Writer that I know as our Author himself observes e Ubi sup so that as he truly adds A man must fetch all out of his own Stock that intends to Answer him However if this Discourse do not prove satisfactory I hope 't will be the occasion of Engaging some Abler Pen in this Cause and if that be the only Good it does it will not be altogether Vnserviceable In the last place I must desire of those who think I have not carried the Inspiration of the Scriptures so high as I ought not to be Angry with me or uncharitably Censure me as if I design'd to Betray the Cause which I pretend to maintain but if they are not satisfied with my Performance to Vndertake the Argument themselves and do Justice to so Good a Causa I assure them I shall heartily wish them Success in their Vndertaking and shall be glad if my Arguments appear weak because theirs are stronger for I can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth The Contents CHAP I. General Considerations concerning the Inspiration of the writings of the New-Testament THe Method of the whole Treatise proposed Pag. 1 The Proof of the Inspiration of the New-Testament Writings contain'd in Six Propositions p. 3 I. Proposition God design'd to provide a means for Preserving the Doctrine of Christianity to the End of the World p. 5 II. Prop. The best means of preserving Christianity in an Ordinary way was by conveying the Doctrine of it to after Ages by Writing p. 6 III. Prop. 'T is reasonable to think that God would deliver the Christian Doctrine in Writing because he used the same means formerly for the Instruction of the Jewish Church p. 10 The Reasons which enduced St. Matthew and St. Mark to write their Gospels as they are related by the Ancient Church-Writers p. 12 IV. Prop. God has actually made use of no other way for the Conveying the Doctrine of Christianity but the Writings of the New Testament p. 13 V. Prop. The Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Use of the Church and lookt upon them to be of equal Authority with the Divine Writings of the Old Testament p. 15 The Reasons which moved St. Luke and St. John to write their Gospels p. 16 The Apostolical Epistles were design'd for General Use tho many of them writ upon Particular Occasions p. 17 Reflections upon the Style and way of writing used by St. Paul p. 18 Concerning the General Epistles p. 21 VI. Prop. The Age immediately following that of the Apostles lookt upon their Writings as the Standing Rule of Christian Faith p. 22 Reflections upon a Passage in Mr. Hobs's Leviathan concerning the Date of the New Testament Canon p. 26 An Answer to Mr. N.'s Objection That some Books are received into the New Testament Canon whose Authors are not known p. 28 Four Corollaries or Inferences drawn from the whole 1 Inference That the Holy Ghost Assisted the Apostles as fully when they Writ as when they Preach'd p. 29 2 Inference The Holy Ghost in several Cases Dictated to the Apostles the Words and Style they should Use and in all Cases preserved them from using such Expressions as would naturally lead men into Error p. 31 What Cautions are to be observed in Interpreting the Style of the Apostles and arguing from the Terms they use p. 35 3 Inference Since the Writing of the New Testament is owing to God's Providence and Care of his Church the Composing the several parts of it does not exclude the Use of Natural Means no more than other Acts of Providence do p. 37 4 Inference 'T is no Argument against a Book 's being design'd by God for the Perpetual Use of the Church that 't was at first Written upon a particular Exigency and with respect to the Circumstances which were peculiar to that time p. 40 CHAP. II. A More Particular Enquiry into the Nature of the Apostolical Gifts and Inspiration p. 42 The General Heads treated of in this Chapter p. 44 In what Cases the Apostles deliver'd their Judgements as Men and did not speak by Inspiration Three Instances of this Nature propos'd p. 45 1 Cor. 7.12 at large Explain'd p. 46 To grant that the Apostles spoke some things without Inspiration does not prejudice their Authority as to others p. 53 In all other Cases beside those before Excepted the Apostles Preach'd and Writ by the particular Direction and Assistance of the Spirit p. 55 The Scripture Notion of an Apostle p. 57 1 Cor. 2.10 c. and 1 Thes 4.8 considered p. 58 The Assistance which the Spirit gave the Apostles did not consist only in bringing to their remembrance what Christ had said to them p. 62 This proved 1. From those Discourses of our Saviour's concerning the Kingdom of Heaven where he represents it as a Temporal State in Complyance with the prejudices of his Disciples p. 63 2 From his Parables concerning the Future State of the Gospel p. 65 3 From the Gift which the Apostles had of Explaining the Types and Prophecies of the Old Testament p. 68 The Apostles had an Extraordinary Assistance when they were summon'd to appear before Magistrates upon the account of their Religion p. 73 S. Matt. 10.20 Vindicated from the Gloss of Mr. N. p. 74 Several Instances given of his and other Modern Writers Arts to Evade the true force of Scripture Expressions Ibid. Mr. N.'s Unsincerity in passing by the plain Instances which are in Scripture of the Boldness and Courage of the Apostles p. 78 St. Paul's Behaviour before the Council Acts 23. Clear'd from Mr. N.'s Aspersions p. 80 St. Stephen's Behaviour Acts 7. Vindicated p. 84 Mr. N.'s Objections against the Inspiration of the Apostles particularly Answer'd 1 Objection That the Apostles Disputed and Conferr'd with each other Answer'd p. 88 2 Objection That St. Peter after the Descent of the Holy Ghost had need of a Vision to instruct him Answer'd p 95 3 Objection That St. Paul and St. Barnabas were forc'd to go to Jerusalem to have that Controversy decided Whether the Gentile Converts were bound to observe the Law Answer'd p. 97 4 Objection St. Peter's Dissimulation at Antioch Answer'd p. 104 5 Objection That the Spirit of Prophecy mention'd in the New Testament was only a Disposition of Mind which made men fit to Instruct Answer'd p. 104 1 Tim. 4.13 14. Clear'd p. 106 Why St. Paul gave Directions to the Prophets and Inspir'd Persons at Corinth p. 110 A brief Answer to some Lesser Cavils p. 112 CHAP. III. Concerning the Inspiration of the Prophets p. 115 The Personal Qualifications of the Prophets consider'd both as to their Intellectual Accomplishments p. 116 and their Moral Ones p. 121 The Original design of God's sending Prophets to the Jews was to hinder them from having recourse to Heathen Oracles and Divinations p. 126 The Prophetical Office design'd for Greater Purposes p. 129 1 To admonish the People of their Duty p. 130 2 To keep up a sense of
sure his Disciples would never pretend to know more then their Master Having thus considered the Cases in which the Apostles spake or writ without Inspiration I proceed in the II. Place to shew that Excepting those Cases the Apostles writ and spake by the particular Assistance and Direction of the Spirit Our Author confines the Infallibility of their Preaching and Writing to those things which they Learn'd from Christ or related as spoken by him p Fr. p. 256 257. Eng. p. 69 70. But as to the Arguments which they fram'd upon those Principles and the Consequences they deduc'd from the Old Testament here he supposes them to have used only their own Memory and Judgment tho he grants these Discourses of theirs are to be received because there 's nothing in them but what is conformable to the Doctrine of Christ and to right Reason and nothing that can lead us into the Belief of what is false or contrary to Piety q En. p. 112 131 135. Fr. p. 282 283. 224 227. This as exactly as I can gather is all the Authority he allows the Sermons and Writings of the Apostles and this indeed is as much Authority as can be given to any Humane Discourse and tho it does not exclude all possibility yet it excludes all likelyhood of error But as we look upon the Apostles to have been somewhat more than Sound Divines or Men that very well understood the Doctrine which they were to teach others so their Discourses and Writings have been always esteem'd of an higher Rank than any Religious Treatises purely Humane which however solid and true they may be are to be judged of by these Writings and are no further true than they agree with them The Scripture makes this the Characteristick of an Apostle whereby he was distinguisht from the other Inspir'd persons who were then in the Church viz. that he did not learn the Gospel in an Humane way r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 1.11 compar with ver 12. 