An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

For confutation of all this, it is to be remembered: First, that the gifts spoken of by ⟨p. 44⟩the Apostle, are given of God for the common good and edification of the Church, And God hath set some in the Church, &c. Secondly, these gifts the Apostle considereth not, abstract••è à subjectis; but as they are in men endued with them, as is plain; for he had before reckoned forth the gifts themselves, vers. 8.9.10. and if here he did no more but reckon them over again, this were actum agere. He is now upon the use and exercise of these gifts by the office-bearers of the Church, vers. 27.29. And though the Apostle, vers. 28. speaketh concretively only of these three, Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers, yet the rest must be understood in the same manner, per metoxymiam adjuncti; as when we speak of Magistracy and Ministry, for Magistrates and Ministers▪ yea, the Apostle, vers. 29.30. so expoundeth himself where he speaketh concretivè of the same things whereof he seemed before to speak abstractivè. He speaketh of them as they are in different subjects, which is most evident both by his protasis wherein he did again press the same simile of the several offices, not of the same but of several members of the body; and likewise by the words immediately subjoined, Are all Apostles, are all Prophets? are all Teachers? He would have stood here and said no more, if he had meant to distinguish these three orders only as Saravia ⟨p. 45⟩expoundeth him. But now to make it plainly appear that he spoke of the other gifts also, as they are in different persons, he addeth, are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? where we may supply, are all for helps? are all for governments? But can it be for nought that the Apostle omitteth these two, when he doth over again enumerate all the rest? vers. 29.30. It is as if he had said, there are some who have none of those special, and (for the most part) extraordinary gifts. All are not Apostles, all are not Prophets, &c. for some have but common and ordinary gifts, to be Deacons or Elders for government.

For confutation of all this, it is to be remembred: First, that the gifts spoken of by ⟨p. 44⟩