us to receive as the truth of God, whatever suggestions most comport with our particular bent of mind. It is indeed by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, that the heart is softened and opened to receive the truth, and also that the truth when received, is applied with saving efficacy to the heart, and made to produce fruit unto holiness; but let us with fixed attention to the following passages, consider the Divine testimony to THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD, which word whether originally written or spoken, comes down to us by the revelation of the SPIRIT through the Scriptures; constantly bearing in mind that it is through these divine records that we at this day, have the true knowledge of God-of his holy law, and of the gospel of life and salvation through Jesus Christ. Faith cometh by hearing, and and hearing by the word of God." Rom. x. 17. 1st. As to the Written word. "The SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN." Jesus Christ.-John, x. 35. "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and, what thou seest, In the Greek, rhematos-not logou from logos as in 1 chap. John-pμa (rhema) and λóyos (logos) are both translated WORD; both are used in the New Testament, logos much the more frequently. The meaning of legos is not definite, and the context can alone determine the sense. It is used both for the declaratory word, and for the ETERNAL WORD. Rhema comes from rheo, to speak, and, according to the best authorities, is never applied to Christ, but means saying, command, discourse: therefore, where this term occurs, the sense is fixed as in the passage above, and also Eph. vi. 17. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," and some others. 66 + Disannulled.- Purver. write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia." Rev. i. 11. "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter." Rev. i. 19. "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write. -Unto the angel of the church of Smyrna,-of Pergamos,-of Thyatira, -of Sardis, of Philadelphia,-and of Laodicea, write,* &c." Rev. ii. 1. to iii. 14. *Observe, (by the way,) after each of these written communications it is added, He that hath an ear let him hear what THE SPIRIT SAITH unto THE CHURCHES. And in the following, observe not only the AUTHORITY, but what the Spirit saith, as to the OBJECT for which the Scriptures were written. "These things write I unto you that ye sin not." 1 John ii. 1. "These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." 1 John i. 4. "When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Jude iii. "This second Epistle, I now write unto you; in which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour." 2 Peter, iii. 1, 2. "Our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you, as also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the OTHER Scriptures,* unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness." "What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." 1 Cor. xiv. 36, 37. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope.-Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Rom. 2 Pet. iii. 15, 17. XV. 4, 13. *Observe the testimony of the HOLY SPIRIT through Peter to the writings of Paul. And observe also, in the following, not only the authority of that which is WRITTEN BY DIVINE INSPIRATION, but the danger of adding to, or diminishing ought from it. mand you, neither shall worship me, teaching for ye diminish ought from it." Deu. iv. 2. "He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." 1 John, v. 10. "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophecied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they command doctrines the * Observe in this, as well as other passages, the high authority for calling the written revelation the word of God. AGAIN. "It is easier for heaven | ten in this book. And if and earth to pass than one any man shall take away tittle of the law to fail." from the words of the book Luke, xvi. 17. of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Rev. xxii. 18, 19. "I [Jesus] testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are writ 2nd. As to the word spoken; but which cometh to us "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past H unto the fathers by the hath in these spoken unto us -Therefore by his Son.we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward: how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" Heb. i. 1, 2; ii. 1—4. "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand." Matt. vii. 24, 26. "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:-He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him : the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." John, xii. 47, 48. In the following passages, as well as in some of the preceding, observe particularly what Christ and the Spirit teach, as our incumbent duty, with regard to the SCRIPTURES, and also what is the EFFICACY OF THE SCRIPTURES through faith, as well as their AUTHority. "Search the Scriptures, -they are they which testify of me." John, v. 39. "Jesus said,-Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures." Matt. xxii. 29. 66 They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.-If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." xvi. 29.* *Does our Lord refer them to the inward light? Luke, |