(§ 5.) THE great and signal promise of the Communication of these Gifts, is recorded, Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led Captivity Captive, thou hast received Gifts for Men. For these words are applied by the Apostle unto that Communication of spiritual Gifts from Christ, whereby the Church was founded and edified, Ephes. 4. 8. And whereas it is foretold in the Psalm, that Christ should receive Gifts, that is to give them unto Men, as that Expression is Expounded by the Apostle; so he did this by receiving of the Spirit; the proper cause and immediate Author of them all, as Peter declares, Acts 2. 23. Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he ⟨p. 109⟩hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear; speaking of the miraculous Gifts conferred on the Apostles at the Day of Pentecost. For these Gifts are from Christ, not as God absolutely, but as Mediator, in which Capacity he received all from the Father in a way of free Donation. Thus therefore he received the Spirit as the Author of all spiritual Gifts. And whereas all the powers of the World to come consisted in them, and the whole work of the Building and Propagation of the Church depended on them, the Apostles after all the Instructions they had received from Christ whilst he conversed with them in the Days of his Flesh, and also after his Resurrection, were commanded not to go about the great work which they had received Commission for, until they had received power by the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them in the Communication of those Gifts, Acts 1. 4, 8. And as they neither might nor could do any thing in their peculiar work, as to the laying of the Foundation of the Christian Church, until they had actually received those extraordinary Gifts which gave them power so to do; so if those who undertake in any Place, Degree or Office, to carry on the Edification of the Church, do not receive those more ordinary Gifts which are continued unto that end, they have neither Right to undertake that work, nor Power to perform it in a due manner.
(§ 5.) THE great and signal promise of the Communication of these Gifts, is recorded, Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led Captivity Captive, thou hast received Gifts for Men. For these words are applyed by the Apostle unto that Communication of spiritual Gifts from Christ, whereby the Church was founded and edified, Ephes. 4. 8. And whereas it is foretold in the Psalm, that Christ should receive Gifts, that is to give them unto Men, as that Expression is Expounded by the Apostle; so he did this by receiving of the Spirit; the proper cause and immodiate Author of them all, as Peter declares, Acts 2. 23. Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he ⟨p. 109⟩hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear; speaking of the miraculous Gifts conferred on the Aposties at the Day of Pentecost. For these Gifts are from Christ, not as God absolutely, but as Mediator, in which Capacity he received all from the Father in a way of free Donation. Thus therefore he received the Spirit as the Author of all spiritual Gifts. And whereas all the powers of the World to come consisted in them, and the whole work of the Building and Propagation of the Church depended on them, the Apostles after all the Instructions they had received from Christ whilst he conversed with them in the Days of his Flesh, and also after his Resurrection, were commanded not to go about the great work which they had received Commission for, until they had received power by the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them in the Communication of those Gifts, Acts 1. 4, 8. And as they neither might nor could do any thing in their peculiar work, as to the laying of the Foundation of the Christian Church, until they had actually received those extraordinary Gifts which gave them power so to do; so if those who undertake in any Place, Degree or Office, to carry on the Edification of the Church, do not receive those more ordinary Gifts which are continued unto that end, they have neither Right to undertake that work, nor Power to perform it in a due manner.
