A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 36 (Question 9 cont.)
SERMON XXXVI.
II. INCONSTANT Natures were ſuch as were made Perfect by Degrees, in their material & formal Principles. Theſe are expereſſed under the Name of Earth, G…. 1.1. Theſe were not made & finiſhed in an Inſtant; but Succeſſively: Here then are Two Things to be conſider
1. The Material Principle of Theſe
2. The ſeveral Forms or particular Kinds of Beings, which were Created cat of it.
[1] CONCERNING the Materie. Principle, ca…ed … 1. Waters & Deep, …. 2. Take theſe Concluſions.
(1). THERE was a P…xisting Matter of Inconſtant Natures. I mean a Matter which was firſt made, in …mmon, for them all, before they had any particular Forms: ſo that they were not made Perfect at firſt, nor yet Individuated; which is the Foundation of all the Differences between Conſtant & Inconſtant Natures: Theſe are therefore compared to a Garment, Pſal. 102.26. which is firſt in the Wooll, &c. Hence Gen 1. we have this Matter deſcribed, v. 1, 2. God created the Earth; and the Earth was without Form & Word: And the ſeveral things that were made out of it, in the ſequell. That there is ſuch a common Matter is evident, by the Tranſmutation of things, as Elements, and Nutriments, which could not be if they had not one common Subject: ſo that the Soundation of all the Changes, and Turnings, Generations and Corruptions Beginnings & Periſhings of all the Creatures in the lower World, is ſaid in their very Creation
(2.) THIS Matter was made together with the Third Heaven and Angels in the firſt Moment of Time. Gen. 1.1. In the Beginning God created the Heaven & the Earth, &c. becauſe elſe there had been a Vacuity, an empty Place in the World, without ſomething to fill it up; which is a Contradiction; Place being nothing but a Relation to the ſecond Being, having but a Modal Exiſtence, as the thing is conceived to be in it: as alſo becauſe the Material Principle is durable, and remains for ever, whatever Changes the Creature goes through in its Forms.
(3.) THIS Matter was at firſt without Form, and Void, and covered with Darkneſs, Gen. 1.2. And in theſe things it differed from the Heavens, or Conſtant Natures. 1. WITHOUT Form: Not that it had no Form at all; but it had no compleat Act of thoſe Potential Forms which were afterwards either educed out of it, or introduced into it: It had no F…rm, becauſe there were no Kinds of Things Created out of it, out all lay in it, as a Maſs or Lump without diſtinction. 2. VOID; i. e. of Inhabitants: And this follows from the former; for being without Form; it was not Habitable: There could be no Birds in the Aks, &c before there was any Air, &c. A thing muſt ſtand out of all ſecond Cauſes, before it can be a Subject for another thing; but here were only two, Efficient and Matter. The two words uſed in the …d. v. in other Scriptures, do imply the utmoſt deſolation, hideouſneſs, emptineſs, and vacuity of a thing: Deut. 32.10. A watte bowling wilderneſs. And ſo, Pſal. 107.10. and Iſal. 24.11. 3. COVERED …ith Darkneſs. It was an Abyſe, a Chaos, a Place of Confuſion. And this alſo follows from the former; for having no Form, it had no Qualities, which flow from the Form; & hence no Light, which is a Quality: Light therefore was afterward Created: And this Commonds to us the Infinite Wiſdom of God in bringing ſo comely a World out of ſo rude a Heap.
(4.) THIS Matter was …ned in … State by the M… us … of the S… of God for the ſpace of Twelve Hours. It rema…ned in this formleſs Vacuity for the ſpace of Twelve Hours v. 2. Darkneſs is mentioned to give us to underſtand, how long it remained without Form and Void: This Darkneſs therefore is called … 5. I that the time of the Night & this Darkreſs was all one; which if the World were created in the Aequinox, was Twelve Hours John 11.0. ets there not twelve hours in the Day. And all this while it was ſuſtained by the Miraculous Power of the Spirit, v. 2. The Spirit of God moved up… the ſa…e of the Waters. The Holy-Ghoſt is here intended; and this Action is …ſ…bed to him, in alluſion to Birds that ſit to hath their Eggs and to being forth their Young, and ſtutter …ver the… to cherriſh them in their feeble condition: The firſt Matter could not exiſt, with any natural Power without an Eſſential Form; it muſt … therefore be ſuſtained by a Miracle. He did, … it were cherriſh the firſt Matter, and prepare … for its ſeveral Forms.
