Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 1 · Verse 24 – Verse 25
VERSE 24.
LEt the Earth bring forth] Or, cauſe to come forth, as it were, out of the womb. A phraſe that notes rather the place wherein, than either the Efficient, or Material cauſe, or Manner in which they were produced. As for the Manner, it was meerly Supernaturall by a work of Creation, in which the Earth could have no efficacy at all, it being an Act of Gods immediate Power alone. The Matter of which they were Created, was, in all probability, taken out of the Earth; as we ſee afterwards the Body of Man was: but that is more then this phraſe implyes, which notes onelyonly, Out of what they were produced, which was out of the Earth; and Where they were to abide.
The living Creature] Plants and Herbs, we know, are ſaid both to Live and Dye; but becauſe that is but an imperfect life, as wanting the two main faculties in which Life is exerciſed, Senſe and Motion; therefore thoſe Creatures that enjoy that more perfect life, exerciſing thoſe faculties, are termed by an eminency, Living Creatures.
After his Kind] By which, as they were diſtinguiſhed in their firſt Creation both in Form and Nature; ſo, they here ordered and appointed by God to continue to the worlds end, diſtinct one from another in their ſucceſſive propagation, by which they were to be multiplyed.
Cattel] The word Behemoth, which Moſes uſeth in this place, as ſome think, ſignifies moſt properly the greater kinds of Beaſts: But we find it generally (when it is put without any addition) uſed for any kind of four-footed beaſt. But in this place it ſeems to be ſet in oppoſition againſt the beaſts of the field, and therefore is conceived to ſignifies tame Beaſts, which men keep about them in their Grounds or Houſes, for Food, Labour, or Pleaſure.
Beaſts of the Earth] Wild Beaſts; called Beaſts of the Earth, becauſe they are not within any Incloſures, but have the wide earth to range in at their pleaſure. As for the name Caijah, by which they are called in the Hebrew Language, it is derived from a word that ſignifies to live; whether it be given them for their Livelineſſe, in which many of them ſurpaſſe tame beaſts; or becauſe they are many of them beaſts of prey, and are nouriſhed by other living Creatures, it is not much material.
Why God made not the Beaſts with the Birds and Fiſhes on the fifth day, but made them on the ſixth day, together with man, it is Curioſity to enquire, God had power to make What, and When, he would; and is not to be accountable to us for any of his actions, or for any Circumſtance of them. It is enough to ſtop all mens mouthes, That it pleaſed him ſo to do. Yet we may probably gueſſe, that ſeeing Beaſts were nearer to men in their dwelling, God was pleaſed to make them together, which were to dwell together. OnelyOnly we are to take notice, that the Beaſts were produced out of the earth, out of which (as we ſhall ſee by and by) the body of Man was taken too. VVhence we may,
1. Obſerve, Man and Beaſts are of near Alliance.
Obſerv. 1 OF one Common Parent, the Earth, in reſpect of their bodies, even of the ſame Subſtance, nouriſhed by the ſame food, confined, at the leaſt at preſent, to the ſame habitation, and to be reſolved with them into the ſame duſt of which we were made; ſo that we may ſay unto the worm, Thou art my Mother and my Siſter, Job 17.14.
Let us then bleſſe Him that hath put ſo great a difference between them and us. 1. In Nature, having given men wiſdom and underſtanding, which he hath denied unto the Beaſts of the field, Job 35.11. 2. In our advancement, who hath put them under our feet, making them our Vaſſals, and us their Lords, Pſal. 8.6, 7. 3. In our Spiritual eſtate, in making us at preſent members of his Son, and thereby his Children by Adoption, and heires of his glory. Let it pleaſe us with our Condition; encourage us to his ſervice, who hath ſo highly advanced us; abaſe us in our thoughts and eſteem of our ſelves; and move us to Mercy and Compaſſion even to the beaſts, upon the conſideration that they alſo were Creatures framed by the ſame powerful hand of God: which prevailed with Job in another caſe, Job 31.15.
The Earth is here commanded by God, to bring forth the Living Creature, after his kind: not by any power that it had in it ſelf to give life to other Creatures, which it had not in it ſelf; but by the Power and Will of God, who appointed and decreed it. And ſhall not the ſame Will and Decree of God, that produced living Creatures out of the Dead Earth, cauſe the ſame Earth to yield up her dead, and the Sea her dead? Rev. 20.13.
The difference between the Creation of Beaſts and Man cannot be paſſed by without ſpeciall obſervation. Mans Body was indeed taken out of the Earth, as well as the Bodies of the Beaſts; but his Soul was not from the Earth, but from Heaven. But in the Creation of Beaſts, the Body, and Soul or Life, is wholly out of the Earth; for the Earth is Commanded to bring forth the Living Creature, that is, the Creature, with the Life thereof. So that we find no Original of the Soul, or Life of the Beaſt, but from the Earth onelyonly. VVhence,
2. Obſerve, Beaſts are Wholly Of, and Out of, the Earth.
Obſerv. 2 THeir Life or Soul is in their blood, Levit. 17.11. and thence it is that all their motions are wholly Earthly, and after Earthly things, and all the Operations of their Soules, in Nutrition, Motion, or Senſe, exerciſed meerly by Bodily Inſtruments. And in their very diſſolution their Spirit goes downwards to the earth, from whence it was at the firſt taken, as Solomon tells us, Eccl. 3.21.
