A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

CHAP. I. The History and Mystery of the Worlds Creation.

T HE Creation was God's first Emanation, flowing forth, or going out of himself, giving the first Being and beginning to Time, Place, Persons, and Things: till then, God was (as it were) Deus contractus, containing all in himself; now, Deus expansus & explicatus, spreading his hand (which had hitherto been as contracted) to create the World: not because he was now weary with doing nothing, as Atheists say, but he did it when it pleased him to manifest his own Wisdom, Mercy, Power, and Glory; as Augustine saith, Nec cessando torpuit, nec operando laboravit; August. cont. Advers. leg. lib. 1. cap. 2. God (who is the most pure Act ) is neither idle in Resting, nor weary in working. Hereupon 'tis said, what God did, or how he employed himself before the Creation, is a Sea over which no Ship hath ever Sailed; is a Mine, into which no Spade hath ever delved; an Abyss, into which no Bucket hath ever dived: our fight is too tender and slender to behold this Sun. 'It is Human folly to say, there was a World before Adam, (then he is falsely called the first man, frequently in the Scripture of Truth ) this is to be wise above what is written: but 'tis Divine Faith to say, that this World was created [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Affabre factum, neatly made up ] by the word of God, Heb. 11.3. and then Time, Place, &c. had their beginning, Gen. 1.1. If so, there could be none before it. As we know not what God did before, neither what he will do after the world. Augustine smartly answers this saucy Question, That God was making an Hell for such over-curious Busie-bodies: the Philosopher reading this first of Genesis, was heard to say, [Egregie dicis, Domine Moses, sed quomodo probas?] Excellently said, Sir Moses, but how will you prove what you say? Augustine answers, Credo, non probo; I believe it, I need not prove it. Theologia non est Argumentativa, Alsted, Divinity doth not use to prove her Principles; the Mysteries whereof are better understood by Believing, than believed by understanding: 'tis the nature of Faith to believe God upon his bare word, and that against Sense in things Invisible, and against Reason in things Incredible. Sense corrects Imagination, Reason corrects Sense, but Faith corrects both. Aufer Argumenta, ubi •• ie quaeritur, &c. saith Ambrose. Away with Arguments; 'tis enough I believe, though I cannot prove every Principle and Fundamental of Faith, as this of the Creation.

The word Creation (according to the Critics ) comes from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to effect or perfect: and 'tis taken in a double sense. (1.) Proper and literal; so 'tis a making something out of nothing, Gen. 1.1. (2.) Common and Mystical, so 'tis a making something out of that which is worse than nothing, Eph. 2.10. All Creatures were made at first without praeexisting Matter; but when we come to be made New Creatures; though there be a praeexisting, yet there is a strongly Resisting Matter, which is far worse, and no less requires the All-creating power. As the former is called Creatio transiens, so this is, Creatio continuans; we can bring nothing to this glorious work, except Opposition. Yea, when we are once created in Christ, we can (indeed) do something to uncreate ourselves, were it not that Creating power comes to renew our decayed grace and Spiritual Witherings, Psal. 51.10.

Creation here treated upon, is taken in the proper sense, and is the External Efficiency, Act or Operation of God, whereby be made the world in the beginning of time out of nothing, very good, and for his own glory.

There is a concurrency of four Causes in this (as in other) act considerable. (1.) A quâ, the Cause Efficient. 2. Ex quâ, the Matter. (3.) Per quam, the Form. And 4. Propter quam, the End. Yea, all those seven circumstances (contained in one Verse) [ Quis, Quid, Ubi, Quibus, Auxiliis, Cur, Quomodo, Quando ] concur here in this Divine Action of the Creation. Bereshith Bara Elohim Eth Hashamajim veeth haerets. In the beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth, Gen. 1.1. Sundry Enquiries are here to be answered.

The first Enquiry is, Who is the Efficient cause of the Creation?

Answ. 'It is God the Creator, called also Lord the Governor. The External Efficiency or operation of the Divine Being is twofold. 1. Creation; 2. Providence: in respect of the first, he is called God the Creator; and of the second, Lord the Governor. Those two are called Relative Attributes, as they do clearly hold forth a Relation betwixt the Maker and the Matter made: And those two Titles [ God and Lord ] are first conjoined in Gen. 2.4. As soon as the Universal Creation had attained to an Absolute perfection, then stood it in need only of a continued Sustentation, as Lord signifies a Sustainer; 'tis now added to the Name God, which had been used singly about thirty three times before: now he is first called [Lord God] that as his Work was perfect, so his Name might be perfect also. Thus likewise the Prophet couples those two Names together for the Churches comfort, Isa. 40.28. saying, the same God-Creator is still Lord-Governor, or Sustainer, who will not cast off the care of his Church, as one toiled or tired; for he Governs now (as he did Create ) without either Toil or Travel, and not subject to weariness as Man is. The Hebrew Text is, [Elohim Bara] Dii Creavit, as being of the Plural number, which holds out the Mystery of the blessed Trinity, called by Elihu [Eloah Gnoshai] God my Makers, Job 35.10. and by David, the Makers of Israel, Psal. 149.1. and Soloman saith, Remember thy Greators, Eccles. 12.1. This word Elohim signifies Almighty's, or Almighty powers; yet is this Noun plural joined with [ Bara ] a Verb singular, because God is but One, Deut. 6.4. although in power Infinite. There be three which bear witness in Heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5.7. yet all three are called Creators: 1. the Father is so, Eph. 3.9. &c. 2. the Word (or Son) is so, Heb. 1.8, 10. Col. 1.16. &c. and the Spirit is so, Gen. 1.2. Psal. 33.6. & 104.30. Job 26.13. & 33.4. The Psalmist saith, By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the Breath (or Spirit) of his mouth; that is, God the Father by the Son, through the Spirit, Created all things, 1 Cor. 8.6. Prov. 8.24, 27, 28. Joh. 1.3, 10. Heb. 1.1, 2. Revel. 3.14. Isa. 40.12, 13. &c. All which do declare, that Three in One, and One in Three, wrought in the Creation of the world, as afterwards they did in the formation of Man, Gen. 1.26. and in making Borders of Gold with studs of Silver for the Church, Cant. 1.11. Rab. Solomon Interprets [we] there [I and my Judgment-Hall] which consisted at least of Three. So by [we] is meant (in the Hebrew succinct Speech) God Three in One, and One in Three. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa; All the Three Persons are undivided, all concur in External Actions. Hermes (that ancient Egyptian who flourished before Pharaoh ) did acknowledge something of this Great Truth, from whence he had his Name of Trismegistus for owning the Three great ones: And the Heathen Sages (after him) had some blind Notions hereof, as appeareth by Plutarch, who reporteth, that in Thebe (a Town of Egypt ) they worshipped a God (whom they acknowledged to be Immortal) and painted him in the likeness of a man blowing an Egg out of his mouth, to signify that he made the round World by his Word and Breath of his Mouth. But Christian Faith reacheth farther than Heathens Reason, for by Faith we understand that the World was made by the Word of God, Heb. 11.3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by Christ, who is the Essential Word, and the flowings forth (as the word signifies) or lettings out of Divine Wisd •• Power, and Goodness: for God was (as it were) contracted and contained all within himself from all Eternity; but now in the Creation he becomes Deus expansus & explicatus, letting out himself to the Creature. Thus Christ is called the Manifestation of God, and the Declarer of the Father, Joh. 1.18. John the Baptist is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [a voice] but Christ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [the Word] by which the world was made. As Verbum est animi Index, the Speech discovers the Spirit; so Christ unbosoms the Father, and the Creation is nothing else but the Creator unfolding himself, and dispersing his Divine Essence into several Veins and Channels of the Creature, Mundus Universus nihil aliud est quàm Deus Explicatus, the world is only God expressed; the Invisible is clearly seen (as in a Mirrour, or on a Theater) in things that are visible, Rom. 1.19, 20. as the Sun is beheld in the waters, so is God in his works, either by way of Negation, Causality, or Eminence, per species Creaturea.

The second Enquiry is, What is the Material Cause out of which all things were Created? Answ. God made something out of nothing, and out of that something all things. Nothing here is not taken privatively, as 1 Cor. 8.4. an Idol is nothing, to wit, privatively, as having nothing of a Divine Essence in it, yet positively it is something, that is, Wood, or Stone, &c. Nor (2.) is it taken Comparatively, as Isa. 40.17. All the world is nothing, to wit, in comparison of the Great God. But (3.) 'tis taken negatively, and simply, God having no praeexisting matter to work upon, as the word [Bara] created signifies, being a word in its proper sense proper and peculiar to God himself, so should not be parasitically Attributed to the mightiest of men, as too oft it is, in Creating Earls, Marquesses, Dukes, unless the Creators and the Created were both holy, as God is, and Man was. There was nothing from Eternity besides God, neither is God the Matter or any part of the Creature; therefore the world was made out of nothing. This puts the difference betwixt Creation and Generation; this latter is a production of something out of something, but the former of something out of nothing.

There be three principal Operators; Art, Nature, and God. That worker which needeth the fewest helps, is the most perfect worker. 1. Art needs many helps. 2. Nature needs but few. But 3. God needeth none at all. God is the first Cause, and the World was the first effect. 'It is a Rule or Maxim, Inter primam Causam & primum effectum nil intervenit: Nothing can come between the first Cause and the first effect; therefore in the Creation there could neither be any praeexisting Matter, nor any Coassisting Instruments. God himself was both the Father and Mother of all Created Beings. God was the Father of the World, begetting it by his Word, and both bringing it out, and bringing it up in six days, by the overshadowings of the Spirit, Gen. 1.2. All this arises from the Efficiency of God, who is a most pure Act, and is Omnipotency itself: is there anything too hard for the Lord? Gen. 18.14. Job knew that God could do everything, Job 42.2. All things (but Lying, Dying, and denying himself ) are possible with God, Matth. 19.26. his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, Isa. 46.10. What God pleaseth to do (without all peradventure) he is able to do, as he is Omnipotent; yet may we not argue from his power to his will, but from his will to his power. Though God be Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent, yet is he not Omnivolent, he can do more than he will do: he can do whatsoever he pleaseth, yet he is not pleased to do whatsoever he can. God by his Absolute power is able to do all things that are possible, though he never do them; he can by this unlimited power make a World, and unmake it again in a moment; he can of stones raise up Children to Abraham, Matth. 3.9. &c. but by his actual and ordinate power, he doth that only which he willeth to do; whatsoever he willeth, that he doth, both in Heaven and Earth, Psal. 115.3. & 135.6. This power God hath limited by his own will & wisdom, and having freely limited himself according to his own Decree of Secret will, and according to his word or revealed will, he changeth not, because he is unchangeable, Jam. 1.17. Some things God can and will not, as Matth. 3.9. & 26.53. Rom. 9.18. &c. And some things God neither will nor can, to wit, such as contradict his Essence, and import Impotency: 'tis safer to say such things cannot be done, than that God cannot do them; but whatsoever he willeth, that he without impediment effecteth, as he did the Creation of the world out of nothing. Why therefore should it be thought a thing incredible, either that God should raise the dead to life, Act. 26.8. or that God should make world of nothing? 'It is a received rule, [Quicquid est in Deo, est Deus] whatsoever is in God, is God; and so is that [Esse, posse, & operari, non distinguuntur in Deo] God's Ess • nce, Omnipotency, and Efficiency, are not to be distinguished in God, save only as to our capacity. Divine Essence being Almighty, and a most pure act, doth necessarily infer a Divine Efficiency, which made the world (of) nothing, the word (of) signifying not any Matter, but only Order.

Creation was in Matter, but not of Matter; not of Matter praeexisting before, but of Matter coexisting in the act of Creation. The first Matter (God made out of nothing) was that Rudis indigestáque Moles, called the confused Chaos; a rude Draught, and an undigested lump at the first, as the Matter of all things that were afterwards to be Created. This first Matter was all things in power, yet nothing in act; this was the common stock out of which the following days works were deduced, having its Original from God alone, without any concurring power, or foregoing Matter, as the word [ God created ] noteth. Whatever is, or existeth besides God, must proceed from God, who is the Original of all. All Creatures were in God before the Creation, as effects are in the cause, as the Rose before the Summer (when it is neither spread nor sprung) is in the Root: the Idea of all was in his understanding and will. Thus David saith, Thine Eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect, and in thy books all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them, Psal. 139.15, 16. God had all the Names and Number of every part of the Creation (as it were) writ down in his Common-place-book, like a curious workman that works all by the book, and by a Model set before him; he draws first a rude Draught, then polisheth and perfecteth all.

