Lancelot Andrewes's 'Orphan Lectures': The Exeter Manuscript/Selection 2

Selection 2. 1 Gen. 11. v.and it was soe. 12. v. and the earthe brought fourthe the budd of the hearbe etc. 13 v. soe the evening & the morninge were the third day./ What follows are notes, transformed through extensive revision in the 1657 edition, pp. 72–111. Immediately preceding these notes is a more finished draft of what essentially appears in 1657, pp. 65–72, that is, the full section on Gen. 1.11 (ff. 33v–37r). Thus there are in fact two versions in the manuscript of the section, both evidently copied at the same time but one from an earlier and the other from a later version. The earlier, unrevised or first version is given here. [37r] Wee have heard of godes decree commaunding; & the returne executing it & his censure approving that is made, wch in every dayes worke is sett downe in theis three phrases, fiat, erat sic, & bonum erat. of this third dayes worke wee have handled before wee have heard the first parte namely godes worde comaunding ye earth to budd fourth leaves & seeds & trees etc nowe it remayneth to speake of theother two: & first of ye returne and execution and it was soe. for the earthe according to every iott & title of godes worde fullfilled godes will & brought fourth all sortes of hearbes, & trees, & buddes, & fruites, & seedes, leaving no thing undone wch was commaunded./ Touching wch, besides the obedyence of this Element in executing godes decree wee note a speciall certificate under godes hand as it were for the discharge of this creature, in ye dispatche of his worke & that without delay with all haste & speed wch reproveth not onely our disobedience to god, but also our dullnes & slownes in doeing any thing wch god commaundes. for wth us it is one thing to doe a thing & another to doe it willingly & quickly with expedition & speed. for when god doth commaunde any thing, wee put it of[f] wth this delay erit sic, it shalbe soe hereafter when wee can finde leasure & fitt tyme; it can seldome be saide in the present tense erat sic, it was performed without delay. for wee are as Salomons debtors, wch bidde god stay till to morrowe or the next day. 3. prov. before he can finde leasure to pay this debt & duety of obedience. Secondly in that the retourne in the end of the ii. v. was erat sic, it was soe two thinges are to be noated out of the nature of the worde first is a congruitie of the performance answerable to the commaundement in every poynte; for here is specifyed iust so much done as was required, nothing to much or to litle. to teache us yt our obedyence must be suche, we must not deficere in necessarijs nec abundare in superfluijs. The other poynte is for contynuance or perpetuitie, for ye word signifyeth yt it was soe surely & firmely done as if it had a sure basis or foundation for continuance. yt it might never fayle, wee see it holdeth & endureth id hunc usque diem, our eyes and experyence seeing yt it is soe. The last thing wee gather by opposition, yt godes worde was the cause & is, yt hearbes & trees do beare *fruites & seedes. soe & contra, it is the [37v] same word of god saying let not the earth nor trees beare wch is the cause of unfruitefullnes & wante if ofr our sinne they fayle any yeare ab eius edicto fertilitas, et ab eius interdicto sterilitas: if therefore wee disobey godes worde, this wilbe our punishment, yt his worde shall forbide ye earth to yeild encrease & to deny us his fruites./ The Second parte is the censure & approbation of god sayeng that is was good. I sayed before there are 3 sortes of goodes .1. honestum .2. utile .3. iucundum. each of wch wee shall see in the earthe & the fruites thereof for honesty & morrall good wee see it is gratefull to the owner or sower wch laoureth therin, faithfully & gratefully repaying & requiting his cost & labour thereon. for perfitt it yealdeath pabulum et latibulum both for man & beast. & soe necessarily good is it in this respect yt without it the king cannot lyve. 5 Eccl: 9. for pleasure and delight either of the eye to behold it or of the taste to relieve it, it is most delicious & delightfull. mylk [space] wyne & oyle wheate & all other grayne wch are both for varietye and necessitye, wee receive by godes blessing from the fruite and encrease of the earthe & trees. & therefore is every way good./ [37v]5 1 Gen: 14. and god saide let there be lights etc./ In this fowerth dayes worke is set downe the creation of lightes & the adorninge ye heavens wth light & starres for us before god made the earthe a garden full of trees hearbes & flowers so now he intendeth to make heaven beautifully replenished with starres & planetts of light/ Here then wee shall see the first rising & shining of ye Sonne ye first coniunction of the new moone, & god now first calling ye starres out by theire names & making them appeare 14v Psal: 4 nowe the Sonne being first marryed to the light, he cometh this day like a glorious bridegroome out of his chamber to runne this course. 19. Psal: 4. & all the starres as freindes of the bride wth ioy accompaning them. 3v Job. 7 ./ Nowe to the wordes themselves In dixit deus etc is conteyned the decree in wch three thinges are to be noated i the thinges to be made & created. 2. the situation or place of them 3 the use & end, wch is to divide light from darkenes & to be for signes etc For the first one would thincke this commaundement to be needles because theire was light created before: but this was most necessarily ioyned to the former, yt wheras onely light was made before now theire might be vesselles to conteyne and carry, for before the light [blank space] was dispersed and diffusedly spreading it selfe aborad, but nowe, but nowe it is made as it were a piller of light, beeing brought into the greate bodyes of planettes & starres & into certayne glorious vesselles to conteyne it & conveye it to all soe that the estate of the light made before is bettered, sublimed & made more excellent then it was before./ [38r] The second is the place & situation of theis starres and lightes wch is heaven the most fitt & convenient place that might be for three respectes: first godes wisdome knewe it meetest in regard of the cause, that wee may know whome cometh this grace nam sursum a patre luminum 1. Jac. 17: Secondly in respect of the Convenyence of ye place, for in a house the best place to sett ye Candle or light uppon is uppon the topp of ye table. 5. Mat. or uppon some highe place that it may the better give light to every place therein. Thirdly it is a place of safty for the great & precious a benefit for yt place being soe highe & out of all mens reaches, neither vis nec fraus, neither the force & power of strong men, nor the Craft of subtle malicious men can take it from the world & bereave it of this benefitt. for it is ye nature of rich covetous & malicious men to [blank space]. all good thinges especially ye best to theire owne private use & gayne, though they bereave others of the publicke & common benefit wch is theires by right. Therefore god hath soe placed theis lightes, yt as all wch have eyes may see thereby soe none have suche handes or armes to take them away./ Nowe touching the endes & uses for wch god made them, the first is to divide light from darknes, wch is necessary because elles there would be a confusion, & soe the beautie of the starres for want of ordering & disposinge ye cloudes grosse darknes would not appeare. They serve for divisions & distinctions many wayes betwene night, & day, sommer, & wynter, hott & could, dry & wett seasons./ Secondly they are for signes. for god hath geven them a power & influence as it may seeme, to signifie & shew divers thinges to men yet this doth not make much for [blank space] & Judiciall Astrologers, but rather against them. for if there be onely coniecturall signes then wee may not build a futall necessitye uppon them. for being onely figures to forwarne us of thinges, then it is in us to avoyde them if they be evill, & procure them if they be good. Therefore god sayeth .20 Jer: 2. be not affraid of the signes of heaven. god hath not sett them to take away the feare wch [blank space] to him, & to give it to them./ God hath sett them for signes naturall to tell us when it is tyme & season to sowe fytches, barley & wheate. 