rest and sleep 1 Thess 5.7 Prosperity to quicken and encourage and afford us opportunity to be doing Joh. 9.4 Adversity like the cold of VVinter to keep-in our shooting up and putting forward into outward works that we might take root downwards and recollect our spirits and exercise our thoughts upon our selves in trying our wayes searching our hearts strengthening our faith and the like 2. Even darknesse is needful that it may be a means to remember us of Gods mercy in causing the light to shine out of it as sin even in sanctified persons is left in them to manifest unto them from what a fearful bondage they were delivered when it reigned in them which they find so burthensome when it doth but dwell in them 1. Let every one of us even when we are in the light prepare for darknesse expecting still a mixture of Joy and Heavinesse as being 1. Our portion allotted us by God himself Eccles 7.14 which upon that very ground we have reason to be well pleased withal with holy Job who blesseth God for his afflictions Job 1.21 2. As being besides necessary for us Eccl. 7.2 3. as a yoak for wanton bullocks Jer. 31.18 to keep them in a right way as David acknowledgeth afflictions did him Psal 119.67 3. Being sure they will end in the fulnesse of joy at the last Mic. 7.9 when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes and sorrow and sighing shall fly away Isa 35.10 4. And are easie to be born in the mean time by the secret support of the Spirit when we are troubled but not distressed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken so that we faint not for the light affliction 2 Cor. 4.8 17. The best means to prepare our selves for such changes is 1. To keep a good conscience in all things that we adde not the weight of sin to the rest of our burthens 2. By improving the light while we enjoy it to our best advantage in our times of peace performing whatsoever our hand finds to do with all our power 3. By sustaining and supporting our hearts by faith in Gods gracious promises with which David quickned and revived his heart Psal 119.92 4. By expecting afflictions before-hand lest if we be surprised upon the sudden we be discouraged and take offence with those resembled to the stony ground Matth. 13.21 2. Let us long for heaven where is light without darknesse Rev. 22.5 Joy without heavinesse yea the fulness of joyes and pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 And in the mean time let us draw near unto God holding fast our Communion with him in whom is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 and the light of whose countenance shall revive and establish our hearts in the middest of the greatest darknesse even in the shadow of death Psal 23.4 VERSE 5. ANd God called the Light Day Not that God needed any name to distinguish things by as men do Some therefore conceive that those words import no more but this that either he directed and appointed them to be distinguished by those names as they were in nature or that man afterwards by that wisdom that God gave him called them by those names As for the names themselves Day and Night Jom which in the Hebrew Language signifies Day is conceived to be given it from the hurry and tumultuous noise that fills the ayr by the businesse and multitude of employments of men in the day-time and Lajelah which is the name of the Night to point at the yelling and howling of wild beasts which in the night time creep out of their dens as the Psalmist affirms Psal 104.20 21. Howsoever the name Day is taken in a double sense in this verse Here where it is distinguished from the Night it is taken for a Civil day that is that part of 24 houres which is Light but in the latter end of the verse it signifies a Natural day consisting of 24. houres and includes the night too And the Evening That is thus the first day ended with Creating the Light and God forbare to create any more untill that Evening was past and the next morning came By the Evening we must here understand the whole night or space between the shutting in of the light and the dawning of the next day Now Moses names the Evening first because the darknesse was before the light In the same manner runs the computation of Times among the Hebrews to this day Now why it pleased God to make no more but the Light the first day it is Curiosity to enquire This only we may take notice of that God as he makes his Works so he gives them names or at least appointeth names to be given them questionlesse some way expressing their natures and for the better distinction of one thing from another Whence 1. Observe All things must be called and distinguished by names proper unto them and as much as may be agreeable to their natures Observ 1 FOr avoyding confusion which is prevented when the names that are given to all things expresse them diversly as the things themselves are divers which they represent And it cannot be denied but although names be given by institution yet that at least in