an Issue unto this Discourse Among them in the first place is required a due preparation of Soul by Humility Meekness and Teachableness The Holy Spirit taketh no Delight to impart of his especial Gifts unto Proud Self-conceited Men to Men vainly puffed up in their own Fleshly Minds The same must be said concerning other vitious and depraved Habits of Mind by which moreover they are oft-times expelled and cast out after they have been in some measure received And in this Case I need not mention those by whom all these Gifts are despised It would be a wonder indeed if they should be made partakers of them or at least if they should abide with them 2 Prayer is a principal means for their Attainment This the Apostle directs unto when he enjoins us earnestly to desire the Best Gifts For this Desire is to be acted by Prayer and no otherwise 3 Diligence in the things about which these Gifts are conversant Study and Meditation on the Word of God by the due use of means for the attaining a right understanding of his Mind and Will therein is that which I intend For in this course conscientiously attended unto it is that for the most part the Holy Spirit comes in and joins his Aid and Assistance for furnishing of the Mind with those Spiritual Endowments 4 The Growth Encrease and Improvement of these Gifts depends on their faithful use according as our Duty doth require It is Trade alone that encreaseth Talents and Exercise in a way of Duty that improveth Gifts Without this they will first wither and then perish And by a neglect hereof are they lost every day in some Partially in some Totally and in some to a Contempt Hatred and Blasphemy of what themselves had received Lastly Mens Natural Endowments with Elocution Memory Judgment and the like improved by Reading Learning and diligent Study do enlarge set off and adorn these Gifts where they are received FINIS Books Sold by Will. Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street Books Lately Printed of Dr. Owen ' s. 1. THE True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled I. The Subject Matter of the Church II. Formal Cause of a particular Church III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in General IV. The Officers of the Church V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders VIII The Nature of the Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders IX Of Deacons X. Excommunication XI Of the Communion of Churches In large Quarto Price Bound 3 s. 2. A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace Price Bound 1 s. 3. A Brief and Impartial Account of the Nature of the Protestant Religion its State and Fate in the World its Strength and Weakness with the Ways and Indications of the Ruin or Continuance of its Publick National Profession Price 6 d. 4. 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The Labours of John Bunyan Author of the Pilgrims Progress late Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Congregation at Bedford Collected and Printed in Folio by Procurement of his Church and Friends and by his own Approbation before his Death that these his Christian Ministerial Labours might be preserved in the World This Folio contains Ten of his Excellent Manuscripts prepared for the Press before his Death And Ten of his Choice Books already Printed but long ago grown scarce and not now to be had Their Titles are as followeth viz. MANUSCRIPTS 1. An Exposition on the Ten first Chapters of Genesis 2. Justification by Imputed Righteousness 3. Paul's Departure and Crown 4. Israel's Hope Incouraged 5. Desires of the Righteous granted 6. The Saints Priviledge and Profit 7. Christ a compleat Saviour 8. Saints Knowledge of Christ's Love 9. The House of the Forest of Lebanon 10. A Description of Antichrist BOOKS formerly Printed 11. Saved by Grace 12. Christian Behaviour 13. 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THE APPLICATION OF THE Foregoing Discourse WITH respect unto the Dispensation of the Spirit towards Believers and his Holy Operations in them and upon them there are sundry particular Duties whereof he is the immediate Object prescribed unto them And they are those whereby on our part we comply with him in his Work of Grace whereby it is carried on and rendred useful unto us Now whereas this Holy Spirit is a Divine Person and he acts in all things towards us as a Free Agent according unto his own Will the things enjoyned us with respect unto him are those whereby we may carry our selves aright toward such a one namely as he is an Holy Divine Intelligent Person working freely in and towards us for our Good And they are of two sorts the first whereof are expressed in Prohibitions of those things which are unsuited unto Him and his dealings with us the latter in Commands for our Attendance unto such Duties as are peculiarly suited unto a Compliance with Him in his Operations in both which our Obedience is to be exercised with a peculiar Regard unto Him I shall begin with the first sort and go over
15. BUT whereas these Healings were miraculous Operations it may be enquired why the Gift of them is constantly distinguished from Miracles and is placed as a distinct Effect of the Holy Ghost by it self for that so it is is evident both in the Commission of Christ granting this Power unto his Disciples and in the Annumeration of these Gifts in this and other Places I answer This seems to be done on a Three-fold Account 1 Because Miracles absolutely were a Sign unto them that Believed not as the Apostle speaketh of Tongues they were a Sign not unto them that believe but unto them that believed not 1 Cor. 14. 22. That is which served for their Conviction But this Work of Healing was a Sign unto Believers themselves and that on a double Account For First The pouring out of this Gift of the Holy Ghost was a peculiar Sign and Token of the coming of the Kingdom of God So saith our Saviour to his Disciples Heal the Sick and say unto them The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you Luke 10. 9. This Gift of Healing being a Token and Pledge thereof This Sign did our Saviour give of it himself when John sent his Disciples unto him to enquire for their own Satisfaction not his whether he were the Messiah or no Matth. 11. 4 5. Go saith he and shew John these things which ye do hear and see the Blind receive their Sight the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them Which was the Evidence of his own being the Messiah and bringing in the Kingdom of God The Jews have an ancient Tradition that in the Days of the Messias all things should be healed but the Serpent And there is a Truth in what they say although for their parts they understand it not For all are healed by Christ but the Serpent and his Seed the wicked Unbelieving World And hereof namely of the healing and recovery of all things by Christ was this Gift or Sign unto the Church Wherefore he began his Ministry after his first Miracle with healing all manner of Sickness and all manner of Diseases among the People Matth. 4. 23 24 25. 2 It was a Sign that Christ had born and taken away Sin which was the Cause Root and Spring of Diseases and Sicknesses without which no one could have been miraculously cured Hence that place of Isaiah Chap. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows Which is afterwards interpreted By being wounded for our Transgressions and being bruised for our Iniquities Ver. 5. As also by Peter by his bearing our Sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. is applied by Matthew unto the curing of Diseases and Sicknesses Mat. 8. 16 17. Now this was for no other Reason but because this Healing of Diseases was a Sign and Effect of his bearing our Sins the Causes of them without a Supposition whereof healing would have been a false Witness unto Men. It was therefore on these Accounts a Sign unto Believers also § 16. 2ly Because it had a peculiar Goodness Relief and Benignity towards Mankind in it which other miraculous Operations had not at least not unto the same Degree Indeed this was one great Difference between the miraculous Operations that were wrought under the Old Testament and those under the New that the former generally consisted in dreadful and tremendous Works bringing Astonishment and oft-times Ruine to Mankind but those other were generally Useful and Beneficial unto all But this of Healing had a peculiar Evidence of Love Kindness Compassion Benignity and was suited greatly to affect the Minds of Men with Regard and Gratitude For long afflictive Distempers or Violent Pains such as were the Diseases cured by this Gift do prepare the Minds of Men and those concerned in them greatly to value their Deliverance This therefore in an especial manner declared and evidenced the Goodness Love and Compassion of him that was the Author of this Gospel and gave this Sign of Healing Spiritual Diseases by healing of Bodily Distempers And doubtless many who were made Partakers of the Benefit hereof were greatly affected with it and that not only by Walking and Leaping and Praising God as the Cripple did who was cured by Peter and John Acts 3. 8. but also unto Faith and Boldness in Profession as it was with the Blind Man healed by our Saviour himself John 8. 31 32 33 38 c. But yet no outward Effects of themselves can work upon the Hearts of Men so as that all who are made Partakers of them should be brought unto Faith Thankfulness and Obedience Hence did not only our Saviour himself observe that of Ten at once cleansed by him from their Leprosie but One returned to give Glory to God Luke 17. 7. But he whom he cured of a Disease that he had suffered under Eight and Thirty Years notwithstanding a following Admonition given him by our blessed Saviour turned Informer against him and endeavoured to betray him unto the Jews John 5. 5 8 13 14 15. It is effectual Grace alone which can change the Heart without which it will continue obstinate and unbelieving under not only the Sight and Consideration of the most miraculous outward Operations but also the Participation in our selves of the Benefit and Fruits of them Men may have their Bodies cured by Miracles when their Souls are not cured by Grace § 17. 3ly It is thus placed distinctly by it self and not cast under the common Head of Miracles because ordinarily there were some outward means and tokens of it that were to be made use of in the Exercise of this Gift Such were 1 Imposition of Hands Our Saviour himself in Healing of the Sick did generally lay his Hands on them Matth. 6. 5. Luke 4. 40. And he gave the same Order unto his Disciples that they should lay their Hands on those that were sick and heal them which was practised by them accordingly 2 Anoynting with Oyl They anointed with Oyl many that were sick and healed them Mark 6. 13. And the Elders of the Church with whom this Gift was continued were to come to him that was sick and praying over him anoint him with Oyl in the Name of the Lord and he should be saved Jam. 5. 14 15. Some do contend for the Continuance of this Ceremony or the anointing of them that are sick by the Elders of the Church but without Ground or Warrant For although it be their Duty to pray in ae paerticulur manner for those that are sick of their Flocks and it be the Duty of them who are sick to call for them unto that purpose yet the Application of the outward Ceremony being instituted not as a means of an uncertain Cure as all are which work naturally unto that end but as a Pledge and Token of a certain Healing and Recovery where there is not an Infallible Faith
fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes. 1. 22 23. But this Church falls under a double Consideration First as it is Believing Secondly as it is Professing In the first respect absolutely it is invisible and as such is the peculiar subject of Saving Grace This is that Church which Christ loved and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it and present it unto himself a Glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Eph. 5. 26 27. This is the work of Saving Grace and by a participation thereof do Men become Members of this Church and not otherwise And hereby is the professing Church quickened and enabled unto Profession in an acceptable manner â—or the Elect receive Grace unto this end in this World that they may glorifie Christ and the Gospel in the Exercise of it Col. 1. 6. John 15. 8. But Gifts are bestowed on the professing Church to render it visible in such a way as whereby God is glorified Grace gives an invisible Life to the Church Gifts give it a visible Profession For hence doth the Church become Organical and disposed into that Order which is Beautiful and Comely Where any Church is Organized meerly by outward Rules perhaps of their own devising and makes Profession only in an attendance unto outward Order not following the leading of the Spirit in the Communication of his Gifts both as to Order and Discharge of the Duties of Profession it is but the Image of a Church wanting an animating Principle and Form That Profession which renders a Church visible according to the Mind of Christ is the orderly Exercise of the spiritual Gifts bestowed on it in a Conversation evidencing the invisible Principle of Saving Grace Now these Gifts are conferred on the Church in order unto the Edification of it self in Love Ephes. 4 16. as also the propagation of its Profession in the World as shall be declared afterwards Wherefore both of these sorts have in general the same end or are given by Christ unto the same purpose namely the Good and Benefit of the Church as they are respectively suited to promote them § 6. It may also be added that they agree herein that they have both the same respect unto the Bounty of Christ. Hence every Grace is a Gift that which is given and freely bestowed on them that have it Mat. 13. 11. Phil. 1. 29. And although on the other side every Gift be not a Grace yet proceeding from gracious Favour and Bounty they are so called Rom. 12. 6. Ephes. 4. 7. How in their due Exercise they are mutually helpful and assistant unto each other shall be declared afterwards § 7. SECONDLY We may consider wherein wherein the Difference lyes or doth consist which is between 〈◊〉 spiritual Gifts and sanctifying Graces And this may be seen in sundry Instances As 1. SAVING Graces are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fruit or Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Ephes. 5. 9. Phil. 1. 11. Now Fruits proceed from an abiding Root and flock of whose Nature they do partake There must be a good Tree to bring forth good Fruit Mat. 12. 33. No external Watering or Applications unto the Earth will cause it to bring forth useful Fruits unless they are Roots from which they spring and are educed The Holy Spirit is as the Root unto these Fruits the Root which bears them and which they do not bear as Rom. 11. 18. Therefore in order of Nature is he given unto Men before the production of any of these Fruits Thereby are they ingrafted into the Olive are made such Branches in Christ the true Vine as derive Vital Juice Nourishment and Fructifying Vertue from him even by the Spirit So is he a Well of Water springing up unto Everlasting Life John 4. 14. He is a Spring in Believers and all saving Graces are but Waters arising from that Living overflowing Spring From him a Root or Spring as an internal Vertue Power or Principle do all these Fruits come To this end doth he dwell in them and abide with them according to the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ John 14. 17. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 3. 16. whereby the Lord Christ effecteth his purpose in ordaining his Disciples to bring forth Fruit that should remain John 15. 16. In the place of his Holy Residence he worketh these Effects freely according to his own will And there is nothing that hath the true Nature of saving Grace but what is so a Fruit of the Spirit We have not first these Graces and then by vertue of them receive the Spirit for whence should we have them of our selves but the Spirit bestowed on us worketh them in us and gives them a Spiritual Divine Nature in conformity unto his own § 8. With Gifts singly considered it is Otherwise They are indeed Works and Effects but not properly Fruits of the Spirit nor are any where so called They are effects of his operation upon Men not Fruits of his working in them And therefore many receive these Gifts who never receive the Spirit as to the principal ends for which he is promised They receive him not to sanctifie and make them Temples unto God though Metonymically with respect unto his outward Effects they may be said to be made partakers of him This renders them of a different Nature and kind from Saving Graces For whereas there is an Agreement and Coincidence between them in the respects before mentioned and whereas the Seat and Subject of them that is of Gifts absolutely and principally of Graces also is the Mind the difference of their Nature proceeds from the different manner of their Communication from the Holy Spirit § 9. Secondly Saving Grace proceeds from or is the effect and fruit of Electing Love This I have proved before in our Enquiry into the Nature of Holiness See it directly asserted Ephes. 1. 3 4. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Acts 2 41. Chap. 13. 48. Whom God graciously chuseth and designeth unto Eternal Life them he prepares for it by the Communication of the Means which are necessary unto that end Rom. 8. 28 29 30. Hereof Sanctification or the Communication of saving Grace is comprehensive for we are chosen unto Salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes. 2. 13. For this is that whereby we are made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. The End of God in Election is the Sonship and Salvation of the Elect unto the praise of the Glory of his Grace Ephes. 1. 5 6. And this cannot be unless his Image be renewed in them in Holiness or Saving Graces These therefore he works in them in pursuit of his Eternal purpose therein But Gifts on the other hand which are no more but so and where they are solitary or alone are only the Effects of a temporary Election Thus God chuseth some Men into some Office in the Church or unto some
from External Causes and Considerations And 1 As to the different Subjects of them Spiritual Gifts are placed and seated in the Mind or Understanding only whether they are ordinary or extraordinary they have no other Hold nor Residence in the Soul And they are in the Mind as it is Notional and Theoretical rather than as it is practical They are Intellectual Abilities and no more I speak of them which have any Residence in us For some Gifts as Miracles and Tongues consisted only in a transient Operation of an extraordinary Power Of all others Illumination is the Foundation and Spiritual Light their Matter So the Apostle declares in his Order of Expression Heb. 6. 4. The Will and the Affections and the Conscience are unconcerned in them Wherefore they change not the Heart with Power although they may reform the Life by the Efficacy of Light And although God doth not ordinarily bestow them on flagitious Persons nor continue them with such as after the reception of them become flagitious yet they may be in those who were unrenewed and have nothing in them to preserve Men absolutely from the worst of Sins But Saving Grace possesseth the whole Soul Men are thereby sanctified throughout in the whole Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes. 5. 17. as hath been at large declared Not the Mind only is savingly enlightened but there is a Principle of Spiritual Life infused into the whole Soul enabling it in all its Powers and Faculties to act Obedientially unto God whose Nature hath been fully explained elsewhere Hence 2. They differ in their Operations For Grace changeth and transformeth the whole Soul into its own Nature Isa. 11. 6 7 8. Rom. 6. 17. Chap. 12. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 18. It is a New a Divine Nature unto the Soul and is in it an Habit disposing inclining and enabling of it unto Obedience It acts it self in Faith Love and Holiness in all things But Gifts of themselves have not this Power nor these Operations They may and do in those who are possessed of them in and under their Exercise make great impression on their own Affections but they change not the Heart they renew not the Mind they transform not the Soul into the Image of God Hence where Grace is predominant every Notion of Light and Truth which is Communicated unto the Mind is immediately turned into practice by having the whole Soul cast into the Mould of it where only Gifts bear sway the use of it in Duties unto Edification is best whereunto it is designed 3. As to Effects or Consequents the great difference is that on the part of Christ Christ doth thereby dwell and reside in our Hearts when concerning many of those who have been made partakers of these other Spiritual Endowments he will say Depart from me I never knew you which he will not say of any one whose Soul he hath inhabited § 16. These are some of the principal Agreements and Differences between Saving Graces and Spiritual Gifts both sorts of them being wrought in Believers by that one and self-same Spirit which divideth to every one as he will And sor a close of this discourse I shall only add that where these Graces and Gifts in any Eminency or good Degree are bestowed on the same Persons they are exceedingly helpful unto each other A Soul sanctified by Saving Grace is the only proper Soil for Gifts to flourish in Grace Influenceth Gifts unto a due Exercise prevents their abuse stirs them up unto proper occasions keeps them from being a matter of Pride or Contention and subordinates them in all things unto the Glory of God When the actings of Grace and Gifts are inseparable as when in Prayer the Spirit is a Spirit of Grace and Supplication the Grace and Gift of it working together when utterance in other Duties is always accompanied with Faith and Love then is God glorified and our own Salvation promoted Then have Edifying Gifts a Beauty and Lustre upon them and generally are most successful when they are cloathed and adorned with Humility Meekness a Reverence of God and Compassion for the Souls of Men. Yea when there is no evidence no manifestation of their being accompanied with these and the like Graces they are but as a Parable or wise Saying in the Mouth of a Fool. Gifts on the other side excite and stir up Grace unto its proper Exercise and Operations How often is Faith Love and Delight in God excited and drawn forth unto especial Exercise in Believers by the use of their own Gifts And thus much may suffice as to the Nature of these Gifts in general we next consider them under their most general Distributions CHAP. III. Of Gifts and Offices Extraordinary And first of Offices § 1. THE Spiritual Gifts whereof we treat respect either Powers and Duties in the Church or Duties only Gifts that respect Powers and Duties are of two sorts or there have been or are at any time two sorts of such Powers and Duties The first whereof was Extraordinary the latter Ordinary and consequently the Gifts subservient unto them must be of two sorts also which must further be cleared § 2. Wherever Power is given by Christ unto his Churches and Duiies are required in the execution of that Power unto the Ends of his Spiritual Kingdom to be performed by vertue thereof there is an Office in the Church For an Ecclesiastical Office is an especial Power given by Christ unto any Person or Persons for the performance of especial Duties belonging unto the Edification of the Church in an especial manner And these Offices have been of two sorts 1. Extraordinary 2. Ordinary Some seem to deny that there was ever any such thing as Extraordinary Power or Extraordinary Offices in the Church For they do provide Successors unto all who are pleaded to have been of that kind and those such as look how far short they come of them in other things do exceed them in Power and Rule I shall not contend about words and shall therefore only enquire what it was that constituted them to be Officers of Christ in his Church whom thence we call Extraordinary and then if others can duely lay claim unto them they may be allowed to pass for their Successors § 3. THERE are four things which constitute an extraordinary Officer in the Church of God and consequently are required in and do constitute an extraordinary Office 1. An extraordinary Call unto an Office such as none other have or can have by virtue of any Law Order or Constitution whatever 2. An Extraordinary Power communicated unto Persons so called enabling them to act what they are so called unto wherein the Essence of any Office doth consist 3. Extraordinary Gifts for the Exercise and Discharge of that Power 4. Extraordinary Imployment as to its extent and measure requiring extraordinary Labour Travail Zeal and Self-denial All these do and must concur in that Office and unto those Offices which we call Extraordinary § 4.
