That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in love and in all riches of the full assurance of understanding to know the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ THis Verse openeth the matter for which he strove with God by all meanes in it two points 1 The thing it selfe 2 The antecedents or meanes leading to it The thing is that their hearts might bee comforted at the knowledge of the mystery of God the Father and of Christ that is of the Gospell which told them that Iesus Christ God-man was made light and salvation to them as to other Gentiles for the incarnation of the Sonne of God and the calling them to be a people who before were none were hidden mysteries till God reveiled them Now to this end he prayeth that they might be knit together in love and a more full knowledge having with it fullnesse of perswasion The better to understand it we must remember that these Colossians were brought by Epaphras to know the Gospell in truth Secondly you must know that they had love yea true love Thirdly that they did not feele the joy of the Holy Ghost so plentifully as others first because through the Divels tares of dissension there was not that soundnesse of love which should make them fully of one heart Secondly because though they knew the Gospell yet they knew it not so plentifully being in part ignorant of their Christian liberty of the all sufficiency of Christs sole mediation as who looked and listened a little to the helpe of Angells this way Thirdly from hence it came that being weake in knowledge they somewhat staggered the Apostle therefore wisheth them the tast of heavenly joy more fully in that they knew and to this end wisheth that all impediments of heavenly joy as dissension doubting ignorance being remooved they might be one in love rich in knowledge and fully perswaded and resolved in the things they knew First then Doct. from Saint Pauls example Ministers must see what they must chiefely helpe forward even the spirituall rejoycing of their people It is a great matter of their office to serve Christians this way What are we saith S. Paul no Lords over your faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with GOD furthering your joy this he prayed for Rom. 1.10.12 this he made the intent of his journeyes to give and take comfort in them To this end Eph. 6.21 22. hee dispatched messengers to comfort their hearts True it is that sometime they are forced to make sadde as Saint Paul did the Corinthians but this is not their principall intent for they doe this not for it selfe but that it may make way for rejoycing as a Physitian is forced to make his Patients sicke that thus he may restore him to health There is great reason for this We are bound every one by the Commandement that sayth we shall not kill Reas 1 to be no way wanting to the life of others even this bindeth us that we doe every way seeke to make the lives of others comfortable unto them 2 Againe Saint Paul knew how many things the Saints have to presse them downe through the malice of Sathan and keepe them from knowing the sweet fruit of the spirit 3 He knew that this was a friendly Sunne which maketh all graces thrive the better in the heart where it is 4 That if GOD should not refresh them this way by letting them feele this power of that life which is to come they were in danger to shrinke from Christ in the midst of such discouragements with which this world aboundeth For as we say without this vita is not vitalis no man liveth or can live without a delight and joy As we see kind men when they tast a thing that pleaseth them more then ordinary will invite others to tast it with them So the Communicative love of this Apostle was such that finding in his own experience what a soveraigne thing this was he could not but wish it unto others 5 Lastly S. Paul knew that this was forcible to draw others to the profession when men should marke this in it that it filled those that imbraced it with gladnesse of heart and that in the midst of the greatest evils by seeing the joyfulnesse of such who were converted Wherefore it is a slander of sinfull men that thinke a Preacher of the Gospell killeth all good company Vse 1 cryeth down all rejoycing so that none can be merry that live under them indeed we kill that mirth that is nothing but madnesse that we may bring men to sound rejoycing even joy unspeakable and glorious Ministers must set an edge upon this grace and stirre up their people to it Vse the drooping and uncomfortable lives of Christians maketh many affrayd to looke this way For there are some men when God hath touched them a little they are affraid of progresse they thinke they are brought into bondage because they meete with discouragement and turne againe to sinne because they find more sorrow in goodnesse then they did in ill So there be others that are affrayd to enter into Gods way least they should come out of Gods comforts these are like the spies that brought an ill report of the good land it was a good land and fruitfull but there were Gyants Anakims Num. 14. c. and for this they never entered into the land of Canaan save only two faithfull Caleb and Ioshua So these people speake ill of the way to heaven even of heaven upon earth Oh say they the land is good the Kingdome of heaven is a glorious place but the way thither is by a sadde life so full of troubles that a man were as good