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THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED

GENESIS.

CHAPTER I.

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CHAP. 1.-B. C. 4004.

a In the beginning was Word was with God,

the Word, and the and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing

God created the heaven John, 1, 1-3 And,

2 And the earth was without form, and void;

and darkness was upon the face of the And the Spirit of God moved upon the of the waters.

e

3 And God said, Let there be light: there was light.

deep. face

and

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the 1 light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light f Day, and the darkness he called Night. 2 And the evening and the morning were the first day.

6 ¶ And God said, " Let there be a 3 firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

h

9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

4

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree

thou Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth;

and the heavens are the works of thine hands.

Hebrews, 1, 10. when I laid the founda

b Where wast thou tions of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Job, 38,

By the word of the

LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm

33, 6. I am the LORD

stretcheth

that maketh all things; spreadeth abroad the

earth by myself. Isa. 44, 24. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible

and invisible, whether dominions, or princi

they be thrones, or palities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: and

he is before all things, consist. Col. 1, 16, 17.

and by him all things Through faith we understand that the

worlds were framed by

the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of

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And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide 5 the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 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 two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God'set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and For of thorns men do God saw that it was good.

known by his own

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even all the host of 20 T And God said, " Let the waters bring LORD thy God hath forth abundantly the moving creature that under thewhole heaven. hath 8 life, and 9 fowl that may fly above the prepared the light and earth in the 10 open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every

Deut. 4, 19. Thou hast

Psalm 74, 16. To him that made great

lights. Psalm 136, 7.

between the night.

6

5 between the day and living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

day.

for the rule of the 10 LORD our Lord, name in all the earth!

how excellent is thy

who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Ps.

8, 1.

22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, m O LORD, how mani- and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and wisdom hast thou made let fowl multiply in the earth.

fold are thy works! in

them all: the earth is full of thy riches; So is

this great and wide sea,

wherein

are

23 And the evening and the morning were the creeping innumerable, things fifth day. taught him? Isaiah, beasts. Psalm 104, 24,

of the LORD, or, being his counsellor, hath

40, 12, 13.

e For he spake, and it was done: he commanded, and it stood fast.

1 between the light

both small and great

25.

7 Or, creeping.
8 soul.

9 let fowl fly.

amen
and between the dark- ment of heaven.

10 face of the firma

ness.

CHAP. I. THE CREATOR.-The Author and Cause of this great work; GOD, the Hebrew word is Elohim, which bespeaks, (1.) The power of God the Creator. El signifies the strong God; and what less than an almighty strength could bring all things out of nothing? (2.) The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This plural name of God, in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many, though he is one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a savour of death unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us a savour of life unto life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, though but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New. The Son of God, the Eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father, was with him when he made the world, Prov. 8, 20; nay, we are often told that the world was made by him, and nothing made without him, John 1, 3, 10; Eph. 3, 9; Col. 1, 16; Heb. 1, 2. Oh what high thoughts should this form, in our minds, of that great God whom we draw nigh to in religious worship, and that great Mediator in whose name we draw nigh!-H.

THE CLOCK OF TIME.—In the beginning, that is, in the beginning of time, when that clock was first set a going: time began with the production of those beings that are measured by time. Before the beginning of time there was none but that Infinite Being that inhabits eternity. Should we ask why God made the world no sooner, we should but darken counsel by words without knowledge: for how could there be sooner or later in eternity? And he did make it in the beginning of time, according to his eternal counsels before all time. The Jewish Rabbins have a saying, that there were seven things which God created before the world, by which they only mean to express the excellency of these things-The Law; Repentance; Paradise; Hell; the throne of Glory; the House of the Sanctuary; and the Name of the Messiah. But to us it is enough to say, In the beginning was the Word, John 1, 1.-H.

THE FIRST MOVER.-The Spirit of God was the first Mover; he moved upon the face of the waters. When we consider the earth without form, and void, methinks

n See Psalm 104, 18-23.

24 ¶ And God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

25 And God made the beast of the earth after

it is like the valley full of dead and dry bones. Can these live? Can this confused mass of matter be formed into a beautiful world? Yes, if a spirit of life from God enter into it, Ezek. 37, 9. Now there is hope concerning this thing; for the Spirit of God begins to work, and if he work, who or what shall hinder? God is said to make the world by his Spirit, Ps. 33, 6; Job 26, 13; and by the same mighty Worker the new creation is effected. He moved upon the face of the deep, as Elijah stretched himself upon the dead child; as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and hovers over them, to warm and cherish them, Matth. 23, 37, as the eagle stirs up her nest, and flutters over her young, (it is the same word that is here used,) Deut. 32, 11. Learn hence, That God is not only the Author of all being, but the Fountain of life, and Spring of motion. Dead matter would be for ever dead, if he did not quicken it. And this makes it credible to us, that God should raise the dead. That power which brought such a world as this, out of confusion, emptiness, and darkness, at the beginning of time, can, at the end of time, bring our vile bodies out of the grave, though it be a land of darkness as darkness itself, and without any order, Job 10, 22, and can make them glorious bodies.-H.

