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Cor: 15.27

But as the Apostle hath taught us to reafon, When he faith all things are put under him, it is manifeft that he is excepted which did put all things under him: fo when we fay, all things were made by God, it is as manifest that he is excepted who made all things. And then the Propofition is clearly thus delivered; All Beings whatsoever befide God were made. As we read in S. John concerning the Word, that the World was John 1. TO, made by him; and in more plain and exprefs words before, All things .3. were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Which is yet farther illuftrated by S. Paul: For by him were all col. 1. 16. things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invifible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him. If then there be nothing imaginable which is not either in heaven or in earth, nothing which is not either visible or invisible, then is there nothing beside God which was not made by God.

This then is the unquestionable doctrine of the Chriftian Faith, That the vaft capacious frame of the World, and every thing any way contained and exifting in it, hath not its effence from or of it felf, nor is of existence abfolutely neceffary; but what it is, it hath not been, and that being which it hath was made, framed and constituted by another. And as every house is Heb. 3.4. builded by fome man; for we see the Earth bears no fuch creature of it felf; Sto nes do not grow into a wall, or first hew and square, then unite and faften themselves together in their generation; Trees sprout not crofs like dry and fapless beams, nor do fpars and tyles spring with a natural uniformity into a roof, and that out of stone and mortar: these are not the works of Nature, but fuperftructions and additions to her, as the fupplies of Art, and the teftimonics of the understanding of Man, the great Artificer on earth: So if the World it felf be but an * house, if the Earth, which a hang- * O ainos eth upon nothing, be the foundation, and the glorious fpheres of Heaven the ori roof, (which hath been delivered as the most universal Hypothefis) if this is be the habitation of an infinite Intelligence, the † Temple of God; then 918. Philo de must we acknowledge the world was built by him, and, confequently, that Infomn. he which built all things is God. From hence appears the truth of that distinction, Whatsoever hath τοιμα αίσθη being, is either made or not made: whatsoever is not made, is God; what- 3. Id. de foever is not God, is made One uncreated and independent Effence; all Plant. Noe. other depending on it, and created by it. One of eternal and neceffary exi- θα ο κόσμος, stence; all other indifferent, in refpect of actual exifting, either to be or not oix 18 G to be, and that indifferency determined only by the free and voluntary actails. Id de of the first Cause.

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Now because to be thus made includes fome imperfection, and among the † Lucretius parts of the world, fome are more glorious than others; if those which are moft perfect prefuppofe a maker, then can we not doubt of a creation where magnum & we find far less perfection. This houfe of God, though uniform, yet is not verfatile temall of the same materials, the footstool and the throne are not of the fame plum. 1. mould; there is a vaft difference between the heavenly expanfions. This 9s nesav first aerial Heaven, where God fetteth up his pavilion, where he maketh the des vouiclouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind, is not fo far inζειν Ούμπαντα ferior in place as it is in glory to the next, the feat of the Sun and Moon, the v. Philo de two great lights, and Stars innumerable, far greater than the one of them. And yet that fecond Heaven is not fo far above the first as beneath the third, into which S. Paul was caught. The brightness of the Sun doth not fo far furpafs the blackness of a wandring cloud, as the glory of that Heaven of prefence furmounts the fading beauty of the starry firmament. For in this great Temple

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ple of the world, in which the Son of God is the High Prieft, the Heaven which we fee is but the Veil, and that which is above, the Holy of Holies, This Veil indeed is rich and glorious, but one day to be rent, and then to admit us into a far greater glory, even to the Mercy-feat and Cherubins. "Idov oix For this third Heaven is the proper habitation of the bleffed Angels, which τήριον. 6. conftantly attend upon the Throne. And if those moft glorious and happy Gude ỷ. Job 38.7, 4. Spirits, thofe morning ftars which fang together, thofe fons of God which fhouted for joy when the foundations of the earth were laid, if they and their habitation were made; then can we no ways doubt of the production of all other creatures, fo much inferior unto them.