1. v. 1 Cor. 2.10 but purely by Revelation S. Paul might have been sufficiently instructed in the Gospel by those who were Pillars in the Church ſ v. Gal. 2.6 9. so as to have been out of all likelyhood either of mistaking any part of it himself or leading others into error but we see this way of Instruction was not sufficient to advance him to the Dignity of the Apostolate and therefore Christ himself made a particular Revelation of the whole Gospel to him t v. Ubi supr 1 Cor. 11.23 Eph. 3.3 4. that he might not be Inferior in any respect to the chiefest Apostles And since the Gospel was communicated to him and the rest of the Apostles by Divine Revelation only that they might teach it to others whether by Word or Writing with the greater assurance and certainty and without any danger of error their Discourses which were design'd for the Instruction of the Church must be the effects of this supernatural habit of Christian Knowledge which God infus'd into their minds I have shewed in the former Chapter u P. 29. that the same Assistance accompanied the Apostles in their Writing which did in their Preaching and therefore shall now speak of these two indifferently and shew what kind of Authority the Apostles claim'd in either of them S. Paul says w 1 Cor. 2.10 that God has revealed the deep things and the Mysteries of the Gospel to the Apostles by the Spirit which probably were the same things Christ told his Disciples they were not able to bear while he was with them x John 16.12 Such was particularly the Doctrine of the Cross which S. Paul's Discourse chiefly relates to in that place y 1 Cor. 1.18 c c. 2.2 These things S. Paul says z Ib. ver 13. they spoke and taught others and that too in the Words which the Holy Ghost taught them Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends their style a Ver. 1. 4. as well as their Arguments and shews there 's a greater regard to be had to the style of the Apostles than our Author b v. loc supr citat p. 35. is willing to allow and even for that very Reason which he alledges as an Argument why 't is not dictated by the Spirit viz. because 't is plain and without any Affectation of Wit or Learning and conform'd to the style of the Old Testament For this style however Negligent and Careless our Author may think it c Fr. p. 233. En. p. 145. the Apostles used by the direction of the Holy Ghost as appears from this place It follows immediately Comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify Explaining Illustrating d v. Grot. in locum i. e. proving one Divine Revelation by another the Revelations of the New Testament by those of the Old At last the Apostle concludes e Ib. ver 16. We have the mind of the Christ and therefore ye are to hearken to us and receive what we say tho in many things not agreeing with the Principles of Philosophy or Worldly Wisdom which the Apostle in the Verses before f 1 Cor. 1.20 c. c. 2.1 c. had undervalued in comparison of the Gospel In all which Discourse S. Paul plainly ascribes his and the rest of the Apostles Preaching to the Instructions the Holy Ghost gave them without making any restrictions and particularly that part of it which consisted in drawing Consequences and bringing Proofs from the Old Testament Again we find the same Apostle threatning those that despise his Advice as not despising man but God who gave the Apostles his holy Spirit g 1 Thes 4.8 that they might teach with uncontroulable Authority And I think we may fairly conclude from hence that St. Paul expected all his Precepts and Instructions should be submitted to not meerly as coming from one of the Governours of the Church but as having something more then Humane Authority and being derived from the Spirit of God For what he says in this place tho it immediately respect only those Advices which are contain'd in the foregoing part of the Chapter may by parity of Reason be applied to all other Apostolical injunctions for as the words are general and do not specify that the Apostle deliver'd these particular Rules by an extraordinary Revelation more than any others which he elsewhere gives so neither are the Advices such in their own Nature as require a greater degree of Inspiration to deliver them than the other Exhortations and Commands which are every where to be found in the Apostolical Writings From whence I conclude we ought to look upon those Writings as a Divine Rule of Faith and Practise and that he who despises or undervalues them despises not man but God who gave his holy Spirit to the Authors of them And how far our Author may be guilty of this fault
in Christ and his Church Our Author grants k Fr. p. 283. En. p. 113. that God immediately imparted to the Apostles those Prophecies which are to be found in their Writings so that this point need not to be further Insisted upon I proceed therefore to consider their gift of Explaining the Prophecies of the Old Testament and applying them to the times of the Gospel And here 't is to be considered that tho our Saviour did explain many Prophecies to his Disciples after his Resurrection concerning his own Sufferings and Exaltation and the Preaching of the Gospel to all Nations l Luk. 24.27 45 46 47. yet there were several other Prophecies which they could not understand till they were indued with Power from on High and thereby inabled to comprehend the great Mysteries of God's Oeconomy as in several other Instances so particularly in the Rejecting of the Jews and Calling of the Gentiles And therefore those Dispensations of the Old Testament which the Apostles apply to these purposes viz. the Allegory of Ismael and Isaac m Rom. 9.7 Gal. 4.24 of Jacob and Esau n Rom. 9.10 c. by which S. Paul illustrates this matter the words of Moses in his Song o Deut. 32.21 which he applies to the same purpose p Rom. 10.19 as also the words of Habakkuk q Acts 13.41 I say the explaining the Mystical Sense and Design of these and such like Occurrences and Prophecies of the Old Testament is to be reckon'd a peculiar gift bestowed upon the Apostles by the holy Spirit 1. Because they themselves look upon it as such as appears by St. Paul's reckoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r 1 Cor. 12.8 which word certainly signifies the gift of Interpreting the Mysteries of the Old Testament and applying them to the State of things under the New 2. Because those Providential Occurrences had a secret and hidden design in them which could be discover'd by none but God that order'd them who as he comprehends the most distant Ages in one single view so in his disposing and ordering the more Remarkable Events under the Old Testament had all along an Eye to the times under the New 3. As to the Prophecies 't is not likely that any persons without a Supernatural Illumination could look to the end and utmost Completion of them since the Prophets themselves had not this priviledge granted them as appears from those places ſ Rom. 16.25 1 Cor. 2.7 Eph. 3.9 Colos 1.26 where the Gospel is called a Mystery kept secret since the World began a hidden Mystery and hid from Ages and Generations And especially from those remarkable words of St. Peter t 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Of which Salvation by Christ the Prophets have inquir'd and searched diligently who prophecied of the Grace that should come unto you searching what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow To whom it was revealed that not to themselves but to us they did Minister these things From whence it appears that tho the Prophets were very Inquisitive after the Manner how and the Time when their Prophecies should be fulfill'd yet they had only this general Satisfaction that they should not be fulfill'd in their own time And I think we may infer from thence that the perfect understanding them was reserv'd to the times of the Messias And tho the event would sufficiently Interpret the meaning of several of them yet there were some that needed a greater Light than that to understand them and apply them aright To which we may add that the manner of Interpreting the Prophecies of the Old Testament which the Apostles used is a Rule to after Ages how they are to Interpret the Prophetical Writings and prove the Truth of the Gospel by them and therefore the same reasons which prove the Writings of the Apostles in general Divinely Inspir'd because they are a standing Rule of Christian Faith may be applied to that part of them which consists in explaining the Mystical Sense of the Old Testament Writings But concerning the Mystical Sense of the Prophets I shall have an opportunity to speak more fully in the next Chapter And so much may suffice for the proof of the third general Head viz. That the Assistance which the holy Spirit gave the Apostles was something more than refreshing their Memories and recalling to their minds what our Saviour had said unto them I proceed to shew IV. That the Apostles had an extraordinary Assistance when they were summon'd before Magistrates upon the account of their Religion and to vindicate their Behaviour at that time from the unbecoming and Irreverent Reflections of this Author One would think the words of our Saviour were plain enough in this point u Matt. 10.19 20. Mark 13.11 Take no thought before-hand what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye ought to say for 't is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost says S. Mark the Spirit of your Father saith S. Matthew speaks in you If this had been only a Spirit of Courage and Holiness arising from the Belief of the Gospel as Mr. N. pretends w Fr. p. 241. Eng. p. 44. 