Age of the World

"ALMIGHTY GOD, GIVE US GRACE THAT WE MAY CAST AWAY THE WORKS OF DARKNESS, AND PUT UPON US THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT, NOW IN THE TIME OF THIS MORTAL LIFE, IN WHICH THY SON JESUS CHRIST CAME TO VISIT US IN GREAT HUMILITY;

THAT IN THE LAST DAY,

WHEN HE SHALL COME AGAIN IN HIS GLORIOUS MAJESTY TO JUDGE BOTH THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, WE MAY RISE TO THE LIFE IMMORTAL, THROUGH HIM WHO LIVETH AND REIGNETH WITH THEE AND THE HOLY GHOST, NOW AND EVER.

AMEN."

PREFACE.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

SECTION I.

The subject of the first Lecture.—The Age of the World ac-

cording to Scripture believed by some rejected by others.....1

Of the latter there are three classes, the Atheist, the Infidel, and

the Antiquarian; and some also who profess Christianity.......2

I. Proposition I. THAT THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE, OF WHICH OUR

GLOBE FORMS A PART, IS NOT ETERNAL — CONSEQUENTLY OUR

CLOBE, OR THE WORLD WHICH WE INHABIT, IS NOT ETERNAL..

1. (1) ATHEISM. Christianized Atheism....

Its advocates, Grotius and Vatabulus. Their perversion of

Gen. i. 1.......

Also of Eccles. i: 9-11.....

..6

(2.) Atheism undisguised, or the Aristotelian philosophy. Aver-

roes, Avicenna, Alfaraba, and others...

Defective. The whole created universe constituted of the es-
sence of matter, or of mind, or both— and, if not common to
all, it is to a part- MAN..

Matter. What.....

Refutation of the Atheistic principle of the eternity of matter.....ib

Intelligence. Proof of.......

.11

...12

Result. Evidence from Scripture..

losopher.....

Collins, the Free-thinker.

Conclusion...

SECTION II.

2. The Antiquarian. He admits the Eternal existence of the

Great First Cause, but claims, THAT REMOTE AUTHENTIC ANTI-

QUITY ASCRIBES A VASTLY GREATER AGE TO THIS GLOBE, THAN

THAT SET FORTH BY THE INSPIRED WRITERS.....

.....17

..ib

This claim, founded on the ancient cabalas of the Hindoos, Egyp-
tians, Chinese, Persians, Etruscans, &c.....

These accounts admitted as matters of historical record, but de-

nied to be founded in truth; and an antecedent antiquity

claimed in behalf of the Sacred writings, upon a comparison

with the profane, as predicated of their INTERNAL evidence......19

(1.) The sources of Ante-diluvian profane antiquity. Thyoth

Sanchoniathon - while uncorrupted left accounts very agree-

able to that of Moses. No existing accounts that can be re-

lied on. corrupted at an early period. Extravagant.....

(2.) Profane Post-diluvian History. Herodotus - Xenophon-

Ctesias.Learning of the Indians - Confucius. — Of the

original works of the most ancient Phoenicians, Egyptians,

and Grecians, no remains. Herodotus not to be relied

on-not so Ctesias......

Catalogue of authorities respecting the Egyptian, Chinese, and

Assyrian Dynasties. Ist. EGYPT. The old Egyptian Chro-

nographeon. Manetho. - Eratosthenes. -- Josephus' Mane-

tho-Chronographia of Sextus Julius Africanus. - Chron-

icon of Euseb. Pamphilius.-The Chronographia of Syn-

cellus. Canon Chron. of Sir John Marsham...

2d. CHINESE RECORDS....

3rd. ASSYRIAN Do. Herodotus, Ctesias, Zenophon, Aristotle,

Strabo, Diodorus Siculus...

Perplexity of remote profane history, &c...

Original invention of Letters...

.23

.....

Coincidence of ancient Profane Physiological philosophy with

the Cosmogony of Moses.....

Ancient. Philosophers - Orpheus, Thales, Pythagorus, Plato,
Aristotle. Pherecydes, Anaximander, Anaximines, Anaxi-
gorus. Leucippus, Democritus.-Consequence of their de-
parture from tradition. — First perverted by the Greeks.-
Atheism of Aristotle. - Not so those who preceded him.
Conclusion. - necessity of a Divine Revelation...

SECTION III.

On TIME, as viewed in connexion with the origin of the material

universe. Import of the term "day," as used in the 1st chapter of

Genesis whether a natural day of 24 hours, or a period of vastly

greater length.-Argument from analogy in nature and Providence

- from the physiological and oryctological discoveries of science.

I. Presumptive evidence, as derived from the six days work of

creation.

...56

On this subject, there are four classes of opinions....

Examination of the Theory, which attributes the creation of the

globe out of the destruction of a previously existing planet.

Examination of the above four classes of opinions.....

Evidence, that the six days organization of the material uni-

verse was each a period of vast length. The question is

not, what the Almighty could do, but what he actually did do. 58

I. That each of the six days was a period of vast length, is

evident,

1. From the ordinary and obvious process of organization as

therein described...

2. From the physiological structure of the globe.....
The first creation comparatively imperfect. This not a new
theory. Council of Nice A. D. 325. - Catechism of Edward
VI. Dr. Burnet.
Physical construction of the earth, as gathered from the vari-
ous phenomena of the subterranean world. - Fossils. -can-
not all be accounted for by the Deluge.-Harmony between
the Mosaic cosmogony, and the scientific discoveries of phys-
iology. -- Folly of relying upon human reason alone, in the -
application of this science to existing phenomena. — All diffi-
culties vanish when viewed in connexion with Revelation.

SECTION IV.

Duration of the Sabbatical Rest of the Almighty. - Assumed to
be 6000 years if so, then arguing homogeneously, each of the
six days was a period of 6000 years.— Faber on this point...

Recapitulation, &c.....

SECTION V.

3. Infidelity. Objection, that Moses cannot be the author of the

books ascribed to him. Answered.....

LECTURE I.

AGE OF THE WORLD, & c.

Text, Matt. xxiv., 3.....................

Analysis of the Introductory Essay..

Subject. Age of the World, &c.

I. Proposition I. GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM HAS ASSIGNED TO

THE WORLD WHICH WE INHABIT, BOTH IN RELATION TO ITS PHYS-

ICAL AND MORAL CONSTITUTION, A LIMITED AND DEFINITE DURA-

TION.

II. Proposition II. THIS LIMITEd and definite DURATION OF THE

WORLD, AS COMPREHENDED UNDER THREE SUCCESSIVE DISPENSA-

TIONS, PATRIARCHAL, JEWISH, AND CHRISTIAN, IS A SUBJECT

FULLY REVEALED TO GOD'S PEOPLE IN HIS WORD..

Paraphrase of the Text.....

....

Christ's prediction. — Analysis of the xxivth and xxvth chap-

ters of St. Matthew, from the Rev. G. E. Hare's "Christ to

The question proposed, — shall we attempt to fix upon the point

of time, in round numbers, upon which we now stand, in the

successive evolutions of God's dispensations to man?...... 104

Against such an attempt, there is an evident popular reluctance.
-Abuse of the subject by fanatics. Mosheim's Eccles.
Hist.-Joanna Southcoate and the Mormon delusion. —

Word of warning. — Elegant extract

from the preface to

Hare's "Christ to Return," by the Right Rev. L. S. Ives, D.

D., Bishop of N. Carolina.

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