The third Position is this,1 That a man may be excellent in one gift, and yet defective in other gifts, one man shall not have all; this is very observable by instances you have in Scripture. The first instance is between Paul and Barnabas; if you look unto Paul, his gift was the gift of utterance, and freedom of speech, insomuch that at Lyst•• Paul was taken for Mercury the God of Eloquence,2 because he was the chief Speaker, and though it is said of Paul, that he was rude of speech, that is, not as if it were so indeed, but in the opinion and conceit of the Corinthians, who being seduced by false teachers, hearkened to their disparagements of Paul. 3Paul he was a most eloquent man,4 and had much of the gift of utterance, but now Barnabas did excel Paul in another gift, to comfort ⟨p. 145⟩those who were troubled in conscience; he was a son of Consolation, 5to comfort troubled consciences. So likewise in the case of Peter and the other Apostles; Divines gather from Christs commission to Peter, singling him out, when he said, Peter, feed my Lambs; Peter, lovest thou me? 6The Reason that some Expositors give, why Peter was singled out, was this; because Peter had an excellent gift in preaching, and in feeding the Lambs of Christ, that is, weak Believers. Moreover, it is said of James and John, that they were called Sons of Thunder, 7as having a more powerful gift from God, to terrify and awake a sinners conscience, then Peter and other Apostles had. So that though some of the Apostles had most excellent gifts, yet some of them excelled others in some one gift.
The third Position is this,1 That a man may be excellent in one gift, and yet defective in other gifts, one man shall not have all; this is very observable by instances you have in Scripture. The first instance is between Paul and Barnabas; if you look unto Paul, his gift was the gift of utterance, and freedom of speech, insomuch that at Lyst•• Paul was taken for Mercury the God of Eloquence,2 because he was the chiefe Speaker, and though it is said of Paul, that he was rude of speech, that is, not as if it were so indeed, but in the opinion and conceit of the Corinthians, who being seduced by false teachers, hearkned to their disparagements of Paul. 3Paul he was a most eloquent man,4 and had much of the gift of utterance, but now B•rnabas did excel Paul in another gift, to comfort ⟨p. 145⟩those who were troubled in conscience; he was a son of Consolation, 5to comfort troubled consciences. So likewise in the case of Peter and the other Apostles; Divines gather from Christs commission to Peter, singling him out, when he said, Peter, feed my Lambs; Peter, lovest thou me? 6The Reason that some Expositors give, why Peter was singled out, was this; because Peter had an excellent gift in preaching, and in feeding the Lambs of Christ, that is, weak Believers. Moreover, it is said of James and John, that they were called Sonnes of Thunder, 7as having a more powerfull gift from God, to terrifie and awake a sinners conscience, then Peter and other Apostles had. So that though some of the Apostles had most excellent gifts, yet some of them excelled others in some one gift.
- 1Posit. 3.
- 2Act. 14. 11.
- 32 Cor. 11. 6
- 4Act. 4. 36.
- 5Act. 11. 24.
- 6Joh. 11. 15.
- 7Mar. 3. 17. Boanerges.Mar. 3. 17. Boan•rges.
