63. Chapter VI. Of ordinary gifts of the Spirit
Chapter VI. Of ordinary gifts of the Spirit O f ordinary gifts of the Spirit — The grant, institution, use, benefit, end, and continuance of the ministry.
What next lies before us is the consideration of those ordinary gifts of the Spirit which are annexed to the ordinary powers and duties of the church.
They are called "ordinary", not as if they were absolutely common to all, or were not much to be esteemed, or as if that was a diminishing term in any way; but we call them ordinary on a double account:
1. In distinction from those absolutely extraordinary gifts which exceeded the whole power and faculties of the souls of men — such as healings, tongues, and miracles. For otherwise, ordinary gifts are of the same nature as most of those gifts which were bestowed on the apostles and evangelists, differing only in degree. Every true gospel ministry now has gifts of the same kind as the apostles', in a degree and measure that is sufficient for their work, except those mentioned.
2. They are called ordinary because of their continuance in the ordinary state of the church; and they will continue to the consummation of all
things.
Now, my design is to treat particularly the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But because there is a gift of Christ which is the foundation and subject of the others, something must first be said briefly about that. This gift of Christ is the ministry of the church. I will not consider the nature of this office at large, but only speak to it as it is a gift of Christ. And I will do this by a little illustration given in that passage of the apostle where this gift and its communication is declared:
Eph 4.7-16, "But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Therefore he says, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now what does it mean that he ascended, but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is also the same that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we will be children no more, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."
There is no other place of Scripture in which at one view the grant, institution, use, benefit, end, and continuance of the ministry is so clearly and fully represented. And the end of this whole discourse is to declare that the gift and grant of the ministry and ministers, of the office and the persons to discharge it, is an eminent and most useful fruit and effect of the mediatory power of Christ, with his love and care towards his church.
Those of whom the apostle speaks ("to every one of us") are the officers or ministers whom he afterward enumerates, although the words may in some sense be extended to all believers; but principally the ministry and ministers of the church are intended. And it is said, "grace is given" to them. It is evident that "grace" here does not intend sanctifying, saving grace, but partaking of a gracious favor with respect to a special end. This is how the word is frequently used in this case by our apostle, Rom 15.15; Gal 2.9;
Eph 3.8. 1 This gracious favor that we are made partakers of, this trust, is freely committed to us by way of grace; and that is "according to the measure of the gift of Christ," to every one as the Lord Christ measures out the gift of it to them freely. Thus, in general, the ministry was granted to the church. The particular account of it is given in the ensuing verses. And —
First. It is declared to be a gift of Christ: "And he himself gave," Eph 4.11.
It is the great fundamental of all church order, power, and worship, that the gift and grant of Christ is the origin of the ministry. If it had not been so given by Christ, it would not have been lawful for any of the sons of men to institute such an office, or appoint such officers.
If any had attempted to do so, what they did would have been a nullity.
And so their attempt would have been expressly against the headship of Christ, or his supreme authority over the church. This is why it was promised of old, that he would give ministers (shepherds) to the church, Jer
3.15, 2 as well as signally foretelling it in the psalm from which these words are taken, Psa 68.18. And just as doing it is an act of his mediatory power, as declared here and in Mat 28.18, so it was a fruit of his care, love, and bounty, 1Cor 12.28. It follows from this, that offices in the church which are not of Christ's giving and institution, and officers who are not of his gift or grant, by provision and furnishing, indeed have no place in it; and it also follows that they are set up in opposition to his authority and in contempt of his care and bounty. For doing so arises out of an apprehension both that men have a power in the church which is not derived from Christ — which imposes servants on him in his own house without his consent — and also that they have more care for the church than he had, since he did not make such provision for them.
