s could appeal. No man who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God, and that he came into the world to make to men
a perfect revelation of the way of life, can admit such an absurd
supposition.

In the _second_ place, we have _Christ's express promises_ to his
apostles that they should be divinely qualified for their work through
the gift of the Holy Ghost: "But when they deliver you up, take no
thought"--be not solicitous, as the original signifies--"how or what ye
shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall
speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which
speaketh in you." Matt. 10:19, 20. "But when they shall lead you, and
deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither
do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that
speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." Mark 13:11.
"And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and
powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye
shall say: for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye
ought to say." Luke 12:11, 12. "Settle it therefore in your hearts not
to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and
wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor
resist." Luke 21:14, 15. The above promises are perfectly explicit; and
although they refer primarily to a particular emergency, in which the
apostles would especially feel their need of divine guidance, they
cover, in their spirit, all other emergencies. We cannot read them
without the conviction that they contain the promise to the apostles of
all needed help and guidance in the work committed to them. If they were
divinely qualified to defend the gospel before their adversaries without
error--"I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries
shall not be able to gainsay nor resist"--so were they also to _record
the facts_ of the gospel, and to unfold in their epistles its doctrines.

The promises recorded in the gospel of John are more general and
comprehensive in their character. It will be sufficient to adduce two of
them: "These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:25, 26. "I have
yet m