The History of the Creation, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
The third dayes worke. Of Water and Earth, distinct elements. Of the names of Earth and Sea. Of Herbes, Plants, and Trees. All earthly things, nothing to God. Wee are Pilgrimes on earth: Vses. God ruleth the most tumultuous creatures: Vse.
ANd God said, Let the waters under the Heaven bee gathered Verse 9.together unto one place, and let the drie land appeare; and it was so, Verse 10. And God called the drie land Earth, and the gathering together of the Waters called hee Seas, and God saw that it was good, Verse 11. And God said, Let the Earth bring forth grasse, herbe yeelding seed; and the fruit tree yeelding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in it selfe upon the Earth; and it was so, Verse 12. And the Earth brought forth grasse, and herbe yeelding seed after his kind, and the tree yeelding fruit, whose seed was in it selfe after his kind; and God saw that it was good, Verse 13. And the evening and the morning, were the third day.
The third dayes worke, is the creation of the Earth and the Seas, and the separating of them one from another in place, and the calling of them by their names; also the creation of the Herbes, Plants, and Trees out of the Earth, all which made up a third dayes worke.
In the 9. verse, wee have the creation of the two grossest and lowest elements, the Water and the Earth, laid downe very briefely, and withall the separation of the Water from the Earth into one place, and the appearance of the earth above the waters.
The first words, (And God said,) shew, that God by his eternall Word the Son, created these inferiour elements, and all thing in them; and still the Son works with the Father in all the works of creation.
These next words, (Let the waters under the heaeen bee gathered together unto one place, and let the drie land appeare) seeme not to speake at all of the creation of the waters or of the earth; but onelyonly of the separation of the waters into one place, and causing the dry land to appeare by it selfe. Some Expositors gather from these words, that the earth, and the waters were created before, and that the earth being made perfectly round in the lowest place, and framed of the heaviest and grossest part of the rude matter, which settled about the center, was all covered with the waters which were made of the purer part of that rude masse, which remained after the creation of the spacious firmament the airie heaven, and the naturall place of the waters was above the earth, betweene it and the aire. I easily beleeve and acknowledge, that the earth, being made of the heaviest part of the rude matter, doth occupie and possesse the lowest place about the middle center of the round World; and that the naturall place of the water which is a purer and lighter element, in which place God first created it, and gave it being, is the place next above the earth compassing it round on every side; and if the element of water were in quantity more then the hollow places of the earth could conteine, it would overflow all the upper face of the earth: or if God should bring the earth into a perfect round globe without risings up of hils, or hollow valleyes; the waters of the Sea would stand in the upper place next above it, between the aire and the earth. For wee see and find by daily experience, that as heavier elements do descend downwards when they are in lighter elements, and doe by naturall motion tend to the lower place; as for example drops of raine-water, being ingendered in the aire, descend downward, and the earth and every part of it, whether a stone, or lump of clay or clod of earth, will sinke downe & move towards the bottom in a lake of standing water, and in a vessell full of water. So also the lighter and thinner elements doe naturally ascend above the heavier, and seeke the higher place, and cannot but by violence bee kept under them, or in the same place with them; for wee see, that sparks and flames of fire being in the aire, will continually ascend upward till they come to the place above it; and if aire be closed up in a bladder, and by some weight held downe in the bottom of a pond or some great vessell of water; if it bee let loose by opening or bursting the bladder, it will presently flie up and make speedy way in bubbles to the top of the waters; and if waters bee either ingendered in the earth under the ground, or, by secret conveyances, bee driven from the Sea into the earth, it will continually spring up till it cometh to the top of the earth; and hence it is, that wee have so many springs of water rising out of the earth. But I cannot beleeve, that the earth and the waters of the Sea were created distinct elements before the third day; because no words in this Historie of the creation, doe, before this day, mention any creation of water and earth as they are elements perfectly formed and distinct one from another. Indeed the rude masse, which was without forme and void, is called Earth, and the Deep, and the Waters, not because it had the forme of these, or was any one of them; but was onelyonly the matter, of which they were made; and because it was like earth, for the grossnesse of it; and like water or a deep quagge or muddy lake, for the instability of it. And although it is said, before that God made the airie heaven, to divide between the waters above in the clouds, and the waters below under the aire in the Sea and the Rivers; yet it doth not follow that these waters were created before, or that then immediatly it did divide betweene them, but that it was made to divide between them afterwards when they were created. Yea itis plaine, that therewas no raine in the aire, nor clouds, nor mists, nor vapours ascending up from the earth, till after the earth was furnished with herbes, plants, and trees, Chap. 2. Verse 5, 6.
Wherefore (omitting to mention divers needlesse questions, and unprofitable opinions raised and held by former writers Of Water and Earth, distinct elements.and expositors of this text) I will in briefe shew what I conceive, and what I gather out of these words.
