[3.] If you meditate aright, the heart will be more drawn off from the creature to God. This is the main end either of making the crea- ture, or of meditating upon the creature. Of making the creature: Acts xvii. 26, 27, ' He hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek after the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him.' We are apt to stay in the creature, and forget the creator ; this is quite contrary to the end of God, they are to show us how good and how .sweet the Lord is. This was the reason why God made the world, and filled it with inhabitants, that the world might wonder at him ; but we doat upon shadows, and leave the substance. This is as if a mighty emperor should gather all his nobles together, that they might come and admire his royalty ; and when they come, they tui-n their back and admire his picture and shadow. Consider, all the creatures are but rude adumbrations or shadows of the glory of God, to help the memory; but they must not intercept the aft'ection, and forestall the heart. Should we be so foolish as go to the shadows, those obscure resemblances, and leave the creature that is so full of majesty and glory ? Would we be contented with a painted horse for our use, or painted bread for our food ? Why are we then contented with those shadows of God ? Meditation is nothing but a parley and discourse with the creature about the chiefest good. Job makes hue and cry after wisdom, Where
408 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. IX.
is the cliiefest good ? Is it in the earth ? no, that is too gross. Is it la heaven ? no, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him. Is it in the depth? no, he is a greater depth than can be fatliomed. What is the husk of the creature to the bread of eternal life ? what are the (h'ossy shadows and obscure resemblances to God, who is the substance himself ?
[4.] If you have rightly meditated u})on the works of creation, there will be more fear and dread of God, that will arise from the considera- tion of his majesty and ])ower impressed upon the creature. When we look upon God in his works we see him in his royalty, therefore there must needs be a great deal of fear upon the heai-t : Jer. v. 22, ' Fear ye not me, saith the Lord ? will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it ; and though the waves thereof toss them- selves, yet can they not pi-evail ; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it ? ' Mark, he calls for I'ear, because he hath made the crea- ture, and hath ordered all things with such exact wisdom. Who can think of the dreadful waves that are bound up by God, and not have some horror u})on his heart? They that do not thus discourse upon his works, God saith, they are brutish: ver. 24, 'And say not in their hearts. Let us now fear the Lord our God tliat giveth rain, both the former and latter in its season.' Oh, when we come to take abroad God's greatness and excellency, how can we but dread and reverence him ?
[5.] If you meditate rightly upon the workmanshi]) of God, there will be more love to God for all his kindness, and for all those effusions and communications of his goodness to the creature. Here we come to see how much we are bound to God. Usually we are far more af- fected witli what man doth for us, than with what God doth for us ; as, for instance, we love him that helps us and delivers us out of straits ; but we do not love him that made us out of nothing ; this seems nothing to us. Evei'y petty courtesy obligeth us to men, and we do not consider we owe all to God, life, breath, and being, and all. If man should do half so much for us, how are we obliged to him ? God hath done in- comparably more, and we do not esteem it. What is the i-eason ? is it this, man's courtesy seems more, because his abilities are less ? or is it because he gives from himself? how poor is this ! Doth water lose its nature, because it is in the sea, and not in the bucket and cistern ? Are God's benefits the worse because he is the autlior, whose nature it is to do good ? Consider, waters are sweeter in the fountain than in the rivers. There is more condescension in God than in marj. When man loves us, he does but love his equal, and draws out his bowels to his own flesh, Isa. Iviii. 7. Consider, the earth is full of the riches of his goodness, therefore love the creator.
Another fruit of meditating upon the works of God will be obedience. Oh, what an interest hath God in you by making you out of nothing ! what a title hath he to your heart ! If the husbandman counts that tree his own which he hath planted ; or the carver that image his own which he has made ; certaiidy thou art God's, and he may call thee his own, who hath made thee out of nothing. There is a difference Ijc^twpen makinii- out of nolhiuir. and makinsr out of somethinfj. Men