{"number":107,"title":"OF CREATION","part":"THE SECOND PART, OF MANS DELIVERIE","questions":[26],"paragraphs":[],"clauses":[],"items":[],"text":"Next vnto the Doctrine *concerning God,* the Doctrine *of the woorkes of GOD* is most fitly placed: as we see to be done also in the Creede. *The woorks of God are of two sortes. Generall and Speciall. The general* are diuided into the *works* 1. *Of creation,* (the works whereof are read in Genesis to haue bin accomplished in 6. daies, & are by daily increase furthered and multiplied in the world) 2. *Of preseruation,* (whereby God still susteineth the heauens and earth, and the things, that in them are, that they fal not to ruine and decay) 3. *Of administration,* whereby through his immense and great wisdome he administreth and gouerneth all things. These two latter are comprehended vnder the name of his *prouidence.* And therefore next vnto creation is annexed the place concerning Gods prouidence. The *Special woorkes of GOD,* are those which are wrought in the Church and company of his elect and chosen, to iustifie, sanctifie, and glorifie them, and are either works of *Reparation* or restoring (whereby hee repaireth al things which for the sinne of man are subiect to corruption) or of *perfection* and accomplishment, whereby hee bringeth all things to their certaine appointed end.\n\nThe principall questions of creation are these, 1 *Whether the world were created of God.* 2 *How it was created.* 3 *For what cause it was created.*\n\n## 1 WHETHER THE WORLD WERE CREATED OF GOD\n\n*The name of the world is diuerslie vsed in the Scripture.* 1. It signifieth *the vniuersal frame of all thinges,* namelie, Heauen and Earth, and al thinges which are them, visible and inuisible, besides God himselfe. 2. *Woorldlie concupiscences.* 3. *All mankind.* 4. *The wicked or those that are not regenerate in the world.* 5. *The elect.* Here we consider it in the first sense.\n\n*To create* signifieth, 1 *to ordaine or constitute;* as the latines vsed it, *creare Consulem,* to create a Consul. 2 *To make something of nothing, without any motion, with a becke or woorde only.* So is it taken in this place. 3 *The continuating of creation: or creation continued:* Which is the prouidence of God.\n\nThat the worlde hath not beene from euerlasting, but had, when it seemed best to the creatour, according to his eternal counsel and wil, a beginning once, and was created of that only true God, who hath manifested himselfe in the Church, that he is the eternal Father, and Sonne, and Holy Ghost, we know: First *by testimonies of holy scripture,* as by the whole historie of the creation set downe by Moses. Likewise out of other testimonies of Scripture verie many. *Psalm,* 33 6.9. *By the woorde of the Lorde were the heauens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.*[^1] *He spake and it was doone, he commaunded and it stood, or was created.* There are other places also in the Psalmes, where more largely and amply the wonderfull woorkes of God, and the principall partes of the woorlde created by God are proposed to be considered of vs, that through the consideration thereof wee may learne to put our trust and confidence in God. For to this purpose did the Lord himselfe propose vnto Iob his marueilous and incomprehensible woorkes conspicuous in heauen,[^2] and earth; & other thinges also created by him, to declare his iustice, power, and prouidence.\n\n[^3]Furdermore, besides testimonies of Scripture almost innumerable, it is confirmed also by firme and true reasons, that the world was created of God. First, *The autoritie of God himselfe auouching the same in his word.* Secondly, *The originals and beginnings of nations and peoples shew it,* which could not be faigned of Moses, whenas some remēbrance and memoriall of them was then extant amongst manie: which yet in processe of time perished. Thirdly, *The noueltie and latenesse of all other histories compared with the antiquity & ancientnesse of the sacred storie.* Fourthly, *The age of men decreasing;* which sheweth that there was greater strength in nature at the first, and that not without some first cause it hath decreased hitherto. Fiftly, *The certaine course & race af times, euē from the beginning of the world, vnto the exhibiting of the Messias.* Vnto Testimonies of scripture come also argumentes drawen out of nature it selfe. First, *The order of things instituted in nature,* which must needes haue beene produced and framed by some intelligent minde, farre superiour to all thinges. Secondly, *The excellencie of the mind of men, and Angels.