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
point in the Description of Gods actuall providence Now the meanes which God hath ordained for the manifestation of the glory of his grace and goodnesse in the eternall blessednesse of his elect they goe before in execution though the end is first in Gods intention And therefore they come to bee handled in the first place And they all may be reduced to two maine heads The first is mans fall The second is mans restauration In the fall of man sive things come to bee consideredâ— First the Commandement of God at which man stumbled and which the Divell made the occasion of mans fall The second is the fall it selfe what it was and wherein it did consist The third is the state of rebellion into which man did fall The fourth is the multitude of evils which did accompany and follow mans sin and fall The fifth is the small reliques of good which remained in mans nature after his fall The Commandement of God is plainely laid downe Gen. 2. 16 17. And therefore I will first insist upon that portion of Scripture and after will proceed to the description of the fall as it is laid downe in the third Chapter But before I proceed further let me conclude this Doctrine of Gods actuall providence with some use and application First it is matter of admirable comfort to all true Christians and faithfull people of God in that the Lord whom they have chosen for their God their rocke and confidence is so wise and provident above all ordering and disposing all things which come to passe in the World in wonderfull wisedome and by an omnipotent hand to his owne glory and the salvation of his elect in Christ. Whatsoever good commeth at any time it is the gift of God and all good blessings and benefits which they receive and enjoy from any hand or by any meanes they are so many tokens and pledges of his love and fatherly care and of his eye of providence watching over them for good And whatsoever evils of any kind breake into the World by the malice of the Divell and the outrage of wicked men they are no other nor no more but such as God in his wisedome and goodnesse is pleased willingly to permit and suffer for a far greater good to his own people and as he over-rules them all and hath set them their bounds beyond which they cannot passe so he disposeth and turneth them all to his owne glory and the manifestation of his justice and power in saving of his Church and people and in confounding and destroying all his and their enemies wherefore in times of peace plenty and prosperity when all good things and blessings of all sorts abound Let us rejoyce and glory in the Lord and give him the praise of all and offer up daily and continuall sacrifices of thankfulnesse with cheerefull hearts and willing minds studying and striving with all our might and to the utmost of our power to use and employ all his blessings to the best advantage for his glory the good of his Church and the profit of our owne soules being well assured that these are his talents committed to our trust which if wee by our faithfulnesse doe increase wee shall in the day of account and reckoning receive the reward of good stewards and faithfull servants and bee received into the joy of our Lord. But on the contrary in evill and perillous time when iniquity aboundeth sinnes of all sorts are increased piety and charity are waxen cold religion is skorned the godly persecuted and oppressed justice judgement and truth troden downe and trampled Let us not faint nor feare nor bee dejected as men without hope For the Lord our God and our keeper is a provident God his eyes neither slumber nor sleep hee seeth and observeth all these things and without his will and knowledge no evill can come to passe As the Scripture saith of Pharaoh to may wee say in this case that even for this same purpose God hath raised up these wicked persecutors and outrageous sinners that is in his just wrath hath given them up to Satan and their owne lusts to multiply sin and oppression that he may shew his power in them and make his justice glorious and name famous throughout all the earth When the nations rage and the Kingdomes are moved God can give his voice and the earth shall melt and all the works of the wicked shall bee dissolved Secondly here is matter of terrour to the wicked both them who commit sins in secret and presume to goe on in their lewd courses with a conceipt that none seeth nor taketh notice of their abominations and also them who multiply their sins openly and without feare increase their persecutions and oppressions and vex and afflict the meeke of the Earth and breake Gods people in pieces thinking that they shall never bee called to account and putting farre from them the day of reckoning Behold here the Lord who is the judge all the earth is a most provident God all their doings are naked and opened to his eyes and he observes all their wayes and wicked workes their power strength and greatnesse is from him and he wittingly and willingly suffers them to abuse them to sin and to oppression and wrong and onely so long as he pleaseth that when they have filled up their measure hee may bring them to judgement and may make them a skorne derision and footestole to the righteous whom they have skorned hated and oppressed Thus much for the actuall providence of God FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masoreth sepes legi Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Use 4. Use 5. Creation 1 2 Creatures To create what 1. 2. Author of creation Time Object Forme What word it was 1 2 3 A large description of Creation Taken into parts and proved 1. Opus ad extra Heb. 11. 3. opened 7. Manner of creation in foure things Rom. 1. 20. None but God wrought in the creation Arguments 1 2 3. 4. 8. Use 1. By creatures ascend to know God And his soveraignty over all Use 2. Confutation of six sorts of men Use 3. Repâ—oofe to â—vo sorts Use 4. Comfort for the godly Names of the creatures 1 2 3. 4. Instructions concerning the creatures Use 1. The world not eternall Use 2. Admire Gods eternity Use 3. Overlove not the world now degenerate Use 4. Not God but we need the world Use 5. Hare sin Motives The words expounded I. The beginning of time here meant Argum. 1. 2 II. III. IV. V. Doct. 1. By the creation God is seen to be infinitely wise and powerfull Use 1. Look up to the omnipotencie of the Creatour To rejoyce and â—est in him Use 2. Bewaile the contrary negligence Use 3. Checks all Atheisticall thoughts of Gods power Doct. 2. The three personsâ— are equal Use 1. Against Antitrinitaries Use 2. Trust in Christ the holy Spirit John 1. The time In the beginning Doctr. The world and all in it
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
nothing and if they had no matter before the creation much lesse had invisible spirits any matter 3. In that hee makes this a matter of faith to bee beleeved not to bee knowne by reason hereby hee sheweth that there was a creation of their first being out of nothing for reason without faith can apprehend a making of things of matter fitted and prepared 4. In that hee doth not say simply that they were not made of any thing but saith rather they were not made of things which doe appeare hereby hee intimates that they had a being in Gods purpose and secret counsell before Reason also gathered from the present Text doth prove that no creature in the world was made of matter uncreated or of matter co-eternall with God for here it is said that God first made the rude matter which was without forme which he needed not to have done if there had been any eternall matter uncreated Secondly this matter could not subsist but by the Spirit of God exercising his creating power upon it as the second Verse sheweth Therefore all things were made of nothing some immediately as the highest heavens and the first matter called earth and the forme of every thing and some of a matter either that first without forme or else unfit for such a being as God made out of it The seventh thing in the description is the forme and manner of the creation in generall and that consists in foure particulars 1. First that God in the creation had no moving causes to move him thereunto but his owne will goodnesse wisedome and power and by them and according to them hee created every thing First that God created all things by the free liberty of his owne will and according to his owne good pleasure and was not by any necessity compelled thereunto it appeares plainly Psal. 115. 3. and 135. 6. where it is said that God hath done all things whatsoever pleased him and whatsoever pleased him he hath done in heaven earth sea and all deep places and Revel 4. 11. it is said that God hath created all things and through his will and pleasure they are created Secondly that God created all things by his goodnesse and according to his good pleasure as the places last cited doe shew so also the goodnesse which at the first creation did appeare in every thing created proves it most sensibly For as it is said of Light that it was good Verse 4. and so likewise of every otherthing that it was good so of all in generall which God had made that they were very good Now all goodnesse in the creature comes from the goodnesse of the Creatour and is an image and shadow of it Therefore certainly God by and according to his goodnesse created all things Thirdly that God created all things by his wisedome and according to it the Scriptures aboundantly testifie Psal. 104. 24. where David saith Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all and Psal. 136. 5. The Lord by his excellent wisedome made the heavens and Prov. 3. 19. The Lord by wisedome founded the earth And this is implied Prov. 8. 27. where Wisedome saith When God prepared the heavens I was there Fourthly that God created all things by his mighty power and strength the Prophet Jeremy testifieth Jerem. 32. 17. saying O Lord God behold thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme And Saint Paul affirmes that Gods eternall power is seen from the creation of the world in the things which are made Therefore the first particular concerning the inward moving causes concurring with God is manifest to wit That God by his will goodnesse wisedome and power created all things 2. The second particular by which the forme and manner is set forth is this That God created all things himselfe without any instruments at all by his powerfull word and commandement This is expressed in the Text which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is God the three persons did but say of every thâ—ng Let it be and it was so And in the second Chapter Moses makes this manifest Ver. 4 5 6. where he professeth that God used no subordinate means no not so much as raine or moistening vapour or the hand of man in the creating of plants in the earth And Isa. 40. 12 13. the Prophet ascribes to God alone the framing and stretching out of the heavens and the earth without the counsell direction or ministery of any other therein For howsoever the creation was according to Gods eternall counsell and in the creation of man God is brought in to say Come let us make man as if hee did consult with others besides himselfe yet this is not to be understood of Gods consulting with any other but of the consulting of God with himselfe even the Father with the Son and the Spirit who were persons of the same essence with himselfe and were the same God after whose image man was made and had the same hand in the creating of him For so the words Let us make man in our owne image doe necessarily imply Yea as they all are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son as well as the Father and the Spirit as well as the Son and all are included in that name so it was the joynt and equall counsell and the purpose and saying of them all Come let us make man so that the Son and the Spirit are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joynt Creators and Workers with the Father not his instruments and the powerfull word of the creation comes equally from all three But as for Angels or other inferiour creatures it is against all reason yea against all piety and Gods glory to imagine or dreame that they are instruments used by God in the creation First all being is of him who is Jehovah the author of all being Now creation is the giving of being and God onely is Jehovah therefore creation is onely of him Secondly in every thing which was created there was something made of nothing even the substantiall form and the matter was disposed in an instant or moment Now this cannot be but by an infinite power and is an action of infinite vertue therefore no created instrument could concurre in any act of creation Thirdly if God could create Angels the first and chiefest of his creatures of nothing when there was none but himselfe nor any to be his instrument much more could he without instruments create inferiour creatures Lastly God proves himselfe to be the true God and none besides him by the act of creation Isa. 43. which proofe were defective if any creature had wrought with him in any part of the creation Thus the second particular is manifest 3. The third particular wherein the forme and manner doth consist is this That God created all things without any toile labour change or alteration in himselfe at all Hee was not changed from rest to
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
perfect creature and element of the visible World and commanded it to shine out of darknesse and this was the morning of the first day In the words wee may observe these foure things First the creation of light in the 3. vers Secondly Gods approbation of it in these words God saw the light that it was good Thirdly Gods separation of it from the darknesse vers 4. Fourthly Gods nomination or naming of the light day and the darknesse night and so compounding these two light and darknesse into the first whole day of the World vers 5. In the first thing which is the creation of light the first of all perfect creatures in this visible World two things come to bee sifted and examined for our right understanding thereof First the thing created Light what is thereby here meant Secondly the manner of creating it God said Let light bee and it was so Concerning the first I find divers and severall opinions of the learned Saint Augustine lib. 1. in Genes ad literam cap. 3. and Rupertus lib. 1. de Trinit cap. 10. doe by this light understand the highest heavens and the Angels which are not a corporeall but a spirituall light but this cannot bee the truth for this light is said to bee that which is called the day and is opposed to the darknesse of the night here in this mutable and visible World the shining whereof doth distinguish day from the night which cannot bee said of the Angels and the highest heavens which were not made out of darknesse nor out of the rude unformed masse as this light was which God commanded to shine out of darknesse as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4. 6. Secondly others as Beda Lyra and Lombard doe by this light understand a bright cloud carried about and making a difference of day and night Nazianzene and Theadoret doe think that it was the same light which now is in the Sun Moone and Starres subsisting at the first in one bodie and afterwards divided into severall parts when God made the Sun Moone and Starres out of it Basil thought that it was light without a subject Aquinas that it was the light of the Sun made imperfect at the first and of this opinion is Pererius also Catharinus held that it was the Sun it selfe made first of all which is directly contrary to the expresse words of the 16. vers which affirme that the Sun was made the fourth day Iunius by light here understands the element of fire In this variety of opinions I hold it the best and surest way of finding out the truth to seeke it out of the word used in the originall text The Hebrewword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or which is here translated Light besides the tropicall and spirituall senses in which it is used in those Scriptures which call God the light in whom is no darknesse and the light and salvation of his people and doe call Gods regenerate people light in the Lord doth more properly signifie two things First that naturall bodie or substance which among all the parts and creatures of the visible World is most bright and shining in it selfe and gives light to others as for example the Sun Moone and Starres are called Lights Psalme 136. 7. and the element of fire is called by this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light Ezech. 5. 2. Secondly it signifies and that most frequently in the Scripture the light that is the shining brightnesse of the heavens and of the Sun Moone and Starres and of the element of fire burning in a lamp or torch or other combustible matter Here I doe not take the word in this latter sense onely for a shining brightnesse for then God had created an accident or quality without a subject which is a thing against nature of things created for common reason and experience shew that never did any qualitie subsist of it selfe without a substance by course of nature no light can be but in some created body as in the heavens fire or aire But hereby light wee are to understand of necessity some notable part of this great frame of the visible World which God first framed out of the rude masse which was without forme and void before mentioned yea that part which is most bright shining and resplendent and doth by light and brightnesse which is naturall in it shine forth and enlighten other things Now that cannot bee any of these lower elements the water and the earth for they have no such light in them and besides it is manifest that they were formed out of the grossest and most dark part of the common masse on the third day vers 9. Neither can it bee the spacious region of the aire which is extended and spread abroad farre and wide over all the round globe of the earth and the waters and reacheth up to the etheriall region of the visible heavens even to the sphaere of the Moone and is called the lowest heaven or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the broad expansion or firmament in the midst of the waters For that was formed the second day as appeares in 6. 7. 8. vers It must needs therefore bee the firmament of the visible heavens which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The large and farre stretched firmament of the midle heaven even the fiery or etheriall region wherein God on the fourth day formed and set the great lights of the Sun Moone and Starres vers 14. 16. For first those heavens were framed and made of the most pure and refined part of the masse which is the common matter of the visible World and are most bright and shining full of light and brightnesse and undoubtedly as in place and order they are the next to the highest heavens so they were created next after them in the first day and are here called by the name of Light because all the light of this visible World is in them and from them shineth into the aire and giveth light upon the earth Secondly there is no particular mention made by Moses in this Chapter of the framing of these heavens among all the works of the six dayes except it bee in this word Light and it is most incredible that hee would omit the creation of them which are the most excellent and glorious part of the visible frame of the World especially seeing hee doth exactly and particularly name and relate the creation of all other parts and the day wherein they were created I am not ignorant that Aristotle and the most learned naturall Philosophers of his sect did hold that the visible heavens are eternall and unchangable and of a matter and substance different from the foure elements fire aire water and earth and were not made of the same common matter Also divers learned Christians and Schoolemen doe thinke that these heavens were created together with the highest heavens immediatly of nothing in the beginning when time first began to bee and are mentioned in the
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
