that they all 
 did so ? Was it not as sinful to resist a few prophets, 
 as to resist many ? But though I think Mr H. has no 
 claim upon others, which they have not upon him for 
 the removal of this difficulty ; and though I might on 
 this account pass it by, as not affecting the character 
 of the prophets at Coiinth, I shall offer the following 
 remarks as illustiative of the subject in general, and 
 as accounting in particular for the fact which has been 
 mentioned *. 
 
 1st, False teachers made their way into the church- 
 es by coming under the assumed character, either of 
 apostles, prophets, or teachers. They who came to 
 Corinth seem to have brought along with them " epis- 
 tles of commendation." Besides, men might have 
 actually prophesied, cast out devils, and done many 
 wonderful works in the name of Jesus, and have perish- 
 ed eternally after all. Mat. vii. By means of these 
 then, the churches might have been injured for a time, 
 the pretensions of such as were once inspired might 
 not be soon detected, and in the mean time they 
 would do some mischief. Mr H. himself introduces 
 the case of uninspired brethren, (were they not the 
 false brethren mentioned in Gal. ii. ?) who, under pre- 
 tence of having authority from the apostles in Jerusa- 
 lem, subverted the souls of the believing Gentiles. 
 These things account for the entrance of folse teach- 
 ers into the primitive churches. 2d, In the 1st 
 Book of Kings, we find that a prophet was led astray, in 
 
 • This objection would deprive, not only the church at 
 Corinth, but almost every other, of inspired teachers. 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 47 
 
 apposition loan explicit and positive injunction, wliicli 
 lie had himself received from the mouth of the Lord, 
 by a feigned revelation which another prophet pretend- 
 ed also to have received from God, chap. xiii. In 
 like manner, prophets and spiritual men in the first 
 churches might have been deceived by false visions 
 and re\'elations. The apostle strongly warns Timothy 
 against seduction, though he was not less capable than 
 other prophets or teachers were of resisting its insinu- 
 ating influence, 1 Tim. i. I9. iv'. 7. and 1 G. vi. 20. 
 2 Tim. i. 13, 14. ii. I6. Hence it appears evident, 
 tliat though inspired men, in the legitimate exercise 
 of their gifts, are not supposed to have taught error, 
 they were not beyond all danger of being entangled 
 in the snares which were laid for them by others. 
 The best of the Lord's servants knew but in part, 
 and they prophesied but in part. We are therefore 
 able to reconcile the success of the false teachers in 
 Corinth with the inspiration of those who prophesied 
 in the church. 3 A, God saw it fit to permit imposi- 
 tion to go on for a time. Winds of doctrine and 
 schisms put to the test the wisdom, sincerity and sted- 
 fastness of the churches ; insomuch, that those who 
 were approved were made manifest among them, 
 1 Cor. xi. 19. And thence too the apostles saw it ne- 
 cossar}' to give answers to various questions, which 
 should more or less involve the peace and happiness 
 of the church of God in all ages. Only, however, for 
 a season were false brethren able to stand their ground. 
 '•' Now, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so 
 do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt minds, 
 reprobate concerning the faitli. But they shall pro- 
 ceed no farther ; for their folly shall be made manifest 
 unto all men as theirs also was," 2 Tim, iii. 8, y. 
 
48 On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 Hence the procedure of God, in permitting such per- 
 ,sons to go on for a time, is full}^ recommended by its 
 sakitarj' consequences. 4th, That the Corinthians 
 were not \vholly ignorant of the real character of the 
 false teachers, appears from several passages of Paul's 
 two epistles to tlicm. He reproves them severely for 
 liaving some amojig them who had not the knowledge 
 of God, 1 Cor.xv. 34. Yet the ascendency which the 
 false teachers gained in Corinth, is not more surpris- 
 ing than the mighty influence of Diotrephes seems to 
 be. Nor is it so vniaccountable, that the Corintliians 
 should have borne with tiiem, or v.ith others who had 
 a form of godliness, as that they should have suffer- 
 ed the incestuous person to remain in the church. In 
 respect of both, however, they were disobedient, not 
 only to apostles and prophets, but to Christ himself, 
 t/ic Head of the chiuxh. Yet Mr H. asks a question, 
 V Lioh supposes that Paul's first epistle settled the case 
 of the false tcacliers. ' How came it that they (the 
 ' prophets) did not oppose the false teachers with the 
 ' same success as the apostle, whose epistle produced 
 ' so great an cflfcct ?' But though it produced consi-' 
 dcrable effects on the church at large, it neither silen- 
 ced nor removed the false teachers. " His letters, 
 say they, are weighty and j)ovverful, but his bodily 
 presence is weak, and his spoecli contemptible," 2 Co)-. 
 X. 10. Hence, in his second epistle, he makes mani- 
 fest references to them in more severe languacfe than 
 lie employed in the first ; and besides he threatens 
 (0 punish them by his apostolic power, w^lien the obe- 
 dience of the church should be fulfilled, 2 Cor. x. G. 
 xiii. 2. 1 0. Was it the w'ant of instruction or autho- 
 rity from God that made some of the seven churches 
 of Asia " bear them who did evil ?" We fear that it is 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 49 
 
 still too common with cluirclies to endure them that 
 do evil. How many instances of negligence and par- 
 tiality could an apostle point out in churches ! There 
 is^ alas, in human nature, too much of the fear of man 
 ** which bringeth a snare," and of " respect of persons," 
 its necessary effect. Hence, connected with pubhcly 
 rebuking those that sinned, is the solemn charge be- 
 fore God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect 
 angels, to "observe these things, without preferring one 
 to another ; doing nothing by partiality," 1 Tim. v. 
 21. 
 
 Now, though Mr H. mentions those who are spoken 
 of ' as exhorting or prophesying, 1 Cor. xiv.' p. 37. as 
 if exhortation and prophecy were the same precisely, 
 he yet distinguishes these from each other, as from 
 teaching and ruling. * Prophesying and exhortation,' he 
 observes, p. 53. ' are distinguished from teaching and 
 ruling, Rom. xii. 6.' Although we think it is a mis- 
 take to suppose teaching and exhortation to be two 
 distinct ordinances, we are glad to find, that Mr H. 
 does justice to the subject in hand so far as to distin- 
 guish both teaching and exhortation from prophecy. 
 But he can maintain this distinction, only by affirming, 
 that the prophets in Rome belonged to those prophets 
 who, in his opinion^ ranked next to the apostles. There 
 is, however, no conceivable reason for making the 
 prophets in Rome, and the prophets at Corinth, to 
 differ as much from one another, as an inspired pro- 
 phet and an uninspired exhorter in the former place 
 can be made to do. In Rome the prophets were not 
 the exhorters, at Corinth they were. Here prophecy 
 is exhortation — there it is not. Under the powerful 
 and variable operatic n of such a theory as this, the 
 prophets are completely at the mercy of the theorist, 
 
 E 
 
50 Oti Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 M'ho, as occasion requires, may assign them on tlie one 
 hand a plenitude of inspiration, or leave them on the 
 other to speak among their brethren the best way 
 they can. 
 
 Indeed, so very incongruous is the scheme of re- 
 ducing inspired propliets to the level of uninspired 
 brethren, that those who define prophecy to be exhor- 
 tation, have veuy seldom spoken of them as exchange- 
 able terms in reference to their own practice ; jior do 
 iJiey, that I recollect, ever call the brethren pi'ophets. 
 Mr Ballantine indeed, says of some who gave up ex- 
 hortation, ' It was not only despising, but neglecting 
 ' prophesyings.' Those then wlio neglected to pro- 
 phes}^, were prophets ; for only prophets can prophe- 
 sy. Yet Mr B. does not, I believe, directly call the 
 brethren prophets. Though the introduction of a 
 text of Scripture often obliges him to speak of prophe- 
 cy and exhortation as if they were the same, he is in 
 general glad to get off with all speed from prophecy 
 to exhortation, like one that makes haste to floe from 
 forbidden ground. Mr Haldane seems still more cau- 
 tious ill using the words prophcci/ and prophets in re- 
 gard to the brethren. The former he uses only once, 
 and that in a theoretical way, and the latter merely 
 ,by implication. This we must declare to be very in- 
 consistent, while they treat prophets as other brethren, 
 and prophecy as exhortation. It is a strong indica- 
 tion of the embarrassment which they must liave felt ; 
 and even a tacit surrender of the argument , especially by 
 Mr Haldane, who, in a tract on salutation, contends for 
 the general u<age among Christians of applying the 
 lant^uage of Scripture to the standing institutions of 
 Christ's kingdom. Why then docs not Mr H. enjoin 
 exhortation in the language of tlie 1 1th cliiip. of 1 Cor, 
 
0/7 Prophecy and Tongitrs. 51 
 
 since he makes so much use of it to estabhsh his view 
 of exhortation as an ordinance ? Upon his own princi- 
 ples, lie ought either to apply that chapter to the bre- 
 thren who exhort in the church, or to renounce the 
 scheme of indiscriminate exhortation, so far at least as 
 he has founded it on the language in which a particular 
 class of extraordinary office-bearers is described. 
 
 In only one of two ways can exhortation be made 
 to serve for prophecy. 1st, If the prophets were ex- 
 traordinary office-bearers, it must be shown, (not mere- 
 ly asserted), that the brethren are their successors. 
 £dly. If the prophets were ordinary, uninspired, un- 
 official exhorters, persons of a similar description 
 may be considered their successors ; but in this case 
 they must be called prophets, and their discourses 
 prophecy. Some contend for exhortation iji the 
 one way and some in the other, and some make 
 sure of it by taking both ways. At one time it is 
 maintained, that allhorigh the prophets were inspired, 
 the brethren should exhort in their stead ; at another 
 it is argued, that because the prophets were not inspir- 
 ed, the brethren should exhort. Let the premises be 
 what they may, the conclusion is the same — the bre- 
 thren must exhort. 
 
 As to the subject itself, however, independently of 
 their mode of expressing it, there can be no difference 
 in reality between exalting the brethren to the rank of 
 prophets, and reducing the prophets to the level of 
 brethren. Either of these schemes is equivalent to 
 the other. It matters not whether the man is brought 
 to the mountain, or the mountain to the man, if in 
 any way they come in contact. If other men were 
 not so strong as Samson, when he bore away on 
 his shoulders the gates of Gaza ; surely Samson be- 
 
52 On Prophecy and Tongu cs. 
 
 came weak, and was like any other man, after the 
 seven locks of his head had been shaved off. By per- 
 forming a similar operation on the prophets, our op- 
 ponents do not leave them aught which does not belong 
 to any other disciple. Hence Mr Braidwood had rea- 
 son to express some surprise, that private brethren 
 should be called to speak publicly under the denomi- 
 nation of prophets, a class of extraordinary men who 
 wei-e divinely inspired. 
 
 Let us suppose that Mr Braidwood were seated for 
 
 once in a religious assembly, where the president 
 
 should expostulate with the brethren in these words : 
 
 ' Now, brethren, what shall I profit you, except I 
 
 ' shall speak to you either by revelation, or by know- 
 
 * ledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine ?' If in order 
 
 to expose the confusion which they created in the 
 
 church, he proceeded to ask them, ' How is it then, 
 
 ' brethren ? every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doc- 
 
 ' trine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an inter- 
 
 ' pretation :' If, as attributing their gifts to supernatural 
 
 agency, he should lay down this rule, ' If any thing be 
 
 ' revealed to him that sitteth by, let the first hold his 
 
 ' peace ; for ye can all prophesy successively, because 
 
 ' the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets :' 
 
 Finally, if to enforce decency and order, he should 
 
 thus finish his expostulation, ' If any man tliink him- 
 
 ' self to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge, 
 
 ' that the things which I say are commanded in Scrip- 
 
 ' ture :' — would not Mr Braidwood — would not any 
 
 sober-minded person, lament over so much conceit 
 
 and extravagance ? And would not Mr Ballantine 
 
 too, suppose himself to be placed among those persons 
 
 of weak minds, or bordering on insanity through re- 
 
 licrious pride, among whom he tells us a man's religion 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. &S 
 
 is not established, until he assume the prophetic func- 
 tion. 
 
 But though we think it a just thing to exhibit the 
 practical enthusiasm to which the theories of our bre- 
 thren would directly lead us, we must confess it would 
 procure deserved reprehension, did we charge them 
 with displaying any of this enthusiasm in their own 
 practice. And good it is for society, that though in 
 matters both civil and religious, men may be imposed 
 on by the plausibilities of erroneous speculation, the 
 influence of these on practice will be often limited by 
 the dictates of common sense and the necessary con- 
 dition of human life. 
 
 We trust we may now affirm, without seeming to be 
 arrogant, that exhortation is not prophecy, and that 
 brethren are not prophets in any sense whatever. The 
 only question then of any moment is. Did the pro- 
 phetic office cease like that of the apostles, or is it 
 still a standing office which ought to be filled up in 
 tlie churches of the saints ? The reader is probably at 
 no loss for an answer to so plain a question. But we 
 must discuss it formally, in a proper place, with other 
 questions of the same kind, because, as is well known, 
 the practice of the prophets is the chief precedent for 
 tlie modern ordinance of promiscuous teaching. And 
 I feel constrained to add, that I have with much re- 
 luctance brought forward these arguments in opposi- 
 tion to Mr Haldane. I believe his mistakes have not 
 originated with himself; and I fondly hope that he 
 will yet renounce them. His sincerity and zeal have 
 been made fully manifest ; and his various writings 
 sliow the soundness of his knowledge of the doctrine 
 of Scripture. This is surely quite consistent with mis- 
 apprehensions of a special practice. I wish I could 
 
 E.3 
 
34t On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 now take my leave of his views of this subject ; but 
 I cannot do this, much as I wish to spare the feelings 
 of their author, and I may add my own. 
 
 We may now consider the gift of tongues. There 
 is so little room to doubt whether this was a faculty 
 of speaking foreign languages by inspiration, that 
 we know not if a contrary opinion is to be found 
 within the wide range of human conjecture. But we 
 do not find that any one has asserted, much less at- 
 tempted to prove, that the gift of tongues invariably 
 belonged to apostles, prophets and teachers. If it did, 
 the fact should be established, as without this we can- 
 not ascertain and distinguish the different orders of 
 teachers in the first age. We shall then endeavour to 
 show, 1st, That the doctrine of those who spoke in 
 foreign tongues was given by inspiration of God ; and 
 '2d, That they who exercised this gift in the churches 
 were either prophets or teachers. 
 
 It was before remarked, that with extraordinary il- 
 lumination was connected extraordinary utterance. As 
 a counterpart to this remark, we may now observe, 
 that extraordinary utterance in whatever language was 
 the result of extraordinary illumination ; words and 
 ideas went hand in hand. 
 
 In those who spoke by inspiration, the gift of 
 tongues was evidently connected with spiritual ideas, 
 in the same way as their vernacular language. The 
 newly acquired tongue was employed as a necessary 
 vehicle to convey to strangers the mind of the Spirit, 
 and not the mere fruit of the speaker's own invention. 
 Thus, on the day of Pentecost, the hundred and 
 twenty disciples declared " the wonderful works of 
 God" in a great variety of languages. Others again 
 ••' spake with tongues, and magnified God," or " spake 
 
On Frophecy and Tongues. 55 
 
 with tongues and prophesied," Acts x. 46. xix. 6. And 
 in the church, where the gift of tongues will appear in 
 its permanent condition, it is said of him who used it, 
 that " by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries," 1 Cor. 
 xiv. 2. In case of there being no interpreter present, 
 he is directed to " speak to himself and to God." But 
 when, by means of an interpreter, his discourse was 
 made intelligible to the church, it is supposed to be 
 equally conducive to their edification with the gift of 
 prophecy. Hence the view of the gift of tongues 
 which this chapter exhibits, connects it with such a 
 measure of spiritual understanding as compels us to 
 conclude, that its possessors were fully competent to 
 discharge the duties of public teaching, according to 
 the true sense of that phrase. For a mere acquisition 
 of foreign words, cannot be supposed to have fitted a 
 newly converted Jew or Heathen for teaching the 
 church of God ; far less to have placed him in this re- 
 spect on a footing with the prophets. 
 
 Some facts which are all along understood in the 
 14th chapter of 1st Corinthians, confirm the posi= 
 lion which we are establishing, and tend to show the 
 reason why the use of foreign tongues was at all per- 
 mitted in the church. The apostle there speaks as if 
 all languages were foreign, except one, namely the 
 Greek, the current language of Achaia. This language 
 was of cours-e understood and spoken by the whole 
 church ; for an assembly of people who had not one 
 common language, Greeks and Romans for example, 
 must on every occasion have employed an interpre- 
 ter for the sake of one of the parties. But at Corinth, 
 it is supposed that the whole church might be instructed 
 by a discourse which was pronounced in one language 
 only. Again, every foreign language which a man used 
 
oG On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 in the church, is supposed to be the gift of inspiration. 
 This indeed is considered to be the reason of its being 
 at all used in the church. For though a native of 
 Achaia had, in the ordinary way, acquired so com- 
 plete a knowledge of one or more foreign languages, 
 as to be able to speak them as readily as he did his 
 naother tongue, there could be no sufficient reason for 
 using any of the former in preference to the latter } 
 nor would the apostle suppose him, in this case, to 
 need an interpreter. It cannot be supposed that a man 
 who is master of both English and French, should 
 need an interpreter either in London or in Paris. And 
 if an Englishman should speak the French language 
 ever so fluently, it would be superlatively ridiculous 
 in him to converse with his friends at home in that 
 foreign tongue, and to be absolutely' silent if no inter- 
 preter were at hand. But such must have been the 
 conduct of the Christians at Corinth if they were su- 
 pcrnaturally taught a foreign language, without being 
 at the same time furnished with supernatui-al know- 
 ledge of spiritual things : which they could not de- 
 clare, except in the language in which the Spirit im- 
 pressed these things upon their minds. But what is 
 worse, the apostle must be viewed as sanctioning 
 this supposed extravagance ; for he says, " If there 
 be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church." 
 The matter however appears clear and natural by view- 
 ing it as it was. The Spirit was pleased to communi- 
 cate various truths to the spiritual men in some foreign 
 language, in which alone they could deliver them 
 without the gift of interpretation. For had they 
 chosen to speat in a foreign language, when they 
 could have done so in the language common to the 
 whole church, would the apostle have acknowledged 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. 67 
 
 this capricious choice as a sufficient reason for speak- 
 ing by an interpreter ? would he not rather have cen- 
 sured it, as being a wilder abuse than any other ? 
 In fact, the whole of what he says on the subject 
 proves, that when believers were endowed with the 
 gift of speaking any foreign tongue, this was not for 
 the purpose of declaring their own private meditations, 
 but of declaring the mind of the Spirit, who gave 
 them ideas, of which the words of that tongue were 
 the signs, both to themselves and to those that heard 
 them. The evidence by which this proposition is sup- 
 ported, requires that we consider the gift of tongues 
 to have always belonged to such only as had other 
 spiritual endowments for giving instruction. 
 
 Because the things spoken in a foreign language, 
 were to be interpreted for the edification of the church 
 at large, and not, as we have seen, for the sake of in- 
 dividuals among them, we conceive these things to 
 have been highly calculated to edify the church. One 
 may also observe, that as the speaker could discourse in 
 both the foreign language and his own, he must, in the 
 latter, have been able to give some account of that, 
 which, as it edified himself, he certainly understood. 
 But without a special inspiration for the purpose, he 
 could not accurately convey his meaning from the one 
 language to the other ; as may be easily conceived by 
 any one who has tried extemporaneous translation. 
 Lest any part therefore of the mind of the Spirit should 
 have been suppressed or misrepresented, the inspired 
 interpreter, an infallible medium of communication, 
 was provided. This care on the Lord's part to have 
 his precious word delivered pure and complete to the 
 whole church, reminds us of the two olive trees of the 
 prophet Zechariah, ch. iv. which, through the golden 
 
58 On Prophecy and Tongues. 
 
 pipes emptied the precious oil out of themselves into the 
 golden candlestick. — And it is not very conceivable, 
 that the thoughts which, through the medium of two 
 extraordinary gifts, were delivered to a church that 
 was enriched " in all utterance and in all knowledge," 
 were any thing less then inspired truth. Let a simi- 
 lar procedure be now adopted by churches, and that 
 church, in respect of talents for public teaching, must 
 be poor indeed, that would at all relish it, or be re- 
 quired to do so, unless the things thus spoken should 
 be truly excellent. One may justly suppose, that the 
 warmest abettors of promiscuous teaching are not se- 
 riously of opinion, that things similar to those which 
 they urge the churches to receive as an ordinance of 
 God, would have been twice told In a primitive church, 
 abounding with prophets and teachers. 
 
 As only two or three prophets were permitted to 
 speak in the church in the same meeting, so the use 
 of tongues was restricted to the same number of per- 
 sons. Macknight thinks that the two or three in 1 Cor. 
 xiv. 27. are to be understood of the number of sentences 
 which should be pronounced and interpreted at once. 
 But besides the inconsistency of explaining the same 
 kind of phraseology in the one verse of sentences, and 
 in the other (ver. 29.) of persons, it is ridiculous to 
 suppose that inspired teachers could err in such a case. 
 Their fault lay in speaking at all without an interpre- 
 ter, not in pronouncing too much or too little at a time. 
 That fault alone is therefore corrected by the apostle, 
 with an additional caution against the too frequent use 
 of the gift of tongues. And was it not as necessary to 
 limit the number that should exercise this gift, as the 
 number of prophets who should speak in the church ? 
 
 The preceding observations will fully show, that 
 
On ProjjJieci/ and Tongues. 59 
 
 ihey who spoke with tongues were invariably inspir- 
 ed. Their example therefore can be no precedent 
 for indiscriminate teaching. That the persons who 
 spoke with tongues were prophets and teachers^ will, 
 we presume, be evinced by the remarks which follow. 
 Prayer and praise, and in short every thing which 
 was delivered in the language common to the whole 
 church, is considered as having been occasionally ex- 
 pressed in a foreign language, 1 Cor. xiv. 6. and 14-— 
 17. If then evezy part of the public exercises of the 
 church was performed in a foreign language, it follows, 
 that this gift was possessed by every class of persons 
 that spoke in the church. We are therefore safe in 
 attributing it both to prophets and teachers. Respect- 
 ing the former, there can be no dispute. Acts xix. 6. 
 But, on the other hand, there was nothing said in a 
 foreign language, which was not also spoken in the 
 language common to the whole church : mysteries 
 or revelations, knowledge, psalms and doctrine, ch. xiii. 
 2. xiv. 26. are all distinguished from speaking with 
 tongues ; for though foreign tongues were necessarily 
 connected with spiritual ideas, these were not neces- 
 sarily connected with foreign tongues : they could have 
 been delivered, as they are supposed to have been, in 
 the common language of the place. As nothing then 
 was revealed or taught in a foreign tongue, which was 
 not revealed and taught in the current language of the 
 church, it clearly follows, that those who had the fa- 
 culty in question were distinguished from other teach- 
 ers by this faculty alone. We conclude therefore, that 
 the persons who in the church discoursed in foreign 
 languages, were certain of the prophets and teachers 
 on whom God was pleased to bestow this gift. 
 
 As this appears to be a just und scriptural view of 
 
60 On Prophecy and Tongttes. 
 
 the gift in question, so it is apprehended to be the 
 only view of it that will reconcile the account of the gifts 
 and exercises of the Corinthians, with the accounts of 
 the gifts and exercises of other churches. In the church 
 at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers. Acts xiii. 
 In like manner, there were prophets and teachers in 
 Rome, ch. xii. and in Thessalonica, 1st epis. v. 12. and 
 20. But in none of those places are any distinguished 
 by the gift of tongues. Yet there is no room to doubt, 
 that some possessed not only this, but other extraor- 
 dinary gifts. 
 
 It also deserves attention, that along with apostles, 
 prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, Eph. iv. 
 no mention is made of those who spoke with tongues, 
 notwithstanding the appearance which these made at 
 Corinth : Yet prophecy and tongues were bestowed on 
 some of the Ephesian believers. Acts xix. But if the 
 latter was a mere change of raiment, in which inspired 
 persons could occasionally either appear among 
 strangers, or receive visits from them, there was no 
 more reason for mentioning it than the interpretation 
 of tongues, or the gift of healing. Indeed there can 
 be no doubt, that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pas- 
 tors, and teachers, possessed every kind of extraordinary 
 gift. Therefore the enumeration in Eph. iv. includes 
 all who are mentioned in 1 Cor xii. 28 — 30. 
 
 We have no reason whatever then to suppose, that 
 the persons who spoke in foreign tongues, were a class 
 of teachers distinct from apostles, prophets and teach- 
 ers. But there is, we presume, satisfactory evidence, 
 that only these exercised this gift. Was not Paul, 
 who could speak in many languages, the same kind of 
 teaclier, whatever language he used .'' A prophet or 
 evangelist did not acquire a new and distinct charac- 
 
On Prophecy and Tongues. pl 
 
 ter, with every tongue in which the former prophesi- 
 ed, or the latter preached. Indeed the case is evident, 
 a:id the same remark is equally applicable to all who 
 exercised the gift of tongues. Unless this be admitted, 
 we cannot make the apostle's representation of the gifts 
 and public exercisesof the Corinthiansj consistent either 
 with itself, or with that of the gifts and exercises of other 
 churches. Hence we shall destroy the unity of order and 
 worship, which must have existed in the apostolic age. 
 The reader will, I trust, consider, that a position 
 such as this can be established only by indirect and 
 presumptive evidence. Tongues having been too 
 much brought into notice and admired at Corinth, it 
 was necessary to treat them accordingly ; but not ex- 
 plicitly to say by whom they were possessed, as no 
 information could be required on that head. The con- 
 fidence with which we have advanced the position be- 
 fore us, may perhaps seem stronger than the evidence 
 which we have adduced in support of it. But this 
 confidence has arisen from strong conviction of the 
 truth of the position in question, h is not possible, 
 without a distinct explanation of the various gifts of 
 the first churches, to bring forward all that might be 
 said in the present case *, or even to give to what has 
 been said all the force which it might receive. But 
 let what has been advanced be duly considered. The 
 fact, that the possession of tongues did not constitute 
 a distinct class of teachers, will, if established, remove 
 many difficulties on the subject of spiritual gifts by 
 the reflection of wrong principles and distinctions, and 
 the display and operation of the radical genuine prin- 
 > iples of Scripture. 
 
 * If the public were desirous of it, an attempt towards this. 
 i>h,k-h ia in writing, might be laid before themt 
 
 F 
 
ESSAY III. 
 
 On the Manner and Extent of the Communication 
 of Spiritual Gifts. 
 
 VV E have, it is asserted, ' the strongest reason to 
 * presume, tliat the Holy Ghost was gi\'en, only by 
 ' the laying on of the hands of the apostles.' Yet 
 the only proof of this assertion is, that the Holy 
 Ghost was given by the laying on of their hands. In 
 the same way it might be prov^ed, that they only 
 preached the gospel and performed miracles. That 
 in general, gifts were imparted by the imposition of 
 their hands, we do not incline to deny ; but we must 
 deny, that they were alwaj's thus imparted. Let us 
 take a short survey of facts. These shall compre- 
 hend instances from both the Old and New Testa- 
 ment, because thei'e is a striking coincidence between 
 the circumstances of miraculous agency under both 
 dispensations. 
 
 When the seventy elders, who had been chosen io 
 assist Moses, were called to assemble at the tabernacle 
 in order to receive of the Spirit that was on Moses, 
 Eldad and Medad remained in the camp and prophe- 
 sied there. Joshua, thinking this to be discreditable 
 to the ministry of Moses, said, " My lord Moses, 
 forbid them," Num. xi. 28. It is now difficult to de- 
 termine in what manner this gift was most frequently 
 
Manner and Extent, SfC. 6S 
 
 imparted to the ancient prophets. Can the circum- 
 stances of Zacharias, Elizabeth and Mary's receiving 
 the Holy Spirit, be reduced to the rules of systema- 
 tical arrangement ? Had there been a certain, definite 
 mode of communicating the gift of inspiration, would 
 not this have helped the people to know who were really 
 inspiied ? In answer, however, to the question, " How- 
 shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spo- 
 ken ?" it was said, " When a pronhet speaketh in the 
 name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come 
 to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath note 
 spoken," Deut. xvili. 21, 22. The word of the Lord 
 having come to men in a great variety of circumstan- 
 ces both by night and by day, the people were to- as- 
 certain the character of the prophet by the fulfilment 
 of his word, 1 Sam. iii. 19, 20. Rules suited to the 
 ordinary function of the primitive prophets, were in 
 like manner given to the disciples, to " try the spirits 
 whether they were of God," 1 John iv. 1, 2. ; and be- 
 sides, certain persons were endowed with the gift of 
 " the discerning of spirits," in order, it appears, to 
 discern whether what was delivered as prophecy was 
 from God, 1 Cor. xiv. 29. From the various modes 
 of communicating the Holy Spirit, and the frequent 
 pretensions of deceivers, such provision was of great 
 consequence for the preservation of the churches. 
 
 In the days of Christ's ministry, one who did not 
 accompany his disciples, was seen by them, casting 
 out devils in his name. On the day of Pentecost, 
 the Spirit descended upon the whole company of the 
 disciples at the same time, and not first on the a- 
 postles, and then on the rest, by the laying on of their 
 hands. In the same way, the Spirit came upon the 
 fiintiiiy of Cornelius. The language q{ Ananias to 
 
^4 Manner and Extent of the 
 
 Paul will not easily bend to the position, that only by 
 the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy 
 Spirit was given : " Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, 
 that appeared to thee in the way as thou earnest, hath 
 sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be 
 filled with the Holy Ghost," Acts ix. I?. This is a 
 plain fact, but it has greatly puzzled theorists. Some 
 have told us, that Ananias had a special commission ; 
 others, that Christ spoke to him only about the resto- 
 ration of Paul's sight. To the first argument it is 
 answered, that special commissions were then common 
 in the church, chap. viii. 26. x. 3, and 11. xiii. 2. 
 xvi. 9- > to the second, that the omission in one place 
 of a circumstance, which is mentioned in another, is 
 also common in Scripture. It is enough, however, 
 for our purpose, that Paul now received the Holy 
 Spirit without the imposition of the hands of an 
 apostle. 
 
 The question of Paul to the twelve disciples found 
 by him in Ephesus, " "r.'f y« received the Hdy 
 Ghost since y© believed ?" seems strongly to imply, 
 as Mr Aikman observes, that the Lord did not confine 
 himself to one definite way of bestowing the gifts of 
 the Spirit, Acts xix. 2. Again, the apostle directs the 
 Corinthians to desire spiritual gifts, but rather that 
 they might prophesy, 1 Cor. xiv. 1. and Sp. In Mr 
 Haldane's opinion, this implies that these things were 
 thus attainable. Can it then be doubted whether this 
 was a different mode of obtaining gifts from the lay- 
 ing on of the hands of an apostle ? So much then for 
 the manner of bestowing spiritual gifts. The facts 
 we have adduced will speak fur themselves ; and when 
 Scripture facts and human theories cannot be made 
 tp agree, we ought to admit the former, and to reject 
 
C(yOimunication of Spiritual Gifts. 65 
 
 rtie latter. Doubtless we have certain ground to 
 conclude, tlmt gifts were sometimes given without the 
 imposition of an apostle's hands. Tlie " Spirit divid- 
 eth to every man severally as he will ;" not only with 
 respect to the kind of gifts given, but to the time and 
 manner of giving them. 
 
 We shall now consider how far the communication 
 of spiritual gifts extended. The promise of God, 
 and the actual fulfilment of it, will evince, that the 
 communication of gifts extended to the church of 
 Christ at large. We need not here contend, that 
 when Peter said to the Jews, " The promise is unto 
 you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off^ 
 even as many as the Lord our God shall call," he 
 meant " the gift of the Holy Ghost," which he had 
 just mentioned, and the effects of which they had 
 seen and heard. When this apostle afterwards per* 
 ceived, that the family of Cornelius " spake with 
 tongues and magnified God," he remembered the pro- 
 mise of Jesus thus to baptize his disciples with the 
 Hol}'^ Ghost, Acts xi. 16. Of this indeed our Lord 
 made frequent mention. " These signs shall follow 
 them that believe : in my name shall they cast out 
 devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall 
 take up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing, 
 it shall not hurt them ; tl;ey shall lay hands on the 
 sick, and they shall recover," Mark xvi. 17, 18. This 
 promise, so important to the church, and therefore so 
 often repeated, was faithfully performed. 
 
 In the epistle to the Ephesians, where, as we en- 
 deavoured to show, the prophecy of Joel evidently 
 appears to be " the promise of the Father," of which 
 David also spoke, the church of Christ at large, and 
 not any particular part of it, is declared to have ex- 
 
 FS 
 
6(5 Manner and Extent of the 
 
 perienced its accomplishment. The same declaration 
 is likewise made in the 1st epistle to the Corinthians. 
 " God hath set some in the church, first apostles ; 
 secondarily, prophets ; thirdly, teachers ; after that 
 miracles ; then gifts of healings, helps, governments, 
 diversities of tongues," xii. 28. Though this, like the 
 former passage, comprehends the whole church of the 
 redeemed on earth, the slightest attention to the con- 
 nection may in both places convince any, that every 
 separate society, being in itself complete, enjoyed the 
 gifts necessary for its own edification. " Now ye are 
 the body of Christ, and members in particular," chap, 
 xii. 27. See also James v. 14. 
 
 The actual state of the church in those days is set 
 in the clearest light, by the passages which we have 
 just quoted. Yet it is argued, that some churches 
 had not spiritual gifts. ' It has been justly observed,* 
 we are told, ' that we do not know that all the church- 
 "' es were possessed of miraculous gifts.' But this 
 observation is palpably unjust, inasmuch as it goes to 
 support a position, which is not only destitute of evi- 
 dence, but which stands opposed to the promise of 
 Christ, and to the known condition of the whole church. 
 They by whom the position adverted to is advanced, 
 are bound to support it by showing, that though gifts 
 were promised to the church at large, and though the 
 apostle declares that it accordingly possessed them, 
 vet there are instances of individual churches in 
 "which there were no gifted persons. Unless they can 
 point out some undeniable instance of this kind, we 
 must adhere to the description given of the body of 
 Christ as endowed with extraordinary faculties, accor- 
 ding to the divine promise. 
 
 Let us glance a little at the state of tlie churches 
 
Communication of Spiritual Gifts. 67 
 
 which are spoken of in the Acts and Epistles, and see 
 what ground there is for even supposing that any of 
 them was destitute of spiritual gifts. Tlje endowments 
 of those which were planted by apostles are not called 
 in question. As to such as were gathered by other la- 
 bourers, as the persons scattered by the persecution 
 which arose about Stephen, were these destitute of 
 gifted men ? Did not Philip, one of them, teach as 
 well as convert the Samaritans ? Would not the men 
 of Cyprus and Cyrene have done the same } Were 
 not the apostles and their fellow-labourers as careful 
 to instruct the churches, as they were zealous in con- 
 verting them ? When the apostles heard of the suc- 
 cess of those who had preached at Antioch, they sent 
 thither Barnabas. It seems he did not think the 
 church there in a destitute condition, though he seems 
 to have wished so promising a field of usefulness to 
 be occupied by other labourers ; for he left them and 
 went " to Tarsus to seek Saul." Many were then 
 employed in the Lord's vineyard. " In these days 
 came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch," Acts xvi. 
 27. Agabus, one of them, is not mentioned with the 
 prophets and teachers who are spoken of in the 13th 
 chapter. But Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, who 
 had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, are 
 mentioned. Is it not probable that these were among 
 the first who preached the gospel in that city ? It can- 
 not then be said, that churches gathered by such per- 
 sons were destitute of gifts, neither can it be shown 
 that some in those churches had not received the Holy 
 Spirit, even though they had not seen an apostle. 
 