the first imposition of them there was great respect had to the natures of the things themselves whereof we find more evident footsteps in the Hebrew Language then in any other Tongue Howsoever God seems to take speciall care that all things should be distinguished by their names as they are different in their natures Woe then to those that labour to bring in confusion by misapplying names to things of contrary natures calling light darkness and darknesse light Isa 5.20 putting Wolves into sheeps cloathing and gracing evil with specious names that it may have some appearance of good and so may be embraced and entertained by those that judge of all things as they are represented to them by their names A practice of dangerous consequence by which many simple persons embracing evil instead of good destroy their own soules God is here represented to us in the Creation of the world proceeding by leisure and taking the time of Six dayes to perform that which he might have as easily dispatched in a moment of time if he had so been pleased So that we may thence 2. Observe God is pleased to take Time and Leisure in bringing things to passe though he might end his work in an Instant Observ 2 IN the works of Nature he fashions our bodies by degrees Psal 139.16 The Corn Herbs and Plants grow up by degrees the light comes forth in time encreasing more and more till it be perfect day Prov. 4.18 And in the work of Sanctification though the life of Grace as well as of Nature be given in an instant yet the graces of the Spirit come on by degrees growing up and encreasing in us day by day whereas God might fill us with his Spirit and perfect our Sanctification in an instant
will not leave till he have brought him to walk in sinners wayes till at last he sit down in the seat of scorners If he can prevaile with David to drâ—w him to commit adultery with Bathsheba he will not leave till he have brought him to murther her husband If Herod will be won to imprison John Baptist he shall not stick at last to cut off his head Mark 6.17 27. and if Peter go so far as to deny his Master he shall at last forswear him too Mat. 26.74 The first reason hereof may be taken from Satans diligence and vigilancie to make the best of and pursue to the utter most all advantages like Benhadads messengers 1 Kings 20.33 as waters where the bank begins to yield lie upon it with the greater weight especially if we joyne with his diligence his malice which sets him on and is never satisfied till he have brought men to destruction 1 Pet. 5.8 Secondly it is just with God to punish mens haltings and want of zeale with more dangerous errours and backslidings Let us then be careful to resist Satan strongly in his first encounters as we are advised 1 Pet. 5.9 with resolute denials and vehement detestations of every sinful motion that it get not the least footing in our hearts which it doth when it findes allowance or which is some degree of allowance cold resistance This resolute opposing of sinful motions 1. Keeps our hearts free from all defilement by sin 2. Moves God to strengthen us with a greater measure of grace as he did Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12 9. 3. And daunts the devil and makes him flie from us when he is readily opposed and resisted Jam 4.7 Now comparing Satans warinesse in his first encounter with the woman wherein he seemes somewhat modest as proposing things only by way of enquiry but affirming nothing positively especially forbearing to charge God at all unlesse it were by a secret insinuation with this bold and shamelesse charge of dissembling and dealing falsely with man against his own knowledge we may take notice of the deceitfulnesse of sin and 2 OBSERVE Even those which seem modest in sinne at the first grow bold and shamelesse in it at the last Observe 2 ABsalom in the beginning of his treasonable practices makes no shew of any thing but courtesie and zeale for justice but when he had won the hearts of the people he grows shamelesse and breakes out into open rebellion and incestuously defiles his fathers Concubines and wicked men being past sense and shame give themselves over to all lasciviousnesse Eph. 4.19 glorying at last in their own shame Phil. 3.19 and acting things not comely Rom. 1.28 not fit to be named by modest men Ephes 5.12 The reason whereof is 1. Because use and custome makes sin so familiar unto men that it takes away first the sense and then the shame that follows it which as they feele not in themselves so they feare it not from others 2. By this means God brings all evils to light that the committers of them may be abhorred of all men and his justice may be the more clearly manifested in their deserved punishment But we cannot but with admiration take special notice of Satans impudency who presumes to give God the lie and flatly to contradict so evident a truth so lately and expressely delivered from his owne mouth and that also as it is most probable in the womans