The Creatures Goodness, Sermon 1

The Creatures Goodness · Sermon 1

p. 1Gen. I. Part of the 31. Verſe.

And God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good.

THE Holy Scriptures, even from the beginning of them, ſpeak of God foreign, after the manner of men; And becauſe 'tis the ordinary practice of the beſt Artificers, often to take a view of the works under their hands, to compare them with the Idea which they have in their minds, or with the Model or Pattern which they have before their eyes, to the end to ſee how well they agree thereunto; Therefore alſo doth the Text repreſent to us Almighty God, the great Architect, Builder, or Maker of Heaven and Earth, and the Sea and all things therein, having in ſix days finiſhed this glorious Fabrick, now in the cloſe of the ſixth day taking a general ſurvey or review of all his works, (as it were) to ſee whether all things were made, according to the Idea or platform of things which he had in his own mind from all eternity; to ſee (as it were) whether there was any neceſſary Creature wanting, any thing made ſuperfluous or redundant, how the ſeveral particulars did correſpond and conſpire to adorn the Univerſe, whether any Momus or Ariſtarchus could ever after come forth and juſtly criticiſe upon any of his works, upon any tittle or jota in all the great Book of the Creatures from the beginning to the end thereof. And God ſaw every thing that he had made. And when God had viewed and reviewed, ſuperviſed and reviſed his whole work, and every particular of it; he paſſed judgment, righteous judgment, and that with a Sentence of approbation and commendation upon every particular thing which he had made. And behold (ſaith the Text) it was very good.

p. 2God's ſurvey of all his Creatures; and his judgment of them upon his ſurvey and review of them; theſe two divide the Text. From the words we ſhall deduce theſe two Obſervations.

1. That God, who is foreign, he doth look upon again & again, and conſider his works.

2. That it is a true and righteous Sentence or Judgment, namely this which he paſſed upon his Creatures at firſt, as they then were, as they came out of his hands: Behold they were very good.

The former I ſhall very briefly diſpatch, the latter I ſhall inſiſt upon.

1. Of the firſt. It cannot be that ever any thing ſhould be hid from Gods all-ſeeing Eye, which is a thouſand times brighter than the Sun; Which if it look on the Sun, the eye of the World, that ſhineth not; yea God who is All-eye, Totus oculus, ſees more than the eye of Faith doth, and yet that ſees things that are inviſible; and therefore nothing which was regiſtred in Moſes's Natural Hiſtory of the Creation, could poſſibly lye undiſcovered unto him. No not the Angels of Heaven above, which becauſe not to be ſeen with corporal eyes, much leſs Minerals hid in the bowels of the Earth beneath, which becauſe not actually ſeen without much digging and delving, or becauſe not ſo ſoon perfected by the heat of the Sun, are therefore omitted altogether in the preceding Narration; I ſay there was never any thing▪ either in Heaven above, in the Earth beneath, or in the Waters either above or under the Earth, which was not alway viſible, and actually ſeen and beheld by him. And yet, if you look over this Chapter, you will find that 'tis ſaid that God had ſeen his works four times before now. He ſaw the work of every day in the end thereof, and pronounced it good, except the ſecond day; which ſome think was becauſe the Angels were created that day, and that day fell multitudes of them; Others becauſe that day was a work of diviſion; for then God made the Firmament, and divided the Waters which were under the Firmament, from the Waters which were above the Firmament, verſe 7. Or laſtly and moſt probably, p. 3becauſe the work which was begun that day was not ſo fully perfected until the third day, when God gathered the Waters under the Heaven into one place, and call'd it Seas, when 'tis ſaid, that God ſaw that it was good. Verſ. 10. I ſay, God had ſeen his works four times before this ſixth day; and never looked on any thing that he had made, but he ſaw it was good; and yet this ſatisfies not, but he ſees and ſurveys them again a fifth time, namely now on the ſixth day, God ſaw every thing that he had made.

If any wonder at this, and ſay in their heart, what doth this mean? if it was ſo, why was it thus? I anſwer, that it was not done for that it was poſſible for God to have overſeen himſelf in any of his works, and to have omitted either any part or parcel of work which he had deſigned to do, or any punctilio of workmanſhip requiſite; It was not becauſe that any thing either actually did, or poſſibly could miſcarry in his hands, or be marred by him in the making of it: It was not becauſe there was any want of harmony, or due proportion of the parts one to another, or becauſe all together they could poſſibly render the Univerſe ugly or monſtrous. It was not for any one, nor for all theſe cauſes put together, that God is ſaid thus often to ſee his works: But it may be for ſome ſuch ends as theſe;

1. To teach us ſeriouſly to contemplate, and wiſely to conſider the operation of his hands, to ſtudy the Book of Nature well, that large Volume of two Tomes, Heaven and Earth; and therein to ſee the inviſible things of God, even his eternal Power and Godhead, which being of themſelves not ſeen, yet are manifeſt by the things that do appear. In the Sun, Moon, and Stars you may ſee digitum Dei; In the inferior or ſublunary Creatures veſtigia Dei, Gods footſteps, for quaelibet Herba & quaelibet Beſtiola Deum refert. In Man you may ſee Dei Speculum & Imaginem, the Glaſs, Image, and Repreſentation of God. In the Univerſe, as in a fair Book and very legible Characters, you may read, yea you may run and read, the Name and Nature of God; and by reading and ſtuding this Book only, you may prove good Scholars in Divinity. God would have no Atheiſt in the Univerſity of the p. 4World: But if any ſuch there be, who ſhut their eyes againſt the light of the knowledge of God in the face of the whole Creation, let them know that God's eye is ever upon them, and that for evil, for this horrid ingratitude, in that that they would ma… him that made them, not allow him a being who give them, and all things or Creatures elſe, theirs.