 The churches in Rome, Colosse and Laodicea are 
 usually referred to as not having seen any of the a- 
 postles. They afford, however, a degree of evidence 
 
68 Manner and Extent of the 
 
 which is not a httle perplexing to the theories of those 
 who reason on the supposition that some of the first 
 cliurches had not spiritual gifts. The church in Rome, 
 for instance, had both prophets and teachers. This, 
 one would think, should teach people to speak with 
 some caution relative to other churches which are 
 supposed tu have been destitute of gifts, because they 
 had not been visited by an apostle. And I may re- 
 mark besides, that, in any case, it is rash to affirm, 
 that such or such a church had not seen an apostle, be- 
 cause we cannot prove that it had. When Paul went up 
 to Jerusalem, where he remained fifteen days, he saw 
 only Peter and James, the Lord's brother. Gal. i. 18, 
 19. Where were the rest of the apostles ? Does it 
 not appear, that besides Paul and Bainabas, other a- 
 postles preached among the Gentiles ? 1 Cor, x. 5. 
 
 Whoever will peruse Dr Macknight's preface to his 
 paraphrase of the epistle to the Colossians, will per- 
 haps conceive it to be highly probable, if not alto- 
 gether certain, that the churches of Colosse, Laodicea 
 and Hierapolis, were planted by Paul and Timothy. 
 These were cities of Phrygia ; and both there and in 
 Galatia, Paul and Timothy preached the gospel and 
 planted churches. In one place we are told, that they 
 travelled with the gospel " throughout Phrygia and 
 the region of Galatia ;" in another, that Paul " went 
 over all the country of Galatia and Phrj gia in order, 
 strengthening all the disciples," Acts xvi. 6. and xviii, 
 23. Now, we cannot well suppose, that, contrary to 
 their usual plan, they would have passed by the chief 
 cities. And since the churches in Galatia were plant- 
 ed by Paul, and by his instrumentality were end owed 
 with the Holy Spirit, chap. iii. 5. is it not highly pro- 
 bable, that the ehtuches in Plirygia enjoyed the same 
 
CommumcatioH of Spiritual Gifts. 6^ 
 
 benefits? or, would it not be inconsistent to deny, that 
 the}' had been planted b}' Paul, and to affirm that 
 some other person had planted them ; when the for- 
 mer position is supported by strong evidence, and the 
 latter by supposition only ? — We are then to distin- 
 guish the churches at Colosse and Laodicea from 
 those which had not personally known PauL As to 
 his hearing of their faith and love, chap. i. 4. (by Epa- 
 phras it would seem, verses 7. and 8.) this cannot im- 
 ply, as some have thought, that he had not seen them ; 
 for in like manner he speaks of having heard of the 
 faith and love of those whom he had certainly seen, 
 Eph. i, 15. 1 Thes. iii. 6. Phil. 5. Although it has 
 been said, that there is no evidence in the epistle it- 
 self of Paul's having been at Colosse, I think it will 
 be found, that there is fully as much evidence of this 
 kind as in that to \ the Ephesians. To the evidence 
 collected from the epistle itself by the writer last men- 
 tioned, I may add a consideration to v/hich the read- 
 er will probably attach sopie importance. Onesimus 
 is said to be one of the Colossians, chap. iv. 9- because 
 he was to be with them, as Epaphras is, because he 
 came from them, ver. 12. Now Onesimus was to re- 
 side in the family of his master Philemon ; who ap- 
 pears to have been converted by Paul, Phil. ver. I9. 
 and also to have belonged to the church at Colosse. 
 Compare Col. iv. 17- with Phil. ver. 2. The presump- 
 tion therefore is, that Paul had been there. Such 
 considerations might indeed be set aside, as Dod- 
 dridge does the one in question, by supposing that 
 Philemon had been converted by Paul at Ephesus. 
 But this supposition is altogether groundless and un- 
 necessary, since we are assured, that Paul laboured in 
 the country where Pliilemon resided. 
 
70 Manner and Extent of the 
 
 If what we have advanced relative to the church at 
 Colosse be correct, it may serve to show the impro- 
 priety of supporting theories by suppositions ; while 
 little pains are taken to ascertain the real state of things. 
 It is certain!}' unjust to assume without evidence, the 
 position that this or that chiuxh was destitute of what 
 Christ so often promised to his disciples in general, 
 and what the apostle declares to have been possessed 
 by the whole church of the redeemed on earth. If 
 such assumptions are consistent with perfect candour, 
 they are nevertheless not very consistent with mature 
 consideration of the subject. Ought not those to 
 have carefully studied the sub'ect, who take upon 
 them to place the churches on new foundations as to 
 social order? We have doubtless reason to- com- 
 plain of that inattention to facts which our friends 
 discover, and which, with all their confidence, 
 leaves them to the necessity of leaning upon sup- 
 positions and reasonings. If inference be an ade- 
 c^uate source of evidence, it must be inference from 
 undeniable premises, and not from mere assumption. 
 That any church whatever was destitute of spiritual 
 gifts, is surely mere assumption without evidence ; 
 while there is satisfactory evidence, that every church 
 of which we read was collected by apostles, or those 
 who had been with them ; that gifts were sometimes 
 given without the instrumentality of apostles; and 
 that the body of Christ at large was possessed of gifts 
 according to the divine promise. 
 
 Although the whole church of Christ was endowed 
 with extraordinary gifts, it does not follow, .that every 
 individual believer had some gift of this kind. All the 
 first converts may in many places have received gifts, 
 as seems to have been the case in son:ie places to which 
 
Communication of Spiritual Gifts. 71 
 
 we have already referred ; but this will not prove, 
 that every succeeding convert was similarly endowed. 
 The distinction between those who had gifts^ and 
 such as had them not, is thus made in the 12th chap- 
 ter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians. The former 
 are said to have been set in the bodj', wherein they 
 ai-e distinguished by the gifts they possessed, as the 
 hand, the foot, the eye, and the ear. These indeed 
 form a part of the body ; but then they are distin- 
 guished by the functions which they perform. For 
 this reason, they are considered to be the strong, the 
 comely, and more honourable parts. " Now they who 
 are thus described are the apostles, prophets, and o- 
 thers who were set in the church ; and who, though 
 a part of it, were distinguished by their peculiar gifts 
 and functions. If one could now teach by the inspi- 
 ration of God, either in his own or in a foreign 
 tongue ; if another could infallibly interpret such dis- 
 course by the same means ; and a third, perform a 
 cure miraculously, these would unquestionably be no- 
 ted for this very reason. Must not those by whom 
 such things were done in the first age, have, on that 
 account, been distinguished from their brethren ? As 
 they who had gifts are distinguished from such as had 
 them not, by the appellations given them, th place 
 they held in the body, and the functions they perform- 
 ed ; so they who had them not are distinguished from 
 those that had them: they are compared to the uncome- 
 ly, the more feeble and less honourable parts : for their 
 sake gifts were bestowed on the others. " God hath 
 tempered the body together, having given more abun- 
 dant honour to that part which lacked." This ho- 
 nour and comeliness bestowed on the less efficient 
 
7^ Manner and Extent of the 
 
 members, doubtless refers to the grace and benefit 
 they received by means of the gifted brethren. 
 
 In the conformation then of the body of Christ, the 
 Holy Spirit selected proper objects to whom his gifts 
 were imparted. He knew the future circumstances and 
 wants of believers. The wisdom displayed in the admi- 
 rable organization and structure of the human body, con- 
 trived the parts and proportions of what has been called 
 the mystical, which, being fitly framed together, " in- 
 creaseth with the increase of God." We are not therefore 
 to conceive of a profusion of spiritual endowments 
 conferred without discrimination. Gifts were no doubt 
 given in abundance, but the limited number of the 
 apostles may convince us, that the number, though 
 much gi eater, of other classes of gifted men, corres- 
 ponded to the work assigned them. " Are all apostles .'' 
 are all prophets .'' are all teachers ? are all workers of 
 miracles ? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with 
 tongues ? do all interpret.''" iCor. xii. 29,30. In matters 
 of far inferior moment to the formation of the church, 
 the great unerring Agent alwaj's displays order, pro- 
 portion, economy, harmony and beauty. When God 
 looked on all his works, he pronounced them to be 
 good ; but after the creation of man in his own image, 
 he declared them to be very good. Such doubtless 
 above every other work, was the excellency which he 
 beheld in the **' new man," of which Christ is the 
 head. 
 
 That only some were endowed with spiritual gifts, 
 is not to be doubted ; yet at first sight the fact may 
 not seem to agree with the promise of gifts to the 
 disciples at large. But if we consider, that by the 
 exercise of gifts they became the property of all the 
 
Communication of Spiritual Gifts. 7* 
 
 saints indiscriminately, the promise will appear to have 
 strictly conformed to its actual fulfilment. The sav- 
 ing influence of the Spirit cannot be the privilege of 
 any whole society, until they all receive it individu* 
 ally. But a gift for public teaching belongs to them all 
 equally, by whomsoever it is exercised in their social 
 meetings. Christ " received gifts for men," in general, 
 ** for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might 
 dwell among them •" but he committed these gifts to 
 " some" for the use of the whole. " All things are 
 your's," said the apostle to the Corinthians, " whether 
 Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or 
 death, or things present or things to come ; all are 
 your's." Hence Paul does not speak of imparting 
 some spiritual gift to an individual, but to the church 
 in Rome ; because it would become theirs so soon as 
 it should have been resident and exerted in any parti- 
 cular member of the body. " I long to see you, that 
 I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end 
 ye may be established," ch. i, 11, 
 
ESSAY ly. 
 
 Only tlwy wJw lutd. Spiritual Gifts tittight in the 
 ^rst C/iurc/te^. 
 
 A. 
 
 .s all the spiritual gifts are enumerated in 1 Cop. 
 xii. 8,9. 10. so all the gifted men are also enumerated 
 towai'ds the end of the same chajjter. Here they ajre 
 classed according to their respective endowments; 
 but in the 4th chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians, 
 those of them who taught in the church are ranked 
 according to the office the}^ held. No kind of spiritual 
 gift, no class of gifted persons, no office which had re- 
 spect to teaching, we have reason to think, is omitted 
 in these enumerations. If any deny this, let him in- 
 form us what has been omitted. If he will show, 
 that Paul has forgotten to mention, either some spiri- 
 tual gift, some class of gifted persons, or some office 
 which had respect to teaching, many will hold them- 
 selves indebted to him for the discovery : only they 
 will carefully examine the truth of it, as each of those 
 enumerations is considered to be already complete. 
 
 To prove, that only such as had spiritual gifts gave 
 public instruction in the first churches, is declared by 
 5orne to be impossible. The information in Scrip- 
 ture on a point so highly important to the order, 
 peace and comfort of the chmx'hes of the saints, can- 
 not be thought to be deficient or obscure. Those of an 
 
Otdy thctf ivfio had Spiritual Gifts, ^-c. '75 
 
 opposite o|>inionj however, seem to rest in the confi- 
 fknce ot having uiiianswei'ably evinced the contrary .sen- 
 timent of promiscirous teaching. Yet we shall not trouble 
 tljc reader with answers to all their arguments in fa- 
 voHr of it; for indeed they are very numerous, and 
 on some of them it is n&t very easy to lay hold. At 
 the same time, the chief, by which the fabric is sup- 
 ported, are sufficiently conspicuous ; and these we pi'e- 
 *imie are not so numerous, nor are they very strorrg. 
 W« shall therefore advert to them but briefly ; believ- 
 ing the " manifestation of the truth" to be the best 
 confutation of error : if the commandment of Gud 
 be clearly evinced, the rival tradition must of course 
 be discredited. Both, however, shall have a place 
 proportioned to their importance in the following re- 
 marks. The evidence to be adduced in support of 
 the position we have laid down, will consist principal- 
 ly in the illustration of three general propositions. 
 
 I. God never did bif mv-acle 7vhat could have been 
 effected hy ordinary ineans.' — To elucidate this pro- 
 position, our first remark is, that mii-aculoiis supply 
 did not, when afforded, extend so far as to supersede 
 the use of care and diligence. It was the appoint- 
 ment of divine Wisdom to leave to the prophets as 
 much work as could be accomplished by their own. en- 
 deavours. The prophets in geneial are represented 
 by Peter, as " searching with respect to whom or to 
 vvliat time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did 
 refer, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of 
 Christ and the glory that should follow." 
 
 The principle on which God acted in communicat- 
 ing knowledge, was strictly observed in bestowing 
 things needful for the body. He gave the pciople 
 manna in the wilderness, but not gathered into heaps. 
 
76 Only they who had Spiritual Gijls 
 
 or divided into omers, much less ground or baked for 
 their immediate use : on the contrary, it was spread 
 abroad in small grains like hoar-frost ; which they 
 had themselves to collect, to divide and to prepare. Yet 
 when the harder condition of an eminent prophet 
 required food in a state of preparation, it was brought 
 him at one time by ravens, at another by an an- 
 gel, 1 Kings xvii. 6. xix. 6. And because his journey 
 was to be long when he fled from Jezebel, he was 
 commanded to take a second time of the food which 
 the angel had brought, ver. 7. see also Deut. vii. 20. 
 Josh, iii, 15, 16. iv. 18. These instances will strike 
 the mind of the reader as affoi-ding clear evidence, 
 that miraculous supply never extended beyond the 
 actual necessities of men. 
 
 In after times, the age of miracles and peculiar fa- 
 vour, the Lord Jesus and his apostles departed not 
 from the established order of things with respect to 
 miraculous and ordinary supply. It was then appoint- 
 ed, as in ancient times, that men should unite their 
 best endeavours with the gifts and energies of the 
 Holy Spirit that dwelt in them. Indeed, if Timothy 
 had not received a spiritual gift, or if that gift had 
 been incompetent to make him " a good minister of 
 Jesus Christ," we could not suppose him in need of 
 greater industry or closer meditation, than are enjoin- 
 ed in connection witli the right use of his gift, in the 
 two epistles written him by Paul, 1 Tim. iv. 13— iC 
 2 Tim. i. 6. 13, 14. But we stand on higher ground 
 ■when we adduce Paul himself: " Praying," he says, 
 " for me that utteiance may be given unto me, that 
 I may open my mouth boldly to make known the my- 
 stery of the gospel," Eph. vi. 19. What need could 
 cne so highly endowed have of the prayers of others. 
 
taught in ihejirst ClmrclieS; 77 
 
 the common means of helping the weak and insuffici- 
 ent ? Could not the Almighty Spirit of grace and 
 truth that inspired the prophets, that imparted a gift to 
 Timothy, and to Paul " abundance of visions and 
 revelations," have easily extended his power so far as 
 to raise them above so much dependance on their 
 own diligence and the prayers of the faithful ? He 
 certainly could, if that had consisted with the vigilance 
 and exertion incumbent on men, and the economy ob- 
 served by him who said, after working a signal 
 miracle, " Gather up the fragments that nothing be 
 lost." 
 
 These examples relate only to spiritual matters : 
 we shall now advert to some which relate to things 
 temporal. The power which raised up Lazarus from 
 the dead neither rolled away the stone from the sepul- 
 chre, nor loosed the bands from his body; these 
 things were commanded to be done by others. After the 
 Lord had also restored to life the daughter of Jairus, 
 he commanded some food to be given her, Mark v. 45. 
 A deathbed must have exhausted the food on the sto- 
 mach ; and he who raised her from the dead did not put 
 her in a condition to subsist without food, though he 
 fitted her for receiving it. Of Peter's extraordinary 
 deliverance we have the following account : " And, 
 behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and 
 a light shined in the prison : and he smote Peter on 
 the side, and raised him up, saying. Arise up quickly. 
 And his chains fell off from his hands. And the an- 
 gel said unto him. Gird thyself, and bind on thy san- 
 dals : and so he did. And he saith unto him. Cast 
 thy garment about thee, and follow me. When they 
 were past the first and second ward, they came unto 
 the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which open- 
 
 G3 
 
^78 Only ihey tvko had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 cd to them of its own accord : and they went out, 
 and passed on through one street, and forthwith tho 
 angel departed from him," Actsxii. 7, 8. 10. Time 
 was given to Peter to make read}'^, but no time was 
 lost. After having completely delivered him, the an- 
 gel went away ; nor did Peter delay to escape speedily 
 from the rage of Herod., 
 
 Those who wrought miracles are never said to have 
 at any time depended on these for the supply of their 
 own wants j yet they were often hungry and thirsty, 
 and cold and naked. The onl}'^ case in the New Tes- 
 tament where any thing like expectation of receiving 
 food in an extraordinary way, is expressed, is when 
 Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Having fasted 
 forty days and forty nights, Satan proposed to him to 
 turn stones into bread. Our blessed Lord, having 
 been led thither by the Spirit, as Israel of old had 
 been conducted to the desert, had the authority of 
 Scripture to expect a supply of food, if necessary ; cor- 
 responding to the extraordinary guidance under which 
 he acted. Hence he quoted part of the words of Mo- 
 ses respecting the provision which, in a similar case, 
 God was pleased to make for the children of Israel. 
 Compare Mat. iv. 4. with Deut. viii. 3. " And be- 
 hold," it is said, " angels came and ministered to 
 him," Mat. iv. 11. Might not this have been for the 
 sustenance of the natural life, agreeably to the Scrip- 
 Hire quoted by our Lord, and to the manner in which 
 Elijah had been supplied with food by an angel, when 
 he fled from Jezebel ? 
 
 Again, we may remark, in confirmation of the pro- 
 position which we are endeavouring to establish, that 
 extraordinary means were withheld so soon as ordi- 
 mry means were alTorded. As a matter of necessity. 
 
taught in the Jirst Churches. 79 
 
 the children of Israel were fed with manna in the 
 wilderness, during the period of forty j'ears ; but af- 
 ter they had entered the land of Canaan, the manna 
 was withheld. " And the manna ceased on the mor- 
 row after they had eaten of the old corn of the land : 
 neither had the children of Israel manna any more ; 
 but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan 
 that year," Josh. v. 12. Had it been withheld the 
 day before, the people very probably, would have been 
 ill supplied, but to have been continued till the day 
 following, would not have consisted with the proce- 
 dure of him who does nothing in vain. 
 
 Under this head too, an example will be found re- 
 lative to the illumination of the mind ; for with re- 
 gard to things both intellectual and physical, the 
 giver of all good acts on the same principles. 
 
 The inspiration of Bezaleel, in the wilderness, is tmi- 
 versally acknowledged. The Hebrews, being shepherds, 
 were little, if at all, versed in the arts which were 
 practised in Egypt. Afterwards the Philistines, hav- 
 ing removed all the smiths that were among the Is- 
 raelites, only Saul and Jonathan had either sword or 
 spear in the day of battle, 1 Sam, xiii. 22. But in- 
 deed the arts were never cultivated by them. Their 
 inferiority in this respect was manifest, even in the 
 prosperous reign of Solomon ; when chariots and fine 
 linen were brought from Egypt ; masons and carpen- 
 ters from Tyre. And the prophet Ezekiel represents 
 them at the market of that celebrated city with the 
 productions of their own country in their simple state, 
 while other nations are represented as carrying thither 
 a rich variety of manufactured articles, chap, xxvii. In 
 answer to the charge of having never been the au-» 
 thors- of any new and useful invention, Josephus, who 
 
80 Oiili/ they who had Spifihlal Gifts 
 
 eritered warmly into the subject against their adver- 
 saries, could vindicate his countrymen only on the 
 ground of their strict and stedfast adherence to their 
 ancient law and institutions. This perhaps would 
 jnot have gone far towards their vindication from the 
 imaginary reproach of deficiency in science and the arts. 
 The above view, however, of their condition relative to 
 improvement in the arts, taken in connection with 
 their sequestered situation in the wilderness, evinces 
 the necessity of divine inspiration to qualify Bezaleel, 
 for the ingenious, diversilied and singular workmanship 
 of the tabernacle, the vestments of the priests and the 
 sacred utensils. " And the Lord spake unto Moses, 
 saying. See I have called by name Bezaleel, the sort 
 of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah : afid I 
 have filled him with the Spirit of God, in tvisdoiA, 
 and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all 
 manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to 
 work in gold and in silver, and in brass, and in cut- 
 ting of stones to set iJiem, and in carving of timber, 
 to work in all manner of workmanship," Exod. xxxi. 
 1—5. 
 
 As Moses had received in the mount the pattern of 
 all things belonging to the tabernacle, so did David 
 by the Spirit the pattern of the temple, and of all 
 things belonging to it. But though there was a copi- 
 ous effusion of the Spirit since the days of Samuel, 
 we do not find that any were inspired to execute the 
 arduous and diversified workmanship of the temple. 
 Some might have expected that God would now in- 
 spire another Bezaleel : the Jews might have thought 
 of looking out " among themselves" for expert work- 
 men. Solomon, however, does not seem to have had 
 any stidi expectation. Accordingly he sent to the 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 81 
 
 king of Tj-re^ not only for masons and carpenters, but 
 for Hiram, an ii^genious worker in brass, who had 
 acquired that art with his father in Tyre. He, with 
 the others emploj^ed, at length completed the cele- 
 brated work of building and ornamenting the temple 
 of the Lord. Now, though the manna was presently 
 succeeded by the old corn of Canaan, we presume the 
 reason of the change from extraordinary to ordinary 
 means, is not at all more striking than in the case be- 
 fore us. Here then aie two instances, the one relat- 
 ing to the body, the other to the mind, which gives 
 the most ample confirmation to the position we laid 
 down. That God never does by miracle what may be 
 effected by ordinary means. 
 
 Having in every case where we remember the sub- 
 ject to have been introduced, (except in some recent 
 publications), understood the principle we are defend- 
 ing to be acknowledged as incontrovertible, I must 
 beg to be excused for having offered so tedious an il- 
 lustration of it. It is indeed a hardship to waste 
 time and labour in so plain a case. But, in contend- 
 ing for truth, even with its real friends, a develope- 
 ment of first principles is often indispensable. 
 
 Mr Carson ' will grant, that all the first bishops 
 ' possessed miraculous gifts without exception,' be- 
 cause ' the mere possession of a qualification in an 
 ' officer, does not necessarily imply that such a quali- 
 ' fication is necessary in his office ; it must be other- 
 * wise known that such a thing is required,' p. 211. 
 But this is mere talk. Must we judge of the ar- 
 rangements of infinite Wisdom by the common ac- 
 cidents of life, where we often see little agreement 
 between the duties of an office and the qualifications 
 of the officer ? But when did the Almighty ever scat- 
 
-®2 Only they ivko had SpirHual Gifts 
 
 ter the blessing of miraculous supply witli such unclis- 
 tinguishing profusion as is here supposed ? It may 
 be more safely granted, that besides the gifts neces- 
 sary to their office, some of the first bishops might 
 have had gifts which answered other ends. But then 
 such gifts were necessary for these ends. They all 
 •seem to have had the gift of healing. Jam. v. 14. If 
 then it cannot be shown, that in one instance God 
 ever did by miracle what might have been effected by 
 ordinary means, it is impossible to maintain, without 
 great extravagance, that he ma}'^ have done so in hun- 
 dreds of instances. But if the Scriptures show that 
 miraculous gifts were actually possessed by all the 
 first bishops, tliey at the same time prove that these 
 gifts were essential to their oiTice. 
 
 We shall next hear Mr Ilaldane. ' He that pro- 
 ' phesieth speaketh to men to edification, exhortation 
 
 * and comfort, 1 Cor. xiv, 3. To do this miraculous 
 ' gifts are not necessary ; and therefore^ I conclude 
 ' that whether all the persons alluded to in this chap- 
 
 * ter were possessed of such gifts (whicli I greatly 
 
 * doubt) or not, this is a mere circumstance, and not 
 
 * essential to exhortation in the church,' p. 36. 
 
 This quotation I must regard as an example of the 
 practice of confounding the present st^te of the 
 church in regard to gifts, with its condition in the first 
 age. Who supposes that miraculous gifts are now essen- 
 tial to exhortation (I mean scriptural exhortation) in 
 the cliurch ? But was this the case in the first church- 
 es .'' Does the passage quoted by Mr H. prove that it 
 was ? With what propriety has lie quoted a passage, 
 in which the gift of prophecy is considered to have 
 been exercised to edification and exhortation and com- 
 fort, as a proof that such gifts v.ere not then necessa- 
 
taught in iMJlrst Churches. 8-5' 
 
 ry for these ends ? Was not the cause npoessary to 
 produce the effect ? and was not the cause in the in- 
 stance adduced, one of those gifts which Mr H. 
 affirms to have been unnecessary ? If the theory 
 he defends is indeed agreeable to Scripture, it must 
 admit of a better defence ; for the passage which lie 
 has brought to establish, goes in fact to subvert it. 
 But he regards the possession of miracu'ous gifts as 
 a mere circumstance, and not essential to exhortation. 
 It is, however, a circumstance which seems greatly to 
 puzzle him, and those who are like-minded with him 
 about promiscuous exhortation. Sometimes they al- 
 low to spiritual gifts all their vast importance, but 
 presently they reduce them to a mere superfluity. But 
 before they prove miraculous gifts to have been a 
 mere circumstance, and not essential to exhortation in 
 the first churches, they must be able to invalidate 
 principles which are interwoven throughout the evident 
 contexture ftf both the Old and New Testament. 
 
 I hardly think that any will have recourse to so 
 poor and fallacious an argument in opposition to the 
 preceding illustration, as that the churches might ba\'e 
 been edified, and the gospel confirmed, with less pro- 
 phesying and fewer miracles than are spoken of in 
 Scripture. As well might it be said, that though the 
 waters had issued less copiously at Kadesh, and the 
 manna had been given with a less bountiful hand, 
 the jjeople after all raiglit have subsisted well enough. 
 In a plentiful hai'vest, no doubt some sheaves might 
 be dispensed with ; but would the springing of the 
 eorn be therefore unessential ? When God is pleased 
 to bestow either in a miraculovis or ordinary way, it 
 does not become men to prescribe how much. But the 
 liighe«t ground may be taken as to the spiritual gifts. 
 
84 Only they who had Spintual Gifts 
 
 If inspiration and miracles were at all necessar}'^, (and 
 no Christian will deny this), all the knowledge, the 
 revelations, the prophesying, the doctrine^ the signs 
 and wonders, and the divers miracles and gifts of the 
 Holy Ghost, in the first age, were altogether neces- 
 sary to give to the church of Christ, the intelligence, 
 and holiness, and comfort, and stahility, and fruitful- 
 ness, and extent, and glory, to which God had ap- 
 pointed her to the praise of his grace, at her first es- 
 tablishment among the nations of the world. How 
 different indeed the language of the apostles when 
 they speak of gifts, from the language of our brethren : 
 " I thank my God always on your behalf, for the 
 grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ ; 
 that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all ut- 
 terance, and in all knowledge ; even as the testimony 
 of Christ was confirmed in you : so that ye come be- 
 hind in no gift ; waiting for the coming of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. i. 4 — 7. 
 
 Since then it is undeniable, not only that miracu- 
 lous supply was never afforded, except in cases of 
 necessity, but that the primitive churches were mira- 
 culously supplied with gifts f6r public teaching, it is 
 obvious, that the peculiarity of their circumstances 
 rendered such supply absolutely necessary. This 
 then shall be the substance of the proposition which 
 we are next to elucidate. 
 
 n. The circumstances of the Jirst churches ahso» 
 lutely required that their teachers should possess ex- 
 traordinary gifts : first, because they had not the 
 Scriptures of the New Testament ; and secondly, be- 
 cause many in the churches had extraordinary gifts. 
 
 Believers will consider, in judging of this subject, 
 how much they themselves owe to the daily perusal 
 
faitght in tkejtrsi Churches. ii!> 
 
 of tlic oracles of God ; and how much to the same 
 cause IS to be attributed the information and comfort 
 they derive from public teaching. It ceilainly will 
 not be disputed, that the books of the New Testament 
 fuinish the Christian teacher with the most valuable 
 and necessary materials for the edification of the 
 church of God. This luminous p<-)rtion of divine re- 
 velation is of the greatest importance, not only on ac- 
 count of that clearer light which, like the sun, it only 
 can supply, but for the aid which it affords in search- 
 ing for those treasures of grace and truth which lie con- 
 cealed under the vail of the Mosaic economy. When 
 we reflect that the best discourses we have ever heard, 
 were taken immediately from Scripture, and especi- 
 ally the aid which every teacher is obliged to receive 
 from the Scriptures of the New Testament, we must 
 surely allow, that without their assistance, uninspired 
 men were but poorly quahfied to teach the church of 
 God, compared with similar teachers in our own days 
 who have all these books in the most convenient form, 
 besides the writings of Moses and the prophets. 
 
 They who omit in their discussions on public teach- 
 ing, the subject of spiritual gifts, as if it were either too 
 obscure or unnecessary to demand attention, might at 
 least try to explain to us, (because the question is neither 
 im intelligible nor unessential), how men who had not 
 spiritual gifts could have become useful public teach- 
 ers without the Scriptures of the New Testament. 
 But they have pnidently omitted the investigation of 
 this matter ; or rather, as we really apprehend, they 
 have in the ardour and hurry of reformation, as they 
 judge it, laid before the public, crude, undigested, er- 
 roneous positions, as if these possessed all the evidence 
 and autliority of the axioms of revelation. 
 
 H 
 
S6 Only they who had Sjnrilual Gifts 
 
 * All,' it Is said, * that was necessary for the edlfica- 
 
 * tion of the churches, was the holding fast the tra- 
 
 * ditions which they had been taught, either by word 
 
 * or writing, 2Thes. ii. 15. 1 Cor.iv. 1,17. 1 Tim. iv. 6. 
 ' 2 Tim.ii. 14. 2 Pet. i. 12. 15. iii. 1. Now this 
 ' might be done without miraculous gifts *.' This 
 quotation contains a strong assertion, and much appear- 
 ance of Scripture proof, but for the sake of the writer, 
 we could wish it had not bten written. He asserts 
 that miraculous gifts were not necessary to hold fast 
 the doctrine of the apostles. The first part of the 
 proof is 2 Thes. ii. 15. " Therefore, brethren, stand 
 fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, 
 whether by word, or our epistle." The epistle refer- 
 red to, was doubtless Paul's first epistle to themselves. 
 Before they received it, they could hold fast, of the 
 doctrine of the apostles, only what they had heard 
 " by word." In doing so, miraculous gifts were ex- 
 ercised : they had among them both prophets and 
 teachers, 1 Thess. v. 12. 20. Miraculous gifts were 
 therefore necessary. The second part of the proof 
 is 1 Cor. iv. 17. " For this cause have I sent unto you 
 Timotheus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the 
 Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my 
 ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in 
 every church." How this passage can be .supposed to 
 prove the position in dispute, I cannot at all perceive. 
 Before this time, however, we do not know that the 
 Corinthians had any ep'stle to guide them. Their man- 
 Tier, n: Lf'cii public meetiiigs, of continuing in the doc- 
 trine which they had heard " by wo^d," will be seen 
 in the 14th chapter throughout. There we read of 
 
 • Mr Haldane's Observations, 5cc. pp. 38, 39. 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 87 
 
 tniraculous gifts only : these therefore were necessary. 
 The third proof of the assertion in question is still 
 more unhappy. " If thou put the brethren in remem- 
 brande of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of 
 Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and 
 of good doctrine, whcreunto thou hast attained," 1 Tim. 
 iv. 6. 2 Tim. ii. 14. is of the same import. These pas- 
 sages speak of the ministry of Timothy himself j which 
 ■\ve know he fulfilled, by exercising a miraculous gift 
 which had been given him by the laying on of the a- 
 postle's hands. Here then a question may be fairly ask- 
 ed, If, in order to continue In the doctrine of the apos- 
 tles, it behoved Timothy to exercise a miraculous gift, 
 was not some gift of this kind necessary also for other 
 teachers ? The texts in the 2d epistle of Peter, to 
 which Mr H. refers, being in our opir.ion nothing to 
 the purpose, v.e offer no remarks upon them. 
 
 • But certainly,' says Mr H. ' considering the state 
 
 * of ignorance and bliiidueis from which the Gentiles 
 
 * especially had been called, miraculous gifts were 
 
 * highly important,' p. 39- To this Mr Carson will 
 add, what Mr H. has partly forgotten, that ' the 
 
 * want of the New Testament Scriptures, made mira- 
 
 * culous gifts more necessary at that period,' p. 230. 
 But this writer goes on most erroneously to affirm, 
 that * the great design of them is said to be for a con- 
 ' firmation of Christianity, agreeable to prophecy.' Mr 
 C. might complain, were we not to mention his proof 
 of the foregoing assertion. It is this : ' Some of them, 
 ' as the gift of healing, had no reference to the duty 
 < of the pastoral office, and others are said to be a sign 
 
 * to them that believe not.' But we presume the 
 chief design of miraculous gifts, was to reveal and pro- 
 pagate the gospel. This was the first and great end 
 
88 Only they ivho had Sjnrituid Gifts 
 
 of them J their second and subordinate end was 
 to confirm the truth of the gospel. Accordingly in 
 1 Cor. xii. apostles, prophets and teachers are put be- 
 iore workers cf miracles, and such as spoke with 
 tongues, and in the 4th chapter of the epistle to the 
 Ephesians such gifts as miracles and tongues are not 
 at all referred to, because these were included in the 
 qualifications of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors 
 and teachers. I need not enlarge fiirlhcr on a point 
 '.vhich is almost self-evident. 
 
 We must however proceed to call the reader's atten- 
 tion somewhat more particularly to the ccrditicn of 
 the first churches. Any one may judge, that none of 
 the epistles could have been written iiil many years 
 after the ascension of the Lord Jesus. The precise 
 date of them does not affect the argument. None of 
 them, it is generally allowed, was written sooner than 
 about seventeen years after our Lord's ascension. It 
 took, at least, forty years more to publish at different 
 times the whole of the epistles. With respect to the 
 four gospels and the book of Acts, the common opi- 
 nion is, that Matthew wrote his gospel, not sooner than 
 eight years, or perhaps not till fifteen years after Christ's 
 ascension. The gospels by Mark and Luke were 
 written at subsequent periods. The book of Acts is 
 of a still later date, chap. i. 1. John wrote his gos- 
 pel after he had returned from Patmos. Now, . some 
 time must have elapsed before all these books could 
 have been circulated and collected for the use of all 
 the churches— a benefit which they could not have 
 possessed till after the death of most or of all of the a- 
 postles. No doubt God made the cessation of extraor- 
 dinary gifts, and the possession of the Scriptures, suit 
 the necessities of the church, as he had formerly done 
 
taught in the Jlrst Churches. t^ 
 
 in regard to the Israelites : the manna ceased to fall, 
 after the people had eaten of the corn of Canaan j 
 and the gift of inspiration seems to have been withheld, 
 after the Scriptures of the Old Testament had been 
 completed. 
 
