"fore this very letter, wrote on purpose to vindicate "your apostleship, instead of giving us any reason "to alter our opinion to your advantage, has only "contributed to increase our doubts." St. Paul, inspired or not inspired, had more natural good sense than to give his enemies such a handle against him. What he designs to assert is plainly this; Whatever any among you may think or say of me, I know that I have the Spirit of God; so that you may rely on the advice which I have given you, without any danger of being misled.

Let us hear no more then of St. Paul's want of inspiration, or at least of his ignorance, whether he was inspired or no. When we talk thus of his ignorance, we only betray our own. He lays claim to inspiration every where. Even the common form with which he begins his Epistles, in all just construction, implies it: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an apostle, not of men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead. For it is absurd and senseless in itself to suppose, that Jesus Christ should give a man authority and commission to instruct the Christian world, and yet not qualify him, by the gifts of his Spirit, to discharge this office effectually, so that no room might be left either for error in doctrine, or for viciousness in life. It is the inspiration of the Spirit of Christ, speaking in and by the apostles, which makes the doctrines and commandments they delivered to be the doctrines and commandments of Christ Jesus. And if, under the notion of entertaining moderate and qualified sentiments of inspiration, you once divest them of this authority, you reduce them to the rank of mere human opinions, and the

commandments of men. It is on account of this inspiration that St. Paul could truly say, He therefore that despiseth (my doctrines or commands), despiseth not man, but God, who hath given unto us his holy Spirit. Upon these principles our Lord had said before, He that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. Little surely do some men recollect and consider, that when they detract from St. Paul's apostolical character, and decry his divine inspiration, their impiety terminates on God himself, and their talking is against the Most High; to whom is due, and to whom be ascribed, all glory and praise, both now and for ever. Amen.

f 1 Thess, iv. 8,

g Luke x. 16.

SERMON IX.

1 THESS. iv. 8.

He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

IF you look back to the beginning of the chapter, you will find the apostle reminding these Christians of Thessalonica of the instructions he had given them before; I suppose when he first converted them to the faith; Ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. In chap. i. 5. he says, Our Gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost; it was attended with the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; accompanied and confirmed by miracles, and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost, and whatever was requisite to produce a full and perfect assent to its truth. In chap. ii. he appeals to their own knowledge and consciences for the power, and efficacy, and success with which he made known unto them the Gospel of God; for yourselves, brethren, know our first entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain : a modest way of reminding them, that the power of an apostle had been shewn among them, and that it had also been effectual in their conversion. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually

SERM. IX. Complete Inspiration of Scripture. 167 worketh also in you that believe. When St. Paul therefore preached this Gospel, it was not the word of men, but the word of God, and the Gospel of God; and the commandments which he gave them, were not his commandments, but commandments which

he

gave them by and from the Lord Jesus; delivered by his direction, and supported by his authority.

Surely it is no less the word of God when it is written, than when it is spoken. And if the apostle had a divine assistance and direction when he only preached to a particular church or people, there is more reason to expect it in his writings, which were designed to instruct and teach, not that church only, but the whole church of Christ, to the end of the world. The commandments he delivers may be very plain commandments, such as reason itself might be able to suggest. But it is the word of God which gives them their sanction and authority, and establishes them as a law which shall not be broken; and this was revealed to the apostles by the Spirit. A philosopher might dissuade men from uncleanness (though some of them in fact did not) by many arguments, natural and moral. But the apostle says, This is the will of God, and your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. However obvious or agreeable to reason the commands may be, yet they are only the commandments of men, if they are not enforced by inspiration. They may be good rules of life, and counsels of human prudence ; but divine laws they are not, unless enacted by that one supreme Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. There is an infinite difference in point of authority and obligation between what is from heaven, and what is only of men; the one is human, the

other is divine. Whoever rejects the one, rejects the advice only of a man like himself; but he that despiseth the other, 'despiseth not man, but God, who gave to them that delivered it his holy Spirit.

In what I have further to say upon the subject, I shall consider,

First, the nature of inspiration.

Secondly, the use and intent of it.

Thirdly, the impious and immoral consequences of despising it: whoever does so, despises not merely man, the instrument, but God, the giver.

I. In considering the nature of inspiration, I design not to enter into any abstruse speculation about the manner how the Spirit of God can act upon, and influence, and enlighten the mind of man. No sober person certainly can pretend that there is any impossibility in the thing, or absurdity in the notion of such an influence. All the world has always believed that one kind of knowledge was communicated in this supernatural way, viz. the knowledge of future events; for all the world, heathen as well as Jewish and Christian, always had a notion and belief of some sort of prophecies, or predictions of things to come. They were far therefore from thinking it impossible or absurd that God, or at least some being superior to man, should give him information in some things, and convey some knowledge to his mind. Whatever becomes of false prophecies, or pretended predictions, St. Peter has justly observed of the true, that prophecy came not in old time, or at any time, by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghosta. Supposing there ever was such a thing as a true proa 2 Peter i. 21.