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
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
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
before The first is simple absolute and immediate creation which is a giving of the first being to things simply and absolutely out of nothing when there is no matter at all to worke upon The second is a mediate and secondary creation which is a giving of the first being to things out of a rude unfit and undisposed matter and that instantly without any precedent altering or disposing of the matter of which they are made Each of these consists of two subordinate branches First absolute creation is either a making of things perfect out of nothing or a making of things imperfect out of nothing Both these parts or branches are here laid downe in this first verse Of them therefore I purpose to speake out of these words and for the better performance thereof I will sift the words particularly in the first place and so will come to the Doctrines And for the generall meaning of the words I have thus far laid it open That the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith signifies the time of the creation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bara signifies properly creating of things out of nothing or out of a rude matter fit for nothing and uncapable of any essentiall forme The word Elohim intimates the Trinity of persons in the unity of essence The word Heaven is to be taken for the Heaven of heavens or the highest heavens And by the Earth is meant the rude matter out of which God framed the whole inferiour visible world I now come to sift the words more particularly so as that they may give light to this first speciall branch of creation and to the two particular parts thereof The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith which is here translated in the beginning may admit a threefold exposition First if we take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sometimes it signifies in Scripture for the chiefe or principall or for the first fruits which were the first and chiefest of every thing then this word may signifie either as the Hebrew Rabbins expound it Bereshith in or for the chiefe that is for Israels sake who were the chiefe of the Nations and choice people of God God created the heavens and the earth and in them God laid the foundation of all things created Or else Bereshith in the first fruits that is in Christ who is the chiefe and the first fruits of all and for the elects sake in him God created the heavens and the earth as some Christians have expounded it But if we take the word Reshith as it is commonly taken in the Scripture for the first beginning of a thing or the first part of the being of it or the first part and moment of time wherein a thing comes to have being then may this word Bereshith signifie the first part of time wherein things created came to have being or the first part of creation and this may bee the meaning that in the first part of time or in the first part of the creation God created the heavens and the earth and the creation of them was the first act of creation This as it is the exposition most commonly held and generally received so I take it to be the best and fittest and that which the Spirit of God chiefly intended in this place for though it is true that God created all things in Christ and for his sake and his elects sake especially yet here it stands with more reason and is more agreeable to the scope of the place to thinke that the first part of time or of the creation is meant For first it is manifest as shall appeare hereafter that here Moses doth not speake generally of the creation of all particulars which are after named in the Chapter Neither doth he by the heaven the earth understand the whole world all the particulars therein contained but by Heaven is here meant the highest heaven and by Earth is meant the rude masse out of which God framed the inferiour visible world Now they onely were not created for Christs sake but all other things also and they onely were created in the first part or moment of time and in the first beginning of the creation therefore it stands with better reason to expound these words in the beginning for the first beginning of time or the first part of the creation which is the subject of this holy History then to understand it of Christ that in him and for him the heavens and rude earth was created and for his elects sake for whose use all other creatures also were created Secondly the Scriptures themselves doe in other places which handle the same matter expound this word for the first beginning of time or the first part and moment of creation as Psal. 102. 26. where David speaking of the first foundation of the heavens and the earth saith They were founded of old that is in the first time for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth which hee there useth in stead of this word Bereshith and which is translated by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning Heb. 1. 10. and therefore it is manifest that here this word notes unto us the time when this first act of creation was performed namely the beginning or first part of time Some who held that the highest heavens and the first rude masse of the earth were created from all eternity and had their being long before the first beginning of time doe here take this word Bereshith to signifie from all eternity and doe thinke that so it may be translated from eternity God created the heavens and earth And to this purpose they bring an example where the words in the beginning signifie from all eternity to wit Joh. 1. 1. where it is said In the beginning was the Word that is from all eternity But this exposition may easily be confuted by other Scriptures for Exod. 20. 11. God himselfe affirmeth that in six daies he made heaven and earth and all other creatures and therefore the heavens were not created from all eternity but in the beginning in the first day of the creation As for the words of the Evangelist they may easily be answered for indeed they doe not properly signifie eternity but the first moment of time in which God began to give being to his creatures And yet take these words in the beginning joyntly together with other words which immediately follow in the same sentence and they necessarily imply and prove that the Word was eternall and from all eternity coeternall with God the Father For hee who was already and had a being with God and was God and made all things in the beginning must needs be from all eternity and before the first moment of time in which he was not made nor created but was that is had a being already yea was coeternall to the Father Therefore these words in the beginning as the
Evangelist useth them doe signifie eternity but in that he saith The Word was that is had already a being with God in the beginning when hee began to give being to all other things this proves by necessary consequence that the Word was eternall and therefore the common exposition stands sure that here the word Bereshith signifies the beginning or first part of time The second word of this Text that is Bara created signifies the giving of first being to all things either simply out of nothing or out of matter undisposed for the forme introduced as I have noted before And by a Metaphor it signifies great and mighty workes which resemble the creation but here it signifies absolute creation or giving the first being to the highest heavens and to the rude masse or matter of the visible world out of meere nothing for they were created of no matter before existing as all doe hold and of their creation onely this Verse speakes That the third word Elohim being of the plurall number signifies three persons in one God the Creatour and that the creation was the worke of all the three persons in the Trinity I have before shewed Here let mee adde further a Cabalisticall proofe gathered from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the act of creation and consists of three Hebrew letters which are the first letters of the three Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie the Father the Son and the Spirit And therefore if the Caballisticall art be of any credit this act of creating is the work of all the three persons the Father the Son and the holy Spirit one and the same God The two last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heaven and the earth do here signifie as I have noted before the highest heaven and the earth which was without forme and void that is the rude masse and common matter of the visible world Some learned men do by heaven and earth understand the whole world in the same sense as the words are Chapt. 2. 1. By heaven they conceive the highest heaven the visible starry heaven and the whole firmament of the aire to be meant by earth the lowest globe of the earth which hath the sea intermingled with it and by creating they understand the whole worke of creation in generall and not that first speciall act by which God made the highest heavens and the rude masse and matter of the visible world onely The main reason which they have to prove this is drawn from the Hebrew Articles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is prefixed before the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earth The first of which Articles consists of the first and last letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and so implies an universall comprehension of all things which were created both the first and the last The other to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of plaine demonstration and sheweth that this heaven and earth as they now stand are said to be created here in these words But this exposition is plainly overthrown by the Text it selfe and the reason answered without any difficulty First the act of creation spoken of and intended in this Verse is that which was performed in the beginning that is in the first moment of time so the Text affirmes but the whole world and all creatures in heaven and earth were not made in the first moment of time nor in the first day but in sixe daies therefore the whole world is not meant in these words nor all creatures in heaven and earth Secondly if the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be of generall comprehension then each of these words should signifie the whole world for it is added to each of them and so the other word should be superfluous in this place Thirdly we may safely grant that these words are of generall comprehension and yet we need not expound them of any other heaven then the highest heaven nor of any other earth then the first rude masse out of which the whole visible world was made which was without forme and void as it is testified in the next words Verse 2. For this heaven did comprehend in it the highest heaven and all the host and inhabitants of it the Angels actually And this earth or rude masse did potentially comprehend in it the whole visible world which afterwards in the sixe daies was actually formed out of it and therefore I take this to be the best exposition to understand by the heaven the highest heaven onely where the Angels and blessed Saints have their dwelling together with the host thereof And by the earth to understand as the next Verse sheweth the rude masse out of which God after formed the whole visible and mutable world consisting of the starry heavens and of the aire water and earth with all things in them As for them who here by heaven and earth understand the whole world actually formed and made and them who understand the common seed and rude matter of the heavens both highest and invisible and also the visible heavens and the inferiour world they exclude out of this history of the creation the distinct and speciall narration of the creation of the highest heavens and of the glorious host thereof the Angels and super-celestiall Spirits contrary to that which Moses himselfe plainly teacheth Chapt. 2. 1. where repeating summarily the whole creation in generall which he had before distinctly related and in all the parts thereof described in the first Chapter he saith Thus were the heavens and the earth finished and all the host of them that is the Angels among the rest for they are called the heavenly host Luke 2. 13. From the words thus expounded we may gather an excellent description of the first speciall act of creation which is called simple and absolute creation and of the two particular branches thereof to wit That it is that act of creation whereby God in the first beginning did create and give the first being out of nothing to the highest heavens and to the earth that is the first rude masse and matter of the visible world The parts of this act are two The first is that act of simple creation by which God created out of nothing and gave a most perfect glorious being to the highest heaven and to all things therein contained The second is that act of simple creation by which God gave the first imperfect being to that rude earth the masse which was the common matter out of which hee formed the whole inferiour visible and mutable world In this description of the first act of simple creation and of each branch thereof wee may observe foure things The first is the matter both generall and speciall laid downe in the word Bara created Secondly the author of it God the Father Sonne and
