Since these positions are sufficiently evident, I wish it had not been said by a learned man," that it is diffi"cult to refute those who hold, that the eternity of the "world was possible." See the ingenious and solid reasonings of Cocceius on this topic.*

LXII. It is disputed among chronologers, how many years have now elapsed since the creation of the world; and the matter still remains undecided. We consider this contest as hopeless, and take no part in it at present. Let it suffice to know in general, that the world has not yet reached the age of six thousand years.48

LXIII. It is somewhat easier to decide the question respecting the season of the year, in which the world was made; for those who refer the beginning of the world to the autumnal equinox, appear to support their opinion by the strongest arguments. 1st, It is certain that the civil y ear of the Israelites began in autumn, the first month of which is called Tisri,† the beginning, an old Chaldean word from the root Sarah, to begin. See Exod. xxiii. 16. xxxiv. 22, on the use of this civil year. Now, according to Eusebius, Alexander Polyhistor informs us, that Abraham, having received this account of the year from Enoch, delivered it to his descendants, and introduced it into Egypt. 2dly, The same idea is confirmed by the Sabbatical years which commenced at the autumnal equinox, according to the command of God. For what could be more proper than that the

* In Gen. i. Sect. 39. et seq. Itemque Disputat. Select. xxvii. Sect. 29, &c.

beginning of those years should be the same with the beginning of the world, that there might not remain the space of six months, not pertaining to the Sabbatical years. 3dly, The maturity of every sort of fruit adapted to the use of man, serves also to show, that autumn was more probably the time of the creation, than any other season of the year.

LXIV. Further, though it would have been easy for God to create all things in full perfection," in a single "moment, and by a single act and movement,"* he was pleased to employ six days in this work; as the Mosaic history, which ought by no means to be debased by rash and unnecessary allegories, expressly states. From this circumstance we learn, that we must not be superficial and hasty in our meditations on the works of God; that each of them ought, on the contrary, to be inquired into with attention and diligence; and that the whole period of our life should be devoted to this exercise, till, with an understanding perfect in vigour, we behold all things in a state of the highest perfection, in a most blessed Sabbath of rest.

LXV. A question has lately begun to be agitated with reference to the progress of the works of God on each of the days; to wit, whether each of the works of a day was perfected in a single moment, or in some period of time? This controversy, however, is not of very great moment; nor do the sentiments held on either side seem, hitherto, to be either supported or overthrown, by cogent arguments from Scripture.

LXVI. As to the importance of this question, I rank it amongst those doubtful points, which may be disputed among the reformed, without any prejudice to faith or

* Εν μια καιρό ῥοπῇ, μιατε ὁρμῇ και κινήσει.

charity; provided it be firmly and conscientiously held, that there is a vast difference between the first creation of things, which was accomplished by the command of God, (in a manner quite different from that order which was subsequently to be observed,) and natural generation, which proceeds gradually from suitable matter, according to the rules of motion. As the denial of instantaneous creation is a step by which some proceed to maintain that most absurd hypothesis respecting all things spontaneously rising into existence by mere motion, the ordinary concurrence of God being supposed, -I utterly detest the denial of such creation. In the solution of the question itself, to which we will immediately proceed, an excessive refinement must be carefully avoided.

LXVII. Those who apprehend that the different days were occupied by the different works of these days respectively, make use of this argument chiefly;-that, otherwise, it would have been said that on each of the days God rested the whole day excepting merely the moment alleged, whereas the Scripture only makes mention of God's resting on the seventh day. But this reason is of no weight. If you understand by resting, ceasing from the production of a certain work till a new work be begun, God, no doubt, rested on each of the days. It is clear from the sacred narrative, that his works did not so rapidly succeed each other as to admit of no interval between them. When the work of each day was finished, God first approved of it, before he proceeded to other works; and mention is made of his uttering several distinct words, or commands, at the production of the different works. A remarkable interval, too, in which it may be truly affirmed that God rested, took place betwixt the creation of other animals

and of man, and also betwixt the creation of Adam and Eve. But the rest of the seventh day is quite of a different kind; partly, as it consisted in God's ceasing from the creation of new species of creatures; partly, as he beheld with complacency the fabric of the universe which he had now completed. Further, as to what is added respecting the single moment assigned to the work of creation on each of the days, it seems intended to excite an odium against the contrary opinion. Since several different works are ascribed to each of the days, no person, I apprehend, understands, that all those works were performed at once in a single moment of the day. This notion is expressly inconsistent with the account of the works of, at least, the first and the sixth day.

LXVIII. Those who hold, on the contrary, that the different works were done in different moments of time, support their opinion, principally, by the following argument. The creation, say they, is said to have been effected by the call and command of God; but God, when he enjoins any thing to appear, cannot be resisted, and at his command, all things must be present without delay. Neither does this argument, however, scem incontrovertible. Although, when God by his allpowerful command orders any thing to be present, it cannot refuse to come at his call; yet it is not necessary that it should appear, that very moment, in all its perfection. It is possible for God, to command it to come forward within some period of time. The Divine command is the cause of the existence of things; but the manner of their existing depends on the pleasure of him who commands them into being. If he command them to appear in a moment, in a moment they will assuredly appear. If he command them to go for

ward to perfection in some space of time, a space of time will consequently be requisite for this purpose. From the mere command of God, then, respecting the existence of creatures, nothing can be inferred as to the particular manner of their rising into existence. Some things, which are done at his command, are unquestionably accomplished in a continued space of time. For instance, the coming of the animals to Adam in order to receive their names from him as their lord, undoubtedly took place at the command of God, yet not without succession. Nor let it be objected, that the inclination to come was infused into the animals in a moment for their coming itself, and not merely the inclination, was the effect of the Divine command.

LXIX. My judgment, therefore, is, that this question cannot be decided without making a distinction. Some things were certainly produced out of nothing, as the highest heaven, and the chaos of the earth, angels, and the souls of men. These could not be otherwise created than in a moment. Since no medium can be imagined between existence and non-existence, the transition from nothing to something does not admit of delay or

succession.

LXX. Other creatures were formed of pre-existing matter by means of motion. "I apprehend," said Gregory of Nyssa," that all those things which appear in the creation, and which were brought into existence by the will of God, were produced by means "of motion and rest."* We, for our part, are not inclined, at present, to adopt such unrestrained expressions. Some works, however, were certainly accomplished by means of motion; as the drying of the earth, and the collecting of the waters into one place, which the * De hominis Opificio, cap. i.