 In the first age of the gospel, the Old Testament 
 Scriptures could not have been generally perused in 
 Judea, as they were not written in the Syro-Chaldaic, 
 the language spoken by the Jews since the captivity, 
 but in the ancient Hebrew, which had been spoken by 
 their fathers. Therefore Ezra and the Levltes, in 
 reading the Scriptures according to the law, " gave 
 the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.'* 
 ' In other words,' as Mr Aikman remarks, ' they tran- 
 • slated the original into the modern Hebrew or Syro- 
 ' Chaldaic' The practice of reading the law and the 
 prophets every Sabbath-day, must doubtless have re- 
 quired the work of interpretation to be as often repeat- 
 ed. Accordingly, we are informed, that there were 
 interpreters in the synagogues. These, it is reasona- 
 ble to think, were taught in the seminaries of the scribes. 
 Hence, because Jesus was known not to have been 
 thus taught, the people were astonished at his know- 
 ledge and eloquence. " How knoweth this man let- 
 ters having never learned ?"— a question which they 
 would not have asked, if it had been the common pri- 
 vilege of any Jew to read in his vernacular tongue the 
 writings of Moses and the prophets. The Hellenistic 
 Jews, on the contrary, could read the Greek translation 
 of the Scriptures j and they could therefore search the 
 Scriptures daily, as did the inhabitants of Berea. Now 
 to be " mighty in the Scriptures," did not, in those 
 days, consist In folding down a dozen corners of the 
 leaves of a pocket Bible, and reading in public the 
 
 H 3 
 
90^ Only they who had Spinlaai Gifts 
 
 places so marked, with perhaps a few superficial ob- 
 servations—no, it consisted in a thorough knowledge 
 of them, including an ability to quote them, and to 
 reason out of them, from memory. This it was which 
 made Apollos mighty in the Scriptures. *' For he 
 mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shew- 
 ing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ." A large 
 roll of many skins would not have suited that dry, te- 
 dious, iil-connected, arithmetical enumeration of chap- 
 ters and verses by which some now display their abili- 
 ty to edify their brethren. This concordance-preach- 
 ing was not then in use. Hence in boasting of what 
 men can now do with their Bibles in their hands, it 
 should be remembered, that the Bibles of the first 
 Christians were too large and clumsy to be thus held 
 in their hands — that these Bibles did not include the 
 books of the New Testament — and that among the ten 
 thousands who believed in Judea, only a few compara- 
 tively could have a Bible in possession. These things 
 ought to be considered in examining the practice of 
 the first churches j for if it difiFered materially from 
 the modern practice of promiscuous exhortation, the 
 difference should, if possible, be clearly understood. 
 
 Since the " things which were written aforetime 
 were written for our learning," it may be useful in pas- 
 sing to glance at the condition of mankind in the days 
 of old. During the period from Adam to Moses, in 
 ivhich no revelation of the divine will was committed 
 to writing, Jehovah may be said to have ordinarily 
 conversed with men in a manner, which having ceas- 
 ed, we now regard as extraordinary. In Lord Barring- 
 ton's MisceUawa Sacra, notice is taken of the gracious 
 intercourse of God with Adam and Eve in paradise j 
 •which, it is observed, would most probably liavc been 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 91 
 
 continued, if they had persevered in their obedience to 
 God. But though sin, in a great degree, interrupted the 
 intercourse of God with men, and rendered someof it ter- 
 rible to the impenitent, his purpose of mercy In Christ 
 Jesus opened up a new and most gracluus medium of 
 communication. Not only did God bear testimony to 
 the sacrifice of Abel, but he called Cain to account for 
 the murdt^r of his brother. To Enoch and Noah he 
 granted revelations. And besides conversing with A- 
 braham, Isaac and Jacob, he spoke to Abimclech, Ha- 
 gar and Laban. The book of Job seems clearly to in- 
 timate, that this was the usual method of conveying to 
 men instruction, •warning and reproof. " In a dream, in 
 a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, 
 in slumberings upon the bed j then he openeth the ears 
 of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may with- 
 draw man ^ro?w his purpose, and hide pride from man. 
 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life 
 from perishing by the sword," chap, xxxiii. 15— IS. 
 But from the continuation of Elihu's discourse, in 
 which the condition of the same person seems to be re- 
 presented, one would be apt to conclude, that these 
 visions of the night did not alone reclaim the individu- 
 al, but were only preparatory or aiding to the instruc- 
 tions of enlightened men, who had a faculty of inter- 
 preting such dreams, but who in those days were thin- 
 ly scattered among the apostate descendants of Noah. 
 •' If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one 
 among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness j 
 then he is gracious unto him, and saith. Deliver him 
 from going down to the pit j I have found a ransom," 
 ver. 23, 24. The dreams of Abimelech, of Laban, of 
 Pharaoh, of his butler and baker— the dreams of Ne- 
 buchadnezzar, and the band-wriling seen by Belshaz- 
 
92 Oiilif they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 zar, connected with the prayer, reproof, interpretation 
 and counsel of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and Daniel on 
 those occasions, if viewed all together, afford ample il- 
 lustration of Elihu's doctrine. Whatever ingenuity 
 the magicians and wise-men of Pharaoh and Nebu- 
 chadnezzar might be accustomed to display in the in- 
 terpretation of the dreams which came " through the 
 multitude of business," and in which there were ♦* di- 
 vers vanities, " they could not explain the portentous 
 sdmonitory dreams of these two kings : this honour 
 was reserved for men who had another spirit in them. 
 
 Although these were but the first and feeblest rays 
 of the light of Heaven upon a world which had fallen 
 under the power of darkness, they cannot, by any 
 means, be classed with matters of *' doubtful disputa- 
 tion." Tradition, it h3S been often said, transmitted 
 to successive generations the knowledge of the true 
 God. But is it not evident, that the preseivation in 
 the world of the knowledge and worship of God, also 
 depended on extraordinary causes ? Where, without 
 these, do we find God certainly known and worshipped 
 before the giving of the law ? But when the light of 
 the moon was as the light of the sun, and the light of 
 the sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days, how glo- 
 rious in our eyes the bursting forth of spiritual light 
 from the Sun of righteousness himself! God poured 
 out his Spirit upon all flesh : upon the fathers and the 
 children, the servants and hand-maidens, of both the 
 Jews and Gentiles, and they prophesied ! If before the 
 Old Testament began to be written, such manifesta- 
 tions of God had been necessary to preserve to him- 
 self a people in the world, can it be matter of wonder, 
 that he should, for the same reason, have held extraor- 
 dinary coromunications with his saints ere the Scrip- 
 
tavght ill the Jirst Churches. 9^ 
 
 tures of the New Testament were comoiiltcd to their 
 hands ? 
 
 In fact, the introduction of the new covenant dis- 
 pensation required the full promulgation of the nature 
 of that covenant. The books of Moses and the pro- 
 phets could no more direct the churches of Christ, 
 than the book of Genesis could "have directed the Israel- 
 ites after the introduction of the Sinai covenant. This 
 will not be disputed. The question then is, Did God 
 leave the first Christian teachers without any extraordi- 
 nary aid, to drink only of the narrow, muddy, uncer- 
 tain stream of tradition ? Such, we dare affirm, must 
 the doctrine of the apostles have become in a course of 
 years^if men had nothing but ordinary aid against pre- 
 judice and error of every kind. Nor were extraordi- 
 nary endowments more than sufficient to preserve them 
 in the truth. Churches that unquestionably possessed 
 extraordinary endowments, experienced much trouble 
 from " divers and strange doctrines." What a prey 
 then must churches have been to error and imposition, 
 if they had no such endowments ! Indeed, the condi- 
 tion in which our brethren would place the first teach- 
 ers, is altogether contrary to the procedure of God, 
 and quite inconsistent with just sentiments respecting 
 the weakness and darkness of the human mind in spiri- 
 tual matters. I trust we shall in the sequel be able to 
 show, that it is evidently contrary to the plainest and 
 fullest accounts in Scripture of the actual state of 
 things in the first age. The remarks we are now mak- 
 ing, serve only to clear the foundation of the rubbish 
 which has been cast upon it. 
 
 As examples of what was then the common condi- 
 tion of teachers, let us consider those of Antioch, Ico- 
 nium, Derbe and Lystra. In these cities the gospel 
 
94 Only they tvho had Spiritual G'ljh 
 
 was preached, and churches were planted by Paul and 
 Barnabas j and when they had accomplished their work 
 in those parts, and ordained elders in every church, 
 they returned to Antioch in Syria, where they had 
 been recommended to the grace of God. Now after 
 a long lapse of time, how little could the memory of 
 those ciders have retained, (supposing them to have re- 
 ceived no spiritual gifts), of the doctrine of the a- 
 postles ! This is a palpable case, which the most ordi- 
 nary understanding is able to comprehend. The elders 
 in those places cannot be supposed to have been sent 
 to cultivate the Lord's vineyard^ like a man who, with- 
 out the usual implements of husbandry, is sent to 
 till the ground, as it were, with his staff in his hand ', 
 while to the Corinthians and others, the apostle impart- 
 ed abundance of spiritual gifis. And in how many 
 ways did he prove his solicitude for the advancement 
 in knowledge of all the churches of the saints ! By 
 his own unwearied assiduity in teaching them, by 
 sending other labourers to places where they were 
 wanting, by writing epistles, by his prayers, by 
 his strong desire to impart some spiritual gift to those 
 he had not seen, by directing such as had gifts to the 
 humble and diligent use of them, and by exhorting all 
 indiscriminately to the duty of mutual edification, it is 
 evident that he felt the most ardent desire that all the 
 churches should have " the full assurance of under- 
 standing." Let any man, if he is able, reconcile these 
 things with the incredible notion that they who taught 
 and exhorted publicly had not spiritual gifts. But one 
 half of its incredibility has not yet appeared j for not 
 only did the previous blindness, especially of the Gen- 
 tiles, make spiritual gifts " highly important," and the 
 want of the New Testament make them the " more 
 
taught in thejlrst Churches. Q5 
 
 necessary ;" but the actual possession of gifts by many 
 in the churches made it very necessary that all those 
 who taught publicly should themselves have been so 
 endowed. 
 
 No gifis were more frequently imparted, or were 
 more valuable for the purposes of edification, than pro- 
 phecy and tongues. In Ephesus these endowments 
 were at the beginning given to twelve disciples, whom 
 Paul found there. Afterwards, in the same city, he 
 preached the gospel with great success •, nor is there 
 any room to doubt whether the gifts of the Spirit were 
 communicated to others also who believed. Now cer- 
 tainly, the elders of the church in Ephesus had a most 
 difficult task assigned them, if, without miraculous 
 gifts themselves, they had to teach disciples who could 
 speak wilh tongues and prophesy. To these very 
 ciders ihe apostle said, " I take you to record this day, 
 that I am pure from the blood of all vien. For I have 
 not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 
 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the 
 flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you 
 overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath 
 purchased with his own blood," Acts xx. 26 — 28. On 
 this affecting occasion, we will not sny that they did 
 not eagerly listen to the last and moit impressive address 
 of the gieat apostle 5 but may we not be allowed to 
 suppose, that when their minds began to be relieved 
 from the solemnity of the parting scene, they might 
 have expressed the mingled emotions of their hearts 
 in words to this effect : ' By the hands of our faithful 
 ' and happy apostle, how gloriously hath the temple of 
 
 * the living God been lifted up above the temples of 
 
 * the idols ! He hath indeed taught us publicly and 
 
 * from house to house, most faithfully and affectionate- 
 
SG Only they rvho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 * ly, warning every one night and day with tears, 
 
 * How many and great also were the miiacles and cures 
 
 * which he performed-, and how wonderful and preci- 
 ' ous the gifts which were given to the brethren by the 
 ' laying on of his hands ! Yet one cannot help think- 
 
 * ing how arduous hath been our work since we enter- 
 ' ed into his labours. They who enjoyed his teaching, 
 ' for the space of three years, in public and in private, 
 ' cannot certainly be much instructed by otir poor en- 
 
 * deavours. Nay, till this very day, when two or three 
 ' of the prophets or other gifted brethren, happen to 
 ' speak in rotation, we are afraid to begin after them j 
 
 * for what are we, though the pastors of the churches, 
 
 * in comparison of inspired men ! Nothing truly ap- 
 
 * peareth so unaccountable of all that hath happened 
 ' until this day, than that gifts for public and private 
 ' edification should have, from the first, been given to 
 ' so many of the brethren, while no gifts of this kind 
 
 * have been imparted unto us, who have been solemnly 
 
 * charged to feed the church of God. But shall the 
 
 * thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast 
 ' thou made me thus ?' 
 
 What a desperate undertaking for men without gifts, 
 would the work of teaching and oversight have been 
 in the church at Corinth, where, according to Mr 
 Carson, the taught or exhorting brethren were pro- 
 phets and speakers with tongues. Indeed all who hold 
 the same sentiments, in some form or other maintain 
 the same position. They must abide then by all the 
 absurd and improbable consequences which are fairly 
 deducible from their respective statements. 
 
 All men, it is now said, come into the church with 
 the liberty of teaching publicly if they please to exeicise 
 this liberty. And who can wonder that this is the 
 
taught in the fust Churches. 97 
 
 opinion of those who would convince us, that in the 
 circumstances of the first churches, the uninspired 
 were the teachers, the inspired, the taught. But to a 
 man of sense and genuine humility, to a Jew for instance, 
 newly turned away from the traditions of the elders, or 
 to a young Gentile co«vert, delivered from the grossest 
 idolatry and ignotance of God, this pretended liberty 
 to be exercised among prophets and other gifted men, 
 would not we presume have been at all so enviable as 
 the inestimable privilege of hearing from their iips the 
 oracles of God. It is surely a fair question to ask of 
 teachers now. If you had never seen the New Testa- 
 ment Scriptures, would you really think yourselves fit 
 to teach and to rule, where several of the brethren 
 could speak by inspiration ? What could you do in such 
 a case, but retail to the church, very imperfectly, 
 what the gifted brethren had said before you in greater 
 abundance, and to much better purpose ' Would you not 
 think the temple of God better " framed together" if 
 they were the teachers and you yourselves the taught ? 
 And one might also ask the exhorting brethren. In 
 -such a case as this, tvithout the Bible in your hands, 
 would you like to exhort the inspired brethren, rather 
 than that they should teach and exhort you ? You 
 jnight indeed agree to give exhortations mutually j but 
 some might be inclined to dispense with your services, 
 lest for gold you should bring brass, and for silver iron. 
 Such, however, being the supposed condition of public 
 speakers in the first age, their ability, oh the one hand, 
 to teach and exhort must have been far inferior to 
 yours, now that you have the apostolic writings j while 
 their work, on the other, was much more difficult, be- 
 cause they had to teach men who were certainly inspir- 
 ed : your own immense superiority to them as teachers 
 
 I 
 
98 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 and exhorterSj is one of the modest and credible in- 
 ferences deducible from your premises ! But as we 
 really hope that our brethren will abandon some of 
 their positions, rather than abide by this fair conse- 
 quence, we wish them to consider us as lending our best 
 aid to remove them from a S3^stem which appears 
 to US to be untenable and dangerous. 
 
 Another proposition j'et remains to be elucidated, 
 on which the whole argument may be allowed to 
 rest. 
 
 III. The Jitness of men, both for piiUic teaching, 
 and for edifi/ivg the churches, are invariablij attributed 
 to spiritual gifts. 
 
 We formerly offered a pretty full illustration of the 
 difference between spiritual gifts and the saving influ- 
 ence of the Spirit By means of spiritual gifts, men 
 were qualified to become teachers ; by means of the 
 saving influence of the Spiiit, they became the chil- 
 dren of God. It is not therefore necessary to enlarge 
 a second time on these several effects of divine ope- 
 ration. 
 
 What is said of our blessed Lord liim«clf, remark- 
 ably illustrates the extraordinary agency of the Holy 
 Spirit. ' His intimate knowledge of all truth,' it has 
 been well observed, * is uniformly ascribed, either to 
 
 * his having been with God, before he appeared on 
 ' the earth, or to his receiving, in his human nature, 
 
 * the Spirit of God without measure, John iii. 1 1 — 13 ; 
 ' 31 — 34 *.* Luke's account of the descent and ope- 
 ration of the Spiiit relative to the Lord Jesus, is as 
 follows : " Now when all the people were baptized, it 
 -came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and pray- 
 
 • Missionary Magazine, Vol. xvii. p. 43. 
 
taught in the first Churches. 99 
 
 ing, the heaven was opened^ and the Holy Ghost des- 
 cended in a bodily shape, like a dove, upon him ; and 
 a voice came from heaven, which said. Thou art my 
 beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus 
 returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee : and 
 there went out a fame of him through all the region 
 round about^ And he taught in their synagogues, 
 being glorified of all." In the synagogue of Nazarethj 
 *' there was delivered to him the book of the prophet 
 Esaias : and when he had opened the book, he found 
 the place where it was written. The Spirit of the Lord 
 is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach 
 the gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the 
 broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captivesj 
 and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty 
 them that are bruised ; to preach the acceptable year 
 of the Lord," iii. 21, 22. iv. 14, 15 ; 17—19. Until 
 tiUis anointed with the Holy Ghost, Jesus did not 
 commence his public ministry ; and to the same a- 
 nointing is in general ascribed both his teaching and 
 his miracles, Acts x. S8. 
 
 The apostles, who so fully enjoyed the ministry of 
 Christ, were in a manner children before the day of 
 Pentecost : their apprehensions of spiritual matters were 
 inconsistent and obscure, their expectations as to the 
 nature of the kingdom of God were mixed and world- 
 ly, and tlieir courage, with Christ himself to animate 
 them b}' his counsel and example, often failed them 
 in tlie liour of trial. Therefore the Lord never em- 
 ployed them as feliow-laboui-ers with himself, except 
 that he sent tlicra once to preach the gospel ajid to 
 work miracles. This preaching we have I'eason to 
 think was little more tlian a simple proclamation of 
 facts, agreeably to tlie import of the original word 
 
idO Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 y-v^vo-ffsiy, to proclaim, as the common crier doeSj Luke 
 ix. 2. The command of sentiment and language, the 
 " mouth and wisdom" which was promised them, ap- 
 pears to refer to the illumination which they should 
 afterwards receive, when brought before kings and 
 rulers for a testimony against them and the Gentiles, 
 Luke xxi. 12 — 17. The Lord also sent forth the 
 seventy by two and two to announce to the cities of 
 Judea the kingdom of God, and his own determina- 
 tion to visit them successively. They were empow- 
 ered, in like manner, to confirm their message by 
 miracles. But never do we find, either them, or the 
 apostles, employed statedly to instruct the people,, 
 much less in synagogues giving a word of exhorta- 
 tion : they left this to Jesus their divine Teach- 
 er. In public they attended his ministry, and in 
 private he expounded to them the more difficult 
 parts of his public discourses, besides giving them 
 such other information as should prepare them for be- 
 coming his messengers to the v/orld. All this time 
 the Lord was himself incessantly and laboriously em- 
 ployed in preaching the gospel of the kingdom. " But 
 when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with com- 
 passion on them, because they fainted, and were scat- 
 tered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then 
 Saith he unto his disciples. The harvest truly is plen- 
 teous, but the labourers are few : pray ye therefore 
 the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth la- 
 bourers into his harvest," Matt. ix. 36 — 38. When 
 therefore we ask. Why did not Jesus send his disci- 
 ples constantly to labour among the people that pres- 
 sed himself to remain among them ? we do not say 
 to hiiii. What doest thou ? but to our brethren we say. 
 Why did Jesus act in this manner ? The answer 
 
taught in thejirsl CJiin'ches. I0l>- 
 
 doubtless is, the disciples were not qualified for stat- 
 edly teaching the people. How clouded were their 
 ideas of the nature of his kingdom on the very day 
 of his ascension to heaven ! " When they therefore 
 were come together, they asked of him, saying. Lord, 
 wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Isra- 
 el ?" Acts i. 6. But Jesus " commanded them that they 
 should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the 
 promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard 
 of me." And he said to them, " Ye shall receive 
 power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon j'ou : 
 and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, 
 and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter- 
 most part of the earth," verses 4. and 8. According- 
 ly on the day of Pentecost, the scene entirely chang- 
 ed. The children grew in one hour to the stature 
 of perfect men ; like Aaron's rod which brought forth 
 almonds in a night. They who were formerly of 
 slow capacity as scholars, instantly became teachers 
 of the highest eminence. They who had all along 
 been timorous and distrustful, astonished by their 
 boldness their powerful and merciless enemies. In-- 
 deed nothing is more wonderful than their sudden 
 transition from weakness to strength, from the fearful- 
 ness of the lamb to the boldness of the Hon, from dark- 
 ness and hesitation of mind to the most luminous and 
 enlarged spiritual understandin . Under the invinci- 
 ble afflatus of the Spirit, they threw open the doors 
 which were shut for fear of the Jews, and with free-- 
 dom and propriety of speech not to be surpassed, they 
 came forth to charge the rulers and the people with- 
 the murder of the Prince of life— through whose 
 »ame they preached to them repentance and remission; 
 
 It 
 
i6^ (kily they who Had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 of sins. " With great power gave the apostles wit- 
 ness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." 
 
 If tlie apostles, after so long enjoying the ministry 
 of Jesus, were unfit to be employed as teachers ia 
 his kingdom, how much more unfit must have been 
 new converts, whether Jews or Gentiles, to act as 
 stated teachers in the newly gathered churches. The 
 apostles indeed received the highest illumination ; but 
 the other disciples who were with them, also received 
 tlie Holy Spirit : " They were all filled with the 
 Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, 
 as the Spirit gave them utterance." To this extraor- 
 dinary cause is attributed the irresistible wisdom and 
 energy with which Stephen preached the gospel, and 
 confounded its adversaries. In a word, all the gifted 
 brethren partook of the promise of the Father, and 
 the consequence unquestionably was, such a measure 
 of knowledge and utterance, as enabled them so to 
 speak, that " all might learn, and all might be com- 
 forted," 1 Cor. xiv. 31. 
 
 But the position we are establishing, involves a se- 
 rious difficulty which must not be concealed. All our 
 opponents deny, that spiritual gifts were necessary to 
 qualify the pastors of the first churches for their 
 work. 
 
 In our apprehension, on tliQ other side, the most 
 unequivocal testimony is given in Eph. iv. to the po- 
 sition, that pastors and teachers, as well as apostles 
 and prophets, were qualified for their work, by the ex- 
 traordinary gifts of the Spirit. To the same cause 
 precisely, the qualifications of these several classes of 
 gifted persons are expressly attributed. As, however, 
 persons were not appointed to the apostleship on the as- 
 cension of Jesus, but only received powev to fulfil 
 
tatigJit in the first Churches. 10^ 
 
 llieir ministry ; so none were then appointed as pas- 
 tors of churches, but the gifts which fitted men for 
 the office were then sent down by the ascended Re- 
 deemer. Now, the Scriptures do not speak of natu-» 
 ral abilities^ and ordinary improvement, as gifts sent 
 down from heaven on the ascension of Jesus. In 
 like manner, though God fed his people in Canaan 
 with " the finest of wheat," it was said of the manna, 
 " He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'' We pre- 
 sume we have already given sufficient reason to con- 
 clude, that the gifts, as well as the bread from heaven, 
 were of an extraordinary kind, and therefore suited 
 to the peculiar exigencies of the church at the com- 
 mencement of the gospel dispensation. 
 
 Mr Carson observes on this passage, that ' the a- 
 
 * postle refers to the gift of institution of these offices,* 
 (was the office of apostle then instituted, or before .?) 
 ' which certainly implies, that Jesus did then gift those 
 
 * invested with this' (the pastoral) ' office with suitable 
 
 * qualifications,' p. 61. These qualifications he ex- 
 plains to have been, ' what was in every church com- 
 ' municated by miracle,' p. 67- Now, since Mr Car- 
 son's own view of this passage supports the position, 
 that the first pastors were qualified for their work 
 by means of spiritual gifts, what avail all his arguments 
 against it ? They are indeed well calculated to con- 
 found the subject, but certainly not to satisfy an in- 
 quirer. The reader may however be surprised to find 
 this writer involved in so palpable an instance of self- 
 contradiction ; but this too often attends the reason- 
 ing of Mr Carson. 
 
 All our opponents argue that spiritual gifts were 
 not necessary for the first pastors, because they are 
 not expressly mentioned in 3 Tim. iii. and Tit, i. But 
 
104 Onli/ they who had Spiriiual Gifts 
 
 tliis is a mere difficulty. Wliat signify such against 
 the testimony of God ? Almost every subject hai 
 its difficulties. The difficulty in question will na- 
 turall}' come to be considered in another place. If 
 gifts were implied, this is quite sufficient. Doubtless 
 a gift is implied in 1 Tim. iv. 6. because it is spoken 
 of in the 14*** verse of the same chapter. 
 
 From the passages formerly quoted, Mr Haldane 
 concludes, tliat spiritual gifts * were not necessary for 
 ' stated and cuiLial teaclicrs,' p, 37. Yet he admits, 
 that * no positive example can be adduced from Scrip- 
 
 * ture of tlie public teaching of an uninspired elder. 
 
 * God indeed bestowed miraculous gifts, both on el- 
 
 * ders and other members of some churches,' p. 49. 
 But will Mr H, inform us, where were the elders and 
 churches on whom he did not bestow miraculous gifts? 
 He thinks, and with reason, it may be asked, * Where 
 
 * do we read in the New Testament of any one teaclb- 
 
 * ing or exhorting in a church who was not possessed 
 
 * of extraordinary gifts ?' p. S5. 
 
 On this question Mr Braidwood takes the same 
 side with Messrs Carson and Haldane.. * If they 
 ' were extraordinarily qualified,' observes Mr B. ' by 
 
 * the gifts of the Holy Spirit, must they not have 
 
 * been prophets, evangelists, workers of miracles, or 
 
 * those who possessed the gifts of healing, (this they 
 
 * were. Jam. v. 14), or the gift of tongues, or the in- 
 
 * terpretation of tongues *.' 
 
 Now it is tame a little extraordinary, that though this 
 interrogation imist have been taken cliiefly from a pas- 
 sage (1 Cor. xii.) where they who are called teachers, 
 have a very conspicuous place, being twice mentioned 
 after prophets, and before four or five other classes of 
 
 • Letters on a variety of subjects, p. 169*. 
 
taught in the Jirst Churches. lOi) 
 
 extraordinarily gifted persons, these are yet omitted in 
 the list which Mr B. has been pleased to make out ! 
 Indeed how could he have mentioned them, without 
 cither blunting the edge of his argument, or affirming, 
 in opposition to the clearest evidence, that these teach- 
 ers had not spiritual gifts ? Yet after all, we wonder 
 at this omission, and the more so, that in arguing for 
 the necessity of ordinary teachers to render churches 
 complete, he considers the teachers mentioned in that 
 chapter to have been the stated teachers of the church- 
 es ; for he marks them in italics thus, ' thirdly. Teach- 
 ers,' p. 60. as he also does, ' Pastors and Teacheis,' 
 p. 58. But I am willing to suppose, either that Mr 
 B. having made out the above list from memory, he 
 quite forgot to mention teachers, or, that he did not 
 regard their being ranked so high among the superna- 
 turally gifted brethren, as any proof whatever that 
 they were themselves supernaturally gifted. If this 
 be his opinion, very few, if any, it is presumed, will 
 venture to accede to it. 
 
 He grants, ho;yever, that ' some of them might be 
 ' workers of miracles, and have the gift of tongues.' 
 They who had the gift of tongues spoke by inspiration. 
 But as Mr B. does not seem inclined to allow the first 
 pastors, (what he cannot deny to many in the first 
 churches), the privilege of speaking by inspiration of 
 the Spirit, he probably means that they did so when 
 they addressed strangers only, but were uninspired 
 when they taught the church. Inspiration was enjoyed 
 by them to declare to the ignorant the first principles of 
 religion, but not in teaching the enlightened the way 
 of God more perfectly ! 
 
 Mr B. also grants, that ' some of them might be 
 ' workers of miracles.' A liberal concession truly ! but 
 
106 €hily Ikey mho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 •we have no need to lay hold on it. But why grant merely 
 the possibility, and that only to some of them, of having 
 been workers of miracles, w hen the apostle James sup- 
 poses the certaintij of ctll of them having the power 
 •f miraculously healing the sick ? " Is any sick a- 
 mong 5'ou ? let him cail for the elders of the church ; 
 and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil 
 in the name of the Lord : and the prayer of faith shall 
 save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up," Jam. 
 V. 14, 15. Does not even this passage imply, that 
 the elders of the churches were possessed of the most 
 Kseful spiritual gifts ? For as gifts were various, and 
 only some of the gifted brethren had the one in ques- 
 tion, doubtless the Lord, in bestowing gifts, had par- 
 ticular respect to the situation of elders, since they arc 
 supposed to have alwa3's possessed the gift of healing, 
 and since the sick disciple is directed to apply to 
 them for a cure, rather than to any other who might 
 be similarly endowed. If elders had a gift for heal- 
 ing the sick, much more surely for edifj'ing the body 
 of Christ. Had the case been otherwise, they might 
 have looked in vain for that affection and confidence, 
 without which they never could have ruled the church 
 of God. What children must they have been, if with- 
 out gifts, among the gifted brethren ! Human nature 
 was the same then as now. The servants of Christ 
 were often exposed, as they have been since, to un- 
 grateful and unbecoming treatment from such as were 
 bound to " esteem tliem very highly in love for their 
 work''^ sake." No person indeed seems better acquaint- 
 ed with the fact, and the reasons of it, than the writ- 
 er last mentioned. He duly ap])reciatGs, and justly 
 characterizes accordingly, the natuie and consequences 
 ftf •' tliat levelling spii-it,. v.liich, with great pretensions 
 
iaught 171 the Jirsi Churches. lOT 
 
 ' td humility, is the genuine offspring of pride, and the 
 ' fruitful source of envying, strife and confusion,' p. 99* 
 To counteract the tendency of this spirit, so destruc- 
 tive of love, peace, and prosperity in churches, he has 
 said many excellent and weighty things. But this, like 
 another kind of evil spirits, is not easily expelled.. 
 There is a system of religious anarcliy, under whose 
 specious wings, it is sure to find nourishment and 
 shelter. Unless, therefore, something more efficaci- 
 ous than words be employed to expel it ; unless 
 scriptuial subordination and sciiptural practice, pro- 
 duced by their proper principles, lie maintained, the 
 disciples will still wondering inquire, Why could not 
 we cast him out } 
 
 In the passages considered, (1 Cor. xii. and Eph. iv.) 
 the apostle, as was remarked on a former occasion, 
 speaks of the whole church of the redeemed on earth. 
 The teachers, therefore, who are mentioned in the 
 one passage, and the pastors and teachers spoken oi 
 in the other, include all the stated teachers of the 
 first age. The plain testimony of Scripture then set- 
 tles this point ; and irrefragably proves, what has 
 been so pertinaciously denied, that the first pastors 
 had extraordinary gifts. 
 
 Who indeed could have preached tlie gospel every 
 where, infallibly instituted laws and ordinances, and 
 confirmed the whole as a revelation from God, unless 
 Christ had qualified some to become apostles ? W^ho 
 could have predicted things to come, composed hymns 
 for divine worship, and edified the church with know- 
 ledge and uiulerstanding, without having received ex- 
 traordinary gifts ? These were " the chariots of Is- 
 rael and the horsemen thereof." Yet the\ were pre- 
 cisely what circumstances required ; and wherever 
 
108 On! If they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 cause of fitness for teaching is explained, they are that 
 ■cause. Must thej' not consequently liave been the 
 means of edification ? This consequence is unavoida- 
 ble ; and it is supported by tlie explicit declaration of 
 the word of God. 
 
 The passages to which we shall appeal, are ac- 
 knowledged, even by our opponents, to comprehend 
 the whole of public teaching in the first churches. It is 
 certainly of consequence, when we reason about ordix 
 nances, to determine first in what passages of Scrip- 
 ture these ordinances are clearly and fully taught. If 
 in any place we have a clear and full account of any 
 ordinance, thither we must go to be instructed as to 
 the form and nature of that ordinance; and if brief 
 obscure notices of it in other places are explained, in 
 opposition to the clear and full account, we must 
 conclude that such notices are misunderstood. 
 
 Although we are obliged to differ frequently from 
 Mr Carson, we cordially accede to the following re- 
 mark : ' Is it to be expected, that an apostle would 
 ' formally institute, or minutely detail an ordinance, 
 ^ which they to whom he wrote had been long ob- 
 ' serving? A full account of an ordinance could be 
 '' admissible only to rectify the mistakes of a church 
 ' which had begun to pervert it. Such was the case 
 ' with respect to the supper, and such was the case 
 ■* with respect to the exercise of the gifts of the 
 
 ' brethien. Part of the abuse of the supper con- 
 
 * sisted in eating it in a disorderly mannei", and to 
 •■ rectify their order, as well as their views of this or- 
 ' dinance, he repeats the institution at large,' pp. I9, 
 20. 34. 
 
 The reader will be fully aware of the importance 
 in the present discussion, of the chapter^ (1 Cor. xiv.) 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 109 
 
 in which the apostle treats at large on the gifts of the 
 brethren and the ordinance of public teaching. It 
 certainly contains by far the most circumstantial ac- 
 count we have in the New Testament of the teaching, 
 prayers and praises of a primitive church. Their 
 prayers and praises being spoken of, as well as their 
 teaching, shows how completely their whole worship 
 is exhibited. 
 
 In coming together, then, the gifted brethren at 
 Corinth had each of them " a psalm, a doctrine, a 
 tongue, a revelation, an interpretation," ver. 26. It 
 is further evident, that only two or three prophets were 
 enjoined to speak at the same meeting. By forbidding 
 a greater number of prophets to speak on the same oc- 
 casion, the apostle doubtless supposes, that more than 
 two or three might be prepared to speak by the inspira- 
 tion of God. The number is also fixed of those who, by 
 the Spirit, should deliver discourses equally edifying in 
 a foreign language. And is not the opinion, that others 
 spoke who had not such endowments, absurd and inad- 
 missible ? It is absurd, because, in order to make room 
 for them, prophets and other gifted men must be com- 
 pletely silenced : inspiration itself must be suppres- 
 sed, lest the uninspired brethren should be prevented 
 from exercising their gifts ! — gifts, which have had no 
 existence, but in the imaginations of modern churches. 
 If any man can swallow a theoretical camel, let him 
 prepare himself for the one now before him. We for 
 our part, are unable for so prodigious a mor- 
 sel. In fact, the position, that men without spiritual 
 gifts were called to teach in those circumstances, is to 
 us altogether inadmissible ; not only from the nature 
 of the thing, but from the silence of the apostle as t© 
 aijy such custom. 
 
 K 
 
110 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 As, In Mr Braid wood's opinion, Mr Ewing * has 
 
 * explained 1 Cor. xiv. in a manner so jiist, and so con- 
 
 * vincing, that it would be quite superfluous to attempt 
 
 * a further illustration of that passage,' I shall add but 
 one or two observations. 
 
 If there was no kind of prayers or praises, or any 
 kind of teaching in the church, that is not comprehend- 
 ed in this chapter, by what authority do teachers now 
 pen up in a corner the exhortations of the brethren at 
 large, while, by their own teaching, the most of the 
 time is occupied ? I reason merely on this chapter ; 
 on which Mr Carson rests the controversy about pro- 
 miscuous exhortation. Some there are in churches that 
 adhere to this practice, who deny (and with reason) the 
 distinction made between teaching and exhortation, as 
 if these were two dIsUnct ordinances. Hence they 
 maintain, consistently with taking this chapter as the 
 ground for exhortation by all the brethren promiscu- 
 ously, that the whole time allotted to public speak- 
 ing should be occupied by all, without respect of 
 persons as teachers or taught. And if they do not 
 wish to stop the progress of reformation, by conlinuing 
 to connive at unscriptural distinctions, they will urge 
 the further discussion of the subject, in order complete- 
 ly to emancipate the churches from the trammels and 
 shackles of worldly wisdom. 
 
