A Sons Patrimony and Daughters Portion, Part 1 · Chapter 7

A Sons Patrimony and Daughters Portion · Part 1 · Chapter 7

p. 90CHAP. VII.

The third ſeaſon. The method in reading the Book of the creatures. Eſſayes or Lectures there-upon. I. The earth and creatures thereon. II. The waters and creatures therein. III. The Aire, and creatures therein. IIII. The firmament, and wonderfulneſſe thereof.

3. WHen thou walkeſt. Here is a large field to run over, and hard it is to keepe within compaſſe. Which way ſoever we looke, we have the great Book of the creatures in our eye, and from every one, more then one inſtruction. If we walke no further forth then into our garden, we ſee what varietie that yeelds, and the ſame varietie of inſtructions. If in our grove, we may remember what the Father ſaid thereof. That he learnt more Divinity (more of God) in his walk therein, then in his ſtudy amongſt his paper-books. Which way ſoever we looke, whether below, Leg. Chryſoſt. ad popul. Antioch. Hom. 9.or above, or about us, we may behold thoſe Texts, which Iob, Ionah, Paul made choice and great uſe of. The Rooke of the creatures every man may come by; and he p. 91that runs may reade it. Their language is eaſie to be underſtood; They open, as I may ſay, the freeſt ſchooles; and are the fitteſt to give inſtruction, of any. My ſcope or intent here is

1. Firſt, to deliver this kinde of knowledge, which the book of the creatures helps to furniſh us withall, from the diſcredit and diſgraces, that ignorance and miſinterpretation have put upon the ſame.

2. And this leads us to the ſecond, for it will point out the way to the parent, how to make this walke profitable to himſelf; I meane, how he may receive benefit, by peruſing the book of the creatures; And then, which is the maine end of the walk,

3. How to teach the childe to ſpell nature, and, by degrees, to reade the volume of Gods works; which will better be done in the fourth place, when,

4. I ſhall give ſome Eſſayes herein, beginning at the foot-ſtoole, the lowermoſt of Gods creatures, and ſo riſing higher, &c. For the firſt then,

The objections, I finde cited by our noble and learned Advancer nnAdvancement. pag. 6., and his anſwers unto them there.

1. That the aſpiring to over-much knowledge, was the originall temptation and ſinne. Object. 1

2. That it hath ſomewhat of the ſerpent, for when it entreth into a man, it makes him ſwell, nature being eaſily blowne up; for nature, and the pride of nature are neere foreign.of kin.

3. That Salomon gives a cenſure, That in ſpacious knowledge, there is much contriſtation.

4. And Paul gives a caveat, That men be not ſpoyled through vaine Philoſophy, as ſome have been, who, poring upon the ſecond cauſes, have loſt the light of the firſt, and dependance on God, who is the firſt cauſe. To theſe he anſwers.

That it was not the pure knowledge of nature, and univerſality Anſw. 1 (a knowledge whereby man gave names to other p. 92creatures in Paradiſe) which gave the occaſion to the fall; but it was the proud knowledge of good and evill, with an intent in man to give law to himſelf; It was (ſaith the learned Author in another place ooPag. 56.) not the naturall knowledge of the creatures, which induced the fall, but the morall knowledge of Good and Evill, wherein the ſuppoſition was, that Gods Commandements or prohibitions were not the originalls of good and evill, but that they had other beginnings which man aſpired to know, to the end, to make a totall defection from God, and to depend wholly upon himſelf. So he anſwers the firſt objection.

2. Neither is it any quantitie of knowledge, how great ſo ever, that can make the minde of man to ſwell; for nothing can fill, much leſſe extend the ſoule of man, but God, and the contemplation of God, &c. (for he goes on very uſefully.) There is ſuch a capacitie and receipt in the minde of man, ſo as there is no danger at all in the proportion or quantitie of knowledge, that it ſhould make it ſwell, or out-compaſſe it ſelfe; no, but it is meerely the qualitie of knowledge, which be it in quantitie more or leſſe, if it be taken without the true corrective thereof, hath in it ſome nature of venome or malignitie, and ſome effects of that venome, which is ventoſitie or ſwelling. This corrective ſpice, the mixture whereof maketh knowledge Haec Antidotus, ſive aroma, &c.ſo ſoveraigne, is charitie; and ſo he goes on in anſwer to the ſecond objection.

3. And as for the cenſure of Salomon concerning the anxietie of ſpirit, which redounds from knowledge; It is certaine, That there is no vexation of minde, which reſulteth thence, otherwiſe then meerely accidentall, when men fall to framing concluſions out of their knowledge, ſo miniſtring to themſelves, weake feares, or vaſt deſires, whence groweth that carefulneſſe and trouble of minde; for then knowledge is not a dry light, but ſteeped and infuſed in the humours of the affections; This is the ſum of the anſwer to the third objection.

p. 934. For the Apoſtles caveat it muſt not lightly be paſſed over; for if any man ſhall think, by view and inquiry into theſe ſenſible and materiall thinges, to attaine that light, whereby he may reveale unto himſelf the nature or will of God, then indeed is he ſpoiled by ppThe ſoul hath no more nouriſhment from this kinde of philoſophy, then the body hath from nuts. tranſl. out of Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 1. p. 199.vain Philoſophy; For the contemplation of Gods creatures and works, produce (having regard to the works and creatures themſelves) knowledge, but having regard to God, no perfect knowledge, but wonder, which is broken knowledge: And therefore it was moſt aptly ſaid by one of Platoes School, That the ſenſe of man carrieth a reſemblance of the Sun, which, as we ſee, openeth and revealeth all the terreſtriall Globe; but then again it obſcureth and concealeth the Starres and celeſtiall Globe: So doth the ſenſe diſcover naturall things, but it darkeneth and ſhutteth up Divine. And hence it is true, that it hath proceeded, that divers great learned men have been Hereticall; whileſt they have ſought to fly up to the ſecrets of the Deitie, by the waxen wing of the ſenſes: So he goes on in his anſwer, and thus concludeth; Let no man upon a weak conceit of ſobriety, or an ill applied moderation think or maintain, that a man can ſearch too farre, or be too well ſtudied in the book of Gods word, or in the book of Gods works; Divinitie or Philoſophie; But rather let men endeavour an endleſſe progreſſe, or proficience in both: onelyonly let men beware, that they apply both to charitie, and not to ſwelling; to uſe, and not to oſtentation; and again, that they do not unwiſely mingle, or confound theſe learnings together.

So farre the anſwers, which ſerve to deliver this kinde of knowledge (we call naturall) from the miſconceits and exceptions againſt the ſame.

This pointeth us the way to the ſecond thing; How we may make our walk profitable, and ſubſervient to higher matters; That, though we walk low and upon the ground, yet we may be raiſed in our thoughts to heaven, like the p. 94wiſe and skilfull pilot, whoſe hand is upon the rudder, but his eye upon the ſtarre: to apply this then to our preſent purpoſe, thus;

2. There are in this our walk, I mean, in the view of the creatures, two extremes; and two ſorts there are, who fall foule and ſtumble at them: The one ſort are they, who think to riſe higher by the ſight of the creatures, then the creatures can carry them; and ſo, by prying too farre with their own light, they make their philoſophy vain; and become vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart is darkened; nature cannot riſe above nature, it cannot elevate herſelf above herſelf. Though yet, if we track and eye her well; if we qqAdvancement. 106.hound her (as the noble Scholler phraſeth it) ſhe can leade us, and muſt needs do ſo, from the foot-ſtool on earth, to the Chaire in heaven; but when ſhe hath done ſo, and when in our curious purſuit and diſquiſition our underſtanding is wound up ſo high, yet is it but a naturall underſtanding ſtill: ſo as we do in this ſearch and enquiry tumble up and down, like a ſhip at anchor in the waves of our own reaſon and conceits, for it is not poſſible, as the ſame Noble ſcholler ſaith, for us to make a perfect diſcovery of the more remote and deeper parts of knowledge, ſtanding the while, but upon the flat or levell of this naturall knowledge.

There is another ſort, and they are the moſt, who ſtumble at the other extreame; They behold the creatures, the works of nature, of God rather, but do no more but behold them; they ſtay and dwell upon the ſuperficies, or out-ſide of the work, further they paſſe not, either to what is within, or to what it tends unto. There are two moſt ſimple and primitive trades of life, ancient and once honourable trades both, though now, as was ſaid **Preface pag. 21., Cooks are of more eſteem becauſe the old ſimplicitie of life and livelihood are out of faſhion: Two trades I ſay, and they maintain the ſtate of the world, The one of ſhepheardie, the other of husbandrie: They who are verſed herein, ſhould be, if they are not truants, well inſtructed men, for their books, which are full of inſtruction, p. 95are ſtill in their eye; and they are ſtill poring upon them: They live ſtill in the view of heaven, and of the earth; the one tending his ſheep, the other driving his oxe and horſe: and yet, though thus they do, yet have they gained no more true underſtanding, from their obſervations in either, then the ſheep or oxe have, which they tend and drive.

Experience tells us, that the ſhepheard and the husbandman are the moſt ignorant perſons in the world. Though yet I know very well, that both theſe do know what ſheep, and which ground yeelds them moſt profit, and the way they know how to make them moſt ſerviceable that way; and all this they may know and yet remain moſt ignorant notwithſtanding, as for the moſt part they are; no more underſtanding have they in thoſe chief things, and leſſons, which the beholding the earth and the heaven might yeeld them, then the oxe or the horſe have which they follow (which was M^r Dearings complaint long ſince.) And whence this ſtupiditie or groſſe ignorance? There can be no other reaſon hereof but this; that they do behold the creature and no more; as (ſo ſaith the proverb) An oxe looketh on a gilded gate: Their ſenſes report no more to the minde, but that they have ſeen it; no more. A fault carefully to be avoided, for he that is unfaithfull in earthly things, ſhall never have greater matters committed unto him; and he, who carrieth a negligent eye or eare, towards the works and voice of nature gathering no inſtructions thence, though the characters are moſt legible there, and her voice cleare and audible, ſhall finde no more capacity in himſelf for higher truths.

There is a place in the Apocrypha, which is worth our taking notice of, it will help to lead us the way betwixt thoſe extreames, it meets alſo with that ſtupiditie even now mentioned, and corrects the ſame.

The wiſe man in the 38 chapter of his book verſe 26. (I Eccles. 38. verſ. 26. … Eng. 25.Sir 38:26reade after Iunius his tranſlation, for our Engliſh, verſe 25. may deceive us) puts a grave and weighty queſtion; and it is concerning him, who holds the plough, and ſuch perſons, p. 96who maintain the ſtate of the world, the queſtion is; Whereby ſhall a man be made wiſe? At the laſt verſe of the chapter, in the Latine Tranſlation he anſwers; By nothing unleſſe Verſ. 39. niſi qui adj…cerit animum ſuum. &c.he be ſuch an one, who will apply his minde and meditation on the Law of the moſt High. It is a place not lightly to be paſſed over. The husbandman, in that place, may ſeem to have (as he reades and ſo pleades his eaſe) a diſpenſation for his groſſe ignorance; but it is nothing ſo; That Scripture tells us thus much, and it is worth the noting; that though he holds the plough, which ſheweth him the rrLuke 9. 62.Luke 9:62conſtancy of an holy profeſſion, for he looks ſtraight before him, he doth not look back, much leſſe take off his hand; though he ploweth up the ground, which ſheweth him as in a glaſſe, the ſoreneſſe of afflictions, how the wicked plow upon the ſſPſal. 129. Micah 3. 12.Ps 129Mic 3:12backs of the righteous; and what pains he ſhould take with his own ttJer. 4. 3.Jer 4:3heart alſo, So preparing it for the true ſeed the word of life: though he caſteth in the ſeed ſtill in the ſeaſon, and that he might underſtand his own ſeaſon, lookes to ſee again the very ſame ſeed, which he ſowes, the very ſame uuJob 4. 8. Hoſea 8. 7. & chap. 10. verſ. 12. 13. Galat. 67. 8.Job 4:8Hos 8:7, and with a large encreaſe, but it rots and dies in the earth xx1. Cor. 15. 36. John 12. 24. Chryſoſt. in locum Hom. 41. α.1 Cor 15:36John 12:24firſt; which anſwers the great objection, and cuts the knot as I may ſay, with its own ſword; The body cannot riſe again, becauſe it dies and rots in the earth; nay, becauſe it dies and rots, therefore it ſhall riſe; and he is a fool in the Apoſtles ſenſe who ſeeth not ſo much in the ſowing and reaping his grain. Though this husbandman ſeeth all this, yet he ſeeth not, he underſtandeth nothing thereby; he is not made the wiſer by it: By what he ſpeaks, we may know what his heart doth indite, no ſongs of praiſe unto his God. He will notwithſtanding glory in his goad; all his talk will be of bullocks; for he giveth his minde to make furrows, and all his diligence is to give the kine fodder; all is for the earth, there on he layeth out the pretious ſtock of time and ſtrength, thither to he bends himſelf, he entertaineth not a thought, whereby to raiſe himſelf higher; and it muſt needs be ſo, unleſſe he ſhall apply his minde another way, and meditate on the law of his God; p. 97when he ſhall do ſo, then every thing ſhall inſtruct him, and make him wiſe, and not before.

Here now we have our leſſon, and the way to make our walk profitable; we muſt apply our minde to that we ſee; and we muſt meditate on the Law of our God. That is the man, who will learn by every thing, that hath inured and accuſtomed his heart to compare earthly things with heavenly; to trade his ſpirit to heavnely things by earthly occaſions. He ſhall be made wiſe, who hath a gift (it muſt be given from above) to be heavenly; that is, to make every creature (which is the work of a ſanctified fancy) a ladder to heaven; to turn ordinary properties of the creature, or common occaſions to heavenly meditations: This, I ſay, is the man, who will profit by his walk; being now in the open view of the heaven and the earth, and obſerving Gods great works in both.

To conclude and to inſtance, ſo making the thing plain, that man ſhall gain much by his obſervations, who hath but ſo much underſtanding, as ſeeing a ſheep before the ſhearer, to ſee alſo the meek-abiding and patience of the Saints; ſeeing an ant, a lillie, a raven, to think on a providence; ſeeing an oxe knowing his owner and his crib, to think, what is the duty of a reaſonable creature; obſerving the ſtork and the ſwallow, and our houſhold cock, all exactly obſerving their ſeaſon, and I think, the laſt obſerving it almoſt to a minute, To learn from theſe, and to get (as was ſaid of the children ^z of Iſſachar) underſtanding in the times, and to know what Iſrael 1. Chron. 12. 31.1 Chr 12:31ought to do; He that can do ſomuch (through Him that ſtrengtheneth all, and in all, he can) he ſhall be made wiſe by his obſervation of the creatures, for he ſets his minde to the thing, and the Law of God is in his heart; he will receive profit by every thing, and teach others how to profit alſo: ſo I come to the third particular; How to teach the childe to ſpell nature &c.

