the Truth of what he said They stood now undaunted by to testify that their Master was again alive who had forsaken him as soon as he was apprehended and he that before so shamefully denied him thrice being startled and affrighted at the Question of the High Priest's Maid now speaks aloud in a vast concourse of people with so much stedfastness that this alone was a sufficient evidence of the truth of what he delivered They were not in the least concerned at the mockery and abuses that were put upon them the Spirit had descended on them and raised them above such mean and foolish apprehensions they were now full of the Holy Ghost and no worldly thoughts could move them they acted with the force and vigor of the Wind and Fire in which the Holy Ghost came upon them and with as much unconcernedness as if they had had no difficulties to encounter the world they very well knew and found was against them but they had the assurance of his help who had overcome the world They were pressed on every side with want and disgrace and all manner of hardships some mocked and reviled them others tormented them the rage the tumults the conspiracies of whole Cities and Countries broke loose upon them all the malice and contrivance of Men and Devils was joined against them and yet with what freedom doth St. Peter speak Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves also know him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and fore knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain whom God hath raised up whereof we all are witnesses Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Acts ii 22 23 24 32 33. And in the third Chapter The God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go But ye denied the Holy one and the just and desired a murtherer to be granted unto you and killed the Prince of Life whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses Acts iii. 13 14 15. And before the Council O ye Rulers of the People and Elders of Israel if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole be it known to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole This is the stone which was set at nought by you Builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts iv 8 c. And again The God of our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Act. v. 30 c. With what freedom and authority doth he now speak how unlike is he now to the man he was before when he thrice denyed his Master whilst alive And what could make such an alteration in him after his Masters death but a supernatural Power What could cause him thus frequently and earnestly to make an open confession of him in the midst of the people and before their Council if he had not known him to be risen from the dead and had not done all his Miracles by vertue of that Power which was bestowed upon him and the rest of the Apostles after Christ's Ascension And the same constancy and greatness of mind appeared in St. Stephen and the rest of the Disciples which yet was accompanied with equal humility and meekness Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Acts iv 19 20. You may do your pleasure but we must do our duty Nothing of fury and violence nor of wildness and extravagancy but a constant composedness and gravity and a rational sober zeal appeared in all their behaviour They told a plain truth and then wrought Miracles to confirm it and afterwards suffered any torments rather than they would renounce it or defist from Preaching it Though they could cure all Diseases and dispossess Devils and raise men from the dead or take away their Lives with a word speaking as in the case of Ananias and Saphira yet they were not exempted from sufferings because we must then have wanted one great argument for the confirmation of our Faith And the Gospel was to be founded upon principles of Love and Goodness not of Fear and Astonishment and there is something in the sufferings of good men which is apt mightily to work upon the affections and upon any seeds of good nature in us and therefore when by their Miracles they had raised the admiration of the Beholders and convinced them of the Power by which they were wrought their patience under sufferings not only confirmed them in the truth of Religion but laid the foundations of a Religious Life in gaining upon the inclinations and affections and in calming the spirits and preparing them by so great examples of patience to endure all the calamities incident to men Who is there that is not more affected with the meek and humble courage and invincible patience of the Apostles than with all the great Acts of the mighty conquerours and destroyers of Mankind A few poor unarmed defenceless men stand before armed Multitudes and speak with as much Authority as if all the Power of the world were in their hands and indeed all power was in their hands in as much as he assisted and inspired them who is above all They speak to Multitudes with as much freedom as to one man and to all Nations with as much ease as to one people And the same Holy Spirit who descended upon the rest of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost descended upon St. Paul at his conversion and gave that great Apostle so much confidence and resolution so much patience and zeal under his sufferings which were so severe and terrible that we can scarce read them with so little horror as he underwent them Thus did the Holy Ghost fit and prepare the Apostles to be witnesses to Christ by inspiring them with all that courage and
