of the flood, the sins of men; or the end of it, the destruction of all men and beasts; required."*

To the same effect, Le Clerc and the younger Rosenmüller might be quoted; but it cannot be necessary. Yet I may add that my hearers and readers will derive additional satisfaction from perusing the observations on this subject of Dr. Prichard, a man whose amiable and christian character adds a bright ornament to his scientific and philological eminence. He states the difficulties, and methods for removing them. But though he declines giving a decided opinion, the inclination of his judgment appears to be in favour of the limited locality of the deluge.†

But, I almost hear the exclamation from a thousand tongues, What are you doing? Whither are you driving? Are you not trampling upon, not the inspiration only, but the veracity of the Holy Scriptures? Are you not representing the God of truth, speaking through the medium of his inspired servants, as uttering that which is not true? Let it be freely admitted that it is no part of the design of God, in giving a revelation of his moral will, to communicate lessons of physical philosophy; yet this does not involve the admission that, when the instruments of revelation advert to physical causes and operations, they should not speak according to the reality of things. A well informed and correct speaker, when he is talking freely about common affairs, and when nothing is farther from his mind than to be teaching history or geography, yet will not so express himself as to imply ignorance of historical or geographical facts. Surely we cannot think less of the inspired writers. "If Moses professes by divine inspiration to give an account of the manner in which the world was framed, he must describe the facts as they occurred." This may seem an unanswerable objection; but will it stand before a fair examination? I think not; for two reasons.

1. It is impossible to deny that the Scripture does use language, even concerning the highest and most awful of objects,

* On the same passage. Mr. Poole died in 1679.

+ See his Researches into the Physical History of Mankind; vol. i. pp. 98-102. The excellent and amiable man, the Rev. Richard Watson, in his Theological Institutes; vol. i. p. 273.

GOD and his perfections and operations, which we dare not say is literally true, or that it is according to the reality of the things spoken of. I entreat renewed attention to the evidence which I have adduced. Will any man deny, that the Scripture, in places innumerable, particularly in the earlier books, speaks of God as having the bodily form and members of a man, and the mental passions and imperfect affections of men? Or will any say that such descriptions and allusions are properly true; that they are according to the reality of things? Shall we, can we, believe that the Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable Being, comes and goes, walks and flies, smells, hears, and sees, and has heart and bowels, hands, arms, and feet? Or that he deliberates, inquires, suspects, fears, ascertains, grieves, repents, and is prevailed upon by importunity to repent again and resume a rejected purpose? Do not the same Scriptures furnish us amply with the proper exponents of those figurative, and, strictly speaking, degrading terms? Do they not, for example, tell us; "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?—I am Jehovah: I change not."* What then will ye do, ye worthy men that make this objection? Must ye not admit that the language of inspiration is couched on the plan of the boldest figures? Such figures as, if we were not protected by this authority, we should not dare to employ? And do ye not always explain that language by stripping off the figurative coverings, and drawing forth the simple truth, which ye then express in some kind of abstract phrase, metaphysically more accurate, but far less mighty to impress the human mind?—You are convinced that this is necessary; and you do not for a moment admit that, in doing this, you derogate from the truth and inspiration of the Bible. Apply then your just methods of interpretation to this case: I ask no more. Mr. Romaine lays down the principle, in saying, "The Holy Spirit does not reveal God to us as he is in himself, but as he stands related to us : and this knowledge is best conveyed to mankind in the style of condescension to our own low estate of acts and habits, feelings and language.

Numb. xxiii. 19. Mal. iii. 6.

If the view of the range of inspiration, that its proper and sole reference is to religious subjects, be rejected, it will inevitably follow that we must impute error to the Spirit of God.--Abhorred be the thought!--We must suppose to be physically correct those declarations concerning the astral worlds, the phenomena of the atmosphere, and the human frame, which have been mentioned: we must regard the inferior creatures as "made to be taken and destroyed,"* in defiance of all our knowledge that the whole animal creation is formed for an immense variety of beneficent purposes, partly no doubt unknown to us, but in a very great measure manifest by the clearest and most beautiful proofs.

