creating word of God which is the immortall seede in the worke of regeneration Fourthly for the order in that the light was first made the first word that God spake was Let there be light and it was so So the beginning of this Creation is an infused light of knowledge Col. 3. 10. The image is renewed in knowledge and never could a world of beleevers have beene created or a Church raised but by the light of the Gospel Fiftly for the quality in that Creation all that GOD made was exceeding good but here is a further degree of goodnesse to which new creatures are made farre beyond them They were all exceeding good in their naturall goodnesse but this in a spirituall and supernaturall goodnesse And whereas man was made to the image of God hee is here also framed to the image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. But with this addition that he is now created to a more sure estate in that image Sixthly for relation in that the creature had absolute dependance on the Creatour for his being and wel-being as also for his working so this new creature must absolutely depend upon God both for new qualities and every new act and the motions of them for we also live and move and have being in him alone For as all motion is from the power of some first mover so must our dependance bee on him as well for working and moving in grace as for our being and beginning in it Thus we see what is meant by the new Creature and why so called The second generall point is how this new Creature may bee knowne seeing it is a note by which a man must discerne himselfe to be in Christ. Answ. A new Creature may be discerned by foure properties 1 By a new light of sound and saving knowledge for here the work beginneth This knowledge is not naturall nor historicall nor a generall knowledge of points in Divinity which even the devils are not without nor a bare knowledge in the Theory or speculation of divine things but a sound and saving knowledge whereby the mysteries of Gods Kingdome are not onely revealed but applyed and locked up to the change of the man into it selfe it transformeth a man into the image of Christ from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 10. It is a practicall knowledge that keepeth a man from every evill way Pro. 2. and a wisedome full of mercy and good fruits Iames 3. 17. Then are ignorant persons no new creatures nor persons inlightned but not changed but haters of knowledge and the meanes are much lesse new Creatures Secondly because no creature can be both old and new at once the new creation may be known by the passing away of all things 2 Cor. 5. 17. In the old creature was a generall leprosie of sinne spread over all the parts and if this bee not in part cured thou art no new Creature No man can put the new man upon the old but must first put off the old man Ephes. 4. 22. Called the old conversation in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So as if the old Adam live and prosper in thee thou art no new creature If thou beest as earthly minded as once thou wast if thy will be carried against the will of God if thy affections settle upon earthly and vaine things onely or principally if thy conversion be to the fashions of the world and thou livest according to nature thou didest never attaine this happy estate by new creation Here is no patching of a new peece upon an old if thou beest the same man thou wast borne thou hast no part in this businesse Thirdly in a new Creature the whole is created a new All things are now new first grace is totall in all parts as in the birth of a child the whole child is borne in all the parts This worke of Creation Christ compareth to the leaven hid in three peckes of meale till all bee leavened so God by a secret but powerfull worke changeth the whole man and all the parts I say the whole and parts of the new Creature are renewed and have attained a new nature which is called 2 Pet. 1. 4. a divine nature standing of divine and heavenly qualities The new Creature is sanctified throughout in spirit soule and body all is new both within and without See it in the particulars and apply them First the new Creature hath a new life by which it liveth now the life of God that is whereby God liveth in his Saints and the life of Christ from which hee was a stranger Hee liveth now the life of grace which when it is perfect in heaven doth become the life of glory hee hath begun eternall life below Secondly a new birth the new Creature is now borne of a new Father begetting him which is God by his Minister and a new mother sucking and feeding him which is the Church by her two breasts and Testaments Thirdly a new soule and here God beginneth wherein this condition differeth from the other there God made the body first and then breathed a living soule but here hee maketh the soule new first and worketh first a new spirit without guile or raigning hypocrisie secondly a new judgement or a new manner of esteeming things those things he accounted advantage are now losse he esteemeth of all things as they are helps to heaven thirdly new desires before hee desired earth profits and sinfull lusts to live at large out of the sight of God but now he desireth freedome from sin puritie of nature pardon of sinne the presence of God in his ordinances the comming of Christ the prosperity of the Gospel the salvation of all Gods people Fourthly new affections As First new joy in the law of God in Gods ordicances of Word and Sacraments Psal. 122. 