Suppose again, that it taught that the Creator was a being who preferred evil to good, and chose to have his creatures ignorant and miserable, when he has power to make them wise and happy. This also would destroy the reliability of any revelation from the Creator, even were it sustained by undisputed miracles and prophecy. This last is precisely what the Augustinian system _does_ teach, and, as its advocates claim, it is a part of a revelation from the Creator, supported by miracles and prophecy. In opposition to this, it is maintained that this system is not to be found in the Bible, and that were it there, all the miracles and prophecy conceivable could not prove these writings to be revelations from the Creator, which are _reliable_ as our guide to truth and happiness. A Creator who wills ignorance and misery to his creatures, when he has power to will knowledge and happiness in their place, is not a being to be believed or trusted as our guide to truth and happiness. It is in this light that the Augustinian theory, as a part of the Bible, brings the question fairly before _the people_, as “_Bible or no Bible_?” CHAPTER XXXV. TENDENCIES OF THE TWO OPPOSING SYSTEMS. The preceding chapters have presented the distinctive features of two systems which, in their main points, are shown to be contradictory, while both are exhibited as incorporated into the chief creeds and theological teachings of the Christian world. It is the object of this chapter to point out the _tendencies_ of these antagonistic systems. It is maintained, that the common‐sense system, resting as it does on implanted principles common to all minds, is evolved and held very much in proportion to the development of the reasoning powers and the moral sense. That part of this system which relates to man’s duties and best interests _in this life_, without reference to a future state, has been more harmoniously evolved by the wise and good of all ages and nations than any other. Thus, in the teachings of Confucius, Zoroaster, Gaudama, Solon, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, and the Antonines, who are among the chief heathen sages, we can find nearly all the moral duties of man, to himself and to his fellow‐man, which are to be found in the Bible. It is true that there are diversities and deficiencies in all; but a large body of pure morality could be made up from their united teachings. The account given of the system of Boodhism in a previous chapter is one illustration of this fact. But, while it is comparatively easy for the good and wise heathen to reason out what is _best_ for man in this life, as taught by experience, the grand failure is in _motives_ which will secure _obedience_ to the rules of virtue. “We see the right and yet the wrong pursue,” has been the universal lament of humanity.