in themselves and send forth beames of light into other pure elements and cleare transparent bodies no man can deny for the Hebrew word here in my text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies lamps torches or other things which shine forth and give light and the words following Verse 16. shew plainely that these lights are the Sun Moone and Starres which rule the day and the night by the light which they give to the earth The greatest doubt here is about the place where God commanded them to bee to wit the firmament of heaven For if wee take the word firmament of heaven for the spacious region of the aire as wee have expounded it before Verse 6 7 8. then men will conceive that the Sun Moone and Starres have their place in the airie region and not in the firie region of the visible heavens which is a thing contrary to reason and experience and to the common judgement of all the learned and to the holy Scriptures For clearing of this doubt wee have two answers ready at hand either of which may satisfie The first that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heaven signifies not onely the airy region wherein the fowles doe flie Verse 20. and above which there are waters in the clouds as appeares Verse 7. but also the highest heaven Verse 1. and the firie heavens which are called the starry heaven Gen. 15. 5. and the garnished heaven Iob 26. 13. and which are the heavens next unto the highest and in comparison of which the highest is called the heaven of heavens 1 Kings 8. 27. and the third heaven 2 Cor. 12. 2. So also the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated firmament and signifies a broad spreading or a thing which is broad spread and stretched out farre and wide may very well here in this place bee used to signifie the firie region of the starry heaven spread abroad farré more large and wide then the airy region and then this is the meaning that God commanded lights to bee and made lights and set them in the firie region or firmament which is above the airy firmament in which sense the word firmament is used Psalme 19. 1. and Dan. 12. 3. Secondly if any should not bee satisfied with this first answere which is cleare and sufficient but should still hold that the word firmament is here used to signifie the airy heaven as in the 7. and 20. Verses Then this may serve for a second answere that God commanded lights to be that is the Sun Moone and Starres to have a being and created them out of the firie heavens in which they have their place of being but hee gave them bright light for this end and purpose that they might shine through the region of the aire and might multiplie their beames in it and so bee therein for lights to the earth The words of the text in the originall doe not expressely affirme that God made them of the matter of the airy region the firmament or that hee there placed them but onely that he gave them to be lights and to shine through the aire upon the earth though the bodie substance of Sun Moone and Stars be set and placed in the starry heaven or firmament yet they are lights in the airy firmament and through it give light to the earth And this I prove by a demonstration gathered from the text it selfe For where the Sun and Moone and Starres are given to divide betweene day and night and to bee for seasons dayes and yeares and to rule over the day and over the night there God gave them to bee for lights This is most certaine and manifest for the Sun doth no other way rule the day nor the Moone the night but onely by their light by appearing one while not another in the severall hemisphaeres of heaven to the earth below Now they divide the day from the night and make difference of seasons dayes and yeares onely in the lowest heavens and in the earth for above in the starry heaven the Sun Moone and Starres doe shine all alike continually there is one perpetuall day of light and no night or darkenesse from the beginning to the end of the World It is the suns appearing to one side of the earth for a time once in 24. houres which makes the day and the absence and not appearing of it for the rest of the 24. houres to that side of the earth which makes the night there and both day and night make a civill day and seven such dayes a Week and four weekes a Moneth had 12 moneths a Year and the seasons of Summer Winter Spring and Autumne have place onely on earth and in the lowest airie heaven not in the starry heaven Therefore God gave them and set them to be lights that is to give light in the aire and to the earth And thus the doubt is fully cleared and the first thing opened to wit Gods commanding lights to bee in the firmament of heaven The second thing commanded is the use of those Lights The first use is to divide the day from the night that is the time of light from the time of darknesse For clearing or which point wee are to consider First what is here properly meant by day and night and how the lights divide them one from another Secondly how there could be a division betweene day and night before these Lights the Sun Moone and Starres were made First by day we are here to understand not the space of the Sun Moone and Starres compassing the earth which is the space of 24. houres for that day consists of an evening and a morning and comprehends in it one night and some call it a naturall and some a civill and some an astronomicall day but here by day wee are to understand the time while the Sun the greatest light shines and gives light upon the face of the earth And by night the time while the Moone and Starres doe onely appeare and give their dimme light upon the earth which some call an artificiall and civill day and night but others doe more properâ—â— call it a naturall day and a naturall night The day in this sense hath no night in it and the night in this sense is no part of the day but these two being the one the time of darknesse or dimme light the other the time of cleare light are so opposite that they cannot both bee at once in one and the same part of the World Now as the visible World consists of divers maine parts or elements and the motions of the Sun Moone and Starres are most variable among themselves so the day and night taken in this proper sense are most variable First the day as it is a time of light doth in respect of some parts of the World comprehend in it the whole time from the first creation of the Sun and of the starry
earth And although the Moone being the lowest and nearest of all the heavenly lights unto the earth and therefore more dimme in it selfe and of a more impure bodie and substance as appeares by the cloudy specks in it shining very little of it selfe may in that respect bee called one of the least lights yet because it borrowes light from the Sun shining in the face of it as in a looking glasse and because it is 18. times lower then the Sun and nearer to us then the earth is lower then it as Mathematicians have observed and so it is nearer to the earth then the Sun almost 18. hundred thousand miles therefore in our eyes it appeares the greatest of all the lights next to the Sun And Moses here speaking according to the capacity of the vulgar and our outward senses and the sensible effects of light which the Moone gives to the earth cals it one of the two great lights And as hee gives to the Sun the office and prerogative of ruling the day because the sight and presence of the Sun makes the day light and smoothers and obscures all other lights in the day time so hee gives to the Moone the office of ruling the night because when it appeares in the night it giveth more light to us here on earth then all the other Starres Thus wee see that as God said so every thing which was made in the fourth day came to passe God himselfe made every thing by his eternall Word according to his owne eternall Counsell minde and will And therefore no marvell though hee gives approbation to this dayes worke also which is the third maine thing in the text expressed in these words And God saw that it was good And so the Sun having shined for the space of twelve houres till it had passed through one Hemisphaere or halfe of heaven that time or morning of light together with the evening or time of darknesse going before it and caused by clouds mists and vapours over-shadowing the Earth is called the fourth day Now this History of the fourth dayes worke as I have expounded it affords us some points of instruction First in that herbes grasse plants and trees were made perfect in their kinde before any Raine or Dew or Sun Moone and Starres were created Hence wee may learne that God used no instruments nor helpe of any creatures in the creation of any thing but made and formed every creature himselfe by his eternall Word and Spirit who are with him one and the same Iehovah infinite almighty and omnipotent For further proofe whereof there are many testimonies in the holy Scriptures as Isa. 40. 21. 22. and 66. 2. where the Lord appropriateth to himselfe and to his owne hand the creating and making of heaven and earth and Ioh. 1. 3. and Colos. 1. 16. where all things are said to bee created by the eternall Word the Son and also by the Spirit Psalme 33. 6. This Doctrine admonisheth us to give all the glory of the wisedome power and goodnesse shewed in the creation to God alone and to acknowledge that all things created even the whole World and all things therein are the Lords also to make us admire his rich bountie to render all thanks to his holy Majesty for all the profit benefit and comforts which wee receive from any of Gods creatures Secondly wee may hence learne and observe the wisedome and wise providence of God in making every thing in due season and nothing before there was need of it for the creatures which were next in order to bee made for hee did not create the lights of Sun Moone and Starres together with the starry heavens which is the place of them untill hee was about to create living things which could not well bee nor move according to their kinde without such lights shining in the earth and in the waters Which wise providence of God is a patterne and direction to us to doe all things in order in the first place things necessarie and usefull for the well-being and bringing to passe of things which are afterwards to bee done and nothing which may bee and remaine without use and profit As God would not make the Sun Moone and Starres together with the first light the firie heavens on the first day because then there was no use nor necessitie of them but deferred the creation of them untill the fourth day when there was use and necessity to make a cleare day-light and living creatures endued with life sense and sight were to bee made in the two next dayes following whose life without such cleare day light would have beene but like the shadow of death So let us bee carefull then to provide things necessary and usefull when wee see and perceive that wee shall have present use of them and not bee like foolish prodigall and fantasticall builders who build stately houses like palaces with large barnes stables and stals when neither they nor theirs are in any way or possibility to furnish them with corne horses or cattell or to make use of them for fit and necessary habitation Thirdly though the glory of God doth more appeare in light of day then in darknesse of night and it was and is in Gods power to make more great lights and divers Sunnes in severall places of the heaven to shine in all the World at once and to make a perpetuall day on earth yet hee made them so that on the earth in this lower and inferiour World there should bee as much night as day and darknesse as light whereby hee teacheth us even from the creation that this earthly World was not made to bee the place of mans immutable perfection and blessednesse but a place of changes and alterations wherein by reason of darknesse the Prince of darknesse may rule rage and tyrannise by himselfe and his wicked instruments and drive us to seeke a better rest and an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in heaven in the place of perpetuall light The whole booke of the wise Preacher is an ample testimony of this truth and a large commentary upon this Doctrine for it wholy tends to make men loath this inferiour World under the Sun wherein there is nothing but changes and vanity of vanities and all is vanitie Wherefore let us not seeke for immutability nor unchangable peace and prosperity here on earth lest wee bee found as foolish as those builders who build and set up goodly houses on a sandy foundation which may easily bee beaten downe and ruined with every wind wave and tempest They who settle their rest on earth and here seeke perfect felicity and immutable blessednesse they trust under the shadow and shelter of a gourd which may grow up in one night and in the next night wither away and perish and bring much griefe and sorrow to them which will vex them and drive them like Ionah to impatiency and anger against God their Creatour
fit for the use of man and other living things that is rehearsed Verse 25. Nor Gods bare direction of men and beasts to eat of these nor a naturall appetite and inclination given to Man and other creatures to affect and desire these things but the words doe expresse thus much that God the Creatour is the onely Lord and all power and right is in him to dispose and give them and the use of them and man and beasts had no right to the herbes trees fruits and grasse but of the free gift of God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I give or have given doth fully expresse a free gift In that hee saith that herbes bearing seed and trees yeelding fruit shall bee to mankind for meat and greene herbe or grasse shall bee meat to the beasts and fowles and creeping things which live on earth This shewes that man in innocency was to feed onely on such things and as yet hee had no other meat allowed and other living creatures did all feed on grasse Hereby also it is manifest that all herbes bearing seed and all fruits of trees were wholsome food for man and all green grasse for all other living creatures which move on the face of the earth Otherwise God would not have given them to man and other creatures for meat From the words thus opened wee may observe some profitable instructions From all the words joyntly together which shew the Dominion which God gave to man and the food which he allowed both to man and other creatures Wee may learne that God is the onely absolute and supreme Lord of all creatures and no creature hath right to rule over others or to meddle one with another but by Gods free gift our meat our drink and whatsoever wee have in this World God gives it freely to us and wee have no right to any thing but from him If mans wisedome power knowledge and ability to rule the creatures and their fitnesse and inclination to obey him had intituled him sufficiently and given him a true right there had beene no need of Gods giving this Dominion and so if his appetite to herbes and fruits and their fitnesse to feed and delight him and the concord betweene the appetite of living creatures and the greene grasse had given them a true right to it what need had there beene of this gift and that God should say Behold I give to you every herbe and fruit for meat c. In that therefore these two are here recorded as free gifts of God this doctrine flowes naturally from hence And this is aboundantly confirmed by other Scriptures as Gen. 14. 19. where Melchisedeck Gods high and royall Priest in blessing Abraham cals God the possessour of Heaven and Earth that is such a Lord as holds in his hand and possession by an absolute right Heaven and Earth and all that is in them so that none hath any right to any thing in them but of his free gift And Deut. 10. 14. it is said that the Heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lords the Earth also with all that therein is Also Psalme 24. 1. the Earth is said to bee the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the round World and they that dwell therein and Psalme 50. 12. the beasts of the fiâ—ld yea and the whole World is mine saith the Lord the same also is testified Psalme 89. 11. and Iob 41. 11. And Iob confesseth that all that hee had was Gods to give and take away at his pleasure Iob 1. 21. We have also a strong argument to prove this from the quit-rent which God requires and men are bound to pay to God and to whom hee assignes it in testimony of their homage and that they possesse nothing but of his gift as tenants at will that is the tythes of the fruite of the Land and of the Cattell and of all increase all are the Lords quit-rent and were paid to God by all the faithfull even to his Priests and Ministers who Minister before him and have him for their portion Levit. 27. 30. Gen. 14. 20. and 28. 22. and Num. 18. 20. This shewes that God may lawfully take away from wicked men and appoint others to take from them whatsoever they have if he be so pleased at any time and it is no injustice neither have they cause to complaine because they doe not acknowledge him their Lord nor pay due rent nor doe homage to him by honouring him with their wealth and substance It is held to bee no wrong but just and lawfull for earthly land-Lords to seaze into their owne hands and take away from their tenants the houses lands and farmes for which they wilfully refuse to pay the due rent and wilfully deteine it much more is it justice in God the chiefe and absolute Lord of all the earth and the creatures therein to cast men out of those houses and lands and to deprive them of all their increase and revenues for which they refuse to pay their due homage tythe and quit-rent to him and to his Ministers and Servants whom hee hath assigned to receive them for his use and service Secondly this admonisheth us to acknowledge that all wee have is Gods and all our houses lands goods and riches are but his talents lent to us to bee employed as for our owne benefit so for his glory chiefely and the good of his Church Also it justly serves to incite and stirre us up to render thanks praise and due service to him for all and to pray to him daily for a blessing on our meat drinke and all necessaries and to begge at his hand the free use of his creatures and a true right unto them Thirdly it serves to shew Gods great mercy bounty and fatherly indulgence to us in suffering us to have and enjoy so many blessings and good creatures which wee have forfeited by our sinnes and doe daily forfeit by not using them aright but abusing them and neglecting to pay a tenth at least for our quit-rent to God yea and all or the most part if hee requires it at our hands for the necessity of his Church and the maintainance of his truth I feare and justly suspect that if we examine our selves few will bee found among us not deeply guilty in this kind as many other wayes so especially for sacrilegious detaining of tythes and due maintenance which God hath separated to himselfe for the upholding of his publike worship and the preaching of his word and continuing of a learned and faithfull laborious ministery in his Church Secondly wee hence learne that in the state of innocency man had no power over living creatures to kill and eat them Neither did one beast devoure another and feed on his flesh but the food of man was onely herbes and fruits of trees and the food of beasts and birds was the greene herbe and grasse of the field the words of the text shew this plainely And other Scriptures intimate
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
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
under death The time of the creation as here I take it in generall is not onely the first moment of time as in this verse it signifies but also the six dayes mentioned distinctly in the rest of the Chapter For the highest heaven and the rude matter the earth were created in the first moment of time and all other things in the space of six dayes as the historie most plainely teacheth Some besides that which I have observed from this word doe gather also that the time and moneth of the yeare in which God created the World was the seventh moneth which wee call September The ground of their conjecture is a Cabalisticall conceit of some Jewish Rabbins to wit because the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in September are the same with the letters of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies here in the beginning and therefore as the letters of the one word if they be transposed make up the other word so both words agree in one time and this beginning was in the moneth September But their ground is deceitfull First because September which is the seventh moneth is called in the pure Scripture Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 King 8. 2. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word of the corrupt Rabbinicall Hebrew tongue and therefore Gods Spirit alluded not to it Secondly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it more than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so they doe not perfectly agree Thirdly the Rabbins and Cabalists doe not agree among themselves in this conceit For some of them have another conceit that the letters of this word are the same with the two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first or chiefe house that is the Sanctuary Others that it hath the same letters which make up the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Covenant of fire to shew the purity of the burnt offerings made by fire And many other such conceits they have concerning this word which to repeat were losse of time I am not ignorant that some learned men and judicious divines doe hold this opinion of the worlds creation in Autumne and September but for other reasons especially because Autumne is the time when all fruits come to perfection and therefore Gods creating of all things perfect was in that time of the yeare But this is no good reason for many creatures have their perfection and glory in the Spring-time as hearbs flowers and such like And birds and beasts doe chiefely breed in the Spring and the Spring revives the things of the earth and makes them fresh and greene And the cause why many fruits come not to perfection till Autumne is the corruption of the earth and the curse laid on it for mans sinne In the creation things when they first began were perfect and so would they be in the Spring and all the yeare if man had not brought a curse upon them Therefore I leave such curious points as not needfull to be determined or if I incline to any opinion concerning the time of the yeare it is that the world was created in the Spring when the day and night are equall and both of one length in all the world that is in the moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abib which is part of March and part of Aprill For this God seemes to teach Exod. 12. 2. where hee injoines the Israelites to account that for the first moneth of the yeare contrary to the custome and account of the Egyptians which they had before followed The fourth thing by which the creation is described is the Object or effects that is the things created even the Heavens and the Earth and all things in them For it is said God created the heaven and the earth The fifth thing is the Forme and manner of the creation to wit by saying Let it be done and it was done this appeares vers 3 6 9. which implies also the matter and the end Now here a question may bee moved concerning this word of God whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word spoken and uttered with a sound like that which God spake from Mount Sinah in giving the Law or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inbred facultie of reason and understanding or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inward thought of God caused by outward objects or whether it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantiall and eternall Word the Sonne of God First it cannot be a word spoken and uttered with a sound for that requires aire as the medium of it and there was none when God said Let there be light there was no eare to heare nor any use of such words Secondly it cannot be any inward thought of God now beginning to thinke of the creation and being of things for this purpose was in God as all thoughts are from all eternity Neither is this word the Son of God now spoken that is begotten and not till now as some hereticks dreamed and this saying of God the begetting of the Son For the Son is God the creatour coequall and coeternallo the Father and that God which said Let there be light and Let there be a firmament c. Wherefore the true meaning of that speech is this That as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost had decreed and purposed from all eternity to create all things out of nothing so in the beginning in the first moment of time the Father by his eternall Word the Son and by his Spirit not as instruments but chiefe agents with himselfe did actually put his decree in execution and that so quickly as a word can bee spoken with the tongue which hath before been conceived in the heart and that all was done at Gods beck and command most easily without any toiâ—e or labour and that as the word spoken is the revealing of mans will so the creation was the declaring of Gods eternall will and purpose by the open execution of it and in a word that God by his Wisedome Will Goodnesse and Power which are his attributes by which as by a speaking word hee is made knowne to men did create and make all things and for an end not in vaine for his word is never in vaine Now from these things laid down plainly in the words of this first verse and in the verses following wee may gather this description of creation in generall viz. That it is the first outward act or worke of God Almighty the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost performed in the first beginning of time by which hee immediatly brought all things out of nothing according to his eternall purpose and gave the first being to the world and every creature therein when as they were not and that by his owne infinite goodnesse wisedome power and will actually working and like a powerfull Word and
