I have thought that a few remarks upon these subjects might, at the present moment, tend to help some to discern things that differ. In conscious weakness (such, indeed, as none but the God of all grace could stoop to use and own), I make the attempt.
1.-Revelation
By revelation, so far as man is concerned, I understand the uncovering before man of truth which man is capable of recognizing, but which he could never have attained to the knowledge of by his natural faculties as man. The nature of that which is thus made known (whether things past, present, or to come,-persons or doctrines, etc.), matters not; neither, as we shall see, does the mode in which the knowledge is communicated, etc., enter into the definition of revelation.
It must he clear to any simple mind, that a man does not, and cannot, intuitively know what preceded His existence here on earth, or what will follow after the moment actually present. And man-Adam in the garden of Eden-could not know intuitively, of the creation of that part of the world which preceded his own existence, as the account of it is given to us in Scripture (Gen. 1:1-261In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:1‑26)). If Adam knew it at all, it was by a divine communication. So, again, as to the revelation given to John in Patmos. The great mass of the things revealed were lying in the distant future. It was only by a divine communication, that John could know them.
Now, how Moses learned about the creation of the world we know not. Were it through a vision, in which the scenes were made to pass before him; or were it by tradition, handed down to him from Adam, of what God revealed to him; or were it by thoughts breathed into him by God, through a "Thus saith the Lord," as in Old Testament times; or were it that God told Moses himself about it, as one man speaketh face to face with a friend -as, indeed, He did communicate to Moses all about the tabernacle, etc., when on the mount-the mode of communication matters not; the how the revelation was made to Moses, who wrote the account of it for us, this is not the important thing. Again, John, in the Apocalypse, learned by seeing and hearing, and so far, the mode of the revelation being made to him was unlike the mode in which the Spirit of the Lord came upon a Balaam, a Saul, an Isaiah, etc., with a "Thus saith the Lord." Balaam and Saul had, though they were wicked men, a flow of truth breathed through them, of truth which no mere man could ever have attained to as mere man. It was a divine communication. Now, the mode of communication to Moses in the Mount, and to David (as to the patterns of the tabernacle, the temple, etc.) were of other kinds altogether from a "Thus saith the Lord." Again, the four evangelists saw and heard all that they wrote, apparently, as following their Master upon earth, and conversant with others that did so likewise. Much of what they wrote about was perfect as a revelation. They had seen and heard; "God manifest in the flesh, full of grace and truth." They had, as men in the body, had the Christ of God as their Leader and Master. HE was the revelation of God in the highest sense of the term. But then there were a number of outside facts which were not in themselves revelations (Acts 1:21,2221Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:21‑22)), which, also, they had to write about.
Enough has been said to slew what revelation is. And, if we consider the person of our blessed Lord while upon earth, we shall see how the purest, fullest, most perfect revelation, even that of God himself in His Son (Heb. 1), can exist and be before man in open display quite independently of inspiration, or of sacred scripture. No man hath seen God at any time. "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him (John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18); 1 John 1:1,21That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1 John 1:1‑2)).
Inspiration
We have seen, then, that there may be revelation without inspiration. The blessed Lord Jesus was in His own person, as God manifest in the flesh, a pure revelation of the truth. Yet because of his very fullness-in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily- we could not say he was inspired. To say so, would’ be an injurious limitation to His glory; for. He was not one merely breathed into; but the One who could breathe upon and into man. Of whom but Himself alone could it have been written, "Then said He to them again, Peace, be unto you; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained" (John 20:21-2321Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. (John 20:21‑23)). Again, I think it may fairly be said, that inspiration is based upon revelation; so that wherever there is inspiration, there, of necessity, revelation is presupposed. There may be, as was shown before, revelation independently of inspiration; but there is never inspiration independent of revelation.
