reader will remember how long it is since he felt the dreadful suspicion-which even now occasionally returns to haunt him-that there are errors in the Bible. If this do not satisfy him, let him ask any of the stanchest Christian believers how many years it is since they first experienced such misgivings and how they succeeded in finally and satisfactorily dispelling the monstrous idea that an infallibly inspired book has errors in it. He may safely ask this question of any intelligent Christian: and we are quite sure that all the answers he will get will either be uncandid and unintelligible, or they will resolve themselves into the simple formula, "The blessed "and holy book is inspired: and it is also fallible.” If any reader should still think that our views on scriptural fallibility are objectionably novel, let him (as we have before said and as we again venture to advise) read Tholuck's brief but luminous account of the history of the doctrine of Inspiration, which was published in the April and May numbers of the Deutsche Zeitschrift in 1850, and of which an imperfect translation was given in the July and August numbers of an English periodical, called Evangelical Christendom," in 1850.* So far we shall stand acquitted of "strangeness" and of being opposed to God's word. If, moreover, what has been written in these pages be, in part or as a whole, "erroneous," let the wise and charitable reader, who sees the fault, be good enough to point it out and then the writer will endeavour to show, in deed and not in word only, how 66 * Publishers, Partridge and Oakey, London. sincerely he assents to the pledge, taken from every priest at his ordination, to be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word. Meanwhile we can, with an undoubting conscience, continue our own Christian ministrations; and we strenuously and affectionately urge each reader to do likewise. CHAPTER IV. GENERAL RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSION. On the whole then it appears to us that there are abundant and most satisfactory grounds on which we claim, and may reasonably hope to vindicate for the Bible, the highest authority that can attach to any thing save God and God's vicegerent Conscience. The reverence, which we regard as due to Holy Writ in consideration of the part which the Bible has taken in the history of the world-in consideration of the tendencies which are discernible in the pages of the Bible -and in consideration that all good things derive their excellence from the presence or influence of God's Holy Spirit, is of the same kind but of an incomparably higher degree than the submission which may be claimed from his offspring by a wise and loving parent. Thus, because of its goodness, we are convinced that the Bible is richly inspired and of high authority: but, at the same time, the facts, which are apparent on the face of the inspired writings themselves, altogether forbid our entertaining the idea of inspirational infallibility. In this state of the case it is observable that, on the one hand, no valid reason can be shown in support of the popular misconception regarding biblical infallibility; whilst, on the other hand, its origin, growth |