with herbes plants and trees Chap. 2. Verse 5 6. Wherefore omitting to mention divers needlesse questions and unprofitable opinions raised and held by former writers and expositors of this text I will in briefe shew what I conceive and what I gather out of these words First I conceive that these words And God said Let waters from under heaven bee gathered together for so they run in the originall doe implie two things First that God by his creating word brought the waters and the earth into being and made them perfect and distinct elements one from another and the water being the lighter did at the first stand above the earth and compasse it round that is the naturall place of it Secondly that God immediatly after when the waters had covered the earth almost for the space of a night and had kept it in darknesse from the sight and light of heaven then I say God did bring the earth into that forme and shape which it now hath in the round globe of it he made hollow valleyes deeper in one place then another and hee raised up the hils and mountains so much in height above as those valleyes are deep and hollow below and the earth being a firme and drie element and standing fast in this fashion and the waters being of a liquid and flowing substance and more heavy then the aire did for the avoiding of vacuity which nature abhorreth and to fill up those hollow places which otherwise would have remained empty unlesse the aire could have descended through the water descend downe from the hils and through the valleyes of the earth untill they came into and filled the great hollow valleyes where the waters of the Sea remaine and which is the place of the Sea to this day and so there is as much water in the Sea as there is drie land appearing above the waters and the depth of the Sea is equall to the rising of the Earth and the mountaines above the banks of it as some learned men have observed And for proofe hereof wee have the plaine word of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the originall text signifies gathering together into one hollow place and Psalme 104. 5 6 7 8. David speaking of the first foundation of the earth saith that God covered it with the deep as with a garment and the waters stood above the hils at his rebuke they fled at his thundering voice they hasted away the hils did rise up to their height and the waters went downe the vallies unto the place which God founded for them and there hee set them a bound which they cannot passe nor returne to cover the Earth And the earth was first under the water and after by Gods making of the great hollow vallies and raising up the earth and drie land caused it to stand out of the water and so to appeare above the water as if it did stand in the water and were founded upon the Sea and established upon the flouds the words of Saint Peter shew 2 Pet. 3. 5. compared with this text and the words of David Psalme 24. 2. Thus much for the opening of the first words wherein the creation and situation of the earth and the waters are laid downe in the 9. Verse The next thing is the naming of the waters and the drie land It is said that God called the drie land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he the Seas and God saw that it was good Verse 10. The names which God gave to the things here created are full of wisedome the drie land now appearing firme above the waters God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eretz of which our English name Earth is derived and hath the sound of it In the Hebrew the word may bee derived of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth running speedily or running a race and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a negative particle signifieth not for the earth is made to stand firme and neither to move from the naturall place of it nor to run about in the place The common opinion of the best learned is that God called the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth where being an adverb of place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth running because the heaven and the aire move and run round about it and because it stands firme and is a sure footing for men and other creatures to run upon and neither sinke as in waters nor fall and stick fast as in waterish bogges myres and quicksands to which I may adde another and more divine reason to wit because God made the earth and drie land that man and other creatures which are made for mans use might live and move upon it and that it might bee the place wherein man should run his race towards heaven and happinesse in which hee would not have us to settle our rest as if wee were to live here for ever but to run towards the better Countrie which is above The gathering together of the waters God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seas First this name is of the plurall number because though there is but one maine ocean Sea through which men may saile to all parts of the Earth yet there are many inlets creeks corners gulfes and breakings in between severall Countries of the earth as the mediterranean Sea the red Sea the Persian Gulfe the Gulfe of Venice the black Sea the south Sea and divers others Secondly this word is derived either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to rage and to make a noise and tumult or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to shake and to cast downe and lay prostrate all things before it And indeed wee finde by experience that the waters of the Sea being gathered together and detained in the hollow place of the earth doe partly by a naturall disposition and inclination to ascend to their naturall place above the earth and partly by windes and tempests lying violently upon them rage roare swell and make the mountaines as it were to shake with their rage and noyse And when they breake through their bankes into the drieland as sometimes it happens they beare downe all before them as the flood in Noah's dayes did over-run and destroyed the earth when God brake up the fountaines of the great deep But howsoever the earth is made to bee a place of running and of toile and travell and the gathering together of the waters into the Seas makes a great noyse and tumult and rageth terribly yet God saw that this his worke was good and that both the Earth and the Sea should bee of great use and profit to man both for necessaries of life and also for magnifying of Gods dreadfull power wisedome and goodnesse in mans eyes and therefore Moses here saith God saw that it was good Another maine thing followeth in this
heavens the making of which brought in the first morning or day-light as for example Ever since the firie heavens were made and created a bright shining substance they have retained their light continually and so there hath beene a continuall day in them and no night nor darknesse although the light of them by reason of the vast distance doth not make day here on earth Also ever since the Sun was created it shineth most cleare in the firie or starry heaven from East to West and from the North to the South-Pole when the Sun sets in the West from our sight it shineth bright in the face of the full Moone which is then rising in the East part of heaven or else the Moone would bee darke and enclypsed All the shadow which the earth makes in the heavens by comming betweene the Sun and that part of the heaven which is most opposite is very little neare about the compasse of the body of the Moone as in every great eclypse of the Moone may easily bee seene and discerned Likewise that light which was the day light of the second day continueth still in the superiour region of the aire and in the lowest regions also when there are no clouds mists or vapours And the light of the Sun also appeares continually in the most part of the highest regions of the aire even under our Hemisphare and in our Horizon when the Sun is furthest from our sight And as there is alwayes day light in the middle heavens so there is alwayes night and darknesse in the midst of the earth and through all the body of it from the upper face to the center which is the very middle and heart of it Secondly in those places of the World which are directly under the North and South poles the day that is the time of the Sons being in theirsight is just halfe a year and the night also that is the time of the Suns absence from their sight is another halfe year Thirdly under the equinoctiall line which cuts the heavens equally in the middle betweene the North and South poles the day and night are alwayes equall each one 12. houres because the Sun and Moone and Starres doe appeare so long and are hid just so long againe And thus dayes and nights varie according to the severall parts of the World and divers climats of the earth And ever since that God did make the lights in heaven the Sun Moone and Starres they have made the division betweene the darknesse which wee call night and the light which wee call day as God here appointed For the time while the Sun shines and rules by giving greatest light in any part of the World that is called the day light and the time while the Sun is out of sight and the Moone and Starres onely shine and rule that is called the night because it is a time of dimme light which is darknesse in comparison of the Sun light as appeares in the words of the 16. Verse The second thing which comes to bee considered in the first use of these lights is the division and distinction betweene day and night before this fourth dayes worke when these lights were made for this use For clearing of this point wee are to call to minde somethings which I have opened before and withall adde some few things more which will make the truth manifest First we are to know and perswade our selves that there is no difference or division betweene day and night but onely in this inferiour visible World which wee see with bodily eyes For in the heaven of heavens which is above the visible World there is no darknesse neither can bee at any time but there is the inheritance of the Saints in light and the light thereof is spirituall and to us supernaturall And in Hell wheresoever that is there is nothing but blacknesse of darknesse for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iude 13. Secondly the time of day-light which is called the morning and the time of night and of darknesse which is called the evening in the three first dayes did much differ from the evening and morning that is the time of darknesse and light in the rest of the dayes after that the Sun Moone and Starres were made For the evening that is the time of darknesse or night in the first day was onely the time while all this inferiour World remained in that rude informed masse without forme and void which was all over-spread with darknesse and had no light in it And the morning that is the time of light and of day was the time after that God formed the light that is the firie or starry heavens for they were in themselves full of light and had cleare day in them without the Sun before the light of them was united in the Sun Moone and Starres I say from the forming of them untill God began to create the spacious airie firmament it was cleare day in so much of the visible World as was perfectly formed that is in the firie heavens which are called light and that was twelve houres at the least But when God began to create out of the rude masse full of darknesse the lowest heavens the aire which is a spacious region while the earthy and waterish parts were setling downward and the aire was a purging and growing into purity untill it became pure and cleare there was a time of darknesse and dimnesse in it which I conceive to bee the space of a night about twelve houres And the time after that it was made pure and received into it the light of the heavens shining clearly in it was the morning or time of day-light sufficient for so much of the World as was then created which was twelve houres more and made up the second day Then God began to create the water and the drie land and while the earth was setling downward to the center and the waters being made of the thinner and lighter part of the masse which remained did cover the face of the earth which was created round in the middle of them this was the space of twelve houres and it was a time of darknesse upon the earth which lay hid and covered with all the waters which are now in the Seas and Rivers and this was the night of the third day upon earth But after that God made the great and hollow vallies which are now the receptacles of the waters and made the hils and drie land stand up and appeare above the waters being gathered into that hollow place there was a time of day-light for the light of the heavens which then had in them all that light which is now gathered and united in the bodies of the Sun Moone and Starres did shine upon the face of the earth for the space of twelve houres in which God made the grasse and the herbes bearing seced and the trees of all kinds bearing fruits and this was the third day Now after this day ended
use for comfort and confidence to all the elect and faithfull people of God in the midst of all troubles which befall them in this life and when dangers and worldly enemies beset them round about also for confirmation and strengthening of them against all the assaults and temptations of the Divell For if the glorious Angels which are ministering spirits for their good which also love them rejoyce at their conversion watch for their safety and are their fellow servants under one Lord Christ be such heavenly powerfull and active spirits even by creation so excellent in strength so lively quick and ready at hand to help in a moment when God gives the watch-word what need we feare or faint so long as wee cleave to God and sticke to his truth Hee is a tender and loving father and Christ our high Priest hath a feeling of our infirmities and doth pity us he will be ready to help and he hath mighty instruments and ministers even thousands and ten thousand thousands ready to save and deliver us from all enemies as he did Daniel from the Lyons and his three fellowes from the fiery furnace Or if hee doth not send them to deliver us out of the troubles of this life yet hee will at our death send his Angels to carry our soules with triumph to heaven as Eliah was carried up in a fiery Chariot and the soule of Lazarus is said to bee carried up by them into Abrahams bosome Wherefore let us not feare either multitude malice or might of enemies but carefully serve God and confidently rest on the Lord Christ our Redeemer and Saviour Secondly These Doctrines serve to discover divers errours concerning the nature and substance of Angels as that grosse opinion of Peter Lombard who held that the Angels are corporeall substances because the Divell and evill Angels shall suffer the torment and feele the paines of hell fire which hath no power but over bodily creatures Also that opinion of the Gentiles and Cardanus who held that the Angels were mortall and corruptible creatures both these are here discovered to be erroneous For the first is builded on a grosse conceipt that the fire of hell is elementall and corporcall fire which as it burneth and consumeth bodily substances over which it hath power so it in time wasteth it selfe and goeth out but indeed the fire of Hell is the fire of Gods wrath which burneth and tormenteth worse then elementarie fire but consumeth not neither shall ever be quenched as our Saviour testifieth The second opinion is also confuted by these doctrines which have proved Angels to be spirits or spirituall substances which though they may bee stained with sin yet they cannot bee dissolved as men are in death by the separation of soule and body not corrupted as mens bodies are in the grave but the evill Angells shall live in eternall torment and their substance shall never be corrupted and consumed and the holy and blessed Angels are immortall and shall live in glory for ever and there shall be no end of their blessednesse CHAP. V. Of the Creation of the Earth The names whereby it is called Properties of it All creatures have being of God with Vses The World is all mutable and appointed so to be Vses The creation and redemption of the World wherein they resemble one another Vses The holy Ghost is of one and the same nature with the Father and the Sonne THe Second thing created next after the highest heaven with the inhabitants thereof the Angels is the Earth as my text here faith in these wordes and the Earth But wee must not here understand by Earth this earth or drie land upon which men and beasts doe live and move and have their being and which is beautified and adorned with trees plants greene herbes and flowers and replenished with stones and metals of all sorts For that was created together with the waters of the Sea and brought into forme and replenished in the third day as appeares in the 9. 10. 11. verses of this Chapter But here by Earth wee are to understand a certaine rude matter and masse without forme and void out of which God made all the inferiour visible World and all things therein contained so the wordes following in the second verse plainely shew The earth was without forme and void and darknesse was upon the face of the deep Now that wee may know what creature this Earth was wee are to consider these 3 things First the severall names by which it is called Secondly the properties by which it is described Thirdly the meanes by which it was upheld in being and disposed to bee the common matter of all othervisible things created afterwards First the names by which it is called are three 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters First it is called the earth because of the grossenesse unmoveablenesse and impurity of it For the earth is of all elements most grosse heavy impure and confused not fit to move out of the place wherein it is most untractable and not ready to apply it selfe to any other thing and hard to bee turned into the forme of other things without labour and working of it This first rude and informed masse which God created out of nothing is here declared by this name Earth to have beene like the earth very impure and confused dull and unfit for motion resembling at the first the earth rather then any purer element Secondly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep here also in the text which word signifies a great deep or devouring gulfe as it were of troubled waters also troubled and confounded with mixture of mud and myre which though in respect of the troubled mixture and confusion it hath a resemblance of earth yet it is bottomlesse there is no solidity in it no ground or stay to bee found at all Thus much the Hebrew word signifies according to the notation and common use of it Thirdly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters also in this text because of the waterish fluxibility which was in it by meanes of which it was unstable and unsettled and also because it was an huge deep like the great waters of the Sea Now it may seeme strange that this one and the same rude masse should bee like earth and like a bottomlesse depth of myre or quick-sand and like waters all at once which are things different and unlike one to another especially the thinne flowing element of water and the grosse dull unmoveable earth And therefore the learned Expositors labour thus to qualifie the meaning of the words they say it was a confused masse even the matter of all the elements mingled together and because the earth and water are the most grosse and impure and did most of all appeare in it therefore it is called earth and water and the deep which is a
