LECTURE II.

ON THE CREATION,

GENESIS I. 9-19.

Ver. 9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas; and God saw that it was good.

11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding sced, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

13. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

14. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth,

18. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

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HAVING in the preceding lecture, explained in what manner the earth was formed at its first creation, and the various modifications which it underwent, during the process of its transmutation from the chaotic to the solid state it which it now exists; I proceed to illustrate in succession the rest of those decompositions which ensued in the gradual developement of the solar system. It appears from the account of the sacred historian, that the solid and fluid particles originally blended together in one heterogeneous mass, were separated by the action of chemical affinity, and henceforth remained detached from each other by assuming the consistence and properties of earth and water. The earth being impregnated with a prolific quality, was thereby rendered suitable to the production of herbs and plants, which were requisite for the sustenance of those animals about to inhabit it. cordingly we find, that the different soils on the surface of the globe are capable of nourishing innumerable species of vegetable substances for supporting the lives of men and of beasts.-But, as the vegetative powers of the soil cannot operate without the genial heat of the sun, hence the Almighty Creator, who hath adapted all his works with consummate wisdom, found it expedient to form that luminary which by his influence imparts a vivifying energy to the dormant principles of nature, and quickens in due season the roots and fibres of those plants and herbs which overspread its surface. The sun is thus a necessary agent, in rendering the earth a proper receptacle for the vegetable and animal productions with which it is replenished. This resplendent orb is no less suited to our accommodation, in supplying us with light for transacting the various offices of human life. While he illuminates the atmosphere, we can employ our organs of sight in discovering and applying to our use the several objects that surround us, which we could not do, if left in the obscurity of darkness.-As the sun, however, dis

appears from our horizon during the night, we are supplied with an additional luminary which revolves round the earth every month, and affords in her motion a degree of light to the different regions of the globe, sufficient for the purposes of mankind.

Besides the sun and the moon, there are other heavenly bodies dispersed in innumerable multitudes through the interminable bounds of space, which are all comprehended in that vast system of creation produced by the agency of Almighty power. Such being some of the wonderful works of God apprehended by our senses, and cognizable in a small degree by our understanding, it will be a useful enquiry to consider more fully in detail, the respective properties of the heavens and the earth, according to the description of the sacred historian.

Let us therefore proceed to analyze the following verses, as they occur in order.

Ver. 9. And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so.

10. And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters called he scas, and God saw that it was good.

When God was pleased at first to decompose and arrange the material substances of which the earth consists, he imparted to each of them certain physical properties that united them together into one mass. These properties are known by the names of cohesion and attraction, and are found to subsist in every terrestrial body with which we are acquainted. The primary elements employed in the formation of the globe, may all be reduced to these four, earth, water, fire, and air. These have different specific gravities, according to the respective density or tenuity inherent in their nature. Earth is heavier than water, water than air, and fire is the lightest of all terrestrial substances. Accordingly, these elementary principles are arranged and combined according to the laws of chemical affinity, and occupy separate departments in the system of the world.

The

solid particles conglomerated together and formed the dry land; the fluid particles united till they composed oceans and seas; the aerial particles ascended and collected together in the atmosphere; and the igneous particles are diffused throughout every material body in the universe. At first the water was combined with earth in such superabundant quantities, as to form a semi-fluid mass which was altogether unfit for a habitation to terrestrial animals, and therefore it was necessary to disunite these substances in order to reduce them to a homogenous state.

For this purpose, we are informed that God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place. This has been done, by the accumulation of the aqueous fluid into those vast seas which cover the greater part of the surface of the globe. These are

found to occupy about two-thirds of its superficial contents; and have been thought by many sciolists in cosmography to be too extensive for the proportion of dry land which remains. But upon accurate examination into the constitution of nature, it is discovered, that such a vast expanse of waters is absolutely necessary for supplying the clouds with vapours, which collect in the atmosphere, and again fall down in refreshing showers of rain.-For, as water is only evaporated from the surface of the ocean, if it were confined within narrower bounds, a deficiency of moisture would ensue, and the earth would not yield her increase but become a barren desert. Whereas, according to the present distribution of land and water in certain proportions, we have the early and the latter rain in due season, suited to the purposes of vegetation and animal existence. Besides, by the extensive diffusion of the ocean over so great a part of the globe, cooling breezes are produced from the agitation of its waters, which blow over the land, and moderate the heat in tropical climates, so as to render it more supportable for the inhabitants of these torrid regions. Thus, in every provision of nature," the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works."

There are several particulars observable respecting the

ocean which require to be enumerated in a cursory manner. It has been computed by naturalists, that the water which it contains would cover the whole earth if spread equally over its surface, to the depth of six hundred feet. But it is found to vary in this respect, according to its distance from, or proximity to the land; being in some places unfathomable, and in others very shallow. This inequality of depth in the bed of the ocean is occasioned by the accumulation of rocks in some spots, while the bottom is level in others. These give rise to currents, which are more or less perceptible in different latitudes. For if the bottom of the sea were uniform and smooth, there could be no other motion of the water, than that which is produced by the action of the tides, whereas in many places, there is observed a rapid flow, such as generally takes place in rivers, when any obstruction impedes their course. Hence it is inferred, that there are rocks, shoals, and sand banks at the bottom of the ocean, which are the cause of those currents observed by navigators when sailing through the deep. The general motion of the waters of the ocean is from east to west, and seems to be regulated by the course of the sun in his revolution through the Zodiac. But there is a constant and periodic flux and reflux denominated the tides, which is ascribed by philosophers to the influence of the moon. Accordingly it is known that the tides are highest at the full and new moon, and lowest at that period of her revolution called the quadratures.

As this phaenomenon is occasioned by lunar impulse, it may be necessary to explain in what manner it is produced. From the investigations of geologists, it appears, that the surface of the water immediately under the moon is first elevated, and by the power of attraction, the waters at a distance flow rapidly to supply the place of those which have been raised above their common level, so that the whole ocean is more or less affected by this preternatural agitation of its waters. Thus, the flux or rising of the tide is produced; and the reflux or ebb is a consequence of the natural tendency of the water to subside, when no longer acted upon by the moon, and occupy