't would have requir'd a great deal of Care Consideration and Reflection to keep it warm upon their Hearts that it might not cool when danger approached And our Saviour's precluding the use of Humane means proves that it was something more than an ordinary Grace which always requires the Cooperation of our Natural Faculties and shews that 't was as much a new Impulse which the Apostles were to feel upon their minds on such occasions as any Prophetick Inspiration whatsoever But notwithstanding the plain import of the words rather than own an extraordinary Inspiration the natural force of the words must be dwindled away into nothing under the pretence of their being only a Hebrew way of speaking x Fr. p. 244 Eng. p. 49. like The Spirit of jealousie of slumber c. which are found in the Old Testament As if there was no difference in the nature of the Expression between the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of the Father and the spirit of jealousie or stupidity But this is the constant method of our New Interpreters of Scripture that don't care to believe any thing to be there but what Natural Powers can effect and Intellectual ones comprehend When they are pressed with plain words of Scripture they will not out of Good Manners in downright terms deny their Authority but think it more decent to evade it by explaining away all the force of them and alledging the Metaphorical and Pompous way of speaking which the Eastern Languages use which seems to imply a great deal more in it than the Writer really design'd Thus Spinoza tells us y Theol. Polit.
their Authority was immediately Establisht And so much for the proving the Sixth Proposition And I think supposing these Six Propositions proved this Conclusion will plainly follow from what has been said that the Books of the New-Testament were Written by God's Direction and design'd by Him for the Perpetual use and Instruction of the Church and are the only Fixt Rule which he has appointed for this purpose I shall draw some Conclusions from these Premises which will tend to illustrate and explain the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Writings 1. It follows from hence that the Holy Ghost assisted the Apostles as fully when they Writ as when they Preached How far this assistance extended and wherein it consisted I shall examine particularly in the next Chapter at present I intend only to shew that we may presume there is as great a degree of Inspiration to be found in their Writings as was in their Preaching For since the reason why this Assistance accompanied them in their Preaching was the benefit of the Church that they might Guide it into all Truth without any danger of mixing error with it the same reason holds much stronger for their Writings which do not serve for the Instruction of One Age only as their Preaching did but of Many And therefore tho we should suppose that they use Arguments ad Hominem sometimes and proceed upon such Principles as were generally admitted in the Age they lived without nicely examining whether they were true or not yet this only shews that they thought fit to explain Divine Truths in such a manner as was most suitable to the Capacity of the persons they were immediately to Instruct And as we must grant that tho the New Testament was design'd for the use of future Ages yet the Phrase and Style and Argumentation used in it is wholly accommodated to the Sentiments and Usage of that Age in which 't was writ so S. Paul himself does plainly imply that he does not always use the Best Arguments but sometimes such as are best fitted to the Capacities and Notions of those he Writes to For thus we find him express himself by way of excuse for the Argument he makes use of d Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh which is as much as if he had said I could bring a better argument to prove what I say but this which I make use of is more suitable to your Capacities and may perhaps more effectually convince you than a better 2. It follows secondly that since the Books of the New Testament and the same reason holds as to any other Writings of the same rank and use were design'd to be a standing rule of Faith to Christians the Holy Ghost tho he did not generally Dictate the words which the holy Writers used yet directed them to express their minds in such a manner that those who have a regard to the Dialect and way of speaking in which they write might rightly understand them or at least the Holy Spirit prevented their giving just occasion for Men's errors and mistakes in matters of Consequence by their Phrases and Expressions And such a degree of assistance is absolutely necessary to make these Books a standing Rule of Faith For tho we suppose the Holy Writers used a Popular style and consequently made use of such Hyperboles and Metaphors and other Improprieties of Speech which common practise allows of in all Languages especially where they occasionally speak of Philosophical matters and things not immediately relating to Religion yet unless we suppose them to speak properly in those Terms of Art which are of fundamental use in the explaining the Doctrines of Christianity and upon the sense of which whole Controversies turn and as they are differently taken they alter the very face of the Christian Religion I say except we suppose the Apostles to speak properly i. e. agreeably to their own Simplicity and Plainness of Speech and in such a manner as was most likely to be understood by those they writ to when they treat of matters of great Importance and such as are justly to be reckon'd Fundamental Doctrines the New Testament will not answer the ends of a Rule of Faith For a Book is of no use to explain or decide any Controversy if we can have no sixt rule whereby to judge of its style so as to be in some measure certain what is its true sense And 't is very strange if a Book writ by persons who had an extraordinary assistance from God and which was design'd for Universal use should not be worded with that care which Humane Industry uses in matters of Importance And therefore we have reason to rely upon the assistance of the Holy Spirit even with relation to the Phrase and Letter of the Scripture and to believe that he has so far directed the holy Pen-men that their Phrases and Expressions should not lead Men into error in matters of Consequence but may be rightly understood by those that acquaint themselves with the Dialect in which they writ and consult the Ages nearest the Apostles who must needs be next to their own style the best Judges of their sense If indeed the Socinian Doctrines concerning the Nature and Satisfaction of Christ were true it must be confessed there would be little reason to believe that the Holy Ghost had a hand in wording the Scriptures nay then the Scriptures will appear to be written in such a style as if the Writers design'd to lead Men into error And the Socinians themselves when they make Reason the sole Judge of Sripture and tell us they will not believe any thing contrary to Reason tho it were never so plainly asserted in Scripture do in effect confess that the expressions of Scripture taken in their natural and most obvious sense do not at all favour their Opinions e Socin de Christ Servat l. 3. c. 6. And therefore 't is no wonder to find these Gentlemen warn their Readers so often not to make Inferences from the Phrases of Scripture as if they were used strictly and properly that they so often tell us of the Improprieties and Metaphors which the Eastern Writers and those who imitate them abound with that the Apostles play with Words as Socinus with Reverence speaks f Amavit Paulus in Execrationis verbo esse argutus Socm de Chr Serâ— l. 2. c. 1 and take them sometimes in one sense and sometimes in another Our Author follows them in this as well as in some other things g v Fr. p 234. Eng p. 146. and often cautions h Eng. p 107 111. Fr. p. 280 281. En. p. 11â— Fr. p. 285. Eng. p. 145 146. Fr. p. 233 234. us not to subtilize about the expressions nor stick too close to the Letter of the Scripture since the style of Scripture is so far from being exact that 't is very careless and tells us i Eng. p. 107 116.