perfect creature and element of the visible World and commanded it to shine out of darknesse and this was the morning of the first day In the words wee may observe these foure things First the creation of light in the 3. vers Secondly Gods approbation of it in these words God saw the light that it was good Thirdly Gods separation of it from the darknesse vers 4. Fourthly Gods nomination or naming of the light day and the darknesse night and so compounding these two light and darknesse into the first whole day of the World vers 5. In the first thing which is the creation of light the first of all perfect creatures in this visible World two things come to bee sifted and examined for our right understanding thereof First the thing created Light what is thereby here meant Secondly the manner of creating it God said Let light bee and it was so Concerning the first I find divers and severall opinions of the learned Saint Augustine lib. 1. in Genes ad literam cap. 3. and Rupertus lib. 1. de Trinit cap. 10. doe by this light understand the highest heavens and the Angels which are not a corporeall but a spirituall light but this cannot bee the truth for this light is said to bee that which is called the day and is opposed to the darknesse of the night here in this mutable and visible World the shining whereof doth distinguish day from the night which cannot bee said of the Angels and the highest heavens which were not made out of darknesse nor out of the rude unformed masse as this light was which God commanded to shine out of darknesse as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4. 6. Secondly others as Beda Lyra and Lombard doe by this light understand a bright cloud carried about and making a difference of day and night Nazianzene and Theadoret doe think that it was the same light which now is in the Sun Moone and Starres subsisting at the first in one bodie and afterwards divided into severall parts when God made the Sun Moone and Starres out of it Basil thought that it was light without a subject Aquinas that it was the light of the Sun made imperfect at the first and of this opinion is Pererius also Catharinus held that it was the Sun it selfe made first of all which is directly contrary to the expresse words of the 16. vers which affirme that the Sun was made the fourth day Iunius by light here understands the element of fire In this variety of opinions I hold it the best and surest way of finding out the truth to seeke it out of the word used in the originall text The Hebrewword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or which is here translated Light besides the tropicall and spirituall senses in which it is used in those Scriptures which call God the light in whom is no darknesse and the light and salvation of his people and doe call Gods regenerate people light in the Lord doth more properly signifie two things First that naturall bodie or substance which among all the parts and creatures of the visible World is most bright and shining in it selfe and gives light to others as for example the Sun Moone and Starres are called Lights Psalme 136. 7. and the element of fire is called by this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light Ezech. 5. 2. Secondly it signifies and that most frequently in the Scripture the light that is the shining brightnesse of the heavens and of the Sun Moone and Starres and of the element of fire burning in a lamp or torch or other combustible matter Here I doe not take the word in this latter sense onely for a shining brightnesse for then God had created an accident or quality without a subject which is a thing against nature of things created for common reason and experience shew that never did any qualitie subsist of it selfe without a substance by course of nature no light can be but in some created body as in the heavens fire or aire But hereby light wee are to understand of necessity some notable part of this great frame of the visible World which God first framed out of the rude masse which was without forme and void before mentioned yea that part which is most bright shining and resplendent and doth by light and brightnesse which is naturall in it shine forth and enlighten other things Now that cannot bee any of these lower elements the water and the earth for they have no such light in them and besides it is manifest that they were formed out of the grossest and most dark part of the common masse on the third day vers 9. Neither can it bee the spacious region of the aire which is extended and spread abroad farre and wide over all the round globe of the earth and the waters and reacheth up to the etheriall region of the visible heavens even to the sphaere of the Moone and is called the lowest heaven or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the broad expansion or firmament in the midst of the waters For that was formed the second day as appeares in 6. 7. 8. vers It must needs therefore bee the firmament of the visible heavens which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The large and farre stretched firmament of the midle heaven even the fiery or etheriall region wherein God on the fourth day formed and set the great lights of the Sun Moone and Starres vers 14. 16. For first those heavens were framed and made of the most pure and refined part of the masse which is the common matter of the visible World and are most bright and shining full of light and brightnesse and undoubtedly as in place and order they are the next to the highest heavens so they were created next after them in the first day and are here called by the name of Light because all the light of this visible World is in them and from them shineth into the aire and giveth light upon the earth Secondly there is no particular mention made by Moses in this Chapter of the framing of these heavens among all the works of the six dayes except it bee in this word Light and it is most incredible that hee would omit the creation of them which are the most excellent and glorious part of the visible frame of the World especially seeing hee doth exactly and particularly name and relate the creation of all other parts and the day wherein they were created I am not ignorant that Aristotle and the most learned naturall Philosophers of his sect did hold that the visible heavens are eternall and unchangable and of a matter and substance different from the foure elements fire aire water and earth and were not made of the same common matter Also divers learned Christians and Schoolemen doe thinke that these heavens were created together with the highest heavens immediatly of nothing in the beginning when time first began to bee and are mentioned in the
the airy or lowest heaven is thus called Verse 20. and 26. where it is said Let the fowles flie in the open firmament of heaven and Psalme 79. 2. and Hos. 2. 18. and many other places where wee read of the fowles of heaven But the best learned of later times have for the most part held that by the firmament is here meant that vast and spacious element and region of the aire which is extended and stretched out not onely round about all the Earth and the Sea but also reacheth from this globe of the Earth and the Sea to the starry heavens even to the spheare of the Moone and this is without doubt the true sense and meaning of the word in this place as appears by divers reasons First the Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which God called this firmament or large region being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies there or in that place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies waters notes out unto us that this firmament is the place where waters are engendered in the clouds and which from thence descend and water the earth and that is the fluid and waterish element the aire Secondly there is no other firmament besides the aire stretched out between the waters of the Sea which are below and the undermost and the waters above in the clouds heaven-ward and from thence distill and water the earth and did descend in great aboundance and drowned the old World when God dissolved the clouds so opened the floud-gates and windowes of heaven The aire is the onely element which divides between these two waters of the clouds above and of the Sea and Rivers below Thirdly the airy region is that in which the Sun Moone and Starres doe shine and give Light to the Earth and in which their beames and light appeare to us on earth The light of the starry heavens and of the Sun which alwayes shines in them even at midnight as well as at noone day is not seene of us as it is in the heavens but as it is in the aire for by multiplying their beames in the aire the Sun Moone and Starres are seen of us and give light upon the earth And therefore it is not said that God made the Sun Moone and Starres in the firmament or set them to have their place and being in it but gave them to bee lights in it that is set them above to shine through it and by multiplying their beames in this firmament the aire to give light to the earth Verse 15. Fourthly the fowles which flie in the open face of the aire are said to flie in the firmament which God called heaven Verse 20. Fifthly the highest heaven was created in the beginning in the first moment of time together with the Angels And the starry heaven is the light created in the first day therefore this heaven here called firmament is the airie region or lowest heaven Sixthly in all places of Scripture wherein wee finde this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated firmament wee may very well and with good reason understand by firmament the large extended region of the aire and it cannot be proved by any one place that the word signifies any other then the airie heaven enlightned with the beames of the Sun and the starry heavens Seventhly they who here by firmament do understand the starry heavens are forced by the words of the text which say that the firmament is in the midst of the waters and divides the waters above from the waters below to imagine that there are waters above the starry heavens there placed to mitigate the heat of the Sun and the Starres and that these waters drowned the old World which is a ridiculous conceipt grounded on palpable mistaking of divers Scriptures and contrary to all reason For the places of Scripture which speake of waters above the heavens intend no other waters but such as are in the clouds in the middle region of the aire and above the lowest region of the firmament or airy heaven First the Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is above the firmament or above the heavens signifies no more but waters that are above heavenward Secondly the Scriptures doe plainely expound this phrase and in many places shew that by waters above the heavens they doe not meane either the multitude of heavenly Angels as Origen dreamed or any Crystall orbe or naturall waters above the starry heavens as Basil Ambrose Beda and others imagined or the matter of spirituall and supercelestiall substances different from the matter of earthly creatures as Austen thought but that these waters above are the waters in the clouds above in the middle region of the aire even raine and haile and snow and such waters as flow from thence in great aboundance when it pleaseth God to open the bottles windowes fountaines and floodgates of heaven that is the clouds for the clouds are called the bottles of heaven Iob 38. 37. and the fountaines of the deep Prov. 8. 28. and the watery roofe of Gods chambers Psalme 104. 3. and God is said to bind up his waters in the thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them Iob 26. 8. and when God openeth the clouds and sends downe raine to water the earth to give to it the blessing of fruitfulnesse hee is said to open the windowes and flood-gates of heaven Gen. 7. 11. and Mal. 3. 10. And the lowest region of the aire in which the dew is engendered of vapours and mists dissolved into small drops is called heaven and the dew from thence distilling is called the Dew of heaven Gen. 27. 28. Psalme 133. 3. and Zach. 12. 8. So then wee see that the firmament here called heaven is the wide and broad spread aire reaching from earth to the starry heaven and compassing the globe of Sea and land round about and by the waters above the firmament the waters in the clouds are meant which are above the lowest region of the airy heaven or firmament And thus much for the opening of the first thing in my text to wit the thing created The second thing is the creation of this firmament and the manner of it It is said God made the firmament that is framed it as hee had done the light the starry heavens out of the rude matter before named which was without forme and void Verse 2. and this hee did by the same power and after the same manner as he did the light saying Let there be a Firmament that is by his eternall Word the Son by whom he doth exercise all his power and performe all his works according to his eternall Counsell and by whom hee sheweth outwardly his eternall purpose and will as a man by his word doth openly professe and declare his mind and purpose And thus wee see the Son◠still worketh with the Father and