28. Esay. 25.26. they be husbandmens signes to know when to plant, to pruine & cut theire trees, & when to gather fruites. for marriners & seamen they be signes & markes to knowe when & howe to divert theire course. 27 act. 4. & they are signes for Phisitions & Surgions in theire severall artes. yea they are signes to warne both man & beast that the night is at hand by the evening starr, & yt the day doth approach by the day starr & therefore when it is tyme both to sleepe & arise. 104. Psal. [38v] Yea there are Commettes & great blasinge starres 65. Esay 8. wch are signes & tokens of godes wrath for sinn to summon us to repentance & to amend. And thus diversly they are signes to us./ The last is the most [blank space] & yt is to be lightes geving light to all. It had bene no benefitt to us if onely they had bene endued wth light for themselves & had not communicated any parte thereof to us but had left us still in darknes. Therefore god created them not for themselves but for us, & our use & benefitt. God yt as ye heaven & heavenly starres are for ye earth, soe ye heaven & earthe & all is for the use of men. Wherefore wee see yt god hath not made man for ye Sonne or moone etc. to serve them, but they for ye service of man wch sheweth the base & grosse Idolatrye of ye gentilles wch omitting the worshipp of god yt made & gave them id serve & honour ye Sonne & moone & starres yt is suche creatures wch god made ministers & servantes to us god havinge exalted us in dignitye above them 8 Psal: ./ There are Fower endes of all thinges wch god created all wch wee may observe in the light. first they are assigned to theire severall functions for as the eye is made to see & the eare to heare, soe are the starres to shine & give light, & therefore Sol est oculus mundi without wch all is blinde. Secondly god made alwayes ye inferiour Creature to serve the superiour, soe all thinges in earth & heaven are created for the benefitt & service of man. Thirdly he hath made all theis innumerable Creatures for the beautifieng adorning & replenishing of the whole world wch is his glorious worke & howse for man to dwell in; so as hearbes & plantes & trees did beautifie the earth belowe, the starres & lightes did adorne the heavens the upper parte thereof. Lastly god made the heavens & earth & men & all thinges elles propter se for his owne service, honour & glory. 38 Job: 7. wch is the mayne & generall all end of all the Creatures that are. i. Gen: 16.17.18.19. v. god then made two great Lights &c & god set them in the firmament of heaven to shine &c & to rule in the day & night & to separate the Light &c & god sawe it was good &c./ Wee have shewed before the decree or iniuncition of god; nowe of the execution & accomplishing thereof: & of godes censure & approbation of it. the first thereof is to ye end of the 18 v. the other is the very end & conclusion of the 18 v. & god sawe it was good. Before in the former workes the returne was fuit sic, it was even soe as god commaunded: but in this worke, here is a more large declaration of the doeing & fullfilling godes decree specifyeng the efficient who made the starres even the same god and the same word wch did commaunde it agreeing wth yt wch John i John. 23. by the word were all thinges created & without it was nothing made yt was created. Beeing then the Sonne & moone are but the creatures of god they are not to be adored & worshipped as the god ye creator of them. 33. psal 6./ [39r] By the word of his mouthe were the heavenes made, & all the hoste of them by his spirit or breathe. soe that there was nothing elles yt had a finger in this worke but onely the almightie god & glorious Trinitye, & therefore all the glory and prayse of this worke must wholly be given to him wch causeth the prophet David to invite the Sonne & moone & all the starres to prayse & magnifye the Lord, as theire onely creator. Ps: 14. v.5./ If any aske of what matter god made theis fayre and glorious bodyes of the sonne & moone & Starres, the answere is conteyned in the nature of the word. For the heavens being made of the waters & by the waters by the power of god, the heavens do bring theis heavenly bodyes of the same matter & nature whereof they were made, as the earth doth bring fourth plantes & hearbes and trees, of the same matter and nature of wch it selfe was 37 Job. 18. god did spread the heavens as glasse etc [blank space] For ye manner & order wch god observed in making them, wee see yt god first made the Two greater lightes the Sonne & moone & the infinite nomber of Starres./ But this is offensive to some curious Astronomers, wch by mathematicall instruments fynd that the moone is lesse then divers planettes & starres; but theis Cavillers doe not vaynely carpe & like a dog barke at the moone. For Moyses calleth the Sunne & Moone greater, not in regard of the quantity or greatnes wch they have but in respect of us, to whose appearance they seeme farr greater then all the rest. yea because it is manyfest yt they geve more & farr greater light then all the rest besides. wherefore wee see this word great is geven not soe much to the quantitye of greatnes in substance but to the qualitye & dignitye of thinges wch in greater degree of excellencie are above the rest. as Moyses is said to be a great man. ii. Exo. 3. wch in respect of the quantitye of his body as in regard of his excellencye & dignitye above all the rest. In wch sense it is saide that ye disciples did strive who should be greatest & yt is not for bignes of body, as for the greatnes of dignitye & estimation wch they soe muche desired; as many litle men now do soe seeke to be greatest. But St. Paul endeth this doubte 1 Cor. 15.41. alia est claritas solis, alia Lunae, alia Stellarium. for one differeth from another in the greatnes of Light./ But touching the bodyes of theis starres it was necessary yt all of them should be great, because the howse to wch they should give light was very great. And it was needfull to make the greater lightes in nomber to be two because the Two tymes of night & day & the two great bodyes of the earthe & the sea are ruled by them. And it was meete and convenyet that theis two should be in pares, one greater then other & not alike; because ye world hath most need of the best and greatest light in the day for direction of our worke./ And therefore god made the moone of a dymmer & lesser light [39v] because they yt sleep sleeping in the night, may as well and better take rest with the least light. yet god would not now have the night as before utter darknes without all light but caused the moone to be quasi nocturnus Sol. yt ye watchmen on land, & Shipmen by sea might have some direction both to watche & sayle./ And thus much for the two greater lightes, now for ye starres. Theis lesser starres are made by god, sometymes to be forerunners of the sonne & moone, sometymes to attend & waight as it were on them; & sometymes in theire absence as theire deputies to shine & serve alone. Soe yt they not onely beautifye the heavens, but also they are made to be a benefitt to us. Some of theis starres are fixed & immoveable; other are planettes movable & wandering in theire Spheres, wch are in nomber seaven expressed in godes worde./ And thus much for fecit, yt god made them all great & litle. Nowe wee heare in the 17 v. that god wch made them did also sett & seate them in the firmament of heaven. The reason of theire severall places wee know not but god hath ordered them in great wisdome & in a most comely order as they stand. 1 [?] 