I20 THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS 



God, there is, of course, no escape from the conclusion 

 that it is in that capacity infalKble; and this is catholic 

 doctrine. The manner in which the Scriptures were 

 produced, and given their unique value and authority, 

 is for men to discover, so far as it is discoverable, by 

 critical study of the Scriptures themselves; and the 

 results of such study are found in theories of inspira- 

 tion. These theories, whether verbal or other, are 

 not parts of catholic doctrine. 



The facts plainly show, however, that biblical in- 

 spiration left the sacred composers free to write in 

 their own manner; and the context of divine teaching 

 which w^as thus appropriated and employed by the 

 Holy Spirit is obviously such as was suited to ancient 

 times and to the then state of natural knowledge. 

 The purpose of inspiration w^as spiritual and religious, 

 but the literary vehicle which was manipulated, so to 

 speak, for that purpose was human, and such as was in- 

 telligible to its immediate recipients. Their knowledge, 

 even in spiritual matters, was corrected and enlarged 

 only so far as men's previous spiritual progress enabled 

 them to assimilate and profit by new lessons from God. 

 Many inveterate errors and defective moral ideals 

 seemed, in the meantime, to be sanctioned by the written 

 Word, at least until later progress in revelation and 

 knowledge showed that they were merely left untouched 

 until their correction had become practically possible.^ 



1 See the author's Authority, Eccles. and Biblical, ch. vii. § 7; 

 Mozley, Ruling Ideas of Early Ages; Orr, Problem of the Old Test., 

 ch. xii. Pt. III.; Watson, Inspiration, ch. iii. Cf. Heb. ix. 10. 



