If it were not that the reader of Man and his Dwelling-Place is likely, after the shock of the first grand theory, that Man is dead and the Universe living, to receive with comparative coolness any further views set out in the book, however strange, I should say that probably, the third Book, ‘Of Religion,’ would startle him more than anything else in the work.  Although this Book stands third in the volume, it is first both in importance and in chronology.  For the author tells us that his views Of Religion are not deduced from the theoretical conceptions already stated, but have been drawn immediately from the study of Scripture, and that from them the philosophical ideas are mainly derived.  And indeed it is perfectly marvellous what doctrines men will find in Scripture, or deduce from Scripture.  Is there not something curious in the capacity of the human mind, while glancing along the sacred volume, to find upon its pages both what suits its prevailing mood and its firm conviction at the time?  You feel buoyant and cheerful:  you open your Bible and read it; what a cheerful, hopeful book it is!  You are depressed and anxious:  you open your Bible; surely it was written for people in your present frame of mind!  It is wonderful to what a degree the Psalms especially suit the mood and temper of all kinds of readers in every conceivable position.  I can imagine the poor suicide, stealing towards the peaceful river, and musing on a verse of a psalm.  I can imagine the joyful man, on the morning of a marriage day which no malignant relatives have embittered, finding a verse which will seem like the echo of his cheerful temper.  And passing from feeling to understanding, it is remarkable how, when a man is possessed with any strong belief, he will find, as he reads the Bible, not only many things which appear to him expressly to confirm his view, but something in the entire tenor of what he reads that appears to harmonize with it.  I doubt not the author of Man and his Dwelling-Place can hardly open the Bible at random without chancing upon some passage which he regards as confirmatory of his opinions.  I am quite sure that to ordinary men his opinions will appear flally to conflict with the Bible’s fundamental teaching.  It has already been indicated in this essay in what sense the statements of the New Testament to the following effect are to be understood:—­

The writers of the New Testament declare man to be dead.  They speak of men as not having life, and tell of a life to be given them.  If, therefore, our thoughts were truly conformed to the New Testament, how could it seem a strange thing to us that this state of man should be found a state of death; how should its very words, reaffirmed by science, excite our surprise?  Would it not have appeared to us a natural result of the study of nature to prove man dead?  Might we not, if we had truly accepted the words of Scripture, have anticipated that it should be so?  For, if man be rightly called dead, should