Verse 29. Are all Apoftles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all Workers of Miracles? Verse 30. Have all the Gifts of Healing? Do all Speak with Tongues? Do all interpret? Which I would not have fet down at large, but that there be some fo careless, especially in Matters they like not, that they will scarce be at the Pains seriously to read over a Citation only named; and that alfo this being prefented before the Reader in the Current of the Discourse, will fix the Nature of my Application the more in his Understanding. For the Apostle fhews here the Variety of the The Sum Operations of the divers Members of the Body of of the Pre. Chrift, working to one and the fame End; as the divers Members of a Man's Body towards the maintaining and upholding of the whole. miffes. Now these are not placed in contrary Workings, for fo they would deftroy one another; and fo the Apostle in the ordering of them in three feveral Kinds proves this: Firft, Diversities of Gifts. Secondly, Differences of Administrations. Thirdly, Diversities of Operations. And that which is the Bond that keeps the Oneness, here he also mentions, to wit, The fame Spirit, the fame Lord, the fame God: The Apostle names nothing of Contrariety or Oppofition. But leaft any fhould be fo critical, as to bring in here the School-Diftinction of Contrarium, Oppofitum, and Contradictorium; I fhall not deny, but Contrariety or Oppofition in the Senfe it is fometimes taken, may be found in the Body without Schifm; as the comely Parts may be faid to be oppofite or contrary to the Uncomely, or the left Hand contrary to the right, or the Foot oppofite to the Head, as the uppermoft Part to the undermoft; or the doing a Thing is contrary to the forbearing No Contra of it, but as for that which is acknowledged to be riety in the Body of Propofitions, or Termini Contradictorii, that is, con- Chrift. tradictory Propofitions, which are in themselves irreconcilable, whereof one must be ftill wrong, and that 1. 11. that still destroy one another, and work contrary Effects, they are not at all admitted, nor fuppofed to be in the Body of Chrift; as I fhall give in one Inftances. Inftance, Verse 8. To one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom, to another the Word of Knowledge by the fame Spirit: Firft, here are two different Gifts, but not contrary. Secondly, there may fomething like Contrariety in the Senfe afore-mentioned, be here fuppofed; as, fome may want this Gift of Wifdom and Knowledge, and fo to have, is contrary to want, though as to these two, none may be abfolutely faid to want them; yet all have them not in the fame Degree, as a fpecial Gift; though as to fome Gifts there may be an abfolute Want, as that of Miracles and Interpretation of Tongues. But fhould I fuppofe fuch a Contrariety, or more properly a Contradiction, as to Wisdom to oppose Folly, and to Knowledge utter Ignorance; this were an Oppofition not to be admitted of in the Body, because it were falfe to fuppofe, that to proceed from the fame Spirit. And fuch Contrarieties or Diverfities, as cannot juftly be fuppofed to proceed from the fame Spirit of God, which is the Bond that links together, cannot be mutually entertained in the Body. Diverfities So the Differences and Diversities which the Apostle and Opera- admits of, while he speaks largely in this Matter, are, tions in the that none ought to be offended at his Brother, that Body. he hath not the fame Work and Office in the Body, of Works that he hath; but that every one keep in his own Place, as God hath appointed them; that neither they that are fet in a higher Place, despise them that are fet in a lower; nor they that are in a lower, grudge and repine at fuch as are fet higher: But all work in their proper Place towards the Edification of the whole. And that the Apoftle intends this, is manifeft, where he draws to a Conclufion, Verse 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ, and Members in particular, and God hath fet fome in the Church, first, Apostles, Apostles, fecondly, Prophets, &c. and then he subfumes, Are all Apoftles? &c. Which the fame Paul again confirms, Ephef. iv. 8. 11, to the 17th, which was the fecond Place Place 2. Liberty of This is alfo held forth by the beloved Disciple Jobn in his threefold Diftinction, 1 Job. ii. 12, 13. Of Fathers, Young Men, and little Children: And by Peter, Pet. v. 1. 