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DID PAUL EVER DOUBT HIS OWN INSPIRATION?
BY AN ENGLISH VICAR. *

WHAT, if in the Scriptures them selves shall be found an admission that not everything they contain is to be regarded as inspired; what shall we then say ? Now, it is by no means to be concluded that an objection of this sort must necessarily proceed from a sceptical mind.

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did and reverential readers have thought that they have found reason to adopt views considerably different from what were their former opinions upon the subject of inspiration, and from the current belief; and this from the language of Scripture itself. They imagine they find authority for this change, or dissent, in the Apostle Paul's instructions to the Corinthian Church on the subject of marriage. (1 Cor. vii.) A closer examination, however, of this portion of Scripture than it has received at the hands of many expositors, and of some, it may be, even of those whose views of inspiration have become relaxed through the study of this passage in our English version only, may issue in the conviction that it not only lends no countenance to the opinion that the Apostle here admits that he does not speak with authority, as one supernaturally guided, on the point before him; but that it upholds that authority, and exhibits the Apostle as avowing his confident belief that the counsel he offered to the Corinthian Church in their present difficulty was suggested by the Spirit of God.

The Apostle, in the place referred

to, is drawing a distinction, not between his own private opinion upon the matter in question, and what were his inspired teachings upon other points, whether of doctrine or action; but between his own injunctions as an inspired apostle, and the command originally given, and which they to whom he wrote well knew to have been "given by the Lord." It was an "old commandment" that he would press upon them, not a 66 new commandment," now, for the first time, issuing from himself. "I speak this by permission, and not by way of commandment," is a translation of the words which it would perhaps be presumptuous to pronounce wrong; on the contrary, here, as in not a few other places of the New Testament, we may perceive that the translators rightly apprehended the sense of the original, and expressed in forms of words characteristic of the use of the English language at that day, just what we regard to be the true sense of the passage. The Apostle does not say that he has been permitted but not commanded by the Holy Ghost, to give this advice; but that this was spoken by way of concession" (to them in their peculiar trials) and not "by way of injunction."

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But the difficulty seems to rise up with greater force in some subsequent places of the chapter. How are we to explain what is found in the tenth, twelfth and twenty-fifth verses, to say nothing of the last words of the

* From "Some Thoughts on the Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures." By Robert Eden, M.A., Vicar of Wymondham.

fortieth? Does not the Apostle, in the two former places, explicitly distinguish between "inspired" and

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uninspired" in those verses, respectively; and tell us, in the one instance, that the Spirit spake by him, in the other not? The reply is, that it is altogether a gratuitous assumption to make the Apostle refer to the Holy Spirit speaking in him. Let Let those who would rightly apprehend St. Paul's meaning go a little lower, to the twenty-fifth verse, where he says, "I have no commandment of the Lord; "words in which he is not heard to say that he is without any special direction, any inward guidance from Christ's Spirit, to give rules for the guidance of the Church, but that there is no definite commandment ever uttered by the Lord Jesus, to which he can refer the Corinthians as an authority upon the matter in question, just as he could not point them to any such as applicable to the other cases. The "not I, but the Lord," of the tenth verse might therefore be thus paraphrased: "I do not offer, even as an inspired apostle, my advice

your conduct in this case is determined by a higher authority, by the recorded words of the Lord Jesus, which He spake in the days of His ministry."

But there is found, in the opinion of some persons, a strong argument against the Apostle's infallibility, in the last words of this chapter, in which he winds up his advice upon the question submitted to him. To the declaration of his "judgment," he adds, "And I think also that I have the Spirit of God." So it is in our version: nor is the translation of the original words to be impugned, or to be thought of as inadequately representing the sense. Here, as in some other places where the rendering of the Greek might appear somewhat weak, or even erroneous, it will be "found upon further consideration" that the translators employed the word or phrase in question, in the sense which criticism would affix to the original expression, and that their Englishing of it fully measures that sense according to the import, in their day, of the words they selected, though the use of the words, in our time, be slightly different. For this, however, we appeal confidently to all who have the opportunity of examining the point, that the word employed by the Apostle, and on which objectors fix, is so far from conveying the notion of hesitation, or of a mere opinion," that it is a firm assertion that he was divinely guided. "Now, I hold that

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* Ver. 10. "Unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband;" (ver. 12,) "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord;" and ver. 25, "Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”

"But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God." (Ver. 40.)

