diet and habits of life; but these directions and this superintendence leave the patient still at liberty to live in many respects according to his own discretion-in all respects, namely, except the doing of such things as might prevent the success of the physician's plan of treatment. The extent of God's interference in the inspired agency of his servants would seem naturally to have been regulated on a similar principle; and the particular investigation of the fact, as far as relates to the Scriptures, will confirm this view. PART III. THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. §. 1. General principles for deciding the authority of any Scripture. GOD who in times past addressed his Church by his inspired messengers and by the one mediator his Son, addresses us now by his Scriptures. The practical question, therefore, to which the foregoing inquiry brings us, is, What authority belongs to the Bible in consequence of its inspiration? It has appeared that "all Scripture is given by inspiration;" inasmuch as we recognise, besides positive revelation, a miraculous improvement of the author's powers for the whole of his task, and also a superintending divine agency. But, how are we to determine what portions of the sacred volume are characterised by one kind of inspiration, and what by the other? Are we to suppose that this superintendence extended to all the authorship? or, if confined to some particular portions, what were these? Wherever its interference is acknowledged, the authority of Scripture must, from its nature, be certain and infallible: but, in its absence, even positive revelations received by an author, may, from inaccuracy of memory, or error of observation, (setting aside the possibility of intentional misrepresentation,) fail to ensure his giving an accurate representation of them. Scripture has not left us to conjecture on so important a point; which would indeed imply, that its divine Author had provided us with a heavenly gift, without instructing us how to use it. The Bible contains many passages declaratory of the criterion by which its inspiration must be judged. "All Scripture," writes St. Paul, (and what was true of all Scripture then, must be intended to apply to that he was then composing, and to all further additions,) " is given by inspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"." In other words, to religious instruction of whatever kind is confined the Scriptural character of Scripture-the agency of the Holy Spirit. The same test is elsewhere spoken of as applicable to the apostolical ministry generally, and is commonly expressed by the term edification". It is not, therefore, truth of all kinds that the Bible was inspired to teach, but only such truth as tends to religious edification; and the Bible is consequently infallible as far as regards this, and this alone. The Saviour's promise to his apostles (as is evident from their own view of the assistance they were receiving) was not, that he would guide them into all truth whatever, but into all such truth. Indeed the expression, which is translated "all truth," might (as every one who understands the original is aware) be rendered with equal fidelity, and I should say with more propriety, all the truth """ the truth" being a phrase often employed by our Saviour to designate the Christian scheme. 66 Accordingly, if we wish to determine the authority of any assertion or direction in Scrip a 2 Tim. iii. 16. C g. 2 Cor. xii. 19. x. 8. xiii. 10. DE. |