The Seven Days, Meditation 4
A MEDITATION VponUpon the LORDES fourth Dayes Worke.
GOD made the azury Heauens vppon the ſecond Day, and now hee carueth them vppon the fourth Day, and decoreth them with a multitude of Coeleſtiall Lights, as is wonderfulll to beholde ſuch glorious Tortches, ſo infinit in number, and powerfull in operation.
Notwithſtanding Pharoahs daughter brought vp Moſes in the Sciences of the Aegyptians; (and namely, in Aſtronomie, as ſome Writers teſtifie, wherein they with the Caldeans were moſt curious:) Yet the Spirit of God, by his Penne,To auoyde curioſitie. deſcribeth the Starres ſimplie, without any curioſitie. Whereby God would teach vsus to be wiſe, with ſobrietie, and ſearch no deeper in theſe profound actions of God, than it doeth pleaſe him to reueale vntounto vsus; or that may be to his glorie; leſt through our deepe ſearching, our wit be dazeled, and ſo befall vsus as it did to the Aſtronomer, who in a Winter Night, ſearching the Starres, fell into a Well,Similitude. and died. He curiouſly ſeeking the knowledge of the Starres, forgot the Earth: and ſo loſt both Heauen and Earth.
In the TREATISE of the fourth Day, Moſes firſt ſetteth down the creation of the Sunne, Moone, and Starres. Next, the ends for which they were made, which were three. Firſt, for Dominion, the Sunne ſhould rule the Day, & the Moone the Night. Secondly, for Diſtinction, that they might ſeparate the Day from the Night. And thirdlie, to be ſignifications, for ſignes and ſeaſons.
Firſt, hee ſetteth the Sunne in his Tabernacle, who commeth foorth daylie like a Bridgroome,pſal. 19.5 or like a valiant man readie to runne a race. God hath put into the Sunne ſuch beautie, and ſuch wonderful operations, which are but ſparks of that Majeſtie, and wonderfull operation & power which is in himſelfe.The majeſtie which is in the creatures, is but a ſparke of that which is in the Creator. Ezech. 8.16. Ier. 7.18. 2. King. 23 5. The admiration whereof made not only the ignorant Gentiles to adore them as Gods, in conſecrating the dayes of the weeke to the ſeauen Planets: but alſo the ſuperſtitious Iewes did adore the Sunne and Moone, as the King and Queene of Heauen, and did maintaine that they did waile, againſt Ieremie & Ezechiel. I will ſpeake firſt of the Sunne, by Gods helpe, without curioſitie, ſeeking only out thoſe things of him by which wee may praiſe God. I obſerue then in him three things: to wit, his qualities, his courſes, and his defects.
His name is Sol, quaſi ſolus, alone domining ouer the reſt to whom he imparteth his light.Sol, quaſi ſolus. And againe, by the brightneſſe of his appearance, he obſcureth them all.1. The Sunne giueth light
Now, I would yee conſidered, that if a created Sunne containeth ſuch meaſure of light as illuminateth all the world, yea, the Heauen alſo, who will not thinke but Ieſus Chriſt,If one created Sun can giuegive light to all, may not Christ giuegive light vntounto all? who is God himſelfe, Sol juſtitiae, the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, is able to giuegive life and light to all the world, without the helpe of the light of theſe halfepennie Candles, the merits of men? For a thing vnperfect, may be made more perfect by addition, & augmentation; as one Candle by another:Similitude. but a thing perfect is diſgraced by addition, as if yee would bring a pot of water to the Sea, or light a Candle to the Sunne,Thinges perfect are diſgraced by addition. or breath in the Aire: So to augment or adde any thing to him, is to diſhonour him, and pulleth his glorie from him, as though hee were not ſufficient. I am the Lord (ſaith he) and none beſides me. And againe, if the Starres dare not appeare before the Sunne, what madneſſe is it to preſent the filthie, and menſtruous clouts of mens merits before God,Iob 4.18. who did finde follie in his Angels? and the Heauen it ſelfe is not cleane before him.
2. The Sunne giueth life.The other qualitie of the Sunne is hote, by which he reuiueth, quikneth, and comforteth all the inferiour creatures, by his comming to the Earth in Sommer.Pſal. 19.6 By his remouing they are, as it were, comfortleſſe and dead. So Chriſt is both the light and life of the world, by whom wee hauehave not only our naturall beeing, but alſo the life of our ſoules. I am the Way, the Life, and the Trueth,Iohn. 14.6 ſayeth hee. So that without him there is nothing but death. Therefore, as wee ſee light and heate in the Sunne,Light and heate together. let vsus followe theſe two qualities of the Sunne, that we hauehave light and heate, ſaith and louelove. And as the High-prieſt carried in his Ephod his Vrim,Simil. Ex. 28.30. and his Thummim: that is, Illumination and Perfection: So ſhould all Chriſtians hauehave the true knowledge of God, and faith working by louelove.