3. Childehood and youth, are ages of fancy. Therefore the Father (I mean a father at large, maſter or teacher, he p. 98hath the relation of a Father) muſt make great uſe of the childes ſenſes, for they have the beſt agreement with its fancy: hereunto the book of the creatures is very ſubſervient. They ſpeak to the ſenſes, and the ſenſes make report to the minde. So in this way every place will be the childes ſchool, for every where it will meet with its leſſon, and no leſſon plainer and more legible to a childe, then what he findes in the volume of the Creatures.

This is a truth not to be doubted of; That parent teacheth beſt and ſooneſt attaineth his end, the promoting his childe, who verſeth the childe moſt in the open view of the creatures; So he cannot alwayes do, but this he muſt do alwayes, as he intends his childes profit; When he cannot carry his childe abroad to view the creatures, he muſt, what he can, bring the creatures home to the childe; ſo ſhall he make the book in the childes hand, what ever it be, more legible: For this the parent ſhall finde, that, where he comes ſhort in making repreſentations to his childes eye, there the childe will fall ſhort in his apprehenſion. Nothing comes into the underſtanding in a naturall way, but through the doore of the ſenſes: If the eye hath not ſeen that, we are ſpeaking of, it can make no report of it to the minde. The ſpirit of the childe, as I may ſay, is faſhioned and moulded to the pattern and modell of that it looks upon. And note we, then the childe goes on with eaſe and delight, when the underſtanding and the tongue are drawn along, like parallel lines, not one a jot before another. It is Comenius his rule, the ableſt man in that way, that yet the world hath taken notice of. And this alſo the parent ſhall the more eaſily effect and with quicker diſpatch, if, (when he hath laid the book of the Creatures before the childes eye, and is reading the lecture from thence, he ſhall put the lecture into queſtions, and make the childe, not an hearer onelyonly (that is the old manner) but a party in the buſineſſe: It will much enliven, and quicken the childes fancy, to ſee it ſelf joyned as a party in the work, though its little it can p. 99do. A parent muſt queſtion his childe, and in a faire way take an account of him; ſpeaking wholly, is loſt labour. The Tutour in Xenoph. aaLib 1. de Inſt. p. 34.for a lecture to his ſcholler Cyrus, propoſeth this queſtion; A great youth, having a little coat, gave it to one of his companions of a leſſe ſtature, and took from him his coat, which was the greater; upon which he demanded his judgement: Cyrus anſwered, that it was well, becauſe both of them were thereby the better fitted: But his maſter ſharply reprehended him for it, becauſe he conſidered onelyonly the fitneſſe and convenience thereof, and not the juſtice, which ſhould firſt and eſpecially be conſidered, that no man may be enforced in that, which was his own.

And this no doubt is an excellent manner of inſtruction, ſaith Charron; and it is probable, this was the manner, which the Iewes took for the inſtruction of their children: bbDeut. 6. 20.Deut 6:20And when the childe ſhall aske thee, thou ſhalt ſay, thus and thus: But how if the childe did not ask? then ſure enough the parent did ask the childe, or help the childe how to ask. If the childe did not queſtion the parent, the parent did queſtion the childe. We would have the childe ask and enquire; for it is a true rule, He that doubts and asketh moſt, he profiteth moſt: And he that enquireth after nothing, he knowes nothing, ſaith another. But the parent will finde the childe very ſlack and backward this way; Few children there are, who make any further enquiry, but When is the next holy day? Therefore here the parent muſt help, and give the hint of a queſtion. As it requireth ſome ſenſe, to make an anſwer not abſurd; ſo it asketh ſome knowledge, to demand a queſtion not impertinent; it exceeds the skill of a childe. Therefore there is no queſtion, but the parent muſt help, and give the hint of a queſtion at the leaſt, and that will give an hint to further inſtruction. It is paſt all queſtion; that it is an excellent way in teaching, to put the lecture into queſtions: We have our great Lord and Maſter a preſident unto us, whom they found in the Temple, ſitting among the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them ccLuke 2. 46.Luke 2:46queſtions. It is p. 100then no novel way, but ancient, and authentick; though now, as the beſt things are, grown out of uſe and faſhion. And it ſufficeth to point onelyonly at this way of queſtioning the childe, ſo making it a party, which will help it very much to reade in the volume of Gods works, and to profit by reading, which was the third thing.

4. The fourth follows, which is, To give ſome eſſay herein, and reade a ſhort lecture, out of this great volume of the Creatures, that lieth open before us; And I begin at the footſtooll where we had our beginning:

At the Earth: for it is ſaith the Father, ddforeign. Chryſoſt. in Gen. Ser. 1.our countrey, Iour mother, our nurſe, our table, our grave. An effect it is, which in a meaſure, may be perceived by mans underſtanding, but the manner of production cannot be concieved by any ſpirit compaſſed with a mortall body. Here I enquire firſt

1. What Forme or figure it hath.

2. Whence its dependance.

3. What its magnitude &c. How farre a childes ſenſe will help in all three.

Something hereof the ſenſe will report to the underſtanding, but it will leave the underſtanding of old and young in a wonderment, and that, as was ſaid, is but the effect of a broken knowledge. The uſe hereof we ſhall ſee anon. The firſt;

1. For the Figure of it; It is circular or round, we muſt not look for corners in it. Our ſenſe doth not report it ſo, if we look downward upon the convex ſurface of the ſame; for the curvature or bending thereof appeares not to the eye, nor is it poſſible it ſhould, being but a foot, or there abouts, in fifteen miles, yet ſomething it is. But the Globe repreſenting the ſame, which with the earth and ſea makes but one, tells us what the figure of the earth is; ſo do the waters in compaſſing the ſame, and the Sun or the Heavens rouling round about.

But more clearely, the fabrick of the heavens declares the p. 101figure of the earth, whoſe concave we behold, and ſee it like an Arch or Furnace over us, which plainly ſheweth the Fornace flammeo.ſame figure to be of the earth. And that (which is demonſtrated in a little circle) no part of the ſurface thereof is uppermoſt, and lowermoſt in reſpect of it ſelf, but lyeth in a full aſpect to heaven, though it ſeemes otherwiſe to us, who live on this ſide of the Globe; as it doth likewiſe to them, who are on the other ſide in the South. Which alſo clearly concludes, That, there are ^e Antipodes, though they tread not See Plin. nat. Hiſt lib. 2. c 65. Aug. de Civit. Dei. lib. 16. cap. 9. Lact. lib. 3. cap. 23.in a direct oppoſition to us, which ſo poſed the Ancients; I meane, a people (for the word is improper) who inhabite that other ſide of the Globe; ſo clearly, I ſay, concludeth this truth, and ſo univerſally, that now, to phraſe it as one doth, it ſcornes defence.

This is wonderfull to ſenſe. It is ſo, and it muſt be granted to be ſo, both to young and old, for it leaves us all to wonder, and no more. It leaves us with our light in the darke. Note it, There is enough in the greateſt portion of knowledge to humble us very low: And enough in the leaſt portion thereof, for there is the greateſt danger, to puffe us up and make us ſwell; ſo needfull it is to know the imperfection and ſhallowneſſe of our knowledge, but, more eſpecially to know our ſelves to be but men. And, if we conceive ſo ſmall a part of God here about the earth; how little, little, is that we conceive of Him, when we go higher? If He be wonderfull in His foot-ſtoole, thinke we, and thinke ſeriouſly; How glorious is He in His Throne? This meditation ſhould not be paſſed over untill it hath wrought us from wonderment, to an holy trembling before Him, and a godly feare.

There is one thing more, touching the figure of the earth, which offers it ſelf, and I cannot paſſe it by, though it is very ordinary and familiar, and the ſenſe can make report thereof to the underſtanding, It is this; A circular or round figure cannot fill up that which hath corners; there will be ſtill an emptineſſe. It tells us this ordinary leſſon, That p. 102the earth, and all the ſtuffe and lumber there, cannot fill up the heart of man, no more then wind or aſhes can ſatisfie the hungry ſtomack. We may weary out our ſelves, and lay out our ſtock of time, and parts, about the encompaſſing of Capacem Dei non implet minus Deo, Tu Deus diligenti Te quantum praecipis, oſlendes Te & ſuſſicis ei. Aug. Conſ. 12. 15.ſome portion here below; but it will not be a portion proportionable unto the nature of the ſoul; it will not profit, nor give ſatisfaction. That very ſeale, which made the impreſſion, will fill up and anſwer the ſame impreſſion, and no other for it: It is only heaven and the great things thereof, which give reſt and peace, which fills up the heart, and makes it ſtable; removed there-from, the heart is like a needle ſhaken off from the pole ſtarre, in an unquiet trembling poſture, when it feeles it ſelf, like a Meteor, toſſed with every motion, and ſtill in doubtfull ſuſpence ffforeign. Luk. 12. 29.Luke 12:29. Behold then; The heaven is before us, and Chriſt, in our nature, hath opened the way thither, and There appeares for us; And thither-ward muſt the ſoul tend, if it looks for reſt. The Lord Chriſt ſeemes to ſpeake to every ſoul, as Ioſeph to his brethren, ggGen. 45. 20.Gen 45:20Regard not ſtuffe, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours: Regard not the ſtuffe and baggage lumber here below; ye are borne for higher things; Behold the heavens; Behold all the good in thoſe ſpacious manſions, is yours.

This meditation muſt be followed, till it hath ſet us looſe from our ſpirit of infirmitie, bending us down-ward, and hath wrought our affections off from things below, and raiſed them upward, where the treaſure is (which only ſatisfieth) thereon to faſten even upon the Lord Chriſt, as the portion to the ſoul, every way proportionable.

And woe unto us, if this meditation doth not work upon us even thus farre, for how ſhall we anſwer, our coveting an evill covetouſneſſe to our houſe; our increaſing that, which is not ours hhHab. 26. 9.; our heaping up riches, or rather, as one ſaith, ſins iiforeign, &c. Iſid. Peluſ. lib. 2. ep. 135., but all this while contemning the bleſſing? our minding earth, and earthly things, wherein is ſuch varietie of changes, and neglecting houſe or kingdome rather, which cannot be ſhaken. How ſhall we anſwer this? It is not poſſible p. 103ſaith the Father kkforeign. Chryſoſt. in Pſal. 4. w.Ps 4, to expect pardon for ſo great a neglect; for our eager purſuit after, and care about the earth, and our neglect of heaven, and of our right precious ſouls, which live to all eternitie. This will beſaid of us, if our care be ſo prepoſterous, which was ſaid of him llIſid. Pel. lib. 2. ep. 156., who had built him a ſumptuous houſe, which he enjoyed a ſhort time, but neglected the chiefe and principall thing, which leades to thoſe everlaſting doores, whereat the King of glory is entred in; In the one he proclaimes his covetouſneſſe, in that other, his great neglect, his extreame folly rather. So much in way of reſolution to the firſt enquiry; What figure the earth hath, and what uſe there-from.

2. Whence its dependance? or how born up? It is Gods queſtion; So He demands of Iob, mmJob 38. 45. 6.Job 38:45Job 38:6Where waſt thou, when I layed the foundation of the earth? who hath layed the meaſures thereof, whereupon are the foundations faſtned? &c. And as it was the Lords queſtion, ſo muſt it be His anſwer for there is not a man upon earth, nor ever was (clothed with ſinfull fleſh) that can ſhew the Kings matter. What then is the Lords anſwer? If we know the Scriptures, we know what it is, for thus they ſay; He hath founded the earth upon the Seas, and eſtabliſhed it upon the floods nnPſal 24. 2.Ps 24:2. VponUpon the ſeas and upon the floods? what finite underſtanding, ſaith the Father ooChryſoſt. in Gen. Hom. 12. Neere the middle. Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 9. Lege Hom. primum S. Baſil. in Hex., can underſtand or comprehend this? when we men lay a foundation, ſo the Father goes on, we digge deepe, and if we meet with water in our way, we goe yet deeper, till we ſee the ſpring dryed up, elſe we will lay no foundation; for a foundation upon water, makes a building unſtable, and tottering, it cannot be a fixt dwelling. It is againſt the nature of water to beare up ſo heavy a body. It was not the ſtick, no nor the work of nature, though put to the extent thereof, which cauſed ſo much as the yron pp2 King. 6. 6.2 Kgs 6:6to ſwim; And it is againſt the nature of the earth to have its ſeat or baſis upon ſuch a foundation.

But Gods wayes are not as mans wayes, which may be found out and comprehended by reaſon. And yet (ſaith the p. 104ſame Father) Why doſt thou wonder ô man? If thou wilt wonder, thou ſhalt never ceaſe wondring, for into whatſoever creature thou wilt pry into, thou wilt finde an unlimited and boundleſſe power, much more then, in the bearing up of this foreign.maſſive body; And to this power thou muſt be brought, elſe thy underſtanding can never fix but be as unſtable, as the waters: We muſt be brought to this; even to the power of God, for hitherto all the anſwer, that the ſacred Scripture makes to this great and grave queſtion, tendeth. He hangeth the earth upon nothing, ſaith Iob qq26. 7.: upon nothing? nothing can beare up nothing; yea but the earth hath pillars; ſo we reade alſo; The rr1 Sam. 2. 8. Cardines Poli.1 Sam 2:8pillars of the earth are the Lords, and He hath ſet the world upon them: The meaning thereof is this (though ſome bend the interpretation otherwiſe to their own end, according to the ſickneſſe of their fanſie) That theſe pillars are our North and South poles, amidſt whereof the earth is ſ Reade Pol. Virg. lib. 4. ca. 9. Where they would make us beleeve that Anna propheſied of Cardinall Pole, or others the Popes Cardinals, ſo making them elder then the Moon.placed, which confirmes unto us the ſingular power & providence of God, ſaith Trem. and it is as much as is implyed from that text; I meane the ſingular power of God therein, for that is intimated by thoſe words paſt all queſtion. Another ſacred Scripture ſaith thus: ttFundavit terram ſuper baſes ejus Trem. Pſal. 104. 5. Terrae in ſe locus eſt. Plin. Hiſt. 2. 65.Ps 104:5He hath founded the earth upon her own Baſis, that it ſhould not be moved for ever; That is, till there be a new heaven, and a new earth. And this anſwer comes neereſt to our ſenſe, and is moſt ſutable to our underſtanding, though farre exceeding both ſenſe and reaſon; That the Lord hath given ſuch an occult and hidden propertie to the earth, that it ſhould beare up and poyſe it ſelf with his own weight; that it ſhould be, as the Philoſopher ſaid, a place ^u to it ſelf; and it is as impoſſible, that it ſhould leave its place, as for a ſtone to tend upward. But ſtill in our ſearch and enquiry here, our reaſon leaves us in the darke; we muſt referre this, to the head of that boundleſſe power, before mentioned, and there leave it amongſt the wonders xxInter Arcana naturae. Alſted. de Terra.and ſecrets of nature, or rather of His Art, which is beyond our skill to finde out.