5./ The use & end why god placed them there, is not onely to give light to us, but also to distinguish betwene the night & day & to manage & rule them both by ye direction of light. by meanes of them wee see hurtefull thinges to avoyd them; wee distinguish betwene thinges difference & doubtfull to discerne them & then wee are able [blank space] thinges wch are good to make choyce of the best by theis lightes & starres thus placed. god giveth a Comfortable influence from heaven to the earthe & earthlie thinges belowe: for all the vertuous operations of the heavens doe by godes ordinance geve attendance to theis lightes & by them are conveyed to thinges on earth yet the Starres doe beare no sway nor rule neither have any power in the mindes of men, for god reserveth the rule of them to himselfe, ordering, disposing & tourning them as the rivers of water pro v./ The last use & end of the starres are to divide soe the light of the day maketh the wild beastes afrayd & divideth or driveth them into deserts & desolate places into theire dennes & holes of the earthe wth theire shining [i.e shunning] the light is a safeguard & safty to mankinde. 104 Psal: 24. The absence of the Sonne can causeth the night dividing it from the light of the day yt being dedicated to rest & sleep as this is to labour & worke./ Nowe for godes censure & approbation saying yt they are good. The goodnes & benefitt of wch is most evident to all. First for the goodnes of delight & pleasure Salomon sayeth. ii Eccle: 17 v. profecto lumen bonum et iucundum est. soe ioy full & comfortable it is that Toby wanting the benefitt of it sayeth what ioy or pleasure can I take seeing I cannot beholde the light of the Sonne and therefore some thinck that Sol hath his name a solatio, of solace and delight, because all thinges doe take suche pleasure therin./ And it is absolutely necessary & good, because without it our iudgementes could not be able to discerne or iudge of Collars./ [40r] It is good also for direction of our wayes howe to walke & for our workes to knowe howe & what wee should doe 11 John walke while ye have the light, for when the night cometh men know not whether they goe. This then is an argument of godes great goodnes & mercie to all, in that he suffereth & hath sett the Sonne & theis lightes to shine & give light to all, as well to the wicked as to them wch are godly & good. 6 Math: i. Gen. 20.v. Afterwarde god saide Let the waters bring fourth in abundance every creeping thing that hath lyfe & let the fowle fly uppon the earth, in the open firmament etc This verse & the three following doe conteyne in them the fyft dayes worke, by wch both the waters are stoared with fishe & the ayer and firmament was replenished with fowle. for yet hitherto they were like to wide & great stoarehowses wch were empty & voide In wch dayes worke are fower branches 1 the edict or precept. 2 the execution or performance of it. 3. the allowance & commendation of it in the end of the 21 v. lastly another speciall precept, for the preserving of theis thinges soe made in the 22 v./ Touching the commaundment wee may note that to saie or to commaunde in word may seeme to be but a weake thing. For wordes we holde to be but wynde yet suche wordes as god speaketh doe receive suche & soe great power & authorite from the speaker or commaunder yt of necessitye that wch is saide must needes be done./ If a king do commaunde, the power of his authoritye being ioyned wth ye weakenes of his word doth cause it to be very powerfull & effectuall. If princes authoritie can make his word soe great, howe much more can godes omnipotencie geve strength to his worde & cause that wch he sayeth be most certaynely done. This thereupon yt by vertue & force onely of his word whatsoever he sayeth is done and cometh to passe./ The second thing to be noted is to whome god spoke, namely to the waters. for as Moyses was willed to speake to the stony rocke 20. Numb. 8. soe doth god here speake to the waters. neither is it a fond thing thus for god to speake to deafe & senseles creatures. for though they have no eares & cannot heare, yet they can understand when god doth call & speake to them, & have power to doe his will when he commaundeth. if then the water and rockes can heare & understand & doe what god doth saye & bid them, howe much more should wee wch have eares and understanding hartes & active handes take heed wee doe the like./ Nowe touching the Tenor of godes precept, wee see it concerneth the producing & bringing fourth of lyving thinges in abondance & great multitude, And though god sayeth let the waters bringe fourth fowles, it argueth not (as Symplicius the Atheist absurdly gathereth that here the water is said to be the matter of which the fowles were made; for in the 2. Gen. 19. this is explained that they were made of the earthe, though they were brought fourth of the waters./ Touching the creatures moving in the waters, the word here used [40v] doth in a generall terme signifye suche thinges as are quicke & lyve & move, comprehendinfg therein all the particular creatures besides fishe & fowle, wch either creepe or crawle or move in either of theis Elementes, as froggs Snakes, flyes etc./ Man by practise can attayne to the fishes motion yt is to swime & move uppon & in the waters, but he cannot by any device atteyne to fly & move as birdes or mounte in the ayer. It is a wonder to heare that iron could swim 2. Reg. 6.6. but it is by the same power of god by wch a fether can fly aloft./ By the firmament or ayer is meante the nether & grosser parte of the ayer, wch region is full of foggy fumes & vapours wch come from the earthe & soe highe & farr the fowles can abide & endure to fly. But the farther & higher parte & region of the ayer wch is more pure & cleare, are called penetralia coeli wch is soe free from grosse vapours & earthly mistes that noe earthly thing can breathe or abide therin. as therefore water is a fitt element for fishes wch breathe not, soe this lower region of the ayer is for all fowles./ But let us come to that wch is common both to fishe and fowles & maketh both of them lyve & move the one by swimminge the other by flying & that is the soule of life. Concerning wch generally it signifyeth a breath or spirit of life: for seeing wee can understand & conceive best thinges sensible, therefore spirituall thinges for our capasitye are termed by thinges sensible. The breath therefore being of sensible thinges ye most pure & subtle, the soule is called by that name yet theis thinges are in theire proper nature distinct breath, liffe, & soule. for life is the adiunct & effect of a soule, so breath is the effect & signe of life. Neither is it superfluous that here is added to the soule life, because it serveth for a needfull instruction & distinction betwene the soule of man hereafter to be handled wch is a soule of more then one onely life of a double life & therefore immortall, whereas theis creatures have a soule of a single life & therefore are mortall./ 1 Gen: 21.v then god created the great whales etc and fethered fowles according to their kinde etc./ In theis wordes as the returne of that decree, conteyning the execution & accomplishing of it. first touching the thinges god made in ye waters the whales are first named as the greatest and strangest fishe wch the waters have. for it pleaseth god in every dayes worke to sett before our eyes some on[e] famous thing peece of worke to showe the workemans power & wisdome & therefore would have it marked more than all the rest./ In heaven among all starres the Sonne & moone is cheifest. on earth mankinde is exalted above the rest; & in the sea the great whale as cheifest amonge all fishe. In regard of whose bignes & hugenes Job sayeth. 