If an examination might be admitted by this rule, as it will one day come whether men will it or not, some great names now in the church would scarcely be able to preserve their station. Popes, cardinals, metropolitans, diocesan prelates, archdeacons, commissaries, officials — and I know not what other monstrous products of an incestuous conjunction between secular pride and ecclesiastical degeneracy — would think that they are severely treated to be tried by this rule; but so it must be at last, and that unavoidably so. Indeed, that no man would be so hardy as to once dare attempt setting up officers in the church without the authority of Christ, the eminency of this gift and grant of his is declared in various particular instances. Without it, neither the wisdom, skill, nor power of any or all of the sons of men, can have the least interest in them, or in anything like them.
And this is apparent —
1. From the grandeur of its introduction, or the great and solemn preparation that was made for giving out this gift. It was given by Christ
"when he ascended on high, and led captivity captive," Eph 4.8. The words are taken from Psa 68.17-18, "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as at Sinai, in the holy place. You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive: you have received gifts for men; indeed, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them."
In the first place, what is intended is the glorious appearance of God on Mount Sinai in giving the law — his descending and ascending for that purpose. But they are applied here to Christ, because all the glorious works of God in and towards the church of old, were either representative or gradually introductive of Christ and the gospel.
Thus the glorious ascending of God from Mount Sinai, after giving the law, was a representation of his "ascending far above all heavens, that he might fill all things," Eph 4.10. And as God then "led captivity captive" in the destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who had long held his people in captivity and under cruel bondage, so the Lord Christ now dealt in the destruction and captivity of Satan and all his powers, Col 2.15. 3 Though it is said in the psalm that "he received gifts for men," here it is said that "he gave gifts to men:" in which no small mystery is couched. For although
Christ is God, and is so gloriously represented in the psalm, yet an intimation is given that he would act in a condition in which he was capable of receiving from another, as he did in this matter, Acts 2.33. 4 And so the phrase in the original does more than insinuate: "You have received gifts in Adam" 5 — in the man, or in the human nature. The Hebrew word there, laqach, 6 signifies to give as well as to receive, especially when anything
received is to be given. And Christ received this gift in the human nature, to give it to others.
Now, to what end was this glorious theatre (as it were) prepared, and all this preparation made, with all men being called to the preparation of it? It was to set out the greatness of the gift Christ would bestow, and the glory of the work which he would effect. And this was to furnish the church with ministers, and ministers with gifts for the discharge of their office and duty.
And it will one day appear that there is more glory, more excellence, in giving one poor minister to a congregation by furnishing him with spiritual gifts for the discharge of his duty, than in the pompous installment of a thousand popes, cardinals, or metropolitans. The worst of men, in the observance of a few outward rites and ceremonies, can do the latter; but only Christ can do the former, and do it because he has ascended on high to that purpose.
2. It appears to be such an eminent gift from its original acquisition. There was a power acquired by Christ for this great donation which the apostle declares: Eph 4.9, "Now, what does that mean that he ascended, but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?" Having mentioned the ascension of Christ as the immediate cause or fountain of the communication of this gift, verse 8, he found it necessary to trace it to its first origin. He does not, therefore, mention descending into the lower parts of the earth on the occasion of his ascending, as if he seized at the advantage of a word; nor does he speak of the humiliation of Christ absolutely in itself, which he had no occasion for. Rather, he introduces it to show what respect this gift of the ministry and of ministers — of the office, gifts, and persons — had to this ascension.