Only this every childe knows, and he it is whom we p. 105would inſtruct, That every building muſt have ſome pillars whereon to depend, and beare it ſelf up, this the childe knows: If then the childe be asked, what or where are thoſe pillars, that beare up the earth? It muſt needs anſwer, That pillars it hath none, as other buildings have, to ſupport the ſame; and ſupport it ſelf it cannot; an inviſible hand there is, made bare of fleſh, that gave the earth at firſt a being, and ever ſince a ſubſiſtance, poyſing it with his own weight, and ſo, as the Prophet of himſelf, bearing up the pillars xxPſal. 75. 3.Ps 75:3thereof; ſo the childe will anſwer, and from thence he learnes that, that is of the greateſt force and ſtrength, which is leaſt expoſed to the eye. In earthly things we finde it ſo; we heare how the thunder (Gods voice) roareth, we ſee it not; we heare how the wind renteth our houſes and ſtocks up trees; we ſee it not; we heare our yyLact. lib. 7. cap. 9. M. Faelix p. 23. in ſol. See Hiſt. of the world lib. 1. cap. 10. ſect. 10. Lactant 2. 2.voice and a ſound (that which poſeth all the naturaliſts in the world) we ſee it not; The more remote from the ſenſes any thing is, the more divine and admirable: Nay, if a naturall eye could perceive it, there were no divinitie in it at all. That is beſt ſeene, which is not ſeene zzMagis videtur quod non videtur B. Juel Artic. 8. pag. 402.; That is (as our Iewel interprets it) we ſee more certainly with our faith, then we can ſee with the eyes of our body; they may deceive, the eye of the ſoul cannot; But I am too high, if as children in knowledge, we underſtand not earthly things, how can we heavenly? The arme of fleſh is too ſhort here; nature is at a ſtand; I give but an hint only to helpt it out, for here nature will ever ſtick, till an inviſible hand, I meane, an Almightie power, helps it out; and raiſeth nature above it ſelf: For by faith we underſtand, &c. Heb. 11. 3.

I would aske one queſtion more, and it is according to a childiſh ſuppoſition, but beſt agreeing with his underſtanding and conceit. Suppoſe the earth did hang, like as our deceived ſenſe preſents the Sun at its ſetting, popping down behinde the nexthill; or, like a ſtone, ſtill dropping into the water; ſuppoſe it ſo, I would then aske, whether ſhould the earth fall? It muſt needs be anſwered according to the p. 106ſame conceipt, That it muſt fall into the lap and armes of Chap 7 § 3.1. heaven; And this is, as if we ſhould ſay, That the creature falls into the armes of Him, who holds it up; which ſecureth the ſtabilitie of the ſame; That there are, as the ſacred Scripture ſaith, everlaſting hills and perpetuall mountaines: Habb. 3. 6.

It ſecureth alſo (and it is a principall thing) The ſtabilitie and firme foundation of the Church, and the true members thereof; They are an everlaſting foundation alſo, they ſtand faſt, like Mount Sion, faſt for evermore. The gates of hell, (power, and policie) ſhall not prevaile to remove and unbottom them; ſo faſt they ſtand; for how ſhould they fall, or which way? which way ſoever they fall, they fall into the armes of Him, who ſupports them. They may be turned by the gyants of the world (as M^r. Dearing calls them) from poſt to pillar as the proverbe is, and, from the pillar, ſeparated to the foure winds; and yet they are upon their baſis and bottom ſtill. All their ſhocks cannot put them off thence. How ſo? They are in the ſame hand, that holds up the earth, in Gods hand; He loveth His people; All His (Iſraels) Saints, are in thy hand aaDeut. 33. 3. Trem.Deut 33:3; And we muſt all grant, That what is in Gods hand cannot by force or fraud be throwne out. Oh how ſure, how ſecure that building, which God beares up! and the Corner ſtone whereof, the Lord Chriſt is! how ſure and certaine is their dependance; who having nothing, can yet root themſelves upon Him, who hangs the earth upon nothing! So much to the ſecond enquiry, and the uſe there-from.

3. The third is touching the magnitude thereof; And this our ſenſe reports to be a maſſive body, according to all demenſions, but therein exceeding both ſenſe and our finite underſtanding. And yet, we muſt needs conceive alſo, That this is, as it is abſolutely conſidered and in it ſelf; for, if we take the earth comparatively, with reſpect to the heaven, it is, and our ſenſe reports it ſo, but as that center or point, where the foot of the compaſle ſtands, to the compaſſe or p. 107circumference round about the ſame point: So as if the earth could be beheld down ward from the higheſt ſtarre, which may be ſuppoſed, though it cannot be through a double impoſſibilitie, the opacitie of the earth, and the contrarietie to ſenſe, it would ſeeme as little, and leſſe unto us there above, then the ſtarre doth ſeeme to us below. The ſcoffing bbLucian Icaro M…nippus. Ridentem dicere verum, &c.Philoſopher makes this conſideration very uſefull, for what hinders, but that a ſcoffer may in ſome things ſpeake the truth, and make the ſame truth uſefull.

But this is certain; They who are riſen with Chriſt, whoſe affections are upon their treaſure, which can be no where but in the heavens, for there Chriſt ſitteth, they are filled with the beautie and glory thereof; filled I ſay, as we read, the houſe was; The prieſts could not ſtand to miniſter, for the glory cc2 Chron. 5. 13, 14.2 Chr 5:132 Chr 5:14of the Lord filled the houſe of God: ſo is their houſe filled, their ſoul I meane, with the glory of the things of Chriſt, that the world can finde no roome within their houſe, ſo filled with glory. The world is indeed as it is, but See Chryſ. Ad Pop Ant. Hom. 15.as a point to them, and they are at a point for it; heaven is before them, and the great and durable manſions there, no matter for the ſtuffe of the earth; let her keep her gifts, her pleaſures and profits; for as the brother ſaid, they have enough; they have the pearle; for they bid to the price of it, they have it, and they have enough.

And ſo much to the three demands, or enquiries, touching the earth; the reſolves thereunto, and inſtructions therefrom.

2. It followes, that we take a generall view of the things on the earth; And behold variety of obj…cts; all to refreſh and comfort, to inſtruct and humble me I have no ſooner ſet my foot abroad, but preſently I ſee, There an hill, here a dale; There a barren ground, here a fruitfull: There good fruit, here weeds ddforeign, Chryſoſt. in Gen. cap … Hom. 17. foreign, &c. Baſ. in Hex. Hom. 2.: There the ſheep ſeeding, here the horſe and oxe ploughing: There the ſheep giving us her lambes, and her wool; here the cow giving her calf, and her milk; ſo we have from both, firſt an increaſe, and then their fleſh; p. 108cloth for our backs, and food for our hunger: There I ſee herbs, flowers, trees, leaves, ſeeds, fruits; perhaps now in their winter and withered quarter; or in their Spring-time, and new dreſſe, receiving a new life again: whether ſo or ſo, they give cleare evidence, that what is quite rotten now, ſhall revive again eeIn reſurrectionem futuram, omnis natura meditatur. Expectandum etiam corporis ver eſt. Minut. Faelix. p. 24. in ſol. l. 19 The Spring is the reſurrection of the year; And conſonant to reaſon it is, That man, for whom all things ſpring and riſe again, ſhould have his ſpring and riſing too. Tertul.. Here I ſee an hedge, and as much care to keep it ſtrong, as there was to plant the field, with any of all theſe. There I ſee the Behemoth, (beaſts) ſo called for her greatneſſe; here the little worm, retiring into its hold, and earthing it ſelf, in caſe it feeles the leaſt touch. I cannot reckon up what I ſee; but if I do no more but ſee, the mule, and the horſe and the oxe do as much as I. If we ſee nothing in the heavens (they are M^r Dearings ffHeb. lect. 5. c. 1. verſ. 10.words) but that they are light and above our reach; the horſe and mule ſee this as well as we. If we ſee nothing in the earth, but a place to walk in, or to take our reſt upon it, the beaſts and fowls ſee this as well as we. If we ſee nothing in our gorgeous apparell, but the pride of a goodly colour; the peacock ſeeth that in her feathers: And if in all our refreſhment from the creatures, we know nothing but the pleaſure and ſweetneſſe of our ſenſe, the hogge and ſwine have here as great a portion as we. To be ſhort, if hearing, ſeeing, ſmelling, taſting, feeling, be all the comfort, we can finde in the works of God; we have given our preeminence to the dumbe Creatures, which have theſe ſenſes more exquiſite then we, and we have turned the hearts of men, into the hearts of beaſts; who with wiſdome, prudence, underſtanding, knowledge, reaſon, can do nothing. And the words of the Prophet are fulfilled in us: Man when he was in honour, had no underſtanding, he was compared to Reade Iſid. Peluſiot. lib. 2. ep. 135.the bruit beaſts, and was made like unto them. Therefore the beholding the works of God, muſt affect us more then ſo, elſe we ſhall be but as the beaſts, and below them.

We muſt learn, according as the works of God are thus before us, ſo to behold them and take the pleaſure of them, that we give glory to God in all that He hath done. When we ſee the heavens, we muſt ſee His greatneſſe, who was able to ſet ſuch a covering over the earth. When we behold the earth, p. 109we muſt behold His providence, who hath ordained ſuch a place of nouriſhment for all creatures. When we look upon the unchangeable courſe, in which all things are eſtabliſhed; We muſt look upon His conſtant wiſdome and goodneſſe, who in a ſtedfaſt purpoſe hath extended His mercies over all His works. In the leaſt of all the Creatures of God, when we ſee wiſdome, power, glory, more then all the world can reach their hands unto, we muſt humble our ſelves under His high Majeſty, before whom no King, nor Prince, no power of the world hath any account. So farre M^r Dearings words.

I adde for further illuſtration of the beauty of the Creation: That the beholding the works therein do ſerve to inſtruct and humble both. I ſee all theſe, and what ever elſe I do ſee, all in their ranks glorifying their Creatour, and ſerving man, who of all the works of Gods Hands, once the moſt glorious, is fallen out thence and from his ſtation, rebells againſt his Maker, and now is called, as he is, A tranſgreſſour from the wombe: and ſo makes the creatures groan under him; ſerving in bondage and in wearineſſe. This conſideration inſtructs and humbles very much, if it come home.

So alſo, if we conſider, how little it is, that we underſtand of all that varietie, which we do ſee. If, ſaith the Father ggChryſoſt in Epheſ. Hom. 19. ω.thou ſhouldeſt come into a Phyſicians or Chirurgions cloſet, how ſmall a part couldeſt thou underſtand, of what thou ſeeſt there? If into a Carpenters, Painters, or Smiths ſhop, in how many things wouldeſt thou be poſed there? Thou couldeſt not tell what the workman can do with this little thing, or with that, but thou muſt be forced to acknowledge a skill in him, beyond thy apprehenſion; Nay, I will go lower with thee yet, ſaith the ſame Father; Go to the bee hive, (where thou mayeſt note by the way, and it is of great uſe; That hhMar. Aur. Ant Medit. lib. 6. ſect 49. pag. 94. See Cic. Offic. 3. p. 141. Chryſoſt. Ibid.which is not good for the beehive, or for the whole ſwarm, cannot be good for the bee) ſee whether thou canſt underſtand that curious art; from the bee, go to the piſmire, ſee whether thou canſt underſtand … Plin. Nat. Hiſt. lib. 11 cap. 5 6. 7 8. & 30. Baſilii ep. 168. ω.her wayes and work; from thence to the ſpider, conſider p. 110her web, and her houſe; Then to the ſwallow, and mark her neſt and the workmanſh…p there; And if thou haſt underſtanding herein, then be bold to enquire into Gods works, and to ſearch them out to the bottom; but if not, then enquire not, but rather admire and break forth into praiſe; For, if in theſe creatures, thou art forced to acknowledge an art beyond ſenſe in beaſts, or apprehenſion in man; how much more then, when thou lookeſt abroad into the great ſhop of the world muſt thou needs acknowledge, the Creator and Diſpoſer of all theſe, is wonderfull in working, and His wayes paſt finding out. kkJob 11. 7.Job 11:7Zophars queſtion is a ſtrong negation; We cannot by ſearching finde out God; we cannot finde out the Almighty to perfection. The ſecrets of his wiſdome are double to that which is, we underſtand not the leaſt part of His works. And (which is our great fault) what we do underſtand in our meaſure, we do not make uſe thereof according to our meaſure: But this we muſt acknowledge that He is good to us and the earth, even in thoſe things, which we count hurtfull, and know to be poyſonfull; even in the toad and in the ſerpent; And then we muſt conclude, How great is that goodneſſe, which makes the worſt things good!

And he is infinite in power and skill in the ſmalleſt as in greateſt of His works; In both we muſt ſee the footſteps of a Deitie, how they carry a mark imprinted in them of the power and Godhead of the Creatour. For he that made the greater and more excellent Creatures, made alſo the leaſt and moſt contemptible: And as His power is great in the greateſt, ſo not one jot leſſe in the leaſt llDeus ita eſt Artiſex magnus in magnis ut non minor ſit in parvis, &c. Aug. d… civit. lib. 11. c…p. 22. Nuſquam natura magis tota quàm in minimis. Plin. Nuſquam pote… tior natura quàm in maximè …ragilibus.. There is not the ſmalleſt creature, whereof there is not ſome need and uſe to ſet forth the glorious power of the Great God, when He ſhall pleaſe to uſe it for ſuch a ſervice. We may obſerve alſo, that mean and ſmall things diſcover the skill and art of the workman better, then the greater things, and more excellent: Examples whereof are common and familiar. And ſometimes alſo, ſmall things can help to diſcover the great, p. 111better then the great can diſcover the ſmall; So He hath diſpoſed it, who doth many times chooſe the weakeſt things to confound the ſtrong, and ſimple things to confound the wiſe.