1. in Gods people that excel in vertue yea and in afflictions for well-doing Rom. 5. 5. Thus he could never joy before Secondly new sorrowes not now for worldly things losses crosses shame sicknesse but for sin for want or weaknes of grace for spirituall judgements more than temporall for Iosephs affliction when the enemy prevaileth against the Church when Gods wrath breaketh out against his people Incourage thy selfe in these sorrowes which are a part of the new Creature Thirdly new love where hee most hated he loveth God most of all he loveth to obey him even when hee doth not hee loveth most that which most crosseth his owne nature thē smitings of the Word the crosse of Christ mortification fasting prayer Hee loveth dearely the honour of God and the place where his honour dwelleth he loveth the way to happinesse as well as happinesse it selfe Fourthly new hatred he hateth his sin as the greatest evill and his owne sinne more than another mans yea his most secret and deare sinnes most of all he hateth not persons now but sins he hateth all
promise and who be they even Abrahams seed the faithfull posteritie of faithfull Abraham Gal. 3. 10. Fourthly by being in Christ the Christian hath a sure estate First in this life strength and assurance in temptations tryals and dangers to bee upheld unto victorie 2 Cor. 12. 2. I know a man in Christ and vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee Iohn 10. The sheepe of Christ can none plucke out of his hands his estate is not lyable to casualtie no cheater nor robber shall defraud him of it Secondly in death hee hath hope and assurance in which state hee is a member of Christ and hee that sleepeth in Christ perisheth not nay being in Christ but he shall be made alive againe 1 Cor. 15. 18 22. 1. Thes. 4. 14 18. Thirdly in that day of judgement hee shall stand with boldnesse 1 Ioh. 2. 28. Little children abide in him that when hee shall appeare we may be bold and not ashamed before him at his comming Vse 1. Labour to know thy selfe in this happy condition else is Christ appeared in vaine unto thee the whole Gospel is in vaine unto thee Quest. But how may I know this namely that I am in Christ First hast thou disclaimed thy owne righteousnesse and given thy selfe wholly unto him Phil. 3. Paul could not be found in him till hee had disclaimed his owne righteousnesse and esteemed it as dung Papists cannot be in Christ because they doe not this Hast thou denied thy selfe thy head did so Takest thou up the Crosse daily so did hee Canst thou abide to crucifie the flesh and lusts of it thy head was crucified but if thou canst not take thy selfe short in carnall delights nor renounce the fashions of the world nor abide the doctrine and practice of mortification never say thou art in Christ can a member be so contrary to the head Gal. 5. 24. The second note is subjection unto Christ as a head The most gracelesse men in the world yea the devils are subject unto Christ as a Lord but art thou subject as a member unto such a head Quest. How is the member subject unto the head Answ 1. Sweetly and willingly not by force and compulsion Now aske thy selfe Is Christs yoake irkesome and tedious Are his commandements grievous Is it grievous unto a member to obey the head into which it is set Secondly universally it doth all that the head enjoyneth Art thou subject in some commandements but not in others Thou canst forbeare murther adultery drunkennesse but must sweare lie prophane the Sabbath spend thy time idly which is given thee to repent in Doe the members thus picke and chuse with the heads commands Thirdly sincerely in all things seeking the good of the head above it selfe a member will venture it selfe to be cut off for the safety of the head Now what is thy aime in thy subjection is it thy owne name reputation thy wealth or ease or any base respect how doth a member neglect it selfe for the head Fourthly constantly A member is never weary of obeying the head but how fickle and inconstant art thou in the wayes of God Thou wilt obey on the Sabbath but wilt not be tied to daily duties some occasions must give thee dispensation If some seasons of the yeare can win of thee to cast off thy calling and live like an Epicure eating drinking scorning gaming chafing coveting swearing and the like Is this to be in Christ The head setteth thee on no such worke and if a man be not commanded by Christ in his actions hee may easily know who is his master and pay-paster What man dare goe to God for such workes to have them rewarded The third Note He that is in Christ and abideth in him there is no abiding for sinne 1 Iohn 3. 