Just so it is with _Sacred Scripture_. Some people speak of that sacred Book as if it consisted of several detached fragments, accidently preserved and indiscriminately grouped; whereas those who know it best and study it most, see in it a perfect and harmonious revelation of a perfect and harmonious salvation. No one denies for one moment that it was written by many authors, and that the fragments, as they are called, were written at intervals, extending on the whole over more than 1500 years. No one denies that in the several writings you discern the several minds and characters of the several writers. No one denies that the historical accuracy of one man, the poetic genius of another, the affectionate pastoral earnestness of a third, and the argumentative faculty of a fourth, are all employed, and all appear with undisguised individuality. But our point is that there is no appearance of accident or confusion, but that all these various authors have been employed to bring out one perfect whole; that the historian, the poet, the biographer, the letter writer, and the logician, have all their exact place, and have all, by God’s inspiration, exactly filled it. What some men regard as a difficulty we regard as the wonder of the Book. We see many rays in the spectrum, but all are blended so as to give one perfect light, and when we think on the beautiful and perfect proportions of the whole, we are prepared to exclaim, with Dryden, “Whence, but from heaven, could man unskilled in arts, In several ages born, in several parts Weave such agreeing truths?” Now if all this be true it must follow that our great object must be not merely to preach a selection, however well made, of detached truths, but to declare the whole counsel of God, and so to declare it that the proportions of God’s revelation may be preserved. It is not enough that we exhibit certain of God’s attributes,—His righteousness, _e.g._, without His mercy, or His mercy without His love; or one side of our Lord’s nature and character,—His Godhead, _e.g._, without His manhood, or His manhood without His Godhead. Nor is it enough that we teach certain portions of the plan of life,—as atonement without repentance, or repentance without atonement. Our great desire must be, as faithful stewards, to declare the whole: not to select any favourite colours in the spectrum, but to exhibit without partiality the perfect light of the truth of God.