40 chap. creavit vastitates & stupores soe huge is it yt Esay calleth the whale vectum maris 27. chap:[1]v. & Bernard sayeth habent æqualia montibes corpora. for they sometymes appeare as Ilandes in the sea, wherefore as the sea by nature is abissus, a huge gulfe soe god hath made theis huge [41r] Creatures to live and fill the same. This then being specified & sett before use first as the king & cheife of all thinges in the sea the rest are not named but included in the generall worde and name of living & moving thinges, not yt but godes power & wisdome doth appeare as well & as much in pisciculis et raris as in whales & the great Leviathan of the sea. for usually in godes workes wee see that wch is least then other thinges in quantitie doth exceeed the greatest thinges in excellent qualityes soe yt the wonder of greatnes wch the least doe want is supplied by some rare quality and verture wch the great ones doe lack./ Touching the infinite nomber & abundance of theis fishe. It were to be wished that Salomons booke were yet extante which he wisely wrote of the divers birdes kindes of fishe and fowle i reg: 4.33. but sawe the knowledge of other more necessary poyntes were more profitable & therefore in wisdome concealed it, neither will I labour any further in searching them out./ Nowe for the fowles of the ayer & the making of them. Moyses hath not the word of abundance expressed. for god would not have them abounde in nomber as the fishe of the sea, least some inconvenyence thereby might come to mankinde wch the Lord meant should most abounde & multiplie on earth./. But here is expressed the maner of theire motion, by [?] wch signifyeth flyeng & by Hanah wch is a winge the instrument & motion meanes of the meanes motion, for though some fly with feathers some without yet all must needes have wynges yt can flye. herein then cometh in the distinction of flyenge thinges they are aut fecta aut in fecta animalia the one fly with feathred wynges, the other have unfeathered winges as flyes & battes etc./ Wee come now to the approbation of theis thinges sett downe in the usuall phrase, god saw it was good omitting therefore ye generall observations out of theis wordes before wee will onely showe the speciall goodnes wch concerne theis thinges./ The goodnes both of the fishe & fowle, wee dayly doe both taste & feele for fishe are called ye treasures of the sandes. 33. Deut. 19v. wch are the first in regard yt they are most profitable for foode 11. Nomb. 5 where fishe are sett downe as a necessary supply where fleshe and fowle is scarce. our saviour Christ wee read used them both as ye good creatures of god for to sustayne and feed our bodyes & presere this life. for he did not onely eate of ye pascall Lambe but also of the broyled fishe. And if all the people should have libertie to eate onely fleshe wch without the supply of fishe from the waters they must needes doe, surely all cattell & provision of fleshe would be consumed quickly or be very scarce as Moyses said 11. Nomb. 22 v. wee see then in this respect it is necessarily good for a common wealth wch goodnes especially concerneth us with are Ilanders & are compassed round about wth the seas. soe 19 Esai. 8. it is denounced as a great curse to the Iland where the fishmen fishermen are made to mourne. And as the fleshe of some fish are good are fod, soe are the bones of others as good and profitable for some kind of oyles./ [41v] As for the good of pleasure & delight the arte of fishing it selfe is a pleasant thing & as for the pray of fishe when it is taken, the most are used for dayntye varietye and delight./ besides the pleasure and profitt they yeild us to our tast, wee finde some good & comoditie to our eye, in that the shell fishe called Purpura yeildeth that Likour wherewth the rich and princely purple couller is made. from them also another good of profitt and pleasure wee receive. for pretious pearles called margaritæ are the spoyles & gaynes wee gett from fishes of the Sea, wherewith the riche & noble doe adorne themselves./ And thus muche of the fishe, nowe for the fowles, many are the good thinges wee receive by them. for god hath made them good & profitable to us, not onely in the use of theire fleshe but of theire egges for foode 10. Esaie. 18.[?] And as they are soe profitable in the day soe for the night theire feathers are necessary and good to geve us rest. And as wee have this good by them in tyme of peace, soe in the tyme of warr parte of theire feathers are good to make us arrowes & dartes besides the profitable use wee have of theire quilles for pens wch at all tymes wee use to write. Therefore wee may conclude & with the wise man saye 39 [i.e. 12]. eccle: 14. there is nothing of all the workes of god but that in theire tyme & place are necesary & good & may serve us for some profitable use to our good if wee can glorifye & serve god, wch is the good maker of them to theis endes./ i Gen: 22. v. Then god blessed them saying bring fourth fruite & multiplie & fill the waters of the sea and let the fowle multiplie in the earthe./ This is the last parte of this first dayes worke, wch is præceptum propagationis, conteyninge the blessing of god for theire perpetuitye & continuance of theis thinges made according to theire kindes./ Which precept (as the fathers saye) is creatio naturæ. for natura nomen habet a nascendo. therefor St. James .3. cha. calleth this the course of generation & nature, wch being soe the preservation of theire kind is a speciall & singuler blessinge of god wch wheele or course of nature wee see god did first make & move; & ever hath in his hand & good pleasure to guide to the worldes end, whnas the nomber of godes elect being fulfilled, the course of nature shall have and an end./ Whereas god here speaketh to fyshe & fowles, wee must learne to measure it by the power & wisdome of god, whose voyce and phrase of speech all dombe & senseles creatures doe heare and understand, as wee read 2 Jonas . 10 howe god comaunded the whale; & the Ravens 1 Reg: 17. & they did obey his will & word/ Nowe for the meaninge of the wordes wee must first knowe yt theire is no needles superfluitye of wordes in the wholy scripture & therefore their is no word here yt is in vayne but hath i[t]s waighte Theis wordes therefore growe, multiplie, & fill, doe differ muche [42r] and importe upper meaninge. growing respecteth quantitye, increasing the augmentation of it. multiplyenge respecteth the nomber & tale of thinges[.] replenishing signifyeth the exceeding increase or multitude in any place cominge from yt bleesing of God. for ex multitudine fit plenitudo terræ. Soe that without godes blessing onely the thinges wch were made should have continued in theire owne being, in the same small and certayne nomber wth any further increase or replenishing./ For encreasing first god giveth to every thing yt is his owne body 1 Cor: 15.38. then he geveth it a power to growe & encrease bigger & greater in his dimensions. There is no man being borne can of himselfe without godes bleessing, noe not without all the care & endeavour he hath add one heares breadth to his stature 6.[chap.]Mat. 27. Therefore the Apostle sayeth wee doe growe and encrease with the encrease of god 2 Col : 17. for it is the force & vertue of his blessed worde./ For multiplyeng the nomber wch blessing is to be restrayned onely to thinges wch live & growe, & properly to them wch are of mature & ripe age & fullnes of growthe. To this end god hath made a distinction of sexes both male & female, the he & the shee & he geveth the one a power to begett, the other a power to conceive & to bring fourth & then the blessing of the bread to breed upp being borne./ Soe that is is godes blessing to a man not to be a dry tree and to a woeman not have a barren wombe & breastes yt can geve no sucke./ The third degree of blessing is to fullfill & replenish with the great nomber & store of encrease, for though god geve a nomber of encrease yet unles he add another blessing to preserve them & keep them alive the earth can never be replenished therewith. Therefore this preservative blessing of god is added as most necessary to replenish wthout wchall the rest are but vayne./ But here wee are to observe as it were a Caveat or proviso touching the fowles saying but lett the fowles multiplie in the earthe as who should say I restrayne the fowles I will not have them to fill the ayer, as the fishe doe the waters, because it is not