50i OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. [BOOK IX.
being of the church, as unto its internal form, depends on the Spirit in his dispensation of grace ; which if you suppose an intercision of, the church must cease. It hath 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 obedi- ence unto him in a due manner, " but by the Holy Ghost," 1 Cor. xii. 3. Suppose this work of his to cease, and there can be no pro- fessing church. Let men mould and cast themselves into what order and form they please, and let them pretend that their right and title unto their church power and station is derived unto them from their progenitors or predecessors, if they are not furnished with the gifts of the Spirit, to enable their guides unto gospel administrations, they are no orderly gospel church. Wherefore, —
Sixthly, The communication of such gifts unto the ordinary mini- stry of the church in all ages is plainly asserted in sundry places of the Scripture, some whereof may be briefly considered. The whole nature of this work is declared in the parable of the talents, Matt. xxv., from verse 14 to 30. The state of the church from the ascen- sion of Christ unto his coming again unto judgment, — that is, in its whole course on the earth, — is represented in this parable. In this season he hath servants whom he intrusteth in the affairs of his kingdom, in the care of his church, and the propagation of the gos- pel. That they may, in their several generations, places, and circum- stances, be enabled hereunto, he gives them, in various distributions, talents to trade withal, the least whereof was sufficient to encourage them who received them unto their use and exercise. The trade they had to drive was that of the administration of the gospel, its doctrine, worship, and ordinances, to others. Talents are abilities to trade, which may also comprise opportunities and other advantages, but abilities are chiefly intended. These were the gifts whereof we speak; nor did it ever enter into the minds of any to apprehend otherwise of them. And they are abilities which Christ, as the king and head of his church, giveth unto men in an especial manner, as they are employed under him in the service of his house and work of the gospel. The servants mentioned are such as are called, ap- pointed, and employed in the service of the house of Christ; that is, all ministers of the gospel, from first to last. And their talents are the gifts which he endows them withal, by his own immediate power and authority, for their work. And hence these three things follow: — 1. That wherever there is a ministry that the Lord Christ setteth up, appointeth, or owneth, he furnisheth all those whom he employs therein with gifts and abilities suitable to their work ; which he doth by the Holy Spirit. He will never fail to own his institu- tions, with gracious supplies, to render them effectual. 2. That where
CHAP. VII.] SPIRITUAL GIFTS NECESSARY FOR THE MINISTRY. 505
any have not received talents to trade withal, it is the highest pre- sumption in them, and casts the greatest dishonour on the Lord Christ, as though he requires work where he gave no strength, or trade where he gave no stock, for any one to undertake the. work of the ministry. Where the Lord Christ gives no gifts, he hath no work to do. He will require of none any especial duty where he doth not give an especial ability; and for any to think themselves meet for this work and service in the strength of their own natural parts and endowments, however acquired, is to despise both his authority and his work. 3. For those who have received of these talents, either not to trade at all, or to pretend the managing of their trade on another stock, — that is, either not sedulously and duly to exercise their ministerial gifts, or to discharge their ministry by other helps and means, — is to set up their own wisdom in opposition unto his, and his authority. In brief, that which the whole parable teach- eth is, that wherever there is a ministry in the church that Christ owneth or regardeth, as used and employed by him, there persons are furnished with spiritual gifts from Christ by the Spirit, enabling them unto the discharge of that ministry ; and where there are no such spiritual gifts dispensed by him, there is no ministry that he either accepteth or approveth.
Rom. xii. 4-8, " As we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office ; so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whe- ther prophecy/' etc. 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 [on] 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 layeth the foundation of it in this, that " to every one of us is given grace 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 virtue of the gifts which they had received. All the whole duty of any one in the church lies in this, that he act according to the xapiff/ia that he is made partaker of. And what these yafia^ara. are, as also by whom they are bestowed, hath been already fully de-