Though the way of Gifts fpiritual Gifts) be an excellent way, and much to be defired; yet the way of Grace and Love is a more excellent way, and most to be desired.

For the opening of which truth, Three things: Firft,That there is a way of Gifts diftinct from the way of Grace, and a way of Grace diftinct from the way of Gifts. Secondly, That there is much excellency in thefe Spiritual gifts, that the way of Gifts is a very excellent way, and much to be defired. Thirdly, That the way of Grace and of Love is yet a more exellent way, and more to be defired.

Firft, Ifay, There is a way of Gifts diftinct from the way of Grace and Holiness, xes and xdequa are distinct: All the Saints and people of God have Grace,but all have not these Gifts. Grace is that excellency whereby we are made like to God in Chrift: Gifts are that excellency,wherby we are made able to do fervice for God in the Church of God. By Grace Cfay the Schools) we do, bene agere, we do work well; and by Gifts we do, expedite agere, we do act more facilly, easily, expeditely. A man may have a gift in Prayer,and yet no grace in Prayer: a man may have a gift in Preaching and Exercising, yet no grace under it: a man may have the gift of Faith, (though I have all Faith, fo that I could remove Mountains,and have not Charity, I have nothing; he fpeaks of the gift of Faith,)A man may haves I fay, the gift of Faith, and yet not the, faving grace of Faith: So that plainly there is a way of Gifts diftinct from the way of Grace; and a way of Grace and Holin?fs diftinct from the way of Gifts

But what excellency is there then in gifts, and in the way of gifts?

Firft, Much, very much, they are called man, in the 14. Chapter, and the firft verfe, Defire fpiritual Gifts. In this 12 Chapter they are faid to be of the Spirit, by the Spirit, from the Spirits And if you look into the Lorh of the Acts, you fhall find that they are called. The very Spirit, or the holy Ghost, at the 44 verf. While Peter yet makes these words, the Holy Ghoft fell upon all them which beard the word, and thep of the Circumcifion which beleeved, were astonished, be

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cause that upon the Gentiles was also powred out the Gift of the Holy Ghoft; in one verfe it is faid, They received the holy ghoft; & in the next,they received the gift of the holy ghoft; For they heard them speak with tongnes and magnifying God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these foould not be baptized, which have received the Holy Gheft? Yet notwithftanding, before it is faid, the gift of the holy ghoft was powred out upon them.So that here the gift of the holy ghoft is called, The Holy Ghoft. And fo I take that place in the 6th of the Hebrews to be understood, concerning wicked mer that do fall away; It is faid,They are made partakers of the holy ghoft; that is, the gifts of the holy ghoft; for in thofe times the holy ghoft appeared by fenfible gifts,and it is ufual to put the fign, for the thing fignified; but now, that these gifts fhould be raised up to fuch a title as this, to be called the holy ghoft, it argues that there is a great deal of excellency in these gifts; infpiritual gifts.

2ly, They are the Purchase of Chrift, the Fruits of his Afcenfion, fome of those Talents which that great Lord left unto his Servants, when he went into a far Country, they are better then all gold and filver in the world for if you had all the gold and filver of both Indies, you had but natural gifts, but thefe gifts are spiritual.

3ly, It is an Excellent Thing for a man to be able to do good to others, this is the end of gifts; they are, as the Schools fpeak, in ordine ad alium, they are given for others good; they are to profit with, faith the Apoftle. The Sun is an excellent creature, why? Because he doth good to others; fo, many are, by these fpiritual gifts, enabled to do good to others, they are thofe veffels which grace and holiness, being imbarqued in is tranfported into others fouls: though there be excellent commodities in other Countries,yet, if you have not fhipping to tranfport them, you are not the better for them; therefore you fay, there is a great ufe of fhipping, thereby fuch and fuch rare commodities are tranfported; fo by these gifts, that grace and goodness that grows in one. mans heart, is tranfported into anothers, carried into anothers foul;

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foul; He hath given gifts, faith the Apostle, for the edifying of the Body of Chrift, Ephef. 4. If you cannot reach a Book off the fhelf, you take a ftool, and ftanding upon that ftool, you are able to reach down the Book; the ftool are thefe gifts : grace alone many times cannot reach down fuch a Notion in Divinity, as it is able to do by the help of gifts; Dona dantur in adjutorium gratie, gifts are given for the help of grace, they are the handmaids of grace, and they bring forth fweetly upon the knees of grace.

4ly, Again,That muft needs be excellent, that is able to ad a further excellency, unto that which is the most excellent: you fay ordinarily, That if a worfe thing be added unto a better, the better is defiled; as if water be added unto wine, the wine is corrupted; if lead be added unto filver, the filver is defiled; if filver be added unto gold, the gold is debased; and fo the better is defiled by the worfer: but now grace is the greatest excellency in the world, yet ad gifts unto grace, and grace it felf is made the more excellent and beautiful; for as the Temple did fanctifie the gold, but the gold did beautifie the Temple; fo though grace do fanctifie gifts, yet gifts do beautifie grace; now grace being the greatest beauty under heaven,& gifts putting a further beauty upon that which is the most beautiful, what doth this argue, but that there is abundance of excellency and beauty in Spiritual gifts?