soe convenyent or profitable for men. by wch wee see god respected mans good in this thinge, foreseeing & forecasting what was for his good & what might doe him hurte. And therefore god hath taken order that fowle shall not bring soe many egges as fishes doe spawne; neither yet doe all theire egges come to good./ 1 Gen: 24 v. moreover god saide Let the earthe bring fourth Livinge thing according to his kinde cattle, & creeping thinges & the beast of the earthe etc./ [42v] This verse & all the rest to the end of the chapter, doe conteyne the furnishing & replenishing of the earth wth living Creatures, & soe bringeth to passe the finishing & perfecting of the whole worke of Creation./ For this sixt dayes worke sheweth the bringing fourth of beastes & cattell of all sortes & the bringing in of mankinde into the world to be Lord & ruler of them & all the rest./ In wch wee observe the Three usuall partes. godes decree comaunding the execution performing it: & godes approbation of it being done. for ye decree may note as before yt god is the commaunder the earth is yt wch is commaunded, & the effect of the commaundement is yt it should bring fourth cattle & creeping thinges. Having shewed before how god speaketh & revealeth his will to dombe, deafe & senceles Creatures, as here he doth to the earth , wee will come to the tenor & meaning of the decree & commanundement to it. for yt phrase here used of bringing fourth is taken from the manner of woemen great with child, wch when theire tyme is come to bring fourth theire young. Therefore ye fathers do call this parerperam terræ, as it were by resemblaunce, the children of the earthe, or her travill. now But that theis thinges were before made & hid in ye bowelles & wombe of the earthe. For as the waters were not in the worke before. 20 Nom. 8. but even at yt instant when god commaunded, it gushed out waters onely by the power of god: soe the vertue of godes worde & the power of the comaunder caused the earth to bring fourth all theis thinges when of it selfe it had no power to doe it./ Nowe the severall kindes of Creatures wch here the earth is willed to bring fourth are reduced to three heades: beastes[,] Cattle & creeping thinges. Cattle are called Iumenta a iunando because they are made to be our servantes to helpe us in our labours & affayres. And they are suche as do need us, as much as wee need them. for sheepe, even horses etc. must first be served & fedd and tended by us before they can attend to serve our tournes./ The second sorte are wormes or creeping thinges called reptilies because they crawle uppon the grounde & therefore they are said netare super terram, as it were to swim or glyde uppon the grounde; & soe they are distinguished by theire motion. And theis are of two sortes, either they have no feete or legges at all crawling on theire belly, or elles very shorte feete creeping lowe by grownd. The third kinde are wyld beastes, wch doe live alone in terra in culta (as the word signifieth) in the waste wildernes & in the unprofitable & barren Land wch is desert & foresaken of men. In wch they live for the most parte by blood praying on the spoyle on[e] of an other; And therefore to some of them is geven strength, to some swifnes, to some subtilitye & Craft by wch they knowe howe to gett theire prey. And least theis savage [43r] wilde, & cruell beastes should annoy, hurte or destroy mankynde, wee see the Lord hath provided for us divers wayes, allotting to them onely the barren wildernes, geving to use the profitable grownd appoynthing the night of them to goe abroad, whereas the day is specially graunted to us. 104. Ps. 22. besides god hath not made them soe fruitefull, they doe not multiplie as other profitable & meeke cattell doe wch will not hurte us but doe. And thus muche for the speciall kinde of thinges wch the earth bringeth fourth./ Now for the performance of godes precept it is generally sett downe in the end of the 24 v. as in other places, yt it was soe, even as god commaunded wch generall is more particulerly sett downe in 25 v. ensuing./ i Gen: 25.v. and god made the beastes of the earth etc & the cattell etc & every creeping thing & god sawe it was good. The first parte of this verse is the performance of his worde, a decree in every poynte. the end of it is the approbation threof. for the execution of all yt god sayed, because as he said, soe it came to passe & was truly & fully performed & done, wee note howe true and certayne & undoubted godes word is: shall he speake ye word & shall it not come to passe. surely heaven & earth may passe away but no one iott or title of his worde shall fayle; wch as wee see in the word of creation soe shall wee find it in ye gospell the word of salvation. And here wee may observe yt god wilbe made knowne not onely to be the maker of the Lyon & the Elephant, those good great & goodly beastes, but also of the poore creeping creature & ye Arte qui fecit angeles, fecit et vermiculos sayeth Austyne neither is it any disgrace or dishonour to god, because theire is no lesse power & wisdome shewed & seene in theis, then is in the greatest & hugest beastes yt is[.] yea for the most parte, the excellency of godes handy worke is more admirably seene in the least & smallest living thinges yt are. as strange thinges are known of the poor shrimpe as of the whale; more vertue is to be founde in the silly Bee, then in the Eagle, soe as great arte may be seene in the Ant, as in the Elephant, wch may be knowen, if wee observe the great providence & forecast of the Litle Ant. his great industry and diligence in labouring without wearines while the sommer doe last & the great strength this Litle Creature hath wch is able to carry a corne farr greater then himselfe. wherefore theis small creeping creatures wch god hath made are not be passed over without regard, but to be considered to his glory and prayse wch made them./ The last parte of this verse is the likning & approbation of this worke for this censure is geven of this as of the rest yt it was right good, & therefore very well done./ wch must teach us this lessen, that if wee will have the like prayse & commendacion of all workes, they must be done soe answerable [43v] to godes will and word in every poynte, soe diligently & speedily & perfectly done as theire thinges were./ But here god doth not purpose soe much to commend the manner of doeing his will; as ye workes themselves & the thinges yt were done yt is ye goodnes of theis natures wch are made & brought fourth and if wee inquire of the goodnes of theis thinges particulerly, the wise man will tell us. 39. Eccle: 34: every thinge in his tyme place & kinde is profitable & good./ For touching the Cattle, wch are servantes & helpers to us, who knoweth not how good & beneficiall, the oxe, the Cow, the sheepe & such thinges are both for worke & food & cloth./ but you may aske, wherefore are wild beastes, wch cruelly devoure one another & oftentymes kill men? for answere whereto wee must consider yt god made theis before sinne was in the world & therefore in yt estate & tyme of innocency wherein god did commend them. wee must not doubt but they were good without any evill or hurte at all quamdiu Adam non peccavit in deum nihil peccabat in eum, while wee were good good servantes to god, they were good servantes to us. It is our evillnes & sin therefore wch causeth them to be evill & hurtefull to us. And as in our first holy estate they were good, soe if wee be converted to god after his Image agayne they wilbe good & doe us no hurte 5 Iob. 22. 23. for then the beastes of the forrest shalbe in league with the [space]. as they were with Daniell in the Lyons den. 6. Dan: 16./ 1. Gen: 26. furthermore god saide, Lett us make man after our Image etc Let them rule over etc./. After almightie god had created all other thinges for man, nowe he beginneth to create man himselfe, wch is the end & perfection of all thinges that were made. & though man is the last worke executione yet he was first intentione, for wee sawe before that god aymed at him in all thinges that he made. This 26 v. conteyneth a consultation about this workemanshipp of mankinde; in wch wee need of noe other division then the 4 causes of man wch are here expressed. first the efficient cause is god, 2dly the matter whereof he was made is included in his name Adam, wch importeth earth. 