without any pillar to support it that can bound the sea with his word onely that can sustaine such a masse of creatures 4. His bountifulnesse and goodnesse In his endowments of every creature in this kinde In his large provision for them in their severall necessities In making them all so good in themselves and for our good and benefit All of them call on us to taste and see how good God is in himselfe who is so good in these how good unto us hee will bee in his Pallace who is so good to us in our prison Here bee millions of Ministers and Apostles sent by GOD into the world to preach unto men the inexhaust treasures of their Lords goodnesse wisedome and power All of them teach us to depend upon him as they doe for their being and well-being for their motion or station Psal. 145. 15. The eyes of all things waite on thee and thou givest them food in due season and Psal. 147. â— The young Ravens cry to him for food and hee feedeth them So should wee much more not onely cast our care on him and expect all our good from him which is to knocke at the right doore and to goe to the fountaine but also receive all as from his hand not shifting for our selves by unlawfull meanes and taking our estate at the hand of the Devill in lying deceiving usury c. and to returne all in a sober moderate and sanctified use unto him againe for how unkindly did the Lord take it at Israels hands that they should take his wooll and flaxe and oyle and bestow it on Baals service Hos. 2. 8. Thinke now with our selves how disdainefully wee should heare The Oxe and Asse know their feeder but wee doe not ours All of them teach us to love him and returne all fruits of love to him because 1. They are all fruits of his love his love-tokens to us 2. God loveth us better than all them whom hee made their Lords and should not wee love him better than all creatures 3. All threaten us failing in our love for that turneth them against us and they become revengers of his quarrell the sun will burne up our fruites or deny his comfort and shine the clouds will drowne our fruits the aire pinch them and punish us 4. Shall every creature of which I am Lord yeeld me fruit my cattell my trees my ground and shall my love bee fruitlesse unto my Lord All of them teach us unitie love and peace one with another all of them doe conspire in unity and harmony among themselves for the good of the whole they preferre the good of the universall before the particular good of themselves Fire will descend water will ascend and all to hinder a rupture and vacuum or emptinesse in nature They all have their severall contrary qualities and motions but trouble not one another The fire doth warme the aire the aire preserveth the water the water moysteneth and maketh the earth fruitfull one element is a good neighbour to another though never so contrary in qualities They have all their severall degrees and differences some high some low some light some darke The sunne excelleth all the starres in splendour the starres one differ from another in glory Gold excels amongst mettals In the sensible creatures the heart and vitals are most noble yet nature hath so sowdred them together as there is no disdaine no contention but superiour creatures are bound to the inferiours and communicate themselves in governing the inferiour communicate in obeying Nay they all conspire to set forward mans happinesse and welfare So ought we to preferre the publike before the private good of our selves and bee helpefull to one another in our severall wayes Also in our severall degrees of superiority and inferiority bee beneficiall and communicative of our gifts and services All must conspite and consent to set forward the good of every man and helpe up his happinesse heavenly and earthly All of them teach us to grow weary of our present fervitude of sinne and waite for our promised deliverance Rom. 8. 22. For if they shall sigh under our burthens shall not we our selves shall wee bee more senselesse of our misery than they bee of it shall we goe on in sinne which is so burthensome and dangerous Aske the beasts and they will tell thee sinne is an intolerable burthen and takest thou pleasure in sinne Seest thou not the beasts wanting reason saving themselves from danger as they may Balaams Asse will shun and not goe forward against a drawn sword and shall we against the sword of the Lords hand drawne out against sinne Thus the creation of the world is a Scripture of God and the voyce of God in all the Creatures and by them all speaketh unto us alwaies and every where The whole world is his booke so many pages as there are severall creatures no page is empty but full of lines every qualitie of the creature is a severall letter of these lines and no letter without a part of Gods wisedom in it Thus of the creatures voice in generall Now come we to shew the voce of God in the particular creatures which are so infinite in number so divers in qualities as this discourse would swell to an exceeding great volume Therefore I will onely instance in some few particular creatures which our Prophet here specifies in this Psalme as the heavens the sun the moone and starres c. Holding these instances sufficient samplers whereby wee may patterne out our meditations and as occasion shall serve sucke out the sweet even out of every creature as shall be obvious dealing as Geographers who being to contract the great world in a little sheete for great rivers they draw small lines and for great citties onely a period The first particular creature that the Prophet mentioneth as the subject of his meditation is the heavens and firmament In which consider How the heavens and firmament have a voyce to declare the glory of God is plaine Neither is there any speech or language where this voyce is not heard Psal. 19 3. Let us see what lessons the Spirit will speake to us in them 1. The height of the heavens above the earth sheweth the infinite height and honour of him whose standing house is above all aspectable heavens How great is himselfe that thus stretcheth the heavens with his span Isay 40 5. 2. This may put us in minde of the infinite mercy and goodnesse of God So David in Psal. 103. 3. How much higher the heavens are above the earth so great is his goodnes to them that feare him 3. This mindeth us of the majesty of God Kings have their Palaces to shew their majesty and glory in now heaven above is the pavillion of the Lord Psal. 104. His throne and seate is in heaven 2. The matter of them is so pure subtile and excellent as mans wit cannot reach all this
preacheth the purity and divinity of the workeman 2 This may remember us how pure that heart and mansion must be wherein the Lord will dwell our hearts are Gods heaven upon earth 3 By this wee may remember Revel 21. 27. No impure thing shall enter therein nothing that worketh abominations or lyes How ought we to study for purity and holinesse to fit our selves for what God hath prepared for us 3 The forme of the heavens being round and circular this may minde us of 1 The infinitenesse of the Maker a circle is an infinite figure 2 The perfection of God a circle being the most perfect and capacious figure Hence is said In my Fathers house are many mansions John 14. 2. 3 As the circle of the heavens is equally distant from the point and center of the earth it may minde us that heaven is equally distant to all beleevers and in every Nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse shall be accepted 4 The firmenesse and constancie of it preach the truth and unchangeablenesse of him whose onely word is the pillars on which this great frame leaneth and though the mountaines are called the pillars of heaven Iob 26. 11. and 2. Sam. 21. 8. because they so appeare to be yet indeed his word power and truth are the pillars This may undershore the faith of the Saints Doth his truth uphold the great frame of the heavens and will hee not uphold thee 2 This assureth us heaven is a safe place to treasure in no thiefe nor robber can spoile or deprive us of what we lay there therefore the Latins hence call it firmamentum Christ exhorteth us to treasure up in heaven Mat. 6. 5. The admirable rapt and swift motion and revolution in 24. houres which our conceits cannot follow leadeth us to the mighty power of the first mover who is far more swift and ready to helpe us in our needes It guideth us also to that hand that ordereth the falling and moving of the sparrowes of our haires and in whom we live and move 2. It teacheth us to be as ready and constant in our motions and duties as they who never stand still but are in perpetuall swift motion and execution of his will 6. What a number of gracious meditations doe the heavens affoord a heart that doth desire to be fruitfull I see every where the heavens Oh that is the place whither Christ ascended and where he is which must containe him till his second comming And shall not my desires bee there 2. It is a place from whence I expect a Saviour and shall not my conversation be there where Christ is Col. 3. 3. It is my owne countrey there is my fathers house my kindred my home and inheritance my brothers and sisters my elder brother shall not I then esteeme my selfe a stranger here and hasten thither 4. It is the most goodly creature and yet reserved for the fire of the great day for mans sinne should not I herein behold Gods infinite hatred of sin who will set his owne house on fire for it should not I hate and tremble at sinne And seeing all this goodly frame shall be dissolved What manner of men ought we to be in all manner of conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. How richly might wee furnish our mindes with matter of fruitfull meditations should wee thus looke on the heavens Thus cannot the Heavens nor never did In the Heavens behold the light the first creature that God made his first word was fiat lux that is let there be light As a man that builds a house hee first considereth how hee may let light into it without which it were but a dungeon and cave of darkenesse and so had the whole world bin a Chaos and confused heape without the light from heaven As no quality of bodies doth more resemble Divinity than the light so nothing in the world of naturall things more aptly preacheth unto us the nature of God who pleaseth to call himselfe light dwelling in light in accessable yea being himselfe that essentiall infinite uncreated light wherein is no darkenesse at all 1 Doe I see the light the nature of which no man can perfectly attaine Iob 38. 