USE. THE conſideration of the Firſt Matter may ſerve to Hum le us: Let us ſome…mes look back to our Original ſee the f…rmleſs Lump th… we once lay in, and acknowledge it to the Wiſdom & Good Will of the Work-man, to make the difference between us and the moſt deformed: Their deformity is not their fault, but the Creators pleaſure: We were hewn out of as knotty … crooked Timber as they. Yea. learn here th… we are Brothers & Siſters to Worms, and To… and Vermine. Job 17.14. I have ſaid to cerrup… thou art my Father; to the worm thou art my Afther, and my Siſter. Pſal. 22.6. They were made of as good Stuff as we are, only the Goodneſs … God hath laid out more Curioſity about us.
[2.] NOW let us take 3 view of the ſeverd Kinds of Inconſtant Natures, which were formed out of this firſt Matter: And we may follow them in the ſeveral Diſtributions which the Order of their Creation will give us light for; and the Firſt of theſe is.
INCONSTANT Natures are either Element or Elementaries. The former of theſe are Simple Natures, the other are compounded; theſe & Principles, thoſe things principied of them: It was therefore neceſſary that the Elements ſhould be Created firſt, becauſe other Beings were to be made of them: Theſe therefore had to E… tial Forms made Immediately of Nothing
THESE Elements are diſtributed according to their Scituation, into the Upper & Louer, ſome aſcending & moving foward the Circumference, others deſcending, and tending to the Cent… the World.
1. THE Upper Elements are thoſe whoſe Forms being the moſt agile, do naturally tend to aſcend: They have the nobleſt & moſt active Forms, and are therefore called the Heavens.
THESE are Two, viz. the Fire and the Air… and we have the account of the Creation of both.
1. THE Element of Fire is expreſſed in it's Creation, under the horion of Light, Gen. 1.3. And God ſaid, Let there he Light, and there was Light. That being an eminent and moſt obſervable Property of in. Light it ſelf is a Quality; & cannot be out of a Subject: The Subject of this Quality is metony…cally intended, & that is Fir….
FIRE is the higheſt, and Ho…eſt Element:, which being Condenſate, will burn and ſhine.
THAT there is ſuch an Element, appears, becauſe there are Four Prime Qualities, of which Hear is one, whoſe Subject is Fire; from the Inſ…nence of this Quality into the Earth, for the generation of Minerals; and becauſe our Fire thes upward towards its own Place.
THIS Element is the Higheſt, next the Third Heaven: The Prin… Mobile. and Chryſtalline Heaven placed above it, are Fictions of Philoſophen: The Starry Heavens are feigned to be above it, whereas they are indeed it; though Philoſophers miſtaking it for the Third Heaven, ma… it Quinteſſential; It is the Element of the S…ers, as the Water is of the Fiſhes: It is moſt Light … Active: Hence Angels are compared in it, Pſal. 104.4. Who ma…eth his Angels — a flowing fire. It is the Hotteſt. Heat is the Prime Quality; It hath the moſt active and ſtrong Form of all; It acts with the moſt Force which Activity is from it's Heat, by reaſon whereof it diſſolyes wher Bodies; 2 Pet. 3.10 — The Plements ſhall mels with fervent hear, &c. And when it is condenſed, or compounded together, it bums and ſhines, both of which we obſerve by Expenence: It is therefore to be conceived, that God did ſo condenſe ſome part of this Element, to ealighten the World, and make a ſeparation betwen Day & Night, for the firſt three Days before the Sun, &c. were made; from hence alſo it is that the lower World is ſupplied with the F…e, by which ſo many things are done, and witho… which, the Life of Man would be very miſerable.
USE. WHEN therefore we ſind any Comfort or Benefit, by any of thoſe Uſes to which this Element ſerves, Let us Bleſs God for it; let it lead us to him, and help us to ſtudy, how we may improve it to his Glory; let us uſe this Light and improve this Warmth, in the Service of God, and not of Satan, and our own Luſts; elſe the more we are benefited by them, the greater will our Guilt be.
