ConsideringthesetwosignificationsofthewordofGod，asitistakeninScripture，itismanifestinthislattersensewhereitistakenforthedoctrineofChristianreligionthatthewholeScriptureisthewordofGod：butintheformersense，notso。Forexample，thoughthesewords，“IamtheLordthyGod，“etc。，totheendoftheTenCommandments，werespokenbyGodtoMoses；yetthepreface，“Godspakethesewordsandsaid，“istobeunderstoodforthewordsofhimthatwrotetheholyhistory。ThewordofGod，asitistakenforthatwhichHehathspoken，isunderstoodsometimesproperly，sometimesmetaphorically。Properly，asthewordsHehathspokentoHisprophets：
metaphorically，forHiswisdom，power，andeternaldecree，inmakingtheworld；inwhichsense，thosefiats，“Lettheirbelight，Lettherebeafirmament，Letusmakeman，“etc。*arethewordofGod。Andinthesamesenseitissaid，“Allthingsweremadebyit，andwithoutitwasnothingmadethatwasmade“：*2and“HeupholdethallthingsbythewordofHispower“；*3thatis，bythepowerofHisword；thatis，byHispower：and“TheworldswereframedbythewordofGod“；*4
andmanyotherplacestothesamesense：asalsoamongsttheLatins，thenameoffate，whichsignifiethproperlythewordspoken，istakeninthesamesense。
Secondly，fortheeffectofHisword；thatistosay，forthethingitself，whichbyHiswordisaffirmed，commanded，threatened，orpromised；aswhereJosephissaidtohavebeenkeptinprison，“tillhiswordwascome“；*thatis，tillthatwascometopasswhichhehadforetoldtoPharoah’sbutlerconcerninghisbeingrestoredtohisoffice：*2forthere，byhiswordwascome，ismeantthethingitselfwascometopass。Soalso，ElijahsaithtoGod，“Ihavedoneallthesethywords，“*3insteadof“Ihavedoneallthesethingsatthyword，“orcommandment。And，“WhereisthewordoftheLord“*4
isputfor“WhereistheevilHethreatened。“And，“Thereshallnoneofmywordsbeprolongedanymore“；*5bywordsareunderstoodthosethingswhichGodpromisedtoHispeople。AndintheNewTestament，“heavenandearthshallpassaway，butmywordsshallnotpassaway“；*6thatis，thereisnothingthatIhavepromisedorforetoldthatshallnotcometopass。AndinthissenseitisthatSt。
JohntheEvangelist，and，Ithink，St。Johnonly，callethourSaviourHimselfasinthefleshtheWordofGod，“AndtheWordwasmadeflesh“；*7thatistosay，theword，orpromise，thatChristshouldcomeintotheworld，“whointhebeginningwaswithGod“：
thatistosay，itwasinthepurposeofGodtheFathertosendGodtheSonintotheworldtoenlightenmeninthewayofeternallife；
butitwasnottillthenputinexecution，andactuallyincarnate；
sothatourSaviouristherecalledtheWord，notbecausehewasthepromise，butthethingpromised。TheythattakingoccasionfromthisplacedocommonlycallhimtheVerbofGoddobutrenderthetextmoreobscure。TheymightaswelltermhimtheNounofGod：forasbynoun，soalsobyverb，menunderstandnothingbutapartofspeech，avoice，asound，thatneitheraffirms，nordenies，norcommands，norpromiseth，norisanysubstancecorporealorspiritual；andthereforeitcannotbesaidtobeeitherGodorman；whereasourSaviourisboth。AndthisWordwhichSt。JohninhisGospelsaithwaswithGodis，inhisfirstEpistle，calledthe“Wordoflife“；*8and“theEternalLife，whichwaswiththeFather“：*9sothathecanbeinnoothersensecalledtheWordthaninthatwhereinHeiscalledEternalLife；thatis，hethathathprocureduseternallifebyhiscomingintheflesh。SoalsotheApostle，speakingofChristclothedinagarmentdippedinblood，saithhisnameis“theWordofGod，“*10whichistobeunderstoodasifhehadsaidhisnamehadbeen“HethatwascomeaccordingtothepurposeofGodfromthebeginning，andaccordingtoHiswordandpromisesdeliveredbytheprophets。“Sothatthereisnothinghereoftheincarnationofaword，butoftheincarnationofGodtheSon，thereforecalledtheWord，becausehisincarnationwastheperformanceofthepromise；inlikemannerastheHolyGhostiscalledthePromise。*11