2. To teach us to view and review our own works. If God, who could not err, ſurveyed every days work (one excepted) in the end of the day, and the whole weeks work in the end of the ſixth day: Let us go and do likewiſe; Let's conſider our ways daily, and again let's conſider our ways weekly; Let there be no man amongſt us, but who reviews his works, ſaying, What have I done? This was the way wherein David (if we judge him the pen-man of the 119. Pſalm) was converted, or reſtored after his fall, he thought on his ways, look'd them over and over again, and turn'd his feet unto God's Teſtimonies.

3. To ſecure to himſelf his own honour and glory, and to render the Creatures inexcuſable, in caſe of any future miſcarriage. Now if any thing fall, and be marr'd, the fault cannot juſtly and reaſonally be imputed unto God; for he was exceeding careful to make, and overlook, and examine his works, and to make and leave all well, good, and very good. If therefore there happen hereafter to be any errour, any crack, flaw, ſpot or blur, any fault in any of the Creatures, it muſt be acknowledged to be by ſome abuſe, neglect, miſcarriage, or fall out of our hands: for, before they came out of God's hands, he looked them over and over again, and found and left them all right and good, and very or vehemently good.

4. To prevent our carping, quarrelling and finding fault with God's works, Ne aliter de ſuis operibus ſentire vel loqui quiſquam audeat. Calvin. That we ſay not, no not in our hearts, Cui bono? Or, Quorſum perditio haec? Concerning any of the Creatures, that none may ſay, What is this? Wherefore is that? For all the works of the Lord are exceeding good; And he hath made all things for their uſe, ſaith the Author of p. 5Eccleſiaſt. Cap. 39.16, 17, 21. That none might blaſpheme Gods works, as that profane Spaniard did.

That none might ſpeak or think falſely and fooliſhly concerning God, as the Jews do, viz. Deum ultima veſpera praeventum quaedam animantia imperfecta reliquiſſe. Calvin. in Gen. 2.1.

God the Judge of Heaven and Earth, did in the beginning of the World ſtrictly look and enquire into, truly try and righteouſly judge all his Creatures; and he returns Omnia benè, I find no fault in any thing that I have made. God having newly printed the Book of the Creatures in ſix days, and having compared it ſheet by ſheet (as it were) before, with the original in his own mind, and found no fault in it; he doth now again that the whole work is finiſhed, read it and examine all over again, and ſees no jota or tittle amiſs in it from the beginning to the end thereof; no place for the leaſt daſh of the pen of Men or Angels, and no need of the leaſt touch of his own hand, either to correct or compleat it.

And this brings us to the other Obſervation, that it was a true and righteous judgment which God paſſed upon his Creatures, as they came out of his hands at firſt, that they were very good. They were good before, and well approved of, four or five times, by God; but now that all is done and poliſhed by God's own hand, now 'tis perfect, very good; nothing need to be added thereunto. When God ſaw the parts of this body of the Univerſe part by part, each was good and beautiful as he made and viewed it day by day: But now the body being fully compleated, by that which every part ſupplyeth; and now this body of the viſible World being headed with a viſible head, Man, God's Deputy and Vice-roy, made and ſet to rule and govern all his Creatures here below; Now 'tis added, they were very good. God aſſembled the Creatures before Adam, to ſee what names he would give all his Subjects; and Adam gave names to all Cattel, and to the Fowls of the Air, and to every Beaſt of the Field, Gen. 2.20. Adam gave them every one his name; and God gave them all an Epithit…e, very good. I p. 6ſhall endeavour, with Gods leave and help, to ſhew,

1. How, and in what ſenſe, the Creatures may be ſaid to be good and very good.

2. To prove, that the Creatures are ſo very good.

3. Whether all the Creatures have always been, and now are ſo very good, as when they firſt came out of God's hands; and, if not, then

4. Whether ever there has been, or ſhall be, a reſtauration of the Creatures to their primitive goodneſs?

5. What God requires that we ſhould contribute towards the repair of this great Houſe of the World, and towards the reſtoring the Creatures to their firſt goodneſs and beauty.

Of the Firſt:

1. The Creatures are all good Metaphyſically, as they had a being, Ens & bonum convertuntur: And ſo they were drops of that Ocean of goodneſs that is in God. 'Tis good by ſome participation of his goodneſs, and conformity to his Word and Will, without which it could not have been at all. So the Scripture teſtifieth, that every Creature of God is good, here, and in the 1 Tim. 4.4. All that was made was every way agreable to his Will, and contrary to, or without that was nothing made that was made.

2. The Creatures were all good Morally. There was no Anomy or Ataxy amongſt them all. Nothing prejudicial to God's glory; and, every thing ſerviceable for mans benefit. The Creatures were good; that is were goodly, fair, pleaſant to the eyes; Again, they were good; that is, profitable, or commodious: So the word may import; for that which one Evangeliſt calleth good, Mar. 9.42. another calleth profitable, Luk. 17.2.

3. They were Theologically good. They were as ſo many Letters, out of which men might ſpell the Name of God Almighty, Pſal. 19. Yea from theſe Creatures, as from ſo many Teachers, men might learn many profitable Leſſons, touching ſervice and obedience to their Maker. The Creatures proclaim to us God's goodneſs, and glory: and again, the homage and duty, which we owe unto God our Creator. p. 7The Creatures are a kind of Ladder, whereby we may always aſcend up unto God. The World is Templum Dei, God's Temple: and in this Temple doth every one of his Creatures ſpeak of his honour.

