A compleat history and mystery of the Old and New Testament logically discust and theologically improved : in four volumes ... the like undertaking (in such a manner and method) being never by any author attempted before : yet this is now approved and commended by grave divines, &c. / by Christopher Ness ...

CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of the Worlds Creation.

THE Creation was Gods first Emanation, flowing forth, or going out of himself, giving the first Being and beginning to Time, Place, Persons, and Things: till then, God was (as it were) Deus contractus, containing all in himself; now, Deus expansus & explicatus, spreading his hand (which had hitherto been as contracted) to create the World: not because he was now wea∣ry with doing nothing, as Atheists say, but he did it when it pleased him to manifest his own Wisdom, Mercy, Power, and Glo∣ry; as Augustine saith, Nec cessando torpuit, nec operando labora∣vit; August. cont. Advers. leg. lib. 1. cap. 2. God (who is the most pure Act) is neither idle in Resting, nor weary in working. Here∣upon 'tis said, what God did, or how he employed himself be∣fore the Creation, is a Sea over which no Ship hath ever Sailed; is a Mine, into which no Spade hath ever delved; an Abyss, into which no Bucket hath ever di∣ved: our fight is too tender and slender to behold this Sun. 'Tis Humane folly to say, there was a World before Adam, (then he is falsely called the first man, frequently in the Scripture of Truth) this is to be wise above what is written: but 'tis Divine Faith to say, that this World was created [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Affabrè factum, neatly made up] by the word of God, Heb. 11.3. and then Time, Place, &c. had their beginning, Gen. 1.1. If so, there could be none before it. As we know not what God did before, neither what he will do after the world. Augustine smartly answers this sawcy Question, That God was making an Hell for such over-curious Busie-bodies: the Philosopher reading this first of Genesis, was heard to say, [Egregiè dicis, Domine Moses, sed quo∣modo probas?] Excellently said, Sir Moses, but how will you prove what you say? Augustine an∣swers, Credo, non probo; I believe it, I need not prove it. Theologia non est Argumentativa, Alsted, Divinity doth not use to prove her Principles; the Mysteries whereof are better understood by Believing, than believed by understanding: 'tis the nature of Faith to believe God upon his bare word, and that against Sense in things Invisible, and against Reason in things Incredible. Sense corrects Imagination, Reason corrects Sense, but Faith corrects both. Aufer Argumenta, ubi ••••ie

quaeritur, &c. saith Ambrose. Away with Arguments; 'tis enough I believe, though I cannot prove every Principle and Fundamental of Faith, as this of the Creation.

The word Creation (according to the Criticks) comes from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to effect or perfect: and 'tis taken in a double sense. (1.) Proper and literal; so 'tis a making something out of nothing, Gen. 1.1. (2.) Common and Mystical, so 'tis a making something out of that which is worse than nothing, Eph. 2.10. All Creatures were made at first without praeexisting Matter; but when we come to be made New Creatures; though there be a praeexisting, yet there is a strong∣ly Resisting Matter, which is far worse, and no less requires the All-creating power. As the for∣mer is call'd Creatio transiens, so this is, Creatio continuans; we can bring nothing to this glo∣rious work, except Opposition. Yea, when we are once created in Christ, we can (indeed) do something to uncreate our selves, were it not that Creating power comes to renew our decayed grace and Spiritual Witherings, Psal. 51.10.

Creation here treated upon, is taken in the proper sense, and is the External Efficiency, Act or Operation of God, whereby be made the world in the beginning of time out of nothing, very good, and for his own glory.

There is a concurrency of four Causes in this (as in other) act considerable. (1.) A quâ, the Cause Efficient. 2. Ex quâ, the Matter. (3.) Per quam, the Form. And 4. Propter quam, the End. Yea, all those seven circumstances (contained in one Verse) [Quis, Quid, Ʋbi, Quibus, Auxiliis, Cur, Quomodo, Quando] concur here in this Divine Action of the Creation. Bereshith Bara Elo∣him Eth Hashamajim veeth haerets. In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth, Gen. 1.1. Sundry Enquiries are here to be answered.

The first Enquiry is, Who is the Efficient cause of the Creation?