commandement bringing all things to passe out of meere nothing or that which was as nothing made of nothing without any instruments toile labour alteration or delay for the revelation of himselfe and for the communion of his goodnesse and glory This description truely gathered from this text and this historie is in whole and in every part confirmed by other testimonies of Gods holy infallible Word First creation is an outward act or work because it is not within God himselfe but his making of things and giving to them a being different from his own essence Secondly it is Gods first outward act because it was the giving of the first being to all kindes of creatures in which and upon which hee exerciseth all other outward works these two points are manifest and need no further proofe But as for the third point the Author or first cause God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost wee have manifest proofe of it in Scripture able to satisfie any reasonable mind First that the Lord Jehovah the only true God not Angels is alone the Creatour of all things Holy Job testifieth saying that hee alone spreadeth out the heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea Job 9. 8. And Isa. 44. 24. I saith Jehovah am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth forth the heavens alone that spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe Secondly that all the three Persons are equall in this worke and as they all are one God so are one Creatour of all things it is manifest Job 35. 10. Where the Creatour of all things is called in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my makers that is more Persons than one even three Persons in one God and Psal. 149. 2. Let Israel rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them that made him and Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Isa. 54. 5. The Lord thy makers is thine husbands the Lord of hostes is his name For the Father in particular there is no doubt all confesse him to be the Creatour and so the Scriptures testifie Prov. 8. 22 23. and Heb. 1. 2 3. For the Son also we have plaine texts that by him all things were made and nothing without him John 13. 10. and Joh. 5. 17 19. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 10. And as the Spirit is one God with the Father and the Sonne so his hand wrought with them in the Creation as appeares Gen. 1. 2. Where it is said the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters that is cherished the rude masse as the Hen doth her egges by sitting on them and so gave forming vertue to them so the Hebrew word signifieth and Job 26. 13. God is said by his spirit to have garnished the heavens and Job 33. 4. The spirit of God hath made me saith Elihu and 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 breath of his mouth that is his spirit Fourthly for the time of the Creation we need not stand much upon proofe of it This Text sheweth that it began in the beginning or first moment of time And in six dayes it was perfected and fully finished as the rest of the Chapter sheweth It was of old that God founded the earth and made the heavens as the Psalmist testifieth Psal. 102. 25. that is in the first beginning of times And reason tells us that time being a circumstance and inseparable companion of creatures visible must of necessity begin together with their being Yet one thing is worthy to be noted in the time namely That whereas God was able in the first moment to create all things as he did the highest heavens and the rude masse which is called the earth in my Text and which was the common matter of all the visible world yet he did distribute and divide the creation into divers acts which are distinguished one from another by the effects that is the creatures made and by the severall times and dayes also wherein they were performed Which point wee will insist upon as it well deserves when we come to the several acts performed particularly in severall dayes of the Creation The fifth point in the description is the generall object and effect of creation to wit all things and the first being of them For here the object and effect concurre and are altogether the same The world and all things therein and the first matter of which they were made as they are the onely things about which the act of creation is exercised so they are the object of creation And as they are things made by the creation so they are effects of it Now this generall object and effect as it is truly gathered from the enumeration of all the kindes of things created which are numbred in this Chapter and the next and is plainely expressed in the description so it is abundantly testified in all the Scriptures as Isa. 44. 24. and Coloss. 1. 16. and Exod. 20. 11. where all things in heaven and earth visible and invisible are said to bee made created and formed by God Yea the first rude matter it selfe out of which the inferior world was made is here in my Text said to be created by God And this is confirmed by reason drawn from the nature of God and his Name Jehovah For God as this Name signifieth is an absolute essence of himselfe and the first being of all and the Author of all being Therefore every thing which is or hath being must needs be of him and be his creature The sixth point in the description is the matter out of which God created all things under which we comprehend two things First the matter improperly so called or Terminum à quo from whence God brought the first being of all things immediately And that was either negative even nothing or their not being at all or positive their being in Gods eternall purpose onely This was the first matter which God had to worke upon in the first immediate act of creation Secondly the matter properly so called that is either the rude masse made of nothing which was without forme and void or the foure Elements which had in them no forme or being of the things created and so were as nothing in respect of that being which God gave to every particular thing which he made of them For proofe of this we have a plain testimonie Heb. 11. 3. where the Apostle saith By faith we underst and that the worlds were framed by the word of God So that the things which are seen were not made of things which doe appeare Here it is plaine that hee speakes 1. Of creation in generall in that hee saith The worlds were framed 2. In that he denies the visible world to be made of any naturall things which doe appeare to any sense hereby hee shewes that their first matter was made of
moment and beginning of time to the last end thereof throughout all ages and the eternall duration of things in the world to come but also all the things which are measured by this protraction and duration of times and of time beyond all times even all things under heaven and all things above the heavens as Angels and blessed Spirits and all things which shall be upheld and kept in being after the end of the world For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies times or things the beginning and end whereof are hid and unknown to mortall men of short time by reason of the long continuance of them and the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a perpetuall being and duration or whatsoever is alwaies and in all times and it is used in Gospel to signifie not only this world wherein we live in this mortall life but also the world to come both◠the Kingdome of glory and also the state of all things after death as appeares Mat. 12. 32. and Heb. 6. 5. The third name by which the creature in generall is called is the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly translated the world and doth fitly signifie that well ordered decent beautifull and comely frame of heaven and earth with all the goodly furniture and well ordered host of creatures therein contained For it is a word which in Greeke doth properly signifie beauty decency and comely ornament and by it the Greeks commonly doe call the whole frame of the world because of the beauty and comely order of the creatures therein and by this name the creature in generall and the universality of things created is called Matth. 25. 34. Rom. 1. 20. and Ephes. 1. 4. where the Spirit of God speaks of the creation and foundation of the world And lest we should thinke that by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant onely the inferiour and visible world the holy Apostles when they speake of it adde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appeares 1 Corin. 1. 20. and Ephes. 2. 2. to shew that there is another world even the invisible called also by this name And John 1. 3. the Evangelist having affirmed that all things were made by the eternall word doth in the 10. Verse shew that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world I am not ignorant that this word is used also in a more strict sense and that it signifies sometimes the habitable world or circle of the earth inhabited by men as Matth. 4. 8. and John 1. 9. Sometimes men inhabiting the earth as Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin entred into the world Sometimes the elect who are the chiefe ones of the world and of mankind as John 3. 16. and 2 Cor. 5. 19. and 1 John 2. 2. Sometimes for the carnall unregenerate and reprobate multitude of mankind as John 14. 17. Whom the world cannot receive And 17. 9. I pray not for the world Sometimes earthly things as Gal. 4. 3. opposed to spirituall and sometimes sinfull and corrupt things opposed to holy and heavenly as Galat. 6. 14. But the most full and proper sense is that which I have first named and in that sense it is used in all places which speake of the creating and founding of the world and signifies the whole frame of heaven and earth with the furniture of them The fourth name by which the creature in generall is called is the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies that which is created and made of nothing by the act of creation by this name the creature in generall is called as it comprehends every thing created either in heaven or earth or in the sea or under the earth Revel 5. 13. And by this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole world is called Mar. 13. 19. where our Saviour saith There shall be such affliction as was not from the beginning of the creature which God created that is of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word is rendered by the Evangelist Matthew Chap. 24. 21. Now from these severall names used by the Spirit of God in Scripture to set forth the creatures in generall that is the universality of things created we may observe divers things for our instruction 1. First that whatsoever hath any being in heaven or in earth either in this world or in the world to come even all things which can be conceived to have a true being besides God himselfe are created of God have a beginning and were made out of nothing at the first This as it is laid downe in my Text so it appeares plainly by all the foure names before cited and is confirmed by the Scriptures produced to shew the true sense of them to wit Isa. 44. 24. John 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. and Revel 4. 11. And besides these wee have many other as Exod. 20. 11. Psal. 146. 6. and Psal. 148. in which places the heavens and the heaven of heavens the Angels and all the hosts of God the Sun Moon Stars the Aire and the Meteors the Earth the Sea and all things in them are said to be made and created by God to which we may adde Act. 14. 15. and 17. 24. Heb. 1. 10. 2. The second thing which I observe from these names of the creature in generall is That the World was made in perfect beauty fit to flourish perpetually and every creature as it was created of God was good perfect and beautifull in his kind free from all discord disorder and corruption This is gathered from the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the World is called the one of which signifies beauty ornament and decencie free from all deformity discord and disorder and the other a perpetuall being or a perpetuall flourishing in being and perfection And the last words of this Chapter confirme this fully to wit God beheld all things which he had made and so they were exceeding good The words also of God himselfe Job 38. from the 3. Verse where he sets forth his manner of creating all things in a most excellent order by laying the foundations of the earth sure by measuring it as it were by line by shutting in the deeps within bounds by bringing forth the lights of heaven rejoycing and the Angels singing joyfully and by making all things to flourish Reason also grounded on the Word of God doth prove this plainly For that which was made in perfect wisedome and in the framing whereof Gods eternall wisedome had an hand must needs bee most beautifull decent and flourishing For if Gods wisdome in Bezaleel and Aholiab made them so excellent in working curious and glorious workes for the Tabernacle much more excellent is it in God himselfe Now
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
this put us in mind to be humble here and to rest in hope that the eternity and the eternall joyes of heaven are such as neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor mans heart conceived And let us labour to walke by faith and not by sight as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5. 7. So much for the Doctrines There be also two questions which here offer themselves to be discussed The first is What time of the yeare the world was created and which day moneth were the first of the world without the knowledge of this we cannot exactly tell how long it is since the world was created The second is How long it is since that first beginning wherein God created the heavens and the earth For Moses doth carefully set them downe untill his time and so also doe the succeeding Prophets which sheweth that this knowledge is not to be neglected For the first question Some hold that the world was created in September in the time of the Autumnall equinoctiall Others that it was created in the Spring time and in March when the day and night are equall and of one length in all the world Both these opinions are maintained by reasons and arguments produced out of Gods Word but the reasons which are brought to prove the latter opinion I conceive to be more strong and solide and therefore I doe incline to beleeve that the world was created in the Spring time and not in Autumne and that others may be better confirmed in this truth I will propound the reasons on both sides and will answer the one and confirme the other The maine Arguments which tend to prove that the world was created in September are foure especially The first because September was from the beginning observed and accounted for the first moneth of the yeare both by the Israelites and Forefathers and also by the Egyptians and other Nations For Exod. 12. 2. it appeares that March for a speciall reason was made the first moneth to the Israelites because in that moneth they came out of Egypt And that till then both they and the Egyptians accounted September the first moneth I answer that the Egyptians did erroneously begin their yeare in Autumne and the Israelites living with them did for civill respects follow their account And therefore when they were to depart out of Egypt God did both reach and command them the right observation in Abib or March Exod. 12. 2. and called them to the true ancient and originall forme of beginning the yeare in the Vernall equinoctiall which is in Abib that is March Yea the Caldeans and Persians who were of better credit then the Egyptians did alwaies from the beginning account March the first moneth of the yeare therefore this Argument is of no force Secondly they argue that September was the moneth wherein the yeare of Rest and the yeare of Jubile did begin by Gods appointment as appeares Levit. 25. 9. for on the tenth day of that moneth God commanded the Israelites to sound the Trumpet of Jubile in all the land and so to begin their yeare of Jubile and Release Therefore that is the true beginning from the creation I answer to this two waies First that as the yeare of Rest was not the first but the seventh and the last of the seven and the yeare of Jubile was the next year after seven Sabbaths of years So the Lord did still follow the number of seven and would have it begin in September because it was the seventh moneth and not the first by the order of creation Secondly the moneth of September when all the fruit is taken from the ground and men begin to sow and plant for the next yeare is the fittest time for to begin the yeare of Rest and of Jubile wherein every man was to re-enter into his land which he had sold as appeares Vers. 10 11. and this was the cause of beginning in September not because it was the first moneth of the world and of the yeare reckoned from the creation but because it was the fittest for men to give up the land empty to the owners when they had gathered in the corne and fruit and cleared the ground and so this Argument is of no force Thirdly they argue That the time wherein all things naturally come to prefection is most likely to be the time wherein God created the world and all things therein perfect in their kind and that is Autumne and September as experience teacheth Therefore it is most likely to be the first moneth from the creation This Argument is divers waies defective First the state of the world in the creation was far different from that state of things which now is ever since mans fall and corruption Then all times were both Spring and Harvest and trees did both blossome and beare perfect fruit at all times of the yeare Therefore no certaine Argument can arise from this ground Secondly if any time be more perfect then another and retaine perfection from the creation it is most likely to be the Spring time for in the Spring all things begin to revive and shoot forth of the earth as they did in the creation then are the fields most fresh and green and full of beautifull flowers as in the state of innocency And as for Summer and Harvest they doe but ripen things which the Spring hath quickened and nourished and hasten them to corruption and not to perfection causing them to die and wither Yea verily if the earth had not been cursed for mans sin it would now bring forth in the Spring not onely flowers and blossomes and Spring fruits but also all other kinds of fruit Therefore this is a weak Argument As for their fourth Argument which is Cabalisticall drawne from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in September agreeing with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth in the beginning in the same letters I have answered it before and shewed that they differ in one letter to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it is but a fallacie But now for the beginning of the yeare naturally in the moneth of March which is called by the Hebrewes Abib and Nisan as being the moneth in which the world was created and that the world was created in the Vernall equinoctiall when day and night were equall in all the world divers of the Ancients affirme and hold as Athanasius Ambrose Theodoret Cyril Damascene Beda and others and with them many judicious and learned Divines of later times doe concurre as Junius Polanus and others Their reasons are very strong forcible and convincing which cannot be gain-said First they prove it out of the Scriptures Gen. 8. 13. where that moneth is called the first of the yeare by account from the creation wherein the waters were dried up from the earth and it began to bring forth fruit for Noah and the
creatures with him so that in the next moneth there was food for him the creatures and birds and beasts began to breed and multiply in the earth Now that could not be in September and October when the fruits and herbes begin to decay and wither Certainly Noah turned not out the creatures against Winter to seek food from the earth that was no time to breed aboundantly It is March wherein the earth begins to bring forth and April the second moneth is that wherein the creatures comming out of the Arke might find grasse herbes and other food and Noah might sow and plant against Summer and Harvest Therefore undoubtedly March is the first moneth from the creation Secondly they prove it from Exod. 12. 2. where God recalls the Israelites from the Egyptian observation to the old beginning of the yeare from the creation and to account Abib or March the first moneth as the Text sheweth Thirdly the Spring time is every way fittest for the beginning of the world and of the naturall yeare then things begin to flourish in all the earth as they did in the creation then is the aire most temperate and healthfull for the bodies of men as it was in the creation then day and night are equall in all the world and the daies begin to grow longer then the night in the country of Eden and Babylonia which was the place of Paradise where Adam was created But in September daies begin to shorten and all herbes to wither and fruits to fall from the trees Therefore March is the fittest moneth for the time of the creation Fourthly the Caldeans Persians and all cunning Astronomers did by their art and skill discerne and by tradition from the first fathers were taught that March was the first moneth of the year and that in the Spring time the world was created To these let me adde one Argument more drawne from the incarnation and passion of Christ For it is most likely that the moneth in which God appointed Christ to be incarnate by conception in the wombe of the Virgin and also to suffer for the worlds redemption was the moneth and season of the yeare in which the world was created For so the time in which God sent forth his Son made of a woman and made under the Law and to redeem them that were under the Law comes to be the fulnesse of time as the Apostle calls it Galat. 4. 4. Now this was the moneth of March for Christ being borne on the shortest day of the yeare as Saint Austen and the Ancients who lived within a few ages after Christ by tradition had learned and did teach must needs be conceived in March nine moneths before in the Vernall equinoctiall And in the same moneth hee suffered for our redemption and rising from death triumphed over death the Divell and all the powers of darknesse even at the time of the Passover as the Gospel testifieth which feast was kept in the first moneth Abib Exod. 12. 2. and 13. 4. that is in March as all confesse And so we see Gods performing of his promise in the fulnesse of time was his keeping of his word to a day giving Christ to be conceived in the very day of the yeare wherein he was promised to our first parents and to suffer for Adams sinne in the same day of the weeke and of the moneth in which Adam was made and marr'd by sin as some of the learned Fathers have observed Even as he delivered Israel out of Egypt at the end of 430. yeares on the selfe same day when the terme of yeares was accomplished Exod. 12. 41. Therefore I conceive that the time of the creation and of the fall of our first Parents and of the first promise of Christ was in the same first moneth in which he was conceived and also perfected mans redemption that is in Abib the moneth of March and so he was sent forth in fulnesse of time as the Apostle saith The second question which ariseth from the word Beginning is about the number of yeares which have been since the creation For if there was a beginning of things in which the world was created as the Text here sheweth then there must be a certaine number of yeares since that beginning which number if we can find out and prove from Scripture it will much confirme us in the truth of the creation and of the whole History of Gods Word Now about this number of years there is much difference among the learned but the best computation is that which is grounded on those testimonies of Scripture which doe most excellently chaine together the holy Chronicle and by that computation the world was created 3960. yeares before the death of Christ and the day of Adams fall being upon the sixth day of the weeke even towards the evening of the same day wherein he was created was that day 3960. yeares before the day of Christs death which also was on the sixth day of the weeke in the same moneth of the yeare To confirme us in this truth wee have most excellent testimonies of Scripture First the age of Adam when he begat Seth counted together with the ages of the succeeding fathers before the birth of their succeeding sons make up in all unto the birth of Noah from Adams creation 1056. years Gen. 5. and from Noahs birth to the Floud is 600. yeares that is in all 1656. yeares from the Creation to the Floud Arphaxad the son of Shem borne two yeares after the Floud Gen. 11. 10. his birth as the ages of the Fathers from him to Terah there reckoned doe shew was before Terah's death 425. yeares Now the two yeares between his birth and the Floud together with the said number of 425. being added to the yeares before the Floud make up from the creation to the death of Terah 2083. yeares Immediately after Terah's death God called Abraham and removed him out of Charan into the land of Canaan but gave him no inheritance therein but onely promised to give it to him and his seed for a possession Act. 7. 4 5. and that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12. 1 2 3. and this promise was 430. yeares before the Law was given by Moses Galat. 3. 17. which was immediately after the departure of Israel out of Egypt that is the fiftieth day after when they and their fathers from Abrahams first peregrination in Canaan had sojourned 430. years Exod. 12. 40. And from Israels coming out of Egypt to the building of the Temple in the fourth yeare of Solomons reigne is 480. yeares 1 Kin 6. 1. from thence to the death of Solomon is 36. yeares Then Israel departed from Judah and continued 390. yeares in their iniquities Ezech. 4. 1 2. to the destruction of Jerusalem and burning of the Temple 19. yeares after the beginning of the 70. yeares captivity from the end of which captivity to Christs
