64. Chapter VII. Of spiritual gifts enabling the ministry
Chapter VII. Of spiritual gifts enabling the ministry O f spiritual gifts enabling the ministry to exercise and discharge their trust and office.
As declared, the Holy Ghost gives spiritual gifts to the ministry that has been given to the church, enabling them to exercise and discharge the power, trust, and office committed to them. Now, although I am not thoroughly satisfied what men will grant or allow these days (such uncouth and bold principles are continually advanced among us), I suppose it will not be denied by many, not in words at least, that ministers have or ought to have, gifts for the due discharge of their office. To some, indeed, the very name and word "gifts" is a derision, because it is a name and notion unique to the Scripture. Nothing is more contemptible to them than the very mention of "the gifts of the Holy Ghost." At present I will not deal with this directly, though what we will prove will be sufficient for their rebuke, if not for their conviction.
Therefore, our inquiry is this: whether the Spirit of God effectively bestows spiritual gifts on the ministers of the gospel, enabling them to
perform and effect evangelical administrations, according to the power committed to them and duly required of them, to the glory of Christ and the edification of the church. It is moreover inquired, whether the endowment of men with these spiritual gifts, in a degree and measure suited to public edification, is not that which materially constitutes them ministers of the gospel, as being antecedently necessary for their call to their office.
These things, I say, are to be inquired into, because, in opposition to the first, some say that these supposed gifts are nothing but mere natural abilities, attained by diligence and improved by exercise, without any special respect to the working of the Holy Ghost —at least not in any other way than what is necessary to attain skill and ability in any human art or science (which is the ordinary blessing of God on man's honest endeavors).
And in opposition to the other, some say that a lawful, ordinary, outward call is sufficient to constitute any man a lawful minister, whether he has received any such gifts as those inquired after or not. Therefore, the substance of what we have to declare and confirm is this:
1. That there is a special dispensation and work of the Holy Ghost in providing able ministers of the new testament for the edification of the church, on which depends the continuance of the ministry and the being of the church, as to its outward order. And 2. That in this, the Spirit exerts his power and exercises his authority in the communication of spiritual gifts to men, and without a participation in such gifts, no man has, de jure, 1 any lot or portion in this ministration.
In this consists no small part of that work of the Spirit which belongs to his promised dispensation in all ages. To deny this is to renounce all faith in the promise of Christ, all regard for his continued love and care towards the church in the world (or at least the principal pleadable testimony given to
it), and under a pretense of exalting and preserving the church, to totally overthrow it. Now, the evidence which we will give for this truth is contained in the ensuing assertions, with their confirmation [from Scripture]:
First. The Lord Jesus Christ has faithfully promised to be present with his church "to the end of the world." It is his temple and his tabernacle, in which he dwells and walks continually. And this presence of Christ is what makes the church what it is — a congregation essentially distinct from all other societies and assemblies of men. Let men be formed into whatever order you please, according to any outward rules and measures that are either given in the Scripture, or discovered by themselves. Let men derive power and authority by whatever claim they think fit. If Christ is not present with them, they are not a church, nor can all the powers under heaven make them so. And when any church loses the special presence of Christ, it ceases to be a church. I suppose his presence is confessed by those among whom Christ is thus present, or it may be easily proved. See his promises to this purpose: Mat 28.20; Rev 21.3. 2 Those churches which are concerned about other things, but make little inquiry after the evidences of the presence of Christ among them, exceedingly mistake their interest.
Some walk as if they supposed they had him sure enough, immured 3 in their walls as it were, while they keep up the name of a church, and an outward order that pleases and advantages themselves. But outward order, whatever it may be, is so far from being the only evidence of the presence of Christ in a church, that when it is alone, or when it is principally required, it is no evidence at all. And therefore, because preaching the word and the right administration of the sacraments are assigned as the marks of a
true church, if only their outward acts and order are regarded, there is nothing to evidence this purpose in them.