The Third Enquiry is, What is the Form of the Creation? Answ. God having made this rude Mass or first Matter of nothing by his Almighty Creating power, in process of time, and by degrees, this Tohu Vabohu, or Material Mass without form and void hitherto, the Lord gave every part a proper and particular Form and perfection both in the higher and lower world, beautifying Heaven with two great Lights, and bespangling it with a numberless number of Stars, so it became a stately Star-chamber for glorious Angels and glorified Saints to dwell in; though that stupendous Arch-work of Heaven be not born up by props and pillars, yet falls not upon our heads to the earth; and clothing the earth with grass, garnishing it with Flowers, and furnishing it with Fruits. This is called Creation-Mediate, because her Matter praeexisted, as Plants and Animals were Created out of the earth, and out of the waters, Gen. 1.20, 24, 25. but the production of that Matter out of which they were Created, is called Creation-Immediate, as it was made of nothing simply: yet inasmuch as this Matter was a subject that had no Hability (in itself) to produce anything, the earth (a dead lump) had no power (of itself) to produce Plants or living Creatures, no more than the Rock in the Wilderness had power to produce Water, Exod. 17.6. Hence God's producing all sorts of Creatures out of the first Matter, is called Creatio Mediata, as God's making the first Matter out of nothing is called Creatio Immediata. These two are called the primary and secondary Creation.

The form of the Creation is twofold. (1.) That which is common to all Created things, was the Existency of all things (which Existed not before) that God gave to them in one moment by his Almighty Word, and All-working command; yea, a most perfect Existency, all his Creatures were very good. Dei dicere, est efficere; God spake the Word and it was done; so that Creation was no Motion, but a simple and bare Emanation, which is, when without any Repugnancy of the Patient, or toilsome labor of the Agent, the work doth freely flow from the action of the Working Cause, as the shadow doth from the Body. This wonderful work of the great World, (made by God's Irresistible Word) is the shadow and obscure Representation of his unsearchable Wisdom, Power, and Goodness. (2.) That which is proper and peculiar; To each Creature (both Celestial and Terrestrial ) God gave a distinct and differing Form, making the Stars above, and all things below, to differ (in their kind) one from another. This Formation of all things in differing Species out of the first Matter, without either Successive Motion, preceding Mutation, or gradual Alteration, no Created Being could possibly effect: but God the Father (alone) by his Eternal Word and Spirit, made all out of the first Matter, and gave to all their several Form, which was not in the first Matter, but was Created out of nothing: perfection was the Form and Beauty of the World, and of every Creature in the World. All the works of God are perfect works, Deut. 32.4. Nothing could have been made more perfect essentially, though God could have made some things better (than he made them) accidentally, as he could have made Worms to be Angels, and he could have given more excellent endowments to every Creature, respecting the parts of the world; but in respect of the whole, the World was perfect both in respect of Degrees and Parts, Every days Work was good, Gen. 1.4, 10, 18, 21, 25. in respect of the parts severally; but when the whole is spoke of all together, 'tis said, They were (all) very good, v. 31.

The Fourth Enquiry is, What was the Final Cause or End of it? Answ. The End of the Creation is twofold. (1.) The Supreme End. (2.) The Subordinate. The first is, the Manifestation of God's Glory; the second is, the Instruction and Comfort of Man, God's Master-piece.

1. Of the first. God (who is the most pure Act, as before) may be considered under a twofold Act. 1. Internal. 2. External. (1.) The Internal, or inward Act, was not only his actual enjoying of himself, and solacing himself (in himself) from all Eternity: (thus God was happy in himself, and was an Heaven to himself, and needed no Created thing to make him more happy; he was God blessed forever, without and before the Creation) but also his Decree, which was one eternal voluntary constant Act of God, absolutely determining the Infallible future Being of whatsoever is beside himself, unto the praise of his own glory. Eternity is an Everlasting Now. whatever God thinketh or willeth, he always thought and willed, and always doth and will, both think and will: there can no more be a new thought or a new purpose in God, than there can be a new God. God's thinking or determining, is God himself: whatever is in God, is God, as before. God decreed the Futurition of the Creatures freely, not from any necessity of Nature, but only from his mere good pleasure, Psal. 115.3. Isa. 49.3. Dan. 4.25. Eph. 1.11. &c. God had no need of the things decreed, had he so pleased, they had never been, but continued forever in their Nothing-state; yet God might have been without them, and happy without them, though they had never been, he being Eternal, All-blessed, All-glorious light, life and love all in himself. This Divine Decree gave not only a possibility that all Creatures may be, but also a futurition or certainty that they all shall be, they shall have an Existence, an actual being in time, according to God's determination before time.

(2.) The External or outward act of God, is his Efficiency, or working, all that he decreed according to his Decree. God's Decree was the great design of future Action, and God's Efficiency is the execution of that design: those two answer each other, as the pattern and Tabernacle, Exod. 25.40. and as the pattern and Temple, 1 Chron. 28.12. As the actual framing of David's Body answered the Idea or Platform thereof drawn in God's Book, Psal. 139.16. Not unlike to the Letters printed upon the Paper, which do answer the Printing Type. The Divine Efficiency doth answer to an hairs-breadth the Divine Decree, both in Creation and Providence: God's Decree is the standing Rule of his Efficiency.

Those exact slingers, Judge. 20.16. could not hit the mark so well, as God doth by his External Efficiency his own Internal and Eternal Decree. There is no variation of the Compass in this case at all. The supreme end hereof is the manifestation of his own glory, more particularly of his wisdom, power, and goodness, Psal. 8.1. & 19.1. & 103. last, & 104.31. & 145.10 & 148.5. Prov. 16.4. Isa. 43.21. Rom. 11.36. Revel. 4.10, 11. & 5.13. 'It is true, God had a complacency in the work of his hands, when he saw it was all [Tob Meod] superlatively good, Gen. 1.31. The Lord rejoiced in his works, Psal. 104.31. It did God good (a • it were) to see all good, and very good. It was a delight to him: but God saw this long before, even from Eternity. Non datur prius & posterius in Deo. The phrase imports, God would have Man to see the wisdom, power, and goodness of God in all, which he thus commends to our consideration, a curious and glorious frame, full of admirable skill and variety.

2. The Subordinate or Subalternate End is for Mans Instruction and comfort. (1.) For Mans Instruction. Hereby Man learns that there is a God, Isa. 40.26. Rom. 1.20. there is a [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] something knowable to Natural Reason concerning a Deity: the World could not make itself, neither could it be made by Chance, or by a Concussion of Atoms, &c. The print and Character of the God of Heaven, is legible upon every pile of grass growing on earth. Praesentem Monstrat quaelibet Herba Deum. Ovid. Let no man say he is not Book-learnt, for everyone may read the Book of Nature, (though he cannot read the Book of Scripture ) and learn thence the knowledge of God the Creator, (though not God the Redeemer ) and so abhor Atheism, Ignorance and Idolatry. Cursed be that God which made not Heaven and Earth, Jerem. 10.11. This verse (spoken at Babylon, and therefore writ in the Chaldee Tongue, whereas all the rest of the Prophesy is set down in the Hebrew ) was given to God's people to make use of (when the Babylonians solicited them during their Captivity to worship their Idols) in the Babylonian Language, as a detestation of their Babel Idols, saying to them, Cursed be your God's, for they made neither Heaven nor Earth. The same we may say, of all the Idols both of Pagans and of Papagans. (2.) For Mans Comfort: the Maker of Heaven and Earth may be hoped in for help above all Mortal Princes, for he is a King Immortal, and he is the all-powerful Creator, and therefore can help without a peradventure, Psal. 146.3, 4, 5, 6. Let Israel rejoice in him that made him, and new made him too, Psal. 149.2. or Hebr. in his Makers, implying the Trinity of persons (concurring both in Creation and Re-Creation, or Regeneration ) which while Olymphus (the Arian Bishop) denied, he was struck dead with three Thunder-bolts in a Bath. How ought we to hang our Hope upon this great Creator, that did hang the (heavy) Earth upon nothing! Job 26.7. and yet it remains for almost six thousand years unmovable; he commanded, and it stood fast, Psal. 33.9. The whole Order of Nature remaineth, as he first set it firm, fast, and immovable, though it hang on nothing but upon God's precept: how much more ought we to be steadfast, immovable, 1 Cor. 15.58. having the sure word of God's promise to hang upon? 2 Pet. 1.19. The Devil and his Imps would overturn the comely Order of Nature; they would (as it were) mingle Heaven and Earth together, and so soon mar all; but God confounds the Counsels, and disappoints the Attempts of those tumultuating trouble-States, and maugre their malice, he preserveth Polities, Laws, Judgment and Equity, without which Human Societies could not long subsist: God hath decreed to maintain Civil Government amongst Men, to relieve the oppressed, to punish the wicked, to uphold his Church (which hath so few friends on earth, and so many Enemies both there and in Hell) in despite of all. This Decree of God (not only for her preservation in the world, but also for her Exaltation above the world ) stands firm and inviolable as a Mountain of Brass, Zech. 6.1. This shall bring her highest Adversaries into the lowest place, even to that place which is fittest for them, to be the footstool of Christ. The Churches help is from the Lord that made Heaven and Earth, Psal. 121.2. and he will rather unmake both again, than his people shall want seasonable help; her help is in the Name of the Lord, who hath made Heaven and Earth, Psal. 124.8. God's power is the prop of her Faith, and pricks her on to Prayer; therefore we may commit ourselves to him as to a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4.19. a God of infinite might and mercy: The Lord that made Heaven and Earth (and therefore hath the blessings both of his Throne and of his footstool in his own hand) will bestow his blessing both on and out of Zion, Psal. 134.3. God hath hitherto been our Eben Ezer.

The famous particular Remarks of the Wisdom, Power, and goodness of God in the Creation, (written as with a bright Sun-beam upon a Crystal-wall, for our more particular instruction) doth here follow.

(1st.) The unchangeable Wisdom of God is made manifest, (1.) in the exact correspondency betwixt God's Eternal Decree and his Temporal Creation, which was the execution of it, as before. He is esteemed a foolish Builder or Workman, who draws a better Mould in his mind, and erects a worse with his hand: but this Divine Artificer doth most dextrously accomplish by his wisdom in time, what he had most wisely designed before time, even from all Eternity: (2.) In the Curiosity of every Created thing; there was both the heighth and depth of Divine Wisdom in every Creature: hence David crieth, In wisdom hast thou made them all, Psal. 104.24. Every part of the Creation was performed in the perfection of Wisdom. If God hath given man such wisdom as to contrive so many curious Engines and Artificial Instruments for measuring time, (almost to a perpetual Motion) and Lands, (almost the whole Earth) for all sublunary services; how much more of wisdom hath the God of Wisdom, (who is wisdom in the Abstract, wisdom itself) that instructs man in all his Arts, Isa. 28.26. even in that plainnest of Husbandry, and is called [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Hebr. 11.10. which signifies the most Exquisite and Artificial Artist. The lending power must needs be a more exact Artificer than the borrowing power: man borrows all his power from God, and all his Art and skill from him; therefore must God needs be a most skillful Operator, infinitely transcending the most sublime contrivances of men: every Creature may say with David [I am curiously made] Psal. 139.15. The choicest and completest accomplishments of men, serve only to commend the wisdom of God, who is the Author and Giver thereof. When Obstructions are in Mans most curious Master-pieces, they most usually must be taken in pieces before the obstructions can be removed; but how many obstructions (of Liver, Spleen, Reins, Bladder, &c.) are removed in Man, (God's Master-piece) without taking his work in pieces! Man can imitate the form and fashion of all God's Creatures, but he cannot the Life and Motion of them. How did God put Job to a Non-plus, with the Great Folio's of the Creation, such as Leviathan the Whale or Sea-Monster, and Behemoth the Elephant or Land-Monster, Job Ch. 40, 41. yea and the Decimo Sexto's, or little Volumes of the Creation, hath been matter of amazement to the Naturalists; they have stood astonished to consider the Ant, the Be, &c. that Life, Motion, and so much Ingenuity should be couped up in so narrow a compass, in so little a Corpusculum.