When Paul wrote (2 Tim. 3.16), All scripture is (θεοπνευστος) given-by-inspiration-of-God (God-inspired; literally, breathed of God), he gave us, from God Himself, a very solemn peculiarity of the scriptures. He is speaking of the scriptures, they are God-breathed. The essential distinctive quality “θεοπνευστος" attaches there to scripture; and so is distinguishable from what is written in 2 Peter 1:2121For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:21), "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy MEN of God SPAKE as they were moved (carried) by the Holy Ghost." For here-in a retrospective view taken of prophecy, and prophecy as spoken in olden times to Israel-he speaks of the inspiration of the speaker. In the other passages (2 Tim. 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)) it is said the scripture-all scripture-is inspired. The words of a man God-breathed, and the writings of a man God-breathed, are very distinguishable. To the faith of an individual believer, Scripture is much more; for, as used by the Spirit of God, it is, as the breath of God; giving life, nourishment, defense, etc., all instrumentally that faith needs (2 Tim. 3:1717That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:17)). I notice this, here, because it is important, and is connected with inspiration, not in the action of inspiring, but in an effect which is of immeasurable importance to man. There is a standard measure of truth; standard and touchstone which was given by inspiration, in the highest, and, as I believe, purest sense; there is one Book, the writing of which, and the book as written, is inspiration, and inspiration without alloy. The movement, by the Holy Ghost, of holy men, who spake, was, in itself, both divine and pure; but over and beyond this-grace gave A BOOK which contained all that truth which God saw was instrumentally needful for His glory-Satan’s defeat, and man’s blessing.
Holy men of old, and, in later times, Peter and Paul, were, at times, inspired to -say things which were inspired; but, also! they were able and did say, and do, things at times, which were not inspired. I have to judge Peter and Paul’s conduct in every way by their doctrine as written. Holy men of God were divinely moved to write a divinely inspired record of Satan’s antagonistic conduct to the Gospel; of man’s treacherous dealing against God; and of God’s grace, works, and purpose. For the thing written about is not necessarily of God, because the writer is inspired, and his writing inspired too. A record may be pure inspiration; it may be through a movement of inspiration in a man, who is, however, a man of like passions as ourselves; and the subject treated of may be of that which is most antagonistic to God, as the world, the flesh, and Satan. All, alas! all this we wanted.
All Scripture is inspired of God. If God had been pleased to write the Bible, as He wrote the two tables which Moses brake, there could have been no doubt that “God’s book" would have been a correct name for it, just as “God’s tables" was a correct name for the two tables of the Law (Ex. 32:15,1615And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. (Exodus 32:15‑16)). The tables themselves and the writing were both God’s in this case. These were they which Moses brake (Ex. 34:11And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. (Exodus 34:1)). But the second edition of the tables of the Law was not less God’s when written, and had not less authority and weight than had the first. They were prepared by Moses, but written upon by God (Ex. 34:11And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. (Exodus 34:1); Deut. 10:1-41At that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the Lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the Lord gave them unto me. (Deuteronomy 10:1‑4)). They were a divinely accredited transcript of the Divine mind upon the subject then in hand, as much as were the first.
Just so, though God did not write with His own finger the Bible, the book was God’s book; the writing was divinely-breathed, and it was thus a divinely accredited transcript of the Divine mind upon the subject in hand, quite as much so as if His own finger had traced it on a rock, and that rock was before us.
It is clear, both as to a Moses and a Paul, that they were fallible men; it is clear, too, that they did speak at times unadvisedly with their lips: but God not only revealed to them thoughts of His own, but also inspired them to write; and, not only that, but inspired the writing. I rest on this, because I find so few mark the importance of the differences alluded to. I could not say of a Moses or of a Paul, that he was the perfect transcript of one single truth in God (that can be said only of Him, the Son of Man, who is the truth); but of Scripture, given by a Paul or a Moses, I can say, This is as much and as purely the transcript of the Divine mind, as if the finger of God had written it.
If God thus wrote, through the instrumentality of man, about Satan, or the world, or man, the record is divine: the subjects treated of might be (as I said, and. as we wanted God’s explanation of such as were in violent opposition, as Satan; or a system in which man can intoxicate himself with the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season (and so sin away the day of grace), as the world, or man, in his imbecility, vibrating between opposite influences, yet, like a stone rolled down a hill or cast into a pit, always descending, as man’s flesh: subjects in insubjection to God, yet of which He has given a divine exposition, in the past, present and future of their histories.