the night of the three last dayes Hereby God did foreshew that the aire and this lowest World is the place of Satans Kingdome wherein hee doth rage and tyrannize with great power after his fall untill hee be cast into Hell at the last day which also other Scriptureâ— shew as Eph. 22. where Satan is called the Prince of the aire and Revel 16. 17. the Kingdome of Satan is called the aire and Ioh. 14. 30. our Saviour calls him the Prince of this World Wherefore let us not place our felicity here in the things of this World nor hope for peace and rest in this lowest airy heaven where Satan ruleth and rageth Hee who preacheth for things here hee speakes into the aire 1 Cor. 14. 9. Hee who wrastleth for a prize here hee beateth the aire and strives for uncertainties 1 Cor. 9. 26. Let us looke up higher to the Heaven of heavens to the Country and City which is above and where Christ is there let our heart bee Verse 9. CHAP. VIII The third dayes worke Of Water and Earth distinct elements Of the names of Earth and Sea Of Herbes Plants and Trees All earthly things nothing to God Wee are Pilgrimes on earth Vses God ruleth the most tumultuous creatures Vse ANd God said Let the waters under the Heaven bee gathered together unto one place and let the drie land appeare and it was so Verse 10. And God called the drie land Earth and the gathering together of the Waters called hee Seas and God saw that it was good Verse 11. And God said Let the Earth bring forth grasse herbe yeelding seed and the fruit tree yeelding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it selfe upon the Earth and it was so Verse 12. And the Earth brought forth grasse and herbe yeelding seed after his kind and the tree yeelding fruit whose seed was in it selfe after his kind and God saw that it was good Verse 13. And the evening and the morning were the third day The third dayes worke is the creation of the Earth and the Seas and the separating of them one from another in place and the calling of them by their names also the creation of the Herbes Plants and Trees out of the Earth all which made up a third dayes worke In the 9. verse wee have the creation of the two grossest and lowest elements the Water and the Earth laid downe very briefely and withall the separation of the Water from the Earth into one place and the appearance of the earth above the waters The first words And God said shew that God by his eternall Word the Son created these inferiour elements and all thing in them and still the Son works with the Father in all the works of creation These next words Let the waters under the heaeen bee gathered together unto one place and let the drie land appeare seeme not to speake at all of the creation of the waters or of the earth but onely of the separation of the waters into one place and causing the dry land to appeare by it selfe Some Expositors gather from these words that the earth and the waters were created before and that the earth being made perfectly round in the lowest place and framed of the heaviest and grossest part of the rude matter which settled about the center was all covered with the waters which were made of the purer part of that rude masse which remained after the creation of the spacious firmament the airie heaven and the naturall place of the waters was above the earth betweene it and the aire I easily beleeve and acknowledge that the earth being made of the heaviest part of the rude matter doth occupie and possesse the lowest place about the middle center of the round World and that the naturall place of the water which is a purer and lighter element in which place God first created it and gave it being is the place next above the earth compassing it round on every side and if the element of water were in quantity more then the hollow places of the earth could conteine it would overflow all the upper face of the earth or if God should bring the earth into a perfect round globe without risings up of hils or hollow valleyes the waters of the Sea would stand in the upper place next above it between the aire and the earth For wee see and find by daily experience that as heavier elements do descend downwards when they are in lighter elements and doe by naturall motion tend to the lower place as for example drops of raine-water being ingendered in the aire descend downward and the earth and every part of it whether a stone or lump of clay or clod of earth will sinke downe move towards the bottom in a lake of standing water and in a vessell full of water So also the lighter and thinner elements doe naturally ascend above the heavier and seeke the higher place and cannot but by violence bee kept under them or in the same place with them for wee see that sparks and flames of fire being in the aire will continually ascend upward till they come to the place above it and if aire be closed up in a bladder and by some weight held downe in the bottom of a pond or some great vessell of water if it bee let loose by opening or bursting the bladder it will presently flie up and make speedy way in bubbles to the top of the waters and if waters bee either ingendered in the earth under the ground or by secret conveyances bee driven from the Sea into the earth it will continually spring up till it cometh to the top of the earth and hence it is that wee have so many springs of water rising out of the earth But I cannot beleeve that the earth and the waters of the Sea were created distinct elements before the third day because no words in this Historie of the creation doe before this day mention any creation of water and earth as they are elements perfectly formed and distinct one from another Indeed the rude masse which was without forme and void is called Earth and the Deep and the Waters not because it had the forme of these or was any one of them but was onely the matter of which they were made and because it was like earth for the grossnesse of it and like water or a deep quagge or muddy lake for the instability of it And although it is said before that God made the airie heaven to divide between the waters above in the clouds and the waters below under the aire in the Sea and the Rivers yet it doth not follow that these waters were created before or that then immediatly it did divide betweene them but that it was made to divide between them afterwards when they were created Yea itis plaine that therewas no raine in the aire nor clouds nor mists nor vapours ascending up from the earth till after the earth was furnished
third dayes worke that is the creation of grasse herbes plants and trees Where note onely these two things First what were these things created Secondly how they were created and brought into being The first is grasse or greene herbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that which of it selfe springs up without setting or sowing The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herbe bearing seed that is all herbes which are set or sowne and increase by mans industry The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is trees and plants which are of a woodie substance which beare fruit and have their seed which turns to fruit in themselves they are not multiplied onely by sowing of seed but live all the year and many yeares without sowing and multiply by rootes slips graffes and the like These were the things which God is here said by his creating Word and power to bring out of the earth every one perfect in their kind Secondly for the manner of creating them they were not created immediatly of nothing nor of any other element besides the earth and then put into the earth there to grow But God by his powerfull Word without any help of mans tillage Raine or Sun did make them immediatly out of the earth and every one perfect in their kind grasse and heroes with flowers and seeds and trees with large bodies branches leaves and fruits growing up suddenly as it were in a moment by Gods Word and power And thus much I gather not onely from the words of the text which run thus God said Let the Earth bring forth grasse herbes and trees but also from the words Chap. 2. 5 6. where it is said that God formed every plant when yet it was not in the Earth and every herb when as yet it grew not up that is before they had any seed or roote hidden or sowne in the earth from whence they might spring and grow up and also without help of raine or dew or any culture or tillage Now all these things being thus formed by the word of God were approved by God for good and perfect in their kind And so the evening that is the time of darknesse over the earth while the waters covered it and before the drie land appeared above the waters which was about twelve houres a nights space and the morning that is the time of light after the drie land appeared and the light of the firie heavens shined upon it through the aire which as yet was most pure and cleare without clouds mists or vapours which time of light was other twelve houres made up a third day Thus we see that in the three first daies before the creation of the Sun Moon and Starres the night was a time of darknes and the day a time of light in all that part of the World where night and day are said to have been and in respect of which part of the World they are called evening and morning as for example After that the light the firie heavens were created and made out of the rude masse full of darknesse there was no more night or darknesse but all light in the heavens ever since for they are a day and light to themselves and that which is night and day with us is all alike with them even cleare day light So likewise after the creation of the light all was darknesse in the rest of the rude masse which was not yet formed and the time that it lay in darknesse before the airy heaven was perfectly purified and made is called the evening or night but after that the firmament that is the spacious element of the aire was created and brought into perfect being and puritie it received into it the light of the firie heavens which shined through it and the time of that shining into the aire is called the morning or day light and this day light shines still in the highest region of the aire above the ascent of the clouds and there is no more night of darknesse in that region but as cleare light as that of the second and third day onely in the rest of the rude masse there did remaine darknesse untill God created out of it at once the two lowest elements the waters and the earth and the time while the waters covered the earth and kept the light of heaven from it is called the evening or night of the third day but when the drie land and the hils and mountaines of the earth were raised up above the waters and the great vast hollow valley which is the place of the Sea and receptacle of the waters was made in it then the light of the heavens did shine through the aire unto the upper face of the earth and of the waters and so continued untill the herbes plants and trees were made no clouds or mists or vapours made the lower region of the aire darke and this was the time of morning or day light on earth the third day Thus much for the opening of the third dayes work of creation and how the times of light and darknesse that is the evening and morning did make up the third day From this dayes work and from the things created and the manner of creation divers things may bee observed for our instruction First wee see that the two lowest elements Earth and Sea though they appeare to bee great and huge vast things yet to God working by his eternall Word the making and separating of them was but a peece of a dayes work and all the grasse herbes plants and trees which are innumerable and full of all admirable variety they were but another peece of a dayes worke they were not onely made and brought into being but also to their perfect growth full of flowers seed and fruite in a little time as it were in a moment Hence we may learne that all this World here below wherein the sonnes of men live together with all creatures which seâ—ve for their use it is as nothing in the hand of God and of small moment All the herbes plants and trees which Solomon with all his wisedome could scarcely come to know were with the Earth Sea and all Waters made perfect in one day This is that which the Lord proclaimes by the Prophet Isa. 40. 15 17. where it is said that all nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance before him All nations are before him as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Which Doctrine serves to admonish us to despise all earthly riches and possessions in comparison of God who is the portion of the godly and faithfull also it serves to confound and put to shame all proud carnall worldlings who glory and boast in a little nothing and to make glad and fill with joy Gods people who have a true right and interest in God by their spirituall union and communion which they have with Christ by one
Let us looke up to heaven where is light without darknesse and an everlasting day without any night and bend all our course to that countrie above and long for everlasting light and glory which the blessed Saints and Angels there enjoy in the presence of God and at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore CHAP. X. The fifth dayes worke Of fishes and fowles All made in perfect wisedome Vses Two notable properties of fishes their sensitive soule and matter The matter of birds Of other flying things Of whales Of the fruitfulnesse of fishes Gods infinite power jioyned with infinite wisedome Vses All is made by Christ and likewise bestowed on us Vse Gods great providence for mankinde Vse ANd God said Let the Waters bring for aboundantly the moving creature which hath life And let the fowle flie above the earth in the open firmament of heaven 21. And God created great whales every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth aboundantly after their kinde and every winged fowle after his kinds and God saw that it was good 22. And Godblessed them saying Bee fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the Sea and let fowle multiplie in the Earth 23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day In these words wee have the History of the fifth dayes worke which was the creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist elements the water and the aire to wit fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters and all kinds of fowles which flie in the open region of the aire which is here called the open firmament of heaven First wee have Gods powerfull Word and commandement given for the bringing of them into being in the 20. Verse Secondly wee have Gods creation of them and bringing them into being by his mighty Word together with his approbation of them in the 21. Verse Thirdly Gods blessing of them with the blessing of fruitfulnesse and increase Verse 22. Lastly the time wherein all things were done to wit in the space and compasse of the fifth day Verse 23. First as in all other works God said Let them bee so here hee still proceeds to create every thing by his eternall Word So much this phrase signifieth as I have before shewed It also intimates thus much unto us that God did not suddenly and unadvisedly create any of these things but according to his eternall Counsell as hee in his infinite wisedome had purposed and determined in himselfe from all eternity For wee finde by experience among men that when any workman doth say before hand of the worke which hee goeth about Thus I will make it and Thus let it bee it is a cleare evidence that hee doth it with advice as hee hath framed it in his mind and determined it by his will and therefore Moses here used this forme of speech that God said first Let things bee and then hee created them to teach us that God had from all eternity framed them in his decree and determined them in his Counsell and Will to bee such as hee made them in the creation Whence wee may gather this Doctrine That God hath created all things in wisedome and never doth any worke rashly without counsell or consideration but orders and brings to passe every thing so as he hath purposed with perfect knowledge and understanding This is that which the Prophet David doth preach and proclaime with admiration Psalme 104. 24. saying O how manifold are thy works in wisedome and hast thou made them all And his wise Son Solomon Proverb 3. 19 20. saith the Lord by wisedome hath founded the earth by understanding hath hee established the heavens by his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop downe dew And Ier. 10. 12. and 51. 15. The Prophet affirmes that God hath made the earth by his power and hath established the World by his wisedome and stretched out the heavens by this discretion Yea the actions of revenge upon enemies which men doe for the most part rashly and run in to them head-long without discretion God doth in wisedome and understanding and according to his wise Counsell as holy Iob testifieth Iob 26. 12. saying He divideth the Sea with his power and by his understanding smiteth through the proud And in a Word that God hath made all things wisely and wiâ—h good understanding so that in every creature his wisedome and counsell appeares wee may plainely see by dayly experience and by that which Iob saith chap. 12. 7 8 9. to wit that if wee aske the beasts they will teach and the fowles of the aire they shall tell us or if wee speake to the earth it shall instruct us or to the fishes of the Sea they shall declare unto us who knoweth not in all these things that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this that is wee may see and read Gods wisedome in all his works for as it followes Verse 13. With him is wisedome and strength he hath counsell and understanding and these hee sheweth manifestly in all his works and doings First this Doctrine serves for direction to all men in all their works and doings how to doe all things according to the perfect paterne and true rule of all well-doing The rule of all mans actions ought to bee the will of God who created him and gave him his whole being and the perfect paterne whom the Sons of God ought to follow in all their works is God who formed them after his owne image so that the perfection of man consists in his conformity to God and the more or lesse hee resembles God in all his wayes the more or lesse perfect hee is and the nearer or further from perfection and true happinesse Now here this Doctrine teacheth that God hath created all things in wisedome and doth all his workes according to his determinate counsell and with perfect understanding and nothing rashly without consideration Wherefore as wee desire to order our wayes aright and wallie in the right and ready pathes which lead unto perfection and as wee have a minde to doe all our works so as that they may bee profitable and comfortable to our selves and others so let us imitate God in all our wayes and works and never doe any thing rashly without consulting with his word want of this marres all when men follow their owne lusts and head-strong will and affections and consult not with Gods Word then they follow their owne wayes and forsake the wayes of God then they doe their owne works not the works of God and those wayes and works of their owne will procure all evils and mischiefes unto them according to that of the Prophet Ier. 4 18. thy wayes and doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart Whereas on the contrary they that walke after Gods wayes and take his
