The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 1

The History of the Old Testament Methodized · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I. The Firſt Age of the World, from the Creation to the Flood, containing a Space of 1656 Years.

SECT. I.

THE Eternal and moſt Glorious God, the Incomprehenſible and forever Bleſſed Jehovah, being from all Eternity infinitely happy in the Enjoyment of himſelf, when he was pleaſed to diſplay his Wiſdom, and communicate his Goodneſs, he did by his Infinite Power create the World out of Nothing, and gave a Being and Exiſtence to Things that had none before. So the Apoſtle aſſures us, Acts 17.24. God who made the world, and all things therein, is Lord of Heaven and Earth. And Heb. 11.3. Through Faith we underſtand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God, (that is, the Inferiour, Middle, and Superiour, as the Jews diſtinguiſh them) ſo that things which are ſeen were not made of things which do appear.

This glorious Work of Creation was begun (as many Learned Men conceive) at that time of the Year which we call Autumn aaMundum Autumni tempore conditum eſſe cenſent, Scaliger, Nicolaus de Lyra, Calviſius, Helvicus, Uſſerius, aliique.. And that which ſeems to give countenance to this Conjecture, is, becauſe at that time of the Year the ſeveral kinds of Fruits (in moſt places) are in their maturity and ripeneſs, as in all probability they were at their creation, being made in their perfection. So that all the Fruits of the Garden being now ripe, Adam had liberty to eat of any of them, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil only excepted.

The World therefore began to be created (as we may ſuppoſe) on the firſt day of the Month called by the Jews Tizri or Ethanim, which began about the middle of the Month called by us September, and was at firſt the beginning of the Year, and ſo it continu'd afterwards for Civil Matters bbDuplicis anni mentio apud Hebraeos; Politici, & Eccleſiaſtici. Politici Menſis primus Tizri; Eccleſiaſtici, Niſan. Druſius Obſervat. l. 10. See ch. 8. v. 10. Richardſon., (See Levit. 25.8, 9, 10.) But the beginning of the Year was afterwards changed by God's own appointment, as to Eccleſiaſtical Matters) upon occaſion of his bringing the Children of Iſrael out p. 2of Egypt in the Spring, in the Month Abib, or Niſan, (which began about the middle of the Month called by us March); and that Month in memorial thereof was made the firſt Month in the Year, Exod. 13.3. Remember this day in which ye came out of Egypt, in the Month. Abib. Exod. 12.2. This Month ſhall be the beginning of Months unto you, it ſhall be the firſt Month of the Year unto you. But thoug… Abib upon this occaſion was made the firſt Month of the Year, eſpecially as to Ec…leſiaſtical Matters, and the regulating of their Annual Feaſts; yet naturally the Year did begin from Tizri, which is the ſeventh Month from Abib, (1 Kings 8.7.) and according to it their Contracts and Bargains about Houſes and Lands, and ſuch Civil Matters, were to be ordered. And 'tis obſervable, that the Feaſt of the New Moon in this ſeventh Month was to be kept with more Solemnity than any other of the New Moons, (yea, even than that of Abib) becauſe it was their New-years-day: For then, beſides that they were to blow with Trumpets, and offer the ſpecial Sacrifices, (as on other New Moons) they were on this to offer extraordinary Sacriſices over and above, as we may ſee Numb. 29. from 1. to 7.

Upon the firſt day Firſt Day.therefore of the World God created the higheſt Heavens, and together with them, (as 'tis probable) the inviſible Hoſt of Angels, according to that of the Apoſtle, Col. 1.16. By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, viſible and inviſible, all things were created by him and for him. The Pſalmiſt alſo ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe, Pſal. 148.2. Praiſe ye him all his Angels, praiſe ye him all his Hoſts: let them praiſe the Name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were created. 'Tis true, Moſes mentions not the creation of Angels; and the reaſon thereof poſſibly may be, that he intended (as it ſeems) to relate only the Creation of things corporeal and viſible. God having therefore finiſh'd (as it were) the Roof of this glorious Building, he ſell in hand with this lowermoſt Globe, conſiſting of the Deep, and of the Earth, (all the Choire of Angels ſinging together, and magnifying his moſt glorious Name, for this his wonderful Work, as we read Job 38.7. Then the Morning-Stars ſang together, and all the Sons of God ſhouted for joy.) The Earth (that is, the whole confuſed Chaos of Earth and Water) was now without form, and void of all Herbs, Flowers, and Trees, and all living Creatures; and was indeed nothing but a great and deep miry Maſs, cover'd all over with Waters and thick Darkneſs: And the Spirit of GodccSpiritus Sanctus vitali infuſo Calore prolificam vim aquis largiebatur. Menoch. the Creator and Ʋpholder of all Creatures (Pſal. 104.3.) by his effectual quickning Power, moved upon, and gave virtue to that great Maſs and Heap, whereby it was fitted and prepared for the ſubſequent Productions.

On the middle of the firſt day God created Light, dd2 Cor. 4.6. God who commanded Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs.2 Cor 4:6and ſever'd it from the Darkneſs: ſo that whilſt there was Light on one ſide of the Deep, there was Darkneſs on the other: And he called the one Day, and the other Night. And ſo Darkneſs being before Light, the Darkneſs or Evening eeIn that phraſe of Moſes, (Gen. 1.5.) The Evening and the Morning were the firſt Day, there is a Synechdoche, by which the beginning of the Night and of the Day is put for the whole Night and Day.Gen 1:5is reckoned the beginning or firſt part of the Natural day of Twenty four Hours. Levit. 23.32. From Even unto Even ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath, &c. Gen. 1. from 1. to 6.

