The Seven Days, Meditation 3
A MEDITATION, VponUpon the LORDES thirde Dayes Werke.
IN the Creation of the third Day, there bee two principall thinges to bee obſerued: Firſt, The manner of the Creation, by ſeparation of the Waters; whereby were created two Elementes, the Water, and the Earth. Next, The Bleſſing of GOD.
Since there is no difficultie in the wordes, I will obſerue foure thinges.
Firſt, That ſo long as thoſe two Elementes were in the confuſed Chaos, ſo long they were both vnprofitable, and each one hindered other: but aſſoone as they were ſeparated,Confuſion is vnprofitable. they were both fruitfull: Euen ſo is it yet, where Anarchie hath place, either in Church or Policie, there ſhall bee no Bleſſing in neither of them: But happie is that Church and Common-wealth, where all thinges are ruled by order, and no place is left to confuſion.
Gods bleſſing inricheth.Next, the Earth was created barren. God ſpake the worde, and it fructified. If this was the eſtate thereof before Sinne, howe much leſſe nowe, beeing ſubject to a curſe, will it bring foorth anie good thing, without GODS Bleſſing?
God prouided for his creatures before they were.Thirdlie, yee ſee that God bleſſed it with Cornes, Trees, and Fruites, for the ſuſtenance of Man; and Graſſe for Beaſtes, before he made anie of them. He prouideth the Milke in the Breaſt of the Woman, as a liuelie fountaine, before the Childe be borne. Then, if he was ſo prouident before Man was made, will he neglect vsus,Much more when they are. when wee are made to his owne Image? Let vsus ſeeke him truelie, and doubt not.
Fourthlie, there is a treaſure, which God hath hidden in the Earth for Man; Golde and Siluer, to inrich him: Coales, Wood, and other firing, for his heate: Stones for his Building, &c. and on the face of the Earth,Gods hidden treaſures ſhould prouoke vsus to thankefulneſſe. Cornes, Hearbes, Trees, Wines, Oyles, and varietie of crearures, both for his pleaſure and profit. When wee behold daylie theſe good benefits, let vsus be drawne, by each one of them, to thankfulneſſe of our Creator: Let vsus ſeeke the right vſe of them, that wee ſpende them not vponupon ſinne.
Finallie, by theſe earthlie bleſſings, call to minde the ſpirituall Riches,Seeke ſpiritual riches. and Foode of our ſoules; that wee may not labour for the foode that periſheth, but for that Foode which doth endure for euer.Iohn 6.27
A PRAYER, VponUpon the LORDES thirde Dayes Worke.
ETernall God, and moſt louing Father, as thou increaſedſt this thy hudge workmanſhip of the Worlde, and haſt created the Earth vponupon this third Day; ſo I beſeech thee to increaſe thy Spirit within me, and create in my barren, colde, and earthly heart, fruitfull conſiderations, to thy Majeſties Glorie.
O Lord, as thou preparedſt in the ſeconde Daye the Heauens, to bee the Citie of our remaining; ſo haſt thou ordained and eſtabliſhed the Earth, to bee the place of our Pilgrimage and wandering: as the people of Iſrael were in the Wilderneſſe fourtie yeares before they came to the land of Promiſe.Similitude. Yet, O Lord, the Earth is thine, and the fulneſſe thereof. There is no conſtant abiding to me in this Earth, I lodge heere in tents: I wander now heere, now there: helpe me, poore Pilgrime, in this deſart place, that I may finde thee a Pillar of Cloude in the day to couer me,Exod. 13.21.22. and a Pillar of fire in the night, and darkneſſe of this world, to illuminate me, to ſee the way to Canaa…. Thou openedſt a fountaine to Hagar, the Bond-woman, and her childe,Gen. 21.19 when they were ſteruing for thirſt. I am not the childe of the Bond-woman, but of the free-woman. Open the fountaine of the Houſe of Dauid, and giuegive me of the water of life, and ſatisfie my ſoule with the fatneſſe of thine houſe.Ezech. 13.1. Iohn. 7.38 Pſa. 39.12 I am a Stranger heere on Earth, as my Fathers were before me. Let me not walke then as a ſtranger among the Philiſtims, and Babilonians. If I were a citizen, and a man of their owne,Ioh. 15.19 they would louelove me: But becauſe I am not of them, neither follow them, nor their manners, therefore they hate me. My Mothers ſonnes, and familiar friends count me a ſtranger: they ſtand farre from me,Pſal. 69.8 in the day of trouble. Draw thou nigh vntounto me, when they goe farre from me.Iob 19.14 Wilt thou leaue a poore Suckling, to die him alone in this wilderneſſe? Though my Father and Mother forſake me, yet thou wilt gather mee vp. I am a Widow, for my Lord and Husband is with thee.Pſa. 27.10 I am his Turtle Doue, lamenting mine alone, till I ſee him. Bring me thorow the ſtraits of this Pilgrimage.Pſal. 42.7 I ſteppe out of one deepe to another: I goe through Fire & Water; carie me therefore from ſtrength to ſtrēgth,Pſal. 84, 7 till I appeare before God in Sion. There are heere innumberable wylde Beaſtes, young Lyons, and fyrie Serpents, to ſting me: but I looke to thy Ieſus, that Serpent of Braſſe,Men in danger of the ſerpents of this world. Iohn 3.14 Of the thornie cares of this worlde. Of the tentations of Sathan: mouing to deſperation, or preſumptiō. Similitude. 2. Sam. 3.39. who was erected vponupon the Tree of the Croſſe, that he might cure & remede me. And again, I walke vponupon Thornes, euen the thornie cares of this earth; eueryevery morning mine heart is vexed and pricked with them. They vnquiet me, ſo that they diſturbe that peace which my ſoule ſhoulde hauehave with my God. And whiles I am ſcarce fred of theſe thoughts, Sathan, with the temptation of ſinne, aſſaulteth mee: hee buffetteth mee, hee ſetteth my ſinne in order before me, and letteth mee ſee in a Glaſſe my whole iniquities. O Lord, bee mine helper, my comforter, and a ſtrong Tower vntounto mee: for the ſonnes of Zerviah are too ſtrong for mee: but I will not feare them, if thou bee with mee. Thy Rod, and Shepheardes Staffe,Pſal. 23.4. will comfort mee, though I were walking through the ſhadowe of darkneſſe, and in the valley of death.
