accounts for and reconciles all the phenomena. The decisive claims of inspiration made by the apostles require the first; the obvious appearances of every part of the New Testament the second."

3. Nor is the difficulty of explaining this method of the divine agency in the inspiration of the scriptures, any greater, than in other instances in the government of mankind; where the Almighty "worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will," and yet by means which do not interfere with the free agency, nor alter the moral characteristics, nor lessen the responsibility of man. Our concern is not to explain, but to receive the facts as they lie before us. It is only necessary to admit decisively that the highest measure of that inspiration which preserves from every mistake or error, was not inconsistent with the greatest freedom and latitude in the use of each writer's knowledge and talents, and ordinary means of information

an union incomprehensible, indeed, as to the particulars of it, to our limited faculties, but easy to that inscrutable wisdom which knows our frame, and can direct and elevate, without disturbing, the operations of our minds.

Having thus traced out in the structure of the sacred books, the mysterious method of the divine agency in inspiration, we may proceed in the same way to mark, so far as may be needful,

II. THE EXTENT OF THE DIVINE INSPIRATION ACCORDING TO THE VARIETY OF MATTER WHICH THE BOOKS CONTAIN.

1. For by referring to the language of the apostles, as quoted in our last lecture, we shall find that the divine inspiration was extended to every part of the canonical writings, in the proportion in which each

2 "In inspiring, the Divine Spirit evidently does not unmake the man; whence every sacred writer has his own peculiar character and style of composition."-J. Scott.

part stood related to the religion they communicate. Whatever weight the different parts of the sacred edifice were intended to sustain, a correspondent strength of inspiration was placed, as it were, at the foundation. Thus all is held immovably together. The triumphal arch of truth is, to us and in its results, equally firm in all its parts, whether we can trace out the relative strength of the materials or not.

Sometimes we read of divine messages by visions, dreams, angelic voices; at other times the Almighty appears to have revealed truth immediately to the minds of the apostles. Sometimes the sacred writers were rapt in the overpowering communications of the Spirit. At other times, and as the matter varied, their memory was fortified to recall the Saviour's life, doctrines, miracles, parables, discourses. In a different matter, an author accompanies St. Paul, and records what he saw and heard. Again, an Apostle hears of disorders in the churches, and is moved by the blessed Spirit to write to them, to denounce judgments, to prescribe a course of conduct. At other times, he enters upon a series of divine arguments; delivers in order the truths of the gospel; or expounds the figurative economy of Moses."

What the extent of the inspiration was in each case, we need not, indeed we cannot, determine. We infer from the uniform language of the New Testament, that in each case such assistance was afforded, as the exigencies of it required. The different measure, or kinds of inspirations, it is not for man to know, for man to say. Where the inspiration of suggestion, of direction, of elevation, of superintendence, was severally afforded, we cannot, and ought not to wish, to decide.

The prophetical parts, the doctrines of pure revelation, the historical facts beyond the reach of human knowledge, all the great outlines of Christianity, both as to doctrine and practice, were probably of the in

spiration of suggestion, both as to the matter and the words (for we think in words). Where the usual means of information, or the efforts of memory were enough, as in much of the Gospels and Acts, the inspiration of direction may be supposed to have sufficed. Where the exposition of duty, or the rebuke of error, or exhortation to growth in grace, was the subject, the inspiration of elevation and strength may be considered as afforded. Where matters more incidental occur, the inspiration, still lessening with the necessity, was probably that of superintendency only, preserving from all improprieties which might diminish the effect of the whole, and providing for inferior, but not unimportant points of instruction. Even the slightest allusions to proverbial sayings, to the works of nature, to history, were probably not out of the range of the watchful guardianship of the Holy Spirit.

In all the parts, however, the operations of the mind and habits of the writers appear to act; but were exempted from error and mistake. In all the parts, the divine Spirit moved the writers to such subjects, and such a manner of treating them, as befitted the designs of infinite wisdom. All that is essential for us to know, is that such was the extent of the assistance in each case as sufficed to supply what was deficient in the writer, and to give to every part of his declarations their full sanction as the infallible word of God. Perhaps we cannot get nearer than this.3

3 By the inspiration of suggestion is meant such communications of the Holy Spirit, as suggested and dictated minutely every part of the truths delivered.

The inspiration of direction is meant of such assistance as left the writers to describe the matter revealed in their own way, directing only the mind in the exercise of its powers.

The inspiration of elevation added a greater strength and vigour to the efforts of the mind than the writer could otherwise have attained.

The inspiration of superintendency was that watchful care

2. And this seems to agree with the uniform conduct of the Divine Being, as it is represented in the scriptures. The Almighty never works a superfluous miracle; never supersedes human exertions and efforts, as a system of means, where the case admits of them; but rather comes in with such aid, and so attempered to the rational nature of man, as to guide him gently, but effectually; and qualify him for the duties and services to which he is called.

3. How far the inspiration of the scriptures extends to the most casual and remote allusions of an historical or philosophical kind, which affect in no way the doctrines or duties of religion, may now, perhaps, be determined. Let us appeal again to the books themselves. The Bible was not, indeed, given us to make us poets, or orators, or historians, or natural philosophers. Many things which such persons might think inaccurate, may therefore consist with a complete religious inspiration. Yet perhaps it is more consistent, on the whole, with all the scripture language, to say, that the inspiration of superintendence reached even to the least circumstances and most casual allusions of the sacred writers.

For there are two observations which may be made as to the most subordinate matters in the Holy Scrip

tures.

There is nothing in them which has been proved to be inconsistent with the facts and discoveries of history and philosophy. It is just as true that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work," now, that so many thousand worlds are descried by means of the telescope, and such magnificent boundaries are assigned to creation; as when the Psalmist uttered them, however obscure or erroneous his views of astronomy may have

which preserved the writers from putting down any thing derogatory to the revelation with which it was connected.

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been. Every thing stands true in the sense, and for the purposes for which it was intended. And in this the inspiration of the Bible shines forth. All other books are antiquated in a century or two, as to much of their contents. Some position or other is no longer tenable. Philosophy, in its advances, has directly overturned their statements. Not so the Bible. Such has been the superintending care of the blessed Spirit, that no one fact has ever been established against its allusions or observations.

The other circumstance is, that the slightest details and most apparently indifferent directions, have practical uses connected with them. Some division of the church, in some age, has derived benefit from them. The genealogies are clearly of this sort. The salutations also. Even the counsel given to Timothy "to drink no longer water, but take a little wine for his stomach's sake and often infirmities," has some relation to the friendship of the apostle for Timothy, to the sympathy of Christians, and the duty of preserving the health of young and laborious ministers. In like manner, the direction to bring the cloak left at Troas and the books, but especially the parchments," has a connexion with that prudence in managing our affairs, and that mutual serviceableness, which are no inconsiderable branches of Christian charity; whilst they both show that the apostles wrought no miracles for their personal ease or convenience.

In short, the essential doctrines and revelations of Christianity are the citadel and nobler edifices and buildings of the vast city-the less important truths and duties are the various abodes which constitute the

body of the place we include within the walls all the smaller tenements-the truths of every kind affecting the religion-and even to the suburbs and outskirts, where we place the external and apparently indifferent matters, we extend the shadow of the