mbodied, we must discover for ourselves
in each age. It is the norm of our life with God; but it is not a
standard fixing our scientific views, our theological opinions, our
ecclesiastical polity, our economic or political theories. It shows
forth the spirit we should manifest towards God and towards one another
as individuals, and families, and nations; "and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty."

This brings us to the question of the _authority_ of the Bible. There
are two views of its authority; one that it contains mysteries beyond
our reason, which are revealed to us, and guaranteed to us as true,
either by marvellous signs such as miracles and fulfilled prophecies, or
by the infallible pronouncement of the official Church; the other is
that the Bible is the revelation of self-evidencing truth. The test of a
revelation is simply that it reveals. The evidence of daylight lies in
the fact that it enables us to see, and as we live in the light we are
more and more assured that we really do see. Advocates of the former
position say: "If anything is in the Bible, it must not be questioned;
it must simply be accepted and obeyed." Advocates of the latter view
say: "If it is in the Bible, it has been tried and found valuable by a
great many people; question it as searchingly as you can, and try it for
yourself, and see whether it proves itself true or not."

These two views came into collision in the struggle for a larger faith
which we call the Reformation. Augustine had stated the position which
became traditional when he wrote, "I would not believe in the Gospel
without the authority of the Church." But Luther insisted on the
contrary: "Thou must not place thy decision on the Pope, or any other;
thou must thyself be so skilful that thou can'st say, 'God says this,
not that.' Thou must bring conscience into play, that thou may'st boldly
and defiantly say, 'That is God's word; on that will I risk body and
life, and a hundred thousand necks if I had them.' Therefore no one
shall turn me from the word which God teaches me, and that must I know
as certainly as that two and three make five, that an ell is longer than
a half. That is certain, and though all the world speak to the contrary,
still I know that it is not otherwise. Who decides me there? No man, but
only _the Truth_ which is so perfectly certain that nobody can deny it."
And Calvin took the same ground: "As to their question, How are we to
know that t