“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made
of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3
Having discoursed to you of the decrees of God, whereby he
hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass, I come now to treat of the execution
of these decrees. That question, “How doth God execute his decrees?” being only
an introduction to what follows, it is needless to insist on it. Only you must
know, that for God to execute his decrees, is to bring to pass what he has
decreed. Now, what God from all eternity decreed is brought to pass in the works
of creation and providence. Nothing falls out in either of these but what was
decreed; nor does it fall out in any other way than as it was decreed. The
decrees of God are as it were the scheme, draught and pattern of the house; and
the works of creation and providence are the house, built in every point
conformable to the draught.
In the text we have an answer to that question, “What is the
work of creation?” Wherein, we may consider,
1. What we understand about it. (1.) The
making of the world; it was
framed,
and had a beginning, not being from eternity. (2.) The
author and efficient cause of it, God. (3.) What God made,
the worlds;
all things, heaven, earth, sea, air, &c. and all the
inhabitants thereof, angels, men, cattle, fowls, fishes, &c. (4.) How they were
made, by the
word of God, that word of power which spake all
things, into being. Or it may denote Jesus Christ, who is called
the word of God,
and by whom God
made the worlds.
(5.) Whereof they were made. This is declared negatively,
Things which are
seen were not made of things which do appear, that
is, not of pre-existent matter, but of nothing. By
things that are seen
may be understood visible corporeal things; and if
these were made of nothing, much more things that are not seen. But I rather
understand it of all things which are seen to have a being; for that word
relates to the eyes of the understanding, as well as of the body.
2. How we understand this creation of
the world,
through faith. Not that we can understand nothing of
the creation by the light of nature; for the eternity of the world is contrary
to reason as well as faith; but we have the full and certain knowledge of this
work of creation in the particular circumstances of it, through faith assenting
to divine revelation, and no other way.
In speaking to this work of creation I shall show,
I.
What we are
to understand by creation.
II.
That the
world was made, or had a beginning.
III.
Who made it.
IV.
What God
made.
V.
Whereof all
things were made.
VI.
How they
were made.
VII.
In what
space of time they were made.
VIII.
For what end
God made all things.
IX.
In what case
or condition he made them.
X.
Deduce some
inferences from the whole.
I. I am to show what we are to understand by creation, or what
it is to create.
1. It is not to be taken here in a large sense, as sometimes
it is used in scripture, for any production of things wherein second causes have
their instrumentality; as when it is said, “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they
are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth,” (Ps. 104:30). Where the
meaning is, thou sendest forth thy quickening power, which produceth life in the
creatures from time to time: for the Psalmist speaks not here of the first
creation, but of the continued and repeated production of living creatures, in
which the divine power is the principal agent. But,
2. We are to take it strictly, for the production of things
out of nothing, or the giving a being to things which had none before. And here
you must know, that there is a twofold creation, one immediate, and the other
mediate.
(1.) There is an immediate creation; as when things are
brought forth out of pure nothing, where there was no pre-existent matter to
work upon. Thus the heavens, the earth, the waters, and all the materials of
inferior bodies, were made of nothing; and the souls of men are still produced
from the womb of nothing by God’s creative power, and infused into their bodies
immediately by him, when they are fully organized to receive them.
(2.) There is a secondary and mediate
creation, which is the making things of pre-existing matter, but of such as is
naturally unfit and altogether indisposed for such productions, and which could
never by any power of second causes be brought into such a form. Thus all
beasts, cattle, and creeping things, and the body of man, were at first made of
the earth, and the dust of the ground; and the body of the first woman was made
of a rib taken out of the man. Now, this was a creation as well as the former;
because, though there was matter here to work upon, yet it could never have been
reduced into such a form without the efficacy of Almighty power. We have an
account of both these in the history of the creation. It is said, “In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth;” (Gen. 1:1)
i.e.,
he made that mighty mass of matter out of nothing, which was at first a rude and
indigested lump; for the earth was without form, and the heavens without light.
And then by that same omnipotent power he reduced it into that beautiful order
and disposition wherein it now appears to our view.
II. I go on to show that the world was made, that it had a
beginning and was not eternal. This the scripture plainly testifies, (Gen. 1:1,
above quoted). And this reason itself teacheth: for whatsoever is eternal, the
being of it is necessary, and it is subject to no alteration. But we see this is
not the case with the world; for it is daily undergoing alterations.
