-

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PART II. were to be afterwards collected in one part only of that globe, so as to render the remaining part of its concealed surface visible, the aqueous accumulation must take place below the level of the latter surface; which effect could only be attained, by the congregated waters acquiring that space in depth, which they had lost in length and breadth: for, accumulation in height is contrary to the law of fluids. In producing, therefore, the effect described in the record, the surface upon which the waters rested must have been suddenly deepened, in all that portion of its extent on which they were to remain; and, to a depth proportionately profound to drain them off from all that other part of the same surface, which was to be exposed and made dry. This is an induction from the premises, which will allow of no objection.

But, this operation of deepening implies, both a disruption, and a depression of the solid parts which were to be deepened; and, as the operation was immediate, at the divine command, so must it have been violent. The mineral geology would infer, that "the word appear' (in this "article) denotes that the disclosure of the earth was successive, and had not from the beginning fully and completely taken place1." But the

1 KIRWAN, Geol. Essays.

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word evidently proves, that the disclosure had PART II. not taken place at all; otherwise, it would already have "appeared." And, that its ultimate appearance was not successive, in the sense designed by the criticism, is plain; because it was invested with its vegetation, on the same day on which it did first appear. The mineral geology must keep back its secondary or natural causes from the argument, so long as it is engaged with a period, in which the First Cause had not yet committed His work to their administration.

In the first production of the mineral globe, no secondary causes could have acted, because secondary causes could not exist, until the first formations in which they were to reside had received existence; as the laws of matter could not operate, until matter itself was in being. But, as soon as a first formation was produced, its laws received their force; subject always to the control and determination of their divine Author. In the first act of creation, this mineral globe was produced at once, compact, solid, and complete, in all its mineral nature, order, and composition; and, as the first tree received its various successive folds, apparently, but not necessarily or really, indicative of succession in time, so the shell of the earth received its various successive primitive strata, apparently, but not really, indicative of

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PART II. such succession: both being essential to the ends for which they were respectively formed. From that moment, the globe was subjected to its proper laws; as the vegetable and the animal systems were afterwards subjected to their proper laws, from the moment of their respective creations: for, as Bacon has pronounced, the laws which we call of nature, are nothing but the laws of the creation.” In causing, therefore, the violent disruption and depression of that part of the solid surface which was to form "a place" for the reception of the congregated waters; that is, a bed for the new sea; the new laws and agencies of the mineral globe were rendered operative by their Almighty Creator, but by the rule of his own creative plan. The solid "frame"work, or skeleton" of the globe, was therefore burst, fractured, and subverted, by those agencies and according to those laws, at the will of the Legislator, in all those parts where depression was to produce the profundity; and it carried down with it, in apparent confusion, vast and extensive portions of the materials or soils which had been regularly disposed and compacted upon it; leaving other portions partially dislocated, and variously distorted from their primitive positions. So that the order of the materials of the globe; which, in the reserved,

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unaltered, and exposed portion, retained their PART II. first positions and arrangement; were broken, displaced, and apparently confounded in the other portion, which was to receive within it the accumulated waters.

Among the secondary agencies, either employed in producing, or necessarily accompanying, this tremendous primitive revolution of the mineral globe, we may assume the power and agency of volcanic expansion and explosion; by which, acting with extraordinary and extensive effect, a vast portion of the crust of the solid sphere would have become suddenly transformed from its native state, into a condition of laceration and apparent ruin. We know, that the admission of water to the subterraneous fires which are constituent within the system of this earth, produces volcanic action, as a physical consequence; and the fiat of God, which, by disruption, gave extensive admission for the incumbent waters into the interior of the newly constituted earth, would have been followed by volcanic explosion equally extensive, in consequence of the provisions of His own laws.

Thus, then, was formed that "ONE PLACE, "into which all the waters under the heaven

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were to be gathered together." The primitive mineral formations were thus early interrupted

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PART II. and disordered in their continuity, even upon the third day of their creation, and therefore, anterior to the existence of any organized beings; and the new sides and surfaces of those primitive mineral masses, produced by the breaches which they then sustained, became thenceforth exposed to the continual action of the waters; while the innumerable smaller fragments, lay subjected to perpetual trituration in their bed.

This stupendous revolution of the globe, is commemorated by the great poet of the Hebrews, in these words: "O Lord, my God, "Thou art clothed with honour and majesty! "Who laidest the foundations of the earth, "that it should not be removed for ever. Thou "coveredst it with the deep, as with a garment; "the waters stood above the mountains.

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At

Thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of Thy thun"ders they hasted away; they went over the "mountains, they went down by the valleys, unto

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THE PLACE which thou didst found for them. "Thou didst set a bound which they should not

pass over." We have here a poetical commentary upon this passage of the record; which shows, how it was understood in the traditionary history of the ancient Jewish church. That violent and turbulent, though brief operation, by which a bed was suddenly