Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

(§ 7.) 4. THE same is manifest from the Nature of the Gift it self: For this Gift consisteth in Gifts. He gave Gifts. There is an active giving expressed; He gave: And the thing given, that is, Gifts. Wherefore the Ministry is a Gift of Christ, not only because freely and bountifully given by him to the Church; but also because Spiritual Gifts do essentially belong unto it, are indeed it's Life, and ⟨p. 228⟩inseparable from it's Being. A Ministry without Gifts, is no Ministry of Christ's giving; nor is of any other Use in the Church, but to deceive the Souls of Men. To set up such a Ministry, is both to despise Christ, and utterly to frustrate the ends of the Ministry; those for which Christ gave it, and which are here expressed. 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 into the Duties of a Church. To set up a Ministry which may be continued by outward Forms and Orders of Men only, without any Communication of Gifts from Christ, is to despise his Authority and Care. Neither 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) That these Gifts are the only Means and Instruments whereby the Work of the Ministry may be performed, and the End of the Ministry attained, shall be farther declared immediately. The Ends of the Ministry here mentioned, called it's Work, are the perfecting of the Saints, and the Edifying of the Body of Christ, until we all come unto a perfect Man. Hereof nothing at all can be done without these Spiritual Gifts. And therefore a Ministry devoid of them, is a Mock-ministry, and no Ordinance of Christ.

(§ 7.) 4. THE same is manifest from the Nature of the Gift it self: For this Gift consisteth in Gifts. He gave Gifts. There is an active giving expressed; He gave: And the thing given, that is, Gifts. Wherefore the Ministry is a Gift of Christ, not only because freely and bountifully given by him to the Church; but also because Spiritual Gifts do essentially belong unto it, are indeed it's Life, and ⟨p. 228⟩inseparable from it's Being. A Ministry without Gifts, is no Ministry of Christ's giving; nor is of any other Use in the Church, but to deceive the Souls of Men. To set up such a Ministry, is both to despise Christ, and utterly to frustrate the ends of the Ministry; those for which Christ gave it, and which are here expressed. 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 into the Duties of a Church. To set up a Ministry which may be continued by outward Forms and Orders of Men only, without any Communication of Gifts from Christ, is to despise his Authority and Care. Neither 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) That these Gifts are the only Means and Instruments whereby the Work of the Ministry may be performed, and the End of the Ministry attained, shall be farther declared immediately. The Ends of the Ministry here mentioned, called it's Work, are the perfecting of the Saints, and the Edifying of the Body of Christ, untill we all come unto a perfect Man. Hereof nothing at all can be done without these Spiritual Gifts. And therefore a Ministry devoid of them, is a Mock-ministry, and no Ordinance of Christ.