Pliny wondered at the Gnat, that so small a Creature should make so great a Buzzing, and that her Nose should have a double faculty, being both ( acuminosum & fistulosum, as his phrase is) so sharp to pierce the Skin, yet so Spungy as to suck the Blood. Oh how many curious Contrivances there be on earth below; to say nothing of Rational Creatures, (each of differing voice and face ) and no more of Sensitive, (as Beasts, Birds, and Fishes) what a curious piece of Divine work is that vegetative life of Plants, to which every Spring-time is a new Resurrection! who can truly understand the Ascending and Descending of the Sap in them in its several seasons? wh • can thoroughly admire the Beauty and Bravery of many Flowers, especially that of the Tulip, (called the Lily) whereof Christ saith, Solomon in all his glory was not array'd like one of them, Matth. 6.29. Much more curiosity is there in Heaven above, as the several Motion of the Orbs, the increase and decrease of the Moon, the Eclipse of it, and of the Sun, which maketh all the world stand at a gaze and amazed; the glorious Canopy over our Heads so bespangled with glittering Stars of seven several magnitudes. How can we but conceive, if the outside and under-ceiling of Heaven, (that Star-chamber) be so beautiful, the inside (where God, Christ, Glorious Angels, and Glorified Saints dwell) must needs be more Desirable, Glorious, and Beatifical. (3.) Divine Wisdom shines forth most splendidly in the variety of Creatures: David cries also, How manifold are thy works! Psal. 104.24. he could not recount or reckon them, but was plainly swallowed up with wonderment at them: who can but wonder at the wisdom of God in Creating so many Stars to shine in the Heavens, One star differing from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15.41. So many Fowls to fly in the Air, so many Fishes to swim in the Sea, so many Beasts to walk on the Earth, and all differing in kind & form one from another, v. 39, 40. Variety of works, so they be curious as well as various, doth much commend the skill & dexterity of the Workman. 4. The Wisdom of God shines forth in the Magnitude (as well as Multitude ) of Creatures both above and below. (l.) Above. Of what a vast circumference is the Circle of the Heavens, especially that of the highest Heaven! some do curiously calcutate it to be five hundred years Journey from Earth to Heaven; others say, if a stone should fall from the eighth Sphere, and should pass every hour an hundred Miles, it would be sixty five years more before it came to the ground. The several Orbs of that Celestial Fabric (stretched forth and spread round about the lower world like great Curtains, Psal. 104.2. and Isa. 40.22. yet not one hole worn in them for above five thousand years, all covering one another like the several pills or parts of an Onion. Of what a vast bigness are those Stars of the first Magnitude? Insomuch that some have conceived, a several World may be contained in each of these Stars, besides the Sun and the Moon, (called the two great Luminaries or Lights, Gen. 1.16.) are easily demonstratred to be vast Bodies; the former much greater, and the latter not much less than the whole Globe of the Earth. (2.) Below on Earth is Behemoth, that Beast of Beasts, so big, that (as the Hebr. Foemin. plural signifies) he seemeth to have many Beasts in his Belly, and as if he were made up of many Beasts, Job 40.15. and for his hugeness and bulky Body, he is called the chiefest of the ways of God, v. 19. God's Master-piece among all Beasts, Those mighty Mountains (not cast up by the flood, nor by the Subterraneal Spirits, as Ants and Moles cast up their Hillocks a little above the Surface of the Earth, as some say, but brought forth by the great God at the Creation, Psal. 90.2.) do bring forth food, yea food enough to this Bulky Beast, v. 20. No Engine (except Faith) can remove a Mountain out of its place, Matth. 17.20. & 21.21. 2. In the Sea is Leviathan, that great Sea-Monster, that moving or floating Island, some of such bigness, as to cover four Acres of Ground, and of so wide a Mouth, as to swallow up a whole Ship, as Pliny writeth: Divine Wisdom is much seen in making the Whale so complete in all its parts, which all have their several uses, and, all which are noted and numbered, Job 41.2, 7, 12. to 2 • . Upon Earth there is not his like, v. 33. he is far beyond the Elephant both for Strength and Magnitude, &c.

(2ly.) The Infinite power of God is made manifest in the Creation, as well as his unsearchable wisdom: As (1.) That God should Create all things out of nothing, whereas the Rule of Reason is, Ex nihilo nil fit, nothing is made of nothing: This Rule holds good in Generation, and in the Secondary (not in the primary ) Creation. (2.) That all things should be made out of nothing, in a most marvelous and magnificent manner, everything in its proper beauty, peculiar property, and unutterable neatness and perfection; all things at their full stature and maturity, as the word [Bara] signifies. (3.) That all this should be done by a bare Dixit, He spake the word and the work was done; Verbum Dei est factivum, there was a potent efficacy went along with the Word for the existency of all things: where the Word of this (great) King is, there is power, Eccles. 8.4. & Matth. 8.9. It was as easy a work for Almighty God to make a World, as to speak a word, and to say, Let a World be made. (4.) That the World should be made without either Tool or Toil. The Heathen Atheists of old used to scoff at the Doctrine of Creation, asking Quibus Machinis, &c. with what Ladders and Scaffolds did your Jehovah erect the High Roof of the Heavens? what Engines and Instruments had he to lay the Foundation of the Earth? Alas, they were ignorant of the Scriptures, and of the power of God, Matth. 22.29. God made all things, Solo m • tu & Mandato suo, by the Word of his power or his powerful will, Heb. 1.3. no other Tool was needful, but the Breath of his mouth, Psal. 33.6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ipse Dixit, was enough: He commanded and they were Created, Psal. 148.5. God's Fiat effected all; his Will was his Word, and his Word was his Deed, without any Tool, and without any Toil too. The Creator was not weary, nor tired with his work, Isa. 40.26, 28. (5.) As without Instrument, so without Assistant; God had neither Men nor Angels to be Coadjutors in the Creation. 1. Not Men. God saith to Job, Where wast thou when I laid the Foundation of the Earth; Job 38.4, 5. Alas, Man was then a mere Non-Ens? he was nowhere at that time; he was neither Counselor to it, nor Companion in it, no nor so much as a looker on in this mighty work. 2. Nor Angels. God Created all, this excludes Angels, God was alone and by himself in making the world, Isa. 44.24. that is, without the help of any person or thing: and lest Man should imagine otherwise, the Creation of Angels is not so much as mentioned by Moses, unless it be tacitly in those words, [the Heaven and the Earth ] which the Apostle explaineth, [the world and all things that are therein] Act. 17.24. Things visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones or Dominions, &c. Col. 1.16. which are called [The Angels of Heaven] Matth. 24.36 Gal. 1.8. because (probably) they were Created with, and in the Highest Heaven. No mention is made of God's Creating the Air, no more than of Angels, for both are Invisible: only visible things are upon Record by Moses.

(6.) That God made all things in one moment by his Almighty Mandate, without either Motion or Mutation of himself, or any succession of time in the first act of Creating the Heavens and the Earth: he was not Tyred or Toiled in bringing one part of his work after another, as Man is, but immediately upon his mere Mandamus, the word and breath (or Spirit) of his mouth, instantly made all things by the greatness of his might: for he is strong in power, to muster up his Host in a moment, Isa. 40.26, 28.

(7.) Another Beam of Almighty power was this, that God Created the Grass, Herbs, and Trees, before the Sun and Stars, which in the course of Nature have the force of Causes in their production, Gen. 1.11, 12, 14, 15. that it might not be attributed to the power of second Causes, (either Heavens Influence, or Mans Culture ) but all to God only.

3ly. The Immense goodness of God is manifestly seen in the Creation. (1.) Because God was all-sufficient in and to himself, from Eternity to Eternity; he was altogether happy of himself, ever solacing himself in himself, and never wanting anything to make him more happy: yet would he have other things to be beside himself, that he might communicate his goodness to them, Act. 17.24, 25, 26. God is self-blessed, and needs neither us nor ours, Psal. 50.8, 9, 10. &c. Yet he made the World out of his own free-will and good pleasure, not from any constraint or natural necessity. 'It is a Moral Maxim, Omne bonum est sui Diffusivum, All good is of a Communicating Nature. God (who is Summum bonum, the chiefest good) doth diffuse his goodness to the Creature in the work of Creation, calling all that he had made good and very good. Ens unum, verum & bonum Convertuntur: that goodness which was one in God, was communicated diversely to the Creatures, they were all partakers of God's goodness, yet in a differing degree, for all were not capable of the like goodness; all were made after a perfect manner, according to their kind. God gave to some Creatures Being, to others Sense, and to others Reason: to some he gave such a Matter and such a Form, and to others another, 1 Cor. 15.39. (2.) Because God made Houses before Inhabitants, Pastures before Cattle, and all things [ad esum & ad usum, pro Victu & Amictu] for Mans Maintainance and comfort, before Man was made; 'twas God's goodness that Meat should be before Mouths, and that Man when he was made was not brought into an empty house; the world was well replenished with all its excellent Accoutrements when Man was brought into it. (3.) God's goodness was most splendid in this also, because the things for man's Accommodation, were not few, but many: God (the great Provider and Purveyour for Man) gave him plenty and variety of Creature-comforts: Dr. Hall hath an excellent Notion upon this, saying, Stars and Spirits (the Inhabitants of Heaven) are like one another: but Meteors and Fowls are in as many varieties, as there are several Creatures: why? is it because Man, for whose sake they were made, delights in variety, God in Constancy and Unity? or is it because that in these God may show his skill and their imperfection? To this I add, God knows that Mans Nature [Novitatis avida] being desirous of Novelties, will soon nauseate upon any one enjoyment. If Man be bound up a while to Angels food only, as Israel was in the wilderness to Manna, a loathing soon followed: hence God out of his goodness to Man, hath adorned the field of the world with various flowers, that when Man (as the Be) is wearied out with sucking out of one flower, he may fly to another. 1. There is variety of food for Man out of God's three Store-houses; Fowls of the Air, Fishes of the Sea, and Beasts of the Field. 2. Of Raiment, as Wool, Flax, Silk, Leather, &c. that when tired with one, another may be fresh and pleasing to his shallow capacity.

CHAP. II. The History and Mystery of the Creation of MAN in particular.

THE Wisdom, Power, and Goodness of God, shone forth most gloriously in the Order of the Creation, first in Creating all things for Man, and then in Creating, Man for himself, that Man might then make most Heavenly Contemplations on all, and take most holy Consolations in all that God hath made for him; and all very good for this end.

The Beautiful Order of the Creation is contained in six Verses.

• 1. Terra & Abyssus Aquae, lux primâ luce Creavit.
• 2. Coelum, atque Undarum Divisio facta secundâ.
• 3. Tertia secrevit terram & Mare protulit herbas.
• 4. Quarta dedit Nitido Stellarum Sydera Olympo.
• 5. Quinta tulit pisces in Aquis, Coelique Volucres.
• 6. Sexta feras, Hominesque Dei sub Imagine fecit.
• 7. Septenâ tandem Deus hausit luce Quietem.

In plain English thus: On the First day, after the Immediate Creation of the Highest Heaven, (together with the Holy Angels in it) and of that Deformed Mass (called the Chaos) the purest part of that Mass being extracted upward, the Light was Created, that is, the shining fire, the Highest Element, Gen. 1.3, 4, 5. On the Second day, out of that part of the Mass which came next to the former in purity and subtlety, was made the Air or next Element, called the Firmament and Heaven, that is, the whole Region of the Air, even all that is to be seen above the Earth and under the Moon, (so 'tis said the Clouds of Heaven, Psal. 147.8. Matth. 24.30. or the Fowls of Heaven, Gen. 1.30. Psal. 79.2.) Gen. 1.6.7, 8. On the Third day the more gross parts of that Mass were so distributed to their distinct and proper places, that the waters being gathered into their Channels and Receptacles, made the Ocean or Sea; and then the dry land appeared, and was adorned with Herbs and Trees. Those were the two other Elements, Gen. 1.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. On the Fourth day were made those Lights of Heaven, into which, as into certain Vessels, God (as it were) gathered the light, which before was dispersed in the upper Horizon, and did incorporate it in those Superior Bodies, to give Light to the Inferior World, v. 14, 15, 16, to 19. On the Fifth day were made the Fowls and Fishes, those Inhabitants of the Air and Water, (together with the Amphibia ) as Crocodiles, Sea-horses, &c. and the first blessing of Generation was pronounced upon them, v. 20, 21, 22, 23. On the Sixth day God Created the Beasts and all Creeping things: of the clean sort of Beasts there were Seven Created of every kind, three couple for Breed, and the odd one for Adams Sacrifice, upon his Fall which God foresaw: and then he made Man after the Beasts, &c. Thus the Heavens and the Earth, and all the Host of them were perfected Gen. 2.1. And on the Seventh day God rests from his Creating Work, Job. 5.17. ordaining that day as a standing Memorial of his Mercy. God in the Creation observed this excellent Order; in simple Bodies (as to the Universe) he proceeded from the imperfect to the perfect, as the Elements (of a simple nature) were first Created, and then the things made of those Elements, the things without life, before things with life; and of things with life, he made those of a Vegetative life, as Plants, and those of a Sensitive life, as Beasts, and afterwards Man with a Rational life, as most perfect of them all: but in particular Compound Bodies, he proceeded from the more perfect, to the more imperfect, as he first made the Trees, and then the Seed, first the Man, and then the Woman, both more imperfect. As Man was the last, so he was the best of the Creation; hence Man was made after another manner than all other Creatures: for they were all made by the single word of God, but when Man comes to be made, God calls a Council, saying, Let us make Man, Gen. 1.26. not as in the other, Let there be Light, and let there be a firmament, &c. but here God the Father (as it were) consults with God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, concerning the making of Man, as a work of great weight, and a matter of great moment; his very body, (which was but the Sheath or Case of the Soul) was curiously framed of Elementary Matter, wherein there are so many Miracles from head to foot, as would fill a whole Volume. Galen (an Heathen) could not read Anatomy-Lectures upon the parts of Man's Body, especially the fashion of the Hand framed in all its parts for handling work, but he acknowledged Digitus Dei, the singer of God, and sang an Hymn to the Creator. As Man was the last of all, so he was the Epitome of all, partaking of all the whole Creation, in respect of his Soul and Body.