* These intelligent mindes haue a beginning: therefore they haue it from some intelligent cause. Thirdly, *The principles or generall rules, and naturall notions ingenerated in our minds.* Fourthly, *The tremblings of conscience in the wicked.* Fifthly, *The constitution and founding of common weales.* Sixtly, *The endes of all thinges profitablie and wiselie ordeined.* Therefore by some cause vnderstanding & ordaining them. Seuenthly, *The verie order of causes and effectes, which cannot bee carried backward or forward infinitly:* for then neuer should the end be come vnto, or the effect produced. Lastly those other arguments and reasons also, which proue that there is a God, prooue in like manner that the worlde was created of God.\n\nAnd although out of Philosophie, or those generall principles, which are naturallie knowen, it cannot bee knowen or shewed, *Whether the woorlde was created from euerlasting, or in time:* and also, *Whether it was to haue beene created, or no:* Likewise *Whether it shal endure for euer or no: and whether it shall remaine the same, or is to bee chaunged:* (for these thinges depend onely vpon the will of God, which is onely declared to the Church in his worde:) yet notwithstanding it may bee knowen by the light of nature; sithence the woorlde was, that it was by God alone produced out of nothing. For euen the sounder philosophers are enforced to acknowledge, that GOD is the cause efficient, or maker of all other thinges which are: Therefore hee was the maker both of the first matter of all thinges, and of those celestiall and heauenlie spirites, and of the soule of man. But these thinges are not produced by GOD out of any matter; Therefore out of nothing. Wherefore, whatsoeuer argumentes are brought of Philosophers against the creation of the woorlde, it is easie to perceiue that those were not framed out of true philosophie, but by the imaginations of men; if the order of the generation and mutation of things instituted in nature, which was created of God, bee discerned from creation.\n\n[^4]1 Obiection. *God,* say the Philosophers, *could not bee from euerlasting idle. But the world not beeing created, he should haue beene idle. Therefore the worlde is eternall.* Aunswere. First, the Maior is false; *If it be all one with them, to bee idle, and not to administer and rule the worlde.* For GOD created the worlde most freely, which beeing not created, hee should neuerthelesse haue beene no lesse perfect, than he is, now whē it is created: as who for euer is most perfect of himselfe and in himselfe. Secondly, the Minor is also false, *If they meane by idle, him who doth nothing at all.* For God before the creation of the woorlde did contemplate and beholde from euerlasting his own wisedome; hee begot the Son; from him flowed the holy Ghost: he chose vs to euerlasting life; hee decreed to produce & create the worlde in time. Thirdly, *It is impietie to rush and breake in into the secrets of god, who hath prouided and prepared hel for curious seekers or searchers, what God did before the creation of things.*\n\n[^5]2 Ob. They collect arguments also, whereby to prooue, *that this motion or mutation of things which nowe is, hath beene from euerlasting. Whatsoeuer can any way be mooued or changed, say they, that either hauing bin such from euerlasting, hath admitted no change or motion, which were absurd, & is also denied of vs: or hath beene made such by some generation & motion. But there is no motion or change, except there bee some thing before, which can be mooued and changed. Wherefore no motion of anie thing can be brought, which some other motion hath not gone before; and so there shall bee no beginning of changes & mutations.* But there is an vntrueth, & an vnsufficient enumeration in the Maior, for that they imagining that thinges coulde neuer be produced out of other but by generation, take away from god the power of creating what he wil, euen out of no matter preexistent or being before. Wherefore our aunswere is, that Motion goeth before a mooueable thing which is generated, but not which is created.