367。Andletusaskandanswer：John’stalk，itmustbeunderstood，iswithfuturepeople，notwiththeattendants。
368。Mybookspeakson：thatis，topeopleofallfutures，becauseitcannotpassaway。
371。Whattruth，etc。：thatis，truthissoonperverted，obscured，andoftenturnedintopositiveuntruth。
372。Wonders，thatwouldprovedoctrine：thatis，whosepurposewastoprove。
385。Comestobeconsideredassomethingoutsideof，anddistinctfrom，himself——”Nay，donotgivemewine，forIamstrong，ButplacemygospelwhereIputmyhands。”Isaythatmanwasmadetogrow，notstop；
Thathelp，heneededonce，andneedsnomore，[425]
Havinggrownbutaninchby，iswithdrawn：
Forhehathnewneeds，andnewhelpstothese。
Thisimportssolely，manshouldmountoneachNewheightinview；thehelpwherebyhemounts，Theladder-runghisfoothasleft，mayfall，[430]
SinceallthingssufferchangesaveGodtheTruth。
ManapprehendsHimnewlyateachstageWhereatearth’sladderdrops，itsservicedone；
Andnothingshallprovetwicewhatoncewasproved。
Youstickagarden-plotwithorderedtwigs[435]
Toshowinsideliegermsofherbsunborn，Andcheckthecarelessstepwouldspoiltheirbirth；
Butwhenherbswave，theguardiantwigsmaygo，Sinceshouldyedoubtofvirtues，questionkinds，Itisnolongerforoldtwigsyelook，[440]
Whichprovedonceunderneathlaystoreofseed，Buttotheherb’sself，bywhatlightyeboast，Forwhatfruit’ssignsare。Thisbook’sfruitisplain，Normiraclesneedproveitanymore。
Doththefruitshow?Thenmiraclesbade’ware[445]
Atfirstofrootandstem，savedbothtillnowFromtramplingox，roughboar，andwantongoat。
What?Wasmanmadeawheelworktowindup，Andbedischarged，andstraightwoundupanew?
No！——grown，hisgrowthlasts；taught，hene’erforgets：[450]
Maylearnathousandthings，nottwicethesame。
Thismightbepaganteaching：nowhearmine——
424。HereJohn’sanswerbeginstothequestioningandreasoningcontainedinvv。370-421。
Invv。424-434，iscontainedafavoriteteachingofBrowning。
Itappearsinvariousformsthroughouthispoetry。Seethequotationfrom`Luria’，p。38。
428。Thisimportssolely：thisistheoneallimportantthing。
428-430。Asimilarcomparisonisusedin`JuliusCaesar’，A。II。，S。I。，22-27：……”lowlinessisyoungambition’sladder，Wheretotheclimber-upwardturnshisface；
Butwhenheonceattainstheupmostround，Hethenuntotheladderturnshisback，Looksintheclouds，scorningthebasedegreesBywhichhedidascend。”
452。Thismightbepaganteaching：thatis，evenpaganteachingmightgosofarasthis——”Isay，thatasthebabe，youfeedawhile，Becomesaboyandfittofeedhimself，So，mindsatfirstmustbespoon-fedwithtruth：[455]
Whentheycaneat，babe’snurtureiswithdrawn。
Ifedthebabewhetheritwouldorno：
Ibidtheboyorfeedhimselforstarve。
Icriedonce，`ThatyemaybelieveinChrist，Beholdthisblindmanshallreceivehissight！’[460]
Icrynow，`Urgestthou，FORIAMSHREWD，ANDSMILEATSTORIESHOWJOHN’SWORDCOULDCURE——
REPEATTHATMIRACLEANDTAKEMYFAITH?’
Isay，thatmiraclewasdulywroughtWhen，saveforit，nofaithwaspossible。[465]
Whetherachangewerewroughti’theshowso’theworld，WhetherthechangecamefromourmindswhichseeOfshowso’theworldsomuchasandnomoreThanGodwillsforHispurpose，——(whatdoI
Seenow，supposeyou，therewhereyouseerock[470]
Roundus?)——Iknownot；suchwastheeffect，Sofaithgrew，makingvoidmoremiraclesBecausetoomuch：theywouldcompel，nothelp。
Isay，theacknowledgmentofGodinChristAcceptedbythyreason，solvesforthee[475]
Allquestionsintheearthandoutofit，Andhassofaradvancedtheetobewise。
Wouldstthouunprovethistore-provetheproved?
