CHAP. II] LIMITS OF INSPIRATION

25

One further point should be kept in view. The purpose of Divine revelation by the Word is to teach spiritual, not physical, truths. These lastvery important indeed to our bodies, but not important to our moral nature-we are left to learn by the exercise of the intelligence and observation bestowed upon us. Nothing would be gained to our souls by teaching us the facts of history or of natural science through Divine inspiration. But without teaching these the Bible could not be intelligible if it assumed that we knew them at a time when in fact we did not. Hence it adapts itself to the ordinary understanding of mankind at the period. It takes for history what was at the time believed to be true, without correcting any errors. It speaks of the phenomena of the earth and the heavens in language expressive of what they appeared to be to men at the moment, though later observation has shown that the appearances were not in accordance with the facts. It refers to the authors of or actors in prior narratives as they were popularly believed in, without anticipating any results of later investigation. This obviously reasonable rule dispenses with any necessity for inquiring whether on matters of scientific knowledge the Bible narratives are or are not accurate

in the light of our most recent discoveries or conceptions.

The same principles apply to the references occurring in the New Testament to the writings of the Old. These accept the existing belief of the Jews, not treating them with critical exegesis, but showing their application, or true spirit, or lessons, assuming them to be correct.

All these considerations lead us to the conclusion that the Bible assuredly contains the teaching of God, but that it also contains a large proportion of matter which cannot be said to have been inspired by Him, but which is derived from human sources and consequently is subject to human errors. Further, we must recognise that even the portion which was originally Divinely inspired has come to us through human channels which were not made infallible. Hence it is incumbent on us to examine the Word as we now have it, firstly to ascertain as nearly as we can what it was that was originally written, and next to understand its true sense, and lastly to discriminate as best we can what of it was indeed dictated by the Spirit of God. This is what St. Paul urged on the Corinthians when he told them that God hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in

CHAP. II]

CRITICISM JUSTIFIED

27

But we have this treasure

the face of Jesus Christ.

in earthen vessels.' He tells them also that in reading even the Old Testament a veil was on the hearts of the Israelites-that they failed to under

2

stand it, and he urges that we must look in the New Testament for the spirit and not the letter, 'for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.'3

Therefore, in reading the Word of God, we are bound to apply our intellect to the fullest possible extent in order to learn what is the true revelation it is intended to convey. Nor is this irreverent or unbecoming. For our intellect is the gift of God, it is that part of us which He created in His own image, and how can we better employ that noblest gift than in the effort to understand what He has said or still has to say to us? It is weakness and distrust, not humility or faith, which make some men long to believe that there are set down positive declarations of all truth, before which they can bow themselves in absolute surrender of their intellectual faculties. Much indeed there is in God's ways that is necessarily beyond our limited powers of comprehension; and when that point is reached we must only believe and adore. But, so far as our minds can reach, it is not merely our privilege 2 Ibid. iii. 14. 3 Ibid. iii. 6.

1 2 Cor. iv. 6.

but our duty to exercise these powers, that we may find in the words of God their true spirit, and so apply it as the rule of our faith and actions.

3. We come last of all to the enlightenment bestowed by the Holy Spirit on our own minds. We are sensible that in our souls there are certain standards of morality, certain ideas of right and wrong, as well as certain capacities for distinguishing truth from error, which are indeed all wavering and imperfect, but which yet in our common consent serve to guide us in the business of our social life. We are sensible also that there is in us an instinctive belief in a Being higher and nobler, as well as more powerful, than ourselves. Our religion at last embodies this idea in belief in a God most High, most Holy, and most Loving toward all His creatures. The possibility of acceptance of this truth is itself a confirmation of it; for our purified and exalted consciousness bears witness to the Divinity which inspires it. The Spirit of truth shall guide you into all truth,' was the dying promise of Christ to His disciples; but the process is, like all our advances in knowledge, only slow and gradual, as our faculties enlarge by and for its operation. Yet this inward teaching of the 1 John xvi. 13.

1

CHAP. II]

EDUCATION OF MAN

29

Spirit is at once a witness to God and a means by which to try our conceptions of His commands conveyed to us through other channels.

For God has seen fit in this way to educate us in every age of the world. As He has not superseded the reasoning faculties with which He has endowed us by prescribing absolute dogmas of faith, or by imparting positive knowledge of scientific truths, so He has given to us moral conceptions which are capable of enlightenment and progress under the teaching of His Spirit. It is true that in all these things we may err, as men have often erred. The history of religious persecutions alone is sufficient to warn us how fatally we may deceive ourselves even when we imagine we have the direct guidance of the Spirit. So also the quarrels of devout men over creeds are proof that we do not all, nor any of us always, have this true inspiration. It is also certain that at best our faculties and conceptions fall far short of God's infinite wisdom and holiness. But, such as they are, we are bound to use them, and in using them they are corrected and they grow. Our duty therefore is to apply our minds and consciences to all that God has set us to learn, to do it with utmost earnestness, yet with constant humility, in the assurance that in thus