\n\n[^6]3 Obiect. *All motion, before which was quietnesse or a ceasing of mutation, hath another motion going before it, whereby is remooued the cause of that quietnesse, or let of mutation. But they say that according to our assertion there is put a quietnes before the first motion that euer was in the nature of things. Therefore there must bee some motion or mutation, whereby the cause of that quietnes was taken away: & so there shall bee no mutation which may be said to be the first.* Auns. The maior is true of the mutation & entercourse of things now begunne after the creation, but not of the first orignal of these mutations, & changes, which we now see in the world. For the let & stay of them was then the will of God only; which is not taken away, but being the same, & standing immoueable from euerlasting to euerlasting, beginneth & effecteth the beginnings & ends, & mutations, or motions of things, and also quietnesse or cessation, & a continuance in the same state, most freely, & without any mutation or change of himself. Seing then this his diuine wil alone beginneth the motion & mutation of things without second causes, as hee did in the creation of the worlde; it was not onely not necessary, but not so much as possible, by reason of the eternitie and immutability of the diuine wil, that there should be any other mutatiō before that original & beginning of the motions & mutations of nature. For god wil from euerlasting to euerlasting, that al should then begin, haue their moueing, mutation, & beeing, when this beginning was made. There is therefore an ambiguity in the word, quietnes. For we grant the Maior, as concerning that quietnesse, which signifieth a priuation in the subiect; that is taken away by motion: But the maior is false if it meane such a quietnesse as is an absolute denial of the being of motion. This is takē away, not by motion, but by the wil of god, which alone, without second causes & any motion, beginneth motion.\n\n4 Ob. *If time be eternal, then motion also is eternal: for time is the measure of motion,*[^7] *wherby we iudge how long or short al motiō is. But time is eternal; because euery instant or point of time is the end of that time which went before, & the beginning of that which followeth. Therefore also motion is from euerlasting.* Auns. The appellation of time heere is ambiguous or doubtfull, and therefore causeth a double aunswere. For if *time bee taken onelie for the measure of some motion,* the Maior is true, but if it be takē *for the during of any thing,* the Maior is false: as it is manifest in the during of quietnesse, which during also is time. So also eternity is time without any mutation of the thing which is eternall. So the Minor also is true as concerning duration; but as concerning the measuring of motion, it is false. Neither is it furthered by the argument which is adioined concerning an *instant.* For the first instant or moment wherein any motion beginneth, may bee also without any precedent motion (for otherwise wee shoulde bee faine to say that all, euen the shortest motions of all thinges, were from euerlasting.) And that instant is onely the beginning, or first point, or indiuisible moment, wherein time, by the will of God, beganne to flowe or multiply; but it is not the end of any time forepast. So the first point in a line hath only line after it, not also before it: that is, it is the beginning of the line, not also the end.\n\n[^8]5 Obiection. *Whatsoeuer hath a beginning hath also an ending. The celestiall bodies haue no ending. Therefore they had no beginning.* Aunswere. The Maior is to bee distinguished. Whatsoeuer hath a beginning naturally, by motion or alteration of a preexistent subiect, hath an ending also and is corrupted, to witte, naturally, by motion. The celestial bodies are not corrupted, that is, naturally; for they haue not a matter which is capeable of another forme. Therefore they had no beginning, that is by naturall motion. For, by order of nature, corruption followeth the generation of one thing out of another. Nowe although heauen is not corrupted naturally; yet is it corruptible by the absolute power of GOD woorking without anie motion. For the omnipotencie of the Creatour is able most freely either to preserue in the same state, or to chaunge, or to bring to nothing as well those things which he formeth out of other things, as which hee produceth out of nothing.\n\n6 Obiection. *God is eternal. Heauen is the pallace and seat of god. Therefore heauen is eternal.* Answere. It doth not follow. For first there are foure termes in this Syllogisme. *For God is one thing, and the pallace and seat of god another thing, which is not god.