The crowd begins to approach; and the two blind men implore the Son of David to have pity on them. So importunate is their suit, that the foremost of the passers-by rebuke them. The men grow more urgent. Our SAVIOUR pauses, and orders that they shall be called. At this gracious summons, both draw near; the more remarkable applicant flinging his outer garment from him as he rises from his seat; but both, when they appear in our SAVIOUR'S presence, making the same request. The Holy One, touched with compassion, laid His Hands upon their eyes, and grants their prayer: whereupon they both follow Him in the way. Well, (you will ask,)--what then?--"What then?" I answer. _Then_ there is no difficulty in the three accounts about which you spoke so unbecomingly a moment ago. Assume this plain, and not at all improbable version of the incident, to be true, and you will find that no difficulty remains whatever. Every recorded circumstance is accounted for, and fits in exactly with it. I wish there were time to enlarge on some of the details, and to make some remarks on the manner of the Evangelists in relating events: but there _is_ no time. Besides,--without a huge copy of the Gospel open before us all, I could not hope to make my meaning understood. For of course you are to believe that he who would understand the Gospel must first _study_ it. You must ascertain, by some crucial test, confirmed by a large and careful induction, what the character of a narrative purporting to be inspired, _is_. You have no right first to assume exactly _what_ Inspiration shall result in, and then to deny that there is Inspiration because you fail to discover your assumed result[367]. That were foolish. I shall perhaps be thought to lay myself open to the rejoinder,--"Neither have _you_ any right to assume that Inspiration will result in Infallibility." But the retort is without real point. I do but assert that, just as every man of honour claims to be believed until he has been convicted of a falsehood,--inspired Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles have a right to our entire confidence in the scrupulous accuracy of every word they deliver, until it can be _shewn_ that they have once made a mistake.