08. Chapter I.
Chapter I.
Particular operations of the Holy Spirit under the Old Testament preparatory for the New. The work of the Spirit of God in the new creation; despised by some— Works under the Old Testament preparatory to the New— Distribution of the works of the Spirit — The gift of prophecy; the nature, use, and end of it — The beginning of prophecy — The Holy Spirit the only author of it — The name of a "prophet;" its meaning, and his work — Prophecy by inspiration; why it is so called — Prophets, how they are moved by the Holy Ghost — The adjuncts of prophecy, or distinct ways of its communication — Of articulate voices — Dreams — Visions — Incidental adjuncts of prophecy — Symbolic actions — Local movements — Whether unsanctified persons might have the gift of prophecy — The case of Balaam answered — Of writing the Scriptures — Three things required for this — Of miracles — Works of the Spirit of God in the improvement of the natural faculties of the minds of men in various things: political, moral, corporeal, intellectual and artificial — In preaching the word.
Having passed through those general things which were necessary prior to the consideration of the special works of the Holy Ghost, I now proceed to what is the principal subject of our present design. And that is the dispensation and work of the Holy Spirit of God with respect to the new creation, and the recovery of mankind, or the church of God, which comes by it. This is a matter of the highest importance to those who sincerely believe; but it is most violently, and of late virulently, opposed by all the enemies of the grace of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. The weight and concern of this doctrine have in part been spoken to before. I will at present add no further considerations to that same purpose, but leave all those who fear the name of God to make a judgment of it by what is revealed in the Scriptures concerning it, and the uses to which it is directed there. Many, we know, will not receive these things. But in handling them, while we keep ourselves to that word by which one day both we and they must either stand or fall, we do not need to be moved by their ignorance or pride, nor by the fruits and effects of such traits, in their reproaches, contempt, and scorn: for God has a righteous eye.238
Now, the works of the Spirit, in reference to the new creation, are of two sorts: First, those that were preparatory to it under the Old Testament; for I reckon that the state of the old creation, as to living to God, ended with the entrance of sin and giving the first promise. Whatever ensued from that, by way of grace, was preparatory for and to the new creation. Secondly, those works that were actually worked under the new.
Those acts and works of his which are common to both states of the church — such as his effectual dispensation of sanctifying grace towards the elect of God — I will handle in common under the second head. Under the first, I will only consider those that were particular to that state. To make way to this I will premise two general positions:
1. There is nothing excellent among men which is not ascribed to the Holy Spirit of God, as the immediate operator and efficient cause of it — whether it is absolutely extraordinary, and in every way above the production of natural principles; or whether it consists in an eminent and particular improvement of those principles and abilities. We will confirm this afterward by various instances. Of old, the Spirit was all; now some would have him be nothing.
2. Whatever the Holy Spirit worked in an eminent manner under the Old Testament, it respected our Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel, generally and for the most part, if not absolutely and always. And so it was preparatory to completing the great work of the new creation in and by Christ. And these works of the Holy Spirit may be referred to the two sorts mentioned, namely —
I. Those which were extraordinary, and exceeding the whole compass of the abilities of nature, however improved and advanced; and,
II. Those which consist in the improvement and exaltation of those abilities, to address the occasions of life, and the use of the church (see page 147 below).
Those of the first sort (extraordinary) may be reduced to three heads:
1. Prophecy.
2. Writing the Scripture.
3. Miracles.
Those of the other sort (ordinary) we will find in things that are:
1. Political, such as skill for government and rule among men.
2. Moral, such as fortitude and courage.
3. Natural, such as an increase of bodily strength.
4. Intellectual gifts—
(1.) For sacred things, such as preaching the word of God;
(2.) In artful things, as we see in Bezalel and Aholiab.239 The work of grace on the hearts of men being more fully revealed under the New Testament than before, and of the same kind and nature in every state of the church since the fall, I will address it once and for all in its most proper place.
I. Extraordinary Works of the Spirit.
1. Prophecy The first eminent gift and work of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament, and which had the most direct and immediate respect to Jesus Christ, was prophecy: for the chief and principal end of this in the church, was to fore-signify him and his sufferings, and the glory that would ensue — or appoint those things to be observed in divine worship that might be types and representations of him. For the highest privilege of the church of old was but to hear tidings of those same things which we actually enjoy, Isa 33.17.240
Just as Moses on top of Pisgah saw the land of Canaan,Numbers 21:20 and in spirit saw the beauties of holiness to be erected in this land (which was his highest attainment), so the best of those saints was to contemplate the King of saints in the land that was still very far from them — Christ in the flesh. And this prospect, which they obtained by faith, was their highest joy and glory, John 8.56.241 Yet they all ended their days as Moses did, with respect to the type of the gospel state, Deu 3.24, 25.242 This is what the disciples did see, Luke 10.23, 24.243
Hebrews 11:40 "God having provided some better thing for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us."
Peter declares that this was the principal end of the gift of prophecy,
1 Peter 1:9-12 : "Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified, when He testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow. To them it was revealed that — not to themselves, but to us — they were ministering the things which are now reported to you."
Some of the ancients apprehended that some things were spoken obscurely by the prophets; and they were not to be understood without great search, especially those things which concerned the rejection of the Jews, lest they were provoked to abolish the Scripture itself. But the sum and substance of the prophetic work under the Old Testament, with the light, design, and ministry of the prophets themselves, are declared in those words. The work was to give testimony to the truth of God in the first promise, concerning the coming of the blessed Seed.244 This was God’s method: First, he immediately gave that promise which was the foundation of the church, Gen 3.15;245 then by revelation to the prophets, he confirmed that promise; after all of this, the Lord Christ was sent to make them all good to the church, Rom 15.8.246 With this, they received fresh revelations concerning his person and his sufferings, along with the glory that was to ensue from that, and the grace which was to come to the church thereby. While they were thus employed and moved by the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Christ, they diligently endeavored to become acquainted with the things, in their nature and efficacy, which were revealed to them. And yet as they did so, they considered that it was not themselves, but some succeeding generations who would enjoy them in their actual exhibition. And while they were intent on these things, they also searched (as far as it was intimated by the Spirit) for the time in which all these things were to be accomplished — both when it would be, and what manner of time it would be — that is, what the state and condition of the people of God would be in those days. This was the principal end of the gift of prophecy; and this was the principal work and employment of the prophets. The first promise was given by God in the person of the Son, as I have proved elsewhere, Genesis 3:15; but the whole explication, confirmation, and declaration of it, was carried on by the gift of prophecy. The communication of this gift began early in the world; and it continued without any known interruption, in the possession of some one or more in the church at all times during its preparatory or subservient estate. After the finishing of the canon of the Old Testament, it ceased in the Judaical church until it had a revival in John the Baptist;247 he was therefore greater than any prophet that went before him,248 because he made the nearest approach to and clearest discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was the end of all prophecies. Thus God "spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began," Luke 1:70. Adam himself had many things revealed to him, without which he could not have worshipped God correctly in that fallen state and condition into which he had come. For although his natural light was sufficient to direct him to all those religious services required by the law of creation, it was not sufficient as to all the duties of that state into which he was brought, by the giving of the promise after the entrance of sin.249 So he was guided to observe those ordinances of worship which were needful for him, and accepted by God — as were sacrifices. The prophecy of Enoch is not only remembered, but recalled and recorded in Jude 1:14-15. It is something that is neither curious nor difficult to demonstrate, that all the patriarchs of old, before the flood, were guided by a prophetic spirit in the imposition of names on those children who were to succeed them in the sacred line. God expressly says of Abraham, that he was a prophet, Genesis 20:7 — that is, one who received divine revelations.250
Now, this gift of prophecy was always the immediate effect of the operation of the Holy Spirit. This is both affirmed in general, and in all its particular instances. In the first way, we have the illustrious testimony of the apostle Peter:
2 Peter 1:20-21, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy did not come in olden times by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." This is a principle among believers; they grant and allow this, in the first place, as that into which they resolve their faith— namely, that the "sure word of prophecy," which they take heed to in all things (verse 19),251 was not a fruit of any man’s private conceptions, nor was it subject to the wills of men, so as to attain or exercise it by their own ability.252 Rather, it was given by the "inspiration of God," 2 Timothy 3:16. For the Holy Ghost, by acting upon, moving, and guiding the minds of holy men, enabled them for this. This was the sole fountain and cause of all true divine prophecy that was ever given or granted for the use of the church. And in particular, the coming of the Spirit of God upon the prophets, enabling them to do their work, is frequently mentioned. Micah declares in his own instance, how it was with them all:
Micah 3:8, "But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin."