WATERS.-The waters, being separated from the dry ground, which they had hitherto overspread, or been mixed with, were divided into those "under the firmament," which are deposited in the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, brooks, fountains, and subterraneous receptacles; and those "above the firmament," which are suspended in the air, form the clouds, and descend in rains and dews-instead of attempting a further explanation of the terms here used, I would rather call the reader's attention to the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, displayed in this part of creation. In the vast reservoir of the oceans and seas, the waters are treasured up, being, by their saltness and incessant motion, preserved from putridity. These facilitate commerce and friendly intercourse betwixt distant nations, supply immense quantities of wholesome provisions, and are in many ways serviceable to mankind. From them originally, by various modes of con

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28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that 11 moveth upon the earth.

29 ¶ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb 12 bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

to

that

30 And to every beast of the earth, and every fowl of the air, and to every thing creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is 13 I have given every green herb for meat: and it

was so.

life,

31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

CHAPTER II.

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they have sought out 7, 29. And that ye put on the new man, which righteousness and true q Thou madest him to

after God is created in holiness. Ephes, 4, 24.

have dominion over the works of thy hands; under feet. Ps. 8, 6.

thou hast put all tas, es For a man indeed head, forasmuch as he

is the image and glory of God: but the woman

is

1 Corinthians, 11, 7.

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the glory of the man. And did not he make Yet had he the

one?

residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one?

That he might seek take heed to your spirit, erously against the wife

a

godly seed. Therefore and let none deal treach of his youth. Mal. 2, And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made

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them male and female? Matthew, 13, 4. and the fruit of the Psalm 127, 3.

t Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:

womb is his reward.

11 creepeth. 12 seeding seed.

13 a living soul.

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1 The first sabbath. 8 The garden of Eden. 17 The tree of know-and hallowed it. Exod. ledge forbidden. 19 The creatures named. 21 The making of woman, and institution of marriage.

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tween me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the earth, and on seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Ex.

LORD made heaven and

31, 17.

CHAP. 2-B. C. 4004.

e He causeth the grass

and herb for the service

bring forth food out of

Man placed in Eden.

5 And every plant of the field before it was in

to grow for the cattle, the earth, and every herb of the field before of man; that he may it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it the earth. Ps. 104, 14. to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

d Thou visitest the

earth, and waterest it:

thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water:

thou preparest them

corn, when thou hast SO provided for it. Psalm 65, 9.

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Or, a mist which

went up.

3 the dust of, etc. e And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every

where, before the LORD

destroyed Sodom and garden of the LORD,

Gomorrah, even as the

like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto

Thou hast been in

Ezek. 28, 13.

6 But 2 there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

e

8 T And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Zoar. Genesis, 13, 10. 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God tof grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge Of good and evil.

Eden the garden of God. The cedars in the garden of God could

him: the fir

trees were not like his

boughs, and the ches

nut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of

God was like unto him

in his beauty. Ez. 31, 8,

And the LORD God

said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:

and now, lest he put take also of the tree of

forth his hand,

life, and eat, and live for ever. Gen. 3, 22. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her

of the river, was there

fruit every month: and were for the healing of

the leaves of the tree

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10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

12 And the gold of that land is good: there s bdellium and the onyx stone.

13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of 4 Ethiopia.

14 And the name of the third river is Hidthey may have right to dekel: that is it which goeth 5 toward the east may enter in through of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15 And the LORD God took 6 the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

h There is a river, the streams whereof shall

make glad the city of the tabernacles of the

Most High. Ps. 46, 4.

And they [the sons of Ishmael] dwelt from b And he said unto that is before Egypt, the LORD hath said, To-morrow is the rest Assyria: and he died in

them This is that which of the holy sabbath unto the LORD; bake ye will seethe; and that lay up for you to be in Exodus, 16, 21 tin wise, And God did rest

that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that which remaineth over kept until the mornFor he spake in a cerplace of the

seventh day on this the seventh day from all his works. Heb. 4, 4. 1 created to make.

veyance, the whole earth is supplied with water, rendered fresh and fit for use, and communicated in the gentlest method.-S.

