INTRODUCTION.

THE following pages are designed chiefly to meet the case of those who receive the Sacred Volume in all its parts as the Inspired Word of God, but feel disturbed at the apparent contradiction between some of its statements and certain facts in Nature brought to light by Science. There are many excellent persons who have neither leisure nor qualifications to enter into the niceties of Biblical Criticism on the one hand, or to sound the depths of Science on the other they are not in a position, therefore, to meet the difficulties arising from the contradiction which, they are informed, exists between the discoveries of Science and that Volume which they have been taught to rest upon as the only infallible source of religious truth, and the charter of their everlasting hopes. It is not to be wondered at, that such persons should either be troubled in mind by the doubt thrown on what they had hitherto regarded as certainly true, or should take refuge in absolute rejection of the teachings of Science, as among the "oppositions of Science falsely so called."

For the relief of any who may find themselves in this painful dilemma, I have put together some considerations likely, as I conceive, under God's blessing, to set their minds at rest, as showing that no such difficulties ought to shake our belief in the plenary Inspiration of the Bible, or to deter us from the earnest cultivation of Science.

In the pursuit of this object I first remind the believer in the Bible of its claims to Divine Inspiration, and upon what a firm basis these claims rest, especially with reference to the First Three Chapters of Genesis; and, secondly, I show from the experience of what has occurred in some memorable instances, how little Holy Scripture has to dread from discoveries regarding the works of God which may at first sight appear to contradict His Word, seeing that many supposed contradictions have from time to time been announced, which have, in the issue, been most satisfactorily explained.

CHAPTER I.

PROOF OF THE INSPIRATION OF THE FIRST THREE

CHAPTERS OF GENESIS.

§ 1. Preliminary Remarks on the Inspiration of Holy Scripture in general.

By the Inspiration of Holy Scripture is meant, that the Scriptures were written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who communicated to the writers facts before unknown, directed them in the selection of other facts already known, and preserved them from error of every kind in the records they made.

The genuineness and authenticity of the sacred writings having been previously established in the usual way, by internal and external evidence, the argument for Inspiration is to be gathered from the records themselves, and from the claims set up by the writers.

It is with the Old Testament Scriptures that I am at present concerned. The argument for their Inspiration may be briefly stated.

The Old Testament consists of those writings which were known in the time of our Lord as ai Ypapai, or The Scriptures, and were admitted on all hands, by friends and enemies, to be of infallible authority, from which there was no appeal.

It is of these that St. Paul declares (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17), ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And regarding the sacred penmen, St. Peter thus speaks (2 Pet. i. 21): Holy men of God spake AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST.

In entire accordance with these two universal statements, are the terms in which the Scriptures are incidentally referred to throughout the New Testament. The Old Testament is also full of similar intimations; but I shall confine myself to the testimonies of the New, of which the following are a few:

:

Matt. i. 22. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet: so Matt. ii. 15.

Mark xii. 36. For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, &c.

Luke i. 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began.