---

The apostle had formerly commended reading of the prophets by the benefit of them; now in reading them he gives warning from the difficulty of understanding them. There often lies a deep and hidden sense under a familiar and easy sentence. Let not men rush into their exposition, like hasty soldiers into a thicket, without seeking direction from the captain. When we come to read them we must subject ourselves to the government of the Spirit.

I. THE INSPIRATION FROM GOD. It was not a vision of their own heads, but they "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

1. Consider the infallible completion of things long before prophesied in their due seasons (1 Kings 13:2).

2. Consider that their being hath continued from Moses unto this day. This is miraculous — that in so great hurly-burlies and alterations they should not be lost!

3. That the scope of it should be to build up no worldly thing, but only the kingdom of heaven, and to direct us to Jesus Christ.

4. That it should pass with credit through the whole world, and find approbation of all languages, nations, and places, and where it meets with oppositions should make way through them as thunder through the clouds.

5. That the Hebrew tongue, wherein the Old Testament was written, doth so excel all tongues, in antiquity, sanctity, majesty.

6. The majesty of the style, which yet is not only powerful in words, but effectual in working (Hebrews 4:12).

7. From the very baseness of falsehood, we learn to admire the lustre of truth. To disgrace and weaken the credit of the Scriptures Satan had his poets and fabulists, whose mythologies were obtruded for true reports.

8. This is an argument of the finger of God and supernatural power in Holy Writ, that the penners of it renounced all affectation and delivered the true message even against then" own reputations.

II. THE CONSCRIPTION. Although not by the will of man, yet was it done by the hand of man.

1. "Men." Why did not God choose some other nature of greater authority and credit?

(1) That no glory might be ascribed to the means (2 Corinthians 4:7).

(2) In commiseration of man's weakness (Exodus 20:19).

(3) For the security of our souls. If our preacher were an angel, Satan could transform himself into that shape.

(4) In fit respondence to the work of our redemption (Acts 3:22).

2. "Men of God." This is an ancient attribute (1 Kings 17:18; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 3:17). But especially they are called men of God because their dispensation comes from God (1 Corinthians 2:13).

3. "Holy men." The Lord who sent them qualified them.

III. THE EXPOSITION, which is by no private spirit, but by the Holy Spirit's illumination of man's mind and directing the Church. He that expounds the Scripture upon the warrant of his own spirit only doth lay the brands of the fire together without the tongs, and is sure at least to burn his own fingers.

(Thos. Adams.)

---

---

KJV: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

WEB: knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.