THE Earth has —֔— —֖— by R. 1. M. 1. Silluk the Sentence and the Verse doth end; From which we may discover the Error of Grotius in his Com­ment on this Verse, who renders it thus, When first God created the Heaven and the Earth, the Earth was without form, &c. P. Simeon adds thus, Or be­fore God created the Heaven and the Earth: These, says he, are two Literal, proper and Grammati­cal Senses, preferable to the Vulgar.

The end of this is to find a Pretence for the Pagan Doctrine of Eternal Matter in Divine Re­velation; all the later Philosophers among the Gentiles, Rom. 1. growing vain in their imaginations, Dem. Epicurus Ar. &c. did maintain and defend Prae-existent Matter. Many Mungrel and Nomi­nal Christians, Manichees, Marcionites, &c. and some later, and of better Note, as Prae-Ada­mites and others, viz. Smalcius, Vorstius, &c. Be­sides many Rabbins held this Doctrine. But one Argument stops their Mouth, We are not to be wise above what is written How shall we believe without Testimony? Heb. 11.2, 3. The Doct­rine of Creation belongs to our Faith, not our Science.

Late Criticks have made Artificial Foundations for many such Notions; and these Two, That they might give ease to Omnipotence, and find work for their high Towring Fancies, have digged in this Text for one to this Doctrine, which they strongly prop up from Heb. 11.3. Things that are, were made out of things which did not appear. But both Fathers and Sons in Divinity answer, The Chaos appeared not for want of Light and Nothing, much less for want of Entity, therefore this will not support it. The Orthodox further oppose to this Doctrine, besides the Arguments from Reason,

1. That the Hebrew Language has no other Word to signifie a making of nothing.

2. That Paul desines Creation by a Word that imports no less, Rom. 4.17. A calling things that are not as though they were.

3. [...]the Literal Particle is affixed to Beginning, In the beginning; not to create, when or before God created.

4. Parallel Places propose the Creation of Hea­ven and Earth in positive Assertions, Gen. 2.1. John 1.3. Psal. 102.25. not in relative Proposi­tions.

5. Prov. 8.24. Before ever the Earth was, when there was no deep. 1st. I infer, The Deep or Chaos had Wisdom Personal, set up, brought forth before it, therefore not from Eternity. 2dly. The Earth and Chaos are contemporary Twins.

But now further, in the Sixth Place, by the Rules of Interpretation, used both by Jews and Samari­tans, especially the Scribes, Ezra 4.7, 8. whose Chancellor or President is called Baghal Taghim, or Master of the Taghmical Art, Silluk suffers not the Proposition in the v. 1. to bear any such relative respect, he is an absolute Lord, and makes an absolute stop from the Sense, Vide Ar. Tagh. lib. 2. §. 1. Where this is at large prov'd and explain'd, and therefore their Interpretation and Opinion too are repugnant to the Literal Sense of the Text.

[...]comes not from [...] to run, or [...] to prance, but from [...] to humble, much in use in the Arabick; and has its Tendons fix'd still in Sacred Writ, Jer. 49.19. & 50.44. I will depress or humble him from her. So. Psal. 68.31. Aethiopia shall humble or submit her hands, and by an usual Change, [...], Dan. 2.39. & 6.24. Observe that there are many false non inventus's asserted of the Bible. And 2dly, That no Concordance nor Lexicon are yet com­pleat; for none of them have this Root [...], to make low, tho so plain in Jeremiah.

In the Second Place comes —֥—, under Veaeth, the Mark of an Accusative after an Active Verb, by R. 2. M. 1. and Tab. 1. it is Silluk's Minister, and signifies a close Ʋnion, and indeed it is so close here, that it signifies nothing out of Ʋnion, and therefore has usually —, the most conjunctive of all Points, and is of great use to distinguish be­tween aeth the Mark of accusative, and aeth signi­fying from or by, which refutes them who would translate v. 16. with the Stars. And Maimonides who translates it thus, The Heaven with the Earth.

