Christian Religion and of the Nature and Uses of Created Beings I charge not darkness and obscurity doubtfulness or doubleness upon other Scriptures But these two parts I have now more particularly in my eye and all the rest of the whole Word of God is more or less one way or other a Commentary and Annotations an Interpretation and Explication of these which have a common and familiar understanding such as those who have the due exercise of their right Reason and of spiritual Senses may as soon as they hear conceive what it meaneth The Scripture-History of Created Beings hath its Intrinsecal-self truthfulness in it self and its Extrinsâ—â—â—l-self evidence unto others which is best manifest by the holy Spirits clear shining upon the naked simplicity of the Original Text in a savingly inlightned-heart The Wisdom of Adam was and the Wisdom of Adam's sons would be that which made his would still make their faces to shine to know well the interpretation of a Word the Exposition the Phrase of a Word the Solution the Declaration the Explication of it The Original Text of Holy Writ in its literal significancy must under the Holy Spirit who indited it and under Christ and his Father he speaking it from the Father be the judging Rule of approving or condemning of mens Explications of it and Paraphrases upon it and Illustrations concerning it and of their several Systems and Models of the Created World answerable to those Explications Paraphrases and Illustrations as they are found either agreeing with or disagreeing from that Created Beings must be so conceived expressed and modelled as to be an exact counterpart in all things measured exactly to this Scripture-History of them Scriptural Words and Names by which the several Created Beings are rightly called in Jehovah's Word are the most perfect and proper Definitions of any particular thing in its most specifical difference from any other Creature The only true Essence and specifical Being and particular entity of any Creature is the only true specifical and particular difference of that Creature and doth give a perfect Definition and when the Word is opened a proper description of it Though it were the speaking of the same thing as the same thing identically Thus if it be asked what is the Earth The answer were pertinent and full to say it is Aeretz in its real Being in the same sense that the Scripture doth call it so and for which it hath given it that Name The like may be affirmed of other Creatures for every Created Being had a distinct make and a different Existence When we would describe a Creature by some its properties as to say The Earth is dry Jabeshah this relates to another Matter the best Definitions and the most significant of Essences are those peculiar Words and proper Names which are given to particular Created Beings in the Scriptures of Truth Till we are more brought off from Philosophical darknings and obscurings of things into Scripture Light and into its way of knowing the true Nature of Created Beings there will still be captiousness and contentioâ—sness about such puzling Terms of Humane Inventing as would hold mens understandings in continued ignorance Every converted Being is best convertible into it self and is rightest known by its own Identicalness Where Creatures do differ their Names do differ also It would much forward the sound knowledge of the real Truths in those Matters if extra-Scriptural Philosophical Terms were altogether laid aside and the Expressions were such as we find in the Word of Christ For the words of mens coyning are mistaken Terms of Humane Art and do mislead into Error and will still keep up endless contendings Whereas the Words and Names by which Scriptures do call things do make us to apprehend Created Beings rightly in our Minds according as the things themselves are in their own Nature This Journal this Diary of the first Week of the Created World is a plain Narrative containing a clear History of the matter of Fact which things done are identically declared and described by the most apt significant expressions It is a most faithful punctual Record So that it is no other no less than to give Aelohim the adored Almighties the lye to his faces to deny either the plain Truth of the Fact or the proper significancies of the expressions The God of Infallible Veracity doth not in any part of this Narration intend any thing by any expression either of falsity concerning things or of deception to persons Private Opinionists can never evade or elude the unerring Authority of the Exact Expressiveness of the Original Language in this Scripture He that would be satisfied concerning the foundation of credibility about the Creation must resort to the plain and simple sense of this Text according to teh Subject-matter thereof and the Context of this and the Collation of other Scriptures They very explication of Scriture Terms doth present the Truth of Created Beings in their own naked simplicity carrying by the Aspect and Eradiation thereof a clear