A TREATISE ON THE PECULIARITIES OF THE BIBLE; BEING AN EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE MOST REMARKABLE FACTS AND PHENOMENA RECORDED IN REVELATION. BY THE REV. E. D. RENDELL, AUTHOR OF "ANTEDILUVIAN HISTORY," "DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST," ETC. "Scripture, to be believed true with a full conviction, must be at one-consonant-with FROM THE LONDON EDITION. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY OTIS CLAPP; NEW YORK: FOWLER & WELLS. PREFACE. FVERY one, whose attention has been directed to the condition of Christendom, must have observed that the several Churches into which it has been divided, have become exceedingly unsettled; and, also, that much worldliness of purpose, with a considerable amount of naturalism in sentiment, have been developed among them. The efforts which underlie the agitations of some, arise out of a desire to be 66 greatest;" "and the naturalism, which is found to be present in others, is consequent on long inattention to the true spirituality of the Scriptures. The letter has been studied with care, but its spiritual significancy has been overlooked. Faith has been considered as the essential genius of Christianity, notwithstanding the apostle assures us, that charity is the greatest, (1 Cor. xiii. 13,) and we think there cannot be any reasonable doubt, that the difficulties by which the Churches are disturbed, originate in some misapprehension of the religion, which the Bible has been provided to inculcate. Many of the sincere, who are within the pale of the Churches, are impressed with this opinion; and the sceptic looks upon the disagreements of Christians, as affording him an argument to sustain his disbelief in Revelation. Under these circumstances, it becomes a matter of serious inquiry, whether some higher view of the Scriptures, than that which is usually taken of them, may not be employed to encourage the pious, in their hope for the removal of the difficulties which have surrounded popular Christianity; and to show to the sceptic that he has no just ground for his exultation. We think this may be satisfactorily done. We have long and anxiously looked for a solution of this question, and we are more and more convinced, that the causes of the present unsatisfactory state of Christendom are traceable to an imperfect estimate of the Scriptures, and to the uninstructive character of several of the leading doctrines, which have, been professedly educed from them. That estimate, and those doctrines, have had a mission to perform to a state of society that is now passing away; a new condition of desire and intellect is in the process of being developed, which that mission cannot supply. This condition is superior in general education to its predecessor, and much higher in its aspirations; and views of the Scriptures and their teachings will have to be taken, which are commensurate with its requirements, in order to maintain a rational credibility in their divine origin. It seems plain that the Church is in a transition state; and it is |