III. I am next to show who made the world, and gave it a
beginning. That was God and he only, “In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth,” (Gen. 1:1) This will evidently appear from the following
particulars.
1. The world could not make itself; for this would imply a
horrid contradiction, namely, that the world was before it was; for the cause,
must always be before its effect. That which is not in being, can have no
production; for nothing can act before it exists. As nothing hath no existence,
so it hath no operation. There must therefore be something of real existence, to
give a being to those things that are; and every second cause must be an effect
of some other before it be a cause. To be and not to be at the same time, is a
manifest contradiction, which would infallibly take place if anything made
itself. That which makes is always before that which is made, as is obvious to
the most illiterate peasant. If the world were a creator, it must be before
itself as a creature.
2. The production of the world could not
be by chance. It was indeed the extravagant fancy of some ancient philosophers,
that the original of the world was from a fortuitous concourse of atoms, which
were in perpetual motion in an immense space, till at last a sufficient number
of them met in such a happy conjunction as formed the universe in the beautiful
order in which we now behold it. But it is amazingly strange how such a wild
opinion, which can never be reconciled with reason, could ever find any
entertainment in a human mind. Can any man rationally conceive, that a confused
rout of atoms, of diverse natures and forms, and some so far distant from
others, should ever meet in such a fortunate manner, as to form an entire world,
so vast in the bigness, so distinct in the order, so united in the diversities
of natures, so regular in the variety of changes, and so beautiful in the whole
composure? Such an extravagant fancy as this can only possess the thoughts of a
disordered brain.1
3. God created all things, the world, and all the creatures
that belong to it. He attributes this work to himself, as one of the peculiar
glories of his Deity, exclusive of all the creatures. So we read, “I am the Lord
that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth
abroad the earth by myself,” (Isa. 44:24). “I have made the earth, and created
man upon it; I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their
host have I commanded,” (Isa. 45:12) “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow
of his hand? and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of
the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a
balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath
taught him?” (Isa. 40:12,13). “Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and
treadeth upon the waves of the sea,” (Job 9:8). These are magnificent
descriptions of the creating power of God, and exceed everything of the kind
that hath been attempted by the pens of the greatest sages of antiquity.—By this
operation God is distinguished from all the false gods and fictitious deities
which the blinded nations adored, and shows himself to be the true God. “The
gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from
the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he
hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by
his discretion,” (Jer. 10:11,12). “All the gods of the nations are idols: but
the Lord made the heavens,” (Ps. 96:5). “Thou art the God, even thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth,” (Isa. 37:19).
None could make the world but God, because creation is a work of infinite power,
and could not be produced by any finite cause: For the distance between being
and not being is truly infinite, which could not be removed by any finite agent,
or the activity of all finite agents united.
This work of creation is common to all the three persons in
the adorable Trinity. The Father is described in scripture as the Creator, —”The
Father, of whom are all things,” (1 Cor. 8:6). The same prerogative belongs to
the Son, “All things were made by him (the Word, the Son); and without him was
not any thing made that was made,” (John 1:3) The same honour belongs to the
Holy Ghost, as “By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens,” (Job 26:13). “The
Spirit of God hath made me (says Elihu), and the breath of the Almighty hath
given me life,” (Job 33:4). All the three persons are one God; God is the
Creator; and therefore all the external works and acts of the one God must be
common to the three persons. Hence, when the work of creation is ascribed to the
Father, neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit are excluded; but because, as the
Father is the fountain of the Deity, so he is the fountain of divine works. The
Father created from himself by the Son and the Spirit; the Son from the Father
by the Spirit; and the Spirit from the Father and the Son; the manner or order
of their working being according to the order of their subsisting. The matter
may be conceived thus: All the three persons being one God, possessed of the
same infinite perfections; the Father, the first in subsistence, willed the work
of creation to be done by his authority: “He spake, and it was done; he
commanded, and it stood fast.” —In respect of immediate operation, it peculiarly
belonged to the Son. For “the Father created all things by Jesus Christ,” (Eph.
3:9). And we are told, that “all things were made by him,” (John 3:3). This work
in regard of disposition and ornament, doth peculiarly belong to the Holy Ghost.
So it is said, “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,” (Gen.
1:2), to garnish and adorn the world, after the matter of it was formed. Thus it
is also said, “By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens,” (Job 26:13).
