1 Corinthians 12

Question. But this is to pin our faith upon men? Response. We are to receive nothing for current but what is agreeable to the Word; as God has given to his ministers gifts for the interpreting obscure places, so he has given to his people so much of the Spirit of discerning, tha…

(2.) Their love is evidenced by their cost. 1 Corinthians 12:14: They lay up, and lay out for their children. They are not like the raven or ostrich (Job 39:14), which are cruel to their young.

Christ speaks not there of an attribute, but a person. And that the Godhead subsists in the person of the Holy Ghost appears thus: The Spirit, who gives diversity of gifts, is said to be the same Lord, and the same God (1 Corinthians 12:5-6). The black and unpardonable sin is sa…

4. A wonder any holds out in grace, and does not tire in his march to heaven; if you consider the difficulty of a Christian's work, he has no time to lie fallow, he is either watching or fighting; in fact, a Christian is to do those duties which to the eye of sense and reason se…

Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. 1 Corinthians 12:11. All these worketh that one and self-same spirit, dividing to every man as he will, 2:6.

The principles of mutual, spiritual love among believers, arise from their relation to one Father (Matthew 23:9): "One is your Father which is in Heaven," who gives to all them that believe in Christ, power to become the sons of God (John 1:12). And their being all children of t…

Quest. 17. Which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God? Answ. (1.) The calling, gathering and setling of Churches with their Officers, as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted worship. (2.) Prayer with thanksgiving. (3.)…

Titus 1:5: for this cause left I you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you. 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11, 12. Fifthly, they do every where in the name and authority of Christ, give to the…

Qu. 22. Who are the extraordinary officers or rulers or ministers of the Church appointed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ therein for a season only? An. (1) The Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, with (2) the Evangelists and Prophets endowed with extraordinary gifts of the Holy G…

Quest. 23. Who are the ordinary officers or ministers of Christ in the Church to be always continued therein? Answ. Those whom the Scripture calls, pastors and teachers, bishops, elders, and guides (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; Philippians 1:1…

(3) Matthew 28:18, 19, 20; 2 Corinthians 11:28; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:2; Colossians 4:17. (4) 1 Corinthians 12:28, 29, 30. The answer hereunto is such as needs no further explication.

For, First, if the person so called or employed have received gifts fitting him for the whole work of the ministry, the exercise of them is not to be restrained by any consent or agreement; seeing they are given for the edification of the Church to be traded withal (1 Corinthian…

And therefore (2) Whatever they do as Elders in the Church according to rule, they do it not in the name or authority of the Church by which their power is derived to them, nor as members only of the Church by their own consent or covenant, but in the name and authority of Jesus…

Now the foundation of this distinction and difference lyes. First, In the different gifts that they have received; for although it be required in them all, that they have received all those gifts, abilities, and qualifications which are necessary for the work of the Ministry, ye…

Quest. 31. Are there appointed any Elders in the Church, whose office and duty consist in rule and government only? Elders not called to teach ordinarily, or administer the Sacraments, but to assist and help in the rule and government of the Church, are mentioned in the Scriptur…

(3) 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6, 7; Colossians 4:17; Matthew 25:14, 15, 16. (4) 1 Corinthians 12:7. Quest. 37. Is the constant work of preaching the Gospel by the elders of the Church, necessary?

He knows all the several ranks and classes of men in the state of grace, and according to their ranks, with what sort of temptations to encounter them. For men's temptations are various and manifold (1 Peter 2:6), even as the gifts and operations of the Spirit are (1 Corinthians…

Or else 3. when this ordinance is not in the case of such sins administered, then God himself (who works without an ordinance sometimes the same effects that with it) does excommunicate men's spirits from his presence and gives them up to Satan by terrors to whip them home to hi…

Yes; for the children born of believers are brought up in holy instruction, and education from their childhood (as young Timothy was taught in the Scriptures from his youth, by his mother Eunice), seeing it is the charge the holy Spirit has laid upon believing parents (Ephesians…

And when I thought to understand the difference, it was too hard for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God; where the Father of glory, of his good pleasure, revealed to me (the most unworthiest of all his servants) the truth of that; which (I conceive) is the root of all ou…

Those therefore who have only gifts in the Church, as they have different gifts, so they have some of them better gifts than others, some as to the especial kinds of gifts, but mostly as to the degrees of their usefulness to their proper end. Hence our Apostle having reckoned up…

It is Christ himself, and he only, who is so the Foundation as to bear the weight, and to support the whole Building of the Church of God (Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:10, 11; Ephesians 1:20, 21, 22; 1 Peter 2:4, 5). He is so Personally; the life and being of the…

And among them that are chosen he calls them when and how he pleases, both to grace and employment or work. And (2.) as to grace, gifts, and spiritual endowments, the Holy Spirit divides to every man as he will (1 Corinthians 12:11). Let every one then be contented with his lot…

His operations respect his gifts. So to partake of him is to have a share, part or portion in what he distributes by way of spiritual gifts; in answer to that expression: All these worketh that one and self-same Spirit, dividing to every one severally as he will (1 Corinthians 1…

Now the dispensation of these spiritual gifts without which the rain of the doctrine of the Gospel falls not, depends solely on the sovereignty of God. The Spirit divides to every one as he pleases (1 Corinthians 12:11). And it is evident that he does not herein follow the rule…