I leave it to God and his own Conscience to Judge I proceed to shew III. That the Assistance which the Holy Spirit gave to the Apostles did not consist only in refreshing their Memories or Improving their Natural Faculties but was in several respects a new degree of supernatural Knowledge Our Author is willing to believe as appears by the places h Fr. p. 254 -257 Eng. p. 66. 70. I have before cited that the Assistance the Holy Ghost gave to the Apostles did chiefly and in a manner only consist in refreshing their memory and recalling to their mind what our Saviour had taught them And agreeably to this opinion he tells us i Fr. p. 255. En. p. 67. that when our Saviour promises his Disciples k John 15.26 That the Holy Ghost shall teach them all things and bring all things to their remembrance these latter words apparently explain the foregoing as if the Holy Ghost's teaching them was nothing else but bringing to their remembrance what Christ had taught them before Now I deny not but that our Saviour declar'd to his Disciples the whole Counsel of God and therefore when he gave them Commission to go and teach all Nations he makes this the Rule they were to go by in Preaching viz. to teach whatever he had commanded them l Matt. 28.20 as containing the whole Doctrine of Christianity but granting all this yet 't will appear from several instances that the Assistance of the Spirit was something more than bringing to their remembrance what Christ had said unto them For 1. Some things our Saviour did not only not explain to them fully but likewise made use of such Expressions when he spoke of them as were accommodated to the Notions the Apostles were prepossess'd with Thus when He discoursed to them of the Nature of his Kingdom he made use of such Expressions as in their most natural and obvious Sense did imply that 't was to be a Temporal One for he described the happiness which his Disciples were to enjoy in it by eating and drinking at his Table and sitting upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel m Luke 22.30 Matt. 19.28 Which Expressions did tend directly to confirm them in their prejudices concerning the Worldly Grandeur of Christ's kingdom our Saviour not thinking it a proper season as yet to wean them from these Opinions which had taken such deep root in their minds that they could not be extirpated all of a sudden but must be removed by gentle and easy degrees Now to give the Apostles a right understanding as to this matter 't was not sufficient the holy Spirit should recall to their memory the words which our Saviour had used upon this subject for those alone would rather confirm them in the false Notions they had entertain'd concerning these things than instruct them in the true one but 't was further requisite that the Spirit should give them a clear and distinct apprehension of the Spiritual Nature of Christ's Kingdom and wherein the Glory and Happiness it promises consists and should further inform them for what Reasons our Saviour chose in compliance with their apprehensions and in conformity to the Style of the Old Testament to wrap up these things in Obscurity and discourse of them under the vail of Types and Figures And I think this was to inlighten their minds with a new degree of Supernatural Knowledge 2. But besides those things which our Saviour concealed under Types and Figures There were others he obscurely Express'd in Parables As the Calling of the Gentiles in the Parable a Matt. 20.5 6. of the Housholder that went out at the latter end of the Day to hire Labourers into his Vineyard The rejection of the Jews under the Parable b Matt. 22.1 of the persons invited to a Marriage Feast who would not come Several other instances of the same kind might be given Now to understand these things perfectly something more was requisite than just to remember our Saviour's words as is plain by the Disciples asking our Saviour the meaning of another Parable of his viz. That of the tares of the Field c Matt. 13.36 v. c. 15.15 The words they remembred perfectly well but were at a loss for the meaning and design of them and therefore desir'd him to explain it to them And by the same Reason there was need of a greater degree of Illumination to certify them that the Gentiles were to be Fellow-heirs and partakers of the Promises of Christ than the bare putting them in mind of those short hints our Saviour had given them concerning this matter would amount to And accordingly we find that St. Peter had need of a Vision d Act. 10. to instruct him in this matter and even that extraordinary Revelation seem'd scarce sufficient to convince him of this truth For afterward notwithstanding the Vision he had formerly seen he relapsed again into his old notions and separated himself from the Gentile-Converts at Antioch e Gal. 2.11 Which is a pregnant instance how much need the Apostles had of an extraordinary degree of Clearness and Evidence fully to instruct and convince them in those points of Christianity that were opposite to the Opinions they had formerly imbraced and that something more was requisite to that purpose than just to remember what our Saviour had said upon this Subject For even that Vision it self did not fully explain to St. Peter God's Counsel and purpose and 't is likely he thought there was no more implied by it than that he should receive those Gentiles who voluntarily offer'd themselves The first that were sent to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles were S. Paul and S. Barnabas when the Holy Ghost separated them for this purpose f Acts 13.2 comp with ver 46. And 't is upon this Account that St. Paul calls himself g Rom. 11.13 Gal. 2.9 Eph. 3.1 1 Tim. 2.7 the Apostle of the Gentiles and says in express terms that the Salvation of the Gentiles by their being Incorporated into the Church and making one Body with the Jews was a Doctrine which was but then newly h Eph. 3.5 6. REVEALED to the Apostles and Prophets by the SPIRIT And we may observe that the same S. Paul sometimes expresses the Knowledge of the Gospel with which the holy Spirit furnisht the Apostles and Inspir'd persons of those times by the word i 1 Cor. 14.6 26 30. 2.10 Eph. 1.17 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to imply that in several respects it was not so much a Revival of what our Saviour taught them while he was upon Earth as a piece of Knowledge intirely new and a distinct Revelation 3. We may instance in another sort of true and proper Inspiration which belong'd to the Apostles and that is The gift of Prophecy it self and of applying the Prophecies of the Old Testament to the times of the Gospel and shewing that they are truly fulfilled
