Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 1 · Verse 20
VERSE 20.
L Let the waters bring forth] The word here uſed in the Criginal can hardly be expreſſed in any other Language a… to the full force of it. It implyes as much as to bring forth abundantly; but how can the waters which have no life in themſelves bring forth living Creatures? Theſe words then may be conceived to note, not ſo much either the efficient cauſe, by which the Fiſhes and Birds were brought forth, which is Gods own Decree and VVord, or the material cauſe of which their bodies were framed; for neither is water the matter of fiſhes bodies, nor the Aire of the birds, though the temper of either of them do moſt reſemble thoſe Elements: OnelyOnly by thoſe words (Let the waters bring forth) is noted 1. the places where the fiſhes are produced; 2. There may be implyed their wateriſh compoſition, in which they much reſemble that Element which is Predominant in them. 3. There ſeems to be given to the waters a cheriſhing Power to nouriſh & maintain them, which ſeems to be far greater, then that which the Earth hath to preſerve beaſts, ſeeing the waters not only nouriſh the fiſhes, as the Earth doth the Beaſts; but beſides preſerves their ſpawn, and ſo becomes as it were the womb in which it is cheriſhed, till it be brought to perfection. Nay ſome conceive that ſome fiſhes are bred of muddy waters themſelves as, Eels and ſome others, although the moſt kinds of them come of ſpawn.
Moving Creatures] Or Creeping as ſome render it; Indeedhe word Sheretz, ſignifies any thing that ſlides away ſwiftly, either without diſtinction of their motion by ſteps; as Birds fly in the Ayre, Fiſhes ſwim in the Sea, and VVorms and Serpents creep on the Earth; or with ſo inſenſible a diſtinction of ſteps that it is not eaſily obſerved, as VVeeſels and Miſe are reckoned amongſt creeping Creatures, Levit. 11.29. Becauſe, by reaſon of the ſhortneſſe of their feet, going ſo near the ground, the motion of their feet is not ſo much obſerved as in other Creatures.
That hath life] Or ſoul. The word Nepheſh, in the Original, comes from a word that ſignifies, to Breath, which is the firſt and laſt act of life. Now that fiſhes too, have a breathing life, although not altogether after the manner of other living Creatures, is not queſtioned; The ſame word is taken meerly for breath, Job. 33.4.
In this deſcription of the Creation of Fiſhes and Birds, Moſes ſets before us,
1. The Decree and Command of God, for their Creation, and therein,
1. The order in which they were created.
2. The manner of their Creation, in theſe words, Let the waters bring forth.
3. The kindes of the Creatures to be produced; Fiſhes, and Birds.
4. The Places in which they were either bred, or to abide; the Waters and the Ayre.
2. The Execution or performance, of that which was decreed.
3. The bleſſing of God upon the Creatures that were produced.
In the whole courſe of this hiſtory of the Creation, we may take notice, how Gods works ſtill go on forwards, towards a farther degree of perfection. Firſt there is Created the rude maſſe, out of which all the Creatures were made; Then the Heavens, vaſt, and Glorious Creatures, but without Life. Thirdly, the Herbs, and Plants, that have life indeed, but without motion. Fourthly, Creatures with Senſe and motion, but without Reaſon. Laſtly Man, with a reaſonable Soule, Created after Gods own Image. Out of this Order which the Lord obſerved in the Creation of all things, we may
1. Obſerve, Gods Works alwaies are carried on towards Perfection.
Obſerv. 1 AS God carried on his Works in the Creation of all things, ſo doth he in the Renovation of them, by ſucceſive Generation, and propogation of the Creatures, in their kinds. In the Corn there is firſt the blade, then the ſtemme, after that the eare, and then the ripe Corn. In men firſt a rude maſſe, then a body perfected in all the parts of it, after that a living ſoul, exerciſing it ſelf; Firſt in the life of a plant, in the womb; then, of a beaſt in the infancy; and at laſt of a reaſonable Creature in the riper years. Thus God dealt in ordering the State of his Church; firſt, he trained it up under the Pedagogie of the Law, teaching it by figures, and ſhaddowes of things to come, and exerciſing it much in Outward Ceremonious obſervances. Now, the vail being removed, it is taught by lively Oracles, opening unto us at full, the body of thoſe things which were ſhaddowed out unto them, under types and figures; and exerciſed in more Spirituall duties.
