The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · creation of the world · Subsection 2
2. How God made the world.
The world created:Of God the Father by the Sonne and holy Ghoſt. John 1.3. Geneſ. 1.2. Job 33.4.THe world was created of God the Father, by the Son and the holy Ghoſt. Of the Son it is ſaid, All things were made by the Word: of the holy Ghoſt, The Spirit of God moved upon the waters. The Spirit of God hath made me.
Moſt freely without conſtraint.God created the world and all things therein moſt freely, without any conſtraint, not by any abſolute neceſſity, but by neceſſity of conſequence, that is, by the decree of his will; which decree, though it were eternall and unchangeable, yet was it moſt free: For neither was God tied to the creatures, and ſuſtaining of things: neither if hee had not at all created the world, or did annihilate it being created, and bring it to nothing, were hee therefore leſſe good, or leſſe happy.
Without motion.God made the world with his beck only, word, or will, without labour, weariſomeneſſe, motion, or any change of himſelf, that is, not by any new action of his; but by his forcible will only, which from everlaſting would that things ſhould on a ſudden exiſt and be, at ſuch a time as he had freely appointed and decreed:Iſa 40.28. The Lord hath created the ends of the earth; hee neither fainteth nor is weary. Now to work any thing with his beck and word only, and without labour, is the higheſt and chiefeſt manner of working. For there are five kinds of operations and agents.Five ſorts of Agents. Naturall.A naturall agent. Agents with an appetite, as brute beaſts.That which worketh with an appetite. Men and Divels working with reaſon but corruptly.Men and divels. The bleſſed Angels working with reaſon alſo, but not corruptly, and ever directed by a higher power.Angels. God working moſt perfectly, & directed by none but by himſelfe.God: which three latter ſorts are voluntary agents. The firſt therefore is of things which work according to the quality and force of their own nature, not being guided by any proper underſtanding or will of their own: ſuch is the operation of fire, water, medicinable herbs, precious ſtones. The actions and operations of theſe are ſubject to the rule of thoſe which are voluntary agents, and are by them moved and directed to certain uſes, and to the performing of certain works. The ſecond is of thoſe which follow alſo the lore of nature in working, but not without ſome proper appetite or deſire of their owne, though the rule of reaſon be wanting: But nevertheleſſe their action and working is ſo ordered, that ſometimes it is forced from them againſt their will: Of this ſort are the operations and actions of brute beaſts. But theſe alſo are ſubject to the rule and direction of God, Angels, and men: yet ſo, that no violence is offered unto them; but what they doe, moved by theſe ſuperiour agents that they doe of their own accord, according to their own nature and force given them of God. The third is of men and divels, who alſo work according to the quality of their nature, namely, by reaſon, and by deliberation, and freely, but corruptly. The fourth is of good ſpirits, which we call Angels, who likewiſe as men, work by reaſon and will, but not corruptly: yet notwithſtanding, both of them, both men and Angels, though they work according to their nature freely, are not exempted from the decree and direction of God. The fifth is the highest and ſupreme kinde of working, which, according to the nature of the firſt agent, floweth from an underſtanding and will, and that most pure, most perfect, and moſt right, neither is it ſubject to the pleaſure and diſpoſing of any higher cauſe: Therefore this agent, which is God himſelf, is moſt wiſe, moſt good, moſt free, and immenſe, which hath no need of any deliberation to goe before; and doth without motion, at his beck and commandement only, work and guide all things which hee will, and as hee will. Wherefore all things depend of his will, but he of none. He ſpake, and it was done; hee commanded, Pſal. 33.69.and it was created. Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth thoſe things which be not, Rom. 4.17.as though they were.
