al evidences of Christianity have already been considered to
some extent in connection with those that are outward and historical, it
is desirable in the present closing chapter to offer some suggestions
pertaining to the internal character of the Bible as a whole, and also
to the testimony of Christian experience, individual and general.

2. To every unperverted mind the Bible commends itself at once as the
word of God by the wonderful view which it gives of his character and
providence. It exhibits one personal God who made and governs the world,
without the least trace of polytheism on the one hand, or pantheism on
the other--the two rocks of error upon which every other system of
religion in the world has made shipwreck. And this great Spirit,
"infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power,
holiness, justice, goodness, and truth," is not removed to a distance
from us, but is ever nigh to each one of his creatures. He is our Father
in heaven, who cares for us and can hear and answer our prayers. His
providence extends to all things, great and small. He directs alike the
sparrow's flight, and the rise and fall of empires. To the perfect view
of God's character and government which the pages of the Bible unfold,
no man can add anything, and whoever takes any thing away only mars and
mutilates it. How now shall we explain the great fact that the Hebrew
people, some thousands of years ago, had this true knowledge of God and
his providence, while it was hidden from all other nations? The Bible
gives the only reasonable answer: God himself revealed it to them.

The superficial view which accounts for the pure monotheism of
the Hebrews from their peculiar national character, is
sufficiently refuted by their history. Notwithstanding the
severe penalties with which the Mosaic code of laws visited
idolatrous practices in every form, the people were perpetually
relapsing into the idolatry of the surrounding nations, and
could be cured of this propensity only by the oft-repeated
judgments of their covenant God.

3. Next we have the wonderful code of morals contained in the Bible. Of
its perfection, we in Christian lands have but a dim apprehension,
because it is the only system of morals with which we are familiar; but
the moment we compare it with any code outside of Christendom, its
supreme excellence at once appears.

It is a _spiritual_ code, made for the heart. It propose