the TRUE NOTION OF SCRIPTURE INSPIRATION. 1. We have seen how fully gifted the Apostles were for the bufinefs of their Miffion. They worked Miracles, they fpake with Tongues, they explained Mysteries, they interpre ted Prophecies, they difcerned the true from the falfe pretences to the Spirit: And all this for the temporary and occafional discharge of their Ministry. Is it poffible, then, to fuppofe them to be deferted by this divine Inlightener when they fat down to the other part of their work; to frame a rule for the lasting férvice of the Church? Can we believe that that Spirit, which fo bountifully affifted them in their Affemblies, had withdrawn himself when they retired to their private Oratories: or that when their speech was with all power, their writings fhould convey no more than the fallible dictates of human know ledge? To fuppofe the endowments of the Spirit to be fo capricioufly bestowed, would make it look more like a mockery than a gift. And to believe all this would be a harder task than what (the Deift tells us) our credulity imposes on us. No candid man therefore will be backward to conclude, that what the Apoftles had for the temporary ufe of their Ministry, they had, at leaft in as large a measure, for the perpetual fervice of the Church. 2.. St. Paul, where he recommends the ftudy of the Scriptures of the Old Teftament to Timothy, exprefly declares them to be infpired, in that general propofition, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Now if in the Mofaic Dispensation, the written Rule was given by infpiration of God, where the Church was conducted in every VOL. V. Tim. iii. 16 ftep, at firft by Oracular refponfes, and afterwards by a long series and continued fucceffion of Prophets; and all this under an extraordinary adminiftration of Providence, fuch as might well feem to fuperfede the neceflity of a fcriptural infpiration; how confidently may we conclude, that the fame divine Goodness would give the INFALLIBLE GUIDE of an infpired Scripture to the Chriftian Church, where the miraculous influence of the Holy Spirit is fuppofed to have ceafed with the Apoftolic ages, and where the adminiftration of Providence is only ordinary? Nor can it be faid, that what St. Paul predicates of Scripture must be confined to the LAW, (whose very name indeed implies infpiration) and what is prefatory to it; fince the largenefs of his terms all Scripture, extends to the whole Canon of the Old Teftament, as then received by the two Churches. And this general expreffion was the more expedient, as the hiftoric writings did not either by their nature, like the prophetic, or by their name, like the legal, neceffarily imply their coming immediately from God. The Canonical books of the OLD Teftament, therefore, being infpired, Reafon directs us to expect the fame quality in the NEW. And, as in the Old, amongst feveral occafional writings, there was the fundamental record, or the GREAT CHARTER of the Pentateuch; and in the Volumes of the Prophets, the Oracular predictions of the fu ture fortunes of the Church, to the FIRST Coming of the Mefliah; fo, in the New, there is, befides the occafional Epiftles, the authentic Record or GREAT CHARTER of the Gofpel-Covenant; and in the Revelations of St. John, the fame di vine predictions continued to the SECOND Coming of the Saviour of the World. 3. The reafon of the thing likewife fupports us in concluding for this infpiration. An univerfal Rule of human conduct imp'ies as unli. mited an obedience: the nature of fuch a Rule requiring it to be received entire; and to be obferved in every article. But when once it is fuppofed to come to us, tho' from Heaven, yet not immediately, but thro' the canal of an uninfpired inftrument, liable to error both in the receiving and in the difpenfing of it, men would be perpetually tempted to own just as much as, and no more than they liked to believe, or were difpofed to practife; and to reject the reft as a mere human impofition. Nay the very reafons which the writers againit this infpiration give us, why it is not afforded, feem to fhew the neceflity why it should: fuch as the imperfect knowledge that the Apotles had of the genius of Chrißianity; their difputes and differences with one another; their mittakes in matters of eafy prevention, tho' of little confequence, &c. for if the Compofers of a Rule of Faith for the univerfal Church were thus naturally defective in hiftoric and religious knowledge, what fecurity could we have for their not misleading us in things of moment, unless prevented by the guard and guidance of the Holy Spirit, while they engaged themfelves in this important task? I am enough fenfible of the weaknefs and folly of that kind of rea foning which concludes