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SERMON XI.

ON THE INSPIRATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."-2 TIM. iii. 16, 17.

It was shown in our last discourse, that the scriptures of the New Testament, which contain the religion of Christ, have come down to the present times without any material alteration or corruption; and that they are in all essential points, notwithstanding the different readings to be found in different manuscripts, the same as when they came from the hands of their respective authors. We shall now proceed to show that these scriptures were written by the inspiration of God. The apostles, it will be recollected, were the constant attendants of our Saviour during his

ministry. They were not only present at his public preaching, but when they were in private, St. Mark informs us, our Saviour "expounded all things to his disciples." We learn also from St. Luke, that "he showed himself alive to the apostles after his passion by many infallible proofs; being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Still our Saviour foresaw that these instructions, delivered to the apostles as men, and impressed upon their minds in the ordinary manner, would not qualify them for the great work of propagating the gospel; and therefore he promised, that after his departure they should receive further assistance of an extraordinary nature. "It is expedient," saith our Lord in the 16th chapter of St. John, "that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." Again, in the 14th chapter, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you of truth, whom the

for ever, even the spirit world cannot receive."

But, the Comforter,

which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

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Howbeit, when 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 shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." From these passages of scripture it appears, that our Saviour promised that the Holy Ghost should not only bring all things to the remembrance" of the apostles, which they had heard from their divine Master; but that he should also guide them into all truth, should teach them all things, and should abide with them for ever:" that is, the Holy Ghost was to enable them to recollect every thing which they had been taught by Christ; and was likewise to furnish them with all the additional knowledge which might be necessary respecting his religion; and, moreover, this divine Instructor and Guide was, by his constant superintendance to direct and assist

them, in communicating this knowledge unto others. It is here material to remark, that these promises of supernatural instruction and assistance, plainly show the insufficiency of common instruction, and the necessity of inspiration in the first teachers of the gospel;. and we are accordingly assured that these promises were fulfilled.

After the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost visibly descended upon the apostles, they are represented, as you will see in the 2d chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, as "filled with the Holy Ghost;"" speaking as the Spirit gave them utterance;" uniformly teaching and acting under his immediate influence; and confirming the divine authority of their doctrines by the performance of miracles.

Of the eight writers of the New Testament, five were among the number of these inspired preachers of the word of God; and therefore, if we admit the genuineness and authenticity of the books ascribed to these authors, no reasonable doubt could be entertained of their inspiration.

If we believe that God sent our Saviour into the world to found an universal religion, and that by the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost he empowered the apostles to propagate the gospel, as stated in these books; we cannot but believe that he would, by his immediate interposition, enable those whom he appointed to record the gospel for the use of future ages, to write without the omission of any important truth; or the insertion of any material error. Is it to be supposed, that the Holy Spirit would guide and direct the apostles, while they were delivering by word of mouth the religion of Christ; and that he would withdraw his influence when they sat down to write that same religion? Would they be exempted from all error while they were preaching but to a few, and be left liable to mistakes when they were writing for the benefit of the world? Would they be supernaturally secured against deceiving those whom they personally instructed; and not be equally secured when they inculcated and enforced the same truths, not only upon their contemporaries, but upon all succeeding generations? The assurance