Reaſon 1. Becauſe the ſtate of all things is imperfect at preſent, and is therefore both capable of farther degrees of perfection, and firt to be brought thereunto, that God might have this honour aſcribed unto him, that his work is Perfect, Deut. 32.4.
2. That men by the ſeveral ſteps of the perfections of the Creatures, which are found in one above another, might at the length aſcend up unto God, in whom all perfections are to be found.
Let it both Quiet, and Raiſe up the Spirits of Gods Servants, when they look upon their preſent imperfections, both in knowledge, and every grace, 1 Cor. 13.10. Seeing 1. God Himſelf hath undertaken the work of our Renovation, who having all Perfections in himſelf, can eaſily perfect what he hath begun in us. 2. And will do it, partly to make good his promiſe, Phil. 1.6. partly, to the end for which he hath ordained us, that we might be without blemiſh, Eph. 5.17. As well that the Excellency of his work in us might appear, as alſo that we might, by that means be fitted to enjoy an Holy and Everlaſting Communion with Him. And let it not diſcourage us that the work goes ſo ſlowly on, and receives many interruptions: God is pleaſed to make us ſenſible of the difficulty of the work, that when it is perfected (as it ſhall be hereafter) we might not onelyonly honour him Alone; but withal Honour him as a God, able to do all things, even thoſe which ſurmount our hope and expectation.
2. Let all that are Godly imitate God, ſtriving earneſtly to go on to perfection, both in knowledge, Heb. 6.17. and in every Grace, 2 Pet. 1.5.6. For which end God hath furniſhed us with ſufficient means, 2 Tim. 3.17. Even that we might be perfect (in our meaſure) As our heavenly Father is perfect, Matth. 5.48.
How God by gathering the waters into their Channels, had drained the Earth, and made it habitable, and preſently furniſhed it with herbs and plants, as ſoon as it was capable of them, we have ſeen already: In like manner he deales with the waters, as ſoon as he hath gathered them together, he takes order, that they alſo ſhall be furniſhed with their Inhabitants. Whence,
2. Obſerve. God leaves nothing Empty that he hath made, but furniſheth all with his Store, and riches.
Obſerv. 2 THus, when he had created the Heavens, he furniſhed them with ſtars, the Ayre with Birds, the waters with Fiſhes, and the Earth firſt with herbs, and Plants, and afterwards with beaſts, and men: ſo that the Earth is full of his riches, and ſo is the wide Sea, Pſal. 104.24, 25. The reaſon whereof is, thereby to manifeſt both his All-ſufficiency, and withal the riches of his bounty.
1. And will God then leave his Children empty, the veſſells which he hath formed for himſelf? will God ſtock the whole world, and not ſtock his own Garden? hath God given his children hearts capable of Grace, and will he leave them barrain and empty of Grace? Surely the time will come, ſhortly, that every veſſell ſhall be filled; and in the mean time, we ſhall not be utterly left empty and naked.
2. Let men be aſhamed that delight in empty houſes, or lands unpeopled, that they may dwell alone, Iſa. 5.8.1. Houſes were made for habitation, and Lands for Culture; and it is a fearfull plague threatned by God Himſelf, to leave both without inhabitants. 2. It is our ſhame to cauſe deſolations, and diſcovers, not onelyonly our weakneſſe (as it doth Gods ſufficiency, that he leaves all things full); but beſides a diſpoſition croſſe to God, in the courſe of his Providence, to labour to make that empty, which he hath ordained to be repleniſhed.
In caſting our eyes upon that infinite variety of all the works of Gods Hands, we cannot but admire his infinite Power, to work all things, in All and out of All. If there be Nothing at all, he makes ſomething; if there be ſomething, be it never ſo deformed, and confuſed, be the nature of it what it will, God makes out of it, what he pleaſeth; The glorious Heavens, and the Stars therein, all out of that rude lump; living plants, and herbs, and fiſhes, with life, and motion, out of the dead Sea, and Earth; ſo that nothing is hard to him which he purpoſeth to do. VVhence,
3. Obſerve. God works all things, out of all things, and in all things, according to his good pleaſure.
Obſerv. 3 EVen whatſoever he pleaſeth in Heaven, in Earth, and in all deeps, Pſal. 135.6. All in all, 1 Cor. 12.6. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. 18.14. It muſt needs be granted that if he be Almighty, it is eaſy for him, who hath made all things, and that out of nothing, and hath ſtill the ſame power in his hand, to make what, and when, and where he will; ſeeing He hath nothing to limit his power, but his own will.
