The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. God is much to be admired in his Works of Creation.
LEt us meditate in the morning of the Lords day on the works of the Lord. David was much buſied in this contemplation, Pſal. 77. 12. He uſually took his views and Pſal. 77. 12. Pſal. 143. 9.proſpects of the beautifull iſſues of creating power, which are the evidences of the wiſdom, goodneſs, and almightineſs of the Great Creatour. How doth the Pſalmiſt in the beginning of the nineteenth Pſalm fall into the admiration Pſal. 19. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.of the heavens, that beſpangled Court, where God took up his eternal abode and reſidence? How is Davids proſpect checkerd and delighted with beholding the firmament which is embroydered with ſtars; that large branch which holds thoſe twinkling tapers which enlighten the world in the Pſal. 8. 4. Eſt autem foreign ob ornatu appellatus, tota haec pulchra machina, quod eâ nihil ſit Ornatius et pulchrius, non tam propter pulchras rerum formas, formoſam que coeli faciem, et ſplendidiſſimam lucem, quam etiam propter pulcherrimam totius mundi, rerum que omnium inter ſe foreign, quatenus à deo creantur et reguntur. Zanch. foreign Plato. Job 28. 4, 5, 6. Si quis varia motuum genera, circularem, rectum, obliquum, et alias temporum viciſſitudines, et diſtinctiones in momenta, horas, menſes, annos, ſi quis attento animo omnia haec contemplatur, et perpendet, poterit faciliùs ſentire, nihil h…c mundi machinâ pulchrius.night-ſeaſon. And in the eighth Pſalm, eſpecially in the fourth verſe, David goes down ſtairs into the lower room of the Earth, and there he contemplates on man, that Microcoſme, the world bound up in a leſſer volumn; and how doth he enlarge his wondring thoughts on this Vice-Roy of God, Man, who is the Ʋniverſe contracted. And in theſe meditations, let the Pſalmiſt be our pattern; for meditation on Gods works becomes the bleſſed Sabbath. In that Pſalm, whoſe title is a Pſalm for the Sabbath, (viz.) the ninety ſecond, David begins it with holy admiration of Gods works in the world, Pſal. 92. 5. And truly it is a diſhonour to a workman to manifeſt abundance of skill and ingenuity, and none to take notice of his workmanſhip; for a Limner to draw a rare piece, and no eye to admire his Artifice, to draw the curtain from before the Picture, and to obſerve its Curioſities. God hath his mighty works to be remembred and wondered at. It is ſaid of Pythagoras, that he lived ſequeſtred from men in a Cave for a whole Year together, that he might meditate on the abſtruſe points of Phyloſophy. On the Lords day, let us take ſome time to ponder the infinite perfections which appear in the operations of Gods hand. Alas! the choiceſt works of man, compared to the ſmalleſt works of God, are but as the childrens houſes of cards or dirt, compared to the loftieſt Courts, or the ſtatelieſt Palaces of the world. The Lilly hath more magnificence and beauty in it, then Solomon in all his glory, Mat. 6. 29. Solomon was not ſo gorgeous in his richeſt Attire, as the Lilly in its beautifull colour and bluſh. The meaneſt of Gods works▪ hath more rarity and wonder in it, then Archites his wooden Dove, which was ſoequally poyſed with its own weight, that it hung firm in the Air without falling; or Archimedes his Horology, wherein the motions of the Sun, Moon and Stars were ſo lively depainted. There is ſo much of God appearing in the Heavens, that many have taken them for a God, and gave them divine worſhip. The Perſians adore the riſing Sun, and admire the daily viſit of that glorious body, which they think little leſs then a Deity. When we meditate on the works of God, we have a large field; here our ſouls may wander from Sea to Land, from Earth to Heaven, from Time to Eternity; yea, we may walk upon the Sun, Moon and Stars, and enter into Heaven it ſelf, the Paradiſe of God. Every Creature we caſt our eye upon on the bleſſed Sabbath ſhould be a flower to refreſh our Meditations; we ſhould now feed our Graces by our Senſes, and the meditation on created beings ſhould conduct us to Chriſt. When we look upon the Sun, we ſhould look up to Chriſt the Sun Mal. 4. 2. Numb. 24. 17. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 10. 7. Eph. 1. 22. Iſa. 61. 10. Rev. 15. 3. Joh. 14. 6. Joh. 1. 1. Joh. 6. 51. Gal. 2. 20.of Righteouſneſs; every ſtar may mind us of the ſtar of Jacob, that bright morning ſtar; when we look on our houſes Chriſt is the door; when we look on our bodies, Chriſt is our head; when we look upon our cloaths, Chriſt is the garment of Salvation; when we look upon our friends and relations, Jeſus Chriſt is our husband, Cant. 2. 16. our Friend, Joh. 15. 10. our Beloved, Cant. 4. 16. our King, Rev. 15. 3. If we walk, he is our way; if we read, Chriſt is the word; if we eat or drink, Chriſt is our food; if we live, Chriſt is our life: Thus a gracious heart may make a ſpiritual uſe of all earthly objects, and every Creature which preſents it ſelf, may ſupply our contemplations on Chriſt; And ſo we may happily begin our Sabbath.