own hearing Whence 3 OBSERVE There is no truth of God so clear and manifest which Satan and his Agents dare not to contradict Observe 3 THere can be nothing more clear then the goodnesse of God in his rewarding those that serve him which all experience makes manifest and yet the impes of Satan flatly deny it Job 21.15 as they do in like manner his Providence Job 22.13 14. and his Justice Ezech 18. nay even God Himself Psal 53.1 The lesse are we to marvel if they question and deny the firmest grounds of faith seeing they are things not seen as they have done in all Ages as Christs Deity Humanity the value of his satisfactions the Deity of the Holy Ghost the Immortality of the soule the Resurrection of the body and the like And no marvel 1. Seeing Satan is both a liar and the father of lies John 8.44 so that by his own nature he must needs be opposite to the truth A d 2. Besides it concernes him above all things to contradict fundamental truthes upon which Gods honour and mans salvation most depend both which Satan labours to overthrow with all his power 3. And lastly he well understands by experience the corruption of mans nature which inclines him to embrace darknesse rather then light to believe lies rather then to love the truth which gives him great hope of prevailing even in suggesting the foulest untruthes to such favourable hearers The end at which Satan aimed in contradicting this intermination of death to be inflicted upon man if he should presume to eate of the forbidden fruit was to embolden the woman to rebellion by freeing her from the terrour of Gods wrath which might be a meanes by the feare of the danger to withhold her from committing the sinne But the observation to be drawen from thence we have handled already That which we are to take notice of in the next place is that Satan in speaking of this intermination takes up the phrase it selfe in which God had delivered it Gen 2.17 which the woman in her answer had altered and expressed it in more gentle and uncertain termes which questionlesse he did not to help the womans memory nor much lesse to taxe her for faultering in her answer But rather that when he had laid the curse before her in the strictest termes he might elude it in a way of scorne telling the woman in effect that this terrible threatning was no other then a meer scar-crow whereas God knew well enough that no such effect would follow as he had threatened Whence 4. OBSERVE Satan and his Agents never make use of Gods Word but for mischief Observe 4 EIther to scoffe at it Isa 5.19 1 Cor. 15.32 or tempt others to sinne as we see Satan makes use even of the Word it selfe to perswade our Saviour to tempt God Mat. 4.6 Or else to contradict it as those proud men do Jeremies answer from God Jer. 43.2 or to lull men asleep in carnal security which was the custome of the false prophets Jer. 23.17 by which meanes they strengthened the hands of evil doers that none returned from his wickednesse ver 14. Neither indeed can it be otherwise 1. Because they being themselves defiled even their very consciences they must necessarily defile all that they handle Tit. 1.15 2. Because they hate the Word it selfe and therefore cannot either think or speak of it unlesse it be to abuse or discredit it some way or other See Prov. 1.29 3. And lastly because Satan that guides them delights in nothing more then to pollute the
42.6 3. What contempt of all things in comparison of Christ with Paul Phil. 3.8 No title in the world could be more firme then Adams was to the Garden of Eden which God had planted of purpose for him and into the possession wherof God had put him with his own hand And yet we see for his rebellion he is cast out of all that God had given him Whence 1 OBSERVE There is no blessing so firmly assured unto us whereof sinne may not deprive us Observe 1 EVen Canaan it self though confirmed by Gods oath to Abraham and his seed the unbeleevers were deprived and kept out of by unbelief Heb. 3.18 as their posterity were cast out of it even after they possessed it as God had threatned Lev. 26.33 Deut. 28.63 Thus was Elies posterity cast out of the Priesthood 1 Sam. 2.29 30. and Davids out of the Kingdome though both assured by Gods firmest promises Psal 89.35 36. compared with ver 39 40. Reason 1. All promises are granted under the condition of obedience sometimes expressed as Psal 89.30 31 32. and alwayes understood 2 It were not for Gods honour to prosper men and continue his blessings to them in a course of â—ebellion 1 Sam. 2.30 Psal 94.20 3. Nor for mans good who would abuse the blessings to his own destruction See Ps 73.6 7. and harden the hearts of others by continuing in wayes of rebellion if they should prosper in them See Ps 73.10 Mal. 3.15 First it reproves all that walk in rebellious courses promising themselves impunity in their sinful ways Deut. 29.19 and assurance of their estates at present Psal 49.11 wherein they highly dishonour God as either not seeing