Of the Second, we ſhall endeavour to evidence the goodneſs and beauty of the Creation.

1. From the various Natures of the Creatures.

2. From the goodly Order of their creation, propagation, and working.

3. From their great Uſefulneſs, and ſerviceableneſs unto Man.

4. From their extraordinary Obedience unto God, their Maker.

Of the Firſt.

1. Every Creature of God is good; and it is a pleaſant thing to behold or conſider the beauty of them all in their firſt creation. How much are we delighted with a good Proſpect, yea with a fair Landskip ſometimes. The ſhew which the Devil tempted our Saviour withal (for, from the top of an exceeding high Hill, he ſhewed him all the Kingdoms of the World, and the glory of them) was of it ſelf a tempting, and would have been a raviſhing ſight to us. But alas! this ſight was nothing, to that view, which God took of all the Creatures of the World, and the goodneſs of them.

Let's behold God's ſix days works, beginning from the Angels in Heaven, to the meaneſt Creature on the Earth, or in the Waters: and we ſhall ſee a delightful ſight, rendred ſo by the excellent variety of the Creation. Some Creatures, as Angels, are all ſpirit, and no bodies: Some again, corporal Creatures, and no ſpirits: Some half the one and half the other; as Man. Again, ſome Creatures have life; and ſome are without life: Of thoſe that have life, ſome are rational, ſome are irrational; Of unreaſonable Creatures, ſome are integra Animalia, ſome Inſecta; and of both ſorts, ſome live in the Air, and ſome in the Water, and ſome on the Earth, and ſome are foreign, as Crocodils, &c. which live partly in the Water, and partly on the dry Land. Again, p. 8there is a Creature which is partly a Plant, and partly an Animal; and that is a Sponge; and, what if we ſay the ſame of the ſenſitive Plant? Come we to inſtance only in the bruit Creatures, and there we ſhall ſee an admirable variety. God hath not fill'd the World with all great, or all ſmall, or all of a middle ſize; but with ſome of every ſort. I ſhall be beholden to the Naturaliſt (Franzius) to ſhew a five-fold obſervable Variety amongſt theſe; And this is our Firſt.

1. God their Maker hath ſet to all their ſeveral quantities, their bounds, which they ſhall not paſs. The greedy Swine ſhall never grow to be ſo big as the Elephant; nor the Pigeon to be ſo great as the Swan.

2. They have their ſeveral Voices and Tones; the Cuckow doth never crow like the Cock; nor the Lyon grunt like the Hog; nor the Dog neigh like the Horſe.

3. They have their ſeveral Trades and Imployments; The Birds, Nightingals excepted, ſing not in the night; but the Dogs bark in the night, and this Creature alone betrays the Thief, at what hour of the night ſoever he comes.

4. They delight in a diverſe kind of Dyet, feed on ſeveral Diſhes, and God gives every one his proper Diſh, his Meat in his ſeaſon; The Sheep doth not feed on fleſh; nor doth the Horſe take pleaſure to gnaw the bones like the Dog; nor the Fiſh to eat hay like the Oxe.

5. They have ſeveral Dwellings or Hiding-places; The Hare does not lye down at the Crib; nor doth the Dog delight conſtantly to abide in the Wood, amongſt Wolves, Tygers, and Lyons.

Of the Second.

God firſt made the Dwelling-houſes of the Creatures, before the Inhabitants thereof; yea he firſt furniſhed and ſtored thoſe ſeveral Manſions of the Creatures, before he made and brought the Creatures into them.

Firſt, God made the graſs for the Beaſts, and then the Beaſts themſelves. Firſt the inferior Creatures, and then Man the Epitome, & under God, ſupream Lord of all. Firſt, God made Vegetative Creatures, then Senſitive, and then Rational. Firſt the ſimple bodies, as the Elements, and p. 9then compound; and there firſt a being, without life; then a being and life, without ſenſe; then a being, life, and ſenſe, without reaſon; then altogether, all in one; and that is Man.

Again, goodly was the order which God ſet for the propagation of the Creatures. He gave them a ſeed, whereby to beget others in their own likeneſs; Or, from whence ſhould grow alway another to continue and repleniſh the World.

It is admirable to think, that ſo much ſhould come of ſo little; that the ſeed of Plants is not quickned except it dye; that when ſeed is ſown in the Earth, the ſeed ſhould grow and ſpring up, and the Sower knoweth not how; For, The Earth bringeth forth fruit of her ſelf; firſt the Blade, then the Ear, then the full Corn in the Ear, Mar. 4.27, 28. And all this comes from the goodneſs and bleſſing of God upon it in the firſt Creation. Gen. 2.11, 12.

Again, it had been a goodly pleaſant ſight, to have ſeen the Waters bring forth Fiſh and Fowl of themſelves firſt; and ſo the Earth, to bring forth Beaſts, and all kind of Cattel after their kind, and all at God's Word of Command at firſt. And that all theſe Creatures ſhould have virtue to multiply, and increaſe, and to repleniſh the Sea, and the dry Land; this is very wonderful.

This is a goodly order too that God hath ſet; namely, that ſenſitive Creatures ſhould ſome bring forth living Creatures; ſome, egs only; that the Oſtrich ſhould bring forth egs, and leave them; And yet God take order with the Beams of the Sun (as with his wings) to keep them warm and hatch them; That God ſhould ſeed the young Ravens, when they cry, and the old one, the Dam, hath left them; viz. (as ſome tell us) by cauſing a little worm to grow out of the dung in the neſt and to crawl into their very mouths to feed them.

