and, confidering their interefting importance, of gratitude and praife.

Having, I hope, fufficiently obviated the most plaufible objections, that are made against the truth and credibility of the fcriptures, the next circumftance to be confidered is, their infpiration; by which I underftand, that the writers or compilers were influenced by the Holy Spirit, in communicating these writings. A confiderable part of them are given as exprefs communications from the Almighty to his fervants and prophets: this, if we admit the truth of the relation, determines a large proportion of the bible to be an immediate revelation, which is more, as to the degree, than is neceffarily implied by the term inspiration.

The reafons for confidering thefe writings, as being given under that divine influence which is called inspiration, are the following:

--

1. The characters of the writers, all of whom, that we can afcertain, were men, eminently endowed with divine gifts; and who appear to have drawn up these writings for the use and edification of the church of God; in doing which we may reasonably conclude, that his affiftance would be fought for and afforded.

2.-The character of Ezra, who, befides being the writer of at least one book, collected the various writings of the Old Testament, with the exception of two or three books not then written.+

+ These are Nehemiah and Malachi, and perhaps Efther with part of Chronicles. They are generally supposed to have been added by Simon the just.

His character, gifts, and motives, all lead us to the fame conclufion as before; with this addition, that as the authors, or the occafion of fome part of thefe writings, are not clearly afcertained, Ezra's compilation under divine influence, gives an additional sanction to thefe Books.

3. The teftimony of the apostle Paul, who fays, "All fcripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, &c.* and when we

* I am aware, that fome perfons endeavour to set aside the force of this paffage, by stating that one Greek manųfcript, and fome antient verfions, omit the x, in English and; by which they would give a different meaning to the paffage. In answer to this, it may be, obferved,

That for one Greek manufcript which wants the και or and, there are great numbers which have it ; and that one is neither so antient, nor of fo good credit as molt of the others, in the opinion of many critics. Now, to fet all other manuscripts afide, and prefer a single and lefs authenticated reading, with two or three tranflations, which, though they may be antient, can by no means be confidered of equal validity with so many copies in the original tongue, would be an exercife of criticism, which nothing but a partial predilection to a preconceived opinion would adopt. Would thefe critics admit fuch arguments in favour of the authenticity of 1 John v. 7. ?

2. The context requires a fenfe, which implies that the apostle confidered that all which he had just called the holy fcriptures were infpired. Antient commentators, even those who have made ufe of the verfions which have

confider the opportunities and abilities of this apoftle, for judging in such a cafe (to say nothing of

So that fuppofing

not the and, ftill confider the paffage as implying, that the whole scripture was divinely infpired. (what however is not admitted,) that

the xa was not in

"From a

the original, the fenfe is ftill the fame. For the more clear elucidation of the fubject, let us read the whole paffage, as these objectors would render it. child thou haft known the holy fcriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto falvation, through faith which is in Chrift Jefus. All fcripture (or every writing) given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inftruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Now every one that reads this paffage impartially, and confiders the construction of the fentences correctly, muft, I apprehend, admit, that the holy fcriptures, mentioned in the beginning of the paragraph, are included in the general obfervations refpecting all scripture given by inspiration ;" or that "all fcripture given by infpiration," only alluded to "the holy fcriptures" mentioned just before. In either cafe the inference is clear, that the fcriptures of the Old Teftament, which are all that were then called the holy feriptures, were confidered by the apoftle as divinely inspired; and as anfwering to the character he gives in the 16th verfe. It may be further obferved, that without the xa, the paffage may be tranflated thus: "all (or the whole) fcripture being divinely infpired,

his own infpiration,) his teftimony appears to be an infurmountable argument in favour of those

is profitable," &c. " Omnis fcriptura, divinitus infpirata, utilis eft," &c. Latin Vulgate.

3. The fenfe is, however, more clear, and unequivocal, by the well fupported reading of the word xe, or and, as given in our tranflation. This fenfe contains the reason why the holy fcriptures were able to make Timothy wife unto falvation; but fuppofing the meaning fimply to be, that all fcripture, which is divinely infpired, is profitable, &c. without any connexion with the preceding verfe, the pofition would become an unconnected truifm; as no doubt could be entertained, that all fcripture which was divinely inspired, was thus profitable. Befides, this meaning would leave Timothy, and every other reader, in uncertainty, which part of the fcripture was, and which was not infpired: it offers no rule to diftinguish them. But had this been the apoftle's meaning, there was a fair occafion, and indeed upon him, to offer fome means of diftinction.

a call

From all thefe confiderations, I am induced to believe, that the conftruction given by our tranflators, is fupportable, by not only nearly all the Greek manufcripts, but by the juft rules of criticism; and by every other reasonable confideration of which the fubject is capable. See this matter further difcuffed by Findlay, on the Infpiration of the Jewish Scriptures, in answer to Dr. Geddes.

For the fake of fome of my readers, it may be proper to take notice of an objection, which has been made from Robert Barclay, having, in his apology, quoted the

writings, concerning which he bore this teftimony.

4.Although the latter arguments are applicable only to the Old Teftament; yet the first relates to both; and it is presumed, that none but Jews, who acknowledge the inspiration of the Old Testament, will deny it to the New. The exception which the apostle Paul makes, in an instance or two, to his writing by commandment, is a proof of his writings at least being divinely infpired.

After giving these reafons, I fhall proceed to

paffage without the and; " All fcripture given by infpiration of God is profitable, &c." In anfwer to this, it may be observed, that Robert Barclay originally wrote and published is apology in Latin, and generally quoted the texts o: cipture from the Latin vulgate, of which this is a tranflation. Whether he preferred this rendering or not, yet, if we may judge from what he has written on the fcriptures, there is no reason to believe, he doubted the inspiration of any part of them. He begins his Thefis on the Scriptures, thus: "From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the faints, have proceeded the fcriptures of truth ;" and this he applies to the historical, as well as to the prophetical, doctrinal, and exhortatory parts of the Old and the New Testa

ments.

It is hoped that the importance of the fubject of this note, will excufe its length. To have incorporated it in the body of the work, would not have been fo fuitable for many readers.