8 Now, to one, indeed, (dia) through the Spirit, (John xiv. 17.) is given the word of wisdom;' and to another the word of knowledge, (xara) according to the same Spirit;

2

8 Now to one indeed, through the indwelling of the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom; the whole doctrine of the gospel: and to another the word of knowledge; the complete knowledge of the former revelations recorded in the writings of Moses and the prophets, according to the indwelling of the same Spirit:

not be thought strange, if we consider what Peter hath told us, 1 Epist. i. 11. namely, that the prophets themselves, to whom the ancient revelations were made, did not fully understand them, but searched diligently into their meaning. Besides, although the first preachers of the gospel, had been able to attain the true meaning of the ancient oracles by the force of their own natural faculties, their interpretations would not have had that authority to bind the consciences of men, which interpretations communicated to them by inspiration, undoubtedly possessed.

The inspiration just now described, was called the word of knowledge, in allusion perhaps to the Jews who boasted, Rom. ii. 20. That they haa the image of knowledge and truth in the law. This kind of inspiration belonged to the superior prophets, who being placed in the catalogue, ver. 28. next after the apostles, were second to them in dignity.-The exercise of this gift is called prophecy by way of eminence. 1 Cor. xiii. 2. Though I have prophecy, and know all mysteries, and all knowledge. From this it appears, that the superior Christian prophets, by their gift, discovered the deep secrets contained in the ancient oracles; such as the calling of the Gentiles; their salvation through faith; the rejection of the Jews, and their future resumption, termed, Rom. xvi. 25, 26. A mystery kept bid in the time of the ages. Of this order of spiritual men, St. Stephen was one, as is plain from his speech to the Jewish council. So likewise were the prophets of Antioch, mentioned, Acts xiii. 1. particularly Barnabas and Saul.-Now though this was the gift by which the superior prophets were distinguished from the inferior, it was not peculiar to the superior prophets. All the apostles possessed it in the highest degree. For before his ascension, Jesus opened their understandings, that they might understand the scriptures, Luke xxiv. 45. And it was a gift absolutely necessary to them as the chief preachers; because it enabled them not only to explain and apply the Jewish Scriptures for the confirmation of the gospel, but to shew the relation which the law of Moses, and all the former dispensations, had to the gospel: a kind of proof, which could not fail strongly to impress those who attended to it; but especially the Jews, the keepers of the ancient oracles. Of this gift, St. Paul made good use in his discourses to the Jews, as is plain from Acts xiii. 16-41. and from Acts xvii. 2, 3. where it is said, That be reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures, opening and alledging, that the Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead. And that this Jesus,

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit ;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to ano

9 Ετερῳ δε πιςις, ἐν τῷ αυτῷ πνεύματι αλλῳ δε χαρισματα ιαματων, εν τῷ αὐτῷ πνευματι

10 Αλλῳ δε ενεργήματα δυναμεων, αλλῳ δε προφή τεια, αλλῳ δε δε διακρισεις

whom I preach to you, is the Christ.-Because the apostles, by the word of wisdom, and the apostles and superior prophets, by the word of knowledge, were enabled effectually to explain and prove the gospel revelation, the Christian church is said to be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.

Besides the superior prophets, of whom we have been speaking, there were prophets of an inferior order, of whose office notice shall be taken, ver. 10. note 2.

