as when out of the liking of the writings of olde Philosophers they brought in Angell worship into the Churches Colos 2. 8. 19. and such stuffe also was that which the Apostle condemnes vnder the name of traditions of men that is superstitious obseruations when the inuentions of men are vrged with opinion of holinesse or necessity Col. 2. 8. 20. of this nature were prophane and olde Wiues fables 1. Tim. 4. 7. and such is all that stuffe men haunt after that will not bee wise to Saluation but curiously search after things not reueiled Secondly true Doctrine may be vnwholsome and so wee finde diuerse instances in Scripture as first when the truth is so varnished by the inticing words of mans wisedome that the power of God is not obserued or regarded and the conscience is not intended to be informed When men in deliuering the truth studie to shew their owne wits more then the glory of Gods Truth this is not wholesome for the hearers and therefore exclaimed against and protested against by the Apostle in diuerse places 1. Cor. 1. 2. Colos 2. 4. Secondly the time is spent in knottie and obscure places that are neither easie nor necessary to be vnderstood and in handling whereof scandalous or dangerous conceits may bee raised in mens mindes Thus the hard places of the Apostle Paules writings were peruerted as the Apostle Peter complaines 2. Pet. 3. 17. Thirdly when disputations about things indifferent are brought in when the questions are doubtfull and the weake may be intangled Rom. 14. 1. Fourthly when the Word of God is diuided vnskilfully and ignorantly as when strong meate is giuen to Babes and strong men can get nothing but milke Thus as they are wholesome words Secondly they are said to be Patternes the Collection of the choisest truthes into one frame or body is called heere a Patterne and so the Creed may be said to be a Patterne of wholsome words because in the Creed there is as it were a short but liuely resemblance of all those truthes in a little roome which are at large and dispersedly handled throughout all the Bible and therefore fitly was the Creed called the little Bible Yea it may be called a patterne because we may compare with it all the truthes we reade of in Scripture and marke how they agree with or suite to the Articles of our Creed and because we may trie all Doctrine we heare and free our selues from the Intanglement of such controuersies about opinions that agree not with or belong not to our Creed As the Decalogue is a patterne of all duties to be done and the Lords Prayer a patterne of all requests to God so the Creed is a patterne of all Doctrine to be belieued Thus of the discription of the Creed as the words of the Apostle fitly serue for it The more manifest description of it will appeare afterwards The keeping of this patterne followes When the Apostle exhorts Timothie to the keeping of this patterne he may be vnderstood to speake to him as a Minister or as to a Christian in general As a Minister he is inioyned with all care to endeuour to preserue the purity of Doctrine and with great respect to teach often and powerfully those points of Doctrine which were exprest in the patterne as the principall truthes hee should aime at in the course of his Ministerie He should not through desire of vaine glory affect Curiosities or Nouelties but build vp his Hearers in all the knowledge he could infuse into them by continual teaching of those doctrines If hee speake to him as a Christian in generall then this is the point of Doctrine the Apostle aimes at that all Christians bee exceeding carefull to get the distinct knowledge of the maine Articles of the Christian faith and aboue all Doctrines keepe those as a great treasure And so in particular since we haue in the Creed such an excellent frame of the Doctrines of faith we must hence learne that it is our duties to regarde these Doctrines with all respect There be twelue Reasons why wee should bee in a speciall manner desirous to heare learne and make vse of the doctrine of these Articles of our faith 1. Because wee see heere it is the commandement of the Apostle that wee should keepe this patterne of wholesome words The Apostle saw it was a Doctrine of excellent vse for the Churches and therefore to be learned and kept as a great treasure and the Commandement to keepe them imports that whatsoeuer we are ignorant of yet we should not be ignorant of these points and whatsoeuer we forget yet these things we should bee sure to remember and whatsoeuer wee wanted affection in yet in these things wee should striue to be greatly affected It is therefore a sinne of great vnfaithfulnesse to neglect these points and shewes wee are too wise in our selues if we haue no minde to learne and keepe such things as God in his wisedome hath in some speciall manner charged vs to regarde 2. Because God himselfe is the immediate Author of these Doctrines it is God onely that opens this Schoole of Faith These are lessons that are to be learned not from wise men as many other things but from God himselfe to whom alone the glory of reuealing these high Misteries belonges 3. Because the matter heere contained is Doctrine of the highest nature that was euer taught or learned in the world what higher Doctrine can there be then of God the Church of God no Science hath such a Subiect The Phisickes intreats but of the naturall bodie Astronomie but of the heauens all the Mathematicks but of some particular and