6. Hee that abideth in him sinneth not Quest. Is there any that sins not Answ. 1. He sinneth not studiously he purposeth not sin but holdeth a resolute purpose against it Hast thou this note of Christ his being in thee that thou sinnest not who canst deliberate and purpose and willingly venture on sinne Secondly he sinneth not willingly namely with his whole will and full consent for the will so farre as it is renewed is not gained to his sinne but striveth relucteth and resisteth Thirdly hee sinneth not affectedly or with full delight in sin hee sinneth sometimes but if I have delight to sinne saith Dauid God will not heare me hee sinneth but loveth not his sinne but hateth what hee doth canst thou love thy sinnes and lusts and delight in workes of darkenesse in thy selfe or others Christ abideth not in thee Fourthly hee sinneth not deadly or not to death he abideth not in his sinne in whom Christ abideth his sin hath after it three things 1 Sorrow and griefe that hee hath sinned 2 Care to rise and recover himselfe 3 Feare not to sinne againe Canst thou run on in sin without remorse without returning without care of repentance or feare of Gods justice canst thou turne head against the wayes of God and good men desperately as if thy conscience were turned into a rotten post Thinkest thou that so living a roote can admit such dead branches or can the surpassing holinesse of Christ the head receive into it such rotten and gangrenous members No no tye thy selfe by a thread of profession so long as thou wilt unto this stock thou wert never ingrafted as yet that bringest such wilde and unsavory fruits Rom. 8. 10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse that is the spirit liveth by grace and manifesteth that life in motions of grace and holinesse And a plaine marke of a man in Iesus Christ is that in Rom. 8. 1. He walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit Fourthly hee that is in Christ and abideth in him the Word of God abideth in him for these two are inseparably joyned Iohn Chap. 15. verse 7. If you abide in mee and my Word abide in you And this is made a sure signe of our being in Christ 1 Ioh. 2. 5. Hee that keepeth his Word in him is the love of God perfect By this we know that we are in him This is more than to heare the Word than to understand it or to retaine it as many doe who can entertaine it as they do strangers for a meale or a nights lodging or a short time but it must abide as an in-dweller for wee dwell no longer in Christ than his Word dwelleth in us 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Hee that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and hee in him And on this condition onely he commeth in and dwelleth in us Iohn 14. 23. If any man love mee and keepe my Word my Father will love him and we will come into him and dwell with him Wee heare many good things but we heed and hold but a few and those few but a little while as riven
vessels we let them slip For First how weake an account can wee give unto God as we must of all the good lessons we have heard and ought to have remembred Secondly how could we continue the same men from yeare to yeare unchanged if the word did continue in us Thirdly what strangers are many of us to the Scripture and grounds of Religion whereas if it did dwell in us it would be as well knowne unto us as those that are in house with us Fourthly how far is it to seeke and absent from us when our mindes understand it not our hearts affect it not our consciences are not guided by it nor our actions nor the creatures are sanctified by it as 1 Tim. 4. 4. How plaine is it now that thou art not in Christ who wilt not affoord his Word a resting place in thy soule Remember that place 1 Iohn 2. 24. If that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remaine in you yee shall continue in the Son and in the Father The fift note Examine whether thou hast the Spirit of Christ. This is made a note of such a one 1 Iohn 3. 10. Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which hee hath given us And Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that wee dwell in him and hee in us because hee hath given us of his spirit And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his that is no member of his body set into him but in shew as a woodden legge which receiveth not vitall powers from the head Object This is a difficult marke But how shall I know the Spirit of Christ to be in mee Answ. Many finde and conceive it to be harder than it is because they hold it no sinne to doubt whether they have the spirit or no when as they may as lawfully doubt whether they be Christians or no. But try thy selfe by this note First wheresoever the spirit is he rebuketh sin Ioh. 16. 8. The spirit pricketh the heart of every convert and if thou hast him thou must finde him a spirit of conviction Object I have beene often checked for my sinne and that is my comfort Answ. But deceive not thy selfe To the spirits conviction are required three things First sense and sorrow that thou hast sinned Secondly earnest desire of mercy expressed in vehement hunger and thirst Thirldly a loathing and leaving of sinne Never any received the spirit but thus was sinne rebuked in them Secondly the spirit writeth the law in the heart where he is Ier. 31. 31. and leadeth into all truth Iohn 16. 