It is a good note, which the Learned Advancer gives us, mmP. 107.We ſee how that ſecret of nature, of the turning of iron touched with the Loadſtone towards the North, was found out in needles of iron, not in barres of iron. And this I have added; that we may take notice of the power and wiſdome and goodneſſe of God, As in mountains and all hills, fruitfull trees and all cedars; Beaſts and all cattell; So alſo, in creeping things ſuch deſpicable creatures nnPſal. 148. 9. 10. Quicquid …ſſentiâ dignum …ſt id etiam ſcientiâ. Novum organ. 1. 120. Creatorem n…n in coelo …antum miramur, & terrâ, ſole, oceano, elephantis; camelis, &c. ſed in minutis quoque animalibus, ſormica, culice, muſcis, &c. Hier. lib. 2. Ep. 22. p. 268.Ps 148:9Ps 148:10; For I ſee that all the hoſtes of men, though they ſhould joyne their ſtrength together, cannot make the leaſt of theſe creatures, which I ſee; not a creeping worm, not the flying duſt, where-from I muſt conclude as the Prophet before me ooIſa. 40. 12. 17.Isa 40:12Isa 40:17all nations before Him are as nothing, and they are accounted unto Him leſſe then nothing, and lighter then vanitie it ſelf: This uſe the Prophet could make of the ſmalleſt duſt, when it came into his eyes. We ſhould not neglect the leaſt atome, or mote in the Sunne, for that alſo gives us an inſtruction. It was ſpoken to the praiſe of a Prince excellently learned; That he was a carver or divider of cumine ſeed, which onelyonly noted his patience and ſetled ſpirit to enter into the leaſt and moſt exact differences of cauſes.ppCymini ſector. Adv. p. 69.

So much to the generall view of the creatures upon the earth, for we are yet no higher; particulars here, (unto us) are infinite, and to inſiſt upon generalls, is to walk in a maze: Therefore I ſhall ſingle out two creatures from out of the throng, for the ſingularitie of natures work in both; the one, the greateſt, that goeth on earth; the other the ſmall…ſt, that creepeth on the ſame.

It is a well known obſervation, and experience concludeth it; That in every kinde there is the greateſt, and the ſmalleſt qqDatur maximum & minimum in utroq…e genere.; a greatneſſe, which cannot be exceeded: and a littleneſſe, which cannot be contracted: So in men, though we p. 112ſhould not beleeve the narration of Hollings-head; yet we know there have been men of great ſtature, rrHiſt. of the World p. 1. 5. 8. Dr Hak. Apol. 3. 2.and we ſee there are dwarfes. So in Creatures going on the earth, and never riſing higher, there is the greateſt and the leaſt; and in thoſe two, I ſhall now inſtance.

The Elephant is the greateſt, I ſhall not relate what we reade, touching his ready obedience, docibleneſſe, memory, and ſome other things ſcarce credible ſſSee Plia. Nat. Hiſt. l. 8 cap. 12. …. Ver. Hiſt. vitae & mortis pag. 72. Al…ed Phyſ. …ars 6. cap. 5.. Certain it is, he is Behemoth in the plurall number, becauſe of his maſſive bulk, as big as many beaſts; and as the beaſt is, ſuch is his ſtrength; So we reade in the Hiſtorie of the Maccabees tt1. Macc▪ 6. 37.1 Macc 6:37; And upon the Beaſt were there ſtrong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt faſt unto them with devices, there were alſo upon every one, two and thirty ſtrong men, that fought upon them, beſides the Indian that ruled him. The more loaded he is, the firmer he goes, becauſe feeling his burden, he puts out his ſtrength: He is the chief of the wayes of God, as we reade in Iob; uuCap. 40. 19.And it is notable which followeth; He that made him, can make His ſword to approach unto him: If we mark whoſe ſword that is, it carrieth the eye to God, and teacheth the childe the wonderfull might of His power; He 9. 19.that made …im &c. Therefore as Iob alſo ſaith, If we ſpeak of ſtrength, lo He is ſtrong. The other creature we call the mite, or weevell; a very little creature, the leaſt of any, ſaith the Naturaliſt, and that little, which is, is all throat; The huſbandman ſhall meet with it in his barne, as ſure as he findes it in his cheefe; and for one, as the old Poet ſaith, five hundred; **Plaut. cur. Act. 4 ſcen. 4.Acts 4A great devourer it is, where ever it is, but moſt likely in the corn-heap. It will conſume, ſaith he that writeth of husbandry xxPopulatque ingentem farris acervum curculio. Virg., a great heap of grain. Hence the inſtruction yyMaxima è minimis ſuspendens. Adv. p. 112. l. 2. Hiſt of the World. A. 2 verſ. 13. 4. chap. 16. 2.is; God uſually hangs the greateſt weight, upon the ſmalleſt wyars; And doth the greateſt works, both in a way of mercy and of judgement, by the ſillieſt and weakeſt executioners.

He needs not an army of Giants, one whereof (and he was the greateſt, that I think, our laſt Centuries have taken p. 113notice of) was of ſuch a ſtature, that the ſole of his foot did cover foure of ours zzGrimſtone Hiſt. of the Netherland. p. 39.: The Lord needs not an army of ſuch, nor needeth He iron charriots, nor Elephants to make a battel fierce and terrible againſt a backſliding and revolted people. When a Nation needeth a ſharp knife, as the Father expreſſeth it, to cut away the dead fleſh; the Lord can do it by deſpicable inſtruments, and yet of force and ſharpneſſe enough to execute His pleaſure; who to approve Himſelf the God of all power, worketh great things by the weakeſt meanes. Even by His northern Army, the locuſt, the cankerworm, the caterpiller: aaJoel 2. 20. 25. A locuſtis, à muribus, genus omne occidi…ur atque arroditur frugum. Arnob. lib. 1. p. 3. in fol. vide com.Joel 2:20Joel 2:25Theſe ſilly creatures can make a Garden of Eden before them, a deſolate wilderneſſe behinde them; and nothing ſhall eſcape them, verſe the 3. If He ſpeak the word and bid it go, the ſilly frog ſhall ſcale the palace, and the Kings bed chamber; The rats ſhall take the tower; The miſe ſhall conſume all the proviſion of war, and in one night they ſhall do it; as writeth Herodotus: And ſo ſpeaketh that monument there, of one holding a mouſe in his hand, and bidding the beholder look up to God, and ſerve Him in feare bbforeign.. And to relate nearer to the thing in hand; A little worm can devoure all the proviſion of bread, as experience hath ſometimes told us; and that noted ſtory in Grimſton, who writeth; That the corn twice or thrice ſown, was as often eat up by a little worm, or gray ſnaile, and in one night, whence followed dearth, famine, peſtilence, wolves ccPag. 819. Anno 1586..

Oh that man, ſo dependant a Creature, ſhould carry himſelf proudly before the God of Heaven! Who to approve Himſelf the God of all power, and able to abaſe the proud heart, hath a thouſand wayes and meanes whereby to do it; He can by a gnat, a fly, an haire, ſtop the breath; and by the weakeſt means deſtroy life and lively-hood: We have often read theſe words, and there is much comfort in them, to ſuch, who are fearers of the Lord; Thou ſhalt be in league with the ſtones of the field; and with the creeping things, ddJob 5. 23. Hoſ. 2. 18.Job 5:23Hos 2:18&c.

I remember what an old Preacher ſaid upon theſe Texts, It was this; What great matter is it, will ſome man think, p. 114to be at league with the ſtones of the field, or in covenant Chap 7 § 3.2. with creeping things of the ground; he feares no danger from theſe; No, ſaid the Preacher, he doth not; and therefore being out of covenant with his God, his danger is the greater, becauſe not feared. He that feares not God, hath cauſe to feare every thing, and that he leaſt feares may moſt hurt him: That ſtone, which lieth before him, may daſh out his …rains, by ſuch a meanes, as no man poſſibly could ſuſpect; and the beaſt that is in his hand, and knows not his ſtrength, nor ſhall put it forth, yet may occaſion his fall. I knew a man, for he lived amongſt us, who had a Barbary horſe to preſent to his great friend; and ſtroaking the back of the beaſt, and there feeling it cruſhed with the ſaddle, was preſently in a great rage with his man; and in that rage ſtamped with his foot; the heel of his boot being, after the faſhion, high, ſlipt within the crevice of the ſtones, (it was on a cauſie-way.) and he, plucking his heel out again, with ſome heat and choler, fell down forward, where a ſharp ſtone ſtanding above the reſt, met with his fore-head, and his brains, and daſhed them out.

A great mercy to be at league with the ſtones, and in covenant with the beaſts, and creeping wormes; which we cannot be, if out of covenant with God.

So much to the works of God on the earth; and to the inſtruction therefrom, which, in this curſorie way and view of them, we may take along with us, They ſerve to refreſh and comfort, to inſtruct and humble. God is great in the very leaſt, and to ſhew Himſelf the God of all power, He can and doth bring to paſſe great works by the weakeſt and ſimpleſt perſons and meanes.

It follows now that we take a view of the great Waters, 11for they, with the earth, make up but one Globe. In the view of this ſubject (leaving more ſubtile enquiries for a fitter place,) I behold firſt, their ſurface; ſecondly, their barres and bound…; thirdly, their weight; fourthly, the Creatures therein.

p. 1151. The ſurface thereof; it is as the windes and weather is; if calme, the ſea is very pleaſing, and in ſome places like a table; if ſtormy, then troubled, and raging, caſting up mire and dirt. It ſheweth us the common errour, and miſtake we have, when we commend a perſon; for we ſay, he is a very good man, unleſſe he be ſtirred or eeMulti nonnullam manſuetudinem prae ſe ferunt quamdiu blanda omnia & amabilia experiuntur: at verò qui eundem ſ…rvat modeſtiae tenorem ubi pungitur & irritatur quotusquiſ que ? Cal. Iuſt. lib. 3. cap. 7. § 4.moved; Vnleſſe he …e ſtirred? So is the ſea alſo, a comely pleaſing creature in her calmes; but rough and dreadfull in her ſtormes. If the winde ſtirre, the ſea mounts; if they bluſter, it roares. I know not a conſideration that may ſooner calme a man, if in a commotion (as winde enough he ſhall finde to cauſe it;) But ſurely a good man findes a calme or makes it, even then, when there is much ſtirring about him. The windes and ſtormes properly taken, tell us what the ſea is, and metaphorically taken, they tell us what the man is. Our paſſions are elegantly called tortures ffEt vino tortus & ira. Her..Tortures upon the body, many times make the minde more ſecret, or opens the mouth againſt judgement, as ſaid a Lawyer honeſt and learned; for rackings ſtood not with his law ggForteſcue. chap. 22.. But tortures upon the minde tell us what the man is; they diſcover a man: If paſſion hath put the minde upon the rack, and the perſon now ſuffer no wrack in the ſtorm of his paſſion, he is a man of a ſound conſtitution, we cannot doubt of it; For our hhPoeta perturbationes, non inſcitè appellat torturas, quod ab iis ſecreta &c. Augment. l. 8. p. 252.paſſions try what a man is indeed, as the ſtormes and windes what wood the ſhip is made of, how firme and ſound it is, how well compact and ſet together; and ſo forth, for the uſe hereof is large.

2. The ſurface of the waters ſhews us, how the Lord deales with His ranſomed ones, conducting them to their haven; For with thoſe travellers, priſoners, ſick-men, we ſee ſea-men joyned, Pſal. 107. All thoſe conditions fitly reſembling the condition of thoſe that ſeek the Lord; but none of all more fitly, then the latter. He findes ſtormes as well as calmes, doubts and feares as well as refreſhments. He ſeeth the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. According to this reſemblance or ſea-faring condition, the p. 116Lord deales with His ſervants; they are like that ſhip, toſſed with windes, and almoſt covered with waves; and they may continue ſo high till the fourth watch, but the end ſhall be a calme; for out of theſe great waters they ſhall be delivered; and through thoſe barres they ſhall break, though they ſeem as ſtrong as iron and braſſe, and over the wall they ſhall leap in His ſtrength, through whom they do all things; for the ſea and the winde obey Him; ſo do all temptations and feares, at His rebuke they flie; if He ſay, Be ſtill, The ſtormes and waves of temptation are calme and ſtill alſo; which leades me to the ſecond enquiry, that is;

2. What their bounds and barres? Hereunto the Lord Himſelf Jer. 5. 22.Jer 5:22anſwers; Feare ye not me, ſaith the Lord? Will ye not tremble at my preſence, which have planted the ſand for the bound of the ſea by a perpetuall decree, that it cannot paſſe it; and though the waves thereof toſſe themſelves, yet can they not prevaile, though they roare yet can they not paſſe over it. There we reade, what boundeth the raging ſea, and ſets unto it its limits; The Lord hath, ſaith the Father, walled kkforeign. Chryſoſt. in Cor. Hom. 4.about the ſea with the ſand; He hath bridled and held in the ſtrong raging hereof with a very weak thing; it is the ſand thereof, and that a worme can creep over. But yet, when the Lord hath decreed it ſo, That thitherto the water ſhall come, and no further llJob 38 10. 11. 12.Job 38:10Job 38:11Job 38:12, and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed, then ſhall thoſe ſands be to the ſea as barres and doores mmforeign. Baſil Hex. Hom. 4., for there is the decreed bound. It had carried a greater ſhew of poſſibility to nature, if the Lord had ſaid, I have ſet the rocks a bound to the ſea, and the land clifts as doores to the ſame; but then it had not ſo magnified His power, nor ſo exalted His Name, that ſtrong Tower, as now, that the ſand is the bound thereof; which wonderfully eſtabliſheth the hope of the Righteous, and ſecureth them, when the flouds of great waters are at the neck, and even running over the head; that yet, there is a decreed bound, ſo farre, and no further: As in the caſe of Ieremy; the three Children; all the faithfull of God, who p. 117may be delivered up, even into their enemies hands, That they, who hate them, may be Lords over them, and execute upon them, the pleaſure of their own will, which is the utmoſt extent of their chaine or bound; and yet, they ſhall not do, what they think they can do, and is in their power to do, they ſhall do them no hurt: The Lord ſits upon the flouds and orders them, though they riſe high, yet He is above them nnPſal. 93. 3, 4.Ps 93:3Ps 93:4. As the promiſe was of old (for that queſtion is a ſtrong affirmation) yron ſhall not break the Northern yron and the ſteele ooJer. 15. 12.Jer 15:12; though the enemy be hard as yron, the Lord will be too hard for them: ſo, though the waves roare, yet they ſhall not paſſe thoſe little ſands, the decreed place.