inferior subiects and so all Artes onely Theologie and in Theologie the Creed intreates of a number of most choise Mysteries in diuine things All the Doctrines heere are such as naturall reason or sense can say little or nothing to for except it be in the first Article nature is altogether silent in the rest And for this Reason wee should bee wonderfully desirous to bee imployed in these knowledges for to bee taken vp with easie things belonges vnto the Vulgar but to bee informed in things remoued from the senses belonges to the wise onely 4. Because the Doctrine of the Creed hath bin receiued in all Ages of the Church it is Catholicke Doctrine it hath bin entertained with great Honour in all Christian Churches that Doctrine which all Christians in all Ages of the world haue learned and admired should bee much attended to by vs and such is the Doctrine of the Creed The Creed is the confession of the whole Church of God since Christ and if wee reade and respect the confessions of particular Churches yea of particular men then how much more ought we to studie the confession of the Church vniuersall it containing the faith in which all the Martyrs and Saints of God liued and dyed 5. Because it is matter that is
and his comming to Iudgement Concerning the holy Ghost the Church hath retained and maintained that truth in all ages without any great opposition and therefore that Article is very barely set downe the greatest quarrells were raised either by Gentiles against the doctrine of God the Father or by Hereticks against the doctrine of Christ the Sonne which made faith speake out more distinctly in the doctrine of these two persons Thus of God Concerning the Church two things are to be noted Properties or Priuiledges Her properties are two holy and Catholique The goods or Priuiledges of the Church are either in this world or in the world to come In this world there is Communion of Saints and forgiuenesse of sinnes In another world faith sees and wonders at the Resurrection of the body and the life Euerlasting I Beleeue This word I beleeue is not a word onely of a Christian addressing himselfe to lay hold vpon these treasures contained in the Articles following but it is the word of a man making answer The question is suppressed but the Answer is expressed for as it is true that a true beleeuer is oft questioned so 't is as true that by his Creed he answers all that can be said to him for heere is contained that Answer of a good conscience spoken of 1. Pet. 3. 2â— This forme of answering came first in at Baptisme in the Primitiue Church for before the partie to be baptized was admitted vnto Baptisme hee was examined as the Eunuch was by Philip and did answer by making confession of his faith in this or the like forme Neither is this the answer of the Christian at the time of his Baptisme onely but all the daies of his life for if God aske him what he hath to doe to take his words into his mouth or what he makes among his seruants or if the diuell aske him why he liues not in his sinnes or contrariwise why he dispaires not or why he entertaines doctrines of which their can bee no Reason giuen or if the Lawe aske him what shift he can make with all his sins hauing broken euery Lawe and with all the curses due to him for his sinnes or if the world aske him why he liues so retiredly and keepes not companie with the men of the world and seekes not or admires not the pleasures of life or the honors and fauours of great men or the Riches of this world and why hee suffers so much disgrace and affliction which hee might auoid if hee would doe as other men doe to all or any of these or the like questions he still answers I beleeue in God c. Beliefe or Faith is diuersly accepted sometimes it is taken for fidelity or faithfulnesse or assent and this sense it hath among the Philosophers aswellas among the Diuines that are Christians but all the other senses following it hath onely among Christian Diuines And so it is taken sometimes for the doctrine of faith 1. Cor. 13. 13. Phil. 1. 27. sometimes for the profession of faith and so Simon Magus beleeued sometimes for the things beleeued 1. Tim. 1. 19. Iude 3. But most vsually for the gift by which we beleeue and so it is taken heere But what is it to beleeue these Articles 't is not to gesse at them that they are true or to conceiue some probable hope that they may be iustified nor is it to say them ouer nor is it onely to liue in such places where such doctrines are taught and defended but to beleeue must haue these six things distinctly in it for to beleeue is 1. To vnderstand the meaning and sense of these Articles this is so necessary as it is impossible wee should beleeue when wee know not what it is we beleeue yet this is the least thing in faith 2. It is to assent to all this doctrine that it is the Truth 3. 'T is to esteeme and like this doctrine aboue all other kindes of doctrine in the world which is contrary or different from it and accordingly to ioy in it and bee much affected with it 4. 'T is to professe it and openly to declare my selfe resolued to liue and die in the beliefe of this doctrine and so this profession hath in it two thinges first a Separation from such societies of men as receiue not this faith secondly Apologie for it so as to defend it and contend for it Phil. 1. 27. Iude 3. 5. 'T is yet more and that is to rest in the happinesse contained in this doctrine of the Creed as it containes all that excellent treasure which is sufficient for our eternall saluation and our chiâ—fe good 6. 