Evangelist useth them doe signifie eternity but in that he saith The Word was that is had already a being with God in the beginning when hee began to give being to all other things this proves by necessary consequence that the Word was eternall and therefore the common exposition stands sure that here the word Bereshith signifies the beginning or first part of time The second word of this Text that is Bara created signifies the giving of first being to all things either simply out of nothing or out of matter undisposed for the forme introduced as I have noted before And by a Metaphor it signifies great and mighty workes which resemble the creation but here it signifies absolute creation or giving the first being to the highest heavens and to the rude masse or matter of the visible world out of meere nothing for they were created of no matter before existing as all doe hold and of their creation onely this Verse speakes That the third word Elohim being of the plurall number signifies three persons in one God the Creatour and that the creation was the worke of all the three persons in the Trinity I have before shewed Here let mee adde further a Cabalisticall proofe gathered from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the act of creation and consists of three Hebrew letters which are the first letters of the three Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie the Father the Son and the Spirit And therefore if the Caballisticall art be of any credit this act of creating is the work of all the three persons the Father the Son and the holy Spirit one and the same God The two last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaven and the earth do here signifie as I have noted before the highest heaven and the earth which was without forme and void that is the rude masse and common matter of the visible world Some learned men do by heaven and earth understand the whole world in the same sense as the words are Chapt. 2. 1. By heaven they conceive the highest heaven the visible starry heaven and the whole firmament of the aire to be meant by earth the lowest globe of the earth which hath the sea intermingled with it and by creating they understand the whole worke of creation in generall and not that first speciall act by which God made the highest heavens and the rude masse and matter of the visible world onely The main reason which they have to prove this is drawn from the Hebrew Articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is prefixed before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth The first of which Articles consists of the first and last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and so implies an universall comprehension of all things which were created both the first and the last The other to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of plaine demonstration and sheweth that this heaven and earth as they now stand are said to be created here in these words But this exposition is plainly overthrown by the Text it selfe and the reason answered without any difficulty First the act of creation spoken of and intended in this Verse is that which was performed in the beginning that is in the first moment of time so the Text affirmes but the whole world and all creatures in heaven and earth were not made in the first moment of time nor in the first day but in sixe daies therefore the whole world is not meant in these words nor all creatures in heaven and earth Secondly if the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be of generall comprehension then each of these words should signifie the whole world for it is added to each of them and so the other word should be superfluous in this place Thirdly we may safely grant that these words are of generall comprehension and yet we need not expound them of any other heaven then the highest heaven nor of any other earth then the first rude masse out of which the whole visible world was made which was without forme and void as it is testified in the next words Verse 2. For this heaven did comprehend in it the highest heaven and all the host and inhabitants of it the Angels actually And this earth or rude masse did potentially comprehend in it the whole visible world which afterwards in the sixe daies was actually formed out of it and therefore I take this to be the best exposition to understand by the heaven the highest heaven onely where the Angels and blessed Saints have their dwelling together with the host thereof And by the earth to understand as the next Verse sheweth the rude masse out of which God after formed the whole visible and mutable world consisting of the starry heavens and of the aire water and earth with all things in them As for them who here by heaven and earth understand the whole world actually formed and made and them who understand the common seed and rude matter of the heavens both highest and invisible and also the visible heavens and the inferiour world they exclude out of this history of the creation the distinct and speciall narration of the creation of the highest heavens and of the glorious host thereof the Angels and super-celestiall Spirits contrary to that which Moses himselfe plainly teacheth Chapt. 2. 1. where repeating summarily the whole creation in generall which he had before distinctly related and in all the parts thereof described in the first Chapter he saith Thus were the heavens and the earth finished and all the host of them that is the Angels among the rest for they are called the heavenly host Luke 2. 13. From the words thus expounded we may gather an excellent description of the first speciall act of creation which is called simple and absolute creation and of the two particular branches thereof to wit That it is that act of creation whereby God in the first beginning did create and give the first being out of nothing to the highest heavens and to the earth that is the first rude masse and matter of the visible world The parts of this act are two The first is that act of simple creation by which God created out of nothing and gave a most perfect glorious being to the highest heaven and to all things therein contained The second is that act of simple creation by which God gave the first imperfect being to that rude earth the masse which was the common matter out of which hee formed the whole inferiour visible and mutable world In this description of the first act of simple creation and of each branch thereof wee may observe foure things The first is the matter both generall and speciall laid downe in the word Bara created Secondly the author of it God the Father Sonne and
the highest heavens which is invisible and the visible or lower heaven which also consists of two parts the starry and the airie heavens And all these are divided into two equall parts to all men living on earth The one is that which wee see in our Hemisphere and within our Horizon from East to West and from North to South above the earth The other halfe is that which is hid from us by the earth and is seen by the Antipodes that is them who dwell on the other side of the earth directly opposite to us and both these parts of the heavens are equally remote and distant from the earth Moreover the heavens doe move about two Poles the North and South Pole and therefore in many respects the name of the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought into the forme of the duall number Fourthly this derivation of the name and the signification of it doth fitly agree to all things which are called by the name Heaven and is verified in them all even the highest heaven the starry heaven and the superiour regions of the aire for they are all remote and distant from the earth and are divided every one into two equall Hemispheres equally distant from the earth But in the highest heaven there is neither fire nor water nor any mutable Element and therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot agree to it at all And as for the superiour regions of the aire they are not so glorious nor so high as to astonish us and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot agree to them wherefore the last is the best derivation The next thing after the derivation of the word is the diversitie of significations which we are to note in the next place and withall to shew in what sense it is here used in the Text. First this word is used in a large sense for that whole space from the upper face of the earth and the sea to the utmost height of the highest heavens which comprehends in it the highest the starry and the airie heavens thus the word Heaven is to be understood Gen. 2. 1. and in all other places where the Spirit of God comprehends the whole world under these two words The heavens and the earth Secondly it is used to signifie more specially either the highest heaven as Deut. 26. 15. Looke downe from heaven the habitation of thy holinesse which Saint Paul calls the third heaven 2 Corin. 12. 2. Or the starry heaven as Gen. 22. I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and Psal. 19. 6. Or the airie regions wherein birds flie as Gen. 1. 26. where mention is made of the foules of heaven Thirdly the word Heavens by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect and of the subject is used in Scripture to signifie foure things First God the possessour of the heavens whose glorious Majestie doth dwell in the highest heaven as Dan. 4. 26. where the heavens are said to reigne that is the God of heaven And Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned against heaven and Matth. 21. 25. Was the baptisme of John from heaven or of men Secondly the Angels and blessed Spirits which dwell in the highest heaven as Job 15. 15. The heavens are not cleane in his sight and Psal. 89. 6. and 69. 35. where the heavens are said to praise God that is the Angels and Saints Thirdly the Church militant which is a congregation of people written in heaven begotten from above of heavenly seed and whose hope reward and triumph is in heaven as Dan. 8. 10. the armies of the faithfull are called the host of heaven And so in the Prophets and the Revelation Heaven signifies the true holy Church and the Earth signifies earthly men of the world Fourthly the clouds in the aire and in the face of heaven as Levit. 26. 19. I will make your heaven as iron that is the clouds insomuch that they shall yeeld no raine Now here in this Text is meant as I have before touched the highest heaven as it is distinct from the rude masse without forme which is here called Earth which was the common matter of the starry and airie heavens and of all the visible world as appeares in the next Verses And under this name here the Angels who were the host and inhabitants of the highest heavens are comprehended For as the word Jerusalem is often used in the Prophets to signifie the people and inhabitants together with the citie and place so here the word Heaven signifies not the bare place and body of the highest heaven but the place with all the host and inhabitants of it the Angels As for the visible starry heavens which are the light of the inferiour world and the airie heaven called the firmament they can in no case be here understood for they were made out of the rude masse without forme called Earth and opposed to heaven in my Text. From the word thus expounded I come to the instructions For whereas some doubt whether there be any heaven besides the visible starry heaven where those heavens are and whether they were created this Text doth cleare the doubt and sheweth that there is an heaven which farre exceeds the heavens which are seen in all glory and excellency For here Moses speakes of an heaven created in the beginning with or before the common masse out of which the Sunne Moone and Starres and all the visâ—ble heavens and world were made Yea in that this heaven was created out of nothing and had not a being given it out of the rude masse without forme out of which God made all the visible world as the Text here saith this doth imply that they have a more excellent being of another kind farre better then all that is seen and above and without the compasse of the visible heavens so that hence these Doctrines arise 1. That there are such heavens 2. That this heaven is not God but a place created by God 3. That it is above the visible heavens 4. That it is most large and ample and yet not infinite nor every where as God is 5. That it is a place most excellent and glorious free from corruption excelling and exceeding the naturall knowledge reach and apprehension of men First we here learne That besides the visible starry heavens which were made out of the first rude deformed earth there are heavens created out of nothing in the first beginning of the creation And this is confirmed by those Scriptures which speak expresly of the Heaven of heavens that is an heaven besides these visible heavens as Deut. 10. 14. 1 Kings 8. 27. Psal. 68. 33. and 115. 16. Also by those Scriptures which mention an heaven in which Gods glorious Majesty is said to dwell and the holy Angels which cannot be
let not us grudge but rejoyce to minister for the poorest of the Saints and the little ones of Christs flocke our brethren The fifth point of Doctrine is That the Angels were created in and with the highest heavens and by creation were made to inhabit those heavens as the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation This Doctrine is confirmed first by the expresse words of Moses himselfe in the first words of the next Chapter viz. Gen. 2. 1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them In which words he plainly affirmes That not onely the heavens and the earth but also all the host of them were thus created and perfectly finished that is in that order and maner as he hath before related in my Text the rest of this first Chapter Now in this Chapter we have not one word which can be understood of the creation of the host of the highest heaven that is the Angels but onely these words of my Text which affirme that in the beginning that is in the first moment when God began to give being to his first creatures he created the heavens that is the highest heavens distinct from the earth which was the common matter of all the visible world and with those heavens the host of them that is the Angels which are the host and inhabitants of them For it is an usuall thing in the Scriptures to signifie by the name of a place the proper inhabitants of the place together with the place it selfe as I have before shewed by divers examples Yea the word heavens is used to signifie the Angels as I have shewed from Job 15. 15. Therfore it is a thing most clear manifest that the Angels were created together with the highest heavens as the host naturall inhabitants of them and those heavens by the law of creation are the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation Secondly the Scriptures fully prove this point which call the Angels the Angels of heaven as Matthew 24. 36. and Galat. 1. 8. and the heavenly host as Luke 2. 13. and name the Angels among the hosts of the Lord which from the heavens and in the heights sing Halleluiah and praise to him as Psal. 148. 1 2. Thirdly this doctrine is confirmed by divers reasons grounded on the Word of God The first is builded upon the Doctrines before proved by plaine testimonies of holy Scripture to wit that the Angels were not from all eternity but were created by Elohim that is the true God who is one God and three persons as is plainly restified Psal. 104. 4. and 148. 5. and Colos. 1. 16. upon this infallible ground I thus argue That Angels being creatures created and made by God must of necessity be created either before the heavens or in and with the highest heavens or else together with the Elements and the creatures of the inferiour visible world which were all made out of that rude masse called earth which was without forme and void But they were not made before the heavens For the heavens were made in the beginning that is in the first moment when God began first to make and to give being to creatures before which beginning there could be no creation of Angels or any other things Neither indeed was there any place wherein Angels could subsist before the heavens were made Certainly no finite creature can subsist in it selfe without a place in meer nothing it is proper to God onely to subsist in and of himselfe Neither were they created together with the earth and other elements and creatures of the visible world For it is plainly testified Job 38. 