But, O Lord, I hauehave yet farther to complaine, that when I hauehave eſcaped theſe ſtormie tempeſtes, and waues, which inuaded me vponupon the left hand, then Sathan riſeth vp on my right hand, as an Angell of light, and taketh mee vp to the Mountaine, and offereth mee Riches, Honoures, Pleaſures, &c. if I will walke in his wayes, and worſhip him;Luke 4.6. as hee did vntounto Chriſt Ieſus. Lord, let mee not taſte of theſe Delicates, or of the poyſonable Cuppe of ſinne. Let mee not bee allured with the fruites of ſinne, albeit they preſent-faire thinges. Let mee not run as a fooliſh Fiſh vponupon the alluring baite of vnrighteouſneſſe.Similitude. I am more contented through pouertie,2. Cor. 6.8. and reproaches, through a good report, and an euill report, to walke in this Earth in a good conſcience, with thy fauour, than to poſſeſſe all the Treaſures of Babel, and to hauehave the loſſe of thy countenance. Let the Earth bee ſoure vntounto mee, that the Heauens may bee ſweete to mee. Although the Earth ſmyle vponupon mee, vet it is but the ſmyle of mine enemie. But albeit thou wouldeſt caſt down thy coūtenance vpō me, yet it is the downe-looking of my Father, who will gladden my ſoule at laſt.
O my God, thou haſt commaunded the Earth (which of its owne nature is dry and barren) to yeelde Foode for my neceſſitie. Thou haſt commaunded mee to craue my daylie Bread at thine hand, with a promiſe, that if I aſke,Mat. 6.11. Matt. 7.7. it ſhall bee giuen mee. Therefore, O Father, giuegive, I beſeech thee, a bleſſing to the Earth, and my labours therein, that I may proſper. GiueGive mee ſuch a meaſure of thy creatures, whereby I may not bee chargeable, but rather helpfull vntounto others. Thou diddeſt feede thy People with the MANNA in the Deſart,Ex. 16.13 & 17.6. 1. King. 17 4.9 and broughteſt them the Water out of the Rocke. Thou fedſt Eliah by the Rauen; and likewiſe the Widow of Sareptah, by thy ſecret bleſſing O Lord of Hoſtes, thou art no leſſe carefull of thy people whom thou haſt redeemed by thy Sonnes bloode, than thou waſt of the ſeede of Abraham thy ſeruant.Hoſ. 2.19 Sende therefore, to the Earth the firſt raine. Marrie me to thee in merciemercy and compaſſion, that thou mayeſt heare the Heauens, and the Heauens may heare the Earth, and the Earth may heare vsus thy people. Lord, let me take them out of thine hands as tokens of thy fauour, and earneſt-pennies of better things prepared for me in Heauen.
O Lord, the Earth is defyled with cruelties and filthineſſe, and caſteth vp horrible cryes to thy Majeſtie, againſt the inhabitans thereof: it is ladened with a burthen of ſinfull creatures:Rom. 8.23. it lifteth vp its head, & cryeth and groaneth, as traueling with childe, waiting for the day of our redemption: for then it ſhall be deliuered from the burthen. O Lord, take away the burthen of ſinne from the Earth, and purge, by thy blood, the tranſgreſſions of vsus thy people. Sanctifie vsus, O Lord, that the creatures may be ſanctefied to our vſe, and we to thy ſeruie through Chriſt.
