words dwelt upon by the Bishop fix this as the sense-"For he is his money;" implying that he would not (unless actuated by a murderous intention) deprive himself of his servant, who possessed to him a money value beyond his services.

66

It is difficult to conceive of any one who has read the Mosaic laws and regulations concerning slaves, putting so harsh and repulsive a construction on the passages selected by bishop Colenso as he has done. The whole of those laws and regulations are calculated to excite reverent admiration for their wisdom and humanity (see Lev. xxv., and Deut. xv. 12-14; and concerning foreign slaves, Ex. xx. 10, xxi. 26, 27; Deut. v. 14, and xxiii. 16), in dealing with what appears to have been an inevitable evil of those times. They breathe a spirit of justice and kindness far beyond anything to be found amongst any other slave-holding people in the world, while they make provision for the gradual emancipation of this class of persons.*

* Benisch, in his "Reply to Colenso," has some good remarks on." Moses' presumed sanction of slavery," pp. 139-145.

CHAPTER VII.

SUMMARY AND RECAPITULATION.

THE remarks offered upon the gratuitous or imaginary difficulties that are urged against the divine character of the Bible, in the preceding chapters, though comparatively brief, will, it is hoped, show that believers in that ancient book have on their side (1), what has properly enough been called the Historico-scientific argument, derivable from the agreement of the sacred narrative with the conclusions reached by those sciences which have a partially historical character; (2), the historico-analogical argument, derivable from God's moral government of the world —against all the supposititious but confidently alleged difficulties and objections of the sceptics.

(1.) Geology, as we have seen, is in exact agreement with the Mosaic account of the creation, although it is clear that Moses had no acquaintance with the science or its facts. Physiology decides in favour of the unity of the species, and the probable derivation of the whole human race from a single pair. Comparative Philology, after divers fluctuations, settles into the belief that languages will ultimately prove to have been all derived from a

*

* Blumenbach, Haller, Cuvier, and, above all, Dr. Prichard, have established this beyond all reasonable doubt, as the author of the Vestiges of Creation admits (p. 262, tenth edit.).

common basis.* Ethnology pronounces that, independently of the Scriptural record, we should be led to fix on the plains of Shinar as a common centre, or focus, from which the various lines of migration and the several types of races originally radiated."† And to conclude, "the linguistic, geographic, and ethnologic notices contained in the books of Moses might be shown to be of the most veracious character, stamping the whole narration with an unmistakable air of authenticity. And this, it may be remarked, is an argument to which modern research is perpetually adding fresh weight. For instance, if we look to geography, we shall find that, till within these few years, Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar,'-Calah and Resen, in the country peopled by Asshur-Elcasar and Ur of the Chaldees,' were mere names; and beyond the mention of them in Genesis, searcely a trace was discoverable of their existence. Recently, however, the mounds of Mesopotamia have been searched, and bricks and stones buried for nearly 3,000 years have found a tongue, and tell us exactly where each

6

6

*Such is the judgment of Professor Max Muller, who says, "Physical Ethnology has accounted for the varieties of the human race, and removed the barriers which formerly prevented us from viewing all mankind as the members of one family, the offspring of one parent," and then he goes on to say, that although the problem of language has still to be solved, as the nations of America and Africa have to be included in the survey, the new light which begins to dawn over the languages of the primitive Asiatic continent of Asia and Europe, "reveals more and more clearly the possibility of their common origin."

+ Compare Sir W. H. Rawlinson on the different races in western Asia, in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol. xv., p. ii., p. 232, with his statements in Professor Rawlinson's Herodotus, vol. i., p. 586.

See authorities in Notes to the Bampton Lectures, 1859, pp. 365-371.

of these cities stood, and sufficiently indicate their importance."

Above all, perhaps, the absence of any counter evidence, and the fact that each accession to our knowledge of the ancient times, whether historic, geographic, or ethnic, helps to remove difficulties, and to produce a perpetual supply of fresh illustrations of the Mosaic narrative, while fresh difficulties are not at the same time brought to light, will be remarked by candid minds as an argument for the historic truth of the narrative, the force of which can scarcely be over-estimated. All tends to show that we possess in the Pentateuch, not only the most authentic history of ancient times that has come down to us, but a history absolutely and in every respect true. All tends to assure us, that in this marvellous volume we have no old wives' tales, no cunningly devised fable, but a treasure of wisdom and knowledge, as important to the historical enquirer as to the theologian.*

(2.) As Hugh Miller has said, there is no contradiction between the words of the Bible and the facts of natural science, in even the minutest particular. But they must both be "rightly understood," before the truth of either can be correctly apprehended. And to be "rightly understood" they must be devoutly studied-not the divine word only, but the divine works also; for they are alike in this, that THE DIVINE which is within must be sought for. It does not come to us obtrusively. It speaks to those who will listen, and convinces those who give it attention. It does not peal as thunder over the heads of men, and compel them to confess its authority.

* "Rawlinson's Bampton Lectures," Lecture ii.

It is as truly said of the divine in the one as of the divine in the other: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

The biblical revelation falls in with the law of reserve and seclusion which belongs to all the arrangements of the present state. It is no more parsimonious in its communications than the material universe is. There is a complete harmony in this respect among the material, the moral, and the biblical revelations. There are difficulties and obscurities in all, and they are not to be mastered without an effort. "The heavens declare the glory of God," "day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth forth knowledge"; but myriads of men gaze upon the wonders of the heavens and the beauties of the mundane world without reading the divine lessons they teach, or being brought one step nearer to the Creator. So, also, the maxims of human virtue are suggested to all minds, but not obtrusively, or with a compelling power. And so,

also, of the written word. Its proof is complete and irrefragable. It is superabundant in quantity, it is perfect in quality, but it no more forces itself upon the notice of man than the manifestations of the midnight skies do. It convinces and satisfies all who give heed to its evidences; but it leaves all contemners at their full liberty. To remain in ignorance of it, or to scorn and assail it, is as easy as to quench the light of natural virtue by a course of profligacy, and to acquire contempt of all goodness by familiarity with vice.*

*This argument on the limits of revelation is interestingly