Secondly. This promised presence of Christ is by his Spirit. I sufficiently proved this earlier, so that here I will be brief in repeating it, though it is the next foundation of what we have to further offer in this case. We do not speak of the essential presence of Christ with respect to the immensity of his divine nature, by which he is equally present in or equally indistant from all places, manifesting his glory when, where, and how he pleases. Nor does it respect his human nature; for when he promised his presence, he told his disciples that he must leave and depart from them, Joh 16.5-8. Upon saying this, they were filled with sorrow and trouble, until they knew how he would make good the promise of his presence with them, and who or what it was that would supply his bodily absence to their advantage. And he did this in his visible ascension, when "he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight," Act 1.9; it was also when they were charged not to expect his return until his coming in judgment, Act 1.11. Accordingly, Peter tells us that "heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things," Acts 3.21, when he will appear again "in the glory of his Father,"
Mat 16.27 — even that glory which the Father gave him upon his exaltation, Phi 2.9-11, joined to "that glory which he had with him before the world was," Joh 17.5. In and upon his departure from them, Christ taught his disciples how they should understand his promise of being present and abiding "with them to the end of the world;" and this was by sending his Holy Spirit in his name, place, and stead, to do all to them and for them which Christ had yet to do with them and for them. See Joh 14.1618, 26-28, 15.26, 16.7-15. 4
Christ has no other vicar in the church; nor does he stand in need of any; nor can any mortal man supply that charge and office; nor was it ever thought of in the world until men grew weary of the conduct and rule of the Holy Spirit — by various ways taking his work out of his hand, and leaving him nothing to do in what they called "the church." But I suppose I need not handle this principle as something in dispute or controversy. If I am not greatly mistaken, this presence of Christ in his church by his Spirit is an article of faith to the catholic church, and it such a fundamental truth that whoever denies it, overthrows the whole gospel.
And I have so confirmed it in our former discourses concerning the dispensation and operations of the Holy Ghost, that I do not fear or expect any direct opposition to this. Yet I acknowledge that some begin to talk as if they admitted no other presence of Christ but the word and sacraments.
Whatever else remains to be done, lies wholly in ourselves. It is acknowledged that the Lord Christ is present in and by his word and ordinances; but if he is not otherwise present, or is present only by the external administration of these, then no more church-state among men will ensue from that than there is among the Jews, who enjoy the letter of the Old Testament and the institutions of Moses. Except when men rise up in express contradiction to the promises of Christ, and the faith of the catholic church in all ages, we will not contend with them. But —
Thirdly. This presence of the Spirit is secured for the church by an everlasting, unchangeable covenant: Isa 59.21, "As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord; My Spirit that is upon you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, will not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed, says the Lord, from this time on, and forever." This is God's covenant with
the gospel church, to be erected when "the Redeemer would come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Isa 59.20. This is a part of the covenant that God has made in Christ the Redeemer. Just as the continuance of the word to the church in all ages is secured by this promise
— without which it would cease and come to nothing, seeing that it is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets," Eph 2.20 — so the presence of the Spirit in like manner is secured for it. And that is on the same terms as the word; so that if he is not present with the church, all covenant-relation between God and the church ceases. Where this promise does not take place, there is no church, no ordinances, and no acceptable worship, because there is no covenant relation. In brief then, where there is no partaking of the promise of Christ to send the Spirit to abide with us always, there is no interest in that covenant in which God engages that his
Spirit will not depart from us forever. And so there is no presence of Christ to make the word and ordinances of worship living, useful, and effectual in their administration, to their proper ends. And thus, there is no church-state, whatever outward order there may be. And on this —
Fourthly. The gospel is called the ministration 5 of the Spirit, and the ministers of the gospel are called the ministers of the Spirit: 2Cor 3.6, "Who has also made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit;" not of the "ministration of death," but of the "Spirit," which is
"glorious," verses 7, 8.
There never was, nor ever will be, any but these two ministrations in the church — that of the letter and death, and that of the Spirit and life. If there is a ministration in any church, it must belong to one of these; and all ministers must be ministers either of the letter, or of the Spirit. If there is a ministry pretended to that is neither of the letter nor of the Spirit, then it is
antichristian. The ministry which was carnal, of the letter and death, was a true ministry; and in its place it was glorious, because it was appointed by God and it was efficacious as to its proper end. The ministry of the gospel is of the Spirit, and it is much more glorious. But if there is a ministration that has the outward form of either, but indeed is neither of them, then it is no ministration at all. And where it is so, there is really no ministration but that of the Bible — that is, God by his providence continuing the Bible among them, makes use of it as he sees good for the conviction and conversion of sinners. In this, there is a secret manifestation of the Spirit also.