Answ. 'Tis God the Creator, call'd also Lord the Governour. The External Efficiency or ope∣ration of the Divine Being is twofold. 1. Creation; 2. Providence: in respect of the first, he is called God the Creator; and of the second, Lord thè Governour. Those two are called Rela∣tive Attributes, as they do clearly hold forth a Relation betwixt the Maker and the Matter made: And those two Titles [God and Lord] are first conjoyned in Gen. 2.4. As soon as the Uni∣versal Creation had attained to an Absolute perfection, then stood it in need only of a continued Sustentation, as Lord signifies a Sustainer; 'tis now added to the Name God, which had been used singly about thirty three times before: now he is first called [Lord God] that as his Work was perfect, so his Name might be perfect also. Thus likewise the Prophet couples those two Names together for the Churches comfort, Isa. 40.28. saying, the same God-Creatour is still Lord-Gover∣nour, or Sustainer, who will not cast off the care of his Church, as one toiled or tired; for he Governs now (as he did Create) without either Toil or Travel, and not subject to weariness as Man is. The Hebrew Text is, [Elohim Bara] Dii Creavit, as being of the Plural number, which holds out the Mystery of the blessed Trinity, called by Elihu [Eloah Gnoshai] God my Makers, Job 35.10. and by David, the Makers of Israel, Psal. 149.1. and Soloman saith, Remember thy Greators, Eccles. 12.1. This word Elohim signifies Almighties, or Almighty powers; yet is this Noun plural joined with [Bara] a Verb singular, because God is but One, Deut. 6.4. although in power Infinite. There be three which bear witness in Heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5.7. yet all three are called Creators: 1. the Father is so, Eph. 3.9. &c. 2. the Word (or Son) is so, Heb. 1.8, 10. Col. 1.16. &c. and the Spirit is so, Gen. 1.2. Psal. 33.6. & 104.30. Job 26.13. & 33.4. The Psalmist saith, By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the Breath (or Spirit) of his mouth; that is, God the Father by the Son, through the Spirit, Created all things, 1 Cor. 8.6. Prov. 8.24, 27, 28. Joh. 1.3, 10. Heb. 1.1, 2. Revel. 3.14. Isa. 40.12, 13. &c. All which do declare, that Three in One, and One in Three, wrought in the Creation of the world, as afterwards they did in the for∣mation of Man, Gen. 1.26. and in making Borders of Gold with studs of Silver for the Church, Cant. 1.11. Rab. Solomon Interprets [we] there [I and my Judgment-Hall] which consisted at least of Three. So by [we] is meant (in the Hebrew succinct Speech) God Three in One, and One in Three. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa; All the Three Persons are undivided, all con∣cur in External Actions. Hermes (that antient Aegyptian who flourished before Pharaoh) did acknowledge something of this Great Truth, from whence he had his Name of Trismegistus for owning the Three great ones: And the Heathen Sages (after him) had some blind Notions here∣of, as appeareth by Plutarch, who reporteth, that in Thebe (a Town of Aegypt) they worshipped a God (whom they acknowledged to be Immortal) and painted him in the likeness of a man blowing an Egg out of his mouth, to signifie that he made the round World by his Word and Breath of his Mouth. But Christian Faith reacheth farther than Heathens Reason, for by Faith we un∣derstand that the World was made by the Word of God, Heb. 11.3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by Christ, who is the Essential Word, and the flowings forth (as the word signifies) or lettings out of Divine Wis∣d•••• Power, and Goodness: for God was (as it were) contracted and contained all within him∣self

from all Eternity; but now in the Creation he becomes Deus expansus & explicatus, letting out himself to the Creature. Thus Christ is called the Manifestation of God, and the Decla∣rer of the Father, Joh. 1.18. John Baptist is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [a voice] but Christ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [the Word] by which the world was made. As Verbum est animi Index, the Speech discovers the Spi∣rit; so Christ unbosoms the Father, and the Creation is nothing else but the Creator unfolding himself, and dispersing his Divine Essence into several Veins and Channels of the Creature, Mundus Ʋniversus nihil aliud est quàm Deus Explicatus, the world is onely God expressed; the Invisible is clearly seen (as in a Mirrour, or on a Theater) in things that are visible, Rom. 1.19, 20. as the Sun is beheld in the waters, so is God in his works, either by way of Negation, Cau∣sality, or Eminence, per species Creaturea.

The second Enquiry is, What is the Material Cause out of which all things were Created? Answ. God made something out of nothing, and out of that something all things. Nothing here is not taken privatively, as 1 Cor. 8.4. an Idol is nothing, to wit, privatively, as having nothing of a Divine Essence in it, yet positively it is something, that is, Wood, or Stone, &c. Nor (2.) is it taken Comparatively, as Isa. 40.17. All the world is nothing, to wit, in comparison of the Great God. But (3.) 'tis taken negatively, and simply, God having no praeexisting matter to work up∣on, as the word [Bara] created signifies, being a word in its proper sense proper and peculiar to God himself, so should not be parasitically Attributed to the mightiest of men, as too oft it is, in Creating Earls, Marquesses, Dukes, unless the Creators and the Created were both holy, as God is, and Man was. There was nothing from Eternity besides God, neither is God the Matter or any part of the Creature; therefore the world was made out of nothing. This puts the diffe∣rence betwixt Creation and Generation; this latter is a production of something out of some∣thing, but the former of something out of nothing.