13. Hast thou this spirit of direction and counsell teaching thee and leading thee into duty Object I know as much as any can teach me Answ. But art thou led by the spirit or mis-led by the flesh and doctrine of carnall libertie Many are taught few are led and yet onely they that are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God The Spirit must be the guider of thy course as the Pilot in the ship thou must shut thine owne eyes of carnall reason and as a blinde man give thy selfe to be led by the spirit Thirdly the spirit where hee is ruleth and commandeth yea reformeth and casteth out old errors of heart and life for hee will not dwell as an underling but as a commander his worke is to cast downe all high things exalted against grace and to bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. Findest thou a spirit in thee prevailing against fleshly thoughts carnall affections desires conversation findest thou a spirit framing thoughts speeches actions to the conformitie of the Word a spirit quickning to all that is good this is the Spirit of Iesus Christ. Fourthly he being the spirit of supplication Zae. 12. 10 maketh the elect to cry with unspeakeable groanes Dost thou finde not the words of prayer which any hypocrite may but the spirit of prayer who alwayes in prayer first leadeth into the sense of sin secondly into the apprehension of the excellency of mercy which maketh him servent thirdly letteth the soule see God appeased in Christ fourthly it sealeth to it the truth of Gods promises who will heare Psal. 50. 15. Fiftly assureth it selfe to be in state of Christ his merits and intercession to whom the Father denieth nothing all which must needes quicken the heart to fervent and frequent prayer The sixth Note If thou canst discerne Christ in thy selfe thou maist be sure thou art in him for one ralative affirmes the other And knowest thou not that Christ is in thee except thou be a reprobate 2 Cor. 12. 5. Quest. How may I know this Answ. First examine if Christ be formed in thee Gal. 4. 12. And then Christ is formed in thine heart when God hath begun a change in thy soule by his grace laying in thee the beginnings and seedes of grace The Apostle useth a comparison drawne from the forming of an infant in the wombe which is not formed all at once but the principall vitall parts first the heart braine and liver and then the other by degrees so grace is not wrought all at once but by degrees first the beginnings of Faith Repentance and holy desires and then a more lively impression of the Image of Christ imprinted in their heart which standeth in knowledge holines and conformity to Iesus Christ in practice and passion in suffering and doing as he did in some measure Now if there bee no new lumpe which was not in nature no forming no reforming of heart and life Christ is not there Secondly try if Christ liveth in thee and then Christ liveth in thee when thou livest by faith in the Sonne of God making thy faith thy stay in all estates in all actions temptations afflictions when faith carrieth a sway and hath a stroke in every thing and in life and death maketh the heart and life leane upon Christ. Thirdly if Christ bee in thee then hee moveth in thee and thou in him The infant in the wombe is discerned by the moving of it and so is Christ discerned in the heart and then Christ moveth in the heart when his spirit moveth and inclineth it by a still and secret voyce unto all good speeches and duties and then thou movest in him when thou cherishest fosterest and followest his motions agreeable unto the Word and sufferest them not to die in thee As for example The Spirit moveth thee to redeeme the time to read in Gods Booke there to acquaint thy selfe with Gods will in time to worke the workes of God to mind thy account and reckoning but thou resistest those motions carnall and contrary motions thrust them our and call thee to cards dice epicurisme merriments wasting thy time putting off the evill day as the heathens Now Christ moveth not in thee but the spirit that ruleth in the world for Gods sweete motions are so strong as that
sought and found of God can seeke To understand which some distinguish of the meanes of grace First some are of preparation some of operation In the former we are meere patients in the latter Acti agimus that is being moved we move he workes the will and the deed and then we will and doe Meanes of preparation are 1. Civilitie 2. Humility First a man must be ordinarily civill before hee be converted for though every man be in nature equally distant from grace all of them being dead in sin yet as of dead men some are not so rotten as others so by restraining grace some are more civilized than other And though not in respect of themselves yet of the common grace of God they may be said not to be so farre from the Kingdome of God as some others Lazarus was in a further degree of death than Iairus daughter yet both dead All are in themselves alike as clay before the Potter but by common grace some may be nearer the Potters hand than others And there is more hope though no more power in himselfe of a sober and well tempered man to be converted than of a deboist drunkard or whooâ—emaster or an unruly scorner of grace Secondly humility which is a sense of his utter nothing in grace and it is a mornefull griefe of spirit in absence of grace and presence of corruption Here is an emptying of the soule which is a requisite disposition to the filling of it The application of the Law maketh way for the Gospel A man that setteth out to heaven must saile by hell As Creation was out of nothing so it must be out of sense of nothing in it selfe and then the Lord is about a change when a man seeth his neede of being changed It is the poore in spirit whom the Lord looketh towards it is the hungry soule whom he filleth with goodnesse and never was this through search and serious sorrow sent away eâ—â—â—y Romans 7. 