mighty circumvallation which encompasses and defends the whole.

Thus all the phenomena of the case are accounted for. Every fact concerning the plenary inspiration of the scriptures, which we had previously proved at so much length, is admitted. The facts as to the human language and style of the books are admitted also. The particular extent of inspiration in each case, as gathered, by way of inference, from the result produced, is, lastly, admitted. Thus all is light.

Let us then proceed to notice,

III. THE STRIKING ADVANTAGES WHICH WE DERIVE FROM THE PLAN AND EXTENT OF THE DIVINE

INSPIRATION as thus illustrated.

It is not for us, indeed, to presume to determine beforehand what it is befitting the Almighty God to do. But when his will is made known, we may and ought first to study in all humility what that will is, and then to mark the various benefits and advantages which flow to us from it. Thus with regard to the inspiration of the scriptures, other methods, so far as we can tell, might have had other advantages; the Almighty might have made known his truth in many different methods. But as he has been pleased to take the plan which we have been tracing out, we may be assured it is best for us upon the whole, and most conducive to God's gracious designs in redemption. Some of the advantages, then, which we may observe, are such as these.

1. By this condescension of God in his manner of inspiring the scriptures, truth is made more intelligible to the mass of mankind, than if the human faculties had been altogether extinguished, and the feelings of common life suspended or overborne. is presented with more familiarity. It appears in a greater variety of lights. It receives the impression of each writer's mind, circumstances, cast of

It

character, habit of composition. All is native, simple, stamped with the human, and to us, more attractive, mould of our own minds. This method is manifestly best adapted for the great mass of mankind, speaks more directly to the heart, condescends more to human infirmity and the business of daily life. The manner of the instruction is not angelic and elevated beyond our sphere as men but a doctrine entering into our bosoms and concerns and feelings.

2. Again, the interpretation of scripture is rendered more easy, as well as more safe. It depends not on the turn of any unusual phrases, or the force of new words, but springs from the general import of language familiar to us all. The Bible is to be studied, its various parts compared, its metaphors illustrated, its poetical and historical allusions unfolded, all its declarations received, according to the well-known rules of human writing. The signification of peculiar terms is given by the writers themselves. An analogy and proportion of the faith pervades the whole volume. A surprising harmony connects all the parts. We have only simply to read the sacred records with a humble dependence on the Holy Spirit-without whose ordinary influences of illumination and grace, the matter revealed can never be duly understood-in order to be made wise unto salvation. The most unlearned Christian stands upon the same ground, as to all the commanding truths of revelation, with the greatest scholar; whilst the utmost diligence of the scholar will find employment in the adaptation of his acquisitions to the illustration of the more difficult parts of the inspired volume.

3. By this plan, further, the trifling inaccuracies which have insinuated themselves into the copies of the scriptures by the carelessness of transcribers, the various readings which have accumulated during eighteen centuries, and the further defects arising from translations, or from our ignorance of a few parti

cular allusions, are of less moment. They do not impair the force of the divine books, because the truths are not conveyed in new and systematic language, but are clothed in ordinary terms, scattered over all the parts of the volume, repeated and inculcated in a thousand forms. The main doctrines and duties of Christianity cannot be misunderstood except by negligence or perverseness.

4. By the same divine wisdom in the plan of inspiration, the sacred books become capable of supplying those diversified proofs of authenticity and credibility which we detailed in our early lectures. They are the books of men like ourselves, as to the form and circumstances of them. They were written by our fellowmortals. The simplicity of style, the artlessness of description, all the marks of veracity and integrity in the minute and circumstantial nature of the narrative, are accordingly found in them. They are susceptible of the same proof as to the authors by whom they were composed, and the credit due to all their statements, as other ancient writings. However low you stoop in examining the outward historical evidences of Christianity, you find them true to the very bottom. The divine inspiration leaves the native characters of human testimony fresh and unobscured.

5. In like manner, all the internal evidences of the truth of Christianity to which we shall next proceed, are by this method of inspiration preserved. Whatever in the doctrines, the precepts, the character of Christ, the tendency of the revelation, its suitableness to the state and wants of man, may be found in illustration of a divine religion, are capable of being traced with the same certainty, as if the works were merely human; instead of being, as they are, only human as to their form and method, but completely inspired as to their matter and infallible communications.

6. Once more, the scriptures are thus better adapted to be a moral probation of the heart and disposition

of the readers, as we have frequently observed. Truth, as now inspired, is obvious and easy to the humble, but hidden from the proud. Its discoveries, mixed and interwoven with the history and feelings and habits and circumstances of men, are a touchstone of sincerity; and are only to be apprehended by those who study the scriptures in the same temper in which they were written. Examples of every kind are exhibited according as the wisdom of God saw fit. " Every sentence is indeed the sure testimony of God, but it is only so in that sense in which it is proposed as truth. Facts occurred and words were spoken, as to the import of them and the instruction contained in them, exactly as they stand recorded. But the morality of words and actions, merely recorded as spoken and done, must be judged of by the doctrinal and preceptive parts of the same book."5 The Bible,

therefore, is all light to the simple and devout; but darkness in parts to the corrupt and worldly-minded. The falls and errors of the true servants of God, the courses and manners of the wicked, the corruptions and disorders of the church, are recorded for "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." The New Testament is human throughout, describes man as he is, exhibits the defects as well as the graces of the saints; whilst, at the same time, it is divine as to its authority, truth, and infallible inspiration.

A practical reflection or two on the importance of fully admitting and acting upon the doctrine of inspiration thus illustrated, may now be offered.

I. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE RIGHT RECEPTION OF CHRISTIANITY. The very first point in Chris tianity is to entertain a deep practical persuasion of the infallible truth of the whole of the scriptures; to

5 Scott's preface.

and

receive them in all their parts as the word of God; not to consider the most trivial allusions in the sacred volume to be so alienated from the divine superintendency, as to leave an opening to men to assume to themselves the office of separating what they term the uninspired, from the inspired parts of scripture. The statements we have made as to the human manner in which the Bible is written, are not, therefore, to be abused. The moment men begin to apply these statements to the matter revealed, they commit the most fatal error. The matter is not human. He who dares to consider any part of scripture as of man, sets up his own prejudices as the rule of judgment; believes only what he likes; and commonly ends in undervaluing or rejecting some of the fundamental truths of the gospel. "A partial inspiration is to all intents and purposes no revelation at all. Mankind would be as much embarrassed to know what was inspired and what not, as they would be to collect a religion for themselves."6 A pious and cordial belief of the full and entire inspiration of the Bible is of the high

est moment.

I allow indeed still, as I did in the commencement of the last lecture, that if the scriptures had been left by Almighty God to be written by men, merely to the best of their ability, and were to be considered only as the authentic and credible writings of their respective authors, they would bind the conscience and direct to salvation. But I maintain also, after what has been proved, that to stop there is not enough. We are now called on by every obligation which can touch a responsible creature, to admit the positive and irrefragable evidence of the inspiration of the sacred books. The corruption of our nature is not to be left to mere human inculcations of revealed religion, when God has affixed his broad seal of infallible inspiration

• Seed.