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The latter end of the foregoing chapter informed us how Apollos was employed at Corinth: the beginning of this acquaints us how St. Paul spent his time at Ephesus. He finds there twelve disciples, he catechizes them, lays his hand upon them, and God confers the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Here observe, 1. The question put by St. Paul to the twelve disciples: Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? He doth not mean in its sanctifying operations, but in its miraculous gifts; as speaking with tongues, the gift of prophecy, and the gift of healing.
Observe, 2. The disciples answer, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost; not that they were ignorant of the essence or person of the Holy Ghost; but had not heard of the effusion of the extra-ordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost; for it was a received opinion among the Jews, that after the death of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Ghost, or the spirit of prophecy, departed from Israel. And they never heard that he was returned, or of his being given anew with his miraculous gifts.
Observe, 3. How the apostle sets them right; they tell him they were baptized unto John's baptism. The apostle tells them, that John's baptism and Christ's were the same for substance, and had both the same end, though they differed in some circumstances. The disciples of John believed in Christ to come, the disciples of Jesus believed in Christ as already come, and were baptized in that faith; and the ordinance sealed unto both the remission of sins. Yet it being essential to Christian Baptism, to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, which is the essence of Christian baptism.
Observe, 4. How the apostle lays his hands upon these disciples, to confirm them in the faith they were baptized into; where-upon the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were immediately conferred on them, and they spake divers tongues, which before they understood not, and were endued with the gift of prophesying; that is, of declaring things to come, and interpreting the writings of the prophets, that they maybe fit to teach and instruct others.
Hence learn, That at the first planting and propagating of the gospel, the wisdom of God thought fit to furnish the preachers and dispensers of it with extraordinary gifts and miraculous powers, to qualify them for, and to give them assurance of, the success of their ministry; and also to assure those whom they preached unto, that their doctrine was from heaven. Almighty God never setting the seal of his omnipotence to a lie. Such miraculous gifts are long since ceased in the church, the cause of them, and the occasion for them, being long since ceased.