As we have seen, revelation may be without any inspiration: also, as in the case of a Balaam and an Agabus, it might be through inspiration. The prophetic Spirit might move in a man, and make revelations through him: There is an interesting point to be noticed, and that is, the action of the Spirit in inspiration, when gleaning up for writing revelations which had been made otherwise than by inspiration. It is illustrated in the four gospels, as much as in a Moses, an Ezra, etc. The Spirit brought to the memory of each evangelist the very things which he, in particular, was to record; when Truth, which had been revealed to sight and hearing, was brought afresh by the Spirit to the mind of each evangelist who had to write it-this bringing to mind was inspiration (John 14:26; 15:26, 27; 16:8-11, 13-15, 2526But 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. (John 14:26)
26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26‑27)
8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (John 16:8‑11)
13Howbeit when he, 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. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. 15All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑15)
25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. (John 16:25)). It is often quite separable from revelation, as in the historic facts recorded in the four gospels. But then, as I have urged before, there is another thing here besides that Divine recalling to mind of past revelations and facts, as doubtless Peter had when preaching at Pentecost,-and that is, such a full power put forth, somehow or the other, as to enable the writer to pen down that which contains nothing but what God would have inscribed, and yet contains all that infallibly present.
The distinction, then, between revelation, inspiration, and scripture, with its infallibility, is evident. A remark or two more on this part of our subject may suffice. One has said, “All scripture, then, is given by inspiration of God. Yet some scripture, by no means all, is given by revelation of God."
If I look at Peter-a godly Jew, fearing God, and listening, perhaps, like Timothy, to Jewish scripture from childhood; inquiring about Messiah, and then following Him as a disciple-he saw and heard the blessed Master and, all the circumstances through which they passed.
If I turn from Peter’s case to Paul’s, what a difference meets me. He had been a bitter persecutor, ignorant of God, and a blasphemer of Christ-but all was revealed directly to him by Christ in ascension glory. Then if I think of myself-with nothing but God and the word of His grace: no sight, no hearing of the Lord as a man upon earth; no open vision, no fresh revelation; but the means, of all my blessing found in God and the word of His grace-I see no difficulty in tracing vast differences in the modes of God’s dealing-differences, too, which throw light upon the distinctions of revelation, inspiration, and the characteristic of the word of the Lord, in the light in which we have looked at it.
I would now turn to consider my subject in a somewhat different connection.
There are several deeply important purposes connected with the revealed mind of God. 1St. The revelation of it was and is the vindication of the divine glory in a world of sin; 2ndly, the committing of the oracles of God to a people, however formed upon earth, constituted an intelligible ground of responsibility; 3rdly, the application by divine power of His word, is His means of connecting man with Him in blessing for time and for eternity.
1St. By the word of the Lord not only were the heavens made, but, it was by the word of the Lord that. Adam’s charter of blessing was fixed, and that the continuance of blessing was made to hinge upon his continued subjection and obedience to that word so spoken. But, while the higher parts of the testimony were thus fixed by the word of the Lord, there was also that-a creation all around-which rendered a. testimony to Him in His eternal power and God-head, in the very works which He had previously called into being. When, however, sin had entered through man’s disobedience, the creation-testimony did not suffice any longer. It would not have been per se, even in its best estate, a sufficient testimony for God Himself when dealing with sinners; and man’s rebellion against God left the creation, in a measure, under the power of one who was an enemy; and the conscience of man, when estranged from God, could find no answer in creation to the new need which sin had created. There was, in truth, nothing the voice of which could meet the sinner’s need. When God announced that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent, there was introduced in this word that which vindicated God fully in His new work, and in the circumstances. It had a testimony, too, in it, before principalities and powers, which spake to man of that purpose of God in redemption, which alone could meet the sinner’s need. It was a word spoken by God and spoken to the serpent, though in the presence of man, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)).
Now this was the germ of that which is the perfect vindication of God and Godhead under the new circumstances, both in itself and in the way of putting it forth; it contained everything that man needed as to his position and self; and it presented that which could give blessing. That God could pass by what had just occurred, was impossible. Creation told of His eternal power and Godhead; His truthfulness was pledged by the word of warning which He had spoken to Adam. He might have vindicated Himself against this new inroad of His adversary the devil, by putting forth destroying power. But He was God; and He drew His motives from within Himself. He had plans and counsels of displaying the exceeding riches of His grace, which would not have been answered by destroying judgments: He took up the question as one of controversy with Satan. Man had lost, thrown up, the first place in that scene-yielded it to Satan. The seed of the woman whom Satan had beguiled should bruise the serpent’s head.
