A SPECIMEN OF A COMMENT ON THE OLD TESTAMENT BY THE Taghmical Art. In III. PARTS. 

I. On the Textual, Classical or Doctrinal Scriptures.  
II. On the Doubtful, Difficult, and Wrong Translated Places.  
III. An Analysis, with intermixed Observations, as Matter requires, thoro the rest, to make the whole complete.  
The Art itself, with the Doctrine about it, is now in the Press, thoro the Patronage of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury; And the Encouragement of some other Gentlemen, who desire that their Country should be a Land of Light; and are willing to be at Charges in order to it.  
The First of these Parts( whereof this is a Pattern only) is also ready, when it can meet with the like benign, obstetricating Hands, that the Parent may not be overcharged with its Pressure into the World.     

A Specimen OF THE Taghmical Art.  Genesis 1. v. 1. 
{αβγδ}  
In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth.  
THE Earth has— ֔—— ֖— by R. 1. M. 1. Silluk the Sentence and the Verse doth end; From which we may discover the Error of Grotius in his Comment on this Verse, who renders it thus, When first God created the Heaven and the Earth, the Earth was without form, &c. P. Simeon adds thus, Or before God created the Heaven and the Earth: These, says he, are two Literal, proper and Grammatical Senses, preferable to the Vulgar.  
The end of this is to find a Pretence for the Pagan Doctrine of Eternal Matter in Divine Revelation; all the later Philosophers among the Gentiles, Rom. 1. growing vain in their imaginations, Dem. Epicurus Ar. &c. did maintain and defend Prae-existent Matter. Many mongrel and Nominal Christians, Manichees, Marcionites, &c. and some later, and of better Note, as Prae-Adamites and others, viz. Smalcius, Vorstius, &c. Besides many rabbis held this Doctrine. But one Argument stops their Mouth, We are not to be wise above what is written How shall we believe without Testimony? Heb. 11.2, 3. The Doctrine of Creation belongs to our Faith, not our Science.  
Late critics have made Artificial Foundations for many such Notions; and these Two, That they might give ease to Omnipotence, and find work for their high towering Fancies, have digged in this Text for one to this Doctrine, which they strongly prop up from Heb. 11.3. Things that are, were made out of things which did not appear. But both Fathers and Sons in Divinity answer, The Chaos appeared not for want of Light and Nothing, much less for want of Entity, therefore this will not support it. The Orthodox further oppose to this Doctrine, besides the Arguments from Reason,  
1. That the Hebrew Language has no other Word to signify a making of nothing.  
2. That Paul desines Creation by a Word that imports no less, Rom. 4.17. A calling things that are not as though they were.  
3. 〈◇〉 the Literal Particle is affixed to Beginning, In the beginning; not to create, when or before God created.  
4. Parallel Places propose the Creation of Heaven and Earth in positive Assertions, Gen. 2.1. John 1.3. Psal. 102.25. not in relative Propositions.  
5. Prov. 8.24. Before ever the Earth was, when there was no deep. 1st. I infer, The Deep or Chaos had Wisdom Personal, set up, brought forth before it, therefore not from Eternity. 2dly. The Earth and Chaos are contemporary Twins.  
But now further, in the Sixth Place, by the Rules of Interpretation, used both by Jews and Samaritans, especially the Scribes, Ezra 4.7, 8. whose Chancellor or President is called Baghal Taghim, or Master of the Taghmical Art, Silluk suffers not the Proposition in the v. 1. to bear any such relative respect, he is an absolute Lord, and makes an absolute stop from the Sense, Vide Ar. Tagh. lib. 2.§. 1. Where this is at large proved and explained, and therefore their Interpretation and Opinion too are repugnant to the Literal Sense of the Text.  
〈◇〉 comes not from {αβγδ} to run, or {αβγδ} to prance, but from {αβγδ} to humble, much in use in the arabic; and has its Tendons fixed still in Sacred Writ, Jer. 49.19.& 50.44. I will depress or humble him from her. So. Psal. 68.31. Aethiopia shall humble or submit her hands, and by an usual Change, {αβγδ}, Dan. 2.39.& 6.24. Observe that there are many false non inventus's asserted of the Bible. And 2dly, That no Concordance nor Lexicon are yet complete; for none of them have this Root {αβγδ}, to make low, tho so plain in Jeremiah.  
