With regard to the nature and extent of the discrepancy thus disclosed, we would observe, that it is not a case merely involving the question of the literal acceptation of a word or a phrase—it is not a parallel case (e.g.) with that of the incidental scriptural expressions, implying, in their letter, the motion of the sun, or the existence of a solid firmament—nor is the difficulty of the same nature with any sceptical objections to a supernatural narration : but it is the contradiction of existing monuments of past events with the obvious sense of what is recorded as a part of divine revela tion, in the form of a circumstantial narrative of the same events. And the discrepancy is not one with any theory, or partial discovery of science, which is not yet thoroughly made out, and which future investigations may modify or set aside ; but with broad primary facts which involve nothing hypothetical, and which are in reality identified with the first principles of all inductive truth. It is also a circumstance which, taken any way, involves a train of consequences. It is not an isolated difficulty like that attaching to some single detached point, which we can pass over and not allow to weigh against the evidence preponder ating on the other side ; but it essentially involves a broad principle, and must affect, in its consequences, the entire view we take of the authority and application of the Old Testament.
That the existence of a discrepancy or difficulty of this kind, especially at the first announcement of those discoveries which disclosed it, should have been viewed by many with astonishment and alarm, is no more than might have been expected. That in the first instance the whole weight of censure should have been directed against the science of geology, is what numerous and somewhat parallel cases in former times would have led us to anticipate. It would be improper in this place to advert even remotely to topics of dispute or irritation. We shall merely observe that, at the present day, a happier spirit seems beginning to prevail. There are few now who venture upon open expressions of hostility ; and this is no doubt from the simple cause that earnest attention and diligent examination have been called forth ; the subject is beginning to be generally understood ; misconception and acrimony, alarm and suspicion, have been gradually set to rest ; and those who feel most forcibly the amount and nature of the contradiction are most ready to confess the unsatisfactory character of those solutions of it to which we have adverted, and which rather gloss over and elude the real difficulty than fairly meet it. The main source of objection and offence has doubtless been the prevalence of certain views of the tenor and design of the Old Testament, which have by long custom passed current, among certain classes of Christians more especially, and in virtue of which the particular points involved in the narrative of the creation have come to bear a meaning and application connected directly with the existing institutions of religion. On the other hand, a more careful view of the actual design of the Hebrew Scriptures may do much towards removing this source of embarrassment.
In speaking of the Scripture narrative we have already re marked its striking characteristics as a composition—this of course applies in detail to the narrative in Genesis ; but the brief statement in the Decalogue preserves also, as far as it goes, the same features. No reader of the Scriptures, especially of the Old Testament, can be otherwise than aware of the entire system which pervades all its representa tions, more or less, of adaptation in the manner of expres sion, form of imagery, and the like, to the apprehensions, the prejudices, and previous belief of the Jewish people ; nay, the whole dispensation, in all its parts and institutions, is but one grand exemplification of the same thing. And this character in it we find expressly recognised and dwelt upon by our Lord and his apostles, in addressing that people, as the very ground of argument for introducing to those who were then living under the law a better and more spiritual religion : Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts,' gave you this precept (Matt. xix. 8) ; The law was a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ' (Gal. iii. 24)—a scheme of instruction and education (as it were) suited to their capacities and accommodated to their apprehensions. And not to dwell on instances which can only be accounted for as adaptations of this kind, such as the various sanguinary enactments, the visitation of sin on the posterity of the offender, the toleration of polygamy, the extreme facility of divorce, and the like, we cannot but recognise a similar object, as well in the general anthropopathism of the Old Testament, as in more special instances of many parts of those compositions in which poetic imagery, parable, and apologue were employed ; and it is therefore nothing at variance with the nature or design of that revelation, but rather eminently conformable to it, to suppose that in other instances similar forms of narrative may have been adopted in like manner as the vehicles of religious instruction ; still less to admit that they may have long been mistaken for historical matter-of-fact statements.
In the present instance the adaptation to the people of Israel was manifestly of the greatest importance, in order to secure their attention to points of vital moment in connection with the worship of the one true God, and their renunciation of idolatrous superstition. With this end, the first great truth with which they were to be impressed was the unity, omnipotence, and beneficence of the Creator ; but these great doctrines were not put before them as abstract philo sophical propositions, which their narrow and uncultivated minds would have been wholly incapable of comprehending: they were therefore embodied and illustrated in a narrative, proceeding step by step, in a minute detail, to assert, in each individual instance, the power and goodness which they were thus led to recognise in every familiar detail of the natural world, and which could thus alone be effectually im pressed upon their minds.