It was from the Spirit of God alone that he had all his ability to discharge that prophetic office to which he was called. And when God would endow seventy elders with a gift of prophecy, he tells Moses that he would "take from the Spirit that was upon him," and give it to them for that purpose — that is, God would communicate the same Spirit to them as was in Moses.253 And where it is said at any time that God spoke by the prophets, or that the word of God came to them, or God spoke to them, it is always intended that this was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. So David says of himself that, "The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me," or in me, "and his word was in my tongue," 2 Samuel 23:2. Hence our apostle,254 repeating David’s words, ascribes them directly to the Holy Ghost:
Hebrews 3:7, "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost says, Today if you will hear his voice;" And again in Hebrews 4:7, "Saying in David." So too, the words which are ascribed to the "Lord of hosts," Isaiah 6:9-10, are asserted to be the words of the Holy Ghost, Acts 28:25-27. He spoke to them, or in them, by his holy inspirations; and he spoke by them in his effectual infallible guidance of them, to utter, declare, and write what they received from him, without mistake or variation. And this prophecy, as to its exercise, is considered in two ways:
First, precisely for the prediction or foretelling of things to come, as the Greek word and the Latin rephrased from there, both signify. So prophecy is a divine prediction of future things, proceeding from divine revelation. But the Hebrew naba "prophesy" (OT:05012) — from which we get "a prophet" (Heb. nabiy OT:05030) and "prophecy" (Heb. nebuw’ah OT:05016) — is not confined to any such meaning, even though predictions from supernatural revelation are constantly expressed by it. But in general,
Secondly, the word signifies no more than to speak out, interpret, and declare the mind or words of another. So God tells Moses that he would "make him a god to Pharaoh," Exodus 7:1 — one who would deal with him in the name, stead, and power of God; and "Aaron his brother would be his prophet," Exodus 7:1 — that is, one who would interpret his meaning and declare his words to Pharaoh, because Moses had complained of the defect of his own utterance. So prophets are the "interpreters," the declarers of the word, will, mind, or oracles of God to others. Such a one is described in Job 33.23.255 Hence, those who expounded the Scripture to the church under the New Testament were called "prophets," and their work was "prophecy," Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 14:31-32. And under the Old Testament, those who celebrated the praises of God with singing in the temple, according to the institution of David, are said to "prophesy," in doing this 1 Chronicles 25:2. This name, nabiy, a "prophet," was of ancient use; for God called Abraham a prophet, Genesis 20:7.
Afterward, a prophet was commonly called "a seer" 256 because of their divine visions (and this was occasioned by God’s words concerning Moses, in Num 12.6-8.257 And this being the ordinary way of God’s revealing himself — namely, by dreams and visions — prophets in those days, even from the death of Moses onward, were commonly called seers, which continued in use until the days of Samuel, 1 Samuel 9:9); and, "a man of God," 1 Samuel 2:27. This is the name Paul gives to the preachers of the gospel, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:17. What Kimchi notes is not altogether unworthy of observation, that the verb naba (prophesy) is most frequently used in the passive conjugation niphal, because it denotes receiving from God, by way of revelation, what is spoken to others by way of prophecy. And as it lies before us, as an extraordinary gift of the Holy Ghost, prophecy is neither to be confined to the strict notion of prediction and foretelling, nor is it to be extended to every true declaration of the mind of God — but only to that which is obtained by immediate revelation.258
We may now inquire a little more distinctly into this particular gift of the Holy Spirit. And two things concerning it may be considered:
First, Its general nature;
Secondly, The particular ways by which special revelation was granted to someone.
First, For its general nature, it consisted in inspiration.259 The apostle speaks this way of the prophecies recorded in the Scripture, 2Tim 3.16:260 theopneustos (NT:2315), divine inspiration, was the origin and cause of it. And the acting of the Holy Ghost in communicating his mind to the prophets was called "inspiration" on a double account:
First, Corresponding to the Spirit’s name and nature. The name by which he is revealed to us signifies "breath;" and he is called the "breath of God," by which his essential relation to the Father and Son is expressed, along with his eternal natural emanation from them. And therefore, when our Savior gave the Spirit to his disciples, as a proper instructive emblem of what he gave, he breathed upon them, John 20:22. So also in the great work of the infusion of the reasonable soul into the body of man, it is said that God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life," Genesis 2:7. I say it is from this — namely, from the nature and name of the Holy Spirit — that his immediate actings on the minds of men, in the supernatural communication of divine revelations to them, is called "inspiration" or inbreathing. And the unclean spirit, counterfeiting the actings of the Spirit of God, inspired his worshippers with a preternatural inspiration, by ways suited to his own filthy vileness.
Secondly, This holy work of the Spirit of God, just as it is expressed suitably to his name and nature, so it intends the meekness, gentleness, and facility with which he works. He gently and softly breathed into them, as it were, the knowledge and comprehension of holy things. It is a special and immediate work, in which he acts suitably to his nature as a spirit — the spirit or breath of God — and suitably to his peculiar, personal properties of meekness, gentleness, and peace. So the Spirit’s acting is inspiration, by which he came within the faculties of the souls of men, acting upon them with a power that was not their own. It is true, when he had thus inspired anyone with the mind of God, they had no rest, nor could they have, unless they declared it in its proper way and season:
Jeremiah 20:9, "Then I said, I will not mention him, nor speak any more in his name: but his word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." But this disturbance was from a moral sense of their duty, and not from any violent agitations of the Spirit upon their natures. And sometimes when trouble and consternation of spirit befell some of the prophets in and under the revelations they received from Him, it was on a double account:
First, From the dreadful representations of things that were made to them in visions. Things of great dread and terror were represented to their fancies and imaginations.