2. The Mosaic narrative is, manifestly and undeniably as we have seen, so expressed in that style of condescension, and particularly in the manner suited to the men of primeval times. Yet, when read and understood, as all language is required to be, by the conversion of what is figurative and idiomatical into plain diction, it is a faithful description of the facts that did occur, and the method and order of their occurrence.

I have now reached the point at which, from the beginning of these lectures, I have been aiming. I speak my own conviction, and I trust I have brought forwards sufficient evidence to support that conviction, that the alleged discrepance between the Holy Scriptures and the discoveries of scientific investigation, is not in reality, but in semblance only: in particular, that the Scriptures, fairly interpreted, are not adverse to a belief in an immeasurably high antiquity of the earth; in the reference of the six days' work to a part only of the earth's surface; in the position of several centres of creation, distinct from each other, on the surface of the globe; in the reign of death over the inferior animals, from the earliest existence of organized earthly beings; and in a limited extent of the deluge which swept away the remnant of a self-destroying race, saving one family, which "found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

I have not attempted to do this by affirming that the Scriptures teach the sciences; or that their language can be forced, by any

* 2 Pet. ii. 12. Not well rendered "natural brute beasts:" for the clause ǎroya Šŵa, qujikà, strictly signifies, irrational animals, governed by natural

instinct.

grammatical or critical ingenuity, into a literal accordance with scientific truths: but by adducing abundant evidence to shew that the AUTHOR of revelation spoke to mankind in such language as they were accustomed to use, such as they could most readily understand, and such as must ever remain the most. affecting and impressive to the human heart.

Let it also be observed, that the principle of interpretation here brought forwards is entirely independent of facts in Natural History, or doctrines of Geology or any other branch of Natural Science. If those facts be denied and those doctrines disapproved, still this mode of understanding the figurative language of Scripture will not be affected; it stands upon its own evidence, and cannot, I conceive, be overthrown.

It follows then, as a universal truth, that the Bible, faithfully interpreted, erects no bar against the most free and extensive investigation, the most comprehensive and searching induction. Let but the investigation be sufficient, and the induction honest. Let observation take its farthest flight; let experiment penetrate into all the recesses of nature; let the veil of ages be lifted up from all that has been hitherto unknown, if such a course were possible; religion need not fear, Christianity is secure, and true science will always pay homage to the Divine Creator and Sovereign, "of whom and through whom and to whom are all things; and unto whom be glory for ever."

LECTURE VIII.

ECCLESIASTES XII. 13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole [duty] of man.

"THE whole of man:" instruction for his duty, direction in his difficulties, consolation in his sorrows, triumph in death, and the boundless bliss of knowledge and holiness to eternity. But the fear of God and the observance of his commandments are no servile and narrow habits of mind. The Scriptures abundantly shew that they comprehend, or by just deduction lead to, all that is true in knowledge and noble in feeling. "The High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity," builds also his temple in "the contrite heart." He has made it our duty, and a part of the filial "fear" which we owe to him, that we should acquire all that we can of sound information concerning his perfections and his works. "He giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom and knowledge and joy ;" and it is laid down as one of the characters of the impious, that, "they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands."†

When the Committee of the Congregational Lecture did me the honour of the invitation to deliver the course of this year, I could not but feel grateful for the opportunity thus afforded, of making an attempt to rescue from misapprehension a branch of research into the works of God, which at the present time attracts the attention of men, beyond all former example; and of offering an humble contribution for advancing the influence of religion, as the rightful associate of all other knowledge.

*It will not be unwelcome to the serious reader to have this passage laid before him in a close translation. "The finishing lesson, the total, let us hear; Revere God, and keep his commandments: for this [concerns] every one of mankind." + Eccl. ii. 26. Psa. xxviii. 5.