A Golden Chain

Now follows the Creation, which is nothing else but a work of the blessed Trinity, forming and framing his creatures which were not before, and that of nothing. The points to be known concerning the creation are many. The first is, the thing by which God did begin and finish the creation. And we must understand, that at the first God made all things, without any instrument or means, and not as men do which bring to pass their business by servants and helps; but only by his word and commandment: as the Psalmist saith, ⟨p. 221⟩He commanded, and all things were made. ¹In the beginning God said, Let there be light, and there was light: and by the same means was the creation of every creature following. The very power of the word &commandment of God was such, as by it that thing was made and had a being, which before was not. It may be demanded, what word this was by which God is said to make all things. Answ. The word of God in Scripture is taken three ways: for the substantial word, for the sounding or written word, for the operative or powerful word. The substantial word, is the second person begotten of the substance of the father. Now howsoever it be true, that God the father did create all things by his word, that is, by his Son: yet doth it not seem to be true that by these words [God said, let there be, this or that] that the Son is meant. For that word which God gave out in the creation was in time, whereas the Son is the word of the father before all times: and again, it is a word common to the three persons equally, whereas the Son is the word of the father only. Furthermore, it is not like that it was any sounding word standing of letters and syllables, and uttered to the creatures after the usual manner of men, that was the cause of them:² it remains therefore that all things were made by the operative word, which is nothing but the pleasure, will, and appointment of God, and is more powerful to bring a thing to pass then all the means in the world beside. For Gods willing of any thing is his effecting and doing of it. And this is proved by David, when he saith, He spake the word, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created. Hence we must take out a special lesson, needful to be learned of every man.

Now follows the Creation, which is nothing else but a worke of the blessed Trinitie, forming and framing his creatures which were not before, and that of nothing. The points to be knowne concerning the creation are many. The first is, the thing by which God did beginne and finish the creation. And we must vnderstand, that at the first God made all things, without any instrumēt or meanes, and not as men doe which bring to passe their busines by seruants and helps; but onely by his word and commandement: as the Psalmist saith,