第 2 节
作者:笑傲网络      更新:2024-04-09 19:52      字数:9322
  Apostles did not preach as prophets; for they did not go to particular
  places; as the prophets did; by the command of God。 (26) We read in
  the Old Testament that Jonah went to Nineveh to preach; and at the
  same time that he was expressly sent there; and told that he most preach。
  (27) So also it is related; at great length; of Moses that he went to Egypt
  as the messenger of God; and was told at the same time what he should say to
  the children of Israel and to king Pharaoh; and what wonders he should work
  before them to give credit to his words。 (28) Isaiah; Jeremiah; and
  Ezekiel were expressly commanded to preach to the Israelites。 Lastly; the
  prophets only preached what we are assured by Scripture they had received
  from God; whereas this is hardly ever said of the Apostles in the New
  Testament; when they went about to preach。 (29) On the contrary; we find
  passages expressly implying that the Apostles chose the places where they
  should preach on their own responsibility; for there was a difference
  amounting to a quarrel between Paul and Barnabas on the subject (Acts xv:37;
  38)。 (30) Often they wished to go to a place; but were prevented; as Paul
  writes; Rom。 i:13; 〃Oftentimes I purposed to come to you; but was let
  hitherto;〃 and in I Cor。 xvi:12; 〃As touching our brother Apollos; I greatly
  desired him to come unto you with the brethren; but his will was not at all
  to come at this time: but he will come when he shall have convenient time。〃
  (31) From these expressions and differences of opinion among the Apostles;
  and also from the fact that Scripture nowhere testifies of them; as of the
  ancient prophets; that they went by the command of God; one might conclude
  that they preached as well as wrote in their capacity of teachers; and not
  as prophets: but the question is easily solved if we observe the difference
  between the mission of an Apostle and that of an Old Testament prophet。 (32)
  The latter were not called to preach and prophesy to all nations; but to
  certain specified ones; and therefore an express and peculiar mandate was
  required for each of them; the Apostles; on the other hand; were called to
  preach to all men absolutely; and to turn all men to religion。 (33)
  Therefore; whithersoever they went; they were fulfilling Christ's
  commandment; there was no need to reveal to them beforehand what they should
  preach; for they were the disciples of Christ to whom their Master Himself
  said (Matt。 X:19; 20): 〃But; when they deliver you up; take no thought
  how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that same
  hour what ye shall speak。〃 (34) We therefore conclude that the Apostles
  were only indebted to special revelation in what they orally preached and
  confirmed by signs (see the beginning of Chap。 11。); that which they taught
  in speaking or writing without any confirmatory signs and wonders
  they taught from their natural knowledge。 (See I Cor。 xiv:6。) (35) We need
  not be deterred by the fact that all the Epistles begin by citing the
  imprimatur of the Apostleship; for the Apostles; as I will shortly show;
  were granted; not only the faculty of prophecy; but also the authority to
  teach。 (36) We may therefore admit that they wrote their Epistles as
  Apostles; and for this cause every one of them began by citing the Apostolic
  imprimatur; possibly with a view to the attention of the reader by asserting
  that they were the persons who had made such mark among the faithful by
  their preaching; and had shown bv many marvelous works that they were
  teaching true religion and the way of salvation。 (37) I observe that what is
  said in the Epistles with regard to the Apostolic vocation and the Holy
  Spirit of God which inspired them; has reference to their former preaching;
  except in those passages where the expressions of the Spirit of God and the
  Holy Spirit are used to signify a mind pure; upright; and devoted to
  God。 (38) For instance; in 1 Cor。 vii:40; Paul says: But she is happier if
  she so abide; after my judgment; and I think also that I have the Spirit of
  God。〃 (39) By the Spirit of God the Apostle here refers to his mind; as
  we may see from the context: his meaning is as follows: 〃I account blessed
  a widow who does not wish to marry a second husband; such is my opinion; for
  I have settled to live unmarried; and I think that I am blessed。〃 (40) There
  are other similar passages which I need not now quote。
  (41) As we have seen that the Apostles wrote their Epistles solely by the
  light of natural reason; we must inquire how they were enabled to teach by
  natural knowledge matters outside its scope。 (42) However; if we bear in
  mind what we said in Chap。 VII。 of this treatise our difficulty will vanish:
  for although the contents of the Bible entirely surpass our understanding;
  we may safely discourse of them; provided we assume nothing not told
  us in Scripture: by the same method the Apostles; from what they saw
  and heard; and from what was revealed to them; were enabled to form and
  elicit many conclusions which they would have been able to teach to men had
  it been permissible。
  (43) Further; although religion; as preached by the Apostles; does not come
  within the sphere of reason; in so far as it consists in the narration of
  the life of Christ; yet its essence; which is chiefly moral; like the whole
  of Christ's doctrine; can readily; be apprehended by the natural
  faculties of all。
  (44) Lastly; the Apostles had no lack of supernatural illumination for the
  purpose of adapting the religion they had attested by signs to the
  understanding of everyone so that it might be readily received; nor for
  exhortations on the subject: in fact; the object of the Epistles is to teach
  and exhort men to lead that manner of life which each of the Apostles judged
  best for confirming them in religion。 (45) We may here repeat our former
  remark; that the Apostles had received not only the faculty of preaching the
  history; of Christ as prophets; and confirming it with signs; but also
  authority for teaching and exhorting according as each thought best。 (46)
  Paul (2 Tim。 i:11); 〃Whereunto I am appointed a preacher; and an apostle;
  and a teacher of the Gentiles;〃 and again (I Tim。 ii:7); 〃Whereunto I am
  ordained a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth in Christ and lie
  not); a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity。〃 (47) These passages; I
  say; show clearly the stamp both of the apostleship and the teachership:
  the authority for admonishing whomsoever and wheresoever he pleased is
  asserted by Paul in the Epistle to Philemon; v:8: 〃Wherefore; though I might
  be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient; yet;〃 &c。;
  where we may remark that if Paul had received from God as a prophet
  what he wished to enjoin Philemon; and had been bound to speak in his
  prophetic capacity; he would not have been able to change the command of God
  into entreaties。 (48) We must therefore understand him to refer to the
  permission to admonish which he had received as a teacher; and not as a
  prophet。 (49) We have not yet made it quite clear that the Apostles might
  each choose his own way of teaching; but only that by virtue of their
  Apostleship they were teachers as well as prophets; however; if we
  call reason to our aid we shall clearly see that an authority to teach
  implies authority to choose the method。 (50) It will nevertheless be;
  perhaps; more satisfactory to draw all our proofs from Scripture; we are
  there plainly told that each Apostle chose his particular method (Rom。 xv:
  20): 〃Yea; so have I strived to preach the gospel; not where Christ was
  named; lest I should build upon another man's foundation。〃 (51) If
  all the Apostles had adopted the same method of teaching; and had all built
  up the Christian religion on the same foundation; Paul would have had no
  reason to call the work of a fellow…Apostle 〃another man's foundation;〃
  inasmuch as it would have been identical with his own: his calling it
  another man's proved that each Apostle built up his religious instruction on
  different foundations; thus resembling other teachers who have each their
  own method; and prefer instructing quite ignorant people who have never
  learnt under another master; whether the subject be science; languages; or
  even the indisputable truths of mathematics。 (52) Furthermore; if we go
  through the Epistles at all attentively; we shall see that the Apostles;
  while agreeing about religion itself; are at variance as to the foundations
  it rests on。 (53) Paul; in order to strengthen men's religion; and show them
  that salvation depends solely on the grace of God; teaches that no one can
  boast of works; but only of faith; and that no one can be justified by works
  (Rom。 iii:27;28); in f