Thou haſt hidde in the Earth thy great treaſures of Golde, Siluer, Yron, Braſſe, and Coales, &c. and the world is ſet on fire in preſute of thoſe things: yea, for Golde they wil renounce their God; forſweare their Father, periſh their ſoule, and their life, their King, countrey, and their Parents. O Lord, this is a couetous people, whoſe heart is ſet vponupon theſe periſhing and vncertaine things. But, O Lord, thou art better to me than thouſands of Golde and Siluer. All ſay,Pſal. 119.72. Pſal. 4.6 Who will ſhew vsus any good thing? but, Lord, lift vp the light of thy countenance vponupon me. Their treaſures are hid in the depths of the Earth, and they treade vponupon them: but thou, O my treaſure, art hid in the height of the Heauens. The Theife diggeth,Mar. 6.20 and the Rouſt doeth conſume their treaſures: but thou art incorruptible. Their treaſures are ſtollen from them; but nothing can ſeparate thee from vsus; neither death, nor life; neither things preſent, nor things to come.Rom. 8.35. Let mine heart be with thee, & where thou art; for thou art my treaſure. Let me finde merciemercy with thee,Gen 33.11 and then I hauehave all theſe things: for thy louelove is better than Golde. Thy ſeruant Salomon made choyce thereof,1. king. 3.9 and it was Dauids his fathers choyce, who for louelove of thee craued one thing, That he might dwell in thine Houſe all the dayes of his life.Pſal. 27.4. Luk. 10.42 And Marie, the ſiſter of Martha, deſired that one thing. Golde is not able to ſaue me from the Graue, but, my God, thou wilt raiſe me vp at the laſt day. What pleaſure hath man of Golde, when he dieth? but he caſteth it away, and calleth himſelfe a foole, that he ſhould hauehave taken pleaſure in it: he biddeth diſtribute to the Poore, whom he ſpoyled all his dayes. But when I die, then I poſſeſſe my treaſure which I longed for: death which ſeparateth me from the Earth, conjoyneth me to thee, and filleth vp my joye, when I hauehave receiued my treaſure. Further, O Lord, as thou haſt hidden theſe treaſures vnderunder the Earth, ſo thou haſt decored the face of the Earth with thy great bleſſinges. O, when I looke vnderunder my feete, and beholde euerie one of thy creatures, I ſee in them thy power, and thy glorie: yea, I ſee thou haſt appointed the Worme to beate downe my pride.In the baſeſt creature may be ſeen Gods glorie. Thou haſt painted the face of the Earth with all ſortes of colours, delectable to the ſight: yea, the Lillie paſſeth the glorie of Salomon. What Flowres for the ſmel,Mat. 6.28 what Hearbes, with ſuch rare vertues, for the preſeruation of man? yea, there is not the baſeſt weed, wherein there is not incloſed ſome ſpeciall vertue for the maintenance of mans nature.All thinges on earth created fo… mans vſe. Pſal. 105.16. Ibid. 104.15. NOTA. The Cornes are againe brought foorth, which are the ſtaffe of bread, to ſtrengthen him: and the wynes, which doe glad mans heart: and the Oyle, which maketh him to ſhyne: the Figges, which are ſweet to the taſte. Then, Lord, if thy creatures doe yeelde ſuch comforts to me, is there not much more conſolation in thee? Thou haſt giuen me a large portion of all theſe benefits, which thou haſt withholden from others. GiueGive me thy ſelfe with them, or elſe take them all from me. Three things I doe aſke at thy Majeſtie:Three requeſts: 1. firſt, let not theſe benefits which I receiue daylie become ſnares to me, to draw me from thee. GiueGive me no moe of them than may further me to thy ſeruice. When thou giueſt me any new earthlie gift, then preſentlie with it giuegive me a newe remembrance of thee; that it may bee a LoueLove-token of my Lord, whereby I may bee kindeled to louelove thee the more. Next, I beſeech thee, that whatſoeuer earthlie gift I get, thou wilt put ſome ſecret bleſſing therein, that it may bee profitable vntounto me. Thou giueſt thy benefits to manie, and bloweſt vponupon them: ſo, O Lord, likewiſe blow vponupon me, with the blaſt of thine owne Spirit: and bid thy creatures increaſe and multiplie. And laſt of all, let mee not bee taken with an exceſſiue deſire of them: but that with an open heart, and hand, I may bee comfortable vntounto others.
O Lord, let my Cup ouer-flow, and let not my left hand knowe what my right hand doeth:pſal. 23.5. Matt. 6.3. but as thou giueſt liberrallie and freelie, ſo with a free heart I may giuegive to thy Sainctes, who are of the Familie of Faith.pſal. 16.3 Let me bee a ſeruant of them, and waſh their feete. And ſeeing thou art wiſe in the diſpenſation of thy benefits to me: ſometimes thou wilt hauehave me to abound, & ſometimes to want: in the one, to hauehave a proofe of thy liberality: in the other, of thy chaſtiſements, learne mee in euerie eſtate to be content,Pray for contentmēt. and giuegive mee that heauenlie benefite of contentation, the Note and Marke of thy Children. And ſith I brought nothing into the world,Iob 1.21. I will carrie nothing out of it. GiueGive me Meat & Rayment with contentment. And giuegive mee, thy poore creature, the aſſiſtance of thy principall Spirit: that when I ſhall depart from theſe creatures, and they from mee: euen as thou gaueſt them vntounto mee, ſo I may bee heartilie content: that I, by the ſeparation from them, may perfectlie be vnited vntounto thee: for thou art my portion, my lot, and euerlaſting inheritance. So bee it.