From Aeretz comes 1. The German erd, Erth. 2. The English Earth. 3. The latin Terra, arret, and Tacitus his Ertham or Hertam. 4. The Greek {αβγδ}.  
In the Second Place comes— ֥—, under Veaeth, the Mark of an Accusative after an Active Verb, by R. 2. M. 1. and Tab. 1. it is Silluk's Minister, and signifies a close Union, and indeed it is so close here, that it signifies nothing out of Union, and therefore has usually—, the most conjunctive of all Points, and is of great use to distinguish between aeth the Mark of accusative, and aeth signifying from or by, which refutes them who would translate v. 16. with the Stars. And Maimonides who translates it thus, The Heaven with the Earth.  
It signifies, says Nachm, the transition of the Person by the Verb Active on the Noun. D. Rim, with others, add, That it denotes the {αβγδ} or {αβγδ} the substance of the thing, and all that belongs to its Integrity or Perfection. So that here is signified the Creation of the Heaven and the Earth in their Substance: Hence the Syriac has esse Caeli,& esse Terrae, the very Matter and Essence of the Heaven and Earth, and a Creation of them with their Hosts, Inhabitants and Furniture; and it is the more likely, if Michlot Jophi's Rule be true, That its use is to denote the Patient; hence seldom used when the accusative or patient is sufficiently known, which being manifest in this Text, its use is of another import, to wit, to denote the Penetration and Extension of the action on the subject. Which is opposite enough to Gaffarillus and Corn. Agrippa, who put {αβγδ} for {αβγδ} a Sign, for then Creation would extend only to the Furniture or Ornament of the Heavens.  
2dly. It supposes the Original corrupted, in Consonants, Vowels and Accents.  
It is more like Truth, That our the comes from eth, than that {αβγδ} is derived from {αβγδ} to come.  
Thirdly,— ֖— Under Haschamaim appears by R. 3. and T. 1. c. 3. which signifies Earth and Heaven, not to be joined together, but separated, as little Members within a Proposition being a little Lord tho {αβγδ}, and unite them Verbally, yet as to sense the Verb is implicitly repeated in Earth, he created the Heaven, and he created the Earth. So in sense its the Verb that is united or repeated; for the Nouns are as opposite extremes as Heaven and Earth, by which I intend not to play or delude with an equivocation; for distance in place, infers not distance in sense or construction: But my intent is to show, that— ֖— refutes or opposes the scholastic Chaos.  
The Pagan Philosophers, some at least, are for an Eternal Chaos, or Mass of Matter, out of which God created all things. But some Divines are for a Temporary Chaos, created some time before that initial Week of the reducing this Earth into its present Form and Order.  
Now by Heaven and Earth cannot be understood some one undigested and confused Mass; for Tipcha proposes them as two of the most opposite, distinct and separated Beings of the whole Creation. 
Schamajim has many both false and foolish Derivations: 1. {αβγδ} There are Waters from the celestial Waters, v. 6. 2. {αβγδ} Sa Majim, it sustains Waters. 3. {αβγδ} from the Praefix, because of Waters. 4. {αβγδ} Fire and Water. 5. {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} to be amazed because of Water. But Compositions among Appellatives is contrary to the Genius of this Tongue. All the Learned agree, That its Root is in Arabac, {αβγδ} or {αβγδ} to be high: Hence height is the common Epithet of Heaven, as lownes is of the Earth, Exod. 20.5. That is in the Heaven above, or in the Earth below, Job 11.8. Prov. 25.3. Gen. 11.4.  Heaven and Earth is the first Division of Creatures, and therefore most opposite.  
Hence we may learn the Scope of this last Haemistich, which is not to assert first the Creation of the Matter of the World, as a rude heap, so Gerard Hackspan, and Prucknerus, think, with others: But to make a Summary Proposal of the General Object particularly insisted on thorough the Chapter; So Aestius and Seb. Schmid. with others, which is confirmed from what follows.  
Hence we may learn, That Heaven and Earth is a Sacred Phrase for Universe, all things, the whole World, and may be confirmed from Psal. 124.8. Acts 14.15. and 17.24.  
