Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 1 · Verse 16 – Verses 17,18,19
VERSE 16.
TWo great Lights] Both great, not onelyonly in outward appearance; but really, and indeed in themſelves, although the Moon be far leſſe then any of the ſtars, two onelyonly excepted: it ſeemes therefore that Moſes calls them great in reſpect of their opinion and eſtimation of men who judge of them as they appear to the veiw.
The Greater Light] He meanes the Sunne, exceeding the whole Earth in bigneſſe more then 162. times; or, as ſome ſay, 166. times if we may believe Aſtronomers. Now the Sunne is called the greater Light, not only in reſpect of the huge bulke of the body of it; but becauſe the Light being planted in it, it ſhines more glorious, and heats more fervently then the Moon and all the Stars, which borrow all or the moſt part of their Light from the Sun; And ſo, as they muſt needs have it more imperfectly; ſo they muſt ſhew it forth leſſe clearly and gloriouſly-
To rule the day] Not onelyonly to appear gloriouſly, as Rulers and Princes do in their Dominions when they appear in ſtate, but beſides by directing men in their affaires by the Light which it gives, which ſhewes them what to do; for when the night and darkneſſe comes, no man can work. Now direction is a Branch of Rule and Government; withall the Light and influence of the Sunne have a ſpecial operation on the Creatures here below, by which the affaires of men are much furthered.
And the leſſer Light to rule the Night] It is true, the Moon hath her Operation in the day time alſo, as appears moſt clearly in the Ebbs and floods of the Sea, which are queſtionleſſe governed eſpecially by the Moon; But becauſe in the day time her Light is obſcured by the Sunne, and her beauty and ſplendor appears, only in the Night, the Moon is not improperly ſaid to have the rule and guidance of the Night. For which cauſe God in his providence, hath ſo ordered the Courſe of thoſe two Planets, that the Moon is moſt ſerviceable unto us when we have leaſt help from the Sunne, ſo that ſhe ſhines brighteſt and longeſt, when the nights are longeſt and darkeſt: for in the winter ſeaſon the Moon at the full is in her higheſt exaltation, and is at the Summer time in her loweſt declination, when there is leaſt need of her light.
The ſtars alſo] Which the Holy Ghoſt paſſeth over in a word, as being leſſe obſervable by our eye then either Sunne or Moon, although in themſelves the leaſt of them be a moſt glorious Creature, and of incredible greatneſs, the leaſt fixed ſtar being many times bigger then the whole Earth, if we may believe Aſtronomers.
Theſe be the ornaments of Gods glorious Throne, which raviſhed the Prophet David with aſtoniſhment, Pſal. 8.3. To which if we compare, thoſe beggarly ſhewes of blazing lights of Torches and Tapers, wherewith the Princes of this world, ſet out their Palaces by night and grace their Perſons, when they deſire to appear glorious to men, we ſhall find juſt cauſe to ſmile in our thoughts at the baſeneſſe & beggery of humane glory, & to cry out with the Prophet, Ceaſe from the man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils for wherein are they to be eſteemed? And turning away our eyes from thoſe which dwell in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt, and who wanting Majeſty in themſelves ſtrive to appear glorious in the Ornaments of other Creatures baſer then themſelves, to amaze our ſelves with the Majeſty of him whoſe Throne is in the Infinite Circuit of heaven, adorned with ſo many glorious Lights of ſuch incredible greatneſſe, of ſuch glory in brightneſſe, & excellency in their uſes: All which the Creator of them ſo far exceeds in glory, dwelling in the light that no man can attain unto; that we may juſtly take up the Prophet Davids exclamation, O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth, who haſt ſet thy Glory above the heaven! Pſal. 8.1.
Theſe Lights are great in their appearance unto us, greater indeed in their true meaſure, although nothing in compariſon of him that made them, for the manifeſtation of his own greatneſs and Glory. But ſeeing the Holy Ghoſt ſets them out unto us as great Lights, and calls them ſo, that we might take the more notice of them, we may warrantably, Thence
1. Obſerve, We may take notice of any Eminency of the Creature ſo far as thereby to lead us to the Admiration of the Supereminent Perfection of the Creator.