the highest heavens which is invisible and the visible or lower heaven which also consists of two parts the starry and the airie heavens And all these are divided into two equall parts to all men living on earth The one is that which wee see in our Hemisphere and within our Horizon from East to West and from North to South above the earth The other halfe is that which is hid from us by the earth and is seen by the Antipodes that is them who dwell on the other side of the earth directly opposite to us and both these parts of the heavens are equally remote and distant from the earth Moreover the heavens doe move about two Poles the North and South Pole and therefore in many respects the name of the heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought into the forme of the duall number Fourthly this derivation of the name and the signification of it doth fitly agree to all things which are called by the name Heaven and is verified in them all even the highest heaven the starry heaven and the superiour regions of the aire for they are all remote and distant from the earth and are divided every one into two equall Hemispheres equally distant from the earth But in the highest heaven there is neither fire nor water nor any mutable Element and therefore the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot agree to it at all And as for the superiour regions of the aire they are not so glorious nor so high as to astonish us and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot agree to them wherefore the last is the best derivation The next thing after the derivation of the word is the diversitie of significations which we are to note in the next place and withall to shew in what sense it is here used in the Text. First this word is used in a large sense for that whole space from the upper face of the earth and the sea to the utmost height of the highest heavens which comprehends in it the highest the starry and the airie heavens thus the word Heaven is to be understood Gen. 2. 1. and in all other places where the Spirit of God comprehends the whole world under these two words The heavens and the earth Secondly it is used to signifie more specially either the highest heaven as Deut. 26. 15. Looke downe from heaven the habitation of thy holinesse which Saint Paul calls the third heaven 2 Corin. 12. 2. Or the starry heaven as Gen. 22. I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and Psal. 19. 6. Or the airie regions wherein birds flie as Gen. 1. 26. where mention is made of the foules of heaven Thirdly the word Heavens by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect and of the subject is used in Scripture to signifie foure things First God the possessour of the heavens whose glorious Majestie doth dwell in the highest heaven as Dan. 4. 26. where the heavens are said to reigne that is the God of heaven And Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned against heaven and Matth. 21. 25. Was the baptisme of John from heaven or of men Secondly the Angels and blessed Spirits which dwell in the highest heaven as Job 15. 15. The heavens are not cleane in his sight and Psal. 89. 6. and 69. 35. where the heavens are said to praise God that is the Angels and Saints Thirdly the Church militant which is a congregation of people written in heaven begotten from above of heavenly seed and whose hope reward and triumph is in heaven as Dan. 8. 10. the armies of the faithfull are called the host of heaven And so in the Prophets and the Revelation Heaven signifies the true holy Church and the Earth signifies earthly men of the world Fourthly the clouds in the aire and in the face of heaven as Levit. 26. 19. I will make your heaven as iron that is the clouds insomuch that they shall yeeld no raine Now here in this Text is meant as I have before touched the highest heaven as it is distinct from the rude masse without forme which is here called Earth which was the common matter of the starry and airie heavens and of all the visible world as appeares in the next Verses And under this name here the Angels who were the host and inhabitants of the highest heavens are comprehended For as the word Jerusalem is often used in the Prophets to signifie the people and inhabitants together with the citie and place so here the word Heaven signifies not the bare place and body of the highest heaven but the place with all the host and inhabitants of it the Angels As for the visible starry heavens which are the light of the inferiour world and the airie heaven called the firmament they can in no case be here understood for they were made out of the rude masse without forme called Earth and opposed to heaven in my Text. From the word thus expounded I come to the instructions For whereas some doubt whether there be any heaven besides the visible starry heaven where those heavens are and whether they were created this Text doth cleare the doubt and sheweth that there is an heaven which farre exceeds the heavens which are seen in all glory and excellency For here Moses speakes of an heaven created in the beginning with or before the common masse out of which the Sunne Moone and Starres and all the visâ—ble heavens and world were made Yea in that this heaven was created out of nothing and had not a being given it out of the rude masse without forme out of which God made all the visible world as the Text here saith this doth imply that they have a more excellent being of another kind farre better then all that is seen and above and without the compasse of the visible heavens so that hence these Doctrines arise 1. That there are such heavens 2. That this heaven is not God but a place created by God 3. That it is above the visible heavens 4. That it is most large and ample and yet not infinite nor every where as God is 5. That it is a place most excellent and glorious free from corruption excelling and exceeding the naturall knowledge reach and apprehension of men First we here learne That besides the visible starry heavens which were made out of the first rude deformed earth there are heavens created out of nothing in the first beginning of the creation And this is confirmed by those Scriptures which speak expresly of the Heaven of heavens that is an heaven besides these visible heavens as Deut. 10. 14. 1 Kings 8. 27. Psal. 68. 33. and 115. 16. Also by those Scriptures which mention an heaven in which Gods glorious Majesty is said to dwell and the holy Angels which cannot be
the starry visible heavens as Deut. 26. 15. 1 Kings 8. 30. and Mat. 18. 10. Yea the hoâ—y Apostle puts all out of doubt 2 Cor. 12. 2. where he calls this the third heaven That this highest heaven is not God but a place created by God for here it is said that God created this heaven Some thought that there was no place above the Spheres of heaven but that there God is all in all and that there all things are in God and subsist in him Their ground is that speech of the Apostle 1 Corinth 15. that God shall be all in all But that shewes the contrarie that God is in all not that all things are or shal be and subsist in God as in a place Againe this shewes not the place but the state of the blessed that they shall immediately injoy God without a Mediatour Now that the highest heaven is not God divers reasons shew First it is Gods throne Isa. 66. 1 Deut. 26. 15. therefore not God himselfe Secondly it cannot containe God but he is infinite and farre without the compasse of it 1 Kings 8. 27. Thiâ—dly God is every where but this heaven is not so it is onely above not in the visible world Fourthly it is such a bodily substance as can containe glorified bodies as the body of Christ Enoch and Eliah It comprehends the visible heavens within the compasse of it But God is a spirit That it is not God but his creature and his workmanship and that he hath the disposing of it as his creature appeares Gen. 2. 1. Heb. 11. 10. Psal. 115. 16. That this heaven is above the visible heavens divers Scriptures testifie For it is called Heaven above where Jehovah is Deut. 4. 39. Jos. 2. 11. that is above all the visible world Into this heaven our Saviour is said to be taken up on high when he ascended Luke 24. 51. Yea he is said to ascend up farre above all the visible heavens Ephes. 4. 10. Fourthly that this heaven is a most ample and large place may easily be gathered and proved from this That it was made distinct from the earth which was the matter of the whole visible world and doth subsist above and without the compasse both of the masse and of all things which were made of it and so comprehends them within the large compasse of it And our Saviour intimates so much where he affirmes that in it are many mansions John 14. 2 3. Also the Psalmist Psal. 68. 5. where hee calls this heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies faire and large spacious plaines And yet it is not infinite nor every where for God fills it and the earth also and it is not able to containe him 1 Kings 8. 27. The fifth instruction is That the highest heaven is a place most glorious and excellent free from all corruption and full of glorious light farre surpassing our fraile imagination and the reach of mans naturall understanding The very signification of the name shewes that it is farre remote from our sight conceipt and apprehension And that rule in Philosophy proves that it is free from alteration and corruption to wit That those things onely are changeable and may be corrupted and turned into their first matter which are made of a common matter capable of divers formes But things which have no part of any such matter in them are incorruptible and unchangeable free from alterations incident to inferiour things Now such are these heavens discovered to be in my Text For they were made absolutely of nothing with or before the first common matter of the visible world Yea in the next words the Spirit of God doth distinguish the rude masse from these heavens by this that it was full of darknesse and without forme and void which implies that these heavens were farre different that is full of beauty forme and light And other Scriptures fully confirme this First by the names by which this heaven is called and by the excellent things which are spoken of it for it is called the Heaven of heavens that is the heaven farre above all heavens in glory and excellency Deut. 10. 14. and 1 Kings 8. 27. and Psal. 68. 34. The Heaven of heavens everlasting so much the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth intimate And Saint Paul who was rapt up into this heaven was so astonished with the glory of it that he knew not whether he was in the body or out of the body there he heard words which it was not lawfull to utter and the sight thereof was such a cause of glorying that he was afterwards in danger thereby to be too much exalted and had need to be buffetted by the Angell of Sathan for his humiliation to keep him from excessive boasting 2 Cor. 12. And the same Apostle calls the inheritance therein reserved for the elect the inheritance of the Saints in light Colos. 1. 12. and he saith of God who dwels there by his glory that he dwels in light which none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6. 16. which testimonies with many other which might be cited fully prove the glory and excellency of this heaven Besides we have many Arguments to this purpose The first is drawne from the proper efficient cause of this heaven For it is most certaine that the place and city which hath God only for the builder maker of it in the building whereof God hath shewed such admirable divine wisdome that it more specially is called his worke and building must needs be most excellent and glorious Now such is the highest heaven it is called the citie whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. that is the city which God builded alone as his master-piece for his owne purpose to shew therein his glorious wisdome and art as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used doth signifie Yea it is said to have foundations that is to be so firmly built that it can never faile but stand stedfast for ever world without end Therefore it is a most glorious place A second Argument is drawne from the proper inhabitants of these heavens For in all reason and by the course of nature that is the best place which falls to the share and is allotted to the best inhabitants by the will and appointment of him who is the wisest of all and doth order all things in wisdome and equity Now the highest heavens are allotted by God to the best inhabitants First he hath chosen them to be his owne habitation wherein he delighteth to dwell not onely by his essentiall presence and power as he is in all other places but also by his visible glory holinesse and unspeakable majesty So the Scriptures testifie Deut. 26. 15. where these heavens are called the habitation of his holinesse And Psal. 113. 5. the high dwelling in which God is so high above all And Isa. 57. 15. and 63. 15. the high and holy place the habitation
of Gods holinesse and glory and even eternity which shall never decay Secondly God hath appointed this place to be the habitation of his holy Angels which kept their standing in which he will have them to dwell and to behold his glorious face continually as our Saviour saith Matth. 18. 10. and so much is intimated Luke 2. 13. where Angels are called the heavenly host The third sort of inhabitants to whom God hath allotted these heavens is the glorified company of his Saints with Christ their head in whom they are chosen and brought to salvation Though Adam was made after Gods image yet by creation and in the state of naturall uprightnesse he was not capable nor worthy of heavenly glory that is the proper purchase of Christ for his elect and it is the gift of God in Jesus Christ which he gives only to them who are made in Christ the first fruits of his creatures sons and heires of God Our Saviour testifies so much Joh. 14. 3. where he saith that he prepares a place for his faithfull in that house of God And the holy Apostle Heb. 9. where he saith that Christ onely opened the way into this Holy of holies and that none can enter thereinto but by him the way and the doore And Ephes. 1. 3. he saith that God blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. we are said to be begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to the inheritance incorruptable and undesiled that never fadeth reserved in heaven for us wherefore it is manifest by the excellency of the inhabitants being none but God himselfe and the elect Angels and Saints which are most neare and deare to God that this Heaven is a place most glorious and excellent A third Argument may be drawne from the situation of it For the highest place is ever the best by the law and course of nature as our senses doe teach and we see manifestly in all knowne parts of the world and by faith we ought to beleeve that it is so in places beyond our sight especially because the Spirit of God in the Scriptures extolls the highest places Psal. 113. 5. and Isaiah 57. 15. Now the highest of all places is the third heaven in situation For Christ ascending up thither there to remaine and to make intercession for us Act. 3. 21. and Heb. 9. 24. is said to ascend farre above all other heavens and those heavens are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high places Psal. 148. 1. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest places Ephes. 4. 8. and Heb. 1. 3. Therefore they are the most excellent and glorious places The fourth reason is drawne from the excellent things which are there laid up in store for the Saints For the wisdome of God requires that he should store up the best treasures and things in the best place and undoubtedly that place is the best where God layes up in store such treasures Now in the highest heaven are the best treasures which neither rust nor moth can corrupt nor theeves touch with unjust hands Matth. 6. 20. there is the inheritance of the Saints in light Colos. 1. 12. and the incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 13. There God hath prepared for them that love him such things as neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor mans heart conceived 1 Corin. 2. That is the place of Gods right hand and of his presence where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 6. Therefore it is the best place of all Fifthly that place from whence every supernaturall good and perfect gift doth come must necessarily bee the most excellent and such a place is the highest heaven Christ the second Adam the fountaine of all blessings is said to be from heaven heavenly 1 Corinth 15. and to be the bread of life which came downe from heaven to give life to the world John 5. The calling of men to the participation of all excellent graces is called the heavenly calling Hebr. 3. 1. The gift of supernaturall grace is called the heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. The substantiall things shadowed out under legall types are called heavenly things Heb. 8. 5. and the new Jerusalem the most glorious Church is called the heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 12. 22. and is said to come downe from heaven Revel 21. In a word every good and perfect gift is said to come downe from above from the father of lights that is from heaven Jam. 1. 17. Therefore this heaven must needs be a most excellent place Sixthly the Spirit of God in the Scriptures doth describe and set forth this Heaven by all the things which are or have been most excellent in this world and doth make thâ—m but types and shadowes of it as first by the earthly Paradise in which God put Adam in the state of innocency which was the sweetest and most excellent place that ever was knowne in the world 2 Cor. 12. 4. by the hill of Zion which was most beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth Heb. 12. 22. By Jerusalem the most glorious citie of all the world the place which God chose to put his Name there Gal. 4. 26. and by the Temple of Jerusalem the most glorious Sanctuary of God and the Holy of holies Psal. 11. 4. and 18. 7. Habak 2. 20. Heb. 9. 12. and 10. 9. Therefore this Heaven is most excellent Lastly that this Heaven is a place of wonderfull light and glory and a worke of God which shall never be changed or perish but stand and endure for ever it appeares by the light which hath shined from thence and by the eternity of the things which God hath annexed to it The light which shined from thence on Saint Paul at mid-day did surpasse the brightnesse of the Sun Act. 26. 13. And the house which the faithfull have there prepared for them is said to be eternall in the heavens 2 Corin. 5. 1. And the inheritance there reserved is said to be immortall 1 Pet. 1. 3. and the life which the elect shall live there is called life eternall Therefore it is a most blessed place Now though some Scriptures seem to speak to the contrary that the heavens shall perish as Psal. 102. 26. and that heaven as well as earth shall passe away Matth. 24. 35. and the heavens shall passe away with a noise 2 Pet. 3. 10. and be burnt with fire Yet the truth is they speak not of the highest heaven which was with the Angels created immediately out of nothing but of the visible fiery and starry heavens which were created out of the same rude masse the common matter of the aire water and earth They may be burnt and set on fire and passe away but the highest heaven being not of the same common matter no fire can take hold of it Now these instructions concerning this first worke of God
