But if this must be said of all that, which the _inspired apostles_ taught in outward words, that it was nothing in itself, was without power, without life, and only such a _preparation_ towards life, as is that of planting and watering; must not the same be said of their _inspired teachings_, when left behind them in writing? For what else are the apostolical scriptures, but those very instructions put into writing, which they affirmed to be bare planting and watering, quite powerless in themselves, till the living Spirit of God worked with them? Or will any one say, that what _Paul_, _Peter_, and _John_, spoke by inspiration from their own mouths, was indeed but bare planting and watering, in order to be capable of receiving life from God: but when these apostolical instructions, were written on paper, they were raised out of their first inability, got the _nature_ of God himself, became _spirit_ and _life_, and might be called the _great quickening_ power of God, or, as the Doctor says, the _constant abode_, and _supreme illumination of his Spirit with us_? I exceedingly love and highly reverence the sacred writings of the apostles and evangelists, and would gladly persuade every one to pay as profound a regard to them, as they would to an _Elijah_, a _John Baptist_, or a _Paul_, whom they knew to be immediately sent from heaven with God’s message to them.――I reverence them, as fitted to do all that good amongst Christians _now_, which the apostles did in their day, and as of the same benefit to the church of every age, as their _planting_ and _watering_ was to the first. But if this is not thought that fullness of regard, that is due to the holy messengers of God; if any one will still be so learnedly wise, as to affirm, that though _Paul_’s preaching in his epistles, whilst he was alive, was indeed only bare planting and watering, but the same epistles being published after his death, got another nature, became full of divine and living power; such a one hath no right to laugh (as the Doctor doth) at the silly _Mahometan_, who believes the Alcoran to be _uncreated_. For wherever there is _divine efficacy_, there must be an _uncreated_ power. And if, as the Doctor saith, the scriptures of the New Testament are the _only constant abode_, and _supreme illumination_ of the Spirit of God with us, all that is said of the _eternal_ Spirit of God, of the _uncreated light_, ought to be said of them; that they are the WORD that was God, was with God, and are our true Immanuel, or God with us.