And Christ's descending into the lower parts of the earth may be taken two ways, as that expression, "The lower parts of the earth," may be diversely understood. For the " lower parts of the earth," 7 are either the whole earth — that is, those lower parts of the creation — or some part of it. For the word "lower" includes a comparison either with the whole creation, or with some part of itself. In the first sense, Christ's state of humiliation is intended, in which he came down from heaven into these lower parts of God's creation, living on the earth. In the latter, his grave and burial are intended; for the grave is the lowest part of the earth into which mankind descends. And both of these, or his humiliation as it ended in his death and burial, may be respected in these words. What the apostle designs to manifest is that the deep humiliation and the death of Christ are the fountain and origin of the ministry of the church, by way of acquisition and procurement. It is a fruit whose root is in the grave of Christ. For in those things — in the humiliation and death of Christ — lay the foundation of his mediatory authority, of which the ministry is an effect, Phi 2.6-11. 8 And it was appointed by him to be the ministry of that peace between God and man which was made in this and by this, Eph 2.14, 16, 17. 9 For when he had made this peace by the blood of the cross, he preached it in giving these gifts to men for its solemn declaration. See 2Cor 5.18-21. 10 Therefore, because the authority from which this gift proceeded was granted to Christ upon his descending into the lower parts of the earth, and the end of the gift is to declare and preach the peace which he made between God and man by doing so, this gift relates to this also. The honor and excellence of the ministry depend on this; and it is to be esteemed and valued with respect to this — namely, its relation to the spiritual humiliation of Christ — and not from the carnal or secular exaltation of those who take it upon themselves.
3. It appears to be an eminent and signal gift from the immediate cause of its actual communication, or from the present qualification of the Lord
Christ for bestowing it; and this was his glorious exaltation upon his ascension. A right to this gift was acquired by him in his death; but his actual investiture with all glorious power, was to precede its communication, Eph 4.8, 10. He was first to ascend on high, to triumph over all his and our adversaries, now put under him into absolute and eternal captivity, before he gave out this gift. And he is said here to "ascend far above all heavens," — that is, above these visible and aspectable 11 heavens, which he passed through when he went into the glorious presence of God, or to the right hand of the Majesty on high. See Heb 4.14, 12 with our Exposition on that verse.
It is also added why he was thus gloriously exalted; and this was that he might "fill all things" —not in the essence of his nature, but in the exercise of his power. He had laid the foundation of his church on himself in his death and resurrection; but now the whole fabric of it was to be filled with its utensils and beautified with its ornaments. He ascended to accomplish this, and he did it principally in conferring this gift of the ministry upon it.
This was the first exercise of that glorious power which the Lord Christ was vested with upon his exaltation, the first effect of his wisdom and love, in filling all things to the glory of God and the salvation of his elect. These things are mentioned, so that in the contemplation of their greatness and order, we may learn and judge how excellent this donation of Christ is. And it will also appear from this how contemptible a thing the most pompous ministry in the world is, if it does not proceed from this original.
4. The same is manifest from the nature of the gift itself; for this gift consists in gifts: "He gave gifts," Eph 4.8. There is an active giving
expressed, "He gave;" and also the thing given, that is, "gifts." Thus the ministry is a gift of Christ, not only because it is freely and bountifully given by him to the church, but also because spiritual gifts essentially belong to it — they are indeed its life, and inseparable from its being. A ministry without gifts is no ministry of Christ's giving, nor is it of any other use in the church except to deceive the souls of men. To set up such a ministry, without gifts, is both to despise Christ and to utterly frustrate the ends of the ministry — those for which Christ gave the ministry, and which are expressed here; for — (1.) Ministerial gifts and graces are the great evidence that the Lord Christ takes care of his church and provides for it, as called into the order and unto the duties of a church. 13 To set up a ministry which may be continued only by outward forms and orders of men, without any communication of gifts from Christ, is to despise his authority and care. Nor is it his mind that any church should continue in order, any longer or otherwise than as he bestows these gifts for the ministry.
(2.) It will be further declared immediately, that these gifts are the only means and instruments by which the work of the ministry may be performed, and by which the ends of the ministry may be attained. The ends of the ministry mentioned here, called its "work," are the "perfecting of the saints, and the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to a perfect man." Of this, nothing at all can be done without these spiritual gifts; and therefore a ministry devoid of them is a mock ministry, and not an ordinance of Christ.
5. The eminency of this gift appears in the variety and diversity of the offices and officers which Christ gave in giving the ministry. He knew there
would be (and had appointed that there should be) a twofold estate of the church, Eph 4.11 14 — (1.) Of its first erection and foundation;
(2.) Of its building and edification.
