GEOLOGICAL CONFIRMATIONS

OF THE

TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE

LETTER I.

NATURE AND REVELATION BOTH TO BE
STUDIED.

THERE are two volumes in which God reveals to his intelligent creatures a knowledge of himselfhis works, and his Word. If we rightly interpret them, they necessarily harmonize in their testimony, and throw mutual light on each other, for they both originate in the same fountain of infallible truth. Like two faithful and independent witnesses, they may appear at times to give conflicting evidence; but, by close examination, all apparent differences are gradually reconciled, and thus new evidence is furnished of the truthfulness of both. The Bible can neither be well understood nor duly appreciated

A*

by those who are ignorant of the works of creation, for it is thence it brings much of its evidence to prove the majesty, wisdom, omnipotence, and goodness of the great Creator. It is therefore a high and honourable work for any of his intelligent creatures to search deeply into the works of God, and to collect lessons of wisdom from their hidden and exhaustless stores. Such investigations should be zealously prosecuted, notwithstanding of any discrepancies which may at first appear between this first volume of revelation and the Sacred Scriptures. Every intelligent Christian, who has investigated the evidence of the Divine origin of the Bible, knows it to be irrefragable. The more strictly it has been scrutinized, the proofs of its being the Word of God have become the more irresistible. The Sacred Volume has already stood every kind of hostile assault for thousands of years, and not only has it remained strong and uninjured, but its power to subdue the enemies of God, and the corruption of the human mind, has become more apparent to the whole world.

If its testimony be rejected, there is no book which can be credited; for the evidences of its truth infinitely transcend those which can be adduced for

any other. It is therefore unworthy of the Christian to discourage the closest investigation of nature, as

if any information could thence be drawn to undermine the foundation of his faith.

To every one who is inclined to dive into the most secret recesses of creation, we would say, Go on, collect facts, search diligently the heavens, the earth, the sea, the air, to discover the mysteries of their constitution; endeavour to find out the most universal laws to which their changes and revolutions can be reduced; for all such knowledge tends to disclose some portion of the unfathomable depths of Divine wisdom and goodness.

A person who begins the study of nature may expect to find, that as his knowledge advances, many of the previous impressions of his youth, which he derived from a partial acquaintance with the Scriptures, must be changed or modified. If, in defiance of all the revelations of science, he continue to cling to all his first and crude opinions, he will justly expose himself to the censure or contempt of those who are better informed. The author of the Vestiges, and all such writers, may well despise those who shut their eyes to the plainest truths which the works of God make known; bnt if so, are not they

guilty of equal folly, if, while professing to search for light in one department of knowledge, they wil fully close their eyes upon another; and, without attempting to disprove the Divine origin of Scripture, endeavour slily to set it aside by indulging in fanciful speculations, which are scarcely less opposed by the works of God, which are confidently brought forward to uphold them, than by his Word. In order to gratify an insatiate and almost insane propensity for theorizing, the author of this book would destroy his own soul, and those of his readers. He appears to be a person of no original research, but has applied himself with great diligence to the examination of all kinds of books, and especially of those written by men of a speculative cast of mind, such as his own. He has thus compiled a mass of information on several departments of science, which, if we could trust to its correctness, is deeply interesting, and has thrown a charm around his book by the classic purity of its composition; but from his total ignorance or disregard of the Volume of Inspiration, he, with an air of perfect confidence, utters sentiments which more resemble the drivellings of an idiot, than the calm and well-digested opinions of one who is earnest in his search after truth.