54. Chapter VI.

Chapter VI. Of ordinary gifts of the Spirit Of ordinary gifts of the Spirit — The grant, institution, use, benefit, end, and continuance of the ministry.

What next lies before us is the consideration of those ordinary gifts of the Spirit which are annexed to the ordinary powers and duties of the church. They are called "ordinary", not as if they were absolutely common to all, or were not much to be esteemed, or as if that was a diminishing term in any way; but we call them ordinary on a double account:

1. In distinction from those absolutely extraordinary gifts which exceeded the whole power and faculties of the souls of men — such as healings, tongues, and miracles. For otherwise, ordinary gifts are of the same nature as most of those gifts which were bestowed on the apostles and evangelists, differing only in degree. Every true gospel ministry now has gifts of the same kind as the apostles’, in a degree and measure that is sufficient for their work, except those mentioned.

2. They are called ordinary because of their continuance in the ordinary state of the church; and they will continue to the consummation of all things.

Now, my design is to treat particularly the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But because there is a gift of Christ which is the foundation and subject of the others, something must first be said briefly about that. This gift of Christ is the ministry of the church. I will not consider the nature of this office at large, but only speak to it as it is a gift of Christ. And I will do this by a little illustration given in that passage of the apostle where this gift and its communication is declared:

Ephesians 4:7-16, "But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he says, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now what does it mean that he ascended, but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is also the same that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we will be children no more, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

There is no other place of Scripture in which at one view the grant, institution, use, benefit, end, and continuance of the ministry is so clearly and fully represented. And the end of this whole discourse is to declare that the gift and grant of the ministry and ministers, of the office and the persons to discharge it, is an eminent and most useful fruit and effect of the mediatory power of Christ, with his love and care towards his church. Those of whom the apostle speaks ("to every one of us") are the officers or ministers whom he afterward enumerates, although the words may in some sense be extended to all believers; but principally the ministry and ministers of the church are intended. And it is said, "grace is given" to them. It is evident that "grace" here does not intend sanctifying, saving grace, but partaking of a gracious favor with respect to a special end. This is how the word is frequently used in this case by our apostle, Romans 15:15; Galatians 2:9; Eph 3.8.766 This gracious favor that we are made partakers of, this trust, is freely committed to us by way of grace; and that is "according to the measure of the gift of Christ," to every one as the Lord Christ measures out the gift of it to them freely. Thus, in general, the ministry was granted to the church. The particular account of it is given in the ensuing verses. And —

First. It is declared to be a gift of Christ: "And he himself gave," Ephesians 4:11. It is the great fundamental of all church order, power, and worship, that the gift and grant of Christ is the origin of the ministry. If it had not been so given by Christ, it would not have been lawful for any of the sons of men to institute such an office, or appoint such officers.

If any had attempted to do so, what they did would have been a nullity. And so their attempt would have been expressly against the headship of Christ, or his supreme authority over the church. This is why it was promised of old, that he would give ministers (shepherds) to the church, Jer 3.15,767 as well as signally foretelling it in the psalm from which these words are taken, Psalms 68:18. And just as doing it is an act of his mediatory power, as declared here and in Matthew 28:18, so it was a fruit of his care, love, and bounty, 1 Corinthians 12:28. It follows from this, that offices in the church which are not of Christ’s giving and institution, and officers who are not of his gift or grant, by provision and furnishing, indeed have no place in it; and it also follows that they are set up in opposition to his authority and in contempt of his care and bounty. For doing so arises out of an apprehension both that men have a power in the church which is not derived from Christ — which imposes servants on him in his own house without his consent — and also that they have more care for the church than he had, since he did not make such provision for them.

If an examination might be admitted by this rule, as it will one day come whether men will it or not, some great names now in the church would scarcely be able to preserve their station. Popes, cardinals, metropolitans, diocesan prelates, archdeacons, commissaries, officials — and I know not what other monstrous products of an incestuous conjunction between secular pride and ecclesiastical degeneracy — would think that they are severely treated to be tried by this rule; but so it must be at last, and that unavoidably so. Indeed, that no man would be so hardy as to once dare attempt setting up officers in the church without the authority of Christ, the eminency of this gift and grant of his is declared in various particular instances. Without it, neither the wisdom, skill, nor power of any or all of the sons of men, can have the least interest in them, or in anything like them. And this is apparent —

1. From the grandeur of its introduction, or the great and solemn preparation that was made for giving out this gift. It was given by Christ "when he ascended on high, and led captivity captive," Ephesians 4:8. The words are taken from Psalms 68:17-18,

"The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as at Sinai, in the holy place. You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive: you have received gifts for men; indeed, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." In the first place, what is intended is the glorious appearance of God on Mount Sinai in giving the law — his descending and ascending for that purpose. But they are applied here to Christ, because all the glorious works of God in and towards the church of old, were either representative or gradually introductive of Christ and the gospel.

Thus the glorious ascending of God from Mount Sinai, after giving the law, was a representation of his "ascending far above all heavens, that he might fill all things," Ephesians 4:10. And as God then "led captivity captive" in the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who had long held his people in captivity and under cruel bondage, so the Lord Christ now dealt in the destruction and captivity of Satan and all his powers, Col 2.15.768 Though it is said in the psalm that "he received gifts for men," here it is said that "he gave gifts to men:" in which no small mystery is couched. For although Christ is God, and is so gloriously represented in the psalm, yet an intimation is given that he would act in a condition in which he was capable of receiving from another, as he did in this matter, Acts 2.33.769 And so the phrase in the original does more than insinuate: "You have received gifts in Adam" 770 — in the man, or in the human nature. The Hebrew word there, laqach,771 signifies to give as well as to receive, especially when anything received is to be given. And Christ received this gift in the human nature, to give it to others.

