Age of the world...

Front matter

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Section I

The subject of the first Lecture. — The Age of the World according to Scripture — believed by some — rejected by others 1

Of the latter there are three classes, the Atheist, the Infidel, and the Antiquarian ; and some also who profess Christianity 2

I. Proposition I. That the material universe, of which our

GLOBE FORMS A PART, IS NOT ETERNAL — CONSEQUENTLY OUR CLOBE, OR THE WORLD WHICH WE INHABIT, IS NOT ETERNAL 4

1. (1) Atheism. — Christianized Atheism ib

Its advocates, Grotius and Vatabulus. Their perversion of

Gen. i. 1 ib

AlsoofEccles. 19 — 11 6

(2.) Atheism undisguised, or the Aristotelian philosophy. Aver-

Spinoza. — His system defined 8

Defective. — The whole created universe constituted of the essence of matter, or of mind, or both — and, if not common to

all, it is to apart — Man ib

Matter. What 11

Refutation of the Atheistic principle of the eternity of matter ib

Intelligence. Proof of. 12

Result. — Evidence from Scripture 13

Tertuilian's consequent triumph over Thales the Grecian philosopher. 16

Collins, the Free-thinker ib

Conclusion ib

VI CONTENTS.

Section II

2. The Antiquarian. He admits the Eternal existence of the Great First Cause, but claims, That remote authentic antiquity ASCRIBES A VASTLY GREATER AGE TO THIS GLOBE, THAN THAT SET FORTH BY THE INSPIRED WRITERS 17

This claim, founded on the ancient cabalas of the Hindoos, Egyptians, Chinese, Persians, Etruscans, &cc ib

These accounts admitted as matters of historical record, but denied to be founded in truth; and an antecedent antiquityclaimed in behalf of the Sacred writings, upon a comparison with the profane, as predicated of their internal evidence 19

(1.) The sources of Ante-diluvian profane antiquity. Thyoth — Sanchoniathon — while uncorrupted left accounts very agreeable to that of Moses. — No existing accounts that can be relied on. — corrupted at an early period. — Extravagant 20

(2.) Profane Post-diluvian History. Herodotus — Xenophon — Ctesias. — Learning of the Indians — Confucius. — Of the original works of the most ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Grecians, no remains. — Herodotus not to be relied on — not so Ctesias 23

Catalogue of authorities respecting the Egyptian, Chinese, and Assyrian Dynasties. 1st Egypt. The old Egyptian Chronographeon. — Manetho. — Eratosthenes. — Josephus' Manetho — Chronographia of Sextus Julius Africanus. — Chronicon of Euseb. Pamphilius. — The Chronographia of Syncellus. — Canon Chron. of Sir John Marsham .23

2d. Chinese Records 28

3rd. Assyrian Do. Herodotus, Ctesias, Zenophon, Aristotle, Strabo, Diodorus Siculus ib

Perplexity of remote profane history, &c 29

Original invention of Letters 30

Coincidence of ancient Profane Physiological philosophy with the Cosmogony of Moses 36

Ancient Philosophers — Orpheus, Thales, Pythagorus, Plato, Aristotle. — Pherecydes, Anaximander, Anaximines, Anaxigorus. — Leucippus, Democritus. — Consequence of their departure from tradition. — First perverted by the Greeks. — Atheism of Aristotle. — Not so those who preceded him. — Conclusion. — necessity of a Divine Revelation ib

CONTENTS. Vli

Section III

On Time, as viewed in connexion with the origin of the material universe. — Import of the term "day," as used in the 1st chapter of Genesis — whether a natural day of 24 hours, or a period of vastly greater length. — Argument from analogy in nature and Providence — from the physiological and oryctological discoveries of science. I. Presumptive evidence, as derived from the six days work of

creation 47

On this subject, there are four classes of opinions 51

Examination of the Theory, which attributes the creation of the globe out of the destruction of a previously existing planet. 52

Examination of the above four classes of opinions 56

Evidence, that the six days organization of the material universe was each a period of vast length. — The question is not,what the Almighty could do, but what he actually did do. 58 I. That each of the six days was a period of vast length, is evident,

1. From the ordinary and obvious process of organization as therein described 60

2. From the physiological structure of the globe 62

The first creation comparatively imperfect. — This not a new

theory. — Council of Nice A. D. 325. — Catechism of Edward VI. — Dr. Burnet.