And both different offices and different gifts were necessary for these different states; for — (1.) Two things were extraordinary in the first erection of his church:
[1.] An extraordinary aggression was to be made upon the kingdom of Satan in the world, as upheld by all the potentates of the earth, and the concurrent suffrage 15 of mankind, with the interest of sin and prejudices in them.
[2.] Casting men into a new order, under a new rule and law, for the worship of God; that is, the planting and erecting of churches all over the world.
With respect to these ends, extraordinary officers, with extraordinary authority, power, and abilities, were requisite. It was to this end, therefore, that he "gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists;" we have spoken before of the nature of whose offices and their gifts. I will only add here, that it was necessary for these officers to have their immediate call and authority from Christ, antecedent to all order and power in the church — for the very being of the church depended on their power of office. But no man can pretend to this, without such an immediate power from Christ. And what was done originally by their persons, is now done by their word and doctrine; for the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone,"
Eph 2.20.
(2.) There was a state of the church in its edification, which was to be carried on according to the rules and laws given by Christ in the ordinary administration of all the ordinances and institutions of the gospel. To this end, Christ gives the church ordinary officers, "pastors and teachers," who by his direction were "ordained in every church," Acts 14.23. And these are all the teaching officers that he has given to his church. But if anyone thinks that in enumerating them in this place, as he also did in 1Cor 12.28, our apostle forgot popes and diocesan bishops, with some others — who certainly can only laugh to themselves that they would be admitted in the world as church-officers — he must speak for himself.
Obj. "But the fact is, the other sort of officers were given to the church by Christ, by his immediate call and communication of power to them; it is not apparent how he gives these ordinary officers or ministers to it."
I answer that he did it originally, and he continues to do it, by the following ways and means:
(1.) He does it by the law and rule of the gospel, in which he has appointed this office of the ministry in his church; and so it is always to be continued. If there were not such a standing ordinance and institution of his, it would not be in the power of all the churches in the world to appoint any such officers among them, whatever appearance there may be of a need for this. And if any had attempted any such thing, no blessing from God would have accompanied their endeavor; thus they would have set up an idol of their own.
On this we lay the continuance of the ministry in the church. If there is not an ordinance and institution of Christ for this purpose, or even if such an ordinance is granted, the force of it is now expired; and so we must readily confess that the whole office is a mere usurpation. But,
if he has given "pastors and teachers" to his church, to continue until all his saints in all ages "come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," Eph 4.11-13; if he promised to be with them, as such, to the consummation of all things, Mat 28.18-20; if the apostles by his authority ordained elders in every church and city,
Acts 14.23, Tit 1.5 — and they were made overseers of the flocks by the Holy Ghost, Acts 20.28; if they have charge of feeding and overseeing the flock that is among them always, until the chief Shepherd appears, 1Pet 5.1-5; if believers, or the disciples of Christ, are obliged by him to always yield obedience to 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 — then this foundation stands as firm and unshaken as the ordinances of heaven, that will not be changed.
There is not the least intimation in the Scripture of any time, state, or condition of the church, in which the disciples of Christ may or ought to live out from under the orderly conduct and guidance of the ministers.
Therefore, it is vain to imagine that any defect in other men, any apostasy of the greatest part of any or all visible churches, would incapacitate them from erecting a regular ministry among them and over them. Because the warranty and authority of the ministry depends on this institution of Christ, which is accompanied with a command for its observance (Mat 28.18-20)
— and all his disciples being obliged to yield obedience to it, and doing so in the order and manner also approved by him — this is sufficient to constitute a lawful ministry among them. The church of Rome and those adhering to it have, by their apostasy, utterly lost an evangelical ministry
among them. But this is no reason to suppose that others to whom the word of God has come and been effectual for their conversion, do not have sufficient warranty from the word to yield obedience to all the commands of Christ (however much we may be pleased to talk of power and authority, this is all that is left to us in this world). Nor should we suppose that in doing so, Christ will not accept them and approve of what they have done.
