"For I Give you Good Doctrine."---Bible.

D. P. PIKE, Editor.

VOL. 1.

B. F. CARTER, Agent.

NEWBURYPORT, APRIL 15, 1855. NO. 4.

AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES.-No. II.

It was to be at the distance of seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years from the edict to re-build Jerusalem after the captivity in Babylon. He was to be born in Bethlehem Ephrata, so called to distinguish it from Bethlehem in the tribe of Zabulon. He was to spring from the family of Abraham, through Isaac, Jacob, and Judah; from the tribe of Judah through the regal line of David, the son of Jesse. He was to be called Emanuel, the same as Jesus. Before he came, a messenger was to be sent to prepare his way.

The prophecies concerning Christ also include his birth of the seed of the woman, and of a virgin; his flight into Egypt; his education at Nazareth; his entry into Jerusalem, riding upon the foal of an ass; the cry of the children surrounding him; his manner of teaching; his zeal for his Father's worship; his betrayal; the treachery of one of his disciples; his sufferings; the gall offered him; the spear that pierced his side; his treatment when crucified; his grave with the wicked, not being left to see corruption; his resurrection, and there being no end to his kingdom.

Such particulars foretold that Christ would combine a peculiar character, uniting qualities and attributes apparently the most contradictory. He was a branch from the root of Jesse, to be rejected and despised of men; a worm and no man; to be the servant of rulers; a stone of stumbling; a rock of offence; to be hated without a cause; to

endure shame and reproach; to be accused by false witnesses; to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. On the other hand, the Messiah was to be the Son of God; the child born; the Son given, whose name was to be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He was the Shiloh; the Star out of Jacob; the Redeemer; the Loving One; the chief corner Stone; the root and offspring of David; the bright and morning Star.

These high and yet humble descriptions were all fufilled in the person of Christ. They fix by the apparent contradictions which they involve, the identity of his person. There has never been any other person to whom these particulars were ever capable of being applied.

In this view we have a succession of prophets during four thousand years who arise one after another, predicting these things of the same person, the Messiah. The first prediction of Christ was uttered four thousand years before its accomplishment. Two thousand years more elapsed before the family of Abraham was designated. Three or four hundred years more elapsed before it was fixed upon the tribe of Judah; and after six or seven hundred years more it was assigned to the house of David, the son of Jesse. Three hundred years later than this, the place of Messiah's birth is fixed, and Isaiah about the same time announces that a voice in the wilderness should call men to prepare his way. Thus prophecy sustains in its fulfillment the divine authority of the sacred scriptures.

Again; the beneficial effects of the principles taught in the scriptures, are obvious to every candid observer, and strongly imply the divine authority of the Bible. They demand their seat in the heart of man, and remove the love of sin by imparting the love of holiness. These principles lead to the maintenance of piety and good order, the foundation of all good society. They demand love to our

neighbors, and that we do to others as we would have them do to us. They inculcate principles of industry, to enlarge and improve the mind; and in fine, command us to "love the Lord with all our heart, and soul and mind and strength." The Bible determines points essential to man's happiness; and does this with so much clearness as to exempt from doubt. As we study the discourses of the prophets in the Old Testament, and of our Lord and his Apostles in the New, we feel that they "speak as those having authority, and not as the scribes,"

INSPIRATION OF THE SACRED WRITERS.

I have endeavored to show the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures; that they were written by the persons to whom they are ascribed, and that their contents are worthy of credit. These two points are sufficient to establish the truth of our religion as demanded by the Scriptures.

It is not absolutely necessary to prove that the sacred writers were supernaturally qualified for composing the records of revelation. If their veracity and competence are ascertained, the facts which they attest furnish satisfactory evidence of their divine origin. But we might not have, when we come to examine its nature, to investigate its doctrines, precepts, institutions and promises, perfect confidence in the detailed account, although we might entertain no suspicion of the honesty of the writers, unless we had reason to believe they were assisted in drawing it up so as to commit no mistakes either in narrating or in reasoning, and to leave out nothing essential to the system. As God has been pleased to give a revelation to the world we suppose that he would not expose it to the hazard of being misrepresented, corrupted and mutilated, through the infirmity of those who should undertake to transmit it to succeeding generations.

Inspiration includes not only the suggestion, but the superintendence of what is written. Divine guidance was afforded the sacred writers that in penning the Scriptures they might do it in the clearest manner and with the best language. In proof of inspiration we appeal to the testimony of the sacred writers. "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." This refers to the Jewish scriptures; and if their inspiration is established that of the New Covenant will be readily conceded. I know it is affirmed that this verse should be rendered: "Every writing divinely inspired is profitable," which does not vouch for any particular book, and leaves the question undecided, what books are inspired. But such a rendering makes it a proposition which communicates no specific information, and is as superfluous as it would be to say, the sun gives light. It would not have entered the mind of any person to suppose that a book really inspired was of no use. But admit this translation, and it must bear explicit testimony to the inspiration of the Jewish Scriptures. These Scriptures the Apostle had mentioned in the verse preceding; and he now adds, "every inspired writing is profitable," evidently assigning the reason why these scriptures were able to make Timothy wise unto salvation. It was this inspiration which made them profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. There is no reason for the mention of inspired writings in this connexion, but to attest the inspiration of the Jewish Canon.

The conjunction kai, (and) which connects theopnustos (by inspiration of God) and ophelimos (profitable) most definitely shows that both adjectives belong to the predicate of the proposition, and that pasa graphe (all scripture) alone is the subject. No example can be produced where two adjectives are thus

joined, of which the one belongs to the subject, and the other to the predicate. Had the Apostle intended to express simply that writing divinely inspired is profitable, he would have left out the conjunction, or he might have substituted the verb esti as a copulative. This shows that the Apostle intended to say that the books contained in the sacred volume of the Jews were given by inspiration; and thus all the writings referred to in the preceding verse, under the designation of the holy scriptures were profitable for doctrine, &c.

There are other passages in which the inspiration of the Old Testament is asserted or implied. The books are called the "Oracles of God," plainly referring to a divine origin, and thus distinguishing them from human compositions. They are quoted under the name of scripture, the writing, by way of eminence; that is, the inspired writing. Christ appealed to them as containing the words of eternal life, and bearing testimony to him; and gave his approval of them all, as arranged by the Jews in three divisions, the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms.

In reading the Old Testament we find the claim of inspiration repeatedly and explicitly advanced. Moses declares that he wrote part, at least, of the Pentateuch by the command of God. David remarks, that "the spirit of the Lord spoke by him, and his word was on his tongue." The prophets delivered their messages in the name of Jehovah. With respect to the books of the New Testament it is evident that the writers were not left to their own unassisted faculties. The Savior promised that the Father would send his Spirit, "who should teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them." Again he adds, "when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come." He instructed them not "to take thought what they should say," when brought