It signifies, says Nachm, the transition of the Person by the Verb Active on the Noun. D. Rim, with others, add, That it denotes the [...] or [...] the substance of the thing, and all that be­longs to its Integrity or Perfection. So that here is signified the Creation of the Heaven and the Earth in their Substance: Hence the Syriac has esse Caeli, & esse Terrae, the very Matter and Essence of the Heaven and Earth, and a Creation of them with their Hosts, Inhabitants and Furniture; and it is the more likely, if Michlot Jophi's Rule be true, That its use is to denote the Patient; hence seldom used when the accusative or patient is suf­ficiently known, which being manifest in this Text, its use is of another import, to wit, to denote the Penetration and Extension of the action on the subject. Which is opposite enough to Gaffa­rillus and Corn. Agrippa, who put [...] for [...] a Sign, for then Creation would extend only to the Furniture or Ornament of the Heavens.

2dly. It supposes the Original corrupted, in Consonants, Vowels and Accents.

Thirdly, —֖— Under Haschamaim appears by R. 3. and T. 1. c. 3. which signifies Earth and Hea­ven, not to be joined together, but separated, as little Members within a Proposition being a little Lord tho [...], and unite them Verbally, yet as to sense the Verb is implicitely repeated in Earth, he created the Heaven, and he created the Earth. So in sense its the Verb that is united or repeated; for the Nouns are as opposite extreams as Heaven and Earth, by which I intend not to play or delude with an Aequivocation; for distance in place, in­fers not distance in sense or construction: But my intent is to shew, that —֖— refutes or opposes the Scholastick Chaos.

The Pagan Philosophers, some at least, are for an Eternal Chaos, or Mass of Matter, out of which God created all things. But some Divines are for a Temporary Chaos, created some time before that initial Week of the reducing this Earth into its present Form and Order.

Now by Heaven and Earth cannot be understood some one undigested and confused Mass; for Tip­cha proposes them as two of the most opposite, distinct and separated Beings of the whole Cre­ation. ³ [Page 8] Heaven and Earth is the first Division of Creatures, and therefore most opposite.

Hence we may learn the Scope of this last Hae­mistich, which is not to assert first the Creation of the Matter of the World, as a rude heap, so Gerard Hackspan, and Prucknerus, think, with others: But to make a Summary Proposal of the General Ob­ject particularly insisted on thorow the Chapter; So Aestius and Seb. Schmid. with others, which is confirmed from what follows.

Hence we may learn, That Heaven and Earth is a Sacred Phrase for Ʋniverse, all things, the whole World, and may be confirm'd from Psal. 124.8. Acts 14.15. and 17.24.

By Heaven then is understood all that is not Earth: But where to place the limits between them is the Question; tho from what follows we may solve it, viz. That Heaven is receptive of va­rious acceptations; but in the Text it is All that that is beyond or above the uttermost border of the Fir­mament, where the fix'd Stars stand plac'd; in other places following, the surface of the Earth, or At­mosphaere, i. e. what is above either.

There is another Question here de casu Nomi­nis, viz. What Number it is, dual or plural, the accent on the penult makes it dual, but the Aethio­pic having the singular Schamai, and the Root Scha­mah affording regularly Nouns of that derivati­on. And 3dly, There being Heaven of Heavens, and Third Heavens, I believe with Hottinger, and Lud de Dieu, that it is plural.

There remains yet one Question more about [...] Emphatick, or [...] Notificative, these Hea­vens, and this Earth. P. Simon blames Tremeliius for translating it thus, but he should first blame Aben [Page 9]Ezra, who so long before him turn'd it thus, and H. G. and Paraeus, and all the Hebrew Grammars; and then he should prove that that is not the use of this [...].

That which we learn from it is the erroneous­ness of them who talk of Pre-Adamites and prae-aeri­zits many Worlds before this; For Moses informs us, That the Heaven and Earth which God created in the beginning, was this very Earth, and these very Heavens of which Moses gave Account.

