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The inspiration of holy Scripture, 8 discourses
The inspiration of holy Scripture 8 discourses Author:William Lee Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LECTURE I. THE QUESTION STATED. 1 Cor. iii. 9. We are labourers together with God. IN tracing the foundation of the Christian doctrine of Inspiration, ... more »all researches must arrive at one ultimate fact. Man, by his natural powers, cannot attain to the knowledge of his Maker. " No man hath seen God at any time."1 " Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, Him no man hath seen, nor can see."2 Whence, then, is derived that knowledge on the degree of which depends the perfection of man's nature, and the ground of his hopes ? A philosopher of modern times, who makes no profession of any Christian sympathies, thus aptly states the question :—" It is a phenomenon which merits the attention, at least, of an observer, that among all nations, so far as they have raised themselves from the perfectly savage state to that of a community, there are to be found opinions of a communication between higher beings and men ; traditions of supernatural inspirations, and influences of the Deity upon mortals; in a word, although presented here more rudely, there under an aspect more refined, still, as a universal fact, the observer finds the notion of Revelation. This notion seems, of itself, were it only on account of its universality, to deserve some respect; and it appears more worthy of a fundamental philosophy to trace out its origin, to seek for its claims and its authority, and to pass sentence upon it according to the measure of these discoveries, rather than, at once and without a 1 S. John i. 18. I Tim. vi. 16. bearing, to class it among the inventions of deceivers, or to banish it to tbe land of dreams."1 It is unnecessary bere to state bow far sucb a criticism has resulted in adding a further confirmation to the universal belief of mankind,—a belief which has be...« less