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Forasmuch then as the Angels are termed the fons of God, it fufficiently denoteth that they are from him, not of themselves; all filiation inferring fome kind of production: And being God hath but one proper and onlybegotten Son, whofe propriety and fingularity confifteth in this, that he is of the fame increated effence with the Father, all other off-fpring must be made, and confequently even the Angels created fons; of whom the ScriPfal. 104. 4. pture fpeaking faith, Who maketh his Angels fpirits, and his minifters a flame of fire. For although those words, at firft fpoken by the Pfalmift; do rather express the nature of the wind and lightning: yet being the Author of the Epiftle to the Hebrews hath applied the fame to the Angels properly fo called, we cannot but conclude upon his authority, that the fame God who created the wind, and made a way for the lightning of the thunder, hath also produced thofe glorious fpirits; and as he furnished them with that activity there expreffed, fo did he frame the subject of it, their immaterial and immortal effence.

Amos 4. 13. Job 28. 26.

If then the Angels and their proper habitation, the far most eminent and illustrious parts of the world, were made; if only to be made be one character of imperfection; much more must we acknowledge all things of inferior nature to have dependence on their univerfal Caufe, and confequently this great Universe, or, all things, to be made, befide that one who made them. This is the first part of our Christian Faith, against some of the ancient * Mundum & Philofophers, who were fo wildly fond of those things they fee, that they hoc quod no-imagined* the Universe to be infinite and eternal, and, what will follow from it, to be even God himself. 'Tis true that the most ancient of the libuit, cujus Heathen were not of this opinion, but † all the Philofophy for many Ages t circumflexu delivered the World to have been made.

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ctâ, numen effe credi par eft æternum, immenfum, neque genitum, neque interiturum unquam. Plin. Nat. Hift. 1.2. c. I. † revóμpor i Sväπavles eivas Qarw, fays Ariftotle, De Calo. l. I. c. 10. confeffing it the general opinion that the world was made. Which was fo ancient a Tradition of all the first Philofophers, that from Linus, Mufæus, Orpheus, Homer, Hefiod and the rest, they all mention the Original of the world, entitling their Bocks, Korμofovia, or ΘεοΓονία, or the like. Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες οἱ φασιν ἐθὲν ἀγώνητον είναι ο πραγμάτων, ἀλλὰ πάντα γίγνεας χρόμιμα ἢ τὰ μ άφθαρτα Διαμαρίειν, τὰ ἢ πάλιν φθείρεως· μάλισα μὲ οἱ πεὶ ὶ Ἡσίοδον, εἶτα ἢ καὶ ἢ ἄλλων οἱ πρῶτοι φυσιολογήσαντες, fays Ariftotle, de Coelo, l. 3. c. 1. in which words he manifeftly attributes the Doctrine of the Creation of the World not only to Hefiod, but to all the first natural Philofophers: which learning, beginning with Prometheus the first Profeffor of that Science, continued in that Family amongst the Atlantiada, who all fucceffively delivered that truth. After them the Ionian Philofophy did acknowledge it, and the Italian received it by Pythagoras, whofe Scholars all maintained it befide Ocellus Lucanus, the first of them that fancied the World not made, whom Plato, though he much efteemed him, yet followed not; for there is nothing more evident than that he held the World was made. Aéywowy dù, δι ἣν αἰτίαν θύεσιν καὶ τὸ πᾶν τίδε ὁ ξειςὰς ξιέςησεν, ἀγαθὸς ἦν. In which words he delivers not only the generation of the Universe, but also the true caufe thereof, which is the goodness of God. For he which as this plain and clear ftion, πότερον ἦν ἀεὶ, θνέσεως ἀρχω ἔχων ἐδεμίαν, ἢ γέγονεν, ἀπ' ἀρχῆς τιν αρξάμμα; and anfwers the queftion briefly with a γέγονεν. He which gives this general rule upon it, τις δ' αὖ διορθίω φαμώ υπ' αίτίε τινὸς ἀνάγκα εἶναι υές and then immediately concludes, ὃ μὲ ἂν ποιητίω καὶ πατέρα τάδε τὸ παντὸς οὐρεῖν τε ἔργον, καὶ εύρόντα εἰς πάντας áðuúarov λéyes cannot (notwithstanding all the fhifts of his Greek Expofitors) be imagined to have conceived the World not made. And Ariftotle, who beft understood him, tells us clearly his opinion co r Timai, from whence I cited the precedent words, nes vág Onoi è segvòv (where by the way obferve that in Plato's Timæus vos and xóoμ☞ are made Synonymous) yeva M, & ů odagróv.

