Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 6
VERSE 6.
ANd there went up a miſt] So many read it: and then the ſenſe is, that as God only made the Creatures, ſo he only cheriſhed them, neither by mans labour, nor by Rain the ordinary means by which they now grow and live; but inſtead thereof he prepared a Miſt, which he made to be ſufficient to water the Plants which he had made. But ſome there are, who tranſlate it, Neither a Miſt; which alſo the Original may well bear; And then the ſenſe ſeems to be more clear, and ſuitable to the ſcope of the Holy Ghoſt, who to ſhew that the Plants and Herbs were produced meerly by the Power of God, excludeth all the Ordinary means by which according to the Courſe of Nature they might be cheriſhed, both mans labour, and the dew of Heaven, whether by rain the more uſual and effectual; or ſo much as by a miſt, the weaker and leſſe uſuall means of nouriſhing the Plants. Howſoever the words be rendred, the ſcope of Moſes appears to be this, by excluding the help of any Second cauſe to make it evident, that the Herbs and Plants were produced and ſuſtained only by the Power of God, that we might acknowledge the Equity of Gods Command in reſtraining man from eating of the ſruit interdicted, and might behold his Goodneſſe and Bounty in beſtowing on him the free uſe of all the reſt of the fruits which he had Created; for which, man had never laboured: So that if he denied man any ſruit (ſeeing he had no right to it) it was juſt and equall, and if he granted him any; much more if he gave him all the reſt, it was out of favour and ſuperaboundant bounty. Now if we conſider the words (as we do in our Tranſlation) But a Miſt. We may.
1. Obſerve, God wants no variety of means, to effect whatſoever he will.
Obſerv. 1 IF there be no rain to water the Earth, the Miſt ſhall ſuffice; if his People want corn to feed them in the wilderneſſe, the Heavens ſhall rain down Mannah for their food. If there be no other means to conveigh bread and fleſh to Elijah, the Ravens ſhall bring it him every morning and evening; if that meanes fail, he hath a widdow in Zarephath that ſhall provide for him; if her proifions fail, an handfull of meal in the barrel, and a little oyle in the Cruſe ſhall be ſufficient to maintain him, and her, with her whole family till God ſend rain on the Earth.
Let no man deſpair when meanes ſeem to fail; he that takes them away can provide other at his pleaſure; if they ſeem weak and inſufficient in themſelves, he can make them ſufficient by his Power; If Chriſt be taken away from the Earth to aſcend unto to his Father, his Spirit ſhall deſcend upon the Apoſtles, and work more effectually by their Miniſtery, than it had done by Himſelf in the daies of his fleſh, when he was preſent with his Church here on Earth.
Now if we render thoſe words as others do, Neither a Miſt. We may,
2. Obſerve, God can, and many times doth, bring things to paſſe without any meanes at all.
Obſerv. 2 SEe Gen. 1. ver. 30. Obſ. 7. and ver. 11. Obſ. 2.
The end why Moſes in this Narration excludeth the means by which the Plants and Herbs are uſually produced and cheriſhed, is to make it appear, that therefore they were brought ſorth by God Himſelf. Whence,
3. Obſerve, Gods Power in effecting all things is never clearly diſcovered, untill all meanes be removed
Obſerv. 3 SO much God Himſelf affirmes to Gideon, Judg. 7.2.4. For where the meanes appear, men who are too much inclined to judge of things by ſenſe, are more eaſily drawn to aſcribe effects to Means that appear, than unto the Divine Power, that works by them, which is not ſeen. Beſides, the wiſdome of man being (as it is) enmity againſt God, there is a wonderful aptneſſe in us, to withold his Truth in unrighteouſneſſe, and to advance the Creature above the Creator; ſo that God for preſerving his own nonour, finds it needful many times to work without means, (as He did in that glorious work of our Redemption wherein he admitted no Creature to ſhare with him in the work, that men might glory only in the Lord, Iſa. 63.5.) or, by ſuch meanes, as appear to be unable to effect, by their own ſtrength, that work which is wrought by them.
This Miſt Moſes tells us roſe out of the Earth (as indeed all rain doth) and fell down upon it again to water it, and to refreſh the fruits that grew upon it. Whence,
4. Obſerve, Every Creature ought in an eſpeciall manner to be Uſefull unto that from whence it is produced.
Obſerv. 4 SO is the rain unto the Earth, out of which it is drawn up, the Corn to him that ſowes it; and ſo ſhould the children be ready to ſerve their Parents that brought them forth: ſo juſt and equall is God in all his waies.
Let us then, for ſhame, return all unto that God, from, and by whom, we and all things are, leſt all the reſt of the Creatures ariſe up in judgment againſt us. And let the Obſervation of that courſe which God hath ſet in nature be an eſpecial meanes to quicken us unto that duty.