Secondly, From the greatness and dread of the things that were revealed, which sometimes were terrible and destructive, as in Daniel 7:15; Daniel 7:28; Daniel 8:27; Habakkuk 3:16; Isa 21.2-4.261 But the Spirit’s inspirations were gentle and placid.
Secondly, The immediate and particular effects of this inspiration were, that those who were inspired were moved or acted by the Holy Ghost: "Holy men of God spoke," 2 Peter 1:21 — "moved" or acted "by the Holy Ghost." And two things are intended by this:
First, The preparation and elevation of their intellectual faculties (their minds and understandings) in which his revelations were to be received. He prepared them to receive the impressions he made upon them, and confirmed their memories to retain them. He did not, however, so enlighten and raise their minds as to give them a distinct understanding and full comprehension of all the things that were declared to them; there was more in their inspirations than they could search to the bottom of.262 Hence, although the prophets under the Old Testament were used to communicate the clearest revelations and predictions concerning Jesus Christ, yet in the knowledge and understanding of their meaning, they were all inferior to John Baptist, as he was inferior in this matter to the lowliest believer, or the "least in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 11:11 Therefore, for their own illumination and edification they diligently inquired, by the ordinary means of prayer and meditation, as to the meaning of the Spirit of God in those prophecies which they received by extraordinary revelation, 1Pet 1.10-11.263 Nor did Daniel (who had those express representations and glorious visions concerning the monarchies of the world, and the providential alterations which would be worked in them) understand what and how things would be accomplished. This is the account he gives of himself at the close of his visions, Dan 12.8-9.264 But the Spirit so raised and prepared their minds, that they might be capable of receiving and retaining those impressions of things which he communicated to them. Thus a man tunes the strings of an instrument, so that it may duly receive the impressions of his finger, and produce the sound he intends. The Spirit did not speak in them or by them, and leave it to the use of their natural faculties — their minds, or memories — to understand and remember the things spoken by him, and thus declare them to others. But the Spirit himself acted through their faculties, making use of them to express his words, and not their own conceptions. And this (besides other things) is the difference between the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and those so-called inspirations of the devil. The utmost that Satan can do is to make strong impressions on the imaginations of men, or influence their faculties by possessing, wresting, and distorting the organs of the body and the spirits of the blood. The Holy Spirit is in the faculties, and he uses them as his organs. Secondly, he did this with that light and evidence of himself — of his power, truth, and holiness — which left no suspicion as to whether their minds were under his conduct and influence or not. Men are subject to fall so far under the power of their own imaginations — through the prevalence of a corrupt and distempered fancy — as to suppose that these imaginings are supernatural revelations. Satan may (he did of old, and perhaps still does) impose on the minds of some, and communicate to them, such a conception of his insinuations, that for awhile they will think these are from God himself. But in the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and in his moving of the minds of holy men of old, he gave them infallible assurance that it was he alone by whom they were moved, Jer 23.28.265
If anyone was to ask by which infallible tokens they might assuredly know the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and be satisfied that such a persuasion as was not liable to mistake (that they were not imposed on), I must say plainly that I cannot tell. For these are things of which we have no experience; nor is anything of this nature pretended to — whatever some may falsely and foolishly impute to those who profess and avow an interest in the ordinary gracious workings of the Holy Ghost. What some frenetic266 persons have boasted of in their distempers, or under their delusions, no sober or wise man esteems worthy of any sedate consideration. But I say this: it was the design of the Holy Ghost to give those whom he extraordinarily inspired in this way, an assurance that was sufficient to bear them out in the discharge of their duty, and an assurance that they were moved by him alone. For in the pursuit of their work, which they were called to by him, they were to encounter various dangers; and some of them were called to lay down their lives as a testimony to the truth of the message they delivered. They could not be engaged in this without as full an evidence of his moving them, as the nature of man is capable of in such cases. The case of Abraham fully confirms this.
It is impossible, in those extraordinary workings of the Spirit, for there not to have been such an impression left on their minds of him, and of his holiness and authority, as to secure them from all fear of delusion. Even upon the word delivered by them to others, he put those characteristics of divine truth, holiness, and power, that rendered it "worthy to be believed;"1 Timothy 1:15 it was not to be rejected without the highest sin by those to whom it came. To those who enjoyed its original inspiration, there was much more of such evidence in it.
Secondly, He moved and guided them as to the very organs of their bodies, those by which they expressed the revelation which they had received by inspiration from him. They spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. He guided their tongues in the declaration of his revelations, like the mind of a man guides his hand in writing, to express its conceptions. Hence David, having received revelations from the Spirit, or being inspired by him, affirms in his expression of them, that "his tongue was the pen of a ready writer," Psalms 45:1; that is, it was so guided by the Spirit of God as to express the conceptions which David received from him. For this reason, God is said to speak by their mouths: "As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets," Luke 1:70. All of them had but one mouth, on account of their absolute consent and agreement in these predictions; this is the meaning of "one voice" or "one mouth" in a multitude. "The Holy Ghost spoke by the mouth of David," Acts 1:16. For whatever they received by revelation, they were only the pipes through which its waters were conveyed, without the least mixing of any alloy from their own frailties or infirmities. David had received the pattern of the temple, and the manner of the whole worship of God in this, by the Spirit, 1Chr 28.12.267 He says, "All this the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern,"268 verse 19. The Spirit of God not only revealed it to him, but He so guided David in writing it down, that he might understand the mind of God from what he had written; i.e., the Spirit gave it to him so plainly and evidently, that it was as if every particular had been expressed in writing by the finger of God.
(1.) As to this first extraordinary work and gift of the Holy Ghost, prophecy, it remains for us to consider those special ways and means which he made use of in communicating his mind to the prophets, with some other incidental adjuncts of prophecy. Because one way is preferred above another in the several ways that divine revelations are communicated, some have distinguished the degrees of prophecy, or of its gift. They follow Maimonides in his "More Nebuchim." I have disproved this elsewhere, in "Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews," chap. 1. Nor indeed is there the least occasion, either from this or any other ground, to feign those eleven degrees of prophecy which he thought he had discovered. Much less may the spirit or gift of prophecy be attained by the ways he prescribes, and with Tatianus seems to countenance.269 The distinct outward manners and ways of revelation mentioned in the Scriptures may be reduced to three heads: 1. Voices; 2. Dreams; and 3. Visions. And there are two incidental adjuncts of it: 1. Symbolic actions; and 2. Local movements. The schoolmen, following Aquinas, 22. q. 174, a. 1, commonly reduce the means of revelation to three heads, for there are three ways by which we come to know anything — 1. By our external senses; 2. By impressions on the fantasy or imagination; and 3. By pure acts of the understanding. So God revealed his will to the prophets in three ways —
1. By objects of their senses, such as audible voices;
2. By impressions on the imagination in dreams and visions;
3. By illustration or enlightening of their minds. But because this last way expresses divine inspiration, I cannot acknowledge it as a distinct way of revelation by itself — for it was absolutely necessary to give an infallible assurance of mind in the other ways also. Therefore setting that aside, there is none of those ways that is not liable to delusion.
