THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, 2 TIM. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by infpiration of God. B EFORE we can settle the authority of whether the Scriptures, it is proper to enquire from whence they are derived; from the observation, experience, knowledge, and learning of the writers alone, or from the affiftance of fome fuperior being. If they had been compofed only by human abilities, the most valuable part of them contained in the New Teftament would have been an uncertain and infufficient guide, as the authors were naturally ignorant of many divine truths, full of misapprehenfions of the nature of christianity, and must thence have been guilty, without heavenly affiftance, of innumerable mistakes. They were indeed E 4 indeed inftructed during forty days by our Saviour himself, concerning the meaning of all the facts, of which they had been eyewitneffes, and the application of the ancient prophecies to the events of his life. But fo short a time could only qualify them for the office of teachers, when they were supernaturally enabled to recollect all the dif courfes of our Lord, and could perfectly remember every principal fact of his miniftry. By the inspiration then of the Holy Spirit, which was promised by Christ before his afcenfion, and granted on the day of Pentecoft, all their infirmities were fupplied, and the weak were enabled to confound the ftrong. As therefore the authority of the Scriptures depends upon the fource, from whence the writers of them drew their information, I shall in my following discourse, Firft, fhew what increase of wisdom we may suppose the facred writers to have received from infpiration. Secondly, defend the history of the Old Teftament from the charge of fiction or delufion. Thirdly, answer fome objections to the doctrine, that the apoftles were affifted by the spirit in thofe writings, which were not prophetical. First, I am to fhew what increase of wisdom we may suppose the facred writers to have received from inspiration. As they were appointed to teach mankind religious truths, and lead them gradually to the knowledge of their Redeemer, the affistance of Heaven must be calculated to supply their own spiritual ignorance, and make them perfect in all neceffary doctrines. Whatever religious doctrines then we find taught in the Scriptures, we may believe to be true and confiftent with each other ; though the types and figures of the law, and even the explanations of the prophets, were far from being equal in clearness to the Gofpel. The infpiration of the Old Testament, and and the authenticity of the canon established by Ezra are confirmed by the authority of our Saviour himself; who appeals to the law and the prophets as containing the will of God; and exhorts the Jews to Search the fcriptures, (John v. 39.) that they might discern the justice of his pretenfions. Whatever authority then the ancient fcriptures had amongst the Jews is confirmed by our Lord. And as they allowed the lowest rank of these to be styled holy, we must conclude, that they were all in general looked upon by the Jews as of heavenly origin. And with respect to the Apostles, as they were the publishers of a better covenant, our Saviour expressly promises them the affiftance of the Spirit, which should guide them into all truth. (John xvi. 13.) Though the Apoftles were conftant attendants upon our Saviour, during his miniftry; though they heard his difcourfes, and faw his miracles ; and though they were inftructed by himself, after his refurrection, in the meaning of the ancient prophets; yet they were forbidden to enter upon their office, till they were farther until farther qualified by Divine inspiration. Bebold, fays he, I fend the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke xxiv. 49.) However low, therefore, we may be inclined to settle the inspiration of the facred writers, we must suppose them made perfect in the knowledge of such religious truths, as they propofed to teach; or we shall be guilty of grofs abfurdity in fuppofing that God neglected to inftruct his ministers in the meffage, which they were sent to deliver. As religion was the business of both the Prophets and the Apostles, they do not seem to have had their faculties enlarged, or their knowledge fupernaturally informed in any other matters. But in what was connected with piety or morality, we must either deny all inspiration, or conclude that their doctrines are true, their accounts certain, and their reasoning without mistake. They were not only favoured with heavenly affiftance in those truths, which lay beyond the reach of human faculties; but were commanded to rely upon |