Queft. But then if there be fuch an excellency in gifts, in Spiritual gifts, wherein is grace and Love more excellent? Wherein lies the excellency of grace and Love, beyond the excellency of gifts?

Anfw. Concerning Love firft: Love is not an empty thing, the voice and found of Love is not an uncertain found, or an empty voyce; but faith the Apoftle here, in the 13. Chap, of this firth to the Corinthians. Though I speak with the tongue of men and Angels and have not love, I am become as founding brass, or a tinkling Cymbal: A mans heart may be purged from groffer fins, and he may be garnished with parts and gifts, and yet his foul left empty for Satan to return into again, as you read in that 12.of Matthew; but grace and Love is a filling

thing, yea,faith the Apoftle in the 13. chap. and 8.verf. Love (or Charity) never fails, but it continues, it is that garment that never waxeth old, but Gifts do, and are foon thredbare: Though thefe gifts are fine fweet flowers, yet therewithal the Mower fifleth not his hand; a gracious heart canot be fatisfied with Gifts alone, Gifts alone are not able to fatisfie, Love and Grace doth. But wherein doth Love work beyond Gifts? faith the Apostle here,rle tell you.c. 13.v.4. Love is not easily provoked;better read thus, Love is flow so anger, Parts and Gifts are not fo; But a man may be flow to anger, and yet not kind and bountiful:true, but Love is kind,er bountiful, as the word bears it, Gifts are not fo (the Apoftle fpeaks of the effects of Love in oppofition to parts and Gifts all along) Love (faith he) is flow to anger, and is kind or bountiful: Ibur though a man be kind or bountiful, yet notwithstanding be may envy as the good of others,true,if he have Parts and Gifts only;but Love, true Love,that envies not. I but though a man do not envy at the good of others,yet he may not confider the wants of others; true,but Love will, for in the next words, Charity,or Love vannteth not, fo you reade it but according to the Greek rather, Love is not light,or inconfiderate, but confiders & weigheth al things: I but though you do al this, yet notwithstanding a man may be proud when he hath done, true, if he have Gifts alone; but Love is not puffed up, is not fwell'd, or blown, and fill'd with wind,as the bellows are,at the 5.verf.faith he,Love doth not behave it felf unfeemly: This may be underfood two wales,faith Peter Martyr, Love will do no unfeemly thing, or Love counts nothing unfeemly for the perfon loved: Our Savior Chrift wafhed his Difciples feet; one would think it an unfeemly thing for the Lord & Mafter to do this for the fervants,but be loved them,&Love counts nothing unfeemly for the person loved. Fadas comes and Betrays his Mafter with a kifs,this was an unfeemly thing; fudas had Parts & Gifts,but he had not Love,and therfore he did an unfeemly thing: Love doth not behave it felf unfeemly, that is, it doth no unfeemly thing and yet counts nothing unfeemly for the perfon loved, It seeks not her own, in the next words but the good of the per

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fon loved Love is not easily provoked; the words rather to be read thus,is not easily imbittered,or is not fharp,doth not speak bitter language, Gifts and Parts will. Love thinks no evil, that follows, and at the 6 verfe, It rejoyceth not in iniquity, but rejoyceth in the truth. It rejoyceth not in iniquity, the word is, , injuftice, It rejoyceth not in injustice, but it doth rejoyce e be truth, ouyxuigen, fo the words are to be read, that is thus, If a man be oppreft, Love cannot rejoyce in hi appreffion; but if a man be freed and delivered from his oppreffion, & the truth heard & known, Love rejoyceth with fuch a man,when the truth is difcovered;it rejoiceth not in injuftice,but rejoyceth with the truth,when that comes to light.. Wel, but fuppofe all this, yet notwithstanding a man may labor under fome finful infirmities,&c. what wil Love do then? Verf.7. Love beareth al things, but the words fhould be otherwife tranflated, for as you read them, Love beareth all things, what difference will there be between that claufe,and the latter of that verf. endureth all things,it bears all things, &c? here is no difference; the words therfore thould be read thus, It covereth all things, fo the Greek word, s, fignifies properly to cover, it is the fame word that is ufed ordinarily in the new Teftament to that purpose, Mark, 2.4. They uncovered the roof of the house, &c.the roof, or the covering, is the fame word that is ufed here, and fo' Love covereth al things; though men have many infirmities yet true Love will cover them all; and it beleeveth all things, though a man have done that which is evil in it felf, yet Love beleeves he had a good intention in the doing of it,for it beleeveth all things; and though a man go very far in fin, yet if another have Love he hopeth that God will bring him back again, for Love hopeth all things, it covers al things, it beleeveth al things; it hopeth al things; and if another do me wrong, if have Love, I thall bear that too; for Love endureth al things; but now will Gifts and Parts do these things? furely no, Gifts and Parts will not bear all things, cover all things, beleeve all things,hope all things,endure all things; I but Love doth, and Love will, and therfore there's a greater excellency in the way of Love, then in the