5. in that of Elders and Younger. The true Liberty then in the Church of The true Chrift is exercised, whenas one judgeth not another theChurch, in these different Places; but live in Love together, all minding the Unity and general Good of the Body, and to work their own Work in their own Place. Alfo the Forbearance of the Saints is exercised, whenas they judge not one another for being found in the different Appearance either of doing, or forbearing; which may be peculiar to their feveral Places and Stations in the Body; for that there is, and may Diversities be Diversities of Works there, is excellently well of Works expreffed by the Apostle, viz. expreffed by the Rom. xii. 3. For I fay through the Grace given un- Apoftle. to me, to every Man that is among you, not to think of bimfelf more highly than he ought to think; but to think foberly, according as God bath dealt to every Man the Measure of Faith. Verfe 4. For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the fame Office; Verfe 5. So we being many, are one Body in Chrift, and every one Members one of another. Verfe 6. Having then Gifts differing, according to the Grace that is given to us, whether Prophecy, let us prophefy according to the Proportion of Faith. Verfe 7. Or Ministry, let us wait on our Miniftring; or be that teacheth, on Teaching: Verfe 8, Or be that exhorteth, on Exhortation: He that giveth, let him do it with Simplicity; he that K ruleth, ruleth, with Diligence; he that fheweth Mercy, with Cheerfulness, If any then fhould quarrel with his Brother, for exercifing that which belongeth to the Office of the Body Christ hath called him to, and would force him to exercise the fame Office he doth, though he be not called to it; here is a Breach of Christian Liberty, and an impofing upon it. Now all Schifms and Breach of Jars fall out in this twofold Refpect: Either when gets Jars any Perfon or Perfons affume another or an higher andSchifms Place in the Body than God will have them to be in, The Liberty be. and fo exercife an Office; or go about to perform that which they ought not to do; or whenas any truly exercifing in their Place, which God hath given them, others rife up and judge them, and would draw them from it; both of which Cafes have been, and may be fuppofed to fall out in the Church of Chrift. As 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. where fome judged Paul wrongfully: 3 John 9. where one exalting himself above his Place, judged whom he ought not. We fee then, what Diverfities be most usually in the Church of God, confifting in the Difference of the Gift proceeding from the fame Spirit; and in the divers Places that the feveral Members have in the fame Body for the Edification of it; and every one, being here in his own Station, his ftanding therein, is his Strength and Perfection; and to be in another, though higher and more eminent, would but weaken and hurt him: And fo in this there ought to be a mutual Forbearance, that there may neither be a coveting nor afpiring on the one Hand, nor yet a defpifing or condemning on the other. But befides the Act of For- Forbearance of this Nature, which is most ordinary and universal, and for the Exercise whereof there is, primitive and will ftill be a Need, fo long as there is any Gathering or Church of Chrift upon the Earth, there is a certain Liberty, and Forbearance alfo, that is more particular, and has a Relation to the Circumftance of Times and Places, which will not hold bearance in the Church. univerfally; univerfally; whereof we have the Example of the primitive Church, teftified by the Scriptures in two or three Particulars. The firft was, in fuffering Circumcifion to the Jews for a Time, and not only fo, but alfo divers others of the legal and ceremonial Purifications and Cuftoms, as may appear Alts xxi. Verse 21, 22, 23, 24, &c. The fecond was, In the Obfervation of certain Days, Rom. xiv. 5. And the third, In the abstaining from Meats, 1 Cor. viii. throughout: Here the Apoftle perfwades to, and recommends a Forbearance, because of the Weaknefs of fome; for he fays not any where, nor can it be found in all the Scriptures of the Gofpel, that these Things fuch weak ones were exercised in, were Things indifpenfibly neceffary, or that it had been better for them, they had not been under fuch Scruples, providing it had been from a Principle of true Clearnefs, and fo of Faith. ance or Next again, these Acts of Forbearance were done in a Çondefcenfion to the Weakness of fuch, upon whom Forbear. the antient, and (in its Seafon) truly deferved Venera- Condefcen tion of the Law had fuch a deep Impreffion, that fion under they could not difpenfe with all its Ceremonies and Customs: And to fuch the Apostle holds forth a twofold Forbearance. the Law. First, A certain Compliance by fuch Believers, as I. were gathered out from the Jews; though they faw To Jews. over thefe Things, yet it was fit they fhould condefçend fomewhat to their Countrymen and Brethren, who were weak. ToGentiles Secondly, The like Forbearance in the Gentiles, II. not to judge them in these Things: But we fee, that it was not allowed for fuch weak Ones to propagate thefe Scruples, or draw others into them, and that whenas any of the Churches of the Gentiles, who wanted this Occafion, would have been exercifing this Liberty, or pleading for it, the Apostle doth downrightly condemn it, as I fhall make appear in all the three Inftances above-mentioned. |