Fourthly, —֑— atnach under Elohim, is here Rhe­torical or Emphatick by R. R. 2. M. 2. for where the Verse contains but one Proposition, there is no proper place for atnah, whose use is to divide the Verse into the most opposite Propositions; And hence we may know wherein the Emphasis consists, viz. repeating the Verb that is on one side of —֑— on the other also, and shewing it to be taken in the most full and ample Signification So that to fill up Silluks Proposition. [...] bara with sakeph gadol is to be supply'd next to Elohim; In English thus, In the beginning God created: He, I say, really cre­ated these Heavens and this Earth. Hence we have a most strong Confirmation, that the use and signification of the Word Bara, in this place, is to assert a production out of nothing.

Some may think that the Emphasis should be enquired for in Elohim, not in Bara, because —֑— is under it: I Answer, If it were a little Lord or Minister that affects single Terms, so it would. But —֑— stands under Elohim because he is the last Word of the Sentence; for its the whole Sentence he affects, and the Essence of the Sentence lies in the Indicative Verb.

1. [...] Aelohim is not truly deriv'd from [...] strong, for is never changed into *. 2. [...] he [Page 10]mappikatum in Eloah shews [...] to be Radical; nor from [...] strength. Nor 3dly, [...] their strength. Nor 4thly, Primarily from [...] to swear; but from [...] yet in use among the Arabians, to adore or worship, a part whereof swearing is, in which sense the Bible retains the Word. This seems pre­serable to Aben Ezra's Opinion, who thinks it a primitive. In the New Testament [...], the wor­shippable, the Adori is used by Paul in the Epistle to the Thessalonians. 2. In the Old Testament it is the Name God declares himself by as the Ob­ject of Love, Service and Swearing; And the first Command of the Law is 3dly, to have no other Elohim, i. e. to worship none else. 4thly, It is very suitable, for his creating us is the most suitable foundation, and founds a most just Title to all our Worship and Service.

A Second Question is de casu Nominis, How it comes to be in the plural Number? Grotius thinks the singular is to be supplied before it, Eloah Elo­him. But then Bara would bear a third word, tip­cha, not munah, as next to it. Many Papists, Protestants, Lutherans and Calvinists that are well skill'd in Criticism, think a Plurality in the Deity is understood, and such as is consistent with a sin­gular individual Essence, and therefore that the Tri­nity is denoted. And to evade the Objections of Socinians, they form the Argument thus. 1. Eve­ry Word in the Plural Number. 2. Having a Singular Number. 3. Without analogy of Number. 4. The same signification being retained. 5. Car­rying Verb Participle or Adjective to the Plural with it. 6. In the Third Person, as well as First or Second is of a plural signification. But Elohim is, Ergo

Fifthly, Of Bara already, It bears Munah Mi­nister to —֑— by T. 1. R. 2. M. 2. which shews that Elohim is the Nominative to it; and it being in the singular, does denote that whatever plura­lity be in the Deity, there is but one Creator, one God; whatever Multiplicity or Variety there is in formal, objective Considerations to draw forth our Adoration toward him, there is but one un­divided Substance, who was before all Creatures, and by his powerful act gave being to them.

Sixthly, Braesehit bears —֖— which well agrees with the order of T. 1. and R. 3. as also the sense, for being a little Lord, it denotes the distance be­tween single Terms: What makes up the Essence of the Sentence, is united by —֣— a Minister, and if it belong'd to another Sentence it would bear a Major that divides Propositions; therefore —֖— shews that it is an adjunct or circumstance of this Propo­sition, and indeed, tho the variety of significations attributed to this Word, is great, yet all agree in this.

[...]in Braeschit is by Cabbalists counted mysteri­ous, and that two ways; first Numerically, to Ages, Laws or kinds of Divinity. Maghasche Bereschith signifying Natural Religion, and Ma­ghasche Mecchaba, mysterious Divinity. Others think God begins his Book with [...], because that begins [...] blessing; for [...] begins arurah, cursing; but these are Monsters rather than Mysteries.

