, IN THE NE given unto his disciples, he poured forth. his Spirit on them. This the apostle Peter declares in this place; being exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit; he shed forth what they then saw and heard, in the miraculous operations and effects of it. And he is said then to receive the promise of the Father, because lie then received the thing promised. The promise was not then first given unto him,: nor did he then receive it for himself; for as the promise was given long be- fore, so, in his own person, he had received the ful- ness of the Spirit from his incarnation, as bath been declared. But now he had power given him actually to fulfil and accomplish the promise in the collation of the thing promised, and is thence said to receive the pro mise. So Heb!xi. 13, 39. it is said of all believers under the Old Testament, that they died in faith, hav- ing not received the promise; that is, the thing promis- ed was not actually exhibited in their days, though they had the promiseofit; as it is expressly said of Abraham, chap. vii. 6. The promise therefore itself was given unto the Lord Christ, and actually received by him in the covenant of the Mediator, when be undertook the great work of the restoration of all things to the glory of God. For herein had he the engagement of the Father, that the Holy Spirit should be poured out on the sons of men, to make effectual unto their souls the whole work of his mediation; wherefore he is said now to receive this promise;. because, on . his account, and by him as exalted, it was: now solemnly accomplished, in and towards the church. In thesame manner the same thing is described, Psál. lxviii. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou.hast receiv- edg sfor men, which is rendered, Ephes. iv. 8. Thou hast given gifts unto mete;. for hereceived the promise at this time, only to give out the Spirit and, his gifts unto men. And ifany are so fond, as to expect strength and assistance in the work of the ministry without him, or such success in their laboursas shall fiadacceptance with God; they do but deceive, their own souls and others. Sect. 4. Here lay the foundation of the Christian church. The Lord Christhad called his apostles to the great work of building his church, and the propagation of his gospel in the world., Of themselves they, were plainly and openly defective in all qualifÿcations and abilities that might contribute any thing, thereunto. NV CILEATION, 10h) But whatever is wanting in themselves, whether light, wisdom, authority, knowledge, utterance, or courage, he promiseth to supply them withal. And this he would not do, nor did any otherwise, but by sending the Holy Spirit unto them, on whose presence and assistance a- lone depended the whole success of their ministry in the world. It was through the Holy Ghost that he gave com- mandments unto them, Acts i. 2. These commandments concern the whole work inn preaching the gospel and founding of the church; and these he gives unto them through the'actings of divine wisdom in the human na- ture by the Holy Ghost. And on their part, without his assistance, he forbids them to attempt any thing, ver. 4; 8, 9. In this promise,, then the' Lord Christ founded the church itself, and by-it he bnilded it up; and this is the hinge whereon the wholeweight of it Both turn and depend unto this day. Take it away, suppose it to cease as unto a continual accomplishment, and there will be an absolute end of the church of Christ in this world. No dispensation of the Spirit, no church. He that would utterly separate the Spirit from the word, had as good burn his Bible.. The bare letter of thg New Testament will no more ingenerate faith, and, obe- dience in the souls of men, no mçre.eenstitute . a,church -. state among them who enjoy it, than the letter. of -the Old Testament cloth so at this day among. the Jews, g Cor. iii. 6, 8. But blessed. be God, who bath knit theett things together towards his elect in the bond of an ever- lasting covenant, Iaa. fix. 21 Let mgn therefore cast themselves into what order they please, institute what forma,of government and religions worship they think good, let them do it either by an attendance according. unto the best of their understandings unto the letter of the scripturei or else in an exercise of their own wills, wisdom, and invention; if the work of the Spirit of God be disowned, or disclaimed by them, if there be not ip them and upon, them such a work of his as he is pro-, misedby our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no church-state amongst them; nor, as such,, is it to be owned or es- teemed,, And on the ministry and the church do all ordinary communications of grace from God depend. Sect. L.Thirdly; It is the Holy Spirit who sup plies the bodily absence of Christ; and by him doth he accomplish all, his promises to the church. Hence some of the ancients call him Vicarium Christi, the vicar of Christ, or he who represents his person, and dischargeth, Vi
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