By the late Rev. JOHN BROWN, Haddington.
I CANNOT conceive one single character of a divine revelation, but that I find the writings of the Bible marked with. The divine authority, majesty, wisdom, holiness and goodness discovered therein; the depth, sublimity, purity and benevolence of their matter; their scope, to render all to the glory of God, and crush the corrupt inclinations of man; the transcendant loftiness of their style, even when suited to the capacity of the weak; the obvious candour of the writers, in relating the weakness and faults of themselves and their nation; their amazing harmony, though of very different stations and ages, and publishing things contrary to the natural inclinations of men; the attestation of these writings by vast numbers of important, public, and incontestable miracles; the joyful sufferings of millions, for their steadfast adherence thereto; the marvellous preservation of them, and the signal strokes of vengeance on such as attempted to destroy them; their amazing success, prevailing over the lusts of men, and furious opposition of worldly power, to the civilising of nations, and to convince, convert, and comfort the hearts of millions, the most obstinate; the exact fulfilment of the numerous, the particularly circumstantiated predictions thereof; are infallible documents that they only are the Word of God, able to make us wise unto salvation, and convey to us eternal life (II. Tim. iii. 15-17).
The great design of revelation is to answer the most interesting question to man, which he has ever uttered: “What must I do to be saved?” When conscience speaks, when the terrors of the Almighty take hold on man, where can he find relief? To bring this relief, God has set forth His way of saving sinners by the death, resurrection, and exaltation of His own Son. This is the truth emphatically so called in Scripture; this truth no human knowledge could discover, no learning unfold, and without the knowledge of this, all who profess themselves wise become fools. There never was, there is not, nor shall be, any other name given under heaven, among men for salvation, but that of Jesus.
Deep convictions of sin will not spring from rational consideration. No man can work them in his own soul; they are the arrows of the Holy Ghost. And when He sends them they stick fast: they can neither be drawn out by human skill, nor the wounds healed by human balms, such as self-righteousness, business, or diversions.—Berridge.