The Retired Mans Meditations, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Concerning the Creation of all things by Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Myſterie that lay hid in God from the beginning, and makes himſelf manifeſt, as well by the works of Creation, as of Redemption.
IT can never be ſufficiently obſerved, how the WISDOM of God in the moſt difficult and knotty points to the reaſon of man, doth (without gratifying at all the curioſity of fleſh and blood) aſſert the truth of his own operations.
Thus Heb. 11. the Holy Ghoſt (as taking for granted what he ſpeaks of) doth in ſhort down-right terms declare, ver. 3. That the worlds were framed by the WORD of God, and that by faith this is known to be ſo. In which light it is alſo diſcovered, that thoſe things which are ſeen by our natural eye, had a prae-exiſtence in their proper head and cauſe, and ſo had alſo thoſe things that are not ſeen (but to our ſpiritual diſcerning) relating alſo to their proper root. The method of which relative and radical being of things in their head, in gradations one above another (ſo as the inferiour ſubordinations of workmanſhip are the typical ſignifications of them that are above) is ſhortly and myſtically, yet fully and admirably laid down by the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 3. where he ſaith, that the head of the woman is the man, the head of every man is Chriſt, and the head of Chriſt is God; teſtifying hereby to faith (which hath Chriſt for its object in all it receives) the method wherein God proceeds, as he creates all things by Jeſus Chriſt; for, ſaith he, God is the head of Chriſt, or the Trinity by their immediate operation do firſt comprehend the perſon of the Mediator in God himſelf, and then do ſend him forth as the true Meſſiah, making him the Miniſter of Gods firſt and ſecond appearance to the creature, in the capacity of head and root to both creations. Thus,
Secondly, Chriſt is the head unto every man, comprehending all mankind whatſoever (as well they that are of the earth, earthy, as thoſe that are of the Lord from heaven) in himſelf, who is the root to both creations, and from thence cauſes them to flow forth and exiſt as his off-ſpring, in their particular nature and proper perſons, in their ſeveral generations, from the beginning to the end of the world.
Laſtly, Man is the head unto the woman in his creation; ſo made by God unto Eve, that therein he might as a ſhadow and figure illuſtrate, not only the truth and reality of being which Eve had in her head, but withall, the true end of her being ſo comprehended, that ſhe might not abide ſingle and alone, cut off from dependance on, and duty to her head, but be brought into compleatneſs of being, through her return into the neerneſs and intimacy of marriage-union with him, yet without loſing the property of being which ſhe is made to have as the woman, in diſtinction from the man.
This is the figure and reſemblance of Gods method and proceeding, in creating all things by Jeſus Chriſt; which haply the wiſdom of man will carp at (thinking to find abſurdities in it) through the deceits of Philoſophy and worldly rudiments, that are not after Chriſt; but faith ſees through all theſe Clouds, and if need be, interprets the riddle; ſhewing, that the truth which is ſpoken in Gods word, hath alſo its teſtimony from humane principles, ſo far as they have any rectitude in them.
It is plain, That the worlds were made by the word of God, that is, God from eternity gives being unto the WORD, as image of the Trinity, and the WORD through the excellency of power and glory which he hath in and with God, was able out of nothing to create both worlds, giving them their beginning and foundation in himſelf, as he became the firſt-born of every creature, and firſt-begotten from the dead. In which ſtate, he that thus was the firſt, and was alſo the laſt, did with his call cauſe all things in both to ſtand up together, as by name, in his ſight and preſence, when he took notice of them, recorded them in his books (whilſt as yet they were not faſhioned) and did behold them in the particular forms wherein afterwards they were to be. Thus in the beginning was the WORD & the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God, & in this WORD was life, even the life of both creations, and therefore alſo of the man Chriſt Jeſus, that was fore-appointed the head and original pattern, unto which as well the natural as ſpiritual man were to be conformed; who did, as the truth and ſubſtance it ſelf, at laſt appear and miniſter the true ſanctuary which God pitched and not man; accompliſhing all that was written in the Volume of Gods book for him to perform, for the aboliſhing of ſin and death, and the bringing forth of life and immortality to light. In this his Angelical and ſpiritual ſtate, wherein the man Chriſt Jeſus ſtood comprehended, in the root of David, before the world began, he was figured out unto the children of Iſrael by the two Cherubims of glory, covering or ſhadowing the Mercy-ſeat, Heb. 9. 5. and by the two Olive-trees, or the two anointed ones, ſtanding by the Lord of the whole earth, Zech. 4. 14. which compared with 1 Kings 6. 23. will make it appear that Solomon was not ignorant of this great myſterie, in that he made the two Cherubims (when he was to build the Temple, and ſet them up therein) of Olive trees, or trees of oyl, to ſignifie the mediation of Chriſt in ſpirit, in his head, as theſe two Olive-trees were the two golden pipes that emptied out the golden oyl, Zech. 4. 12. of all Gods communications unto the works of his hands in both worlds.