TherearealsoplacesoftheScripturewherebytheWordofGodissignifiedsuchwordsasareconsonanttoreasonandequity，thoughspokensometimesneitherbyprophetnorbyaholyman。ForPharaohNechowasanidolater，yethiswordstothegoodKingJosiah，inwhichheadvisedhimbymessengersnottoopposehiminhismarchagainstCarchemish，aresaidtohaveproceededfromthemouthofGod；andthatJosiah，nothearkeningtothem，wasslaininthebattle；asistobereadIIChronicles，35。21，22，23。ItistruethatasthesamehistoryisrelatedinthefirstBookofEsdras，notPharaoh，butJeremiah，spakethesewordstoJosiahfromthemouthoftheLord。
ButwearetogivecredittothecanonicalScripturewhatsoeverbewrittenintheApocrypha。
TheWordofGodisthenalsotobetakenforthedictatesofreasonandequity，whenthesameissaidintheScripturestobewritteninman’sheart；asPsalms，37。31；Jeremiah，31。33；
Deuteronomy，30。11，14，andmanyotherlikeplaces。
ThenameofprophetsignifiethinScripturesometimesprolocutor；
thatis，hethatspeakethfromGodtoman，orfrommantoGod：andsometimespredictor，oraforetellerofthingstocome：andsometimesonethatspeakethincoherently，asmenthataredistracted。ItismostfrequentlyusedinthesensespeakingfromGodtothepeople。SoMoses，Samuel，Elijah，Isaiah，Jeremiah，andotherswereprophets。Andinthissensethehighpriestwasaprophet，forheonlywentintothesanctumsanctorumtoenquireofGod，andwastodeclarehisanswertothepeople。AndthereforewhenCaiaphassaiditwasexpedientthatonemanshoulddieforthepeople，St。Johnsaiththat“Hespakenotthisofhimself，butbeinghighpriestthatyear，heprophesiedthatonemanshoulddieforthenation。“*AlsotheythatinChristiancongregationstaughtthepeoplearesaidtoprophesy。*2InthelikesenseitisthatGodsaithtoMosesconcerningAaron，“Heshallbethyspokesmantothepeople；andheshallbetotheeamouth，andthoushaltbetohiminsteadofGod“：*3thatwhichhereisspokesmanis，Exodus，7。1，interpretedprophet：“See，“saithGod，“IhavemadetheeagodtoPharaoh，andAaronthybrothershallbethyprophet。“InthesenseofspeakingfrommantoGod，AbrahamiscalledaprophetwhereGodinadreamspeakethtoAbimelechinthismanner，“Nowthereforerestorethemanhiswife，forheisaprophet，andshallprayforthee“；*4wherebymaybealsogatheredthatthenameofprophetmaybegivennotunproperlytothemthatinChristianchurcheshaveacallingtosaypublicprayersforthecongregation。Inthesamesense，theprophetsthatcamedownfromthehighplace，orhillofgod，withapsaltery，andatabret，andapipe，andaharp，Saulamongstthem，aresaidtoprophesy，inthattheypraisedGodinthatmannerpublicly。*5InthelikesenseisMiriamcalledaprophetess。*6SoisitalsotobetakenwhereSt。Paulsaith，“Everymanthatprayethorprophesiethwithhisheadcovered，“etc。，andeverywomanthatprayethorprophesiethwithherheaduncovered“：*7forprophecyinthatplacesignifiethnomorebutpraisingGodinpsalmsandholysongs，whichwomenmightdointhechurch，thoughitwerenotlawfulforthemtospeaktothecongregation。Andinthissignificationitisthatthepoetsoftheheathen，thatcomposedhymnsandothersortsofpoemsinthehonoroftheirgods，werecalledvates，prophets，asiswellenoughknownbyallthatareversedinthebooksoftheGentiles，andasisevidentwhereSt。PaulsaithoftheCretansthataprophetoftheirownsaidtheywereliars；*8notthatSt。Paulheldtheirpoetsforpoetsforprophets，butacknowledgeththatthewordprophetwascommonlyusedtosignifythemthatcelebratedthehonourofGodinverse。