There be three principal Operators; Art, Nature, and God. That worker which needeth the fewest helps, is the most perfect worker. 1. Art needs many helps. 2. Nature needs but few. But 3. God needeth none at all. God is the first Cause, and the World was the first effect. 'Tis a Rule or Maxime, Inter primam Causam & primum effectum nil intervenit: Nothing can come between the first Cause and the first effect; therefore in the Creation there could neither be any praeexisting Matter, nor any Coassisting Instruments. God himself was both the Father and Mother of all Created Beings. God was the Father of the World, begetting it by his Word, and both bringing it out, and bringing it up in six days, by the overshadowings of the Spirit, Gen. 1.2. All this arises from the Efficiency of God, who is a most pure Act, and is Omnipotency it self: is there any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. 18.14. Job knew that God could do every thing, Job 42.2. All things (but Lying, Dying, and denying himself) are possible with God, Matth. 19.26. his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa. 46.10. What God pleaseth to do (without all peradventure) he is able to do, as he is Omnipotent; yet may we not argue from his power to his will, but from his will to his power. Though God be Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent, yet is he not Omnivolent, he can do more than he will do: he can do whatsoever he pleaseth, yet he is not pleased to do whatsoever he can. God by his Absolute power is able to do all things that are possible, though he never do them; he can by this unlimited power make a World, and unmake it again in a moment; he can of stones raise up Children to Abraham, Matth. 3.9. &c. but by his actual and ordinate power, he doth that onely which he willeth to do; whatsoever he willeth, that he doth, both in Heaven and Earth, Psal. 115.3. & 135.6. This power God hath limited by his own will & wisdom, and having free∣ly limited himself according to his own Decree of Secret will, and according to his word or re∣vealed will, he changeth not, because he is unchangeable, Jam. 1.17. Some things God can and will not, as Matth. 3.9. & 26.53. Rom. 9.18. &c. And some things God neither will nor can, to wit, such as contradict his Essence, and import Impotency: 'tis safer to say such things cannot be done, than that God cannot do them; but whatsoever he willeth, that he without impedi∣ment effecteth, as he did the Creation of the world out of nothing. Why therefore should it be thought a thing incredible, either that God should raise the dead to life, Act. 26.8. or that God should make world of nothing? 'Tis a received rule, [Quicquid est in Deo, est Deus] whatso∣ever is in God, is God; and so is that [Esse, posse, & operari, non distinguuntur in Deo] Gods Es∣s••nce, Omnipotency, and Efficiency, are not to be distinguished in God, save only as to our ca∣pacity. Divine Essence being Almighty, and a most pure act, doth necessarily infer a Divine Effi∣ciency, which made the world (of) nothing, the word (of) signifying not any Matter, but on∣ly Order.

Creation was in Matter, but not of Matter; not of Matter praeexisting before, but of Matter coexisting in the act of Creation. The first Matter (God made out of nothing) was that Rudis indigestáque Moles, called the confused Chaos; a rude Draught, and an undigested lump at the first, as the Matter of all things that were afterwards to be Created. This first Matter was all

things in power, yet nothing in act; this was the common stock out of which the following days works were deduced, having its Original from God alone, without any concurring power, or foregoing Matter, as the word [God created] noteth. Whatever is, or existeth besides God, must proceed from God, who is the Original of all. All Creatures were in God before the Creation, as effects are in the cause, as the Rose before the Summer (when it is neither spread nor sprung) is in the Root: the Idaea of all was in his understanding and will. Thus David saith, Thine Eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect, and in thy books all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them, Psal. 139.15, 16. God had all the Names and Number of every part of the Creation (as it were) writ down in his Com∣mon-place-book, like a curious workman that works all by the book, and by a Model set be∣fore him; he draws first a rude Draught, then polisheth and perfecteth all.

