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the lesson of his own imperfect knowledge, | ledged difficulties begins to be suggested to and, especially, the lesson that God's ways leading minds. But it is not prudent-it is are not as man's ways, and God's thoughts not discreet-either to attempt to thrust the not as man's thoughts. In this spirit let solution on the general mind of the age, him question the manifold works of God which, in the knowledge of such matters, is vigorously as he may. Let him break up always a generation behind; or to assert the rocks, and, led by reason into regions positively, that the solution offered, especialwhither imagination fears to follow, let him ly if there are theological points involved, listen to the story of the giant ages, as he must be the true one, because it harmonizes has ears to hear it; let him search into those with the advancement of science. All that new worlds of polype and insect life, opened can be claimed for it is, the acknowledgment up but yesterday, by the labours of Owen, that it serves for all present purposes of and Steenstrup, and Von Siebold, and cry discussion. We will have read the history mystery on mystery, if he will; let him of chemical science to very little purpose, if deal as strictly as he can with ethnology in we have continued ignorant, that many pheits linguistic, historical, and physiological as- nomena, in the explanation of which all for pects, and try the science of those who a season found rest, have turned out to dewould unbrother one great family of the mand a wholly different one. Forces, unhuman race, and make of them "chattels dreamt of previously, have been brought to personal;" let him climb the azure heights light. Electricity, for example, in connecof heaven, and see wonders under the guid- tion with which hitherto supposed general ance of sober science, before which Dante's laws have been modified, and effects have imagination would have paled; yea, let him been traced to causes, very widely unlike search and seek, and question, and speculate, those with which they had before been assoaccording to the ability given to him by ciated. Young science-noble, enthusiastic, his Maker, but let all this be as conscious somewhat over self-reliant, will gain much of the imperfection of his faculties-as one by thinking on these things, and by eschewwho has been led into the secret place of ing the very appearance of hasty generalizthe Most High-as one on whose affections He who made all these things has found a throne.

ation.

Though reluctant to detain our readers so long on the threshold of our subject, there is These considerations, moreover, will have another general consideration which should a direct bearing on the conflicting hypothe- have some weight with the Christian apoloses relative to the deluge on the doctrines gist. He is entitled, as he wanders amidst of autochthones and centres of creation-and the multiform objections to the Scripture on the discussion as to the reproduction of account of the Genesis of the earth and of previously existing forms of life. The alleged waste of miraculous power, if the claim be for a universal deluge, would have no weight. The objection is urged as if to exercise His power cost the Almighty labour. Again, to hold it as implying the same thing if the Creator be represented as recreating that which formerly existed, bears witness to very low views of Divine power, as well as ignorance of what, in the bringing in of many new species into the world, He has been doing. This would be no more unphilosophical than to hold the now generally admitted partial realization of this in the structure of the lower animals, which Owen has so fully and beautifully illustrated as exemplar types of some part in the structure of the great ante-type-Man-the Son of Man. The whole history of science goes to enforce these views. Her march, which has ever been onward and upward, has yet been slow. Her votaries of one generation, have brought to light facts which, in their causes, afford ground for the theories of the next, while yet a third or fourth might pass before the solution of universally acknow

man, to demand that the objectors shall agree among themselves before he can be fairly called to deal either with their objections or with their explanations of the Divine record. He may justly allege, that their want of agreement on any one cardinal point-their diversity of opinion as to particular phenomena, or classes of phenomenais a sufficient reason why he should not take action against them. It is, however, notorious, that very few men who have left the true platform of science-observation, in order to the classification of facts-for the field of physico-theological controversy, agree as to the nature of the facts themselves, which are held by some to contradict Scripture, and fewer still as to the mode of meeting these allegations. The battle sooner or later must be fought; and so, while we make this remark on the tactics of the apologist, we cannot urge too strongly on the individual sections of the Christian church, the necessity of seeing that they use all endeavours for the thorough training of those who must be the chief combatants. They must furnish them with weapons, and they must teach

