6. It is a duty that lies upon all reasonable creatures. (1.) The angels delight in this work ; Job xxxviii. 7, it is said, when the earth was
YeR. 3] SERMONS UPON- HEBREWS XL 395
founded. ' the mornings stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy ; ' that is, when God tirst laid the foundations of the heavens, the angels, like birds at the break of day, welcome the dawning of the crea- tion and the first appearances of the love of God to the creature, and still they are praising God for his essence and works. It cannot literally and properly be understood. There is but one morning star, not many ; the stars were not created when the foundations of the earth were laid, not till the fourth day, Gen. i. 16. The angels are as it were spiritual stars. God is the sun and angels the stars. God is the Father of lights, and those angels are the stars derived from God. (2.) The saints of God, they make it their work. Much of the scripture is spent in this purpose. The whole book of Job is interspersed with several passages, chap, xxxvii. xxxviii. xxxix. David is a professed student in the works of God ; many psalms are composed to give God the glory of the creation — Ps. viii. and xix., civ., cvi., and cxlvii. Meditation is the most spiritual part of worship, therefore to the children of God it is wondrous sweet. It is true Christ crucified is a chief object, Ephes. iii. 10, but the world created must have a room and place. (3.) The heathens by the light of nature acknowledge it to be their duty. I might produce many instances; Tully saith, Animarum, ingeniormnque nalurale quoddam pabulum est contemplatio, considercdioque naturcc : consideration of' nature is the food of the soul, the solace and refreshment of the rational soul. Another saith, ©earrjq ijevero twv ep'yoiv ©eov 6 avOpcoTvo^; ; the world is a great theatre wherein the creation is acted and drawn forth ; God is the author, and man is made to be the spectator. Another said, Os Jiominum sublime dedif, ccelumque iuerijussit — God has given man an erect countenance, that he might look up to heaven. Anaxagoras being asked, why he was born ? answered, £t9 Oecoplav riXlov koI o-e\r]vr)<; koX ovpavov — For contemplation of sun, moon and heavens. The sun, moon, and stars are the natural apostles ; though they cannot preach Christ, yet they preach God. Heathens must be called to account at the last day for not reading the book of nature : ' He left not himself without a witness,' Acts xiv. 17 ; and the apostle tells heathens, when justice shall make a solemn triumph. Acts xvii. 31, ' He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.' What will become of us, that have not only the book of nature, but the comment of scripture ? God hath unfolded the mean- ing of the creature in the word. We shall have many witnesses against us at the day of the Lord.
7. It is a work that is of great profit ; partly to heighten fanc)^ and make it fit for meditation. Many find meditation a burden because of the barrenness and leanness that is in their understandings. Oh! practise upon the creation, and you will find fancy to be much elevated and raised. Anthony the devout hermit, that is so much spoken of in ecclesiastical story, being asked, how he could profit in knowledge, and spend his days in the desert without men and books ? answei-ed, I have one book I am always stud}ing, and turning over day and night ; and so I find my hours to be both pleasant and profitable ; and it consists of three leaves and three letters ; the three leaves of it are the heavens, the earth, and the waters. The letters are the inhabitants of these houses. If you look into the heavens, there are stars, and angels, and
396 SEUMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. VII.
fowls ; if you walk on the esirtb, there are livino^ creatures, and chiefly man, if you look into the seas, there are rishes. Partly because 3'ou will hereby have an excellent advantage to know God, and keep God present in your tlioughts. Man is much led by sense ; in the benefit of fruitful seasons, and temperament of the heavens, and plenty of fruits of the earth, you may be reading the goodness of God ; in thunders, light- nings, tempests, earthquakes, hail, snow, pestilence, comets, you may read the majesty and the terrors of the Lord ; in the guidance of the world, and measure of the stars, and all created beings, you may observe the wisdom of God ; so that religion is as it Avere made sensible. And })artly, you will have this profit, a sweet opportunity to compare the old and the new creation together. Eph. ii. 10, We are said to be 'the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus to good works.' The old world and the new heart, they are both God's work : Eph. iv. 24, ' That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' There you may see beauty and order brought out of nothing. Every man is a lesser world, a model of the universe ; the globe in the head, the sun and moon in the eyes ; there is the liver like the ocean, which receivethall the lesser streams, conveyed by the channels of the veins. But now a new man is a new creature, a new world ; in- * stead of the sun that shines in the firmament, there is the sun of right- eousness, the ebbings and flowings of the influences of grace, the air which we receive by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and blow out again in prayers ; there is the fire, by which the Holy Ghost warm- eth and inflameth the heart. Many such sweet resemblances might be made.