VVere it not then a foul ſhame for Men, endowed with underſtanding, to imitate Beaſts, and to take them for their pattern? Surely men, that underſtand not, are like the Beaſts that periſh, Pſal. 49.20. whoſe wiſdom is ſenſual and earthly, Jam. 3.15. Their mind only upon earthly things, Phil. 3.19. by which they corrupt themſelves as bruit beaſts, Jude 10. becoming wholly ſenſual, Jude 19. walking altogether by Senſe, and not by Faith, as Gods Children either do, or at leaſt ſhould do, 2 Cor. 5.7.
By the VVord and Decree of God both the tame and wild beaſts, and every creeping thing, were Created. VVhence,
3. Obſerve, All the Beaſts on the Earth, being Gods Creatures, are Gods Store, and at his Command.
Obſerv. 3 EVen every Beaſt of the Forreſt, and the Cattel upon a thouſand hills, he juſtly challengeth as his own, Pſal. 50.10. he ſends forth his Spirit and creates them, Pſal. 104.30. he opens his hand and feeds them, ver. 27, 28. and he gives out his Word and commands them; and orders all their goings, directing them to execute his VVill: as appears in the example of the two ſhe-Beares, 2 King. 2.24. and ſhe-Lion, 1 King. 13.24. and the Lions in the Den, Dan. 3.
Let us then aſcribe all the ſtore that we have, unto God; 1. Looking upon it as a gift from God, as Jacoh doth, Gen. 31.9. and made fruitfull, and uſefull by his bleſſing, Pſal. 144.13, 14. 2. Seek all at his hands. 3. And ſerve and honour him with all that we poſſeſſe, yea, with the firſt of our increaſe, Prov. 3.9. 4. And uſe all that we have according to his direction; in Mercy towards the Creature, and in a way of Sobriety to our ſelves.
VERSE 25.
ANd God made] Though God had commanded the Earth to bring forth the Creatures, yet it was his own Power, giving efficacy to his Will, and Word, that was the onelyonly means by which they were produced. This making of the Creatures, was not by means, according to the courſe of nature, but the Creating of them without means, ſupernaturally by the power of the Creator. VVhence,
1. Obſerve, God not only Decrees and Commands, but Performs and Brings to effect, whatſoever he Wills.
Obſerv. 1 IF he command Moſes to do any thing, he ſhall not lift up his hand in vain, but the ſtretching out of it over the waters ſhall turn them into blood; the Aſhes of the Furnace, by ſprinckling them into the Ayr, ſhall turn in Sores and Blains upon mens bodies; his Word alone ſhall bring forth Froggs and Caterpillers, Murrain upon the Cattel, Hail and Lightnings from Heaven, Darkneſſe upon the Land, and …eath upon the firſt born. And this God doth, not onelyonly in extraordinary miraculous works that are Supernatural, but even in thoſe that are according to the courſe of nature. He decreed that Summer, and Winter, Earing, and Harveſt ſhould not ceaſe, while the world laſted, and we ſee they continue to this day; He commanded their Propagation and ſuſtentation, and they continue according to his Ordinance unto this day, Pſal 119. Living, Moving, and having their Being in him; Act. 17.28. And by his Word our food gives us nouriſhment and ſtr…gth, Deut. 8.3. Nay, he wills our Sanctification and Holy converſation, and he works in us both to VVill and to do, Phil. 2.13.
Let this Conſideration, ſtay up and ſupport the hearts of Gods Children: whatſoever God hath engaged himſelf, unto by his VVord and Promiſe, he will not fail to bring to paſſe, to give Grace at preſent, and Glory hereafter, Pſal. 84.11. For he ſpeaks Righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 45.16. Never look either upon the weakneſſe of the Meanes, or the greatneſſe of the work; but look upon the Power, and Truth of him that hath promiſed it: It is Gods VVord and it ſhall ſtand when Heaven and Earth ſhall fail. And let this bear up our ſpirits, when they are ſincking under the ſenſe of our weakneſſe; Indeed, without Him we can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. But as he can do all things, Job. 42.2. So, in him that ſtrengthens us, we ſhall be able to do all things, Phil. 4.13. And he will work In, and For us, Iſa. 26.12. OnelyOnly let us undertake nothing in our own ſtrength but all in the Power of his might.
That which might be obſerved, out of the particular enumeration of the Creatures, which God made, we have taken notice of heretofore; as alſo of the Execution of the Decree, and anſwerableneſſe of it, in all things, according to that which he had appointed.
There followes in the laſt place, the Creation of Man, the laſt, and perfecteſt, and the Crown, and Glory of all Gods viſible VVorks; for that cauſe deſcribed more at large, and with more variety of Circumſtances, then any of the reſt, and Conſequently more needful to be attended, and more carefully enquired into, by us, eſpecially ſeeing withal it more nearly concerns us.