On the ſecond day Second Day.God created the Expanſum, (commonly called the Firmament) ſtretching out the Heavens as a Curtain, and ſpreading them out as a Tent to dwell in, Iſa. 40.22. By the Expanſe or Firmament (taken in a large ſenſe) we are to underſtand whatever is contain'd in that vaſt Space from the ſurface of the Earth to the uppermoſt Heavens. For there are three Heavens: Firſt, The Heaven of Heavens, the higheſt Heaven, called the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12.2. I knew a man caught up into the third Heaven. So Iſa. 66.1. Thus ſaith the Lord, Heaven is my Throne, &c. Secondly, The Sky or Aether, where the Stars are placed, which is called the ſecond Heaven, or Coelum Stellatum. Thirdly, The Air under it, which reacheth from thence to the ſurface of the Earth and Water, whereof there are three Regions. Firſt, The higheſt or uppermoſt, which is clear and aethereal. The ſecond called the Middle Region, where God hath placed the Clouds, [Job 26.8. He bindeth up the Waters in thick Clouds.] And the third or lower Region, that wherein the Fowls do fly. Now part of thoſe Waters of the Deep fore-mentioned, being lifted up by the Power of God, and ſpread above, and bound up in thick Clouds, whilſt others were diſpoſed of here below, to make up with the Earth p. 3one Globe, God was pleaſed to order that that Expanſe or lower Region of the Air, [called Gen. 1.20. The open Firmament of the Heaven,] ſhould divide and ſep…rate thoſe Clouds and Waters above, from thoſe beneath. And accordingly the Pſalmiſt cries out, Pſal. 148.4. Praiſe him ye Heavens of Heavens, and ye Waters that be above the Heavens. Thus God made a ſeparation of the Waters above, from the Waters beneath, which are encloſed in the Earth, and with it make one entire Globe. But here is not added, (God ſaw that it was good) which yet is doubled on the third day (poſſibly becauſe the ſeparation of the Waters, begun on this day, was not perfected till the third day) and is only once repeated on each of the other four days, with addition of very good in the end of all. Gen. 1. from 6. to 9.

On the third day Third Day.God commanded thoſe Waters that were beneath to run together into one place, and the dry Land to appear. This confluence of Waters he called a Sea, ſending out from thence the Rivers, which were to run thither again, as Solomon ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 1.7. All the Rivers run into the Sea, yet the Sea is not full: unto the place from whence they came, thither they return again. And he cauſed the Earth to bring forth all kinds of Herbs and Plants, with Seeds and Fruits in perfection, which before were not in the Earth, nor could have been, except he had given power to the Earth to produce them: For there had not been as yet any of thoſe ordinary means whereby the Earth is now made fruitful, viz. Rain, and the labour and help of Man (who was not yet made), neither had there ſo much as a Miſt ffJunius reddit ו (non et) ſed aut. Aut vapor aſcendens … terra, &c. Gen. 2.6.Gen 2:6gone up to water the Earth. Thus we ſee that God made them all by his own Almighty Power, and that before the Sun was created, that we might learn to aſcribe the Production of the Fruits of the Earth to God originally, and not to the Sun. And thus he made ready all kind of Food, and Proviſion for the living Creatures, which he intended to create on the ſixth day. But above all, he enriched the Garden of Eden ggA Country in Thelaſſar, the upper part of Chaldea, as may be ſeen 2 Kings 19.12. Iſaiah 37.12. (and is diſtinguiſh'd from another Eden by Damaſcus in Syria, Amos 1.5.) and is Eaſtward from the Wilderneſs where 'tis probable Moſes wrote his Hiſtory. Eden juxta Haran ſeu Charras.2 Kgs 19:12Isa 37:12Amos 1:5with variety of Plants. This Garden is by the Greek Interpreters call'd Paradiſe, and for the pleaſantneſs of it made a Figure of Heaven, [Luke 23.43. To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. 2 Cor. 12.4. He was caught up into Paradiſe.] In this Garden God planted the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: The one (as it ſhould ſeem) to be a Sacramental Sign annexed to the Covenant of Works (which he intended to make with Man) aſſuring to him the continuance of his Life and Happineſs, upon condition he performed perfect Obedience to the Will of his Creator; as the other Tree, namely, that of Knowledge of Good and Evil, ſhould ſignifie and aſſure unto him death and damnation in caſe of his diſobedience, [Gen. 2.8. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every Tree that is pleaſant to the ſight, and good for food. The Tree of Life alſo in the midſt of the Garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.] The Garden being in the lower part of the Country of Eden, a River ran down out of it to water it, and from thence was parted into four Capital Streams or Rivers. The name of the firſt was Phaſis hhSee D. More 's Triplex Cabala., or Phaſi-Tygris, which compaſſes the whole Land of the Chaldeans, where there is excellent Gold, and Bdellium, and the Onyx-ſtone. The name of the ſecond is Gihon, which encompaſſes the Arabian Ethiopia. The name of the third is Tygris, that is it which goeth toward the Eaſt of Aſſyria. And the fourth is Euphrates.

On the fourth day Fourth Day.the Sun, Moon, and Stars were created, to make a difference between Day and Night, and to garniſh the World. They were made alſo for Signs of Weather, for the cauſing variety and different temperature of Seaſons, for ſetting Periods to Days, Months, and Years, and alſo to exert their Influence, Vertue, and Efficacy on things below, Pſal. 104.19. He appointeth the Moon for Seaſons, the Sun knoweth his going down; that is, where and when he is to go down in all the Seaſons of the Year. The Sun is the greateſt of all the heavenly Lights, and the Moon is the leaſt (except Venus and Mercury) of all the Planets, and is made lightſom by the Suns ſhining upon it, and ſo by reflexion ſhines upon the Earth. Moſes therefore here ſpeaks of the Sun and Moon as they appear to the Eye of Man, to which the Moon ſeemeth the greateſt Light next to the Sun, becauſe 'tis neareſt to the Earth of all the Planets. Gen. 1. from 14. to 20.

p. 4Fifth Day.On the fifth day Fiſh and flying Fowl were created, and God bleſſed them, and commanded them to be fruitful, and multiply. The Fowl were created out of the Waters, and out of the Ground alſo, [Gen. 2.19. Out of the Ground the Lord God formed every Beaſt of the Field, and every Fowl of the Air.] For though the Waters did at firſt bring them forth, yet there was in thoſe Waters of which they were made a mixture of Earth, and in that regard it might be ſaid that they were alſo formed out of the Ground.