Now, to what end was this glorious theatre (as it were) prepared, and all this preparation made, with all men being called to the preparation of it? It was to set out the greatness of the gift Christ would bestow, and the glory of the work which he would effect. And this was to furnish the church with ministers, and ministers with gifts for the discharge of their office and duty. And it will one day appear that there is more glory, more excellence, in giving one poor minister to a congregation by furnishing him with spiritual gifts for the discharge of his duty, than in the pompous installment of a thousand popes, cardinals, or metropolitans. The worst of men, in the observance of a few outward rites and ceremonies, can do the latter; but only Christ can do the former, and do it because he has ascended on high to that purpose.

2. It appears to be such an eminent gift from its original acquisition. There was a power acquired by Christ for this great donation which the apostle declares: Ephesians 4:9, "Now, what does that mean that he ascended, but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?" Having mentioned the ascension of Christ as the immediate cause or fountain of the communication of this gift, verse 8, he found it necessary to trace it to its first origin. He does not, therefore, mention descending into the lower parts of the earth on the occasion of his ascending, as if he seized at the advantage of a word; nor does he speak of the humiliation of Christ absolutely in itself, which he had no occasion for. Rather, he introduces it to show what respect this gift of the ministry and of ministers — of the office, gifts, and persons — had to this ascension. And Christ’s descending into the lower parts of the earth may be taken two ways, as that expression, "The lower parts of the earth," may be diversely understood. For the " lower parts of the earth," 772 are either the whole earth — that is, those lower parts of the creation — or some part of it. For the word "lower" includes a comparison either with the whole creation, or with some part of itself. In the first sense, Christ’s state of humiliation is intended, in which he came down from heaven into these lower parts of God’s creation, living on the earth. In the latter, his grave and burial are intended; for the grave is the lowest part of the earth into which mankind descends. And both of these, or his humiliation as it ended in his death and burial, may be respected in these words. What the apostle designs to manifest is that the deep humiliation and the death of Christ are the fountain and origin of the ministry of the church, by way of acquisition and procurement. It is a fruit whose root is in the grave of Christ. For in those things — in the humiliation and death of Christ — lay the foundation of his mediatory authority, of which the ministry is an effect, Phi 2.6-11.773 And it was appointed by him to be the ministry of that peace between God and man which was made in this and by this, Eph 2.14, 16, 17.774 For when he had made this peace by the blood of the cross, he preached it in giving these gifts to men for its solemn declaration. See 2Cor 5.18-21.775 Therefore, because the authority from which this gift proceeded was granted to Christ upon his descending into the lower parts of the earth, and the end of the gift is to declare and preach the peace which he made between God and man by doing so, this gift relates to this also. The honor and excellence of the ministry depend on this; and it is to be esteemed and valued with respect to this — namely, its relation to the spiritual humiliation of Christ — and not from the carnal or secular exaltation of those who take it upon themselves.

3. It appears to be an eminent and signal gift from the immediate cause of its actual communication, or from the present qualification of the Lord Christ for bestowing it; and this was his glorious exaltation upon his ascension. A right to this gift was acquired by him in his death; but his actual investiture with all glorious power, was to precede its communication, Ephesians 4:8; Ephesians 4:10. He was first to ascend on high, to triumph over all his and our adversaries, now put under him into absolute and eternal captivity, before he gave out this gift. And he is said here to "ascend far above all heavens," — that is, above these visible and aspectable776 heavens, which he passed through when he went into the glorious presence of God, or to the right hand of the Majesty on high. See Heb 4.14,777 with our Exposition on that verse.

It is also added why he was thus gloriously exalted; and this was that he might "fill all things" —not in the essence of his nature, but in the exercise of his power. He had laid the foundation of his church on himself in his death and resurrection; but now the whole fabric of it was to be filled with its utensils and beautified with its ornaments. He ascended to accomplish this, and he did it principally in conferring this gift of the ministry upon it. This was the first exercise of that glorious power which the Lord Christ was vested with upon his exaltation, the first effect of his wisdom and love, in filling all things to the glory of God and the salvation of his elect. These things are mentioned, so that in the contemplation of their greatness and order, we may learn and judge how excellent this donation of Christ is. And it will also appear from this how contemptible a thing the most pompous ministry in the world is, if it does not proceed from this original.

4. The same is manifest from the nature of the gift itself; for this gift consists in gifts: "He gave gifts," Ephesians 4:8. There is an active giving expressed, "He gave;" and also the thing given, that is, "gifts." Thus the ministry is a gift of Christ, not only because it is freely and bountifully given by him to the church, but also because spiritual gifts essentially belong to it — they are indeed its life, and inseparable from its being. A ministry without gifts is no ministry of Christ’s giving, nor is it of any other use in the church except to deceive the souls of men. To set up such a ministry, without gifts, is both to despise Christ and to utterly frustrate the ends of the ministry — those for which Christ gave the ministry, and which are expressed here; for —

(1.) Ministerial gifts and graces are the great evidence that the Lord Christ takes care of his church and provides for it, as called into the order and unto the duties of a church.778 To set up a ministry which may be continued only by outward forms and orders of men, without any communication of gifts from Christ, is to despise his authority and care. Nor is it his mind that any church should continue in order, any longer or otherwise than as he bestows these gifts for the ministry.

(2.) It will be further declared immediately, that these gifts are the only means and instruments by which the work of the ministry may be performed, and by which the ends of the ministry may be attained. The ends of the ministry mentioned here, called its "work," are the "perfecting of the saints, and the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to a perfect man." Of this, nothing at all can be done without these spiritual gifts; and therefore a ministry devoid of them is a mock ministry, and not an ordinance of Christ.