THUS was it with the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists at the first which were all Extraordinary Teaching Officers in the Church and all that ever were so 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes. 4. 11. Besides these there were at the first planting of the Church Persons endued with Extraordinary Gifts as of Miracles Healing and Tongues which did not of themselves constitute them Officers but do belong to the second Head of Gifts which concern Duties only Howbeit these Gifts were always most eminently bestowed on them who were called unto the Extraordinary Offices mentioned 1 Cor. 14. 18. I thank my God I speak with Tongues more than you all They had the same Gift some of them but the Apostle had it in a more Eminent Degree See Mat. 10. 8. And we may treat briefly in our passage of these several sorts of Extraordinary Officers § 5. First For the Apostles they had a double Call Mission and Commission or a Twofold Apostleship Their first Call was unto a subserviency unto the Personal Ministry of Jesus Christ. For he was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. In the discharge of this his Personal Ministry it was necessary that he should have peculiar Servants and Officers under him to prepare his Way and Work and to attend him therein So he Ordained Twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to Preach Mark 3. 14. This was the substance of their first Call and Work namely to attend the presence of Christ and to go forth to Preach as he gave them order Hence because he was in his own Person as to his Prophetical Office the Minister only of the Circumcision being therein according to all the Promises sent only to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel he confined those who were to be thus assistant unto him in that his especial Work and Ministry and whilst they were so unto the same Persons and People expresly prohibiting them to extend their Line or Measure any further Go not saith he into the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter you not but go rather unto the lost Sheep of the House of Israel Mat. 10. 5. This rather was absolutely exclusive of the others during his Personal Ministry and afterwards included only the preeminence of the Israelites that they were to have the Gospel offered unto them in the first place It was necessary the Word of God should be first spoken unto them Acts 13. 46. § 6. And this it may be occasioned that Difference which was afterwards among them whether their Ministry extended unto the Gentiles or no as we may see Acts Chap. 10 and 11. But whereas our Saviour in that Commission by virtue whereof they were to act after his Resurrection had extended their Office and Power expresly to all Nations Mat. 28. 19. or to every Creature in all the World Mat. 16. 15. A Man would wonder whence that uncertainty should arise I am perswaded that God suffered it so to be that the Calling of the Gentiles might be more signaliz'd or made more eminent thereby For whereas this was the great Mystery which in other Ages was not made known but hid in God namely that the Gentiles should be Fellow Heirs and of the same Body and partakers of his Promise in Christ that is of the Promise made unto Abraham by the Gospel Ephes. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 10. it being now to be laid open and displayed he would by their Hesitation about it have it searched into examined tryed and proved that the Faith of the Church might never be shaken about it in after Ages And in like manner when God at any time suffereth Differences and Doubts about the Truth or his Worship to arise in the Church he doth it for Holy Ends although for the present we may not be able to discover them But this Ministry of the Apostles with its Powers and Duties this Apostleship which extended only unto the Church of the Jews ceased at the Death of Christ or at the end of his own Personal Ministry in this World Nor can any I suppose pretend unto a Succession to them therein Who or what peculiar Instruments he will use and imploy for the final Recovery of that miserable lost People whether he will do it by an Ordinary or an Extraordinary Ministry by Gifts Miraculous or by the naked Efficacy of the Gospel is known only in his own Holy Wisdom and Counsel The Conjectures of Men about these things are vain and fruitless For although the Promises under the Old Testament for the calling of the Gentiles were far more clear and numerous than those which remain concerning the recalling of the Jews yet because the Manner Way and all other Circumstances were obscured the whole is called a Mystery hid in God from all the former Ages of the Church much more therefore may the way and manner of the recalling of the Jews be esteemed an hidden Mystery as indeed it is notwithstanding the Dreams and Conjectures of too many § 7. BUT these same Apostles the same individual Persons Judas only excepted had another Call unto that Office of Apostleship which had respect unto the whole Work and Interest of Christ in the World They were now to be made Princes in all Lands Rulers Leaders in Spiritual things of all the Inhabitants of the Earth Psal. 4. 5. 16. And to make this Call the more conspicuous and evident as also because it includes in it the Institution and Nature of the Office it self whereunto they were called our Blessed Saviour proceedeth in it by sundry degrees For 1. He gave unto them a Promise of Power for their Office or Office-Power Mat. 16. 19. So he promised unto them in the Person of Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven or a power of Spiritual binding and loosing of Sinners of remitting or retaining Sin by the Doctrine of the Gospel Mat. 18. 18. John 20. 23. 2. He actually collated a Right unto that Power upon them expressed by an outward Pledge John 20 21 22 23. Jesus saith unto them Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me even so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose soever Sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever Sins ye retain they are retained And this Communication of the Holy Ghost was such as gave them a peculiar Right and Title unto their Office but not a Right and Power unto its Exercise 3. He Sealed as it were their Commission which they had for the Discharge of their Office containing the whole warranty they had to enter upon the World and to subdue it unto the Obedience of the Gospel Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Go Teach Baptize Command But yet 4. All these things did not absolutely give them a present Power for the Exercise
continued by the Will of Christ in the ordinary State and Course of the Chrrch. 2 That there is no need of their Continuance from any Work applied unto them § 16. AND 1. The things that are Essential unto the Office of an Evangelist are unattainable at present unto the Church For where no Command no Rule no Authority no Directions are given for the calling of any Officer there that Office must cease as doth that of the Apostles who could not be called but by Jesus Christ. What is required unto the Call of an Evangelist was before declared And unless it can be manifested either by Institution or Example how any one may be otherwise called unto that Office no such Office can be continued For a Call by Prophesie or Immediate Revelation none now will pretend unto And other Call the Evangelists of Old had none § 17. NOR is there in the Scripture the least mention of the Call or Appointment of any one to be an Ecclesiastical Officer in an Ordinary stated Church but with Relation unto that Church whereof he was or was to be an Officer But an Evangelist as such was not especially related unto any one Church more than another though as the Apostles themselves they might for a time attend unto the Work in one Place or Church rather or more than another Wherefore without a Call from the Holy Ghost either immediate by Prophesie and Revelation or by the Direction of Persons infallibly inspired as the Apostles were none can be called to be Evangelists nor yet to succeed them under any other Name in that Office Wherefore the Primitive Church after the Apostles time never once took upon them to constitute or Ordain an Evangelist as knowing it a thing beyond their Rule and out of their Power Men may invade an Office when they please but unless they be called unto it they must account for their Usurpation And as for those who have erected an Office in the Church or an Episcopacy principally if not solely out of what is ascribed unto these Evangelists namely to Timothy and Titus they may be further attended unto in their Claim when they lay the least Pretence unto the whole of what is ascribed unto them But this doing the Work of an Evangelist is that which few Men care for or delight in only their Power und Authority in a new kind of Mannagery many would willingly possess themselves of § 18. 2. THE Evangelists we read of had extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit without which they could not warrantably undertake their Office This we have manifested before Now these extraordinary Gifts differing not only in Degrees but in Kind from all those of the Ordinary Ministry of the Church are not at present by any pretended unto And if any should make such a Pretence it would be an easie matter to convince them of their Folly But without these Gifts men must content themselves with such Offices in the Church as are stated with respect unto every particular Congregation Acts 14. 23. Chap. 20. 28. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. Phil. 1. 1. § 19. SOME indeed seem not satisfied whether to derive their Claim from Timothy and Titus as Evangelists or from the Bishops that were Ordained by them or described unto them But whereas those Bishops were no other but Elders of particular Churches as is evident beyond a modest Denyal from Acts 20. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 2 8. Tit. 1. 4 5. So certainly they cannot be of both sorts the one being apparently superiour unto the other If they are such Bishops as Titus and Timothy Ordained it is well enough known both what is their Office their Work and their Duty If such as they pretend Timothy and Titus to be they must manifest it in the like Call Gifts and Employment as they had § 20. FOR 3 There are not any now who do pretend unto their Principal Employment by Vertue of Office nor can so do For it is certain that the Principal Work of the Evangelists was to go up and down from one Place and Nation unto another to preach the Gospel unto Jews and Gentiles as yet unconverted and their Commission unto this purpose was as large and extensive as that of the Apostles But who shall now empower any one hereunto What Church what Persons have received Authority to Ordain any one to be such an Evangelist Or what Rules or Directions are given as to their Qualifications Power or Duty or how they should be so ordained It is true those who are ordained Ministers of the Gospel and others also that are the Disciples of Christ may and ought to preach the Gospel to unconverted Persons and Nations as they have opportunity and are particularly guided by the Providence of God But that any Church or Person have Power or Authority to ordain a Person unto this Office and Work cannot be proved § 21. LASTLY The Continuance of the Employment as unto the Settling of new planted Churches is no way necessary For every Church being planted and settled is entrusted with Power for it's own Preservation and continuance in due Order according to the Mind of Christ and is enabled to do all those things in it self which at first were done under the Guidance of the Evangelists nor can any one Instance be given wherein they are defective And where any Church was called and gathered in the Name of Christ which had some things yet wanting unto it's Perfection and Compleat Order which the Evangelists were to finish and settle they did it not but in and by the Power of the Church it self only presiding and directing in the things to be done And if any Churches through their own Default have lost that Order and Power which they were once established in as they shall never want Power in themselves to recover their pristine Estate and Condition who will attend unto their Duty according unto Rule to that purpose So this would rather prove a Necessity of raising up new Evangelists of a new extraordinary Ministry on the Defection of Churches than the continuance of them in the Church rightly stated and settled § 22. Besides these Evangelists there were Prophets also who had a Temporary Extraordinary Ministry in the Church Their grant from Christ or Institution in the Church is mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes. 4. 11. and the Exercise of their Ministry is declared Acts 13. 1. But the Names of Prophets and Prophesie are used variously in the New Testament For sometimes an Extraordinary Office and Extraordinary Gifts are signified by them and sometimes Extraordinary Gifts only sometimes an Ordinary Office with Ordinary Gifts and sometimes Ordinary Gifts only And unto one of these Heads may the use of the word be every where reduced In the places mentioned Extraordinary Officers endued with Extraordinary Gifts are intended For they are said to be set in the Church and are placed in the second Rank of Officers next to the