First, I conceive that these words, And God said, Let waters 1.from under heaven bee gathered together, (for so they run in the originall) doe implie two things: First, that God by his creating word brought the waters and the earth into being, and made them perfect and distinct elements one from another; and the water being the lighter did at the first stand above the earth, and compasse it round, & that is the naturall place of it.
Secondly, that God immediatly after, when the waters had covered the earth almost for the space of a night, and had kept 2.it in darknesse from the sight and light of heaven, then I say, God did bring the earth into that forme and shape which it now hath: in the round globe of it he made hollow valleyes, deeper in one place then another; and hee raised up the hils and mountains so much in height above as those valleyes are deep and hollow below; and the earth being a firme and drie element and standing fast in this fashion; and the waters being of a liquid and flowing substance, and more heavy then the aire, did (for the avoiding of vacuity, which nature abhorreth, and to fill up those hollow places, which otherwise would have remained empty, unlesse the aire could have descended through the water) descend downe from the hils, and through the valleyes of the earth, untill they came into and filled the great hollow valleyes, where the waters of the Sea remaine, and which is the place of the Sea to this day; and so there is as much water in the Sea, as there is drie land appearing above the waters; and the depth of the Sea is equall to the rising of the Earth, and the mountaines above the banks of it, as some learned men have observed. And for proofe hereof wee have the plaine word of God. The word foreign, used in the originall text, signifies gathering together into one hollow place, and Psalme 104. 5, 6, 7, 8. David speaking of the first foundation of the earth, saith, that God covered it with the deep as with a garment, and the waters stood above the hils: at his rebuke they fled, at his thundering voice they hasted away: the hils did rise up to their height, and the waters went downe the vallies, unto the place which God founded for them; and there hee set them a bound which they cannot passe, nor returne to cover the Earth. And the earth was first under the water; and after by Gods making of the great hollow vallies, and raising up the earth and drie land, caused it to stand out of the water, and so to appeare above the water as if it did stand in the water, and were founded upon the Sea, and established upon the flouds, the words of Saint Peter shew, 2 Pet. 3. 5. compared with this text, and the words of David, Psalme 24. 2. Thus much for the opening of the first words, wherein the creation and situation of the earth and the waters are laid downe in the 9. Verse.
The next thing is the naming of the waters and the drie Of the name of the Earth.land. It is said, that God called the drie land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called he the Seas, and God saw that it was good, Verse 10. The names, which God gave to the things here created, are full of wisedome; the drie land now appearing firme above the waters God called foreign, Eretz, of which our English name Earth is derived, and hath the sound of it. In the Hebrew, the word may bee derived of the verb foreign, which signifieth running speedily, or running a race; and foreign, which is a negative particle & signifieth not; for the earth is made to stand firme and neither to move from the naturall place of it, nor to run about in the place. The common opinion of the best learned is, that God called the earth foreign, of foreign, which signifieth where, being an adverb of place, and foreign, which signifieth running, because the heaven and the aire move and run round about it; and because it stands firme and is a sure footing for men and other creatures to run upon, and neither sinke, as in waters; nor fall and stick fast, as in waterish bogges, myres, and quicksands; to which I may adde another and more divine reason, to wit, because God made the earth and drie land, that man and other creatures, which are made for mans use might live and move upon it, and that it might bee the place wherein man should run his race towards heaven and happinesse; in which hee would not have us to settle our rest, as if wee were to live here for ever, but to run towards the better Countrie, which is above.
The gathering together of the waters, God called foreign, the And of the Sea. 1.Seas. First this name is of the plurall number; because, though there is but one maine ocean Sea, through which men may saile to all parts of the Earth; yet there are many inlets, creeks, corners, gulfes, and breakings in, between severall Countries of the earth; as the mediterranean Sea, the red Sea, the Persian Gulfe, the Gulfe of Venice, the black Sea, the south Sea, and divers others. Secondly, this word is derived either of 2.foreign, which signifies to rage and to make a noise and tumult, or of foreign, which signifies to shake, and to cast downe and lay prostrate all things before it. And indeed wee finde by experience, that the waters of the Sea, being gathered together, and detained in the hollow place of the earth, doe, partly by a naturall disposition and inclination to ascend to their naturall place above the earth, and partly by windes and tempests lying violently upon them, rage, roare, swell, and make the mountaines as it were to shake with their rage and noyse. And when they breake through their bankes into the drieland (as sometimes it happens) they beare downe all before them; as the flood in Noah's dayes did over-run, and destroyed the earth, when God brake up the fountaines of the great deep.