evidence of the Nature of the things themselves This History is the Scripture Naturals and the Christian Physicks Even young Children that are of quick apprehensions are capable of taking in of this kind of Learning with great delight so far at least as it is demonstrate to their senses and as for the rest their senses may be directed towards the several places of the invisible World As to point out to them the several Works of the Creation on the several distinct days and with the finger to shew them which is the Expanse What are the Heavenly Luminaries the Fowls of the Air the Earth the Waters the Seas the Light the Darkness the Beasts the Fishes the Worms Man and so of the rest And what is the positure of the Creation Those Hebrews therefore are under a great mistake and do hinder much of the knowledge of Jehovah Aelohim in this Word and Works in forbidding any to read four parts of Scripture till they are thirty years of age the age of the Sacerdotal Ministry The beginning of Genesis is one of those places where the Creation of the World is described Whereas the eye of young ones would tell them the Creators Works are a visible legible Commentary upon his Word The second place is the Song of Songs Whereas this also doth set out spiritual things by sensible similitudes and doth describe much of Created Beings in an affectionate way between the dearest Lovers Christ and his Churches Christ and the Believers Fellow-believers and Sister Churches with each other And this Scripture is therefore adapted to the understanding of young ones who may the better be taught what to believe by what they see and their own eyes and other senses may instruct their Souls and their Understandings and Affections may be mutua Helps and Guides to each other The third place is the beginning of Ezekiels Prophecy where the Majesty of the LORD is described the beauty of
himself hath declared this in the second Psalm That he has anointed his King upon Zion the Mountain of his Holiness doth and will tell the Decree Jehovah said to me Thou my Son I this day begat thee Ask of me I will give the heathens thine inheritance and the ends of the earth thy firm hereditary possession Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron as the vessel of a potter thou shalt scatter them in pieces Of this Jesus doth Peter understand this Psalm and from hence doth the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews prove Christ's Call to his Office of Priesthood This Christ was the first anointed with the Spirit and with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows in the forty and fifth Psalm This Name Mashiach or Messias as applyed to this Son of God was well known in Israel as appears by Andrews acknowledging him to be so to his Brother Simon and by the Testimony of the Woman of Samaria who confessed this Name And hence it is that those Disciples of his who believe on his Name have this Honour from him to be called Christans both in the Old and New Testament He charged other men not to touch his Christians his Christs his Anointed Ones in the one hundred and fifth Psalm those who were thus consecrated to him and set apart to high and honourable Offices and Imployments under him by the Anointing of his Spirit which they had from him that is holy as writes John in his first Epistle Which Name was revived and received at Antioch where the Name was renewed in the Apostles times and they were again called Christians For there are the Fellows of Christ being taken into Consortship and Partnership with him in the Anointing whereby they are also made Kings and Priests as John speaks in the Revelation There oyly pourings out of the Spirits were in a fulness upon Christ not in lesser measures Jehovah possessed me saith Christ in the Book of Proverbs in the beginning of his way before his Works before them before the World was I Anointed before the beginning before the first things of the Earth when yet there was no deeps was I brought forth when there was non Fountains heavy with Water when yet Mountains were not fastned before the Hills was I brought forth yet he had not made the Earth nor Streets no not the beginning nor dust of the inhabited World When he fitted the Heavens there was I when he appointed the Circuit upon the Faces of the deep when he fortified the Clouds above when he strengthened the Fountains of the deep when he laid his Decree upon the Sea that the Waters should not pass the commandment of his mouth when he appointed the Foundation of the Earth Thus speaks the Father by the Prophet Isaiah concerning his Son Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect my Soul delighteth I have given my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgement upon the Nations The LORD Christ was warrantably lawfully called to this Office God the father sealed him thereunto As Christ speaks of himself in what John doth write of him and elsewhere in his Prophet Isaiah The Spirit of the LORD Jehovah is upon me therefore Jehovah hath Anointed