be dead as live so But marke because they said they could not enter the Lord sware they shall not enter Secondly marke here That beliefe of the Gospell may bee Doctr. where the consolation of it and rejoycing of it appeare not Saint Paul need not to pray for this on their behalfe but that he doth intimate that many of them wanted it We reade indeed of first conversions of Christians accompanyed with the grace of spirituall joy as the City of Samaria very glad and full of joy Mat. 13.46 So the Merchant in the Gospell finding the Pearle in the field went away rejoycing But this is a fruite that lasteth all the yeare yea a babe in CHRIST may be borne crying as we say of teares Esau may have them that wanteth true repentance and another truely repenting may want them So it is true of joy a false Convert may have it Luk. 8.13 as the stony ground received the Word with joy Herod heard the Word gladly when a true Christian ere-while is without the fruite of it The fruite I say for he hath in him the seede of rejoycing which will budde forth blossome and show the fruite in due season Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in
us should quicken us to all duty 2 Our riches of glory are kept for us in the heavens 3 The hearing of the Gospell bringeth us to be possessed of our hopes 4 The promises of the Gospell are infallible and certaine Verse 6. 1 THe Gospell doth visit us not looking after it 2 The faithfulnesse of God in His promises and the piercing force of His heavenly truth 3 The Word of God is effectuall it never wanteth His fruit where it commeth 4 It is good dealing with men to come home to their own experience 5 Before wee can have the fruit of the Word wee must heare the Word 6 Not all hearing no nor all knowing but the true inner powerfull affectionate knowledge is it which is fruitfull Verse 7. 1 ALbeit men are not graced with great titles yet their worke is not in vaine in the Lord. 2 We must speake the best of all but especially of Ministers though not outwardly glorious Verse 8. 1 WE are to speake such things of man to man as may tye them in love more neerely one to another 2 The best intelligence and newes fittest for Ministers to speake and heare of is how it fareth with the soules of the faithfull 3 We are to tell what good things God worketh in our people 4 Our love must be hearty and unfeigned Verse 9. 1 MInisters must not onely teach and admonish but pray for their people 2 We must not delay going to God when occasion is offered 3 We must persevere in Prayer 4 Our Prayers must be fervent 5 We must wish those that are called a blessed proceeding in grace Verse 10. 1 OVr pleasing of God must be in all things 2 We must be fruitfull in good workes 3 We must encrease in the knowledge of God Verse 11. 1 CHristians have need of spirituall strength to walk with God in their spirituall conditions 2 We have not need of strength only but great strength 3 All our strength commeth from the strong God 4 Long-suffering is an argument of great spirituall strength 5 We have need of patience and long-suffering Verse 12. VVE must as well give thankes for the things given us as begge for that we want 2 By nature we are unfit for God's Kingdome 3 That matter God calleth us unto viz an heavenly inheritance must move us to blesse Him 4 Onely Saints shall inherit the glorious inheritance 5 Our inheritance in heaven for substance and nature is light Verse 13. 1 NOne living in the state of darknesse can be inheritours of God's Kingdome 2 Wee are all by nature under the power of the Divell the prince of darknesse and are in all kinde of darknesse 3 It is speciall matter of praise that God hath put us under the government of Christ Verse 14. 1 THe singular love of Christ our King that Hee hath bought us with His bloud 2 The greatest blessing we have by Christ our King is that He doth procure us pardon of our sinne 3 Before we can have any blessing from Christ we must be partakers of Christ Verse 15. 1 IT is matter of praise that we have such an one to be our King and Saviour who is God with the Father 2 It is a wonderfull benefit to us that we are made subjects to such a King as is the Lord lesus Christ Verse 16. 1 THese creatures which we see doe give testimony to the invisible God whom we see not 2 Christ hath just title to the Lordship and inheritance of all the creatures 3 Christ our King is the Creator of all things 4 God hath His places and ministers attending about Him unseene and unknowne to us 5 Our Lord Iesus Christ is the Creator of Angels 6 As by Him so to His honour all the creature was made Verse 17. 1 OVr King is ancienter than all creatures 2 All things are preserved in their being moving and order by Christ Verse 18. 1 CHrist hath not Lordship over the creatures onely but also over the Church 2 We have such a Head given us of God who is God with the Father 3 Christ hath a most neere compassionate and beneficiall superiority over His Church 4 Onely the Church and people of God have Christ so neere and so beneficiall to them 5 All the Church is the body of Christ 6 The dignity of the faithfull in having so neere conjunction with Christ 7 Christ's Resurrection hath speciall priviledge above all others Verse 19. 1 VVHatsoever the man-hood of Christ is advanced unto it is the meere grace of God not the merit of the creature 2 It is an admirable glory to which our nature is exalted that God should dwell personally in our nature and take it to Himselfe so as to be of the substance of His person Verse 20. 