By Heaven then is understood all that is not Earth: But where to place the limits between them is the Question; tho from what follows we may solve it, viz. That Heaven is receptive of various acceptations; but in the Text it is All that that is beyond or above the uttermost border of the Firmament, where the fixed Stars stand placed; in other places following, the surface of the Earth, or Atmosphaere, i.e. what is above either.  
There is another Question here de casu Nominis, viz. What Number it is, dual or plural, the accent on the penult makes it dual, but the Aethiopic having the singular Schamai, and the Root Schamah affording regularly Nouns of that derivation. And 3dly, There being Heaven of Heavens, and Third Heavens, I believe with Hottinger, and lord de Dieu, that it is plural.  
There remains yet one Question more about {αβγδ} emphatic, or {αβγδ} Notificative, these Heavens, and this Earth. P. Simon blames Tremeliius for translating it thus, but he should first blame Aben Ezra, who so long before him turned it thus, and H. G. and Paraeus, and all the Hebrew Grammars; and then he should prove that that is not the use of this {αβγδ}.  
That which we learn from it is the erroneousness of them who talk of Pre-Adamites and prae-aerizits many Worlds before this; For Moses informs us, That the Heaven and Earth which God created in the beginning, was this very Earth, and these very Heavens of which Moses gave Account.  
Fourthly,— ֑— atnach under Elohim, is here Rhetorical or emphatic by R. R. 2. M. 2. for where the Verse contains but one Proposition, there is no proper place for atnah, whose use is to divide the Verse into the most opposite Propositions; And hence we may know wherein the Emphasis consists, viz. repeating the Verb that is on one side of— ֑— on the other also, and showing it to be taken in the most full and ample Signification So that to fill up Silluks Proposition. {αβγδ} bara with sakeph gadol is to be supplied next to Elohim; In English thus, In the beginning God created: He, I say, really created these Heavens and this Earth. Hence we have a most strong Confirmation, that the use and signification of the Word Bara, in this place, is to assert a production out of nothing.  
Some may think that the Emphasis should be inquired for in Elohim, not in Bara, because— ֑— is under it: I Answer, If it were a little Lord or Minister that affects single Terms, so it would. But— ֑— stands under Elohim because he is the last Word of the Sentence; for its the whole Sentence he affects, and the Essence of the Sentence lies in the Indicative Verb.  
1. {αβγδ} Aelohim is not truly derived from {αβγδ} strong, for is never changed into*. 2. {αβγδ} he mappikatum in Eloah shows {αβγδ} to be Radical; nor from {αβγδ} strength. Nor 3dly, {αβγδ} their strength. Nor 4thly, Primarily from {αβγδ} to swear; but from {αβγδ} yet in use among the Arabians, to adore or worship, a part whereof swearing is, in which sense the Bible retains the Word. This seems preserable to Aben Ezra's Opinion, who thinks it a primitive. In the New Testament {αβγδ}, the worshippable, the Adori is used by Paul in the Epistle to the Thessalonians. 2. In the Old Testament it is the Name God declares himself by as the Object of Love, Service and Swearing; And the first Command of the Law is 3dly, to have no other Elohim, i.e. to worship none else. 4thly, It is very suitable, for his creating us is the most suitable foundation, and founds a most just Title to all our Worship and Service.  
A Second Question is de casu Nominis, How it comes to be in the plural Number? Grotius thinks the singular is to be supplied before it, Eloah Elohim. But then Bara would bear a third word, tipcha, not munah, as next to it. Many Papists, Protestants, Lutherans and Calvinists that are well skilled in Criticism, think a Plurality in the Deity is understood, and such as is consistent with a singular individual Essence, and therefore that the Trinity is denoted. And to evade the Objections of Socinians, they form the Argument thus. 1. Every Word in the Plural Number. 2. Having a Singular Number. 3. Without analogy of Number. 4. The same signification being retained. 5. Carrying Verb Participle or Adjective to the Plural with it. 6. In the Third Person, as well as First or Second is of a plural signification. But Elohim is, Ergo  
Fifthly, Of Bara already, It bears Munah Minister to— ֑— by T. 1. R. 2. M. 2. which shows that Elohim is the Nominative to it; and it being in the singular, does denote that whatever plurality be in the Deity, there is but one Creator, one God; whatever Multiplicity or Variety there is in formal, objective Considerations to draw forth our Adoration toward him, there is but one undivided Substance, who was before all Creatures, and by his powerful act gave being to them.  
