which is in fact the spurning of the rein, the setting up of one's own will, in opposition to the will of Him who ruleth above.

Unhappy Clara! Far less unhappy in the adverse circumstances which surrounded and oppressed her, than in that rebellious will which clung to its own bitterness, and refused to be comforted.

This holy teaching Clara had yet to learn; and in the mean time, she suffered all that an ardent, an impatient, an enthusiastic temper can suffer, when it is crushed, and bruised, and broken.

6

Nothing that Mrs. Leeson could say had power to rouse her-Mrs. Leeson, who stood over her, alternately lamenting her sufferings and exhaustion, and reproaching her for suffering and being exhausted. Either strain was alike disregarded.

'It was cruel in Clara, who had so lately shewn herself capable of great and generous exertion, if not purely disinterested, at least romantically so, thus obstinately to throw herself a weight and a burden upon a decrepit and helpless old woman. Nothing is in real life more cruel than this abandonment of self, when we know that the care must devolve on others, whose love, or whose duty may impel them to take the charge, though perhaps far more incompetent than ourselves.

It may be urged, that previous exertion had indeed exhausted all Clara's bodily powers. It is true. Yet a kind word, or a rational look, would have relieved Leeson's mind from its greatest weight, would have encouraged and inspirited her exertions, and made her more competent to them.

These Clara gave not, and Mrs. Leeson, more miserable and frightened than in any preceding moment of her life, ceased her reproaches, and with all the anxiety of real affection, continued to render her every possible service. She removed the shattered bonnet; and though her alarm was every moment increasing, at sight of the blood and bruises which more plainly appeared, she proceeded to wash away the marks of warfare as far as ablution could remove them, to foment her bruises, and bind up her wounds.

All this was kindly done; yet Clara, in this respect partaking largely of the character of a heroine, continued thankless and silent. Nay, her mind was so tinctured with that selfishness of suffering, so possessed with ingratitude, that she would rather have continued the same miserable object outwardly as inwardly.'

Vol. III. pp. 119–125.

The sad wisdom gained by much converse with the world within and the world without us, speaks in these paragraphs; and it is by passages such as these that the serious purpose and true character of the Writer are betrayed. Of a similar kind is the remark we meet with in a subsequent page.

The very obligations that should have excited and warmed her regard, nay, all that should have increased it, had diminished it. Miss Falkinor could love warmly where she was conferring favours, but not so warmly where she was receiving them. We are sorry to shew Miss Falkinor in so disadvantageous a point of view; and still more sorry to say, it is human nature.'

Our readers will perceive that we have formed no mean estimate of the talent which this work displays, and that we consider it as having a far more instructive tendency than many works of fiction which more ostensibly hold forth their moral as an apology for the tale. The Writer is certainly no novice. We might have pointed out a few improbabilities in the conduct of the story, but these we leave it to the ingenuity of the reader to discover. The dramatic spirit with which the tale is acted, rather than recited, is admirable; and the moral reflections, which are sparingly introduced, are never forced, but seem as natural as they are judicious, and always tell. With regard to our Author's political notions, they are not quite so aristocratical at the bottom, we suspect, as they may seem. At all events, we forgive them for Clara's sake.

Art. IV. Lectures on the Inspiration of the Scriptures. By Leonard Woods, D.D. Abbot Professor of Christian Theology, in the Thelogical Seminary, Andover. 12mo. pp. 152.

(Massachusetts) 1829. (Holdsworth and Ball, London.)

Andover,

PROFESSOR Woods is already known to our readers, as the Author of Letters addressed to Dr. N. W. Taylor, on the subject of the Divine Permission of Sin*. The present work, upon a subject of fundamental importance, more frequently evaded than fully and satisfactorily treated, will amply confirm the favourable impression of his ability those Letters will have produced, and cannot fail to procure for him the cordial thanks of the Christian public in both hemispheres.

There are two questions connected with the subject of Inspiration; a question of fact, and a question of philosophy. The former may be simply expressed in this shape: Were the Scriptures given by inspiration of God? The latter embraces a manifold inquiry respecting the mode, nature, and degree of Inspiration. The two questions are obviously distinct; and it would be well if they could be kept separate. What have plain believers to do with the philosophical question, it may be asked? Not much, if they could but think so. The fact is, however, that a much larger portion than is generally imagined, of the reasoning and disputing that have been employed on the subject of Inspiration, as well as of the intrinsic difficulty of the inquiry, is of a metaphysical nature, belonging to Intellectual Philosophy, rather than to Theology.

The question of fact must be decided by an appeal to historic

* Eclect. March; 1832. Art. II.

evidence. The inspiration of the prophets and of the apostles, is an historical fact, attested by the prophecies they spake, and by the miracles which they wrought. The sacred writers claimed for what they spake and wrote, the authority of Inspiration; and that claim was originally admitted on the ground of the credentials with which they were furnished. We do not say that the Scriptures prove their own inspiration simply by asserting it: the historical certainty of their inspiration is to be inferred, partly from the prophecies which have been fulfilled since they were written, and partly as a necessary deduction from the credibility of the record. The argument is not as if we should say, The apostles say they were inspired, therefore they were so; but the apostles proved by miraculous credentials that they were inspired, and therefore they must be believed when they affirm the inspiration and authority of what they have been led to write for the use of the Christian church. To admit the fact of the miracles they wrought, and to deny their inspiration, would be an absurd contradiction. If the history is true, their pretensions are established. The genuineness and authenticity of the writing being proved, its infallible authority results from the attested character of the author, and the attested credibility and veracity of his own declarations.

