It is sometimes argued,--You have let in more than the thin end of the wedge. You admit that 'it is the province of reason to judge of the morality of the Scripture[147].' You profess no antagonism to historical and literary criticism. Under the criticism of reason, Fetichism has given way to Polytheism, Polytheism to Monotheism, even Monotheism has become progressively less anthropomorphic. Why object to the last step in the process, and cling to the belief in a Personal God? Simply because it would make the difference between a religion purified and a religion destroyed. The difference between the 30,000 gods of Hesiod, and the One God of Christianity, is a measurable difference: the difference between a Personal God and an impersonal reason is, so far as religion is concerned, infinite. For the transition from Monotheism to Pantheism is made only by the surrender of religion, though the term 'theism' may be used to blur the line of separation, and make the transition easy. Religion has, before all things, to guard the heritage of truth, the moral revelation of God in Christ, to 'contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints,' and to trust to the promised guidance of the Spirit of Truth. And reason interprets religion to itself, and by interpreting verifies and confirms. Religion therefore claims as its own the new light which metaphysics and science are in our day throwing upon the truth of the immanence of God: it protests only against those imperfect, because premature, syntheses, which in the interests of abstract speculation, would destroy religion. It dares to maintain that 'the Fountain of wisdom and religion alike is God: and if these two streams shall turn aside from Him, both must assuredly run dry.' For human nature craves to be both religious and rational. And the life which is not both is neither. [59] Fiske, _Idea of God_, p. 139, quoting H. Spencer. [60] S. Clem. Alex. _Strom._ I. v. [61] Cf. Herbert Spencer, _First Principles_, Pt. I. [62] See this criticism excellently stated in Caird's _Phil. of Religion_, pp. 32, etc. [63] _Natural Religion_, iii. p. 45, quoted by Martineau. [64] Ibid., iv. p. 74. [65] Frederic Harrison's _New Year's Address_, 1884. [66] _A Study of Religion_, vol. i. pp. 11, 12. [67] Ibid., p. 15. [68] _Old Faith and New_, § 41. [69] 'Hoc vinculo pietatis obstricti Deo et religati sumus, unde ipsa religio nomen accepit, non ut Cicero interpretatus est, a relegendo,' Lact. _Inst._ iv. 28. [70] _De verâ religione_, sub fin. [71] _Sum. Theol._ 2. 2. 81. Art. 1. [72] _Idea of God_, p. 117. [73] See Seth's _Hegelianism and Personality_, pp. 223, 224, one or two sentences from which are, almost verbatim, transferred to the text. [74] Justin Martyr (_Exhort. ad Graec._, ch. xxxiv) explains the anthropomorphisms of polytheism as an inversion of the truth that man is in the image of God. [75] Hume, _Essays_, II. 425. [76] H. Spencer, _Eccl. Inst._, p. 1.