The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII. That Man was created one alone, male and female.
THeſe queſtions ſeeme neceſſarie for the knitting of that which followes, to the concluſions that have beene made before. And becauſe they are taken as ſuppoſitions in the briefe of our Creed, and ſeeme plaine enough of themſelves; they may be handled with the more ſhortneſſe, but yet may they not here bee let paſſe altogether untouched: for although it be given that man is the creature of God; yet if he made many men, and many women, though one or moe ſinned; yet the reſt might continue in their innocencie, and ſo the whole race of mankinde was not corrupted. Or if hee made but one man; yet if he made him ſuch as men now are, then could not his actions be accounted any way ſinfull: or if Adam by his ſin loſt not his eſtate of happineſſe, or his owne alone, or if there were no hope of reſtoring; then to beleeve any Saviour were altogether in vaine; or if there were any other meanes of ſalvation by man or Angell, than that which the Chriſtian faith doth hold; then were all that which followes utterlie needleſſe: therefore it muſt appeare that man was created, firſt one, male and female, and no moe; ſecondly upright and without any taint of originall or actuall ſin; onelyonly ſuch freewill he had, as that he might ſinne if he would, or if hee would not, hee might not hauehave ſinned. And firſt that hee created them one only male, and for continuance of kinde his female, it is plaine by this.
1. The workes of God are ſo made in the perfection of number, and meaſure, as that it is not poſſible to finde any defect or exceſſe therein. But if moe men than one had beene made; if without the power of bringing forth their like, there had beene defect in them, and they needleſſe and in vaine; if with ſuch power of multiplication as Adam had, then had there beene exceſſe in the creature, and God had needleſly brought out mankinde from many roots, which might bee brought out from one alone: but this was unneceſſary in the creature; therefore it could not bee fitting in the wiſdome of the Creator. And therefore he being but one, he created man in his owne image, one man, male, and female. Gen. 1.27.
2. The excellencie of Lordſhip or rule muſt be in one alone, & cannot poſſiblie conſiſt in many: ſo that if many men had bin created, the Lordſhip of man over the inferiour creature had not beene perfect in one: & although there be now many millions of men; yet the Lordſhip over the creature is to everie one equall with Adam, or Noah, inaſmuch as everie man claimes as the perfection of his kinde, ſo the dignities and prerogatives thereof from his firſt originall, which if it had beene many, could not have beene ſo excellent.
3. Everie naturall motion, or inſtinct of nature which is ordered according to one rule; muſt needs have one authour and one beginning. But all the ordinarie and naturall motions of every ſpecies are according unto one rule, to joyne with their like, to propagate their like, to maintaine their life alike, &c. Therefore mankinde had but one author of all their kinde; and ſo were not brought out of ſtones nor trees, neither yet were they foreign or ſpringing of themſelves out of the earth, as the fancies of the h…athen that knew not their originall, leade them to beleeve.
4. The worke of God muſt needs bee of the higheſt and greateſt perfection that may bee. But the beginning of a ſpecies from one roote is more noble, excellent, and perfect than from many; becauſe in that one both the individuall, and the whole kinde alſo is conteined. Therefore the firſt creature in mankinde was one alone.
5. It was neceſſarie that the God of Unitie and peace ſhould ſo create man, as it might be moſt availeable for the maintenance of that love and peace which ſhould afterward bee, and flouriſh amongſt men. But when men know themſelves to be the ſonnes of one common father of them all, they are more ſtraitly tied to brotherlie love, and the upholding of fellowſhip among themſelves. And this being the end, the meanes muſt be availeable to the end. Therefore the beginning of mankinde was onelyonly from one man, whereby it ſeemes that Adam had not his name from foreign Adamah which ſignifies earth, but rather (as a maſter obſerved) of foreign Achad dam one blood as S. Paul urges it Act. 17.26. That God of one blood made all the nations of men that dwell upon the face of the earth.