We may therefore inquire in what sense the ministration of the gospel is called the "ministry of the Spirit." Now, this cannot be because the laws, institutions, and ordinances of its worship were revealed by the Spirit, for so were all the ordinances and institutions of the Old Testament, as proved before. And yet the ministration of them was the ministration of the letter and of death, in a worldly sanctuary, by carnal ordinances.2Cor 3.7 Therefore, it must be called the ministry of the Spirit in one of these respects: either —
1. Because it is the special aid and assistance of the Spirit by which any are enabled to administer the gospel and its institutions of worship according to the mind of God, for the edification of the church. In this sense, men are said to be made "able ministers of the new testament," — that is, ministers who are able to administer the gospel in due order. Thus in that expression, "ministers of the Spirit," the "Spirit" denotes the efficient cause of the ministry, the one that quickens it, verse 6. Or —
2. It may be said to be the "ministration of the Spirit," because in and by the ministry of the gospel, the Spirit is in all ages administered and communicated to the disciples of Christ, for all the ends for which the Spirit is promised.
So in Gal 3.2, 6 the Spirit is received by "the teaching of faith." Take it either way, and the whole of what we plead for is confirmed. He alone enables men to discharge the work of the ministry, by the spiritual gifts which he communicates to them; this is the first sense, and it is expressly what we contend for. And if the Spirit is communicated and administered to men in and by the ministration of the gospel in all ages, then he abides with the church forever. As for what ends, we must further inquire.
Fifthly. The great end for which the Spirit is thus promised, administered, and communicated under the gospel, is the continuance and preservation of the church in the world. God has promised to the Lord Christ that his kingdom in this world would endure "throughout all generations," with the course of the sun and moon, Psa 72.5; and "of the increase of his government there would be no end," Isa 9.7; and the Lord Christ himself has declared his preservation of his church, so that "the gates of hell will not prevail against it," Mat 16.18. It may therefore be inquired, On what do the infallible accomplishment of these promises, and countless others to the same end, depend? Or, What is the means by which they will be certainly executed? Now, this must either be some work of God, or of man. If it is of men, and it consists of their wills and obedience, then what is said amounts to this: namely, that once men have received the gospel, and professed subjection to it, they will infallibly abide in it in succession, from one generation to another. But besides that, it must be granted that whatever depends on the wills of men, can have no more certainty than the undetermined wills of men can give security for — which indeed is none at all. So there are confessed instances without number, of such persons and places that have lost the gospel and the profession of it. And what has
happened in one place, may happen in another, and consequently in all places where the reasons and causes of things are the same.
On this supposition, therefore, there is no security that the promises mentioned will be infallibly accomplished. Therefore, the event must depend on some work of God and Christ. Now, this is none other than the dispensation and communication of the Spirit. On this alone, the continuance of the church and of the kingdom of Christ in the world, depend. And because the church falls under a double consideration — namely, of its internal and external form, of its internal spiritual union with Christ, and its outward profession of obedience to him — the calling, gathering, preservation, and edification of the church, in both respects, belong to the Holy Spirit. He does the first, as has been proved at large, by communicating effectual saving grace to the elect. He does the latter by communicating gifts to the guides, rulers, officers, and ministers of the church, with all its members, according to its place and capacity. Suppose that his communication of internal saving grace ceases — then the church must absolutely cease as to its internal form. For we are united to the Lord
Christ as our mystical head by the Spirit, the one and self-same Spirit dwelling in him and in those who believe. Union to Christ without saving grace, and saving grace without the Holy Spirit, are strangers to the gospel and to Christian religion; and so is it, to have a church that is holy and catholic, which is not united to Christ as a mystical head. Therefore, the very being of the church, as to its internal form, depends on the Spirit in his dispensation of grace; if you suppose an intercision 7 of this, the church must cease.
It has the same dependence on him as to its outward form and profession, upon his communication of gifts. For "no man can say that Jesus is the
Lord," or profess subjection and obedience to him in a due manner, "but by the Holy Ghost," 1Cor 12.3. Suppose that this work of his ceases; there can be no professing church. Let men mould and cast themselves into whatever order and form they please, and let them pretend that their right and title to their church power and station is derived from their progenitors or predecessors — if they are not furnished with the gifts of the Spirit, to enable their guides for gospel administrations, they are not an orderly gospel church. Therefore — Sixthly. The communication of such gifts to the ordinary ministry of the church in all ages is plainly asserted in various places of the Scripture, some of which may be briefly considered. The whole nature of this work is declared in the parable of the talents, Matthew 25, verses 14 to 30. The state of the church from the ascension of Christ to his coming again for judgment
— that is, in its whole course on the earth — is represented in this parable.