from right to fact; and affumes, that because a thing is imagined to be expedient, ufeful, or neceffary, in God's moral Government, that therefore he hath indeed made provifion for it. Thus the Papal Doctors, in their arguments for the fanding power of Miracles and the appointment of an infallible Guide, having endeavoured to fhew that the firft is neceffary for those without, and the fecond for those within, would draw us to conclude with them, that the true Church hath, in fact, the exercise and ufe of MIRACLES and INFALLIBILITY. But the cafes are widely different. It is by no means agreed, that the Church, after the Apoftolic ages, was in the poffeffion of fo large a portion of the Holy Spirit as to enable either this pretended HEAD, or its MEMBERS, to exert the powers in queftion: Whereas it is confeffed by all, that at the time thefe Scriptures were written, the Compofers of them were divinely inspired for the cccafional work of the Miniftry: And the only queftion in difpute is, Whether that Spirit which aided them in defending the Gospel before the tribunals of Kings and Magistrates tin working miracles before the multitude of Unbelievers---and in prophecying and explaining Myfteries to the affemblies of the faithful, whether this Spirit, I fay, did accompany, or defert them, when they retired within themselves, to compofe a RULE OF FAITH for the perpetual fervice of the Church? 4. But lastly, we have the clear And when they bring you unto the Synagogues, and unto the Magiftrates and Powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall anfwer, or what ye shall Jay for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the fame bour what ye ought to say. Luke xii. 11, 12. : testimony teftimony of Scripture for this infpiration. And tho' the bearing witness to it felf* might be reafonably objected in an argument addreffed to Unbelievers, yet being here inforced against fuch of the Faithful who doubt or hefitate concerning the infpiration of the New Teftament, it hath all the propriety we can defire. I venture therefore to fay, that St. Paul, in the general propofition quoted above, which affirms that all Scripture is given by infpiration of God, neceffarily includes the Scriptures in queftion; what it predicates of all Scripture taking in the new as well as the old; as well that which was to be written, as that which was already collected into a Canon. For the term, Scripture, as the context leads us to understand it, is general, and means, a religious Rule, perfect in its direction, for the conduct of human life, in belief and practice: it being under this idea that he recommends the Scriptures to Timothy. The affertion therefore is univerfal, and amounts to this, "That divine Inspiration is an effential quality of every Scripture, which conftitutes the LAW or RULE of a Religion coming from God." On the whole then, we conclude, that all the Scriptures of the New Teftament were given by infpiration of God. And thus the prophetic promife of our bleffed Mafter, that the Comforter fhould abide with us for ever, was emiently fulfilled. For tho', according to the promife, his ordinary influence occafionally affifts 'the Faithful of all ages, yet his conftant abode and fupreme illu mination is in the facred Scriptures of the New Teftament." After fhewing the rules for the trial of fpirits, he applies them to a famous modern pretender to extraordinary gifts of the fpirit. "This the Reader fhould have in mind, when we bring him to apply thefe marks to the features of modern Fanaticifm; efpecially as they are feen in the famed Leader of the METHODISTS, Mr. JOHN WESLEY; and not feen neither, as Sancho Pancho faru his mistress, by bearfay, (which indeed has been too much the cuftom, in the reprefentations of this tranfcendant man) but as he appears in perfon in his own JOURNALS: For by thofe indelible marks alone, there traced out, and by his own pen, I purpose to TRY, in him, chiefly, THE SPIRITS of all modern Pretenders to fupernatural Powers. CHAP. IV. Book II. AND that I may not be suspected of combating a Fantom, it will be proper first of all to fhew that this extraordinary man hath, in fact, laid claim to almost every Apoftolic gift and grace; and in as full and ample a meafure as they were poffeffed of old. But as a good Actor will firft prepare his Scene, he hath carried us back, by the magic of his dramatic powers, into all the wonders of the primitive Times; where we meet the Devil unchained and let loofe, to exert his laft efforts against the new Religion: As, on the other hand, to oppofe to his infernal rage, we fee, with the fame evidence, an abundant effufion of the Holy Spirit *If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. John v. 