7. The true sense of the record as to the origin (1) of vegetable life (vs. 11, 12), and (2) of animal life (vs. 20, 21, 24, 25.)――――The important words are, “Let the earth bring forth grass” (v. 11); “and the earth brought forth grass” (v. 12). “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature,” etc. (v. 20); “and God created every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth abundantly” (v. 21). “Let the earth bring forth the living creature” (v. 24); “and God made the beast of the earth,” etc. (v. 25).――――Here note that the _historical statements give the true sense of the imperatives_, and show plainly that the earth and the waters are not creative but only sustaining powers, and that they bring forth and sustain only under the fiat of the Almighty――only _when_ and _as_ God said, Do it. For the whole tenor of these chapters (Gen. 1 and 2) presents to us God himself as sole and supreme Creator. In the closest connection with the earth’s bringing forth the living creature, we are told that _God made_ the beast of the field. Though the waters brought forth abundantly, yet it was still God himself who created “every living creature that moveth.” The agency of the earth in producing grass is presented in a popular way――the precise, fundamental thought being, that God made the earth his instrument in bringing forth all things that grow; and in like manner in sustaining animal life. If we will, we are at liberty to push our queries and ask not only _who_ gave life, vegetable and animal, but _how_? In just _what way_ did he impart that something――be it quality or power or substance――which we call _life_? and deeper still――What _is_ life? Is it some subtle form of matter, or only some indefinable force given to matter; and if this be it, To what special form of matter is it given? If it be matter, did God sow the tiny germs thereof in the waters and on the land and leave them to be developed under auspicious circumstances? Or did he breathe forth from his own infinite life these life-forces into material things to make plants or animals?――――And yet again; What was the status of that lump of dead matter (small or great) at the point when God put into it the life-force and it became living matter, vegetable or animal? Was the first form of the living animal the egg, or its microscopic cell; or was it the fully developed animal, prepared for all life’s functions, and ready to furnish other life-bearing cells for reproduction? On these points what says the record? Not much at the utmost. It does seem to assume that Adam began existence, not an infant in the normally helpless condition of human birth, but with fully developed powers. Beyond this we look in vain to the record for light. We only know that the life-force――that subtle entity which always eludes the most vigilant search――which distances all the strides of scientific scrutiny――which mocks at chemical analysis and never comes to our call;――this life-force we simply know