'T is lastly to ioyne our selues to true beleeuers as to the only excellent people in the world with sincere affection to them and desire of fellowship with them for this is such a faith as workes by loue So that this beleeuing heere hath in it all the three faithes spoken of by Diuines for to vnderstand and assent is the worke of Historicall faith To esteeme and professe is the worke of temporarie faith To rest vpon this happinesse by Christ and to ioyne in hearty fellowship with the godly is the worke of iustifying faith Now because some of these things in beleeuing may bee found in reprobates as well as the Elect and that the heart of man is exceeding deceitfull in the point of faith and the diuell applied his temptations with all subtilty and power to deceiue men in their beleeuing therefore vnto these things which are comprehended within the nature of the beleeuing heer mentioned I adde the distinct consideration of such things as must bee found in the manner of our beleeuing wee must looke to it how we beleeue these Articles for we may be many waies deceiued for 1. We must beleeue them with the heart and not confesse them with the mouth onely Rom. 10. 10. and to beleeue them with our hearts is to beleeue them in deede not in shew to beleeue them voluntarily not vpon compulsion to beleeue them affectionately not coldely or dully our faith must be a liuely faith not a dead faith 2. We must beleeue them personally each one must haue his owne faith 'T is not inough to ioyne our selues to such men as doe beleeue them but euery one must get him a faith of his owne The Iust must liue by his owne saith Hab. 2. 5. and therefore we say I beleeue not they beleeue or we beleeue We say our Father when we pray because we may pray one for another but we say not we beleeue because we cannot beleeue one for another 3. We must beleeue explicitely not implicitely It was one principle in the Kingdome of Antichrist to the intent that the people might be kept in blindnesse to teach them that it was inough for them to beleeue as the Church beleeued without inquiring into particulars and therefore they tell a tale to this end how the diuell tempting a man and vrging him to tell how
many respects as first that God should bee pleased to deale so wonderfull gratioufly with them as to vouchsafe to put his Spirit into them Secondly they may thence gather that God that hath giuen them his Spirit will blesse them in many other things besides If Obed Edoms house was blessed because the Arke was there how much more reason haue wee to hope that God will blesse vs now his Spirit abides with vs. Thirdly it should be a great comfort to a Christian against all his feares and doubts arising from his ignorance or insufficiency or infirmities for by the holy Ghost that is giuen to him he may hence gather he may doe all things in time which God would haue him to doe Lastly this Article must needs be comfortable when God hath promised to giue the Christian the holy Ghost to bee his comforter and to abide with him for euer The ninth Article The holy Catholike Church HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that concerne God euen all the three persons in the Trinity Now followes the second part of the Creed which comprehends the Articles that concerne the Church of God Amongst all things that are in the world faith admires onely God and the Church The Church I say as next to God in glory and true honour Now the Articles concerning the Church concerne either the properties or the priuiledges of the Church The properties of the Church are two viz. that shee is holy and Catholike the priuiledges of the Church are such â—s shee enioyes in this life or such as she shall haue in another world The priuiledges of the Church in this life are two Communion of Saints and Forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the world to come two more viz. Resurrection of the flesh and Euerlasting life First of the properties of the Church But before I come to consider of the particulars mentioned I must first explicate the Doctrine to bee beleeued concerning the Church in generall and so I would shew 1. What the Church is 2. The originall of the Church 3. The estate of the Church 4. The markes and notes by which the true Church may be discerned And then the generall vses of all When I enquire what the Church is I meane the true Church for the false Church is no Church properly as an ill Gramarian is no Gramarian properly Now to finde out what the Church is we must first consider of the acceptation of the word and then of the definition of the thing it selfe The word Ecclesia was a word in vse among the Athenians and came of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signified an assembly of Citizens that were called out from the multitude aâ— it were by name or in their rankes by the voice of the publike Crier to heare some speech or sentence of the Senate and was thence borrowed by the Apostles for their purposes by way of similitude The Church or assembly of Gods people being a company that came together not by chance or without order but by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were Criers called out of the Kingdome of Sathan to heare the doctrine of the Gospell reuealed from heauen The common people in common speech call the places set apart for the exercises of Religion Churches But so it is not taken here In Scripture the word hath diuers acceptations for sometimes it signified the assembly of the men of the world for their owne businesses and so that tumultuous Assembly of the Ephesians was called a Church Act. 20. 