own thoughts in a way much more free and unconfin'd than in this Life as they have more knowledge in a separate state so they must have fitter means to communicate it And since the happiness of Heaven consists in the Vision of God that is in the communications of the Divine Wisdom and Goodness God certainly can as well act upon the minds of Men in this mortal state tho we be less capable of receiving or observing the influences of his Spirit Since finite Spirits can act one upon another it is reasonable to believe that the Spirit of God the God of the Spirits of all flesh doth move and work upon the Spirits of Men that he enlightens their understandings and inclines their Wills by a secret Power and Influence in the methods of his ordinary Grace And he can likewise act upon the Wills and the understandings of some men with a clearer and more powerful Light and Force than he is pleased to do upon others in such a manner as to render them infallible in receiving and delivering his Pleasure and Commandments to the World He can so reveal himself to them by the Operations of his Holy Spirit as that they shall be infallibly assur'd of what is revealed to them and as infallibly assure others of it Which kind of Revelation is styl'd Inspiration because God doth not only move and actuate the minds of such men but vouchsafes to 'em the extraordinary Communications of his Spirit the Spirit then more especially may be liken'd to the Winds to which it is compared in Scripture for by strong convictions and forcible but gracious Impressious he breaths upon their Souls and infuses his Divine Truths into them But upon those to whom God did thus reveal himself by inward light and knowledge he did moreover bestow a power of giving external evidence by miraculous works that their pretences were real and that what they spoke was not of them but was reveal'd to them from God This inspiration the Apostles profest to have both in their Preaching and Writings and this evidence they gave of it In speaking of the Inspiration by which the Scriptures were written I. I shall shew wherein the Inspiration of the Writers of the Scriptures did consist or how far it extended II. I shall from thence make such inferences as may afford a sufficient answer to the objections alledged upon this subject I. I shall shew wherein the Inspiration of the Writers of the Scriptures did consist or how far it extended And here we must consider both the Matter and the Words of Scripture The Matter is either concerning things reveal'd and which could not be known but by Revelation or it is something which was the object of Sense and Matter of Fact as when the Apostles testify that our Saviour was crucify'd and rose again or lastly it is matter of Reason as discourses upon Moral subjects and inferences made from things reveal'd or from matter of Fact God who is a Spirit can speak as intelligibly to the spirits and minds of Men as Men can speak to the ear and in things which could not be known but by Revelation the notions were suggested and infused into the minds of the Apostles and Prophets by the Holy Ghost but they might be left to put them into their ow 〈◊〉 * Praeterea scito unumquemque Prophetam pecuâ—iare quid habere ea lingua eaque loquendi ratione quae ipsi est familiaris consueta ipsum impelli à Prophetia sua ad loquendum ei qui intelligit ipsum Maimon More Nevoch Part 2. c. 29. Words being so directed in the use of them as to give infallibly the sense and full importance of the Revelation In matters of Fact their Memories were according to our Saviours promise assisted and confirm'd In matters of Discourse or Reasoning either from their own natural Notions or from things Reveal'd or from matters of Fact their understandings were enlightned and their Judgments strengthned And still in all cases their natural Faculties were so supported and guided both in their Notions and Words as that nothing should come into their Writings but what is infallibly true They had always the use of their Faculties tho under the infallible Direction and Conduct of the Holy Ghost and in things that were the proper objects of their faculties the Holy Ghost might only support and guide them as in matters of sense and natural Reason and Memory and in their Words and Style to express all these But in things of an higher Nature which were above their faculties and which they could have no knowledge of but from Revelation the things themselves were infused tho the words in most cases might be their own but they were preserv'd from error in the use of them by that Spirit who was to guide them into all Truth For tho the several Writers of the Scriptures might be allowed to use their own Words and Style yet it was under the infallible guidance and influence of the Spirit as when a man is left to the use of his own Hand or manner of Writing but is directed in the Sense and Orthography by one who dictates to him or assists him with his help where it is needful Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 The Holy Ghost saith by the Psalmist to day if ye will hear his Voice Hebr. 3.7 David saith of himself the Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my Tongue 2 Sam. 23.2 And God is said to speak by the hand of Moses his servant and by the hand of his servant Ahijah the Prophet 1 Kings 8.53.14.18 By which it appears that he used the Prophets as his Instruments in revealing his Will For as Miracles were