John in his Gospel, c. 1. v. 1. interprets both [...] and [...] to us turning it [...] in the be­ginning. So the Lxx. so Onkelos, and Jonath. Ben. Ʋziel Bekadmin, and so the Vulgar, and so the most usual Translations. Hence the others fall Hierais. Targum in Wisdom, Tertull. in Power; Procop. in [Page 12]his Empire. 2. In the Foundation. 3. In the Head or Sum. 4. In the Foundation. Philo in Order before all. So R. Bechai and Castalio. Maimonides with Matter. And among all the most authorized, in the Son, which shall be exa­mined afterwards. The Root is [...] the Head, or the Arabick Raasa, to excel, from which we may learn the use of Skill in these Eastern Tongues (tho there is not much in their Translations) for in one Verse (and that the very first) that contains but Five Words, has Four of them deriv'd from the Arabick.

Here yet remains Two Questions, The first is, if Breschith be in Government or not? that is, if the sense be in the beginning of Creation or Time, or in the beginning of all things, or in the begin­ning of God's Ways, Prov. 8.22. or Works. I answer, tho any of these speak the truth of the Case, the Word is not Grammatically in Govern­ment, for then it would have a Minister to signifie something understood, with which it did agree, which it has not. But being put absolutely, sig­nifies the first and chief beginning, before which no­thing was that was capable of a beginning.

The Second Question is, if Breschith be taken here Metaphysically, for the first inconceivable Minute that was measured by Nothings passing into being, that attended the first Jogg of Creative Mo­tion; or if more largely, for all the Time that Creative Power continued Exertions of that kind, viz. 6 Days, according to common Opinion. But Seven, a Week, is the Creative Cycle, and as we shall see from the next instance, wanted not its Work. I am for the latter Opinion; for the first is a Word without an Idea. 2dly, Is contrary to [Page 13]Scriptures vulgar Style, especially in the Works of Nature. 3dly. Beginning is used in this lati­tude through Scripture when applied to the Crea­tion, and opposed to after successive Periods, Pro. 8.22. Christ was possessed in the beginning of God's Ways, therefore the Seventh Day comes within the beginning, See Matth. 19.4, 8. & 24.21. & 25.34. Mark 10 6. & 13.19. 2 Tim. 1.6. Given us in Christ before successive Ages or Periods, Rom. 16.25. 1 Pet. 1.20. Eph. 1.4. 4thly, The Verse being a Sum of the whole, this beginning must stand commensurate with its Subject.

A Third Question is, Which Week of the Year this is, which of the Fifty Two is the Creative Ini­tial Week. R. That Week which was the begin­ning Week of the Year, until as God changed the Sabbath, God appointed another beginning to the Year, when the Israelites came out of Egypt. Nisan our March was then the first Month, but before that September, their Tizri, from that the Sabbatical and Jubile-Year still begins. If it were not the first Week of the first Month, of the first Year, it would not be absolutely the begin­ning, and this was the first Week of September or Tizri, [there is no place for intercalation or comparison here] To this the Jews Paraphrast. Cabbal. Historical agree; to this Nature agrees, every thing having its Seed in its self, and its Fruit ripe; to this the Gospel agrees, Christ being Born in this Month. Thus the Year and Day agree, beginning both from their Evening Season. So the Sun was created in Libra—. The sense of the Verse is thus:

‘In the beginning of all Created Being, Motion, Time or Season, within the compass of the first, [Page 14]Week, probably the first of September. God, the only adorable one, and that on this very bot­tom, Created, made out of meer Nothing, I say, by infinite Power and Skill brought forth, with­out the assistance of any antecedent Matter, these Heavens, and this very Earth. The vast quantity of most extended Spheres.’ The Dia­meter of this Earthly Sphere from one Pole Star to the opposite Point, contains Millions of Leagues. But that is a Point in comparison of the Circumference of the Heavens of Heavens.

Division:] Atnach being here Rhetorically only, the Verse Logically makes but one Pro­position, which consists in these Four Things, Two Essential, Act and Agent; Two Circumstan­tial, Object and Time.