c. 6. that tho there are wonderful stories told in the old Testament yet that is no proof that the things themselves were Miraculous or such as exceeded the power of Natural Agents for the Jews loved to talk big and make a great deal more of a story by their way of telling it than the matter of Fact really was Just so the Socinians when they are pressed with plain Texts of Scripture for the Divinity or Satisfaction of Christ make this their constant Refuge that the Hebrew Language is full of Metaphors and the Writers don't mean half so much as they say Now this is an excellent device to render the Scriptures an insignificant Book or which is much the same make it say whatever these New Expositors please But before this trick will pass these Gentlemen should convince us that since 't is impossible to know the meaning of the Scripture by the words 't is they only have the secret of telling us its true Sense and the Key to these Mystical Characters And here I shall take occasion to reflect upon another passage in these Letters which indeed belongs to the Subject treated of in the former part of this Chapter viz. Concerning the Assistance of the Holy Ghost which our Saviour promised his Disciples but being another Essay of our Author's dexterity in this new way of Interpreting Scripture I chose to make my remarks upon it in this place 'T is his gloss upon that place of St. John z Joh. 16.13 14 15. He shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak c. He observes a Fr. p. 254. En. p. 66. that these words must be extremely figurative because the Holy Ghost properly speaking did not hear from God or Jesus Christ that which he was to Inspire the Apostles with From whence it must follow or else this Observation of his is Impertinent that the words immediately foregoing b John 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth must be very Figurative too and not imply that the Spirit really taught the Apostles any thing in a proper Sense Now to pass by this Consequence of his viz. that plain words are to be understood Metaphorically because they are joyn'd with words that have a Metaphor in them I can't but observe thus much for the clearing the sense of this Text that our Saviour uses no other expressions concerning the Holy Spirit here than what he had often used before of himself when he so often says that what he taught he had heard and received from the Father c John 5.30 c. 8.26.40 c. 15.15 And I hope 't will be granted that our Saviour taught his Disciples in a proper Sense without a Metaphor and why then must it follow from this way of speaking that the Holy Ghost did not But to return to our present subject That he says b Fr. p. 241. En. p. 44. which inclines him to believe that the foremention'd Promise of our Saviour the Holy Ghost or Spirit of the Father shall teach you in that hour what ye ought to say means no more then this viz. The Spirit of Courage and Holiness which the Gospel produces in your hearts will teach you what ye ought to say is That in comparing this Promise with the Event it seems not to have been perform'd in any other sense than what he has now given But has he indeed compar'd it with all the Events mention'd in the History of the Acts Not at all only has pick'd out two Instances which he thought he could make Exceptions against Sure if he had dealt fairly and impartially in this matter he would not have pass'd by the Boldness of Peter and John c Act. 4.13 which was so Extraordinary it made the. Sanhedrim wonder nor the Couragious Behaviour of all the Apostles d Act. 5.29 in both which Cases the Apostles told the Sanhedrim to their faces of their Horrid Sin in Murdering the Messias and that there was no way to Salvation but by Believing in him whom they had Crucified The Event in both these Cases seems to come up to the highest Sense of our Savior's Words and if we had an exact History of the Sufferings of the Apostles I do not question but we should find many more Proofs of the Accomplishment of this Promise Since in those few Remains that we have of the Genuine Acts of the Martyrs there are eminent Instances of their Courage in Professing the Truth e v Acta Ignat. per Usserium Edit Martyr Polycarpi ap Euseb H. E. l. 4 c. 15. Acta Martyr Lugd. Vienn Ibid. l. 5. c. 1. Cypriani Passio operibut ejus prefix which at First Sight discover something more than Humane and may justly be look'd upon as one of the greatest and most convincing Arguments of the Truth of Christianity and the Divine Power which accompanied its True Professors I am sure Justin Martyr confesses that this very Argument prevail'd with him to embrace the Christian Religion f Apol. 1. And if the Behaviour of the Martyrs in aftertimes was so Extraordinary we cannot think that the Apostles were in this respect Inferiour to their Disciples Now a man that had a real Concern for the honour of our Saviour and his Apostles and was desirous to magnify the Power of God's Grace and set it in the best Light he could would not have pass'd over all the Evidences for it and only insisted upon those Instances which he thought would lessen and obscure it But let us see whether the Instances he brings do really so much lessen the Promise of our Saviour as he imagines As for St. Paul's Behaviour to the High Priest g Act. 23.3 which is our Author's first Instance h Fr. p. 241. Eng. p. 45. he cannot be ignorant that some Expositors of the best Note i Grot. Estius Beza as well as his Adversary Mr. Simon k Eng. p. 178. Fr. p. 259. understand those words of his God shall smite thee thou whited wall as spoken by the Authority and in the Style of a Prophet as our Saviour call'd Herod Fox l Luk. 13.32 and St. Paul call'd Nero Lyon m 2 Tim. 4.17 And they that maintain this Opinion do not suppose that St. Paul in the next words beg'd Pardon and confess'd that he was to blame for what he said as our Author takes for granted that he did Å¿ Ubi sup But they take this to be the real Sense of the 5th v. tho purposely concealed under ambiguous Terms I cannot believe or own such a man to be High Priest who came into his Place by those ill Acts as Ananias did for if I had look'd upon him as High Priest I should not have transgressed the Law in giving him such disrespectful Language But if we understand the Place in the same Sense which Mr. N. does and own the Apostle to have been surpriz'd
by Passion yet still there will appear evident Tokens of a Divine Assistance accompanying him if we take an entire View of the whole history of his Sufferings at Jerusalem With what an Undaunted Resolution he went thither when he knew beforehand That Bonds and Afflictions did abide him and did not value his Life so he might finish his Course with joy o Acc. 20.23 24. How he persisted in the same Resolution notwithstanding all the Importunities and Tears of his Friends being ready not only to be bound at Jerusalem but also to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus p Act. 21.14 with what Courage he sets forth the Grounds of his Conversion before the enrag'd Multitude q Act. 22. with what Authority he Preach'd concerning the Faith in Christ and the Fundamentals of Christianity to Felix and laid his Sins so home to him that he made him tremble Act. 24.25 How powerfully he pleaded for himself and his Religion before Agrippa r Act. 26. so as to make Impression upon the King himself and almost perswade him to be a Christian He that shall lay all these things together will see Reason to admire the Power of God's Grace in St. Paul's Behaviour at Jerusalem and will not think that that one Slip if it were one is able to obscure the Glory of all the other parts of it And as for that Prudential Act of St. Paul which our Author sayes ſ Fr. p. 242. Eng. p. 46. hath nothing of Inspiration in it viz. his dividing the Council t Act. 23.6 and thereby making one half of them his Friends 't was exactly agreeable to our Savior's Advice to the Apostles u Matth. 10.16 To use all Prudence that was consistent with Innocency as this certainly was But besides it implied an excellent Argument ad homines viz. to Jews in behalf of Christianity namely that it was unreasonable for them to reject that Religion or persecute the Abetters of it whose great Design 't is to establish the Doctrine of the Resurrection the Belief of which Point the chiefest of their own Sects for Reputation look'd upon as one of the principal Articles of their Faith And therefore we find St. Paul knowing what force there was in it insist again and again upon the very same Apology for himself x Act. 24.15 c. 26.6 7. c. 28.20 Nay God himself approved of it as appears by the Vision which St. Paul had to incourage him the very next night after his Appearance before the Council by which our Lord himself gave Testimony to him that he had witness'd a good Confession y Act. 23.11 But 't is a wonder to me that our z Fr. p. 243. Eng. p. 48.49 Author should think St. Stephen's Behaviour and Harangue b Act. 7 a proper Instance to shew that the Apostles and primitive Confessors had no immediate Assistance of the Holy Ghost when they appear'd before secular Magistrates For if Courage to speak the Truth and to back it with unanswerable Arguments be a sign of an Extraordinary Assistance certainly no person ever gave greater Evidence of it than St. Stephen To declare publickly that the Temple and its Worship should shortly be destroy'd c Act. 6.14 was such an Invidious Truth that the Apostles themselves did not think fit at first to speak it openly but shew'd a great respect to the establish'd Worship by constantly attending upon it d Act. 3 1.