from them unto luhom the pastoral and other offices in the church are committed.
' For the first, it is evident that rule is an act of office or of office- power: for it requires, — [1.] An especial ?'eZtth"o?i; there is so between him that ruleth and them that are ruled ; and this is the relation of office, or all confusion will ensue. [2,] Especial ^relation. He that rules is over, is above them that are ruled : " Obey them that are over you in the Lord." This, in the church, cannot be in any but by virtue of office. [3.] Especial authority. All lawful rule is an act of authority ; and there is no authority in the church but by virtue of office. Secondly, That this officer is distinct from all others in the church we shall immediately demonstrate, when we have a little farther cleared the context. Wherefore, —
5. It is confessed that respect is had unto gifts, — " Having differ- ing gifts," verse 6, — as all office-power in the church is founded in them, Eph. iv. 7, 8, 11, 12. But gifts absolutely, with reference unto common use, are not intended, as in some other places ; but they are spoken of with respect unto offices or functions, and the communica- tion of them unto officers for the discharge of their office. This is evident from the text and context, with the whole design of the place; for, —
(1.) The analysis of the place directs unto this interpretation. Three sorts of duties are prescribed unto the church in this chapter, — [1.] Such as are universal, belonging absolutely unto all and every one that appertains unto it; which are declared, Rom. xii. 1, 2. [2.] Such as axQ peculiar unto some, by virtue of that especial place which the}^ have in the church, verses 3-8. This can be nothing but office. [3.] Such as are general or common, with respect unto occasions, from verse 8 to the end of the chapter. Hence the same duty is doubly prescribed, — to some in way of especial office, to others in the way of a gracious duty in general. So here, " He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity," verse 8, is the same duty or work, for the sub- stance of it, with " Distributing to the necessity of saints," verse 1 3. And the apostle doth not repeat his charge of the same duty, in so few words, as required in the same manner and of the same persons ; but in the first place, he speaks of the manner of its pei'formance by virtue of office, and in the latter of its discharge, as to the sub-
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stance of it, as a grace in all believers. The design of tlie apostle lies plain in the analysis of this discourse.
(2.) The context makes the same truth evident; for, —
[1.] The whole ordinary public work of the church is distributed into '!rpo(p7jTiia and dtaxovta, — "prophecy and ministry;" for the ex- traordinary gift of prophecy is not here intended, but only that of the interpretation of the Scripture, whose rule is the " analogy of faith : " E/Vs irpofrjrsiav, xara rriv dvaXoyiav rrjg irisriug. It is SUch prophecy as is to be regulated by the Scripture itself, which gives the " proportion of faith." And there is not any thing in any or both of these, pro- phecy and ministry, but it belongs unto office in the church; nei- ther is there any thing belonging unto office in the church but may be reduced unto one of these, as they are all of them here by the apostle.
[2.] The gifts spoken of are, in general, referred unto all them who are intended. Now, these are either the whole church and all the members of it, or all the officers of the church only. Hence it is expressed in the plural number, "R^ovni yaplsij^aTa, "We having;" that is, all we that are concerned herein. This cannot be " all of the church," for all the church have not received the gifts of prophecy and ministry; nor can any distinction be made of who doth re- ceive them and who doth not but with respect unto office. And therefore, —
[3.] In the distribution which ensues of prophecy into exhorting and teaching, and of ministry into showing mercy, rule, and giving, having stated these gifts in general, in the officers in general, mak- ing distinct application of them unto distinct officers, he speaks in the singular number: 'O diddffKm, 6 irapaxaXSjv, 6 'Trpo'/a-dfisvog' — " He that teacheth, he that exhorteth, he that ruleth."
6. It is, then, evident that offices are intended, and it is no less evi- dent that distinct offices are so, which was to be proved in the second place: for, — (1.) The distributive particle s/Ve, and the indicative article h, prefixed unto each office in particular, do show them [to be] distinct, so far as words can do it. As by the particle i'lrs, " whether," they are distinguished in their nature, whether they be of this or that kind; so by the article prefixed to each of them in exercise, they are distinguished in their subjects. (2.) The operations, works, and effects ascribed unto these gifts, require distinct offices and functions in their exercise. And if the distribution be made unto all promis- cuously, Avithout respect unto distinct offices, it were the only way to bring confusion into the church, whereas, indeed, here is an accurate order in all church-administrations represented to us. And it is further evident that distinct offices are intended, — (1.) From the comparison made unto the members of the body, verse 4, "All members have not the same office ; " the eye hath one, the ear hath