Christusregnat
Puritan Board Professor
“Why was he Creating so long [six days and six nights], seeing he could have perfected all the Creatures at once and in a moment? First, To show the variety, distinction, and excellency of his several Creatures. Secondly, To teach us the better to understand their Workmanship; even as a Man which will teach a Child in the frame of a Letter, will first teach him one Line of the Letter, and not the whole Letter together. Thirdly, To admonish us, that we are bound to bestow more time in discerning and knowing them than we do. Fourthly, That we might also by his Example finish our Work in six days. Fifthly, That we might observe, that many of the Creatures were made before those which are ordinarily their Causes; and thereby learn that the Lord is not bound to any Creature, or to any Means. Thus the Sun was not Created before the fourth day: And yet days (which now are caused by the rising of the Sun) was before that. So Trees and Plants were created the third day: But the Sun, Moon, and Stars (by which they are now nourished and made to grow) were not created till after the third day.” Archbishop James Ussher, Body of Divinity, p.84