Obſerv, 1 OF this way of advancing the Majeſty of God, we have divers examples in Scripture, as Pſal. 104. Thus Elihu adviſeth us to magnifie Gods Work, Iob 36.24. And God himſelf with wonderful variety of words ſets out the eminency of diverſe of his Creatures, Iob. 38.36, 40, 41. The truth is, this is a ſpecial part of our wiſdom to conſider the Work of God, Eccl. 7.13. and ſearch it, Pſal. 111.2. For which purpoſe he hath ſet the world in our hearts, Eccl. 3.11. So that it cannot be denied that we may lawfully advance the Creature as Gods Work-manſhip, the effect of his Power Wiſdom and Goodneſſe; that we may bring all the glory of the Creatures, and lay it down at Gods feet who Created them, and to whom therefore it ſolely and properly belongs.
Both theſe lights being Created for the ruling of the day and night, God in his Wiſdom beſtoweth moſt light upon that which was of greateſt uſe, and whereas the day was to be the time of mens buſineſſe, and employment, and therefore needed the greateſt and cleareſt light, for the directing of men in their waies, and works, he beſtowed the greateſt and cleareſt light upon the Sunne which he had appointed to rule the day: Whence,
2. Obſerve. God uſeth to proportion the Abilities of his Creatures according to the uſes in which he employes them.
Obſerv. 2 ANd this, as we may diſcern in irrational Creatures, amongſt which the Horſe excels in Courage, the Oxe in ſtrength, the Greihound in ſwiftneſſe; and the like. So its more eſpecially to be found amongſt men. Moſes while he was to rule alone had a double meaſure of the Spirit, which was ſhared in a great part amongſt the Seventy Elders when they were joyned with himin the government, Numb. 11.17, God gave Solomon a great meaſure of wiſdom and largeneſs of heart above any that were before him, or that came after him, 1 King. 3.12. According to the largeneſſe of the imployments whereunto he was deſigned, to build the Temple and to ſettle the State, Civil and Eccleſiaſtical, and to raiſe Gods People unto the top of their Outward glory. And the Apoſtles who were to publiſh the Goſpel to all Nations, to ſettle the Church, to encounter the great and mighty men of the world, were furniſhed with the gift of Tongues, Wiſdom, and Courage proportionable to thoſe great employments unto which God deſigned them.
Reaſon 1. God infinite VViſdom and Sufficiency, by both which he is inabled and carried to make all things Beautiful both in time and meaſure, Eccl. 3.11.
2. The neceſſity of furniſhing the workman with ſufficiency for the accompliſhing of his work, leſt otherwiſe, 1. He be oppreſſed and overlaid with too heavy a burthen: And, 2. The work it ſelf fail, to the diſhonour of God that employes him, and to the hurt of the Creature; as it falls out where a Meſſage is ſent by the hand of a fool, Prov. 26.6.
1. Let it be a direction to us in the chooſing of men to any place of Employment publick or private, Civil or Eccleſiaſtical. Let us obſerve whether God hath marked them out to ſuch a work as we employ them in, (for God is only with thoſe whom he deſignes both to Aſſiſt and Protect them) and hath ſealed them (as our Saviour terms it, Joh. 6.27.) which we ſhall diſcover by obſerving what abilities God hath furniſhed them withal, as he did by pouring out his Spirit on the Seventy Elders, upon Joſhuah, Deut. 34.9. upon Saul, 1 Sam. 10.9. upon Solomon, 1 King. 3.12. yea even on Bezaliel and Aholiab, Exod. 31.3.
Let thoſe that receive much from God diſpenſe unto others according to the proportion of the Abilities which they have received, Rom. 12.6. as Chriſt, having received Grace without meaſure, diſpenſeth to all his Members Grace for Grace, John 1.14, 16. Thus let men beſtow their labours for the Churches ſervice according to the meaſure of their Abilities, their Almes according to the meaſure of their eſtate, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. that they may be rich in good works, as they are rich in wealth; remembring the account which muſt be given up unto God according to mens receipts, Luke 12.48,
The Reaſon why God gave a greater portion of Light for the day, was, becauſe that is the time for employment and diſpatch of mens buſineſſe, in which they need the help of the Light for their direction. VVhence,
3. Obſerve, Men muſt make Uſe of Light to guide and direct them in all their Employments.
Obſerv. 3 OUtward light to direct them in outward works; for in the Night no man can work, Joh. 9.4. Becauſe he knowes neither what he doth, nor whither he goes, Joh. 12.35. wherefore the Egyptians in that plague of darkneſſe ſate ſtill and could not move out of their places, Exod. 10.23. But much more need they the Light of Wiſdome and Counſel, which is profitable to direct, Eccleſ. 10.10. and in that reſpect more uſeful than ſtrength and weapons, Eccl. 9.16, 18. excelling folly as far as light doth darkneſſe, Eccl. 2.13. Only let it not be our own wiſdome, Prov. 3.6, 7. but that which the Lord gives, Prov. 2.6. the rules whereof are delivered in his Word, which is a Lamp and a Light, Prov. 6.23. by which David guided his ſteps, Pſal. 119.105.
