In the language above quoted, nothing is said about one seed or one blade of grass; about one fruit tree, or about _single pairs_ of animals or human beings. On the contrary, this chapter closes with the distinct impression on the mind that everything was created _abundantly_. The only difficulty arises with regard to the human family, and we are here confused by the contradictory statements of the first and second chapters. In the first chapter, man was created _male and female_, on the sixth day--in the second chapter, woman was not created until after Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden. Commentators explain this discrepancy by the difference in style of the two chapters, and the inference that Genesis is a compilation made up by Moses from two or three different writers; but it is not our purpose here to open these theological discussions. Both sides are sustained by innumerable authorities. From what we have before shown, it is clear that the inspired writers possessed no knowledge of physical sciences, and as little respecting the natural history of man, as of any other department. Their _moral_ mission does not concern our subject, and we leave that to theologians, to whom it more properly belongs. On the other hand, we ask to be let alone in our study of the physical laws of the universe. The theologian and the naturalist have each an ample field without the necessity of interfering with each other. The Bible is here viewed only in its relations with physical science. We have already alluded to the fact that in astronomy, geology, &c., the authors of the Bible possessed no knowledge beyond that of their profane contemporaries, and a dispassionate examination of the text from Genesis to Revelation will show that the writers had but an imperfect knowledge of contemporary races, and did not design to teach the doctrine of unity of mankind, or rather origin from a single pair. The writer of the _Pentateuch_ could attach little importance to such an idea, as he nowhere alludes to a future existence, or rewards and punishments--all good and evil, as far as the human race is concerned, with him, were merely temporal. This idea of a future state does not distinctly appear in the Jewish writings until after their return from the Babylonish captivity.