REVELATION.-God's open operations-Biblical accounts of particular Revelations-Adam-Noah-Abraham offering up his son-His conduct approved in both Testaments-David's temptation to number the people-Passages examined: Ezek. xiii. 2, 3; 1 Pet. i. 10—12; 2 Pet. i. 20, 21, expounded— Persons who received Revelations knew by whom they were made-Revelation in some cases imperfect at first-Uncovering INSPIRATION.-Revelation the effect of the co-operation of the Spirit and the Aóyos-Inspiration of the Messenger and of the Prophet-Inspiration independent of moral character, and compels utterance-Writing of a message, and writing under the original impulse-Estimation of the Old Testament, and of the New-Prophets not belonging to Israel-Not all that is contained in the Bible a direct utterance of God's-Inspiration of Balaam and of S. Paul-Play of human individuality—An exemplary penitent-Diction of Scripture-Inspiration does not exclude details seemingly trivial-In this respect Scripture compared with the Homeric poems-Errors of copyists and translators-Alleged inaccuracies and mutual discrepancies— Quotations-Genesis and geology-Moral objections to the Bible and the Christian system—Inspiration of poets—Reason -The word Inspiration in the English Bible, and in the Book of Common Prayer-Inspiration of ordinary Christians— MIRACLE. Not all Divine open actions miraculous—“ A miracles-The creature's power not understood by the crea- THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.-His Omnipotence and Moral Perfection-Why not recognised-Relation of the Old Testa- THE BIBLE AND THE MODERN READER.-The Bible not come to us from antiquity by chance-The origin of the Church and the Miracles of Jesus-Exalted goodness of many Christians-Actual effect of Christianity on modern society -Ancient and modern history-Pagan and Christian poetry, architecture, music, painting-Presumption in favour of the Christian Scriptures-Effect of the candid study of them on the individual-The record of Miracle-Continuity of Biblical conceptions, and of Biblical diction-Logical and actual relation of Christianity and Natural Theology discriminated— Singular power of the Gospels on the candid reader-Photo- CONCLUSION-Difference of ancient and modern unbelief— -Distinct personality of the God of the Bible-Errors of heretics concerning the character of God-Heresy follows the method of infidelity-Folly of neglecting the claims of Christianity-Correspondence of Christianity to our wants and yearnings-Sin has caused God's hiding from us, but mercy has prevented His entire withdrawal-Revelation in B. Article from the Lexicon of Suidas on the Creation of C. Passage quoted from Hengstenberg's "Christology," on the perspective character of prophetic vision-Passage quoted INTRODUCTION. THE SCEPTIC'S DIFFICULTIES. It seems to be necessary to state at the outset some of the difficulties which, in the case of certain minds in the present day, prevent a hearty reception of the Christian Revelation. We will endeavour awhile to put ourselves in the position of the modern sceptic, and fairly to state his objections from his own point of view. Although such an exposition of error may in some measure be undesirable, as possibly tending to embarrass simple minds, by suggesting difficulties which might not otherwise have occurred, yet if such persons are led in the end to a clearer intelligence of the grounds of their faith, when the sceptic's objections are fairly met and set aside, the good will overbalance the evil. The difficulties of the modern sceptic apparently depend on two things, -an insufficient sense of what we must be permitted to call the personality of God; and an exaggerated estimate of the province and faculties of the individual human mind. B Between these two there is the closest connexion. It is easy to see that their tendency is to make the individual the standard and measure of truth, and that the notion of authority in regard to doctrine must lose its clearness and force, if not vanish altogether. The individual will judge of a doctrine by its apparent obvious merits, and from the diversity of minds it will happen that what is truth to one man will not be so to another. A person under the influence of these views will use language something like the following: "If the human mind is to attain to the knowledge of truth, it must be by natural means. The aid of Revelation is inconceivable and inadmissible. Certain first truths are inscribed on the tablets of our reason and moral constitution. No external authority could render these clearer or more convincing or more binding than they are already of themselves. From these truths others may be logically deduced. When a truth is once known, a further revelation of it is impossible; since no additional evidence can be supposed which is capable of confirming the conviction which exists already. Take, for instance, the mathematical truths of the multiplication table or of Euclid's propositions. No word of God could make them clearer to the reason than they are already. We can conceive of Revelation only as consisting in showing truth. The fabric of nature continually presented to our observation, the events of history, the structure of the |