INSPIRATION, the infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit ; the conveying into the minds of men, ideas, notices, or monitions by extraordinary or supernatural influence.—Inspipation of the sacred writers, is defined ;um influence of the ]duly Spirit exercised on the under imaginations, memories, and other mental powers of the writers, by means of which they were qualified for communicating to the world divine reve lation, or the knowledge of the will of God, without error or mistake. Writers on theology have enumerated several kinds or degrees of inspiration, which are founded upon the supposition that IAA imparted to time sacred writers that measure and degree of assistance which was just suited to the nature of the sub jects which they committed to writing, and did not supersede the use of their natural powers and faculties, and of their acquired knowledge where these were snf. licient. The measure of divine assistance which enabled Moses to give tin account of the creation ; Joshua to record with exactness the settlement of the Israel ites in Canaan ; David to mingle pro• phetie information with the varied ef fusions of gratitude, contrition, and piety ; Isaiah to deliver predictions re specting the Messiah ; and the Evange lists to record, in their own several styles and ways, the life and transactions of Jesus Christ, has been termed inspira tion el clire;:tion. In some cases inspira
tion only produced correctness and accu racy in relating past occurrences, and preserved the writers generally from rela ting anything derogatory to the revelation with which it was connected. This has been termed inspiration of superintend em-y. Where indeed it not only commu nicates ideas, new and unknown before, but has also imparted greater strength and vigor to the efforts of the mind than the writers could otherwise hare attain ed, this divine assistance has been called inspiration of devotion. Further, when the prophets and apostles received such communications of the Holy Spirit, as suggested and dictated minutely every part of the truths delivered ; this, which is the highest degree of divine assistance, has been termed inspiration of sugges tion. The infusion or communication of ideas or poetic spirit, by a superior being or supposed presiding power ; as, the in spiration of limner or other poet.