Sixthly, Braesehit bears— ֖— which well agrees with the order of T. 1. and R. 3. as also the sense, for being a little Lord, it denotes the distance between single Terms: What makes up the Essence of the Sentence, is united by— ֣— a Minister, and if it belonged to another Sentence it would bear a mayor that divides Propositions; therefore— ֖— shows that it is an adjunct or circumstance of this Proposition, and indeed, tho the variety of significations attributed to this Word, is great, yet all agree in this.  
〈◇〉 in Braeschit is by cabalists counted mysterious, and that two ways; first Numerically, to Ages, Laws or kinds of Divinity. Maghasche Bereschith signifying Natural Religion, and Maghasche Mecchaba, mysterious Divinity. Others think God begins his Book with {αβγδ}, because that begins {αβγδ} blessing; for {αβγδ} begins arurah, cursing; but these are Monsters rather than Mysteries.  
John in his Gospel, c. 1. v. 1. interprets both {αβγδ} and {αβγδ} to us turning it {αβγδ} in the beginning. So the Lxx. so Onkelos, and Jonath. Ben. Uziel Bekadmin, and so the Vulgar, and so the most usual Translations. Hence the others fall Hierais. Targum in Wisdom, tertul. in Power; Procop. in his Empire. 2. In the Foundation. 3. In the Head or Sum. 4. In the Foundation. Philo in Order before all. So R. Bechai and Castalio. Maimonides with Matter. And among all the most authorised, in the Son, which shall be examined afterwards. The Root is {αβγδ} the Head, or the arabic Raasa, to excel, from which we may learn the use of Skill in these Eastern Tongues( tho there is not much in their Translations) for in one Verse( and that the very first) that contains but Five Words, has Four of them derived from the arabic.  
Here yet remains Two Questions, The first is, if Breschith be in Government or not? that is, if the sense be in the beginning of Creation or Time, or in the beginning of all things, or in the beginning of God's Ways, Prov. 8.22. or Works. I answer, tho any of these speak the truth of the Case, the Word is not Grammatically in Government, for then it would have a Minister to signify something understood, with which it did agree, which it has not. But being put absolutely, signifies the first and chief beginning, before which nothing was that was capable of a beginning.  
The Second Question is, if Breschith be taken here Metaphysically, for the first inconceivable Minute that was measured by Nothings passing into being, that attended the first jog of Creative Motion; or if more largely, for all the Time that Creative Power continued Exertions of that kind, viz. 6 Days, according to common Opinion. But Seven, a Week, is the Creative Cycle, and as we shall see from the next instance, wanted not its Work. I am for the latter Opinion; for the first is a Word without an Idea. 2dly, Is contrary to Scriptures vulgar Style, especially in the Works of Nature. 3dly. Beginning is used in this latitude through Scripture when applied to the Creation, and opposed to after successive Periods, Pro. 8.22. Christ was possessed in the beginning of God's Ways, therefore the Seventh Day comes within the beginning, See Matth. 19.4, 8.& 24.21.& 25.34. Mark 10 6.& 13.19. 2 Tim. 1.6. Given us in Christ before successive Ages or Periods, Rom. 16.25. 1 Pet. 1.20. Eph. 1.4. 4thly, The Verse being a Sum of the whole, this beginning must stand commensurate with its Subject.  
