PREFACE.

its rise with the perceptions of the aborigines. of our race, during the periods of their religious integrity. To them, at that time, it is believed that the objects of the visible world were as an open book, in which they could perceive divine and holy things represented, and who, therefore, when treating of spiritual things, would arrange their thoughts concerning them into a kind of historical series, in order to render them forcible and vivid. This, doubtless, is the style of the first eleven chapters of Genesis, or rather up to the fourteenth verse of the eleventh chapter; and it is in consequence of men, in later ages, not having attended to this most remarkable genius of the most ancient people, that those early portions of the book of Genesis, have been considered so exceedingly difficult to understand.

THE SECOND STYLE is historical, and treats, in the letter, of such facts and occurrences, as, from the time of Abram, are recorded in those books commonly called historical. Nevertheless, this style, like the former, is replete with an internal or spiritual sense. Historical circumstances began to be employed for the purpose of representing spiritual things, when mankind, and especially the descendants of Abram, to whom those documents, with the exception of the book of Job, were originally vouchsafed, had sunk into a merely sensual and selfish state. Job is evidently a more ancient book, produced, in all probability, upon the plan of the factitious history of the first style of revelation, though it does not appear to be so complete and regular in its

structure.

THE THIRD STYLE is the prophetical. This, also, appears to have derived its condition from the factitious histories of the primitive people not that it puts on a historical aspect, or that it is, like them, connected in a historical series; for it is well known to be much broken and interrupted, and likewise to contain many statements in the literal sense which are scarcely intelligible; still, in their internal sense throughout, there are expressed, in an orderly series, sentiments of a purely spiritual character.

THE FOURTH STYLE is the Psalms. These, as may be easily seen, partake of an intermediate form between the prophetical and that of ordinary speech, and they treat of the internal states and religious experience of all those who are within the pale of the Lord's church.

That these are just views of the style of the Psalms, with the prophetic and historical portions of the Holy Word, we think can

hardly be disputed; and although what is stated to be the style of those parts of it which precede the time of Abram is equally true, yet, because that may not be so readily perceived, it was deemed requisite to dwell a little on that point, in the introductory chapter of the following work. To what is there stated, we are desirous to add one or two other considerations.

It seems evident that the Lord, in causing a revelation to be made to man, of spiritual and heavenly wisdom, has had respect to the genius and disposition of the people, to whom it was vouchsafed. We gather this view from the facts which are apparent in what are emphatically called the Jewish Scriptures. From them it is plain that the letter of the revelation relating to that people, and of which they were made the depositories, was constructed, as we find it to be, in consequence of their remarkable condition. They were a most external and sensual people; and therefore, the revelation, which, in its external form, is peculiarly theirs, partook of that historical and worldly character by which we see it is distinguished. This was all that they appreciated. Of spiritual things they had but little conception, and scarcely any

care.

Now, if it be true that the literal structure of revelation has always been in conformity with the genius of the people, to whom it has been made, — if it be true that the most external style of revelation to be found in the Bible was adopted in consequence of the sensual condition of the Jewish people, to whom it was first committed, then it will follow that the revelation granted to a superior people could not have been of so external a character. If the genius of the people, among whom the early portions of the book of Genesis were produced was eminently spiritual, and if the narratives are constructed in conformity with such character, then it is plain that the literal sense of that revelation ought to be differently understood from that which has been vouchsafed to the descendants of Abram. It seems contrary to all just criticism, to suppose that the literal form of the revelation which was granted to a people who were acquainted with spiritual things, is the same as that which was given to a community who were utterly ignorant of them. We therefore hold, that their external structure must be differently understood, nor can we perceive the reasonableness of any contrary conclusion.

It is admitted, that the first eleven chapters were produced among a people, who flourished long anterior to the time of Abram; and

there is much reason to believe, that they originated in those periods, which poets and philosophers have spoken of as the silver age, an age in which an Asiatic people were spiritually intelligent, because they studied interior truths, and were acquainted with those outer things in nature, which were the symbols of them; an age, therefore, in which mankind would speak of spiritual subjects, by means of those things which they knew to be their representatives in the world.

Without extending these remarks, it is evident, that the earliest narratives of antiquity were written in a style that was highly figurative; and this was a peculiarity belonging, not to the history of one nation merely, but to all which have any pretensions to a record of their origin. Upon what principle, then, can this character be denied to that early history in the Bible, which precedes the time of Abram? It cannot be because the literal sense of those documents is plain and easily to be comprehended: for when viewed as actual history, they are full of great and astounding difficulties, which no learning that has hitherto been exercised upon them, has been capable of satisfactorily explaining. If the genius of the people who lived in remote antiquity, was such as we have indicated, and if those narratives were produced among them, then they must have partaken of that genius; if they did not, they could not have been serviceable to them, nor instrumental in transmitting to posterity any just notions of that disposition and general turn of mind, by which they were distinguished.

