not encouraged me to this bold attempt Although I have in this Treatise propounded and assayed to proove out of the Text and other places of holy Scripture such a ground of the weekly Sabbath as the learned in their writings have not heretofore observed Yet because the end use and scope of this discovery is most pious and godly and it tends altogether to heape more honour on Christ to advance Redemption above Creation grace above nature the state of Regeneration above the state of Innocency and to shew a necessity of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh and last to the first day of the week after Christs performing and finishing of that great work of our Redemption in his resurrection for which he was promised on the seventh day next after the ending of the Creation I hope it will give no offence nor receive censure of novelty but rather find grace and acceptation in the eyes of your noble persons That great God who hath as I beleeve and here professe magnified his holy weekly Sabbath by grounding it in the first institution on Christ promised and hath made it more honourable by removing and carrying it along together with Christ the Redeemer from the day of the promise to the day of the full performance of the great work of Redemption magnifie your Honours and make your persons still more and more honourable by noble Acts undertaken and performed for the honour of his holy name the advancement of true Religion and the peace and prosperity of this Church and Kingdome under our most gracious Soveraigne Lord and King To whom next under God and the Lord Jesus Christ I most humbly devote my self and vow to remain ever a most loyall subject and next under him to your Honours A most dutifull servant and daily suppliant to God for your everlasting blessednesse GEO. WALKER OF The externall VVorks of GOD in generall PSALM 135. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth in the sea and all deepe places THE externall outward workes of God which follow in the next pla 〈…〉 after his internall workes are indeed nothing but his actuall execution of his eternall counsell purpose and decree For the unfolding of which workes in generall and laying open of the nature use and severall kindes of them I have made choise of this Text. From the wordes and circumstances whereof we may easily gather all points of instruction necessary to be knowne concerning the generall nature use and kindes of them First here the words of the Psalmist shew that he speakes of Gods outward workes because he limits them to places and times to Heaven Earth Sea and all deep places Secondly he speakes of them all in generall none excepted so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies all in generall whatsoever doth plainly shew and also the perfect enumeration of all places which are in the world and wherin any outward sensible and visible work can be done to wit the Heaven the Earth the Seas and all deepe places Thirdly he sheweth that God is the author of these works as he is Jehovah that one eternall God in whom there are three persons Father Son and Holy Ghost for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah the Lord doth or hath done Fourthly he sheweth that the Lord doth all these workes of himselfe according to his owne will and pleasure and none of them all by compulsion unwittingly and unwillingly but even as hee pleased and after the counsell of his will and pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever the Lord pleased Fifthly he intimates that all these workes of God come necessarily infallibly inevitably and irresistably to passe and that none of them all can faile which God hath beene pleased to doe but so come to passe as he pleaseth in every respect even in the same time and place This hee intimates in that he saith every thing whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done Sixtly he sheweth that these outward workes tend to make God knowne and are of use to bring us to the knowledge of the true God and in and by them God is knowne aright and his greatnesse also This is manifest by the dependance of this ver on the former For having said I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods he brings in this text as an argument and proofe saying Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he hath done which is in effect all one as if he had said I know this by his doing of all his outward works for whatsoever the Lord pleased that he hath done Seventhly and lastly he shewes the severall kinds of Gods outward workes that they are not only creation but also actuall providence which concludes in it the government of the world the fall of man and the restauration of man-kind by the redemption of the world Workes of creation he expresseth vers 7. and workes of his actuall providence as ordering governing and saving of his people by Christ which was signified in the deliverance from Egypt he reckons up in the rest of the Psalme both before and after my text So then it is manifest that this text considered with the circumstances thereof serves abundantly for the opening of the nature use and kind of Gods outward works In the unfolding whereof â—irst let us note the order coherence and scope of it Secondly let us take a view of the wordes and sift out the true sence of them Thirdly let us observe out of them by way of doctrine a perfect description of Gods outward workes in generall and lastly apply for some use the doctrine to our selves The order and coherence is this First the Prophet in the 3. first verses exhorts all to praise the Lord and to laud his name more specially the Lords servants who are continuall professors in his Church Secondly in the 3 4 5. verses he gives some reasons drawne from the Attributes of God and the consideration of his nature to wit because the Lord is good and his name pleasant and because of his owne free grace he hath chosen Israel that is his elect and faithfull Church to be his owne peculiar people and because the Lord is great and is a God above all gods In testifying and affirming the Lords goodnesse and being above all gods he brings for proofe his owne knowledge and experience I know saith he that the Lord is great vers 5. Thirdly he doth proove God to be such a one even so good gracious and great by his outward workes and sheweth that by them he knowes God to be so â—or he saith here in this text Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he hath done in Heaven and in earth in the Sea and all deepe places So that it is plaine by the order dependence and scope of the text That here David extolls Gods outward workes in generall as things proceeding from his owne good pleasure and serving to proove him to
our perfection and happinesse in the sight and knowledge of him Fourthly we may hence observe divers singular prerogatives of the first day which is now by the resurrection of Christ the Lords holy day and the Sabbath of all true Christians That by many speciall prerogatives God did in the creation foreshew his eternall counsell and purpose to make this day his holy day in the dayes of Christ and in the time of the Gospell under the Kingdome of grace 1. This is the first fruits of all time 2. In it was created the glorious frame of the heavens and the first light of the visible World 3. In this day God first shewed by his eternall Word the Son his eternall counsell and purpose and by his Word and Spirit began to bring his purposes to passe and produce things into being 4. In this day darknesse and light were so separated and divided that while the night lasted there was no day in all the inferiour World and while it was day there was no night over all the face of the earth the deep but light in all the World which was then created and brought into forme and perfect being 5. In this day God first shewed his approbation and his pleasure that he approved for good the things which by his eternall Word the Son he did forme and bring into being Therefore without doubt most fit to bee the day of the Lord Christ and sanctified and kept holy to the honour and glory of him who is the first borne of God and the first fruits of them that sleep and the light of the World and in whom God sheweth his counsell and is in him well pleased and by him turnes night into day and brings light out of darknesse and brings us to eternall rest in the highest heavens which were created in the beginning of the first day CHAP. VII The second dayes worke Of the skie and things now created All made by the power of God in Christ. The use of the firmament How called heaven All was created wisely and orderly Vse ANd God said Let there bee a Firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters 7. And God made the Firmament and divided the waters which were under the Firmament from the waters which were above the Firmament and it was so 8. And God called the Firmament heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day In these words wee have abriefe historie of the second dayes worke in the creation of the World wherein wee are to consider these five things 1. The thing created 2. The creation and bringing of it into being 3. The use of it 4. The name which God gave unto it 5. How by this worke there came in an evening and a morning which where the second day First for the thing created it is in the originall text called by a generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie any thing which is spread abroad or stretched farre and wide according to the etymologie of it For the Hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which it is derived in all Scriptures wheresoever it is used doth signifie the act of spreading any thing abroad stretching it out and laying it wide-open to view as Exod. 39. 3. Numb 16 38. and Ier. 10. 9 it signifies beating out of gold silver or brasse into thinne broad plates that is spreading them broad by violent beating Exod. 40. 19 It is used to signifie the spreading abroad of the tent over the Tabernacle Psalme 139. 6. and Isa. 42. 5. and 44. 24. It is used to signifie the stretching out of the earth above the waters farre and wide Iob 37. 18. it signifies the spreading out of the skie and of the thinne cloudes and 2 Sam. 22. 43. it is used to signifie spreading abroad as a man spreads clay by stamping it with his feet and by a Metonymic of the effect it is used to signifie stamping with the feet as men stamp clay and spread it abroad Ezech. 6. 11. and 25. 6. These are the places of Scriptures in which onely that word is used So then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of it must needs signifie a thing which is stretched out like a tent or canopie or spread abroad as plates of gold and silver are by beating and clay by stamping The Greeke Septuagints transiate this Word every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing which though it bee farre stretched out yet it is so surely established that it abides still in the place which God hath appointed for it And the vulgar Latine with divers later translaters following the Greeke Septuagints translate it Firmamentum the firmament that is a thing firmely set and established in a place which cannot from thence bee driven out and leave the place empty And although this word may according to the notation of it signifie any thing stretched out or spread abroad or laid wide open and is once onely used to signifie broad plates of brasse beaten out for a covering and that in the plurall number Num. 16. 38. yet in all other places of Scripture it is used in the singular number for the skie which God hath from the beginning stretched out over the globe of the Earth and the Sea as here in this Chapter and Psalme 19. 1. and 150. 1. and Dan. 12. 3. and Ezech. 1. 22. and 10. 1. Now what this skie or firmament is that is a great question among the learned Divers of the Ancients as Basil Ambrose Beda and others doe by this firmament understand the starry heavens First because it is said in the 8. verse that God called this firmament heaven Secondly because it is said that when God made the Sun Moone Starres hee set them in the firmament of heaven vers 17. Thirdly because they doe imagine that there is a watery heaven above the starry heaven which consists of water congealed like to Cristall and doth temper the heat of the Sun Moone and Stars and out of this heaven they conceive that God poured the waters which drowned the old World because it is said Gen. 7. 11. that the windowes of heaven were opened and God rained on the earth But others doe hold that by the firmament here is meant the whole heavens that is both the first heavens the spacious regions of the aire and also the middle that is the firie and starry heavens and the third that is the highest heavens First because it is said that God called the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven and this word is used in the Scriptures to signifie all these three heavens And as the highest heaven is called by this name Psalme 11. 4. the Lords throne is in heaven and Psalme 148. where it is said Praise Him O heaven of heavens So the middle and starry heavens as Gen. 22. 17. where wee read of the Starres of heaven and also
judge any that is by his owne proper act of judgement but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne that he may have a hand in all judgements together with himselfe and Iohn 16. 13 14. speaking of that speciall illumination of mens hearts and inward teaching which seemes most proper to the Spirit he saith it is not of himselfe alone but it is what he hath heard and received from the Father and the Sonne And therefore the second Branch is manifest that the doer of the outward workes of God is Jehovah our God and all the three Persons in God The third Branch comprehends in it the outward moving cause of all these outward workes namely Gods owne will and pleasure for he is said to do them according to his eternall purpose and after the counsell of his owne will This is expressed in the description and in the words of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that is whatsoever is according to the Lords will and pleasure that he hath done and this is testified in other Scriptures as Psal. 115. 3. where it is said that the Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him and Isa. 46. 10. where the Lo 〈…〉 saith I will do all my pleasure and Ionah 1. 14. All which places shew that first the Lord hath a mind and pleasure to doe such things and therupon he doth them Also Ephes. 1. 11. It is said he doth worke all things after the counsell of his will And Acts 2. 23. 4. 28. the worke of our Redemption by Christ and all that he did and suffered is said to be done by the determinate counsell of God Therfore this Branch is manifest namely That Gods will and pleasure is the only inward mooving cause of all his outward works and that they are nothing but the execution of his eternall will and decree The fourth Branch by which these outward works are specially distinguished from his inward operation comprehends in it the subject wherein these workes do subsist and the circumstance of time and place wherein they are done For these workes are not done within God himselfe neither doe they subsist in his Essence as his inward operations do but they are Extra Dei essentiam without Gods essence they are done in all the world and upon the creatures some in Heaven and some in Earth others in the Sea and all deepe places as my Text saith and they have their circumstances of time and place as God hath appointed from all eternity The Creation was in the first beginning of time in the first six dayes of the world Gen. 1. The Redemption wrought by Christ in the midst of yeares betweene the Law and the Gospell Hab. 3. 2. and upon the mountaine where Hierusalem stood Isa. 25. 6 7. The great execution shall be at the end of the world in the last day of Judgement and the works of Gods governement and actuall providence as they are divers so they are done at divers times and in divers places of the world as experience teacheth on the very day which the Lord appointed did the flood come upon the old world Gen. 7. 11. In the same day which God had fore-told was Israel delivered out of Aegypt Exod. 21. 41. And howsoever the words of the Apostle Act. 17. 18. intimate that in God and not without him We live moove and have our being yet we are not thus to understand that these things are and that we subsist in Gods Essence and that we are so in God as his inward operations and eternall decrees are But that we all are compassed about with Gods presence and essentiall power which are every where and by him as by the chiefe efficient cause and authour of life motion and being are sustained and upheld in life being and motion continually For to be in God that is to subsist in his essence doth necessarily imply coeternity and consubstantiality with God Quicquid est in Deo Deus est nothing can be within his Essence but it must be coeternall with God and of the same Substance with him Hee who denies this must needes deny God to be immutable and most simple free from all composition Therfore this Branch also is most manifest and doth containe in it nothing but solid Truth The fifth Branch containes in it the manner of Gods outward works to wit that in respect of God himselfe they are done with such power as cannot be resisted and in respect of the event they are certaine infallible and cannot faile This is truely collected from the Text For it is said that all Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth hee doth or hath done which shewes that not one jot of his will and pleasure failes but comes to passe If his will or pleasure could be resisted or any thing prevented which he willeth to worke surely the Divell who is so cunning watchfull and malitious would in some things have defeated God or this either by himselfe or some of his instruments But this Text affirmes the contrary that whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done in all the world Therfore in respect of God they are all unresistable and in respect of the event infallible And this David testifieth Psal. 115. 3. saying The Lord doth whatsoever pleaseth him And Isa. 46. 10. my counsell shall stand and I will performe all my pleasure yea because these are voluntary workes of God and are willed and decreed in his secret counsell from all eternity as I have noted before therefore they must needs be unresistable for Who can resist his will Rom. 9. 19. The sixth Branch containes the principall use and effects of Gods outward workes namely the making of himselfe knowne in his nature and essentiall attributes and so communicating himselfe to his elect That Gods externall workes doe all serve for this use and doe worke this effect we may gather from the dependance and inference of this Text. For the Psalmist having professed that he knows the Lord to be great and that he is the onely true God above all gods that is who hath all the essentiall properties of the true God he proves it by and from his workes and sheweth that by meanes of them he knoweth it And other Scriptures and experience confirme the same Psal. 19. 1. It is said that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge and Rom. 1. 20. The visible things of God are seene from the creation of the world clearly being understood by the things which were made Even his divine Power and God-head So the works of Gods actual providence in governing and upholding the world and in mooving the Heavens and the starres in order doe shew his infinite wisdome and supercelestia'l glory Psal. 8. 1. His overthrowing of his enemies and the persecutors of his Church as in the stood of Noah and in the drowning of Pharaoh and his host do shew his power His
death is seventy sevens of yeares Daniel 9. that is 490. yeares all which make 3960. yeares from the creation Now from Christs death which was in the 33. yeare of his age or 33. after his birth it is in this present yeare 1623. the full number of 1590. yeares which being added to 3960. before Christs death make from the creation 5550. yeares Now this computation of yeares together with the clearing of the former question may serve First to discover unto us divers waies the admirable providence of God in that he doth so order all things that the time of the incarnation of Christ the second Adam should fall in the same moneth with the creation of the first Adam and the day of redemption from sinne and death should be the same day of the week and of the moneth with the day of Adams falling into sin and bringing all mankind into bondage to hell and death And that in the holy Scriptures which were written by holy men of God in severall ages the true computation of times and yeares should be put upon record and reserved and kept safe through all ages untill this day in the midst of so many dangers and among so many alterations and changes which have happened in the world Surely he who is so provident in ordering the circumstance of times and preserving the records of them even his holy Oracles when the Nation of Jewes to whom they were committed in trust is cast off and scattered over all the earth will much more keep his promises and fulfill all prophecies and predictions every one in the set time and season which he hath appointed Secondly this exact record of times and of the very moneth of the creation and of the redemption serves to confirme us in the verity and truth of those things which are written concerning the beginning and creation of the world and the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ comming in the exact fulnesse of time to redeem the world according to Gods promises when severall witnesses or writers who never conferred nor consulted one with another doe agree in their relations not only in the maine matters but in the circumstances of time also no man can have any least pretence or colour of doubting And thus doe the writers of the holy Scriptures who lived in severall ages they exactly agree in the histories of creation and redemption even to the circumstances of times the very daies and moneths wherein they were performed And therefore let us firmly beleeve them and rest on the truth of them for we have sure grounds of beleeving but not any pretence or colour of doubting Thirdly hereby it is made manifest that the world being created in time and onely so long ago as is before shewed was made onely for us and for our benefit who live under time and not for the eternall God to adde any good or any blessednesse to him who was all-sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity and both could and would have made the world millions of yeares before if it might have been profitable to himselfe Wherefore let us hereby be stirred up to use the world as a gift and as talents given to us by God to be well imployed and study to honour him by all worldly things created Fourthly hereby we may justly be moved to admire the eternity of God when we see the whole time of the world to be but 5550. yeares which are before him but as 5. daies and an halfe For a thousand yeares with him are but as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. Wherefore as holy David when hee compared Gods eternity with the temporary being of the heavens and the earth and their inclining to decay and changes like a vesture and wearing garment did admire Gods infinite and eternall Majesty So let us all be after the same manner affected with reverence of God and admiration of his eternity when we compare the ages of the world even the longest of them the thousands of yeares since the creation to be but as so many daies with the Lord who liveth and abideth the same for ever The fourth thing in this Text is the object and effect of Gods first worke of creation to wit the heavens and the earth First the Heavens come to be considered together with the creatures here comprehended under that name and that these things may more plainly appeare to our understanding we must first search and sift out the true sense and signification of the word Heaven in this Text and then come to the instructions which doe thence naturally arise The name by which it hath pleased the Spirit of God in this place to call the Heavens is in the Originall Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamajim concerning the signification and Etymologie whereof the learned much differ among themselves Some make it a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth there and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth waters because above in the aire which is the lowest and nearest heaven and in the clouds water is engendered and in showres distills from thence Some compound it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is fire and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters because the heavens seem to be made of both the Sun Moon and Starres resemble fire and the rest of the heavens resemble calme and still waters Some derive this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies astonishment because if a man doe stedfastly behold and consider either the glory or the wonderfull height and compasse of the heavens they are things which will dazle his eyes and make his heart astonished But the best derivation of the word which is grounded upon the best reasons is that which some late Writers have observed to wit that it is derived of the simple Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth there and is never used but when we speake of being in a place which is remote and distant from us For as the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies the place present so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies a place remote and distant from us and the being of things there in that place Now the heavens are the utmost and most remote place from the earth which is set in the middle and about the center of the round world and upon which men doe live in this world Therefore this derivation doth agree very aptly to the heavens Secondly of a place which is most excellent wee are wont to say There there is the best being and in a kind of vehement and affectionate speech we use to double the word And heaven is the most excellent place and therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of the duall number and signifies as much as There there or there double is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there Thirdly the heavens are divided most properly into two heavens
