nature, and how much arose from the infused strength of Him who inspired him; but human nature alone it could not have been. Need we be expressly told, as Paul has told us in his own case, that Ezekiel was acting under the divine assurance, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness1?"

These characteristics of divine influence on the conduct and feelings of the inspired are the more striking, that they by no means imply a general exemption from the ordinary failings and feebleness, and even the grosser vices to which man's corrupt nature is subject. They are characteristic of the inspired minister's official character, and arise out of the exercise of qualities given or improved with especial reference to the inspired calling. David, the man after God's own heart— he who, of all the ministers under the old dispensation, is thus represented as fulfilling most perfectly his official inspired character-was, we know, from that same record, betrayed into crimes so flagrant, as to draw down on himself

12 Cor. xii. 9. Other striking instances from the New Testament narratives were noticed, when we were considering the internal Proofs of Inspiration. See part i. §. 9. p. 81.

and his people the awful display of divine chastisement.

It does not appear, moreover, that the divine agents were perpetually conscious of the kind of inspiration, of which I am now speaking, beyond, at least, the consciousness which they must have felt of improved ability. Moses, for example, is represented, in his negociations with Pharaoh, and in the discharge of his official duties generally, as acting no otherwise than if his inspired qualifications had been the result of nature or of education. Miraculous assurance was needed, that sufficient grace would be given him; and this being granted, there was no more reason for a perpetual consciousness of this divine help, than there is now to assure us of the assistance of the Holy Spirit in regulating our lives, once proved, as this has been, by miracle. The apostles, it is true, were forbidden to meditate beforehand what defence they were to make before the tribunals of their enemies: still there is no reason to suppose that even in the act of so speaking, they were conscious of more than the exercise of natural powers. It was, in short, the employment of human eloquence and human

reasoning improved and called into appropriate use by the secret operation of the Holy Ghost.

Nor, again, is there any reason to suppose, that, by virtue of this kind of Inspiration alone, the inspired agent was exempted from error in every step he took. His faculties were adequately improved, but not, as far as we can judge, perfected. He was infallibly directed as to the object or purpose for which they were to be exercised; the attainment of that object, the accomplishment of that purpose, was certain; but, as to the several measures pursued by the agent for this end, these appear to have been left, for the most part, to his own discretion. His only consciousness of miraculous interposition (except on extraordinary occasions) was, that, whereas he had been weak or ignorant, now he was strong and well-instructed; and he was the same free agent in the exercise of this his improved nature, as he had been before its miraculous improvement. Moses was provided with prudence, with courage, with political wisdom, and with other attainments requisite for the discharge of his sacred duty; and these were called into exercise by the occasion, and exercised ac

cording to his discretion. If he directed them aright, no signs of divine interposition appeared; if otherwise, then the Almighty Guide's purpose was secured, by an interference, the nature of which will be more particularly considered by and by. So, likewise, the writers of Scripture had, doubtless, according to the character of their task, their memories quickened, their reasoning powers strengthened, and their talents for authorship generally improved, by inspiration; but they, nevertheless, appear to have exercised their memory, their reasoning powers, their judgment, their taste, and their fancy, with the same absence of conscious interference and control in general, as if they had been uninspired. The infallible guidance of the Church, both in their day and in after times, was sufficiently provided for, by a sensible interposition, whenever this general preparation might have been inadequate for some particular emergency, or was inadequately applied by the fallible human agent who had been entrusted with its use. It is obvious, indeed, to the most careless observer, that their style and other points of authorship are not uniform, as if they had been made merely passive instruments of

inspiration; but exhibit all the usual peculiarities, which distinguish one uninspired author from another. Xenophon does not differ more from Thucydides, in his style and in the character of his narratives, than St. Luke does from St. John.

§. 7. Superintendence of the Holy Spirit.

It is inconceivable that God should interpose miraculous agency for the accomplishment of any object, and then allow his purpose to be defeated through any defect in its application. If this, at least, be so, in any case when the individual entrusted with supernatural power is the only person whose interest is involved in its use, and may be reasonably supposed to forfeit a blessing provided because of his neglect and perverseness; it cannot be so, on any view we derive from God's known dealings with mankind, when the interests of others are made to depend on the holy Agent's work-certainly not, when the guidance of his Church, and that knowledge of Him by which they will be judged, depends on it.