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heavens." Ps.xxxiii. 6. "All their hosts were made by the spirit of his mouth." And civ. 30.

Ver. II. Earth, deep and waters, signify the same mingled mass of earth and water; 2 Pet. iii. 5. "The earth standing out of the water, and in the water."—It "as without form; without any agreeable shape, order, or ornament; and void; without either vegetables to furnish it, or animals to inhabit it. And not the wind, which was not yet formed, as there was no air, but the Holy Ghost, in his almighty influence, moved, or sat brooding upon this mingled mass to prepare it for the intended separation of earth and water, and for the production of vegetables and animals.

Ver. III. 2 Cor. iv. 6. "God commanded the light to shine out of darkness." It, as well as all things else, was produced by Christ, who is God's personal word, John 1, 3, his wisdom and power, 1 Cor. i. 25.—This light is some bright shining body, perhaps, somewhat like the pillar of fire in the wilderness; and out of it the sun and stars appear to have been afterwards formed.

Ver. IV. God divided the light from the darkness, by making them to take different places by turns; the light always shining upon the one half of the mingled mass, and the darkness covering the other; in much the same manner as our sun, by turns, illuminate the one half of the globe, and leaves the other in darkness.

Ver. V. The time of the first revolution of the darkness and of the light were the first day; for both the light and the darkness existed together at the same time, but on different parts of the mingled mass.

Ver. VI. This firmament includes the region of the sun, moon and stars, and comets: and the air or atmosphere which surrounds our earth, and separates between the water which is in the clouds, and that which is in the seas and rivers. Ps. xxxiii. 6, 9. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Job xxxvii. 18. "He spread out the sky which is strong, and as a molten looking glass." Job. xxvi. 13. Ps. cxxxvi. 5. Jer. x. 12. li. 15. Zech. cii. 1. Jer, x. 13. "There is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to

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