206 TESTIMONY TO THE 



if this be attained, it will go but a little way towards 

 that acquaintance with God, which will set a man "at 

 peace," and to communicate which is the object of the 

 Divine Revelation. A man may be a most learned 

 and complete expounder of the truths of natural 

 theology, and yet be pitiably blind on the all-import- 

 ant subject of a Sinner's justification with God. 



Perhaps the best mode of arriving at the true use 

 of the natural sciences, is to examine how they are 

 treated in the Word of God. And it appears to me 

 that there are three distinct modes of instruction, 

 under one or other of which, most if not all of the 

 passages which speak of natural objects may be 

 arranged. 



I. The direct testimofiy which the creatures yive 

 to God. 



When Jehovah breaks in upon the unsatisfactory 

 conference between Job and his friends. He uses this 

 vehicle of instruction. The construction of the ma- 

 terial universe, the phenomena of light and darkness, 

 of heat and cold, of meteors, the revolutions of the 

 heavenly bodies, the structure of the earth, the pro- 

 portions of land and sea, and especially the economy 

 and instincts of various animals, are appealed to, in a 

 series of interrogations of unparallelled majesty, as 

 witnesses to Him. But here there are two methods of 

 appeal. The one rests on man's ignorance, the other 

 on his knowledge. "Knowest thou the ordinances of 

 heaven ? Canst thou send lightnings, that they may 

 go, and say unto thee. Here we are ? Knowest thou 

 the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth?" 