1 THat which gave occasion to the incarnation of the Son of God was our enemy-like estrangement from God 2 God followeth froward man 3 Christ must first have the God head dwell personally in Him before Hee can take up the matter betwixt God and us 4 The deare Sonne of God is the worker of our reconciliation with God 5 All our peace is grounded in the bloud-shed of Christ Iesus 6 The Fathers of old were reconciled to God by the bloud of Christ 7 The Fathers were in heaven before Christs Ascension Verse 21. 1 VVE must not only teach in generall but apply in particular the things of the Gospell 2 We must not forget our miserable condition by nature 3 A most miserable condition not to be a member of the visible Church 4 We by nature are enemy-like affected to God and His people 5 Our naughty actions discover our enemy-like affections Verse 22. 1 AS we must looke with one eye downe to our unworthinesse so wee must cast the other up on God's mercies to us 2 The grace of God is most free and large 3 Every one who findes his sinne forgiven in Christ shall one day be made glorious before Him Verse 23. 1 VVHosoever is partaker of the benefit of reconciliation by Christ must persevere founded and established in Christ 2 Wee must bee well grounded and lay a good foundation 3 Hee loseth his hope that is removed from his profession 4 The Gospell hath beene preached thorow the world 5 Paul was a speciall instrument thereof Verse 24. 1 IT is no new thing for the Ministers of Christ to be afflicted for the Gospell 2 The Church loseth nothing but gaineth much by the sufferings of the godly 3 The Church is the body of Christ Verse 25. 1 TThe Ministers of CHRIST are the Ministers of the Church 2 Their ministery is committed to them by the most wise and holy government whereby God governeth the Church His house 3 A Minister must have a care of every part of his charge Verse 26. 1 THe Gospell is a mysterie not to be attained by any wit or learning 2 It is the priviledge onely of the Saints to know the mysteries of the Gospell Verse 27. 1 THe Gospell
them that have treasure and great charge about them letting penniles travellers alone So doth Satan he is busie to rob those whom GOD hath trusted with His graces VERSE 10. That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things being fruitfull in all good workes and increasing in the knowledge of GOD. NOw followeth the obedience it selfe set out by the practice of it that he prayeth for 1. In generall 2. More particular In generall it is to walke worthy of the Lord what this is may be understood by comparing it with like places Ephes 4.1 Worthy of the vocation whereunto yee are called Phil. 1.27 As it becommeth the Gospell 1 Thes 2.12 Worthy of God who hath called you to His Kingdome and glory To walke worthy of the Lord then is to live and behave our selves as becommeth those to whom God hath vouchsafed so great mercy that passing by thousands and ten thousands for deserts all as good and in outward respects many of them better than they Hee hath of His meere grace and free love in CHRIST chosen and called them out of the World to be partakers of Eternall life and glory with Him and for this cause hath caused His Gospell to be preached unto them and by His spirit hath made it effectuall in them we must therefore seriously consider 1 the dignity of our calling 2 the excellency of the Gospell whereby we are called 3 the kingdome of Glory whereto wee are called 4 and our most Holy and glorious Lord God by whom we are called and accordingly with due regard of all these things carry our selves in this present world let others then live as they list walke in sinne and wallow in filthinesse such a course may sort with their condition but for us we are by the grace of God of another dignity of an higher and more holy calling and such as waite for a Kingdome prepared for us even an Eternall Kingdome in the heavens This walking worthy of the Lord he expresseth by the end that it respecteth and aimeth at namely a pleasing of Him in all things or a full and entire pleasing of Him If then we will walke worthy of the Lord we must study to please Him and to give Him contentment in all things not accounting of pleasing any man yea or al men with displeasing him 1 Cor. 4.3 And good cause for life and death depend on Him He hath power to save and destroy yea He hath done such great things for our soules already and assured us of so great glory hereafter that we are the most unthankefull and impious Creatures that ever breathed our selves being judges if wee study not to please Him in all things Wherefore let others addict and give themselves over dedicate devote and consecrate themselves to serve and please to bow and becke to kneele and crowch and in all points to observe this or that great man on whom they depend by whom they live from whom they expect their advancement and rising in the world let us study and strive how we may please the Lord our GOD. He is to us in stead of all yea all inall Here Observe That this pleasing of GOD must bee in all things Obs or it must bee whole and universall for hee that seeketh not to please Him in all things seeketh not to please Him in any thing and hee that laboureth not to give Him an universall contentment laboureth not to give