Physical construction of the earth, as gathered from the various phenomena of the subterranean world. — Fossils. — cannot all be accounted for by the Deluge. — Harmony between the Mosaic cosmogony, and the scientific discoveries of physiology. — Folly of relying upon human reason alone, in the application of this science to existing phenomena. — All difficulties vanish when viewed in connexion with Revelation.

Section IV

Duration of the Sabbatical Rest of the Almighty. — Assumed to be 6000 years — if so, then rrguing homognuously, each of the six days was a period of 6000 years. — Faber on this point. . . 84

Recapitulation, &c 89

Vlll CONTENTS.

Section V

3. Infidelity. Objection, that Moses cannot be the author of the books ascribed to him. — Answered 92

LECTURE I.

AGE OF THE WORLD, &c.

Text, Matt, xxiv., 3 m 97

Analysis of the Introductory Essay 97

Subject. — Age of the World, &c.

I. Proposition I. God in his infinite wisdom has assigned to

THE WORLD WHICH WE INHABIT, BOTH IN RELATION TO ITS PHYS- ICAL AND MORAL CONSTITUTION, A LIMITED AND DEFINITE DURA- TION.

II. Proposition II. This limited and definite duration of the

WORLD, AS COMPREHENDED UNDER THREE SUCCESSIVE DISPENSA-

f tions, Patriarchal, Jewish, and Christian, is a subject

FULLY REVEALED TO God's PEOPLE IN HIS WORD 100

Paraphrase of the Text ib

Christ's prediction. — Analysis of the xxivth and xxvth chapters of St. Matthew, from the Rev. G. E. Hare's " Christ to return." 101

The question proposed, — shall we attempt to fix upon the point of time, in round numbers, upon which we now stand, in the successive evolutions of God's dispensations to man 1 104

Against such an attempt, there is an evident popular reluctance. — Abuse of the subject by fanatics. — Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. — Joanna Southcoate and the Mormon delusion. — Word of warning. — Elegant extract from the preface to Hare's " Christ to Return," by the Right Rev. L. S. Ives, D. D., Bishop of N. Carolina.

A return to the question, as above 113

Objections ib

Preliminaries.

1. -Authoritative data of information in conducting our inquiries. — Annals of Profane chronology 115

Sacred chronology.

(1.) The Samaritan Pentateuch 116

CONTENTS. IX

(2.) The Septuagint 117

(3.) The Hebrew ib

Which of these has the precedence in point of Authority .... ib Difference between the chronology of the Septuagint and Hebrew of 1500 years. — How accounted for ib

Return to the two propositions at the head of this Lecture. —

GLuere, " Can these things be?" 119

Various forms of speech used in Scripture to designate Time. — The term " Day," Gen. i. — The argument of analogy, a p?-iori, from the Word of God, harmonizes with the argument a

posteriori, from the works of God 120

The length of the Seventh Day determines (homogeneously) the length of each of the six days. — Preliminaries. — Pre-

Adamites 122

The Seventh Day, — when did it commence ? What is length ?. 130

Objection, no express declaration of this in Scripture .'". 135

Answer to this, as founded on inferential proof. — Questions from the most ancient Brahmenical Sages. — Jewish writers. —

Christian writers. — The Scriptures 136

The Seal of prophetic mysteries as to times and seasons now broken. — The two propositions as above merged into one. —