17. Sometime it signified the Assembly of the enemies of Gods people Psal 26. 5. this was the malignant Church Sometimes it signified the meeting of a few Christians in a family for religious priuate duties so there were Churches in godly mens houses Rom. 16. 5. Sometimes it signified a company of men in one Citie or Prouince that did outwardly professe the true religion 1 Cor. 11. 18. 22. and so vsually in the writings of Diuines the company throughout the world so professing is called the visible Church and in this sense there may bee hypocrits and scandalous Christians in the Church as well as godly men as the Parable of the Tares and the Draw-net shew But so it is not taken in the Creed for besides that this Church is holy as these wicked are not and enioyeth remission of sins which they doe not besides this I say we are said in the Creed to beleeue this Church to be which argues that in it selfe it is inuisible and knowne to God and cannot bee discerned by outward senses in the essentiall things of it Sometimes by the Church is meant the publike Officers in the Church that haue power of gouernment and censure as Matth. 18. 17. but in the strictest sense by the Church in the new Testament is signified the number of Gods Elect onely considered as they are effectually called by the Gospell and doe cleaue vnto Christ their head by a true and liuely faith Thus of the Etimologie of the word The definition of the Church followeth The Church here meant in the Creed is a company of men dwelling euery where effectually called ordinarily by the voice of Gods Criers from the misery and prophanesse of the world to the supernaturall dignitie of Gods children being vnited vnto Christ as their head by Faith and among then selues by loue as fellow-members In these words the generall nature of the Church is to bee considered and then the speciall difference of the Church from all other companies or professions or assemblies of men The generall nature is expressed in these words A company of men dwelling euery where where diuers things are to be noted 1. That it is a company not one man 2. That it is of men as the materiall cause not of other creatures for none but reasonable creatures are capable of Gods Image and so none but they can make a Church and among reasonable creatures I exclude Angels though they had a kinde of calling to that excellent estate they are in yet the Scripture speakes so sparingly of it that we cannot tell how to define it and therefore I meddle not with it and besides the Church is here considered as it is purchased by the blood of Christ which Angels were not neither are they tyed to the ministery of the Word as the Church in her calling is 3. I adde dwelling euery where to note that I define the Church that is Catholicke as the Creed calls it which tearms in the most euident sense agree to the Church now vnder the Gospell since the partition wall between Iewes and Gentiles was broken downe and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginining for euen in the time of the Iewish Church the Nations were not simply barred from fellowship with the Iewes and therefore we read of three sorts of people that belonged to the Iewish Church to wit the Iewes themselues and Proselites that is Gentiles that professed the Iewish
which is God 3 That euery creature serues for some vse and many of the creatures dispatch exceeding much worke in the vses vnto which the Creator hath appointed them and euery creature hath a kinde of exactnesse and perfectnesse in his nature and being 4 The strange variety of creatures set in this visible world with their most various proprieties take any roome of this house who can count the number of plants trees beasts or men vpon earth Who can reckon the number of Seas Riuers Ponds Springs or creatures in them or count the number of Foules or Flyes in the Ayre or Starres in Heauen And this variety is the more wondâ—rfull if wee straightly consider that our God made them all and that they are all still preserued in their kindes to this day and that they are made all in such different formes and portraitures not onely one kinde from another but one singular creature from another in the same kinde 5 The maruellous order and relation of the creatures in their kindes and respect one to another in regard whereof the Psalmist magnifies the wisdom of God Psal 136. 5. and this order is admirable if we consider the different degrees of creatures seruing one to another in their kinds as some things God made to haue being only as the Heauens Elements Meteors and Minerals Some things haue being and life also as the herbes and trees some things hauing being life and sense also as the beasts fowles some things haue being sense life reason also as men and these degrees so connexed that the latter includes alwaies the former the inferior degrees serue the higher as the Heauens and Elements adorne feed the Plants the Plants feed the Beasts the Beasts feede and serue men and men serue God Againe the order is wonderfull in the placing of these bodies so as with vnspeakable neerenesse each creature fils his place so as there is no vacuum or emptinesse betweene and besides are so set as