THE KING’S BUSINESS
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The most vital truth about it is covered by the terms inspiration and infallibility, and in virtue o f this truth it is indispen sable and authoritative to the mind o f every age.” There is much more to the same effect in Denney’s article, but that will show you what I mean by truth in its real ity. j Secondly: Truth in-its uniqueness. You can test the work o f the Holy Spirit in regard to the Bible very simply. Take'the writings o f 50 to 100 A. D. Then take the writings from 100 to 150 A. D. Compare them, and, as it has been well said, between the New Testament w ritings'of 50 to 100 A. D., and the post-apostolic writings o f 100 to 150 A. D., .there is a chasnt, “ sheer, deep, and abysmal.” The finest writings o f the-second century cannot compare with the writings o f the first century. When the Christian faith was settling itself in the world, the Holy Ghost was working in a -unique manner. He was at work as the Spirit o f inspiration. But from 100 to 150 A. D. we do not have inspiration; only illumination. From that time forward, and ever since, there has Been constant illumi nation, but no new revelation. John Robin son o f Leyden said: “ The Lord hath’ yet more light and truth to break forth from His Word.” Yes, but it is from His Word. W e have not reached the end o f it yet, but there it is, ready for the Holy Spirit to illuminate its,.pages. Thirdly: Truth in its unity. There is a wonderful unity o f truth in the Bfible, from Genesis to Revelation. Some years ago in the course o f construction o f a tunnel in London, ?five shafts were sunk, an ten sets of men worked in opposite direc tions. Two other sets worked with the ten, and' ultimately the twelve sets met, in one place, at a depth o f one hundred feet. They were working practically in the dark, but they fitted so well together when the tunnel was complete, that every one could see that there was a master mind whp had planned the whole thing. And so the various writers of the Old and New Testa ments were working separately, as it were in a tunnel, in the dark; and St. Peter tells
three men more than any others who con firmed me in this view o f inspiration, were W estcott, Lightfoot, and Vaughan. Their exegesis impressed me with the conviction that there
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