That the Mosaic record of Creation has been thought at variance with certain deductions of modern observation, is not surprising: seeing that the deductions of each fresh period have been at variance with the deductions of that which went before; and seeing that the theory of one existing school is inconsistent with the theory of another.--That the Bible is not, in any sense, _a scientific treatise_ again, is simply a truism: (who ever supposed that it was?). Moses writes "the history of the Human Race as regards Sin and Salvation: not a cosmical survey of all the successive phenomena of the globe[306]." Further, that he employs popular phraseology when speaking of natural phenomena, is a statement altogether undeniable. But such remarks are a gross fallacy, and a mere deceit, if it be meant that the statements in the Bible partake of the imperfection of knowledge incident to a rude and primitive state of society. To revive an old illustration,--Is a philosopher therefore a child, because, in addressing children, he uses language adapted to their age and capacity? GOD speaks in the First Chapter of Genesis,--_hath_ spoken for three and thirty hundred years,--as unto children: but there is no risk therefore that in what He saith, He either hath deceived, or will deceive mankind. You are never to forget the great fundamental position, that the Bible claims to be the Word of GOD; and that _GOD'S Word can never contradict or be contradicted by GOD'S works_. We therefore reject, _in limine_, all insinuations about the "unscientific" character of the Bible. A scientific man does not cease to be scientific because he does not choose always to express himself scientifically. Again. A man of universal Science does not forfeit his scientific reputation, if, in the course of a _moral_ or _religious_ argument, his allusions to _natural_ phenomena are expressed in the ordinary language of mankind. Even so, Almighty God, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge[307],"--speaking to us by the mouth of His holy Prophets, never, that I am aware, teaches them to speak a strictly scientific language,--_except when the Science of Theology is being discoursed of_. On other occasions, He suffers their language to be like yours or mine. "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon[308]:"--"The clouds drop down the dew[309]:"--"The wind bloweth where it listeth[310]."--Not so when _Theology_ is the subject. _Then_ the language becomes scientific. "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD[311]:"--"Take, eat, This is My Body[312]:"--"Before Abraham was, I am[313]:"--"I and the FATHER are One[314]."