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Immediate Revelation
379. Cessation of Immediate, Open Revelation. We need not
wonder at all that God should so often and continually reveal himself by
prophets and miracles, and by external signs and tokens of his presence
and will, to the Israelite nation. We need not wonder that now we should
see nothing of this nature, no immediate open revelation or
communications any more than if there was no God. For this way of
revealing himself, as God used to do to that nation, is not at all
suitable to the present state of the church. The church was then
confined to one particular nation, who God chose on purpose to make them
the receptacle of his revelation and the conveyor of it to the rest of
the world. And I can think of no other way that it could be done with
any tolerable convenience, but by a chosen peculiar nation, who should
alone be God’s people and have the true religion among them. Therefore,
it was highly convenient and necessary that there should be such a
manner of communication with such a nation. It was also necessary in the
first transition of this revelation from the Jews to the world, as it
was in the apostles’ times, that the world receiving this revelation
from them, might see God still revealing himself, and so might receive
it from God in the same manner as they received it. And upon many other
accounts, it was necessary that inspiration and miracles should be
continued while divine revelation was in transition from the Jews to the
world. It was necessary for the establishing of the truth of the gospel,
which was now revealed and brought out from under its types, shadows,
and dark prophecies. It was necessary for the introducing of this new,
most perfect and everlasting dispensation, and it was necessary till the
completing of the canon of Scripture, etc. But that God should now, from
time to time, reveal himself after that manner to his church, is no way
necessary, nor at all suitable to the gospel state of the church, which
is not any particular enclosure, but is dispersed through the whole
world. The church is made up of the true worshippers of God throughout
the world, without any walls or dividing bounds. How is it practicable
that God should treat with the church now, in such a way as he did with
that peculiar nation? Besides, if it were practicable, it would be very
impertinent, for what need [is there] of new revelations to the end of
the world? Is it not better that God should give the world a book, which
should be the summary of his will, to which all nations in all ages may
resort, to know the mind of God? It would be impertinent because that
extraordinary and miraculous way was made use of once, only for the
introducing the more perfect way in which the catholic church of all
nations was forever to be instructed. God now communicates himself to
his church in a much more glorious way than that by miracles, etc. [It
is] by the communication of his Spirit of holiness to the hearts of his
people, and his teaching and spiritually instructing us out of the
world. This is infinitely a more excellent way, as the apostle says in 1
Cor. 12:31, etc. This is the end of the other way. It is excellent in
itself, but inspiration and miracles are good for nothing without it, as
the apostle plainly tells us in 1 Cor. 13. He tells us that prophecy and
miracles are nothing without charity, like the sounding brass or the
shadow without the substance. And seeing the substance is come, what
need the shadow be continued? Seeing the end is come, it would be
impertinent still to continue the means. The church now enjoys that
glory in comparison with which all the glory of prophecy and miracles,
even those of that extraordinary prophet Moses, is no glory at all. 2
Cor. 3:10.
1144. Immediate Revelation. That the prophets after they had
once had intercourse with God by immediate revelation from God gained
acquaintance with [him], so as afterwards to know him: as it were to
know his voice or know what was indeed a revelation from God is,
confirmed by 1 Samuel 3:7…. |