As for the courſe of the Sunne, he is in continuall courſe,The courſe of the Sun. without interruption, ſince his creation, (But in the dayes of Ioſhua, when he ſtood, and in the dayes of Ezekiah, Ioſh. 10.12 2. king. 20.2.when he ſtayed his courſe, & came backe ten degrees.) By which his conſtant courſe, we are taught to runne forward in that good race of Chriſtianity, without wearying:Learne at the Sunne to run a conſtant courſe NOTA. and we muſt ſtay neuer, except it be to ſee the exterminion of Gods enemies, and turne backe, vnleſſe it be from ſinne, to Gods obedience.
The courſe of the Sunne is through the Zodiacke, which deuydeth the Aequinoctiall in two equall parts; the one halfe to the North, the other halfe to the South, painted vnderunder the figures of Beaſts the twelue ſignes coeleſtiall, the Lyon, Bull, Ramme, &c. It is called Zodiacke from the word foreign,What the Zodiacke is a Beaſt.
The Sunne in his courſe paſſeth monethly through one of theſe twelue ſignes, whereby he compleateth his courſe in twelue moneths. He knowes his apointed times giuen him by God,Pſ. 104.19 which he tranſgreſſeth neuer. He ariſeth dayly in his proper time to giuegive light to vsus: let vsus then riſe earlie out of the bed of ſinne,Simil. It riſeth early let vsus riſe earlie from ſinne. that as he goeth forward euerie houre of the day in light, ſo wee may goe after him, to doe the works of light, which God hath commanded vsus. This way made Dauid his Progreſſe at Morning, Noonetide, and at Euen, & in the Night: he aroſe with the Sunne, & went forward, and when he ſate, he ended with the praiſing of God.
Ordinarie defectes of the Sonne.His defects are ſome ordinarie, by the in…erpoſition of the Moone betwixt him and the Earth; which are rare, and ſometimes prodigious, preſaging the eclipſing, and death of ſome rare Prince: as the eclipſe in the yeere of God 1596. preſaged the death of the moſt Chriſtian King HENRIE the fourth of FRANCE:HENRIE, the Pearle of France. Prince Henrie, of Britane. and the eclipſe of the Sunne the yeere 1612. wherein that excellent Prince HENRIE, the Prince of Great BRITANE, the Pearle of the World, died, and was remooued, to all our griefes.
Some defectes are extraordinarie, as that which was at the death of Chriſt, for the ſpace of three houres:Extraordinarie defects. of the which Dionyſius Areopagita ſayde, Aut Deus Naturae patitur, aut Mundi machina diſſolvitur: that is, Either the God of Nature is ſuffering, or elſe the Worlde is diſſoluing.
The Moone is compared to the Church, as the Sunne is to Chriſt.The Moone This is a prodigious thing, whē the Church, which ſhoulde bee the light of the darkſome worlde, ſhee goeth betwixt Chriſt and vsus, and hideth his beautifull face from vsus: the which truelie the Church of Rome hath done manie yeeres. The Lord let her ſee, howe ſhee hath beene the cauſe of that great Ignorance, wherin our fore-fathers were plunged for a long ſeaſon: yea, ſhee ſtill hath a deſire to nouriſh Darkneſſe, and calleth Ignorance the Mother of Deuotion.
The Moone is the other great light, but inferior to the Sunne: firſt, in place: ſecondly, in qualitie: thirdly, in light, becauſe it hath leſſe light than the Sunne: and ſome doe thinke, that ſhee borroweth her light from the Sunne. Fourthly, in honour, for ſhe gouerneth the Night, but not the Day. And fiftly, in that the Sunne is conſtant, ſhee mutable: hee hote, ſhee colde: hee dry, and ſhee moyſt.
As the Sunne doth repreſent Chriſt, ſo doth the Moone the Church, which ſhines in the dark night of this world,The comparation of the Moone, with the Church. being ruled by Chriſt, who can rule and gouerne his Light. When the Moone is in the point neareſt the Sun, then her light is darkened, and hidde from the worlde, and ſhee is in her change.NOTA. But when ſhee is fartheſt from the Sunne, then ſhee is in her greateſt perfection;The Moone the nearer the Sun, the leſſer light: the Church the nearer Christ, the greater. farre differing from Chriſt and his Church: For when the Church is neareſt Chriſt, then ſhee ſhineth in her perfect glorie: and ſhee decreaſſeth, when ſhee flieth fartheſt off from him. But heerein ſhee reſembleth the Church, for that part of the Moone which is toward the Sunne, is euer illuminated, the reſt of her bodie being darkned:The Church as farre as ſhee looketh to Christ, is light. ſo likewiſe the Church, ſo farre as ſhee looketh to Chriſt, the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, ſhee is light in the Lord: but ſo farre as ſhee is turned from him, ſhee is nothing but darkneſſe.
