Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 4 · Verse and explication 11
Vers. 11. And He gave some, apostles: and some, prophets; and some, evangelists: and some, pastours, and teachers.
THe Apostle, fourthly, in this first branch of that generall argument for union, confirmeth and illustrateth what he spake concerning diversity of gifts given by Christ, by giving an instance thereof, not in gifts, but in the severall Offices and Office-bearers in the Church: which is all one, as if he had given an instance in the variety of gifts, seing Christ imployeth none in any office, but whom He doth furnish in some measure with gifts answerable to the imployment. Neither doth he enumerate all those Office-bearers, which Christ hath appointed in His Church (See others besides, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Acts 6. 2, 3.) but only so many as are sufficient to his present scope, even those who labour in the Word and Sacraments, whose various gifts are most conspicuous in the spirituall edification of the Church. Of which he reckoneth five, and saith of them all, that Christ did give them at His ascension, though He did send forth some of those, to wit, the Apostles before then, Matth. 10. 1. Joh. 20. 21. The reason whereof, is, because not only some were then added to the Apostles, as Act. 1. 26. Act. 9. 15. but also all of them were then solemnly installed, and publickly confirmed in their office by Christ, in His visible pouring forth the gifts of the Spirit in an extraordinary measure upon them, Act. 2. 3, 4. Of which five, there were three extraordinary Office-bearers to continue for a time only, first, Apostles, the severall characters of which office, see upon Col. ver. 1. doct. 2. to which this one is to be further added, that an Apostle behoved to have seen Christ in the flesh, 1 Cor. 9. 1. Secondly, Prophets who those were, see upon Eph. 3. ver. 5. Thirdly, Evangelists, not those who wrote the History of the Gospel, whereof some were Apostles, as Matthew and John, but others, who being called mediately by the Apostles (2 Tim. 1. 6.) were their companions in travels, Gal. 2. 1, 3. and sent out by them, as occasion offered, to settle and water such Churches as the Apostles had planted, 1 Cor. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 3. and there to remain, not constantly, but untill the Apostles should recall them, 2 Tim. 4. 9. such were Timothy, Titus, Sylvanus, Apollos and Tychicus, &c. The other two are ordinary Office-bearers, Pastors and Teachers; I say, two, though the disjunctive particle some, be not cast in between them: for, they are distinguished, Rom. 12. 7. 8. and the exercise of their respective offices, is distinguished also, 1 Cor. 12. 8. so that by the Pastors are meaned those, who, besides their ability to open up the Text of Scripture in some measure, are chiefly gifted with the word of Wisdom, wisely, and powerfully to apply the Word for working upon the affections, as the matter requireth; and the Teacher is he, who is gifted with the word of Knowledge, or ability to open up the mind of God in Scripture, establishing Truth, and confuting Error, without insisting much upon particular application: which office, because of the Churches poverty, is confined to the schools, and the ordinary exercise of it before the people left upon the Pastor. Doct. 1. As the Father Son and holy Ghost are one and the same God; so they do all concur in one for bringing about the Churches good: and this in a speciall manner, by sending forth Ministers to feed the flock and furnishing them with competent gifts: for, what is here spoken of Christ, is some times ascribed to God the Father, 1 Cor. 12. 28. and sometimes unto the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12. 11. And he gave some Apostles, &c. 2. It is the prerogative of Christ the King and head of His Church, to appoint the severall sorts of offices, and Office-bearers in His Church: neither is it in the power of any whomsoever, whether Kings or Churches, to add to, or diminish from any thing appointed by Him herein: for, it is the prerogative of Jesus Christ to have given some, Apostles; some, Prophets, &c. 3. As Christ doth put none in office, but whom He furnisheth with gifts; so we are not to exercise our gifts in a disorderly way, but within the compasse of our stations, and in those offices unto which we are called by God: for, so much doth the Apostle teach, while, proving the variety of gifts, he giveth an instance in those diverse offices wherein those gifts are to be exercised, And he gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets, &c. 4. The gifts, which God bestoweth upon His publick Ministers for the work of the Ministery, are the prime and chief of all those gifts which the Lord Christ doth bestow upon His Church, and much to be preferred to the private gifts of others, in so far especially, as they are the ordinary mean appointed by God for working saving Grace, Rom. 10. 14, 15. for therefore is it, that the Apostle not only here, but else where, (Rom. 12. 6. 1 Co…. 