Sixth Day.On the ſixth day God commanded the Earth to bring forth all ſorts of Creeping things, and Four-footed Beaſts. And laſt of all he made Man, the Maſter-piece and Chief of all his Creatures here below. His Body he made of the Duſt of the Ground, working it to ſuch a Temper, that it was fit Matter whereof to make the Body of Man: And by his Almighty Power he created and infuſed into that yet liveleſs Body a living reaſonable Soul, which being inſtantly united to it, (in a wonderful manner,) his Body was quickned and enlivened, which ſoon appear'd by the Breath in his Noſtrils; ſo Adam became a living Soul, that is, (by a Synechdoche of the Part for the Whole) a living Man: and his name was called Adam, becauſe he was made of red Earth. Thus we ſee his Soul was not, as his Body, made of the Earth, but created by the Inſuffiation of God, and had its immediate Original from the Father of Spirits, Heb. 12.9. Numb. 16.22. Eccl. 12.7. And to this purpoſe Elihu ſpeaks, Job. 33.4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me life. I have made the Earth, and created Man upon it, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 45.12. Moreover this is farther to be remembred concerning the Creation of Man, That God created him after his own Image, which conſiſted principally in the divine knowledge **Col. 3.10. Epheſ. 4.24. Gen. 1.26.Col 3:10Eph 4:24Gen 1:26of his Mind, and in the natural ſanctity of his Will, and in the Dominion, he gave him over the Creatures here below. And in making of Mankind, he made not only the Males after his own Image, but the Females alſo. Adam, preſently after he was created, had all living Creatures (by the Power of God) brought before him, as to a Lord appointed over them, and he gave them Names either agreeable to their Natures, or ſuch whereby they might be fitly diſtinguiſh'd one from the other. But though God had placed Adam in ſo delightful a Paradiſe, yet he ſaw that his Happineſs would be imperfect, except he had a fit Companion: Therefore, to the high commendation of Matrimony, the Lord ſaid, It is not good for Man to be alone; I will make him an help meet for him: And accordingly caſting him into a deep ſleep, and taking one of his Ribs out of his Side whilſt he ſlept, he faſhion'd it into a Woman, and gave her to him for a Wife. Whereupon Adam ſaid, This is Bone of my Bone, and Fleſh of my Fleſh. Then God eſtabliſhing a Law of Marriage between Man and Woman, [Matth. 19.4, 5. He that made them at firſt, made them Male and Female; therefore ſhall a Man leave Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife, and they twain ſhall be one Fleſh.] He bleſſed them, and ſaid unto them, Increaſe and multiply, and repleniſh the Earth, and ſubdue it, Gen. 1.28. that is, Keep it in a State of ſubjection to you: For he had given them Dominion over all living Creatures here below, and for them he had provided a large proportion of Suſtenance and Food iiThat Food they were to live upon at firſt: But after the Fall Beaſts and Birds of Prey, and Fiſhes, devoured one another.to live upon, namely, the Fruits of the Earth; But to Man and Woman (as 'tis probable) he allowed liberty to eat Fleſh. For though, Gen. 1.29. only Herbs and Fruits are mentioned as given them for Food, and Living things are not mentioned as given for Meat, as after the Flood they were, [Gen. 9.3. Every moving thing that liveth ſhall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things;] yet we may alſo take notice, that neither Corn, nor Bread, nor other things are named, which no doubt were in uſe before the Flood: And Abel being a Keeper of Sheep, ſurely he did not keep them that their Bodies might only rot above or under ground. And Mans Body being in a decaying condition ſince the Fall, ſtood in more need of nouriſhing Meats, than while he abode in Innocency. Neither were the Herbs or Fruits of that vertue for his nouriſhment after the Curſe, as before. Neither is it likely that Man ſhould be barr'd ſo needful a nouriſhment as Fleſh or Fiſh, for ſo long a time as till after the Flood, becauſe they were not (poſſibly) ſo neceſſary for him in the time of Innocency, nor expreſſed p. 5by name for his Food at the time of his Creation. Beſides, ſeeing after the Fall the Creatures were killed that their Skins might be for Cloathing, and were offered in Sacrifice to God even by Righteous Abel himſelf, it is not to be imagin'd but that they did eat of the Fleſh of them, as in Sacrifices was uſual. And therefore for thoſe uſes the diſtinction of them into clean and unclean was made, even before the Flood, and ſeven of the clean reſerved for Sacrifice and Food, whereas two ſufficed of the unclean, for preſervation of the kind, as we ſee, Gen. 7.2. Moreover, had they not made uſe o… Cattle for Food in thoſe 1600 Years before the Flood, the Earth would have bin overburdened with their vaſt increaſe and numbers. And the words of our Saviour reflecting upon the Old World for their inordinate eating and drinking before the Flood came on them, [Mat. 24.38.] implies rather an abuſe in the exceſs, than an abſtinence from the uſe of Fleſh, and other delicacies. And ſo much by way of digreſſion concerning that particular. But to return, Sin being not yet entred into the World, God beheld all his Creatures that he had made, and approved them all as very good.

Gen. 1. from 24. to the end.

Gen. 2. from 18. to the end.

On the ſeventh day Seventh day.God having finiſhed the Works which he intended to Create (the Generations and Originals whereof have bin before deſcribed.) He then reſted from all Labour, and ceaſed from further creating any thing, and bleſſing that day and hallowing it, (that is, exalting it above other days, and ſetting it apart to an holy uſe) he appointed and conſecrated it for a Sabbath, becauſe therein he reſted, and (as it were) refreſhed himſelf, as we read Exod. 31.16. Wherefore the Children of Iſrael ſhall keep the Sabbath to obſerve it, thorow out their Generations; for a perpetual Covenant: It is a ſign between me and them for ever. For in ſix days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, and on the ſeventh day he reſted, and was refreſhed. This is ſpoken indeed of God in alluſion to the manner of men. (For the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not, neith…r is weary, Iſa. 40.28.) But yet this being alledged as the reaſon of the Sabbath [Exod. 20.11.] ſhews it to be inſtituted before the Fall. Now if God thought fit to injoin man to ſet apart one day in ſeven from the works of his Calling, even in the ſtate of Innocency (when he had no ſin in him) that on that day he might converſe with his Creator more immediately in holy Duties and Exerciſes, how much more needful is ſuch an Ordinance to us now in this Corrupt Eſtate, who have need of all helps to draw us nearer unto God? And accordingly we find a Seven-days-Sabbath kept and obſerv'd before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, as is plain from Exod. 16.

Gen. 2.1, 2, 3.

SECT. II.