The Eclipſe of the Moone happeneth when the Earth is interponed betwixt her and the Sunne.Eclipſe of the Moone, And ſo the duplicate page duplicate page Church of Chriſt (alace) ſuffereth this Eclipſe, when the earthlie cares of this life goe betwixt Chriſt & her: whereby it doeth come to paſſe, that the world is ſpoyled of light: as we ſee in the Romiſh Church, which was ſo long glorious, as in her Martyrdome ſhe contemned the world: but after, when ſhe enjoyed peace, and was promoted to honour and wealth, ſhe became earthlie minded, and her Godlineſſe was ſoone turned into Greedineſſe.
The Starrs.As for the reſt of the Starres, they are innumerable, and yet I will affirme, that there is not one of them which is ydle, but hath a ſpeciall vſe for which it was created: For as in the Earth the Lord made nothing in vaine; for hee ſawe, that whatſoeuer hee did, it was good. Then, if it was good,Gen. 1.10. it behoued to ſerue for ſome good vſe. So in the Heauens likewiſe hee ſaw that all was good.
Some fixed.For the Starres, there be ſome fixed, as their name, Stella, à ſtando, beareth. So wee ſhould ſtudie to bee fixed Starres in the right hand of CHRIST.Rev. 1.16 & 20. Some of theſe are remarkable, whereof GOD himſelfe ſpeaketh vntounto Iob: as the Hyades, Iob 9.9.38 3.Pletades, and Orion.
The Planets hauehave their name from erring, for ſo foreign doeth ſignifie:Some Planets. but each one of them hath a ſeuerall office, and compleateth his courſe in his appointed time, as the Sunne and Moone doe, and hauehave their particular operations vponupon the inferiour creatures.
As for the Comets, they take their name from foreign,Comets. which is called the haire, becauſe they ſeeme to carrie as it were haire about them: of whom Plinius maketh mention in his ſecond Booke of his naturall hiſtorie, and twentie fiue Chapter.
The ends of their creation. Simil.As for the ends of their creation: Firſt, the Sunne was created to rule the Day, & the Moone the Night. So this darke and blinde world is ruled by the light of Chriſt, and of his Church, which is illuminated and directed by him. But I maruell how the Church of Rome can call her ſelfe the Sunne, and the Princes of the world the Moone: for if ſhe be the Spouſe of Chriſt, then muſt ſhe be the Moone, of whom is ſpoken in the Scripture, and Chriſt muſt be her Sunne. So, in compariſon of her, the ſecular perſons are the Earth.
I maruell likewiſe of theſe (againſt whom Ieremie and the reſt of the Prophets ſo oft ſpeaketh) who thinke, that their life, and the events thereof, ſtill depend vponupon the Starres, or Plannets: which is a manifeſt idolatrie, putting them in Gods place.NOTA.
But let vsus learne that the ſuperiour creatures hauehave ſo power ouer the inferriour bodies, that wee leaue all the euent of them to God,Againſt the curioſitie in ſearching our euents. 1. Sam. 28.18. the maker and guider of all: & let vsus ſeeke his fauour, & depende on his prouidence, without any curious ſearching of our euent, leſt wee receiue the anſwere of Saul.
A PRAYER, VponUpon the LORDES fourth Dayes Worke.
GRACIOVS GOD, and mercifull Father, who haſt filled the Heauens with ſuch infinite Lightes vponupon this fourth Day, inlighten mine vnderſtanding, I beſeech thee, that I may ſee thy power, and thy glorie, in theſe thy good creatures: and through them, as through ſpectacles, let me look in to the Father of Lights.
Thou haſt created the Sunne, who by his beautie and bountie hath adorned the whole Earth:As the Sun ſhineth on the bodie, pray that Chriſt may ſhine on the ſoule. hee ariſeth each morning on my bodie; ſo I pray thee, that the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, the Sunne Ieſus Chriſt, may ſhine vponupon my darkened minde euerie daye and houre, and chaſe away the cloudes of ignorance, and of ſinne, from my ſoule, that thou mayeſt ſhine brightly in me. Woe is mee, my Lord, howe manie times hath the Sunne ſhined vponupon mee? and as Abſolom before the Sunne committed wickedneſſe;2. Sam. 16 22. ſo I before the Sunne, in the pride of my wicked heart, hauehave often times ſinned againſt thee, O my Father: and therefore I confeſſe that I am not woorthie that the Sunne ſhould ſhine vponupon mee. O Lord Ieſu, ſpreade thy Mantle ouer mee, that thy Father beholde not my wickedneſſe. Thou putteſt light in the Sunne, that hee may ſhine: therefore, Lord, put knowledge and vnderſtanding in mee. Thou haſt put hotneſſe in the Sunne: Oh, warme mine hart with thy louelove; that through the louelove I beare to thee, I may alſo breake foorth in the louelove of my Neighboures. And as the Sunne runneth conſtantlie in his courſe at thy commaundement; ſo, Lord, let mee run all my dayes in the path of thy Law: for hitherto I hauehave run as a wylde Aſſe, in the broade way of deſtruction: yea, I brayed after the deſires of ſinne,pſal. 42.1. as the Hart doeth after the Riuers of Waters: and nothing could hauehave ſatisfied mee, vnleſſe I had obtained my ſinfull deſire.
