SO OPE1tATYÖNS OP THE HOLY SPIRIT, to writing, as Baruch wrote the prophecy of Jeremiah right, even words of truth, as in that place. This must from his mouth, Jer. xxxvi. 3, 18. If either of these were wanting, the scripture could not be absolutely and every way divine and infallible. For if the penmen of it were left unto themselves, in any thing wherein that writing was concerned, who can secure us that nil,il h,c- mani, no human imperfection- mixed itself therewithal. I know some think that the matter and substance of things only was communicated unto them; but as for the words whereby it was to be expressed, that was left unto themselves, and their own abilities. And this they suppose is evident from that variety ofstyle, which, ac- cording to their various capacities, education,- and abili- ties, is found amongst them. This argues, as they say; that the wording oftheir revelations was left unto them- selves, and was the produce of their natural abilities. This, in general, I have spoken unto elsewhere, and manifested what mistakes sundry have run into about the style òfthe holy penmen ofthe scripture. Here I shall not take up what bath beenargued and evinced in ano- ther place. I only say that the variety intended ariseth mostly from the variety of the subjectmatters treated of nor is it such as will give any countenance to the pro- faneness of this opinion. For the Holy Ghost, in his work, on the minds of men, Both not put a force upon them, nor acts them any otherwise than they are in their own natures, and with their present endowments and qualifications meet to be acted and used. He leads and conducts them in such paths wherein they are able to walk. The words therefore which he suggests unto them are such as they are accustomed unto, and he causeth them to make use of such expressions as were familiar unto themselves. So he that useth divers seals maketh different impressions, though the guidance of them all be equal and the same. And he that toucheth skilfully several musical instruments, variously tuned, maketh several notes of music. We may alsogrant and do, that they used their own abilities of mind and un- derstanding in the choice of words and expressions. So thepreacher sought to find out acceptable 'words, Eccles. xii. 10. But the Holy Spirit, who is more intimate unto the minds and skill of men than they are them- selves, did soguide, set, and operate in them, as that the words they fixed upon were as directly and certainly from him, as if they had been spoken to them by an audible voice, Hence that which was written was up- be so, or they could not speak as they were movedby the Holy Ghost, nor could their writing be said to be of divine inspiration. Hence, oft-times in the-original, great senses andsignifications depend on a singleletter; as for instance, in the change of the name of Abraham; and our Saviour affirms- that every apes and iotaof the law, is under thecare of -God as that which was given by inspiration fromhimself, Matth. v... But I have, on other occasions treated of these things, and shall not therefore here enlarge upon them., Sect. 21. The third sort of the immediate extraor- dinary operations of the Holy Ghost,, absolutely exceed- ing the aetings and compliance of human faculties, are miracles of all sorts, which werefrequent under the Old Testament. Suchwere many things wrought by Moses and Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha, with some others; those by Moses, exceeding, if the Jews fail not in their com- putation, all the rest that are recorded: in the scripture. Now these were alt the immediate effects of the divine power of the Holy Ghost. He is the sole author of all real miraculous operations, For, by miracles, we un- derstand such effects as are really beyond and above the power ofnatural causes however applied unto operation. Now, it is said expressly, that our Lord Jesus Christ wrought miracles (for instance, the casting out of devils from persons possessed) by the Holy Ghost. And if their immediate production were by him in the human nature of Jesus Christ personally united unto. the Son of God; how much more must it be granted that it was he alone by whose power they were wrought in those who had no such relation unto the divine nature? And, therefore, where they are said to be wrought by the hand or finger of God, it is the person of the Holy Spirit, which is precisely intended, we have declared be- fore; and the personsby whom they were wrought were never the real subjectsof the power whereby they were wrought, as though it should be inherent and residing in them as a quality, Acts ii. 12, 16. Only they were infallibly directed by the Holy Ghost, by word or ac- tion, to presignify their operation. So was it with Joshua, when he commanded the sun andmoon to stand still, Josh. x. 12. There was no power in Joshua, no not extraordinarily communicated to him, to have such a real influence upon the whole frame of nature, as to effect se great an alteration therein. Only he had a di.
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