Here was a vindication of Himself before all intelligences. Satan, the destroyer and the liar, should find the destruction of his power and the vanity of his own lie, through a feeble one whom he had betrayed to destruction by a lie, and should himself work out his own destruction. The Paradise made to display the eternal power of. Godhead in a creation placed by the Word of God under Adam, but which Adam had betrayed, Satan should he allowed to turn to a trap and a snare in which to cage himself. Man had sunk to a place of zero. He must now choose between God and Satan. If he listened to self and circumstances, he would go on under Satan, and having made choice of him, would share his fate. If he would, even amid inward and outward ruin, receive and own the Word of God, he would find himself rescued from Satan, and identified with God in blessing. Such was the divine plan. But as he had ‘lost all through neglecting God’s warning, man could alone be rescued from his lost estate by the God, who, in his hearing, had declared that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, and by honoring that Word. This declaring things to come-the end from the beginning-is much rested upon in Isaiah (as in ch. 40-43) as an indisputable mark of divine glory. And if we think of Adam and Eve in Eden, ruined in them, selves, under Satan, and of the Lord having then and there dropped a word which was to contain a seven ‘thousand years’ history of man upon earth, and then to issue in a new heaven and a new earth; and Satan bruised in the lake prepared for him and his angels, we can well see the propriety of this setting forth of God’s consciousness of the worth of His Word, and of His determination that man should bow to it. As to the handing down of the Word of God, doubtless it was handed down from Adam to Moses. But the writing of that which had preceded, so far as God was pleased to have it put on record, was quite a new thing, and involved inspiration... 2nd. It was not done, so far as we know, until Israel was owned of God as a people, who were the center of His governmental plans for the earth. They were made the keepers of the Oracles of God. The deposit to them referred to in Rom. 3:1, 21What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 3:1‑2), "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God," is one thing. The consequence of this, in certain dispensational dealings of God with them (as referred to in Rom. 11) is another. Thus, the nation Israel became witnesses of God upon: earth (Isa. 43:9, 10, 12; 44:89Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. 10Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. (Isaiah 43:9‑10)
12I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. (Isaiah 43:12)
8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. (Isaiah 44:8)). The responsibility in time is quite separable from the question of the bearing of truth upon eternity. This is true in the Old Testament times, and may be proved in various ways.
"Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore. I will punish you for all your iniquities" (Amos 3:1; 21Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, (Amos 3:1)
1Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime: (Amos 2:1)) [see also Isa. 1; Balaam, Num. 22; 24 and Jer. and Ezek.]. So, also, Paul separated between a dispensation of the Gospel, having been committed to him (1 Cor. 9:1717For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. (1 Corinthians 9:17); Eph. 3:22If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: (Ephesians 3:2)), and his own faithfulness (1 Cor. 9:2727But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27)), and broadly states that his ministry had an end, independent of the kind of effect which it took upon the souls of his hearers (2 Cor. 2:14-1714Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. 15For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14‑17)): "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh. manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And. who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of. God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." This is, in principle, the same as Ezek. 2:55And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. (Ezekiel 2:5): "And they, whether, they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them." This responsibility exists now-little thought of as it is. There is among men a class which has had the Oracles of God committed to it; and those oracles so committed to the nominal church, constitute a responsibility: a responsibility which will be distinctly judged (Rev. 22:11-1511He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:11‑15)).
3rd. The application, in divine power, of the Word of God, or His means of connecting man with Him in blessing for time and for eternity.
It will be seen, that I make a distinction between revelation, inspiration, and infallibility. I do so, because they differ in themselves. I must now call attention to another difference. We may not forget that the connections of a truth, often modify, qualify, and affect its force. For instance, if I speak of the Bible, I say of it, absolutely and without qualification: “A revelation from God; a divinely inspired book: infallibly perfect."
