On HEll. XI. 6. may farther obferve a wife providence in the diverfity it hath ufed to lengthen and flioften the days and nights for the advantages of feveral Countryes; for that part o! the earth which is under the Line, being fcorcht wtth Imm_oder:lte heat, wants~ c_onttnual fuppl y of moifiure; therefore the longeft and cooleft mghts are there; but It IS 6ther:- wife in the Northern parts, for the beams of the Sun being very feeble there, provi• dence hath fo dift,ofed, that the days are extream long, that fo by the contmuance of the .heat, the fruits may come to maturity and Perleetion. A;nd as the diff<rence•of day and night, fo the dtverfity of feafOns proceeds from the motton of the Sun, wludi is a work of providence, no Jefs admtrable than the former'; as the motwn of the Suit from Eafi to Weft, makes the day and night, fo from North to South, caufes Summer and \Vinter; by there the worJd is prefervcd ; Summer crowns the_ ~arth with flO\\-·ers and fruits, and produces :m abundant variety for rhe fupport of hvmg creatures; the Winter which fecms to be the death of nature, robbing the earth of its heat and life, contributes alfo to the univerfal good; it prepares the earth by its cold and moiilure for the returning Sun; in the fuccellion of thefe feafons, the Divine providence is very confpicuous; for fince the world cannot pafs from one cxtream to another, wit!wut a dangerous alteration ; to prevent this inconvenience, the Sun makes its approaches gradually to us, the Spring is interpofed between the Winter and Summer, that by its gentle and temperate heat, it may difpofe our bodyes for the excefs of S.ummer; and in the fame manner the Sun retires by degrees from us, that fo in the Autumn we may be prepared for the afperities of the Winter. And to clofe this part of the Argument, the invariable fucce!Tion of times and feafons is a token of the iilme providence; the Sun which runs ten or twelve millions of Leagues every day, never fails one minute of its appointed time, nor turns an inch out of its con!l:ant courfe, but inviolably obferves the fame order; fo that there is nothing more regular, equal, and confiant, than the fucce!lion of day and night; to afcribe this to hazzard, is the moft abfurd extrava. gance ; for in the effects of chance there is neither order nor confiancy; as we may fee in the calling of a Dy, which hardly falls twice together upon the lame fquare; it is ncce«ary therefore to conclude, that an intelligent principle guides the revolutions of the Sun, thus uniformly for the advantage of the world. Pfal. '9· 1, 2, 3· lhe beawns declare the glory ofGod, tbe firmament fhe.vs his handy work. Dny unto day utters jpeecb, and night unto night adds knowledge; there is no fpeecb nor lat~guage wbere their voice is not heard; what is that language and voice, but an univerfal Sermon to the world of God~s being and excellency ? Let us now confider that vall extent of air, which fills the !pace between heaven and earth; this is of fa pure a nature, that in a moment it tranfmits the inAuences of heaven to the lower world, this ferves as an arfenal for thunders and Jightnings, whereby God fummons the world to dread and reverence; thlS lS a treafury for the clouds,which dilfolving in gentle lhowers refrelh the ~arth, and call forth its feeds into flourilhing and fruttlulnefs; thlS fanns the earth Wtth the wmgs of the wmde, allaying thofe in- ~i~Js~r~~~~I~r~i~ t1~~~c~af;0a~1~ob:'n~~~rfcir:~~~f~~n~~~ii~~sts~r:r~~~stl;~e ~:;;~~u;~rt~~ ferves for the breath and hfe of man; from hence we may conclude the wifdom of a God, who fo governs the feveral Regions of the air, as by them to convey ble!lings fot the neceilitics of man, and to fend judgments for the awakening the fecure to feek after God. Let us now defcend to the Sea, and fee how that informs us there is a God . 'tis a Truth evident to reafon, that the proper place of waters is next to the air ab~ve the earth ; for as it is of a middle nature between thefe two Elements, being purer and !iahter than the earth, but more grofs and heavy than the air, fo it challenges a fituari'on between them; that as the air on all p1rts e)lcompalfes the SeaJ in like manner the Sea flmuld overfpread the earth, and cover the whole furface of it; that its natural inclination i ~ fu~h, appears by its continual A~wings; who then bath arrefied its courfe, and fiopt tts Vtolence! who hath confined tt to fuch a place and compafs, that it may not be. deilruetive. to the world! certainly no other, but the great God who firfi gave it bemg and motton ; befides, that winch renders the power of God more confpicuous is tha_t br fa weak a bridle as the fan:l, its rage is bounded; when it threatens the fl10r~ with tts mfulting waves, you would fear Jell it lhould 1\vallow up all, but it no fooner touches the fand, but its li~ry is turned into froth ; it retires, and by a kind of fubmiC. fion, refpeCts thofe bounds which are fixt by the Creator. Now, that the fierce(\ Element lhould be repreil by the feeble(\ thing · in the world, and that which breaks the Rocks, be limited by the fands, is a wonder ofprovidence; thetefore the Lord a!ledges tillS as an effect only proceedmg from hiS power, and challenges an incommunicable glory
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