day or the first day I answere that Gods day which is most truly and properly so called is the time of light and in it their is no night or darknesse For God speakes of a naturall day distinct from the night but Moses speakes of a civill day which comprehends in it the space of 24. houres in which the Sun runnes round about the World with the heavens which day includes in it a day and a night and here observe that Gods day is all light and mans day is mixt of light and darknesse Thirdly it may asked whether the night or the day went before in the first day of the creation The Answer is that the night or time of darknesse was first and it is likely that darknesse did over-spread the face of the deep the space of a night that is 12. houres before God formed the light and setled the visible heavens in their place and that after the light was created it did shine forth for the space of 12. houres more before God went about to make the firmament which was the second dayes work and so the first day of the World was of the same length with all other civill or Astronomicall dayes that is 24 houres divided equally between light and darknesse The words of the text shew that darknesse overspread all the masse of the inferiour World for a time before the light was formed Also in naming the six dayes of the creation the evening that is the time of darknesse is rehearsed first before the morning which is the 〈◊〉 of light Also Gods people began their dayes of the weeke and of the yeare with the night and reckoned the Sabbath and other solemne dayes from evening to evening as appeares Levit. 23. 32. Fourthly it may bee asked how the firie or visible heavens could by their light make a day before the Sun was created seeing the light of the same heavens together with the light of the Moone and the Starres added thereto cannot make a day but it is night where the Sun is absent and the light of it not seene not withstanding the light of the heavens and of the Moone and Starres I answere that the light of the heavens without Sun Moone and Starres is sufficient to make a bright day in the place where they are and there it is alwayes day though by reason of the spacious regions of the aire and the great distance betweene them and the earth their light doth not shine to us to make a day of light without the beames of the Sun but it is dark night in that part of the earth where their light onely appeares Now in the first day before the firmament was made that is the region of the aire purged and refined out of the masse by the sinking and settling of the earthy and waterish matter towards the center there was no need of light further then the body of the heavens reached that is to the upper face of the rude masse not yet formed but remaining rude and full of darknesse And therefore so farre as the visible World was brought into forme they did give most clear day light and as all had before bin overspread with darknesse for the space of a night so all was now overspread with light for a dayes space and so the first day of the creation was one halfe all night and another halfe all day in all the visible World even in all parts thereof which were then created and brought into perfect forme and being From this text thus opened wee may observe divers points of instruction First we learne that as there are three Persons in that one God which created the World by his own infinite power so every Person is a creatour and God the Father by his eternall Word the Son did extend and shew forth his power to the framing of every creature and by his Spirit did give all forme and perfection to them As the word Elohim used in the first verse notes more Persons so here and in the verse before wee see the Persons distinguished and all three working in the framing of the World and all the creatures therein First God the Father is brought in creating Secondly by his Word that is not by a sound of the voice or a word uttered for there was then no aire to receive such a sound but by his eternall Word bringing things into being according to his eternall Counsell and decree Thirdly by his Spirit moving upon the face of the waters and cherishing the rude and common matter of the whole visible World yet void and unformed and preparing it for the receiving of the severall formes of all creatures in the severall parts of it Which point excellently confirmes our faith in the true Doctrine of the blessed Trinitie and confutes Sabellius Servetus the Socinians and Arminians who denied the eternall Deity of the Son and the holy Ghost and overthrowes their severall heresies and damnable errours Secondly wee hence learne that all things are possible to God he can as easily and quickly by his eternall Word and power bring greatest things to passe even bring light out of darknesse and the glorious pure spacious visible heavens out of the rude impure and confused masse which was without forme and void as a man of nimble tongue and ready speech can speake a word Which Doctrine other Scriptures doe aboundantly confirme which ascribe to God omnipotency and proclaime him to bee wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working and that nothing is too hard or wonderfull for him to doe as Genes 18. 14. Isa 28. 29. Iob 36. 5. and 42. 2. Which serves to stirre us up to feare admire and reverence God to seek his favour and protection above all things and to rest confidently on him for defence against all enemies and dangers when wee are reconciled to him and have him for our God and our portion Thirdly we may here observe that God is wonderful in wisedome and providence in that the first thing created in this visible World was light even the bright and shining heavens which as above all visible creatures they shew the glory and super-celestial excellency of God in their naturall frame and substance so also give bodily light to the eyes of all bodily living creatures which were to bee made to see and discerne the glorious beauty and admirable frame of his visible works for hereby it came to passe that none of gods visible perfect works of wisedome were for an houre smoothered in darknesse but were all manifest and Gods glory was clearly seene in them so soone as there was a seeing creature able to discerne them This sheweth that God hath done his part to reveale himselfe and man who takes not notice of God in his works to worship him aright is without all excuse And this should stirre us up to labour to see God and to discerne him in his works and to place all
the night of the three last dayes Hereby God did foreshew that the aire and this lowest World is the place of Satans Kingdome wherein hee doth rage and tyrannize with great power after his fall untill hee be cast into Hell at the last day which also other Scriptureâ— shew as Eph. 22. where Satan is called the Prince of the aire and Revel 16. 17. the Kingdome of Satan is called the aire and Ioh. 14. 30. our Saviour calls him the Prince of this World Wherefore let us not place our felicity here in the things of this World nor hope for peace and rest in this lowest airy heaven where Satan ruleth and rageth Hee who preacheth for things here hee speakes into the aire 1 Cor. 14. 9. Hee who wrastleth for a prize here hee beateth the aire and strives for uncertainties 1 Cor. 9. 26. Let us looke up higher to the Heaven of heavens to the Country and City which is above and where Christ is there let our heart bee Verse 9. CHAP. VIII The third dayes worke Of Water and Earth distinct elements Of the names of Earth and Sea Of Herbes Plants and Trees All earthly things nothing to God Wee are Pilgrimes on earth Vses God ruleth the most tumultuous creatures Vse ANd God said Let the waters under the Heaven bee gathered together unto one place and let the drie land appeare and it was so Verse 10. And God called the drie land Earth and the gathering together of the Waters called hee Seas and God saw that it was good Verse 11. And God said Let the Earth bring forth grasse herbe yeelding seed and the fruit tree yeelding fruit after his kind whose seed is in it selfe upon the Earth and it was so Verse 12. And the Earth brought forth grasse and herbe yeelding seed after his kind and the tree yeelding fruit whose seed was in it selfe after his kind and God saw that it was good Verse 13. And the evening and the morning were the third day The third dayes worke is the creation of the Earth and the Seas and the separating of them one from another in place and the calling of them by their names also the creation of the Herbes Plants and Trees out of the Earth all which made up a third dayes worke In the 9. verse wee have the creation of the two grossest and lowest elements the Water and the Earth laid downe very briefely and withall the separation of the Water from the Earth into one place and the appearance of the earth above the waters The first words And God said shew that God by his eternall Word the Son created these inferiour elements and all thing in them and still the Son works with the Father in all the works of creation These next words Let the waters under the heaeen bee gathered together unto one place and let the drie land appeare seeme not to speake at all of the creation of the waters or of the earth but onely of the separation of the waters into one place and causing the dry land to appeare by it selfe Some Expositors gather from these words that the earth and the waters were created before and that the earth being made perfectly round in the lowest place and framed of the heaviest and grossest part of the rude matter which settled about the center was all covered with the waters which were made of the purer part of that rude masse which remained after the creation of the spacious firmament the airie heaven and the naturall place of the waters was above the earth betweene it and the aire I easily beleeve and acknowledge that the earth being made of the heaviest part of the rude matter doth occupie and possesse the lowest place about the middle center of the round World and that the naturall place of the water which is a purer and lighter element in which place God first created it and gave it being is the place next above the earth compassing it round on every side and if the element of water were in quantity more then the hollow places of the earth could conteine it would overflow all the upper face of the earth or if God should bring the earth into a perfect round globe without risings up of hils or hollow valleyes the waters of the Sea would stand in the upper place next above it between the aire and the earth For wee see and find by daily experience that as heavier elements do descend downwards when they are in lighter elements and doe by naturall motion tend to the lower place as for example drops of raine-water being ingendered in the aire descend downward and the earth and every part of it whether a stone or lump of clay or clod of earth will sinke downe move towards the bottom in a lake of standing water and in a vessell full of water So also the lighter and thinner elements doe naturally ascend above the heavier and seeke the higher place and cannot but by violence bee kept under them or in the same place with them for wee see that sparks and flames of fire being in the aire will continually ascend upward till they come to the place above it and if aire be closed up in a bladder and by some weight held downe in the bottom of a pond or some great vessell of water if it bee let loose by opening or bursting the bladder it will presently flie up and make speedy way in bubbles to the top of the waters and if waters bee either ingendered in the earth under the ground or by secret conveyances bee driven from the Sea into the earth it will continually spring up till it cometh to the top of the earth and hence it is that wee have so many springs of water rising out of the earth But I cannot beleeve that the earth and the waters of the Sea were created distinct elements before the third day because no words in this Historie of the creation doe before this day mention any creation of water and earth as they are elements perfectly formed and distinct one from another Indeed the rude masse which was without forme and void is called Earth and the Deep and the Waters not because it had the forme of these or was any one of them but was onely the matter of which they were made and because it was like earth for the grossnesse of it and like water or a deep quagge or muddy lake for the instability of it And although it is said before that God made the airie heaven to divide between the waters above in the clouds and the waters below under the aire in the Sea and the Rivers yet it doth not follow that these waters were created before or that then immediatly it did divide betweene them but that it was made to divide between them afterwards when they were created Yea itis plaine that therewas no raine in the aire nor clouds nor mists nor vapours ascending up from the earth till after the earth was furnished
third dayes worke that is the creation of grasse herbes plants and trees Where note onely these two things First what were these things created Secondly how they were created and brought into being The first is grasse or greene herbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that which of it selfe springs up without setting or sowing The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herbe bearing seed that is all herbes which are set or sowne and increase by mans industry The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is trees and plants which are of a woodie substance which beare fruit and have their seed which turns to fruit in themselves they are not multiplied onely by sowing of seed but live all the year and many yeares without sowing and multiply by rootes slips graffes and the like These were the things which God is here said by his creating Word and power to bring out of the earth every one perfect in their kind Secondly for the manner of creating them they were not created immediatly of nothing nor of any other element besides the earth and then put into the earth there to grow But God by his powerfull Word without any help of mans tillage Raine or Sun did make them immediatly out of the earth and every one perfect in their kind grasse and heroes with flowers and seeds and trees with large bodies branches leaves and fruits growing up suddenly as it were in a moment by Gods Word and power And thus much I gather not onely from the words of the text which run thus God said Let the Earth bring forth grasse herbes and trees but also from the words Chap. 2. 5 6. where it is said that God formed every plant when yet it was not in the Earth and every herb when as yet it grew not up that is before they had any seed or roote hidden or sowne in the earth from whence they might spring and grow up and also without help of raine or dew or any culture or tillage Now all these things being thus formed by the word of God were approved by God for good and perfect in their kind And so the evening that is the time of darknesse over the earth while the waters covered it and before the drie land appeared above the waters which was about twelve houres a nights space and the morning that is the time of light after the drie land appeared and the light of the firie heavens shined upon it through the aire which as yet was most pure and cleare without clouds mists or vapours which time of light was other twelve houres made up a third day Thus we see that in the three first daies before the creation of the Sun Moon and Starres the night was a time of darknes and the day a time of light in all that part of the World where night and day are said to have been and in respect of which part of the World they are called evening and morning as for example After that the light the firie heavens were created and made out of the rude masse full of darknesse there was no more night or darknesse but all light in the heavens ever since for they are a day and light to themselves and that which is night and day with us is all alike with them even cleare day light So likewise after the creation of the light all was darknesse in the rest of the rude masse which was not yet formed and the time that it lay in darknesse before the airy heaven was perfectly purified and made is called the evening or night but after that the firmament that is the spacious element of the aire was created and brought into perfect being and puritie it received into it the light of the firie heavens which shined through it and the time of that shining into the aire is called the morning or day light and this day light shines still in the highest region of the aire above the ascent of the clouds and there is no more night of darknesse in that region but as cleare light as that of the second and third day onely in the rest of the rude masse there did remaine darknesse untill God created out of it at once the two lowest elements the waters and the earth and the time while the waters covered the earth and kept the light of heaven from it is called the evening or night of the third day but when the drie land and the hils and mountaines of the earth were raised up above the waters and the great vast hollow valley which is the place of the Sea and receptacle of the waters was made in it then the light of the heavens did shine through the aire unto the upper face of the earth and of the waters and so continued untill the herbes plants and trees were made no clouds or mists or vapours made the lower region of the aire darke and this was the time of morning or day light on earth the third day Thus much for the opening of the third dayes work of creation and how the times of light and darknesse that is the evening and morning did make up the third day From this dayes work and from the things created and the manner of creation divers things may bee observed for our instruction First wee see that the two lowest elements Earth and Sea though they appeare to bee great and huge vast things yet to God working by his eternall Word the making and separating of them was but a peece of a dayes work and all the grasse herbes plants and trees which are innumerable and full of all admirable variety they were but another peece of a dayes worke they were not onely made and brought into being but also to their perfect growth full of flowers seed and fruite in a little time as it were in a moment Hence we may learne that all this World here below wherein the sonnes of men live together with all creatures which seâ—ve for their use it is as nothing in the hand of God and of small moment All the herbes plants and trees which Solomon with all his wisedome could scarcely come to know were with the Earth Sea and all Waters made perfect in one day This is that which the Lord proclaimes by the Prophet Isa. 40. 15 17. where it is said that all nations are as a drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the balance before him All nations are before him as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Which Doctrine serves to admonish us to despise all earthly riches and possessions in comparison of God who is the portion of the godly and faithfull also it serves to confound and put to shame all proud carnall worldlings who glory and boast in a little nothing and to make glad and fill with joy Gods people who have a true right and interest in God by their spirituall union and communion which they have with Christ by one
Spirit even the holy Ghost dwelling in him as the head and in them as members of the same mysticall body Secondly from the name of the earth we learne that this World is a race and pilgrimage and a place of travell and warfare and here is not the rest of man neither is here his abiding place This the Scriptures proclaime every where Iacob the Father of Israel who had the land of Canaan promised to him and his seed for an inheritance for ever hee counted his life as a pilgrimage on earth and saith in his old age Few and evill have my dayes been Gen. 47. 9. And David saith Psalme 119. 19. I am a stranger upon earth and Psalme 39. 12. I am a stranger and sojourner with thee as all my Fathers were Iob calls mans life a few dayes and full of trouble which fleet as a shadow and continueth not Iob 14. 1 2. Saint Paul cals it a restelesse race like that of men who runne for a prize 1 Cor. 9. 24. 26. and Heb. 12. 1. Wee are here like Noah's dove which being sent out of the Arke found no rest for the soale of her foote till shee returned thither againe Here wee have no continuing Citie Hebr. 13 14. neither is here our rest Mich. 2. 10. till our Soules returne to God who gave them wee shall alwayes be in a pilgrimage and never find quiet rest This Doctrine is of good use to keep and restraine us from dreaming of setled rest here on earth and from seeking to build our nests sure in the tops of earthly rocks for many generations and to stirre us up to put on resolution and courage to labour and travell and strive and run as men doe in a race and for masteries while wee live on earth For our life is short and fleeth away as a shadow and the art and divine skill of gaining heaven and getting the Crowne of glory doth require much studie sweating toile and industrie and wee cannot attaine to it but by hearing reading studying and meditating in Gods Word day and night Secondly it discovers worldlings to bee dreaming and doating fooles who put trust and confidence in things of this World and build great houses purchase lands and large revenues and think that their houses shall continue for ever The Prophet justly compareth such men to a dreamer who being hungrie doth dreame that hee eateth but when hee awaketh his soule is empty in his thirst he dreameth that he is drinking but when he awaketh hee is faint and his soule hath appetite Isa. 29. 8. This is the case of foolish and brutish worldings who see how the forme and fashion of the World passeth away and yet seeing will not see but still dreame of setled rest and dwelling on earth Thirdly though the Seas are such as the name signifieth which God gave to them that is troubelous and tumultuous and doe dreadfully rage and roar yet seeing God is above them as their Lord and Creatour and when hee made them such saw that they were good and usefull and profitable for man this teacheth that God ruleth over the most tumultuous creatures of the World and maketh the most outrageous roarers work for the good of his people First hee makes them serve to shew the power dread and terrour of him their creatour that all may feare and stand in awe of him for if the creatures be so dreadfull and terrible much more God the Creatour who gave them their being And as God makes them worke feare so also admiration in men so David sheweth Psalme 46. and Psalme 107. 24. Secondly hee makes them worke for the good of his people and for the safety of his Church by destroying and devouring their wicked enemies persecutors and oppressors as wee see in the red Sea drowning Pharaoh and his host and as wee have seene in the year 88. when the Sea wind and stromes scattered and devoured the Armado of our bloudy enemies who came enraged with furie and furnished with all weapons of cruelty and instruments of death to destroy our Land and the Church of God in it The consideration whereof serves to make us east our selves upon God in all times of trouble and to comfort our selves in him knowing that as hee is the Lord mighty above all and a terrour to the most terrible and hath in his hand power to save us from all troubles so hee is gracious and willing to save us And though hee sometimes suffers the swelling waves to rise and the tempestuous stormes and Seas to threaten and put us in feare and danger yet it is not in wrath but in wisedome because for the present hee sees them to bee good for us CHAP. IX The fourth dayes worke Of the lights substantiall bodies The place of them Their Vse For signes seasons dayes and yeares Of the Sun Moone and Starres No instruments used in the creation Note the great wisedome of God in the order of creation This World not made to bee the place of our immutable perfection Vses of each of these ANd God said Let there bee Lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night and let them bee for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares 15. And lot them bee for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the Earth and it was so 16. And God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesse light to rule the night he made also the Starres 17. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the Earth 18. And to rule over the day and the night and to divide the light from the darknesse and God saw that it was good 19. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day These words containe a briefe Historie of the fourth dayes worke in the creation in which wee may observe First Gods powerfull commanding the worke to bee done by his eternall Word in the 14. and 15. Verses Secondly his bringing of the worke to passe by that eternall Word in the 16 17 18. Verses Thirdly Gods approbation of the worke and so perfecting that day First wee see God still proceeds in the worke of creation by his powerfull Word and saith Let there be Lights The things which hee commands to bee done are two First that there shall bee lights in the firmament of heaven that is the Sun Moone and Starres which are the lights created out of the first element even that light which was made the first day that is the body of the visible firie heavens The second that they shall bee for speciall use 1. To divide the day from the night 2. To bee for signes seasons dayes and yeares 3. To bee for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the Earth That these lights are not bare lights without a subject but bright shining substantiall bodies which have light
be good and gracious and to make us know him so great and glorious a God as he is In the second place for the wordes themselves they are plaine and easie to be understood at the first hearing without any laborious interpretation They run thus in the Hebrew All which the Lord pleaseth he hath done in Heaven Earth Sea and all deepe places This word all shewes that he speakes not of some particular workes but of all in that kind The word Jehovah is the proper name of God considered in the unity of his essence with all his essentiall Attributes and every one of the 3. Persons is called by this name as they are of the same essence and all one God The enumeration of all the notable places in the world wherein these workes are done discovers the workes which he here speakes off to be outward workes which doe not abide in Gods essence and there onely subsist as his eternall counsell decrees and inward operations do but are done in time and place and have their subsistance in and among the creatures such as are creating ruling ordering upholding of all things and also redeeming and restoring of all man-kinde The word pleaseth limits the generall note or particle all unto all workes which in themselves are good or else serve for good use and so are pleasing to the Lord for the use sake Hee doth not say that the Lord doth all things which are done but all things which he pleaseth that is he doth not make men sinnefull and wicked neither doth he worke rebellion in men which is displeasing unto him but he doth whatsoever is pleasing that is all things which are agreeable to his nature And whatsoever is according to his will and good pleasure that he doth none can hinder it This is the true sense and meaning of the wordes Now from the text thus opened and the circumstances observed wee may gather a perfect description of them in generall shewing the nature and use of them The description of Gods outward Workes The outward workes of God in generall are all things whatsoever the Lord God Jehovah that one infinite and eternall God 3. Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost doth according to his eternall purpose and after the counsell and good pleasure of his will work and bring to passe not within but without himselfe in all the world and upon all creatures therein and that certainely and irresistably in due time and place to the communicating and making of himself known to men and Angels in his infinite and eternall nature and in his goodnesse grace glory power and all other essentiall properties for the salvation and eternall blessednes of his elect in Christ. This description truely gathered from this Text and the scope and order of it and discovering plainely the nature and use of Gods outward workes in generall I will proove in every part and branch orderly and will conclude with some application The first thing in it is the generall matter of Gods externall workes they are things done that is not onely actions working and operations such as Creation Redemption and the like but also things or works made effâ—cted and done by those actions as Heaven Earth Angels and other things created For all these are things done and wrought by God This Branch is plainly expressed in this word of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath done or doth or hath made for the Hebrew word signifies all these And that Gods outward worlâ—s consist in doing and are things not spoken or promised but done and wrought Divers testimonies of Scripture doe shew Psal. 44. 1. David cals them workes which he hath done And Isa. 28. 21. The Prophet saith that the Lord doth his worke his strange worke And not to stand in repeating many Scriptures in a point so plaine This is one word is sufficient that the two Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are used in the Scriptures to signifie Gods outward works are both derived of verbs which signifie doing The second branch in this description comprehends in it the Author of these works to wit the Lord God Jehovah that one infinite eternall God and three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost This Branch doth distinguish these workes First from the workes of creatures which are proper to them Secondly from the personall operations of God as the eternall begetting of the Sonne which is proper to the Father and is his worke onely That God considered in the unity of his essence as he comprehends all the three Persons is the Authour of these workes and that they are common to the Father Son and Holy Ghost and every one of them hath an hand in every work of this kind though one more immediately than another The word Jehovah here used in the Text doth plainly shew where it is said Whatsoever Jehovah pleased or was willing to do that he hath done which word is so proper to God and signifies One God that it also agrees to every person in that one God And this is also confirmed by divers other testimonies of Gods word which shew that in divers of these outward actions or workes the Father workes by the Sonne and the Sonne by the Father with and by the Spirit The first great work of this kind even the work of Creation which sometimes is attributed to the Father as more peculiar to him because terminatur in Patrâ— as the Schoolemen speak that is it is bounded and termined in the Father and he is principium summus terminus creationis the first beginning and utmost bound of creation from whom it first proceeded even this is attributed to the Sonne and Spirit also as being common to all the Persons as Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord that is the Sonne were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the Spirit of his mouth 'To which adde Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God made me John 1. 3 10. Colos. 1. 16. where it is said that by the eternall word the Sonne all things were made both in Heaven and Earth visible and invisible and without him was made nothing of all that was made So likewise in that outward worke of Judgement executed on Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah is said to raine downe from Jehovah out of Heaven fire and brimstone that is Jehovah the Son from Jehovah the Father who are both one and the same God Jehovah yea that these externall workes of God are not divided some to one Person and some to another in the Trinity but are common to all the Persons and proceed from that one common essence according to that saying of the School-men opera Trinitatis ad extra suns indivisa Our Saviour sheweth most plainly Ioh. 5. 19 22. where he saith that as the Sonne cannot worke of himselfe alone without the Father but he must have and see the Father working with him so the Father doth not