though they be diuers of them directly contrary one to another yet are so set as they destroy not one another but preserue the whole Frame I omit many other things for breuities sake Out of these generall considerations of this visible world we may raise many vses for our selues as 1 We haue cause to admire and wonder at the glory of God that made such a huge and strong building wonder I say at him that giues place for all these things to be in yet himselfe conteined in no place that moues all these things and yet is himselfe vnmoueable that made all these creatures being himselfe vncreated and that shewed such skill in the least things as is beyond the art of all men to doe the like 2 We should bee afraid to displease him that is Lord of such Hosts that commands so many great armies and can by them at his pleasure suddenly fight against vs and destroy vs. 3 Man hath great cause of Humiliation when he lookes vpon this Frame both when he feeles his ignorance that can see so little into the glory of these works of God scarce discerning those things of them which their outward formes manifestly offâ—r to his vnderstanding especially to think of it how all other creatures haue kept their first perfection and still keepe their places and workes and doe their worke constantly in their seasons obeying their Creator and doing his will and he only that was best prouided for and made Lord of all to be out of order not to keepe his rancke to liue vnprofitably and neglect the worke inioyned him to be I say the only creature in Gods garden that deserues the name of a weed fit to be rooted out and the rather because by his fault he hath brought much hurt vpon the whole Frame and is the cause of that vanity or misery which any of the creatures suffer 4 We should heartily pray vnto God to teach vs to reade in this booke of nature since he hath furnished vs with such a great and glorious Library to be pleased to teach vs the skill to read and vnderstand and the rather because he will iudge vs by the contents of this booke of nature as well as by the booke of Scripture Rom. 1. 5 Poore men and men opprest and pursued in the world should not repine at their distresses what if thou want house or harbour so long as thou hast liberty to dwell in this faire house where thou hast the Heauens for a roofe and the Starres for windowes and the earth for a foundation though hard Land-lords oppresse thee in thy artficiall dwellings yet thou art Tenant to such a Land-lord for the vse of his great house of the world as while thou liuest will not put thee out of possession of his house Yea such as haue great houses to dwell in made by the Art of man should yet take more pleasure in their liberty to dwell in this house made by God because it excels theirs more then a Princes Palace can doe a Cottage 6 God himselfe hath giuen vs certaine Caueats by way of preuention which we must looke to when we reade in this great Booke The one is that we take heede we liken not God to any of the creatures which are but the worke of his hands Deut. 4. 19. Esay 40. 22 25. The other is that wee reserue all worship to God and not worship any of the Hoste of Heauen or Earth and therefore wee must not so much as sweare by Heauen or Earth or any thing that is not God Mat. 5. Ier. 5. Lastly hence we may gather a confutation of Idols and false Gods If the Pagans would haue vs beleeue that their Idols are true Gods let their Gods make vs such Heauens and such an earth and we will beleeue them Ier. 10. 11. In the meane time this mighty frame will assure vs that IEHOVAH is onely God And thus in generall I returne now to the second Heauen which is the highest part of this visible World called in Scripture the Firmament and concerning it we may wonder at these things 1. The maker of these Heauens and so the Scriptures doe magnifie the praises of God for diuers distinct things as first that he did spread out these heauens like a curtaine and stretched them out as a Tent to dwell in Esay 40. 22. It was a great glory that he could make such vast and mighty creatures secondly that hee could make them alone without any helpe Esay 44. 24. 45. 12. thirdly that he made them onely by his word Psal 33. 6. fourthly that he hath made them in such Wisedome as surpasseth the vttermost of our vnderstanding to reach the full knowledge of these things In these things it was truely said long since that we cannot order our speech because of darkenesse Iob 37. 38. 39. Instance in the light of Heauen where is the Way where light dwelleth and as for darkenesse where is the place thereof that thou
opening the windowes of Heauen as hee did in the destruction of the old world Iob. 36. 31. he reserues these against the day of battell Iob 38. 23. Esay 24. 17 18. 37. 13. 2 At the first he made the Clouds to be a garment for the Sea when it was first brought out and a swadling band for it Iob 38. 8 9. 3 By the Clouds as in a Chariot God rides about this nether world to visit it Psal 104. 3. 4 He vseth the Clouds to hold backe the face of his Throne by spreading it vpon it Iob 26. 9. 5 To shew his power he often with his Cloud couereth the Light and commandeth it not to shine by the Cloud that commeth betwixt Iob 36. 32. 6 God hath made himselfe a Pauillion to sit in with waters and thick Clouds 2 Sam. 22. 12. 7 By these God waters our Land as wee doe our Gardens and by the vertue of them hee giueth meat in abundance Iob 36. 31. 37. 11. Psal 65. 