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I. SHOWN BY THE PAST GROWTH. In every century this Book has been assailed by critics of various kinds. The various forms of criticism have often helped men and have helped the Church to a better understanding of their own book. But the critics have gone while the books are here. May we not say of the Bible what was said about the Church to the King of France, when Henry

IV. threatened to persecute the French Protestants? "Sire, it is the part of the Church, on whose behalf I speak, to endure blows and not to give them; but let me remind your majesty that the Church is an anvil that has worn out a great many hammers." May we not say of the Bible that it is an anvil that has worn out a great many hammers? and I venture to think it will wear out a great many more.

II. SHOWS BY THE FUTURE GROWTH. There is nothing in the Bible provincial in tone, merely local in character, and restrictive in its application. There is a Divine system in the Book, just as there is in nature. If you wander through the woods when the wild flowers are out, it seems as if they were growing at random, in no order; yet botanists will tell you that there is among them a Divine order in the class and genera of these flowers that seem so wild. And when you look up to the sky on some starlight night it seems as if there were but points of light scattered at random over the face of the sky, and yet we know that there is such Divine order in the starry firmament that you can predict the times of planets and follow the course of nature with the utmost accuracy. And so there is in this Book a Divine system, but very different from our mechanical system, which men very soon outgrow. We know very well that, though men change and times alter, it will always be true that the pure in heart shall see God: it will always be true that self-sacrifice is a nobler thing than self-indulgence, whether a man lives under a republic or under a limited monarchy; it will always be true that integrity and uprightness are nobler than selfish meanness and trickery. The very qualities upon which this Book lays stress are fundamental to the noblest human nature, and cannot be affected by any change of time which the centuries may bring.

III. SHOWN BY THE UNALTERABLE FACT. The main fact in this Book is one which time cannot alter; it is the great fact of the life and character of Him who is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His Person.

IV. SHOWN BY THE UNCHANGING NEED. The tragic quality of life, the burden of weary hearts, the trials of the way — all these continue. Manhood is ennobled by the old virtues, stained with the old sin and burdened with the old sorrows, and so long as that is true they will want some one on whom to loan the weary, burdened heart — some one who can say to them, "Son, daughter, be of good cheer; thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven."

(John Brown, D. D.)

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KJV: Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

WEB: I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.