CHAP. I.
Ver. 1. IN the beginning,] Of the Crea∣tion which God created, Mark 13. 19. and so in the beginning of the world then not eternal, nor the matter of it, but God only eternal. And this beginning most pro∣bably was at the Autumnal, Equinoctial, or Spring, and that for the Ecclesiastical accompt only▪ upon, and because of Gods m••raculous bring∣ing them out of Egypt at that season of the year, from whence Gods people constantly began their year, till the change made to the vernal Equinoctial.
God] Elohim in the plural number, intimating a plu∣rality, not of Gods, Exod. 12. 2. 23. 11, 16. 34. 22. Lev. 25. 9, 10. Deut. 16. 13, &c. but therefore of per∣sons in the Deity. The word Creators, Eccles. 12. 1. hath a singular number, viz. El. Gen. 14. 8. and Eloah, Job. 12. 4. And it signifies Strong, Almighties, powers. Some∣times it is used, but improperly, to signifie false gods, Exod. 20. 3. Angels, and Magistrates among men, Ps. 8. 5. 82. 1, 6.
created] Bara. This word is proper to God, and a word in the singular number: importing the singular unity of the Deity. And that God had no Assistants, Co-adjutors, or subordinate Agents and Instruments in the work of Creation. But the Angels themselves are his Creatures, Col. 1. 16. A God, and He the Creator of the World; are acknowledged in a manner by all Heathen Writers, if not by all men.
the heaven] Or heavens, and the earth,] Heaven and Earth here may be taken as a summary proposition of the whole Creation; as, ch. 2. 1. and, Exod 20, 11. And the rather considering the Hebrew Articles here used, ETH, and HA, as pointing to these now in being. And yet as probably and more, of the common Chaos, and Masse, and Stock of both, as seeming to be included within the work of the first day: and so it will seem to have the best coherence, with the words next following, and the story ensuing of the Creation of the Heavens and Earth, the second and third day.
light day] Strictly and usually so taken; otherwise called an Artificiall day, consisting of about twelve houres, John 119 As the natural day consists of 24. houres. Both there are mentioned, ch. 7. 12, 17.
V. 5. And the evening, &c.] The Evening, which is the beginning of the Night; and the Morning, which is the beginning of the Day, are called the first day; largely taken, the Day natural of 24 houres. And here observe, that as Darknesse was before Light, v 2, 3. so the Even∣ing and Night is made, and reckoned the beginning, and first part of the natural day, or large day of 24. houres. And accordingly the large Day is called an Evening Morning, Dan. 8. 14, 26. And by Paul, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Night-Day, 2 Cor. 11. 25. And as Moses doth here, so God commanded it, and the Jewes observed it, to reckon the beginning of their large Day at the Evening, Lev. 23. 32. From evening to evening you shall celebrate your Sabbath. And so for eating unleavened bread at the Passeover. Exod. 12 18, In the first moneth, on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread untill the twenty one day of the moneth at even. And ye we finde in the dayes of our Saviour, the reckoning altered, that they began their natural and large Day in the Morning, as appeares in the Evangelists, re∣cording the History of our Saviours Resurrection, Mat. 28. 1. Mar. 16. 1, 2, 9. & ch. 15. 42. Luke 24. 1 Joh. 20. 1, 19. Which alteration might haply be occasioned by the accompt of the Romans, and complyance with them, who then had the sovereignty and dominion over them.
Now these two things well observed, may haply serve to assoyle a doubt, and clear a difficulty. The case is this; Our Saviour did eat the Passeover twenty foure houres be∣fore the Jewes did eat it. And this is clear out of the Go∣spels, Matth. 26. 17, 18, 19, 20, 47. Mark 15. 42. Luke 23. 54. Joh 18. 28. and 9. 14, 31, 42. That our Saviour did not anticipate the day by reason of his future Passion; But kept the right day appointed in the Law, we are not to doubt of it; Considering the strictnesse of the Command for the day, Exod. 13. 10. And Christs com∣ing