774 Contemplations. La I. moifture;theWeloffountains,the great PondoftheWorld; we know noc whether A to wonder at the Element it felf,or the gueftswhich itconraim. How doth that fea of thine roare,aod foam and fwell,asifit would (wallow uptheeanh?Thou ftayefl the rage ofit by an infenfible violcnce;and by a naturall miracle confinefl his waves· why it moves, and why it flayes, it is to us equally wonderfull: what Jiving Moun~ taines(fuch are thy Wbales)rowle_upand down in thofe fearfull.biJiows: forgreatnesofnumber, hugenesofquanttty, fl:rangenes offhapes, vancty offafhions, neirheiraire nor earth cancompare with the Waters. I fay nothing ofrhy hid rreafures which thyWifdome bath repofed in rhe bowels ofthe earth and fea; Howfecmly, and howbafely are they laid upl fecrerly, rhar.we might nor feek them; bafely,that wemight notover-efleem them: I need nor dig fo low as rhefe meralls, mineries, quaries which yeeld richesenoughofobfer•ation to the toui;How many millions of wonders dorh rhe very face ofrhe earthotferme; Whichof rhcfe Herbes, Flowers, B Trees,Leaves,Seeds,Fruirs,is there:; what Beafl,what Worm, wherein we may nor feethefoorftepsofaDeiry? Wherein wemaynor readinfinirenetfeofpower, of fkill: and mu it be forced ro confeiTe, that he which made the Angels and lbrres of heaven, made allorhe vermine on the earth ? 0 God the heart ofman istoo ftrair ro admire enough, even that which he treads upon I What fhall we Gy to thee rhe Makerofall thefe? 0 Lord,howwondefull are rhyworkesin all rheWorld? In wifdom haft thou made them all. And in all thefe thou fpakefi and they were done.Thy Will is rhe Word,and rhy Word is rhy Deede. Our tongue, and hand,and hearrare different: all are one in rhee;which arrfimply one,and infinir.Hereneeded no helps, no inftrumenrs; wharcouldbeprefenrwith rhe Eternal!? what needed, or what cou!d be added to rhe infinire?Thine hand is nor fhorrned, thy Word is fiill equally C effefru•ll; fay thou rheword, and my foulefhall be m•denew again: fayrhou the word and my body fhallbe repaired from hisduft.Forall thingsobey rhee,O Lord, why doe l not yecld rothe wordofrhycounfell; fincel mutt yeeld,as all thy creatures to rhe word of thy command. Of MAN. mUr (0 God) what a little Lord haft thou made overrhis great World I The leaft corn offand i• nor fo fmall ro the whole Earth as man is ro rhe D Heaven:wh<n I fee theHeavens,the Sun,Moon 1nd Stars; 0 God,what is man? who would think rhou fhouldefi make all rhefe Creaturesfor one ?and tharonewell neer the leaft ofall? Yet none bur hecan feewharrhou haft done· none bur he can admire, and adorerhee in what he feeth; how had he need ro do n~rhing burtbis,fince h<llone muft doe ir? Certainly, the prkeand venue of things confift nor in rhe quantity : onediamond is moreworth then many Q!!arries offione one Loadftone harh more venue thenMountainsofearth: It is lawfull for t:s to pr;if, thee in ourfelves: All rhy creation h•rh not morewonder in ir,rhen one ofus : otherCrcarmes thoumadefl by a fimple command; Man, nor withoutadi· vincconfulrarion: orhers at once;Man,thou didfi firft form, then infpire: others in feverall fhapes like to none butthemfelves; Man,afrer thine own Image:orherswith E qualities fir for fervice;Man,for dominion. Man had his name from thee; They had their names fromMan. How fhould we bcconfecrated ro thee above all orhm,fince thou haft befiowed more coft on us then others?What fhalll admire firfi?Thyprovidcnce in rhe rime ofourCrearion? Or thy power and wifdome in the alt? Firfl, thou madeft rhegreat houfe oftheWorld,and fnrnithefl it: then thou broughreftin rhy Tenantto poiTetre ir. Thebarewallshadbeen too good for us, bur thy love was above ourdefert: Thou rhatmadefi the earth ready for us before we were, haft by rhe fame mercy prepared a place in heaven for us whileswe areonearrh'. The ftage was fir!t fully prepared, then was mal) brought forth thither, as :In A !.toror Sp<Cta· ror:rhar hemight neitherbe idle nordifconrenr: behold, thouhadft addretfed an earth for ufe and Heavenfor contemplation: after thou hadfi drawn rhat large reall ' Map
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