Every one admits, that the minds of mankind during the purity of the Adamic periods, were influenced by very interior and elevated sentiments: the affections of their wills were, doubtless, directed towards the Lord, and their understandings were enlightened by thoughts concerning Him. In such an intellectual condition, nature must have been a sort of mirror, reflecting internal and spiritual ideas. It is easy to conceive, that such minds would regard the worldly things by which they were surrounded, as the symbol of some internal state, spiritual experience, or heavenly ideas, belonging to the Lord and his kingdom. This, indeed, would enable them

"To look through Nature up to Nature's God;"

and behold, in all its objects, the expressive types of spiritual realities. To such minds, creation must have been a rich display of objects, representing interior things pertaining to the Creator.

When the people, distinguished by such a state, spoke of natural things, their ideas concerning them would, as it were, recede, and give place to spiritual conceptions. When they undertook to describe spiritual and holy subjects, they would select and arrange, for that purpose, such temporal and natural objects, as they knew would accurately represent them. If these views are correct, and we think they are admissive of satisfactory proof, then, it is evident, that the literal sense of documents, constructed on this principle, was only a kind of vehicle for the signification of something else, and that their genuine meaning must have laid within it, as a jewel within its casket.

If such a people undertook to record the moral and spiritual things which they experienced, according to the successive series in which they had transpired, it seems plain, that they would do it by the arrangement of representative objects into a historical form. Such, we conceive, to have been the genius of the people, among whom the first eleven chapters of Genesis were produced, and such the circumstances which influenced their construction; those documents, therefore, are not to be understood according to their literal sense, they being factitious history, intending to express, by correspondence and representation, only internal and spiritual things.

Distinguished authority for these views could be cited, and much corroborative evidence and reasonings proceeded with; but it is not convenient to lengthen these remarks. Enough may have been said, to commend the subject to the careful consideration of those who may be interested in such an inquiry. It shows the principles on which the following work has been written, and to that the reader is respectfully referred for additional testimony and illustration. The religious connections of the writer, will know the source whence these opinions have been suggested; to them, therefore, no explanation on this head is necessary; and, it is presumed, that those who may be favorably impressed with them, after the perusal of the work, will find no difficulty in going directly to the same spring.

It may, perhaps, be necessary to offer some explanation of the circumstances which have led to this publication; and, also, to apologize for defects, which might not have occurred, if it had been produced independently of them.

The materials for this work were, for the most part, originally collected and arranged in the form of eight lectures, which were

delivered in Preston, to crowded audiences, with some advantages to the church of which the writer is a member. These circumstances led to a request for redelivering them in an adjoining town, which, on being done, excited there also, favorable attention. Parts of them were afterwards delivered in the metropolis, and in two of the largest provincial towns in the kingdom. In all these cases, intimations of approbation were conveyed to him, and a desire expressed for their publication. But as they were written only for the purpose of oral publicity, and doubtless owed much of the indulgent reception with which they met, to the “living voice," he did not think them adapted for the press, and, on that account, waived the suggestion for printing them. But the request having been renewed on two or three occasions, and urged upon him by several judicious friends, he was induced to entertain the subject; he was, likewise, encouraged to yield to those solicitations from other causes. He knew that they had been instrumental in rescuing from disbelief, some who had long been doubting the truth of revelation; also, that they had afforded others more satisfactory evidence of the divine origin and character of the early chapters of Genesis, than they had previously possessed; and also, that they had assisted many, in consolidating their faith in the holiness and sanctity of God's Holy Word. As these advantages, under the Divine Providence, had arisen from their oral delivery, he was induced to hope, that their publication might be followed by some further usefulness, and therefore, consented to the suggestion of his friends. He is not aware that there is any similar publication extant; and this led him to think that such a work might be generally acceptable to his own religious connections, as well as being, in some measure, serviceable to the public at large. Such are the circumstances which have led to the present publication, and it is hoped, that it may supply, however feebly, something for an unoccupied niche in the edifice of true religious literature.

But as to the execution. It was felt that their character, as lectures, and in some cases, their sermon-like structure, would not be so attractive, or so generally acceptable, as some other form that might be adopted. Hence it was determined to avoid, as far as convenient, the preaching portions of the discourses, and rearrange the matter into the shape in which it now appears. But to do this was not unattended with difficulties. For the sake of the judgments of those, at whose suggestions the publication was