This is variously expressed. Generally, it is said n^n la"! " the word was " to this or that prophet, which we have rendered " the word came" unto them. Ezek. i. 3 : "i31 T\\7\ n\n, it " came expressly;" " essendo fuit " — it had a subsistence given unto it, or an effectual in-being, by the Spirit's entering into him. (Ver. 14.) Now, this coming of the word unto them had oftentimes such a gi-eatness and expression of the majesty of God upon it, as filled them with dread and reverence of him, (Hab. iii. 16,) and also greatly affected even their outward man. (Dan. viii. 27.) But this dread and terror (which Satan strove to imitate in his filthy tripods, and eyyaerpifivSoi) was peculiar to the Old Testament, and belonged to the pedagogy thereof. (Heb. xii. 18-21.) The Spirit, in the declaration of the New Testa- ment, gave out his mind and will in a way of more liberty and glory. (2 Cor. iii.) The expressness and immediacy of revelation was the same; but the manner of it related more to that glorious liberty in fellowship and commimion with the Father, whereunto believers had then an access provided them by Jesus Christ. (Heb. ix. 8, x. 19, 20, xii. 22-24.) So our Saviour tells his apostles, (Matt. x. 20,) Ou% IfjbiTs ian 0/ XaXovvres, " You are not the speakers " of what you de- liver, as other men are, the figment and imagination of whose hearts are the fountain of all that they speak; and he adds this reason. To yap Uvsv/Jba roD Trarphg to XctXouv sv h[i,Tv, " The Spirit of the Father is that which speaketh in you." Thus, the word that came unto them was a book which they took in and gave out without any alteration of one tittle or syllable. (Ezek. ii. 8-10, iii. 8; Rev. X. 9-11.)
Moreover, when the word was thus come to the prophets, and God had spoken in them, it was not in their power to conceal it, the hand of the Lord being strong upon them. They were not now only, on a general account, to utter tlie truth they were made acquainted withal, and to speak the things they had heard and seen, (which was their common preaching work,) according to the analogy of what they had received, (Acts iv. 20,) but, also, the very individual words that they had received were to be declared. When the word was come to them, it was as a fire witliin them, that must be delivered, or it would consume them. (Ps. xxxix. 3 ; Jer. xx. 9 ; Amos iii. 8, vii. 1 5, 1 6.) So
300 THE DIVINE ORIGINAL OF SCRIPTURE.
Jonah found his attempt to hide the word that he had received to be altogether vain.
Now, because these things are of great importance, and the founda- tion of all that doth ensue — viz., the discovery that the Word is come forth unto us from God, without the least mixture or interveni- ence of any medium obnoxious to fallibility, (as is the wisdom, truth, integrity, knowledge, and memory, of the best of all men,) — I shall further consider it fi-om one full and eminent declaration thereof, given unto us, 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. The words of the Holy Ghost are, Tovro 'xpurov yivuffxovTsg, on Tcctfa 'jrpofriTiia ypa<prig, idiag s'lriXvssug ov yivtrai' ov yap ^sX^/Mari dvdpui'ffov rivsy&Yi tots ■7rpo(prjrsia, dXX' v'^rh Uvsu/j^arog dyi'ov <psp6- fiivot eXaX'/igav o'l ayioi ©sou avdpuvoi — " Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation ; for the pro- phecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
That which he speaks of is <7rpo<prirua ypafrii, the " prophecy of Scripture," or "written prophecy.
There were then traditions among the Jews to whom Peter wrote, exalting themselves into competition with the written Word, and which not long after got the title of an oral law, pretending to have its original from God. These the apostle tacitly condemns ; and also shoAvs under what formality he considered that which (verse 19) he termed Xoyog '!rpo(priTiMc, the "word of prophecy;" viz., as luritten. The written Word, as such, is that whereof he speaks. Above fifty times is yj ypa(p^, or a/ ypa(pai, in the New Testament, put absolutely for the Word of God. And 2^30 is so used in the Old for the word of prophecy. (2 Chron. xxi. 12.) It is the h ypa<ph that is ^soVi/suirros, (2 Tim. iii. 16,) " the writing, or word written, is by inspiration from God." Not only the doctrine in it, but the ypacp-zj itself, or the " doc- trine as written," is so from him.
Hence, the providence of God hath manifested itself no less concerned in the preservation of the writings than of the doctrine con- tained in them ; the AViiting itself being the product of his own eternal counsel for the preservation of the doctrine, after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other means for that end and purpose. And hence the mahce of Satan hath raged no less against the book than against the truth contained in it. The dealings of Antiochus under the Old Testament, and of sundry persecuting emperors under the New, evince no less. And it was no less crime of old to be traditor lihri than to be ahnegator fidei. The reproach of chartacea scripta, and memhrancB, (Coster. Enchirid., cap. i.), reflects on its author.^ It is true, we have not the Ahroypafa of Moses and the prophets, of the