ally uncertain mode of preserving and diffusing the knowledge of God, Moses and other Prophets were not only favoured with similar revelations, but charged to record them, for the use of succeeding generations. Apostles, and other public teachers, that received supernatural gifts at the commencement of the Christian dispensation, were not universally employed as penmen of Scripture. Only six of the Apostles and two Evangelists, namely, Mark and Luke, bore a part in composing the Canon of the New Testament. Personal godliness has not been held an indispensable requisite to those who spoke by inspiration, of who were endowed with extraordinary gifts. Balaam, an unprincipled and mercenary man, was inspired to celebrate, in lofty strains, the excellencies of Jehovah and the privileges of Israel, and to utter an interesting prediction regarding the Messiah, as the Star that should come out of Jacob. Judas Iscariot, who gave most deplorable evidence of reigning impiety and avarice, was called and qualified, in common with the other Apostles, to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, and to confirm it by miracles. Yet, notwithstanding these, and some other exceptions, for which peculiar reasons may be assigned, vital piety did, in general, characterise the men of inspiration; and it was ob viously proper that the individuals, on whom the sacred and important service of penning the Scriptures devolved, should be themselves, through grace, cordially attached to the interests of truth and righteousness. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."* The footsteps of divine wisdom and sovereignty may be traced as well in the mental talents, natural and acquired, as in the prevailing features of character, which distinguished the . writers of the Old and New Testament. Moses was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians."† Isaiah manifests a dignity of spirit and manner, worthy of royal descent. Ezra was not only a priest, but "a ready scribe in the Law of Moses." The wisdom of Daniel was so confessedly superior, that it was proverbially said among the Chaldeans," Art thou wiser than Daniel ?" Paul, born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, yet educated in Jerusalem, at the feet of Gamaliel, became master of Jewish literature, as well as acquainted in some degree with the writings of the Greeks. The capacity and learning of these eminent persons unquestionably proved subservient, by the agency of the inspiring Spirit, to their usefulness as sacred penmen. Acts, vii. 22. * 2 Pet. i. 21. Ezra, vii. 6. Acts, xxii. 3. Yet in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah, Amos was called to speak and write by inspiration, though he was "an herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit."- "The Lord took me," says he, "as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel."* Nearly all the New Testament writers, too, originally pursued the humble occupation of fishermen, or tax-gatherers, and had no pretensions to those advantages which birth, or rank, or a liberal education, can bestow. Since Moses, the founder of the Levitical economy, was empowered to compose the first five books of the Old Testament Scriptures, including the doctrines and laws of the religion he had been commissioned to promulgate, and since it pleased God, not only to publish the Ten Commandments, with an audible voice, in the hearing of the whole congregation of Israel, but to engrave them with his own finger on two tables of stone, many might be apt to imagine that our blessed Lord, the Divine Author of the new dispensation, having dwelt in human nature among men, and taught in their streets, would have also condescended to commit to writing, with his own hand, the details of his life and doctrine. For weighty reasons, however, into which we shall not here institute any inquiry, it seemed good to him, whose "understanding is infinite," that the New Testament should not contain a single fragment written by Christ himself, but be entirely composed by chosen witnesses, divinely inspired, to record his discourses and works.† It is not surprising, that, when spurious Gospels and Epistles began to infest the church, some writings appeared in the name of our Saviour himself; as an Epistle from Christ to Peter and Paul; an Epistle ascribed to him by the Manichees, A.D. 270; a short Hymn attributed to him by the Priscillianists, in the year 378; and in particular, the Epistle of Christ to Abgarus, King of Edessa, found at present in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius. But all these productions, not excepting the last, are quite "unworthy of consideration." The story of Abgarus relating to the letter he sent to our Lord, and that which he received from him, though favourably viewed by Mr Addison, and some other men of learning, § is almost universally regarded as fabulous. III. The inspiration communicated to the sacred writers, * Amos, vii. 14, 15. † Note A. Paley's Evidences of Christianity, vol. 1, pp. 164, 165. § Addison's Evidences of the Christian Religion, sec. i. 8. See also Dr Alexander on the True Canon of Scripture, part ii. sec. 15.; with Append. Note F. ally uncertain mode of preserving and diffusing ising iy, as sary to reepths which enerating and es the compre acious operation y, and is also dese mode of it is hid bjects not excepted. and thou hearest the e it cometh and whether of the Spirit." "* Why, exactly the nature of that it which was granted to a times, and which, for many yond the range of human expe ecomes us to rest satisfied with on this point, and with those views Personal godliness has not been quisite to those who spoke by inspir with extraordinary gifts. Balaa cenary man, was inspired to cele cellencies of Jehovah and the p an interesting prediction rega that should come out of Ja most deplorable evidence of called and qualified, in co preach the Gospel of the racles. Yet, notwithstan