or at least not regarding their wayes Ps 94.7 as if he were like unto themselves Ps 50.21 Secondly And beguile themselves like fools Ps 49.13 1. Wanting many good things which their sinnes Isa 59.2 keep from them and forfeiting what they do enioy which God either deprives them of at present or reserves unto them for their hurt Eccl. 5.13 and shut out themselves from all hope of enjoying any good for time to come as remaining under the wrath of God which they shall have hereafter poured out upon them to the uttermost that to all eternity 2. Let us be wise and walk in fear alwayes Prov. 28.14 Considering how prone we are of our selves to carnal security not only the wicked Prov. 14.16 but the godly also Ps 30.6 whence we are called upon to be watchful Mark 13.37 Considering 1. That all Promises are made under the condition of obedience Lev. 26.3 4. and Deut. 28.1 2. Prov. 2.21 2. That outward blessings may be a snare unto us Prov. 30.9 unlesse we use them warily 3. That even inward spiritual blessings though they cannot be lost yet may be much empaired and the comfort of them not felt for a time if we grieve the Spirit by any sin as David found by experience Psal 51.8.11 Adam being cast out of Paradise is confined to labour in tilling the ground whence he was taken which in all probability was not far from perhaps within the view of Paradise A great change in his employment from keeping and dressing which was rather a recreation then any painful labour to Tilling a tiresome toile especially to him who wanted tooles beasts servants and all helps for that work and had besides Tilling of the ground to provide himself some shelter to harbour himself from the weather together with many necessaries for the support and comfort of his life But it is observable that when God sends Adam out of Paradise he assignes him a place where to be and an employment what to do Whence 2 OBSERVE Mens dwellings and employments are both assigned by God Observe 2 GOd divided the earth amongst the inhabitants thereof in the beginning Deut. 21.21 22. and 32. and not only gave it to them in general Ps 115.16 or assigned a Countrey to his own people in particular Psal 105.44 but allotted out every Tribe their portion in it as appeares by comparing Gen. 49.13 with Josh 19.11 which although he point not out now to us by lot as he did then yet he disposeth in the ordinary course of his providence directing the subordinate means to act only what he had before determined And for mens employments the Apostle termes them Gods callings 1 Cor. 7.17 Reason 1. The earth is Gods Ps 24.1 to which by consequent no man can have any title but by assignation from him And we are his Ps 100.3 and in him live and have our being Act. 17.28 and consequently may more justly be assigned our employments by him then a servant may be appointed his work by his Master and besides it is God that must both furnish him with abilities for his employment and prosper his labours therein 2. It is fit it should be so as in all other acts of providence for avoiding confusion Let us first content our selves with our places and employments as being assigned to us by God himself who 1. Hath power to dispose of us 2. And knows what is fittest for us 3. And orders all things so as may be most for our good and his own glory Secondly and carry our selves in our places so as we may be able to give up with joy our account to him that employes us from whom we in our places doing his will and having our successe from his prospering hand have ground to expect the reward of our faithfulnesse in discharge of our duty at the last day See Eph. 6.6 7 8. Now although we are assigned and trained up to our imployments by our Parents or other governors we must look on them only as Gods instruments executing only what he hath determined concerning us The observation to be raised out of the consideration of the place where God disposeth of Adam when he sent him out of Paradise and of the employment that he assignes him that he should Till the ground and by his labour provide himself means to maintain his life have been noted in ver 19. But that which is pointed at here that it was the ground whence he was taken may give occasion to 3 OBSERVE God every where leaves remembrances to mind us what and how base we are Observe 3 THe grasse and flower of the field withering and cut down every day Isa 40.6 7. the eating of our garments by mothes James 5.2 Isa 50.9 the Winter and Summer darknesse of the night after the light of day our eating drinking and sleeping c. much more our infirmities and diseases the messengers of death at hand Reason Nothing is more useful to us then to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdome Psal 90.12 and take them off from the world Luke 12.19 20. and yet nothing is lesse thought on or laid to heart see Psal 49.11 12. Let not us suffer our selves to be beguiled and lulled asleep by the deceits of the world having such a cloud of monitors