rity of Jerome, contributed to fix in
their ever since undisturbed harmony and majesty, the canons of Mosaic
and Apostolic Scripture. All that the young reader need know is, that
when Jerome died at Bethlehem, this great deed was virtually
accomplished: and the series of historic and didactic books which form
our present Bible, (including the Apocrypha) were established in and
above the nascent thought of the noblest races of men living on the
terrestrial globe, as a direct message to them from its Maker,
containing whatever it was necessary for them to learn of His purposes
towards them, and commanding, or advising, with divine authority and
infallible wisdom, all that was best for them to do, and happiest to
desire.

41. And it is only for those who have obeyed the law sincerely,
to say how far the hope held out to them by the law-giver has been
fulfilled. The worst "children of disobedience" are those who accept,
of the Word, what they like, and refuse what they hate: nor is this
perversity in them always conscious, for the greater part of the sins
of the Church have been brought on it by enthusiasm which, in
passionate contemplation and advocacy of parts of the Scripture easily
grasped, neglected the study, and at last betrayed the balance, of the
rest. What forms and methods of self-will are concerned in the
wresting of the Scriptures to a man's destruction, is for the keepers
of consciences to examine, not for us. The history we have to learn
must be wholly cleared of such debate, and the influence of the Bible
watched exclusively on the persons who receive the Word with joy, and
obey it in truth.

42. There has, however, been always a farther difficulty in examining
the power of the Bible, than that of distinguishing honest from
dishonest readers. The hold of Christianity on the souls of men must
be examined, when we come to close dealing with it, under these three
several heads: there is first, the power of the Cross itself, and of
the theory of salvation, upon the heart,--then, the operation of the
Jewish and Greek Scriptures on the intellect,--then, the influence on
morals of the teaching and example of the living hierarchy. And in the
comparison of men as they are and as they might have been, there are
these three questions to be separately kept in mind,--first, what
would have been the temper of Europe without the charity and labour
meant by 'bearing the cross'; then, secondly, what would the intellect
of