3dly his formale cause is the Image of god. Lastly his fynall cause or the end why he was [( ?]is after the glory of god) to have rule & dominion over the creatures./ For the efficient [cause] it is evident yt god was the sole maker of man, who here sayeth faciamus hominum, wch the psalmist confesseth. 100 psal: he made us and not wee our selves wee are the worke of his handes. for this speech (lett us make man) is not directed to the Angelles or the Elementes as some Heretickes have thought because god hath said he imparte[s] none of his glory of Creation to any creature. god is wise enoughe he needeth st no counseller to teach or advise him much lesse doth he need any [44r] coadiutor to assist to helpe him. but he directing his speech in the plurall nomber faciamus doth darkely shewe even in the beginning the distinction to the persons in trinitye, wch afterward was revealed. for wch cause faciamus is thrice here repeated in the creation of man & on the other side, the unitye of the godhead wch created mankind is shewed in this, that he sayeth not secundum similitudines nostras but singulerly secundum imaginem et similitudinem nostram, as speaking of one. And soe in this speech the mistery of the trinity in unity is made knowne to be the eficient cause & workman of mankinde./ The materiall cause is eaerthe, if wee respect his body & his fleshly parte, for soe his name Adam, doe imparte. for god toke glebam terrae, a clod of clay, a peece of earthe, to make this man whome he went to exalt above the Angelles in heaven, wch consideracion of godes goodnes, to suche an earth weite made Adam with admiration say: 8. Psal: what is Adamah or what is made made of earth, o Lord, that thou shouldest be soe myndfull of him? And this matter & base substance doth therefore the Lord in wisdome choose, least wee considering our excellence & the manifold privileges wee have above other creatures, should be puffed upp with pride, & exalt our selves above measure for our dignitye: therefore that wee might learne to know our selves & be humble wee are willed not onely to consider our maker wch is above us but also our matter, the vile & base earth wch is under our feete. For this cause god sendeth his prophet to prowde & presumptious men. 22. Ier. 29. & willeth him theire to repeate his name, saying, o earthe, earthe, earthe heare the word of the Lord, yt soe considering his base and contemptible nature, he might humble him selfe./ But there is a greater worke & more excellent parte of man yet here behinde, wch is the forme of man, his soule; the Image of God. for thoughhe be made of the earthe, yet he is not made after the Image of earth, but like to god. Touching wch wee must not thincke that there is any waste or vayne wordes here sett downe, in that it is said after our Image & similitude: for both Image & likenes are to great purpose here sett downe for though both wordes doe importe a congruity of qualityes resmbling there maker, yet to be his Image is one thing, and to be his likenes is an other. Image is more largely taken for the resemblance of form & shape: likenes is taken for the livelynes or perfection of that Image because it doth represent the patterne mervilous well. Therefore god in both wordes sheweth yt he will make man to be a perfect & lively representation of his creator, yt is, to be as like unto god, as it is possible for a creature to be like to the creator of all./ [44v] And he is like unto god & made after his Image in two thinges: first in respect of the nature or substance of his soule, wch is a spiritt as god is a spirit. Secondly in the resemblance of his qualitiyes. for first as god is every where in all the world, soe the soule is in every parte & place of the body. 2. the soule is immortall as god is eternall. 3. the understanding is a resemblance if his wisdome, & his will, is the Image or likenes of infinite power. Theis are certayne resemblances of godes Image in man, namely in his soule & better parte. But yet wee are not come to that wch here is meant. for the lively Image of god & true forme of man is sett downe by St Paul, wee are made after godes Image in knowledge & in hones & righteousness, wch Image because wee did loose our fall & sinne, wch it is defaced & wee deformed. Therefore Christ the sonne of god is sent into the world wch is the most true & lively Image of god i Coll: 15. to generate & renewe us to that Image agayne, making us like to him selfe & soe like to god agayne./ Though the fynall cause and cheefe end of man is conteyned in his forme, to flrifye god, by expressing his Image of true holynes; yet there is another subordinate end of man sett downe in this place & yt is to be like to god in soveranity & authoritie to rule all other creatures. for us if god had nowe put a scepter in to his hand, & put all thinges thereby in subiection under his feete, as david sayeth. 8 Psal: nowe god doth as it were make him Lord & King, to rule & raigne under him. And this is the donative & gift wch man received of his god, & wch he had & used over every creature soe long as his Image did last, but when he fell from god by sinne then did he loose yt & him selfe also./ i. Gen: 27. thus god created the man in his Image in the Image of god created he him. he created them male & female./ In this verse is conteyned the accomplishment of godes will. Touching wch wee will first speake of the word (creauit). for although the word faciamus, lett us make, doth seeme to importe more than one, yet this word of the singuler nomber, putteth it out of doubt, showing that onely god & none but he was the creator of mankinde & whereas before he sayed ad imaginem nostram now to take away the former scruple, it is here said, ad imaginem suam, et ad imaginem dei, to shewe yt as god is but one soe the creator of man was but onely one: he had no coadiutor ioyned with him in this worke, & therefore wee have but one Image in us, wch is onely godes./ Secondly in yt this word (creauit) is theire repeated also in this [45r] verse as before, without question theis triple repetitions are not in vayne, but doe conteyne some profitable note, either to imparte the trinitye of persons in unity of essence in god head, or elles to shew us a three fould manner of being, wch onely man received from god. The first is called esse, a bare existence or being, or being made some thinge wch were nothing before. the second is called viuere to have a living soule, wch is a greater benefitt and a more perfect being. The third is intelligere, to have an understanding & reasonable souel wch is the last & highest & perfectest degree of any thing that is wch three are sett downe. 