AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 83 conduct and guidanceof the ministers, it is vain to ima- gine that any defect in other men, any apostacy of the greatest part of any, or all visible churches, should cast them into an incapacity of erecting a regular ministry a- I mong them, and over them. For, whereas the warranty ! and authority of the ministry depends on this institution of Christ, which is accompanied with a command for its observance, Match. xxviii. 18. all his disciples being ob- liged to yield obedience thereunto, their doing so in the order and manner also by him approved, is sufficient to constitute a lawful ministry among them. To suppose, that because the church of Rome, and those, adhering unto it, have, by their apostacy, utterly lost an evange- lical ministry among them, that therefore others unto whom the word of God is come, and hath been effectual unto their conversion, have not sufficient warranty from the word to yield obedience unto all the commands of Christ, (which when we have talked of power and au- thority whilst we please, is all that is left unto us in this world) or that in so doing he will not accept them, and approveof what they have done, is an assertion fit for men to maintain, who have a trade to drive in religion unto their own especial advantage. ]0. 2dly, The Lord Christ giveth and continueth this office, by giving spiritual gifts and abilities unto men, to enable them to discharge the duties, and perform the work of it.: This is that which I principally design to confirm in its proper place, which will immediately en- sue. All I shall say at present is, that spiritual gifts of themselves make no man actuallya minister, yet no man can be made a minister according to the mind of Christ, who is not a partaker of them. Wherefore, supposing the continuance of the law and institution mentioned, if the Lord Christ doth at any time, or in any place, cease to give out spiritual gifts unto men, enabling them in some good measureunto the discharge of the ministry, then, and in that place, the ministry itselfmost cease and come to an end. To erect a ministry, by virtueef out- ward order, rites, and ceremonies, without gifts for the edification of the church, is but to hew a block with axes, and smooth it with planes, and set it up for an image to be adored. To make a man a minister who can do nothing of the proper peculiar work of the min- istry, nothing towards the only end of it in the church, is to set up a dead carcase, fastening it to a post, and expecting it should do you work and service. ] I. idly, He doth it, bygiving power unto hischurch in all ages, to call and separate unto the workof the min- istry such as he hath fitted and gifted for it. The things before mentioned are essentially constituent of the mini- stry, this belongs unto the outward order of their en- trance into the ministry who are by him called there- unto. And concerning this, we may observe the things following: (I.) That this power in the church is not despotical or lordly, but consists in a faculty, right, and ability to act in this matter obedientially unto the com- mands of Christ. Hence all the acting of the church in this matter, iinothing but an instituted means ofconvey- ing authority and office fromChrist unto persons called thereunto. The church dolls not give them any autho- rity of its own. or resident in itself, but only in a way of obedience unto Christ do transmit power from him unto them whoare.called. Hence do they become the mini- sters of. Christ, and not of the bishops, or churches, or men, holding their office andauthority from Christ him- self, by the law and ruleof the gospel; so that whosoever despiseth them, despiseth him also in them. Some would have ministers of the gospel to receive all their authority from the people that choose them, and some from the bishops who ordain them, and whence they have theirs I know not. But this is to make them ministers ofmen, and servants of men, and to constitute other masters be- tween them and Christ. And whereas all church power is originally and absolutely vested inChrist, and-in hint solely; so that none can bepartaker of the least interest in it, or share of it, without a communication of it from him unto them, neither popes, nor prelates, nor people, are able to produce any such grant or concession of power unto them from him, as that they should have an authority residing in them, and in their power, to dispose unto others, as they may see cause, so as they should hold it from them, as a part or efflux of the power vest- ed in them. It is obedience unto the law of Christ, and following the guidance of his previous communication ofgifts, as a means to communicate his power unto then who are called to the ministry, that is the whole of what is committed unto any in thiskind. (2.) Thechurch hath no power to call any unto the office of the ministry, where the Lord Christ hath not gone beforeit in the de- signation of him by an endowment with spiritual gifts; for if the whole authorityof the ministry be from Christ, and henever gives it, but where he bestows these gifts
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