HE first transaction recorded in history is THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Gen. i. 1. This work is worthy the amazing power of that Supreme Being by whom it was executed. The idea of creation is truly sublime. It is, indeed, so vast that ancient as well as some modern philosophers have denied the possibility of creation, and hence have invested matter with the attribute of eternity, making it coeval with GOD. From the infallible testimony of GOD, we infer that the material elements, of which organic forms and worlds are composed, were the product of the same creative power, so clearly seen and understood by the things * The Mosaic record of the creation, as contained in the first chapter of Genesis, has been the subject of elaborate and earnest investigation by Christian interpreters and scholars in all ages. The developments of modern science were at one time viewed with jealous apprehension by friends of the Bible, lest they might be found to conflict with the inspired volume. But the more thorough, patient, and protracted the investigations of science, the more it is found to be in harmony with Revelation. The relation of geology to the cosmogony of the Bible has been discussed by able and learned Christian scholars and philosophers of our day; and the light elicited by them in the progress of their researches confirms the credibility, and reveals the divine philosophy, of the sublime and wonderful account of the work of creation. that are made. So reasons the apostle, Heb. xi. 3. " In the book of Genesis, the "beginning of every thing is ascribed to the creative power of GOD; and we are informed that over the formless and chaotic earth, darkness reigned, and "that the Spirit of GOD moved or brooded "upon the face of the waters, bringing order out of confusion, light out of darkness, and this beauteous earth into a fit condition for the residence of man, and the subsistence of animal and vegetable life.* The Almighty architect said, "LET THERE BE LIGHT, AND THERE WAS LIGHT." With respect to this expression, Longinus, that great judge of the beautiful and sublime, says, "It is the most noble and lofty The reader who may be interested in this subject is referred to a supplemental article annexed to the first chapter of the work, prepared expressly for it by Prof. C. H. Hitchcock of New York, formerly of Amherst College, by request of the editor. This article contains a clear and scientific exposition of the Mosaic cosmology. Showing the coincidence of the facts of geology, as now admitted, with the record in Genesis. The conclusion to which the writer comes, and in which several of the most distinguished geologists concur, confirms the divine inspiration and verity of that record; showing that it is as true to science as it is to religion; that it is both true and divine. As Prof. Dana says, As Prof. Dana says, "It is a declaration of authorship, both of creation and the Bible, on A. B. the first page of the sacred volume." example of sublimity that imagination can | waters, completed the second day of the conceive; it commands things into existence, creation. Light being formed, and the speaks with the voice of supernatural author- waters separated from each other, the Ality, and is the language of God." "And GoD mighty, on the third day, commanded that saw the light that it was good, and he divided the waters beneath the firmament should be the light from the darkness, calling the light gathered together, and dry land appear. day, and the darkness night; and the even- The waters, accordingly, fled into deep valing and the morning were the first day." leys, and recesses of the earth, the lofty Surprising display of OMNIPOTENCE to illu- mountains raised their towering heads, and minate a whole system in so short a time, the lesser hills displayed their pleasing sumand appoint the proper portions of light and mits. As the great Creator designed the darkness to every part of the universe! earth for the future habitation of man and beast, it was no sooner separated from the waters, than he gave it a prolific virtue, and endowed it with the power of vegetation. The surface was immediately covered with grass for cattle, which was succeeded by herbs, plants, and fruit-trees, proper for the nourishment of man. All those were instantly in a state of perfection, that they might be ready for the use of those inhabit Who, with an intelligent mind and a sensitive heart, can look upon the glorious scenes and objects around him, without emotion; and, if piety be an inmate of his bosom, without adoring reverence and filial love to Him who made them all? And yet it is most true that the beauties and sublinities of the natural world are exhibited in vain to the generality of mankind. Engaged in other pursuits, or degraded by evil pas-ants for whom they were designed. † sions, or besotted by self-indulgence, the The Almighty Creator, having prepared most magnificent, and the most soothing such necessaries as he thought proper on scenes which mark the power or the good-earth, for the use of its intended inhabitants, ness of GOD, are equally unnoticed and despised by many who ought to feel most interested in them. That, ever busy, wheels the silent spheres, The waters being still dispersed over the face of chaos, the Almighty was pleased to separate them from each other, and restrain their current within proper bounds. He divided those above the firmament from those beneath, and parted the waters of the earth from the watery atmospheres. The firmament * formed on this occasion was called heaven, and, with the separation of the * The Hebrew word which we translate firmament, signifies a curtain, or any thing stretched out and extended. The term is not only applied to the sky, but to the atmosphere, and in this place seems particularly to refer to that extent of airy matter which encompasses the earth, and separates the clouds from the waters on the earth. †Though the first fruits of the earth were all produced without any seeds, by the bare command of God, yet, to perpetuate the same, each kind contained its own seed, which being sown in the earth, or falling, when ripe, from the plants themselves, should continue in succession