GF.NE11111. PRINCYPLGS CONCßttNYNC was he declared and preached by the angels; Luke ii. I. A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this word Lord, includes as the dignity of his person, so his in- vestiture with those offices which: for our good this Lord did exercise and discharge. Secondly, the profession of that faith; which two, where they are sincere, do always accompany each other, Rom. x. to. For, as the saying of Jesus to be Anathema, did comprise an open disclaimure and abrenunciation of him; so the calling of him Lord, expresseth the professionof our faith in him, and subjection unto him. And, both these are here intended to be sincere and saving: Por that faith and profession are intended, whereby the church is built upon the Kock; the same with that of Peter, thouart Christ, theSon rfthe living God, Mattb. xvi. t 6. And that these are the works of the Holy Ghost, which none of themselves are sufficient for, shall, God assist. ing, be afterwards abundantly declared. Sect. 4.Having thus stated the original and foun- dation of the church in its faith, profession, order and worship, he farther acquaints them, that the same Spi- rit is likewise the author of all those gifts, whereby it was to be built up and established, and whereby the profession of it might be enlarged; ver. 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the sameSpirit. These are the things which he intendeth to discourse upon, where- in he enlargeth himself in the whole ensuing chapter. Now, because the particulars here insisted on by him in the beginning of his discourse, will all of them occur unto us, and be called over again in their proper pla- ces, I shall only point unto the heads of the discourse, in the verse preceding the 11th, which we principally aim at. Treating therefore, asp T. arsptrar,avv, of these spiri- tual things or gifts in the church, he first declares their author, from whom they came, and by whom they are wrought and bestowed. Him he calls the Spirit, ver. 4. the Lord, ver. 5. God, ver. 6. And to denote the oneness of their author, notwithstanding the diversity of the things themselves, he calls him the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God. The words may be understood two ways; first, that the whole Trinity, and each persondistinctly, should be intended in them. For, consider the immediate operator of these gifts, and it is the Spirit, or the. Holy Ghost. ver. 4. Consider &him as to their Procurement, and immediate authori- tative rotation; and so they are from Christ, the Sois, the Lord, ver. 5. But as to their first original and fountain, they are from God, even the Father, ver. 6. And all these are one and the same. But rather the Spirit alone is intended, and bath this threefold deno- mination given unto him; For, as he is particularly de- notedby the name cf the Spirit, which he useth, that we may know whom it is that eminently he intendeth, an he calls him both Lord, and God, as to manifest his sovereign authority in all his works and administrations; so to engenerate a due reverence in their hearts towards him with whom they had to do in this matter. And no more is intended in these three verses, but what is summed up, ver. 11. But all these worketh that one and the-selfsame Spirit, dividing to evesy man severally ache will. . Sect. 5.Secondly; With respect unto their gene- ral nature, the apostle distributes them into gifts, xag'r- cave, ver. 4. Administrations, lwaes'a,, ver. 5. Oper- ations, rsgvn¡ase, ver. 6. which division, with the rea- sons of it, will, in our progress, be farther cleared. Sect. 6.Thirdly; He declares the general end of theSpiritof God lathe communication of them, and the use of them in the church, ver. 7. But the manifesta- tion oftheSpirit isgiven unto every man toprat withal; gar,gas-,ç et a,,í sazas; Syr. nn;v, rnSn, the revelation of the Spirit; that is, the gifts whereby, and in whose exer- cise, he manifests and reveals his own presence, power, and effectual operation. And the Spirit of God hath no other aim in granting these his enlightening gifts, wherein he manifests his care of the church, and de- clares the things of the gospel unto any man, but that they should be used to the profit, advantage, and edifi- cation of others. They are not bestowed on men, to make their seculargain or advantage by them, in riches, honour; or reputation, forwhich ends Simon, the ma- gician, would have purchased them with his money, Acts viii. 19, No, nor yet merely for the good and benefit of the souls of them that de receive them; but for the edification of the church, and the furtheranceof faith and profession in others. dgrs es avlsyscel: ad id pod expedit, prodest; For that which is expedient, useful, profitable, namely to the church, 1 Cor. vi. 12. chap. x. 23. 2 Cor. viii. 10. Thus was the foundation of the first churches;of the gospel laid by the Holy Ghost, and thus was the work of their building unto
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