5. The eminency of this gift appears in the variety and diversity of the offices and officers which Christ gave in giving the ministry. He knew there would be (and had appointed that there should be) a twofold estate of the church, Eph 4.11779 —

(1.) Of its first erection and foundation;

(2.) Of its building and edification. And both different offices and different gifts were necessary for these different states; for —

(1.) Two things were extraordinary in the first erection of his church:

[1.] An extraordinary aggression was to be made upon the kingdom of Satan in the world, as upheld by all the potentates of the earth, and the concurrent suffrage780 of mankind, with the interest of sin and prejudices in them.

[2.] Casting men into a new order, under a new rule and law, for the worship of God; that is, the planting and erecting of churches all over the world. With respect to these ends, extraordinary officers, with extraordinary authority, power, and abilities, were requisite. It was to this end, therefore, that he "gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists;" we have spoken before of the nature of whose offices and their gifts. I will only add here, that it was necessary for these officers to have their immediate call and authority from Christ, antecedent to all order and power in the church — for the very being of the church depended on their power of office. But no man can pretend to this, without such an immediate power from Christ. And what was done originally by their persons, is now done by their word and doctrine; for the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone," Ephesians 2:20.

(2.) There was a state of the church in its edification, which was to be carried on according to the rules and laws given by Christ in the ordinary administration of all the ordinances and institutions of the gospel. To this end, Christ gives the church ordinary officers, "pastors and teachers," who by his direction were "ordained in every church," Acts 14:23. And these are all the teaching officers that he has given to his church. But if anyone thinks that in enumerating them in this place, as he also did in 1 Corinthians 12:28, our apostle forgot popes and diocesan bishops, with some others — who certainly can only laugh to themselves that they would be admitted in the world as church-officers — he must speak for himself.

Obj. "But the fact is, the other sort of officers were given to the church by Christ, by his immediate call and communication of power to them; it is not apparent how he gives these ordinary officers or ministers to it."

I answer that he did it originally, and he continues to do it, by the following ways and means:

(1.) He does it by the law and rule of the gospel, in which he has appointed this office of the ministry in his church; and so it is always to be continued. If there were not such a standing ordinance and institution of his, it would not be in the power of all the churches in the world to appoint any such officers among them, whatever appearance there may be of a need for this. And if any had attempted any such thing, no blessing from God would have accompanied their endeavor; thus they would have set up an idol of their own. On this we lay the continuance of the ministry in the church. If there is not an ordinance and institution of Christ for this purpose, or even if such an ordinance is granted, the force of it is now expired; and so we must readily confess that the whole office is a mere usurpation. But,

if he has given "pastors and teachers" to his church, to continue until all his saints in all ages "come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," Ephesians 4:11-13; if he promised to be with them, as such, to the consummation of all things, Matthew 28:18-20; if the apostles by his authority ordained elders in every church and city, Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5 — and they were made overseers of the flocks by the Holy Ghost, Acts 20:28; if they have charge of feeding and overseeing the flock that is among them always, until the chief Shepherd appears, 1 Peter 5:1-5; if believers, or the disciples of Christ, are obliged by him to always yield obedience to them, Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; with other such plain declarations of the will of the Lord Christ in the constitution and continuance of this office — then this foundation stands as firm and unshaken as the ordinances of heaven, that will not be changed.

There is not the least intimation in the Scripture of any time, state, or condition of the church, in which the disciples of Christ may or ought to live out from under the orderly conduct and guidance of the ministers. Therefore, it is vain to imagine that any defect in other men, any apostasy of the greatest part of any or all visible churches, would incapacitate them from erecting a regular ministry among them and over them. Because the warranty and authority of the ministry depends on this institution of Christ, which is accompanied with a command for its observance (Matthew 28:18-20) — and all his disciples being obliged to yield obedience to it, and doing so in the order and manner also approved by him — this is sufficient to constitute a lawful ministry among them. The church of Rome and those adhering to it have, by their apostasy, utterly lost an evangelical ministry among them. But this is no reason to suppose that others to whom the word of God has come and been effectual for their conversion, do not have sufficient warranty from the word to yield obedience to all the commands of Christ (however much we may be pleased to talk of power and authority, this is all that is left to us in this world). Nor should we suppose that in doing so, Christ will not accept them and approve of what they have done. That is an assertion fit for men to maintain, who have a trade to drive religion to their own especial advantage.

(2.) The Lord Christ gives this office and continues it by giving spiritual gifts and abilities to men, to enable them to discharge the duties and perform the work of that office. This is what I principally design to confirm in its proper place, which will immediately ensue.

All I will say at present is that spiritual gifts of themselves make no man actually a minister; yet no man can be made a minister according to the mind of Christ, who is not partaker of them. Therefore, supposing the continuance of the law and institution mentioned, if the Lord Christ at any time, or in any place, ceases to give out spiritual gifts to men, enabling them in some good measure to discharge the ministry, then and in that place the ministry itself must cease and come to an end. To erect a ministry by virtue of outward order, rites, and ceremonies, without gifts for the edification of the church, is but to hew a block with axes, and smooth it with planes, and set it up as an image to be adored. To make a man a minister who can do nothing of the proper special work of the ministry — nothing towards its only end in the church — is to set up a dead carcass, fasten it to a post, and expect it to do work and service for you.

