PREPARATORY TO- over them, and the using of them to his own glory. (0.)" The case of Saul is plain. The Spirit of the 'lord, who departed from him, was the Spirit of wis- dom,moderation, and courage, to. fit him for rule and governments that is, the gifts of the -Holy Ghost unto that purpose, which he withdrew from him, And the evil spirit that was upon him, proceeded no"farther but to the stirring up vexatious and disquieting affections of mind. And notwithstanding this molestation and pun- ishment inflicted- on him,. the Spiritof God might at a season fall upon him so as to cast hito into -a raptureor ecstasy, wherein -his mind was actuated - nod exercised. in ainextraordinarymanner, anti himself transported into actions that were not at all according unto his own in- clinmions. So is thiscase well resolved by * Angus- tine. And for the oldprophet, at Bethel, i Kingsxiii. although he appears to have been anevil man, yet he was one whom God made use of to reveal his mind sometimes to that people; nor is it probable that he waur under Satanical- delusions, like the prophets of Baal; for he is absolutely. called a prophet, and the word of the Lord dirt really come unto him, ver. 20, 2t. -Sect. 19. Tite writing ofthe scripture'was another effect of the Holy Ghost, which ltad:its beginning-nil.. -der the Old: Testament. I reckon this as a distinct gift-from prophecy in'general, or rather- a distinctspe- ies -or kind- of prophecy. For many prophets there were divinely, inspired, who yet never wrote any of -their prophecies, stormy tiling else - or the .use of the Saul invidi, suscitates et maid Spirite ,epe-etrepts, cum David occidere veltes, et ipse David tune cum Samuel: et cnierornov Prophétnrum cuneo l'rophetnret, re/sit Saul nuncios et ipsum interacien- ddm de medio Prophetarum espere :Jabot Sed et ipse cum inter Pio- phetas s-everat.Prophetábnt.Quontem Spirits Ballai verba nontlseen- tiam merito peunantats sell ipsius voluntate ubicunque'votuerit prose,. enter. At vero quidam in hoc loco insti tir nt quod Sani non Divino Spirits, sed malo lito quo sape arripiebaárc pertotnm. ilium diem -Pro- phetaret. sed qualiter hoc sentiri retest cum ita scribittir; et Sanctus estSuper eurn Spiritus Domini et ambuldrts propleetabatnisi Rite sic tri lebe two ce/platerSpiritus Domini gnomodo et álio loco Spieitns ,Ddi Saint malus Saularripielrat Verumtanien 'nbicieque ;nn additamenta Spiritus Dei vel -Spiritus Dom/ni vel Spiritus Christi in Seeipturis Sancti, ivn n /tnr, Spiritus Sanctus esse nulle 5 e dubitatur. ttbiennque adattamento Spiritus Domini ovula, dicitor' n miel t "Diabol i Domini :ales diettee esse, intetttgüur aiabotus-ease, qui .Dmnioinpropter m nistirfum, malus prtipter vitimn dietas videtur. August.de reirabil. Scriptm.re, /ib. 2. eop lo. U TH£h.EW CREATION. i'3 church. And many penmen of the scripture, were no prophets, in the strict sense of that name. Ansi the a- postle'tellsus, that the ä -jeep:, the scripture or writing itselfwas by inspiration from. God, 1 Tim. iii. 1e. as David affirms. that Ile had the pattern - of the temple from the Spirit of God in writing, because of his gtiid- ance -of him in pitting its description into writing, f Citron. xxviii. 19. Now this ministry was first com- initted unto Moses, who besides the five books of the law, probably, also wrote the history of Job: Many prophets there were before him, but he was the first who committed the will of God to writing, after God himself who wrote the law in tables of stone, which was the beginning and pattern of the scriptures. The wri- tersof thehistorical books of the Old Testament, be- fore the captivity, are unknown. The Jews call them mtneal m'a',ae the, first orformerprophets. Who they were, in particular, is not known; but certain it is, that they were of the number of those holy men of God, -who, of old wrote and spake as they; were moved by the Holy Ghost; hence are they called prophets. For although theywrote in an historical manner, asdid Moses also, concerning things- past and gone in their days, or it may be presently acted in their own times, yet- titëy did not write them either from their own memory, nor from tradition, nor front the rolls or re- cords of times, (although they might be furnished with and skilled in these things,) but by the inspiration, guidance, and direction of the Holy Ghost. Bence are theycalled prophets in such a latitude as the .word may be used in,- to signify any that are divinely in- spired, or receive immediate r revelations from God. And thus' was it with all the pen men of the holy scrip- ture. As their minds were under that full assurance of divineinspiration, which we before described, to their words which they wrote were under the especial care of thesame Spirit, and were of his' suggestion Cl' inditing. Sect. 20. There were therefore three things con- curring in this work: (1.) Tite inspirationof the minds of these prophets, with the knowledge and apprehen- sion-of thethings communicated unto them. (2.) 'l'he suggestion of words untothem to express what their minds conceived. (s.). The guidance of their hands in setting down the words suggested, or of their tongues in tittering them unto those bywhom they were committee{ 19
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