' "^niitiuffn V u; Tiva fiiv Uf/jrai §/' ahi'y/u.aretiv, Tiva oi (pavipeaTifov. Ta (/.it oiiv S/' i-rix- fv^ta; {lyodf/.ai tmv ik •xtpirofit.y,; 'iv-y.a, x-iKzXXvf/.fi'svu; a.V.oiOocrSai, oia. ra S-tfT^/^s^sva KUT avTuv trxvSfio'jro'.. Ai' a-Trip ilxo; ;;v xai dipaviirai aurovg t'/jv ypa^nv, it ix. tou ^po^cc- vou; T-/jv t(rxaTtiv ai/7uv d'^oSoXny irrif^aiv'.v. — Euscb. Demonst. Evaugel. lib. vi. Prooem.
- " Oniues projibctce ilia tantumnaodo sciebant quae illis fuissent a Domino revelata. Undc et rex Hieremiam dubio interrogat, Si in ea hora qua cum illo loquebatur apud eum sermo Domini Jiahcrctur. Sed ct Eliseus dicit, Quomodo hcec Dominus ahscondit a me; ct Ellas prceter sc esse alios qui Deum colerent ignoravit." — Hici'on. Comment, in Epist. ad Roman, cap. ii.
128 OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT [BOOK II.
themselves, but some succeeding generations, should enjoy them in their actual exhibition. And whilst they were intent on these things, they searched also, as far as intimation was given thereof by the Spirit, after the time wherein all these things should be accomplished ; both when it should be, and what manner of time it should be, or what would be the state and condition of the people of God in those days. This was the principal end of the gift of prophecy, and this the principal work and employment of the prophets: The first pro- mise was given by God in the person of the Son, as I have proved elsewhere, Gen. iii. 15; but the whole explication, confirmation, and declaration of it, was carried on by the gift of prophecy.
The communication of this gift began betimes in the world, and continued, without any known interruption, in the possession of some one or more in the church at all times, during its preparatory or subservient estate. After the finishing of the canon of the Old Testament, it ceased in the Judaical church until it had a revival in John the Baptist; who was therefore greater than any prophet that went before, because he made the nearest approach unto and the clearest discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ, the end of all pro- phecies. Thus God " spake by the mouth of his holy prophets," rZv air almog, " which have been since the world began,'' Luke i. 70. Adam himself had many things revealed unto him, without which he could not have worshipped God aright in that state and condi- tion whereinto he was come; for although his natural light was sufficient to direct him unto all religious services required by the law of creation, yet was it not so unto all duties of that state where- into he was brought by the giving of the promise after the entrance of sin. So was he guided unto the observance of such ordinances of worship as were needful for him and accepted with God, — as were sacrifices. The prophecy of Enoch is not only remembered, but called over and recorded, Jude 14, 15. And it is a matter neither curious nor difficult to demonstrate, that all the patriarchs of old, before the flood, were guided by a prophetical spirit in the imposition of names on those children who were to succeed them in the sacred line. Concerning Abraham, God expressly saith himself that he was a prophet, Gen, xx. 7, — that is, one who used to receive divine reve- lations.
Now, this gift of prophecy was always the immediate effect of the operation of the Holy Spirit. So it is both affirmed in general and in all the particular instances of it. In the first way, we have the illustrious testimony of the apostle Peter: 2 Epist. i. 20, 21, "Know- ing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private inter- pretation. For the 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."
CHAP. I.] TREPARATOEY TO THE NEW CREATION. 129
This is a principle among believers, this they grant and allow in the first place, as that which they resolve their faith into, — namely, that the " sure word of prophecy," which they in all things take heed unto, verse 19, was not a fruit of any men's private conceptions, nor was subject to the wills of men, so as to attain it or exercise it by their own ability;^ but it Avas given by "inspiration of God," 2 Tim. iii. 16: for the Holy Ghost, by acting, moving, guiding the minds of holy men, enabled them thereunto. This was the sole fountain and cause of all true divine prophecy that ever was given or granted to the use of the church. And, in particular, the coming of the Spirit of God upon the prophets, enabling them unto their work, is fre- quently mentioned. Micah declares in his own instance how it was with them all : Chap. iii. 8, " But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." It was from the Spirit of God alone that he had all his ability for the discharge of that prophetical office whereunto he was called. And when God would endow seventy elders with a gift of prophecy, he tells Moses that he would " take of the Spirit that was upon him," and give unto them for that purpose; tha,t is, he would communicate of the same Spirit unto them as was in him. And where it is said at any time that God spake by the prophets, or that the word of God came to them, or God spake to them, it is always intended that this was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. So says David of himself, '■' The Spirit of the Lord sj^ake by me," or in me, " and his word was in my tongue," 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, Hence our apostle, repeating his words, ascribes them directly to the Holy Ghost : Heb. iii. 7, " Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith. To-day if ye will hear his voice;" and chap. iv. 7, " Saying in David." So the words which are ascribed unto the "Lord of hosts," Isa. vi. 9, 10, are asserted to be the words of the Holy Ghost, Acts xxviii. 25-27. He spake to them, or in them, by his holy inspirations; and he spake by them in his effectual infallible guidance of them, to utter, declare, and Avrite what they received from him, without mistake or variation.