19. Tell me saith God if thou knowest this Where is the way where light dwelleth Doth not this carry my mind to God himselfe that eternall and infinite light whose infinite nature none could ever comprehend 2 Doe I see that God made not the light for himselfe for he being light it selfe needed it not but for me amongst others how can I but admire his care and goodnesse how can I choose but gather what light and comfort is in himselfe who hath put so much in the creature and rise by it to his Divinity who as light so communicateth himselfe that no man the lesse because another more 3 Doe I see the light made so pure faire cleare and perfect as nothing can pollute it if it looketh into all filthinesse it contracts none How can I but herein see an excellent resemblance of Gods infinite purity and perfection of his essence in his eternall love in whom is no darkenesse to whom nothing is more contrary then darkenesse and though he behold all darkenesse and order all confusion yet in his divine understanding is not any obscurity or dimnesse 4. Doe I see the light freely and perpetually communicating it selfe and diffusing it selfe to all men I cannot but see GOD himselfe alwayes abundantly communicating himselfe with all men either by the light of nature which is the chiefe ornament of a man or by the light of grace which is the chiefe beauty of a Christian or by the light of glory which is the chiefe and highest pitch of an happy and glorified man Iohn 1. 9. 5. Doe I see the light alway like it selfe never communicating with darkenesse but fighting against darkenesse and irreconcilably resisting it Even so may I conceive God to be one and alwayes the same and ever like himselfe in his nature words and actions never favouring but fighting against darkenesse and works of darkenesse sins and corruptions which are as clouds sometime getting betweene the light and us and hindering the comforts of his beames from us 6. Doe I see light driving away darkenesse distinguishing things that were involued in darknesse producing things out of darkenesse and secrecy How can I but contemplate that God that eternall light will one day discover all things that are in darkenesse and bring all secret workes words or thoughts and set them in a cleare light Nothing is so secret which shall not be revealed and God and his truth shall at last prevaile against all errour powers and wicked opposites set against it Besides light leadeth mee to Christ the light of the world But of that more conveniently in handling the great light the Sun 7 How can I behold so noble a creature without some use concerning my selfe 1 Doe I see a man cannot see
light without light and can I know God without Gods teaching 2 I see the more light the Creature hath the more excellent profitable and usefull it is the Starres more excellent than stones for their light the Sunne than the Starres Of stones the more light and shining the more price and value and vertue are they of So should I thinke of my selfe the more light of God and grace I can get sure the more worthy I am and of others as they excell in knowledge and grace so should I thinke of them as of stars which differ in glory according to the proportion of their light 3 I see the greater light obscure the lesse and it is absurd to light a candle to the Sunne Why then should I sticke unto worldly wisedome worldly comforts earthly contentments which are as candles to the Sun the great light of the day of heavenly wisedome spirituall comforts durable contentments 4 I see the light bringeth comfort and refreshing draweth all eyes unto it all Creatures follow it but hatefull Bats and Owles c. When I have slept all night the light wakeneth mee raiseth me to the actions of the day Oh what joy bringeth it to the soule when God sheweth himselfe lightsome to it should not his glorious light be the sweetest object of the eye of my soule Why should not this light awaken my soule and raise mee from the sleepe of sin and lusts If light goe away darkenesse succeedeth in darkenesse none can see the way before him O therefore why should not I lay fast hold of the Lord who is my light and walke in his light by which alone I can hold the plaine and direct way to eternall life and light 5. I see the light in an instant presenting it self as the lightning is suddenly dispersed from one side of heaven to another If I be in darkenesse and desertion the Lord my light can and will suddenly present himselfe with joy and comfort to my soule 6 Was I darkenesse now I am light in the Lord that is enlightned by the Word of truth 2. Enlightening others by holy instruction and conversation Thus we must be wary and walke as in the light In the Heavens consider wee all the light bodies as the 1. Sunne 2. Moone 3. Starres These rightly considered will bring much light to the eyes of the minde and though we have in the Church a superiour meanes by the voyce of the Scriptures yet wee may not despise the day breake because the noone is brighter Quest. But why doth the Prophet here not mention the Sun but the Moone and Starres Ans. When a man beholdeth the Moone and Stars the Sun is absent as in the night It seemes it was his manner to walke forth in the night season to behold and contemplate the Lords greatnesse and goodnesse in these servants of the night and wee should finde some times of the night not unfruitfully spent if wee would take up this practice But if the glory of God shine so much in these obscure lights and if David could so teach and admonish his heart by them how much more by the brightnesse of the Sunne And if David by day looke upon the Heavens as Psalme 19. 1. he can say The Heavens declare the glory of God because in them hee hath set a Tabernacle for the Sunne which commeth forth as a bridegroome out of his chamber arraied with nuptiall and glorious garments turning all eyes towards him and as a Gyant strong and speedy to make a swift and long course such as even our thoughts want wings to follow 1 When I behold the Sunne in his wounderfull magnitude being an hundred sixty and sixe times at least bigger than all the vast body of the earth how can I choose but be ledde unto the Lord and say Great is the Lord great is his power and there is no end of his goodnesse For how much greater is the Creator of the Sun and Heavens than the things created 2 When I behold the pulchritude and brightnesse of the Sunne which is such as blindeth and destroyeth my sight as too weake to behold it what infinite light and brightnesse must I conceive in the Father of lights in that bright and eternall Sunne who never setteth in whom is no shadow of change who can but here admire at the majesty of the Creatour 3 When I behold the Sun ever in his motion never standing still but by miracle never slacking his motion but alwayes keeping the same pace should not I learne to be constant in my motion never to be idle or make stop in my course or duty 2 When I see that God himselfe and his Word is as the soule and spring of the Suns motion hee commandeth him to come forth as a Gyant to run his race hee can stop him in his race and by a word command him to stand still or runne backe I must learne hereby to be sure that Gods Word as a soule giveth life to my actions my motions and courses I must move where his word bids mee I must stand and be every thing at his word 3 When I see the Sun in his motion keepe his bounds and zodiacke never going without his owne line but precisely keeping his course and not so much as slugging therein must not I learne hence to containe my selfe within the bounds of my calling and his command 4 When I see the Sun in all his motions carry heate light comfort and direction and is the chiefe ornament of this inferiour world and that he goeth no where but the world is better for him should not I in all my course strive to be profitable and by the light of my conversation be comforting directing and shining to others in good workes And when I see the Sun impart his light and shine unpartially on good and bad I must learne to doe good to all good bad friends enemies envying my light to none no more than the Sun doth his to any 4 Doe I see the Sun set every day and rise every day Salomon would have me see therein my owne misery and vanity Eccles. 1. 4. Thus hath the Sunne continued his course for many generations But I rise but once and have but one day of naturall life allotted me and if my selfe and others once set and the night of my life be come there is no more returning to this life 5 I see this glorious sun sometime clouded sometime eclipsed and this calleth on me to see the eclypse of heavenly light in my selfe my sin hath reached unto heaven and often inverteth even the order of nature in obscuring light bodies for light bodies not to shine is besides their nature As in the death of Christ God would let the world see her sinne in crucifying the Sonne of God Never see the Sunne hide his comfortable presence but confesse thou deservest never to see it any more 6 I see sometime the Sunne by his extreame heate
us and wee shall walke in that blessed and celestiall light there is no more need of earthly comforts that blessed Sonne shall drowne and swallow up all the lights of these candles and of the Moone it selfe As that holy woman and martyr going to her death said I am now going to a place where money beareth no mastery Rev. 21. 23. that City hath no neede of the worlds Sun nor Moone for the glory of God and the Lambe are the light of it Now wee proceed to the Starres of the firmament the handmaides of the Queene of heaven who in their nature call us all to the knowledge of God And by the teaching of grace they all may be as the starre that led the wise men to Christ. In them let us consider The unconceiveable magnitude of them the swiftnesse of their motion their secret but admirable efficacie and influence and all this to be put forth or restrained at the Lords pleasure must needs argue him to be wise of heart and strong of power Iob 9. Verses 4 7 9 10. to order so great things and unsearchable yea marvelous things without number Adde hereunto the multitude of them which thou canst not number the force and power of them as mighty armies for the execution of the Lords justice and mercie which thou canst not reach All this leadeth us into the sense of our owne imperfection in knowledge to apprehend his perfections that calleth them all by their names And hence we are called both to acknowledge the power of him that made Pleiades and Orion Amos 5. 8. as also to praise his goodnesse that made the great lights the Sun to governe the day the Moone and Starres to rule the night This might stirre up our faith concerning the multitudes of beleevers in the Kingdome of Christ which shall be as the starres of the firmament Genes 22. 