Scope:] The Scope is to assert a Creation, that all the Ʋniverse, all this Weeks Work was the effect of immediate Omnipotence, Some without any matter, the rest out of matter, uncapable by natu­ral Power, this the Emphatick Atnach shews.

I. [...]under Hammajim, as before by R. 2. M. 1. shews that Moses here stops his Account of the [Page 15]Earths Properties and Qualifications, when first made; and that tho Light and Day was a Work of the same First Day, yet it was a distinct, sepa­rate act from the former, and super-added in or­der to its Perfection. Hence you have the neces­sary Original of beginning, the natural Day from the Evening, because the Earth was created in Darkness. And 2dly, The time of the Earth's dura­tion in that dark, confused Chaosical State; it was the ordinary space of a Night, and not as some fancy, from all Eternity, or for many Ages; for this time of Darkness, with a proportioned mea­sure of Light after its Creation, made up but one of the six or seven Natural Days; if this Even­ing was a Thousand Years long, it was a very un­proportioned 7th part of a Week.

II. —֥— under Phnae, Silluk's Minister, R. 2. M. 2. signifies its conjunction and construction with Ma­jim Waters and —mahapakh;— Maccaph. 3dly, signifies yet a more close conjunction between ghal and phnae, R. R. 3. and imports this Brooding Motion never to reach the Center of the Earth; (but the Surface) that has stood solid, unmov'd from the first crea­tive Act, no Earthquake nor Deluge has had force to over-weigh the Ballast of this Vessel we swim through the vast Aereal Ocean in, (and indeed the very Name of calling the whole deep Chaos, Water, imports the dry or solid part to be but as a Vessel or Ship in comparison of the liquid) which shews that to be no proper place for Hell. If Sun, Moon and Stars be habitable, its most like the Devils, Fallen Angels, that left a better Heaven, dwell in these Heavenly Places, they are Princes and Powers of the Air, they are called Stars, may be as Man Adam, or Earth; and if a Third Part, [Page 16]as some think, of the Created Angels fell, there are enough for Peopling all the Stars. Christ in his Triumphal Ascent might descend into these Orbs, and bind Captive Devils, Rev. 12. For since we never read of their appearing with Holy An­gels, as Job 1. in the blessed Regions.

III. —֖— under merahepheth, by R. 3. M. signi­fies the Verb [...] to be neutral, and that tho it convey quickening effects, and an hatching heat to the Waters, by which they were fitted and pre­pared to put on the following Forms of Light, Air, Firmament, &c. Yet it remain'd a distinct thing from that Matter, and more belongs to the Agent than Object; it did not by an active tran­sition pass over, and become its, as the Creative act did. But to prevent our conceivng this Mo­tion to be in God from this neutral Verb, (whose Nature is that the agent be patient also; for in­stance, I run, in this I am both doer and sufferer) merahhepheth mov'd, is distinguish'd from Elohim by —֔— as well as from the face of the earth by —֖— a strong Argument for the Cartesian Notion of con-creating a quantity of Motion with this Cha­os, as Time was. The whole of that Motion now by the signification of this Word rahhap puts on a seminal, prolifick, nourishing form or kind, Deut. 22.11. & Jer. 23.2. not that of a tempe­stuous Storm or Hurrican, for then [...] or [...] would be used. But a nutritive, preserving Mo­tion is understood. Creation was by a violent force, and the whole Mass had revolved into its Origi­nal Nothing, without a constant, preserving pow­er, which is exprest in this prolisick, breeding Expression, confirmed by the Syrian and Arabian [Page 17]Tongue, and the Fable of the [...] the First Laid Egg, whose Nest was the Ʋniverse, its White the Water, and its Yolk the Earth, its Dame the Spirit.