A careful examination, in the original, of the following passages, by creating an assurance that the very opposite of a mere opinion is designed in the use, by the sacred writers, of the verb doku (to "hold as a settled view" of any subject), will fortify the mind against this dangerous suggestion of the enemies of inspiration. (John v. 39.) "Yourselves hold," &c. trine), &c. (Luke xvii. 9.) "No, I hold."

(Matt. vi. 7.) "They hold" (as a doc(1 Cor. viii. 2; iii. 18.) "If any one main

I, too, have the Spirit of God," may be regarded as adequately exhibiting the Apostle's meaning; which words he is to be understood as adding to all that he had written, for the very purpose of giving weight to the immediately preceding words, "after my judgment;" and of obviating the supposition that, in the use of that phrase, he meant to claim no more authority for the advice he had just offered, than such as would attach to a private opinion. That he did demand more is evident from the words themselves, which import much more than the modern colloquial form, "as I think :" or, "according to my view." For the English word "after," as here employed, and agreeably to the principle above laid down, has an emphatic sense. It does not mean, "if any one is willing to take," but "according to," "in pursuance of," "following," and, in this sense, "after."

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She is happy if she so abide," following therein (not my opinion;' that is not the proper meaning of the term employed, but) my 'inspired decision'; my grave and deliberate judgment as an apostle of Christ, upon the point in question a judgment which' (he had already said, ver. 25) 'I' confidently give, not as a private opinion, but as the authoritative counsel of one who has been so graciously dealt with by the Lord, as to be put into the apostleship, and who thus claims to be relied upon in giving a judgment. Now, I hold that I, too, as an apostle of Christ, as one of that number to whom the

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Lord expressly promised the 'Paracletos' to guide them into all truth'; though I have distinguished between the original precepts given by the Lord himself, and my own decisions; I hold that I too, possess the Spirit of God, and am infallibly guided by that Spirit whenever, as now, I write to a Church upon points of faith, or duty, or order."

It has been thought important to attempt to place this passage in a right light, inasmuch as both by believers in, and opponents of scriptural inspiration, by the reverent and the irreverent alike, it is quoted as bearing unfavourably upon that doctrine, against which it presents to the former class a real difficulty, and furnishes to the latter, a plausible objection.

To have entered thus particularly into the phraseology which runs through this argument will not be deemed superfluous by those who are aware how continually and confidently the Apostle's language in this place, is referred to as not merely giving support to the opinions of those who are in favour of a relaxed view of inspiration, but as if it contained a direct warning from himself, not to look for Divine authority in all that he delivered. If the remarks upon his words that have now been offered are just, they establish this conclusion, that so far from relinquishing his claim to be heard as an inspired arbiter in the questions he discusses, he asserts such claim in the most decisive manner.

tains that he is wise." (So xiv. 37; and Phil. iii. 4; Matt. iii. 9; xvii. 25; xxi. 28; xxii. 27; Luke xiii. 2; x. 36; xvi. 2; 1 Cor. iv. 9; x. 12; xii. 23; 2 Cor. xi. 16; Gal. i. 2.) dokõvσi; “persons thought much of;" "held in estimation." (Gal. ii. 9; Heb. xii. 11.)

THOUGHTS FOR THE LORD'S TABLE.

BY THE REV. NEWMAN HALL, LL.B.

"The marks of the Lord Jesus."-Gal. vi. 17.

THE love of the Lord Jesus should reign in the heart, the marks of the Lord Jesus should be seen in the life, of all who come to the feast which commemorates the great sacrifice He offered for us when He hung, bruised and mangled, and with so many marks of suffering, on the cross. What are all the trappings of wealth, all the insignia of rank, all the marks of power, honour, fame, by which man

was ever distinguished, compared with "the marks of the Lord Jesus?"

St. Paul gloried in these marks. There were some who insisted on circumcision, as an outward mark of discipleship which all Gentile converts should receive. They gloried in their flesh as indicating adherence to Judaism-but, said St. Paul, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Now

then, henceforth, let no one trouble me in this matter. I bear in my body the marks, not of circumcision, but of the Lord Jesus, and these are my credentials."

