as alſo for the ſignification of the quality ofrhe Weather or Seaſon
by the manner of their riſing and ſetting, Marth. 16. 2. By their-
Eclipſes, Conjun&tions, &c. And for the diſcovery of ſupernatural
and miraculous effe&s ; of which ſee Jof. 10s 13. 1ſz. 38.8. Luke 21.
25, 26. Affs 2.19,20.m By their Motions and Influences to produce
and diſtinguiſh the four Seaſons of the year, mentioned, 'Ger: $. 22.
And to ſhew a+ well the fit Times and Seaſons for Sowing, Plant-
ing, Reaping,Navigation, &c. as for the Obſervation of ſet and ſo-
lemqg Feaſts, or other times for the ordering of Eccleſiaſtical or Ci-
vil Affairs. » By their diurnal and ſwifr motion to make the,days,
and by their nearer approaches to us, or further diſtances from us,
to make the Days or Nights either longer, or ſhorter, or equal.
He ſpeaks here of natural days confiſting of 24 hours. o By their
annual and flower motion to make years.
I5 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the Heaven, to give'light upon the Earth: and it was ſo.
16 And God made 7 two great Lights *, the greater T Heb. zh; Light p Þ to rulethe day 9, ard the lefſer Light to rule oo BY the night : He made the * Stars alſo. Heb. for
* Or, Enlightners, as the word properly ſignifies. p- The Sun; the ruls of which is really and conſiderably greater than the Moon, or any of the aday,&c the Stars, or the whole Earth. And the Moon, called here 2he.leſir * Job g Light 1s greater than any of the Stars, nor really, bur in appearance 7. al andin clearneſs and light, in reſpe&of which it is called grear in this place, and both are much greater in efficacy and uſe, than any of the Stars. 4 Either, 1. To influence the Earth and its Fruits - with heat or moiſture, and to govern mensattions and affairs, which commonly are tranſa&ed by day : For the word Day is ſometimes put Metonimically for the events of the Day, as Prov. 27. 1, 1 Car; 3-13. Or, 2. To regulate and manage the day, by its riſe to begin it, by irs gradual progreſs to carry it on, even to the mid-day, and by its declination and ſetting, to impair and end it. Which ſeems moſt probable, becauſe the Moon 1s in like manner ſaid zo rule the night, which is meant of the time, andnot of the Aftions or Eyents of the Night. _ : |
17 And God ſet them in the firmamient of the Hea- ven: to givelighe upon the earth:
- 18 And to * ruleover the day, and over the night, * Jer. z x; and to divide the night from the darkneſs : and God 35- ſaw that it 4s good 7. F
r This Clauſe was omitted in the firſt day's Work, but is added here, becauſe the Light was then bur glimmering and imperfe&, which now was made more clear and compleat. -
19 And the Eveningand the Morning were the fourth day.
20 T And God ſaid, Let the waters bring forth a- bundantly + che moving Creature 5 that hath lite, and + T Heb.7he
fowl hat may fly 7 above the Earth, in the open fir- F v-966. 3 mament of Heaven. | Creates, 6
5 Or, Creezing thing. A word which belongs to all thoſe living 1;4;g ſoul. Creatures, » ho move with their Bellies cloſe to the Eliment they + Heb.Lec movcin : Hence it 1 uſed both of Birds which fly in the Air,Lev. che Fowlfy. 11. 20, and of things creeping upon the Earth, as v. 24. of this 4 Heb. Face Chapter, and of Fifhes thatſwim in the Sea, as here. : The Particle of the Fir- that or which 1s oft wanting, and to be underſtood in the Hebrew ;zament 0 Language, as Gen. 39. 4. J0b 41. 1. 1/a. 6.6. according to this [Tran- jeaven. flation the Fowl have their matter from the Water as well as the Fiſhes ; which ſeem moſt probable, as from this, ſoalſo from the following Verſes, in which they are both mentioned together as made of the ſame materials,and as works of the ſame day, and both are bleſſed together, and both are diſtinguiſhed and ſeparated from the produQion of the Earth,which were the works of the ſixth day,
v. 24, &c. And whereas it 1s ſaid; Gen. 2. 19. Out of the ground the
| Lord God formed every beaſt of the field,and every fowl of the Air ; Tt may
be anſwered, That the word Ground or Earth may be there under- ſtood more largely, as itis confeſfedly in ſome other places of Scripture, for the lower part of the World conſiſting of Earth and Water. For it is moſt reaſonable to expound that ſhort and general paſſage from the foregoing Chapter, wherein the original both of Beaſts and Fowls are largely and diſtintly deſcribed. Moreover, the Fowl ſeem to have been made of both theſe Elements, wiz. of ſoft and moiſt Earth, poſſibly taken f:om the bottom of the Water, in which caſe they were brought fofth by the Water, as is ſaid here, and formed out of the ground, as there. As Eve is ſaid to be made of Adam's Bone and Rib, Ger. 2:21. and ofhis Fleſh, wv. ! 23. Which ſhews that with the Rib, Fleſh was taken from Adam, tho itbe not ſaid ſo, v. 21. So here, the Fowl were made both of Water and Earth, as their Temper and Conſtitution ſhews, tho
—
+ but one of them be here expreſſed. But theſe words are by ſome
Tranſlated thus, And let the Fow! fly. But according to that Tran* ' ſlation, the mention of the Fowl, both here and in the following Verſe, ſeems to be very improper and forced. For it is prepoſte- rous and contrary to the method conſtantly uſed in this whole
Chaprer, .
ap, TL.
14 4 4nd God faid, Let there be lights * ; in the *Deur. ,;, _
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Do Chapter , to ſpeak of the motion of any living Creature; and the place thereof, before its original and produttion be mentioned. Beſides either the original of the Fowls is deſcribed here, or it is wholly omitred in-this Chapter, which is nor. credible. | 21 Ar:d God Created « great * Whales x, and eve- "Heb :;. Ty | living Creature that * moveth, which the Waters wing Soul, brought forth abiindantly after their kind, and every * Or,Swim Winged Fowl after his kind y, and God ſaw that r
meth. WAS g00d. Rs ;
u 2, e. Produced out of moſt unfit matter, as if a man ſhould out of a ſtone make Bread, which requires as great 'a power as that which is properly called Creation. * Thoſe vaſt Sea-Moniters known by that Name, thoughelſewhere this word be applyed to great Dragons of the Earth. y In ſuch manner as is declared in the firſt Note upon Verſe 20. ; :
* Chap.z- 22 And God blelled chem =, ſaying, * Be fruitful, i-.&9. 1- and muliply, and fill the Waters in the Seas a, and
let Fowl multiply inthe Earth 6. .