IV. —֔— is upon Elohim, by R. 4. M. 3. and shews silluk's Proposition to be compleated. God the Creator of the Earth is Author and Director of that Motion by which it was put in a posture and readiness for reception of future Form and Or­der. 1. It teacheth us that this Motion is not for­tuitous, left to produce things by Chance, but is under the Conduct of Divine Wisdom. And 2. It makes a considerable distinction between the First Creation that was in a Moment, and the Second that was in Time, each Day having a di­stinct Work; for Motion and Time are insepara­ble, succession, gradual progression is absolutely necessary to both; though it was by the Counsel of the Divine Will how many Days should be spent in it, it was absolutely necessary some should, since it was done by Motion. 3. The after Laws of Motion in natural Production, were not the Rules of the Motion of this Week; these Moti­ons have the Creature for Author, this the Crea­tor actus imperii; the one of Nature, the other of GOD. The Office of —֔— is twofold, to stand at the beginning of silluk's sentence, and at the end of his own: The former I have now done with; the second is very short and follows.

V. —֣— is under ruahh by R. 2. M. 1. the Spirit of God, or the Spirit GOD, as John 4. God is a Spirit. There are more things bears the Name ruahh, but Elohim is added for distinction, it is hard to disprove either, and hard to make choice, the one denotes more the Divine Essence, the other [Page 18]some distinct Principle in that Essence. But the most material, and most agitated Question in this verse is, whether Elohim be taken Metaphorically for exceeding great, and ruahb for Wind; so that the sense should be an exceeding great Wind moved upon the face of the Earth; the Authors are great and numerous, and the pretence is fair, ruahh sig­nifies Wind often, and Elohim is so taken often; Monsieur le Cenn's late Book pleads hard for this.

In Answer, I shall propose only the Cha­racters of distinction that these Points afford when Elohim is thus Metaphorical for exceeding, or the superlative degree, then the Word qualified by it wears a Minor, not a Minister, as here. And First, Observe that the relation and coherence in sense, is much different, and we may see this from the Phrase in Greek, Act 7.20. the English is that Moses was very fair; but the Greek is [...] he was fair to God. The Parallel to which you have Jonah 3.3. Nineve was a City great to God, there is —֙— paschta upon great —֥— sakephs minor, not —֤— as here, sakeps Minister; for sakeph is upon Elohim in both places. So 2 Cor. 10.4. [...], mighty thoro God, or by him; he with others, think the sense is very powerful. A second Ob­servation is, That the Phrase is never used but where it admits of a Literal Exposition, as we see our Translators say a Truth in this, 2 Cor. 10.4. mighty thoro God, and so 11.2. a godly Jealousie, and 8.2. the Grace of God; Great Charity, says he, be­stowed among the Churches. It is true God is in the Genitive in these two places; but not so true, that that is their sense, tho the Rule is true, and therefore the sense of this place would be a Wind created by God, prae-existent to Wind after­wards [Page 19]created, as the Body of Light was to the Sun.

Third Observation which contains the decision of the Case, ruahh would have paschta on it, sa­kephs minor, as Jonah 3.3. for confirmation where­of see Gen. 30.8. with great wrestlings, or the wrest­lings of God; there is indeed Kadma, but Clod's Bible shews a variety of Reading in the Case, and the constant Chain of Points shews a mis-Printing, and that by turning the iron Letter —֙— for —֜— the Points in the Text stand thus —֖— —֧— —֙— —֗— Now compare tebhirs Dominion, T. 1. Col. 11. and its thus —֖— —֧— —֜— —֗— 2dly, Kadmah is only servant to —֜—, and geresh is not here, therefore no place for kadma. 3dly, Two Ministers can never come together, and —֧— is a Minister, therefore —֙— ano­ther Minister cannot come next, and the same Case occurs, Gen. 23.6. Thou art a great Prince among us, 2 Chr. 28.13. has —֜— plainly, the other places are but compounds, Cant. 8.6. Jer. 2.31. or Poetical, with a Rhetorical Point, a Psal. 36.7. & 80.11. So we see the Phrase is to be retain'd, the Spirit of God, not a great Wind, which may be con­firm'd from what doth precede; as 2dly, from o­ther Scriptures, Psal. 33.6. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth. See Job 26.33. & 38.4. Acts 1.6. & 4.24. And 3dly, the Phrase for tho ruahh signifie the Wind, never ruahh Elohim; it were absurd to mention it.

