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

And this was to furnish the Church with Ministers, and Ministers with Gifts for the Discharge of their Office and Duty. And it will one Day appear, that there is more Glory, more Excellency in giving one poor Minister unto a Congregation, by furnishing him with Spiritual Gifts for the Discharge of his Duty, than in the Pompous Instalment of a Thousand Popes, Cardinals or Metropolitans. The worst of Men in the Observance of a few outward Rites and Ceremonies can do the latter; Christ only can do the former, and that as he is ascended up on high to that purpose.

And this was to furnish the Church with Ministers, and Ministers with Gifts for the Discharge of their Office and Duty. And it will one Day appear, that there is more Glory, more Excellency in giving one poor Minister unto a Congregation, by furnishing him with Spiritual Gifts for the Discharge of his Duty, than in the Pompous Installment of a Thousand Popes, Cardinals or Metropolitans. The worst of Men in the Observance of a few outward Rites and Ceremonies can do the latter; Christ only can do the former, and that as he is ascended up on high to that purpose.

(§ 5.) 2ly. IT appears to be such an eminent Gift from it's Original Acquisition. There was a ⟨p. 225⟩Power acquired by Christ for this great Donation, which the Apostle declares, ver. 9. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the Lower parts of the Earth. Having mentioned the Ascension of Christ as the immediate Cause or Fountain of the Communication of this Gift, Ver. 8. he found it necessary to trace it unto it's first Original. He doth not therefore make mention of the descending into the lower parts of the Earth occasionally upon that of his ascending, as if he catched at an Advantage of a Word: Nor doth he speak of the Humiliation of Christ absolutely in it's self, which he had no occasion for; but he introduceth it, to show what respect this Gift of the Ministry and Ministers, of the Office, Gifts and Persons, had thereunto. And Christ's descending into the lower parts of the Earth may be taken two ways, according as that Expression, the Lower parts of the Earth, may be diversly understood. For the [Greek or Hebrew], The Lower Parts of the Earth, are either the whole Earth, that is, those lower Parts of the World, or some part of it. For the Word Lower includes a Comparison either with the whole Creation, or with some part of it self. In the first Sense Christs state of Humiliation is intended, wherein he came down from Heaven into these lower parts of Gods Creation, conversing on the Earth. In the latter, his Grave and Burial are intended; for the Grave is the lowest part of the Earth into which Mankind doth descend. And both of these, or his Humiliation as it ended in his Death and Burial, may be respected in the Words. And that which the Apostle designs to manifest, is, that the deep Humiliation, and the Death of Christ, is the