The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-21
Organic Growth of the Scriptures.

Viewing the Scriptures as an organic
growth, mot an aggr egate, stone; but a
plant two interesting facts are explained
First. Every part is complete, containing
the seed, the germ; and though subsequent
parts contain much fuller unfolding of the
germ, they do not render their predecessors
superfuous or antiquated Thus, the whole
Gospel is in Genesis; even in Genesis iii. the
ProtevangeliOn contains the whole counsel
of God in germ. More fully in Leviticus,
more fully in David's Psalms, more fully in
Isaiah's prophecy, more fully in Paul's
epistles. As Israel developed and grew in
stature and wisdom, (or rather the revelation
of Christ in Israel, for the nation always
fell short of the glory of God, so the Scrip
ture developes. 1t is not that something is
added to the old stock, as another stone to
a collection of stones, but the plant, the or
ganism, the body, grOscs. Beautiful and
benign arrangement of our great and blessed
God Abraham rejoiced, and David re-
joiced, and Isaiah rejoiced, and Paul re-
joiced; because to each there was given all,
though on a different scale, in different de.
gree and measure.
But though Paul possessed the whole
more perfectly than David and Moses, does
he throw aside David and Moses as scat
folding is thrown aside when the building is
finished? By no means: and, among many
reasons, for this reason also-that in Gene
sis, and the Psalms, and the Prophets, there
is the revelation of great comprehensive
plan, the ful6lment of which reaches
into the ages to come; so that without the
previous portions of the word We, and flu
ture generations, cannot be perfect; there is
much of this whole which yet remains to be
unfolded and manifested in reality and actual
existence. Thus the Apocalypse returns to
Genesis, and the eleventh chapter of Paul's
Epistle to the Romans leads US back to Mo-
SEES and the Prophets.
If the Bible were like a collection of
stones, we might select some and put aside
others, as less valuable and beautiful; and
although in such selection we might make
great mistakes, we should still be in possess
sion of something more or less complete
But the Bible is like plant, and all its
darts are not mechanically or accidentally
connected, but organically united, hence a
law of life rules here; and He who reveres
life will neither add nor take away from the
beautiful plant, which the father hath planted
in and through Christ by the Spirit
Secondly. IF the Bible is a plant,
growth, or body, there are portions which
are inferior in Importance, value, beauty,
but none which can be separated from it, or
in which the same blood, or sap, or spirit,
does not live.
No person denies that in the human body
the lungs are more important than the
limbs; the heart more essential to life than
the eye; the eye more delicate and noble
part than the foot. Nobody asserts that a
man would be killed if you cut off his hair
or his nails. But there is a vital union of
all the members. If you cut off my little
finger 1 shall survive it; but it is my little
finger you cut of, and it is a loss, disfg,
urement. So with the Bible; it is not like
a piece of cloth that you can clip and cut;
it is body animated by one Spirit.
Who would assert that chapter of names
in the book of Chronicles is as important
and precious as the third chapter of Johns
Gospel? or than the account of Christ's
suffering? But what we say is, that all
Scripture is one organism, and that the same
wisdom and love have formed the whole;
and that down to every branch, and bough,
and leaf, it lives and breathes, and is beauti-
full and good. And the reason why many
historical, and statistical, and prophetic por
tons of Scripture seem to us unimportant
and even unmeaning, is because we do not
sufficiently live in the whole circle of divine
ideas and purposes.-Christ and the Scrip
tires.