The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 1 · Subpart 2 – Subpart 3
OF THE CREATION OF MAN.
The neceſſity of this Doctrine.SEEING that God would eſpecially open & manifeſt himſelfe in the creatiō of angels & men, neceſſary for man is the knowledge of himſelfe; both for that God wil be knowen by his own image, which he engraued in mans nature, & alſo becauſe without it we neither aſpire, nor attaine to that end, to the which we were created. Now the knowlege of our ſelfe is two-fold: That is, of man vncorrupted, ſuch as hee was made of God, & ſhal be after his reſtoring accōpliſhed: & of man fallē into ſin & corrupted, ſuch as he now is. The firſt is of the excellency and happines, the other of the miſery of mankind.
Now this common place is annexed vntounto the former of ſinne: 1. Becauſe when it is proued that there is ſinne, Why it is placed next the diſcourſe of ſinne.and that the nature of man is ſinfull, the queſtion ſtraight ariſeth, whether God created man ſubiect to ſinne. And if not ſo, how then? For out of the doctrine concerning Original ſinne this obiection ſeemeth to follow. Man is a ſinner. Man was created of God. Therefore God created man a ſinner. Whereunto our anſwere is, that it is a fallacie of the Accident, or that more is brought in the Concluſion, than was in the Antecedent. Secondly, This place is annexed that it may be vnderſtood out of what dignitie and felicitie man hath throwne himſelfe by his owne vnthankefulnes. Thirdly, that we may know whence ſin came, and ſo not thinke God to be vniuſt. Fourthly, that we may know the greatnes of ſinne in vsus. Fiftly, that there may be kindled and increaſed in vsus an earneſt deſire of recouering our firſt felicitie, yea and farre greater than that was. Sixtly, that we may be thankefull for the reſtoring of it. But there occurre many thinges, which proue God not to bee the author of ſinne. 1 The nature of God. He is of his owne nature good, God not the author of ſinne, which was alſo proued before pag. 101.and the chiefe good: how then ſhould anie euill thing come from him? 2. It is written Gen. 1.31. All that God had made, was verie good. 3. It is proued by the lawe of God, by which hee condemneth all euill thinges and ſinnes, and commandeth good thinges. Wherefore he is not the author of ſinnes. For the lawe of God is as it were the glas of that puritie which is in God. 4. It is proued by the puniſhmentes which God inflicteth vponupon ſinners: but he were vniuſt, if he ſhoulde puniſh that in man, whereof himſelfe were author. 5. By the deſcription of ſinne, which is a deſtruction of the image of God in man, according to which man was made. This image was righteouſnes. And therefore not ſinne. More vntounto this purpoſe hath beene ſpoken in the former place of ſinne. To this place of the creation may be referred the place of the Image of God. Likewiſe the place of the firſt ſinne of Adam and Eue. Thoſe two places we will handle next after this, that ſo afterwardes wee may come to the place of freewill, which is alſo ioined with this of mans creation.
THE QVESTIONS OF MANS CREATION ARE ESPECIALLIE TWO.
1 What, man was created of God.
2 To what end, or for what, man was created.
1 What, man was created of God.
This queſtion is propoſed euen for the ſame cauſes, for which the whole place it ſelf is. 1. That it may appeare, that God is not the author of ſinne. 2. That wee may know the greatnes of the ſinne of mans vnthankefulnes. 3. That we may pray to God & craue earneſtlie for his grace, & our deliuerie from ſinne. 4. That wee may bee thankefull for our deliuerie from ſinne.
MAn was created, firſt conſiſting of bodie and ſoule. His bodie was faſhioned of a maſſe or lumpe of earth,Man created perfect both in bodie and ſoule. immortall, if hee ſtoode ſtill in righteouſneſſe; mortall, if hee fell: for mortalitie enſued on ſinne. His ſoule is a ſubſtaunce incorporeall, vnderſtanding, and immortall: this was by god infuſed and vnited to an inſtrumentall body, to informe or quicken it, and together with it to make and conſtitute one perſon or Subſiſtent, namely man, to worke certaine motions, and actions external and internal, by the miniſterie of the bodie and without the miniſterie of the bodie, iuſt and pleaſing God, all which the ſoule accompliſheth in the bodie, and ſome alſo by the bodie as an inſtrument, ſome by it ſelfe, without the bodie, that is, not vſing the bodie or any part thereof as an inſtrument of his operations. Secondly, man was created perfectlie wiſe. Thirdly, Perfectlie holie, and iuſt. Fourthly, Lord ouer other creatures. Fiftly, Truely and perfectlie bleſſed and happie. And this is to be created to the image of God.
