4. Authority of the Bible.
Man is ever amenable to a higher power. From the first moment of his existence until the last vestige of his body has mingled with the dust, he is governed by physical law ; and every act of disobedience involves penalty; in like manner also he is amenable to the moral code, and here, too, sin is followed by sorrow.
(1) Foundation of Jurisprudence. All law and order, all society, must rest upon authority ; and that which opposes it is not reason, but egotism combined with that ignorance which has a tendency to deny whatever it fails to compre hend. Human systems are outgrown, human au thority is superseded, old laws are repealed, and new obligations are imposed. Creeds and theo ries may be improved, but the eternal principles of truth and righteousness are unchanged. After thousands of years of struggle along the lines of reform, the world has failed to find any system of ethics which can compare with that which was taught in the Sermon on the Mount—it has failed to find any source of comfort like that which God's promises bring to the aching heart.
All equable codes of jurisprudence are founded upon Biblical teaching, for as Blackstone well says: "An enactment is not a law when it con flicts with the law of God." (2) Its Claims. This book claims to contain precepts and commands which constitute the moral authority for humanity, and this claim comes not only from prophets and apostles, but also from the lips of Him "who spake as never man spake." There is no doubtful authority contained in the words: "Thus saith the Lord." There is no hesitation in the command: "Search the Scrip tures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life." It is said of the Divine Master that "he taught as one having authority," and his statement. "I say unto you," carries with it an emphasis which is irresistible. It is true that the prophets, the apostles and the Christ not only assert and com mand, they also argue and entreat, showing a constant purpose to use all means for the win ning of men to the ways of righteousness, but by so doing they no more compromise their Di vine mission than by their frequent appeals to hope and love.
The Biblical claim to authority is reinforced by qualities which compel its recognition. In all the various books there is a single dominating line of thought binding the many parts into a perfect whole. The Christ is the great central figure of both prophecy and history, and the bringing of mankind to him is the one increas ing purpose which runs through the ages—the one purpose which is manifest from the object lessons which were given in the wilderness to the crowning of the bride, the Lamb's wife, amidst the glories of Apocalyptic vision.
Another guarantee of its claim is the purity of its teaching. Wickedness is condemned and holiness exalted, sin and sorrow are depicted, but into the very darkness is thrown the light of the Sun of Righteousness as a cleansing and re deeming power.
(3) Divine Element. The harmony of pur pose, and the forceful teaching of uprightness, can be accounted for only by the presence of the Divine element, and this is the basis of infallible authority. Whenever we meet the Divine, we come to the tribunal from whence there is no appeal. When God speaks man can only obey. The truth of a statement depends upon its own nature, but its authority depends upon its origin. That which comes from God therefore is, and forever will be, absolute, supreme and final in its authority.
5. Boots of the Old Testament and Their Sources.
The Hebrew Scriptures are called the Old Testament because they pertain to the old cove nant.
(1) The Old Covenant. The Greek word Dialkeke signifies both testament and covenant, but the term old covenant, as used by Paul in 2 Cor. :14, R. V., alludes not only to the books, but also to those early institutions described in the Pentateuch and spoken of in the writings of the prophets, and which, in process of time, were by a metonymy transferred to the books them selves. In like manner, also, the writings per taining to the new covenant came to be called the New Testament.