Ver. 9.-1. And to another faith. Faith, as a spiritual gift, was of two kinds. The first was that supernatural courage which Christ promised to i infuse into his disciples, Matt. x. 19, 20. Luke xxi. 15. for the purpose of enabling them to preach the gospel, not only in the presence of kings and magistrates, but before the most enraged enemies. In consequence of this gift, we find Peter and John speaking with such boldness before the chief priests and council, as astonished them, Acts iv. 13. 29. The second kind of faith, was that firm persuasion of the power and veracity of God, which * led the spiritual men, without hesitation, to attempt the working of miracles, when they felt an inward impulse to do so. Of this faith Christ speaks, Matt. xvii. 20. and Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 2. All faith, so as to remove mountains.-Faith, as a spiritual gift, being in this enumeration mentioned after the word of knowledge, it belonged to those spiritual men who in the catalogue, ver. 28. are placed after prophets, and who are called teachers. These,” however, were not the teachers who ordinarily resided in one place, but those who in the catalogue, Ephes. iv. 11. are called evangelists, and who are placed next to prophets, and before the ordinary pastors and teachers." Of this order of spiritual men, Philip the evangelist was, and Silas the companion of Paul; and Timothy, whom Paul exhorted to do the work of an evangelist, 2 Tim. iv. 5. and Titus; and perhaps many others, such as Luke, Mark, Erastus, Aristarchus, and the rest, who often accompanied Paul and assisted him.-Because Paul said to Timothy, 2 Tim. i. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast beard from me, the author of Miscel.” Sacra conjectures, that the evangelists had no revelation of doctrines made to them, but derived their knowledge of the gospel from the apostles. If that was the case, their inspiration must have been of the kind, promised John' xiv. 26. namely, that the Holy Ghost would bring all things to their remem brance. This kind of inspiration the evangelists may have had, as often as they had occasion to teach. And by this inspiration St. Luke, I suppose,

was enabled to write, in the very words which were used, the speeches of the different persons which he has recorded in his excellent history of the Acts. For the diversity of style observable in these speeches, shews plainly that they are not the production of the historian, but of the persons to whom they are ascribed.

2. And to another the gifts of healings. This gift is expressed in the plural number, to denote the variety of diseases that were healed. Our Lord promised this gift to those who should believe, Mark xvi. 28. Accordingly, many of the first Christians possessed it: And by exercising it, they not only confirmed the gospel, but they conciliated the good will of the more considerate heathens, who could not but esteem and love the Christians, when in these miracles they discerned the beneficent nature of their religion. The apostles had the gifts of healings bestowed on them in common with the other spiritual men; only they possessed it in a more eminent degree, and exercised it in a superior manner. Thus the shadow of Peter, as he passed along the streets of Jerusalem, cured many sick people. In like manner, when handkerchiefs and aprons, which had touched the body of Paul, were carried to the sick in Ephesus, they immediately recovered.

In the exercise of this gift, none of the spiritual men, not even the apostles, were permitted to act according to their own pleasure; but were always directed to the exercise of it, by an impression inwardly wrought on their minds by God: otherwise Paul would not have left Trophimus sick at Miletus; nor have suffered his beloved Timothy to labour under his infirmities; nor Epaphroditus to be sick nigh unto death.

Ver. 10.-1. And to another, svigynuara Suvausar, the inworkings of powers. This clause is commonly translated, to another the workings of miracles: but the word avagy, does not signify to work, simply, but to work in another. Thus ver. 11. All these (gifts) the one and the same Spirit, wagyu, inworketh, namely in the spiritual men. Besides, when the working of a miracle is expressed, the word used is not vegy uv, but our. See Acts xix. 11.-The inworkings of powers, being the literal translation of everyμara Suvausav, I have inserted it in this passage, contrary to the current of translators both ancient and modern, for two reasons: First, If the apostle by vegynuara Sua, had meant the workings of miracles, he would not have added, and to another the gifts of healings, seeing these are included in the workings of

ther divers kinds

of

πνευματων, ἑτέρῳ δε γενη tongues; to another the γλωσσων, αλλῳ δε έρμηνεια interpretation of tongues. γλωσσων.

miracles. Secondly, If by svepynμara Suvaμsar, be meant the workings of miracles, he hath in this enumeration of the spiritual gifts, omitted the power of conferring spiritual gifts.-Now is it probable, while he mentioned the gifts of healing diseases, of prophecy, of discerning spirits, of speaking foreign languages, and of interpreting what was spoken for the edification of the church in these languages, that he would omit the gift which was greater than all the rest, the power of conferring these gifts on them who believed? A power which was peculiar to the apostles, by which they were raised above all the other spiritual men, and by which they spread the gospel every where with the greatest success.

