The Rule of Faith, Exegesis of Apostles Creed · Article 1 · Tenet 4 · Question and answer 1 – Question and answer 2
Maker of Heauen and Earth.
Gen. 1. 1.
HItherto of the nature and power of God and the Trinity of perſons: the workes of God follow. The works of God are of two ſorts, ſome Internall, ſome externall. The Internall workes are either perſonall or eſſentiall. The perſonall workes of God internall, are ſuch as flow from each perſon in the Trinity, according to the Characteriſticall propriety of the perſon: ſuch workes were generation of the Sonne, and proceeding of the Holy Ghoſt. The Internall eſſentiall workes were the decrees of God which hee made in himſelfe from all eternity, concerning all things in the world, eſpecially concerning men and Angels, theſe workes are common to all three perſons, as flowing from the eſſence of God. Now of theſe workes the Creed makes no expreſſe mention, becauſe they are ſtrong meat, and aboue the capacity of weake Christians.
The externall workes of God are of foure ſorts: for they are either the workes of Creation, by which hee maketh all things to be: or workes of conſeruation, by which he maintaines the things hee hath made in their being; or workes of Reparation by which in Chriſt he reſtores what was ruinated by ſinne; or workes of perfection, by which hee brings all things to their appointed end, and eſpecially makes the Church fully bleſſed in a better world.
The workes of Creation are onelyonly mentioned in this Article. The workes of Reparation by Chriſt and of perfection, are handled in the Articles following. The workes of Creation are expreſſed in theſe words, Maker of Heauen and Earth. By Heauen and Earth vnderſtanding the whole world, and all the hoſts of creatures that are in it. Now concerning the making of the world, foure things are to be conſidered.
1 Who made the world.
2 How it was made.
3 Why it was made.
4 When it was made.
For the firſt: the Creation was a worke of the whole Trinity: It is attributed here in the Creed to the Father, becauſe the Action of the Father was more manifeſt and euident: as Redemption is attributed to the Sonne, and Sanctification to the Holy Ghoſt. But yet it is euident by diuers Scriptures, that each Perſon did worke about the Creation: for of the Father there is no queſtion, and of the Sonne it is expreſly affirmed, Coloſ. 1. 16. Iohn. 1. 3. Heb. 1. 3. and of the Holy Ghoſt ſitting and mouing vponupon the firſt water, we reade Gen. 1. 2.
For the ſecond: God created all things.
1 According to the Counſell of his owne will, Epheſ. 1. 11. which hath diuers things in it, for thereby is affirmed that he made all things.
1 Moſt freely, without compulſion or inſtigation from any other.
2 According to the Idaea of all things in his owne minde: for as the Carpenter firſt conceiues the frame in his head, and then builds according to that Idaea in his minde: ſo did God build the world according to the eternall patterne which was in Gods minde.
3 According to his owne Decree: there was nothing created which was not decreed, and nothing decreed to bee, which was not created according to the Decree.
4 Moſt aduiſedly: hauing from all eternity conſulted, determined and foreſeene all was to be made.
Secondly, with a word only: he had none to helpe him, nor needed tooles or inſtruments, as men doe to effect their workes, Gen. 1. Pſal. 33. 9. Thirdly, without labour or wearineſſe, Eſay 40. 28. Fourthly, of Nothing: men cannot build without Materialls, but God made the world of Nothing, in reſpect of the firſt matter of all things, Heb. 11. 3. for he made not the world of his owne eſſence, nor of any other preexiſting matter: for though it be a ſaying, that of nothing, nothing can be made, yet that is true in reſpect of vsus, not in reſpect of God, and in reſpect of the order of Nature now, not in reſpect of the beginning of Nature in the Creation. And though it be true that ſome creatures were made of preexiſting matter, as mans body was made of the duſt of the earth, yet that preexiſting matter was created of nothing. Fifthly, all good: all things at firſt were made good, not in appearance, but in deed, not in mans iudgement who might bee deceiued, but in Gods: he ſaw that all was good, and ſo all creatures were good, in reſpect of excellence, diſtinction, numbe…, faſhion, and freedome from defects of faculties or power belonging to each creature in his kinde. Sixtly, not all on a ſudden and at once, but in ſix dayes: and that for diuers reaſons: for God would hauehave the creation of the firſt matter of Nothing, to be manifeſt and diſtinct from the framing and faſhioning of bodies out of that matter: beſides, thereby he ſhewed his power and freedome in producing the creatures: making them to be, before any naturall cauſe of them was, as to make light before the Sunne and Moone was: and further, thereby hee ſhewed his goodneſſe and care for the principall creatures, prouiding foode before hee brings in the beaſts, and furniſhing the whole world ſets man to liue in it: and finally, hee warnes vsus not to ſlip ouer the meditation of his workes ſuddenly, but with long and continuall deliberation: Hee created the world in many dayes, to intimate, that wee ſhould not thinke a little time enough to wonder at ſo great glory. Seuenthly, he made all things without himſelfe: for though all things are in God, as in their cauſe and Author, in whom they liue, moue, and hauehave their being, yet are they out of God, in that they are no parts in God; nor the very diuine Eſſence, but hauehave a nature diſtinct from the Nature of God: they are not ſeparate from God in place, as if they could be any where, where God is not, but are other things then God is, and are not in God as a ſubiect, to which they inhere or are faſtened. Thus of the manner how they were made.