Obiect. Perfect wiſedome, righteouſnes, & bleſſednes are in god alone.Man perfect but in a certaine degree and meaſure, not infinitly as God. Man is not God: therefore theſe could not be perfect in man. Aunſwere. This reaſon is a fallacie deceiuing by reaſon of the equiuocation or ambiguitie of the word Perfect. For in the Maior propoſition is vnderſtoode, The perfection of the Creator, which is the very immenſitie and vnmeaſurablenes of his eſſence and properties, by reaſon whereof nothing can be added more vntounto God, whereby he may be greater, or better, or happier: of which perfection if the Concluſion alſo ſpeake, wee graunt the whole reaſon: for this perfection is communicated reallie to no creature at all, no not to the fleſhe of Chriſt. But it is an other perfection, which is in creatures, namelie a perfection in partes and degrees. For all creatures, euen the moſt excellent, hauehave onelyonly partes and degrees of good thinges diſtributed of the Creator vntounto them, euerie one ſuch as are agreeable to their nature and place.
All things therefore, are in their owne kind or ſort moſt good and perfect, when they are and remaine ſuch, as God woulde then hauehave euerie of them to bee, when hee created them. So in man at his creation was perfect wiſedome or knowledge, perfect Righteouſneſſe, perfect Bleſſedneſſe, not that nothing could bee added more vntounto them, or that they did match and equall the perfections of God, but becauſe they had that degree of perfection, in which degree God woulde hauehave them to bee in man. Wherefore for mans perfection, it was ſufficient, if hee knewe all thoſe thinges concerning God and his workes, which God woulde hauehave him to knowe; and further, if hee did ſhewe and performe that conformitie, which God exacted of him. It was not required to mans happineſſe, that hee ſhoulde knowe all thinges, or bee perfectlie iuſt, holie, bleſſed, and happie: for that had not perfected man, but transformed him into God. The ſame is to bee conceiued and thought concerning the perfect wiſedome, Righteouſneſſe, and Bleſſednes of Angels.
2 For what, man was created.
THe laſt and principall end of mans creation is the glorie and praiſe of god. The principal end of mans creation, to praiſe & worſhip God.For therfore god created reaſonable creatures, that being known of them he might bee magnified. It is an action proper vntounto man to know & magnifie god. Therefore he was created to know and worſhip God: that is, to profeſſe him, to call vponupon him, to giuegive thankes vntounto him, & to obey him; Laſtly to louelove God & his neighbour.
The worſhip of God comprehendeth Profeſſion and Inuocation on the name of God, Thankeſgiuing, Praiers, & Obedience,Other ends of mans creation are, The knowledge of God. which conſiſteth in our louelove and dueties towards God and men. Many other endes are ſubordinated to this principall end. For vntounto the worſhip is ſubſtituted the true knowledge of God. For God not being known can not be worſhipped. This is euerlaſting life, that they may know thee alone to bee the true God. Further, To the knowledge of God is ſubordinated or next in order the felicity & bleſſednes of man, which is the fruition and euerlaſting participation of God,Mans felicitie. in which conſiſteth glorie and eternall life. To this is ſubordinated the manifeſtation of God, The manifeſtation of God.or the declaration of Gods merciemercy in his choſen to euerlaſting life, and of his iuſtice and wrath againſt ſinne to be puniſhed in the reprobate. For that thou maiſt know God, and be happy, it is needfull alſo that he make himſelfe manifeſt vntounto thee. VntoUnto the manifeſtation of God is ſubordinated the preſeruation of ſocietie in mankinde. For except there were men, God ſhoulde not hauehave whom to manifeſt himſelfe vntounto.The preſeruation of the ſociety of men. I will declare thy name vntounto my brethren. To this preſeruatiō there folow next in order the duties of nature, and the mutuall good turnes, and benefites of one man towards an other. For no ſocietie or coniunction or conuerſing of men together can be or conſiſt without mutuall dueties paſſing enterchangeably betweene them. Wherefore the ſocietie of men, and mutuall communicating and imparting of dueties betweene them, are the ſubordinate endes of man created, ſeruing for the obtaining of the principall end, which is the manifeſtation, participation or fruition, knowledge, praiſe and worſhippe of God. When therefore God is ſaide to be the ende of man, it is meant of him manifeſted, participated, knowne, and worſhipped. And in this end, as being the chief and laſt, the whole felicitie and bleſſednes, and glorie of man conſiſteth.