Him any at all according to that of Saint Iames Sam. 2.10 Whosoever shall Keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all for the same God hath commanded all as well that Hee leaveth undone as that Hee doeth and therefore if out of conscience toward God hee hath care of doing any he would have conscience of doing all Which serveth notably to convince those who reforming and conforming themselves to the will of God as they would have it thought in many things Vse yet retaine some speciall beloved sinnes whereby they plainely shew that their reformation in other things is but counterfeit as being for some by-respects of their profit or estimation or such like Having thus set forth this pleasing of God in generall he expresseth it after in two particulars Bringing forth fruite Increasing in the knowledge of God For the bringing forth of fruite being an expressing of our duty to please God specially in an outward manner before God and Men may bee called not unfitly one particular of pleasing God Observe Hence Obs We must be fruitfull in good workes as Trees and plants are fruitfull in their kindes for from thence is this speech taken for being planted by Gods owne hand in His own Orchard or Garden yea in His owne house Psa 92.14 being also kept and dressed by Him as our Husbandman Ioh. 15.3 Esa 27.3 Ioh. 15.3 being watched over night and day and watered every moment finally being branches of CHRIST the true vine from whom by the vertue of His spirit we receive sappe and juice good reason wee should be fruitfull and if not we shall bee surely cut downe and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Ioh. 15.6 Luk. 13.7 For who among us would endure an unfruitfull Tree in his Garden who would not say with indignation Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground If that were rooted up I might have another planted in the place of it that might bring me forth good fruite When the wicked see us grow livelesse powerlesse sapplesse they say what matter is in them and in their profession It is a shame that they should say I had rather live with any deale with any have a promise from any than from a Professor Their condition is incurable Reason when the Carpenter hath cut and hewen and sees it will not fit his turne ther 's no remedy but it must be cast into the fire My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6.3 Esay 5. GOD calls a counsell What shall I doe with my Vinyard A hedge Lord will do it good send them prosperity and security that they have had A winepresse Lord will doe them good that they have had afflictions will not worke upon them When no plaister will cure the Legge it must bee cut off when the Gospell will doe thee no good nothing can do thee good See the ground and cause of all our evils Vse wee impute them to the malice power or improvidence of men No no thy barren heart is the cause of all 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are weake and many sicke and many sleepe as if hee should say you blame the ayre you say such a distemper was the cause no no it was your unprofitable comming to the Sacrament that hath brought this plague upon you Our unprofitablenesse is the cause why the Lord is still hacking at the Tree of England How many great Families are perished and yet by no ill husbandry or great improvidence no no they
Againe this remission is a general never-revoked pardon I will be mercifull to them and remember their sins no more Why doe we then still aske forgivenesse Que. We aske not every day to bee anew justified Ans but that the sense of this which our sinne doth weaken might bee renewed the Copie of our Charter is not every day anew graunted but exemplified onely The Papists erre that make remission of sinne onely a release of some part of the punishment and of sins before baptisme leaving us to penance to the treasury of satisfaction for our after offences as if we could have no new benefit by Christ His bloud they derogate from that worthy Sacrifice and abridge our royall Charter To shew us what cause we have to blesse God for this deare Sonne Vse to shew us likewise this comfortable estate to which we are brought If we were deepe in books and had Sergeants feed every where upon bils and bonds to lay us up Is it not a wofull condition would not one be beholding and glad of him that would set him forth of debt and danger that he needed not to feare the wolfe at his doore How much more are we to thinke that God hath forgiven us all our debts that CHRIST hath paid the uttermost farthing Hence commeth all our boldnesse whereas before we durst not shew our heads now we say it is God that justifieth who shall condemne us What can comfort a man which is ready to suffer if not this to see his pardon sealed him from the King Lastly marke that he saith in CHRIST wee have these things which noteth not onely CHRIST His meriting and effectuall applying but our being in Christ by faith which is a necessary antecedent before wee can have them applyed in us Observ Whence observe That before we can have any of these blessings which come from Christ we must have Christ by faith All benefits may be conceived as they are gotten by CHRIST as they are applied in us begun continued perfected Now our redemption CHRIST hath begged or rather bought of His Father yet wee are in our selves as if there were no such matter till by Faith we come to be