Thirdly, the end why the world was made, was the glory of God, Prou. 16. …4. (that is) that the world might bee a Glaſſe or Theatre of diuine vertues, and a Temple in which God would ſet forth, and teach, and make knowne to man his power, wiſdome and goodneſſe, Rom. 1. not that God by the Creation doth get to himſelfe any glory, ſeeing he abounds in glory himſelfe, ſo vnmeaſurably, as nothing can bee added to it or taken from it: but onelyonly hereby he communicates his glory to the Creature, and gaue the creatures occaſion to admire and commend his glory: for by the Creation God makes himſelfe viſible as it were to the Creatures that are reaſonable: for though the Eſſence of God be inuiſible, yet by the Creation his power or Attributes are ſet out to be ſeene and read in that great Booke of nature: and if any men ſee little of God in this mighty Frame of his Workes, it is not becauſe God hath declared himſelfe therein but obſcurely, but becauſe we are peruerſe and blockiſh, and full of natiue darkeneſſe, by reaſon of ſinne, and the effects of ſinne in vsus.
Now, though infinite praiſes of God may be collected from the conſideration of the whole world, yet eſpecially, his power, wiſdome and goodneſſe doe ſhine in his workes. His power we may gather two waies: both in that he could make all things of nothing, and that he could make ſuch great things as well and as eaſily as the ſmalleſt things, and things ſo many and diuerſe, 1 Cor. 15. 41. Pſal. 89. 10. The goodnes of God appeares both in this, that he made all things ſo good, and in that he hath ſhewed means ſo fit and conuenient & powerfull to preſerue life and being in eueryevery creature, Pſal. 104. prouiding for creatures of diuers natures & appetites, diuers food, remedies, and Armour to preſerue and defend them. But eſpecially, who can expreſſe the goodnes of God ſhewed to men? Epheſ. 3. 18. Acts 14. 17. As for Diuels, Serpents, or venemous Creatures or hurtfull, they were not ſo by Creation, but by defection and ſinne, or as puniſhments for ſinne. The wiſdome of God is admirably diſcouered in the Creation, in that hee hath made all things in ſuch beautifull order, and hath appointed to eueryevery thing ſuch peculiar vſes and ends, which they obſerue (men only excepted) and that he gouernes them in ſuch a conſtant, certaine, and perpetuall courſe: eueryevery thing hauing not onelyonly his fit and proper place in the Frame, but indewed alſo with ſuch variety of vſes and ſeruices.
Fourthly, for the time when the world was made, we muſt know that the world and time were made together: ſo as all things were created in the beginning of time: and the computation of the dayes or yeeres ſince the beginning of the world, hath beene kept carefully in the Church, the reckoning being made by Moſes and the Prophets in the old Teſtament, and ſince kept by the Chriſtian Churches, ſo as now the world is aboue 5600. yeeres old. Before this time there was nothing but God himſelfe: and if any will needes aske What God did before the world was? I may not anſwer as the Iewes wickedly did, That he was making many little worlds, which he deſtroied againe, and neuer liked any till this Frame was vp: but our anſwer muſt be, That ſecret things belong vntounto the Lord, and reueiled things to vsus, Deut. 29. 29. or elſe that of Auguſtine, That God was making Hell for the curious: or elſe, That the Frame of all things was in the minde of God from all eternity, and ſo the world was as preſent to him then, as now.