giving of Christ his Son for a Redeemer aboundantly testifieth his infinite goodnesse and bounty his punishing our sins in Christ to the full shews his infinite Justice and his pardoning of beleevers by Christs satisfaction freely given and communicated to them shewes his infinite mercy and free grace as the Scriptures often testifie and our own consciences within us do witnesse and our daily sense and experience do proove And in our Redemption and application of it we see discovered the Trinity of Persons in one God And while wee in these things as in a glasse behold the glory of God with open face the vaile of ignorance being remooved we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory and so come to have communion with God and the fruition of him 2 Cor. 3. 18. The seventh and last Branch sets before us the utmost end of all Gods outward works to wit the eternall blessednesse of the elect by the communion vision and fruition of God in all his glorious attributes as wisedome power goodnesse mercy justice and the rest The Text it selfe intimates this Truth to us saying that all these workes of God proceed from his good will and pleasure For the good pleasure and will of God consists chiefly and principally in willing that his elect shall be brought to perfect communion of himselfe and of his glory for their eternall happinesse And what God willeth according to his owne good pleasure and doth because he is pleased so to do it must needs aime at the blessednesse of his elect by the sight and fruition of him and his glory Now therfore all Gods outward workes proceeding fiem Gods pleasure must needs tend to this end and this is confirmed Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. where we read that all things worke together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose and that all things are the elects the world life and death things present and things to come and they are Christs and Christ is Gods also Col. 1. 16. all things visible and invisible were created as by Christ so for him that they might serve him for the salvation of his elect and for this end and purpose Angells principalities and powers are said to be made subject to Christ 1 Pet. 3. 22. And their office and ministery and the great wonders which God doth by them are said to be for them who shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. To these testimonies many reasons might be added I will onely call to mind that which I have else where abundantly declared and prooved to wit that for this end the world is upheld by Christ and for his sake and through his mediation ever since mans fall and for this end the wicked live even the barbarous and savage nations either that they may serve for some use to Gods people or for the elects sake whom God will raise up out of them or that God may shew his justice and power on them being sitted for destruction to the greater glory of his elect even the judgements of God on the wicked and their damnation serve for this end to increase the blessednesse of the Saints The doctrine of this description serves for to stirre us up in imitation of God our Creator not to content our selves with saying purposing and promising or with making a shew of doing good workes but to be reall true constant and faithfull in performance of them I or so doth God whatsoever he promiseth or purposeth or is pleased to doc that he doth in Heaven and Earth Sluggards who delight in idlenesse doing nothing and Hypocrites who say and promise and make great shew of doing but are barren of the fruites of good workes as they are most unlike to God and contrary to him so they are hatefull and abhominable in the sight of God and they onely are accepted of God who are active Christians alwayes doing good and abounding in the worke of the Lord their labour shall not be in vaine but every one shall receive reward according to his workes which are evidences of his communion with Christ and of his faith justification and sanctification wherefore seeing God is alwayes reaching forth his mighty hand to worke in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and all deep places for our profit let us be alwayes doing and studying to do good for his glory Secondly it serves to move and direct us in and through the outward workes of God to see and behold the infinite eternall and omnipotent God and his divine power and Godhead and in the unity of Gods essence the sacred Trinity of persons because all the persons have a hand in every worke and that one God who is three persons is the author and worker of every divine outward worke as this doctrine teacheth It is a common custome among men when they see and behold the handy worke of any person to remember the person to bee put in minde of him by the worke especially if he have knowne the person before and beare the love and affection to him of a friend and a beloved one So let it be with us so often as we see and behold the visible outward workes of God let us in them behold the face of God and remember his glorious attributes Let us in the great workes of Creation behold the wisedome and power of God the Creator in the worke of Redemption the mercy bounty and love of God in our Sanctification the love and the holinesse of God and in them all let us behold the three glorious Persons in that one God who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will The Father by his eternall Word and Spirit creating all things The Sonne sent forth by the Father in our nature and sanctified by the Spirit redeeming us and paying our ransome The Holy Ghost shed on us by God the Father through the Sonne Christ in our regeneration And all three conspiring together to purge sanctifie and justifie us and to make us eternally blessed in our communion with them and in our fruition of God in grace and glory And let us take heed and beware of idle and vaine speculation of Gods great workes which shew his glory and proclaime his glorious Attributes Wisdome Power and Goodnesse lest by such idle negligence wee become guilty of taking the name of the Lord our God in vaine Thirdly from this description we may easily gather and conclude that sinnefull actions as they are evill and sinnefull are not Gods workes for God is pleased with those things which he doth and his workes are according to his pleasure but God is not pleased with sinnefull actions and evill workes he hath no pleasure in iniquity Psal. 5. 4. If any aske How then can it be done if he will not and be not pleased I answer That in them there is to be considered 1. A naturall motion or action proceeding from some created power
and so from God the Creator and this is good and of God and according to his will as it willeth things properly 2. There is a corruption perversenesse and crookednesse of the action this is of the Divell and mans corruption this God hateth but because actions thus corrupted and stayned make way for God and give him occasion to shew his wisedome and power in ouer-ruling them and disposing them by his hand to a good end and his justice in punishing them therefore God is pleased to continue that naturall power to the wicked which they pervert and abuse and to over-rule such wicked workes and to raise light out of that darkenesse And therefore let us not impute any evill and sinfull workes to God as they are evill and sinfull nor wickedly imagine that he is the author of sin His hand is never in any sinfull work otherwise then to over-rule order and dispose the sinfulnesse and evill thereof to some good end and purpose Fourthly we are hereby admonished not to impute any worke done in the world to fortune or chance as worldly Epicures do but to escribe all workes and every thing which comes to passe to the certaine will purpose and determinate counsell of God It is true that in respect of second causes and purposes of men many things come to passe accidentally and by chance no man purposing or intending any such thing but in respect of God they are certaine and infallible they all happen according to his will and without it not an haire can fall from our heads nor a Sparrow fall to the earth all power and motion is of him and the abuse of the power and motion which is from the Divell and mans corruption he willingly permitted and doth over-rule and dispose by his wisedome and providence to a good end And therefore in all casualties and accidents let us comfort our selves and rest content and bee patient knowing that they come not but by his will and pleasure Lastly let us rejoyce in all the great workes which we see done in the world and honour them as meanes tending to our salvation if we be Gods faithfull people and with care and conscience walke before him according to his word and let the sight of them put us in mind for our comfort that our God in whom we trust doth not lie idle nor slumber or sleep but by a mighty band and stretched out arme hath done all these great things and is continually doing and working for us to bring us at length out of all troubles and dangers and to set us and establish us for ever in eternall rest glory and blessednesse The next thing which in order followeth after the description of Gods outward workes in generall is the unfolding and distinct handling of the severall sorts and kindes of them And because the right dividing of them into heads and the reducing of all the particulars unto their proper and naturall heads is a maine ground of light and a sure way to the distinct handling and understanding of them I will therefore before I proceed any further labour to divide them aright into their naturall heads according to the rules of reason and truth and so will proceed to that which is the first in time and by the course and order of nature namely the creation of the world and all things in it The learned though they all acknowledge every kind of Gods outward workes and doe not differ in the kindes and numbers of them yet they are at variance about the true division of them into their first and principall heads Some divide the works of God into the works of Creation and the works of Redemption But this is no perfect division the two members of it do not containe all the outward works of God for over and besides them there are works of preservation and of judgement and revenge Others divide all Gods outward workes into the works of nature and the workes of grace The workes of nature they divide into two sortes 1. The workes which concerne the first beginning of nature that is the workes of creation 2. The workes which concerne the preservation which they call the works of Gods providence The works of grace they hold to be the works of Redemption and restauration of man-kind by which God brings supernaturall blessings to men But this division failes in divers respects First It makes a difference betweene works of nature and works of grace wheras indeed creation and preservation which they account works of nature are in some sense works of grace For God of his owne free grace created man in his own Image And now and ever since the first sm of Adam which brought death and destruction into the world all works of preservation by which God preserveth men in being and life are works of free grace and the preserving of his Elect unto his heavenly kingdome is a worke of supernaturall grace in Christ. Secondly they erre in distinguishing between the works of Gods providence and the works of Redemption and restauration wheras Redemption and restauration are principall works of Gods providence by which God provides for his elect in Christ such things as neither eye hath seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. A third sort there are who divide all Gods outward works into these two heads only namely the works of Creation and the works of actuall providence This I take to be the best and most perfect division First because under these heads are all Gods outward works contained and there is not any one which may not be reduced under one of these two For whatsoever God doth or hath done or can doe for the giving of the first being to all things may be reduced to Creation And whatsoever God doth or can do for the ordering preserving and disposing of things created and of their being and wel-being may be brought under the works of his actuall providence Secondly there is a perfect distinction and difference between the works of creation and the works of actuall providence So far as mans substance differs from mans misery and mans felicity so farre doth every proper worke of Creation differ from the works of Gods actuall providence in their objects And although God in the creating of things in order did shew his providence for man in that he first made a place of habitation for him and all things which may serve for his use as plants trees fruits light and other necessaries before he created him yet this breeds no confusion between the works of creation and the works of preservation for two things may go together in time and place and may be in the same subject as we see sense and understanding hearing and seeing in one man at the same time and heat and light in fire and yet they may be different in themselvs This order therfore I do purpose to follow hereafter by Gods assistance in prosecuting
the body of Divinity First I will begin with the Creation and will labour to unfold the nature of it in generall And then I will proceed to the handling of all the speciall works therof every one distinctly by it self in particular Secondly I will passe from thence to the works of Gods actuall providence under which comes the government and preservation of the world and of al things created and the ordering and disposing of every thing to the proper end of it More especially the fall of man into sin misery and guilt of damnation And the Redemption of man from misery and his Restauration to grace and glory by the application and fruition of Redemption and by true spirituall union and communion with Christ the Redeemer and with God the Father in him by the inhabitation of the Holy Ghost Thus much for the generall Doctrin of Gods outward works laid down in this Text and for the division of them in their severall heads and kinds unto which all the particular outward works may be reduced FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OF THE CREATION OF THE VVORLD GEN. 1. 1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth IN this Chapter the historle of the Creation is most plainely and succinctly written by Moses and the workes of the six dayes are distinctly laid downe according to the order wherein God created and made all creatures in heaven and earth In the second Chapter some things which were but more briefely and generally laid downe in the first Chapter to wit the creation of plants herbes and trees and of birds and beasts and especially of man and woman and the creation of the garden of Eden with other circumstances are more plainely and fully related And therefore I have made choice of those two Chapters the words whereof doe give us ground and occasion to handle the doctrine of the creation and to discusse of all points therein needfull to be knowne for the glory of God and our own profit and comforts In the whole history comprehended in these two Chapters the Spirit of God offers to our consideration two things First the creation as it is a worke of God together with the severall parts and degrees of it Secondly the creatures produced by that work even the whole world and all things therein contained that is the heavens and the earth all the host of them Creation is here described First generally according to the common nature of it as it concernes all creatures and is the making of them all Secondly it is distinguished and described particularly according to the severall parts and branches thereof as it concernes severall kindes of things created First Creation is described generally by the name the Author or cause and by the time and forme of it throughout this whole Chapter Secondly it is distinguished into two branches or degrees The first is simple or absolute and immediate creation which is a making of something out of nothing The other is secondary creation that is a making of perfect things out of an imperfect matter which was before created of nothing and was of it selfe most unfit for any such substantiáll forme and being as was raised out of it Simple or absolute creation which is a making of things out of nothing is laid downe in the first verse And that is here distinguished into two particular branches according to the number of the things created the Heaven and the Earth The first is the creation of the highest heavens and all the host of them as the spirit of God by Moses expounds himselfe more plainely Chap. 2. 1. This was a most perfect creating and making of things perfect in nature forme and being out of nothing and that in an instant The second is the creating of the earth that is a rude imperfect masse and confused Chaos or deep which was without forme and void and fit for no substantiall forme or perfect being as yet neither could subsist but by the spirit supernaturally susteining it For so the word Earth is expounded in the next verse even to be that rude masse and deep which he made of nothing that it might be the common matter of all the inferiour visible world and of the creatures therein conteined The second maine branch of creation which I call secondary or mediate creation and which is a making of things perfect out of an imperfect matter created of nothing is laid downe historically throughout these two Chapters where the creation of the severall kindes of creatures in the six dayes is described particularly And this hath also two particular branches The first is the creating of things out of the first rude confused matter which was without forme and void and full of darknesse such was the creating of the foure elements 1. Fire called light 2. The Aire called the firmament 3. The Waters or the Seas 4. The Earth or drye land The second is the creating of things perfect out of the second matter which was beforehand formed and disposed into the forme and substance of elements such was the creation of the Sunne Moone and Starres in the heavens and of the foules in the aire and fishes in the sea and beasts on earth which were all created of the second matter that is of the matter of the elements brought into forme There is besides these branches of creation another particular creation mixt of simple and secondary creation namely the creation of man who in respect of his body was made of the dust of the earth by secondary or mediate creation and in respect of his soule was created by God as the Angels were immediatly of nothing by a simple absolute and immediate creation This is also described First generally in this Chapter verse 26 27. and also distinctly and particularly Cap. 2. 7. And as this history doth describe the act or worke of creation both generally and particularly in all the bâ—anches thereof so also all the Creatures or kindes of things created The Creatures are here distinguished according to the time and order of their creation Some of them were created in the first beginning of time in the first moment wherein time first began to wit the highest heaven with the inhabitants thereof the Angels and the earth that is the rude masse or first common matter of the inferiour world and all the creatures therein Some of them were created in the progresse of time or in times distinct even in six severall dayes to wit all the rest of the creatures and they are distinguished by the time and order of their creation Some were created the first day some the second and the rest severally in the rest of the six dayes and they are described by their severall names and natures as shall appeare hereafter when they come to be handled distinctly CHAP. I. Of the Creation in generall What the Hebrew word signifieth Of the Author Time Object and Forme of the Creation A description of
it demonstrated in all the parts The Manner of Creation in foure things Angels had no hand in the Creation Foure uses of the Point THe first thing now to be stood upon is the creation in generall as it is described in the generall nature of it by the name the Author or causes and the time when it first began and when it was done and that chiefely in this first verse First Creation is here set forth by the name of it in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created Secondly by the Author or sole efficient cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Thirdly by the time when God began the creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning and wherein he perfected that worke in six dayes Fourthly by the forme and manner of it vers 3 God said and it was done First the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created if it bee rightly understood according to the true and proper signification of it in this place may give great light to the matter in hand I will therefore first distinguish it according to the severall significations in which it is used in the Scriptures and will shew in what sense it is here to be taken and then will come neere to the matter First it signifies properly that extraordinary miraculous worke of God by which he gives a substance and substantiall being to things which before were not and doth make them either of nothing or of some matter which hath in it selfe no naturall fitnesse or disposition to receive such a forme or to be turned into such a substance thus it is used Deut. 4. 32. in these words from the day that God created man And Psal. 148. 5. He commanded and they were created Secondly by a metaphore this word signifies the extraordinary works of God which are very like unto the creation because they are done by a supernaturall power and suddenly brought forth as it were out of nothing when there was no meanes or naturall disposition going before Thus the 〈◊〉 of regeneration in which the wicked corrupt heart of man 〈◊〉 by nature is unfit for any holinesse and most prone to wickednesse is changed in a moment by the Spirit of God and becomes a cleane creature and a new man is called creating Psal. 51. 12. Thus are all great and miraculous works of God called creating When hee raiseth up wonderfull strength out of weakenesse and by them who are as nothing doth overthrow mighty gyants and strong armies this is called creating Exod 34. 10. When God of a stubborne stiff-necked nation and of a people scattered despised and counted worse than nothing raiseth up and maketh a most holy people and glorious Church as he will doe in the last conversion of the Jewes this is called commonly in the Prophets by the name of Creation as Psal. 102. 18. and Isa. 43. 7. and 65. 18. And when the Lord in his just wrath doth raise up evill and destruction to the wicked out of good things which naturally turne to good this is called creating Isa. 45. 7. and 〈◊〉 â—â—ery raysing up of things without meanes as Psal. 104. 30â— When God suddenly beyond meanes or expectation by the supernaturâ—ll power of his Spirit reneweth the face of the earth it is called creating But in this place the word is to be taken in the proper sense for making thingâ— either of nothing or of matter made of nothing and of it selfe unfit and without naturall disposition for receiving any such forme as that which God doth give unto it The word thus expounded sheweth what creation is even a making of things out of nothing or of rude matter undisposed for such a forme and being as God in an instant frameth one of it And so it differs from all other kindes of making and producing things as from naturall generation of living crâ—atures and of clowds raine thunder and the rest which are made by an ordinary power out of matter fitted for the forme of things produced and from all artificall making of thingâ— as house and other things made by art of matter fitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second thing by which creat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the author and cause of it expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is not here used metaphorically to signifie Angels false Gods and men who are ministers and vicegerents under God as it is sometimes used in Scripture but it is here taken in the sense which is most common and frequent in the originall that is for the true God and is one of his sacred Names And it is a word of the plurall number and in many places is joyned with verbes of the plurall number and that for this end to teach us that though God whose name this is bee but one in nature and essence yet in that unity of essence and in that one eternall Jehovah there is a pluralitie that is a Trinity of Persons This word therefore doth here plainely intimate unto us that Creation is an action of the whole Trinity and that it is the joint worke of all the three Persons even of God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost and this shewes that neither Angels nor false Gods but Jehovah the true God is the Author of the Creation as appeares Cap. 2. 7. The third thing by which the Creation is described is the time of it both the first time in which God began to create and did create the highest heaven and the rude masse the earth and also the progresse of time in which God created all visible things in order and finished the whole frame of the visible world This is expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning and in other parts of the Chapter which mention the particular dayes in which every thing was made For this word though sometimes it signifies Eternity and intimates unto us the eternall being of the Son of God together with the Father from all eternity and before all worlds as Prov. 8. 22. where eternall Wisdome saith The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old and John 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word yet most commonly and frequently in the Scriptures being laid downe absolutely as in this place it signifies either the first moment and beginning of all time as in this verse or else the first six dayes of the creation or any one of them in which dayes God made finished the whole frame of heaven and earth and all the host of them as Isa. 46. 10. where God is said to declare and foretell the end of all things from the beginning that is from the six dayes of the creation in which God began to speake to man and foretell 〈◊〉 end and Joh. 8. 44. where the Divell is called a â—urtherer from the beginning that is from the last day of the CreatioÌ„ in which God made the Divell marred man and brought him
