the consciences of its readers with divine authority; and he who rejects it, rejects not the word of man, but the word of God. If he who uses the version cannot know that every particular passage is correctly translated, so neither can he who reads the original be confident that in every particular passage he apprehends its true meaning. But in both cases. the way of salvation by grace shines forth in all its parts with the clearness of the unclouded sun at noon. In this respect the vision is written so plainly "that he may run that readeth it."

General Remark.

In considering the question of the mode of inspiration, we have designedly avoided giving prominence to the distinctions of "divine excitement," "invigoration," "superintendence," and "guidance," etc., not because these have not, partly, at least, a foundation in reality; but because, like the colors of the rainbow, they blend together so intimately that the attempt to separate them into so many different and distinct forms of inspiration becomes a very difficult undertaking. Nor is this analysis necessary. It is enough to say that whatever revelations of new truth were needed, the Holy Spirit gave in such forms and modes as seemed good to him; that whatever help was required to secure a record of truths already known that should be true and faithful according to his will, this also was granted; and that in all cases the Divine Spirit worked in the minds of the inspired writers in perfect harmony with the constitution which they had by nature; so that, under his supernatural influence, they freely used all their faculties, not in appearance, but in reality.

APPENDIX
NOTE A.

The question of the possibility of such communications as we are considering" becoming matters of distinct consciousness on the part of those to whom they were made," is discussed by Henderson.' Its importance, he justly remarks," will at once appear, when it is considered that in all

1 Henderson on Divine Inspiration, pp. 65-70. Edition of 1847.

ages there have been those who have themselves been persuaded, and who have endeavored to persuade others, that they were subjects of immediate inspiration, while nothing can be more satisfactorily made out than the fact of their self-deception and the utter nullity of their pretended supernatural intercourse with the Deity." He further adds: "The modus, however, of that consciousness which they [the true prophets] possessed of inspiration is a psychological question, which is fraught with no small difficulty; and it may be anticipated that all who have given the subject a reasonable degree of attention will concur in considering it to be one of which the absolute determination lies entirely beyond the power of those who have never had any personal experience of such consciousness." We think that in this remark Henderson has truth and reason on his side. It is important, however, to notice, as he does, "the fact of the original legitimation of the prophets and apostles by the intervention of miraculous agency visibly and uncontrollably displayed." As examples of such 'original legitimation," we may specify the cases of Moses,' of Samuel,' of Isaiah, of Jeremiah, of Ezekiel, and, in an emphatic sense, of all the apostles, who were directly called by Christ himself, and by him endowed with miraculous gifts, "by means of which a perfect assurance must have rested upon the minds of these holy men that they were actually employed by the Deity as the instruments of communicating to mankind the knowledge of truths otherwise undiscoverable by them." To the recipients themselves it was not necessary that this outward miraculous certification should be repeated in the case of each particular communication. They recognized God's presence, as already remarked, by a supernatural intuition. For those whom they addressed an outward supernatural attestation of their divine commission was necessary at the beginning - necessary, certainly, in all cases where new revelations were added to those previously made; and such an attestation was given by God in the case of even our Lord, to which he often referred his hearers. But when once clearly made, it needed not constant repetition. Moses, for example, having been miraculously attested at the beginning of his mission, could speak to the people ever afterwards with divine authority. So, too, it was unreasonable in the Scribes and Pharisees to ask of our Lord a sign from heaven as the seal of his commission, for this seal had already been given. It is not unreasonable, however, that we should demand of one who professes to come with new revelations from God, or to speak with divine authority as an interpreter of God's word, that he do what the prophets and apostles and Christ himself did give us in an unmistakable form the credentials of his alleged divine commission. Otherwise, we open a wide door to the two twin vices of unconscious self-delusion and conscious imposture.

1 Ex. iii. seq.

21 Sam. iii.

Isa. vi.; though there is some doubt whether the vision recorded in this chapter took place at the beginning of Isaiah's prophetical office.

• Jer. i.

Ezek. i. and viii. sq.

6 John v. 36; x. 25, 38; xv. 24.

NOTE B.

