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written by Moses, who was inspired by the HOLY SPIRIT to give a relation of things which God in His infinite: wisdom saw fit to reveal to mankind, and which never could have been known to them had they not been revealed from heaven, for they were brought to pass before mankind were created.

We Te are here taught that there is ONE GOD the Creator of Heaven and Earth; that the world we live in had a beginning; that the ALMIGHTY, with infinite wisdom, formed the plan of creation, and brought into existence, by his WORD, the earth, with all its appendages and inhabitants, in a space of time amounting to six of what we call natural days. Each day's work is particularly described, by which we learn the progress of creation, and are led to reflect upon the various and wonderful

works of God.

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We find that the first act of creation, relating to this world, was, to bring out of nothing, a chaos, or mass without form, and void of every thing which now renders the earth a beautiful and convenient abode, and that this unformed world was wrapt up in darkness: yet we may conclude from what follows, than in its first state, this world contained the principles of metals, minerals, salts, vegetable substances, and all the terrestrial elements, which were intended to produce and renew whatever might be necessary for its future inhabitants; together with the rudiments of animal bodies, and in short all that is comprehended under the general name of original matter, one single particle of which, as philosophers demonstrate, can never be destroyed but by the CREATOR himself, though all may undergo various modifications to the end of time* As a chaos the

* See the History of the Heavens by the Abb é de la Pluche, vol.ii. world

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world was not habitable, but GOD by another astonishing act of almighty power, divided the light from the dark

ness.

Still the world was not fit for the reception of the living creatures, which Gon designed should dwell in it, so He divided the Waters which surrounded it, and caused a part of them to ascend and gather into clouds, that they might be in readiness to fall occasionally in rain, snow, and hail, to water and refresh the earth: beneath this body of waters GoD placed a firmament of air, that the living creatures when made might have a proper element to breathe in.

Overspread with the waters which remained below the firmament, the earth was unfit for the growth and Hourishment of trees and plants The CREATOR, therefore, collected the water together into a vast hollow, which he prepared to receive it, and so formed the ocean; the earthly particles at the same were consolidated into dry land, and appeared, as is supposed, under the different forms of plains and mountains, hills, dales, and valleys; between which the water flowed from the ocean, and became seas; metallic and mineral substances, and all that constitute the interior parts of the earth, were now, as we may conceive, arranged in different strata with perfect order, while the various plants were at the same time fashioning beneath in the earth, in the most wonderful manner, and dispersed in soils suited to their respective natures. Grass of various kinds then sprung up, and overspread the surface of the ground with its delightful verdure; innumerable plants, furnished with leaves and flowers, appeared among it, trees of every kind, clothed with leaves and blossoms, some bearing the most delicious fruits, adorned the earth, all bearing in themselves the seeds of future

trees

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trees and plants, that no species might be lost to the end of the world, and bringing with them perhaps the first of all the insect tribes, destined to feed upon their leaves. It is worthy of observation, that the power of GoD produced these successive wonders before the operations of nature were regulated. The CREATOR wanted no Sun to dissolve the vegetable fluid, afid anîmate his new creation; every tree and plant was made at once, perfect in ft's kind before it grew; but it was the will of the Almighty that the sun should be instrumental to the future growth and preservation of the vegetable tribes; and that this bright luminary, toge ther with the moon, should serve to distinguish day and night, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and divide Time, till Eternity should succeed it, into months and years. For these purposes, extended in all probability to other revolving planets belonging to the solar system, God, either at this time created the sun or clearing our atmosphere, directed its invigorating rays, for the first time, to this earthly globe, and caused the moon and stars to appear in the firmament.

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Having completed the formation of the heaven, the earth, and the waters, and prepared food of various kinds, GoD next called into being the animal creation. The waters above and below the Firmament, which were respectively impregnated with the aerial and watery tribes, at the command of the Creator, instantly sent forth different kinds of living creatures, fowls of the air, and fishes of the sea, in astonishing variety and abundance!

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After the air and waters had produced their inhabitants, the earth by the ALMIGHTY WORD brought forth the different kinds of terrestrial creatures: all these were, like the fishes of the sea, and fowls of the

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air, endued with animal life; and the CREATOR bestowed upon each species various instincts and faculties, to enable them to provide for themselves, and their future offspring, and to render them subservient to the use or pleasure of mankind.

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But among all the inhabitants of the Earth, there was not one capable of admiring its wonderful construction, or of knowing the CREATOR; not one fit to be at the head of the Creation, to bear dominion rule over the rest; therefore God made, MAN a Being greatly superior to every other order of creatures in the world, for he was in the Image of God, he bore some faint resemblance to his Maker.

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It is true that, like the other living creatures in the world, Man had an earthly nature; but he had also a spiritual nature, a reasonable soul, endued with a principle of immortal life, by the immediate inspiration of GOD, which accordingly bore the divine IMAGE.

Man was created with faculties for society and conversation, but with the animals he could not converse, because they possessed neither reason nor speech. This was known to the Creator, but not to Adam; every living thing therefore was led by a divine impulse to pass in review before their appointed Governor; and he was permitted to give names to them, which privilege still belongs to mankind. We here find that the first Man was named Adam; this name was given to him by the Creator, it signifies MAN.

Instead of creating out of the dust of the earth, the human being who was to be the companion of Adam, and to partake with him the blessings of creation and providence, Gon formed her of one of Adam's ribs, and Adam justly considered her as another self, and understood that it was his duty to love her with constancy

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of affection. The name WOMAN, which Adam gave his Wife, shews, by its affinity to his own name, that he acknowledged her to be of the same nature with himself; and though it is not expressly mentioned, we may be certain that God breathed into the WOMAN as well as the MAN the breath of life, and she also became a living Soul, or she could not have been made in the Image of GOD.

The blessing which God bestowed upon the human pair, after he had created them, was like that before pronounced on the inferior creatures, but with this addition, that they were to replenish the earth and subdue it, and to have dominion over the fowls of the air, &c. which signised that they had the privilege of cultivat ing the earth, and employing its productions for the various purposes of human life. At the same time mankind were instructed to regard all these gifts and privileges as bestowed by the SUPREME GOVERNOR, GOD, who himself allotted to man the food that was to sustain his life, which included all kinds of grain and fruits; and God made a particular grant of all that we call herbage, for the maintenance of the lower creatures; so that MAN could not withhold food from the cattle of the field, nor even from the meanest reptile, without manifest injustice. By this wise ordination, the dominion of MAN over the other creatures, though it set him greatly above them, kept him in due subor dination to the SUPREME GOVERNOK.

All the works of creation, when viewed by the CREATOR, were pronounced GOOD; by which may be understood, that they were perfect in their kinds, so as to require no alteration or improvement ; and it is remarked by those who have made the works of nature their particular study, that amidst the endless variety of the vegetable

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