17. This consideration the Lord useth as an argument to confirme the faith of his Church Ierem. 33. 22. Therefore is the Lord worthy of praise Psal. 136. 7. The stars keepe their courses and motions and orbes constantly and unweariably they suffer no eclypses in themselves as the greater lights doe they never deny their light unto others By which both our faith may be strengthened and our duty directed The former the Lord urgeth to confirme our faith in the stability and truth of his promises Ier. 31. 35. If the courses of the moone and starres can be broken then may the seed of Israel cease The latter directeth us 1. To stand in our owne orbes with constancy doing our owne duty as fixed starres Iude 13. not as the shooting or wandring starres that is unconstant and unstable men carried about with every winde of temptation doctrin lust But we must hold on anweariably in doing our duty 2. To shine in grace without eclypses so farre as is possible 3. To deny to none our helpe and light that stand in need We see one starre differ from another in magnitude claritie glory and motion yet one hindereth not another one envieth not at another Which noteth 1. The divers degrees of grace here For the Saints have diversity of gifts which maketh them as stars divers in their use and shining site and magnitude yet must not be adverse not envious not in pride advance our selves above others the stars doe not so The stars have each one their glory but none of them from themselves And what hast thou which thou hast not received 2. The divers degrees of glory hereafter proved by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 41. What a sweet elevation of the soule were it in beholding the starres to put our selves in minde of that heavenly glory wherewith we shall be cloathed as the Scripture doth Dan. 12. 3. They that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres Wee see the stars shine brightest in darkest nights to teach and excite us in darkest nights of triall afflictions and dangers most to manifest our light of faith patience fortitude and graces Where should fortitude demonstrate it selfe but in the field and combate Where doe spices send forth their odoriferous smels but in the mortar under the pestle In every starre we must labour to see Iesus Christ who calleth himselfe 1. The morning starre Revel 2. 28. And the bright morning starre Rev. 21. 16. He that overcommeth I will give him the morning starre that is I will communicate my selfe wholly unto him and make him conformable unto me im my glory Alwayes the proportion of head and members observed The morning starre is the most bright and shining of all the starres in heaven see in it the most excellent light and celestiall glory of Christ wherein the Lord Iesus excelleth all men and Angels as farre as the morning starre all the starres of heaven The morning starre communicateth all his light to the world In this see Christ communicating to the world of beleevers all light of Grace and Glory The morning starre dispelleth the nights darkenesse Hence conceive Christ that day starre rising in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. who by the light of his Propheticall and Apostolicall Word his Spirit accompanying the same dispelleth the darkenesse of ignorance and errors wherein we were wrapped in the night of sinne and unregenerate estate The morning starre is anteambulo Solis and fitly said to be the Suns harbenger and fore-runner of perfect day Conceive Christ our morning Star not onely dispelling and dispersing with the beames of his light the darkenesse of this present life which is a night in comparison But is a pledge of our perfect day and future glory who in the morning of our common resurrection will shew himselfe to all his Saints in surpassing Glory and Majesty above the perfect light of a thousand Sunnes Thus wee see the use of the Starres in their naturall use excellent and usefull but in spirituall and supernaturall farre more to the Christian and Beleever 2. Behold Christ termed the starre of Iacob Num. 24. 17. Here observe 1. The originall of a starre is from heaven not earth I must conceive of Christ otherwise than of other men which have their originall on earth But he is the Lord from heaven as God he is from heaven 2. Yet a starre of Jacob. As a man of the posterity of Iacob so I must conceive him both God and man 3. This starre first riseth in the horizon of Iudea and Ierusalem see Psal. 60. 1. and carrieth his light round about to all nations as the starres 4. The use of this starre is to be a load-starre to helpe us to our haven that as Marriners on the Sea behold the Pole-star to saile safely and avoid rockes and shelves So must wee on the Sea of this world looke at this starre and feare no shipwracke Now come we to consider the inferiour heavens and in these consider the Clouds Aire Windes The Clouds have a voice to teach us not onely that mighty voice
of thunder which made proud Pharaoh confesse his owne wickednesse and begge prayers as Exodus 9. 21. but also a silent voice every of them being as that pillar of the cloud which was a signe of Gods presence amongst his people as Exod. 13. 21. yea every cloud herein like the cloud of the Tabernacle whereof is said the glory of God appeared in the cloud Exodus 16. 10. I may say as Iob 37. 14. Hearken and give heede to these wondrous workes of God Who is the Father of rame Iob 38. 28. that is besides the Lord what power is there that bindes the waters in the thicke clouds so that the cloud breaketh not Iob 26. 29. And if thou dost know who it is that maketh the clouds to labour to water the earth and who it is that turneth them about by his government to doe whatsoever hee commands them on the world for punishment or mercie yet dost thou know how God disposeth them The varietie of them the wondrous workes of him that is perfect in knowledge Iob 37. from verse 11. to 17. Canst thou tell how the bottles of heaven are filled how they being of infinite weight and magnitude are hung as in a ballance in the soft aire without any other stay than his Word How the windowes of Heaven be open to raine downe fatnesse and plenty Psal. 65. 12. Surely in these things the Lord left not himselfe without witnesse amongst the Gentiles in giving them raine and fruitfull seasons Act. 14. 17. and much lesse among us in the Church to whom by the teaching of grace they proelaime his wisedome power justice mercy as also his glory and majesty who rideth on the clouds as on a horse and turneth them what way soever he pleaseth As they leade us to God so they serve to afford us many excellent meditations 1 Doe I see the raine fall from the clouds to water the earth and returneth not in vaine Isa. 55. 10. I must see the worke of the word preached upon my earthly heart for the moystening softening and changing of my heart for preparing it to fruitfulnesse and preserving it in fruitfulnesse for it shall never be in vaine but doth the worke for which it is sent Never was a greater plague in Israel than when for three yeares and a halfe it rained not on the earth in Ababs time a greater plague cannot be in this life than when the raine falleth not to the moystening the furrowes of our hearts 2. Doe I see the clouds to be as a shadow and cover against the heate parching and burning of the Sun I must herein behold the Lords protection as a covering cloud or shadow saving his Saints from the sunne of affliction and persecution which will burne up those that are not defended Psal. 91. 1. They shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Here is another manner of shadow than Iona'hs gourd I will run under this shadow saith David Psal. 121. 6. and the sunne shall not smite me by day 3. Doe I see the raine-bow in the clouds I must meditate of Gods faithfulnesse who hath set it as a signe of mercy and patience yea I may carry my mind beyond the temporall and conceive of Gods everlasting mercy in Christ in whom I come to the throne of grace which is described to have a raine-bow round about it Rev. 4. 3. 4. When I see the cloud disperse it selfe upon all grounds and raines fall on good and bad I must learne to distill my goodnesse to all in generall good and bad friends and enemies And so show my selfe a childe of my heavenly Father who letteth his raine fall on the just and unjust Mat. 5. 45. 5. When I see the dewes of small raines which is the joy and life of flowers I must in them beheld Iesus Christ who compareth himselfe unto dew Hosea 14. 5. I will be a dew to Israel the dew presenteth it selfe in faire weather so Christ is neare when Gods face and favour is calme and pacified The dew refresheth and reviveth withering medowes so Christ by his grace refresheth and quickneth drie and dead hearts remitting sinnes and infusing moysture of grace and holinesse to make them fruitfull in all good workes The dewes temper and allay great heate and parching of the sunne so doth Christ coole the burning heate of his Fathers wrath and quencheth the fiery darts of the devill cooleth the heate of persecution and all that wee may become and continue fruitfull Without these dewes from heaven is no expectation of fruits in earth and without Christ and his grace we can doe nothing at all 6. I see a morning dew and suddaine raine soone dryed up I must looke to the soundnesse of my grace faith and comfort that it bee not as an hasty raine or an heritage hastily gotten that it bee not as the righteousnesse of Ephraim Hos. 6. 4. as a morning dew by sun-rising suddenly vanished and gone when is most neede of it Hence learne to strive against hypocrisie 7. In beholding the clouds what a profitable meditation were it to consider them as the glorious charriot of Christ wherin hee ascended to heaven and was taken up in the cloude from the sight of his Disciples Acts 1. 9. And wherein hee shall descend in great glory and majesty to judge the quicke and dead Matth. 26. 64. As also how serviceable the cloudes shall be unto us as unto our head when in the last day we shall be taken up into the clouds to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall bee ever with him 1 Thes. 4. 17. Now come wee to the ayre which is not in vaine but may also leade us to God for it hath expresse impressions of his fingers For It truely and really subsisteth though it bee not seene so hath also the Lord the maker thereof a reall but invisible existence It leadeth us by the hand to the ubiquitie of GOD for it is every where and in every open place and secret in townes and fields and widest deserts it is in the bowels of the earth in the bottome of the Sea within us without us Euen so must I conceive God present at and in all places immediately compassing me every where as the ayre Nay hath place in my heart and minde that as surely as I continually draw the ayre into my body heart and braines so is the Lord much more present within mee This will not let me shut him up in heaven whose essence is not more there than in this inferiour world though his glory and Majesty shine clearer there Neither to thinke him far absent nor by walls doores windowes closets or chambers kept from seeing or knowing my waies no more than ayre but I shall continually stand in awe and feare to offend him I see the ayre the preserver of my life that without it I cannot continue any whit but presently perish so as wee may say of it truly as