Apostles first Apostles secondarily Prophets 1 Cor. 12. 28. between them and Evangelists Ephes. 4. 11. And two things are ascribed unto them 1. That they received immediate Revelations and Directions from the Holy Ghost in things that belonged unto the present Duty of the Church Unto them it was that the Holy Ghost revealed his Mind and gave Commands concerning the separation of Barnabas and Saul unto their Work Acts 13. 2. 2. They foretold things to come by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost wherein the Duty or Edification of the Church was concerned So Agabus the Prophet foretold the Famine in the days of Claudius Caesar whereon Provision was made for the poor Saints at Hierusalem that they might not suffer by it Acts 11. 28 29. And the same Person afterwards prophesied of the Bonds and Sufferings of Paul at Hierusalem Acts 21. 10 11. And the samething it being of the highest Concernment unto the Church was as it should seem revealed unto the Prophets that were in most Churches for so himself gives an account hereof And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Hierusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City that Bonds and Afflictions abide me Acts 20. 21 22. That is in all the Cities he passed through where there were Churches planted and Prophets in them These things the Churches then stood in need of for their Confirmation Direction and Comfort and were therefore I suppose most of them supplyed with such Officers for a Season that is whilst they were needful And unto this Office though expresly affirmed to be set in the Church and placed between the Apostles and the Evangelists none that I know of do pretend a Succession All grant that they were extraordinary because their Gift and Work was so but so were those of Evangelists also But there is no mention of the Power and Rule of these Prophets or else undoubtedly we should have had on one pretence or other Successors provided for them § 23. 2dly Sometimes an Extraordinary Gift without Office is intended in this Expression So it is said that Philip the Evangelist had four Daughters Virgins which did Prophesie Acts 21. 9. It is not said that they were Prophetesses as there were some under the Old Testament only that they did Prophesie that is they had Revelations from the Holy Ghost occasionally for the use of the Church For to Prophesie is nothing but to declare hidden and secret things by virtue of immediate Revelation be they of what Nature they will and so is the word commonly used Mat. 26. 68. Luke 22. 64. So an Extraordinary Gift without Office is expressed Acts 19. 6. And when Paul had laid his Hands upon them the Holy Ghost came and they spake with Tongues and Prophesied Their Prophesying which was their Declaration of Spiritual things by immediate Revelation was of the same Nature with their speaking with Tongues both Extraordinary Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost And of this sort were those Miracles Healings and Tongues which God for a time set in the Church which did not constitute distinct Officers in the Church but they were only sundry Persons in each Church which were endued with these Extraordinary Gifts for its Edification And therefore are they placed after Teachers comprizing both which were the principal sort of the ordinary continuing Officers of the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. And of this sort do I reckon those Prophets to be who are treated of 1 Cor. 14. 29 30 31 32 33. For that they were neither stated Officers in the Churches nor yet the Brethren of the Church promiscuously but such as had received an especial Extraordinary Gift is evident from the Context see verse 30. 37. § 24. AGAIN an Ordinary Office with Ordinary Gifts is intended by this Expression Rom. 12. 6. Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us whether Prophesie let us Prophesie according to the proportion of Faith Prophesie here can intend nothing but Teaching or Preaching in the Exposition and Application of the Word for an External Rule is given unto it in that it must be done according to the proportion of Faith or the sound Doctrine of Faith revealed in the Scripture And this ever was and will ever continue to be the Work and Duty of the ordinary Teachers of the Church whereunto they are enabled by the Gifts of Christ which they receive by the Holy Ghost Eph. 4. 7. as we shall see more afterwards And hence also those who are not called unto Office who have yet received a Gift enabling them to declare the Mind of God in the Scripture unto the Edification of others may be said to Prophesie § 25. AND these things I thought meet to interpose with a brief Description of those Officers which the Lord Jesus Christ granted unto his Church for a Season at its first Planting and Establishment with what belonged unto their Office and the necessity of their Work For the Collation of them on the Church and their whole Furniture with Spiritual Gifts was the immediate Work of the Holy Ghost which we are in the Declaration of and withall it was my Design to manifest how vain is the pretence of some unto a kind of Succession unto these Officers who have neither an Extrordinary Call nor Extraordinary Gifts nor Extraordinary Imployment but only are pleased to assume an Extraordinary Power unto themselves over the Churches and Disciples of Christ and that such as neither Evangelists nor Prophets nor Apostles did ever claim or make use of But this matter of Power is Fuel in it self unto the Proud Ambitious Minds of Diotrephists and as now circumstanced with other Advantages is useful to the corrupt Lusts of Men and therefore it is no wonder if it be pretended unto and greedily reached after by such as really have neither Call to the Ministry nor Gifts for it nor do employ themselves in it And therefore as in these Extraordinary Officers and their Gifts did consist the Original Glory and Honour of the Churches in an especial manner and by them was their Edification carried on and perfected so by an empty pretence unto their Power without their Order and Spirit the Churches have been stained and deformed and brought to destruction But we must return unto the Consideration of Extraordinary Spiritual Gifts which is the especial Work before us CHAP. IV. Extraordinary Spiritual Gifts 1 Cor. 12. v. 8 9 10 11. § 1. EXTRAORDINARY Spiritual Gifts were of two sorts First Such as absolutely exceed the whole Power and Faculties of our Minds and Souls These therefore did not consist in an abiding Principle or Faculty alway resident in them that received them so as that they could Exercise them by vertue of any inherent Power and Ability They were so granted unto some Persons in the Execution of their Office as that so often as was needful they could produce their Effects by
men wherein 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 should act what is here mentioned in a condition wherein he was capable to receive from another as he did in this matter Acts 2. 2 3. And so the Phrase in the Original doth more than infinuate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast received Gifts in Adam in the Man or Humane Nature And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well to give as to receive especially when any thing is received to be given Christ received this Gift in the Humane Nature to give it unto others Now to what end is this glorious Theatre as it were prepared and all this Preparation made all Men being called to the Preparation of it It was to set out the Greatness of the Gift he 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 Excellency in giving one poor Minister unto 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 Christ only can do the former and that as he is ascended up on high to that purpose § 5. 2ly IT appears to be such an eminent Gift from it's Original Acquisition There was a Power acquired by Christ for this great Donation which the Apostle declares ver 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first 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 Ver. 8. he found it necessary to trace it unto it's first Original He doth not therefore make mention of the descending into the lower parts of the Earth occasionally upon that of his ascending as if he catched at an Advantage of a Word Nor doth he speak of the Humiliation of Christ absolutely in it's self which he had no occasion for but he introduceth it to shew what respect this Gift of the Ministry and Ministers of the Office Gifts and Persons had thereunto And Christ's descending into the lower parts of the Earth may be taken two ways according as that Expression the Lower parts of the Earth may be diversly understood For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lower Parts of the Earth are either the whole Earth that is those lower Parts of the World or some part of it For the Word Lower includes a Comparison either with the whole Creation or with some part of it self In the first Sence Christs state of Humiliation is intended wherein he came down from Heaven into these lower parts of Gods Creation conversing 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 doth descend And both of these or his Humiliation as it ended in his Death and Burial may be respected in the Words And that which the Apostle designs to manifest is that the deep Humiliation and the Death of Christ is the Fountain and Original 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 whereof the Ministry is an Effect Phil. 2. 6 7 8 9 10. And it was appointed by him to be the Ministry of that Peace between God and Man which was made therein and thereby Ephes. 2. 14 16 17. For when he had made this Peace by the Blood of the Cross he preached it in the giving these Gifts unto Men for it's solemn Declaration See 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20 21. Wherefore because the Authority from whence this Gift proceeded was granted unto 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 his so doing this Gift relates thereunto also Hereon doth the Honour and Excellency of the Ministry depend with respect hereunto is it to be esteemed and valued namely it 's Relation unto the Spiritual Humiliation of Christ and not from the carnal or secular Exaltation of those that take it upon them § 6. 3 ly IT appears to be an eminent and signal Gift from the immediate Cause of it's actual Communication or the present Qualification of the Lord Christ for the bestowing of it and this was his glorious Exaltation upon his Ascension A Right unto it was acquired by him in his Death but his actual Investiture with all glorious Power was to precede it's Communication ver 8 10. He was first to ascend up on high to triumph over all his and our Adversaries put now 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 these visible and aspectable Heavens which he passed through when he went into the glorious Presence of God or unto the Right Hand of the Majesty on high See Heb. 4. 14. with our Exposition thereon It is also added why he was thus gloriously exalted and this was that he might fill up all things not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Fabrick of it was to be fill'd with it's Utinsils and beautify'd with it's Ornaments This he ascended to accomplish and did it principally in the Collation of this Gift of the Ministry upon it This was the first Exercise of that glorious Power which the Lord Christ was vested withall upon his Exaltation the first Effect of his Wisdom and Love in filling all things unto the Glory of God and the Salvation of his Elect. And these things are mentioned 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 hence how contemptible a thing the most pompous Ministry in the World is which doth not proceed from this Original § 7. 4. THE same is manifest from the Nature of the Gift it self For this Gift consisteth in Gifts He gave Gifts There is an active giving expressed He gave And the thing given that is Gifts Wherefore the Ministry is a Gift of Christ not only because freely and bountifully given by him to the Church but also because Spiritual Gifts do essentially belong unto it are indeed it 's Life and inseparable from it's Being
