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SERMON I.

THE INSPIRATION AND USES OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

2 TIMOTHY iii, 16, 17.

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, throughly furnished unto all good works.

THE period in which we live, is distinguished from all that have preceded it, by the greater degree of attention which is paid to the dissemination of the sacred scriptures among men: and it cannot but prove a ground of much delight to the truly pious mind, that so very large a body of professed christians, are now anxiously engaged in forming and executing plans, for sending the word of God to those in

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every land who are destitute of that inestimable treasure. And while we cannot but hope that this activity springs from an increasing perception of the value of the scriptures; we must also be persuaded, that were their value more fully perceived, a still greater diligence in dispensing them would be manifested. Too many, it is to be feared, among us, are apt to regard the bible rather as a book which is to be coldly respected, than as one which is to be diligently studied: or if they study it, they do so, more from custom or for the sake of gratifying curiosity, than because they have a solemn conviction that it alone contains the words of eternal life.

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In our text the Apostle gives us a distinct statement of the authority of the scriptures,of the instruction which they are capable of affording, and of the purpose which that instruction is intended to answer.

I. With regard to the authority of the scriptures, the Apostle says that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is not my intention in this place to enter into the various and unanswerable arguments, by which this truth may be proved. The fact that the holy men of God, who penned the sacred volume, " wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," is,

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doubt not, admitted by every person present. I would therefore assume it as truth, that God in former times made to his servants a revelation of his will, and commissioned them to hand it down for the benefit of succeeding generations and that, by his immediate direction, they were preserved from all error in the performance of the work assigned to them. This view of the manner in which the scriptures were given, is admirably calculated to excite our reverence and esteem for them. For had the sacred writers been destitute of such divine guidance, how highly soever we might esteem their writings, we should still necessarily receive them with some degree of hesitation; and be constrained to withhold from them that full confidence, which alone can be satisfactory to our minds, when our eternal interests are at stake. But when we are convinced that the scriptures are given by inspiration of God, we feel a satisfaction in their decisions: we have a standard of faith and of practice, sufficient to direct us in our path: and our one business is, implicitly to follow the directions given to us. There is no room for our own fancies: we have simply to inquire what God has spoken, and to bow our will and our reason to his teaching.

II. But we proceed to consider what instruc tion the scriptures are capable of affording to us. They are, (says the Apostle,) "profitable "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for "instruction in righteousness."

By the word profitable, the Apostle here evidently intends not only to affirm that they contain sufficient information upon the subjects of which they speak; but also, that that information is so plainly expressed, as to be intelligible to every one who is disposed to avail himself of it.

There are a variety of points on which we naturally wish for information, but respecting which we can learn nothing from the bible: and sometimes perhaps our pride is dissatisfied on that account. But if we examine the nature of these things, we shall easily perceive that they have little connexion with our real welfare; they may gratify our curiosity, but have nothing to do with our everlasting safety. Upon all such points the scripture is silent. But wherever we need information, either for the regulating of our faith, or for the direction of our conduct, there the scripture speaks plainly there is no ambiguity—“ The "wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err "therein." This is what constitutes the perfection of the profitableness of the word of God.

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