1. God sometimes made use of an articulate voice, saying those things which he intended to declare in words that signified them. Thus he revealed himself or his mind to Moses, when he "spoke to him face to face, as a man speaks to his friend," Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8. And as far as I can observe, the whole revelation made to Moses was by outward, audible, articulate voices, whose sense was impressed on his mind by the Holy Spirit. For an external voice without an inward elevation and disposition of mind, is not sufficient to give security and assurance of truth to the one who receives it. Thus God spoke to Elijah, 1Kng 19.12-18, to Samuel and Jeremiah, and it may be to all the rest of the prophets at their first calling and entrance into their ministry. For words formed miraculously by God, and conveyed sensibly to the outward ears of men, carry a great majesty and authority with them. This was not the usual way of God’s revealing his mind, nor is it signified by that phrase of speech, "The word of the Lord came to me." No more is intended by that, than an immediate revelation by whatever way or means it was granted. Mostly this was by that secret effectual impression on their minds which we described before. And these voices were either immediately created by God himself, such as when he spoke to Moses (the eminence of the revelation made to him, principally consisted in this) — or when the ministry of angels was used in forming and pronouncing these revelations. But as we observed before, the divine certainty of the minds of those to whom these things were spoken, along with their ability to infallibly declare them to others, was an immediate internal work of the Spirit of God upon them.
Without this, the prophets might have been imposed on by external audible voices — nor would these, by themselves, give their minds an infallible assurance.
2. Dreams were made use of under the Old Testament to the same purpose, and I also refer to all those visions which they had in their sleep, though not called dreams.270 And these, in this case, were the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost as to the divine and infallible impressions they conveyed to the minds of men. Hence dreams are mentioned in the promise of the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit, or in the communication of his gifts:
Acts 2:17, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams."
It is not that God intended to make much use of this way of dreams and nocturnal visions under the New Testament; rather, the intention of the words is to show that there would be a plentiful effusion of that Spirit who acted by these various ways and means under the Old Testament. Only, as to some particular directions, God sometimes continued his intimations by visions in the night. Paul had such a vision in Acts 16.9.271 But this was more frequent of old. Thus God made a signal revelation to Abraham when the "deep sleep fell upon him, and horror of great darkness," Genesis 15:12-16; and Daniel "heard the voice of the words" of the one who spoke to him "when he was in a deep sleep," Daniel 10:9. But I do not look at this sleep of theirs as natural, but as that which God sent and cast them into, so that in this sleep he might represent the image of things to their imaginations. So of old, God caused a "deep sleep to fall upon Adam," Genesis 2:21. The Jews distinguish between dreams, and those visions had in sleep, as distinctly considered; but I throw them together under one head: revelation in sleep. This way of revelation was so common, that someone who pretended to prophesy would cry out, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed," Jeremiah 23:25. And by the devil’s imitation of God’s dealing with his church, this became a way of vaticination 272 among the heathen also: Hom. i. 63 — "A dream is from Jupiter." And when the reprobate Jews were deserted as to all divine revelations, they pretended to have a unique skill in interpreting dreams. They became sufficiently infamous on account of their deceit.
3. God revealed himself in and by visions or representations of things to the inward or outward senses of the prophets. This way was so frequent that, for a time, the name vision applied to all prophetic revelations — for as we observed before, a prophet of old was called a "seer," and that was because, in receiving their prophecies, they saw visions also. So Isaiah terms his whole glorious prophecy, "The vision which he saw," Isaiah 1:1 This was partly from the special representations of things that were made to him, Isa 6.1-4;273 and partly, it may be, from the evidence of the things revealed to him, which were as clear to his mind as if he had had an ocular inspection of them. So, from the matter contained in them, prophecies began to be commonly called "The burden of the Lord;" for he burdened their consciences with his word, and their persons with its execution. But when false prophets began to make frequent use of it, and to serve themselves by this expression, it was forbidden, Jer 23.33, 36.274 Yet we find that this is mentioned about the same time, in Habakkuk 1:1; and also after their return from captivity, Zechariah 9:1, Mal 1.1.275 Therefore, either this respected the only time in which false prophets abounded (whom God would thus deprive of their pretense); or indeed, by contempt and scorn, the people used that expression, "the burden of the Lord," which was familiar to the prophets in their denunciation of God’s judgments against them (which God rebukes them for here, and threatens to revenge). But none of the prophets had all their revelations by visions; nor does it concern the communication of the gift of prophecy, but rather its exercise. And their visions are particularly recorded. Such were those in Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1:11-16; Ezekiel 1; and the like.
Now, these visions were of two sorts: —
1. Outward representations of things to the bodily eyes of the prophets;
2. Inward representations to their minds.
1. There were sometimes appearances of persons or things made to their outward senses; and in this, God made use of the ministry of angels. Thus three men appeared to Abraham, Genesis 18:1-2, one of which was the Son of God himself (the other two were ministering angels, as was proved elsewhere). So was the burning bush that Moses saw, Exodus 3:2; the appearances on Mount Sinai at the giving of the law, Exo 19,276 that were unlike any living thing; the man that Joshua saw at the siege of Jericho, Joshua 5:13-14; the seething-pot and almond-rod seen by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:11; Jeremiah 1:13, and also his baskets of figs, Jeremiah 24:1-3 — many more of the same kind might be instanced. In these cases, God made representations of things to their outward senses.
2. They were sometimes made only to their minds. So it is said expressly that when Peter saw his vision of a sheet that was knit at the four corners, and let down from heaven to earth, he was in a "trance," Acts 10:10. An "ecstasy seized him," by which he was deprived of the use of his bodily senses for a time. I assign Daniel’s and the apocalyptic visions to this sort — especially all those in which a representation was made of God himself and his glorious throne; such as that of Micaiah, 1Kng 22.19-22; Isaiah 6; and Ezekiel 1. It is evident that in all of these, there was no use of the bodily senses of the prophets; only their minds were affected with the ideas and representation of things. But this was so effectual that they did not understand that they also made use of their visual faculty. Hence Peter, when he was actually delivered out of prison, thought for a good while that he had only "seen a vision," Acts 12:9; for he knew how powerfully the mind was usually affected by them.
Now, these visions of both sorts were granted to the prophets to confirm their minds in the apprehension of the things communicated to them for the instruction of others. For they were deeply affected by them, which a clear idea and representation of things effectively tends to do. Yet two things were required to render these visions direct and complete parts of divine revelation:
1. The minds of the prophets were acted, guided, and raised in a due manner by the Holy Spirit, for receiving them. This gave them their assurance that their visions were from God.
