Chapter XIX

FIRST HYPOTHESIS;--AN INTERVAL OF INDEFINITE DURATION
BETWEEN THE CREATION OF THE WORLD AND THE FIRST
MOSAIC DAY.

The Heavens and the Earth were created before the First Mosaic
Day--Objection from Exodus, xx. 9-11--Answer--Interpretation
of the Author supported by the best Commentators--Confirmed
by the Hebrew Text--The Early Fathers commonly held
the Existence of created Matter prior to the Work of the Six
Days--Saint Basil, Saint Chrysostom, Saint Ambrose, Venerable
Bede--The most eminent Doctors in the Schools concurred
in this Opinion--Peter Lombard, Hugh of Saint Victor, Saint
Thomas--Also Commentators and Theologians--Perrerius,
Petavius--Distinguished Names on the other side, A Lapide,
Tostatus, Saint Augustine--The Opinion is at least not at
Variance with the Voice of Tradition--This Period of created
Existence may have been of indefinite Length--And the Earth
may have been furnished then as now with countless Tribes of
Plants and Animals--Objections to this Hypothesis proposed
and explained, 300