That the power of conferring the spiritual gifts on them who believed, was peculiar to the apostles, may be gathered, as Benson observes, from Acts viii. 14. where we are told, that when the apostles who were in Jerusalem, heard that the Samaritans were converted by Philip, they sent Peter and John to confer on them the Holy Ghost. With respect to Ananias conferring the Holy Ghost on Paul, see Titus iii. 6. note.-In bestowing the spiritual gifts, as in working miracles, the apostles were directed by a par ticular inspiration called prophecy; 1 Tim. iv. 14. note 2. unless prophecy was a general name, signifying the exercise of all the different kinds of in spiration. See 1 Cor. xiv. 3. note.

Though the inworking of powers, be the spiritual gift which most forcibly struck the minds of mankind, and raised the apostles highest in their esti mation, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and faith, are placed be fore it in the catalogue. The reason is, by these gifts the gospel was communicated to the world; whereas it was only confirmed by the inworkings of powers.-In like manner, though Powers, that is, persons who possessed the gift of communicating spiritual powers, are placed after Evangelists, ver. 28. it was because the apostles, in their capacity of confirming the gos pel by miracles, were inferior to the Prophets and Evangelists, who by in spiration revealed it.

2. And to another prophecy; that is, the inferior gift of prophecy, described chap. xiv. 3. note.-Judas and Silas possessed this gift; for we are told, Acts xv. 32. That being prophets themselves, they exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. The inferior prophets, had exhortations, prayers, and psalms, given them by inspiration, which they uttered in the church for the edification of the brethren, 1 Cor. xiv. 15. 26. Hence they are called, ver. 28. Helps, or Helpers, and are said, Jude, ver. 20. to pray in the Spirit, and their prayer is called inwrought prayer, James v. 15, 16. and the psalms which they uttered, are called spiritual songs, Ephes. v. 19. See 1 Cor. xiv. 26. note 1.-Lastly, the persons endowed with the gift of prophecy, were sometimes inspired to foretel future events, Acts xxi, 10. and

spirits; and to another DIVERS kinds of foreign tongues ; and to another the interpretation of foreign tongues.s

phecy: and to another, the gift of discerning spirits: and to another, the faculty of speaking divers kinds of foreign languages: and to another, the faculty of interpreting what is spoken in foreign languages by inspiration, for the edification and exhortation, and comfort of the church.

to point out persons fit for sacred offices. See the end of the last paragraph but one.

3. And to another discerning of spirits. This gift was bestowed in the church, for the following purposes. First, to enable the spiritual men to know whether a teacher pretending to inspiration, really spake by the Spirit of God; consequently to distinguish with certainty true doctrine from false. For as there appeared very early among the professed disciples of Christ, false teachers, who, to gain credit to their errors, pretended to deliver them by inspiration, a gift of the kind mentioned, was very necessary for preventing the faithful from being led away by heretics, especially in the first age, before the writings of the apostles and evangelists were generally spread abroad. Hence this gift, which was called an unction from God, was bestowed permanently, 1 John ii. 27. The unction which ye have received from bim abideth in you, and ye have no need that any one should teach you. Hence also the caution, 1 John, iv. 1. Believe not every Spirit: but try the Spirits whether they are from God. Because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.-Secondly, The gift of discerning Spirits was betowed on the spiritual men, to enable them on some occasions to discover what passed in the minds of their enemies, that they might make it known for the benefit of the church, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. It was by this gift that Peter knew the fraudulent purpose of Ananias and Sapphira; and Paul the malice of Ely. mas.-Thirdly, It was by this gift, that the rulers of the church judged of the characters and qualifications of the persons who were to be employed in particular ministrations. But here it is to be observed, that neither the knowledge of what passed in the minds of enemies, nor the knowledge of the characters and qualifications of those who aspired after sacred offices, was bestowed as an habit. On most occasions, the rulers were left in these matters to guide themselves by their own sagacity; which was the reason that they sometimes made a wrong choice. And they were permitted to do so, because the admission of bad men to sacred offices, was by the direction of God made to answer valuable purposes; as was the case in the appointment of Judas to the apostleship.

The spiritual men who possessed the discernment of spirits, seem to have been those who in the catalogue, ver. 28, are called Directors. For that gift must have been of special use to the Presidents in directing the worship and discipline of the church, and must have clothed them with great authority, enabling them effectually to silence any false teacher who offered to