Very far am I from denying that "any one who, instead of burying himself in the pages of the commentators, would learn the Sacred Writings by heart, and paraphrase them in English, will probably make a nearer approach to their true meaning than he would gather from any Commentary." Quite certain is it that "the true use of Interpretation is to get rid of interpretation, and leave us alone in company with the author." (p. 384.) But this is quite a distinct and different matter, as every person of unsophisticated understanding must perceive at once. The same thing will be found stated by myself, in a subsequent part of the present volume, at considerable length[206]; the qualifying condition having been introduced at p. 16. The truth is, a man can no more divest himself of the conditions of thought habitual to one familiar with his Prayer-Book, than he can withdraw himself from the atmosphere of light in which he moves. _Not_ the abuse of Commentators on Holy Scripture, but _the principle on which Holy Scripture itself is to be interpreted_,--is the real question at issue: the fundamental question which underlies this, being of course the vital one,--namely, _Is the Bible an inspired book, or not_? Apart from what has been already urged concerning "the torrent of _Patristic_ Interpretation[207]" which flows down not so much from the fountain-head of Scripture, (wherein so many specimens of _Inspired_ Interpretation are preserved,) as from the fontal source of all Wisdom and Knowledge,--even the lips of the Incarnate WORD Himself;--apart from this, a very important Historical circumstance calls for notice in this place. How did Christianity originate? how did it first establish a footing in the world? "The answer is, By the preaching of living men, who said they were commissioned by GOD to proclaim it. _That_ was the origin and first establishment of Christianity. There is indeed a vague and unreasoning notion prevalent that Christianity was _taken from the New Testament_. The notion is historically untrue. Christianity was widely extended through the civilized world before the New Testament was written; and its several books were successively addressed to various bodies of Christian believers; to bodies, that is, who already possessed the faith of CHRIST in its integrity. When, indeed, GOD ceased to inspire persons to write these books, and when they were all collected together into what we call the New Testament, the existing Faith of the Church, derived from oral teaching, was tested by comparison with this Inspired Record. And it henceforth became the standing law of the Church that nothing should be received as necessary to Salvation, which could not stand that test. But still, though thus tested, (every article being proved by the New Testament,) Christianity is not taken from it; _for it existed before it_.