Chapter 7 — Gifts Enabling the Ministry

(§ 1.) To the Ministry so given to the Church, as has been declared, the Holy Ghost gives spiritual gifts enabling them to the exercise and discharge of the power, trust and office committed to them. Now although I am not thoroughly satisfied what Men will grant or allow in these Days, such uncouth and bold principles are continually advanced among us, yet I suppose it will not, in words at least, be denied by many, but that Ministers have, or ought to have, gifts for the due discharge of their Office. To some indeed the very name and word is a derision, because it is a name and notion peculiar to the Scripture. Nothing is more contemptible to them than the very mention of the gifts of the Holy Ghost; at present I deal not with such directly, though what we shall prove will be sufficient for their rebuke, though not for their conviction. Therefore our enquiry is, Whether the Spirit of God does effectually collate on the Ministers of the Gospel, spiritual gifts, 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 edification of the Church. It is moreover enquired whether the endowment of Men with these spiritual gifts in a degree and measure suited to public edification, be not that which does materially constitute them Ministers of the Gospel, as being antecedently necessary to their call to their Office. These things I say are to be enquired into, because in opposition to the first it is affirmed, that these supposed gifts are nothing but mere natural abilities attained by diligence, and improved by exercise, without any especial respect to the working of the Holy Ghost, at least otherwise than what is necessary to the attaining of skill and ability in any human art or science, which is the ordinary blessing of God on man's honest endeavours. And to the other it is opposed, that a lawful ordinary outward call is sufficient to constitute any Man a lawful Minister, whether he have received any such gifts as those enquired after or no. Therefore, the substance of what we have to declare and confirm is, that there is an especial dispensation and work of the Holy Ghost in providing able Ministers of the New Testament for the edification of the Church, wherein the continuance of the Ministry, and being of the Church, as to its outward order, does depend; and that herein he does exert his power, and exercise his authority in the communication of spiritual gifts to Men, without a participation whereof no Man has de jure, any lot or portion in this ministration. Herein consists no small part of that work of the Spirit which belongs to his promised dispensation in all Ages, which to deny is to renounce all faith in the promise of Christ, all regard to his continued love and care towards the Church in the World, or at least the principal pleadable testimony given thereunto, and under pretence of exalting and preserving the Church, totally to overthrow it. Now the evidence which we shall give to this truth, is contained in the ensuing assertions with their confirmation.

§ 2. 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, wherein he will dwell and walk continually. And this presence of Christ is that which makes the Church to be what it is, a congregation essentially distinct from all other societies and assemblies of Men. Let Men be formed into what order you please, according to any outward rules and measures that are either given in the Scripture, or found out by themselves, let them derive power and authority by what claim soever they shall think fit, yet if Christ be not present with them, they are no Church, nor can all the powers under Heaven make them so to be. And where any Church loses the especial presence of Christ, it ceases so to be. It is, I suppose, confessed with and among whom Christ is thus present, or it may be easily proved. See his promises to this purpose (Matthew 18:20; Revelation 21:3). And those Churches do exceedingly mistake their interest who are sollicitous about other things, but make little enquiry after the evidences of the presence of Christ among them. Some walk as if they supposed they had him sure enough, as it were immured in their walls, while they keep up the name of a Church, and an outward order that pleases and advantages themselves. But outward order be it what it will, is so far from being the only evidence of the presence of Christ in a Church, that where it is alone, or when it is principally required, it is none at all. And therefore whereas preaching of the Word, and the right administration of the Sacraments are assigned as the notes of a true Church, if the outward acts and order of them only be regarded, there is nothing of evidence to this purpose in them.