 There is no proof whatever, that the Corinthians used 
 any precomposed collection of psalms and hymns ; but 
 there is clear proof, that while one had a revelation or 
 a doctrine, another had a psalm. And this psalm, like 
 any other inspired composition or discourse, was some- 
 times delivered in a foreign language. If subjects for 
 praise were produced in the primitive churches by the 
 same persons that prophesied " or exhorted," our 
 
taught ill the Jirst Churches. Ill 
 
 brethren ought to examine their warrant for neglecting 
 this ordinance, and substituting in its stead the produc- 
 tions of ingenious and pious men. That the studied 
 compositions of these persons, should supersede the ex- 
 ercise of the poetical gifts of the brethren, in the con- 
 ception and recitation of extemporaneous psalms, hymns 
 and spiritual songs, while their prosaic gifts are exerci- 
 sed in giving spontaneous exhortation, after the man- 
 ner of the primitive prophets, is perhaps the most glar- 
 ing vestige of Babylonish corruption to be found among 
 them. It is surely high time for them to consider the 
 ground on which they continue to sing the composi- 
 tions of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Mo- 
 ravians, and Independents, to the utter neglect of such 
 things as they could find among " themselves." Cer- 
 tainly singing praise is as much an ordinance as teach- 
 ing 5 and corruption and will-worship in the one, are as 
 insufferable as in the other, especially among those who 
 profess to imitate the apostolic churches in all things 
 and who alone are desirous of observing all the ordi- 
 nances in their simplicity. 
 
 At all events, ihe chapter before us clearly shows 
 who they were who taught in the church. It also shows 
 how vain it Is to speak of imitating in all things the 
 apostolic churches j and how unjust and inconsistent 
 in any who imitate them only in some thinps, to cen- 
 sure others for not imitating them in all things. 
 
 Clearly as this chapter proves, that they only who 
 had spiritual gifts gave public instruction in the first 
 age, the very reverse of this has been argued from It. 
 It is argued, that because the wo.^n were forbidden to 
 speak in the church, all the men might teach or exhort, 
 But rvhat women spoke :n the church ? Certainly ihey 
 who prayed or prophesied, because they had the gift 
 
112 Onlif they who had Spiriittal GiJU 
 
 of inspiration. Are rve induced to adopt this opinion 
 by our dislike oi indiscriminate exhortation ? It was 
 from a very different cause surely that Mr Ballantinc 
 adopted the same opinion. He reckons the women 
 ■who in the xith chapter are considered as publicly pray- 
 ing or prophesying, to be the same that in the xivth 
 chapter are forbidden to teach or spea'; in the church *. 
 Now, if the Corinthians thought that several prophets 
 might all speak at once because they were in^pIred, as 
 if it had been wrong even to delay uttering what the 
 Spirit had revealed to them, is it any wonder, that the 
 Wi>men should, for the same reason, have declared what 
 had been revealed to them ? If, without regard to de- 
 cency and order. Inspiration was taken as a signal and 
 warrant for a plurality of men to speak at the same 
 time, doubtless inspiration was a signal and warrant for 
 a woman to speak, independently of the usual regard 
 to modesty. Such having been the case, the apostle 
 in the xith chapter, censures the indecency of the man,'* 
 ^er of the prophetesses in speaking with their heads un- 
 covered J but in the xivth chapter he positively forbids 
 their speaking at all, or even asking questions j " for 
 it is a shame for women to speak in the church." In 
 like manner, he treats the practice of eating meats sa- 
 crificed to Idols : first reasoning against It as casting a 
 stumbling-block before a weak brother j and then pro- 
 hibiting it absolutely, as communion or fellowship with 
 the heathen gods, 1 Cor. viii. and x. It Is therefore a 
 sorry argument, that because the women were forbid- 
 den to teach in the church, all the men might — the 
 weakest, the most injudicious, the most recent convert 
 who knew only that he himself was a sinner, and that 
 Christ was a Saviour, might teach, let there have been 
 
 * Treatise on the elder's office, p. 52 
 
taught in thcjirst Churches. 119 
 
 ever so many prophets and teachers present. Will our 
 brethren say. We do not carry the matter quite so far ? 
 Your argument, we answer, carries it so far precisely. 
 Like many other arguments, it shows some inattention 
 to the real state )f things. By proving too much it 
 proves nothing, and therefore it is good for nothing, 
 but to perplex the subject. 
 
 How strange to reject the luminous evidence exhibi- 
 ted by the actual practice of the church, and eagerly 
 to lay hold on s 'cii a sorry argument as a foundation 
 of a public ordinance ! Was there ever a vainer phan- 
 tom, than indiscriminate exhortation in the church by 
 the Corinthian believers, who had not spiritual gifts ? 
 What Mr Carson has advanced respecting the gifted 
 brethren, may well chase away this phantom from the 
 strongest imagination. One is really ashamed to speak 
 about such things. It Is an unpleasant, humiliating 
 employment, to dispute with our brethren about the 
 existence of an ordinance, which evf some of them- 
 selves explicitly and completely exclude from the 
 clearest and fullest description in the New Testament 
 of the teaching and worship of a primitive church. 
 
 On the chapter before us, we may just add, that the 
 only public teachers mentioned in it arc included in the 
 enumerations of gifted persons in the xiith chapter. 
 Now these are, not the men as distinguished from the 
 women, but the gifted brethren as distinguished from 
 the rest of the believers. And Mr Braidwood will in- 
 form us, that * no instance can be produced of the 
 ' brethren in general being called elders, pastors, teach- 
 
 * ers, overseers, the angels of the churches, or those 
 
 * who have the rule over them,' p. 113. He is also of 
 opinion, that the brethren at large • cannot receive 
 
 * benefit to themselves, nor can they profit others, by 
 
 K3 
 
114 Only they who had Spiritual Gifti 
 
 * meeting with encouragement in the vain conceit, that ' 
 ' they are prophets, ministers, teachers and rulers. This 
 
 * is templing them to think more highly of themselves 
 
 * than they ought to think,' p. l6l. To the wiles and 
 assaults of this insinuating, powerful temptation, some, it 
 is to be feared, have fallen a prey. How apt arc the inju- 
 dicious and inexperienced to wonder with great self-ad- 
 miration, at hearing themselves utter, with some degree of 
 fluency, a mere medley of words ! But hew much more 
 edifying is the unconstrained familiar discourse of Chris- 
 tian men and women upon religion, in the ordinary inter- 
 course of private life, than the public exhortations of un- 
 qualified persons ! and how peculiarly irksome and pain- 
 ful are such exhortations, when they obstruct the exer- 
 cise of those talents which are competent to the edifi- 
 cation and comfort of t!.e body of Christ * ! 
 
 We shall next consider an ir/iportant passage in the 
 ivth chapter of the epijile to the Ephesians. On this 
 passage Mr Braidwood remarks, that ' provision was 
 
 * made for every br::Rch of that worh' (of the minis- 
 try) * by the gifts vyhich Jeais sent down when he en- 
 
 • We have already a<Jver1.ed to the absurdity of supposing, 
 that the inspired were commanded to Le silent that the unin- 
 spired might ,spoak. Pu])lic teaching, it seejns, must not now 
 be confined to teachers or qualified persoi.s, for this reason, 
 with others, lest the talents of the rest should be thereby hid. 
 But when the church is deprived of the instructions of those who 
 are able to tidach *hem, and by whom all are edified, in order 
 to make room for person* of another description, talents are 
 surely hid, and that too under most unpleasant circumstances, 
 occasioned by an unscriptural theory. It is, however, one 
 thing to employ unqualified persons as teachers, as if this were 
 exercising gifts, and quite another to endeavour to ascertain in 
 a proper manner who has abilities for public teaching. On 
 this^ some atteption may be afterwards bestowed. 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 115 
 
 • lered into his glory. And they were all necessary for 
 
 * the complete fulfilment of the work of the ministry, 
 
 * ordinary pastors and teachers, as well as apostles, 
 
 ♦ prophets and evangelists,' p. 155. 
 
 The communication of the gifts here spoken of was 
 foretold by David. " Thou hast ascended on high, 
 thou hast led captivity captive : thou hast received gifts 
 for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord 
 God might dwell among theni,^'' Psal. l:;viii. 18. The 
 Lord Jesus " ascended up far above all heavens, that 
 he might fill all things." He filled the church with 
 every spiritual gift, and with " all spiritual blessings," 
 so that it became ** an habitation of God through the 
 Spirit." 
 
 Among his ancient people, God dwelt In the taber- 
 nacle J afterwards, In the temple he . took up his par- 
 manent abode. His eyes and his heart were here per- 
 petually. His worshippers accordingly approached It 
 as the house of God * j and In waiting upon him they 
 experienced unutterable joy. But he intimated by the 
 prophet, that he should leave this habitation, Isa. Ixvl. 
 1. The glory was accordingly removed from it to the 
 churches of the saints. No longer did his wrath con*, 
 sume the offerers of strange fire ; neither did fire from 
 heaven burn the sacrifices of the children of Israel, nor 
 did a visible cloud filling the temple prevent the priests 
 
 • It is a gross misapplication of Scripture language, and 
 much calculated to mislead the ignorant, to call a place where 
 worship is performed '• the house of God." God never dwelt 
 in any house or temple made with hands since he forsook the 
 temple at Jerusalem ; which, with its worship, was typical of 
 the living temple, or church of Christ, and the spiritual worship 
 of the New Testament. " Ye are the temple of the living God j 
 as God hath said, 1 will dwell in them, and walk in <Aen»," 
 2 Cor. vi. 16, 
 
3l6 Only they nho had Spirihial Gifts 
 
 from entering it. But among the followers of Jesas, 
 and in their assemblies, the glory of the Lord was dis- 
 played. At the words of Peter, Ananias and Sapphira 
 his wife fell down dead, the place was shaken where 
 the disciples prayed, and the living temple was '* filled 
 with joy and with the Holy Ghost," Acts iv. 31. v. 9. 
 xiii. d2. 
 
 God, putting an end to the typical economy, he 
 brought into iis place the grace and truth of the gos- 
 pel, ihis dispensation of light and comfort required 
 other means by which the Lord God should dwell 
 among his people ; they were such as were fittest to 
 display his power and glory under the new and bet- 
 ter covenant. And what were these ? Doubtless the 
 gifts of the Spirit, which Jesus had imparted for the 
 edification of his mystical body. When the treasures 
 of the gospel were poured forth abundantly, when fer- 
 Tent prayers were offered, and joyful songs sung unto 
 the Lord, when the dying love of Jesus was called to 
 remembrance, what life, and peace, and joy, then filled 
 the spiritual temple ! This was a work in which those 
 •were blessed, and made blessings, who had received 
 grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 
 What ! will it be said, will God confine his presence 
 to this narrow uncertain medium •■ But is it either nar- 
 row or uncertain ? Will the promise of God fail, Isa. 
 XXX. 20. ? And may it not be asked in return. Did he 
 confiiie his presence to the le at Jerusalem ' Cer- 
 
 tainly in every place, even during its subsistence, the 
 true worshippers found the light of his countenance 
 making their hearts glad. ^ t the Lord loTed " the 
 gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 
 For the Lord hath chosen Zion ; he hath desired it 
 for his habitation. This is my rest fo; ever : here will 
 I dv*e.l3 lor I have desired it." A.^u here they be- 
 
taught in thejirst Churefies. 117 
 
 held tlie bcauly of the Lord, and thought of his lov- 
 ing kindness. In particular reference to the times of 
 the gospel, it is promised, " I will abundantly bless 
 her provision : I will satisfy her poor with bread. I 
 will also clothe her priests with salvation j and her 
 saints shall shout aloud for joy," Psal. cxxxii. J3 — 1^. 
 And the experience of many Sabbaths, the testimony 
 of those who believe, but above all the faithful record 
 of God himself, gives us the fullest assurance, that the 
 Lord is pleased to dwell in a particular manner in those 
 assemblies of his saints, where the riches of his grace 
 are suitably displayed. But substitute weakness, and 
 confusion, or error, for the able teaching of faithfuj. 
 men, and then utter what big words we may of churches, 
 ordinances and saints, " the glory is departed." The 
 word of God, and the experience of his people, are a- 
 gainst you, if you make not " knowledge and under- 
 standing," by pastors according to his heart, the medi- 
 um by which God has promised to make himself known 
 in the assemblies of his people. If under the law, 
 God appointed a particular place, a particular edifice, 
 a particular altar, and particular sacrifices and offerings, 
 ihat the true worshippers might see his power and his 
 glory, was not all this altogether just and reasonable ? 
 And why should he not prescribe the particular means 
 with which he connects the manifestation of himself to 
 Jiis peculiar people under the gospel ? Was there not 
 also a suitableness in those shadowy rites to convey 
 Jife and joy to the true Israelite * And is there not a 
 superior suitableness in the ordinances of the gospel, 
 when observed by means of proper teachers, to build 
 up the body of Christ ? But where they arc not obser- 
 ved in a due manner, they almost sink into the w^eak- 
 ness of beggarly elements, and the unprofitableness of 
 
118 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 bodily exercise. What then is the reason, that they 
 who edify in private by their spiritual conversation 
 and kindness, sink under the weight of public duties, 
 and render their hearers languid, weary and impatient, 
 by their attempts to perform a function for which 
 they are unqualified ? Do not our brethren who op- 
 pose our views of teaching, abundantly extol the great 
 benefit of observing the ordinances in their simplicity ? 
 Now, this is precisely what we have in view. With 
 respect to the ordinance in question, the passage be- 
 fore us contains satisfactory information. 
 
 The words on which we have enlarged in the fore- 
 going remarks, are particularly explained in the ver- 
 ses which follow : " And he gave some, apostles ; and 
 some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, 
 pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, 
 for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the 
 body of Christ," verses 11, 12. 
 
 In the 12th verse, the apostle begins to compare 
 the church to the human bod^"^, in which the functions 
 of the several parts and members for the benefit of 
 the whole depend upon their union and mutual connec- 
 tion. In like manner, the exercise of the strong 
 efficient organs and members, as it respected the body 
 of Christ, or the work of the ministry as it related to 
 the whole church, and also the exercise of every part, 
 not excepting the most feeble, resulted from the union 
 of each with the church as a part of it in its organiz- 
 ed state. In another place the same idea is represent- 
 ed under a different figure : " In whom all the build- 
 ing, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy tem- 
 ple in the Lord," Eph. ii, 21. The idea of their 
 organization, in order to their growth, is almost con- 
 cealed by the common translation of tlic verse before 
 
taught in (he first Churches. 119 
 
 us. The word Kxrx^rtyfioi;, rendered, perfecting, properly 
 signifies a compacting or fitting together. It is no where 
 else used in the New Testament ; but Kxr»eri^M, from 
 which that word is derived, is, in 1 Cor. i. 10. expres- 
 sive of union and order in opposition to schism and 
 confusion. In Gal. vi. 1. it signifies to restore one to his 
 place in the church, as a dislocated member is redu- 
 ced to its proper position in the body. In Heb- 
 xi. it denotes the organization or framing of the 
 worlds ; and in chap. x. 5. the preparation or orga- 
 nization of a body for the Son of God. Agreeably 
 then to the leading sense of the word in the original, 
 and to the scope of the connection, the 12th verse 
 should be thus translated : " For the conformation of 
 the saints, in order to the work of the ministry, in 
 order to the edification of the body of Christ." As 
 this view of the passage will, it is presumed, appear just 
 and natural, I shall add only, that in other descrip- 
 tions of the body of Christ, the idea of organization is 
 exceedingly conspicuous. " God hath tempered the 
 body together, having given more abundant honour 
 to that part which lacked," 1 Cor. xii. 24. and Col. ii. 
 
 19. 
 
 They who received the gifts which Jesus sent down 
 from heaven, were employed in the work of the mini- 
 str}'. A ministry without gifts, is ' a mock ministry, 
 and no ordiriance of Christ:' and a ministry in which 
 gifts are not faithfully employed, is but a nominal 
 ministry, resembling more a miserable expedient in a 
 case of distress, than the happy fulfilment of the di- 
 vine promise, " I will give you pastors according to 
 mine heart, which siiall feed you with knowledge and 
 understanding," Jer. iii. 1 5. It has been observed, 
 that the words expressive of the ministry denote a 
 
120 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 laborious kind of employment. They who are en- 
 gaged in it, are called labourers, workmen, husband- 
 men, shepherds and soldiers : and if they study to 
 approve themselves to God, as workmen who need 
 not to be ashamed, they will neither abandon them- 
 selves to idleness and gossiping, nor be hackneyed 
 and hai'd-driven in extensive worldly business. Pub- 
 lic teaching, when connected with close meditation 
 and diligent oversight of the Loixl's flock, is itself a 
 work of the greatest magnitude and occupation. Men 
 may dispute about it as they will, but happy shall be 
 the faithful servant when his Lord comes ! 
 
 The end of the gospel ministry is " the edification 
 of the body of Christ : — till we all come in the unity 
 of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 
 unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of 
 the fulness of Christ," ver. 13. The unity of the 
 faith, is doubtless an attainment of believers in the 
 present world ; in heaven, faith will be turned to 
 sight, and hope to fruition. The belief of the gospel 
 at the first is the most essential part of this unity : 
 the removal of remaining ignorance, prejudice and 
 weakness, is necessary to render it complete, Col. ii. 2. 
 1 Thess. iii, 10. In the passage quoted, the apostle 
 seems as it were to ascend in fixing the final object 
 of the ministry of the gospel. " A perfect man," 
 " the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," 
 are expressions which appear to denote both the 
 standard to which the servants of the Lord should en- 
 deavour to bring their work in this world, and the 
 fulness of perfection which it shall attain in the world 
 to come. They watch for the souls of men as they 
 who must give account to Christ : " Whom," says 
 the apostle, " we preach, warning every man, and 
 
taught in the ^rst Churches. 121 
 
 teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may pre- 
 sent every man perfect in Christ Jesus," Col. i. 28. 
 
 By this means the disciples were to be preserved 
 from being any " more children tossed to and fro, 
 and carried about with every wind of doctiine," or 
 of teaching, as WiclifF renders it very properly. 
 Sudden and variable gusts of wind are not more ef- 
 fectual to overthrow and scatter a company of chil- 
 dren, than " blasts of innovation" to injure the har- 
 mony and comfort of believers who have not attained 
 a good measure of knowledge and stability. It is pe- 
 culiarly the duty of teachers to protect the saints 
 from winds of doctrine ; not however by arbitrary 
 measures, but by warning and teaching every man in 
 all wisdom. Acts xx. 29 — 31. 1 Tim. i. S. Tit. i. 9 — 1 1. 
 They will find it needful themselves to avoid foolish 
 and unlearned (uncdifying^wat/Jji/Teus) inquiries, profane 
 and vain babblings and oppositions of knowledge false- 
 ly so called ; for if by introducing these seeds of dis- 
 cord and ungodliness into their public or private 
 teaching, they seem to treat them as matters of seri- 
 ous concern, the flock will be infected by the shep- 
 herds who ought to be examples to the believers " ia 
 word, in con^'ersation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, 
 in purity." ' Sad is the condition of those churches/ 
 says Dr Owen, * which either have such ministers aa 
 
 * will themselves toss them up and down by false 
 
 * and pernicious doctrines, or are not able by sound 
 ' instructions to deliver them from such a condition 
 ' of weakness and instability, as wherein they are not 
 ' able to preserve themselves from being in these 
 
 * things imposed on by cunning slights of men that 
 
 * lie in wait to deceive. And as this ministry is al« 
 
 * ways to continue in the church, (v. IS.) so it is the 
 
 h 
 
12-2 111 y UicTjtvho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 ' great means of influencing the whole body, and 
 * every member of it, into a due discharge of their 
 'duty, unto their edification in love,' ver. 15, l6. 
 
 The opposite of being tossed about with winds of 
 doctrine, is, " Holding or maintaining the truth in 
 love." That this, and not simply speaking the truth 
 in the way of public exh.ortation, is the proper render- 
 ing of :',Miivotttr„ has been satisfactorily proved by 
 Mr Ewing : and it is most agreeable to the scope of 
 tlie connection *. Even Dr Watt, who replied to him, 
 
 • Miss. Magazine, Vol. xiii. p. 24T. Fifteen different ren- 
 derings are adduced, all of tvhich agree with Mr Ewing'* 
 view of the expression. I shall here quote a few of them. 
 
 Syriac — " But let us he steady in love." Schaaf 's render- 
 ing is, " Sed simus firmi in charitats nostra." 
 
 Vulgate — " Veritatem autem facientes in cbaritate." " Do- 
 ing the truth in love ;" and so the Rhemish N. T. and Wic- 
 liff. 
 
 CastelUo — " Sed verum tenentcs cum charitate.'* " Hold- 
 ing the truth with love." 
 
 Covsrdale, Tyndal, and English Geveva Bible.—'* But let 
 \is followe the trueth in love." 
 
 Doddridge — " But maintaining the truth ia love." 
 
 LocLe's Paraphrase — *' But being steady in true and un- 
 feigned love." 
 
 In Prov. xxi. 3. and Isa. xliv. 26. the same word occurs ; 
 and sigiiiiles in the former to act uprightly, in the latter, to 
 vtrifii ui perform a promise or prediction. Now, though a 
 predietion consists in words, the accomplishment of it must 
 consist in deed^ ; and the prophet here refers, not to the decla- 
 ration, but to the accomplishment of the counsel of the Lord's 
 messtngeis. Much stress has been laid on the common ren- 
 deriug of the word iii Eph. iv. 15. Messrs Haldane and 
 Braidwood have printed in italics the expression " Speakins 
 ttie tnttli in love," evidently considering it as a clear and em- 
 phatical injunction to male church-members to practise indis- 
 criminate exhortation in inc church. It seems tu me, after 
 
taught in the Jirsi Churches. 123 
 
 allows that the duty enjoined is " to stand fast with 
 on.e mind, stii\ing together for the faith of the gos- 
 pel/' and to "contend earnestly for the faith once de- 
 livered to the saints." ' The duty/ he says, ' com- 
 
 * manded hy such a word, may often be action, as in 
 ' the performance of a promise, or accomplishing the 
 
 * duties professed. In tliis sense it often requires ae- 
 ' (ion as well as diction.' 
 
 By adhering to the truth in love, the whole church 
 would " grow up unto him in all things, which is the 
 head, even Christ : from whom the whole body, fitly 
 
 joined together, and compacted by that which every 
 joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in 
 the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body 
 unto the edifying of itself in love." On this passage 
 we need not say much. It is evident, the edification 
 of the church depends net only on the work of the 
 mhiistry and public ordinances, but on the union, fide- 
 hty and love of all the members. Accordingly " love 
 edifieth," 1 Cor. viii. 1. The conduct of believers 
 when agreeable to Scripture, is calculated to edifyj 
 Rom. XV. 2. 1 Cor. x. 23. Useful conversation edifies, 
 Eph. iv. 29. So does meditation and the singing of 
 praise, 1 Cor. xiv. 4. and 1 7. Questions or investiga- 
 
 . tions are often destructive of edification, 1 Tim. i. 4i. 
 " Let us therefore follow after the things which make 
 for peace, and things wherewith one maj'^ edify ano- 
 ther/' 
 
 all, of little consequence as to the question about exhortation 
 by the brethren, what rendering is jjrefcrrcd, though I think 
 the true meaning of the expression of 'great consequence, that 
 we may understand the apostle's beautiful description of the 
 body of Christ, and undoubtedly our version of the word is er- 
 roneous. 
 
124 "Only ihey who had Spiritual Gijls 
 
 The more feeble members then are necessary :— . 
 rrtXXu ftxXXov, are much more necessary ; as the brain, 
 lungs, heart, blood-vessels and intestines, in the hu- 
 man body, are more necessary to its existence than 
 the hands or feet, or the organs of seeing, hearing or 
 smelling. Every disciple, how inconsiderable soever 
 in the eyes of men, has his proper place to fill up in 
 the church of God. And it would be strange indeed to 
 suppose, that none could contribute to the growth, puri- 
 ty, health, happiness and vigour of the body of Christ, 
 without becoming public teachers. I am afraid the 
 system we are opposing, with all its pretensions of 
 honouring the brethren, is calculated to bring some 
 of the best of them into comparative contempt. If, 
 however, men deny the impoitance of every believer 
 whatever to the edification of the church, they deny 
 the affirmations of Scripture, and the uniform experi- 
 ence of the saints. But if they acknowledge this, they 
 must cease to argue, that the edification which the 
 body of Christ receives from every part of itself, is 
 any proof at all that every part may contribute it» 
 two mites of public instruction, or indeed that any 
 part is called to do so, except that which God has a- 
 dapted, and therefore appointed to this particular 
 function. 
 
 It is granted, that from the apostle's account of the 
 edification of the church by the various classes of gift- 
 ed men, (ver. 11, 12.) * the duty of the brethren ta 
 * exhort one another could not be inferred.' Can it 
 then be inferred from the enumerations of gifted men 
 in 1 Cor. xii. ? If the practice cannot be inferred from 
 these two places, neither can it be inferred from the 
 14*'' chapter of the same epistle: here we find no 
 mention of any publie speakers that are not compre- 
 
taught in the first Churches. 125 
 
 hended in these enumerations. All these portions of 
 Scripture therefore^ unite like a three-fold cord ; " and 
 a three-fold cord is not quickly broken." 
 
 ' It is strange/ we are told, ' that any one should sup- 
 ' pose that 1 Cor. xiv. which as they contend, refers to 
 * miraculous gifts,' (were not prophecy and tongues mi- 
 raculous?) ' a subject with which we are wholly unac- 
 '' quainted, is more plain than such passages as 1 Thess. 
 ' iv. 18. V. 13. and Heb, x. 24, 25.' This does not ap- 
 pear strange to Mr Carson ; nor is it strange in itself. 
 Besides, we know more about the gifts which are ac- 
 tually spoken of than such as are not, but only imagin- 
 ed. At any rate, must not either the clear institu- 
 tion or the full exhibition of an ordinance, by whatever 
 kind of gifts it was conducted, be plainer than general 
 precepts respecting that class of duties to which the 
 ordinance belongs ? Might we not as well be told of 
 the strangeness bf supposing the detailed account of 
 the Lord's suj)per in 1 Cor. xi. to be plainer than the 
 various cursory notices of feasts and breaking bread 
 in the New Testament ? Who would take upon him 
 to plead from these notices, for such additions to the 
 supper as should amount to a distinct ordinance, or 
 nearly so i* There can be no end of inventions and 
 changes, if, on such grounds, men will use the liberty 
 of introducing ordinances which are not clearly taught 
 and exemplified in Scripture. 
 
 Mr Braidwood recommends it as 'a good old rule 
 ' which is perfectly safe,' to ' explain those (examples) 
 ' which are narrated in a summary way, by those 
 ' which are full, circumstantial and explicit. And 
 ' beware,' he 5338, ' of acting on a mere supposition 
 ' of any thing which God hath not revealed, especial- 
 
 L 3 
 
126 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 * ly in those cases wherein he hath given a direct and 
 *' positive rule of duty/ p. 8. 
 
 This rule is well applied by Mr B. himself in op- 
 position to those who, from such passages as Col. iii. 
 16. argue, that the brethren in general may in some 
 measure do such things as are the proper work of 
 pastors and teachers. This he owns has * an appear^ 
 
 * arace of Scripture authority/ p. 111. And he fur- 
 ther remarks, * Private teaching is unquestionably the 
 
 * duty of every one who is capable in any measure to 
 
 * instruct and eda^y. This is no encroachment on the 
 ' elder's office, for old women are commanded to 
 
 * teach younger persons of their own sex.' — But here 
 the operation of tlie good old rule ceases with Mr B. j 
 fcr by a rule the very reverse of it, he argues for ex- 
 hortation by the brethren with precisely the same ap- 
 pearance of Scripture authority he formerly rejected. 
 
 * The apostolic epistles,' he observes, * addressed 
 ' not to bishops, but to the churches, are full of pre- 
 ' cepts and earnest entreaties to exhort, to comfort, 
 ' to teach, to admo7iish, and to edify 07ie another, 
 ' The greater part of those precepts are given in ge- 
 ' neral terms. But, unless it can be proved, that 
 
 * men, as well as women, are prohibited from speak- 
 
 * ing in churches, or that the public exercise of gifts 
 ' which seme may possess, is unsuitable to the nature 
 
 * of their connection, and therefore cannot tend to 
 ' edify, we ought to admit, that the ordeily affection- 
 
 * ate and self-denied exercise of such gifts, is included 
 
 * in the general precepts to which I refer,' p. l64. 
 He adds in reference to Eph. iv. 15, I6. ' Is it not 
 
 * suitable to the whole scope of the passage to consi- 
 ' der it as including the public exercise of all gifts 
 
 * which are adapted to public usefulness?' p.l6'C. 
 
taugftt in the fir d Churches. 1^7 
 
 If by gifls for public usefulness, Mr B. meant the 
 gifts of the teachers there enumerated by Paul, (and 
 this idea suits his remark as well as the other), he 
 could, by the explicit language of the preceding con- 
 text, have made good his point, according to the rule 
 recommended by himself, independently of this beg- 
 ging of the question. One would think from his own 
 language, that these gifts only are included in the pas- 
 sage. ' Thus in Eph. iv. 14—16. the apostle,' he says, 
 
 * after recapitulating the various gifts which had been 
 ' given by our exalted Lord, mentions the purposes 
 
 * for which he gave them,' p. l65. Of these very 
 gifts he says in another place : * They were all ne- 
 
 * cessary for the complete fulfilment of the work of 
 ' the ministry, ordinary pastors and teachers, as well 
 ' as apostles, prophets and evangelists,' p. 1 55. * Is 
 Mr B. then able to point out a gift or an office which 
 the apostle has not mentioned ? If the apostle has 
 *i<recapitulated the various gifts,* what ground has 
 
 • When those of this opinion come to facts, the only gifts 
 they can point out are such as are mentioned in 1 Coi-. i. 7. ov 
 in the xivth chapter of the same epistle. Yet they all along 
 take for granted, what they cannot prove, that there were gifts 
 of another kind. ' Churches,' says Mr Carson, ' which pos^ 
 ' sessed, and churches which possessed not miiaculous gifts, 
 « must have observed the same things,' p. 235. But can he 
 tell v/hat churches had not miraculous gifts ? We think he 
 cannot. Yet in the same place he observes, ' There can be 
 
 * nothing more unfruitful than speculations that proceed upon 
 
 * arbitrary assertion. What these churches met to do, of which 
 « we have no account, we must learn from the observances of 
 
 * those whose practice is recorded.' His own remarks then 
 must be applied to his own practice in this instance. ' It is 
 
 * appealing,' as Benscn observes, ' from what is known to what 
 
 * we know nothing about. It is the way to put an end to all 
 
 * reasoning, to throw all into confusion, and to render all evi- 
 
 * dence gf none effect' 
 
128 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 Mr B. to take for granted the existence of any other 
 gifts ? And if there were no other gifts, what becomes 
 of promiscuous exhortation ? Why should this sup- 
 posed ordinance be inchided, unless its existence can 
 be clearly ascertained by an example at once ' full, 
 circumstanlinlj and explicit,' such as Mr B. requires to 
 explain those which are narrated in a summary way ? 
 Shall we be told to be aware ' of acting upon mere 
 supposition,' and then called upon to admit supposi- 
 tion, as if it were ' a clear and positive rule of dut}' ?' 
 Even allowing any passage of Scripture to contain 
 every iota relative to both public and private teaching, 
 would it for that reason be sufficient to warrant the 
 practice of any ordinance, which cannot be shown to 
 have existed in the days of the apostles ? Unless 
 either the institution, or the practice, of a particular 
 ordinance can be pointed out in Scripture with clear- 
 ness and certainty, its existence can never be proved 
 by general precepts, which respect that class of duties 
 to which the supposed ordinance belongs. In the 
 Scriptures of the Old Testament, there is a multitude 
 of injunctions, expostulations, warnings, and threaten- 
 ings, relative to both private integrity and the admi- 
 nistration of public justice according to the law. But 
 on such ground as this, would any have presumed to 
 enforce as a ' statute of judgment,' to be managed 
 by the Jewish brethren at large, a specific institution 
 neither described nor exemplified in all the law of 
 God ? It is indeed the bounden duty of all behevers 
 to teach, to comfort, and edify one another, and to do 
 so daily. Injunctions of this kind comprehend equally 
 old and young, male and female. Under the Jewish 
 economy, when the true Israelites were mingled with 
 the carnal, and not formed into distinct societies by 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 129 
 
 themselves^ as the churches of the saints under the gos- 
 pel dispensation, " They that feared the Lord spake often 
 one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it ; 
 and a book of remembrance was written before him for 
 them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon hi» 
 name/' Mai, iii. 1(). 
 
 Mr Braidwood, we have seen, knows what ground 
 to take when his peculiar sentiments are opposed. 
 
 * We have clear and express authority,' he observes, 
 
 * for choosing office-bearers, wliose character and work 
 
 * are also specified with the greatest precision. Here 
 ' we tread upon sure ground. But can we suppose 
 ' that Christian churches are at liberty to devise s^ib- 
 
 * stitutes of their orvn invention for divine institutions, 
 ' and give the exercise of that power,' (it would have 
 better suited our ideas were it said, and assign the 
 performance of that work,) ' whatever it be, which 
 
 * God hath reserved for pastors and teachers, to ano- 
 ' ther class of men nowhere named, or described, or 
 
 * eBcewplified, throughout the rvliole New Testament/ 
 p. 103. I do not despair of Mr B.'s applying this 
 very just remark to the exhorting brethren in a wider 
 sense than he at first intended ; for doubtless they are 
 precisely such a class of persons as he has here repre- 
 sented. But the speakers in the first churches are 
 named, described and exemplified. " Let the prophets 
 speak two or three." "If any speak in an unknown 
 tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three."' 
 
 Turning our eyes for a moment from the practice 
 of the first churches to that of churches in the present 
 day. What do we see ? — an ordinance without any 
 law to govern it. No man can show by Scripture who 
 is qualified to exhort. In some churches, not only is 
 every man permitted, but required to exhort. If men 
 speak about religion as they do about their temporal 
 
150 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 affairsj this with some is exhortation. The only ques- 
 tion which seems necessary is^ Whether a man can 
 speak at all ? If he can speak, let him exhort the 
 chinch ? Nay, some have actually talked of calling 
 in question the Christianity of those who would not or 
 do' not thus exJiort ; and of excluding them from the 
 church. And are they not consistent ? If all, ex- 
 cept women, are commanded publicly to exhort, all 
 are bound to exhort ; and if they do not, they must 
 be counted not in the spirit of their profession, diso- 
 bedient, and as such excluded. In other churches^ 
 though all are permitted, only some are required to 
 exhort — such as are supposed to have " useful gifts." 
 But then who can show any rule by which to deter- 
 mine what an useful gift is, if the rule of Scripture re- 
 lative to teachers be laid aside. "^ If he,' (the elder) 
 it is said, ' does not generally excel those over whom 
 ' he presides, it is by no means lively that he will edi- 
 ' iy their souls.' How then can a brother edify their 
 souls, unless he also excel .-* In a word, the churches 
 being without law, are a law unto themselves ; or, as 
 in the days when there was no king in Israel, every 
 man does that which is right in his own eyes ; and 
 that too, while professing to be directed in every 
 thing by the strict precise rule of Scripture ! 
 
 There remains to be examined only one passage, 
 which, on both sides, is acknowledged to contain the 
 whole of public teaching. " Having then gifts, dif- 
 fering according to the grace that is given to us ; 
 whether prophecj'^, let us prophesy according to the 
 })roportion of faith ; or ministrj', let us rvaii on • our 
 ministering ; or he that teacheth on teaching ; or he 
 that exhorteth on exhortation," Rom. xii. 6—8. The 
 duties which follow, namely giving with simplicity. 
 
taught in theJirH Churches. 131 
 
 ruling with diligence, and showing mercy with cheer- 
 fulness, do not materiallj' affect the subject before us, 
 any further than they help to determine on what prin- 
 ciples the whole of this passage ought to be explain- 
 ed. 
 
 The clause, " he that exhorteth on exhortation," 
 on which some here fasten, others have given up as 
 not supporting indiscriminate exhortation. 
 