But more particularly:
We muſt meditate on the moſt noble works of the Creation. And here the Angels heighten and ſublimate our meditations, the Sun and the ſtars enlighten them, the ſeveral pieces of the Univerſe enlarge them, and the ſweet fields and flowers refreſh them, the thunder and lightning awaken them, the muſical notes of the birds delight them. Our Pſal. 18. 13.meditations are raiſed in beholding the Creatures. The Creationis mundi efficiens cauſa non ſola eſt Dei bonitas, ſed bonitas cum ſummâ ſapientiâ conjuncta.contemplation of created beings turned the Prophet into a Philoſopher; he obſerved the Wiſdom and Power of God in the worlds Creation, Jer. 10. 12. there ſaith the Prophet, He hath made the Earth by his power, he hath eſtabliſhed the world by his wiſdome, and hath ſtretched out the Heavens by his diſcretion. How ſweetly doth the Prophet Philoſophize upon the raiſing and ſetling the Fabrick of the world. The Jer. 10. 12.contemplation of created beings turned the Pſalmiſt into an Job 35. 5.Oratour: How eloquently doth David paraphraſe upon the Pſal. 104. 2.wonders and works of the Creation? Pſal. 104. 2. there ſaith the Pſalmiſt, He ſtretcheth out the Heavens like a curtain, layes the beams of his Chambers in the waters, who makes the clouds his Chariot, who walks upon the wings of the wind. The Pſalmiſt ſpends largely upon the treaſury of his Rhetorick, to ſet out the excellency of the worlds Architect. Nay, the contemplation of created beings turns Nomen, gloria, decus creatoris, quia Coelum eſt nominatiſſima pars mundi. Martinholy Job into an Aſtronomer; he views with admiration Arcturus, Orion; the Pleiades, and caſts his eye upon the Chambers of the South, Job 9. 8, 9. And then he is folded up with amazement at the glory and power of the Creatour. There are ſome who derive the word foreign the Job 26. 13.Heavens, from foreign to be amazed. Indeed a proſpect of that glorious body, the Heavens, the roof of the great houſe of the world, that beſpangled and enamel'd Canopy over our heads, can drive the moſt conſiderate perſon into amazement. The vaſtneſs and beauty of the body of the Heavens, the ſwiftneſs and regularity of their motions and agitations, which is above all reaſon, can eaſily raiſe men into wonder and traſportation. In Scripture we ſometimes meet with the Heavens of Heavens, 1 Kings 8. 27. and with the Nehem. 9. 6. Pſal. 148. 4. Iſa. 63. 15. Obſtupuit propter inſignem vaſtitatem iſtius corporis, quod ipſi nos aſpicientes in ſtuporem rapimur. iſcat.third heavens, 2 Cor. 12. 2. There are likewiſe the higheſt heavens, and yet God made them, Gen. 1. 4. and he can bow them as he liſteth, Pſal. 18. 9. He can ſtretch them to what latitude he pleaſeth, Iſa. 45. 12. He can ſpan them, Iſa. 48. 13. And if he be angry and inflamed, he can throw a black cloath over them, and ſhade their glory, Iſa. 50. 3. Jer. 4. 23. 28. and melt them, Pſal. 68. 8. and cauſe them to vaniſh like a ſmoak, Iſa. 51. 6. Amos 9. 6. Nay, how doth Holy Paul like an exact Logician, draw the concluſion of the glory of things inviſible, by the ſplendour and excellency of things viſible, Rom. 1. 20.