-18.21.-20 16 -21 26. The Dissolution of the Mosaical Oeconomy being a Truth that the new Converts from Judaism were not yet able to bear But even this Truth St. Stephen had the Boldness to profess and maintain'd it too by a continued series of Argument from Abraham whom the Jews boasted to be their Father down to the building of the Temple Wherein he shews that the Patriarchs and Founders of the Jewish Nation were accepted by God before the Temple or its Service had a Beginning nay that Moses himself the Institutor of this Worship prophecied of Christ e Acts 7.37 and design'd the Tabernacle only for a Pattern of Heavenly things f Ibid ver 44. Besides this St. Stephen all along made Reflections upon the stubborn and refractory Temper of the Jews from the beginning and told them that their Rejecting and Murdering of Christ when he came was but agreeable to their usage of the Prophets who foretold him g Ib. ver 52. I think he that said these things had the Gift of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostles pray'd for h Acts 4.29 in a great measure And tho our Author is pleas'd to say i Ubi supr that St. Stephen mentions divers Circumstances of History which were nothing to the purpose yet for my part I must declare I see none but what are necessary to make it a full and Complete Narrative or else serve to set forth the ill manners of the Jews under the several Dispensations of Providence And I am apt to think St. Luke was of the same mind for abstracting from his Divine Character he was too Judicious a man to trouble himself or his Reader with a Rehearsal of impertinent Circumstances I am sure there are several particulars which are of great use to explain the Writings of Moses k Acts 7.20 26. which we could never have known if this Discourse had not been preserv'd This Gentleman may call these Impertinencies if he pleases but I believe few will follow him in this bold and Unscholar-like Censure and 't is well St Luke was of another mind for we should have had a great Loss if he had not preserved them And as for those particulars which he says l Ubi supr cannot be reconciled with the History of the Old Testament m Acts 7.16 if S. Luke made these Mistakes they have been accounted for above n Supr p. 45 46. if St. Stephen himself did I suppose the same Defence that is made for a Writer will hold more strongly for a Speaker And tho we suppose St. Stephen to have been full of the Holy Ghost when he spake o Acts 6 10.-7.55 yet there 's no reason the Spirit should dictate a History to him which he was before so well acquainted with And why may we not say that although the Holy Spirit were so remarkably present with him at this time that the Glories which were shed forth upon his Soul shin'd thro his Body and made his face look like the face of an Angel p Acts 6.15 yet the Holy Ghost thought fit not to supply the Defect of his Memory in one or two particulars to shew that Inspir'd persons even in their Brightest Minutes are still but men and that the Excellency might appear to be of God and not of themselves What has been said is sufficient to shew what little ground there is for this Author 's unworthy Reflections upon the Behaviour of the First Christians before
Gospels shews that they were writ for the General Vse of the Church to Record the Doctrine and Miracles of our Saviour the Author and Finisher of our Faith whom all are to hear and obey And tho it were some particular Emergency that might induce the Evangelists to set about this Work which yet is to be look'd upon as a Providential Motion yet the Gospels themselves not only answer that particular End which was the first Occasion of their being writ but are of General Use and fitted to all Ages and times We have already mention'd the Occasion of St. Matthew and St. Mark 's writing their Gospels St. Luke gives an l Luk. 1.1 Account of his Undertaking himself the substance of which is That since many had written an History of our Savior's Life and Actions who wanted some Advantages of knowing the Particulars which he had he himself being exactly inform'd by those who were Eye-witnesses and Parties concern'd set about a more accurate account of these Matters to the end that every Christian who will be at the pains to read it might know the Certainty of those things wherein he has been instructed It seems from hence that committing things to Writing was in St. Lukes judgment the most certain means of Conveying the Knowledge of them to others As for St. John 't is plain by comparing his Gospel with the other Three that he had seen the Rest and approved them a V. Eus H. E. l. 3. c. 24 and therefore supplied what he thought fit which the former Evangelists had omitted that so all of them together might be a Complete Account of all that Jesus did and taught And he 〈◊〉 himself tells us that his Design in writing his Gospel was b Joh. 20.31 That men might believe that Jesus is Christ and that believing they might have life thro' his Name To proceed to the Epistles of the Apostles it must be confess'd that many of St. Paul's were written upon the particular Exigencies of the Churches to which they are directed and were occasion'd by some Disputes that were proper to those times which may be thought an Argument that they were not design'd for the General Use of the Church But yet if we consider that the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity are admirably illustrated by them and many of the more Mysterious parts of the Gospel-Dispensation more fully treated of in them than by Christ himself because there were many things which the Apostles were not able to bear c Joh. 16.12 while he was with them and therefore they were referred to the Teaching of the Holy Ghost for fuller Instruction in such matters I say if we lay these things together we must acknowledge it necessary to add the Apostolical Epistles to the Gospels in order to the making up a Complete Rule of Christian Faith or else we shall be much to seek for an Authentick Explication of several Important Points of Christianity But of this I shall discourse more largely in the next Chapter To return to S. Paul's Epistles I cannot but observe how the Wisdom of God has made St. Paul's Style and way of Writing to be admirably serviceable to the Edification of the Church which yet if we examine it by the Rules of Criticism is far from being Regular and Exact But his free use of Digressions and those long ones too sometimes opens him a way into a larger Subject and of more General Use and does not suffer him to confine himself to that one particular Point which 't was his main Design to treat of And when we find him take occasion from every hint to explain the Mysteries of the Gospel to set forth the Excellency of it and to perswade men to live up to the Height of its Precepts this is not only a sign that his holy Soul was full of this noble Subject but is likewise an argument that the Holy Spirit Influenc'd his Pen and made him enlarge himself upon those Points which were of Universal Concern and would be for the Perpetual Benefit of the Church in all succeeding Ages A signal Instance of this you may see in that large Digression in the second Epistle to the Corinthians which reaches from the 13. verse of