holy Ghost Elohim three persons in one God Thirdly the time and order of it in the beginning Bereshith it was the first act performed in the first moment of time The fourth is the object or effect to wit the things created the heaven and the earth The heaven is the object and effect of the first particular branch the earth is the effect of the second These foure things considered both joyntly together and severally by themselves doe afford unto us divers profitable instructions and divers questions to be discussed worthy of our consideration First the matter and substance of this act is a simple and absolute producing of reall and substantiall things out of nothing yea creatures which of all others were most perfect and glorious to wit the highest heavens and the glorious Angels the eternall Spirits which were made and placed there to stand in the sight and presence of God Now this offers to our consideration an excellent meditation of Gods infinite power and omnipotencie shewing it selfe most cleerly in this first act of creation for in that God contrary to the course of all other the most cunning Artificers did immediately and absolutely of himselfe and by himselfe alone create and make out of nothing in the first beginning the most perfect creatures of all even the highest heavens and the glorious Angels and eternall Spirits and so the first act of creation was the most perfect and complete act of all This teacheth us that God is of himselfe infinite omnipotent and all sufficient in power and in wisdome able to doe all things and to performe and bring to passe by his owne mighty hand instantly without any help counsell or advice of any other the greatest and most perfect and glorious workes which can be done named or imagined in heaven and earth Wee find by experience and reason that all Artificers before they have in and of themselves skill and power sufficient to bring to passe the workes which belong to their art doe first practise by the direction of others in smaller matters and by use and practice grow more skilfull and so proceed to greater and more perfect workes and because the most cunning and exquisite workmen in the world are limited in their power and skill to one thing at once neither can their minds intend nor their understandings conceive nor their hands performe all things at once which are required for the performance of a perfect worke therefore in every such worke they proceed by time leasure and degrees first laying a foundation of matter secondly forming and framing of every severall part thirdly fitly composing of all parts together in one and so bringing the worke to consummation and perfection And so God must have done in the creation if hee had not been infinite in power and all-sufficient If his wisdome and power had been limited he must have begun with smaller workes and ascended by degrees and in every worke hee must first have either borrowed matter from others or made it himselfe for to worke upon Secondly he must have fitted the matter to receive a fit forme Thirdly he must have introduced the forme into every part and have composed all together into one perfect creature But we see all was contrary he performed the greatest and most perfect worke at the first even the most glorious heavens and the eternall Spirits which are durable and abide for ever therein he set up his glorious throne and made an habitation for his blessed Saints and Angels He shewed that he was all-sufficient in himselfe for the greatest worke because he did performe it of himselfe before there was any but himselfe and no creature made to help him He did not by degrees get his skill but at the first shewed the best worke and performed it in an instant And therefore in this first act of creation we may see as in a cleere glasse the infinite wisdome and omnipotencie of God This truth is also strongly confirmed by firme proofes from other Scriptures as Job 37. 23. Elihu that wise unreproved friend of God full of the Spirit doth from this very ground namely the wonderfull creation of the heavens and other things conclude the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of God that he is Shaddai the Almighty All-sufficient that he is excellent in power and judgement and that we cannot find him out by reason of his incomprehensible wisdome and power So also Job 38. 1. and 40. 2. God himselfe doth from the creation of the heavens and the Angels full of glory and shouting for joy and from his making and ordering of all things most wisely prove that hee himselfe the Creatour is Almighty one who cannot be instructed nor reproved and against whom none can contend And Job himselfe Job 42. 2. upon the same ground and consideration is moved to confesse that he knowes God to be able to doe every thing and that he is infinite in wisdome and knowledge that no thought can be withholden from him and that the things of God are too wonderfull for him to know The Prophet David also Psal. 8. 1 2. from the consideration of Gods glory which he hath set above the visible heavens in the highest heavens and from the excellent nature of the Angels weighed with himselfe doth break out into an admiration of Gods excellent greatnesse thereby made knowne and wonders that hee so mighty a one should regard poore man at all who though the chiefe of visible creatures is but a worme and as nothing before God Lord saith he how excellent is thy Name in all the world who hast set thy glory above the heavens When I consider the heavens the worke of thy fingers I say Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him And Psal. 19. 1. The heavens saith he declare the glory of God that is the glorious attributes of his omnipotencie and infinite wisdome And most fully and plainly doth the Apostle Paul speak to this purpose in a few words Rom. 1. 20. saying that the invisible things of God even his eternall power and Godhead from the creation are cleerly seen being understood by the things which are made The consideration of which truth serves first to incite us and also direct us to make a right and profitable use of Gods first act of creation by putting us in mind that it is not enough for us in reading the history of it to think of it only as of some great work and to content our selves with the bare and naked understanding and remembrance of the glorious heavens and Angels thereby created and made but that we all ought by meditating upon the excellency and absolute perfection of that first worke above the rest which followed to be lifted up unto that further meditation of the omnipotencie and infinite wisdome of God and of his power and ability to doe all things and to bring into perfect being any most excellent worke at
death is seventy sevens of yeares Daniel 9. that is 490. yeares all which make 3960. yeares from the creation Now from Christs death which was in the 33. yeare of his age or 33. after his birth it is in this present yeare 1623. the full number of 1590. yeares which being added to 3960. before Christs death make from the creation 5550. yeares Now this computation of yeares together with the clearing of the former question may serve First to discover unto us divers waies the admirable providence of God in that he doth so order all things that the time of the incarnation of Christ the second Adam should fall in the same moneth with the creation of the first Adam and the day of redemption from sinne and death should be the same day of the week and of the moneth with the day of Adams falling into sin and bringing all mankind into bondage to hell and death And that in the holy Scriptures which were written by holy men of God in severall ages the true computation of times and yeares should be put upon record and reserved and kept safe through all ages untill this day in the midst of so many dangers and among so many alterations and changes which have happened in the world Surely he who is so provident in ordering the circumstance of times and preserving the records of them even his holy Oracles when the Nation of Jewes to whom they were committed in trust is cast off and scattered over all the earth will much more keep his promises and fulfill all prophecies and predictions every one in the set time and season which he hath appointed Secondly this exact record of times and of the very moneth of the creation and of the redemption serves to confirme us in the verity and truth of those things which are written concerning the beginning and creation of the world and the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ comming in the exact fulnesse of time to redeem the world according to Gods promises when severall witnesses or writers who never conferred nor consulted one with another doe agree in their relations not only in the maine matters but in the circumstances of time also no man can have any least pretence or colour of doubting And thus doe the writers of the holy Scriptures who lived in severall ages they exactly agree in the histories of creation and redemption even to the circumstances of times the very daies and moneths wherein they were performed And therefore let us firmly beleeve them and rest on the truth of them for we have sure grounds of beleeving but not any pretence or colour of doubting Thirdly hereby it is made manifest that the world being created in time and onely so long ago as is before shewed was made onely for us and for our benefit who live under time and not for the eternall God to adde any good or any blessednesse to him who was all-sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity and both could and would have made the world millions of yeares before if it might have been profitable to himselfe Wherefore let us hereby be stirred up to use the world as a gift and as talents given to us by God to be well imployed and study to honour him by all worldly things created Fourthly hereby we may justly be moved to admire the eternity of God when we see the whole time of the world to be but 5550. yeares which are before him but as 5. daies and an halfe For a thousand yeares with him are but as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. Wherefore as holy David when hee compared Gods eternity with the temporary being of the heavens and the earth and their inclining to decay and changes like a vesture and wearing garment did admire Gods infinite and eternall Majesty So let us all be after the same manner affected with reverence of God and admiration of his eternity when we compare the ages of the world even the longest of them the thousands of yeares since the creation to be but as so many daies with the Lord who liveth and abideth the same for ever The fourth thing in this Text is the object and effect of Gods first worke of creation to wit the heavens and the earth First the Heavens come to be considered together with the creatures here comprehended under that name and that these things may more plainly appeare to our understanding we must first search and sift out the true sense and signification of the word Heaven in this Text and then come to the instructions which doe thence naturally arise The name by which it hath pleased the Spirit of God in this place to call the Heavens is in the Originall Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamajim concerning the signification and Etymologie whereof the learned much differ among themselves Some make it a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth there and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth waters because above in the aire which is the lowest and nearest heaven and in the clouds water is engendered and in showres distills from thence Some compound it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is fire and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waters because the heavens seem to be made of both the Sun Moon and Starres resemble fire and the rest of the heavens resemble calme and still waters Some derive this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies astonishment because if a man doe stedfastly behold and consider either the glory or the wonderfull height and compasse of the heavens they are things which will dazle his eyes and make his heart astonished But the best derivation of the word which is grounded upon the best reasons is that which some late Writers have observed to wit that it is derived of the simple Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth there and is never used but when we speake of being in a place which is remote and distant from us For as the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies the place present so this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies a place remote and distant from us and the being of things there in that place Now the heavens are the utmost and most remote place from the earth which is set in the middle and about the center of the round world and upon which men doe live in this world Therefore this derivation doth agree very aptly to the heavens Secondly of a place which is most excellent wee are wont to say There there is the best being and in a kind of vehement and affectionate speech we use to double the word And heaven is the most excellent place and therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of the duall number and signifies as much as There there or there double is most fitly derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there Thirdly the heavens are divided most properly into two heavens
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
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
