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of instructing others in piety; of which he says many things in the xivth chapter of the same epistle. This seems contrary to what I have been saying concerning the inspiration of apostles, and I confess I cannot see how, according to my notion, this difficulty can be clearly solved. might say that this gift of prophecy was perhaps no other than a disposition of mind, which God infused sometimes, into those on whom he bestowed it, by which they became fit to instruct; although he inspired them not extraordinarily with that which they were to say; which is so much the more likely, by how much this gift was preserved and increased by study and reading; as appears by those words of St. Paul to Timothy. First epist. chap. iv. 13, &c. Until I come, give thy self to reading, to exhortation, to instruction: neglect not the grace which is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, through the imposition of the presbytery : meditate on these things, be always imployed, to the end thy improvement may be known of all men. Now it is plain that the gifts which are owing to an actual and immediate inspiration of the Holy Spirit, such as curing diseases, &c. could

not be increased by application of mind, as not depending upon man in any sort. The most assiduous study cannot contribute any thing to prophetic, or immediate revelations.

This conjecture seems probable enough. And indeed I see no other way of explaining what St. Paul says to Timothy. But without determining any thing concerning the gift of prophecy, it appears plainly by what St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xiv. that it consisted not in an immediate revelation of the Holy Spirit, that forced the prophets to speak. He there gives them this advice; let the prophets speak two or three, and let another judge; but if any thing be revealed to one of those that sits by, let the first hold his peace: for ye may all prophesy one by one, to the end that all may learn, and all may be comforted: and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The prophets whom the Holy Spirit had inspired immediately with what they ought to say, had no need of this advice. Nay it had even been ridiculous. Because the Holy Spirit inspiring them with what they had to say, would have inspired them likewise as to

the occasion and the place, and would not have put many persons on speaking at one time in the same place, nor so as to interrupt others who spake by his inspiration. Moreover St. Paul would have the prophets judge one another, and that the spirits of the prophets be subject to the prophets; which cannot be understood of prophets immediately inspired, who are subject to none but God, and who are to give account to none but him. The prophets of the Old Testament spoke as long as God inspired them; after which they held their peace, without needing any advertisement; because they easily perceived when the inspiration ceased.

It seems to me that we may now conclude, that there never was any body but our Saviour, who had a constant and perpetual inspiration, and all whose words we ought to receive as oracles. As he alone amongst men was incapable of sinning, so it was he alone whom God indowed with an absolute infallibility. The same light which perpetually enlightened his mind, regulated also the motions of his affections: otherwise it would be difficult to conceive how he could choose

but be subject to error, if he had been subject to sin. There is so great a correspondence between the mind and the affections, that it is not almost possible there should be any irregularity in the one, without a disorder in the other.

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We must now speak a word of some books of the Old Testament, that contain neither history nor prophecy; such are the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the song of Solomon, and Job; which last is apparently a dramatic piece, whereof nothing but the subject is true; as are the tragedies of the Greek poets.

There is no proof that what is contained in the Proverbs was inspired to Solomon by God, after a prophetic manner. They are moral sentences, which a good man might well pronounce, without inspiration; as are those contained in Ecclesiasticus. There are very many of them that are but vulgar proverbs, which carry indeed a good sense, but have nothing in them of divine. There are a great many directions about economy, which women and country people every where know without revelation. See

chap. xxiv. 27. and xxvii. 23. and the description of a virtuous woman at the latter end of the book. The name of prophet is very liberally bestowed on Agur the son of Jakeh, for some moralities that are found under his name: Prov. xxx.Whereas I dare be bold to say better things might have been said without the spirit of prophecy. Three things, says he, for example, are too marvellous for me, and even four which I know not: the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid. One must have a mean opinion of the spirit of prophecy, to believe that it dictated such things as these. And indeed neither does the author pretend to that eminency; but says modestly concerning himself, that he is more brutish than any man, and has not the understanding of a man.

But there is particularly one precept of good husbandry, that is often repeated, which our merchants now adays know, as well as the Israelites that lived in Solomon's time. It is that which expressly forbids them to be surety for any body, chap. vi.