With regard to the various distinctions that have been made as to the kinds and degrees of inspiration afforded to the respective writers, it ought, as Dr. Woods remarks, to be remembered, that the sacred writers themselves no where make any such distinction. Yet, if it were necessary that we should distinguish the influence of superintendency from the influence of suggestion, inspiration of thoughts from inspiration of language, would they not have clearly taught and enabled us to make such distinctions? That they have not done so, affords a strong presumption that such distinctions are not simply unnecessary, but, at the bottom, unmeaning. That there are different kinds, or measures of Inspiration, must, however, be acknowledged. There is a sense in which it may be truly said, that every real Christian is inspired he is "taught of God;" he is "led by the Spirit," he is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is the result of inspiration: "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God." “The meek will he guide in judgement." The reasonableness of prayer is built upon the belief that "every good gift" of an intellectual or moral kind " is from above, coming down from the Father of lights;" which implies a direct inspiration. Nor can we doubt that many writings by which the Church has been edified, have been dictated by a wisdom thus inspired.

Wherein, then, does this ordinary inspiration differ, it may be asked, from the extraordinary inspiration promised by our Lord to his apostles, and claimed by them? In three respects, we conceive. First, it was strictly miraculous, sensibly and evidently

VOL. VIII.-N.S.

S

supernatural, as respects both the knowledge imparted to the apostles, and the faculties with which they were endowed. Unlearned men became suddenly learned: some poor fishermen became suddenly possessed of new powers of mind, and astonished their countrymen by appearing in a new character. Under this miraculous influence, they at once attained, without the means of acquisition, that knowledge and wisdom which, in others, are the slow result of painful application. And more than this; the knowledge was new, underived from any pre-existing materials, strictly original in its character, at variance with their own preconceived notions and prejudices; and so complete, that to what they were thus at once and simultaneously qualified to teach, nothing has since been added. The Christian doctrine is found entire in the writings of the New Testament, and is unsusceptible of addition. The matter of revelation is thus palpably distinguished from all the results of human discovery. Secondly, as the inspiration was miraculous in being thus independent of means, and clearly distinguishable from the natural endowments upon which it was superinduced, so it was plenary in its degree, and constant in its operation. Inspiration visits the minds of others: it dwelt in the apostles, as a permanent attribute. Had they been only occasionally inspired, they would still have been fallible, nor could we have any certain assurance that all which they wrote was Divinely inspired. The apostolic inspiration partook not of the character of sudden excitement, like that by which the prophets seem to have been visited, when, transported beyond themselves, they spoke predictions the import of which they did not fully comprehend. The inspiration under which the apostles taught and wrote, pervaded their memory, their judgement, and every faculty of their mind, so as to bring all things to their remembrance' that related to the Christian doctrine, and to impart to their judgement an infallible certainty. Thirdly, the apostolic inspiration was distinguished from ordinary inspiration by its evidence. Suppose the case, that the same degree of inspiration that dwelt in the apostles, could now be attained by prayer, or that it was suddenly conferred upon any individual, before that inspired man could claim to be listened to with the deference due to Divine authority, he must produce his credentials, and they must be of no doubtful kind. Miracles are the seal of Revelation; and they have ceased, because no new doctrine remains to be revealed. A consideration which ought to preclude the expectation of the revival of miraculous gifts in the Church, unless we are looking for a new gospel, or an authoritative addition to the Rule of Faith.

In these respects, then, the Inspiration under which the writings of the New Testament were dictated, was peculiar, plenary, and authoritative; and upon these grounds we may safely

conclude with Dr. Woods, that, agreeably to the views which the Scripture itself expresses, the sacred writers were so guided by 'the Divine Spirit, that, in every part of their work, they were ' rendered infallible, and wrote just what God willed they should 'write; so that the sacred volume entirely answers to the mind ' of God, and has nothing, either as to matter or form, which he ' did not see to be suited to the great object of a Divine ReveC lation.' Thus, the Christian Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

6

6

66

Now when we proceed to inquire whether this supernatural guidance partook of the nature of Divine superintendency or of Divine suggestion, we are losing sight of the question of fact, and are inquiring into the manner of the Divine operation, the mode of inspiration. This inquiry is more curious than important. 'Some have supposed', Dr. Woods remarks, that the in'fluence which inspired men had, related exclusively to the thoughts or conceptions of their own minds. But this supposi'tion seems to me not accordant with what the inspired writers ' themselves advance on the subject. Far be it from me to attempt an explanation of the specific mode of the Divine agency in the work of inspiration. But, as the writers of the Scripture no where limit the Divine influence which they enjoyed, to the conceptions of their own minds, neither would I do it.' (p. 92.) The judicious character of the Author's statements and reasonings will be evident in these few sentences. Besides, he adds, the Divine influence which the Prophets and the Apostles en'joyed, must have pertained, in some way, to the manner in which they communicated Divine truth.' It could not, therefore, relate exclusively to their conceptions of truth. After combating some of the chief objections which have been urged against the opinion, that Divine Inspiration had a respect to language, Dr. W. thus sums up the evidence in favour of a verbal Inspiration.

First. The apostles were the subjects of such a divine inspiration as enabled them to speak with other tongues. Here, as I have already remarked, inspiration related directly to language. 1

Secondly. It is the opinion of most writers, that, in some instances, inspired men had not in their own minds a clear understanding of the things which they spake or wrote. One instance of this commonly referred to, is the case of Daniel, who heard and repeated what the Angel said, though he did not understand it. Dan. xii. 7-9. This has also been thought to be in some measure the case with the prophets referred to, 1 Peter i. 10-12. And is there not reason to think this may have been the case with many of the prophetic representations contained in the Psalms, and many of the symbolic rites of the Mosaic institute? Various matters are found in the Old Testament, which were not intended so much for the benefit of the writers, or their contemporaries, as for the benefit of future ages. And this might have