But further to d…late on this ſubject; God created the body Acts 4. 15.of this world, Gen. 1. 1. The inhabitants of this World, Angels and Men, Iſa. 42. 5. Mat. 2. 11. The light and Pſal. 89. 12.Luminaries of this world, to diſtinguiſh it from a great and Amos 4▪ 13.darker priſon, Gen. 1. 14. He created the garniſhes and delights Pſal. 74. 17.of this world, the ſoft waves, the ſweet fields, the Si interrogas quotâ horâ creabantur Angeli? Reſp, primâ cùm coelum creabatur. Si interrogas quo loco? Reſp. in loco beatorum. Zanch.ſhady clouds, the piercing winds, to fan and cool the world, and the different ſeaſons to beautifie the year with ſucceſſive alternations. Pontanus Chancellour of Saxony propounds to be viewed, the moſt beautiful arch work of heaven, reſting on no poſt but Gods power, and yet ſtanding faſt for ever, the clouds as thin as the liquor contained in them, yet they hang, and move, ſalute us▪ onelyonly, and threaten us, and paſs we know not whither. Now all theſe things may feed our meditations on the morning of the Lords day; (though divine medidation may become any part of that ſacred day.) Auguſtine Auguſt.findeth no reaſon, why God ſhould be ſix dayes in making the world, ſeeing he could have made it with a word, but that we ſhould be in a muſe when we think of it, and ſhould think on his works in that order he made them. Our meditations ſhould take leiſure in the ſurvey of them, and not paſs them over in a ſhort and momentany flight. And beſides the reaſon urged by St. Auguſtine, we may take notice of a ſecond, (viz.) what a beautiful and ſweet proſpect meditation ſhall have in the ſurvey of the works of the Creation, which may entertain our view for ſome conſiderable Gen. 19. 3.time, and may ſtop and ſtay our meditation, as Lot did the Angels, and force it to a retirement.
Let us meditate on the Sun, that glorious, though inanimate creature: What is the Sun, but the eye of the world? Quid poteſt eſſe tàm apertum tam que perſpicuum, cum coelum aſpe…cimus et coeleſtia contemplati ſumus, quam aliquid eſſe Numen praeſtantiſſimae mentis, quo haec reguntur. Tull. de Nat. deorum. lib. 2.If we take notice of its ſcituation and motion, the contemplation will be rare; It is fixed in the midſt of the Planets, that it may diſpenſe its light and heat for the greater advantage of the lower world. By its courſe from Eaſt to Weſt, it cauſes the agreeable viciſſitude of day and night, and maintains the amiable war between light and darkneſs; And this diſtinction of time is neceſſary for the pleaſure and profit of the world. The Sun by its riſing chaſes away the ſhades of the night, to delight us with the beauties of the ſtupendous Creation; It is Gods Herald to call us forth to diſcharge our work. The Sun governs our labours, conducts our induſtry, and when it retires from us, a curtain of darkneſs is drawn over the world; And this very darkneſs in ſome ſenſe enlightens us, for it makes viſible the Ornaments Hunc diem conf…cit Sol non motuſuo proprio, qui eſt per Zodiacum, ſed motuquo à primo mobili movetur. Zanch.of Heaven, (viz.) the Stars, and ſhews us their Aſpects, Diſpoſitions and Motions which were hid in the day. This darkneſs unbends the world, and gives a ſhort and neceſſary truce to mans labours, and recreates their waſted ſpirits. The Sun finiſheth its compaſs about the world in twenty four hours, a very ſhort ſpace for ſo long and tedious a circuit. The diverſities of ſeaſons proceed from the motion of Pſal. 19. 1, 2, 3.the Sun; and as the motion of the Sun from Eaſt to Weſt makes day and night, ſo its motion from North to South cauſes Summer and Winter, and by both theſe the world is preſerved; Summer crowns the Earth with flowers and fruits; and Winter, which ſeemeth to be the death of nature, robbing the earth of its heat and life, contributes very much to the univerſal good; it prepares the Earth by its cold and moiſture for the returning Sun, and ſeaſons. Indeed the motion of the Sun is admirable, running ten or twelve millions of leagues every day, without failing one minute of its appointed ſtage, and inviolably obſerves its due and conſtant order.