9 10 11 12. 5 For the interest that God hath giuen vs vnto these things and therefore they are called our Heauens Deut. 33. 28. and therefore no man can be poore that hath so great substance The vse is especially to set vs in an euerlasting admiration of God not onely for these things which he hath reueiled concerning these things but euen for the intimation that there are many things we know not but are aboue our reach Behold saith he God is great and wee know him not if wee should but consider that one thing that seemes the least of many it is too wonderfull for vs euen Gods making of the drops of raine so small and yet so proportionall among themselues when God causeth them to distill vpon man Iob 36. 26 27 28. We haue great cause to stand still and wonder we know not the wondrous works of him that is perfect in knowledge We cannot order our speech in these things by reason of darknesse If a man speake he shall bee swallowed vp with the greatnesse and difficulty and glory of these things Iob 37. 14 16 19 20. Touching the Almighty in these things wee cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in Iudgement and in plenty of Iustice euen by these things Iob 37. 23. Men should therefore feare him for as he sheweth by reasoning from these things in another place the onely wisdome of a man were to feare God Iob 28. 28. Secondly wee should learne of these things how to serue God they keepe their seasons and they returne not to Heauen againe but doe the worke God sent them for Esay 55. 10. Luk. 12. 56. Mat. 16. 2 3. 3 We should bee wonderfull thankfull to God euen for these blessings of Heauen They were wont in the first ages of the world to thinke they had cause to praise God for the very dew of Heauen Gen. 25. 28 39. Deut. 33. 13 28. Wee are exhorted to sing praise to God who couereth the Heauen with Clouds and prepareth raine for the Earth Psal 147. 7 8. Men vse to giue a great deale of mony to buy a little land and yet cannot praise him that giues them what is more worth then that they buy for it is God that giueth the dew and the snow and the raine and so the Grasse and the Corne without which the Land were worth nothing 4 Seeing God hath wrought wonderfully in these things and that they are so precious for our vses we must learne if at any time God restraine these blessings of Heauen to seeke them by prayer and repentance for our sinnes Iames 5. 18. 2 Chron. 6. 27. 28. and if we would haue them continued to vs we must looke to the paying of our Tythes duly Mal. 3. 10. 5 Wicked men are but in ill taking for besides that by these things GOD can plague them hauing reserued them for the day of warre as was shewed before the Lord by these things hath left them without excuse hauing from them witnesses to pleade for him against the wicked as is shewed Acts 17. 14. 6. We must take heede of doubting Gods prouidence in sending these blessings from Heauen we may reade of a man that was troden to death for doubting whether God could furnish mans wants by these things 2 King 7. 19 20. To conclude we must make conscience of it to learne these things and what else God teacheth vs by them and the rather for the wonder of Gods printing that can make his letters so great that a man may see and reade so farre off and therefore remember to magnifie his worke Iob 36. 24 25. As for the Raine-bow two things only I will note 1 What we may obserue by the sense of seeing and that is the strange varieties and perfection of colours that God by his power gathereth in that manner into the Ayre which Ayre of it selfe is without any colour raised and dissolued againe after a little time without any remnant of these colours left 2 What we may reade in Scripture of it and that is both concerning the Author of it and the end of it The Author of it is God who calleth it his Bow and the end is by Gods owne appointment to secure and assure man that the world shall neuer be destroyed by waters any more which is the more wonderfull because the Rainebow in it selfe is often a fore runner of Raine as experience shewes and by the descending of the two hornes of it to the Earth and Seas doth drinke vp vapours and carry them into the Ayre to breede Raine Gen. 9. Hitherto of Heauen the Earth followes Earth The terme of Earth here comprehends as I conceiue the dry Land as also the waters of the Sea that lye vpon the Earth and therefore I would first briefly consider of the Sea Concerning the Sea these things in Scripture are taken notice of 1 What it is and so Moses describes the Sea to be the gathering together of the waters into a heape which before did flow ouer all the face of the earth and this collection of the waters vnder the Firmament God himselfe named the Sea Gen. 1. 10. 2 The Originall of these waters and that God claimes as a glory to himselfe to haue made the Sea as well as other vast Creatures the Sea is his and hee made it Psal 95. 5. he is the God that made the Sea and the dry Land Ionah 1. 9. and for the manner of making it as it had diuers things common with other creatures as to be made of nothing and by the Word of God and so the waters in speciall are said to haue the Spirit of God to sit vpon them as the Hen sitteth vpon the Chickens to giue it forme and digestion Gen. 1. 2. 3 The wonder of Gods power in placing and disposing of the Sea and that in many respects as 1 That he hath made these waters to be of such vast greatnesse and vnsearchable depth Iob 38. 16. Esay