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CHAPTER II.

The sacred Scriptures.

Q. 1. What is meant by the Sacred Scriptures? A. God's successive written revelations to mankind, or the Holy Bible, containing the books of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration of God. (a)

Q. 2. What books are included in the Old Testament?

A. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Solomon's Song, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Q3. What books are included in the New Testament?

A. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation.

Q. 4. Are the books commonly called the Apocraphy, sometimes appended to the Old Testament,

(a) Heb. 1. 1, 2. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. 2 Tim. 3. 16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God.

divinely inspired? or are they any part of the Sacred Canon?

A. There is no evidence, that they are; but there is much evidence, that they are not.

1. The Authors of them do not pretend to be inspired.

2. The Jews never acknowledged them to be of Divine authority, as they were written after the days of Malachi, with whom the spirit of prophecy ceased, as they universally believed.

3. They are never quoted by Christ and His apostles.

4. They were never received in the first ages of the Christian church, as canonical Scripture.

Q. 5. How are the books of the Apocrypha to be regarded?

A. Simply as human writings, containing some truths and facts important to be known.

Q. 6. In what language were the Sacred Scriptures at first written?

A. Speaking in general terms, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New Testament in Greek.

Q. 7. What is meant by the Septuagint?

A. A translation of the Old Testament into Greek, in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus under the superintendence of Demetrius Phalereus, by seventy-two interpreters or translators, about the year 284 before Christ. They are usually called the Seventy, as that is a full or round number.

Q. 8. When was the English version of the Bible, now in use, made?

A. About two hundred years ago in the reign of James I, King of England. Fifty-four of the most learned men of the realm were appointed to this service. Forty-seven only engaged in the work, and, after five or six years labour, the present translation was published in 1613.

Q. 9. Have the Sacred Scriptures been translated into any other languages?

A. They have into many, both ancient and modern. By the benevolent exertions of the different Bible Societies in the present day, they have been translated into more than a hundred and fifty languages and dialects, and they will, probably, by the Divine blessing, be soon translated into all languages and tongues under heaven.

Q. 10. Was it desirable and necessary, that God should make to mankind such a revelation as He has in the Sacred Scriptures?

A. It was, that He might assure them of a future state; that He might set forth in a full, clear, and impressive manner His perfections and their duty;that He might enforce their obedience to Him by the most powerful motives;-and, especially, that He might make known to them the riches of His grace in salvation by Jesus Christ.(b)

Q. 11. What is meant by the inspiration of the Sacred Scriptures?

A. By it is meant, that the sacred Penmen were moved, directed, and assisted by God what to write, and how to write, and when to write; so that they did

(b) 2 Tim. 1. 10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim. 3. 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, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Luke 2, 10, 11. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

write exactly, and in all respects, as they were moved, or borne on, by the Holy Ghost. This is called plenary inspiration, or inspiration of suggestion or revelation. Q. 12. How does it appear that the sacred Writers were thus inspired?

A. From the fact, that they could not deliver to the world what they did as a Divine revelation, with confidence and safety to themselves, unless they had been conscious of their inspiration, and they could not be conscious of their inspiration, unless they had been thus inspired;-that they could not have written what they did respecting God, angels and men, time and eternity, heaven and hell, unless they had been thus inspired;—and that they profess to be thus inspired.().

Q. 13. What is the evidence, that the Bible is given by inspiration of God?

A. There is evidence from history;-from miracles recorded in it, wrought in the presence of competent witnesses;-from its prophecies and their fulfilment;-from the unrivalled sublimity of its language, the nature and harmony of its doctrines, and the perfect purity of its precepts;-from the glorious effects it has produced upon the hearts and lives of multitudes; from the sacred character of its Writers; -from the propagation of Christianity;-and from

(c) 2 Peter 1. 20, 21. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 2. 13. Which things also we speak, not in the words, which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. Gal. 1. 11, 12. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Rev. 1. 1, 2. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants, things which must shortly come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John; who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw.

the analogy there is between natural and revealed religion.

1. All history, so far as it speaks on the subject, declares that the different parts of the Bible, ever since their existence, have purported to be a revelation from God, and that they have been acknowledged to be such by almost all people in all ages wheresoever the true religion has prevailed. The account of many things, which took place in the early periods of the world, given by the sacred Penmen, is corroborated by the most renowned Pagan writers of the highest antiquity. This coincidence between sacred and profane history is an evidence in favour of the divinity of the Scriptures.

2. A miracle, in a theological sense, is an effect, contrary to the stated course or laws of nature, and above the power of created beings to produce, wrought by the interposition of God Himself in attestation of some divine truth, or of the divine authority of some particular person. Consequently, the miracles, performed by Moses and the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, demonstrate, that the hand of God was with them, and that what they wrote as a revelation was of divine origin.(d)

(d) Exodus 14. 16, 21. But lift thou up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 2 Kings 2.8. And Elijah took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. Matt. 4. 23, 24. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought unto him all sick people, that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. Acts 5. 12. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and won

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