Whenbyprophecyismeantprediction，orforetellingoffuturecontingents，notonlytheywereprophetswhowereGod’sspokesmen，andforetoldthosethingstootherswhichGodhadforetoldtothem；butalsoallthoseimpostorsthatpretendbythehelpfamiliarspirits，orbysuperstitiousdivinationofeventspast，fromfalsecauses，toforetellthelikeeventsintimetocome：ofwhichasIhavedeclaredalreadyinthetwelfthChapterofthisdiscoursetherebemanykindswhogainintheopinionofthecommonsortofmenagreaterreputationofprophecybyonecasualeventthatmaybebutwrestedtotheirpurpose，thancanbelostagainbyneversomanyfailings。
Prophecyisnotanart，nor，whenitistakenforprediction，aconstantvocation，butanextraordinaryandtemporaryemploymentfromGod，mostoftenofgoodmen，butsometimesalsoofthewicked。
ThewomanofEndor，whoissaidtohavehadafamiliarspirit，andtherebytohaveraisedaphantasmofSamuel，andforetoldSaulhisdeath，wasnotthereforeaprophetess；forneitherhadsheanysciencewherebyshecouldraisesuchaphantasm，nordoesitappearthatGodcommandedtheraisingofit，butonlyguidedthatimposturetobeameansofSaul’sterroranddiscouragement，andbyconsequent，ofthediscomfiturebywhichhefell。Andforincoherentspeech，itwasamongsttheGentilestakenforonesortofprophecy，becausetheprophetsoftheiroracles，intoxicatedwithaspiritorvaporfromthecaveofthePythianOracleatDelphi，wereforthetimereallymad，andspakelikemadmen；ofwhoseloosewordsasensemightbemadetofitanyevent，insuchsortasallbodiesaresaidtobemadeofmateriaprima。IntheScriptureIfinditalsosotakeninthesewords，“AndtheevilspiritcameuponSaul，andheprophesiedinthemidstofthehouse。“*
AndalthoughtherebesomanysignificationsinScriptureofthewordprophet；yetisthatthemostfrequentinwhichitistakenforhimtowhomGodspeakethimmediatelythatwhichtheprophetistosayfromHimtosomeotherman，ortothepeople。Andhereuponaquestionmaybeasked，inwhatmannerGodspeakethtosuchaprophet。Canit，maysomesay，beproperlysaidthatGodhathvoiceandlanguage，whenitcannotbeproperlysaidHehathatongueorotherorgansasaman？TheProphetDavidargueththus，“ShallHethatmadetheeye，notsee？orHethatmadetheear，nothear？“*Butthismaybespoken，not，asusually，tosignifyGod’snature，buttosignifyourintentiontohonourHim。Fortoseeandheararehonourableattributes，andmaybegiventoGodtodeclareasfarascapacitycanconceiveHisalmightypower。Butifitweretobetakeninthestrictandpropersense，onemightarguefromhismakingofallotherpartsofman’sbodythathehadalsothesameuseofthemwhichwehave；whichwouldbemanyofthemsouncomelyasitwouldbethegreatestcontumelyintheworldtoascribethemtoHim。
ThereforewearetointerpretGod’sspeakingtomenimmediatelyforthatway，whatsoeveritbe，bywhichGodmakesthemunderstandHiswill：andthewayswherebyHedoththisaremany，andtobesoughtonlyintheHolyScripture；wherethoughmanytimesitbesaidthatGodspaketothisandthatperson，withoutdeclaringinwhatmanner，yettherebeagainmanyplacesthatdeliveralsothesignsbywhichtheyweretoacknowledgeHispresenceandcommandment；andbythesemaybeunderstoodhowHespaketomanyoftherest。