* In like maner the body is the seat of the soule. But it followeth not hereof, that the body is a spirituall, intelligent, immortall essence, because the soule is. Secondly, *heauen is the seat of God, not properly, nor necessarily:* because God, as being an infinite essence, is in al thinges, and without althings.[^9] And Aristotle himselfe witnesseth that hee is without heauen. Therefore hee can bee, though heauen bee not; neither needeth he this Tabernacle. *But hee is saide to dwell in heauen, though hee fill all thinges with his essence and power.* 1. *Because hee is aboue all thinges, and the Lorde and ruler of all.* 2. *Because hee exhibiteth there his glorie, maiestie, and grace more clearly and fullie to be beheld and enioied of the blessed Angels and men, than heere on earth.*\n\nAgainst the first aunswere the Vbiquetaries replie in Aristotles behalfe, on this manner:[^10] *The blessednesse of GOD is not without GOD, but is GOD himselfe. Heauen is the blessednesse of GOD, not anie place: Therefore heauen is GOD himselfe.* Answere. 1. Not onlie Aristotle, but the sacred scripture also *doth eueriewhere distinguish heauen from god,* as, the thing made, from the maker thereof: and also, *opposeth heauen to earth,* so that it affirmeth earth to bee below, and heauen aboue vs, where GOD communicateth himselfe and his blessednesse vnto the elect more clearelie and fullie, than on earth: *Heauen,* saith GOD himselfe, *is my seat: and earth my footestoole.* Wherefore although heauen were somewhere taken for heauenly blessednesse, yet might it not bee heereof inferred, that heauen properlie is not a place, wherein the elect enioie and shall for euer enioie that blessednesse: For also hell sometimes signifieth hellish pains, yet so, that it excludeth not the place, where the wicked, beeing truely seuered from the Godlie, shall suffer those paines and tormentes. 2. The Minor is false, *if heauen bee taken for that blessednesse, which is GOD himselfe, beeing sufficient vnto himselfe in all thinges.* For heauen is a thing created and finite: that blessednesse is increate, and immense. And if it bee vnderstoode *of a created blessednesse,* which is in vs communicated from GOD, there are foure termes in the Syllogisme. For the Maior proposition speaketh of an increated blessednesse, which is the verie essence of GOD, neither is communicated at anie time to anie creature.\n\n[^11]7 Obiection. *Hee that is Lorde in possession, is happier than hee which is Lord onlie in possibilitie. But GOD before the creation was onelie in possibilitie Lorde. Therefore hee is made happier by the creation. But this is absurd. Therefore the woorlde was from euerlasting.* Aunswere. He is happier, that is Lord in possession; true, if by the actual dominion and gouernement there arise anie more good vnto him than hee had before. But vnto GOD by reason of his exceeding great perfection, simplenesse, and immutabilitie, there coulde or can nothing at all come by his creation and dominion ouer his creatures. For *the respectes and appellations of Creatour, Lorde, Sauiour, Redeemer, Father of mankinde, and the like, which GOD in time assumeth vnto him, doe not appertaine to Gods essence, but signifie the beginninges and mutations of creatures;* that is, GOD is termed creatour, not of anie newe action or forme, that is in him, but of the creatures, which once beganne to be from him, when they were not at all before. Wherefore *these respectes, creation, dominion, and the rest, are in the creatures reall relations, but in GOD respectes onelie of our consideration.* And therefore *the creatour and the creature are relatiues, not mutuall,* as the Schoolemen wel speake and iudge: *because not both of them, but one onelie dependeth of the other, and is referred thereto reallie and formallie, that is, the creature.* For in the creatour is nothing at all depending of the creature. For if the creatour and the creature were relatiues mutuall, then these absurdities necessarily follow; 1. *That god is not most perfect in himself.* 2. *That frō euerlasting both the creator was as he is creator, and the creature.* 3. *Or some reall thing to haue come in time to the diuine essence:* 4. and therefore *the diuine essence to be mutable and compound.* Wherefore relations in god do not make mutation, but are attributed to god in respect of the creatures.\n\n## 2 How God made the world\n\n[^12]1 *THe woorlde was created of God the father by the sonne, and the holie ghost.