2. He enabled them to faithfully retain and infallibly declare what was represented to them. For instance, Ezekiel receives a vision by a representation to his mind of a glorious fabric of a temple, to instruct the church in the spiritual glory and beauty of the gospel-worship which was to be introduced, chaps. 41-46. It seems utterly impossible for the mind of man to conceive and retain at once all the harmonious structure, dimensions, and laws of the fabric represented. This was the particular work of the Holy Ghost — namely, to implant and preserve the idea presented to Ezekiel on his mind, and to enable him to accurately and infallibly declare it. So David affirms that the Spirit of God made him understand the pattern of the temple built by Solomon, "in writing, by His hand upon him."
(2.) There were some incidental adjuncts of prophecy which at some times accompanied it:
First, in the revelation of the will of God to the prophets, symbolic actions were sometimes enjoined. So Isaiah was commanded to "walk naked and barefoot," Isaiah 20:1-3; Jeremiah, to obtain a "linen sash," Jeremiah 13:1-5; Ezekiel, to "lie in siege," Ezekiel 4:1-3, and to remove the "stuff of his house," Ezekiel 12:3-4; and Hosea was enjoined to take "a wife of harlotry, and children of harlotry," Hosea 1:2. I will be brief in what is frequently spoken to. Some of these things, such as Isaiah’s going naked, and Hosea’s taking a wife of harlotry, contain things in them that are against the light of nature and the express law of God, and an evil example to others. None of these, therefore, can be granted to have been actually done; it was only that these things were represented to them in visions, to make a deeper impression on them. And what they saw or did in a vision, they speak of positively in seeing or doing these: see Ezekiel chap. 8. For the other instances, I know nothing except that the things reported might be really performed, and not only in the vision. It is plain that Ezekiel was commanded to do the things he did in the sight of the people, for their more evident conviction, Ezekiel 12:4-6; and upon seeing it, they asked what those things meant to them, Eze 24.19.277
Secondly, their revelations were accompanied with local movements, or rather being carried and transported from one place to another. So it was with Eze 8.3, 11.24.278 And it is expressly said that it was "in the visions of God." Falling into a trance or ecstasy by divine dispensation was effected only by a divine and efficacious representation of these things to them, done in places in which they were not really present — in which their outward senses were suspended in their operation, and their minds and understandings were (in their own apprehension) carried in a holy rapture from one place to another.
These are some of those incidentals of prophetic revelations which are recorded in the Scripture; and it is possible that some other instances of like nature may be observed. All of these belong to the manifold variety of divine revelations alluded to in Heb 1.1.279 But here a doubt of no small difficulty (nor of less importance) presents itself to us — namely, whether the Holy Ghost ever granted holy inspirations, and thereby the gift of prophecy, to wicked and unsanctified men.280 For the apostle Peter tells us that "holy men spoke of old as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," 2 Peter 1:21. This seems to intimate that all those who were inspired and moved by him, as to this gift of prophecy, were holy men of God.281 and yet, on the other hand, we will find that true prophecies have been given out by men who seem to be utterly void of all sanctifying grace. And to increase the difficulty, it is certain that great predictions, and those with respect to Christ himself, have been given and made by men who were guided and moved for the most part by the devil. So was it with Balaam, who was a sorcerer; he gave himself to diabolical enchantments and divinations; and as such, he was destroyed by God’s appointment.Num 31 8 Indeed, at or about the same time in which he uttered a most glorious prophecy concerning the Messiah (the Star of Jacob), and being left to his own spirit and inclination, he gave cursed advice and counsel for drawing the people of God into destructive and judgment-procuring sins, Numbers 31:16. In the whole of his enterprise, Balaam thought to satisfy his covetousness with a reward for cursing them by his enchantments. And yet this man not only professes about himself that he "heard the words of God," and "saw the vision of the Almighty," Numbers 24:4, but he actually foretold and prophesied glorious things concerning Christ and his kingdom. Should we then think that the Holy Spirit of God will mix his own holy inspirations with the wicked suggestions of the devil in a soothsayer? Or should we suppose that the devil was the author of those predictions — when in fact God reproaches false gods, and their prophets, so they cannot declare the things that will happen, nor show the things to come afterward? Isa 41.22-23.282 So it is also said of Saul that "the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evil spirit terrified him," 1 Samuel 16:14; and yet, afterward, the "Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied," 1 Samuel 19:23. The old prophet at Bethel lied to the prophet that came from Judah, and he did that in the name of the Lord, seducing the Judean prophet to sin and destruction. He was probably defiled with the idolatry and false worship of Jeroboam; and yet he was esteemed a prophet, and foretold what actually came to pass, 1Kng 13.11-29. Various things may be offered as a solution to this difficulty; for —
1. As to that passage from the apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:21),
(1.) It may not be taken universally that all who prophesied at any time were personally holy, but only that they were holy for the most part.
(2.) He seems to speak particularly only of those who were penmen of the Scripture, and of those prophecies which remain in it for the instruction of the church. Concerning them, I in no way doubt that they were all sanctified and holy.
(3.) It may be that Peter does not mean real inherent holiness, but only a separation and dedication to God by special office; and this is something of another nature.
2. The gift of prophecy is not granted to be a sanctifying grace in itself and its own nature; nor is the inspiration by which the prophecy is worked a sanctifying grace. For the gift consists in affecting the mind with a transient irradiation of light in hidden things; and thus, of itself, it did not nor could it produce faith, love, or holiness in the heart. Another work of the Holy Ghost was necessary for this.
3. There is therefore no inconsistency in God granting an immediate inspiration to some who were not really sanctified. Yet I would not grant this was actually done without a just limitation; for some were established to be prophets to the church in the whole course of their lives, after their first call from God — such as Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, and the rest of the prophets mentioned in the Scripture. In the same way, I have no doubt that all of them were really sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God. But there were others who had only some occasional revelations made to them about hidden or future things; or who for a short time fell into some ecstasies or raptures, with a supernatural agitation of their minds (as it is twice said of Saul). And I see no reason why we may not grant — indeed, from Scripture testimonies we must grant — that many such persons may be so moved by the Holy Spirit of God.283 So it was with wicked Caiaphas who is said to "prophesy," John 11.51 284 — and it was indeed a great prophecy which his words expressed — there is none greater in the Scripture. But the wretch himself knew nothing of the importance of what he uttered. A sudden impression of the Spirit of God caused him, against his intention, to utter a sacred truth. And that was because he was high priest, and his words had great reputation with the people.285 Just as Balaam was overruled so as to prophesy and speak good of Israel, when he really intended and desired to curse them, so Caiaphas, intending the destruction of Jesus Christ, produced those words which expressed the salvation of the world by Christ’s death.
4. For the difficulty about Balaam himself, who was a sorcerer and the devil’s prophet, I acknowledge it is of importance. But various things may be offered to remove it. Some contend that Balaam was a prophet of God only.
