THis Opinion of a Chaos, if soberly understood, not as self-existent and improduced, but in the first place created by God, and preceding other Beings, which were made out of it, is not, so far as I can discern, any way repugnant to the Holy Scripture, but on the contrary rather consonant and agreeable thereto. For Moses in the History and Description of the Creation in the first Chapter of Genesis, saith not that God created all things in an instant in their full state and perfection, but that he proceeded gradually and in order, from more imperfect to more perfect Beings, first beginning with the Earth, that is, the Terraqueous Globe, which was made tohu vabohu, without form and void, the Waters covering the face of the Land, which were afterwards separated from the Land, and gathered together into one place. Then he created out of the Land and Water first Plants, and then Animals, Fishes, Birds, Beasts, in Order, and last of all formed the Body of Man of the Dust of the Earth.
And whereas there is no particular mention made of the Creation of Metals, Minerass and other Fossils, they must be comprehended in the word Earth, as the Water it self also is in the second Verse of this first Chapter.
It seems therefore to me consonant to the Scripture, That God Almighty did at first create the Earth or Terraqueous Globe, containing in its self the Principles of all simple inanimate Bodies, or the minute and naturally indivisible Particles of which they were compounded, of various but a determinate number of Figures, and perchance of different magnitudes; and these variously and confusedly commixed, as though they had been carelesly shaken and shuffled together; yet not so, but that there was order observed by the most Wise Creator in the disposition of them. And not only so, but that the same Omnipotent Deity did create also the Seeds or Seminal Principles of all Animate Bodies, both Vegetative and Sensitive; and disperst them, at least the Vegetative, all over the superficial part of the Earth and Water. And the Notion of such an Earth as this is, the Primitive Patriarchs of the World delivered to their Posterity, who, by degrees annexing something of sabulous to it, imposed upon it the name of Chaos.
The next work of the Divine Power and Wisdom was the separation of the Water from the dry Land, and raising up of the Mountains, of which I shall treat more particularly in the next Chapter.
To which follows the giving to both Elements a power of hatching, as I may so say, or quickening and bringing to perfection the Seeds they contained; first the more imperfect, as Herbs and Trees; then the more perfect, Fish, Fowl, Four-footed Beasts, and creeping Things or Infects. Which may be the meaning of those Commands of God, which were operative and effectual, communicating to the Earth and Water a power to produce what he commanded them, Gen. 1. 11. Let the Earth bring forth Grass, &c. and v. 20. Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the Earth, &c. And v. 24. Let the Earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattel and creeping thing, and beast of the Earth after his kind.
So the Earth was at first cloathed with all sorts of Herbs and Trees; and both Earth and Water furnished with Inhabitants. And this the Ancients understood by their […].
But whether out of prae-existing Seeds, as I suppose, or not, certain it is that God at that time did give an extraordinary and miraculous power to the Land and Water of producing Vegetables and Animals: and after there were as many of every kind brought forth as there were Seeds created at first; or as many as it seemed good to the Divine Creator to produce without Seed; there remained no further ability in those Elements to bring forth any more; but all the succeeding owe their original to Seed; God having given to every Species a power to generate or propagate its like.
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