Bickersteth on this subject 142

Objection to this exposition, viz., that it is a trifling evasion 145

Answer 147

Proof, that times and seasons were revealed to Christ, &c 149

With this representation corresponds the general tenor of Goa's word, Historic and Prop/tetic, in determining, with the utmost precision the age of the world, from the creation and fail of man, down to the consummation of all things. — For this purpose a golden chain of measurement is given, which we divide

into two parts 151

The necessity of fixing upon a criterion of measurement of time, the questions, are the years in sacred time, historic and prophetic, the same? Does time, as measured by sacred chronology, harmonize with owe solar year 1 meeting us at every turn 152 Chronology, as a science, possesses few attractions, hence, little studied, and less understood, yet susceptible of explication, even to ordinary minds 153

X CONTENTS.

Chronology treats of divisions of time, rather than of time in the

abstract 155

Has finally attained to great perfection 157

Length of the Solu,r year. — Of the Lunar. — The latter adopted by the Arabians, forms the measurement of time of the Mahomedan Era. — Profane history measured by the Solar year of 365 days.

Length of the Ante-diluvian year 159

Dr. Halley's account of the ancient philosophers 160

The Brazen Age. — Era of Sesostris. — Thales, the first to correct the Greek year. — The Greeks however, not the "pioneers " of astronomical science. — Their astronomy between the time of Solon and Hipparchus, vague and undefined. — The Attic or Athenian lunar year. — The Macedonian Calendar. — The Greek (Eucumenical Council. — The era of the Sele'ucidae. — The Cecropian Era and Parian Chroncicle. — The Consular Era. — The Olympiads.

The Julian year 168

The Gregorian Calendar 170

The Persians 171

Origin and progress of Cycles, to harmonize the Lninar with the Solar year. — Cleostratus. -— The first Cycle of Dieteres, of two years. — The Tetraeteris, a Cycle of four years. — The Octoeteris, of eight years. — The Cycle of Meto, of nineteen years. — The Calippic Cycle of seventy-six years. The Julian, and Juliano-Gregorian Cycle, now the universally admitted standard ib

Proof of the difference between Ante-diluvian and Post-diluvian

solar time 176

Gtuere. Can the sacred Jew«sh year {lunar) Historic and Prophetic, be made to harmonize with the Julian solar year 1 — Answer. As of the Julian solar year, so of the Jewish lunar year. Intercalary time was a characteristic peculiar to

both. Hence the harmony of the one with the other 178

Differences of opinion on this subject 179

Shuckford. — Prideaux.

Proof of Jewish Intercalations 182

I. Of Jewish time from the Flood to the Exode ib

II. At the time of the Exodi 183

CONTENTS. XI

III. After the Captivities. — Their first Cycle of eighty-four years. — Theii adoption of the Cycle of Meto. — Rabbi Samuel. — Rabbi Adda. — Rabbi Hillel 187

But as of the Jewish Ecclesiastical, so of the Civil year. — Jubilees 189

Conclusion 192

Return to the subject of the golden measurement of time, of the seventh day, or sabbatical rest of the Creator 193

I. First division. Historical chronology.

1. First period. From creation and fall, to the Deluge.

2. Second Period. From the Deluge to Abraham.

3. Third Period. From Abraham to the Exode.

4. Fourth Period. From the Exode to the death of Saul.

5. Fifth Period. From the death of Saul, to the commencement of the Babylonish captivity.

6. Sixth Period. The captivity.

7. Seventh Period. The interval between the end of the Babylonish captivity, and the commencement of the 70 prophetic weeks of Daniel.

Examination of the discrepancies in the chronology of the Septuagint, Samaritan, and Hebrew versions, and that of Jose-

phus 194

First Period, with tabular view 205

Second Period, do ib

i Third Period, do 206

( Fourth Period, do

Fifth Period, do 218

Sixth Period, do ib

Seve7ith Period, do 219

Summary 221

II, Second division. — Prophetic chronology 221

Of the prophetic numbers, which, with the preceding, as the aggregate number of years in sacred Historic chronology from the creation, make up the 6000 years as the limits set by God

to the duration of time 222

Consequences, upon the paradventure of an error in the Historic

chronology 223

Mode of measuring time prophetically 224

Practical uses of prophetic mystical numbers.— " Seven times."