Again, that the great Creatures are not ſo fruitful as the ſmall; and that the wild beaſts do not ſo multiply, as the tame, and more uſeful Creatures do; this is alſo admirable. That the Waters, greater than the Earth, and, at firſt, p. 10above the Earth, ſhould not overflow it; but be bound in by a girdle of Sand, and that a light body which the wind can blow too and fro where it liſteth. That the Fire doth not conſume and devour all the other corporal Creatures. That the Beams of the Chambers of the World ſhould be laid in the Waters,Pſal. 104.3.Ps 104:3 and yet not be moved. That the Globe of the Earth and Waters, ſhould hang upon its own Center only, like a ball in the air; this is indeed wonderful.

Again, a moſt beautiful ſight it is to behold and conſider, the good order and concatenation of Cauſes, firſt ſet by God. God appointed the Heavens, to hear the Earth; and the Earth to hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oyl; and theſe to hear Jezreel. Hoſ. 2.22.Hos 2:22This is that ſight which the poor Heathens had ſome glimps of in the night of Gentiliſm; as appears by that Poetical Fancy, of the chain faſtned to Jupiter's Chair, and reaching down to the Earth. What ſhould we ſay more? When God finiſhed the Heavens, and the Earth, and all the Hoſt of them; he left them like a well govern'd Army ſtanding in Battel-aray, every one ſet in his rank, every one ordered to march on in his way, and none to break their ranks, no one to thruſt another. So that if the greatneſs and glory of King Solomon, and the goodly order of his Houſe, or Court, was a ſight which put the Queen of Sheba to an extaſy; what a ſight had it been to have been with Adam in Paradiſe, and to have ſeen the general muſter of the Creatures before him, that he ſhould give them their names; and to have ſeen that excellent order, which was obſerved in this great Houſe of the World, and in all the Family of Heaven and Earth; when God looked upon them all, and behold they were very good. Surely a far greater ſight, than that of Solomon's Court, was here; for a greater than he hath ſaid,Mat. 6.29.Matt 6:29 That Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of theſe.

Of the Third.

3. The Creatures are very good, becauſe they are very uſeful to us. In the ſtate we are now, ſome are for food, ſome for Phyſick, ſome for defence, ſome for covering, ſome for ornament, ſome for our ſervice, ſome for our delight p. 11and recreation. To inſtance in ſome particulars.

The Heavens were made, ſpread out, and garniſhed, for Mans benefit, and advantage. Every Man has his portion in the Stars of Heaven,Deut. 4.19.Deut 4:19 as well as in the clods or glebe of the Earth. For, as God hath determined to all Nations, and perſons the bounds of their habitations on the Earth; ſo hath he divided unto them all, the Sun, Moon, and Stars of Heaven.

The third Heaven is the Seat of the Bleſſed, the Receptacle and Manſion of Saints and Angels, the Palace and Paradiſe of the ſecond Adam and his Seed. The viſible Heavens compaſs the World as a glorious wall of fire, are a goodly Mount and fence, yea a goodly covering and canopy to the ſublunary World and to the Inhabitants thereof; The Sun, Moon, and Stars, diſtinguiſh Times and Seaſons, ſeparate Day and Night, give light to the Inhabitants of the Earth, render it fruitful by their heat and influences.Job 38.31.Job 38:31 The Meteors in the middle region of the Air, Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapour, ſtormy Winds, Thunder and Lightening, the ſmall Rain, and the great Rain of his ſtrength; theſe all ſet forth the Power of God, are good for the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof, they all fulfil his Word, and this Word of his, that Lo, he beheld them, and they were very good. How doth the Snow, though cold of it ſelf, yet keep the Fruits of the Earth warm, like Wool; He giveth Snow like Wool. How do the Winds, as God's Beſom, ſweep the Air, and carry about the Clouds which are his Chariots; though theſe Chariots of God are twenty thouſand, even a thouſand thouſand of them, yet all theſe move very ſwiftly upon the wings of the Wind.

Come we to the lower region of the Air, and there to the Fowls of Heaven. Their flight above the Earth, being made moſt of earth and water, is very admirable; The Oſtrich doth partly go and partly fly, makes uſe both of her legs and wings; and ſo (they ſay) moves as ſwift as if ſhe did ſly. The very feathers and wings of the Birds are of goodly ſight; Gaveſt thou the goodly wings to the Peacock? Job 39.13. Beſides the Fowls are of uſe, ſome for food, ſome for p. 12phyſick, ſome for our recreation; Even the very Swallow and the Bat (ſome may think uſeles Creatures) do the one by day, and the other at even, purge the Air of Flyes. The Crows, Ravens, and Eagles, devour thoſe dead Carkaſes which lye on the Earth, and elſe might corrupt the Air, and make it peſtilential. The Crows pick up the Worms after the plough, and ſo better the ſoil; Some Birds are meat for the reſt, and they again for us.