(3.) He does it by giving power to his church in all ages, to call and separate to the work of the ministry those whom he has fitted and gifted for it. The things mentioned before are essentially constituent of the ministry; this belongs to the outward order of their entrance into the ministry, who are called by him to it. And concerning this we may observe the following things:

[1.] That this power in the church is not despotic or lordly, but consists in a faculty, right, and ability, to act in this matter obedientially to the command of Christ. Hence all the acting of the church in this matter is nothing but an instituted means of conveying authority and office from Christ to persons who are called to this. The church does not give them any authority of its own or that resides in itself; but only by way of obedience to Christ, does it transmit power from Him to those who are called. Hence they become the ministers of Christ — and not of the bishops, or churches, or men — holding their office and authority from Christ himself, by the law and rule of the gospel. So that whoever despises them, also despises Christ in them. Some would have ministers of the gospel receive all their authority from the people who choose them, and some from the bishops who ordain them; and where they have their own authority from, I do not know. But this is to make them ministers of men and servants of men, and to constitute other masters between them and Christ. And because all church power is originally and absolutely vested in Christ, and solely in him, none can partake of the least interest in it or share of it without a communication of that power from him to them. Neither popes, nor prelates, nor the people are able to produce any such grant or concession of power from Christ to his ministers, such that these men have authority residing in them and in their own power, to dispense to others as they see cause — or such that they may withhold it from them as a part or efflux781 of the power vested in them. The whole of what is committed to anyone in this kind, is obedience to the law of Christ, and following the guidance of his previous communication of gifts as a means to communicate his power to those who are called to the ministry.

[2.] The church has no power to call any to the office of the ministry, where the Lord Christ has not gone before it in designating him by an endowment with spiritual gifts. For if the whole authority of the ministry is from Christ, and if he never gives it except where he bestows these gifts for its discharge (as in Ephesians 4:7-8, etc.), then to call anyone to the ministry that Christ has not previously gifted for it, is to set the Spirit aside, and act in our own name and authority. And by reason of these things, the Holy Ghost is said to make men overseers of the flocks who are thus called to it — because both the communication of power in the constitution of the law, and of spiritual gifts by internal effectual operation, are from the Spirit alone, Acts 20.28.782

[3.] The outward way and order by which a church may call any person to the office of the ministry among them and over them, is by their joint solemn submission to him in the Lord, as to all the powers and duties of this office, testified by their choice and election of him. It is concerning this outward order that the whole world is filled with disputes about the call of men to the ministry. Yet in truth, it is of the least concern in this: for whatever manner or order is observed in this, if the things mentioned before are not premised to it, then it has no validity or authority. On the other hand, grant that the authority of the ministry depends on the law, ordinance, and institution of Christ — that he calls men to this office by bestowing spiritual gifts on them; and that the actings of the church in this are but an instituted moral means of communicating office-power from Christ himself to anyone. Let such other things be observed as the light and law of nature requires in cases of a like kind, and the outward mode of the church’s acting in this need not be contended about much. It may be proved to be a beam of truth from the light of nature, that no man should be imposed on a church as their minister against their wills or without their express consent, considering that his whole work is to be familiar with their understandings, judgments, wills, and affections. It cannot modestly be denied that this should be done by their choice and election — as the Scripture manifestly declares, Numbers 8:9-10, Acts 1.23, 26; 6.3-6; 14.23.783 This was observed sacredly for some ages in the primitive churches.

I will not much dispute with anyone about how far any people or church may commit this power of declaring their consent and acquiescence to others to act for them in their stead, as it were, so that the call to office would still be valid, provided the former rules are observed. Though, I approve only of what makes the nearest approaches to the primitive pattern that the circumstances of things are capable of.

[4.] The Lord Christ continues his bestowing of this gift by the solemn ordinance of setting apart those who are called in the manner declared, by "fasting and prayer, and laying on of hands," Acts 13:2-3; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 4:14. By these means, I say, the Lord Christ continues to declare that he accounts men faithful, and "puts them into the ministry," as the apostle says, 1 Timothy 1:12.

There are yet various things remaining in the passage of the apostle which we now emphasize, that declare the eminency of this gift of Christ, which may yet be further briefly considered, such as —

6. The end for which it is bestowed; and this is expressed —

(1.) Positively, as to the good and advantage of the church thereby, Ephesians 4:12;

(2.) Negatively, as to its prohibition and hindrance of evil, verse 14.

(1.) In its end, as positively expressed, three things may be considered:

[1.] That it is "for the equipping of the saints," Eph 4.12 784 — that is, for the gathering of the saints into complete church-order. The subject-matter of this part of their duty is the saints; that is, by their calling and profession, as are all the disciples of Christ. And what is effected towards them is katartismos,785 their coagmentation,786 jointing, or compacting into order. So the word restore signifies in Gal 6.1.787 And this effect is declared here, Eph 4.16.788 It is true, the saints mentioned may come together into some initial church-order by their consent and agreement to walk together in all the ways of Christ, and in obedience to all his institutions, and so become a church in essence, before they have any ordinary pastor or teacher. This is done either by the conduct of extraordinary officers, as at first, or through obedience to the word (thus elders were ordained among those who were in a church-state at that point, Acts 14:23).789 But they cannot come to that perfection and completeness which is designed for them. What renders a church completely organic, as the proper seat and subject of all gospel worship and ordinances, is this gift of Christ in the ministry. But it may be asked whether a church — before it comes to this katartismos or completeness, before it has any minister in office, or has by any means lost the ministry among them — may not delegate and appoint one or more persons from among themselves to administer all the ordinances of the gospel to them, and by that means make their own perfection? 790

[2.] The church being so completed, these officers are given to it "for the work of the ministry." This expression is comprehensive, and the particulars included in it are not to be inquired into at this point. It may suffice for our present purpose to consider that it is a work, not a preferment; and those who intend to give a comfortable account of what is committed to them, will find it a work. It is usually observed that all the words by which the work of the ministry is expressed in the Scripture, denote a particular industrious kind of labor — though some have found that they signify ways of honor and ease.791 And —

[3.] Both these are directed to one general outcome. It is all "for the edification of the body of Christ." 792 Not to emphasize the metaphors that are in this expression, the excellence of the ministry is declared, in that the object of its duty and work is none other than the body of Christ himself. And its end, is the edification of this body, or its increase in faith and obedience, in all the graces and gifts of the Spirit, until it comes to conformity to him and the enjoyment of him. A ministry which does not have this object and end, is not by the giving or grant of Christ.