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When this tradition of the Creation of the world was delivered in all places down fucceffively by thofe which seriously confidered the frame of all things, and the difference of the most ancient Poets and Philofophers from

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For that which in the first place they take for granted as an Axiom of undoubted truth, that * What foever bath a beginning, must have an end, and* Ocellus Lus confequently, What foever shall have no end, had no beginning, is grounded wavlos guupon no general reason, but only upon particular obfervation of fuch things tws, which here below, as from the ordinary way of Generation, tend in fome space of bath made use time unto Corruption. From whence, feeing no tendency to corruption in of, and tranfeveral parts of the world, they conclude that it was never generated, nor fcribed in mahad any cause or original of its being. Whereas, if we would fpeak properly, future existence or non-existence hath no fuch relation unto the first production. Neither is there any contradiction that at the fame time one thing may begin to be, and last but for an hour, another continue for a thoufand years, a third beginning at the fame inftant remain for ever: the difference being either in the nature of the things fo made, or in the determinations of the will of him that made them. Notwithstanding then their univerfal rules which are not true but in fome limited particulars, it is most certain the whole world was made, and of it part fhall perish, part continue unto all eternity; by which fomething which had a beginning thall have an end, and fomething not.

very name of The fecond fallacy which led them to this novelty was the Univerfe, which comprehended in it all things; from whence they reafoned thus: If the World or Universe were made, then were all things made; † To wavyovóσε γίνει, καὶ and if the world fhall be diffolved, then all things fhall come to nothing which is impoffible. For if all things were made, then must either all, or ov at least fomething, have made it felf, and fo have been the cause of it felf as a p of the effect, and the effect of it felf as of the cause, and confequently in the fame instant both have been and not been; which is a contradiction. But this fallacy is easily discovered: for when we fay the Universe or all things were made, we must be always understood to except him who made all things, neither can we by that name be fupposed to comprehend more than the frame of heaven and earth, and all things contained in them; and fo* he which firft devised this argument hath himself acknowledged.

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Σύμπαντα Far more grofs was that third conceit, that if the world were ever made κόσμον, Δαὶ γδ it must be after the vulgar way of ordinary natural generations: in which † two mutations are obfervable, the firft from lefs to greater, or from worfe regto better; the fecond from greater to lefs, or from better to worse. (The onloeias beginning of the first mutation is called Generation, the end of it Perfection: the beginning of the fecond is from the fame Perfection, but concludeth in Corruption or Diffolution.) * But none hath ever yet obferved that this frame of the world did ever grow up from lefs to greater, or improve it felf from worse to better: nor can we now perceive that it becomes worse or less than it was, by which decretion we might guess at a former increase, and from tendency to corruption collect its original generation. This conceit, Ifay, far more grofs. For certainly the Argument fo managed proves nothing at all, but only this, (if yet it prove fo much) that the whole frame of the world, and the parts thereof which are of greater perfection, were not gene-i rated in that manner in which we see fome other parts of it are which no man denies. But that there can be no other way of production befide thefe τέραν ἢ τ 7 DT TÖ μείζονα ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖον, καὶ τ' ἀπὸ τὸ βελτίον@· ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον. Ἐὰν ἦν καὶ τὸ ὅλον καὶ τὸ το φθαρίου, όρθρον ὑπὸ τὸ μείονΘ ἐπι τὸ μεῖζόν μετέβαλε, καὶ ἀπὸ τὸ χείρονα ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον. Ocellus. τὸ πᾶν ἐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐξ αὐτῷ παρέχει τεκμήριον τοι τον· ὅτε το βρόρθρον αὐτὸ εἴδοθν, ὅτε ᾗ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον καὶ τὸ μεῖ ζον μεταβάλλον, ὅτε χειρόν ποτε ἢ μείον λυόμβριον· ἀλλ' ἀεὶ καὶ ταυτὸ καὶ ὡσαύτως Διατελες, καὶ ἴσον καὶ ὅμοιον αὐτὸ ἑαυτό. Ocellus.

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petty generations, or that the World was not fome other way actually produced, this Argument doth not endeavour to infer, nor can any other prove it.