〈◊〉 Oh wretched man c. who shall deliver me I thank God in Iesus Christ c. Now the meanes of operation which thou must use are First an outward meanes is the preaching of the Word of God which is the word of Truth wherby we are begotten to God Iames 1. 18. This word God ordinarily reacheth into the heart for the producing of the new Creature If thou neglectest this powerfull meanes without which no man can have ordinarily a being in grace thou art yet no new Creature Thou must come to the Poole and wait and observe the stirring of this water and God by the ministery of his Word and Sacraments will put thee in for thy cure Adde hereunto that seeing God useth his Ministers in begetting men by the Gospel thou must acknowledge them thy Fathers in Christ if thou wilt not proclaime thy selfe a bastard if thou despise them as some do then thou despisest God himselfe and this whole new creation Acts 15. 9. The second meanes is Faith which is an internall cause of this new creation and the first steppe and degree in this happy change He that had no being in Christ before faith hath now a being in him for faith maketh him a sonne of God Thou that wouldest know thy selfe to be a new Creature must First magnifie and highly esteeme of faith Secondly get it in the meanes and keepe it surer than thy life Thirdly study to increase it Oh how rich might wee be in grace if our hearts were more large in faith so much faith as we bring so much grace we carrie away this is a purifier and renewer Thirdly this motion to a new Creature is not without strife as it is in nature so in grace every creature hath his antipathy Gal. 5. 17. Thinke not to get so great a worke over nor such a change without strife Thou must therefore resist First whatsoever is contrary to grace without thee bad counsels bad examples the fashions of the world corruption of thy calling and the like Secondly but especially that which is within thee grace setteth men against themselves regeneration will make them plucke out their right eyes cut off their right hands Raise thy spirit to take part against thy flesh and daily subdue thy lusts Nature strives against sicknesse and so grace against temptation Fourthly in sense of thy beggery at home thou must seeâ—e abroad Goe to God earnestly intreat him O create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Vrge God with his promises of the new covenant for the circumcising of thy heart for taking away the heart of stone and giving in stead of it a heart of flesh These are the meanes by which the Lord putteth forth his power of new creation the neglect of them depriveth us of this The fourth point why must a man be a new creature First this is the best creation as the greatest even the best worke that ever God did for us for he never changeth but to the best for first the right of the second Adam is better the state surer the glory greater than any we have in the first Adam Secondly if it be farre better than our best estate in this first Adam how infinitely doth this state of new creation exceed the state of our present corruption wherein of sonnes of wrath wee become sonnes of God of children of hell wee become heires of heaven of limbs of Sathan we become members of Christ of sties and stables of Devils and lusts wee become Temples of the holy Ghost of lost men and cast-a-wayes wee become found in the right of the second Adam the common care of Angels and all things are made to conspire for our good Secondly onely this new creation can bring thee into request and acceptance with God first thy person No outward respect or priviledge can draw the eye of Gods approbation upon thee Act. 10. God is no respecter of persons wealth learning honor civill righteousnesse all is dung in respect of this new Creature Phil. 3. Neither can any outward worship no devotion no ceremonie no circumcision no uncircumcision but a new Creature Gal. 6. No almes no fasting no meate no outward worke or observation commendeth a man to God without this new workemanship Secondly for duties untill a man be new created in Christ he can doe no good worke an ill tree can bring no good fruit Without me ye can doe nothing Iohn 15. And we must be created to good workes before we can doe any Ephes. 2. 10. Let the blind Papists teach us how they can justifie their persons before God seeing they must proceede from a person justified already Sequuntur justificatum non precedunt justificandum saith Augustine that is Good workes follow the justified person but goe not before him that is to be justified Good many actions may be materially but not morally in themselves perhaps commanded and commendable but in the doer splendida peccata that is glorious sinnes
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