tians in the world (those, I mean, that in truth deserve this name) do now and always have believed the Scripture to be the Word of God." And further, section 62, "Reason will convince any man, unless he be of a perverse mind, that the Scripture is the Word of God. And then no reason can be greater than this- God says so; therefore it is true.'"

But there is one passage, which, though known to all who know the name of Chillingworth, and justly esteemed one of the finest passages in English literature, Mr. Stephen has found it convenient to omit; and yet it is the grand conclusion of Chillingworth's argument, and the final summary of his faith in and concerning the Scriptures. It is found in chapter vi. 56, 57.

"The BIBLE, I say, the BIBLE only, is the religion of Protestants; whatsoever else they believe besides it, and the plain, irrefragable, indubitable consequences of it, well may they hold it as a matter of opinion: but as matter of faith and religion, neither can they with coherence to their own grounds believe it themselves, nor require the belief of it of others, without most high and most schismatical presumption. I, for my part, after a long and, as I verily believe and hope, impartial search of the true way to eternal happiness, do profess plainly, that I cannot find any

rest for the sole of my foot but upon this rock only. I see plainly, and with mine own eyes, that there are Popes against Popes, Councils against Councils, some Fathers against others, the same Fathers against themselves; a consent of Fathers of one age against a consent of Fathers of another age; the Church of one age against the Church of another age. Traditive interpretations of Scripture are pretended, but there are few or none to be found. No tradition, but only of Scripture, can derive itself from the fountain, but may be plainly proved either to have been brought in in such an age after Christ, or that in such an age it was not in. In a word, there is no sufficient certainty but of Scripture for any considering man to build upon. This, therefore, and this only, I have reason to believe: this I will profess; according to this I will live; and for this, if there be occasion, I will not only willingly, but even gladly, lose my life, though I should be sorry that Christians should take it from me. Propose me any thing out of this book, and require whether I believe it, or no; and, seem it never so incomprehensible to human reason, I will subscribe it with heart and hand, as knowing no demonstration can be stronger than this-God hath said so; therefore it is true.' In other things I will take no man's liberty

of judgment from him, neither shall any man take mine from me; I will think no man the worse man, nor the worse Christian; I will love no man the less for differing in opinion from me; and what measure I mete to others I expect from them again. I am fully assured that God does not, and therefore that men ought not to, require any more of man than this,—to believe the Scripture to be God's Word, to endeavour to find the true sense of it, and to live according to it. This is the religion which I have chosen after a long deliberation; and I am verily persuaded that I have chosen wisely, much more wisely than if I had guided myself according to your Church's authority. For, the Scripture being all true, I am secured, by believing nothing else, that I shall find no falsehood as matter of faith." With such a passage as this, with what face can Mr. Stephen endeavour to make out that Chillingworth takes his view of the difference between Scripture and the Word of God; or that some passages of Scripture are disfigured by dark blots of human passion, by stains or inaccuracies; or that he received the inspiration, infallibility, and divine authority of Scripture as a matter of opinion, not as a doctrine or an article of faith? Here this illustrious and learned champion of the Bible makes the Bible, i. e. all Scripture, the Word of God, infallibly

true, a sufficient witness even of that which is incomprehensible to human reason, and says that this is what God Himself requires. If this authority be of any value, it all goes to overthrow Mr. Stephen's theory, and destroy the foundation of his whole argument.

HOOKER.

21. As Mr. Stephen has misapprehended and therefore misinterpreted Chillingworth, so has he done with Hooker, in the following passage:"The substance of his view is this; Scripture is perfect for the end for which it is designed: the end for which it is designed is communication of supernatural truth, which could not otherwise be discovered, and its perfection is relative to that end. I will read a few short extracts which, I think, will set this in a clear light: 'We count those things perfect which want nothing requisite for the end whereunto they were instituted: as therefore God created every part and particle of man exactly perfect, that is to say, in all points sufficient unto that whereunto He appointed it, so the Scripture, yea, every sentence thereof, is perfect, and wanteth nothing requisite unto that purpose for which God delivered the same.' What was that purpose? The following

extract shows it: 'Although the Scripture of God, therefore, be stored with infinite variety of matter in all kinds, although it abound in all sorts of laws, yet the principal intent of Scripture is to deliver laws of duties supernatural.' The same is stated elsewhere in detail. The main direction of the whole New Testament is that which St. John setteth down as the purpose of his own history: These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ, and that in believing ye might have life through His name. The drift of the Old, that which the Apostle mentioned to Timothy: The Holy Scriptures are to make wise unto salvation.' Again, 'The several books of Scripture having had each some several occasion and particular purpose which caused them to be written, the contents thereof are according'-and this is a most remarkable sentence' are according to the exigency of that special end whereunto they are intended. Hereupon it groweth, that every book of Holy Scripture doth take out of all kinds of truth, natural, historical, foreign, supernatural, as much as it requireth.' Such are the views of Hooker on the subject, and what do they amount to? The Scripture is perfect for the end for which it is designed. The end for which it is designed is the communication of the Christian religion..

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