Of the Belation of TracUUon to Falcetiology, 26 ^ 



origin, but in every instance appear to find ourselves separated 

 from it by a state of things, and an order of events, of a kind 

 altogether different from those which come under our experi- 

 ence. The thread of induction respecting the natural course 

 of the world snaps in our fingers, when we try to ascertain 

 where its beginning is. Since, then, science can teach us no- 

 thing positive respecting the beginning of things, she can nei- 

 ther contradict nor confirm what is taught by Scripture on that 

 subject ; and thus, as it is unworthy timidity to fear contradic- 

 tion, so is it ungrounded presumption to look for confirmation 

 in such cases. The providential history of the world has its 

 own beginning, and its own evidence ; and we can only render 

 the system insecure, by making it lean on our material sciences. 

 If any one were to suggest that the nebular hypothesis coun- 

 tenances the Scripture history of the formation of this system, 

 by shewing how the luminous matter of the sun might exist 

 previous to the sun itself, we should act wisely in rejecting such 

 an attempt to weave together these two heterogeneous threads ; 

 — the one a part of a providential scheme, the other a fragment 

 of physical speculation. 



We shall best learn those lessons of the true philosophy of 

 science which it is our object to collect, by attending to por- 

 tions, of science which have gone through such crises as we 

 are now considering ; nor is it requisite, for this purpose, to 

 bring forward any subjects which are still under discussion. 

 It may, however, be mentioned that such maxims as we are 

 now endeavouring to establish, and the one before us in parti- 

 cular, bear with a peculiar force upon those Palsetiological 

 Sciences of which we have been treating in the present Book. 

 8. Scientific views, when familiar, do not disturb the authority/ 

 of Scripture. — There is another reflection which may serve to 

 console and encourage us in the painful struggles which thus 

 take place, between those who maintain interpretations of 

 Scripture already prevalent, and those who contend for such 

 new ones as the new discoveries of science require. It is this ;; 

 —that though the new opinion is resisted by one party && 

 something destructive of the credit of Scripture and the reve- 

 rence which is its due, yet, in fact, when the new interpreta- 

 tion has been generally established and incorporated with men's 

 current thoughts, it ceases to disturb their views of the autho- 



