whence these fpring) all inward bitterness, wrath, hatred*: learning to bear with one another's mistakes, in this, as well as in all other matters; nay, rather the more here; fince these are of the highest confequence; and this the only proper method to remove them: thus labouring, as well to reform the errors of our brethren in love, as to promote and confirm their knowledge of the truth; not for that, in either cafe, we have dominion over their faith; but as being helpers of their joy+. And thus fhall religion be at length fuffered to partake the benefit of those improvements, which every thing befide enjoys. I defire it may be obferved here once for all, that when I mention improvements in religion, I do not intend a difcovery of new points, or improving upon the original revelation itself, in any thing effential to the general doctrine of falvation but only a more perfect comprehenfion of what was formerly delivered; a view of the extent and excellence of this great mystery concealed from former ages; and which, though given almost all at once, yet was received perhaps but partially; at least by the bulk of mankind, as was observed above§; and foon adulterated to fuch a degree, as (I beg leave to repeat it) may take yet far more time to rectify; efpecially, Young people ought to be taught, that there is no berefy so bad, nor fo contrary to the fpirit of Christianity, as to believe it to be proper or lawful to hate or perfecute a fellow-creature and a brother, for an opinion, which he declares in the fimplicity and fincerity of his heart, he has impartially examined, and thinks he finds to be agreeable to the fenfe of Scripture.' Thoughts on Education, p. 28. + 2 Cor. i. 24. See Part ii. p.160. $.Ibid. 156. cially, when fo much rubbish has been fince continually thrown upon the Scriptures, both by tranflators and expofitors; as, if we fet aside the care of a particular providence, which has in this respect (so far I mean as relates to the Text *) been very remarkable ; might make us juftly wonder they have not funk under it. This has, in these parts of the world, been for fome time a clearing off, by the help of a more found philofophy; as well as by more fober rules of criticism; a much more clofe, confiftent method of interpretation; which must produce as great a difference in them, as if they were quite different books +. Though perhaps even here, it would not be a difficult task, were it not too invidious, to suggeft means of yet farther improvement. Perhaps we ought to attend still more to the Hebrew idiom, and observe the vast disparity between the Eastern way of speaking, and our own; for want of which, 'tis to be feared, we oft retain the words with The Jefuits are faid to have held frequent confultations fome time ago about cenfuring and correcting of St. Paul's Epiftles; [Sir E. Sandys's Europe Speculum, p. 165, &c.] If other focieties had been as industrious to correct the comments on them, and review the doctrines deduced from them, it might not perhaps have been fo much amifs, and therefore would in all probability have taken place. + See Jones's New Method of fettling the Canon, Part ii. c. z, &c. I cannot but hope, that when it fhall pleafe God to stir up per fons of a philofophical genius, well furnished with critical learning, and the principles of true philofophy; and shall give them a hearty concern for the advancement of his truths; thefe men, by exercifing upon theological matters that inquifitiveness and fagacity, that has made in our age fuch a happy progrefs in philofophical ones, will make explications and difcoveries, that will justify more than I have faid in praife of the ftudy of our religion, and the divine books that contain the articles of it. For thefe want not excellence, but only fkilful unvailers.' Boyle's Excell. of Theol. p. 47. without the fenfe, nay, with a very different one * ; and by adhering too much to the letter, are apt to overstrain most things; and carry them both beyond common reason, and the nature of the fubject. Perhaps our very reverence for these facred writings. mifapplied, our too unguarded zeal to do them honour, and fupport their divine authority, against that church which fubftitutes another in its room, may have contributed. to caft a cloud over the whole; which makes us afraid to look into them, and examine thefe, with the fame freedom that we do, and find we mult do, every other book which we defire to understand: - I mean the notion of an abfolute, immediate infpiration of each part and period; even where the writers themfelves, by the very manner of expreffing themselves, most effectually disclaim it +: which, befide the bad effects it may be fup pofed -Quo clarius appareat Orientalium Scriptorum ftylum, audacioribus tranflationibus refertum, non ex more noftro loquendi hodierno debere exponi, quae maxima pene eft interpretum culpa. Cum Anfum news inveftigant, magis adtendunt quid ipfi intelligi vellent, fi ita nunc loquerentur; quam quid olim inter populos, non minus opinionibus et ingenio, quam temporibus et locis a nobis remotos, intelligi potuerit. Cleric. de Stat. Sal. App. Com. Gen. p. 378. + See inftances in Whitby on the N. T. Gen. Pref. p. 6. Several authors by the influence or infpiration of the Holy Ghost, in this cafe, mean no more than a particular Providence, fuperintending the Scriptures; yet are afraid to relinquish the old term, how improperly foever they apply it. And we may obferve, how hard fome good men ftrain to introduce this fort of infpiration indirealy, even when they are obliged to own, that prima facie it cannot be juftified. Thus Doddridge on 2 Cor. xi. 17. It seems indeed not very just and natural to interpret this, as fpoken by immediate fuggeftion; yet it being, in prefent circumftances, very proper the Apoitle fhould fpeak thus, the H. Spirit might by a general, though unperceived influence, lead him into this tract of thought and expreffion.' Fam. Exp Vol IV. fect. 18. note a. Comp. Paraphr. ib. Vol. III. fect. 33, p. 233. note f. pofed to have at prefent; when once it appears (as foon perhaps it may) to have no good foundation in these holy