me to preach No man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ did not take this Honour to himself to become an high Priest but he that spake unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee gave it him As also in another place he saith Thou art a Priest for ever upon my word O Malchi-tzedek Hence it is that Christ is called by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle and high Priest of our profession and by Malachi The Angel of the Covenant So that Christ had a Testimony from his Father for his being appointed unto this Office not often after he had taken Flesh of the Virgin Mary when a Voice came from Heaven saying This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and when the holy Spirit descended as a Dove out of Heaven and abode remaining on him but long before under the Old Testament Dispensation And before that also even before the World was he the anointed This LORD Jesus Christ was Administrator under both Testament Dispensations of Grace He chief in Office and all others that were lawfully called and rightfully sent forth were such as did minister and serve under and for him He was the LORD God of the holy Prophets as John calls him in the Revelation and as the Father sent him so did this Christ send his Apostles It was this Christ who so often appeared to Moses as has been shewn Christ was Faithful to his Father who constituted him in Office and who was Heir of his own House In which House he imployed Moses to be his Servant who was also faithful to and under Christ It was the Spirit of Christ who did witness in the Prophets of Old as Peter mentioned in his first Epistle He was the chief one in Sion as Isaiah calleth him who did declare the things that were to come to pass and this is the same Son of God in whom the Father hath spoken to us in the last days Him hath God made LORD and Christ and to him was given Dominion Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Tongues should serve him The Father hath given unto him dignity to execute Judgement he hath given all Judgement to the Son All must obey and stoop at the command of this ever Blessed LORD of Glory who has proclaimed this of himself that all Authoritative Power is given him in Heaven and upon the Earth God hath committed all into his hands He shall reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet This is he that is appointed of God the Judge both of the Living and of the Dead In this was the Love of God manifested towards those whom he chose in Christ and gave to Christ that he hath sent his only begotten Son into the World that they should live by him so loved he the World that he thus gave Christ that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life O how much hath he commended his Love to such He was first in the Love him hath God set up for a Prepitiatory-covering an expiatory reconciliation Thou LORD art worthy to receive the Glory and the Honour and the Power for thou hast created all things and through thy will they are and were created This Jehovah Christ was the Creator of all things as the Father is Creator and as the holy Spirit is Creator They the Creators Jehovah was the Creator of all things This Aelohim was he who gave his Creatures their Being as Moses hath delivered to us the History thereof To this do others bear witness in the Scriptures Praised be Johovah Aelohim that made the
Janus in Welch High Dutch French Porteguez Spanish Italian Latin so also in English January Prince Janus they say had two Faces which saw things past and to come or because superstitious Antiquity did consecrate to him the beginnings of things February the rest Month is named in English in French in Italian in Spanish in Portuguez in Latin either from Frebruum Februa which were Sacrifices or Ceremonies for purging of Souls for in this Month they sacrificed to Spirits or to departed Souls and they did celebrate the Anniversaries or yearly Rites in remembrance of the Dead which Sacrifices and Ceremonies were done to infernal gods for them which be dead such as the Dirges amongst the Papists the Soul Masses or Masses for the Dead Or from purged Juno whose holy Day as they called them had solemn Sacrifices and Plays dedicated to Pan their god who kept as they thoght the Wolves from devouring the Sheep on which day also women were purged by the Priests of Pan who on the Seventh day of their Sacrifices ran up and down the City naked and strook the Hands and Bellies of Women that were with child with a goats Skin hereby to signifie both fruitfulness and easie delivery or of Februus the god of purging by sacrifice to whom Numa dedicated this month or this Februus was Pluto the God of Hell and of Riches to whom they sacrificed in this month which Month the Romans consecrated to the Infernal gods The month of March is so called in British or Welsh in high and low Dutch in French Spanish Portugueze Italian Latin and English from Mars to whom this month was dedicated it being believed that he was the Father of Romulus