let not us grudge but rejoyce to minister for the poorest of the Saints and the little ones of Christs flocke our brethren The fifth point of Doctrine is That the Angels were created in and with the highest heavens and by creation were made to inhabit those heavens as the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation This Doctrine is confirmed first by the expresse words of Moses himselfe in the first words of the next Chapter viz. Gen. 2. 1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them In which words he plainly affirmes That not onely the heavens and the earth but also all the host of them were thus created and perfectly finished that is in that order and maner as he hath before related in my Text the rest of this first Chapter Now in this Chapter we have not one word which can be understood of the creation of the host of the highest heaven that is the Angels but onely these words of my Text which affirme that in the beginning that is in the first moment when God began to give being to his first creatures he created the heavens that is the highest heavens distinct from the earth which was the common matter of all the visible world and with those heavens the host of them that is the Angels which are the host and inhabitants of them For it is an usuall thing in the Scriptures to signifie by the name of a place the proper inhabitants of the place together with the place it selfe as I have before shewed by divers examples Yea the word heavens is used to signifie the Angels as I have shewed from Job 15. 15. Therfore it is a thing most clear manifest that the Angels were created together with the highest heavens as the host naturall inhabitants of them and those heavens by the law of creation are the naturall and proper place of their being and habitation Secondly the Scriptures fully prove this point which call the Angels the Angels of heaven as Matthew 24. 36. and Galat. 1. 8. and the heavenly host as Luke 2. 13. and name the Angels among the hosts of the Lord which from the heavens and in the heights sing Halleluiah and praise to him as Psal. 148. 1 2. Thirdly this doctrine is confirmed by divers reasons grounded on the Word of God The first is builded upon the Doctrines before proved by plaine testimonies of holy Scripture to wit that the Angels were not from all eternity but were created by Elohim that is the true God who is one God and three persons as is plainly restified Psal. 104. 4. and 148. 5. and Colos. 1. 16. upon this infallible ground I thus argue That Angels being creatures created and made by God must of necessity be created either before the heavens or in and with the highest heavens or else together with the Elements and the creatures of the inferiour visible world which were all made out of that rude masse called earth which was without forme and void But they were not made before the heavens For the heavens were made in the beginning that is in the first moment when God began first to make and to give being to creatures before which beginning there could be no creation of Angels or any other things Neither indeed was there any place wherein Angels could subsist before the heavens were made Certainly no finite creature can subsist in it selfe without a place in meer nothing it is proper to God onely to subsist in and of himselfe Neither were they created together with the earth and other elements and creatures of the visible world For it is plainly testified Job 38. 7. that when God laid the foundations of the earth and stretched the lines upon it and laid the corner-stone thereof then the sons of God shouted for joy that is the Angels for they are called the sons of God Job 1. 7. and there were no other living creatures then made Therefore the Angels were undoubtedly created before the earth or else they could not have shouted and sung together when the earth was made David also testifieth that the Angels were made spirits first Psal. 104. 4. and after them God laid the foundation of the earth Verse 5. Therefore it followeth necessarily that the Angels were created in and with the highest heaven and are the host and proper inhabitants thereof Secondly that place from which the evill Angels were cast downe and did fall when they sinned and left their first estate and habitation is their naturall proper place in which God created them and they by creation are the proper inhabitants thereof Now that is the highest heaven for when some of the Angels to wit proud Lucifer the Divell and his Angels sinned and left their habitation as Saint Jude speakes Jude 6. then they were cast downe to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. even from heaven as the Prophet Isaiah testifieth Isa. 14. 12. saying How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Therefore undoubtedly the Angels in their creation were made in and with the highest heavens and had them given for their proper and naturall habitation The third reason is drawne from the order which God observed in the creation For as soone as God had fitted any part or place of the world for the creatures which were to dwell and to have their being in it he made those creatures and replenished the place with them So soon as the airie heavens were made and the waters separated from the earth and place made for the Sun Moone and Starres and for their beames to be stretched out from heaven to earth then the host of the visible heavens the Sunne Moon and Starres were created and placed in them And so soon as the sea was fitted for living and moving creatures God created them out of it and so likewise when the earth was made to stand out of the waters and furnished with herbs plants and trees for the use of living creatures God created birds and beasts and when it was furnished with all creatures fit for mans use then he created man and the woman also an help meet for him Therefore undoubtedly so soon as he created the highest heavens the proper and naturall place of the Angels then and together with those heavens he did create the Angels which are the heavenly host and suffered them not to remaine one houre empty without their furniture and inhabitants This Doctrine thus laid downe and proved besides some speciall use which we may make of it for affection and practice is a ground and foundation of many other Doctrines concerning Angels which flow as Conclusions and Corollaries from it and an occasion of questions to be discussed First let me make some briefe application of it and then proceed to the Doctrines and Questions First in that Angels were created in and with the highest heaven by Gods powerfull Word and by his simple and absolute act of creation
innocency I have proved in this Doctrine And yet Christ taking upon him our nature which was far inferiour to the Angels and uniting it personally to himselfe as he is the eternall Sonne of God hath dignified and exalted and crowned it with glory and excellency farre above all Angels Principalities Thrones and Dominions Hebr. 2. 7. so that the holy elect and blessed Angels exalted above their best naturall estate to the immutable estate of supernaturall life immortality and glory doe adore and worship him as David fore-told Psal. 97. 7. and the Apostle affirmes Heb. 1. 6. He is the head of all and they all are made subject to him 1 Pet. 3. 22. And so wonderfull is Gods bounty to man in Christ and so powerfull and excellent is Christs mediation for the elect of mankind that by Christs mediation concurring and working together with Gods bounty according to wisdome and for the satisfaction of Gods justice a ready way is made for them into the Holy of holies the Heaven of heavens and they are not onely exalted and elevated farre above their best naturall being unto the blessed state of the glorious Angels but also the holy Angels with whom they shine in heavenly glory hereafter in the life to come are made of God ministring spirits whom Christ hath procured to minister for their good here in this world in the state of grace so that upon him as upon the Ladder in Jacobs dreame the Angels of God descend from heaven to earth and ascend from earth to heaven and doe encamp round about them to save and deliver them as David saith Psal. 34. 7. Yea and when the evill Angels shall be judged at the last day they shall through Gods infinite bounty and for the merit and worthinesse of Christ be advanced to sit upon Thrones with him and to judge and give sentence against the Divell and all his Angels as wee reade 1 Corinth 6. 3. And therefore if wee had the tongues of men and Angels we are never able to utter or expresse the infinite excellency worth and dignity of the person and mediation of Christ nor sufficiently to extoll laud and magnifie the bounty of God to poore mankind in Christ. And here we see that truly verified which the Prophet fore-told Isa. 64. 4. And the Apostle proclaimed 1 Cor. 2. 9. that since the beginning of the world the eye of man hath not seen nor his eare heard neither hath it ever entered into the heart of man what good things God hath prepared for them that love him Thirdly this Doctrine serves to worke in us a true love and reverent respect of the Angels of God as being the chiefest of Gods creatures and by nature more excellent then man in his best naturall estate and great in power able to help us more then all other creatures when God offers occasion and opportunity and gives them charge over us Every man is bound to thinke better and more reverently of other men who are in any gifts more excellent then himselfe though they be all of one nature and kind and of the same flesh and bloud And God hath put upon the beasts of the field by nature a feare and respect of man because he is a more excellent creature Now the Angels are by nature and creation more excellent then man in his best naturall estate and man in the supernaturall estate of glory shall be but equall to the elect and holy Angels And therefore as we must ever labour to decline that servile superstition and base will-worship of Angels which is condemned Colos. 2. 18. and must beware of giving divine and religious worship to them which they themselves reject and refuse being our fellow-servants and have utterly detested and forbidden when it hath been offered as appeares Revel 19. 10. and 21. 9. so we must take heed that we doe not thinke meanly of them as if they were but our servants because they minister for our good For in guarding us and encamping about us and in ministring for us they are not our servants which owe us service neither have we power to command them nor ability to requite them for the least service but they are the servants of God and of our Lord Christ and fellow-servants with all Kings Prophets and Holy men of God and as Gods Embassadors and Princely Courtiers Ministers we ought to esteem and respect them with all love and hearty affection And as in all places where there are Embassadors and noble Princes and Courtiers of great Emperours and Monarchs men will have a care to beare themselves orderly and to doe all things decently and will be affraid and ashamed to commit any absurdity or beare themselves immodestly So let us in the publick assemblies of the Saints and in holy congregations of Gods-Church where Angels are supposed sometimes to guard us and to over-look us as the words of the Preacher seem to import Eccles. 5. 6. and of the Apostle also 1 Cor. 10. 11. beare our selves reverently and beware of all vaine words filthy behaviour and beastly drowzinesse and sleepinesse as if we came to the Church like uncleane dogges for company only or to lye snorting and sleeping which is the evill custome and practice of many carnall people Fourthly this Doctrine is matter of comfort to Gods poore despised servants in that it doth assure them that the Angels which love them and as friends rejoyce in their conversion and as guardians protect and watch over them are great excellent and glorious above all earthly men And therefore though the great men of the world scorne and despise them and among such they can find no favour help or defence yet let them comfort themselves and rejoyce in this that he who is higher then the highest hath a guard to whose care and charge he hath committed them and that not of mighty men in whom there is no help but of Angels which in power strength and glory far exceed the most excellent among the sons of men 2. Corollary Secondly in that Angels were created in and with the highest heaven to be the naturall inhabitants sutable to the place hence we may gather a definition of Angels to wit that Angels are heavenly Spirits or pure and entire spirituall substances created in the beginning by God after his owne image every one of which is distinct from another by a speciall existence or proper particular being of his owne which God hath given to have in himselfe for ever First in that Angels were not made and created out of the rude masse without forme and void which is called earth and the deep nor of any other matter before made by God but in the first beginning of all things were created perfect creatures in and with the highest heavens the lively and proper inhabitants of them Hence it necessarily followes that they are pure heavenly spirits and intire spirituall substances not parts of any body or person not compounded of any
matter first made and of a forme thereto added afterwards and therefore have a proper existence and being every one in himselfe which cannot be dissolved but in respect of second causes remaines immortall so that this definition and every branch thereof flowes from the former Doctrine as a naturall Corollary or necessary Conclusion And it doth excellently set forth the nature and naturall being and properties of Angels by which they are distinguished from all other things First in that they are called spirits or pure spirituall substances this shewes their nature and being wherein they resemble God and beare his image who is the one onely true Jehovah who hath his essence and being in and of himselfe and gives essence and being to all things and by whom all things subsist as that name Jehovah signifies which he assumes as proper to himselfe Exod. 3. 14 15. and Isa. 42. 8. and who is a spirit as our Saviour restifieth John 4. 24. And by this name spirits they are distinguished from all bodily creatures Secondly in that they are called pure intire spirituall substances and perfect creatures which have every one a proper existence and particular being hereby they are distinguished from the spirits that is the soules of men which are not intire complete and perfect creatures of themselves by creation but are made to be and to subsist in an humane body and together with the body to make up a perfect man Hereby also they are distinguished from the breath of life and the vitall and animall spirits which are in living bodies of men and other living creatures for they are not pure perfect intire creatures which subsist by themselves but fraile vanishing parts of creatures which continually increase and decrease fade and perish Thirdly in that they are called heavenly spirits hereby they are distinguished not onely from the spirits created here below on earth in this inferiour world even soules of men and all bodily spirits but also from God who is a spirit but not contained in any place no not in the Heaven of heavens but is essentially present in all places as well in earth as in heaven as the Scriptures testifie 1 Kin. 8. 27. and Psal. 139. 8. Fourthly in that they are said to be created in the beginning by God hereby they are distinguished from the absolute essence of God and from every one of the three persons in one God for they are not created but are absolutely eternall without beginning of being Fifthly in that they are said to be created in the image and similitude of God this shewes the excellent naturall properties of Angels that they are living spirituall and immortall creatures indued with knowledge wisdome understanding liberty of will power strength and activity to doe and performe great things wisely justly and freely and so to resemble God in his glorious attributes and workes Sixthly in that they are said to be distinguished one from another by a proper and particular subsistence and being which every one hath by himselfe this shewes that Angels are not one common spirit breathed into the highest heavens and every one a part of that one spirit but they are every one a whole substance or person by himselfe as Augustine saith Enchirid. 18. Lastly in that every one is said to have a proper existence and particular being which God hath given him to have in himselfe by which he differs from the rest this necessarily implies that Angels are finite and limited both in their substance and number and are mutable not infinite and unchangeable as God is This is the definition which in the severall parts and branches thereof doth fully set forth the nature and naturall properties of Angels I proceed to the confirmation of the severall parts in order First that Angels are spirits or spirituall substances the holy Scriptures affirme most clearly Psal. 104. 4. and Heb. 1. 7. where it is said that he maketh his Angels spirits And Hebr. 1. 14. where they are called ministring spirits And lest any should thinke or imagine that Angels are not spirits by nature and creation but by grace and communion of the Holy Ghost which is given to the elect Angels in and by Christ and by which they become holy and are settled in the immutable state of eternall blessednesse we have most cleare testimonies in those Scriptures which call not onely the good and elect Angels spirits as Act. 23. 9. and the places before cited but also the evill Angels of Satan even the Divell himselfe and his Angels which in respect of their substance which they still retaine though they have lost their goodnesse and uprightnesse are still called spirits as Levit. 20. 27. 1 Sam. 16. 1 Kin. 22. Matth. 8. 16. Act. 5. 16. Ephes. 2. 2. where the Divell speaking in false Prophets and his spirit of fury in Saul and of lying in Ahabs Prophets and his evill Angels possessing divers persons and cast out by Christ and his Apostles are called evill and unclean spirits Secondly that Angels are entire and complete spirituall substances and perfect creatures which have every one a proper existence and being in himselfe the holy Scriptures prove most clearly by divers reasons First by naming some of them by proper and distinct names as the Angell which was sent to Daniel Dan. 8. 16. and to salute the Virgin Mary Luke 1. is called Gabriel Secondly by giving them such titles and ascribing and assigning to them such offices as belong to none but complete substances and persons which have a proper and personall existence as for example they are called the sons of God Job 1. 6. and 38. 7. They are called Gods messengers and ministers as appeares by their Hebrew and Greek names and by Scriptures Matth. 4. 11. and Heb. 1. 14. They have the office of watchers and guardians which have charge given over the elect and encamp about the righteous to guard and defend them and observe and behold the face of God ready to be at his beck for the defence of his little ones as appeares Num. 22. 22. Psal. 34. 7. and 91. 10. Dan. 4. 13. and Matth. 18. 20. Thirdly the Scriptures doe plainly shew that Angels doe willingly and readily and by themselves performe perfect and complete actions and workes which none can doe but perfect creatures which have a proper subsistence by themselves as for example that in the first creation as soon as they were created they did sing together and lift up their voice Job 38. 7. that they praise God hearken to the voice of his word and keep his commandements Psal. 103. 20. and 149. 2. that they have appeared and spoken to men as to Gideon Judg. 6. to the father of Sampson Judg. 12. and to Eliah 1 Kin. 19. that they have comforted Christ in his agony Luke 22. rolled the stone from his sepulchre Matth. 28. opened the prison doores and set the Apostles at liberty Act. 5. and 12. and
actions on earth The wordes of our Saviour Luk. 24. 39. shew that Spirits have not flesh and bones Therefore Angels being spirits have no such bodies united to them as those wherein they appeared 4. Corollary That Angels are confined to the places in which they are and are in places definitively though not circumscribed and measured by them as bodily things are Angels being pure spirits doe not consist of parts as bodily things doe neither have they any bodily quantity or dimension as length breadth height and thicknesse and so they cannot bee compassed about nor measured nor limited by any bodily space but yet they are definitively in their places that is there and no where else and their substance together with bodily substances may be in the same place as the whole soule of man is in the whole body and is wholly in every part of it and no where else so it is with Angels 5. Corollary Seeing Angels are by creation the proper and naturall inhabitants of the highest heavens which is a most spacious place compassing about the whole visible World and more large and capacious then all other places as Solomon doth intimate 1 Kin. 8. 27. Hence it followeth that the Angels are many in number more then can be numbred by man and so in respect of man innumerable For we must not thinke that God who in the creation replenished the Sea with fishes the aire with birds and the visible heavens with innumerable starres and the earth with beasts and creeping things and commanded man to multiply and replenish the earth wouldleave the bestand most glorious place of all not fully replenished with inhabitants glorious Angels who were created at the first in their full number undoubtedly therefore there must be many farre more then man can number And this the Prophet Daniel saw in a vision and testified Dan. 7. 10. where hee saith that a thousand thousand ministred to the Lord Christ and ten thousand thousand stood before him Also in the Gospell wee read that there was a Legion that is six thousand divels in one man Mark 5. 9. And if there be so many divels that is evill Angels in one man then surely the whole company or multitude of those evill Angels must be many And the whole company of Angels in the first creation of which some onely did fall and become Divels must needs much more bee innumerable And if that conjecture and opinion of learned men be true to wit that the Angels which sinned and were cast downe from heaven are as many in number as all the elect of mankind which have beene are or shal be to the end of the World and that they shall fill up the glorious mansions and supply the roomes and places of the lost Angels then surely the multitude of all the Angels which God created must needs bee great and innumerable farre exceeding our capacity 6. Corollary Sixthly the highest heavens being the place of rest and not of motion which is proper to visible and corporeall things and being the place where God hath appointed that the eternall rest or Sabbath shal be kept Therefore the Angels which were created to bee the naturall inhabitants of those glorious heavens were not made to move with bodily motion as bodily creatures doe their coming from heaven to earth is not a passage through the whole space between heaven and earth which would require a long time but as it is with the mindes and thoughts of men they are now here exercised about things present and in a moment of time in the twinckling of an eye they are in the remotest parts of the World or in the highest heavens and yet passe not through the space betweene so it may well be and we may with good reason conceive that the Angels which are of a purer and more heavenly substance then our soules and more nimble and active then the mindes or thoughts of men are by nature can in a moment bee present here on earth and in the next moment bee againe in heaven But howsoever or by what way soever they descend and ascend it is most certaine that they are the swiftest of all things created and so much the Scriptures shew clearly in many places where they describe Angels with wings and call them Cherubins and Seraphins yea some one of them with many wings which are instruments of flying and of swiftest motion as Gen. 3. 24. Ezech. 10. 1. 19. and 11. 22. and Isa. 6. 2. Also we read that on a suddaine even in an instant a whole multitude of the heavenly host have descended from heaven and beene present on earth Luk. 2. 13. And the Angell of the Lord is said to encampe with an heavenly host round about them that feare God Psalm 34. 7. not by being here resident and abiding on earth out of their proper place of abode but by standing before God in heaven and beholding his face that they may bee ready in a moment when hee gives the watch word to present themselves on earth there to deliver his elect and to destroy their enemies as our Saviour doth intimate Matth. 18. 20. 7. Corollary Seventhly seeing the highest heaven is the proper place of Angels and this is the order which God did set in the creation that all creatures should keep their station and not leave their dwelling Hence it followes that it is against nature and contrary to the order of creation that many Angels are excluded and shut out of heaven even all the evill Angels And it is a thing above nature even the supernaturall grace and gift of God and a thing purchased and procured by the infinite power excellency and dignity of Christs merit and mediation that the elect and holy Angels should bee made ministering spirits and sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation as the Apostle saith Hebr. 1. 14. And here now occasion is offered to discourse about the sin and fall of the Divell and evill Angels how contrary it was to the law of nature that they should forsake their station sin against God and not stand in the truth and to the order which God set in the creation that they should leave their dwelling and exclude themselves out of heaven and be cast downe into Hell Also here is occasion given to shew that the elect Angels come to minister for the elect through the supernaturall power and efficacy of Christs mediation that Christ by supernaturall grace and benefits given to the heavenly Angels hath obliged and bound them to himselfe to obey him as their head and to minister for the good of his little ones But these things come more fittly to bee handled after the creation when wee come to discourse of the confusion of the World by the Divels Apostasie and mans fall and of the restoring of mankind and the renuing and perfecting of the World by Christ. Now these Doctrines thus opened and proved are of great