(2.) The end of the ministry is expressed negatively, or with respect to the evils from which our deliverance is ordained, Eph 4.14.793

[1.] The evil which we are hereby delivered from is the danger of being perniciously and destructively deceived by false doctrines, errors, and heresies. These began then, and have ever since continued in all ages, to infest the churches of God. The apostle describes these from — 1st. The design of their authors, which is "to deceive;" 2dly. Their diligence in that design, "They lie in wait to accomplish it;" 3dly. The means they use to compass their end, which are "sleights and cunning craftiness," managed sometimes with impetuous violence, and thus it is called a "wind of doctrine." And,

[2.] The means of this is our deliverance out of a child-like state, which is accompanied with — 1st. Weakness; 2dly. Instability; and, 3dly. Wilfulness.

Sad is the condition of those churches which have ministers who will themselves toss them up and down by false and pernicious doctrines; or who are not able by sound instructions to deliver them from such a condition of weakness and instability – a condition in which they are not able to preserve themselves from being imposed on in these things by the "cunning sleights of men who lie in wait to deceive." Because this ministry is always to continue in the church, Eph 4.13,794 it is the great means of influencing the whole body, and every member of it, to a due discharge of their duty, for their edification in love, verses 15, 16.

Designing to address the spiritual gifts bestowed on the ministry of the church, I have thus far diverted to consider the ministry itself, as it is a gift of Christ. I will close with a few corollaries, such as these —

1. Where there is any office erected in the church that is not particularly the gift and institution of Christ, by virtue of that, there is a nullity in the whole office, and in all its administrations.

2. Where the office is appointed, but gifts are not communicated to the person called to it, there is a nullity as to his person, and there is a disorder in the church.

3. It is the duty of the church to look at the ministry as an eminent grant of Christ, with valuation, thankfulness, and improvement.

4. Those who are called to this office in due order, should labor to approve themselves as a gift of Christ; which it is a shameless impudence for some to own who go under that name.

5. They may do this (approve themselves as a gift of Christ) in laboring to be furnished with —

(1.) Gracious qualifications;

(2.) Useful endowments;

(3.) Diligence and laborious travail in this work;

(4.) An exemplary way of life in — [1.] Love; [2.] Meekness; [3.] Self-denial; [4.] Readiness for the cross, etc.

Chapter VII. Of spiritual gifts enabling the ministry Of spiritual gifts enabling the ministry to exercise and discharge their trust and office. As declared, the Holy Ghost gives spiritual gifts to the ministry that has been given to the church, enabling them to exercise and discharge the power, trust, and office committed to them. Now, although I am not thoroughly satisfied what men will grant or allow these days (such uncouth and bold principles are continually advanced among us), I suppose it will not be denied by many, not in words at least, that ministers have or ought to have, gifts for the due discharge of their office. To some, indeed, the very name and word "gifts" is a derision, because it is a name and notion unique to the Scripture. Nothing is more contemptible to them than the very mention of "the gifts of the Holy Ghost." At present I will not deal with this directly, though what we will prove will be sufficient for their rebuke, if not for their conviction.

Therefore, our inquiry is this: whether the Spirit of God effectively bestows spiritual gifts on the ministers of the gospel, enabling them to perform and effect evangelical administrations, according to the power committed to them and duly required of them, to the glory of Christ and the edification of the church. It is moreover inquired, whether the endowment of men with these spiritual gifts, in a degree and measure suited to public edification, is not that which materially constitutes them ministers of the gospel, as being antecedently necessary for their call to their office.

These things, I say, are to be inquired into, because, in opposition to the first, some say that these supposed gifts are nothing but mere natural abilities, attained by diligence and improved by exercise, without any special respect to the working of the Holy Ghost —at least not in any other way than what is necessary to attain skill and ability in any human art or science (which is the ordinary blessing of God on man’s honest endeavors). And in opposition to the other, some say that a lawful, ordinary, outward call is sufficient to constitute any man a lawful minister, whether he has received any such gifts as those inquired after or not. Therefore, the substance of what we have to declare and confirm is this:

1. That there is a special dispensation and work of the Holy Ghost in providing able ministers of the new testament for the edification of the church, on which depends the continuance of the ministry and the being of the church, as to its outward order. And

2. That in this, the Spirit exerts his power and exercises his authority in the communication of spiritual gifts to men, and without a participation in such gifts, no man has, de jure,795 any lot or portion in this ministration. In this consists no small part of that work of the Spirit which belongs to his promised dispensation in all ages. To deny this is to renounce all faith in the promise of Christ, all regard for his continued love and care towards the church in the world (or at least the principal pleadable testimony given to it), and under a pretense of exalting and preserving the church, to totally overthrow it. Now, the evidence which we will give for this truth is contained in the ensuing assertions, with their confirmation [from Scripture]:

First. The Lord Jesus Christ has faithfully promised to be present with his church "to the end of the world." It is his temple and his tabernacle, in which he dwells and walks continually. And this presence of Christ is what makes the church what it is — a congregation essentially distinct from all other societies and assemblies of men. Let men be formed into whatever order you please, according to any outward rules and measures that are either given in the Scripture, or discovered by themselves. Let men derive power and authority by whatever claim they think fit. If Christ is not present with them, they are not a church, nor can all the powers under heaven make them so. And when any church loses the special presence of Christ, it ceases to be a church. I suppose his presence is confessed by those among whom Christ is thus present, or it may be easily proved. See his promises to this purpose: Matthew 28:20; Rev 21.3.796 Those churches which are concerned about other things, but make little inquiry after the evidences of the presence of Christ among them, exceedingly mistake their interest.

Some walk as if they supposed they had him sure enough, immured797 in their walls as it were, while they keep up the name of a church, and an outward order that pleases and advantages themselves. But outward order, whatever it may be, is so far from being the only evidence of the presence of Christ in a church, that when it is alone, or when it is principally required, it is no evidence at all. And therefore, because preaching the word and the right administration of the sacraments are assigned as the marks of a true church, if only their outward acts and order are regarded, there is nothing to evidence this purpose in them.