the Author of the Roman Nation The Planet Mars was held to be the God of battel The month April has its name in British or Welsh in high and low Dutch in French Spanish Portugueze Italian Latin and English from a Greek word which doth set out Venus the Goddess of Love as sprung from the foam and froth of the Sea This month was dedicated to her The month of May borroweth it's denomination in low Dutch in high Dutch in Welsh in Italian in Spanish in Portugueze in French in Latin in English from Maia the Mother of Mercury in this Month they sacrificed to Maia and to Mercury those did so who were Merchants The month of June is so called in French Portugueze Italian Spanish Latin and English from Juno an Heathenish goddess the daughter of Saturn and Ops the Sister and Wife of Jupiter or of Junius Brutus the Author of Romes liberty and made Consul in this month The month of Julia hath its name in French in Italian in Portugueze in Spanish in Latin in English from Julius Caesar because he was born in that month The month of August has its denomination in British in French in Spanish in Portugueze in Italian in Latin in English from Augustus Caesar and for his Honour The Rest of the Months are reckoned by their Number from March inclusively September the Seventh Month from March October the eighth Month November the ninth Month December the tenth Month. Having thus given the Reader some account of the Ethnick names of Days and of Months How can I but bewail that carnal complyance which the most of Christians are guilty of with Heathenish corruptions in this as in many things Why is there such a backwardness especially in those who call themselves of the Reformed Religion to bring names and things to Scripture Language and expressions O how much would it make both for the Peace and Purity of Churches and people of Christ to bring all in this as well as in other Cases and Matters to that Word-will of our God by which we must be all judged in that last great Day The true proper names of the Days of the Week according to Scripture are One or the First when another Day of the same Week is in being the Second the Third the Fourth the Fifth the Sixth the Seventh The several Moons or Months in the Year according to Scripture are thus named The Head-Moon or one or First Moon The Second The Third The Fourth The Fifth The Sixth The Seventh The Eighth The Ninth The Tenth The Eleventh The Twelfth Some of those Months have also some other names in some Scriptures but these are they which are of constant use O who will give that the Time were to come when Christ and his Saints shall be there together where there will be a pure River of the Water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb in the midst of the Street whereof and of either side of which River the Tree of Life will be which will have twelve manner of Fruits and yield her Fruit every Month the Leaves of which Tree will be for the healing of the Nations Pass we now unto an enquiry concerning the created Work of the Second Day Q. Whether all those upper Waters such as Rain Dew Hail Snow and the like between which and the lower Waters comprehended under the name of Seas such as Springs Fountains Rivers Lakes and the like the firm Out-spread or Expanded doth separatingly divide do come down from above this Expanse Or are they caused in the Air by some influencing operativeness of the Heavenly Luminaries upon the moistness and wateriness here below drawing up such vapours from hence as do condense in the cold middle Region of the Air and are there turned into those distilling Drops which come down here below Whether the Air be the proper place where the upper Waters are generated HUmane Sophists will resolve this Question thus Rain is the moisture of the Earth and of the Seas of Watery places drawn up by the heat of the Sun into the middle Region of the Air which being thus condensed into Clouds is afterwards at the will of God dissolved and dropt down again in showers for his glory in making the Earth fruitful for good to the good for the instruction of all men and for relief to other creatures As to that part which is the generating cause Natural Philosophers do call the Sun the Father of the Rain and a late Christian Philosopher doth own it as not improperly so called in his Exposition on Joh. The Water of the Sea and the moisture of the Earth say they being attenuated by the heat of the beams of the Sun do become vapours which being so rarefied and resolved into an aiery substance are by the same heat of the Sun drawn up into a cold middle loft of the Air where being again thickned into Water they melt down into Rain Thus they describe the manner of the Formation and Generation of Rain And it is a common heathenish expression amongst many who name the name of Christ we shall have Rain when the Moon changeth or when the Wind turneth Thus