If I knew how to express, more strongly than I have thus done, the absolute perfection of Scripture as a standard of truth; that the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible is owned by me as alone the standard of truth; that it contains revelations of things, such as none but God could make; that it was (in the writing of it)-fully and divine inspired, and, therefore, infallibly perfect; I say, if I knew how to express myself more strongly on these matters than I have done, I would gladly do it. But if I have to speak of myself as a man, I cannot forget that a perfect standard of truth, while it is enough to vindicate God, and to condemn men, and every man, is not enough to save a soul.; not enough in itself and without the Spirit’s blessing, to make me now a servant of God, and hereafter a possessor of glory. And again, if I speak of myself as a saint, I am not, because I cannot apply the terms Revelation, Inspiration, and Infallibility to myself, in the same way as I can apply them to Scripture, I am not", I say, to deny that I am taught of God; have an unction from the Holy One, whereby I know all things; that I am dependent upon the inbreathing of the Spirit, and upon his revelations of truth to my soul. True: in all these actings toward me and towards His saints, He who acts is divinely perfect, for the Holy Ghost is God; and He is subserving the present glory of Christ in so acting in me. But I am an earthen vessel, with a law of sin and death in me, and much dross. The Teacher is a living Teacher, and is infallibly perfect; and, having given a standard of truth, He applies such parts of it to my soul as grace appoints. Am I infallible then? No. An Infallible Teacher may teach infallibly that which a fallible pupil may learn but defectively. There is the revelation of the truth in itself as a whole to a soul, by the Spirit, as giving life through the spiritual knowledge of the Lord Jesus. This is a thing done once and at once; and there is the development, in detail, of the truth in the affections, conscience, and understanding of the believer. In teaching the saved child, the Infallible Teacher may, in grace, only breathe in parts of truth at a time; and the most fallible disciple may not receive the part so presented to him, perhaps, without adding on something of his own to it, or dropping some portion. But to see the infallibility of the Teacher, His perfect power to breathe in, and His perfect power to reveal fully and perfectly, and in every detail, to such an- one as I am-all truth-you must wait a little. God has His own ways of acting. He will not, on the one hand, let you condemn me; because, having taken me up in grace, He has reserved the full expression of what His apprehension of me is, until the Lord Jesus comes; nor, on the other, will He allow me either to accredit myself with having wrought that which He has wrought in me, or to entertain the shadow of a doubt as though His promise were not as sure of fulfillment as it is of having been spoken and written.
The perfection of Revelation, Inspiration, and Infallibility of God’s standard (among men) of truth in the Scriptures is, to any simple mind, easily seen to be quite distinct from the glory of the Holy Ghost as an infallible Teacher, Revealer, and Inspirer of truth to the believer. And pitiful it is to find, that, while they who are babes in Christ find no difficulty, some that count themselves wise, see no alternative for them but to decide that the saints are either infallible in their views, and enjoyers of new revelations; and perfectly inspired, or can have no moral spiritual certainty in their souls, because of their being still in bodies of sin and death. There is but one thing more sad, and that is the ecclesiastical fallacy of supposing that both experiences exist. "I, the infallible teacher, and my fellows, the taught, dependent upon me." What is man!! Dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:11And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)); a child of wrath (ver. 3); having the devil for his father (John 8:38-4438I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:38‑44)) and god (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)); at enmity with God (Col. 1:2121And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21)): and fully under the power of the world, the flesh and the devil, was Saul. of Tarsus when grace picked him up. And, truly, in this case Christ was found of one that sought Him not; was made manifest to one that inquired not after Him (Rom. 10:2020But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (Romans 10:20)). Yea, more; there was aggressiveness in love on the part of Christ, towards this poor lost one (see Acts 9).
Nothing could meet the needs of the case, save the free gift of a new life; eternal life in the Son (Col. 3:33For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)); free pardon (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7)); and acceptance in the Beloved (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6).); the adoption of children (ver. 5,); translation into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1. 13,); the spirit of adoption, crying, Abba, Father (Rom. 8.15), sent into his heart (Gal. 4:66And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)), as a token of the relationship which faith in the Son involved (Gal. 3 and 4) There is nothing homogenous between God and Satan, or between the state of a child of wrath and that of an adopted son of God. No grace of congruity between a Saul of Tarsus and a Paul. Contrast-well and strongly defined-and not similarity-marks the opposite extremes. When I look at a Saul of Tarsus, the bitter persecutor and destroyer of the faith, and then look at Paul, as he shall be hereafter in glory, most highly owned and blessed, in the glory given by God to Paul’s Master, “mercy, from first to last," is all that I can think or say of the golden cord and the divine conduct, that passed him from one position and state to the other.