AFter the firſt Week of the World was ended, God brought (as it ſeemeth) the New married Couple into the Garden of Eden, giving them command to dreſs and keep it. And having made them upright, holy and happy, and written his Law upon their hearts, he was pleaſed to confer this further favour and honour upon them to enter into the Covenant (k)(k)See more concerning this Covenant in my Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, pag. 64.65, 66.with them, promiſing thereby to continue them in this happineſs which they now injoyed, provided they would forbear to eat of that one Tree in the Garden, which he called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. Before this Covenant, God had not promiſed to continue Man in this happy Condition wherein he had made him, though he ſhould never have ſinned. And nothing hindred, before this Covenant was made, but God might have annihilated man, though he had not offended. But by this Covenant God was pleas'd freely and graciouſly to bind himſelf to Continue man in his preſent happineſs, provided he continued in his Obedience. And thus the Lord was pleaſed to arm mans mutable Will againſt falling, both by the great reward promiſed in caſe of his Obedience, and the great evil threatned, in caſe of his diſobedience, Gen. 2.16, 17. And the Lord God commanded the man ſaying, Of every tree of the Garden thou mayſt freely eat, but of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou ſhalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die. But the Devil (l)(l)See Joh. 8.44. 2 Pet. 2.4. Jude v. 6. 1 Joh. 3.8.John 8:442 Pet 2:41 John 3:8having himſelf apoſtatiz'd from God, and fallen from his own happineſs wherein he was created, he envied our firſt Parents theirs, and preſently contriving and deſigning to draw them into Tranſgreſſion againſt God, & ſo to p. 6ruine them, he thereupon makes choice of the Serpent for his Inſtrument, of which, 'tis probable there were divers ſorts created, and ſome of them of great bigneſs, and ſpecious and beautiful to the eye by a comely mixture of various colours, and ſuch as then (as it ſeems) did bear their bodis aloft, and went upright, and were of great ſubtilty and cunning, and poſſibly of much more at that time than ſince the Fall. This Inſtrument the Devil makes choice of, and (as it ſeems) opened his mouth and cauſed him to ſpeak articulately (as an Angel did the mouth of Balaam's Aſs, Numb. 22.28.) or elſe he ſpake in him to Eve. And at the firſt onſet he asked her whither God had forbidden them to eat of any tree in the Garden? Eve not knowing now (as 'tis probable) the fall of Angels, nor ſuſpecting any evil to be in the World, did without any apprehenſion entertain conference with the Serpent. And accordingly ſhe tells him, They might eat of the trees of the Garden, but one tree God had expreſly forbidden them; that tree they might not eat of nor touch (ſo ſhe heightens the prohibition, to put the greater obligation on her ſelf to forbear it) under the ſevere penalty of Death, which would certainly be inflicted on them, if they did tranſgreſs. The Devil tells her no ſuch thing would enſue, **And ſo he was a lyar, and the Father of it, Joh. 8.4.John 8:4but contrarily upon the eating of this Fruit, their eyes would be opened, and they ſhould ſuddenly attain to a high degree of Divine Knowledge and Wiſdom, in a manner equal to that of God himſelf. And therefore he inſinuates as if God out of envy to them had forbidden them the uſe of this tree. And wreſting to a wrong ſenſe the name of the Tree, He repreſents knowing good and evil as a ſtate of Perfection, but well knew that upon the eating thereof they ſhould ſoon have a woful experimental knowledge of good and evil, and that they ſhould know good by the loſs of it, and evil by the ſenſe and feeling of it. 'Tis poſſible the Serpent being ſubtile by Nature, and inſtigated by the Devil to do it, might as a very officious Inſtrument of his, pluck ſome of the fruit of this Tree, and eat of it in the preſence of Eve, thereby to ſhew her that the eating of it did not hurt or bring death upon Him, and why then ſhould She fear it would do ſo upon Her? And poſſibly he might pluck ſome of the Fruit and offer it to her, and tempt her to eat thereof. But howſoever it was, Eve (being Won upon by theſe fine inſinuations) began to doubt of the truth of Gods threatning, concerning eating of this tree, and poſſibly being tickled alſo with a ſecret deſire, and affectation of an higher eſtate and greater knowledge, which ſhe hoped to attain unto thereby, and ſeeing alſo the tree to bear a pleaſant Fruit to look upon, ſhe did venture to eat of it (without conſulting her husband firſt as ſhe ſhould have done) and then having eaten her ſelf, 'tis like ſhe was very importunate with her husband to eat alſo (as appears from Gen. 3.17.) which He (out of his great affection to Her) did at laſt comply with Her in. But preſently after they had thus eaten, their Eyes were opened (as the Devil (m)(m)The Devil having made this great and fatal Conqueſt of our firſt Parents by the Serpent, it ſeems he much applauded himſelf therein, and therefore would be worſhipped among the Heathens in that ſhape. Hence that direful Cuſtom that the Prieſts of Bacchus muſt at their Initiation Serpentibus Coronati, Evam, Evam, ingeminare. Whence Bacchus is by the Poëts called Evios. So alſo Aeſculapius was worſhipped under the ſhape of a Serpent at Epidaurus. Salutifero mitis Deus incubat angui, ſays the Poët. Much more might be brought out of Clemens Alexandrinus in Exhortatione ad Gentes, and out of Euſebius de praeparatione Evangelii upon this Argument, to ſhew the Devils Tyranny over the poor Pagans, in this very ſhape, the ſhape of a Serpent. But I do not wonder ſo much that the Heathens were ſo deluded by him. Since I read what Auſtin in his Book de Haereſibus reports of certain ancient Hereticks amongſt the Chriſtians called Ophitae, who (ſays he) adorant Serpentem (per quem Eva fuit decepta) tanquam is eſſet Chriſtus; Et panem Caenae Domini non prius Sanctificatum eſſe putant, quam Serpens ille evocatus lambat, & attingat eum ſive deguſtet. See more in Danaeus's Notes upon him.told Eve they ſhould be) but after another manner then he had ſuggeſted. For now their Conſciences were enlightned, and they ſaw the enormity of their ſin, and the woful miſery into which they had brought themſelves and their Poſterity. Now they ſaw they were naked both in Soul and Body, and that they were bereaved of the Image of God, deprived of the glory in which they were created, and ſubjected to inordinate Luſts. Now their bodily Nakedneſs was ſhameful to them, which was not ſo before,**Ch. 2.25. and they were fain to ty together Figg-Leaves, and ſo make themſelves Aprons to cover their nakedneſs. Our firſt Parents having thus wofully tranſgreſſed, the Lord now came and walked in the Garden towards the cool of the Evening, and whither appearing in a viſible ſhape (as our Saviour did often in the Old Teſtament, as a praelude of his Incarnation) or otherwiſe without it, yet he made his Voice to be heard by them. They being Conſcious of their ſin, and fearing the Majeſty of God, and being ſtrucken with horrour and amazement, knew not what to do, and therefore ran and hid themſelves among the trees of p. 7the Garden. God calls to Adam, Adam where art thou? He comes trembling, and ſays he heard his voice indeed, but he hid himſelf becauſe he was naked. Obſerve here, how he begins to ſhuffle at the very firſt. He imputes his hiding himſelf to his nakedneſs. He ſhould have ſaid, they had grievouſly ſinned, and ſo as guilty perſons were afraid to appear in the preſence of a righteous and powerful Judge. The Lord anſwers him, Thou wert naked before without fear or ſhame, [Gen. 2.25.] whence comes it that thou art now aſhamed? Haſt thou eaten of the Tree I forbad thee? Adam ſhifts it off from himſelf to the Woman, ſaying, The woman which thou gaveſt me perſwaded me to it, and I did eat. Then the Woman was call'd and examined; ſhe ſhifts it off from herſelf to the Serpent, ſaying, The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat. They having no more to ſay for themſelves. Then the Lord gave Sentence upon all three. Firſt, He ſentences the Serpent becauſe he had been ſo officious an Inſtrument of the Devils in the ſeduction of our firſt Parents, that He ſhould be curſed above all Cattle, and whereas before his natural gate was otherwiſe, and the green leaves were appointed to him for food as well as to the other Cattle, [Gen. 1.30.] now he ſhould go on his belly, and breaſt, and that with more pain and difficulty then other creeping things, and ſhould feed on the duſt of the earth. And beſide the natural antipathy that ſhould be between Mankind and Serpents, there ſhould a more remarkable enmity appear betwixt Chriſt (who ſhould in the fulneſs of time be born of a Woman, [Gal. 4.4.] and all true believers that ſhould be Members of him) and the Devil, and his Angels, together with all the wicked, who are His Seed and Off-ſpring, (Joh. 4.44. You are of your Father the Devil, &c. [And that the M…ſſias, the promiſed Seed of the Woman ſhould bruiſe the Devils Head, that is, d…ſtroy his Kingdom, and thorow the merit of his Death and efficacy of his Spirit diſpoſſeſs the Devil of all his power, and tread him under his Churches feet, [Heb. 2.14. 1 Joh. 3.8. Joh. 12.31.] And that the Devil ſhould bruiſe his heel, that is, aſſault Chriſt himſelf with temptations, and his Members with various troubles, which to Him and them ſhould be but as the bruſing of the heel. So that the Devil and his Seed ſhould perſecute Chriſt and his Church and Members, but never be able to extirpate or deſtroy them. 2dly, He Sentences the Woman, that ſhe ſhould have many troubles and ſorrows accompanying her Conception, viz. faintneſs, and ſick fits, and perils of abortion, and ſhould have many troubles and ſorrows, in breeding, bearing, bringing forth, and bringing up her Children. And further, that her deſire ſhould be ſubject to her husband, and upon his will and pleaſure it ſhould depend, and ſhe ſhould be obliged to bend to her husbands will, and he ſhould have Dominion over her, and power to command Her, which would be now, (by reaſon of the corruption of her nature) oftentimes troubleſome and irkſome to Her, whereas in the ſtate of Innocency, it would have been pleaſing and delightful.

