testimony to the inspiration of each and every of the books of the Old Testament. The importance of this conclusion, in relation to our present subject, and to every other part of the controversy with the Unitarians, needs not to be pointed out." What opinion, then, must we form of any writer's audacity, who could hazard the following exposition of the passage in question?" It is as if he had said to Timothy, that he ought to keep close, as he had done hitherto, to the study of the Old Testament; which would instruct him sufficiently in the way to salvation, by joining thereunto faith in Jesus Christ: Be cause all Scripture inspired by God, as is a great part of the Old Testament, is profitable for instruction." Surely this amounts to nothing less than a bold contradiction of the inspired Apostle. According to Paul, the whole Scripture of the Old Testament is divinely inspired; but this author is pleased to affirm, that it is only to a great part of it—he does not even say the greater part-that such inspiration extends. How necessary is it for ministers of the Gospel, and for all Christians, to apply to modern critics and commentators of this description, the same admonitions which the Apostle addresses to Timothy, his dearly beloved son in the faith, in reference to corrupt teachers, and perverse disputants, of his own age:- "From such withdraw thyself." "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called."‡

The advocates of full inspiration are accustomed to regard the text which has been just expounded as an impregnable stronghold. Yet it is by no means the only passage in Paul's writings from which this cause derives effectual support. In his various Epistles he often claims divine inspiration to himself and the other Apostles, and uses many expressions which clearly convey the idea, that their inspiration was plenary and verbal. In this view, the following texts are worthy of attention, whilst they scarcely require either note or comment:

To the Corinthians Paul says: "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." And again, "Ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in

Smith's Testimony to the Messiah, vol. i. pp. 35, 36. See an able refutation of Dr Smith's remarks on this passage in Carson's Theories, &c. pp. 132-143. t Five Letters concerning Inspiration, p. 192. 1 Tim. vi. 5, 20.

me." To the Galatians, among whom, as at Corinth, certain false teachers had presumed to attack his Apostolical character and authority, he asserts it in the most decided terms: "But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man: for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." "It pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen." In his Epistle to the Ephesians, he describes the Christian church as a sacred edifice, "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets;" and speaks of his own inspired "knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which, in other ages, was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit." In addressing the Thessalonians, he expresses his lively gratitude on their behalf, as follows:"For this cause also, thank we God without ceasing, because, 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 God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." In his first Epistle to Timothy, obviously alluding to the doctrine and the words of Apostles, he exposes the baseness and folly of those who "teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ." His second Epistle to that Evangelist also contains the following earnest exhortation:-" Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."*

We have still another quotation to exhibit, and one singularly conclusive: "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." This last phrase, according to Grotius, means "illustrating one divine revelation by another, the revelations of the New Testament by those of the Old;"§ but Dr Macknight renders it, explaining spiritual things in spiritual words." Whether the one or the other of these interpretations be adopted, the cogency of the argument is manifest. The question may justly

66

1 Cor. xiv. 37-2 Cor. xiii. 3-Gal. i. 11, 12, 15-Ephes. ii. 20; ch. iii. 4, 5-1 Thes. ii. 13-1 Tim. vi. 3-2 Tim. i. 13.

† 1 Cor. ii. 10, 13. † Πνευματικοίς πνευματικά συγκρίνοντες. § Quoted from Lowth's Vindication, &c., p. 59.

be asked, supposing that the Apostle had really intended to affirm that his words not less than his sentiments were dietated by the Holy Spirit, was it possible for him to assure his readers of the fact in more perspicuous and satisfactory terms? Truly, if he did not mean to state that his words were inspired, his declaration is wonderfully calculated to produce a wrong impression; and no writer was ever more unhappy in his mode of expressing himself. The tenor of the passage, it is readily conceded, led him to show that, in preaching the Gospel, he avoided the pompous phraseology of the Grecian orators, and used that great simplicity of diction, which was most in accordance with the doctrine of the Cross, and most conducive at once to the glory of his Master, and the spiritual advantage of his hearers. In full consistency, however, with this design, he expressly affirms that those appropriate words which he employed, were words taught him by the Holy Spirit. In short, while this explicit assertion applies to the sermons he delivered, it must, without question, be equally applicable to his writings; and it seems natural to conclude, that all the other sacred penmen, as well as Paul, made use of words which, instead of originating in human wisdom or ambition, were suggested by the blessed Spirit.