The world was created of nothing.God created all things of nothing, not of a pre-exiſtent or fore-being matter: nor of the eſſence of God, nor any matter co-eternall with God: for if God created all things, nothing then is excepted beſides the Creatour himſelf; no not the matter whereof all the reſt were framed. Object. That which is produced out of ſome pre-exiſtent thing, is not created: Man was produced out of a pre-exiſtent thing, the earth, and the ribbe: Therefore hee was not created. But this is falſe; for the Scripture ſaith, that God created man: All things created of noth…ng, either immediately or mediately.Therefore creation is not a production of a thing out of nothing. Anſ. The Major is not ſimply true, becauſe thoſe things alſo are ſaid to be created, whoſe matter whereof they came is of nothing. Man therefore was made of nothing, not immediatly, but mediatly, by reaſon of his matter, not the laſt, but the firſt matter: for this at the beginning had a beginning from nothing, and out of it afterwards diverſe kinds of things were formed. To this reaſon alſo that may be added, namely, that that production alſo is called creation, whereby a thing which was not before, is made ſuddenly, without any motion, by the commandement of God onelyonly, out of a matter indeed, but yet ſuch as hath no definite power in it ſelfe of producing any thing. Such a production being no naturall generation, and being after a ſort not out of any matter, is rightly called in the Scripture Creation. Wherefore it followeth not. Some creation is not of nothing immediatly, neither of that which is ſimply no matter: Therefore no creation is of nothing: for creation properly called, is a production of a thing out of nothing. Object. 2. Of nothing is made nothing. Anſ. This principle and rule is true, as concerning that order which was appointed by God in nature now created. Further, by ſuch an agent as is created it ſelf, nothing is made of nothing: but that which is impoſſible to a creature, is poſſible to God the Creator. Therefore that principle of the Philoſophers, Of nothing is made nothing, is to be underſtood, not of God, but of men, nor of the firſt creation or extraordinary working of God; but of that order which is inſtituted in nature now created. And it appertaineth to our comfort, that God hath created all things of nothing: for if he hath created all things of nothing, he is able alſo to preſerve us, and to hinder the attempts of the wicked, yea, to bring them to nothing.
All things of the world created moſt wiſely, and very good. Gen 1 31. Amos 3.6.God created all things most wiſely, very good, that is, every thing in their kind and degree perfect: All things were very good. Wherefore God was not the cauſe of ſin or deformity, but ſin came into the world by man. Object. Death is evill. Likewiſe it is ſaid, There is an evill which the Lord hath not done. Anſw. 1. God at the firſt creation made all things good: the evill both of crime or offence, and of pain and puniſhment enſued upon mans diſobedience. 2. Death and calamities are evill, in reſpect of the creature which ſuffereth them, and in the judgement of fleſh: but they are good, in reſpect of God, who juſtly inflicteth them for ſin, and doth purge out that ſin in the godly by chaſtiſements. Wherefore, after the fall of man, God was the authour of pains and puniſhments, becauſe hee is the Judge of the world, and becauſe they are in a reſpect good: but ſin hee doth not cauſe, but only permit.
The world created in a certain time. Syrac. 18.1.God created not the world in one moment, but in the ſpace of ſix dayes: In the ſeventh day God ended all his works. Object. He that liveth for ever (ſaith the ſon of Syrach) made all things together: Therefore he made all in one moment. Anſ. Hee ſpeaketh not of a moment of time, but of the whole number of things: as if hee ſhould ſay, Whatſoever are, they are all from God by creation. But the cauſe why God created not all in one moment,Foure cauſes why God created not all things in a moment. are theſe. 1. Becauſe he would have the creation of the matter it ſelfe diſtinct and manifeſt from the forming and faſhioning of the bodies of the world which conſiſt of it. 2. Becauſe he would ſhew his power and liberty in producing and bringing forth whatſoever effects he would, and that without naturall cauſes, while hee yeeldeth light to the world, maketh the earth fruitfull, bringeth plants out of it, even before the Sun and Moon were made. 3. He would this way ſhew his goodneſſe and providence, whereby he cheriſheth his creatures, and provideth for them not yet born, bringing beaſts into the earth full of plants, and food; and men into the world moſt ſtored and fraught with all things appertaining to the neceſſity and delight of life. 4. He would by order and courſe of creation hold us not in an idle, but diligent conſideration of his works: which alſo by the conſecration of a Sabbath, he hath conſecrated to all mankind.
7. Laſtly, God created the world not from everlaſting, but at a certain and definite time, and even in the beginning of times. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, &c. namely, after the common account (this preſent yeer of Chriſt,Geneſ. 1.1. 1601.) 5564 yeers ſince. For, from the creation of the world to the nativity of Chriſt,
According to
Melancthons ſupputation, are 3963 yeers.
Luthers ſupputation, are 3960 yeers.
Their ſupputation of Geneva, are 3943 yeers.
The ſupputation of Beroaldus, are 3929 yeers.
Therefore the world hath continued,
According to
Melancthon, 5564 yeers.
Luther, 5561 yeers.
Them of Geneva, 5544 yeers.
Beroaldus, 5520 yeers.
The ſupputations accord very well one with another as concerning the grand number, though in the leſſer number ſome yeers are either wanting or abounding. By theſe four ſupputations then of the moſt Learned of our time compared together, ſhall be apparent, that at the utmoſt God created not the world before theſe 5564 yeers paſt; and therefore it was not from everlaſting, but had his beginning.