ORIGIN AND NA TURE OF LIFE. 339 



other. Under such conditions the spontaneous gen- 

 eration, either in the laboratory of nature or in that 

 of the chemist, presents no greater difficulties than 

 does the conversion of a bar of steel into a magnet. 

 In both cases it is God who is the author of the 

 change, yet God acting not directly, but through the 

 instrumentality of natural agencies ; through the 

 " seminal reasons" and the laws of nature which He 

 conferred on matter in the beginning. 