31. Η Πᾶσα γραφή θεόπνευτος, &c. R 2 poured poured out upon this rifing Church: And now, every thing being well prepared, Both thefe Powers ftand ready to act their parts, by the time our Apoftle thinks fit to appear upon the Stage. "Some His JOURNALS are full of the Alarms which he gave the Devil, and of the mortifications which the Devil gave him." The Devil, "he fays, knew his kingdom fhook, and there'ore flirred up his fer"vants to ring bells, and make all "all the noife they could" "The "Devil's Children fought valiantly "for their Mafter, that his king"dom fhould not be destroyed: And "many stones fell on my right hand "and on my left †. "or other of the Children of Belial "laboured to disturb us feveral "nights before 1." Nay, fo accustomed was he to thefe conflicts with the Evil One, that it was even matter of furprise to him, to find the Enemy, once upon a time, referved and fill; till he reflected, that it was becaufe his Goods were "I preached--as yet I have found only one perion a"mongst them, who knew the love "of God, before my brother came. "No wonder the Devil was fo fill: for his Goods were in peace in peace. for he had always the skill of curing this fpiritual lethargy by a frenzy. 66 When the Devil had set the mob on work, he then, like other Politicians, retired to better Company; fuch as the two Mr. Wefley's and the Saints. But, as this fad and folemn meeting was not to his taste, he tried to buffet them into a better humour. "I was a little furprised "at fome who were buffeted of "Satan in an unusual manner by "fuch a spirit of laughter---I knew "the fame thing ten or eleven "years ago. Part of Sunday my "Brother and I then used to spend "in walking in the meadows and 6. §. + Do. p. 82. Journ. from Nov. 1, 1739. to Sept. 3, 1741. p. 37. § Journ. from Nov. 25, 1746. to July 20, 1750. p.29. + Journ. *Ibid. p. 38. occafion, occafion, he relates a fact, which, tho' He feems not to have turned to a proper ufe, the fober and attentive Reader may.---" Our Out"ward trials indeed were now removed, and peace was in all our "borders. But fo much the more "did inward trials bound, and if one member fuffered, all the mem"bers fuffered with it, So ftrange a fympathy did I never obferve "before: Whatever confiderable "temptation fell on any one, un"accountably spreading itself to the reft. So that exceeding few were able to escape it *." In thefe various ftruggles, the Devil was at length tired out; and Mr. Welley forces him into close quarters; to betake himself to the bodies of friend or foe indifferently, just as he could find opportunity or entertainment. And now comes on the fhining part of our Apoille's exploits, the driving him out, in the face of the whole Congregation, by EXORCISMS and fpiritual Ejectments, But if Evil thus abounded, Grace did much more abound in this memorable Æra, when Mr. John Wesley first went out upon his Miffion. The Spirit overcame all refiftance, broke down all the ftrong. holds of Sin, and, what Mr. Wesley was much more fet again, of INSENSIBILITY." So many living Witneffes (fays he) hath God "given, that his hand is STILL ftretched out to heal, and that figns and wonders are even Now wrought by his holy Child, Jefus 66 66 "t." For, out of the mouths of babes and fucklings, is once again, as of old, perfected praise; the young men faw vifions, and the old men dreamed dreams." "All these wonders were not worked for nothing. The Spirit of the Lord was gone out, and it did not stop till it had manifested itself, in the laft effort of its power, THE NEW BIRTH: But it went not out, as of old, in the fill, fmall voice, but in ftorms and tempefts, in cries and extacies, in tumults and confufion; and when nature was exhaufted, then grace had done its work. But he tells us, his correfpondents hearing of this strange affair, enquired of him how can these things be? They cautioned him not to regard vifions or dreams, or to fancy people had remiffion of fins because of their cries or tears, &c. To this, he tells us, he anfwered, "You deny that "God does now work these effects: "at least that he works them in "this manner. I affirm both. "have feen very many perfons 66 changed in a moment from the fpirit of fear, horror, defpair, "to the fpirit of love, joy, and "peace.--What I have to fay touch I ing vifions or dreams is this: I "knew feveral perfons in whom "this great change was wrought "in a dream, or during a strong representation to the eye of "their mind, of Chrift either on "the Crofs or in glory ." 60 But here unhappily, as is ufual in these matters, the fymptoms of Grace and of Perdition were fo interwoven Journ, from Nov. 1, 1739. to Sept. 3, 1741. p 37. Aug, 12, 1738. to Nov. 1, 1739.. I Ibid, p. 48, 49. R 3 † Journ. from and |