use for comfort and confidence to all the elect and faithfull people of God in the midst of all troubles which befall them in this life and when dangers and worldly enemies beset them round about also for confirmation and strengthening of them against all the assaults and temptations of the Divell For if the glorious Angels which are ministering spirits for their good which also love them rejoyce at their conversion watch for their safety and are their fellow servants under one Lord Christ be such heavenly powerfull and active spirits even by creation so excellent in strength so lively quick and ready at hand to help in a moment when God gives the watch-word what need we feare or faint so long as wee cleave to God and sticke to his truth Hee is a tender and loving father and Christ our high Priest hath a feeling of our infirmities and doth pity us he will be ready to help and he hath mighty instruments and ministers even thousands and ten thousand thousands ready to save and deliver us from all enemies as he did Daniel from the Lyons and his three fellowes from the fiery furnace Or if hee doth not send them to deliver us out of the troubles of this life yet hee will at our death send his Angels to carry our soules with triumph to heaven as Eliah was carried up in a fiery Chariot and the soule of Lazarus is said to bee carried up by them into Abrahams bosome Wherefore let us not feare either multitude malice or might of enemies but carefully serve God and confidently rest on the Lord Christ our Redeemer and Saviour Secondly These Doctrines serve to discover divers errours concerning the nature and substance of Angels as that grosse opinion of Peter Lombard who held that the Angels are corporeall substances because the Divell and evill Angels shall suffer the torment and feele the paines of hell fire which hath no power but over bodily creatures Also that opinion of the Gentiles and Cardanus who held that the Angels were mortall and corruptible creatures both these are here discovered to be erroneous For the first is builded on a grosse conceipt that the fire of hell is elementall and corporcall fire which as it burneth and consumeth bodily substances over which it hath power so it in time wasteth it selfe and goeth out but indeed the fire of Hell is the fire of Gods wrath which burneth and tormenteth worse then elementarie fire but consumeth not neither shall ever be quenched as our Saviour testifieth The second opinion is also confuted by these doctrines which have proved Angels to be spirits or spirituall substances which though they may bee stained with sin yet they cannot bee dissolved as men are in death by the separation of soule and body not corrupted as mens bodies are in the grave but the evill Angells shall live in eternall torment and their substance shall never be corrupted and consumed and the holy and blessed Angels are immortall and shall live in glory for ever and there shall be no end of their blessednesse CHAP. V. Of the Creation of the Earth The names whereby it is called Properties of it All creatures have being of God with Vses The World is all mutable and appointed so to be Vses The creation and redemption of the World wherein they resemble one another Vses The holy Ghost is of one and the same nature with the Father and the Sonne THe Second thing created next after the highest heaven with the inhabitants thereof the Angels is the Earth as my text here faith in these wordes and the Earth But wee must not here understand by Earth this earth or drie land upon which men and beasts doe live and move and have their being and which is beautified and adorned with trees plants greene herbes and flowers and replenished with stones and metals of all sorts For that was created together with the waters of the Sea and brought into forme and replenished in the third day as appeares in the 9. 10. 11. verses of this Chapter But here by Earth wee are to understand a certaine rude matter and masse without forme and void out of which God made all the inferiour visible World and all things therein contained so the wordes following in the second verse plainely shew The earth was without forme and void and darknesse was upon the face of the deep Now that wee may know what creature this Earth was wee are to consider these 3 things First the severall names by which it is called Secondly the properties by which it is described Thirdly the meanes by which it was upheld in being and disposed to bee the common matter of all othervisible things created afterwards First the names by which it is called are three 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters First it is called the earth because of the grossenesse unmoveablenesse and impurity of it For the earth is of all elements most grosse heavy impure and confused not fit to move out of the place wherein it is most untractable and not ready to apply it selfe to any other thing and hard to bee turned into the forme of other things without labour and working of it This first rude and informed masse which God created out of nothing is here declared by this name Earth to have beene like the earth very impure and confused dull and unfit for motion resembling at the first the earth rather then any purer element Secondly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the deep here also in the text which word signifies a great deep or devouring gulfe as it were of troubled waters also troubled and confounded with mixture of mud and myre which though in respect of the troubled mixture and confusion it hath a resemblance of earth yet it is bottomlesse there is no solidity in it no ground or stay to bee found at all Thus much the Hebrew word signifies according to the notation and common use of it Thirdly it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters also in this text because of the waterish fluxibility which was in it by meanes of which it was unstable and unsettled and also because it was an huge deep like the great waters of the Sea Now it may seeme strange that this one and the same rude masse should bee like earth and like a bottomlesse depth of myre or quick-sand and like waters all at once which are things different and unlike one to another especially the thinne flowing element of water and the grosse dull unmoveable earth And therefore the learned Expositors labour thus to qualifie the meaning of the words they say it was a confused masse even the matter of all the elements mingled together and because the earth and water are the most grosse and impure and did most of all appeare in it therefore it is called earth and water and the deep which is a
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
matter and every part of it to receive that forme which God gave to the whole World and every creature therein And by his word he gave a speciall forme and being to every creature after his kind as afterwards appeares throughout the whole Chapter And hee gave the gift of generation and propagation to every kind of creature which is propagated and begotten and power to multiply and without his power assisting and working together no creature is formed at all so that this Doctrine is most necessarily gathered from hence And other Scriptures fully confirme it as Act. 17. 25 28. where it is said that in him we live move and have our being and hee gives life breath and being to all Hee hath not onely made the heavens and the earth and all the host of them and every thing which hath being even all the changable elements and vanishing meteors in the first Creation as fire water aite earth haile snow thunder lightening clouds vapours and the like as wee read Job 28. Psalm 33. 6. and Psalm 149. 5. and Isa. 66. 2. but he also frames every man in the womb of his mother as the Psalmist testifieth Psalm 139. 13 14 15. and all children and the fruite of the womb are a gift and blessing which cometh of the Lord Psalm 129. 3. And reason drawne from the proper name of God Jehovah proves this that hee gives all being to every thing and that as he is absolute of himselfe so the being of every creature depends wholy on him for so much that name signifieth as I have elsewhere proved First this serves to admonish us that as wee our selves are the creatures of God and he is our Lord to whom wee owe our whole substance being power strength life breath and motion and are bound to imploy all to his glory so all other things in the World which serve for our use or can come within our reach and power are Gods workmanship he is the Lord and owner of them and no man ought to use or imploy them but by his permission and in his service and to his glory Therefore let us devote our selves to God and serve him by all his creatures and for our life breath being and all things render due thankes to his heavenly Majesty confessing that the whole World is his and the fulnesse thereof Secondly this Doctrine sheweth that no man hath right or interest before God in any creature or in his owne life limbs and members of his body but by the free gift of God Yea since mans fall and forfeiture of his life and all things by sin no man hath right to any good thing in the World but in Christ who is heire of all things and hath by his merit and mediation procured the preservation and continuance of being to man and to all other things made for mans use Although wicked carnall unregenerate men have a common right and interest civilly before men in their lives goods lands and possessions yet before God while they abuse their power riches and all abilities to sin and to pride and oppression in the service of their owne lusts they are no better then theeves and usurpers And let all such looke to it for certainely God will call them to account judge and condemne them as for unjust possessing so much more for their profane abuse of his creatures and all worldly blessings Secondly in that God who by his infinite power can make perfect in a moment and that immediatly out of nothing the most excellent creatures of all even the highest heaven and the Angels did of his owne will and according to his counsell make a rude confused imperfect and unstable matter first without forme that out of it he might frame and indeed did frame this whole visible World and all creatures therein Hence wee may learne That as all this World is mutable and inconstant so the mutability and inconstancy of all visible and naturall things in this World is a thing which God purposed and foreshewed in the creation of them and all alterations and changes which are found in them are according to the counsell of his will and hee alone doth over-rule order and dispose them Many Scriptures prove this fully in all parts Wise Solomon sheweth at large that all worldly things are subject to continuall changes Eccles. 1. 4 5. 6. and David Psalm 102. 26. testifieth of the visible heavens which are the most durable parts of the inferiour World that they shall perish and shall waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture God shall change them and they shall be changed and Isa. 40. 7. all Flesh is said to bee as grasse which withereth and the glory thereof as the flower of the Field which fadeth and 2 Pet. 3. 10. 11. the Apostle affirmes that the heavens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heat and the Earth with all things therein shall bee burnt and that it is God who over-ruleth ordereth and disposeth all mutations and changes in the World David also sheweth Psalm 104. 29. 30. that when God hideth his face all living creatures are troubled when hee taketh away their breath they dye and are turned into their dust and Psalm 46. 6. Hee saith that when God uttereth his voice the Earth melteth and Vers. 8. Come and behold the workes of the Lord how hee disposeth desolutions in the Earth and Isa. 24. 1. the Prophet saith Behold the Lord will empty the Earth and lay it waste hee will ovâ—rturne the face of it and disperse them that dwell therein It is God who pulleth downe the mighty and exalteth the humble and meeke 1. Sam. 2. Hee restraines the waters and rivers are dried up Hee sendeth them out and they overturne the Earth Hee breaketh downe and it cannot bee built againe he leadeth counsellors away spoiled and maketh judges fooles hee removeth away the speech of the trustie and taketh away the understanding of the aged hee powreth out contempt upon princes and weakeneth the strength of the mighty Iob 12. 14. 15. 17. 20 21. This Doctrine serves to admonish us not to put trust or confidence in any worldly thing not in the earth nor any creatures in it not in the face of the heavens nor in the Sun Moone and Starres because all are so mutable and changable A faire Sun-shine morning may bee turned into a tempestuous day of haile and raine When the Sun is risen up most gloriously in the morning upon Sodome and the countries of the plaine before noone they may bee destroyed by a shower of fire and brimstone and fruitfull lands may quickly bee turned into desarts and barren wildernesse The Sun it selfe may stand in the midst of â—â—s course and may bee turned backe when hee is going downe Wherefore let us not trust in deceiptfull vanities but still remember that of the holy Psalmist O put not your trust in princes nor in any child of man for
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
the airy or lowest heaven is thus called Verse 20. and 26. where it is said Let the fowles flie in the open firmament of heaven and Psalme 79. 2. and Hos. 2. 18. and many other places where wee read of the fowles of heaven But the best learned of later times have for the most part held that by the firmament is here meant that vast and spacious element and region of the aire which is extended and stretched out not onely round about all the Earth and the Sea but also reacheth from this globe of the Earth and the Sea to the starry heavens even to the spheare of the Moone and this is without doubt the true sense and meaning of the word in this place as appears by divers reasons First the Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which God called this firmament or large region being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies there or in that place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies waters notes out unto us that this firmament is the place where waters are engendered in the clouds and which from thence descend and water the earth and that is the fluid and waterish element the aire Secondly there is no other firmament besides the aire stretched out between the waters of the Sea which are below and the undermost and the waters above in the clouds heaven-ward and from thence distill and water the earth and did descend in great aboundance and drowned the old World when God dissolved the clouds so opened the floud-gates and windowes of heaven The aire is the onely element which divides between these two waters of the clouds above and of the Sea and Rivers below Thirdly the airy region is that in which the Sun Moone and Starres doe shine and give Light to the Earth and in which their beames and light appeare to us on earth The light of the starry heavens and of the Sun which alwayes shines in them even at midnight as well as at noone day is not seene of us as it is in the heavens but as it is in the aire for by multiplying their beames in the aire the Sun Moone and Starres are seen of us and give light upon the earth And therefore it is not said that God made the Sun Moone and Starres in the firmament or set them to have their place and being in it but gave them to bee lights in it that is set them above to shine through it and by multiplying their beames in this firmament the aire to give light to the earth Verse 15. Fourthly the fowles which flie in the open face of the aire are said to flie in the firmament which God called heaven Verse 20. Fifthly the highest heaven was created in the beginning in the first moment of time together with the Angels And the starry heaven is the light created in the first day therefore this heaven here called firmament is the airie region or lowest heaven Sixthly in all places of Scripture wherein wee finde this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated firmament wee may very well and with good reason understand by firmament the large extended region of the aire and it cannot be proved by any one place that the word signifies any other then the airie heaven enlightned with the beames of the Sun and the starry heavens Seventhly they who here by firmament do understand the starry heavens are forced by the words of the text which say that the firmament is in the midst of the waters and divides the waters above from the waters below to imagine that there are waters above the starry heavens there placed to mitigate the heat of the Sun and the Starres and that these waters drowned the old World which is a ridiculous conceipt grounded on palpable mistaking of divers Scriptures and contrary to all reason For the places of Scripture which speake of waters above the heavens intend no other waters but such as are in the clouds in the middle region of the aire and above the lowest region of the firmament or airy heaven First the Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is above the firmament or above the heavens signifies no more but waters that are above heavenward Secondly the Scriptures doe plainely expound this phrase and in many places shew that by waters above the heavens they doe not meane either the multitude of heavenly Angels as Origen dreamed or any Crystall orbe or naturall waters above the starry heavens as Basil Ambrose Beda and others imagined or the matter of spirituall and supercelestiall substances different from the matter of earthly creatures as Austen thought but that these waters above are the waters in the clouds above in the middle region of the aire even raine and haile and snow and such waters as flow from thence in great aboundance when it pleaseth God to open the bottles windowes fountaines and floodgates of heaven that is the clouds for the clouds are called the bottles of heaven Iob 38. 37. and the fountaines of the deep Prov. 8. 28. and the watery roofe of Gods chambers Psalme 104. 3. and God is said to bind up his waters in the thick clouds and the cloud is not rent under them Iob 26. 8. and when God openeth the clouds and sends downe raine to water the earth to give to it the blessing of fruitfulnesse hee is said to open the windowes and flood-gates of heaven Gen. 7. 11. and Mal. 3. 10. And the lowest region of the aire in which the dew is engendered of vapours and mists dissolved into small drops is called heaven and the dew from thence distilling is called the Dew of heaven Gen. 27. 28. Psalme 133. 3. and Zach. 12. 8. So then wee see that the firmament here called heaven is the wide and broad spread aire reaching from earth to the starry heaven and compassing the globe of Sea and land round about and by the waters above the firmament the waters in the clouds are meant which are above the lowest region of the airy heaven or firmament And thus much for the opening of the first thing in my text to wit the thing created The second thing is the creation of this firmament and the manner of it It is said God made the firmament that is framed it as hee had done the light the starry heavens out of the rude matter before named which was without forme and void Verse 2. and this hee did by the same power and after the same manner as he did the light saying Let there be a Firmament that is by his eternall Word the Son by whom he doth exercise all his power and performe all his works according to his eternall Counsell and by whom hee sheweth outwardly his eternall purpose and will as a man by his word doth openly professe and declare his mind and purpose And thus wee see the Son◠still worketh with the Father and
