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Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Genesis 1

1 a First of all, & before that anie creature was, God made heauen and earth of nothing.

2 d He mainteined this confuse heape by his secret power.

2 b As a rude lumpe, & without anie creature in it: for the waters couered all.

2 c Darkenes couered the depe waters: for as yet the light was not created.

3 e The light was made before ether sunne or moone was created: therefore we must not attribute that to the creatures that are Gods instruments, which onely apperteineth to God.

7 f As the sea & riuers, from those waters that are in the cloudes, which are vpholden by Gods power, lest they shulde ouerwhelme the worlde.

8 ! The firmament.

8 g That is, the region of the ayre, and all that is aboue vs.

11 h So that we se it is the onely power of Gods worde that maketh the earth fruiteful, which els naturally is barren.

12 i This sentence is so oft repeated to signifie that God made all his creatures to serue to his glorie, & to the profit of man: but for sinne thei were acursed, yet to the elect by Christ they are restored & serue to their welth.

14 k By the lightes, he meaneth the sunne, the moone and the starres.

14 l Which is the artificial day, from the sunne rising to the going downe.

14 m Of things apperteining to natural and political ordres and seasons.

16 n To wit, the sunne and the moone: & here he speaketh as man judgeth by his eye: for els the moone is lesse then the planete Saturnns.

16 o To giue it sufficient light, as instruments appointed for the same, to serve to mans vse.

16 ! He createth the sunne, the moone & the starres.

20 p As fish and wormes, which slide swimme or crepe.

20 / Ebr. face of the firmament.

21 q The fish & foules had bothe one beginning, wherein we se that nature giueth place to Gods wil, forasmuche as one sorte is made to flie aboue in the ayre, & the other to swimme beneth in the water.

22 r That is, by the vertue of his worde, he gaue power to his creatures to ingendre.

26 s God commanded the water and the earth, to bring forthe other creatures: but of man he saith, Let vs make: signifying that God taketh counsel with his wisdome & vertue, purposing to make an excellent worke aboue all the rest of his creacion.

26 t This image and licknes of God in man is expounded {Ephes. 4,24}: where it is written that man was created after God in righteousnes & true holines, meaning by these two wordes all perfection, as wisdome, trueth, innocencie, power, &c.

26 ! He createth man and giueth him rule ouer all creatures.

28 u The propagacion of man is the blessing of God, {Psal. 128}.

29 x Gods great liberalitie to man taketh away all excuse of his ingratitude.

29 ! And prouideth nourriture for man and beast.