The Soul is an Abridgment of the Invisible World, and the Body of the Visible: Hence Man is called by the Hebrews [ Gnolam Hakaton ] and by the Greeks [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] both which do signify the little World: The Soul is set and seated in the Body, as a little God in this little world, as Jehovah is a great God in the great world: for God made Man in his own likeness, as like him as might be, and to come as near him in resemblance as was possible: The Idea or Exemplar of the great world, which was in God from all Eternity, was (as it were) briefly and summarily expressed and comprised by God in Man, as he was the little World.

The very Heathen Philosophers had some Notions of this; as 1. Favorinus, who said, the greatest thing in the world is Man, and the greatest thing in Man is the Soul. And 2, Proclus could say, The Mind that is in Man, is the Image of the first Mind, to wit, the Image of God: As God is a Spirit, Job. 4.24. in the Glorious Trinity: so the Soul is a Spirit Indivisible, Immaterial, Immortal, distinguished into three powers or faculties, Understanding, Will, and Memory, which all make up one Spirit or Soul, which is a resemblance of the Holy Trinity. The Body (which is the sheath and shell of the Soul ) is not only a composition of all the Four Elements, ( Fire, Air, Water, and Earth ) but also the Compendium of all Created things, as partaking of a Being with Stones, of Life with Plants, of Sense with Beasts, and of Understanding with Angels, when the Soul is united to it. See more of this in my Christian Walk, pag. 2, 3. Though the Body of man (in respect of the Soul ) be but as a Clay-wall that encompasseth a Treasure, a wooden Box that containeth a Jewel, and a coarse Canvas-case that covereth a most curious Instrument; yet (in it selt) it is Opus Phrygionicum, a Phrygian or Arras-work, 'tis a piece of curious Tapestry, Embroidered with Nerves, Veins, Arteries, and variety of Limbs, sustained with Bones, and covered over with Flesh and Skin, Psal. 139.15, 16. 'Twas a wonderful work, as may be easily demonstrated.

(1rst.) A Temple is the best of Buildings, and the Body of Man is called the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 6.19. Oh what a glorious and goodly structure was that Temple of stone which Solomon built not for Man, but for God, 1 Chron. 29.1. 'twas one of the great wonders of the World. So God made the Body of Man a Temple of Flesh for himself to dwell in; the Spirit or Soul) of man dwells in the Body, as in its House or Temple, Dan, 7.15. [Hebr. Ruchi bego Nidneb.] My Spirit in the midst of my Body: Nadan Translated there [the body] signifies a sheath, and so the same word is used, 1 Chron. 21.27. Put up thy Sword into its sheath, intimating, that the Soul is in the midst of the Body, as the Sword is in the midst of the sheath: now the more excellent that the Sword is, the richer sheath it requires; the Soul is a Sword of excellent Metal and Temper, so requires an excellent Scabbard. Oh then what an excellent House must that needs be, which is inhabited by such an excellent Tenant as an Immortal Soul or Spirit of Man! Neither is this all, but also the Spirit of God dwells in it: Hence 'tis called the Temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.19. Surely that must needs yet more be an excellent House, which the Spirit of Holiness designeth to dwell in, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. The Spirit of God is [ Res delicata ] a great thing, a good thing, and a delicate thing, Psal. 143.10. it necessarily follows then, that the Body must be a stately structure, which is thus Templify'd by the Holy Ghost: as is the man (poor or rich) so is his House; a mighty Prince lives not in a mean Cottage.

(2ly.) Some of the Antient Fathers were of an opinion, that Christ made man's Body with his own hands, according to the form and fashion of that Body which himself would afterwards take up and suffer in, that was full of glory, Job. 1.14. Whether this conceit hold or no, I know not; however, this I am sure will hold, That the Son of God did assume the Body of Man in one person to his Godhead, which was a Dignity the Angelical Nature was not dignifyed w • thal, for verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, Hebr. 2.16. and after the making of Man, he left nothing unmade but to mak • himself Man: and the excellency of the very ruins of this Temple, to wit, of fallen Man, doth plainly show, what a curious piece of work man's Body was in the state of Innocency: for since the Fall. Moses was exceeding fair, Act. 7.20. Samson was exceeding strong, Judge. 14, & 15, & 16. David exceeding lovely, 1 Sam. 16.12. Asahel exceeding 〈◊〉 even swift as a Roe, so as to outrun an Horse, 2 Sam. 2.17. and Absalom was so exceeding beautiful, that there was not a blemish found in him from top to toe, 2 Sam. 14.25. All those Excellencies (undoubtedly forfeited by the Fall) being joined together in one Body, oh what an excellent rare body would they make! and such a choice Composition was Mans Body in the state of Innocency. As one finding the length of Hercules foot, gathered from it the proportion of his whole Body; so may we gather from those very Relicks found in fallen Man, what a goodly thing the body of Man had been before the fall: 'twas the Master-piece of God's handy-work; Sun, Moon and Stars were but the works of God's fingers, Psal. 8.3. but Mans Body was the work of God's hands, Psal. 139.14. Job 10.8. God (as it were) took most special pains, and laid out his choicest skill in fashioning of Mans Body in the Inner Chambers of the Earth, Eph. 4.9. like curious workmen, when they have some choice piece in hand, they perfect it in private, and then bring if forth to public view. Oh, what Divine Lectures may be read upon all the External and Internal parts and members of Mans Body, and what Seraphic raptures may seize upon the Soul in a serious Contemplation of God in them! As the great world is a whole bundle of wonderful works, so is this little world (the Epitome of the great) no less a little Volume of wonders, in respect of the body.

As (1.) That such an excellent piece of work should be made out of such sordid and base matter as dust or dirt: How doth that mean Original of the Body, serve to exalt the wisdom and power of the Creator, (as well as to humble proud man) who out of such indisposed Materials, made up such an excellent Fabric: Man (who is but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a common workman ) can make his work no better than the matter he works on) will afford: he always uses probable Materials, as Gold for Golden, and Silver for silver vessels, &c. but God (who is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hebr. 11.10. a skillful Artist ) can out of very stones raise up Children unto Abraham, Matth. 3.9. and can out of the basest Matter make up a most beautiful body, here's the true Philosophers stone.

(2ly.) That out of one Homogeneal matter, to wit, dust, (which is all of one kind in all its parts) such an Heterogeneal Edifice should be erected, as the Body of Man is, which consists of such strange variety, both of shape and substance, as the Similar and Dissimilar parts do, to wit, the tender skin, the soft flesh, the tough sinews, the strong bones, and all out of one material dust. Whereas when Man builds an House, he must have many Materials, as Stone, Timber, Iron, Lead, &c. to make up his House.

(3ly.) That this great work of God upon Mans Body should be Internal, as well as External work; when a Carver Engraves the Image and Pourtraiture of Man, his work is all External, all the Excellency of it is outward and obvious to the eye, he cannot make Internal Members; Deest Intus, said the Philosopher in Plutarch, there wants life, spirits, and blood within; no Anatomy Lecture can be read on the inside of any Image: but the greatest part of God's work in making Mans Body is Internal, to wit, in Brain, Heart, and Liver, wherein he hath placed the Animal, Natural, and Vital Spirits: the Animal Spirits are carried by the Nerves from the Brain, the Natural by the Arteries from the Heart, and the Vital by the Veins from the Liver. The Motion of the Watch-wheels of Mans life is out of sight, and within doors, and all wonderful.

(4ly.) That there should be such a Sympathy, Symmetry, and comely proportion in all the parts and members of the Body, everyone placed after the most commodious manner. The Eye is seated in the Head, as a spy on a Watch-tower; and the Smell is placed aloft and on the foreside, that it might not be offended with the stench of the Excrements proceeding from below, and on the backside. A thousand more such Remarks may be made of particular Members, which for brevity sake I omit; adding only, that the Bulk of Mans Body is the Model or pattern for all Buildings, whether of Ships or Houses; and from the parts and members of it, Men have learnt to make many useful Instruments, as Bellows from the Lungs, &c. Also all measures are borrowed from the Body, as Inch, Foot, Palm, and Cubit, &c. Yea, several of its Members God ascribes to himself, as Head, Heart, Eyes, Ears, Hands, and Feet, which must needs, much commend the Bodies Excellency, so much admired by the wisest of Heathens; insomuch that Galen gave Epicurus an hundred years wherein to study and contrive a more commodious Composition, or correct the place or fashion of any one part of it. This famous Physician (though an Heathen) very well observed how the Body of Man was made, Numero, Pondere, & Mensurâ, by Number, Weight, and Measure. God indeed made all things so, especially his Master-piece, who was [ Divini Ingenii Cura & Consilium ] made by mature Counsel and care of the whole Trinity; insomuch, that if all the Angels in Heaven had held a most serious Consult from their Creation to this day, they could not have cast Mans Body into a more curious Mould, or more exact frame, nor could they have found out a fairer form or Edition.

(5ly.) That the Body of Man before the Fall should have so much Beauty, Luster, Splendour? and Glory put upon it: no doubt, but when it came first out of God's Mint, it was a most curious silver piece, and shone most gloriously; hence Christ compares fallen Man to the lost groat, Luk. 15.8, 9. As no Metal is better than Silver, but Gold, so no Creature was better than Man, but Angels; Man was made but a little lower than Angels, Psal. 8.5. before he became to be besmeared with sin, his Body did (even while naked) undoubtedly glitter with a Divine glory, being clothed with a Royal Robe of Majesty, and having upon him the Imperial Crown, this gave Man Dominion over all Creatures, Gen. 1.26, 28. The Image and Superscription of God upon this Silver-piece did shine forth so splendidly, that it put an awful reverence upon all Creatures towards Man, who then had a most Beautiful Body, every way suitable to his Divine Soul: Hence the Fathers called Man (in the state of Innocency) The Cedar of Paradise, the Picture of Heaven, the glory of the Earth, the Ruler of the World, and God's own delight. The Glory and Beauty of Mans Body (which was made by a Counsel called, even the Master-piece of the works of God's Head and Hands) was no doubt (say Divines ) like the Body of the Sun in the firmament, Judge. 5, 31. and like the Body of Christ in his Transfiguration, when his Face shone as the Sun, Matth. 17.2. and well might it do so, for he is the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2. And that Derivative Glimpse of Divine Glory put upon Moses in the Mount, (which caused his face to shine, so as affrighted the people from beholding it, Exod. 34.29, 30.) may well mind us what a Primitive Beam of Beauty the Body of Man had before the Fall. God did not make Man in the likeness of the Goodliest Creatures, but in the similitude of God himself, and therefore he could not be without some Reflexive Rays of Royalty and Majesty, even from top to toe, when all his Members were Weapons of Righteousness unto God, Rom. 6.13. Such a dazzling Angelical glory had the Proto-Martyr Stephen put upon him, (as the Mediator Moses had before him so that his Face was as it had been the face of an Angel, Act. 6.15. As there was a Visible glory in the Body of the second Adam, Job. 1.14. They saw his glory, exceeding all the glories of the Sons of Men, and becoming him who was the Son of God: so (without all peradventure) there was a visible glory in the Body of the first Adam, (though inferior to that of the second, because of his Hypostatical union, Col. 2.9.) seeing he is called also the Son of God, Luk. 3.38. Having no Father (as Christ had none) but God himself: The Image of God was fixed upon Adams Body (as well as upon his Soul ) whereby all the Beasts of the Field all the Fowls of the Air, and all the Fishes in the Sea became subject to him, and to that glory he was invested with, Psal. 8.5, 6, 7, 8. and therefore as a sign of his Sovereignty, and of their subjection, they are all brought to him to receive their Names, (according to their Natures ) from him as from their Lord and Master, Gen. 2.19.

