(2.) His power. God brought all things out of the womb of nothing; hisjiat was enough : Isa. xl. 26, ' Lift u}) your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number ; he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power, not one faileth.' The force of the cause appeareth in the effects, and God's power in the creatures. This is the most visible attribute : Eom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead.' Men touched with no sense or reverence of religion, yet will have this in their mouths, God Almighty.
(3.) His wisdom. The admirableness and comely variety of God's works doth easily offer it to our thoughts. In the work you may dis- cern a wise workman : Ps. cxxxvi. 5, ' To him that by wisdom made the heavens : for his mercy endureth for ever.' So Prov. iii. 19. ' The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth ; by understanding hath he established the heavens' The wisdom of God appeareth — (1.) In the order of making ; (2 ) In the order of placing all creatures.
(1.5^.) In making of them. In simple things, God began with those which are most perfect, and came nearest to his own essence. His first creature is light, which of all qualities is most pure and defecate, and i^ not stained by passing thi'ongh places most impure. The first gar- ment God put on in the creatures' eyes was light ; Ps. civ. 2, ' Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment.' Then all the elements in mixt ))odies ; God took another method, from imperfect to perfect : first, things that have a being, as the firmament ; then life, as plants ; then
VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 391
sense, as beasts ; then reason, as man. First, God would provide the })laces of heaven and earth, and then the creatures to dwell in them; hrst the food, then the beasts. Provision was made for the inhabitants of the earth, as grass for beasts, and light for all living and moving creatures. God provided for the necessities of beasts, ere he would bring them into the world. God made first plants, that have but a growing life ; then beasts, fishes, fowls, that have a feeling life ; then man that hath a rational life. God would teach us to go from good to better. Man was made last, as most excellent ; his palace is furnishetl witii all things necessary, and then like a prince he is sent into the world to rule and reign.
(2dhj.) In disposing all things into their apt cells for the beauty and service of the whole. There are not such great beasts in the earth as in the sea, to avoid a waste of food, which would be consumed by the beasts of the land, to the prejudice of man. All things are wonderfully made.
2. It is a wonderful advantage to faith to give us hope and consola- tion in the greatest distresses. The whole creation is a standing monu- ment of God's power; we see what he can do: Ps. cxxiv. 8, ' Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.' As long as heaven and earth is standing, we need not distrust God's power : Jer. xxxii. 17, ' Ah Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and stretched out arm ; and there is nothing too hard for thee.' So Ps. cxlvi. 5, 6, ' Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help ; whose hope is in the Lord his God, which made heaven, and earth, and sea, and all that therein is, which keepeth truth for ever.' The works of creation are but pawns and pledges of the possibility and certainity of every thing promised. Every promise is as powerful as God's first creating word, ' let there be light,' let there be day.
3. It putteth us in mind of our duty.
[1.] To stir up in us a reverence and dread of God above the creatures. We are used to things of sense, they work with us. Make much of the creator, and the creatures shall do thee no harm : Acts iv. 24, ' Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.'
[2] To stir up humility to God: Eom. ix. 20, 'Nay, but 0 man, who art thou that repliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?' Isa. xlv. 9, 'Wo unto him that striveth with his maker ; let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou ; or thy work. He hath no hands ? ' Gen. xviii. 27, ' Behold, now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.'
[3] To make us humble and kind to men : Acts xvii. 26, ' And hath made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell on all the face of the earth..' Omnis sanquis concelor, Isa. Iviii. 7, ' That thou hide not thy- self from thy own flesh.'