I remember now the holy confidence, ſecuritie rather of Luther; News was brought him, that the enemies banded themſelves againſt the Church, and were reſolved to ſwallow up Saxony, and to eate Gods people as bread, We will not be diſmayed, ſaid Luther, He that ſits in the heavens laughs at their rage, and ſhall we cry ppMelc. Ad. vità Luth.? No, we will ſing, and our ſong ſhall be the 46 Pſalme; God is our refuge, &c. Though the waters of the Sea roare, that is, though the enemy threaten to ſwallow us up quick, yet he ſhall do us no hurt, none at all: Our God ſits upon the water flouds, He is above them. Wickedneſſe is caſt into the mideſt of an Ephah, a Buſhell qqZech. 5. 7.Zech 5:7, That is, ſaith M^r. Calvin, it hath its meaſure, its bound, which it ſhall not paſſe. The righteous know, That the Lord is greater then all Gods, and, as once it was, it will ever be; In the thing, wherein the enemies deale proudly, He will be above them rrExod. 18. 11.Exod 18:11; The Lord rules in the middeſt of His enemies ſſPſal 110 2.Ps 110:2. And will deliver, if not from all, as He did Peter, yet certainly from the greateſt expectation ttAct. 12. 11.Acts 12:11of the Adverſary, He will ſo deliver, that all ſhall ſee, that there is no God, that can deliver after this ſort uuDan. 3. 29.Dan 3:29. For He hath appointed the bound, which the enemy cannot paſſe, though they think not ſo; and the further they run, like a Spring-tide, or deſtroying floud, which carryeth down all before it, the more wonderfull, in p. 118the end, will Gods power appeare in oppoſing and ſtopping the ſame. For thoſe flouds of ungodlineſſe, which riſe ſo high, and open ſo wide upon the righteous, as if they would ſwallow them up quick, ſhall either break and daſh themſelves to pieces, with their own violence, or they ſhall be a means decreed, as in the former examples, and in Ionah, to bring them to their ſafe haven, the place where they would be: ſo mightie is God in power, and ſo excellent in working; and never more glorious, then, when He oppoſeth ſtrength with weakneſſe, in the eye of nature, and wiſdome with fooliſhneſſe, which is, as if a man ſhould ſet a few ſands, as barres and dores to the Surging Ocean, when the ſurges thereof are many degrees above the ſands. So much to the ſecond, and the eſtabliſhment the ſoule hath therefrom. The third is;

3. What weight theſe waters have? It ſeemes a matter of more uſe to conſider, how good a ſervant water is, ſo fire alſo; and how hurtfull they are both, when maſters over us and ours: of uſe indeed to conſider how good every thing is in its place, order and uſe, and how good ſervice it doth therein: But then again, how evill it is, and what hurt it doth, when (through mans ſinne, who hath broken his rank, and left his firſt ſtanding alſo) it is out of that place and order. We need make no queſtion hereof, but uſe a great deale. I have propoſed a queſtion, whereto every childe can make anſwer (but I intend the uſe) for who knows not, That the waters are heavy? Aske the beaſt that tugs at the wheele, when it hath told its rounds **Cha…ron., which it will ſoone learn to do, it will ſtand ſtill and tell you, the water is weighty: ſo will he or ſhe ſay, that beare it on their ſhoulders, or upon their heads. But this wearineſſe is, and this weight they ſinde in the water, when they tugge at it, to draw it from out of its place; for, though it is heavy in its own nature, yet not in its own and proper place **Elementa non ponderant in proprio loco.. He that diveth into the waters, and lyeth under more then would fill many Hogsheads, feeleth no weight from all that; Nay, ſuppoſe a man p. 119were in the bottome of the Sea, and life within him; the water would ſoone choake him, but he would feele no more weight from all thoſe billows over his head, then he would from a feather upon his backe, for the water is in its owne place, and the perſon is out of his; and that is the reaſon, why he feeles no weight, but yet he will be choaked with it.

This is of ordinary uſe, and thus it is applyed; when a perſon is over head and eares in ſinne, when he and his ſinne are affianced, yea, marryed together; when he is joyned to his Idol, and is let alone; All this while his ſinne is delightfull unto him, he taketh paſtime in it, as the Leviathan in the waters, and findeth no trouble in it at all, but peace and ſatisfaction rather zzVolup…a…e …ru… maxima voluptas.. Sin is a light matter with him, ſo alſo is pardon and forgiveneſſe of ſinne, ſo ſmall a matter in eſteeme now, as not worth the craving, a ſeeking after in good earneſt, though he doth, in a cuſtomary way, and for order ſake, reckon up the fift petition amongſt the reſt. He cannot deſire eaſe, for he feeles no burden; nor enlargement, for he feels not how he is enthralled: And the reaſon hereof is; his ſinne is in his heart as in its proper place and center, and being ſo, it burdens him not. But now ſtay a while, till this perſon be laid upon his ſick bed; till his way be hedged up with thornes; till his monethmonth come, when he muſt caſt forth his ſorrows; till he be griped aaNon reddit oracula niſi conſtrictus.with paines both within and without; till death look in at the windows, and ſinne ſtares him in the face, and now is ſummoned to make his appearance before the Iudge of the whole world, before whom the lying ſpirit ſpakes truth bbJob 1. N…tura vexa…; prodi… ſeipſam.Job 1; much more the conſcience of a man. Suppoſe we, I ſay, a perſon in ſuch a caſe; Nay, we will not ſuppoſe it, we need but antidate the time, for it certainly comes and will haſten; and then put we ſome intergatories to this man in this caſe, we ſhall finde his minde changed. Aske him what he thinks now of the cup of pleaſure, which he drunk down ſo greedily? he will tell you, he findes it bitterneſſe in the latter end; it was indeed like ſugar under his tongue, but now in his bowels it p. 120is as the gall of Aspes; and to have overcome his pleaſure had been pleaſure indeed ccViciſſe voluptatem voluptas moxima. Gro…. 243.. Aske him what he thinks of pardon for ſinne? he will tell you it were news from heaven indeed; the beſt and moſt comfortable tidings that could be thought of. Aske him how he feeles his ſinne now? he will tell you, heavy, very heavy, the weightieſt thing in the world; ſand is heavy, and lead is heavy, but ſinne exceedeth them all ddforeign. Chryſ. de Anna ſer. 6. p. 946.; it preſſeth down to the nethermoſt hell, into the deep's among Dragons. So he will ſay; And have I feigned all this? no ſure; I appeale to the conſciences of all men, that are neither a ſleep nor ſeared: And to the teſtimony of all thoſe Miniſters and others, who have viſited the ſick, and men appointed to dye; men put in feare, and knowing themſelves to be but men, men in ſuch a caſe as was before mentioned; I appeale, I ſay, to the teſtimony of all ſuch, who have conferred with men put in feare, they will give cleare evidence to the truth of that I have ſaid. And indeed, how can it be doubted? For God hath ſet it down by an eternall Decree, That vexation and ſin ſhould be inſeparable eeJuſſiſ… domine, & ſic eſt ut omnis inord natus aff…ctus ſi…i ſit Poena.: But there is a yet clearer voyce, which ſealeth this truth; for when ſinne ſeizeth upon the ſoul, and the weight thereof is felt; the ſoul will then wiſh it could lye hid in the bottom of the Sea, ſwallowed up therein, or covered under the loweſt ſand of the hills or mountains foundations; This we ſhould think on betimes, and conſider it in our hearts; For ſin cauſeth wrath even from the Lamb ffRevel. 6. 16.Rev 6:16, that meek and mercifull Saviour, and will make us hide our ſelves (if we could) from His face, the beholding whereof, unto the righteous, is better then life. They, who will not be taught by inſtruction, muſt be taught by pain gg2 Eſdr. 9. 11, 12..

Other enquiries there are, (ſome neceſſary and uſefull) which might be eaſily made, but not ſo eaſily reſolved, nor ſo uſefully. There are ſome qualities in the waters, which we ſee plainly, but not ſo plainly the reaſon of the ſame; That is darke and obſcure to moderate mindes, and doth but mocke and deceive the more curious, who ſcorne that ſafe refuge p. 121of occult properties hhLatent animos temperatos, illudunt curioſis, qui putant cuncta ad certas cauſas reducere manifeſtas & irrident ſalutare Aſylum illud occul… …r… pri…tatis. Scalig. exercit. 218. 8.. I take that, which I think moſt familiar and quickeſt for uſe. So much to the demands, and reſolves thereunto.

4. For the works of God in the great deepe, they are innumerable and wonderfull. Amongſt them, the ſtrangeſt and moſt admirable is, That little fiſh, which will ſlugge a ſhip, and ſtop her under full ſailes, ſo the iiScalig. Ibid. Plin. nat. Hiſt. lib. 9. cap. 25.Naturaliſts ſay, and we leave them to their proofe; But we may certainly conclude hence; It is eaſie for the Lord then to ſtop a man, when he is breathing forth threatnings, and is now upon an eager purſuit, and furious march in his own way, the way of ſinne and death.

Time would faile me here, and my underſtanding both; The Lord is great in the leaſt fiſh, the Anchoie (which we uſe; Ap….abuſe rather to provoke appetite) as He is wonderfull in the greateſt Crocodile (the greateſt, if we obſerve his originall, from ſo low a bottom, as is the quantitie of a Gooſe-egge, reaching at length unto ſixteene cubits kkforeign, Diod. ſic. lib. …. pag. 31.) or the greateſt Whale▪fiſh, The Sea-Dragon, that wonderfull Leviathan, and ſo deſcribed by God himſelf llJob 41.Job 41: And yet I cannot tell whether Gods work is leſſe wonderfull in the Ship; which reeleth upon the waters like a drunken man, and ſometimes falleth into the great deep, then riſeth again, and is carryed ſafe to its harbour. Aſſuredly, the Lord is as wonderfull in ſteering and conducting this veſſell (to Him we muſt pay our vowes) ſtill climbing, and tottering, and ſinking and drowning; ſo as the paſſengers are in deaths often; yet ſtill living and weathering it out: As wonderfull, I ſay, is the Lord The ſh…p-maſters phraſe.here, as He is in the water-creatures, which are in the deep, their proper element. And as wonderfull is the Lord too, nay much more wonderfull (for He ſhall be admired of all them that beleeve mm2 Theſ. 1. 10.2 Thess 1:10) in conducting a weather beaten ſoul to its haven: For behold ſuch a ſoul, if we can, weathering out its tempeſts, climbing over the billows of temptations, carryed now like a gallant ſhip well ballaſted and rigg'd, with a ſtrong gale of faith (thence I think we may borrow our expreſſion nn1 Theſ. 1. 5. foreign.1 Thess 1:5) and full aſſurance of hope. This is an high p. 122contemplation, and commands the minde to fixe upon it. I now look back to what hath been ſaid touching the earth and waters, that we may gather up yet further inſtruction from both.

We have reached almoſt unto the extent of mans dominion (for we are not yet ſo high as the aire, ſo high his dominion reacheth). We might have obſerved therein, the ſerviceable obedience of the beaſts, which upbraideth the baſe ungratitude and rebellions of Gods own nurſed children: The Oxe knoweth, &c Eſay. 1. 3. It was an old complaint, but mans ingratitude reneweth it every day. No creature ſo rude or ſavage, that ſtands not in awe of man, and dreads him as his ſoveraigne; and will be content to be ruled, and be ſtruck too, by the hand that feeds them.

The vaſt greatneſſe of the Elephant hath not priviledged him from mans ſervice; he hath under gone the burden of a woodden turret, and hath expoſed himſelf to the extremities of warre. The Camel, a beaſt of incredible ſtrength too, hath ſubmitted himſelf upon his knees to receive his burden. Particulars are infinite. The Prophet concludes the truth in generall tearmes; All the beaſts of the field, pay moſt obſequious vaſſallage to man, ſo the foules of the ayre, yea and the fiſh of the Sea: The great monſters there, that make the deep to boyle like a pot, are not exempted from mans government, from them hath he toll of bones and oyles, and tribute from all the reſt.

How full and convincing then is the Lords queſtion? Have I been a wilderneſſe unto Iſrael? No, to Thy praiſe be it ſpoken, a delightfull Paradiſe Thou haſt been: Thou haſt furniſhed man with a lightſome and delightfull dwelling place, a diſloyall tenant though he be; and Thou broughteſt him in unto it, as into a paradiſe, like a rich heire, ready furniſhed with all furniture for uſe, for delight, for ornament. To the intent that man ſhould ſerve Thee, and ſerve Thee cheerefully, Thou haſt made all Thy creatures to ſerve him; That he might ſubject himſelf wholly unto Thy will, Thou haſt put all things under his feet; That he might be Thine, p. 123Thine only, Thou haſt created all theſe outward things for Chap. 7 §. 3.3. his body, his body for his ſoul, both for thy ſelf. I conclude now with the words of Chryſoſt. upon the contemplation of the Land and Sea, and that Hoſt of creatures in both, And all theſe, ſaith the Father, ſerve for the good of them, that feare the Lord, theirs are all things, for they are Chriſts; Thus then let me reaſon the caſe, If theſe things are done and beſtowed before our eyes, let us think, what foreign. &c. Chryſ. Hom. 22. in ep. Ad Eph.good things are layed up for them, in the heavens, in thoſe manſions there? If, where they are ſtrangers and but ſojourners, they have ſo much homage, ſo much honour, where their Citie is, what glory ſhall they have there? If where their Lord ſaid, ye ſhall have affliction, they have ſuch a Miniſtry, ſo many ſervants, ſuch an attendance, ſuch a guard, ſuch a retinue (for the Angels are their Miniſters, The ſtones and creeping things, fiſh and fowle, are at a league with them, and are their ſervants) if ſo, while here below; then what reſt, what quiet, what ſecuritie above, there, where the Lord hath aſſured them, ſhall be the place of their eternall reſt! What and how good and great things ſhall they have there! So the Father reaſons and concludeth the glory of the Saints, and ſo much to the contemplation of the earth and waters.

The bbPlin. nat. Hiſt. 2. 8. & cap. 38.Aire is the next, that, which filleth up this vaſt and IIIemptie place, which we ſee above us; and alſo filleth thoſe crannies in the earth, which we ſee not: And whether in the waters or no, I cannot tell, but this we know, that the fiſhes, which we perceive not to breath, do dye without it. Of all the works of Gods hand, it is the moſt admirable, both for the wayes thereof, and operations there-from. I know not which we could want of all the creatures of God, but, I am ſure we cannot want aire: My veines, arteries, nerves, all are quickned by it, it is the ſoul of our breathing. If I had all that heart could wiſh, all were nothing, if I wanted aire; and aire muſt be good, and wholeſome too, or elſe all would be as good as nothing. Therefore it is Gods great doale to the world, all ſhare in it; And it hath a kinde p. 124of ubiquitie; It is every where, and yet we cannot ſee where it is, ſo like it is, the likeſt of any to a ſpirit (for it is the moſt bodyleſſe body) by which name it is ſometimes called; As we call that, for which we have no name to expreſſe its ſtrange vertue and efficacy. If I could go to the furtheſt parts of the earth or ſea, there it is; If I could climbe up to the uppermoſt region, there it is alſo; If I could deſcend into the loweſt vaults and caves of the earth, there it would be found. It is as inſeparable from a man as his conſcience is, ſhut the windows, barre the doores, draw the curtaines all cloſe, yet you can as eaſily ſhut out your conſcience as it; The aire will come in, it will viſit us in what condition ſoever; And if this may be ſaid of the creature, what then of the Creator? He that hath given the creature ſo large a circuit, three regions of the world, hath yet appointed it its bounds; But take we heed, we limit not the Holy One of Iſrael. By this creature we aſcend neerer to the Creatour then by any other; but yet we come infinitely ſhort: we muſt not compare God to any creature, for to Him nothing is like.