(6ly.) That the Body of Man should be made (in some sense) Immortal. The state of Innocency had this kind of Immortality, It was not impossible for Adam to die, and it was possible for him not to die. A thing is said to be Immortal in four senses. 1. Essentially, Thus God is only Immortal. 2. Ex dono Creationis, by the power of the Creation, as the Angels and the Souls of Men. 3. Ex Hypothesi, upon condition only, as Adams Body had been Immortal, if he had stood in his Innocency: This Innocency would have embalm'd his living Body, better than all the Spices of Egypt could embalm a dead one: Manna (that was of itself Corruptible, Exod. 16.20, 21.) lasted long, and kept sweet many hundred years, when laid up according to God's Command in the golden pot, v. 33. Hebr. 9.4. Obedience to God did not only save it sweet on the Sabbath day, but for some Centuries after: as their garments lasted forty years, Deut. 29.5. so man's Body might have lasted a thousand years in the way of Obedience, yea and have never died. Some say, that the Tree of life was to be his constant food, which should not only be a Symbol of life, but also a Supporter of it in an Immortal (so far as innocent ) state: that Tree would have so preserved his Radical Moisture, and Natural Heat in an equal temper (as well as in a lasting supply) that Adams Body should never have had either wrinkle or Hoary Hairs, but he should have lived in youthful vigor, and in a happy vivacity for a thousand years upon earth, and then without either anguish or sickness, or pains of Death, have been translated from Earth to Heaven: the Relics of this Natural Immortality made Adam live 930 years, and Methuselah 960. However, this is certain, that the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. The body of Man without sin could not have turned into Corruption. Death entered into the world by sin, Rom. 5.12. before he had sinned, there was [ Temperamentum ad pondus ] such an equal Temperature of Qualities, and the humors in him had such an happy harmony, that they could neither breed Distempers, nor bring Death: but as soon as he had eaten forbidden fruit, he came down to a condition of Mortality, Gen. 2.17. Adam died not that day, but lived 930 years after; yet then and thereby was his Body made liable to such Diseases and dangers, as might deliver him up to Death. 4. Something is said to be Immortal, Ex dono novae Creationis, by the power of the Resurrection. So the Bodies of the Saints raised up by the power of God, are thereby preserved in mansions of glory for evermore. The Body which is at Death sown in Corruption, shall be raised in Incorruption, 1 Corinth. 15.42. it is sown in Dishonor, it shall be raised in Glory, v. 43. having the glory of the Soul transparent in it; as we see the color of the wine in the glass, so the glory of the Soul shall be seen in the Body, and this glory shall be a Corporeal glory, according to the Maxim, Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis, non recepti: Every thing received, is in the thing receiving, (or receiver) according to the nature of the thing receiving, and not of the thing received. Thus the body being a Corporeal thing, receiveth glory from the Soul, after a Corporeal manner: yea the body itself shall be made a glorified body, it shall be conformed to the glorified body of Christ, as to the standard, Phil. 3.21. the Terrestrial body shall (at the Resurrection) be made a Celestial, 1 Cor. 15.40. or a Spiritual body, v. 44. it shall be more like a Spirit than a Body. So Diaphanous and transparent (saith Aquinas ) that all the Veins, Nerves, Humors, and Bowels, shall be discerned through the Body, as wine is through a glass: the Soul shall shine through the Body, as the Candle through the Lantern; and it shall then be so full of agility and nimbleness, (far beyond that of Asahel, 2 Sam. 2.17.) that Luther saith, the Body shall move up and down like a thought; and Austin saith, The Body shall then move to any place it will, and as soon as it will: And Zanchi gives this Illustrating Example; As an Egg before it be hatched is an heavy body, and full of slimy Matter that sinketh downward; but when it becometh a Bird, and filled with life and spirits, then it flieth nimbly into the Firmament: So the Body, being dull and heavy now, yet when hatched by the Resurrection, • nd filled by the Spirit of God, it shall then be agile and nimble; and thereupon the Apostle saith, We shall be taken up to meet Christ in the air, 1 Thes. 4.17. the Body shall be so pure and Spiritual, as to be able to mount up into the Heavens. And as the Body shall then be a Transparent, Celestial, Glorious and Spiritual, so it shall be an Incorruptible, Immortal Body, 1 Cor. 15.53, 54. It shall then be free both from all Actual and Potential Corruption. 1. From Actual, there shall then be neither defect nor deformity, no want of Meat or Drink, (which are of a Corruptible Nature ) or of any other thing. 2. From Potential Corruption, for then the body shall be Impassible, and can suffer nothing that can be hurtful to it; no hurtful passions that may harm the body can then be; yet there will be the comfortable passions, such as Seeing and Hearing their most comforting Objects: Those two Senses (though others do not) shall remain in the life to come, as being more excellent Senses, and receiving their Objects more immaterially, are more Spiritual, and shall be gratify'd with fullness of joy; such ravishing and refreshing Spectacles and Music, as are both inexpressible and inconceivable: such a joy so great as cannot enter into us, but Christ saith, we must enter into it, Matth. 25.21. All the Bodies of the Saints shall then shine as the brightness of the firmament, Dan. 12.3. and as the Stars of Heaven, Matth. 13.43. yea, as the Sun in his strength, Judge. 5.31. Oh what a lovely sight will it be to see them together with God, Christ, and Angels, and how transporting to hear Saints and Angels singing Anthems in their Hallelujahs to the Lord! what manner of persons should we then be! 2 Pet. 3.11.

Now to make some Improvement of those Premises, take these Inferences following: as, (1rst.) Having viewed the Excellency of the body in the state of Innocency, let us now consider it under the fallen estate, and (1.) view it in the whole, (2.) in its parts: (1.) in the whole. Oh who can contemplate this Burnt Temple, but Mourn over it, as they did, Ezr. 3.12. Oh quantunt haec Niobe? what Lamentations ought justly to be taken upon this account! seeing this perfect, glorious, and Immortal Body is now by the fall become a vile Body, yea, vileness itself, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the body of vileness in the very Abstract, Phil. 3.21. Now the body is Tohu Vabohu, full of deformity and emptiness, like that Chaos out of which all things were Created, Gen. 1.2. as if the fall had reduced that Excellent Fabric ( the Body ) to its first Chaos again. Now the Body is truly called the spoil of Time, this curious silver-piece (that shone so splendidly when it first came out of God's Mint) hath lost its luster, its sound, its weight, its Divine Image and superscription, and is become a poor thin overworn groat, lost in the dust or dirt of the great house of this lower world, Luk. 15.8. Now Satan hath set his own limbs (instead of God's Image ) upon it; 'tis now so disguised with sin, that God may well say, Depart from me, I know thee not for my own Creature, Matth. 7.23. thou hast so mar'd thyself, since I did make thee. God made it a Palace, a most stately structure, (if viewed from the highest Garret to the lowest Cellar, that is, from the Crown of the head to the soles of the feet) consisting of many specious, as well as spacious Chambers, and none useless; yea, the Body of the Woman consists of rarer Rooms, more curious, capacious, and roomy (for Conceiving and Containing her Babe, which dwelleth in her Womb, as in its house, and hath (as it were) all its Household-stuff about it, till time (at its Birth) bring it forth to the light of life) than the Body of Man. Hence 'tis said in the Hebrew Tongue, that Adams Body was formed, •• t Eves Body was built, to wit, with a special skill, in a fitter proportion, and a more exact Composition than Mans, for the end aforesaid; Adams Body was made out of Paradise, but Eves in it. The Bodies of them both were pompous Palaces, yea magnificent Temples, fit Habitations for their Divine Souls to dwell in, and fit Instruments to act by; but now this body is become a prison, a shackle, a Sepulcher to the Soul; it sometimes becomes so unuseful to it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sepulchrum, The Body is as the Grave, wherein the Soul seems to be buried, and wherewith (as with many weights) it is really shackled Hebr. 12.1. Hence 'tis one desire of the Soul to be dissolved, Phil. 1.23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be released out of prison, to be set at liberty from its fetters, and to return unto its proper home, 2 Cor. 5.6, 8.9. & 2 Tim. 4.6. Even to God from whence it came, Eccles. 12.7. And this strait betwixt two, and groaning in the flesh, doth not arise from the Natural Original Constitution, but from sinful Corruption by the fall. The Body of Man is now (not only) called a vile Body (as above) Phil. 3.21. as it is become a Compound of vileness, and a lump of misery; but also (in the whole) 'tis called (1.) a body of Sin, Rom. 6.6. as it is both conceived and born in sin, yea and oft both lives and dies in sin, Psal. 51.5. Num. 27.3. Joh. 9.34. & 8.21, 24. Sin is incorporated into all the parts of it, as will appear after: 'tis called also (2.) a body of death, Rom. 7.24. which lives in Diseases, and dies in dishonor, 1 Cor. 15.43. a body that is dying, so soon as it begins to live, having the principles of Mortality in it: as sin, so death hath a real subsistency in the body; the sense whereof made the great Apostle cry out, Oh wretched man, who shall deliver me from this body of death, from this Carcase of sin to which I am tied; 'twas as noisome altogether to his Soul, as a stinking Corpse to his smell, yea and as burdensome to it as the stone that was tied to the foot of Anselms Bird, which when she would have flown up towards Heaven, did pluck her down to the Earth: hence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (Greek for the body ) comes of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ligo to bind, for the Soul is bound (as by the foot) in the body, so cannot mount up aloft as it doth when Death dissolves the Cord that binds it here below: A gracious Soul doth therefore cry out unto the Lord of its own wretchedness herein (to wit) (1.) of the body of sin, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or seed-plot of all sin, which is so bred in the bone, that it will not out, till our bones (as Josephs ) be carried out of the Egypt of this world: and (2.) of the body of death, as it is a receptacle of all Diseases, the Soul now dwells in an unwalled, unfortifyed City, exposed to many Distempers, like the Picture of Man in the Almanac, that hath rays of Arrows shot against his Head, Neck, Shoulders, Breast, Bowels, Thighs, Legs, Feet, and all parts, which at last ushers in death itself. All this makes Paul, and every pious heart cry out. And if the betrothed Damsel cry out (though defiled) she shall not die, Deut. 22.27. Bernard calls the body, Sperma, foetidum, stinking seed before birth, Saccus stercorum, a bag of dung in life, Et cibus vermium, Meat for worms after death. At the best, 'tis but the living Coffin of the Soul, as the Grave is the dead Coffin of the body; hence the Greek word for the body, is derived of a word that signifies the Grave, as before. In short, the body in the fallen estate hath not only lost its primitive glory, (whereof so little is left, that it serves as Jobs Messengers, only to bear testimony of our great loss) but 'tis also become a great clog to the Soul, and an occasion of much sin; 'tis not only the Harbor of much natural and corporal, but also of much Spiritual corruption: and as it was one of the Torments the Tyrants put upon the Primitive Christians, to tie a dead body to the living one, till the stench of the dead had destroyed the living; so 'tis no less a torment to a sensible Soul, to be tied to this body of sin and of death, the stench whereof makes the Saints cry, Oh wretched we, &c. and we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , far, far, far better.

