Continuing our reading of A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson, in Part 2, God and His Creation, Section 13, The Creation. Question 7. What are the decrees of God? Answer. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby, for His own glory, He has foreordained whatsoever shall come to pass. I have already spoken something on question 8, thus parenthetically, how doth God execute His decrees? So, concerning the decrees of God under the attribute of His immutability. God is unchangeable in His essence and He is unchangeable in His decrees. His counsel shall stand. He decrees the issue of all things and carries them on to their accomplishment by His providence. I shall proceed therefore to the execution of His decrees. " Question 9, the next question, what is the work of creation? Answer, it is God's making all things from nothing by the word of His power. Genesis 1.1, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The creation is glorious to behold and it is a pleasant and profitable study. Some think that when Isaac went abroad into the fields to meditate, it was in the book of the creatures. The creation is the heathen man's Bible, the plowman's primer, and the traveler's perspective glass, through which he receives a representation of the infinite excellencies which are in God. The creation is a large volume in which God's works are bound up, and this volume has three great leaves in it, heaven, earth, and sea. The author of the creation is God, as it is in the text God created. The world was created in time and could not be from eternity as Aristotle thought. The world must have a maker and could not make itself. If one should go into a far country and see stately edifices, he would never imagine that they could build themselves, but that there had been some artificer to raise such goodly structures. So this great fabric of the world could not create itself. It must have some builder or maker, and that is God. In the beginning God created. To imagine that the work of a creation was not framed by the Lord Jehovah is as if we should conceive a curious landscape to be drawn without the hand of an artist. God that made the world and all things therein, Acts 17, 24. In the work of creation there are two things to be considered. One, the making. Two, the adorning. One, the making of the world. Here consider first, God made the world without any pre-existent matter. This is the difference between generation and creation. In generation there is, it is said, suitable material at hand. some matter to work upon, but in creation there is no pre-existent matter. God brought all this glorious fabric of the world out of the womb of nothing. Our beginning was of nothing. Some brag of their birth and ancestry, but how little cause have they to boast who came from nothing. Two, God made the world with a word. When Solomon had to build a temple, he needed many workmen, and they all had tools to work with, but God wrought without tools. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, Psalm 33, 6. The disciples wondered that Christ could with a word calm the sea, but it was more with a word to make the sea. 3. God made all things at first very good, Genesis 1, 31, without any defect or deformity. The creation came not out of God's hands a curious piece, it was a fair copy, without any blot, written with God's own fingers. Psalm 8, 3. His work was perfect. 2. The adorning of the world. God made this great lump and mass with neither shape nor order and then beautified it. He divided the sea and the earth, He decked the earth with flowers, the trees with fruit. But what is beauty when it is masked over? Therefore that we might behold this glory, God made the light. The heavens were bespangled with the sun, moon, and stars, that so the world's beauty might be beheld and admired. God in the creation began with things less noble and excellent, rocks and vegetables, and then the rational creatures, angels and men. Man is the most exquisite piece in the creation. He is a microcosm, or little world. Man was made with deliberation and counsel. Let us make man, Genesis 126. It is the manner of artificers to be more than ordinarily accurate when they are about their masterpieces. And so, question 10, how did God create man? Man was to be the masterpiece of this visible world. Therefore God consulted about making so rare a piece. A solemn council of the sacred persons in the Trinity was called. Let us make man and let us make him in our own image. On the king's coin his own image or effigy is stamped, so God stamped his image on man and made him a partaker of many divine qualities. I shall speak firstly of the parts of man's body. First, the head, the most excellent architectural part. It is the fountain of spirits and the seat of reason. In nature the head is the best piece, but in grace the heart excels. Secondly, the eye is the beauty of the face. It shines and sparkles like a lesser sun in the body. The eye occasions much sin, and therefore may well have tears in it. Three, the ear is the conduit pipe through which knowledge is conveyed. Better lose our seeing than our hearing, for faith cometh by hearing. Romans 10, 17. To have an ear open to God is the best jewel on the ear. Fourthly, the tongue. David calls the tongue his glory in Psalm 16, 9 because it is an instrument to set forth the glory of God. The soul at first was a vial in tune to praise God and the tongue made the music. God has given us two ears but one tongue to show that we should be swift to hear but slow to speak. God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue. Fifthly, the heart is a noble part and the seat of life. Second, the soul of man. This is the man of the man. Man, in regard to his soul, partakes with the angels. Nay, as Plato says, the understanding, will, and conscience are a mirror that resemble the Trinity. The soul is the diamond in the ring. It is a vessel of honor. God himself is served in this vessel. It is a spark of celestial brightness, says Damascene. David admired the rare contexture and workmanship of his body. I am wonderfully made. I was curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth, Psalm 139, 14, and 15. If