I shall abundantly utter the memory of that Goodness Two things are here to be observed 1. That the Creatures are such Preachers as never do keep silence day unto day uttereth speech It offers new Matter of Contemplation and Admiration and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge Every succeeding Night instructs the preceding Night and makes some farther and new Discoveries of God that should more enlighten the Minds and affect the Hearts of Men towards God 2. The Creatures preach God in a Speech and Language that all Nations may understand though their Languages are so confounded and are not understood by other People and Nations there is no Speech or Language where their voice is not heard The most ignorant and brutish Barbarians may understand the Speech and Language that the Creatures do preach in The confusion of Babel doth not hinder the Creatures from being understood in what they publish and declare of God 3. There is a great Book in which Men may read God Psal 19.4 Their Line is gone forth into all the Earth and their Words to the end of the Earth The Pages of this great Book are the Sea the Heavens and the Earth And this Book still lieth open and the most ignorant illiterate and unskilful may read in this Book and understand somewhat of its Contents This is a long Line that reacheth to the ends of the Earth and it is written in such great and Capital Letters that all may read it 4. Men are in the World as in a great Room all hung round with Glasses he that is in such a Room may clearly and plainly see the Attributes and Excellencies of God The invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen Rom. 1.20 They are evidenced and demonstrated to Sense yet so that the Understanding doth help the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are understood by the Mind that contemplates the things that are made and so Sense by the assistance of the Mind doth clearly see invisible things 5. There are Garments with which God is Clothed and in which he may be seen Psal 104.2 David saith to God Who coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment The Psalmist plainly refers to God's Creation of Light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light God did then put on this bright and glorious Creature as a Garment As the Greatness Majesty and Glory of Kings is seen in their Clothing so God is known how Powerful how Good how Wise he is by his Works Scultetus saith on Psal 104. Vestis Dei Contemplanda si Deum Contemplari volueris You must view God's Garment if you will Contemplate God himself for God himself otherwise is invisible We cannot come to the naked Divine Essence but we must see the first Cause clothed with Effects in the Works of Creation and Providence As when God comes forth to execute Justice he is said to Clothe himself with the Garments of Vengeance Isa 59.17 He puts on the Garments of Vengeance for Clothing and was clad with Zeal as a Cloak Hath God Clothed himself with so many and such glorious Garments Are his Attributes so visible in his Creatures And are not Men inexcusable that know not God who daily comes forth to us Clothed in his Works of Creation and Providence and thereby renders himself visible to us Quest But what do these Witnesses Preachers Books Glasses Garments of God discover and make known Answ The Being the Eternity Wisdom Power and Goodness of God 1. The Being of a God the invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead or his Divine Being Where there are Effects there must be a Cause where there are Streams there must be a Fountain If you will trace follow and persue the smallest stream it will at last bring you to the Ocean so follow the smallest Rivulet of Creature-Beings and it will bring you to God the infinite Sea of Being Where there is so great a House raised with so much Art and Skill there must needs be a Builder None ever saw a House built by Chance or Accident and what Folly and Madness is it to think that this great House of the World was built by a Casual yet Lucky meeting of Stones together The Creatures are not of themselves and therefore cannot be from Eternity That only that is Infinite Omnipotent All wise can be from Eternity Creatures are not so and therefore cannot be from Eternity Ask any Man living did you make your self none can be so impudent to affirm that he made himself And there is the same Reason against his Father or any other Man that he did not make himself therefore Men must necessarily come to a First Man and to a God that made him Thus the Creatures do demonstrate the Being of a God 2. The Creatures declare the Eternity of God He that made all things must necessarily be before them Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things were made and consist Col. 1.16 17. From everlasting to everlasting he is God Psal 90.2 If God were not from Eternity the World could not have had a beginning or any Creature have been formed 3. The Creatures proclaim the power of God Rom. 1.20 his eternal power Men speak words but God speaks things by his word he calls things that are not Rom. 4.17 And their answer is to rise spring up and exist that which is nothing yet hears and obeys God God said let their be Light let the Earth bring forth Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers and it was so and yet the Earth had no Seed of these things in it self Gen. 1.11 12. And as God speaks Creatures so he breaths the Soul Gen. 2.7 God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul And God writes in the Minds and Wills of Men none but he can reach or come at these Tables and write in them And God doth not as Men write Syllables and Words but he writes new Principles Habits Dispositions and Inclinations he writes Light in the Mind and Love in the Will Consider of these three glorious Effects of the power of God That he speaks Creatures breathes Souls writes new Principles and Inclinations in the Soul The power of God gloriously shines in the Work of Creation 1. That he made all things out of nothing Heb. 11.3 Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear That is They were made out of nothing There did not appear any eternal First Matter out of which God made all things Other Artists do not make their Matter but they must have it made to their Hands but God made all things out of nothing 2. God made all things By the Word of his Power Psal 33.6 were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.9 He spake
