as by the Direction of its Course, by the Pofitions, or Motions, and Distances, and fo Direction, Quantity, and Degree of each of the various Lights, from each of the various Bodies, the whole, and each of those in Motion might be governed, each in their Rotation or Progreffion, in Point of Time; in the different Degrees of Light, or Darkness, or Mixture, in the feveral Parts of each; in their Difference in, or by the different Parts of the Year; in the different Pofitions of those which move, and fo together of Seafons, Days, and Years; and of all the intermediate Means, the Things they were to work with, or work upon. First, the Agent was to form these Organs, and divide the Light among them; fo that there should be a Light with each in the Expanfion of the Heavens: Next, thefe feveral Lights were to divide between the Day, and between the Night; these were to do what the Light had done already: Then he explains further, let thefe Operations or Accidents of this Matter be vifible, for making and diftinguishing of Seafons, Days, and Years: This was what a fingle Light could not do: after the Organs were made, and the Operation, be it be by bringing the Spirit which had been formed, or made adhere near the Surface to the Center, dividing it into Light, and fending it out; be it by Reflection upon the reft, each stopping and diverting the Stream of Light, continually iffuing from the Center upon each, and turning the Flux of Light, which comes to each, from each in another Line; there is ftill fomething more faid: Let these Lights be, exift, and in Condition flow; let the Operation, or Accidents of this Matter, be continually fupply'd; fuppofe, by bringing Spirit to the Center, by melting and fending it forth, or by returning it, to give Light upon the Earth: Tho at present they make no other Use of Light, but for the Eyes; yet they were to do in grofs, what the Light, which was given upon the Earth, before had done, and exprefs the whole Manner in which the former Acts were done; and It, the Agent, formed them all, according to Directions: He could not fay the different Lights acted according to Order, they had not yet had Time to perform any of their Rotations. And more particularly he fays, as it is now tranflated, God made two great Lights, which iffued from the two great Bodies; and the Streams, which iffued VOL. II. from D d from the other or smaller Orbs, which he calls Stars: This, fo far as concerns Formation, is what the Operation did; the great Light to rule that light Hemisphere he called Day, and the leffer Light, and the Stars to rule that Hemisphere of Darknefs he called Night. The Operation had put the feveral Orbs of Matter together, and fet forward the Action of a Focus in one, and, perhaps, the Action of Reflecti ons on the reft; that it would vary the Hemispheres of Days from Days, and Nights from Nights, form Seafons, &c. and fo diftribute or rule, that every Part of the Earth might have its Proportion of Light or Day, Seafons, &c. But it was God that created the feveral Sorts and Quantities, &c. fo that they were fit, when the Operation had put those of each together, and fet forward the Focus's, &c. in them, to rule. And God fet them in the Expanfion of Heaven, to give Light upon the Earth, and to rule the Day and the Night, and to divide the Light from the Darknefs; the Firmament could operate upon Things where it found them, or could remove them according to the Power it then had; and it could carry out the Light, bring Matter for Supply of more Light, and turn this Globe; but it could neither neither place the Matter within its Reach, which if that, of any of them, had not been, there would have been no Light brought to, nor iffued from those; nor could it range them in proper Places, and in Order, fo that each Light should contribute its Share in the Operation, so as to rule Day and Night, by varying them as aforefaid; and tho' it continually divided between the Darkness, and between the Light, which God had claimed before, it could not produce or place the Matter at firft, nor ufe any Skill or Power upon that Account, any more than it did to fet forward the firft Motion, and divide between the Light, and between the Darkness; fo God now claims that, Ver. 14. And God faid, let there be Lights (a Candlestick) in the Firmament of the Heaven, to divide the Day from the Night (Heb. between the Day and between the Night) : for לתת and let them be -and for Sea ולמועדים,Signs .and Years ושנים fons, and for Days, As every Word, nay, every Letter here, is of the utmost Importance, nothing deficient, nor nothing fuperfluous, we shall confider the Meaning of thefe Words, which have not been fettled, Word by Word. Let there be, confider'd already, here spoken as God all along had fpoke to the Agent, or Operation, or Branch, or Effect of the Operation; and here he says, let this Operation, now working, form the Atoms of Matter, which are liable to be formed, and which it shall find loose, within the Compafs of its Operation, into an Inftrument to hold Lights; for tho' all Light be the fame, and, fuppofe, all Light pass thro' one |