Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Introduction – Chapter 1
THe Hebrews give the name unto this (as they do likewiſe unto the other four Books of Moſes that follow) from the firſt words, wherewith the book begins in their Language, and call it Bereſhith, which in our Tongue we render (In the beginning). As for the name Geneſis, it was given by the Greeks, and ſignifies Generation or Begetting, pointing at the Moſt eminent Subject which the Book handles, the Creation, or Generation of the World. From the Author that penned it, it is called Moſes his Book; as our Saviour in like manner calls Exodus his book, Mark 12.26. And becauſe Moſes is the Author of the four next Books that follow, for diſtinctions ſake, this is called his firſt Book.
This Title of the Book challengeth our beſt Attention.
1. From the Authour Moſes, graced, 1. with the honour, to be the firſt Pen-man of holy Scripture. 2. with the priviledge to be Gods familiar, with whom he was pleaſed to confer mouth to mouth, Numb. 12.4. 3. With the Title of the firſt Inſtrument, employed by God, for the founding of the Church and State of the Jewes: And for that cauſe, of ſo honourable a name and memory, amongſt that people, that God thought fit to conceal his Grave, for the preventing of Idolatry, in ſucceeding Ages, as moſt Interpreters conjecture out of Deut. 34.6.
2. From the ſubjects which the Book handles, being the moſt eminent, and remarkable in themſelves, and moſt nearly concerning men to know, and the moſt difficult to be found out, of all things that can come within the compaſſe of humane knovvledge, Namely, the Creation of the World, the Fall of Man, and his Reſtitution by Gods goodneſſe, vvith the Eſtate into vvhichwhich he is reſtored, the propagation of mankind, and peopling of the World, the Founding the Church, and the Infancy thereof, things unheard of, and unknovvn amongſt the Heathen, deſcribed, and recorded in no other Writings in the World, but onelyonly in this Sacred Hiſtory.
Of the Authority of Moſes his Writings.
IT cannot be denyed, that the Writings of Moſes have the ſame Authority with the reſt of the holy Scriptures, being delivered, as the reſt of them were, by the ſame Divine inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt. And yet withall, theſe Five Books of Moſes, may, in ſome reſpects, be conceived to gain ſome kind of praeeminence above the reſt of the Scriptures, ſeeing that they are not only the firſt in order, but in ſome ſort the Fountain, containing the ſumme of thoſe holy Writings that follow. For the hiſtories of the Old Teſtament are, for the moſt part, but as ſo many inſtances of the fulfilling of the ſeveral Sanctions of the Law, delivered by Moſes, as well in Judgment, as in Mercy: And the Writings of the Prophets are but applications of the Law, and the Sanctions thereof, to particular places, times, and perſons, interlaced with divers Promiſes, the Heads whereof we find in theſe five Books. And the Books of the New Teſtament contain, for the greateſt part, the relation of thoſe promiſes of Grace, firſt recorded and ſet out by Moſes, and after repeated, and enlarged by the Prophets (to which uſe our Saviour applyeth them both, Luke 24.27, 44.), together with a clear, and full unfolding of that ſtate of Grace, into, which we are reſtored by Chriſt, ſhadowed out, in a great part, by Types, in the Law of Moſes. Hence it is, that in many of the Writings of the Prophets, and much more in thoſe of the Evangeliſts, we have the Books of Moſes ſo often cited, and thereby the Authority of them the more fully eſtabliſhed, and confirmed.
Now as concerning the Means, by which Moſes might get the knowledge of the things which he relates in this Firſt book of his, whereof all were acted before his time, and ſome (as namely the Creation of the World) before all mens times, if we ſuppoſe he had no help of any Records, to inform him (which the Church might then have, though they be now loſt); or if we make no great account of the Tradition of the Fathers, whoſe memories were the Regiſters of the Church, before the Scriptures were written: Notwithſtanding, it ſufficeth; that the ſame Spirit that guided his hand in writing, withall informed him fully, and infallibly, of thoſe Truths which he was to leave upon record to poſterity. And yet we muſt take notice, that all that is contained in the four Books following (except the hiſtories of his own Life, and Death) were confirmed unto him, by his own knowledge and experience; his own eyes, and eares being witneſſes of all that he writes. A circumſtance from which ſome of the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles, juſtly challenge credit unto that which they deliver, Luke 1.3. 1 Joh. 1.1.
The Diviſion of this Book of Geneſis.
THis Book of Geneſis, contains (as it evidently appears, by caſting up the particulars of the times mentioned therein) an hiſtory of 2368 years. Namely, from the Creation of the World, to the Flood, 1656 years; from the Flood to the Birth of Abraham, 252 years; and from Abraham's birth, unto Joſeph's death, which cloſeth up the Book, 360 years. And it ſeems naturally to divide it ſelf into Two unequall parts, containing in them the Hiſtories,
1. Of the Creation of the World, Cap. 1.
2. Of the Adminiſtration, and Government of it, eſpecially of the Church of God therein, unto the end of the Book.
The Government of the Church, is deſcribed unto us, in a twofold eſtate of Mankind.
1. In the ſtate of Innocency, before mans fall, Cap. 2.
2. In the ſtate of Corruption, In, and After his fall: And that alſo,
1. Before the Flood, unto the end of Cap. 6.
2. In and After the Flood; and that likewiſe of the ſame Church,
1. Scattered over the whole World, to the end of Cap. 11.
2. Founded in Abraham's Family, and Poſterity, till Joſeph's death, to the end of the Book.
CHAP. I.
IN this firſt Chapter of Geneſis, is deſcribed unto us the Creation of the viſible World, with all the Creatures therein contained, in a plain, and compendious narration, ſetting before us only the Order, Means, Manner, Times, and Eſtates, in which all things were Created, and appointed by Gods Ordinance to continue, as they do unto this day, Pſal. 119.91. Wherein is laid down before us the work of Creation,
1. In General, expreſſing What was made, and how, Verſ. 1.
2. More particularly, recounting the ſeveral parts of the work, and therein,
1. The rudeneſſe out of which all things were made, Ver. 2.
2. The forming of the ſeveral Creatures out of that lump.
1. Serving for general Uſe, as the Light, the Earth, the Firmament, the Stars, &c. which ſerve for the benefit of all the creatures here below, to the end of verſ. 10.
2. Diverſified, in their particular forms, and natures, to the end of the Chapter.