the North is the highest part of the created World 89 That this Earth is above the Water And that the middle part of this Earth is not the common Centre to which all heavy bodies do naturally descend 89 90 91 Q. Whether that darkness which doth distinguish and separate between the Night and the Day in a large Day be but the want or privation of Light and so mere nothing And which was first the Darkness or the Light 91 to 103 The discoveries here are that Darkness has a Created Being and doth truly subsist 91 92 That Created Light is a mere accident without but that it has an essentiated substance and has a good perfect subsistence of its own distinct from the Sun 92 134 That Darkness and Light do make a natural large Day which doth begin at the Evening Wherein are divers other useful things opened about Evening Darkness Night and Morning Light Day Weeks Months Winter Summer and Years Time Minutes and Hours 92 to 103 Concerning the Created Work of the Second Day Q. Whether all those upper Waters Such as Rain Dew Hail Snow and the like between which and the lower Waters comprehended under the name of Seas such as Springs Fountains Rivers Lakes and the like the out-spread or expanded doth separately divide do come down from above this Expanse Or are they caused in the Air by some influencing operativeness of the Heavenly Luminaries upon the moistness and watriness here below drawing up such vapours from hence as do condeuse in the cold middle Region of the Air and are there turned into those distilling drops which come down here below VVhether the Air be the proper place where the upper VVaters are generated 103 to 106 Here it is evidenced from the Word that the Rain and such other upper Waters is not generated by the Heavenly Luminaries But that it doth come down from above this blew visible Expanse 103 104 105 Concerning the Created Work of the Third Day Q. Whether the exactest fullest Herbal of Herbs Grasâ— Trees and Plants be not treasured up in the Scriptures of Truth opening this great secret of Created Nature best setting out the Doctrine and use of them both for Feeding and for Healing 106 The answer to this doth open much of the Nature Vertues Vses Kinds Places Cherishers Hurters of Herbs with much more of their usefulness for man both for Food and for Medicine It doth stir up Physicians and Cooks to study the Herbal-Art more in a Scripture-way in order to the promoting of bodily health 106 to 113 Of the Fourth Days VVork Q. Whether the Coelestial Phaenomena Of the glorious Luminaries can ever be reduced to any certain satisfactory Art or improved into an advanced restaâ—red Science by vain Philosophy Or must this be attained only by Scripture-discovery in its pursued Light and followed Directions 113 It is here made manifest that vain Philosophy can never teach this it is only learn'd in the Scriptural-School 113 114 115 That the Scriptures do condemn Judiciary Astrology as it is commonly understood and practised to be Groundless Scriptureless Natureless Superstitious Vain and Sinful 115 to 124 That the Sun is not the Centre of the World 124 125 That the Moon is really in its Created Being a great Light 125 That Eclipses of the Sun and Moon have not the proper true causes of them assigned by Philosophers 125 126 That Earth and Seas are not in the Moon Page 126 Of the Fifth Days VVork Q. Whether that part of Natural History which doth concern Fowls Fishes Beasts and Worms can ever be completed into a Natural Art in the way of Ethnick Philosophy Or must we search after it only in the Word of Truth where only it can be advanced and perfected by a due and diligent comparing of their Created Beings in their proper Natures 127 Here is demonstrated that this natural Art is not found in tâ—e way of Ethnick Philosophy and that the Word of Truth alone can advance and perfect this Natural History 127 to 135 That Art rightly discovered is but Nature truly opened 127 That the Mother-tongued-Hebrew should not be sent to Daughter-Languages to learn to speak 128 That there was not a first prae-existent Matter out of which all other Creatures were made 128 129 130 131 That Matter and Motion are not the Essences of things 130 That all and every of the Creatures were immediate distinct Works of Aelohim's Power 128 to 131 That the Creator hath assigned his Creatures to their proper Localities 131 That the World was not from Eternity but had a beginning 131 132 That Time Place and Number are not of the Nature of different things particularly as applyed to worship 131 132 That the LORD in Scripture and Nature has determined the circumstances of worship 132 133 That some Scripture History is also Prophetical and Promissory 134 135 That it is worthy of further inquiry whether Vau be conversive of the Praeterit into the Future or of the Future into the Praeterit 134 135 That Jehovah Aelohim is still putting forth continued acts of preferring and of blessing his Creatures 134 135 That the first Created Light is a Substance truly subsisting in it self and in its Created Nature 134 see also 92 That Beasts and Worms do belong to the Creatien work of the Sixth day And that the gathering in of the lower