2. THE Element of Air, is deſcribed in it's Creation, under the Title of the Firmament, Gen. 1.6, 7, 8. And was the ſubject of the ſecond … Creation. The Word ſignifies ſomething that is ſpread abroad; Hence that, Iſa 4 c. 22. He …etcheth out the Heavens as a curtain, & ſpread… them out as a Tent to dwell in. The Air is …gher … …lining to aſcend, being the …eſt of all Elements. It is an higher Fle…, placed next to the Fire, and reacheth to the Starry Regions, naturally enclined to move upward: It is one of God's Aſcentions, Amos 9.6. … that buildeth His Stories [Heb. Aſcentions] … the Heavens. It is the Second Story in the World of …conſtant Natures; tho' it alſo deſcends to fill a …ce, and prevent a Vacuity which ariſeth from its Fluidity Hence it is the Moisteſt of all, This is it's Prime Quality, enclining it readily … …w every way, and take up the Figure of any … body, and thereby it is ſuitably accommo…ted, for Living Creatures to move & breath in: This is called Heaven. Ver.S. And G…d called the Firmament Heaven. The Word ſignifies there, Waters, becauſe the Water is there drawn up into Clouds and thence returned in Rain, &c.
It's Uſe is manifold: IT is the Subject recipient, and diferent of the Light & Darkneſs; The lower World is …nlighn…d from the upper, through it, being diphan…s: It is the Subject of the Metters, which are carryed about in it; as the Wind, Clouds, Rain, Snow, &c. It is the Inſtrument of preſerving and chriſhing the L…es of ſeveral Creatures: We breath in it, and receive Breath from it: It is the Medium of every Sound, and thro which it is conveved: So that we are beholden to it for the Liberty to exerciſe our nobleſt Senſes of Seeing … Hearing.
USE. HERE is therefore agrea leal of God's Goodneſs to us to be ſeen, in this Element, Pſal. 19.1.— The Firmament ſhe…eth his handy work. It is a piece of Workmanſhip becoming the Author of it: By it he proves himſelf to be God; Iſa. 40.22. It is he that ſtretcheth out the Heavens —. And all the Kindneſs we receive by it; the Light it brings to us, the Breath we enjoy by it, the Motion we are priviledged with by reaſon of it, the Communication of our ſelves in Speech to one another; call for our Thankfulineſs to God, and bid us to make it to reſound with the Eccho of his Praiſes.
2 THE Lower Elements, whoſe Forms being leſs active, are enclined to deſcend toward the Center, are Two, viz. The Water and the Earth, whoſe Crea…on is jointly deſcribed, Gen. 1.9. And theſe are called God's Bundles, Amos 9.6. And hath founded His Troup [Heb.Bundle] in the Earth. becauſe they are bound up together in one Globe:
1. THE Water is a … 1 Element, the moſt Cold, and of a congreath… nature. It is a Lower Element, it naturally deſcends; It is ſuppoſed naturally to be next the Air: But God hath placed it in the Creation together with the Earth; and bound it up with Bars, that in overflow it not, Job 28.8, &c.
IT is the Coldeſt. That is its Prime Quality; And for this reaſon it is in Scripture noted by this Epithet, Matth. 10.42.&A cup of Cold Water—. It is therefore often put in oppoſition to Fire, in reſpect of it's Heat, as being moſt contrary to it.
HENCE it is of a congregatin… nature, which is by vertue of its Coldneſs, which contracts and draws things together; as the Fire ſeparates them. The Benefits of this Element are great; not only in the Compoſition of Bodies, but alſo in that it affords us a great part of our Nutriment: It quencheth our Thirſt, it ſupplies the Farth with Fertility, it affords Traſſick and Commerce among Men
2. THE Earth is a lower Element moſt dry: Hence from this Quality it received its Name; Gen. 1.19 And God called the Dry Land, Earth. This is the loweſt of all, and therefore is the Center of the World, and by vertue of its Dryneſs, it is inclined to keep its own Figure & Bounds; in which reſpect it is moſt contrary to the Air which, by reaſon of its moiſture, gives way to every other Body: And by …ertue of this it is a … f… the …atares to walk upon; and hence the uſual Name in Scripture, comes of a Word that ſignifies, to tread upon; but for which Man could have no Habitation in it.
THESE two Elements are ſo molded together as to make one Globe, uſually called the Earth; being a round Body, lying upon its own Center; & that not by a Miracle, but by natural Diſpoſition put into it in Creation, Job …. 7. He …ngeth the Earth upon Nothing. See, 38.4, 6 And theſe are Interwoven, that all the Inhabitants of the lower World enjoy the benefit of them both; the great Sea waſhing every Continent, and ſecretly conveying its Waters in the Caverns of the Earth; and by the Clouds, which as ſo many veins run through it in Springs, Brooks, and Rivers, … 1.7. Job 38.16. Pſal. 104.5. &c
USE, 1. HERE is matter of Admiration at the Wiſdom and Power & Goodneſs of God. His Wiſdom in hanging this Earth upon Nothing ſo F…m and faſt; His Power in laying reſtraint upon the great Body of Waters, that they return not to drown the Earth; and His Goodneſs in ſo ſeating & diſpoſing of both, as to make them commodious for the Entertainment of Men, Beaſts, Fowls, and Fiſhes.