The Third Enquiry is, What is the Form of the Creation? Answ. God having made this rude Mass or first Matter of nothing by his Almighty Creating power, in process of time, and by degrees, this Tohu Vabohu, or Material Mass without form and void hitherto, the Lord gave every part a proper and particular Form and perfection both in the higher and lower world, beautify∣ing Heaven with two great Lights, and bespangling it with a numberless number of Stars, so it became a stately Star-chamber for glorious Angels and glorified Saints to dwell in; though that stupendious Arch-work of Heaven be not born up by props and pillars, yet falls not upon our heads to the earth; and clothing the earth with grass, garnishing it with Flowers, and furnishing it with Fruits. This is called Creation-Mediate, because her Matter praeexisted, as Plants and Animals were Created out of the earth, and out of the waters, Gen. 1.20, 24, 25. but the pro∣duction of that Matter out of which they were Created, is called Creation-Immediate, as it was made of nothing simply: yet inasmuch as this Matter was a subject that had no Hability (in it self) to produce any thing, the earth (a dead lump) had no power (of it self) to produce Plants or living Creatures, no more than the Rock in the Wilderness had power to produce Water, Exod. 17.6. Hence Gods producing all sorts of Creatures out of the first Matter, is call'd Creatio Mediata, as Gods making the first Matter out of nothing is call'd Creatio Immediata. These two are call'd the primary and secundary Creation.

The form of the Creation is twofold. (1.) That which is common to all Created things, was the Existency of all things (which Existed not before) that God gave to them in one moment by his Almighty Word, and All-working command; yea, a most perfect Existency, all his Crea∣tures were very good. Dei dicere, est efficere; God spake the Word and it was done; so that Crea∣tion was no Motion, but a simple and bare Emanation, which is, when without any Repugnan∣cy of the Patient, or toilsome labour of the Agent, the work doth freely flow from the action of the Working Cause, as the shadow doth from the Body. This wonderful work of the great World, (made by Gods Irresistible Word) is the shadow and obscure Representation of his unsearchable Wisdom, Power, and Goodness. (2.) That which is proper and peculiar; To each Creature (both Coelestial and Terrestrial) God gave a distinct and differing Form, making the Stars above, and all things below, to differ (in their kind) one from another. This Formation of all things in differing Species out of the first Matter, without either Successive Motion, pre∣ceding Mutation, or gradual Alteration, no Created Being could possibly effect: but God the Father (alone) by his Eternal Word and Spirit, made all out of the first Matter, and gave to all their several Form, which was not in the first Matter, but was Created out of nothing: per∣fection was the Form and Beauty of the World, and of every Creature in the World. All the works of God are perfect works, Deut. 32.4. Nothing could have been made more perfect es∣sentially, though God could have made some things better (than he made them) accidentally, as he could have made Worms to be Angels, and he could have given more excellent endowments to every Creature, respecting the parts of the world; but in respect of the whole, the World was perfect both in respect of Degrees and Parts, Every days Work was good, Gen. 1.4, 10, 18, 21, 25. in respect of the parts severally; but when the whole is spoke of all together, 'tis said, They were (all) very good, v. 31.

The Fourth Enquiry is, What was the Final Cause or End of it? Answ. The End of the Cre∣ation is twofold. (1.) The Supreme End. (2.) The Subordinate. The first is, the Manifestati∣on of Gods Glory; the second is, the Instruction and Comfort of Man, Gods Master-piece.

1. Of the first. God (who is the most pure Act, as before) may be considered under a two∣fold Act. 1. Internal. 2. External. (1.) The Internal, or inward Act, was not onely his actual en∣joying of himself, and solacing himself (in himself) from all Eternity: (thus God was happy in himself, and was an Heaven to himself, and needed no Created thing to make him more happy; he was God blessed for ever, without and before the Creation) but also his Decree, which was one eternal voluntary constant Act of God, absolutely determining the Infallible future Being of whatsoever is beside himself, unto the praise of his own glory. Eternity is an Everlasting Now.

whatever God thinketh or willeth, he always thought and willed, and always doth and will, both think and will: there can no more be a new thought or a new purpose in God, than there can be a new God. Gods thinking or determining, is God himself: whatever is in God, is God, as before. God decreed the Futurition of the Creatures freely, not from any necessity of Nature, but only from his meer good pleasure, Psal. 115.3. Isa. 49.3. Dan. 4.25. Eph. 1.11. &c. God had no need of the things decreed, had he so pleased, they had never been, but continu∣ed for ever in their Nothing-state; yet God might have been without them, and happy without them, though they had never been, he being Eternal, All-blessed, All-glorious light, life and love all in himself. This Divine Decree gave not only a possibility that all Creatures may be, but also a futurition or certainty that they all shall be, they shall have an Existence, an actual being in time, according to Gods determination before time.

