and ancient order, unfolding records of the operations
of the Almighty Author of the Universe,
written by the finger of God himself, upon the
foundations of the everlasting hills.
Chapter II.
Consistency o f Geological Discoveries with
Sacred History.
I t may seem just matter of surprise, that
many learned and religious men should regard
with jealousy and suspicion the study of any
natural phenomena, which abound with proofs
of some of the highest attributes of the Deity;
and should receive with distrust, or total incredulity,
the announcement of conclusions,
which the geologist deduces from careful and
patient investigation of the facts which it is
his province to explore. These doubts and
difficulties result from the disclosures made by
geology, respecting the lapse of very long periods
of time, before the creation of man. Minds
which have been long accustomed to date the
origin of the universe, as well as that of the
human race, from an era of about six thousand
years ago, receive reluctantly any information,
which if true, demands some new
modification of their present ideas of cosmogony;
and, as in this respect, Geology has
shared the fate of other infant sciences, in
being for a while considered hostile to revealed
religion; so like them, when fully understood,
it will be found a potent and consistent auxiliary
to it, exalting our conviction of the Power,
and Wisdom, and Goodness of the Creator.*
No reasonable man can doubt that all the
phenomena of the natural world derive their
origin from God; and no one who believes the
Bible to be the word of God, has cause to fear
any discrepancy between this, his word, and the
results of any discoveries respecting the nature
of his works; but the early and deliberative
stages of scientific discovery are always those
of perplexity and alarm, and during these stages
the human mind is naturally circumspect, and
slow to admit new conclusions in any department
of knowledge. The prejudiced persecutors
of Galileo apprehended danger to religion, from
* Hsec et hujusmodi ccelorum phenomena, ad Epocham
sexmillennem, salvis naturae legibus, aegr& revocari possunt
Quin fatendum crit potius non eandem fuisse originem, neque
cosevam, Telluris nostrse et totius Universi: sive Intellectual,
sive Corporei. Neque mirum videri debet hsec non distinxisse
Mosem, aut Universi originem non tractasse seorsim ab ilia
mundi nostri sublunaris : Heec enim non distinguit populus, aut
separatim sestimat.—Recte igitur Legislator sapientissimusphilo-
sophis reliquit id negotii, ut ubi maturuerit ingenium humanum,
per setatem, usum, et observationes, opera Dei alio ordine dige-
rerent, perfectionibus divinis atque rerum naturae adaptato.—
Burnet’s Archaologice PhilosQphicce. C. viii. p. 306. 4to. 1692.