Book II. G 0 D A B U I L D E R. METAPHOR. PAR ALL EL. his Ways, Contrivance, and ProjeCtions pall: fincl– incr out in his Works of Creation, as well as Providence; for not Mnn only is fear– fulL· a~d curiouOy made, but all his other Works fo well contrived, that it is not poffible for any one to mend them: In Wifdom haft thou made them all. . . 11. A Mafrer-Builder ufually 11. God, the mfimte and mofr w1fe Contnver, hath a principal or head Workhath his Word or Son, who is called the H'i(dom man, to whom he imparts his Seof God, and aWonderful Counfel/or, to be his Head crets in his great and weighty ConWorkman, who was in the Bofom of the Father, trivances, who is to enter upon the and underfrood all IllS Secrets, by whom he made chiefefr Part of the Work; and the Worlds, who is called the Son, the CharaCter, not only to work himfelf, but to Image, or Reprefentative of God, without whom orde~ and direCt all fubordinate there was nothing contrived or made, that was Workmen. made; either Things in Heaven, or Things on Earth, vifible or invifible, whether Thrones, Do– minions, or Principalities; all Things were made by hiin, and he was before all Things, and from him came Order and DireCtion to all fubordinate or fecondary Caufes. Ill. A Mafrer-Builder hath the Ill. God, the Builder of all Things, had the Figure or Idea of the Materials in Idea in his own Mind, and gave Order for the his Mind, of which the Fabric is bringing of them forth, in order to fuit his moft to be compaCted, and gives Order wife and wonderful Purpofes: For as known t• God for the bringing them forth, to anare all his Works from the Beginning, [o he faid, fwer his great ProjeCt and Defign. Let the Heavens, the Earth, the Water, the Air ap– IV. A wife Mall:er-Builder lays a Foundation, to Jet that Fabric upon, that he intends to build for a Houfe, City, or any Kind of Edi– fice, which cannot O:and without it, as Chrill: tells us. V. A Builder puts his Work• )Tien into Order, and his Materials .into their proper Places; the Stone, Brick, Timber, Lead, Iron, Brafs, Silver, &c. pear; and they d1d fo. IV. God, this great and wife Mall:er-Builder, hath planted the Heavens above, and laid the Foundations of the Earth beneath·: Which when we confider, that they have no Bottom, but the Air and the Water,,we mull: refolve it into his own Power, which can do every Thing, or his Word or Son, who bears up the Pilbrs of the Earth, and upholds all Things: He lookedfor a City whichbath Foundations, whofe Builder and Jvlaker is God. V. The God of the who!~ Earth did at the fir!t put all Materials into their proper Places, and af– ligned all his Servants their refpeEtive Work; the Heavens above the Ai1·, and the Air above the Waters. Chri!t is Head-Workman above Angels, Angels above Men, Men in Work and Bufinefs above the Fowls of the Air, Beaits of the Field, creeping Things of the Earth, Fifhes of the Sea. Men above one another, in RefpeCl: of his Church, (his fpiritual Building) Mofes above Jojhuah, and ordinary Prophets; Aaron above other Priell:s i Apol1:1es above Evangelifts, and ordinary Minill:ers; and all to fhew his wonderful Skill and Wifdom. Angels to keep his Commands, and fing Praife; the Heavens to declare his Glory, and the Firmament to fhew his handy Works. Mofes to manifefl: Wonders on·Earth, Am-on to celebrate his Worfhip, John Baptift to fet forth J efus, the Apoll:les to plant Churches, and preach the Gofpel to Jews and Gentiles.-Eiclers of a lower Rank ;-Apollos, and Evangelill:s: All which have their peculiar Work and Place afT!gned, by the great ArchiteCt of the whole Univerfe. VI. A Builder raifes Fabrics VI. God hath fet his Stories in the Heavens, of feveral Sorts: Some of higher Amos ix. 6. where his glorious MajeO:y dwells, and Conf1deration and Grandeur than Jefus,our greatHigh-Priell:, fits at his right Hand; others, as Temples, the Palaces where all the Angels are feared in Glory, and the and Thrones of Princes, Noble Spirits of jufl: Men made perfeCt furround the and Great Men's Houfes; inferior Throne of God and the Lamb, Heb. xii. 22, 23, Dwellings, and difmal Prifons. 24. The Earth for Men : The difmal Prifons and Regions of Darknefs, for difobedient Spirits, and ev1l Angels, r Pet. iii. 19, 20. Jud. vi. 13. Ifa. xxx. 33· VII.ABuilder g1vesOrnament,as Vll. God hath not only beautified the Meek wellasFormandBeing, toaHoufe. with Salvation, but adorned New Jerufalem, where 3R ~
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