labour and motion nor from idlenesse to businesse nor from strength to faintnesse or wearinesse nor from perfect to more perfect neither was any good added to him by the creation For as Saint James saith though every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh downe from God the Father of lights yet with him there is no variablenesse or shadow of change Jam. 1. 17. And Isa. 40. 20. Hast thou not knowne saith the Prophet hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his wisdome he giveth power to the faint c. Yea it were against all reason to thinke that God could be weary or faint in the creation in which he gave not onely all strength but also being to all things And seeing in the creation God did nothing but what hee willed and purposed so to doe and then to doe when he purposed and as he had willed to doe and seeing hee was infinite and all sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity if creation could not adde any perfection to him or any glory it onely revealed his glory upon others and communicated his goodnesse to them without change in himselfe or addition to his essence If any object and say that God by creation became Lord and Possessour of all creatures which being good were pleasant to him and therefore something was added to him even Lordship Dominion and Delight I answer that God in himselfe and before his owne eyes had all things actually present to him from all eternity and as sole Lord did possesse them before they had any being in themselves and therefore the addition in the creation was not to him but to the things created to which hee gave being and when hee created things in time according to his eternall purpose he received nothing to himselfe but gave to all things their being and their goodnesse 4. The fourth particular wherein the forme and manner of creation doth consist is this That things were created and brought into perfect being without any delay at all even in a moment of time and that creation is not a successive forming of things by alteration and change which requires some tract of time but a making of them perfect in a moment and bringing of them at once into perfect being This is intimated in this Chapter where wee reade that Gods creating was but this Hee said Let things be and they were that is hee made them in a moment as it were by a word and so quickly and readily as a word is spoken To which adde the testimony of David Psal. 33. 9. God spake and the eâ—rth was made he commanded and it stood fast And Psal. 148. 5. where hee saith of the heavens and of the Heaven of heavens and the Sun Moon and Starres that God commanded and they were created And indeed this is manifest by reason drawne from the nature of creation which is a making of things out of nothing and giving a forme and being which was not even in things which were made of matter before created as wee see in the foure Elements and in things brought out of them there was something even the substantiall forme of them made immediately of nothing now between the being of something and nothing there is no medium or intermiddle state therefore every thing created was created in an instant though many in a day and divers kinds one after another and not altogether in the same moment The eight and last thing in the description is the end of the creation to wit Gods revealing himselfe and communicating his glory throughout all ages of the world and for ever This is confirmed divers waies in holy Scripture First by testimonies which affirme that for God and his glory all things were made that is for the revelation and communion of God and his glory Pro. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of wrath And Isa. 43. 7. I have called him for my glory And Ver 21. This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise And Rom. 11. 36. For of him and by him and to him are all things Secondly by testimonies which shew that in the event creation doth turne to Gods glory for the revealing of him to the comfort of his Saints as Psal. 8. 1. and 19. 1 2. where it is said that the beholding of the creation makes Gods Name excellent And the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-worke For certainly that which in time proves to bee the end that God propounded as an end before all times for hee is infinite in wisdome and providence Thirdly the holy men of God moved by Gods Spirit exhort all people to praise God for his workes of creation and pray that they may apply them to that end as Psal. 145. 10. Let all thy workes praise thee O Lord. And Psal. 148. 5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord for hee commanded and they were created Thus much for the confirmation of the description and every point of doctrine therein contained I come to the use First this doctrine serves for direction and instruction divers waies in that it shewes God to bee the author of creation and creation to be his outward worke and all things to be made by him Hereby first it leads us in a ready way to come to the knowledge of Gods wisdome power goodnesse and such like excellent attributes even by directing us to behold God in them and to discerne his eternall power and Godhead that hee is not like the Idols and false gods of the Heathen but a God of eternity before all things and all times because hee is the Creatour of them all And that whatsoever excellency is in any creature it is in God above all measure And therefore when wee see the mighty masse of the world let us thinke how great is hee which made this of nothing When we see the glory of the Sun Moon and Starres and of the whole Heavens let us thinke how glorious is hee who made this glory When wee discerne the goodnesse sweetnesse power and vertue which is in things created let us conceive that all these are without measure in God and in all excellency Secondly by this consideration it teacheth us that God onely is the true Lord and Possessour of heaven and earth worthy to be honoured served and worshipped of all and to be sought unto by praier and that all thankes are to bee given to him for all good things that hee hath right and power to dispose all things at his pleasure to whom hee will and that wee ought not to murmure at his disposing neither hath any man right to any thing but by his gift and his permission Secondly this Doctrine serves for confutation 1. Of Philosophers who held that the World was not
the Scriptures plainly testifie that God founded the world in wisdome Prov. 3. 19. that in wisdome hee hath made all things Psal. 104. 24. and that wisdome had an hand in ordering all things Prov. 8. Therefore the creation of the World was in perfect beauty and comelinesse 3. The third thing which we learne from these names is That the deformity of the world the enmity of creatures the corruption of man and the confusion of things created were not in the world nor in the creatures thereof at the first neither are they Gods handy-worke nor things by him created for the world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beautifull frame And the Scriptures call the worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of being and continuance not things deformed corrupt and perishing This also the Scriptures shew Gen. 3. that the earth was cursed for mans sake and mans sinne came from himselfe and the Serpent And Deut. 28. 23. and Levit. 26. God himselfe in the Law professeth that for disobedience and sin of rebellious people hee doth make their heaven over them as brasse and their earth as iron And Eccl. 7. 29. it is said that God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions I might here also observe from the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the world was also made in a beautifull and pleasant season even the pleasant time of the Spring in all probability but I love not to build opinions on such weake foundations And from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies long lasting ages I might observe the ages of the world and discusse the question about the ages and years from the creation but they may more seasonably be touched hereafter when we come to speake of the particular branches of the creation Now I come to the Use of these considerations First they serve to make the thoughts and conceits of Atheists and carnall Philosophers hatefull to us to wit that the world is eternall and had no beginning neither shall have end For here wee see that all things universally were created of nothing and are creatures formed by God It is a point of faith above all naturall reason to understand that the worlds were made of nothing as the Apostle shewes Heb. 11. 3. And that was it which made Aristotle and other witty and learned Philosophers led by reason doubt of the creation of the world Beside when they observed the stability of the heavens and heavenly host and their beautifull order and incorruptible being this did further them in this conceipt and made them thinke there should be no end of it But Gods Word teacheth the contrary and sheweth that all things were created and made out of nothing except only God himselfe and though they were made perfect and good fit to flourish for ever and some of them have still a great remnant of that glory and perfection as the heavens which change little in many ages yet by mans sin they are corrupted and made changeable and so much more by how much more neere they come to man And this the Philosophers felt and perceived insomuch that many of them did acknowledge the creation and the end of the world and even Aristotle himselfe though he could not conceive that the world should be made of nothing by the course of nature yet hee did acknowledge God the Father Maker and Preserver of it and so likewise shall all be confounded who are not settled in this truth Therefore let us looke up to God and beleeve his Word and hate all blind conceipts of worldly wise men and see and behold in the most rationall and wise naturall men denying this truth of the worlds creation that the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse and the imaginations of the flesh enmity against God Secondly this consideration of creation and beginning of all the world serves to make us more admire Gods eternity and to ravish us with the consideration of it If there could be a man found on earth who had lived ever since the time of Christ or since the daies of Adam or Noah wee would highly esteem him and seeke to him from the uttermost parts of the earth as the Queen of Sheba did to Solomon But behold all this world is but of short continuance created of God not many thousands of yeares ago God is before it even from all eternity And this world shall perish but he endureth for ever Psal. 102. And therefore if wee wonder at the long lasting heavens and the surely founded earth how much more ought we to admire the eternitie of God the ancient of daies before all daies and times and without beginning or end Thirdly though this world be beautifull by reason of some reliques of perfection and beauty remaining from the creation yet seeing it had a beginning and is corrupted by sin and hastens towards an end let us not set our hearts on it or any worldly thing but looke up to God and have our hope and our affections firmly set on him whose beauties of holinesse shall not fade as the fashion of this world doth but his glory endureth for ever Fourthly we may here see that the world was created for us for our use not for any need which God had of it for God was infinitely blessed in himselfe without it from all eternity and certainly in that God did not create it and time with it many thousands of yeares before he did this is a strong evidence that God is all-sufficient in himselfe and hath for himselfe no need of any creature Lastly it serves to make us hate sin as the Divels poyson and turne from it and be affraid to communicate with it as wee doe with things created by God because it is not of Gods forming but is the corruption of mans nature poysoned and defaced and all enmity which is among the creatures vexing and destroying one another came in by sin and all the pleasure which men take therein is corrupt sinfull and against pure nature Wherefore let us ascribe all deformity disorder and discord in the world to mans sin as the proper cause thereof CHAP. III. Of Creation immediate and mediate The Hebrew words expounded Sundry Doctrines proposed and made usefull Some questions discussed 1. Of the time of the yeare wherein the world was created 2. Of the number of the yeares since this was Of the highest heavens 5. points proposed THe creation and creature in generall being described out of these words and the rest of the history of the creation in this and the next Chapter I proceed to the severall parts and speciall branches of the creation which I will unfold in that order in which they are here laid downe and will describe the severall kinds of creatures which God created together with the state and condition wherein God created them The worke of creation considered in generall comprehends in it two speciall branches as I have noted
Evangelist useth them doe signifie eternity but in that he saith The Word was that is had already a being with God in the beginning when hee began to give being to all other things this proves by necessary consequence that the Word was eternall and therefore the common exposition stands sure that here the word Bereshith signifies the beginning or first part of time The second word of this Text that is Bara created signifies the giving of first being to all things either simply out of nothing or out of matter undisposed for the forme introduced as I have noted before And by a Metaphor it signifies great and mighty workes which resemble the creation but here it signifies absolute creation or giving the first being to the highest heavens and to the rude masse or matter of the visible world out of meere nothing for they were created of no matter before existing as all doe hold and of their creation onely this Verse speakes That the third word Elohim being of the plurall number signifies three persons in one God the Creatour and that the creation was the worke of all the three persons in the Trinity I have before shewed Here let mee adde further a Cabalisticall proofe gathered from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the act of creation and consists of three Hebrew letters which are the first letters of the three Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie the Father the Son and the Spirit And therefore if the Caballisticall art be of any credit this act of creating is the work of all the three persons the Father the Son and the holy Spirit one and the same God The two last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaven and the earth do here signifie as I have noted before the highest heaven and the earth which was without forme and void that is the rude masse and common matter of the visible world Some learned men do by heaven and earth understand the whole world in the same sense as the words are Chapt. 2. 1. By heaven they conceive the highest heaven the visible starry heaven and the whole firmament of the aire to be meant by earth the lowest globe of the earth which hath the sea intermingled with it and by creating they understand the whole worke of creation in generall and not that first speciall act by which God made the highest heavens and the rude masse and matter of the visible world onely The main reason which they have to prove this is drawn from the Hebrew Articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is prefixed before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth The first of which Articles consists of the first and last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and so implies an universall comprehension of all things which were created both the first and the last The other to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of plaine demonstration and sheweth that this heaven and earth as they now stand are said to be created here in these words But this exposition is plainly overthrown by the Text it selfe and the reason answered without any difficulty First the act of creation spoken of and intended in this Verse is that which was performed in the beginning that is in the first moment of time so the Text affirmes but the whole world and all creatures in heaven and earth were not made in the first moment of time nor in the first day but in sixe daies therefore the whole world is not meant in these words nor all creatures in heaven and earth Secondly if the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be of generall comprehension then each of these words should signifie the whole world for it is added to each of them and so the other word should be superfluous in this place Thirdly we may safely grant that these words are of generall comprehension and yet we need not expound them of any other heaven then the highest heaven nor of any other earth then the first rude masse out of which the whole visible world was made which was without forme and void as it is testified in the next words Verse 2. For this heaven did comprehend in it the highest heaven and all the host and inhabitants of it the Angels actually And this earth or rude masse did potentially comprehend in it the whole visible world which afterwards in the sixe daies was actually formed out of it and therefore I take this to be the best exposition to understand by the heaven the highest heaven onely where the Angels and blessed Saints have their dwelling together with the host thereof And by the earth to understand as the next Verse sheweth the rude masse out of which God after formed the whole visible and mutable world consisting of the starry heavens and of the aire water and earth with all things in them As for them who here by heaven and earth understand the whole world actually formed and made and them who understand the common seed and rude matter of the heavens both highest and invisible and also the visible heavens and the inferiour world they exclude out of this history of the creation the distinct and speciall narration of the creation of the highest heavens and of the glorious host thereof the Angels and super-celestiall Spirits contrary to that which Moses himselfe plainly teacheth Chapt. 2. 1. where repeating summarily the whole creation in generall which he had before distinctly related and in all the parts thereof described in the first Chapter he saith Thus were the heavens and the earth finished and all the host of them that is the Angels among the rest for they are called the heavenly host Luke 2. 13. From the words thus expounded we may gather an excellent description of the first speciall act of creation which is called simple and absolute creation and of the two particular branches thereof to wit That it is that act of creation whereby God in the first beginning did create and give the first being out of nothing to the highest heavens and to the earth that is the first rude masse and matter of the visible world The parts of this act are two The first is that act of simple creation by which God created out of nothing and gave a most perfect glorious being to the highest heaven and to all things therein contained The second is that act of simple creation by which God gave the first imperfect being to that rude earth the masse which was the common matter out of which hee formed the whole inferiour visible and mutable world In this description of the first act of simple creation and of each branch thereof wee may observe foure things The first is the matter both generall and speciall laid downe in the word Bara created Secondly the author of it God the Father Sonne and
holy Ghost Elohim three persons in one God Thirdly the time and order of it in the beginning Bereshith it was the first act performed in the first moment of time The fourth is the object or effect to wit the things created the heaven and the earth The heaven is the object and effect of the first particular branch the earth is the effect of the second These foure things considered both joyntly together and severally by themselves doe afford unto us divers profitable instructions and divers questions to be discussed worthy of our consideration First the matter and substance of this act is a simple and absolute producing of reall and substantiall things out of nothing yea creatures which of all others were most perfect and glorious to wit the highest heavens and the glorious Angels the eternall Spirits which were made and placed there to stand in the sight and presence of God Now this offers to our consideration an excellent meditation of Gods infinite power and omnipotencie shewing it selfe most cleerly in this first act of creation for in that God contrary to the course of all other the most cunning Artificers did immediately and absolutely of himselfe and by himselfe alone create and make out of nothing in the first beginning the most perfect creatures of all even the highest heavens and the glorious Angels and eternall Spirits and so the first act of creation was the most perfect and complete act of all This teacheth us that God is of himselfe infinite omnipotent and all sufficient in power and in wisdome able to doe all things and to performe and bring to passe by his owne mighty hand instantly without any help counsell or advice of any other the greatest and most perfect and glorious workes which can be done named or imagined in heaven and earth Wee find by experience and reason that all Artificers before they have in and of themselves skill and power sufficient to bring to passe the workes which belong to their art doe first practise by the direction of others in smaller matters and by use and practice grow more skilfull and so proceed to greater and more perfect workes and because the most cunning and exquisite workmen in the world are limited in their power and skill to one thing at once neither can their minds intend nor their understandings conceive nor their hands performe all things at once which are required for the performance of a perfect worke therefore in every such worke they proceed by time leasure and degrees first laying a foundation of matter secondly forming and framing of every severall part thirdly fitly composing of all parts together in one and so bringing the worke to consummation and perfection And so God must have done in the creation if hee had not been infinite in power and all-sufficient If his wisdome and power had been limited he must have begun with smaller workes and ascended by degrees and in every worke hee must first have either borrowed matter from others or made it himselfe for to worke upon Secondly he must have fitted the matter to receive a fit forme Thirdly he must have introduced the forme into every part and have composed all together into one perfect creature But we see all was contrary he performed the greatest and most perfect worke at the first even the most glorious heavens and the eternall Spirits which are durable and abide for ever therein he set up his glorious throne and made an habitation for his blessed Saints and Angels He shewed that he was all-sufficient in himselfe for the greatest worke because he did performe it of himselfe before there was any but himselfe and no creature made to help him He did not by degrees get his skill but at the first shewed the best worke and performed it in an instant And therefore in this first act of creation we may see as in a cleere glasse the infinite wisdome and omnipotencie of God This truth is also strongly confirmed by firme proofes from other Scriptures as Job 37. 23. Elihu that wise unreproved friend of God full of the Spirit doth from this very ground namely the wonderfull creation of the heavens and other things conclude the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of God that he is Shaddai the Almighty All-sufficient that he is excellent in power and judgement and that we cannot find him out by reason of his incomprehensible wisdome and power So also Job 38. 1. and 40. 2. God himselfe doth from the creation of the heavens and the Angels full of glory and shouting for joy and from his making and ordering of all things most wisely prove that hee himselfe the Creatour is Almighty one who cannot be instructed nor reproved and against whom none can contend And Job himselfe Job 42. 2. upon the same ground and consideration is moved to confesse that he knowes God to be able to doe every thing and that he is infinite in wisdome and knowledge that no thought can be withholden from him and that the things of God are too wonderfull for him to know The Prophet David also Psal. 8. 1 2. from the consideration of Gods glory which he hath set above the visible heavens in the highest heavens and from the excellent nature of the Angels weighed with himselfe doth break out into an admiration of Gods excellent greatnesse thereby made knowne and wonders that hee so mighty a one should regard poore man at all who though the chiefe of visible creatures is but a worme and as nothing before God Lord saith he how excellent is thy Name in all the world who hast set thy glory above the heavens When I consider the heavens the worke of thy fingers I say Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him And Psal. 19. 1. The heavens saith he declare the glory of God that is the glorious attributes of his omnipotencie and infinite wisdome And most fully and plainly doth the Apostle Paul speak to this purpose in a few words Rom. 1. 20. saying that the invisible things of God even his eternall power and Godhead from the creation are cleerly seen being understood by the things which are made The consideration of which truth serves first to incite us and also direct us to make a right and profitable use of Gods first act of creation by putting us in mind that it is not enough for us in reading the history of it to think of it only as of some great work and to content our selves with the bare and naked understanding and remembrance of the glorious heavens and Angels thereby created and made but that we all ought by meditating upon the excellency and absolute perfection of that first worke above the rest which followed to be lifted up unto that further meditation of the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of God and of his power and ability to doe all things and to bring into perfect being any most excellent worke at
