The Beauty and Order of Creation, Title page – Publishers advertisement
THE BEAUTY and ORDER OF THE CREATION. TOGETHER With Natural and Allegorical Meditations on the Six Dayes Works of the Creation. With the Addition of two Compendious Discourses.
I. Of the Creation of Man after the Image of God.
II. Of the Creation of Angels, with a Description of their several Properties.
By that Eminent and Learned Divine Mr. IOHN MAYNARD, late of Mayfield in Sussex.
Published by WILLIAM GEARING Minister of the Word.
Mundi Creatio est Dei Scriptura, cujus …ia sunt folia; Coelum, Terra, Mare. Clem. Alexandr.
Cum nequeat cerni Deus ab universa Creatura, imaginis loco posuit Hominem, ut omnes Creaturae dum inserviunt homini, sic colant supremum numen, hujus universi scil. Opific…m. Procopius Gazeus in Gen. c. 1.
London, Printed by T. M. for Henry Eversden, under the Crown Tavern in VVest-Smithfield, 1668.
To the Right Worshipfull Sir Iohn Stapley of Patcham, in the County of Sussex, Baronet; and to the vertuous Ladies, the Lady Springet of the Broyle in Sussex, and to the Lady Stapley of Patcham.
ALL things in the World be the Creatures of God: the efficient cause of Creation is God; essentially, not personally taken: As for the order of working, Divines thus say; the Father is causa Movens, the Son Operans, by whom all things were made: the Holy Ghost Pe…ficiens; it is sa…d, Genes. 1. he moved upon the face of the Waters. Yet are we not to think, as if there were three efficient causes of Creation, but only one▪ the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost being one and the same essence, is but one and the same cause of Creation. Indeed Creation is principally attributed to God the Father, both in respect of order, and because he is Principium Operationum; the Son is of the Father, so are all Divine actions. God is the only Creator of all things: not Natur…; not Angels; not Chance and Fortune, as many blasphemous Hereticks, and some Philosophers have conceited.
That the World was Created,Aristotle affirmed the Wo…ld was from Eternity: Plato said, it wa… c…eated out of a co-e…e…nal matter: the Angels did create, us the Iews falsely affirm: the Epicureans blasphemously ascribe it to Chance. and not Eternal, as the same Philosophers affirmed, faith principally assures us of it. Hebr. 11.3. By Faith we understand the Worlds were created. In Genes. 1. Moses sets down fully the History of the Creation. But the Creation may be proved. 1. From the Originals of all Nations; we may plainly know the first beginning of all People inhabiting the whole World, as Genes. 10. Moreover 2. when Arts were first invented, is clear and manifest; as the invention of Musick, of Instruments of Iron and Brass, &c. and by whom: it is unlikely, if the World had been Eternal, so many Generations of Men had lived without them. 3. It appeareth from the Order of causes▪ there must needs be a first Cause, otherwise there should be Processus in infinitum, which is impossible; now if a first cause▪ then that which is the efficient of all other is God; therefore all things were Created.
I will let pass the curious Questions of the Schools, as what God did before the World was created, in what time of the Year, upon what Day it was Created: why God did not create the World sooner, &c. 'tis knowledge enough to know, that God did create the World.
Now God hath drawn and framed all things out of nothing; for that is properly to create, viz. to make something of nothing. The School-men observe this difference, inter Genita, Facta, & Creata, between things begotten, things made, and things created: Things are begotten of their own matter; they be made of another matter; they be created of no matter. We and all things are said to have been created by God, because he made us of nothing, that is, of no pre-existent matter, but foreign, of things that were not before, giving beeing to that which had not beeing: now when I say, God made all things of nothing; Nothing is to be taken negative, nor privative, that is, God created all things out of pure nothing. The Philosophers have a maxim indeed▪ that ex nihilo nihil fit: but (as one well distinguisheth) that is to be understood, de generatione Physica, non Creatione Divina; of natural Generation, not of Divine Creation. Nature must have something wherewith to work, something whereon to work; God had neither of both when he created the first matter, out of which afterwards he created other things, called by Moses, Tohu vabohu; by Philosophers, Chaos: he had neither Instrument to work with, nor matter to work upon; he commanded only, as David saith, and all was made; spake the word only, and all was Created. God said, let there be Light, &c. Which supposeth no matter to work upon but God by the Power of his word created it: Omnipotency can effect things without matter, Creation is an act of Omnipotency. Angels, and the Souls of Men were created of nothing, without matter, because immaterial; God therefore can as well create, other things. If God created the World from some matter, then that matter had being from it self, or from another: if from another, then that was created of nothing; if from it self, then should it be the same with God, because only God is foreign, a Being from himself; to affirm that, were Blasphemy.
