of doctrines, must not be allowed to command our approbation or assent, in contradiction to incontestable evidence, by which the doctrine or the system in question is proved to be erroneous. The most imposing exhibition of excellent and desirable consequences, flowing from any scheme that stands diametrically opposed to the testimony of God, ought not for one moment to sway our minds in its favour; nor should pompous declamations on the destructive tendency of principles clearly founded in the oracles of truth, be permitted, in any degree, to stagger our faith.

Nevertheless, "wisdom excelleth folly," and truth excelleth error," as far as light excelleth darkness." The prac tical influence of truth and error is analogous to the respective nature of each; and "by their fruits ye shall know them."† The substantial advantages resulting from sound tenets, can never fail greatly to overbalance the imaginary good fruits that are ascribed to the contrary errors.

The defenders of partial and occasional inspiration often descant, with much confidence and zeal, on the great and numerous advantages attending that system. Why, then, should we not profit by the example of our antagonists? Having shown, we trust, that full and Verbal Inspiration is completely substantiated by scriptural proofs, and that it cannot be overthrown by the objections with which it is assailed, it is fit and reasonable, on our part, shortly to exhibit its salutary tendencies and holy fruits.

I. This doctrine affords a cheering certainty to the Christian, with regard to the invaluable contents of Scripture.

A state of uncertainty, in reference to matters of weight, is exceedingly uncomfortable. If this remark is verified in the experience of the man of business, who feels uncertain and perplexed as to the measures by which he can prosecute his secular pursuits with the fairest prospect of success, or in the experience of the philosopher, who knows not by what steps to pursue his speculations, or wavers with respect to the deci sion he should form on a scientific problem that he is anxious to solve it is far more poignantly felt by the awakened and thoughtful individual, who labours under great uncertainty concerning those truths which regard his immortal interests. There is something extremely affecting in the candid acknowledgments of those heathen sages, who owned that, after all their inquiries respecting religious topics and the future desti† Mat. vii. 20. See pages 470, 471.

* Eccles. ii. 13.

nies of man, they remained in a state of total incertitude, and who expressed their convictions that mankind needed a messenger from heaven to furnish them with sure information on these weighty affairs. The Scriptures were undoubtedly intended to dispel the native darkness and perplexity of the human mind, and to supply authentic intelligence relative to the concerns of God and the soul. Why does the good man form an exceedingly high estimate of his Bible? The reason is thus expressed by the Psalmist: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."* He values it because it gives him clear and infallible instructions relating to God and eternity, the ground of pardon and acceptance, the nature of that worship and service which his Maker requires, and every other subject interesting to him as a rational and immortal being. Whatever tends either to narrow the extent, or to impair the certainty, of that all-important knowledge he receives from the Scriptures, must to him be quite unwelcome.

Such, however, as was formerly remarked, is the obvious tendency of the boasted doctrine of partial and occasional inspiration. Only admit the principle that the Prophets and Apostles sometimes wrote merely of themselves, or with the aid of a slight superintendence, and sometimes by the full inspiration of the Spirit; that, at one time, they were furnished only with ideas, and at another both with ideas and expressions; and that to determine precisely what portions of Scripture were composed in one way, and what in another, is, in many instances, a task far surpassing the powers of the wisest and the best among men. Only admit this principle, we say, and you unhinge the mind of the simple-hearted Christian; you involve him in painful circumstances of doubt and embarrassment. How can he now "know the certainty of those things wherein he has been instructed?" How can he " grow up to all riches of the full assurance of understanding?" Where, now, his “boldness and access with confidence?" Where "the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope, to be held firm unto the end?" Where all the triumphs of Christian faith and fortitude? How can he go forward in his journey, heavenwards, with a vigorous and a steady step? The baleful principle once recognised, no bounds can be assigned to that devastation of sacred writ, which is the natural and necessary consequence. What can he expect but to see the various departments of this valuable field successively wasted, till nearly the whole is

Psal. cxix. 105.

† Luke i. 4-Col. ii. 2-Ephes. iii. 12-Heb. iii. 6.

blighted and destroyed? Little seems now to remain for him but "a damaged Bible," and a heart desolate within him.

Give the Christian, on the contrary, the whole Book of God completely and verbally inspired; straightway he beholds a broad, sure, and immovable foundation for his faith and hope. Possessing truth without the least admixture of error, light without darkness, salutary food without one noxious or suspected ingredient, he feels himself in contact with an inestimable treasure. Exempt from the pangs of uncertainty, his feet are set upon a rock, his goings are established; like the Ethiopian eunuch, when he had obtained satisfactory information regarding the character of Jesus, and the nature and design of his propitiatory sufferings and death, and believed with all his heart, he goes on his way rejoicing.