The aire is pure and cleare of it ſelf, and in its own nature, but, if it were ſo to us, it would not be agreeable to ours; it would be then too rare and thin, and not agreeing to our earthy, and compounded bodies; therefore, for our benefit and comfort, ſometimes for our puniſhment too, it receives alteration, from beneath, or from above, or from about it; thence it is, that moſt times the aire refreſheth, and ſometimes poyſoneth; ſometimes temperately cooling: ſometimes again with heate ſcorching. Sometimes it candies the herbs, and trees, and hideth the waters, as with a ſtone ddJob 38. 30.Job 38:30; and then, who can ſtand before His cold eePſal. 147. 17.Ps 147:17? who caſteth forth His yee like morſels; for ſo we muſt reſolve the Lords ffJob 38. 29.Job 38:29queſtion, out of whoſe wombe came the yce? And if it be ſaid, who can ſtand before His cold? hou much more then, who can ſtand before Him, when He is angry? for our God is a conſuming fire.

1. Here the winds have their circuit, but where there p. 125treaſure is, we cannot tell; I know what the Poets faigne, and what the Philoſopher of the greateſt experience, that our part of the world had, doth write hereof; But the ſacred Scripture ſaith, That the Lord cauſeth it to blow ggPſal. 127. 18. 104 3.Ps 127:18Ps 127:104; He raiſeth the ſtormy winde, for He hath appointed them their work & their circuit, as He hath the treaſures hhJob 38. 22.Job 38:22for the ſnow, and haile: And we heare their ſound and feele them too, but the place whence they come, we know not, nor whither they will, ſo ſecret is the way of the winde: And as ſecret is the way of the ſpirit, but more admirable in working; it caſteth down ſtrong holds too; it levells high and exalted things. But I am too high. This we may conceive; The ſame wind, which now ſhaketh the leafe and maketh the feather to move, being charged againſt a mountaine, would have turned it up from the foundation; And the ſame ſtrength that bloweth up the duſt, if it came againſt the earth, would ſhake the bottoms of it. And this ſhould make us feare before Him, that whatſoever. He hath done, whether it ſeeme great or little, we ſhould confeſſe His handy worke, and according to His greatneſſe ſo we ſhould honour Him, that whatſoever He hath commanded, whether it ſeeme weightie or little, all our obedience ſhould be ſtreight unto it. Theſe are Mr Dearings words iiHeb. 1. verſ. 3. Lect. 2. Tranquillus dom…aus tranquillat omnia: quietum aſſicere quicſcore eſt. Cal.Heb 1:3; I adde this; All the winds without, though never ſo raging and boiſterous ſhake not the earth; which is of ordinary uſe. If a man have peace within, no matter what troubleſome blaſts without; they ſhall not remove him.

2. Here likewiſe is the kingdome of the winged Creatures, where they have more ſcope then the greateſt Monarch on the earth; and more aire-roome, then the ſhip hath ſea-roome, when it rideth on the wideſt Ocean. And more ſecure theſe creatures are then we, for their proviſion, though they ſow not, neither do they reape, nor carry into their barn, for your heavenly Father feedeth them; And doth He ſo? even the young raven, a forſaken creature, thrice mentioned in the ſacred Scripture, the more fi…mly to eſtabliſh us in a providence; for the Naturaliſts ſay, the old raven forſaketh her young till they be feathered, but our p. 126heavenly Father feedeth them; how much more then, thoſe, who truſt in Him, and roule themſelves upon Him for proviſion; They are of more worth then the ravens. How great ſhould be the ſecuritie of the Righteous, that the Lord will provide; He will take care for their oroviſion; as He doth for their protection. Oh be thou, ſaith Chryſoſtome, as ſecure as the birds ^k are, that thy heavenly Father will feed … …ves ſine pa…onio vivunt. M. F…lix in fol. p. …. li…. 1…. foreign. Chryſ. ad. Pop. Ant. Hom. 12.thee too.

Here alſo, I mean, in the a…rie regiment, we ſee the great veſſels of water, rouling over our heads, and it ſhould be wonderfull in our eyes; for we cannot underſtand the ballancing thereof. He that upholdeth all things by His mighty power, upholdeth the clouds, and divideth a courſe for their rain, making ſmall the drops thereof, ſo as they diſtill upon man abundantly, and in a way of mercy. He it is, who maketh ſtrong the bond of the cloud, who gives it a retentive facultie, whereby the water is bound up within it, as with a ſwadling cloth; for ſo we muſt reſolve the Lords queſtion, Who llJob 36. 16. and 36 27.Job 36:16Job 36:27hath bound the waters in a garment? Even thou ô Lord, haſt done it, we know Thy Name, and Thy Sonnes Name; for thou art wonderfull mmProv. 30. 4. Iſa. 9.Prov 30:4Isa 9: If the Lord ſhould unlooſe this bond of the cloud, this retentive facultie, then would the water fall, as through a floud-gate, or from a ſpoute, not breaking into drops, but in one body with a reſiſtleſſe violence; as ſometimes our countrey-men have obſerved it, when the violence of the waters fall, hath laid the ridges of their land equall with the furrows: But more ordinary the rain falls ſo amongſt the Indians, who call the falling thereof, in that reſiſtleſſe manner, The ſpoutes nnHiſt. lib. 1. c. 7. § 6.; So writeth S^r Walter Raleigh; but the Scripture calleth it, I think, the great rain of His ſtrength. ooJob 38. 6.Job 38:6. And if it fall with ſuch violence, who then can abide the viols of Gods wrath! Who can ſtand under the ſpoutes of His diſpleaſure! The wicked ſhall be driven before the tempeſt, as the chaffe before the winde. But to the matter in hand; certain it is, This clotheing the heavens with blackneſſe, and making ſackcloth their covering ppEſay 50. 3.Isa 50:3; This ballancing the clouds, and binding the waters p. 127within them, as within a garment, thence making the water diſtill by drops; all this muſt be taken notice of as the wonderous work of Him, Who is perfect in knowledge qqJob 37. 16.Job 37:16. And upon the power of this Mighty Hand, doth the faithfull ſoul ſtay it ſelf; Faith can never be at a ſtand, for, whether the Lord gives rain, or reſtraineth it, becauſe of our back-ſlideing rrJer. 14.Jer 14; yet behold a glorious dependance; faith limits not the holy One of Iſrael, nor bindes Him to naturall meanes ſſLege Baſil. Hex. Hom. 5. p. 47.; Who did make the earth to bring forth before He ſet the Sunne in the firmament, or made it to rain; and filled the valleys with water, when there was neither winde nor cloud tt2. Kings 3.2 Kgs 3.

3. Hence it is that the thunder is heard, whereat the heart trembleth, and is moved out of its place uuJob 37. 1.Job 37:1: but the heart ſoon ſetleth again, when the noiſe ceaſeth, for it hath learnt the reaſon thereof: And yet, it poſed the heathen, and almoſt made him ceaſe from his own wiſdome, when he heard it thunder, but ſaw no cloud xxHar. car l. 1. od. 34.; then it was the voice of the Lord ſure, and is it not the ſame voice, though the cloud appeare, and appeares never ſo thick and dark? His voice it is, and acknowledged ſo to be, when it hath aſtonied the mighty Potentates of the earth, as His lightenings have made their hearts to tremble, like a needle removed from the loadſtone, or leafe in the forreſt toſſed with the winde: For God thundereth wonderfully, with the voice of His excellency; great things doth He, which we cannot comprehend. Out of the midſt of water, the Lord fetcheth fire, and ſcatters it into all the parts of the earth, aſtoniſhing the world with the fearfull noiſe of that eruption: And hard ſtones out of the midſt of thin vapours yyD… Hall contemp creat.. I can ſay no more to it; but ſome have trembled at the roaring of this voice, and ſome have mocked; but the mockers have been ſtrook down dead in the place, to teach us, That with God is terrible Majeſtie, and touching the Allmighty we cannot finde Him out; But let us heare attentively the noiſe of His voice, and the ſound that goeth out of His mouth; He directeth it under the whole heaven, and His lightning unto the ends of the earth; after it a voice roareth zzJob 37. 23. 4.Job 37:23Job 37:4.

p. 128And here we may take notice of ſnow, (the aaVo…a communia ſunt n…ves diutinas ſedere, tellus illo modo ſem…nt…ſcit. Plin. nat Hyſt. lib. 7. cap. 2.muck of the Chap. 7 §. 3.4. earth) and of the hail, which pruneth without a knife bbJob 38. 22.Job 38:22; but we cannot enter into their treaſures, even that is a knowledge too high for us ccDu Bart. 2 day.; but this we know, for the Lord hath ſpoken it, He hath reſerved theſe againſt the day of battell and warre ddVerſe 23.; For more have been conſumed by the fall of hailſtones then by the dint of the ſword eeJoſh. 10. 11.Josh 10:11; that we may acknowledge touching the Almighty; He is excellent in power and in judgement, and in plenty of juſtice ffJob 37 23.Job 37:23. All theſe, the lightning and the thunder, the ſnow and the hail do what ſoever He commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth ggVerſe 12.; Fire and hail, ſnow and vapour, ſtormy windes fulfilling His word hhPſal. 148. 8.Ps 148:8.

And now our eyes are in this aſcending line, as the minde IIIIof a truly wiſe-man, (who delighteth himſelf in the Lord, rideth on the high places of the earth, is fed with the Heritage of Iacob iiEſay 58. 14Isa 58:14;) His minde is above the windes, and ſtormes and clouds, where all things are calme, ſerene and quiet. And I know not how high our eyes diſcerne, but this is not the leaſt wonder; That our viſive facultie can aſcend ſo high, and not be tyred, is the wonder indeed. The foot is quickly tyred, not ſo the eye: Good reaſon for that, ſaith the Father kkChryſoſt. Hom. ad Pep. Ant.; but a gracious providence in it too; becauſe, of all our members, or ſervants, none ſo neceſſary upon all occaſions as is the eye: And therefore that muſt not feel a wearineſſe as doth the other faculties, that it may be quick and expedite upon all ſervices. The eye can through this large perſpective of the aire (by which medium, I can ſhew a childe and make it underſtand, what is a diaphan. or tranſparent body) the eye can behold the higheſt ſtarres, and in the twinckling of an eye, that ſhort moment of time, the eye can do it. And this is an height, that cannot be meaſured: For, for ought I can learn, the higheſt ſtarres are as high above the Sun, as the Sun is above us; and how high that is, we may judge by what the Sun and ſtarres ſeem to us below. It is a mathematicall concluſion, & that hath the certaineſt grounds of any art, that the Sun for quantitie and bigneſſe thereof, would make an hundred ſixty earths, being ſo many degrees bigger; and yet, it ſeems to us, at this vaſt p. 129diſtance, llIf that aſcending line could be drawn right forwards, ſome that have calculated curiouſly, have found it five hundred yeares journey unto the ſtarrie heaven. D^r Hall contemp.no larger then a ſieves bottom; and the leaſt of thoſe ſtarres, is fifteen times bigger then the earth, yet by reaſon of that great gulf betwixt the ſtarre and our eye, it ſeems but like the apple in our eye, or the pearl and diamond in our ring. Thus high can our eye aſcend, and in a moment of time; how then can I think any thing unpaſſable or impoſſible to the eye of faith? It findes a way, or as it was ſaid of one, it makes a way through all difficulties. If God hath given ſuch a power, or quickneſſe of elevation to our bodily eye, this little candle of the body, that it ſhall light us through this vaſt gulfe, and void ſpace, unto ſuch a diſtance, and with ſuch ſpeed; what then is the power of the ſouls eye, when it hath received an anointing from above? How much beyond thoſe ſtarres can that eye pierce?

The Saints ſhall ſtand and wonder with admiration mm2. Theſ. 1. 10.2 Thess 1:10, but they can never be at a ſtand, they know, whom they have truſted, and that to Him, nothing is impoſſible. Nay, He that did make the eye, was He, who gave a greater power yet to the eye of fleſh; even to ſee as farre above the ſtarrie heaven, as it is, for ought I know, to that heaven, even to the heaven of heavens, and to ſee them opened, and the crown of our glory there nnActs 7. 55.Acts 7:55. This the Lord can do, to ſhow the might of His power, and to aſſure His ooBright. Revel. 2. 13 p. 33.Rev 2:13Antipaſſes, all His faithfull Martyrs, by the firſt, that they ſhall not look to Him, or wait for Him in vain; their expectation ſhall be ſatisfied to the full, and beyond: For though that was an extraordinary caſe, yet this is ordinary, and ſecured unto the faithfull, that, whoſoever is full of the Holy Ghoſt, who looks up ſtedfaſtly into heaven, who ſets his face thither-ward ppLuke 9. 51.Luke 9:51; he that girds qq1. Pet. 1. 13.1 Pet 1:13up the loines of his minde, (they are the ſtrength and Baſis of the body rrChryſoſt. in cap. 6. ad Eph. Hom. 23., and do imply the ſtrong reſolution and activitie of the ſoul) I mean then, He, who is ſtrong in his God, and hath his hope and his heart fixed on Him; He ſhall ſee (though his outward eye have not the ſame ſſChryſol. ſerm. 24. de ſervo vigili pag. 81.cleareneſſe of viſion) he ſhall ſee as great things as Stephen did; he ſhall ſee heaven opened, the glory of God, and the great things that Chriſt hath done for him; for which he p. 130ſhall be admired of all the Saints in that day. So much to that, which ſeemeth not the leaſt wonder; that God hath given our outward eye ſuch an elevation of ſight.

And now that our eye is thus elevated, what, and how great are the things, which we do ſee? We cannot give anſwer, nor make report thereof. I do not wonder, that Paul, whom the Father elegantly calls an earthly Angel ſſChryſoſt. Tom. 1 de poenit. continent., and an heavenly man, that he, being caught up into the third Heaven, could not utter what he heard there; for it was unutterable. He, whoſe eye is but upon the outſide of that paradiſe, beholds ſuch great things there, that we cannot utter, nor comprehend what we ſee.