Come we to the Beaſts of the Field, God hath put all theſe into our hands,Pſal. 8.7.Ps 8:7 yea under our feet. The Horſe, and the Cow; Creatures of great, and ordinary, or daily uſe; God hath not given them ſo great galls as to other Creatures, leſt being much uſed, or miſuſed by us, they ſhould wax angry, and turn again, and rent us. The Horſe doth not bite, or kick his Keeper, when he gives him chaff inſtead of provender. The Beaſts are for our food, or phyſick, or for the food of other Beaſts, who are uſeful or ſerviceable to us, either to our neceſſities, or our delights; Even venomous Creatures themſelves, the Phyſicians make good uſe of; &, they ſay, theſe pick up or ſuck up poyſon, which is ſcattered up and down the Earth; and make the places, where they are, more wholſom. Again ſome of thoſe poyſonous Creatures are meat for other Creatures, which are good food for us; as Hens pick up Spiders, and yet yield us good nouriſhment. Beſides, it may be queſtioned whether there were any ſuch thing as poyſon before Sin came and brought it into the World; we find no Antipathy then betwixt the Woman and the Serpent; and ſo, poſſibly, no venom neither in the Serpent, until the Devil, that great Poyſoner, poſſeſſed it; however, poyſons ſhould not have been hurtful. As for Flyes and creeping Things, theſe are many of them for phyſick, ſome for food, ſo ſome ſort of Locuſts and Snails; for our ſport ſome; with theſe other Creatures are fed, and ſome taken, as the Fiſhes. Of what admirable uſe are theſe to us; to the Silk-worm, we owe our ſoft rayment; and to the Coche…-…al, our ſcarlet-dy.

And as for the Air it ſelf, 'tis a fit Medium for us to breathe in, to move in, to derive the influences and light of Heaven to us.

p. 13Come we to the Earth; our Bodies are made of it; we dwell therein; It brings forth Graſs, and Fruits; and ſo, food for us, and the other Creatures; It is our Bed, to ſleep in after death. In the Earth; the Valleys and Plains, are ſit conveyances of water, to water the Earth; are very fruitful, ſtand ſo thick with Graſs and Corn, that they ſing and ſhout for joy. Pſal. 65.13.Ps 65:13The Mountains are a ſhadow againſt the ſtorm and heat; they are for the graſing of the Cattel; and thence we have our moſt goodly proſpects.

Come we to the Waters; there Fiſh are uſeful to us, for food, or delight, or for other uſes. The Waters themſelves yield matter of Rains, and Dews, to refreſh the dry and thirſty ground; ſerve to waſh us, and refrigerate us, or to refreſh us. The Ebbing and Flowing of the Seas prevent the corruptions of the Waters; is very uſeful for ſpeedy tranſportation of Men, and Merchandize, and of the beſt Merchandize, the Pearl of price.

And now if after all this, there be yet any doubt or ſcruple concerning the goodneſs of God's Creation, or his Creatures: I anſwer; God knows wherefore he made them all, and to what uſe they ſerve; although we do not. When we come into a Goldſmiths, or other Artificers Shop, and ſee many Tools there, which we know not how to uſe,In officinâ non aude… vituperare fabrum, & audes in hoc Mundo reprehendere Deum. Auſt. or what they are good for; yet we do not ſtraight way condemn them, as uſeleſs; becauſe the Artificer knows what good uſe they ſerve for. Neque in poteſtate hominis eſt indagare quam ob cauſam produxerit Natura formicarum alias alis inſtructas, alias abſque alis: Quamobrem etiam vermium alios pluribus pedibus, alios paucioribus produxerit; quiſvè ſit hujus vermis & hujus formicae finis. 2. We ſay, that if there be any deformity, at preſent in the whole Creation; if there be any Inſects, or other Creatures, which are noxious; I anſwer this comes from Mans ſin. Creantur quidem a Deo, ſed ultore; ſaith Calvin in Gen. 2. If Man that was good, and very good, (for, till he was made, God only ſaw, and ſaid of his Creatures that behold they were good; but then, very good;) prove Apoſtate from God, and Rebel againſt him; no wonder, if God do begin to pull the houſe about his ears. If Man himſelf become p. 14a Briar and a Thorn; no wonder if the Earth bring forth Briars and Thorns to him. Whil'ſt Adam continued in his goodneſs, Heaven and Earth was full of God's goodneſs, of God's good Creatures. If there be any Creatures which are evil and pernicious to Man, he muſt blame the evil of ſin for that; that is the fly in this Box of Ointment. And yet as things now are, in ſtatu quo, we may ſay, as the Son of Syrach doth; For the Good are good things created from the beginning, ſo evil things for Sinners. And a little after, enumerating ſome of the principal things for the whole uſe of Mans life; he ſaith, All theſe things are for good, to the Godly; ſo, to the Sinners, they are turned into evil, Eccleſ. 39.

4. And ſo we come to our Fourth Head, or Topick, from whence we are to evidence the goodneſs of the Creatures, namely, their obedience unto their Maker. It may be ſaid of all God's Creatures, as they were made at firſt by him, from the higheſt Angel in Heaven to Man on Earth, and the meaneſt Worm in or under the Earth; that, God commanded and they were created, and they rebelled not againſt his Word.

And now ſince the Angels, ſo many of them, and Adam ſell; they from Heaven, and he from Paradiſe; yet the reſidue of the Creatures, even the whole Creation (theſe excepted) keep the Law that their Maker ſet them, and are ſtill obedient unto his Word. The Angel deſtroys Senacharib's mighty Hoſt. The Stars in their courſes ſight againſt Siſera. The Ravens feed Elijah. The dumb Aſs reproves the madneſs of the Prophet. The Frogs and Flyes plague Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The Lice or Worms devour proud Herod; Aelian. Var. Hiſtor. Lib. 4. Cap 28.and deſtroy profane and impious Pherecydes.