So much of the whole in general, now (2ly) of the parts in particular, take a prospect how each member of the body is corrupted by the fall: The Eye before was a most beautiful window to let in saving light and holy instructions into the Soul. The Eye was an Holy and Honorable Member of the Body, not only called a window, but also a Looking-glass, because Men learnt by the Eye to make them. If the Crystalline humor were not backed with a black humor, the Eye would give no reflection; so if Glasses were not backed with Steel, or Tin and Silver, they would not reflect the Rays: A whole bundle of wonders are in the Eye; As (1.) That it should be a Looking-glass as well as a window. (2.) That it should be of no color, yet behold all colors; no sooner is the Eye coloured yellow with the Jaundise, but all colors then seem yellow to it. (3.) That a Man should have Two Eyes, yet receive but One sight at once, because the Optick Nerves meet in one Middle. (4.) That the Eye being so tender a part, (as not to be jested with) should be so strongly guarded with Tunicles, especially the Apple of the Eye, called in Hebrew Ishon, the little man of the Eye [Ishon] and in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the little Girl or Daughter of the Eye (as Bath-Gnaijn Hebr. signifies) which is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part: hence David, Psal. 17.8. prayeth that God would guard him many ways, as the Apple of the Eye is guarded with many, even with five Tunicles. (5.) Naturalists tell us also, that whereas all other Creatures have but Four Muscles in their Eye, one to turn it downward, another to hold it directly forward, a third to turn it to the right hand, and a fourth to turn it to the left; but God hath placed a since Muscle (over and above all those four Muscles aforesaid) in Mans Eye, that he may turn up his Eye to Heaven (which no unreasonable Creature can do) in his calling upon God. (6.) That this little Candle of the Body (the Eye ) should have such a vast Elevation of sight, to light us through the void space of all the Regions of the Air, and through all the Seven Orbs of the Heaven to the Eighth, which is called the Sphere of the fixed Stars; and from which, if an ascending line could be drawn perpendicularly, (as some have curiously calculated) it would be a Journey of five hundred years long to it: 'It is a vast distance betwixt the Eye and the Sun, this is Mathematically demonstrated, in as much as the Sun is one hundred and sixty times bigger than the Earth; yet seems it but a small body to the Eye, because of the great Gulf betwixt them, and for ought we know, the fixed Stars are as high above the Sun, as the Sun is above us; the least of which Stars are reckoned fifteen times bigger than the Earth, and because of that vast distance appear but as spangles, yet the Eye can ascend so high, and that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, yea, and (which adds to the wonder) without weariness too. The Eye is not tired with travelling thither, as the feet are with footing but a little way. All which shows, what a curious Fabric the Eye is: how much more the Eye of Faith, to which nothing can be unpassable or impossible! that Eye of the Soul will either find or make a way to the highest Heaven through all difficulties. But now (Alas) 'tis become a loop-hole of Lust, being top-full of Adultery, 2 Pet. 2.14. and is (indeed) the broker 'twixt the Heart and the Object, to make up the sinful bargains of all other sins, even the breaches of all God's Commandments. Hence God hath given a covering to the eye, not only a natural, as the eyelids, but also a moral covering, Gen. 20.16. It was at this Cinque-port that Satan first entered, and conveyed the first sin into the Soul of Eve, Gen. 3.6. and by this Casement the Devil let in so much filthy corruption into the old world, as no less than an universal Deluge could wash it clean again, Gen. 6.2, 5, 7. and the Tempter finding this Engine so successful, both at the beginning and at the ending of the old world) did promote his Hellish projects by it ever after, as Josh. 7.21. &c. Many Millions have died of the wound in the Eye; 'tis one of the Devils three grand Instruments (as David had his three Chief Worthies to fight his Battels) 1 Joh. 2.16. And as it was said of Abishai, that he was the chief of the three of David's Heroes, 1 Chron. 11.20. so it may be said of the lust of the Eyes, that it is the chief of the Devils Engines: an Heathen could say, that a world of wickedness windeth itself into the heart by the window of the Eye. There is an Apologue, a most significant Fable, of a Contention that arose betwixt the Eye and the Heart, which of the two was the greater cause of sin: a Reference was made by them both to Reason, which decided the Controversy thus, [Cordi causam imputans, & occasionem Oculo] Reason determined that the Heart was the cause of sin, but the Eye was the occasion of it: oh how oft doth the Devil make the Eye to be as a Burning-glass to set the Heart on fire, as he did David's, 2 Sam. 11.2. from the roof he saw a woman, and from this roof did David's downfall begin, for there the old Serpent easily winded himself into his Heart by the loop-holes of his Eyes, and made himself master of the whole man; from looking he went on to lusting; and the venom thereof did so infect his Vitals, that upon the Ladder of Hell he got a most foul, yet not a final fall, though it would have been no less, had not the hand of Heaven been underneath him, to help him up again, Psal. 37.24. No wonder then, if David did so heartily cry, Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, Psal. 119.37. lest looking should cause liking, and liking lusting again: and Job steppeth one degree further, to wit, from a Prayer to a Vow, Job 31.1. yea from a Vow and Covenant, to a solemn Imprecation, v. 7. he knew the danger of irregular glancing, and of inordinate gazing; these two do often metamorphize a Man into a Beast, and make him a prey to his own brutish Affections. Thus we see, that the Eye is now become an Evil Eye, so called frequently in Scripture, Deut. 15.9. Prov. 23.6. & 28.22. Matth. 6.23. & 20.15. Mark 7.22. Luke 11.34. (1.) Hence the Word flatly forbids us to walk after the sight of our Eyes and the lust of our Hearts, Numb. 15.39. & Eccles. 11.9. for those two are seldom sundered. (2) Job set a guard, and laid God's Charge upon his Eyes, lest they should prove a Broaker of sin to him, as that Hang-by Hiram the Adullamite did to Judah, Gen. 38.20. (4.) Hence God hath placed Tears (in this sinful and in no other Member) which are tokens of Repentance, that (as it were) they might wash it from its sinfulness: therefore the Hebrew word [Gnaijn] well signifies a Fountain, as well as an Eye, for from it, as from a Fountain, doth Iniquity flow; and surely as the Eye is a Fountain of sin, it should be a Fountain of sorrow also. Therefore the Prophet wished, that his Eyes might be a Fountain of Tears, Jerem. 9.1. that he might (with the waters of godly sorrow) wash away the filth both of his own and of other men's sins: the waters that flow from a bleeding Vine are said to cure the Leprosy; sure I am, those Gospel-tears which flow from a Godly Heart, are very Instrumental in curing the fretting Leprosy of sin; and therefore God hath made the Eye of a watery Constitution, that it may be frequently trickling down Tears for that washing work: such waters will be turned into wine at the Marriage of the Lamb, for which purpose they are preserved in God's Bottle, Psal. 56.8. Oh blest is that Soul which is plentifully bathed in the warm bath of their own penitent tears, and in the Kings Bath of the Blood of the Lamb of God, for without blood there is no remission, Hebr. 9.2. 'It is not our Tears alone, but 'tis Christ's Blood that doth expiate sin, Zeeh. 13.1. The Fountain opened in the sides of our Savior, Job. 19.34. who came by water to sanctify, and by blood to justify penitent sinners, 1 Joh. 5.6. Finally, seeing the sight by the fall is become a deceitful and a sinful sense, our Savior giveth safe and saving Counsel, Matth. 5.29. not only to bind it to its good behavior, call it from its outstrays, and lay God's charge upon it, as well as thine own check; but also to pluck it out of the old Adam, and place it in the new, lest, it prove a window of wickedness, and become a worse disease than any of those two hundred diseases which (Physicians reckon up) do belong to the Eye, and lest Death enter in at that window, according to Jer. 9.21. as the Antient Fathers apply that Text, cautioning us to shut our Casements, lest sin ascend into the Soul thereby, and Death by sin; so this light of the body bring the Soul to utter darkness.

Secondly, The Ear is a noble Organ, and an honorable Member of the Body (as well as the Eye ) in many respects. (1.) The Ear is, (as Aristotle calls it) one of the two Learned Senses, it is an Instrument of Instruction, it lets in all Discipline to the Soul. All Learning is let into the Mind, either by Ocular demonstration, or by Auricular Admonition, Job 33.16. & 36.10, 15. As the Eye is the window, so the Ear is the door for Discipline to enter. (2.) The Ear is that excellent Organ that lets in Life and Salvation. At this door the Devil drew in death at first, Gen. 3.1. &c. as well as at the window, v. 6. Satan in the Serpent said, only to bely what God had said, Eve listened and let in death: God ordaineth (as it were, to cross and counter-work the Devil ) that as Death entered into the world through the Ear, by our first Parents listening to that old Manslayer, so Life should enter into the Soul by the same door: the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. As the living Parents of Mankind (Adam and Eve) in their state of Innocency had listened with their Ears to the Devils proffers, so their dead posterity (which (by their first Parents fall) were become dead in sin) by bearing Christ's promise should live, not only the life of grace on Earth, but also the life of glory in Heaven, Joh. 5.25. And the Prophet saith, [Hear and your Souls shall live] Isa. 55.3. therefore he calls on them there [Hattu Oznekem] to hear with all their might unto the Covenant of Grace, and so to the Counsel of Christ, Revel. 3.18. which only hath power to quicken dead Souls: the Covenant of works, and the Counsel (both) of the Devil and of our own darkened understandings, have a killing property. (3.) The Ear is that noble door, by which Saving Faith is conveyed into the Soul, Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. Faith is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. and God giveth not that gift to all men, 2 Thess. 3.2. but only to his Elect, therefore 'tis called the Faith of God's Elect, Tit. 1.1. yet God giveth not this gift immediately to Man, but mediately by hearing the word. As the Eye is called the Sense of Love, so the Ear is called the Sense of Faith. The saving knowledge of God is not conveyed into the Soul by the Eye, but by the Ear. This truth God taught Moses when he prayed, Lord I beseech thee show me thy glory, Exod. 33.18. God corrects him for this, calling him from the Organ and object of the Eye, to the Organ and object of the Ear, saying, I will not demonstrate the glory of my goodness to thy Eye, but I will proclaim it to thy Ear, v. 19. & Exod. 34.6. all which condemns the Popish Doctrine, that seeing of Pictures (those Lay-men's books, as they call them) are good means to make men Religious, which the Romish Church make a matter of Duty, and hearing of Sermons (which is God's Ordinance) only a matter of conveniency: for it pleased God to ordain the hearing of the Word, (not the seeing of Pictures) as the means of grace to build up his Church (in the way of Faith and Holiness) to Heaven. (4.) God hath placed in the Ear a double Natural Excellency: 1. Discretion. 2. Delectation or delight. (1.) There is a discretion or judgment seated in this Organ, Doth not the Ear try words? Job 12.11. The Ear judgeth distinctly of the variety of Sounds, and of the truth or falsehood of Sentences, examining every word of the Sentences. Hence the Critics observe, that [Osnaijm] the Hebrew Dual Number for Ears, doth also signify a pair of Ballances; for as the Head or beam-head of the Ballance standeth between the two scales, and determineth the weight of what is laid therein: so the Head of Man hath one Ear hanging on one side, and another on the other, and the mind judgeth of the worth of words by the Ears, as the Ballance doth by the Scales; and therefore the two Greek Names for the Ear and the Mind [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] have a symbolical sound. All which (together with the Admiration or Interrogation in that Text, Job 12.11. which is the strongest asseveration) doth intimate, that a Judicious Christian taketh not up Truth upon Trust, but he trieth all things by the balance of the Sanctuary, and holdeth then fast that which is good, but abstaineth from that which appeareth to be evil, 1 Thess. 5.21, 22. 1 Cor. 2.15. Phil. 1.9. & Hebr. 5.14. not carried away as he is led, 1 Cor. 12.2. not blown about with every wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.14. not pulled away with the error of the wicked, 2 Pet. 3.17. nor taken prisoner by seducers, 2 Tim. 3.6. and so made prize of by them, Col. 2.8. for want of either skill or will to try Truth from Error. (2.) God hath placed Delight as well as Discretion in this most excellent Organ; therefore Solomon calls the Ears the Daughters of Music-passively understood, Eccles. 12.4. The Instruments of Hearing both External and Internal, which receive the Music, as well as (if actively taken) the Instruments of Speaking that in vocal Song, do make the Music, both which failed in old Barzillai, 2 Sam. 19.35. and therefore he thought himself an unfit Companion for Musical David: as some sounds (as the sharpening of the saw, &c. ) are very harsh and ungrateful, so other sounds (whether by blast, or by beating on Instruments, or by a tuneable voice) are both refreshing and ravishing to the sense of Hearing. (5.) There is not any Member that the Devil envies more than the Ear, because God hath ordained that Organ to be an open door to life and Salvation, as before; and therefore that envious one endeavors to shut it up, as appears in the case of the man possessed with a deaf Devil, Mark 9.25. where Christ rebuketh Satan, calling him [thou deaf and dumb Spirit] because he had made the young man so, and thereby had most maliciously mar'd the workmanship of God: the Devil had possessed his Ear, to hinder him from hearing the Word of life. Naturalists say, that the Dragon hath the greatest spite against the Elephants Ear, because he knows that to be the only part which he cannot defend, therefore doth he bite it off, and from thence sucks out his Blood. So the Red Dragon (the Devil) endeavors to bung up the Organ of Hearing, that Faith, Life, and Salvation may not come that way. When this deaf Devil doth possess man's Ear, then it is, that God speaks once and twice, and man perceives it not, Job 33.14. Intus existens prohibit alienuni, the Devil within makes man not only averse, but adverse (as well as unable ) to attend the word of God without; and therefore 'tis said, v. 16. God openeth the Ears of men. (6.) This ushers in the sixth Excellency of the Ear, there is no Member that God expresseth (in Scripture) so much of his care of, and so much of his pains about, as about this; as (1.) God planted the Ear, Psal. 94.9. and therefore the Fsalmist argues, he that is the Author of the Senses shall he be senseless? (2.) When the Devil hath made it an heavy Ear, Isa. 6.10. & 59.1. and dull, Matth. 13.15. then God awakens it, Isa. 50.4. (3.) When the Serpent hath not only stop'd up his own • ears, Psal. 58.4. but also the Ear of Man, to make him deaf to the charmings of the word of God, then God opens it, Job 33.16. & 36.10.15. & Isa. 50.5. and Christ saith to all that belong to him, Epphatha, be thou opened, or let all lets be removed, let all coverings be uncovered, Mark 7.34. Revelat aur •• m, he takes off the veil that is upon the Ear, for so the Hebrew Reading is [Jigeleh Ozen] he will reveal or uncover the Ear of all outward obstacles, to make Man hear the better. (4.) When Satan hath bolted and blocked up this door of the Soul with Ignorance, Unbelief, Passion, and Prejudice, so that (as 'tis said of some Creatures) Man also hath got Fel in Aure, Gall in the Ear, then God bores it. [Oznaim Karitha] mine Ears hast thou bored, Psal. 40.6. or digged open. When he saith Epphatha, together with that word there goeth a power, as Luk. 4.32. which breaketh open the door, and maketh the Bore so big, that the Word of God may enter and find room, Joh. 8.37. yea God calls up the Ears of the Soul to the Ears of the Body, that one sound may pierce both, then the deaf do hear, and the blind do see, Isa. 42.18. (5.) When the Devil hath drawn the foreskin of security, sensuality, and willful obstinacy upon the Ear, so as to make it an uncircumcised Ear, Jerem. 6.10. Act. 7.51. then God comes to Circumcise the Ear, and (with it) the Heart, Rom. 2.29. Jer. 4.4. this makes an Israelite indeed, Joh. 1.47. When the foreskin of the flesh (or old Adam ) is cut and put off by the Spirit of Christ, both ad intelligentiam & ad obedientiam, to understand and obey the word and will of God.