The gift of tongues involves questions of difficult-solution. The inquiry arises at once, whether it conferred upon its recipients as a permanent possession, a supernatural knowledge of languages foreign to them, so that they could use them as occasion required, as they did their native tongues; or whether they spoke only under the immediate impulse of the Spirit. When Paul says: "I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than you all," the natural inference is that he was able to use these tongues at his discretion. But, on the other hand, the general impression made by his somewhat extended remarks on this gift is that those who possessed it spake only as they were moved by the Spirit, whether with or without the comprehension of what they uttered. But, whatever be our judgment on these points, the essential thing to be noticed is the end proposed by God in bestowing this gift. It was not designed so much for the instruction of believers as for a sign (eis onμeîov) to unbelievers. It is not to be assumed as the normal mode of inspiration in general.

99.66

NOTE C.

After giving, as we have seen, a rational and satisfactory explanation of the diversity which appears in the three narratives, so far as the words of the disciples are concerned, Augustine adds, apparently in concession to the narrow views of many of his contemporaries: "Quamquam et hoc fieri potuit, ut pluribus eum simul excitantibus, omnia haec, aliud ab alio, dicerentur," Although it might also have happened that several aroused their Master at the same time, and that all these expressions were used by different disciples." The explanation is in itself unnatural, and does not account for the diversity in the form of our Lord's answer as given by the three evangelists. It will hardly be maintained, we think, that the Saviour administered three separate rebukes to those who awoke him. The attempt to carry this narrow principle of harmonizing through the four Gospels is an undertaking as hopeless as it is unnecessary. On this point we shall have more to say in our next Article.

11 Cor. xiv. 18.

21 Cor. xiv.

ARTICLE IV.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GROWTH OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM.

BY SAMUEL HARRIS, D.D., LL.D., Dwight profESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE THEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF YALE COLLEGE.

THE progress of Christ's kingdom is extensive, so far as it gains new converts and Christianizes new peoples; it is intensive, so far as it advances the sanctification of its converts, and develops a higher type of piety and a more Christian civilization. Some characteristics of this progress will now be considered.

I. It is Spiritual.

It is spiritual in the sense that it is the work of God's Spirit. God's redeeming love is not merely a bland accessibleness if any choose to seek him- - a mild rainbow over his throne, encouraging any who venture to brave the darkness and clouds that are round about him. It is an energy of redeeming grace, the Spirit of holiness, working in human history, enlightening, striving, life-giving, reproving, comforting. The progress of the kingdom is the constant product and manifestation of the ever-present and prevailing energy of the Holy Spirit.

It is spiritual, also, in the sense that it is the progress of spiritual life in men the life of faith and love that centres on Christ and his cross.

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Hence, so far as man's agency is concerned, the progress of the kingdom is by action in faith; and the life of faith is a life of inspiration and enthusiasm, rather than of prudence and calculation. The believer has courage to attempt whatever God has had grace to promise. In the words of Bishop Hall: "Faith is never so glorious as when she hath most opposition, and will not see it. Reason looks ever to the

means; faith, to the end; and, instead of consulting how to effect, resolves what shall be effected." The very obstacles become a stimulus to effort: "I will tarry at Ephesus; for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."

II. The Progress of the Kingdom is by the Instrumentality of the Gospel.

It is the historical gospel of redemption through Christ and the Holy Spirit, as distinguished from abstract truth. "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." Rationalism treats Christianity, which is a divine action redeeming men from sin, as if it were only a process of thought; as if its whole aim were the analysis and systemization of truth to the intellect. It regards historical Christianity as the lantern, not as the light, and breaks the lantern that the light may shine more clearly. The result is that the light is blown out. The gospel must indeed be apprehended by the intellect. It presupposes the truths of religion and morals which men may know without revelation. Man, as a rational being, must interpret the facts of the gospel, and define their significance to his intellect; must harmonize them with the truths of natural religion, with the principles of reason, and with all knowledge. This produces theology, which is the gospel interpreted, analyzed, and systemized by and for the intellect. But the gospel does not terminate in the intellect, nor exist only as a process of thought. It is addressed to the heart. It is thought transformed into life. And it is only in its historical origin and influence that it is rightly understood. Christianity is like the sun, whose warmth and light are dependent on being held in the earth's atmosphere and reflected from its surface. To rise above the earth's atmosphere in order to get nearer to the sun is to lose his warmth and light. So philosophy, rising above the historical and human to come nearer to God, finds, in the dizzy heights of speculation, darkness and cold.