FIRMAMENTAL LIGHTS.-Ver. 16, 18. The lights of heaven are, the sun, moon, and stars; and these are all the work of God's hands. 1. The sun is the greatest light of all, one hundred and sixty-six times greater than the earth, and the most glorious and useful of all the lamps of heaven; a noble instance of the Creator's wisdom, power, and goodness, and an invaluable blessing to the creatures of this lower world. Let us learn, from Ps. 19, 1-6, how to give unto God the glory due to his name, as the Maker of the sun. 2. The moon is a lesser light, and yet is here reckoned one of the greater lights, because, though, in regard of its magnitude and borrowed light, it is inferior to many of the stars, yet, by virtue of its office, as ruler of the night, and in respect of its usefulness to the earth, it is more excellent than they. Those are most valuable that are most serviceable; and those are the greater lights, not that have the best gifts, but that humbly and faithfully do the most good with them. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, Matth. 20, 26. 3. He made the stars also; which are here spoken of, as they appear to vulgar eyes, without distinguishing between the planets and the fixed stars, or accounting for their number, nature, place, magnitude, motions, or influences; for the scriptures were written, not to gratify our curiosity, and make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints. Now these lights are said to rule, ver. 16, 18, not that they have a supreme dominion as God has, but they are deputy governors, rulers under him. Here the lesser light, the moon, is said to rule the night; but, Ps. 136, 9, the stars are mentioned as sharers in that government, the moon and stars to rule by night. No more is meant, than that they give light, Jer. 31, 35. The best and most honourable way of ruling, is, by giving light, and doing good: those command respect, that live an useful life, and so shine as lights.-H.

Havilah unto Shur, as thou goest toward the presence of all his brethren. Gen. 25, 18.

4 Cush.

j And in the four and

twentieth day of the

first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel Dan. 10, 4.

5 Or, eastward to Assyria.

6 Or, Adam.

7 eating thou shalt eat.

8 dying thou shalt die.

9 him.

MAN.-GOD'S IMAGE.-Man was not made in the likeness of any creature that went before him, but in the likeness of his Creator; yet still, between God and man there is an infinite distance. Christ only is the express image of God's person, as the Son of his Father, having the same nature. It is only some of God's honour, that is put upon man, who is God's image, only as the shadow in the glass, or the king's impress upon the coin. God's image upon man consists in these three things, 1. In his nature and constitution, not those of his body, (for God has not a body,) but those of his soul. This honour, indeed, God has put upon the body of man, that the Word was made flesh, the Son of God was clothed with a body like unto our's, and will shortly clothe our's with a glory like unto his. 2. In his place and authority. Let us make man in our image, and let them have dominion.

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden 7 thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof 8 thou shalt surely die. 18 ¶ And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the

As he has the government of the inferior creatures, he is, as it were, God's representative, or viceroy, upon earth; they are not capable of fearing and serving God, therefore God has appointed them to fear and serve man. 3. In his purity and rectitude. God's image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, Eph. 4, 24; Col. 3, 10. He was upright, Eccl. 7, 29. He had an habitual conformity of all his natural powers to the whole will of God. Thus holy, thus happy, were our first parents, in having the image of God upon them.-H. CHAP. II. THE FIRST SABBATH.-We have here the commencement of the kingdom of grace, in the sanctification of the sabbath-day, ver. 3. He rested on that day, and took a complacency in his creatures, and then sanctified it, and appointed us, on that day, to rest and take a complacency in the Creator; and his rest is, in the fourth commandment, made a reason for our's, after six days' labour. Observe, 1. That the solemn observation of one day in seven, as a day of holy rest, and holy work, to God's honour, is the indispensable duty of all those to whom God has revealed his holy sabbaths. 2. That the way of sabbathsanctification is the good old way, Jer. 6, 16. Sabbaths are as ancient as the world; and I see no reason to doubt that the sabbath, being now instituted in innocency, was religiously observed by the people of God throughout the patriarchal age. 3. That the sabbath of the Lord is truly honourable, and we have reason to honour it; honour it for the sake of its antiquity, its great Author, the sanctification of the first sabbath by the holy God himself, and, in obedience to him, by our first parents in innocency. 4. That the sabbath-day is a blessed day, for God blessed it; and that which he blesses is blessed indeed. God has put an honour upon it, has appointed us, on that day, to bless him, and has promised, on that day, to meet us and bless us. 5. That the sabbath-day is a holy day, for God has sanctified it. He has separated and distinguished it from the rest of the days of the week, and he has consecrated it, and set it apart to himself and his own service and honour. Though it is commonly taken for granted, that the Christian sabbath we observe, reckoning from the creation, is not the seventh but the first day of the week, yet being a seventh day, and we, in it, celebrating the rest of God the Son, and the finishing the work of our redemption, we may and ought to act faith upon this original institution of the sabbath-day, and to commemorate the work of creation, to the honour of the great Creator, who is therefore worthy to receive, on that day, blessing, and honour, and praise, from all religious assemblies.-H.

ADAM'S HOUSE.-The place appointed for Adam's residence was a garden; not an ivory house, or a palace overlaid with gold, but a garden, furnished and adorned by nature, not by art. What little reason have men to be proud of

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