very unkind and inhuman that would not entertain and lodge Christ in their Houses But yet do not thousands of nominal and titular Christians shut Christ out of their Hearts they suffer Sin Satan and the World to keep possession but they shut out the Prince of Life the King of Glory the Heir of all things they are not willing that Christ should come in subject all to himself order and govern all for himself Guilt Poverty and Misery are shut into their Souls Righteousness Riches Life are shut out 7. This is grievous Disobedience to the Gospel that Men are not willing to be made clean or set free 1. They are not willing to be made clean As a Fountain casteth out her waters so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean Jer. 6.7 When shall it once be Is it not most reasonable that Souls should be made clean yet they return as the Dog to his vomit and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. last God pronounces woe to those that will not be made clean and will you deceive your selves and say it shall be well with you Christ tells us Except he washes us we can have no part with him in the Kingdom of Glory John 13.8 and will you give the Ly to Christ and credit Satan that you shall go to Heaven tho' you are not washed Can you thrust into the new Jerusalem into which no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21. last Men sometimes promise fair and faintly resolve to cleanse themselves but when shall it once be they that cleanse not away their Filth must themselves be washed away as Spots from the Face of the Church and be abhorred by God for ever 2. Men are highly disobedient to the Gospel in that they will not be made free they are fond of their Fetters and hug their Chains as the Servant that rejected the benefit of the Year of Release or Jubilee saying I love my Master I will not go out free Exod. 21.5 6. So Men love Sin their old Master when a better choice is offer'd they stick to their old and first choice yea they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delights in their abominations Isa 66.3 The most of Men are like the carnal Israelites satisfied with their Slavery They said to Moses and Aaron Let us alone to serve the Egyptians Exod. 14.12 So Sinners would not be disturbed they would be let alone to serve the Devil and enjoy their Lusts 8. This is high disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not have Christ to reign over them they are incensed Isa 45.24 they rage against Christ Luke 19.14 27. Psa 2.1 but I may renew the Question that Pilate put to the Jews when they were so inflam'd against Christ What evil hath he done Mat. 27.23 Christ calls Souls out of Prison and from their wandrings and strayings he makes Men free from the Law of Sin and Death and is this to do Evil how unreasonable is it that Men should be so disaffected towards and so prejudic'd against the Kingdom of Christ when he reigns to destroy the reigning power of Sin Satan and Death and to exalt his Subjects now to reign with him in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter to sit in the Throne and reign with Christ in the Kingdom of Glory O that Sinners should ever be so ungrateful to Christ and so injurious to their own Souls how mild benign and gracious is the Government of Christ he rules not only as a Political Head that gives Laws but as a Natural Head that gives Life and influences he governs as a Husband Brother and Saviour how reasonable therefore is it that our homage and subjection to him should begin in a Kiss of Faith and Love Psa 2. last But how provoking is this that Men chuse Sin and Satan a Murtherer and prefer him Before a Saviour This is to renew and revive the Affronts put on Christ at his Passion and to chuse Barabbas rather than Jesus Those that would not have Christ to reign over them for their Salvation do set up Satan to rule over them for their Destruction 9. This is ungrateful and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men would have Christ to buy yet to possess and enjoy nothing They can be willing Christ should hire them and promise them a reward but they stand idle all the day long will do no Work for Christ they are idle and barren in the knowledg of Christ yea walk as Enemies to the Cross of Christ while they set up what he came to pull down and keep alive what he came to destroy Christ hath acted as a Shepherd and doth demand his price Zech. 11.12 Surely Love Service and Obedience is due to him but Men put off Christ with an empty Name of Lord and with a dead form of Religion they do not render the Fruits of a Vineyard or bring forth the Fruits of God's Kingdom their Knowledge is cold idle and barren as the light of a Glow-worm that is not sufficient to direct a Traveller in his way The Gospel should bring forth Fruit from the first day that Men know it Col. 1.5 6. it should be a Seal to stamp the Image of God on Men it should be a Mould to shape and fashion Mens Hearts and Lives Rom. 6.17 as the Sun riseth and Man goes forth to his work Ps 104 23. so when Christ ariseth and shineth in any Country Men should go forth to all the work of their heavenly calling Knowledge should not only float in the Head or be imprison'd in the Mind but should be a light to Mens Feet and a Lamp to their Paths Psal 119.105 But how many nominal Christians do love darkness and hate the light they still love to wander and in the broad day to follow Sin and Satan they do nothing of all that God commands them they only stray and work Iniquity and so deserve to be cast into outer darkness Jer. 14.10 Jer. 32.23 30. Mat. 8.12 JEREMIAH IV. 3. For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow Ground and sow not among Thorns IN the words we may observe 1. a Speaker the Lord All Men should have an Ear to listen when the Lord hath a Tongue to speak 2. The Persons spoken to the Men of Judah and Jerusalem 3. The Exhortation or Counsel given to them Break up your fallow ground Three things are to be remarked in these words 1. That there were fallow grounds in Judah and Jerusalem that were a People chosen to be holy to the Lord and that might seem to themselves a fruitful Field a pleasant and delightful Paradise 2. This may also seem strange that they should be call'd to break up their fallow ground What an humbling abasing Expression is this they might think they had made a great progress in Religion and were advanced far towards a ripe Harvest of