 I have delayed till now to examine the claims of 
 this practice to the name of exhortaiion, as its pecu- 
 liar, appropriate and scriptural designation. To argue 
 about the name of an ordinance, is not to carry on a 
 strife of words. Could it be proved, that a certain 
 heir at law did not assume a family name, till after he . 
 had formed the design of claiming the family estate, 
 this, with all reasonable people, would be strong pre- 
 sumptive evidence, that the supposed heir was an im- 
 postor. Some have reasoned thus about what is call- 
 led the ordinance of exliortation. Said the}'. If the 
 name be misapplied, the thing may be a fiction ; — if 
 the word of' God authorises all who speak publicly 
 either to teach or to exhort as they see occasion, 
 where is the ground for the ordinance in question ? 
 
 It is known by every one who has read the pu!)lica- 
 tions of those who maintain the duty of all the bre- 
 thren to exhort in the church, that they con.sidoi' 
 teaching and exhortation to be two distinct ordinan- 
 ces, the former to be managed by the teachers, and 
 the latter by the brethren who are not teachers. 
 Hence- this practice is as well known among them by 
 the name of exhortation, as the jubilee, the passover, 
 the Lord's supper and baptism are known and distin- 
 guished from other institutions by the terms employ- 
 ed to designate them. 
 
! 32 Only ihey who had Spiritual Gi^S 
 
 Mr Haldane's words are as follow : ' I understand 
 
 * exhorting each other to refer simply lo that one ordi- 
 
 * nance of mutual exhortation, just as I suppose that 
 
 * 1 Cor. xi. 20 — S4-. refers exclusively to the Lord's 
 
 * supper,' p. 54. These words are plain enough : a 
 distinct ordinance is represented under a distinct name. 
 
 * Public teaching,' says Mr Braidwood, ' is a great 
 
 * and leading part of the pastoral work, for which el- 
 
 * ders must be qualified by being " apt to teach, and 
 
 * able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince 
 
 * gainsayers." Mutual exhortation is the province of 
 
 * the brethren.' But Mr B., instead of telling us 
 from Scripture, as in the former case, that the breth- 
 ren must be qualified by being " apt to exhort," has 
 been pleased to add, upon his own anthorily, ' And 
 ' the more they dwell on practical subjects, without at- 
 
 * tempting to investigate doctrinal points, the more 
 ' they will grow in grace, and edify the whole church.' 
 p. 112. Mr B., however, speaks soberly of the merits 
 of this practice. He thinks, ' that two or three per- 
 
 * sons, or a greater number of disciples, whose worship 
 ' is not conducted by an approved teacher, calling them- 
 ' selves a church of Christ,' render both themselves 
 and the ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ, ' objects 
 
 * of ridicule and contempt j' and ' degrade the Chris- 
 ' tian worship in the eyes of all men,' p. 92. Yet be 
 considers such a society capable of practising the ordi- 
 nance of mutual exhortation. See pp. l6^, 170. 
 
 Mr Carson likewise contends, that exhortation is an 
 ordinance distinct from teaching, and that the former 
 denotes the public speaking of unofficial men, because 
 the rulers of the synagogue in Antioch said to Paul 
 and Barnabas, wlio had no office there, " If ye have 
 any word of exhortation for the people, say on," Act^ 
 
taught in the Jirsl Churches. 135 
 
 siii. 15. pp. 253, 254. What then shall wc think of 
 this,— that the apostle behig permitted merely to exhort 
 actually preached the gospel ? In truth we believe, that 
 when he preached the gospel he did no more than the 
 rulers permitted him to do. This he did also in a sy- 
 nagogue in Ephesus, where he " spake boldly for the 
 space of three months, disputing (discoursing, 5(«- 
 Mycfti^iti) and persuading the things concerning the 
 kingdom of God," Acts xix. 8. 
 
 It is remarked by a strenuous advocate for indiscri- 
 minate teaching, that some allow, ' that the brethren 
 * may exhort in the church, but ihey must not preath;' 
 and he censures this distinction as maintaining in form, 
 though disclaiming in words, ' the distinction of cler- 
 gy and laity.'' Now this will suffice to show, that a- 
 mong those who differ from us, there are some who 
 utterly reject as unscriptural, distinctions on which their 
 coadjutors raise their mightiest arguments. 
 
 In 1 Thess. ii. 2 — 4. the preaching of " the gos- 
 pel," is called by Paul " our exhortation." This ex- 
 plains and justifies the conduct of Paul himself in the 
 synagogue of Antioch, and subverts the distinction of 
 which the writer last referred to, complains as made 
 between public exhortation and preaching. 
 
 In more than twenty places in the New Testament, 
 cither exhort, exhorting, or exhortation, is employed 
 (often alone) to denote the public speaking or instruc- 
 tion of apostles and other teachers, but not nearly half 
 so often in reference to the practice of all indiscrimi- 
 nately. On the other hand, men and women are men- 
 tioned as teachers, and considered as teaching, Col. ill. 
 16. Tit. 11. 3. Heb. v. 12. Why then donot our bre- 
 thren plead, that to teach is the peculiar duty of the 
 brethren, to exhort, the peculiar duly of the teachers ? 
 To be sure, this would at first sight seem somewhat 
 
 M 
 
Io4 Only tlictj who had Spir'dual Giff^ 
 
 forced and preposterous j but, if examined to the bol- 
 tom, as good ground would be found for it as for the 
 contrary sentiment. Hence, according to the usage of 
 Scripture, the distinction to which wc object ib altoge- 
 ther arbitrary and groundless. 
 
 This distinction is contrary, both to the qualities of 
 Scripture, and the nature and de.-ign of public leach- 
 ing. " All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
 and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
 for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of Gud 
 may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works," 
 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Upon these qualities of sacred truth 
 is grounded the injunction which follows : " Reprove, 
 rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine," 
 chap. iv. 2. Our blessed Lord and his apostles unit- 
 ed leaching and exhortation together. This practice 
 is just and natural. Duty, whether taught publicly 
 or privately, officially or unofficially, must be explain- 
 ed and defined as well as enforced. " Give attendance 
 to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." " These things 
 teach and exhort," 1 Tim. iv. 13. vi. 2. " Teaching 
 and admonishing one another, in psalms, hymns and 
 spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the 
 Lord," Col. iii. 16. 
 
 Further, the practice of the church at Corinth shows 
 the fallacy of the distinction maintained with so much 
 formality and confidence. The speakers in that church 
 prophesied and spoke with tongues 5 they had every 
 one of them " a psalm, a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, 
 an interpretation," xiv. 26. Not one of them is said 
 to have had any thing that is distinguished by the name 
 of exhortation. The prophets indeed spoke " to edi- 
 fication and exhortation and comfort j" and so we are 
 sure did ail the rest, when tliey used a language whi<^i 
 
taught in the first Churches, 1S5 
 
 was understood by the whole church. Does not this 
 evince the absurdity snd injustice of calling the pro- 
 miscuous speaking of church-members exhortation, — 
 the ordinance of exhortation, — as if the Holy Spirit 
 had given it this name ? A system of absurdity must 
 be a system of oppression. How cruel to call on men 
 to speak in public, and to cramp their genius by allow- 
 ing them to exhort, but not to preach or teach ! Many, 
 according to the bent of their mind and their fur- 
 niture for public speaking, having launched out into 
 ciiticism, exposition, argumentation, Sec. have been se- 
 verely dealt with, because they did not confine them- 
 selves to exhortation merely, and leave those higher 
 branches of the work to the teachers. Indeed, much 
 of whnt Is now called exhortation is any thing but ex- 
 hortation. This Is not to be wondered at. The most 
 able and experienced teachers know how much wisdom 
 and skill are put to the test in the application of divine 
 truth, they have confessed how deficient they them- 
 selves are In it, and how sorry a figure in this respect, 
 not only Injudicious persons, but men of first rate ta- 
 lents, are apt to make. 
 
 In a word, there Is not on record a clerical canon 
 more fanciful and arbitrary than the distinction between 
 teaching and exhortation, as if these were two distinct 
 ordinances. There Is equal reason to set up an ordi- 
 nance of warning, or of reproving, or of putting in 
 remembrance. In the same manner, praise might be 
 distinguished into three ordinances, because we read of 
 psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. As to another so- 
 lemn ordinance, it might be branched out into several, 
 each denoted by one of the words used by Paul In his 
 first epistle to Timothy, " I exhort therefore, that, first 
 of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving 
 of thank=^, be made for all men," ii. 1, At this rat? 
 
.136 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 we might have as many ordinances of any kind as the 
 Roman Catholics have sacraments. But if ive follow 
 the usage of Scripture, we shall consider public speak- 
 ing to consist in teaching, exhorting, warning, reprov- 
 ing, convicting and putting in remembrance j and we 
 shall reckon all believers without exception bound to 
 teach, to exhort, to warn, to reprove and comfort one 
 another. 
 
 Much as I wish to have done with this part of the 
 discussion, I cannot bat take notice of a common 
 enough observation, — that though the brethren cannot 
 teach, they can put the churches in remembrance. 
 Yes, doubtless they can j but is not this frequently, as 
 when a person is reminded of the well known scenery 
 of his native country by the superficial description of 
 the way- faring man who tarried in it only for a night ? 
 One vvay, it will be acknowledged, in which the intel- 
 ligent and judicious may learn even from the simple 
 and uninformed, is by hints which give origin in the 
 former to a train of reflections which never occurred to 
 the latter. But this does not justify public leaching 
 by such persons. And the supposed benefits of it, in 
 furnishing teachers with topics on which to enlarge, 
 must, one would think, encourage a loose unpremeditated 
 modeof teaching, difFerentfromwhatmightbe expected, 
 if the precepts of Scripture were observed. " Meditate 
 upon these things j give thyself wholly to them ; that 
 thy profiting may appear to all," 1 Tim. iv. 15. It 
 so happens, however, that the idea of putting in re- 
 membrance cannot without violence be connected, as 
 is done, with modern exhortation j for the brethren at 
 large are not any where said to put in remembrance. 
 On the contrary, this is said to have been done by the 
 Holy Spirit himself, by the apostles of the Lord, and 
 
taught in the first Churches. Isf 
 
 by other teachers. The Holy Spirit could teach the 
 disciples all things, and bring to their recollection 
 whatever Christ had said to them, John xiv. 26. 
 Peter, by inspired epistles, reminded the believers of 
 the things they hac'- formerly heard : by means of these 
 epistles, they were, after his decease, " to have these 
 things always in remembrance." Timothy, by putting 
 the brethren " fn remembrance," was to be " a good 
 minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of 
 faith and of good doctrine," 1 Tim. iv. 6. If then 
 the idea of putting in remembrance is always in Scrip- 
 ture connected with the work of the ministry, is it not 
 unfair to represent this as if it attached to what is called 
 " exhortatiyn r" And does not this, with other misap- 
 plications of Scripture, tend to show, cither that the 
 ordinance of exhortation is a modern invention, or that 
 our brethren find it hard to defend the practice by a 
 fair exhibition of Scripture facts, and a just application 
 of Scripture language ? 
 
 If no such thing existed in the days of the apostles 
 as an ordinance of exhortation, distinct from the teach- 
 ing of the gifted men, it clearly follows that no such 
 thing can be referred to in the passage which we pro- 
 posed to consider. Let us hear Mr Carson on this 
 pissnge. ' He that teacheth, on teaching} he that ex- 
 ' horteth, on exhortation : the same person may be 
 
 * preacher, teacher and exhorter j but the things them- 
 
 * selves are sufficiently different. Nay, they may all 
 ' be found in the same address, without having their 
 ' distinction in the least confounded," p. 252. What 
 then, we ask, should such an address be called ? Might 
 it not be called either preaching, teaching or exhorta- 
 tion ? This would be agreeable to Scripture, where 
 doubtless these words arc often used interchangeably. 
 
 M 3 
 
138 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 To suppose every clause of the passage under con- 
 sideration to refer to a distinct class of persons^ or to 
 a distinct ordinance, would lead to the establishment 
 of offices and ordinances which cannot be found in 
 other parts of Scripture. In such enumerations, a 
 change of persons is not always intended, though a 
 distinct attribute or duty is specified. Thus the ex- 
 pressions, " He that is holy, he thav is true, he that 
 hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no 
 man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth," — all 
 refer to the Lord Jesus, to whom these various attri- 
 butes belong. If, as we endeavoured to prove, they 
 who had the gift of tongues invariably possessed some 
 other gift besides, it follows, that the enumerations 
 of gifts and gifted persons in 1 Cor. xii. cannot be ex- 
 plained without the aid of the principle which warrants 
 our applying the different expressions in Rev. iii. 7. 
 as quoted above, to the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, 
 " the law was made for (lies against) ungodly, and 
 sinners, unholy and profane," 1 Tim. i. 9* All 
 these characters belong to " the lawless and disobe- 
 dient," who are mentioned in the same place, yet few 
 of this description have been " murderei's of fathers 
 and murderers of mothers." This shows, that in 
 such enumerations there is sometimes a change of 
 persons, sometimes not. In the passage before us 
 the prophet may be fairly distinguished from the 
 teacher, because the prophets and teachers were ge- 
 nerally different persons. He too that ruled must have 
 also taught, because all those who were to rule the 
 church must have been " apt to teach." Nor is it 
 with us a matter of doubt, whether the same person 
 both taught and exhorted, because the Scriptures en- 
 join these things on the same person. All Iiowevor 
 
taught in the JirsLChurches. 139 
 
 we contend for is, that the enumeration in the pas- 
 sage before us, will never support the exhortation for 
 which our brethren contend. Some of them acknow- 
 ledge this. Let those who deny it prove, that in the 
 first churches there was an ordinance of exhortation 
 by those who had not spiritual gifts. If tlie preced- 
 ing remarks did not appear to us to demonstrate the 
 direct reverse, we might have enlarged them ten 
 times in extent. 
 
 As the apostles taught the same things in every 
 church, (how often do our friends tell us this !) 
 the church in Rome could have no ordinance that was 
 not observed, for example, by the churches in Ephe- 
 sus and Corinth. — The church in Rome had prophets 
 and teachers in common with other churches. On 
 these is enjoined by Paul, the exercise of their respec- 
 tive gifts. But the farther edification of the church 
 was an object which he earnestly desired to promote. 
 " For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you 
 some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established," 
 chap. i. 11. This new gift being supei-added, would 
 give them a fresh display of the grace and power of 
 Jesus ', and accumulate their treasures of wisdom and 
 spiritual understanding. Hence, since the apostle 
 could not make too high an estimate of his own ser- 
 vices, or of the benefits to result from his intended visit 
 to Rome, his longing to see the believers there, in or- 
 der to impart to them some spiritual gift, exhibits in 
 a light which could not shine more clearly, how much 
 on these depended the improvement of the saints. 
 
 Thus have we endeavoured to elucidate the position, 
 that both fitness for public teaching, and the edifica- 
 tion of the churches, are invariably attributed to spiri- 
 tual gifts. Let those who think they have reason t« 
 
140 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 be of a different opinion, invalidate the evidence, an,^ 
 try to prove the contrary. But if the plain account 
 of the institution of an ordinance, in one epistle, the 
 naked exhibition of it in another, and injunctions to 
 continue in it, in a third, affoi-d clearer and more cer- 
 tain information, as to its nature and extent, than the 
 reasonings of men urged with ever so much impe- 
 tuosity and confidence, we are bound to reject such 
 reasoning, and the practice founded on it, for the sake 
 of a scriptural practice, established upon a scriptural 
 foundation. 
 
 Against the position, that only they who had spiri- 
 tual gifts tauglit in the first churches, the most co- 
 gent argument in all Mr Haldane's publication, is, 
 in his own opinion of it. That the false teachers 
 spoke without spiritual gifts. ' Here then,' he ob- 
 serves, ' are instances which cannot be set aside, of 
 ' persons who had not the Spirit, teaching in the pri- 
 ' mitive churches ; and this fact subverts the founda- 
 
 * tion of the theory of those who oppose exhortation, 
 
 * on the ground that we have no instance of an unin- 
 ' spired person teaching,' p. 58. 
 
 If Mr H. had properly attended to the nature of 
 the evidence arising from this fact, he would have seen 
 it to be positively subversive of his own theor\'. We 
 formerly adverted to the reason of the success of the 
 false teachers. They spoke in the churches because 
 they were false teachers, and therefore deceitful arro- 
 gant pretenders to the function of either apostles, pro- 
 phets or teachers. Accordingly " they served their 
 own bellies," and obtained " filthy lucre," which 
 shows that they assumed a different character from 
 modern exhorters, whom Mr H., I presume, would 
 not requite with lucre of any kind. In doing so^ thej 
 
taught in the frst Churches. 141 
 
 imitated something which existed, that is teaching by 
 select persons, and not what did not exists namely 
 exhortation by all the men promiscuously. What 
 then are we to gather from there having been false 
 Christs, false apostles^ and false prophets ? tliat the 
 disciples practised indiscriminate exhortation ? No, 
 but that there h:id appeared the true Messiah, who sent 
 forth apostles and prophets. But where can a posi- 
 tive example be found of a true disciple teaching pub- 
 licly, who had not some extraordinary endowment ? 
 Mr H. both feels the necessity of this kind of evi- 
 dence, and admits the want of it, when he tries to 
 make so much of a fact which militates against his 
 system, as much in reality as that Paul, or Agabus, 
 or Epaphroditus, spoke in the primitive churches. 
 
 Notwithstanding the length to which this discus- 
 sion has already extended, notice must still be taken of 
 what is said in Heb. x. 25. " Not forsaking the assem- 
 bling of ourselves together, as the manner of some 
 is ; but exhorting one another : and so much the 
 more as ye see the day approaching." This passage 
 has, in our apprehension, been inconsiderately made a 
 foundation of argument in support of public exhor- 
 tation by the brethren promiscuously. 
 
 They who contend from it in favour of this 
 practice take for granted ; first, that there was such 
 an ordinance, distinct from regular teaching ; and 
 secondly, that this ordinance is in Scripture called ex- 
 hortation — ' that one ordinance of mutual exhorta- 
 ' tion.' But we have already endeavoured to evince, 
 that the ' one ordinance' contended for, had no exis- 
 tence whatever in the first age ; and that to apply to 
 such a practice the term exhortation, as if it were 
 thus denominated in Scripture, is altogether ground- 
 
142 Only they rvho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 less. We shall now attempt to show, that they wh« 
 most strenuously contend for it from the passage be- 
 fore \\s, have been guilty of great inconsistency and 
 self-contradiction, and that the passage is no ground 
 for such an ordinance at all. 
 
 The Jews and Gentiles being united in Christ, 
 had the same ordinances. There can therefore be no 
 ordinance enjoined on the Hebrews, which was not 
 taught to the Corinthians, and observed by them. 
 But the public speakers in Corinth were not the men, 
 as distinguished from the women, but the gifted men 
 as distinguished from the rest of the disciples, in the 
 very same way in which the former are distinguished 
 from the latter in the epistle to the Ephesians, chap. 
 iv. and 1 Cor. xi;. Unless then the passage under 
 consideration is contrary to these, it enjoins no pub- 
 lic exhortation by the brethren who had not spiritual 
 gifts. It is evident there was no ordinance of brother- 
 ly exhortation in the church of Corinth, besides the 
 prophesying and teaching of the gifted men. 
 
 ' The Hebrews,' says Mr Ewing, ' had persons a- 
 ' mong them who either as apostles, gifted brethren, 
 ' or bishops, had " the rule over them," — " watched 
 
 * for their souls," — and " spoke to them the word of 
 
 * God." We have seen, that persons of these de- 
 ' scriptions were enjoined to give public exhortations. 
 
 * If we allow that, in the passage in question, Paul, in 
 ' a single word, alludes to the whole exercises of their 
 ' assembled church ; ought we not to refer this allu- 
 ' sion to the work of those, whose duty it is known to 
 ' have been, to conduct those exercises. Must we 
 ' set aside the exhortation of apostles, prophets, evan- 
 ' gelists, pastors and teachers, in order to make way 
 
 * for exhortation by other brethren, who are never 
 
 * paid in Scripture to have attempted any such thing ? 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 145 
 
 ' May we even add this last sort of exhortation to 
 
 * that of the others ?' p. 17S. 
 
 To this Mr Carson repUes, ' I resist this mode of 
 
 * reasoning, not merely as setting aside this ordinance, 
 
 * but as setting aside all the privileges and duties of Chris- 
 
 * tians. I resist it, as opposed to the definite meaning of 
 
 * language, and subversive of truth, in general,' p. 26l . 
 
 Now, what does Mr C. resist ? — The reasoning 
 ■which confmes public exhortation to the same kind of 
 persons, who, he insists, were the exhorting brethren 
 at Corinth. All persons of the same description that 
 exhorted at Corinth, it is allowed to him, exhorted in 
 Judea, and, yet this sets aside in Judea the ordinance 
 as observed at Corinth ! ! When Mr Carson then 
 ' would rest with ever}'^ confidence' on the practice of 
 the church at Corinth, as a clear and full warrant for 
 promiscuous exhortation, ' were there not one injunc- 
 ' tion in all the Sciiptures to this purpose ;' and yet 
 would suppose this ordinance to be set aside by the 
 same view of the public exercises of the Hebrews, 
 which he takes himself of the public exercises of the 
 Corinthians — it follows, that either his confidence in 
 the practice of the Corinthians is xnifounded, or his 
 i-easoning about the practice of the Hebrews is errone- 
 ous : that his confidence in the former is unfounded, 
 has been proved already ; that his reasoning about the 
 latter is erroneous, is a necessary consequence. 
 
 Mr C. resists the reasoning of Mr Ewing, ' as set- 
 ' ting aside all the privileges and duties of Christians/ 
 But he must have a wrong view indeed of the foun- 
 dation of Christian privileges and duties^ if he con- 
 tends, that these are set aside by pleading, that the 
 practice of the churches in Judea was the same with 
 that of the churches in Greece. Mr C. reasons thus : 
 * The same body which is comixianded to assemble, 
 
144 Only they who Had Spiritual Gijln 
 
 ' is commanded to Texhort. Every thing that h'mks 
 
 * the term exhorting, must limit the term forsaking,' 
 p. 262. Now, supposing the term exhorting to refer 
 to public exhortation, (whether it does so or not will 
 be afterwards considered), we sliall prove Mr C.'s no- 
 tion of the passage to be erroneous, both from princi- 
 ples allowed by himself and others, and from the lan- 
 guage of Scripture. 
 
 ' I proceed then,' says Mr Braidwood, ' to justify 
 ' public speaking in the churches, by all who are pos- 
 ' sessed of useful gifts, requesting that I may be con- 
 ' sidered as extending the obligation no farther,' p. l63. 
 To aigue that it is ' the duty of all the brethren to 
 
 * exhort in the church, whether they are possessed of 
 ' gifts or not — this refutes itself,' in the opinion of 
 Mr Haldane, p. 16. And Mr Carson says, ' If it is 
 
 * possible that among a hundred Christians, none 
 
 * could be found capable of reading, praj'^ing, &c. (we 
 presume the &c. includes exhorting) ' to edification, I 
 
 * think they are not called upon to observe any ordi- 
 ' nance in public,' p. 245. 
 
 Do not these sentiments proceed from the very ra- 
 tional belief, that only those who had ' gifts,' ' useful 
 
 * gifts' and could ' speak to edification,' exhorted pub- 
 licly in the first churches ? To such then must be 
 limited the injunctions of Scripture respecting public 
 exhortation ; unless it can be shown, that those who 
 had not useful gifts, and could not speak to edification, 
 were commanded actually to exhort in public. What 
 then is the difference between Mr Ewing and his op- 
 ponents ? It is this. He confines exhortation to 
 those who are known to have publicly exhorted ; they 
 also confine it to such as had gifts for public speaking, 
 but among this number, they unhappily include many 
 
taught in the Jlrst ChurcTies. 145 
 
 who are never said in the word of God (though ofteH 
 ia their books) to have done any such thing. 
 
 Again, if the injunction in the tenth chapter of the 
 epistle to the Hebrews were found in one of the 
 epistles to the Corinthians, would the apostle's limita- 
 tion of public teaching to the gifted brethren, be 
 contrary to the definite meaning of that injunction ? 
 Yet these were not the body, but particular members 
 that were " set in the body :" they were not the church, 
 but inspired individuals who were " set in the church." 
 Hence Mr C.'s position, ' that every thing which 
 
 * limits the term exhorting must limit the term for- 
 
 * saking,' is evidently erroneous. The term exhort- 
 ing is limited by the exclusion of all the women, but 
 not the term forsaking ; for the women were to as- 
 semble, but not to exhort publicly ; and the one term 
 is limited, but not the other, by the exclusion of all the 
 ungifted men, for they also were to assemble but not 
 to exhort in public. Hence too, if all who were com- 
 manded to assemble, were commanded to exhort 
 when assembled ; and if, as Mr C. contends, the 
 contrary opinion is * opposed to the definite mean- 
 ' ing of language — subversive of truth in general 
 
 * — and sets aside all the privileges and duties of 
 
 * Christians,' Mr C. himself, and other abettors of 
 promiscuous exhortation, advance principles which 
 are chargeable with all these terrible.consequences. It 
 were therefore to be wished, that they really under- 
 stood their own principles better than tliey seem to 
 do. At any rate, it is nothing to us, nor to truth, nor 
 to the chu 'ch of God, whether the principles which 
 \ve defend, (or rather which defend us), agree in 
 every respect with ' the very same canons of criticism' 
 with which Mr C. would not care ' to engage Mr Ewing 
 ' and Mr Brown in the same volume.' And if evfr 
 
1 16 0)1 !i/ iheij who had Sjnritual Gifts 
 
 he write such a volume, he may add to the list of his 
 opponents Mr Braidvvood, John Wesley, Count Zin- 
 zendoffF, Dodwell, and Cardinal Bellarmine ; and in 
 short, all who differ materially from himself, how 
 much soever they may differ the one from the other. But 
 the lines of separation between j)^ofessiHg Christians 
 are often too distinct, and every true Christian must 
 too deeply deplore the evils of needless separation, to 
 be much comforted by the prospect of seeing different 
 parties conjured together into one harmonious deno- 
 mination, by Mr C.'s canons of criticism. 
 
 The passage in question, however, even supposintr 
 it to refer to public exhortation, cannot be made the 
 ground of anj' other exhortation, than that which was 
 given by the gifted men. Some indeed may be so 
 much accustomed to associate with this passage their 
 rotions of brotherly exhortation, as to depend more 
 *on their own interpretation of it, than on the light af- 
 forded by other passages of Scripture, be these ever so 
 clear and satisfactory. Doubtless 1 Cor. xiv. is incompa- 
 rably more full, circumstantial, explicit and decisive 
 on the subject of teaching, than Heb. x. 25. can be 
 thought to be. Those therefore who contend that the 
 prophesying of which the apostle there writes, is the 
 public exhortation enjoined in the latter passage, cannot, 
 w ithout great inconsistency and confusion, contend for 
 more from it than is exhibited in the former, (l Cor. 
 xiv.) and expressly declared in other parts of Sciipture, 
 namely, the teaching of the prophets and other gifted men. 
 But if they choose to argue from Heb, x. 25. in pre- 
 ference to 1 Cor. xiv. they ought clearly and distinct- 
 ly to assign their reasons for this preference. If they 
 grant, that both passages agree, they ought to show 
 the consistency of arguing for an ordinance from th« 
 
taught in thcjirst Churches. 117 
 
 one which the other does not exhibit. If it cannot he 
 evinced from other parts of Scripture, that the ordi- 
 nance commonly called exhortation, existed in the 
 first churches, it is unreasonable to contend for it at 
 all from the passage in question, unless this passage 
 can be proved to be so clear and conclusive on tJie 
 subject, as to establish promiscuous exhortation, let 
 other passages say what fhey will. In this case, in- 
 stead of explaining Heb. x. 25. as a brief notice, by 
 1 Cor. xiv. as being a clear and copious description, 
 the evidence affoided by the latter is enveloped in a 
 cloud, and no thread conducts us through the laby- 
 rinths of speculation which issue from the former. 
 Sucli reasoning, however, like arguments and pretend- 
 ed demonstrations against the testimony of our eyes and 
 cars, though they may puzzle some, and surprise o- 
 thers, instead of producing rational and satisfactory 
 conviction, are calculated only to expose the weak- 
 ness of the cause which they were intended to support- 
 To us the passage appears to refer, not to public, 
 but to private exhortation. Formidable things have 
 been said against taking this view of it ; but they who 
 say such things, must excuse us, because such had 
 been our view of it before the recent controversy be- 
 gan to be agitated ; at a time too when we happened 
 to have only the Bible to consult, without note or com- 
 ment ; and when in our own apprehension at least, 
 we did not stand chargeable with giving preference 
 to those views of divine truth, which, with most un- 
 warrantable liberty taken to judge the secret motives 
 of men's hearts, are alleged to arise from desire 
 to support ' the honour of the officiating clergyman *.' 
 
 • ' As long,' says Mr Carson, ' as the writer of the epistle 
 ' to the Hebrews is allowed to possess, I do not say inspira- 
 
1 48 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 Our first remarks on the passage under considera- 
 tion shall respect the phraseology and terms employ- 
 ed. In the expressions which follow, " Be not faith- 
 less but believing — Be not drunk with wine, but be 
 filled with the Spirit — Labour not for the meat which 
 perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto ever- 
 lasting life"— the meaning is the same as if it were 
 saidj Be believing and not faithless — be filled with the 
 Spirit, and not drunk with wine — labour for the meat 
 which endureth to everlasting life, and not for the 
 meat which perisheth. So in the passage before us, 
 the meaning, we presume, is the same as if it were 
 said, " Exhorting one another, and not forsaking the 
 assembling of ourselves together." It evidently 
 makes no difference as to the meaning of expressions 
 of this kind, which member of the sentence is put 
 foremost ; and yet it appears to us, that the strength 
 of the argument from this passage for promiscuous ex- 
 hortation in public, rests on the circumstance, that 
 *' not forsaking" is placed before " exhorting." On 
 this ground it is argued, that they must assem- 
 ble in order to exhort. But had the term exhort' 
 ing been placed before the phrase not forsaking, 
 might it not be as justly pleaded, that the Hebrews 
 must exhort in order to assemble ? Again, were 
 
 ' tion, but common sense, I will understand Heb. x. 25. of the 
 
 * public exhortations of the brethren. It appears to me, that 
 
 * before I could think otherwise, I must believe, not only 
 
 * that the Scriptures are false,'' &c. p. 257. But a thousand 
 such intemperate expressions, weapons of warfare never em- 
 ployed in the v/ord of God, though powerfully calculated to 
 overawe weak consciences, and to deter from calm investiga- 
 tion, would not amount to the shadow of an argument ; yet 
 to some, we doubt not, they are more impressive than a thou- 
 sand arguments. They make them tremble ! 
 
taught in thejirst Churches. 149 
 
 believing females to adorn their minds in order to be- 
 come modest in their apparel, or to become modest 
 in their apparel in order to adorn their minds ? 1 Tim. 
 ii. 9, 10. 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4. The truth is, in injunctions 
 of this kind two things are brought to view ; the. one 
 to be done, the other not to be done : but no intima- 
 tion is given which is to be first or last. What ! it 
 will be said, is it not evident, that they were first to 
 assemble and then to exhort ? If this be evident, it is 
 either from the phraseology of the text, or from the 
 nature of the thmgs spoken of: but neither of these 
 considerations will prove that they v/ere first to as- 
 semble, and then to exhort. Unless it can be proved, 
 that believers could not exhort until they had assem- 
 bled publicly, it is impossible to show that the apostle 
 nieans, exhort when assembled, any more than as- 
 semble when you have exhorted *. 
 
 • Mr Haldane considers Archbishop Newcoiiie's version 
 of this passage as arbitrary and unnatural — an interpretation, 
 not a translation. But exhorting to it, is not more ai-bitrary. 
 and not more an interpretation, than exhorting one another, in 
 oar version. The sentence is evidently elliptical, and some- 
 thing must be supplied to complete the sense. An active verb, 
 exhort, must have something to act upon. Surely JMr H.'s own in- 
 terpretation, " when assembh'd, should exhort one am.thcr,'" its 
 as arbitrary as the version he opposes. 
 
 Neither does it seem fair, to represent his own interpretation a» 
 the meaning, * of the truth of which Mr E'.ving seems sensible,'' 
 p. 51'. jNIr E. merely waves the question of tlie moaning of 
 the passage, that he may show, that even this conceded would 
 not establish exhortation to be a particular ordinance. 
 
 I am far from wishing to determine the signification of any 
 past-aj;e of Scripture by authority. The reasons, and not tiie 
 nam:;, of commentators, ought to be re:^ardcd. On the pre- 
 sent occasion, hov.-ever, it may not be improper to quote the opi- 
 
 N3 
 
150 Only they who had Spiriliial Gifts 
 
 The Hebrews at this time were evidently persecut- 
 ed. In various passages, they are supported under 
 the troubles they were called to suffer for the sake of 
 Jesus, chap. X. 32 — 36. xii. 2 — 13. xiii. 13. And 
 who that ever read of the persecutions of either an- 
 cient or modern times, knows not, that besides bitter 
 opposition from relatives at home, believers were often 
 waj'-laid, insulted and apprehended on the road to 
 the place of public "meeting ; that when assembled, 
 they were exposed not only to molestation, but to 
 certain peril, and that strong faith and much patience 
 were necessar}', in order to persevere in such circum- 
 stances in their attendance on the worship of God. 
 " Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and 
 shall kill you : and ye shall be hated of all nations for 
 my name's sake. And many shall be offended (or 
 
 nions of some reputable commentators to show that the sense 
 in which this passage is here understood, is not the result of de- 
 sire to support hypotheses, which I would readily desert, if it 
 can be shown that they are not founded on the word of God. 
 
 Thus Guyse writes : ' Let us admonish, excite and en- 
 « courage each other to frequent our religious assemblies on all 
 
 • occasions, and to go on with cheerfulness in the ways of 
 
 * the Lord.' — Exhorting one another not to desert our ' as- 
 
 * semblies.' — It is an ellipsis of the opposite. Grotiua and 
 Estius in Poll Synopsi ad loc. — * But exhorting, viz. one ano- 
 
 • ther to assemble.' Carpzovius in Ep. ad. Ileb. p. 475. and 
 Rosenmuller also adopts this. 
 
 But the truth is, that the word vec^uxxMu, here rendered 
 exhort, as truly and frequently, both in the Si'ptuagint 
 and New Testament, denotes to encourage, to strengthen, or t« 
 tomfort. See Deut. iii. 28. Job iv. 3. Isa. xxxv. 3. Ivii. 18. 
 apud LXX. Mat. ii. 18. v. 4. Luke xvi. 20. Acts xvi. 40. 
 3 Cor. i. 4. ii. 7. vii. 6. Eph. vi. 22. Col. iv. 8. and many othgr 
 r}>lacet. 
 
 Were the word tob« so rendered here, '• Not forsaking youi' 
 
taught in the first Churches. 151 
 
 ensnared), and shall betray one another, and shall 
 hate one another. And many false prophets shall 
 arise and deceive many. And because iniquity shall 
 abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he 
 that endureth unto the end, the same shall be saved," 
 Mat. xxiv. 9 — 13. It is easy then to see what was to 
 be suffered in a season of persecution by those who 
 would not forsake the assemblies or churches of be- 
 lievers. And even until this day, in those places 
 where " the reproach of Christ" is dealt out in 
 pretty full measure, the feeble-minded and the unstable 
 are not a little discouraged from regular attendance on 
 the means of grace. 
 