them to use them-they must provide the erring standard of appeal by men who may armour, and see that it be proved in order have but little love for the covenant God to the day of battle. Often, however, the set forth in it, even on questions touching highest form of effort will be found in ward- which it is not within its scope to give a ing off the blow; because, as the fight is positive utterance. The warfare was not often in the dark, the supposed combatant modified when Fuchs propounded his theory may turn out to be a brother, and the blow of "The Gelatinous condition of Rocks." dealt at what we regard the fair bright form Neptunism was indignant, and A. Von Humof truth, may come from the strong hands of boldt, Elie de Beaumont, and other disciples her own most loving children, who recognise of Hutton, would not listen to anything not their mother under the veil, or through which went to break up the entierty of their the bias which devotion to some favourite theories. Had there, at that time, been in theory has spread over their own souls. the churches but half of the spiritual life The safety of this neutral, yet avowedly de- and the learning in philosophy and science, fensive, attitude has many illustrations in the which obtain in our day, the likelihood is, history of geological discovery. It is well that we would have had the Church pledged known, that great prominence was given to to one or other of the favourite theories. the statements of Scripture, alleged to be Her indifference and incapacity were overfor or against the respective combatants in ruled for her safety. The so-called conflictthe keen word-wars waged between the ing theories have found their harmony, while Neptunists and the Plutonists of the past no one dreams that even the shadow of a generation. Neptunism pointed in triumph doubt has been cast on the Scriptures, which, to the references in Genesis i. to water. at that time, it was held, must have been Indeed, they carried their aqueous views so against one of them. Now, we believe far that Thales might have claimed their it would have been a right thing for the belief in his theory-"That water was the Christian apologist to have said to the foltrue ȧpx, or beginning of all things."* lowers of Werner, or Hutton, or Fuchs,And Plutonism was not less confident that "You appeal to the Bible in support of abounding references to igneous action, in your theories, and in the appeal you seem connection with the past and future history to set one portion of Scripture against anof the globe, conclusively acknowledged its other, and to bring the world into antagonism claims. A Neptunist sceptic would find with the Word; but you are not agreed, even easy refuge from the revelations of the burn- among yourselves, as to the nature of the ing world of the lost, in showing that all phenomena you make so much use of. these were contradicted by the analogy of When you shall agree on this, and aver past physical history; and a like-minded that you pledge yourselves to make good Plutonist might gravely shake his head over even the evidence of direct antagonism, then the water-influences in Genesis i., as not we will deal with this, show cause for arrest fitting into present well known laws. of judgment, or for the summary dismissal Yea, we know that this was actually the of the case." This is confessedly not very case. The Church was startled by the bold- high ground to take, but it is ground which ness with which both sides claimed the is tenable, and may be used for good purpositive teaching of the Bible for their sup- poses. If all the crude theories of antagoport; while the uninitiated sceptical mind, nisms could be brought to stand on the same looking on, did not fail to triumph amidst platform, united on the points which conthe charges of alleged contradictions. It is stitute these, there might really be some a testimony to the strong hold which the pleasure, and not a little profit in looking Bible, as a revelation directly from God, them full in the face. As it is, there is no has upon the mind of Britain, that, sooner agreement among those who form these or later, it comes to be accepted as an un- theories, as to what is the safest basis to rest them on. When we enter the field, our work is hindered by the very confusion in the foes we expected to meet united.

*It is curious to mark the ancient forms of thoughts which most hold to be limited to modern mind:-"Thales would all the more readily adopt It is not our intention to enter into a full this notion from its harmonizing with ancient opin- discussion of the questions treated of in the ions; such, for instance, as those expressed in Hesiod's Theogony, wherein Oceanus and Thetis are volumes quoted above. It may, however, regarded as the parents of all such Deities as had any help to clear the way, and may not be withrelation to Nature. He would thus have performed out interest to our readers, if we take a for the popular religion that which modern science rapid survey of the leading sciences, whose has performed for the book of Genesis: explaining discoveries have come to be held by many what before was enigmatical."-Biographical History of Philosophy. By G. H. LEWIS, p. 5. London: as more or less opposed to Scripture history. We shall begin with ethnology, both

Parker and Son. 1857.

