_Try_ this pass, with a sincere desire to
come at truth, and with hope and courage in your hearts, and you will be
richly rewarded, and the toils of the ascent will seem to you afterwards
only a portion of your triumph.'
One writer gives the following definition of inspiration. 'A
supernatural, divine influence on the sacred writers, by which they were
qualified to communicate moral and religious truth with authority.'
This is tolerable.
Another writer says, 'It is a miraculous influence, by which men are
enabled to receive and communicate divine truth.'
This too is tolerable, notwithstanding the word miraculous.
Another writer says, 'There has been a great diversity of opinions among
the best men of all ages, as to the nature and extent of Bible
inspiration.'
He might have added, that these opinions have generally been nothing
more than opinions,--mere fancies, theories, framed without regard to
facts.
Another writer says, 'It should be remembered, that the inspiration
which breathes through the Book is not of a scientific, critical, or
historical character, but exclusively religious.'
He means, that while inspiration makes the Bible all that is desirable
as a teacher on religious matters, it does not, on other subjects, raise
it above the views of the ages and places in which it was written.
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