by the immediate power of God though wrought by the hands of men so the Revelations were of God though spoken or written by the Prophets and Apostles But though God used them as his Instruments yet not as mechanical but as rational Instruments and as in working their Miracles they were not always necessarily determined to the place or to the persons on whom they were wrought but in general were guided to work them when they were proper and seasonable and the Actions by which they wrought them were their own though the power that accompanied them was of God so in their Doctrines they might be permitted to use their own Words and Phrases and to be guided by prudential Motives as to time and place and persons with a directive power only over them to speak and write nothing but infallible truth upon such occasions and in such circumstances as might answer the end of their Mission with which they were entrusted God promised Moses when he sent him to Pharaoh that he would be with his mouth and with Aaron's mouth and would
teach them what they should say Exod. 4.12 15. And our Saviour tells his Disciples ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak Matt. 10.18 19. And if Moses was inspired upon that particular occasion and the Apostles were inspired in things which were personal as in the defence that they made for themselves they must much rather be inspired in their Writings which concern the Church in all ages St Luke had perfect understanding of all things from above Luke 1.3 so Dr Lightfoot renders it with great probability for thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many places of Scripture Joh. 3.3 31.19.2 Jam. 1.17.3.17 And this the Church of Coriuth expected from St Paul they sought a proof of Christ speaking in him 2 Cor. 13.3 as that Apostle tells them he did and that not in a weak and obscure but in a powerful and effectual manner He writes for the same reason to the Thessalonians ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus 1 Thess 4.2 and he distinguisheth between his own Judgment assisted and enlightened though not infallibly by the Holy Ghost and the Commandments of the Lord or the infallible dictates of the Spirit 1 Cor 7.10 12 25 40. The Holy Ghost taught the Apostles all things and brought all things to their remembrance Jo. 14.26 and guided them into all Truth Joh. 16.13 and the Vnction from the holy one instructed 'em to know all things 1 Joh. 11.20 that is all things pertaining to Salvation this is said of their Disciples and therefore may in a more especial manner be affirmed of the Apostles themselves insomuch that the words themselves are ascribed to the Holy Ghost which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.13 For they were under the conduct and influence of the Holy Ghost in the choice of every word they used tho not so as to be inspired with a new style and dialect the words themselves were not always suggested but they were always inspired in the use of them and tho they might be permitted to chuse their own words and expressions yet it was with this limitation that they were never permitted to make choice of such as would not fully and infallibly express the mind of the Holy Ghost And therefore 1 Cor. 14.13 the Apostle gives this direction Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret that is let him pray that he may have the Divine Inspiration to assist him in expressing himself in a known tongue by which he is enabled to speak in an unknown one and that he may be infallible in rendring that in his own tongue which he infallibly speaks in another Which makes it evident that when they spoke by Inspiration in their own language they had the Guidance and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost in the use of their words and this was the reason why those that spoke by Inspiration in a strange tongue durst not presume to interpret the words which the Holy Ghost dictated to them in that tongue so as to give them out for Divine Revelation unless they were particularly empowered to render them in their own language with the same exactness with which they were inspired to speak in a strange tongue For that the necessity of praying that they might interpret could not proceed from any inability to interpret by reason of the force and heat of the Rapture which was upon 'em that made 'em unable to utter their conceptions in their own language or to retain the sense of them in their minds afterwards seems plain from verse 27. if any man speak in an unknown tongue let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course and let one interpret c. For if they had been acted by such rapturous heats and extasies they could have been as little able to refrain when the Rapture was upon them and to remember what they had to deliver when their course came to speak as they are supposed to have been to remember what they were inspired to speak in one language when they went to express it in another Neither were they ignorant themselves of what they spoke but when it is said vers 14. for if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful the meaning of that is that it was of no benefit to others tho he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifyeth himself vers 4. Some men were inspired to speak in strange tongues with as much readiness and more exactness than they could do in their native language but this was insignificant to such as understood not the tongue in which they spoke