And ſo we are on a ſudden fallen on an implicite Anſwer to our Third Query, namely, whether the Creatures be all now ſo good as when they firſt came new out of Gods hands. How are the mighty Angels fallen, and become Devils; multitudes of them. And over Adam and his poſterity, we may lament, as David over Saul, and Jonathan his Son, a little alter'd;2 Sam. 1.2 Sam 1 The beauty of Paradiſe is ſlain upon the high places; How are the Mighty fallen! There the Shield of the Mighty was vilely caſt p. 15away; The Shield of Adam, as if he had not been anointed with the Oyl of Sanctity and Soveraignty. How are the Mighty fallen, and the Weapons of war periſhed.

Man that was ſo very good, when God made this general ſurvey of his Creatures, by ſin became ſo very evil, that, Gen. 6. God repented and it grieved him at his heart that ever he made him. How is the goodly Picture, marr'd, the beautiful Face, deformed, the ſweet Inſtrument, broken! Bethel made a Babel, or a Bethaven; Light, become darkneſs; Man that was naturally very good, become by nature very evil. As for the inferiour Creatures; Man's fall exceedingly cruſhed them; yea brought a curſe on his own head, and theirs too: So that, now, they are not generally ſo pleaſant, ſo uſeful, ſo ſerviceable, and obedient to us, as they would have been, if we had not ſinned. Rom. 8.20.Rom. 8.20.Rom 8:20 The Creature it ſelf is made ſubject to vanity. Which place if we underſtand in the moſt ordinary ſenſe, there is a two-fold vanity to which the Creatures are now ſubject; 1. To be abuſed vainly, by ſinful Men, to ryot, luxury, and exceſs; And 2. The Creatures are ſubject to corruption. And thus far we anſwer by way of conceſſion; that the Creatures are not ſo very good as they were at firſt. But yet we ſay,

1. That the Creatures are ſtill good in reſpect of their eſſence, or being, which they have from God.

2. With the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Tim. 4.4. That every Creature of God is good, and nothing to be refuſed if it be received with thanksgiving. To the Pure all things are pure.

3. And again, That all things ſhall work together for good, Rom. 8.28.Rom 8:28to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpoſe. That if they touch any deadly things, they ſhall not hurt them. To them is the promiſe made, Pſal. 91.13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lyon and the Adder, and the young Lyon and Dragon ſhalt thou trample under feet. Either there ſhall no evil betide us from the Creatures; or, God will turn it unto good to us.

4. We ſay too, that 'tis good as things now ſtand: 'Tis for the peace and tranquility of the Common-wealth of mankind, that God hath made ſome Creatures inſtrument p. 16wrath and vengeance, upon Diſturbers and publick Enemies; as, in a well-ordered Common-wealth, 'tis good that there be Goals and Gibbets, &c. for the terror and puniſhment of Evil-doers.

IV. And now if any ask me, Whether the wound, which the Creatures got by the fall of Adam cruſhing of them, be incurable? waether the Creatures ever yet have had, or ſhall hereafter have, a Reſtauration to their primitive goodneſs and integrity? I anſwer,

1. That when God, the Builder of this great Houſe of the viſible World, had been ſo provoked by his Tenant Adam, that he might juſtly have ſworn in his wrath, that he would pull down this Houſe about his ears; and either make a Dung-hill of it, or conſume it, with the Timber thereof, and the Stones thereof: Then the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he by whom all things were made which were made at firſt; he interpoſed, ſtep'd in, held the hand of Divine Juſtice, and put under his ſhoulders, to uphold the tottering Creation; He undertook and covenanted to make God full ſatisfaction and reparation; and to eſtabliſh the World again upon its own Baſis; Reconciling, or making all things meet again, and ſweetly kiſs each other;Col. 1.20.Col 1:20 Whether they be things in Earth, or things in Heaven. Thus did Chriſt become ſurety and bound for us, or elſe a writ of execution had been preſently ſerved upon us, and the Creatures under us, id eſt, upon us Body and Goods.

2. When we read that God reprieved Adam from execution; and gave him that great Mother Promiſe of the bleſſed Seed; we may rationally ſuppoſe, that he did, in ſome meaſure at leaſt, alleviate or mitigate the juſtly deſerved curſe upon the Creatures for his ſake and cauſe: For if God ſpared not to promiſe us his own Son, and to deliver him up for us all; how ſhould he not with him freely promiſe to give us all things, even all things richly to enjoy? If he will promiſe to give us his Son, the Heir of all things, in Marriage to us; ſurely the Inheritance too, that ſhall be ours. Again, God will not pardon the Principal, Man; and execute thoſe who are inſtruments, rather than Acceſſaries, to wit the Creatures.

p. 173. If we conſult the latter end of the eighth, & the beginning of the ninth Chapter of Geneſis, we ſhall find that upon Noah's building an Altar, and offering burnt Offerings unto the Lord, after the Flood, God did covenant and promiſe to uphold and eſtabliſh the World, and did renew Adam's forfeited Character, by which he made him Lord of the Creatures, unto his poſterity: bleſſing and reſtoring Noah, and his Sons, and in them, us, in a great meaſure, to that Right and Royalty, which their and our great Grand-father Adam had loſt.

4. The Lord Chriſt, God bleſſed for ever, by being made actually a curſe for us in the fulneſs of time, hath purchaſed and given unto us the uſe of the Creatures as a bleſſing, and hath utterly taken away the partition wall of typical uncleanneſs, as to many Creatures (which ſtood for a time betwixt Jew and Gentile) and now every Creature of God is good, being ſanctified by the Word and Prayer; that is, good Men may now have a good and holy uſe of all God's good Creatures.