IV. Our next province is to show what God made. All things
whatsoever, besides God, were created, “Thou hast created all things; and for
thy pleasure they are and were created,” (Rev. 4:11). “By him were all things
created,” (Col. 1:16). The evil of sin is no positive being, it being but a
defect or want, and therefore is not reckoned among the things which God made,
but owes its existence to the will of fallen angels and men. Devils being
angels, are God’s creatures; but God did not make them evil, or devils, but they
made themselves so.
Those things that were made in the beginning were most
properly created of God; but whatsoever is or will be produced in the world, is
still made by God, not only in respect that the matter whereof they are made was
created by him, but because he is the first cause of all things, without whom
second causes could produce nothing; and whatever power one creature has of
producing another, is from God. Hence Elihu says, as above cited, “The Spirit of
God hath made me;” though he was produced by the operation of second causes. And
it is worth while to consider what David says on this head, (Ps. 139:13-16).
This clearly appears from the impotency of the creature to produce anything
according to nature, when God denies his concurrence. Hence we have a chain of
causes described, where God is the first cause, and acts the same part in all
other operations wherein creatures are concerned: “I will hear, saith the Lord,
I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear
the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel,” (Hosea
2:21,22). If it be asked, then, what did God make? I answer, he made everything
that has a being, this stately structure of the universe, and that vast variety
of creatures that are in it, sin only excepted, which he permitted should take
place, but had no hand in the effecting of it as such.
V. I proceed to show of what all things were made. Of nothing;
which does not denote any matter of which they were formed, but the term from
which God brought them; when they had no being he gave them one. There was no
pre-existent matter to make them of, nothing at all to work upon: for he “made
all things both visible and invisible,” (Col. 1:16; Rom. 11:36). If then he made
all things, he must needs have made them of nothing, unless he would say there
was, besides God, something before there was anything, which is a palpable
contradiction. To create is properly to make a thing of nothing, to make a thing
have an existence that had none before. Thus were the heavens and the earth made
of nothing simply; that is, they began to exist, which they never did before.
This is what is called immediate creation, as I showed on the first head. But
there is a mediate creation, as I also noticed, which is a producing of things
from matter altogether unfit for the work, and which could never be disposed,
but by an almighty power to be such a thing. Thus man’s body was created of the
dust, and this itself was created of nothing, and was utterly unfit for
producing such a work without a superior agency.
VI. The sixth head is to show, how all things were made of
nothing. By the word of God’s power. It was the infinite power of God that gave
them a being; which power was exerted in his word, not a word properly spoken,
but an act of his will commanding them to be, God said, “Let there be light and
there was light,” (Gen. 1:3). “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made. He
spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast,” (Ps. 33:6,9). By his
powerful word he called them from nothing to being. “God calleth those things
which be not as though they were,” (Rom. 4:17) This is a notable evidence of
infinite power, which with so great easiness as the speaking of a word, could
raise up this glorious fabric of the world. An heathen philosopher considered
this as a striking instance of the sublime, peculiar to the books of the Jewish
legislator.
VII. Our next business is to show in what space of time the
world was created. It was not done in a moment, but in the space of six days, as
is clear from the narrative of Moses. It was as easy for God to have done it in
one moment as in six days. But this method he took, that we might have that
wisdom, goodness, and power that appeared in the work, distinctly before our
eyes, and be stirred up to a particular and distinct consideration of these
works, for commemoration of which a seventh day is appointed a sabbath of rest.
But although God did not make all things in one moment, yet we
are to believe, that every particular work was done in a moment, seeing it was
done by a word, or an act of the divine will, (Ps. 33:9, forecited). No sooner
was the divine will intimated, than the thing willed instantly took place.
In the space of these six days the angels were created; and it
is not to be thought that they were brought into being before that period; for
the scripture expressly asserts, that all things were created in that space,
(Ex. 20:11). And though Moses, makes no express mention of the angels, (Gen. 1)
yet, he shows that they were created in one of these six days, as he mentions
the host of the heavens and the earth, (Gen. 2:1); and it is certain, that in
the host of heaven the angels are included, where Micaiah the prophet says, “I
saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven (which can be no
other than the angels) standing by him,” (1 Kings 22:19).