Firſt, we may hence be informed and confirmed, that God Vſes.is onelyonly the true God, becauſe he is Creatour of Heauen and Earth, Eſay 45. 6, 7. if any pleade, that he is God, the anſwer is at hand, let him make ſuch a Heauen and Earth, and we will belieue in him, elſe not.
Secondly, the Creation of the World ſhould teach vsus many duties:
1. To meditate of Gods works: and ſtudie the glory of God reuealed in this great booke of Nature: all are required to learne to read here, and if men will not take it well if their skill ſhewed in any cunning piece of work be not acknowledged or regarded, how much more cauſe hath the Lord to be diſpleaſed with vsus, for neglecting ſuch a curious and glorious frame, ſo full of admirable variety and skill? Wh…t account ſhall we make at the laſt day, we (I ſay) that are ſo naturally bent to delight in ſhewes, that are either ſinfull, or vaine, or imperfect, ſuch as are pla…es, or rare ſights as we call them, or Page…nts or Maskes, or the like, and yet hauehave no heart or will, to goe out to ſee and wonder at the m…tchleſſe ſhewes that God ſets out before vsus in his works, Eccleſ. 7. 15 Pſal. 111. 2, 3.
2. Nor is it inough to meditate of his workes, but wee muſt giuegive him the glory of them, by praiſing his power and wiſedome and goodneſſe ſhewed in them, we muſt ſtriue to get a Language to that end, and ſo bewaile our barrenneſſe of heart and words, as withall to beſeech him, that requires vsus to learne his praiſes, to teach vsus alſo to profit, and to giuegive larger hearts and better Language Reuel. 4 11. Thus hauehave the Worthies of the Lord done, Iob, and Dauid, and Moſes, who hauehave ſet themſelues in ſpeciall manner to celebrate the praiſes of God in his workes: and of them wee ſhould learne to praiſe him, at leaſt make our ſelues skilfull in their formes of praiſe, Pſal. 136. 5. 6.
3. Yea thirdly, this glory of God ſhould ſwallow vp all the glory of men, this very work of making Heauen and Earth ſhould check vsus for admiring and eſteeming ſo much of the creature whatſoeuer, ſince we hauehave ſuch a perpetuall, and ſurpaſſing cauſe of admiration of the Creator, Acts 14. 16.
4. Since God made all things, we ſhould ſubmit our ſelues to him, and let him diſpoſe of vsus, and all his creatures as he will he hath iuſt power in Heauen and earth to giuegive, or take away, or diſpoſe at his owne pleaſure, Ier. 27. 5. & 45. 3, 4, 5, 6.
5. It ſhould teach vsus not to ſet our hearts too much vponupon the world, for that God that ſet vp this mighty frame of nothing, can and will pull it all downe againe.
6. It ſhould breed in vsus the feare of God, and care of ſeruing him, and obeying him, that hath not onelyonly ſupreame right vntounto vsus, being his workemanſhip, but ſoueraignty ouer all things, Pſal. 119. 73. Pſal. 33. 8, 9. & 95. 6. all creatures elſe doe his will.
7. It ſhould teach vsus in all ſtraights and neede to flie to God for helpe: as Dauid ſhewes, our helpe ſtandeth in the Name of the Lord, which hath made Heauen and Earth, Pſal. 121. 2. & 124. 8.
8. We ſhould learne hence not to abuſe the Creatures of God to ill ends, ſeeing God hath aſſigned his Creatures to their right ends for his owne glory: It is abominable to fight againſt God with his owne weapons.
Thirdly, the Doctrine of the Creation of the World ought Sin makes God repent that hee made man. Gen. 6. 3. 6.to be terrible to wicked men: becauſe God by his workes hath reuealed ſo much of his glory as they will be left without excuſe, Rom. 1. and beſides, hauing appointed them to certaine ends, in which they hauehave corrupted themſelues, hee will deſtroy them; as a Potter that ſees his veſſell will not be made fit, daſheth it to peeces. And beſides, hence they may know that God can want no meanes to deſtroy them, ſeeing he hath ſuch Armies of his owne creatures in Heauen and Earth, which are all as his mighty ones, and ſanctified ones, for his anger againſt them. There is no way for them but one, which is, to meete the Lord betimes by Faith and true Repentance, Amos 4. 13.