A Third Question is, Which Week of the Year this is, which of the Fifty Two is the Creative Initial Week. R. That Week which was the beginning Week of the Year, until as God changed the Sabbath, God appointed another beginning to the Year, when the Israelites came out of Egypt. Nisan our March was then the first Month, but before that September, their Tizri, from that the Sabbatical and Jubile-Year still begins. If it were not the first Week of the first Month, of the first Year, it would not be absolutely the beginning, and this was the first Week of September or Tizri,[ there is no place for intercalation or comparison here] To this the Jews Paraphrast. Cabbal. Historical agree; to this Nature agrees, every thing having its Seed in its self, and its Fruit ripe; to this the Gospel agrees, Christ being Born in this Month. Thus the Year and Day agree, beginning both from their Evening Season. So the Sun was created in Libra—. The sense of the Verse is thus:  
In the beginning of all Created Being, Motion, Time or Season, within the compass of the first, Week, probably the first of September. God, the only adorable one, and that on this very bottom, Created, made out of mere Nothing, I say, by infinite Power and Skill brought forth, without the assistance of any antecedent Matter, these Heavens, and this very Earth. The vast quantity of most extended Spheres. The Diameter of this Earthly Sphere from one Pole Star to the opposite Point, contains Millions of Leagues. But that is a Point in comparison of the Circumference of the Heavens of Heavens.  
Division:] Atnach being here Rhetorically only, the Verse Logically makes but one Proposition, which consists in these Four Things, Two Essential, Act and Agent; Two Circumstantial, Object and Time.  
Scope:] The Scope is to assert a Creation, that all the Universe, all this Weeks Work was the effect of immediate Omnipotence, Some without any matter, the rest out of matter, uncapable by natural Power, this the emphatic Atnach shows.  Genesis 1. v. 2. 
{αβγδ}  
Verse 2. And the Earth was without form and voided, and Darkness was upon the face of the Deep: And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters.  
I. 〈◇〉 under Hammajim, as before by R. 2. M. 1. shows that Moses here stops his Account of the Earths Properties and Qualifications, when first made; and that tho Light and Day was a Work of the same First Day, yet it was a distinct, separate act from the former, and super-added in order to its Perfection. Hence you have the necessary Original of beginning, the natural Day from the Evening, because the Earth was created in Darkness. And 2dly, The time of the Earth's duration in that dark, confused Chaosical State; it was the ordinary space of a Night, and not as some fancy, from all Eternity, or for many Ages; for this time of Darkness, with a proportioned measure of Light after its Creation, made up but one of the six or seven Natural Days; if this Evening was a Thousand Years long, it was a very unproportioned 7th part of a Week.  
II.— ֥— under Phnae, Silluk's Minister, R. 2. M. 2. signifies its conjunction and construction with Majim Waters and— mahapakh;— Maccaph. 3dly, signifies yet a more close conjunction between ghal and phnae, R. R. 3. and imports this Brooding Motion never to reach the Center of the Earth;( but the Surface) that has stood solid, unmoved from the first creative Act, no Earthquake nor Deluge has had force to over-weigh the Ballast of this Vessel we swim through the vast Aereal Ocean in,( and indeed the very Name of calling the whole deep Chaos, Water, imports the dry or solid part to be but as a Vessel or Ship in comparison of the liquid) which shows that to be no proper place for Hell. If Sun, Moon and Stars be habitable, its most like the Devils, Fallen Angels, that left a better Heaven, dwell in these Heavenly Places, they are Princes and Powers of the Air, they are called Stars, may be as Man Adam, or Earth; and if a Third Part, as some think, of the Created Angels fell, there are enough for Peopling all the Stars. Christ in his Triumphal Ascent might descend into these Orbs, and bind Captive Devils, Rev. 12. For since we never red of their appearing with Holy Angels, as Job 1. in the blessed Regions.  
III.— ֖— under merahepheth, by R. 3. M. signifies the Verb {αβγδ} to be neutral, and that tho it convey quickening effects, and an hatching heat to the Waters, by which they were fitted and prepared to put on the following Forms of Light, Air, Firmament, &c. Yet it remained a distinct thing from that Matter, and more belongs to the Agent than Object; it did not by an active transition pass over, and become its, as the Creative act did. But to prevent our conceivng this Motion to be in God from this neutral Verb,( whose Nature is that the agent be patient also; for instance, I run, in this I am both doer and sufferer) merahhepheth moved, is distinguished from Elohim by— ֔— as well as from the face of the earth by— ֖— a strong Argument for the Cartesian Notion of con-creating a quantity of Motion with this Chaos, as Time was. The whole of that Motion now by the signification of this Word rahhap puts on a seminal, prolifick, nourishing form or kind, Deut. 22.11.& Jer. 23.2. not that of a tempestuous Storm or Hurrican, for then {αβγδ} or {αβγδ} would be used. But a nutritive, preserving Motion is understood. Creation was by a violent force, and the whole Mass had revolved into its Original Nothing, without a constant, preserving power, which is expressed in this prolisick, breeding Expression, confirmed by the Syrian and Arabian Tongue, and the Fable of the {αβγδ} the First Laid Egg, whose Nest was the Universe, its White the Water, and its Yolk the Earth, its Dame the Spirit.  