3ly, He paſſes Sentence on the Man, becauſe he had hearkned to the voice of his Wife, the Earth ſhould be accurſed for his ſake; ſo that he ſhould not ſuſtain himſelf upon it, but with a great deal of toil and trouble; Thornes and Thiſtles it ſhould bring forth to him in abundance, and he muſt now eat of ſuch herbs and fruits as the Earth by tillage and husbandry would produce, but not any more of the herbs and fruits of Paradiſe. With labour and the ſweat of his brows, he muſt eat his bread, and get food and nouriſhment, till he die, and his body return to duſt out of which it was at firſt form'd. Thus we have ſeen how God was pleaſed to relax his own Law, and to reprieve our firſt Parents, and not to execute the Sentence of Death immediately upon them. For our infinitely-wiſe and gracious God foreſaw how he could bring good out of this great evil, and make this fall of our firſt Parents tend to the manifeſtation of his own juſtice and mercy; whereas had he inſtantly deſtroyed them, He had put an end to the World as to mankind, and muſt have made a new new ſtock and race of men if he would be glorified by them. God therefore in his infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs immediately made another Covenant with our firſt Parents, viz. a Covenant of Grace, giving them this glorious promiſe, That the ſeed of the Woman ſhould bruiſe the Serpents head, which imported that all repenting Sinners, who ſhould unfeignedly believe in this Seed of the Woman, ſhould not periſh, but have eternal life; And all that would deſperately go on in their ſins, not regarding this Saviour, ſhould be damned and periſh everlaſtingly. Theſe Sentences being paſſed, Adam called the name of his Wife Evah, becauſe ſhe was then ordained to be the Mother not only of all Men and Women that ſhould live a natural life, but of thoſe that ſhould live a ſpiritual life by faith (n)(n)So Sarah was afterward call'd the Mother of the faithful, 1 Pet. 3.6.1 Pet 3:6in her Seed, namely, the promiſed Meſſias.

p. 8Now the day on which our firſt Parents fell, ſeemeth to have been the 10th day after the Creation of the World; which day (probably in Remembrance of ſo remarkable a thing, which brought ſo much miſery on Mankind) was appointed afterwards by God himſelf for the moſt ſolemn yearly Faſt, and the day of Atonement, wherein all Strangers as well as Home-born people of the Jews, were commanded to afflict their Souls, under this ſevere threatning, that every man who did not afflict his ſoul that day, ſhould be deſtroyed from among the people, Levit. 16.29. & Ch. 23.29.

SECT. III.

SIn being now come into the World, God teacheth Adam and Eve the Rite of Sacrificing, and how to cloath themſelves with the Skins of the ſacrificed Beaſts; ſo that the firſt thing that dieth in the World is a Sacrifice or Chriſt in a Figure. (o)(o)Thus He was a Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the World, Rev. 13.8. not only in Gods decree, but in a Type.Rev 13:8Then the Lord upbraiding our firſt Parents for their vain Imagination and thinking by eating of the forbidden fruit, to become like unto God, in an ironical way. He ſays, Behold the Man is become like one of us, to know good and evil, meaning that by their ſin they were become moſt unlike Him. And upbraiding them alſo in like manner, for the certainty of Death they had brought upon themſelves, and leſt they ſhould flatter themſelves that they might now take of the tree of Life, and eat and live for ever (as they had flattered themſelves about the other tree.) He ejects them out of the Garden of Eden, and ſet Cherubims with a fiery flaming Sword to keep the way leading to the Tree of Life, to ſhew them they had now no right to it, nor might meddle with that Sacramental Seal of Life, having by their Diſobedience and Sin made themſelves juſtly liable to Death.