Laſtly, this is very comfortable doctrine for the godly: for from the Creation of the world they may gather,
1. That God will not caſt them off, becauſe they are the worke of his hands, Iob 10. 3.
2. That all aduerſaries ſhall be defeated: whatſoeuer is prouided againſt them ſhall not proſper: becauſe God made the Smith that blowe…h in the Coales, and he will ſuffer no creature of his to be turned againſt them, Eſay 54. 17.
3. That God is able to prouide for vsus, ſeeing the earth and heauens are his and all that is therein, Pſalme 146. 5. 6 & 24. 1.
4. That all the ſpirituall worke that belongs to our ſoules may bee effected, hee that created the world, and made vsus good at the firſt, can create the fruit of the lippes to bee peace and can create cleane hearts in vsus, Eſay 57. 19. Pſalme 51. 8.
5. That our bodies ſhall riſe againe: that God that could make all things of nothing, can reſtore them out of the duſt of the earth.
Thus of Creation in generall. Now wee are in particular to conſider what was made, (viz.) Heauen and Earth.
Heauen.] By Heauen is ment all that part of the world which is aboue the Earth, and ſo it is taken, Geneſis 2. 1. & 24. 5.
And ſo Heauen conſiſts of three parts, and eueryevery parte beares the name of Heauen: The firſt part next to vsus is the Ayre and all that is betweene vsus and the Moone: ſo foules of the Ayre are called the foules of Heauen, Gen. 1. 26. The ſecond part is the Firmament, in which are the Starres, Sun, and Moon, Pſal. 19. 7. The third part is the Habitation of God and Angels, the ſeate of the glory of God and his bleſſed one, where the body of Chriſt now liues, Marke 16. 19. and is called the third heauens, 1 Cor. 12. 2. and this is the Heauen eſpecially meant, Gen. 11. for when there he ſaith, God Created heauen and earth, and the earth was without forme, &c. he notes that God vſed a twofold way of Creation: ſome things he made immediately of nothing, as the Heauen of the bleſſed: ſome things he made of matter which was firſt made of nothing: for out of that Chaos mentioned, Gen. 2. did the Lord extract and forme all this viſible world, both the firmament and light, and the elements and all creatures; only ſpirits, and the Heauen of the bleſſed hee made of no praeexi…ing matter, and that honour hauehave the ſoules of men, which are immediately created of nothing.
Firſt, then we are to intreate of that Heauen where God in his glory, & Chriſt in his glorious body are: and ſeeing by Heauen is meant al that is contained in it by Creation, we are there to conſider of the Angels too, and both that Heauen and the Angels, belong to the inuiſible world, and the reſt to the viſible.
Concerning that bleſſed Heauen, wee are to wonder at the glory of the Lord in creating it: if we conſider,
1. The names giuen to it: It is called the Heauen of Heauens, Deut. 10. 14. 1 King. 8. 27. Pſal. 11…. 16. The Temple of God, Pſal. 11. 4. & …8. 7. Paradiſe, Luke 23. 42. The heauenly Ieruſalem, or Ieruſalem that is aboue, Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. and in the ſame place, Mount Sion: The moſt holy place, Hebrewes 10.9. Our fathers houſe, Iohn▪ 4. 2. The place of the Habitation of God and his holineſſe, Deut. 26. 15. Pſal. 33. 14. Abrahams boſome, Luke 16. 22. The Citie of the Liuing God, Heb. 12. 22. a Cittie hauing foundation, whoſe Maker and builder is God, Heb. 11. 10. our Countrie, Heb. 11. 13. 14.
2. The ſubſtance of it: which is conceiued to be of a marueilous excellent nature, farre more perfect and ſubtile then the ſubſtance not onelyonly of the Elements, but of thoſe viſible heauens: which diuers gather thus. As any creature is higher then the earth, ſo is the ſubſtance of it leſſe groſſe and materiall. As the waters are thinner then the earth, and the Ayre then the waters, and the Element of fire (according to the common opinion of Diuines and Philoſophers) purer then the Ayre: and the Eſſence of the mighty Firmament, yet more pure then the foure Elements, as conſiſting of a fift Eſſence as they ſay in Schooles: and accordingly we ſee creatures fitted to each of theſe places. Fiſhes that cannot liue in the bowells of the earth, liue in the waters: and foules of a more ſpirituall being flie in the Ayre. Now when we are aſcended ſo high, as the higheſt viſible heauens, then do our minds conceiue of that glorious place of the bleſſed, made of a more pure Eſſence then any of theſe: And though Diuines ſay that the ſuſtance of theſe heauens muſt needs be corporeall and bodily which they proue by infallible reaſons, yet are they ſuch a body, as wee may call as it were ſpirituall, next in purity to the ſubſtance of Angels and mens ſoules.
