The Beauty and Order of Creation, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Meditations on the third Days work.
SECT. I.
I Proceed to the third Day, which with us is usually called Tuesday, wherein the Waters were gathered together in one place, and called Seas, and the Earth was dried and clothed.
1. On this Day then, thou hast special occasion to admire and magni…y the wisdome of God, in foreseeing what was fit for the use of the Creatures; his goodness in …ffecting it, and his Power in crossing and controuling the first order of nature for this purpose. Consider this day, how all was Water; no sign of Earth, no Mountain, no dry Land appearing: and then on a sudden, by the Word of God, the Waters rouling together into one place, called Seas, and there abiding. And here consider what wonders are in this deep, what numberless swarms of Fishes swimming and floating up and down: of which af…erwards on the fif…h Day.
2. Consider, how admirable is the Power of God seen in bridling the Waves of the Seas, and by his invisible, but most mighty hand, holding them, in that they shall pass no farther. And thus also doth the Lord restrain the Enemies of his Church, both Devils and wicked Men, who otherwise would soon bring down a deluge of misery upon the people of God, and swallow up his little Flock: and therefore, as when thou seest the Waves beat furiously against the shore, as if they would return to their old place again; thou dost not fear it, because the hand of God keeps them in: so when thou seest the rage of the Enemies against the Church at the highest, yet remember, that the Covenant which God hath made with his own people, is as a strong Bar against their might and malice.
3. Wonderfull is the Lords Majesty set fo…th by the greatness of the Seas, bordering upon so many Nations, and compassing the E…rth about, yielding by means of Navigation a speedy intercourse between those Countries which are far distant from each other.
4. Wonderfull it is in the secret passages wh…ch it hath, whereby it sendeth forth Waters into the Cranies of the Earth, which in divers places break out again in sweet and fresh Springs, losing the saltness which they brought from the Sea; and then by the conjunction of many Springs, making Rivers, and emptying themselves again in the Sea, Eccles. 1.7. So also we, who receive all from God, should return all to him again. It were a monstrous thing in nature, for a stream to wheel about, and come home, and sink into its own Spring again, not emptying it self into the Sea from whence it came. No less monstrous is it, but much more common, for us to run thus in a Circle, and to reflect wholly upon our selves, to aim at our selves, our ease, our credit, carnal contentment, and not seriously and effectually to bend our hearts and thoughts, to direct our aimes, to employ our gifts and talents of several kinds, for the honour and glory of the giver. A sin that will fall most heavy at the last day, if not repented of, and forsaken. How can we cross and oppose the Lord more (who made us for himself alone) than when we make our selves only to aim at our selves? These Rivers run into the Sea, yet is not the Sea indebted to them, nor over-filled by them: when we have done all that we can for God, yet are we unprofitable servants; we cannot give him a recompence answerable to that which we have received; much less deserve any thing at his hands.
5. The pe…pe…ual course of these streams and Rivers fed by a living Spring, should put us in mind of that Well of Living Waters, even the Fountain of sanctifying grace, which Christ by his spirit shall cause to arise in the hearts of the faithfull▪ never to be dried up again: and such must our graces be, not like a little rain-water, filling the Cistern, and soon dried up, or drawn out, but like a Spring that giveth a continual supply. And as many Waters, which now glide along, and shew themselves in the Vallies, had their first rising in the Hills; as it is said, that the R…ine, the Rhene, and the Poe, three great Rivers of Germany, France, and Italy, have their Springs in those Mountains called the Alpes; so those streams of grace, which are to be seen in the low Vallies, even the conversations of humble Christians, had their beginnings in that Mountain of holiness, and came down from the Father of lights.
SECT. 2.
NOw then, the dry Land, the huge massy Body of the Earth appeareth, the Waters being put up in one place; and here,
1. You may think of huge Mountains, deep Vallies; in the bowels of it, veins of gold, silver, brass lead, iron; and consider, that these things which the World esteemeth most precious, and for wh…ch m…ny thousands cast away their precious Souls, are laid up by God in the lowest and basest part of the Creation, buried under ground. And therefore, though in these we should admire the wisdome, goodness, riches of their Maker, yet at the other side, we must take special care, that we do n…t let …hem steal away our hea…s from him, who made both them and us. That brazen Serpent which Moses made by the Lords appointment, was a Sacrament unto the Is…aelites, who had f…lt the Fiery Venome of those Serpents in the Wilderness; but the Pe…ples sin in after-times made it a danger…us Id…l, and so a Neh…shtan or contemptible piece of Brass,2 Kings 18.4. as Hezekiah called it: so God hath created these mettals, &c. and hath given them their natures, beauty, qualities, for ou… use and his glory; but if we give that affection to them which we owe to him, we make them Idols, and are to remember, that they are but a brighter kind of de…d Earth, and that the meanest Soul in the World is of more worth, than a Mountain of Gold: and therefore it is a notorious indignity to the Father of Spirits, and Maker of all things, if we prefer one of his meanest works above Himself. Again, it is reported, that those grounds which abound with Gold and Silver, are barren in bringing forth living Plants; as Trees, Herbs, Grass, &c. So the heart that hath a golden Mine, or a vein of Silver running through it, is barren in bringing forth any lively fruits of holy obedience.