What were those marks ? The same that were on the body of Christ? The stigmata, or scars on the hands and feet, such as some have feigned or fancied as appearing on the bodies of certain Romanist devotees? There is no evidence of such marks on the Apostle. But there were on his body the marks of persecution. His feet which had been made fast in the stocks, his hands often fettered with iron chains, his back torn with the cruel scourge, his head scarred by the stones which had been hurled at him

with intent to slay him,-these were the marks he bore. (2 Cor. xi. 23-25.)

Herodotus mentions that the slaves of Xerxes had stigmata or marks on their bodies, showing to whom they belonged. It is still a cruel custom to brand slaves, the burning iron leaving in the flesh its ineffaceable mark. So the Apostle said he bore the marks of the Lord Jesus-but these were marks he gloried in. They were put on him by the enemies of Jesus-they were put on him with cruelty of purpose-but they were marks which he regarded with delight as badges of his being the free and willing servant of his Lord.

Some interpreters refer to the practice of some votaries of the heathen gods in branding themselves with the sacred mark of the deity to whom they were specially devoted. It was regarded sacrilege to any injury to those who bore such marks. So the Apostle had devoted himself to Christ-he bore the marks of the Lord Jesus-he was, therefore, under the protection of the Son of God; it was at the peril of incur ring the Divine displeasure that the enemies of the Gospel offered injury to him: "Henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

These scars of the wounds he had received in the service of his Master, these marks of the Lord Jesus given him while contending for Christian freedom against Jewish exclusiveness, for the pure worship of God against

heathen abominations, were honourable distinctions in which he gloried. As a soldier, whose loyalty was disputed, might lay bare his breast, and, showing the marks of wounds received in battle for his king, might say, "Trouble me no more with disputes as to my being a true and faithful soldier, I bear in my body the marks of my captain and lord;" so St. Paul vindicated himself from those who interfered with his teaching and questioned his apostleship, by appealing to the marks of the Lord Jesus which he bore.

We are not called in the present day to suffer the martyrdoms which leave scars on the body. But we are figuratively commanded to "crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts." The government of our body should indicate whose servants we are. Our obedience to His commands, our self-denial, humility, purity, holiness, should be marks that we belong to Christ, even as the marks on His body were evidences of His obedience to the will of the Father.

There were marks on His feetmarks of the nails which had pierced them. Let my feet bear the marks of the Lord Jesus, by their being never employed to carry me on any sinful errand, to any place of wicked indulgence or polluting pleasure, to any place where I cannot ask Him to accompany me. And not simply so; but by their being "shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace, by their promptness for every errand of Christian zeal and philanthropy towards the souls and bodies of men, let my feet bear "the marks of the Lord Jesus."

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There were similar marks on His hands, where, by the cruel nails, He

VOL. I.-NEW SERIES.

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was suspended from the cross. let my hands bear the marks of the Lord Jesus, by their being never stretched forth for any deed of injustice or violence, but by being active in the proper duties of my calling, in distributing to the necessities of others, in taking by the hand the desponding and the weak. And in prayer, by "lifting up holy hands," by "the lifting up of the hands as the evening sacrifice," by that devoutness of soul, that constant uplifting of the heart thus symbolized, let me bear "the marks of the Lord Jesus."

There were marks on His brow, where the sharp thorns had torn it. So let my countenance bear the marks of the Lord Jesus. Let me cultivate such kindness, purity, cheerfulness, goodness of heart, as shall express itself visibly on the outward features. And let patience be exhibited there, so that my sorrows may be worn as a crown-and the thorns of life become a diadem, conferring dignity, though causing pain.

But such outward marks on the countenance, if sincere, must come from a hidden source of purity and peace within. Let me gaze then on the mark on the side of Jesus, the wound made by the spear, near His heart. Let me carry there the marks of the Lord Jesus. Let the love of Christ constrain me. Let me cherish the sacred fire there, ever burning with a brighter and a purer flame. Let me be able to appeal to Him who searches the heart, and say, Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee."

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Lord Jesus! do Thou thyself place on me these marks. I come to Thy table according to Thine own invitation. I know my unworthiness, I

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