with herbes plants and trees Chap. 2. Verse 5 6. Wherefore omitting to mention divers needlesse questions and unprofitable opinions raised and held by former writers and expositors of this text I will in briefe shew what I conceive and what I gather out of these words First I conceive that these words And God said Let waters from under heaven bee gathered together for so they run in the originall doe implie two things First that God by his creating word brought the waters and the earth into being and made them perfect and distinct elements one from another and the water being the lighter did at the first stand above the earth and compasse it round that is the naturall place of it Secondly that God immediatly after when the waters had covered the earth almost for the space of a night and had kept it in darknesse from the sight and light of heaven then I say God did bring the earth into that forme and shape which it now hath in the round globe of it he made hollow valleyes deeper in one place then another and hee raised up the hils and mountains so much in height above as those valleyes are deep and hollow below and the earth being a firme and drie element and standing fast in this fashion and the waters being of a liquid and flowing substance and more heavy then the aire did for the avoiding of vacuity which nature abhorreth and to fill up those hollow places which otherwise would have remained empty unlesse the aire could have descended through the water descend downe from the hils and through the valleyes of the earth untill they came into and filled the great hollow valleyes where the waters of the Sea remaine and which is the place of the Sea to this day and so there is as much water in the Sea as there is drie land appearing above the waters and the depth of the Sea is equall to the rising of the Earth and the mountaines above the banks of it as some learned men have observed And for proofe hereof wee have the plaine word of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the originall text signifies gathering together into one hollow place and Psalme 104. 5 6 7 8. David speaking of the first foundation of the earth saith that God covered it with the deep as with a garment and the waters stood above the hils at his rebuke they fled at his thundering voice they hasted away the hils did rise up to their height and the waters went downe the vallies unto the place which God founded for them and there hee set them a bound which they cannot passe nor returne to cover the Earth And the earth was first under the water and after by Gods making of the great hollow vallies and raising up the earth and drie land caused it to stand out of the water and so to appeare above the water as if it did stand in the water and were founded upon the Sea and established upon the flouds the words of Saint Peter shew 2 Pet. 3. 5. compared with this text and the words of David Psalme 24. 2. Thus much for the opening of the first words wherein the creation and situation of the earth and the waters are laid downe in the 9. Verse The next thing is the naming of the waters and the drie land It is said that God called the drie land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called he the Seas and God saw that it was good Verse 10. The names which God gave to the things here created are full of wisedome the drie land now appearing firme above the waters God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eretz of which our English name Earth is derived and hath the sound of it In the Hebrew the word may bee derived of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth running speedily or running a race and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a negative particle signifieth not for the earth is made to stand firme and neither to move from the naturall place of it nor to run about in the place The common opinion of the best learned is that God called the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth where being an adverb of place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth running because the heaven and the aire move and run round about it and because it stands firme and is a sure footing for men and other creatures to run upon and neither sinke as in waters nor fall and stick fast as in waterish bogges myres and quicksands to which I may adde another and more divine reason to wit because God made the earth and drie land that man and other creatures which are made for mans use might live and move upon it and that it might bee the place wherein man should run his race towards heaven and happinesse in which hee would not have us to settle our rest as if wee were to live here for ever but to run towards the better Countrie which is above The gathering together of the waters God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seas First this name is of the plurall number because though there is but one maine ocean Sea through which men may saile to all parts of the Earth yet there are many inlets creeks corners gulfes and breakings in between severall Countries of the earth as the mediterranean Sea the red Sea the Persian Gulfe the Gulfe of Venice the black Sea the south Sea and divers others Secondly this word is derived either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to rage and to make a noise and tumult or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to shake and to cast downe and lay prostrate all things before it And indeed wee finde by experience that the waters of the Sea being gathered together and detained in the hollow place of the earth doe partly by a naturall disposition and inclination to ascend to their naturall place above the earth and partly by windes and tempests lying violently upon them rage roare swell and make the mountaines as it were to shake with their rage and noyse And when they breake through their bankes into the drieland as sometimes it happens they beare downe all before them as the flood in Noah's dayes did over-run and destroyed the earth when God brake up the fountaines of the great deep But howsoever the earth is made to bee a place of running and of toile and travell and the gathering together of the waters into the Seas makes a great noyse and tumult and rageth terribly yet God saw that this his worke was good and that both the Earth and the Sea should bee of great use and profit to man both for necessaries of life and also for magnifying of Gods dreadfull power wisedome and goodnesse in mans eyes and therefore Moses here saith God saw that it was good Another maine thing followeth in this
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
God created clouds and mists and vapours which ascending up into the middle region of the aire did make a time of darknesse and a night upon the face of the Earth and the Sea and this was the evening or night of the fourth day But when after twelve houres God had made the lights in the firmament the Sun Moone and Starres then came in the morning that is the time of light in which the Sun shining bright upon the earth made the fourth day and ever since that fourth day the division betweene the day and night is by means of the Sun Moone and Starres For all the while that the Sun appeares and shines upon the upper face of the earth that is the day-time in that place and while the Sun is absent and the light thereof is not seen and there is no light except of the Moone and the Starres that is the time of darknesse and of the night This is the first use of these lights expressed in my text even to divide betweene the day and betweene the night The second use for which God made these lights and appointed them is to bee for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for yeares First they are for signes to men both of things supernaturall that is to shew the glory the wisedome and the power of God and his admirable love to man in making such great and glorious shining lights for his use and also they are signes of things naturall as of faire foule and seasonable weather and such like for the Pleindes arising are signes of sweet showers which make the earth to spring Iob 38. 31. The dogge-Starre arising is a signe of scorching heat the Moone also by her change and full and middle quarters is a signe of high and low tydes and flowings of the Sea and the divers colours of it shew divers changes of weather Secondly they are for seasons For the Suns declining to the South line makes the shortest dayes to them who live Northward from the equinoctiall and the Autumne and Winter season but when it cometh back to the equinoctiall it makes the spring season and when it cometh to the northerne Tropick it brings in the hot Summer and declining againe to the equinoctiall it brings in Autumne and the harvest season Thirdly they serve for dayes and yeares For the motion of the Sun Moone and Starres round about the heavens in 24. houres maketh a day in the large sense that is a civill day And the appearance and shining of the Sun upon the face of the earth makes a day of light that is a naturall day and the setting and absence of the Sun make the night The motion of the Moone in her proper course thorough the twelve signes of the Zodiak from change to change and from full to full makes a moneth of foure weeks And the proper motion of the Sun thorough the same twelve signes makes a yeare of twelve distinct solary moneths And the Moone by her foure quarters makes four weeks every one of seven dayes And the concurrence of the Sun Moone and Starres returning to their severall places make set times for civill and Ecclesiasticall use as for feasts of Easter Pentecost and the like which are appointed by God and his Church to bee observed yearly for Gods honour and for remembrances of some great works of mercy performed by God and by Christ for mans deliverance and salvation The last and maine use of all is to give light upon Earth for by giving of light and shining in and thorough the aire they cause heat and moysture and drienesse and by their severall degrees aspects and reflexions of beames and light they yeeld their influence and cherish and worke upon things below they also make all things visible to men and other creatures and by their light wee come to see and discerne all things here visible without which sight and visibility no man can performe the works for which God created and placed him on earth And so much for opening the first maine thing in my text to wit Gods commanding lights to bee in the firmament of heaven for the speciall uses here named laid downe in the 14. and 15. Verses The second maine thing is his bringing of the worke to â—â—â—se by his powerfull Word and making it to bee in all respects according to his counsell will and word This is laid downe first summarily in the last clause of the 15. Verse in these words audit was so that is as God said and commanded so it was done presently Secondly it is more largely described in the next words Verse 16 17 18. And God made two great lights the greater to rule the day the lesse to rule the night hee made also the Starres And God set them in the firmament to give light upon the Earth and to divide light and darknesse First of whatsoever God sad Let it be it was made for the same use as here we read For as he said Let there be lights and let them be to divide the day from the night so he made lights and gave them in the firmament of heaven to divide day from night and to serve for the uses which hee appointed Secondly it is here said that God himselfe made those lights no Angels or others besides himselfe were commanded to make them nor had any hand in creating them Thirdly the lights which were before generally mentioned are here more specially and particularly rehearsed and expressed and the severall offices of them all Two of them are said to bee great lights one greater that is the Sun to rule the day the other lesser that is the Moone to have dominion in the night the rest of the lights are said to bee the Starres First for the Sun that is called the greatest light and that most truly and properly both for the body and substance of it and also for the brightnesse and aboundance of the light which is in it For the most skilfull Mathematicians have observed and demonstrated that the very body of the Sun doth exceed the whole earth in bignesse 166. times and our owne eyes are witnesses of the greatnesse of the light in it farre exceeding all bodily lights and dazling our weake sight Secondly the Moone is also called a great light though lesser then the Sun not for the bignesse of the bodie of it but because it is the lowest of all the Planets and nearest unto the earth and therefore appeares biggest of all next unto the Sun and gives to the earth a greater light then any of the Starres which are farre greater in substance and brighter in light For the most skilfull Mathematicians have found by their art that it is 39. times lesser then the earth and the least of all the Starres except Mercury which is the Planet next above it And those Starres which are said to bee of the first Magnitude are some of them observed to bee 18. times bigger then the
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
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
text do plainely shew this And reason grounded on other Scriptures proves it fully First our first parents were created perfect in their kind and God gave them the blessing of fruitfulnesse Now where there are all naturall perfections and abilities accompanied with Gods blessing there can be no hinderance of procreation or any failing in any naturall action therefore this Doctrine is manifest Secondly all barrenesse and all multiplying and frustrating of conceptions came in as a curse for sin and upon the fall of our first parents as the Lord himselfe sheweth Gen. 3. 16. Therefore there was no place for it in the state of innocency This serves to admonish us all so often as we see barrennesse in men and women and miscarrying wombes and dry breasts to remember our sin and fall in our first parents and to grieve for our corruptions derived from them and to humble our selves under Gods hand Secondly to perswade us and to make us see and beleeve that our first parents did not stand long in their integrity and state of pure nature yea that they did not lodge therein one night as the Psalmist speakes Psal. 49. 12. For reason and common experience do teach us that man doth readily and without any delay follow his will and the affections which are most naturall in him so soone as reason permits now the affection and desire of procreation is most naturall as all people of understanding do know and the learned do grant and his will must needs be acknowledged strongly bent and inclined to it because God had commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth and there was no reason moving man to restraine his will and affection but onely till he had viewed the garden wherein God had placed him considered the trees and fruites of it and received Gods commandement of abstaining from the forbidden tree all which must needs be done before the end of the sixth day And if man in the state of innocency had knowne his Wife sheehad without faile conceived a seed pure without sin and had brought forth children in Gods image perfect and upright wherefore they did without doubt fall in the end of the sixth day as I shall more fully prove hereafter Fourthly wee hence learne That it is Gods will revealed from the beginning and his ordinance and law given in the creation that the Earth and every part of it should bee free for any man to possesse and inhabit it untill it bee fully replenished with so many men as are able to subdue it by eating up the fruit thereof This text teacheth plainely this point by shewing that one end for which God blessed Man and Woman with fruitfulnesse was that they might replenish the Earth And to the same purpose the Psalmist speaketh fully Psalme 115. 10. The heaven and heaven of heavens is the Lords but the Earth hath hee given to the children of men and Deut. 32. 8. it is said that God hath divided the Earth to bee the inheritance of the Sons of Adam This truth the cursed Canaanites acknowledged by the light of nature and therefore they suffered Abraham Isaac and Iacob to sojourne in their Land and there to live with all their families to feed their cattell to digge wels and to sow corne and were so farre from driving them out while there was roome enough and they lived peaceably among them that they entered into league with them Gen. 14. 13. and 21. 27. and 26. 28. First this serves to cleare that doubt and to decide that question and case of conscience which is much controverted among godly and learned divines and agitated in these dayes to wit whether it bee lawfull to send people and to plant colonies in the vast countries of the west-Indies which are not replenished with men able to subdue the Earth and to till it If wee bee Sons of Adam the whole Earth is free for us so long as it is not replenished with men and subdued The ancient straggling inhabitants or any other who have taken possession before they have right to so much as they are able to replenish and subdue and bring under culture and tillage and no other people have right to dispossesse and expell them or to disquiet them in their possession or any way to doe injury and offer violence to them except they have such a commission and warrant as God gave to the Israelites to expell the Canaanites but it is lawfull for any Sons of Adam by the law which God gave in the creation as this Doctrine shewes to possesse and inhabite the vast places and to subdue the barren untilled parts And much more may true Christians who bring the Gospell of salvation and word of life among them by a second right in Christ settle themselves there and maintaine their possession of these lands which they have replenished and subdued by culture and tillage and so long as they doe their endeavour to convert them to Christ by the preaching of the Gospell and to make them partakers of the blessing in him the promised seed they deserve to bee received with all honour of those savages who come by this meanes to owe themselves to them Wherefore Let no man bee scrupulous in this kind but proceed with courage in such plantations and with confidence of good successe and blessing from God Secondly it discovers great iniquity and injustice in divers sorts of men First in them who having gotten the first possession in some corner of some great continent and large region do challenge the whole to themselves as their proper right being no way able to replenish and subdue it and by force seeke to keepe out all other people who come to live as neighbours peaceably in places neare unto them for whom there is roome enough and more land then they can subdue and replenish Secondly in them who think it lawfull for themselves to invade countries replenished with men and subdued and by force to expell or bring in subjection the old inhabitants without expresse warrant from God as the Spanyards did depopulate many great countries in America and root out and destroy the naturall inhabitants Thirdly in them who take possession of lands to the straitning of the natives which the naturall inhabitants without their helpe can sufficiently replenish and subdue and bring under tillage In these cases there is great injustice and wrong offered to Gods law which requires that as we would that men should doe to us so we should doe to them and use no other dealing and they who thus transgresse the bounds which God hath set in dividing the earth to all Nations and People cannot justly hope for Gods blessing upon them The next thing after the blessing of fruitfulnesse is the Lordship rule and Dominion which God gave to man over all living creatures and that is in these words Verse 28. And have Dominion over the fish of the Sea and the fowles of the
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