A Ministry without Gifts is no Ministry of Christ's giving nor is of any other Use in the Church but to deceive the Souls of Men. To set up such a Ministry is both to despise Christ and utterly to frustrate the ends of the Ministry those for which Christ gave it and which are here expressed 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 into the Duties of a Church To set up a Ministry which may be continued by outward Forms and Orders of Men only without any Communication of Gifts from Christ is to despise his Authority and Care Neither 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 That these Gifts are the only Means and Instruments whereby the Work of the Ministry may be performed and the End of the Ministry attained shall be farther declared immediately The Ends of the Ministry here mentioned called it's Work are the perfecting of the Saints and the Edifying of the Body of Christ untill we all come unto a perfect Man Hereof nothing at all can be done without these Spiritual Gifts And therefore a Ministry devoid of them is a Mock-ministry and no Ordinance of Christ. § 8. 5. THE Eminency of this Gift appears in the Variety and Diversity of the Offices and Officers which Christ gave in giving of the Ministry He knew there would and had appointed there should be a two-fold Estate of the Church ver 10. 1 Of it's first Election and Foundation 2 Of it's Building and Edification and different both Offices and Gifts were necessary unto 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 Sathan in the World as upheld by all the Potentates of the Earth the concurrent Suffrage of Mankind with the Interest of Sin and Prejudices in them 2 The casting of 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 the World over With respect unto these Ends extraordinary Officers with extraordinary Authority Power and Abilities were requisite Unto this end therefore he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists of the Nature of whose Offices and their Gifts we have spoken before I shall here only add that it was necessary that these Officers should have their immediate Call and Authority from Christ antecedent unto all Order and Power in the Church For the very Being of the Church depended on their Power of Office But this without such an immediate Power from Christ no Man can pretend unto 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 Corner-stone Eph. 2. 20. 2ly There was a state of the Church in it's 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 ordinary Officers Pastors and Teachers who by his Direction were ordained in every Church Acts 14. 23 24. And these are all the Teaching Officers that he hath given unto his Church Or if any shall think that in the Enumeration of them in this place as also 1 Cor. 12. our Apostle forgot Popes and Diocesan Bishops with some others who certainly cannot but laugh to themselves that they should be admitted in the World as Church-Officers he must speak for himself § 9. BUT whereas the other sort of Officers was given by Christ by his immediate Call and Communication of Power unto them it doth not appear how he gives these ordinary Officers or Ministers unto it I answer He did it originally and continueth to do it by the ways and means ensuing 1 He doth it by the Law and Rule of the Gospel wherein he hath appointed this Office of the Ministry in his Church and so always to be continued Were there not such a standing Ordinance and Institution of his it were not in the Power of all the Churches in the World to appoint any such among them whatever appearance there may be of a Necessity thereof And if any should have attempted any such thing no Blessing from God would have accompanied their Endeavour so that they would but set up an Idol of their own Hereon we lay the continuance of the Ministry in the Church If there be not an Ordinance and Institution of Christ unto this purpose or if such being granted yet the Force of it be now expired we must and will readily confess that the whole Office is a meer Usurpation But if he have given Pastors and Teachers unto his Church to continue until all his Saints in all Ages come unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. and hath promised to be with them as such unto the consummation of all things Matth. 28. 18 19 20. If the Apostles by his Authority Ordained Elders in evry Church and City Acts 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. and who therein were made Overseers of the Flocks by the Holy Ghost Acts 20. 28. having the charge of feeding and overseeing the Flock that is among them always until the chief Shepherd shall appear 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. If Believers or the Disciples of Christ are obliged by him always to yield Obedience unto them Heb. 13. 7 17. with other such plain Declarations of the Will of the Lord Christ in the Constitution and Continuance of this Office this Foundation standeth firm and unshaken as the Ordinances of Heaven that shall not be changed And whereas there is not in the Scripture the least Intimation of any such Time State or Condition of the Church as wherein the Disciples of Christ may or ought to live from under the orderly Conduct and Guidance of the Ministers it is vain to imagine that any Defect in other Men any Apostasie of the greatest part of any or all Visible Churches should cast them into an Incapacity of erecting a regular Ministry among them and over them For whereas the Warranty and Authority of the Ministry depends on this Institution of Christ which is accompanied with a Command for it's Observance Matth. 28. 18. all his Disciples being obliged to yield Obedience thereunto their doing so in the Order and Manner also by him approved is sufficient to constitute a lawful Ministry among them To suppose that because the Church of Rome and those adhering unto it have by their Apostasie utterly lost an Evangelical Ministry among them that therefore others unto whom the Word of God is come and hath been effectual unto their Conversion have not sufficient
Warranty from the Word to yield Obedience unto all the Commands of Christ which when we have talked of Power and Authority whilst we please is all that is lest unto us in this World or that in so doing he will not accept them and approve of what they have done is an Assertion fit for Men to maintain who have a Trade to drive in Religion unto their own especial Advantage § 10. 2ly THE Lord Christ giveth and continneth this Office by giving Spiritual Gifts and Abilities unto Men to enable them to discharge the Duties and perform the Work of it This is that which I principally design to confirm in it's proper place which will immediately ensue All I shall 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 Wherefore supposing the continuance of the Law and Institution mentioned if the Lord Christ doth at any time or in any place cease to give out Spiritual Gifts unto Men enabling them in some good measure unto the Discharge of the Ministry then and in that place the Ministry it self must cease and come to an end To erect a Ministry by Vertue 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 for an Image to be adored To make a Man a Minister who can do nothing of the proper peculiar Work of the Ministry nothing towards the only end of it in the Church is to set up a dead Carcass fastning it to a Post and expecting it should do you Work and Service § 11. 3ly HE doth it by giving Power unto his Church in all Ages to call and separate unto the Work of the Ministry such as he hath sitted and gifted for it The things before mentioned are essentially constituent of the Ministry this belongs unto the outward Order of their Entrance into the Ministry who are by him called thereunto And concerning this we may observe the things following 1 That this Power in the Church is not Despotical or Lordly but consists in a Faculty Right and Ability to act in this matter obedientially unto the Commands 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 unto Persons called thereunto The Church doth not give them any Authority of it's own or resident in it's self but only in a way of Obedience unto Christ do transmit Power from him unto them who are called Hence do 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 whosoever despiseth them despiseth him also in them Some would have Ministers of the Gospel to receive all their Authority from the People that choose them and some from the Bishops who Ordain them and whence they have theirs I know not But this is to make them Ministers of Men and Servants of Men and to constitute other Masters between them and Christ. And whereas all Church-Power is originally and absolutely vested in Christ and in him solely so that none can be Partaker of the least Interest in it or share of it without a Communication of it from him unto them neither Popes nor Prelates nor People are able to produce any such Grant or Concession of Power unto them from him as that they should have an Authority residing in them and in their Power to despose unto others as thay see cause so as they should hold it from them as a part or efflux of the Power vested in them It is Obedience unto the Law of Christ and following the Guidance of his previous Communication of Gifts as a Means to communicate his Power unto them who are called to the Ministry that is the whole of what is committed unto any in this kind 2 The Church hath no Power to call any unto Office of the Ministry where the Lord Christ hath not gone before it in the Designation of him by an Endowment with Spiritual Gifts For if the whole Authority of the Ministry be from Christ and he never gives it but where he bestows these Gifts with it for it's Discharge as in Eph. 4. 7 8 c. then to call any to the Ministry whom he hath not so previously gifted is to set him aside and to act in our own Names and Authority And by reason of these things the Holy Ghost is said to make Men Overseers of the Flocks who are thus called thereunto because both the Communication of Power in the Constitution of the Law and of Spiritual Gifts by internal effectual Operation are from him alone Acts 20. 28. 3 The outward way and Order whereby a Church may call any Person unto the Office of the Ministry among them and over them is by their joynt solemn Submission unto him in the Lord as unto all the Powers and Duties of this Office testified by their Choice and Election of him It is concerning this outward Order that all the World is fill'd with Disputes about the Call of Men unto the Ministry which yet in Truth is of the least concernment therein For whatever Manner or Order be observed herein if the things before mentioned be not premised thereunto it is of no Validity or Authority On the other hand grant that the Authority of the Ministry dependeth on the Law Ordinance and Institution of Christ that he calls Men unto this Office by the collation of Spiritual Gifts unto them and that the Actings of the Church herein is but an instituted moral means of communicating Office-Power from Christ himself unto any and let but such other things be observed as the Light and Law of Nature requireth in cases of an alike kind and the outward Mode of the Churches acting herein need not much be contended about It may be proved to be a Beam of Truth from the Light of Nature that no Man should be imposed on a Church for their Minister against their Wills or without their express Consent considering that his whole Work is to be conversant about their Understandings Judgments Wills and Affections and that this should be done by their Choice and Election as the Scripture doth manifestly declare Numb 8. 9 10. Acts 1. 23 26. Acts 6. 35. Acts 14. 23. so that it was for some Ages observed Sacredly in the Primitive Churches cannot modestly be denied But how far any People or Church may commit over this Power of declaring their Consent and Acquiescency unto others to act for them and as it were in their stead so as that the Call to Office should yet be valid provided the former Rules be observed I will not much dispute with any though I approve only of what maketh the nearest Approaches to the