Gen. 3. from 21. to the end.

SECT. IV.

ADam being now expell'd Paradiſe, and appointed to till the ground, begat of his Wife Cain and Abel, though in what Year of the World is not expreſſed. Cain was the firſt of all Mortal Men that was born of a Woman, And next to him Abel. Cain was a tiller of the Ground, and Abel a keeper of Sheep. In Cain evidently appeared the poyſon the Devil had breathed into fallen Man. And in Abel the Grace which is given to Gods people in and thorow Jeſus Chriſt. In proceſs of time they both Sacrifice. Cain of the fruits of the Earth, Abel of the firſtlings of his Flock, and of the fat and beſt thereof. And by Faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice then Cain. By which he obtained witneſs that He was Righteous, Heb. 11.4. For God ſhewed by ſome outward viſible ſign, that he had reſpect to Abels Sacrifice, (either by firing (p)(p)See Levit. 9.24. Judg. 6.21. 1 King. 18.38.Lev 9:24Judg 6:211 Kgs 18:38it from Heaven, as ſome conceive, or ſome other way) but depiſed wicked Cains. This much incenſed Cain. Whereupon the Lord tells him that he had no reaſon to be thus angry, For if he did well he ſhould ſurely be accepted; but if he did ill, the puniſhment of his ſin would lie watching at his door to ſeize upon him. And further to allay his anger towards his Brother, He tells him that Abels deſire ſhould ſtill be ſubject to him as to the firſt born, and He ſhould be content that He ſhould be prefer'd before him. See Ch. 2.16.

But Cain notwithſtanding being implacably angry with his Brother, meeting him one day in the Field, He ſlew him. Having committed this Execrable Murder, God calls to him, and asks him, Where his Brother was? He anſwers, I know not. Am I my Brothers keeper? Then the Lord tells him that the Voice of his Brothers blood cryed unto Heaven for vengeance againſt him, and that He had drawn down upon himſelf by his hainous tranſgreſſion this puniſhment, that the Earth that receiv'd his Brothers blood ſhould plague him, by being unfruitful under all his pains of husbandry, and that he ſhould be a Fugitive and a Vagabond on the Earth. Cain being thus ſentenced was preſently ſeiz'd with a great terrour and fear, and vented the anguiſh of his Soul in ſuch expreſſions as theſe; My puniſhment is greater then I can bear. Behold, O Lord, thou haſt driven me out this day from the face of this Earth and Land where I now dwell with my Parents, and Kindred; and I ſhall be hid, as it were, and ſhut up and excluded p. 9from thy Grace and Favour, ſo that thou will not vouchſafe any gracious glance towards me, nor accept of any oblation from me; and I ſhall be in a continual fear that every one that meets me will ſlay me. And indeed Seth being born ſoon after the murder of Abel, and in the 130th Year of Adam, in that ſpace of time ſo many might be born as might juſtly occaſion Cain's guilty Conſcience, to ſuſpect that every one that met him would kill him. But God tells him, He might be ſecure as to that, for he would have him preſerv'd alive as a miſerable Spectacle, to terrifie others from that hainous Crime of Murder. And accordingly he would ſet a mark upon him (poſſibly ſome ſtrange trembling of his head, or ſome frightful ghaſty look) which would make him a horrible Spectacle of Divine Vengeance to terrifie others from ſo deteſtable a Crime. And whoſoever ſhould ſlay him thus marked, and do unto him as he had done to his Brother, more then a ſingle Vengeance ſhould be taken of him, Gen. 4.15.(q)(q)Seven-fold, that is manifold according to the uſual expreſſion of the Scripture. See Pſal. 12.6. & 79.12. Job 5.19. Prov. 26.25.Ps 12:6Ps 79:12Job 5:19Prov 26:25

The Lord having (and probably in a viſible Apparition) thus ſentenced Cain, as ſoon as he was got out of the place where God manifeſted his preſence, He fled as a baniſhed man from his Native Soil, and the Land where his Father dwelt, to a Land Eaſt of Eden, which afterwards (from his wandring there) was call'd the Land of Nod. Sometime after his Wife bare him a Son, whom he named Enoch, and in proceſs of time He and his Poſterity (r)(r)If Abraham's Poſterity in leſs then 400 years amounted to ſix hundred thouſand perſons, how many might Cain's Poſterity be ere he built this City?beginning to build a City in that Country, He called it by his Sons Name.

Unto this Enoch was born Irad, unto Irad Mehujael, unto Mehujael Methuſael, and unto M…thuſael Lamech.

This Lamech (being a Branch of that wicked root of Cain) bringeth into the World the Abomination of Polygamy, or having more Wives at once than one. For He took to himſelf Ada and Zillah. By the former he had Jabal, who firſt invented (at leaſt among Cain's Poſterity) the uſe of Tents, and taught the right ordering of the Flock; and Jubal who invented Muſical Inſtruments, ſuch as the Harp and Organ. By the latter, viz. Zillah, He had Tubal-Cain, (s)(s)Ex quo Gentibus Dei Vulcani nomen.who wrought in Braſs and Iron; and Naamah who (they ſay)(t)(t)Hartman. found out the way of ordering Wooll, and of Carding and Weaving.

This Lamech preſuming poſſibly upon the ſtrength of his Family, and priding himſelf in the Arts invented by his Sons (eſpecially by Tubal-Cain, who was an Artificer in Braſs and Iron, and poſſibly made Swords and ſuch Inſtruments of War.) He thought himſelf able to reſiſt, and oppoſe any that ſhould offend Him. Therefore in a boaſting vanting faſhion he ſpeaks thus to his wives (who ſeemed afraid of him, leſt his fierce and boiſterous humour ſhould expoſe him to danger,) Fear ye not (my Wives) concerning me. For if any man ſhould attempt to ſet upon me, I would ſlay that man by my wounding him, and though a young man, I would diſpatch him by my hurting him.**Vide Frid. in loc. pag. 36. And if Cain a Fratricid ſhall be avenged ſeven-fold, ſurely Lamech (that kills a man in his own defence) ſhall be avenged ſeventy times ſeven-fold.

Gen. 4. from 1. to 25.

SECT. V.