(§ 3.) 2dly, THIS promised presence of Christ is by his Spirit. This I have sufficiently proved formerly, so that here I shall be brief in its rehearsal, though it be the next foundation of what we have farther to offer in this case. We speak not of the essential presence of Christ with respect to the immensity of his divine nature, whereby 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 this his presence, he told his Disciples that therein he must leave and depart from them (John 16:5, 6, 7, 8), whereon they were filled with sorrow and [illegible] until they knew how he would make good the promise of his presence with them; and who or that it was that should to their advantage supply his bodily absence. And this he did in his [illegible] ascension, when he was taken up, and a cloud [illegible] him out of their sight (Acts 1:9), when also [illegible] given in charge to them not to expect his return until his coming to judgment (ver. 11). And accordingly Peter tells us, that the heavens [illegible] receive him to the time of the restitution of all [illegible] (Acts 3:21), when he will appear again in the glory of his Father (Matthew 16:27), even [illegible] glory which the Father gave him upon his [illegible] (2 Peter 1:17), joined to that glory which he had with him before the world was (John 17:5). In and upon this his departure from them he 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 of his Holy Spirit in his name, place and stead; to do all to them, and for them, which he had yet to do with them and for them. See John 14:16, 17, 18, 26, 27, 28; chap. 15:26; chap. 16:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. And other vicar in the Church Christ has none, nor does stand in need of any; nor can any mortal man supply that charge and office. Nor was any such 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, leaving him nothing to do in that which they called the Church. But I suppose I need not handle this principle as a thing in dispute or controversy. If I greatly mistake not, this presence of Christ in his Church by his Spirit, is an article of faith to the catholic Church, and such a fundamental truth as 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, as that I fear not, nor expect any direct opposition thereunto. But yet I acknowledge that some begin to talk as if they owned no other presence of Christ but by 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 be no otherwise present, or be present only by their external administration, there will no more Church-state among men ensue thereon, than there is among the Jews, who enjoy the letter of the Old Testament and the institutions of Moses. But when men rise up in express contradiction to the promises of Christ, and the faith of the catholic Church in all ages, we shall not contend with them. But

(§ 4.) 3dly, THIS presence of the Spirit is secured to 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 them, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall 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 henceforth and for ever." This is God's covenant with the Gospel Church, to be erected then when the Redeemer should come out of Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob (ver. 20). This is a part of the covenant that God has made in Christ the Redeemer. And as the continuance of the Word to the Church in all ages is by this promise secured, without which it would cease and come to nothing, seeing it is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 2:20), so is the presence of the Spirit in like manner secured to it, and that on the same terms with the Word, so as that if he be not present with it, all covenant relation between God and it does cease; where this promise does not take place, there is no Church, no ordinance, no acceptable worship, because no covenant-relation. In brief then, where there is no participation of the promise of Christ to send the Spirit to abide with us always, no interest in that covenant, wherein God engages that his Spirit shall not depart from us for ever; and so no presence of Christ to make the Word and ordinances of worship living, useful, effectual in their administration to their proper ends, there is no Church-state, whatever outward order there may be.

(§ 5.) AND hereon (4thly,) is the Gospel called the ministration of the Spirit, and the ministers of it the ministers of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6): Who has also made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter but of the Spirit; not the ministration of death, but that of the Spirit, which is glorious (ver. 7, 8). There never was, nor ever shall be any, but these two ministrations in the Church; that of the letter and of death; and that of the Spirit and of life. If there be a ministration in any Church, it must belong to one of these, and all ministers must be so, either of the letter or of the Spirit. If there be a ministry pretended to, that is neither of the letter nor of the Spirit, it is Antichristian. The ministry which was carnal, of the letter and death, was a true ministry, and in its place glorious, because it was appointed of God, and was efficacious as to its proper end. That of the Gospel is of the Spirit, and much more glorious. But if there be a ministration that has the outward form of either, but indeed is neither of them, 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, wherein there is a secret [illegible] of the Spirit also. We may therefore inquire in what sense the ministration of the [illegible] 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 has been proved before, and yet the ministration of them was the ministration of the letter and of death, in a worldly sanctuary by carnal ordinances. Therefore it must be so called in one of these respects. Either, (1) Because it is the peculiar aid and assistance of the Spirit whereby any are enabled to administer the Gospel, and its institutions of worship according to the mind of God, to the edification of the Church. In this sense men are said to be made able ministers of the New Testament, that is, ministers 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, and he that quickens it (ver. 6, 7). 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, to all the ends for which he is promised. So (Galatians 3:2) the Spirit is received by the preaching of faith. Take it either way, and the whole of what we plead for is confirmed. That he alone enables men to the discharge of the work of the ministry, by the spiritual gifts which he communicates to them, is the first sense, and expressly that which we contend for; and if in and by the ministration of the Gospel in all ages, the Spirit is communicated and administered to men, then does he abide with the Church for ever; and for what ends we must further inquire.