5. We cannot but acknowledge, that the Scriptures of truth, ſpeak of Goſpel-times as of the World to come, Acts 3.21.Acts 3:21Heb. 1. As of times of Reformation, Heb. 9.10. As of times of Reſtitution of all things, according to our laſt Tranſlation; As of a new Heaven and a new Earth; And ſometimes, ſince Chriſt, they ſpeak of New Jeruſalem coming down from Heaven, Rev. 22. Of the Paradiſe of God; of a Tree of Life, and of a Water of Life, Revel. 2.7.Rev 2:7Rev. 22.12. And this ſeems to be upon the Earth. And 'tis obſerved, that, then and there, the Tree of Life bears fruit every month; which ſome think, is a reſtoring of it to its primitive fruitfulneſs; and, for want of which, ſome think the Fig-tree was curſed in the Goſpel, ſo Mr. Brightman. And there are who think that one day Sodom and Gomorrah, now a dead Sea, ſhall again become a fruitful and pleaſant Land; And for this ſee Ezek. 16.53.55. There are too, who think that the Creatures waiting, groaning and longing to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8. doth hint ſome Reſtitution of the Creatures to their firſt good and ſound ſtate. Which whether it do or no, I leave it to you to judge. Only this I ſay, that if the viſible World ſhall p. 18paſs through a purgatory-fire at the day of Judgment, and if it ſhall be continued for the bleſſed Saints to contemplate God's goodneſs therein at firſt, and the glory of Chriſt the ſecond Adam, who came to repair the ruins which the firſt made; that then it is not improbable, that the Creatures may then attain to their primitive goodneſs. However ſure I am that the Humane Nature is already, in the Perſon of Chriſt, advanced far above what it was in Adam at firſt. The firſt Adam was of the Earth earthly, the ſecond Adam was the Lord from Heaven, heavenly: And again, That all thoſe that are Chriſts, are already in part, and ſhall hereafter in Heaven perfectly, be reſtored to the Image of God wherein they were made at firſt; and to a better and more happy eſtate then ever Adam had in Paradiſe.

V. There's one Query more to be briefly ſpoken unto, and then we ſhall have done with the Fifth thing propounded in the beginning of our Diſcourſe, and that is, what is required of us towards the repair of the ruins of the Creation, to reſtore the Creatures to their primitive goodneſs and beauty. To this I anſwer,

1. That God doth not require, that we ſhould repair the Angelical Nature; that we ſhould pour Wine and Oyl into their wounds, or bind up their bruiſes; their ſtroke is incurable, there is no Balm in Gilead, no Phyſician for their diſeaſe: Only, we muſt, by endeavouring to be foreign, fit our ſelves to fill up thoſe vacant places in the Heavens from whence they fell. God can make of us, if we duly apply our ſelves to him, although we be but earthen Pitchers, Veſſels of Grace, and Veſſels of Glory; Veſſels every way fit for our Maſters uſe, both in Earth and in Heaven.

Col. 3.9, 10Col 3:9Col 3:102. God doth expect that we ſhould put off the old Man with his deeds, and put on the new Man which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him. That, being in Chriſt, id eſt, being indeed Chriſtians, we ſhould become new Creatures, be renewed in the ſpirit of our minds, and walk in newneſs of life, that, as in Adam we all dyed, and became dead in Sins and treſpaſſes; ſo in Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, and by a lively Faith in him, we ſhould all be made aliue. And, becauſe p. 19Adam was the Son of God by Creation at firſt; that we ſhould all be Partakers of the Divine Nature; be his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works; Live and walk as the Sons of God; all as the Children of the moſt High, that the Lord may take pleaſure in us again; as he did in Adam in Paradiſe, before he ſinned.

3. We muſt make a good uſe of all God's good Creatures: getting a new right to uſe them, (although the old one be not utterly loſt) and uſing them alway aright, according to the Creators will, and for his glory.

Many are the good uſes we may make of the Creatures & this Doctrine of the Creatures uſefulneſs and goodneſs.

U I Hence we may be informed, that God made not ſin. For all that he made was good; and Sin that is evil, and as Sin, only evil, and that continually. There was no Anomy, or Ataxy, in all God's works; but Sin it ſelf is an Anomy, foreign is foreign. Then God is not the Author of this evil and confuſion. This is the Truth we teach in all the Churches of the Saints; and not, as we are ſlanderouſly reported by the Romaniſts, that we ſay, that God is the Author of Sin. God is Summum Bonum, yea Goodneſs it ſelf: but Sin is Summum Malum, the chiefeſt Evil; and ſo bad, that Hell and the Devil cannot make it worſe. Ye cannot call it worſe than to call it by an Epithite drawn from its own name, viz. ſinful Sin. This calls the Devil Father, and Author. God, the good Husbandman, ſow'd nothing but good Seed in his Field: 'tis the Devil, that Enemy, that ſow'd theſe tares.

Again, hence we infer that Sin is very evil; becauſe it hath poyſon'd ſo many good things; yea hath been the cauſe of all evils in the World. For, at the firſt, God made every thing very good. That muſt needs be bitter indeed, which hath imbittered ſo many, and ſo great ſweets. Sin is the great Troubler of the World, this is it which makes God's good things, turn to be evil to us; that curſes our Bleſſings; that makes a Garden of Eden a deſolate Wilderneſs; that turns the World upſide down; and makes that, when Jeremy looked upon the Land of Canaan, that Garden p. 20of God, Chap. 4.22, 23. He beheld the Earth, and lo it was a Tohu Ʋabohu, without ſorm and void; and the Heavens, and they had no light.