(2.) The External or outward act of God, is his Efficiency, or working, all that he decreed according to his Decree. Gods Decree was the great design of future Action, and Gods Effi∣ciency is the execution of that design: those two answer each other, as the pattern and Ta∣bernacle, Exod. 25.40. and as the pattern and Temple, 1 Chron. 28.12. As the actual framing of Davids Body answered the Idaea or Platform thereof drawn in Gods Book, Psal. 139.16. Not unlike to the Letters printed upon the Paper, which do answer the Printing Type. The Di∣vine Efficiency doth answer to an hairs-breadth the Divine Decree, both in Creation and Pro∣vidence: Gods Decree is the standing Rule of his Efficiency.

Those exact slingers, Judg. 20.16. could not hit the mark so well, as God doth by his Exter∣nal Efficiency his own Internal and Eternal Decree. There is no variation of the Compass in this case at all. The supream end hereof is the manifestation of his own glory, more particu∣larly of his wisdom, power, and goodness, Psal. 8.1. & 19.1. & 103. last, & 104.31. & 145.10 & 148.5. Prov. 16.4. Isa. 43.21. Rom. 11.36. Revel. 4.10, 11. & 5.13. 'Tis true, God had a complacency in the work of his hands, when he saw it was all [Tob Meod] superlatively good, Gen. 1.31. The Lord rejoyced in his works, Psal. 104.31. It did God good (a•• it were) to see all good, and very good. It was a delight to him: but God saw this long before, even from Eterni∣ty. Non datur prius & posterius in Deo. The phrase imports, God would have Man to see the wisdom, power, and goodness of God in all, which he thus commends to our consideration, a cu∣rious and glorious frame, full of admirable skill and variety.

2. The Subordinate or Subalternate End is for Mans Instruction and comfort. (1.) For Mans Instruction. Hereby Man learns that there is a God, Isa. 40.26. Rom. 1.20. there is a [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] something knowable to Natural Reason concerning a Deity: the World could not make it self, neither could it be made by Chance, or by a Concussion of Atoms, &c. The print and Character of the God of Heaven, is legible upon every pile of grass growing on earth. Prae∣sentem Monstrat quaelibet Herba Deum. Ovid. Let no man say he is not Book-learnt, for every one may read the Book of Nature, (though he cannot read the Book of Scripture) and learn thence the knowledge of God the Creator, (though not God the Redeemer) and so abhor Atheism, Ig∣norance and Idolatry. Cursed be that God which made not Heaven and Earth, Jerem. 10.11. This verse (spoken at Babylon, and therefore writ in the Chaldee Tongue, whereas all the rest of the Prophesie is set down in the Hebrew) was given to Gods people to make use of (when the Babylonians sollicited them during their Captivity to worship their Idols) in the Babylonian Language, as a detestation of their Babel Idols, saying to them, Cursed be your Gods, for they made neither Heaven nor Earth. The same we may say, of all the Idols both of Pagans and of Papagans. (2.) For Mans Comfort: the Maker of Heaven and Earth may be hoped in for help above all Mortal Princes, for he is a King Immortal, and he is the all-powerful Creator, and therefore can help without a peradventure, Psal. 146.3, 4, 5, 6. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him, and new made him too, Psal. 149.2. or Hebr. in his Makers, implying the Trinity of persons (con∣curring both in Creation and Re-Creation, or Regeneration) which while Olymphus (the Arrian Bi∣shop) denyed, he was struck dead with three Thunder-bolts in a Bath. How ought we to hang our Hope upon this great Creator, that did hang the (heavy) Earth upon nothing! Job 26.7. and yet it remains for almost six thousand years unmovable; he commanded, and it stood fast, Psal. 33.9. The whole Order of Nature remaineth, as he first set it firm, fast, and unmoveable, though it hang on nothing but upon Gods precept: how much more ought we to be steadfast, unmoveable, 1 Cor. 15.58. having the sure word of Gods promise to hang upon? 2 Pet. 1.19. The Devil and his Imps would overturn the comely Order of Nature; they would (as it were) mingle Hea∣ven and Earth together, and so soon mar all; but God confounds the Counsels, and disap∣points the Attempts of those tumultuating trouble-States, and maugre their malice, he pre∣serveth Polities, Laws, Judgment and Equity, without which Humane Societies could not long subsist: God hath decreed to maintain Civil Government amongst Men, to relieve the oppressed, to punish the wicked, to uphold his Church (which hath so few friends on earth, and so many

Enemies both there and in Hell) in despight of all. This Decree of God (not onely for her pre∣servation in the world, but also for her Exaltation above the world) stands firm and inviolable as a Mountain of Brass, Zech. 6.1. This shall bring her highest Adversaries into the lowest place, even to that place which is fittest for them, to be the footstool of Christ. The Churches help is from the Lord that made Heaven and Earth, Psal. 121.2. and he will rather unmake both again, than his people shall want seasonable help; her help is in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Hea∣ven and Earth, Psal. 124.8. Gods power is the prop of her Faith, and pricks her on to Prayer; therefore we may commit our selves to him as to a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4.19. a God of infinite might and mercy: The Lord that made Heaven and Earth (and therefore hath the blessings both of his Throne and of his footstool in his own hand) will bestow his blessing both on and out of Sion, Psal. 134.3. God hath hitherto been our Eben Ezer.

