before magistrates and councils for his sake, "because it would be given them in that hour what they should speak," that is, proper sentiments and words would be suggested to them. It is not overstraining these promises to infer that these writers enjoyed the same supernatural assistance in composing their narrations and epistles. It was as necessary as when they stood before magistrates, because these were to be the rule of faith and practice to the church in all ages. Accordingly they did claim supernatural assistance, not only by placing their own writings on a level with those of the prophets, but they definitely declared their inspiration. The Apostle Paul in the name of his brethren declares, that they had received the spirit of God, that they might know the things which were freely given them of God. Again, he declares, "which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." Paul affirms in respect to himself, that he had the mind of Christ and preached a gospel that he did not receive from man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. The Apostles also taught that whoever despised the things they taught despised not man but God, who had given to them the Holy Ghost. Again, it is definitely taught, "we are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

Some of the above passages refer directly to their writings and in them all it is assumed, that the Apostles were supernaturally assisted in communicating the Gospel, and consequently it is just to infer that they were assisted in writing it.

On the ground of these declarations, we declare a specific difference between the sacred books and human compositions. I therefore advocate the plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, which imports that every part of them is inspired. The true idea, however, of plenary inspiration is that

inspiration extends indeed to the whole Scriptures; but it admits of degrees suited to the nature of the subject which the writers were employed to record, and does not supersede the use of natural faculties, so far as those faculties did contribute to the general design. The whole was committed to writing by the direction and with the assistance of the Spirit. I therefore define inspiration to be an influence of the Holy Ghost upon the understanding, imaginations, memories and other mental powers of the sacred writers, by which they were qualified to communicate to the world the knowledge of the will of God. No one, who believes that God is the former of our souls and the sovereign of our faculties, will for a moment question the possibility of such an influence. All must see that if human agents were to be employed in giving instruction to their brethren on the high and important subject of religion, that such an influence was absolutely necessary.

I will conclude this subject by presenting the testimony of early Christian writers. Clemens Romanus, Bishop of Rome, (A. D. 91–110,) a contemporary with the Apostles, says, "the Apostles preached the Gospel, being filled with the Holy Ghost-the Scriptures are the true words of the Spirit. Paul wrote to the Corinthians things true by the aid of the Spirit-he being divinely inspired, admonished them by an epistle, concerning himself and Cephas and Apollos."

Justin Martyr, (A. D. 89—164) says, that the Gospels were written by men full of the Holy Ghost. Irenæus, (A. D. 89-154) says, that all the Apostles received the Gospel by divine revelation-and the scriptures were dictated by the will of God-and that therefore it is wickedness to contradict them, and sacrilege to make any alterations in them. Theophilus. (A. D. 168-181,) referring to the writers of the Old and New Testament, says, that both the one and the other spoke, being inspired by one and the same spirit. Clemens Alexandrinus, (A. D. 191,) says, that the

Holy Scriptures are the law of God, and that they are all divine, and that the Evangelists and Apostles wrote by the same spirit that inspired the Apostles. The Emperor Constantine wrote unto the council of Nice, (A. D. 323) calling the Scriptures, "the doctrine of the Holy Ghost in writing." A writer in Eusebius (A. D. 314) says, "that they who corrupt the sacred scriptures, either do not believe that the Holy Spirit uttered the divine scriptures, and then they are infidels, or think themselves wiser than the spirit, and so seem to be possessed."

Origen (A. D. 230) teaches, that the Scriptures proceeded from the Holy Spirit, that there is no one title in them but what expresses a divine wisdom, that there is nothing in the law, or the prophets, or the gospels, or the epistles, which did not proceed from the fullness of the spirit, that we ought, with all the faithful to say, that the Scriptures are divinely inspired, that the Gospels are admitted as divine in all the churches of God, and that the Scriptures are no other than the oracles of God.

Deists as opposed to atheists, admit the existence of God, but deny his revealed word.

THE BIBLE A STANDARD.

The Holy Scriptures being the production of the Holy Spirit, become the only true standard of Christian Theology. Every person, however, has a right to write and publish his own views on any subject, but it is the equal right and duty of the reader to compare them with the Bible. There is no other just test. We should fear to prescribe articles of faith which are not written in the exact words of the Scriptures. When any man writes a book on doctrine and practice it is now regarded as a human production, which is necessarily imperfect, because human knowledge is not perfect. But if

it were perfect, it would be only like the Bible, for every human production is nearer or less near to perfection as it accords with that holy book. For these reasons, we value more or less the works that appear among us upon theological subjects, according as they are in accordance with the plain letter of the Scriptures.

A great many books have been written among us on a variety of religious subjects. These are circulated and read for the purposes of edification, instruction and comfort; and they often serve as helps to a better and more correct understanding of the truths of the Scriptures; but none of these should ever be appealed to as proof of truth or duty. The whole truth, and the whole of our duty is to be found treasured up in the Holy Scriptures.

The Bible given by the inspiration of God is the only true theological standard. If there is anything we do not understand, the fault is not in the "perfect law of liberty;" the Bible still is perfect and is as true as though God had spoken those truths by an audible voice from heaven. In all controversies and discussions and inquiries after truth, naked truth, every thing should be brought to the Bible, that it may stand or fall by that.

All readers of ecclesiastical history know that when in the different ages of the world, the decisions of Councils, Synods, Conferences, Bishops and Popes, have been palmed upon the Church as standards of faith and manners, especially when such decisions have been combined with power, it has invariably given rise to deadly persecutions, and to those corruptions which in every age must be a curse to the Church. Our regard and attachment to human decisions and writings therefore should be regulated according as they are scriptural, and by no other method.

CREATION AND POWERS OF MAN.

HIS LOCATION IN THE SCALE OF CREATION.

The Holy Scriptures, in opposition to the dark speculations of pagan philosophy, inform us that matter is not self-existent. Self-existence is an attribute which 'only belongs to God. All material things as well as all living spirits are dependent on the will of God. Revelation teaches us that this earth is not the work of chance, but the work of an intelligent and almighty Being, whom we have denominated God. This God has not only created the material of the universe, but he has fashioned it, and peopled it with endless tribes of living creatures.

The first view of the universe presents a vast assemblage of strange, confused, inexplicable phenomena. Commencing to study its nature and design we are imperceptibly led to the inquiry what, whence and why this creation? Such a globe of land and sea teeming with an endless and confused variety of animate and inanimate objects, must have an author and a design. Turning our eyes upward we behold a spacious canopy blazing with the effulgent beams of the sun by day, and sparkling with glittering hosts of stars by night. In the midst of this stupendous scene appears the human form, an organization truly strange unto itself. It is an organization of the earth, and yet not of it. It is an animal organization, and yet more than animal. Related to angels and yet akin to worms. A frail being of earth, corruption, yet a proud heir of deathless being.

We enter upon this great study of the universe, and as we proceed in our examination light and order take the place of chaos and darkness. Creation has a beginning, a progress and a consummation; and more than all a definite design worthy of the great designer.

In our imagination we stand back in the period when this chaotic mass, the ruins of some other economy perhaps, was