In this season, he has servants whom he entrusts in the affairs of his kingdom — in the care of his church, and the propagation of the gospel. So that they may, in their several generations, places, and circumstances, be enabled for this, he gives them talents to trade with, in various distributions, the least of which was sufficient to encourage those who received them, to their use and exercise. The trade they had to drive was that of the administration of the gospel to others — its doctrine, worship, and ordinances. Talents are abilities to trade, which may also comprise opportunities and other advantages; but abilities are chiefly intended. These were the gifts of which we speak; nor did it ever enter into the minds of any to think otherwise of them. And they are abilities which Christ, as the king and head of his church, gives to men in a special manner as they are employed under him in the service of his house, and in the work of the
gospel. The servants mentioned are those who are called, appointed, and employed in the service of the house of Christ — that is, all ministers of the gospel, from first to last. And their talents are the gifts which he endows them with for their work, by his own immediate power and authority. And these three things follow from this:
1. That wherever there is a ministry that the Lord Christ sets up, appoints, or owns, he furnishes all those whom he employs in it with gifts and abilities suitable to their work; he does this by the Holy Spirit. He will never fail to own his institutions, with gracious supplies, to render them effectual.
2. That where any have not received talents to trade with, it is the highest presumption in them, and it casts the greatest dishonor on the Lord Christ, for any one to undertake the work of the ministry — as though He requires work where he gives no strength, or trade where he gives no stock. Where the Lord Christ gives no gifts, he has no work to do. He will not require any special duty of anyone, where he does not give a special ability. For any to think they are fit for this work and service in the strength of their own natural parts and endowments, however acquired, is to despise both Christ's authority and his work.
3. For those who have received these talents, either not to trade them at all, or to pretend to manage their trade with another stock — that is, either not to sedulously and duly exercise their ministerial gifts, or to discharge their ministry by other helps and means — is to set up their own wisdom in opposition to Christ's, and to his authority.
In brief, what the whole parable teaches is that wherever there is a ministry in the church that Christ owns or regards, as used and employed by him, persons are furnished with spiritual gifts from Christ by the Spirit,
enabling them to discharge that ministry. And where there are no such spiritual gifts dispensed by him, there is no ministry that he either accepts or approves.
Rom 12.4-8, "Just as we have many members in one body, and all members do not have the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy," etc. It is indifferent, as to our present purpose, whether the apostle is treating offices here, or only duties; the things that ensue, which are plain and obvious in the text, are sufficient to confirm what we plead for:
1. It is the ordinary state of the church that the apostle discourses about: its continuance after being planted; its preservation and edification.
Therefore, what he says is necessary to the church in all ages and conditions. To suppose there could be a church devoid of the gifts mentioned here, is to overthrow the whole nature and end of a gospel church.
2. That the principle of all administrations in the church-state described, is gifts that are received from Jesus Christ by his Spirit. For, declaring the way by which the church may be edified, he lays the foundation of it in this: that "to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." Eph 4.7 For the apostle exhorts those to whom he speaks, to attend to those duties by which the church may be edified; and that is by virtue of the gifts which they had received. The whole duty of anyone in the church lies in this: that he acts according to the charisma that he is made a partaker of.
It has already been fully declared what these charismata are, and by whom they are bestowed [see p. 423].
3. That these gifts give not only the ability for duty, but the rule and measure for all works of service that are to be performed in the church.
Everyone is to act in this according to his gift, and not otherwise. To say that this state of the church has now ceased, and that another state has been introduced in which all gospel administrations may be managed without spiritual gifts, or not by virtue of those gifts, is to say what in fact is true in most places. But whether the true nature of the church is not overthrown by this, is left for consideration. 1Pet 4.10-11, 8 is a parallel testimony to this; and many others to the same purpose might be pleaded, together with that which is the foundation of this whole discourse, Eph 4.7-16, etc. Only, let it be remembered that, in this whole discourse, I understand "gifts" to mean charismata pneumatika, those spiritual largesses, 9 which are neither absolutely natural endowments, nor attainable by our own industry and diligence.
