Chap. z 8. and the Covenant of Grace. I 29 they mull not fet upon it till they were impowered for it, We have not infpiration; that is to be fupplyed by education, the way that Paul gave in charge to Timothy, Gìve attendance to 'reading, z Tim. 4.13. ,Meditate wholly on thefe things, that thy pro faring may appear to all, verfe 15. As he had not health by miracle, but in the ufe of meanes, i Tim. 5. 23. fo neither had he gifts for the Miniftery, but by ftudy. A way for the advancement of fludy is therefore neceffary ; and though neither Law nor Gofpel do in the letter expreffely appoint them, no more then they d id Synagogues for the Jewes, and the like places ofAílembly for Chriftians; yet by way of neceffary confequence, both Law and Gofpel call for them, feeing they expreffely call for that, which without thefe cannot be affected. A fchool to teach letters, with the Art of fpel- ling, that we may be able to reade, is not any where appointed. The Holy Ghoft fpeaking to men of the light of Reafon, and re- quiring knowledge of the Law by fearching the Scriptures, and meditation in it, knew this was needleffe : as petty Schooles for private Chriflians; fo are Schooles ofa higher nature for the Mi- nifterial Function; and therefore as all Sees whatfoever had their Schooles, to advance their way ; Stephen met with fome of them at 7erufalem, maul at Athens, fo we finde the like for the propagation oftheknowledge of the Law of God, the Sons of the Prophets fay to Elifha, 2 Kings 6. r. Behold,the place where we dwell is too flrait for us. Sonnes of Prophets werè no other then Pupils, or Schollers ofthe Prophets, and we fee that they made their abode together, and their number increafed ; to this Solomon alludes in the Proverbs, in the Perlon of W ifdome, My fanne, receive my inflruîlion; fo our Saviour, Wifdomeis juilified of all her children, Mat. I r. 19. Such a place there was at Naioth in .Ramah, whither Davidfled,and Saul followed him, i Sam.r9.2o, There was Samuel, and a company ofProphets, Naiothum vent', runt, &c. They came to Naioth, which was the dwelling of the Pro. phets, who exercifed themfelves in the Law of God, that the do- t -trine offalvation might be propagated throughout the whole region of Ifrael. So Calvin on the place, Naioth habitatio quedaam, &c. Naioth was the dwelling of the Prophets in Ramah, where the 6e- leevers gave themfelves up to the (turfy ofGods laW, and were called the fonnes of the Prophets. Pellican in locum pag. act. And from thefe words millet on the place (out of Peter Martyr) concludes, S that iiniverfities of neceffary ufe
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