The famous particular Remarks of the Wisdom, Power, and goodness of God in the Creation, (written as with a bright Sun-beam upon a Chrystal-wall, for our more particular instruction) doth here follow.

(1st.) The unchangeable Wisdom of God is made manifest, (1.) in the exact correspondency betwixt Gods Eternal Decree and his Temporal Creation, which was the execution of it, as before. He is esteemed a foolish Builder or Workman, who draws a better Mould in his mind, and erects a worse with his hand: but this Divine Artificer doth most dextrously accomplish by his wisdom in time, what he had most wisely designed before time, even from all Eternity: (2.) In the Curiosity of every Created thing; there was both the heighth and depth of Divine Wisdom in every Creature: hence David cryeth, In wisdom hast thou made them all, Psal. 104.24. Every part of the Creation was performed in the perfection of Wisdom. If God hath given man such wisdom as to contrive so many curious Engines and Artificial Instruments for measuring time, (almost to a perpetual Motion) and Lands, (almost the whole Earth) for all sublunary services; how much more of wisdom hath the God of Wisdom, (who is wisdom in the Abstract, wisdom it self) that instructs man in all his Arts, Isa. 28.26. even in that plainnest of Husbandry, and is call'd [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Hebr. 11.10. which signifies the most Exquisite and Artificial Artist. The lend∣ing power must needs be a more exact Artificer than the borrowing power: man borrows all his power from God, and all his Art and skill from him; therefore must God needs be a most skilful Operator, infinitely transcending the most sublime contrivances of men: every Crea∣ture may say with David [I am curiously made] Psal. 139.15. The choisest and completest ac∣complishments of men, serve only to commend the wisdom of God, who is the Author and Giver thereof. When Obstructions are in Mans most curious Master-pieces, they most usually must be taken in pieces before the obstructions can be removed; but how many obstructions (of Liver, Spleen, Reins, Bladder, &c.) are removed in Man, (Gods Master-piece) without taking his work in pieces! Man can imitate the form and fashion of all Gods Creatures, but he cannot the Life and Motion of them. How did God put Job to a Non-plus, with the Great Folio's of the Creation, such as Leviathan the Whale or Sea-Monster, and Behemoth the Elephant or Land-Monster, Job Ch. 40, 41. yea and the Decimo Sexto's, or little Volumes of the Creation, hath been matter of amazement to the Naturalists; they have stood astonished to consider the Ant, the Bee, &c. that Life, Motion, and so much Ingenuity should be couped up in so narrow a com∣pass, in so little a Corpusculum.

Pliny wondred at the Gnat, that so small a Creature should make so great a Buzzing, and that her Nose should have a double faculty, being both (acuminosum & fistulosum, as his phrase is) so sharp to pierce the Skin, yet so Spungy as to suck the Blood. Oh how many curious Con∣trivances there be on earth below; to say nothing of Rational Creatures, (each of differing voice and face) and no more of Sensitive, (as Beasts, Birds, and Fishes) what a curious piece of Divine work is that vegetative life of Plants, to which every Spring-time is a new Resurrection! who can truly understand the Ascending and Descending of the Sap in them in its several seasons? wh•• can throughly admire the Beauty and Bravery of many Flowers, especially that of the Tulip, (call'd the Lilly) whereof Christ saith, Solomon in all his glory was not aray'd like one of them, Matth. 6.29. Much more curiosity is there in Heaven above, as the several Motion of the Orbs, the increase and decrease of the Moon, the Eclipse of it, and of the Sun, which maketh all the world stand at a gaze and amaz'd; the glorious Canopy over our Heads so bespangled with glit∣tering Stars of seven several magnitudes. How can we but conceive, if the outside and under-cei∣ling of Heaven, (that Star-chamber) be so beautiful, the inside (where God, Christ, Glorious An∣gels, and Glorified Saints dwell) must needs be more Desirable, Glorious, and Beatifical. (3.) Divine Wisdom shines forth most splendidly in the variety of Creatures: David cryes also, How manifold are thy works! Psal. 104.24. he could not recount or reckon them, but was plainly swallowed up with wonderment at them: who can but wonder at the wisdom of God in Creating so many Stars to shine in the Heavens, One star differing from another in glory,