What is it then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also vers 15. i. e. I will pray by the Guidance and Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but in my own language in which my understanding is employed and the words are not all directly suggested to me by the Spirit as they must be in a language which I speak meerly by Inspiration but I am only so far guided and assisted in the choice and use of my words as to speak infallibly the mind of the spirit Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit c. verse 16. Those who had the gift of tongues were it seems so pufft up with it that they would worship God in no other but in those languages tho none of the Assembly understood them and would be always unnecessarily and unseasonably repeating the Revelations which they had received in strange languages the Apostle tells such men that it was very improper and absurd to deliver their Revelations in an unknown Tongue or to pray or give thanks in a Language not understood by those that heard them but that they should pray that they might interpret or forbear the use of the gift of to agues unless before them who understood the Tongues in which they spoke that it might be for edification For in their Inspirations they were consined at certain times to some particular Language as the Spirit gave them utterance and it might have done great prejudice to the Truth of Religion if they of themselves had ventured to render that into their own Language which was revealed to them in a strange Tongue and for this reason it was not permitted those who spoke with Tongues to speak in any but that in which the Revelation was made to them unless they were enabled to do it by being inspired with a Power of Interpretation For to speak with tongues and to interpret were distinct gifts 1 Cor. 12.10 30. and whatever
gift any one had received he was confined to the exercise of it and might not presume to pretend to another which he had not received The gift of tongues and of the interpretation of tongues being so particularly distinguished this must imply that the Apostles who are supposed to have had all the gifts which others had but in part were guided by the Spirit in their words and expressions since those who spoke by the Spirit were unable to interpret without a particular gift for no interpretation was sufficient but such as rendred the sense with infallible truth and exactness and if this exactness of words was requisite in their Assemblies it must be much rather necessary in the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists Among other gifts of the Holy Ghost are reckon'd the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge 1 Cor. 12.8 the former Grotius understands of speaking wise sayings and the latter of knowledge in History and to the rest was added the gift of discerning of spirits v. 10. And as there were several gifts so there were several offices in the Church Ephes 4.11 12. Now the several gifts of the Holy Ghost were not all bestowed ordinarily upon the same person but such as were necessary for that office and employment which he was to execute But as the Apostolical Power comprehended in it the powers of every other office so it was requisite that they should possess the gifts proper for the performance of whatever was to be done by them And when God by his providence and disposal of things gave the Apostles and Evangelists occasions of writing upon such and such subjects and to such and such persons or Churches he by his Spirit inwardly excited and assisted them in it bestowing upon them the gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge and of writing and speaking either in their own or any other Language in which they were required to write or speak For we are not to suppose that any gifts were bestowed upon others and yet denied to them to whom they were most useful and necessary in order to the delivering of that Faith and Doctrine which was to be the standing rule for the attainment of Salvation to all Christians unto the end of the world When others had the gift of speaking and interpreting strange Languages it cannot be conceived that the writers of the Holy Scriptures should be refused that necessary assistance in the Languages in which they wrote that might preserve them from error and if any without the gifts proper for it had undertaken any office or ministration the gift of discerning of Spirits was a security to the Church from any hurt that might ensue by the pretences of such undertakers We may be certain that all the Gifts which were bestowed for the edification of the Church were as far as they were needful vouchsafed more especially to all such as were to leave behind them for the benefit of the Church in all Ages an account of the Gospel of Christ and the terms of the Salvation to be obtained thereby and that no such Guidance and Direction of the Holy Ghost was wanting as might preserve them from error in any particular for there is no particular but it will fall under some one of those gifts which were bestowed upon the first Disciples They were not necessarily to write in an exact and elegant style but in such as was secured from error in whatever they delivered To what purpose else had been so many several Gifts To keep them from gross errors and fundamental mistakes there could have been no need of such a variety of Gifts but when every sort of error which men are prone to had a Remedy provided to prevent