Thirdly, The Tongue is an Honorable Member of the Body, therefore is it called Mans Honor, Gen. 49.6. ( Jacob's Tongue never gave consent to his Sons villainy) and Mans Glory, Psal. 16.9. & 30.12. & 37.9. which is explained, Act. 2.26. The Tongue is Mans glory above all other Dumb Creatures; and surely such a good Tongue as taketh all opportunities both to glorify God, and to edify men, is a Mans great glory. As an Evil Tongue (belching out nothing but bad) is a filthy shame. As the Ear by the Creation was Janua vitae, the gate of life, but now by corruption (through the fall) 'tis a bolted door to that which is good, yet an open portal to that which is evil. Whereby it is become a two-leaved gate to let in Death and Destruction: Evil communications do corrupt good manners, 1 Cor. 15.33. Such unsavory speeches as are spoken with an evil Tongue, and are heard with as evil an Ear, do both corrupt the Manners, and kill the Mind of Man. So the Tongue by Creation was a wholesome Tongue, Prov. 15.4. having an healing property in it, by speaking a pure Language, Zeph. 3.9. and such as was both precious and profitable: it was then a Tree of life, Prov. 15.4. like that Tree which would have given life and immortality to Adam, and which stood in the midst of the Paradise of God, as the Tongue is placed and planted in the midst of the mouth. The Tongue was then as choice refined Silver, Prov. 10.20. having an excellent ring or sound, scattering Pearls, Matth. 7.6. throwing abroad treasure, Matth. 12.35. even Apples of Gold in pictures of silver, Prov. 25.11. having a lip of Excellency to attend it, Prov. 17.7. which feedeth many, Prov. 10.21. using knowledge aright, Prov. 15.2. Hebr. dealing kindly with it, that is, offering no abuse to it, by venting it unseasonably, or causing it to be vended over-cheap and little esteemed, and dispersing it abroad as a blessing to many, Prov. 15.7. speaking everywhere of wisdom and of judgment, Psal. 37.30. All this excellency had the Tongue by the first Creation, and has restored it by Re-creation, or Regeneration. But now through Mans Degeneration in the fall, the Holy Spirit hath branded the Tongue with many black brands and Characters, calling it a false Tongue, Psal. 120.3. a naughty Tongue, Prov. 17.4. a perverse Tongue, Prov. 17.20. a froward Tongue, Prov. 10.31. a flattering Tongue, Psal. 5.9. a deceitful Tongue, Psal. 52.4. Micah. 6.12. Zeph. 3.13. a lying Tongue, Psal. 109.2. Prov. 6.17. & 12.19. & 26.28. yea a biting as well as a back-biting Tongue, Psal. 52.4. & 15.3. Prov. 25.23. The Tongue bites as well as back-bites, it speaks devouring words; and the Tongue oft bites worse than the Teeth, as Sphinx Philosoph. showeth, pag. 192. and this Lashon ( Hebr. for Tongue ) doth not only lash on as a scourge, Job 5.21. (for Tongue-smiting, Jerem. 18.18. is as smart as any hand-smiting) but slash on also, and draws blood, Ezek. 22.9. Backbiting is not only Back-beating, but also 'tis flesh-slashing; therefore the Tongue (made in the form of a two-edged Sword) is likewise called a sharp Razor, Psal. 52.2. that instead of shaving the Hair, launcheth the flesh; instead of trimming the Beard, cutteth the Throat. Such were the lashes of Doeg's lewd Tongue. 'It is well said, that Man hath two Ears, and but one Tongue, to signify, that he must be swift to hear, but slow to speak, Jam. 1.19. We read oft, he that hath an ear to hear let him hear, but never, he that hath a Tongue to speak let him speak, for we can do that fast enough without bidding; and 'tis well said, that before the Fall Man had but one Tongue, because his Heart and his Tongue were then complete, or Relatives, that is, the yea and nay of the Tongue, were the yea and nay of the Heart, &c. but now by the Fall, Man is become double-tongu'd, 1 Tim. 3.8. Man hath [Os Bilingue] Prov. 8.13. Vulg. Latin, a tongue and a tongue. He hath an Heart and an Heart, so the Hebr. Psal. 12.2. One Heart in the Mouth, and another in the Belly, for he can speak one thing and think another, as Joab did to Abner, and Amasa in his killing kisses; or he can turn his tale, and tune his Fiddle to the Base, even of the basest times, saying one thing at one time, and another thing at another. Thus Man in the fallen estate is become Bilinguis, two-tongued, and not only so, but that Doeg aforesaid (as the Devil made him) was Trilinguis, Three-tongued. The Chaldee Paraphrase calls a Back-biter, the Man with three Tongues; however, Doeg's Tongue had three stings, which killed three at once with his lying report: (though there was truth in it) For 1. It killed the Priests Bodies of whom he reported. 2. Saul's Soul, to whom he report. And 3. himself, his own both Body and Soul, who was that wicked Reporter. Well therefore might David call Doeg's Tongue, not only a sharp Razor (as before) and a Tuck or Rapier, a most Murthering and dangerous weapon; Hebr. Psal. 42.10. but also a three-forked Engine, that could thus destroy three at once. Evil words therefore are not wind, as most imagine, but they are the Devils drivel, that leaves a foul stain upon the Speaker, and oft the like upon the Hearer; yea and sometimes prove cutting and killing words to those concerning whom they are spoken and heard; a tale-bearer hath the Devil in his Tongue, a tale-hearer hath the Devil in his Ear. Let us take up a lamentation and mourn over this stately burnt Temple, as they did, Ezr. 3.12. In respect of the tongue which before was Mans glory, but now is become his shame; 'tis now an unruly evil, full of deadly poison, even a world of iniquity, Jam. 3.6, 8. 'tis not there called a City of Iniquity, or a Country of Iniquity, but a whole world of Iniquity; It defiles the whole Body, as Miriams Tongue (in talking against Moses ) did defile her whole Body with Leprosy: It sets on fire the whole course of nature, and itself is set on fire of Hell. But alas, that Tongue which is set on fire of Hell here in this world, shall be also set on fire in Hell hereafter in the other world, as the Rich Gluttons Tongue was, when he begged for a drop of water to cool it, Luk. 16.24. The Tongue is untameable, (as the Apostle James there declareth.) All Savage and Venemous beasts have been tamed, but this Beastly Tongue, (the taming whereof is far more needful) could never be tamed, Nec vult Panthera domari, this wild Panther will not be tamed. There is no man can tame it, yet Christ can, and doth, when he (who makes all things new, Revel. 21.5.) makes the Heart, Tongue, and Life new; and when the strong door of Grace is super-added to that double door of Nature to bar it in. This unruly Member, the God of Nature hath shut up within a double door, the one of flesh, that is, the lips; the other of Bones, to wit, the Teeth. And seeing in the depraved estate it most unrulily breaks through this double door, upon small provocation, the God of all grace lays the briddle of grace upon it, Psal. 32.9. & 39. 1 Jam. 1.26. & 3.2. yet so unruly is this evil member, that it oft breaks the bridle of grace, as well as the Bolts, Bonds, and Bounds of Nature; as Moses (that mild-man by nature, and that man of God by Grace ) spake unadvisedly with his tongue, Psal. 106.33. And as David, when he thought his mouth had been fast muzzled up, a fire of passion and impatiency burns within him, makes him slip his muzzle, break his word, and belch out a rash request, Psal. 39.1, 2, 3, 4. Oh then what great need have the best of men to request of God, that he would keep the door of his lips, Psal. 141.3. not only that it creak not in complaints (as doth the door upon Rusty Hinges) for want of the oil of joy and gladness; but also, to open and shut according to its Creators command, never to be shut when silence is sinful, and never to be open, when speaking is not better than silence. The door of the Mouth should be like the gate of Ezekiel's Temple, it must not be for Man but for Immanuel, for Messiah the Prince, for him who hath the keys of David to open and shut it according to his will, Ezek. 44.2, 3.

