442 GEOLOGICAL PROOF OF A DEITY. 



faculties, in multiplying the evidences of the Existence and 

 Attributes and Providence of God.* 



The alarm however which was excited by the novelty of 

 its first discoveries has well nigh passed away, and those to 

 whom it has been permitted to be the humble instruments of 

 their promulgation, and who have steadily persevered, under 

 the firm assurance that " Truth can never be opposed to 

 Truth," and that the works of God when rightly understood, 

 and viewed in their true relations, and from a right position, 

 would at length be found to be in perfect accordance with 

 his Word, are now receiving their high reward, in finding 

 difficulties vanish, objections gradually withdrawn, and in 

 seeing the evidences of Geology admitted into the list of 

 witnesses to the truth of the great fundamental doctrines of 

 Theology.f 



* A study of the natural world teaches not the truths of revealed religion, 

 nor do the truths of religion inform us of the inductions of physical science. 

 Hence it is, tliat men whose studies are too much confined to one branch of 

 knowledge, often learn to overrate themselves, and so become narrow- 

 minded. Bigotry is a besetting sin of our nature. Too often it has been 

 the attendant of religious zeal : but it is perhaps most bitter and unsparing 

 when found with the irreligious. A philosopher, understanding not one 

 atom of their spirit, will sometimes scoff at the labours of religious men ; 

 and one who calls himself religious will perhaps return a like harsii 

 judgment, and thank God that he is not as the philosophers, — fogetting all 

 the while, that man can ascend to no knowledge, except by faculties given 

 to him by his Creator's hand, and that all natural knowledge is but a re- 

 flection of the will of God. In harsh judgmentssuch as these, there is not 

 only much folly, but much sin. True wisdom consists in seeing how all 

 the faculties of the mind, and all parts of knowledge bear upon each other, 

 so as to work together to a common end; ministering at once to the happi- 

 ness of man, and his Maker's glory. — Sedgwick's Discourse on the Studies 

 of the University, Cambridge, 1833, App. note F. p. 102, 103. 



t One of the most distinguished and powerful Theological writers of 

 our time, who about 20 years ago devoted a chapter of his work on the 

 Evidence of the Christian Revelation, to the refutation of what he then 

 called " the Scepticism of Geologists," has in his recent publication on 

 Natural Theology, commenced his considerations respecting the origin 



