CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Obs. That the world was not from Eternity, but had its beginning in time; The Sun and Stars though such glorious creatures, yet began to be in time, yea,¹ those glorious Angels, which have no principle of corruption within them, they were also made in time, although it was the general opinion of most of the Ancients, that the Angels were made long before this visible and corporeal world, but that is not so consonant to Scripture.

1. 1Observ. That the world was not from Eternity.

For the proof of this Point we might allege the first Chapter of Genesis, ¹where there is not only a relation of the worlds Creation, but an exact description of the manner how, and also all the effects of this Creation, so that that Chapter hath more divinity and philosophy in it then all the books of the wisest Heathens put together, and indeed whatsoever the Heathens have of Antiquity they have it from Moses, though they have added thereunto many foolish Fables; I shall add one pregnant Text to confirm this, Heb. 11.3. where the Apostle intending to commend faith in all the several effects of it, begins with this as the foundation, By faith we understand the worlds were made; There is much spoken by the Apostle in few words, 1. He saith, By faith we understand the world was made, for howsoever some Philosophers held the world was not from Eternity, yet those that did hold it was made, did grossly and foolishly mistake about the manner of it, and though by true Philosophy we may prove the world could not be from Eternity, yet the Word of God affirming this is the best Argument; Therefore faith is better then all reason and philosophy in this matter: Again he saith, By faith we understand, [Greek or Hebrew], so that you see Faith hath knowledge in it, and is not as the Papists would have it to be defined ⟨p. 156⟩