Waters into the Seas was a part of the Creators Work on the Second Day 134 135 Concerning the Created Work of the Sixth Day Q. Whether Anthropology or the Doctrine of Created Adam or the knowledge of Man or the Science of the Humane Nature be sufficiently taught in the Schools and Lectures of Ethnick Philosophers Or is it only contained in and augmentable and reâ—staurable by the Word of Truth and the holy Spirits teaching of serious inquiries this Art according to those holy Scriptures 136 The discovery here is that Anthropology or the Doctrine of Created Adam or the knowledge of Man or the Science of the Humane Nature is not sufficiently taught by Ethnick Philosophy and the Readers or Writers of it but by the Scriptures of Truth and the holy Spirits instructing in and hy the Scriptures 136 to 158 That man's make is admirable 136 137 That no mere Creature made man but he had his Being distinct from other Creatures immediately by and from Aelohim 136 137 That Man was Created with the Image and Likeness of Aelohim upon him 136 137 That the Female was Created distinct from the Male and but one Female was appointed for one Male in Marriage at the Beginning where is also discovered the sinfulness of Polygamy and of Divorce 138 to 148 That it deserves a further inquiry whether where-ever this Word Adam is found in the Original it should not be rendred Adam when translated into other Languages 148 149 Also whether the fruitful propagating of Mankind by conjugal Generation be not still a Fruit and effect of Aelohim's first Blessing upon Adam and Eve 149
for Christ do bring in and finish their Testimony against all Antichristian and Anti-Scriptural Usurpations not in any tumultuous way of rebellious insurrection but by a patient suffering and quiet bearing All things whatsoever in the matters of Worship are determined by the LORD and mens prudence doth consist in this not in prescribing to their fellow Creatures Time Place and Number but in finding out and in observing what of every one of these the Soveraign only Lawgiver hath decided and stated Those who have a delegated Authority under Christ over others should use and exercise their power to inforce Christ's Laws and Orders and to make constitutions of their own against or beside the Word Every action of rational Creatures especially in the matters of Worship take it in all its circumstances is when done either well or ill done it is either sin or duty these two do decide all O who will give that Superiours would revive the Law of the ten Words as the one and only rule of Faith Worship and Life as to all duties to be performed and as to all sins to be forborn Upon which Law the rest of the Scriptures is the one and the only Lawgivers own Commentary judging of all cases according to this whereby either to approve acquit and justifie what is an holy conformity to it or to reprove and condemn whatsoever is a transgression of it and that the Judicial Laws which are perfectly exact holy just and good might be the Rule of procedure in all Courts of Justice for the distributing of due rewards to the obedient and for the executing of just sentences upon offenders Natural Decency and Scripture Order have determined do and will determine all Cases of Worship for Time Place and Number To open somewhat more yet about the Works of the fifth day contrary to vain deceitful Philosophy The Tunies the Dragons or Whales were not made of fore-being Waters but were created into their own Existences without previous matter out of which to make and form them There was not force nor power in the Waters to bring these Creatures forth which also doth prove that the rest of the like kind had their Existence and being by the immediate creating Word of Aelohim Unto all the creeping living Creatures ought this Word created to be referred which word is absolutely used in this place and is not so restrained to the particular matter of some one of these kinds only The end of applying it here being to set out Aelohim's mighty Power in Creating some of the greatest and wonderfullest living Creatures with his bare Word That fruitfulness which Fishes Fowls Beasts Creeping things which are Heterogeneous in their kinds severally differing one from another in propagating of their kinds in that way in which Aelohim has appointed as also to any other Creatures whose kinds are preserved and multiplyed by Generation and Increase by Propagation and Fâ—tification Fecundity and abundance it is a Blessing his Blessing to his Creatures It should be well and distinctly observed that the Blessing here particularly promised to these Creatures Be ye fruitful c. is a word drawn from the Fruit of Trees mentioned before in the third days Work in this History of the Creation which doth evidence that the fruitfulness of Trees is Aelohim's blessing upon the Trees It is his Benediction that doth give unto his Creatures a Physical or Natural Power of Procreating to it self its like which yet it cannot exert or put forth or cause to attain its end