47o Chap. 39. an Expotion upon the Bokof j o E. Verf,a6. ---_ . Hawks are for the fport and delight of Princes and great men; and feeingGod bath made fame creatures for the delight, more than for the neceffity , for the pleafure, more thanfor the need of mah; O how fhould man take heed of dìfpleafingGod ! Doth the great Godof heaven and earth provide Hawks for mans plea- fure, andfhall man take nocare to pleafe God ! 'Tis lamen- table to confider, how molt men difpleafeGod by oaths and pro- fanacions of his Name, while they are taking that kind of plea- fore. And I may fay, there is nokind of fport which the indul- gence of God hath allowed man, wherein God is more pro- voked and dishonoured, than in this: What fwearing, what cur- fing, is there in following this Game ; If Hawks and Spannels pleafe not men in thepurfuit of their pleafures, how is the Name of God rent and corn, tohishigh difpleafure ! How vain is that man, who takes pleafure in fin, or who fins in takinghis pleafure! He makes his thou pleafure-time a feed-time (without repen- tance) of his everlafling paines and forrows. Secondly, Whereas the queflion is pur, Dab the Hawkflit by thywifdom ? Note - It is 6y the wifdom and teaching of God that the Hawk fiieth. Not only bath the Lord put the general power of flying into the Hawk, as into other birds, but that fpecial excellency to flie fo fwiftly and firongly, fo cunningly and artificially. 'Tis not fo much the Faulconer, who teacheth the Hawk, asGod ; then let us admire the wifdom of God in the properties of every crea- ture. It mull be confefí'ed, that Hawks do firange things ; but but whence is it ? it is of God. Doti the Hawk fie by thy wif- dom ; cana thou manage the Hawk, or bring her to thy Lure; canft thou make her gooff after her prey ? cana thou reclaim her at thypleafure ? Thou cana not; onlyGod can. And hence we may infer, If the flying of the Hawk be from the wifdom of God, then fee the wifdom of God in the goings and doings of man. The wayof man (faith the Prophet, Jer, r e. 23.) is not in bimfelf ; it is not in him that walketh, todicta his ¡tepe ; the wif- dom of the Lord doth it. If the wifdom of the Lord orders the flying of abirdin the air, furcly then'tis thewifdom of the Lord which
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