Primitive Pattern that the Circumstances of things are capable of 4. The Lord Christ continueth 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 Imposition of Hands Acts 14. 23. Chap. 13. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 14. By these means I say doth the Lord Christ continue to declare that he accounts Men faithful and puts them into the Ministry as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 1. 12. § 12. THERE are yet remaining sundry things in the Passage of the Apostle which we now insist on that declare the Eminency of this Gift of Christ which may yet be farther briefly considered As 6 The End why it is bestowed and this is expressed 1 Positiveiy as to the Good and Advantage of the Church thereby ver 12. 2 Negatively as to it's Prohibition and Hinderance of Evil ver 14. In the end of it as positively expressed three things may be considered 1 That it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for the gathering of the Saints into compleat Church-Order The Subject-matter of this part of their Duty is the Saints that is by Calling and Profession such as are all the Disciples of Christ. And that which is effected towards them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Coagmentation joynting or compacting into Order So the Word signifies Gal. 6. 1. And this Effect is here declared ver 16. 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 unto all his Institutions and so become a Church essentially before they have any ordinary Pastor or Teacher either by the conduct of extraordinary Officers as at first or through Obedience unto their Word whence Elders were ordained among those who were in Church-state that is thus far before Acts 14. 23. but they cannot come to that Perfection and Compleatness which is designed unto them That which renders a Church compleatly Organical 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 come unto this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Compleatness before it hath any Minister in Office or have by any means lost the Ministry among them may not delegate and appoint some one or more from among themselves for to Administer all the Ordinances of the Gospel among them and unto them and by that means make up their own Perfection § 13. SECONDLY The Church being so compleated these Officers are given unto it for the Work of the Ministry This Expression is comprehensive and the Particulars included in it are not in this place to be enquired into It may suffice unto our present purpose to consider that it is a Work not a Preferment and a Work they shall find it who design to give up a comfortable Account of what is committed unto them It is usually observed that all the Words whereby the Work of the Ministry is expressed in the Scripture do denote a peculiar industrious kind of Labour Though some have sonne out ways of Honour and Ease to be signified by them And Both these are directed unto one general Issue It is all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unto the Edification of the Body of Christ. Not to insist on the Metaphors that are in this Expression the Excellency of the Ministry is declared in that the Object of it's Duty and Work is no other but the Body of Christ himself and it 's End the Edification of this Body or it's Encrease in Faith and Obedience in all the Graces and Gifts of the Spirit until it comes unto Conformity unto him and the Enjoyment of him And a Ministry which hath not this Object and End is not of the giving or Grant of Christ. § 14. THE End of the Ministry is expressed negatively or with respect unto the Evils which it is ordained for our Deliverance from ver 14. 1 The Evil which we are hereby delivered from is the danger of being perniciously and destructively deceived by false Doctrines Errors and Heresies which then began and have ever since in all Ages continued to infest the Churches of God These the Apostle describes 1 From the Design of their Authors which is to deceive 2 Their Diligence in that Design They lay in wait to accomplish it 3 The Means they use to compass their End which are Slights and cunning Craftiness managed sometimes with impetuous Violence and thence called a Wind of Doctrine And 2 The Means hereof is our Deliverance out of a Child-like state accompanied with 1 Weakness 2 Instability And 3 Wilfulness And sad is the condition of those Churches which either have such Ministers as will themselves toss them up and down by false and pernicious Doctrines or are not able by sound Instructions to deliver them from such a condition of Weakness and Instabi'ity as wherein they are not able to preserve themselves from being in these things imposed on by the cunning Slights of Men that lie in wait to deceive And as this Ministry is always to continue in the Church ver 13. so it is the great means of Influencing the whole Body and every Member of it into a due Discharge of their Duty unto their Edification in Love ver 15 16. § 15. DESIGNING to treat of the Spiritual Gifts bestowed on the Ministry of the Church I have thus far diverted into the Consideration of the Ministry it self as it is a Gift of Christ and shall shut it up with a few Corollaries As 1 Where there is any Office erected in the Church that is not in particular of the Gift and Institution of Christ there is a Nullity in the whole Office and in all Administrations by vertue of it 2 Where the Office is appointed but Gifts are not communicated unto the Person called unto it there is a Nullity as to his Person and a Disorder in the Church 3 It is the Duty of the Church to look on the Ministry as an eminent Grant of Christ with Valuation Thankfulness and Improvement 4 Those who are called unto this Office in due Order labour to approve themselves as a Gift of Christ which it is a shameless Impudence for some to own who go under that Name 5 This they may do in labouring to be furnished 1 With gracious Qualifications 2 Useful Endowments 3 Diligence and laborious Travail in this Work 4 By an exemplary Conversation in 1. Love 2. Meekness 3. Self-denyal 4. Readiness for the Cross c. CHAP. VII Of Spiritual Gifts enabling the Ministry to the Exercise and Discharge of their Trust and Office § 1. UNTO the Ministry so given unto the Church as hath been declared the Holy Ghost gives Spiritual Gifts enabling them unto the Exercise and Discharge of the Power Trust and Office committed unto them Now although I am not thoroughly satisfied what Men will grant or
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 unto 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 wherefore what he speaks is necessary unto 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 laveth 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 unto whom he speaks to attend unto those Duties whereby the Church may be Edified and that by vertue 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he is made partaker of And what these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as also by whom they are bestowed hath been already fully declared 3. That these Gifts give not only Ability for Duty but Rule and Measure unto 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 unto consideration 1 Pet. 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 Ephes. 4. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. Only let it be remembred that in this whole Discourse by Gifts I do understand those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 unto that End so they are indispensibly necessary unto 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 Yea 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 unto 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 Admistrations 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 unto Office in the Church began to be Carnal in their Hearts and Lives and to neglect the use of these Gifts neither applying themselves unto the attaining of them nor endeavouring to excite or encrease what they had received by Diligence or constant Exercise refusing to Trade with the Talent committed unto them they quickly began to wax weary of Spiritual Administrations also Hereon in compliance with many corrupt Affections they betook themselves unto 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 Apostasie of the Christian Church as to its outward Profession which was quickly compleated 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 shew 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 doth continue to dispense Spiritual Gifts for Gospel Administrations in great variety unto those Ministers of the Gospel who are called unto their Office according unto 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 unto 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 Administred unto them Have they not a proof of Christ speaking in them by the Assistance of his Spirit making the Word mighty unto all its proper Ends And as the thing it self so variety of his Dispensations manifest themselves also unto the Experience of Believers Who see not how different are the Gifts of Men the Holy Ghost dividing unto 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 unto the Church or the continuance of his presence therein Let Men be never so well perswaded 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 unto Spiritual Gifts namely his continuance to distribute and communicate unto the Church to the End of the World according unto the Powers and Duties which he hath erected in it or required of it CHAP. VIII Of the Gifts of the Spirit with respect unto Doctrine Rule and Worship how attained and improved § 1. THERE remain yet two things to be spoken unto with respect unto the Gifts which the Holy Ghost bestows on the Ministers of the Gospel to qualifie them unto their Office and to enable them unto their Work And these are 1 What they are 2. How they are to be attained and improved In our Enquiry after the first or what are the Gifts whereby Men are fitted and enabled for the Ministry we wholly set aside the consideration of all those gracious qualifications of Faith Love Zeal Compassión Careful tender Watchfulness and the like whereon the Holy Use of their Ministry doth depend For our Enquiry is only after those Gifts whereon depends the very Being of the Ministry There may be a true Ministry in some cases where there is no sanctifying Grace but where there are no Spiritual Gifts there is no Ministry at all They are in General Abilities for the due management of the Spiritual Administrations of the Gospel in its Doctrine Worship and Discipline unto the Edification of the Church It is not easie nay it they be unto us it is not possible to enumerate in particular all the various Gifts which the Holy Ghost endows the Ministers of the Gospel withall â—â—ereas all the Concerns of the Church may be referred unto these three Heads of Doctrine Worship and Rule we may enquire what are the principal Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Ghost with respect unto them distinctly § 2. THE first great Duty of the Ministry with reference unto the Church is the Dispensation of the Doctrine of the Gospel unto it for its Edification As this is the Duty of the Church continually to attend unto Acts 2. 