e
Revelation_; but to draw all their Instructions from the aforesaid
Helps. And accordingly we never find any of the Prophets making any
Alteration in the Law, or calling the people to a more perfect way of
Worship. From whence 'tis plain that they were well assur'd of its
Sufficiency, till the _Messias_, who was to compleat it should come; and
their never bidding the People to look for any other way of teaching
than what was to be had from that Book, and the Mouth of the Priests,
proves evidently that they knew those means to be sufficient.

Sec. 6. Thus we have seen which way the generality of the People of God
were taught; let us now examine by what means the Prophets attain'd
their Faculty of Prophesying and wherein it did consist. Now it is most
certain that the Faculty of Prophesying cannot be attain'd by any
Application or Improvement of our Abilities whatsoever, but depends
wholly and entirely upon the positive Will of God, who upon important
and weighty Occasions, in his own due time, and to such Persons as seem
best in his infinite Wisdom, does send such as he is pleas'd to set
apart and qualifie for that Service, by the Inspiration of his Holy
Spirit. _For Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man; but holy
Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost_[34]. It must not
denyed, but that a sober, righteous and godly Life, a Heavenly
Conversation, and the keeping our selves pure both in Body and Spirit,
are excellent Means to invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in and abide with
us. And this is agreeable to right Notions of the Purity of God, and his
Love of that which is Good, and Abhorrence of that which is Evil: It is
confirmed by right Reason, the Testimony of ancient Churches and Holy
Scripture it self. But then the Question is, How does God dwell in those
that are his? Certainly, not so as to make Prophets of them, but to
strengthen them in their Holy Resolutions, and enable them to perform
such Things as tend most to his Glory, and their own Salvation. And upon
a due Examination, we shall find that this is all which the greatest
number by far of Godly Men ever attain'd; who notwithstanding must by no
means be accus'd of Slothfulness in not approving their Talent, nor of
being wanting in their Endeavours to make the nearest Approaches to God
that they were capable of.

Sec. 7. This will appear further, if we consider that those means which
were us'd by Holy Persons of Old, in order to the Impr