Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 1 · Verse 28
VERSE 28.
ANd God bleſſed them, and God ſaid] The Name of God, twice mentioned expreſly, in this place (which might without it as eaſily be underſtood here, as it is before, in the benediction of Fowls, and Fiſhes) ſeems to intimate the deſire of the Holy Ghoſt, to move us to have God ſtill in our eye, in the contemplation of the whole Work of Mans Creation, in a more ſpeciall manner, and that in every particular Circumſtance of ſo great a work.
Thus we have after Man's Creation recorded, Gods bleſſing upon him for propagation, and after that his ſolemn inveſtiture, into his Dominion over the beaſts of the field, and the reſt of the works of his hand. Whence,
1. Obſerve, It is by Gods bleſsing, that Man muſt be ſuſtained, and upheld; as well as it was by his Power, that he was Created.
Obſerv. 1 BY Gods Bleſſing, we mean, the continuall proſecution of us with his favour, in the Courſe of his Providence, and aſſiſtance by his Power, to proſper us in our perſons, and eſtates, and in all that we put our hands unto. This Bleſſing of God upon men, was alwayes eſteemed the Fountain of all good and happineſſe unto men. Wherefore we find that he renewes it unto Noah, after the flood, Gen. 9.1. almoſt in the very expreſſion, wherein it is given unto Adam here; and is beſtowed upon Abraham as a ſpeciall favour, Gen. 12.2. which the Patriarchs made over unto their Children, and Poſterity after them (by ſpeciall warrant from God) as their beſt inheritance, and is a ſpeciall reward, annexed by God, as a ſpeciall Encouragement unto all that walk in an holy courſe of obedience before him, by which his Children ſhould proſper in their Perſons, Poſterity, and Eſtates.
Let all men labour to intereſt themſelves in Gods bleſſing, as their beſt portion, the ſhowres of Bleſſings, as the Prophet terms them, Ezek. 34.26. which make the Wife, the Cattel, and the Ground fruitfull, make our Labours ſucceſſefull, the means that we uſe effectuall, and our Wealth and encreaſe uſefull and profitable unto us for our good. This bleſſing muſt fall upon us from Chriſt our Head, as the oyl from Aarons head run down to the skirts of his garments: and is continued upon the juſt, Prov. 10.6. onelyonly in a way of obedience, according to Gods Sanction, Levit. 26. Deut. 28.
The ſame Bleſſing that God beſtowes upon Adam, he had given before unto the Fiſhes and Fowles, for the greateſt part; but there he rather ſpeaks Of them, than To them. Here he ſpeaks To the man, whom he had endowed with underſtanding, to know what it was that he received; which ſeeing he pronounceth, and cauſeth the man to underſtand before he effects it, we may,
2. Obſerve, God will have men to take notice of, and underſtand, the Bleſsings that He beſtowes upon them.
Obſerv. 2 WHerefore we find Gods people every where taxed for not underſtanding what God had done for them, as Hoſ. 11.3. yea, even in Ordinary bleſſings, Jer. 5.21, 24. much more are they charged with their ſtupidity, and foul unthankfulneſſe, that underſtood not, nor remembred thoſe Extraordinary favours of God, of which they had ſo much experience in the Wilderneſſe, Deut. 29.4. Pſal. 106.7. An argument of a bruitiſh and ſenſeleſſe heart, and the ground of a ſpirit of rebellion, and eſpecially the fore-runner, and occaſion of fearfull plagues, the juſt reward of that foul ſin of unthankfulneſſe.