the cabinet be so curiously wrought, what is the jewel? How richly is the soul embroidered? Thus you see how glorious a work the creation is, and man especially, who is the epitome of the world. But why, you ask, did God make the world? First, negatively, not for himself, for he did not need it being infinite. He was happy in reflecting upon his own sublime excellencies and perfections before the world was. God did not make the world to be a mansion for us, since we are not to abide here forever. Heaven is the mansion, House John 14, 2. The world is only a passage room to eternity. The world is to us as the wilderness was to Israel, not to rest in, but to travel through to the glorious Canaan. The world is a dressing room to dress our souls in, not a place where we are to stay forever. The Apostle tells us of the world's funeral. The elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up. 2 Peter 3.10. Two positively God made the world to demonstrate his own glory. The world is a looking glass in which we may see the power and goodness of God shine forth. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalm 19, 1. The world is like a curious piece of tapestry in which we may see the skill and wisdom of Him that made it. Use 1. Did God create this world? First, this convinces us of the truth of his Godhead. To create is proper to deity. Acts 17.24. Plato was convinced of a deity when he saw that all the world could not make a fly. Thus God proves himself to be the true God and distinguishes himself from idols. Jeremiah 10.11. It was written in Chaldee, Thus shall ye say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish. Who but God can create? The creation is enough to convince the heathen that there is a God, There are two books out of which God will judge and condemn the heathen. Those are the Book of Conscience, which show the work of law written in their hearts, Romans 2.15, and the Book of the Creation. The invisible things of Him are clearly seen by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, Romans 1.20. The world is full of emblems and hieroglyphics. Every star in the sky, every bird that flies in the air is a witness against the heathen. A creature could not make itself Second use, it is a mighty support of faith that God creates. He that made all things with a word, what cannot he do? He can create strength in weakness. He can supply of our wants. What a foolish question was that. Can he prepare a table in the wilderness? Psalm 78, 19. Cannot he that made the world do much more? Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124, 8. Rest on this God for help who made heaven and earth. As the work of creation is a monument of God's power, so it is a state of faith. Is thy heart hard? He can with a word create softness. Is it unclean? He can create purity. Create in me a clean heart, O God, Psalm 5110. Is the church of God low? He can create Jerusalem, I pray, Psalm Isaiah 6518. There is no such golden pillar for faith to stay upon as a creating power. Third use, did God make this world full of beauty and glory, everything very good? Then, what an evil thing is sin that has put out of frame the whole creation! Sin has much eclipsed the beauty, soured the sweetness, and marred the harmony of the world. How bitter is that gall a drop were of can embitter a whole sea! Sin has brought vanity and vexation in the world, yea, a curse! God cursed the ground for man's sake, Genesis 3. There were several fruits of that curse. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it, verse 17. By sorrow is to be understood all the troubles and cares of this life. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, verse 19. In innocence Adam tilled the ground, for he must not live idly, but it was rather a delight than a labor. That tilling was without toiling. The eating in sorrow and the sweat of the brow came in after sin. thorns and thistles shall the ground bring forth." Verse 18, did the earth in innocence bear thorns though they were afterwards threatened as a punishment? It is likely it did bear thorns for when God had done creating he made no new species or kinds of things but the meaning is now after sin the earth should bring forth more plentifully of thorns and now those thorns should be hurtful and choke the corn which hurtful quality was not in them before Ever since the fall, all the comforts of this life have a thorn and a thistle in them. The fourth fruit of the curse was the driving of man out of paradise. So he drove out the man, verse 24. God at first brought Adam into paradise as into a house ready furnished, or as a king into his palace. Have dominion over every living thing that moveth. Genesis 128. God's driving Adam out of paradise signified his dethroning and banishing him that he might look after a heavenly and a better paradise. A fifth fruit of the curse was death. To dust thou shalt return. Verse 19. Death was not natural to Adam but came in after sin Josephus is of the opinion that man would have died, though he would have had a longer term of years added to his life, but out of question, death grew out of the root of sin. As the Apostle says, by sin came death. Romans 5, 12. See then how cursed a thing sin is that it brought so many curses upon the creation. If we will not hate sin for its deformity, let us hate it for the curse it brings. Fourth use, did God make this glorious world? Did He make everything good? Was there in the creature so much beauty and sweetness? Oh, then what sweetness is there in God? The cause is always more noble than the effect. Think with yourselves, is there so much excellence in house and land? Then how much more is there in God that made them? Is there beauty in a rose? What beauty then is there in Christ, the Rose of Sharon? Does oil make the face shine, Psalm 104, 15? How will the light of God's countenance make it shine? Does wine cheer the heart? Oh, what virtue is there in the true vine? How does the blood of this grape cheer the heart? It is the fruit. Is the fruit of the garden sweet? How delicious are the fruits of the Spirit! Is a gold mine so precious? How precious is he who founded this mine? What is Christ in whom are hid all