The History of the Creation, Treatise
foreign. OF THE CREATION OF THE VVORLD.
GEN. 1. 1.
In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth.
IN this Chapter the historle of the Creation is most plainely and succinctly written by Moses, and the workes of the six dayes are distinctly laid downe according to the order wherein God created and made all creatures in heaven and earth.
In the second Chapter, some things which were but more briefely and generally laid downe in the first Chapter, to wit the creation of plants, herbes, and trees, and of birds and beasts, and especially of man and woman, and the creation of the garden of Eden, with other circumstances; are more plainely and fully related. And therefore I have made choice of those two Chapters, the words whereof doe give us ground and occasion to handle the doctrine of the creation, and to discusse of all points therein needfull to be knowne for the glory of God, and our own profit and comforts.
In the whole history, comprehended in these two Chapters, the Spirit of God offers to our consideration two things. First the creation as it is a worke of God, together with the severall parts and degrees of it. Secondly, the creatures produced by that work, even the whole world, and all things therein contained; that is, the heavens and the earth, all the host of them.
Creation is here described: First, generally according to the Creation.common nature of it, as it concernes all creatures, and is the making of them all. Secondly, it is distinguished and described particularly according to the severall parts and branches thereof, as it concernes severall kindes of things created.
First, Creation is described generally by the name, the Author or cause, and by the time and forme of it, throughout this whole Chapter.
Secondly, it is distinguished into two branches or degrees. The first is simple or absolute and immediate creation, which is a making of something out of nothing. The other is secondary creation, that is, a making of perfect things out of an imperfect matter which was before created of nothing, and was of it selfe most unfit for any such substantiáll forme and being as was raised out of it.
Simple or absolute creation, which is a making of things out of nothing, is laid downe in the first verse: And that is here distinguished 1into two particular branches, according to the number of the things created; the Heaven and the Earth.
The first is, the creation of the highest heavens, and all the host of them, as the spirit of God by Moses expounds himselfe more plainely, Chap. 2. 1. This was a most perfect creating and making of things perfect in nature, forme, and being, out of nothing, and that in an instant.
The second is, the creating of the earth, that is, a rude imperfect masse, and confused Chaos or deep, which was without forme and void, and fit for no substantiall forme or perfect being as yet; neither could subsist, but by the spirit supernaturally susteining it. For so the word, Earth, is expounded in the next verse, even to be that rude masse and deep, which he made of nothing, that it might be the common matter of all the inferiour visible world, and of the creatures therein conteined.
The second maine branch of creation, which I call secondary, or 2mediate creation, and which is a making of things perfect out of an imperfect matter created of nothing, is laid downe historically throughout these two Chapters, where the creation of the severall kindes of creatures in the six dayes is described particularly And this hath also two particular branches.
The first is the creating of things out of the first rude confused matter, which was without forme and void, and full of darknesse; such was the creating of the foure elements: 1. Fire, called light. 2. The Aire, called the firmament. 3. The Waters, or the Seas. 4. The Earth or drye land.
The second is, the creating of things perfect out of the second matter which was beforehand formed, and disposed into the forme and substance of elements; such was the creation of the Sunne, Moone, and Starres in the heavens; and of the foules in the aire, and fishes in the sea, and beasts on earth, which were all created of the second matter, that is, of the matter of the elements brought into forme.
There is besides these branches of creation, another particular creation, mixt of simple and secondary creation, namely, the creation of man; who, in respect of his body, was made of the dust of the earth by secondary or mediate creation; and in respect of his soule was created by God, as the Angels were, immediatly of nothing, by a simple, absolute and immediate creation. This is also described, First generally in this Chapter, verse 26, 27. and also distinctly, and particularly, Cap. 2. 7.
And as this history doth describe the act or worke of creation, Creaturesboth generally, and particularly in all the b…anches thereof: so also all the Creatures or kindes of things created.
The Creatures are here distinguished according to the time and order of their creation. Some of them were created in the first beginning of time, in the first moment wherein time first began, to wit, the highest heaven with the inhabitants thereof, the Angels; and the earth, that is, the rude masse or first common matter of the inferiour world, and all the creatures therein. Some of them were created in the progresse of time, or in times distinct, even in six severall, dayes, to wit, all the rest of the creatures: and they are distinguished by the time and order of their creation. Some were created the first day, some the second, and the rest severally in the rest of the six dayes, and they are described by their severall names and natures, as shall appeare hereafter, when they come to be handled distinctly.