Page:A Beacon to the Society of Friends.djvu/87

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SER. IV.
THE WORK OF SALVATION.
83

communication of this knowledge to mankind. Did God make known his will to all the children of Israel, as he made it known to Moses? No; he revealed it immediately to Moses, and they were to receive it through him. Did he in succeeding times reveal his will to the Jewish people, as he did to the prophets? No; they had the revelation immediately from God, and the people were to have it mediately through them. Did our Lord Jesus Christ make known his whole will to all the Jews, as he did to the Apostles? Did he say to the people, as he said to those "witnesses chosen before of God," "Whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you?" Did he say to all the people, as he said to the Apostles, "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you; but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you?" Did the Holy Spirit reveal (i.e. immediately) the way of life and salvation to all men, as he did to the Apostles? Nothing can be plainer than that he did not. How were the three thousand pricked to the heart, and converted on the day of Pentecost? By the instrumentality of the sword of the Spirit, which he used through the preaching of Peter. How were the Corinthians converted? By the same weapon, through the preaching of Paul.—"I have," says he, "begotten you through the Gospel."How were the Thessalonians converted? By the same weapon, used in the same way.—"When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us; ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of