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ders of superior knowledge, who will ede that the Bible is not rightly underd when it is made to be at variance facts and science."-(P. xxi.)

this is clearly indicated in the context. But this passage must be read in the light of Gen. ii. 8, 18. He is even less happy in comparing Matt. xix. 4, 5 with Mark x. 6. is worthy of notice, as showing how in which our Lord tells us, "God made man h modern speculation runs in the same male and female." "This does not neces unel, that this volume opens with a state- sarily imply the non-existence of pre-Adamnt of "The Vision Theory" of revela- ites: it only means that God has ever pro n to the mind of Moses. This is given portioned the females to the males." Acts h much clearness and ability, while it xvii. 26—“ Made of one blood all nations" reals to us the sources from which certain "mainly conveys a figurative meaning," ologists have drawn, at second hand, ma- as is suggested by the construction which ial for their theories. "There is a close we must put on 1 Cor. xv. 39. "The one alogy between natural days and the great flesh of beasts cannot mean that beasts. ological periods: each of the latter was a whatever be their genera and species, oririod of life followed by a period of death, ginated from a single pair."-(P. 15.) But. at least of death on a very extraordinary if our author had looked at the context in ale: and the period of human life is called both cases, he might have been set right. n Scripture'day,' and that of death, night,' The term "one blood" is used in Acts to s in St. John's Gospel, ix. 4. For this cover the equality of the human race as to eason, therefore, more particularly, the the offer of the Gospel. This is all that is assage in Exodus xx. 9-11 may mean, implied in it. And in 1 Cor. the term Six of thy days (natural days) shalt thou "flesh" is used first in a general sense, and Tabour, but the seventh of these days is the then to indicate that all who believe the Sabbath; for in six of His days (figurative Gospel shall be distinguished from those lays) the Lord made heaven and earth, and who do not believe, as one kind of flesh is rested the seventh of these days."'"-(P. 9.) from another. All were in the first Adam It is not of very much moment how God (ver. 45), while some only have attained to revealed the order of creation to the mind eternal life in Him who, as the "second of Moses, but when the mode of revelation Adam, is made a quickening spirit"-life is used to open the door to far-fetched no- and resurrection. tions on the nature of that which is reveal- The specimens already given of our ed, the sooner we offer to prove that a ver- author's exegetical skill, will not lead us to bal revelation, as opposed to a pictured one, expect much when he tries to grapple with is adequate, the better. This rendering of passages like Rom. v. 12 and 1 Cor. xv. 21. the passage from Exodus, apart altogether 22, in which the universal prevalence of from the exegetical absurdity involved in death has been held to be associated with it, proceeds on the assumption that the Bible Adam's sin. These passages, we are told. was not given to man, but only to highly teach nothing more than the fact that the instructed men. They alone could be ex- descendants of Adam inherited death from pected equal to such a reading of it. But him. They say nothing on the question of "to the poor the Gospel is preached," and "not many wise men after the flesh are called."

its universality because of his sin. "This fact is by no means inconsistent with the existence of multitudes of other men of whom every one died for his own trans

We may now notice some of the strong points in this book. Adam (or as our gression against the law written in his author loves to call him, "the Adam") is heart"-"he did not (like Adam) sin regarded as the first of a new race. Having against a divine revelation."-(P. 18, 19.) quoted Genesis ii. 18-"It is not good that The logical result then is, and it is hinted at the man be alone," he shirks the difficulty more than once in this book, that as Christ in it-he feels it more than a match for him died for those only who had sinned against --and then proceeds, as if he had made it a "divine revelation" given to the head of fit into his views, to tell us that Genesis iii. one, in the midst of many existing families 20-" Adam called his wife Eve; because of the human race, His death was not for she was the mother of all living '-means mankind. The offer of grace to all can only "that Eve was the mother of many have no meaning, and the divine command children." (P. 13.) He has reached this of grace-" preach the Gospel to every reading, which, however, is not new, after creature"-is a mockery. He tries to much study, by the easy way of cheating strengthen this position by making a dishimself into the belief that "all" must only tinction between sin against a revealed law mean many, or a variety. The simple an- and sin against natural law. But he forgets swer to this is, that whenever it does so, that the whole drift of the apostle's teaching