They say that indeed he may have given himself to judicial astrology, and to conjecture about future events from natural causes — but as to his prophecies, they were all divine. Any light given about such things, affected only the speculative part of his mind, and had no influence on his will, heart, and affections, which were still corrupt. Tostatus pleads for this.286 But because it is expressly said that Balaam "sought enchantments," Numbers 24:1, the whole description of his course and end reveals him to be a cursed sorcerer: and he is expressly called "the soothsayer," Joshua 13:22. This word is rendered once as "prudent" — that is, one who prudently conjectures about future events according to present apparent causes, Isaiah 3:2 — yet it is mostly used for a diabolical diviner or soothsayer. 287 And for what he said about himself, that he "heard the words of God," and "saw the vision of the Almighty," it might be only his own boasting to procure veneration for his diabolical incantations. But we find, by reputation, that he did live in the world in those days, and he was supposed to utter divine oracles to men. God in his providence made use of this, to give a testimony to the nations concerning the coming of the Messiah, the report of which was then almost lost among men. In this condition, it may be granted that the good Spirit of God, without the least reflection on the majesty and purity of his own holiness, overruled the power of the devil, tossed out his suggestions from the man’s mind, and gave Balaam such an impression of sacred truths in their place, that he could not help but utter and declare them. For that instant, the Spirit took the instrument out of the hand of Satan, as it were, and by putting his impression on it, caused it to give a sound according to His own mind. When he had finished with the instrument, he again left it to Satan’s possession.
I do not know but that the Spirit might sometimes do the same with others among the Gentiles who were professedly given up to receive and give out the oracles of the devil. So the Spirit made the young woman possessed with a spirit of divination and soothsaying, acknowledge that Paul and his companions were "servants of the most high God" to "show men the way of salvation," Acts 16:16-17. And this must be acknowledged by those who suppose that the sibyls288 gave out predictions concerning Jesus Christ, and see the whole strain of their prophetic oracles as expressly diabolical. No conspiracy of men or devils will cause the Spirit to forego his sovereignty over such prophets, and using them to his own glory.
5. The case of Saul is plain.1 Samuel 16:14 The Spirit of the Lord who departed from him was the Spirit of wisdom, moderation, and courage, to fit him for rule and government — that is, the gifts of the Holy Ghost for that purpose, which he withdrew from Saul. And the evil spirit that was upon Saul proceeded no further than stirring up vexatious and disquieting affections of mind.
Notwithstanding this molestation and punishment inflicted on Saul, the Spirit of God might for a time fall upon him, so as to throw him into a rapture or ecstasy, in which Saul’s mind was moved and exercised in an extraordinary manner. And he was transported into actions that were not at all according to his own inclinations. This case is well resolved by Augustine.289 As for the old prophet at Bethel, 1Kng 13.11-32, although he appears to have been an evil man, he was one whom God sometimes made use of to reveal His mind to that people. Nor is it probable that he was under satanic delusions like the prophets of Baal; for he is called a prophet absolutely, and the word of the Lord really did come to him, v. 20-22.
2. The Writing of Scripture The writing of the Scripture was another extraordinary effect of the Holy Ghost, which had its beginning under the Old Testament. I reckon this was a gift distinct from prophecy in general, or rather, a distinct species or kind of prophecy. For there were many prophets who were divinely inspired, who yet never wrote down any of their prophecies, nor anything else for the use of the church; and many penmen of the Scripture were not prophets in the strict sense of that name. And the apostle tells us that the scripture or writing itself, was by "inspiration of God," 2 Timothy 3:16 — just as David affirms that he had the pattern of the temple from the Spirit of God in writing, because the Spirit guided him in putting its description into writing, 1Chr 28.19.290 Now, this ministry was first committed to Moses; besides the five books of the Law, he probably also wrote the story of Job. There were many prophets before him, but he was the first who committed the will of God to writing, following God himself who wrote the law on tablets of stone; this was the beginning and pattern of the Scriptures. The writers of the historical books of the Old Testament before the captivity are unknown. The Jews call them "the first" or "former prophets." Who they were in particular is not known; but it is certain that they were of the number of those holy men of God who, of old, wrote and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.2 Peter 1:21
Hence they are called "prophets." For although they wrote, as Moses did, in a historical way, concerning things that were past and gone in their days (or maybe that were presently happening in their own times), they did not write them either from their own memory or from tradition. Nor did they write them from the rolls or records of their time (though they might be furnished with them and were skilled in these things). Rather they wrote them by the inspiration, guidance, and direction of the Holy Ghost. Hence they are called "prophets," with such a latitude as the word permits, to signify any who are divinely inspired or receive immediate revelations from God. And it was this way with all the penmen of the holy Scripture. Just as their minds were under that full assurance of divine inspiration which we described before, so the words which they wrote were under the special care of the same Spirit; and they were of his suggestion or inditing.
There were thus three things concurring in this work:
First, The inspiration of the minds of these prophets with the knowledge and apprehension of the things communicated to them.
Secondly, The suggestion of words to them to express what their minds conceived.
Thirdly, The guidance of their hands in setting down the words suggested, or of their tongues in uttering them to those by whom they were committed to writing, just as Baruch wrote the prophecy of Jeremiah from his mouth, Jer 36.4, 18.291
If any of these were lacking, the Scripture could not be absolutely and in every way divine and infallible. For if its penmen were left to themselves in anything in which that writing was concerned, who can assure us that nihil humani, no human imperfection, mixed itself with it? I know some think that only the matter and substance of things was communicated to them, but the words by which it was expressed, was left to them and their own abilities. And this they suppose is evident from that variety of style which, according to their various capacities, education, and abilities, is found among them. "This argues," they say, "that the wording of their revelations was left to themselves, and it was the product of their natural abilities." I have spoken to this in general elsewhere, and manifested what mistakes various persons have run into about the style of the holy penmen of the Scripture. I will not take up here what has been argued and evinced in another place.292 I will only say that the variety intended arises mostly from the variety of the subject-matters addressed; nor is it such that it will countenance the profaneness of this opinion. For the Holy Ghost in his work on the minds of men does not force them, or move them in any way contrary to their own natures, with their present endowments and qualifications, as fit to be acted upon and used. He leads and conducts them in those paths which they are able to walk. The words which he therefore suggests to them, are those they are accustomed to; and he causes them to use expressions that were familiar to them. Someone who uses various seals makes different impressions with them, even though they are all guided equally and the same; someone who skillfully touches several musical instruments, variously tuned, will make differing notes of music. We may also grant, and do grant, that they used their own abilities of mind and understanding in the choice of words and expressions: so the Preacher "sought to find acceptable words," Ecclesiastes 12:10. But the Holy Spirit, who is more intimate with the minds and skill of men than they are themselves, so guided, acted, and operated in them, that the words they fixed upon were as directly and certainly from him as if they had been spoken to the writers by an audible voice. Hence "what was written was upright, even words of truth," as in Ecclesiastes 12:10. This must be so, or they could not speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, nor could their writing be said to be of divine inspiration. Hence often in the original, great senses and meanings depend on a single letter; as for instance, in the change of the name of Abraham.293 And our Savior affirms that every apex and iota of the law is under the care of God, given by inspiration from him, Mat 5.18.294 But I have addressed these things on other occasions, and I will not, therefore, enlarge upon them here.295
