Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/61

Rh made but one male and one female, that all the nations of men might know themselves to be made of one blood, descendants from one common stock, and might thereby be induced to love one another. God, having made them capable of transmitting the nature they had received, said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. Here he gave them, 1. A large inheritance; Replenish the earth; that is it, that is bestowed upon the children of men. They were made to dwell upon the face of all the earth, Acts 17. 26. That is the place in which God has set man to be the servant of his providence, in the government of the inferior creatures, and, as it were, the intelligence of this orb; to be the receiver of God's bounty, which other creatures live upon, but do not know it: to be likewise the collector of his praises in this lower world, and to pay them into the exchequer above, Ps. 145. 10, and (lastly) to be a probationer for a better state. 2. A numerous, lasting family, to enjoy this inheritance; pronouncing a blessing upon them, in the virtue of which their posterity should extend to the utmost corners of the earth, and continue to the utmost period of time. Fruitfulness and increase depend upon the blessing of God: Obed-Edom had eight sons, for God blessed him, 1 Chron. 26. 5. It is owing to this blessing which God commanded at first, that the race of mankind is still in being, and that as one generation passeth away, another cometh.

V. That God gave to man, when he had made him, a dominion over the inferior creatures, over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air: though man provides for neither, he has power over both, much more over every living thing that moveth upon the earth, which are more under his care, and within his reach. God designed, hereby, to put an honour upon man, that he might find himself the more strongly obliged to bring honour to his Maker. This dominion is very much diminished and lost by the fall: yet God's providence continues so much of it to the children of men, as is necessary to the safety and support of their lives, and God's grace has given to the saints a new and better title to the creature than that which was forfeited by sin; for all is our's, if we are Christ's, 1 Cor. 3. 22.

29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb 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. 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

We have here the third part of the sixth day's work which was, not any new creation, but a gracious provision of food for all flesh, Ps. 136. 25. He that made man and beast, thus took care to preserve both, Ps. 36. 6. Here is,

I. Food provided for man, v. 29. Herbs and fruits must be his meat, including corn, and all the products of the earth; these were allowed him, but (it should seem) not flesh, till after the flood, ch. 9. 3. And before the earth was deluged, much more, before it was cursed, for man's sake, its fruits, no doubt, were more pleasing to his taste, and more strengthening and nourishing to the body, than marrow and fatness, and all the portion of the king's meat, are now. See here, 1. That which should make us humble. As we are made out of the earth, so we are maintained out of it. Once indeed, man did eat angels' food, bread from heaven; but they died, John 6. 49: it was to them but as food out of the earth, Ps. 104. 14. There is meat that endures to everlasting life; the Lord evermore give us that! 2. That which should make us thankful. The Lord is for the body; from him we receive all the supports and comforts of this life, and to him we must give thanks. He gives us all things richly to enjoy, not only for necessity, but plenty, dainties, and varieties, for ornament and delight. How much are we indebted! How careful should we be, as we live upon God's bounty, to live to his glory! 3. That which should make us temperate, and content with our lot. Though Adam had dominion given him over fish and fowl, yet God confined him, in his food, to herbs and fruits; and he never complained of it. Though afterwards he coveted forbidden fruit, for the sake of the wisdom and knowledge he promised himself from it, yet we never read that he coveted forbidden flesh. If God give us food for our lives, let us not, with murmuring Israel, ask food for our lusts, Ps. 78. 18. See Dan. 1 15.

II. Food provided for the beasts, v. 30. Doth God take care for oxen? Yes, certainly; he provides food convenient for them, and not for oxen only, which were used in his sacrifices, and man's service, but even the young lions and the young ravens are the care of his providence, they ask and have their meat from God. Let us give to God the glory of his bounty to the inferior creatures, that are all fed, as it were, at his table, every day. He is a great Housekeeper, a very rich and bountiful one, that satisfies the desire of every living thing. Let this encourage God's people to cast their care upon him, and not to be solicitous respecting what they shall eat, and what they shall drink. He that provided for Adam without his care, and still provides for all the creatures without their care, will not let those that trust him, want any good thing, Matth. 6. 26. He that feeds his birds, will not starve his babes.

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.

We have, here, the approbation and conclusion of the whole work of creation. As for God, his work is perfect; and if he begin, he will also make an end, in providence and grace, as well as here in creation. Observe,

I. The review God took of his work; he saw every thing that he had made: so he does still; all the works of his hands are under his eye. He that made all, sees all; he that made us, sees us. Ps. 139. 1...16. Omniscience cannot be separated from Omnipotence. Known unto God are all his works, Acts 15. 18. But this was the Eternal Mind's solemn reflection upon the copies of its own wisdom, and the products of its own power. God has hereby set us an example of reviewing our works. Having given us a power of reflection, he expects we should use that power, see our way, Jer. 2. 23, and think of it, Ps. 119. 59. When we have finished a day's work, and are entering upon the rest of the night, we should commune with our own hearts about what we have been doing that day; so likewise, when we have finished a week's work, and are entering upon the sabbath rest, we should thus prepare to meet our God; and when we are finishing our life's work, and are entering upon our rest in the grave, that is a time to bring to remembrance, that we may die repenting, and so take leave of it.

II. The complacency God took in his work. When we come to review our works, we find, to our shame, that much has been very bad; but when