* Of the sonne it is saide, *Joh.* 1.3. *All thinges were made by this woorde* of the holy Ghost. *Gen.* 1.2. *And the spirite of GOD mooued vpon the waters.* And Iob. 33.4. *The spirite of GOD hath made mee.* 2. *God created the world most freely, without anie constraint, not by anie absolute necessitie, but by necessitie of consequence,*[^13] that is by the decree of his wil, which decree though it were eternall and vnchangeable, yet was it most free. For neither was God tied to the creating and susteining of things, neither if hee had not at all created the world, or did annihilate it being created & bring it to nothing, were hee therefore lesse good, or lesse happie. 3. *God made the world with his beck onelie or wil, without labor, wearisomnes,*[^14] *motiō or any change of himselfe,* that is, not by any new action of his, but by his forcible will onely, which from euerlasting woulde that things shoulde on a sodaine exist and be, at such a time as hee had freely appointed and decreed. *Isai.* 40.28. *The Lord hath created the ends of the earth; he neither fainteth nor is wearie.* Now to worke any thing with his becke and word onely, is the highest and chiefest manner of working.[^15] For *there are fiue kindes of operations, and agents.* 1. *A naturall agent.* 2. *That which woorketh with an appetite.* 3. *Men and Diuels.* 4. *Angels.* 5. *God; which three latter sortes are voluntarie agents.*[^16]\n\nThe first *therefore is of those things which worke according to the qualitie, and force of their owne nature, not beeing guided by anie proper vnderstanding or will of their owne:* Such is the operation of fier, water, medicinable hearbs, precious stones. The actions and operations of these are subiect to the rule of those which are voluntary agents, and are by them moued and directed to certain vses,[^17] and to the performing of certain works. The second, *is of those which folow also the lore of nature in woorking, but not without some proper appetite or desire of their own, though the rule of reason be wanting:* But neuerthelesse their action and working is so ordered, that sometimes it is forced from them against their will. Of this sort are the operatiōs & actions of brute beasts. But these also are subiect to the rule & direction of god, Angels, & men; yet so, that no violence is offered vnto them, but what they doe moued by these superiour agents, that they do of their own accord, according to their owne nature & force giuen thē of god. The third is, *of men & Diuels,*[^18] *who also work according to the qualitie of their nature, namely by reason, & by deliberatiō, & freely, but corruptlie.* The fourth is *of good spirits, which we cal Angels, who likewise as mē work by reasō & wil, but not corruptly:* yet notwithstāding, both of thē, both men & Angels, though they woorke according to their nature freely,[^19] 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 vnderstanding and will, and that most pure, most perfect, and most right, neither is it subiect to the pleasure and disposition of anie higher cause.* Therefore this agent, which is God himselfe, is most wise, most good, most free, and immense, which hath no neede of any deliberation to goe before, and doth without motion, at his becke and commaundement onely, woorke and guide al things, which he will, and as he will. Wherefore all thinges depend of his will, but he of none. *Psal.* 33.6.9. *He spake, and it was done: he commaunded, and it was created.* Rom. 4.17. *Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those thinges which be not as though they were.*\n\n4 *God created all thinges of nothing, not of a preexistent or forebeing matter:*[^20] *not of the Essence of god, nor of anie matter coeternall with god.* For if God created all things, nothing then is excepted besides the creator himselfe, no not the matter, whereof all the rest were framed. 1 Obiection. *That which is produced with some preexistent thing is not created:*[^21] *Man was produced out of a preexistent thing, the earth, and the rib. Therefore hee was not created. But this is false; for the scripture saith that god created man. Therefore creation is not a production of a thing out of nothing.