THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.  
Being the first Chapter of Genesis.  

The first day's work.  
THE first Day (as Eternity decreed)▪  
From God's divine Idea did proceed▪  
The matter of all things in Heaven and Earth,  
From whence all other Creatures took their birth.  
Nothing did yet the formelesse Earth adorn,  
Yet Earth, was Earth, and Water had its form.  
Th' Elements were involved each in other,  
Darkness the Visage of the deep did cover,  
On which was moved God's Almighty Spirit,  
At whose command the air did light inherit.  
Then from the darkness, he divides the Light,  
And gives them their first names of Day and Night.   

The second day's work.  
THe second Day th'almighty Architect,  
To roof the world did th'arched Heaven erect:  
Commanding there should be a Firmament,  
That might divide the watery Element:  
In midst of which was framed the fixed Sphere,  
And Waters suddenly divided were.  
Part of the Water still remained below,  
And part above the Firmament did flow.  
The Firmament the Maker called Heaven,  
Concluding with the Morning and the Even.   

The third day's work.  
THe third Day by the word of God's command,  
His Will being to discover the dry Land,  
Was turned with speed the watery Element  
Into the womb of the earth's continent.  
He gave them then their names of Earth and Seas,  
Which work was good, and did the Maker please.  
The Earth conceiving from his quickening word,  
The plenty of her Womb did straight afford.  
Vnsowne grass, unset herbs, unplanted Trees,  
All yielding seed, and Fruit, in their degrees:  
Refreshed by the yet Chaos of the Heaven,  
Concluding with the Morning and the Even.   

The fourth days work.  
THe fourth days work, because earth's fruitful Bed,  
Should not with darkness be enueloped:  
That Creatures might enjoy the fostering Light,  
And for division of the Day and Night:  
That might for Seasons period ou● the year,  
And signs Phenominall to th'earth appear.  
Out of the substance which was late aquatic,  
God made the Spheres, stars fixed and erratic.  
The Sun with greater light to rule the Day,  
And lesser moon to have the Nightly sway.  
The stars as Rulers over Day and Night,  
To divide darkness from the shining Light.  
God placed in the Firmament of Heaven,  
Concluding with the Morning and the Even.   

The fifth day's work.  
THis Day th' Almighty in his first Division,  
Produced a great part of the world's Provision  
All Flesh and foul; which at his bounteous word  
The pregnant Waters plenteously afford.  
And now the great▪ Leviathan hegins,  
To rouse himself, and shake his numerous Fines.  
All living Creatures in abundance move,  
Both in the watery Mound and air above.  
Birds now begin to warble out their themes,  
And Fish to dance Lavoltas on the streams.  
God blessed them forthwith, and bade them be,  
All fruitful in their kinds and Multiply:  
To which he gave concurrence from the Heaven,  
Concluding with the Morning and the Even.   

The sixt day's work.  
THe sixt Day God commanded to the Earth,  
That living Creatures thence should issue forth.  
At which the Kingly lion in his force,  
The camel, Elephant, and the useful Horse:  
Beasts, cattle, all things to the creeping worm,  
Came forth their Causes in their kind and form.  
Now let u● make Man, said th'almigh●y Maker,  
And let him of our likeness be Partaker:  
And on him let Dominion be estated,  
Over all Creatures that we have created.  
Man suddenly with every Creature stood,  
Before his maker's Face comp●eat and good,  
From the low centre to the highest Heaven,  
Concluding with the Morning and the Even.   

The seventh Day.  
THe seventh Day the Lord sanctified and blessed,  
Because it was the Sabbath of his Rest.  
Commanding that nothing should be done,  
On it, neither by Father nor the son,  
servant nor Stranger ought within our Gate,  
No not our cattle would it violate:  
Contemplate here (O Man) wherefore the Lord,  
In the six-fold division of his Word,  
Would limit so his power omnipotent,  
But only to give thee a precedent:  
That thou all idleness and slougth shouldst fly,  
And earn thy Bread by honest industry.  
Six days he made the full and utmost measure,  
For thee to work and dig thy worldly treasure;  
By Land and Sea to triffick for thy soode,  
Do this, and see that all thou dost be good:  
So near as thou canst imitare thy Maker,  
That of his Sabbath thou mayst be Partaker.    

LONDON, Printed by John Hammond, 1646.