Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-08-30

4 {,
=" 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 But the term prophecy does not
take in every thing.
That the Bible generally was not writ
len by Inspiration of God, in the popular
sense OF the phrase, lie. indited by him
- notice very specific statement by
Luke, both in relation to himself and 9TH
ers. e.: Ia. Forasmuch as many
have taken in hand to set forth in order
declaration Of those things which are
mos surely believed ameng US, even as
]they delivered them unto US, which from
the beginning were witnesses and
ministers of the word il seemed good to
me Also" &c. Not as indited by God,
but as those informed us who saw and
! heard.
- INSPIRATION.
The word Inspiration first occurs, Job
80 8. There is a spirit in man and
the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth
them understandings Very well, it is
consistent that reason and "understand.
ing" are not from beneath but are given
US of God. So "every good gift. and
every perfect gift is from above, and com.
eth down from the Father of lights, with
whom there is no variableuess neither
shadow of turning The second and
last use of the word, is by Paul as before
cited. To be inspired, then, does not
Ordinarily signify so much as to have the
| gift Of prophecy, or revelation of future
events.
| To close. Few men. perhaps none,
would ever have rejected the Bible, had it
not been declared of its merits, what the
Scriptures themselves do not profess and
what is not true. The Bible has suffered
more from its devotees by overrating, than
all OSuCI SduoCS SOtlUluCu lOlUlUD
poems, figures and alegories, to be literal
realities : natural things as spiritual, and
common things as divine The history OF
creation, think, could never have been
designed to be more than representative
If beginning Of things, and of a depart
ure from native purity. Jesus, although
he never raised the former scripturesabove
their pretentions did not in reality speak
: unexpectedly ofthem. When objections
came up, be wisely treated the subject
, averring thus -" Moses, for the hard
f ness of your hearts suffered you to pu,
: AVA your wives. but from the beginning
it was not so.'--Mat 10: 8. Again
: 'Why do We also transgress the com.
! mandment Of God by your traditions?'
t MT. Is: 8. Farther, 6 Ye have heard
5 that it hath been said by them of old time
thou shalt not forswear myself but shall
perform unto the Lord thine oaths," Sc.
: MAT. S: 33) which Jesus corrected
; Verse SO. Ye have heard that it hath
e been said An eve for an eye, and {
: tooth for tooth: but say unto you tia
: We resist not evil" &C., by his life carry
i ing out all to the letter. j..
r Furthermore - Jesus seems to hay,
: contradicted, according to the letter, al
: ancient scripture teaching his disciple:
q not to take poems and alegories as literal
d nor the fligh's and embellishments of pc
). etic indul2ences as realities.
e :. And it came TO pass, as they still wen
st on, aud talked, that, behold, there appea
d ed a chariot of fire, and horses Of fire
e and parted them both asunder; and EIinl
!. went up 5y whirlwind into heaven
!. 2 Kings 2: IL. A declaration by III
1t Savior will show that this was but poeti
D, dress, or pencil painting of Elijah's ex
s or close of life, and not literal flct
nj "No man hath assembled UP &c heaven, b.
If be that came down from heaven, even III
4 Son of man, which is in heaven" John 3: |;
The apostle also, spoke of the old testamen
with comparative respect, saying, "The lay
=, was our school master until Christ" Gal.
! ri. Verse 10 being parallel passage, 9Th
q law was added because Of transgresslon, II
h the seed should come TO whom the promis
D, was made" Yet more, "The law mad
;. nothing perfect, q. e. did not mature but th
of bringing in of better hope did by tn
:, which we draw nigh 10 God" Heb. 7: Is
:, Again, eff that first covenant had bee
fauItless, then should no place have bee
sought for the second.n 8: I. But this