7. that when God laid the foundations of the earth and stretched the lines upon it and laid the corner-stone thereof then the sons of God shouted for joy that is the Angels for they are called the sons of God Job 1. 7. and there were no other living creatures then made Therefore the Angels were undoubtedly created before the earth or else they could not have shouted and sung together when the earth was made David also testifieth that the Angels were made spirits first Psal. 104. 4. and after them God laid the foundation of the earth Verse 5. Therefore it followeth necessarily that the Angels were created in and with the highest heaven and are the host and proper inhabitants thereof Secondly that place from which the evill Angels were cast downe and did fall when they sinned and left their first estate and habitation is their naturall proper place in which God created them and they by creation are the proper inhabitants thereof Now that is the highest heaven for when some of the Angels to wit proud Lucifer the Divell and his Angels sinned and left their habitation as Saint Jude speakes Jude 6. then they were cast downe to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. even from heaven as the Prophet Isaiah testifieth Isa. 14. 12. saying How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Therefore undoubtedly the Angels in their creation were made in and with the highest heavens and had them given for their proper and naturall habitation The third reason is drawne from the order which God observed in the creation For as soone as God had fitted any part or place of the world for the creatures which were to dwell and to have their being in it he made those creatures and replenished the place with them So soon as the airie heavens were made and the waters separated from the earth and place made for the Sun Moone and Starres and for their beames to be stretched out from heaven to earth then the host of the visible heavens the Sunne Moon and Starres were created and placed in them And so soon as the sea was fitted for living and moving creatures God created them out of it and so likewise when the earth was made to stand out of the waters and furnished with herbs plants and trees for the use of living creatures God created birds and beasts and when it was furnished with all creatures fit for mans use then he created man and the woman also an help meet for him Therefore undoubtedly so soon as he created the highest heavens the proper and naturall place of the Angels then and together with those heavens he did create the Angels which are the heavenly host and suffered them not to remaine one houre empty without their furniture and inhabitants This Doctrine thus laid downe and proved besides some speciall use which we may make of it for affection and practice is a ground and foundation of many other Doctrines concerning Angels which flow as Conclusions and Corollaries from it and an occasion of questions to be discussed First let me make some briefe application of it and then proceed to the Doctrines and Questions First in that Angels were created in and with the highest heaven by Gods powerfull Word and by his simple and absolute act of creation
mixture of both But in viewing reviewing and sifting the words thoroughly I have observed something over above that which by reading I could observe in others to wit that this rude masse was not suffered to lye idle one moment from the first creation and bringing of it into being out of nothing but being a meere unformed masse or Chaos it had at the first a resemblance of earth because the grosse matter of the earth was so mingled and confounded in it that it chiefely appeared in the upper face of it and so it seemed grosse and earthy and is first called Earth Secondly by the operation of the spirit of God cherishing and moving it the grosse thicke matter settling downward toward the center it became immediatly in the upper face of it like a deep mire or quick-sand which more inclines to water then earth and hath no ground stay or bottome in it and therefore in the second place it is called the deep Thirdly God making the earthy matter to sinke and settle downward still more and more all the upper face of it became more thinne and fluid like unto impure water and thereupon in the third place it is called the waters though indeed there was neither perfect water nor earth but a confused matter without forme and void out of which all visible things were formed Thus much the names shew unto us concerning this masse which I propounded as the first thing The second thing is the consideration of the Properties by which it is described for it is said to be Tohu and Bohu and that darknesse was upon the upper face of it First it is said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tohu that is without forme even a thing imperfect which had neither the nature nor substance nor naturall shape or property of any perfect creature Secondly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bohu void it had in it no formed creature of any kinde to fill and replenish it for this word is used to signifie the emptinesse and utter desolation of a land wholly depopulated laid waste and of a Citie brought to ruine having nothing left but heapâ—s of ruined Walls Isa. 34. 11. and Ier. 4. 23. Thirdly it is said to bee all darknesse in the upper face of it darknesse was upon the face of the deep By darknesse we are not here to understand any darke body as aire or thick clouds of darknesse compassing it round and over-spreading of it as the dark aire and thick mist did the land of Egypt when God plagued it with darknesse but this is the meaning that in this rude matter there was no light neither did any appeare in the out-side or upper face of it Now these properties by which it is described do comprehend in them that which in naturall philosophy is called privation is held to be a principle or beginning of natural things For unto the making generating of any bodily creature or natural body there are three things required as first principles 1. A matter capable of some forme that is expressed in the names of earth deep and waters 2. Privation which is an absence or want of the forme which ought to be or might bee in that matter for to give it that naturall being of which it is capable and unto which it is inclined This privation of forme and this emptinesse of all naturall powers and properties which are required in creatures and this darkenesse which is the privation of light they are the second principle The third is the naturall and substantiall forme which is that which distinguisheth one creature from another and gives being to every creature that is makes it to bee that which it is in the kind of it This forme God by his word gave to the severall parts of this matter when hee said Let it be it was so But when a matter rude undigested and unformed is inclining to some forme and wants it there must be a disposing of the matter to receive the forme which it ought to have to make it a perfect creature in his kind and which it yet wants and requires and that working preparing and disposing of the matter that it may bee fit to receive the forme which must perfect it And this disposing of the common and rude matter of all the visible World is here expressed in these words of the text And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Some doe here by the spirit of God understand some Angelicall spirit which God used and imployed to fit and prepare this matter to his hand thus Cajetan a Romish Cardinall and Schooleman held Tertullian lib. 3. contra Hermog saith that this spirit of God was a winde by which God prepared and disposed it Theoderet saith it was the aire which moved on the upper part of it Quaest. 8. in Genes But I conceive all these to bee unsound opinions First they are confuted by the very words of the text and by all other Scriptures which ascribe the whole worke of the creation and the making of the World and all things therein wholly and onely to God the Father the Word and the Spirit three Persons in one undivided essence Secondly it is against all reason to thinke that God who created the chiefest and most excellent of all his workes the highest heavens and the Angels the heavenly spirits immediately of nothing in a moment and also the common matter of all the visible World in an instant would use or did imploy any creature to dispose the matter and to fit it to his hand Wherefore tho best exposition of these words is that which is held generally by the best learned to wit that this Spirit of God here mentioned is the eternall Spirit one and the same God with the Father and the Son by whom all things were made and Hee is said here to move upon the face of the waters The Hebrew word here used doth properly signifie the Eagles gentle fluttering with her wings over her young ones thereby to cherish them as appeares Deut. 32. 11. And here it signifies the worke of Gods Spirit extending his power upon this rude confused unformed and empty masse and gently shaking it and causing the grosser parts to settle downewards and the more subtle parts to gather into the upper place and so to prepare and dispose every part for the substantiall forme which God at length gave unto it Thus you have the text opened From whence we learne First That man and all other creatures which live and move and have any being in the whole visible World howsoever they are engendered and propagated one by another yet they have their whole substance and being from God and he is the sole creatour and maker of them That he made the first common matter out of which they were framed the text here sheweth plainely Also that the spirit of God did prepare and dispose that whole
matter and every part of it to receive that forme which God gave to the whole World and every creature therein And by his word he gave a speciall forme and being to every creature after his kind as afterwards appeares throughout the whole Chapter And hee gave the gift of generation and propagation to every kind of creature which is propagated and begotten and power to multiply and without his power assisting and working together no creature is formed at all so that this Doctrine is most necessarily gathered from hence And other Scriptures fully confirme it as Act. 17. 25 28. where it is said that in him we live move and have our being and hee gives life breath and being to all Hee hath not onely made the heavens and the earth and all the host of them and every thing which hath being even all the changable elements and vanishing meteors in the first Creation as fire water aite earth haile snow thunder lightening clouds vapours and the like as wee read Job 28. Psalm 33. 6. and Psalm 149. 5. and Isa. 66. 2. but he also frames every man in the womb of his mother as the Psalmist testifieth Psalm 139. 13 14 15. and all children and the fruite of the womb are a gift and blessing which cometh of the Lord Psalm 129. 3. And reason drawne from the proper name of God Jehovah proves this that hee gives all being to every thing and that as he is absolute of himselfe so the being of every creature depends wholy on him for so much that name signifieth as I have elsewhere proved First this serves to admonish us that as wee our selves are the creatures of God and he is our Lord to whom wee owe our whole substance being power strength life breath and motion and are bound to imploy all to his glory so all other things in the World which serve for our use or can come within our reach and power are Gods workmanship he is the Lord and owner of them and no man ought to use or imploy them but by his permission and in his service and to his glory Therefore let us devote our selves to God and serve him by all his creatures and for our life breath being and all things render due thankes to his heavenly Majesty confessing that the whole World is his and the fulnesse thereof Secondly this Doctrine sheweth that no man hath right or interest before God in any creature or in his owne life limbs and members of his body but by the free gift of God Yea since mans fall and forfeiture of his life and all things by sin no man hath right to any good thing in the World but in Christ who is heire of all things and hath by his merit and mediation procured the preservation and continuance of being to man and to all other things made for mans use Although wicked carnall unregenerate men have a common right and interest civilly before men in their lives goods lands and possessions yet before God while they abuse their power riches and all abilities to sin and to pride and oppression in the service of their owne lusts they are no better then theeves and usurpers And let all such looke to it for certainely God will call them to account judge and condemne them as for unjust possessing so much more for their profane abuse of his creatures and all worldly blessings Secondly in that God who by his infinite power can make perfect in a moment and that immediatly out of nothing the most excellent creatures of all even the highest heaven and the Angels did of his owne will and according to his counsell make a rude confused imperfect and unstable matter first without forme that out of it he might frame and indeed did frame this whole visible World and all creatures therein Hence wee may learne That as all this World is mutable and inconstant so the mutability and inconstancy of all visible and naturall things in this World is a thing which God purposed and foreshewed in the creation of them and all alterations and changes which are found in them are according to the counsell of his will and hee alone doth over-rule order and dispose them Many Scriptures prove this fully in all parts Wise Solomon sheweth at large that all worldly things are subject to continuall changes Eccles. 1. 4 5. 6. and David Psalm 102. 26. testifieth of the visible heavens which are the most durable parts of the inferiour World that they shall perish and shall waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture God shall change them and they shall be changed and Isa. 40. 7. all Flesh is said to bee as grasse which withereth and the glory thereof as the flower of the Field which fadeth and 2 Pet. 3. 10. 11. the Apostle affirmes that the heavens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heat and the Earth with all things therein shall bee burnt and that it is God who over-ruleth ordereth and disposeth all mutations and changes in the World David also sheweth Psalm 104. 29. 30. that when God hideth his face all living creatures are troubled when hee taketh away their breath they dye and are turned into their dust and Psalm 46. 6. Hee saith that when God uttereth his voice the Earth melteth and Vers. 8. Come and behold the workes of the Lord how hee disposeth desolutions in the Earth and Isa. 24. 1. the Prophet saith Behold the Lord will empty the Earth and lay it waste hee will ovâ—rturne the face of it and disperse them that dwell therein It is God who pulleth downe the mighty and exalteth the humble and meeke 1. Sam. 2. Hee restraines the waters and rivers are dried up Hee sendeth them out and they overturne the Earth Hee breaketh downe and it cannot bee built againe he leadeth counsellors away spoiled and maketh judges fooles hee removeth away the speech of the trustie and taketh away the understanding of the aged hee powreth out contempt upon princes and weakeneth the strength of the mighty Iob 12. 14. 15. 17. 20 21. This Doctrine serves to admonish us not to put trust or confidence in any worldly thing not in the earth nor any creatures in it not in the face of the heavens nor in the Sun Moone and Starres because all are so mutable and changable A faire Sun-shine morning may bee turned into a tempestuous day of haile and raine When the Sun is risen up most gloriously in the morning upon Sodome and the countries of the plaine before noone they may bee destroyed by a shower of fire and brimstone and fruitfull lands may quickly bee turned into desarts and barren wildernesse The Sun it selfe may stand in the midst of â—â—s course and may bee turned backe when hee is going downe Wherefore let us not trust in deceiptfull vanities but still remember that of the holy Psalmist O put not your trust in princes nor in any child of man for