Now God only can, and did create, because God only is Omnipotent, and Omnipotency is an incommunicable attribute: there is an infinite distance between ens & non ens. Besides, every thing that is created is good only by participation; therefore it is necessary all things receive their goodness from that which is essentially good, which is God▪ Moreover, if God created some, and not all Creatures, but left the Creation of inferiour creatures to any else, then it was either because God was weary, or because God takes no care of smaller Creatures; but it is neither; God being Omnipotent, did by a Word Create; What more easie? and he takes care of all inferiour things.
As for the Form, it is double. 1. In respect of God who Created the World. 2. In respect of the Creatures themselves. The Form, in respect of God in gene…al, is the manner of Gods Creation of all created things; which manner appeareth in these following things. 1. That God made all things by his word;Jussit & gessit. August. Let the Earth bring forth, &c. By (word) we are not to understand, as if God did speak words and syllables; but by it we are to understand Gods powerfull willing of things to be. 2. He made all things without any wearisome toil or labour; but with great facility and ease were all things made by him; God willed things to be done, and they were done. 3. Without any change: a Workman may (as occasion serveth) change his Plot intended by him, but God doth not so. 4. Without succession; his works were made in a moment, even in an instant.
The form of the Created Things is twofold.
General.
Particular.
The generall form is Gods wise and ordered disposition of all the parts of the world. Although in themselves they are of diverse matter, diverse vertues and operations; yet all sweetly conspire together, and make one exact harmony: as in an Instrument, though the strings be of divers sounds, yet they make but one harmony together.
2. Their particular form is the power, force or efficacy of Nature, stampt upon all Creatures after their kinds, according to their particular beings and their conditions, by which all creatures are enabled to their proper operations. From this ariseth the goodnesse of the creatures, 1. Generall, of all creatures, which is the entire perfection of all naturall power according to their natures: 2. Speciall, which is the reasonable creature endued with supernaturall gifts, heavenly wisdom, righteousnesse and true holinesse; we may hence admire the wisdome of God in making things after such an excellent form; and cry out with David, O Lord, how wonderfull are thy works! In wisdome hast thou made them all.
God's ultimate end in the Creation, is his own glory.
(1.) For the shewing forth his glory, God doth unfold himself in the Creature. Five things are revealed in the Creation about God.
1. That there is a God, Rom. 1.20. The Prophet Isaiah bringeth many proofs from the Creation, to shew that there is a God, and to difference the true God from Idols and false Gods. Isai. 41.26. and Chap. 42.5.
2. The Eternity of God is revealed by the Creation. He that made all things, and time it self, the measure of things, must needs be Eternal. Thy years are throughout all generations: of old hast thou laid the foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the work of thy hands, &c. Psal. 102.24, 25.
3. The Wisdome of God in creating innumerable and divers things is revealed; as also in the orderly disposing of innumerable things, and in giving to all their natural perfections.
4. The Goodness of God is revealed: being foreign, yet would he communicate his goodness to the Creature of whom he had no need at all.
5. The Power of God, in making all things of nothing. Rom. 1.20.
(2.) That the Creatures (especially Man and Angels) might give him the glory due to his name, by acknowledging him to be such a God; The Creatures in their kind do glorifie God their Creator: and Men, by taking notice what the Creatures declare of him: and wh…re they make the Creatures as Spectacles to see God in them. The Creatures are Doctores Theologici; yea, they are like Jacob's Ladder, wherein we may ascend from Earth to Heaven.
