THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.
Being the first Chapter of Genesis.
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The first Dayes Worke.
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THE first Day (as Eternity decreed)
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From Gods divine Idea did proceed
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The matter of all things in Heaven and Earth,
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From whence all other Creatures tooke their birth.
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Nothing did yet the formelesse Earth adorne,
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Yet Earth, was Earth, and Water had its forme.
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Th Elements were involved each in other,
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Darknesse the Visage of the deepe did cover,
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On which was moved Gods Almighty Spirit,
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At whose command the Ayre did light inherit.
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Then from the Darknesse, he divides the Light,
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And gives them their first names of Day and Night.
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The second Dayes Worke.
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THe second Day thalmighty Architect,
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To rooffe the world did th arched Heaven erect:
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Commanding there should be a Firmament,
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That might divide the Watry Element:
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In midst of which was framd the fixed Sphere,
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And Waters suddainly divided were.
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Part of the Water still remaind below,
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And part above the Firmament did flow.
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The Firmament the Maker called Heaven,
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Concluding with the Morning and the Even.
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The third Dayes Worke.
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THe third Day by the word of Gods command,
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His Will being to discover the dry Land,
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Was turnd with speed the watry Element
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Into the Womb of the Earths continent.
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He gave them then their names of Earth and Seas,
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Which worke was good, and did the Maker please.
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The Earth conceiving from his quickning word,
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The plenty of her Womb did straight afford.
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Unsowne Grasse, unset Hearbes, unplanted Trees,
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All yeelding Seede, and Fruit, in their degrees:
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Refresht by the yet Chaos of the Heaven,
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Concluding with the Morning and the Even.
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The fourth Dayes Worke.
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THe fourth daies worke, because Earths fruitfull Bed,
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Should not with darknes be enveloped:
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That Creatures might enjoy the fostering Light,
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And for division of the Day and Night:
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That might for Seasons period out the Yeare,
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And Signes Phenominall to th earth appeare.
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Out of the substance which was late Aquatick,
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God made the Spheres, Starres fixed and erratick.
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The Sun with greater light to rule the Day,
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And lesser Moone to have the Nightly sway.
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The Starres as Rulers over Day and Night,
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To divide the darkenesse from the shining Light.
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God placed in the Firmament of Heaven,
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Concluding with the Morning and the Even.
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The fifth Dayes Worke.
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THis Day th Almighty in his first Division,
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Producd a great part of the worlds Provision
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All Flesh and Foule; which at his bounteous word
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The pregnant Waters plentiously afford.
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And now the great Leviathan hegins,
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To rouze himselfe, and shake his numerous Fines.
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All living Creatures in abundance move,
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Both in the Watry Mound and Ayre above.
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Birds now begin to warble out their theames:
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And Fish to dance Lavoltas on the streams.
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God blessed them forthwith, and bad them bee,
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All fruitfull in their kindes and Multiply:
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To which he gave concurrence from the Heaven,
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Concluding with the Morning and the Even.
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The sixt Dayes Worke.
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THe sixt Day God commanded to the Earth,
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That living Creatures thence should issue forth.
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At which the Kingly Lyon in his force,
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The Camell, Elephant, and the usefull Horse:
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Beasts, Cattell, all things to the creeping Worme,
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Came forth their Causes in their kind and forme.
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Now let us make Man, said thalmighty Maker,
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And let him of our likenesse be Partaker:
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And on him let Dominion be estated,
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Over all Creatures that we have created.
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Man suddenly with every Creature stood,
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Before his Makers Face compleat and good,
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From the low Center to the highest Heaven,
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Concluding with the Morning and the Even.
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The seventh Day.
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THe seventh Day the Lord sanctified and blest,
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Because it was the Sabbath of his Rest.
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Commanding that nothing should be done,
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On it, neither by Father nor the Sonne,
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Servant nor Stranger ought within our Gate,
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No not our Cattell would it violate:
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Contemplate here (O Man) wherefore the Lord,
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In the six-fold division of his Word,
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Would limit so his power omnipotent,
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But onely to give thee a president:
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That thou all idlenesse and slougth shouldst fly,
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And earne thy Bread by honest industry.
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Six Daies he made the full and utmost measure,
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For thee to worke and dig thy worldly treasure;
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By Land and Sea to triffick for thy foode,
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Doe this, and see that all thou dost be good:
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So neere as thou canst imitate thy Maker,
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That of his Sabbath thou mayst be Partaker.
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