it we may be assured that no error was suffered in those Writings which were the most important work of the Apostolical Function and designed for the edifying of the Body of Christ not in one Age and Nation only but throughout all Ages and in all parts of the World II. I shall now proceed to make such Inferences as may afford a sufficient Answer to the objections alledged upon this subject 1. The Inspiration of the Writers of the Scriptures did not exclude humane means such as information in matters of fact either by their own senses or by the testimony of others or reasoning from their own notions and observations but the Holy Ghost guided them infallibly in the use of all such means 2. The Inspiration of the Prophets and Apostles or Evangelists did not exclude the use of their own words and style and as they might be permitted the use of these so they might be permitted or in some cases directed to use the words of others Many things delivered in one Book of the Scriptures are likewise delivered in another and some things are repeated in the same words that God revealing the same things and in the same express words at different times and by different persons might make the Revelation of them the more evident and remarkable For that in which several inspired persons concur is the more taken notice of and becomes the more observed as a thing of great weight and moment The reason why the Dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice was because the thing was established by God and God would shortly bring it to pass Gen 41.32 It is in this as it is in all other things it is expedient that in matters of great concernment there should be the more solemnity and that they should be the oftner repeated and the more insisted upon and if they be exprest in the same words this implies that those words carry more than ordinary weight in them And therefore not only all the Divine Writers agree in the same purpose and design and testiâ—â—ie the same things as to the chief points of Religion but some Prophets have foretold the same things even in the same words with others as Isai 2.2 3 4. Mic. 4.1 â— 3. and several Laws and Matters of Fact are repeated in words which are very near the same 3. Tho some things are set down in the Scriptures indefinitely and without any positive assertion or determination this is no proof against their being written by Divine Inspiration For this doth not prove that the Pen-men of those passages were uncertain and doubtful in the particulars so exprest because the things were of that nature that it was needless to speak precisely of them As when St John says Jo. 21.8 They were not far from Land but as it were two hundred Cubits it cannot from hence be concluded that the Evangelist was ignorant how far they were from Land For it was not material to his design to be more particular in a circumstance of that nature but it was sufficient to say that they were about two hundred Cubits off at Sea and it is usual with all Writers to omit fractions and insert only whole numbers when it is not material to their purpose to insist upon every minute circumstance It
is ordinary with the best Writers to express things uncertainly which they were notwithstaning throughly acquainted withal and to seem ignorant of things which they perfectly understood but past over as not worth the taking notice of or not considerable enough for them to own the knowledge of them It is a known Elegancy to say nescio quid or nescio quem when the Author so speaking was not ignorant of the thing or person there meant but either signified his contempt of the person or thing or intimated that it was not worth his while to trouble himself or his Hearers or Readers with a more particular relation The * Credo haec eadem Indutiomarum in testimonio timuisse aut cogitasse qui primum illud verbum consideratissimum nostrae consuetudinis Arbitror quo nos etiam tunc utimur cum ea dicimus jurati quae comperta habemus quae ipsi vidimus ex toto teslimonio suo sustulit atque omnia se scire dixit Cic. pro M. Fonteio Romans out of that Awe and Reverence which they had for Oaths never spoke positively in giving evidence of things which they were certain of and had seen themselves And uncertain forms of Speech are observed †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uip. in Demost Olynth 1. by Vlpian to have been usual thy Aneient Greek Authors in their speaking of things whereof they were very well assured It could be of no use or moment in relation to the miraculous draught of Fishes to know whether the Ship were two hundred cubits or half a cubit or a quarter of a cubit over or under from the Land and it is usual with St John to express himself in this manner Jo. 2.6 6.10 19.14 Either then to keep to the same instance St John might know the precise distance and for the reasons mentioned not declare it or it not being of any use or consequence for us to be more particularly informed in a matter of that nature the Holy Ghost might suffer him to be ignorant of it if he had no other means of knowing it but by Inspiration For the Holy Ghost assisted the Apostles and Evangelists to write infallible Truth but not always to write every little circumstance concerning the things which they relate Many Miracles are wholly omitted and many circumstances not considerable or material to be mentioned are omitted of those Miracles which are recorded But if nothing be related which may lead us into error and