and as chaffe which the storme carrieth away This was Ieremies meditation Chap. 18. 17. 3. When I see or heare great windes doe great harmes to blow downe houses over mens heads unroote oakes and strong trees I must now looke to my foundation and rooting in grace be sure I bee founded on a rocke that when raines fall windes blow and stormes beate against my house it may stand Matth 7. 27. If wee builde our walls with untempered morter it shall fall a great shower shall come and hailestones shall cause it to fall and a stormie winde shall breake it Ezek. â—3 11 12. 4. When I see reedes and rushes tossed and shaken with every winde I must looke to my stablishing in the doctrine and profession of godlinesse that I bee not carried about with every winde of libertine doctrine every puffe of temptation every frivolous humane invention every frowne of superiours every threatning of the times every crosse occasion as a man unstable in the grounds of received truth Iohn Baptist was not as a reede shaken with the winde as many unsetled heads carried into all novelties conceits and opinions that no gid die conceit can bee broached but shall finde favourers and admirers of things in true judgement to be explored but labour for soundnesse within Wee have seene many faire Apples and Peares hanging on a tree lovely in sun-shine which in the next whistling winde quite fall off because they were rotten or unsound at the core Wee are yet in some calme but the storme riseth suddenly wee know not how soone wee shall bee shaken many prognosticks of foule and stormie weather are upon us Let us bee wise and settle our selves in sinceritie of heart and sounde love of the truth which shall hold us on our foundation when others shall bee overturned Thus the Prophet having sufficiently by the eyes of his minde drawne much matter of meditation from the heavens he casteth downe his eyes on the earth in the last verse of this Psalme and with admiration saith O Lord how wonderfull is thy name in all the earth Noting that not onely the heavens but also the earth being rightly considered may offer unto us abundant matter of divine meditation Seeing then the whole hosts of heaven and earth are before thee complaine not thou wantest matter whereon to meditate Come then and see what great works the Lord hath done in the earth and hearken what a loud voice it hath to leade us unto God and our selves See Iob 12. 7. Consider what barres or engines what mighty foundations uphold the massie substance of the whole earth and sea that the infinite weight should not fall through the soft thin and compassing ayre where no man can make a feather hang without some stay This was Iobs meditation which ledde him to the infinite power of GOD who hangeth the earth upon nothing Iob 26. 7. The whole frame of the heavens hath no other collumes than the ayre the ayre leaneth on the earth the earth hangeth on nothing but the mightie and powerfull Word of God From the unmoveable strength and stability of the earth whose foundation cannot be shaken we may fruitfully meditate of the stable and undoubted truth and certainty of the Word of the Lord both in his promises and menaces Isay 48. 13. My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth Therefore heare O Iacob he will doe his will in thee O Babel c. Psalme 125. 1 2. They that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion and stand for ever As the hils compasse Ierusalem so doth the Lord his people From the earth which is full of the goodnesse of the Lord Psalme 33. 1. Wee behold the riches of God whose footstoole it is 2 The bountifulnesse of God who hath given it to the sons of men Psalme 115. 16. and made it our table prepared and furnished with all dainty foode our house in which wee dwell and a kinde and liberall mother affording us all her riches and store at all times 3. The providence of God who cloatheth the grasse and decketh the earth and will hee not much more them that feare him Mat. 6. 4. The justice of God in the barrennesse of the earth A fruit of our fall and sin and a just curse of the barrennesse of our owne hearts A fruitfull land hee turneth to barrennesse for the sinnes of the inhabitants From the earth wee may raise sundry instructions concerning our selves 1. Matter of humility It being our common Mother whence we come and whether we must returne Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne The same in the fading of flowers withering of grasse and the mowing it downe put David in minde of the fading prosperity and unavoydable mortalitie of men Psal. 90. 6 7. Our matter is not iron steele c. but grasse All flesh is grasse This sense of our mortalitie should quicken the care of immortalitie 2. Heavenly-mindednes Seeing the earth is but a pricke or a point in comparison of heaven and so should it be unto us who would lose an infinite for a finite a thing of nothing See we not the earth hiding the wealth of it within the bowels all the rich mettals minerals and costly stones And why conceive not we hence their nature Her selfe would cover these from our eyes that we should not set our hearts on them nor they hinder us from better things 3. Love and labour after Gods Word I see what paines men will take to digge and fetch out metals as silver gold c. why should not I digge deepe for wisedome and esteeme Gods Word as gold tryed by the fire worth much paines and labour Prov. 2. 4. 4. I see the earth receiving seede returne abundant fruit according to the cost and paines of him that manureth it Oh where is the thankefull returne of fruits of grace which I should bring unto God for his cost and manuring of mee Every good heart and good ground must doe so Matth. 13. 8. Every faithfull soule as a fat soyle must bee in some proportion answerable to the meanes lest beeing often watered and remaining fruitlesse we be neere a curse c. Heb. 6. 7. We come now to particulars Looke upon the Plants and Trees 1. And put thy selfe in mind to become a tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. 2. Thou seest the Tree stand firme upon his rootes against windes and tempests see thou be firmely rooted on Christ lest the blast of persecution shake thee 3. Thou seest the Tree well planted not onely greene but fruitfull Art not thou as a tree planted by the rivers of waters in Gods garden and orchard of grace Hath not hee warmed thy heart with his Sunne of grace and watered thy soyle with fruitfull showers Doest thou now not onely become truely regenerate moystened with the Spirit of grace to make thee flourish and looke greene but also bringest pleasant fruits unto the Lord else looke for
hee were only an instrument to helpe us to save our selves this were to cease to bee a second creator But Christ remaineth a Saviour and hath not resigned his worke over to us to bee Saviours of our selves Conclus 3. Nothing in us either in being or foreseene to bee in us was any cause of Gods decree thus to create us the second time more than the first for Creatio est causa totius entis that is Creation is the cause of the whole beeing secondly what faith or good workes could bee foreseene in them who were all in a forelorne and lost estate All the sonnes of the first Adam must needes bee beheld in the state of sin and death before the second Adam take them in hand thirdly Non ens nihil agit adens that is That which hath no beeing doth nothing to a beeing How can that which hath no beeing at all perswade to the being of it selfe Concl. 4. Neither the Word nor Sacraments have any power in themselves to conferre grace This were to Idolize them and to set them up for gods The Minister may allure and perswade grace but Gods power must worke it For what is Paul what is Apollos if God give not the increase In the ministery may bee suavis motus but in God only is fortius tractus that is in the ministery is a sweet motion but God onely strongly drawes us and then wee run after him Cant. 1. 3. Objection The Gospel is the power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1. Answer That is only when the Lord in it putteth forth this creating power else it becommeth a savour of death unto death For in this ministery God onely must bee depended on for working and increasing of Grace He must bee of infinite power that can conferre grace for it is a creation Is creation to bee ascribed to any power which is not almighty Gods grace raiseth dead men in sinnes can any but the almighty power do this It rescueth us from the strong man that keepeth hold till a stronger come and must it not bee an almighty power that must doe this It lifteth us to an unutterable glorious estate in heaven must not this be the working of an almighty power Esteeme therefore the ministery Gods instrument but all the power to be from God as in Lazarus raising the principall efficient was Gods Almighty power the voyce was his instrument which power by his voyce restored the spirit of naturall life to this dead body Conclus 5. It is not in our owne power to repent when wee will nor so soone done as wee thinke nor so easie a thing as most conceive For it is a creation a worke of almighty power A worke of as much difficulty to make a new heart as a new world There needeth no such power to worke such a fancie as men dreame Repentance to bee to this worke the same power is required as commanded light out of darkenesse the same power which raised Christ out of the earth and lifted him to heaven Colos. 1. 12. Tellest thou me that thou canst repent when thou list I will assoone beleeve thee to tell mee thou canst make a world when thou listest Conclusion 6. Whosoever is a new creature may finde in himselfe the effects of this mighty power When God had created the world a man could looke nō where but hee should espie the effects of God his Almighty power in severall kindes of creatures First a number of things which were dead were now quickned with life so must every new creature bee called effectually out of the death of sin and finde in himselfe a new life that he may truly say after a sort as Christ I was dead but am alive Revelat. 