this shewes the infinite power and omnipotency of God that he can make the most excellent immortall and glorious creatures greatest in power and strength meerly out of nothing by his owne hand immediately The wisest and most able and skilfull Artificers and Master-workmen in all the world and among all the sons of men doe stand in need of divers helps and instruments for the effecting and perfecting of any good worke and without them he can doe little or nothing He must have servants and inferiour workmen under him he must have good tooles and instruments fitted for his hand and he must have also good materials to worke upon for he can frame and make no good worke out of course stuffe and base metalls But lo here an admirable Artificer and Work-master before whom all the art and skill of all creatures is as vanity and nothing The Lord God the Creatour and Former of all things he alone hath made all the world and he hath not onely made his owne materials out of which he framed this great fabrick of the visible world and all this without any instruments or working-tooles but also hee hath made in a moment in the first beginning together with the glorious highest heavens the Palace and Throne of his glorious and infinite Majesty the most glorious and excellent of all his creatures the Angels and that out of nothing which are great in power wonderfull in strength and admirable in swiftnesse immortall spirits able to destroy a whole army of men in a night and to overturne kingdomes and cities in one day at whose sight and presence valiant Gideon a mighty man of warre and the great Captaine of Israel was so affraid and astonished that he cried Aha Lord God I shall die Zachary an holy Priest was stricken dumbe for a time And the hardy Roman souldiers which watched Christs sepulchre were astonished and became as dead men Who therefore can sufficiently admire this mighty Creatour What heart is able to conceive or tongue to expresse his wisdome power and omnipotency Let us in silence adore him and tremble and feare before him not with servile and slavish horrour but with holy feare and reverence Let us flee to him for all help succour and strength in all distresses for supply of all our wants for guidance and direction in all our waies If we be assured of his favour and that he is with us and on our side and that we stand for his cause let us not care who be against us nor feare what men and Divels can doe unto us If we want meanes and instruments let vs not be dismayed for he can worke without them If we want necessary matter he can make it or worke without it and bring things most excellent out of nothing For this very end the Lord hath shewed himselfe and his divine power in the creation and by the creatures that we might know and acknowledge love and honour serve and worship him and upon all occasions give him the glory due to his name and tell the people what great and wonderfull things he hath done and how by his owne arme and power he hath brought great and strange things to passe Secondly this Doctrine serves to discover the errour and falshood of divers opinions published and maintained by men of learning As first that of Origen Basil and other Greek fathers who dreamed that the Angels were created many ages before the corporeall and visible world 2. And that held by some others That they were created after the creation of Adam 3. That the creation of Angels is not mentioned by Moses in the history of the creation but the time thereof is altogether concealed which is the opinion of Pererius and of some Fathers and Schoolmen 4. That opinion of some Ancients who held That God by the ministery of Angels created this visible world This Doctrine proves them all to be vaine dreames and fictions in that it shewes plainly by plaine testimonies and solid arguments out of Gods holy Word that the Angels were created in and with the highest heavens neither before nor after them and are the inhabitants and host of those heavens mentioned Gen. 2. 1. and that expresly by Moses 5. Also for that opinion of the Popish Schoolmen and of their Master Aristotle who hold that Angels move the spheres of the visible heavens and guide the severall motions of the Sun Moon and Starres it is in no case to be allowed For as the Scriptures doe expresly ascribe the creation of all things to God alone and to his eternall Word and Spirit and never mention Angels as creators working with God in the creation but as creatures first made in and with the highest heavens and rejoycing at Gods founding of the earth So they affirme that in God all things move and have their being and he gives the law and rule of motion to the Sun Moon and Starres guides them by his hand causeth them to rise and set and brings forth all their host by number Isa. 40. 26. and 45. 12. And this Doctrine which teacheth us that the Angels were made to dwell in the highest heavens and there they have their residence not in the spheres of the visible heavens it overthrowes all such conceipts makes them vanish like smoak and drives them away like chaffe before the wind Wherefore let us all acknowledge that as God created Angels of nothing by himselfe alone and did give motion to the heavens so without help of Angels he doth continue the same motion and did create all other inferiour things Let us take heed that we give not Gods glory to any other but let us confesse that all thankes for all blessings are due to him in him things live move and have their being and he turneth about the spheres of heaven by his counsels that they may doe whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth Job 37. 12. From the use of this Doctrine I proceed to the Conclusions which necessarily flow from it 1. Corollary or Conclusion The first is That Angels by creation and in their nature and substance are the first and chiefest of all Gods creatures far more excellent then man in his best naturall being in the state of innocency this Doctrine floweth necessarily from the former For first God in wisdome hath made all things the best and chiefest of creatures for the best places and inferiour creatures for inferiour pâ—aces as we see by experience in all things visible And therefore undoubtedly the Angels which were created to be the naturall inhabitants of the highest and best place must needs be the chiefest creatures and the most excellent in nature and substance Secondly those creatures which God framed in the creation to dwell nearest to his glorious presence even with his heavenly Majesty and to stand before his Throne in the heaven of heavens must needs be in their nature and substance most excellent and farre
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
man lost by sin even heavenly glory and immortality yet all this profits nothing without the work of the Spirit Christ with all his sufferings and obedience unto death and all his righteousnesse and fullfilling of the law are as a Fountaine sealed up and treasures hid and locked up in darknesse so that none can partake of him or them for redemption and salvation without communion of the holy Ghost which God in our regeneration doth shed on us aboundantly through Christ. This Spirit dwelling in Christ and the faithfull makes them one mysticall body with Christ sons and heires of God makes his satisfaction their ransome for actuall redemption and reconciliation and his righteousnes their righteousnes for justification This Spirit also doth renue them after the image of God and transformes them into the image of Christ in all holinesse that they may bee fit to see and enjoy God and thus hee brings them to the fruition of perfect blessednesse and to the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which never fadeth And Gods blessings are through Christs mediation poured out upon all creatures for their sakes And hereupon it is that all gifts and graces which tend to make men perfect and unchangably blessed are ascribed to the Spirit as wisedome knowledge faith hope love meekenesse patience courage strength prayer and in a word all holinesse and perfection and whensoever God is said to give any of these gifts to men in an effectuall and saving manner and measure hee is said to give them the Spirit of grace wisedome zeale and supplication as appeares Isa. 11. 2. Zach. 12. 10. Yea common illumination and all extraordinary supernaturall gifts which are given to unregenerate reprobates for the revealing of Christ as the gift of prophecie to Balaam and Saul and the change of heart in Saul from cowardly pusillanimity to fortitude and magnanimity the gift of miracles to Iudas also illumination tast of the heavenly gift joy in the holy Word of God given to backsliders Heb. 6. are the worke of the holy Ghost assisting them and inspiring them from without for the Churches good not inwardly dwelling and working in them for their owne salvation Wherefore let us count it no reproach that wee have no hope of being in an happy and blessed estate no assurance that wee are in the way to perfection till wee feele the Spirit of God dwelling and working in us moving our hearts and conforming us to the image of Christ and that wee rejoyce in this and this is our glorying that wee are not carnall but spirituall They who think it enough for the obtaining of perfection and salvation to know beleeve and professe that in Christ there is as sufficient matter of satisfaction for the redeeming of all mankind as there was in the rude masse without forme matter enough for the whole visible World and all creatures therein doe much deceive themselves for many who know and beleeve all this doe perish and none are saved or perfected by Christ but onely they who are by the Spirit dwelling in them united to Christ and regenerated and renued after his image This Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance and witnesseth to us our adoption hee makes us new creatures and a free willing people hee sanctifieth us to bee an holy Temple for himselfe to dwell in purgeth out sinfull corruption mortifieth the deeds of the flesh so that sin cannot reigne in our mortall bodies There is one thing more which I may not passe over here in silence to wit that this text doth prove plainely that the Spirit of God the third person in the Trinity is one and the same God with the Father and the Son of the same uncreated nature and substance the almighty Creatour and Preserver of all things in heaven and in earth visible and invisible To sustaine a rude matter without forme and void and to make it subsist is a worke of power farre above the power of any thing created and to compasse and comprehend the whole matter and masse of the visible World and to assist and cherish by present vertue every part thereof at once is a strong argument and plaine proofe of divine and infinite power and omnipotency proper to Iehovah the one onely true God and all this is here testified of the Spirit of God in these words and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters that is as the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Merachepheth and here used in the originall signifieth did sit upon and cherish that mightie masse as an Hen doth sit upon and cherish her egges that they may bee formed into chickens Therefore the Spirit of God is here proved to bee one and the same God with the Father and the Son and the almighty Creatour former and preserver of the whole World and all things therein To which purpose the Scriptures also speake fully in other places where the heavens and the host of them are said to bee made by the Word and Spirit of God as Psalme 33. 6. and that when God sends out his Spirit things are created as Psalme 104. 30. and that God by his Spirit garnished the heavens Iob 26. 13. and that hee is present by his preserving and sustaining power in all places Psalme 139. 7. which places prove the Spirit of God to bee Iehovah the Creatour and Former of all things and the true God in whom wee all live move and have our being This point which I have proved and confirmed by many other strong arguments already in my discourse of the Trinitie as it discovers the desperate malice impudency and Atheisme of the Remonstrants the Disciples of Socinus and Arminius who call into question the Deitie of the holy Ghost and his unitie with the Father and the Son and his right to bee prayed unto and worshipped with Divine worship so it is of singular comfort to the faithfull whose bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost in that it assures them that God is their portion and dwells in them and they are begotten of his seed in regeneration and are partakers of the Divine nature and heaven is their inheritance CHAP. VI. Of the first dayes worke What the light was What it is God said Let there be light How be called the light day and the darkenesse night Of a day naturall and civill That the night was before the day How a day was before the Sunne was Prerogatives of the first day VErs 3 4 5. And God said Let there be light and there was light And God saw the light that it was good And God divided the light from the darknesse And God called the light day and the darknesse hee called night and the evening and the morning were the first day After that darknesse had continued upon the face of the deep and the whole matter of this inferiour World had remained full of darknesse for the space of one night God by his powerfull Word created Light the first
