s that the matter of which
the universe is composed was produced out of nothing by the power of
the Almighty, but leaves the time altogether indefinite. The
subsequent verses of that chapter give an account of the successive
process by which the Eternal, in the space of six days, reduced the
pre-existing matter to its present form, and gave being to the
plants and animals now in existence. This explanation, which leaves
room for a long succession of geological events before the creation
of the existing races, seems now to be the generally received mode
of reconciling geological discoveries with the Mosaic account of the
creation.

5. That all things were created very good. Everything was good; for
it was agreeable to the model which the great Architect had formed
in his infinite mind from everlasting; it answered exactly the end
of its creation, and was adapted to the purpose for which it was
designed.

6. That God made all things for the manifestation of his own glory.
"The Lord has made all things for himself," for the manifestation of
his infinite perfections; and all his works proclaim his almighty
power, his unbounded goodness, and his unsearchable wisdom. His
glory shines in every part of the material universe; but it would
have shined in vain, if there had been no creature to contemplate it
with an eye of intelligence, and celebrate the praises of the
omnipotent Creator. Man, therefore, was introduced into the
habitation which had been prepared for him, and of his creation the
next section gives an account.

SECTION 2. After God had made all other creatures, he created man,
male and female, with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with
knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image,
having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfill
it; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the
liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change. Besides
this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they
kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion
over the creatures.

Exposition of 4.2

Man was formed after God had made all other creatures; and this
strongly marks the dignity of his character, and the exuberant
bounty of his Creator. Before he was brought into existence, the
earth, which was designed for his temporary residence, was
completely prepared, and amply furnished for his reception. God
created man, male end female,—one man and one woman,—man out of the
dust of the ground, and woman out of a rib taken from man's side. It
should seem that of the rest of the creatures God made many couples,
but of man he made only one; and from this Christ brings an argument
against divorce.—Malachi 2:15; Matthew 19:4, 6. Man is a compound
existence, made up of two great parts, a soul and a body. His body,
though formed of mean materials, is a piece of exquisite
workmanship; but his soul is the noblest part of his nature. By his
soul he is allied to God and angels; by his body, to the beasts that
perish, and to the dust under his feet.

Man was originally created after the image of God. This could not
consist in a participation of the divine essence; for that is
incommunicable to any creature. Neither did it consist in his
external form; for God, having no bodily parts could not be
represented by any material resemblance. The image of God consisted
partly in the spirituality of the soul of man. God is a spirit,—an
immaterial and immortal being. The soul of man also is a spirit,
though infinitely inferior to the Father of spirits. Thus, in
immateriality and immortality the soul of man bears a resemblance to
God. The image of God in man likewise consisted in the dominion
assigned to him over the creatures, in respect of which he was the
representative and viceregent of God upon earth. God is the blessed
and only potentate, and he gave to man a delegated sovereignty over
the inferior creatures. He was constituted the ruler of this lower
world, and all the creatures were inspired with respect for him, and
submitted to his government. But the image of God in man principally
consisted in his conformity to the moral perfections of God, or in
the complete rectitude of his nature. From two passages in the New
Testament, it appears that the image of God, after which man was at
first created, and to which he is restored by the Holy Spirit,
consists in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness.—Ephesians 4:24;
Colossians 3:10. Man had knowledge in his understanding,
righteousness in his will, and holiness in his affections. His
understanding was illuminated with all necessary knowledge. He knew
God and his will; he knew himself, his relations to God, his duty to
him, and his dependence upon him. That he had also an extensive and
accurate knowledge of natural objects, may be inferred from his
giving distinctive names to the inferior creatures when they passed
in review before him. His will was in conformity to the will of God.
As he knew his duty, so he was fully disposed to the performance of
it. And his affections were holy and pure; they were placed upon
proper objects, and exercised in a regular manner. There was then no
need that the moral law should be written on tables of stone, for it
was engraved on the heart of man in fair and legible characters. He
had likewise sufficient ability to fulfill it; but his will was
entirely free to act according to his original light and holy
inclinations, or to turn aside to evil. Besides the natural law
written on the hearts of our first parents, they received a command
not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This
prohibition, with the penalty annexed, will come under our notice in
a subsequent chapter; and at present we only remark, that while our
first parents retained their original integrity, and obeyed the
positive command which God had imposed upon them, they were
supremely happy. The garden in which they were placed furnished them
with every external comfort; they were called to engage in easy and
delightful employments; they were exempted from the least degree of
languor and of pain; they knew no guilt; they felt no shame; they
were strangers to fear; and no angry passions disturbed their souls.
But their happiness chiefly consisted in the favor of God, and in
the intimate fellowship with him to which they were admitted. What
an illustrious creature was man when he came from the hand of his
Maker! But how sadly changed now! "God made man upright; but they
have sought out many inventions."



5. Of Providence

SECTION 1. God, the great Creator of all things, does uphold,
direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from
the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy
providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free
and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of
his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

Exposition of 5.1

In opposition to Fatalists and others, who maintain that, in the
original constitution of the universe, God gave to the material
creation physical, and to the intelligent creation moral laws, by
which they are sustained and governed, independently of his
continued influence; this section teaches that there is a
providence, by which God, the great Creator of all things, upholds
and governs them all; and that this providence extends to all
creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least.

