[258] Gen. vii. 4 to viii. 14. [259] Ibid. v. [260] Ibid. xxxvii. 15, 16, 17. [261] See Appendix A. [262] Deut. iii. 25, 26. [263] 1 Kings xxi. 27-29. [264] St. Luke i. 13. [265] Jerem. xxxv. 18, 19. [266] Comp. Gen. xlix. 5-7, with Exod. xxxii. 26-28, (alluded to in Deut. xxxiii. 9,) and finally Numb. iii. 9 and 45, and Josh. xxi. 3-8. [267] The Rev. C. Marriott's _Sermons_,--vol. I. p. 441. [268] Ps. cxix. 148. [269] Not so _Essays and Reviews_, pp. 36 and 45. [270] Eph. vi. 17. SERMON II.[271] * * * * * NATURAL SCIENCE AND THEOLOGICAL SCIENCE. * * * * * HEBREWS xi. 3. _Through Faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of GOD._ St. Paul, in a famous and familiar chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews, having declared "what Faith is," proceeds, (as the heading of the chapter expresses it), to note "the worthy fruits thereof in the Fathers of old time." The Book of Genesis was obviously in his hands, or in his heart, while he wrote: for he appeals to the transactions there recorded, in the very order, and often in the very words, of Moses. The HOLY GHOST, I say, directs our attention to what is contained in the ivth,--vth,--vith,--xiith,--xviith,--xxiind,--xxviith,--xlviiith,--and lth chapters of Genesis. But He begins with a yet earlier chapter. _He begins with the first._ Abel,--Enoch,--Noah,--Abraham,--Sarah,--Isaac, --Jacob,--Joseph;--these stand forward as samples of God's faithful ones. But with them, the HOLY GHOST proposes to associate _us_. Moreover, He gives _us_ the place of honour. Before mentioning one of _their_ acts of Faith, He mentions one of _ours_. We come first,--then they. And the particular field in which _we_ shine out so conspicuously,--the special province which is assigned to _us_,--that portion of the inspired Narrative wherein _you and I_ are supposed to shew a degree of undoubting faith which entitles us to rank with those "Fathers of old time,"--is found to be _the first chapter of the Book of Genesis_. "Through Faith _we_ understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God." An honourable place, and an honourable function truly! I would to GOD that it might be as gratifying to every one of the congregation, as it is to the preacher, to discover that _this_ is the special stand-point which has been reserved for him and for them.