Secondly. This promised presence of Christ is by his Spirit. I sufficiently proved this earlier, so that here I will be brief in repeating it, though it is the next foundation of what we have to further offer in this case. We do not speak of the essential presence of Christ with respect to the immensity of his divine nature, by which he is equally present in or equally indistant from all places, manifesting his glory when, where, and how he pleases. Nor does it respect his human nature; for when he promised his presence, he told his disciples that he must leave and depart from them, John 16:5-8. Upon saying this, they were filled with sorrow and trouble, until they knew how he would make good the promise of his presence with them, and who or what it was that would supply his bodily absence to their advantage. And he did this in his visible ascension, when "he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight," Acts 1:9; it was also when they were charged not to expect his return until his coming in judgment, Acts 1:11. Accordingly, Peter tells us that "heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things," Acts 3:21, when he will appear again "in the glory of his Father," Matthew 16:27 — even that glory which the Father gave him upon his exaltation, Php 2:9-11, joined to "that glory which he had with him before the world was," John 17:5. In and upon his departure from them, Christ taught his disciples how they should understand his promise of being present and abiding "with them to the end of the world;" and this was by sending his Holy Spirit in his name, place, and stead, to do all to them and for them which Christ had yet to do with them and for them. See John 14.16-18, 26-28, 15.26, 16.7-15.798

Christ has no other vicar in the church; nor does he stand in need of any; nor can any mortal man supply that charge and office; nor was it ever thought of in the world until men grew weary of the conduct and rule of the Holy Spirit — by various ways taking his work out of his hand, and leaving him nothing to do in what they called "the church." But I suppose I need not handle this principle as something in dispute or controversy. If I am not greatly mistaken, this presence of Christ in his church by his Spirit is an article of faith to the catholic church, and it such a fundamental truth that whoever denies it, overthrows the whole gospel. And I have so confirmed it in our former discourses concerning the dispensation and operations of the Holy Ghost, that I do not fear or expect any direct opposition to this. Yet I acknowledge that some begin to talk as if they admitted no other presence of Christ but the word and sacraments. Whatever else remains to be done, lies wholly in ourselves. It is acknowledged that the Lord Christ is present in and by his word and ordinances; but if he is not otherwise present, or is present only by the external administration of these, then no more church-state among men will ensue from that than there is among the Jews, who enjoy the letter of the Old Testament and the institutions of Moses. Except when men rise up in express contradiction to the promises of Christ, and the faith of the catholic church in all ages, we will not contend with them. But —

Thirdly. This presence of the Spirit is secured for the church by an everlasting, unchangeable covenant: Isaiah 59:21, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord; My Spirit that is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, will not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed’s seed, says the Lord, from this time on, and forever." This is God’s covenant with the gospel church, to be erected when "the Redeemer would come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Isaiah 59:20. This is a part of the covenant that God has made in Christ the Redeemer. Just as the continuance of the word to the church in all ages is secured by this promise— without which it would cease and come to nothing, seeing that it is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets," Ephesians 2:20 — so the presence of the Spirit in like manner is secured for it. And that is on the same terms as the word; so that if he is not present with the church, all covenant-relation between God and the church ceases. Where this promise does not take place, there is no church, no ordinances, and no acceptable worship, because there is no covenant relation. In brief then, where there is no partaking of the promise of Christ to send the Spirit to abide with us always, there is no interest in that covenant in which God engages that his Spirit will not depart from us forever. And so there is no presence of Christ to make the word and ordinances of worship living, useful, and effectual in their administration, to their proper ends. And thus, there is no church-state, whatever outward order there may be. And on this —

Fourthly. The gospel is called the ministration799 of the Spirit, and the ministers of the gospel are called the ministers of the Spirit: 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who has also made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit;" not of the "ministration of death," but of the "Spirit," which is "glorious," verses 7, 8.

There never was, nor ever will be, any but these two ministrations in the church — that of the letter and death, and that of the Spirit and life. If there is a ministration in any church, it must belong to one of these; and all ministers must be ministers either of the letter, or of the Spirit. If there is a ministry pretended to that is neither of the letter nor of the Spirit, then it is antichristian. The ministry which was carnal, of the letter and death, was a true ministry; and in its place it was glorious, because it was appointed by God and it was efficacious as to its proper end. The ministry of the gospel is of the Spirit, and it is much more glorious. But if there is a ministration that has the outward form of either, but indeed is neither of them, then it is no ministration at all. And where it is so, there is really no ministration but that of the Bible — that is, God by his providence continuing the Bible among them, makes use of it as he sees good for the conviction and conversion of sinners. In this, there is a secret manifestation of the Spirit also.

We may therefore inquire in what sense the ministration of the gospel is called the "ministry of the Spirit." Now, this cannot be because the laws, institutions, and ordinances of its worship were revealed by the Spirit, for so were all the ordinances and institutions of the Old Testament, as proved before. And yet the ministration of them was the ministration of the letter and of death, in a worldly sanctuary, by carnal ordinances.2 Corinthians 3:7 Therefore, it must be called the ministry of the Spirit in one of these respects: either —

1. Because it is the special aid and assistance of the Spirit by which any are enabled to administer the gospel and its institutions of worship according to the mind of God, for the edification of the church. In this sense, men are said to be made "able ministers of the new testament," — that is, ministers who are able to administer the gospel in due order. Thus in that expression, "ministers of the Spirit," the "Spirit" denotes the efficient cause of the ministry, the one that quickens it, verse 6. Or —

2. It may be said to be the "ministration of the Spirit," because in and by the ministry of the gospel, the Spirit is in all ages administered and communicated to the disciples of Christ, for all the ends for which the Spirit is promised. So in Gal 3.2,800 the Spirit is received by "the teaching of faith." Take it either way, and the whole of what we plead for is confirmed. He alone enables men to discharge the work of the ministry, by the spiritual gifts which he communicates to them; this is the first sense, and it is expressly what we contend for. And if the Spirit is communicated and administered to men in and by the ministration of the gospel in all ages, then he abides with the church forever. As for what ends, we must further inquire.