 In these words, " Not forsaking the assembling of 
 ourselves together as the manner of some is, but 
 exhorting one another," there is evidently an antithesis 
 
 assembly, (for the word is sw/o-vveey^'yuv, not the verb) as the man- 
 ner of some is, but encouraging, strengthening or comforting^ one 
 another," the object of the admonition might appear fully aa 
 suitable to the connexion, and to the scope and end of the whole 
 epistle. What tends more to discourage and weaken th« 
 minds of Christians, than the irregular attendance of their 
 brethren on religious assemblies, and their with-drawing from 
 these in consequence of worldly apprehensions or di'ead of suf- 
 fering ! How necessary was the admonition, that they should 
 fortify and encourage one another to attend the assembly where 
 the means existed, to promote their stability and growth in 
 grace ! This was the Vi'ay to prevent their apostasy, and to 
 counteract the persecutions by which they were shaken, and 
 in danger of perishing, after they had received the knowledge 
 of the truth. Wakefield accordingly renders the words, 
 " Not abandoning our association, as the manner of some is, 
 but encouraging each other." And it will be allowed, that 
 where he was not warped by his system, no man was his su- 
 perior in understanding the original language. Some old English 
 versions, and even Wickliif 's, were indeed before him in this. 
 
152 Only they tvho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 or contrast. But instead of attending to this^ some 
 insist that exhorting is connected with assembling. 
 The fact, however, evidently is, that exhorting is not 
 connected with assembling, as the}'^ contend ; but con- 
 trasted with forsaking the public assemblies. It is 
 proper to consider wherein this contrast lies. Did 
 not private and mutual exhortation to persevere in 
 the faith and in stedfast attendance on the worship of 
 God, form a striking contrast to the conduct of those, 
 whose manner it was to neglect the assembling of 
 themselves together ? Did such continue to " consider 
 one another to excite to love and to good works, and 
 to exhort one another ?" Does not the context show 
 tliat their example was in every respect discouraging 
 and dangeious ? Do they who now neglect the wor- 
 ship of God in public, maintain the cause of truth in 
 private, and encourage others in the way which they 
 have themselves forsaken ? And w'ould it not be suit- 
 able to say to those who are in danger of following 
 their example. Beware of backsliding, and do not for- 
 sake the assemblies where the Father is worshipped 
 in spirit and in truth, but exhort and encourage one 
 another, whatever you may suffer for the sake of 
 Jesus ? In this view of the passage, it appears to us 
 suitable. Was it not suitable to say to the disciples. 
 Some who once suffered with us, and pi'ofessed to re- 
 joice in Jesus, have now turned back to the sj'^nagogue, 
 the temple and the sacrifices, which could never take 
 away sin. They have their reward. They have e- 
 scaped persecution. Let us not be imitators of them. 
 Let us be faithful unto death, let us exhort one ano- 
 tlier, and not forsake the public assemblies where we 
 have so often seen the power and the glory of cur 
 God and Saviour. 
 
levghl in ihejlrst Churches. 1 5S 
 
 Again we remark, that a disposition to exhort pub- 
 licly is not the contrast of a disposition to apostatize. 
 It was the carnality and not the spirituality of some 
 of the gifted men at Corinth, which made them over 
 forward to exercise their gifts in public. This was 
 decidedly the case with the false teachers, who, though 
 eager to become public speakers whenever it consist- 
 ed with their safety, were at the same time studious 
 to escape persecution. Gal. vi. Nor can a fondness 
 to speak publicly be now, in itself, regarded as evidence 
 of godly zeal, and great courage. That many who 
 have proved unstable and self-conceited, and such as 
 have made shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience, 
 have been most forward to exhort, is abundantly well 
 known. While such continue to meet at all, they will 
 not be backward to exhort. But that in times of per- 
 secution, persons of this description would be most 
 apt to support the sinking minds of others by their 
 private example and admonition, is by no means evi- 
 dent. Such however seems to be the conduct enjoin- 
 ed in the passage before us, in opposition to cowardice, 
 unsteadiness and apostasy. " And let us consider 
 one another, to provoke unto love, and to good M'orks : 
 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as 
 the manner of some is ; but exhorting : and so much 
 tlie more, as ye see the day approaching. For if 
 we sin wilfully (/. e. deliberately and positively apos- 
 tatize) after that we have received the knowledge of 
 tlie truth, there remaineth not yet a sacrifice for sins, 
 but a certain fearful foreboding of judgment, and 
 iiery indignation, which shall devour tlie adversaries." 
 How solemn and impressive are these words ! What 
 pity that the awakening and powerful instruction 
 
] 54 Only they who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 which they contain should be nearly lost amidst the 
 collision of discordant sentiments ! 
 
 We may observe in passing, that to those who see 
 no ground whatever to conclude that there was any 
 such ordinance of public exhortation, as our brethren 
 contend for^ it must seem strange to affirm, that the 
 apostle singles out this practice as the principal object 
 for which the Hebrews were to assemble publicly, and 
 as being eminently calculated to confirm their faith, 
 and to preserve them from apostasy. 
 
 The idea is unnatural and ridiculous in the highest 
 degree. Yet, we are told, that the reasons arc obvi- 
 ous why the Hebrews were commanded to assemble 
 for this kind of exhortation. What ! is it indeed ob- 
 vious, that in preference to the exercise of sjjiritual 
 gifts, the speeches of those who had not such gifts, 
 and who in other respects were far less furnished for 
 public teaching than even exhorters in our own day, 
 •—that these things should be selected as the great 
 object for which it was most desirable to assemble in 
 times of persecution, and in the age of inspiration and 
 miracles .'' Can any one conceive, far less see it obvi« 
 ous, that a kind of exhortation, which must have been 
 inferior to modern promiscuous exhortation, should in 
 such circumstances have been enjoined as the primary 
 object of Christian fellowship, and the chief means of 
 edification and comfort ? Think of Corinth, and be- 
 lieve this ! 
 
 But we, for our part, must believe, that the prophe- 
 sying and teaching of the gifted men, with the read* 
 ing of the Scriptures, prayer, praise and the comme- 
 moration of the dying love of Christ, were incompar- 
 ably better fitted for the increase of their faith and 
 love, than public eshortations from the uninspired 
 
taught in thejfrst Churches. 15.*> 
 
 brethren. The reader, for satisfaction on tliis head, 
 may profitably consult the passages which follow : 
 Ezra V. 1, 2. Isa. xxx. 20, 21. Acts xi. 22 — 24. xiv. 
 2, 3. XV. 32. 
 
 Yet the mutual exliortations of'all in private -were 
 not unimportant. " Heaviness in the heart of man 
 weigheth it down : but a good word makcth it glad." 
 " Iron brightneth iron ; so a man bri^htneth the 
 countenance of his friend." See 1 Thes. v. 14. Heb. 
 xii. 12, 13. Nay we presume the injunction in ques- 
 tion is addressed principally to those who, by 
 cowardly and unstedfast temper and conduct, were in 
 the greatest danger of perishing for ever. It was fit 
 that such should be solemnly warned, and exhorted 
 to the ver}^ opposite of that to which they seemed in 
 tendency. Nor to them was the commandment giiev- 
 ous. The grace and hope of the gospel are calculat- 
 ed to call back cowards and fugitives to the front of 
 the battle. In their flight they hear a voice behind 
 them, saying. Will ye also go away ? Divine power 
 accompanies the voice. Whither, say they in their 
 hearts, whither shall we go ? thou hast the woids of 
 eternal life ; and they shed bitter tears of sorrow for 
 having fled so far. Every one now encourages his 
 fellow to fight the good fight of faith, and to lay hold 
 on eternal life. 
 
 Sweet hope ! it makes the coward brave ; 
 It makes a freeman of the slave. 
 
 And bids the sluggard rise. 
 It lifts a %vorm of earth on high ; 
 Provides him wings, and makes him fly 
 
 To mansions in the skies. 
 
 Mr Kelly's Hymni. 
 
15& O/iIj/ they who had Spiritual CiJ\s 
 
 We shall now conclude these remarks, by submit- 
 ting to the judgment of the reader the following illus- 
 tration. The Jews of old were commanded to sei-ve 
 the Lord, and to assemble from all parts of Judea, 
 three times a-year in Jerusalem. The Ixxxivth Psalm 
 jshows the spirit and perseverance with which the true 
 Israelites obeyed tliis command. But distrust in God, the 
 fear of exposing their cities, their families and posses- 
 sions to surrounding enemies, the length of the journies, 
 the time required from first to last to perform them pe- 
 riodically, and the expense attending them, not to speak 
 of the idolatries to which some in almost every age were 
 addicted, must have discouraged many from duly ob- 
 serving the appointed institutions. The high priest, 
 therefore, after blessing the people, takes notice of 
 these things. He shows the danger — the condemna- 
 tion, to which the disobedient and apostate were ex- 
 posed. He beseeches the people in the name of the 
 Lord, to stimulate one another to works of truth and 
 peace, and not to forsake the assembling of themselves 
 together in Jeiusalem as the manner of some was, 
 but to encourage and exhort one another to appear 
 before the Lord in the place which he had chosen, 
 and so much the more as they saw the day approach- 
 ing, when their trials and discouragements should 
 come to an end. 
 
 Now, with respect to the language to be used. Is 
 there any essential difference, whether the Jews of 
 old were discouraged from attending in Jerusalem by 
 the causes which have been assigned, or whether 
 their posterity afterwards were discouraged by other 
 causes from assembling together as Jesus had appoint- 
 ed ? Nor is it of any consequence, whether in such 
 a case the high priest should have exhorted the Jews?, 
 
laught in the Jirst Churches. 157 
 
 or the apostle the Christians. Enough then — per- 
 haps too much, has been said upon this passage. It 
 certainly will never establish what our brethren con- 
 tend for — a public ordinance of promiscuous exhorta- 
 tion in the days of the apostles, by those who were 
 neither apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, nor 
 teachers. 
 
 The history of Apollos may perliaps occur to some 
 as affording a presumption, that brethren might 
 hiive tauglit without extraordinary gifts. We shall 
 mention freely what occurs to us respecting this elo- 
 quent and zealous disciple. After having been in- 
 structed by Aquila and Priscilla, he went to Achaia, 
 where he greatly helped the brethren, by proving, in 
 opposition to the Jews, " that Jesus was the Christ." 
 His zeal, eloquence, and extensive acquaintance with 
 Scripture, may perhaps with consistency be supposed 
 to have qualified him, without any extraordinary'' gift, 
 for establishing the fact, that Jesus was the promised 
 Messiah. But to have established this fact in oppo- 
 sition to the Jews, required less acquaintance by far 
 with the doctrine, though not perhaps with the history 
 of Christ, than teaching the believers did. At any rate, 
 Apollos was a man of distinguislied abilities and ac- 
 quirements at the time of his greatly helping the 
 brethren in Achaia, many of whom were inspired; 
 for the church in Cenchrea would not have been un- 
 provided with those gifts which were so richly bestow- 
 ed on their neighbours the Corinthians. The fact is, 
 however, that Apollos, from his first acquaintance 
 vath the doctrine of Christ, might have received 
 some spiritual gift. It is not said indeed, that ei- 
 ther he, or Titus, or several otlier labourers in the 
 gospel, l;ad at any time received gifts of this kind. 
 
 O 
 
1 58 Only they who had Spirilual Glj)^ 
 
 But is it not enough, that others are said to Iiave re- 
 ceived such gifts, who needed them as httle as Titus, for 
 instance, would have done ? And is it not e\ ident, 
 that the apostles, prophets, and teachers of the king- 
 dom of God, are all in the clearest manner repie- 
 sented as endowed with extraordinary gifts ? 
 
 I should not do justice to the sul)ject in hand, were 
 I to take no further notice of the irreconcileable con- 
 tradictions which are exhibited by the statements which 
 others have opposed to what has been set forth. Perhaps 
 few have submitted to the disagreeable labour of compar- 
 ing together their various discordant hypotheses. Their 
 sentiments, however, respecting exhortation, have 
 been received in the gross by many indi\'iduals and 
 churches. Tliose writers do not forget to admonish 
 us to be aware of human opinions in religion. Every 
 man should recollect, in giving an admonition of this 
 kind, that his own opinions are human opinions. I 
 doubt not that it will present!}' appear, that more 
 flagrant contradictions, and greater confusion, never 
 were displayed among tliose who wrote on the same 
 side of any question, than among our opponents, re- 
 specting the practice of the first churches. This cer- 
 tainly tends to discredit their opinions respecting 
 that practice. 
 
 We feel cordial satisfaction in mentioning the just 
 and candid acknowledgments of Mr Braidwood. He 
 considers, as was remarked before, Mr Ewihg's ex- 
 planation of 1 Cor. xiv. to be ' so just, and so con- 
 • vincing, that it would be quite superfluous to at- 
 ' tempt a further illustration of that passage.' He 
 BOt only abandons it as a gioimd for promiscuous ex- 
 hortation, but expresses surprise, that Mr Ewing's 
 oppoiKnts ' should call private brethren to the pub- 
 
tmigJil in ikejirsl Churches. 159 
 
 • lie exercise of" tneir gifts^ under the denomination of 
 *' prophets, proposing for their example a class of extra- 
 
 * ordinary men who were divinely inspired,' p. l60. 
 
 Where then^ it may be asked, does Mr B. find the 
 ordinance of exhortation, seeing he excludes it from 
 this chapter ? He finds it in the description which, 
 in the xiith chapter, is given of the body of Christ, 
 because every member of the body is represented as 
 ' contributing to the good of the wliole !' Yet Mr B. 
 is consistent with himself. As he gives up with cor- 
 diality the language of Eph. iv. respecting prophets, 
 {»stors and teachers, and contends for exhortation by 
 the brethren from the apostle's account of the edifica- 
 tion received by the body at large, from all the mem- 
 bers indiscriminately; so, with equal reason giving 
 up the inspired teaching of the Corinthians as a pre- 
 cedent for exhortation, he goes to the xiith chapter 
 for proof of it^ by such as had not spiritual gifts. But 
 to make credible the existence of that practice as a 
 public ordinance, a place must be found for it among 
 the actual exercises of the church. 
 
 Mr Carson, we believe, no where calls in question 
 the extraordinary nature of the gifts of the persons 
 who spoke in the church at Corinth, nor does his the- 
 ory need that he should. The notice we have already 
 taken of his opinion of the practice of that church, 
 almost precludes the necessity of inquiring. Does he, 
 with Mr Braidwood, refuse to ground on it the exhor- 
 tation of the bi-ethren ? or does he, in opposition to 
 him, make it the foundation of the practice in ques- 
 tion ? This he plainly does with all manner of con- 
 fidence. ' Were there not,' he says, ' one injunction 
 ' in all the Scriptuies to tliis purpose, upon the (;rac- 
 ' tice of the church at Corinlh, I would rest with 
 
l60 Onlif thexf who had Spiritual Gifls 
 
 ' every confidence/ p. 257- ' In short, it is their 
 
 * (the bishops') duty to see this ordinance condiict- 
 ' ed according to the apostohcal injunctions, 1 Cor. 
 ' xiv.' p. 251. 
 
 No man, however, is further than Mr Carson is, 
 ' from confounding the distinction between the teach- 
 ' crs and the taught.' He conceives, ' that distinc- 
 
 * tion to be as real, during the exhortation of the 
 
 * brethren, as at any other time,' p. 251. Does it 
 not then follow, that as Mr Braidwood goes to the 
 xiith chapter for the ordijiance of exhortation, because 
 I'.e finds nothing in the xivth chapter but the teach- 
 ing of inspired men ; so Mr C. must go to some 
 other chapter for the ordinance of teaching, because 
 lie finds nothing in the xivth but the exhortations of 
 the brethren ? 
 
 By the distinction between the teachers and the 
 taught, Mr C. evidently means that between rulers or 
 bishops, and other members of churches, as if those 
 alone were teachers. Of the rest he observes, ' Though 
 ' they all possessed miraculous gifts, they did not on 
 ' that account cease to be private members,' p. 225. 
 
 * Miraculous gifts do not make their possessors church- 
 ' rulers. If all the miraculous gifts that ever were 
 
 given by the Holy Spirit, were found to centre in 
 
 * one man, he would not thereby be made a bishop,' 
 p. 157- These are wonderful assertions ! The man 
 in whom all the spiritual gifts resided, (though not 
 ordained a bishop), would thereby be qualified to be 
 first, an apostle, secondly, a prophet, thirdly, a teach- 
 er, after that a worker of miracles, and in a v.ord 
 whatever was extraordinary, eminent and useful in 
 the church of God ! And is this one of Mr C.'s pri- 
 vate brethren ? Is -this one of liis mere exhqrters ? 
 
(aught in ilie first Chirches. t^t 
 
 Wliat a gigantic exhorter must he be among the gift- 
 less brotherhood ! Behind the transcendent histre of 
 this unofficial himinary, how many httle stars might 
 retire into ilhistrious obscurity ! 
 
 It cannot then seem strange in Mr C. to deny the 
 prophets to have been of the teachers, and to level 
 them with the taught, or mere private members. The 
 reader, however, is requested to recollect the fact, as 
 he will afterwards see, that these private unofficial 
 brethren are elevated by Mr C. himself to the rank 
 of extraordinary official persons. 
 
 But though our opponents are so greatly at vari- 
 ance as to the exhorters in the church at Corinth, 
 they are perfectly agreed that those who had not spi- 
 ritual gifts might have been teachers and rulers, both 
 there and in other churches similarly endowed : that 
 is, the uninspired were the teachers, the inspii-ed the 
 taught ! Is this the body of Christ, as fitly framed 
 together by infinite Wisdom ? or is it the deformed 
 offspriiig of human imagination .? How contrary is it 
 to every just idea of the nature and design of public 
 teaching ! Alas, alas, that our brethren should have 
 taught this new kind of transubstantiation ! Does it 
 indeed belong to systems, which are valued and vaunt- 
 ed on account of their plainness and simplicity, or 
 to the inscrutable mysteries of the ghostly mother- 
 church ? 
 
 This statement of the sentiments we oppose, would 
 b(B very incomplete without a further exhibition of 
 Mr Haldane's views. In fact, no opinions on any 
 subject can be more sceptical and indeterminate, than 
 Mr H.'s are on ihat of spiritual gifts. He does not 
 profess to have arrived a any certa nty respecting it. 
 * Our theories upon it,' he thinks, * must be very 
 
 03 
 
162 OiiJi/ ilieij who had Spirit mil Gifts 
 
 ' problematical. That there were prophets wlio are 
 ' classed next in order to the apostles, is certain ; but 
 ' that all who arc said to prophesy were of this order, 
 ' is by no means clear,' p. So. He greatly doubts 
 ■whether all the persons (the prophets in particular) 
 referred to in 1 Cor. xiv. were possessed of extraordi- 
 nary gifts ; 3'et some of them are allowed to have 
 possessed such gifts, p. S6. 
 
 Hence one would naturall}'^ expect, that his practi- 
 cal directions from so problematical a theory, would 
 be delivered with a degree of hesitation corresponding 
 to the uncertainty which marks the theory itself. But 
 this is far from being the case. He reasons all the 
 while, as if he had established without any doubt, that 
 prophecy was merely uninspired discourse. Without 
 waiting to decide whether the foundation is sand or 
 rock, or both these together, the corner-stone is laid, 
 and the building goes on with rapidity. Now, is 
 Mr H. commendable in this } Is this Lord Bacon's 
 plan, which Mr H. recommends in his View of Social 
 Worship ? Must not facts be ascertained, or principles 
 established, before we can proceed to induction, and 
 reason from them with certainty and satisfaction ? 
 This surely is not less necessary on the point in hand 
 than on any other topic whatever ; as indeed appears 
 from his manr.er of handlirjg the subject of spiritual 
 gifts. The whole is thrown into a state of confu- 
 si«n and uncertainty. But a suitable precedent, we 
 confess, is thereby estabhshed for common practice in 
 indiscriminate teaching. 
 
 * I have said so much,' observes Mr H. ' on 1 Cor. 
 ^ xiv. not because I regard this chapter as * both 
 
 * the authority and example for the duty of brotherly 
 
 * esJigrtation,' if by ttu€ be aicaut the (Mily, or even 
 
taught in ihejtrst Churches. 163 
 
 ' the chief authority and example *, but to correct 
 ' some misapprehensions about spiritual giftsj and es- 
 ' pecially to bear my testimony against a mode of 
 ' reasoning from them, which, if followed to its fair 
 'and legitimate consequences, must lead believers to 
 
 * think, that unless they are public teachers they have 
 ' no gifts for which they are accountable, and must 
 ' throw every thing loose in the order of a church of 
 
 * Christ,' p. 40. And how has Mr H. corrected those 
 misapprehensions ? First, by pronouncing the subject 
 inexplicable ; secondly, by involving it in obscurity ; 
 and thirdly, by converting prophecy into exhortation. 
 And what is the mode of reasoning of which he dis- 
 approves ? It is this : Spiritual gifts are considered 
 to have been of a miraculous nature ; and to have 
 completely fitted those on whom they were bestowed 
 for the duty of public teaching. They therefore offi- 
 ciated, and were distinguished among their brethren, 
 as the teachers among the taught. From this it is 
 inferred, that public teaching should be still a worlc 
 by select persons only, and not by all indiscriminate- 
 \y, and that churches should still consist of the teach- 
 ers and the taught. This is the mode of reasoning, 
 and these some of its fair legitimate consequences^ 
 which Mr H. thinks ' must throw every thing loose 
 ' in the order of a church of Christ t.' 
 
 • Mr Carson makes it * the chi-.-f authority and example,' 
 insomuch that he would rest on it with ' every confidence,* 
 were there no other in Scripture. To appeal from this chap- 
 ter to Rom. IV. 14. for instance, is, to say the least, unworthy 
 ef just views of evidence. 
 
 •|- Not only do we think that our opponents have in inany 
 respects violated the order of churches, but we lament that 
 their system bas intrftduccd « desolating isclieme, whicb ha« »■ 
 
] 64< Only tJifT/ who had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 After all, we presume Mr H. has given us reason 
 to think, that had he maturely considered the subject 
 of spiritual gifts, he would not have contended for pro- 
 iniscuous exhortation. ' Had the Lord intended the 
 
 * edification of the brethren to be exclusively promot- 
 
 * ed by men in ofRce, we should have found miiaculous 
 
 * gifts bestowed only on elders, that an example might 
 
 * be left on record for our direction,' p. 33. This re- 
 mark is, upon the whole, v.'orthy of the good sense of 
 the writer. Now, if we have proved that his idea is 
 verified, and that actually only those in office, apostles, 
 prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, had gifts 
 for the edification of the churches, we have clearly re- 
 corded the supposed example. The number of these 
 is nothing to the purpose. The teachers are distin- 
 guished from the taught. All were not prophets : all 
 were not teachers. If then the speaking of pastors 
 and teachers is too high a precedent for the exhorta- 
 tion of the brethren, so doubtless is the teaching of 
 prophets and evangelists. These possessed an office as 
 well as those did. If then the Lord gave spiritual 
 gifts exclusively to men in office, who are those who 
 throw every thing loose in the order of the churches ? 
 
 Now, before our brethren can succeed in convincing 
 those who differ from them as to the practice of the 
 
 tendency to annihilate churches. Messrs Haldane, Carson, &c. 
 contend tliat two or three make a church, Mr Ballantine now 
 holds that one alone may eat the Lord's supper ! Against 
 such things Mr Braidwood reasons strenuously. The number 
 of little, captious, censorious factions produced by this doc- 
 trine, is a terrible evil to the church of God. What were the 
 churches of which we read in the New Testament ? Societies 
 of a permanent nature, gathered and set in order by the apostlea 
 and their fellow-labourers 
 
taught in the fast Churches. 1()5 
 
 ^rst churclics, they must first a'. tain some tolerable a- 
 greement among themselves. For they are not in this 
 instance at variance in their treatment of subordinate 
 arguments, but of what must ever remriin the surest 
 foundation of our practice in regard to teaching, either 
 by S'ilcct persons only, or by the brethren in general. 
 
 * Whtn men,' it has been said, ' dispute against the 
 
 * liuth, what one of them builds up, is presently pulled 
 ' down by another.' Whatever cordiality ?.nu agreement 
 cur opponents preserve in urging into their service pre- 
 ceptsof a general nature, (and it Vv'ould be thewisdom of 
 all of them to take their stand here), v/ith respect to the 
 practice of the church so often referred to, the scene entire- 
 ly changes : they halt, they stumble, they contend and are 
 dashed one against another. Do we then plead for any 
 thing which our opponents, either jointly or severally, 
 llave not completely surrendered ? \Vith Mr Eraid- 
 v,-ood, we believe the gifted men at Corinth to have 
 been all inspired teachers ; with Mr Carson, we view 
 them to have been the exhorters there *, and with Pv'Ir 
 Haldane we must confess, that if only men in omce had 
 miraculous gifts, an example is recorded to distinguish 
 in all ages between the teachers and the tauuht. 
 
 Pvlessrs H. and C. vit would observe in passing, ap- 
 pear to maintain, that none are to be acknowledg- 
 ed as teachers, unless they are also pastors. Mr 
 B. we think is of a different opinion, p. 59. j and so 
 have all Christians been hitherto. All denominations 
 employ men as teachers, who are not for a time, and 
 perhaps not at all, appointed to be pastoi-s. Were the 
 teachers mentioned in 1 Cor. xii. all pastors ? Or is 
 there any proof, that any one of the teachers at Corinth 
 v.-as yet appointed to this office ? Are the pastors and 
 teachers in Eph. iv. to be coniidcrcd the same ? Is it 
 
1 S6 Only they who had Spirilual Gifts 
 
 noL evident, that from the time men received extraor- 
 dinary illumination, ihey became cither prophets or 
 teachers, accordinjj to the nature of the gift bestowed 
 on them r But none became pastors till they were 
 chosen by the church, and regularly set apart. Is it 
 not clear from 1 Tim. iii. that men might be even " apt 
 (qualified) to teach," who could not be chosen as pastors. 
 A new convert must not be chosen^ yet new con verts were 
 inspired to teach. This was the opinion of at least some 
 of the fathers, of the reformers, and of the old English 
 independents, and it appears to be agreeable to Scrip- 
 lure, and to what all denominations are obliged to prac- 
 tise. 
 
 ■TertulIIan, we have been reminded, has declared 
 that the dislinclion between the pries.ts and the people 
 is of the church's making. Unscri'ptural distinctions 
 of any kind, we do not wish to acknowledge 5 nor do 
 we like to employ unscriptural terms; yti in the language 
 of prophecy, the teachers of the church of Christ are 
 sometimes called priests and levites, as the gospel wor- 
 ship is in it described in the phraseology of Moses. We 
 are nevertheless bound by the usage of the New Ten- 
 lament, to employ the terms which are strictly expres- 
 sive of the real character and work of pastors and 
 teachers. But if TcrtuUian must be understood to mean, 
 that the distinction between the teachers and the taught 
 had no higher origin than the church's making, we 
 must class this opinion with his other known extrava- 
 gancies. 
 
 Some light will be afforded on the practice of the 
 churches in those days, by the following passage from 
 Sir Peter King's " Enquiry into the Constitution, &c. 
 of the Primitive Church." We must, however, first 
 premise, that by clergy and laity the writer evidently 
 
iaitglU in the^rsl Churches. 1 G7 
 
 means, "-nr'' as '.^f e ordained to be bishops and pres- 
 byters, and those who were not. This we deny to be 
 the scriuturtl di^Linction between the teachers and the 
 taught. ' As for the preachtr himself, it was usually 
 
 * the bishop of the parish. So saith Justin MartJjr, 
 
 * The bishop preaoiieft by way of ixsTRUCTioy and 
 ' EXJWRT.iTios to the imilation of those excellent 
 ' things which we read. Or else he desired a presby- 
 
 * ter, or some other fit person, to preach in his room.' 
 ' Origen, going fr -n hxandria Palestine, by the 
 
 * desire of the bishops of that country, publicly preach- 
 
 * ed in the church, and expounded the Holy Scriptures, 
 
 * although he was not yet in holy ordt-rs. At which 
 
 * action, wlien Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, was 
 
 * oifended, Alexander bishop of Jerusalem, and Theoc- 
 ' tistiis of Cesarea, vvrit to him in defence of it, as ful- 
 
 * lows : Whereas you write in your letter, That it was 
 
 * never before seen or done, that laymen should preach 
 ' in the presence of bishops, tlierein you wander from 
 ' the truth ; for wheresoever any are found, thai are 
 'Jit to profit the brethren, the holy bishops, of their 
 ' own accord, ask them to preach unto t/ie people. So 
 ' Eutrljjis was desired by Neon bishop of Laranda, 
 ' and Paulinus by Celsus of Iconimn, and 'J heodorus 
 
 * by Auicu^ of Synnada, our most blessed brethren ; 
 ' : is credible, that this is likewise done in other 
 'places, though we know it *.' 
 
 We shall observe on this passage only, that Alex- 
 ander of Jerusalem, and Theoct;slus of Cesarea, seem 
 to have better understood the principles of Scripture, 
 than the lofty hi->hop of Alexandria. And if anv now 
 should be found lo deny to churches, the liberty of calliiig 
 
 • Part ii. pp. 14, Ij. 
 
3,08 Only they nho had Spiritual Gifts 
 
 those to teach ihem whom they judge to be quahfied, 
 his interference should be rejected as promptly and 
 decidedly, as if, on the contrary, he maintained .their 
 obhgation to hear such as they judge to be unquali- 
 fied. 
 
 It is much indeed to be lamented, that on the distinc- 
 tion in question has been reared the proud superstructure 
 of priestly domination. The ancient Scribes and Pha- 
 risees exhibited a pattern which has betn too success- 
 fully copied by innumerable followers. Their cove- 
 tousness, their titles, their peculiar robes, their jealou- 
 sy and hatred of other teachers, their contempt of 
 the people, and their high notions of their own im- 
 portance, form the soul of priestly authority, and exhibit 
 the genuine features of spiritual pride. But although Je- 
 sus held up the conduct of the Scribes to decided and 
 everlasting reprobation, and warned the disciples a- 
 gainst their baneful example, he did not abolish the 
 office of teacher for fear of the recurrence in his king- 
 dom of similar abuses. Nor would the disciples need 
 such warning, unless their gifts, employment and re- 
 spectability might induce others to give, and them to 
 receive, the meretricious and sordid distinctions in 
 which the Scribes so much delighted. Every proper 
 teacher is more or less in the same danger*. His attain- 
 ments, finictions and usefulness, in some measure expose 
 him to it. Butwlien persons are appointed to be teachers 
 who are not qualified to teach, or whose time and 
 thoughts are much engrossed and entangled by the af- 
 fairs of this life, though they may honour themselves, 
 perhaps others will not. Their inaptitude to teach will 
 
 * None however are in so great danger of being elated i» 
 tlreii' office, as tliej who are unfit to fill it. 
 
laught in the first Churches. 169 
 
 in some degree preserve them from the danger of 
 being called Rabbi, Rabbi ; and the respectability 
 which arises from usefulness in the church and in the 
 world, will seldom introduce them to the chief seal^ 
 and uppermost rooms. 
 
 All however acknowledge the distinction between 
 the teachers and the taught, and their practice may 
 justlj' be viewed as the application of this principle. 
 But to acknowledge, that all are not teachers, nor fit 
 to teach, and to affirm that all may teach publicly 
 and are so commanded, is most inconsistent. The 
 truth to be spoken, the persons to be addressed, and 
 the object of addressing them, are in every case the 
 same, whoever is employed to edify the church. If 
 the Scriptures have made no distinction between the 
 teachers and the taught, neither ought we to make 
 any. But if indeed we admit of any, let us adopt 
 that which is made in the word of God. There can- 
 not be any other of a rational kind. It is marked in 
 Scripture by the possession of gifts, by the necessity 
 of these for this end, and by the benefits ascribed ex- 
 clusively to these as the means which God was pleas- 
 ed to provide for the edification of the church. 
 
 Some of the above remarks will, I hope, pre- 
 vent the tendency of the preceding illustration from 
 being misunderstood. To that illustration no addi- 
 tion shall be made, not because materials are want- 
 ing, but because it is presumed so much has been al- 
 ready said, as abundantly demonstrates, that only 
 they who had extraordinary endowments gave public 
 instruction in the first age. In no part indeed of 
 Scripture, is mention made of any church or indivi- 
 dual as possessing the knowledge and utterance essen- 
 tial to the duties of public teaching and exhortation in 
 
 P 
 
170 Onlj/ l/'ii'i/ ivho had Hpiiitual Gifts 
 
 the churches of tlie "saints, witl;out such special gifts 
 as were then imparted to prophets and teachers. The 
 silence of Scripture will never prove that men who 
 had not spintual gifts, wxre appointed to be teachers 
 in that age of light and poH'er, vthcrein signs and won- 
 ders and divers miracles and distributions of the 
 Holy Spirit universally accompanied the progress of 
 the gospel : a position so obviously unteiiabic, as 
 that for which our brethren contend, would need to 
 be supported by the plain sober language of reference 
 to facts. These are numerous and circumstantial on 
 tlie subject of public teaching by qualified and select 
 persons. In the midst of Scripture testimonies, shines 
 as a lamp of peculiar splendour, the exhibition of the 
 whole teaching and worship of the church at Corinth. 
 Around this as a centre may be variously airangcd 
 niiny other lights, of less magi'itude indeed, but of 
 eoual brightness, forming altogetlier a most luminous 
 constellation. To this our brethren would do well to 
 take heed, " as unto a light that shineth in a dark 
 place," as they would not wish to be found mislead- 
 ing by their speculations the churches of the living 
 God. 
 
 The sum of the evidence we have offered is 
 tliis : Miraculous supply having never been afforded 
 f.at in cases of necessity, shows, that the spiritual gifts 
 of the first churches were essential to their edification ; 
 
 the circumstances of their teachers with respect to 
 
 the Scriptures, and the persons to be taught, rendered 
 These gifts indispensable : — accordingly, wherever the 
 subject is explained, both the fitness of teachers, and 
 the edification of the saints, are uniformly ascribed to 
 this one cause : — and the atteuipts v.hicb liave been 
 
taught in thf ^i\st Churches. ITi 
 
 wiade by the most intelligent, and experienced of our 
 oppotients, to set aside the fact, appear so inconsider- 
 ate, contradictory and strange, fs to confirm the trutli 
 by the feebleness of opposition. The conclusion the;i 
 is, That the siippohied ordinance of exhortation, ti;c 
 \c\y nanne of which is a Scripture term perverted, 
 owes its existence wholly to human speculation ; while 
 that of teaching and exhortation by nt and select per- 
 sons, is too clear to be denied, either by our opponents 
 in this controversy, or by any other pcrsoiis who re- 
 tain in their assemblies the Ibrni of public worship. 
 Richly may the church of God experience the fulfil- 
 ment of the divine promise — " And though the Lord 
 give you the bread of adversity, and the water of af- 
 fliction, yet shall not th}' teachers be removed into a 
 corner imy more, but thine eyes shall see thy teach- 
 ers : and fhine ears shall hear a word behind thee, 
 saying. This is the wa}', walk ye in it, when ye turn 
 to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left," Isa. 
 XXX. 20, 21. Faithfully may her teachers perform 
 the important work to which the Lord has called 
 them — " Feed the flock of God which is among you, 
 taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but 
 willingly ; nor for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; 
 neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being 
 ensamples to the flock," 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. And peace- 
 fully may the disciples walk in the way of holiness — 
 " Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit 
 yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as they 
 that must give account ; that they may do it with^ 
 joy, and not with grief: for that is unpro.^aable fee 
 you," Heb. xiii. 17. 
 
E S S A Y Y. 
 
 How far do Ordir,ary siippli/ the uant of 
 Extraordinary Meayia ? 
 
 Xj.AV1NG in the former essay endeavoured to 
 t;\'ince, that those only wlio liad spiritual gifts gave 
 public instruction in tiie first churches^ it is now ne- 
 cessary to inquire, how far, or in what cases, does 
 ordinary supply compensate for the want of that 
 which was extraordinary ? This comprehends the 
 important question. Which of the offices that then 
 existed ceased, and which have been continued ? But 
 our design in this place, obliges us to confine our ob- 
 servations chiefly to tlie prophetic ofiice, and to that 
 of the stated teachers of the churches. 
 
