Page:A Beacon to the Society of Friends.djvu/149

 while ago we were told, that better Scriptures could have been written; now, that the Scriptures were written under the inspiring influence of God, but their efficacy is lost to us by the translation.

What do we know of God, beyond that which he has been pleased to reveal to us in the Scriptures? The proud curiosity of man is not gratified by having it declared to him, in what manner God deals with those, to whom his testimonies have not been given: nor has it pleased God to shew us, the reason why men are employed to open the eyes of their fellow men, and diffuse the knowledge of salvation,—to sow, to plant, and to water,—rather than that this knowledge should be communicated immediately from himself. But we are told, in Scripture, that when Christ "ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ."

EXTRACT III.

Unscriptural views of divine influence.

insidious! how pernicious! What fearful delusions are the consequence of unscriptural views