uthority. "What is written in the law?" "What saith
the scripture?" "All things must be fulfilled which were written in the
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me;"
"This scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost
spake before concerning Judas;" "The scripture cannot be broken"--all
these and other similar forms of expression contain the full testimony
of our Lord and his apostles to the truth elsewhere expressly affirmed
of the Old Testament, that "all scripture is given by inspiration of
God," 2 Tim. 3:16, and that "the prophecy came not in the old time by
the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. When the Saviour asks the Pharisees in
reference to Psalm 110, "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord?"
he manifestly does not mean that this particular psalm alone was written
"in spirit," that is, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; but he
ascribes to it the character which belongs to the entire book, in common
with the rest of Scripture, in accordance with the express testimony of
David: "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my
tongue." 2 Sam. 23:2.

CHAPTER XII.

EVIDENCES INTERNAL AND EXPERIMENTAL.

1. The external evidences of revealed religion are, in their proper
place and sphere, of the highest importance. Christianity rests not upon
theory, but upon historical facts sustained by an overwhelming mass of
testimony. It is desirable that every Christian, so far as he has
opportunity, should make himself acquainted with this testimony for the
strengthening of his own faith and the refutation of gainsayers.
Nevertheless, many thousands of Christians are fully established in the
faith of the gospel who have but a very limited knowledge of the
historical proofs by which its divine origin is supported. To them the
Bible commends itself as the word of God by its internal character, and
the gospel as God's plan of salvation by their inward experience of its
divine power, and their outward observation of its power over the hearts
and lives of all who truly receive it. This is in accordance with the
general analogy of God's works. We might be assured beforehand that a
system of religion having God for its author, would shine by its own
light, and thus commend itself at once to the human understanding and
conscience, irrespective of all outward testimony to its truth. Although
the intern