27.

being clearly grounded upon the first Creation) except we fhould conceive the Apostle to exempt fome Creature from the authoritative power of God, and to take fome work of his hand out of the reach of his arm; we must confefs that heaven and earth are of as large extent and ample fignification as the world and all things therein. Where it is yet farther obfervable, that the Apostle hath conjoined the fpeech of both Teftaments together. For the ancient Hebrews feem to have had no word in ufe among them which fingly of itself did fignify the World, as the Greeks had, in whofe language St. Paul did fpeak; and therefore they used in conjunction the heaven and earth, as the (o) grand extremities within which all things are contained. Nay, if we take the expofition of the later Writers in that language, thofe two words will not only as extremities comprehend between them, but in the extenfion of their own fignifications contain all things in them. For when they divide the universe into (p) three worlds, the inferior, fuperior, and the middle world; the lower is wholly contained in the name of earth, the other two under the name of heaven. Nor do the Hebrews only use this manner of expreffion, but even the Greeks themselves; and that not only before, but (q) after (r) Pythagoras had accustomed them to one name. As therefore under the fingle name of (s) World or Univerfe, fo alfo under the conjunctive expreffion of heaven and earth, are contained all things material and immaterial, visible and invisible.

But as the Apostle hath taught us to reafon, 1 Cor. xv. 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 manifeft that he is excepted who made all things. And then the propofition is clearly thus delivered; all beings whatfoever befide God were made. As we read in St. John concerning the

Word,

Word, that the World was made by him; and in John i. 20, more plain and exprefs words before, All things were Ver. 3. made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Which is yet farther illuftrated by St. Paul: For by him were all things created that are Col, i. 16. in heaven and that are in earth, vifible 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 invifible, then is there nothing befide 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 existing in it, hath not its effence from or of itself, nor is of existence abfolutely neceffary; but what it is, it hath not been, and that being which it hath was made, framed and conftituted by another. And as every houfe is builded by fome man; for we fee Heb, iii. 4the earth bears no fuch creature of itself; ftones do not grow into a wall, or firft hew and fquare, then unite and faften themselves together in their generation; trees fprout not crofs like dry and fapless beams, nor do fpars and tiles fpring with a natural uniformity into a roof, and that out of ftone and mortar: these are not the works of Nature, but fuperftructions and additions to her, as the supplies of Art, and the teftimonies of the understanding of Man, the great Artificer on earth: fo if the World itself be but an (t) house, if the Earth, which bangeth upon nothing, be the foundation, and the Job xxvi. 7. glorious fpheres of Heaven the roof (which hath been delivered as the most universal hypothefis), if this be the habitation of an infinite Intelligence, the (u) Temple of God; then must we acknowledge the world was built by him, and, confequently, that be which built all things is God.

From hence appears the truth of that distinction,

Whatsoever

Whatsoever hath any being, is either made or not made: whatsoever is not made, is God; whatsoever is not God, is made. One uncreated and independent Effence; all other depending on it, and created by it. One of eternal and neceffary existence; all other indifferent, in refpect of actual exifting, either to be or not to be, and that indifferency determined only by the free and voluntary act of the first Caufe.

Now because to be thus made includes fome imperfection, and among the 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 we find far lefs perfection. This houfe of God, though uniform, yet is not all of the fame materials, the footstool and the throne are not of the fame mould; there is a vaft difference between the heavenly expanfions. This first aerial Heaven, where God fetteth up his pavilion, Pal. civ. 3. where he maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh

2.

upon the wings of the wind, is not fo far inferior in place as it is in glory to the next, the feat of the Sun and Moon, the two great lights, and Stars innumerable, far greater than the one of them. And yet that fecond Heaven is not fo far above the firft

2 Cor. xii. as beneath the third, into which St. Paul was caught. The brightnefs of the fun doth not fo far furpass the blacknefs of a wandering cloud, as the glory of that Heaven of prefence furmounts the fading beauty of the ftarry firmament. For in this great Temple 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 Cherubim. For this third Heaven is the proper habitation of the bleffed Angels, which conftantly. attend upon the Throne. And if those most glo

"Idios in τήριον.

Jude, ver, 6.

rious and happy Spirits, thofe morning ftars which Job xxxvii. fang together, thofe fons of God which houted for joy 7,4. 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.

Forafmuch 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 only-begotten Son, whofe propriety and fingularity confifteth in this, that he is of the fame increated effence with the Father, all other offfpring must be made, and confequently even the Angels created fons; of whom the Scripture fpeaking faith, Who maketh his Angels fpirits, and his mi- Pfal. civ. 44 nifters a flame of fire. For although those words, as first spoken by the Pfalmift, do rather exprefs 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 same God who created the wind, and made a way for the Amos iv. lightning of the thunder, hath alfo produced thofe Job xxviii. glorious fpirits; and as he furnished them with that 26. activity there expreffed, fo did he frame the fubject of it, their immaterial and immortal effence.

If then the Angels and their proper habitation, the far moft eminent and illuftrious 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 universal Cause, and confequently this great Univerfe, or, all things, to be made, befide that one who made them.

This is the first part of our Chriftian Faith, against some of the ancient Philofophers, who were fo wildly fond of those things they fee, that they VOL. I..

G

imagined

imagined (x) the Universe to be infinite and eternal, and, what will follow from it, to be even God himself. It is true that the most ancient of the Heathen were not of this opinion, but (y) all the Philofophy for many ages delivered the World to

have been made.

When this tradition of the Creation of the World was delivered in all places down fucceffively by those which seriously confidered the frame of all things, and the difference of the most ancient Poets and Philofophers from Mofes was only in the manner of expreffing it; those which in after-ages first denied it, made ufe of very frivolous and inconcluding arguments, grounding their new opinion upon weak foundations.

For that which in the firft place they take for granted as an axiom of undoubted truth, that (z) Whatfoever bath a beginning, must have an end, and confequently, Whatfoever shall have no end, had no beginning, is grounded upon no general reason, but only upon particular observation of fuch things here below, as from the ordinary way of generation, tend in some space of time unto corruption. From whence, feeing no tendency to corruption in several parts of the world, they conclude that it was never generated, nor had 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 thousand 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

.