12. 28.) being to give an induction of those various gifts, bestowed by Christ upon His Church, doth begin with, and insist mainly on those gifts, which are given to His publick Ministers and preachers of the Word; He gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets. 5. A Ministery sent by Christ, and sufficiently furnished with ministeriall gifts for the conscientious discharge of that calling, is a singular gift of God unto a people, whereby Christ doth supply the want of His bodily presence among them, and bringeth about the edification of His Church, as effectually as if He Himself were present upon earth, Joh. 14. 12. for, when Christ ascended up far above all heavens, He gave, in a special gift to His Church, and as it were in supply of His absence, some, Apostles; some, Prophets. 6. The Lord Christ hath never appointed such an office-bearer in his house as the Pope, whom Papists call the visible head of the universal Church on earth, supplying the room and place of Christ now absent in heaven; nor yet of a Lord prelate, commonly called Bishop, who, according to the maintainers of that office, is one entrusted with the actual oversight of many Congregations, and of whole Provinces, with a degree of authority flowing from their office, over and above all the Ministers of Jesus Christ within those bounds: for, if Christ had appointed those great Offices and office-bearers as necessary in His house, how should the Apostle have passed them over, not only in all other places, where he speaketh of this purpose, but also here, where he is reckoning forth those gifts and offices which Christ, ascending to heaven, hath appointed to supply in a special manner the want of His bodily presence upon earth? which without all doubt should be most supplied by those, if they were of His appointment: and therefore, though the office of ruling Elder and Deacon be not so necessary to be here mentioned; Yet, those great Offices, the mentioning whereof would have been so subservient to his purpose, could not be well omitted: Now, none of those are here; for he gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets, &c. 7. The Lord Christ hath not intrusted all with a publick office in His house, but some only, to whom the rest ought to submit themselves, and obey in the Lord, Heb. 13. 17. Neither are all Office-bearers intrusted with one and the same office; and therefore not indued with the same measure of gifts and parts, so that we are not to measure all by some, rejecting others, who come not up in all things to those: for, He gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets; some, Evangelists, &c. some only, and not all. 8. The Lord hath alwayes raised, and yet will raise up men in His Church according to what the exigence of the times requireth: and though we have not ground to look for men extraordinary, whether for gifts or office; Yet for men singularly assisted in their ordinary stations, when the important affairs of the Church do call for such: for, here, when there were extraordinary things to be done, the first foundations of the Christian Church to be laid, the Canon of Scripture to be compleated, the Jewish way of Religion, once established by God, to be put down, the Lord Christ sendeth forth extraordinary office-bearers, and extraordinarily assisted: for, to bring all this about, He gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets; some, Evangelists. 9. So wise and mercifull is the Lord Christ, that He doth not overburthen His servants too much, but where their work goeth beyond their strength, He hath sufficiently provided how a part of their burden may be taken on by others: for, the work of laying the foundations of the Christian Church, being too heavie for the twelve Apostles, He did allow them co-workers and fellowhelpers, even the Prophets and Evangelists; He gave some, Apostles; some, Prophets; some, Evangelists, &c. 10. Whatever is done in the Church of Christ according to His order, though mediately by the hands of men, Christ will own it, as if it were done immediately by Himself: which holdeth especially in the Churches calling of fit men to the work of the Ministery, according to the order appointed by Christ: for, he maketh the calling of ordinary Pastors and Teachers, though it be mediate only, and by men, to be from Christ, as well as the immediate extraordinary calling of the Apostles; He gave some, Apostles; some Pastors and Teachers. 11. As it is needfull that both the judgments of people be informed, and their affections wrought upon, and as God hath furnished His servants with answerable gifts for effectuating both; so we are not to despise either of those sorts of gifts, neither the sound, plain, able, teaching gift, though it be not so operative or taking upon the affections; nor yet the pithy, moving, pastorall gift that worketh upon the affections, though it be not accompanied with profound knowledge and great learning in those who have it: for, the Lord dispenseth both those gifts, and oftimes not to the same person; He gave Pastors and Teachers.