Confirmed by prophecy — its internal evidences.

lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

See also David's prophecy of the resurrection of Christ, (Ps. 16: 10;)—and Isaiah's prediction of Christ, (Is. 7: 14, and 35: 3—6; and 53d chap. entire ;) — and his prophecy against Babylon, (Is. 13: 17-22, and 14: 22, 23; and 47th chap. entire ;) and his prophecy of Cyrus, (Is. 45: 1—3;) and Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon, (Jer. 50: 23—40, and 51: 30-44;) and Ezekiel's prophecy respecting the overthrow of Tyre, (Ezk. 26: 7—11;) and Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt, (Ezk. 29: 18-20;) and Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, (Dan. 2: 31—35;) – and his prophecy respecting the rise and power of antichrist, (Dan. 7: 24, 25, and chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, entire ;) - and Nahum's prophecy respecting the overthrow of Nineveh, in the 2d and 3d chapters of Nahum ; and Zephaniah's prophecy against Nineveh, (Zep. 2: 13—15;)—and Zechariah's prediction respecting the 30 pieces of silver paid Judas, (Zec. 11: 12, 13;) and Christ's prophecy respecting the Temple, (Mat. 24: 1, 2, 15, 16, 21;) and respecting Jerusalem, (Lk. 19: 43, 44;) and Paul's prophecy respecting the man of sin, (2 Th. 2: 3, 4.)

45. Bible confirmed by its internal evidences.

1. By revelations above reason and human capacity.

Gen. 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Ps. 19: 12 Who can understand his errors ?-49: 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

Pr. 16: 4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Is. 40: 17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

Jer. 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

1 Cor. 15: 35 Some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

2 Tim. 1: 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Pet. 3: 10 The day of the Lord will come as a thief in

The true standard.

the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 1 Jn. 4: 8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.- -5: 7 There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are

one.

Rev. 20: 11 I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.-22: 16 I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning-star.

2. By the purity of its requirements.

Ps. 119: 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Pr. 30: 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. [See 47, 285.]

46. Bible, the true standard of faith and practice - danger of false standards.

Is. 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Mat. 15: 3 He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mk. 7: 7 In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For, laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Jn. 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

True means of grace to be taught and studied.

Rom. 2: 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

2 Cor. 10: 12 We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Col. 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

47. Bible, the true means of grace.

Ps. 19: 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.-119: 93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

Jn. 15: 3 Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you-17: 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Rom. 1: 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.-10: 17 Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Ep. 6: 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

2 Tim. 3: 15 From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Jam. 1: 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Pet. 1: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. [See 428-432.]

48. Studying and teaching the Bible required and encouraged.

Dt. 11: 18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine

A written revelation.

house, and upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD Sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

Jos. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Ps. 1: 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Pr. 4: 13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go⚫ keep her: for she is thy life. 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Mat. 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye doerr, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Jn. 5: 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: And they are they which testify of me.

Ac. 17: 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things

were so.

Rom. 15: 4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1 Th. 5: 27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

Heb. 2: 1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

1 Pet. 2: 2 As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

Rev. 1: 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. [Ps. 19, and 119, entire.] [See 279, 458, 493.]

49. Bible a written revelation, and intelligible.

Dt. 9: 10 The LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written ac

Sin of wresting - profitable.

cording to all the words which the LORD spake with you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire.

Ps. 102: 18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

Ps. 119: 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

2 Pet. 1: 18 This voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.

50. Sin and danger of altering or wresting the Bible.

Dt. 4: 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Pr. 30: 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

2 Pet. 3: 15 And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Rev. 22: 18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. [See 284.]

51. The whole Bible profitable and important.

Dt. 29: 29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

2 Tim. 3: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

[See 47, and 279 and 433.]