That is an assertion fit for men to maintain, who have a trade to drive religion to their own especial advantage.
(2.) The Lord Christ gives this office and continues it by giving spiritual gifts and abilities to men, to enable them to discharge the duties and perform the work of that office. This is what I principally design to confirm in its proper place, which will immediately ensue.
All I will say at present is that spiritual gifts of themselves make no man actually a minister; yet no man can be made a minister according to the mind of Christ, who is not partaker of them. Therefore, supposing the continuance of the law and institution mentioned, if the Lord Christ at any time, or in any place, ceases to give out spiritual gifts to men, enabling them in some good measure to discharge the ministry, then and in that place the ministry itself must cease and come to an end. To erect a ministry by virtue of outward order, rites, and ceremonies, without gifts for the edification of the church, is but to hew a block with axes, and smooth it with planes, and set it up as an image to be adored. To make a man a minister who can do nothing of the proper special work of the ministry — nothing towards its only end in the church — is to set up a dead carcass, fasten it to a post, and expect it to do work and service for you.
(3.) He does it by giving power to his church in all ages, to call and separate to the work of the ministry those whom he has fitted and gifted for
it. The things mentioned before are essentially constituent of the ministry; this belongs to the outward order of their entrance into the ministry, who are called by him to it. And concerning this we may observe the following things:
[1.] That this power in the church is not despotic or lordly, but consists in a faculty, right, and ability, to act in this matter obedientially to the command of Christ. Hence all the acting of the church in this matter is nothing but an instituted means of conveying authority and office from Christ to persons who are called to this. The church does not give them any authority of its own or that resides in itself; but only by way of obedience to Christ, does it transmit power from Him to those who are called. Hence they become the ministers of Christ — and not of the bishops, or churches, or men — holding their office and authority from Christ himself, by the law and rule of the gospel. So that whoever despises them, also despises Christ in them. Some would have ministers of the gospel receive all their authority from the people who choose them, and some from the bishops who ordain them; and where they have their own authority from, I do not know. But this is to make them ministers of men and servants of men, and to constitute other masters between them and Christ. And because all church power is originally and absolutely vested in Christ, and solely in him, none can partake of the least interest in it or share of it without a communication of that power from him to them. Neither popes, nor prelates, nor the people are able to produce any such grant or concession of power from Christ to his ministers, such that these men have authority residing in them and in their own power, to dispense to others as they see cause — or such that they may withhold it from them as a part or efflux 16 of the power vested in them.
The whole of what is committed to anyone in this kind, is obedience to the law of Christ, and following the guidance of his previous communication of gifts as a means to communicate his power to those who are called to the ministry.
[2.] The church has no power to call any to the office of the ministry, where the Lord Christ has not gone before it in designating him by an endowment with spiritual gifts. For if the whole authority of the ministry is from Christ, and if he never gives it except where he bestows these gifts for its discharge (as in Eph 4.7-8, etc.), then to call anyone to the ministry that Christ has not previously gifted for it, is to set the Spirit aside, and act in our own name and authority. And by reason of these things, the Holy Ghost is said to make men overseers of the flocks who are thus called to it — because both the communication of power in the constitution of the law, and of spiritual gifts by internal effectual operation, are from the Spirit alone, Acts 20.28. 17
[3.] The outward way and order by which a church may call any person to the office of the ministry among them and over them, is by their joint solemn submission to him in the Lord, as to all the powers and duties of this office, testified by their choice and election of him. It is concerning this outward order that the whole world is filled with disputes about the call of men to the ministry. Yet in truth, it is of the least concern in this: for whatever manner or order is observed in this, if the things mentioned before are not premised to it, then it has no validity or authority. On the other hand, grant that the authority of the ministry depends on the law, ordinance, and institution of Christ — that he calls men to this office by bestowing spiritual gifts on them; and that the actings of the church in this are but an instituted moral means of communicating office-power from Christ himself to
anyone. Let such other things be observed as the light and law of nature requires in cases of a like kind, and the outward mode of the church's acting in this need not be contended about much. It may be proved to be a beam of truth from the light of nature, that no man should be imposed on a church as their minister against their wills or without their express consent, considering that his whole work is to be familiar with their understandings, judgments, wills, and affections. It cannot modestly be denied that this should be done by their choice and election — as the Scripture manifestly declares, Num 8.9-10, Act 1.23, 26; 6.3-6; 14.23. 18 This was observed sacredly for some ages in the primitive churches.