his pleasure whensoever he will And hereby to be stirred up and encouraged to rejoyce mo 〈…〉 aboundantly in the Lord our Creatour to rest more confidently on him when we have committed our selves to his protection and he hath received us under the shadow of his wings and to hope for all blessings which he hath promised and for the performance of all his promises in due time and season without hinderance or resistance of any power As all created things were made for some end and whatsoever is not fit to serve for some speciall end is a meer vanity so the knowledge of things without the knowledge of the end and use of them is a vaine notion swimming in the braine and therefore the maine thing which we ought to drive at in seeking the profitable knowledge of things is to know and understand the speciall use of them Now Gods creating of the highest heavens and the host of them in glorious perfection by himselfe alone in the first act of creation in the beginning doth serve most properly naturally and necessarily to shew the infinite wisdome and omnipotencie of God the Creatour as is before proved that we seeing therein these divine attributes of God as in a glasse may rejoyce in him and rest securely on his promises knowing that he will performe and fulfill his word and none can resist him Wherefore let us study to make this right use that our knowledge may be sound and saving and may bring us on to salvation Secondly this may justly smite our hearts and make us ashamed of our owne dulnesse and negligence in this point in that we all or the most part of us have so often read heard remembred and understood in reading and hearing the Word of God this great worke of creating the heavens and heavenly host and have beleeved it and spoken of it and so have passed it over without seeing beholding and considering in it the wisdome power and glory of God Alas there be few amongst us who have taken care to look so farre into the end and use of these things of God and that is the cause that science abounds without conscience and much knowledge goeth alone without any sound or sincere practise O let us be throughly ashamed of our negligence in the times past which is too much indeed and let us labour to redeem the time hereafter by double diligence studying to see Gods glory in those great workes and seeing to admire his wisdome and to adore his heavenly Majesty Thirdly Gods truth in this doctrine beleeved and embraced is a strong Antidote against all Atheisticall thoughts which possesse the hearts of divers dull and carnall people who cannot conceive thoroughly nor fully beleeve but often doubt of Gods omnipotencie and ability to create in a moment out of meere nothing most perfect and glorious creatures such as are Angels and blessed spirits and the heaven of heavens Such doubts are the cause that they cannot beleeve in God rest on his power and be confident in him in cases of extremity when the whole world seems to be against them and all outward helps faile If they did but discerne the power of God by the first simple act of creation they might know and beleeve that hee out of nothing can raise more help then they can desire or stand in need of in their greatest extremities Secondly in that here in the first act of creation performed in the first beginning of all things and in the first moment of time God the Creatour is described by the name Elohim which signifies a plurality of persons in the unity of essence as I have before proved and this act is ascribed to all the three persons equally in one and the same word Hence we may gather a necessary doctrine concerning the consubstantiality equality and eternity of all the three persons in the sacred Trinity to wit That the three persons the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are all co-eternall and without beginning all equall among themselves and consubstantiall of the same undivided nature and substance three persons distinct in one infinite eternall Jehovah For plaine reason tells us that whatsoever had no being given to it in or after the first beginning of creatures but was and had a being already in the first beginning and before any thing was made yea was the authour and maker of the first worke of all that must needs be of absolute eternity every way eternall without any beginning or end at all Now such are all the three persons in the blessed Trinity they all by this word Elohim are shewed to be equall in the first act of creation and so to be before the first beginning of all things as the authour and cause before the worke and effect they all are declared to be one and the same singular God and undivided essence and therefore this Doctrine doth hence truly arise I need not here againe stand upon further proofe of it for that I have done aboundantly already in expounding the Doctrine of the Trinity Onely the consideration of this truth may serve first to convince all Heretickes of horrible errour and blasphemy who deny either the Creatour of the world to be the true God or the Son and the Spirit to be equall co-eternall and of the same substance with the Father as the Arians and others did Behold here the blasphemous fictions of these men cut off before they shoot forth and rooted up before they were sowne by this first act of creation as it is here described by the Spirit of God and therefore let us hate and abhorre all such dreames and fictions as most monstrous and unnaturall damned in Gods booke from the first words of the history of the first creation Secondly let us even from this furthest ground fetch the all-sufficiencie of our Mediatour and Redeemer Christ and the efficacie and perfection of his full satisfaction that we may rest on him confidently without scruple feare or doubting As also the infinite power of the Spirit that we may rest in his strength for perseverance If the Son Christ or the Spirit were inferiour Gods and of an inferiour nature not infinite nor co-eternall with the Father men might have some colour of diffidence and some cause to doubt of sufficient satisfaction redemption and stedfast perseverance But here we see the contrary that the Son if the Word by whom all things were made and the Son and Spirit one the same God and Creatour with the Father and the Spirit as he is in the regenerate is greater every way then he that is in the world 1 John 4. therefore let us comfort our selves in the all-sufficiencie of Christ for full redemption and of the Spirit for sanctification and perseverance Thirdly in that here the first act of creation even the creation of the highest heavens with the host of them and of the common matter of the visible world out of
which seem to eclipse the truth The most weighty Objections are gathered from Scripture termes and phrases as for example from the name which the Scripture giveth to the world and the ages thereof to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies a being alwaies for so the world is called Heb. 11. 3. Also 2 Tim. 1. 9. and Tit. 1. 2. the times of the world are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting times as the Greek words signifie The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting is two waies taken in Scripture and in humane writings also First it signifies an eternall being without beginning or end even a being before and after all times and so God onely is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting 1 Tim. 6. 16. and the Spirit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall Heb. 9. 14. Secondly this word signifies a being in all times from the first beginning to the last end of time but no more not before nor after and thus the world and the ages thereof are called everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The places objected prove this sense because in them the Apostle sheweth that these everlasting times had something going before them and were but times which have a beginning and end And therefore these objected places make much for this doctrine and not against it The Objections of Aristotle are drawne 1. from incorruptibility which he imagined to be in the heavens 2. from this that the world was not generated nor made of any pre-existent matter neither could be brought into being by any naturall generation 3. from the eternity of motion which he thought to prove by this That no motion can be found in nature but hath another motion going before it All these may easily be answered for first the heavens are corruptible by nature and the visible heavens shall perish and that the highest heavens are incorruptible it is not by power of their nature but of the will of God preserving them Secondly though the world was not made of matter pre-existent nor by naturall generation yet it may have a beginning supernaturall being created miraculously of nothing by Gods omnipotent hand as all miraculous things are done which neverthelesse are not eternall nor endure for ever Thirdly though in naturall things we find no motion which hath not another motion going before it yet it is not so in the creation which was a worke farre above the course of nature so that these Objections are of no force to disprove this doctrine All that Aristotle with his subtle wit could devise was nothing but this That the world was not made by the course of nature neither did come into being by naturall generation nor was framed out of an eternall masse of matter as Plato and other Philosophers dreamed Also that there was no time before the world neither shall there be any time wherein the world shall not be and that the world is as durable and lasteth as long as all times all which we grant without feare and yet it doth not follow that the world is eternall For that is properly eternall which never had beginning neither in time nor with time nor before time but as for time it selfe it hath a beginning and an end as I shall shew in the next place Therefore let us hate and abhorre all Atheisticall dreames of the worlds eternity The second thing which I observe from this word Bereshith in the beginning which signifieth in this place the first being or moment of time is this That time it selfe is but an adjunct or circumstance of things created and had a beginning and shall have an end with the mutable and moveable world For proofe of this we need seek no further but to the fifth Verse where it is said The evening and the morning were the first day that is time was produced by the Word of God even the first day together with the things therein created and so it followes of all the daies of the first weeke they are said to be made with the workes created in them And indeed in reason it must needs be so because time is nothing else but the continuance of things created and the measure of the motions which are in the created world a day is the measure of the Suns course from East to West and round about to the East againe An houre is the time in which the Sun runs the foure and twentieth part of his dayes motion A weeke is the space of seven daies and a yeare the time whiâ—e the Sun goeth his course through the twelve Signes of the Zodiack and the whole time of the world consists of yeares moneths and daies Now all these had a beginning and have an end yea there was no day till light and darknesse were made and distinguished no moneth nor yeare till the Sunne and the Moon were set in their course therefore time had a beginning and is not eternall There were some things before all times and ages of the world 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 1. 2. First this serves to admonish us to cast off all vaine thoughts and imaginations of time going before the creation of the world It is the folly of many when they reade of the worlds creation but so many thousand yeares ago to dreame of time before creation and to question what God did in that time A witty old man did once answer this question as Saint Austin saith rather tauntingly then solidly viz. That God in those times was making an hell for such curious inquisitors But the true answer is there was no time nor any thing to be done in time but God was only in himselfe most blessed by contemplation of himselfe in absolute eternity in which there is neither before nor after no beginning nor end For where there was no day nor night nor haven to move nor any thing to be measured by time there could be no time at all Secondly this truth serves to make us see our owne vanity and the weaknesse of our owne reason and understanding Let a man of the strongest braine and wit and the deepest reach in the world doe what he can and strive and straine to the utmost he shall not by humâ—ne reason and capacity conceive how any thing can be without time How God could be before the world when there was no time or what eternity should be but a long time without beginning or end And yet this is Gods truth as my Text saith which cannot lye that time was not till the creation Let us therefore here learne to see our owne weaknesse and the short reach of our reason Let us acknowledge that while wee have our soules imprisoned in our mortall bodies looking onely through the narrow grates of our outward senses we shall never be able to see or to comprehend things spirituall and eternall so as they are And let
to be created by him To which we may adde those places Psal. 104. 4. Revelat. 4. 11. and 10. 6. where all things in heaven and earth and by name the Angels are said to be made by God Which point may comfort us with assurance that Christ is absolute Lord of the Angels and as he hath a love to us and a will to help and assist us so he hath the Angels which excell in strength at his command alwaies ready prest to doe his will and to execute his word for our good The best ground of Lordship and Dominion which any can have over any things is the creating and making of them For it is good reason that none should have more power over a thing then he who made and formed it by his owne hand and skill and gave the whole being to it And this the Scriptures shew where they attribute great power and lordship to the potter over the clay which he formeth and the vessell which he makes of it Isa. 45. 9. Jerem 18. 6. Rom. 9. Now this the Lord Christ our Saviour hath over the Angels as he is their Creatour in an high measure for he made them out of nothing by his owne power And therefore just it is that all Angels Principalities Powers should ever be subject to him and that they should not only worship him Heb. 1. 6. but also should be his ministring spirits sent forth to minister for the good of them who are heires of salvation in Christ. In this assurance let us solace our selves and be of comfort knowing that the Angels in heaven are ministers for us when we are Christs little ones and they behold the face of our heavenly Father And let us in this hope harden our faces and stand with courage before all wicked violent enemies and persecutours And as we are here assured that the Angels being created by the Lord Christ and having him for their head adding light and holinesse unto them must needs love us as fellow-creatures and members under the same head and be ready and willing to help us when God sends them so we are here admonished to love them as our fellow-servants under one the same Lord and as creatures made in the same image but more excellent and by one and the same hand rejoycing in heaven at our conversion and turning unto God by repentance Here also we are admonished that we are not to dream or imagine that Christ tooke the nature of Angels on him though he be called the Angell of the Covenant and of Gods presence and the Archangell that is the Prince of Angels for an Angell he is called in respect of his office but by nature he is no Angell but as different from Angels as the Creatour and Lord differs from the creature who is by him created of nothing and the servant ministring to him The third point of instruction is That the Angels were created in the beginning of the world in the first moment of time by Gods first act of creation This is confirmed Job 38. 7. where Angels are called the sons of God to shew that he is their father by creation and also the starres of the morning to shew that they were created in the first moment or morning of the creation with the first light the highest heavens and are said to sing together and to lift up their voice when God laid the first corner-stone and foundation of the earth which necessarily implies that then they were already made and had a being given before even with the heavens Also Psal. 104. 4. where God is first said to make his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire and then to lay the foundations of the earth that is of the inferiour visible world This serves to shew that Angels and their actions are not so properly measured by time as the actions of men and other inferiour creatures but as they were created in the first beginning with the first moment of time so they can remove their presence into places far distant in a moment without time and doe things quickly in an instant and are swift messengers Fourthly in that the Angels are here included in the word Heavens and are said to be created with them in the beginning Hence we may learne That the Angels are Gods first creatures made perfect out of nothing by the first act of simple and absolute creation For proofe of this we need no further argument but those Scriptures which affirme that God made his Angels Spirits that is spirituall substances which are the most perfect of creatures and come nearest in nature to God who is a spirit as Psal. 104. 4. and Hebr. 1. 7. If they had been created out of any matter made before then they must have been made out of the rude masse without forme called earth For all things which were created not by absolute and simple creation but out of some thing made before were created out of the rude masse the earth but Angels were not made out of it for it is the common matter of the visible and inferiour world but Angels are invisible and were created to bee inhabitants of the highest invisible heavens therefore they must needs be the first of Gods creatures made perfect as the invisible heavens were of nothing by the first act of simple and absolute creation This discovers to us the excellency of the Angelicall nature that the Angels are Gods master-piece his first and most perfect worke in all the creation The rude masse without forme called earth was made out of nothing imperfect void and full of darknesse and was no perfect creature but the matter of the visible inferiour mutable world and all the creatures therein The highest heavens were also made perfect out of nothing to be the place of the Angels the heavenly Spirits but yet the Angels must be more excellent then they by nature because they were made to serve for the use of Angels even to be the place of their habitation And yet the Angels those excellent and chiefest of all creatures are in Christ become our brethren and fellow-servants yea they are after a sort made our servants and ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation Wherefore as we are by this doctrine stirred up to contemplate with admiration upon the excellency of the Angelicall nature and to wonder at Gods bounty to us fraile men inferiour earthly creatures in honouring us so farre as give his glorious Angels to minister for us So also we are provoked to magnifie and extoll the infinite excellency of the merits and mediation of the Lord Christ our Redeemer and Saviour who procured and purchased this honour and dignity for us that the blessed Angels should minister for our good who of our selves and by our sinnes deserved to be slaves of the Divell and evill Angels Wherefore as Angels grudge not to minister for us so
mixture of both But in viewing reviewing and sifting the words thoroughly I have observed something over above that which by reading I could observe in others to wit that this rude masse was not suffered to lye idle one moment from the first creation and bringing of it into being out of nothing but being a meere unformed masse or Chaos it had at the first a resemblance of earth because the grosse matter of the earth was so mingled and confounded in it that it chiefely appeared in the upper face of it and so it seemed grosse and earthy and is first called Earth Secondly by the operation of the spirit of God cherishing and moving it the grosse thicke matter settling downward toward the center it became immediatly in the upper face of it like a deep mire or quick-sand which more inclines to water then earth and hath no ground stay or bottome in it and therefore in the second place it is called the deep Thirdly God making the earthy matter to sinke and settle downward still more and more all the upper face of it became more thinne and fluid like unto impure water and thereupon in the third place it is called the waters though indeed there was neither perfect water nor earth but a confused matter without forme and void out of which all visible things were formed Thus much the names shew unto us concerning this masse which I propounded as the first thing The second thing is the consideration of the Properties by which it is described for it is said to be Tohu and Bohu and that darknesse was upon the upper face of it First it is said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tohu that is without forme even a thing imperfect which had neither the nature nor substance nor naturall shape or property of any perfect creature Secondly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bohu void it had in it no formed creature of any kinde to fill and replenish it for this word is used to signifie the emptinesse and utter desolation of a land wholly depopulated laid waste and of a Citie brought to ruine having nothing left but heapâ—s of ruined Walls Isa. 34. 11. and Ier. 4. 23. Thirdly it is said to bee all darknesse in the upper face of it darknesse was upon the face of the deep By darknesse we are not here to understand any darke body as aire or thick clouds of darknesse compassing it round and over-spreading of it as the dark aire and thick mist did the land of Egypt when God plagued it with darknesse but this is the meaning that in this rude matter there was no light neither did any appeare in the out-side or upper face of it Now these properties by which it is described do comprehend in them that which in naturall philosophy is called privation is held to be a principle or beginning of natural things For unto the making generating of any bodily creature or natural body there are three things required as first principles 1. A matter capable of some forme that is expressed in the names of earth deep and waters 2. Privation which is an absence or want of the forme which ought to be or might bee in that matter for to give it that naturall being of which it is capable and unto which it is inclined This privation of forme and this emptinesse of all naturall powers and properties which are required in creatures and this darkenesse which is the privation of light they are the second principle The third is the naturall and substantiall forme which is that which distinguisheth one creature from another and gives being to every creature that is makes it to bee that which it is in the kind of it This forme God by his word gave to the severall parts of this matter when hee said Let it be it was so But when a matter rude undigested and unformed is inclining to some forme and wants it there must be a disposing of the matter to receive the forme which it ought to have to make it a perfect creature in his kind and which it yet wants and requires and that working preparing and disposing of the matter that it may bee fit to receive the forme which must perfect it And this disposing of the common and rude matter of all the visible World is here expressed in these words of the text And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Some doe here by the spirit of God understand some Angelicall spirit which God used and imployed to fit and prepare this matter to his hand thus Cajetan a Romish Cardinall and Schooleman held Tertullian lib. 3. contra Hermog saith that this spirit of God was a winde by which God prepared and disposed it Theoderet saith it was the aire which moved on the upper part of it Quaest. 8. in Genes But I conceive all these to bee unsound opinions First they are confuted by the very words of the text and by all other Scriptures which ascribe the whole worke of the creation and the making of the World and all things therein wholly and onely to God the Father the Word and the Spirit three Persons in one undivided essence Secondly it is against all reason to thinke that God who created the chiefest and most excellent of all his workes the highest heavens and the Angels the heavenly spirits immediately of nothing in a moment and also the common matter of all the visible World in an instant would use or did imploy any creature to dispose the matter and to fit it to his hand Wherefore tho best exposition of these words is that which is held generally by the best learned to wit that this Spirit of God here mentioned is the eternall Spirit one and the same God with the Father and the Son by whom all things were made and Hee is said here to move upon the face of the waters The Hebrew word here used doth properly signifie the Eagles gentle fluttering with her wings over her young ones thereby to cherish them as appeares Deut. 32. 11. And here it signifies the worke of Gods Spirit extending his power upon this rude confused unformed and empty masse and gently shaking it and causing the grosser parts to settle downewards and the more subtle parts to gather into the upper place and so to prepare and dispose every part for the substantiall forme which God at length gave unto it Thus you have the text opened From whence we learne First That man and all other creatures which live and move and have any being in the whole visible World howsoever they are engendered and propagated one by another yet they have their whole substance and being from God and he is the sole creatour and maker of them That he made the first common matter out of which they were framed the text here sheweth plainely Also that the spirit of God did prepare and dispose that whole
there is no helpe in them Psalme 146. 3. and that of the Prophet Ieremie Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Ier. 17. 5. Secondly though there happen many changes and great confusion in the World yet let us here take notice that they come not by chance and allwayes acknowledge that they are in the will and power of God and are ordered and disposed by his over-ruling wisedome If to the wicked enemies and persecutors of Gods Church changes come for worse to their confusion and overturning of their power let us see Gods hand therein and let us give him the praise for working our deliverance and avenging our cause on our enemies If changes come to our selves and our peace bee turned into trouble and danger let us humble our selves as under Gods hand If our adversity bee turned into prosperity let God have all the thankes If wee see just cause to feare great changes in Church or State let us flie to God for helpe strength courage and patience and betake our selves to his protection that wee may rest safely under the shadowes of his wings The third point of doctrine which wee may observe from the Spirit of God moving upon the waters cherishing and fitting the unformed masse to receive a perfect being and perfect formes of visible creatures doth shew the concord and perfect similitude which is between the worke of creation by which God formed all things by his word and Spirit and the worke of restauration and redemption of mankind by which he reformes them by Christ and by his Spirit and brings them to supernaturall perfection and blessednesse As in the creation God by his Spirit cherishing the rude masse did prepare and fit every part thereof to receive a perfect forme and naturall being so in the restoring of man kind being deprived of his image and deformed God doth by his Word and by his Spirit shed on us through Christ regenerate renue reforme and prepare us for the fruition of himselfe and doth fit and prepare us for supernaturall perfection and blessednesse As in Ezechiels vision the wind from God did move and shake the drie bones scattered upon the face of the earth and fitted them by flesh and skinne to receive life and to stand up living men in perfect strength and stature So by the word and Spirit of God men dead and rotten in sinnes and sinfull corruption are by the Spirit of God breathed through Christ renued after his image and fitted by the life of grace for the eternall life of glory Ezech. 37. The Spirit of God as our Saviour testifieth is like the wind which bloweth where it listeth it is hee which doth frame us after Gods image in our new birth Ioh. 3. 5 8. and fits us for the Kingdome of glory Wee are as farre from God and from Christ and as void of his image and of all Spirituall life as the rude masse was of all forme in the first creation untill the Spirit of God bee given to us in Christ to dwell in us and renue us as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 8. 9. 13. Ephes. 2. 18. 22. and Tit. 3. 5. 6. Wherefore as wee desire to be made like unto Christ in the image of glory and to see and enjoy God in his heavenly Kingdom where all fulnesse of perfection and blessednesse is to bee found So let us by the consideration of this Doctrine bee stirred up to thirst after the river of the water of life even the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and never rest satisfied till wee feele within us the testimony of the Spirit of Christ witnessing with our Spirits that wee are the children of God and till wee feele our selves sanctified throughout both in soule and body and holinesse engraven upon our hearts without which none can see God Secondly seeing the Spirit of God is he who prepares men for supernaturall perfection and there is no communion to be had with Christ nor participation of his merits and saving benefits to salvation except men have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and of profane and carnall sons of Adam making them holy and spirituall sons of God Let us not count it any shame or reproach to us that profane mockers of these last times doe in mockery and derision call us spirituall men who ascribe all good motions which are in us to the Spirit of God dwelling in us directing us in all our wayes We doe not deny but that all Enthusiasts and other men of fanaticall Spirit doe most profanely and sacrilegiously Father their owne fansies and lustfull motions on the Spirit of God and therein deserve reproach and derision but let men take heed that they doe not by loathing their hypocrisie and arrogancy runne into Atheisme and blasphemous impiety by rejecting and denying the Spirits dwelling in all Gods regenerate children working in them all saving graces and moving them to walke in the holy wayes of God which lead unto supernaturall perfection and eternall blessednesse For most certaine it is that as the first rude matter of the visible World was sustained and cherished by the Spirit of God moving upon the face of it and was not otherwise able to subsist or to bee formed into divers creatures every one made perfect in their kind with naturall perfection so the perfect stabilitie of man in an happie unchangable estate yea the perfection of the visible World made for mans use is the work of the holy Ghost uniting man to to God in Christ and gathering and reconciling all things unto God in him who is the head over all Although man and all creatures as appeares in the last verse of this Chapter were created every one good and perfect in his kind with naturall perfection yet man the chiefe and the Lord of them all having not as yet the holy Ghost shed on him through Christ as all the regenerate and faithfull have was mutable and in that honourable estate of innocency hee did not stand and abide but did full from it very quickly after that the Woman was created and given to him as wee read Chap. 3. yea hee did not lodge one night therein Psalme 49. 12. and by Mans sinfull fall and corruption the whole frame of the visible World was made subject to vanity and groaneth under it as under an intolerable burden and with earnest longing waiteth for deliverance and restitution to an higher estate in the glorious libertie of the sons of God Rom. 8. 19. 20. And although the eternall Word the Son of God had undertaken for man in the eternall counsell of the blessed Trinitie and did step in to mediate for man and in the first promise made upon mans fall was proclaimed to bee the onely and all-sufficient Redeemer and was fully exhibited in the flesh and became a perfect Redeemer in his death and resurrection so that in him is plenteous redemption and matter sufficient to merit more then