1 Cor. 15.41. So many Fowls to fly in the Air, so many Fishes to swim in the Sea, so many Beasts to walk on the Earth, and all differing in kind & form one from another, v. 39, 40. Variety of works, so they be curious as well as various, doth much commend the skill & dexterity of the Workman. 4. The Wisdom of God shines forth in the Magnitude (as well as Multitude) of Creatures both above and below. (l.) Above. Of what a vast circumference is the Circle of the Heavens, e∣specially that of the highest Heaven! some do curiously calcutate it to be five hundred years Journey from Earth to Heaven; others say, if a stone should fall from the eighth Sphere, and should pass every hour an hundred Miles, it would be sixty five years more before it came to the ground. The several Orbs of that Coelestial Fabrick (stretched forth and spread round about the lower world like great Curtains, Psal. 104.2. and Isa. 40.22. yet not one hole worn in them for above five thousand years, all covering one another like the several pills or parts of an Onion. Of what a vast bigness are those Stars of the first Magnitude? Insomuch that some have conceived, a several World may be contained in each of these Stars, besides the Sun and the Moon, (call'd the two great Luminaries or Lights, Gen. 1.16.) are easily demonstratred to be vast Bodies; the former much greater, and the latter not much less than the whole Globe of the Earth. (2.) Below on Earth is Behemoth, that Beast of Beasts, so big, that (as the Hebr. Foemin. plural signifies) he seemeth to have many Beasts in his Belly, and as if he were made up of many Beasts, Job 40.15. and for his hugeness and bulky Body, he is call'd the chiefest of the ways of God, v. 19. Gods Master-piece among all Beasts, Those mighty Mountains (not cast up by the flood, nor by the Subterraneal Spirits, as Ants and Moles cast up their Hillocks a little above the Surface of the Earth, as some say, but brought forth by the great God at the Cre∣ation, Psal. 90.2.) do bring forth food, yea food enough to this Bulky Beast, v. 20. No Engine (ex∣cept Faith) can remove a Mountain out of its place, Matth. 17.20. & 21.21. 2. In the Sea is Leviathan, that great Sea-Monster, that moving or floating Island, some of such bigness, as to cover four Acres of Ground, and of so wide a Mouth, as to swallow up a whole Ship, as Pliny writeth: Divine Wisdom is much seen in making the Whale so compleat in all its parts, which all have their several uses, and, all which are noted and numbred, Job 41.2, 7, 12. to 2••. Ʋpon Earth there is not his like, v. 33. he is far beyond the Elephant both for Strength and Mag∣nitude, &c.

(2ly.) The Infinite power of God is made manifest in the Creation, as well as his unsearchable wisdom: As (1.) That God should Create all things out of nothing, whereas the Rule of Rea∣son is, Ex nihilo nil fit, nothing is made of nothing: This Rule holds good in Generation, and in the Secondary (not in the primary) Creation. (2.) That all things should be made out of no∣thing, in a most marvelous and magnificent manner, every thing in its proper beauty, pecu∣liar property, and unutterable neatness and perfection; all things at their full stature and matu∣rity, as the word [Bara] signifies. (3.) That all this should be done by a bare Dixit, He spake the word and the work was done; Verbum Dei est factivum, there was a potent efficacy went along with the Word for the existency of all things: where the Word of this (great) King is, there is power, Eccles. 8.4. & Matth. 8.9. It was as easie a work for Almighty God to make a World, as to speak a word, and to say, Let a World be made. (4.) That the World should be made without either Tool or Toil. The Heathen Atheists of old used to scoff at the Doctrine of Cre∣ation, asking Quibus Machinis, &c. with what Ladders and Scaffolds did your Jehovah erect the High Roof of the Heavens? what Engines and Instruments had he to lay the Foundation of the Earth? Alas, they were ignorant of the Scriptures, and of the power of God, Matth. 22.29. God made all things, Solo m••tu & Mandato suo, by the Word of his power or his powerful will, Heb. 1.3. no other Tool was needful, but the Breath of his mouth, Psal. 33.6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ipse Dixit, was enough: He commanded and they were Created, Psal. 148.5. Gods Fiat effected all; his Will was his Word, and his Word was his Deed, without any Tool, and without any Toil too. The Creator was not weary, nor tyred with his work, Isa. 40.26, 28. (5.) As without Instrument, so without Assistant; God had neither Men nor Angels to be Coadjutors in the Creation. 1. Not Men. God saith to Job, Where wast thou when I laid the Foundation of the Earth; Job 38.4, 5. Alas, Man was then a mere Non-Ens? he was no where at that time; he was neither Counsellour to it, nor Companion in it, no nor so much as a looker on in this mighty work. 2. Nor Angels. God Created all, this excludes Angels, God was alone and by himself in making the world, Isa. 44.24. that is, without the help of any person or thing: and lest Man should imagine otherwise, the Creation of Angels is not so much as mentioned by Mo∣ses, unless it be tacitly in those words, [the Heaven and the Earth] which the Apostle explai∣neth, [the world and all things that are therein] Act. 17.24. Things visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or Dominions, &c. Col. 1.16. which are call'd [The Angels of Heaven] Matth. 24.36 Gal. 1.8. because (probably) they were Created with, and in the Highest Heaven. No men∣tion