(§ 6.) 5thly, 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 should endure to all generations with the course of the sun and moon (Psalm 72:5), and that of the increase of his government there should be no end (Isaiah 9:7). And the Lord Christ himself has declared his preservation of his Church, so as that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it (Matthew 16). It may therefore be enquired whereon the infallible accomplishment of these promises, and others innumerable to the same end, does depend; or what is that means whereby they shall be certainly executed. Now this must be either some work of God or man. If it be of men, and it consist of their wills and obedience, then that which is said amounts hereunto; namely, that where men have once received the Gospel, and professed subjection thereunto, they will infallibly abide therein in a succession from one generation to another. But besides, that it must be granted that what so depends on the wills of men, can have no more certainty than the undetermined wills of men can give security of, which indeed is none at all; so there are confessed instances without number, of such persons and places, as have lost the Gospel and the profession thereof. And what has fallen out in one place may do so 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 shall be infallibly accomplished. Therefore the event must depend on some work of God and Christ. Now this is no other but the dispensation and communication of the Spirit. Hereon alone does the continuance of the Church and of the Kingdom of Christ in the world depend. And whereas 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 it in both respects belong to the Holy Spirit. The first he does, as has been proved at large, by his communicating effectual saving grace to the elect; the latter by the communication of gifts to the guides, rulers, officers and ministers of it, with all its members according to its place and capacity. Suppose then his communication of internal saving grace to cease, and 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 them that do believe. Union to Christ without saving grace, or saving grace without the Holy Spirit, are strangers to the Gospel and Christian religion. 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, which if you suppose an intercision of the Church, must cease. It has the same dependance on him as to its outward form and profession upon his communication of gifts. For no man can call Jesus Lord, or profess subjection and obedience to him in a due manner, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3). Suppose this work of his to cease, and there can be no professing Church. Let men mould and cast themselves into what order and form they please, and let them pretend that their right and title to their Church power and station is derived to them from their progenitors or predecessors, if they are not furnished with the gifts of the Spirit to enable their guides to Gospel administrations, they are no orderly Gospel Church. Therefore,

(§ 7.) 6thly, The communication of such gifts to the ordinary ministry of the Church in all ages, is plainly asserted in sundry places of the Scripture; some whereof may be briefly considered. The whole nature of this work is declared in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25, from verse 13 to 31). The state of the Church from the Ascension of Christ to his coming again to Judgment, that is, in its whole course on the Earth, is represented in this Parable. In this season he has servants whom he intrusteth in the affairs of his Kingdom, in the care of his Church, and the propagation of the Gospel. That they may in their several generations, places and circumstances be enabled hereunto, he giving them in various distributions talents to trade withal, the least whereof was sufficient to encourage them who received them to their use and exercise. The trade they had to drive, was that of the administration of the Gospel, its doctrine, worship and ordinances to others. Talents are abilities to trade, which may also comprize opportunities and other advantages; but abilities are chiefly intended. These were the gifts whereof we speak. Nor did it ever enter into the minds of any to apprehend otherwise of them. And they are abilities which Christ as the King and Head of his Church, giveth to men in an especial manner, as they are employed under him in the service of his House and work of the Gospel. The servants mentioned are such as 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 withal by his own immediate power and authority for their work. And hence these three things follow, (1) That wherever there is a ministry that the Lord Christ setteth up, appointeth or owneth, he furnisheth all those whom he employs therein with gifts and abilities suitable to their work, which he does 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 withal, it is the highest presumption in them, and casts the greatest dishonour on the Lord Christ, as though he requires work where he gave no strength, or trade where he gave no stock, for any one to undertake the work of the ministry. Where the Lord Christ gives no gifts, he has no work to do. He will require of none any especial duty where he does not give an especial ability. And for any to think themselves meet for this work and service, in the strength of their own natural parts and endowments, however acquired, is to despise both his authority and his work. (3) For those who have received of these talents, either not to trade at all, or to pretend the managing of their trade on another stock, that is, either not sedulously and duly to exercise their ministerial gifts, or to discharge their ministry by other helps and means, is to set up their own wisdom in opposition to his and his authority. In brief, that which the whole Parable teacheth, is, that wherever there is a ministry in the Church that Christ owneth or regardeth as used and employed by him, there persons are furnished with spiritual gifts from Christ by the Spirit, enabling them to the discharge of that ministry: and where there are no such spiritual gifts dispensed by him, there is no ministry that he either accepteth or approveth.