day or the first day I answere that Gods day which is most truly and properly so called is the time of light and in it their is no night or darknesse For God speakes of a naturall day distinct from the night but Moses speakes of a civill day which comprehends in it the space of 24. houres in which the Sun runnes round about the World with the heavens which day includes in it a day and a night and here observe that Gods day is all light and mans day is mixt of light and darknesse Thirdly it may asked whether the night or the day went before in the first day of the creation The Answer is that the night or time of darknesse was first and it is likely that darknesse did over-spread the face of the deep the space of a night that is 12. houres before God formed the light and setled the visible heavens in their place and that after the light was created it did shine forth for the space of 12. houres more before God went about to make the firmament which was the second dayes work and so the first day of the World was of the same length with all other civill or Astronomicall dayes that is 24 houres divided equally between light and darknesse The words of the text shew that darknesse overspread all the masse of the inferiour World for a time before the light was formed Also in naming the six dayes of the creation the evening that is the time of darknesse is rehearsed first before the morning which is the 〈◊〉 of light Also Gods people began their dayes of the weeke and of the yeare with the night and reckoned the Sabbath and other solemne dayes from evening to evening as appeares Levit. 23. 32. Fourthly it may bee asked how the firie or visible heavens could by their light make a day before the Sun was created seeing the light of the same heavens together with the light of the Moone and the Starres added thereto cannot make a day but it is night where the Sun is absent and the light of it not seene not withstanding the light of the heavens and of the Moone and Starres I answere that the light of the heavens without Sun Moone and Starres is sufficient to make a bright day in the place where they are and there it is alwayes day though by reason of the spacious regions of the aire and the great distance betweene them and the earth their light doth not shine to us to make a day of light without the beames of the Sun but it is dark night in that part of the earth where their light onely appeares Now in the first day before the firmament was made that is the region of the aire purged and refined out of the masse by the sinking and settling of the earthy and waterish matter towards the center there was no need of light further then the body of the heavens reached that is to the upper face of the rude masse not yet formed but remaining rude and full of darknesse And therefore so farre as the visible World was brought into forme they did give most clear day light and as all had before bin overspread with darknesse for the space of a night so all was now overspread with light for a dayes space and so the first day of the creation was one halfe all night and another halfe all day in all the visible World even in all parts thereof which were then created and brought into perfect forme and being From this text thus opened wee may observe divers points of instruction First we learne that as there are three Persons in that one God which created the World by his own infinite power so every Person is a creatour and God the Father by his eternall Word the Son did extend and shew forth his power to the framing of every creature and by his Spirit did give all forme and perfection to them As the word Elohim used in the first verse notes more Persons so here and in the verse before wee see the Persons distinguished and all three working in the framing of the World and all the creatures therein First God the Father is brought in creating Secondly by his Word that is not by a sound of the voice or a word uttered for there was then no aire to receive such a sound but by his eternall Word bringing things into being according to his eternall Counsell and decree Thirdly by his Spirit moving upon the face of the waters and cherishing the rude and common matter of the whole visible World yet void and unformed and preparing it for the receiving of the severall formes of all creatures in the severall parts of it Which point excellently confirmes our faith in the true Doctrine of the blessed Trinitie and confutes Sabellius Servetus the Socinians and Arminians who denied the eternall Deity of the Son and the holy Ghost and overthrowes their severall heresies and damnable errours Secondly wee hence learne that all things are possible to God he can as easily and quickly by his eternall Word and power bring greatest things to passe even bring light out of darknesse and the glorious pure spacious visible heavens out of the rude impure and confused masse which was without forme and void as a man of nimble tongue and ready speech can speake a word Which Doctrine other Scriptures doe aboundantly confirme which ascribe to God omnipotency and proclaime him to bee wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working and that nothing is too hard or wonderfull for him to doe as Genes 18. 14. Isa 28. 29. Iob 36. 5. and 42. 2. Which serves to stirre us up to feare admire and reverence God to seek his favour and protection above all things and to rest confidently on him for defence against all enemies and dangers when wee are reconciled to him and have him for our God and our portion Thirdly we may here observe that God is wonderful in wisedome and providence in that the first thing created in this visible World was light even the bright and shining heavens which as above all visible creatures they shew the glory and super-celestial excellency of God in their naturall frame and substance so also give bodily light to the eyes of all bodily living creatures which were to bee made to see and discerne the glorious beauty and admirable frame of his visible works for hereby it came to passe that none of gods visible perfect works of wisedome were for an houre smoothered in darknesse but were all manifest and Gods glory was clearly seene in them so soone as there was a seeing creature able to discerne them This sheweth that God hath done his part to reveale himselfe and man who takes not notice of God in his works to worship him aright is without all excuse And this should stirre us up to labour to see God and to discerne him in his works and to place all
our perfection and happinesse in the sight and knowledge of him Fourthly we may hence observe divers singular prerogatives of the first day which is now by the resurrection of Christ the Lords holy day and the Sabbath of all true Christians That by many speciall prerogatives God did in the creation foreshew his eternall counsell and purpose to make this day his holy day in the dayes of Christ and in the time of the Gospell under the Kingdome of grace 1. This is the first fruits of all time 2. In it was created the glorious frame of the heavens and the first light of the visible World 3. In this day God first shewed by his eternall Word the Son his eternall counsell and purpose and by his Word and Spirit began to bring his purposes to passe and produce things into being 4. In this day darknesse and light were so separated and divided that while the night lasted there was no day in all the inferiour World and while it was day there was no night over all the face of the earth the deep but light in all the World which was then created and brought into forme and perfect being 5. In this day God first shewed his approbation and his pleasure that he approved for good the things which by his eternall Word the Son he did forme and bring into being Therefore without doubt most fit to bee the day of the Lord Christ and sanctified and kept holy to the honour and glory of him who is the first borne of God and the first fruits of them that sleep and the light of the World and in whom God sheweth his counsell and is in him well pleased and by him turnes night into day and brings light out of darknesse and brings us to eternall rest in the highest heavens which were created in the beginning of the first day CHAP. VII The second dayes worke Of the skie and things now created All made by the power of God in Christ. The use of the firmament How called heaven All was created wisely and orderly Vse ANd God said Let there bee a Firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters 7. And God made the Firmament and divided the waters which were under the Firmament from the waters which were above the Firmament and it was so 8. And God called the Firmament heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day In these words wee have abriefe historie of the second dayes worke in the creation of the World wherein wee are to consider these five things 1. The thing created 2. The creation and bringing of it into being 3. The use of it 4. The name which God gave unto it 5. How by this worke there came in an evening and a morning which where the second day First for the thing created it is in the originall text called by a generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie any thing which is spread abroad or stretched farre and wide according to the etymologie of it For the Hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which it is derived in all Scriptures wheresoever it is used doth signifie the act of spreading any thing abroad stretching it out and laying it wide-open to view as Exod. 39. 3. Numb 16 38. and Ier. 10. 9 it signifies beating out of gold silver or brasse into thinne broad plates that is spreading them broad by violent beating Exod. 40. 19 It is used to signifie the spreading abroad of the tent over the Tabernacle Psalme 139. 6. and Isa. 42. 5. and 44. 24. It is used to signifie the stretching out of the earth above the waters farre and wide Iob 37. 18. it signifies the spreading out of the skie and of the thinne cloudes and 2 Sam. 22. 43. it is used to signifie spreading abroad as a man spreads clay by stamping it with his feet and by a Metonymic of the effect it is used to signifie stamping with the feet as men stamp clay and spread it abroad Ezech. 6. 11. and 25. 6. These are the places of Scriptures in which onely that word is used So then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of it must needs signifie a thing which is stretched out like a tent or canopie or spread abroad as plates of gold and silver are by beating and clay by stamping The Greeke Septuagints transiate this Word every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing which though it bee farre stretched out yet it is so surely established that it abides still in the place which God hath appointed for it And the vulgar Latine with divers later translaters following the Greeke Septuagints translate it Firmamentum the firmament that is a thing firmely set and established in a place which cannot from thence bee driven out and leave the place empty And although this word may according to the notation of it signifie any thing stretched out or spread abroad or laid wide open and is once onely used to signifie broad plates of brasse beaten out for a covering and that in the plurall number Num. 16. 38. yet in all other places of Scripture it is used in the singular number for the skie which God hath from the beginning stretched out over the globe of the Earth and the Sea as here in this Chapter and Psalme 19. 1. and 150. 1. and Dan. 12. 3. and Ezech. 1. 22. and 10. 1. Now what this skie or firmament is that is a great question among the learned Divers of the Ancients as Basil Ambrose Beda and others doe by this firmament understand the starry heavens First because it is said in the 8. verse that God called this firmament heaven Secondly because it is said that when God made the Sun Moone Starres hee set them in the firmament of heaven vers 17. Thirdly because they doe imagine that there is a watery heaven above the starry heaven which consists of water congealed like to Cristall and doth temper the heat of the Sun Moone and Stars and out of this heaven they conceive that God poured the waters which drowned the old World because it is said Gen. 7. 11. that the windowes of heaven were opened and God rained on the earth But others doe hold that by the firmament here is meant the whole heavens that is both the first heavens the spacious regions of the aire and also the middle that is the firie and starry heavens and the third that is the highest heavens First because it is said that God called the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven and this word is used in the Scriptures to signifie all these three heavens And as the highest heaven is called by this name Psalme 11. 4. the Lords throne is in heaven and Psalme 148. where it is said Praise Him O heaven of heavens So the middle and starry heavens as Gen. 22. 17. where wee read of the Starres of heaven and also
the Spirit in the creation of every thing in the World and without him nothing is made and created The third thing is a maine use for which this firmament was made to serve namely to divide the waters from the waters that is the waters which are below in the Sea and Rivers and are mingled with the earth from the waters which are above in the clouds for wee finde by experience that there is no other thing which divides between those waters but onely the lowest heaven the airie firmament There is also another use hereafter mentioned Verse 20. that is to convey the light from the Sun Moone and Starry heavens to the earth The fourth thing is the name by which God called the firmament that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven Indeed according to the common etymologie and notation approved of all the learned this name most properly expresseth the nature of the aire the place of waters and waterish clouds and the starry and highest heavens are so called by reason that they appeare to us in our fight to be one and the same common body or else by a metaphore because there is a great similitude between them and the aire in respect of their purity and brightnesse or as I have formerly noted this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is the proper name of the highst heaven may have another derivation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth there doubled or made in the forme of the duall number and so it is as much as if one should say there there that is there is the place of all places there is the best being in the heaven of heavens and here wee may observe what manifold and wonderfull wisedome there is in the names which God hath given to creatures which hee himselfe named The fifth and last thing to bee considered in this text which is a point of greatest difficultie is How by the framing and continuance of this worke there came in an evening and a morning which are the second day The Sun was not yet created to shine and to give clear day light such as wee now have and therefore how could there bee a day or a morning And the light that is the bright frame of the firie heavens being extended over all the inferiour masse of the inferiour elements not yet formed how could there bee an evening or night and so a whole civill day as the text here speakes All that the learned have devised and written for the removing of these doubts is this Some hold that the light which God created subsisting without a subject did for the space of 12. houres shine and send forth beames and make the morning and againe for the space of 12. houres was contracted and withdrew it selfe and so made the night or evening This is the opinion of Basil and Damascene Others think that light created the first day being a bright cloud which moved about as the Sun doth did shine like fire one while and so made the day and was like a thick cloud of darknesse for another while and so made the night as the pillar of cloud which lead Israel so Beda holds Others thinke it was the light of the Sun created imperfect at the first and moving about with the heavens did make a difference between day and night equally But certainly the light which God created being good that is a perfect creature in his kind and so approved of God as the words of the text shew cannot with any reason bee held to bee any imperfect thing which afterwards was altered or any such mutable and corruptible light as was kindled and quenched for God seeing and approving it for good would not so quickly alter it Wherefore I take the evening or night time of the second day to bee the time wherein God by his word and power was separating the aire and purging it by causing the thick waterish and earthy part to descend and settle downewards towards the center For all that time the vast and spacious wide region of the aire being not purified remained dark and duskish because the light of the firie heaven did not shine thorough it and that was the evening or night of the second day but the aire being made pure perfect and settled in his naturall place received the light of the heavens into it for the space of 12. houres before God began to create the other elements which were the first works of the third day And this was a day of light cleare enough for the creatures then made though not so light as when the Sun was made and this evening and morning made the second day as the text saith And thus we see the true sense and meaning of the text and what is the second day and the work thereof from whence wee may observe some points of Doctrine First wee hence learne that God proceeds most wisely and orderly in the creation of the World declaring manifestly that hee doth nothing in vaine nor makes any thing before it is usefull and necessarily for the communicating of his goodnesse to his creatures but doth all for the benefit of others and addes nothing to himselfe neither hath need to receive glory from any creature If God had made the Sun and Starres before hee made the aire or the earth men might have imagined that hee had made the Sun and lights of heaven not for the use of men and other earthly creatures but either because hee had need of them in the heavens to adde glory to himselfe or else to remaine for a time without use and in vaine But in that hee made not the glorious lights at the first before the aire through which they might shine and give light to the earth Hereby hee sheweth that hee created all things wisely and orderly the most needfull things in the first place and nothing before there was use of it nothing which remained unprofitable for one houre and that in creating the World hee neither sought nor needed any addition of glory to himselfe but made the glorious Sun and lights for to shew and to impart his glory to men and his goodnesse to other creatures Let us all see Gods wisedome and goodnesse and labour to imitate him in them and as he doth all for our use not his owne profit so let us not seek any thing in the World for our owne vaine ends but make the setting forth of his glory the end of all our labours and strive to doe his will and pleasure not our owne nor the will and commandement of any man when wee perceive it to bee contrary and not according to the will and word of God Secondly in that the light of the second day which shined onely in the aire and through it to the earth and deep was not a cleare but obscure light in comparison of the first day and the dayes after the Sun Moone and Starres were made not much brighter then