 The subject under consideration has been much 
 rr.isunderstood. There is no extreme, it seems, with- 
 out its. opposite. Some, as observed in the first essay, 
 have boldly claimed prerogatives and powers, and 
 attempted to perform various functions and actions 
 peculiar to miraculous agency. Others, on the con- 
 trary, deny that the acquirements of ordinary teach- 
 ers can be a proper substitute for any extraordinary 
 gift. Neither appear to have considered, that mira- 
 culous supply was given both for ordinar}' and ex- 
 traordinary ends. By ordinary ends, are meant such 
 as bcinfi essential to the usual condition of mankind, 
 
flow far do Ordinary, S^-e, 173 
 
 frere accomplished by means which were not miracu- 
 lously bestowed, either before or after the miraculous 
 supply was afforded. By extraordinary ends, are 
 meant those which, not having been necessary to the 
 usual condition of mankind, were never accomplished' 
 but by miracle alone. This remark will apply to mi- 
 raculous interposition, whether it respected objects of 
 a physical or intellectual nature. 
 
 Ifj in all cases, extraordinary supply had been 
 given for extraordinary purposes, ordinary means 
 could in no' case compensate for the want of it. If, 
 on the other hand, extraordinary supply had, in all 
 cases, been afforded for ordinary purposes, ordinary 
 supply would in every case have come in its stead. 
 But if it is undeniable, that extraordinary supply was- 
 given, sometimes for ordinary, and sometimes for ex- 
 traordinary ends, the question doubtless is. In what 
 cases does ordinary supply compensate for the want 
 of that which was extraordinary ? Unless the Scrip- 
 tures contain principles to determine this point, we 
 are left, on the one hand, under the power of scepti- 
 cism, or on the other, are abandoned to the impulse 
 of extr.-'vagance. But in our opinion, the principles 
 cii which the decision of this question should rest, 
 are simple and obvious, although they have been 
 nuich perplexed by the heedlessness of controversy 
 and by some other causes. 
 
 Ordinary ends were effected by miraculous interpo* 
 sition, when mankind were supplied with the necessa- 
 ries of life. In the wilderness, the children of Israel 
 were fed with bread from heaven, their drink wi^s 
 made +0 i;'sue from a rock, ar.d their raiment did not 
 grow old during the period of forty years. As we do 
 aot suppose^ that their raiment was of better qualit >/ 
 
 PS 
 
174 ' How far do Ordlnutij .•>i>yiii,f 
 
 v;li::n preserved by miracle, than when pio\ iJcd bj 
 themselves, so v.e conceive the old corn and the water 
 of Canaan to have been substitutes equivalent in every 
 respect, for the purpose of nourishment, to both the 
 manna and the water which were miraculously provided. 
 But should it be contended, that the ordinary provision 
 was inferior in point of quality, still it will be grant- 
 ed, that it came in the room of the other, which is all 
 v.e need to maintain. 
 
 Extraordinary' ends were answered by miraculous 
 interposition, when the Red Sea was divided by the 
 stretching out of Moses's hand, when the walls of Jeri- 
 cho instantly fell at the sounding of the trumpets, when 
 the unwholesome water was made healthful by tlie 
 salt which Elisha cast into it, when the leprosy of 
 Naaman was cleansed by his dipping seven times in 
 the river Jordan, when the dead were raised, and 
 every kind of malady and affliction was removed by 
 the word or touch af Jesus and of his apostles. The 
 ends accomplished by .these miraculous interpositions, 
 in the effects wliich were instantaneously produced, 
 were certainly extraordinary, and never were, nor 
 could have been accomplished by ordinary means. 
 
 Another lemarkable difference of which we ought to 
 take notice, is, that the manna, the water and the rai- 
 ment, were suited in their very nature to effect the pur- 
 pose for which thoy were afforded. But the rod in the 
 hand of Moses, the sound of trumpets, and the salt, 
 were altogether inadequate in their very nature, to 
 effect of themselves the ends of their ap|X)intment. 
 In the former case, the miracle consisted in provid- 
 i)ig meahs ; in the latter, it appeared in making means 
 fffeciual. In the one case, both the means, as the 
 snanna; and the end, namely the nourishment by it 
 
t)u', waul of Ej.iraoi\Uiiaiy Mba?is f 1 7'.5 
 
 of the people, corresponded exactly -to the ordinary 
 circumstances of mankind. In the other, tlie}' did 
 not, as when dipping in water cleansed a leprous per- 
 son in an instant. Such a sudden cure of such a dis- 
 ease, could never have been effected by ordinaiy 
 means. 
 
 Among the ends which never were, and never 
 could have been accomplished without miraculous in- 
 terposition, were those which, under the former dis- 
 pensation, were accomplished by the ministry of Moses 
 and the prophets ; and under the present, by that of 
 the apostles of Christ. No one ever pretended to 
 have been appointed the successor of the Mediator 
 ■©£ the old covenant. Even among the prophets of 
 the Lord, there was not any one who could sustain 
 so eminent a character. Nor is it, we presume, sup- 
 posed, that the prophets themselves were at an}' time 
 provided with successors ; for none could do their 
 work without their immediate call and inspiration. 
 As to the office of apostles, it was doubtless extraor- 
 dinary. Some things which were done by them 
 could indeed liave been well enough performed by 
 others, who had not their peculiar and distinguished 
 powers. But to publish clearly and infallibly to the 
 world the gospel scheme of salvation, to unfold its 
 mysteries, to determine its institutions and precepts, and 
 to confirm the whole by innumerable and stupendous 
 miracles, being the grand end for which their office was 
 designed, it was consequently of too high and extra- 
 ordinary a nature to require or admit any thing cor- 
 responding to it in any future age or condition of the 
 church. Yet some have hitherto claimed more or 
 less of the power which was jrjcuiiar to the apostles. 
 It is iiowevej- an inauspicious circumstance^ when 
 
176 How far do Ordinarij suppli/ 
 
 only the power, honour and rule of extraordinai'y 
 officers are claimed ; but no evidence is afforded of 
 similar endowments being possessed, no disposition; 
 shown to suffer similar privations, and no attempts 
 are made to undertake or perform similar labours in 
 the gospel of Chiist. 
 
 These remarks may throw some light on the pro- 
 phetic office ; the nature of which, and the clain)s of 
 men to come forward as their successors, shall be now 
 considered. Was their office ordinary or extraordi- 
 nary ? It was doubtless extraordinary, and equally so 
 under the former and present dispensations. But Mr 
 Carson, it was observed, asserts the prophets to have 
 been but private church-members ; and accordingly^ 
 on their practice, with that of other gifted men, he rests 
 with ' every confidence' as a ground for exhortation 
 by the brethren promiscuously. Who could think 
 that Mr C. after this, should assign the prophets an 
 office in the church ? ' Aixkcvux/ he remarks, ' is 
 
 * never exclusively appropriated to the ministry of 
 ' the bishop. It refers to the ministry of all the or- 
 
 * ders, and includes the offices of apostles, prophets, 
 ' evangelists, and pastors and teachers,' p. 70. Nor 
 does Mr C. now, (that he has a mind to exalt the pro- 
 phets) think it sufficient to assign them an office mere- 
 ly : he makes tliem extraordinary office-bearers, 
 for whom it would be absurd to attempt to provide 
 successors. Speaking of a certain office, he asks, Mf 
 ' this was an extraordinary office, has it not ceased 
 ' like others ? TliC Scriptures, and not ordinary 
 
 * bishops, must supply its place. The apostles and 
 'prophets v,e have in the Scriptures,' pp. 67.71 • 
 These words determine his view in this place of the 
 prophetic office, and exclude every idea of succession,. 
 
the want of Extraordinary Means f 1 77 
 
 f ven by approved teachers^ and far more^ we should 
 suppose, by those who are not teacliers. * What share 
 ' have the bishops of churches,' he asks, ' in the 
 ' work of an extraordinary order of teachers ?' p. 68. 
 We answer, none at all ; but ive ask in return, What 
 share have the private brethren in the work of extra- 
 ordinary office-bearers ? and such, in Mr C.'s present 
 view of them, were the primitive prophets. Mr C. 
 will doubtless answer. They have no share at all in 
 tliis kind of work. Again, he repeats the same senti- 
 ment as before, ' If this was an extraordinary office, 
 
 * it has ceased.' We are then glad to find, that what 
 Mr C. took away with the one liand, he has restored 
 with the other; and we hope he never will have cause 
 to repent of this act of justice. 
 
 We must again advert to Mr Haldane's view of the 
 primitive pi'ophets. Some of them he hardly thinks 
 were prophets at all, or inspired. But then he al- 
 lows tliat other prophets were prophets indeed. These 
 had an office next in dignity to that of the apostles, 
 to whicli he thinks it would have been a little pre- 
 sumptuous in the brethren to aspire. ' Were they 
 
 * to covet an office next in dignity to apostles ?' pp.35, 
 36. He further allows, that the public teaching of 
 the brethren could not be proved from Eph. iv. where- 
 in mention is made of apostles, prophets, evangelists, 
 pastors and teachers. Now the prophets here spoken 
 ofj were,, as we observed on a former occasion, the 
 prophetg^bf afi the churches of the saints, and not of 
 any inJividhial church. Hence Ivir H, does not ar- 
 giie ver\' consistently with the above concessions: ' If 
 'mutual exhoi'tation is" to be given up, because we 
 'read of prophets exhorting (it might be prophcu^ 
 ' [>rophcsying, verses 0. and 3 1.) in the church at 
 
178 How far do OrJinar^ -^''^PP^J/ 
 
 ' Corinth, there is no saying how far we may be cal- 
 ' led to depart from apostolic practice, on the ground 
 ' of our circumstances being different from those of 
 ' tlie first churches,' p. 34. 
 
 It is certainly strange to charge us with departing from 
 apostolic practice, because we give up the idea of con- 
 tinuing, as the successor'; of extraordinary teachers, 
 persons who are acknowledged to be unfit to perform 
 the duties of ordinary teachers. To urge a number 
 of such persons to speak in a church, under the idea 
 of reviving a discarded ordinance, has indeed " a 
 show of wisdom and humility," when compared to the 
 practice of exalting men to be popes, cardinals and 
 metropolitans. But every encroachment on the au- 
 thority of Christ ought to be resisted, even in its most 
 plausible and least assuming forms. If we do not give 
 up the notion of exhortation as legitimately succeed- 
 ing prophecy, there is no saying how far we shall pre- 
 sume upon reviving extraordinary offices. We main- 
 tain, that nothing more unwarrantable can be at- 
 tempted in this way, except the revival of the office 
 of apostle. " God hath set some in the church, first, 
 apostles ; secondarily, prophets." Those therefore 
 have to ascend but one step in the scale of extraordi- 
 nary offices who take upon them to occupy in the 
 churches the prophetic office. He who would have 
 presumed to stand in the room of an Old Testament 
 prophet, would have appeared to the Jews in the same 
 light in which a man would now appear who presum- 
 ed to act instead of an apostle. Is it not this that 
 renders the pope so odious a picture of arrogance and 
 folly ? In proportion as the apostles v.ere superior 
 to the prophets, is the extravagance of those who pre- 
 fiiind to be successors to the former, orenter than th»t 
 
the wrinf of Extraordinary Means ? 1 75 
 
 of such as tliink they 'stand in the place of the latter ; 
 and in proportion as the prophets approached the emi- 
 nence of the ajwstles, does the absurdity of saj'ing to 
 the brethren. Ye may all prophcAij one hy one, resem- 
 ble that of saying to the Roman PontifFj Tnov art 
 Peter. 
 
 Here then is a ver}'' wonderful thing. Those averse^ 
 in' the greatest degree, to undue authority in pastors, 
 teachers and preacliers, — those who treat clergymen also 
 with indignation and scorn, usurp higher authority 
 than any of them pretend to possess. Say the exhort- 
 ing brethren, " Ye take too much upon you ;" but wc 
 also have a right to speak in the church; for it is 
 written, " Ye may all prophesy one by one !" 
 
 We further insist on the impossibility of supplying 
 the place of the projAets, from the nature of their en- 
 dowments. This, indeed io implied in their office, but 
 still '\t requires to be distinctly remarked. To say that 
 some things were done by prophets, which were done 
 also by others, is no more in fact than might be af- 
 firmed of the apostles. But, viewing them as pos- 
 sessed of that high kind of inspiration, which com- 
 prehended new and original revelations, and the know- 
 ledo-e of future events, we must deem their endow- 
 ments to have been as certainly peculiar and extraor- 
 dinary as those of the apostles., There is nothing 
 vv'hich co-responds to the gifts of either in the ordi- 
 nary condition of the church. We formerly spoke of 
 the sounding of trumpets, and the application of salt, 
 for extraordinary ends. ■ -Now as these means, and 
 every thin'? corresponding to them, are utterly out of 
 our power, because we cannot gi-^e them efficacy, so 
 fhe gifts of the apostles and projihets are equally out 
 
1 80 Hotv Jar do Ordinary supply 
 
 of our power, because we do not possess thesej nor any 
 thing corresponding to them. 
 
 But ordinary office-bearers were fitted for their 
 work by extraordinary gifts. This, we presume, has 
 been established by evidence which will not be easily 
 invalidated. To these gifts of ordinary teachers, 
 there must be something now to correspond, as there 
 is no doubt that their office continues. Nor is the 
 sufficiency of what has been truly, but perhaps not 
 quite gravely styled a succedaneum for the gifts of 
 the Holy Spirit, a matter of doubt with us ; so far as 
 it respects the ordinary offices and duties of the king- 
 dom of God. But if the idea is absurd, with whom 
 does the absurdity most abound ? I do not hesitate 
 to say, that none have equalled some who diffisr from 
 us about public exhortation, in going beyond the li- 
 mits prescribed by Scripture, when on the practice of 
 the prophets they ground the exhortation of the breth- 
 ren — a poor substitute this, and poor its advan- 
 tages, when compared with the fruit of prophetic in- 
 spiration. 
 
 We have already spoken of the skill of Bezaleel 
 and Hiram, the former of whom was taught by the 
 inspiration of God, the latter by a course of ordinary 
 instruction. Bezaleel, we are told, was filled with 
 the Spirit of God " in wisdom, and in understanding, 
 and in knowledge, and in all manner of workman- 
 ship," Exod. xxxi. 3. Of Hiram, it is said, that " he 
 was filled with wisdom and understanding, and cun- 
 ning to work all work in brass," 1 Kings vii. 14.; al- 
 so, like the other, he was " skilful to woik in gold 
 and in silver, in stone and in timber, in purple and 
 in fine linen and in crimson," 2 Chron. ii. 14. Be- 
 tween the endowments of both, there was evidently a 
 
the want of ExlraonUnary Means. 181 
 
 fnost striking resemblance, although their respective 
 endowments were obtained iu different ways. The 
 ends which were answered by these several endow- 
 ments, were doubtless of the kind we have termed or- 
 dinary, because in the one instance, that of the T3'- 
 rian, these ends were accomplished without any mira- 
 cle. Nor is it possible to gainsay the inference, that 
 for certain mental endowments, supernatural ly im- 
 parted, as well as for physical means, such things suf- 
 ficiently compensated as God was pleased to bestow 
 in the ordinary dispensations of his providence. 
 
 Mr Carson pleads, that if extraordinary gifts were 
 necessary in the first age to qualify' men for the pas- 
 toral office, they are still necessary for the same end. 
 
 * You must prove,' he says to Mr Ewing, ' not mere- 
 
 * ly, that bishops in the first churches possessed mi- 
 
 * raculous gifts, but that this was made necessary in 
 
 * their office. When you have done so, we will next 
 ' inquire by what authority you substitute a succeda- 
 
 * neum in the room of the requirements of the Holy 
 
 * Spirit,' p. 211. ' No corresponding acquirements can 
 
 * be supposed substituted for miraculous gifts,' p. 214. 
 
 But notwithstanding these strong assertions, Mr 
 Bwing, or any other man, can demand ' correspond- 
 ' ing acquirements' in pastors, by a higher authority 
 than Mr C. can produce for making the exhorting 
 brethren the successors of the prophets. Further, 
 Mr E. can show, that the authority by which he can 
 demand suitable acquirements, is acknowledged even 
 by Mr Carson himself, while the authority of the 
 same writer, in making the brethren the successors 
 of the prophets, is destroyed b}^ himself. That Mr 
 C. acknowledges authority sufficient to demand suita- 
 ble acquirements in the room of extraordinary gifts, 
 
 Q 
 
1 82 Ilotv far Grdlnari/ supply 
 
 uill, it is presumed, appear finm the following remark : 
 
 * The circumstance of the brethren * of the first 
 ' churclies possessing miraculous gifts, is no more a 
 
 * reason why brethren who have not miraculous gifts 
 
 * should not exhort, than the circumstance, of the 
 
 * first bishops having miraculous gifts, is a reason why 
 
 * bishops who have not miraculous gifts should not do 
 ' the duties which the first bishops did,' p. 257. Ac- 
 cording to this mode of reasoning, he says, p. 76. 
 
 * Had you allowed these pastors to have been ordi- 
 ' nary, though inspired bishops, I would have grant- 
 ' ed without hesitation that the same work was the 
 
 * duty, of bishops still, as fully as if they were insjiir- 
 
 * ed.' But how could Mr C. have granted this with- 
 out hesitation, unless to have done so were agreeable 
 to Scripture ? In liis opinion then, (I mean his pre* 
 sent opinion), though ordinary pastors in the first age 
 iiad been inspired, the pastors in the prcsetit day are 
 bound to do the work of those pastors. This accords 
 with the principle for which we contend, that when 
 extraordinary endowments weie given for ordinary 
 
 • Xo tioubt the prophets, and all who are mentioned as 
 having extraordinary gifts, were brethren. Ananias is called a 
 " discipic," though he was sent that Saul might receive his 
 sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. We can therefore 
 have no objection against calling prophets, &c. brethren, if this 
 ^o not imply, what it surely ought not, that they were no 
 more than brethren, t. c. unofficial or private church-members. 
 Judas and Silas were *' chief men among the brethren." " I 
 desired Tit\is, and with him I sent a brother." And we read 
 of •'■ the BROTHER, whosc praise is in the gospel throughout 
 all the churches." The question then is not, whether these 
 were brethren, but whether their being so called affords a pre- 
 text, either for denying that such were endowed with gifts as 
 prophets and teachers, or affirming that hrtthren in general 
 jnaj now step forward in their place. 
 
the want of Extraordinary Means. IS* 
 
 purposes, these extraordinary endowments were com- 
 pensated by those which were ordinary. 
 
 After such concessions, it may well be asked. With 
 what reason or consistency does Mr C. argue thus : 
 *■ If we are to have corresponding accomplishments 
 ' with respect to some miraculous gifts, why not with 
 
 * respect to all ? If it is not necessary that all miracu- 
 
 * lous gifts should have corresponding accomplish- 
 
 * ments in the bishop, it cannot be necessary that any 
 ' one of them should have something to correspond 
 ' to it. If the office was ordinar}-, miraculous gifts 
 ' could at no period have been necessary,' pp. 212, 
 213. All this is evidently erroneous, and contrary 
 to what Mr C. liimself has admitted, and even pleads 
 for, relative to exhortation. The plain mcanijig of it 
 is, that miracles were never performed to supply tlie 
 common wants of mankind, and that in no case mira- 
 culous supply is compensated by the bcstowmeut of 
 ordinary means. 
 
 Mr C. in our opinion, argues soundly and justly 
 in the words which follow : ' Had he intended 
 ' that certain qualifications, then usually commu- 
 ' nicated immediately by his miraculous operation, 
 
 * should be accounted indispensably necessary in 
 
 * office-bearers, he would have specified such qualifi- 
 ' cations with respect to each office, and not have 
 
 * made the manner of communication the criterion/ 
 p. 214, Now, the Holy Spirit has done the very 
 thing precisely which Mr C. pleads he would have 
 done in the ease supposed. In 1 Tim. iii and Tit. i. 
 the qualifications which respect the pastoral office are 
 distinctly specified, and no mention whatever is made of 
 the * manner of communication.' Therefore, since not 
 the manner of communication, but the qualifications 
 
184 How far do Ordinarxj supiplif 
 
 roimTiunicatedj are mentioned by the Holy Spirit, 
 these qualifications are to be required in every one 
 ivho desires the '^ good work ;" and wherever they 
 may be found, the manner of communication, or way 
 of obtaining these, makes no difference. 
 
 Did it consist with our design, we might show, 
 tliat the gift peculiar to teachers in the first age, bore 
 the same resemblance to that of able teachei's in the 
 present day, that the endowment of Bezaleel bore to 
 that of Hiram ; insomuch, that the same language will 
 aptly describe both the inspired and uninspired teach- 
 er. But the language which is expi-essive of the qua- 
 lifications, cliaracter and work of extraordinary teach- 
 ers, cannot be applied to the qualifications, character 
 and work of ordinary teachers of any kind. The 
 case, as we have seen, is very different with respect 
 to the pel manent offices of the ehurch of Christ. We 
 liave not apostles and prophets, but we have pastors 
 and teachers ; yet all these orders had spiritual gifts, 
 and we are sure the Lord will raise up teachers in 
 every age, for he has promised to do so ; but who 
 expects to see apostles, or prophets, or workers of 
 miracles ? 
 
 The objection against the inspiration of the primi- 
 tive pastors, from there being no mention of spiritual 
 gifts, in the description of their character in the 
 epistles to Timothy and Titus, has, I trust, been 
 fully obviated. The wisdom of God endued them 
 •with gifts. These gifts must therefore have suited 
 the nature of their office. Hence the language of 
 Scripture respecting pastors is exactly descriptive of 
 their character and work. He who appointed the 
 office, will, in all ages, endue men with suitable quali- 
 fications for discharging the duties of it. Therefore 
 
ihe want of Extraordinary Means. 185 
 
 the account which is given of the qualifications of 
 bishops must be fully applicable to bishops in all 
 ages. 
 
 The difference between spiritual gifts and saving 
 illumination, which appears so conspicuous in Scrip- 
 ture, leads us to expect that God will in every age 
 adapt the aid of his Spirit to the duties and trials of 
 his people. Inspiration has ceased, but certainly not 
 such assistance from God to his servants as is essen- 
 tial to their encouragement and success in his work. 
 The Holy Spirit, as remarked on a former occasion, 
 is an universal agent. He employed an influence on 
 the minds of men in times of old, suited to the plea- 
 sure of God respecting them. That God will in all 
 «ges endow with sagacity, foresight, prudence, forti- 
 tude and zeal, those who shall be instruments of great 
 good to his cause, no sober-minded well informed 
 Christian can call in question. Who can suppose, 
 for instance, that the characters of such men as were 
 most active and useful in the reformation from Popery, 
 were not formed by divine wisdom for a work peri- 
 lous, difficult and momentous in a very high degree * ? 
 Certain indeed it is, that every faithful, humble, zeal- 
 ous preacher or pastor, feels it necessary earnestly to 
 implore divine assistance both in his private studies 
 and puWic ministrations. And such assistance, we 
 doubt not, was promised by Jesus when he said, 
 " Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the 
 world." 
 
 • Mr M'Crie has performed a signal service to the cause of 
 truth and religion, by his late excellent and justly admired Life 
 of John Knox. Who can contemplate >vithout wonder and ad- 
 miration, the attainments and achievements of that •♦ good 
 soldier of Jesuf Christ," all within the period of thirty years,, 
 
 Q3 
 
186 How far do Ordinary supply 
 
 It is not in any respect our intention to decide a» 
 to the comparative excellence of the faculties which 
 God was pleased to impart miraculously. Mr Ewing's 
 observation on this point is peculiarly just. ' All of 
 
 * them were most likely enjoyed in a degree of ex- 
 
 * cellence, that must ever distinguish them from the 
 
 * little attainments of man, as in the animal creation 
 ' we see the difference between the perfection of in-" 
 
 * stinct and the slow advances of reason.' 
 
 The result of this investigation is, that prophesy- 
 ing ceased, but that teaching has continued. This 
 result will not be viewed the less favourably by the 
 writers whose sentiments have been opposed in the 
 preceding discussion, that it agrees with the usual ap- 
 prehensions and practices of Christians. Nay it a- 
 grees with positions, which have been admitted by 
 themselves, though it disagree with the practice 
 which they recommend. Have we not then peculiar 
 claims on their attention ? If, however, our reason- 
 ing should not convince them, they will at least allow, 
 that their reasoning, so far from being calculated to 
 convince us, is highly calculated to confirm us in our 
 own opinions. At any rate, it is presumed, that the 
 
 that is, from his first illumination in the reformed doctrine in 
 1542, to the end of his course in 1572 ! If the reformers had 
 not written, and preached, and suffered, Mr Hume would 
 never have appeared as an author to requite his obligations by 
 calumniating their character, nor would Dr Robertson have 
 pursued the bubble reputation, in a work in which the refor- 
 mers receive only the poor tribute of faint praise and of frigid 
 compliments. But " the memory of the just is blessed," and 
 ■will be held in high and lasting estimation by those who know 
 how'to regard the servants of the living God, notv/ithstanding 
 All their imperfections, mistakes, and we add sins, which thek- 
 freatest admirers must confess and lament. 
 
the want of Extraordinary Means ? 187 
 
 real character of the prophets has been sufficiently as-< 
 certained. Though Mr Carson has in one place reduc-« 
 ed them to the rank of private church-members, he has 
 amply made up for this mistake by declaring them to 
 have been extraordinary office-bearers, whose work can- 
 not be performed even by the pastors of churches. The 
 strongest argument then for indiscriminate exhortation 
 has been removed by the concession of Mr Carson, with 
 the consent of Mr Haldane and the hearty approba- 
 tion of Mr Braidwood. Who then will replace it ? 
 Butif the prophetic office were ordinary and permanent, 
 even this would afford no ground for indiscriminate 
 teaching. All weie not prophets ; and if some were 
 prophets, still this would afford no warrant, and far 
 less would it create a necessity for what is called ex- 
 hortation. In short, ' the apostles and prophets we 
 ' have in the Scriptures,' as the Jews had Moses and 
 the prophets. Let us search the Scriptures. Let us 
 consider the order of the churches which we profess 
 to imitate, " Walk about Zion, and go round about 
 her : tell the towers thereof, Mark ye well her bul- 
 warks; consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to 
 the generation following," Psal, xlviii. 12, 13. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Hints on the Question, Is promiscuous Exhortation 
 in Churches necessari/, that Pastors and Teachers 
 mai/ be obtained ? 
 
 jl. he object of the preceding Essays having been 
 to point out the practice of the first churches, leaving 
 to others to judge of tlie best way to bring about the 
 imitation of them, we wished to avoid such questions 
 as the one now before us, lest we should seem to at- 
 tempt to propose regulations for directing the consci- 
 ences of our brethren, with respect to those matters, 
 which the word of God has not explicitly determined. 
 As, however, it has been confidently urged, it seems, 
 that without promiscuous exhortation in public, church- 
 es cannot obtain pastors, we submit the following brief 
 hints to those who think they see any force in this argu- 
 ment : to all others these will, in a great degree, be 
 uninteresting and superfluous. 
 
 To argue, then in the first place, as some have 
 done, for public promiscuous exhortation on this 
 ground, is to rest a positive, stated institution 
 on the sandy foundation of expediency— a foun- 
 dation from which they who thus argue profess to 
 have departed ; aiid from which they loudly call 
 upon others in like manner to depart. Certain- 
 ly they argue from expediency, and on no better 
 
Postscript. 1S9 
 
 ground, who Insist on a stated, permanent ordinance 
 for a purpose of occasional temporary occurrence. 
 When churches possess office-bearers, are they to be 
 told, you must practise promiscuous exhortation in or- 
 der to obtain pastors ? Must they not repl}^. We arc 
 in this respect already provided for : unless therefore 
 you can show us that we are bound by the express 
 authority of God, or the practice of the first churches, 
 to attend to this kind of exhortation as an institution 
 of Christ, we must judge ourselves bound to reject it 
 as a human expedient — for which besides, in our pre- 
 sent circumstances, there is no need whatever. 
 
 Again, it is granted, that if only men in office 
 taught in the first churches, this is ' an example' for 
 the imitation of Christian churches in all ages. The 
 plain meaning of this concession evidently is, that no 
 argument from expediency, such for instance as the 
 one already stated, can alter the divine rule. Let it 
 therefore be determined first of all, whether such a 
 rule is contained in Scripture. If it is, doubtless all 
 will allow, that this rule is not to be set aside, in or- 
 der to ascertain who has talents for public teaching. 
 History and experience evince, that without this or- 
 dinance of exhortation, as it has been called, tlie church- 
 es of God have enjoyed the ministry of able and faith- 
 ful teachers. Is not this sufficient to confute an argu- 
 ment from expediency, not found in the Scriptures ? 
 
 By insisting on the necessity of promiscuous exhor- 
 tation, in order to obtain pastors and teachers, some 
 provision certainly is intended to be made for those 
 societies, now become numerous, and still increasing, 
 in which no one is cither pastor, teacher or ruler. 
 Such societies no doubt need rules as well as others ; 
 and in general it will be found, that they stand in 
 
igO Postscript. 
 
 need of rulers also. But a few or many actin^:; in n 
 church-capacity without any approved teacher or 
 guidcj is a case not mentioned or exemphfied in Scrip- 
 ture ; how much soever provided for in some recent 
 pubhcations. The Scriptures tliea being silent as to 
 every such case, all we dare say is this — If such cases 
 must occur, the individuals concerned should act the 
 best way they can : we know what David did when 
 he was hungry, &c. &c 
 
 To propose the preaching of the gospel for the 
 end of discovering who in the churches possess gifts 
 to preach it, or talents for public teaching in general, 
 is nowhere mentioned in Scripture. Edijxcation is 
 the end of the ordinance of public teaching. *■* The 
 work of the ministry is appointed, and should be im- 
 dertaken, in order to the edification of the body of 
 Christ." Hence the apostolic injunction, " Let all 
 things be done to edifying." And how was this to 
 be effected ? — Not by the disorderly speaking of the 
 gifted men, far less by the speaking, orderly or dis- 
 orderly, of the ungifted brethren — but by the decent 
 and orderly exercise of tlie gifts of a competent num- 
 ber of prophets and other qualified persons. 
 
 With us in later days, if it is not always evident 
 who are qualified for becoming teachers, it is general- 
 ly evident enough who are totally unfit for this — the 
 greater number we should think are in general unfit. 
 To this number, we doubt not, belong the majority of 
 those who exhort. Now, when all the brethren promis- 
 cuously are invited to speak in rotation, or as many of 
 them as incline to do so, there can be no doubt, that 
 some other end is answered by such a usage than the 
 instruction and comfort of all the disciples. Let this 
 end be the trial and discovery of gifts. Where is 
 
Post script. 191 
 
 Oiis sanctioned in Scripture? Is it not virtually con- 
 demned, where edification is mentioned as the sole 
 end of public teaching? Great fear is due to God in 
 tlie assemblies of his saints. Let every one take 
 heed lest, by frequent unedifj'^ing experiments, he de- 
 prive God of the honour, and the saints of the in- 
 istruction, improvement and consolation connected with 
 the proper obseryance of divine ordinances. " The 
 statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." 
 
 In the age of the apostles, promiscuous exhortation 
 certainl}' could not be needful to discover who had 
 gifts. The extraordinary gifts of that age were made 
 manifest by their effects, from the period of their hav- 
 ing been imparted at the first. In consequence of 
 having received a variety of gifts, some proi)hesied, 
 some taught, some spoke in foreign tongues, some in- 
 terpreted, some wrought miracles, and healed the sick. 
 Such, as prophesied and taught needed not to be cal- 
 led to ordei", or to be silenced, or to be admonislicd 
 or reproved, after a few aukward blundering attempts 
 at addressing their brethren : this is nowhere sup- 
 posed in Scripture. False prophets and teacliers 
 were to be proved and rejected ; nor can the necessi- 
 ty be ever set aside, of making ample trial of the cha- 
 racter and abilities of such as are acknowledged, or 
 deserve to be acknowledged as preachers and teachers. 
 This, however, is quite a different affair, from invit- 
 ing all indiscriminately to become teachers. It was 
 one thing to j)rove the inspiration of a person profes- 
 sing to have received the Holy Spirit, and another, 
 under the notion of observing an ordinance, to invite 
 men to try to prophesy or teacli, who neithei- liad le- 
 ceived any extraordinary gift, nor professed to huve 
 received any. 
 
IdZ Puslscripl. 
 
 But still the question recurs, How are pastors and 
 teachers to be obtained ? With respect to pastors in 
 particular, we think wc know what was done in the 
 first churches, nor do we suppose it difficult to draw 
 the fair inference, viz. That as the pastors in the a- 
 postolic age were chosen from among the teachers, so 
 pastors ought still to be chosen from among such as 
 are acknowledged capable of teaching. 
 
 In regard to the appointment of men to be teachers, 
 (for these we here distinguish from pastors), it be- 
 comes us to speak with caution — " to be swift to hear 
 and slow to speak." In an important sense, we are 
 commanded not to be " many teachers, (the mean- 
 ing of which I take to be, that we are not to be creed 
 or system-makers, dogmatically and censoriously fix- 
 ing what the law of God has not determined), lest we 
 receive the greater condemnation." How we are to 
 ascertain who ought to be employed as teachers, is 
 still a difficulty in theory, and we may add in practice 
 too. The remarks which we subjoin on this head, 
 are intended, not so much to point out how the diffi- 
 culty may in all cases be surmounted, as to show that 
 it both is and has been surmountable. 
 
 The intellectual talents, as well as the moral quali- 
 ties of men, it will be acknowledged, are discernible 
 in common life. In private, men speak as well as 
 act. Hence the character of their minds, as well 
 as the power and influence of their principles, is fre- 
 quently and variously tried and made manifest. As 
 members of societ}', are not some persons well 
 known, not only as being vigilant and able to rule 
 their own families well, (so far, we mean, as to 
 maintain subordination and decency), but as men 
 of rcseaich, information aiid utterance .'' The " elo- 
 
Post script. 19s 
 
 quent orator," as well as the " cunning and skilful 
 artificer," is still, as of old, (Isa. iii.) distinguishable 
 among men : the tree is known by its fruit, be that 
 fruit what it may. 
 
 One would conclude from Jethro's advice to Moses* 
 respecting rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties 
 and of tens, who were to be " able men, such as fear 
 God, men of truth and hating covetousncss ;" and 
 from the injunction of the apostles in regard to dea- 
 cons, who were required to be " men of honest re- 
 port, full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom," — that 
 soniewhat of the fitness of men for public stations may 
 appear previously to their being called to occupy these 
 offices, or engaging in the duties of them. Does 
 this hold true of every function, except that of 
 (jeacliers ? Do not the history of the church, and even 
 our ov.n experience, teach us, that fitness for the work 
 of the ministry may be ascertained, at least in some 
 degiee, on the same principles on which men determine 
 fitness for any other im'portant public stations ? 
 
 Where there are teachers or guides, if they be ju- 
 dicious, and men of experience, (and we must say 
 that only such cases are exemplified and provided for 
 in Scripture), these, with the concurrence and aid of 
 the disciples, will be instrumental in bringing forward 
 persons of promising abilities and character. 
 
 We formerly. took notice of the success of the mis- 
 sionaries at Serampore, in discovering fit persons to 
 preach the gospel. Tkei/ speak, as if among the dis- 
 ciples they perceived talents for public usefuhiess ; 
 they make trial -of such talents, and eventually judge 
 whether or not these persons are competent to the 
 work of the ministry. With us a sad reveise is seeii. 
 Very many preachers, in fellowship with the abettors 
 
 • Exod. xviii. 21 — 26. 
 
