Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/55

Rh 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.

Let us learn hence, (1.) That atheism is folly, and atheists are the greatest fools in nature; for they see there is a world that could not make itself, and yet they will not own there is a God that made it. Doubtless, they are without excuse, but the god of this world has blinded their minds. (2.) That God is sovereign Lord of all, by an incontestible right. If he be the Creator, no doubt, he is the Owner and Possessor, of heaven and earth. (3.) That with God all things are possible, and therefore happy are the people that have him for their God, and whose help and hope stand in his name, Ps. 121.2.—124.8. (4.) That the God we serve, is worthy of, and yet is exalted far above, all blessing and praise, Neh. 9. 5, 6. If he made the world, he needs not our services, nor can be benefited by them, Acts 17. 24, 25, and yet he justly requires them, and deserves our praise, Rev. 4. 11. If all is of him, all must be to him.

II. Here is the work of creation in its embryo, (v. 2.) where we have an account of its first matter, and the first Mover.

1. A chaos was the first matter; it is here called the earth, (though the earth, properly taken, was not made till the third day, v. 10.) because it did most resemble that which afterward was called earth, mere earth, destitute of its ornaments, such a heavy unwieldy mass was it; it is also called the deep, both for its vastness, and because the waters which were afterward separated from the earth, were now mixed with it. This immense mass of matter was it, out of which all bodies, even the firmament and visible heavens themselves, were afterward produced by the power of the Eternal Word. The Creator could have made his work perfect at first, but by this gradual proceeding he would show what is, ordinarily, the method of his providence and grace. Observe the description of this chaos. (1.) There was nothing in it desirable to be seen, for it was without form, and void. Tohu and Bohu, confusion and emptiness; so those words are rendered, Isa. 34. 11. It was shapeless, it was useless, it was without inhabitants, without ornaments, the shadow or rough draught of things to come, and not the image of the things, Heb. 10. 1. The earth is almost reduced to the same condition again by the sin of man, under which the creation groans; See Jer. 4. 23; I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void. To those who have their hearts in heaven, this lower world, in comparison with that upper, still appears to be nothing but confusion and emptiness. There is no true beauty to be seen, no satisfying fulness to be enjoyed, in this earth, but in God only. (2.) If there had been any thing desirable to be seen, yet there was no light to see it by; for darkness, thick darkness, was upon the face of the deep. God did not create this darkness, (as he is said to create the darkness of affliction, Isa. 45. 7,) for it was only the want of light, which yet could not be said to be wanted, till something was made, that might be seen by it; nor needs the want of it be much complained of, when there was nothing to be seen but confusion and emptiness. If the work of grace in the soul is a new creation, this chaos represents the state of an unregenerate graceless soul: there is disorder, confusion, and every evil work; it is empty of all good, for it is without God; it is dark, it is darkness itself: this is our condition by nature, till almighty grace effects a blessed change.

2. 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, 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 if 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. Matt. 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.

3. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4, And God saw the light that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

We have here a further account of the first day's work. In which observe,

I. That the first of all visible beings which God created, was light; not that by it he himself might see to work, (for the darkness and light are both alike to him,) but that by it we might see his works, and his glory in them, and might work our works while it is day. The works of Satan and his servants are works of darkness; but he that doeth truth, and doeth good, cometh to the light, and coveteth it, that his deeds may be made manifest, John 3. 21. Light is the great beauty and blessing of the universe: like the first-born, it does, of all visible beings, most resemble its great Parent in purity and power, brightness and beneficence; it is of great affinity with a spirit, and is next to it; though by it we see other things, and are sure that it is, yet we know not its nature, nor can describe what it is, or by what way the light is parted, Job 38. 19, 24. By the sight of it let us be led to, and assisted in, the believing contemplation of Him who is Light, infinite and eternal Light, 1 John 1. 5, and the Father of Lights, James 1. 17, and who dwells in inaccessible light, 1 Tim. 6. 16. In the new creation, the first thing wrought in the soul, is light: the blessed Spirit captivates the will and affections by enlightening the understanding, so coming into the heart by the door, like the good shepherd whose own it is, while sin and Satan, like thieves and robbers, climb up some other way. They that by sin were darkness, by grace become light in the Lord.

II. That the light was made by the word of God's power; he said, Let there be Light; he willed and appointed it, and it was done immediately; there was light, such a copy as exactly answered the original idea in the Eternal Mind. O the power of the word of God! He spake, and it was done; done really, effectually, and for perpetuity, not in show only, and to serve a present turn, for he commanded, and it stood fast: with him it was dictum,