our perfection and happinesse in the sight and knowledge of him Fourthly we may hence observe divers singular prerogatives of the first day which is now by the resurrection of Christ the Lords holy day and the Sabbath of all true Christians That by many speciall prerogatives God did in the creation foreshew his eternall counsell and purpose to make this day his holy day in the dayes of Christ and in the time of the Gospell under the Kingdome of grace 1. This is the first fruits of all time 2. In it was created the glorious frame of the heavens and the first light of the visible World 3. In this day God first shewed by his eternall Word the Son his eternall counsell and purpose and by his Word and Spirit began to bring his purposes to passe and produce things into being 4. In this day darknesse and light were so separated and divided that while the night lasted there was no day in all the inferiour World and while it was day there was no night over all the face of the earth the deep but light in all the World which was then created and brought into forme and perfect being 5. In this day God first shewed his approbation and his pleasure that he approved for good the things which by his eternall Word the Son he did forme and bring into being Therefore without doubt most fit to bee the day of the Lord Christ and sanctified and kept holy to the honour and glory of him who is the first borne of God and the first fruits of them that sleep and the light of the World and in whom God sheweth his counsell and is in him well pleased and by him turnes night into day and brings light out of darknesse and brings us to eternall rest in the highest heavens which were created in the beginning of the first day CHAP. VII The second dayes worke Of the skie and things now created All made by the power of God in Christ. The use of the firmament How called heaven All was created wisely and orderly Vse ANd God said Let there bee a Firmament in the midst of the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters 7. And God made the Firmament and divided the waters which were under the Firmament from the waters which were above the Firmament and it was so 8. And God called the Firmament heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day In these words wee have abriefe historie of the second dayes worke in the creation of the World wherein wee are to consider these five things 1. The thing created 2. The creation and bringing of it into being 3. The use of it 4. The name which God gave unto it 5. How by this worke there came in an evening and a morning which where the second day First for the thing created it is in the originall text called by a generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may signifie any thing which is spread abroad or stretched farre and wide according to the etymologie of it For the Hebrew verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which it is derived in all Scriptures wheresoever it is used doth signifie the act of spreading any thing abroad stretching it out and laying it wide-open to view as Exod. 39. 3. Numb 16 38. and Ier. 10. 9 it signifies beating out of gold silver or brasse into thinne broad plates that is spreading them broad by violent beating Exod. 40. 19 It is used to signifie the spreading abroad of the tent over the Tabernacle Psalme 139. 6. and Isa. 42. 5. and 44. 24. It is used to signifie the stretching out of the earth above the waters farre and wide Iob 37. 18. it signifies the spreading out of the skie and of the thinne cloudes and 2 Sam. 22. 43. it is used to signifie spreading abroad as a man spreads clay by stamping it with his feet and by a Metonymic of the effect it is used to signifie stamping with the feet as men stamp clay and spread it abroad Ezech. 6. 11. and 25. 6. These are the places of Scriptures in which onely that word is used So then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived of it must needs signifie a thing which is stretched out like a tent or canopie or spread abroad as plates of gold and silver are by beating and clay by stamping The Greeke Septuagints transiate this Word every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing which though it bee farre stretched out yet it is so surely established that it abides still in the place which God hath appointed for it And the vulgar Latine with divers later translaters following the Greeke Septuagints translate it Firmamentum the firmament that is a thing firmely set and established in a place which cannot from thence bee driven out and leave the place empty And although this word may according to the notation of it signifie any thing stretched out or spread abroad or laid wide open and is once onely used to signifie broad plates of brasse beaten out for a covering and that in the plurall number Num. 16. 38. yet in all other places of Scripture it is used in the singular number for the skie which God hath from the beginning stretched out over the globe of the Earth and the Sea as here in this Chapter and Psalme 19. 1. and 150. 1. and Dan. 12. 3. and Ezech. 1. 22. and 10. 1. Now what this skie or firmament is that is a great question among the learned Divers of the Ancients as Basil Ambrose Beda and others doe by this firmament understand the starry heavens First because it is said in the 8. verse that God called this firmament heaven Secondly because it is said that when God made the Sun Moone Starres hee set them in the firmament of heaven vers 17. Thirdly because they doe imagine that there is a watery heaven above the starry heaven which consists of water congealed like to Cristall and doth temper the heat of the Sun Moone and Stars and out of this heaven they conceive that God poured the waters which drowned the old World because it is said Gen. 7. 11. that the windowes of heaven were opened and God rained on the earth But others doe hold that by the firmament here is meant the whole heavens that is both the first heavens the spacious regions of the aire and also the middle that is the firie and starry heavens and the third that is the highest heavens First because it is said that God called the firmament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven and this word is used in the Scriptures to signifie all these three heavens And as the highest heaven is called by this name Psalme 11. 4. the Lords throne is in heaven and Psalme 148. where it is said Praise Him O heaven of heavens So the middle and starry heavens as Gen. 22. 17. where wee read of the Starres of heaven and also
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
be good and gracious and to make us know him so great and glorious a God as he is In the second place for the wordes themselves they are plaine and easie to be understood at the first hearing without any laborious interpretation They run thus in the Hebrew All which the Lord pleaseth he hath done in Heaven Earth Sea and all deepe places This word all shewes that he speakes not of some particular workes but of all in that kind The word Jehovah is the proper name of God considered in the unity of his essence with all his essentiall Attributes and every one of the 3. Persons is called by this name as they are of the same essence and all one God The enumeration of all the notable places in the world wherein these workes are done discovers the workes which he here speakes off to be outward workes which doe not abide in Gods essence and there onely subsist as his eternall counsell decrees and inward operations do but are done in time and place and have their subsistance in and among the creatures such as are creating ruling ordering upholding of all things and also redeeming and restoring of all man-kinde The word pleaseth limits the generall note or particle all unto all workes which in themselves are good or else serve for good use and so are pleasing to the Lord for the use sake Hee doth not say that the Lord doth all things which are done but all things which he pleaseth that is he doth not make men sinnefull and wicked neither doth he worke rebellion in men which is displeasing unto him but he doth whatsoever is pleasing that is all things which are agreeable to his nature And whatsoever is according to his will and good pleasure that he doth none can hinder it This is the true sense and meaning of the wordes Now from the text thus opened and the circumstances observed wee may gather a perfect description of them in generall shewing the nature and use of them The description of Gods outward Workes The outward workes of God in generall are all things whatsoever the Lord God Jehovah that one infinite and eternall God 3. Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost doth according to his eternall purpose and after the counsell and good pleasure of his will work and bring to passe not within but without himselfe in all the world and upon all creatures therein and that certainely and irresistably in due time and place to the communicating and making of himself known to men and Angels in his infinite and eternall nature and in his goodnesse grace glory power and all other essentiall properties for the salvation and eternall blessednes of his elect in Christ. This description truely gathered from this Text and the scope and order of it and discovering plainely the nature and use of Gods outward workes in generall I will proove in every part and branch orderly and will conclude with some application The first thing in it is the generall matter of Gods externall workes they are things done that is not onely actions working and operations such as Creation Redemption and the like but also things or works made effâ—cted and done by those actions as Heaven Earth Angels and other things created For all these are things done and wrought by God This Branch is plainly expressed in this word of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath done or doth or hath made for the Hebrew word signifies all these And that Gods outward worlâ—s consist in doing and are things not spoken or promised but done and wrought Divers testimonies of Scripture doe shew Psal. 44. 1. David cals them workes which he hath done And Isa. 28. 21. The Prophet saith that the Lord doth his worke his strange worke And not to stand in repeating many Scriptures in a point so plaine This is one word is sufficient that the two Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are used in the Scriptures to signifie Gods outward works are both derived of verbs which signifie doing The second branch in this description comprehends in it the Author of these works to wit the Lord God Jehovah that one infinite eternall God and three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost This Branch doth distinguish these workes First from the workes of creatures which are proper to them Secondly from the personall operations of God as the eternall begetting of the Sonne which is proper to the Father and is his worke onely That God considered in the unity of his essence as he comprehends all the three Persons is the Authour of these workes and that they are common to the Father Son and Holy Ghost and every one of them hath an hand in every work of this kind though one more immediately than another The word Jehovah here used in the Text doth plainly shew where it is said Whatsoever Jehovah pleased or was willing to do that he hath done which word is so proper to God and signifies One God that it also agrees to every person in that one God And this is also confirmed by divers other testimonies of Gods word which shew that in divers of these outward actions or workes the Father workes by the Sonne and the Sonne by the Father with and by the Spirit The first great work of this kind even the work of Creation which sometimes is attributed to the Father as more peculiar to him because terminatur in Patrâ— as the Schoolemen speak that is it is bounded and termined in the Father and he is principium summus terminus creationis the first beginning and utmost bound of creation from whom it first proceeded even this is attributed to the Sonne and Spirit also as being common to all the Persons as Psal. 33. 6. By the word of the Lord that is the Sonne were the Heavens made and all the host of them by the Spirit of his mouth 'To which adde Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God made me John 1. 3 10. Colos. 1. 16. where it is said that by the eternall word the Sonne all things were made both in Heaven and Earth visible and invisible and without him was made nothing of all that was made So likewise in that outward worke of Judgement executed on Sodome and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah is said to raine downe from Jehovah out of Heaven fire and brimstone that is Jehovah the Son from Jehovah the Father who are both one and the same God Jehovah yea that these externall workes of God are not divided some to one Person and some to another in the Trinity but are common to all the Persons and proceed from that one common essence according to that saying of the School-men opera Trinitatis ad extra suns indivisa Our Saviour sheweth most plainly Ioh. 5. 19 22. where he saith that as the Sonne cannot worke of himselfe alone without the Father but he must have and see the Father working with him so the Father doth not
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
labour and motion nor from idlenesse to businesse nor from strength to faintnesse or wearinesse nor from perfect to more perfect neither was any good added to him by the creation For as Saint James saith though every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh downe from God the Father of lights yet with him there is no variablenesse or shadow of change Jam. 1. 17. And Isa. 40. 20. Hast thou not knowne saith the Prophet hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his wisdome he giveth power to the faint c. Yea it were against all reason to thinke that God could be weary or faint in the creation in which he gave not onely all strength but also being to all things And seeing in the creation God did nothing but what hee willed and purposed so to doe and then to doe when he purposed and as he had willed to doe and seeing hee was infinite and all sufficient and most blessed in himselfe from all eternity if creation could not adde any perfection to him or any glory it onely revealed his glory upon others and communicated his goodnesse to them without change in himselfe or addition to his essence If any object and say that God by creation became Lord and Possessour of all creatures which being good were pleasant to him and therefore something was added to him even Lordship Dominion and Delight I answer that God in himselfe and before his owne eyes had all things actually present to him from all eternity and as sole Lord did possesse them before they had any being in themselves and therefore the addition in the creation was not to him but to the things created to which hee gave being and when hee created things in time according to his eternall purpose he received nothing to himselfe but gave to all things their being and their goodnesse 4. The fourth particular wherein the forme and manner of creation doth consist is this That things were created and brought into perfect being without any delay at all even in a moment of time and that creation is not a successive forming of things by alteration and change which requires some tract of time but a making of them perfect in a moment and bringing of them at once into perfect being This is intimated in this Chapter where wee reade that Gods creating was but this Hee said Let things be and they were that is hee made them in a moment as it were by a word and so quickly and readily as a word is spoken To which adde the testimony of David Psal. 33. 9. God spake and the eâ—rth was made he commanded and it stood fast And Psal. 148. 