IV.— ֔— is upon Elohim, by R. 4. M. 3. and shows silluk's Proposition to be completed. God the Creator of the Earth is Author and Director of that Motion by which it was put in a posture and readiness for reception of future Form and Order. 1. It teacheth us that this Motion is not fortuitous, left to produce things by Chance, but is under the Conduct of Divine Wisdom. And 2. It makes a considerable distinction between the First Creation that was in a Moment, and the Second that was in Time, each Day having a distinct Work; for Motion and Time are inseparable, succession, gradual progression is absolutely necessary to both; though it was by the Counsel of the Divine Will how many Days should be spent in it, it was absolutely necessary some should, since it was done by Motion. 3. The after Laws of Motion in natural Production, were not the Rules of the Motion of this Week; these Motions have the Creature for Author, this the Creator actus imperii; the one of Nature, the other of GOD. The Office of— ֔— is twofold, to stand at the beginning of silluk's sentence, and at the end of his own: The former I have now done with; the second is very short and follows.  
V.— ֣— is under ruahh by R. 2. M. 1. the Spirit of God, or the Spirit GOD, as John 4. God is a Spirit. There are more things bears the Name ruahh, but Elohim is added for distinction, it is hard to disprove either, and hard to make choice, the one denotes more the Divine Essence, the other some distinct Principle in that Essence. But the most material, and most agitated Question in this verse is, whether Elohim be taken Metaphorically for exceeding great, and ruahb for Wind; so that the sense should be an exceeding great Wind moved upon the face of the Earth; the Authors are great and numerous, and the pretence is fair, ruahh signifies Wind often, and Elohim is so taken often; Monsieur le Cenn's late Book pleads hard for this.  
In Answer, I shall propose only the Characters of distinction that these Points afford when Elohim is thus Metaphorical for exceeding, or the superlative degree, then the Word qualified by it wears a Minor, not a Minister, as here. And First, Observe that the relation and coherence in sense, is much different, and we may see this from the Phrase in Greek, Act 7.20. the English is that Moses was very fair; but the Greek is {αβγδ} he was fair to God. The Parallel to which you have Jonah 3.3. Nineve was a City great to God, there is— ֙— paschta upon great— ֥— sakephs minor, not— ֤— as here, sakeps Minister; for sakeph is upon Elohim in both places. So 2 Cor. 10.4. {αβγδ}, mighty thoro God, or by him; he with others, think the sense is very powerful. A second Observation is, That the Phrase is never used but where it admits of a Literal Exposition, as we see our Translators say a Truth in this, 2 Cor. 10.4. mighty thoro God, and so 11.2. a godly jealousy, and 8.2. the Grace of God; Great Charity, says he, bestowed among the Churches. It is true God is in the Genitive in these two places; but not so true, that that is their sense, tho the Rule is true, and therefore the sense of this place would be a Wind created by God, prae-existent to Wind afterwards created, as the Body of Light was to the Sun.  
Third Observation which contains the decision of the Case, ruahh would have paschta on it, sakephs minor, as Jonah 3.3. for confirmation whereof see Gen. 30.8. with great wrestlings, or the wrestlings of God; there is indeed Kadma, but Clod's Bible shows a variety of Reading in the Case, and the constant Chain of Points shows a mis-Printing, and that by turning the iron Letter— ֙— for— ֜— the Points in the Text stand thus— ֖—— ֧—— ֙—— ֗— Now compare tebhirs Dominion, T. 1. Col. 11. and its thus— ֖—— ֧—— ֜—— ֗— 2dly, Kadmah is only servant to— ֜—, and geresh is not here, therefore no place for kadma. 3dly, Two Ministers can never come together, and— ֧— is a Minister, therefore— ֙— another Minister cannot come next, and the same Case occurs, Gen. 23.6. Thou art a great Prince among us, 2 Chr. 28.13. has— ֜— plainly, the other places are but compounds, Cant. 8.6. Jer. 2.31. or Poetical, with a Rhetorical Point, a Psal. 36.7.& 80.11. So we see the Phrase is to be retained, the Spirit of God, not a great Wind, which may be confirmed from what doth precede; as 2dly, from other Scriptures, Psal. 33.6. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth. See Job 26.33.& 38.4. Acts 1.6.& 4.24. And 3dly, the Phrase for tho ruahh signify the Wind, never ruahh Elohim; it were absurd to mention it.  