the Second Chapter to the 5. verse of the Seventh Where he discourses of some of the Fundamentals of Christianity with such a true Spirit of Piety and with such a powerful Force of Natural Eloquence that if we may prefer one part of that Inspir'd Teacher's Writings before another we might call this one of the most Elevated Discourses in all St. Paul's Epistles And as both the Matter of his Epistles and the Manner how they are writ discover to us that they were design'd for the Perpetual Use of Christians so we shall find St. Peter to have been of the same mind whose words justify all that I have said For he places St. Paul's Epistles in an equal Rank with those holy Writings which were on all hands agreed upon to be the Word of God Thus much his words import II. Pet. 3.15 16. where speaking of St. Paul's Epistles that there were some things in them hard to be understood which ignorant and unstable men wrested and applied to ill purposes to establish corrupt Doctrines he adds As they do also the OTHER SCRIPTURES to their own destruction which Expression of other Scriptures plainly implies that St. Peter look'd upon St. Paul's Epistles as part of the Canon of Scripture and rank'd them among those Divine Writings which were design'd for our Edification and Instruction in Righteousness and which 't was dangerous to pervert to a contrary Purpose And if St. Paul's Epistles which were writ upon the Exigencies and with Regard to the State of Particular Churches were yet still design'd to be of general Use the same may be said with much greater reason concerning the Epistles of the rest of the Apostles with aim only at this General Design to confirm those in the Faith to whom they were directed to exhort and testifie that this is the true Grace of God wherein they stood d 1 Pet 5.12 and to keep up the Remembrance of the Apostles Doctrine after their decease e 2 Pet. 1.15 as St. Peter speaks concerning the Intent of his two Epistles And we find St. John addresses himself to all Christians without Restriction and even to all Ranks and Degrees of them whom he divides into Children Young men and Fathers f 1 Joh. 2.12 13. Thus much I think sufficient to prove that the Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Use of the Church and look'd upon them as of Equal Authority with the Inspir'd Books of the Old Testament I proceed to the VI. and last Proposition viz. The Age immediately following that of the Apostles look'd upon their Writings as the Standing Rule of Faith to the Christian Church Certainly next to the Apostles themselves the Age immediately following was best able to know what the
Fr. p. 280 285. that laying too great stress upon Words has bin the occasion of most of the Disputes among Christians I readily grant it has but then the fault has bin that Men have either Interpreted Scripture-Expressions by notions of Philosophy which the Holy Writers never heard of or else they have not inquir'd into the Sentiments of those times in which these Books were writ but have judged of their sense by the Schemes and applied them to the Disputes of Modern Ages as if they were writ only with a regard to the Controversies that should arise in After-Times without any respect to the Sentiments and Exigencies of the Age wherein they were written But if we have a regard only to the Genius of the Language which the Holy Writers used and judge of their Sentiments by the State of the Church in their time and by such Ancient Authors as were most likely to be acquainted with the Notions which were then generally received I don't think laying stress upon the Phrases of the Scriptures can lead us into such gross errors as Mr. N. imagines k Eng. p. 146. Fr p. 234. And without supposing this we can scarce deduce any Inferences from Scripture Texts and yet this is practis'd by the Apostles themselves who sometimes argue from Words and those too taken in their nicest signification A remarkable example of which is that Inference of S. Paul's l Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and to his seed were the Promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ 3. Since God in his Providence took care that these Books should be Writ for the use of his Church and therefore gave Providential occasions for their being Written it follows that they are Compos'd in such a manner as not to exclude the use of the Natural Reason and Meditation of the Writers who Compos'd them Works of Providence are not suppos'd to exclude Humane means and we believe many things to be brought to pass by the determinate Counsel and Power of God tho they are not purely Miraculous and and meerly God's own Act and Deed but are brought to pass by second Causes as his Instruments And why then can't he give Men a Rule of Faith and Manners except the Writing be with the immediate Finger of God as the Two Tables were 'T is certain that the ordinary Operations of the Spirit do only excite and assist our natural Faculties not supersede or render them useless And even the extraordinary ones do very often influence Men's minds after the same manner as appears by S. Paul's advice to Timothy m 1 Tim. 4.14 Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine neglect not the gift which is in thee which was given thee by prophecy And to the same purpose he speaks in the second Epistle n 2 Tim. 1.6 And therefore tho we suppose the Authors of the Scriptures to have been Inspir'd and to have had the extraordinary Assistances of God's Spirit yet this will not exclude the use of their Natural Talents but that the Writers made use of them as far as they could be serviceable to their purpose and God supplied their defects From hence appears the weakness of that Argument which is urged by our Author and by some others against the Inspiration of the Poetical Books o Fr. p. 230. En. p. 27. of the Old Testament because they seem to be the effects of Study and Meditation and against that of the Historical Books of the Scripture p Grot. votum pro pace p. 672. Refutat Apologet. p. 722. because the things contain'd in them are either of the Writers own Knowledge or else taken from Ancient Memoirs or the Relation of others To the same purpose 't is urged against the Divine Authority of S. Paul's Epistles by Spinoza q Theol. Polit. c. 11 that they are full of Argumentation which he thinks must be the effect of S. Paul's own reason As if a Man that had a perfect Systeme of the Christian Religion infused into his mind by Revelation as we suppose S. Paul to have had did not apprehend it after a Rational manner and see the whole Series and Chain of its Principles by the help of which he could infer one thing from another But is it not a pleasant Argument against the Inspiration of a Book that it is writ in a Rational and Argumentative way which must either suppose that 't is below God Almighty to give a reason for his Institutions or else that 't was not proper for the Apostles to shew their Disciples that the Doctrines they taught them were such as might be Rationally deduc'd from certain Principles and to confute their Adversaries the same way who would not submit to their bare Authority nor believe a thing to be true meerly because they said so 4. It follows from what has bin said that 't is no Argument against a Book 's being design'd by God for the perpetual use of the Church that 't was at first writ upon some particular Exigency and with relation to the peculiar Circumstances of the persons to whom 't is directed For some of those Books of the Old Testament which were certainly design'd for the publick benefit of the Church as 't is granted by all that acknowledge any such thing as Inspiration and I don 't at present concern my self with any others I say some of the Undoubtedly Inspir'd Writings were occasion'd by the particular Exigences of those times in which their