343 
of contact remain, and these of great importance. To their 
consideration we now proceed. 
Our inquiry may be conveniently divided into two heads. 
1. What are the principles of natural theology enunciated in 
the cosmogony, and how do they agree with those deducible 
from independent scientific investigation ? 2. What are the 
facts in creation alleged in connexion with these principles, and 
how do they agree with those discovered by natural science ? 
First, then, of the principles of natural theology taught, for 
the sake of which, we conceive, the entire cosmogony was 
constructed. They may be briefly summed up as six. 1. 
The dependence of all things upon God. 2. God’s inde- 
pendence of His creatures. 3. God’s government by fixed 
law. 4. God’s method of gradual development. 5. God’s 
principle of subordination. 6. God’s rest. 
1. The dependence of all things upon God . — Each stage of 
progress, from the first calling into existence of the heavens 
and the earth, to the minutest detail in the process of fur- 
nishing and perfecting the latter, is exhibited as depending 
directly upon an act of God as its originative cause. In 
some cases, indeed, natural materials, and possibly natural 
forces also, are spoken of as taking part, as in the genera- 
tion of plants and animals from the earth, or fishes from the 
sea, which are described as “ the earth sprouting forth 
sprouts,” “ the sea swarming forth swarms,” “ the earth 
bringing forth beasts.” Still, even here the relation of all to 
God as their sole proper cause, is carefully maintained; for 
not only do they arise at His word, but before any life arises 
there has been in the first place a hovering ” (equivalent, 
probably, in idea to “ brooding ”) of His Spirit over the 
empty and desolate abyss of the primeval waters. This, 
then, is the first and fundamental doctrine of the Biblical 
cosmogony. There is but one First Cause, to Whom every 
step of creation from first to last is to be ascribed. What 
has Science to say to this ? 
Positively, Science can simply say nothing. The instru- 
ments of investigation at her command are wholly inadequate 
to discern the spiritual cause asserted by the Bible to lie 
behind all natural phenomena. She deals exclusively with 
the actual now in existence, and however keenly she 
may examine this, however thoroughly she may understand 
its constitution and powers, nay, however perfectly she 
may even trace its historical development in the past, 
or predict, if it may be, its future destiny, still of the 
origin of this actual world of existence, either in respect to 
the matter composing it or the forces enduing it. Science 
