66 Chap. 38. an Expofition upon the Book of ] o B. Verf. 5. made of a measure and of a line. Ttte skilfullett Architeét can- not raife. up any con,iderable building without thefe ; though he bath the platform and idea of it in his head , yet take away his line and his rule , and he can do nothing. But fuch is the glorious skill and power of God, that though he is pleafed to fpeak ofa tneafure and of a line ; yet we mutt not be fogrofs, as to chink that he made ufe of any. The whole work was natural to God, and therefore he needed no artificial helps ; nor was any inftru- ment employed in it , but only,his own creating word and will. Some faithless Atheists of old (and potriibly thereare fuch at this day) asked in fcorn withwhat toolsand instruments , with what ladders and f atfolds,this buildingwas fet up : But let us at once pity fuch in their unbeliefe and horrible prophanenefs, and la- bour to edifie or build up our felves in grace and holinefs, in the faith and fear of his great Name , who built this world without tools or infiruments, without ladders or fcaffolds. Secondly , As our hearts fhould be drawn out in admiration, . fo in thankfulnefs , forafmuch as God bath made fuch a world for us r he bath laid the foundationsof the earth, hebath meafu- red it our , and firetched the line upon it , that we might have the ufeof it , that wemight tenant and inhabit this houle. Man is the chief inhabitant of the earth ; that other creaturesdwell there, is for the fervice of man then let us be thankful. Oar greateft caufe of thankfulnefs is , that the Lord hath made ano- ther houle for us , of which the Apoftle profeffeth his aflu- rance (z Cor. s. r.) We know that when the earthly boufe of this Tabernacle (whether of our body, or of the body of this world). isdiffolved , we have a building of God ,. an houfe not made with hands, eternal tw. the heavens. show fhould we rejoyce in,and be thankful for that bottle ! But that we have this inferïour houle built for us ( which isalfo a building of God, an houfe not made with hands , but purely and immediately by the power of God) is and 4souid be continual matter of great thankfulnefs. Tkirdly , Seeing the Lord bath thus`laid the meai'ures of the earth , and r'tretched forth the line upon it feeirw he bath made loch an exaa building for us , this, earth . let us walk ex- afaly and orderlyupon this earth , which he bathmade. As he bath laid his meafures in framing the earth , fowe fbould keep our meafures in livingupon theearth, E-fe bath firetchedout his line
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=