The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 1 · creation of man
OF THE CREATION OF MAN.
The ſpeciall points touching mans Creation are,
1 What manner of creature man was made by GOD.
2 To what end man was made by GOD.
1 What manner of creature man was made by God.
THis queſtion is propoſed even for the ſame cauſes for which the whole place it ſelfe is; namely, 1. That it may appear how man was created by God without ſin, and that therefore God is not the author of our ſin, corruption, and miſery. 2. That we may perceive from what a heighth of dignity and honour, into how deep a gulfe of wretchedneſſe and miſery we are plunged through ſin, and thence may acknowledge the tender mercy and compaſsion of God, who vouchſafeth to hale and pull us out of the ſame. 3. That we further acknowledge our thankefulneſſe for benefits heretofore received, and our unworthineſſe of receiving any heretofore. 4. That wee may the more earneſtly thirſt after the recovery of the dignity and happineſſe wee have loſt, and ſeeke it in Chriſt. 5. That we may be thankefull unto God for the reſtoring of it. Now what manner of creature man was faſhioned by God in the beginning, is ſhewed in the Anſwer of this ſixth Queſtion, where it is ſaid, He made him good, and to his own Image, &c. Which words require a more ample declaration. Man therefore was created by God on the ſixth day of the Creation of the world, conſiſting of body and ſoule. 1. His body was faſhioned of a maſſe or lump of earth: immortall, if he ſtood ſtill in righteouſneſſe; mortall, if he fell: for mortality enſued on ſin as a puniſhment thereof. 2. His ſoule was made of nothing, but immediatly inſpired by God into his body, and was an incorporeall ſubſtance, underſtanding, and imortall. God breathed in his face breath of life, Gen. 2.7.and man was made a living ſoule. This was by God infuſed and united to an inſtrumentall body, to inform or quicken it; and together with it to make one perſon or Subſiſtent, namely man, to worke certain motions and actions proper unto man, both externall, and internall; in the body, and without the body; by the miniſtry of the body, and without the miniſtry of the body; juſt, holy, and pleaſing unto God. 3. After the Image of God: that is, perfectly good, wiſe, juſt, holy, bleſſed, and ſole ſoveraigne of the creatures. Of this Image of God in man more ſhall hereafter be ſpoken.
2 To what end man was created.
THE Catechiſme maketh anſwer, That he might rightly know God his Creator, and heartily love him, and live with him bleſſed for ever, and that to laud and magnifie his name. Wherefore, the laſt and principall end of mans creation is, The glory and praiſe of God.The glory and praiſe of God. For God therefore created reaſonable creatures, Angels and men, that, being knowne of them, he might be magnified for ever. Man therefore was principally created to the knowledge and worſhip of God; that is, to the profeſſion and invocation of his Name, to praiſe and thankeſgiving, to love and obedience, which conſiſteth in the performance of thoſe duties, which concern God and man. For the worſhip of God comprehendeth in it all theſe. Obj. Heaven, earth, and other creatures void of reaſon, Pſal. 19. & 146.are ſaid to worſhip and magnifie God: therefore the worſhip and praiſe of God is not the proper end why man was created. Anſ. This reaſon hath a fallacy of equivocation or ambiguity. Creatures void of reaſon are ſaid to worſhip and praiſe God, not that they underſtand ought of God, or know and worſhip him; but becauſe they bearing certain prints and ſtamps of Divinity in them, are the matter of Gods praiſe and worſhip, which is properly performed by reaſonable creatures. For Angels and men, by the beholding and contemplation of theſe Gods works, diſery in them the infinite goodneſſe, wiſdome, power, juſtice, bounty and majeſty of God,Rom. 1. 20. and are raiſed and ſtirred up to magnifie God by theſe his creatures. And if God had not formed creatures of reaſon and underſtanding, who might behold, conſider, and with thankfull mind acknowledge his works, and the order and diſpoſing of things in whole nature: other things which are void of reaſon, might no more be ſaid to praiſe and worſhip God, that is, to be the matter and occaſion of praiſing him, then if they never had bin at all. Therefore that which David ſaith, is ſpoken by the figure Proſopoeia, or counterfeiting of ſome other perſon under that which is preſented; as, Praiſe the Lord ye heavens, ſea, and earth, &c. That is, let Angels and men at the ſight and view of theſe Gods creatures take occaſion of lauding and magnifying his Name. Many other ends are ſubordinated to this principall end. For unto Gods worſhip is ſubſtituted, The knowledge of God.The true knowledge of him: For God, not being known, cannot be worſhipped. And it is the proper work of man, wherein eternall life conſiſteth, to know and worſhip God aright. This is everlaſting life, that they may know thee alone to be the true God. John 17.3.To the knowledge of God is ſubordinate, or next in order, Mans felicity.The felicity and bleſſedneſſe of man, which is the fruition and everlaſting participation of God, and heavently bleſsings. For out of theſe appeareth the goodneſſe, mercy, and power of God. Obj. The felicity and bleſſedneſs of man, his knowledge and worſhip of God, are qualities and properties in which, or with which man was created; that is, they are a part of the Image of God, and the forme or proper nature of man. Therefore they belong unto the firſt Queſtion; which was, What man was created, and not to this, Of the end of mans creation. Anſw. They are a part of mans form and nature, and they are mans end in a diverſe reſpect, in which there is no contrariety. For God made man ſuch a creature, as being bleſſed and happy, ſhould know and worſhip him aright: and again, he made him to this end, that thenceforth for ever he might be acknowledged and magnified by him, and might continually communicate himſelf with all his graces & bleſſings unto him. Wherefore man was created happy, holy, and religious, and …us was his form, which he received in the Creation, and moreover he was ſo created, that he ſhould ſo continue for ever; and this was his end. Therefore both theſe are fitly ſpoken, to wit, that man both is created holy, happy, and religious, and is created to be holy, happy, and religious. The former of theſe is referred to the queſtion What, in reſpect of the beginning: the latter to the queſtion For what, in reſpect of continuance and perſeverance. So righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, whereas they are the forme and very being of a new man, are tearmed his end. Neither is it abſurd that the ſame things ſhould in divers reſpects be called the finall cauſe, and the formall. For that which is the forme in reſpect of the creature, may be tearmed the end, Epheſ. 4.24.in reſpect of the intent and purpoſe of the Creator. The manifeſtation of Gods mercy and juſtice.The manifeſtation of God, or the declaration of Gods mercy in his choſen to everlaſting life, and of his juſtice and wrath againſt ſinne to be puniſhed in the reprobate. This fourth is ſubordinated to the knowledge of God, and mans felicity. For that thou mayeſt know God, and he communicate himſelfe unto thee, it is needfull alſo that he make himſelfe manifeſt unto thee. The preſervation of the ſocietie of men. Pſal. 22.23.The preſervation of ſociety in mankinde, which end is ſubordinated to the manifeſtation of God: For except there were men, God ſhould not have whom to manifeſt himſelfe unto. I will declare thy name unto my brethren. The community of civill duties amongſt men.The communion of mutuall intercourſe of duties and curteſies amongſt men, ſerving for the preſervation of humane ſociety. For that the ſociety and converſing of men together may be maintained, there muſt needs be peace, and mutuall duties interchangeably paſſing betweene them. The firſt creation of man is diligently to be compared with the miſery …f mankind; as alſo the end for which wee were created, with the aberration and …verving from the end: that ſo by this meanes alſo wee may know the greatneſſe of our miſerie. For how much the greater wee ſee the good was, which wee have loſt; ſo much the greater wee know the evils to be, into which wee are fallen.