nothing omitted which is necessary to be known this is sufficient and is all that can be expected in a Book which is to be a Rule of Faith and Manners to us It is necessary that nothing but Truth should be contained in it but not that every Truth should be in it for then the world itself could not contain the Books that should be written Suppose therefore that St John did not know precisely how many cubits the Ship was from shore what doth this prove That he did not know the Miracle which he there relates Doth it prove that he was not inspired in what he doth relate if he were not inspired in what he omits If he had determined the precise distance and had not known it this might have discredited the Authority of his Gospel but when he has not determined it can this be an argument in diminution of its Authority if he did not know what he did not profess to know Is it not 〈◊〉 good Argument in confirmation of its Authority that he would assert nothing but what he certainly knew if in what he was not persectly assured he mentions no further than he knew of it So St Paul acquaints us when he spoke himself and not the Lord which is an argument to us that in all other cases he did not speak of himself but the Lord spoke by him it is a consirmation of his Integrity that he would impose nothing upon us as of Divine Authority which is not really so because he that told us in any one case that he spoke of himself not as from the Lord would have made the same Declaration in other cases whenever he had written any thing without express Revelation 4. In things which might fall under human Prudence and Observation there the Spirit of God seems not to have dictated immediately to the Prophets and Apostles but only to have used a directive or conducting Power and Influence so as to supply such Thoughts and Apprehensions to them as might be most proper and seasonable and to keep them in the use of their own Reason within the bounds of Infallible Truth and of Expediency for the present case and occasion They might be permitted to insert such things as the state of affairs required which tho not immediately dictated by the Holy Ghost yet were agreeable to the end and design of his Inspiration and serviceable to the Ministry to which they were appointed There seems to be no necessity to assert that St Paul sent for his Cloak and Parchments by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost or that he had any immediate command or direction to salute the particular persons named at the end of his Epistles but only that his Doctrine was immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost and as he might be permitted to put that into his own words but so as never to be suffered to express it otherwise than in such a manner as was fully agreeable to the mind and intention of the Holy Spirit and therefore infallibly true So in these lesser and indifferent matters which some present occasion made requisite to be written of he had the guidance and assistance of the Holy Ghost to prevent him from writing any thing but what was expedient in those circumstances and serviceable to his calling and ministry in the propagation of the Gospel But things of an indifferent nature in themselves might become necessary as to time and place and persons and therefore might in some cases be of Divine Inspiration St Paul's journeying into Macedonia rather than into any other Country was in itself a thing indifferent but the salvation of many souls might depend upon it and therefore he was warned by Revelation not to preach the word in Asia nor to go into Bithynia but into Macedonia Acts 16.6 7 9. In like manner the Salutations of particular persons at the end of his Epistles tho they may seem to us to be of no great importance yet might be of mighty consideration and consequence to those who were concerned in them To be saluted by an Apostle in so particular and solemn a manner might revive their spirits and encourage them to perseverance under their Temptations and Asslictions for his Salutations include his Benediction which was the exercise of his Apostolick Office and Authority in one great branch of it And God himself might direct the Apostle to salute such persons for their support and comfort and encouragement in the Faith Besides the Salutation added at the end of the Epistles are
manner what our inward Faith and Resolutions are This is that sort of security which Men have of one another and when God makes a Covenant with Men he considers them as Men that is he appoints such Solemnities of it as have respect to the Body as well as to the Soul he doth not deal with us as with immaterial Spirits but as with Creatures consisting of Soul and Body and who little regard and are little affected with that which doth not some way concern the one as well as the other And it is strange to see to what Extravagancies those have proceeded who have set up for a purely Spiritual Worship without any thing Sacramental for a visible Sign in it For not to mention the Pretensions of our Enthusiasts who by decrying the use and necessity of Sacraments have made Religion nothing but an empty and uncertain Name amongst them Prophyry who was a Man of Study and Learning after he had Apostatiz'd from the Christian Religion upon a ridiculous Occasion as History relates it was ashamed to return to the Heathen Idolatry which after the appearance of Christianity in the World soon became too notoriously absurd and abominable for any Man pretending so much to Reason and good Sense to own it but he placed all Divine Worship in Mental Prayer and so far rejected all outward and Bodily Worship (g) Porphyr de Abstinent lib. 2. §. 