Our Lord and His Apostles regarded them as historical §2.-THE SURPASSING IMPORTANCE OF THESE CHAPTERS They are of unrivalled antiquity-They tell us of the Origin of the World-Of the Entrance of Evil into the World-They explain the contradictions we see in Man -They show the true basis of Physical Science, and the credibility of a Divine Incarnation-They detect the essence of all successful Temptation-They convey remarkable facts in History, the institution of Marriage and the Sabbath, the Deluge, the confusion of tongues, the apportioning of the earth to the nations, the institu- tion of Sacrifices-They contain the germ of all Pro- phecy, the promise of the Seed of the Woman, and the INTRODUCTION. OBJECT AND PLAN OF THE PRESENT TREATISE. THE assertion, not unfrequently made, that the discoveries of Science are opposed to the declarations of Holy Scripture, is as mischievous as it is false, as it tends both to call in question the Inspiration of the Sacred Volume and to throw discredit upon scientific pursuits. Many who are predisposed to reject such a conclusion, from a general conviction that the Scriptures are the Word of God, are nevertheless at a loss for arguments to repel the charge. It is the object of the following pages to furnish such persons with a reply, in a concise and portable form. There are others also whose case it is here designed to meet— those who receive the Christian revelation, but, under the influence of supposed difficulties brought to light by scientific discovery, are tempted to abandon the earlier portion of the Sacred Volume as not inspired. It is possible that the unbeliever may find something in these pages to soften his prejudices: but his case is not here specially contemplated. B 41 In the First Chapter I bring the experience of the past to bear upon the subject, by showing how many examples history supplies in which from time to time Scripture and Science have appeared to be in irreconcilable conflict, in every one of which further light has cleared up all difficulty. From this I argue, that it is in the highest degree unphilosophical, whenever new difficulties arise in these days of discovery, to allow ourselves to conceive that these also will not be cleared up as light and knowledge advance. The experience of the past should encourage us fearlessly to carry our investigations into the phenomena of nature, fully persuaded that no real discrepancy can ever be in the end established. The above may be regarded as a negative argument. In the Second Chapter I enter upon an examination of the character and contents of the earlier portion of the Book of Genesis; as it is in this part of the Sacred Volume that the seeds of strife between Scripture and Science are supposed chiefly to lie. By a demonstration of the historical character, plenary inspiration, and important bearing of these early Chapters in various eminent particulars, I establish a positive argument, and show that it is impossible that Scripture, proceeding as it does from Divine Inspiration and manifesting such superhuman wisdom and pre-knowledge, can, when rightly interpreted, be at variance with the works of the Divine Hand. And that therefore, if difficulties remain at any time not cleared up, they must arise from our ignorance, or from hasty interpretation either of the phenomena before us or of the language of the sacred record. The results of this investigation are then summed up, and the conclusion drawn that no new discoveries, however startling they may appear at first, need disturb our belief in the Plenary Inspiration of the Sacred Volume, or damp our ardour in the pursuit of Science. B 2 |