VI.— ֑— under tehhom signifies the haemistich of the verse, to terminate in this Word:— ֑— is now Grammatical, and his Office by R. 1. M. 2. to divide the true middle of Sense, which is an evident index of these Points being a Logical Instrument, as well as Rhetorical and Syntactical; the Preacher can never mistake in dividing his Text, taking them for Rule.  
The sum of the Verse is to Characterize the Earth as first made, before it was brought into a comely and perfect Order. Now the Characters are such as denote imperfection or perfection, and between these on the one side stands— ֑—, and on the other side the adversative[ {αβγδ}] not to be Translated and but but( but— the Spirit of the Lord, &c. tho it was in such a stupendious, confused condition, yet there was a Dam's influence over it that could preserve it from Dissolution, and ripen it unto Maturity.  
VII. The Negative Properties are Three, the last in a Proposition by itself, And darkness was upon the face of the Earth, pointed regularly, as before— ֑—— ֣—— mahapakh;—— ֖— see T. 1. col. 2. R. 1. M. 2. R. 2. M. 1. R. R. 3. M. 1. R. 3. M. 1. a defect with which neither Form nor Inhabitant could consist, and therefore first removed in general, in the later part of this day, and more perfectly in the Fourth Day.  
VIII. The other two Properties( tho every Copulative, whether in Subject or predicate, makes two Propositions Logically) make one Grammatical Proposition, and one in the Author's intention, which is the scope of the Points( as the Author of Cosri says) and is a considerable help to the Interpreter; for often, formal Propositions, by the Rules of logic, as in this very Chapter, are but amplifications of the Subject or predicate in the Authors intention; the Points in this Proposition stands thus— ֔—— ֙ ֨—— ֥—— ֗—. But if one consult the Table 1. Col. 4. Sakeph's Train stands thus,— ֔—— ֣—— ֙—— ֤— the reasons of the variation I shall immediately prosecute.  
1. Then we see sakeph more visibly than under silluk's dominion, beginning Atnah's Proposition by R. 4. M. 3. which shows that( is or was) is to be supplied( another use of these Points, little observed in our Translation) for a Proposition cannot be without an indicative Verb. and standing in the end of his own by R. 6. M. 1. and this upon vabohu, which B. Var.( the only Interpreter I have heard of for this Thousand Years, that used this Key to unlock Scripture-sense, and he out of Raschi) turns well thus, But also voided of form, it wanted not only Inhabitants, but it was uncapable to receive them, a privation, want is common to both, Jer. 4.23. Isa. 24.10. and Moses ascends by gradation, want of Men, and want of fitness to receive them.  
2.— ֙ ֨— Pascha on tohu which is doubled by T. 1. N. 5. because the accent is in the penult, or the Word is milhil, signifies that( {αβγδ}) here is adversative, signifying not copulation, but opposition, or that tòhu and bòhu are in distinct Propositions the Word was being repeated, it was without inhabitants, and it was without form; it is probable, that tehom the abyss, and tohu without inhabitant, come from one root, for that mixture with waters, or covering by it, was reason sufficient for it. This Privation or Emptiness was filled up on the Fifth and Sixth Day.  
3.— ֥— Paschta's, not sakeph's servant is on hajetha, was, and shows Mr. Bamp. Pansophia to miss this part of Learning, for he translates the Words thus, and the Earth was, and tohu was, and bohu was; Three distinct Globes, Earth, Hell, and the empty Space between them; for Earth is separated from was, and tohu is joined with was as predicate to some subject it is affirmed of: So that it is a qualification of some subject, and not a distinct subject.  
