spiration, which might give their words an indisputable authority. I do not deny but they had many immediate inspirations, and divers heavenly visions; as appears by the Acts, by the Revelations, and by divers other places of scripture; nay, I am so fully persuaded they had, that I think him no good Christian who doubts of it. But the question here is concerning an uniform, constant and ordinary inspiration, as it is commonly explained in the divinity schools. It may be you will say there are divers arguments for this sort of inspiration as strong as those I have brought to shew the contrary. The apostles began their letter Acts xv. after this manner, it has seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us. By which it appears, say some, that they were filled with the spirit of infallibility, which dictated to them what they ought to say. I desire first, that those who say so, reconcile this supposition with the dispute that was among the apostles, before they came to this conclusion. In. the second place it is not likely that if the Holy Ghost had possessed them in such a manner, that they had been only simple instruments by which he expressed his will, they would have placed themselves in equal rank with him. They would have said simply, it has appeared good to the Holy Ghost, who speaks by us. What prophet ever said, it seemed good to God and to me? In the third place; suppose there be here, as the critics say, a figure by which is expressed one and the same thing by two words; and that this manner of speaking amounts to no more but this, it has seemed good to us who are full of the Holy Ghost; The perpetual inspiration about which I am now arguing cannot be hence concluded. The apostles and all the church of Jerusalem were animated by the spirit of the gospel, without being continually full of the spirit of prophecy. If it were otherwise, we should be forced to say that the whole church of Jerusalem, not only the apostles, but also the elders of the church, and all those who were assembled, were perpetually accompanied with a spirit of infallibility; which no body ever yet said, nor is it at all likely. In the fourth place; the conclusion of the letter they write, seems extremely weak for the conclusion of a positive law. FROM WHICH YOU SHALL DO WELL TO KEEP YOURSELVES. A prophet under the Old Testament would have said, from which keep yourselves; for so saith the Lord, whose commandments you cannot slight without your own destruction, &c. Some may also here object the spirit of miracles and tongues, which the apostles received the day of pentecost. But the effusion of that miraculous spirit did not necessarily render all those that received it infallible in doctrine. Otherwise all the Christians of that time had been infallible. The church of Corinth had received the Holy Ghost, as appears by the epistles St. Paul directs to it; and so should not have needed that apostles instructions, because it had a great number of infallible persons within itself: but it appears, on the contrary, that it needed his instructions, not only to correct its vices, but also to resolve its doubts, and even to rectify its errors. Thus then the spirit of miracles not being accompanied with infallibility, it cannot be concluded, because the apostles received that spirit the day of pentecost, that they became as Gods; and that they were out of all danger of ever falling into the least error. But what signify then these words; when the spirit of truth shall come, he will lead you into all truth? This spirit of truth is it not the miraculous spirit which the apostles received? I have already observed that these words cannot be understood rigorously, as if the apostles had known all sciences.I must add further, that there is something extremely figurative in them; as appears by the following words; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that he shall speak; and he shall shew ye things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I that he shall take of mine, and shew it unto you. What opinion soever a man may have concerning the Holy Spirit, it is plain that these words cannot be taken literally, as if the Holy Spirit had heard from God, or Jesus Christ, that with which he ought to inspire the apostles. The most simple sense, and most conformable to the accomplishment of this promise, which can be given to these words, is, to my thinking, this. I should explain many things to you more clearly than I have done, but you are not yet in condition to receive them as you should. When you shall have received the spirit of miracles, he will teach you the rest that you ought to know; either by visions, or by making you call to mind that which I have told you; so that he will make you apprehend the sense, and will teach you. what you ought to do afterwards. Το speak properly, he will tell you nothing new; he will but recal into your memory, to make you better understand it, the doctrine of my Father; which is the same that I have taught you; and which I may also call my doctrine, because my Father has charged me to preach it, as the only doctor of his church. The Holy Spirit led the apostles into all truths; and took that which was Christ's, without ever speaking of himself; in making them call to mind that which they had forgotten; and in making them understand on divers occasions, or even by extraordinary revelations, that which Christ had said to them, but which they them |