IQi Poslscript. 
 
 of indiscriminate exhortation, have returned to their 
 ordinary employments ; and we apprehend they are 
 encouraged, if not enjoined, and obhged indeed by 
 imperious necessity, to do so. The discovery and ex- 
 ercise of gifts, are spoken of; but their decay and dis- 
 appearance, where they may have existed, too often 
 take place by this system. Some churches of these 
 sentiments, seem to consider a person's being wholly 
 devoted to the work of the Lord, as a sort of spiritual 
 abomination — a clergyman — a priest — or it may be 
 —a kind of Pope in the kingdom of Christ. Preach- 
 ers who happen to come within the sphere of their at- 
 traction generally abandon to their more clerical bre- 
 thren, the work of statedly and permanently preach- 
 ing the gospel at large. 
 
 Where such things take place, it is really inconsis- 
 tent and ridiculous, to talk of gifts for preaching the 
 gospel at large, or of evangelizing destitute and dis- 
 tant places. Why should we not entertain a much 
 Jiigher opinion of our brethren, than to suppc'-o that 
 none of them will discern the fallacy of these cold the- 
 ories, which benumb like the palsy, and spread bar- 
 renness and desolation like the east wind ? Why may 
 we not cherish the hope, and offer supplication, that 
 God may incline them to renounce tjbese altogether, 
 for the fervent, ;:ealous, active, useful measures, though 
 perhaps not altogether scriptural, which they formerly 
 pursued with so evident and so extensive a blessing 
 from God.'' 
 
 To return from this digression, we remark: that pri- 
 vate prayer and teaching will and must be attended 
 to in a variety of ways, if churches abide in the faith 
 and it the precepts of Christ are to be obeyed. And 
 we not only grant, but maintain, that without mutual 
 
Postscript. 1 9''> 
 
 teaching ar> J admonition, it is impossible to know who 
 ought to be encouraged and brought forward as public 
 teachers. Our bretlu'en seem to speak, as if tliey a- 
 lone enjoyed in this respect the benefit of mutual edi- 
 fiication. But we presume this is not the case; nei- 
 ther can it be proved, that the necessity of private 
 mutual teaching and exhortation evinces the necessity 
 of an ordinance of public promiscuous exhortation : 
 for unless, in like manner, there be mutual and pro- 
 miscuous action, men's temper and character cannot 
 appear. 
 
 To satisfy, if possible, the advocates for promiscu- 
 ous exhortation as a stated ordinance, it may be ob- 
 served, that though there does not appear to be any 
 warrant for such an ordinance, yet perhaps no mate- 
 rial objection appears to lie against something of this 
 kind, but rather the reverse, considered, and accor- 
 dingly managed, as an exercise of Christian liberty. 
 Though we have no commandment to carry thus far 
 the practice of mutual teaching and admonition, it 
 does not hence follow, that we have no permission to 
 do so, especially " in the present distress." Some 
 indeed seem not to perceive this difference. If it be 
 not an ordinance, it is sinful. But this is confound- 
 ing private usages with public institutions. Private 
 exhortation by all is both a privilege and duty. Who 
 can determine the precise point at which this exercise 
 ought to cease ? Propriety, decency and edification 
 must be studied. Now, if as many as can meet on a 
 working-day spend time in reading, pjayer, praise and 
 speaking from the Scriptures, and care be taken to en- 
 courage only those who aj^pear to be somewhat quali- 
 fied to officiate, all the ends of promiscuous exh.orta- 
 tion in public will be answered, and many evils and 
 
196 Postscript. 
 
 vexations prevented which attend the elevation of that 
 practice into a public ordinance. In such a case, 
 none are bound to attend, and if they who do so rec- 
 kon on being sometimes occupied to Httle purpose, 
 what then ? It is their choice, not the effect of an 
 ordinance binding on the church. And further, do 
 not information and facility in expressing one's 
 thoughts, appear in addressing a few as well as in ad- 
 dressing many ? When Christ addressed the woman 
 of Samaria — Philip, the eunuch — Paul, the Philippian 
 jailor — or, in Ephesus, when he taught from house to 
 house as well as publicly, did no evidence of supe- 
 rior minds appear ? Shall we suppose, that no proofs 
 were exhibited on these occasions of their great supe- 
 riority, even to the teachers of their own times ? Be- 
 sides, is not addressing a small number in a private 
 way, more suitable to the inexperience and diffidence 
 of persons beginning to teach formally, than attempts 
 to address a numerous assembly ? 
 
 We may observe in passing, that if they who de- 
 sire to be useful to their fellow-men by preaching the 
 gospel of the grace of God, employ themselves where 
 they have opportunity in instructing the children of 
 those who are not themselves capable of training them 
 up in the nurture and admonition of^the Lord, in vi- 
 siting the sick, the prisoner and the afflicted, they will 
 find such exercises, though performed from pure 
 disinterested motives, exceedingly conducive to their 
 own iniprovement, and the best preparation for public 
 teaching, as well as a test to others whether they have 
 received gifts for this. And where persons desiring 
 to be engaged in the work of the ministry do not, 
 like Timoth}'^, give evidence of their zeal, courage, 
 lifcvotedness and prudence to those who are more in- 
 
Postscript. 197 
 
 timately acquainted with them, there is great reason 
 to fear that much good will not be done by them to 
 the church of God, or perhaps that their principles 
 and motives are not what they ought to be. 
 
 If nothing were contended for but the best possible 
 method of obtaining the greatest possible number of 
 faithful able preachers and teachers, and if there were 
 in fact greater zeal, more exertion displayed, and more 
 good to the souls of men actually done by this new 
 scheme than in any other way, far we trust would it 
 be from us to oppose so desirable an event. 
 
 Our brethren who espouse a different opinion fi'om 
 us on this subject, complain much of the evils arising 
 from trusting wholly to academies for teachers, and of 
 the unfitness very generally, and want of Christian ex- 
 perience, as well as of the knowledge of the Scriptures, 
 in persons educated in these for the work to which 
 they are appointed. It must be owned, that there is 
 too much ground for this, and that such institutions 
 have proved snares in place of helps to not a few of 
 those preparing for the ministry. We apprehend, how- 
 ever, they carry their censures much too far, just as 
 they immode?:ately commend what they have them- 
 selves adopted. " But let every man prove his own 
 work." Many able and most useful labourers have 
 been brought forward by means of these seminaries, 
 who might have languished in obscuiity and useless- 
 ness in churches such as our brethren admire. It^ on 
 the other hand, some are admitted without sufficient 
 trial, (and it is to be feared that this may too fre- 
 quently happen), this is unquestioniibly a very great 
 evil which ought by all means to be sedulously watch- 
 ed against. God forbid that ve should become the 
 advocates of any such abuse ! Our heart's desh-e ai\d 
 
 R3. 
 
IflS Pcslscripf. 
 
 .prayer to God for his cliurches is, tliat lie would sup- 
 ply them with ample means of edification, and shut 
 up every avenue against the introduction of ungodly 
 as well as unqualified persons to the important work 
 of building up the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Besides, if academies should ever set aside the prac- 
 tice of calling to the ministry able men who have not, 
 and perhaps who needed not to have been so instruct- 
 ed, this will doubtless tend to retard the progress of 
 the gospel.— —Here however we must stop, lest we ad- 
 vance into a field, the precise boundaries of which will 
 never perhaps be determined by controversy, to the 
 entire satisfaction of any one who closely considers 
 the subject in all its bearings. ' The Scriptures fur- 
 ' nish us with general principles, by which, if our 
 ^ minds are under the influence of a simple desire to 
 ••' follow the Lord in the path of duty, we shall be 
 ' guided by him in a right way. Surely nothing more 
 ' is necessary.' So say our brethren from whom we 
 differ on the present question : and so say we. Let 
 them pursue the path of this sentiment, and they will 
 arrive at the same conclusion with us. And into this 
 unity of faith, love and obedience, may the infinite 
 mercy of Jehovah lead us, and them, and all his peo- 
 ple ! Amen. 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 A. HUS have we stated all that appeared to us neces- 
 sary to be advanced relative to the public teaching of 
 the first churches. The particular object which we 
 had in view, did not permit us to attempt to trace the 
 subject in all its branches, but only to consider first 
 principles, and these too chiefly in relation to matters 
 of external arrangement. — Though part of the fore- 
 going pages was written in comparative haste, the 
 facts insisted on, and the sentiments defended, have 
 been a long time attentively considered. Perceiving 
 how much error had already been advanced, and how 
 much confusion necessarily followed, we wished not 
 to make haste to show our opinion, like one who dreams 
 a dream at night, and tells it in the morning. Mature 
 consideration is surely highly necessary on subjects 
 which materially involve the order, edification and 
 unanimity of churches. Above all, it is desirable to 
 give a fair unentangled view of the constitution ap- 
 pointed by the Lord Jesus Christ. In our zeal for 
 primitive institutions, it behoves us to inquire what 
 primitive institutions are, and carefully to distinguish 
 them from those of man's invention. By retaining 
 entire the institutions of Christ, with a temper and 
 spirit becoming tlieir profession, believers will mani- 
 
200 Conclusion. 
 
 fest their well-grounded admiration of divine wisdom, 
 and their conscientious regard to both their own im- 
 provement and the general prosperity of the cause of 
 Christ on earth. 
 
 ' K,' says Mr Carson, in his answer to Mr Ewing, 
 
 * you can allege any just exceptions to the evidence 
 
 * which we produce in favour of any part of order, 
 
 * oppose ys on the ground of misrepresenting the pi'ac" 
 ' lice of the first churches,' p. 41. This is the ground 
 on which we have opposed him and others in the pre- 
 ceding observations; and Mr C. himself being judge, 
 he has greatly misrepresented the practice of the first 
 churches. If their gifts and teaching had been duly 
 considered, it is presumed, we should never have 
 heard of the ordinance of brotherly exhortation. That 
 the abettors of this so called ordinance, have eitlier 
 mistaken or overlooked the actual gifts and exercises 
 of the first churches, is apparent from their various 
 and irreconcileable hypotheses. And if their premises 
 are false, so must be their conclusions. It is of no 
 consequence that the}' agree together as to what 
 churches should now do, while they entirely differ as 
 to what was done by the first churches. Judges who 
 agreed together as to the sentence to be pronounced 
 by them in an important case, while they essentially 
 differed as to the testimony of the witnesses, and the 
 nature of the precedents on which they should act, 
 would not by such administrutioi of law, (we cannot 
 say of justice), obtain the confidence of the public 
 respecting the equity of their decisions. Although 
 our conviction of the truth of the principles which 
 have been defended in the preceding inquiry, rests 
 entirely on the clearness and precision with which 
 
Conclusion. 201 
 
 they are laid down in the oracles of God^ we may can- 
 didly acknowledge, that the views of our brethren are 
 to us a kind of confirmation of the truth of these prin- 
 ciples. The way in which error is defended, is often 
 as convincing as the refutation of it. In fact, they admit 
 all that we contend for ; so that their various and con- 
 tradictory defences of indiscriminate exhortation, have 
 done as much to discredit that disputed ordinance, as 
 all that has been written on the other side. 
 
 If we have made no apology for the unavoidable 
 defects of the foregoing observations, this has not 
 been owing to want of a feeling sense of our great in- 
 ability to do the subject complete justice. But our 
 manner of treating it, how deficient soever, will not, 
 we hope, be confounded with the merits of the ques- 
 tion^ They by whom the imperfections of what we 
 have advanced will be most readily perceived, will as 
 readily perceive the strength of the ground on which 
 we have stood. It will then, in their opinion, require 
 one kind of labour to point out these imperfections, 
 and another to demonstrate that the principles de- 
 fended are not those of Scripture. Indeed we have 
 no expectation, that promiscuous teaching will be bet- 
 ter defended than it has been already : our real ex- 
 pectation is, that some who* have contended for it, 
 will reconsider their arguments, and heartily renounce, 
 as unauthorised by Scripture, what they prematurely 
 but honestly adopted. 
 
 We shall now, in concluding, offer a hw remark*?, 
 first, respecting ordinances in general ; and secondly, 
 respecting the ordinance of public teaching in particu- 
 lar. 
 
 First, with respect to ordinances in general, it seems 
 obvious to us, that existing differences of opinion sel- 
 
202 Conclusion. 
 
 dom relate to the precise number of these, any more 
 than to the number of fundamental truths of divine 
 . revelation. The ordinances and leading truths of 
 Scripture, have, as so many points of fact, commonly 
 commanded, by their prominence and distinctness, 
 the assent of almost all denominations of professors. 
 Any denomination/even the most unscriptural, may be 
 found to observe every positive institution of divine ap- 
 pointment. Mankind are seldom hostile to the " form," 
 although only some will be found to favour " the 
 power of godliness." And does not much of the form 
 consist in the observance of public iustitutions ? Isa. 
 Iviii. 2. Zech. vii. 5 — 7. Luke xi. 42. The form then 
 may remain wliere the spirit may have vanished. 
 Men may be primitive and ancient, in regard to or- 
 der, when to every great and excellent purpose they 
 may be abundantly modernized. Nay, it is possible 
 they may come the length of delivering to Satan, as 
 ignorant and corrupt, all those who follow the noble 
 Zealand diffusive benevolence of apostolic times, while, 
 with the foolish fondness of popish superstition, they 
 may themselves doat upon the lifeless images of a- 
 postolic ordinances. It is the meaning of the leading 
 truths of Scripture, and the seasons and manner of 
 observing ordinances, and not the precise number of 
 the one or of the other, which usually occasion differ- 
 ence of opinion among professing Christians. There 
 is indeed no shadow of a reason to doubt, that men 
 may misconstruct the leading truths of revelation, in a 
 manner so egregious as to wrest them " unto their 
 own destruction." As little can it be doubted, that 
 the positive institutions of the gospel may undergo 
 such alterations in regard to the time and manner of 
 observing them, as to become in a great raeasme use- 
 
Conclusion. 203 
 
 less, if not absolutely pernicious^ 1 Kings xii. 33. 
 Mai. i. IS. But this does not by any means affect our 
 position : the number of each may still remain undi- 
 minished. Whatever alteration then is proposed to be 
 made in regard to the time or manner of attending to 
 any knov/n ordinance, it may well excite inquiry, if 
 a new ordinance is proposed to be adopted. 
 
 The design of every ordmance is, that we " gvovr 
 in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savi- 
 our Jesus Christ." By an unbiassed regard to this 
 object, we must regulate every part of divine worship. 
 The Lord has fixed the number of ordinances, be- 
 cause in every case Christian churches are supposed 
 capable of attending to them all. The only difficulty 
 lies in the application of principles to practice. Re- 
 gard to their circumstances and abilities, must fix the 
 liours of assembling and dismissing, and in general * 
 regulate their conduct as to the relative order in which 
 ordinances are to be observed and the proportion of 
 time to be assigned to each ; for it is certain, that 
 the word of God does not detennine matters of this 
 kind, otherwise than by furnishing general principles, 
 which the wisdom which God has given to his people 
 will enable them to apply according to their means, 
 and the situation in which they are placed. 
 
 The history of the church of Christ, especially in 
 the early ages after the death of the apostles, is well 
 
 • We have said in general, because we know not in what 
 order of time reading, teaching, prajer, or pvaise, was attend- 
 ed to in the first age ; but we have j)csitive evidence, that the 
 Lord'u Supper was observed in the afternoon, and not in the 
 forenoon, although the reverse of this has been lately introduc-. 
 ed as no sr.iall improvement. But to enter upon this, and 
 ether topics of a similar kind, would be foreign to our purpose. 
 
204 Conclusion. 
 
 calculated to teach us the evil of making additions to 
 those few public ordinances which they delivered to 
 the churches. In proportion as new ciistoms and ne\r 
 ordinances were introduced, some of them borrowed 
 from the Mosaic ritual, and others continued in imita- 
 tion of practices peculiar to times of inspiration, (the 
 two grand sources of innovation and will-worship un- 
 der the economy of the gospel), formality and bigotry 
 began to take place of the easy, animating usages of the 
 apostolic period ; insomuch, that, at length, the great 
 mass of professing Christians (many of whom were 
 unbelieving heathens, baptized at the point of the 
 sword) submitted to the unwieldy and baleful yoke of 
 Homish institutions. 
 
 One great perversion of Sciipture, which our Lord 
 reprehends in his sermon on the mount, is, the 
 turning of public institutions into private customs, the 
 converse of which certainly is, to change private cus- 
 toms into public institutions. " Ye have heard that 
 it hath been said. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for 
 a tooth," Mat. v. S8. Now, this rule having been de- 
 livered to the Jews for the public administration of 
 justice, we are bold to say, that our Lord did not re- 
 peal it *. The reader may consult the whole of the 
 passage from which these words are taken. Lev. xxiv. 
 1 7^—22. Wluit then does Jesus forbid i* Certainly 
 private animosity, and revenge ; passions which are 
 often enough gratified in the way of litigation, and 
 w liich must operate abundantly, if the rule referred to 
 should regulate men's conduct in their ordinary in- 
 
 • This has been most improperly called, « the law of re- 
 taliation.' It was perverted by the Jews into such a law, but 
 with equal reason may every principle of equity be perverted 
 into a law of retaliation, and then so named to the dishonour 
 of all just laws. 
 
Conclusion. '205 
 
 tercourse. But the very opposite of this was taught 
 by the law of Moses. 
 
 The converse of that misapplication of Scripture to 
 which we have adverted, is to change private customs 
 into public ordinances. That the most binding pri- 
 vate duties, may be set aside, by, as it were, transferr- 
 ing the obligation to perform them te things of quite 
 another kind, there can be no room to doubt, Mat. 
 XV. 4 — 6. Since salutation has been introduced as a 
 stated ordinance to be observed publicly in churches, 
 we have heard it affirmed, that Christians are under 
 no obligation from Scripture to practise salutation in 
 .any form whatever in their ordinary intercourse. Per- 
 haps this violation of the dictates of natural and Chris- 
 tian affection is no unnatural consequence of introduc- 
 ing this custom as a stated ordinance. If attending on 
 the Lord's day to a public mess or dinner, does not 
 help to relieve men of the burden of entertaining 
 strangers, it will certainly release them from the a- 
 postolic injunction, " And if any man hunger, let him 
 eat at home. — What ! have ye not houses to eat and 
 drink in ?" We have seen enough to warrant us to 
 suggest, that they who practise promiscuous exhorta- 
 tion as a stated ordinance, may, for that reason, be 
 in peculiar danger of neglecting to " exhort one a* 
 nother daily," as enjoined in Scripture. 
 
 If the principle, that whatever is enjoined on the 
 whole church, is to be observed by it in its associated 
 state, be held as a rule for interpreting and applying 
 the precepts of Scripture, it is impossible to calculate 
 on the changes which must thence ensue. We once 
 thought it sufficient to expose the fallacy of this sweep- 
 ing principle, that, contrary to what nature itself has 
 taught to all mankind, and the examples recorded in 
 
 S 
 
206 Conclusion. 
 
 tlie word of God, it required salutation to be practised 
 as a stated ordinance. It seems that this conse- 
 quence has not been rejected by some, although others 
 have rejected it, who yet somewhat inconsistently ar- 
 gue from the principle from which it flows, in favour 
 of public indiscriminate teaching. Upon the same 
 principle, the confessing of our faults one to another, 
 and the paying of tribute to whom tribute is due, 
 might, with equal plausibilit}', be shown to be church- 
 ordinances. Indeed, so great a proportion of the mo- 
 rality of the Bible is enjoined in this manner, that, 
 on the principle in question, a very great number of 
 the duties of believers must all be converted into pub- 
 lic institutions. Therefore, either to convert private 
 cusloms into public institutions, or public institutions 
 into private customs, is subversive of the true order 
 and interests of Christian churches : it is in fact to 
 lay aside the commandments of God for the traditions 
 of men ; and to subject his people to another yoke 
 than that of the Lord Jesus Christ. '' He hath made 
 every thing beautiful in his time ;" but out of time 
 Rnd place, what is not deformed and useless ? 
 
 Notwithstanding all the confident outer}- which has 
 for some time past been made about ordinances, inso- 
 much that some have shamefully accused their bre- 
 thren of denying that they are bound to attend to all 
 tlie ordinances of Christ, we know not as yet of so 
 much as one ordinance of public worship which was 
 not well known, and accordingly attended to, many 
 years ago. Even they who have been accused of 
 observing only some of the ordinances, will be found 
 to observe the same number precisely, one for one, 
 with those that profess to observe them all, — except 
 promiscuous exhortatioi>. And " the true worship- 
 
Conclusion. 207 
 
 pcrs shall wcrsliip the Father in spirit and in truth : 
 for the Father seeketh such to worship him." 
 
 These remarks arc not intended, and we trust they 
 are not calculatedj to lessen in tlie estimation of be- 
 lievers the value of the positive institutions of the 
 kingdom of God. Would that these were better un- 
 derstood, and the benefits of observing them in a scrip- 
 tural and spiritual manner more generally felt ! Yet 
 we shall be happy, if any thing we have said, contri- 
 bute to moderate theover-keehand disproportioned zeal 
 which has been displayed on the subject of church- 
 order — a zeal too, to which we cannot feel indebted 
 for discovering to us any new ordinance, or even for 
 adding to the efficiency and comfort of those already 
 known, but indeed rather the contrary. Such expres- 
 sions as the following, show, we fear, an uniiappy ten- 
 dency to formality in religion. ' That truths' says a 
 writer on church-order, (of whose piece we take no 
 other notice), ' that truth which alone makes the 
 ' guilty free, for the ohservance of all ihe ordinances 
 ' of the Lord Jesus Christ.' How diilerent is this 
 from the language of our Lord himself! " The Sab- 
 bath was made for man, and not man for the Sab- 
 bath." If man was not created for the observance of 
 the Sabbath, neither does Christ make his people free 
 for the observance of ordinances. He " gave him- 
 self for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, 
 and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
 good works." — " Who died for us, that, whether we 
 wake or sleep, we should live together with him." He 
 has therefore given us ordinances to promote our 
 growth in grace, and for this end cliiefly was the Sab- 
 bath day appointed. " For all things are for your 
 gakes, that the abundant grace might, through the 
 
SOS Conclusion. 
 
 thanksgiving of many, redound to the gloiy of God." 
 We were not then created, we were not redeemed 
 from wrath, nor delivered from the power of sin, for 
 the observance of ordinances, but to be a holy, hap- 
 py, peculiar people both in this world and in that 
 which is to come, to the praise of the glory of the 
 grace of God. Such is the view of things which the 
 Bible teaches, and dangerous indeed it is so much as 
 to appear to teach a different view of them. 
 
 We shall now, as was proposed, offer, in the second 
 place, some remarks relative to the ordinance of pub- 
 lic teaching in particular. 
 
 In imitating the first churches, some dislike to 
 hear of making any allowance for difference of cir- 
 cumstances. No doubt this principle has been gross- 
 ly abused in justifying culpable deviation from apos- 
 tolic practice ; but has not the reverse of it, viz. that 
 no change is warranted in our practice b}'^ the undoubt- 
 ed change of circumstances — also led to the enjoin- 
 ing what is now utterly impracticable, and what has 
 therefore ceased to be binding. Without attempting to 
 speak further of the egregious impropriety of retain- 
 ing vain shadows of extraordinary offices, it may be 
 observed, that there is one circumstance which must 
 in general be felt in appointing men to the work of 
 the ministry. To say nothing of the great number 
 fif the believers in the first age, and the extraordi- 
 nary manner in which God as it were instantaneous- 
 ly enriched them with all needful gifts, (and these 
 things ought not to be forgotten), we beg it to be re- 
 maiked, that the believers fvere then united, while noiv 
 ihey are. divided. Although, in that age, the believ- 
 ing multitude, when acting in concert, should have 
 been well furni'shed with the means of instruction, 
 
L'uncluxiou. 5;i'0l^ 
 
 Kould it therefore follow, that, divided into parties , 
 eacii separate band should have many teachers ■ 
 Might each of these parties claim an exclusive interesc 
 in the divine promise of pastors and teachers ? Was 
 it not sufficient to justify the faithfulness of God, if 
 their wants were supplied while they remained unit- 
 ed ? But if, through their own folly, any were de- 
 prived of the promised blessing of regular and able 
 teaching, they might indeed choose the best among 
 themselves, and still be miserably destitute of the 
 means of instruction. We believe it to be not only 
 a possible case, but an unquestionable fact, that many 
 separate societies in the present day have not one indi- 
 vidual among them who could be heard with tolerable- 
 satisfaction and benefit by the most candid intelligent 
 Christians^ How ridiculous in a modern church of 
 three score, or three dozen, perhaps of half that num- 
 ber, to talk as if, in regard to tlie number of teachers, 
 it were on a footing v/ith a primiitive church of as 
 many hundreds, or even of thousands. Some, we 
 fear, are too much inflamed v^rith the desire of office- 
 bearing. It is not now a rare thing, to find a church 
 of about a dozen, or even only half the number, one 
 third of whom, or more, are pastors and deacons ; with 
 fewer officers than this,, they would be deemed out of 
 order. But if at this rate office-bearers had been 
 chosen in Jerusalem, instead of hearing of seven dea- 
 cons, we should have heard of seventy times seven. 
 At any rate, we request the attention of our brethren 
 to the melanclioly but undeniable fact,, that believers. 
 are not now united as in the first age^ but sadly dis- 
 united, by diversity of sentiment about inferior things ;■ 
 that the promises of God respecting pastors and teach- 
 ers are not given to every separate party, but to t'la; 
 
 S. 3. 
 
210 Conclusion. 
 
 whole of his people in a state of unity, and that every 
 little society, however pure its principles, or just its 
 ground of separation from others may be, should not 
 presume too much on possessing within itself all the 
 means of edification, which a believing muUilude might 
 reasonably expect to enjoy. 
 
 It is manifest from views which have been recent- 
 ly advanced, that gifts for public usefulness are con- 
 sidered to be exceedingly abundant among us. This 
 is no wonder, when it is contended, that the first con- 
 verts to Christianity had abundance of gifts, besides 
 those which are spoken of in the New Testament. 
 For our part, we believe, as we ever did, that com- 
 parativel}"^ few are qualified to be useful as public teach- 
 ers. On any other supposition, we do not see the im- 
 portance of the Lord's promise of giving teachers to 
 his people. But if the number endowed with talents 
 for general usefulness is really so great as some ap- 
 pear to think, the difference between the promise of 
 raisuig up teachers, and that of gathering the people 
 to Christ, is not at all so great as we used to appre- 
 hend. The number, however, qualified to teach, 
 must always depend on the sovereign good pleasure 
 of God. Though it is certainly our duty to provide 
 those who seem to have abilities with every possible 
 advantage for cultivating and improving these, it is 
 no more in our power to make men pastors after his 
 heart, than it was to have turned them from darkness, 
 to light. It behoves us therefore to consider our ta- 
 lents, and not to go beyond the rule of Scripture for 
 tiie sake of h.aving nftany teachers. Yet a great num-. 
 ber is surely most desnablc. " The harvest truly is. 
 plenteous, but the labourers are few." May the great 
 ^nd munificent Ciod. who has tlie residue of the $pi-. 
 
Conclusion. 211 
 
 rit, supply his people with ample means, not ouly for 
 their own edification, but for the preaching of the glo- 
 rious gospel to every nation under heaven ! 
 
 Although, in some instances, there has been of late 
 an almost unpi^ecedented increase of public teachers 
 and exhorters, certainly there has not been in these 
 cases a proportionable increase of zealous and success- 
 ful efforts for the extension of the Redeemer's king- 
 dom. Yet in the days of the apostles, and even at 
 one time in our own day, an increase of labourers has 
 in other cases been usually followed by an increase of 
 labour and increasing usefulness. The cause of these 
 different results, will probably be found in the differ- 
 ent views, talents and circumstances of the preachers 
 on both sides. On the one side, the work of the 
 Lord is made an object of primaiy or constant atten- 
 tion, on the other it is not. Not merely labour, or 
 the work of the hands on account of absolute neces- 
 sit}', but shops, merchandize, worldly occupations and 
 anxious speculations in trade, with some of those cal- 
 led pastors of churches, engross much more time and 
 attention, and must do so, than pastoral duties; and 
 members of churches are not excited to support pas- 
 tors, that they may wholly devote themselves to the 
 ministry, but are thought so capable of edifying one 
 another, that little is judged to be wanting, though pas- 
 tors are either v/anting or absent. But what is entrus- 
 ted to all, will seldom be done well by any. And if man- 
 kind in general should begin to dabble with any worldly 
 calling, profession, or employment which they have no 
 abilities, time and inclination to prosecute with vi- 
 gour, diligence and constancy, and those should be 
 laid aside who used to follow it with luccess, the re- 
 sult will resemble the consequences of almost all be- 
 corains; teachers and exhoFters, 
 
21)8 Conclusion. 
 
 Much conscience too has been expressed in tlie effi- 
 cacy on the minds of unbehevers, of seeing cliurches 
 attending to ordinances according to the njanner lately 
 recommended. This has been not inaptly called the 
 ' indirect method of spreading the gospel/ in opposi- 
 tion to the direct preaching of it to the consciences of 
 men. But if two roads lead to any place, the one di- 
 rect and approved, the other indirect and untried,, he 
 who is anxious to get speedily and certainly to his 
 jcarney's end, need be at no loss which of them to 
 take. Indeed there is nothing said in Scripture about 
 the spreading of the gospel by the exhibition of ordi- 
 nances. It is, the direct declaration of the gospel 
 publicly, and from house to house> confirmed by the 
 evidence of miracles, and recommended by the holy,, 
 just, irreproachable lives of those who preached and 
 of them that believed it, by which sinners are said to 
 have been brought to the knowledge of salvation. They 
 who are anxious for the diffusion of the gospel, ought 
 wisely to consider the means for that end which God 
 has appointed. High commendation of schemes, which, 
 if they have been proved at all, have been found not 
 very productive of great zeal, efforts or success in the 
 way of bringing sinners to the knowledge of the Sa- 
 viour, is certainly premature, and we presume ill- 
 groxmded. Let men say what they will, this new 
 scheme of spreading the gospel by observing ordinan- 
 ces, will be found too indolent, feeble and indirect a 
 substitute for the labour of preaching and teaching, 
 as appointed by divine wisdom, and practised by 
 tliose who doubtless best knew how to imitate their 
 Lord, and to carry into effect his purposes of mercy. 
 
 It is obvious, that the interests of religion must 
 suffer materially by the prevalence of sentiments 
 
Conclusion. 213 
 
 which tend to cramp, enfeeble or set aside the mini- 
 stry of the gospel. While men will not spare a ves- 
 tige of clerical domination, they would do well to be 
 aware of pursuing such measures as essentially im- 
 pede the WORK of the ministry. That work, it is 
 clear from the word of God, whatever some may 
 choose to say to the contrary, ever was, and ever 
 must be the principal means of converting sinners to 
 God, and of building up the body of the Lord Jesus. 
 We claim not honour for men. We know it is writ- 
 ten, " Who then is Paul and who is Apollos ?" But 
 is it not added, " Ministers by whom ye believed, 
 even as the Lord gave to every man ?" 
 
 They who firmly and practically adhere to the prin- 
 ciple of gathering churches by the preaching of the 
 gospel, (for that can scarcely be called a religious prin- 
 ciple which exists only in barren speculation), ought 
 to consider, that the plan which they follow is not to 
 be promoted by publications and chasiges, but by vi- 
 gorous, persevering, self- denied exertion. To keep 
 men constantly engaged in the ministry of the word, 
 either as teachers in churches, or for the benefit of 
 the public at large, besides often placing those men in 
 very trying situations, makes a demand on the pro- 
 perty of Christians w^hich, if we may judge from what 
 happened at the beginning, they will not in general 
 be forward to consider as a just debt, and to comply 
 with, at least until they become acquainted with and 
 relish the iiij unctions of Scripture in regard to this 
 part of Christian duty, Phil. iv. 1 5. No wonder then, 
 that a system which professes to do great things with- 
 out the usual laboiu', expense, and self-denying sacri- 
 fices for supporting pastors and teachers, and which 
 perhaps also gratifies the self-complacency of men, by 
 
214 Conclusion. 
 
 leading them to imagine that they possess among them 
 many noble gifts and extensive information, should 
 be eagerly received. But a wise man has said, " In 
 all labour there is profit : but the talk of the lips 
 iendeth only to penur3^" 
 
 Further, we may take the liberty of observing, that 
 where pastors and teachers do not take heed to them- 
 selves, as well as to their ministry, by anxiously 
 guarding against sloth, haughtiness and avarice, the 
 souls of men cannot be profited, and great temptations 
 will be felt to fall in with any new scheme which pro- 
 mises a larger measure of edification and comfort, as 
 all new schemes usuall}'^ do. The}' who have received 
 abilities and office from God, are bound to employ 
 these for the good of his people. Teachers are the 
 servants of their brethren for Jesus' sake ; and they 
 should watch for their souls as they who must give 
 account. Oh, that there were such a spirit in them 
 as in him who said, " I endure all things for the e- 
 lect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation 
 which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory ! And I 
 will very gladly spend and be spent for you ; though 
 the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 
 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and ser- 
 Tice of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all." 
 In the present time especially, tliey are called upon 
 to show the Lord's flock that they seek not their's, 
 but them. If they strive to labour abundantly in the 
 gospel of Christ, and he is pleased to countenance 
 their labours for the conversion of sinners, or the edi- 
 fication of believers, or in respect of both these. Chris- 
 tians will learn to judge truly and soberly of every 
 man's work, according as the Lord shall distribute 
 to each. But indolent and unfaithfid must that ser- 
 
Conclusion. 215 
 
 vant be, who is not content to wait for the sure re- 
 vard of eternal glory, whatever be his recompence 
 from men. " Thou therefore endure hardship as a 
 good soldier of Jesus Christ." " The husbandman 
 must first labour to partake of the fruits." And they 
 that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the fir- 
 mament : and they that turn many to righteousness 
 as tlie stars for ever and ever." 
 
 I cannot bring these remarks to an end, without 
 expressing my conviction, and reminding my bre- 
 thren, that earnest endeavours to promote mutual 
 edification is the bounden duty, and should be the 
 daily employment of all believers indiscriminately, 
 as God gives them opportunity. The apostles 
 themselves taught not onlj^ publicly, but from 
 house to house. There certainly was much pri- 
 vate teaching in primitive times. Though only two 
 or three prophets might speak on the same occasion 
 in the public meetings, a for gieater number might 
 edify their brethren in their daily intercourse. Why 
 was the gift of prophecy bestowed upon females, but 
 for private edification ? The daughters of Philip ex- 
 ercised this gift before Paul, probably in their father's 
 house. Acts xxi. ^. In Corinth also, females had the 
 gift of prophecy, 1 Cor. xi. 5. The prophesying re- 
 ferred to in both passages, was, we presume, the sing- 
 ing of praise — a delightful and edifying exercise, very 
 common in the families of believeis in the ages which 
 succeeded, in which they doubtless imitated those 
 who were before them. " At midnight Paul and Silas 
 prayed, and sang praises unto God : and the prison- 
 ers heard them." Happy would it be for Christians, 
 if frivolity, gossipping, evil speaking and sloth, were 
 laid aside for the pleasing and beneficial exercises so 
 
2l6 Conclusion. 
 
 much enjoined in the word of God. '' And be not 
 drunk with wine, wherein is excess ; but be filled 
 with the Spirit ; speaking to yourselves in psalms, 
 Jind hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making 
 melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks 
 ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS unto God, and the Father, 
 in the name of cur Lord Jesus Christ." " For the 
 Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
 with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
 of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first : then 
 we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to- 
 gether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in 
 the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 
 
 THE END.