earth And although the Moone being the lowest and nearest of all the heavenly lights unto the earth and therefore more dimme in it selfe and of a more impure bodie and substance as appeares by the cloudy specks in it shining very little of it selfe may in that respect bee called one of the least lights yet because it borrowes light from the Sun shining in the face of it as in a looking glasse and because it is 18. times lower then the Sun and nearer to us then the earth is lower then it as Mathematicians have observed and so it is nearer to the earth then the Sun almost 18. hundred thousand miles therefore in our eyes it appeares the greatest of all the lights next to the Sun And Moses here speaking according to the capacity of the vulgar and our outward senses and the sensible effects of light which the Moone gives to the earth cals it one of the two great lights And as hee gives to the Sun the office and prerogative of ruling the day because the sight and presence of the Sun makes the day light and smoothers and obscures all other lights in the day time so hee gives to the Moone the office of ruling the night because when it appeares in the night it giveth more light to us here on earth then all the other Starres Thus wee see that as God said so every thing which was made in the fourth day came to passe God himselfe made every thing by his eternall Word according to his owne eternall Counsell minde and will And therefore no marvell though hee gives approbation to this dayes worke also which is the third maine thing in the text expressed in these words And God saw that it was good And so the Sun having shined for the space of twelve houres till it had passed through one Hemisphaere or halfe of heaven that time or morning of light together with the evening or time of darknesse going before it and caused by clouds mists and vapours over-shadowing the Earth is called the fourth day Now this History of the fourth dayes worke as I have expounded it affords us some points of instruction First in that herbes grasse plants and trees were made perfect in their kinde before any Raine or Dew or Sun Moone and Starres were created Hence wee may learne that God used no instruments nor helpe of any creatures in the creation of any thing but made and formed every creature himselfe by his eternall Word and Spirit who are with him one and the same Iehovah infinite almighty and omnipotent For further proofe whereof there are many testimonies in the holy Scriptures as Isa. 40. 21. 22. and 66. 2. where the Lord appropriateth to himselfe and to his owne hand the creating and making of heaven and earth and Ioh. 1. 3. and Colos. 1. 16. where all things are said to bee created by the eternall Word the Son and also by the Spirit Psalme 33. 6. This Doctrine admonisheth us to give all the glory of the wisedome power and goodnesse shewed in the creation to God alone and to acknowledge that all things created even the whole World and all things therein are the Lords also to make us admire his rich bountie to render all thanks to his holy Majesty for all the profit benefit and comforts which wee receive from any of Gods creatures Secondly wee may hence learne and observe the wisedome and wise providence of God in making every thing in due season and nothing before there was need of it for the creatures which were next in order to bee made for hee did not create the lights of Sun Moone and Starres together with the starry heavens which is the place of them untill hee was about to create living things which could not well bee nor move according to their kinde without such lights shining in the earth and in the waters Which wise providence of God is a patterne and direction to us to doe all things in order in the first place things necessarie and usefull for the well-being and bringing to passe of things which are afterwards to bee done and nothing which may bee and remaine without use and profit As God would not make the Sun Moone and Starres together with the first light the firie heavens on the first day because then there was no use nor necessitie of them but deferred the creation of them untill the fourth day when there was use and necessity to make a cleare day-light and living creatures endued with life sense and sight were to bee made in the two next dayes following whose life without such cleare day light would have beene but like the shadow of death So let us bee carefull then to provide things necessary and usefull when wee see and perceive that wee shall have present use of them and not bee like foolish prodigall and fantasticall builders who build stately houses like palaces with large barnes stables and stals when neither they nor theirs are in any way or possibility to furnish them with corne horses or cattell or to make use of them for fit and necessary habitation Thirdly though the glory of God doth more appeare in light of day then in darknesse of night and it was and is in Gods power to make more great lights and divers Sunnes in severall places of the heaven to shine in all the World at once and to make a perpetuall day on earth yet hee made them so that on the earth in this lower and inferiour World there should bee as much night as day and darknesse as light whereby hee teacheth us even from the creation that this earthly World was not made to bee the place of mans immutable perfection and blessednesse but a place of changes and alterations wherein by reason of darknesse the Prince of darknesse may rule rage and tyrannise by himselfe and his wicked instruments and drive us to seeke a better rest and an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in heaven in the place of perpetuall light The whole booke of the wise Preacher is an ample testimony of this truth and a large commentary upon this Doctrine for it wholy tends to make men loath this inferiour World under the Sun wherein there is nothing but changes and vanity of vanities and all is vanitie Wherefore let us not seeke for immutability nor unchangable peace and prosperity here on earth lest wee bee found as foolish as those builders who build and set up goodly houses on a sandy foundation which may easily bee beaten downe and ruined with every wind wave and tempest They who settle their rest on earth and here seeke perfect felicity and immutable blessednesse they trust under the shadow and shelter of a gourd which may grow up in one night and in the next night wither away and perish and bring much griefe and sorrow to them which will vex them and drive them like Ionah to impatiency and anger against God their Creatour
counsell along with them in all their doings and doe nothing rashly but so as God by his Word puts into their heart they shall bee holy and wise in their degree as God is wise and holy and by holinesse shall come to see God and the reward and end of their doings shall bee glory honour immortality and eternall life Rom. 2. 7. Secondly seeing God hath made all things in wisedome and according to his eternall Counsell this serves to stirre us up so to behold and consider all things created by God as that wee may see and discerne his wisedome in their very frame and if wee doe not see and discerne the image of Gods wisedome and goodnesse in them all and a good use of them all let us blame our owne blindnesse and ignorance and not vilifie or dis-esteeme any worke or any creature of God But if wee finde any creature which seemes unprofitable or hurtfull altogether and serving for no good use let us know that it is mans sin which hath made the creatures subject to vanity and hatefull and hurtfull to men And yet in the meane time Gods wisedome appeares in ordering and disposing to a good use even by the enmity hurtfulnesse loathsome poison and filthinesse which is in them to chastise and correct his owne people and to put them in remembrance of their sinfulnesse and corruption that they may forsake and mortifie it by repentance or to punish the impenitent and execute just vengance on the wicked in the day and time of his visitation And upon these considerations let us all so often as wee see or remember the unprofitablenesse loathsomnesse and poison which is in some creatures bee stirred up to repent of our sinnes which have brought them under this corruption for a scourge of our dis-obedience and let us firmely beleeve that God in wisedome useth them to punish the wicked and to correct his people and hee will make us see in all his wisedome shining clearly at the last But now from the Word of God I proceed to that which hee set himselfe to doe by his eternall Word according to his will and purpose this is in these words Let the waters bring forth aboundantly every moving creature that hath life and let the fowle she above the Earth The things which here God sets himselfe to create are of two sorts First all creatures which live and have their being in the element of water all fishes and other creatures which live in the Sea Rivers Lakes and all other waters Secondly all fowles birds and flying things which flie above the Earth in the open region of the aire The first sort are all called by this generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature and in the Hebrew signifieth a creature which is most notable for these two properties First that it is a living creature which moves not by going upon feet onely or by flying with wings but by creeping or sliding and moving forwards as wee see fishes doe in the water and creeping things doe in and upon the earth Secondly that it breeds and brings forth young in great aboundance more then any other creatures doe as wee see the fishes which by the multitude of spawne would increase beyond all measure and number if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed For the Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature is derived is used as in my text so in other Scriptures frequently first to signifie creeping or moving forward without feet as Gen. 7. 21. and Levit. 11. 19. and secondly also to bring forth aboundantly as here and also of the creation which God wrought and by which hee made the whole frame of the World perfect and complete and every way fully furnished This last worke is described by Moses first generally briefely and summarily in the 26. Verse and from thence to the end of this first Chapter And secondly the creation of the Woman is more particularly related Chap. 2. from the 18. Verse to the end of that Chapter Verse 26. And God said Let us make man in our owne image and after our likenesse c. 27. So God created man in his owne image c. 28. And God blessed them and said Be fruitfull and multiplie and replenish the earth c. In this History of the creation of mankinde wee may observe these speciall things which are most notable and worthy to bee opened First Gods consultation about the creation of mankind in the 26. Verse And God said Let us make man in our image Secondly Gods creating of mankind according to his owne eternall Counsell which is laid downe summarily and more generally that God made them 1 in his owne image 2 male and female Verse 27. This creation of mankind is more plainely and particularly laid downe in the next Chapter where Moses relates First how God made the man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule Verse 7. Secondly how God made the female the Woman to bee an helpe meet for man and that of a Rib taken out of the mans side in a deep sleep Verse 21. 22. c. Thirdly that they were both naked and were not ashamed Verse 25. These things are to bee noted in the creation of mankind The third thing is the blessing wherewith God blessed them joyntly together the Man and the Woman and it comprehends in it two things First the blessing of fruitfulnesse that they should multiply and replenish the earth with mankind Secondly the honour dominion and prerogative which God gave to them to subdue the earth and to have dominion over all other living creatures this is expressed Chap. 1. 28. The fourth is the meat and bodily food which God assigned to man in the creation Verse 29. but with limitation restraint from the fruit of one tree Chap. 2. 16 17. As for other creatures which live on the earth hee assigned the greene herbe or grasse to them for food Verse 30. The fifth thing is the place of mans habitation the garden of Eden the earthly paradise which is described Chap. 2. 8 9 c. The last thing is Gods viewing of all things which hee had made after the creation of the Man and the Woman and his placing of them in paradise which was the accomplishment of the creation and the last worke and his approbation of every creature for very good and perfect in his kind this is expressed in the 31. Verse The first thing is Gods consultation concerning the creation of mankind wherein wee are to consider these particulars 1. Who it is that saith Let us make 2. With whom hee doth thus consult and conferre 3. What is the thing consulted about even the making of man in their owns image