The next Foundation upon which they caft off the constant doctrine of their Predeceffors, was that general affertion, That it is * impoffible for any thing to be produced out of nothing, or to be reduced unto nothing: from whence it will inevitably follow, that the matter of this World hath always been, and must always be. The clear refutation of which difficulty requires an explication of the manner how the World was made: the fecond fore propounded for the expofition of this Article.

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part Now that the true nature and manner of this Action may be fo far understood as to declare the Christian Faith, and refute the errors of all opposers, it will be necessary to confider it firft with reference to the Object or Effect; fecondly, in relation to the Cause or Agent; thirdly, with refpect unto the Time or Origination of it.

The Action by which the Heaven and Earth were made, confidered in reference to the effect, I conceive to be the production of their total Being; fo that whatsoever entity they had when made, had no real existence before they were fo made. And this manner of production we ufually term Creation, as excluding all concurrence of any material caufe, and all dependence of any kind of fubject, as prefuppofing no privation, as including no motion, as fignifying a production out of nothing; † that is, by which at best expref- fomething is made, and not any thing preceding out of which 'tis made. This is the proper and peculiar fenfe of the word Creation: not that it fignifies fo much by virtue of its origination or vulgar use in the* Latin tongue; terbury: Di- nor that the Hebrew word used by Mofes, In the beginning God created citur aliquid the heaven and the earth, hath of it felf any fuch peculiar acception. For de nihilo, it is often used † fynonymously with words which fignifie any kind of procum intelligi- duction or formation, and by it felf it seldom denotes a production out of no dem factum, thing, or proper creation, but most frequently the making of one substance fed non effe out of another pre-exifting, as the a fishes of the water, and man of the aliquid unde duft of the earth; the renovating or reftoring any thing to its former perMonologii, c.8. fection, for want of Hebrew words in compofition; or laftly, the doing * Creatio a fome new or wonderful work, the producing fome strange and admirable pud nos ge- effect, as the opening the mouth of the earth, and the fignale judgments nativitas di- on the people of Ifrael.

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Græcos vero fub nomine creationis verbum facturæ &!conditionis accipitur. S. Hieron. ad Eph. 4. † is promifcuously used with wy which is of the greatest latitude, denoting any kind of effection, and with which rather implies a formation out of fomething, from whence a potter. For the first, we read Gen. 2. 3. that God refted from all his work, iwyb Omba 2 not that on the fixth day he did the work of two days, that he might reft on the feventh, as Rabbi Solomon; not that in fix days he made the roots of things that they might afterwards produce the like, as Aben Ezra; not thefe or any other Fancies of the Rabbins; as if fignified one work and y another; for they both express the production, as appears clearly in the following verfe, Thefe are the generations of the heavens and of the earth, N when they were created, wy in the day that the Lord God made the heaven and the earth. So Ifa. 45. 12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: where the first expreffeth the proper, the fecond the improper Creation. Which indifferent acception appeareth in collating Pfal 115. 15. and 121. 2. with Ifa. 42.5. and 45. 18. as alfo Ifa. 17. 7. with Eccl. 12. 1. From whence the LXX. tranflate indif ferently woven or liv. For the second, is ufually rendred by the Targum and by the LXX. though generally harles, yet fometimes lige. And that it hath the fame fignification will appear by conferring Gen. 2. 7. with Ifa. 45. 12. and not only fo, but by that fingle verfe, Ifa. 43. 1. Now thus faith the Lord 2 that created thee, O Jacob, Ty and he that formed thee, O Ifrael. Laftly, all these are jointly used in the fame validity of expression, İsa. 43. 7. Every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea y I have made him. As Gen. 1. 21. b Gen. 1. 27. and 2. 7. c Pfal. 51. 10. Ifa. 65. 17. Creatio atque conditio nunquam nifi in magnis operibus nominantur: verbi caufa, mundus creatus eft, urbs condita eft, domus verò, quamvis magna fit, ædificata potiùs dicitur, quàm condita vel creata. In magnis enim operibus atque facturis verbum creationis affumitur. S. Hier. ad Eph. c. 4. d Numb. 16.30. © Ifa. 45. 7.