first verse and that light which is here said to bee made is the element of fire the naturall place and region whereof the Philosophers held to bee next under the visible heavens and above the aire their reasons are two especially The first because there is no other mention of the creation of the firie element in all this Chapter The second is because the fire is the most pure element and full of light But these things are not of strength to overthrow our exposition First for the opinion of the Philosophers that the visible heavens are immutable and cannot bee dissolved it is contradicted by the expresse words of holy Scripture Psalme 102. 26. and 2 Pet. 3. 10. Also wee finde by experience many changes in those heavens as new Starres Comets appearing for a time after vanishing The Sun and Moone stood still for the space of a whole day Iosh. 10. and the Sun went back ten degrees 2 King 20. Secondly the vertue and influence which is in the visible heavens and is from them naturally communicated to the lower elements sheweth plainely that they all are of one common matter Thirdly that they were not made at once of nothing with the highest heavens appeares by this that the Sun Moone and Stars which are the chiefest parts and ornaments in them were created after the first rude matter and secondarily formed out of it on the fourth day Fourthly that the visible heavens are indeed the pure element of fire which is here called Light and that the creation of the light is the creation of them and of the firie element all in one may easily bee proved by divers reasons First by the light and servent heat which flowes from them into things below by meanes whereof they doe beget firie meteors and lightenings in the aire and scorching sumes and burning flames in the earth as dayly experience teacheth Secondly by the burning and consuming fires which descended from those heavens in the destruction of Sodom and when the Lord came downe on mount Sinah to give the Law and when Eliah consumed the captaines and their fifties 2 King 1 and was answered by fire which consumed his sacrifice 1 King 18. Thirdly that these heavens are of a fierie substance and indeed the pure element of fire and that in the dissolution of them when the Lord by his mighty voice shall rend them and dissolve them at the last day and mingle them with the inferiour elements they shall bee all on fire and in flames and flashes shall passe away with a noyse and melt the elements with servent heat and burne the earth with all the works that are therein the Apostle doth affirme in plaine words 2 Pet. 3. 11. 12. If they were not of a firie substance made out of the rude masse but of an higher and super-elementary nature created immediatly out of nothing together with the highest heavens they could not bee dissolved and set on fire Thus you see the first thing opened viz. what is here meant by Light The next thing is the manner of creation expressed in these words God said Let there bee light and there was light I will not here trouble my discourse with needlesse questions which are moved by divers ancient Writers and not cleared concerning the manner of Gods speech when He said Let there bee light as whether it were a bodily and audible voice or a spirituall and the like Certainly it was no sound of voice nor any forme of words or speech by which God formed the light It was the act of his Almighty power by which he formed and brought into actuall being the light and every other thing even so as hee had decreed from all eternitie Now the Spirit of God doth here expresse this powerfull act by the name of saying or speaking for 3. reasons First because as the speech and word of a wise man sheweth his minde and declareth his will so by this act of power by which the light and every other thing was formed God did shew and declare his eternall counsell purpose and decree concerning the nature and being of them Secondly because God the Father by his eternall Word the Son who is one God with himselfe did forme and make the light and all other things created as appeares Ioh. 1. 3. and Colos. 1. 16. and Hebr. 1. 2. Thirdly to shew that the creation of the World and all things therein was a worke as easie to God as it is for a man to speake a word and to command a thing to bee done and that God by his power omnipotent and powerfull and mighty word and command can as quickly bring into being the greatest things and performe whatsoever he willeth and purposeth with more case then man can speake and say Let this thing be This is the true sense of the words wherein the manner of creation is expressed The second thing after the creation of light is Gods approbation of it in these words And God saw the light that it was good That is such as God purposed to make the light such it was when hee had made it there was no defect in the making or in the thing made but God did see and know it perfect in the kind thereof and did approve it to bee good profitable and usefull every way for the purposes which hee intended The third thing is Gods dividing between the light and the darknesse which did over-spread the face of the deep and possessed all the rude masse which yet remained without forme and void This dividing between them was nothing else but Gods setting and placing of the firie and shining visible heaven in the superiour place above the confused matter which was full of darknesse and settled downe in the inferiour place where now the inferiour elements are The fourth thing is Gods nomination of the light and darknesse and composing the first day of the evening that is the space wherein the darknesse remained over all the deep before light was created out of it and of the morning that is the space wherein light appeared before God set upon the second dayes worke and made the firmament This is expressed vers 5. God called the Light Day and the Darknesse he called Night the evening and morning were the first day Here for our right understanding of this point divers doubts and questions come to bee touched and briefely answered The first is how and in what sense God is said to call the light Day and the darknesse Night The true and full answer is this that God did not onely call the light Day and darknesse Night but also did ordaine and appoint that the time of light should bee the day and the time of darknesse should bee the night and that they should bee so accounted and called The second is why God called onely the light day and Moses calls both the evening and the morning that is the time of light and darknesse one
Let us looke up to heaven where is light without darknesse and an everlasting day without any night and bend all our course to that countrie above and long for everlasting light and glory which the blessed Saints and Angels there enjoy in the presence of God and at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore CHAP. X. The fifth dayes worke Of fishes and fowles All made in perfect wisedome Vses Two notable properties of fishes their sensitive soule and matter The matter of birds Of other flying things Of whales Of the fruitfulnesse of fishes Gods infinite power jioyned with infinite wisedome Vses All is made by Christ and likewise bestowed on us Vse Gods great providence for mankinde Vse ANd God said Let the Waters bring for aboundantly the moving creature which hath life And let the fowle flie above the earth in the open firmament of heaven 21. And God created great whales every living creature that moveth which the waters brought forth aboundantly after their kinde and every winged fowle after his kinds and God saw that it was good 22. And Godblessed them saying Bee fruitfull and multiply and fill the waters in the Sea and let fowle multiplie in the Earth 23. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day In these words wee have the History of the fifth dayes worke which was the creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist elements the water and the aire to wit fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters and all kinds of fowles which flie in the open region of the aire which is here called the open firmament of heaven First wee have Gods powerfull Word and commandement given for the bringing of them into being in the 20. Verse Secondly wee have Gods creation of them and bringing them into being by his mighty Word together with his approbation of them in the 21. Verse Thirdly Gods blessing of them with the blessing of fruitfulnesse and increase Verse 22. Lastly the time wherein all things were done to wit in the space and compasse of the fifth day Verse 23. First as in all other works God said Let them bee so here hee still proceeds to create every thing by his eternall Word So much this phrase signifieth as I have before shewed It also intimates thus much unto us that God did not suddenly and unadvisedly create any of these things but according to his eternall Counsell as hee in his infinite wisedome had purposed and determined in himselfe from all eternity For wee finde by experience among men that when any workman doth say before hand of the worke which hee goeth about Thus I will make it and Thus let it bee it is a cleare evidence that hee doth it with advice as hee hath framed it in his mind and determined it by his will and therefore Moses here used this forme of speech that God said first Let things bee and then hee created them to teach us that God had from all eternity framed them in his decree and determined them in his Counsell and Will to bee such as hee made them in the creation Whence wee may gather this Doctrine That God hath created all things in wisedome and never doth any worke rashly without counsell or consideration but orders and brings to passe every thing so as he hath purposed with perfect knowledge and understanding This is that which the Prophet David doth preach and proclaime with admiration Psalme 104. 24. saying O how manifold are thy works in wisedome and hast thou made them all And his wise Son Solomon Proverb 3. 19 20. saith the Lord by wisedome hath founded the earth by understanding hath hee established the heavens by his knowledge the depths are broken up and the clouds drop downe dew And Ier. 10. 12. and 51. 15. The Prophet affirmes that God hath made the earth by his power and hath established the World by his wisedome and stretched out the heavens by this discretion Yea the actions of revenge upon enemies which men doe for the most part rashly and run in to them head-long without discretion God doth in wisedome and understanding and according to his wise Counsell as holy Iob testifieth Iob 26. 12. saying He divideth the Sea with his power and by his understanding smiteth through the proud And in a Word that God hath made all things wisely and wiâ—h good understanding so that in every creature his wisedome and counsell appeares wee may plainely see by dayly experience and by that which Iob saith chap. 12. 7 8 9. to wit that if wee aske the beasts they will teach and the fowles of the aire they shall tell us or if wee speake to the earth it shall instruct us or to the fishes of the Sea they shall declare unto us who knoweth not in all these things that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this that is wee may see and read Gods wisedome in all his works for as it followes Verse 13. With him is wisedome and strength he hath counsell and understanding and these hee sheweth manifestly in all his works and doings First this Doctrine serves for direction to all men in all their works and doings how to doe all things according to the perfect paterne and true rule of all well-doing The rule of all mans actions ought to bee the will of God who created him and gave him his whole being and the perfect paterne whom the Sons of God ought to follow in all their works is God who formed them after his owne image so that the perfection of man consists in his conformity to God and the more or lesse hee resembles God in all his wayes the more or lesse perfect hee is and the nearer or further from perfection and true happinesse Now here this Doctrine teacheth that God hath created all things in wisedome and doth all his workes according to his determinate counsell and with perfect understanding and nothing rashly without consideration Wherefore as wee desire to order our wayes aright and wallie in the right and ready pathes which lead unto perfection and as wee have a minde to doe all our works so as that they may bee profitable and comfortable to our selves and others so let us imitate God in all our wayes and works and never doe any thing rashly without consulting with his word want of this marres all when men follow their owne lusts and head-strong will and affections and consult not with Gods Word then they follow their owne wayes and forsake the wayes of God then they doe their owne works not the works of God and those wayes and works of their owne will procure all evils and mischiefes unto them according to that of the Prophet Ier. 4 18. thy wayes and doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart Whereas on the contrary they that walke after Gods wayes and take his
counsell along with them in all their doings and doe nothing rashly but so as God by his Word puts into their heart they shall bee holy and wise in their degree as God is wise and holy and by holinesse shall come to see God and the reward and end of their doings shall bee glory honour immortality and eternall life Rom. 2. 7. Secondly seeing God hath made all things in wisedome and according to his eternall Counsell this serves to stirre us up so to behold and consider all things created by God as that wee may see and discerne his wisedome in their very frame and if wee doe not see and discerne the image of Gods wisedome and goodnesse in them all and a good use of them all let us blame our owne blindnesse and ignorance and not vilifie or dis-esteeme any worke or any creature of God But if wee finde any creature which seemes unprofitable or hurtfull altogether and serving for no good use let us know that it is mans sin which hath made the creatures subject to vanity and hatefull and hurtfull to men And yet in the meane time Gods wisedome appeares in ordering and disposing to a good use even by the enmity hurtfulnesse loathsome poison and filthinesse which is in them to chastise and correct his owne people and to put them in remembrance of their sinfulnesse and corruption that they may forsake and mortifie it by repentance or to punish the impenitent and execute just vengance on the wicked in the day and time of his visitation And upon these considerations let us all so often as wee see or remember the unprofitablenesse loathsomnesse and poison which is in some creatures bee stirred up to repent of our sinnes which have brought them under this corruption for a scourge of our dis-obedience and let us firmely beleeve that God in wisedome useth them to punish the wicked and to correct his people and hee will make us see in all his wisedome shining clearly at the last But now from the Word of God I proceed to that which hee set himselfe to doe by his eternall Word according to his will and purpose this is in these words Let the waters bring forth aboundantly every moving creature that hath life and let the fowle she above the Earth The things which here God sets himselfe to create are of two sorts First all creatures which live and have their being in the element of water all fishes and other creatures which live in the Sea Rivers Lakes and all other waters Secondly all fowles birds and flying things which flie above the Earth in the open region of the aire The first sort are all called by this generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature and in the Hebrew signifieth a creature which is most notable for these two properties First that it is a living creature which moves not by going upon feet onely or by flying with wings but by creeping or sliding and moving forwards as wee see fishes doe in the water and creeping things doe in and upon the earth Secondly that it breeds and brings forth young in great aboundance more then any other creatures doe as wee see the fishes which by the multitude of spawne would increase beyond all measure and number if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed For the Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature is derived is used as in my text so in other Scriptures frequently first to signifie creeping or moving forward without feet as Gen. 7. 21. and Levit. 11. 19. and secondly also to bring forth aboundantly as here and also of the creation which God wrought and by which hee made the whole frame of the World perfect and complete and every way fully furnished This last worke is described by Moses first generally briefely and summarily in the 26. Verse and from thence to the end of this first Chapter And secondly the creation of the Woman is more particularly related Chap. 2. from the 18. Verse to the end of that Chapter Verse 26. And God said Let us make man in our owne image and after our likenesse c. 27. So God created man in his owne image c. 28. And God blessed them and said Be fruitfull and multiplie and replenish the earth c. In this History of the creation of mankinde wee may observe these speciall things which are most notable and worthy to bee opened First Gods consultation about the creation of mankind in the 26. Verse And God said Let us make man in our image Secondly Gods creating of mankind according to his owne eternall Counsell which is laid downe summarily and more generally that God made them 1 in his owne image 2 male and female Verse 27. This creation of mankind is more plainely and particularly laid downe in the next Chapter where Moses relates First how God made the man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living soule Verse 7. Secondly how God made the female the Woman to bee an helpe meet for man and that of a Rib taken out of the mans side in a deep sleep Verse 21. 22. c. Thirdly that they were both naked and were not ashamed Verse 25. These things are to bee noted in the creation of mankind The third thing is the blessing wherewith God blessed them joyntly together the Man and the Woman and it comprehends in it two things First the blessing of fruitfulnesse that they should multiply and replenish the earth with mankind Secondly the honour dominion and prerogative which God gave to them to subdue the earth and to have dominion over all other living creatures this is expressed Chap. 1. 28. The fourth is the meat and bodily food which God assigned to man in the creation Verse 29. but with limitation restraint from the fruit of one tree Chap. 2. 16 17. As for other creatures which live on the earth hee assigned the greene herbe or grasse to them for food Verse 30. The fifth thing is the place of mans habitation the garden of Eden the earthly paradise which is described Chap. 2. 8 9 c. The last thing is Gods viewing of all things which hee had made after the creation of the Man and the Woman and his placing of them in paradise which was the accomplishment of the creation and the last worke and his approbation of every creature for very good and perfect in his kind this is expressed in the 31. Verse The first thing is Gods consultation concerning the creation of mankind wherein wee are to consider these particulars 1. Who it is that saith Let us make 2. With whom hee doth thus consult and conferre 3. What is the thing consulted about even the making of man in their owns image
and after their likenesse to bee Lord over all other creatures the fishes of the Sea the fowles of the aire and all living things on earth In the creation of all other things God said onely Let them bee and so they were made but in the creation of mankind hee calls a councell as being now about a greater worke and saith Let us make Man which is a speciall point not lightly to bee passed over without due consideration First hee who thus enters into consultation is said to bee Elohim that is God the Creatour who is more persons then one or two even three Persons in one essence as the Hebrew word being plurall doth imply And hee who here saith Let us make man and in the next verse is said to create man in his owne image hee is the same God which created the heavens and the earth Verse 1. and the light and the firmament and all other things mentioned before in this Chapter They with whom hee conferres are not the Angels as some have vainely imagined nor the foure elements which God here calls together that hee may frame Mans body of them being compounded and tempered together as others have dreamed For the text shewes plainely divers strong reasons to the contrary First it is said that God created man not by the ministery of Angels or the elements but by his owne selfe as it followes in the next Verse and Chap. 2. 7. Secondly God created man in his owne image not in the image of Angels or elements and therefore it is most ridiculous to imagine that God spake to them or of making man in their image Thirdly it is shewed that man was made to rule over the earth and the fowles of the aire and the fishes of the Sea and therefore it is absurd to thinkethat the earth or any elements were fellow-makers of man together with God And lastly it is both foolish and impious to thinke that God who made heaven earth the heavenly host the Angels of nothing should call upon others to helpe him and to share with him in the honour of mans creation seeing hee doth so often in Scripture challenge this honour of creating all things to himselfe and professeth that hee will not give this glory to another Here therefore God the Creatour is brought in by Moses as it were consulting within himselfe even the eternall Father with the eternall Word the Son who is called the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person by whom hee made the World of which man is a part Hebr. 1. 2. and with the eternall Spirit And here hee brings in God consulting about mans creation to bee Lord over other creatures for 3. speciall reasons and to teach us three things which are reasons of consultations among men when they are about a worke The first is to shew not that God needed any advice or helpe but that the worke which hee was about was a speciall worke even the making of man the chiefest of all visible creatures one that should bee Lord over all the rest being made in Gods owne image indued with reason understanding wisedome and liberty of will The second to shew that man was to bee made a creature in whom God should have occasion given to shew himselfe a mighty and wise Creatour and Governour a just Iudge and revenger of wickednesse and sin which doe provoke him to wrath and revenge a mercifull Redeemer and Saviour of sinners seduced and an holy sanctifier of them by his Spirit If wee consider man as a creature which might fall and have Gods image defaced in him and by his many provoking sins might give God cause to repent that hee had made him as is said Gen. 6. then there appeares some reason why God should as it were consult whether hee should make him or no. Also if wee consider that man being fallen and brought under the bondage and slavery of death and the Divell and under eternall condemnation could not possibly bee redeemed but by the Son of God undertaking to become man and to suffer and satisfie in mans nature and that man cannot bee made partaker of Christs benefits for redemption without the holy Ghost the eternall spirit of God infused into man and descending to dwell in man as in an earthly tabernacle There will appeare to us great cause of consultation that God the Father should consult with the Son and the Spirit and this consulting about mans creation doth intimate all these things But in that this consultation is with a resolution all things considered to make man with a joynt consent this shewes that God foresaw how mans fall and corruption and all the evils which by it were to come into the World howsoever to our understanding and in our reason they may seeme just impediments to hinder God from creating mankind yet might by his wisedome bee turned to the greater advancement of his glory and might give him occasion to shew all his goodnesse wisedome power perfect purity and holinesse in hating sin his infinite justice in the destruction and damnation of wicked reprobates and in exacting a full satisfaction for the sins of them that are saved his infinite mercy love and free grace in giving his Son to redeeme and save his elect from sin death and hell and his unspeakeable bounty in giving his Spirit to sanctifie them to unite them to Christ and to conforme them to his image and so to bring them to the full fruition of himselfe in glory God in consulting within himselfe and thereupon resolving to create mankind and saying Let us make man and then immediatly creating him as the text sheweth did in the creation of man shew before-hand that in mankind hee would manifest and make knowne all his goodnesse more then in all other creatures The third reason of Gods consultation is to manifest more plainely in mans creation then in any other creature the mystery of the blessed Trinity that in the one infinite eternall God the Creatour there are more even three Persons of one and the same undivided nature and substance For such consultations and resolutions as are expressed in this forme of words Let us make man in our image and after our likenesse doe necessarily imply that there are more Persons then one consenting and concurring in the worke And that these three Persons are all but one and the same God it isâ—manifest by the words following which speake of these Persons as of one God for it is said that God created man in his owne image and not they created man in their image Thus much for the intent and meaning of the Spirit of God in these words Let us make man in our image and after our liknesse From which words thus expounded wee learne First that the creation of mankind was a speciall worke of God and that man is by nature the chiefest and most excellent of all creatures which God made in all the