USE, 2. WHAT little Reaſon hath he to be Proud, who hath moſt of this Earth in his Poſſeſſion? It is but a little in it ſelf but a point of a point; and it is but little worth, being made to be trodden under Fool, and not to be ſet up in the Heart.
IN the next place we proceed to conſider of the Creation of the Elementaries; which are Inconſtant Natures, made up of the Elements mixed one with another, Gen. 2.19. Out of the Ground the Lord God fermed every Beaſt of the field, and every Fowl of the Air. By Ground we are to underſtand theſe Four Principles. That other things were made of them appears, both by the Quantities of them, which theſe partake in, (Job 4.19.) as alſo by the Reſolution of them into theſe; Infinite Wiſdom contrived them by ſeveral Mixtures, to give different Forms to them, whence proceeds the divers Kinds of them, according to the Creator's Pleaſure.
THESE Elementaries are wont to be diſtributed into Imperfectly and Perfectly mixt Bodies.
1. THOSE of an Imperfect Mixture we firſt in order of Nature in Creation, becauſe God in making of Inconſtant Natures proceeded from things more Imperfect, to things more Perfect. They are called Imperfect, not as if they were not Perfect in their Kind; for they were alſo the Works of God, and good, which is their Perfection: But their Mixture is not ſo firm, ſtable and permanent, but ſoon made, ſoon diſſolved, inſtable, Jude v. 12. Theſe are generally known by the name of Meteors; which, though not named in the Hiſtory of the Creation, yet are to be underſtood, as the Workmanſhip of the Third Day; made next to the Elements: Chap. 2.6. There went up a Miſt from the Earth. i. e. on the Third Day; and now the Firmament attained its End and Uſe; whence a double Approbation of the Work of this Day. Gen. 1.11, 12. Theſe are a part of God's Creation, Jer. 10.13. He cauſeth the Vapour to oſ…end, He mak…th Lightnings with Rain, and bringeth forth the Wand out of His …eaſ…es. They are Bodies ſoon conceived; a Cloud as big as a Man's Hand will preſently ſpread the Sky. Their Mixture is very ſlighty; Snow & Hail do but very little differ from Water: Hence they are quickly diſſolved and turned to their Principles, Jam. 4.14. — A Vapour app…areth for a little time, and then vaniſheth away. Some of theſe are Fiery, as Sporks or falling Stars, burning Spears, Swords, Arrows, Thunder & Lightning; Others Airy is the Wind and Earthquakes; others Warty, as Clouds, Miſts, Dews, Hoar-Froſts, Rain. &c. To theſe we may add Rainbows, perpendicular Lines in the Clouds, Parelions, &c. Their uſe is to purge the Air; Partly the Nutrition and Generation of the Fruits of the Earth, Heſ. 3.21. Partly for Signs, Lu…e. 21.25. Some are natural, ſome preternatural.
USE 1. EVEN theſe ſhort liv'd things diſcover abundance of the Glory of God; both in their Production & Operation: Theſe therefore are called upon to Praiſe God; Pſal. 148.8. And how much doth the Pſalmiſ… inſiſt on One of them? Pſal. 29. By theſe God ſometimes ſeems to be rending the Earth in pieces, and ſetting the World on Fire: Theſe ſhould make us Fe… God.
2. THESE ſhew, Our Dependance upon God, and how much we are engaged to him for This Port of the Creation: We cannot live without them: None …en beſtow them upon us but He; Jes, 14.22. Can the vanities if the Gentilas cauſe Rain? Or can the Heavens give ſhowers? Art not thou he, O Lordour God? Therefore me … wait upon thee; for thou haſt mode all theſe things, They all obey him, and are at his Call, Pſal. 148.8. Fire & hail, ſnow & vapour, ſtor…y wind ſuifilling his word. We muſt ask of him the Former and Latter Rain; And all the Benefit which acrues to us from them, calls for … thankful and cheerful ſerving of him.
[NOVEMBER 4. 1690.]