There I ſee the heavens ſtretched over me like a curtain; thence it hath its name in Hebrew; but in Greek and Engliſh, a firmament; becauſe it is firme and faſt: This I ſee, becauſe it ſeems to terminate my ſight; but I know not what I ſee; nor know I, how He buildeth His ſtories (ſpheres) in the heaven ttAmos 9 6.Amos 9:6; but I know it is fully called the firmament of His power uuPſal. 150. 1.Ps 150:1; And that is all I can ſay of it, for the out-ſpreading of that Canopie is unutterable and unconceiveable. There I ſee thoſe fierie Globes, each of them many degrees bigger then the earth, yet in compariſon with that out-ſpreading firmament, each of them but as a diamond on the ring or point in a circle. If I think upon the the glory of the Creator, as I ſhould do, (for if theſe be ſo wonderfull, how much more wonderfull is the Creator hereof?) This thought thereof ſwallows me up as a drop in the ocean; How farre beyond the ſcant compaſſe of mans underſtanding is it then, to conceive of the glory of His Saints? for it is ſaid, They that be wiſe, ſhall ſhine as the brightneſſe of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteouſneſſe, as the ſtarres for ever and ever xxDan. 12. 3.Dan 12:3; nay it is ſaid, They ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun; yyMatt. 13. 43.Matt 13:43nay more, They ſhall be like unto Him at His appearance zz1. John 3. 2.1 John 3:2. And ſurely though this glory be incomprehenſible, yet our underſtanding may conceive and comprehend that ſo it is; for if the Lord hath beautified the outſide of their palace, or heavenly manſions, with ſo much p. 131glory, what is the inſide, and the glory there within aaforeign &c. Baſil. Hex Hom. 2 α.? I cannot think that ſtrange, which followeth, that he, who hath this hope, purifieth bb1. John 3 3.1 John 3:3himſelfe; for certainly, none but the the pure in heart can enter in there. I ſee now, how neceſſary it was, and that ſo it muſt needs be; That Chriſt ſhould give Himſelfe for His Church, that He might ſanctifie and cleanſe it with the waſhing of water by the word: That he might preſent it to Himſelfe a glorious Church, not having ſpot nor wrinckle, or any ſuch thing: But that it ſhould be holy without blemiſh ccEpheſ. 5. 26. 27.Eph 5:26Eph 5:27; For the concluſion is peremptory and certain, There ſhall in no wiſe ddRev. 21. 27. foreign.Rev 21:27enter into the heavenly Jeruſalem any thing that defileth &c. And me thinks, when I reade, that Elias ee2. Kings 2.2 Kgs 2was carried up into heaven in a fierie charriot; it ſhews me in a figure, that in the act of diſſolution ffforeign. Chryſ Tom. 5. de reſur. ſerm. 33., in that moment of time, when the ſoul is departing out of the body, ſanctification is compleate and perfected, and all remainder of corruption is, as by fire, purged away: for none but the pure, and the clean, and undefiled can enter in here, into this Holy of Holies, whoſe out-court, or out-covering, or pavement of that Court, is ſo glorious. And do I ſee all this, and do I beleeve it too? What, and yet go I on in an evil courſe? and yet do I take the Name of God in vain? If ſo, I do but as the devil doth, he beleeves, and yet continues as he is ggEſſe Deum credunt lamen in perverſitate perdurant. Sal. de Prov. 4. p. 100. ſubjungit ad pudorem, &c. Sal. Ibid.Prov 4: But if I do not feare before this power and tremble too, I am ſhort of the devil, for he doth both. We may think hereon when we behold the firmament of His power, and the glory thereof, which is, as we have heard, though we have not heard the half thereof.

And yet, though thus outwardly glorious this out-court is, it muſt be diſſolved, and by fire; What confidence can we then put in any thing we call fleſh, or in theſe vile bodies of ours? If the firmament, that firme and faſt thing, ſhall not ſtill continue, of how ſmall continuance is man, and the things of this earth, which we dote upon? But to leave that, and to raiſe our thoughts higher, where they ſhould fix, we ſhould make the ſame uſe of the glory of the third heaven, (which is the Saints city, and countrey, where they ſhall be p. 132glorious, and crowned with life, and for ever with the Lord of life, whoſe Majeſtie ſhall ſhine in perfect beauty before them) the ſame uſe, I ſay, we ſhould make hereof, which the holy Apoſtle makes, touching the diſſolution of this outcourt or firmament; ſeeing we look for ſuch an heaven, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe, what manner of perſons hh2. Pet. 3. 11.2 Pet 3:11ought we to be in all holy converſation and godlineſſe?

Chryſoſtome maks a larger uſe of this contemplation, and it is of uſe indeed. His eyes were fixt upon that out-court, beholding the excellent beauty thereof; upon which contemplation thus he ſpeaks, and this the philoſophy he gives. If theſe parts of the heaven turned toward us, are ſo bright and glorious, what are thoſe upward and inward parts! How exceeding glorious that heaven of heavens iiforeign. Ad illud coelum coeli; etiam terrae noſtrae coelum terra eſt. Aug. Conf. l. 12. cap. 2.!

And yet, as if this glory were not worth the ſeeking after, we ſtand greedily kkforeign.gaping and catching at the ſhadow of things, and let go great things of a durable ſubſtance: So he goes on, and that w^ch follows is yet more notable. When I think on the beauty, clarity, glory of this heaven, I finde my thoughts can fetch a wide compas, yet I have not a thought to meaſure this glory withall: my thoughts are infinitely too ſhort here, but this effect I finde, they cauſe not more wonderment, then mourning; In the thoughts hereof I muſt needs weep bitterly, and my ſpirit muſt mourn within me llforeign.; For when I riſe to that height, I am preſently as low again in the thought of my fall: When I behold that Glory, with the ſame eye I muſt reflect upon my miſerie; O from what excellent things are we fallen! from what happineſſe are we eſtranged mmforeign.? I ſay well, eſtranged! for we carry our ſelves as ſtrangers to that city of reſt and happineſſe: We exceedingly buſy our ſelves, and unneceſſarily in our Thorough fare, as if there were our abiding, and our place of reſt, and no countrey above, no glory there; Yet ſuch a Glory it is, as no tongue can expreſſe it, no thought can reach unto it. Tell not me now (ſo the Father goes on) of hell, and what the damned feel there nnforeign, &c.; tell me of heaven, if thou wilt move me, and the exceeding glory there: p. 133For I tell thee, that the pain of ſenſe, (as the learned call them) the pain the body ſhall feel in hell, will not be ſo keene, ſharpe, and fretting (though ſharp and fretting they will be, paſt all expreſſion;) yet not ſo fretting, as will be the pain of loſſe; loſſe of heaven, and the exceeding glory there. This loſſe, this, will be moſt tormenting; Thoughts thereof will ſinke the ſoul into that pit, like a ſtone or lead in the great waters; This, I ſay will be the fretting worm, the tormenting thought, what I have loſt what happineſſe I have falne from; More tormenting it will be, then the lowermoſt hell, and the utmoſt wrath there ooforeign.And this thought will adde much to our torment; For what a toy, a trifle, a thing of naught, we have forfeited this exceeding weight of glory: ſo ſmall a thing it was, that it will be juſtly ſaid of us, we deſpiſed our birth-right. For this great deceiver, be it Satan, or our own heart, (deceivers both) he gives us ſmall things ppforeign, a puffe of honour, ſhort pleaſure, tranſitory riches, poore, baſe, emptie, ſhrunken things: he takes from us great things qqforeign., a weight of glory, it contains all, an exceeding exceſſe of glory, it cannot be expreſt: but all this he takes from us. He gives us dyrt, he depriveth us of the pearle: he preſents us with a ſhadow, he foreign.robs us of the ſubſtance. And here we are without excuſe, for hereof we cannot plead ignorance, it being the daily voice of all the creatures under the Sun, ſounding lowder then the loudeſt trumpet rrforeign.; That they are as graſſe, and the beautie of them as the fading flower, vanitie, or lighter then ſo, if ought can be; and ſuch things are the very beſt this deceiver can give us; but he takes away ſuch things, as we heard, and as we muſt conceive them to be, if we behold the out-court or pavement of that Holy of Holies. This large uſe the Father makes upon this contemplation, as we may better underſtand, and more enlarge it, if we peruſe his 14 Homily upon the Epiſtle to the Romanes towards the end. And ſo much in a generall way and view of the firmament, and the great works of God there, which He hath ſet out unto open view, to ſhew us what is within, and p. 134what manner of perſons we ought to be, who look to enter into that Holy place: And withall (which is the chiefeſt of all) to ſtirre us up to preſſe towards the mark; And, forgetting things behinde, in our earneſt purſuite thither ward, and expectation thereof, to reach out, as with necks-ſtretched forth, after thoſe high and great things; ſuch they are, as the eye hath not ſeene, nor the eare heard, nor the heart can conceive; But ſuch they are, unutterable and glorious, which the righteous Lord will give, to all that feare Him, and waite for his appearance; OnelyOnly ſhew we our ſelves men, not children, who for an apple, will part with a pearle, and thinke they have no loſſe, by that exchange: So much to the contemplation of the firmament of His power, the height and glory thereof.

I deſcend now unto that creature, which the Lord hath divided unto all nations, and with which our ſenſe is more acq…ainted, but deceives our ſenſe exceedingly: for though it diſcover unto us things below, yet it locks up with the clearneſſe of its light and luſtre, the things above. Our eye, if we marke it, will diſcerne much higher in a cleare night, then it can in the cleareſt day. In the night, we ſee as high above the Sun, as the Sun is above us; but in the day we have no cleare diſcerning of any thing, that is above the Sun, becauſe of the clearneſſe of that mightie Body, which dazleth the eye, if we look upon it, and puts it out, if we ſtand and gaze. And thus the heathen did; and ſo that light darkened uuLeg. Clem. Alex. ad Gentes. pag. 31.them, that they could not riſe to a glory above the creature, but where they terminated their ſight, their they terminated their worſhip; Therein like the countreyman, who looking for the King at his Court, thinks, that he muſt need be the King, who firſt comes forth in moſt gorgeous apparel xxReade Plut. in the life of Pericles. Morneus de Verit. Rel. Sol quaſi ſolus, &c. Cic. de d… via., though the Kings honour ſets him forth, and ſets up his head above others; and the glory of apparell thoſe, who have leaſt honour. But I have digreſſed.

I began my morning inſtructions with the Sun, and with that creature, I will end my inſtructions from the creatures. It is called a ſolitary yyLeg. Baſil. Hex. Hom. 6.creature, becauſe it ſhines alone, obſ…uring p. 135all other lights with his clearneſſe, and being the fulleſt in our eye.

I obſerve, 1. the motion of the Sunne; 2. the beames; 3. his brightneſſe; And ſome ſhort inſtructions from all; Then I ſhall be at the end of our walk; And conclude the inſtructions there-from.

1. Behold, if we can, the Suns motion; we cannot ſee it ſtirre, but we can ſee it is paſſed; then, by what hand it moves, and with what ſtrength and quickneſſe; no motion ſo quick, except that, which is like lightning in an inſtant; Then behold we the magnitude thereof, how maſſive a body it is, for it may enter into our conceipt: And beholding all this, we ſhall be filled with wonderment, and be forced to acknowledge, that Wonderfull is the Creator thereof, a mightie God.

Behold again its conſtancy in moving. The Sun never yet roſe, nor ſet; nor more then once ſtood ſtill, ſince firſt it was created to run its courſe, though to us it ſeemes to do both, which makes our morning and our night. It ſtill moves, to teach us conſtancy in our holy profeſſion; and ſtill in its own ſphere, and within its own limits and bounds, to teach us the decency of order: for when it hath touched thoſe limits, which we call Tropicks, it is retrograde, and turnes back again. Some have taught, that the Sun moves neerer to the earth now, then in former times, but they who teach ſo, would be taught by ſtripes, and their writing blotted out with ſpunges; ſaith the learned Scaliger zzExercit. 99….; The Sunne never tranſgreſſeth his ſet bounds. So much, or ſo little rather, to the Suns motion, which we ſee, when it is paſt: but the full underſtanding thereof is too high and wonderfull for thoſe, who are clothed with fleſh. Man cannot finde out the hand of God herein, unto perfection.

2. The beames of the Sun are as wonderfull alſo: we know their Father, we underſtand not their production, ſo wonderfully are they begotten. How then can reaſon carry us into a more ſecret myſtery, The proceeding of the Holy Ghoſt? which ſome, whom I have known, have ſearched into p. 136with their own light, and loſt themſelves in the ſearch. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but things revealed belong unto us aaDeut. 29. 29.Deut 29:29.

Firſt then, This we finde revealed, The wonderfull power, and univerſall efficacy of thoſe beames; for this is the concluſion from the ſacred Scripture and from experience; That nothing is hid from the heate thereof bbPſal. 19. 6.Ps 19:6. And if theſe beames ddIn ſolem in…n…e, coelo affixus, ſed terris omnibus ſparſus eſt, pariter praeſens ubique intereſt, & miſce…r omnibus; nuſquam enim claritudo violatur. Quanto magis Deus, &c. a quo nullum poteſt eſſe ſecretū, tenebris intereſt, &c. M. Min. Felic pag. 23. in fol.are ſo piercing, ſo ſearching, Whither then, Lord, ſhall I goe from thy ſpirit? or whether ſhall I flie from thy preſence ccPſal. 139. 7. See Chryſol. Ser. 2. pag. 5. 6.Ps 139:7? where ſhall I hide my ſelf, or my ſin? If I ſay, ſurely the darkneſſe ſhall cover me; even the night ſhall be light about me, yea, the darkneſſe hideth not from Thee, but the night ſhineth as the day, the darkneſſe and the light are both a like to Thee. I cannot hide my ſelf, nor my ſin from Thee; but I may hide both my ſelf and my ſinne in Thee: Chriſt is that hiding place, a ſure ſanctuary for my perſon, and a certaine cover for my ſinne. There is no flying from Thee, for we ſhall be found out, but it is ſafe flying to Thee, for with Thee is mercy; So Auſtin ſpeaks.

This meets with a known dotage, and concludeth againſt it, That God doth ſee ſinne in His children; if nothing be hid from the heate of thoſe beames, what then can be hid from the Creator of them? He hath not beheld iniquitie in Iacob, neither hath He ſeene perverſeneſſe in Iſrael eeNum. 23. 21.Num 23:21. No, He beholdeth them in His beloved Sonne, in whom He is well pleaſed, and for His ſake, with them: He doth not behold ſinne in them, to condemne, to puniſh them for it; for by His ſonnes ſtripes they are healed; And, this is that rich myſtery of grace ffMyſterium opulentum gratiae, admirabile commercium: peccata noſtra, non noſtrae, ſed Chriſti ſunt; & juſtitia Chriſti, non Chriſti, ſed noſtra eſt. Ex…anivit, &c. Quomodo in peccatis noſtris dolet & confunditur, hoc modo nos in illius juſtitia laetamur & gloriamur, &c. Luther in Pſal. 22.Ps 22, (So Luther ſpake, who ſpake out of experience) that admirable exchange, when Chriſt took our ſins, and gave us His righteouſneſſe; emptied Himſelf, that He might fill us; ſtript Himſelf, that He might inveſt us; ſorrowed Himſelf, and was confounded with our ſins, that we might rejoyce and glory in His righteouſneſſe. An admirable exchange indeed, a rich myſtery! which magnifyeth the riches of Gods love, giving His Sonne to the world; and of Chriſt, giving Himſelf for the world, of beleevers. But this doth not take off from Gods knowledge; what He ſeeth not to p. 137condemne, and puniſh, He doth ſee, even in His Iſrael, to reprove and correct: And when He ſhall correct for ſinne, His Iſrael ſhall confeſſe, againſt this vanitie, toſſed to and fro; Thou haſt ſet our iniquities before Thee, our ſecret ſins in the light of thy countenance ggPſal 90. 8.Ps 90:8.