The works of the
first day
were, (1.) The highest heaven, the seat of the blessed, and that with the angels
its inhabitants, who under the designation of “morning stars and sons of God,”
are said to have “sang together, and shouted for joy,” (Job 38:4-7) when the
foundations of the earth were laid, as being then made. (2.) The earth, that is,
the mass of earth and water, which Moses says was without form and void; that
is, without that beauty and order which it afterwards received, and destitute of
inhabitants, and without furniture and use. (3.) The light, which was afterwards
gathered together, and distributed into the body of the sun and stars.
The works of the
second day
were the firmament; that is, that expansion or vast space which extends itself
from the surface of the earth to the utmost extremity of the visible heavens,
which in verse 8, is called
heaven,
that is, the aerial heavens, the habitation of birds and fowls, through which
they wing their way. This vast extension is called the firmament, because it is
fixed in its proper place, without which it cannot be removed without force and
violence. Another work of this day was the dividing of the waters above the
firmament, that is, the clouds, from the waters as yet mixed with the earth,
which were afterwards gathered together into seas, rivers, lakes, fountains, &c.
On the
third day,
the lower waters were gathered into certain hollow places, which formed the sea;
and the dry land appeared, adorned with plants, trees, and herbs, which continue
to be produced to this day.
On the
fourth day,
the sun, moon, and stars were made, to enlighten the world, and render it a
beautiful place, which otherwise would have been an uncomfortable dungeon, and
to distinguish the four seasons of the year.
On the
fifth day,
the fishes and fowls were made.
On the
sixth day,
all sorts of beasts, tame and wild, and creeping things were produced out of the
earth; and last of all, man, male and female.
It is probable that the world was created in autumn, that
season of the year in which generally things are brought to perfection for the
use of man and beast. But this not being an article of faith, we need not insist
upon it.
VIII. I come now to show for what end God made all things. It
was for his own glory, “The Lord hath made all things for himself,” (Prov.
16:4); “For of him, and through him, and to him are all things,” (Rom. 11:36).
And there are these three attributes of God that especially shine forth in this
work of creation, namely, his wisdom, power, and goodness.
1. His wisdom eminently appears, (1.) In that after the
heavens and their inhabitants were created, those things that have only being
and not life, then those that have being and life, but not sense, then those
that have being, life, and sense, but not reason, and last of all, man, having
being, life, sense, and reason, were successively formed. “O Lord, how manifold
are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.” (2.) In his appointing of
everything to its proper use, by the law of creation, (Gen. 1). Hence the wisdom
of God is celebrated in that work; “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath
established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his
discretion,” (Jer. 10:12).
2. The power of God appeared, (1.) In creating all things by a
word, which instantly produced the effect intended. (2.) In that he created
plants, herbs, and trees, before the sun, moon, and stars, which now naturally
are the causes of the earth’s producing its fruits; as also light before them,
for discovering their beauty and verdure.
3. His goodness appears, in that he first prepared the place
before he brought in the inhabitants, first provided the food before the living
creatures were made, and adorned and fitted all for the use of man, before he
formed him.
IX. If it is asked, “In what state were all things made?” I
answer, They were all “very good,” (Gen. 1.31). The goodness of the creature
consists in its fitness for the use for which it was made. In this respect
everything answered exactly the end of its creation. Again, the goodness of
things is their perfection; and so everything was made agreeable to the idea
thereof that was formed in the divine mind. There was not the least blemish or
defect in the work; but everything was beautiful, as it was the effect of
infinite wisdom as well as almighty power. And God being the end of all, even
natural things tend to him. (1.) Declaring his glory in an objective way, (Ps.
19:1). (2.) Stirring us up to seek him, and behold him as our chief good and
portion, (Acts 17:26,27; Rom. 1:20). (3.) Sustaining our life, and serving man,
that he might serve God, for which he was made very fit, in regard of the rich
endowments of his mind, all pure, holy, and upright, (1 Cor. 10:31). All the sin
and misery that is now in the world, by which its beauty is greatly marred, its
goodness defaced, and disorder and irregularity so universally prevail,
proceeded from Satan, and man’s yielding to his temptations.
I shall shut up this subject with a few inferences.
1. God is a most glorious being, infinitely lovely and
desirable, possessed of every perfection and excellency. He made all things, and
bestowed upon them all the perfections and amiable qualities with which they are
invested. So that there is no perfection in any of the creatures which is not in
him in an eminent way, “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that
formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Ps. 94:9). Whatever excellency and beauty is
in the creatures, is all from him; and sure it must be most excellent in the
fountain.
