+III. This dispensation was committed to the apostle for the benefit of mankind.+--It was a trust committed to him by the will of God, not a power arrogated by his own presumption. He did not rely on a secret, internal call as what alone would warrant him to commence as a preacher. He carefully conformed to the order which Christ has instituted in His Church. He instructed Timothy and Titus to do likewise. Ministers are not to found their warrant to preach on any immediate revelation. If they should pretend to this, it would be no warrant for them to assume it, unless they can by miracles prove to the world the reality of the pretended revelation. +IV. The knowledge of the Gospel was communicated to Paul by revelation.+--God did not, at the expense of inspiration, teach the apostles those things which they knew or might know by other means. But where actual knowledge and the means of obtaining it were wanting, there inspiration supplied the defect. It is not necessary for us to know the nature of this inspiration, or the manner in which the apostles were assured of its divinity. If we believe there is an infinite and all-perfect Spirit, who pervades universal nature, we must believe He can reveal His will to men by such an immediate influence as shall carry its own evidence and leave no possible doubt of its reality. If we deny the possibility of a certain inspiration from God, we deny that power to Him which we ourselves possess, for we can speak to men in such a manner that they shall certainly know we speak to them and perfectly understand our meaning.--_Lathrop._ Vers. 4, 6. _The Knowledge of Christ intended for All._--It is significant that the inscription on the cross was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 1. _Hebrew,_ the language of religion, of the revelation concerning the one true God. 2. _Greek,_ the language of literature, of arts and culture, the best medium in which to transmit the literature of the New Testament, as Hebrew was for that of the Old. It might be designated as the _human_ language. 3. _Latin,_ the language of the conquerors and masters of the world--also of the Roman Empire, as that kingdom of worldly aggrandisement and power, falsehood and wrong, in opposition to the kingdom of God destined to uproot and replace it. The Roman soldiers stationed throughout Europe became useful factors in the spread of the Gospel. Note also the synoptic gospels of 1. _Matthew_--Hebrew in thought and diction, written to convince Jews. 2. _Mark_--Latin in thought, and written for the Roman mind. 3. _Luke_--Greek in thought and style, written for Gentiles.