And I should think, it must appear evident to all, that in this paragraph, the Holy Ghost, wherever mentioned, that is, in Paul's question, in the answer made by these men, and the apostle's following action, denotes a power, a blessing, a privilege, and not a person.

Miraculous gifts being then very common, and generally bestowed upon those who professed faith in Jesus Christ, St. Paul meeting with these men at Ephesus, asks them: "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him: We have not so much as heard that there is any Holy Ghost. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues, and prophesied :" that is, when he had laid his hands upon them, they received miraculous powers, and immediately spake with tongues, and prophesied.

I shall place below, in the margin, the observations of P Grotius, and Witsius upon this text, who speak to the same purpose, or not very differently.

13. Rom. xiv. 17, " For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

The last clause, which should now be explained by me, has been differently understood. Whitby, in his annotation, says, it signifies an inward joy, arising from the con'solations of the Holy Ghost.' And Le Clerc, The in'ward satisfaction, which we enjoy, when we live according to the spirit of the gospel. Mr. Locke, Joy in the 'gifts and benefits of the Holy Ghost under the gospel.' But Grotius hereby understands a care and concern to

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P❝Si Spiritum Sanctum accepistis credentes?"] Spiritus Sanctus hic, et in sequentibus, ita ut Johannis vii. 39. sunt dona ista ecclesiæ christianæ reservata; quæ Paulus haud dubium quin pluribus vocibus descripserit.

"Sed neque si Spiritus Sanctus est, audivimus."] Non audivimus dari nunc talia dona. Grot. ad Act. xix. 2.

Quos interrogat, ecquid Spiritum Sanctum accepissent postquam credi'derunt.' Illi vero negant, audivisse se, sitne Spiritus Sanctus.' Respondent ex catechesi majorum, quâ edocti erant, a morte Ezræ, Haggai, Zachariæ, et Malachiæ, Spiritum Sanctum ab Israelitis esse ablatum. Porro, restitutum esse, negant sibi compertum. Palam est, non de personâ Spiritûs Sancti sed de singularibus et visibilibus illius donis utrimque sermonem esse. Wits. De Vitâ Pauli, Sect. viii. p. 107.

Cura exhilarandi alios per dona Spiritûs Sancti, non autem eos irritandi, quod modo dixit Avv. Grot. in loc.

Limborch, in his commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans, largely asserts the same sense. Beausobre likewise, in a few words, finely illustrates the text after this interpretation. I would also refer to Mr. Joseph Morris's Sermons, published in 1743, particularly his sermons upon 1 Thess. v. 16. "Rejoice evermore."

'exhilarate others, by the gifts of the spirit.' And considers it as opposed to the grieving, offending, provoking our brother, spoken of, and cautioned against, at ver. 15.

That this is the apostle's intention, appears, I think, from the whole argument in this chapter, and in the beginning of the next, and particularly from the nearest context, both before and after. Peace is not inward quiet of mind, but peaceableness, a love and study of peace, and doing all in our power to secure and promote it. Nor does the apostle speak of the joy which we possess ourselves, but of that which we ought to give to others. So likewise Gal. v. 22, "The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering." Where joy is joined with other virtues and duties toward our neighbour and cannot mean the satisfaction which we feel ourselves, but the satisfaction which we procure to others.

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St. Paul then here says, The kingdom of God does not consist in such things as meat and drink, but in the prac'tice of righteousness, in a love and study of peace, and 'care to please and edify our brother by a mild and condescending behaviour, and discourses suited to his capacity, according to the doctrine of the gospel, confirmed by mighty works, and many miraculous gifts and powers bestowed upon believers in general.' Therefore he offers that earnest prayer, chap. xv. 5, " Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded according to Christ Jesus." That is, according to the will and command of Christ.

14. In the twelfth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians the apostle has a long argument about spiritual gifts, or spiritual persons, as some understand the expression in ver. 1. Περι δε των πνευματικων. Here undoubtedly, are some personalizing expressions. As ver. 11, “But all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit, dividing to every one severally, as he will." But then there are other expressions, by which he shows that by the Spirit he means a blessing, a gift, a power.

Ver. 7, "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal:"That is, but the plentiful ' effusion of spiritual gifts, with which the church of God is now favoured, is designed for general good. And every one is to exercise his own particular gift in the way most 'conducive to the advantage of his brethren in Christ.'

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And ver. 13, "For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free. And have been all made to drink into one

spirit." So we translate the words: but I suppose they might be better rendered in this manner. "For we have all been baptized with one spirit, that we might be one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and we have been all made to drink into one spirit." All believers in Jesus Christ, of every nation and people, of every rank and condition, had received the like or selfsame spiritual gifts, that they might reckon themselves to be, and behave as one body; being all united together in love and friendship, in communion and worship. Moreover in the same context the apostle says, ver. 6, "And there are diversities of operations: but it is the same God which worketh all in all." And ver. 28, "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.'