Xll CONTENTS.

— Dan. iv., 16.— 1260 years. — Dan. vii. 25, xii. 7.-42 months. Rev. xi. 2, xiii. 5. — 2300 days of years. Dan. viii. 14. _ 70 weeks. Dan. ix. 24 — 27. — 1290 and 1335 years of Dan. xii. 11, J2.— 1260 days of Rev. xii. 6.-666. Rev. xiii. 18. — 2300 years. Dan. viii. 14. — Their commencement and termination 229

Four beasts of Dan. vii. — Ram and He-goat of chap. viii. — Effect on Daniel. — Offers prayer. — Daniel's solicitude. — An Angel explains the 2300 years. — The 2300 years of chap, viii. 14, and the 70 weeks or 490 of chap. ix. 24 — 27, have a common commencement. — The 70 weeks end with the conversion of Cornelius. — Tabular view, &c 240

The 70 weeks commence A. M. 3679.— The 2300 years end A. D. 1847. — Cleansing of the sanctuary. — Second advent. — three additional prophetic numbers, viz., the 1260, 1290, and 1335 years. — Includes the career of the two persecuting powers, the Papacy and Mahometanism. — Mark of the Papal beast, 666. — Supposed corresponding mark of the Mahometan power. — Decree of Pope Vitalian, A. D. 666, — Summary respecting these two anti-christian powers. — The two other anti-christian powers, the Pagan and the Infidel. —

Conclusion 254

The date of the commencement of the 1260 years ib

Judgment of " the Ancient of Days " on the Papal beast still

continues 269

Summary ib

LECTURE II.

"SIGNS OF THE TIMES."

The subject stated 273

11 Signs," not a matter of conjecture or mere speculation 274

Claim of redundant evidence as a condition of belief, considered. — Incredulity. — Idle curiosity. — To Prophecy, What 1

— " Signs," — What 1 279

" Signs." — Design of. — Source of hesitancy, doubt, and unbelief in relation to them. — Reply. — Illustration.

Portentous events preceded by signs 285

CONTENTS. X1H

Applied to the First Advent 286

Evidence from the above of the error which supposes no prophecy can be understood until fulfilled 289

" Signs." — Why added to dates 291

Harmony between prophecy and doctrines. — Uses of. 293

This a subject of momentous interest.

D 1 '^ cities, in applying " Signs " to the future 295

Prophetic symbols defined 297

Of these there are two classes. — First class. — Their order. — Second class. — Embraces two predictions. — Necessity to discriminate between what " Signs " are symbolical, and what are not.

Literality not excluded from a prophetic symbol 299

Nor a literal sign from bearing a typical aspect.

Prophetic signs of Luke xxi. 25, explained ib

Assignment of, to their relative position in prophecy 304

An appeal. reflection 311

I. First sign. The prevalent disinclination of Christian professors and others, to think of, or to study the subject of unfulfilled Scripture prophecy 313

II. Second Sign. A most melancholy and general decay of vital piety 315

III. Third Sign. An unprecedented prevalence of iniquity. Under this sign, we add 19 characteristics, from St. Paul's prediction, 2 Tim. iii. 1 — 5 316

IV. Fourth Sign. The predicted prevalence of scoffers in these last times.

V. Fifth Sign. The universal spread of the gospel among all nations.

VI. Sixth Sign. Indulgence in some of the worst passions of our nature, by professing Christians.

VII. Seventh Sign. The advance of human science, and the practical rejection of the presiding wisdom of Revelation.

VIII. Eighth Sign. The symbolic import of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, &c.

IX. Ninth Sign. The universal determination of the dominant nations of Europe to maintain the mutual relations of peace.

X. Tenth Sign. Wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, together with wonders, signs, dec.

XIV CONTENTS.