Light that shines in the Gospel lest their deeds should be reproved and themselves condemned Tho' Men may please themselves with Notional and Speculative Knowledge as it may swell their Pride and commend them to the Esteem of Men yet when it should touch and wound Conscience affect the Heart be reduced to Practise and reform the Life then they hate knowledge Prov. 1 29. Thus those two Texts are to be reconciled Is 58.2 They seek me daily and delight to know my ways Yet this is charged even on Israelites That they hated Knowledge and would not chuse the Fear of the Lord they did not like to please fear worship and serve God in sincerity Quest But is there no distinction of Persons meant in these words Are they to be understood of the same Unregenerate Persons within the visible Church that both know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Answ It is true that there are Carnal Unconverted Persons within the Church that may be said neither to know God nor yet to obey the Gospel of Christ Eli 's Sons tho' they were Priests are said not to know the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 And the Jews are thus charged Through deceit they refuse to know me saith the Lord. Jer. 9.6 Either they thought they had found some better Good some sweeter Portion than God or that the knowledge of God would disturb their Peace and imbitter their Pleasures and Lusts to them and thus thro' deceit they did refuse to know God God complains That his People are destroy'd for lack of knowledge Hos 4.5 6. It may be Day without as Men are under a clear dispensation of the words of Reconciliation Righteousness and Salvation yet it may be Night within by reason of the blindness of the Mind and obstinacy of the Will If Men did rightly know God they would trust in him Ps 9.10 and set their love on him Ps 91.14 They that know Gods name are said to give their hearts to him to set their love on him But it is apparent that the Trust of many called Christians is with-held and their love withdrawn from God They cast God himself and his Word too behind their backs Psal 50.17 and therefore do not know God If they did indeed know the perfect Holiness of God the Purity of his Word the strictness of his Law the Severity and Terror of his Threatnings they would fly to Christ submit to the Righteousness of God obey the Gospel and Trust on the Lord Jesus both for Reconciliation and Sanctification Matt 5.6 It is too evident that all Unconverted Persons in the Church though called Christians do not know God Their Light doth not shine before men Phil. 2.15 16. And they do not hold forth the Word of Life in their Conversations Psal 10.4 3. They do not think of God he is not in all their thoughts Eph. 2.2 They do not trust in him They do not love God Christ saith to the Jews I know you that the love of God is not in you John 5.42 They delight not in the Almighty Job 27.10 they fear not God My fear saith God is not in thee Jer. 2.19 There is no fear of God before their eyes Rom. 3.18 They lightly esteem of God are unmindful of him and forget him Deut. 32.5 18. They do not seek after God draw near to him converse and enjoy communion with him Rom. 3.11 If Men designed to please God would they pass the bounds that he sets to them Eph. 2.2 break the yoke he puts on them Would they affront and reject his Authority Would they make God's Laws void and live in the open and notorious breach of his Commands If Men did know God could they allow themselves in Envy Hatred Malice In Cursing Swearing Lying Stealing Whoredom Adultery Could they go on in vain unprofitable Talks yea in filthy and rotten Communication in Wanton and Lascivious Language Could Men be so unjust one to another as to Plow away one anothers Land at Seed-time and to cut over their Furrows and take away their Neighbours Corn at Harvest Could Men so gripe and oppress one another Could they live without Prayer and not call upon God in their Families Would they so neglect their Children Not Teach Instruct and Educate them for God but rather yield and give them up to Satan by leaving them under the Power of Darkness and the Law of Sin Could they so connive at their Sins and not severely check and chastize them for and restrain them from their Vices if they did know God If Men neither own God as a Father and do not acknowledge Men as Brethren do not all these Evils loudly proclaim and strongly evidence that many called Christians do not know God Therefore Christ will come to Execute Vengeance on them to thrust them into a dark dreadful Prison and to cast them into a Furnace of unquenchable Fire But this expression those that know not God doth mainly and chiefly concern the Heathen World Galat. 4.8 While the Galatians did not know God they did service to them that were no Gods And the Corinthians were carried to Dumb Idols even as they were led They did not know the right Object of Adoration but did Service to them that were no Gods by Nature They did endow a false God with their Religious Adoration Many of the Heathen did think the World was from Eternity and never made They did not acknowledge the Author of their Being or the end for which they were made They sought after nothing but what they should eat what they should drink and wherewithal they should be clothed Matt. 6.32 as if they were all Body and there were no other Life but this present Life Now this is a heinous Sin for Heathens not to know God not to seek after him This is a great and inexcusable sin not to know when there are so many Witnesses that do testify for God He hath not left himself without witness Acts 14.16 17. These Witnesses should be called and examined Job 12.7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee There is a great Cause depending about the Being of God When this weighty Matter is to be tried surely we should by Meditation call and ask the Witnesses what they can testify for God his Being Power and Goodness 2. There are so many Preachers that declare his Glory and shew forth his Handy-work As this is Engraven on the Scriptures God spake me so this is in Capital Letters written on the Creature God made me That Hand that stretched out that spangled Canopy above our Heads and that hath spread this flowery Carpet that is under our Feet day unto day uttereth speech Psal 9.2 Every day doth abundantly utter something of God And the same word is used of the Righteous Psal 145.7