1. 18. Though it be with him as it was with Lazarus after hee was raised that hee carry a while the bands and napkins of death about him yet hee hath heard the voyce of Christ quickning him and hee is alive againe Secondly Gods power appeared in inlightening of the world at first so must thou finde this second creation powerfull in the understanding changing it and inabling it to discerne the things of God though contrary to sense and nature yea foolish and absurd to reason Every new creature must truely say with the blinde man Iohn 2. Where as I was blinde I am sure I see and get his eyes daily cleered to see Gods favour smiting killing to espie righteousnesse in a cloude of miserable earth heaven in the midst of hell In looking upon the creatures the nearer Adam could behold them the more did the power of God shine in every part of every creature so in this new creature The greatest power is most observable in the most noble faculties and abilities Thirdly what a power discovered it selfe in the change of that confusion in such rankes or orders of the creatures And no lesse power is seene in the change of the new creature Of a Lyon hee is become a Lambe of a proud rebell hee is become humble and lowly as hard a thing as it is for a Cammell to passe through a Needles eye a stronge is come to cast out those confusions of lust and concupiscence once so powerfull commanders over us Fourthly What a power is discovered in upholding the creatures in their kinde so here in the new creature to continue and uphold the worke of grace in the middest of our corruptions is as strange and powerfull as to make fire burne and increase in the water Fifthly what a power is put forth in ordering the severall wils of the severall creatures So in the new Creature who readily denyeth his owne will reason wisedome liberty life and all to give up it selfe to Gods will in all things How marveilous is it that of so rebellious a will it should bee framed to cheerefull obedience of Gods commandements thinking none of them grievous Sixthly what mighty and divine power is that that over-ruleth all the motions of the creatures which else would turne to the dissolution of the whole The same is put forth in the motions of the new creature inward and outward To quicken us with heavenly desires and affctions is not lesse wonderous than to see lead flying upward or iron float on the water as to love GOD and his Word and ministers all which set themselves against the swinge of corrupt nature of his deare and profitable sinnes To make Gods ordinances worship Sabbath his delight to which hee was as heavy as a Beare to a stake To rejoyce in losses and crosses for Christ rather than feare them which nature in times past hated above hell To hate the workes of the flesh which formerly were meate and drinke and sweet morsels under the tongue and thought it as necessary as water to a fish Here is Digitus Dei Gods finger a workemanship of God a new creature Seventhly how mightily did Gods power manifest it selfe in over-comming all
difficulties in that creation no finite power could turne hand to it So in the new creature this power First maketh him runne through thicke and thinne fire and water sword and bands and thousands of deaths for Christ. In Gods wayes hee can runne scarce interrupted with those rubs that overturne others The cords that binde others hands and feete are Sampsons flaxe to him difficult commandements are easie to him At one word hee can sacrifice his Isaac leave his countrey not questioning or reasoning the case Secondly hee can overcome the most grievous temptations he can wrestle with Iacob till hee have never a limbe left and prevaile with God himselfe The keenest weapons of death cannot conquer this power no water drowne it Let him kill yet it will trust hee may kill the creature but the new creature is unconquerable Vse 2. Content not thy selfe with the first Creation for had that continued good wee had not needed a second and if thou hast no more then the first creation it were better thou haddest never beene a creature Labour therefore to grow up in this workemanship till thou beest wholly new To which purpose thou must dayly First grow up in humilitie and in consciousnesse of thine owne inability to every good word and worke Paul after conversion was much and often in this sense Wee are not able to thinke the least good thought and the good I would doe I cannot For as the power of God in this new creation did put forth it selfe when wee were of no strength Rom. 5. 6. so will it still manifest it selfe more in the sense of our infirmities 2. Cor. 12. 9. My power is made perfect in weakenesse And When I am weake then I am strong verse 10. Secondly grow up in faith by dayly renewing of it and use of meanes Abridge not thy selfe in the use of meanes neither publike nor private the more thou wouldest finde this powerfull worke the more must thou labour in increase of faith Christ could not shew his mighty and miraculous power where unbeleefe hindred and the want of faith hindreth the displaying of this creating power Matth. 13. 10. Thirdly daily decking and adorning thy soule with graces by growing from faith to faith from grace to grace Hereby thou makest roome for Christ in thy heart and fittest it as his Temple wherein hee will reside for the upholding of his owne most gracious worke Thus whereas every other creature waxeth older and older onely the new creature groweth newer and newer more flourishing in his age Vse 3. Let us demeane our selves as new creatures Col. 1. 10. 1. Thes. 2. 12. Walke worthy of the Lord. Quest. How shall we so doe Answ. 1. Manifest and maintaine that new image which is imprinted upon thee In the first creation every creature came forth and appeared in their severall formes and kindes wherein they were created so the new Creature must appeare in his owne likenesse This was Adams advancement above all the creatures that hee was made in the image of God as none of them were And this is the honour of all the Saints that they are advanced to a farre more excellent image of the second Adam for shall the first Adam beget children in his owne likenesse and shall not the second Adam Shall earthly fathers beget creatures like unto themselves and will our heavenly father beget children to another similitude than his owne Who art thou then that professest thy selfe a sonne of God and in thy life resemblest the image of Sathan sin and unrighteousnesse that professest the second Adam but bearest the image of the first Secondly maintaine this image of God thy selfe The first Adam made in the image of God soone departed from this image Satan stole this image from the first creature and is no lesse envious against the image of God in the new creature but will assay whether by temptation hee can rob us againe Take heede of temptation Let not the new creature meddle with forbidden fruit Consider the danger of disordering this workemanship by sin Adam by creation was a most lovely innocent and familiar creature with God yet by one sinne of the most excellent and beloved creature was rejected and punished in himselfe and all his posterity yea behold the whole frame of this goodly world and all the creatures how this excellent workemanship defiled and disordered by sinne was destroyed with an universall deluge Let not the new creature sin against greater grace The Lord knoweth none that want this image but will say one day Depart from me I know you not Secondly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must resigne up our selves wholy to Christ whose creatures wee are for all creatures else resigne themselves to the glory of their maker Man in his first creation had the name Adam imposed upon him to note his frailtie that hee was taken out of the dust of the earth but in his second creation which is from heaven hee hath a more honorable name as the name of Christian of a member of Christ of a brother of Christ to note that as he was taken from the side of Christ so hee should not abase himselfe to the service of sinne Sathan earth or lusts but onely devote himselfe to Christ and walke worthy of this honourable name First desire to know and mind nothing but him In the first creation man was indued with a cleare knowledge of God the Creator and while hee stood all his thoughts and meditations were taken up with sweetest contemplations of God his Creator Now in the second creation hee is indued with the knowledge of the highest mysteries of God the Redeemer and now all his thoughts should runne after Christ and his desires should fixe themselves upon Christ and as Paul I desire to know nothing else but Christ and him crucified and as the Martyr Onely Christ Onely Christ. Secondly desire to be wholly imployed for him The creatures of Kings and great ones as they are abusively called apply themselves wholly to the will of their Masters that have made them so great And they be not their owne their wills their times their motions their actions and themselves are not themselves but wholly their Masters And so here it is the Apostles argument 1 Cor. 6. Yee are not your owne glorifie therefore God in your soules and bodies for they are his Thirdly onely feare to displease him by sin seeing as creatures we depend upon him both fot our being and working If he withdraw himselfe or by sin be driven from us wee stand not in grace one moment Thirdly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must move according to the motion of the new creature Adam in the innocency was not to bee idle but to live in labour and in the exercise of a calling so Cain and Abel Lords of the world were trayned up in a calling so was the second Adam So must wee be