treasures? Colossians 2.3 We should ascend from the creature to the creator. If there be any comfort below, how much more is there in God who made all these things? How unreasonable is it that we should delight in the world and not much more in Him that made it? How should our hearts be set on God, and how should we long to be with God, who has infinitely more sweetness in Him than any creature? use, too, of exhortation. First, did God create the world? Let us wisely observe the works of creation God has given us not only the book of the Scriptures to read in, but the book of the creation. Look up to the heavens, for they show much of God's glory. The sun gilds the world with its bright beams. Behold the stars, their regular motion in their orbs, their magnitude, their light, and their influence. we may see God's glory blazing in the sun and twinkling in the stars. Look into the sea and see the wonders of God in the deep, Psalm 109, 24. Look into the air, there the birds make melody and sing forth the praises of their Creator. Look into the earth, there we may wonder at the nature of minerals, the power of the lodestone, the virtue of herbs. See the earth decked as a bride with flowers. All these are the glorious effects of God's power. God has wrought the creation as with curious needlework, that we may observe His wisdom and goodness, and give Him the praise due to Him. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all. Psalm 104, 24. Second, did God create all things? Let us obey our Maker. We are His by right of creation. We owe ourselves to Him. If another gives us our maintenance, we think ourselves bound to serve him. Much more should we serve and obey God, who gives us our life. In Him we live and move, Acts 17 28. God has made everything for man's service, the corn for nourishment, the beasts for usefulness, the birds for music, that man should be for God's service. The rivers come from the sea and they run into the sea again. All we have is from God. Let us honor our Creator and live to Him that made us. Thirdly, did God make our bodies out of the dust and that dust out of nothing? Let this keep down pride. When God would humble Adam, He uses this expression, Out of the dust wast thou taken. Genesis 3.19 Why art proud, O dust and ashes? Thou art made, but of coarse metal. Since you are humble, why do you not walk? Humbly, says Bernard. David says, I was curiously wrought. Psalm 139.15 Thy being curiously wrought may make thee thankful, but being made of dust may keep thee humble. If thou hast beauty, it is but well-colored dirt. Thy body is but air and dust mingled together, and this dust will drop into the dust. When the Lord had said of the judges they were gods, Psalm 82.6, lest they should grow proud, He told them they were dying gods. He shall die like men, verse 7. Number four, did God create our souls after His image, but we lost it? Let us never rest until we are restored to God's image again. We have now got the devil's image in pride, malice, and envy. Let us get God's image restored, which consists in knowledge and righteousness. Colossians 3.10, Ephesians 4.24, Grace is our best beauty. It makes us like God and angels. As the sun is to the world, so is holiness to the soul. Let us go to God to repair His image in us. Lord, Thou hast once made me, make me anew. Sin has defaced Thy image in me. Oh, draw it again by the pencil of the Holy Ghost. Section 14, The Providence of God. Question 11. What are God's works of providence? Answer, God's works of providence are the acts of His most holy, wise, and powerful government of His creatures and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence, Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. John 5.17 God has rested from the works of creation. He does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works, Genesis 2.2, and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence, my father worketh and thy work. His kingdom ruleth over all, Psalm 103 verse 19, that is his providential kingdom. Now, for the clearing of this point, I shall, firstly, show you that there is a providence, secondly, what that providence is, and thirdly, lay down some maxims or propositions concerning the providence of God. Firstly, that there is a providence. There is no such thing as blind fate, but there is a providence that guides and governs this world. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16.33 Secondly, what this providence is, I answered, providence is God's ordering all issues and events of things after the counsel of His will to His own glory. First, I call providence God's ordering things to distinguish it from His decrees. God's decree ordains things that shall fall out. God's providence orders them. Second, I call providence the ordering of things after the counsel of God's will. Third, God orders all events of things after the counsel of His will to His own glory, His glory being the ultimate end of all His actings and the center where all the lines of providence meet. The providence of God is the queen and governess of the world. It is the eye that sees and the hand that turns all the wheels in the universe. God is not like an artificer that builds a house and then leaves it, but like a pilot, he steers the ship of the whole creation. 3. Propositions about God's providence. First, God's providence reaches to all places, persons and occurrences. Firstly, to all places. Am I not a God at hand, and not a God afar off? Jeremiah 23, 23. The diocese where providence visits is very large. It reaches to heaven, earth, and sea. They that go down to the sea see the wonders of God in the deep. Psalm 107, 23, and 24. Now that the sea, which is higher than the earth, should not drown the earth, is a wonder of providence. The prophet Jonah saw the wonders of God in the deep when the very fish which devoured him and swallowed him brought him safe to shore. Second, God's providence reaches to all persons, especially the persons of the godly, who in a special manner are taken notice of. God takes care of every saint in particular as if he had none else to care for. He careth for you. 1 Peter 5, 7. That is the elect in a special manner. The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him to preserve them from death and to keep them alive in famine. Psalm 33, 18 and 19. God, by his providential care, shields off dangers from his people and sets a lifeguard of angels about them. Psalm 34.7 God's providence keeps the very bones of the saints. Psalm 34.20 It bottles their tears. Psalm 56.8 It strengthens the saints in their weakness. Hebrews 11.34 It supplies all their wants out of its alms basket. Psalm 23.5 Thus Providence wonderfully supplies the wants of the elect. When the Protestants in Rochelle were besieged by the French king, God by His providence sent a great number of small fishes to feed them, such as were never seen before in that haven. So the raven, that unnatural creature that will hardly feed its own young, providentially brought sustenance to the prophet Elijah. 