XI. Eleventh Sign. The predicted approaching overthrow of the Turkish Empire.

XII. Twelfth Sign. A prelude to and the immediate precursor of, the destruction of the Papal hierarchy.

XIII. Thirteenth Sign. The present circumstances and expectations of the Jews.

XIV. Fourteenth Sign. The evidences of our having entered into the 1335 years, proof of the commencement of the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet.

XV . Fifteenth Sign. The superabundant light which the Holy Spirit has thrown of late on the Prophetic Word.

Preface

An apology is due to those through whose solicitations the following Lectures are published, for the delay which has attended their appearance. This delay has been occasioned, partly by circumstances entirely beyond the author's control, and partly from those additions to their original form, which the result of revision rendered indispensable.

In conducting our inquiries regarding the Age of the World, we have deemed it requisite to fortify the basis of our authority (the Scriptures) against the attacks alike of the Atheist, the Antiquarian, and the Infidel ; refuting the alleged eternity of the existence of matter and of the globe, of the first — the claims of a vastly greater antiquity for the history of the human race than that given by Moses, of the second — and the denial of the authenticity of the Sacred Records, of the third. This part of the volume, contained in the "Introductory Essay," will, we trust, be found particularly serviceable to those whose minds are wandering in the wilderness of uncertainty and conjecture on these important subjects.

Nor, in the prosecution of our inquiries into this matter, is it a little embarrassing to be brought into perpetual collision with the most inveterate prejudices on the one hand, and a certain class of existing facts,

XVI PREFACE.

claiming affinity with the premises whence follow all our deductions on the other. To explain ourselves : The popular theology of the day attributes the creation and formation of the material universe^ of which the globe we inhabit is a part, to the work of six natural or solar days, of twenty-four hours — and a strong suspicion of a tendency to Atheism attaches to every suggestion, calculated to disturb opinions which have been pillowed upon the lap of centuries.

This, howgver, to the contrary notwithstanding, — we feel bound to pay a respectful deference to facts, or what are even claimed to be such. It is asserted, then, in opposition to the above, that " if the world was really created in six days, we should find some evidences of it in the aspect of nature. Instead of this, we find, in the geognostic structure of the earth, the infallible proof of its having existed for (many) ages, and undergone many prodigious revolutions, long before the most ancient nations existed." These infallible proofs it is claimed, are to be found in the physiological and oryctological discoveries of science, " regarding the strata composing the outer shell of this globe, and the remains of organized bodies which are found in them. It is ascertained that these remains do not occur promiscuously, but in a determinate order, corresponding exactly with that vjhich is given in the first chapter of Genesis." To test the validity of this claim, we undertook the task of a classification of the Mosaic cosmogony of the creation, with the series of strata as given in the geological table of Cuvier. The result the reader will

PREFACE. XV11

find by turning to pages 70 and 71. " Thus, human bones are only found in the uppermost, or very newest, alluvial soil. Further down are found the remains of quadrupeds, belonging to a species now extinct ; these are mixed with sea shells and marine petrifactions. At a still lower depth are found the exuviae of alligators, and other amphibious animals, of an appearance unlike any species that now exist ; for they seem to have been deposited while the laws of nature, in the animal kingdom, admitted the metempsychosis (alluded to in ancient tradition) anterior to the introduction of death. Deeper still are found immense beds of carbonaceous matter, which we know is the basis of vegetable substances. Lowest of all are found strata of common rocks, containing no petrifactions, no traces of carbon. These rocks seem to have been formed when the world was covered by an uninhabited sea."

" From all these concurring argumeuts, it is concluded that the work of creation occupied immeasurable ages, or ca^vec, j and that the vulgar hypothesis, which takes for granted that the earth, from the very beginning, spun round on its axis with its present amazing velocity, is not only unphilosophical, but expressly contrary to the word of God."