And if Circumcision was lawfully administred to the children of these, they abiding in the Family of Jacob, how can Baptism lawfully be denied to the children in question, or be said to be profaned when administred to them, sith they are children of Parents who were once in the…

The same may be said of a family, where the youngest child is as truly, properly, personally and immediately a member of the family, as the most grown person, though as to power and privileges therein there be a vast difference. So in the natural body: all the parts are not an e…

In the observation of Christ's institutions, and celebration of the ordinances of divine worship, does the church-state of the Gospel, as professing, consist. It does so in opposition: (1.) to the World and the Kingdom of Satan, for hereby do men call Jesus Lord, as (1 Corinthia…

Reasons are these. 1. None can have better grounds to love another, they are members of the same body (1 Corinthians 12). Brothers born of the same womb, living in the same family, have defaced all the feelings of nature, and been divided in interest and affection; but surely no…

He says, Christian Magistrates are to manage their Office under Christ, and for Christ. Christ has placed governments in his Church (1 Corinthians 12:28, &c). I find all Government given to Christ, and to Christ as Mediator (I desire all to consider it) (Ephesians 1:3, last vers…

Man would cease to be man, if every member had not some distinct work, and a universal agreement in the common profit of the body. All mankind is but one great body constituted of several members, which have distinct offices, but all ordered to the good of the whole; the Apostle…

If men be united into a body politic or incorporate, a man cannot be said to be joined to them by mere hearty affection, unless withal he joins himself to them by some contract or Covenant. Now of this nature is every particular Church, a body incorporate (1 Corinthians 12:27),…

THE office of Ruling Elders is not only maintained by [illegible] Cartwright, [illegible], Bucer[illegible], and others whom our opposites will call partial Writers, let him who pleases read the commentaries of Martyr, [illegible], Gualther, Hemmingius, Piscator, Paraus upon (Ro…

8. Some of all estates in the commonwealth voice in Parliament, therefore some of all sorts in the Church ought to voice in Councils and Synods; for de paribus idem judicium, a National Synod is that same to the Church, which a Parliament is to the commonwealth. 9. Those Elders…

Where, as Beza notes, he distinguishes the Word, which is the Pastor's part, from Doctrine, which is the Doctor's part. Even as (Romans 12:7-8) he distinguishes teaching from exhortation: and (1 Corinthians 12:8) puts the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge for two differe…

Our fourth Argument is drawn from 1 Corinthians 12:28, where we find again an enumeration of sundry offices in the Church (though not so perfect as that Romans 12), and among others, Helps, that is, Deacons, and Governments, that is, Ruling Elders. Where we cannot enough admire…

Bilson gives yet another sense, That there were two sorts of Elders, some who laboured in the word and doctrine, some who had the care of the poor: both were worthy of double honor; but especially they who laboured in the word. Answer. Deacons are distinguished from Elders, (Rom…

Theology as a complex of spiritual gifts — Extraordinary or ordinary gifts — Ordinary gifts peculiar to the ministry or common to all — Christ the bestower of all gifts (Psalm 68:19; Acts 2:33; Ephesians 4:8) — The Hebrew word signifies both to receive and to give — Christ the a…

The difference that exists among them is one of degree. For the distribution of spiritual gifts among the faithful through the Holy Spirit — (1 Corinthians 12:11) — from this all difference among theologians depends. The same saving light dwells in all.

In their ripe age, their duty is to give their children that which may help them in this life, and also, if they have not the gift of continence, to counsel them, to govern them to a fit and religious wife, such as is fit for the duties afore-named. [1 Corinthians 12:14. For I s…

Your kingdom come: the second sort has two petitions: the first is disposed in a simple axiom of the subject and adjoint, that the kingdom of God, which he exercises by his Son, may daily come; that is, be set up in glory, fit for it: this having two parts, his administration he…

Position 2. The Scripture and all the ordinances are but created things, and not the ultimate object of our faith, and highest and completest love, that is reserved to God in Jesus Christ. Indeed, the most perfect we read of, Paul a chosen vessel stood in need of comfort from Ti…

14. And he dwelt personally in the flesh and nature of all Adam's sons. So is it said (1 Corinthians 12:13), For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit [illegibl…

But beyond all these relations, the relation of Head and Members, as it is most natural, so it obliges most: No man ever yet hated his own flesh (says the Apostle) (though diseased and leprous) but loves and cherishes it. And it is the law of nature, that if one member be honore…

And yet before long God answered Stephen's prayer in converting Saul; so that let a man — a believing Christian — pray for his sinning brother, and he shall give him life. Reason 1. It is taken from the pleasure that God takes to knit the members of the body of his Son together,…

For we must eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, before we can have life abiding in us (John 6:53), and our bodies are members of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15). Again, this union is spiritual, because it is made by the bond of one spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13): by one spir…

Lastly, it is a means of unity. Read (Ephesians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13). The fifth point concerns the efficacy of baptism.

One sheepfold (John 10:16). There be many members, but one body (1 Corinthians 12:12). Fourthly, hence we gather, that the Catholic Church is invisible.

Hence we learn, that the Holy Ghost is author not only of meekness, but of all sanctifying graces, and therefore is called the spirit of wisdom and understanding; the spirit of counsel and strength; the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). Secondly, th…

For in one essence of God we acknowledge three persons: but he names the Spirit, because he is the only teacher and conductor of all the Prophets. Saint Paul says, That none can say Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost: and by and by after he says, that the gifts of God are…