3. If we conſider the qualities, admirable is the glory of that heauen of heauens, whether we thinke of it Philoſophically or Theologically: Philoſophically conſidered, it is a place void of all decay, alteration and motion. A place that ſuffers not from without it ſelfe, any thing of naturall grieuance or violence, or annoyance. A place aboue all places, large and ample, as containing in the bowells and circumference of it all this viſible world. But if wee inquire after it as conſidered Theologically, we may ſee it in a Mirror, but yet it is but darkely, no tongue of man can vtter the glory of it, noe, Paul himſelfe that was there, yet could not declare what he ſaw, nor can it enter into the mortall heart of man to think what it is; what is reuealed in Scripture in praiſe of it, is inough to rauiſh our hearts with deſire after it, if we were ſuch as we ſhould be. It is a place moſt lightſome: for God is ſaid to dwell in light vnapproachable, vnapproachable, I ſay to vsus mortall cr…atures: It is light aboue al that light, the Sun or Moone can giuegive to this lower world: for there is no need of Sun nor Moon, which ſhine in reſpect of that light, as a candle doth to the light of the Sun with vsus: There is no night there, and it is a light of a farre more excellent and tranſcendent kinde then this light we hauehave from the Starres or Sunne or Moone: and that is the reaſon why it doth not penetrate to vsus, as being farre aboue the capacity of our eyes (as they are now) to ſee it. The Apoſtle ſaith of this light, it was like vntounto a ſtone moſt precious, euen like a Iaſper ſtone, cleare as Chriſtall, that is alwaies flouriſhing, and ſhining without any clouds or darkeneſſe: and how can it be otherwiſe, ſeeing God himſelfe and the Lambe is the light of it: there floweth from God, (being the place of his ſpeciall glory) a created light from God himſelfe, I ſay, by which it is after an vnſpeakeable manner inlightned, Reuel. 21. 11. 23. Whence it followes, that it is a place full of all vnſpeakeable refreſhing, pleaſure and delight: If the light of the Sunne at ſome ſeaſons of the yeere can ſo pleaſe, how much more doth this light of the glory of God? What ſhall I ſay? It is a place that hath nothing in it of euill, and abounds in all that may content the glorified nature of the Creatures. And how can it be otherwiſe, ſeeing there is no ſinne, nor no vncleane perſon there, and it is a place, that hath the glory of the Lord, vponupon it, Reuel. 21. 11. which is as much, as if he ſhould ſay, that the glory of heauen doth differ from all the glory of any place on earth, as God differs from the Kings and Potentates of the Earth, and therefore his chiefe houſe of Reſidence muſt needs almoſt infinitely excell theirs. And the more is the glory of heauen, becauſe it is eternall, it cannot fade or euer ceaſe to bee: which is ſignified by thoſe golden and pretious foundations, Reuel. 21. Other Citties wil decay, becauſe they are builded by man and of corruptible matter, but this Cittie can neuer decay, becauſe God was the builder of it immediately and made it incorruptible. To conclude, it muſt needs bee a place of ſurpaſſing glory, ſeeing all the Treaſures of this world are ſearched out, and they can ſerue but to giuegive a litle glimpſe of the meaneſt part of the praiſes of heauen: as the twentie one Chapter of the Reuelations ſhewes.
Before I come to the Vſes ſome queſtions would be briefely reſolued.
Quest. 1. Whether this Heauen was created or no, or was it eternall with God.Quest.
Anſw. It was created by God, is as ſaid expreſſely, Heb. 11. 10. that God was the builder and Maker of it: It being not the Anſw.Creator, It muſt needs be a creature.
Quest. 2. Where is this Heauen.Queſt.
Anſw. It is aboue all theſe viſible heauens, Epheſ. 4. 8. Acts 7. 55, 56. their opinion is vaine that thinke it is eueryevery where: Anſw.for then Hell ſhould be in Heauen.