1. That there is a providence may be inferred from the nature and
perfections of God; from the dependent nature of the creatures; from
the continued order and harmony visible in all parts of the
universe; from the remarkable judgments that have been inflicted on
wicked men, and the signal deliverances that have been granted to
the Church and people of God; and from the prediction of future
events, and their exact fulfillment. In the Bible, the providence of
God is everywhere asserted. "His kingdom rules over all," and he
"works all things after the counsel of his own will." Psalm 103:19;
Ephesians 1:11.

Two things are included in the notion of providence,—the
preservation and the government of all things. God preserves all
things by continuing or upholding them in existence. The Scripture
explicitly asserts, that "he upholds all things by the word of his
power," and that "by him all things consist." Hebrews 1:3;
Colossians 1:17. He preserves the different species of creatures,
and sustains the several creatures in their individual beings; hence
he is called "the Preserver of man and beast." Job. 7:20; Psalm
36:6. God governs all things by directing and disposing them to the
end for which he designed them. "Our God is in the heavens, he has
done whatever he pleased." Psalm 115:3. "He does according to his
will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth:
and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What do thou?"—Daniel
4:35. The government of God may be considered in a twofold
view,—natural and moral. This twofold view of his government arises
from the two general classes of creatures which are the objects of
it. The irrational and inanimate creatures are the subjects of his
natural government. The rational part of the creation, or those
creatures who are the fit subjects of moral law, as angels and men,
are the subjects of his moral government.

2. The providence of God extends to all creatures, actions, and
things, from the greatest even to the least. "Some," says Dr. Dick,
"maintain only a general providence, which consists in upholding
certain general laws, and exclaim against the idea of a particular
providence, which takes a concern in individuals and their affairs.
It is strange that the latter opinion should be adopted by any
person who professes to bow to the authority of Scripture,—which
declares that a sparrow does not fall to the ground without the
knowledge of our heavenly Father, and that the hairs of our head are
all numbered,—or by any man who has calmly listened to the dictates
of reason. If God has certain designs to accomplish with respect to,
or by means of, his intelligent creatures, I should wish to know how
his intention can be fulfilled without particular attention to their
circumstances, their movements, and all the events of their life?
How can a whole be taken care of without taking care of its parts;
or a species be preserved if the individuals are neglected?"

The providence of God extends to the inanimate creation. He who
fixed the laws of nature, still continues or suspends their
operation according to his pleasure; they are dependent on his
continued influence, and subject to his control; and to assert the
contrary would be to assign to the laws of nature that independence
which belongs to God alone.—Psalm 119:91; 104:14; Job 38:31–38. The
providence of God likewise reaches to the whole animal creation.
"The beasts of the forest are his, and the cattle upon a thousand
hills." They are all his creatures, and the subjects of his
providence.—Psalm 104:27, 28. Angels, too, are the subjects of God's
providence. The good angels are ever ready to obey his will, and are
employed by him in ministering, in various ways, to the saints on
earth.—Hebrews 1:14. The evil angels are subject to his control, and
can do no mischief without his permission.—Job. 1:12. The providence
of God also extends to all human affairs; the affairs of nations are
under his guidance and control. "He increases the nations, and
destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again. He
leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty." Job 12:19,
23. This the humbled monarch of Babylon was taught by painful
experience, and was constrained to acknowledge "that the Most High
rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will."
Daniel 4:25. The providence of God is also to be recognized in the
affairs of families. "God sets the solitary in families,"—"he sets
the poor on high from affliction, and makes him families like a
flock; again they are diminished and brought low, through
oppression, affliction, and sorrow." Psalm 68:6; 107:39, 41. The
providence of God likewise extends to individuals, and to their
minutest concerns. The birth of each individual, the length of his
days, and all the events of his life, are regulated and
superintended by the most wise and holy providence of God.—Acts
17:28; Job 14:5.

"As the doctrine of a particular providence is agreeable both to
Scripture and to reason, so it is recommended by its obvious
tendency to promote the piety and the consolation of mankind. To a
God who governed the world solely by general laws, we might have
looked up with reverence, but not with the confidence, and
gratitude, and hope, which arise from the belief that he
superintends its minutest affairs. The thought that he 'compasses
our paths and is acquainted with all our ways;' that he watches our
steps, and orders all the events in our lot; guides and protects us,
and supplies our wants, as it were, with his own hand; this thought
awakens a train of sentiments and feelings highly favorable to
devotion, and sheds a cheering light upon the path of life. We
consider him as our Guardian and our Father; and, reposing upon his
care, we are assured that, if we trust in him, no evil shall befall
us, and no real blessing shall be withheld."

SECTION 2. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of
God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and
infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he orders them to fall out
according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily,
freely, or contingently.

Exposition of 5.2

Since all things were known to God from the beginning of the world,
and come to pass according to the immutable counsel of his will, it
necessarily follows that, in respect of the foreknowledge and decree
of God, all things come to pass infallibly. But, by his providence,
he orders them to fall out according to the nature of second causes.
Every part of the material world has an immediate dependence on the
will and power of God, in respect of every motion and operation, as
well as in respect of continued existence; but he governs the
material world by certain physical laws,—commonly called the laws of
nature, and in Scripture the ordinances of Heaven,—and agreeably to
these laws, so far as relates to second causes, certain effects
uniformly and necessarily follow certain causes. The providence of
God is also concerned about the volitions and actions of intelligent
creatures; but his providential influence is not destructive of
their rational liberty, for they are under no compulsion, but act
freely; and all the liberty which can belong to rational creatures
is that of acting according to their inclinations. Though there is
no event contingent with respect to God, "who declares the end from
the beginning, and from ancient times the things which are not yet
done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure;" yet many events are contingent or accidental with regard
to us, and a