34. that he pretended the Prayers of Men were polluted and defiled by any thing of that Nature and rendred unacceptable to the Deity and that they never were sufficiently pure and perfect if they were express'd by the Voice but were then in their highest degree of Perfection when they were all Contemplation and Rapture and Extasie And the very same Notions were taught by (h) Euseb Praepar Evang. lib. iv c. 13. Apollonius Tyanoeus and have been revived of late by such as undervalue all outward Ordinances which may be a Warning to others and an Evidence of the Divine Wisdom in appointing Sacraments as outward and visible Signs of our Covenant and Communion with God 2. As these outward Signs serve to raise our Attention and fix our Minds and to put us in Remembrance that Heaven and Earth Angels and Men are Witnesses against us if we prove treacherous and unfaithful in this Covenant so they are as Tokens and Pledges to us of God's Love and Favour and of his merciful and gracious Intentions towards us in taking us into Covenant with himself they give us sensible and visible Assurances of that Grace which is invisible and Spiritual And this seems but necessary for Creatures that are led so much by Sense as we all are in this Life that God together with his Word and Promises should besides appoint something which may be perceiv'd by our Bodily Senses in Token of those Blessings which are bestow'd upon the Soul that what is no Object of Sense may yet be represented and signified by something that is sensible to bring as far as it is possible the most Divine and Heavenly things down to our very Senses which may be a Sign and Token of present Grace and Favour and a Pledge and Earnest of future Glory and Happiness And this is what is found very useful and necessary amongst Men who are better contented with something present and in hand tho' of little value and insignificant in itself as a Token and Pledge of what is promised and made over to them than they are with the greatest Promises and Protestations without any thing as an Earnest to confirm them because this is a Natural Evidence that they are indeed in Earnest as our English word expresses it and really intend what they say and it may be produced against them if they should fail of Performance Now what is inward and invisible is absent as to Sense and what is future has need of something present to represent it to us And God who was pleased to bind himself even by an Oath for our farther Comfort and Trust in him has been pleased likewise that he might be wanting in nothing which might help our Infirmities and assist our Faith he has been pleased in condescention to the Condition and Frailty of Humane Nature to appoint visible Signs and Pledges of that which is Invisible and to give all the Assurance to our very Senses that they are capable of that all the Promises of his Spiritual Blessings and Graces shall as certainly be fulfilled to us as the outward Signs and Pledges are appointed for us and duly received by us 3. Sacraments are not only Signs and Tokens of Spiritual Gifts and Graces but they are ordained as Means and Instruments of Grace and Salvation to us that as the Body partakes in the Moral Actions of Vertue and Vice so it might concur in the Religious Acts ordained for our Sanctification For God who has made us so as to consist of Soul and Body and to have the Vital Union between Soul and Body depend upon a fit Disposition of the Body and to be maintained by the Health and Nourishment of it has been pleas'd to appoint certain Bodily Actions as the Means and Instruments of our Spiritual Life that the Soul might not even in this Case where itself is more immediately concern'd be wholly independent of the Body but that since both must be either happy or miserable together in the next Life both might concurr in the way and means of Salvation in this yet so as that the Soul should be the first and principal Agent and the Body should act only in subordination and subserviency to it in this as it doth in other Cases that as in Moral Actions the Soul acts vertuously or viciously by the Body so in Spiritual Actions the Soul might receive Advantage and Benefit by Bodily Acts and be deprived of it upon the Omission or Neglect of such Acts. The Body without the Soul is not the Man nor the Soul without the Body but both Soul and Body together and the whole Man becomes dedicated and consecrated to God's Worship and Service in the use of Actions performed outwardly in the Body And it is requisite that the Body as well as the Soul should be thus dedicated to God in Token of the Resurrection of the Body and of that Happiness which it must receive in Heaven if the Soul be happy St. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to glorifie God in their Body as well as in their Spirit 1 Cor. vi 20. he tells them that the Body is not for Fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the Body know ye not says he that your Bodies are the members of Christ what know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost There have been those in several Ages who have made such high Pretences to Spiritual Worship that they would allow the Body no part or share in it and others from the great irregularity and corruption which they could not but observe in