A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 • SECTION 162

Romans Xii. 6.

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see Col. ii. 18 ; Rev. i. 2. Paul himself affords an ex- ample of such a proportion [analogy], 1 Cor. vii. 25. Eras- mus says, The phrase , according to the proportion, gives one to understand , that the gifts are the greater [are bestowed in the greater number], in proportion as one's faith shall have [hath] been the more perfect; so also, Com. a Lapide, Piscator, Peter Martyr. Basilius M. on the Holy Spirit, He fills all things with His powerful working , and they , who are worthy , can alone receive Him , nor is He merely received in one , fterpw, measure , but, xard dmXoyiav rijc ^nvrseag, according to the proportion of faith. He dis- tributes his operations , c. 9. Chrysostom : for although it is grace , yet it is not poured out uniformly , but taking the several measures [the various proportions in which it is poured out] from the [several states] of those who receive it, it flows in propor- tionally to what it has found the size of the vessel of faith pre- sented to it, Lichtscheid discusses this point at great length in Tr. Germ, vom ewigen evangelio (of the everlasting Gospel), p. 60, etc. As with Paul here, so with Mark the Hermit, the measure, /Tsrpov, and the proportion, dva’koyta, are one and the same thing : see his book, Kepi ruv oiofievuv epyuv dr/ta/w^va/ (concern- ing those who think that they are justified by works), a little past the middle. The knowledge of a man's affairs (business, conduct) depends on the proportion in which he puts in practice the pre- cepts of the law, but the knowledge of the truth (of the doctrine of salvation) depends on the measure of faith in Christ ; and this same writer often uses the word, dmXoyiuv, in this sense. In the writings of Paul, however, the word /isrpov is used in the sense of limiting, in reference to moderation or the avoiding of excess ; whereas dmXcyiu has a fuller meaning (if we compare it with what follows) in reference to the avoiding of deficiency [the full proportion]. In what theologians call the creed, all the heads agree together in an admirable analogy [completeness of proportion], and each article, respecting which a question occurs, should be decided according to the articles already certainly known, the interpretation of the rest should be ad- justed according to the declaration [the dictum] of Scripture clearly explained ; and this is the analogy of Scripture itself, and of the articles of faith, which form the creed. But every man does not know all things ; and, of what he does know, he

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