Inlife’smereminute，withpowertousethatproof，Leaveknowledgeandreverttohowitsprung?[480]
Thouhastit；useitandforthwith，ordie！——
472。Sofaithgrew，makingvoidmoremiracles：theoutwardmanifestationsofspiritualpowers(du/namis，`power’，`actofpower’，andshmei^on，`sign’，`token’，aretheoriginalwordsintheN。T。，whicharetranslated`miracle’)gaveplacetosubjectiveproof。
Christianitywasendorsedbyman’sownsoul。Tothismaybeadded，thateventhehistoricalbulwarksofChristianitymay，erelong，bedispensedwith。
474-481。TheseversesmaybetakenaspresentingBrowning’sownconclusionastothewholedutyofman，inaspiritualdirection。
Andseethequotationfrom`ChristmasEve’andtheremarkswhichfollow，onpp。63and64。{Inetext，ChapterII，Section3ofIntroduction。}——”ForIsay，thisisdeathandthesoledeath，Whenaman’slosscomestohimfromhisgain，Darknessfromlight，fromknowledgeignorance，Andlackoflovefromlovemademanifest；[485]
Alamp’sdeathwhen，repletewithoil，itchokes；
Astomach’swhen，surchargedwithfood，itstarves。
Withignorancewassuretyofacure。
Whenman，appalledatnature，questionedfirst`Whatiftherelurkamightbehindthismight?’[490]
HeneededsatisfactionGodcouldgive，Anddidgive，asyehavethewrittenword：
Butwhenhefindsmightstillredoublemight，Yetasks，`Sinceallismight，whatuseofwill?’——
Will，theonesourceofmight，——hebeingman[495]
Withaman’swillandaman’smight，toteachInlittlehowthetwocombineinlarge，——
Thatmanhasturnedroundonhimselfandstands，Whichinthecourseofnatureis，todie。”Andwhenmanquestioned，`Whatiftherebelove[500]
Behindthewillandmight，asrealasthey?’——
HeneededsatisfactionGodcouldgive，Anddidgive，asyehavethewrittenword：
Butwhen，beholdingthatloveeverywhere，Hereasons，`Sincesuchloveiseverywhere，[505]
Andsinceourselvescanloveandwouldbeloved，Weourselvesmakethelove，andChristwasnot’，——
Howshallyehelpthismanwhoknowshimself，Thathemustloveandwouldbelovedagain，Yet，owninghisownlovethatprovethChrist，[510]
RejectethChristthroughveryneedofHim?
Thelampo’erswimswithoil，thestomachflagsLoadedwithnurture，andthatman’ssouldies。”Ifherejoin，`ButthiswasallthewhileAtrick；thefaultwas，firstofall，inthee，[515]
Thystoryoftheplaces，namesanddates，Where，when，andhowtheultimatetruthhadrise，——Thypriortruth，atlastdiscoverednone，Whencenowthesecondsuffersdetriment。
Whatgoodofgivingknowledgeif，because[520]
O’themannerofthegift，itsprofitfail?
AndwhyrefusewhatmodicumofhelpHadstoppedtheafter-doubt，impossibleI’thefaceoftruth——truthabsolute，uniform?
WhymustIhitofthisandmissofthat，[525]
DistinguishjustasIbeweakorstrong，Andnotaskoftheeandhaveanswerprompt，Wasthisonce，wasitnotonce?——thenandnowAndevermore，plaintruthfrommantoman。
IsJohn’sprocedurejusttheheathenbard’s?[530]
PutquestionofhisfamousplayagainHowfortheephemerals’sake，Jove’sfirewasfilched，Andcarriedinacaneandbroughttoearth：
THEFACTISINTHEFABLE，crythewise，MORTALSOBTAINEDTHEBOON，SOMUCHISFACT，[535]
THOUGHFIREBESPIRITANDPRODUCEDONEARTH。
AswiththeTitan’s，sonowwiththytale：
Whybreedinusperplexity，mistake，Nortellthewholetruthintheproperwords?’——
514-539。JohnanticipatesanotherobjectionthatwillbemadetohisGospel，namely，thatsomanythingsthereinarenotclearedup，thatthewholetruthisnottoldintheproperwords，thescepticclaimingthateverythingshouldhavebeensoproved”ThattheprobationbearnohingenorloopTohangadoubton”；
thatallafter-doubt，impossibleinthefaceoftruth——truthabsolute，uniform，mighthavebeenstopped。
523。Hadstopped：wouldhavestopped。
530。theheathenbard’s：Aeschylus’。
531。famousplay：`PrometheusBound’。
532。ephemerals’：mortals’。
537。Titan’s：Prometheus’——”Ianswer，Haveyenottoargueout[540]
Theveryprimalthesis，plainestlaw，——ManisnotGodbuthathGod’sendtoserve，Amastertoobey，acoursetotake，Somewhattocastoff，somewhattobecome?
Grantthis，thenmanmustpassfromoldtonew，[545]
Fromvaintoreal，frommistaketofact，Fromwhatonceseemedgood，towhatnowprovesbest。
Howcouldmanhaveprogressionotherwise?
Beforethepointwasmooted`WhatisGod?’
Nosavagemaninquired`Whatismyself?’[550]
Muchlessreplied，`First，last，andbestofthings。’
MantakesthattitlenowifhebelievesMightcanexistwithneitherwillnorlove，InGod’scase——whathenamesnowNature’sLaw——
Whileinhimselfherecognizeslove[555]
Nolessthanmightandwill：andrightlytakes。
SinceifmanprovethesoleexistentthingWherethesecombine，whatevertheirdegree，Howeverweakthemightorwillorlove，Sotheybefoundthere，putinevidence，——[560]
HeisassurelyhigherinthescaleThananymightwithneitherlovenorwill，Aslife，apparentinthepoorestmidge(Whenthefaintdust-speckflits，yeguessitswing)，IsmarvellousbeyonddeadAtlas’self——[565]
Giventothenoblermidgeforresting-place！
Thus，manprovesbestandhighest——God，infine，Andthusthevictoryleadsbuttodefeat，Thegaintoloss，bestrisetotheworstfall，Hislifebecomesimpossible，whichisdeath。[570]