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We must not therefore weakly collect the true nature of Creation from the force of any word which by fome may be thought to exprefs fo much, but we must collect it from the testimony of God the Creator, in his word,

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and of the world created, in our reafon. The opinion of the Church of the Jews will fufficiently appear in that zealous mother to her feventh and youngest fon; I beseech thee, my Son, look upon the heaven and the earth, 2 Macc. 7. 28. and all that is therein, and confider that God made them of things that were not which is a clear defcription of Creation, that is, production out of nothing. But because this is not by all received as Canonical, we fhall therefore evince it by the undoubted teftimony of S. Paul, who expreffing. the nature of Abraham's faith, propoundeth him whom he believed as God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as tho' they were. For as to be called in the language of the Scripture is to be, (Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we 1 John 3.1. hould be called the fons of God, faith S. John in his Epiftle, who in his Gospel told us, he had given us power to become the fons of God:) fo to call is to make, or caufe to be. As where the Prophet Jeremy faith, Thou Jer. 32. 23. haft caufed all this evil to come upon them, the original may be thought to fpeak no more than this, thou hast called this evil to them, He therefore calleth thofe things which be not, as if they were, who maketh those things which were not, to be, and produceth that which hath a being out of that which had not, that is, out of nothing. This reafon generally perfuafive unto Faith, is more peculiarly applied by the Apostle to the belief of the Creation: for through faith, faith he, we understand that the Heb. 11. 3. worlds were framed by the word of God, fo that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Not as if the earth, which we fee, were made of air; or any more fubtil body, which we fee not; nor as if those things which are feen were in equal latitude commenfurable with the worlds which were framed: but that thofe things which are feen, that is, which are, were made of those which did not appear, that is, which * For I take

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quivalent unto se i ovlay in the Maccabees, and that of the fame fenfe with it xovlev, as the Syriack Tranflation, finn abbia ex iis quæ non confpicuuntur. Which manner of speech may be observed even in the best Greek Authors: as in Ariltotle, μεταβάλλοι ἂν τὸ μεταβάλλον τετραχῶς ἡ γδ ἐξ υποκειμώς, εἰς ἐπποκείμβρον, ἢ ἐκ ἐξ υποκειμλίες εἰς ἐχ υποκείμρον, ἢ μὴ ἐξ ὑποκειμώς εἰς ἐπικείμβρον, ἢ ἐξ ὑποκειμώς εἰς μὴ ὑποκείμθρον. Where ἐκ ἐξ ὑποκειμθύει is the fame with ἐξ ἐκ τάσκει μπρος, and μὴ ἐκ υποκειμέρας with ἐξ μὴ ὑποκειμθύος.

Vain therefore was that opinion of a real matter coxval with God as neceffary for production of the world by way of fubject, as the eternal and Almighty God by way of efficient. For if fome real and material Being must be prefuppofed by indifpenfible neceffity, without which God could not cause any thing to be, then is not he independent in his Actions, nor of infinite power and abfolute activity, which is contradictory to the divine perfection. Nor can any reafon be alledged why he should be dependent in his operation, who is confeffed independent in his Being.

And as this coeternity of matter oppofeth God's Independency, the proper notion of the Deity, fo doth it alfo contradict his All-fufficiency. For if without the production of fomething befide himself he cannot make a demonstration of his Attributes, or cause any fenfibility of his power and will for the illustration of his own glory; and if without fomething distinct wholly from himfelf he cannot produce any thing* then must he want fomething exter- * Nemo enim nal: and whofoever wanteth any thing is not all-fufficient. And certainly he non eget eo must have a low opinion and poor conception of the infinite and eternal de cujus utiGod, who thinks he is no otherwife known to be Omnipotent than by the non fubjicitur † benefit of another. Nor were the Framers of the Creed fo wife in prefixing ei cujus eget

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Sic & nemo de alieno utendo, non minor eft eo de cujus utitur; & nemo qui præftat de fuo uti, non in hoc fuperior eft eo cui præftat uti. Tertul, adv. Hermog. c. 8. Grande revera beneficium contulit, ut haberet hodie per quem Deus cognofceretur & omnipotens vocaretur: nifi quod jam non omnipotens, fi non & hoc potens, ex nihilo omnia proferre. Ibid. Quomodo ab homine divina illa vis differet, fi, ut homo, fic etiam Deus ope indigeat aliena: Indiget autem fi nihil moliri poteft, nifi ab altero illi materia miniftretur, Lactan. 1.2. c.9. the

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