and fully as exact in this “discerning of spirits,” as their modern disciples. But so far is this from being the case, that between the _greater spirit_ of the twelve apostles, and the _less spirit_ of the general church, no distinction whatever is drawn; nor any between the _intellectual infallibility_ which was to await the apostles, and the _spiritual sanctification_ promised to the faithful multitude of all ages. Nay, it so happens, that the most unlimited expressions relating to the subject occur in such connections, that they cannot be confined to the apostles, but obviously apply to all private Christians. For instance, shall we say that our Lord’s promise of the “Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,” explained by the remarkable synonym which he appended, “_the spirit of truth_” which should “_teach them all things_,” and “_lead them into all truth_”—implies universal illumination of the understanding? Close at hand is a clause forbidding the interpretation, by spreading the promise over all ages of the church; “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, _that he may abide with you for ever, even the spirit of truth_;”[84] and the expression is accordingly quoted by Dr. Wardlaw, as descriptive of the common operations of the spirit.[85] Again, St. John in his first _General Epistle_ (addressed of course to the whole church) says, “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and _ye know all things_.”[86] Take then the strongest and most unqualified expressions on this subject, and if they prove the infallibility of the apostles, they prove the same of all private Christians. Or, take those which show sanctification to be the characteristic office of the Holy Spirit with respect to the general church, and you show that this also was its agency on the Apostles. One or two texts are occasionally adduced in defence of this doctrine; their paucity and inapplicability show how slight is the scripture foundation on which it rests. By far the most remarkable of these is found in 2 Tim. iii. 16. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Now observe, 1. That the verb _is_, which constitutes the whole affirmation here, has nothing corresponding to it in the Greek, and is put in by the English translators. Of course the sentence requires a verb _somewhere_, but the place of its insertion depends on the discretion of the translator. Baxter, Grotius, and other critics, accordingly render the passage thus: “All scripture, given by inspiration of God, is also profitable,” &c. The Apostle has already been reminding Timothy of the importance of those scriptures with which he had been acquainted from his youth, to his _personal faith_: and he now adds, that they are _also_ useful for his _public teaching_. He therefore simply says that whatever scriptures are given by inspiration of God, are thus profitable.