The Beauty and Order of Creation, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Use 1. IN that God did choose to make the World in this space of time, who could as easily have made it, as well in one moment, as in six Days; this should teach us to take time for Meditation on his Works. He that could in one instant, at one word have brought forth Heaven full of Stars, the Ayr full of Fowls, the Water full of Fishes, the Earth full of Beasts, creeping things, Trees, &c. was pleased to make several Days works of this wonderful Creation, and to proceed distinctly and orderly in his work: teaching us by the manner of his working only by his Word without Instruments, that he could have done all at once, which now he did at several times: it being as easie for Him at one word to say let there be a perfect World▪ as at one word to say, Let there be Light; and on the other side, by this stay and pause in working teaching us to stay in our thoughts, and to cause our minds to dwell upon his glorious works; our minds (I say) which are of narrow capaci…y, and can but take in things by peece-meale into their consideration. The eyes of our Souls are but narrow, and it is not enough for them at one glance to view the whole frame of this glorious Building: but rather by setled Meditation to fix themselves up…n it, and leisurely to pass from one part and point thereof to another, and in every part to admire the Infinite and All-sufficient perfection of the Worker. It is that which may make us ashamed, and tremble also … God should call our Consciences to account, few of us could say▪ that of …ll the time we have spent, ever sith-hence we had the use of ou… understandings, in a serious Meditation on Gods works, to this end that we might glorify the Maker, would not make up one Week, not one six Days, not so long as the Lord was in bringing them forth. Is not this a shame for Man, who was made of purpose to glorify God in his works, that he should not in all his life spend so much time in meditating on the works of God, notwithstanding his dulness and sloth of apprehension, as the Lord was pleased to take in making of them▪ notwithstanding his Omnipotency, which could have made them all in less than one minute, as easily as in a thousand years! Th…s therefore should cause us to humble our selves for ou… failing in this regard, whereof we are guilty in an high degree; and move us to spend more hours in studying this great Book of Nature, which the Lord hath spread open before us, therein describing unto us those invisible things of his Eternal Power and God-head in such plain and legible Characters, that he which runneth m…y read them: every main part being (as it were) a several Volume, the Heaven, the Aire the Earth and Waters, every Creature in th…se being a several Leaf or Page: every part of each Creature; every natural property, quality or created vertue in each, being a several li…e, or (at least) word or syllable, deserving a studious and attentive Reader; that is, one that will seriously take into his thoughts the admirable incomprehensible excellency and perfection of the Maker. And as our Saviour speaking of Daniel's Prophesie, concerning the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, saith, Let him that readeth consider: so say I of these great works of Gods Creation, which we may call the Books of Nature, written with the Finger of God, let him that readeth them consider: let him that looketh upon them, not do it with a careless eye, but with attentive thoughts, and most effectual Meditations: yee may not herein be like idle Readers, that only lo…k at the beginning of a Book, to see the name, and then throw it away again. And what if I should say, it were expedient herein to follow the same order in considering of the Lords works, as the Lord himself did in their Creation; that is, to bind our selves to do the work of the Day in its Day, namely on the same Day wherein each work was done, to meditate on the work of that Day? I will not say, that he sinneth, who doth not follow this order, I know no such warrant. But this I say, considering our weakness, who must have time to make a distinct consideration of things, considering how apt we are to be carried away with idle, impertinent and unprofitable musings, and so to look away f…om those things whereupon our thoughts should especially be fixed: considering the great and admirable variety of Creatures, and of natural qualities and perfections in those Creatures, all issuing from that one single, but All-sufficient perfection of an infinite God; especially considering that the Lord hath been pleased, not only to let us know, how many Days he spent in the Creation of all the whole, but also particularly and distinctly to acquaint us with his several Days works; telling us what he did the first Day, what he did the second Day, &c. … dare boldly say, it is expedient even to tye our selves to set apart some time in those several Days, for a more special view of those several works. The work it self is necessary, and a more natural and convenient order to be used in performing it, I cannot think of, than this which I now propose.