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tables and animals, is evident, from no remains of any organized sub- 
stance having been ever found in any of these substances. 
In the next period we are informed, by Scripture, that the creation 
of vegetables took place.* Almost every circumstance in the situation 
and disposition of coal accords with this order of creation ; excepting 
that in many of the coal measures, the alternating limestones are full 
of the remains of shells. But, on the other hand, it must be observed, 
that as the formation of coal may have taken place soon after the cre- 
ation of vegetables, and have continued even to a very late period, 
so, consequently, the accompanying strata may vary materially as to 
their contents. In the later formation, the remains of marine ani- 
mals may be expected to be met with ; but in the earliest formation, 
that which is found on granite, and accompanied by porphyry, green- 
stone, &c. it is probable that no remains of animals would be found, 
and fair proof would be yielded of an accordance, in this instance, 
between the order of creation as related by Moses, and the order in 
which the investing strata of the earth are disposed. 
The creation of the succeeding period, according io the scriptural 
relation, was that of the inhabitants of the water and of the air.f In 
agreement with this order of creation, are the contents of all the nu- 
merous strata lying above those already mentioned ; including the 
blue clay which we have seen disposed in many places almost at the 
surface. In all these strata no remains are to be found but those of 
the inhabitants of the waters ; excepting those of birds, which exist, 
though rarely, in some particular spots. But in none of these strata 
has a single relic been met with which can be supposed to have be- 
longed to any terrestrial animal. 
In the next period it is stated, that the beasts of the earth, cattle, 
and every thing that creepeth upon the earth, were made.* The 
agreement of the situations in which the remains of land animals are 
found with this stated order of creation, is exceeding exact ; since it 
* Genesis i. 12. f Genesis i. 20. J Genesis i. 24. 