Fifthly. The great end for which the Spirit is thus promised, administered, and communicated under the gospel, is the continuance and preservation of the church in the world. God has promised to the Lord Christ that his kingdom in this world would endure "throughout all generations," with the course of the sun and moon, Psalms 72:5; and "of the increase of his government there would be no end," Isaiah 9:7; and the Lord Christ himself has declared his preservation of his church, so that "the gates of hell will not prevail against it," Matthew 16:18. It may therefore be inquired, On what do the infallible accomplishment of these promises, and countless others to the same end, depend? Or, What is the means by which they will be certainly executed? Now, this must either be some work of God, or of man. If it is of men, and it consists of their wills and obedience, then what is said amounts to this: namely, that once men have received the gospel, and professed subjection to it, they will infallibly abide in it in succession, from one generation to another. But besides that, it must be granted that whatever depends on the wills of men, can have no more certainty than the undetermined wills of men can give security for — which indeed is none at all. So there are confessed instances without number, of such persons and places that have lost the gospel and the profession of it. And what has happened in one place, may happen in another, and consequently in all places where the reasons and causes of things are the same. On this supposition, therefore, there is no security that the promises mentioned will be infallibly accomplished. Therefore, the event must depend on some work of God and Christ. Now, this is none other than the dispensation and communication of the Spirit. On this alone, the continuance of the church and of the kingdom of Christ in the world, depend. And because the church falls under a double consideration — namely, of its internal and external form, of its internal spiritual union with Christ, and its outward profession of obedience to him — the calling, gathering, preservation, and edification of the church, in both respects, belong to the Holy Spirit. He does the first, as has been proved at large, by communicating effectual saving grace to the elect. He does the latter by communicating gifts to the guides, rulers, officers, and ministers of the church, with all its members, according to its place and capacity. Suppose that his communication of internal saving grace ceases — then the church must absolutely cease as to its internal form. For we are united to the Lord Christ as our mystical head by the Spirit, the one and self-same Spirit dwelling in him and in those who believe. Union to Christ without saving grace, and saving grace without the Holy Spirit, are strangers to the gospel and to Christian religion; and so is it, to have a church that is holy and catholic, which is not united to Christ as a mystical head. Therefore, the very being of the church, as to its internal form, depends on the Spirit in his dispensation of grace; if you suppose an intercision801 of this, the church must cease.

It has the same dependence on him as to its outward form and profession, upon his communication of gifts. For "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord," or profess subjection and obedience to him in a due manner, "but by the Holy Ghost," 1 Corinthians 12:3. Suppose that this work of his ceases; there can be no professing church. Let men mould and cast themselves into whatever order and form they please, and let them pretend that their right and title to their church power and station is derived from their progenitors or predecessors — if they are not furnished with the gifts of the Spirit, to enable their guides for gospel administrations, they are not an orderly gospel church. Therefore —

Sixthly. The communication of such gifts to the ordinary ministry of the church in all ages is plainly asserted in various places of the Scripture, some of which may be briefly considered. The whole nature of this work is declared in the parable of the talents, Matthew 25, verses 14 to 30. The state of the church from the ascension of Christ to his coming again for judgment — that is, in its whole course on the earth — is represented in this parable. In this season, he has servants whom he entrusts in the affairs of his kingdom — in the care of his church, and the propagation of the gospel. So that they may, in their several generations, places, and circumstances, be enabled for this, he gives them talents to trade with, in various distributions, the least of which was sufficient to encourage those who received them, to their use and exercise. The trade they had to drive was that of the administration of the gospel to others — its doctrine, worship, and ordinances. Talents are abilities to trade, which may also comprise opportunities and other advantages; but abilities are chiefly intended. These were the gifts of which we speak; nor did it ever enter into the minds of any to think otherwise of them. And they are abilities which Christ, as the king and head of his church, gives to men in a special manner as they are employed under him in the service of his house, and in the work of the gospel. The servants mentioned are those who are called, appointed, and employed in the service of the house of Christ — that is, all ministers of the gospel, from first to last. And their talents are the gifts which he endows them with for their work, by his own immediate power and authority. And these three things follow from this:

1. That wherever there is a ministry that the Lord Christ sets up, appoints, or owns, he furnishes all those whom he employs in it with gifts and abilities suitable to their work; he does this by the Holy Spirit. He will never fail to own his institutions, with gracious supplies, to render them effectual.

2. That where any have not received talents to trade with, it is the highest presumption in them, and it casts the greatest dishonor on the Lord Christ, for any one to undertake the work of the ministry — as though He requires work where he gives no strength, or trade where he gives no stock. Where the Lord Christ gives no gifts, he has no work to do. He will not require any special duty of anyone, where he does not give a special ability. For any to think they are fit for this work and service in the strength of their own natural parts and endowments, however acquired, is to despise both Christ’s authority and his work.

3. For those who have received these talents, either not to trade them at all, or to pretend to manage their trade with another stock — that is, either not to sedulously and duly exercise their ministerial gifts, or to discharge their ministry by other helps and means — is to set up their own wisdom in opposition to Christ’s, and to his authority. In brief, what the whole parable teaches is that wherever there is a ministry in the church that Christ owns or regards, as used and employed by him, persons are furnished with spiritual gifts from Christ by the Spirit, enabling them to discharge that ministry. And where there are no such spiritual gifts dispensed by him, there is no ministry that he either accepts or approves.