5. where hee saith of the heavens and of the Heaven of heavens and the Sun Moon and Starres that God commanded and they were created And indeed this is manifest by reason drawne from the nature of creation which is a making of things out of nothing and giving a forme and being which was not even in things which were made of matter before created as wee see in the foure Elements and in things brought out of them there was something even the substantiall forme of them made immediately of nothing now between the being of something and nothing there is no medium or intermiddle state therefore every thing created was created in an instant though many in a day and divers kinds one after another and not altogether in the same moment The eight and last thing in the description is the end of the creation to wit Gods revealing himselfe and communicating his glory throughout all ages of the world and for ever This is confirmed divers waies in holy Scripture First by testimonies which affirme that for God and his glory all things were made that is for the revelation and communion of God and his glory Pro. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himselfe even the wicked for the day of wrath And Isa. 43. 7. I have called him for my glory And Ver 21. This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise And Rom. 11. 36. For of him and by him and to him are all things Secondly by testimonies which shew that in the event creation doth turne to Gods glory for the revealing of him to the comfort of his Saints as Psal. 8. 1. and 19. 1 2. where it is said that the beholding of the creation makes Gods Name excellent And the Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-worke For certainly that which in time proves to bee the end that God propounded as an end before all times for hee is infinite in wisdome and providence Thirdly the holy men of God moved by Gods Spirit exhort all people to praise God for his workes of creation and pray that they may apply them to that end as Psal. 145. 10. Let all thy workes praise thee O Lord. And Psal. 148. 5. Let them praise the Name of the Lord for hee commanded and they were created Thus much for the confirmation of the description and every point of doctrine therein contained I come to the use First this doctrine serves for direction and instruction divers waies in that it shewes God to bee the author of creation and creation to be his outward worke and all things to be made by him Hereby first it leads us in a ready way to come to the knowledge of Gods wisdome power goodnesse and such like excellent attributes even by directing us to behold God in them and to discerne his eternall power and Godhead that hee is not like the Idols and false gods of the Heathen but a God of eternity before all things and all times because hee is the Creatour of them all And that whatsoever excellency is in any creature it is in God above all measure And therefore when wee see the mighty masse of the world let us thinke how great is hee which made this of nothing When we see the glory of the Sun Moon and Starres and of the whole Heavens let us thinke how glorious is hee who made this glory When wee discerne the goodnesse sweetnesse power and vertue which is in things created let us conceive that all these are without measure in God and in all excellency Secondly by this consideration it teacheth us that God onely is the true Lord and Possessour of heaven and earth worthy to be honoured served and worshipped of all and to be sought unto by praier and that all thankes are to bee given to him for all good things that hee hath right and power to dispose all things at his pleasure to whom hee will and that wee ought not to murmure at his disposing neither hath any man right to any thing but by his gift and his permission Secondly this Doctrine serves for confutation 1. Of Philosophers who held that the World was not
created in time but was from eternity or that it was created of a matter which was uncreated and had a being before the creation even without beginning 2. Of those doting Jewes and others who held that the inferiour visible world was created by the ministerie of Angels 3. Of Heretikes who denied God the Father of Christ preached in the Gospel to be the Creatour of the World and feigned another God Creatour inferiour to him 4. Of the Papists who teach that there be other Creatours besides God even that every Masse-Priest can create of Bread and Wine the true bodie and bloud of the Lord Christ our Creatour and Redeemer yea that same body which is already which was made of a woman borne â—nd crucified and is glorified at Gods right hand in heaven a strange contradiction and horrible blasphemy which God abâ—orres as a thing impossible For nothing can be made that which it is already nor receive that being which it hath before-hand 5. Of Atheists and Mockers who deny God and scoffe at the last resurrection and at the ending of this World in the last day all which are manifestly proved by the creation Lastly of all Idolaters who esteem and worship that for God their Creatour which is but the image of a creature and in nature and forme far inferiour to the least creature formed by God Thirdly it serves for reprehension and just reproofe First of them who thinke that God can be worshipped and pleased by mens giving of outward things to him immediately for his owne use as gold silver meat drinke clothes and curious ornaments all which God rejecteth as things unusefull for him upon this very ground and for this reason because hee created the whole World and all things therein are his owne already Psal. 50. and Act. 17. 25. Secondly of them who fret and grudge and too much repine and grieve for the overthrow and destruction of Kingdomes Countries Nations Cities Men or Beasts which God at his pleasure and in his justice doth destroy for mens sins and over-turne withall their glory and being Who is he that in such a case dare mutter against God For hee may doe with his owne what he pleaseth if they offend him he may destroy them and magnifie his justice and glorifie his power in their destruction and he can repaire them at his pleasure Lastly here is for all that trust in God love and serve him plentifull matter of comfort against poverty and all calamities and persecuting enemies No poverty ought to pinch or vexe them for God their portion is more worth then all the world all riches and other things are but the worke of his hands and he can give them when hee will and will give what hee in his wisedome knowes to be necessary and profitable All strength is of him and he can weaken all enemies in a moment so that if he be for us none can stand against us hee can raise sweet out of bitternesse Thus much for creation in generall CHAP. II. Of the creature in generall Names of the creature expounded to shew their nature Instructions concerning the creatures Five Uses made thereof BEfore I passe to the speciall acts or branches of Creation I hold it fit to insist upon the creature in generall which comprehends under it every speciall kind of thing created by any act of creation This History of the Creation though not in any one word yet in one sentence doth expresse the creature in generall that is the whole frame and collection of all things created Chapt. 2. 1. in these words Thus were the heavens and the earth finished and all the host of them or all their furniture that is whatsoever is in them rightly ordered and disposed like an Army well marshalled so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie And other Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament doe oftentimes in one word propound to us the generall consideration of all joyntly together I will therefore first speake of the creature in generall as it comprehends in it the heavens and the earth and all things in them and that in such words and phrases as Gods Spirit in this and other Scriptures is pleased to use for our instruction and for the help and illumination of our weake understandings And in this generall description I will first consider the words and phrases by which the creature in generall is called and will shew what they doe import in their signification Secondly I will from thence and other Scriptures note such instructions as may direct us to the knowledge of the creature in generall And lastly will make some use and application fit and convenient The first name by which the creature in generall is called in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an universality or perfect comprehension of all things By this name the whole universality of things created is called Pro. 16. 4. where it is said that the Lord hath made all things for himselfe not so much as the wicked man is excepted who is made for the day of evill Also Isa. 44. 24. the Lord saith I am Jehovah that maketh all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answerable to this are the Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Greeke Philosophers to signifie the whole universall world or the universality of all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly used in the New Testament where there is mention made of the creation and the creature in generall as John 1. 3. By him were all things made And Rom. 11. ult Of him and by him and for him are all things And Colos. 1. 16. and Revel 4. 11. But yet as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 27. speaking of Gods putting all things in subjection under Christ saith that hee must be excepted who hath put all things under him so here though the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe signifie an universality and comprehension of all things yet it is manifest by the word joyned with them that God the Creatour who is said to make and create them is excepted and all other things besides him are included Another name by which the Spirit calls the universality of creatures is the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is alwaies used by Septuagints in their translation of the Old Testament to expresse it By this name the creature in generall is called Heb. 1. 2. and 11. 3. where it is said that God by his Son made the worlds and that the worlds were framed by the word of God And in the Syriack and Hebrew translations the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to their originall and true notation they all doe signifie not onely an eternall duration and continuance from the first
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
the highest heavens serve for excellent use First to discover the madnesse and folly of all them who either deny the creation of these heavens as Cajetan Augustinus Steuchus and other great Popish Writers have done or doe hold this heaven to be nothing else but God or his glorious Majesty and light shining forth to his creatures These Doctrines prove the contrary and declare all such profane conceits to be doting dreames ever to be abhorred Secondly they shew the admirable free bounty and love of God towards his elect and his eternall fatherly providence in that he hath not onely provided such an excellent habitation for them wherein they may live most happy and blessed for ever but also made it the first of all his creatures and workes If the Lord had first made us and tryed our obedience how we would serve him before he had made and furnished the highest heaven the house of glory men might have imagined that by their own doings they had procured it But lo God hath cut off all such vaine conceits in that he made this first and by so doing sheweth that it is his love and free bounty not our merit it was his providence not our purchase or care for our selves Let us therefore give him the glory and praise of a God wonderfull in goodnesse free grace and providence even from the first foundation of the world creating a place of rest and glory for us Thirdly in that the highest heaven is here discovered to be so high excellent a place so full of glory and light and the proper country of the Saints chosen in Christ this ought as to reprove us make us ashamed of our immoderate love affection to worldly things and of our groveling on the ground like brute beasts and cleaving to the earth like moles and earth-wormes and of our negligence in inquiring after heaven and meditating on this heavenly country so also to stirre us up to the contrary and to direct us how to prepare our selves for it by looking and minding high things and casting off all earthly clogges and workes of darknesse and all uncleannesse and filthinesse and by putting on all holinesse and the armour of light If we were to goe into another country there to spend all our daies we would be carefull to enquire after and learne the nature qualities fashions and language of the country And so let us doe concerning our heavenly country and city which is above Let us enquire after heavenly things fashion our selves to it and because there is our inheritance and our treasures let there our hearts be also Fourthly seeing heaven is so high and so excellent and glorious a place and habitation that man in innocency was neither capable nor worthy of it this serves to magnifie in our eyes the infinite goodnesse and admirable bounty of God who hath given Christ to purchase for us being corrupted and become sinners by Adams fall a more excellent place state and condition then did belong to us in our best naturall being in the state of pure nature This also magnifies the vertue and power of the grace of Christ which hath lifted us up from the valley of darknesse and of the shadow of death and hath advanced us to be heires of a better inheritance then the earthly Paradise even to live and reigne with God in his heavenly Kingdome Fifthly here is matter of singular comfort and of patience and hope in all the afflictions which can befall us here on earth in this vale of misery when men labour and strive and fight for an earthly crowne and in hope of a glorious victory and triumph no danger of death doth daunt or dismay them no pain and griefe of wounds doth discourage them but the crowne of glory which we wrestle for it is incorruptible and never fadeth and the Kingdome for which we suffer is an heavenly Kingdome and an inheritance reserved in the highest heavens which is a place more glorious and excellent then any tongue can expresse or heart of man conceive And therefore let us be stedfast and unmoveable never daunted with any danger nor dismayed with any feare but comfort our selves and possesse our soules in patience knowing and counting that all the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be revealed and our momentany passions shall bring a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory in heaven where a durable substance is stored up for us Let us hence learne to loath and hate also that erroneous opinion which some hold to wit that the highest heaven is not ordained to be the habitation of the Saints after the last judgment but that Christ shall reigne with them here on earth in his bodily presence a fond conceit contrary to the expresse Word of God utterly razed by the former Doctrine CHAP. IV. Of the creation of Angels Their names They had a beginning Reasons and Uses They were all created by the one true God with Uses They were made in the beginning of the world They are Gods first and best creatures with the Use. They were made in heaven and to inhabit heaven Reasons and Uses Seven Corollaries or Conclusions concerning the Angels I Proceed in the next place to the inhabitants or host of the highest heavens the Angels which were by the same Word of God in the beginning created together with them as appeares Chapt. 