To originate life, to sustain and uphold life (in any form of it), is not work for a creature, however highly blessed. But to give fellowship with the eternal life that is in the Son of God; to quicken one who was dead in trespasses and sins, is clearly a work pertaining to Him alone, who is the Second Adam, life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:4545And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)). And this life, the source of which He, Himself, is (Col. 1, 2, 3) the communicator of which He is (John 4:1414But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14))—the divine nature communicated (2 Peter 1:44Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4))—is a blessing of such a nature, that it is debtor in nothing to the party to whom it is given; and, when given, owes its sustainment, preservation, and guidance, entirely to God. This, as we shall see, does not prevent God from subjugating all that was in the man to the new nature; nor His using certain things which were in the man for His own glory. Let us not be unstable and unlearned, and wrest scripture to our own destruction: for some, because God dwells and works in man, would accredit the flesh and themselves thereby; so putting self above God and His grace, and that to their own dishonor: for He will not give His glory to another.
The verse, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6))," proves that the blessed Lord owned not only two sources of being, "flesh," and spirit;" but also two channels of wisdom, energy, and purpose.
I would now look (first), at the birthright portion of an individual so blessed; and, then (secondly), at his place in the body; and (thirdly, and) lastly, at the bearing of the teacher.
The doctrine of the Lord (Matt. 6:16-3416Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:16‑34)) teaches us that the purpose of the heart decides its state and its condition. If the glory of God, and subjection to His will, is the purpose -of my heart-light, with all its attendant blessings, is mine. If, on the other hand, my inward purpose is to serve myself in any way, then dark, tress, and want of blessing, is mine. This flows out of the reality of Divine glory: God cannot deny Himself. If any have found grace to seek to subserve His pleasure, they hold their proper position as creatures, and they will find that He will ‘not deny Himself if any man will do God’s will he shall know as to the doctrine. How many a. soul has found a buoy in that declaration, as well as a just ground of humiliation as to itself, and a complete uncovering of the awfulness of its past voluntary insubjection to God. But, when so exercised, it learns that "this is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom hath sent." (John 6:2929Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:29).)
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:22-2422For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:22‑24)).
Paul’s word (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26).) settles summarily both the principle on which we are blessed, and the character of the blessing: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." The principle is faith-wise; the position into which we are brought is, that of being children of God. This is authoritative, and obliges us to judge all our doubts and fears as being dishonoring to God [Rom. 3:44God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. (Romans 3:4), Heb. 6:18-2018That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:18‑20)], and as proofs of the contrast between us and Christ. All blessing is ours already in Him; and are we too much occupied with our own feelings to think about Him? Nay; there is to the ruined, rest in Him. In Him, there is, to faith, Divine certainty of salvation for the lost. So also as to the blessing which they have as children, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:66And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)). The cry of "Abba" comes, even before they know the truth which justifies to their understandings its being addressed by them to God? Whence comes it? The Spirit in them is the spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:1616The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:16)), and they are all taught of God (John 6:4545It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. (John 6:45)). They have, as babes among the children of God, an unction from the Holy One, that they may know all things (1 John 2:2020But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)), and the Spirit has his own thoughts and modes of deduction (Rom. 8:1717And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)): “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with. Him, that we may be also glorified together."
2ndly. The believer’s place in the body.
Life and blessing are my own: life and blessing too which set me apart in isolate Nazariteship to God, even the Father; to Christ who is the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete; and this, ere ever I have to do with another man. And more than that, the whole flow of my life and service is as an individual before God. I cannot, for a brother’s sake, or for a fellow servant’s sake, forget whose I am and whom I serve. In saying this, I am not losing sight of the Father’s heart being upon all His children; or of Christ being Head of the Body His Church; or of the truth of the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost making the church an habitation of God, through the Spirit, and displaying the union of the members in one body. Not so; but I am guarding against a very common abuse of these precious truths, by the which the individual acts towards the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, according to the low sunken state of those around Him, instead of acting towards his associates and before the world, according to that which is true in Christ in God; and true to my heart, at least if I have faith, through the Holy Ghost.
I now cite a few verses, as showing the individual dealing of Christ with the saved people, and the revelation to them of a Father’s love.
John 14:19-2319Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:19‑23): “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
I must now notice a jealousy which exists in some minds against the use of the word "revelation," in one sense and connection in which it certainly is used in scripture. Now, clearly all jealousy against what is scriptural, is prejudice and prejudicial, and flows from defective light and knowledge; it is prejudicial to the party under it, and leaves the soul exposed to error. In a day like the present, when the lightness and irreverent levity of man’s self-sufficiency has impugned the reality of God’s having written a book, which is a revelation-one can quite understand how a reaction has been produced in an opposite direction to that of the current of avowed infidelity; so that I attribute no wrongness of intention; yet, as a matter of fact, Christian men are often jealous of, one scriptural use of the word reveal, and by their jealousy prepare fresh weapons for the, enemy’s hand against themselves and others.