But, whereas God had a reſidue of Spirit, why doth he make but one Couple? It may be it was to unite all men in love one to another, as being the children of One; ſo that we cannot ſhut up our bowels of compaſſion from any man, of what Nation or Kindred ſoever he be; but we muſt hide our ſelves from our own fleſh, Iſa. 58.7. Or, it may be it was to manifeſt his Power, in multiplying two perſons into ſo many Nations, as we may ſee now overſpread the whole face of the Earth. Whence,
3. Obſerve, God can eaſily bring Multitudes out of One, if he pleaſe.
Obſerv. 3 AS he promiſed Abraham, Gen. 15.5. and performed it, as the Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 11.12, though the ſtock out of which they ſprang ſeemed to be as good as dead. Thus he multiplyes his Church into great Multitudes, out of an Handfull of Corn ſowne on the top of the Mountains, Pſal. 72.16. And no marvel, ſeeing it is much eaſier for Him to bring Many out of One, then it was to make All out of None, as he did in the Creation in the begining.
Walk before him in fear; He that made Many out of One, can more eaſily bring Many to One, nay, to None, if it pleaſe Him; as he dealt with Ahab's numerous kindred, and poſterity, as he had foretold he would do, by the mouth of Elijah, 2 King. 10.4, 5. and as we ſee, He doth daily, blotting out the very memory of many great families, as he threatened to do unto Amalek, one of the firſt of the Nations, Exod. 17.14. Again,
4. Obſerve, All the Men, and Nations in the World, are of one Blood, and have all of them but one Father.
Obſerv. 4 Thus the Apoſtle teſtifies, that God made of one Blood all Nations of men, Acts 17.26. And in the renewing the face of the Earth, drew out of one Stock, all the Kindreds and Nations of the World, which came all out of Noah's loynes; ſo that all men have but one Father, on Earth; as well as they have but One Maker, in Heaven, One God, and Father of all.
Let all men then love as Brethren; Looking upon all men, not onelyonly as Neighbours, as we are commanded in the Law, but as of the ſame fleſh with us, Iſa. 58.7. And let us endeavour to manifeſt it, in ſhewing Courteſies to ſtrangers, as we are commanded, Exod. 23.9, 12. Heb. 13.2. Forgiving our Enemies, and doing good to all men, Gal. 6.10.
Of fruitfulneſſe, at which the bleſſing of God points, in this place, we have ſpoken already, upon Ver. 22. Unto the bleſſing, is annexed a Direction, or Command, to ſubdue the Earth, and take the charge of the Creatures. Repleniſhing of the Earth, includes, at leaſt, a bleſſing, as expreſſing the meaſure of mans fruitfulneſſe, which ſhould be ſo great, that his Poſterity ſhould fill the Earth. Notwithſtanding it cannot be denyed, that it carries with it beſides, the force of a Command (as ſome men think) unto men, to diſperſe themſelves abroad upon the face of the earth, till they have filled every habitable part thereof; at leaſt it muſt be allowed, as a warrant unto them, ſo to do, as Occaſions and Opportunities ſhall invite them thereunto. And indeed, how men ſhould ſubdue the earth (which muſt be done by culture) without inhabiting it, it is hard to imagine. Whence,
5. Obſerve, Mans Subduing, and Repleniſhing the Earth, is by ſpecial Warrant, and Command from God Himſelf.
Obſerv. 5 THis Warrant is renewed again to Noah, after the Flood, Gen. 9.1. who was (as it were) the Second Founder of the Earth. Hence it is that the Pſalmiſt tells us, that God hath given the earth to the ſons of men, Pſal. 115.16. and, as Moſes ſpeaks, divided them their inheritances therein, Deut. 32.8. And good reaſon it ſhould be ſo, ſeeing the Earth being his, and the fulneſſe thereof, Pſal. 24.1. no man can warrant his title to any part thereof, unleſſe he can derive it from God, either Immediately, which is by a Natural title, by firſt ſubduing it; or Mediately, by a Civil title, which is derived from thence.