2. 1. And howbeit they are not here expresly named by Moses yet they are necessarily included in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens as may easily be proved and made manifest by three reasons First the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is demonstrative and shewes that there is an Emphasis in this word and the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisting of the first and last letter of the Alphabet is of generall comprehension and shewes that by these speciall and most glorious heavens he means all whatsoever was created with them and whatsoever was in the creation contained in them even all the glorious Angels Secondly it is a common and usuall thing in the Scriptures for the Spirit of God to signifie by the name of the place both the place and the inhabitants as for example Psal. 147. 12. and Jerem. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine heart And Matth. 23. 37. Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets In these places by Jerusalem is meant not the city only but also the inhabitants And so the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens is used to signifie the Angels which were the created inhabitants of heaven Job 15. 15. where it is said The heavens are not pure in his sight that is the Angels because many of them rebelled and lost their habitation and were stained with sinne And Psal. 89. 6. And the heavens shall declare thy wonders O Lord that is the heavenly host Therefore by analogy of
Scripture the Angels may here be understood Thirdly what is here meant by the heavens Moses himselfe sheweth Chapt. 2. 1. namely the heavens and the host of them that is the Angels for they are the host of the highest heaven and so are called Luke 2. 13. Therefore undoubtedly the Angels are included in the word Heavens So then the creation of the Angels coming now the next in order to be handled I will seeke no further for a Text though there be some more plain and expresse but will ground all my Doctrines concerning the creation and nature of Angels on this word taken in that sense which I have here proved which offers to our consideration five maine and principall points of instruction unto which all other Doctrines may be reduced which concerne their nature and creation and may be as branches comprehended under them First we here learne that Angels had a beginning and were not from all eternity Secondly that God created them and that they were made by that one God and three persons here called Elohim Thirdly that they were created in the beginning as the word Bereshith taken in the most strict sense signifieth the first moment of time Fourthly that they were created by the first simple act of absolute creation that is they were made out of nothing most perfect and glorious creatures in an instant Fifthly that they were made in and with the highest heavens and by the law of creation made to inhabit them as the proper place of their naturall habitation These are the maine and principall points of Doctrine which immediately flow from the words And these especially the last of them doth offer to our consideration divers other particular questions and points of instruction to be handled As first seeing they were created in and with the highest heavens to be the proper inhabitants of them therefore they are of an heavenly nature even pure excellent and glorious spirits such as the nature of the place requires to be suteable inhabitants And here an occasion is offered to seeke out a true description of Angels and to enquire after their wisdome power and such like properties wherein they excell and are like unto God the Creatour bearing his image Secondly hereby are offered to us these points to be handled and these questions to be discussed viz. That the Angels are of a finite nature limitted to their places Also whether they are circumscribed and measured by the place in which they are or rather definitively in it And whether and how they move from place to place and such like Thirdly the most high and large heavens compassing about the whole visible world in and with which they were created to be the host of them doe import that the Angels were created many in number according to the largenesse of the place and that they are innumerable more then mans fraile reason can comprehend Fourthly the highest heaven being their naturall place in which they were created Hence a question ariseth concerning a being in other places How they come to be out of heaven their naturall place and some of them quite banished out of heaven for ever And here their mutability and fall comes to be handled and the distinction of them into good and evill Angels Thus we see in briefe into what a broad field this short Text doth lead us and what large scope it gives us to speake of the Angelicall nature and the heavenly spirits the first and chiefest of the creatures of God That we may better understand these Doctrines I will first consider the name of Angels what it signifies and how we are to take it in this place The name Angell comes of the Greek name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a messenger sent forth from some superiour person or state to deliver a message and to declare the mind of him or them that sent him The Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of an Angell in the Old Testament signifies also a messenger but yet in a more full and large sense For it signifies such a messenger as doth not only deliver and declare a message by word of mouth but also doth act and execute indeed the will of him that sent him and doth performe his worke injoyned as a faithfull minister and servant And hence it is that the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived of it and is used for the office and worke of an Angell signifies in generall any thing which serves for the use and ministery of man And as the signification according to the Etymology is generall and large so the word is used in the Scriptures to signifie any messenger or minister sent forth upon a message or some employment either from God or men Jacobs messengers which he sent unto Esau Genes 32. 3. to worke his peace are called by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels And Num. 20. 14. the messengers which Moses sent from Kadesh unto the King of Edom are so called and in Greeke translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when Gods messengers are thereby signified it hath the name Jehovah or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most commonly added to it As for the first signification we let it passe as a stranger in this place where we are to discourse of heavenly Angels and doe take it in the second signification for the Angels of the Lord. And being so taken it is still doubtfull till it be more particularly distinguished For in this sense it signifies three sorts of Angels as the learned have well observed First of all it signifies that chiefe and principall messenger and ambassadour of God his Son Jesus Christ who was sent forth as God in the forme and shape of an Angell and Messenger to the fathers before his incarnation And as man in â—uâ—nesse of time by incarnation and assuming of mans nature into his person For Gen. 48. 16. by the Angell which delivered Jacob and which he prayeth may blesse the sons of Joseph is meant the Lord Christ. And in all places where the Angell which appeared is called Jehovah or was worshipped God the Son is meant as Exod. 3. and Zach. 3. there by the Angell Christ is meant appearing either like an Angell or in the shape of a man to fore-shew his incarnation So likewise where we reade of the Angell of Gods presence or face as Isa. 63. 9. Or of the Angell of the Covenant as Malac. 3. 1. Or of the Archangell as 1 Thes. 4. 16. Jud. 9. Christ is meant Secondly this word is used to signifie men by divine inspiration called and sent from God upon some speciall message especially the message of salvation as Job 33. 23. Judg. 2. 1. Malac. 2. 1. and 3. 1. and Revel 2. 3. Thirdly this word is most frequently and commonly used to signifie the heavenly spirits created by God to stand about his Throne in heaven to behold his face continually because they are as
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
above man in innocency whose best dwelling was but an earthly Paradise or Garden furnished with fruits which might be eaten up and consumed and such were the Angels as the former Doctrine hath plainly proved Therefore this conclusion necessarily flowes from that Doctrine and is proved and confirmed by it But we have for further confirmation both plaine testimonies and arguments in the holy Scriptures The royall Prophet David being ravished with the contemplation of the supercelestiall glory appearing in the secondary beames thereof which shine in the visible heavens and in the Sun Moon and Starres cries out in admiration and wonders that God dwelling in such admirable glory and having such excellent and glorious company and attendants about him should vouchsafe to look upon man or have any regard of him What is man saith he that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Psal. 8. 4. But in the next words he goeth further and speaks fully to the point and shewes that Christ himselfe according to his humanity though conceived and borne most pure and holy was made lower then the Angels thou hast made him saith he a little or for a little while lower then the Angels that is Christ in the nature of man which he took upon him for so the Apostle expounds these words of David Hebr. 2. 6. And Psal. 103. 20. Yee Angels saith he which excell in power Our Saviour also in the Gospel sheweth plainly that the Angels in heaven are so excellent in nature and substance as the elect Saints glorified shall be after the last resurrection and their most glorious and blessed condition which farre excels Adam in innocency shall be like unto the Ange's Matth. 22. 30. Saint Peter in plaine words saith that Angels are farre greater then men in power and might 2 Pet. 2. 11. Saint Paul calls them Angels of light 2 Corinth 11. 14 and the Angels of Gods power 2 Thes. 1. 7. he numbers them with principalities and powers which farre excell the nature of man Rom. 8. 38. Whensoever he sets forth the greatest excellency of things created greater then in men he doth instance in Angels as 1 Cor. 13. 1. though I speak with tongues of men and Angels And Galat. 1. 8. If I or an Angell from heaven and 4. 14. Ye received me as an Angell of God yea as Christ Jesus In a word whereas man is an earthly creature framed out of dust in respect of his visible part his body Angels are pure heavenly spirituall substances framed immediately out of nothing by the simple and absolute act of creation And whereas mans better part the soule though it be a spirit yet was not created a perfect compleat creature but made to subsist in the body and cannot be in full perfection without it Angels are spirits complete and perfect in themselves without subsistence in any other creature as shall appeare hereafter And therefore Angels are by creation and in nature and substance farre above man in his best naturall estate even in the state of innocency First this shewes most clearly that all the love and favour which God extends to man in Christ and in giving Christ to be mans Saviour and Redeemer by taking mans nature upon him and making full satisfaction therein to justice for him and in saving man from hell and damnation and exalting him to heavenly glory is on Gods part most free and voluntary arising meerly and wholly from the good pleasure of his owne will and not from any merit worth and excellency which he at first created or since found in mans nature If the naturall excellency of any creature could procure Gods speciall favour or deserve his bountie or move him to shew mercy to any creature which hath sinned and by sin is fallen into misery surely the Angelicall nature should have been more respected of God then the nature of man and Angels being fallen should more easily have found mercy at his hand For as this Doctrine hath proved Angels are by creation and in nature and substance the chiefest and most excellent of all Gods creatures far excelling man in power might purity and being And yet when Angels and man were both fallen and found guilty charged with folly and involved in misery God passed by the Angels and shewed no mercy to them neither gave his Son to take upon him the nature of Angels and to be their Saviour and Redeemer but so many of them as sinned and kept not their first estate but left their habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines of darknesse unto the judgement of the great day 2 Pet. 2. Jud. 6. But for man who is of lesse worth and farre inferiour by nature he hath given his Sonne to take mans nature upon him to be incarnate and made flesh and hath sent him forth in the forme of fraile and sinfull flesh made of a woman and made under the Law and hath delivered him up to a cursed death and to hellish agonies pangs and sorrowes that he might redeem this fraile worme of the earth miserable and sinfull man from hell and damnation unto which the Angels which sinned are reserved under darknesse and to exalt him far above the state of innocency in which he was created and his best naturall estate in Paradise unto the high estate of heavenly glory with the elect holy and blessed Angels which is farre above that mutable state of glory in which the Angels were first created and from which so many of them did fali Wherefore let us admire this free grace of God and stand amazed at his wonderfull and supertranscendent bounty to mankind And whatsoever mercy we receive from him in our deliverance from any evill or whatsoever blessing and benefit of bounty and goodnesse in advancing us to this state of grace or glory let us wholly ascribe it to the good pleasure of his owne free will and not to any merit in our selves or any excellency created in our nature And let no man glory in his naturall wit or wisdome and knowledge gotten by learning and study nor boast in his owne strength but as it is written Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord and triumph in this that he knoweth Gods free grace and aboundant mercy in Jesus Christ and hath the sweet taste and experience of it in his owne soule Secondly this serves to magnifie in our eyes both the large measure of Gods bounty to his elect in Christ and also the infinite power and excellency of Christ his mediation and the dignity and worth of his person in which hee hath so dignified our fraile nature by assuming it upon himselfe and uniting it personally to his Godhead that hee hath exalted it farre above the most glorious and excellent state of the Angels in heaven That Angels are the best and chiefest of all Gods creatures by creation and in nature and substance farre more excellent then man in his best naturall estate of