Let us meditate on the Air, whoſe extent fills the ſpace between Heaven and Earth; it is of a pure and reviving nature, and eaſily tranſmits the influences of the Heavens; And as One obſerves, It is the Arſenal for Thunders, Lightnings, whereby God ſummons the world to dread and reverence; Pedro d' Mexia Imper. Hiſtor. Diaphanus eſt Aer, niſi verò talis eſſet, ſpecies rerum coloratarum, et figurarum, adeò que omnium rerum viſibilium recipi non poſſit, nec ad oculos noſtros deferri, ac proinde nihil à nobis videri; qu…e igitur eſt hoc beneficium, quodnam ſpeculum hoc pulchrius? &c.inſomuch that Caligula, Rome's Emperour, was wont to fly under his Bed at the noyſe of the Thunder. The Air it is the treaſury of the clouds, which diſſolving in gentle ſhowers, refreſheth the earth, and calls forth its ſeeds into flouriſh and fruitfulneſs; it fans the earth with the wings of the wind, allaying thoſe intemperate heats which otherwiſe would be injurious to the worlds inhabitants. The Air is the region for the birds, wherein they paſs, us ſo many m… ving Engins praiſing the Creatour, the Air being onelyonly their larger muſick-room. The Air ſerves for the breath and life of man, and is divided into ſeveral Regions; there are three Regions of the Air, all uſefull and admirable in their kind. And as Zanchy obſerves; By the Air things become viſible, and colours are ſeen in their proper comlineſs and beauty.
Let us meditate on the Sea, that vaſt body of waters which fill the hollow and excavated places of the Earth, as the Oceanus totam per circuitum terram, eam que ex…avatam inſtar magni, et latiſſimi circuli ambiens, efficit ut terra ſupra et infra ſit …quis detenta id que ex dei mandato, tum ad perfectionem, ornatum que univerſi, tum ad plantarum, et animantium ſalutem.blood doth the veins of man. Here the Leviathan playes and ſports it ſelf in its liquid traces and windings, the high and proud waves ſerving to racket and bandy this Sea-Monſter from one place to another, Job 41. 1. Pſal. 104. 26. And in theſe great waters Gods admirable power is ſeen; that they ſhould be reined in by ſo weak a bridle, as the ſand, and its rage ſhould be ſnaffled by it: when the wayes beat upon the ſhore in their inſultation, you would fear they would ſwallow up all, but they no ſooner touch the ſand, but all is turned into froth, and its watriſh inſolence evaporates. How doth the Lord deſcant upon theſe mountanous billows, and this ſwelling Ocean? Job 38. 8, 9, 10, 11. Who ſhut up the Sea with doors when it brake forth, as if it had iſſued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkneſs a ſwadling-band for it, and Job 38▪ 8, 9, 10, 11.brake up for it my decreed place, and ſet bars and doors, and ſaid, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no further, and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed. The extent of the Sea is likewiſe to be conſidered; it waſhes the four parts of the world, and becomes the Bond of the Univerſe; by it the moſt diſtant Nations are united; it is the medium of Trade and Commerce, (in which Divine goodneſs is much to be obſerved and adored) and Commodities peculiar to ſeveral Countries are made Common to all. Thus great advantage and delight accru…s to man, who ſails upon this kind Element to the Port of his deſire.
Let us meditate on the Earth; Conſider its poſition, it hangs in the midſt of the Air to be a convenient habitation foreign. Plato in Cratylo.for us. Its ſtability is rare; the Air it ſelf is not able to bear a feather, and yet the whole Earth remains in it fixt and unſhaken, notwithſtanding all the ſtorms and tempeſts which beat upon it; ſurely the invincible and powerful hand of God muſt needs ſupport and ſuſtain it. We may likewiſe contemplate on the various diſpoſitions of the parts of the Iſa. 44. 24. Job 38. 4, 6. Terra corpus eſt ſimplex, grave, ſolidum, et denſum in medio mundi, tanqu…m fundamentum ipſius collocatum eo que proprio in loco immobile, et rotundum. Zanc.earth, the Mountanes, Vallies, Rivers, which are as the veines to carry nouriſhment to this great body. Nor are Plants to be pretermitted, their roots whereby they draw their nouriſhment, and the firmneſs of their ſtalk, by which they are defended againſt the violence of the winds, the expanſion of their leaves by which they receive the dew of Heaven. So now all the parts of the world may afford fuel for holy meditation. The Heavens give light, the Air breath, the Sea Commerce, the Earth habitation; all theſe things being pondered and medita…ed on, in them we may read the Name of God indelibly printed: Our meditation may flutter its wings over theſe conſiderables, and fly into admiration of the Infiniteneſs, Power, Excellencies and Perfections of the Great Creatour.