1. Obiect. Heauen, earth, and other creatures which are void of reaſon, Other creatures are ſaid to praiſe God as being the matter of his praiſe: which yet they ſhoulde not bee, if man and Angels were not.are ſaid to worſhippe and magnifie God: Therefore the worſhip and praiſe of God is not the proper end why man was created. Anſwere. This reaſon hath a fallacie of equiuocation or ambiguitie. Creatures voide of reaſon are ſaide to worſhip and praiſe God, not that they vnderſtand ought of god, or know and worſhip him: But becauſe they bearing certain prints and ſteps of Diuinitie in them, are the matter of gods praiſe and worſhip. But the creatures endewed with reaſon are ſaid to praiſe and magnifie god, not onelyonly, becauſe in them are extant moſt conſpicuous and notable teſtimonies of god, but chiefly, becauſe they beeing endewed with a power & facultie of vnderſtanding, & of conforming themſelues to the will of god, know by the beholding & contemplation of gods works in thēſelues & other creatures, the infinite goodnes, wiſedome, power, iuſtice, bounty, and maieſtie of god, and are raiſed and ſtirred vp to worſhip god aright both in minde, and in worde, and in the whole obedience, according to his diuine law. And if god had not created creatures of reaſon and vnderſtanding, who might beholde, conſider, and with thankefull minde acknowledge his workes, and the order and diſpoſing of thinges in whole nature: other thinges which are voide of reaſon, might no more be ſaide to praiſe and worſhip god, that is to be the matter and occaſion of praiſing him, than if they had neuer beene at all.
2. Obiection. The felicitie and bleſſednes of man is a qualitie, or condition and eſtate, in which or with which man was created; that is, it is a part of the image of God, and a forme or propertie of man. Therefore it belōgeth to the firſt queſtion, what man was created, and not to this of the end of mans creation. Anſwere. This hath no contrarietie in it; for the ſame may be in diuers the finall cauſe & the formal. For the ſoule and the properties or faculties thereof, are both the formal and final cauſe of a liuing bodie: the forme, as they actuate and giuegive life vntounto the bodie: the ende, as the bodie is framed of nature for this, that the ſoule may informe it, and exerciſe by it his operations & actions. In like ſort the bleſſednes of man, or participation or fruition of god, as alſo the knowledge of god, is a propertie and part of the image of god in man, in reſpect of the beginning, when man by his creation beganne both to bee, and to bee iuſt and bleſſed: it is the ende of man in reſpect of continuance & perſeuerance, that is, as god created man wiſe, iuſt, and bleſſed for this, that hee ſhoulde continue ſo for euer: that is, man was created iuſt and happie, & he was created for this, that he might be iuſt and happie. Wherefore albeit the exiſtence of bleſſedneſſe and the continuance & abiding of the ſame are the ſame in the thing it ſelfe: yet in conſideration and reſpect they are diuers. By reaſon of which diuers reſpects, felicitie, wiſedome, holines, are both a qualitie and an end of man, that is, are referred to the queſtions, WHAT and FOR WHAT man was created.
This firſt creation of man is diligently to be compared with the miſerie of mankinde, as alſo the end for which we were created with the aberration and ſwaruing from the end: that ſo by this meanes alſo wee may know the greatnes of our miſerie. For howe much the greater wee ſee the good was, which wee hauehave loſt; ſo much the greater wee know the euils to be, into which we are fallen.