II. The doctrine of full and Verbal Inspiration serves to enliven our gratitude to God for the Sacred Scriptures.

The emotions of pious gratitude not only yield an immediate and a pure delight, but have a beneficial effect on the Christian's alacrity and ardour in the path of duty. With the exception of the Saviour himself and the Holy Spirit, no gift of God is represented as demanding more fervent gratitude, and higher strains of praise, than the word of Inspiration. The excellence of this word, indeed, arises chiefly from the purposes it is destined to serve, as a revelation of Jesus Christ, "the unspeakable gift," and an appointed means by which the Spirit operates on the heart, and brings home all the blessings of salvation to the soul. "Blessed," says the Psalmist, "is the people that know the joyful sound."" He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them."*. What advantage then hath the Jew," says Paul, "and what profit is there in circumcision? Much every way; chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God."-" For this cause also," says the same Apostle to the Thessalonians, "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 effec tually worketh also in you that believe."†

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That the doctrine we advocate has a stronger tendency than the contrary tenet, to promote feelings of gratitude for the sacred oracles, cannot admit of a doubt. On our principles, Ps. lxxxix. 15; cxlvii, 19, 20. † Rom. iii. 1, 2.-1 Thess. ii. 13.

*

the Bible is both a more excellent and perfect gift in itself, and more completely and immediately the gift of God, than according to the opposite system. Men are accustomed to value a book, in proportion not merely to its intrinsic worth and utility, but also to the esteem that it cherished for its author. The works of Plato, Cicero, Homer, Virgil, and some other mortal men, celebrated for genius, wit, erudition, or eloquence, have been prized, in a manner, beyond all bounds. In what estimation, then, should we hold the Scriptures as truly and wholly the book of Him who is the adorable source of all intelligence? Whatever gratitude may be felt for this Volume by those who consider it as almost entirely the work of human writers, composed under a general superintendence of the Spirit, those who conscientiously receive it as, both in its sentiments and words, and uniformly in all its various parts, a Divine work, must naturally entertain more vivid impressions of the value of the blessing, and a more lively sense of obligation to that gracious and condescending God, who has himself, by the instrumentality of men as his rational organs, thus spoken in his holiness; and who deigns still to address us in the Scriptures in the same accents of authority and mercy, in which he spoke of old at those sundry times when Prophets and Apostles received the suggestions of the Spirit, or heard an audible voice from heaven.

III. This doctrine serves also to produce a peculiarly deep veneration for the sacred Scriptures.

A profound reverence for Scripture is often mentioned as a distinguishing characteristic of the truly godly, and a characteristic highly conducive to their felicity and honour. Of the man who meditates with delight on the law of the Lord, and who keeps aloof from the ungodly and the scornful that treat its sacred lessons with ridicule, it is said, "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. "To this man will I look," says that Jehovah who claims heaven for his throne, and the earth for his footstool, "even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."†

Now that the doctrine we assert, is peculiarly calculated to promote that profound veneration for the Scriptures which God is thus pleased to behold with his marked approbation, is abundantly clear. The person who views the Scriptures as but partially and occasionally inspired, can hardly be supposed to † Is. lxvi. 1, 2.

* Ps. i. 1-3.

!

feel the same holy awe for them in his inmost soul, or to treat them habitually with the same practical reverence, that are naturally felt and assiduously cherished by the man who regards them as written completely and invariably by inspiration of the Spirit of God. With what reverence and godly fear did Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles listen to the voice of God, when immediately addressed to them in heavenly visions and revelations ! "Moses hid his face," we read, for he was afraid to look upon God." It is with a veneration somewhat similar that the Christian, impressed with that divine inspiration which dignifies every book and every page of the Holy Scriptures, hearkens to the dictates of eternal wisdom. The more direct and continual, the recognised agency of God in inditing them, the Christian feels not only the more lively emotions of gratitude, but the more profound impressions of reverence. The holy veneration cherished in his bosom, too, will exercise a salutary influence on his temper and conduct, in whatever capacity he acts with reference to the Scriptures, and to whatever use he applies them.

Is he a Translator of the Scriptures? In attempting to turn them from the original into living tongues, he will proceed with a sacred awe on his spirit. With the fidelity of a HENRY MARTYN, formerly mentioned, he will study the meaning and admire the beauty of every word, and conscientiously endeavour to express its true sense; neither disfiguring his version by an extreme literality, nor indulging in paraphrastic elegancies, unworthy of a faithful translator.

Again, is he a public Teacher of God's Word? He will consider the clear and faithful exposition of the Scriptures a most important part of his work. His veneration for a book, completely inspired, will fortify him against the suggestions of indolence and levity. That he may be capable of expounding the sacred oracles in a correct and edifying manner, he will study them in the original languages, will compare Scripture with Scripture, and will avail himself discreetly of the assistance which the lexicon, the concordance, and other human helps within his reach, can supply. Above all, he will not forget to implore, with humility and earnestness, the gracious aids of that Spirit of Wisdom by whom the Scriptures were indited, and whose illuminating influence is promised to those who sincerely endeavour to understand his mind.

The Christian sometimes finds himself called to vindicate the truths of religion with the tongue or the pen, in opposition to those by whom they are denied or perverted. On those oc