3. Miracles The third sort of immediate296 extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, which absolutely exceed the actings and compliance of human faculties, are miracles of all sorts; these were frequent under the Old Testament. Many of the things worked by Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, with some others, were miracles. Those done by Moses — if the Jews are correct — exceeded all the rest that are recorded in the Scripture. Now, these were all the immediate effects of the divine power of the Holy Ghost. He is the sole author of all real miraculous operations; for we understand "miracles" to mean such effects that are really beyond and above the power of natural causes, however applied to their operation. Now, it is expressly said that our Lord Jesus Christ worked miracles by the Holy Ghost (for instance, casting out devils from possessed persons).297 And if they were immediately produced by the human nature of Jesus Christ, personally united to the Son of God, then how much more it must be granted that it was the Spirit alone by whose power they were worked in those who had no such relation to the divine nature! And, therefore, where they are said to be worked by the "hand" or "finger of God," it is the person of the Holy Spirit which is precisely intended, as we have declared before. The persons by whom they were worked were never the real subjects of the power by which they were worked, as if that power were inherent and residing in them as a quality, Acts 3.12, 16.298 It was only that they were infallibly directed by the Holy Ghost, by word or action, to pre-signify their operation. So it was with Joshua when he commanded the sun and moon to stand still.299 There was no power in Joshua, not even extraordinarily communicated to him, to have such a real influence on the whole frame of his nature that it would effect so great an alteration in it. It was only that he had a divine warranty to speak what God himself would effect; from which it is said that in this "the Lord listened to the voice of a man," Jos 10.14.300 It is a vanity of the greatest magnitude in some of the Jews, such as Maimonides, ("More Nebuch.," page 2, cap. 35), Levi B. Gerson, and others on that passage, who deny that the sun and moon were fixed, and judge that it was only the speed of Joshua in subduing his enemies before the close of that day, which is intended there. They contend for this, lest Joshua be thought to have worked a greater miracle than Moses! But the prophet Habakkuk expressly says the contrary, Hab 3.11,301 and their own Sirachides,302 chaps. 45, 46. So it is no small prevarication in some Christians to give countenance to such a putid 303 fiction (See Grot. in loc). This is true in all other miraculous operations, even where parts of the bodies of men were made instrumental to the miracle itself, as in the gift of tongues. Those who had that gift did not speak from any skill or ability residing in themselves, but were merely organs of the Holy Ghost, those whom He moved at his pleasure. Now, the end of all these miraculous operations was to give esteem to those persons, and to confirm the ministry of those by whom the miracles were worked. For though at first they were the occasion for wonder and astonishment, yet upon consideration, these miracles evidenced the respect and regard of God toward such persons and their work. Thus when God sent Moses to declare his will in an extraordinary manner to the people of Israel, He commands him to work several miracles or signs before them, so they might believe he was sent by God, Exodus 4:8-9. Such works were called signs, because they were tokens and pledges of the presence of the Spirit of God with those by whom they were worked. Nor was this gift ever bestowed on any man for its own sake; it was always subordinate to the work of revealing or declaring the mind of God.304
These are the general heads of the extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit of God in works that exceed all human or natural abilities, in their whole kind.
II. Ordinary Works of the Spirit. The next sort of operations of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament (those which I intended to explain), were those by which He improved, through immediate impressions of his own power, the natural faculties and abilities of the minds of men. And these, as intimated, respected things that were political, moral, natural, and intellectual, with some of a mixed nature:
1. In respect to political things.
Such were his gifts by which he enabled various persons for rule and for civil government among men. Government, or supreme rule, is of great concern to the glory of God in the world, and it is of the highest usefulness to mankind. Without it, the whole world would be filled with violence, and become a stage for all wickedness to visibly and openly act itself out into disorder and chaos. All men confess that to duly manage this to its proper ends, various and specific gifts and abilities of mind are required and needful for those who are called to rule. They are to endeavor after these things themselves, and to sedulously305 improve the measure which they have attained of them — where this is neglected by any, the world and they themselves will quickly feed on the fruits of that negligence. Yet, the utmost of what men may obtain of this kind of ability by their ordinary endeavors, and by an ordinary blessing upon it, is not sufficient for some special ends which God aimed at, in and by their rule and government. So the Holy Ghost often gave a special improvement to their abilities of mind, by his own immediate and extraordinary operation. And in some cases, he manifested the effects of his power by some external, visible signs of his coming upon those in whom he so worked. It was so in the first institution of the Sanhedrin, or court of seventy elders, which would bear together with Moses the burden of the people in their rule and government. The Lord is said to "put his Spirit upon them;" and it is said that "the Spirit rested on them:" Numbers 11:16-17. "And the Lord said to Moses, Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them. And I will take of the Spirit which is upon you, and I will put it upon them; and they will bear the burden of the people with you." Verse 25, "And the Lord took of the Spirit that was upon Moses, and gave it to the seventy elders, and the Spirit rested upon them." What these elders were called to, was a share in the supreme role and government of the people, which was previously in the hand of Moses alone. The occasion of their calling declares this, verses 11-15. And those who influenced the people by their counsel and arbitration were previously "inferior officers" in Egypt, Exodus 3:16; Exodus 5:6; Exodus 24:1; Exodus 24:9. Now they had a supreme power in judgment committed to them, and were therefore called elohiym, or "gods."306 For these were those "to whom the word of God came," who were thereby called gods, John 10:34-36, Psa 82.6,307 and not the prophets, who had neither power nor rule. The Spirit of God that was in Moses rested on them; that is, the Spirit worked the same abilities for government in them that Moses had received — wisdom, righteousness, diligence, courage, and the like — so that they might judge the people wisely, and look to execute the law impartially. Now when the Spirit of God rested on them, it is said "They prophesied, and did not cease," Numbers 11:25-26; that is, they sang or spoke the praises of God in such a way and manner, that it was evident to all that they were extraordinarily moved by the Holy Ghost. That word "prophesied" is used this way in 1 Samuel 10:10 and elsewhere. But this gift and work of prophecy was not the special end for which they were endowed by the Spirit. For they were now called to rule and to government, as was declared. But because their authority and rule was new among the people, God gave that visible sign and pledge of calling them to their office, so they might be duly venerated, and acquiesced to in their authority. That word yacaph, "did not cease" (Numbers 11:25), is ambiguous; it may signify to "add" as well as to "cease." And from this, many of the Jews assert that they prophesied no more, except that day only: "They prophesied then, and added not," — that is, to do so anymore. So when God erected a kingdom among them, which was a new kind of government to them, and designed Saul to be the person who would reign, it is said that he "gave Saul another heart," 1 Samuel 10:9 — that is, "the Spirit of God came upon him," as it is expressed elsewhere, to endow him with that wisdom and magnanimity that might make him fit for kingly rule. And because he was newly called from a low condition to royal dignity, the communication to him of the Spirit of God, was accompanied with a visible sign and token, so that those people who were ready to despise him, might acquiesce in his government; for he also had an extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit, expressing itself in a "visible rapture," verses 10-11. God dealt with others in the same manner. For this reason also, he