without his Power and Blessing and Faithfulness to whom and to which those especially who are Christians and Believers should ascribe and give all the Honour and Glory not to mere Nature or Natural Causality as some of those have done who would be counted high Rationalists in Ethnick Philosophy It is further observable here that a Prophesie of what shall be hereafter doth sometimes speak in the past time to denote the certainty of fulfilling As these Waters where the crawling tredders with lift-up-creeping feet are placed are said to have movingly brought forth in great abundance to their shaped conditions of distinguished kinds Aelohim's Decree and Purpose in his own Mind and Will and his Promise and Blessing in his Word resolved and covenanted that so it should be Scripture History hath this besides many other Prerogatives over Humane Stories that the Record and Narrative may be before as well as after the matter of Fact From whence I would commend it to the consideration of the learned in the Hebrew and of the skilful in the Scriptures whether that copulative particle which doth signifie and should not every where in the word of Jehovah Aelohim be rendred with its adjoyned future futurely and with its appointed Praeterit preteritly in the Translation leaving the Interpreter Opener and Applyer of the Word to give forth to others what he judgeth to be the true proper genuine meaning of those words in themselves and in construction with other words in the Text and Context and other collated Scriptures There are many exceeding great and precious Promises quite lost to our vulgar Readers and Hearers who as yet do not understand the force and significancy of the Hebrew Language Look we a little into this History of the Creation when the adored Almighties did create the Light it runs thus He will actually say by declared foretelling and express appointing it shall be truly subsisting the Light Aelohim's saying is doing his word is a work his speaking is his acting It doth denote his efficacious Decree concerning his Creatures and the execution of that Decree expressed by speaking of suitable words Thus the appellation of the Names put upon the Creatures by their Creator do note this Decree and Constitution that so they should be called by men Thus also his Benediction of his Creatures is a real Procreation Multiplication of them in their proper kinds It makes it also further conspicuous that his Word of Power and of Promise is that which doth still conserve his Creatures as it did create them This is one great Reason why the Word is one of Christ's Names because the manifestation of his Fathers decreeing and speaking about Creation and Redemption is made out significantly and held forth expresly by Christ When David saith in one place For thy words sake another recordeth his speech For thy servants sake which doth evidently prove that David's meaning was for thy Christ's sake for Christ is both the Word and the servant of Aelohim Now this Scripture doth as many others run in a way of Prophesying foretelling that there should be light in its after-seasons The whole Scripture is therefore called the whole Prophesie of Scripture Jehovah sets himself out as he who forming the Lights It denotes a continuedness of the Act in the successive courses of the Light and this is a way of his fulfilling of that
first Promise of his and believers should enjoy it as a Covenant Mercy when ever our eyes do behold the Light we may see there are more substances and fewer accidents as they name them than Ethnick Philosophers do own What was the first created Light according to their own descriptions Was it not an Entity of Nature Did it not truly subsist Doth not the Scripture affirm this Did it not subsist in it self VVhat substance did this Light naturally flow from or originally subsist in Did it spring from Heaven or from Earth or from VVaters Or from the gulphy space or doleful place The Expanse was not created till the Seventh-day As for the Air neither was that extended expanded or made so diaphanous or created on the one day And as for the Heavenly Luminaries they had not a Being till the fourth day If you imagine it to be inherent in the highest Heavens and transmitted thence why then is not the Light always sent forth to make it continual day What substance was the Light adventitious to in its first being created Was not the specificial Essence thereof in it self What other substance did the Light affect or perfect Was not the Light an actual Entity specifically differing from all other created Beings in the Time and Nature of it This Light is a stated solid substantial Entity always actual since its first Creation without continual sensible variations The Light has corporeal quantity of extension and corporeal Motion in coming and in going What was that pretended lucid Body in which this Light is supposed to be inherent to which to adhere and in which as in a Subject to be It is an essential and substantial Creature in its own Nature and Being