This ample selection of plain Scripture statements might be held sufficient, of itself, to determine the point at issue;* but we go forward to adduce a variety of collateral arguments, drawn chiefly from the same pure and infallible source.

II. Our Saviour's promises of supernatural influence to his Apostles, serve to establish the full inspiration of their writings, both as to thoughts and words.

This argument may possibly seem to be involved in the preceding; but the promises of Christ in relation to this point, connected with their actual accomplishment, demand particular notice. On a variety of occasions, our Lord promised to qualify his Apostles for the service assigned to them, by an extraordinary effusion of his illuminating Spirit. His consolatory discourse, addressed to them on the night immediately preceding his death, abounds with cheering assurances of the presence and agency of that Spirit, by whose merciful inspiration and guid

A still more copious collection of passages, with apposite illustrations, may be seen in Haldane's Evidence and Authority of Divine Revelation, vol. i. pp. 1942-13; or in his smaller work, entitled, The Books of the Old and New Testaments proved to be Canonical, &c., pp. 157-180, fourth edition.

C

to

he

fo

ย

1

ance they were to execute their arduous commission:-" The Comforter, who 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." "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come." From these passages, it appears that they were not to rely on their own judgment and invention for the discovery of the truth, nor on their own memory for the recollection of what they had seen and heard during their Master's abode with them on earth; that by a supernatural power they were to be guided into all the truth, made acquainted even with events in the womb of futurity, and enabled distinctly to remember all things whatsoever Jesus had said to them. To these promises he alluded at several interviews they were favoured with after his resurrection; as when he said, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high;" and again, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.†

These wonderful and encouraging assurances were speedily and amply realized. "When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." This last phrase undoubtedly implies that, whatever might be the particular languages in which they respectively spoke, the Spirit suggested to each of them both the matter and the diction. The proselytes" of every nation under heaven," then assembled at Jerusalem to celebrate the festival, were astonished at the correctness and fluency with which unlettered" Galileans" proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation, and declared, in all their various tongues, "the wonderful works of God."§ On that memorable day, Peter" lifted up his voice," and delivered, with new powers of intelligence and eloquence, a faithful and impressive disLuke xxiv. 49--Acts i. 8. § Ibid verses 5-10.

* John xiv. 26; ch. xvi. 13.
Acts ii. 1-4.

course, which, by the accompanying energy of the Spirit, proved the means of converting about three thousand souls" to the Saviour. Soon after, the Apostles were favoured with another extraordinary display of the Spirit's presence, which is thus related:" And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness."* During the whole course of their ministry, indeed, they happily experienced the kindness and faithfulness of their exalted Lord, who, by the continued supply of his Spirit, enabled them to bear witness to the great facts and doctrines regarding him, not only within the limits of the Holy Land, but in the remotest countries of the then known world.

To imagine, however, that the above promises were made good to the Apostles when employed in orally preaching the Gospel, and yet failed them as soon as they attempted to commit the same Gospel to writing, would be exceedingly prepos terous. Can we suppose that they were actuated by the Holy Spirit in delivering with the tongue a transient testimony in Jerusalem and Judea, or in other cities and regions, and that he would withdraw his influence the moment they took the pen into their hands to transmit a lasting declaration of the truth for the benefit of future times? Were they plenarily inspired while publishing Christian doctrines to their contemporaries, and but partially and inadequately guided when they proceeded to inculcate the same glorious tenets on all succeeding generations?

Further, their full and verbal inspiration is powerfully confirmed by the tenor of Christ's repeated promises of the aid to be afforded them at their appearances before the tribunals of magistrates. The charge that was addressed to the Apostles at their instalment into their high office contains the following passage: "Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you."† On subsequent occasions, their Lord renewed his counsel and promise in terms equally emphatic:-" When they shall lead you and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do + Mat. x. 18, 20.

Acts iv. 31.