Now though the day (which needs it moſt) was furniſhed with a greater meaſure of light by the Sun, yet the night is not left without ſome light. The Moon, the leſſer light, is appointed to rule and ſhine in the Night, as well as the Sun was deſigned to ſhine in the Day. VVhence,
4. Obſerve, Though all the Creatures be not furniſhed alike, yet none of them wants that which is competent for their uſe and employment.
Obſerv. 4 THus all Creatures have their deſire ſatisfied, Pſal. 145.16. All men are fed, though not deliciouſly; cloathed, though not in Purple; dwell conveniently, though not in Palaces; are illightened, Joh. 1.9. though not furniſhed with Solomons wiſdome. This Competency is a proportion fitted to the neceſſary ſupport of the Creature, and the Being and eſtate and uſe thereof, in which it is to be employed.
Let no man then repine at his own condition, nor envy any other mans. If it be but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oyl in a cruſe, 1 King. 17.16. why ſhould we trouble our ſelves as long as it is ſufficient? If God rain down bread from heaven upon us, as he did Mannah upon his people in the VVilderneſſe, that is, give us at once no more than the portion of the day, (which is as much as he warrants us to pray for) ſo that we are filled to day, though we know not where to dine to morrow: Let it not diſquiet us, that we have not goods layed up in ſtore for many years, with that fool, Luke 12.19. If other men fare better then we, or are better clad, Let us ask the queſtion of our ſelves, which our Saviour puts to his Diſciples, when they had neither purſe nor ſcrip; Do we lack any thing? Luke 22.35. If we obſerve it well, the wants, whereof we complain, are in our minds, not in our eſtates; our allowances may come ſhort of our deſires, but ſhall never be found unanſwerable to that condition, which God in his wiſdome hath thought beſt and moſt convenient for us.
Theſe two Lights then are termed Great, as exceeding the Stars, although not in the true meaſure of their greatneſſe; yet in Outward glory; and yet between theſe two we ſhall find great inequality both in their Greatneſſe and in their Glory; and ſuch a difference we ſhall find in all the reſt of the Creatures: Whence,
5. Obſerve, Although all the Creatures are Perfect in their ſeveral Kinds, yet they are Unequal in Degrees of Excellency.
Obſerv. 5 THere is difference in degree between the brightneſſe of the Firmament, and of the Stars, as is implyed, Dan. 12.3. The Stars all of them ſhine, yet one Star differs from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15.4. and yet the moſt glorious amongſt them, ſhines not like the Sun in his ſtrength. Amongſt the Creatures below ſome have a being, ſome have life but not ſenſe; ſome have ſenſe, but no motion; ſome have all theſe, but have no underſtanding. But amongſt them all, is not found a greater inequality then there is amongſt men, in their Outward eſtates, in their Endowments either of body, or mind, and in their Uſes for Employment.
Reaſons 1. That God may ſhew himſelf Lord of all, when no Creature can challenge any thing, but muſt enjoy only that which God is pleaſed to beſtow upon it. See our Saviours Parable, Matth. 20.13.
2. To humble men in the ſenſe of their own defects, and make them thankful for what they enjoy above other Creatures.
Who, and where, are they that deſire Parity? Are we not all Creatures? and conſequently not to be Limited by our own wills, but by the Will of Him that hath made and diſpoſed us in our ſeveral ranks as it pleaſed Him. And yet we ſee the greateſt part of men are tranſported with that vain humour, which we cannot but condemn in others, To be unquiet in our own condition, becauſe we are not Matches with other men; wherein if we could attain our deſires, we would be as much troubled, becauſe we are not their Superiours.
The Sun, as we ſee, being the greater light, is deſigned by God to the more eminent office, To rule the day; and yet the Moon, though leſſer, and inferiour, hath an Office too, although much inferiour, To govern the night: and is thereby made uſeful and ſerviceable to the Earth, although in a lower place. Whence,
6. Obſerve, Thoſe which are of weaker abilities may notwithſtanding be uſeful and ſerviceable for ſome kind of employment or other.