diligent in the calling of a new creature that is the calling of a Christian Wee must neither be idle nor unfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. This is a notable meanes to attaine to the perfection of the new creature For as every creature in nature mooveth from imperfect to perfect so it is in grace which our Saviour expresseth by the corne in the field Marke 4. which first riseth to a blade and then moveth to an eare and then to ripe corne in the eare So the new creature riseth by degrees to perfction The exercise of the body causeth growth which is not so much action as strength of action Not the trade but diligence in the trade and calling increaseth the stroke The diligent hand maketh rich so diligence in the meanes of grace and earnestnesse in good things addeth unto the stocke of grace Therefore as Paul forgetting what is behind let us presse hard to the marke and high calling Phil. 3. 13. Fourthly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must converse among new creatures Every creature by nature gather to their likes Birds of a feather Beasts of one kinde For every Creature hath agreement and sympathy with his kinde and things thrive best among their like Even so the new man will be among new men A Dove of Christ cannot affect nor thrive to live among Ravens Nor the Sheep of Christ among the Swine that wallow in earthlinesse and lust The new creature contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare the Lord. First joyne thy selfe now to the societie of the Saints For as the Lord at first made man a sociable creature above all the rest so when hee maketh him a new creature it is not to thrust him into a cloyster but to live in holy and fruitfull society and shine as lights not thrust under bushels but set in candlestickes in the midst of a froward generation Secondly admire this new workemanship in the meanest beginnings of grace and that in the meanest professor of godlinesse and honour it above the creation of a Duke or a Prince that professeth against it Esteeme a godly man not according to his first birth but according to his new birth I know no man after the flesh saith Paul that is not according to their minority in the first creation but according to the state into which they are new borne and brought into by a second creation And therefore men despise the new creature because they see nothing but a peece of old earth upon them which is base in outward appearance And so they beheld Christ himselfe and saw no forme and beauty on him They gaze on the earthen vessell but see no hidden treasure Thirdly agreement in judgement and opinion knitteth men in societie Rom. 15. 6. The new Creatures have but one faith one Lord one hope one religion one profession And herein thou must agree with them Gal. 6. 16. They have one rule Hardly shall we finde a new Creature among the Papists who say they are of the old Religion which indeed in sundry senses may be called old though it be a new device and humane policy First because it is every way agreeable to the old man a pleaser of naturall corruption requiring nothing which corrupt nature will not willingly afford Secondly it may be said to be old because it can never beget a new creature Thirdly it is so old and doting as that it is tottering and falling to ruine as it selfe hath shifted long since off the foundation laid by the Prophets and Apostles Fourthly conformity and similitude of manners linke men together in good or evill Phil. 3. 17. Looke on them which walke so walke with the wise The surest band of societie in the new creature is the similitude of manners and converse in the communion of Saints where each one chooseth his companion for the grace of God hee espieth in him and from whom hee may hope to get good He never looketh to gather grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles and therefore his delight is in the fellowship of Saints in Gods house in their houses in publike duties of Gods worship in private duties of edification Who would looke for these new Creatures in Tavernes Play-houses Ale-houses places of riotous meeting and hellish resort where ordinarily is no mention of grace but to disgrace and wound it and all the friends of it Follow the light side of the cloud and not the darke side of it Fifthly to demeane our selves as new Creatures wee must live to the good of others No Creature liveth for it selfe but for the whole The Sunne shineth not for it selfe but for the world Trees beare not fruit for themselves Nor doe clouds breed raine for themselves but to water the earth So the new creature must not onely be good but doe good to others The Commandement is Gal. 6. Doe good unto all but especially to the houshold of Faith These trees of righteousnesse must be laden with fruits that every man may gather and taste A private man but a publike good Light is a most communicative and diffusive Creature and the more it imparteth it hath never the lesse Much more the light of grace it feares nothing so much as a bushell as truth feareth nothing but to be hid Aske thy selfe of what good use art thou in the world that professest thy selfe a new creature Art thou a private minded man a worldling a man without bowels and compassion a man without hands from whom nothing can be wrung for God for his Church his ministerie or any good use thou art farre from a new creature and as yet an unprofitable lumpe of earth without sense of Heaven Christs whole life was in doing good to all Vse 4. Let no man pretend his old man as a plea to maintaine his lusts Oh I was angry saith one and I cannot beare an injury it is my nature to be hastie And I saith another was overcome in company with drinke and my nature is to be soone overcome and so in other lusts But hast thou not now made a good plea is it not all one to say thou art no new Creature who hast nothing but nature in thee Why art thou a Christian and no new Creature Or a new creature without the spirit which lusteth and subdueth the rising of the flesh Others by the same plea excuse the sinnes of their callings Others doe so and I must doe as other men but a new Creature must differ from all old and sinfull courses Others follow the courses of the world with full spirits in every new disguised fashion of apparell in excessive pride in riotous gaming feasting c. and say it is the fashion course and custome of the age and time But wert thou a new creature thou wouldst not then plead for the old corruption of the world A new creature is called out of the world and hath a new constitution and
sinner of any kinde than with a godly Christian. A naturall man can agree with Papists or Turkes better than Professors For both agree with him in oldnesse and darknesse and darkenesse is not contrary to darknesse but to light But with a sincere Christian he cannot agree for his light is contrary to his darkenesse Thirdly grace in the new Creature is a secret disgrace to the old man A new thing quite putteth down the old and disgraceth it and therefore no marvell if the world lying in the old suddes of sinne endureth it not To conclude all hast thou felt the power of the Word and Spirit renewing thy soule Oh rejoyce abundantly in this great mercy If God had created thee an Angel from heaven he had not honoured thee with such a priviledge as to create thee anew in Iesus Christ for then they are but servants and ministers to thee that art an heire of salvation If thou dost not feele it awake out of security die not in this sleepe Consider the image of God defaced in thee the fearefull sentence of the Law the ghastly face of death the terrours of the last judgement the millions of men that are in hell already for want of this new Creature and the patience of God towards thee waiting for thy conversion and offering thee good meanes of salvation that thou mightest get at length into Christ and be a new Creature FINIS MEDITATIONS From The CREATVRES As it was Preached in Aldermanbury by Thomas Taylor D. in Divinity The Fourth Edition LONDON Printed for J. Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheapeside 1635. MEDITATIONS From the CREATVRES PSAL. 8. 3. When I behold thine Heavens even the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I that thou art mindefull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him c. COnsidering with my selfe of the benefit of Meditation together with the difficulty of it which hath almost worne it out of use amongst Christians I thought fit to afford a little helpe to lead up carefull Christians into this mount of Meditation in which mount God will bee seene And who seeth the clogge of earth pressing downe his soule and needeth not this pulley to fetch it up againe And who is sensible of legions of noysome lusts that take up the heart as their proper habitation and desireth not better guests Who can discerne the darkenesse of his minde and not open his windowes and hereby let in some light into his darke house Now as the Lord himselfe his Word and Decrees are the principall object of ordinarie Meditation so are his workes and execution of his decrees a fit object for extraordinary Whereby wee have not onely a sensuall use of the Creatures as the bruit beast but a spirituall and profit not onely our bodies but our soules by them Wherefore else did the Lord create them not as hee might all in a moment or in a day but in sixe dayes but that we might orderly meditate of them even in particular and gaine by them some sound knowledge which might reflect upon the will and understanding Wherefore hath his wisedome afforded such variety and plenty of them but that we should be alwaies stored with matter of fruitfull Meditation and never be without the object or matter of our owne good And what else is the cause that many are so fruitlesse and barren in their course and such wasters of precious time but that they never intended to carry their mindes along in such profitable Meditations which where they dwell suffer not a man to be idle or unprofitable in the workes of the Lord. For whereas a good man may bee cast into such circumstances as hee cannot alway be in good actions yet were it hard if hee might not bee alwaies in some good Meditation wherein to improve his time But to the words This Psalme is inscribed to him that excelleth on Gittith so also are 81. and 89. Psalmes Some thinke 1. Because David compounded it in Gath in his banishment 2. Some from a musicall instrument so called because either invented or most used in Gath. 3. Some from a kinde of melodious Verse or Song 4. But I thinke it respecteth the time when this and those songs used to bee sung namely at the time Haggittith that is of winepresses or vintage Which feast was solemnely celebrated by the Israelites in which feast they especially praysed the name of God for the great and manifold benefits conferred upon men Which is the substance of this Psalme wherein the Prophet extolleth the Majesty of God 1. By contemplating the workes of nature in the world to the fifth verse 2. By considering his worke of grace in gathering him a Church from the miserable masse of mankinde These two are the great workes wherein the Lords greatnesse shineth out The Creation and Redemption the one written in the volume of the Creatures the other in the volume of the Scriptures In this Verse 1. Hee acknowledgeth himselfe occupied in contemplation of the heavens and stars Looketh on them not with the eyes of the body onely but with the eye of faith 2. That hee is led to God by them For 1. Hee saith not the heavens but thine heavens that is 1. Of which thou art Maker 2. Of which thou art the owner possessor and indweller Psalms 89. 