But howsoever the earth is made to bee a place of running, and of toile, and travell, and the gathering together of the waters into the Seas makes a great noyse and tumult, and rageth terribly: yet God saw that this his worke was good; and that both the Earth and the Sea should bee of great use and profit to man both for necessaries of life, and also for magnifying of Gods dreadfull power, wisedome and goodnesse in mans eyes, and therefore Moses here saith, God saw that it was good.
Another maine thing followeth in this third dayes worke, Of herbes, plants, and trees.that is, the creation of grasse, herbes, plants, and trees: Where note onelyonly these two things: First, what were these things created. Secondly, how they were created and brought into being.
The first is grasse, or greene herbe, foreign, which is that which of it selfe springs up without setting, or sowing. The second foreign, herbe, bearing seed, that is, all herbes which are set or sowne, and increase by mans industry. The third foreign, that is, trees and plants, which are of a woodie substance, which beare fruit and have their seed, which turns to fruit in themselves; they are not multiplied onelyonly by sowing of seed, but live all the year, and many yeares without sowing, and multiply by rootes, slips, graffes, and the like. These were the things, which God is here said, by his creating Word and power, to bring out of the earth, every one perfect in their kind.
Secondly, for the manner of creating them; they were not created immediatly of nothing, nor of any other element besides the earth, and then put into the earth there to grow: But God by his powerfull Word, without any help of mans tillage, Raine, or Sun, did make them immediatly out of the earth, and every one perfect in their kind; grasse and heroes with flowers and seeds; and trees with large bodies, branches, leaves, and fruits, growing up suddenly, as it were in a moment, by Gods Word and power. And thus much I gather not onelyonly from the words of the text, which run thus, God said; Let the Earth bring forth grasse, herbes, and trees: but also from the words, Chap. 2. 5, 6. where it is said, that God formed every plant when yet it was not in the Earth; and every herb, when as yet it grew not up; that is, before they had any seed, or roote hidden or sowne in the earth from whence they might spring and grow up; and also without help of raine or dew, or any culture or tillage.
Now all these things being thus formed by the word of God, were approved by God for good and perfect in their kind. And so the evening, that is, the time of darknesse over the earth (while the waters covered it, and before the drie land appeared above the waters, which was about twelve houres, a nights space) and the morning (that is, the time of light after the drie land appeared, and the light of the firie heavens shined upon it through the aire, which as yet was most pure and cleare without clouds, mists or vapours, which time of light was other twelve houres) made up a third day.
Thus we see, that in the three first daies before the creation of the Sun, Moon, and Starres, the night was a time of darknes, and the day a time of light in all that part of the World where night and day are said to have been, and in respect of which part of the World they are called evening, and morning; as for example, After that the light, the firie heavens were created, and made out of the rude masse, full of darknesse, there was no more night or darknesse but all light in the heavens ever since (for they are a day and light to themselves) and that which is night and day, with us, is all alike with them, even cleare day light. So likewise after the creation of the light, all was darknesse in the rest of the rude masse which was not yet formed; and the time that it lay in darknesse before the airy heaven was perfectly purified and made, is called the evening or night: but after that the firmament, that is, the spacious element of the aire, was created and brought into perfect being and puritie, it received into it the light of the firie heavens which shined through it, and the time of that shining into the aire is called the morning or day light; and this day light shines still in the highest region of the aire, above the ascent of the clouds; and there is no more night of darknesse in that region, but as cleare light as that of the second and third day; onelyonly in the rest of the rude masse there did remaine darknesse, untill God created out of it at once the two lowest elements, the waters and the earth; and the time while the waters covered the earth; and kept the light of heaven from it, is called the evening or night of the third day; but when the drie land, and the hils and mountaines of the earth were raised up above the waters, and the great vast hollow valley, which is the place of the Sea and receptacle of the waters, was made in it, then the light of the heavens did shine through the aire unto the upper face of the earth and of the waters, and so continued untill the herbes, plants, and trees were made: no clouds, or mists, or vapours made the lower region of the aire darke; and this was the time of morning or day light on earth the third day. Thus much for the opening of the third dayes work of creation, and how the times of light and darknesse, that is the evening and morning, did make up the third day.
From this dayes work, and from the things created, and the manner of creation, divers things may bee observed for our instruction.
First, wee see that the two lowest elements, Earth and Sea, Doctr. 1.though they appeare to bee great and huge vast things, yet to All earthly things nothing to God.God, working by his eternall Word, the making and separating of them was but a peece of a dayes work, and all the grasse, herbes, plants, and trees, which are innumerable and full of all admirable variety, they were but another peece of a dayes worke; they were not onelyonly made and brought into being, but also to their perfect growth, full of flowers, seed and fruite in a little time, as it were in a moment: Hence we may learne, that all this World here below, wherein the sonnes of men live together, with all creatures which se…ve for their use; it is as nothing in the hand of God, and of small moment. All the herbes, plants, and trees, which Solomon with all his wisedome could scarcely come to know, were with the Earth, Sea, and all Waters, made perfect in one day. This is that which the Lord proclaimes by the Prophet, Isa. 40. 15, 17. where it is said, that all nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance before him; All nations are before him as nothing, and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity.