instituted the ceremony of anointing them at their inauguration; for it was a token of the communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost to them — though this was with respect to Jesus Christ, who was to be anointed with all the fullness of the Spirit, of whom these men were types to that people. Now, these gifts for government are natural and moral abilities of the minds of men, such as prudence, righteousness, courage, zeal, clemency, and the like. And when the Holy Ghost fell upon anyone, to enable them for political rule and the administration of civil power, he did not communicate gifts and abilities to them of quite another kind, but he only gave them an extraordinary improvement of their own ordinary abilities. And indeed, so great is the burden with which a just and useful government is attended — so great and many are the temptations which power and a confluence of earthly things will invite and draw towards them — that without some special assistance of the Holy Spirit of God, men have no choice but either to sink under the weight of it, or wretchedly miscarry in its exercise and management. This made Solomon, in the beginning of his reign, when God gave him his option of any earthly desirable thing, prefer wisdom and knowledge for ruling, above them all, 2 Chronicles 1:7-12. He received this from the one who is the "Spirit of wisdom and understanding," Isaiah 11:2. If the rulers of the earth would follow this example, and be earnest with God for those supplies of his Spirit which might enable them for a holy, righteous discharge of their office, it would, in many places, be better with them and the world than it is, or can be, where the state of things are such as described in Hos 7.3-5.308
Now God, of old, carried this dispensation out of the pale of the church, to effect some special ends of his own; and I in no way question that he still continues to do so. Thus he anointed Cyrus, and accordingly calls him his "anointed", Isaiah 45:1; for Cyrus had a double work to do for God, in both parts of which he stood in need of God’s special assistance. He was to execute God’s judgments and vengeance on Babylon, and also deliver God’s people, so that they might rebuild the temple. For both these, he stood in need of and he received special aid from the Spirit of God, even though he was in himself but a "ravenous bird" of prey, Isaiah 46:11 — for the gifts of this Holy One, in this kind, worked no real holiness in those on whom they were bestowed. They were only given to them for the good and benefit of others, with their own success in what they attempted to that purpose. Yes, and many on whom these gifts are bestowed never consider the author of them, but sacrifice to their own nets and drags,309 and look at themselves as the springs of their own wisdom and ability. But it is no wonder that all regard for the gifts of the Holy Ghost in the government of the world is despised, when his whole work in and towards the church itself is openly derided.
2. In respect to moral virtues.
We may add to this those special endowments, with some moral virtues, which the Spirit granted to various persons to accomplish some special design. So he came upon Gideon and upon Jephthah, to anoint them for the work of delivering the people from their adversaries in battle, Judges 6:34; Judges 11:29. It was said of them both, beforehand, that they were "men of valor," Judges 6:12; Judges 11:1. Therefore, the Spirit of God coming upon them, and clothing them, was his special excitation of their existing courage, and his fortifying their minds against those dangers they were to encounter.
He did this by such an efficacious impression of his power upon them, that both of them received a confirmation of their call by it, so that others might discern the presence of God with them. Hence it is said that the "Spirit of the Lord clothed them;" 310 By the Spirit’s gifts to them, and acting in them, they were impassioned in themselves, and they were known to others.
3. In respect to natural abilities.
There are various instances of his adding to the gifts of the mind by which he qualified persons for their duties, even bodily strength, when that also was needed for the work to which he called them. Such was his gift to Samson. His bodily strength was supernatural, a mere effect of the power of the Spirit of God; and therefore, when he exercised it in his calling, it is said that "the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," Judges 14:6; Judges 15:14, or it worked powerfully in him. And the Spirit gave him this strength in the way of an ordinance, appointing the growing of his hair as the sign and pledge of it — the care of it being violated by Samson, he lost for a time the gift itself.
4. In respect to the intellect.
He also communicated intellectual gifts, to be exercised in and about things that are natural and artful. So he endowed Bezalel and Aholiab with wisdom and skill in all manner of elaborate workmanship, about all sorts of things, for building and beautifying the tabernacle, Exodus 31:2-3. Whether Bezalel was a man who had previously given himself to the acquisition of those arts and sciences is altogether uncertain; but it is certain that his present endowments were extraordinary. The Spirit of God heightened, and improved, and strengthened the natural faculties of his mind to perceive and understand all the elaborate works mentioned in that place, and the skill to contrive and dispose of them into the order designed by God himself. And therefore, although the skill and wisdom mentioned did not differ in kind from what others attained by industry, he received it by an immediate afflatus or inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as to that degree, at least, which he was made a partaker of.
Lastly, The Spirit gave assistance to holy men for publishing and preaching the word of God to others — such as Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," 2 Peter 2:5. This was to convict the world and convert the elect, in which the Spirit of God strove with men, Genesis 6:3, and preached to those who were disobedient, 1Pet 3.19-20.311 While this might be considered here, the explanation of his whole work in that particular aspect will be given in a more appropriate place.
Thus I have briefly passed through the dispensation of the Spirit of God under the Old Testament. Nor have I aimed in this to gather up his whole work and all his actings, for then everything that is praiseworthy in the church must be inquired into; for all without Him is death, and darkness, and sin. All life, light, and power are from Him alone. And those instances of things expressly assigned to him, which we have insisted on, are sufficient to manifest that the whole being and welfare of the church depended solely on His will and His operations. This will be still more evident when we also consider those other effects and operations of his which, being common to both states of the church (under the Old Testament and New), are purposely omitted here. This is because their nature is more fully clarified in the gospel, where their examples are also more illustrious. From the Spirit, therefore, was the word of promise and the gift of prophecy, on which the church was founded and by which it was built; from him was the revelation and institution of all the ordinances of religious worship; from him was that communication of gifts and gracious abilities which any persons received for the edification, rule, protection, and deliverance of the church. All these things were worked by "that one and the self-same Spirit, who distributes to every man severally as he will." 1 Corinthians 12:11 If this was the state of things under the Old Testament, then a judgment may be made from this, as to how it is under the New. The principal advantage of the present state, above that which is past (next to Christ coming in the flesh), consists in the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples of Christ in a larger manner than formerly. And yet I do not know how it has come to pass that some men think that neither the Spirit nor his work is of any great use to us. We find everything that is good, even under the Old Testament, was assigned to him as the sole and immediate author of it. And yet it is hard to persuade many that he now continues to do almost any good at all; and what he is admitted to have any hand in, is sure to be so stated that the principal praise of it may redound to ourselves. This is how diverse — indeed, how adverse —the thoughts of God and men are in these things, when our thoughts are not captivated to the obedience of faith! 312 But we must close this discourse. It is a common saying among the Jewish masters that the gift of the Holy Ghost ceased under the second temple, or after finishing it. Their meaning must be that it ceased as to the gifts of ministerial prophecy, of miracles, and of writing the mind of God by inspiration for the use of the church. Otherwise there is no truth in their observation. For afterward, special revelations of the Holy Ghost were granted to many, such as Simeon and Anna, Luke 2:25-38. And others constantly receive his gifts and graces, to enable them to obedience, and to fit them for their employments — for without a continuance of these supplies, the church itself must absolutely cease.