Authors lived I mean the Books of the Prophets who were all sent by God to testify against the sins which were committed in their own times And if God so order'd it that these Prophecies should be of perpetual use to the Church why may not the other Occasional Writings of the Scripture if I may so term them have been compos'd with the same Design I have already shewed r P. 19. that the manner of St. Paul's Writing does excellently answer this Intent From hence it appears that the Argument used by some Popish Writers why the New Testament cannot be a perfect Rule of the Christian Faith because several parts of it were writ only with Relation to particular Exigencies of some one Church holds as well against the Old Testament being a Rule to the Jews because a great part of of it viz. the Prophecies were occasion'd by the particular Circumstances of those Times in which the Prophets lived CHAP. II. A more particular Inquiry into the nature of the Apostolical Gifts and Inspiration HAving said thus much in general concerning the Divine Authority and Inspiration of the Apostolical Writings I proceed to examine more distinly the Assertions which the Author of the Letters hath laid down concerning the Inspiration of the Apostles and of their Writings and in order to that shall consider particularly both as to their Nature and Extent some of the most remarkable Gifts with which the
even terms with the Jews without taking the Yoke of the Law upon them he after all this could not be really perswaded in his judgment that he ought not to keep company with the Gentile Converts tho his former prejudices might put some weight into the opposite Scale and make him doubtful and wavering Which might make his fear of displeasing the Jewish Christians and giving them offence work more powerfully upon him and prevail with him to comply with them in this matter and St. Paul expresly assigns his fearing to offend them of the Circumcision q Gal. 2 12. as the cause of this his Behaviour But tho this be not a sufficient Reason why any man should dissemble the Truth yet we may observe from St. James's Advice to St. Paul r Act. 21.20 that the Apostles were very tender of giving any offence to the Jewish Converts who were very ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 21 20. numerous and whom they justly look'd upon as the most considerable part of the Church and as it were the Elder Brethren having a precedent Right to the Promises before the Gentiles t Act. 3.26 Rom. 15.27 This may be pleaded for an Excuse in behalf of St. Peter tho still we must confess as St. Paul tells us u Gal. 2.14 that he did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel in this matter And neither the Apostles themselves nor any in their behalf ever pretended that they were exempt from sin but on the contrary we find them freely own themselves to be men of like Passions with others x Act. 14 15. Jam. 5.17 and that they had this Treasure of the Gospel in earthen vessels y 2 Cor. 4.7 and were of the same make with other men And therefore since as our Author truly says z Fr. p. 260. Eng. p. 75. He alone is indowed with an absolute Infallibility who is incapable of sinning I do freely grant that we are no further assur'd that the Apostles were free from Errour than we find them free from Sin which naturally leads men into it I own likewise that this Instance of St. Peter is a good Argument against the perpetual Inspiration or Infallibility of the Apostles if we mean any more by it than a habitual Knowledge of Divine Truth for I cannot think S. Peter was under the immediate Conduct of the Holy Spirit when he was guilty of this Behaviour But I suppose the Apostles might have such an Assistance as was abundantly sufficient to answer all the Necessities of the Church without being always under the immediate Influence of the Holy Ghost which must make them Impeccable as as well as Infallible And even in this case we have reason to admire God's Providence and Care over his Church for so ordering it that St. Paul should be upon the place to interpose and put a stop to this ill Conduct that might else have been of dangerous Consequence and made a Breach in the Church that would not easily have been made up And humanely speaking 't is not likely that St. Peter who had such a Preeminence in the Church would have yielded to a less Authority than that of St. Paul's From whence too may further appear of what use 't was even for Inspir'd persons to consult with each other and act by common Advice which Point I have explained and proved at large above * P. 88. 5. The next Exception I shall take notice of is this Mr. N. tells us a Fr. p. 258 259. Eng. p. 72 73 74. that the Gift of Wisdom and Knowledge or the Gift of Prophecying which he makes all one with the two former was a Disposition of mind which God sometimes infused into those on whom he bestowed it whereby they became fit to instruct and that it did not consist in an immediate Inspiration of what they were to say His reasons for this are two 1. Because this Gift might be improved by Study and Reading as he proves from 1. Tim. 4.13 14. 2. Because the Apostle gave directions to the Prophets and order'd them to exercise their Gifts by turns to prevent that Confusion which the disorderly Use of their Gifts had brought into the Church b 1 Cor. 14. Now he thinks that if the Spirit had Inspir'd them with what to say he would likewise have given them directions as to the time and place Now methinks he that can confound the Gifts of Wisdom Knowledge and Prophecy which any Man that consults the place where St. Paul reckons up the several Gifts of the Spirit c 1 Cor. 8 9. will see are distinct and takes no notice of the Ambiguity of the word Prophecy which is taken in several Senses in Scripture I say he that confounds things that any one who has studied the places of Scripture which treat of the Gifts of the Spirit must needs know to be very different need not have been so nice as to distinguish between a Disposition of mind infus'd into those upon whom God bestowed it whereby they became fit to Instruct and an Inspiring them with what to say For certainly this Disposition infused into the mind if it mean any thing must mean God's giving Men a clear and distinct apprehension of what they were to teach others and I think this is much the same as Inspiring them with what to say since out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and words are only the Expressions of our thoughts unless our Author supposes that when God Inspires a Man with what to say he only puts so many words into his mouth without conveying any Idea of the things themselves to his mind But let us proceed to examine his reasons As to the First I see no inconvenience in asserting that God very often increas'd or withheld his Extraordinary Gifts in proportion to the Industry of the Possessors For since the Extraordinary and Ordinary Gifts agree in this that they are both design'd to assist our Natural Faculties not to supersede them and to incourage our Industry not to slacken it I can't see why that Rule of our Saviour's To him that has shall be given and from him that has not i. e. does not improve and make a good use of what he has shall be taken way d Matth. 13.12 may not be applied to the Extraordinary Gifts as well as to the Ordinary and why Men might not hope God would bestow these Gifts upon them in a greater degree as a reward of their Industry and might not have reason to fear he should withdraw them if they took advantage from thence to be negligent And thus much seems to be implied in that advice of St. Paul e 1 Thess 5.19 Not to quench the Spirit viz. that God may be provok'd to take away these Gifts when he sees them abused or Men's sins may render them Unworthy to be the Instruments of the holy Spirit The story of the Ethiopian