My statement, then, is this: not only did God by revelation bring out truth, and place it by inspiration in the Bible, which truth man could never have guessed at without revelation-and this in vindication of Himself, and for the condemnation of man-whether men will hear or whether they will forbear-but, also, if the individual is to be blessed, God has to reveal the truth to the soul of the individual believer. For man (and much more—fallen man) is not competent to take to himself, to understand, and to appropriate, even the most palpable, most distinct, truth which God has disclosed. But I will give some of the texts.
They are texts which I present to the simple reader, and leave them with him before the Lord, with the single remark, that they seem to me to prove that the use of the words "revelation," "reveal," etc., is not in: scripture limited to God’s bringing out, or setting forth, truth which could not otherwise have been known-but is extended also to the action of Christ, or of the Spirit of Christ, in pouring into individual souls truth which had been divinely revealed previously.
Matt. 11:25,2725At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Matthew 11:25)
27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. (Matthew 11:27): “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son Will reveal him" (Corn. Luke 10:2222All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. (Luke 10:22), etc.).
Eph. 1:15-1715Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (Ephesians 1:15‑17): “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not. to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him."
The reader may further examine for himself, the difference between, 1St, “The shining out from God, of truth;" and 2nd, "Its shining in to many hearts, and sometimes out again therefrom." (Luke 10:22; 17:3022All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. (Luke 10:22)
30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:30); Rom. 1:17, 18; 8:18, 1917For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:17‑18)
18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:18‑19); Eph. 3:55Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; (Ephesians 3:5)).
3rdly. The teacher given of God.
There is, in all true teaching, a present action of the Holy Ghost in the teacher himself. I say not discernible to him; but still it is there; for, if it be not there, then the energy that is there, is that which is born of the flesh, and, is flesh; and human intellect is left to use known Scripture, and the gift of aptitude to talk.
Ex. 3:11-4:1611And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 16Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 18And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. 19And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 21And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians. 1And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. 2And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 6And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. 10And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? 12Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. (Exodus 3:11‑4:16); Jer. 1:6, 76Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. (Jeremiah 1:6‑7); 2 Cor. 2:6; 10:106Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. (2 Corinthians 2:6)
10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. (2 Corinthians 10:10), show with what weakness, and fear, and trembling, and (alas!) even guilty unbelief, the service of the most highly-endowed may be mixed.)
It has been quietly assumed by some, that the truth of God is a theory which is committed to man’s care to hold, and to the teacher’s intellect only to communicate. Because, in natural things, a man cannot give you what he does not possess, or teach that which he does not know, I cannot assume this to be true in divine things. I admit that I could not give the first principles of Hebrew grammar, and arithmetic, etc., unless I possessed them and knew them thoroughly myself. But is this true as to divine things? I say No: a young believer, whose heart and conscience has been reached by truth, through the Spirit of all grace, will often (if he does not go beyond his own experience, but, modestly, presents merely what himself has felt) be found to be a wise teacher. He cannot speak as a doctor; but he speaks of that which he has felt and known. Then, again, some of the best teaching that I ever heard was impromptu; the teacher learning in his chapter as he taught others. The Lord giving quite as much to him in teaching; yea, sometimes, more than to the taught, though all might get a portion. And, again, when I am taught, that which the teacher presents may blend itself with matter previously in my mind; matter which is altogether beyond the teacher’s ken, or even standing, and which elicits truth new to me: truth which the teacher, never thought of.
To degrade a teacher given of God to a mere communicator of mentally known truth, is not to honor God, or to exalt oneself as His servant.
God has His own way of making a standard of truth- set forth, in vindication of Himself and in warning to all, before all. But He never left that standard to accredit itself, nor His servants (prophets, apostles, or gifted men) to themselves in applying it.