In short, as the Clapper of a Bell demonstrates not only the size of the Bell (whether Treble, Tenor, or Base &c. ) but also the soundness or unsoundness of it by the sound thereof; so Mans Tongue discovers the sort of the Mettal, and the soundness or unsoundness of the Heart. If corrupt communication come out of the mouth, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gr. rotten or putrid speech, Eph. 4.29.] those sparks of Hell, their stinking breath declareth, that they are of the wrong Mettal, they are stinking Goats, not Christ's Sheep: 'tis a certain rule in Physic, when the Excrements of a sick man cometh upward, and out of his mouth, instead of going downward according to the ordinary course of nature, and the party be insensible hereof, 'tis an infallible Prognostick of approaching death: so 'tis here, when obscene Borborology, Black Blasphemy, and filthy discourse (far worse • than any Excrements, inasmuch as moral evil is worse than natural ) proceedeth out of the mouth, and the sinful man is insensible of his sin, (as is the Swearer who swears he doth not Swear, even when big bellyed Oaths are belched out by him) this is an undeniable evidence, that such a man is then in the state of death, and already condemned, Joh. 3.18. and as the Physicians write, [Miserere mei Deus] upon that desperate Disease of casting up Excrements (as aforesaid) against Nature: so must we say for such, Lord have mercy on them, their case is dangerous and desperate; if God heal them not, sure I am, Man cannot: but on the contrary, if a Mans speech be savory, and seasoned with the salt of Grace, Col. 4.6. (as we salt those Meats which are most apt to putrefy) 'tis a blessed sign of an Heart-changing, and Life-changing work, Matth. 12.37. Those two Sons (in the story) that could shoot at their Father when dead, were judged Bastards, and the Judge would not give them any of their Fathers Goods; but the third Son, that could not do so unnaturally, he judged Legitimate, and right Heir to his Fathers All: So such as can shoot through the Tremendous Name of God, (their Father) with execrable Oaths and horrible Blasphemies, are undoubtedly Bastards and not Sons. Such cannot be (so continuing) the Children of God, nor shall have any of their Fathers Goods reserved in Heaven, but are unquestionably the Children of the Devil, and shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels. Finally, we have a saying, a tongue is the best or worst dish in the world; sure I am, the best thing God sends from Heaven, and the worst thing Satan sends from Hell, is a tongue. The great promise of the Old Testament was Christ, and the great promise of the New Testament was the Spirit; this Spirit God sent down from Heaven in Cloven Tongues, Act. 2.3. as the best of Divine Gifts: And as the Holy Spirit set the Apostles Tongues on fire with an holy zeal, that flame of God, Cant. 8.6. so the Devil inflames the tongues of his Vassals with fire from Hell, Jam. 3.6. as the worst of his Diabolical plagues, because it sets on fire the whole course of nature [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the wheel of our Nativity, or the whole course of our lives; no Age, no Estate, no Action is freed from the flames of it, either in Anger, Lust, Pride, &c. This raging Tongue-fire causeth great confusion and inconveniencies; a little fire burns up a whole Wood; 'tis a good servant but a bad master, look well to it: our anger is always sin, except when our anger is only against sin; As the Asp hath a bladder of poison under her tongue, which breaks when he bites, so this poison of Asps is under man's tongue, Psal. 140.3. 'tis top-full of deadly poison, Jam. 3.8. we dare not poison one another, yet slander is poison; oh for a new heart to cause a new tongue! and whereas the tongue (which the Devil hath fired with a live-coal from Hells Altar) can run all the world over, and (like a Mad Dog) bite at everybody; oh what need there is, that the Seraph (who is a burning Angel himself, as his name importeth) should bring his Retheph or burning Coal to touch our tongues, not to burn them, but to burn up corruption in them, Isa. 6.6, 7. The Poet saith of his Heathen Jove, [compescuit ignibus ignes] he quenched fire with fire when he slew Phaeton, (who had set the world on fire) with a fiery Thunder-bolt: So the true Jehovah quenches the fire of Hell in the tongue, (which is a world of iniquity, and oft sets the world on fire) with a live coal from Heaven, he plucks it as a brand out of the fire, Zech. 3.3. Yea, this Spirit of Burning, Isa. 4.4. doth not only burn up our combustible Corruptions, but also inflameth our hearts and tongues with a zeal for God's glory, as the Apostles were all of a light fire, (as Chrysostom Characterizeth Paul also) when the cloven tongues of fire came upon them, Act. 2.3.

Faith is the Tongs that fetcheth this burning-coal from Heaven, to purify and qualify our tongues for God and his service, Act. • 5.9. then indeed are they made as choice Refined Silver (which hath an excellent ring or sound with it) Prov. 10.20. If the heart of the wicked be little worth, then little worth is their tongue: but when the heart of the Godly is renewed, their tongues are refined to sing Hallelujahs, and to sound out the praises of the God of Israel, upon a well-tuned Harp or Hart. Especially, (1.) If the tongue become a blessed Member of God's cleaving, a cloven tongue, Act. 2.4. so cloven and divided, as to be able to divide the word aright in a right application. (2.) If the tongue be touched with a live coal from God's Altar, fetched thence by the Tongs of Faith, Isa. 6.6, 7. this fire from Heaven puts the tongue into tune for God. (3.) If it be appropriated to the Prince of life and glory (as Christ is called) so the gate of Eze ••• ls Temple was for the Prince, Ezek. 44.2, 3. A man's Mouth is his gate, and his tongue in that gate should neither stir nor sit still, but at Christ's command; there is a time to speak, and a time to hold ones peace, Eccles. 3.7. Christ's time of speech and silence, is a seasonable and profitable golden time: such God-praising tongues are indeed as the tongues of Angels, 1 Cor. 13.1. whereas God-blaspheming Tongues are no better than the tongues of Devils; those Incarnate Devils have their tongues undoubtedly touched with fire from Hell.

To conclude concerning the Body and its Parts, in a word, all the Members of Mans Body were the weapons of righteousness before the fall, but since they are become 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , weapons of unrighteousness, Rom. 6.13. which phrase imports the Devil to be a King, who hath his strong holds, 2 Cor. 10.4. as well as his Kingdom, Matth. 12.26. Sin is his Capta • n-General, commanding the whole Body, Rom. 6.12. he hath his fighting Soldiers under him, which war against the Soul, 2 Pet. 2.11. and every member of the body becomes a weapon of sin in the hands of those Soldiers, Rom. 6.13. Now the throat is an open Sepulcher, ready to receive a Mort-morsel in its gaping nature, Psal. 5.9. which sends out much noisome stench, and wherein is oft buried the good name of their betters, when their Tongues, as a Rapier, hath first run them thorough: now the feet are swift to shed blood, Rom. 3.5. Isa. 59.7. as Paul's were, till God stop'd him in his cursed Career, or run into all evil, trotting apace, and taking long strides towards Hell, as if fearing Hell should be full, and no room to be for them, before they get thither. Now the hand is an hand of mischief, Psal. 26.10. Mans right hand is a right hand of falsehood, instead of a right hand of fellowship, Gal. 2.9. of Faith and Love: yea the Heart, (that principal internal member, as 'tis primum vivens, & ultimum moriens, the first that liveth, and the last that dieth ) was before the fall, as the Throne of Solomon whereon the King sat, and as the Sanctum Sanctorum (the holiest place of the Temple) wherein God dwelt, but now, 'tis become Satan's seat, Revel. 2.13. he hath filled the Heart from corner to corner, Act. 5.3. and he hath filled it with Murder, Adultery, &c. Matth. 15.19. yea with all unrighteousness, Rom. 1.29. top-full of vanity and villainy. So that the heart of the wicked is now little worth, Prov. 10.20. as little as may be, till purchased by the merit, and renewed by the Spirit of Christ. 'Twas a great Curse Elijah denounced against Ahab, that his Ivory Palace should be turned into a stinking Privy, 1 Kin. 22.39. with 21.22. and 2 Kin. 10.27. yet far worse is befallen the Heart of Man, which was holy and excellent, but now is become a receptacle of all uncleanness. See my Hearts Treachery at large. While Adam was a wise man (in his pure estate) his heart was at his right hand, he managed his matters discreetly and dextrously, he was handy and happy at all his concerns; but becoming a fool by his disobedience, then his heart falls to his left land, Eccles. 10.2. this made him and his do all things aukwardly (as those that are left handed) ever after. His Eyes were at first in his head, Eccles. 2.14. but sinking into his heels, he ran away from God, when his heart was touched with hellfire in the fiery darts of the tempter. Ebur nitidissimum adhibito igne nigrescit, the brightest Ivory (if smutched with the fire) contracteth a filthy blackness: then was the Ivory Palace of innocent Adam sadly soiled.

CHAP. IV. Of the Soul of MAN.

HAving discoursed largely of the excellency of the Body, which is but the House, Scabbard; and Cabinet, the Soul is the Guest, the Sword, the Jewel in the Body: I now come to speak of the Souls Excellency. (1.) in general, As the greatest thing in the great world is Man, so the greatest thing in the little world (Man) is the Soul, which Jacob calls his honor, Gen. 49.6. or glory (as the word [Chabod] signifies.) The Soul is the glory of a Man, not only as it is the Breath of life, and of a more noble nature than other Creatures) but also as it is a beam of Eternity, an abridgment of the invisible, as the Body is of the visible world, and as it is a Spirit that had its immediate original from the Father of Spirits, Hebr. 12.9. Gen. 2.7. Num. 16.22. and seeing the Soul is a nobler part of Man, than is the Body, therefore 'tis frequent in Scripture (Synecdochically) to put Soul for Man, and Souls for Men, Gen. 12.5. & 14.21. Exod. 1.5. &c. The very light of nature hath called it Divinoe particula Aurae, a Particle of Divine Breath: that the Soul is of a noble nature, is one of those Natural principles which Philosophers call [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the common notions of the light of Nature, like that, the whole is greater than the part, and like that, one and two make three, &c. Nature dictates those Truths, and so likewise, that the Soul of Man is an excellent Creature, and made for excellent employment; insomuch that the Sage Heathen Seneca could say of his Soul, Major sum, & ad majora natus sum, quàm ut Corporis mei sim mancipium; My Soul is a greater thing, and made for greater ends, than that it should be a bond-slave to my Body. Hereupon Christ refers that great point, [that a Soul was better than the whole world, Matth. 16.26] to their own (though carnal) Consciences, intimating, how it was Truth in itself, and that if they had the least spark of natural reason left in them, they must judge it to be so, the bare recital of it was sufficient demonstration: how much more doth the light of Grace (far clearer than that dim light of nature ) discover the excellency of the Soul, that it is a precious Jewel which God himself made up and laid up in the curious Cabinet of the Body, that at death is resigned up unto God again! All Saints learn this lesson from their dying Savior, saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit, Luk. 23.46. Our Lord had received his Soul (as he was the Son of Man) from God, and now as a Sacred Depositum or pledge (his Father had betrusted him withal) he commits and commends it into his Fathers hands again, as a most faithful keeper of it, who within three days restored it to his Body at his Resurrection. The like did David (who was Christ's Father and figure ) Psal. 31.5. Into thy hands I commit my Spirit. And this lesson that blessed Proto-Martyr Stephen learnt of his Savior, Act. 7.59. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. This was one of the seven Sentences which our Savior spake upon the Cross, and though undoubtedly Stephen spake more than this (while he saw Heaven through a shower of stones ) yet this was the sum of all. The like Lesson learnt learned Luther, whose last Prayer was this: My Heavenly Father, thou hast manifested Christ to me, I have known him and taught him, and love him as my life, now draw my Soul to thyself: I commend my Spirit into thy hands, thou hast redeemed me, O God of truth, &c. The like Lesson learnt most of the Holy Martyrs, according to the Divine Counsel of 1 Pet. 4.19. Committing the keeping of their Souls (as a most precious Depositum) unto God, as unto a faithful Creator, who will rather unmake all by his Creating power, than that any Soul (which he hath given to Christ ) should be mar'd or miscarry. Our Savior committed his Soul to God, both in his life, 1 Pet. 2.23. and at his death, Luk. 23.46. But what a wretch was that Huberus, who died with those wicked words in his mouth, I yield my goods to the King, my Body to the grave, and my Soul to the Devil! On the contrary, this hath always been the comfort of Dying Saints, that they are assured Christ Jesus (who died for them) shall at their dissolutions receive their Souls into his safe and blessed custody, to live with him, who is the life and the God of the living. Christ gave it as a Cordial to the penitent Thief, (dying with him on the Cross) This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23.43. which was an answer to the penitents Prayer, v. 42. Lord, when thou comest into thy glory, receive my Soul (as one of thine) into thy mercy: and this is the double privilege of every true Believer, that they are born upon the wings of Prayer (into every condition good for them) while they live, and that their Souls are born upon the wings of Angels (into Abraham's bosom ) when they die, as Lazarus 's Soul was, Luk. 16.22. As the Palsy-man was let down in his Couch through the roof of the house by his loving Relations, before Jesus, Luk. 5.13. so is every good Soul taken up in an Heavenly Charet through the roof of his house, and carried into Christ's presence by these Heavenly Courtiers; the Angels conveys it safe through the Air, which is the Devils Territories, as he is Prince of the Air, Eph. 2.3. Not unlike as God's Host (the Angels) conducted Jacob through all his dangers, Gen. 32.1, 2. & 48.16. The Angels met Jacob, as Servants meet their Masters, or as Nurses meet their Nurse-Children; The great King of Heaven commits his Children to the Tuition of Angels while they li • e, Psal. 91.11. They bare them all that time (as the Nurses doth the Babes) in their bosom, always ready to secure them from the roaring Lyon that rangeth up and down to devour them; they do fight for them (in battle-array) against all their Enemies, Dan. 10.20. and pitch their tents round about them night and day, Psal. 34.8. Then, when the Nurse-Children come to be weaned and drawn off from the world, (their work there being done, that their Father gave them to do, Joh. 17.3.) the Angels (those Nurses) carries them home at their Fathers command, to their Fathers house, through their Enemies Country, into Abraham's bosom; so that all God's Children may call Death (as Jacob did the place where he met the Angels ) Mahanaim, because there the Angels do meet them (as their Convoy ) when they die,