Seventhly. These gifts, as they are bestowed to that end, so they are indispensably necessary to gospel administrations. For, as we have proved, they are spiritual, and not legal or carnal. And spiritual administrations cannot be exercised in a due manner without spiritual gifts. Indeed, one reason why they are spiritual, and are so called, is because they cannot be performed without the aid and assistance of the Holy Spirit in and by these gifts of his. If the Lord Christ had appointed administrations of another nature, which were in every way suited to the reason of men, and to be exercised by the powers of reason, then there would have been no need for these spiritual gifts. For the spirit of a man knows the things of a man, and it will both guide and act him.Pro 20.27 But because these administrations are spiritual in their nature, use, meaning, and efficacy, it is by spiritual gifts
alone that they may be managed. Hence these things live and die together: where the one is not present, neither will the other be.
Thus, when many — perhaps most who were outwardly called to office in the church — began to be carnal in their hearts and lives, and to neglect the use of these gifts, not applying themselves to attaining them, nor endeavoring to excite or increase what they had received by diligence or constant exercise, refusing to trade with the talent committed to them, they quickly began to grow weary of spiritual administrations, On doing this, in compliance with many corrupt affections, they resorted to an outward, carnal, ceremonious worship and administration of ordinances, which they might discharge and perform without the least aid or assistance of the Holy
Ghost, nor supply of spiritual gifts. So, in the neglect of these gifts, and the loss of them which ensued, lay the beginning of the apostasy of the Christian church as to its outward profession. This was quickly completed by the neglect of the grace of the Spirit, by which the church lost both truth and holiness.
Nor could it be otherwise. For, as we proved, the outward form and being of the church, as to its visible profession, depend on the reception and use of these gifts. Upon their decay, therefore, the church must decay as to its profession — and in their loss, is its ruin. We have an instance in the church of Rome, as to what various, extravagant, and endless inventions the minds of men will put them to, in order to keep up a show of worship. But by the loss of spiritual gifts, spiritual administrations are also lost. This is what their innumerable forms, modes, sets of rites and ceremonies, and seasons of worship, are invented to supply. But these are to no purpose at all; they only aggravate their sin and folly.
Eighthly. In the last place, we plead the event 10 [of gifts], even in the days in which we live. For the Holy Ghost continues to dispense spiritual gifts for gospel administrations in great variety to those ministers of the gospel who are called to their office according to his mind and will. The opposition made to this by profane scoffers, is not to be valued. The experience of those who are humble and wise is appealed to — those who, fearing God, inquire into these things. Do they not have an experience of this administration? Do they not find the presence of the Spirit himself — by his various gifts in them, by whom spiritual things are administered to them? Do they not have a proof of Christ speaking in them by the assistance of his Spirit, making the word mighty to all its proper ends? And as with the thing itself, so the variety of his dispensations also manifest themselves to the experience of believers. Who does not see how different the gifts of men are, the Holy Ghost distributing to every one as he will? And the experience of those who have received these gifts may also be pleaded, of the special assistance they receive in exercising them. Indeed, the profaneness of a contrary apprehension is intolerable among those who profess to be
Christians. For any to boast that they are sufficient of themselves for the stewardly dispensation of the mysteries of the gospel — by their own endowments, whether natural or acquired, and by the exercise of those, without partaking of any special spiritual gift from the Holy Ghost — is a presumption which contains in it a renunciation of all or any interest in the promises of Christ. Those promises are made to the church for the continuance of His presence in it. Let men be however well persuaded of their own abilities — let them pride themselves in their performances, in the reflection of applause from persons who are unacquainted with the mystery of these things; let them frame for themselves such a work of the ministry
that its discharge stands in little or no need of these gifts — and it will at length appear that, where the gifts of the Holy Ghost are excluded from their administration, the Lord Christ is excluded, and the Spirit himself is excluded, and all true edification of the church is excluded, and so are all the real concerns of the gospel.
And so we have, I hope, confirmed the second part of the work of the Holy Ghost with respect to spiritual gifts — namely, his continuing to distribute and communicate them to the church to the end of the world, according to the powers and duties which he has erected in it or required of it.
1. De jure: by right or by law; legally or judicially.
2. Mat 28:20 "… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
3. Immured: confined or enclosed.
4. Joh 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy
Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. Joh 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom
I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. Joh 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 "of
judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
5. Ministration: assistance. Ministry, by comparison, is the work itself.
Owen uses them interchangeably here.
6. Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
7. Intercision: a cutting off or interruption; termination.
8. 1Pet 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.
Amen.
9. Largess: Liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit.
10. Event: a circumstance; here it means the actual fact or experience of gifts – their presence in true churches.