2. God’s glory should be our chief end. And seeing whatever we
have is from him, it should be used and employed for him: For “all things were
created by him and for him,” (Col. 1:16). Have we a tongue? It should be
employed for him, to show forth his praise; hands? they should do and work for
him; life? it should be employed in his service; talents and abilities? they
should be laid out for promoting his interest and honor; and, upon a proper
call, we should be ready to suffer for him.
3. God is our Sovereign Lord Proprietor,
and may do in us, on us, and by us, what he will: “Shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto
dishonour?” (
4. We should use all the creatures we make use of with an eye
to God, and due thankfulness to him, the giver; employing them for our use, and
in our service, soberly and wisely, with hearts full of gratitude to our Divine
Benefactor; considering they stand related to God as their Creator, and are the
workmanship of his own hands. “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to
be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving,” (1 Tim. 4:4). They are not to
be used to his dishonor, or the feeding of our base lusts and irregular
appetites, but to fit us for and strengthen us in the performance of our duty to
him.
5. There is no case so desperate, but faith may get sure
footing with respect to it in the power and word of God. Let the people of God
be ever so low, they can never be lower than when they were not at all. Hence
the Lord says, “Be glad and rejoice,” (Isa. 65:18) &c. He spoke a word and so
the creature was made at first; and it will cost him but a word to make it over
again. Hence Christ is called “the beginning of the creation of God,” (Rev.
3:14). O seek to be new-made by him; that old things may pass away, and all
things become new.
6. Give away yourselves to God through Jesus Christ, making an
hearty, a cheerful, and an entire dedication and surrender of your souls and
bodies, and all that ye are and have, to him as your God and Father, resolving
to serve and obey him all the days of your life: that as he made you for his
glory, you may in some measure answer the end of your creation, which is to show
forth his praise. Serve not sin or Satan any longer. God made you upright and
holy; but Satan unmade you, stripping you of your highest glory and ornament.
Relinquish his service, which is the basest drudgery and slavery, and will land
all that are employed in it in hell at last: and engage in the service of God in
Christ, which is truly honorable and glorious, and will be crowned with an
everlasting reward in the other world: for where he is, there shall his servants
also be.
7.
Lastly,
This doctrine affords a ground of love, peace, justice and mercy betwixt men,
which should be carefully cultivated by all that would desire to be with God for
ever. For says the prophet, “Have we not all one Father? hath not one God
created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by
profaning the covenant of our fathers?” (Mal. 2:10). The consideration of being
created by God, should be a powerful inducement to us to practice all the duties
we owe to one another as men and Christians.
Footnote:
1 The
theory of Atoms, and of the creation of the heavens and the earth, merely by
their accidental collision, is no new theory of an “advanced,” “enlightened,”
“modern,” or “scientific” age. This theory was, in fact, as hinted by our
author, long ago held by Democritus (born
c.
460 BC) and after him by Epicurus and his followers. Even before the advent of
the Messiah, amongst those not favored with the light of the Gospel, there were
many who, guided by the light of nature and solid reason, had recognized how
very foolish, unscientific, and ungodly this theory is, accounting it as
“nonsense,” a vanity of an unenlightened age and a mere scheme to remove all
notions of any real divine influence on this world (thus allowing for human
free-will.) The reader will find such mocking condemnations of this theory
scattered throughout
The regularity of motion of the heavenly bodies: the variety,
beauty and order of the sun and moon and all the stars,—Why, the very aspect of
the heavens declared that they were not the work of chance. If one comes into an
house, or a gymnasium, or a public place, and sees everything properly arranged
and carried on in order, one does not imagine these arrangements to be
accidental, but infers that there is someone in command whose orders are obeyed.
How much more then when we are confronted with movements so vast and changes so
profound, with the government of bodies so immense and so innumerable, which has
never deviated... must we not admit that such mighty natural movements are
guided and controlled by some divine intelligence? (p. 129.)
Is it not a wonder that anyone can bring himself to believe that a number of solid and separate particles by their chance collisions and moved only by the force of their own weight could bring into being so marvelous and beautiful a world? If anybody thinks that this is possible, I do not see why he should not think that if an infinite number of examples of the twenty-one letters of the alphabet, made of gold or what you will, were shaken together and poured out on the ground it would be possible for them to fall so as to spell out, say, the whole text of the Annals of Ennius. In fact I doubt whether chance would permit them to spell out a single verse! (p. 161.)
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