is truly infallible? And
next, whether the man may infallibly regard his worthy Parson A. as
an infallible expounder of the infallibility. But, supposing this
stupendous difficulty surmounted, though then, it is true, all may seem
genuine faith, in reality there is none: where absolute infallibility
is supposed to have been attained (even though erroneously), faith, in
strict propriety--certainly that faith which is alone of any value as an
instrument of man's moral training--which recognises and intelligently
struggles with objections and difficulties--is impossible. Men may be
said, in such case, to know, but can hardly be said to believe. Before
Columbus had seen America, he believed in its existence; but when he
had seen it, his faith became knowledge. Equally impossible, and for the
same reason, is any place for faith on the opposite hypothesis; for if
man is to believe nothing but what his reason can comprehend, and to act
only upon evidence which amounts to certainly, the same paradox is true;
for when there is no reason to doubt, there can be none to believe.
Faith ever stands between conflicting probabilities; but her position
is (if we may use the metaphor) the centre of gravity between them, and
will be proportionally nearer the greater mass.
____

* See Archbishop Whately's admirable discourse, entitled 'The Search
after Infallibility, considered in reference to the Danger of Religious
Errors arising within the Church, in the primitive as well as in all
later Ages.' He here makes excellent use of the fruitful principle of
Butler's great work, by showing that, however desirable, a priori, an
infallible guide would seem to fallible man, God in fact has every where
denied it; and that, in denying it in relation to religion, he has acted
only as he always acts.
____

In the mean time, that arduous responsibility which attaches to man, and
which is obviated neither by an implicit faith in a human infallibility,
nor an exclusive reference of that faith to cases in which reason is
synonymous with demonstration, that is, to cases which leave no room
for it, is at once relieved, and effectually relieved, by the maxim--the
key-stone of all ethical truth--that only voluntary error condemns
us;--that all we are really responsible for, is a faithful, honest,
patient, investigation and weighing of evidence, as far as our abilities
and opportunities admit, and a conscientious pursuit of what we
honestly deem truth, wher