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tune too. And perhaps this is the meaning of a text that feems to be like this: "Let the word of Chrift dwell in you richly in all "wisdom" (or in all that latitude of wisdom and knowledge in which we, the apostles of Chrift, have taught it, according to the word of wisdom and knowledge communicated to us), "teaching and admonishing one another "in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs" (ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, fongs of the Spirit); ἐν Xúqiri adovres, we tranflate it, finging with grace (which is very feldom, if ever, the fenfe of xaes in fcripture), but which I believe fhould be rendered, with the gifts of the Spi"rit in your hearts to the Lord." For that xas fometimes fignifies that particular favour which is called xaqua, or the gift of the Holy Ghost, in the fcripture, is fufficiently plain, Acts iv. 33. Rom. xii. 3, 6. 1 Cor. i, 4, 5. 2 Cor. i. 12, 15. xii. 9. Gal. ii. 9. Eph. i. 3, 6. iii. 16. iv. 6. 1 Pet. iv. 10. Zech. xii. 10. Heb. x. 20. I apprehend dovTES EV XάORTI, is the fame with ψάλλον]ες τῷ πνεύματι ", and with the προσευχόμενοι ἐν πνεύματι ; and to understand the gift of the Spirit by xos here, is very agreeable to the phrafeology of the Jews, who, when the Hebrews render eben, grace, render it the fpirit of prophecy. So Pfal. xlv. 2. "Grace is poured into thy lips;" b1 Cor. xiv. 15.

a Col. iii. 16,
• Eph. vi. 8.

the

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the Chaldee paraphrafe is, "The Spirit of prophecy is given to thy lips." And I find the ancients interpreted this very text in this fenfe, ̓Απὸ χαρίσματα διὰ τῆς ἀπὸ τὸ ἁγία πνεύμα δοθείσης χώρα. And I am apt to think that this is the meaning of xas in the prayer St. Paul makes for those whom he writes to in the beginning of all his epiftles, except that to the Hebrews: he wishes the fame to Timothy, who, though the fon of a Jewels, yet having a Greek to his father, was begot by Paul in the uncircumcifion of his flesh; and of which Peter makes mention at the beginning of both his, and interprets it fomewhat fuller; praying, or wifhing, that

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grace and peace may be multiplied unto "them:" that is to fay, that thefe gifts which they, or fome among them, had, might be increased and multiplied; either by an apof tle's coming among them to impart them; or by their fober, righteous, and godly conver fation, and a right ufe of fuch gifts as they had, and in fuch a degree as they poffeffed them: for then, "to them who had should "be given :" as, if they acted otherwise, "from "them should be taken even that which they "already had." And this may ferve to explain, why Paul and Peter fo conftantly use this wish or prayer, whilft James, and John to the elect lady, do not. For Paul writing

d Acts xvi. 31.

to

to idolatrous Gentiles, and Peter to devout ones, converted to the faith (fee the fecond Effay), never fail to with them those gifts of the Spirit which were the proof of their being become the fons or people of God; and them he wishes them peace with God, of which these gifts was a full proof they were admitted to, as well as the Jews (to whom justification and peace was first preached ): and that peace in their own minds and confciences which neceffarily flowed from a fenfe of the other. If the reader shall be of opinion that I have thus established the fenfe of the word yes, in Col. iii. 16. to be the gift of pfalmody, the conftruction of the place will be natural, and the fenfe juft and eafy; and will run thus: that when they fung pfalms, hymns, and fongs of the Spirit, by the affiftance of that fpiritual gift that enabled them to do it; they fhould not only fing with their voice, to please themselves or others; but with the warmest affections of their hearts to the praise of the Lord, from whom all thefe gifts and every other bleffing came. Perhaps we have an inftance of fuch a fong of the Spirit, Acts xvi. 25. And perhaps bleffing, or giving thanks with the Spirit, was alfo a hymn of this fort; being, it may be, the hymn of bleffing, and of giving thanks (εὐλογίας καὶ εὐχαρισίας), which was often dictated by the Spirit, when the • Acte x. 36.

f

I Cor. xiv. 16.

bread

bread and the cup of bleffing were bleffed: and which, the Spirit moving them often to compofe on that occafion, might perhaps afterwards be the reason of calling the bread and cup of bleffing, the eucharift.

3. Another inftance is prayer; which is called, "Praying with the Spirit, and with "understanding;" and praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit h; for the Spirit then helped their infirmities; for tho' they knew not what they fhould pray for as they ought, yet the Spirit itself fometimes makes interceffion for them with groanings which cannot be uttered: and praying in the Holy Ghost k. It was this gift of the Spirit, among other gifts of prophecy impart ed to women in the church of Corinth, which gave rife to that queftion, whether a woman might not pray or prophecy in the church, with her head uncovered, as well as a man? The gifts of prayer and prophecy being common to the women as well as the men, the women thought thefe gifts gave them not only an equal right to pray or prophecy in the public affemblies as well as the men, but without their veil alío. Though in this last they were mistaken; for the apoftle orders, that they fhall pray or prophecy with their veils on; or, because the gifts of

i Cor. xiv. 14, 15. Rom. viii. 26.

Eph. vi. 18.
* Jude 19, 20.

the

the Spirit did not take away the subjection of the women, of which the vail was the token. In fuch a prayer, no doubt, the matter, the order, and the expreffions of the pray+ er were dictated by the Spirit, fuch was the apostle's prayer, Acts iv. 24-31. fuch likewife perhaps was Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple ", the Levite's prayer, and Daniel's; not to mention others. The only difficulty here is, whether it can be brought under the head of prophecying. I think it may, for the reafons I have given, when I first entered upon that fort of prophecying, which relates to fpeaking in christian affemblies, fee p. 132. And though praying is distinguished from prophecying, i Cor. xi. 4, 5. as prophecying is there fpeaking directly to men, and praying is there addreffing God; yet in the xivth chapter prophecying feems to me to include prayer; fince every thing in that chapter feems to be included under prophecying, that, as I faid before, is fpoken in an affembly of chriftians under the immediate influence of the Spirit; and is to the edification, exhortation, or comfort of the affembly, as the apostle speaks, ver. 2. and as prayer in a known tongue was. Accordingly prayer feems to me to be mentioned in this

11 Cor. xi. 3-17. fee Locke in loc.

I

my Kings viii. 12-62.

• Dan. ix. 4~—20.

7

a Nehem. ix. 6-38.

chapter,

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