AFter the death of Abel, Adam begat Seth in his own likeneſs, and after his own Image, (u)(u)Yet God was ſtill the Father and Creator of the Spirits of all Fleſh, Heb. 12.9. Numb. 16.22.Heb 12:9Num 16:22that is, ſuch as he himſelf now was, namely ſinful, and not ſuch as he was created. Seth was born in the 130th Year of Adam. In the Race of Seth the account of Years is carried on from the Creation to the Flood. And among theſe (as it ſeems) principally the true worſhip of God was maintained, which by the Race of Cain was very miſerably corrupted. To Seth at the age of an 105 Years a Son was born, whom he called Enoch, that is, ſorrowful, intimating thereby the woful and lamentable condition the World was in at that time by reaſon of the corruption and wickedneſs that was found in the Progeny of Cain. However Seth and his Off-ſpring did then more openly and ſolemnly ſet up and eſtabliſh the Worſhip of God than formerly it had been. Whence it came to paſs that they that perſiſted in that way of Worſhip were known by the Name of the Children of God, **Deut. 14.1.Deut 14:1and they who forſook God, and his ſincere Worſhip were called the Children of Men, Gen. 6.2.

Gen. 4.25, 26.

p. 10SECT. VI.

ENoch being ninty years old begat Cainan: Cainan when he was 70 begat Mahalaleel, Mahalaleel at 65 years old had Jared born to Him. Jared at 162 years old had Enoch born to him. Enoch at 65 years old had Methuſalah born to him.

Methuſalah at 187 had Lamech born to him.

Now Adam the Father of Mankind died, when he had lived nine hundred and thirty years. Seth the Son of Adam died when he had lived 912 years.

Noah, the tenth from Adam, was born when his Father Lamech had lived 182. And his Father propheſied of him, that he would be a man of eminent Piety, and ſuch a Son as would much comfort his Parents, notwithſtanding all the miſeries, labours, troubles and ſorrows which Sin had brought upon Mankind, and notwithſtanding the many Evils they met with in that wicked and uncomfortable time.

Enos, the third from Adam, died when he had lived 905 years.

Mahalaleel, the fifth from Adam, died when he had lived 895 years.

Jared, the ſixth from Adam, died when he had lived 962 years.

As for Enoch, the ſeventh from Adam, He was a very holy perſon, one that walked with God, and followed not the wickedneſs of that Age, but with great courage ſet himſelf againſt it, and being a Prophet (as we read Jude v. 14, 15.) He plainly told them of, and ſet before them the day of Judgment. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him. I ſay this holy Perſon, God was pleaſed to tranſlate immediately into Heaven (x)(x)Per Enochi migrationem beatam patet nimium eos falli qui in hujus mundi caeno ſpem univerſam defigunt, ut aeternitatis cognitione ex animis omnino deleta. And beſides this inſtance before the Law we have a like example of the tranſlation of Elias after the giving of the Law, &c. 2 Kings 2.11.2 Kgs 2:11(not ſuffering him to die as other men ordinarily do) when he had lived as many years as there are days in our Year, viz. 365. Thus it pleaſed God to ſhew to that Age that there was a future Coeleſtial State of Bliſs and Happineſs that good men both in Soul and Body ſhall enjoy hereafter.

Gen. 5. whole Chapter.

SECT. VII.

IN the 480th Year of the life of Noah, the Lord ſeeing that the generality of the World had corrupted their ways, and that the Profeſſors of his true Worſhip (namely, the Poſterity of Seth) without any regard to their Profeſſion, had ſcandalouſly and promiſcuouſly(y)(y)Gods Law afterwards forbad ſuch Marriages with ſuch as were out of the Church, Deut. 7.3, 4. Exod. 34.16. 2 Cor. 6.14.Deut 7:3Deut 7:4Exod 34:162 Cor 6:14 married with the Daughters of the profane Race of Cain (who were meer natural unregenerate men) and that they had taken to them Wives according to the liking of their Eyes, without any regard to Piety or Virtue. God being highly provoked with this Generation for this and their other great Enormities, He declares that having now a long time ſtrove with them both by outward Preaching and Admonitions of the pious Patriarchs, as alſo by the inward Convictions, and bleſſed motions of his own Holy Spirit, He ſhould not now continue to ſtrive with them, for he perceived they were fleſhly (walking after their own luſts (Jud. v. 16.) and not like to reform and amend. However of his Mercy he would try them once more, and would allow them the ſpace of an 120 Years to repent in.**1 Pet. 3.19, 20.1 Pet 3:191 Pet 3:20 If no amendment appeared in that time, He determined by an Ʋniverſal Deluge to deſtroy from the Earth Men and Beaſts, and creeping things, and the Fowls of the Air. 'Tis alſo recorded, that there were in thoſe days Men of huge ſtature and ſtrength far beyond others (ſuch as Og, and the Anakims afterwards in Moſes's time, Numb. 13.33. and Goliah, and Isbi-benoth in Davids, 2 Sam. 21.16.) who being admired for their bodily ſtrength, preſumed to oppreſs others. For the Curſe of God following thoſe unequal Matches of the Children of Seth with the Children of Cain, many of their ſeed became ſuch Gyants, namely fierce and cruel men, and played the Tyrants over thoſe among whom they lived. God therefore ſeeing the wickedneſs of Man to be ſo exceeding great on the Earth, and that his mind was a Mint of evil Imaginations, and his Heart a Sink of evil Affections (whereby they evidenced the great depravation of mans Nature by p. 11the Fall) it repented the Lord that he had made Man; that is (ſpeaking of himſelf after the manner of men) He declares He intended now to do what men that repent, and are grieved for what they have done, are wont to do; namely, to deſtroy the works of his own hands from off the Earth, Therefore he ſpeaks thus of himſelf to the men of that Generation, both that he might ſtoop to their Capacity, as alſo ſhew unto them the height and hainouſneſs of their ſins which had provoked Him to deſtroy ſo great a part of thoſe Creatures, which he had made for his own Glory, and particularly Man, from whom he expected more eminent Honour and Service. But though God was ſo highly offended with the generality for their wickedneſs, yet Noah being a juſt man, and upright in his Generation, and one that walked with God, found Grace in his ſight, and being a Preacher of Righteouſneſs **2 Pet. 2.5.2 Pet 2:5to that wicked Age, the Lord was graciouſly pleaſed to make choice of him and his Family to be a remnant and a ſeed out of which Mankind and his Church ſhould be increas'd and propagated.