VI. —֑— under tehhom signifies the haemistich of the verse, to terminate in this Word: —֑— is now Grammatical, and his Office by R. 1. M. 2. to di­vide the true middle of Sense, which is an evident index of these Points being a Logical Instrument, [Page 20]as well as Rhetorical and Syntactical; the Preach­er can never mistake in dividing his Text, taking them for Rule.

The sum of the Verse is to Characterize the Earth as first made, before it was brought into a comely and perfect Order. Now the Characters are such as denote imperfection or perfection, and between these on the one side stands —֑—, and on the other side the adversative [ [...]] not to be Translated and but but (but—the Spirit of the Lord, &c. tho it was in such a stupendious, confus'd condi­tion, yet there was a Dam's influence over it that could preserve it from Dissolution, and ripen it un­to Maturity.

VII. The Negative Properties are Three, the last in a Proposition by it self, And darkness was upon the face of the Earth, pointed regularly, as before —֑— —֣— —mahapakh;— —֖— see T. 1. col. 2. R. 1. M. 2. R. 2. M. 1. R. R. 3. M. 1. R. 3. M. 1. a defect with which neither Form nor Inhabitant could consist, and therefore first remov'd in general, in the later part of this day, and more perfectly in the Fourth Day.

VIII. The other two Properties (tho every Co­pulative, whether in Subject or Praedicate, makes two Propositions Logically) make one Gramma­tical Proposition, and one in the Author's inten­tion, which is the scope of the Points (as the Au­thor of Cosri says) and is a considerable help to the Interpreter; for often, formal Propositions, by the Rules of Logick, as in this very Chapter, are but amplifications of the Subject or Praedicate in the Authors intention; the Points in this Pro­position stands thus —֔— —֙ ֨— —֥— —֗—. But if one con­sult the Table 1. Col. 4. Sakeph's Train stands [Page 21]thus, —֔— —֣— —֙— —֤— the reasons of the variation I shall immediately prosecute.

1. Then we see sakeph more visibly than under silluk's dominion, beginning Atnah's Proposition by R. 4. M. 3. which shews that (is or was) is to be supply'd (another use of these Points, little observ'd in our Translation) for a Proposition can­not be without an indicative Verb. and standing in the end of his own by R. 6. M. 1. and this upon vabohu, which B. Var. (the only Interpre­ter I have heard of for this Thousand Years, that used this Key to unlock Scripture-sense, and he out of Raschi) turns well thus, But also void of form, it wanted not only Inhabitants, but it was uncapable to receive them, a privation, want is common to both, Jer. 4.23. Isa. 24.10. and Moses ascends by gradation, want of Men, and want of fitness to receive them.

2. —֙ ֨— Pascha on tohu which is doubled by T. 1. N. 5. because the accent is in the penult, or the Word is milhil, signifies that ( [...]) here is adver­sative, signifying not copulation, but opposition, or that tòhu and bòhu are in distinct Propositions the Word was being repeated, it was without in­habitants, and it was without form; it is probable, that tehom the abyss, and tohu without inhabitant, come from one root, for that mixture with waters, or covering by it, was reason sufficient for it. This Privation or Emptiness was filled up on the Fifth and Sixth Day.

3. —֥— Paschta's, not sakeph's servant is on haje­tha, was, and shews Mr. Bamp. Pansophia to miss this part of Learning, for he translates the Words thus, and the Earth was, and tohu was, and bohu was; Three distinct Globes, Earth, Hell, and the [Page 22]empty Space between them; for Earth is separated from was, and tohu is joined with was as praedi­cate to some subject it is affirm'd of: So that it is a qualification of some subject, and not a distinct subject.