* Aunswere. The Maior is not simplie true. Because those thinges also are said to be created, whose matter, whereof they came, is of nothing. Man therefore was made of nothing, not immediately, but mediately by reason of his matter, not the last, but the first matter: for this at the beginning, had a beginning from nothing, & out of it afterward diuers kinds of things were formed. To this reason also, that may bee added, namely, that that production also is called creation, whereby a thing, which was not before, is made sodainly, without any motion by the commaundement of God onely out of a matter indeede, but yet such, as hath no definite power in it selfe of producing any thing.\n\nSuch 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 immediately, neither of that which is simply no matter: therefore no creation is of nothing. For creation properly so called is a production of a thing out of nothing.\n\n2 Obiection. *Of nothing is made nothing.* Aunswere. 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 selfe, nothing is made of nothing: but that which is impossible to a creature is possible to God the creator. And it appertaineth to our comfort, that God hath created all things of nothing. For if he hath created all thinges of nothing, he is able also to preserue vs, and to hinder the attempts of the wicked, yea to bring them to nothing.\n\n5 *God created the world at a certaine and definite time,*[^22] *and euen in the beginning of times, not from euerlasting.* For first, *all thinges were created of nothing, and therefore haue a beginning.* Secondly, it is to bee knowen out of the sacred storie, *how long the world hath lasted.* For according to the veritie of the scripture, by Luthers account, they are from the creation of the world to the Natiuitie of Christ, yeares, 3960. and so to our time, namely to the yeare of Christ, 1579. there shall be yeares 5539. According to Melancthons supputation, the yeares from the beginning of the world are 5541. For from the beginning of the world vnto Christ he numbreth 3962. yeares. According to their supputation of Geneua, from the creation of the world vnto Christ, are 3942. yeares and sixe moneths. There shall bee then to the yeare of Christ, 1579. from the Creation of the world, 5521. years, and sixe moneths. According to the supputation of Beroaldus, from the creation of the worlde vnto Christ, are 3928. yeares, and so then shall bee to the yeare of Christ 1579. from the creation of the world, 5507. yeares. These supputations accorde verie well one with another, as concerning the graunde number, though in the lesser number some yeares are either wanting or abounding. By these foure supputations then, of the most learned of our time, compared together, this at the least shal be apparent, that God created not the world before these 5541. yeares past, and therefore it was not from euerlasting.\n\n[^23]6 *God created not the world in one moment, but in the space of sixe daies. In the seuenth day god ended all his works.* Obiect. *He that liueth for euer* (saith the sonne of Sirach, *Eccle.* 18.1.) *made all thinges together. Therefore hee made all in one moment.* Ans. He speaketh not of a momēt of time, but of the whole number of things: as if he should say, whatsoeuer are, they are all from god by creation. But the causes why god created not al in one moment, are these. 1. *Because he would haue the creation of the matter it selfe distinct and manifest from the forming, and fashioning of the bodies of the woorlde, which consist of it.* 2. *Because hee woulde shewe his power and libertie in producing and bringing forth whatsoeuer effects he could, & that without naturall causes,* while hee yeeldeth light to the woorld, maketh the earth fruiteful, bringeth plants out of it, euen before the Sun & Moon were made. 3. *He would this way shew his goodnes and prouidence, whereby hee cherisheth his creatures, and prouideth for them not yet borne,* bringing beasts into the earth full of plants and food, and men into the world most stored and fraught with al thinges apperteining to the necessitie and delight of life. 4. *He would by that order and course of creation hold vs not in an idle, but diligent consideration of his works:* which also by the consecration of a sabbaoth he hath consecrated to all mankinde.\n\n[^24]7 *God created all thinges most wisely, verie good; that is, euerie thing in their kind and degree perfect.* Gen 1.31. *All thinges were verie good.* Wherefore god was not the cause of sin or deformity; but sin came into the world by man. Obiect. *Death is euil.* Likewise it is said, *There is no euil which the Lord hath not done.