It is almost treason, in truth, to the Majesty of Heaven to discuss the Bible on the low ground which I have been hitherto forced to occupy. It is quite monstrous, in the first University of the most favoured of Christian lands, that a man should be compelled thus to lift up his voice in defence of the very Inspiration of GOD'S Word. O that Divine narrative, which is for ever rending aside the veil, and disclosing to us the counsels of the presence-chamber of the ALMIGHTY!--O those human characters, beset with all the infirmities of our fallen nature,--whose words and actions yet are shadows of things heavenly and eternal!--O that majestic retinue of types which, from the very birthday of recorded Time, heralded the approach of the King of Glory!--O that scarlet thread which runs through all the seemingly tangled web of Scripture, to terminate only in the cross of CHRIST!--How do the features of the Gospel struggle into sight through the veil of the Law! How do the holy and humble men of heart ever and anon break out into speech, as it were, before the time;--as if they felt the burden of silence too great to be endured!... Whence is it that we dare to handle the pages of GOD'S Book as if they were a common thing,--doubting, questioning, cavilling, disbelieving, denying? Why choose for ourselves the soldiers' part, who buffeted, reviled, smote, spat upon Him?... O my friends, far, far be all this from you and from me! Never imagine, because this day we have thus spoken, that such discussions are congenial to us; or that we deem them the proper theme for addresses from the pulpit; although the coincidence of this day's Collect seems, for once, to lend a kind of sanction to our present endeavours. Look through the whole range of patristic homilies, and you will not find _one_ of the kind, with which, unhappily, our ears are grown so familiar in this place,--ingenious attempts to evacuate Holy Writ of its fulness, on the one hand;--or apologies of some sort for its Divinity and Inspiration, on the other. You will take, if you are wise, far, far higher ground, in your private study of its pages; remembering that "the most generous faith is invariably the truest;"--nor ever stoop so low as _we_ have been this day doing. Waste not thy precious time in cavil about the structure of the casket which contains thy treasure; but unlock it once with the Key of Faith, and make thyself rich indeed.--Already,--(as we were last week reminded),--already the Judge standeth at the door; and assuredly, thou and I, (to whom GOD hath entrusted so much!) shall have to render a very strict account of the use we have made of the Bible,--when we shall stand face to face with its undoubted Author. The season of the year reminds us, as with a trumpet, of that tremendous hour when the veil will be withdrawn from our eyes,--and the office of Faith will be ended,--and we shall be confronted with One who hath "a vesture dipped