4. —֗— Sakeph's major is on Earth, and imports the whole to be but one Sentence; and 2dly, it im­ports that Earth is by no means Nominative to was, for then the Points would be —֔— —֣— —֙ ֨— —֤—, But rebhia a major, makes a great distinction, and shews that Earth is propos'd as the Subject of the whole future Discourse to this effect: Para:] ‘But as to the Earth; Beside this Earth God created many Heavens, Coelestial Spheres of vast Number and Variety; Many Mansions, of whose Nature or Form we are neither capable to know or speak, except we be transported thi­ther, and tho we were, would not be capable of instructing any body of this Globe, the Words Paul heard were unutterable as to any such pur­pose, for had he call'd things by the Names he heard, it had been an unknown Tongue. If by our Names, our Thoughts had risen no higher than the accustomed Earthly Idea that Word is a sign of. We call the Places Heaven or High, and the Natives Angels or Messengers, let the Species be what it will. Now says Moses, though this Kingdom of Heaven some one may be Mat. 25.34. is prepar'd for you, and tho I assure you God made them all out of nothing; Yet I will not undertake to describe these Places, or how they were made: But as to our own Country, this lowest place, the Earth, know that when it was first created, it was without Man, without any living Creature: Job brings in the Angels shining like [Page 23]Morning-Stars, and singing like the early Larks, even shouting (from the first Moment of the be­ginning) Halelujahs to that great Adori, the Cre­ator; but however the Heavens were replenished, this little Farm was neither stock'd nor tenanted; And void of that due Order and Form that was ne­cessary to afford Man or Beast a comfortable Ha­bitation; the Materials of this House were provi­ded, but lying in heaps, the Walls not built, nor the Wells digged, the Canopy not spread over the Tent, nor the Partitions set up; the very Floors were not laid, nor Drainers cut: Hence all was a Deep, an Abyss, a Lake of Water, with­out a bottom. And darkness was upon the face of this deep; Neither Sun to shine and rule by Day, nor Moon by Night, not the Sparkle of one Star; Never was there a Night so dark as what belong'd to the First Day: Here was neither the Light of the Candle, nor the flame or glow of Fire to supply this defect; the faint and pale light of the Glow-Worm had been here a Con­solation; the Egyptian darkness that could be felt was preferable to this.’

‘But the Spirit of God did brood upon the face of the Waters; tho it wanted all these, it was put under a tendency toward them, a quantity of Mo­tion was created capable of all Varieties, and able to put the World into the most compleat Perfe­ction, being directed by that Imperial Word of GOD, and these Directions exerted by that im­mediate quickening and influencing Spirit of GOD.’

Hence we learn, That all this Discourse of Mo­ses, and all these Objects spoken of in this Chapter, Heavens, Sun, Moon and Stars, all belong to this [Page 24]Earth, and all come within Moses's proposed sub­ject Earth, in opposition to Heavens; all brought out of this Water by the Spirits hatching Motion. This Earth has its Heavens and Earth, its aboves and belows; but the Heavens that were made the First Day, are no where in our Bible Characteriz'd, they are left for our study when we come to dwell in their Mansions.

Scope:] Rhetorical —֗—rebkia shews that the scope of this Verse is to describe the Earth by its Characters after the first creative Act.

Division:] Grammatical —֑— Atnach shews the first Division of the Verse is at deep; the first Haemistich containing the negative Characters, the second the positive. —֔—sakeph subdivides the first into two relative Propositions, the first whereof is complex of two pro­perties as to the Earth; it was first without Inha­bitant: Secondly, without capacity to receive them. The second is simple, darkness was upon the face of the deep, in which state it was not capable to produce one Plant or Herb, therefore that defect was first supply'd by Creation of Light. The second Haemi­stich contains but one Proposition, viz. an assertion of the preserving and Nursing Care of Divine Provi­dence. To withstand the wasting and wearing of Creature Nature, there was need of the Breasts of All-sufficiency to maintain what Omnipotence had produc'd. It is therefore only sub-divided into Three single Terms, the Agent by —֔— the Spirit of the Lord, the action by — ֖— an hatching or brooding motion; the object by the same, the Waters, the Deep or Earth.