A25294:282
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian catechism in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy labourer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian catechisme in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy laborer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...
London: printed by T. Mabb for Thomas Davies, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Doct. 2. God of his wise purpose and good pleasure created all things, not out of any necessity.
It is gathered from these words; and for or by thy pleasure or will, &c. There be some Philosophers that have said, that all created things do come from God by way of emanation, as little rivulets come and flow from their Fountain. But that which doth proceed in this kind, must be part of that River from whence it flows, which cannot properly be affirmed of things created, if we reflect on God the Creator. Others are of opinion that the universe came from the Creator, even as the form or fashion of him that looketh into a glass passeth from him into the glass. Neither is this fitting to be affirmed, because the universe is in no other subject, as the shape is represented in a glass or mirror. Others have said, that the universe went from God, as a shadow from its body. But this is altogether impertinent, because a shadow goes not out of its body, but follows it by a privation of light, and by reason of the interposition of the opacous or gross body between the light and that place. Others have said, that the universe went forth from the Creator, like […] the footstep is made by the print of the foot of one that walks. But God had nothing without himself, upon which by his walking he could imprint ⟨p. 66⟩such a footstep. All these had a good intention, though they spake not accurately and properly enough. For even as these comparisons are otherwise profitable to raise the mind of man in the contemplation of the eminency and majesty of God the Creator: For they point out the eminency of the Creator to be incomparably greater, than that of the whole universe it self; and the vanity, or at lest littleness of all things, even such as seem greatest in the world, if they be compared with Gods perfection. For they are in respect of God as little streams, or as little droppings are in respect of an ever and over-flowing Fountain, or of the whole Sea; or as a light resemblance of ones feature appearing in a glass, is in respect of the solid substance or party himself, and as dark and vanishing shadows in respect of a most firm body; Lastly, also as the footstep of a man imprinted on the sand, is in respect of the living man himself.