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
have smitten and destroyed thousands of men in a night as 2 Kin. 19. and rejoyce over sinners which repent Fourthly the Scriptures reckon up Angels not among those inspirations motions or affections which proceed from Gods Spirit or any other person or substance but among perfect creatures and spirituall substances which live and move and subsist by themselves and not in another substance and so the Spirit of God speakes of them Psal. 149. 5. and in all the places where they are said to come from heaven to earth and to be sent from God unto men The third point in the definition is That Angels are heavenly spirits that is neither made of any bodily substance nor compounded of any elements or creatures of the visible world but of a pure and heavenly nature made to dwell in the highest heaven as in their proper and naturall place of habitation and there have their continuall residence This is manifestly proved by the former Doctrine and also by those Scriptures which testifie that they alwaies and continually in heaven behold the face of God as Matth. 18. 10. and that they are the heavenly host Luke 2. 13. and Spirits of heaven Zach. 6. 5. And there they encamping are in a moment as ready to defend the righteous and to guard the Church militant on earth and avenge all wrongs done to Gods little ones as if they were here present on earth for in the twinckling of an eye they can descend from heaven to earth and deliver the godly and stay the hand of their enemies and smite them with death as we see by the army of Angels coming from heaven and guarding Elisha so soon as he called upon God 2 Kin. 6. and by the Angell of God which at the praier of Hezekiah destroyed all the army of the Assyrians in one night and at our Saviours praier in his agony appearing presently from heaven and comforting him In a word our Saviour affirmes that spirits have not flesh and bones Luke 24. 39. They cannot be seen with bodily eies nor felt by bodily hands as corporall things may be Therefore Angels being spirits are not corporall nor compounded of bodily elements but are pure and invisible as the Apostle cals them Colos. 1. 16. The fourth point to wit That Angels were created by God in the beginning and God hath given to them their being is aboundantly proved in divers Doctrines before I need not say any more of it The fifth point is That Angels were created in the image of God and doe in many respects resemble God more then any other creatures First in their very substance and naturall being for as God is a spirit so they are spirits yea pure spirits and in that respect resemble God more then any other creatures Secondly as God is absolutely pure and simple so they are more pure and simple then any other creatures and have no corporall or visible substance in them Thirdly as God is the living God and even life it selfe and as he is infinite in wisdome knowledge goodnesse and power and doth all things freely of himselfe according to the good pleasure of his owne will also is in and of himselfe most glorious and blessed for ever and with him is no variablenesse or shadow of turning so Angels are most quick active and lively spirits the most excellent of all Gods creatures in wisdome knowledge and liberty of will and in all goodnesse and good will towards men they are also great in power and excell in strength Psal. 103. 20. and are called the blessed and glorious Angels of light heaven the place of blisse is their habitation And as they are incorporeall spirits which cannot be dissolved and die as men doe when their soules are separated from their bodies and the whole person is dissolved so and in that respect they are immortall do more resemble God who only hath immortality then any other creatures doe by nature All these things to wit the lively strength activity knowledge wisdome free-will glory power and blessed estate of Angels wherein they were created the Scriptures doe most clearly testifie and declare where they affirme that the Angels doe see Gods face who is all in all and that they look into all the mysteries know the manifold wisdome of God concerning the salvation of the Church 1 Pet. 1. 12. and Ephes. 3. 10. and have great joy in heaven over sinners which repent and doe relate great and mighty workes done by Angels most readily and speedily without delay The sixth point is That Angels are distinct and different among themselves and one from another by a proper and particular existence and being this I have fully proved in the second branch The last is That Angels are finite in their nature and number and have their bounds and limits and also are by nature mutable such as might fall from the first estate wherein they were created That Angels are in nature finite and cannot be in divers places or in all places at once is most plaine both by this that they are said to be Gods heavenly host and Angels in heaven that is who are confined to heaven for the proper place of their dwelling and when they are here on earth are said to be descended from heaven Matth. 28. 2. and to be here and not there That though they are many and more then man can number and in that respect are called innumerable yet that their number is limited and that God knowes the number of them cals them by their names and brings them out by number the Prophet testifieth Isa. 40. 26. That Angels are mutable by nature subject to fall from the state wherein they were created the Scriptures doe testifie where they make this Gods property that hee onely changeth not Malach. 3. 6. And with him is no variablenesse Iam. 1. 17. And where it is testified that God hath charged the Angels with folly Iob 4 18. And many of the Angels did not keep their first estate but left their habitation and by sinning did fall from Heaven and are cast downe to Hell and delivered into chaines of darknesse 2 Pet. 2. 4. and Iude 6. And that onely the elect Angels are made holy and immutably blessed by the light which God hath added to them Iob 4. 18. Thus much for the definition of Angels 3. Corollary The third Corollary is That the bodily shapes of men and other creatures in which Angels have appeared were no parts of their nature and substance neither were essentially united unto them but were onely assumed for the present time and occasion that thereby they might make fraile men see more evidently and acknowledge their presence and their actions For the heaven of heavens is not the place of grosse earthly bodies and therefore Angels being naturall inhabitants of heaven have no such bodies personally united they onely did for a time assume the bodies in which they appeared and performed some
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
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
day or the first day I answere that Gods day which is most truly and properly so called is the time of light and in it their is no night or darknesse For God speakes of a naturall day distinct from the night but Moses speakes of a civill day which comprehends in it the space of 24. houres in which the Sun runnes round about the World with the heavens which day includes in it a day and a night and here observe that Gods day is all light and mans day is mixt of light and darknesse Thirdly it may asked whether the night or the day went before in the first day of the creation The Answer is that the night or time of darknesse was first and it is likely that darknesse did over-spread the face of the deep the space of a night that is 12. houres before God formed the light and setled the visible heavens in their place and that after the light was created it did shine forth for the space of 12. houres more before God went about to make the firmament which was the second dayes work and so the first day of the World was of the same length with all other civill or Astronomicall dayes that is 24 houres divided equally between light and darknesse The words of the text shew that darknesse overspread all the masse of the inferiour World for a time before the light was formed Also in naming the six dayes of the creation the evening that is the time of darknesse is rehearsed first before the morning which is the 〈◊〉 of light Also Gods people began their dayes of the weeke and of the yeare with the night and reckoned the Sabbath and other solemne dayes from evening to evening as appeares Levit. 23. 32. Fourthly it may bee asked how the firie or visible heavens could by their light make a day before the Sun was created seeing the light of the same heavens together with the light of the Moone and the Starres added thereto cannot make a day but it is night where the Sun is absent and the light of it not seene not withstanding the light of the heavens and of the Moone and Starres I answere that the light of the heavens without Sun Moone and Starres is sufficient to make a bright day in the place where they are and there it is alwayes day though by reason of the spacious regions of the aire and the great distance betweene them and the earth their light doth not shine to us to make a day of light without the beames of the Sun but it is dark night in that part of the earth where their light onely appeares Now in the first day before the firmament was made that is the region of the aire purged and refined out of the masse by the sinking and settling of the earthy and waterish matter towards the center there was no need of light further then the body of the heavens reached that is to the upper face of the rude masse not yet formed but remaining rude and full of darknesse And therefore so farre as the visible World was brought into forme they did give most clear day light and as all had before bin overspread with darknesse for the space of a night so all was now overspread with light for a dayes space and so the first day of the creation was one halfe all night and another halfe all day in all the visible World even in all parts thereof which were then created and brought into perfect forme and being From this text thus opened wee may observe divers points of instruction First we learne that as there are three Persons in that one God which created the World by his own infinite power so every Person is a creatour and God the Father by his eternall Word the Son did extend and shew forth his power to the framing of every creature and by his Spirit did give all forme and perfection to them As the word Elohim used in the first verse notes more Persons so here and in the verse before wee see the Persons distinguished and all three working in the framing of the World and all the creatures therein First God the Father is brought in creating Secondly by his Word that is not by a sound of the voice or a word uttered for there was then no aire to receive such a sound but by his eternall Word bringing things into being according to his eternall Counsell and decree Thirdly by his Spirit moving upon the face of the waters and cherishing the rude and common matter of the whole visible World yet void and unformed and preparing it for the receiving of the severall formes of all creatures in the severall parts of it Which point excellently confirmes our faith in the true Doctrine of the blessed Trinitie and confutes Sabellius Servetus the Socinians and Arminians who denied the eternall Deity of the Son and the holy Ghost and overthrowes their severall heresies and damnable errours Secondly wee hence learne that all things are possible to God he can as easily and quickly by his eternall Word and power bring greatest things to passe even bring light out of darknesse and the glorious pure spacious visible heavens out of the rude impure and confused masse which was without forme and void as a man of nimble tongue and ready speech can speake a word Which Doctrine other Scriptures doe aboundantly confirme which ascribe to God omnipotency and proclaime him to bee wonderfull in counsell and excellent in working and that nothing is too hard or wonderfull for him to doe as Genes 18. 14. Isa 28. 29. Iob 36. 5. and 42. 2. Which serves to stirre us up to feare admire and reverence God to seek his favour and protection above all things and to rest confidently on him for defence against all enemies and dangers when wee are reconciled to him and have him for our God and our portion Thirdly we may here observe that God is wonderful in wisedome and providence in that the first thing created in this visible World was light even the bright and shining heavens which as above all visible creatures they shew the glory and super-celestial excellency of God in their naturall frame and substance so also give bodily light to the eyes of all bodily living creatures which were to bee made to see and discerne the glorious beauty and admirable frame of his visible works for hereby it came to passe that none of gods visible perfect works of wisedome were for an houre smoothered in darknesse but were all manifest and Gods glory was clearly seene in them so soone as there was a seeing creature able to discerne them This sheweth that God hath done his part to reveale himselfe and man who takes not notice of God in his works to worship him aright is without all excuse And this should stirre us up to labour to see God and to discerne him in his works and to place all
