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it, it is necessary to assume that God, if He exists at all, is im- 
personal, and devoid of freedom; for it requires no demon- 
stration that if a personal God exists, miracles are not ab- 
stractedly impossible. The assertion of the absence of 
personality and will in the universe is a pure dogma, 
ending in pantheism ; for the truth of which reason supplies 
no proof. If the issue be raised as a matter of fact, whether 
a miracle has ever been performed, this is a question which is 
purely historical. 
I now select one from theology, the a priori dogma of 
verbal or mechanical inspiration, as the only view of inspiration 
consistent with the truth of revelation. It is on the assump- 
tion of its truth alone, that the ordinary objections alleged by 
scientific men against revelation have any potency. When 
scientific men attack revelation, it is not too much to assume 
that they derive their ideas of what inspiration must have 
been, from the assertions of theologians. 
The arriving at some definite conclusions respecting this 
question, and the establishment of a rational mode of Scrip- 
tural interpretation, are a necessary preliminary to a good 
understanding between science and theology, as well as a 
condition of the existence of a scientific theology. 
On what does the dogma of verbal or mechanical inspiration 
and its kindred theories rest? I answer, not on inductive 
inquiries into the facts and phenomena of Scripture, but on 
certain a priori principles. * All those with which I am ac- 
quainted have been shown by Bishop Butler to be utterly 
groundless, when tested by the phenomena and facts of 
creation ; and if we were to erect a universe in conformity with 
them, we should produce one very different from that of which 
God is the author. He long ago saw the utter untenableness 
of this theory on a priori grounds. I am quite satisfied to ex- 
plain my views in his own language, and again to shelter 
myself behind his authority. The passage is too long for me 
to quote in its entirety. It is in part ii., chap, iii., of his 
Analogy, and I earnestly commend the whole text and context 
to your consideration. 
“ Those observations,” says he, “ relating to the whole of 
Christianity, are applicable to inspiration in particular. As 
we are in no sort judges beforehand, by what laws or rules, in 
what degree, or by what means it were to be expected that God 
would naturally instruct us ; so on the supposition of His afford- 
ing us light and instruction and revelation, additional to that 
which He has afforded us by reason and experience, we are in 
no sort judges by what methods or in what proportion it 
were to be expected that this supernatural light and instruc- 
