Chapter I.
thing. It is obſerved by Euſebius (in the beginning of his Book De Præpar. Evang. p. 21 & 25. Edit. Pariſ.) That neither the ancient Hiſtorians, nor the Philoſophers, do ſo much as mention God, οὐδὲ μέχρι ὀνόματος, no, not ſo far as to name, when they write of the beginning of the world. But this Divine Law-giver, deſigning to hang the whole Frame of his Polity, upon Piety towards God, and to make the Creator of all, the Founder of his Laws, begins with him. Not after the manner of the Egyptians and Phoenicians, who beſtowed this adorable Name; upon a great Mulditude: But puts in the Front of his Work, the Name of the ſole Cauſe of all things: the Maker of whatſoever is ſeen or unſeen. As if he had told the Hebrew Nation, That he who gave them the Law contained in theſe Books, was the King and Law-giver of the whole World: Which was, like a great City, governed by him. Whom therefore he would have them look upon, not only as the Enacter of their Laws; but of thofe alſo which all Nature obeys. See L. VII. De Præpar. Evang. c. 9, 10. & L. XII. c. 16.
The Heaven and the Earth.] The Hebrew Particle Eth, put before both Heaven and Earth, ſignifies as much as with, if Maimonides underſtood it aright; and makes the Sence to be this: He created the Heavens, with all things in the Heavens, and the Earth with all things in the Earth; as his Words are in More Nevochim, P. II. cap. 30. Certain it is theſe two words, Heaven and Earth, comprehend the whole viſible World. Some would have the Angels comprehended in the word Heaven; particularly Epiphanius, Hæreſ. LXV. n. 45. ἅμα οὐρανῷ καὶ γῇ καὶ Ἄγγελοι ἐκτίσθησαν. But others of the Fathers are of a different