(§ 8.) Romans 12:1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: As we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having therefore gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether Prophesie, &c. It is indifferent as to our present purpose, whether the Apostle treat here of offices or of duties only. The things ensuing which are plain and obvious in the Text, are sufficient to the confirmation of what we plead for. (1) It is the ordinary state of the Church, its continuance being planted, its preservation and edification that the Apostle discourseth about; therefore what he speaks, is necessary to the Church in all ages and conditions. To suppose a Church devoid of the gifts here mentioned, 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 received from Jesus Christ by his Spirit. For declaring the way whereby the Church may be edified, he layeth the foundation of it in this, that to every one of us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. For the Apostle exhorts those to whom he speaks, to attend to those duties whereby the Church may be edified, and that by virtue of the gifts which they had received. All the whole duty of any one in the Church lyes in this, that he act according to the [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that he is made partaker of. And what these [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] are, as also by whom they are bestowed, has been already fully declared. (3.) That these gifts give not only ability for duty, but rule and measure to all works of service that are to be performed in the Church. Every one is to act therein according to his gift, and no otherwise. To say that this state of the Church is now ceased, and that another state is introduced, wherein all Gospel administrations may be managed without spiritual gifts, or not by virtue of them, is to say that which de facto is true in most places; but whether the true nature of the Church is not overthrown thereby, is left to consideration. 1 Peter 4:10, 11 is a parallel testimony hereunto, and many others to the same purpose might be pleaded, together with that which is the foundation of this whole discourse (Ephesians 4:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, &c.). Only let it be remembered, that in this whole discourse by gifts I do understand those [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], those spiritual largesses which are neither absolutely natural endowments, nor attainable by our own industry and diligence.

(§ 9.) 7thly, These gifts, as they are bestowed to that end, so they are indispensibly 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. Yes, one reason why they are spiritual, and so called, is because they cannot be performed without the aid and assistance of the Holy Spirit in and by these gifts of his. Had the Lord Christ appointed administrations of another nature, such as were every way suited to the reason of men, and to be exercised by the powers thereof, there had been no need of these spiritual gifts. For the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man, and will both guide and act him therein. And whereas these administrations are in their nature, use, signification and efficacy spiritual, it is by spiritual gifts alone that they may be managed. Hence these things do live and die together. Where the one is not, there neither will the other be. Thus when many, perhaps the 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, neither applying themselves to the attaining of them, nor endeavouring 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 wax weary of spiritual administrations also. Hereon in compliance with many corrupt affections, they betook themselves 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, or supply of spiritual gifts. So in the neglect of these gifts, and the loss of them which ensued thereon, lay the beginning of the apostasy of the Christian Church as to its outward profession, which was quickly completed by the neglect of the grace of the Spirit, whereby it lost both truth and holiness. Nor could it be otherwise. For as we have proved, the outward form and being of the Church as to its visible profession, depends on the receipt and use of them: on their decay therefore the Church must decay as to its profession, and in their loss is its ruin. And we have an instance in the Church of Rome, what various, extravagant and endless inventions the minds of men will put them upon to keep up a show of worship, when by the loss of spiritual gifts spiritual administrations are lost also. This is that which their innumerable forms, modes, sets of rites and ceremonies, seasons of worship are invented to supply, but to no purpose at all; but only the aggravation of their sin and folly.

(§ 10.) In the last place we plead the event even in the days wherein we live. For the Holy Ghost does continue 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 that is made hereunto by profane scoffers, is not to be valued. The experience of those who are humble and wise, who fearing God do enquire into those things, is appealed to. Have they not an experiment 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? Have they not a proof of Christ speaking in them by the assistance of his Spirit, making the Word mighty to all its proper ends? And as the thing itself, so variety of his dispensations manifest themselves also to the experience of believers. Who see not how different are the gifts of men, the Holy Ghost dividing to every one as he will? And the experience which they have themselves who have received these gifts, of the especial assistance which they receive in the exercise of them, may also be pleaded. Indeed the profaneness of a contrary apprehension, is intolerable among such as profess themselves to be Christians. For any to boast themselves, they are sufficient of themselves for the stewardly dispensation of the mysteries of the Gospel, by their own endowments natural or acquired, and the exercise of them, without a participation of any peculiar 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 made to the Church, or the continuance of his presence therein. Let men be never so well persuaded of their own abilities, let them pride themselves in their performances, in reflection of applauses from persons unacquainted with the mystery of these things; let them frame to themselves such a work of the ministry as whose discharge stands in little or no need of these gifts, yet it will at length appear, that where the gifts of the Holy Ghost are excluded from their administration, the Lord Christ is so, and the Spirit himself is so, and all true edification of the Church is so, and so are all the real concerns of the Gospel. And so have we, as I hope, confirmed the second part of the work of the Holy Ghost with respect to spiritual gifts; namely his continuance to distribute and communicate 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.