ART. XXVII.

The Order of the Creation.

MUCH has been said and written on the Mosaic account of the creation; but while other particulars connected with that account have received their merited attention, the order of creation, or the regular process of formation, by which the world was brought to its present state, has been comparatively neglected. This last particular, therefore, will constitute the subject of the present article.

Before entering upon the proper subject of the article, it may be well to state, that by creation, in the phrase "order of creation," we mean the making or forming of the world and its appendages. Indeed, we suppose that Moses, in the first verse of the first chapter of Genesis, only states, in general terms, what he proceeds in the subsequent verses to describe. We dissent from the opinion that Moses asserts the creation of matter in the first verse, and goes on to describe its formation in the subsequent verses of that chapter, since we find nothing, either in the word create, or in any of the circumstances of the case, that seems to justify such an opinion. On the contrary, we are of the opinion that Moses gives us no account of the creation of matter, but only of the creation of "the heaven and the earth;" which we consider to be two things as diverse as the making of a house, and the making of the materials of which it is formed. This remark, however, is not intended to assert the eternity of matter, nor, indeed, to deny that doctrine; but merely to express an opinion that Moses neither asserts nor denies it, and that the doctrine must be proved or disproved by other passages of Scripture than the language of Moses, or by considerations drawn from reason and nature.

Again, before proceeding to the order of creation, we would endeavor to ascertain the extent of application that belongs to the phrase the "heaven and the earth." There are three opinions entertained to some extent respecting the application of the phrase, which we deem erroneous.

First, it is thought by some to denote the whole universe, embracing the solar system, and all other systems and worlds, in the unbounded regions of space. And this opinion is supposed to be countenanced by the mention of the stars in verse 16th. But as the stars there mentioned may have been those belonging to the solar system only, we think that the opinion here noticed is without sufficient foundation. Another opinion respecting the phrase, is, that it denotes merely the earth and the firmament, or atmosphere, as the latter is called heaven, in verse 8th. That this opinion is not true, is proved by two considerations: 1st, that the description given of the firmament evidently makes it to be a part of the earth; and, 2d, that the creation of the sun, moon, and stars is particularly mentioned, and hence must be included in the phrase. A third opinion, manifestly erroneous, has been advanced, though it is probably entertained by but few, which is, that by heaven is meant the world of future happiness; and hence some believers in Universalism are heard to remark that Moses gives us an account of the creation of a heaven, but not of a hell, an argument which we admit to be as good against an endless hell as many that are urged in its favor; but one, notwithstanding, that is founded upon a misapprehension of the meaning of the language of Moses. Moses is not describing spiritual, but physical, things. It is not by Moses, but by Jesus Christ, that life and immortality are brought to light.

By the phrase under consideration we understand the solar system. This includes a sun, moon, and stars, of which mention is made by Moses; nor can these things be brought within a narrower circle. And while other systems, besides the solar system, are sufficiently independent of the latter as to make it obvious that they might have existed before this was formed, or been created at a subsequent period, it is also plain that less than the solar system could not have been formed, or, at least, would not be likely to have been, by an infinitely wise being, without the whole of the system, with which each part is so intimately and closely associated. And hence, that a single system, no more nor less, should have been formed at once, is the dictate of reason.

We will now notice the original condition of the earth, as described by Moses, in Gen. i. 2: "Without form and void," was designed to express the exceeding irregularity of the matter of the earth, before the process of formation commenced. This irregular and chaotic mass was at that time, according to Moses, in a liquid state, a position that is sanctioned by modern philosophers, even those of the skeptical school, who thus furnish their testimony to the accuracy of the Mosaic account. By the "spirit of God," Moses is thought by some to have meant a great wind, as the original may signify. But it appears to us to be a sufficient objection to this opinion, that the firmament or atmosphere, that seems necessary for the production of wind, had not yet been formed. We are disposed, therefore, to adopt the common rendering of the phrase, and to regard it as expressing the fact that the divine Spirit at that time began to act upon the unformed earth, that it "brooded over" the liquid mass, and set in operation. that train of causes which was to result in the production of the earth, with all its appropriate and beautiful appendages. With these brief remarks upon the original state of the earth, we will come directly to the proper subject of this article, the order of creation; in discussing which, we shall notice the work of each day or period by itself, and point out the connection of one part of the work with the other, and the dependence existing between the different steps of the process.