is knowne and discerned to bee his image and in it his shape is plainely seene Both these are here to bee understood in this word image and Gods image containes in it both the similitude or resemblance by which man is said to bee like unto God in all his naturall properties gifts and endowments and also his nature and substance which though it differs from Gods nature and substance Yet is a fit subject of such properties gifts and endowments which resemble Gods attributes and properties Secondly the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demuth which is here translated likenesse is used in a twofold sense First it signifies the similitude and likenesse by which one thing resembles another in all the speciall properties of it thus it is used Psalme 58. 4. where the poison rancour and malice of the wicked is said to have the likenesse of the poison of aspes and Ezech. 1. 10. the likenesse of the faces of the foure living creatures in Ezechiels vision is said to bee like the face of a man and of a Lyon and of an Oxe and of an Eagle and Dan. 10. 16. one is said to touch Daniel who had the likenesse of the Sons of men Secondly it signifieth the same that the word image doth that is a thing which is made like to another and is the very patterne which resembleth it in all parts and properties as 2 King 16. 10. where the patterne of the Altar of Damascus which Ahaz sent to Vriah the Priest is called the image of it And 2 Chron. 4. 3. the images of Oxen which Solomon made under the brasen Sea are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demuth the likenesse of Oxen and Isa. 40. 18. an image made to represent God according to that conceipt of him which men frame in their mindes is thus called Here in this text the word is used in the latter sense and signifies the same that the word image doth in effect but in a diver and manner For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Image signifies first a creature and then the likenesse by which that creature so resembles God the Creatour in all the speciall properties of it that it becomes his image And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likenesse signifies first the similitude and then the creature that is such a similitude and resemblance of God stamped upon the nature and being of a creature as makes it the very image of God and so these two words Zelem Image and Demuth Likenesse are as the best learned and most judicious expositors of this text doe affirme the one the exposition of the other The word Image sheweth that the creature barely considered is not Gods image but by the naturall properties and gifts by which it resembles God And the word likenesse sheweth that the similitude alone is not the image but as it subsists in a fit subject and flowes from the nature and properties which God gave it in the creation Vpon these grounds wee may easily understand that the phrase of creating man in Gods owne image and likenesse signifies Gods creating man of such a nature and endowed with such naturall properties gifts and endowments that hee doth in them all resemble himselfe and is his lively image very like to him shewing forth his divine properties and attributes of goodnesse wisedome power knowledge and in all things conformable to his just will Thus much for the opening of the words The next thing to bee considered is the Image it selfe and the speciall things wherein it doth consist And here I hold it necessary first to distinguish the image of God and his likenesse into two kinds The first is naturall formed in the creation The second is supernaturall and spirituall formed in man by the holy Ghost dwelling in him This distinction though divers people lead by custome and humane authority more then the word of God doe reject as a meere device of mine owne yet I finde it plainely laid downe in the word of God For the holy Apostle Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. 49. doth in expresse words affirme that as there is both a first Adam made of the Earth earthy who by Gods breathing into him the breath of life became a living soule in the first creation and also a second Adam made a quickening Spirit even the Lord Christ from Heaven heavenly So there is a twofold image of God in man the first The image of the earthy Adam in which hee was created which though hee forfeited and lost by the law of justice yet by Gods common and generall indulgence in Christ hee did so farre retaine and communicate it though grievously mangled defaced that we are said to have borne it who are Adams naturall progenie and were created upright in his loynes The other is the image of the heavenly Adam the Lord Christ who being in the forme of God equall with God did humble himselfe to descend from Heaven by taking our nature upon him and framing to himselfe out of the seed of the woman by the operation of the holy Ghost a most pure and holy manhood which did beare over and above the image of the first Adam deformed with many frailties and all our infirmities sin onely excepted Rom. 8. 3. Philip. 2. 7. an holy and heavenly image created and framed in his humane nature by the working of the holy Ghost which is given to him not by measure Ioh. 3. 34. even from his first conception Luk. 1. 35. And this image as the elect regenerate and faithfull doe beare in part in the state of grace while they are by the inward worke of the Spirit conformed to the image of Christ Rom. 8. 29. and Christ is formed in them Gal. 4. 19. So they shall fully and perfectly beare it in heaven after the last resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 49. And as the holy Apostle doth distinguish these two images and doth oppose the one to the other making the one the image of the first Adam who was of the Earth earthy the other proper to Christ the second Adam who is the Lord from Heaven heavenly so hee doth shew divers differences betweene them in his divine Epistles which are confirmed also by other Scriptures First the image of God in the first Adam was naturall it was that which was given him in the creation so my text here saith God created man in his owne image But the image of God in the second Adam was supernaturall and spirituall for hee was conceived and formed in the wombe by the holy Ghost Luk. 1. 35. and his image is communicated to men and they are changed into it by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3. 18. Secondly the image of God in the first Adam was mutable and Adam did forfeit it together with his life and naturall being by his sin and disobedience And although God out of his common favour and indulgence in Christ doth still continue it in some degree to Adams posterity yet
age of the World which God doth not over-rule and order by his providence For as hee is infinite in wisedome and power able to decree and ordaine from all eternity all things most wisely and to create and bring to passe all things according to the counsell of his will by a mighty hand of power which cannot bee resisted So also hee is wonderfull in goodnesse and bounty to provide most carefully all things needfull in aboundance for the being and welbeing of his creatures and to order governe and dispose all things good and evill most wisely to the good of his elect the iust punishment and destruction of the wicked and to his owne glory Wherefore that wee may better understand this point and proceed profitably in the handling of it We are first to consider the signification of the name and the true sense of the word And after to insist upon the thing it selfe and to define and describe this actuall providence of God The word providence is sometimes taken in a large sense and signifies Gods care and respect of all creatures both in decreeing and ordaining their being and all things which befall them and in executing his eternall decree according to the counsell of his owne will for in all these things God did shew a provident care and respect Sometimes the word is used more strictly and that three wayes First for the provident care and respect of God in decreeing things for the best that they should so come to passe as they have done or shall doe at any time hereafter of this providence the Apostle speakes Hebr. 11. 40. where hee saith God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not bee made perfect this may bee called Gods providence in willing and decreeing Secondly it signifies Gods provident care which hee shewed in the creation of the World and all things therein For hee first created things above which could subsist and bee perfect by themselves without the inferiour elements and the creatures in them as the highest heavens and their inhabitants the Angels then hee created the visible heavens which might bee ready by their light to bee of use for other thâ—ngs below in such measure as was needfull then hee created the spacious regions of the aire through which that light might shine to other elements and all creatures which hee was about to create in them and before hee created any living creatures which could not well subsist nor move themselves without greater light then that of the naked heavens hee created the Sun Moone and Starres which might both give light sufficient to those creatures and also might cherish and comfort them and all other things which were made to serve for their use And before hee created mankind male and female in his owne image fit to rule under him in the inferiour World hee prepared and made ready for them all creatures which they might rule over all kinds of delicate food in great variety and aboundance and a Lordly palace and place of pleasure wherein to dwell in which he put them so soone as they were created As God in all this shewed his provident care for man and all creatures to make them every one perfect in their kind with naturall perfection in the creation so I have noted this his actuall providence in the severall passages of the creation and have unfolded it so farre as for the present was necessary Thirdly this word is frequently used to signifie Gods provident care in ordering and governing the whole created World and preserving all creatures therein and in disposing every thing which doth befall them and come to passe in the World to some good end according to the counsell of his owne will This is the actuall providence which now comes to bee distinctly handled and unfolded in the next place after the creation But before I come to describe this providence of God and to lay open the nature object severall parts and kinds of it I hold it necessary to prove clearly out of the holy Scriptures that there is in God such a providence and provident care which hee doth shew and exercise in the ruling and governing of the whole World and ordering and disposing all things to their severall ends And that God is not a carelesse sleepie and slumbering one who doth neglect and not see regard and care for any things here below as some blind fooles desperate Atheists and wicked Men have imagined and spoken as the Psalmist sheweth Psalme 10. 11. 13. and 94. 7. who say that the Lord doth not see God hath forgotten â—ee hideth his face hee will never see nor regard nor require what is done among men in the World For the manifest proofe of Gods providence I will first rehearse some notable testimonies even plaine texts of holy Scripture which being laid together may minister to us sufficient matter and occasion to describe and set forth the actuall providence of God and all things wherein it doth consist and which thereto belong Psalme 14. 2. The Lord looketh downe from heaven upon the Children of men to see if there bee any that doe understand and seeke after God Psalme 33. 13 14 15. The Lord loooketh from heaven hee beholdeth all the Sons of men from the place of his habitation hee looketh upon all the inhabitants of the Earth Hee fashioneth all their hearts alike hee considereth all their works Psalme 34. 15 16. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open unto their cry The face of the Lord is against them that doe evill to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth Psalme 36. 6. Thy iudgments O Lord are a great deepe thou preservest man and beasts Psalme 104. 27 28 29 30. All living things wait upon the Lord that hee may give them their meat in due season Hee giveth to them and they gather it hee openeth his hand and they are filled with good when he hideth his face they are troubled when hee taketh away their breath they dye and returne to their dust when hee sendeth forth his Spirit they are created and hee renueth the face of the Earth Psalme 113. 5. Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high 6. Who humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth 7. He raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill that he may set him with Princes Psalme 138. 6. Though the Lord bâ— high yet he hath respect to the lowly Job 13. 7. But aske now the beasts and they shall teach and the fowles of the Aire and they shall tell thee 8. Or speake to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee 9. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this 10 In whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of
all mankind 2 Chron 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the Earth to shew himselfe strong for them whose Heart is perfect Isa. 41. 22. and 4â— 8 9. The Lord proveth himselfe to bee the onely true God by his provident care over all things and his foresight and prediction of things which afterwards hee bringeth to passe and that Idols are no Gods because they cannot do any such things Matth. 6. 26. Behold the fowles of the Aire they sow not neither doe they reap nor gather into barnes yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Matth. 10. 29 30. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father But the very haires of your head are all numbred Hebr. 4. 13. All things are naked and opened to his eyes neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast your care upon him for hee careth for you These texts laid together doe aboundantly shew Gods actuall providence and the extent of it to all things created and doe Minister to us every Doctrine which concernes the object parts and kinds of it And besides these Scriptures wee have strong Arguments to prove the actuall providence of God First hee who is the Omnipotent Creatour Lord and Possessor of Heaven and Earth and all things therein infinite in wisedome knowledge goodnesse mercy justice must needs have a provident care to order rule dispose and preserve all things which belong to him Now such a one is God as I have aboundantly proved before in unfolding his attributes hee is infinite in power wisedome knowledge goodnesse and the like the Creatour and supreme Lord of all things The whole World is his and all things therein belong to him Psalme 50. 12. Therefore undoubtedly hee hath a provident care of all and an eye and hand in ordering all things Secondly the workes which God doth and the things which hee brings to passe in the World doe shew his wiâ—e care and providence Hee giveth raine in due season for a blessing to his obedient people he withholdeth it from the wicked for a iust punishment makes their heaven as brasse their Earth as iron he blesseth men in their basket and store in the increase of their cattell and the fruite of their ground and he againe for sin maketh fruitfull lands barren and destroyes their cattell with murraine and with thunderbolts Levit. 26. Deut. 28. Iob 12. 12. Psalm 107. 34. By him Kings are set up to rule and Princes and Iudges to execute iustice and to judge not for themselves but for him Prov. 8. 15. 2 Chron. 19. 6. He breaketh downe and shutteth up and none can resist him hee leadeth counsellors away spoiled and maketh Iudges fooles Hee looseth the band of Kings and poureth contempt upon Princes Hee increaseth he nations and destroyeth them hee enlargeth the nations and straiteneth them Job 12. 14 and all Kingdomes are disposed by him Dan. 2. 37. Thirdly the miracles which God worketh by them who call upon his name and the extraordinary things which come to passe whereof there is no naturall cause nor any cause at all but his owne will and pleasure and provident hand do prove the same The miracles and wonders which hee shewed in Egypt and the wildernesse so often as Moses called and prayed unto him His staying of the Sun for a whole day at Ioshâ—ah's prayer Iosh. 10. His thundering on the Philistines at the prayer of Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 10. His raising of the dead at the prayer of his Prophets and Apostles 1 King 17. 2 King 4. and Act. 9. His giving of heroicall gifts strength and courage beyond all humane reason to some men for the deliverance of his oppressed People as to Samson David and his worthies and divers others All these shew Gods watchfull care over the World and his actuall providence ordering and disposing all things This point thus proved as it serves to discover the impiety profanenesse and desperate blindnesse of Epicures who utterly reiect and deny the whole providence of God and those desperate Atheists such as Caligula Nere and others who scoffed and derided all them who taught and beleeved it and those heathen Philosophers who held that God had no care or respect of things uâ—der heaven but blind fortune ruled here below and all things here are casuall and come by chance So it admonisheth us all men to beware of giving way to such doubts and feares of infirmity which their owne corrupt flesh or Satan by mears thereof doth suggest into their hearts to weaken destroy their faith in Gods Providence Let no man admit such a thought into his heart That God hath forgotten to be gracious and that it is in vaine to serve God there is no profit in walking humbly before him in keeping his ordinance in mens purging their hearts and washing their hands in innocency because they that worke wickednesse and tempt God doe prosper and they who deale trecherously are set up and exalted But above all let us abhorre all presuming conceipts that all things come to passe by blind chance and God doth not see nor regard our wicked thoughts purposes and practises neither will hee call us to account for them For what is this but to deny the Lord to be God It is even the way to pull speedy wrath and vengeance on our owne heads Gods providence being proved that it is I proceed to shew by way of plaine description what it is and wherein it doth consist The summe of which description is this The actuall providence of God is Gods exercise of his wisedome power goodnesse iustice and mercy in ruling ordering and governing the whole World in watching over all his creatures with a carefull eye in doing all good and permitting all evill which are done in the World and in disposing all things good and evill to the manifestation of his glory and the eternall salvation of his elect in Christ according to his owne eternall purpose and the counsell of his will This description consists of two maine and principall parts The first sheweth what Gods actuall providence is in generall in these words Gods exercise of his wisedome power goodnesse iustice and mercy The second sheweth the speciall nature of it and the speciall things wherein it doth consist and whereby it is distinguished from all Gods other outward actions and exercises of his wisedome power and goodnesse This is comprised in the rest of the words First it is Gods exercise of his wisedome power goodnesse mercy and iustice and in this it agreeth with the creation and all other outward actions of God for every such action is either an exercise of his wisedome or of his power or of his goodnesse or of his mercy or of his justice or of all or the most part of them all together And indeed Gods actuall providence beareth sway
in all his outward actions which hee doth either immediatly by himselfe or mediatly by the ministery of his subordinate instruments and it also over-ruleth and disposeth things which are evill which are not done by God himselfe moving the doers of them but come to passe by the permission and sufferance of him wittingly and willingly suffering his creatures to abuse the power which they have from him This point is manifest by the Lords owne words Isa. 45. 7. where hee saith I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord do all these things And by that speech of the Prophet Amos. Chap. 3. 6. Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it The true sense and meaning of which words Saint Augustine doth notably expresse where he saith nothing is done unlesse God omnipotent doth will that it be done either by doing it himselfe or suffering it to be done for it could not be done if he did not suffer it neither verily doth he unwillingly without or against his will but willingly and with his will suffer every thing to be To which purpose hee hath divers other speeches as that God being good would not suffer any evill to be done unlesse as he is omnipotent he could bring good out of them neither is that done without Gods will which is done against his will that is his word and approbation In the second maine part there are divers speciall branches shewing the speciall things whereby Gods actuall providence is distinguished from his other outward actions The first is that it consists in Gods ruling ordering and governing the whole World and watching over his creatures with a carefull eye The second that it comprehends in it Gods doing of all good and his permission and suffering of all evill The third that by it God disposeth all things which are done in the World to the manifestation of his glory and the eternall salvation of his elect in Christ. The fourth and last is that it is no other exercise of wisedome power goodnesse mercy and justice but in executing things which hee hath decreed from all eternity even ruling ordering and disposing all things wisely after the counsell of his owne will For the first point to wit that God exerciseth his actuall providence in ruling ordering and disposing the whole World and all therein as supreme Lord King Iudge and Ruler thereof the Scriptures aboundantly testifie as Gen. 18. 25. and Psalm 50. 6. Psalm 82. 1. and 2. Chron. 19. 6. where God is said to bee the Iudge of all the Earth yea the Iudge both in Heaven and Earth who sitteth chiefe among all Iudges and is with them in the iudgement Also in those places where the Kingdome Dominion and Rule over all is said to belong to God and hee is said to bee the King which reigneth and ruleth all to the utmost ends of the Earth yea to be a great King above all Gods and the onely potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords as I Chron. 29. 10. 11. Psalm 10. 16. and 29. 10. and 4. 27. and 95. 3. and his Kingdome is said to rule over all Psalm 103 19 and that not for a time but from generation to generation Psalm 145. 13. It is he who setteth bounds to the tumultuous Seas beyond which they cannot passe Iob 38. 8. Psalm 104. 9. and ruleth over the raging waves Psalm 89. 9. and stilleth thâ—â— when they arise And that hee hath a watchfull eye over all creatures even to preserve man and beast it appeares Psalm 36. 6. and that as his eyes are upon them that feare him and hope in his mercy to deliver their soule from death and to keepâ— them alive in famine Psalm 33. 18. 19 So his face is against them that do evill to cut off the remembrance of them Psalm 34. 16. The second point is that Gods providence is exercised both in the doing of all good and in permitting and suffering wittingly and willingly all evill which commeth to passe in the World and so it consists of two parts action and permission This also is fully proved and confirmed Isa. 41. 23. and 45. 7. where the Lord proves himselfe to bee the onely true God by disposing all things both forming the light and making peace by his active hand and power and also creating evill and darknesse by permitting and giving up the Divell and his wicked instruments to abuse his power which hee hath given them to doe evill and to worke wickednesse as wee see in Pharaoh whose heart hee is said to harden yea and to raise him up by giving him up to his owne lusts and into the hand of Satan who hardened him and made his heart obdurate so that the more God plagued him with great plagues which naturally tend to breake a stout heart and to pull downe pride the more did his corruption rise up and rebell and the more did Satan stirre him up against God and his people and made him run desperatly into the devouring gulfe of destruction Wee see this also in Gods permitting Satan to afflict Iob and to tempt him to blasphemy by stripping him naked of all that hee had tormenting his body and battering his soule with sore temptations of his wife and friends and with skaring dreames and terrible visions as wee read Iob 1. and 2. and 7. 14. Also the Apostle in expresse words affirmeth that God being provoked by mens wilfull sins doth in just wrath give them to uncleanesse through the lusts of their owne hearts and to vile affections and a reprobate minde to worke all iniquity with greedinesse Rom. 1. 24 26 28. and doth give them the Spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare Rom. 11. 8. not by putting such a Spirit into them so as hee sheddeth his Spirit on men through Christ but by suffering Satan the Spirit of lying and of all blindnesse and wickednesse to enter into them which hee would doe into all men if God did not restraine him and by casting them out of his protection as wee see in the evill Spirit which vexed Saul and in the lying Spirit which deceived Ahab by entering into his Prophets and speaking lyes by their mouths 1 Sam. 16. 14. and 2 King 22. 22. And thus wee see that in all evils of sin Gods providence is exercised by way of voluntary permission But as for all good things which come to passe God hath in them an approving will and a working hand and worketh in men both to will and to doe yea every thought and purpose of good 2 Cor. 3. 5. Philip. 2. 13. and without him we can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. So that in all morall duties and in all good and godly workes God worketh in men by his Spirit immediatly and giveth them hearts will and power to doe them and they are but his instruments to performe these good things as