2. gen. 7 v. where mans body is called figmentum his soule is called animam viuentem and the third wch is the parte of godes image is called spiritus vitæ. stones and trees have an essentiall being. beastes and fowles have life & sence therewith, but man onely hath besides theis two, a reasonable & immortall spritt & soule, in which perfection he differeth from all the rest./ Now thoughe this be a three fould creavit in nomber yet in deed & in nature in respect of god it is but one, & in respect of man it is but two fould. the one respecting his body, the other his soule, notwithstanding another is added in regard of the sex or kinde, in yt it is said to be godes worke to create or make him both male & female, yt is man and woeman for propagation & preservation of his kinde of wch it followeth now to speake. for though man and woeman are by nature made one by & the same both of one mettle, & both after one & the same Image & forme, yet they differ & are distinguished in kynd for the worke of generation & encrease of theire kinde, wch beeing onely a difference visible & in the body respecting the fleshe; wee must noate that touching the spirit & soule the better parte, there is noe difference at all before god. for god hath no more respect to the man then to the woeman, he made both alike, & after the like Image & likenes too. 3. Gal: 20. & they are both made to one & the same end to be fellowe heires of eternall lyfe 1. Pet. 3.4./ Theis two then man and woeman were made this day; though not together the reason whereof is shewed in the 2 chapter following. Nowe the Lordes purpose & intent in making man & woeman male & female was because the riches of his mercy & goodnes was soe great & large, that he would have it imparted & bestowed not uppon one or two, but uppon Thousand generations of them that love and serve him that is on the multitude of mankinde wch should come of them. And therefore doth god saie let them beare rule etc as if he now in Adam did not onely respect Eve wch was in his side but also all his posteritye wch should come out of his Loynes./ besides wee may observe yt god made the woeman for the man, yt man might not have carnall copulation with any other creature, but onely wth his kinde wch was made fitt & meete for him & agayne wee see the Lord made but one woeman for one man, not more then one; that he might thereby intend holy matrimony & avoyd polygamye, or having company wth many or more woemen or men then one. for god by [45v] matrimony seeking a holy seed. 3. Malach. did cause it to be holy & to be onely of two one man & one woeman ./ And in theis two man & woeman, is here grounded household discipline or ye goverment of a familie, the man to beget the woeman to conceive the one to beare & bring fourth the other to provide & bring upp, then one to goe abroad & bring home, ye other to keep yt he bringeth, & to tarry at home, the one to governe wth gentlenes the other to obey with willingnes./ 1 Gen: 28. v. and god blessed them, and said bring fourth fruite & multiplie & fill ye earthe & subdewe it and rule ouer etc. Which wordes conteyne the second speech of god concerning man by wch he created or constituted mandkinde. In wch there is a double benefitt to be considered wch god geveth unto man, the first is propagation, and ability to beget & beare children the second is a deed of gift or endowment, wch god ge[ve]th to them[.] by the first god geveth him heires, by the second he hath him & them an inheritage to possesse. The first is in theis wordes encrease & multiply, the other in theis wordes subdew & rule. For the first god minding not to have his Image inwardly, nor his goodnes outwardly bestowed uppon a fewe, not to be worshipped of a fewe, but of many therefore he will have them multiplie & fill the earthe that all the earthe may be filled with his glory and prayse. Therefore as before he planted the stocke of mankinde soe now he watereth it with the word of his blessing[,] they might encrease & replenish the whole earthe, by wch wee see yt to be fruitefull in procreation is the blessing of god without wch men are drie trees, & woemen have barren wombes./ And seeing godes blessing goeth here before the solemnizing, of marriage, or briging fourth childdren, it teacheth us that Christians must first pray unto god for his blessing and grace before they either marry or can multiplye or encrease./ This then is a comaundement bringe fourthe & multiplie is geven to man and woeman ioyned together in the holy estate of marriage yet it doth not impornere necessitatem dominibus nubendi, sed dat facultatem. otherwise Paul sayeth, 1 cor. 7. 25. we have no suche commaundment yt is of necessity to bynd & compell any to marry to increase mankinde soe it geveth free libertie to use it by wch we see yt both the holy ordinance of marriage & the blessing & fruite of children thereby cometh from god./ I said that theis wordes subdewe & beare rule are as it were the endowment or dowrie wch god gave to them & theire seed to inherite & it is a prerogative royall entayled to them & theire posterity for ever that is to as many are made after the same Image wch they had and by this conveyance & deed of gift or portent (as I may say) wee prove our right in tenure in lands & all other earthly thinges./ For god is the true owner & right possesser of heaven & earth & of all thinges therin. 24. Ps. 8. yet god not make the earthe [46r] nor replenish it with living creatures, for him selfe, as if he had any need of such thinges 50. Psal. 10. the fowles & cattell are his owne to dispose. but he made the world & thus furnished it for mans sake & for his needfull use to whome nowe he gave it. God then is the great Landlord of all the world, & wee have received as his Tennantes or servantes a bayliwicke to be stewardes to use them to his glory & shall geve an accompt for them./ By vertue & force of godes graunte, that wee shall subdewe or holde in subiection or obedience other creatures, wee doe receive a threefould benefitt & blessing. The first is called ius premiæ occupationis, by wch man had possession geven him of all the grownd and Land, that the soule of theire feete did tread upon. 11. Deut. 4. Secondly they had a right & allowance graunted to them, hereby having taken in possession a whole land or country to destribute & divide it by consent amonge themselves as Abraham & Lott did. 13. Gen. 11. or ellese as the Tribes did by Lott. 15 Iosh: But all our Tenure and right to possesse and enioy all this, standeth uppon our good and go[d]ly behavior & demeanure in the service of god. for all ye conveyance is made & indented with this condicion yt wee shall keepe his statutes and observe his lawes. 105 Psa: And therefore as the Cananytes were lawfully and iustly for their sines & abominations cast fourth, soe gad gave his people the land of the heathen in possession uppon condicion that they should serve & glorifye god better than they 113. Psa: 26. [?] Herein then cometh in the right of warr and lawe of armes: for when a people or nation doe forsake & remake renounce theire god as rebellious Idolators & most notorious & obstinate sinners then god gave order yt his people wch truly serve him should by force & by the sword drive them out, wch was parte of vindicative iustice, to punish them for sinne./ By this right Iacob by his sword & by his bowe did wyn & get the Land of the Amorites, as his lawfull right & bequeathed it as a Legacie afterward to Ephram: 48 Gen: 22./ By this allowance also of god saying subijcite, wee have libertie and good leave to discry & discover unknowen countryes & newe found Landes, & soe to keep & inhabite them./ besydes in yt god said subijcite etc we gather yt god did not subdue it him selfe but have them leave & authoritie & power to doe it non dedit eis suiectam sed subijciendam terram wch no doubt god did in great wisdome yt man might exercise him selfe in the workes of his handes, & keepe him selfe from idlenes both in subduing thinges by his power & strength & then in ruleing & ordering them by his wisdome & knowledge. for god cannot abide idlenes no not in the tyme of innocency & in the best & perfectest estate & therefore besides all this caused Adam to trime & dresse the garden of Eden. 2. Gen: 15./ The second parte of godes blessed worde advancing man to authority [46v] & rule on earthe, is dominamin. for though the earthe be the Lordes & the fullnes thereof, yet god would have soe use and governe it, that all the earthe might be full of his glory and prayse. And thereofore in this [blank space] is allowed us theis privileges./ first to use any creatures on earthe for our helpe & furtherance in labour, or for our use & benefitt anywayes. Secondly wee have power & right not onely to use them alive but also wee have the power of life & death over them & to kill them & to spend them being dead. Lastly by this wee [have] a right & authority to exchange them for other thinges in trafficke, and to buy & sell them as wee list & soe wee may convey the right wch wee have to others from our selves by deed of gift; or elles alienate it by exchange. now under fishe, wee have the right and libertie of fishing, wth wch it seemeth yt Christ our saviour was delighted and therefore allowed it in Peter when he said vade piscatum & yt as well with nettes 5 Luc: 4. as with the angle 17. Mat: And when wee have taken them it is lawfull for us to make pondes & fishpooles to keepe them alive for store./ The like wee may say of beastes of the feild & fowles of the ayre for the fowle wee have lawfull power by this of hawking or fowling, to either kill them with arrowes and dartes 7 Prov. or by pittfoldes of gynnes. 