It is important to bear in mind, in reading every part of the word of
God, that there is nothing brought in without the direct inspiration of the
Holy Ghost

It is
important to bear in mind, in reading every part of the word of God, that there
is nothing brought in without the direct inspiration of the Holy Ghost. There
is one particular passage in I Corinthians 7, where the apostle asserts
expressly, that it was not the Lord, but himself, who gives a certain judgment
about the natural relations of believers. But even the apostle did not write
thus without the Holy Ghost. He was inspired to say it was not the Lord, but
himself. Hence there is not the slightest contrariety, even in so exceptional a
manner of speaking. Again, take the Book of Job, where you have Satan speaking,
as well as elsewhere. But then, while no intelligent person would assert that
what Satan said was inspired, yet the writer of the book was inspired to give
it to us perfectly; the writer was thoroughly led of God to present just so
much of what those concerned said—good or evil, man, Satan, or the Lord
Himself–as would accomplish the divine object in that writing. Thus there is
no exception whatever in the Bible to the grand truth that "all scripture
is given by inspiration of God." This is not a mere deduction of man, but
the positive doctrine of God Himself. Everything coming under the designation
of "Scripture" (pasa graphe) is inspired of God. Such is the express
statement of the Apostle Paul in his last epistle (2 Tim. 3:16), not limiting
it, I apprehend, to what was already extant, but leaving room also for what was
to be written, such as the Apocalypse. "All scripture is given by inspiration
of God." Whether what had been given, or the little that remained in order
to close the canon of the Bible, all was equally from God; not all is equally
lofty in its character, not all taking the form of doctrine, not even all
revelation—for revelation and inspiration are two different things. In giving
the account of our Lord’s life, the writers occasionally, of course, report
what they themselves saw and heard. It was inspired, but a revelation is that
which a man never knew. When the Apostle Paul says, It is by the word of the
Lord I declare unto you, that the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout,
that is not merely an inspired portion but a revelation. So, of course, all
prophecy is necessarily a revelation; and it was only in case of a positive
revelation that there was any licence to hinder a person who might be speaking;
no matter how important what he was communicating, if something was revealed to
another who was sitting by, he was entitled to stop the speaker (1 Cor. 14:30).
This is necessarily, it seems to me, at an end now. Revelation being complete,
any attempt to act upon it would be not only irregular and indecent but also a
virtual pretension to a new revelation, which is positively false, and a
dishonor to the old. When there was still a part of the mind of God yet to be
imparted, God maintained the sovereign right of His Spirit to introduce a
revelation. But when all the mind of God was thoroughly revealed in His word,
such a line of conduct would naturally terminate. Accordingly, although a
person might have what was most truly from God, it would be his duty to wait
till the due time came:flesh, Satan might hinder, but God is above all
difficulties.