books (u); 'tis to be feared, will () As I would not give unneceffary offence in fuch a tender point as this, which moft writers are still very unwilling to give up, exprefsly, though they feem forced to treat it either in a confufed, or a contradictory way; I fhall beg leave to explain myself a little upon this head. The true fenfe then of the divine authority of the books of the O.T. and which perhaps is enough to denominate them in general EUSO, feems to be this; that as in thofe times God has all along, befide the infpection, or fuperintendency of his general providence, interfered upon particular occafions, by giving exprefs commiffions to fome perfons, (thence called prophets) to declare his will in various manners, and degrees of evidence, (fee Smith, Sel. Difc. N. 6.) as beft fuited the occafion, time, and nature of the subject; and in all other cafes, left them and the rest of the world, as to religious matters, wholly to themfelves: in like manner, he has interpofed his more immediate affiftance, (and notified it to them, as they did to the world) in the recording of these revelations; fo far as that was neceffary, amidst the common (but from hence termed facred) history of those times; and mixed with various other occurences; in which the hiftorian's own natural qualifications were fufficient to enable him to relate things, with all the accuracy they required. This feems to be at laft allowed by Abp. Potter, in his elaborate Difcourfes on the Subject of Direction; which he compares to a skilful rider's guidance of his horfe, Praele. p. 132. who yet fometimes gives up the reins, and fuffers him to take his natural courfe. See p. 140, 156, 158, 165, 169, 194, 195, and 196. The fcripture-language is in this refpect paralleled with that of the old Pythian oracle, where Plutarch fays, non Dei vox eft, non fonus, non metrum; fed Fœminæ. Under the fame infpiration of Direction, are included several instances of mere human infirmity, or ignorance, p. 2oz, and want of memory, 203, and even various lections, 198. Is all this any more, than what we commonly mean by a providential permiflion? or can any other influence of the Spirit be introduced here, befide fuch as may be fuppofed to concur with the operations of mankind in the ordinary acts of providence? and where a fupernatural interpofition would have been unworthy of its author: which mixture of divine and human, in the fame times, things, perfons, and their history, feems much more conformable to the other works of God; and affords many circumftances of credibility, which, though fome of them feem to come in by the bye, and are often contained in a mere parenthefis; yet more clearly evince, and will in all ages more inconteftably confirm, the genuineness of that relation which is attended with them; than if such revelations had been all made and recorded at one time, by themselves, and by men altogether over-ruled in their delivery. This will produce a worse, by tending to difcredit that partial one, whether of guidance, and fuperinten dency, This likewise seems in a good measure to have been the cafe with the N. T. writers; who, notwithstanding the things they were to deliver are mostly of greater confequence, and more closely united in point of time, place, and other circumftances; notwithstanding the extraordinary affiftance of the Spirit, which was to abide with them, and lead them into all neceffary truth; and for the most part either the thing itself fhews, or they give us fufficient intimation, when they are obliged to have recourse to that affiftance: yet from the very form in which they ufually deliver them, it must appear, that this influence is no lefs frequently fufpended in the delivery of even thefe fundamental truths; it being perhaps peculiar to the Son of God himfelf, to have the Spirit at all times without measure, or limitation: [fee Doddridge on Job. iii. 34. Fam. Ex. Vol. I. p. 162.] And befide thefe, how oft do the fame perfons condefcend to treat of other inferior, controverfial matters; ufeful indeed, fome to the then prefent, fome to all future times; but furely of a very different nature from the former; and in which that influence and affiftance does not feem fo requifite! How justly do they place the evidence of facts, on their own fenfes only! declaring what they have seen and beard; which at all times may, and which alone can, be produced as proper proof. In reafonings, how beautifully do they add their private judgment; and in affairs of fmaller moment, even their conjecture or opinion; to what they had received from the Lord himfelf! where circumstances fhew us the expediency of fuch additions; and where common fenfe was, and will be always, equally fufficient to diftinguish one from the other; as it is to interpret the whole Scriptures, (fo far as they become neceffary to be interpreted by us,) without any other more infallible guide. But common fenfe is too often laid afide in fubjects of this nature. Many good men think, they can never do too much to decry it; to fet the Bible at variance with it; to carry the whole up beyond its reach; though by schemes merely of their own invention, rather than forming any judgment from what they really find within that facred book. Not content with a moral evidence of its truth, which is clear, ftrong, and every way fufficient for the conviction of all fair enquirers; (vid. Jacquelot de la Verité, et de l'Infpiration, &c. c. 6. p. 45.) they muft needs introduce another, where there is no room for it; and infift on fuch univerfal, abfolute infallibility, as never can be made out, to thofe who are not already perfuaded of it; (and who can have no other evidence for fuch perfuafion, than the fame moral one, on which that truth is grounded) and which is at last either useless; or inconfiftent with thofe natural proofs, which conftitute the credibility of this and every other history fo circumftanced. Is not a moral evidence enough to affure us of the genuineness and incorruptnefs of thefe writings? Why should it not then, where it can take place, be fufficient for the authors themselves to proceed on in their writ ing? |