2. But the Earth is without all ornament and clothing, now that the Waters are removed; neither did it bring forth one poor grass or herb, or any other thing, until the working and All-mighty Word of God laid a new Commandment upon it. Let the Earth, &c. And therefore do not think, that the Earth hath this vertue to bring forth of it self a yearly encrease, but that it would have layen like a dead unprofitable lump, without any thing growing upon it in the most seasonable time of the year, had not the Lord bidden it; and in bidding it, enabled it to bring forth. Consider then with thy self, that every years encrease, every crop of Corn, every Tree, every Grain every Seed, or Fruit of any Tree; every Grass and Herb, which the Earth beare…h at any time, i… came undoubtedly out of the Earth, by vertue of this Soveraign command of God: yea, as well the propagation and succession of these, as the first Creation, cometh from his word: for so he said; Let the Earth bring forth the Tree bearing fruit after its kind, and the Herb bearing Seed after its kind, and it was so. And therefore give all the glory to Him for these things, from whom all things are received: by whom the Earth is made fruitfull, and yielde…h an encrease. Let us lament the unthankfulness, the pride and blindness that is among us. Do we not murmur (many of u…) if we have not as much as formerly we had, as if now we could plead custome with God, and challenge it as a due, because we have had it so long, as if we could accuse him of with-holding our right, when after many years of abundance, we are a little stinted, and have now somewhat less. Is not this great blindness? Do we not know that by our fall in Adam we forfeited all our …ight to these things, and that the Lord m…ght justly have fed us no otherwise than some condemned wretches, with a poor p…tance only to prese…ve life, that our mise…y might be the greater. All our right to these things was but by his free grant, this grant was but conditional, the condition of this grant we brake, where then i… our Plea? Are we better than Iacob? O Lord, I am less than the least of all thy mercies, saith he. Is not this great pride, that Men should think themselves not well used (as it were) at the hands of God; and that they deserve better dealing. If thou haddest thy desert (whosoever thou art) thou haddest felt more misery long agone, than any ever felt upon the Earth: and this every one may seemingly acknowledge, whose heart God hath touched: Is it not great unthankfulness thus to requite the Lord? because thou hast enjoyed so much plenty heretofore, thou shouldest now much the rather with patience endure some scarcity: because thou hast received good, thou shouldest with more s…bmission bear some evil, or want of that measure of good, as Iob reasoned with his Wife. Nay, if many were put to it, I am perswaded, they could not say in their consciences, that … ver they did pray for this blessing feelingly and effectually: and is it not a shame for thee to murmur against the Lord, for not giving that which thou never didst effectually ask? Nay, if we should consider the ho…rible abuse of Gods Creatures by all sorts; rich and poor, we may justly wonder that the Heavens are not long since hardened into brass, and the Earth into Iron against us.
3. Among these Plants observe▪ how weeds and other hurtfull things do grow of themselves: but the best and most usefull must be carefully planted: so sin and corruption springeth naturally out of the evil soyl of our hea…ts, but grace and holiness are of the Holy Ghost his Plantation. Again, barren Trees are cut down by the provident Husbandman, that they may not cumber the ground as you see in the Gospel, which should move us by bearing fruits unto God, To work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling. The leaves of an outward profession are not sufficient, but to them must be joyned the fruit of a sanctified conversation. The Tree, and every branch and twig thereof, receiveth sap▪ life, nourishment from the Root. Every true believer receiveth heavenly life and grace from Christ Jesus. So long as the Branch is joyned to the Tree, and so to the Root, it receiveth benefit and refreshment from the Dew and Rain; but if it be cut off from the Tree, the sweetest showers cannot preserve it from being withered. He that is truly united to Christ▪ as a Branch to the Root, by the spirit and faith, he receiveth benefit, growth, and spiritual refreshment from the outward meanes of grace, the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments. But if he be not truly united to him, the sweetest dew that ever fell from Heaven, cannot keep spiritual life within him: on the other side, though the Branch doth receive life and nourishment from the Root, yet it wanteth refreshment from the showers of Heaven: so those Fanatical dreamers are to be condemned, who pretend an union with Christ, and partaking of his Spirit, and therefore brag they have no need of the Word preached, or any outward means. Again, let the renewing of the face of the Earth by these Creatures every Spring, put thee in mind of the wonderfull efficacy of God his Word, which from the beginning unto this present time hath made the Earth thus fruitfull: and let it teach thee to rely upon his truth and promise in other things, as well as this.