12. Thine are the heavens and thine is the earth Gen. 14. 19. He is possessor of heaven and earth 2. Hee addeth the worke of thy fingers hands and fingers are ascribed to God metaphorically And here the heavens are called not the workes of his hands but of his fingers to note his singular industry his exquisite workemanship and art and also his speciall love and care over these workes 3. The Moone and Starres thou hast established that is thou hast assigned every one their place and confirmed them by a perpetuall law written in their nature and set them sure firme bounds which they cannot passe 3. In this contemplation hee casteth his eye upon himselfe to cast himselfe low before God When I consider both the greatnesse of the workeman and the largenesse of the worke and for whom they were framed then in sense of my basenesse thinke I Lord what is man or the Son of man as thou visitest him c. Not what is Adam which were no great matter of pride but what is Enosh fraile mortall infirme and miserable man now after his fall that hee should enjoy such a workemanship From hence in generall observe Obser. That the voyce of the creatures is not to bee banished out of the Church Reason 1. If all Scriptures bee profitable to teach and improve then those that teach divine things from naturall Reason 2. The Profits and Apostles and Christ himselfe were most in this kinde of instruction by Parables and Similitudes therefore Ministers and Pastors may doe the like Objection The Creatures onely conceive they convert not Sol. Must no doctrine
of conviction bee heard in the Church the frivolous conceit of Antinomists is Away with the Law let it bee buried with Moses and let no man know where after men are once come to Christ. But though wee have a superiour doctrine and helpe in the Church must we therefore refuse this Object The Heathens had this knowledge and it is fitter for them Sol. Must not wee know God in his workes because the Heathens did Nay if they by his workes came to know the invisible things of God may not wee much more who by faith know that the world was made by the Word of God Heb. 11. 2. 2. Did not the Philosophers discourse of God Iustice Vertue the chiefe good all moralitie all civill and oeconomicall duties must a Christian bee therefore locked up from them 3. David was able to distinguish betweene things handled and the manner of handling between the same object and differing considerations of them So Christians consider the same heavens earth c. but spiritually and supernaturally as â— to magnifie the Creator 2. to excite our faith and confidence 3. to humble our selves Ob. Wee must desire to know and preach nothing but Christ him crucified therefore away with all the Law and all the preparatives to Christ away with all rules and directions of the Law when men are come to Christ. Sol. Surely these men must blot out a great deale of Scripture as all the creation all the Law and explication of it all the history all the parables and similitudes all that part of Scripture of the booke of Iob of Psalmes of Prophets wherein Gods Majesty is exalted in the creatures or put in some more to it to prohibit us the use and shew us the exposition of them Vse As the Prophet here looketh fruitfully on the Heavens the Sun Moone Starres so must wee So did hee also in Psalme 19. and There is no language tongue or speech where their sound is not heard Wee will not discourse of this voice as if wee were in the Schoole of Plato or Aristotle or Tully de natura deorum but as in the Schoole of Christ taught by the Scriptures and the spirit speaking in them For 1. Hath not the Lord in wisedome made them all 2. Hath not hee furnished us with reason and discourse to draw out some straines of that excellent wisedome by them and from them 3. Shall Philosophers Physicians Naturalists and Heathens learne many good lessons from them and onely shall not Christians 4. Have wee beene set to this Schoole ever since wee were of yeares of discretion and have taken out no lessons of wisedom out of this great Booke Or shall wee still looke upon these things as on faire papers that have no letters or as illitterated men looke upon written papers but not able to reade a word Know then that we may learne somewhat 1. From all the Creatures in generall 2. From every Creature in particular The voce of the Creatures in generall is seene in these seven particulars All of them teach us to bewaile our rebellion against God which all of them reproove For they all stand in their kinde and station in which God set them at first The Sunne rejoyceth to runne his course the Sea keepeth his bounds and bankes miraculously by the law of his Creation the Earth stands upon his foundation the Heavens keepe their motion the Waters ebbe and flow the very Cocke croweth and keepeth his appointed watch Yea all of them further than mans sinne hath disordered them keepe the Law of their Creation But no man doth so they have all strayed away from God Man hath fallen from his station hath stopped in all his supernaturall motion Nay a man regenerate as great a Disciple as Peter sleepeth and snorteth in grievous sinnes and cannot watch one houre with his Lord. All of them teach us obedience and service unto God Because 1. All they serve the Lord by a perpetuall Law the Heavens declare the glory of God the earth sheweth his handy worke the Windes and Seas obey him fire snow haile vapours stormy winds fulfill his word Psal. 148. 8. Frogs grassehoppers lice come by armies at his Word nay they will runne from themselves and cease to bee themselves in obedience to him The fire shall not burne if hee say the word the fluid Sea shall bee a solid wall and pavement the River Iordan shall runne backe nay the Sun shall stand still and goe backe ten degrees if hee will appoint him Fire will descend iron swimme water ascend upward Now shall the senselesse creatures have eares to heare their Creator and man be deafe Shall his Word binde them and not us reasonable creatures to whom it is given 2. They all serve us on condition that wee serve him and willingly are ruled by us no further than wee are ruled by him and therefore we are called the Lords hosts souldiers and armies both to defend us in his service and to force into ranke the rebellious and disobedient 3. Their service of us is not a motive onely but a measure of our service of him For 1. They serve us onely so we ought him onely as our Lord. 2. Alwaies night and day they never cease so should wee serve the Lord. 3. They serve us freely without hope of reward not forced but most willingly by naturall instruction so ought our obedience to our God to bee free and cheerefull 4. They serve us with their best and sweetest gifts the Sunne with comfort influence of heate and light the trees with their sweetest and ripest fruite the beasts with their sweete fat fleece and sweetest life So ought we the Lord with our best parts affections strength indeavours and whatsoever we have being his of him and from him 5. They serve us to the wasting of themselves and losse of their beeing We ought also to serve our God though to the losse of our selves our dearest thinges and lives Here are lay-mens bookes enough every creature in his eye hand or use readeth this lesson to him I serve thee my Lord serve thou thy Lord. All of them are the Lords professours teaching us the invisible things of God Rom. 1. 20. 1. His Eternity for as they could not make themselves so their maker must needes bee before the things made and consequently he must be eternall 2. His Wisedome shineth in the exquisite and artificiall cunning in the frame of the smallest creature As of the Bees or Ant. Consider the beauty order of them all and therein doth his wisedome shine as also in the variety and distinction of them So in the excellent order and subordination of them one to the service of another So that an heathen might say In wisedome hee made them all and shall bee condemned for not seeing the wisedome and art of the workeman 3. His power must not hee bee Almightie that makes all things of nothing that hangeth the huge vastnesse of the earth as a ball
scorch and burne up the plants and fruits of the earth Herein our Lord in the Parable hath directed mans eyes to behold the persecution and affliction of the Church which often scorcheth the greennesse of grace and maketh many professors wither and fall away Cant. 1. 5. I am blacke for the Sunne hath looked on mee and indeed 1 The Sunne doth not more ordinarily or daily arise than persecution daily waiteth on the Word 2 As the Sun-beames diffuse and disperse themselves into every place and no man can hide himselfe from the heate of the Sunne Psalme 19. 3. So doe the beames of this Sunne of persecution dart into every place where the Sunne of grace shineth in the Church No godly man can hide himselfe from the heate of this Sunne but one time or other it will finde him out 3 The Sunne hath not more beames to scorch and dry up the moysture of the earth than Sathan and the wicked world have to dry up the moysture of grace where it is not sound sometimes by armies of inward and spirituall temptations sometimes by open tyranny and hostility That is not a true marke of a true Church which Bellarmine designeth outward splendor and prosperity but the Crosse and Persecution 7 But above all other the sweetest use of the Sunne is to see in it Iesus Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. Rev. 1. 12. For 1. As there is but one Sunne in the heavens so but one Sonne of righteousnesse the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. and as this Sunne is not onely light but the fountaine of light and in it selfe a body of most surpassing and shining light So Iesus Christ is light in his essence an heavenly light as the Sunne a light that none can reach or attaine the light of the world as the Sunne is a light in whom is no darkenesse so his face shineth as the brightest Sunne Rev. 1. 16. and as in the middest of Planets inlighteneth those that are about him 2. I see of all creatures the Sunne most admirable all the world admireth it A great part doe idolatrously adore it And the whole Church must admire her Sunne yea let all the Angels of heaven adore him as tenne thousand times passing the Sunne of the world For 1. That is but a meere creature though very glorious but this is the mighty God the maker of that 2 That serveth the outward man in things of this life But this the inward man in things spirituall and eternall 3 That riseth and shineth on good and bad but this onely on the good onely on his Ierusalem Esay 60. 