Light was the first Creature which God made: and agreeably, the adorning of the World began with the light, from whence other things which were to be created, should be seen: very probable it is, that the light first appea…ed there, where the Sun being carryed about in his Daily course, appeareth. God in the Creation proceeded. 1. A negatione ad habitum, when he had created the World. 2. A totali privatione ad habitum, when he brought forth light out of darkness. 3. A partiali privatione ad habi…um, when he made the Day to succeed the Night.
Quest. 1. In the second Days work it may be demanded, Why God did not bless the Work of that Day in approving it, when to every other Days Work an approbation is added; And God saw that it was good?
Answ. There is no express mention made of an immediate approbation of this Days work. 1. Because this work of distinguishing and setling the Waters in their place, was then imperfect, but was compleated on the third Day. 2. Because on this Day (as some think) Hell was created, which simply in it self is not pleasing to God; or because the Angels fell on this Day, and became Devils by their apostacy, as others imagine.
It is also observable, that in the creation, the lights that were dispersed for three days, were on the fourth day all found in the Sun.
Quest. 2. It may in the next place be demanded▪ Why God, between the Creation of the Plants, and of Animals, did interpose the Creation of the Stars?
Answ. I answer, that he might shew, although ordinarily the Sun and other Stars do concur to the generation of Plants as well as of Animals; yet the generation of things is not simply to be referred to the Sun and Stars, but to God; who before the Stars were created, commanded the Earth to bring forth Herbs and Plants yielding seed, and the fruit-Tree to yield fruit after his kind. Gen. 1.11. Before the Creation of Animals, he would create the Light, because for the most part they have need of the light in a special manner. Moreover, ye may take notice, that when God made the Fishes of the Sea, and the Fowls of Heaven, he blessed them, saying, Be fruitfull and multiply, and fill the Waters in the Sea, and let Fowl multiply in the Earth, &c. Vers. 22. But when he made the brute Beasts of the Earth, we do not read that he gave any such blessing at all to them; intimating to us, that he that will get that blessing which God giveth unto good Men, he mu…t not delight in Ea…thly pleasu…es, like brute Beasts, but minde Heavenly things; for unto those who wallow in temporal delights, God will not at all give his benediction, but his malediction. It is also remarkable, that when God made the Light, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the Earth, and all other Creatures, he saw that they were all good: but when he created Man, he doth not so particularly pronounce this of him, as he doth of other Creatures; he doth not say, that he was good or bad; yet are not these Creatures better than Man, but inferiour to Man, being all made for the use of Man: the reason is, because God would leave him to his choice to choose good or evil to him self,Stella de contempt. mundi. and accordingly he should have his denomination, as Stella noteth.
Quest. 3. It may further be demanded, Why earthly Animals were created on the sixt Day?
Answ. I answer, because they were differing in kinde from the other Creatures that were made before them, and because they were to dwell with Man▪ and were more like unto Man both in their …ody and genius, than either the …irds or Fishes; and also because many of them were to be helpfull and serviceable unto Man; therefore were they brought forth on the same Day wherein Man was Created▪
Man was the last work of God in the Creation for divers reasons.
1. That God might shew unto us his own Order, in proceeding from more imperfect things, to things more perfect.
2. That Man might be a little World, in whom all things should be summarily contained; called of the Hebrews,Ainswor. Annot. in Gen. 1. Olam Hakaton, and of the Greeks, Microcosmos, A little World: for he hath in him the beauty of things inanimate, even the chiefest, as of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, &c. Gen. 37.8, 9. Ezek. 28.13, 14. He hath growth as Plants, Genes. 38.11. & 49.22. Sense and sensible properties with …easts, 2 Sam. 23.10. Reason and wisdome with Angels, 1 Sam. 14.20.
3. That God might bring forth every Creature for Man's use and refreshment, before Man himself should be Created:Zinch. de operib. Dei. it behoveth, that first there be an House, and all things necessary; then that an Inhabitant be brought into it.