15. In a word common sense and reason teach us that if the Woman be made in the image of the Man and the Man is made in Gods image then Women must needs beare Gods image and likenesse But the truth is God being still the same both in the creation of the Man and of the Woman and creating both by the same wisedome and power hee needed not to take Adam for his paterne whereby to make the Woman but made her in his owne image as hee did man and so in all things like to man the different sexe onely excepted This serves to admonish and stirre up women to bee carefull diligent and industrious so to beare themselves as they that are made after Gods image so to order their lives conversation as they who expect the glory of heaven and must by passing through the state of grace here and by conforming themselves to Christ both in his death by mortification and in his life by sanctification come to the fulnesse of glory in Heaven and bee made conformable and like to Christ in his glorious body and coheires of God with him Secondly it serves to reprove the wicked and profane men of the World whose wickednesse is transcendent and their profanenesse most horrible and impious in that base esteeme which they have of the female sexe and the vile account which they make of woman-kind who thinke and speake of women that they have no soules nor any part in Gods image and are utterly uncapable either of grace in this World or glory in the World to come Like and equall unto which in their profane impiety are common strumpets and whorish women the shame and staine of woman-kind who prostitute themselves to all filthinesse and so live as if they were made onely to serve the lusts of unreasonable men of bruitish lust I proceed to the more speciall things which are more distinctly laid downe concerning the creation of mankind where I will first insist upon the creation of the male and female and the matter of which they were made and of the manner and order in which God formed them Which that wee may distinctly understand wee must looke forward to the 7. Verse of the 2. Chapter where the creation of mankind is more particularly rehearsed in these words and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and man became a living soule In the Hebrew text the man is here called Adam not as by his proper name but as it is the common name of all mankind for so much the article which is prefixed before it doth shew and therefore as the Greeke so also our English Translators doe translate this word not Adam but Man God formed man of the dust For in the first creation the man comprehended in him all mankind even the Woman who then was a Rib in his side and afterward was taken out and formed into a Woman The matter of which God formed Adam is said to bee the dust of the ground and here he useth another word not used before in the creation of other things that is the word formed for hee doth not say that God made or created but formed man and true it is that whole man was not made of dust but onely the substance of his bodie and therefore it is said that God formed man to wit in respect of his body of the dust of the ground that is hee framed and fashioned it of dust as a potter formes a pot of clay and brought it into that forme and shape which all perfect bodies of mankind doe beare untill this day And this is the first beginning of the being both of the Man and also of the Woman who was created here a Rib at the first in Mans side and afterwards taken out and made into a Woman First in that Iehovah Elohim the Lord God is here said to forme man that is to frame his body of dust and to bring it into the forme and shape which it beares in all mankind Hereby wee are taught that God did neither consult with Angels about mans creation nor assume them or any other creatures into the fellowship of this worke but God himselfe alone who is Iehovah one God in essence and substance and yet Elohim that is more Persons even three Persons in that one undivided essence did forme the very body of man and brought it into that forme and temper that it might bee a fit subject of the soule which is a spirituall substance And this all other Scriptures confirme which attribute the creation of mankind to God alone as Deut. 4. 32. and Isa. 45. 12. with many other places where the creation of man upon earth is ascribed unto God onely and where holy and faithfull men speaking as they were moved by the holy Ghost confesse themselves the worke of Gods hands as Iob 10. 3. and God their maker and former Iob 36. 3. and Malac. 2. 10. and God the potter and themselves his formed worke Isa. 64. 8. This Doctrine well weighed is of excellent use First to make us ascribe all our excellency and all our well being to God that wee may give him the glory of them and that wee may beare our selves before God as before our creatour and may ever remember that whatsoever service wee are able to performe either with our soules or bodies it is wholy due to God and none other but onely in him and by commandement and warrant from his holy and infallible Word Seeing God alone hath created us and given us all our being even the forme and shape of our bodies wee must not thinke it enough to keepe our selves to God and to serve him in spirit onely but wee must serve and worship him with our bodies also and with all parts and members of our bodies Although God many times makes men instruments and meanes to convey health life being and well being to us as naturall Parents to bring us into being and life and to nourish and bring us up and as Kings and Rulers and wise Magistrates to bee Saviours of our bodily lives from death and other dangers and to procure safety peace and well being to us and in this respect and for these causes wee doe owe love honour and service to them in and under God yet in no case may wee in things which tend not to the honour but dishonour of God and are contrary to his Word and Will and offensive to his Majesty obey serve and honour them In such cases let us say as the Apostles did to the high-Priests and Rulers of the Iewes We ought to obey God rather then men and whether it be right and lawfull to obey you more then God judge yee Act. 4. 19. and 5. 29. All Potentates Kings and Rulers because they are men and have no power but from God must not looke that any should serve and obey them rather then God or
in things which they command contrary to Gods commandements Yea they must remember that they are Gods creatures and handi-worke and ought to employ all their power and authority to the honour of God If otherwise they abuse the talents which God hath lent them let them know that God will one day call them to a reckoning and give them the reward of evill unfaithfull and unprofitable servants even eternall destruction and torment in Hell where shall be howling and wayling and gnashing of teeth Secondly this serves to shew that whosoever offers wrong and injury to any of mankind by cutting mangling or any way defacing their 〈…〉 age and deforming their bodies by afflicting or some way corrupting their soules or by taking away their lives and naturall being without speciall warrant and cōmmandement from God they are notoriously injurious to God himselfe they scorne despise mis-use and deface Gods Workmanship they provoke God to wrath and jealousie and hee surely will bee avenged on such doings And here wee have matter as of dread and terrour to all cruell Tyrants and unmercifull men so of hope and comfort to all who suffer injury and wrong at their hands As the first sort have just cause to feare and tremble so often as they thinke on God the avenger of such wrong so the other have cause to hope that God will not wholy forsake them being the worke of his owne hands nor leave them to the will and lust of the wicked his enemies but will in his good time save them and send them deliverance Thirdly this discovers the abomination and filthinesse of all Idolaters who being the workmanship of God the Lord and wise creator of all things doe most basely bow downe to images and altars and debase themselves to worship humane inventions and the worke of mens hands which are dumbe Idols of wood and stone and lying vanities It is just with God to cast out and expose all such people to ignominy shame and confusion in this world and in the world to come into that place of darknesse where the Divell and all such as forsake God and rebell against the light which from the creation shines to them shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the face and presence of God and from the glory of his power Secondly in that God is here said to forme man of the dust of the ground not of clay well tempered and wrought but of dust which of it selfe is most unfit to be compacted and made into a stedfast shape and which is counted so base and so light that every blast of wind drives it away and in Scripture the basest things are resembled to it Hence wee may learne two things First that God in the creation even of mans body shewed his infinite power and wisedome in bringing dust of the earth which is the basest thing of all into the forme and shape of mans body which is the most excellent of all visible bodies and a fit house and temple not onely of a reasonable living soule but also of Gods holy spirit as other Scriptures plainly affirme This point appeares so plainly in the Text that I need not spend time in further confirmation of it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formed here first used implies an excellent forme and the upright face of man Here therefore I will adde for illustration sake the words of David which are very pertinent to this purpose Psal. 139. 14 15 16. where speaking of Gods forming and fashioning him in the wombe of the living substance even the seed blood and flesh of his parents saith he I will prayse thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made Marvelous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy booke were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Here we see with what feare admiration and astonishment David considers mans frame and the curious workmanship of his body when God forms it in the mothers womb by lively instruments and of a lively matter and substance How much more may we conclude that Gods creating of Adams body which was the most curious naturall body that ever was made is most admirable and deserves more reverence feare and astonishment at our hands being made without instruments out of the basest matter and substance even dust of the earth Surely in this God shewed wisedome and power beyond all admiration The Vse of this doctrine is to stirre us up so often as we thinke of our creation in Adam to laud and praise Gods wisedome and power to feare and reverence God and to admire his curious workmanship And although the matter of which God framed mans body was the basest of all even dust of the ground yet let us not thinke ever a whit more meanly of our creation but so much more admire Gods workmanship in our bodies For to make a curious worke in gold silver or of some beautifull precious and plyable mettall is not rare nor so excellent but to frame of the basest matter the dust of the ground the chiefest worke and even the Master-piece of all works in the visible world that is the body of Adam in the state of innocency this is worthy of all admiration and is a just motive and provocation to stirre us up to praise and to extoll with admiration the wisedome and power of God especially if wee consider the most excellent forme of mans body and upright stature together with the head comely face hands and other members every way fitted and composed to bee instruments of a reasonable soule and to rule and keepe in order and subjection all living creatures Secondly in that the dust of the ground the basest part of the earth is the matter out of which mans body the beautifull Palace and Temple of his Soul was formed in the excellent state of innocency Hence wee learne that man is by nature and in his best naturall being given to him in the creation but a dusty earthy substance in respect of his body and in respect of his Soul an inhabitant of an house of clay the foundation whereof is in the dust But some perhaps will object against the collection of this Doctrine from the base and fraile matter of which mans body was formed and will thus argue That the state and condition of creatures is not to bee esteemed by the matter of which they were made but by the forme and being which God gave to them as for example the Angels together with the highest heaven were created immediatly of nothing as well as the rude unformed masse which is called earth and yet they are most glorious spirits and the rude masse is not to bee compared to them Yea man was created
according to his inferiour part the body of dust which is a created substance better then nothing of which the Angels were made and yet the Angels in nature far excell man Therefore mans creation of dust doth not prove him to bee so fraile a creature seeing God gave him such an excellent forme To this I answer that to bee created immediatly of nothing is in it selfe a more excellent worke and shewes greater power then to bee made of a meane inferiour matter For when things are said to bee created of nothing the meaning is not that they are made of nothing as of a matter but that they are made of no matter at all but have their whole being from God and his infinite power and so may bee if God will most excellent But when man is said to be formed of dust the meaning is that dust is a part of his substance even the matter of which hee consists and that his body according to the matter is a dusty earthy substance and his Soul though a spirituall substance created of nothing yet dwelling in that body is an inhabitant of an earthly Tabernacle and house of clay founded in the dust Secondly though the frame of mans body is in it selfe most excellent and surpasseth all bodily formes and his Soul is a spirituall substance endowed with reason yet all these were of mutable excellency in the best naturall estate of innocency and could not continue in that excellency but by dependance upon God and cleaving fast to him and by his hand and power sustaining them continually which by promise hee was not bound to doe in that estate And therefore wee may truly gather from the matter of which God formed mans body that hee was in his best naturall being in respect of his body but a dusty substance such as might returne to dust by falling off from God by sin and disobedience yea undoubtedly as God in framing man his chiefest visible creature of dust intended to shew his wisedome and power and to glorifie his goodnesse so also hee teacheth man thereby his owne naturall frailty and mutability how unable hee is of himselfe to abide in honour and excellency And this hee shewes most plainely Gen. 3. 19. where hee saith to man alluding to his creation Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Wee have also an excellent argument to this purpose Iob 14. 18 19. and 15. 15. where the Lord is said to charge his Angels with folly and to lay no trust in his servants and the heavens are not cleare in his sight how much lesse can hee find steadfastnesse in men who dwell in houses of clay which have their foundation in the dust that is seeing the heavenly spirits are not immutably pure in Gods sight but some of the Angels hath God charged with folly to wit such as did fall and to the rest hee hath added supernaturall light of his Spirit and so hath made them Saints immutably holy much lesse is man immutably pure and steadfast by nature whose better part the Soul is by creation made to dwell in an house of clay a body made of dust To this purpose serve those Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles which compare man in his first creation to clay in the hand of the potter Ier. 18. 9. Rom. 9. 21 which affirme that the first Adam was of the Earth earthy 1 Cor. 15 47. that is in his first creation hee was of an earthy and dusty substance First this serves by discovering unto man his frailty and mutability in his best naturall being to humble every man in his owne eyes and to make him lowly and to withdraw his heart from pride and all high conceipts of any worth in himselfe and to teach us all to ascribe all the unchangable purity which wee finde in ourselves and all our steadfastnesse to the free grace of God in Christ and not to any power of our owne free will or to the excellency of our naturall frame and being If man in his first creation and best naturall being was but of earth and dust an earthy and dusty creature and before that death entered into the World while hee had yet power of free will to obey God and to depend on him was mutable and might fall into sin and disobedience and by sin might bring and did bring death upon himselfe and all his posterity how much more now in the state of nature corrupted is every Son of man a very masse of corruption and frailty yea vanity and abominable filthinesse who drinketh iniquity like water as it is written Iob 15. 16. Wherefore Let no man glory in any naturall power or prerogative nor hope to stand by his owne strength much lesse to merit or purchase by any works of nature or power of free will the least grace supernaturall which tends to bring him to heavenly happinesse and glory unchangeable For man as hee is flesh and blood that is an earthly creature cannot possibly come to inherite the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Secondly this discovers the madnesse and desperate blindnesse of Pelagians and Papists who teach that a man by the right use of his naturall power and free-will may procure spirituall grace from God and even the Spirit of regeneration and faith working by love by which hee may merit and purchase to himselfe eternall life and heavenly glory and felicity as a just and condigne reward of his works If Angels cannot bee made steadfast and trusty without supernaturall light added to them much lesse can earthy man who by sin is become filthy and abominable worke out his owne salvation by meriting and purchasing the heavenly reward Oh let us all hate and abhorre all such conceipts which wholly tend to the frustrating and evacuating of Christs merits and satisfaction and to make them seeme vaine and needlesse Be not deceived God is not mocked they who sow such tares and feed like swine on the huskes of their owne works and on things which nature teacheth they are enemies to the grace of God which is given onely in Iesus Christ and together with him by communion of his Spirit After the creation of mans Body of dust immediatly followes the creation of his Soule which is to bee understood in these words And breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and man was a living Soule For no sooner was mans body brought into frame but God breathed into him the breath of life that is caused him to breathe with the breath of life even those vitall spirits which are the band of union by which the Soule is united to the body and in the first instant wherein he created the vitall spirits he also created the spiritual substance of his Soule in his body immediatly of nothing by his omnipotent hand Some are opinion that mans Soule was first created a Spirit subsisting by it selfe before his body was formed and when the body was formed a
immediatly going before it Secondly the creation it selfe Thirdly the consequents which followed upon it In the preparation wee may observe three distinct things First Gods counsell and resolution for mans well being Verse 18 Secondly Gods setting of the Man a worke to view the creatures and to exercise his reason and naturall wisedome in naming them Verse 19. Thirdly the inequality which Adam found in the creatures and the unfitnesse of them for his conversation Verse 20. First Moses brings in the Lord God consulting with himselfe and according to his eternall Counsell concluding that it was not good for Man to bee alone and resolving that hee will make an helpe meet for him For these words And God said are not to be understood of any sound of words uttered by God but of Gods eternall Counsell purpose and fore-knowledge now beginning to manifest it selfe by outward action and execution as a mans mind is manifested by his speech The things which God foreknew in his counsell and purposed are two First that it was not good for man to bee alone Secondly that hee would make an helpe meet for him Hence it may seeme strange which God saith that any thing which he had made should not be good For did not hee make man alone and single at the first And did not hee make every thing good especially man created in his owne image Was not the image of God in which hee created man fully and perfectly good To this doubt I answer that the Man was created good and perfect after the likenesse of God and there was no defect in his being and substance But yet as all other creatures though they were made good and there was no evill in them yet they were not so good as man so man though as hee was created in the image of God was good yea in goodnesse farre excelled other earthly creatures yet hee was not so good but that hee might bee made more good and created in an image of God more excellent then that wherein hee was first made even in the holy image of the heavenly Adam Christ which farre excels and is immutable Yea wee finde by experience that many things which are good in themselves are not good for all purposes fire is good in it selfe and for many uses but not to bee eaten and so many other creatures are good as the flesh of beasts for mans meat but not without bread and salt nor raw So man was created good and fit to rule all other living creatures even considered alone in himselfe but it was not good for the bringing of all Gods purposes to passe that man should bee alone it was farre better that a Woman should bee created meet for him for the procreation of mankind for the increase of Gods Church and for the incarnation of Christ and the bringing forth of him the blessed seed of the Woman in whom God reveales all his goodnesse and good pleasure Here then wee may learne two points of instruction First that as God from all eternity in his eternall councell immutably purposed so in the first creation of man hee shewed that hee intended all things which hee hath brought to passe in and by the incarnation of Christ and in the gathering together of his elect Church by Christ and that hee had in his purpose the exaltation of man to an higher and better estate then that in which hee first created him For it is most cleare and manifest that Adam being created in the image of God in all uprightnesse and perfection of nature and having all the visible World to view and to contemplate upon Gods wisedome and workmanship therein and all the creatures to rule over and all things necessary for worldly delight needed no more for naturall and earthly felicity But yet for all this God said it was not good that man should bee alone that is it was not good for that which God intended that is for the obtaining of eternall felicity in and by Christ and for the full manifestation of Gods goodnesse and glory in and upon mankind This is that truth which is so often testified by our Saviour and his Apostles where they tell us that God prepared a Kingdome for his elect from the beginning of the World and that as an elect number was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World so Christs incarnation ' death satisfaction and mediation were ordained before all worlds as Matth. 25. 34. and Eph. 1. 4. First this sheweth against all Atheists Pagans and Hereticks that nothing comes to passe by chance nothing without the foresight and foreknowledge of God but hee saw before hee created the World what should befall every creature and without his will permitting no evill comes to passe without his wil ordaining and his hand working no good can come to any creature all things are according to his foreknowledge and there is no place for idle suppositions of vainemen Secondly as the wicked may here for their terrour take notice that all their evil deeds are foreseene and foreknowne of God and hee hath just vengance laid up in store for them So the godly may comfort themselves against all Calumnies Slanders and false witnesses all are knowne to God and hee will in the end make the truth knowne and bring their cause to light Thirdly wee are hereby stirred up to all diligence in Gods service and that betimes seeing God hath so long before hand ordained and prepared all good things for us All our time spent in praise and thanks before him is nothing to the time wherein hee hath shewed love to us in preparing good for us before and from the beginning of the World Secondly in that it is said of man created in Gods image in full perfection of nature that it was not good that hee should bee alone Hence wee learne that the image of God and the state wherein man was first created is not absolutely the best which man can have but that in Christ there is a better image and a more excellent state and condition provided for him which is best of all This is fully proved 1 Cor. 15. where the Apostle shewes that the image of the heavenly Adam is farre above the image of the earthly and that the Kingdome which is prepared in Christ for the elect is such as flesh and bloud that is naturall man cannot inherite This shewes that wee gaine more by Christ then wee lost in Adam and God by mans fall is become more bountifull to mankind And wee who in Christ have our hope have no cause to repine at Gods decreeing willing and suffering of mans fall nor to bee impatient under the afflictions which thereby come upon us seeing the end of all is glory and blisse and a crowne too high and precious for Adam in the state of innocency The second thing in Gods councell and purpose is that hee will make an helpe meet for man Here
againe it may seeme strange that Adam should need an helpe in the state of innocency for helpe is required when a man is in need and wants necessaries for avoiding evill or gaining some good which Adam being created in Gods image and having all the World at will seemed not to want But to this I answere that by an helpe here wee are to understand not an helpe to resist any evill or to gaine some naturall good which hee wanted but an helpe for obtaining an higher and more blessed estate even the supernaturall and heavenly estate of grace and glory in Christ the seed of the Women Whence wee may learne That the Woman was created not to bee a servant to man to serve his naturall necessity for hee needed no such helpe or service in that estate being made good and perfect with naturall perfection but to bee an helpe and furtherance to heavenly happinesse and in things which tend thereunto And albeit the Woman by being first in the transgression and a meanes of mans fall is made in her desire subject to man and to his rule and dominion over her yet by Christ the promised seed of the Woman shee is restored to her first honourable estate to bee an helpe to man in heavenly things and a meanes to winne man and to bring him to God in Christ by her chast and holy conversation and by shewing a lively example of piety and of the true feare of God and giving due reverence to her husband as Saint Peter testifieth 1 Pet. 1. 23. This Doctrine is of good use First to teach men how to use and esteeeme their Wives and wherein especially to seeke their helpe even in heavenly things and in earthly and temporall so farre as they serve to further them in spirituall If men could bee brought to understand and beleeve this they would bee carefull to marrie in the Lord and to match themselves with Wives of the true religion godly and vertuous well approved for piety faith and knowledge and truly fearing God Secondly to direct Women how they ought to frame beare and behave themselves towards their husbands and wherein they ought to strive study and endeavour to bee helps to them even in the way to heaven Let the daughters of the cursed Idolatrous Canaanites beare this just brand that like Iezabel they are snares and stirre up their husbands to wickednesse and to Idolatry and cruelty To reprove Men and Women who onely or chiefely seeke fleshly carnall and worldly helpe content profit and pleasure one from another and in their mutuall society and conjugall communion and so quite swerve and stray from the rule of this Doctrine where wee have much matter of reproofe ministred to us both of men who take Wives according to their lust and greedy desire of wealth and riches not for religion and the feare of God or who make drudges and slaves of their Wives whom God made to bee helps meet for them and also of Women who give themselves to bee no helps to their husbands except it bee for the World no furtherers at all but rather pul-backs and hinderers in the way to heaven and in heavenly and spirituall things The second thing in the preparation to the Womans creation is Gods setting of Adam a worke to view all living creatures and to employ his reason and wisedome in giving names to them Where wee are to note and observe First that here is no mention made of the living creatures in the Sea but onely of those which God formed out of the ground that is beasts and cattell and fowles of the aire all which were ready at hand and God might quickly present and make to passe before Adam all kinds of them that hee might view and name them Secondly wee here may observe the intent and purpose of God in bringing them to Adam to wit the exercise and triall of Adams naturall reason wisedome and knowledge which were made manifest by his giving to every kind fit names which God approved and confirmed Thirdly the manifestation of Adams wisedome and Gods confirming of his judgement which hee shewed in naming every kind of earthly creature with a name agreeable to the nature of it For whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name of it that is that name was ratified by God Yea also because there was no use of names whereby the creatures might bee knowne to any other or revealed there being as yet no man besides Adam himselfe nor the Woman yet made to whom hee might shew them by their names I am induced to thinke that Adam gave such a fit and proper name agreeable to the nature and qualities of every creature that the creature being called by that name would come to Adam whensoever hee called upon it such was the obedience of the creatures to Man and such was mans wisedome to rule them and so excellent was his knowledge of their severall natures and qualities From which observations thus opened wee may learne That in the state of innocency in the first creation man had perfect naturall knowledge of all naturall things arising and springing immediatly from his naturall soule and the powers and faculties thereof which were naturall principles created in him he had no need to bee taught by any instructor in any art or knowledge fit for his state and condition nor to learne by experience as now we doe since the fall Now seeing Adam was thus perfect in naturall knowledge of all things which concerned his naturall state and condition and yet was seduced by the woman the serpent This serves to teach us that no naturall knowledge gifts and abilities can uphold and sustaine a man against spirituall enemies and temptations that power is proper to supernaturall grace neither can naturall reason dive into the depth of heavenly and supernaturall things If naturall wit and reason could have conceived the spirituall meaning of the tree of life and of the tree of knowledge of good and evill surely Adam would first have eaten of the tree of life and not by any meanes have beene tempted and drawn to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evill For he who was created good could in no case wittingly have neglected the tree of life and desired the other upon any false suggestion Wherefore let us not build upon nature but wholly upon grace in things which concerne eternall life and heavenly happinesse He that followeth naturall reason for his guide in the way to heaven may easily bee carried aside and fall into the crooked wayes of errour which lead unto hell and speedily fall into the pit of destruction The third thing to be noted in the preparation to the womans creation is the inequalitie which Adam found in all the creatures to be his mates and companions and their unfitnesse for his conversation to be an helpe meet for him this is in these words but for Adam there was not found
