Thus natural and spiritual evidence may be united; and hence the latter, as well as the former, may admit of the distinction of external and internal, according to its subject matter, and the field of its operation.

That may be termed the external division of spiritual evidence, which is employed on subjects of universal import, such as the connected truths of Sacred Scripture; and that may be distinguished as internal, which affords the evidence of Truth and impressive obligation, on subjects involving either doctrine or duty-general or individual. Faith and right reason are therefore not at variance with each other; because right reason, is reason rectified by the knowledge and the love of Truth :-a knowledge which nothing less than Revelation can bestow. But reason, in the merely natural man, which must be limited in its operations by his contracted sphere of knowledge, is often the agent and instrument of his corrupt propensities; and while enslaved by their influence, Reason can as readily yield its powers to the service and defence of error as of truth.

Reason must prove an insufficient and delusive guide even in the most diligent researches into

subjects spiritual and Divine, except so far as its sphere of operation becomes enlightened and enlarged, by the knowledge of Revealed Truth, and its conclusions formed in due subordination to that knowledge. For spiritual Truth, or the true knowledge of Divine things, is the product of Revelation only, either immediately or mediately communicated.

To the recipient of such truths, that Revelation is pure, only when the veil of wilful ignorance or prejudice is taken from the heart; and this is the promised effect of its being turned to the Lord: "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Hence the belief of any truth, received merely by the natural understanding, or on the ground of rational evidence, without a correspondent impression on the heart, is not that faith which accompanies the things which belong to salvation; nor is it therefore that ground on which the Most High requires our reception of his revealed or declared Truth.

It is nevertheless acknowledged that sufficient evidence may be obtained by the sincere, patient,

ground, to remove every substantial objection to the validity of scriptural declarations; and therefore the controversy of the consistent believer with gainsayers, has not so much reference to the insufficiency of their argumentative objections, as to the want of spiritual perception, and sincere love of the excellent nature of those things which they unhappily reject; because they cannot reduce them to the level of their own imperfect and unassisted conceptions. May all such be persuaded to learn, duly to appreciate the importance of this scriptural exhortation: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thy own understanding."

Chapter VE.

ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

"All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work."

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning; that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."

"The Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life, and they are they which testify of Me."

"The testimony of Jesus, is the Spirit of prophecy."

"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."

The foregoing texts are selected and presented to the reader as being the collective testimony of Sacred Scripture to its own appropriate character and purposes; and as fitly introducing all that can be said in order to the establishing of a right estimate of their true value and important

The portion of Scripture last quoted is positive and conclusive as to their high origin: "Holy men of God spake"-they gave forth words whether orally or by writing, "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." To understand the full extent of these expressions it should be remembered, that the term prophecy in scriptural signification, is by no means confined to prediction. It is indeed defined to be "speaking unto men to edification ;" and of course includes preaching when this is exercised "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." It is therefore synonimous with— The word of prophecy-even of inspiration. And accordingly we are unequivocally informed, by learned and pious writers who have sought diligently into this part of theological history, that the whole of what we have of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, were ever considered by the Jews, as entitled to these epithets; as well those portions which we call the historical, as those which are the more specifically prophetic books.

To have just and adequate apprehensions of the character of that collection of writings, which are stiled by way of eminence: "The Scriptures," is an object no less worthy of the attention of Christian professors, than is a right understanding