This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com f ! CREATION CENTRED IN CHRIST THE APPROACHING END OF THE AGE, Viewed in the Light of History, Prophecy, and Science. By the Rev. H. GRATTAN GUINNESS, D.D. Twelfth Edition. With Diagrams. Crown 8vo, cloth, 75. 6d. LIGHT FOR THE LAST DAYS. A Study, Historical and Prophetical. By Dr. and Mrs. H. GRATTAN GUINNESS. Sixth Thousand. With Diagrams. Crown 8vo, cloth, js. 6rf. LONDON: HODDER AND STOUGHTON, 27, PATERNOSTER Row. CREATION CENTRED IN CHRIST H. GRATTAN CjUINNESS, D. D FELLOW OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY Jonbo1t HODDER AND STOUGHTON 27 PATERNOSTER ROW MDCCCXCVI BUTLEK & TANNSK, THE SELWOOD PRINTENG WORKS, FKOME, AND LONDON. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION xiii-xxxix PART I. NA TURE. CHAPTER I. NATURE'S WITNESS TO GOD 3 Five views of the origin of the universe — 1. The Polytheistic 4 2. The Pantheistic 4 3. The Atheistic 5 4. The Agnostic 6 5. The Theistic 7 PART II. REVELATION. CHAPTER I. THE NEED OF REVELATION 15 I. Moral Evil 15 1. Man Approves the Better 15 2. Man, though he Approves the Better, Follows the Worse 18 II. Physical Evil, or Disorders in External Nature ... 20 III. The Inability of Man to Remove Moral and Physical Evil, and to Restore the World 21 1. The Failure of Natural Religion 21 2. The Failure of Philosophy 22 CHAPTER II. THE EXISTENCE AND EVIDENCE OF REVELATION ... 24 I. External Evidences 29 1. The Civil History of the Jews 29 2. The Religious History of the Jews .... 30 3. The Relation of Judaism to Christianity . -31 4. The Miracles of Christ and His Apostles • • • 33 5. The Prophecies in the New Testament . • • • 33 iii iv CONTENTS. PAGE II. Internal Evidences 34 1. The Superiority of the Religion of the Bible to all other Religions of the World 34 2. The Superiority of the Christian Religion to Judaism . 35 3. The Superiority of the Christian Religion to Philosophy 36 4. The Character of Christ 37 5. The Conversion and Character of Paul the Apostle . 41 6. The Evidence of Experience 43 (1) The fact of Spiritual Illumination ... 43 (2) The fact of Moral Renovation .... 44 (3) The Outward Historical Proof .... 44 (4) Combination of Evidences .... 45 PART III. THE CONNECTION OF THE NATURAL AND REVEALED; OR, CREA TION CENTRED IN CHRIST. TESTIMONY OF SCRIPTURE 49 CHAPTER I. CENTRALIZATION IN THE NATURAL AND IN THE REVEALED . 56 Sec. I. Centralization in Nature 56 I. The Heliocentric Principle ....... 5^ 1. The Sun as the Centre of Motion 62 2. The Sun as the Centre of Light and Heat ... 63 3. The Heliocentric Principle in the Stellar System . 64 II. The Law of Gravity 67 III. Centralization in the Mineral World 70 IV. Centralization in the Organic World 70 1. Centralization in the Vegetable World . 71 2. Centralization in the Animal World .... 72 3. Law of Dual Centralization 73 V. Centralization in the Moral World 75 VI. The Central Principle 77 VII. The Hierarchical Character of the System of Nature . 77 1. Inorganic Nature Subserves the Organized World . 78 2. In the Vegetable Kingdom Inferior Forms of Life Sub serve Superior Forms 78 3. The Vegetable Kingdom Subserves the Animal . 79 4. Lower Animal Races Subserve the Interests of Higher . 80 5. The Material World Subserves the Mental ... 80 6. The Physical Subserves the Moral . .81 7. In the Realm of Mind all is Subordinated to Moral Law 81 VIII. Continuity of the Natural System with the Revealed . 82 CONTENTS. V FACE Sec. II. Centralization in Revelation 84 I. The Bible is the Book of Redemption 84 II. The Bible is Characterized by the Unity of its Theme . 84 III. The Bible History of Redemption presents a Harmonious, Comprehensive Series of Providential Acts ... 84 IV. The Person of the Redeemer is the Centre of Revelation . 85 V. The Mediatorial Principle is the Centre of Theology . 85 VI. The Central Facts in Redemption are the Death and Resur rection of Christ 88 VII. The New Testament has a Threefold Doctrinal and His toric Division or Progress 89 VIII. The Three Steps in the Progress of New Testament Doctrine and History correspond with Stages in the Gathering to gether of all things in Christ 92 IX. The Central Principle in the Entire Work of Redemption is the Principle of Love 95 CHAPTER II. CENTRALIZATION IN THE RELATION OF THE NATURAL TO THE REVEALED 98 I. Law of Analogy 98 Sec. I. Analogy in Nature loo 1. Analogy in Form 101 (1) In Mineral Substances 101 (2) In Organized Objects 102 (a) Analogy in the Structure of Plants . 103 (6) Analogy in the Structure of Animals . 104 2. Analogy in Number 106 (1) In the Law of Gravitation . 