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 pecu- liar 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 cita-
516 OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS. [BOOK IS.
tions, processes, legal pleadings, issuing in pecuniary mulcts, out- ward 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 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 administer 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 faithful- ness and diligence, are an especial gift of the Holy Ghost, Rom. xii. 6, 8 ; 1 Cor. xii. 28. It is the Holy Ghost which makes the elders of the church its bishops or overseers, by calling them to their office, Acts xx. 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 those 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 dependence of the ministry on this work of his; so that we need no addition of pains to de- monstrate 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.
There are gifts which respect duties [of private believers] 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 church's 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 excel 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, ani- mates, and unites the whole body of the church, and all the mem- bers of it, in and unto Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. And as he is the administrator of all supernatural gifts, he furnisheth the whole body and all its members with spiritual abilities unto its edification, Eph. iv. 15, 16; Col. ii. 19. And without them, in some measure or degree, ordinarily, we are not able to discharge our duty unto the glory of God; for, —
CHAP. VIII.] GIFTS OF DOCTRINE, WORSHIP, AND RULE. ol7
1. These gifts are a great means and help to excite and exercise grace itself, without which it will be lifeless and apt to decay. Men grow in grace by the due exercise of their own gifts in duties. Where- fore, every individual person on his own account doth stand in need of them with respect unto the exercise and improvement of grace, Zech. xii. 10. 2. Most men have^ it may be, such duties incum- bent 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 wor- ship 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 re- jected. 3. Every member of a church in order accordiug 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. xii. 12-20, etc. All believers in due order do be- come 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 a hand, and some as a foot ; all these are 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 concurs 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, Eph. iv. 15, 16; Col. ii. 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 itself, unto and in dependence on its