This is that Jeſus, who whilſt comprehended in his head, and for a long time ſhadowed and typed out as the promiſed ſeed that was to come in the fleſh, had notwithſtanding all the actions of his head and root attributed to him, as much as when in the very image it ſelf he was made manifeſt, and therefore is ſaid to be that Jeſus by whom all things are and were created, and are of him, and to him, and for him, in ſubordination to the Word.
Thus is Chriſt the ſon of man in heaven, before he deſcended and was made fleſh: and in this heavenly ſtate of his man-hood doth not actually exerciſe his humane life, but his life is the ſame with the life of the Word, all whoſe actions are imputed unto him, as Abrahams were unto Levi, who is ſaid to have paid Tythes to Melchiſedec in his fathers loyns; ſo Jeſus Chriſt may be ſaid to comprehend in him and the actings of his mind, the particular forms and life of all in both worlds, to be manifeſted and brought forth in their proper ſeaſons, into their viſible appearances in the worlds by him, and at his pleaſure for whom they are and were created. And when we ſay that the particular life and form of every creature is thus comprehended in the heavenly manhood of Chriſt, the meaning is, either immediately or mediately. For he that is thus before all things, is not created alone: but in and with this head, they all conſiſt or ſtand up together, as in their head: capable to exiſt in themſelves in their heavenly & inviſible part, at the pleaſure of their head, before they be brought forth into their mortal and viſible frame and faſhion, in this world. In which ſenſe, all of them are Chriſts off-ſpring and ſeed, known to him by name, whether ſuch of them as are given to him, by the Father to be trained and brought up by him, as children of the ſecond, new and everlaſting covenant, or thoſe of the firſt: whether they be inhabitants of Mount Sion, or Mount Sinai, of the heavenly City that is above, or of the earthly and fleſhly Jeruſalem, whether they be men, or Angels, they are all his off-ſpring, in one of theſe two reſpects, and are to receive their natural or ſpiritual perfection from him, as he is the Miniſter of Gods name, in his firſt or ſecond appearance unto them: whence it is that Chriſt ſaith to his Father, Heb. 2. 13. Behold me and the children which thou haſt given me, in diſtinction from the reſt of the world; the former of theſe are the heavenly, ſpiritual ſeed, and from above, meaſured out with a line of life as adopted children and friends of God: the latter are the earthly or fleſhly ſeed, and from beneath, meaſured out with a line of death, as chuſing the ſtate of a ſervant, or to remain ſingle and alone, in their natural principles, enemies to the croſs of Chriſt, and reſiſters of the grace whereby the other are ſaved: which ſaving grace we ſhall find, 2 Tim. 1. 9. was conferred freely on the Elect, without condition, according to Gods purpoſe, and given them in Chriſt Jeſus before the world began. So Epheſ. 1. 3, 4. They were bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſsings in the heavenly, in Chriſt, according as they were choſen in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blame before him, in love.
Thus we ſee in what ſenſe the particular beings of men and Angels are the off-ſpring and ſeed of Chriſt, children of the firſt or ſecond covenant, frequently ſo called in Scripture, although none but thoſe that are called according to his purpoſe, to be heirs of God, and joynt-heirs with Chriſt of the Fathers glory, miniſtred to them in and by the new and everlaſting Covenant do truly deſerve the name of Sons or Children, who have a name better then that of Sons and Daughters by the other Covenant.
From this general conſideration therefore of Men and Angels, as all are the ſeed and off-ſpring of Chriſt, we muſt come to ſeveral diſtributions of them. For,
Firſt; Here we have the general Aſſembly and Church of the firſt-born, which are written in heaven, the inhabitants of the true Mount Sion, and City of the living God.
Secondly, we have the innumerable company of Angels, Heb. 12. 22, 23. who are made miniſtring Spirits to theſe heirs of ſalvation, Heb. 1. 14.
Thirdly, we have the Legions of wicked Angels, that made themſelves ſuch by their fall and diſobedience, reſerved in chains of darkneſs to the judgement of the great day.
Fourthly, we have the whole race of mankind in one lump or maſs, as conſidered in their natural life and being, bearing the image and ſimilitude of God, according to his firſt appearance, wherein all are brought forth in the beginning, as a ſtate for them not to abide in, but from whence to be paſſing into an endleſs and immortal ſtate of honour or diſhonour.
All theſe by name are created, and have their inviſible, immortal ſubſtances brought forth by the WORD, as his off-ſpring, made to ſtand up together in and with the man Jeſus Chriſt as their head, and are committed to the charge of the Mediator, to aſſign unto them all circumſtances, for their being brought forth into their viſible bodily appearances in this world, together with the means and method of bringing them upon the ſtage of this firſt creation, and the lot there, wherein they are to ſtand and ſerve in their ſeveral places, uſes and relations, according as he hath received command from the Father.
So that from the time that the man Chriſt Jeſus began to be in the WORD, as in his head and root, ſtanding up in the ſight and preſence thereof, as the promiſed ſeed to come, we are to date the beginning of dayes unto the inviſible ſubſtances of Angels and Men; who then alſo began to be in their head, and were ever beholding, or rather beheld by their Father in heaven, untill they were made actually to exiſt in continuance of time, in their own proper perſons and beings.