in Him Suppose there were twentie traytours in the Tower lay condemned Say againe the Prince should yeeld his Father such satisfaction for some whom hee would save wherewith the King his Father should be contented and give him their pardon thereupon here the thing is done betwixt the King and his Son yet till the Prince send to them write to the Keeper to deliver such and such to him they are in the state they were in and so continue So it is with God Christ and us the redemption is all concluded betwixt God and His beloved Son yet till this is effectually made knowne to our hearts so that they beleeve on this grace of CHRIST we are as we were in hold in the feare of our condemnation we are justified through the redemption in CHRIST but so that before it can be applyed in us wee must have faith in His bloud being set forth unto us in the Word preached Can wee have the strength of bread without eating bread no more can we have any benefit by the bread of life without beleeving on Him In Christ by faith we have these things Wherefore rest not in your naturall conditions Vse 1 come forth of your selves to CHRIST get Him your own even to dwell in your hearts by faith and all is yours We see Princes doe give pardons but yet if men according to the forme will not sue out their pardons and take them out of my Lord Keepers Court they shall have no benefit by the Kings mercy and most worthily for they debase the benefit for we deeme that an ill benefit that is not worth the fetching So you if by faith and true repentance you doe not sue forth this free pardon of God then woe be to your soules you shall have no benefit by His mercy We that have our part in CHRIST Vse 2 what cause have we to rejoyce whom it hath pleased Him to ingraft into Himselfe we can want nothing being in Him and He in us Thus much for the benefit VERSE 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first borne of every creature NOw followeth the description of His Person first compared to God this His deare Son is said here to be the Image of the invisible God still hee continueth to amplifie the greatnesse of this benefit for which hee so blessed God that wee are got into the Kingdome of His Son to be such a kingdome whose King is not man only but God blessed for ever with the Father and Spirit who is Lord even by right of Creation over all the creatures who is head of His Church to be of His Kingdome is matter worthy all thanksgiving this is the scope See then What is matter of Praise Obs that we have such an one to be our King and SAVIOUR who is God with the Father Thus much is laid downe in this spoken of this Sonne that He is the Image of the invisible God this phrase indeed is spoken sometime by man as 1 Cor. 11.7 Man is the Image and glory of God though there onely for we are said to be made according to the image of God not to be the Image of God But we must understand these diversely when spoken of this deare well beloved proper only begotten Sonne naturall Son and when of us that are made sons by grace of adoption through faith on Him Ioh. 1.12 He hath the selfe-same invisible God-head or divine nature with the Father Wee have onely created qualities which have some proportionable resemblance of Him When I say Prince Charles hath the King his Fathers Image I meane one thing and when I take a shilling and say this money hath the Kings Image on it the one is a picture having some resemblance the other is a naturall Image that hath the same substance So Heb. 1.3 He is called the brightnesse of His glory and the expresse Image of his Person And besides that it is cleare by plaine testimonies else-where wee may convince it out of this Text for He is so the Image of God that He is no creature but the Creator of all creatures this then is the matter of praise that we are in such a Kingdome whereof not man but God is King Israel the type of us they had Kings indeed but all of them were flesh served their times and dyed But our King is God whose Throne is for ever this the men of God fore-saw and rejoyced in Thy God reigneth O Sion c. And in truth this is altogether it which doth so credit this kingdome of ours this is all the glory of our Israel Wee see in earthly Kingdomes the Persons and qualification of Princes is the chiefe grace and ornament of them This doth augment the felicity of England that God hath given us such a
Creatures Marke for explication how that He is said the first begotten of all the Creatures Israel God calleth His first begotten sending to Pharaoh to dismisse Israel His Primogenitum So Hebr. 12.33 all the elect are called the first begotten but this is spoken of them in comparison of the inferiour creatures and rest of mankinde onely 2. By participation from the first begotten who is the native Heire and for distinction is here called the first begotten or Lord of the whole Creature The thing then to be marked is Obs What a wonderfull benefit this is that we are made subjects to such a King who is the Lord of all the Creatures what can we want that are under Him who is the Heire of all things What can hurt us who are His subjects that is Lord of all the Creatures We see this doth greatly make for the subjects felicity the ample Provinces that are subject unto them It was a circumstance that made much to the dignity of Salomon's Kingdome that he should reigne from Sea to Sea But what is this to our King who