1 Kings 17.6 Mary, though bearing and bringing forth the Messiah, helped to make the world rich, yet the mother of our Lord herself was very poor. And now being warned of the angel to go into Egypt, Matthew 2.13, she had scarce enough to bear her charges thither. But see how God provides for her beforehand. By His providence He sends wise men from the east who bring costly gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and present them to Christ. And now she has enough to defray her charges into Egypt. God's children, sometimes scarce, know how they are fed, except that providence feeds them. Verily thou shalt be fed, Psalm 37 3. If God will give his people a kingdom when they die, he will not deny them daily bread while they live. Third, God's providence reaches to all affairs and occurrences in the world. There is nothing that stirs in the world, but God has, by his providence, the overruling of it. Is it the raising of a man to honor? Psalm 75, 7? He puts down one and raises up another. Success and victory in battle is the result of providence. Saul had the victory, but God wrought the salvation. 1 Samuel 11, 13. That among all virgins brought before the king, Esther should find favor in the eyes of the king was not without God's special providence, for by this means the Lord saved the Jews alive that were destined to destruction. Providence reaches to the least of things, to birds and ants. Providence feeds the young raven when the dam forsakes it and will give it no food, Psalm 147, 9. Providence reaches to the very hairs of our head. The hairs of your head are all numbered, Matthew 10, 30. Surely if Providence reaches to our hairs, much more to our souls. Thus you have seen that God's providence reaches to all places, to all persons, to all occurrences and affairs. Now, there are two objections against this doctrine. Some say there are many things done in the world which are very disorderly and irregular. Surely God's providence is not in these things. Yes, the things that seem to us irregular, God makes use of to his own glory. Suppose you were in a smith's shop and should see there several sorts of tools, some crooked, some bowed, others hooked. Would you condemn all these things because they do not look handsome? The smith makes use of them all for doing his work. Thus it is with the providences of God they seem to us to be very crooked and strange, yet they all carry on God's work. I shall make this clear to you in two particular cases. God's people are sometimes low. It seems to be out of order that they who are best should be in the lowest condition, but there is much wisdom in this providence as appears thus. First, because perhaps the hearts of the godly were lifted up with riches or with success, now God comes with a humbling providence to afflict them and fleece them. Better is the loss that makes them humble than the success that makes them proud. Again, second, if the godly were not sometimes afflicted and suffered an eclipse in their outward comforts, how could their graces be seen, especially their faith and patience? If it were always sunshine, we should see no stars. So if we should have always prosperity, it would be hard to see the acting of men's faith. Thus, you see, God's providences are wise and regular, though to us they seem very strange and crooked. Here is another case. the wicked flourish. This seems to be very much out of order, but God in His providence sees good sometimes that the worst of men should be exalted, that they may do some work for God, though it be against their will. Isaiah 10.7 God will be in no man's debt. He makes use of the wicked sometimes to protect and shield His church, and sometimes to refine and purify it. Thou hast ordained them for correction. Habakkuk 1.12 As if the prophet had said thou hast ordained the wicked to correct thy children. Indeed, as Augustine says, as well, we are beholden to wicked men who against their wills do us good. As the corn is beholden to the flail to thresh off the husks, or as the iron is beholden to the file to brighten it, so the godly are beholden to the wicked. though it be against their will, to brighten and refine their graces. Now, then, if the wicked do God's own work, though against their will, He will not let them be losers by it. He will raise them in the world and give them a full cup of earthly comforts. Thus, you see, those providences are wise and regular, which to us seem strange and crooked." This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. It is likely that the sermon or book that you just listened to is also available on cassette or video, or as a printed book or booklet. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, tapes, and videos at great discounts is on the web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by email at swrb at swrb.com, by phone at 780-450-4255, 3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Avenue Edmonton that's E-D-M-O-N-T-O-N Alberta abbreviated capital A capital B Canada T-6-L-3-T-5 you may also request a free printed catalog and remember that John Kelvin in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devise. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God, by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind. As though he had said, That men assume too much wisdom, When they devise what he never required, Nay, what he never knew.