VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 415
advantages, and to facilitate tlie belief of other truths upon this ground; did he make the world out of nothing ? Many truths are less wonder- ful than this.
SEEMON X.
Through faith we understand that the worlds luere framed hy the ivord of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things lohich do appear — Heb. xi. 3.
Now I come to consider the circumstances of the creation ; and the jB.rst is, ' that the worlds were made,' or framed. In the original, it is, KaT7)pTta6ai, 'set in joint,' a metaphor taken from the perfect frame of man's body, where every member, vein and artery is aptly disposed, and in its proper place ; so are all creatures settled in their due pro- portion and order ; there is nothing wanting either for use, or for ornament ; it is all fitly framed and made up into a complete mass and body. The note is this, viz.
Docf. That the world was framed in an accurate, orderly, and perfect manner.
1. I shall illustrate the point by some similitudes out of scripture.
2. I shall show wherein the harmony and perfect order of the creation did consist.
3. I shall answer a doubt that may be commenced against the doctrine.
First, To illustrate the note by some similitudes out of scripture. The perfection and order of the world is compared to man's body, to a host or army, and to a house or excellently contrived building.
1. It is compared to the body of a man. The world is set in joint, and there is a great deal of likeness and similitude : 1 Cor. xii. 12, ' As the body is one, and hath many members ; and all the members of that one body being many, are one body ; ' that is, though they be of difierent shape and different uses, yet they all make up but one body. So the several ingredients into this great mass and lump are for the matter, worth, and influence of a diverse nature ; yet all these members and pieces of the creation are tied to one another by secret bands and ligaments, as the members of the body are ; such a confederacy and compliance is there between all the parts of the world, they fall into one common frame as several joints, by a mutual agreement and proportion,
2. It is compared to an host or army : Gen. ii. 1, ' Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them ;' Ps. xxxiii. 6, ' By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them, by the breath of his mouth ; he gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap, and he layeth up the depth in storehouses.' Therefore God is called the Lord of hosts upon this reason, because the creatures were not huddled together in confusion, but stand like soldiers in their orderly rank, as a well-marshalled host under the
416 SKKMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. X.
conduct of God. This word host doth not only imply their services and operations under God'y command and conduct, but their order and government. The Septuagint render it by /c6o-/xo9, to signify the beauty of it. All llie parts of the creation are like a well-ordered army standing in rank and file, the places of their abode as so many tents. And God hath his magazine and treasury out of which he doth supi)ly them : Job xxxviii. 22. 23, ' Hast thou entered into the trea- sures of the snow ? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, iigainst the day of battle and war ? '
3. It is compared to a curious house. The universe hath an excel- lent resemblance to a frame of building, Job xxxviii. 4-6. There you have this notion, where we are told of laying the foundation, and the corner-stone, and of a line, and measure, and the like; all figura- tive terms which are taken from an outward building. The whole world is but one great house ; the earth is the floor, the sea is the watercourse for it ; heaven is the arch and roof of it ; God is the archi- tect of this house, but man is the inhabitant and tenant. And lest he should want comfort, the sun and stars are like so many windows to let in light, all to set forth the glory and magnificence of God. There are several rooms and chambers in this house ; therefore the prophet speaks, Amos ix. 6, ' He buildeth his stories in the heaven.' The earth by its own proper weight remains unmovable in the centre of the world, and the spheres one above another are as so many stories in a house.
SeconcUij, Wherein this oi'dcr and beauty of the world doth consist. It stands in six things.
1. In the wonderful multitude and variety of creatures, distributed into so many several excellent natures and forms, they all do proclaim the beauty and order of the whole world. It is no difhcult thing with one seal to make many impressions of the same stamp, or to print many sheets with the same letters when once set ; but that God should diversify forms, and that in such an infinite manner, that he should leave such different impressions from the seal of his power, according to the platform of his own counsel, this can never sufficiently enough be admired ; herbs, plants, flowers, fruits, birds, beasts ; and among living creatures there is a great deal of difference in figure, taste, colour, and smell ; then such variety of living creatures ; among men, men's faces though they were all drawn by the same pencil, yet what difference is there ! Scarce two men alike among so many millions. The stars the apostle saith, 'one differs from another in glory,' 1 Cor. xv. 41. The angels are above them, and there is a great deal of difference among angels ; some are thrones, some dominions, some powers, some principalities, as the apostle reckons them up. Col. i. 16. So that when we consider this, the wonderful diversity of forms, we may cry out, Ps. civ. 24, ' Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all.' The world would not have been so beautiful, if all had been great, none small ; if all hot, no creature cold ; all moist, no dry; or all dry, and no moist; as the frame of men's bodies would not have been half so beautiful, if all were eye, or all head, or all heart, or all brain ; or, as in outward things, are all not rulei-s and captains,