1. Let men depend upon him at all times, and in all places, for all things; He is the God of the Mountaines, as well as of the Vallies, 1 King. 20.28. He can provide bread for his People in the Wilderneſſe, as well as by the fleſh pots of Egypt; water in Horeb, as well as in Elim. Nay, fleſh in the Wilderneſſe, without herds, or flocks, Numb. 11. Only truſt in him at all times, Pſal. 62.8. and do good, Pſal. 37.3. and then thou ſhalt be fed aſſuredly.
2. Let us take notice of the weakneſſe of mens power, in compariſon of Gods; Their skill reacheth, every mans to the work of his own hand. One plants Vinyards, another ſowes Corn, another feeds Cattail, as Cain and Abel did: and others are able to work the works of their own trade. But God alone doth all things Himſelf, and by his own Power, Iob. 42.2. Now if a man were able to do all things, he cannot do all things every where, he cannot make all things out of Nothing, as God hath done.
It is worth our conſideration, that God hath not onelyonly Created ſuch Variety of works, of ſundry ſorts, but he hath fitted them to places, anſwerable to their natures, the Fiſhes to the Sea, and the Birds to the Ayre, as he doth afterwards diſpoſe of the beaſts uppon the Earth. Whence,
4. Obſerve, God diſpoſeth all Creatures, in ſuch places, as are moſt convenient and agreeable unto them.
Obſerv. 4 THus he fixeth the Stars in the Heavens, carries the Clouds in the Ayre, appoints the waters for the Fiſhes, and the Earth for Beaſts and men. And amongſt men, fits the Ayre and ſoil, where they are bred, diverſly according to the temper of their bodies; and that, as to make their dwellings delightfull and pleaſant to them: ſo to make them thereby the more uſefull, by the preſervation of their health therein.
Let the Conſideration of our diſpoſition, and temper of our hearts direct us in the choice of the places of our abode. What ſhould fiſhes do on dry land? Or beaſts of the Earth, in the midſt of the Sea? David in Meſech, Pſal. 120.5. The plants of the Houſe of God can flouriſh no where, but in the Courts of God, Pſal. 92.13. God indeed can ſupport and preſerve Iacob, in Idolatrous Labans Houſe, Ioſeph in Egypt, Elijah in Zarephath, Saint John in Patmos, if he call or ſend them thither; only we are to feel ſome unquietneſſe in ſuch places as David did, Pſal. 120.5. And to long for our own dwellings with Jacob, Gen. 28.21. Above all, for heaven prepared for us, Joh. 14.2.
2. Let it Comfort our hearts in the expectation of thoſe heavenly Habitations unto which God hath deſigned us, and for which he will fit us with bodies and minds anſwerable thereunto, Heavenly and Holy, according to his promiſe, Eph. 5.27. 1 Cor. 15.49. OnelyOnly for the preſent he cloaths us with earthly Tabernacles fitted to the Earth, in which we dwell, and Spirits both Earthly and ſenſuall, in a great part, according to the Condition both of our eſtate and place, in which he hath thought fit to continue us for a while.
The firſt Creatures that received breath and life of all that God had made, were the Fiſhes and the Birds, and they received it, as we ſee, together with their Being, by the Will and Decree of God. Whence,
5. Obſerve, Breath and life are the Gifts of God alone.
Obſerv. 5 IN his hand is the ſoul of every living thing, and the Breath of all mankind, Job 12.10. and he giveth breath to the people upon the Earth, and Spirit to them that walk therein, Iſa. 42.5. Even to all life and breath and all things, Act. 7.25. And that 1. Becauſe he hath onelyonly life in himſelfe, Ioh. 5.1. Becauſe its fit for him to keep the diſpoſing of that in his own hand, as well that all may acknowledge ſo great a benefit in him alone, as that he may govern and order all things according to the Counſell of his own Will, having in his own Hand, Power to kill and to make alive, Deut. 32.39. By giving and taking away Breath and Life at his own pleaſure.