which Aelohim gave unto it The Light was not gathered into the Sun not placed in the body of the Sun not affixed unto the Sun not sent into and inserted in it after its Being diffused and shed abroad not bound to any certain body the Light doth cast no shadow because it doth surround Bodies whereas the Sun doth cast shadows because its shining is in direct Beams It is a real thing and not only a notion all and every of the created Beings are truly subsisting Entities This created Light was not Christ though in another sense Christ is called Light For somewhat was created before the Light as the Heavens the Earth the Waters the empty space the doleful place and darkness whereas Christ is the beginning of the Works of Aelohim he was before all created Beings For a close of this fifth days VVork I apprehend the creating of the Beasts and VVorms to appertain to the fifth day for several weighty Reasons agreeing with the VVord All those Creature are here put together Such as have a sensitive Soul and Life So nobly formed a Creatures as Man who was to have the Royal Dominion over these sensitive Creatures and was endued with a Religious Rational Soul and Life he had the honour of a distinct day the sixth day for his Creation apart from other Creatures The cause why it is said twice that Aelohim will foreseeingly look on because good what he created on the fifth day may be this there doth appear some need of such a subdivision because there were two such divers kinds of Creatures made on that day Some in the place of the Waters the other in the place of the red Earth the goodness of both and of each of which doth the more clearly shine forth and is the better understood by this Spiritual Narration of doubling the Testimony There is a special Blessing given to Religious Rational Adam distinct from Bruit Animals Observe well also this further Reason here is a distinct Creature from tame Animals and wild Beasts particularly mentioned the creeping one the Reptil a word which was mentioned before in the Participle concerning the Fishes and therefore this kind of Creature must be created on the same day of the week on which the Fishes its Fellow-creepers were and so also the other mentioned here as the tame Animal and the wild Beast Thus also I judge that the gathering together of the lower Waters from other places with expecting desire into the Seas as its appointed place did belong to the Creation-work of the second day because to every one of the six days of this one week of the Creation this is expresly ascribed that Aelohim will foreseeingly look on because good whereas if this be carried on to the third day then the second day will be left without this approving Testimony from its Creator Further they are much a part of the same subject-matter spoken of in the second days Work which was that these Waters below might have a distinct place from those Waters above by an out-spread partition between them They were both of them Waters This Work about the severing of the Waters was begun upon the second day and there finished on the second day For as a wise good Worker Aelohim reserves the approbation till he had perfected that Work and put it in its proper place so discharged as it were his hands of it as to what concerned the Creation of it though as to its continued preservation it be still in his manutenancy How large and complete an History of the Fishes of Fowls of Beasts and of VVorms might there be composed and compiled for the perfecting of this Art and the polishing of the Science of Sensitive Souliness if all those VVords and Phrases were orderly put together that do treat of this subject matter in the Scriptures of Truth The Sixth Day towards the true Advance of useful Learning doth give us the hint of this profitable Inquiry Q. Whether Anthropology or the Doctrine of Created Adam or knowledge of Man or the Science of the Humane Nature be sufficiently taught in the Schools and Lectures of Ethnick Philosophers Or is it only contained in and augmentable and restaurable by the Word of Truth and the holy Spirits teaching of serious Inquirers this Art according to these Holy Scriptures Answ IT is not by Ethnick Philosophy and the Readers or VVriters of it but by the Scriptures of Truth and the holy Spirits instructing in and by these Man what is this man that the Creator has so crowned him with so signal an Honour Man how noble is his make Man is the Articulate Trumpeter of the Creators Praises the lingual Glory of the VVorld sounding forth the shining excellencies of Jehovah Aelohim in his glorious self in his good VVord and in his great VVorks How useful a Knowledge is this the true Knowledge of our selves VVhat profit would it be to me and to the Reader though we understood all other Mysteries and all other Knowledges if thou and I were ignorant of our selves How Royal Prerogatives hath the LORD dignified Man withal Unto how high a pitch hath he raised the ultim summities of the Humane Nature in all its created Perfections of Spirit of