Now, these facts admitted — (and deny them we cannot — ) I ask, — of what avail is it to denounce their tendency as atheistical, from their supposed contravention of the Mosaic cosmogony ? Is not this a premature surrendering up of what may be demonstrated of a coincidence of the Scriptural account of

XV111 PREFACE.

the creation with the above discoveries of science, to the vaunting triumphs of the materialist? We think so. And it has been our endeavor, in the sequel of the Introductory Essay, and of the first Lecture of this volume, to reconcile the claims of the one with the history of the other. How far we have been successful, we leave with the candor of the intelligent to decide. Nor, (as we have said,) can we relinquish the hope, that such may be brought to see the utter impossibility of harmonizing the Scriptural cosmogony of the Creation as an inspired production, with the physiological discoveries of the structure of our globe, in any other way : yea more — that science, as an handmaid to inspiration, by the rays of refraction, as collected from known existing phenomena in the physical construction of the earth, elucidates and confirms it. Indeed, science, when made subservient to any other end ; in other words, when it is relied on as a guide in our search of truth to the exclusion of Revelation, serves but to furnish evidence of the lamentable defectibility of human reason. On this subject, we are furnished with an inspired admonition, — to 11 avoid profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science, falsely so called, which some professing, have erred concerning the faith." x

Such, in the sequel of this volume, we have considered the diluvian theory of Cuvier. Such also the theory, that the chaotic mass out of which this earth was formed, was produced by the destruction of one ■ ■ . . . - i i . 1 1 ■

PREFACE. XIX

of the previously existing planets, by the shock of some comet, as advocated by Basilius, Halley, Herschel, Vince, Smith, Jennings, Lardner, etc. Finally and above all, such the electro-magnetic theory of the distinguished author of the late moon hoax, resolving " the alternate creation and dissolution of all natural bodies to the influence of Terrestrial Magnetism on the past, present, and future condition of this world," as predicated of the principle, that as " all motion must result from two forces" — one to " repel," another to " attract ;" — So " the necessary effect," — " the production of a circle," — " The great circle of eternal alternations, with the geometrically perfect triangle of two forces and one matter within it as an active and unerring principle," which is to " revolve forever, without end as without beginning :" and that there is not " a living form in nature which is not produced by these forces, from other kinds of matter, as in their original process of creation," <fcc.

Now, with the most profound deference to the superior scientific attainments of this gentleman, in his zealous endeavors to revive in this Christian land the thousand-and-one times exploded Atheistic theory of Aristotle, alias, the modern Pantheism of Germany, we beg to submit, whether he has not overlooked some of the simplest and the soundest rudiments of true philosophy. Take, for example, the following — ^Matter is perceived by sense, mind is understood by reason ; but mind cannot be perceived, neither can matter be understood. Our senses inform us only respecting the phenomena of matter ; our reason in-

XX PREFACE.

forms us only respecting the phenomena of mind. In the universe, our senses perceive nothing but matter ; while our understanding assures us that every thing most depend upon mind. We cannot perceive the efficiency of an intelligent cause, neither can we understand the efficiency of a physical one. Intelligent efficient causation is beyond our senses ; physical efficient causation is beyond our understanding. Hence the opposite doctrines of Berkeley and Hume ; the one denying the existence of matter, the other denying the existence of mind ; and each supporting his hypothesis by (apparently) plausible arguments. Of the essence of matter, we are as ignorant as we are of the essence of mind. We know them only by their properties, i. e., their relations or analogies.

" Accordingly, our knowledge of matter and mind is only a knowledge of relations or analogies. But these analogies are only parts of one great analogy, embracing all possible knowledge. Every subject of human thought is connected with an immense scheme, which comprehends the natural and moral universe. Every object, atom, thought, or idea, the least as well as the greatest, are all parts of that scheme — and there is nothing absolute but God — nothing, however small or insignificant, which can be thoroughly known, but by Him who knows the whole. And, for the benefit of this philosopher we now add, — Hence, " the failure of every attempt hitherto made, to detect the arrangement or method of nature, in mineralogy, botany, zoology, &c. ,J l In all our systems, we proceed