1. 4 That rising obscureth the starres but this inlighteneth all beleevers who by his presence shine as lights in the worlds darknesse 5 That may be eclypsed and darkened and though it rise every day it every day setteth but this Sunne of the Church being eternall shall never lose or lessen his shine and glory and once risen shall never set more Esay 60. 20. 3. I admire the sunne for his purity and piercing nature the sun is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of many eyes who disperseth from himselfe on all sides infinite beames of light as so many eyes on every creature and none can hide it selfe from this great eye of the world and so pure that looking on all filthinesse contracteth none But how much more am I to admire the surpassing purity of Christ whose most piercing eye none can avoyde for all things are naked to him with whom we have to deale and so pure is this son that though hee was borne of sinners lived and conversed with sinners yea died with and for sinners and as a sinner yet no man could justly accuse him of sin but hee remained in his nature and life purer than the sun in his strength And must not the Saints imitate this their Son though they live amongst sinners and see much foule behaviour amongst men yet to keepe themselves pure in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 4. I behold the Sunne a most powerfull creature for though his body be in heaven yet his comfortable beames reach to the extreame parts of the earth May I not now behold Iesus Christ being in heaven bodily and ascended thither in that his flesh yet by his spirit grace and power present with his Church in all parts of the world unto the end Mat. 28. 10. And as the Sun rising commeth forth as a Gyant to run his course and maketh such haste in his way as no created force can hinder him So this powerfull Sonne of his Church maketh haste in his way to her all created power of men and Angels cannot hinder him Hee skippeth over mountaines and hils in his haste unto her 5 What comfort have we by the sunne and shall we not have the same in Christ 1. Doth the sun drive away the darkenesse of the night and doth not Christ the thicke mists of sinnes the darkenesse of ignorance errour wrath damnation and of hell it selfe But for the sun of the world were a perpetuall night much more by the absence of this sunne of righteousnesse were it so in the Church 2. Doth the sun by his beames give direction for this naturall life c. So doth Iesus Christ by his beames of wisedome and grace directing us worke in us spirituall and heavenly life What can a man doe commendably without the Sunne So what is that wee can doe that can be acceptable without Christ 3. Is the sun under God the life quickner and comforter of the world otherwise dead and see â—e not Christ quickning al the elect dead in sins and trespasses warming them with beames of his love which as sunne-beames doe reflect backe on himselfe 4 Doth the Sun make and preserve the seasons of the yeare Summer Winter Spring Autumne See Iesus Christ having all seasons in his hand the seed-time of grace here that harvest of glory hereafter Hee appointeth the summer and prosperity of his Church and changeth it into a sharpe winter of adversity All vicissitudes and changes of the Church are appointed by his wisedome Daniel 2. 21. Whence wee may learne a number of duties As 1. Doe all creatures rejoyce in the Sun but hatefull Bats and Owles doe they follow the Sun thrive and prosper in the sunne turne after the sun as Mari-gold Dazy Turnesole c. Should not new creatures draw neere and follow this Sun to prosper it it Doe we open our windowes and doores to take in the beames of the Sun and not open the doores of our hearts for the Word that the beames from Christ may inlighten and warme us 2. When the Sun riseth men goe forth to labour When Christ our Sonne is risen and present in his offers and ordinances wee must worke and walke before the night come 3 Men in the Sun walke uprightly in a misty night to stumble and fall is more hurt than shame but to fall at noone is
the axe to hew thee downe and cast thee into the fire 4. I see a good Tree bringeth not fruits onely but good fruits and an evill Tree bringeth forth no good fruit No man gathereth grapes on thistles By my fruits must I bee knowne A good and a bad Tree may bring forth leaves and armes and greenesse alike so good and bad have many externall things alike in common as wealth name beauty yea hearing speaking profession But good fruits from good juyce and sap are proper to good and living rootes I must examine the goodnesse of my fruites 5. I see fruitfull Trees the more laden the more they encline and bow themselves downe neare the ground offering their fruite to every gatherer So must I the more fruitfull in grace bee the more humble and free and beneficiall to every one that can gather any thing from me 6. What particular can I behold and not gather some spirituall fruit See I a Palme Tree It is an image of a just man thriving by afflictions The more weight the more growing Psalme 92. 13. Looke I upon a Vine Christ compareth himselfe to a Vine Iohn 15. and the faithfull to the Branches set into him How many Meditations may one draw hence Nay the very Thornes and Briars teach us to beware of earthly and choaking cares Luke 8. 14. and pleasures which choake the Word that the seede of God cannot thrive in their hearts besides the sight of our sinne in the abundance of them Aske the beasts and every one of them will teach thee something Iob 12. 7. All the beasts on a thousand hils are the Lords Psal 50. In the Lyon behold the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah who foyled the roaring Lyon In a Lambe see the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world In a Sheepe note the wandring disposition Isay 53. 6. And the duty to heare the voyce of Christ the Shepheard and follow him Ioh. 10. In a Goate a stinking creature see the image of a reprobate who shall bee set on the left hand Mat. 25. 33. In the Oxe and Asse to know our Master that feedeth us Isay. 1. In the Horse and Mule indocible creatures who cannot bee taught by rules but by over-ruling and bridling see our untaught and refractarie nature therefore let us not bee like them Psal. 32. 9. In the little Emmet see what providence and diligence thou art to use while time lasteth to lay up for time to come Avoide lazinesse and idlenesse and know thy season Prov. 6. 6. In the contemptible Worme trodden under foote Consider the humility of Christ who was as a worme and no man Psal. 22. Let the same minde bee in you Thus shall wee use them as their Lords when wee see the Lord in them And while we cannot bee beyond them in strength of body quicknesse of senses and swiftnesse of foote wee shall be beyond them in discourse of minde and in divine and spirituall contemplation Looke on the Birds upon and about the earth and consider from them all 1. The providence of GOD they reape not nor spin and yet are fed a Sparrow falleth not to the ground without his will Matth. 6. 26. Are not we better than they 2. In the Dove wee have a lesson of patience meekenesse innocency simplicity without wrath or revenge Matth. 10. 16. David mourned for sinne like a Dove 3. The Turtle Crane and Swallow teach us wisedome to know our seasons Ier. 8. 7. Let us learne to know the day of our visitation 4. The Eagle to flye unto Christ where ever he be in earth or heaven Mat. 24. 28. 5. The Henne brooding her chickings puts us in minde of Gods mercy in gathering us and stretching the wing of his mercy over us Matthew 23. 27. Wee have no safety but under him wee lye open to prey and spoyle without him 6. The Raven of the valley must put children in minde of their dutie towards their Parents least they picke out their eyes Prov. 30. 17. 7. The nests of birds must put us in minde of our Saviours poverty Matth 8. 20. If we want such conveniences wee must bee content as he was 8. The taking of silly birds in a net or snare must put us in minde to beware of hasting to sinne which is as if a bird should hasten unto the snare Prov. 7. 23. Looke upon the sea and fishes and behold the wonders of God in the deepes 1. Who is it who calmeth the sea by his power and by his understanding smiteth the pride of it who measureth the face of the waters with a compasse Iob 26. 10 11. and keepeth it from flowing over the earth 2. The sea is like unto God an inexhaust fountaine for when so many flouds and rivers are run out as so many thousand millions of creatures enjoy it is not diminished but remaineth in the same fulnesse for this is the river of God that is full of waters Psal. 65. So the Lord is a sea of grace the more he giveth himselfe hath never the lesse 3. I see all rivers runne into the sea and pay a tribute to that whence they doe receive So as all is from God all must returne to him by way of thankfulnes 4. I see the sea obey his maker keepe his bounds and banks I must feare God shew my obedience stand in my vocation Ier. 5. 22. 5 I see in the sea a mappe of the misery of mans life it floweth and ebbeth seldome is the sea quiet but after a little calme a tempest riseth suddenly So I must looke for stormes upon this sea of so troublesome a world 6. In the Sea are innumerable creatures small and great there walke the shipps there play the Leviathans some of which have beene found sixe hundred foote long and three hundred and sixtie foote broade all which sheweth the power wisedome and providence of God for all these doe waite on thee O Lord Psal. 104. 25. 7. In the Fishes it will not bee fruitlesse to consider what miracles God hath wrought by them Ionah saved by a fish two fishes multiplyed by Christ to feede five thousand men besides women and children how Christ made himselfe known by a great draught of fishes Mat. 17. 27. 8. When I see fishes caught in a net or hooke unawares Consider the folly of men taken by baites of pleasure and thinke no more of their time but are taken as fishes in an evill net Eccles. 9 12. 9. When I see a Fisher cast in his nets to catch fish I may enter into a large field of the net of the Gospel cast into the sea Matth. 13. 47. and of Ministers the fishers of men Matth 4. 19. and of the pulling men out of the sea of the world by the power and preaching of the Gospel as is shewed in that Propheticall vision of Ezekiel 17. 9 10. Thus have wee shewed how all earthly things may minister heavenly meditations to heavenly mindes How a