The Relation Between the Divine and Human Elements in Holy Scripture, 8 Lects. Preached on the Foundation of John Bampton

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863. Excerpt: ... recall us from theories on the inspiration of Scripture to seek the inspiration of a holy life? If the end is greater than the means, that living gift of the Spirit is greater than even those lofty endowments which raised men to become its authorised witnesses, and to guide us to the ordinances through which it is bestowed. Greater, indeed, yet very different; greater in its universality, its duration, its practical connection with our own personal experience; yet inferior in those high attributes of supernatural illumination, in which the writers of Scripture stand alone. When St. Paul has enumerated the most precious gifts that man can long for, he assigns the highest rank to charity, which sums up all the purest graces of the Christian life. Prophecies and tongues and knowledge--the gifts of the teacher, the preacher, the expounder of God's will--these are but parts of the earthly organisation which God has established for the recovery of man. They fail, they cease, they vanish away. Our highest knowledge here is partial. Our spiritual vision does but resemble the wavering outline reflected from a clouded mirror. But the life of true love grows ever upward, with an uninterrupted progression, toward 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' b And while the river of life is flowing past us, and each of us may drink and live for ever, no folly could be greater than to neglect the privilege, and waste time and pains in endless contests on the nature of its earthly source. - 1 Cor. xiii. 13. Eph. iv. 13. And let me close with an earnest exhortation to our younger brethren, that they mll not perplex themselves with curious questions on the inspiration of Scripture till they forget to claim that present inspiration, 'the spirit of truth, u...