2. Consequent upon this was the communication of gifts for the
doctrine in the church, but to impress upon men what Christ had taught, and what he had wrought by his passion. He is therefore called 'the Spirit of truth,' i.e. teaching and clearing up to the minds of men, that truth which Christ had taught and confirmed by his blood, and to raise the superstructure upon that foundation Christ had already laid. He was to declare only what he heard, John 16:13,
14; to act the part of a minister to Christ, as Christ had acted the part of a minister to his Father; to glorify Christ, i.e. to manifest the fulness of his merit, and the benefits of his purchase; for he was to receive of Christ's, i.e. the things of Christ, his truth and grace, and manifest them to their souls, and imprint upon them the comfort of both. This Spirit being then a fruit of the glory of Christ, is an abiding
Spirit for those ends for which he was first sent, John 14:16. The permanency of the Spirit is as durable as his glory. Christ must be degraded from his exaltation, before the Spirit shall cease from performing the acts of a comforter and advocate on earth.
2. Consequent upon this was the communication of gifts for the propagation and preservation of the gospel. Christ was to raise a gospel church among the Gentiles, to apply the fruits of his death.
This he could not do without receiving gifts to bestow upon men.
These gifts were not to be received by him, till his finishing his work; and this work could not be declared to be completely finished without his advancement to the right hand of his Father, Ps. 68:17.
He received them with one hand, and distributed them with the other; he handed them to the world, as they were conveyed to him by his Father in his glory. 'He ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things,' Eph. 4:10; all the world with the knowledge of himself, all kinds of men with gifts; officers with abilities; private
Christians with graces. His glory is the foundation of all Christianity; by those gifts of the Spirit to men, he rescues men from a spiritual death, and plants them as living trees in the garden of God. By those we find our hearts linked to him in love, panting after him with desires, and aspiring to the happiness of heaven, where he is. All the channels through which he pours the waters of life upon the world, were cut and framed by his hands. The Spirit is called the seven