void perfecution. And this gives us one plain fenfe of what he fays of their having fuffered fo many things in vain, or to no purpose; which might eafily have been avoided, by complying at firft with the Jewish zealots. But he appears by what he adds, if it be yet in vain, to have had a higher aim. They had not yet thoroughly yielded to their feducers; they were in such suspense, that it was hard to fay where they would reft. If they stood firm in their fubmiffion and obedience to the truth, their fufferings were not in vain: they were fuffering with Chrift, and had the faireft, or rather the most affured prospect, of reigning with him, 2 Tim. ii, 12. But if they complied, they renounced their obedience to the truth; and by having recourse to the law, they in effect renounced Christ, and the grace of God in him, as he tells them roundly afterwards; and then their fufferings fhould be indeed in vain, and could anfwer no purpose at all. How fkilfully, how gently, does he touch, and yet how foundly does he search the dangerous fore!

Having thus hinted what could not mifs to engage their reflection on what they

were

were about, he proceeds in the argument, which the query, verf. 4. is fo far from interrupting, that it confiderably forwards the effect of it. They had received the promife and gift of eternal life held forth in the gospel; they had received the Spirit of life, a good and valid earnest; and, by receiving this Spirit, they had received the very life of Chrift, and were entered on living by him, and on that grace which is in him; and all this by the bare hearing of faith, not only without any help from the law, but when they were abfolute strangers to it. He now directs their attention to those who ministered the Spirit to them. He speaks indeed as of one perfon, thus to turn their eyes upon himself, by whofe ministry they had first believed: but he speaks as in the present time, not miniftered, but who miniftereth the Spirit, fo as to take in all who were employed in the fame work after him. One cannot pafs this over without a reflection, What a folemn thing the work of the ministry is! The gospel is the ministration of the Spirit; and the business of those that preach it is, to minister or convey the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and his blessed Son. If

all

this be not done, nothing is done at all. And "who is fufficient for these things?" But however Paul and his affociates, nay who fucceed them, may by preaching the gofpel be faid in an inferior sense to minister the Spirit; yet the Apostle's words very naturally point to a higher hand, viz. to him who has the fullness of the Spirit dwelling in him, and gives and with-holds it at pleasure; and it is honour enough to the greatest of the human kind to be employed under him. "Paul may plant, and A"pollos may water; but it is God who "giveth the increafe." In the ordinary course both go together; but there is an immenfe difference between them. Minifters are co-workers with God, 2 Cor. vi. 1. but can do nothing without him; whereas he, when he pleafes, can do every thing without them. However we understand it, the conclufion ftrongly follows, that, by the order established by the great Sovereign, it is only by the word of the gospel, and hearing of faith, that the Spirit, with all his gifts, is conveyed to any of mankind, whether Jew or Gentile.

The fame he fays of miracles. These were the interpofals of divine power, by

which

which God attested, and, as we fay, sealed the 'commiffion he gave to his ministers and fervants, whom he fent on fpecial errands; and thus gave authority, and commanded refpect, to the message they were fent to deliver. These were very frequent, and in a manner common, among Christians, while their faith was ftrong, and Christianity a new thing in the world. The principal and most extraordinary was, conferring the Holy Ghost by laying on the hands of the apoftles, which appears to have been peculiar to the apostles, Acts viii. 14. et feqq. But the gifts of the Spirit were many and various; yet not at any one's choice or option, but as the holy Spirit divided them, according to his will. But as all these miracles and miraculous gifts were peculiar to believers in Chrift, and all performed in his name, nor ever fo much as attempted by any Jew,except once by the seven fons of Sceva, to their utter confufion, it was needlefs to draw the conclufion, the Galatians could not help doing it for themselves, viz. that when Chrift anfwered every valuable purpose to thofe who received and believed on him, no deeds of

law,

law, or legal observances, could make any addition or improvement; and therefore it must be the height of folly to burden one's felf with them.

But however plaufible this conftruction' may feem, and however well it may anfwer the Apoftle's intention; yet there is another, which appears to fuit both that and the context better, which has been adopted by the most judicious interpreters; and with this advantage, that it is the plain literal translation of the Apostle's original. Those who know any thing of that language, muft know, that the word our tranflators render miracles, properly fignifies mights, or powers; and what they render fimply working, is feldom or never made use of, but to import, working inwardly, and commonly working effectually in one.

run:

And thus the words will "He that minifters or conveys to you the Spirit, and worketh effectually "in you all thofe powers you find your"felves, and obferve others, endued "with," &c. All power of every kind is of God, the fame who gives his Spirit in what measure and degree he pleafes. The VOL. III. Apoftle

Y