23 Iosua.13. and having taken them alive wee may keep them in cages. 5. Ier: 26./ For wilde beastes, wee ave by this leave to chase of hunte them 17. Leve: 13. and either kill them for a pray as Iacob did or elles make parkes, to keep them alive./ By this also wee have power to use any of theis creatures for our service and good, as the strength of the Oxe for tillage the swiftnes of the horse for easing our weary bodyes in travile the Asse and Cammell for burden, the woll of sheepe and the skynnes of other beastes to cloath us & keepe us warme. And thus much for godes charter given to man, wch conteyneth all the right wee have over the Creatures & wch lasteth to the worldes end./ 1 Gen: 29.30: And god said beholde I haue geven you every hearbe etc and euerie tree etc that shalbe to you for meate. Likewise to euery beast and to euery fowle of heaven etc and to euery thing wch hath lyfe in himselfe euery greene hearbe shalbe for meate. And it was soe./ The generall argument of theis verses, is the providing of meate & food for man & beast, wch benefit the prophet David thankfully remembreth. Ps. saying thou Lord feedest both man & beast. Touching the food & diett graunted to man, a question may be, what need Adam had now of meate being innocent seeing he then was immortall. for answere whereof we must marke the difference & distinction of posse non mori, et mori non psse for Adam was made [47r] immortall, by possibilitie, not by absolute necessitye, as if he could not possible dye. for soe onely god is immortall & noe creature elles. for his yeares never fayle, he continueth for ever & world without end, and therefore is called the living god. This estate of immortalitye Adam had from his Image; but the other possiblitye to dye he had from his matter of wch he was made, as god said Puluis es et in pulverem reuerteris. Therefore Adam was immortall not by any power of life in himselfe for then he could never dye, & should have need of no meate, but seeing his estate of imortalitye & lyfe is from god & yt by ordinarie meanes of foode wch god hath appoynted, and therefore he hath need of it, & must of necessitye use it./ Nowe though Adam and wee stand in suche absolute need & want of foode, yet wee cannot lawfully lay hand on any one creature to relieve us, unlesse wee had godes speciall prviledge and warrant for free libertie to take take and use them, wch onely wee have by vertue and force of his most blessed worde geveth the fruites of the earthe to be meate & sustinance to us. In wch generally wee see the love and care of god the creator in providing for the preservation of his creatures, especially of man wch he cared for most./ Touching the partiucler meatres specifyed in this wordes wee may behoulde gods liberalitye & bountye towardes us in geving us all fruites of the earthe, all kinde of grayne, every seede, all spice and good thinges wch either hearbes or trees to beare; wch is called ye fatt of the earthe & the blody of the grape, wch two generall names in Leuit. dothe conteyne them all./ But some will hold & better with Noes patente & allowance for eating both of fish and fleshe. Gen. for this rawe and could diett of sallettes & fruites theire daynty bringing upp cannot away with all. but wee must beware that wee doe not unwisely cavill & repyne at godes word & workes, as if wee were more wise then he, in devising what foode is best for our nature and health wee must knowe therefore yt god made us not for our belly to pamper it, for he hateth suche as make theire bellie theire godes 3 Phi: 19. & if wee could be content wth godes diette & allowance & be thankfull therefore, wee ought to consider yt though it seeme very homely & meane, yet he can give suche a blessing to one meale of it that may make us walke forty dayes and nightes in the strength of it. 1 Reg. 19.6. yea to cause us to live for ever most happily with it & not be subiect to death. whereas the contrary without his blessing all the dayntye foode and preservatives to restore, can doe us noe good at all./ The reason why the eating of flesh is not here named nor sett downe, may seeme to be this, because as one sayeth an innocent dyett, is most meete and agreeable for an innocent estate suche [as?] wee know Adames estate was, nowe even the heaten wise men had found out, as Pithagoars by name, who helde & taught yt it was yet ye onely best & lawfullest dyett still perswading men yt wee should not susteyne our life by the death & destruction of other living thinges./ [47v] Nowe in the 30. verse wee see a degree further of godes mercye & goodnes in yt he provideth not onely for man but for beastes and birdes also wherefore if any aske yt question 1 cor: 9.9. numquid de bobus est cura, doth god take care for oxen, the answere is 6. Mat. [26] yt god yt god doth take care for sparowes and lesser thinges than they. He feedeth the young Ravens wch call uppon him. 145. Psal: & he geveth fodder for cattell. 147. Psal. 9. And wee may observe yt there is a great difference betwene the meate given to men & the food graunted to ye the rest. for all thinges wch are sowed & beare seed are for men, but onely the thinges quæ sunt spontanaæ, wch doe grow & sproute upp of his owne accord are ordeyned to bee foode for the beastes and cattell./ Nowe wee come to the performance of this precept, et fuit sit yt is even as godes worde commaunded it, soe was it performed in every deed. every creature in his order & degree had his share & dyet wch was allotted unto him./ Thus all thinges being thus settled is man being perfected and the whole world being furnished & provided for. now in the last verse [Gen 1.31] it is saide yt god did as it were looke back & survey all the workes wch he had made, & uppon serious consideracion thereof he geveth this upright sentence, yt all was very good, wch wordes are as if he had saide, the particuler workes distinguished in theire orders and kindes were not onely good severally & aparte by themselves, but also as all of them were ioyned in one compact body of the world & sett together they did seeme more excellent & perfect, & therefore are in yt sense affirmed not onely to be good, but to be valde bona yt is exceeding good in a higher degree./ Soe this is the approbation & commendacion wch god gave when he sawe all the partes soe orderly & decently & well agreeing with the whole, especially seeing man nowe sett over them all to rule & keepe him selfe & all the rest in the same good order and state wherein they were made. Soe that mandkinde wch was last made was that valde bonum & as it were the accomplishment & perfection of all the rest of godes workes wch were made before, wch is the reason yt this commendation is a degree more then all the former, but then onely man, & all thinges elles deserves the highest approbation indeed when wee all ioyne together to his glory & prayse wch made us, for then god will saie yt they are summa bona. for this indeed is the perfection of all godes creatures & as it were theire summum bonum & true happines, to retourne to go theire maker & susteyner ye glory & praise wch is dewe to his name, because god made all thinges, for this end omnia sunt propter vos saith Paul. 2 cor: 4. 15. but Salomon [48r] goeth to a further end. 16. pro: 4. omnia fecit deus propter se[met]ipsum yt is for the prayse of his holy name. Soe be it./