4.— ֗— Sakeph's mayor is on Earth, and imports the whole to be but one Sentence; and 2dly, it imports that Earth is by no means Nominative to was, for then the Points would be— ֔—— ֣—— ֙ ֨—— ֤—, But rebhia a mayor, makes a great distinction, and shows that Earth is proposed as the Subject of the whole future Discourse to this effect: Para:] But as to the Earth; Beside this Earth God created many Heavens, celestial Spheres of vast Number and Variety; Many Mansions, of whose Nature or Form we are neither capable to know or speak, except we be transported thither, and tho we were, would not be capable of instructing any body of this Globe, the Words Paul heard were unutterable as to any such purpose, for had he called things by the Names he heard, it had been an unknown Tongue. If by our Names, our Thoughts had risen no higher than the accustomend Earthly Idea that Word is a sign of. We call the Places Heaven or High, and the Natives Angels or Messengers, let the Species be what it will. Now says Moses, though this Kingdom of Heaven some one may be Mat. 25.34. is prepared for you, and tho I assure you God made them all out of nothing; Yet I will not undertake to describe these Places, or how they were made: But as to our own Country, this lowest place, the Earth, know that when it was first created, it was without Man, without any living Creature: Job brings in the Angels shining like Morning-Stars, and singing like the early Larks, even shouting( from the first Moment of the beginning) hallelujahs to that great Adori, the Creator; but however the Heavens were replenished, this little Farm was neither stocked nor tenanted; And voided of that due Order and Form that was necessary to afford Man or Beast a comfortable Habitation; the Materials of this House were provided, but lying in heaps, the Walls not built, nor the Wells digged, the Canopy not spread over the Tent, nor the Partitions set up; the very Floors were not laid, nor Drainers cut: Hence all was a Deep, an Abyss, a Lake of Water, without a bottom. And darkness was upon the face of this deep; Neither Sun to shine and rule by Day, nor Moon by Night, not the Sparkle of one Star; Never was there a Night so dark as what belonged to the First Day: Here was neither the Light of the Candle, nor the flamme or glow of Fire to supply this defect; the faint and pale light of the Glow-Worm had been here a Consolation; the Egyptian darkness that could be felt was preferable to this.  
But the Spirit of God did brood upon the face of the Waters; tho it wanted all these, it was put under a tendency toward them, a quantity of Motion was created capable of all Varieties, and able to put the World into the most complete Perfection, being directed by that Imperial Word of GOD, and these Directions exerted by that immediate quickening and influencing Spirit of GOD.  
Hence we learn, That all this Discourse of Moses, and all these Objects spoken of in this Chapter, Heavens, Sun, Moon and Stars, all belong to this Earth, and all come within Moses's proposed subject Earth, in opposition to Heavens; all brought out of this Water by the Spirits hatching Motion. This Earth has its Heavens and Earth, its aboves and belows; but the Heavens that were made the First Day, are no where in our Bible characterized, they are left for our study when we come to dwell in their Mansions.  
Scope:] Rhetorical— ֗— rebkia shows that the scope of this Verse is to describe the Earth by its Characters after the first creative Act.  
Division:] Grammatical— ֑— Atnach shows the first Division of the Verse is at deep; the first Haemistich containing the negative Characters, the second the positive.— ֔— sakeph subdivides the first into two relative Propositions, the first whereof is complex of two properties as to the Earth; it was first without Inhabitant: Secondly, without capacity to receive them. The second is simplo, darkness was upon the face of the deep, in which state it was not capable to produce one Plant or Herb, therefore that defect was first supplied by Creation of Light. The second Haemistich contains but one Proposition, viz. an assertion of the preserving and Nursing Care of Divine Providence. To withstand the wasting and wearing of Creature Nature, there was need of the Breasts of All-sufficiency to maintain what Omnipotence had produced. It is therefore only sub-divided into Three single Terms, the Agent by— ֔— the Spirit of the Lord, the action by— ֖— an hatching or brooding motion; the object by the same, the Waters, the Deep or Earth.  
By a Well-wisher to thy growth in Grace and Knowledge, Walter across.