I will not much dispute with anyone about how far any people or church may commit this power of declaring their consent and acquiescence to others to act for them in their stead, as it were, so that the call to office would still be valid, provided the former rules are observed. Though, I approve only of what makes the nearest approaches to the primitive pattern that the circumstances of things are capable of.
[4.] The Lord Christ continues his bestowing of this gift by the solemn ordinance of setting apart those who are called in the manner declared, by "fasting and prayer, and laying on of hands," Acts 13.2, 3, 14.23; 1Tim
4.14. By these means, I say, the Lord Christ continues to declare that he accounts men faithful, and "puts them into the ministry," as the apostle says,
1Tim 1.12.
There are yet various things remaining in the passage of the apostle which we now emphasize, that declare the eminency of this gift of Christ, which may yet be further briefly considered, such as —
6. The end for which it is bestowed; and this is expressed —
(1.) Positively, as to the good and advantage of the church thereby, Eph 4.12; (2.) Negatively, as to its prohibition and hindrance of evil, verse 14.
(1.) In its end, as positively expressed, three things may be considered:
[1.] That it is "for the equipping of the saints," Eph 4.12 19 — that is, for the gathering of the saints into complete church-order. The subject-matter of this part of their duty is the saints; that is, by their calling and profession, as are all the disciples of Christ. And what is effected towards them is katartismos, 20 their coagmentation, 21 jointing, or compacting into order.
So the word restore signifies in Gal 6.1. 22 And this effect is declared here, Eph 4.16. 23 It is true, the saints mentioned may come together into some initial church-order by their consent and agreement to walk together in all the ways of Christ, and in obedience to all his institutions, and so become a church in essence, before they have any ordinary pastor or teacher. This is done either by the conduct of extraordinary officers, as at first, or through obedience to the word (thus elders were ordained among those who were in a church-state at that point, Acts 14.23). 24 But they cannot come to that perfection and completeness which is designed for them. What renders a church completely organic, as the proper seat and subject of all gospel worship and ordinances, is this gift of Christ in the ministry.
But it may be asked whether a church — before it comes to this katartismos or completeness, before it has any minister in office, or has by any means lost the ministry among them — may not delegate and appoint one or more persons from among themselves to administer all the ordinances of the gospel to them, and by that means make their own perfection? 25
[2.] The church being so completed, these officers are given to it "for the work of the ministry." This expression is comprehensive, and the particulars included in it are not to be inquired into at this point. It may suffice for our present purpose to consider that it is a work, not a preferment; and those who intend to give a comfortable account of what is committed to them, will find it a work. It is usually observed that all the words by which the work of the ministry is expressed in the Scripture, denote a particular industrious kind of labor — though some have found that they signify ways of honor and ease. 26 And — [3.] Both these are directed to one general outcome. It is all "for the edification of the body of Christ." 27 Not to emphasize the metaphors that are in this expression, the excellence of the ministry is declared, in that the object of its duty and work is none other than the body of Christ himself.
And its end, is the edification of this body, or its increase in faith and obedience, in all the graces and gifts of the Spirit, until it comes to conformity to him and the enjoyment of him. A ministry which does not have this object and end, is not by the giving or grant of Christ.