1, Let every man be carefull to preſerve in any Creature ſo precious a gift; for why ſhould he take away (unleſſe it be by warrant from God) that which he cannot give, nay that which all the Princes in the world cannot reſtore? A good man, (ſaith Solomon) regardeth the life of his Beaſt, Prov. 12.10.
2. Let every man glorify that God in whoſe Hand his Breath is, Dan. 5.23. And walk in fear before him, who can more eaſily take it from him, then he gave it at the firſt; who can trouble us, if he do but hide his face, and if he call for our breath, we die, Pſal. 104.29. Nay, is able not onelyonly to take away this Temporal Life, which is but for a moment, but our Eternal life alſo, Matth. 10.28.
3. Let it teach us to abaſe, and to deſpiſe all mans works in Compariſon of Gods. Men in deed, can make Pictures and Statues, but cannot give them breath; can ſet Flowers, Plants, and Trees, but cannot give them life by which they may grow; can ſow corn, but cannot make it take root: may beget Children, but God muſt breathe in them the Breath of Life, that they may become living ſoules: and as he muſt Give, ſo he muſt preſerve it too, ſo that in him we live and move, Act. 17.28.
We have already taken notice of ſundry Creatures, which God made in Heaven and Earth. If we add unto them the various kinds of Fowls, and eſpecially of Fiſhes which we have now in hand, and of the Beaſts and creeping things which are mentioned afterwards, we cannot but ſtand amazed, and be filled with admiration. and may,
6. Obſerve, The variety and diverſity of Gods Works is Infinite, even to Admiration.
Obſerv. 6 SO that David ſeems to be raviſhed with obſervation of them, Pſal. 104.24. As all men muſt needs be that ſhall take notice, of the infinite and diverſe kinds of them, the variety of their ſhapes, and diverſity of their parts, difference of their qualities and properties, multiplicity of their ſeverall uſes and operations: ſo that they ſhall find all expreſſions too ſhort to manifeſt their admiration at the wonderfull Wiſdome of him that made them.
The flying of the Fowles above the Earth in the open firmament of heaven, we ſee is founded upon Gods Decree, and conſequently their ſeverall motions muſt needs be guided and directed by his Will, ſeeing whatſoever moves by his Power, cannot but move within the Limits of that Will. So that from this particular, we may in generall,
7. Obſerve, The Motion, as well as the Being of every Creature is Ordered and Limited by the Will and Decree of God.
Obſerv. 7 IT is impoſſible that it ſhould be otherwiſe, if in Him all things live, and move, and have their Being, as the Apoſtle affirms they have, Act. 17.20. For then they can move no farther nor longer then he ſupplyes them with ability to move; and therefore they can only move when, whither, and as long as he will. Neither doth this derogate at all from Gods Majeſtie, that he abaſeth himſelf to take care for ſuch trifles, as the hopping of Birds from one branch to another. The Queen of Sheba was raviſhed, and aſtoniſhed, at Solomons Wiſdom; when, among other things, ſhe beheld the ſitting of his ſervants, the attendance of his Miniſters, and their apparel, and the like, 1 King. 10.5. No, it infinitely commends Gods goodneſſe, that he abaſeth himſelf to look upon things that are below, Pſal. 113.6. that he takes care for Oxen, 1 Cor. 9.9. feeds young Ravens, Pſal. 147.9. and remembers every Sparrow, Luke 12.6. And his VViſdom, that he can comprehend all theſe things without diſtraction. Nay, if we acknowledge, that God makes proviſion for every Creature by which it is ſuſtained, Pſal. 145.16. we muſt needs confeſſe, that he muſt give order, for their Motions, and Uſe, for which they were Created, and are ſtill ſupported, whereby the honour of God is as much advanced as by their Creation.
Let it quiet all our hearts, and put away all fear of harm from any Creature; which cannot hurt us, ſeeing it cannot move without the Will of our heavenly Father, and therefore ſhall not move to hurt thoſe, whom God will preſerve, Iſa. 54.16, 17. as we ſee in the motion of Jeroboam's arm, which was dryed up, when he ſtretched it out againſt the Prophet, 1 King. 13.4. and in the caſe of Daniel in the Lions Den. Seeing we know God takes ſuch care for his children, that he numbers their very hairs, Luke 12.7. and engraves them upon the palms of his hands, Iſa. 49.16. and is as tender over them as over the apple of his own eye, Zach. 2.8.