FIRST DAY. The creation of light and the formation of day and night. (Gen. i. 3-5.) — The original term rendered light, may also mean heat. And as light and heat are usually associated together, it is probable that both were comprehended in the term here used. But if it be supposed that such was not the design of the sacred writer, it must still be admitted that heat existed at that time, and indeed before light was formed, since the earth cannot have existed in a liquid state without that element. That God should commence the work of creation by the formation of light and heat is a dictate of reason; since these things were needed, and were indeed indispensable in the subsequent work. These agents could exist without any thing that was subsequently formed; but the sub

sequent work could not be carried on without them. And hence the statement that these were first formed when the work of creation began, evinces the philosophical accuracy of the Mosaic account.

When God had created light, he separated it from the darkness, and this gave rise to day and night. It was not necessary, as opposers of divine revelation contend, that there must have been a sun before there could have been day and night. Light and darkness, and a separation between the two, were all that was necessary to constitute day and night; and these existed, according to the Mosaic account, before "the evening and the morning" of the first day. The question often asked by unbelievers, "How could there have been day and night without a sun?" appears to savor of ignorance; since a little reflection must convince any one that alternate changes of light and darkness must cause a succession of days and nights, whether a sun existed or not. Moses is careful to notice the existence of light and darkness, and the separation between them, before he mentions the existence of their consequents, day and night; but he does not mention the existence of a sun previously to that time, as day and night had no necessary dependence upon that luminary. Nor does its existence appear to have been absolutely necessary, till the period at which Moses represents it as having been formed, as we shall have occasion to show more fully in our remarks upon the work of the fourth day. SECOND DAY. The formation of the firmament, and the division of the waters above and below the firmament. (Vs. 6-8.) By the firmament that was formed on the second day of creation, is without doubt meant the atmosphere, by which the earth is surrounded, to the height of about forty-five miles. It is a necessary appendage to the earth, and without it animal life would immediately become extinct. It does not exist in an unformed and irregular state, but has its peculiar properties and its appropriate organization; nor could any of the subsequent work of creation have been carried on, if the firmament, or atmosphere, had been wanting, or essentially different from what it is. It was needed in all the subsequent work, but was not needed till the period of its formation, and could not

have existed previous to that time. In the next step of the creative process, a firmament was necessary. It was the medium through which a large portion of the waters of the earth were conveyed to the higher regions of the atmosphere, and the separation effected between the waters above the firmament and the waters below the firmament. For this separation seems to have been effected by a regular process of evaporation. At least, it is not necessary to suppose that any supernatural means were employed to accomplish this object, since the atmosphere, with a due degree of heat, both of which existed, was all that was necessary to that result; and was subsequently employed to effect a similar object in removing the waters of the flood. From that time to the present, the atmosphere and heat have been employed in a similar manner, in conformity to their own peculiar laws. This remark is not intended to assert that no miracle was performed in the work of creation, (which it were folly to pretend,) but only that it is not necessary to suppose that those parts of the creative process which could be effected by agents then in existence, by the operation of their own peculiar laws, were accomplished by supernatnral means. Among the particular portions of the work of creation that might be effected by the action of agents previously formed, without the use of supernatural means, may be reckoned, not only the separation of the waters just noticed, but doubtless several other parts of the subsequent work. These changes may, indeed, have required a longer period for their accomplishment, by the operation of natural causes, than the brief space of twenty-four hours; but no longer than other periods to which the term day is applied in the Scriptures. And we believe it is becoming the general opinion of theologians, that Moses intended to designate by that term an age or dispensation, and not a period of twenty-four hours merely.

THIRD DAY. The gathering of the waters into one place, and the appearance of the dry land also the production of the vegetable kingdom. (Vs. 9-13.) — That the waters of the earth might be gathered together so as to leave a portion of the earth's surface dry, it became necessary that a large portion of the waters previously ex