as applied to the Supreme; it is to remit us to an act of absolute faith, by which, with no greater effort, nor so great, we may be reconciled to similar mysteries of the Bible.  But above all is it to do this, to say that the origin and permission of physical and moral evil are inexplicable; and it is to double this demand on faith, to declare that it was all necessary, and could not be evaded in the construction of the universe even by infinite power, directed by infinite wisdom, and both animated by an infinite benevolence!  As far as I can trust my reason at all, nothing seems more improbable; and if I receive it by a transcendent exercise of faith, I may, as before, give the Bible the benefit of a like act.  I am compelled, therefore, on such principles, either to adopt a Manichaean hypothesis of the universe, or do what I have done,—­adopt none at all.

I was talking to a friend on these subjects the other day:  “Ah! but,” said he, “many of those difficulties you mention oppress every hypothesis,—­Christianity just as much as the rest.”

This, I replied, is no answer to me nor to you, if you have a particle of candor; still less is it one to the Christian, who consistently applies the same principle of absolute faith to things apparently a priori incredible, whether found in the works or in the word of God.  But if you think the argument of any force, apply it to the next Christian you meet, and see what answer he will make to you; it will not trouble him.  But it is far more ridiculous addressed to me.  I ask for something in the place of that Bible of which the faithful application of your own principles deprives me; and when I affirm that the difficulties of the universe are no less than those of the Bible I have surrendered, you tell me that the perplexities of my new position are no greater than those of the old!  That clearly will not do.  I must go further.  If I am to yield to pretensions of any kind, I would infinitely prefer the yoke of the Bible to that of Messrs. Parker and Newman; for it is to nothing else than their dogmatism I must yield, if I admit that the difficulties which compel me to doubt in the one case are less than those which compel me to doubt in the other.

But it is not even true that the difficulties in question are left where they were by the adoption of any such theory as that of either Mr. Parker or Mr. Newman.  I contend that they are all indefinitely increased.  The Bible does at least give me a plausible account of some of the mysteries which baffle me:  it tells me that man was created holy and happy; that he has fallen from his “excellent estate”; and hence the misery, ignorance, and guilt in which he is involved, and which have rendered revelation necessary.