on this question in Romans, is to show that this point. "Death," he says, "is a unithe natural law is as much a "divine reve- versal law, from the operation of which, in lation" in and to the heart of man, as the the present constitution of things, no organwritten or spoken law itself can be, and ized being is exempt."-(P. 386.) Then that, because of this, Jew and Gentile are we are told that the Bible "references will all alike guilty before God.-(Rom. ii.) be proved to be exclusively to death as reThis part of the work demands more notice lated to the human race." But the difficulty because of the use which he makes of geo- lies deeper down, and must be looked at in logical facts in illustrating his views of sin connection with matters not embraced in and death. Geology reveals death before the "present constitution of things." The Adam's sin; it may then have existed Bible plainly states that all death to man is among a race outside of Eden before Adam's the result of man's sin. The Materialist introduction as the head of a new one. The says there is no need of such a declaration, conclusion suggested evidently is, that as because naturally, and apart from so called the views prevalent till recently, of the moral or spiritual characteristics, death is a connection between sin and death, have had law of the human as of every other organto be modified, so we should modify preva- ism. But if you admit, as Mr. Macdonald lent ones on the question of races-acknow- virtually does, that from the beginning the ledge generic differences, and give up the human organism was under the same law plain teaching of the Bible. Our readers of death as the lower animals had been, must have observed how much use scepti- what ground have you to stand upon as to cism is beginning to make of the fact now the Bible-statement that all death to man is referred to. The statements of Scripture the result of man's sin? Such a mode of are held to be pledged to teaching that no dealing with this as is followed in "Creation death existed before the sin of our first pa- and the Fall" (p. 386–393) can never meet rents, and the facts of geology are pointed the difficulties of the case. Some, of greater to as in direct antagonism to this. We ac- power and larger view, have sought for the cept the testimony of geology, but we find solution in the allegation that the death asno necessity to admit the contradiction. sociated with sin is wholly spiritual. That The geological facts are thus graphically it has no reference to the body at all, but stated by Mr. Miller:-"This early exhi- only to the soul. The danger of this view bition of tooth, and spine, and sting of will at once appear, when we remember weapons constructed alike to cut and to that the atonement of Christ was made in pierce to unite two of the most indispen- the body, which had never suffered pollution sable requirements of the modern armourer from sin, but now suffered as the body of -a keen edge to a strong back-nay, Him who died to rescue body and soul ulstranger still, the examples furnished in timately from the power of sin. This is in this primeval time, of weapons formed not part realized in our coming under the power only to kill, but also to torture-must be of an higher life; and the resurrection of altogether at variance with the preconceived the just shall be the full triumph of it, opinions of those who hold that, until man while the resurrection of the unjust will be appeared in creation, and darkened its sym- the separation of the raised body to the pathetic face with the stain of moral guilt, eternal consequences of sin. To limit the the reign of violence and outrage did not effects of sin to what is purely spiritual is, begin, and that there was no death among we repeat, perilous in the extreme. This the inferior creatures, and no suffering." might be largely illustrated, but we cannot Theories of the most arbitrary kind have now turn aside. Is there, then, a ground of been formed to make the facts of geology harmony which will both grant all that the fit into the statements of the Scriptures. Scripture demands, and turn aside every Some have tried to find a retrospective weapon formed against it. We think so. bearing in man's sin, and have reasoned There may have been a law of change of that, in the sovereignty of God, the lower some kind associated with the unfallen man. animals were made subject to death, be- We are not told what it was; but the cause man was to sin;-a view of the Di- strong statements of Scripture, on the acvine procedure directly opposed to all that cursed character of all death to man, leads we know of it, and one which gives a pecu- us to believe that it could not have been liarly harsh bearing to absolute sovereign- that of the death which the lower animals ty. Others have fancifully found the ex- died. But the Spirit of God recognizes istence of death traceable to the sins of the death as a law under which the lower aniangels. But such fancies can never satisfy mals were. "They are the beasts that peeven the demands of common sense. Mr. rish." We find man made in the image of Macdonald's book is not satisfactory on God-man knowing not death as the beasts

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