42. so it is the principal Work of the Ministry the Foundation of all other Duties which the Apostles themselves gave themselves unto in an especial manner Acts 6. 4. Hence is it given in charge unto all Ministers of the Gospel Acts 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 1. 3. chap. 5. 17. chap. 4. 13 14 16. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. For this is the principal means appointed by Christ for the Edification of his Church that whereby Spiritual Life is begotten and preserved Where this Work is neglected or carelesly attended unto there the whole Work of the Ministry is despised And with respect unto this Ministerial Duty there are three Spiritual Gifts that the Holy Ghost endoweth Men withall which must be considered § 3. THE first is Wisdom or Knowledge or Understanding in the Mysteries of the Gospel the Revelation of the Mystery of God in Christ with his Mind and Will towards us therein These things may be distinguished and they seem to be so in the Scripture sometimes I put them together as all of them denote that Acquaintance with and Comprehension of the Doctrine of the Gospel which is indispensibly necessary unto them who are called to Preach it unto the Church This some imagine an easie matter to be attained at least that there is no more nor the use of any other means required thereunto than what is necessary to the Acquisition of Skill in any other Art or Science And it were well if some otherwise concerned in Point of Duty would but lay out so much of their Strength and Time in the obtaining of this Knowledge as they do about other things which will not turn much unto their account But the Cursory Perusal of a few Books is thought sufficient to make any Man wise enough to be a Minister And not a few undertake ordinarily to be Teachers of others who would scarcely be admitted as tolerable Disciples in a well ordered Church But there belongeth more unto this Wisdom Knowledge and Understanding than most Men are aware of Were the Nature of it duely considered and withall the Necessity of it unto the Ministry of the Gospel probably some would not so rush on that Work as they do which they have no provision of Ability for the performance of It is in brief such a comprehension of the Scope and End of the Scripture of the Revelation of God therein such an Acquaintance with the Systeme of particular Doctrinal Truths in their Rise Tendency and Use such an Habit of Mind in judging of Spiritual Things and comparing them one with another such a distinct insight into the Springs and Course of the Mystery of the Love Grace and Will of God in Christ as enables them in whom it is to declare the Counsel of God to make known the Way of Life of Faith and Obedience unto others and to instruct them in their whole Duty to God and Man thereon This the Apostle calls his Knowledge in the Mystery of Christ which he manifested in his Writings Ephes. 3. 4. For as the Gospel the Dispensation and Declaration whereof is committed unto the Ministers of the Church is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7. so their Principal Duty is to become so wise and understanding in that Mystery as that they may be able to declare it unto others without which they have no Ministry committed unto them by Jesus Christ. See Ephes. 1. 9. Chap. 3. 3 6 19. Col. 4. 3. The sole Enquiry is Whence we may have this Wisdom seeing it is abundantly evident that we have it not of our selves That in general it is from God that it is to be asked of him the Scripture every where declares See Col. 1. 9. Chap. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 7. Jam. 1. 5. 1 John 5. 20. And in particular it is plainly affirmed to be the especial Gift of the Holy Ghost He gives the Word of Wisdom 1 Cor. 12. 8. which place hath been opened before And it is the first Ministerial Gift that he bestows on any Where this is not in some measure to look for a Ministry is to look for the Living among the Dead And they will deceive their own Souls in the End as they do those of others in the mean time who on any other grounds do undertake to be Preachers of the Gospel But I shall not here divert unto the full description of this Spiritual Gift
from any outward Consideration streightened in the Declaration of those things which he ought to speak This Frame and Ability the Apostle expresseth in Himself 2 Cor. 6. 11. O ye Corinthians our Mouth is open unto you our Heart is enlarged A free enlarged Spirit attended with an Ability of Speech suited unto the matter in Hand with its occasions belong to this Gift 2 So also doth Boldness and Holy Confidence So we often render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein this utterance doth much consist When the Spirit of God in the midst of Difficulties Oppositions and Discouragements strengtheneth the Minds of Ministers so as that they are not terrified with any Amazement but discharge their Work freely as considering whose Word and Message it is that they do deliver belongs to this Gift of Utterance 3 So also doth Gravity in Expression becoming the Sacred Majesty of Chriist and his Truths in the Delivery of them He that speaks is to speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. That is not only as to Truth preaching the Word of God and nothing else but doing it with that Gravity and Soundness of Speech which becomes them who speak the Oracles of God For as we are to deliver Sound Doctrine and nothing else Tit. 1. 9. so we are to use sound Speech that cannot be condemned Tit. 2. 7 8. 4 Hereunto also belongs that Authority which accompanieth the Delivery of the Word when preached in Demonstration of these Spiritual Abilities For all these things are necessary that the Hearers may receive the Word not as the Word of Man but as it is indeed the Word of God § 6. THESE are the principal Spiritual Gifts wherewith the Holy Ghost endows the Ministers of the Church with respect unto the effectual Dispensation of the Word or the Doctrine of the Gospel which is committed unto them And where they are communicated in any such degree as is necessary unto the due Discharge of that Office they will evidence themselves to the Consciences of them that do believe The Dispensation of the Word by vertue of them though under great Variety from the various Degrees wherein they are communicated and the different natural Abilities of them that do receive them will be sufficiently distinguished and remote from that empty wordy sapless way of discoursing Spiritual things which is the meer effect of the Wit Fancy Invention and Projection of Men destitute of the Saving Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Mysteries of the Gospel § 7. THE second Head of Duties belonging unto the Ministerial Office respects the Worship of God By the Worship of God here I understand only that especial part thereof whereof himself is the immediate Object For absolutely the preaching and hearing of the Word is a part of Sacred Worship as that wherein we act the Obedience of Faith unto the Commands of God and submit our selves unto his Institution And indeed as unto those that hear it is God declaring himself by his Word that is the immediate Object of their Worship But the Dispensation of the Word which we have considered is the acting of Men upon the Authority and Command of God towards others But as was said by that part we enquire into I intend that alone whereof God himself was the immediate object Such are all the remaining Offices and Duties of the Church those only excepted which belong to it's Rule And this Worship hath various Acts according to the variety of Christ's Institutions and the Churches occasions Yet as to the manner of it's Performance it is comprized in Prayer For by Prayer we understand all Confessions Supplications Thanksgivings and Praises that are made unto God in the Church whether absolutely or in the Administration of other Ordinances as the Sacraments Wherefore in this Duty as comprehensive of all the Sacred Offices of publick Worship as the Glory of God is greatly concerned so it is the principal Act of Obedience in the Church This then as to the performance of it depends either on the natural Abilities of Men or on the Aids and Operation of the Holy Ghost By the natural Abilities of Men I understand not only what they are able of themselves in every Instance to perform but also what-ever Assistance they may make use of either of their own finding out or of others And by the Aids of the Holy Ghost I intend and especial Spiritual Gift bestowed on Men to this purpose Now to suppose that the whole Duty of the Church herein should consist in the Actings of Men in their own Strength and Power without any especial Assistance of the Holy Spirit is to exclude the consideration of him from those things with respect whereunto he is principally promised by our Lord Jesus Christ. But what concerneth this Gift of the Holy Ghost hath been at large handled by it self already and must not here be again insisted on Taking for granted what is therein sufficiently confirmed I shall only add that those who have not received this Gift are utterly unfit to undertake the Office of the Ministry wherein it is their Duty to go before the Churrh in the Administration of all Ordinances by vertue of these Abilities In things Civil or Secular it would be esteemed an intolerable Solecism to call and choose a Man to the Discharge of an Office or Duty whose Execntion depended solely on sach a peculiar Faculty or Skill as he who is so called hath no interest in or acquaintance with And it will one day appear to be so also in things Sacred and Religious yea much more § 8. THIRDLY The Rule of the Church belongeth unto the Ministers of it God hath established Rule in the Church Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thess. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 17. I dispute not now of what sort this Ministry is nor whether the Rule belong unto one sort alone It is enough unto my present Design that it is committed by Christ unto the Ministers of the Church which are it's Guides Rulers and Overseers Nor shall I at present enquire into the particular Powers Acts and Duties of this Rule I have done it elsewhere I am only now to consider it so far as it's Exercise requireth an especial Ministerial Gift to be communicated by the Holy Ghost And in order thereunto the things ensuing must be premised 1 That this Rule is Spiritual and hath nothing in common with the Administration of the Powers of the World It hath I say no Agreement with Secular Power and it's Exercise unless it be in some natural Circumstances that inseparably attend Rulers and Ruled in any kind It belongs unto the Kingdom of Christ and the Administration of it which are not of this World And as this is well pleaded by some against those who would erect a Kingdom for him in the World and as far as I can understand of this World framed in their own Imaginations unto a fancied Interest of their own so it
