It is perfectly consistent with the plenary inspi ration here maintained, that God operated on the minds of inspired men in a variety of ways, some times by audible words, sometimes by direct in ward suggestions, sometimes by outward visible signs, sometimes by the Urim and Thummim, and sometimes by dreams and visions. This variety in the mode of divine influence detracted nothing from its certainty. God made known his will equally in different ways ; and, whatever the mode of his operation, he made it manifest to his servants that the things revealed were from him.
But inspiration was concerned not only in mak ing known the will of God to prophets and apostles, but also in giving them direction in writ ing the sacred books. They wrote as Eno/ were moved by the Holy Ghost. And in this, also, there was a diversity in the mode of divine influence. Sometimes the Spirit of God moved and guided his servants to write things which they could not know by natural means, such as new doctrines or pre cepts, or predictions of future events. Sometimes he moved and guided them to write the history of events which were wholly or partly known to them by tradition, or by the testimony of their contem poraries, or by their own observation or expoi ence. In all these cases the Divine Spirit effectu ally preserved them from all error, and influenced them to write just so much and in such a manner as God saw to be best. Sometimes he moved and guided them to write a summary record of larger histories, containing what his infinite wisdom saw to be adapted to the end in view, that is, the benefit of his people in all ages. Sometimes he influenced them to make a record of important maxims in common use, or to write new ones, derived either from their own reason or experience, or from special divine teaching. Sometimes he influenced them to write parables or allegories, particularly suited to make a salutary impression of divine things on the minds of men ; and some times to record supernatural visions. In these and all other kinds of writing the sacred penman mani festly needed special divine guidance, as no man could of himself attain to infallibility, andt no wisdom, except that of God, was sufficient to de termine what things ought to be written for pernia nent use in the church, and what manner of writing would be best fitted to promote the great ends of revelation.
Some writers speak of different modes and diffe rent kinds, and even different degrees, of inspiration.
And if their meaning is that God influenced the minds of inspired men in different ways ; that he adopted a variety of modes in revealing- divine things to their minds ; that he guided them to give instruction in prose and in poetry, and in all the different forms of composition ; that he moved and guided them to write history, prophecy, doc trines, commands, promises, reproofs, and exhorta tions, and that he adapted his mode of operation to each of these cases—against this no objection can be made. It is a fact, that the Scriptures exhibit specimens of all these different kinds of writing and these different modes of divine instruction. Still each and every part of what was written was divinely inspired, and equally so. It is all the word of God, and clothed with divine authority, as much as if it had all been made known and written in onc way.
Dr. Henderson, who labours perhaps with too much zeal against carrying inspiration to extreme lengths, still says that if those who hold to different modifications of inspiration intend that there are (Efferent modifications and degrees of authority given to Scripture, their opinion must meet with unqualified reprobation from every sincere believer. He insists that a diversity in the modes and degrees of divine operation did exist in the work of inspi ration, and that this diversity was the result of infinite wisdom adapting itself to different circum stances. He thinks that, unless wc admit such a diversity, we cannot form correct ideas of the sub ject. But he is confident that the distinction which he endeavours to establish is not in the slightest degree hostile to the divine authority of Scripture. He affirms that no part of that holy book was written without miraculous influence ; that all parts were equally inspirea' ; that in regard to the whole volume the great end was infallibly attained, namely, the commitment to writing of precisely such matters as God designed for the religious in struction of mankind ; that the sacred penman wrote what had for its object not merely the immediate benefit of individual persons or churches, but what would be useful to Christians in all future times ; and that in regard to the most minute and inconsiderable things which the Scripture contains we are compelled to say., this also cometh from the Lord.