208 S E R M O 11t S upon Serm. SERMON XXIX. ROM. VIII. 22. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain toge..,; ther until now. ® q H E Apo(tle had (hewed how the creature waiteth for its future .® ,i perfeft eftate ; now, what fenfe it hath of its prefent condition. In llor ; the Words we have, I. The Certainty, We know. 2. The Agony of the Creature, It groaneth and travelleth in pain. 3. Their confort and agreement in this groaning, The whole crea- tiongroaneth, 8cc. 4. The duration and continuance, Vntil now. 1. The certainty of what is afrted, We know : But how do we know ? Firft, We fee by ourfenfe, that the whole Creation is under vanity and corruption. Secondly, We know by faith, that it came by fin ; fo that partly from fenfe, and partly by faith, we conclude that the creature is under a burthen. 2. The great agony of the creature ; it groaneth and travelleth in pain : Groaneth as a man under an heavy burden; travelleth in pain, as a woman in child- bearing: The crea- ture would fain be disburdened of this eftate. Some think that this laft Metaphor im- plieth, that the iffue will be comfortable, for the pain of Travel ends in joy, John 16.21. A woman whenfhe is in travel hath Arrow,for her hour is come; but ajoon as fhe is delivered of the child, fhe remembreth no more the anguifh,for joy that a manchild is born into the world. It may be fo here, only I find this Metaphor ufed for bitter pangs and forrows, without any refpeat to the end and 'flue ; as Matth. 24. 8. All thefe are the beginning of forrows. 3. The confort and harmonious agreement that it between all the parts of the world ; wäas olive The whole creation,colle&ively, or every creature diftributively, they all groan toge. ther, and travel in pain together. 4. The duration and continuance, (until now) ; that is, from the time that fin entred into the world, unto this prefent time. Do&. That the whole creation groaneth under the burden of our fins. t. What is this groaning of thecreature;or in what fenfe the creature is faid to groan: 2. How we are concerned in thefe groans. 3. Flow we know it ; for whoever heárd the groaning of the wholeCreation? t. What it this groaning of the creature? Or how can that be afcribed to things with- out Eieafon,Senfe and Life? There are two éaufes of groaning in fenfitive creatures, Labour and Pain; that which anfwereth to Labour,isunwearied motion; that which an- fwereth to Pain, is corruption and decay: r. Labour and Motion ; fo we may fay the creatureis worn out with hard labour to ferve the efesof man; becaufe'tis in continual motion ; the Sun moveth from Eaft to Weft in the Day, and in the Night from Weft to Eaft again, Ecclef I. 5. The Sun alfo arifeth,and the Sungoetls down, and hafleth to his place where he arofe : The Hebrew, Pan - teth,
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