LECTURE THE FIRST.

WERE it given unto us to contemplate God's works in the visible and in the moral world, not as we now see them, in shreds and little fragments, but as woven together into the great web of universal harmony; could our minds take in each part thereof, with its general and particular connexions, relations, and appliances,-—there can be no doubt but religion, as established by Him, would appear to enter, and fit so completely and so necessarily into the general plan, as that all would be unravelled and destroyed, if by any means it should be withdrawn. And such a view of its interweaving with the whole economy and fabric of nature, would doubtless be the highest order of evidence which could be given us of its truth. But this is the great difference between Nature's and man's operation, that she fashioneth and moulds all the parts of her works at once, while he can apply himself only to the elaboration of one single part at a time ;* and hence it comes,

* "For as when a carver cuts and graves an image, he shapes only that part whereupon he works, and not the rest; but contrariwise, when Nature makes a flower or living creature, she engenders and brings forth rudiments of all the parts at once.”—Bacon, De Augm. Scient. l. vii. p. 360, Trans. Oxf. 1640.

that in all our researches, the successive and partial attention which we are obliged to give to separate evidences or proofs, doth greatly weaken their collective force. For, as the illustrious Bacon hath well remarked, "the harmony of the sciences, that is, when each part supports the other, is, and ought to be, the true and brief way of confutation and suppression of all the smaller sort of objections; but on the other hand, if you draw out every axiom, like the sticks of a faggot, one by one, you may easily quarrel with them, and bend and break them at your pleasure."*

To the difficulties thus thrown in our way by the limitation of our faculties, prejudices of venerable standing have added much. For ages it has been considered, by many, useless and almost profane, to attempt any marriage between theology and the other sciences. Some men in their writings, and many in their discourse, go so far as to suppose that they may enjoy a dualism of opinions, holding one set which they believe as Christians, and another whereof they are convinced as philosophers. Such a one will say, that he believes the Scriptures, and all that they contain; but will yet uphold some system of chronology or history, which can nowise be reconciled therewith. One does not see how it is possible to make accordance between the Mosaic creation

Bacon, De Augm. Scient. l. vii. p. 330.

and Cuvier's discoveries; another thinks the history of the dispersion incompatible with the number of dissimilar languages now existing; a third considers it extremely difficult to explain the origin of all mankind from one common parentage. So far, therefore, from considering religion, or its science theology, as entitled to sisterhood with the other sciences, it is supposed to move on a distinct plane, and preserve a perpetual parallelism with them, which prevents them all from clashing, as it deprives them of mutual support. Hence too it is no wonder that theology should be always considered a study purely professional, and devoid of general interest; and that it should be deemed impossible to invest its researches with those varied charms that attract us to other scientific enquiries.*

Reflections such as these have led me to the attempt whereupon I enter to-day; the attempt, that is to bring theology somehow into the circle of the other sciences, by showing how beautifully it is illustrated, supported, and adorned by them all; to prove how justly the philosopher should bow to her decisions, with the assurance that his researches will only confirm them; to demonstrate

* For a view of the unsatisfactory method by which the French eclectic school attempts at once to separate and reconcile science and revelation, see Damiron, Essai sur l'Histoire de la Philosophie en France; Bruxelles, 1829, pp. 471-474: or, Carové, Der Saint Simonismus und die neuere Philosophie; Leips. 1831, p. 42.

the convergence of truths revealed with truths discovered; and, however imperfectly, to present you with some such picture as Homer hath described upon his hero's shield; of things and movements heavenly, that appertain unto a higher sphere, hemmed round and embellished by the representations of earthlier and homelier pursuits.

My purpose, therefore, in the course of lectures to which I have invited you, is to shew the correspondence between the progress of science, and the developement of the Christian evidences; and before proceeding further, I must be allowed to explain the terms and limits of my enquiries. By the simple statement of my theme, it will be seen that I do not intend to enter upon the well-occupied field of natural theology, or to apply the progress of science to the increasing proof thereby gained, of a wise all-ruling Providence. It is of revealed religion alone that I mean to treat-of the evidences which Christianity has received in its numberless connexions with the order of nature, or the course of human events. And when I use the word evidences, I must be understood in a very wide and general signification. I consider that whatever tends to prove the truth of any narrative in the sacred volume, especially if that narrative, to merely human eyes, appears improbable, or irreconcilable with other facts, tends also essentially to encrease the sum of evidence which Christianity possesses, resting, as it

essentially does, upon the authenticity of that book. Any discovery, for instance, that a trifling date, till lately inexplicable, is quite correct, besides the satisfaction it gives upon an individual point, has a far greater moral weight in the assurance it affords of security in other matters. And hence a long research, which will lead to a discovery of apparently mean importance, must be measured according to this general influence, rather than by its immediate results.

But while, as has been observed, it is the interest of those who search after truth, to generalize their proofs as much as possible, and take their stand upon the broadest ground, those who attack it will ever find their greatest advantage in particular objections, and piecemeal destruction. And such, on their part, has been the policy pursued. Each science has been individually ransacked, and many partial results of each separately urged, as sufficient to overthrow the defences of Christianity. These repeated attempts must form an additional motive for enquiry into the real results of modern science. It is true that the Christian revelation rests upon general arguments, not easily shaken by particular objections. It is true that its evidence, external and internal, consists of numerous and various considerations, dove-tailed and rivetted so strongly together, that a partial attack upon one point, is borne by the rest; so that we incur greater difficulties by supposing