* Amos. 3.6. Ans. 1. *God at the first creation made all thinges good;* the euil both of crime or essence, & of pain or punishment, ensued vpon mans disobedience. 2. *Death & calamities are euil,* in respect of the creature which suffereth them, and in the iudgement of flesh: *but they are good,* in respect of god, who iustly inflicteth them for sin, & doth purge out that sin in the godly by chastisements. Wherefore after the fall of man, god was the author of pains & punishments: because they are in a respect & consideration good: but sin he doth not cause, but onely permit.\n\n## 3 For what cause god created the world\n\nThe endes of the creation of al thinges are some general,[^25] some speciall and subordinate. *1.* The first and chiefe end is the glorie of god. *For he would haue his goodnes, wisedome, omnipotencie, iustice (which his properties he sheweth in the creation of al things) be knowen & magnified of vs.* Prou. *16.4.* The Lord made al thinges for himselfe. *Psal. 103.22.* Praise the Lord al ye his works. *Rom. 11.36.* Of him, & through him, and for him are al things. *2.* The manifesting, knowledge,[^26] & contemplation of his diuine wisedome & goodnes shining in the very creation of things. *For that he might bee celebrated & magnified for his works, he was to create those thinges which should know him, & should praise & magnifie him, being knowen and manifested vnto them in his woorkes. And to this purpose created he natures both endewed with reason & without reason, that there might bee both those which shoulde praise him, & the matter of his praise.* Psalm. *19.1.* The heauens declare the glorie of god, & the firmament sheweth the worke of his hands. *3.* The administration & gouerning of the world.[^27] *For therefore he created the world, that hee might by his prouidence euer gouerne, rule, preserue it, & so might perpetually shew forth his maruelous works, which he hath done from the beginning of the world, & now doth, & wil do: but chiefly that he might administer the Church & congregation of elect Angels & men.* Isai. *40.26.* Lift vp your eies on high, & behold who hath created these things. *This third end is subordinat & serueth for the secōd end. 4.*[^28] To gather a church of Angels & men, *who shuld agnise & magnifie this creator. 5.* That al other things might serue for the safetie both of the soul, & bodie of man: as also for the life, necessity, & delight of men: *but especially that they might profit the elect, eache thing in their due place, & might be to them as ministers & instruments, whereby god blessing & increasing them, might be lauded & praised of them.* Gen. *1.28.* Subdue the earth, & rule ouer the fish of the sea, & ouer the foul of the heauen, & ouer euerie beast that moueth vpon the earth. *Psal. 8.6.* Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands: thou hast put al things vnder his feete. *Only man he created for himself: the rest for man, that by man they might serue god. Wherefore when we place creatures in the roome of god, we cast our selues out of that degree, in which we were placed by god.*\n\n[^29]This doctrine of the creation of the world god would for these causes especiallie haue remaine extant in the Church. *1.* That the glorie of the creation might bee giuen wholy to god, and his wisedome, power, and goodnes therein acknowledged. *2.* That neither the Sonne, nor the holie ghost should be excluded, but each should haue their owne parts yeelded them therein, according as it is said, that all might honor the sonne, as they honor the father. *3.* That as the world was created by the sonne and the holie ghost, so also we might knowe that by them mankinde is restored. *Colossians. 1.* For by him were all thinges made: And hee is the heade of the bodie of the Church; for it pleased the father that in him should al fulnes dwell. *4.* That seeing god created all thinges of nothing, we may thinke that he is able to restore them being corrupted and ruinated, into their first state againe. *2. Cor. 4.6.* For god that commanded the light to shine out of darkenes, is he which hath shined in our harts, to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of god in the face of Iesus Christ. *5.* That we may not referre the original of corruption to god, but knowe, that it was purchased by the fault of Diuels and men. *John. 8.* The Diuel is a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning; & whē he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own. *Rom. 5.12.