Further hence we may learn, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is very good: a Fountain of goodneſs. For God made all good,Col. 1.16.Col 1:16 and he created all things by Chriſt. By him, not as a mere Inſtrument, but a Co-worker with him. He is the beginning of the Creation of God, in this ſenſe alſo. Is there any good in the World, and the Lord Chriſt hath not done it? and he hath done all things▪ Well; Heaven and Earth are full of the goodneſs of our Lord Jeſus; and there's No Man good, but one; and that is one who is God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus.

Laſtly, as to information, hence we are taught that the work of Redemption is very good, exceeding good. For this is a better and greater work than that of Creation. If that deſerve thouſands of praiſes, this doth ten thouſands. The ſong of the Lamb is to be a higher Note, than the ſong of Moſes. Creation was a work of God's fingers; but in our Redemption there was put forth the ſtrength of his holy arm; by which he got himſelf, & us the victory. Behold now a new Heaven, & a new Earth; the light of the Moon is as the light of the Sun, & the light of the Sun is ſeven-fold: Old things are paſſeth away, & all things are become new. And therefore, if when God laid the foundation, the Corner-ſtone of the World, the Morningſtars ſang together, & all the Sons of God ſhouted for joy; No marvel now that Chriſt, by whom all things were made at firſt, and who hath reſtored all things, and redeemed his People to God, by his blood, out of every kindred; and Tongue, and People, and Nation; If, with the Apoſtle John, Rev. 5.11, 12, 13. We behold, and hear the voyce of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beaſts and the Elders, the number of them ten thouſand times ten thouſand; and thouſands of thouſands, ſaying with a loud voyce, Worthy is the lamb that was ſlain, to receive power, and riches, and wiſdom, and ſtrength, and honour, and glory, and bleſſing; And every Creature in Heaven, and on Earth, and under the Earth, and in the Sea, ſaying, Bleſſing, honour, glory, and power be unto him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

p. 21If God had his Sabbath, to celebrate his work of Creation: good reaſon Chriſt ſhould have his Sabbath, wherein we ſhould commemorate his work of Redemption. And now, this being the Lords day, and our Chriſtian Sabbath, let us do the duty of the day in the ſeaſon thereof. Bleſs the Lord, O our Souls, and all that is within us bleſs his Holy Name: Forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all our iniquities, who redeemeth our life from deſtruction, who crowneth us with loving kindneſſes, and tender mercies, Pſal. 103.1, 2, 3, 4.

U II I ſhall conclude all with a few words of Exhortation. When God looked upon his works, did he ſee every thing very good? 1. Then let us not cavil or carp at any of all God's works. Wo to him that ſtriveth with his Maker: Let the Potſherd ſtrive with the Potſherds of the Earth. Let's not blame, or find fault with God, for any of all his works, either of Creation, or Providence: for God hath made all things well, and he hath made every thing beautiful in his ſeaſon. If any of God's Creatures, or Providences, prove evil and hurtful to us, let's blame our ſelves, let's blame our ſins: For Sin, that it might appear Sin, worketh death in us by that which is good, Rom. 7. 2. Let's admire and adore God. Let's bleſs, and praiſe, and magnify him for ever, for all his goodneſs: For his goodneſs is in and over all his works. Let's have high thoughts of God, and low of our ſelves. And this is the uſe the Prophet David makes of this Doctrine, Pſal. 8.147, 148, 149, 150. Yea this is the uſe, which God himſelf would have Job make of it, when he preached upon part of this Text, in the 38, 39, 40, 41. Chapters of the Book of Job. And let us ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 103. when we take a ſurvey of Gods works, Bleſs the Lord ye his Angels, who excel in ſtrength, ye Miniſters of his, that do his pleaſure: Bleſs the Lord all his Works in all places of his Dominion, & every one of us: Bleſs the Lord O my Soul. 3. Let's learn good from the Creatures. God would have us go to ſchool to the Creatures, to learn many good Leſſons from them. He would have the Sluggard go to the induſtrious Ant, to conſider her ways, and be wiſe. Thoſe who are ignorant of God their Lord, and feeder, are reproved by the bruit Creatures; For the Oxe knows his Owner, p. 22and the Aſs his Maſters Crib. Thoſe who do not, or cannot diſcern the times and ſeaſons, even the times of their Viſitation, the Prophet would that we go to the Stork, the Crane, and the Swallow, for all theſe know their appointed ſeaſons. And becauſe Chriſtians, and Miniſters eſpecially, are ſent out in the World as Sheep among Wolves, Chriſt would have them to be as wiſe as Serpents, and innocent as Doves.

Laſt of all, did God look upon daily, and at the end of the ſixth day again review all his works? Did he examine, judge, and find them all very good? Let us go and do likewiſe: let us imitate God, we cannot have a better precedent or example to follow. Let us, every evening, look back upon the works of the day, and, at the end of the week, upon the works of the week. Let's examine and judge them. This has been the practice of many precious Saints, as the Lord Harington, Mr. Herbert Palmer, and others. (Yea, ſome ſuch thing as this, viz. calling himſelf to an account at night, for what had paſſed him in the day, Seneca tells of himſelf.) Theſe examples we ſhall do well if we follow, ſo as they followed God himſelf. This is a right method to proceed, from good, to very good; to have all good, but our latter work better than our former. But, becauſe that in many things we offend all, whil'ſt we are in this World here upon Earth, let us look for, and long after, that place and ſtate, I mean for Heaven, when we ſhall be made like unto God, and our works like his works: When from day to day, and Sabbath to Sabbath, even to all eternity, we may look upon every thing that we have done, and behold it ſhall be very good.

The END of the firſt Sermon.