is made of Gods Creating the Air, no more than of Angels, for both are Invisible: only visible things are upon Record by Moses.

(6.) That God made all things in one moment by his Almighty Mandate, without either Motion or Mutation of himself, or any succession of time in the first act of Creating the Hea∣vens and the Earth: he was not Tyred or Toiled in bringing one part of his work after ano∣ther, as Man is, but immediately upon his meer Mandamus, the word and breath (or Spirit) of his mouth, instantly made all things by the greatness of his might: for he is strong in power, to muster up his Host in a moment, Isa. 40.26, 28.

(7.) Another Beam of Almighty power was this, that God Created the Grass, Herbs, and Trees, before the Sun and Stars, which in the course of Nature have the force of Causes in their production, Gen. 1.11, 12, 14, 15. that it might not be attributed to the power of second Causes, (either Heavens Influence, or Mans Culture) but all to God onely.

3ly. The Immense goodness of God is manifestly seen in the Creation. (1.) Because God was all-sufficient in and to himself, from Eternity to Eternity; he was altogether happy of himself, ever solacing himself in himself, and never wanting any thing to make him more happy: yet would he have other things to be beside himself, that he might communicate his goodness to them, Act. 17.24, 25, 26. God is self-blessed, and needs neither us nor ours, Psal. 50.8, 9, 10. &c. Yet he made the World out of his own free-will and good pleasure, not from any constraint or na∣tural necessity. 'Tis a Moral Maxim, Omne bonum est sui Diffusivum, All good is of a Commu∣nicating Nature. God (who is Summum bonum, the chiefest good) doth diffuse his goodness to the Creature in the work of Creation, calling all that he had made good and very good. Ens unum, verum & bonum Convertuntur: that goodness which was one in God, was communicated di∣versly to the Creatures, they were all partakers of Gods goodness, yet in a differing degree, for all were not capable of the like goodness; all were made after a perfect manner, according to their kind. God gave to some Creatures Being, to others Sense, and to others Reason: to some he gave such a Matter and such a Form, and to others another, 1 Cor. 15.39. (2.) Because God made Houses before Inhabitants, Pastures before Cattle, and all things [ad esum & ad usum, pro Victu & Amictu] for Mans Maintainance and comfort, before Man was made; 'twas Gods goodness that Meat should be before Mouths, and that Man when he was made was not brought into an empty house; the world was well replenished with all its excellent Accoutrements when Man was brought into it. (3.) Gods goodness was most splendid in this also, because the things for mans Accommodation, were not few, but many: God (the great Provider and Purveyour for Man) gave him plenty and variety of Creature-comforts: Dr. Hall hath an excellent Notion upon this, saying, Stars and Spirits (the Inhabitants of Heaven) are like one another: but Meteors and Fowls are in as many varieties, as there are several Creatures: why? is it because Man, for whose sake they were made, delights in variety, God in Constancy and Ʋnity? or is it because that in these God may shew his skill and their imperfection? To this I add, God knows that Mans Nature [Novitatis avida] being desirous of Novelties, will soon nauseate upon any one enjoyment. If Man be bound up a while to Angels food onely, as Israel was in the wilderness to Manna, a loathing soon followed: hence God out of his goodness to Man, hath adorn'd the field of the world with various flowers, that when Man (as the Bee) is wearied out with sucking out of one flower, he may fly to ano∣ther. 1. There is variety of food for Man out of Gods three Store-houses; Fowls of the Air, Fishes of the Sea, and Beasts of the Field. 2. Of Raiment, as Wool, Flax, Silk, Leather, &c. that when tyred with one, another may be fresh and pleasing to his shallow capacity.