Many interpreters have supposed, that in the phrase, “and have been all made to drink into one spirit," the apostle alludes to the eucharistical cup. But I do not perceive any good ground for it. I think the apostle carries on the same allusion. Men were baptized with water. Receiving the spirit in a plentiful effusion is called being baptized with the spirit: and the spirit is compared to water. John vii. 37-39, and see Isa. xliv. 3, Joel ii. 18, and elsewhere. I think the apostle compares the Spirit, or the plentiful effusion of spiritual powers and gifts, such as the church of Christ was then favoured with, to a fountain or river. We have all drank at, and been refreshed out of, the same fountain.

The Syriac version of the last clause of this verse is: And we have all drank in one spirit.' Et omnes nos unum Spiritum imbibimus. The Latin version may be also observed: Et omnes in uno Spiritu potati sumus.

15. I may take this opportunity, to consider the difficult words of the third verse of this chapter. "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed, [or anathema] and that no man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." That is, you may be assured, that man is not 'inspired, whatever pretences he may make, who pronounces 'Jesus accursed. Nor can any man profess faith in Jesus,

* Και γαρ εν ενι πνευματι ήμεις παντες εις εν σωμα εβαπτισθημεν και παντες εις εν πνευμα εποτισθημεν.

Matt. iii. 11, "I indeed baptize you with water:-but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Avros ipaç βαπτίσει εν πνευματι άγιῳ, και πυρι.

as the Christ and Lord of all, under God the Father, and recommend that faith to others, unless he has been him'self made partaker of miraculous powers and gifts, or scen 'miraculous works performed by others in the name of Je'sus.' St. John speaks to the like purpose. 1 Epistle

iv. 1-3.

16. 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18," Now the Lord is that spirit. And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord." Or, as others choose to render it, by the Lord the spirit. However, in both is the same sense.

Dr. Whitby will assist us in explaining these words. For in his Annotations upon ver. 7-11, of this chapter, he says: The glory of God, or of the Lord, in the Old Tes'tament, imports a bright light or flame included in a cloud styled the cloud of glory. And because this, whenever it appeared, was a symbol of God's glorious presence, it is styled by the Jews, Shechinah, the habitation. See Ex. xvi. 7, 10. ch. xl. 34. This glory, saith the author of Cosri, is the divine light, which God vouchsafeth to his people. By the Shechinah, says Elias, we understand the Holy Spirit. As it is evident they do, in these sayings: The Shechinah will not dwell with sorrowful or melan

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choly men. The Shechinah will only dwell with a strong, rich, wise, and humble man. The Shechinah dwells with the meek. And the like.'

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We should now observe the nearest context, from ver. 12," Seeing then that we have such hope," or such confidence, and well-grounded assurance, we, the apostles of Christ," use great plainness of speech," boldly preaching the pure gospel of Christ, without recommending to men the rituals of the law. Ver. 13, " And not as Moses, who put a vail over his face."-Ver. 14, " For until this day remaineth the vail untaken away, in the reading of the Old Testament. Which vail is done away in Christ." Ver. 15, "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their hearts." Ver. 16, "Nevertheless, when it shall turn unto the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." Ver. 17," Now the Lord is that spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Here is throughout an allusion to the history of Moses after his receiving from God, the second time, the two tables of the law in the mount.

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Ex. xxxiv. 29-34, " And it came to pass, when Moses

came down from Mount Sinai-that Moses wist not, that the skin of his face shone. And when Aaron, and all the children of Israel, saw Moses, behold the skin of his face shone. And they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them. And Aaron, and all the rulers of the congregation, returned unto him. And Moses talked with them. Afterwards all the children of Israel came nigh And till Moses had done speaking unto them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went before the Lord, to speak with him, he took the vail off until he came out."

That is what the apostle alludes to, when he says, ver. 16, 17, "Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord," that is, when the Jews shall come to Christ, and believe in him, "the vail shall be taken away." For Moses, when he went in, to appear before the Lord, took off the vail. "Now the Lord is that spirit." The Lord Jesus is the glory of God: and by coming to him, we are as in the divine presence, and converse without a vail. Which is what is meant by those words: "And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

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Then it follows in ver. 18, " But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord." But it is not now with us, as it was with the Israelites of old, who only saw the face of Moses through a vail, and received no derivation of his glory upon themselves: the brightness of it, having been intercepted by the vail. No, it is not so with us. For now,

we all, both Jews and Gentiles, who are followers of Jesus, and the people of God, under the gospel dispensation, "with open [or unvailed] face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord," seeing a strong and lively impres'sion of the divine glory in the person of Jesus Christ, and his gospel and there being a bright, and clear, and strong ' refulgence of that glory upon us, "we are changed into 'the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the 'Lord :" we are transformed into the same likeness, which is continually increasing and improving. And the impression, made upon us, is much the same, as if we were in the divine presence, and saw the glory of God, with as 'near and full a manifestation, as can be admitted in the present state.'

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17. 2 Cor. xiii. 14, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

The last clause may imply a wish, that those christians