Romans 12:4-8, "Just as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy," etc. It is indifferent, as to our present purpose, whether the apostle is treating offices here, or only duties; the things that ensue, which are plain and obvious in the text, are sufficient to confirm what we plead for:

1. It is the ordinary state of the church that the apostle discourses about: its continuance after being planted; its preservation and edification. Therefore, what he says is necessary to the church in all ages and conditions. To suppose there could be a church devoid of the gifts mentioned here, is to overthrow the whole nature and end of a gospel church.

2. That the principle of all administrations in the church-state described, is gifts that are received from Jesus Christ by his Spirit. For, declaring the way by which the church may be edified, he lays the foundation of it in this: that "to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Ephesians 4:7 For the apostle exhorts those to whom he speaks, to attend to those duties by which the church may be edified; and that is by virtue of the gifts which they had received. The whole duty of anyone in the church lies in this: that he acts according to the charisma that he is made a partaker of. It has already been fully declared what these charismata are, and by whom they are bestowed [see p. 423].

3. That these gifts give not only the ability for duty, but the rule and measure for all works of service that are to be performed in the church. Everyone is to act in this according to his gift, and not otherwise. To say that this state of the church has now ceased, and that another state has been introduced in which all gospel administrations may be managed without spiritual gifts, or not by virtue of those gifts, is to say what in fact is true in most places. But whether the true nature of the church is not overthrown by this, is left for consideration. 1Pet 4.10-11,802 is a parallel testimony to this; and many others to the same purpose might be pleaded, together with that which is the foundation of this whole discourse, Ephesians 4:7-16, etc. Only, let it be remembered that, in this whole discourse, I understand "gifts" to mean charismata pneumatika, those spiritual largesses,803 which are neither absolutely natural endowments, nor attainable by our own industry and diligence.

Seventhly. These gifts, as they are bestowed to that end, so they are indispensably necessary to gospel administrations. For, as we have proved, they are spiritual, and not legal or carnal. And spiritual administrations cannot be exercised in a due manner without spiritual gifts. Indeed, one reason why they are spiritual, and are so called, is because they cannot be performed without the aid and assistance of the Holy Spirit in and by these gifts of his. If the Lord Christ had appointed administrations of another nature, which were in every way suited to the reason of men, and to be exercised by the powers of reason, then there would have been no need for these spiritual gifts. For the spirit of a man knows the things of a man, and it will both guide and act him.Proverbs 20:27 But because these administrations are spiritual in their nature, use, meaning, and efficacy, it is by spiritual gifts alone that they may be managed. Hence these things live and die together: where the one is not present, neither will the other be.

Thus, when many — perhaps most who were outwardly called to office in the church — began to be carnal in their hearts and lives, and to neglect the use of these gifts, not applying themselves to attaining them, nor endeavoring to excite or increase what they had received by diligence or constant exercise, refusing to trade with the talent committed to them, they quickly began to grow weary of spiritual administrations, On doing this, in compliance with many corrupt affections, they resorted to an outward, carnal, ceremonious worship and administration of ordinances, which they might discharge and perform without the least aid or assistance of the Holy Ghost, nor supply of spiritual gifts. So, in the neglect of these gifts, and the loss of them which ensued, lay the beginning of the apostasy of the Christian church as to its outward profession. This was quickly completed by the neglect of the grace of the Spirit, by which the church lost both truth and holiness. Nor could it be otherwise. For, as we proved, the outward form and being of the church, as to its visible profession, depend on the reception and use of these gifts. Upon their decay, therefore, the church must decay as to its profession — and in their loss, is its ruin. We have an instance in the church of Rome, as to what various, extravagant, and endless inventions the minds of men will put them to, in order to keep up a show of worship. But by the loss of spiritual gifts, spiritual administrations are also lost. This is what their innumerable forms, modes, sets of rites and ceremonies, and seasons of worship, are invented to supply. But these are to no purpose at all; they only aggravate their sin and folly.

Eighthly. In the last place, we plead the event804 [of gifts], even in the days in which we live. For the Holy Ghost continues to dispense spiritual gifts for gospel administrations in great variety to those ministers of the gospel who are called to their office according to his mind and will. The opposition made to this by profane scoffers, is not to be valued. The experience of those who are humble and wise is appealed to — those who, fearing God, inquire into these things. Do they not have an experience of this administration? Do they not find the presence of the Spirit himself — by his various gifts in them, by whom spiritual things are administered to them? Do they not have a proof of Christ speaking in them by the assistance of his Spirit, making the word mighty to all its proper ends? And as with the thing itself, so the variety of his dispensations also manifest themselves to the experience of believers. Who does not see how different the gifts of men are, the Holy Ghost distributing to every one as he will? And the experience of those who have received these gifts may also be pleaded, of the special assistance they receive in exercising them. Indeed, the profaneness of a contrary apprehension is intolerable among those who profess to be Christians. For any to boast that they are sufficient of themselves for the stewardly dispensation of the mysteries of the gospel — by their own endowments, whether natural or acquired, and by the exercise of those, without partaking of any special spiritual gift from the Holy Ghost — is a presumption which contains in it a renunciation of all or any interest in the promises of Christ. Those promises are made to the church for the continuance of His presence in it. Let men be however well persuaded of their own abilities — let them pride themselves in their performances, in the reflection of applause from persons who are unacquainted with the mystery of these things; let them frame for themselves such a work of the ministry that its discharge stands in little or no need of these gifts — and it will at length appear that, where the gifts of the Holy Ghost are excluded from their administration, the Lord Christ is excluded, and the Spirit himself is excluded, and all true edification of the church is excluded, and so are all the real concerns of the gospel. And so we have, I hope, confirmed the second part of the work of the Holy Ghost with respect to spiritual gifts — namely, his continuing to distribute and communicate them to the church to the end of the world, according to the powers and duties which he has erected in it or required of it.