The works of George Swinnock, M.A

²2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces. Some of them were like Saul, ⟨p. 399⟩higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God; As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth; David the sweet singer of Israel, a man after Gods own heart; Solomon, who excelled in wisdom all that were before him, or came after him; Isaiah of the Blood-Royal, an Evangelical Prophet, or Prophetical Evangelist, whose prophecy is clean and clear, and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetoric; John the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosom of Jesus; Paul who was wrapped up into the third Heavens, and as famous for active and passive obedience, as any in the world in his days; All of them were men extraordinarily inspired, and assisted by the Spirit of God. Not only the notions, but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them, and infused into them by God himself. The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price, and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes; but the best of them, (though the Prophecy of the Sibyls, which the Heathen so highly esteemed, be included) is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book; Prophecy came not of old time by the will of men, but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. O how excellent must that Scripture be, of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanuenses, and to whom the infinite wisdom of God, did dictate every word?

²2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces. Some of them were like Saul, ⟨p. 399⟩higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God; As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth; David the sweet singer of Israel, a man after Gods own heart; Solomon, who excelled in wisdom all that were before him, or came after him; Isaiah of the Blood-Royal, an Evangelical Prophet, or Prophetical Evangelist, whose prophesie is clean and clear, and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetorick; Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosome of Iesus; Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heavens, and as famous for active and passive obedience, as any in the world in his days; All of them were men extraordinarily inspired, and assisted by the Spirit of God. Not onely the notions, but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them, and infused into them by God himself. The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price, and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes; but the best of them, (though the Prophesie of the Sybills, which the Heathen so highly esteemed, be included) is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book; Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men, but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. O how excellent must that Scripture be, of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanenses, and to whom the infinite wisdom of God, did dictate every word?