Obſerv. 6 SUch as could not ſpin Purple or Scarlet or fine Linnen, were employed, notwithſtanding, in ſpinning Goats hair for the Tabernacle, Exod. 35.26. Nay, the very Gibeonites, that could be admitted to no higher ſervice, did hew wood and draw water for it, Joſh. 9.23. The foot may ſupport and carry the body, though it cannot direct it as the eye doth; and the Creatures that cannot ſerve us to till our grounds, or carry our burthens, as Horſes, Oxen, and Aſſes do, yet may be made uſe of for ſome other ſervice, as dogs to keep the houſe; or to be uſed for ſport or the like: even thoſe that ſeem altogether uſeleſſe, or perhaps hurtful, yet have this uſe at leaſt, by their variety to manifeſt the wonderful wiſdome and goodneſſe of the Creator.
As for men, thoſe that have not abilities for government, may be made uſe of for ſervants, if not in the greateſt, yet in the loweſt offices; wherefore deſpiſe none: Seeing, 1. we cannot comfortably ſubſiſt without the performance of the meaneſt offices about us. 2. VVe know not to what degree of glory men of the loweſt rank and meaneſt parts may be advanced hereafter.
The day (as being of moſt uſe for the diſpatch of mens affairs) is firſt provided for, and yet God neglects not the night, but takes order that it ſhould be governed too, although by the Moon, the leſſer Light of the two. Whence,
7. Obſerve, God takes care for the Government of the Night, as well as of the Day.
Obſerv. 7 INdeed, both the Day and Night are Gods, Pſal. 74.16. his Providence watcheth over both according to his promiſe, Pſal. 91.5, 6. & 121.6. Which he manifeſted to his people, in delivering them by night out of Egypt, and afterwards in their paſſage through the red Sea, Exod. 14.22. As he did afterwards wonderfully manifeſt himſelf in deſtroying Senacherib's Hoſt by night, 2 King. 19.35. yea many times he appears to his ſervants in viſions of the night, as they are termed, Job 4.13. giveth ſongs in the Night, Job 35.10. and makes their reines to teach them in the night, Pſal. 16.7.
Reaſons 1. He can do it, ſeeing the Light and darkneſſe to him are both alike, Pſal. 139.12.
2. And it is needful for him to do it, that he may keep the world in Order, which otherwiſe would ſoon be out of frame, if there were no care taken of the Night; which we find by experience to be ſo fit a vail for all manner of villany.
Let it appale the ſpirits of ſuch as make that the Covering for their lewd practices, Watching for the Twilight, Job 24.15. Prov. 7.9. and endeavour to hide their Robberies, Adulteries, and Drunkenneſſe under a vail of darkneſſe, as if God had onelyonly reſerved the day to himſelf, and abandoned the night to the Devil and his Angels: let all wiſe men walk with God in the dark as well as in the light, as thoſe that muſt give account to God of all their Carriage, even of the very thoughts upon their beds in the night ſeaſon, as well as of their works in the day.
The Stars Moſes names only, that we may take notice of them alſo to be Gods workmanſhip; but becauſe they were ordained to no ſpecial uſe that men might take notice of, they are only named, though being Creatures in themſelves worthy of admiration.
VERSES 17, 18, 19.
ANd God ſet them] The Sun and Moon he means, whereof he had ſpoken before, as the words enſuing do evidently declare, although it be more then probable, that the Stars withall be included, as giving ſome light unto the earth, and as it were aſſiſting the Moon in the Government of the Night.
In the Firmament] VVhether he fixed them in ſeveral Orbs to be turned about with them as a nail in the wheel, or placed them to abide and move therein of themſelves, as birds do in the Ayr, and, yet regularly by a proper motion of their own, (which he might as well give to every Planet, as to the Orbe wherein it is ſuppoſed to be fixed) its not needful to be diſputed at preſent. This only is certain, That where God ſet them, there they continue to this day according to his Ordinance, Pſal. 119.91.
To give light upon the Earth] All that God had decreed was accordingly performed in every particular. Only in relating what was done, Moſes omits one of the uſes to which theſe Lights were deſigned, that they ſhould be for ſigns, as being a uſe of leſſe moment then the reſt; but howſoever that uſe alſo muſt be conceived to be imployed, as being decreed by God as we have ſeen, though it be not here repeated. The Obſervations which might be raiſed from hence, have been handled already.