Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

And that the Apostles themselves had not the least authority to add to, or alter that religion; but were only to deliver what they received from Christ himself, uncorrupted and unaltered to all the churches. (He indeed feems to have known of no other Calling and Election, than might be made fure by mens own diligence, I. 10.

(8.) The fame Peter gives us a particular caution, 2 Pet. iii. 16. about fome things hard to be understood, in Paul's Epiftles, even in the apoftolical age itfelf; and which the learned and unstable wrefted, as they did the other Scriptures, to their own deftruction. Poffibly Peter might have these chapters in his eye, among others; and might include the errors thence arifen, when, in the verse following, he bids good Chriftians beware left they alfo being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from their own ftedfaftnefs. Which caution Augufin, and Calvin, and their followers, especially the fynod of Dort, feem to have quite difregarded, to the unspeakable mischief of the church of Chrift. So far however seems to me undeniable, that all Paul's companions, nay all the companions of the other Apoftles, with the other Apostles themselves, nay indeed almost all catholic Chriftians, till the days of Auguftin, either entirely understood Paul, as not meaning what they think they find in these chapters, or else they had no regard to what he there faid about fuch abftrufe matters at all; but always went upon the plain principles of common sense, natural religion, and their original Christianity, while yet thefe Calvinists ftill think the like Jewish reafonings in Barnabas, Paul's own companion, of almost no authority at all: Which yet is no other than a great degree of prejudice and partiality.

But

But if, after all, any think that this my opinion. takes away the strict Inspiration of Paul's Epiftles, which they fuppofe of dangerous confequence to Christianity, I confefs it does imply, that under what degree of Divine Conduct, or Wisdom foever, Paul wrote his Epiftles, as the Conftitutions, II. 57. and Peter, 2 Pet. iii. 15. do affirm, yet is that degree to be esteemed inferior to what ought to be properly called Infpiration; fuch as the prophets were under in the reception of their prophecies; which proper Infpiration I take to be here groundlefs, and never pretended to by any writers of the New Teftament, excepting the prophetic parts of Hermas, in his admirable vifions; and the prophetic parts of St. John, in his no lefs admirable Revelation. See Sacred Hiftory of the New Teftament, pag. 122, 123,

ADDENDA

ADDENDA to thefe MEMOIRS.

N. B. In the beginning of the year 1716, Mr. Wilfon, Archdeacon of Nottingham, about 90 years of age, published a small pamphlet, entitled, The Wonders of the Year 1716. It was taken almost entirely out of the first imperfect edition of my Efay on the Revelation of St. John, without once citing me, or that Effay. The fecond edition was also printed at Nottingham towards the end of the fame year 1716, and dedicated to Archdeacon Marfden his fucceffor. What corrections ought to be made in this extract will eafily be learned from the vastly more correct fecond edition of that Effay itself, printed A. D. 1744.

AN ALPHA

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »