AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 81 derstood. For theea wasae'bs 1.0 we yss, the lower parts these visible and aspectable heavens, which he passed through when he went into the glorious presence of God, or unto the right hand of the Majesty on high. See Heb. iv. 14. with our Exposition thereon. It is also added, why he was thus gloriously exalted; and this was, that he might fill up all things, not pvo:xas, but beg. ysro,as; not in the essence of his nature, but in the exer- cise of his power. I-le had laid the foundation of his church on himself in his death and resurrection; but now the whole fabric of it was to be filled up with its u- tensils, and beautified with its ornaments. This heascend- ed to accomplish, and did it principally in thecollation of this gift ofthe ministryupon it. This was the first exer- cise of that glorious power, which the Lord Christ was vested withal upon his exaltation; the first effect of his . wisdom and love, in filling all things unto the glory of God, and the salvation of his elect. And these things are mentioned, that in the contemplation of their great- ness and order we may learn and judge how excellent this donation of Christ is. And it will alsoappear from hence, bow contemptible a thing the most pompous mi- nistry in the world is, which doth not proceedfrom this original. 7. 4thly, The same ismanifest from the nature of the gift itself: for this gift consisteth in gifts: He gavegifts. There is anactivegiving expressed; hegave: and the thing given, that is, gifts. Wherefore the ministry is a giftof Christ, not only because freely and bountifully given by him to the church; but also because spiritual giftsdo es- sentially belong unto it, are iítdeed its life, and insepa- rable from its being. Aministry withoutgifts, is no mi- nistry of Christ's giving; nor is of any other use in the church, but to deceive the souls of men. To setup such a ministry, is both to despise Christ, and utterly to frus- trate the ends of the ministry; those for which Christ gave it, andwhich are here expressed: For, (I.) Mini- sterial gifts and graces are the great evidence that the (Lord Christ takes care of his church, and provides for it, as called into the order and intothe duties ofa church. To set up a ministry which maybe continuedby outward forms and orders of men only, without any communica- tion of gifts from Christ, is to despise his authority and care. Neither is it hismind that any church should con- tinue in order any longer, or otherwise, than as he be- stows these gifts for the ministry. (2.) That these gifts are the only means and instruments whereby the work of 40 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 itself. In the first sense, Christ's state of humiliation is intended, wherein he came down from heaven into these lower parts of God's creation, conversingqn 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 hishumiliation, 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 fountain and original of the ministry of the church, by way of acquisi- tion and procurement. It is a fruit whose root is in the grave of Christ: for, in those things, in the humiliation and death of Christ lay the foundation of his mediatory authority, whereofthe ministry is aneffect, Phil. ii. 0, 7, 8, 9, 10. And it was appointed by him to be the mini- stry of that peace between God and man, which was made therein and thereby, Eph. ii. 14, 16, 17. For when he had made this peace by the blood of the cross, he preached it in the giving these gifts unto men for its solemndeclaration. See 2 Cor. v. 18, 19, 20, 21. Where- fore, because the authority from whence this gift pro- ceeded, was granted unto Christ upon his descending in- to the lower parts of the earth, and the end of the gift is to declare and preach the peace which he made be- tween God and man by his so doing, this gift relates thereunto also. Hereon doth the honour and excellency of the ministry depend, with respect hereunto is it tobe esteemed and valued, namely, its relation unto thespirit- ual humiliation of Christ, and notfrom the carnal or se- cular exaltation of those that takitupon them. 6. 3dly, It appears to be an eminent and signal gift from the immediate cause of its actual communication, or the present qualificationof the Lord Christ for the be- stowing of it; and this was his glorious exaltation upon his ascension. A right unto it was acquired by him in his death, but his actual investiture with all glorious power, was to precede its communication, ver. 8, 10. He was first to ascend up on high, to triumph over all his andour adversaries, but now under him into absolute and eternal captivity, before hegave out this gift. And he is said here to ascendfar above all heavens, that is, X
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