(2.) The end of the ministry is expressed negatively, or with respect to the evils from which our deliverance is ordained, Eph 4.14. 28
[1.] The evil which we are hereby delivered from is the danger of being perniciously and destructively deceived by false doctrines, errors, and heresies. These began then, and have ever since continued in all ages, to infest the churches of God. The apostle describes these from — 1st. The design of their authors, which is "to deceive;" 2dly. Their diligence in that design, "They lie in wait to accomplish it;" 3dly. The means they use to compass their end, which are "sleights and cunning craftiness," managed
sometimes with impetuous violence, and thus it is called a "wind of doctrine." And, [2.] The means of this is our deliverance out of a child-like state, which is accompanied with — 1st. Weakness; 2dly. Instability; and, 3dly. Wilfulness.
Sad is the condition of those churches which have ministers who will themselves toss them up and down by false and pernicious doctrines; or who are not able by sound instructions to deliver them from such a condition of weakness and instability – a condition in which they are not able to preserve themselves from being imposed on in these things by the "cunning sleights of men who lie in wait to deceive." Because this ministry is always to continue in the church, Eph 4.13, 29 it is the great means of influencing the whole body, and every member of it, to a due discharge of their duty, for their edification in love, verses 15, 16.
Designing to address the spiritual gifts bestowed on the ministry of the church, I have thus far diverted to consider the ministry itself, as it is a gift of Christ. I will close with a few corollaries, such as these —
1. Where there is any office erected in the church that is not particularly the gift and institution of Christ, by virtue of that, there is a nullity in the whole office, and in all its administrations.
2. Where the office is appointed, but gifts are not communicated to the person called to it, there is a nullity as to his person, and there is a disorder in the church.
3. It is the duty of the church to look at the ministry as an eminent grant of Christ, with valuation, thankfulness, and improvement.
4. Those who are called to this office in due order, should labor to approve themselves as a gift of Christ; which it is a shameless impudence for some to own who go under that name.
5. They may do this (approve themselves as a gift of Christ) in laboring to be furnished with — (1.) Gracious qualifications; (2.) Useful endowments; (3.) Diligence and laborious travail in this work;
(4.) An exemplary way of life in — [1.] Love; [2.] Meekness; [3.] Selfdenial; [4.] Readiness for the cross, etc.
1. Rom 15:15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Gal 2:9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Eph 3:8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
2. Jer 3:15 "And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
3. Col 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
4. Act 2:33 "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
5. ָלַקְח ָּת ַמ ָּתנֹות ָּבָאָדם. Psalm 68:18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men [lit. "Adam"], Even from the rebellious, That the LORD God might dwell there.
6. ָלַקת [OT:3947] laqash.
[NT:2737,3313,1093]
8. Phi 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
9. Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation… 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
10. 2Cor 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
11. Aspectable: panoramic – seen from a distance.
12. Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
13. This is perhaps strangely phrased for the modern world. The sense is calling a meeting to order, so that the business of the meeting may be conducted, and its duties exercised. The church has been called to order by its Head, to conduct its business in the world.
14. Eph 4:11 And He Himself gave (1) some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and (2) some pastors and teachers;
15. Suffrage has been used throughout this volume, for "testimony." It can also mean a short petition. Neither of those meanings fit here. In modern
English, suffrage refers to a right to vote; that doesn't fit either. Literally it means the condition of suffering, or of bondage. And that is most likely
Owen's meaning here. Gal 4:3 "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world." – WHG
16. Efflux: flowing out.
17. Act 20:28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
18. Num 8:9 "And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel. 10 "So you shall bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites [notice "lay their hands on" signifies general approval, and not necessarily the physical act]; Act 1:23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias… 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Act 6:3
"Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip,
Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed,
they laid hands on them. Act 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
20. καταρτισμὸν [NT:2677] equipping or complete furnishing.
21. Coagmentation: The act of joining, or the state of being joined together; union.
22. καταρτίζετε katartizete [NT:2675] 23. Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
24. Act 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
25. Owen answered this question earlier (bottom of , and (3) [3] on ).
26. This is a sarcastic comment by Owen, catigating those who treat the ministry as a life of status and personal comfort.
28. Eph 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting;
29. Eph 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;