Which Doctrine serves to admonish us to despise all earthly Vse.riches and possessions in comparison of God, who is the portion of the godly and faithfull; also it serves to confound and put to shame all proud carnall worldlings, who glory and boast in a little nothing; and to make glad, and fill with joy Gods people, who have a true right and interest in God by their spirituall union and communion, which they have with Christ by one Spirit, even the holy Ghost, dwelling in him as the head, and in them as members of the same mysticall body.
Secondly, from the name of the earth, we learne, that this Doctr. 2. Wee strangers here, & in a pilgrimage.World is a race and pilgrimage, and a place of travell, and warfare, and here is not the rest of man, neither is here his abiding place. This the Scriptures proclaime every where. Iacob the Father of Israel, who had the land of Canaan promised to him and his seed for an inheritance for ever; hee counted his life as a pilgrimage on earth, and saith in his old age, Few and evill have my dayes been, Gen. 47. 9. And David saith, Psalme 119. 19. I am a stranger upon earth, and Psalme 39. 12. I am a stranger and sojourner with thee, as all my Fathers were. Iob calls mans life a few dayes and full of trouble, which fleet as a shadow, and continueth not, Iob 14. 1, 2. Saint Paul cals it a restelesse race, like that of men who runne for a prize, 1 Cor. 9. 24. 26. and Heb. 12. 1. Wee are here like Noah's dove, which being sent out of the Arke found no rest for the soale of her foote till shee returned thither againe. Here wee have no continuing Citie, Hebr. 13 14. neither is here our rest, Mich. 2. 10. till our Soules returne to God who gave them wee shall alwayes be in a pilgrimage and never find quiet rest.
This Doctrine is of good use to keep and restraine us from Vse 1.dreaming of setled rest here on earth, and from seeking to build our nests sure in the tops of earthly rocks for many generations, and to stirre us up to put on resolution and courage to labour, and travell, and strive, and run as men doe in a race, and for masteries, while wee live on earth: For our life is short and fleeth away as a shadow, and the art and divine skill of gaining heaven, and getting the Crowne of glory, doth require much studie, sweating, toile, and industrie; and wee cannot attaine to it, but by hearing, reading, studying, and meditating in Gods Word day and night.
Secondly, it discovers worldlings to bee dreaming and doating fooles, who put trust and confidence in things of this Vse 2.World, and build great houses, purchase lands, and large revenues, and think that their houses shall continue for ever: The Prophet justly compareth such men to a dreamer, who being hungrie doth dreame that hee eateth, but when hee awaketh his soule is empty; & in his thirst he dreameth that he is drinking, but when he awaketh hee is faint, and his soule hath appetite, Isa. 29. 8. This is the case of foolish and brutish worldings, who see how the forme and fashion of the World passeth away, and yet seeing will not see; but still dreame of setled rest and dwelling on earth.
Thirdly, though the Seas are such as the name signifieth which God gave to them, that is, troubelous and tumultuous, and doe Doctr. 3. God ruleth the most tumultuous creatures.dreadfully rage and roar; yet seeing, God is above them as their Lord and Creatour, and when hee made them such saw that they were good and usefull and profitable for man, this teacheth, that God ruleth over the most tumultuous creatures of the World, and maketh the most outrageous roarers work for the good of his people. First, hee makes them serve to shew the 1.power, dread and terrour of him their creatour, that all may feare and stand in awe of him: for if the creatures be so dreadfull and terrible, much more God the Creatour, who gave them their being. And as God makes them worke feare, so also admiration in men; so David sheweth, Psalme 46. and Psalme 107. 24. Secondly, hee makes them worke for the good of his people, and 2.for the safety of his Church; by destroying and devouring their wicked enemies, persecutors, and oppressors; as wee see in the red Sea drowning Pharaoh and his host; and as wee have seene in the year 88. when the Sea, wind and stromes scattered and devoured the Armado of our bloudy enemies, who came enraged with furie, and furnished with all weapons of cruelty, and instruments of death, to destroy our Land and the Church of God in it.
The consideration whereof serves to make us east our selves Vse.upon God in all times of trouble, and to comfort our selves in him, knowing that as hee is the Lord mighty above all, and a terrour to the most terrible, and hath in his hand power to save us from all troubles: so hee is gracious and willing to save us; And though hee sometimes suffers the swelling waves to rise, and the tempestuous stormes and Seas to threaten, and put us in feare and danger, yet it is not in wrath but in wisedome, because for the present hee sees them to bee good for us.