LECT. VI. observe: First, that what Paul wrote is here expressly ascribed to supernatural wisdom: it was not the result of his own reasoning, nor deduced from any school of human philosophy, but was the effect of that divine teaching to which he repeatedly refers in his writings. Secondly, there is in the words a distinct recognition of a definite number of epistolary writings, which were known to have been composed by the same apostle, and of which it is also of course to be predicated, that he wrote them in consequence of the same divinely inspired wisdom. Thirdly, by "the other Scriptures,” τὰς λοιπὰς γραφὰς, the apostle most probably means the writings of the Old Testament. If so, then, by placing the Epistles of Paul in the same category with them, he invests them with equal authority, and furnishes us with the earliest instance, in which the term Scripture, which we have seen was appropriated to the Old Testament, is, by implication, extended to at least a considerable portion of the New. Grotius, however, supposes the Gospels and Acts to be meant, which amounts to the same thing.

That John was inspired, the Book of the Revelation bears most ample testimony-the whole being composed either of visions, which were presented to him in a state of the highest inspiration, (èv Tvεúμari, chap. i. 10,) or epistles, which were dictated to him immediately by the Lord Jesus, to be despatched to the seven churches of Asia Minor.

There is only one passage more, which it would LECT. VI. be injustice to our subject not to quote. It is that in which Peter, after having adverted to his former Epistle, and that which he was then writing, claims for the instructions given by himself and the other apostles an authority equivalent to that with which the doctrines and precepts, delivered by the prophets of the Old Testament, were invested: "That ye may be mindful of the words, "which were spoken before by the holy prophets, "and of the commandments of us the apostles of "the Lord and Saviour." (2d Epist. iii. 2.)

Such are some of the testimonies to be found in the books of the New Testament to the fact of the inspiration of the writers; and certainly, bearing in mind, what has already been hinted, that they are, for the most part, incidental, and not put forth systematically in support of the dogma, they are so highly satisfactory in their character, that, had we no other evidence, we should be perfectly warranted in ascribing all that can be ascertained to have proceeded from the pens of these men, or to have received their sanction, to the same divine influence, which Moses and the prophets enjoyed under the former dispensation. The language is of the most explicit and positive nature; and describes an inspiration, which extended to all that the writers communicated. They vindicate to themselves and their associates a tuition, which they could only have enjoyed as the result of the accomplishment of

LECT. VI.

our Lord's promise of the Holy Spirit; and they speak in a tone of authority and infallibility, which none was warranted to assume, who did not stand in direct correspondence with heaven, and to which such men as the disciples of Jesus could not possibly have pretended, had they not been specially called to the office which they sustained.

LECTURE VII.

INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES-(continued.)

HOSEA VIII. 12.

"I have written to him the great things of my

law."

We have now arrived at one of those divisions LECT. VII. of our subject, which has been regarded as clogged with more than ordinary difficulties, and with respect to which, as may easily be imagined, a great diversity of opinion has prevailed. In the introductory Lecture, a general view was taken of the different lights in which the topic has been contemplated in various sections and in successive ages of the church. Certain aspects, under which it has been presented, are obviously to be attributed to the distorted mediums of prejudice, and the false colours of unenlightened zeal, through which it has been viewed. In many instances, the love of system, or sheer opposition to all system, has exerted a baneful influence on the adjudication of the question; and, while, on the one hand, there has been exhibited a con

Ꮓ

LECT. VII. tractedness, a dogmatism, and an asperity, not less unfriendly to the discovery and communica tion of truth, than dishonourable to all, who would identify themselves with its interests, there has frequently, on the other hand, been exercised a vagueness of conception, a temerity of reasoning, a rashness in conclusion, and a levity and flippancy of language, egregiously out of place at all times when brought into contact with subjects of grave and serious import, but more especially, when applied to the treatment of a subject of so sacred a character, as that of Divine Inspiration.

The fact of a divine influence having been exerted in the composition of the Scriptures is expressly asserted by Jehovah himself in the words, which we have just read from the prophet Hosea. That we are to limit the sense of the words to the decalogue simply, which is described by Moses as having been written by the finger of God, there is nothing in the connection to warrant on the contrary, there is reason to believe, that the declaration was designed to be extended to the whole of the Mosaic law, if not to all the other portions of divine revelation, which had been written prior to the time of the prophet. The Hebrew, rendered in our version "the great things," may equally well be translated "the numerous things;" and the use of the future tense of the verb (in) conveys the idea of communications being continuously committed to writing. With these the Israelites