is Lord and Heire of all the Creatures in heaven and earth seene and unseene All power is given mee in heaven and earth saith CHRIST God hath set CHRIST in the heavens above all Principalities and Power that is named in this world or that which is to come Wee must make use of this And first learne to be thankfull to God glad of it Vse 1 we have cause to be glad that we have a King set over us who is Lord of all the Creatures in heaven earth and hell This maketh much for our incouragement who are CHRIST's true subjects that our King is the Mighty Vse 2 having all the Creatures at command Men that came under Alexanders protection when now he was Monarch of the whole world how safe did they thinke themselves who could hurt them that had such a Protectour Hence it is that lesser States thinke themselves secure when they have gotten some mightie Potentate such as his Majesty to undertake their Protection But how safe are we that keepe close by faith to our Lord Iesus who is the first begotten even the Lord and Heire of al the Creature strong by Sea strong by Land glorious in Heaven dreadfull to the powers of darknesse So it assureth us wee shall want nothing This sheweth us whence we derive our title and estates which we have in the Creatures Vse 3 I meane our estate of inheritance for it is from Him that is the Lord of all Suppose the King had the selfe-same title in all his Countries which he hath in his Crowne-lands no man could justly hold or lay claime to any thing further than hee could shew right from the Princes grant demise c. or prove himselfe an heire to the King So it is with us first all property is in God of all things they are His owne Hee may doe with them at His pleasure 2. God the Father doth give to His naturall Son made manifest in the flesh all the Creatures making Him Lord and giving Him all judgement in heaven and earth under Himselfe 3. CHRIST the naturall Sonne and Lord doth take some out of mankinde as brethren to Himselfe and giveth them state of inheritance as who by faith on Him are become joynt heires with Him To others He giveth of His Creatures partly to testifie His patience and clemencie as the King giveth allowance to traytors in the Tower till they are to be brought to execution 2. As a temporary reward of some temporary service in them hee maketh them a grant of some portion of His creatures the world therefore hath title both in jure fori and jure poli to that they lawfully have but by the title of inheritance the Saints hold only This doth shew us how we should seeke to please our King Vse 4 we see the children of the world wise in their generation they labour to commend themselves to such as are above able to advance them and bestow temporall and spirituall dignities upon them but who seeketh to please this King this Priest who hath all promotions in His gift The Lord give us wisdome we misse not the right doore we bring not our griest to a wrong mill Lastly hence the consciences of such may be shaken Vse 5 who walke disobeying and provoking this great Lord. A fearefull thing to lift up hand against a King yet one might doe it and flying forth of his dominions recover safety But whither wilt thou fly that disobeyest Christ all the Creatures will attach thee and arrest thee of high treason for they are at His becke He is the Lord of them VERSE 16. For by Him were all things Created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or powers all things were Created by Him and for Him NOw he commeth to proove Christ both GOD and LORD and together openeth the ground of this His Title of inheritance to the Creature thus Hee that made all Creatures is no Creature but GOD blessed for ever is Lord of all Creatures but by Christ all the Creatures were made therefore He is GOD and most justly heire to all who can lay so good a claime to them 1. Then marke in generall from the coherence Obs 1 That these Creatures we see doe give testimony to that invisible GOD whom we see not these doe speake aloud that He who hath Created them is God for the worke doth argue a most Almighty and wise workeman and it is made Ier. 10.11 the effect distinguishing all false Gods from the true the Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth are no Gods If we should see faire buildings excellently contrived we would say they were excellent workemen that framed these So seeing this world the heavens the earth with the furniture of them we may well conclude Hee could not bee without a divine power that built all these things Iovis omnia plena praesentemque refert quae ibet herâ—a deum Againe these visible things have in them prints of the invisible things in God His power wisdom c. is graven in them For looke as the finest artisans who make the most curious works as watches c. They write their names in some part of them that the making and the Author be discerned So God hath written Himselfe every where in His Creatures that they might bee knowne for His workemanship and He for the workeman of them The use of this is Vse that we should learne in this frame we see and in that world of intelligences spiritual natures which we see not to acknowledge him that hath framed the booke of the Creatures though it be not so good as the Grammar of the Scripture which doth describe Him plainely yet it is a good primmer for us to spell in That as He hence prooveth Him God Obs 2 so He sheweth what just