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
in things which they command contrary to Gods commandements Yea they must remember that they are Gods creatures and handi-worke and ought to employ all their power and authority to the honour of God If otherwise they abuse the talents which God hath lent them let them know that God will one day call them to a reckoning and give them the reward of evill unfaithfull and unprofitable servants even eternall destruction and torment in Hell where shall be howling and wayling and gnashing of teeth Secondly this serves to shew that whosoever offers wrong and injury to any of mankind by cutting mangling or any way defacing their 〈…〉 age and deforming their bodies by afflicting or some way corrupting their soules or by taking away their lives and naturall being without speciall warrant and cōmmandement from God they are notoriously injurious to God himselfe they scorne despise mis-use and deface Gods Workmanship they provoke God to wrath and jealousie and hee surely will bee avenged on such doings And here wee have matter as of dread and terrour to all cruell Tyrants and unmercifull men so of hope and comfort to all who suffer injury and wrong at their hands As the first sort have just cause to feare and tremble so often as they thinke on God the avenger of such wrong so the other have cause to hope that God will not wholy forsake them being the worke of his owne hands nor leave them to the will and lust of the wicked his enemies but will in his good time save them and send them deliverance Thirdly this discovers the abomination and filthinesse of all Idolaters who being the workmanship of God the Lord and wise creator of all things doe most basely bow downe to images and altars and debase themselves to worship humane inventions and the worke of mens hands which are dumbe Idols of wood and stone and lying vanities It is just with God to cast out and expose all such people to ignominy shame and confusion in this world and in the world to come into that place of darknesse where the Divell and all such as forsake God and rebell against the light which from the creation shines to them shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the face and presence of God and from the glory of his power Secondly in that God is here said to forme man of the dust of the ground not of clay well tempered and wrought but of dust which of it selfe is most unfit to be compacted and made into a stedfast shape and which is counted so base and so light that every blast of wind drives it away and in Scripture the basest things are resembled to it Hence wee may learne two things First that God in the creation even of mans body shewed his infinite power and wisedome in bringing dust of the earth which is the basest thing of all into the forme and shape of mans body which is the most excellent of all visible bodies and a fit house and temple not onely of a reasonable living soule but also of Gods holy spirit as other Scriptures plainly affirme This point appeares so plainly in the Text that I need not spend time in further confirmation of it the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formed here first used implies an excellent forme and the upright face of man Here therefore I will adde for illustration sake the words of David which are very pertinent to this purpose Psal. 139. 14 15 16. where speaking of Gods forming and fashioning him in the wombe of the living substance even the seed blood and flesh of his parents saith he I will prayse thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made Marvelous are thy workes and that my soule knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy booke were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Here we see with what feare admiration and astonishment David considers mans frame and the curious workmanship of his body when God forms it in the mothers womb by lively instruments and of a lively matter and substance How much more may we conclude that Gods creating of Adams body which was the most curious naturall body that ever was made is most admirable and deserves more reverence feare and astonishment at our hands being made without instruments out of the basest matter and substance even dust of the earth Surely in this God shewed wisedome and power beyond all admiration The Vse of this doctrine is to stirre us up so often as we thinke of our creation in Adam to laud and praise Gods wisedome and power to feare and reverence God and to admire his curious workmanship And although the matter of which God framed mans body was the basest of all even dust of the ground yet let us not thinke ever a whit more meanly of our creation but so much more admire Gods workmanship in our bodies For to make a curious worke in gold silver or of some beautifull precious and plyable mettall is not rare nor so excellent but to frame of the basest matter the dust of the ground the chiefest worke and even the Master-piece of all works in the visible world that is the body of Adam in the state of innocency this is worthy of all admiration and is a just motive and provocation to stirre us up to praise and to extoll with admiration the wisedome and power of God especially if wee consider the most excellent forme of mans body and upright stature together with the head comely face hands and other members every way fitted and composed to bee instruments of a reasonable soule and to rule and keepe in order and subjection all living creatures Secondly in that the dust of the ground the basest part of the earth is the matter out of which mans body the beautifull Palace and Temple of his Soul was formed in the excellent state of innocency Hence wee learne that man is by nature and in his best naturall being given to him in the creation but a dusty earthy substance in respect of his body and in respect of his Soul an inhabitant of an house of clay the foundation whereof is in the dust But some perhaps will object against the collection of this Doctrine from the base and fraile matter of which mans body was formed and will thus argue That the state and condition of creatures is not to bee esteemed by the matter of which they were made but by the forme and being which God gave to them as for example the Angels together with the highest heaven were created immediatly of nothing as well as the rude unformed masse which is called earth and yet they are most glorious spirits and the rude masse is not to bee compared to them Yea man was created
according to his inferiour part the body of dust which is a created substance better then nothing of which the Angels were made and yet the Angels in nature far excell man Therefore mans creation of dust doth not prove him to bee so fraile a creature seeing God gave him such an excellent forme To this I answer that to bee created immediatly of nothing is in it selfe a more excellent worke and shewes greater power then to bee made of a meane inferiour matter For when things are said to bee created of nothing the meaning is not that they are made of nothing as of a matter but that they are made of no matter at all but have their whole being from God and his infinite power and so may bee if God will most excellent But when man is said to be formed of dust the meaning is that dust is a part of his substance even the matter of which hee consists and that his body according to the matter is a dusty earthy substance and his Soul though a spirituall substance created of nothing yet dwelling in that body is an inhabitant of an earthly Tabernacle and house of clay founded in the dust Secondly though the frame of mans body is in it selfe most excellent and surpasseth all bodily formes and his Soul is a spirituall substance endowed with reason yet all these were of mutable excellency in the best naturall estate of innocency and could not continue in that excellency but by dependance upon God and cleaving fast to him and by his hand and power sustaining them continually which by promise hee was not bound to doe in that estate And therefore wee may truly gather from the matter of which God formed mans body that hee was in his best naturall being in respect of his body but a dusty substance such as might returne to dust by falling off from God by sin and disobedience yea undoubtedly as God in framing man his chiefest visible creature of dust intended to shew his wisedome and power and to glorifie his goodnesse so also hee teacheth man thereby his owne naturall frailty and mutability how unable hee is of himselfe to abide in honour and excellency And this hee shewes most plainely Gen. 3. 19. where hee saith to man alluding to his creation Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Wee have also an excellent argument to this purpose Iob 14. 18 19. and 15. 15. where the Lord is said to charge his Angels with folly and to lay no trust in his servants and the heavens are not cleare in his sight how much lesse can hee find steadfastnesse in men who dwell in houses of clay which have their foundation in the dust that is seeing the heavenly spirits are not immutably pure in Gods sight but some of the Angels hath God charged with folly to wit such as did fall and to the rest hee hath added supernaturall light of his Spirit and so hath made them Saints immutably holy much lesse is man immutably pure and steadfast by nature whose better part the Soul is by creation made to dwell in an house of clay a body made of dust To this purpose serve those Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles which compare man in his first creation to clay in the hand of the potter Ier. 18. 9. Rom. 9. 21 which affirme that the first Adam was of the Earth earthy 1 Cor. 15 47. that is in his first creation hee was of an earthy and dusty substance First this serves by discovering unto man his frailty and mutability in his best naturall being to humble every man in his owne eyes and to make him lowly and to withdraw his heart from pride and all high conceipts of any worth in himselfe and to teach us all to ascribe all the unchangable purity which wee finde in ourselves and all our steadfastnesse to the free grace of God in Christ and not to any power of our owne free will or to the excellency of our naturall frame and being If man in his first creation and best naturall being was but of earth and dust an earthy and dusty creature and before that death entered into the World while hee had yet power of free will to obey God and to depend on him was mutable and might fall into sin and disobedience and by sin might bring and did bring death upon himselfe and all his posterity how much more now in the state of nature corrupted is every Son of man a very masse of corruption and frailty yea vanity and abominable filthinesse who drinketh iniquity like water as it is written Iob 15. 16. Wherefore Let no man glory in any naturall power or prerogative nor hope to stand by his owne strength much lesse to merit or purchase by any works of nature or power of free will the least grace supernaturall which tends to bring him to heavenly happinesse and glory unchangeable For man as hee is flesh and blood that is an earthly creature cannot possibly come to inherite the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. Secondly this discovers the madnesse and desperate blindnesse of Pelagians and Papists who teach that a man by the right use of his naturall power and free-will may procure spirituall grace from God and even the Spirit of regeneration and faith working by love by which hee may merit and purchase to himselfe eternall life and heavenly glory and felicity as a just and condigne reward of his works If Angels cannot bee made steadfast and trusty without supernaturall light added to them much lesse can earthy man who by sin is become filthy and abominable worke out his owne salvation by meriting and purchasing the heavenly reward Oh let us all hate and abhorre all such conceipts which wholly tend to the frustrating and evacuating of Christs merits and satisfaction and to make them seeme vaine and needlesse Be not deceived God is not mocked they who sow such tares and feed like swine on the huskes of their owne works and on things which nature teacheth they are enemies to the grace of God which is given onely in Iesus Christ and together with him by communion of his Spirit After the creation of mans Body of dust immediatly followes the creation of his Soule which is to bee understood in these words And breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life and man was a living Soule For no sooner was mans body brought into frame but God breathed into him the breath of life that is caused him to breathe with the breath of life even those vitall spirits which are the band of union by which the Soule is united to the body and in the first instant wherein he created the vitall spirits he also created the spiritual substance of his Soule in his body immediatly of nothing by his omnipotent hand Some are opinion that mans Soule was first created a Spirit subsisting by it selfe before his body was formed and when the body was formed a