"Paul may plant, Apollos water; it is God that giveth the increase" (1 Cor. 3:66I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6)). "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit" (Zech. 4:66Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)). Apollos-how was it that he came to listen to an Aquila and a Priscilla (Acts 18:2626And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:26)), disciples of Paul, as they were (ver. 2)-when he afterward had no ear to hear Paul (1 Cor. 16:1212As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time. (1 Corinthians 16:12))? I suppose, that Paul was not one whit behind the chiefest of the apostles; but he found, with all his knowledge, gifts, and faithfulness, that he could not breathe into any soul, either gospel for sinners or truth for saints. He had to be faithful; and God was honored, and man’s wickedness was shown out, when he was faithful: for he was a sweet-smelling savor to God, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish. But the being a savor of life unto life; the building up, too, in the most holy faith, supposes a present action of the Holy Ghost attending the word, and this may not be ignored any more than the overruling and suggestion, by the Spirit, in the teacher.
Note on Inspiration
In English, the word inspiration, usually, and not incorrectly, drops from the lips and pens of common people, and of accurate scholars too, as meaning "a breathing into."
The Church of England Prayer-book may fairly be quoted in this connection; viz., in proof of what both learned and unlearned mean by "inspiration."
"Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy name, etc. See the Collect in the Communion Service.
The idea is simple, and, as stated here, is scriptural: we need not only the written word, but, also, the inbreathing of the Holy Ghost, if love and, holiness are to be perfected in us. Each believer is a temple of the Holy Ghost- truly: but who can read Rom. 8:2626Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26) and 27, and Heb. 4:1212For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) and 13, without admitting that, the Scripture theory is, that the Holy Ghost does form desires and prayers; and does apply a word to the heart, in secret; and that this is not of, man but of God. See, also, Phil. 1:1919For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, (Philippians 1:19), "through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ;" also 2:12, 13.
The address to God, as Inspirer and Hearer of prayer, is commonly known; and is not, that I am aware of, unscriptural.
Again, in Bunyan, we find this same idea. He describes one of his experiences, ere he found peace. A thought possessed his soul, which seemed breathed into him, concerning the Christ; the thought was Sell Him, sell Him, sell Him, sell Him." Which he endeavored to outspeak, and speak down by the words: "Not for a thousand worlds, not for a thousand worlds, not for a thousand worlds." But in vain; for the thought which Satan had breathed in (it was a Satan-inspired thought) could not be smothered by Bunyan’s words. Satan’s spirit was stronger than his. And are not fiery darts often spoken of as Satan-inspired, breathed into us by Satan.
The damsel possessed with a spirit of divination (Acts 16:66Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, (Acts 16:6)) was Satan-inspired.- So were the oracles of old. See also Acts 5:33But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? (Acts 5:3); and 1 Cor. 7:55Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. (1 Corinthians 7:5); 2 Cor. 11:14; 12:714And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14)
7And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7); 2 Thess. 2:99Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2 Thessalonians 2:9), etc., etc. And what is witch craft (Gal. 5:2020Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20)) as still practiced in the dark corners of the earth?
What, again, in the better sense, but inbreathing from Christ, does Matt. 10:19, 2019But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. (Matthew 10:19‑20) refer to? And who, that is Christ’s does not know what it is, when sometimes a light surprises the Christian on his road." How, when heavy and cast down, some new thought will come like a breeze o’er his soul,-thought about Christ and heaven; and how, when fully set upon some coming action, a thought of danger and warning will come over him, which, in the end, proves to have been of God.."
There is nothing’ superstitious in trusting to GOD and the word of His grace. And it is not soundness of faith to despise impression and do violence to impulses without first judging them in God’s presence by the word. If they are against His word, let them be despised.
I have no doubt that sober Christian men are quite correct in speaking of inspiration in the sense referred to; as a privilege of the believer; and yet, at the same time, dividing, as the intelligent do, between this and that fullest kind of divine inspiration, in which not only God breathes with the truth, but in which He adds quite ANOTHER THING; and that is infallible perfectness; so as to enable a prophet of old to say, and to say correctly, "Thus saith the Lord;" so as to enable a Stephen to be so full of faith and the Holy Ghost, when he was a-dying, that (as I suppose) all that he then said was not only divinely breathed into him, but divinely expressed by him. This is what people mean by plenary inspiration. All Scripture is God-inspired (2 Tim. 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)).
2 Peter 1:15-2115Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:15‑21) brings before us a variety of things connected with this same subject -
(1) Apostolic handing down (2) of teaching, (3) concerning a special revelation, (4) communicated in a most wonderful vision, (5) when Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, (6) according with a more sure word of written prophecy, which (7) came through a direct movement of the Holy Ghost as to the speaker.
2 Peter 1:15-2115Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:15‑21): Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His Majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.