* By one man sin entred into the world, & death by sin. *6.* That knowing god, as in the creating, so also in the maintaining and gouerning of all things, not to be tied to second causes and to the order by him setled in nature, but that hee may either keepe or alter it, wee shoulde with confidence and full persuasion looke for and craue those things which he hath promised, yea those things, which in respect of second causes seeme vnpossible. *Rom. 4.* He calleth those thinges which are not, as if they were. *7.* That wee should celebrate for euer the knowē goodnes of god, wherby he hath created all thinges, not for his owne profit or happines (for he wanteth nothing) but for ours: and seeing all other things were created for mans vse, we aboue other creatures, especiallie being restored from sinne and death to righteousnes and life, shoulde acknowledge that we owe thankfulnes vnto god therfore. *Psal. 8.4.* What is man, that thou art mindfull of him: and the sonne of man, that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands. *8.* That wee knowing god (in as much as of nothing and through his meere goodnes hee created all thinges) to owe nothing to anie; but all his creatures to owe themselues & all that they haue to him their creator; should confesse that to be most iust, whatsoeuer hee shall doe concerning vs and all his creatures; *Jerem. 45.4.* Beholde, that which I haue built, will I destroie, and that which I haue planted, will I plucke vp, euen this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thy selfe? seeke them not. 9 That we should refer the vse of all thinges to the glorie of God, since that we haue receiued al good things from him. *Rom. 11.* Of him, and through him, and for him are al things. *10* That seeing the works of god were therefore created and placed before our eies, euen for vs to beholde them; we doe not idlie, but earnestlie, and as much as euerie mans abilitie, occasion, and vocation permitteth him, contemplate and consider them, and learning out of them the wisedome, power, and goodnesse of the Artificer, celebrate it both in this life and in the world to come. *Acts. 17.26.* He hath made of one bloud all mankinde to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath assigned the times which were ordeined before & the bounds of their habitation, that they shoulde seeke the Lord, if so be they might haue groaped after him and found him, though doubtles he be not far off from euerie one of vs.\n\n[^1]: Ps. 104.113.124.136.146. & Isay. 44. Act. 4. & 17.\n[^2]: Iob. 38. & 39.\n[^3]: The creation of the worlde proued by reason: not onely by testimonies of the sacred word\n[^4]: God not idle before the world, but contemplating from euerlasting his owne wisedom.\n[^5]: Motion goeth before anie moueable thing which is generated: but not before that which is created.\n[^6]: There went not any motion before the first beginning of motions in nature, but onely the creating will of God.\n[^7]: Time, as it is taken for the measure of motion, is not eternal.\n[^8]: Heauen is not corrupted naturally, but by the power of God.\n[^9]: Lib. 1. de Coelo cap. 9.\n[^10]: Heauē is the place of the blessednes of the elect; but not god himself, or blessednesse.\n[^11]: The external respects and relations of God, are not the mutation or perfection of God, but of the creature.\n[^12]: The world created. 1 By the Sonne and the holie Ghost.\n[^13]: 2 It was created most freelie, without constraint.\n[^14]: 3 Without motion.\n[^15]: Fiue sorts of Agents.\n[^16]: 1 Naturall.\n[^17]: 2 Agents with an appetite; as are brute beasts.\n[^18]: 3 Men and Diuels, working with reason, but corruptly.\n[^19]: 4 The blessed Angels, working with reason also, but not corruptly, & yet directed by a higher power. 5 God working most perfectly, and directed by none but by himselfe.\n[^20]: 4 The world was created of nothing.\n[^21]: All things created of nothing, either immediately or mediatly.\n[^22]: 5 The world created at a certaine time.\n[^23]: 6 The world created in a certain time.\n[^24]: 7 All things of the world created good.\n[^25]: The ends of the creation of the world. 1 The glorie of God.\n[^26]: 2 The knowledge of God.\n[^27]: 3 His prouidence.\n[^28]: 4 That he might gather a church. 5 That all things might serue for man.\n[^29]: Why god would haue this doctrine of the creation to be deliuered and held in the Church."}