2. From the different operations of the beames, I note, That the diverſitie of ſubjects, the Sun worketh upon, diverſifies the effects. And this is but a concluſion of experience alſo; how unclean ſoever the place is where they come, they alter not, but work diverſly, according to the matter they work upon; If upon clay, it is hardned; if upon waxe, it is ſoftned; if upon a dung-hill, the ſtinking vapours more offend; if upon a garden of ſweet herbs, the ſweet ſavour more refreſheth; if upon good fruits, they grow for the uſe of man; if upon weeds, they grow to humble him: The alteration is here below in ſublunary creatures, the Sunne changeth not. Hence we learn how unreaſonable that dealing is, which the Wiſe-man telleth us of; The fooliſhneſſe of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth againſt the Lord hhProv. 19. 3.Prov 19:3. This ſhould not be ſo: but clean contrary; For, when a man perverteth his own way, and then fretteth againſt God, It is, as if the dung-hill ſhould blame the Sun, from whence nothing can come but light, as from a dung-hill an unſavoury ſmell, which is the more ſenſible and offenſive, the clearer and more piercing that light is: or as if a man, through inconſiderateneſſe taking a fall, ſhould fret againſt the ſtone. If God leaveth us to walke in our own wayes, or recompenſeth our wayes upon us, we ought not to charge Him fooliſhly, but to charge our ſelves with folly; and if we have learnt ſo much, we have learnt a ſhort, but a great leſſon, For it will make us continually to walk humbly with our God, and a continued humilitie, is a continued adoration of His Majeſtie; and the ground-work of an holy life, which is a continued prayer iiVera humilitas perpetua adoratio, pia vita perpetua oratio..

3. We may note again; That theſe beames of the Sun in its circuit do paſſe through many pollutions, and yet not polluted therewith, but remaine pure and cleane. The Sun p. 138worketh upon inferiour bodies, and cheriſheth them by light and influence, yet is not wrought upon by them, but keepeth its owne luſtre and diſtance; The Father maketh this uſe hereof; How much more then, ſaith he, could the Sun of righteouſneſſe dwell with fleſh and pitch His tabernacle with us kkforeign. Joh. 1. 14.John 1:14, and yet not be polluted by us? How-much more could that Son of righteouſneſſe communicate with man, and take unto Him the infirmities of mankinde; I mean ſuch, which accompany the whole nature; As, hungring, thirſting, wearineſſe, griefe, paine and mortalitie, yet, without any touch or tincture of ſinne from all theſe; becauſe, what ever were the effects here-from, were in Chriſt like the ſtirring of Chryſtall water in a Chryſtall glaſſe, whereof we have no ſedament, no dregs in the bottom llforeign. &c. Tom. 5. Ser. 31. Chryſ. ω..

This ſhews us alſo, who are heavenly, and the beautie of a well ordered ſoul: It thinks nothing in the world of ſufficient worth to put it out of frame: ſuch a ſoul is inſtructed what it ſhould be; It ſhould rule over things beneath, and not be ruled by them; like the Sunne, it ſhould be under the power of nothing beneath it ſelf. But this intire eſtate, this freedome from pollution is reſerved for an higher place, where all corruption ſhall be done away: for now the ſoul, having ſo much earth about it, and ſo much of earth within it, which is the cauſe of defilement, it cannot mixe with things of the earth, and not be polluted, it cannot but receive ſome tainture there from; But yet ſtill, the ſoul that is heavenly, ſtriveth after perfection, and in deſire, would be in ſome proportion like the Sun in his race, which works upon inferiour things, but is not wrought upon by them: It deſires to carry it ſelfe like the Sunne, above formes and ſtormes, in an uniforme way, in a conſtant courſe and tenour, like it ſelf, ſutable to its own dignitie, and keeping its diſtance. Thus we are inſtructed by the Sun-beames.

3. The brightneſſe and ſplendour of the Sun inſtructs alſo, for it is admirable, and the more admirable it is, the leſſe my eye is able to behold it. But ſuch is his brightneſſe, p. 139which I do ſee, that I have a fulneſſe in my viſion, and from thence comfort and ſatisfaction, if I behold it wiſely and as I am able; But if I ſhould be prying into it, and gazing on it, I ſhall then ſee nothing at all. The Sun is the cauſe that I do ſee, but it will not give me leave to ſee into it; The clearneſſe of that great eye will darken mine, and put it cleane out mmSolem, qui videndi omnibus cauſa eſt, videre non poſſumus: radiis aci… ſubmovetur, obtutu… intuentis hebetatur: & ſi diutius in ſpicias, omnis viſus extinquitur. M. Minut. Felic. pag. 22. foreign. Clem. Alex. ad Gentes. p. 39. We muſt not meaſure an infinite God by a finite underſtanding. Lege Cal. Inſt. lib. 1. cap. 13. ſect. 21.. And this leads me into a great ſecret, and high, and commands me not to ſearch it out, nor to ſtand and gaze thereon, for thus I reaſon from that I do ſee: How little a part of the Sun is it, which I ſee? yet is it ſo bigge, as we have heard, and yet we ſee it but ſo bigge, as we ſee; and the more I ſee and pry into it, the leſſe I ſee; and if I will yet pry further, I then ſhall ſee nothing at all, for I ſhall be darke with light.

What then can I diſcerne of God, or how ſmall a part of His wayes? yet if I will enquire with ſobrietie, I may know ſo much as will ſatisfie and comfort me; but if I enquire further and beyond my bounds, which the Lord hath ſet, as ſacred as the Mount nnExod. 19. 21. foreign, &c. Vol. 5. ad eos qui ſcand. 862. & 865.Exod 19:21, I ſhall finde that, which will confound me; And if I will gaze there, I muſt periſh. Chryſoſtome gives me a good rule, In all the diſpenſations and works of God give the ſame ſilence to thy Maker, as the clay to the Potter ^o.

Again, the light of the Sun is in ſome part hid from us, by the interpoſition of the Moon, ſometimes of the clouds, often in the day; and halfe of our naturall day quite intercepted by the interpoſition of the earth, as in our night. But what then? though I am dark, the Sun is light; though I I ſee not its luſtre, yet it is the ſame in our night, as it was in our day, when we had a cleare ſight of it: For this we know, and reaſon gives it to be ſo, that the Sun hath ſhone forth clearely, and like it ſelf, without any diminution to its light, unleſſe, when the Creator thereof ſuffered, ever ſince firſt it was created, and ſet to run its race, though the earth, and the Moon, and the clouds, do eclipſe the luſtre thereof from our ſight.

p. 140This may teach us not to judge of heavenly things with earthly eyes; for they are not fit judges ſometimes in earthly matters; we know the Sun doth ſhine, when we have not the leaſt glimpſe thereof; and we muſt acknowledge, that God doth ſhine forth in glory; though we have no diſcerning thereof. He doth raigne moſt gloriouſly, in the middeſt of His enemies, though we perceive no ſuch thing.

There is a way wherein God ſometimes doth walk, and more undiſcerneable it is, then the way of an Eagle in the aire, or of a ſerpent upon the rock ppProv. 30. 15Prov 30:15. As is the path which no ſoule knoweth, and which the Vultures eye hath not ſeen qqJob 28. 7.Job 28:7. And here our way is (mark it) not to pry and to gaze (for it is as ſacred as the mount rrExod. 19.Exod 19) but to have recourſe to this, and to be fully reſolved of it, The Lord is righteous in all His wayes ſſPſal. 125. 18.Ps 125:18. What though they are clouded to me? yet are they righteous, and the equity thereof will ſhine more cleare then doth the Sun-beam: What though darkneſſe is about Him, and my darkneſſe comprehends Him not? Yet will I aſcribe righteouſneſſe unto my Maker ttJob 36. 3.Job 36:3. What though I cannot finde Him out; nor is it poſſible I ſhould, no more then I can draine the great Ocean with a mans ſcull, yet He is excellent in power and in judgement, and in plenty of juſtice uuJob 37. 23.Job 37:23. What though a thick cloud is ſpread about His Throne, I cannot pry into it, yet Righteouſneſſe dwells there, that's certain; Clouds and darkneſſe are round about Him, Righteouſneſſe Pſal. 97. 2.Ps 97:2and judgement are the habitation of His Throne **foreign.. Here we muſt ſtop our reaſonings, for this is the reſolution to an high and myſterious queſtion.

And ſo I have checked my ſad and proud thoughts; that, what ever covering for ſin and deſtruction the proud heart may ſuggeſt, (for it findes out many inventions) what ever plea or excuſe the heart may have; why yet, when the covering caſt over all people, and the vaile that is ſpread over all nations ſhall be quite deſtroyed, which will be at the laſt Day, fully, then ſhall the juſtice of God appeare ſo cleare and conſpicuous, as that all mouthes, though now full of p. 141contradictions, ſhall be ſtopped; and all knees ſhall bowe before the Iudge of all the world. Then all men ſhall ſee the juſtice of God in thoſe His moſt ſecret and hidden judgements; Thoſe judgements of God, which S. Auſtin termeth ſecretly juſt, and juſtly ſecret xxOccultè juſta & juſtè occulta.: So they are now, but at the Day of judgement, they ſhall be manifeſtly juſt, and juſtly manifeſt. Then it ſhall appeare, not onelyonly that the moſt ſecret judgements of God are juſt, but alſo, that there was juſt cauſe, that they ſhould be ſecret, or kept hidden to that Day. But in the mean time, which is our Day, we may learn a fit inſtruction from the Sun alſo; That as it is ſafeſt to look upon the Sun-ſhine in the aire, not in the beam or body of the ſame; they put out the eyes, the other comfort it: ſo is it ſafeſt to deale with the linckes of the Golden chain, which God hath let down unto us; and not with thoſe, which God hath reſerved to Himſelfe: To obſerue by ſome reflexion of grace within our own ſouls, whether Gods countenance ſhine upon us, and not to pry into that light, which no mortall eye can attaine unto, leſt ſearching into His Majeſtie, we are conſumed by His glory: His will muſt content us, which He hath revealed, without any reaſon, which He hath not revealed. The brightneſſe of His excellency cannot be gazed upon, nor muſt the height of His power be diſputed. To keep Gods commandments is our duty, to pry into His counſels is curioſitie, which will be ſurely puniſhed. Labour we to underſtand things that are ſafe, and venture not in things that be too high.

So much the brightneſſe of the Sun, which will not be gazed upon, teacheth us. And ſo I have ended this large diſcourſe, touching the works of God, with the conſideration of that creature, which is fulleſt in our eye.

I conclude this walk, and the inſtructions there-from, as I began in M^r Dearings words, which he ſtill weighed at the Sanctuary, there is not one too light. We muſt conſider the works of God, and in them His greatneſſe, His power, His goodneſſe, and thereby learn with all our hearts to ſerve Him, to glorifie p. 142Him, as our onelyonly God. But if we be unprofitable creatures in the world, if we have eyes and ſee not, and eares and heare not, and the ſight and uſe of ſo excellent works can ſtirre us up, neither to love, nor feare, nor once to know ſo excellent a workman, we are holden in the bondage of a ſpirituall Aegypt, wander in ſtrange and unknown wayes of a ſpirituall wilderneſſe, where we have neither water of life, nor any ſecret Manna, to ſatiate and and fill our faint and hungry ſouls: We walk in the world, as ſubjects of the world, and dwell on the earth, as ſervants of the earth: The oxe and the horſe do as we do, they eat, and drink, and ſee the Sun, and uſe at their will the day and night, and never conſider Him, who made all theſe things. Let us not be like unto them, but as we have hearts able to comprehend better things, ſo let us uſe them, that we may fill our wayes with perfect peace. Let us wiſely meditate in all the works of God, for they are the wiſdome of God, in which we ſhould know God, and glorifie Him, and give thanks unto Him. So we reade, when Eliphaz would perſwade Iob the feare and reverence of Gods Majeſtie, he biddeth him behold the ſtarres, how high they are. The Prophet Iſaiah, when he will aſſure the Church of the mercy of God, that He will according to His mighty power, fulfill all His promiſes, he ſaith thus, who hath meaſured the waters in His fiſt, and counted heaven with His ſpan, and comprehended the duſt of the, earth in a meaſure, and weighed the mountains in a weight and the hills in a ballance? In meditation of theſe great works of God, the Prophet would teach them, to feare no man, but put their onelyonly truſt and confidence in God. So the prophet Ieremie ſetteth out the conſtant courſe of the day and night, for us to conſider, and in it to know how unchangeable the love of God is to all His Saints. So our Saviour Chriſt, by the goodly colours of the flowers of the field, He would have us learn, what a fatherly providence God hath over His children, to cover their nakedneſſe, Who clotheth ſo gloriouſly the fading flower. The Prophet David in many places, and eſpecially Pſal. 104, doth make a goodly rehearſall of the providence of God, in ruling the whole world; thereby exhorting us to obey God, to hate iniquitie. Thus ſhould p. 143we by theſe exhortations and inſtructions teach all our ſenſes, our eyes to ſee, and our eares to heare, ſo that in the creatures of God, we may ſee His glory, love His goodneſſe, feare His Majeſtie, expreſſe His Image in all our converſation. So farre M^r Dearing Lectur. 19.on Heb. 4. 34. &c. where he informes us touching the Sabbath, the works thereof, and the perpetuitie of the ſame. But I may more fitly ſhut up this in the words of S. Baſil upon the ſame ſubject yyHom. 8. in Hex. α. p. 94.; When I look back to behold the varietie of things, I have ſpoken of, then I, think I have ſpoken a great deale, and too much; But then again, when I conſider the admirable wiſdome of the Creator in them all, I may very well begin my ſpeech again, for indeed I have ſaid nothing; nothing to the incomprehenſible Power, unſearchable wiſdome, exceeding riches of goodneſſe, which the Lord hath manifeſted in all His creatures, and towards man, the Lord of them all. What remaineth then, but as He is great and wonderfull in working, ſo He is greatly to be praiſed? as His power is wonderfull, ſo ſhould our feare be; as His mercy exceedeth, ſo ſhould our thankfulneſſe in our meaſure, though indeed His mercies exceed all thankſgiving and praiſe. So much when thou walkeſt by the way. And now that the Sun is departed from us, we have done with our walk: The night ſucceeds, and the inſtructions therefrom follow.