for which peculiar reasy deducible from Scripture. Acquiin general, characterise without necessary restriction, we may, viously proper that t or profane curiosity, take notice of the folimportant service of be themselves, thro ests of truth and rig they were moved effects of inspiration, as common to all excited by the Spirit to write the portions them respectively. Some of the holy ve mentioned express commands they received to nd the heavenly communications granted them. in all the wis Lond said unto Moses, write this for a memorial in a And the Lord said unto Moses, write thou these for after the tenor of these words I have made a cove"the Lord said unto me, take thee a great roll, and To Jeremiah, in like manner, it was said, "Thus with thee and with Israel." "Moreover," says the Prophet wie in it with a man's pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hash speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the wanks that I have spoken unto thee, in a book." "The Lord answered me," says Habakkuk, "and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run readeth it." "What thou seest," said the glorified Saviour, churches which are in Asia."T that write in a book, and send it unto the seven + Exod. xvii. 14; ch. xxxiv. 27. Is. viii. 1. INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. of Uzziah, King of Judah, Amos by inspiration, though he was "at be Sycamore fruit." The Lord to me.' the flock, and the Lord said unto me, ople Israel." Nearly all the N nally pursued the humble nee rers, and had no pretensions to rank, or a liberal education, itical economy, was cfll the Old Testament of the religion he ine it pled with an au .: Iran, the forming their resolutions es may have exercised a ads. A man possessing the aced in the situation of Moses, nclination to narrate in a book and seen, and to put on record And ordinances he had received for d practice of the Israelites. Supb were penned by that renowned Paide to God for the signal deliverance and a benevolent desire to communicate ction to others, as well in future times as aay be conceived to have inclined him to stantial account of his sufferings and patience, spute betwixt himself and his three friends, and ordinary interposition by which it was decided. on of this sort, accordingly, is expressed, when, ating the character of his great Redeemer, and ang the glories of a blessed resurrection, he exclaims, that my words were now written! Oh that they were ed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen 4 lead in the rock for ever!"* David, from his early piety, ad from his strong predilection for the charms of poetry and music, might feel disposed to prepare a large collection of Psalms and spiritual songs. To Solomon, as a profound thinker, and an attentive observer of human life, the idea of writing such a treatise as the Proverbs might readily occur. Apostles and Evangelists, impelled by that natural feeling which constrains us to publish uncommon occurrences, and urged by admiration for the character, the works, and the doctrine of Jesus, might deem it alike a duty and a pleasure to record, for the benefit of all succeeding generations, a faithful narrative of the wondrous "things they had seen and heard." † The Apostle John, having perused the Gospels written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, might, from pious motives, consider it proper to supply some important particulars these Evangelists had omitted; more especially a variety of heavenly discourses delivered by the Saviour, relative to his own original dignity and mediatorial work. may, in the case of each of them, be considered as comprising several particulars; or, to speak perhaps more correctly, as producing several effects. On this, as well as other religious topics, it is necessary to repress a presumptuous inclination to penetrate into depths which human reason is unable to fathom. Even the regenerating and sanctifying agency of the Holy Spirit surpasses the comprehension of mortals. Whilst the fact of his gracious operation is established by his own infallible testimony, and is also demonstrated by its salutary fruits, the precise mode of it is hid from the eyes of all living, its happy subjects not excepted. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."* Why, then, should we expect to ascertain exactly the nature of that immediate inspiration of the Spirit which was granted to a number of holy men in ancient times, and which, for many generations, has been totally beyond the range of human experience? Unquestionably, it becomes us to rest satisfied with the declarations of Scripture on this point, and with those views of its nature that are fairly deducible from Scripture. Acquiescing in this just and necessary restriction, we may, without bold presumption or profane curiosity, take notice of the following attributes or effects of inspiration, as common to all who possessed it: 1. They were all excited by the Spirit to write the portions of Scripture assigned to them respectively. Some of the holy writers have mentioned express commands they received to put on record the heavenly communications granted them. "The Lord said unto Moses, write this for a memorial in a book." "And the Lord said unto Moses, write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel." "Moreover," says the Prophet Isaiah, "the Lord said unto me, take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen, concerning Maher-shalal-hashbaz."+ To Jeremiah, in like manner, it was said, "Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee, in a book." "The Lord answered me," says Habakkuk, "and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." "What thou seest," said the glorified Saviour, in vision to John, "write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia." Even where they make no † Exod. xvii. 14; ch. xxxiv. 27. + Is. viii. 1. Hab. ii. 2. * John iii. 8. § Jer. xxx. 2. Rev. i. 11. |