Now, Lord, hauehave merciemercy vponupon me: draw my feet out of the vnhappie way of ſinne, & let me runne with as ſpeedie a courſe in the way of thy ſeruice;Let vsus bee more diligēt to ſerue God, than wee were before to ſin against him. that as Sainct Paul thy ſeruaunt was more diligent in thy employment, than he was in the deſtruction of thy Church, ſo I may be more buſied in thy honourable ſeruice, than I was in ſeruing mine owne affections, and in the ſeruice of Sathan. Alace, O Lord, howe ſlow am I to doe thy ſeruice? But if thou wilt drawe mee, I will run after thee. Oh, drawe mee by the Cordes of thy louelove:Cantic. 1.3 yea, rather than I ſhould lie behinde, force mee with the Cordes and Whippes of thy viſitation; that I may learne to runne a quicker & ſwifter pace than I hauehave done heeretofore. But alace,NOTA. that the Sunne, which is a ſenſeleſſe creature, ſhould neuer bee wearie; and that I ſhould ſo ſoone bee tyred in ſeruing of thee.The Sunne conſtant in its courſe. O louing Father, ſtirre vp a conſtant zeale of thine honour in mine heart, I beſeech thee; that as I goe forwarde in yeeres, ſo I may make greater progreſſe in godlineſſe.
O LORD, when I ſee the Sunne and the Moone, and the Starres, &c. which are the workes of thine owne hands, O, then I thinke with my ſelfe, What is Man, that thou ſhouldeſt viſit him? or the ſonne of man, that thou ſhouldeſt magnifie him? For albeit the Sunne were in the higheſt top of its beautie & glorie, yet it is but my ſeruant, and likewiſe the Moone,The Sunne ſerueth vsus: let vsus ſerue GOD. and the Starres. Then fye vponupon mee, if I ſhall not, in whatſoeuer eſtate I am, ſerue thee, O my gracious God, who haſt made ſo glorious creatures for my vſe.
LORD, I pray thee, let my light ſo ſhine before men, that all who beholde my conuerſation may take occaſion to glorifie thine holie Name.
O Father of Lightes, lighten thou my Candle, that it may ſhine clearelie; and furniſh it with the Oyle of thine holie Spirite and Worde, that it may ſhine euen as a bright Morning Starre in thy Kingdome. Thy ſeruant Paul, O Lord,1. Cor. 15.41. ſayeth, that there is one glorie of the Sunne, and another of the Moone, and another of the Starres. It is true, there is great diuerſitie amongſt the Sainctes heere on Earth, and likewiſe great difference of glorie in the Life to come: But, O my God, let mee ſhine but as the leaſt of thy Starres, that I may bee fixed in thy Firmament, and giuegive out my light of knowledge and good life vntounto this darke Age.
The Moone knoweth the time of her change; and as ſhee changeth, ſo doe all the inferior creatures with her: for all men are graſſe, and there is no ſteadfaſt abiding for them heere. But, O Lord, heerein is my comfort,The Moone changeth, but God can not change. Pſ. 90.….6 Pſal. 90.2. Luke, 1.5. that there is no ſhadowe of changing with thee: Thou art from euerlaſting to euerlaſting: yea, my God, thy kindneſſe and trueth, abideth from generation to generation, euen vntounto ſuch as feare thee, and attende vponupon thy mercies and goodneſſe.
O vnchangeable God, I finde none alteration with thee: for although men runne farre from mee, yea, albeit mine owne kinſmen ſtand aloofe, and my father and my mother forſake mee; yet thou, O Lord, draweſt neare vntounto me, & immediatelie makeſt me feele thine helpe at hande, in my greateſt tribulations.
O Lord, ſuffer mee neuer to change from thee: but giuegive mee thy conſtant Spirit, I beſeech thee; that in all the cares of my life, both in wealth and in woe, I may depende vponupon thee, ſerue thee, & rejoyce in thee, the onlie comfort of my ſoule; that I bee not like a wandering Planet, but a fixed Starre, honouring thine holie Name in this Wilderneſſe, that afterwardes I may ſhine with the reſt of thy glorious Starres and holie Angels in the eternal Firmament of thy Kingdome.
Amen.