not know; but when we observe its modifications, we are truly filled with admiration at the wisdom and power of the Creator. On whatsoever object our eyes rest, or in whatever affects our senses, there is matter. It is rock, earth, water, air, trees, flowers, fruits, animals of every kind. The delightful perfumes wafted on the breezes are matter; the lovely flower is matter; the lump of clay, sand, pebble, diamond, beryl, cornelian; the body of man, noble man, of whom the poet says:

"Os homini sublime dedit, cœlumque tueri

Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus."

"What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a God! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals, and yet to me what is this quintessence of DUST!"

That noble body is the sun, the moon, the

matter; and the same, fixed and wandering

stars. The same word is also employed to express the act of God, creating or forming things out of pre-existing materials; but when so employed it conveys the idea of something new, and noble, and done with great skill and magnificence. Thus in the 21st verse of Gen. 1st chapter:

Man, God Created

And God created man, 27th verse.

Here the act appears very great-Whales and man. While in other instances the word

is employed in the same chapter, signifying "to form," or finish. There are three words employed on this subject having very nice shades of difference. They are found so used by the Prophet Isaiah, in the 43d chapter and 7th verse, in the following order:

Feci eum, etiam, Formavi eum, Creavi eum. I have created him, I have formed him, I have finished him.

The word is employed several times in the chapter, as conveying the idea of work well done; perfect in its kind. This is the word used in the last or 31st verse of the chapter, when God, surveying the works of creation, or things made, pronounced them good, very good; complete; a finished work.

In the 7th verse is used, and seems to be the mere forming the matter, ready to receive.

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the living soul. The created and y formed are not to be considered synonymous. There are very few words synonymous in any language. The difference in these two words is the same as the difference between “made and created," in one respect, in English. Created is always applied to the act of God, never to the acts or works of men. Made is applied to the works of God and man, but with a very wide difference. When God makes,", it is the manifestation of matter, as he made the tree, plant, animal, man. never say he built a house or made a plough. On the other hand, we never say man made a tree, plant, or animal. We say he made a machine or an implement, or built a house, or erected a column. The one is the act of God new-modelling matter; the other the act of man employing that new-modelled matter to his use. It is the material on which he operates, giving it such form as suits his purpose and convenience. seems to be the stronger

We

word, conveying the idea of production, Num.

made, to convey the idea of forming something out of pre-existing materials, and ornamenting, or finishing it.

The high act of God is expressed by *, created. The modifying act, by л.

The words heavens and earth express at the least our world, or planetary system, in its general arrangements. The description given of the earth, which seems to have been immediately preceding the new work of God to prepare the earth for the reception of man, is in two expressive words, the very sound of which conveys the idea of disorder, a, tohu,

vabohu, without form and void, chaos, confusion. They are employed in two other places in the same connexion, Jer. iv. 23, and Isaiah xxxiv. 11, describing ruined, waste, desolate cities and countries, emptiness, disorder. The world appeared as a ruin after some great disaster by water, which lay upon the scene of confusion: "Darkness was upon the face of the deep." This seems to be the whole and entire description of the old earth, and the Bible gives us no further information; none was necessary.

If the question be asked, did the sun exist at this time? the answer is, "Yes." How then

do we account for this darkness? and how explain the 16th verse? Moses does not say "God created, or made two great lights on that day." A fact is asserted. They were created; but on that day he pointed out their use, and men of all ages have divided time by them; and by them marked the seasons. If so, then, why was there not light? We We may observe there is nothing to lead us to the distinct idea that light had not shone on the earth before, any more than the order for a lamp would imply that a lamp had never been in the room before. It merely describes the earth as being

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dark." This darkness may be easily accounted for. It may have been in part effected by the eruption of volcanoes. It has been common to hear old people tell of the dark day shortly after the revolutionary war. Two are spoken of by way of eminence, but the whole summer was much obscured. The darkness extended over a great part of Europe and America. It was observed by travellers on the Alps. In Languedoc, in France, its density was so great at times that the sun did not become visible until twelve degrees above the horizon, and was very red the remainder of the day.