to suffer and dye and bee made the price and ransome of our redemption and for the perfecting of this worke hee doth in and by and through his Son give and communicate his holy and eternall Spirit to dwell in their earthly tabernacles to unite them to Christ in one body to bring them to communion of all his benefits and to renue them after his glorious image of true holinesse Here therefore is ground of hope and matter of rejoycing to all the elect and faithfull and great incouragement against all feare and shame of wounds stripes and all deformities which cruell persecutors and mangling tyrants can inflict on their bodies For the future beauty and glory which is purchased for them by Christ and prepared for them at last shall cover wash away and utterly abolish all when hee shall appeare in glory Thirdly wee are hereby admonished that the distempers deformities and all defects and infirmities which appeare in our bodies whereof wee may bee ashamed are not of God the Creatour but proceed wholly from our sin and fall in Adam and from our owne surfeting and intemperance For God made mankind most perfect in Soule and Body even with full perfection of beauty in the first creation as this Doctrine teacheth And therefore so often as wee are ashamed of our deformities and our nakednesse let us with griefe remember our fall and bee much more ashamed of our sins and lay the blame on our selves and not on the Lord God our Creatour CHAP. XIV Of the estate and condition of our first parents In five things 1. The blessing of fruitfulnesse A speciall blessing Vses Marriage free for all men Colonies 2. Dominion over all living creatures Foure Requisites thereto Degrees of it Absolute and Dependent Vnlimited and Limited Restored in Christ. 3. Food for man Not the living creatures in innocency 4. Mans habitation Eden What. Of the rivers Twelve opinions about Paradise Of the two trees in Paradise Why the tree of life How of the knowledge of good and evill 5. Of Gods image ANd God blessed them and said unto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowles of the aire and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth Vers. 29. And God said Behold I have given you every herbe bearing seed which is upon all the face of the earth and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yeelding seed to you it shall be for meat Vers. 30. And to every beast and foule and creeping thing wherein there is life I have given greene herbe for meat and it was so After the History of the particular creation of the Woman with the immediate Antecedents and Consequents thereof The next thing in order is the historicall description of the state and condition of our first parents in the creation in their integrity and innocency before their fall and corruption while Gods image imprinted on them remained perfect both in their Soules and Bodies so that they had no least blemish or infirmity in their naked bodies whereof they might bee ashamed In this their first state of innocency there are divers things mentioned by Moses and historically laid downe in this History of the Creation which are to bee unfolded in order The first is the blessing of fruitfulnesse wherewith God blessed them so soone as hee had created them male and female This is laid downe in these words And God blessed them and said unto them Bee fruitfull and multiply and replenish the Earth Verse 28. The second is the power and dominion which God gave them over the earth and over all living creatures in the water aire and earth this is in the last words of the Verse and subdue it and have dominion over the fishes fowles and beasts The third thing is the bountifull gift of all herbes bearing seed and of all fruits growing upon Trees which God gave to mankind for bodily food Verse 29. And his free gift of green herbe or grasse for meat to the birds beasts and creeping things Verse 30. The fourth thing is the place of their habitation the garden which God planted in Eden this is described Chap. 2. 7. and so a-long to the 16. Verse The fifth thing which is the chiefest of all and which is first of all mentioned in the creation of Man and Woman is the image of God in which they were both created This requires a more large discourse for the understanding of it and for that cause I have deferred the handling of it to the last place next before the conclusion of the whole creation even his viewing and approbation of every thing which hee had made for very good laid downe Verse 31. The first is the blessing of fruitfulnesse for the multiplication and increase of mankind even to the filling and replenishing of the Earth and the subduing of it In describing this blessing Moses doth her first lay downe the blessing in a generall word saying God blessed them Secondly hee sheweth more particularly wherein this blessing doth consist to wit in bodily fruitfulnesse for the increase of mankind in these words Be fruitfull and multiply Thirdly the aboundance of the blessing and large extent of fruitfulnesse even to the replenishing of the Earth and subduing of it First whereas God is said to blesse them the meaning is that God gave them the gift of fruitfulnesse so soone as hee had made them in his owne image male and female For the Hebrew word which is here used signifieth first and primarily to bow the knee or to kneele downe as appeares Gen. 24. 11. 2. Chron. 6. 13. Psalme 95. 6. Dan. 6. 10. And because bowing of the knee is a kind of submitting and applying of the body in kindnesse to some person to doe him some kind and pleasing service hereupon this word is translated and used in the Scriptures to signifie First Gods applying of himselfe to men and as it were bowing downe from the high throne of his Majesty to shew himselfe kind unto them by giving them many both earthly and spirituall blessings in this life yea and himselfe with all his goodnesse to bee their portion and to make them fully blessed in glory Secondly it is used to signifie mans applying of himselfe to God by bending his knees and his speech to praise God and to laud and extoll his name and to render pleasing thanks to his Majesty and also one mans applying of his speech to another and with bowed knees to salute him as Gen. 24. 60. and 2 King 4. 29. Also the action of Parents publike Ministers and superiour Persons whom God hath set over others bowing downe towards them and applying themselves to them to wish all blessings unto them and to pronounce them blessed of God as Melchisedeck blessed Abraham Gen. 14. and Isaac blessed Iacob Gen. 27. and Iacob
Iudaeus lib. de mund opific. did conceive Paradise to bee no earthly or bodily place but to bee spiritually understood which opinion Epiphanius proves to bee against reason because trees growing out of the ground and rivers shew that it was a garden planted on the earth and earthly not spirituall Some have held that the whole World was Paradise and that this garden did extend it selfe over all the earth which then was wholly a place of pleasure and delight which is also very absurd for then Adam had beene cast out of the whole earth when God cast him out of the garden and the land of Cush and of Havilah and Assyria towards which the rivers did run after they were gone out of the garden had beene out of the World Besides wee read in the Scriptures that Eden in which the garden was planted was a speciall country in Mesopotamia neare Haran and Gozâ—n and the people thereof did trade with Tirus 2 King 19. 12. and Ezech. 27. 23. Ephrem held it to bee a remote place beyond the vast Ocean Sea and unknowne tous Damascene in his book 2 de fide chap. 14. held it to bee a place higher then all the earth Beda and Rupertus held it to bee a place next unto heaven reaching up to the Sphaere of the Moone Alexander Hales and Tostatus thought it to bee a place in the aire farre below the Moone Others who held it to bee a speciall place in the earth doe much vary and differ among themselves Luther conceived that it contained in it all Mesopotamia Syria and Egypt Others thought that it comprehended all Asia and Africa Others that it was that part of Syria which is called the region of Damaseus because there was the Kings forrest of goodly Cedars which is called Paradise Nehem. 2. 8. and there is a towne called by the name of Eden and Paradise which is mentioned as some thinke Amos 1. 5. The Opinion of Bonaventure is that the place of it is under the Aequinoctiall Bellarmine in his booke de gratia primi hominis chap. 10. confesseth that it must needs bee an earthly and bodily place planted with trees but farre remote from knowledge of men and that no man can define where it is that it was not destroyed in the generall deluge and flood of Noah but remaines to this day And that Enoch and Eliah were translated thither and there are kept to fight with Antichrist in the end of the World This Opinion is contrary to truth and contradicts it selfe First the Scriptures testifie that Eliah was not translated into an unknowne place on earth but went up to heaven in a firie chariot Secondly that the waters of Noah's flood did prevaile 15. cubits above the highest mountaines And therefore if Paradise was an earthly place as Bellarmine holds it must needs bee destroyed in the generall deluge Gen. 7. 20. Yea if Paradise had beene preserved safe from the flood it had beene needlesse and vaine labour for Noah to build such an huge arke God might have saved him and all the creatures with him in the garden of Paradise Thirdly Moses doth here plainely define where this garden was and whosoever with understanding reads this History may easily define where it was But where it is now none can define for it is destroyed and onely the place of it remaines still But not to trouble my discourse with particular confutations of these severall opinions the very text it selfe and that exposition which I have made of it by the helpe of other Scriptures doth as it were with one blast blow them all away like chaffe and with one stroke dash them all in pieces For this text tels us that this garden was planted in the earth and God made the trees in it to grow out of the ground that the speciall place of the earth in which God planted it was Eden that is a place in Mesopotamia and Babylonia knowne by that name and mentioned by Rabshekeh among the countries which the Assyrian Kings had conquered scituate betweene Iudea and Assyria and neare unto Assyriah 2 King 19. 12. and by Ezekiel cap. 27. 23. mentioned among the countries and cities which from Mesopotamia did trade with Tyrus The text also tels us that it was in Eden Eastward or on the East-side watered with a river which came out of Eden from the other part thereof which river having divided it selfe into foure streames that it might run through severall parts of the garden and water it did no more meet in one but from thence that is from the garden was parted and became foure speciall rivers taking their course and compasse towards severall lands to wit Pishon to the land of Havilah Gihon to the land of Cush Hiddekel to the land of Assyriah and Euphrates through Babylonia and Chaldaea all which are to Iewes and naturall Israelites who ever since the captivity of Israel to Assyriah and of Iuda to Babylon doe live a dispersed and scattered people in those countries knowne by those old names to these dayes as appeares in the Itinerarie of Benjamin Tudalensis the Iew and divers other histories Now these things being plainely laid downe in the text explained by other Scriptures the places and rivers being often mentioned in histories and knowne to the Iewes who dwell in those parts untill this day there is now no least colour or show of reason left for the divers opinions before rehearsed they all appeare to be vaine erroneous the manifest truth of this text overthrowes them all at once And now from hence wee may learne a profitable point of instruction viz. That nothing is more vaine and uncertaine then the opinion of witty and learned Men both ancient Fathers and later Writers and Schoolemen while they follow their owne reason their owne witty conceipts without warrant from the Word of God There is no sure or certaine ground which a man may safely rest upon for the right understanding of the Scriptures but onely the word of God it selfe either speaking plainely in the very text it selfe or by other places and testimonies which are more full and plaine compared with the obscurer texts By this meanes onely the Spirit of God doth enlighten our hearts and understanding to know infallibly the true sense and meaning of them Besides many other proofes which serve to confirme this which I omit as not necessary at this present wee have a firme argument from our Saviours owne words Iohn 16. ver 13 14. where hee saith that now under the Gospell the Spirit speakes not of himselfe by simple and immediate inspiration without any word as in the Prophets of old but whatsoever hee shall heare that shall hee speake and hee shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you that is hee shall inspire and enlighten men onely by my word which I have spoken with mine owne mouth and by the Prophets and holy Men of God who
to the manifestation of his glory and the eternall salvation of his elect in Christ. The glory of God is two wayes made manifest by his actuall providence First in a more generall way by a more generall providence Secondly by a more speciall way which is called his speciall providence First by the generall thâ— whole World is ruled by an universall motion and all things in the World every one according to the proper nature and naturall disposition and inclination of it For as the Apostle saith Hee giveth to all life and breath and all things and in him wee all live move and have our being Act. 17. 25 28. Hee by his mighty word sustaineth all things Hebr. 1. 3. His name is excellent in all the World in which he sheweth his glory Psalme 8. 1. The Heavens declare his glory and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge and that by the Suns going round about the World and discovering by his light all things from one end of Heaven and Earth to another Psalme 19. 1 2. This generall providence appeares First by his consecration of things Secondly by his destruction of so many as hee in his just will and judgement thinks fit Thirdly by his governing of all things according to his eternall counsell and just will First hee doth universally conserve and uphold all things in the World by the light motion and influence which hee hath given to the heavens in the creation which are continually turned about by his counsels that they may doe whatsoever hee commandeth them upon the face of the World in the Earth Iob 37. 12. Hee maketh his Sun to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and uniust Matth. 5. 45. Hee giveth food to all flesh Psalme 136. 27. Hâ—â— giveth meat to the beasts and feedeth the young ravens which crie Psalme 147. 9. He provideth for the fowles of the aire their food though they neither sow nor reape and cloatheth the grasse of the field Matth. 6. 26 30. This conservation is first by succession For when any creatures passe away hee maketh others of their race and kind to succeed by a continuall generation and propagation as it were by a continued creation The forming and fashioning of men in the wombe is ascribed to him Iob 10. 8. 9 10. and 31. 15. and Psalme 139. 13. So that as men and other living creatures dye their off spring and progeny succeed in their place and by this meanes he doth renue the face of the Earth Psalme 104. 30. and not onely one generation of living creatures passeth away and another commeth in the place so that the earth is alwayes replenished but day and night succeed continually by the going and returning of the Sun and the winde whorleth about continually going and returning according to his circuits The waters doe all run into the Sea and yet the Rivers are supplied by springs which come from the Sea by secret passages under the Earth as the wise-Man sheweth Eccles. 1. 4 5 6 7. Secondly hee preserveth all things universally by changing mutable things from an evill to a good and from a lesse good to a better condition Hee girdeth the weake with strength Job 12. 18. 1 Sam 2. 4. Hee maketh the barren wombe fruitfull Psalme 113. 9. Hee turneth the wildernesse into standing pooles of water and dry ground into water springs and maketh the barren desert a fruitfull field Psalme 107. 35. Isa. 41. 18. and 51. 3. Hee raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill 1 Sam. 2. 8. and Psalme 113. 7. And because the universality of creatures cannot bee preserved without Gods carefull keeping and preserving every particular therefore God hath an eye to every singular thing and his provident hand is reached forth to every one of them in so much that our haires are numbred and not one small sparrow can fall on the ground without him Matth. 10. 29 30. Hee cloathed the grasse of the field even every Lillie Matth. 6. 30. Hee reckons up our teares Psalme 56. 9. and is with every one in his going out and comming in in his downe sitting and uprising Psalme 139. 1. 2. Isa. 27. 28. Secondly his generall providence appeareth and is exercised in the destruction which hee himselfe according to his just will bringeth upon the whole Earth or upon whole Nations and Cities or upon some notable persons The destruction of the whole World in the dayes of Noah came by his hand and providence for hee said Behold I will bring a flood of waters and will destroy all flesh Gen. 6. 13. and hee foretold his purpose so to doe an hundred yeares before And the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha was by fire which hee rained upon them Gen. 19. Hee smotte Egypt with plagues and destroyed the first borne and also Pharaoh and his host Exod. 12. and 14. Psalme 135. 10. And the Canaâ—nites by Joshua and Israel Josh. 10. and 11. and Senacheribs host 2 King 19. And the murmuring Israelites together with Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 16. Vzzah 2. Sam. 6. 6. Herod Act. 12. and many others By this destroying and abolishing of men and other creatures and by his consuming and wasting of them by smitting the earth with barrennesse and sending pestilence and warre hee makes men know that hee is Jehovah the righteous Iudge and the Nations to see and feele that they are but mortall men as the Psalmist testifieth Psalme 9 21. and 46. 11. Thirdly this generall providence is seene in his government of all things according to his owne just will and good pleasure Hee doth after a generall manner rule inferiour things by the light and influence of the Heavens and of the Sun Moone and Starres By the Sun hee rules the day and by the Moone and Starres hee governes the night Psalme 136. 8. 9. And as his eyes are upon all things and upon all the wayes and workes of men so hee fashioneth their hearts Psalme 33. 15. Hee keepeth the waters of the Sea within their bounds beyond which they doe not passe Psalme 104. 9. Hee hath a set time and season for every thing and for every purpose under Heaven Eccles. 3. 1. And this government hee exerciseth by motion and direction of motions and by cohibition First by motion for hee moveth all things not onely the mindes wils of men by turning their hearts at his pleasure Ier. 12. 24. Act. 17. 28. Psalme 105. 25. and Prov. 21. 1. but also things without life by a naturall inclination which hee giveth to every thing in his kind as the Psalmist sheweth in the Sun Moone and Starres the windes and the waters Psalme 104. 19. 25. And as hee moveth every creature so hee directeth all their motions as appeares Psalme 37. 23. Prov. 20. 24. Ier. 10. 23. In so much that what men