AN ESSAY ON THE PLENARY AND VERBAL INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. CHAPTER I. GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES, IN ITS ORIGIN, NATURE, AND EVIDENCE. THE terms inspire and inspiration carry an allusion to wind or breath. These words are applied to a variety of topics. "There is a spirit in man," says Elihu, referring to the rational soul with which man is endowed; "and the inspiration, the breath, of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Similar language is often employed among men, when they allude to the intellectual or moral qualities for which individuals are distinguished. We say, for example, that the patriot is inspired with a warm attachment to his country, the hero with a noble intrepidity, the philosopher with an unquenchable love of science, the artist with an exquisite taste for curious workmanship, and the poet with a keen sensibility to the beauties of nature. By a tacit acknowledgment of superior agency, mankind attribute inspiration to every one who displays a genius or an elevation of soul, by which he is capable of lofty sentiments, or magnanimous deeds. The term is still more distinctively applied to those spiritual excellencies which characterise the children of God. Admiration of the divine perfections, gratitude for redeeming love, zeal for the advancement of true religion, and disinterested benevolence to mankind, are spoken of as holy principles or feelings, with which they are inspired. Nor is this * Job xxxii. 8. mode of expressing ourselves unsupported by the highest authority; for while Bezaleel and Aholiab are said to have been "filled with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass;" those amiable graces which adorn the Christian are uniformly ascribed to the special agency of the Divine Spirit. Conformably to the promise, "I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live," these precious graces are, by an omnipotent energy, breathed into the soul which, previously, was estranged from every holy feeling, and "dead in sin.” The inspiration, however, to which our attention is now to be directed, is a miraculous gift. It is that supernatural power by which men were enabled infallibly to declare the will of God. With regard to this wonderful endowment, as communicated to holy men who committed Divine revelation to writing, the Apostle Paul makes the following memorable statement:" ALL SCRIPTURE IS VEU505, GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD"-or, as the term is interpreted by Parkhurst, "breathed or inspired by God, divinely inspired, given by divine inspiration. Without either attempting a more full and exact definition of the term Inspiration, or examining the various definitions of it given by others, we shall endeavour to elucidate this important subject by the following observations. I. Inspiration, while it is the gift of God, is peculiarly ascribed to the Holy Spirit as its author. We are taught, in general, to adore the same glorious Being who has granted us the powers of reason, and " "put wisdom in the inward parts,"§ as the source of those distinct revelations that have been graciously vouchsafed to mankind. "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever," said the prophet Daniel immediately after he had been favoured with a most seasonable and surprising communication from above, "for wisdom and might are his . . . . He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding; he revealeth deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him." But with regard to the revelation of divine truth, and the recording of it in the Scriptures, as well as other works of God, relating to the salvation of the human family, Exod. xxxi. 3, 4. † Ezek. xxxvii. 14. 2 Tim. iii. 16. Dan. ii. 20-22. Job xxxviii. 36. we are often called to contemplate the great mystery of Threein-One, and to recognise the distinct operations of each divine person. To the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is represented as the contriver and proposer of the plan of redemption, and as having fore-ordained, sent forth, and sealed his Son, and accepted his mediatorial work-due honour is also ascribed, as the Father of lights from whom Prophets and Apostles received their inspiration and authority. "God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past, unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.""I have given unto them," said our Lord, in a solemn address to his Father, "the words which thou gavest me."* To the Son of God also our attention is frequently directed, as the eternal Word, the messenger of the covenant, the interpreter, one among a thousand, who publishes the good tidings of that salvation he procured with his blood; and to whom all other prophets stand indebted for their call and commission, endowments and success. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." † The same Holy Scriptures, which are denominated "the word of God," are styled "the word of Christ." + "The glorious Gospel of the blessed God," is often designated the Gospel of Christ." Inspiration is specially attributed, however, to the immediate agency of the Holy Spirit, whom we are instructed to consider as sustaining at once a subordinate and an authoritative capacity; as acting in the name of the Father and Son, yet exercising his own sovereign and irresponsible authority. "Now there are diversities of gifts," says the Apostle, "but the same Spirit."" All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. § Let the following passages suffice as a specimen of the numerous instances in which the inspiration of the sacred writers is peculiarly ascribed to the Spirit:-"The sweet Psalmist of Israel said, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." "Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signify, when he testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." "Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, Heb. i. 1-John, xvii. 8. ↑ John, i. 18. 1 which the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of David, spake before concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus." Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, "Go unto this people and say, hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand." "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith." "The Holy Ghost saith, to-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." "By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified; whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us." "I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."* It deserves particular notice, that the treasures of wisdom and knowledge stored up in Christ himself, as the incomparable "Teacher come from God," are attributed to an immeasurable communication of the Spirit. "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord." "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." The very name Christ denotes our Saviour's unction by the Spirit. Let no one imagine that these plain Scriptural statements regarding the origin of inspiration are vapid or superfluous. What can be more accordant with the feelings of every genuine Christian, than devoutly to survey the distinct operations, in connexion with the perfect unity and harmony, of Father, Son, and Spirit, in the stupendous plan of redemption? The province of the Holy Spirit, in particular, however questioned by the sceptic, disfigured by the visionary, or neglected by the formalist, demands our attentive consideration. What is done by the Spirit, both in the external revelation and confirmation of the truth, and in its internal and effectual application, serves to establish our faith in his character as a divine person, "who searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God," and to strengthen our reliance on his gracious illuminations and aids. Since the Holy Ghost is sent forth to enlighten the understanding and purify the heart, and to prepare a people for the eternal inheritance, it was altogether fit and congruous that "the word of truth," the *2 Sam. xxiv. 1, 2-2 Pet. i. 21-1 Pet. i. 11-Acts, i. 16, ch. xxviii. 25, 26—1 Tim. iv. 1—Heb. iii. 7, 8., ch. x. 14, 15-Rev. xiv. 13. ↑ Isaiah, xi. 2—John, iii. 34. 1 Cor. ii, 10. grand instrument he employs in his workings on the human soul, should be given by his own inspiration, and that to him Prophets and Apostles should owe their supernatural light and energy. Were the minds of Christians more deeply impressed with the supreme dignity, authority, and wisdom of the good Spirit of God, and more frequently engaged in meditating on his excellencies as "the Spirit of truth" and "the Spirit of love," they would be more thoroughly furnished for investigating to advantage the nature and extent of divine inspiration, and more solicitous to display the salutary tendencies of zeal and charity happily combined-" endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." keep Ô, thou Divine Spirit! send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead us. What we know not, teach thou us. How can feeble, mortal men form just and beneficial conceptions of the inspiration of the Sacred Volume, unless they be mercifully taught by the blessed Author of that inspiration? Impart, we beseech thee, to the writer and to the readers, correct views of thine own agency in inditing the Scriptures; and suffer not a single expression to escape this pen, injurious to thy glory, or calculated to mislead the weakest member of the household of faith. Amen. II. The divine wisdom and sovereignty appear in the choice of the individuals employed to declare by inspiration the will of God to mankind. The same adorably wise and sovereign agency which conducts the arrangements of nature and providence, is displayed in the whole economy of grace. It belonged to God himself to determine the number, the character, the rank, the abilities and attainments of the persons commissioned to make infallible manifestations of his will to men, whether orally or by writing, and to select the individuals employed. In this, as well as in other parts of his procedure, whilst he is amenable to no human tribunal, and "giveth none account of his matters," "the Lord of Hosts," it is evident, "is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." In the early ages of the world, immediate communications of the divine will were imparted to chosen men, as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for the advantage both of themselves and others; while, so far as appears, they were not directed to commit these communications to writing. In process of time, however, when the period of human life was greatly reduced, and oral tradition became a proportion |