1. See the works of Linnoeus, &c,

PREFACE. XXI

upon the idea of the straight line, ranking the objects of oar study one after another, from the beginning to the end. But in the method of nature, the straight line is blended with the circle and the sphere, so that each object depends not merely upon those which precede and follow it, but upon those which surround it, and the great whole of which it forms a part. And it is so arranged, that every part is, as it were, a miniature of the whole. This method of circles within circles, " wheels within wheels" (Ezek. i. 16,) is manifestly the true " method of nature" in all her works. It is indeed, to human reason inextricable ;

•" Mazes intricate,

Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular,

Then most, when most irregular they seem." 1

Still, this philosopher finds, "even in the commencement of the sacred history," that " there is a high doctrine of religion intimated in the word Elohim, Gods — designating a plurality in the creative power of the universe ! " Shade of Spinoza, what meaneth this ! Why, that this " intimated creative power of the universe," which he elsewhere condescends to term " the Divine hand in creation," as " all the forms and modifications of matter are the results of motion," coincides " with the deductions of philosophy — two spiritual or immaterial forces," (one to " repel," another to " attract,*' and which forms his great electro-magnetic circle,) "acting upon ??iatter t

1. Macnab's Theory, &c; pp. 2, 38.

B*

XXII PREFACE.

appear not only to be absolutely necessary, but to actually exist.' 7 Please, reader, while on this subject, turn to pages 8, and 38 — 41, of this volume, and see what of difference you discover between the above ideas of a Supreme, Intelligent, Great First Cause, and the Atheism of Spinoza and Aristotle ; and yet, our recondite philosopher can accommodate his Protean theory to " the great doctrine of the Trinity " — > and can see it also beautifully revived (!) and illustrated in the Christian creed of an incarnate principle" &c.

And so, this philosopher also " intimates " his belief in "the Scriptures," as "fully unerringly inspired." But he has had the sagacity to discover, that " the Hindu Scriptures are equally profound upon these subjects with the Christian" — that the Mosaic history of the serpent, "instead of being a literal account of a diabolical miracle, is, in reality, a profound and pregnant apologue " — and that " the tree of life is the magnetic axis of the earth," while the tree of knowledge of good and evil, is the axis of rotation, &c.

What others think of this gentleman's theory we know not. Doubtless it has its admirers. We pretend not to have analyzed its principles minutely. This, for want of time and space, we could not do. But it is our deliberate opinion, that a more bold, heaven-daring, God-dishonoring theory, under the mask of Christianity, has never been brought into vogue in this or any other Christian country.

We deem it here of the utmost importance that the reader distinguish between the Age of the World Geo-

PREFACE. XX111

logically, and the Age of the World Historically. Regarding the first, the theory we adopt ascribes to the chaotic elements of nature a vast, though limited and indefinite existence; and amplifies the "six days" into six periods of uniform and definite length. It dates the commencement of the second from the Creation and Fall of our first parents, and exposes the fal lacy of the antiquarian, who, by confounding the geological with the historical Age of the World, lays claim to a vastly greater antiquity for the history of the human race, than that given by Moses.

That our distribution of periods as above, into indefinite and definite, are generally adopted by geologists, we do not pretend. We invite an examination of our Scriptural argument in support of the latter. Of the Lectures now in course of delivery in this city by Professor Lyell, President of the Geological Society of London, as reported in the " Tribune," (our engagements having denied us the pleasure of hearing them,) we have discovered nothing to contravene the sentiment as expressed by himself, that man, through the aid of this science, is " enabled, by his superior organization, to go back and trace the history of his great birth-place and residence, the earth, and all it has gone through, and what beings lived and died upon it, as he finds it engraved on its rocky pages — on the stony tablets of this interesting book — imperishably engraven on the solid frame-work of the earth itself. These laws tend not to materialism; they are the expression of the supreme will imprinted on matter. These laws belong not to material things, but lead us up