4. …ecause God would communicate himself to Man, and acquiesce in him.Vocabulum Homo, est duarum substantiarum sibula. Yertul. When God created Heaven & Earth, he rested not in Heaven, nor in any Heavenly thing; neither in the Earth, nor any Earthly thing, but only in Man; because he is an Heavenly thing for his Soul; Earthly in regard of his body.
5. If God had first of all made Man before any other of his Creatures, then Man might have had some colourable excuse to have spent his time in idleness: but God created Man after he had made his other …reatures, that Man might forthwith be employed in the works of his Creator.
Zanchy of late, and some of the Antients are of opinion, that when God created Adam, …hrist did then assume an humane body, and made Adam's body after the pattern of that. Munster doth well observe on Genes. 2.7. that the word in the Original, which signifieth [formed] is written with a double foreign; when it is said, he formed the Beasts, it is written with a single foreign; noting out to us, that Man was partly from the dust of the ground, in regard of his body, partly from Heaven in regard of his Soul, but the Beasts were only created of the dust of the ground. The Antients called the fabrick of Man's body, Librum Dei, the Book of God, because much knowledge is taught to Man out of Man. And Man's being created after the Image of God, is to put him in remembrance, that he should continually work after that Original Copy which God gave him from Heaven. I shall discourse no farther upon these things, because this ensuing Treatise of our Reverend Author will furnish you with variety of most excellent Meditations upon the whole Story of the Creation.
Much honoured in the Lord! I do not here present you with any thing that is altogether new: I know, among Men the newness of the matter doth chiefly commend the Books; being like the Indian Elephants, which at their first sight in Asia, were so admired, that Antiochus having but two, named the one Ajax, the other Patroclus; but afterwards growing common in every Consuls Tryumph, they were called in contempt Lucanian Oxen: So it is with Books; they are now little regarded, because of the commonness of them. I confess, many Books now adays are like Mythridate's Sword, whose Scabbard was more costly than the Blade, and so their swelling Titles do make more shew than all the Book affordeth sub…tance: and in prefixing great Titles to babling Books, Men do but deceive the buyer; like unto some Vintners that hang out new Ioy…bushes,Senec. ad Lucil. Epist. 33. when they have nothing within but old musly Wine, as Seneca speaketh. But the substance of this Treatise doth correspond with the Title; and as it is stuffed with many choice notions, both natural and allegorical,God never made foreign, as some Phylosophers Would have it, but every thing for a double use; one natu…al, the other spi…itual. together with many practical and usefull inferences, so it is also written in a pleasant style, and so the more delightfull to the pious and ingenious Reader. Good words are the garment of truth, and although truth is so glorious within, that it needeth no outward decking, yet if she doth appear in a Rayment of Needlework, 'tis but for a more excellent comeliness, not gaud… gayness. The worthy Author in this Treatise dealeth with you like Nurses, who feed their Babes with milk fir…t concocted within them. That voice that August. heard from Heaven, is my humble advice to you, …olle et lege, tolle et lege. Take up and read, take up and Read. So say I to you, Take up this Book, take up this Book and read it, and do therein as an antient Knight spake of his reading good Books, viz. the first time to read▪ both to see and like; the second time, to note and observe the matter and method; and the third time to carry away, and make use thereof. Thus not doubting but this Treatise will finde acceptance at your hands, and receive protection under your shadow, I humbly take my leave, and am
Yours in all Gospel-Services to be commanded, William Gearing. Cransden in Sussex. August 10. 1667.
Books Printed for Henry Eversden, and are to be sold at his Shop under the Crown-Tavern in West-Smithfield.
1. THe Sphere of Gentry, deduced from the Principles of Nature, an Historical and Genealogical work of Armes and Blazon: by Sylvanus Morgan ▪ in Folio.
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3. Riverius his Universal Body of Physick in five Books, &c. in Folio.
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13. Wisdome justified by her Children, being the substance of two Sermons Preached by Will. Gearing, in Octavo.
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