347

TWELFTH WEEK-SUNDAY.

TRUE SCIENCE, THE HANDMAID OF RELIGION.

THERE are few mistakes less reasonable than that which leads believers to entertain a jealousy of the investigations of science, as if there were a risk that the bulwarks of our holy faith might be undermined by the progress of philosophical discovery. Science, properly so called, is nothing else than the knowledge of truths. Scripture, rightly interpreted, is emphatically the word of truth; and though the subjects treated of by each may have no immediate relation to one another, still it is impossible that there should be any contradiction between them. Truth cannot be opposed to truth.

But it will be said that this reasoning is refuted by facts, since those who have entered most deeply into scientific investigations have been often tainted with infidelity. This, however, is an assertion to which we cannot subscribe. It is true, that much, which has been falsely termed philosophy, has been from time to time quoted in opposition to the authenticity of the Bible, and that many, who have been dignified with the title of scientific men, have lent to the same cause the credit of their names. But there was nothing approaching to infallibility in either; and, I need not say, that the invariable result of more patient research, and more mature consideration, has been to establish the proofs of the Bible's divine authority more firmly and satisfactorily than ever.

The particular subjects upon which philosophy has been employed by infidel writers, to aid them in their attacks upon Scripture, are those upon which the sacred volume was never intended to afford us any specific information: such subjects, for example, as the structure of the earth and the planetary system. It has already

been shown, that to look for a formal treatise on cosmogony or astronomy in a book intended to reveal the method of man's recovery to the favour of God, and to instruct him in his duties, would be altogether to mistake the nature and character of such a publication. Scripture, if it enter on these subjects at all, speaks not in the language of scientific truth, because it is not addressing philosophers, as such, but in the simple language of plain men, for whose use it was intended. And yet, in the first chapter of Genesis, and in various incidental notices scattered through its pages, we find enough said in this spirit, at once to bring Revelation to the test of genuine science, and to afford short-sighted, presumptuous, and shallow smatterers in science, falsely so called, the shadow of an apology for subjecting it to their criticism. This test has been applied, this critisism has been exercised, by persons of every variety of intellect, and temper, and disposition:-And what has been the result? It is instructive to glance at the history of this controversy from the first dawn of philosophy, after the night of the dark ages. A gloomy superstition, only relieved here and there by the genuine piety of such men as A Kempis, brooded over Europe; and when a spirit of inquiry was first evoked from the moral darkness of the world, the jealousy of religionists, who, in the excess of their bigotry, had been at no pains to inquire into the foundations of their faith, and knew not how strong are the pillars of the Christian temple, induced them to wage, against those who manifested any disposition to question the truth of ancient opinions, a war of unrelenting persecution. Although we may deeply lament that the name of religion should ever have been prostituted to such a service, and although we may well sympathize with the sufferings of such martyrs as Galileo, we have reason to rejoice that the spirit of investigation was not thus to be quenched.

It proceeded in its luminous way, till it gained the position and the power which it deserved; and, in place of

being looked on as the foe, became the handmaid and the friend of the faith of Jesus. During this process, however, if professed Christians were to blame for their folly in thus adhering to a system, and defending it with the weapons of a carnal policy, when they had not the moral courage to examine its authority, the disposition of many who assumed the air and the garb of philosophical inquirers, was as little to be admired. Pleased with their own fancied discoveries, or led away by an enthusiastic admiration of those of others, or perhaps, in many cases, glad of an excuse for casting off the restraints of religion, such individuals, during a long series of ages, were perpetually to be found thrusting forward the crudest speculations, which they dignified with the name of truths, and to which they demanded the unqualified assent of all who pretended to the character of scientific men. These notions often became fashionable for a season; and then Scripture must be brought to answer at their bar, and must be condemned or approved, only as it should be found to agree with this, for the time, infallible test of truth. Thus were religion and infant philosophy unnecessarily brought into collision, and the indubitable declarations of the former, made to hold a subordinate place to the uncertain indications of the latter. Hence, till toward the close of the last century, nothing was more common than the malignant insinuations of an infidel spirit, or the open attacks of scepticism. These efforts were chiefly favoured by the imperfection of the sciences. A portion of the book of Nature had been opened, but so small a portion, as to leave the full bearings of every subject to be guessed at, rather than known; while the vanity and recklessness of half-taught minds, gave to their pretended discoveries all the authority of facts, and induced their adherents to exalt them infinitely above any opposite opinions, however long established,-nay, even to prefer them to the Bible itself.

Of the ease with which the human mind, when once disposed to give an undue preference to any fondly che

*

rished views, may be induced to resist the most palpable demonstration of an opposite tendency, we have a remarkable example in the history of the blessed Redeemer. What philosophy was to the literati of the last century, the investigation of the Old Testament Scriptures appears to have been to the Rabbis and Scribes of our Saviour's era. Now, we are told, that, shortly after the commencement of his ministry, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and having given public witness there of his divine character, in two ways,-first by the performance of a miracle, and then by the striking character of his preaching, presently a discussion arose among the citizens, as to the weight of his pretensions. Some inclined to a belief, that so extraordinary a man could be no other than the Messiah; others attributed his powers to the influence of Satan; but there was a third class, who, in the very spirit of modern scepticism, produced their pretended knowledge of the law, as the infallible data upon which the question was to be decided. "We know whence this man is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." This argument, plausible as it might appear, had no good foundation. Its premises were entirely defective. No passage in the Old Testament makes any assertion such as that which is here pretended. Isaiah, indeed, asks the question, "Who shall declare his generation?" and the Rabbis, improving upon this, had formed the opinion, that the place of Christ's birth, and that of his parentage, should be a mystery; or perhaps they deduced this notion from the typical history of Melchizedek. But, from whatever source derived, and however plausible it might appear to them, ignorance was its author, and that very book on which they professed to found their opinion, in various passages, contradicted it. For what can be plainer than the language of Isaiah on this very subject," There shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall

* John vii.

grow out of his roots?" what more distinct than the words of Micah, "Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting?" If, instead of holding to their unsupported theories, they had only been at the pains to turn their attention to such passages as these, and, not content with a part, had diligently compared the whole of the ancient Scriptures with the history of Jesus, they could not have resisted the assurance that verily he was the Son of God, the Messiah who was to come.

The application of this illustration may safely be left to my readers. Let us rejoice that the progress of genuine knowledge has greatly altered the relations that subsist between philosophy and religion. The frequent demonstration of the liability of the most learned to err, has taught wholesome lessons of modesty and caution. The more deeply Nature has been investigated, the closer the analogy has been manifested which exists between the work of creation and the work of grace revealed in the word of God. Proofs corroborative of the authenticity of the Bible, have been gathered from those very sources which formerly were applied to, by the sceptic, for his sharpest weapons; and at this moment (such is the security with which Christianity may regard the progress of knowledge), there does not exist in our own country, nor so far as I am aware, in any other, one philosopher of eminence who has ventured to confront religion and philosophy, as manifestly contradictory. May we not venture to hope that, in a very short time, the weak darts of minor spirits, which from time to time are still permitted to assail our bulwarks, will be also quenched, and the glorious Gospel, set free from all the oppositions of science, falsely so called, shall walk hand in hand over the earth with a philosophy always growing in humility, because every day becoming more genuine. G. J. C. D.