34. The next step naturally is to listen to
the Apostle’s account of the powers and functions of this
Gift. He says, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these
are the children of God. For ye received not the Spirit of
bondage again unto fear, but ye received the Spirit of adoption whereby
we cry, Abba, Father Rom. viii. 14, 15.; and again, For
no man by the Spirit of God saith anathema to Jesus, and no man can
say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. xii. 3.;
and he adds, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit, and diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord, and
diversities of workings, but the same God, Who worketh all things in
all. But to each one is given the enlightenment of the Spirit, to
profit withal. Now to one is given through the Spirit the word of
wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
to another faith in the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings in
the One Spirit, to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy,
to another discerning of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to
another interpretation of tongues. But all these worketh the One
and same Spirit Ib.
4–11.. Here we
have a statement of the purpose and results of the Gift; and I cannot
conceive what doubt can remain, after so clear a definition of His
Origin, His action and His powers.