106 (2) In the Chemical Composition of all Natural Substances 107 (3) Laws of Gravimetric Ratio . .109 (4) Number in Relation to the Forms of Crystals, 11o (5) Number in the Vegetable World . 11o (6) Number in the Animal World . .III 3. Analogy in Time 112 (1) The Periodic Times of the Planets . .112 (2) Vital Periodicity 112 4. Analogy of Lower Kingdoms to Higher . .114 (1) Mineral and Vegetable Worlds . .114 (2) Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms . • .116 1 (3) Man and the Lower Animals . • .116 5. Summary Statement of the Law of Analogy . 1 17 VI CONTENTS. PAGE Sec. II. Analogy in Revelation . , , . .118 1. The Language of the Bible is to a considerable extent Analogical 118 2. The Bible sets forth Divine Truth by means of Visions, Symbols, Types, and Parables 119 3. The widespread Use of Typology in the Bible is plainly and repeatedly Stated in the Volume itself . 1 19 4. There is a Harmony and Far-reaching Progress in the Use of Analogy in Scripture 121 Convergence of Analogies . , . , . .123 1. Types Relating to the Person of Christ. .123 2. Types Relating to the Offices of Christ . .124 3. Types concerning the Work of Christ . .124 Convergence of Types and Prophecies in Christ . .125 Christ the Prototype of the New Life of the Regenerate . 1 26 1. Christ is the Prototype of the New Nature and Holy Life of the Regenerate 126 2. The History of Christ is the Prototype of the History of the Regenerate 128 Sec. III. Analogy of the Natural to the Revealed . .131 1. Analogy of the Physical Order in Nature to the Mental and Moral • . .131 2. Recognition and Use of this Analogy in Poetical Lan guage 132 3. Analogy of the Sensible to the Mental and Spiritual, as Exhibited in the Language of Revelation . -132 4. Analogy of the Natural to the Revealed in the Absence on the Surface of Systematic Arrangement . 134 5. Analogy in the Association of Clearness and Obscurity . 135 6. Analogy in the Presence of an Ordered Constitution . 136 7. Analogy in the Existence of a Hierarchical Order. 136 8. Analogy in the Prevalence of the Principle of Union . 137 9. Analogy in the fact of a Mono-centric Order . .138 10. Analogy in the Reign of the Prospective Principle . 140 1 1. Analogy in the Existence of a Progressive Plan . .141 12. Analogy in the Existence of a Series of Dispensations . 141 13. Analogy in the Presence of Prophetic Types . 142 14. Analogy in the Prevalence of the Parental Relation . 144 15. Analogy in the Reign of the Retributive Principle . 144 16. Analogy in the Operation of the Remedial Principle . 146 17. Analogy in the Presence of the Vicarious Principle . 149 18. Analogy in the Indwelling or Temple Principle . .150 19. Analogy in the Place of the Intuitional Principle . 151 20. Analogy in the Operation of the Inner Law Principle . 153 CONTENTS. vii PAGE 21. Analogy as to the Principle of Progressive Liberation . 156 22. Analogy as to an Ascending Order of Increasing Com plexity 157 23. Analogy as to the Principle of Conflict . .158 24. Analogy in the Reign of the Palingenetic Principle . 161 Conclusion • . .162 1. The Analogy of Phenomena in Nature and Revelation, Exhibited in the Foregoing Section, involves Identity of Law 162 2. The Laws or Principles here grouped together as common to Nature and Revelation are Leading Laws in both systems 163 3. The Analogy thus Traced between the Natural and the Revealed involves the Archetypal Character of the latter 163 4. The Analogy Traced Exhibits the Convergence of Types, both Natural and Revealed, to one Central Archetype 163 Summary 165 II. Law of Adjustment 166 I. Adjustment in Nature 167 1. Adjustment of Inorganic Masses . .- . .167 2. Adjustment of Chemical Elements .... 169 3. Adjustment of the Inorganic to the Organized . 170 4. Adjustment of Parts and Functions in Organized Bodies 170 5. Mutual Adjustment of Classes in Organized Nature . 173 6. Adjustment of Lower Kingdoms to Higher, the Mineral to the Vegetable, and the Vegetable to the Animal . 173 7. Adjustment of Periodic Times 174 8. Adjustment of the Physical to the Mental and Moral World 175 II. Adjustment in the Mutual Relation of the Natural and Re vealed 177 I. The Geological Adjustment 178 1. Outline of the Facts of Geology 180 2. Geology Teaches that the Antiquity of the Earth is Great Beyond Conception 184 3. Geology, while it takes us back very far, Teaches us Nothing of the Origin of the Earth . 186 4. Geology bears clear Testimony to a Begin 1 -' .ife, a Commencement of Organized Existences . 189 5. Geology shows that there have been several Dist1nct Successive Economies of Life, Terminating in Man .