onspire to cheat us with a lie?
Unasked their pains; ungrateful their advice;
Starving their gains, and martyrdom their prize."

_From its striking impartiality._ The amanuenses or penmen of the Holy
Ghost for the Scriptures were not contemptible or ordinary, but
incomparable and extraordinary persons. As Moses, "the meekest man on
earth," the peculiar favorite of God, with whom God "talked face to
face;" the None-such of all the prophets in Israel. Samuel, the
mighty man in prayer. David the King, "that man after God's own
heart." King Solomon, that "wisest of all the Kings," whom God honored
with the building of the Temple. Daniel, in whom was found "an
excellent spirit," and great dexterity in "expounding secrets and
mysteries." John, "the disciple whom Jesus loved" above all the rest,
who "leaned on Jesus' breast." Paul, "who was caught up into the third
heavens," "whose writings," saith Chrysostom, "like a wall of adamant,
compass about, or surround all the churches." In a word, "all of them
holy men of God, moved by the Holy Ghost." The moral character of the
sacred penmen is above suspicion: their greatest enemies have never
attempted to throw the least stain upon their characters. Many of them
were actually present at the scenes which they describe; eye-witnesses
of the facts, and ear-witnesses of the discourses which they describe.
They could not, therefore, be deceived themselves: nor could they have
the least inducement to deceive others. They honestly record their own
mistakes and faults, as well as the other particulars of the story.
Every candid person must admit that the Scriptures are remarkable for
faithfulness of narrative, and that, contrary to the practice of other
histories, they do not conceal the faults of the persons they
describe. The faults of Abraham and Jacob are detailed, as well as
their virtues; and the incredulity of Thomas, and the defection of
Peter, are not concealed, but faithfully recorded. The apostles,
especially, seem everywhere to forget that they are writing of
themselves, and appear not at all solicitous about their own
reputation, but only that they might represent facts just as they
were, whatever might be the consequences. Hence they readily confess,
not only the meanness of their original employments, and the scandals
of their former life, but their prejudices, follies, faults, unbelief,
cowardice, ambition, rash zeal, foolish contentions, etc. How faithful
is the