to the end of the world. on the fourth day formed those two great luminaries of heaven called the Sun and Moon, the former of which he appointed to rule the day, and the latter the night. He likewise formed the planets, fixed their gravitation and vicissitudes, and appointed their regular courses, that they might divide time and distinguish the seasons. By means of these luminaries the atmosphere was rarified, and by their influence on the planets, was promoted the office of vegetation. Let The creation of the first four days consisting of things inanimate; on the fifth GOD pronounced his omnipotent fiat, for the production of living creatures, saying, the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowls ‡ that they may fly above the earth in the open fima From this expression, some are of opinion that fowls derive their origin from the water as well as the fishes; while others, with equal reason, suppose them to have been made out of the earth, agreeably to the following passage in Gen. ii. 19: Out of the ground God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air." But these two texts are easily reconciled, when we consider that neither denies what the other asserts. It is to be observed, that some fowls live mostly in the water, others partly on land and partly on water, while a third sort live altogether on land. This diversity countenances the opinion of many of the ancients, that they were made partly out of the water, or of both mixed together. ment of heaven." He was pleased to form these creatures of different shapes and sizes; some very large,* to show the wonders of his creating power, and others exceeding small, to display the goodness of his indulgent providence. After he had created them, he gave them his blessing, by bidding them, be fruitful and multiply; enduing them, at the same time, with a power to propagate, in a prolific manner, their respective species. And thus were completed the works of the fifth day. In the beginning of the sixth day GoD created the terrestrial animals, which the sacred historian' has divided into three classes, namely, 1. Beasts, or wild creatures, such as lions, tigers, bears, wolves, &c. 2. Cattle, or domestic animals, for the use of men, such as bulls and cows, sheep, horses, asses, &c. 3. Creeping things, such as serpents, worms, and various kinds of insects. The omnipotent Creator having made these abundant preparations, crowned his work with the formation of the grand object, MAN, for whose use they were designed. He said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.† And, to show that the creature he was now about to form should be the master-piece of the creation, and (under his auspices) have supremacy over the whole, he further says, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fiel of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. In the formation of man's body, GoD made choice of the dust of the earth, after which, having infused into him an immortal spirit, or, as the text says, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, he became a living soul.‡ * The words in the text are, And God created great whales. But this expression must not be confined to the whale alone; it undoubtedly implies fish of an enormous size, of which there are various species, that differ both in their form and magnitude. What a noble and majestic expression was this, and how consistent with the nature of that Almighty Being by whom it was spoken! In the formation of other creatures, God says, Let the earth or the waters bring them forth; but here (as if man was to be made only a little lower than the angels) he says, Let us make him in our that is, let us make him like ourself; let image us endue him with all those noble faculties that will raise him above the animal creation, and As soon as Adam began to experience the consciousness of his existence and intellectual endowments, he would very naturally direct attention to the animals around him, desirous of knowing whether his relation to them was one of security and peace. To relieve his mind of any disquieting apprehensions, he was assured by the Creator that they all were to be subject to his authority. As a pledge of such authority, they were moved to appear before him, that he might give them such names as would distinguish their species and indicate their natures. On perceiving that all these animals appeared in pairs, Adam would, as may be supposed, desire and expect to find a companion kindred to himself, and fitted to be a partner and helpmeet. To meet this want God took one of his ribs, and created a woman, whom the man named, and gladly recognized as one with himself. 'This, said he, is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh," language which referred to the nearness of the conjugal relation, as a partnership of love. It thus was intimated that the marriage bond was to be regarded as indissoluble. This was certainly the last act of the whole creation, which, by the almighty power of GOD, was made perfect in the space of six days; at the close of which the great Creator took a survey of the whole, and pronounced it good, or properly adapted to the uses for which it was intended. The next day (which was the seventh from the beginning of the creation) GOD set apart as a time of solemn rest from his labors. He blessed and sanctified it; and to impress mankind with a just sense of his infinite wisdom, power, and goodness, ordered it ever after to be kept sacred. || make him not only to bear our image in the lower world, but also qualify him for the enjoyment of those blessings that are to be found at our right hand, to the full extent of eternity. ‡ ADAM. The name which is given in Scripture to the first man. The term apparently has reference to the ground from which he was formed, which is called in Hebrew Adamah. The idea of redness of color seems to be inherent in either word. The creation of man was the work of the sixth day. His formation was the ultimate object of the Creator. It was with reference to him that all things were designed. He was to be the "roof and crown of the whole fabric of the world. - Bib. Dictionary. A. B. || Thus was the seventh day appointed by God, |