more subject of the froward to learne perversenesse then by the wife meeke and liberall consorts to be drawne from their folly fury and churlishnesse and therefore though in case when an hard lot befals Men or Women they must make the best they can of that which is too bad in hope that God will blesse their vertuous and godly endeavours yet the best rule which godly Christians can observe in the choice of wives iâ— to choose such as are like affected and vertuously disposed as they themselves are to regard chiefely the unity of Spirit and the similitude of nature and disposition which is a thing here taught by God in the creation and first marriage betweene Adam and Evah the first Father and Mother of all mankind Secondly we may gather from this doctrine that there can bee no hope or expectation of good from unequall marriages And when men for carnall worldly and politike respects yoke themselves with wives of a contrary disposition and religion daughters of a strange God and vassals of Antichrist there seldome or never followes a blessing For just it is with God that when men and women wall contrary to God and reject his right rule in their marriages and in laying the foundation of their families God should walke contrary to them in their whole course of life and should crosse them in their endeavours and bring their families to confusion The third and last consequent of the womans creation is that they were both naked â—he man and his wife and they were not ashamed ver 25. In which words wee are not in any case to understand by nakednesse either want of necessary apparell for in the state of innocency there was no need thereof and therefore no want of any nor any want of naturall abilities or vertues need full for beauty comlinesse and ornament or for naturall perfection All such nakednesse and want came in by sin and after their fall But here they are said to be naked because they neither had nor needed any cloathes or covering of their bodies which were in all parts most comely and beautifull Their skin was not rough over-growne with haire like beasts nor with feathers like birds nor with hard scales like fishes but their skin faire white and ruddie was comely in it selfe and beautifull to their owne eyes more then all ornaments of silke fine linnen and all jewels of gold and silver set with the most glorious and precious stones of most resplendent colour and brightnesse And their bodies were of that excellent temper and constitution that they neither felt nor feared any distemper of heat or cold The aire and all the elements were tempered according to the temper of their bodies and all things were pleasing wholesome and delightsome unto them and to all living creatures they appeared lovely and full of beauty and majestie It was the creatures delight to see them and to looke on them and it was their joy to see the creatures admiring them and rejoycing in their sight and presence And therefore there was no cause or occasion of any shame or of any feare to shew their simple naked bodies and to have every part and member openly seene no uncomlinesse which needed a covering but all parts and members were beautifull in themselves and composed together in a comely order and frame This is the true sense and meaning of the words Wherein we have this plaine doctrine That the worke of God in the creation of our first parents was perfect without errour the image of God appeared in their bodies and bodily for me and shape they were full of all naturall grace beauty and comlinesse in all parts and members from the crowne of their heads to the sole of their feete the glory and wisedome of Gods workmanship shined in them most clearely to their owne eyes and the eyes of all creatures The truth of this appeares most manifestly in the words for certainly if there had beene any least blemish or unseemely member in their naked bodies they would have beene ashamed to goe and appeare openly bare and naked without covering therefore I need not stand to prove it with many arguments this one is sufficient That all the forme beauty and comelinesse of the most goodly Men and fairest Women that ever were or are in the World gathered together and composed in the body of one Man or Woman the goodly personage of Ioseph or Adonijah the beauty of Absalom and Abishag and the glory and comlinesse of Solomon and all other formes and beauties named in histories are but the ruines reliques di 〈…〉 shadowes and defaced scraps of that beauty and comelinesse which was in the naked bodies of our first parents and in every part of them in the creation And therefore our reason and senses may judge what comlinesse was in them This point considered is of great force to provoke and stirre up men to acknowledge with all thankfulnesse Gods bounty to mankind in the first creation and how exceedingly they are bound to love and honour and serve God for the naturall gifts abilities with which God at the first did fully furnish man not onely for necessity and welbeing but also for glory beauty ornament and comelinesse in the eyes of all creatures And although our first parents forfeited these blessings by their disobedience and have defaced by sin this excellent beauty yet wee see Gods goodnesse abounding to us in this that hee imprints in many of us some stamps and foot-steps of the image in which wee were created that wee may by the ruines which remaine judge of the building of mans body and of the beautifull frame wherein God at the first created us Secondly wee may hence gather comfortable assurance that as God did create man in admirable beauty at the first in the creation and made him comely in the eyes of all creatures in all parts of his body so that it was no shame but a glory to walke naked without cloathes or covering So much more in the work of redemption and restauration by Christ God both can and will repaire our vile bodies and restore unto them their first beauty and glory with great advantage and make them like the glorious body of Christ and reforme them after his heavenly image of holinesse which so farre exceeds the first image as heavenly excels earthly spirituall and supernaturall excels naturall and incorruptible and immutable surpasseth that which is fading and vanishing For the worke of redemption and restauration is a worke of greater goodnesse to men then the worke of creation and as it excels so the effect of it must bee more excellent In this worke God stretcheth forth his omnipotent hand and all his goodnesse further then in the creation there hee created all things by his eternall Word the Son and by his Spirit working with him but here hee gave his Son to bee incarnate and the eternall Word to bee made flesh and
aire and the beasts of the Earth c. For our full understanding whereof wee are to inquire and search out First what things are necessarily required in perfect Dominion and Lordship over the creatures Secondly the divers degrees of it Thirdly in what degree Dominion over the creatures was given to man Concerning the first There are foure things required to perfect Dominion and Lordship over the creatures two in the Lord and Ruler and two in the creature ruled and made subject In the Lord and Ruler there is required First Power and ability to order rule and dispose according to his owne minde will and pleasure in all things the creatures ruled by him Secondly a true right to use and dispose them according to his owne will and pleasure In the creature there is also required First a disposition fitnesse and inclination to serve his Lord and Ruler and to yeeld to him in all things whatsoever hee shall thinke fit Secondly a bond of duty by which hee is bound to obey his Lord and serve for his use and necessarily to yeeld to him in all things All these things are necessarily required in perfect Lordship and Dominion And wheresoever all these are found to concurre in the highest degree there is most perfect Dominion and where they are in a lesser degree there is a lesser an inferiour Dominion and where any of these faileth or is wanting there the Lordship and Dominion faileth and is imperfect As for example The Lord God as hee is almighty and omnipotent so hee hath absolute power in and of himselfe and all ability to order and dispose and rule every creature as hee himselfe will And as he is Iehovah the author of all being who hath his being and is that which hee is absolutely of himselfe without beginning and doth create and give being to all other things so hee hath absolute right to use and dispose all creatures according to his owne mind and will and in these respects hee is absolutely called the Lord and is absolute Lord even in this confusion of the World and all things therein as over all other creatures so over the rebellious Divell and all his wicked instruments and hath absolute power to destroy them or to make of them even contrary to their disposition what use he will And because in the creation God made all things good and perfect in their kind and nature according to his owne will and wisedome and every creature as it was good in the nature and kind of it so was it most fit inclinable to serve for the use unto which the Lord appointed it in the creation and as it was the worke of the Lords owne hand by him brought into being out of nothing so there was a bond of duty laid upon it to obey the Lords word and to yeeld to his will without any resistance or reluctation And in these respects Gods Dominion and Lordship was not onely most absolute over all creatures but also most sweet and lovely unto them even a most loving and fatherly rule of God over them and a most free and voluntary subjection and obedience of them to him and to his will in all things But now ever since the fall and rebellion of the Divell against the light and the fall and corruption of man and the confusion which thereby came into the World Though Gods power and right stand most absolute and unchangeable like himselfe and hee both can and doth most justly over-rule the Divell and all creatures which are most corrupt and malicious and makes even their enmity serve for his glory and for the communion of his goodnesse more fully to his elect yet this power and right he exerciseth not in that loving and fatherly manner over the rebellious and disobedient creatures but by just violence and coaction by necessity and strong hand forcing and compelling them to doe and worke and to suffer and yeeld unto and serve for that use which they would not and from which they are most averse And because no other Lords have any such power or right over any creature but all their power and right is given them by God and is but an image and shadow of his right and power therefore their Dominion is not absolute and most perfect but secondary and inferiour depending upon Gods will power and pleasure These things proposed as grounds and foundations wee may from them easily observe divers degrees of Lordship and Dominion The first and highest Lordship and Dominion which is most absolute over all creatures is that of God which in respect of Gods power and right cannot bee increased or diminished at all For as hee hath right to doe with all creatures what hee will because they are his owne and hee gives them all their being so he hath power as he is omnipotent either to incline or to inforce them to doe his pleasure and to serve for what use hee will The Angels in heaven and Saints glorified and made perfect and all creatures in the state of innocency as in duty they are bound to serve and obey God so they have in them a fitnesse and inclination to serve and obey his will in all things to the vtmost of their power and therefore this Dominion over them is lovely and amiable and is paternum imperium a fatherly rulo and Dominion over them But the Divels and wicked men and all creatures corrupted are froward and rebellious and his rule and Dominion over them is in respect of them violent and compulsive and as a King he forceth them to doe what hee will and compels them to serve for what use hee will and justice requires it should bee so The second Degree of Dominion is when a Lord hath both power and right to rule over creatures and they have an inclination and fitnesse to serve and obey but all these are from a superiour Lord giving this power and right to the one to rule and disposing and binding the other to serve and obey This delegated Lordship and Dominion is either unlimited or limited Vnlimited is that which is not confined to some creatures but is extended over all things in heaven and in earth and it is a power and right to make them all serve and obey him in all things whatsoever hee will This unlimited Dominion is given onely to Christ as Mediatour who as hee is man personally united to God and in his humane nature hath perfectly fulfilled the will of God overcome all powers of darknesse satisfied Gods justice and redeemed the World is exalted to Gods right hand as David foretold Psalme 110. 1. and hath all power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him Matth. 28. 18. and hath a name given him above all names even the name and title of the Lord Christ so that in and at his name all knees must bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth
a different substance Secondly that it bee formed and made by that whereof it is the image and according to the paterne of it Where any of these two is wanting there can bee no image at all as for example One egge is like another in nature substance and all naturall properties yet that egge is not the image of the other because the one is not made by the other as the paterne of it so wee may say of an apple or a figge and of many other things but the forme of an egge or apple made in chalke or paste or wax is the image of an egge or apple though not so like it as another egge or apple and farre different in nature and substance because it is formed by it as by a paterne And againe though an egge bee formed in the body and of the naturall substance of a bird and sometimes wormes are bred in the bodies of men and beasts and the egge resembles the bird in whitenesse or in variety of other colours and the wormes seeme like mans flesh in whom they are bred both in colour and substance and in life sense and motion yet they cannot bee called images because they are not like in shape nor outward forme nor in any property but onely in some qualities and small resemblance But the picture or statue made after a man and in many things like him though more like another man then him yet it is his image and not the image and picture of another so the figure of a man appearing in a glasse when hee stands before it though it differs in nature and substance and is but a vanishing shadow yet because in outward shape forme and colour it is very like and is expressed in the glasse by him looking in it therefore is his image And the impression of a stamp or seale made in wax or well tempered clay is the image of that stampe or seale though it bee not perfectly like by reason of some small defects in the wax clay or stamping and the impression of another seale engraven with the same figure or letters may bee in all points more like and yet not the image of it because it was not made after it but by another seale engraven with the same figure Now then that wee may plainely see that man was created and how hee was created in the image of God and made after his likenesse and that hee is a true accidentall image of God his Creatour Wee are to observe and take notice of these two things First that God did frame mans nature even his whole soule and body after himselfe with intent that both his substance and naturall properties and endowments might take their patterne from him his Creatour that is in a word God himselfe was the originall and chiefe patterne by which alone man was made and formed Secondly that though divers other creatures had in divers things more resemblance of God then man had as the heavens in large comprehension of the visible World the Sun in glorious brightnesse beauty and Majesty the highest heaven in glory and immutability And all creatures as they have essence and being and were made good and perfect in their kind have some more some fewer impressions and resemblance of God in his essence and attributes yet none can bee called the image of God among all visible creatures but onely man because though God formed all things after his owne will wisedome and goodnesse yet hee made no visible creature living or without life so farre resembling himselfe in his nature and essentiall properties that it might justly or with good reason bee called his image but onely man As man alone of all creatures under heaven was made in the image of God so man alone doth so plainely resemble God is so stamped with the impression of Gods properties and in his whole nature and frame is made so fit a subject for God to dwell in and to bee conformed to God and wherein God may shew his wisedome power goodnesse liberty of will justice mercy and other attributes that hee onely of all visible creatures can truely bee called the image of God Let us now therefore in the next place come to the things wherein this image of God did consist and in respect of which things man is said to bee created in the image of God and to bee the image of God his creatour First it is a most certaine truth that the image of God in which man was created is nothing else but the conformity of man unto God and man is truly called the image of God in respect of all those things wherein hee doth more then any other visible creatures resemble God in his divine essence and properties Now this conformity of man unto God is twofold primary or secondary Primarie conformity is seated in the Soule of man or in man according to his soule the chiefe part of his substance Secondary conformitie is that which is in man according to his bodie and consists in the body and in things which belong to his body Conformitie of Man to God in his Soule is either in the Nature of substance of his Soule or in the naturall Faculties Properties and Endowments of it First conformity to God in the Substance of his Soule is the similitude which mans Soule hath unto the nature and substance of God in that mans Soule is not a Corporeall substance as all visible Creatures are nor a Materiall body created of any former matter but it is a pure Spirit even a spirituall incorporeall invisible and living substance and so it is called 1 Cor. 2 11. Heb. 12. 23. and both here in my text and 1 Cor 15. 45. a Living Soule which lives and gives life to the body and in these things it is like unto God who in his nature and being is a Spirit or a spirituall substance as our Saviour affirmes Joh. 4. 24. is called the Invisible God Coloss. 1. 15. Tim. 1. 17. and the Living God Psal. 42. 2. Ier. 10. 10. Ioh. 6. 96. and his Eternall power and Godhead are called Invisible things Rom 1. 20. yea as God saith of himselfe Isa 40. 18. So wee may truely say of mans Soule that it cannot truely be likened to any visible thing neither can any bodily substance resemble it Conformity to God in the naturall faculties properties and indowments of his Soule is the likenesse and similitude which man in respect of his reason understanding liberty of will desires and affections all upright and perfect had unto Gods wisedome knowledge goodnesse libertie justice mercy and the like First man in his perfect understanding naturall light wisedome and knowledge did resemble Gods wisedome and knowledge of all things For man in his creation and naturall integritie did rightly know God and himselfe and did perfectly understand all the workes and the nature of all the creatures of God and what was good both
fulnesse thereof Secondly this former discourse shewes what a vaine and foolish thing it is for Christian people to be so wedded to the opinions of godly learned men in all points which have beene formerly received and commonly beleeved or to be so strongly conceipted and perswaded of their full understanding and perfect knowledge of all the Scriptures and of all truth taught in the written word of GOD that whatsoever they have taught and commonly held they will cleave too till death and they will receive and embrace no truth nor any exposition of any Scripture which hath not beene before observed taught and published in the Sermons and writings of the godly learned Ancient Fathers and the soundest Orthodox moderne Divines I confesse the Scriptures alone dayly read and heard by men of ordinary capacity and learning are able to make them wise to Salvation For the way to life may easily be discerned by their guidance and direction But there are degrees of knowledge and divers measures of gifts and when a man knoweth enough to bring him on in an ordinarie way to life yet there is still more knowledge to be learned and a greater depth of knowledge to be found in the Scriptures which are doubtfull obscure and more hard to be understood and many new expositions of divers places which more plainly and fully confirme solid truthes formerly beleeved which he that searcheth out and discovereth doth thereby get more strength in faith and growth in grace and more spirituall joy and comfort and runs on faster and more speedily and steadfastly in the way to Salvation Wee see here for example the common opinion of Ancient and moderne writers to goe currant that there is but one kind of Image of God in man and that the Image unto which Christ restores us is the very same in which Adam was created that Adam had power by that Image to obtaine Heavenly glory and to grow up to that estate which the elect Saints come to in Christ that Christ restores no more but that which Adam lost and unto which he should have attained after some time of continuance in innocency that he was created in holinesse as well as Christ and true Christians are and so partaker of the Holy Ghost And when any thing is taught out of the Scriptures to the contrary many mouthes even of more learned men are opened to gainsay and oppose And yet you see the Scriptures more narrowly sifted do teach most plainely to the contrary and have not any plaine speech tending to prove these common opinions yea the Scriptures which are alledged for them are so applied expounded do prove the contrary if they be well weighed and considered with a cleare judgement not forestalled with prejudice and partialitie wherefore let us wholly depend on Gods word and not on mens reason or jugdement to subject either the Scriptures or the sense of them thereunto and let us still more and more thirst after increase of knowledge and understanding of Divine truths hid in the harder places of Gods written word knowing that these are the last times wherein knowledge shall be increased as wee read Dan. 12. 4. Let us not consider the Person which preacheth and teacheth but what is by him taught If new expositions and Doctrines not formerly taught yea crossing the common opinions be proved by better grounds and clearer evidence of Scripture and tend more to advance other saving truthes to beate downe errours and to increase Piety and godly affection in men let men take heed and beware of rash opposition and gainesaying lest they be found to fight against God while they stand too much for the authority of men though such as have beene holy and godly servants of Christ and famous in their generations Thirdly this doctrine of Gods Image in Adam doth both discover and also minister strong arguments whereby to confute divers erroneous opinions much dissenting and dissonant from the solid truth and word of God to wit not onely those mentioned before but others also as that Gods Image was onely originall righteousnesse or justice and that the naturall faculties of Soule and Body did not concurre to it that the whole Image of God in Adam was utterly lost by his fall and is quite abolished till it be repaired and restored by Christ with divers others of the same stampe concerning which I finde many hot disputations among the learned all which appeare superfluous if this doctrine were well weighed and made a rule whereby to measure them for it will like a just measure shew which of them come short and which goe too farre beyond the truth and true line of holy Scriptures Lastly in this wee see as in a cleare glasse the dignity and excellency of humane nature above the nature of all other visible creatures in that he was made completely in Gods Image and conformable to God and like to him in his whole frame and in all faculties of Soule and parts and members of body And let this stirre us up to walke worthy and beseeming such a nature and frame and labour to keep both our whole Soule and Spirit and all members of our bodies unspotted and unstained with sinne which is the defacing of Gods Image and let us reverence Gods Image in other men especially seeing it is repaired and made of a better kind by Christ and above all take heed of cruelty and of defacing Gods Image in any part by cuting of members and mangling the bodies of men especially of Gods Saintes whose bodies are Temples and Tabernacles of God by his Spirit Thus much concerning the first externall worke of God the creation and the state wherein God created man and wherein the state of Innocency did consist CHAP. XVI Of the actuall providence of God The Obiect of it What the word signifieth in 3. things Proofe that there is a providence by Texts and Arguments Description shewing what it is demonstrated in the parts and branches of it Providence generall and speciall Acts of it Speciall providence in saving the elect by Christ what and in what parts Uses THe next great externall worke of God after the creation is his actuall providence by which hee doth rule and dispose all things created and doth order all actions which are done and all events which come to passe in the World to the manifestation of his glorious goodnesse This great worke of God doth reach through all other externall works which are done either by God himselfe or any other and doth comprehend with in the compasse of it all Gods works which hee doth in the World whether they bee works of wisedome and power in ruling and preserving his creatures or workes of iustice in punishing and destroying or workes of mercy and grace in redeeming repairing and saving the World and in bringing his chosen to eternall blessednesse Yea there is no worke done nor any event which comes to passe at any time or in any