Let us meditate on Man; the abridgement and recapitulation of the whole Creation. Let us conſider and obſerve Pſal. 139. 15. 16. foreign.the compoſure of his body; He was fearfully and wonderfully made, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, Pſal. 139. 15, 16. Let us take notice of the powers of his ſoul; and who but an infinite Agent could unite this ſoul and body, and claſp them together, an immaterial ſoul, with an earthly body? Who but God, the great Jehovah, could aſſign them both their form, ſituation, temperature and fitneſs for thoſe uſes to which they ſerve? Acts 17. 27, 28. We may indeed ſee God in the activity of our hands, in the beauty of our eyes, in the vivacity of our ſenſes; and if we look inward, what diſtinct and admirable faculties is the ſoul endowed and enriched with? The underſtanding exerciſes the Empire over all other foreign. Ariſt.faculties; the will purſues with eagerneſs, either that which is good, or that which appears to be ſo; the memory preſerves freſh and lively, the pictures of thoſe things which Galerus antiquiſſimus, & peritiſſimus medi…us partes hominis corporales delineans in admirationem raptus, foreign, ex clamat.are committed to its charge: Surely this conſideration would make our meditations on the Lords day moſt ſweet and delectable; and what a golden thread of divine wiſdom runs through the whole Univerſe! The Order of the world ſhews the wiſdom of God, Prov. 3. 19, 20. The Earth is ſet lowermoſt, as the foundation of the reſt, the Sea is pent within its Channels, the Air is above them both, and the Heavens are the higheſt loft of the Crea…ion. And ſo admirable order may be ſeen in making the world; God proceeding from things imperfect to things more perfect. Firſt there is the rude maſs, then the Heaven and the Earth, glorious Pſal. 104. 24.creatures, but without life; then Herbs and Plants which 1 Cor. 1. 21.have a vegetative life, but without ſenſe or motion; then the brute Creatures, which have ſenſe and motion, but want reaſon; and laſt of all, Man, whom God endows with a reaſonable ſoul, and makes him after his own image; And Gen. 1. 1, 2, 11, 20, 26.in this order we may perceive, firſt, the dwelling place is appointed, then the food, then the creature which is to feed 1 Kings 10. 7.upon it; the beaſt upon the herbs, and man upon the beaſts. The Queen of Sheba was aſtoniſhed at Solomons wiſdom, when ſhe perceived the well ordering of his family: Certainly Abraham cum ſuis, civis erat non Canaan, ſed Coeli, in Canaan domum haber… noluit, ſe… in mobili ſemper habitavit tabernaculo, qui oculos jugiter conjiciebat in coeleſtem civitatem. Anſel.did we obſerve the order of nature, we ſhould more wonder at the infinite wiſdom of God, Heb. 11. 10. Amos 9. 6. The ſeveral parts of the world are ſometimes compared to a building; and in this great houſe every part conſpires to the beauty, ſervice and decency of the whole. The roof of this building is Heaven; the Sphears are Chambers and ſtories in the Heavens; the foundation of this building is the Earth, Job 38. 5, 6. The Stars and glorious Luminaries are windows in this houſe, and the Sea is the watercourſe which ſerves this magnificent Structure. And it is obſervable, that every thing in the world is fitted for uſe and ſervice. The workmans skill is as much commended in the uſe of an inſtrument, as in the making of it. Now the upper Iſa. 40. 28.Heavens are made for the habitation of the Saints; the middle Iſa. 43. 15.Heavens to give light, heat and influence; the Air or lower Iſa. 42. 5.heavens to give breath to ſuſtain both man and beaſt, the Iſa. 45. 12.fruits are for food, the plants and herbs for medicine. Galen Mal. 2. 10.ſaith, there are ſix hundred muſcles in the body of man, and Eph. 3. 9.every one fitted for ten uſes; and ſo for bones, nerves, arteries and veins, whoever ſhall obſerve them, their ſituation, uſe, correſpondence, cannot chooſe but fall into admiration of the wiſe Creatour. The wiſdom of Men and Angels cannot mend the leaſt thing in a Flie, the figure, colour, quantity or quality of a worm, or of a flower, all which are made with ſo much exactneſs. And it was no leſs then blaſphemy in Alphonſo the Spaniſh King, to aver, That had he been the Maker of the World, he would have caſt it into a better form. No, All the works of Creation are ſtupendious and admirable, and are as ſo many aſterisks to point out the glory and fame of that incomprehenſible being, who was the author and founder of them.