Under the former dispensation, the gift of prophecy did not certainly argue a renewed nature.  It was sometimes given without it.  Balaam had this gift.  The deceiver who brought back the man of God who was sent from Judah to reprove Jeroboam, had it.  By divine order he told the Jew what would happen to him, because he disobeyed the word of the Lord, and returned to eat bread in that place.  Neither is there a trait of sanctity visible on the prophet Jonah, though he was compelled to bear God’s messages to Ninevah, and used to make other special communications to men.

Under the gospel dispensation divine administration hath seen the same.  Judas had doubtless the gift of miracles in common with his fellow disciples; and many will appeal to the judge in the great day, that they “have prophesied in his name, in his name cast out devils, and in his name done many wonderful works, to whom he will profess, I never knew you,” and whom he will send away among the workers of iniquity.

Men are too often estimated by their gifts.  Many consider those as the best men who possess the most enlarged, and especially the most showy talents; and despise those of a different description, as though their gifts and graces must be equal.  But this is wrong.  A person may possess the talents of an angel of light, who hath the temper of an infernal.  Such is probably the state of apostate spirits.  And some of the greatest of mankind have been some of the worst and most abandoned.

Though this must be evident to the considerate, there is yet a disposition in man to judge others, yea, and himself too, by gifts apart from the grace which falsifies gifts, and renders them beneficial, both to the possessor, and to the world; and at the same time keeps the possessor humble, and prevents him from thinking of himself, above that which he ought to think.

Neither are the renewed out of danger from this quarter.  Sanctification being imperfect, distinguished gifts, or usefulness, or uncommon divine communications, are liable to be abused and made to foster pride and raise in the worm too high an opinion of himself.  St. Paul “though not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles,” needed something to keep him humble and prevent him from being elated by the revelations which were made to him.  And he left these things on record as a warning to others; and particularly noted them to the church at Corinth, which abounded with miraculous gifts, and among whom they were exceedingly abused.  He declared them not only inferior to charity, or holy love, but, considered in themselves, as of no estimation in a moral view; that a person might possess them in the highest degree, and yet be nothing in religion—­“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though 1 have all faith, so that I