Gen. 6. from 1. to 14.

SECT. VIII.

NOah firſt began to ſet his mind to the propagation of an Off-ſpring, when he was 500 years old, Gen. 5.32. To whom was born firſt of all Japheth, Gen. 10.21. His ſecond Son was Sem, being two years after the Flood, an 100 years old, Gen. 11.10. His third Son was Ham. God ſeeing that all Fleſh, that is, all mankind had corrupted their ways, and that the Earth was filled with violence, through the wickedneſs of the Children of men, he tells Noah, that the end of all Fleſh was come before him, that is, that the time of their deſtruction was at hand, and he would deſtroy them from off the Earth.

And accordingly he now commands Noah to build an Ark of Gophir-wood, and to make it 300 Cubits(z)(z)Underſtand Sacred Cubits, which were double to the common, as appears by comparing the 1 Kings 9.15. with 2 Chron. 3.15. ſome underſtand hereby the geometrical Cubit ſix times as long as the common Cubit. And thus we may eaſily conceive the capacity of the Ark to be fully ſufficient to hold whatſoever was to be contained in it. And no doubt God inſtructed Noah as to the quality and quantity of Proviſions, that he was to provide, for all that were to be in the Ark.1 Kgs 9:152 Chr 3:15 long, 50 broad, and 30 in height, appointing him to make it three ſtories high, with ſeveral Rooms in it, pitching it within and without. So that the length was to be ten times more then the height, and ſix times more than the breadth, reſembling ſomething (as to the faſhion of it) a mans Coffin. Into this Ark Noah was commanded by God to take his Wife, and his three Sons, and their wives, with ſome of all living Creatures, which ſhould by his inſtinct, and moving, come unto him of their own accord, without his Care. The clean Beaſts, **Here is a diſtinction of clean, and unclean Beaſts, and Fowls in Noah's time, and was inſtituted in all likelihood ſoon after the Fall of Man, long before Moſes's time. The uſe of the ſeventh of the clean Beaſts and Fowls was for Sacrifice, Ch. 8.20. Of the other ſix either four muſt be for meat, and the other two for preſervation of ſeed. Or four of thoſe ſeven might be for encreaſe of thoſe Beaſts and Fowls, which were of moſt uſe and comfort to Mankind, and the other two for preſent food, and the ſeventh for Sacrifice.and Fowls ſhould come by ſeven, and the unclean by two: And with Noah God makes a Covenant to preſerve Him in caſe he truſted in Him, typifying thereby the ſpiritual preſervation and ſalvation of true Believers by Chriſt from the Deluge of Gods wrath, 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. Heb. 11.7.

But the old World in the mean time (void of all fear and ſenſe of danger) followed their old Courſe, and went on eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in Marriage, Math. 24.38.

Gen. 6. from 14. to the end.

Gen. 7.1, 2, 3.

SECT. IX.

MEthuſelah, the eight from Adam, died in the 969th Year of his Age, and ſo out-went all men in length of life, Gen. 5.27. Lamech, the ninth from Adam died when he had lived 777 years, Gen. 5.31. On the 10th day of the ſecond month, in the Year of the World, 1656. and in the ſix hundredth year of the life of Noah, God commanded him, that he ſhould provide himſelf to enter into the Ark, and take the living Creatures into it that ſhould be preſerved in it.

p. 12Upon the 17th day of the ſame month Noah, (a)(a)Ferunt eum duabus columnis uni lateritiae, alteri lapideae coeleſtium rerum ſcientiam inſcripſiſſe, è quibus lapideam ſuo tempore ſuperfuiſſe narrat Joſephus in Syria.and his Wife, and Children, and the living Creatures of all ſorts being entred into the Ark, the Lord ſhut him in, that is, either by the miniſtry of Angels, or his own immediate power cauſed the door on the out-ſide to be made ſure and ſafe againſt the rain, and violence of the waters, and ſo what could not be done by outward means, he himſelf was pleaſed to ſupply. And thus all vain Cavils, and Imaginations, which the Curioſity of men may ſuggeſt about this whole matter, may eaſily be anſwered by a ſerious conſideration, and belief of the infinite power and wiſdom of God. Noah being thus ſhut up in the Ark, the Flood began with the burſting of the Fountains of the great Abyſs from benath, and a continual ſhowring of rain from above 40 days, and 40 nights together. The waters encreaſed and prevailed on the Earth 150 days, and roſe to ſuch a height that they covered the Mountains, and all things that had life on the Earth periſhed.

Gen. 7. whole Chap.

SECT. X.

UPon the 17th day of the ſeventh month the Waters abated, and the Ark reſted on one of the Mountains of Ararat in Armenia the greater, not far from the Caſpian-Sea; and on the firſt day of the tenth month, the tops of the Mountains were ſeen. And 40 days after, namely, upon the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Noah opening the Window of the Ark, ſent forth a Raven, who flew hither and thither, fluttering about the Ark, and reſting on the top of it, the waters being not yet dried up. For the Raven being accuſtomed to live at large, was weary of the ſtraightneſs of his Cage, and finding (as 'tis like) dead bodies on the Mountains, he was ravenous after ſuch prey, and would be no more confined to the Ark. Seven days after Noah ſends out a Dove, to try if the waters were abated, but the Dove finding no reſt for the ſole of her foot (the Mountain-tops, though bare, being yet very muddy) returned to him again. After ſeven days more, he ſent her forth again, and in the evening ſhe brought in her mouth an Olive-leaf, which was a ſign the waters were low, and thereby God comforted Noah, aſſuring him that his deliverance out of the Ark was near at hand; And herein alſo the eſpecial providence of God is to be obſerved in preſerving the Olive, together with the ſeminal virtue of other Trees, Plants and Herbs (though ſoak'd ſo long under waters) for the repleniſhing the World with theſe kinds of Vegetables again, there not being any ſeed of them preſerved in the Ark that we read of.

Noah then ſtaying yet ſeven days more, he ſent forth the ſame Dove (b)(b)Of the ſending forth of the Dove, and her returning to Noah (called by the Heathens Deucalion) there is expreſs mention in humane Writers, particularly in Plutarch's Dialog. de Solertia animalium.again a third time, which returned not to him any more, having found food (as it ſeems) now for her ſelf upon the Earth, and taking content in the free Air, and liberty. This Dove no doubt ſoon after by the providence of God found her own Mate.

Gen. 8. from 1. to the 13.