gh the teaching of the apostles, the benefit of
these revelations of the Holy Spirit. They are not, however,
made to all believers personally; but were given, once for all,
through the apostles to the church. The gift of the Holy Spirit
is indeed made to all believers personally: through his
enlightening and sanctifying power they have all needed help and
guidance. But they are not called, as were the apostles, to lay
the foundations of the Christian faith, and have therefore no
promise of new revelations from the Spirit or of elevation above
all error, any more than they have of miraculous gifts.

We are now prepared to consider, in the _third_ place, the _claims_
which the apostles themselves made to speak and write with divine
authority. Although their simple word as men could avail nothing, yet
this same word, taken in connection with their known relation to Christ,
with the work committed to them, and with the promises made to them, is
of the most weighty import. It was not indeed their custom to assert
gratuitously their superhuman guidance and authority. Yet when occasions
arose, from the nature of the subject under discussion, or from the
opposition of false teachers, they did so in unambiguous terms. Thus the
apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says, "Now we have received
not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we
might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things
also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual," 1
Cor. 2:12, 13: and writing to the Thessalonians concerning the
resurrection, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep," etc. 1 Thess. 4:15. And again, in writing to the
Galatians, among whom his apostolic standing had been called in question
by certain Judaizing teachers, he says, "I certify you, brethren, that
the gospel which was preached of me is not after man: for I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ." Gal. 1:11, 12. This language is explicit enough. It could
have been used only by one who was conscious of having been divinely
qualified to teach the gospel without error. Accordingly, in the same
epistle, he opposes his apostolic authority to these false tea