Let every man labour to derive his title to his poſſeſſions from God. Now we hold Lands from God, when we hold them by juſt Title, warranted by him; which may be either Naturall, or Civil. A Natural Title, men gain, by poſſeſſing and ſubduing any void portion of the Earth, which is the firmeſt and ſureſt holding, in the World. A Civill Title, is that which is gotten by Inheritance, Gift, or Purchaſe from thoſe, either Immediately or Mediately, which formerly poſſeſſed it by ſuch a Natural Title. We muſt withall labour to adde unto this, a Religious Title, that having forfeited all our right which we had unto the earth, and the bleſſings thereby, by Adams rebellion, being now reſtored by Chriſt, (whom God hath made heir of all things, Heb. 1.2.) we may enjoy whatſoever God hath allotted unto us in Him, in whom we have the Promiſes, both of this life, and of that which is to come; and from whom Abraham, through faith, derived his Title to be heir of the World, Rom. 4.13. By that title, Pſal. 37. thoſe that wait on the Lord, ver. 9. the Meek, ver. 11. the Righteous, ver. 29. and Pſal. 25. ver. 12, 13. thoſe that fear the Lord, ſhall inherit the Earth.
But God not onelyonly warrants man to repleniſh, and poſſeſſe the Earth, but appoints him withall to ſubdue it, that is, by Culture, and Husbandry, to Manure and make it fit to yield fruits, and proviſions, for the ſuſtaining both of men, and beaſts: which God hath appointed to receive their food out of the Earth, which is done by Planting, Earing, Sowing, and other works of Husbandry. Whence,
6. Obſerve, Thoſe that have poſſeſsions in the Earth, muſt withall ſo manure and husband them, that they may be made uſeful, and fruitfull.
Obſerv. 6 THis indeed was mans task in his Innocency, wherein, though God planted for him a Garden full of all choice fruits, for neceſſary uſe, and delight, yet he appointed man ſome labour about it, to keep and dreſſe it, which he commanded upon a double ground; 1. That thereby Man might the better obſerve the bleſſing of God in the fruitfulneſſe of the Creatures. 2. That obſerving the wayes of Gods providence, in bleſſing the labours of his hand, man might be ſtirred up to more chearfulneſſe in his ſervice. But in this ſtate of Man ſince the Fall, this Commandement of God binds us more ſtrongly, to humble us the more, by getting our bread with the ſweat of our browes, Gen. 3.19. So that plenty of bread is now annexed to hard labour, Prov. 12.11. & 28.19. And withall, ſuch kind of labour is not onelyonly for neceſſity, but exceeding profitable to man, both for the preſerving of the health of his body, and for preventing thoſe diſtempers of the mind, that Idlneſſe would certainly peſter it withall. So, our preſent condition conſidered, in labour there is profit every way, Prov. 14.23.
But beſides the dominion of the Earth, God is pleaſed to put under mans feet the reſt of the works of his hands, the Fowls, Fiſhes, and Beaſts of the field, and to make him Lord over them all, both to govern them, and to make uſe of them for his ſervice. Whence,
7. Obſerve, All the Creatures of the Earth, are the Servants of Man, by the Appointment of God Himſelf.
Obſerv. 7 SEe Ver. 26. Obſerv. 10. They were indeed ſo ordained to be by God, and continued to be, till mans Apoſtacy. And even ſince the Fall, God hath been pleaſed to renew this priviledge, which ſin had forfeited; as we ſee he did in expreſſe terms to Noah, Gen. 9.2, after the Flood. Which alſo we ſtill enjoy in a great part; ſo that the fear of man is upon the reſt of the Creatures ſtill. And howſoever they ſerve not ſo willingly, as they ſhould have done, if man had not fallen, yet we ſee the power of man prevailes over them, to maſter and tame them in a great part, Jam. 3.7. An argument of the great power of God, that we prevail over ſuch Creatures, as both in the fierceneſſe of their nature, and ſtrength of their bodies, do far excell us.
If then the Creatures obey us not, or if they do it rather by force, then willingly, and ſometimes caſt off the yoak, and offer violence to their Maſters; thank Sin for that, as well as for many other miſchiefs: but from the beginning it was not ſo.