is as pleadable against them who pretend to exercise the Rule and Power of his present Kingdom after the manner of the Potestative Administrations of the World When our Saviour forbad all Rule unto his Disciples after the manner of the Gentiles who then possessed all Sovereign Power in the World and told them that it should not be so with them that some should be great and exercise Dominion over others but that they should serve one another in Love the greatest Condescention unto Service being required of them who are otherwise most eminent he did not intend to take from them or divest them of that Spiritual Power and Authority in the Government of the Church which he intended to commit unto them His Design therefore was to declare what that Authority was not and how it should not be exercised A Lordly or Despotical Power it was not to be nor was it to be exercised by Penal Laws Courts and Coercive Jurisdiction which was the way of the Administration of all Power among the Gentiles And if that kind of Power and Rule in the Church which is for the most part exercised in the World be not forbidden by our Saviour no Man living can tell what is so For as to Meekness Moderation Patience Equity Righteousness they were more easie to be found in the Legal Administrations of Power among the Gentiles than in these used in many Churches But such a Rule is signified unto them the Authority whereof from whence it proceedeth was Spiritual its Object the Minds and Souls of Men only and the way of whose Administration was to consist in an humble holy Spiritual Application of the Word of God or Rules of the Gospel unto them 2 The End of this Rule is meerly and solely the Edification of the Church All the Power that the Apostles themselves had either in or over the Church was but unto their Edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. And the Edification of the Church consists in the Encrease of Faith and Obedience in all the Members thereof in the subduing and mortifying of Sin in Fruitfulness in good Works in the Confirmation and Consolation of them that stand in the raising up them that are fallen and the recovery of them that wander in the Growth and Flourishing of mutual Love and Peace and whatever Rule is exercised in the Church unto any other end is Foreign to the Gospel and tends only to the Destruction of the Church it self 3 In the way and manner of the Administration of this Rule and Government two things may be considered 1 What is internal in the Qualifications of the Minds of them by whom it is to be exercised Such are Wisdom Diligence Love Meekness Patience and the like Evangelical Endowments 2 What is external or what is the outward Rule of it and this is the Word and Law of Christ alone as we have elsewhere declared § 9. FROM these things it may appear what is the Nature in general of that Skill in the Rule of the Church which we assert to be a peculiar Gift of the Holy Ghost If it were only an Ability or Skill in the Canon or Civil Law or Rules of Men if only an Acquaintance with the Nature and Course of some Courts proceeding litigiously by Citations Processes Legal Pleadings issuing in Pecuniary Mulcts outward Coercions or Imprisonments I should willingly acknowledge that there is no peculiar Gift of the Spirit of God required thereunto But the Nature of it being as we have declared it is impossible it should be exercised aright without the especial Assistance of the Holy Ghost Is any Man of himself sufficient for these things Will any Man undertake of himself to know the mind of Christ in all the occasions of the Church and to adminster the Power of Christ in them and about them Wherefore the Apostle in many places teacheth that Wisdom Skill and Understanding to administer the Authority of Christ in the Church unto its Edification with Faithfulness and Diligence are an especial Gift of the Holy Ghost Rom. 12. 6 8. 1 Cor. 12. 28. It is the Holy Ghost which makes the Elders of the Church it's Bishops or Overseers by calling them to their Office Acts 20. 28. And what he calls any Man unto that he furnisheth him with Abilities for the Discharge of And so have we given a brief Account of these Ordinary Gifts which the Holy Ghost communicates unto the constant Ministry of the Church and will do so unto the Consummation of all things having moreover in our Passage manifested the Dependance of the Ministry on this Work of his so that we need no Addition of Pains to demonstrate that where he goeth not before in the Communication of them no outward Order Call or Constitution is sufficient to make any one a Minister of the Gospel § 10 THERE are Gifts which respect Duties only Such are those which the Holy Ghost continues to communicate unto all the Members of the Church in a great Variety of Degrees according to the Places and Conditions which they are in unto their own and the Churches Edification There is no need that we should insist upon them in particular seeing they are of the same nature with them which are continued unto the Ministers of the Church who are required to excell in them so as to be able to go before the whole Church in their Exercise The Spirit of the Gospel was promised by Christ unto all his Disciples unto all Believers unto the whole Church and not unto the Guides of it only To them he is so in an especial manner with respect unto their Office Power and Duty but not absolutely or only As he is the Spirit of Grace he quickens animates and unites the whole Body of the Church and all the Members of it in and unto Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. And as he is the Administrator of all Supernatural Gifts he furnisheth the whole Body and all it's Members with Spiritual Abilities unto it's Edification Ephes. 4. 15 16. Col. 2. 19. And without them in some measure or degree ordinarily we are not able to discharge our Duty unto the Glory of God For § 11. 1. THESE Gifts are a great means and help to excite and exercise Grace it self without which it will be lifeless and apt to decay Men grow in Grace by the due exercise of their own Gifts in Duties Wherefore every individual Person on his own account doth stand in need of them with respect unto the exercise and improvement of Grace Zech. 12. 10. 2 Most Men have it may be such Duties incumbent on them with respect unto others as they cannot discharge aright without the especial Aid of the Spirit of God in this kind So is it with all them who have Families to take care of and provide for For ordinarily they are bound to instruct their Children and Servants in the Knowledge of the Lord and to go before them in that Worship which God requires of
them as Abraham did the Father of the Faithful And hereunto some Spiritual Abilities are requisite For none can teach others more than they know themselves nor perform Spiritual Worship without some Spiritual Gifts unless they will betake themselves unto such shifts as we have before on good Grounds rejected 3. Every Member of a Church in Order according to the Mind of Christ possesseth some Place Use and Office in the Body which it cannot fill up unto the Benefit and Ornament of the whole without some Spiritual Gift These places are various some of greater use than others and of more necessity unto the Edification of the Church but all are useful in their kind This our Apostle disputes at large 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 c. All Believers in due order do become one Body by the participation of the same Spirit and Union unto the same Head Those who do not so partake of the one Spirit who are not united unto the Head do not properly belong to the Body whatever place they seem to hold therein Of those that do so some are as it were an Eye some as an Hand and some as a Foot All these useful in their several places and needful unto one another None of them is so highly exalted as to have the least occasion of being lifted up as though he had no need of the rest for the Spirit distributeth unto every one severally as he will not all unto any one save only unto the Head our Lord Jesus from whom we all receive Grace according to the measure of his Gift Nor is any so depressed or useless as to say It is not of the Body nor that the Body hath no need of it But every one in his Place and Station concurrs to the Unity Strength Beauty and Growth of the Body which things our Apostle disputes at large in the place mentioned 4 Hereby are supplies communicated unto the whole from the Head Ephes. 4. 15 16. Col. 2. 19. It is of the Body that is of the Church under the Conduct of its Officers that the Apostle discourseth in those places And the Duty of the whole it is to speak the Truth in Love every one in his several Place and Station And herein God hath so ordered the Union of the whole Church in it self unto and in dependance on its Head as that through and by not only the supply of every Joint which may express either the Officers or more Eminent Members of it but the effectual working of every part in the Exercise of the Graces and Gifts of the Spirit doth impart to the whole the Body may Edifie it self and be Encreased Wherefore 5 The Scripture is express that the Holy Ghost doth communicate of those Gifts unto private Believers and directs them in that Duty wherein they are to be exercised 1 Pet. 4. 10. Every one that is every Believer walking in the Order and Fellowship of the Gospel is to attend unto the Discharge of his Duty according as he hath received Spiritual Ability So was it in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 5 6 7. and in that of the Romans Chap. 15. 14. as they all of them knew that it was their Duty to covet the best Gifts which they did with success 1 Cor. 12. 31. And hereon depend the Commands for the Exercise of those Duties which in the Ability of these Gifts received they were to perform So were they all to admonish one another to exhort one another to Build up one another in their most Holy Faith And it is the loss of those Spiritual Gifts which hath introduced amongst many an utter neglect of these Duties so as they are scarce heard of among the generality of them that are called Christians But blessed be God we have large and full Experience of the continuance of this Dispensation of the Spirit in the Eminent Abilities of a multitude of private Christians however they may be despised by them who know them not By some I confess they have been abused some have presumed on them beyond the Line and Measure which they have received some have been puffed up with them some have used them disorderly in Churches and to their hurt some have boasted of what they have not received all which miscarriages also befell the Primitive Churches And I had rather have the Order Rule Spirit and Practice of those Churches that were planted by the Apostles with all their Troubles and Disadvantages than the Carnal Peace of others in their open Degeneracy from all those things § 12. IT remains only that we enquire how Men may come unto or attain a participation of these Gifts whether Ministerial or more Private And unto this End we may observe 1 That they are not Communicated unto any by a sudden Afflatus or extraordinary Infusion as were the Gifts of Miracles and Tongues which were bestowed on the Apostles and many of the first Converts That Dispensation of the Spirit is long since ceased and where it is now pretended unto by any it may justly be suspected as an Enthusiastick Delusion For as the End of those Gifts which in their own Nature exceed the whole power of all our Faculties is ceased so is their Communication and the manner of it also Yet this I must say that the Infusion of Spiritual Light into the Mind which is the Foundation of all Gifts as hath been proved being wrought sometimes suddenly or in a short season the Concomitancy of Gifts in some good measure is oftentimes sudden with an appearance of something Extraordinary as might be manifested in instances of several sorts 2 These Gifts are not absolutely attainable by our own Diligence and Endeavours in the use of means without respect unto the Soveraign Will and Pleasure of the Holy Ghost Suppose there are such means of the Attainment and Improvement of them and that several Persons do with the same measures of Natural Abilities and Diligence use those means for that end yet it will not follow that all must be equally Partakers of them They are not the immediate product of our own Endeavours no not as under an ordinary Blessing upon them For they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arbitrary Largesses or Gifts which the Holy Spirit worketh in all Persons severally as he will Hence we see the different Events that are among them who are exercised in the same Studies and Endeavours some are endued with Eminent Gifts some scarce attain unto any that are useful and some despise them Name and Thing There is therefore an immediate Operation of the Spirit of God in the Collation of these Spiritual Abilities which is unaccountable by the measures of Natural Parts and Industry Yet I say 4 That ordinarily they are both attained and increased by the due use of Means suited thereunto as Grace is also which none but Pelagians affirm to be absolutely in the power of our own Wills And the naming of these Means shall put